Eating to Hydrate

Well, it's only one week until the Conchman Triathlon. One of the most important things to do at this point is increasing the amount of liquids into your system. My friend Lisa, who is an amazing athlete and has a few triathlons and marathons under her belt, suggested eating wet foods 1-2 weeks prior to the race. This method of eating wet foods is essential to proper hydration for an upcoming race. Fruits and Vegetables with a high water content, Soups and home made shakes are perfect.
Here are a few recipes to do just that.

This is a delicious drink and the color is beautiful. I also have added orange juice instead of water for a change, Lisa likes it with grapefruit juice for a nice tang, and my friend Laurie has used pineapple juice. It's all good!

Dr. Oz Green Drink Recipe

2 apples, cored
2 big handfuls of spinach
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
1 celery stick, chopped
1 thumbnail length of ginger root, peeled
1 lemon - juice only (use peel slice for zest)
1 medium cucumber
Place ingredients in a blender, add 4 oz. spring water or a handful of ice cubes, then puree quickly for one minute. Makes two glasses of Dr. Oz’s green drink.

The green drink has a strong taste and if you are used to drinking soda or sweet tea, the taste will take some getting used to. Dr. Oz suggests adding other items at first to sweeten the green drink to your taste.


Spicy Sweet Potato, Carrot and Squash Soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 inch piece gingerroot, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1-2 Tablespoons Garam Masala spice, or yellow curry if prefered
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

In a dutch oven, heat oil over med heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add potatoes, squash, carrots, ginger and spices. Cook about a minute, stirring until fragrant. Add broth, turn heat to high and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let cook about 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Remove from heat and using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. You may add more broth if too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Welcome to Kitchen Chat!

Hi There

Thank you for stopping by. I love food, more precisely I love healthy, nutrient rich, good for you food. Why you ask? Well I am also a personal trainer and my views of food are this... Food should provide you with clean, pure energy, it should build and maintain your muscles and bones, and keep you feeling full and satiated all day.
I started this blog as a way to communicate, inspire and educate. I believe in a clean diet, not alot of processed foods laden with unhealthy fats and sugar that just weigh you down, fatten you up and not to mention make you feel terrible. My thoughts on food are simple, clean foods in their natural state, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates (No, carbs are not your enemy), fruits, vegetables and healthy fats. I hope you continue to visit as Kitchen Chat continues to grow and I look forward to providing you with healthy, fit recipes and articles.
Yours in Fitness
Christine

Chicken Spinach Frittata

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 cups spinach, chopped
2 whole eggs
5 egg whites
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
3 Tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
In a saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add spinach and cover pan letting spinach cook down. Remove cover and continue to cook until any liquid from the spinach is cooked off. Set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl beat whole eggs and egg whites. Add cottage cheese, chicken, sundried tomatoes, feta and parmesan cheese and spinach mixture. Pour into a greased baking dish, or deep pie dish. Bake 30-40 minutes. Middle of frittata should be firm. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

To make a less fat version, omit the feta and parmesan cheese.
Makes 4 servings
Per Serving:
291 calories, 13g fat, 9g carbohydrates, 34g protein

Check out my yummy recipe in Oxygen Magazine!

Robert Kennedy's Oxygen Women's Fitness

Shared via AddThis

Ripped Chix 2009

This is my Team! We have been training for the 2009 Conchman Triathlon in November. I must say we are a great team and it has been alot of fun.

Stay tuned for more!

Blueberry Protein Pancakes

These pancakes are so Delicious you will think your cheating but your not. Loaded with lean protein, complex carbs and antioxidants, it's the only way to start the day!

Blueberry Protein Pancakes

2 servings

6 egg whites

1 cup low fat cottage cheese

1 cup old fashion quaker oats

1 cup blueberries

1 Tablespoon flax meal

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix with an immersion blender, or you can also use a regular blender. Once mixture is smooth, ladle onto a hot griddle and cook like regular pancakes. Top with some honey or agave syrup.