Yesterday my day was jammed packed. With our honeymoon around the corner, the holidays, the transformation contest, and so many other exciting things I was rushing around all day.

I wanted to have a nice dinner with Darren, but I knew that I would be tight on time. That is why I whipped together this super tasty dinner:

MISSION: Roasted Chicken, Stuffed Baked Potatoes, and Sauteed Swiss Chard

Preheat Oven to 450 degrees

Scrub and wrap potatoes in tin foil. Toss in oven

Rinse off chicken, cut off excess fat and remove the inside stuff. Pat dry. Use 2 Tablespoons of Wildtree Grapeseed Oil and rub it over the chicken.  Then sprinkle on the Rotisserie Chicken Blend generously over the chicken.  Place in a roasting pan and pop in the oven for 20 minutes.

Chicken getting ready to go in the oven

 While that is cooking chop up the swiss chard and discard the big stem.  Remember, that swiss chard wilts so don’t be shy with the amount.  Place GSO (Grapeseed Oil) in a skillet.  I used the Garlic flavored.  Throw the swiss chard in and to season I used the Wildtree Steak Rub.  This is really flavorful, so about a 1/2 tablespoon is necessary.  Don’t cook this yet, because it only takes about 8 minutes to cook.  Save it until the end.

Swiss Chard, seasoned and ready to saute

 After 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 400 degrees.  Keep the chicken and potatoes in there for another 40 minutes roasting at 400 degrees.

With 5 minutes left on the clock, turn your stove top burner to medium heat and begin to cook your swiss chard.  Use a spatula to keep it moving so it cooks evenly. 

Take the chicken out and make sure that the internal temperature is 160 degrees.  Then let it sit for a few minutes. 

Take your potatoes and cut them in half.  Scoop out the insides and put them in a bowl.  Add the following: 

1 - tsp butter

Milk

1 – tsp Wildtree garlic & herb blend

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Stir these ingredients together and put back in the potato.  Then put back in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 more minutes.

(For my nondairy people, try coconut milk and coconut oil.  Skip the cheese and top with some broccoli, bacon, or chives.)

Just out of the oven

By this time the swiss chard is done.  Remove from heat and get ready to serve.  Also, cut up that chicken and throw it on your plate.  Pop the potatoes out of the oven and Viola!  A yummy dinner done in 1 hour!

For the next 7 weeks we are in the HOLIDAY VORTEX!  That means that we have more parties, social gatherings, and feasts.  Plus you also know, that in the work place cookies and treats will be popping up. 

So how do you avoid the holiday weight gain and stay on track with your fitness and health goals? 

Plan Your Splurges: We know that nutrition is key for results.  However the key is progress, not progression.  Eating clean and healthy 90 percent of the time will keep you waist line down.  So if you are going to splurge, know that out of the week 10% of the time you can enjoy some holiday treats.  Look at your week?  How many meals do you eat?  I eat about 28 meals a week so that is about 2 to 3 splurges a week.  Remember, it’s splurge not BINGE.  With the understanding that you can have a treat now and then and be okay, you won’t feel deprived and get super stuffed on sweets.

Substitute Healthy Alternatives: Just because you are making a holiday feast, it does not have to be processed and loaded with bad fats and sugars.  Your feast can be magnificent, tasty, and nutritious!  Here are some ideas:

Instead of pies and cakes, make fruit kabobs, muffins, or look at the Wildtree Herbs selection of sweet treats.  Wildtree is free of dyes, food additives, preservatives, MSG and high fructose corn syrup.  If you are going to have desert, at least make it less processed.

Have a big spread of vegetables.  I had my family over for dinner and we had pork chops, acorn squash, roasted veggies, salad, and beets.  It was super filling, delicious and healthy.

Choose healthy appetizers.  The cheesy-puffy-meat thing is not your best bet.  Veggie and hummus trays, lettuce wraps, and other fruit and veggie appetizers are much better. 

Sweat the Small Stuff: I don’t care if you only have 20 minutes to workout.  WORKOUT FOR 20 MINUTES!  Yes, holiday time is busy, but to avoid holiday weight gain you need to move.  Yes early I said you can splurge, but I am also assuming you are still getting your workouts in!  Do a fun run like the 4th Annual Antonia Turkey Trot or other fun run or outing.  Maybe a family football game!  Even with guests from out of town, get everyone moving.  On Christmas on year, we all went to the zoo.  Bundle up and get some walking in!  Need something at home, check out the TRX Great way to get an in home workout!

Don’t Wait Until January 1st: Like I said earlier, it’s progess NOT perfection.  Get rid of the idea that you are on a diet, off a diet.  Just because it’s the holiday season, you are not off.  Because if you go in with this idea, the holiday pounds will creep on and when January 1st rolls around you’ll be more frustrated and have to reloose the weight you gained.  Give yourself the opportunity to splurge, eat healthy, and keep moving.  This is a balanced approach to keep losing and feeling good.

Foodless Functions: Plan a foodless function or an event that is not solely centered around eating.  Maybe a holiday gift making party, holiday movie night, a charity event, or something else where the sole focus is not eating.  Don’t get me wrong, having a few snacks can be fun and enjoyable.  But every event does not have to be a feast where we sit at the table and stuff our face.  Get creative!  You could start a new tradition!

Have a Healthy Holiday Season!

This is what I am having for dinner tonight!  Quick, easy and Gluten Free!     

Cajun Chicken Breasts

  4 Chicken Breasts
1 Tbsp Wildtree Cajun Seasoning
1 ½ tbsp of Grape seed oil

Throw in a plastic zip lock bag to marinade. Toss on the grill or frying pan when you get home

Red Potatoes
Wildtree Steak Rub (amount depends on how much flavor)
Butter Flavored Grape seed Oil (1 to 2 tablespoon)
Salt and pepper
¼ c Chopped Parsley

Throw in a plastic zip lock bag to marinade. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. When you get home, put in a baking dish. Size depends on how many potatoes. Cooking time 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Asparagus Spears
1 ½ tbsp of Grape seed oil
Salt and Pepper

Cut off ends of asparagus. Toss all the ingredients in a plastic zip lock bag to mix. When you get home, put on a cookie sheet. Use the same temperature as the potatoes (450 degrees) and just throw them in the oven for 15 to 20minutes.

Nutrition is the cornerstone of your weight loss and health success. Come to Andare Fitness, for a free food demonstration and tasting featuring Wildtree Herbs products.

Wednesday, November 11th

6:45pm at Andare Fitness

What is this product?

Maltodextrin, salt, chili pepper, onion powder, monosodium glutamate, corn starch, garlic powder, spice, Contains less that 2% of the folowing: parially hydrogenated soybean oil, silicon dioxide, natural flavor, ethoxyquin

Taco Seasoning!

Yikes, this is what a nationally know brands contains and we are feeding this too our families.

This looks a lot better to me:

Masa corn flour, chili powder, cumin, sea salt, onion powder, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper.

This is Wildtree Herbs taco seasoning. This product is full of taste and free of peanuts, dairy, and wheat.

Price wise? Nationwide brands cost about $2.03 for six servings. Thats about .34 cents per serving.

Wildtree taco seasoning is $7.00 for 18 servings which is also .34 cents per seasoning. Plus this means one less thing to pick up at the store.

Wildtree products were founded on the premise that food should be natural, nutritious, delicious and easy to prepare.  So instead of using additives, MSG, or dyes.  Wildtree products are made with the finest of ingrediets available.  Also, instead of lengthy complicated recipes, Wildtree products enable you to create spectacular, great tasting dishes with just three or four ingredients. 
See you Wednesday Night at 6:45pm at 2923 South Delaware Avenue

Call 414-364-0181  or email info@andarefitness.com if you have questions or need directions

All you hear about right now is how many people are sick with the flu. Adults and kids are being shut down for days because they are picking up and passing on the flu virus.

So what are you suppose to do to protect yourself? Start by locking yourself in your house and never let anyone in to visit unless they have a mask. No! Just kidding. We are busy and out and about. So here are ten tips for preventing the flu naturally.

1. Wash You Hands. From exchanging money, to using keyboards, or touching door knobs. Most germs are passed by contact. Wash your hands to keep yourself germ free. Also focus on avoiding touching your face.

2. Avoid Sugar. Tough, because we are approaching the holiday season and sweet treats are surrounding us. But sugar weekends your immunity and leaches your body from essential nutrients. You are lowering your body’s defense but eating sugar

3. Eat healthy organic food. Your body needs nutrients. Don’t cheat your body. Eat real, whole foods so that you can feel your best.

4. Drink Plenty of Fluids. Water is essential to keeping your body running at peak performance. Water also flushes out your systen and rehydrates you.

5. Get Fresh Air. If you are trapped inside all day, just know that germs are trapped in that environment floating around you. Give yourself a chance and get outside to get some fresh ari.

6. Do Aerobic Exercise. Aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood, makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood, and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body’s natural virus-killing cells.

7. Phytochemicals Help Fight Off Disease. Eat veggies, and go for lots of color. Your body will utilize the nutrients from plants to increase your immunity.

8. Probiotics Pump You Up! Well pump up your good bacteria in your intestines. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, or take it in a pill form to keep your gut full of healthy bacteria.

9. Don’t smoke. Even being around smoke profoundly zaps the immune system. Smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia, the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs that sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts contend that one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.

10. Take time to relax. Stress weekends your body’s immunity. Getting good sleep and recovery is important to make your body strong and decrease the chance of getting sick. You’ve had those times when you did not get enough sleep and soon enough you were sick. Hello! You’re body was weakened and those flu viruses invaded.

Stay healthy this winter season.