Clean Gingerbread Men Cookies

Let me just tell you, I love me some gingerbread men.  They are tasty, cute, and a fun holiday treat.  So I tried making them "clean" and healthy.  Trial and error, thats all I have to say…the first batch I made last week was good, but they needed to be sweeter.  So sweeter I made them…all I can say is NAILED IT this time around.  

Makes about 30 cookies

Dry Ingredients:

4 C almond flour

1 C coconut flour

1 Tbsp ginger powder

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp cloves

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

1/4 C maple syrup (sugar free works too) + 1 Tbsp for dates

24 dates, pitted

6 Tbsp water

1/2 C egg whites

1/2 C softened coconut oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 drops liquid stevia

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl 

2. Make date paste:  In microwave safe bowl, add dates and 3 Tbsp water. put in microwave for 30 seconds.  Take out bowl and mash dates together.  Add another 3 Tbsp water and sat in microwave for 30 more seconds.  Take out bowl and mash some more.  Add 1 Tbsp maple syrup and mix well. The consistency should be pasty and smooth.

3.  Add all wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl.  Use hand blender and mix everything well.

4.  SLOWLY add dry ingredients and mix with hand blender. Blend until everything is well mixed with each other.

5.  Place cookie mixture on a piece of wax paper, wrap up, and place in freezer for 2 hours.

6.  Once cookie batter is cold, take out of freezer and flour surface with coconut flour and roll out with a rolling pin.  NOTE:  batter as it gets warm becomes difficult to work with, so using a little at a time and keeping in refrigerator until needed helps.

7.  Use cookie cover to cut, place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 17 minutes.

8. Take out and let cool before icing.

Icing:

1 scoop protein powder

1 tsp cream of tartar

almond milk

Mix ingredients together and add almond milk until at preferred consistency.  Add stevia if needed.

Add food coloring for different colors.  Or if you don't mind a little sugar, grab icing at the grocery store and decorate!

Thai Inspired Coconut Soup

It has been forever since my last blog post…between training, studying, starting a business, and working full time at the restaurant, life has been busy busy busy! But that's ok, because I'm getting stuff done. Almost done with my final exam for fitness nutrition...just in time for the holiday madness at work, and training harder than ever. We started bulking last month, and man has my body loved it.  More carbs = happy Rachel.  

It's no surprise that the weather in Southern California has been rather odd the last couple years...unseasonably warm in the winter, and real hot in the summer.  But…it's FINALLY cooling down a bit.  Starting to actually feel like fall now.  And since it's getting a bit cool at night now, all I want is soup.  Pho is one of our favorites, and we have been going to this little tiny Thai place down the street…where I am obsessed with the coconut soup.  Totally fattening, but so worth it.  But sadly, can't eat it every night…even while on the bulk.  So I decided to try to make some at home, a lighter and healthier version…SO FREAKIN GOOD.  Sure it's not as creamy as the real thing, but it is good enough for me. 

THAI INSPIRED COCONUT SOUP

8 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 can LIGHT coconut milk
1 box brown rice noodles (I prefer the thicker pad thai noodles)
1 pound peeled shrimp
1 stalk ginger, peeled roughly chopped
12 kaffir lime leaves
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 can waterchest nuts, drained
15 baby bok choy
juice from 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp red curry paste (optional if you want it spicy)

1. Pour the chicken broth into a large pot and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes to reduce down.  
2.  In a separate pot, cook the box of brown rice noodles for about 3 minutes so they are al dente.  Strain and run under cold water.  Put aside on a plate for later use.
3.  Once the chicken broth is reduced, add the chopped ginger and the kaffir lime leaves. NOTE: tear the leaves down the middle to bring out the fragrance. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, pour soup through a strainer, and into another large pot.  
4.  Put pot back on medium heat, and stir in the can of light coconut milk and red curry paste. Add the shrimp, red cabbage, bok choy, waterchest nuts, and brown rice noodles. Wait until shrimp cooks in the broth. Add the juice from 1 lime, and some salt to taste. 
5.  Pour into a soup bowl and enjoy. 

Diet vs. Lifestyle Change

Once upon a time, when I was in high school, I wanted so desperately to be that thin girl that fit into size 0-1 jeans.  I envied the girls that were stick thin and could pretty much wear whatever they wanted.  You see, high school was some of my most awkward years, and although i was never "fat" per say, I was definitely carrying a lot more body fat with less muscle mass.  

That being said, I tried a ton of different diets.  Did you know that there are literally hundreds of different diets? No carb, low fat, under 1000 calories, cabbage diet, diuretics, Paleo, Slimfast…the list goes on.  And how long did I stay on each diet? Not very long.  I fell off the diet train time and time again.  I was depriving my body of nutrients it needed.  I would say to myself "I had a sandwich for lunch today…too much bread, I can't eat anything else for the rest of the day."  Thats not very healthy at all.  We hear so often that when we don't eat, our body goes into starvation mode.  Our bodies don't know we are on a diet, so it slows down metabolic function, brain function, and more.  

Diets are not sustainable for any long period of time.  If you have been able to sustain a diet for years…my hat goes off to you.  But that leads me to 'Lifestyle change'.  Perhaps slowing down your carb intake and cutting out sugars has worked for you and you lead your life making healthy decisions.  That is more of a lifestyle change.  It's funny, looking back to a year ago, I was a distance runner, trying to keep up with a paleo diet.  My  desired results hadn't been realized .   Then I started lifting heavy.  I was eating nothing before training, a cup of coffee after training, a salad for lunch, and veggies and a protein for dinner.  I was expelling too much energy for the amount of food I was eating.  What happened?  Same thing, I was working so hard at the gym, yet saw minimal, if any, results.

I was fed up that I was putting in so much work and seeing no results.  So I started to do what Robert had told me to do all along, I started food prepping and eating 5-6 smaller meals a day.  I gave my body the veggies, protein, fruit, and carbs it needed and the results I've seen have been far beyond anything I could imagine. I stopped looking at it as dieting, and started making healthy choices to keep my body's energy balanced.  

Real quick, this cracks me up so much I had to share it…this woman comes into my work sometimes.  She orders a side of meatballs, looks at me and says "I'm on a diet…this is my first meal."  NOOOOO!!!! Its 6pm.  I shake my head.  It drives me crazy. I would be crazy if that's all I had to eat all day.  My desire is to help people, like this woman, figure out the importance of when and what you eat.  It's just as important ingesting proper nutrients and calories upon waking, and spreading meals throughout the day. Eat more nutrient dense food, with proper exercise, lose more fat, be happier.  It worked for me, there is no reason why it can't work for you.  The end.

Vanilla Protein Waffles

So I get a text message from a friend the other day saying they saw a picture of me on Facebook and is really worried that I am not eating.  I couldn't help but giggle at that.  Sure the camera angle and lighting sucked and did not work in my favor, but the dang picture was one my husband took of me with a big plate of waffles in front of me.  

I love seeing the look on peoples faces when I tell them I have pancakes and waffles for breakfast on the weekends. They are like "what the…" like how do I eat this stuff and stay fit.  They all say "you must have to work out extra after eating that." Nah not really.  You cannot work out extra and eat like crap and expect results.  And you certainly cannot work out hard and eat like a bird.  Nutrition is everything…but eating clean does NOT have to be boring.  So on Saturdays and Sundays, Robert and I usually like to have some waffles or pancakes.  You see, my taste buds and body think I'm indulging in a succulent treat.  But my mind knows its all clean ingredients… so I don't feel guilty after.  

Vanilla Protein Waffles (serves 2)

3/4 cup oat flour (blend oats in blender until they have a flour consistency)

2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I use Cellucor)

3 Tbsp coconut flour

2 tsp baking podwer

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup liquid egg whites

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together with a hand blender.  Spray waffle maker with coconut oil spray.  Cook, then top with desired fruit.  I used bananas and strawberries today with sugar free maple syrup.

Per serving (without toppings):

331 calories

6.4 g fat

30.2 g carbs

8.2 g fiber

2.8 g sugar

38 g protein

Take a freakin walk

So I woke up today sore, groggy, with a headache…and the last place I wanted to spend my morning was the gym training legs.  But I get my ass out of bed and eat my sweet potato, plotting ways to avoid training. You see, I am NOT a morning person.  I am a 'sleep in til 10am then slowly get my day started' kinda girl.  I also work 5 nights a week, so by the time I get home from work and settle down and relax, its midnight/1am.  I desperately need to change my sleep schedule.  But anyways…the hubby and I are sitting at the breakfast table this morning and I am my usual grumpy self, and he says it might be a good idea to take a day off. My ears perk up and I'm like TOUCHDOWN!!!!  Then he says lets go for a walk.  UGHHHH

Well, actually, NOT ughhhh. What a gorgeous morning in South Orange County.  Seriously, the sky is so blue today its incredible.  We walked for a good hour…few miles…and wow, I forget how wonderful it feels to be outside enjoying the fresh air.  I used to do a ton of outdoor activities, but lately I've been on such a schedule of waking up, going to the gym to train, taking care of appointments or errands, go to work, then come home to unwind.  Its like the movie "Groundhogs Day" with Bill Murray, except its the same routine for me.  

Getting out and about in the fresh air made the world of difference.  I got some sun, stretched my legs, got my endorphins pumping…and that is good enough for me today.  So just because you back out of the gym one day doesn't mean you have to forfeit a day of exercise.  GO OUTSIDE AND TAKE A FREAKIN' WALK. There are so many forms of exercise that doesn't require being inside a 4 walled gym.  Take a walk, go on a hike, go rock climbing, go for a bicycle ride…but I'm sure ya'll already knew that.  Then get up and do it.  The excuses are always going to be there…but you don't have to be one of those people…so get out there and make the best of your day.

Healthified Lasagna

So for those who don't know me, I bartend at an Italian restaurant.  I started working at one 10 years ago when I was 15, and now I've been at my current job for over 2 years now.  I LOVE pasta. I LOVE Italian food.  I LOVE all the sinful meals.  I get asked time and time again "Rachel, how do you stay so thin and work here? You must eat like a bird."  HAHAHA...WRONG.  I consume A LOT of calories a day and I work my ass of at the gym.  Do I occasionally have a little bit of pasta…YES…I'm human.  But I don't deprive myself from the things I love to eat.

That brings me to this AMAZING butternut squash lasagna.  Work made lasagna for a family meal one night, and I just stood there looking at it while I ate my salmon and broccoli I prepped during meal prep.  So the next night on my night off, I told my husband "I'm making lasagna"... And gosh darn it I did.  Delicious?  More like mind blowingly, can't stop eating, rich and scrumptious amazingness.  My husband and I both finished, we looked at each other and said at the same time "seconds!!!"  Its cheap, easy, and full of flavor, you won't be disappointed.  It saves great in the fridge and heats up great!!!!

Butternut Squash Lasagna:

1 lb groung turkey or ground beef

1 large butternut squash (or 2 smaller size ones)

16 oz mushrooms (I buy the ones pre-cut from trader joes)

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz container fat free cottage cheese

1 jar marinara sauce (I make my own, but it a time crunch I get a jar from Trader joes)

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Garlic Powder

Oregano

Salt and Black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

2. Peel the butternut squash.  Cut in half longways, then slice into thin half moon slices.  Line them on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil.  Season with some nutmeg and cinnamon.  take it easy on the nutmeg, just a little sprinkle :)

3. Put in oven for 25 minutes

4. While the butternut squash is in the oven, brown the ground turkey or beef.  add a touch of salt and pepper.

5. Add in the mushrooms, diced onions, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes on med-high heat. 

6. Add in the marinara sauce, turn down heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes.

7.  Open the container of cottage cheese, and mix in oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper.  Enough to season the cottage cheese.  Cottage cheese doesn't completely melt while being heated, but it gets very creamy.  Quite delicious!

8.  Take the butternut squash out of the oven.  

9.  Take a large glass oven safe dish (I use an 12X6 dish).  Spray with coconut oil so make sure the lasagna doesn't stick to the dish.

10.  1st layer is a thin layer of the sauce.  

2nd is a layer of butternut squash. 

 3rd layer is a layer of the sauce(I use most of my sauce here). Spread evenly. 4th layer is the whole container of seasoned cottage cheese. 

 5th layer is the rest of the butternut squash.  6th and last layer is a thin layer of sauce.

11.  Heat at 350 degrees F for approx. 20 minutes.

Enjoy! <3

First Things First

It's funny, I never thought of myself as one to blog, and here I am starting one!  I don't really know how to start one so I guess first things first.  My name is Rachel Moore, formally Rachel Spiro, and my husband is Robert Moore.  We just tied the knot on July 7th of this year and we couldn't be happier!!!!  My motive with this blog is to share with you all our experience, strength and hope and our journey in the fitness and nutrition world. 

Here is a little bit of my story:

I am a recovering alcoholic (tomorrow I will be sober 18 months), and years of substance abuse on my body really took its toll.  Me getting sober wasn't necessarily a decision I woke up with, nor was it one I put much thought into.  On February 19th, 2013, I woke up sicker than I ever had been after a long night of drinking.  I'd been pretty sick the weeks leading up to it, but this morning was especially bad.  I went to the doctor and after blood tests, found out I had alcoholic induced liver disease.  Something had to change.

So for the first few weeks, I started hiking with friends.  I was beginning to feel AMAZING from all the endorphins pumping through my body and wanted more.  So I started going back to the gym.  Years ago, I would go through phases of going to the gym, but my drinking would bring me right back down to laziness.  But this time, I was up at the crack of dawn every day to go workout.  I was a complete cardio queen, and my weight work outs consisted of 2 days a week upper body, 2 days a week legs, the same routine…with lots of cardio.  I thought cardio was going to get me that body I had always wanted.  I was never overweight, but i most definitely was "skinny fat".

So a couple months go by and I decided to sign up for my first half marathon.  With training for my half marathon, I was running more than I ever had in my life.  Since I didn't really know what I was doing in the weight room, I would buy women's fitness magazines and use their recommended bikini body workout plans.  I gained strength, but I wasn't pushing myself hard enough…and I definitely wasn't looking the way I wanted to.  

June of last year, I met Robert and everything changed.  After my half marathon a year ago…we started training together.  Robert was a body builder, power lifter, personal trainer years ago.  Much to my surprise, he told me I needed to lift HEAVY.  Not light with more reps…but HEAVY.  I always thought that lifting heavy would make me look like a man.  Nope.  It builds muscle to create that "tone" look women want.  You want to get toned = you want to build muscle.  So we trained for a little bit together, and I decided to run a second half marathon.  The second half marathon in November ended my shortly lived running career, resulting from a hip injury.  My body was not made to run!! So now all my time was dedicated to weight lifting with Robert.  I fell in love with both.

So fast forward a bunch of days and months to today, and I am currently training for my first bikini show!!! Anything is possible to anyone who puts in the time and effort.