Fast & Frozen

Love me some evol.

I rarely can say that I love a good frozen meal.  However, these days I need something quick and easy for when I am in the office or whenever I have to rush from one thing to the next.  Let's face it- we live in a fast paced world.

So what to do when you need a frozen meal?  Check out evol.  It's tasty and all the ingredients are easy to pronounce.  I found this brand at Target, but I am sure other stores have it as well.  Or having no luck?  No worries. Just remember a few things:


1. Frozen meals are usually high in sodium and are going to have many more ingredients than cooking yourself so don't get stuck in the rut of using these multiple times per day.  I would recommend no more than 3 meals per week, but if your schedule is packed to the nines then frozen meals are still better than Big Macs.
2. Pick a frozen meal where you recognize the majority of the ingredients.  Bonus points if you recognize them all!



Niiiiiiice ingredients!

3. Fill up with protein.  Pick one with at least 10g of protein, preferably even more.  The meal in the picture had 20g of protein, which is perfect. 

A lot females need more iron.  This particular meal I had (Fire Grilled Steak) provides 25% of your daily intake of iron. It is also relatively high in fat, but low in saturated fat.  That's the fat I look for.  If an item is high in saturated fat or trans fat, I try to stay away for the most part.

Got a frozen meal you love?

Eat well,
Bri

Go coconuts!

Time for the beach & coconuts!

"Brother bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime. His sister had another one, she paid it for a lime.  She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up..." Are you singing yet?  Or picturing the movie Practical Magic?  Man, did I love that movie and man, do I love all things coconut these days. 

Why do I like coconut?  Well, it does remind me of my favorite month and time of the year (June & summer).  It also reminds me of one of my favorite places: the beach.  And lastly, coconut has nutritious benefits too!

According to the Coconut Research Center, nearly one third of the world's population depends on coconut to some degree for their food and economy.  Pacific Islanders even consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness.  And even though coconut oil is high in saturated fat, it has been shown to help with weight loss due to the type of fat it contains- medium chain triglycerides (these guys are metabolized differently than the typical fats we see- long chain triglycerides).  

Coconut also adds flavor & taste to different recipes.  A friend of mine and Pure Barre devotee recently provided me with a yummy sample of homemade chocolate truffle energy bites made with shredded coconut.  If you love to bake, find the recipe here: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/02/11/chocolate-truffle-energy-bites/  Shredded coconut is one of the options for rolling.  Oh and for you that are gluten free and/or vegan, this recipe is both!

For you smoothie makers, a tablespoon of coconut oil is a great tropical addition to any green smoothie recipe.  I recently read an article on sauteing vegetables with coconut oil as well.  Whatever you try, go coconuts!

Eat well,
Bri

And just since I mentioned it already: June is my favorite month.  I am committing to printing off a June calendar and writing down at least 1 fun & different thing that I do each day.  This little exercise will help me savor my favorite month and take joy in the little things.  Feel free to join me!