Serious business.

 
life got busy.  & then busier.  & i lost my momentum.

 

after months of total inactivity (despite the fact that i joined- & pay a monthly fee- a gym last june) & eating under the "all is okay in moderation" philosophy , we're finally gettin' all serious around here in the "health" category.  started spinning again in january... weight training in february- a couple of yearly physicals for ryan & i... one thing led to another, and well, we're back at it.  

that's the beauty of momentum, isn't it?  even though it seems incredibly daunting and overwhelming at first... and even though i seemed to have lost all muscle & stamina (not to mention- confidence)... little steps taken in the right direction lead to bigger steps... and before we know it, we're taking vitamins, learning how to "Master [our] Metabolism" (dr-approved/recommended btw), and counting calories.

"diet" is a bad word to some, but those 20 lbs have lingered a bit too long and until my jeans fit comfortably they make their way out, we're on a mission to rid them away.  for good.

... and then, we'll bring a *healthy dose of "moderation" [& wine] back into the equation.  but this time, it will not mean "eat whatever and whenever we want, without doing any form of exercise whatsoever."

but for now, we're actually having fun with it- cracking the code on serving up nutrient-rich dishes without sacrificing flavor... getting back into cooking with a slew of different grains, flours, natural sweeteners...

from muffins to curries to pancakes- we've cooked about a dozen recipes out of the Master Your Metabolism Cookbook in a mere week (yes i have a ton of cookbooks- healthy & otherwise, but i didn't buy this... i checked it- along with this- out at the library!) ... so many great ideas & tips- and simple recipes.

i will definitely share more, but for now- my latest tried & true {so, so good & good for you too. win-win.}

golden apple crisp

*from the master your metabolism cookbook, by jillian michaels 

serves 8

virgin coconut oil*

1/4 cup honey

4 golden delicious apples (about 2 lbs), peeled, cored, and cut into 3/4 in. chunks (about 6 cups)

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp plus 1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats (not instant)

1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

8 tbsp low-fat (or non-fat) plain greek yogurt (or regular plain yogurt)... mixed a little honey in- for the kid's sake

Preheat oven to 375. (I cook on convect & typically lower mine by 25 degrees when baking... cooked this at 350)

Into a glass measuring cup, put the oil and honey.  Microwave on high power until melted, about 30 seconds, stirring once or twice.

In a large mixing bowl, place the apples and add the lemon juice and 1 tbsp flour.  Toss to coat.  Transfer the fruit to a 1 1/2 qt. baking dish and spread evenly.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup flour, the rolled oats, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Stir with a fork until the ingredients are well combined.  Pour in the oil and honey, and stir until the mixture is well blended and crumbly.  Use your fingers to distribute the crumbs evenly over the fruit.

Bake until the topping is golden brown and the apples are bubbling, about 50 (...or less!  I set mine for 40 & it was not burnt, but a bit too brown) minutes.  Let the crisp cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Spoon the warm crisp into eight serving dishes.  Top each serving with a spoonful of yogurt and serve.

*Extra-virgin coconut oil is used in many recipes within the book- both savory & sweet.  READ here for more info (make sure you click on the article link)  After a little research, I purchased this one... & in all recipes so far- I've been very happy with the flavor- and it does not make this recipe- or any of the others- taste like coconut.

Serve it to your kids when they arrive home from school... and then again for dessert later that evening.  They'll think they're scoring by getting not one, but *two desserts.  But you'll know otherwise :).