Streak Free Floor Cleaner

So you might be thinking - "this has nothing to do with health or fitness"... but it most certainly does... when I set out on my health and fitness journey, I was determined to "clean up" all aspects of my life... Clean food, working out, healthier cleaning products, organic foods, clean up my finances and mind...

So one of the issues I had in my house were my beautiful dark hard wood floors... they look spectacular but they are the biggest pain! They show EVERYTHING!!! Traditional floor cleaner left them streaky with a residue and it drove me crazy! I kept saying "I need to make my own cleaner and try that" but I was consistently lazy with it until one day I needed to clean the floors and I was all out of floor cleaner! Then tah-dah - my streak free floor cleaner was invented! 4 simple ingredients and warning it doesn't smell pretty so if you have some essential oils I would recommend adding a drop or two! You can smell the cleaner as you are using the product, but afterwards you do not smell it!!!

 

 

What you need:

• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 drops of dish soap

What you need to do:

1. Add the above ingredients together and stir
2. Add to a spray bottle
3. Use a swifer like mop and attach a micro-fiber towel head to it
4. Spray directly to floors and go over the area with the mop
5. Allow to dry and like magic you have beautiful streak free floors without the chemicals and residue of traditional floor cleaners!
6. Enjoy!!!!

Clean Sweet & Sour Chicken

 

I've been craving Chinese - and this was just what I needed!!! Loved it!

 

What you need:

• 1/3 c low sodium soy
• 2 TBSP raw honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/4 lb bonesless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 breasts, cubed into 1 inch cubes)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 12 sprigs of fresh cilantro, chopped about 1/4 cup
• Rice (brown for clean eating, I used basmati rice (which is a long grain rice)

What you need to do:

1. In a small bowl, which together soy sauce, honey, garlic, and pepper flakes. Place chicken in a large shallow dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over chicken, toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade and sauté for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add bell peppers and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until veggies are slightly tender. Add pineapple and cook for 2 more minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately over rice.

Nutrition (without rice): Calories 161 - Total Fat 1.5g - Carbs 17g - Sugar 13g - Protein 21g - Sodium 404mg - Cholesterol 48mg

 

 

 

Build a Better Salad

Soooo - you think that salad is pretty healthy?? No fried foods, low carbs - okay, I see where you were tying to go with this! But what you may not realize, is the simple additions to your salad can add up to hundreds and hundreds of calories and over a day's worth of sodium! Sometimes you might be better off having that cheeseburger! I have some easy swaps that can help make your salad yummy and fun while keeping it clean and fit...

Dressing

Don't put your dressing on your salad, dip your fork and you will save a lot calories!

Salads are usually topped with salad dressing, hence the name, but sadly, most of them are high in calories and fat.

Plus, a serving of salad dressing is only 2 tablespoons. For those 2 tablespoons, you're going to get anywhere from 100 to 200 calories.

Forgo the salad dressing and squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice on your salad. Or get creative with some salsa as a topping and balsamic vinegar is also nice. I also love adding grilled apples, or fresh berries - they add a lot of flavor and you don't even need dressing!

When you order a salad at a restaurant, ask for your dressing to be served on the side. You'll be amazed at how many calories you can save when you control the topping.

Love these yogurt dressings by Bolthouse - So yum!! Here was the true test for the Ranch...
My husband's buddies were over and cooking out, they asked for Ranch and this was all I had...
I knew if they saw "yogurt" they would not try it, so I put it in a little bowl and they ate it all
and asked for more!

 

Croutons

These extra toppings don't add any nutritional value, but they can add a lot of calories and the cheap ones are loaded with ingredients with names you can't pronounce. One-half cup of croutons has about 100 calories and those bacon bits  aren't even real bacon. Turkey bacon is another great alternative!!

So you like a few crunchy toppings, do this instead -- add a tablespoon or two of chopped walnuts or flax seeds. They've got omega-3 fatty acids, plus they're good sources of fiber, which your body needs for a healthy digestive system.

But if you are like me, and can't help but want to add some carbs to your salad - add some Annie's Cheddar Bunnies! (Yes, I know - I have the palate of a 3 year old - but don't knock it til you try it!)

 

Cheese

Cheese is a catch 22 - while it is a great source of calcium and protein; it is also loaded with sodium, saturated fat and calories.

So how can we fix this one? Simple - pay attention to the portion size... Don't just pour the bag of cheese over your salad! Did you know a serving of cheese is about what would fit into a shot glass (about 2 TBSP)??? YEP! Go with a low fat, dry cheese like a Parmesan!

 

Iceburg

Well yes, Iceburg lettuce does have a nice crunch - but it has virtually no nutritional value... That's right very few vitamins and not much fiber either. It is a good source of water, and that is about it! And since it's not too flavorful, a pile of iceberg lettuce practically screams for globs of high-fat dressings.
So, to keep your salad on the healthy side, use a variety of darker greens like spinach, leaf lettuce, arugula, dandelion greens, kale, watercress and basil leaves. The darker the leaves the better -- they're richer in folate, minerals and phytochemicals.

 

Processed Meats

Adding a protein source can transform a salad into a full-fledged (and really good for you) meal.
But adding deep-fried chicken strips or hunks of processed lunch meats will turn your healthy salad into a health-disaster. And a typical taco salad with seasoned ground meat and globs of sour cream is just a no-go.

Keep your salad lean and mean by adding cooked chicken or turkey breast, a couple of grilled shrimp or legumes.

Hope this helps you build a better salad!!!