Monday, December 29, 2014

28 Day New Year Kick Start


New Years is right around the corner, which means resolutions. One of the top resolutions is weight loss. Unfortunately, most do not make any head way or stick with it. You being a "healthy" diet and work out plan, and two weeks in, a month or two, and you are done. It was so restrictive you could not stick with it, diet once again did not work, you feel like crap and who cares, it is a silly resolution anyway that everyone makes and no one sticks too. Let's change that this year! If you are truly wanting to loss weight and find true health you need a plan, support and some self discipline. The plan and support I can help you with, the self discipline, I can guide you, but you have to be willing to put in the effort and try. With a group supporting you, it is always easier.

Enter my plan: 28 Day Sugar Detox

My goal for this detox is to help you over come your sugar cravings, start you on the road to weight loss and health. To find health and thrive, we need to eliminate as much sugar as possible. This is to help those who have tried restrictive diets and found they do not work, however want to kick the sugar habit and begin a healthier lifestyle.

I understand it is not easy to eliminate sugar, it is addictive and in everything. However, I do promise you can all but eliminate processed sugars from your life, with time. This is not going to happen over night or even in 26 days. But, we have to start. I tell my clients all the time, you have to begin. Progress forward is progress, no matter how small the steps.

With all that in mind, here are guide lines:
Begins January 4, 2016
Ends January 31, 2016

Foods to eliminate:

  • Sugar laden foods, desserts, soda, processed foods, foods you know have added sugar, you will need to become a label reader
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Agave, if you are wondering why agave because you thought it was good, read this.
  • Man made sugars such as Aspartame, Sweet and Low, malts, any ingredient ending in "ose" sucrose, galactose, these are simple, processed sugars
  • Fruit juices
  • Alcohol 
  • Syrups 
  • No fruit for the first two weeks
Just because a label says "sugar free" does not mean it is. By law, manufactures only have to label sucrose, which is table sugar. It can have as much of any other type of sugar in as they wish and can still call it "sugar free". If it is sweet, it has sugar in it. Almost any food you purchase in a package is going to have added sugars of some type. A good rule of thumb for the challenge will be, do not eat anything out of a box or package. 


Foods that are accepted in small quantities:

  • Dark chocolate, it has to be above 72% 
  • Sprouted whole wheat, make sure there is no high fructose corn syrup, agave, or other processed sugars, some have honey or molasses in and that is OK  
  • White rice
  • Sweet potatoes and yams
  • After the first two weeks, whole fruit, it has to be whole fruit, no juices
  • Honey
  • Molasses 
Some insensitive to give this challenge a try, besides weight loss and feeling better, for every day you complete the guide lines, your name will be entered into a drawing for one month of free health coaching with me! To participate, like my business Face Book page and watch for the daily posts, by liking or commenting on the post, you will be entered into the drawing. This is on your honor. It is free of charge and anyone can participate. The more friends and family you have join you, the better your support system is, which sets you all up for success. 

If you are someone who is just beginning your health journey and you read the guide lines and think, I cannot do all of this, you took away all the food I eat, I will skip it. Please do not. Pick whatever you can do and begin. Remember, you have to start somewhere. If you never begin, nothing will change. Have the support with this challenge to begin making a change. Maybe next year or the next challenge, you will be able to fully participate. 

See you on my Face Book page!
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn


Monday, December 15, 2014

Goals vs Dreams

My Kauai trip inspiring dreams
We live in a very goal oriented world today, you have to have goals, make goals, how to be successful with your goals, you will only be successful if you have goals, goal books, goal talks, goal this, goal that. I am not saying goals are bad or something we do not need, they can be a very good thing. Goals can keep us on task, moving forward, give direction, keep us motivated to push through the hard times. The down side of goals, to me, is there is no heart. A goal can be very cold. Anyone can give us a goal we need to finish, a task. A goal can be obtained, however you are not moved towards becoming a better person. It was only something to check off your to-do list.

A dream is who you are.
A dream is personal.
A dream is something you want to accomplish and complete.
A dream changes you.
A dream is inspirational.
A dream changes the world.
Dreams are fluid, they change as we grow.

What are the dreams for your life? Do you dream?

Just as with a goal that is large, most dreams are big life events and you need to chunk it down into bit size pieces so you can accomplish it. Once you have your dreams, what steps do you need to take to accomplish them? How do you make your dream a reality?

Do you and your spouse/significant other, have dreams? Do you spend time talking about your dreams? Do you support one another in your different dreams? Not all of our dreams are going to be the same, we are different people.

Do you dream in all areas of your life, personal, family, career, physically, nutrition and health, finances, traveling, education, this is just a small sample of ideas to dream in.

Do not be afraid to dream and be even less afraid to go after your dreams.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

My 6 Step Holiday Parties Survival Guide


I cannot believe Thanksgiving is this week. Are you all ready? Have you decided if it is a cheat day for you? I know it is for me. I remember, Thanksgiving is one day, the one day I make homemade stuffing and eat pumpkin pie. It is yummy.

With Thanksgiving, comes the beginning of Christmas parties, some we enjoy and others we are forced into. But, either way, with these parties comes the dreaded thought of the holiday weight gain. Lets do something about that this year, enjoy this beautiful season without the dread. 

One of the first keys is to set yourself up for success. 
Here are six steps to take to help you be successful:

1. Decide before you go to your party if this is a meal you really want to cheat on. If you have several parties to attend, it is not realistic to indulge at each one them, if you do not want the weight gain. Decide before and honor your decision. 

2. Do not go hungry. Eat something nutrient dense and small before hand, my go to is bone broth. If you are not starving, you will not need to eat everything in front of you and with good food already in you, you will be less likely to want to cheat. If you are lucky enough to have a nice dinner for your party, then go hungry.

3. Take a healthy dish such as deviled eggs, meat balls, bacon wrapped sweet potatoes. Be sure to make extra so you have something healthy to eat at the potluck. Most will thank you!

4. Do a once over of the food table before getting in line to eat. This way you know what is there, not start and by the time you are at the end you have a mounded plate because you do not know something was there and you want some. Know before. Also, be at the end of the line. All the food looks the best at the beginning, before anyone has dug in. If you are at the end, it will not look as appetizing and a lot of it will be gone, the healthier stuff is what is at the end.  Good reason to not go hungry.

5. Have positive mantras you are going to say to yourself and others when the temptations and comments come, you know they will. Things like: I am eating for my health, not the instant pleasure. This cheat is not going to help with my long term goals. I have decided this is not my cheat meal and I will honor myself. 

6. Stay away from the food. If it is not in front of you, you will not eat it. Go to the party for what it really is, being with family and friends to enjoy this wonderful season. 

Do you have tips and tricks you use to stay healthy during the Christmas season? I would love to hear them and I am sure others would like more ideas.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God's bless,
Jenn

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Your Relationship with the Scale


If I asked you how much you weighed, could you rattle that number off without a second thought?
If I asked you when was the last time you weighed yourself, when was it?
Do you rely on the scale for your progress?
How many times a day/week do you weigh yourself?
Do you have a predetermined weight you think you need to be? If so, why? What is this number based on? How did you come up with it?

Most of these I would be able to answer no on. You see, I broke my scale habit some time ago. Not that I ever weighed myself much, because I did not. But, I did think I had a weight I needed to be. This was from hearing others talk about their weight and what they wanted theirs to be. This number would make me worthy, beautiful, successful, or so I thought. This number I decided on would not have been healthy for me and the pursuit of it would have been devastating. Luckily, I did not go much further with the scale issues, weighing myself constantly, making it my end all be all and doing whatever it took to be this weight or base my worth on the number. Through the years, I have learned the scale is a really bad way to measure my success and to base myself worth on. I could not tell you how much I weigh.

The last time I was weighed was about a month ago, went to the docs. I could not tell you what the number was, because I did not look, do not care. The last time I actually looked at the number was six months ago? I am sure in that time, the number has gone up with all of the crossfitting I have been doing and lifting. Do I care, nope. I know I am stronger, healthier and love my life.

The number on the scale is arbitrary for most people.
It does not tell you how much muscle you have, muscle to fat ratios.
If you are working out, you should be gaining muscle and losing fat, the scale is not going to tell you if this is happening.
The number does not mean you are becoming healthier, sicker, more or less beautiful, worthy, on the right track for health. Really, in the end, it is a number that does not tell us much. Yes, in very few cases, it can give us vital information regarding your health, but that is few cases.

Far too many base their success on this number. Everything is wrapped up in it and when that scale does not say what they want, there is no success.

If this is you, maybe you need to have a break up with your scale. Through your scale away and in it's place put a sticky note, with a positive mantra. You are welcome to use any of mine or come up with your own.
"I am worth more than the number on the scale."
"The number does not equal success."
"I am becoming healthy by nourishing my body with healthy foods."
"I am beautiful."
"I am strong."

Here are some better ways to understand progress:
Pictures, take before and after's.
Measurements
The mirror, do you like what you are seeing, do you notice the changes?
How does your spouse, significant other, family or friends say you look?
Are you lifting heavier in the gym, if this is what you want?
Has your endurance improved?
Do you have more energy?
Are you sleeping better?
How are your clothes fitting?

If this is a deep struggle for you, do not be afraid to seek help to unravel your struggles with your worth and weight.

You are worth more than that number on the scale.
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Easy Steps to Stay Healthy

I know we are coming up to the cold and flue season, in some regards we are already in the season with the virus that has been hitting children in the last several weeks. How do we take care of ourselves? Is there anything we can do or just subcome to getting sick? Of course, I say no. We can do small things that will add up to help our immune system ward off illness.


  • Avoiding sugar. I am not talking about in season fruit and raw local honey, which can actually help keep you healthy. Sugary drinks, baked goods, added sugar to processed foods, avoid these.
  • Add in bone broth
  • Keep your stomach acidic. Our stomach's should be between 1-3 on the acidity scale, very acidic, but most are around 6 or 7, which is about neutral. An acidic environment will kill bacteria and viruses, they cannot live there, which means they cannot make you sick. Adding in things like raw apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon and lime juice, komubcha, oranges, these will all help to make your stomach more acidic, keeping you healthy.
  • Washing your hands with warm soapy water. Skip the anti-bacterial stuff, the warm water and rubbing your hands together vigorously for at least 30 seconds will actually get them off you. Be sure to wash your hands before you eat, touch your mouth, eyes and nose.
  • Making sure you are in-taking enough fat soluble vitamins, A and D especially, pastured butter.
  • Air out your house. I know this is hard when it is cold, but it will help rid your house of bad bugs. You can also use diffusers with essential oils or make your own air cleansing concautions, add water, lemon, oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves to a pot, bring to a boil and allow to simmer. This makes your house smell amazing and cleanses the air at the same time. 
  • Take hot and cold showers. My Mom always told us growing up to not jump into the hot tub and then the pool, it will make you sick. Actually, the opposite it true, this will increase your immune system and your metabolism. 
  • Eating a traditionally based diet.
  • Exercise, but not too much. 
In the end, it is about prevention, not treating you once you are sick.
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Primal for Life Challenge Info

Anyone looking for a lifestyle challenge to change your life, we are having one going for you at CrossFit Ogden. Here is the low down on the challenge.

This challenge is designed to help you make a lifestyle change. Changes you will continue once the challenge is over, not stop because the challenge is over. There are three levels for you to choose from, beginner to advanced. Choose the level that challenges you, but does not overwhelm you.

Level 1: This level is for those who have not ever done a healthy eating challenge or are new to the Primal life. This level entails:

  • Set two goals around food and or lifestyle you would like to make a part of your life, even after the challenge is over. Write them down, share them, put them on sticking notes and post them all over to remind yourself of your goals.
  • Removing sodas, energy drinks, high sugar beverages, artificial sugars and balance out your water intake, not too little, but not too much.
  • Set aside time each day to journal, your food intake, mood, sleep, work outs, being grateful, your demons, whatever you are inspired to write. This is your time to challenge yourself and grow.
  • Pick 3-5 processed foods to eliminate, maybe one of your favorites. Help yourself during this process by increasing healthy fats. Things such as coconut oil, butter, egg yolks, bone broth, these foods will increase your nutrient density, nutrient intake, help with sugar cravings and give you long lasting energy.
  • Try a new recipe each week! This will give you a chance to try new food, expand your recipe box, find new go to recipes for your family. 


Level 2: This includes everything from Level 1 plus:

  • Eliminate all processed foods 4 days a week.
  • Spend more time standing.
  • A night time ritual is crucial for a good night's sleep. Begin establishing one to work for you and your sleeping needs. Examples: turning off all electronic devices 20 minutes before bed, spend some time stretching, deep breathing, reading a book or journaling.
  • For the second half of the challenge, I will let you know when, eliminate diary, if you have not done so already. This will give you the ability to see if you have a dairy intolerance or if it is processed foods that are causing the issues.


Level 3:

  • Living a full Primal lifestyle and anything from the first two levels you need to add into your daily habits. 


How to being this challenge:

  • Decide which level is going to be best for you. You want to challenge yourself, but not be overwhelmed. You can always go up a level.
  • Set and write down your two goals.
  • Surround yourself with people who are going to support you and challenge you to grow during this time.
  • Begin. At the end of the day, you just have to begin. 
If you have any further questions, let me know.
The challenge begins this week and ends the end of October. Good luck!
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn



Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Beyond Fluids



I think we all know the importance of fluids, ask any doctor, nutritionist, trainer, athlete, the media, about any one and they will tell you to guzzle that water.

Is there any science to back these claims up:
drink eight, eight ounces glass of water a day?
drink half your body weight in ounces?
drinking sports drinks after a hard sweaty workout is important to replace the electrolytes?
do other drinks contribute to your fluid intake?
what about food?
is there a difference between just drinking water and having it actually go into the cells?

I would hope, if you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I question the common knowledge of today. Is it correct? Is there a better way? What is healthy and what is hype?

I will be teaching a class on Wednesday August 27, at 6:30 pm at CrossFit Ogden if you would like my thoughts on these questions plus so much more.
If you cannot make it, hopefully I have sparked some questioning and you will do research to find these answers for yourself.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Do You Need to Simplify?


A common theme among most of us, is not having enough time. I am so busy. I do not have time for anything. There is so much I want to do, but I do not have time. I would really enjoy doing this, that or another thing, but I just do not have the time. We are all very busy people. We over commit ourselves, do many things half way, not enjoy our lives and wish we lived another life. Is this you?

Hopefully this exercise will help you out.
I want you to write down everything you are committed to:
Family
Work
School
Church groups
Any group you are associated with
Projects at home
Duties at home
What ever you do that you are always SO busy with.

I also want you to write down everything you would like to do, the stuff you say, when I have time I will do:
Picking up a new hobby
Spending more time with your family
Going back to school
Traveling more
Sleep regularly
Whatever is on that list, write it down.

Look over your list. How many things are on it that you do not want to do, wish you could drop from your schedule? If you could take these few things out, life would be so much better.
On a side note, I know there are many things we have to do that we might not like, you might have to work to support your family, cleaning your house, laundry, cooking, running your kids a hundred different ways. I understand this, but this exercise just might help you to find balance and something you enjoy.

Next, write down the top three things you would love to add into your list, the if I had more time items.

Here is where the hard work comes into play.
What can you begin taking out of your busy schedule to have more time, either to rest and have down time or add in the things you would like to do?
You might not be able to drop items right away, some commitments you might need to see through. How can you not say yes to another obligation?
How can you approach someone and say, I can no longer be involved in this task. This date is my last day. All of my responsibilities need to be turned over to someone else?
Maybe for your kids, instead of having them involved in multiple different activities, have them pick the two or three they want to pursue and continue, stop the rest. Kids are being over booked today as well and they are suffering from it. Work with them to lessen their commitments and have down time.
Is there another job you would like to do? What steps can you begin to take to peruse this knew path?

By the end of the month, make a commitment to yourself or a friend to hold you accountable, to find two or three things on your busy list that you can either eliminate or lesson your responsibilities too. Steps you are going to take to take cut the "buys things" in your life that are robbing you of your true happiness and how you will begin to do what you really want. What is going to make you happy and enjoy this one beautiful life you have.
Do not think you cannot take some of these things out, you can. You have to want to. You have to be willing to go against the norm, the lies of always having to be busy and do things and stuff that is not important to you. You have to decide you are going to make the change to live a more joy filled, happy, simple life. No one else can do it for you.

Are you ready to make a change?

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

3 Keys to Weight Lose

Obviously these 2 have no sleeping issues!

Any good life style change, weight lose, weight maintenance program should address three key points:
  1. Sleeping
  2. Increasing healthy fat intake
  3. Carb loads 
When working with my clients these are always areas I address to some degree or another, because of their importance. Some need more support and guidance in one area verses another.                

So, why are these three important?

Sleep:
Sleeping is the time our bodies repair, grow, our minds can processes and decompress our days, rest. Our bodies take care of the stress and damage we have done to them throughout the day. Important hormones are made and released during our sleep cycles that aid in weight lose and maintenance. Have you ever noticed that when you get a good nights sleep, you are not as hungry the next day? That is because your body has gotten what it needs, rest, repair, growth, production of good hormones. Do what you need to get restful sleep every night, seven to eight hours. You will think more clearly, your hungry levels will be in-check and your weight will do better.

Increasing healthy fat:
You should know by know my love of fat, butter, bone broth, marbled meats, eggs, all that good yumminess. When we are not eating enough healthy fats, animal fats, our bodies do not have the building blocks they need to make hormones, as well as the nutrients in fat.
Eating healthy fats will keep you full for longer periods of time. They are very nutrient dense, giving our bodies the nutrients they need to thrive and will aide significantly in weight lose. You will begin to effortlessly lose weight by increasing your fat intake. Good fat = effortless weight lose

Carb load:
We all need carbs to some degree or another, however these carbs do not have to come from grains. We need carbs to help our brain and thyroid function properly, among other things. The trick is figuring out how much you need. If you are looking for weight lose, you want to be on the lower end of the carb load. Weight maintenance, you can be higher, but you have to figure out what you need to maintain your weight and feel your best. Your carb amount will change depending on your workouts. If you are training hard, you will need more. If your are not, then you will need less. There are many factors that go into the amount you need, some trial and error is involved in figuring it out where your sweet spot is.

Wherever you are in your health journey, be sure to check in with yourself and make adjustments where needed.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn




Monday, July 7, 2014

Supplements 101

Image found on Google 

Obliviously a questions many people ask me is regarding supplements. Do I need them? What do I take? How many different ones should I be taking? How often? What about protein powders? Supplements are so expensive. You probably have other questions, but these are some of the most often asked. Today, I will give you my guidelines and rules I follow regarding supplementing. I hope it helps.

My first rule:
You absolutely canNOT, under any circumstances, out supplement a bad diet, period. If you are eating dead, pseudo, fake food, all the supplements in the world are not going to make up for that.

Second rule:
Supplements should be food based, not synthetic.

Two pretty simple and easy rules to keep in mind. Every question you have regarding supplements should be tested by these. This is really the base of it, the rest of this is my ramblings going further into why I hold pretty fast to these two rules.

Food was created to give us all of the nourishment we need. In an ideal world, the one we used to live in, this was where all of our nourishment came from, there were no supplements. There were no stores dedicated to nothing but supplements. Food was your medicine and it gave you everything you needed.
I understand that today this is not the case. Our soils are depleted of vitals nourishment. We do not practice good farming, re-nourishing the soil, putting back in what we have taken out. Picking veggies and fruit green, unripened and shipping it around the world so we can eat it all year long. All of this is adding up to food that is 50-75% less of it nourishment, from some of the studies I have read.
Our animals are not eating what they are suppose to be eating, so they are not as healthy. Some of the healthiest parts of the animal, organs and fat, we do not eat.
We are told beta carotene and carotenoids are vitamin A, retinol, they are not. Remember, retinol is what our bodies need.
We are afraid of the sun and think 10-15 minutes of a little sun will give us all the vitamin D we need, it does not.
Our guts are so out of wack, we are not up taking the nutrients we are consuming.
The list goes on for why we are not receiving the nourishment we need from our food. This is why we supplement, but that is what it should be, a supplement to what is lacking in our food supply, where we have our own deficiency and to support our goals for our lives. You should fist be concentrating on eating nutrient, dense, rich foods, ones that nourish you at the cellular and DNA level. Then, and only then, supplement where you need.

The supplements you do take, should be based on food. Our bodies do not know what to do with the synthetic vitamins and minerals. The synthetic ones are also the mirror image of the real nutrients found in food. Meaning it is the other side of the DNA that is used. Yes, our bodies know the difference.
When nutrients are on their own, they are not as effective. In food there is a synergistic effect of them all working together and nutrients we do not even know about are present. When taking vitamins and minerals in supplement form, on their own, we have a much greater chance of toxicity. When they work together, like they do in nature, the risk is almost nothing.
Look for food based supplements. They are going to be more expensive, but you will not need as many because you supplementing your food.
Look for quality supplements, this does not always mean the most expensive, but it can be. You want to make sure that what they say is in them, is actually in them. Research the company before buying hundreds of dollars worth of supplements with all these bogus claims and what they say is in them is not actually in them. Higher quality and having what they say is in them is actually in them, means less supplements, less cost in the end.
Do you really need that obscure, berry, herb or whatever the latest and greatest wonder pill is for weight lose, heart health, this that and the other that is going got make your life so much better, they claim? Probably not. Our ancestors were able to maintain their health by living off the land, what they could hunt and gather, not something from the other side of the world, that they probably did not know was even there. They maintained their health and weight by what was around them.
Be wise in what you take. Think critically before buying. Ask yourself if you really need it or if you are trying to out supplement a bad diet.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Sweet, Spicy, Tangy, Mango and Sriracha Marinade, Dipping Sauce

I had some drum sticks I purchased for a really great price a few weeks back and decided to grill them last night. I needed a tasty marinade for them. And thus, this was born.


What you need for marinade, dipping sauce:
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 large ripe mango, or 2 smalls mangoes, peeled and cut into large slices
About 1 inch of ginger, peeled and zested or roughly chopped
2-3 tsp of sambal oelek* 
1-2 tsp of white balsamic coconut vinegar %  
A shake or two of sea salt
Sriracha to taste, this is spicy, begin slowly and add more* 



Protein, I used drum stick, but any chicken will do, pork, fish, even beef would be tasty. Pick your protein.
If using chicken with skin on to grill, rinse the chicken off and pat dry for crispy skin. 

All ready to be marinaded and grilled to yumminess 
Method:
Put all of the ingredients for the sauce into a food processor and pulse until well blended, but still has small chunks. After blended, I divided mine into two bowls, one for un-cooked chicken and one for a dipping sauce for serving.
Place marinade over your protein. Allow it to sit for a half to over night, the longer the better. I did mine for about a half hour.
Cook meat 
Once cooked allow meat to rest for 10 minutes to soak up all those juices.
Serve with extra dipping sauce. 
Everyone will be asking you if there is extra dipping sauce, just like my Hubby! 



Smothered chicken in the marinade. 

 
Messaged the marinade into the chicken, under the skin and all around.

Preparing to be grilled to perfection for our nourishment 


I flipped mine about every 5 minutes for even cooking on all side.
I cooked them until they were about 185-190 internal temp, about 30-35 minutes

Resting

Doesn't that look tasty?!

*These are Asian hot sauces. You can find them either in an Asian store or possibly in the Asian section of your local grocery store.
%If you do not have white balsamic coconut vinegar, you can use white wine vinegar and coconut water instead. Use 1 tsp of the vinegar and as much coconut water as needed for the taste.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn


Cook Once, Save Money, Eat Multiple Meals

The whole chicken I grilled the other night
Cooking once, eating multiple meals and saving money, something we all want and need these days with busy lives and everything more expensive. Here are a few tips I have picked up and incorporated into our lives over the years.

Cooking:
When I am preparing meals for the week, I try to have some that will have left overs so my Hubby has lunches for the work week and me, when I eat lunch. Or, I cook extra meat if there will not be left overs.
Most of the time, it is the protein that takes the most time to cook and prepare. So, why not do more of it at once, either for left overs for lunches or another dinner? Making enough for lunches is an easy way to save money and eat healthier.
When you are cooking one chicken breast, steak, pork, it is easy to cook another to take for lunch with a salad.
Cooking a whole chicken is another great way to go and they are usually cheaper. Cook the chicken, eat dinner, take left overs, take all the extra and freeze it or use it for another meal later that week. The hard part of cooking the meat is already done. While you are cooking one, why not cook two or three chickens? It might take another 10-15 minutes to cook, but will save you hours later because the meat is already cooked. Then, use the bones and make broth.
It just takes a little up front planning, but that planning will save you time, money and heart ache later .

For shopping:
There is the look at the add, and I think this can be a good idea. But what I find even better is just going to the store you frequent. And you find a managers special, or the deal of the week, whatever your store happens to call it. This is meat, or produce, they are usually selling at almost coast to them, be sure to stock up on this meat. Wrap it well, identify it, I either leave the tag in it or put a sticky note in the bag so I know what is in it, or I forget and freeze it.
Look for the meat that is about to expire, it is identified some how with a reduced price on it. I have found some great look meat this way and saved money. You need to either use this meat right away or freeze quickly so it does not go bad.
Another great idea, is to buy a half, whole beef, pig, bison, whatever your like and amount you can afford and have room for. You can usually find higher quality meat this way.
Use the cuts of meat others do not normally like, especially the organs and bones.


I made bone broth with the carcuse and juices

I hope this helped at least some.
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Big Changes Coming Your Way

Painting my new office!
I have huge changes coming to my business, I am very excited! I am moving my business into CrossFit Ogden. I will be running my business from here and taking over their nutrition program, teaching classes and setting up challenges, be sure to watch for times of classes. Big changes coming my way. It will be a lot of work, but the opportunity is amazing. Just shows, when you work hard, keep putting yourself out there, you will reach your goals and dreams. It takes time and hard work.

This is good change, a big one, but a good one for me. With all the changes coming my way, I thought it was a good time to talk about change and some good ways to deal with them. The constant in life, is change, some change is great, we hope for, some change is horrible and we hope will never happen and then there is everything in between.

Because we all know how much fun and awesome good change is, I do not think we need to talk to much through them. Lets discuss the bad changes, things that are out of our hands and just happens to us.

This type of change can happen at any time, to anyone, none of us is exempt from it. But, how do we handle it? If we take some time to plan ahead, take small changes as they come, when the big, dreaded one comes, we are more prepared. I do not think we can ever be fully ready, but prepared. When we can handle small things well, we are building muscles to handle  larger things well also.
Examples:

  • When you get stopped at a red light because the car in front of you did not drive faster, instead of getting angry and upset, take a deep breath and see this as an opportunity to slow down.
  • When you drop something on your clothes, handle it with grace. 
  • When plans change at the last minute, go with the flow.
There are many changes that happen every day. Take a step back and ask yourself how you deal with them? How can you become better? What are some changes you could make?

Then, the big, dreaded change comes along, you lose your job, a spouse or close friend passes, your health takes a turn for the worst, it can be many things. 
Here are some steps to take to help prepare for the unexpected:
  • Take out several sheets of paper, five or six should do. Each paper is going to be dedicated to one thing. On top of the paper write what that is, Primary relationship, career, finances, health,  any other area of your life you would dread a massive change.
  • Write down what your greatest fear is, if this were to happen, I do not know how I would handle it. If you have more than one, write them all down.
  • Take a step back and ask yourself, what concrete steps can I begin taking today, to help make this life changing event not so dreaded, so hard to handle. 
Examples could be:
  • Spend more quality time in your relationship. Go on dates, sit and talk with no distractions, share your dreams, pursue those dreams together. No one sits back at the end of life and says they wished they had spent less time together, they always want more. Make that time, right now. Spend less time angry with each other and more time trying to actually understand the person you love.
  • For a job lose, how can you make yourself in-disposable to your company?
  • Finances, live with in your means, live simply, want what you actually have and stop spending so much time dwelling on what you do not have, have a safety net for if you lose your job, your health takes an unexpected turn, have a good savings.
  • For you health, take care of your body, feed it nourishing, rich, dense foods, move your body, work with a health coach.
  • For any of your others, do this same thing, what steps can you take. 
  • Then begin taking them, that is the important part. You have to implement these.
Remember to always strive to see the good. A life change at first might seem like the most horrible thing and you will never overcome it, but in the end, it could really be the best thing that has ever happened to you. This can set you up on a path you would have not ever taken had it not been for that change. Sometimes we need something big to wake us up to what is really important, what we want and a new path in life. See the good. Make the choice to be happy and find joy.

I thing I have gone on long enough. I hope these tips can help you in this ever changing journey of life. Life will not be perfect, nor easy, but we can love our lives and enjoy them to the fullest.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Training and Traveling

My Hubby and I returned from a nice and relaxing vacation, meaning we did not do much, relaxed. The hardest thing we did was our workouts and kayaking.
 Yup, we took weights, a kettle bell, a band and tube

It was easy to take the weights and kettle bell with us because we drove. What you can do with these is endless. I really love my kettle bells, a full body workout within minutes. You can do kettle bell swings as a Tabata or 15 minutes for a full body workout. Which is fantastic while on vacation, because who wants to spend all of their time working out when away? The possibilities are truly endless for kettle bells. Some of my best workouts have come from these. You can work muscles you might not have none you have or in ways you have never worked the muscle, they are face passed and change frequently because there are so many different exercises to do. You can target the big muscles as well as the small ones for balanced, functional training. You can find them in wight ranges from 5 lbs to 75+ lbs. Obviously, you do not want to take a huge weight on the road, but my 15 lb one was perfect for traveling. I did kb swings, squats with over head press, lunges, mainly lower body exercises I wanted to add a challenge to.

Well, that is great, but I am flying so I am off the hook. Not so fast. This is where the beauty of bands and tubes comes in. These are extremely light weight and fit in almost any bag. You can do both upper and lower body exercises with these. Do not be fooled thinking this will not give you enough resistance for a workout, they are challenging. You can find them in different strengths from light to heavy. Again you can target both large and small muscle groups, a great workout will include both for balance. Here is a sample workout you can do, this is my most pinned Pin Pinterest.


Your best tool for a great workout while on vacation, comes right along with you. It is your body weight. No equipment needed, nothing fancy, just you and you always come along. In this post you can find out about body weight training, basic movements and sample wok routs for all levels

Excuses for not working out on vacation, unless it is a planned down time, demolished. That is what I am here for, take away your excuses and give you options that work. I know, because I have done them.   

If you would like more workouts for both band, tubes, kettle bells and body weight, that can be done at home or on the road, look no further than my Pinterest Page

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
Go move that beautiful body of yours.
God bless,
Jenn


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Procrastination..... Are You In?

The frog in our pond

I do not know if any of you are like me, but I have a tendency to procrastinate, perfect example, this post. If you are, we are in good company then. Sometimes, procrastination can be a good thing and sometimes it is a very bad thing. These are some tips and tricks I have found to be useful and helping me. Lets dig in.

When can procrastination be a good thing, maybe you want on that train? I think instead of saying procrastination here, think more of the idea of things just not coming together well. You are well intentioned, trying to make something work, give it your best and it is not happening and sometimes, you are just procrastinating. Then, pow. It hits you like brick, it was actually a good thing you were not able to follow through with your plans. I know this has happened for me, I keep trying, telling myself to just do it, and in the end I am great full it did not turn out. This is not most of the time though, the rarity. More often than not, I am just not getting my crap together and doing what I need to do. This is when procrastination becomes a bad thing.

We can procrastinate for many different reasons:
We are scared.
Do not know what steps to take next.
The task ahead of us, is too large and overwhelming us.
No good reason, we just do not do what we need to.
Among many others, I am sure you are inserting yours right know.

I know for myself and many of the clients, I become exhausted when I procrastinate. I make the task bigger than what it really is. I run over it and over it in my head and get know where, other than not doing what I need to even longer. Then I am more tired, it ways me down, it is bigger, I think you get the idea.

Here are some steps I have taken and my clients and used with great success.

  • I tell myself, suck it up princess, no one else is going to do it for you. Buck up and go do it, get over it. For me, this does work really well. Sometimes, I think I might be afraid of myself, tactic works.
  • I heard it put this way one day, eat your frog first thing in the morning. I cannot remember where, I think it is a book...? But the idea is, if you had to eat a frog everyday, if you do it first thing, then it does not wear you down, tax you, you have ample energy to do everything you need or want to do for the day. By doing that thing you hate first, it is over with first thing and the rest of your day is energized, you have accomplished a great task and everything else is much easier. Eat your frog. I have heard frogs legs are suppose to be good?
  • Figure out why you are procrastinating, is it fear, not knowing what to do next, in a funct? Once you have figured this out, you can begin taking steps forward to fix the problem.
  • If you are facing a large task, chunk it down into small, bite sizes actions that are manageable. When it is too large, we do not know where to begin and can become lost in the enormity of the project. Instead of the whole picture, take a pixel instead. 
  • Take a first step. By taking the first step, we get the ball rolling, this helps to clear things up in our minds. We have a path to begin to go down. It does not matter as much at this point if this is the right path or not, you have to start somewhere. You might not know what is right until you begin. The point is, you started.
A few ideas. What have you found works for you in dealing with your procrastination?
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn


Wednesday, May 14, 2014

To "No-Poo" or Not

From last summer, the day I cute my hair for Locks of Love

I know, what the heck am I talking about? We are suppose to poop every day, several times in fact, so why would I not want to? That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about your hair and shampooing it.
Maybe you have heard about going "no-poo", not shampooing and conditioning your hair any longer. It comes from the fact that there are some nasty chemicals in shampoos and conditioners, as well as all personal care products. In fact, your skin will absorb more toxins than you will from the food you eat. To help avoid these chemicals, some no longer shampoo and condition their hair, do not wear makeup, lotions and other beauty products. This might seem extreme to some, but if you do not want to expose yourself and family to the chemicals, you might feel differently. If you would like to see what is in your products and the adverse effects of these chemicals, check out EWG's Skin Deep page. You can either browse through the content or search for your favorite products and see what is in them.
After reading about these, I decided to give this no-poo thing a try. The no-poo thing works great for some, but it did not work for me. I tried it for months, but to no avail. Lucky for me, I came across a recipe to make your own shampoo, I have not looked back since.
 You can purchase coconut milk, but for my hair type, I make my own coconut milk, super easy to do. I make it in bulk, freeze the extra in ice cube trays and when I need more shampoo, I take a few cubes out of the freezer, thaw and I am good to go. I only have to make coconut milk once every several months. For conditioner, I fill a squeeze bottle with a third raw apple cider vinegar, spring water and aloe vera juice. I use it just like any other conditioner, but my hair is healthier than ever. I also use this on my face and arm pits before getting into the shower. Along with the shampoo, I use baking soda as well, my hair does not end up all greasy then. My hair is clean, healthy, shinny and most importantly, I am not putting all the toxic chemicals on my skin and hair. On a side note, my hands do not dry out as badly from not using the shampoo and condition either.
Have you thought about going no-poo or reducing the number of chemicals you put on your skin through your beauty routine? Or, is this the first time this is being brought to your attention and is something you are going to mull over? If not, then maybe this will help: your skin is the largest organ. Everything you put on your skin, you absorb. If you would not ingest these chemicals, why put them on your skin?
I know making a switch to making all or most of your beauty products can be daunting and overwhelming. Start slow, like I did. I started by making my own toothpaste, mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide together into a paste and brush and using coconut oil on my skin instead of lotion. As I was ready, I added more in or took it out depending on how you look at it, like making my conditioner, then shampoo and so forth. Remember this is a journey, not a sprint. Even by replacing one chemical laden product, you are better off than you were before.
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn


Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Good Thing I Love My Job.....


Well, I am back from Kauai, Hi.... It was beautiful and amazing. My heart and mind are still there. In fact, when I woke up this morning, that is what I was dreaming about, walking on the beach, waking up the birds chirping.... It is a good thing I love my job and mostly my family. I was happy to see them again.


About six weeks ago, I put out a challenge in preparation for my trip and summer, that is right around the corner, found here. How did it all go for you?

Mine was successful. I trained hard and ate extra healthy before my trip. But, more importantly was working on my body image issues. I was proud of myself. I worked hard on it and it paid off. While I was out playing on the beach, when I would I think, I do not know that I can do this, I would tell myself nope, you worked hard and you are good to go. Be comfortable in your skin. You are in Hawaii, there is not time to be self conscious and ruin the trip, go enjoy the beauty. I did!



Yes, I did cheat on my food, I was on vacation. I enjoyed every morsel. I did not go crazy, it was really easy to eat healthy food in my eating plan there, fresh fish, pork, beef, veggies and fruit, but I did have my cheats and I did not worry about it. Now that I am back home, I have not stressed about what I ate there or not working out every day. I went back to my healthy eating and training. There is none of the, I have to restrict food, crazy training because of being on vacation. I enjoyed myself, ate what I wanted, loved every minute of it. Came home and got right back on tract. I think that is really the key, if you fall of track, go on vacation, what ever it is, do not allow it to disrupt you.
Acknowledge it for what it is, and move on. Do not dwell on it, it will not do you any good. In fact, it will make it worse. Pick up where you left off, and move forward.

How did the challenge go for you? I hope it was successful.
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn
                                                 





Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Oil Pulling, All it is Cracked Up To Be?


I am sure you are hearing and see this all over the place, oil pulling for your teeth. This is something I learned about several years ago, however, I started pulling about two months ago. Most of my clients and others I talk with, think I changed my lifestyle and health all at once and that is it. Nothing could be further from the truth. My healthy lifestyle has been a journey and continues to be a journey. I did not changed everything all at once. I make changes when it works for me and I am ready to add in another healthy option, oil pulling is the perfect example.

What is oil pulling?
Simply, it is taking 1-2 tsp of oil, usually coconut oil, what I use, and swishing it in your mouth for 20 minutes. Spit it out into a trash can, DO NOT swallow. Rinse the mouth well and then brush your teeth.

It is really simple. It does take time, but there are some tricks to help with that. But, why do it? Here are some of the supposed health benefits:

  • Oral health
  • Gum and teeth health
  • Prevents plaque build up
  • Whiten teeth
  • Detoxes the body
  • Reduce headaches
  • Strengthens the jaw 
  • Help fight fatigue 
  • Helps with sleep issues
  • Hormonal balance
  • Heart health
  • Decreases allergies
  • Among many other things

There has not been any solid studies done on this to verify any of this. With that being said, why do it?
Everything in the body is connected. If your mouth is not healthy, it can cause a mirrored of health issues in the rest of the body. It is worth taking care of your mouth, for this reason.

My results:
My mouth has not ever been so clean. Plaque does not build up on my teeth, my teeth are whiter, and over all, my mouth is healthier.
I like to add a drop of peppermint oil as well, nice minty clean fresh breath and mouth.
Even if I do not see many of the other health benefits of oil pulling, I will continue to do it for the cleaner teeth and striving to take care of my over health.

For the best results, you are suppose to swish for 20 minutes first thing in the morning. I just do it when I take a shower. It does not mean this is first thing in the morning, it is when it works for me and that is when I shower, whatever time that is. At the end of the day, this is when you need to do, when you will do it. If the timing does not work for you, you will not do it, so then you do not have the benefits. This goes for anything, oil pulling, working out, down time, you have to do it when you will do it. Figure out that time and give it a try. Let me know how you like it.

If you would like more information about oil pulling, here is a book:
Oil Pulling Therapy, Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing 

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Sniffing and Sneezing....


Itchy eyes, running nose, scratchy throat, awww yes, it is allergy season. How many of you suffer from allergies, seasonal or otherwise? I do, and it is not any fun. What can you do? Do you have to just suffer or take expensive medicine? Here are steps I have taken to help mine.

One of the first things to do is work on fixing the gut. This is where a lot of allergies stem from. The gut is over run by bad bacteria, yeast, fungus and whatever else is growing in there. These can puncture the lining and then what is in, comes out. We need to heal the gut and re-culture it. I have done this by:

  • Essential oils, oregano, lemon and tea tree
  • Decreasing/eliminating grain and sugar
  • Adding bone broth and gelatin 
  • Adding in good bacteria
  • Decreasing inflammation 


The only problem is, this takes time and I need relief now! Begin working on this for the long run to help the body heal. And for relief, here are a few things to help.

  • Drinking whole raw milk, if you can tolerate dairy. This will help heal the gut, bring in good bacteria, packed with nutrition, decrease inflammation
  • Eat local raw honey, fantastic for allergies, the bees take the pollen and make it a powerful fighter.
  • Eucalyptus oil is fantastic, add a drop or two in your shower, rub some on your chest, dilute some in oil and swab into your nose with a Q-tip
  • Lemon, lavender and peppermint oils taken together help decrease inflammation in the body from the allergic response. 

You can find all these oils here.
These are a few things that have helped me. What have you done do help your allergies?
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn


Friday, April 4, 2014

Lime and Rosemary Marinade for Steak


In our house, we have come to really enjoy a tasty steak, grilled or on the stove. However, we do not like just steak, we usually do some type of dipping sauce with ours. I came up with this marinade and it is amazing. It makes a very tender, juicey, flavorful steak. My Hubby even said they were delicious! He had his favorite BBQ sauce already and did not even need it. I need no other words, this never happens.

What you need for 2 servings:
Steaks, you could do this with another cut of meat, like a roast in the pressure cooker or crock pot, cook accordingly if using one of those.
Zest and juice of one large lime
2 tsp of rosemary
1-2 tsp of tarragon
2-3 cloves of garlic zested or finally minced
1/1-1 tsp of honey
salt and pepper

How to prepare:
Zest lime and garlic into a bowl, then cut the lime and squeeze out all the juice. Dump rosemary out into hand and rub it between your hands as you drop it into the bowl, this helps release the oils in it and brings out the flavor. Put in tarragon, salt, pepper and honey. You do not need a lot of honey, it helps bring the flavors together, but also helps give a bit of char on the steak when cooked. The honey will crystallize when cooked and takes on a flavor all it's own, a nice touch. Mix it all well. Pound the steak some. You are not wanting to pound it flat, just some to break up the fibers. Place the steak into the marinade and coat both sides. Allow to sit for at least a half hour or up to a day or two. This really does not need a tremendous amount of time to soak up the flavors, I have done it for a half hour and it is very flavorful.
Cook steak in desired fashion and doneness. I have done this on the stove and the grill, both were very tasty. I like to get my pan or grill really hot, place the meat on, and allow to mark on both sides. This will take a few minutes per side. Then turn down the heat and cook the rest of the way through for your desired doneness. We like mead rare.

Serve with a side of veggies of some sort, asparagus, broccoli, a salad, my rhubarb and Brussels sprouts, really any side you want. This is a quick, tasty and nutrient dense dinner in no time.

I hope you enjoy!
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Weight Lose Challenge Follow Up

I could spend some time on a secluded beach!

Just when you think I forgot about the challenge I set you, and you were getting comfy not having to think about it, BAM, I am following up. It is April can you believe it! That means this month I go to Hawaii, so I have to follow up with you about our challenge. This keeps me honest as well. It also helps all of us to share our short comings, where we have strayed, what has helped get back on track and support one another.

I have done well so far. I did eat some tortillas a few times and some corn chips one night, it was very tasty. I enjoyed them very much! However, I did not allow this to through me in a down word spiral. I ate them, enjoyed them and the next day, I was right back on track.

You see, one of the keys to making a lifestyle change is getting back up. Evaluating the situation, why did you fall, what were the circumstances around it, where do you need to make a change, adjust and move forward. Do not dwell on your set back, acknowledge it for what it is, set a new goal, whatever you need to stay on track and get right back up. The sooner you can move forward, the quicker you will make this new lifestyle change.

My work outs have been going very well. I have pushed myself hard and even in these two weeks I have seen changes in my body. When I do not want to workout one day, or while I my muscles are burning and screaming bloody murder at me and I want to quite, I think about the beaches of Hawaii and I push harder. Mind over matter.

I am also doing better with my body image issues. I decided, what do I have to lose by hating my body, everything. What do I have to gain by appreciating the body God has given me, everything. So, then, why am I hating my body? I am still a work in progress, but much better than I was two weeks ago.

There is my confession, whats up, how I am doing. Now it is your turn.
I really want to hear from you, how are you doing?
What have you found to be the hardest thing so far?
Have you tried any new foods?
Have you tried any new workouts?
Where have you fallen? What helped you get back on track?
What has been your success so far?

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God bless,
Jenn

If you find any of these posts helpful, please share them. The more support we all have, the better we all do.



Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Mediterranean Shrimp Quinoa Salad

I took this tasty dinner to a pot luck last Friday, everyone ranted and raved about how tasty it was and wanted the recipe. Here it is. 


I made a large batch of this, so scale it to what you need, these are the amounts for a large batch. For a main course, it will serve about six, maybe eight hungry stomachs. 

What you need:
Marinade 
large lime, juice and zest
4-6 cloves of garlic, zested
1 large shallot, diced 
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of uncooked shrimp, peeled and detailed 
salt and pepper
Salad
Sweet peppers, I used the small ones, about 6/8 depending on size, chopped
1 medium red onion, diced
20 Kalamata olives, chopped
4-5 pepperconcini, plus 5 TBS of the juice
small jar of sun-dried tomatoes plus 3-4 TBS of the oil
crumbled feta cheese, I used a small block, optional, but very tasty 
Salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
2-3 TBS of oregano, dried, a good handful of fresh
2 tsp of rosemary 
2-3 tsp of thyme, or a handful of fresh 
2 cups of uncooked quinoa 

Method:
Marinade for the shrimp
In a large bowl, add salt and pepper, zest and juice of lime, garlic and shallot.


Add the shrimp. Mix well. You want to do this at least an hour or up to two. maybe three days before so it can soak up all those yummy juices. If it is sitting for some time, shake it up every so often to remix it all.

The salad 
Add all the diced veggies, peppers, red onion, pepperconcini, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, seasonings, salt and pepper, oregano, rosemary, thyme, juices from the pepperconicini and tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil. Use less olive oil because you can always add more later.
Mix it all in a large bowl and allow to sit while you cook the shrimp and quinoa.

Cooking the shrimp
Heat a pan on high heat and melt butter, about a TBS. Once the pan is really hot and the butter is all melted, dumped the bowl of shrimp and marinade into the pan. Quickly cook the shrimp until the outside is cooked, then turn down the heat and allow to finish cooking. Once the shrimp is cooked, turn off the heat and allow to cool some.
Cooking quinoa
Rinse the quinoa well in a strainer. Place in a pot to cook. You want double the amount of water as quinoa. So, if you have 2 cups of quinoa, you need four cups of water, 2:1 ration of water to quinoa. I do not fill my measuring cup for my water all the way, I leave some room. We do not like ours mushy, but more dry, less water does the trick. Put pot with water and quinoa on the stove. Cover and turn on the stove. Bring to a boil, it can happen quickly, so do not go too far and watch so it does not boil over. Once it begins to boil, I give it a good stir and bring any stray quinoa back into the water, place the lid half way on and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes., until all the water has come off. To dry it out some more, turn heat to low, take off the lid and cook until the quinoa no longer appears wet, Be sure to stir it every so often so it does not burn on the bottom. Take off the heat and allow to cool. 
For a variation to the quinoa, you can add broth instead of water.
Add some salt
Add any of the spices you are putting into your dish.
Add butter. 

Crumbled feta cheese 

Once everything is cooked and cooled some, add it all to the bowl of veggies, along with the feta, if using. Mix it well. If there is not enough oil, drizzle some more in. You can either serve it cooled in the fridge or warm, no wrong way.
Serve up this tasty dish, give thanks for being able to nourish yourself and family and dig in.


For a variation, you can use chicken or beef. Any of the proteins can also be done on the grill, do not have to heat the house during the summer. 
It can also be done as a vegetarian dish, or a side dish, leave out the protein. 

I hope you enjoy!
Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
Blessings
Jenn