Cooking Bleary - Episode 3

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

What is Needed:

• Chicken Breasts, Thighs, Wings or Drumstick. Whichever you prefer. Seasoned however you prefer.
• BBQ Sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• Brown Sugar or Honey (Optional for a Sweet BBQ)
• Cayenne Pepper or Jalapenos (Optional for a Spicy BBQ)
• Soy Sauce (Add for Teriyaki BBQ Flavor

1. Place your seasoned chicken into your slow cooker
2. In a bowl combine BBQ Sauce and Worcestershire sauce - Add any optional seasonings and flavors you prefer as suggested above.
   
3. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker and cook on high. This will take about 3 - 4 hours.
4. One done serve with whatever you prefer or eat it by itself. 

Cooking Bleary - Episode 1

What is Cooking Bleary About?

If you're like me you love cooking - but after a long day - you just have no energy.
Why don't I do meal planning? I don't always get the chance to do meal planning and I try to use my microwave less.

On Cooking Bleary we'll experiment and explore ways of cutting corners cooking whether it's turning canned and frozen foods in to tasty meals, utilizing a slow cooker or all together avoiding the stove and oven.

My diet consists of me trying to cut carbs and consume lesser calories. Though some meals featured will be epic failures to my diet.  When choosing foods I try to opt for lower sodium, organic, lesser carbs, fewer calories, high fiber, hearty and avoid food with ingredients I can't pronounce.

There probably won't be any measurements for recipes that I will post. I don't really measure anything. You'll pretty much need to wing it and I'll try to provide pictures so you can get an idea of measurements.

Bleary level will be used to provide an idea of how much time/work it will take to make a dish

Pesto Zucchini with Shrimp

In this Episode  am making two servings (May be three for some people my boyfriend eats a lot)

 

Ingredients

• Zucchini  - I used 4 small ones (Wanna save more time and do less work? Use Veggie Pasta)
• Parmesan Cheese (Shaved, Shredded, Grated - Your preference)
• Shrimp (Pre-Cooked and defrosted) 
• Butter 
• Garlic Powder
• Pre-Minced Garlic 
• Pesto Sauce (any kind - I prefere Classico brand) 
• Sun-dried Tomatoes (any kind in a bag)
• Seasoning - Black Pepper, Cilantro, Salt, whatever else you prefer

Tools

• Cutting Board
• Knives and Cooking Utensils
• Medium - Large Size pot for boiling zucchini noodles
• Wide, Large Pan
• Mandolin - I purchased mine on Amazon (It was intended to be a beginner mandolin for me, it's really sharp and I have had it for a while Check it Out! Slice It(TM), The Express Mandoline Slicer. New 2015 Model! 8 Function Slicer Set. 4 Interchangeable Blades Included. - or Vegetti (this increase time and work for me)

It took me approximately 22 minutes - Your time will vary based on how fast you are or options used.

Let's get started

If you decided to use Zucchini and not pre-made vegetable pasta follow these steps 1-3. For persons using vegetable pasta follow the instructions on the packaging then proceed from step 4..

1. Pour about 2 - 4  cups of water in a pot, (depends on how much zuchinni you plan to make - I tend to use a lot of water and pour the excess out) add a dash of salt and let it boil.
   
2. Wash the Zucchini, cut the stems off. For Mandolin Users: Select the Julienne slicing tool, cut the zucchini in half following the safety instructions on your mandolin begin slicing lengthwise. If you want them longer don't cut the zucchini in half. If you opt to use a Vegetti or other Vegetable Spiral tool follow the user manual. (This took me 5 minutes)
3. When you're done slicing the zucchini, The water should be boiling now; place the zucchini noodles in the boiling pot of water and cover it tightly with a lid and turn the heat off leave it like this for about 4-7 minutes - it cooks quickly, and can get soggy fast unless that's how you like it. 

Journey to a Fit Lifestyle 1.0

So I have come to accept that I am FAT! I gained 34 lbs in about 4 months after I have neglected working out and every other thing I had been doing to stay fit since I moved to New Jersey in August.

I can blame it on a bunch of things like I didn't go to the gym because it's far as hell and I don't drive. I do not have that excuse anymore because I have to opportunity to go to the gym 2-3 times a week with a friend. Yay Yolanda! She also offered me the garage which is heated, with a large TV so I can use her T25 program which is actually good. 

I also have weights, mats, stability ball and workout programs with my Cable subscription which I have not used. I plan on doing so.

I have a juicer... I will resume using that. I will provide you with my pre-workout juice recipes and meals I have used.

At one point during the summer amateur body building was in my dreams. I think I absolutely gave up on my imagine and it has absolutely indirectly messed with my self esteem and I don't even think I realized that until now I am writing this blog post. 

I just measured and weighed myself and I am disgusted. This shit is ridiculous and I can only blame myself. Blogging is probably the only way I'll stick to this thing. 

Current Stats	Goals
Weight: 186 lbs	150-153
Hip: 46 inches	39-41
Waist: 34	27-29
Bust: 36	36

My goal is to loose 34 lbs, keep fit, get as toned as I was before and stay like it. My goals are based on well what my stats were about 6 months ago. I figured if I was there it's a great possibility I could get right back there. 

I am also giving myself a 4 month deadline to reach my first goal (8.5 lbs/month) and then create a lifetime series on this blog called A Fit Lifestyle.

I have done a bunch of stuff to loose weight before because I'm a person who hates sticking to a routine and it's fun to change it up... What will remain the same is 

• I have done a fruit and vegetables only  for 5 days 
• Being a Vegetarian so to speak 3-4 days a week for 2 months.
• Alcohol only 2-3 days a week
• Eating extremely small portions of food
• 75-100 sit-ups/crunches for 2 weeks
• 50 push ups a day for 2 weeks
• 50 squats a day for 2 weeks
• Pole dancing

Just an absolute bunch of stuff and crazy challenges. (Thank Tribesports for that) I plan on doing all of these again. 

My first challenges and plans are: 

1. Being a Vegetarian 3 Days a Week for 2 Months Challenge. (hopefully I can commit to a lifetime change as in being a vegetarian 3 days a week for life not a full blown vegetarian). The days are going to vary each week of course. Today is my start day. Dec 19th, 2013 - February 20th, 2014. 
2. Working out at least 5 days a week 
3. 75-100 sit-ups and crunches for 2 weeks challenge. 

I will give you an update every Thursday, juice recipes here and there, and a weigh and measure in every two weeks. To show you my progress. I also take OxyELITE Pro by the way. I will also provide links and information for the exercises I have done.

If you have any questions, need advice or anything. feel free to contact me. I am not a professional, but I do know how to count calories, I know what foods are bad and I know how to workout and find resources for the knowledge I need. (I have just been lazy) 

Please consult your physician before starting any diet plans or exercises. 

You Make Yourself Fat, Not Athletes

The new scapegoat for people gaining weight are Famous Athletes! Some study says Sports stars are making society fat with all their junk food endorsements. I first heard this on NBC Nightly News; I complained about it on Facebook in a status saying

"These news people annoy me. If an athlete endorses junk food why is it a problem? It's up to people to watch what they eat and eat junk in moderation. Peyton Manning keep buying up all those Papa Johns, Serena and Le Bron endorse McDonald's as needed. America needs to have their residents be responsible for themselves."

Then a friend of mine sent me an article on the Bleacher Report.  Which then again pissed me off, sought of.

But really? Athletes do things like running and exercising. How about copying that?

People need to be responsible for their own actions. You eat junk because you want to! 

What are your thoughts?