Tuna Cup Recipe

The Tuna Cup is super easy to make and is a great option for lunch or a late afternoon snack. I don't eat tuna very often, but this meal is perfect for times when you are in a hurry. The key to eating well is often just having access to the proper food. Many people struggle with time and feel that they do not have time to prepare food. Two to four servings of the Tuna Cup can be made in no time at all and stored in the refrigerator for several days!

Recipe:

1 5oz. can of lower sodium tuna
¼ cup Raw organic mixed nuts
1 Tbsp. Raw organic sunflower seeds
(Optional) Wisconsin Raw Milk Cheese (graded or sliced)
¼ cup Blueberries
½ Diced Pear or Apple
½ of an Avocado
Extra Virgin Olive Oil- use according to your prescribed fat intake and make sure to pour directly onto the tuna
Sea Salt- a small amount may be added for flavor if necessary

Blueberry Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes Recipe

My Blueberry Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes, also known as "Mancakes", are my favorite recipe of all time! They are a great option for breakfast and can easily be warmed up later in the day for a snack. This recipe is not technically Paleo because it does contain raw oats. However, this is a great option for you as you transition away from breads, cereals, and other harmful foods that are hindering you from getting the results that you deserve. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Recipe

3 whole eggs
1/3 cup of raw oats
¼ cup Raw organic walnuts broken to small pieces
¼ cup Blueberries
2 tbsp Coconut Milk (optional)
1 tbsp Raw Honey (optional)
3 packs Stevia Leaf Extract
1 dash Cinnamon
Organic Coconut Oil- place a generous scoop in a pan

The batter needs to be thoroughly mixed and then spread evenly over the melted coconut oil into the pan. Wait for the bottom side to begin to firm and turn slightly brown. Use a cooking utensil to evenly slice four triangles to separate the pancakes. As soon as the bottom side is firm, flip all four pancakes to the other side. Cook for another 1-2 minutes and turn off stove. Let them stay in the pan for another 2-3 minutes and then serve.

Skinny cocktails won’t necessarily make you skinny: brand marketing at its best

www.kirbiejohnson.com

Low-cal, or "skinny" cocktails are the quintessential drink for 20-something women and mid-life housewives, given most women like to drink and most women like to be skinny. However, my personal philosophy is if it sounds too good to be true, then it's too good to be true.

Come on. You know I'm right. Prime examples: Sketchers Shape-Ups, "healthy sweets," Marissa Miller's body (she's gorgeous, but I have a hard time finding her to be 100% au natural). Or when you have a huge closet full of Kate Bosworth's clothes... only to wake up from the dream, or when meeting Mr. Right to find out he's married... or gay. Alas, it's all too good to be true.

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Disclaimer: While this article may appear as if I remembered too much from alcohol.edu back in college, this is not freehand knowledge, my friends. Terry Shanahan is the one who opened my eyes to Skinnygirl's marketing phenomenon, and through many hours of research, I'm (now) a connoisseur in the field of mixology. It's not like I knew how to calculate alcohol by volume off the top of my head, folks. Just had to make sure all of you don't start assuming I have a drinking problem. I just prefer to know everything about everything.

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I've been focused on getting the healthiest I can be with the help of Terry Shanahan. As you all know, this man is my savior. Well, not exactly, but close -- he's made diet and exercise a religious experience of sorts, as he is my nutritionist and he's certainly provided several "Come to Jesus" moments regarding how terribly I was eating in the past. He's diverted my attention towards eating quality food, not counting calories, and focusing on a strong mix of cardio and strength training.

With all that being said, I started to chat with him about alcohol. Working in PR and events, a lot of my "work" revolves around drinking. We had a happy hour two weeks ago at the Four Seasons to network; of course all bevs were on the house. Every party I cover involves an open bar and some kind of alcohol or mixer to promote. And just being real here: drinking is a social activity. (Duh.) At my age, it's how we meet people since we no longer have school to introduce us to friends and boys. The bars have become our new social system.

While I have a whole other blog I plan to dedicate to alcohol and how it wreaks havoc on our body (and, more importantly, a woman's body), I want to focus this blog on brands that are promoted to be low-calorie, but aren't cutting any corners when it comes to your weight.

Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to name names with these cocktail brands, but you're all very familiar with them -- the popular "skinny cocktail" category of beverage. Most of them are prepackaged mixes. They claim to be "100 calories for a 4-ounce serving" at 25 proof (approximately 12% alcohol), and made with ingredients including the terms (but not limited to): organic, all-natural, agave nectar, etc.

Having talked to Terry about calories, sugar and the like, a red flag went off when I saw these ingredients in several popular "low cal" brands. These mixes are not going to make you skinny, or keep you skinny -- but they'll keep you lazy. You could easily make a more refreshing, healthier cocktail with a few simple ingredients than buying a pre-packaged product.
Let's break it down.

The real deal on agave nectar

Don't be fooled: agave nectar is not good for you. It's not even a natural sweetener. It's better than artificial sweeteners, but it's not a magical ingredient to spice up your sweet tooth and eliminate calories. To be blunt, it's high fructose corn syrup.
Blue Agave tequila, or "Agave tequilana," originates from Jalisco, Mexico and is the base for this liquor, stemming from the agave plant. Agave nectar is extracted from the agave plant and creates aguamiel, which is comparable to sugarcane, which is then refined to make agave nectar.
Agave has a high percentage of carbohydrates, and in turn means there is a high percentage of fructose in the nectar, or syrup, when it's made.

What is it exactly?

The Cliffsnotes version of how agave syrup is made is as follows: it's extracted from the agave plant, filtered and heated to break down the carbs ("hydrolize polysaccharides") into simple sugars. The main polysaccharide (or carbohydrate molecule) in agave nectar is inulin or fructan, which creates fructose units, or in other words fructose or "fruit sugar."

Agave nectar is comprised mostly of fructose and glucose. These terms sound familiar because high fructose corn syrup is found primarily in soda. Glucose, in Greek, literally means "sweet."
While the glycemic index of agave nectar is less than regular table sugar (sucrose), it's still sugar and is just the same, if not worse than high fructose corn syrup -- something most people know to stay away from if they're trying to maintain a healthy diet.

All about fructose 

Fructose can wreak havoc on your liver, as it is a man-made sugar. Most think fructorse comes straight from fruit, but it's created when its refined, as stated above. Pairing agave it with alcohol can be detrimental. Terry states that consuming alcohol already creates hard work for your liver in order for it to detoxify your body, and since agave nectar is a hepatic ("liver") toxin, you can really do a number by combining the two.
Bottom line
Agave nectar = fructose & glucose = same as high fructose corn syrup = SUGAR. You might as well be drinking a whiskey and coke and call it a day!

Not a lot of "bang" for your buck

Most low cal mixes has weak proofs, or lower alcohol by volume per serving (below 15% or around 25-30 proof). For example, a standard 4 oz. margarita made with tequila, triple sec and lime juice, most sit at 30% alcohol by volume or 60 proof per serving, which is why (for women at least) you're feeling pretty buzzed after drink one and wanting to remove clothing after drink two.

For reference, a standard margarita is made as follows:

- 2 oz. tequila (80 proof or 40% alcohol by volume -- 128 calories)
- 1.15 oz. triple sec (70 proof or 35% alcohol by volume -- 75 calories)
- 0.85 oz. lime juice (4 calories)

To calculate how strong your margarita will be:

• Multiply the alcohol percentage by the volume of the liquor ingredients, divide by the total volume of the cocktail, and multiply by 100.
• Standard marg: {(2 oz. x .40 tequila) + (1.15 oz. x .35 triple sec)}/4 total oz. = 1.2025/4 = .300
Multiply the .300 by 100 and you get a 30% alcohol by volume OR a 60 proof margarita, with 207 calories.

Popular "skinny" margaritas are only 6.35% alcohol by volume or approximately 13 proof per serving, assuming that 2 ounces of the mix is tequila and the other two ounces is the all natural ingredients they promote.
What's in this mix exactly?

Which, speaking of, you can't find an exact listing of ingredients for some of these mixes anywhere -- even on the bottle! All we know is from the website: it's made with agave nectar, blue agave tequila and "natural" ingredients. No dyes, no artificial flavors -- however, caramel color was added. Seems a tad bizarre, right? Note: reps for the brands were unable to be reached for comment at the time of this post.

Drink... and drink, and drink

Four ounces is about half a cup. To get any kind of buzz at 13 proof (yet it will still be minimal), you'll double this amount to about 8 ounces, or the size of a mini can of Diet Coke, which only brings you to 26 proof. You'll have at least two or three of these things, so right there you're already sitting pretty back at 400-600 calories, which defeats the purpose of a low calorie cocktail. It matches drinking one that was prepared at your favorite TexMex joint.  I know for myself personally that one marg from Yucatan Taco Stand or Cabo Cantina means I need one and only one, 300-500 calories or not. I don't need more than that, because the alcohol by volume of the tequila used is stronger.

Homemade is better

Bethenny Frankel's non-commercialized version of the margarita is less caloric and healthier for you.  I found online the original version from RHONY:
• 2 oz. clear tequila (Sauza or clear premium)
• 3 squeezed limes or a splash of fresh lime juice
• splash of Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
This is the more realistic skinny girl's margarita. For starters, you're using higher-grade, 80 proof tequila with a bit of the Cointreau, Grand Mariner or Triple Sec, so you're not having to down sugary after sugary portion to get to a desired level of buzzed. Terry joked with me that the healthiest way to drink was with shots of straight liquor because it's made without sugary mixers and you're good to go after one. Obviously he doesn't recommend this, but you get the point. It's around 150 calories.

Then what the heck do I drink?

Terry also recommends that if you are going to drink (a key to losing weight is eliminating alcohol!),  purchase cocktails that use clear, premium liquors with soda water and citrus fruit. One bev I was recently introduced to is the Gimlet. It can be made with either gin or vodka, and while some places use Rose's lime juice, most muddle their limes, which makes it taste similar to a mojito in terms of freshness. The original recipe calls for four parts vodka (or gin), one part sweetened lime juice and some sugar or simple syrup, but here's a better-for-you version. Remember, these are 4 ounce servings!

Vodka Gimlet (165 calories)

• 2 oz. vodka (145 calories)
• 1 oz. soda water (0 calories)
• 1 peeled, muddled lime (20 calories)

BAM. Soda water is zero calories, the limes bring a tang, and you don't have to worry about crazy caloric mixers and all that jazz. Just be sure to ask your bartender how they make it, or else they can include large amount of sugar, which isn't doing you any favors.

Greyhound (170 calories, depending on the type of juice you use)

• 2 oz. vodka
• 2 oz. grapefruit juice (25 calories -- organic from Trader Joe's)
The Low-Cal Mojito (122 calories -- check out the recipe here: thanks FitSugar!)
The mojito does include sugar, but a little sweetness won't kill you! Just don't have four or five.

And, my personal favorite, the Ciroc Obama (156 calories)

• 2 oz. Ciroc Coconut (126 calories)
• 2 oz. canned Dole pineapple juice (30 calories)
• splash of soda (0 calories)

Sure, these beverages might have higher calories than brands that claim to be "100 calories for 4 ounces," but that's because they have more alcohol by volume, meaning you don't have to drink as many if you're looking for a nice, legal buzz. To achieve what you could with one of these cocktails, you'd need three (4 oz. servings) of the "skinny" margs! Do the math people -- can't deny the facts of life!

Not to mention these aren't loaded with tons of sugar. Also, it's interesting to note that 5 oz. of a "skinnier" alternative is 125 calories -- most bars serve in something bigger than a 4 oz. glass. By drink #3 you've hit 375 calories, when drinking two low-cal mojitos would only be 244; even the most caloric drink on the list, the Greyhound, puts you at 340 -- still 35 calories less than the skinny competition.

While low calorie cocktails have great intentions, it's best to stick to cocktails made with mimimal ingredients and aren't in pre-prepared packaging (tubs or bottles). By Kirbie Johnson

Paleo Meal Preparation- Grass Fed Beef and Veggies

Here is another idea on how to prepare several great Paleo meals in a short amount of time.  As I have mentioned before, meal preparation is a huge key to success.  Many people have great intentions to eat well, but life is busy and they often fail when they do not have immediate access to proper food.  People who commit to two one hour meal preparation times per week are far more likely to succeed at implementing proper nutrition.  Give this a try and let me know how it works for you!

Cooking for Kyle Korver (Episode 5)

The Breakfast Bowl is one of my favorite meals of all time!  This is a strict Paleo meal that is extremely versatile. It is great meal for an athlete after a tough workout or it can be served at Sunday brunch. So many people have the misconception that Paleo eating is very limiting and does not include good foods.  I promise you that almost anyone can get excited about this meal and it will satisfy their hunger.  Give this meal a try and let me know what you think.

Cooking with Matt Edwards in Omaha, NE

Whenever I am back home in Omaha, NE I always try to catch up with my friend Chef Matt Edwards.  Matt always comes up with exciting meals that taste great!  As we continue to share ideas with each other, he is teaching me about the art of cooking and how to create amazing taste, while I am giving him guidelines for certain foods to avoid or include.

Matt recently demonstrated how to prepare three new meals that are based solely around meat, eggs, and vegetables.  There are a few ingredients that would not be considered "Paleo", but these meals are a great start for most people looking to transition to a healthier way of eating.  You may substitute butter or any oil he used with coconut oil.  You may also use raw organic maple syrup or raw honey instead of any sugar or sweetner.  As we transition away from sugar completely we will not use any of these ingredients.

Check out these videos and let me know what you think!

Cooking for Kyle Korver (Episode 4)

Here is another meal that I often cook for Kyle Korver of the Chicago Bulls.  This meal includes pasture raised bacon, eggs cooked over-easy, and organic steel cut oats with walnuts, blueberries, cinnamon, Stevia, and coconut milk.  As I have mentioned before, my goal is to transition everyone towards a strict Paleo Diet.  This diet does not allow grains, dairy, or legumes.  If you have been eating these foods all of your life, then you may wish to implement a transition period as you slowly eliminate them and begin to add better and more nutrient dense foods.  Throughout this transition, I often use exotic forms of rise and organic steel cut oats with people.  It is optimal to get all of your carbohydrate intake from vegetables, fruit, and tubers such as yams and sweet potatoes.

Post Workout Nutrition

Post workout nutrition is an extremely popular topic in the world of sports performance and CrossFit.  I believe that certain strategies work better for different people, and I do not believe that there is one magic formula that works for everyone.  Too many people read magazine or internet articles that are very general and then try to follow the advice to no avail. These people often become frusterated and decide that "I will never be able to lose weight" or "The Paleo Diet does not work".  They are often very close to the proper macronutient ratios needed to improve performance or change body composition, and a few minor changes could be responsible for all of the desired results.

So please remember, an elite athlete needs to eat a different post workout meal then someone trying to alter body composition.  The video below is an ideal option for an athlete who is solely concerned with recovery and performance.  If your goals are to lose weight, burn fat, and add muscle I would most likely alter this meal to better meet your individual goals.  If you are looking to improve athletic performance and recovery, try this meal and let me know what you think.  If you are struggling to reach your personal goals, I would be happy to talk to you in greater detail.  You can schedule a consultation by contacting me through my website or sending me an email.

Cooking for Kyle Korver (Episode 3)

Here is a very simple dinner that includes all strict Paleo foods.  It is very easy to make and offers a simple way to give green beans a bit more flavor.  If you are just transitioning to a Paleo Diet you will need to be very conscious of increasing your vegetable and fat intake substantially.  As this meal may not have enough fat for some people, I would suggest increasing your portion size on the green beans to limit the likelihood of post meal cravings.  Give this meal a try and let me know what you think!

More is Not Better

It has become common and almost heroic for us to brag about how extreme our lives are.  How many times have you heard people boast about how many marathons they have run, how many hours they worked, how little sleep they got, and how ridiculously long their workout was yesterday?  Why are we impressed by these things?  We should not be! Most of these people are not truly healthy, will never be as lean as they want to be, have undiagnosed cortisol issues, and they will burn out at some point in their life.  Their long list of symptoms and dependency on caffeine are pretty good indicators that their health is already moving in the wrong direction.

As I work with people on proper nutrition, I am often asked my thoughts on proper workout design as it pertains to weight loss and optimal body composition.  I want to share my thoughts with you on this very important and completely misunderstood topic.

You do not have to workout six times per week for ninety minutes a session to achieve the results you are dreaming of.  In fact, very often you need to scale back, change the exercises that you are doing, and change your intensity.  If you are looking to burn fat, gain muscle, and promote long term wellness, then
three to four higher intensity and shorter workouts per week are much better than five or six moderately intense long workouts.  Long cardio sessions are not your answer to fat loss!

Your body needs adequate rest and you need to constantly vary your activity to keep your body guessing and get the results that you deserve.  Instead of spending your time on the treadmill, do strength circuits at an intense pace with little to no rest between exercises.  This will launch your heart rate even higher than traditional cardio, and you will be building muscle at the same time. Additionally, multi-joint functional movements are far more effective than isolation lifts or machines.  Do not be afraid to go heavy from time to time. When was the last time that you did functional strength based movements to absolute failure?

It is time to start training smarter and not harder!  Abusing your body under unhealthy and extreme circumstances is nothing to be proud of or congratulate your friends about.  Proper training likely takes far less time than your current workout routine, will put you in a better hormonal state, and will yield you far better results.  Your goal should not be to train more, but to train better and to train smarter.

Here are five tips to incorporate today:

1.) Do three to four higher intensity but shorter (30-45 minute) workouts per week.
2.) Avoid treadmills and other cardio machines. Instead, incorporate sprints, runs of 800 meters or less, jumping rope, rowing, and plyometric movements.
3.) Put together 3 to 5 movement circuits that are strength focused movements and repeat these circuits with little to no rest.
4.) Use functional movements such as body weight movements, squats, dead lifts, kettle bells, pull-ups, medicine balls, etc.
5.) Variety is crucial!  Change the variety of movements, intensity, time, and weight constantly.  Do not be afraid to go heavy at least once a week.

Cooking for Kyle Korver (Episode 2)

Here is another great meal that I often cook for Kyle Korver.  In this meal I include an organic black rice, which is not a food that is allowed by strict Paleo standards.  No matter if you are a professional athlete or someone who is just beginning on your quest for health, we can always make improvements and transitions to your diet.  While I do not personally eat rice, nor recommend it to my clients, it is still a better option than many other grains.  As I have mentioned before, rice and oatmeal are two "better" options than breads, cereals, and pasta.  As we transition to optimal health, performance, and energy we will eliminate these grains as well and eat only foods from the Paleolithic Era.  This meal tastes great and is very easy to make.  Check out the video and let me know what you think!

Cooking for Kyle Korver (Episode 1)

People often ask me what Kyle Korver and other professional athletes that I work with eat.  I prescribe a higher fat and moderate carbohydrate Paleo Diet to all of my athletes.  In my experience this is the absolute best diet to limit inflammation and fuel them for optimal physical and mental performance.  As I transition some athletes away from their traditional (and incorrect) high carbohydrate and low fat diet, I will allow limited use of some wild rices and oatmeal as we eliminate bread and all other grains.  As their body transitions to use fat as its primary fuel source, we eliminate grains completely.  This is absolutely shocking to many people, and the athletes that I work with are even more shocked with how great they feel and perform.  Here is a video to show an exact meal that I prepare for Kyle on a regular basis.

How to Prepare Five Paleo Meals in Twenty Minutes

What is your excuse to not eat well?  I have pretty much heard them all!  The most common ones that I hear are, "I do not have time" and "Healthy food is too expensive".  In this video I will show you how to prepare Five Paleo Meals in Twenty Minutes.  You do not need any cooking experience and the entire cost was approximately $30.00.  There is nothing more important than your long-term health and wellness. You can follow this video to get started today!

Cooking with Bill Esch and Matt Edwards

I recently traveled back to my home town of Omaha, NE and learned three new recipes from Chef Matt Edwards.  Matt taught Bill Esch and I how to make a Mango Chutney Steak, Steak and Vegetable Frittata, and Scrambled Eggs with Herbs and Salmon.  The Frittata uses cheese, and is not Paleo, but the other two dishes are Paleo friendly. Check out the videos below and let me know what you think!