Recipe of the Week

Courtesy of one of my favorite inbox delights: The Jillian Michaels Newsletter! I love the idea of pasta alternatives like Tofu Shiritaki noodles, or my new favorite, zucchini! The best part about this recipe is how stinkin' easy it is. Oh, and if you didn't know, you could eat like 8 pounds of zucchini before it would see the light of your hips. But of course, watch the meat and cheese parts of the one below (*wink*).


A Healthy Pasta Alternative
Craving pasta? Well, even though you've stepped up your workout routine, it's not time to start carb loading yet! I've swapped your usual pasta for a low-carb and highly nutritious version made with zucchini.

Veggie Pasta With Italian Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:
2 small zucchini
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, diced
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 pound cooked Italian chicken sausage, sliced into small pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Instructions:
Using a vegetable peeler and turning the zucchini as you go, slice the zucchini into ribbons.
In a skillet, over medium heat, sauté zucchini in 1 tablespoon of oil until it's soft and the edges are clear.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in another pan, over medium heat, and add garlic.
Sauté for a minute, then add the tomatoes and oregano.
Simmer for a few minutes, then stir in the sausage.
Spoon sauce over the zucchini. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Makes 2 servings
Nutrition information per serving: 309 calories, 29 g total fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 28 g protein, 324 mg sodium.

RAWvolutionary Eating

What's more Vegan than Vegan? RAW Vegan. If you're anywhere in the LA area and know more than, say, 10 people, there's a decent chance you know one of these non-cooked food ninjas. As they say in these parts, Raw is "so hot right now." Cooking pun not intended.

I'm not sure that I could be a faithful follower of a 100% all raw diet (neither could my bank account), but faithfuls will sing the praises of its benefits including more energy, clearer skin, and better digestion. Dreaming of plates teeming with salad and sashimi? Well first of all sorry, sushi's not included. Second, any Raw Foods chef will tell you it's not all as easy (or cheap) as it sounds. But, if done right, Raw food can be made to taste even BETTER than the cooked stuff. Not to mention, your menu choices are so nutritionally dense and vitamin-packed, you'll end up more energized, require less food, produce less cravings, and be free from the toxins and additives you'd get from that bag of Doritos. Mmmm... MSG! (Kidding)

So what is Raw eating exactly? The almighty About.com clears up a few FAQ's here

In short: no faces (or anything that comes from something with a face), no heating above 104 degrees, no oils (unless cold packed), no chemicals or preservatives, and that's just the start of the "No" list. But with the use of nut butters, milks, and cheeses, as well as flax seeds and tons of sauce options, foods like "pizza" and "cheesecake" are far from forbidden. In fact, raw cheesecake might be one of the best desserts I've ever had. Try it. I dare you.



Intrigued and curious? Your local Whole Foods most likely has a few ready-made options to whet your taste buds. If you're in LA, places like Planet Raw in Santa Monica and Leaf Organics have a full menu and classes on 'cooking' raw to boot. Some say that even a 75-95% Raw diet can produce significant benefits than even Vegan diets alone. Perhaps the greatest benefit I've found from my handful of Raw meal adventures: even the biggest Raw smorgasbord will make the words "food coma" a thing of the past.

Pump Up The Jams

First things first, you ain't gonna get your butt moving properly without some good tuneage, and today just happened to be a good day for bootie shakers.

Here's a motivational mix by miss Daisy O'Dell - it's all one track, but hell-ooo, who wants to stop mid-mile to switch to a new song anyway, right? And, for all imperative purposes, it includes the only song to simultaneously get every clubber on the dance floor - "Poison" by BBD. I haven't tested the beats for spinning class just yet, but make of it what you will, eh?

Work Out Really Hard For 30 Minutes - Daisy O'Dell

TRACKLISTING
Let's get physical - Goldfrapp
Body Work - Hot Streak
DO IT LIIIIVE!!! (DiscoTech Mix) - Bill O'Reilly
Boot it Again (Mowgli Mix) - Chemical Brothers
Workout Plan - Kanye West
Dangerous (Night Facilities Remix) - Busta Rhymes
I'm The Ish - DJ Class
I'll House You (Reebok Classic '09) - Kid Sister
Clap That Ass (Tomboy Remix) - Larry Tee
Titts' Diner (Tom's Diner Remix) - Suzanne Vega
Just Fine (Degree's handleitjusfine Remix) - Mary J Blige
Work Is Never Over - Diplo
Get Low (Wax Motif n Hugga Thugg Remix) - Lil Jon
Shake It to the Ground (Air Jared Remix) - Blaqstarr & Rye Rye
Get Up - Technotronic
Ooh La La - The Wiseguys
Leader of the Pack (DJ Kue Remix) - The Shangri-Las
Poison - Tittsworth
An Open Letter To NYC (Chew Fu Refix) - Beastie Boys
I Love NY - Drop The Lime
Say Whoa - A-Trak
B.O.O.T.A.Y. (Krames Edit) - Bangers & Cash
Shuv It (Disco D Blend) - Santogold

Happy sweating!