Long Over Due Progress Update- 90 days

 90 days ago Karl and I along with our friend Jeff decided we were ready to commit to a healthier lifestyle, to hold each other accountable and to not stop until we hit our goals. We're not done yet but the 3 of us have come a long way and have a ton of over-sized clothes to show for it.

                                                 Then

Jeff - 270 lbs
Karl - 285 lbs
Danielle - 176 lbs

Now

Jeff - 228 lbs (down 42 lbs!)
Karl - 245 lbs (down 40 lbs!)
Danielle - 146 lbs (down 30 lbs!)

Collectively we have lost 112 lbs in 90 days

As you can see from the picture, our clothes are baggy. We were all laughing at how ill fit our wardrobes were and how we need to buy some skinny clothes and re-take this picture. There's some fun outtakes I will post, because these men are silly and fun to be around.

Karl's and my relationship has grown stronger (I didn't know that was even possible) through this journey and we are constantly building each other up. I love that our children have had a noticeable change in their eating desires too. Yesterday Nadine requested asparagus in her lunch for school and today she was eating raw bell peppers as a snack. I feel so proud to know that we are teaching our children the skills to eat well, and have a healthy relationship with food.
Jeff and his wife, Tiffany, are two of our dearest friends and through this experience I think we've grown closer as well. It's definitely a perk to have people who understand and live through the same accomplishments and obstacles. We are eternally grateful for their friendship and their part in sharing this journey.
As two family's on this journey together Karl and I are particularly excited to celebrate when we all 3 have met our goal weight! Tiffany and I have talked about a cruise, I think the boys might go for that!

What we've been doing:
We have been on a set eating program for 90 days called Slenderiiz its an all natural, organic supplement that is taken under the tongue  before each of your 2 largest meals a day for 90 days (or shorter if you reach your goal before then) which helps flush fat and boost your metabolism while reducing cravings for sugar and oils. This combined with a food plan of 1200 calories and eating guide to help train our bodies to crave REAL food, that is going to fuel our bodies instead of weigh it down has propelled our weight loss in to over drive. This program has a 2 year clinical trial and we are participating in a beta testing of the product for the Oregon area. 

We have successfully transitioned in to a healthy relationship with which is low-glycemic, no refined sugar, gluten free, dairy free (primarily due to my allergies) and only eating lean proteins. Karl and Jeff are done using the drops and will continue their 1200 calorie food plan until they have reached their goal weights and then will adjust the calories accordingly to maintain. I plan on doing another 30 days of the slenderiiz system since I still have 20 lbs to go until my goal weight.

This has been such a positive experience, I am excited to continue to develop new recipes, share our story and hopefully with in the next 60 days be celebrating reaching our goal weights. Stay tuned for more progress updates and recipes.

Outtakes ;)

This one is my favorite! oh those silly men...

Jeff's progress at 70 days!

I have an update on our good friend Jeff's progress.  After 70 days Jeff is down a whopping 40lbs. We have an update coming for all three of us coming soon!
Congratulations Jeff!

Slenderiiz.com/Oregon

9 Reasons Why I Say NO to Soy

Since I am allergic to cows (including leather, beef, dairy, all cow by products) nearly every meal I make is dairy free. My kids have some cheese and yogurt, but my Karl and I are dairy free. A long time ago I used to use soy in everything, I really thought it was my healthiest option. A year and a half into our marriage while on birth control we conceived our oldest child, which was such a blessing and also perplexing. We learned 2 things from my Gynecologist 1) My body doesn't naturally produce enough progestrogen to maintain a pregnancy without medical help 2) the plant estrogen in soy mimicked the hormone enough in my body to mess around with my hormone tests when they did my blood draw to confirm the pregnancy. 
My OB recommended I avoid eating soy for the remainder of the pregnancy, once I hit the 2nd trimester and had stopped consuming soy products (they're practically in everything that's pre-made!) my hormones leveled out, and blood draws came back normal.
That was 7 years ago, we've been avoiding soy consumption as much as possible ever since. I have referenced 4 articles that support what my OB talked to us about 7 years ago. Here's 9 reasons why someone should consider avoiding soy products.

1. Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and promote breast cancer in adult women. These phytoestrogens also cause hypothyroidism and possibly thyroid cancer.
2. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
3. Vitamin B12 in soy is not absorbed. Consumption of soy actually increases the body’s requirement for B12.
4. Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D. Toxic synthetic vitamin D2 is added to soy milk.
5. Fragile proteins are damaged during the high temperature processing used to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein–often used in packaged foods and even the so-called “healthy” protein bars.
6. Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
7. Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are sometimes added to mask soy’s unpleasant taste.
8. High levels of aluminum, toxic to the nervous system and kidneys, have been found in some soy foods.
9. Soy foods such as soy cheese and ice cream, soy milk, and tofu are so processed that few pesticide residues remain; however, several very toxic pesticides are used to grow soybeans, and 90 percent of soybeans grown in the U.S. are GMO (genetically modified). In the only human feeding study ever published on genetically modified foods, seven volunteers ate Roundup-ready soybeans. These soybeans have herbicide-resistant genes inserted into them in order to survive being sprayed with otherwise deadly doses of Roundup herbicide. In three of the seven volunteers, the gene inserted into the soy transferred into the DNA of their intestinal bacteria, and continued to function long after they stopped eating the GM soy.

Karl and I use unsweetened coconut milk, coconut oil and coconut butter for all of our dairy replacement options. 

I hope some of you find this as enlightening as I did!

Sources:

http://www.juiceladycherie.com/Juice/nine-reasons-to-say-no-to-soy/

http://thedeliciousrevolution.com/cleanse/why-avoid-soy/

http://halfindiancook.com/the-search-for-soy-free-chocolate/

http://www.celestialpets.com/soy_article.shtml

If you are currently using a soy based protein powder and are looking for a Vegan, Soy Free, Organic, Non-gmo meal replacement read HERE and purchase HERE

Easy Ground Chicken, Marinara and Sauteed Veggies

             Prior to our lifestyle change Spaghetti was a staple meal for our family, usually as an excuse to have garlic bread but none the less I had to figure out a healthier solution to this quick and easy meal.  First step was finding a marinara recipe and a pre-made sauce for easy nights that was also sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, and soy free.

             We will save my marinara from scratch recipe for another day and today let's focus on those ever so tempting "in a rush" nights where you just have to make something or your going to end up ordering pizza...

Here's what you need!

16 oz Ground chicken (or turkey)- 4 adult servings
1 jar of Marinara (I found O-Organics from Safeway was the most cost effective, Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Soy Free)
2 green bellpeppers
1 yellow onion
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp coconut oil
Seasonings
1/2 tbs onion powder
1/2 tbs garlic powder
3/4 tbs rosemary (dried) or 1/2 tbs (fresh)
sea salt
pepper

Ok here we go =)
Slice onions and bell pepper to thin strips (these are going to mimic the pasta) sprinkle with salt and pepper
Season the ground chicken with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and rosemary (if you can go fresh on herbs than do it!) and sprinkle it with salt and pepper..
In a saute pan (a wok works well too) over medium/high heat melt the coconut oil, then add the veggies. Saute the veggies until they are starting to caramelize on their sides. Add in the ground chicken and break into bite size pieces stirring as the meat browns and the veggies get soft and fully caramelized.
Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar and loosen up all of the yummy brown stuff that has accumulated at the bottom of the pan.
Add the bottle of sauce (25 oz jar) I like to add a couple tablespoons worth of water to the jar, replace the lid, shake it up and get all the sauce out =)
Once the sauce has heated up to a low boil, reduce heat for 5 minutes and its ready to serve.

If you can't live with out pasta, I highly recommend Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta.

Note: You can use just about any vegetable to saute if you're not a fan of peppers and onion, try summer squash, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli or sliced carrots.

Carrot Cake (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Soy Free)

Note before you get started: This cake base DOES NOT RISE so make sure you fill the cake dish 85% of the way full. 

Cake base
Things you'll need:
4 eggs
1.5 cups stevia in the raw
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg (my family can't eat cinamon, you can do 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp cinamon)
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/3 cup coconut oil (plus some for greasing the cake pan)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp gluten free pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond flour
1 cup bob's redmill all purpose gluten free flour mix
2.5 tsp baking powder

Frosting
Things you'll need:
2 egg yolks (I save the whites to use for scrambled eggs in the morning)
1/2 cup stevia in the raw
1/2 tsp gluten free pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut butter
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Let's get started!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

In a mixing bowl cream the 4 eggs, stevia, vanilla, applesauce, coconut oil, coconut milk and salt. Once evenly incorporated add in the shredded carrots, walnuts, almond flour, all purpose gluten free flour and lastly the baking powder.

I know it's unappealing when raw ;) but trust me it tastes good!

Grease a pretty cake dish with coconut oil and fill 85% of the way full. This batter does not rise, so leave just enough room to top with frosting.

Bake in a preheated (350 deg F) oven for 35-50 minutes, timing will vary based on ovens and elevation levels.

While you're cake is baking let's get started on the frosting!

Chop up 1/2 cup walnuts
Separate 2 egg yolks from egg whites. You only need the yolks.
on very low heat whisk the eggs, 1/2 tsp of vanilla and 1/4 cup coconut butter. Stirring non-stop until the coconut butter is completely incorporated and add the 1/2 cup stevia in the raw and coconut milk. Continue to stir over low heat until the sauce is thick enough to where you can run your finger down the back of the spatula and there's a clean streak.

Remove from heat. If the mixture is still pretty loose then add back to low heat and stir. The coconut butter in the mixture will cause the sauce to thicken some after cooling.

Top the semi cooled cake with the frosting then garnish the top with the 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and let cool on the counter before wrapping and storing in the fridge (if you don't wait for it to cool you'll end up with condensation pooling on the plastic wrap and making your cake soggy).

Store covered in the fridge for freshness.

German Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Soy Free)

Being sugar free doesn't mean you can't occasionally indulge on baked goods like this German chocolate cake. The chocolate cake base can be used with any topping (fresh strawberries would be awesome) it is super moist and decadent. This is a double hitter where I will give you the recipe for the cake and my mock German chocolate cake frosting =)

Note before you get started: This cake base DOES NOT RISE so make sure you fill the cake dish 85% of the way full. 

Cake base
Things you'll need:
4 eggs
1.5 cups stevia in the raw
1 tsp salt
1.5 cups unsweetened apple sauce
2/3 coconut oil (plus some for greasing the cake pan)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tsp gluten free pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond flour
1 cup bob's redmill all purpose gluten free flour mix
2.5 tsp baking powder

Frosting
Things you'll need:
3 egg yolks (I save the whites to use for scrambled eggs in the morning)
1/2 cup stevia in the raw
1/2 tsp gluten free pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut butter
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (I prefer bob's redmill)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Let's get started!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

In a mixing bowl cream the 4 eggs, stevia, vanilla, applesauce, coconut oil, coconut milk and salt. Once evenly incorporated add in the cocoa powder, almond flour, all purpose gluten free flour and lastly the baking powder.

I had a skilled helper for the mixing part =)

Grease a pretty cake dish with coconut oil and fill 85% of the way full. This batter does not rise, so leave just enough room to top with frosting.

Bake in a preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, timing will vary based on oven's and elevation levels.

While you're cake is baking let's get started on the frosting!

Chop up 3/4 cup walnuts (or pecans)
Separate 3 egg yolks from egg whites. You only need the yolks.
on very low heat whisk the eggs, 1/2 tsp of vanilla and 1/3 cup coconut butter. Stirring non-stop until the coconut butter is completely incorporated and add the 1 cup coconut milk and 1/2 cup stevia in the raw. Continue to stir over low heat until the sauce is thick enough to where you can run your finger down the back of the spatula and there's a clean streak.

Remove from heat and add 3/4 cup nuts, and 1/2 cup coconut flakes. If the mixture is still pretty loose then add back to low heat and stir. The coconut butter in the mixture will cause the sauce to thicken some after cooling.

Top the semi cooled cake with the frosting (while it's still warm), and let cool on the counter before wrapping in plastic wrap (otherwise you'll end up with condensation gathering on the plastic; creating a soggy top)

Store covered in the fridge for freshness. Karl enjoyed his slices cold, and I liked to heat mine up in the microwave. Either way it's delicious!