On Today's Plate: Oatmeal Pancakes

I woke up craving some pancakes. So....I made some :P

I eyeballed some of the ingredients, realizing later that it was a mistake...haha, but, they still came out tasting delicious!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of oatmeal (I used rolled oats) <-- eyeballed
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
1/2 to 1 cup of milk (I used skim milk)
1 capful of vanilla extract
cinnamon (its up to you how much you want to use. I used 1 1/2 teaspoons)
fruits (also up to you. I used an apple, but these would go great with berries)

Directions:
1. Since I didn't use any flour, I decided to grind the oats (in my Magic Bullet). Thus, the oats became my "flour". So yeah...step 1, grind the rolled oats.
2. Add the egg and beat with a fork.
3. Pour the milk 1/4 cup at the time, or until you reach your desired consistency. I used a little bit over 3/4 cups (but not the whole cup).
4. Pour the vanilla extract. You could use sugar, Sugar on Raw, brown sugar, or one of those new fancy substitutes (Spenda, Truvia, Stevia). But, since I didn't use any sugar, I wouldn't know how much to actually add. haha!
5. Add the cinnamon.
6. Mix all of your ingredients.
7. Turn on your stove top (medium heat), spray some vegetable non-stick spray on your skillet, and make like normal pancakes.
8. Once they're done, it's time to garnish! I just added some apple wedges, and violá! You can garnish it any way you like. Pour honey or pancake syrup over them, powdered sugar, more fruits. I was going to add cranberries to the actual mix, but I had apparently ran out....damn.

Some variations include adding baking powder, vegetable oil, buttermilk (I guess to replace the milk?), pumpkin puree, etc.

These are a great healthy alternative! And, honestly, the difference is not that noticible. These are approximately 227 calories, 3g of fat, 32g of carbs, 17g of protein, and make 3 pancakes.

On Today's Plate: 4 Miles With A Side of An Awesome Core Workout

Double whammy! Posting twice today!

Today's workout consisted of running 4.5 miles and working on my core. For those who are new to fitness, this fitness blog explains in great detail (and really well) what the core is, and the muscles targeted when working it out.

I started out by running 3.25 miles (including a 2 minute warm up) at 6.0 mph on at an incline (I am not familiar with the incline percentiles, but...it was up 1.0). After running, I did 3 sets of 25 reps of the following exercises: crunches on an exercise ball, oblique crunches (on each side -- also on an exercise ball), cable crunches (with 75 lbs of resistance), and kick-out crunches. To do a proper kick-out, you should lie on the floor, face up, with your knees and hips bent at 90°. Extend (or "kick-out"...ha!) your legs out to about a 45° angle, keep it for a couple of seconds, and retract. Your hands should be placed to your side. After working on my core, I finished off with a 1.5 mile run (including a 2 minute cool-down) at 6.0 mph, also on an incline.

Remember, keep in mind your form when performing any type of exercise. Also remember to stretch before AND after your routine. And finally, if you have any questions, remember to ask a professional!

On Today's Plate: Fish and Chips

Ok, so maybe not, since nothing here is deep fried, or beer battered, but it's so much better than calling it "steamed tilapia and potato sticks"

"Fish and Chips"...sort of...because I say it is! :-P

Ingredients:

1 tilapia fillet

1 potato

ground pepper

paprika

garlic (minced)

parsley (flakes)

oregano (flakes or powdered)

1 lemon

Directions:

Chips:

1. Slice the potatoes (with a mandolin, vegetable slicer, or by hand...like I did), Julienne cut or wedges. Once you're done, soak in a large bowl of water for approximately 30 minutes.

2. Heat up a large skillet (medium to high heat) and spray some vegetable non-stick spray.

3. Place the potatoes on the skilled, and turn them until they are golden brown and look crunchy.

4. Once they're done, turn off the stove, and place on a plate. The potatoes are not done yet...stick them in the microwave for approximately 3 to 5 minutes (remember not all microwaves work the same). You don't want to leave them in for too long, though, cause then they'll just get soggy.

5. Ding fries are done  -- time to season the fries. I used pepper and paprika. I like it spicy ;)

note: It's easier to do the chips in the oven, but, my oven was occupied at the time :-P

Fish:

1. Place fish in a steamer, that is, if you have one of those fancy steamer...steaming...thingies. But, if you are old school like me: fill a casserole with water, and set aside to boil. Once it's boiling, place the steamer lid over it. Spray some vegetable non-stick spray and place the fish on the steamer lid. 

2. Squeeze the lemon over the fish.

3. Season the fish: brush on the minced garlic, sprinkle with some oregano, ground pepper, and parsley flakes.

4. Place the lid over the steamer, and let it steam for 7 - 10 minutes.

And you're done! I think I explained it thoroughly....this is my first food entry, so, take it easy on me.

Goals

It's important to set goals during your journey. Keep in mind that in order to stay motivated, these goals have to be REALISTIC and easily attainable. Many people make the mistake of having unrealistic short-term weight loss goals, and thus, get discouraged easily. Each goal should act as a motivational tool to help you continue on with the journey, and to reach your other goals (whether they are fitness goals or not). You should start by having smaller goals, instead of having a big one such as losing 40 lbs by March (it's Feb. 10, 2011 -- not happening, unless you take an unhealthy route...and we don't want this).

Reward yourself when you reach a goal! So you lost your first 5 lbs! Congratulations! You should go out and celebrate! Reward yourself with a new pair of jeans, go out for a refreshing walk around the park, or the beach (sorry Northern friends and followers, I live in Puerto Rico), buy a book, or cook a succulent healthy meal for your family and/or friends!

Write down your goals. Categorize your goals by type too: weight loss, exercise, drawing, reading, sports, etc. Plan your goals and go through all the details: when to start, when to finish, etc. Track your progress as you go. For every goal you reach, just cross it off the list! Being able to see all the crossed out goals can be a huge motivation. Instead of saying "I am going to do this" it says "I am doing this"!

Plan for setbacks. Shit Setbacks happen! Don't let them discourage you. Instead, just use those as motivation to work harder at your goals. Maybe it's your body's way of telling you that you need to work harder. Or maybe it's your body's way of telling you that maybe you shouldn't have had that extra serving of dessert at last weekend's family reunion (or office party).

Just remember that your goals are to help you stay motivated.

In case you are wondering, here are some of my goals:
- Drink more water. I already drink water as it is. I don't drink soda (never have), I have a glass of milk a day, and sometimes the occasional lemonade. But I still don't drink enough water during the day.
- Lose 5lbs by March. I've already lost 2...come on those extra 3lbs!!
- Study hard and train harder at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I am very close from a belt upgrade. I want to be able to say that I earned this belt!
- Sketch every day. Inspired by the book You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When It Monsoons, I want to be able to keep a sketch-journal (or diary).
- Improve my posture. I used to have good posture, then I got a job that required for me to be on a computer from 9am - 6pm. I need to work on my posture 24-7!

What are some of your goals?

Welcome, Vilkommen, Yokosou, Bienvenidos!

Hello, and welcome to On Today's Plate; a blog dedicated to two of my favorite things (amongst, art, design, and photography): food and exercise. I love to cook! And I love being able to create savory healthy meals. I also love to exercise.

I've been exercising for as long as I remember...kind of. When I was 7, I picked up my first tennis racket and played until I was 14. At 12, I started to play basketball, at 15 softball and volleyball (I wasn't good at volleyball, but it kept me in shape!!), all up to when I was 18. That's when everything changed.

When I went to college, I was expecting I could try out for an intramural team, which didn't go as planned. Since I wasn't in any team, I didn't see the need to go to the gym as often as I used to. I ate a lot (those tricky all-you-can-eat college dining commons), became lazy, and a huge couch potato. Gross. During my years at college, my weight shot up to a bit over 220 lbs.

When I realized how much I had gained, I desperately tried different diet plans and fads. I joined Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Natural Slim, etc. I tried Slim Fast, South Beach, etc. Nothing worked. In a desperate attempt to lose weight, I joined a boxing and MMA gym, and it changed my life. I slimmed down to 170 lbs, I started to gain back some muscles again, and my confidence.

In 2010 I kind of fell off the wagon, and gained a little bit of weight. Thankfully, I didn't gain ALL of it back. I had a stressful job, which left me exhausted at the end of the day and too tired to make an effort to go to the gym. I also stopped eating healthy. I ate fast food for lunch, pigged out on chips for dinner...not a good combination. But you know what, it's a new year, time to get back in track!

Join me on my journey to get fit again! Hopefully I'll inspire a few to do the same!

p.s: Before starting any diet or exercise regime, please consult a professional.