Fancy, healthy, delicious recipe: lemon garlic broccoli with bacon and scallops

I try new healthy recipes fairly often but now that I’m a full-time online health and fitness coach (meaning I work from home) AND the weather and Pittsburgh is getting colder, I wanted a way to ensure I had a reason to get my butt to the grocery store every week (last winter was freezing so it was hard to motivate myself to leave my house for non-essential errands… like getting food haha). So… one of my New Year's resolutions was to try a new healthy recipe at least once every 2 weeks! The recipe I picked out this week was from my Inspiralized cookbook by Ali Maffucci: lemon garlic broccoli with bacon. And since I’ve always wanted to learn how to make my own seared scallops and they seemed like a great accompaniment for my broccoli, I decided to make those too!

My definition of what I consider to be healthy foods has changed and evolved throughout the years based on the latest research as well as how my body responds to certain foods and the needs of my lifestyle. I used a lot of healthy fats in this recipe (yes, including butter, which I spent majority of my life avoiding!) and bacon. I am super careful that anytime I am eating healthy fats/meats like this, I buy the REALLY high-quality versions (meats and butter that come from grass-fed, hormone-free organically-raised animals; the bacon is organic and nitrate free as well; any oils I use are all organic). But if your definition of “healthy” varies from this, you can easily omit the meat and replace the butter with olive oil.

One of the things that I LOVED about the broccoli recipe was that it also showed me how to use the stems, which I normally throw away even though I hate wasting them! I used my Vegetti to turn the long broccoli stems into “broccoli pasta.” For tips on how to use a veggie spiralizer, you can watch my demo of zucchini pasta here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY5w3dHoyL0.

For the broccoli dish:

I chopped up the broccoli (3 large heads) and spiralized the stems. Meanwhile, I brought a saucepan (about half full of water with some Himalayan sea salt added) to a boil. I added the broccoli to the boiling water and cooked until tender. The next time I make this recipe, I will use a steamer instead. I like the texture of steamed veggies better (plus you preserve more of the nutrients)!

While the broccoli was cooking, I used a skillet to start cook the bacon (about 8 pieces cooked in olive oil for a few minutes on each side, until desired crispness). I removed the bacon from the skillet once cooked and set it on a paper towel-lined plate off to the side. I drained some of the excess oil from the skillet but didn’t clean it (I figured the remaining oil and bacon grease combo would give the dish some extra flavor and it did)!

Next step was to add the cooked and drained broccoli to the skillet over medium heat, along with some Himalayan sea salt and pepper, about 4 cloves of minced garlic, and the juice from 1 small lemon. When the broccoli mixture was cooked to desired texture (about 5 minutes), I added in the bacon (cut or ripped into small pieces) for another minute or so.

Voila’! I rarely measure things when I cook (hence the lack of exact specifications in this recipe) but I promise this recipe is super flexible and can be adjusted for your own tastes. Exact measurements not necessary :)

For the scallops:

I have always been told scallops are really easy to make- they were BEYOND easy. Makes me question why I pay so much for them in restaurants haha! I got fresh, never-frozen, wild caught scallops from Whole Foods- they were unbelievably delicious.

To cook them, I used the same pan the broccoli and bacon had been in for extra flavor (although honestly I think the majority of the flavor comes from the butter the scallops are cooked in). Even though the pan had some remaining oils from the broccoli and bacon dish, I melted some grass-fed butter in the pan- enough to coat it. I spread out the scallops in the pan and then added a small pat of butter on top of each scallop (recommendation from a friend). When I could tell the bottoms were getting crispy, I flipped them over (the pat of butter goes with it and the other side cooks in that). Again, no exact specifications. I think I had it on medium-high heat and cooked for about 2 minutes on each side. I could tell when they were ready by pressing down on them with the spatula- I was able to notice when they started to firm up.

I’m so glad I made the broccoli dish and scallops together- it was a great combination meal! Cheers to the first new recipes of the year! I hope you enjoy!

Visit https://www.facebook.com/CoachKatelynLesk and http://beachbodycoach.com/katelynlesk for more info!

I would be honored to help you with your fitness journey :)  Here is a link to sign up for a free account with me as your coach: https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=183908. Or you can go to www.teambeachbody.com, sign up for a free account, and enter any of my info in when it asks if a coach referred you: screen name: KatelynLesk, coach ID: 183908

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.

How a "Treat-free Challenge" Facebook group HUGELY helped me during the holidays and beyond!!!!!

When my team decided to do a 10 Day Treat-Free challenge leading up to the holidays, we were all a bit nervous about it!! We weren’t sure if or how we’d be able to stick with it! But we rallied together all our best strategies and more importantly, we rallied together as a TEAM (both coaches and our clients)! We created a Facebook group and all shared progress, tips, things we were struggling with, and daily successes in the group. It was SO FULL OF INCREDIBLE ENCOURAGEMENT!! We tackled treat temptations at the office, holiday parties, and social events head-on!

Even us coaches were nervous for this! :)

The rules weren’t necessarily that you HAD to go treat-free for the full 10 days, but we had everyone at the beginning of the group state what their own rules for themselves were going to be for the full 10 days. My rule was that I was going to avoid any desserts, junk food, and alcohol for the full 10 days. To be perfectly honest with you all, I didn’t do it! I did manage to avoid all junk food and desserts (including some of the snacks available at my friends’ house when I went to visit them on the other side of the state)! But I indulged in a glass of wine while out to dinner with them, then later in the weekend on my trip, we went out for a night on the town with their friends and I had some drinks that night too.

Did I accomplish my initial goal? No. But I did WAYYYYY better than I would have had I not had this group and this challenge. And honestly, the group somehow managed to make it FUN!!! It felt like playing video games with a bunch of friends as kids! We all had a common “enemy,” we shared tips and strategies, we rooted each other on, we picked each other up when temporarily defeated, and we celebrated all of our wins together!

The even MORE phenomenal result was that by the end of the 10 days, it almost had become second nature to avoid treats! The sugar and addictive food substances were out of my system and I wasn’t craving any of it! The group ended the day before Christmas Eve but I went into the holidays with a TON of momentum and did not go overboard at all during Christmas! In fact, even a week after the holidays, I felt GREAT (this picture was taken on December 29)!! I felt healthy, energized, strong, motivated to stick with my workouts and good nutrition, and was able to continue my momentum into the new year (WAY beyond the initial challenge)! What a way to dive into the new year!!

If you’re interested in doing anything like this with us, please contact me!! Our team runs challenges and groups like this every month so there are always ways to get involved!! We’d love to have you on the TEAM!!



Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Team Beachbody Coach

Kindness during the intense holiday season!

A message about kindness for others (and for ourselves!) at this time of year:

Recently I was listening to Doreen Virtue who pointed out that this time of year can be one of great joy and of great grief; memories of past holidays, loved ones who have passed away, and the “what ifs” of life all come into play. When she shared this, my initial reaction was to feel relief and validation. While there’s so much I enjoy about the holidays and being with the people I love, I definitely find the sentimentality of the holidays to be bittersweet. It’s hard not to get caught in past memories, or thinking about people who are no longer in our lives, or to grasp onto the way things are now resisting the inevitable changes in holidays in the future as people pass on, families change, and celebrations ebb and flow. There are also plenty of other pressures on us at this time of year that might include financial strain, family tensions, relationship pain, time demands, more things filling our already never-ending to-do lists, stress about food and what treats to indulge in or refrain from, and other triggers. My sister pointed out at Thanksgiving that despite being positive on facebook, I often get cranky with my family. My own family! The people I care most about! We sometimes let our comfort levels with people win out in a way that masks our appreciation for them.

So this Christmas, I’m going to do my best to stay present. To show appreciation for those around me. To be grateful for what’s going on around me no matter how I think things “should be”. I’m going to do my best to release any judgements I hold for others and for myself and instead focus on the unique value that each person offers. I’m going to take some time to get curious in conversations and ask some of the deeper questions to each person I encounter. Rather than “what’s new?” how about, “what do you think was the best thing that happened to you this year?” “what was your biggest lesson this year?” “what most inspires you right now?” I’m not going to feel badly for whatever emotions decide to come up during this intense time. And I’m going to be gentle and patient with others knowing that we never know what somebody might be going through. Have you ever missed a best friend? I have. I think most people have at some point in their lives really missed someone they care deeply about. When someone cuts me off in traffic or gets snappy in the grocery line, I tell myself that they might be missing a best friend, the person who most understood them in the world. At the root of it, we all just want to feel heard and understood and enough and loved. So let’s do our best to really LISTEN to each other, to try to UNDERSTAND, to VALIDATE and SUPPORT each other, and to show LOVE to one another.

Sending TONS of love and hugs to all of you!! Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and let’s finish out 2015 in amazing ways!!

Zucchini Pasta with Homemade Sauce

One of my favorite recipes! Growing up, I always assumed pasta sauce HAD to come from a jar, or at the very least, be made using canned tomato paste. I love this recipe because I can control exactly what’s going into my sauce (no added sugar like most jarred pasta sauces, including organic ones) and the flavor is absolutely incredible! The sauce recipe is based loosely on a recipe from my beloved Kris Carr’s, “Crazy Sexy Kitchen” cookbook, which is amazing!!

Ever since going gluten-free in August of 2014, it’s been great to have this recipe that makes me feel like I’m still eating some of my favorite foods. In fact, I like it BETTER! And I feel great at the end of the meal (not stuffed like after wheat-based noodles). Delicious and nutritious!

I typed the recipe below but full demo can be found on my YouTube channel:

Zucchini Pasta and Homemade Sauce

Serves 4

Pasta:

3-4 medium zucchinis (thin works best if using a Veggeti)

minced garlic (optional)

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Use a Vegetti (or other veggie spiralizer) to make zucchini noodles

Add olive oil (approx 1 Tbsp) to a pan over medium heat

Optional: add minced garlic to the pan

Saute' zucchini noodles to desired noodle texture

If there is extra liquid in pan (from the zucchini), drain noodles

Sauce:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

minced garlic (optional)

1/2 medium onion cut into chunks (optional)

3-4 fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks

spices such as red pepper flakes, oregano, Himalayan sea salt, pepper

fresh basil (optional)

Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat

If using garlic and/or onions, add to pan for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent. I also add some red pepper flakes to the pan at this time to release extra flavor

Add tomatoes and desired spices (I go heavy on the oregano and I also add additional red pepper flakes if I'd like it to be extra spicy)

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking/burning

Add additional spices as needed

Time of cooking depends on desired consistency. I like my sauce to be really thick so I usually simmer it for about 40 minutes

The last 2-3 minutes of cooking I will add fresh basil if I have it

Pour sauce over veggie pasta, add Parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!!

Football or holiday party tips

For me, when I walk into a party and food is EVERYWHERE, that is the toughest situation for me. I easily get caught up in picking at things and going back and forth between salty and sweet (I can literally FEEL dopamine and other brain chemicals kicking in)! It's REALLY tough to maintain will power if the food is going to be out for an extended period of time. These are what I call "high risk situations". I still haven't mastered them but I have learned some tricks that have helped me in these situations:

1. Bring something healthy to the party (at least you know you'll have one healthy option!)

2. Sip on some coffee or tea- it keeps your mouth occupied

3. If I know I have a party like this coming up, I make SURE to do as much as I can around it to stay on track. I eat EXTRA healthy a few days leading up to it, I get my workout in that day so I go into it feeling good, and I have a plan in place to make sure I eat well in the days following (stocked up on healthy food, healthy meals already prepared, schedule a yoga class or other workout meet-up with a friend for the day after)

4. I use my client accountability groups (on facebook) to encourage me and help me devise a plan! Knowing I have to report back to them keeps me on track!

5. I find an accountability partner- preferably someone AT the party, but it also works to have someone on hand that I can text (I've even posted in my facebook groups FROM the party to ask for extra encouragement).

6. Wait as long as possible to eat. The later you start, the more will already be eaten and the less time overall you'll have to maintain your good decisions. Try eating something healthy before the party to keep you full and satisfied for as long as possible before digging in

7. I remind myself that I don't need to try EVERYTHING. Find the indulgences that look the most "worth it". There's nothing worse than eating junk and realizing it wasn't even that good. And by all means, throw away anything you take that ends up not being "worth it"! We don't need to go for clean plate club here.

8. Position myself as far away as possible from the food (preferably in another room)

9. Instead of focusing on what I'm missing out on, I focus on the good, non-food aspects of the party! Here's a perfect chance to get to know your friends and family on a deeper level! When was the last time you asked a relative what were some of their biggest lessons they've learned in life? When was the last time you got down on the floor to be in awe of a cardboard box with your little niece? I had a FANTASTIC business discussion with my mom's cousin's husband at our family reunion recently. Sometimes when you're around people from the time you're little, you forget that they have other interests and skills outside of the family. We both learned a lot from each other and it kept me engaged and not thinking about food the whole time we were talking!

10. Good or bad, don't beat yourself up for anything that happened haha. Guilt will only add to the stress that can trigger us to continue on an unhealthy track. Tomorrow is a fresh start. Get back on the wagon!

Any other tips to add?? I'd love to hear them!

Holiday Stress and Overwhelm

I’ve been WAY stressed out this month. It’s all been good stuff so I feel a little guilty even complaining (add guilt to the series of emotions making me feel overwhelmed). I’ve been away a lot (great trips and amazing times spent with friends), have some family in town for the holidays (loving that), Beachbody coaching is great and keeping me busy (can’t complain about good business), so like I said- all good stuff, but the sheer amount of busyness this month caught me way off guard and I’ve been feeling really overwhelmed! For me, when I get overwhelmed, I tend to not want to tackle ANYTHING and eventually the overwhelm gets so bad that I have no choice but to crawl my way out of the ditch and get back in action. Fortunately, it’s happened to me enough times that I know the ways that work best for me to dig myself out. I’ve been having to employ all of them, BUT, they’ve been working!

This list may seem like a lot but actually, even doing JUST ONE of these things instantly reduces the overwhelm for me! All of these things are just a matter of getting BACK TO BASICS!

A HEALTHY MEAL. I swear, getting some greens in me makes me feel better immediately. The healthier I eat in general, the more I notice how much my mood and energy are affected by eating the not-so-healthy stuff. So needless to say, holiday treats, large portions at restaurants, and just being away from my normal set of food has taken its toll on how I feel. But the good news is that one little healthy snack already helps me turn it around!

GETTING OUT IN NATURE. It’s cold here in Pittsburgh at this time of year but the fresh air does wonders for my mental clarity and my soul.

A GOOD WORKOUT. Anything that gets my heart rate up!! Insanity Max:30 has DEFINITELY been doing the trick for me. And at 30 minutes/workout I can definitely squeeze that in. But often times when I’m super overwhelmed, it’s hard to give up precious “work catch-up time” to get a workout in so sometimes I have to start with just doing SOMETHING each day (even if that just means some jumping jacks, a quick walk, running the stairs a few times, or turning on some good tunes and dancing around my apartment). Getting back into the routine helps me feel motivated to do more.

“CHUNKING” MY WORK. My to-do list lately has been so overwhelming to look at lately that it makes me just want to stay in bed! The kicker is, 70% of the things on it are not really even all that important to my success and happiness. But they are things that would make me feel better to get done (mostly work tracking/organizational stuff). They’ve been nagging me for a while and I want to get them off of my to-do list once and for all. SOME of these things, I’ve just got to recognize that they won’t make much difference in my life and I’ve got to wave the white flag and surrender. Sure, they’d be nice to get done, but tasks like organizing my old pictures won’t really affect my life and for my own sanity, I need to just call it quits on trying to get these things done. For the rest of the stuff that I decide DOES need to get done, my go-to strategy is to CHUNK. This means I need to break it down into the smallest possible actionable steps to reduce the overwhelm. For example, I’ve been meaning to set up my website for months but “set up website” will forever get glazed over on my to-do list if I don’t make it more manageable. So simpler steps like “log into website account to see what makes sense and what doesn’t,” “ask Nikki for suggestions on setting up website email,” “make list of most basic social media accounts to link to,” “write 1 paragraph website intro,” etc make it way more manageable. I can do those little things! And checking them off gives me pride and momentum!

It also helps to just DECIDE. Trying to mentally balance all the things I need to get done is way too much. So I just need to pick SOMETHING to start with. It may not be the most productive or effective thing or the “eat that frog” task if you’ve read Brian Tracy’s great book. But I can’t waste any more precious energy trying to decide what is. So I’m just going to pick something and in that moment forget about everything else that I need to do and just do it. If nothing else, at least I accomplished 1 thing off of my to-do list!

STRESS-RELIEVING PRACTICES. In addition to the ones above, I love making GRATITUDE LISTS to remind me of what’s really important (even if it’s just a quick mental list). Saying a quick prayer or asking God, the universe, and my angels for help makes me feel like I don’t have to do this on my own! Thinking about who in my life I can ask for help makes me feel a whole lot better too. Why muddle through something on my own when I know a bunch of people who are much more proficient at things like setting up a website? And let’s not forget that youtube and google are my friends in terms of teaching me how to do things that seem overwhelming too. I also have printed sheets of quotes that inspire me. Taking 30 seconds to read over some INSTANTLY makes me feel more inspired. Saying mantras, meditation, a quick 2-minute yoga session, visualizing my big goals, thanking God for my struggles (which automatically seems to remind me that my struggles aren’t that bad and that there’s a bigger purpose at work here), reading a book, listening to Joel Osteen or my favorite Hay House authors online (youtube, Hay House Radio, their websites, etc) make me feel more grounded because I know I have my own personal “spiritual team” rooting me on, all of these things have so much power! Even a cup of hot tea can remind me of what’s really important and bring me back to the present moment.

MOST IMPORTANTLY- REMEMBERING I AM NOT ALONE! Like I said above, I have lots of help (from the people in my life and from God and the spirit world), I am supported. But it also helps to remember that we ALL feel overwhelmed at times- especially during the holidays. We need to give ourselves a break! There’s a lot more on our plate than usual (in terms of our to-do list and our actual plate haha!) plus we’re out of our normal routine, our sleeping patterns are off, that’s a lot for anyone to handle!! I heard a talk from one of my favorite authors recently who reminded me of this. If someone who I consider a teacher when it comes to all things spiritual, who embodies zen, is feeling stressed, then that definitely gives me permission to feel OK about feeling stressed myself. It was a great reminder that I can hang onto it, or I can just let it pass through me. It is up to me whether I want to feel stressed or not. It is all energy, I can allow it to flow :)

Any of these things above makes doing the other things so much easier. And the more of them I do, the more momentum it creates. More importantly, I’ve learned to enjoy this process and have fun in these “rebuilding” phases. OVERWHELM HAPPENS. IT’S OK. It gives us a chance to take inventory of our lives, re-evaluate, and course-correct. Then we can get back on track in a more meaningful and intentional way and continue to live our lives better than ever!!

I hope these tips/tools that help me are able to help you in some way! If you have other techniques that help you, please feel free to share below!

Much love!

Katelyn

Disclaimer Copy: Katelyn Lesk is an Independent Beachbody Coach.