Category Archives: Uncategorized

Uncategorized

Recognizing our Potential

I was walking with a friend few mornings last week, and each time we happened to pass by an excercise blow up ball, sitting out on the curb. Each time I’d say Oh I could use that but we’re walking and I would’nt be able to carry it home.

Next morning, we’re walking..its still there & by the next morning, its a joke already..oh there’s the ball!

Sometime the following week, I finally notice the ball isn’t there!?

Oh well, my bad. But I guess I didn’t really want it bad enough.

& I recall how I actually have a deflated excercise ball at home somewhere.

This made me stop & think…and reflect..

I have a ball at home but its deflated. I passed by A full one, but never stopped to pick it up.

Made me think, We are attracted to new shiny objects. Sometimes we pick it up & sometimes we don’t, & may regret it. So once we do..then what?

I made a realization, I did have a ball. I just needed to inflate it. I needed to fill it with air. I have it. I have it within. I have one already. I have the capacity, the power the potential to fulfull this..but never bothered to. Theres soo much we can do, we have the potential to do it. & Maybe all I needed was to see a inflated ball to push me to realize I have the power within to do so many other things..all I need to do is find what it is I want, & do the work- inflate the ball-take action steps & make it happen.

What do you have within that you know or maybe you arent aware- you are capable of?
I never thought I was capable of losing 50lbs, & get to a size smaller than I was on my wedding day? Its hard to imagine that this is possible. Yet I did it! I was capable! I did have it within!!! & I realized that potential. & Guess what.

IT FEELS SOOO GOOD..

Dairy, Lean & Green Meal Recipes, Pizza, Uncategorized, Vegetarian

Coach Gin’s Pizza Dough

A popular low carb version of pizza dough is called “Fathead Dough.” I revised it to be plan compliant here. As you can see from the disproportionate amount of pizza recipes on my site, I just love pizza and cannot see living my life without it. I’m so thrilled that I finally found a way to have a REAL tasting pizza as part of my health plan.

Not only that, but you can use this dough to make calzones & other concoctions (like the Shakshuka Pizza, shown below).

On top of it, this recipe is super EASY! Which I love the most.

1 3/4 c low fat shredded cheese (I used mozzarella here)
1/2 c blanched almond flour
2 tbsp cream cheese (I like whipped)
1/2 tsp optional seasonings for crust, like oregano, rosemary or garlic powder
3 egg whites or 3 tbsp egg whites from the carton (I prefer egg whites as it tastes lighter and less “eggy”)

This dough makes 6 servings with 1/3 a lean each and 3 condiments.

Mix the shredded cheese, almond flour and cream cheese together in a microwave safe bowl. Zap for 1 min. It should all melt and you should be able to use a flexible spatula to blend it into a ball. Add the egg or egg whites in. Use your hands if you need to incorporate everything together.

Once it’s in a ball, you’re ready to “roll.” For pizza, roll out to the desired shape. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 10-12 mins until golden brown. Add toppings and bake until cheese fully melts.

Stromboli

I woke up to a picture of a Stromboli on Instagram, and I said “oh I can do that!” Appearing again here is a modified Fathead dough on plan. Flatten it like a long oval pizza crust with your hands, fill in with fillings, and fold over the sides. Pinch together in the middle. If the dough gets holey, just pinch the dough back together. I baked this for about 20 mins at 375 degrees. Keep an eye on it! Inside here, I sautéed multicolored peppers in olive oil with garlic, and sprinkled some extra cheese inside the crust. I used 2 servings of the modified recipe for a whole Stromboli, and ate half a Stromboli for one serving.



Make the fillings the other fraction of your lean, or have just 1/3 a lean inside and have a spare lean for a Greek yogurt later, it’s up to you. I mention this for those of you who haven’t had to deal with fractions since elementary school !

The recipe will therefore make 3 Strombolis which are 6 servings (split in half – You can eat the whole thing but you’d be over on condiments… unless you go ahead and count them as your optional snack 😉 As always, follow your own health plan with your health coach.)

The possibilities are endless with what you can fill these babies with. I also adored my creamed spinach recipe in here! Just sauté a can of spinach or fresh spinach with some leeks; be sure to drain out excess water. Turn off the heat and add in 2 tbsp. whipped cream cheese (count as a condiment or healthy fat) and permit it to melt. Instant creamed spinach.

Delicious creamed spinach

Add the spinach as a calzone or as a topping to your pizza.

The possibilities are endless. This is Shakshuka Pizza. Just shape and form the pizza with a deep well. At the end, crack an egg on top of some sauce and peppers and bake just until cooked.
Lean & Green Meal Recipes, Pizza, The World of Cauliflower, Uncategorized, Vegetarian

Cauliflower Pan Pizza

I’m always trying to make my recipes easier to prepare, and I’m really excited about this new version of Cauliflower Pizza. The extra bonus is that it is something that you can actually pick up and eat with your hands.  Just like the old-fashioned classic pizza!

What makes this recipe possible is buying FRESH cauliflower crumbles from the produce section of the supermarket. Green Giant makes a fresh version of its cauliflower crumble that works great with this recipe. Their package is 16 oz by weight, which yields a little less than 6 green servings per package.  If you add a tomato sauce serving of green as your topping plus a few vegetables, you have a perfect lean & green.

Serves 3

You NEED:

A cookie tray or deep dish with a rim to bake  your pizza crust.

Tin foil

Ingredients for the Crust

One package fresh cauliflower crumbles (Green Giant has one that is 16 ounces or 1 1/2 cups raw)

1/2 c Egg beaters from the carton (1/4 a lean)

1/2 cup shredded low fat cheese (1/2 a lean)

1/4 tsp garlic powder (2 condiments)

4 tbsp reduced fat powdered Parmesean cheese (2 condiments)

Topping

2 Tomato sauce servings that are 5g of carbs or less

Shredded low fat cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line the cookie pan or tray with parchment paper. Mix the crust ingredients all together, and simply pour them into your pan. No need to pat everything down… just let it bake like a very thin casserole. Bake for about 45 minutes until the crust appears slightly charred on the edges. Top with sauce, cheese and vegetable toppings,  and bake again for 5 minutes or enough to melt the cheese.

Uncategorized

Welcome to my new website!

Welcome all! I am so glad that you found me on the web. I have been posting my recipes and insights on my FaceBook page since I started coaching, and have been enjoying the tremendous feedback since! I’m stepping up my game to a webpage because I know that it can be challenging to quickly find recipes on that page, and I’d really like to help you get that recipe in YOUR belly! Quickly!

My recipes are geared towards complete and utter enjoyment of your food while you’re on a healthy eating plan. Because I didn’t know until recently HOW MUCH food you can really enjoy (a ton!) when you’re making it right. And you can eat a lot of delicious food while not being hungry, and quickly lose weight at the same time!

I made a life decision in December 2015, that I was going to finally drop 30 lbs (after gaining 20 lbs over the past year and a half) and reach a healthy BMI for my age, height and weight.

I had actually “bumped into” my plan in around August 2015, when I saw the amazing woman who would one day be my coach shrink before my very eyes on FaceBook. I was unhappy with my weight, and yet I was not ready to pony up the time and financial resources I thought it would take for the benefit of my own health. I am a full-time working mother, who worked a few jobs on the side, and did not feel I had the mental space to do a “serious diet” and take care of myself. I would do it on my own, I said. And I did lose a whopping 3 lbs on my own from August through December 2015. And then I said, “Enough is enough. I am unhappy with this excess weight literally weighing me down. I will do whatever it takes to take it off.” After another week of hemming and hawing, I bought my first monthly order of Take Shape for Life. My only regret – that I didn’t do it sooner!

I referred to it as a diet to my coach. She said, “I prefer to call it a healthy lifestyle. A diet is something temporary that you go on and off.”

I thought to myself, “Yeah. Whatever. I just want to do this to lose 20 lbs.”

I’ll admit, I followed the program to the letter when I began. It wasn’t hard. Rip a packet, make it, eat it. Sometimes you don’t even have to make it! Repeat that 5 times a day, every 2-3 hours. I was more focused on what I should be eating than what I shouldn’t be eating. Because I didn’t have to make any choices anymore. Brain-dead. The missing component to every “diet” plan I had ever followed in the past: weight watchers (I think I’ve spent enough money there to put someone’s kid through college), South Beach, Atkins, the Pasta Diet (yes, it exists!), etc.

I only had to prepare one “Lean & Green” meal a day, which consists of one protein serving (5, 6, or 7 oz depending on the type) and 1.5 cups of vegetables. I was able to just focus on one meal a day, and if I wanted to mail it in that day and just have microwaved grilled chicken and steam fresh vegetables, I’m good.

And the weight just melted off. Like I have never seen it go before. You see – I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). The weight just does NOT come off when you have that condition. One week I lost 3 lbs in the middle of my weight loss journey. I expressed shock to my coach, “I can’t believe it!” She was very nonchalant about it and said, “Why not?”

More importantly, I felt like a million bucks on the program. Previously, I was NOT a morning person, but had to get up at 6 am for work, so I was a proud, chronic coffee drinker. Within a few weeks I noticed that I just stopped drinking so much coffee. I didn’t need it. AND I was able to wake up in the morning without wanting to die. Which is HUGE.

I quickly realized this investment in myself was worth it. I learned the plan in and out. I started getting creative in the kitchen to make the plan work for me (AND my family!) LONG TERM. And I became determined to spread the word to others about this amazing program and how it transforms lives.

Optimal health is worth it. You’re worth it. I’m glad you’re here 🙂 I’m happy to share my knowledge with the world. Because all my clients are continued sources of continued inspiration to me now that I am maintaining my weight. My plan did change, but I still have a healthy lifestyle PLAN.

Please contact me if you’d like help on YOUR journey to Optimal Health.

Coach Gin (Ginnine Fried)
Certified Health Coach
Website: coachgin.tsfl.com
Email: gininthekitchen@gmail.com