PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES.

 

Holy crap I did it: Gluten-Free, Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies. And they have half the sugar! 

I am literally still in shock. After 18 attempts I finally have a cookie that is gooey, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness AND they don’t get hard the next day! Now, I must not get ahead of myself.. There is still some taste testing to be done. First, I need roommate approval; next, fit friends; then, other friends & coworkers (their thoughts could be a game changer); and last, THE WORLD 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

I deeply apologize for this huge-ass tease of a post, but I just cannot help myself. My dreams are slowly coming true and it is undeniably the best feeling in the world! So keep an eye out for future posts, as you yourself may have an opportunity to try them if you so please 🙂

Hail to the Peanut Butter!

 

Early Bird Gets the Worm

While this may not be true for you Night Owls out there, for us Morning Larks it is 100% fact.

My mornings start anywhere between 5:30 & 7am, depending on what I have going on for the day. I usually never wake up earlier than I “have to”; however, once in a blue moon, I have some spare time after getting ready/eating breakfast, and let me tell you- it is bliss.

This morning as I was sitting on my sofa sipping some coffee, I decided to go through my list of Pocket articles (for those of you who do not know, Pocket is an amazing app that let’s you save articles you like or do not have time to read at the moment of discovery). I stumbled across and old article “50 Most Beautiful Libraries in the World”

All are in fact beautiful and I love to read, so I have decided to add these libraries to my bucket list. The goal: visit every single one and read at least one book from each- if they do not have a language I can read, I will either purchase a favorite book of mine in the native language or an atlas or a dictionary/translation book or something along those lines- my own world library.

-Rummy

Three Things: Cooking, Baking & Muay Thai

I’m pretty sure my life would be complete if all I did were these three things. Why?

Cooking: I find it therapeutic, relaxing. It also reminds me of home & family. I love cooking for others. It’s an amazing way to connect with people. It’s how I keep my diet clean. 

Baking: Because what’s life without a little bit of sweet? It’s my creative outlet. It makes people happy. And, it can be quite a challenge. 

Muay Thai: I get an amazing workout, guaranteed. It’s a stress outlet. It teaches you discipline and patience. It’s not just burning calories & building muscle, it’s also a skill. At the right gym, you are surrounded by an amazing community of people. 

Lately all I have wanted to do is bake things, so I’ve decided to try some new inventions:

1) S’more Cookies – and not like the packaged crap, totally legit ones. And, yes, I am going to try to put a healthy spin on them

2) CAKE. My roomie’s birthday is coming up and I am making her whatever she wants. Perhaps chocolate with raspberry filling a white icing. Or white cake with strawberries and vanilla cream. The possibilities are endless! One thing is certain- it’s going to be crazy decorated.

3) Another attempt at the perfect gluten-free, vegan peanut butter cookies 🙂

Muay Thai Challenge: Week Three

I can’t believe my challenge is already half way over! Not to be premature, but I’m pretty sure I prefer Muay Thai training over lifting 😬 so it looks like the conclusion of these five weeks is only the beginning 🙂

Stats for the week:
Weight: 129lbs
Chest: 36″
Waist: 27″
Lower waist: 31.5″
Hips: 38″

Food:
This week was indeed a redemption week. My meals were clean, I ate plenty of vegetables and I even made time for some recipes! (see previous posts)

Right now I am working on a recipe for the perfect vegan, gluten free (and mostly sugar free) peanut butter cookies. I am so close it’s almost agonizing. Hopefully I will have an update before next week’s post 🙂

On to week four!!

-Red Rumson

“Healthy” Reese’s Mounds

As promised.. A RECIPE!

What are these delectable, orgasm-in-your-mouth treats? I call them Reese’s Mounds Aesthetically, they aren’t perfect, but hey- perfect is sooo last season.

I wouldn’t necessarily consider these treats to be super healthy, but they are certainly better for you than store-bought (assuming you can resist eating the remaining jar of peanut butter).

On to the good stuff…

Ingredients:
– 1/2c Natural Peanut Butter or PB2 or Better n’ Peanut Butter
– 1/4c stevia or other sugar substitute
– 1/4c Coconut sugar
– Dash of salt
– 2 Tbsp Coco Powder
– 2 Tbsp Coconut oil
– 2 Tbsp Agave

Directions:
1) Mix together PB, stevia, coconut sugar and salt
2) Roll dough into 1″ balls
3) Freeze for at least 45 min
4) Melt coconut oil in saucepan
5) Turn off flame and stir in coco powder and agave
6) Dip frozen balls in chocolate sauce and replace in freezer for at least 10 min

I poured the excess chocolate sauce over the mounds- hence sloppiness- because it’s that good.

And that’s it! Prepare your tastebuds because you have probably never had anything so close to a real Reese’s Cup before 🙂

Enjoy!

– Red Rumson

Tips and Tricks: Healthy Eating

 

 

Some people have been asking me about my “diet” lately; therefore, it only seems fitting to write about it.. Yes, I love to cook and bake, but even I have my lazy/crazy busy moments- especially during the summer.

 

Before I divulge my mystical, clean eating secrets it is important that you know how I think about my food:

1. Protein: Any form of meat/fish/tofu/eggs/powder (whey/casein)
2. Carbs/Fiber: Vegetables, fruits, beans, sweet potatoes, Ezekiel bread, quinoa, lentils
3. Good Fats: Nuts, nut butters, avocado, olive oil
4. Add ons: Fat free feta cheese, salsa, tomato sauce

Categorizing your meals by nutritional value makes it easier to shop for and plan your meals. Notice how easily mixed and matched these items are..

So, how do I maintain my healthy lifestyle? First and foremost is meal prep. Sundays are usually my day of choice; however, it could really be any day since it usually only takes me 30/45 min.

One of my favorite things to make is Turkey Burgers. Yes, you can buy them frozen, but you don’t get as much and I like mine thicker. Recipe goes as follows:

• In large bowl add 1 egg to 1 package of ground turkey
• Add spices to taste:
  • Italian style: salt, pepper, crushed basil, garlic or garlic powder
  • Mexican style: salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin
• Mix with fork
• Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in pan
• Form 4 oz patties (slightly larger than flatted baseball) and throw in pan
• Reduce heat to medium & cook for 6 min on each side.

While you are waiting for your burgers to cook you can season some chicken tenderloins and throw them in another pan. Thirty minutes later you’ll be up to your eyes in protein.

The second mystical, clean eating secret is Frozen Veggies and Fruit. No cutting necessary, just stick veggies in a microwave with water for 4 min and presto! I like to buy frozen fruits that are a pain in the butt to prep like pineapple and mango. Ain’t nobody got time for that. Otherwise my fruits are fresh.

Third, Eggs/Egg Whites. Over-easy, scrambled or sunny side up, eggs are a good source of protein and take about 5 min to make. Those worried about cholesterol, stick to egg whites.

Fourth Salsa/Tomato Sauce. Perfectly healthy options to throw on your eggs or chicken. A word of caution: don’t just buy any brand. Read the ingredients and make sure they are clean. Trader Joes has great salsa options. As for jarred sauce- I would not know because I make mine from scratch. It’s a family recipe so, sorrynotsorry, I’m not going to spill the beans.

Fifth Packaging. One of the greatest plights of a fit chick: luggage. We have our gym clothes, our work clothes, sneakers, heels, toiletries, and now we have to add four of our six meals!? Yes, it sucks, but we carry on. The best advice I can give is leave what food you can at work: dressing, quinoa chips, fruit, nuts, etc. That should narrow your lunch bag to two meals and a snack. Also note that thinner and/or collapsible tupperware are your friends.  I usually carry a protein shake in a mini blender bottle and two meals with me every morning.

Well, that’s a lot to digest, but I hope this helps anyone who’s interested 🙂 And just for funsies….

Muay Thai Challenge: Week Two

Week two is officially complete! Strength and endurance-wise I can definitely feel the progress. Skill-wise, I have a long way to go, but I am definitely learning a lot of great techniques. I think my biggest weakness is keeping my head in the zone. Training sessions have a much faster pace than weight training and are obviously a lot more complex.

I feel like despite all the knees and kicks we do in class, I’m still getting more of an upper boys workout so I’ve decided to throw in a leg day on Fridays or Sundays just to keep my booty in check 🙂

As far as good goes, I was pretty good at keeping clean except for the ass-ton of cake I had for a co-worker’s birthday (oops). It was from Tous Les Jours in Korea Town and only those of you who know what that is will understand.

My roommate’s awesome boyfriend was in town this weekend too so add a few drinks to my list of “cheats” … Oh and pre-dinner white bread (perfect for someone gluten intolerant)… Okay fine- this week was not my finest.

To some of you this may seem crazy. The words “she’s insane, she doesn’t need to lose weight” might be going through your head. But for me, it’s not about that. It’s about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t commit to it nor will I be where I want to be in the future. I am committed to this challenge so my actions need to reflect that 100%.

Stats for this week:

Weight: 131(morning, before breakfast)
Chest measurement: 36″
Waist measurement: 27″
Lower waist: 31.5″ (down 1/2″- woo!)
Hips: 28″

So, this week is a new week: Week Three aka Week of Redemption. Let’s do this.

PS- not sure why all my progress pics came out so grainy, but this is the best I could get..

Stress: How to Chew Your Progress Away

Stress is probably the emotion my body is most sensitive to. At its worst I can experience minor hair damage, migraines, and sleep loss, etc. I can even gain 5lbs of fat while maintaining the same diet and exercise regiment. FML.

What stresses me out the most? Money & my job(s). Money because I live in New York- enough said. Job(s) because one of them is in production (aka logistic and operations).

When I look back at the past year and a half I would have to say my most fit and happiest point was summer 2013 when I was merchandising part-time and bar tending. Everyday was a ball of sunshine, stress-free, easy. I was probably making somewhere between $30k – $35K (less than my current salary- the irony). Now, I am not saying that I want to be back in those positions. This is only evidence that my job(s) are a major culprit when it comes to my sanity.

The good news is, I don’t plan on doing what I am doing for the rest of my life. The bad news: If left unmanaged in the meantime, it is totally going to mess up my Muay Thai challenge and future progress. Which cannot happen.

Mind Tools has a good article on stress in the work place. The author provides methods of stress management based on three different approaches. Imma try it. Check it out for yourself if you wish: Managing Stress

In my opinion, the mind is the most important “muscle” when it comes to fitness and health. It can be your best friend one day and your worst enemy the next. Keeping it positive and stress-free is key 🙂

Muay Thai Challenge: Week One

As of this past Saturday, week 1 of my 5 week challenge is complete. Here are the details:

Well, I am definitely sore, but a good sore. I weighed in at about 129lbs (morning, before breakfast). I am 5′ 9″ and usually weigh around 132-135lbs sooo this is making me think I am losing some muscle (sad face), which is expected since I am doing much more cardio.. Measurements are as follows:

1) Chest: 36″
2) Waist: 27″
3) Lower Waist: 32″
4) Hips: 37″

Week day classes are from 8pm-9:30pm. Adjusting to night workouts is definitely weird.. When am I supposed to eat dinner? Why can’t I fall asleep? What happened to my post-work social life? Solutions to questions 1 & 2: casein. Right when I get home from the gym I make myself a shake and I sleep like a freaking baby (even SleepCycle agrees). Solution to number 3? Still working on it..

Now that dinner is almost nonexistent I have adjusted my eating schedule to the following:

1) Later, bigger breakfast (9/10am as apposed to 6am), usually eggs and veggies
2) Later-ish, bigger lunch (2pm), typically a fully loaded spinach salad
3) Snack (5/6pm), maybe a Kind bar, fruit, or green smoothie. Depends on if I’ve had enough calories for the day
4) Casein shake (10/10:30pm)

Unfortunately I do not have a progress pic as I am currently at the office, but I’ll be sure to have one next time.

And now I start week two! I’m hoping to have a tasty recipe for next weeks post so stay tuned 🙂

~ Red Rumson

Fitness Challenge- GO

Some of you may know that I have be doing some Muay Thai training on the Saturdays for the past couple/few months. This past weekend I made the decision to commit to training 3-4 days a week for the next 4-5 weeks. Muay Thai is by far the most physically intense training I have done to date so, I am super excited to see how I progress over this time period and compare my results to those from my weight training.

The Plan: Every week post progress picture and recap all diet and exercise for that week.

Yesterday was day one. Wish me luck!

~ Red Rumson