QUICK, EASY AND HEALTHY BREAKFAST

They say breakfast is the healthiest meal of the day but unfortunately for me before,  I never got  use to partake in nor did I include it in my early morning rituals before heading out the door.. Now I make sure I have something nutritious before I start my day even if that means leaving for the flower market as early as 5 or 6:30 in the morning (flower market opens at 2 am, like the fish/meat market since most, if not all products are sensitive to heat and light) That gets me going till early afternoon and NOT most likely CRAVE food even before lunch,  From experience when my sugar falls, I get vigorously hungry that I want to eat a "whole super (market) of junk food"!!  meaning I grab gummy bears, peach circles etc etc etc.. so bad..

Eating healthy in a rush is hard but thanks to the availability of "RAW"and good cereal options,  gluten,  refined sugar, hydrogenated, corn syrup free non-GMO products are readily available at your local super, as well as with seasonal fruits, one can definitely have enough energy to jump start your day in a yummy healthy way. Here is a typical quick and easy breakfast for me:

MY SWEETENER.. 15 CAL PER PACKET LOW-GLYCEMIC

SO GOOD!!!

YUMMY RECIPES : QUINOA GARBANZO CELERY AND PEPPERS SALAD

It's sunday!!! and what better day to experiment on a dish. Coming up with a dish is a result of personal taste and food exposure. Lately, I have been enjoying celery, garbanzos (chickpeas)  bell peppers and Quinoa. Quinoa I believe will become my one of my staple for its protein content and delicious nutty flavor.  Garbanzos is also becoming one of my faves for it's starchy, yet fibrous qualities and for it's adaptability in a any dish.

Today I thought I would put together a salad inspired by the different meals I have eaten this past 2 weeks. I had Indian food  " Chana Masala" my first re-introduction to Garbanzos after  a long while, which actually made me come up with a "Paella" inspired vegetarian dish. Then I prepared a Cucumber Cranberry, Almond , Quinoa salad when I spent a weekend with a friend ,Donnel in Half Moon Bay making a Chuppah for  a client.

While all these tastes and flavors are still fresh in my palette and head I thought I would make a , get a hold of this name, Celery, Garbanzo, Pepper, Cucumber Quinoa Salad, drizzled with Garlic Olive Oil Dressing and with some sprinkling of Chopped Parsley!!! WOW!!!

What you'll need:

4 cups of cooked quinoa
1 Slivers of a whole cucumber
1 medium size red Bell peppers
1 Can Garbanzo beans
5  Stalks of Celery
6 clove so garlic
1 medium onion
Half a cup of olive oil
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper - to taste- I feel heat intensifies the saltiness of a dish
1 Tsp Rosemary Salt
A pinch of Sun Dried Tomato powder
A dash of Paprika
Juice of half a Lemon

Cook your Quinoa, I try not to overcook, I like mine al dente, so It doesn't get mushy. I dipped my finger to the bottom of the pan mark where the height of the quinoa then put that finger on top of the quinoa and just a bit below that is where my water level will be. A trick I learned from my Grandma Jovita. Get yourself a small strainer so as not to waste quinoa when washing it.
Slice or chop your ingredients according to your preferred sizes. set aside. I sautéd 3/4 of my celery and bell peppers in olive oil garlic and onion just to bring out the natural sugars and sweetness for about 2 minutes . You may skip this process if you want.

Place your quinoa ( cool it down first) in a bowl. mix in all the ingredients , both the fresh cut celery and bell peppers and the sautéed ones, herbs (herbs not urbs) and spices  top with parsley and the garlic lemon oil dressing)

Garlic Lemon Olive Oil Dressing. -

Half a cup of Olive Oil
5 cloves of Garlic
Juice of half Lemon
Sea Salt and Peppers

Place all ingredient in a small food processor  add sea salt and pepper and blend -DONE..

Cut  your vegetables as you would like to taste and bite into them

 Get yourself a small strainer when washing quinoa

5 cloves of garlic half a cup of olive oil, juice of half lemon  and blend .

Saute 2/3rds of Celery and Bell Peppers, Onion and garlic in olive oil to bring out its natural sugars

for about 2 minutes

You may skip this process and go for all the CRUNCH!!

Cayenne or heat high tens Saltiness in a dish and gives it that POW!!

Try to incorporate your favorite herbs and spices to layer flavors. These 2, I believe,  work for this dish together with paprika.

]

before

Tips on wilted herbs- cut the ends and place

in a glass of warm water.

After an hour or so

YUMMMMMMM...

CELERY - VEGGIE FEATURE

Having been on a  vegetarian diet for 3 weeks now has made me realize how one can easily adapt to this change. Like I said before, I had originally intended to do this for 1 month but now that I am going on my 4th week I am feeling that I might extend it another week, then maybe another week and another week, I don't want to make a definite decision on this one, I feel like I still have an option, What I would say is "I would hold out on consuming "dead animal's muscles and fat as long as I could"  I even hold out on being "pescatarian" and limit my eggs and cheese consumption. Whenever I would , It'll have to come from an organic and free range farm"

It's not hard as I had imagined it to be. Thanks to my grandmother, Jovita Cenizal, who I feel was the original Martha Stewart since she raised us on organically grown fruits and vegetables, some of which came from her vast veg and fruit filled backyard, Tamarind, Mango, Bananas, Chico, Santol,  Star apple, Coconut /Macapuno, Guyabano, Balingbing, Papaya, Jack fruit,  Atis, Guava to name a few.

Practically very new to this diet,  I have a friend, Davida, who has been on a Lacto - Ovo vegetarain and an occasional "pescatarian" for 30 some years,  guiding me through my vegetarian adventure. In addition, or course, I have the internet for some of my research. I read two, three or more articles on a topic then I compare to see what is credible as opposed to just some commercially driven website marketing their wares.  It's amazing how we take these information for granted and go about our daily lives passing by Fast Food's "Drive through" lanes consuming heavily processed food and "super sized" sugary drinks

Not judging here!!! I know how it can be very convenient some times but allow me to share this mini story. When I was in LA in the early 80's, working at the Jewelry Center Building on Hill and 6th street. I didn't have time to make breakfast so I fed myself egg/sausage mc muffin, (Mc Do..was literally 15 steps away from my bus stop) for breakfast at leas 4 -5 days a week. total 2 weeks more or less - I  Gained 10 lbs just like that.. !!!

Anyway, I wanted to feature a vegetable I enjoy eating that makes this new way of eating healthy more enjoyable. I call it "vege with a purpose." I feel that knowing the benefits of what you are consuming can be very inspirational!!!

CELERY is one of the very common & effective plant which helps in curing various health disorders which are not easily curable. The green leaves, stem and the bulbous root of celery are all extremely rich & makes celery a very important medicinal plant. There are various health benefits derived from celery and its juice. The medical quality of celery was first described by the Greeks Discorides and Pliny.

It contains balanced minerals, vitamins & nutrients & its oil has strong smell due to concentrations of plant hormones. The presence of the essential oils makes celery special. They are also found in the seeds & can be added to the juice also. These oils have a specific effect on the regulation of the nervous system, and have a great calming influence. Celery is used for its strong stimulating and beneficial effect on a weak sexual system, but as is usual with plant therapies the normally active person does not have to fear an uncontrollable upsurge.

Calories In Celery: 1 cup or 100 gms of celery has only 14 calories. Plant therapy tends to make the system normal. That's why we should prefer the plant therapy to cure ourselves. Moreover these plants don't have side-effects like other therapies. They affect the immune system of body naturally.

• The strong water removing powers of celery enable it to be used in the control of health problems such as arthritis, stone, liver problems and rheumatism.
• A tablespoonful of honey in celery juice, sipped slowly, will very effectively reduce the appetite if taken before a meal, and makes a delightful drink. It will also help in reducing their weight.
• You can take the same mixture as a nightcap; it will help you to relax into a soothing and restful sleep. So those who have a problem of sleeplessness must enjoy the sound sleep after having this yummy health drink.
• Those who are suffering from stones in the gall bladder or the kidney must take the juice of celery. It has been found that those who drank juice do not found any formation of stones in bladders & kidney again. It seems likely that this effect is related to the anti-arthritic properties of the juice.
• Celery calms the nerve because of the high calcium content & helps in controlling high blood pressure. Raw celery should be eaten to reduce high blood pressure.
• Celery is used in aromatherapy and other traditional way of healing like Ayurveda. In Japan, rheumatic patients are sometimes put on a celery only diet.
• Moreover you can eat a lot of celery without thinking twice because it has almost zero calories. You won't add any extra pounds after having such a yummy drink or raw celery.
• The whole plant is gently stimulating & nourishing; it also acts as a digestive remedy and liver stimulant. A tincture can be used as a diuretic in hypertension and urinary disorders.
• Celery roots, fruits (seeds), and aerial parts, are used as ethno medically to treat mild anxiety and agitation, loss of appetite, fatigue & cough.

All we know about the Celery is quite enough for a person to start using it but the exceptions are always there. Some people had allergy of Celery so they should avoid using it. Moreover there is a belief that celery is difficult for humans to digest. The oil and large doses of seeds should be avoided during pregnancy; they can act as a uterine stimulant. Still celery is valuable in diets for various reasons & we all must include it in our diet to take precautions & cure from various health disorders. Now I think you will also include Celery in your diet to avoid spending your wealth for regaining health.

SOURCE FOR ABOVE : http://www.indianfoodforever.com/food-guide/health-benefit-of-celery.html

ANOTHER GOOD READ:

http://www.naturalnews.com/024596_celery_juicing.html

CELERY/APPLE  JUICE RECIPE

4 APPLES
6 STALKS CELERY
COCO SAP OR HONEY

YUMMY RECIPE; VEGETARIAN QUINOA PAELLA

OK, it has been 18 days since I had eaten meat. After my cleanse I had decided to go vegetarian as long as I can hold out eating dead animal's muscle and fat. (see I am trying to correlate these images when I smell and think of meat sorry guys ) So I thought I should start coming up with recipes of my favorite dishes adapted to a vegetarian diet.

Earlier today I was dreaming of PAELLA. but it has seafood and CHORIZO!! then I  thought, Hey, one can get the flavors or close to it,  with  garbanzos, peas , bell peppers, saffron and the right spices without the fatty proteins. right? Well,  at least for me, so I checked around and made sure I had  quinoa, instead of rice for lesser carb /more protein content, then rushed to the super and imagined selected different  vegetables that would work well together and this is what I came up with. I'm telling you,  its yummiliciously delish!!

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Red Bell peppers
1 Yellow Bell pepper
6 Brussels sprout cut into 4
A cup of garbanzo
1 cup of peas
2 pinches of saffron florets ( if you have the real thing , the beh-tuh)
A pinch of dried  oregano
A dash of paprika
1 Yellow onion chopped
3 Stalks celery
Flat leaf parsley
Button mushroom-
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook 2 cups of quinoa as you would rice.(you may use vegetable broth instead of water)  On a separate pan, saute' all the ingredient starting with garlic and onions then adding the vegetables that is longest to cook veggies that cook fastest,  add your spices, salt and pepper to taste, cook and set aside.

In a bowl scoop up some quinoa and top with vegetable "paella"  saute mix then sprinkle with choped flat leaf parsley and enjoy. Very different from the standard Paella, where you cook the rice with the veggies and meat , but it looks and taste like one.

I love it.

Enjoy.

GOING VEGETARIAN

Finishing a 7 day lemon cleanse and a 3 day ease out was very fulfilling. I feel light and healthier than the day I started. Well I have not eaten any form of dead meat in 10 days that's got to have some positive effect on my body ,blood chemistry and well being.

I believe it was easier for me to go vegetarian after the lemon cleanse because any kind of food after not having eaten a morsel of it for one whole week sounded very appetizing. on the 8th day I was dreaming of biting into an apple even longing for the crunchy texture of a cauliflower. Fruits and vegetables during the last few days of the cleanse were calling my name. . Thereby making my choice of going vegetarian a lot lot easier. So far two successful days and I am not missing dead meat at all!! here are a few of my meals that I so enjoyed. even my lunch buddy was eating fried chicken beside me I was devouring my quinoa farro salad with ultimate delight. yummmmm

BREAKFAST

YOGURT WITH FRESH PEACH

LUNCH

QUINOA AND FARRO SALAD WITH BROCCOLI FLORET PEAS AND BERRIES

DINNER

 GOBI MANCHURIAN - WITH ROTI - YUMMM

10th day MLC Ease Out Day 3

Yesterday I more or less started to eat normal, I had juice of 7 of fresh oranges I drank the whole morning. Had 2 servings of Activia. and vegetarian Pho and some rye crackers.  I am feeling light and more energetic. As I had predicted after I have started to eat, my weight would go up, and it did to 185 at night from 177.7 that morning. Today I weight myself after the bathroom visit and I am again down to 181. so a 3 lbs gain after the MLC and that's fine no "little dis" here because I knew that was coming and hey a 10 lbs lost is not bad yes?. Now the challenge is to maintain or continue to loose the what I feel is another 10 lbs close to my ideal weight of 165- for my height of 5'9". I would be very happy at 170.

As I have said all along, the MLC is just a jump start to more healthy and well balanced diet by avoiding red meat at all possible times. ( a big change from my hi protein diet, well I never really indulged in red meat even when I was on a high protein diet only chicken pork and fish) but rather eat more vegetables, fruits and fish and later on add chicken to the mix.being very much aware of my CALORIC INTAKE each day. I  feel this will benefit both my blood chemistry and of course my weight and whole being YAY!!

here are some of my nourishment and their recipes:

SIGGIS YOGURT  ( 100 CAL) WITH FRESH PEACH (66 CAL)

FRESH SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE WITH WATER

JUICE  OF ONE ORANGE IS  39 CALORIES

OAT MEAL PEACH AND BLACK BERRIES

VEGETABLE PHO

I BOUGHT THE VEGETABLE PHO BROTH- SO GOOD

ADDED SWEET POTATO, CARROTS, BABY BOKCHOY,, AND LEEKS ONIONS N GARLIC

YUMMM

OH WITH SHIRITAKI NOODLES- 

A CUP OS MORE OR LESS 146 CAL

COCO SAP SWEETENER

I TBSP - 20 CAL

Easing out on the 8th Day of MLC (master lemon cleanse) Before after

Today is my 8th day of the Master lemon cleanse ( I will refer to as MLC) I decided not to go through the 10 day recommended cycle as I feel I have done enough days to achieved what I had originally intended to do, Cleanse my system. and now the easing out process begins. It also takes a 3 day mostly liquid citrus diet slowly adding vegetable broth and soup on the 2nd day and on the 3rd day soups and light salads.  so I' m feeling I'm still  doing  a 10 day cycle.

As my system has been resting for 7 days it would only be wise to slowly introduced solid food and nutrients to my colon. Anticipating chewing on solids (hahahaha) I immediately  ran to the super and got me a variety of fruits and vegetable I can juice and make into soups to include probiotic pills and yogurt to develop good bacteria in my colon.  Luckily my sister has a juicer "THE BULLET EXPRESS" my niece Josephine birthday gifted to her. YAY!!

So far I am down to 179.2. from 190-192. From my research I know I will regain at least 3-5 lbs when I start to eat as food would fill my system again. and that's okay, I just need to continue eating healthy and begin to hike once again as I wasn't able to for a month and a half.. My hope is, I can continue to eat vegetarian or pescatarian  for the next two weeks then add chicken and avoid whenever possible any red meat to maintain a state of well being or wellness and loose the remaining 10 lbs THE HARDEST !!! but now I feel incredibly light and good. YESS!!

So here are my stash for the week to come.

ORANGES, AVOCADO, PAPAYA, CANTALOUPE, APPLES, WHITE AND YELLOW PEACHES- YUMMMMM

STRAWBERRIES ANOTHER YUMMM

BALCK CHERRIES - YESS

THANK YOU JO!!!

2 INCHES GONE

2ND DAY

                                                                  7TH DAY

                                                                 2ND DAY

                                                              8TH DAY

Psyche yourself - Lemon Cleanse

Today is the 6th day and I am realizing that food IS a major major part of everything we do. Eliminating food in the equation of a normal daily existence is one enormous challenge to overcome if one chooses to do this.

Almost every social and leisure activity involves food. Meeting up with friends . going out somewhere to hang out, almost always ends up or start with "let"s get a bite to eat" or "how bout a cup of coffee. "

Today I decided to go to the city (SF) and walk the piers . On my way a sudden fear upon realization that I would be bombarded with sights, sounds and smell of yummy offerings, suffused my whole being. What do I do? Where do I go ? Can I at least have black coffee ( judging from my 2nd day that's not an option)

I paused for a moment of self assurance and justification, I Calmed down, after all I have with me my "to go flask " of lemon cleanse juice . I should fear not and I thought, instead of sitting down at a rest or Starbucks, I'm on a bench blogging. My advise therefore to those wanting to take on this extreme approach to reboot your system, you will need to psyche yourself and be prepared for the what I call " little dis" minor dissapointments. and everything should be fine.

THE SMELL OF FOOD PERMEATES THIS AREA

LUCKILY I HAD MY JUICE WITH ME

GREAT VIEWS TO WRITE AND BLOG

YES...

Foods I would normally indulge in and  passed on today..

My favorite Japanese Deli

FRUIT EMPANADAS YUMMM (I'm teasing myself to tears hahhaha)

Chicken mushroom empanadas My fave (at this point I didn't care)

as I always say. I can always have that another day.

Of course the very inviting wine bar... Breezed by it

One of my preferred chocolates

Ah SAID NO TO ALL OF THE ABOVE.. YAY!!!

The "Master Lemon Cleanse"

Well, I know what you're thinking, no I'm not doing this because I'm desperate and that all of my efforts have failed.. Not too fast. Inasmuch as I have plateaued at 187-89, I still have not gained back the 50 lbs of the 60-70 lbs I have lost 5 years ago. Besides, the motivation to get back to my target weight of 175 I decided to take this challenge to really get healthy. I have two friends who have done this and according to them the results of their blood chemistry after was quite remarkable. A lady friend who's bad cholesterol was over 300 went down to normal range. A Doctor friend, said his also dropped down to normal including blood sugar. ( please consult your doctor before trying this or anything on this blog for that matter). And that my friends, was what really motivated me to try this cleanse.

What you need:

1 set measuring mesuring spoons to just the tbsp and a tsp

Organic Maple Syrup

Organic Lemons

Organics Cayenne Pepper

Dieter's tea - decaffeinated

Sea Salt- (never iodized)

Purified water

RECIPE

2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp Maple syrup

1/10 tsp of Cayenne Pepper (or more to taste

8 oz of purified water

SWF- (Salt water Flush)

This is an important part of this cleanse, every morning upon waking put 2 tsp of sea salt unto 1 liter of purified water, (if you don't  go try a little more salt. I started with 2 tsp didn't work I do 3 tsp.

How I did it

The first and 2nd day were hell on earth. I realize later  one thing I did wrong was that I didn't drink enough of the lemon tea which made me crave and hungry. The secret is to take drink as much till you feel full even before you get hungry.

At night before bed (this I do every other day) I drink a Triple leaf 's Dieters Green tea, decaffeinated then after I do the SWF.

Another Boo boo on the second day, I cheated, I had black coffee, I'm telling you don't do it. That night, I could not sleep and the cravings was the worst! I was dying of hunger which never happened ever again. I also went and buy supplies and I felt like I wanted to eat the supermarket. Coffee makes you hungry!!!

For a longer read here is a link  Master cleanse website.

I started with a goal of doing this 3 days (10 days is the recommended length of time ) on the 3rd day i felt like it wasn't enough, so I reconsidered and targeted 5 days. Went kinda fast . Today is the 5th day I am writing this. According to my weighing scale I lost 10-12 lbs from an estimated 190-192 starting weight. Well that weekend I indulged in a food debauchery which will account for a lot of gunk in my system that must have weight a 5 lbs or so. My target weight lost is 170-175 so I think I am"GOING FOR GOLD" according to my guide and mentor, Dr. Bubut Vasquez, Thank you Master.
Correction the following day I weighted myself again and it was 184.05 so I lost an approx 5- 7 lbs.

Don't cheat especially with coffee or  even a lick or a taste of anything.- (remember straw -back- camel?)

Carry it with you all the time.

Don't allow yourself to get hungry before you drink.

Don;t watch the food channel. YES so true

Stay out of supermarkets.

Ask around ( neighbors) for  Lemons! Most likely that's organic.
Psyche yourself for Little dis. (see next post)
Write down or blog your experiences and what your feeling, it helps believe me.
Do not weight yourself everyday.
Brush your teeth or gargle 3 times a day,  lemons are acidic always help to gargle with water or never sleep without brushing your teeth.

A few images :

Good timing this water is on sale at Nob hill

I don't go anywhere without it

2nd day of Lemon Cleanse

                                                                 4th day

LEMONS (ORGANIC) FROM A NEIGBHOR

MY TOGO BOTTLE