Stir Fry Beef Salad

1-1/2 lbs beef tip steak, sliced into thin strips

2 tsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp coconut aminos (tastes like soy sauce)

1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced

2 bell peppers, sliced

2 medium heads lettuce of choice or the equivalent amount of mixed greens

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat skillet over medium heat.  Add the coconut oil as soon as the pan is hot.
2. Add sliced onions and saute until they begin to soften and turn translucent. Stir often.
3. Turn the heat up slightly and wait about a minute for the pan to heat up.
4. Add the beef and the coconut aminos, and continue to stir often.
5. When beef is close to done (however you prefer it) add the bell peppers.
6. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.
7. Serve over chopped lettuce or mixed greens and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil to taste.

Recipe from: Paleplan.com

Pork Loin with Peppers, Mushrooms, and Onions

Imagine you are putting together a new table. What do you need?  Tools, the willingness to do it, and possibly some help.  At Complete Clinics, we provide you with the tools and the support you need to make your customized program work for you.  All you need is a willingness to succeed.  Maybe you have tried other programs before or this could be your first attempt but your long-term success depends on you!  Are you ready?

The mind is a powerful thing. Making any change can be difficult especially if it’s been years in the making.  Here are some ways to keep your brain on track with your program and your ultimate weight loss goals.

1. Rid yourself of negative self-talk.  We talk to ourselves all day long about what’s good, what’s bad, and everything else in between.  What we need to do is eliminate those pesky voices that give us doubt about succeeding.
2. Create new patterns of thought.  Every time you hear yourself say something negative, forcefully counter it with something positive.  Even if you don’t always believe it the more you say it the more it will begin to feel like the truth.
3. Use Affirmations.  Affirmations are forward thinking statements written in the present tense.  Try these:

• I feel great eating a low glycemic diet.
• I love, honor, and appreciate my body.
• I enjoy exercising.
• I enjoy preparing the meals that make me feel healthy and strong.
• My body is firm, healthy and metabolically fast.
• I have lots of energy today.

You don’t have to believe them right now to use them.  The key to affirmations is focusing on the changes you want to see.   Make a list of your affirmations and put the list somewhere you check on a daily basis.

1. Create a poster.  Cut out pictures of what your ideal weight would be or a picture of you when you were at your ideal weight.  Arrange them on a poster with other things you love or love to do.  Maybe you haven’t gone skiing since you put on weight or maybe you keep holding off on that dream vacation.

What mental athletics do you do that help you stay on track with your goals?  Share them with us!

Chicken with Cumin, Kale, and Red Peppers

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp sea salt (optional)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs Olive oil

1 bunch kale, removed from woody stems

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Directions:

1. Combine chicken, cumin, chili powder, sea salt (if desired), and garlic in a medium bowl until chicken is fully coated.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil.
3. When pan is hot, add chicken. Brown the chicken and stir occasionally.
4. Add kale leaves and red pepper. Stir and continue to cook until chicken is 165° F, and vegetables are slightly tender (about 5 more minutes).
5. Serve hot, topped with toasted almonds.

Recipe is from paleoplan.com

Ahh, Spring!  The weather gets warmer, the flowers are in bloom, and seasonal allergies start to act up.  You may or may not experience seasonal allergies, but what about adverse reactions to food?  Food sensitivities are on the rise.  The CDC reported in 2008 that there has been an 18% increase in food allergies from 1997-2007. In the last few years there has been an explosion of gluten free, soy free, dairy free products on the market, and for good reason. Food sensitivities are the result of toxic responses to food and are divided into two categories: allergic reactions and food intolerances.  Both categories can increase inflammatory processes within the body and prevent weight loss.

A food allergy is an immune reaction to certain foods.  The 8 most common food allergens are: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.  Although these are the most common there are over 160 foods that can cause allergic reactions in people.  Food can cause pretty severe reactions in people who are highly allergic.  Food allergies are a concern, but if you don’t have one there is still a possibility of having a food intolerance (or sensitivity).

Symptoms of food sensitivities include: vomiting, diarrhea, eczema, hives, skin rashes, wheezing and runny noses.  These symptoms are commonly associated with an allergic reaction, but there are other symptoms (non-immune) that make food intolerances harder to diagnose.  Intolerance to food can cause fatigue, mood swings, nervousness, gas, bloating, and migraines.  Food sensitivities on a whole can also contribute to other chronic health conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, headaches, autism, ADD/ADHD, eczema, chronic ear infections, irritable bowl syndrome, insomnia and many others.

Your Immune System

Food allergies occur when certain foods react with our immune system, which is the system that helps the body rid itself of foreign and harmful materials.  The majority of harmful matter enters through the digestive tract, making it the place where 60-70% of immune reactions take place.  Food antigens are molecules that the body identifies as harmful.  Histamine is released from the immune cells, which alerts “scavenger” type cells to come and destroy the “harmful” antigens.

Histamine also brings blood and lymph fluid to the site of the reaction.  As histamine is produced, the body reacts by sneezing, coughing, producing hives, causing the nose to run, and forming tears. The immune system makes things called antibodies, which attach themselves to the antigens so the scavenger cells will know what cells to attack and expel from the body.  An allergic reaction happens when excessive histamine is released, which can sometimes cause anaphylactic reactions in people.   That is a very serious reaction and requires immediate medical attention.  Most people know if they have a severe reaction to food, but what about less severe and less identifiable reactions to food?

Food intolerances do not involve the immune system, so the symptoms of intolerance may be more difficult to notice.  There are many reasons food intolerance occurs: you may have difficulty breaking down a component in a food or you may just be sensitive to certain foods, spices, or food additives.  By eating the food you are intolerant of, you are compromising the health of the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract.  A compromised GI tract can make you even more susceptible to food allergies and other sensitivities.

Complete Clinics is now offering food allergy/sensitivity testing. So if you feel like your weight loss efforts have slowed or stopped, food allergy testing may be the next step in your weight loss program.  Food intolerances and allergies can negatively affect your weight loss by increasing gut inflammation and promoting weight gain.  Please talk to one of our clinicians about food allergy testing and how it may help you reach your weight loss goals.

Caribbean Pork Tenderloin

Image from recipes.com

2 TB. dark molasses

2 TB. dark rum

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp.freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. black peppercorns

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

3/4 cup fresh lime juice

3 lbs. lean pork tenderloin

1/2 cup water

Directions:

1.  In a large glass baking dish, stir together molasses, rum, garlic, salt, pepper, peppercorns, cloves, and lime juice.  Add pork to the dish and marinate in the refrigerator overnight, turning occasionally.

2.  Preheat the grill to medium-high.  Grill pork until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 170.  Remove from the grill to a serving platter.

3.  In a small saucepan over high heat, cook marinade and water to boiling.  Continue boiling gently for 2-3 minutes until sauce is reduced.

4.  Slice pork and serve with sauce.

Serve with freshly roasted veggies!

Recipe from The C.I.’s Guide: Glycemic Index Cookbook

Mediterranean Turkey Skewers

12 bamboo skewers

6 TB olive oil

3 TB lemon juice

1 tsp. garlic, minced

2 TB fresh basil, chopped

1/2 tsp.salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 (11 oz) boned turkey, cut into 2 inch cubes

12-16 pickled onions

2 zucchini, cut into 1 inch slices

1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 2 inch squares

Directions

1.  Soak bamboo skewers in water to prevent charring.

2.  Mix olive oil with lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

3.  Prepare skewers by alternating turkey, onions, zucchini, and pepper pieces.  Lay the prepared skewers on a platter and drizzle with olive oil mixture.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes.  Discard marinade.

4.  Preheat the grill to medium high.

5.  Grill skewers for 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender, turning occasionally.  Serve hot.

4 grams Net Carbs!

Recipe is from:  The C. I. guide-Glycemic Index Cookbook