Zuppa Toscana

I used to make a knock off version of Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden for my husband. I hadn't made it in over a year though because in my quest for eating healthier and less processed I had turfed chicken oxo to the curb.

It is a favourite and I hadn't really tried to mess with a good thing. So we just didn't have it. But that kind of sucked. So a few nights ago I decided I would try to hack the recipe to suit my cleaner eating ideals.

SUCCESS!!!

I really wasn't sure if I could because that chicken oxo flavour IS pretty distinct. But I'm not without a secret weapon of my own, mwahahaha.

Getting back on track…

Zuppa Toscana

6-8 slices bacon chopped small
1/2 lb ground pork
3 tsp breakfast sausage spice blend (Find Recipe HERE)
1/4 tsp cayanne
1/2 tsp fennel
1 onion chopped
2 gloves garlic crushed
2 cartons organic low sodium chicken broth
4 cups water
1/2 tsp herbamare (aka secret weapon)***
3 russet potatoes chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 bunch kale washed and chopped in whatever size you like


In the bottom of your soup pot start browning the ground pork and sliced bacon, sprinkle in the breakfast sausage spice, cayenne, and the fennel.

Remove cooked ground pork and bacon from pot (set aside in fridge). Drain some of the fat leaving a few tbsp in the bottom of the pot. Brown up the onion and garlic IN the bacon fat (yes, it's true).

Once onions and garlic are smelling lovely add in the 2 cartons of chicken broth and 4 cups water. Mix in the 1/2 tsp herbamare *** Add in the chopped potatoes. Let the soup simmer until the potatoes are soft. Turn down lower. Add the cream. Add the pork and bacon back in. Add the kale.

Once the kale has wilted you can serve the soup. Usually I chop the kale into bigger pieces and then take a scissor to it in the kids' bowls. I also like to put some shredded parm on top if I'm feeling saucy.


***A note on herbamare: okay this stuff is pretty awesome. In short it is a sea salt that has been infused with all things lovely and savoury. In reality it is sea salt that has been infused with cress, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and MORE…so it is a perfect sub for chicken oxo in the recipe, it brings all the flavour without the NASTY! I use it in soups, sprinkled on veggies, roast potatoes, etc. It is quite salty so use sparingly.

Best Chicken Seasoning EVER

Alright so maybe I'm just a wee bit bias but my husband agrees with me too so maybe it is, but I think I made like THE best chicken seasoning. Ever.

Chicken is one of those things that I make a lot and I have found this works on chicken pieces, a whole chicken, whatever you have. Plus you can make up the one batch of it and use it over and over without always having to pull out a bunch of spices every time you cook.

Chicken Seasoning

Put all ingredients into a mason jar:

3 tbsp salt

1 tbsp parsley

4 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne

4 tsp onion powder

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sage

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

Once you've layered it all in, it'll look pretty like this

Then put the lid on and just shake it all about, do the hokey pokey and now you have chicken seasoning. 

Just give it a shake anytime you want to use it and lightly sprinkle it over your chicken. I love it! 

How To Ditch Soda

Drinking your calories? Not usually something I like to do. I'd rather eat my calories thank you very much. However if you are trying to ditch a soda habit the number one thing you are going to have to do is substitute it with something else. So make that something else healthy!!

Try these substitutes next time you have a soda craving

Smoothies

These are one of my FAVOURITE snacks! But for the sake of your own goals don't fall into the trap of drinking the sugar laden ones at your local smoothie place. Make them at home. They whip up fast and a jam packed with good things. Be cautious with them still though because when you make them out of fruit you are still getting a high dose of sugar, it's natural sugar of course, but still… To make them creamy add some greek yogurt to balance the sugar with some protein.

Shakeology

This has to be my all time best snack. I am so glad that Shakeology came into my life. Especially the chocolate. Mmmm, chocolate. Who wouldn't want a chocolate shake every single day?? It is low in calories BUT still provides a full profile of vitamins and minerals. I add fruit to the vanilla, I add banana  and peanut butter to the chocolate or mint extract to the chocolate as well. So delicious and the best thing on the planet for you. I like to have mine when I start feeling snacky in the evening or need an afternoon pick me up (just like a coke zero used to do for me). CLICK HERE to learn more about Shakeology or message me HERE.

Juice

Juice is definitely a tricky one. Can you drink juice for weight loss? Yes. BUT not from the store you can't. If juice is something you would like to replace your soda with then you best invest in a juicer. And ensure that you aren't just juicing fruits. Use carrots, beets, and a variety of greens in your juice. Also adding things like hemp or chia is great as it provides some protein and fat as well. Personally though I don't juice, you are missing out on the valuable fibre, however I know some really enjoy it and at the end of the day it is still better than pop because at least you are 

getting some vitamins and minerals. 

Tea

Who doesn't love a nice cup of tea in the afternoon? Just watch that you aren't loading up with too milk milk and sugar. If you like it sweet use a natural sweetener like honey. Tea is also becoming quite a craze these days. There are boutique tea shops opening up ALL over the place. It's not the old red rose anymore. There are so many flavours to pick and choose from. Herbals, chocolate, berry, chai, whatever you are craving there is surely a tea for it. Another great benefit is that black teas will help give you that caffeine kick that you are missing from your coke habit. 

Water

Water is THE NUMBER ONE substitute for soda. It is zero calories. You can flavour it with lemon or cucumber. You can take it with you anywhere. And ultimately when you are feeling groggy chances are that water is exactly what you need. Most people when they are feeling tired, or headachy, or hungry, chances are they are actually dehydrated. Making sure that you are hydrated will go MILES in helping you quit that habit.

What To Expect

When you are ditching soda you can expect to go through some rough days. Your body will crave it. Your brain will crave it. You can expect to feel groggy without the caffeine. You can expect to feel headachy. That is your body going through withdrawal. You will feel like I won't lie, the first 3-5 days are going to be hardest. But you will emerge from it much clearer. 

Go into WITH a plan! Pick from those substitutes and stick to it! Take a calendar. Just like making a meal plan create a drink plan. Whatever you do don't wing it or else those calls from the refrigerator are going to be much harder. Also make it easier on yourself and JUST DON'T BUY IT! If it isn't in your house avoiding it is much much easier. 

When the going gets hard...

Look, I know it's hard. I used to a raging coke zero addict. I'm talking like at least 6 cans of it A DAY! At Least. That's 3 1/2 packs a week! Crazy eh? But I did it! And I'm a busy mum of three, so I KNOW that you can do it too. Make a plan for yourself. Use these healthy substitutes. Mark it on a calendar. Bad habits form quickly and good habits form slower but it can happen. They say it takes up to 3 weeks to make a good habit, so mentally prepare yourself for the long haul. 

Now I rarely ever drink pop. It is far too sweet and in the diet kinds I can taste the icky fake sweeteners.  The only time now I actually do drink it is if I'm having an "adult drink" ;) which isn't very often either. 

I know you can do this!! Message me HERE if you'd like more support in ditching YOUR soda habit. 

Snack Your Way To Weight Loss

Stop eating empty calories.

Eat snacks for healthy weight loss instead!

I don’t know about you but I LOVE snacks. I love sweet treats and crunchy salty things. The down side though is that they do not love me. I know exactly what is going to happen when I eat a rich pastry or a bag of chips. It is all going to turn straight into sugar and BAM I’ll feel bogged down and just left feeling empty and craving more. 

That is why it is super important to have snacks for healthy weight loss snacks on hand. When we have those midmorning or mid afternoon or nighttime lulls we start itching to grab something. By failing to plan your snacks you are essentially planning to fail (this goes for meals and workouts too by the way). It could even be one of those things that makes or breaks your healthy weight loss.

Snacks are an important part of your daily consumption. They keep your blood sugar from dipping too low if you go too long between meals. Eating healthy snacks also helps prevent your blood sugar from spiking too high as it would with an unhealthy snack. When following a clean eating lifestyle you really aren’t even having snacks, they are mini meals. 

Another important part of snacks is that they can help keep you from getting TOO hungry and then over eating at meal time. 

One thing you desperately need to watch out for is the packaged so-called “healthy” snacks. These are junk food in disguise. They are cleverly marketed with you as their target audience.  Knowing what YOU need to stay away from makes the journey a lot easier. Processed and packaged foods are NOT snacks for weight loss. 

Now that you know you need to drop the diet coke and 100 calorie pack and grab real wholesome snacks you may have other questions. What are these healthy and wholesome snacks? And how can I pair foods together to get the most out them. 

Read more HERE to find out what you should replacing those unhealthy snacks with to boost your metabolism AND help you reach your weight loss goals. 

Wicked Chicken Tai Soup

I just finished a bowl for lunch and man this soups gets even better the next day!! The oooonly thing missing was a bit of lemongrass, that would have totally kicked up to that next level. But it is so good I am going to share it with you NOW!!!

Wicked Chicken Thai Soup

Into a crock pot place:
1 whole chicken separated, skin removed
3 carrots diced
4 celery stalks diced
1 onion diced
1 carton organic chicken stock
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
2 cups water
1 tbsp coconut aminos
2 tbsp thai spice blend (SEE BELOW)

Give it all a stir and let it sit on high for roughly 5 hours. You can always add a touch more spice near the end if you want it HAWT!

During the last hour of cooking pull out the chicken out of the crock, let cool enough to handle, and then pull it all apart. Add it back into the crock.

Cook up some rice and put in the bottom of a bowl then pour a ladle full of soup over it. You could garnish with a bit of cilantro (but I don't like cilantro…it's genetic).

My Top Ten Weight Loss Foods

I am often asked from people looking to achieve weight loss success what I eat. I often say I eat whole foods, clean foods, single ingredient foods. But that leaves many wondering what does that really mean when you go into the grocery store. So, I decided to make a quick list of my personal top ten favourite foods for weight loss. These are foods that are regulars in my grocery basket.

Top Ten Weight Loss Foods From Weight Loss Success Story

Apples

High in fibre and supposedly better at waking you up than coffee apples are something that go fast in our house. Transportable, sweet, and crunchy it doesn't matter what kind you get, they are going to be good for you. So whether you like gala, spartan, or granny smith, be sure to stock up on apples.

Dried Fruit 

With a wide array of vitamins and minerals dried fruit is a quick and easy treat, especially if you are needing to replace a candy craving. Dried cranberries and dried cherries are sweet and tangy while dates can give you a pseudo chocolate feel.

Citrus Fruits

Packed with Vitamin C citrus fruits are super refreshing!! Grapefruit at breakfast, lemon in your water, oranges as a snack. It's all good!! Lemons in particular are known to help detoxify the liver.

Coconut

If you follow me on any of my social media you may know already that I am nutty for coconut! Coconut milk, oil, butter, shredded, flour, water…all of it!! It's the medium chain triglycerides that are the magic of the coconut which help the liver and coconut oil specifically is great for thyroid function.

Bananas

Somewhere along the line bananas got a bad rap, something to do with the high sugar content, blah, blah, blah. But in reality bananas are VERY good for you. Their combination of potassium and fibre makes for a power packed perfect snack.

Broccoli

Broccoli is hands down one of my fav veggies. Steamed then tossed with some coconut oil. YUM YUM! This understated veggie is full of vitamins, minerals, and even calcium and protein.

Spinach

Nine times out of ten when making my daily Shakeology I will throw a handful of spinach in it. That 10th time is usually because I'm fresh out! You'll find calcium, iron, vitamins and minerals in spinach. It helps build muscles and stabilize blood pressure.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a breakfast staple in our house, and not those single serving processed packages. I make large flake or stone cut from scratch. A perfect whole food. With lots of fibre and and protein it's a perfect way to start the day, just dress it up with some dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and some cinnamon and you are ready to tackle your day!!

Eggs

If I'm not having oatmeal for breaky I'm having eggs. Such a powerful combo of protein, all 9 amino acids, and an array of vitamins. Studies also show that women that eat eggs for breakfast versus other traditional breakfast items (like bagels or cold cereal) lose more weight and feel fuller longer. 

Nuts/Seeds

While high in fat nuts and seeds are great to toss into and on things to just give a little nutritional punch. In oatmeal, over yogurt, into your salad, they not only give a little crunch but also provide you with omegas, vitamins, some protein, and even fibre. Just be sure to get the unsalted and unsugared kinds to avoid extra unnecessary calories.


I hope you find this list helpful and add some, or even better all of them, to your grocery list. And it you'll also notice none of these are fancy or expensive. Eating healthy doesn't have to break the bank!! Keep it simple and basic. 

10 Tips to Survive Holiday Eating

Over the last four years and 101 lost lbs I have invariably had to wade my way through my fair share of holidays. This weekend we are celebrating Thanksgiving here in Canada and this very topic came up in one of my challenge groups. I listed a few things out and then thought, hey, more people need to know this. They need to know that you CAN enjoy eating at the holidays without the guilt and uncomfortable waistline.

So here they are…

Top Ten Tips To Survive Holiday Eating

1. Drink a big glass of water before you go out or before you get into the eating. You will more than likely be eating more sodium than usual, you will probably be having a drink or two, plus that big drink of water will help fill you up a bit.

2. When you first arrive take a good look at the appetizer table. Take a small plate then go sit down. Don't GRAZE the appetizer table!

3. Speaking of the appys head for the fresh cut veggies first. Don't forget to be careful of dips. I love dips. I can get carried away with dips.



4. Don't be afraid to have a little bit of everything, but for your sake TAKE SAMPLE SIZES. You don't have to have a full scoop of everything, just try a bit, there is lots to take in.

5. When it comes to the main course try choosing a smaller plate. Dinner plates now are WAY bigger than they used to be. Taking a smaller plate is a great trick because it fills up faster and gives you that visual illusion that you are eating more.

6. Keep your servings sizes in check. If you have those awesome containers from the 21 Day Fix don't be afraid to take them. And use them. Hey, they may even start up some conversation ;) 

7. Watch out with salads. While they maaaay seem like a healthy option they are often loaded with creamy or oily dressings. By all means still have some, but be aware. Same thing goes if you are putting dressing on your own salad. A little goes a long way. 

8. Load up half your plate with the veggie options. They should be taking that space up anyways. 

9. With holidays comes eating, and with holiday eating comes holiday DRINKING. Those drinks do come with calories, and while they go down fast, that is just how easy it is to consume a lot of calories over a short period of time. Pace yourself. Stick to a couple drinks tops. And try to have a glass of water in between. 

10. Pumpkin pie. Apple pie. Pumpkin cheesecakes. Lemon pie. Chocolate something. Whatever dessert is going to be gracing your holiday table HAVE SOME!!! But having some doesn't mean going all out. Ask for a half a slice, nothing wrong with that at all. 

BONUS: Be thankful for every bite you have. There are so many less fortunate in the world. I'm not trying to be a downer but when you are thankful, truly, you savour your food more, you don't rush through it. Slow down. Enjoy. Enjoy the family, enjoy the friends, the holiday is not just about the food but the people you share it with. 

Have a Happy Holiday Season.