Health Class Part 2/ Recipe for Black Bean and Corn Salsa

I taught health class at the Academy again yesterday, this time on exercise.  I focused on 2 primary things - 1) The extraordinary benefits of regular exercise and 2) how to exercise without gym memberships and special equipment.  It was such a fun class to teach.  I won't go into the litany I went into with them, but I will just share with you some of my reasons for loving exercise:

1)  It gives me energy, especially on those days where the night before was disrupted by a wakeful baby.

2)  When I exercise regularly, I get sick much less often.

3) I put on more muscle, therefore, higher metabolism, therefore, I can eat more and still lose weight.  Especially helpful after those sleepless nights when I need to eat more to offset the sleep deprivation.

4) It helped me, both times, lose the enormous amount of weight I gain when pregnant.  

5) I feel dang good!  My mood is elevated because I work out (all those endorphins), and I feel good because I am vain, and there is no feeling quite like fitting into your pre-pregnancy clothes, or those jeans that used to fit perfectly.  As much as I love the health benefits, and the future benefits, I have to admit that the improvement in the view in the mirror is one of my favorite things about working out.  

6)  I feel like a better mom because I am being proactive about my health.  I am an example to them by prioritizing my health, and I am more likely to be around for them in the future.

I also have to say that it is pretty cute when Jaya picks up 2 cans of mackerel and starts "liftin' weights."  

As you can tell, teaching this health class has been awesome for me.  I get to talk about the things I am most passionate about.  

I promised some recipes to help with the increasing your fruits/veggies, so here is one.

This is one of my go-to easy lunch/light dinner recipes.  It is kind of summery, but I use it year-round, and those of you in the US could make it now before the summer is totally over....

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

2 cups frozen corn, thawed (I like to heat these up in a dry pan, they kind of "roast" and smell and taste yummy, but you can just thaw or defrost in the microwave)

2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 small minced red onion

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 minced serrano chili (optional)

juice of 1 lime

Combine, and salt and pepper to taste.  If I am in a hurry or feeling particularly virtuous, I have a few scoops on some salad greens.  You can also add diced tomato. For a more substantial meal, keep reading.

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados, diced

1/2  onion, minced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1/2 serrano, minced

juice of 1 lime

Mash one of the avocados and leave the other diced.  Combine all the ingredients, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cheese Quesadillas

tortillas (preferably whole-wheat)

canola or other vegetable oil

shredded cheese (your preference)  I like using a combo of Sharp Cheddar and Pepper or Monterey Jack.  Cheddar for flavor and Jack for melty goodness.

Put a small amount of cheese (if it's good cheese, you won't need much) on one half of a tortilla, and fold the tortilla over.  Make a non-stick pan HOT, so the tortillas will get nice and crispy.  Instead of putting the oil in the pan, brush the tortillas with oil so they get nice and brown all over.  Cook, and flip when browned and cheese is melted.  Serve with the corn and black bean salsa and guacamole.

This has satisfied many a carnivore, in my experience.  I wish I had pictures, but I don't have the ingredients to make this here.

Now I'm hungry.  

Enjoy!

Look what Raja figured out today...

Brother is obsessed when it comes to learning how to get around as well as sister....and Sister is obsessed when it comes to what she used to call "bellets."  Good thing it rains in Cebu as often as it does...

Check out our little darlings...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Eat more! / How to add more fruits and vegetables to your day

So, I forgot one major rule in the post below. And that is....Eat 5+ times a day, not 3. I eat about 6 times a day. Snacking is good! Better for your metabolism, your energy level, and your waistline.  

So, I thought I would list some (easy) ways to eat more fruits and vegetables....
For breakfast -
- Saute veggies (whatever you like, I use anything I have, I especially like spinach, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell pepper...) in a non-stick pan, and when they are done to your liking, scramble some eggs in there. If you are really ambitious, make it an omelette instead. You can add a little bit of cheese (full-fat and full-flavored, please), or a little ham or bacon if you like.
- Cut up fruit and put it in your oatmeal. I like bananas, apples, and dried apricots for this especially, but try anything.  I also like to add nuts.

-Have fruit with your (high fiber) cereal.
- Have a fruit smoothie. I like the ones that are all fruit, not much milk or ice. Put a spoonful of peanut butter and a spoonful of oatmeal to the blender too. (Sounds crazy, but it tastes so good and helps keep you fuller longer too). My new favorite - throw an avocado in there. So tasty! And good for you! (Yes, I know it is high in (healthy) fat and calories. So eat it instead of those 2 glasses of Kool-Aid and that bag of Doritos).
- Have yogurt and fruit. Or yogurt, granola, and fruit.
- Make pancakes (use whole wheat flour), and add frozen mixed berries or frozen blueberries to the batter.
- Think outside the box. Eat last night's leftovers (full of veggies,of course) for breakfast.  I love doing this.
For lunch -
- Eat salad. And not iceberg lettuce and salad dressing. I never liked salad when I thought that is what it had to be. Try spinach, romaine, arugula, watercress, spring mix,etc. Add some sliced apple or pear, orange sections, strawberries, dried cranberries, etc. Toss in some pecans, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, etc. Add blue cheese or feta or goat cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano. My favorite lunchtime salad - a plate of spinach, a small handful of toasted pine nuts, a small handful of dried cranberries, crumble some goat cheese on top, and drizzle on some balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Try it. I have served this to some very picky salad/spinach haters who loved it. I will post more salad recipes in the future - I have a ton!  And then I can live vicariously through those of you who will use them, because fresh greens are hard to get here.
- Microwave a bag of frozen veggies, add a little pat of (real) butter, salt and pepper, and enjoy. My favorite vegetables (and Jaya's) to eat this way are broccoli and green beans. When you are feeling motivated, saute it all in olive oil instead and add a couple of crushed garlic cloves to the oil. Stores now sell really good mixed vegetables, with lots of variety. Try a good bag of mixed asian veggies with a few drops of sesame oil and some slivered almonds or sesame seeds.  Add salt and pepper.  I truly believe a lot of people don't like veggies because they have only had them overcooked, which kills their flavor, and without seasoning to enhance their flavor.
-Make a sandwich and pile on the veggies. Buy jarred roasted red peppers, bagged spinach, jarred artichoke hearts, olives, and regular and sun dried tomatoes. All good added to sandwiches. You can use cold cuts, or try throwing a portobello mushroom in a saute pan with some olive oil and garlic and using it as the "meat". (Or even throw it in a George Foreman grill). Use avocado or hummus a spread for bread instead of mayo.
For snacks -
- Eat edamame. You can buy it frozen now, and it is very fast to make. Jaya loves this!
- Eat fresh fruit. (Duh).
- Eat apples and peanut butter. Or try almond or cashew butter. My favorite pre-workout snack.
- Eat a small handful of nuts (I know, not a fruit or a vegetable. But a plant food nonetheless.)
For dinner - ok, I promise I will post more recipes. But a couple of ideas...
- Eat pasta and load it up with veggies.  I may have a million pasta recipes.
- Roast vegetables. So easy and so tasty. Toss veggies (sweet potato, tomatoes, eggplant, asparagus, cauliflower, etc.) with just enough oil to coat, salt and pepper. You can add garlic and/or herbs and/or spices, and roast at about 400 degrees until tender and delicious.  
- Eat beans. We love beans!  And throw beans in your salads too. I will post some bean recipes also.

This post is so exciting!  I love talking about food.  I will stop now and save some for another day.

Wait!
One last thing. 

I have talked to a lot of people who say....but eating healthy is so expensive. To that, I say:

 Buy fresh, in-season, locally grown produce and shop wisely (sales and coupons and bulk).  Cut down on meat.  Stop buying pre-made frozen food and processed items.  If you live in an area where even with all that, it is costlier to eat healthy...well, to that I repeat my mother's words. "Health is wealth." If eating like this gives you a longer life span and a better quality of life, isn't it worth cutting your spending somewhere else?

Cruising, Shimmying, and Eating

Raja has been cruising (walking holding furniture), pulls himself to stand up every chance he gets, and has even momentarily stood on his own. It is so fun to watch him grow. He has started nibbling on solid foods here and there, grabbing from our plates, and seems ready to add to his diet. Those pesky teeth have still not come all the way through yet though, and he is still struggling to push them out. He is not ever content to be left out of things, and wants to be "in the mix" every chance he gets. He always wants to play with whatever sister plays with, climb on whatever she is sitting on, and grab whatever she is grabbing. She is always making him laugh.
Jaya is quite obliging to her little brother, and it's a rare occasion that she doesn't willingly share with him. If she really wants to hold on to whatever it is she has, she will ask us, "Can you grab Raji please?" How did we get this girl? She is always teaching us by example. She has also been teaching us that maybe we should sometimes keep our mouths shut:
Jaya: (in whiny, crabby voice) Momma!
Me: I don't like that voice Jaya. Don't use that voice.
Jaya: (still whiny) Moooooom!
Me: Jaya, I don't like that.
Jaya: (normal, excited voice) You mean when I get pissed Mom? You don't like when I get pissed Mom? I won't get pissed no more, Mom. I won't get pissed no more! (big Jaya grin)
One of our favorite J-Bugs quirks is that since she started eating solids, she shimmys her shoulders and shakes her little booty when she eats something delicious. She has been doing it less and less over the last few months, but this week she brought it back into her toddler repertoire. We will do our best to get this on video before it is replaced with some other, though probably equally cute, quirk.
Marei and I are getting back into our pre-pregnancy shapes (I know, but Marei gained sympathy weight with each one. A small fraction of what I gained, but he gained nonetheless).
I taught a health class at the Academy this week. So fun! This one was on nutrition/ healthy diet. We covered a lot of different things, but I will share with you what I consider MY rules for eating healthy. (I am not an expert, this is just what I apply to our family, and it works).
1. Eat lots and lots of fruits and vegetables (as many as you can fit in, and as much variety as you can). And if you don't like them, well then you just haven't tried the right ones and/or haven't had them prepared properly. So try some more! If you only change one thing about your diet, make it this one. The other things will follow.
2. Make most of your carbs whole grain.
3. Make most of your proteins beans, nuts (protein from plant sources) and fish/ seafood. Most of the time, use meat sparingly for flavor rather than as a main dish.
4. Make most of your fats healthy fats from plant sources.
4. Control portion sizes.
5. Eat high-fat, high-sugar foods in moderation. And when you eat them, eat the real deal (see #6)
6. Don't eat, or rarely eat, foods that were made in a laboratory or whose ingredients read like a chemistry lab inventory. This includes soda, fat-free and sugar-free food, margarine, and processed food. Also, choose low-fat foods carefully - if it doesn't taste good, and you'll end up eating twice as much to try to satisfy yourself - don't eat it.
7. Don't ever go on diets. Especially weird extreme ones that cut out whole food groups. Just gradually change your lifestyle if you have poor eating habits.
8. Drink lots of water.
9. Moderation in all things. Learn to be satisfied with smaller portions. If you love something, don't cut it out. Just eat less of it, and less often, and make sure when you eat it, it is the real deal.
10. Enjoy food! Eating should be a pleasurable, gratifying experience.
I love butter, cheese, and a good rib-eye. I just don't eat them all the time, and I'd rather have real butter on a warm roll once in a while than margarine on toast every day. I'd rather have a big fat juicy steak with a gob of gorgonzola once a month than a burger from McDonald's every day. I've got a wicked sweet tooth, I've just learned to be satisfied with smaller amounts of what I like. I've learned (am still learning) how to eat s-l-o-w-l-y and savor every bite. Food is....oh so good...(insert shoulder shimmy and shake).
Happy eating!

Coincidence? I think not

Yesterday we went to the Ayala mall (It is so different from the US - I LOVE going to the mall here. Marei calls me a mallrat). Anyhow, we were walking, I told Marei we should go up to the 4th floor, where we had never been before - primarily because it was just a food court, mostly fast food. Seeing as how I try not to eat much fast food or feed it to my family, he said, are you sure, and I replied, yes, let's just go up there. I didn't know why we were there, until, someone jumped up and said to me, "Are you Leela's daughter?" Crazy, I know. My mom's co-worker of several years is from Cebu. She had told my mom she would be here visiting, and needed my contact info. I emailed it to her weeks earlier, and she hadn't gotten it. She had wondered the night before we ran into her how she would possibly be able to find me with no contact info. How? Well, we just ran into each other in this city of 3/4 of a million people. Amazing! So Emmalina and her husband came over today for some dinner and it was so lovely to have them. Everything happens for a reason! Thanks Emmalina and Joe, for the wonderful visit!

what percentage of eternity is 5 years?

Thought we'd give you guys some insights into us...on our anniversary...
How long have you been together?
We've been married for 5 years.
How long did you date?
We dated for one year before we got married. We got engaged on the 4th of July (America's Independence Day) and got married on August 15th (India's Independence Day).
Who eats more?
Marei, but Leatha can give him some serious comp.
Who has more speeding tickets?
Marei, by far.
Who does the dishes?
Marei.
Who cooks dinner?
Leatha.
Who is more sensitive?
Leatha.
Who is more stubborn?
Leatha overall, but Marei has his moments.
Who is more laid-back?
Marei.
Who is more flexible?
Leatha.
Who is more creative?
Leatha.
Who is more extroverted?
Marei.
Who is more demanding?
Leatha.
Who is more independent?
Leatha.
Who is more friendly?
Marei.
Who is more competitive?
Marei.
Who is funnier?
Leatha.
Who is more fun?
Marei.
Who is bossier?
Leatha.
Who is nicer?
Marei.
Who is more patient?
Leatha.
Who is calmer?
Usually Marei, but sometimes Leatha.
Who is more analytical?
Leatha.
Who is more decisive?
Leatha.
Who does the laundry?
Both of us, but Marei right now.
Who is more practical?
Leatha.
Who is more daring?
Marei.
Who is more athletic?
Marei.
Who has a more addictive personality?
Marei.
Who is thriftier?
Leatha.
Who is more optimistic?
Marei.
Who is nerdier?
Debatable.
What do you have in common?
We have the same values and beliefs. We love being spouses and parents above all else. We come from different cultures but have a lot of things in common culturally. We love family and friends. We love food. We love to laugh. We both have passionate natures and strong emotions. We both can get fired up, albeit about different things. We like things neat and clean, and life orderly, although Leatha is more OCD about organization. We see eye to eye on parenting, for the most part. We both love trying new things, whether it is a different food or a different country.
How are you different?
Every other way. (See above). Leatha is cautious, Marei is more reckless. He's trusting, she's a New Yorker. She worries, he doesn't. We are so opposite, but it is perfect. Looking back, it really is incredible how much we have been blessed with in the last five years...we feel so blessed to have found each other. Life is awesome when you are married to your best friend.

As Jaya says, Happy Nam-a-ver-sa-ee!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Two months already....

The last week and a half have been punctuated with bouts of illness. Nothing major, just those annoying little blips of discomfort on life's radar. It was the kids, and now I am the one who is sick, in bed with the laptop blogging away. I thought I'd take some time to reflect on the last two months...

What we miss about our life in the US -friends and family (all of us) -hot running water (Leatha) -driving (M and L) -HD TV (who do you think misses that most?) -working at Willowcreek (Marei)

What we will miss about our life in the Philippines -all the great friends we've made -the friendly, hospitable culture -being able to play basketball almost every day -how kid and baby friendly it is here -how breastfeeding friendly it is here -our ward at church -cost of living in general -being able to eat out when we feel like it, for cheap -the cost of clothes, shoes, accessories, massages, almost everything -being able to afford housecleaning help -the rain, and the air after it rains, and how green everything is -all the time we get to spend together as family -learning about a new place and new culture -fresh seafood anytime -having time to relax -the beach/ ocean -fresh mango, fresh pineapple, baby bananas -friendly driving - to some it might seem like crazy driving. But to us, people CAN drive this way, because they are always looking out for each other. -how everyone loves to sing -did I say shoes? -the scenery -no more eczema/ dry skin for the kids and I -it's not unusual that we all sleep in one bed -it's not unusual that we've got a nursing toddler -being able to afford babysitters whenever we'd like some help -malls are fun here -lots of things revolve around food - just the way we Kingis like to roll

We'll make a new list in a few more months. There are other inconsequential things we miss, like watching What not to Wear and the NFL. But we love the Philippines!