I started this blog because my friend keeps telling me I should make one since I write so much on my social network about eating healthy, being active and living better. So here I am, trying this out. So forgive me...I am a Virgin Blogger.
More About Me...
I will mostly blog about my quest to healthier living. I'm a 4'11" married woman with an 8a-4p work week, mostly sitting at a desk, and occasionally visiting my clients in their homes. I was always on the bigger side (runs in the family) since puberty, and always struggled with image problems. You know, the typical middle and high school drama. Been there. Done that. And moved on. Still on the big side post-high school, but during college I got really active (my college gym was free and next to my dorm, so there were no excuses) and was very fit. Then my doc accidentally found out that I was born with a hole in my diaphragm (morgagni hernia), so basically my stomach was next to my heart. I was fine after the surgery, but my core muscles that I spent a long time building became weak, and still weak today because, to make a long story short, I had my gallbladder removed (I strongly feel that it was because of this bcp that I was on at the time, which also made me anemic). During all this time, I had also developed severe food allergies, asthma and my liver became fatty, causing elevated liver enzymes. At one point, I also had elevated blood sugar levels (close to having diabetes). Not to mention gaining more weight.
I think a lot of it had to do with when I started my first full-time job as a Case Manager, having to work 60 hours a week, but only getting paid for 40 of them, overly stressed and over-worked, and only having time to sleep and eat dinner after work. Luckily I was smart to quit that slave-driving job a week before our wedding (you can say Bridezilla), because at least I was able to relax and take care of me....I worked at that place for nearly 4 years.
Going to present day, I am happy and healthy. I changed the way I ate, I am more active, and I have a job that I love that won't kill me (same pay, same job as the last, but manageable stress and no 60-hour work week!). I am losing weight, and my labs have been normal for almost a year!...
I'm tired now, after writing this ha ha, so I will save the "More About Me" for later blogs. But here's about today. For breakfast, my husband made me a mostly-organic breakfast: 2-egg mushroom and onion omelet with turkey bacon, and if I'm still hungry, a Fuji Apple (my favorite apple!). Mostly organic, because some of these ingredients are either not available or too expensive for us just yet. And for dinner last night, I made this:
Stuffed Baked Chicken (yields about 4-6 servings):
4- 4 to 6oz Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast (I used Kirkland brand from Costco, but it should be organic)
2c Organic Spinach
6-8 tablespoons Organic EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Garlic Salt and Cracked Black Pepper (to taste)
8 slices of Turkey Bacon (I used Oscar Meyer brand from Costco)
8 oz. Organic Raw Sharp Cheddar Cheese (optional)
Dried Parsley (optional)
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil (or double it with the foil you have on hand so that you avoid making a mess of your baking sheet). Butterfly the chicken breast equally in half. Make sure its defrosted completely and patted dry. Stuff the chicken with as much spinach as you like (I just gave approximate measurements under the list of ingredients). Add 1-2 oz. of sharp cheddar cheese (or any cheese you like. I think pretty much any cheese works. I just used what we had). Lightly sprinkle garlic salt and crack black pepper on the still-open chicken breast, then close it. Wrap 2 slices of turkey horizontally so to secure the chicken breast, end side down on baking sheet. Crack more black pepper on top of the chicken breast. Lightly drizzle EVOO on the chicken breast, sprinkle the parley on top and bake for 30 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken).
No need to salt the outside of the chicken breast, because the turkey bacon has enough salt. Lightly drizzling EVOO on the chicken will keep your chicken breast and turkey bacon from burning since it has very little fat.
I made the chicken with and without cheese, since I found out I am lactose and gluten intolerant (found out after making this lifestyle change). I buy all the breads and dairy for my husband. I also made roasted potatoes and roasted butternut squash to last us the rest of this week.
Before battling the notorious Oahu rush hour traffic from town to the west side and baking this yummy, healthy dinner, I walked around Diamond Head Crater. Who knew it was long (lol)! Took me about an hour and a half to walk it, but I did it and loved the view. Cheers to my first blog! I hope you've enjoyed it :)
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