Christmas Giveaway :)

Every health guru needs a great blender. Everything from blending protein smoothies, crushing Kashi GoLean or FiberOne cereal to make your own bread crumbs substitute, chopping veggies, or creaming chickpeas to make your own hummus starts with this one kitchen appliance.

In fact, of all of the appliances in my kitchen, I probably use my blender the most. Recently, I've found one that I really enjoy because of the multiple speeds it includes. Not only does it work as a traditional blender, but it doubles as a food processor. I enjoy it so much that thanks to my friends at CSN Stores, I'm going to kick off 2010 by giving one away! So get ready for your chance to have one arrive in your mailbox!

You can view details of the Hamilton Beach 10-Speed blender by clicking here.

Everyone who makes a purchase from www.turbomichelle.com in the month of December will be automatically entered in the drawing for the free blender. So if you haven't already ordered something, you have a full week to do so!! I will announce the winner on my blog and on my twitter site (http://www.twitter.com/michellemyers24) on January 1, 2010.

It doesn't matter how much your order costs....so whether you purchase a $20 box of protein bars or a $250 home fitness system, you are in the drawing! Head to Michelle's Store to get started!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and GOD BLESS YOU!

Also, take a moment to browse all of the CSN Store Websites with the links below. They have awesome stuff at fantastic prices!

www.fitnessequipmentandmore.com

www.cookware.com

www.everygameroom.com

www.csnstores.com

Give the gift of HEALTH this year!

Give a gift to a loved one (or to YOURSELF) this year that keeps on giving! Check out my special packages this year to help you and those that you love get physically fit. Prices available by emailing coach.chelle@gmail.com.

"GET WITH IT" FIT KIT

- One 30-minute Phone Fitness Consultation with Michelle
- eBook of Michelle's Favorite Recipes
- Written plan of Michelle's Favorite Beginner Workout
- You may add a personal training session either at the beginning or end of your workout plan with Michelle for an additional $25 to your purchase package.

"GET STARTED" FIT KIT

- Two 30-minute Phone Fitness Consultations with Michelle
- eBook of Michelle's Favorite Recipes
- 2 Samples of Shakeology (Chocolate or Greenberry Flavor)
- Customized Written Workout Plan by Michelle*
- You may add a personal training session either at the beginning or end of your workout plan with Michelle for an additional $20 to your purchase package.

"GET FIT" KIT

- Two One-hour Phone Fitness Consultations with Michelle
- eBook of Michelle's Favorite Recipes
- 2 week supply of Shakeology (Either Chocolate or Greenberry Flavor)
- Workout plan (Including 5-8 DVDs, basic nutrition plan)*
- You may add a personal training session either at the beginning or end of your workout plan with Michelle for an additional $15 to your purchase package.

"ULTIMATE GET FIT" KIT

- Three One-hour Phone Fitness Consultations with Michelle
- eBook of Michelle's Favorite Recipes
- 1 month supply of Shakeology (Either Chocolate or Greenberry Flavor)
- 1 deluxe workout plan (Including 12 DVDs, detailed nutrition plan)*
- You may add a personal training session either at the beginning or end of your workout plan with Michelle for an additional $10 to your purchase package.

*Workout selected based on Initial Phone Fitness Consultation

**Packages may be adjusted based on client need. Simply email Michelle at coach.chelle@gmail.com to work out a custom package.**

Mother's Day - Breakfast in Bed Recipe

Breakfast in bed is a great way to say thanks to your mom this mother's day. (By the way, it's Sunday!) This causes two problems. Number one - who wants to get up that early? Number two - how can you make something that tastes great that is not completely unhealthy?

Problem solved. This baked apple-cinnamon French toast can be prepared in advance and then simply popped in the oven for a leisurely and luxurious weekend morning. By using nonfat instead of whole milk and eliminating the egg yolks, the calories are cut by half and the fat is reduced by nearly 80 percent in this griddle-free version.

P.S. - To all the mom's out there - print this off and stategically place it in your house for someone to find!! :)

Makes 12 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 9 1/2 hours (including 8 hours refrigeration time)

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

Ingredients:

3 cups nonfat milk
2 cups pasteurized liquid egg whites, such as Egg Beaters
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1-pound loaf sliced whole-wheat bread
1 cup chopped dried apples (3 ounces)
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Whisk milk, egg whites, honey, vanilla and salt in a large bowl.

2. Trim crusts off 8 bread slices and set aside. Cut the crusts and the remaining bread into 1-inch pieces. Toss with dried apples, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg in another large bowl.

3. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Transfer the bread mixture to the pan. Lay the reserved crustless slices evenly on top, trimming to fit. Whisk the milk mixture one more time, then pour evenly over the bread. Press the bread down with the back of a wooden spoon, making sure it’s evenly moist. Cover with parchment paper, then foil, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F.

5. Bake the casserole, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until puffed, set and lightly browned, about 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes; dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving:
183 calories
1 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono)
1 mg cholesterol
33 g carbohydrate
10 g protein
4 g fiber
344 mg sodium
312 mg potassium.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare through Step 3 and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Healthy Side Dish: Mashed Cauliflower

Here's a great side dish to add to your Easter menu this weekend. It will have all of the taste that your guests will enjoy - without adding to their waistline. Traditional Easter menus generally consist of ham, mashed potatoes, green beans.... and Cadbury eggs (Sorry, I don't have a substitute for those!) :)

However, I can help you on the mashed potatoes issue. Introducing: mashed cauliflower.

Ingredients:

6 cups of chopped cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 oz. - Brummel & Brown spread (a great substitute for butter)
1 1/2 oz. fat free half and half
Salt, pepper, garlic, and chives

Serves 4

Directions:

1. Heat cauliflower with an inch of water in a microwave safe bowl until tender.

2. Mash cauliflower with spread and half and half until at the desired consistency.

3. Add seassonings to taste.

Happy 2008!

Given up on New Years Resolutions? Most of America has. A recent poll shows every year that fewer and fewer Americans are participating in this once highly followed tradition. Why is that?

Because most of the time, we're completely unreasonable in the things we set out to do. We say we are going to be in the gym 7 days a week, when we know that there will be at least one day where it won't hsppen. We say that we are going to cut out fast food completely....until that day that we just can't take it anymore and have to have some Chick-Fil-A.

This year, let's be realistic. Here are some small resolutions that you can make (and actually keep) that in the long run, could make a BIG difference.

1. Take the milk you drink down by one grade. If you usually drink 2%, try 1%. If you've been drinking 1%. switch to skim. You'll be surprised at how quickly you adjust to the change...and how many calories it will eliminate.

2. Change all white producrs for whole wheat. Pretty much everything is offered in whole wheat now - taco shells, hot dog buns, even tortilla chips! You will feel fuller longer, and it's better for you.

3. Cut the number of soft drinks you consume in half. Even if you only drink diet drinks, try to cut back and drink more water. Most people don't consume half of the amount of water they should drink daily already, and carbonation only contributes more to dehydration.

4. Squeeze in one more hour of exercise a week. Maybe you could do Pilates on Saturday morning instead of skipping your workout. Or find a 10-minute Yoga DVD thst you could slip in every night before you go to bed. Little increases of activity add up over time!

5. Switch your normal lunch for a salad twice a week. You know that you need more vegetables in your diet, and a salad is the perfect way to do it. Add some lean meat for protein, as many veggies as you like, and a few nuts for some healthy fats, and you are all set. Steer clear of cheese, croutons, and cream-based dressings. Too many of those ingredients can make a salad as unhealthy as a Big Mac!

Christmas Breakfast

If you need a compromise Christmas morning breakfast, here is the perfect solution: lowfat almond biscotti. It's a HEALTHY version of the famous Italian cookie that will appease the health conscious in your family without making the less healthy feel like they are not "enjoying the holiday." You can even prepare it the night before so you don't have to do any preparation in the morning! Goes great with coffee or tea for the adults, and the kids will love it paired with hot chocolate. (Just make sure you use skim milk and Nestle's No Sugar Added Chocolate mix!!) :)

Lowfat Almond Biscotti

Ingredients:
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup Sugar in the Raw
2 tablespoons margarine
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Morton Salt lite


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place almonds in a small baking pan. Bake 7 to 8 minutes until golden brown (watch carefully to avoid burning). Set aside.

Beat sugar and margarine in medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add egg whites and almond extract; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl; mix well. Stir egg white mixture and almonds into flour mixture until well blended.

Spray two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly divide dough between prepared pans. Spread dough evenly over bottoms of pans with wet fingertips. Bake 15 minutes or until knife inserted into centers comes out clean.

Remove from oven and turn onto cutting board. As soon as loaves are cool enough to handle, cut each into 16 (1/2-inch thick) slices. Place slices on baking sheets covered with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 5 minutes; turn over. Bake 5 minutes more or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight container.

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 56
Protein: 1g
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 9g
Exchanges: 1/2 Starch/Bread; 1/2 Fat

December DONT'S

Afraid of gaining those extra holiday pounds? Here are just a few things you can avoid that will help you stay the same size throughout the holiday season.

1) DON'T skip your workout.
* We know it's busy, but you need to take the time to work out this time of year more than ever. Make a workout buddy, abd hold each other accountable. Maybe mix up your routine to avoid bordom - try a new class, give yourself a gift of a few personal training sessions, etc.

2) DON'T skip breakfast.
* Thinking of the night's holiday party or the afternoon gathering at work, many people will skip breakfast as an attempt cut calories. WRONG! Eating a healthy breakfast (oatmeal, egg white omlet with fresh veggies, whole wheat toast and low fat yogurt) at the beginning of the day starts your metabolism and will prevent you from overeating later in the day. Those who consistently eat breakfast consistently weigh less than those who skip the most important meal of the day.

3) DON'T eat only fat and carbs.
* Most Christmas goodies (gingerbread cookies, candy canes, hot chocolate, etc.) are full of refined sugars and unhealthy fats. These are also the nutrients that make you feel even more hungry than before you ate something! Before you have any treats, fill up with lean protein to help control cravings.

4) DON'T eat straight from a bowl.
* When you get to those holiday gatherings, take the time to put everything that you eat on a plate. If you nibble straight from the dish, you will misjudge portion size and be in trouble before you know it! Try and fill your plate with veggies and lean protein, and only allow a small place on the place for treats. **As an additional tip, try using the dessert plate instead of the dinner plate. It's smaller, and it will help you with portion control!**

5) DON'T eat treats that you like.
* Only splurge for those treats that you love. If you just like them, you don't need them.

6) DON'T avoid the scale.
* Weigh in regularly this month so you can see how you're doing. If you prefer to monitor a different way, get your favorite pair of pants that make you feel slim and fit. Try them on every morning to see how they fit. You've got to hold yourself accountable somehow!

7) DON'T go to a party hungry.
* The worst thing you can do is arrive at a party famished! Because you know there will be LOTS of unhealthy options, and very few items that fit into your nutrition plan. Try eating a bowl of broth-based soup or a salad before you go. That way, you already have some healthy nutrients in you, and you've knocked the hunger edge off so you don't devour every cookie in sight.

8) DON'T eat the whole thing.
* Most of the time, you can satisfy a craving with just a few bites. Instead of eating a whole piece of pie, split a piece with your date.

9) DON'T eat for speed.
* Slow down your eating, and savor every bite. You don't indulge every day. Take the time to enjoy it! Plus, the longer you take, the longer your stomach has to realize that you're full, and you can avoid overeating.

10) DON'T beat yourself up if you mess up one time.
* If you go to a party and overeat, don't use that as an excuse to let yourself go for the whole season. Get up the next day, go to the gym, and vow to stick to your diet better. No one expects you to be perfect!

And now for the TURKEY!

Turkey is lean meat, it's healthy for you, you need the protein... yes, all of these things are true. But this bird can still be prepared in unhealthy ways.

For starters, buy an ORGANIC, free-range turkey. (Whatever you do, don't get the self-basting kind.) This means you will get a lean, protein-filled turkey without all of the antibiotics, animal by-products, preservatives or hormones found in other turkeys. Plus, it tastes better too!

If you want to marinate in a healthy way, mix up a little olive oil, lemon juice, cracked pepper, & onion powder. Lightly, baste the bird before you put it in the oven. Perfection!
(To save a few fat grams and calories for yourself, be sure to trim around the edges to remove the skin. You won't miss out on the taste, promise!)

One more thing turkey...

Start a new tradition with your family, and participate in a Turkey Trot on Turkey Day! It's great fun and great exercise! You can walk, run, jog, or a combination of all three. Burning calories is burning calories!

Here are two options in the Metroplex...


**DALLAS TURKEY TROT - A 5K RACE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!**

Date:
Thursday, November 22, 2007

Time:
09:00 AM

Venue:
starting at Dallas City Hall Plaza

Address:
1500 Marilla Street
Dallas, TX 75201

**Additional Information**

Fees:
$18.00 until 11/10/07
$20.00 - 11/11- 11/19 (on-line registration will cut off at midnight on 11/19)
Dogs - $10 (All dogs must register)

Website:
http://www.thetrot.com

**FORT WORTH TURKEY TROT - 5K, 10K, OR BOTH!**

Date:
Thursday, November 22, 2007

Time:
08:00 AM

Venue:
Fort Worth, Texas

Address:
6115 Camp Bowie
Fort Worth, TX 76107

Prices:
5k - $22.00
10k - $22.00
Both 10k and 5k - $27.00
. . .
Website:
http://www.fwtrot.org

(To find a race near you, search for races on www.active.com!)

The perfect final side dish touch - Cranberry Sauce

Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up a can of cranberry sauce. You will be amazed at how much sugar and unhealthy additives they can cram into ONE CAN, claiming to bear a healthy fruit. (And after you pick it up, make sure you put it back on the shelf and not in your cart!)

This year, make it yourself, and your family will love it - and YOU will be to thank for keeping them healthy this holiday!

Cranberry Sauce: (yields 2 cups)

1 12oz bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup water
1 packet - On the Go Crystal Light, Sunrise Orange
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced orange zest
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ cup reduced-sugar crushed pineapple
½ cup honey

* Bring orange juice, ginger, zest and cinnamon to a boil on high heat in a medium saucepan.
* Rinse cranberries and add once liquid is boiling.
* Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes.
* Add crushed pineapple and honey. Remove from heat and cool.

Pumpkin Pie.....and you can have the whole piece!

No one will ever know that it's not the full-fat version...unless they get suspicious when their pants still fit the same the next week! :)



1 9-inch whole wheat pie shell
3 TBSP egg beaters
1/4 cup Brown Sugar/Splenda Blend
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup evaporated milk

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
* In a medium bowl whisk together egg beaters, Splenda, and pumpkin pie spice until well blended. Add pumpkin and milk to egg mixture, and stir until smooth.
* Pour mixture into pie shell.
* Place pie on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until set in center.

Bet you never thought you'd see healthy gravy.....

Gravy:

6 cups reduced-sodium 99% fat free chicken broth
2 large carrots, chopped in large pieces
2 medium onions, cut into large pieces
2 celery sticks, cut into large pieces
Neck, wing tips and giblets from turkey
1/3 cup whole wheat flour, mixed with water
1 TBS chopped fresh rosemary
2 TBS chopped fresh thyme
Morton Lite salt and black pepper
*optional ¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms

* Simmer all the ingredients except flour, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper for about 1 hour on medium heat.
* Strain and discard solids. Heat ¼ cup broth in a non-stick skillet. Whisk in flour a little at a time to incorporate. Using a wire whisk, add the rest of the broth a little at a time on low heat. Keep whisking to avoid lumps until all the liquid is incorporated.
* Add rosemary and cook for another 20 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Season with chopped thyme, salt and pepper.

THANKSGIVING Done Right!

You spend the entire day in the kitchen - cooking, nibbling, tasting...and no doubt, starving yourself so you have an excuse to overeat when the actual Thanksgiving meal occurs. You were too busy coordinating for the family, so you skipped the gym, and you have less energy than you normally do. After you eat, it's time to sit and watch football... now remind me why we say HAPPY Thanksgiving?!

I'm just kidding. There's plenty to love about Thanksgiving. But let's face it - not much of it is healthy...unless you make some substitutions! Enter Michelle. :)

Here are some healthy and creative ways to make your Thanksgiving just as fun and taste just as good - without all of those fat grams and calories! I'll give away all my secrets over the next week so you can continue reaching your fitness goals throughout the holiday season!

Stuffing:
½ cup wild rice
1 cup long grain brown rice
1 med onion, chopped
¾ cup diced celery, about ¼ inch pieces
2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1 medium green apple, diced about ¼ inch pieces
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds
6 dried apricots, coarsely chopped
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 TBS chopped fresh sage
3 TBS chopped fresh thyme
½ TBS fennel seeds
½ cup + 1 TBS chicken broth
Morton Lite salt and black pepper to taste

* Bring 3½ cups of lightly salted water to a boil. While water is coming to a boil, rinse the wild rice under running water in a strainer. When water is boiling, add both wild and brown rice.
* Cover, turn heat to low and cook for about 45 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook. You will most likely have excess water when rice is cooked properly.
* Put cooked rice in a strainer and drain out excess water. Set aside in a large enough bowl to mix everything together.
* Heat 1 TBS chicken broth in a large non-stick skillet. Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and celery and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
* Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in bowl and season with salt and pepper.