McCormick's Mojito Lime Tilapia with Zucchini and Red Quinoa

Here is the recipe for the Mojito Lime Tilapia we had for dinner last night!  I am not real great with quantities, so forgive me for being a little vague.

I used 3 frozen tilapia filets from Treasures of the Sea by Oddessy (from my local Sam's Club - shout out to #4969!).  The quinoa is Inca Red from Ancient Harvest (from Walmart) and I used the World Cuisine Tri-Blade Vegetable Spiral slicer by Paderno to spiral cut a huge zucchini I got fresh from the famer's market.  I cooked everything in Spectrum Organic Coconut Oil (my new oil of choice) as coconut oil is made for medium to high heat, unlike olive oil. 

Defrost the tilapia in warm water in the plastic sealed bags they come in if you are using frozen and heat a tablespoon or so of the coconut oil in a pan.  Heat about 2 tbsp. of the coconut oil in another pan on high (7-8 on a stove using 10 as a measure) for the zucchini.  You want high heat for the zucchini or it will just get soft and watery.  Once the oil is hot, put the zucchini in and turn often so it is light brown when it's done cooking.  Season with McCormick's Grill Mates Mojito Lime seasoning (also from Sam's), lightly.  When the tilapia is defrosted (cold but not frozen), place it in the first pan with the oil that is heated to medium.  Season with Mojito Lime seasoning on one side.  Let it cook until done and flip it carefully and lightly season the second side.  Cook until slightly brown.

Cook quinoa according to instructions and serve layered with zucchini (you'll need to cut the spirals so they aren't one long string of zucchini) and tilapia on top.  Or if you are like my husband, everything neatly in its own pile, not touching.  :)  Love you babe!

More recipes to come!

Yoga Teacher Training Part 1

Today I write to you from exotic Iowa City, IA after week 1 of my 200 hr yoga teacher training.  I am having a lot of fun and learning a lot.  Debbie Williamson and Kellie Lin Knott of Wild Abundant Life are leading the training and they are fabulous.  Kellie is also an accomplished and moving singer (you can find her stuff on iTunes).  We are working hard, doing hours and hours of yoga a day, and learning a lot, going through anatomy, the sutras, the poses (or asanas) and gaining yogi family members.
I already have gigs teaching yoga so I was asked - "why spend all this money and time to go do a national level certification when you don't need it to teach [state of Arkansas does not require one]?  And why IOWA?"  Well sure, I'd love to be in some exotic location like Mexico or Bali but I am really glad I picked Iowa.  It fit pretty perfectly into my schedule, it's beautiful here, and I have met some really amazing people.
So why go for the certification?  First, I rarely do things halfway.  When I want something, I go for it and when I love something, I truly enjoy immersing myself in it, even if it means a million chatarangas a day.  Second, I rarely do things halfway.  Yes, I know I am repeating myself.  I don't just want to be a good yoga teacher, I want to be a great yoga teacher.  I truly believe that exercise, nutrition and overall wellness can change people's lives - we've all seen it and yet we all ignore it at some point in our lives.  We (myself included!) abuse food as a nation, we abuse our bodies and we medicate ourselves instead of seeking to be healed from the root cause.  I am not suggesting that everyone go off their meds, there are definitely conditions that need it, but I am suggesting that people stop thinking that it is better to reverse the symptoms than to dig to the roots.  Finally, I am doing this because I love people.  I really do.  Some more than others :)  And I want to impact people on an individual level and be impacted by them, for the better. Bottom line, whatever your race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, we are all sacred beings in God's eyes.  And remember how pissed off Jesus got about the whole sacred temple situation and started trashing the place?  How do you think he feels about the whole sacred body situation?
This week, I led a class through hips during a vinyasa class.  When we do core and hips in a yoga class, most of the time, everyone groans and complains and it's a very short part considering the whole.   But it's the areas that hold our being up.  We'll do a million chatarangas and hold warrior II for 5 minutes, but 30 crunches is just TOO MUCH.  The day before we had been talking about how those closest to us can hurt us the most, usually because they love and support us the most and because they are the closest to our hearts - the most sensitive area of all.  We often treat people on the periphery of our lives so much better than those closest to us, perhaps because they'll hurt us the least.  What would happen if we started treating those close to us with the importance they have - they hold us up - vs all the groaning and moaning if they offend us?  Hips, Core, Love.  It's all the same.  It's all connected.  I had this epiphany in the car one morning and shared it with the class (this is not a part of yoga that comes easily to me - the nuggets of wisdom that seem to spill out of others, genuine or not).  A lady told Kellie Lin the next day when she came to class that it was a life changing moment for her.  I cried.  It was for me too.

As far as personal training goes, I feel the same way about training as I do about yoga, but I'll save that for another blog :)   Next up is TRX training in August.  :))))

The Beginning....

I must warn you....I am not the best blogger.  My thoughts don't always come out on "paper" the way they are articulated in my head.  I am not always as consistent with posting blogs as I am with status updates.  But I wanted to start this blog because I think it's important, and it may end up being important only to me and my journey, but that's enough.  I want to share my story, share tips and articles on health, fitness, yoga and overall well being, and just generally connect with a broader audience.  So here we go...

I worked in the corporate world at Walmart headquarters for 10 years.  I liked it.  I didn't love it.  Not because I didn't like the company (I did) or my job (I did), but it wasn't my passion.  I felt restless and like I was leaving something for later that I wanted to be doing now.  What I loved, was the people.  I've always loved people.  I've found that most of us have big hearts, compelling stories, faults, mistakes, love, loss.  Most of us are to be trusted, some of us are not.  And many of us struggle, with our thoughts, our bodies, our perception and misconceptions of beauty and worth.  I know I have.  Through my own struggle, I found strength in my body and mind through running and yoga.  Then in strength training.  And in biking.  And hiking....you get the picture.  Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to impact people on a more personal level and in an area most of us struggle in.  So I left my job, my good paycheck and security to become a personal trainer and yoga instructor.  I may fail at it.  I hope not and I don't think I will but not being afraid to fail is where I will succeed.

I am fortunate to have the undying support of my husband of 10 years.  He said, I want you to be happy and I want you to pursue your dream.  Go for it.  So I did.  I poured my entire self into studying and passed my personal trainer certification in spring of this year.  I attended a 60 hr yoga teacher training.  All while working full time.  I networked, I asked questions.  Now I have the privilege of helping others as they work towards their own personal health and wellness goals.

Next up....200 hr yoga teacher training...a national level certification.