Energizing Soy Protein and Instant Protein Soy Mix

I love the Shaklee protein drinks. It comes in 3 flavors. The chocolate and vanilla give you 14 grams of protein per serving. The natural flavor gives you 16 grams of protein per serving. The natural flavor is good to put in your cooking and baking. I used to put it in my morning oatmeal all the time. I now like to use the vanilla and mix it with orange juice. I haven't tried the chocolate flavor yet. I can tell you from experience that I can tell a difference in my energy level if I miss my protein drink that day. And this really gives me the boast I need to keep chasing after my 3 year old boy! I like to drink it right after I run, too, to help my muscles recover from the workout.

This protein comes from soy. Here is a word about soy from a newsletter from my director.

Soy Protein - Good or Bad?

This is a question discussed and debated in many places by many people, especially when connected to the subject of breast cancer. Dr. Steven Chaney, PhD, a cancer researcher, recently sent me this report. It so clearly and simply gives the latest SCIENTIFIC findings that I’m reprinting it here in full…

“For years we have known that women in the United States have breast cancer rates that are 4 to 7 times higher than women in China or Japan. We've also known that when Chinese or Japanese migrate to this country their risk of breast cancer is no different from that of any other US citizen by the second or third generation. So clearly the increased risk of cancer in US women is not a matter of genetics. It is caused by the US lifestyle.

“Because soy reduces the sensitivity of breast tissue to carcinogens in animal studies, many experts have suspected that it was the soy content of the Asian diet that was protective - but it has been difficult to prove and it was unclear how early in life soy was important.

“Dr. Larrisa Korde and her colleagues at the National Cancer Institute set out to answer both questions. They studied 1563 women of Chinese, Japanese or Filipino descent aged 20 to 55 years (597 with breast cancer and 966 without) and determined their intake of soy-containing foods during childhood, adolescence and as adults. They then divided the women into three groups – those with high frequency of soy intake (more than 1.5 times/week), those with medium frequency of soy intake (1 to 1.5 times/week), and those with low frequency of soy intake (0 to 1 times/week - not unlike the average American).

“When they compared the high intake group with the low intake group the results were striking. A high level of soy intake in childhood was associated with a 58% reduction in breast cancer. A high soy intake during adolescence and the adult years was associated with a 20-25% reduction in breast cancer (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, 18:1050-1059, 2009). When you couple that with the December 2009 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association showing that soy consumption decreases the risk of breast cancer recurrence in those women who do develop breast cancer it sends a powerful message. Soy is a woman's friend - all the way from childhood on.”

Will ANY Soy Do?

That answer is a resounding "NO"!

How the soy is grown matters - does it have pesticides, fungicides, or anything else on it? Have chemicals been put deep inside it where they can't be washed off - is it genetically modified? That matters.

How the soy is processed matters - have the isoflavones been preserved? Was it put through an alcohol/chemical bath?

Soy products are definitely not all "created equal"!

Shaklee Soy products are SAFE, it's the Shaklee difference.

My Half Marathon Schedule

Here is the training schedule I do for a half marathon. You can find several other schedules if you look online. But I like this because it's simple and I'm not really working on speed. As I said before, I'm a slow runner. I training at a 12:30 - 12:45 minute pace. But I ran the half last year at about an 11 minute pace. My husband says it's good to train slower than your race pace. It builds endurance. Also, after I run (especially the longer harder runs) I eat or drink a good source of protein to help my muscles recover. They say that chocolate milk is a perfect recovery drink because of the carbs and protein ratio. I like to drink a Shaklee protein drink (look for more on that tomorrow!).

This schedule is running 4 times a week on any days. I like to do my long runs on saturdays because of the time it takes.

I just realized that I'll have to start this on Jan 10th to train for the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon that I'm signed up for. Yikes, that's coming up!

Week 1          Week 6          Week 11          Week 16
2 miles            4 miles             4 miles              5 miles
2 miles            3 miles             3 miles              5 miles
3 miles            6 miles             9 miles              8 miles
2 miles            3 miles             4 miles              4 miles
9 miles           16 miles            20 miles           22 miles - weekly totals


Week 2         Week 7           Week 12           Week 17
2 miles            3 miles             5 miles               3 miles
2 miles            2 miles             4 miles               2 miles
4 miles            7 miles             9 miles               13.1 miles  - Race Day
2 miles            3 miles             5 miles
10 miles         15 miles           23 miles - weekly totals


Week 3         Week 8            Week 13
2 miles           4 miles               5 miles 
2 miles           3 miles               4 miles
5 miles           7 miles              10 miles
2 miles           3 miles               4 miles
11 miles         17 miles             23 miles - weekly totals


Week 4          Week 9             Week 14
3 miles             4 miles                5 miles 
2 miles             3 miles                5 miles
5 miles             8 miles                10 miles
3 miles             3 miles                4 miles
13 miles           18 miles              24 miles - weekly totals


Week 5           Week 10           Week 15
3 miles               4 miles              5 miles
2 miles               3 miles              4 miles
6 miles               8 miles              10 miles
2 miles               4 miles              3 miles
13 miles            19 miles             23 miles - weekly totals

Salmon Croquettes with Charred Veggie Rice

I have made these Salmon Croquettes several times and we really like them. They would be great with a side salad or Charred Veggie Rice. I think I got both these recipes from Cooking Light.

The croquettes have capers in the sauce. I haven't tried leaving them out but you could probably do that if you don't like them. They really give the sauce a kick. I'd chop them up really well so I don't get a big bite of one.

Salmon Croquettes

1/4 cup organic canola mayonnaise (such as Spectrum), divided
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 (6-ounce) packages skinless, boneless pink salmon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped capers
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard, and next 7 ingredients (through egg), stirring well. Add panko; toss. Shape mixture into 8 (3-inch) patties.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add patties; cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned.

Combine remaining mayonnaise, juice, and mustard with parsley, capers, garlic, and salt, stirring well.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 croquettes and 1 tablespoon sauce)
Calories:305; Fat:19.3g (sat 2.6g,mono 6g,poly 9.7g); Protein:18.8g


 
Charred Veggie Rice
 
1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 1/2 T canola oil
1/2 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
salt, to taste

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Heat oil in a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add corn and zucchini to pan; saute 3 minutes or until vegetables are charred. Stir in tomatoes and green onions; saute 1 minute or until tomatoes almost wilt. Combine veggies, rice and salt.

Beginning to Run

Here is a walk to run schedule I found in my husband's Runner's World magazine. I used it a couple years ago. You do each one 3-4 times a week. I stretched out even more and did each line 4 times a week for two weeks. Then I moved on to the next line.

If you are like me, a schedule helps. That way, I can have something to check off (me and my type a personality! got to have a plan, right?).

Run 2 mins, walk 4 mins. Repeat five times.
Run 3 mins, walk 3 mins. Repeat five times.
Run 5 mins, walk 2.5 mins. Repeat four times.
Run 7 mins, walk 3 mins. Repeat three times.
Run 8 mins, walk 2 mins. Repeat three times
Run 9 mins, walk 2 mins. Repeat twice, then run 8 mins.
Run 9 mins, walk 1 min. Repeat twice.
Run 13 mins, walk 2 mins. Repeat twice.
Run 14 mins, walk 1 min. Repeat twice.
Run 30 mins.

Run a race? Are you kidding?

I never liked running growing up. There was nothing fun about it. I don't remember why I signed up to do a half marathon 5 years ago. Probably not the best race to start with for a beginner. I couldn't even run a mile before I started training. And I didn't have a clue about the amount of effort it took to run it. In the end, I didn't train very well and I had this breathing problem and didn't really know what it was. I kind of skipped my 10 mile runs in training. I can't remember what else I skipped. I finished the race but I had to walk a few miles of it. And after it was over, I'm not sure how my legs carried me back to the hotel. They were like jelly.

Then in 2007, I ran it again. A friend said she wanted to run with me so we trained and ran together. It was good because we liked to run at the same pace and it was great because we counted on each other to get out and train together. This time we ran the entire race. It felt really good to accomplish it. Since I didn't miss my long runs during training, my legs felt pretty good later that day after the race.

Then last year, I felt compelled to run it again for some reason. I still didn't see myself as a runner. My husband is a runner and he always runs this half marathon and other races. I go to watch him run anyway so why not run it, right?! I was planning on running it with a couple other people but it didn't work out so I ran it by myself. This was another hurdle mentally. A lot of running is mental. Toward the end, I was tired. I kept thinking I'll just go as far as I think I can and then I'll push a little more. I kept saying that to myself. It worked! I saw my time when I was going into the last mile and sped up a little so I could beat 2 1/2 hours. (I'm not a fast runner!) I made it at 2:28:43. Little did I know that my sister's time from 2005 was 2:27:43. I would have run faster if I knew that!! I felt really good for accomplishing this race by myself and shaving about 14 or so minutes off my time.

I have also run the Fort 4 Fitness 4 mile race the last two years. That's a fun one and not too long!

I have to say, that over time I have come to like running a little more. I don't love it and I'm not sure I ever will but I do it to keep me moving and entering races helps me to have goals.

I am signed up for next years Indy Mini-Marathon because I got a free entry from filling out last years survey. I wasn't going to sign up but now I'm signed up. I think that I'll try to run it. I'm not sure yet.

I don't tell this story to discourage anyone from running but to tell how I came from not being able to run a mile to running a half marathon. Anyone can do it but it takes a lot of effort and determination. You never know what you are capable of until you try! To grow in any area, you have to push yourself outside your comfort zone every once in a while!

My husband runs several races a year and he says that you can just google races in your area to see what's available. He just did a 4 mile Galloping Gobbler on thanksgiving morning.

I don't think the mini-marathon in Indianapolis is filled up yet but it will be soon. That is in May. This is a fun race. It is the largest half marathon in the country with 35,000 runners!

Later I'll post the running schedule I use. There are several. There are sites that you can find a schedule to fit the race and speed you want. My husband incorporates speed work and tempo runs. But for me, I just stick with a simple one. Also, I am not a fast runner. I did a half marathon at a 11 minute pace while in my training, I was running at a 12:30 to 12:45 minute pace. You don't have to run fast to build up your miles.

Think about starting with a small race and find someone to run with you in it!

Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends! I know it's kind of late for a thanksgiving recipe but I made this new sweet potato recipe yesterday and it turned out pretty good. I was looking for a sweet potato recipe to make for a get together and I found a lot of different ones. The first one I saw sounded really good but it was over 500 calories a serving! I couldn't believe it! I finally found one that has a different twist. I must admit, though, my favorite is the one with the marshmallows on top. But this one is pretty good.

I adapted this recipe from one I found on eatingwell.com.

Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes

4 lbs sweet potatoes (4-5 large)
2 T butter
4 T pure maple syrup
1 T chili powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp allspice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce each potato with a fork. Place directly on oven rack and bake until soft, about 1 hour. Let cool 10 mins or long enough to handle. Slip skins off and place in large bowl. Add butter and mash. Add maple syrup, chili powder, ginger, salt, pepper, and allspice; stir to combine. About 12- 1/2 cup servings.

I'll Start Again on Monday...

Proverbs 31 has a daily devotional and today's is about rewriting some of the scripts we tell ourselves when we are being tempted. Find the whole devotion here - "I'll Start Again on Monday".

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37 (NIV)

Spicy Honey Chicken & Quinoa Salad with Peaches

I made this meal the other day and it was really good! I found the recipes in the September issue of Cooking Light. I made Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs, Quinoa Salad with Peaches, and fresh steamed green beans. (Sorry for the poor quality pictures.)

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Cooking spray
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar


1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.

3. Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.
4 Servings (321 calories per 2 thighs)



Quinoa Salad with Peaches

1 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 sliced ripe peach


Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add uncooked quinoa. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Cool quinoa slightly. Stir in peppers, onions, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, honey, pepper and peach. 4 Servings (196 calories per 1 cup)

What is so good about Quinoa?

We call quinoa (KEEN-WA) a grain but is actually a seed that has a mild, slightly nutty flavor. It is cooked similar to rice. It is light and fluffy like couscous or rice. Since it is mild, it can be an alternative to rice in recipes. Nutritionally, it is an excellent choice to incorporate into your meals. It's also gluten-free.

In 1/4 cup dry uncooked quinoa we have:
7 grams protein
10% iron
2% calcium
3 grams fiber
170 calories

It also has
B vitamins
Vitamin E
Magnesium

My bag says 1 cup dry will yield 4 cups cooked.

It really is sooo good for you. You ought to give it a try!

NY Time story asks "How clean are your dishes."

NY Time story asks "How clean are your dishes.": "NY Time story asks 'How clean are your dishes.'"

Phosphates pose a threat to aquatic life and can end up in drinking-water reservoirs. In response to new laws, more and more makers of dishwasher detergents are reducing the amounts of phosphates in their products. But, according to a recent article published by The New York Times, "Cleaner for the Environment, Not for the Dishes," consumers claim their low-phosphate detergents aren't getting the job done.

Launched in 1991, Shaklee Basic-D® was the first patented phosphate-free dishwashing cleanser. Today, our Shaklee Get Clean® Dish Washer Automatic Powder Concentrate is a patented, high-performing, phosphate-free dishwasher detergent. Its enzyme-activated formula removes tough stains without the need for prerinsing, leaving dishes sparkling clean. Shaklee Get Clean products do not contain phosphates—and never will.

Shouldn't everyone you know be using a phosphate-free dishwasher concentrate that leaves dishes sparkling clean?

Contact me to learn more about Get Clean products that are both safe for the environment and effective. I use the dish washer detergent and the dish wash concentrate and I love them both!

New York TImes Article URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/19/science/earth/19clean.html

Fort for Fitness

Yesterday was the Fort for Fitness race in Fort Wayne! I ran the 4 mile race with my sister. It was fun! I didn't train well for it but I felt pretty good by the end of it. Each mile we got a little faster and finished it in 45:55. You did a great job, sis!

If you are thinking about trying a race, this is a fun one (not that i've run many races!). They have a half marathon race and a 4-mile race.

The 4-mile is great for someone like me who doesn't run much but needs to have a goal or else I'll stop running!

Dr Ann

This week I went with a couple friends to hear Dr Ann speak. If you don't know who she is, visit her website at http://www.drannwellness.com/. She has a lot of tips and videos on eating and living healthy. I'm reading her new book and it's really good! It tells exactly what to eat and why.

I heard her speak a year ago also. It was good to hear it again because I forget. It's so hard to eat the way she does. It's really hard for us to change our habits and change what we like to eat (especially when we get stressed - which is probably a lot more than we like to admit). And part of if is we just don't know what to do with kale or quinoa!

I had the thought of looking for recipes with more beans, whole grains and veggies and trying them out. Then I'll post about it and share the recipe. I like to try new foods so it should be fun. We'll see how I can keep up with it! So look for this in the future!

I also want to look for easy ways to subsitute a healthy thing for an unhealthy one. I think this is key. We can't just remove things from our diet because we'll just crave it even more. We need to replace a bad habit with a good one.

We all start somewhere...

I've thought about creating a blog for a long time. Now I've finally did it! I love learning about things that will help me feel better and live better. My goals for this are to share things that i've learned on being healthy and to show how easy some things may be and how hard some things are to do (like exercising!).

When I was working a full time job, someone commented on what I was eating for lunch and that I turned down the offer for some chips. My response was that when I eat better, I feel better. When I eat bad, I feel bad. And I don't like that feeling. Now I'm not perfect or anywhere near it but I try and I feel better when I do things that promote good health. I must admit that my weakness is homemade cookies. Most of the time I'll have a bag in my freezer.

Since I use and sell Shaklee, I will be reviewing several of the products I use and sharing my personal experiences. I also love to cook so I want to share any good recipes I've tried.

I hope that you enjoy reading this and please share your experiences, tips, and recipes with me and everyone!