ChangedMyWorld.com–Moroccan Beef and Broccoli and Golden Raisins

Thursday: Moroccan Beef and Broccoli and Golden Raisins

Ingredients: 2 pounds of boneless beef shoulder roast in 1-inch cubes, 6-8 stalks of broccoli florets chopped into bite-sized pieces, 1 chopped yellow onion, Extra virgin olive oil, Coconut oil, 1-2 cups of beef or chicken broth, 2 cloves of  minced garlic, Golden raisins, Ground cinnamon, Ground cumin, Black pepper, Paprika, Salt

Directions:

1. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil to large pan over high heat.
2. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook 3-4 minutes.
4. Add garlic and cook another minute.
5. Add 1.5 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1.5 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of paprika. Stir ingredients well and let cook 1 or 2 minutes.
6. Add 1-2 cups of beef or chicken broth.
7. Cook for about 15 minutes.
8. While the beef is cooking, melt two tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat in a wok.
9.  Add broccoli and stir until broccoli is coated with coconut oil.
10. Add a handful of golden raisins, cover, and let cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. Combine and Enjoy!

Andy&Jessika

**Recipe from http://www.Wholelifeeating.com

 

A couple dudes make High Fructose Corn Syrup

A shot from King Corn. It’s pretty disturbing how this stuff is everywhere!

 

ChangedMyWorld.com–Shrimp and Mango Stir Fry

Tuesday: Shrimp and Mango Stir Fry

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 pound peeled deveined shrimp, 2 tablespoons dry white wine or lemon juice, 1 large mango (peeled, seeded and cubed), 1/2 large yellow onion (peeled and thinly sliced), 2 cloves minced garlic, 3 large julienned carrots,
2 cups broccoli florets, 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger, 1 large jalapeno chili (minced), 1 large heirloom tomato (diced), 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, Salt and freshly ground black pepper, Red pepper flakes to taste

 

Directions:

1. Melt the coconut oil in a wok or large, heavy skillet over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to medium high; add the carrots, onion and broccoli to the pan and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and the vegetables are tender-crisp.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno and red pepper flakes, and stir fry for another minute.
4. Add the shrimp and wine or lemon juice to the pan and stir fry until it is pink and cooked all the way through, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the mango and continue to stir fry for another 30 seconds, then toss in the tomato and cilantro. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt, pepper.
6. Enjoy!

**Recipe from http://www.Chowstalker.com

 

My Journey to Save My Life…and how P90X plays into that.

Being without a dad sucks! Being Overweight Sucks! Both are very true!! I don’t know if anyone reading this can relate, but here goes. In 2001, I lost my dad to cancer. I used to look back and wonder what could have been done differently, where there things that he may have put into place early in his life that set this cancer thing in motion. Maybe it was only God’s will…if so that’s fine. I can accept that. However, I can’t help believe that the way my dad would eat and being relatively sedentary was a huge cause. Growing up, we stocked the fridge with Cokes and the cabinet with Doritos. Fried this, Fried that–it was a big part of growing up in the South. I too had grown up and become a product of this lifestyle, something that may very well in the future take my life.

I wish I could say that I just had that revelation and turned and made the changes necessary, but that’s not how it happened at all. Here’s a picture of me and my oh so cute girlfriend(now wife) a couple weeks before an event happened that would change my life forever.

On Dec. 17th, 2007(my Birthday), my brother took me skiing. We were on our second run at Copper Mountain and I had the awesome idea that our skiing should take place “Out of Bounds.” As we moved down one hill in the woods to get back to the clearing we came into some thigh-deep powder. I turned left…well 90% of my fatness went left. My right leg from the knee down stayed perfectly still and let out a huge pop that sounded like someone opened one of those round can of biscuits. Boom! I went down then, my brother managed to help me back down and we left. Sorry Barry! I waited around about two months to go to have a surgeon look at it. I thought, well heck, if John Elway can play on a screwed up knee than I’m sure I will be fine. I forgot for a little bit, that Elway wasn’t a chubby monkey, as I was.

I had my surgery in early March ’08 and afterwards I remember laying around on the couch for the next week. I was so depressed with knowing that had I not been so heavy, that my knee probably wouldn’t have snapped so easy while skiing. After surgery, I was laying on the couch eating copious amounts of chocolate and drinking what I thought at the time was Nectar of the Gods(Coke) while watching TV. It was then that I had my “Aha” moment and pledged to get my life on track. There was an infomercial that came on that absolutely had me captivated. There was a room full of insane, sweat-drenched exercise mongers that were following a program called P90X. I knew that was going to be part of me getting in shape and not living the rest of my life so overweight and unhappy. I ordered it and began the program around the 1st of September in 2008. In the few months before I started the program, and while my knee began to heal, I started eating a cleaner diet and with the lack of the sodas, I lost about 20-25lbs over a couple months.

P90X was intense, for sure, but that program coupled with better nutrition helped me lose 85 lbs!!!

I made the promise that my daughter will not have to watch her dad die because of eating unhealthy or not exercising. My wife will enjoy a husband that has enough energy for work, play and to spend with her!

I am grateful for the awakening and my beautiful wife’s support(thank you for believing in me) and I definitely look forward to being able to help others experience the same joy! I’m definitely not to where I want to be yet, but I’ve got a goal and a focus that I will get there!

My Beautiful Daughter, Emma

The coolest God-Son, Dominic