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Healthy Living

Be healthy. Stay active. There are limitless ways to do this. Posted here are but a few of the ways I do.

Reduced-Fat Baked Mostaccioli

Heather's Reduced-Fat Baked MostaccioliIngredients:

1lb. extra lean beef (96/4) or ground filet of chicken breast

2 tsp. garlic salt

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

8 oz. mostaccioli

¼ cup Egg Beaters

1 16 oz. container fat-free ricotta cheese

1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup shredded 2% reduced fat mozzarella

2/3 cup reduced fat grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 jar reduced fat pasta sauce

1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

4 gloves garlic

2 tsp. sea salt

Preparation Instructions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. Brown beef or chicken and season with garlic sale, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning and onion powder.
  3. In a large bowl combine the egg beater, ricotta, spinach, 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Set aside.
  4. Drain pasta, stir in browned beef or chicken, tomatoes, sea salt, crushed garlic cloves and 2/3 pasta sauce.
  5. Layer ½ pasta mixture in lasagna pan coated with non-stick cooking spray.
  6. Top with spinach mixture followed by remaining pasta mixture.
  7. Cover with remaining pasta sauce.
  8. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly.
  9. Uncover and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
  10. Cook five minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Alternative prep method:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. Brown beef or chicken and season with garlic sale, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning and onion powder.
  3. In a large bowl combine the egg beater, ricotta, spinach, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Set aside.
  4. Drain pasta, stir in browned beef or chicken, tomatoes, sea sale, crushed garlic cloves and pasta sauce.
  5. Loosely combine spinach and pasta mixtures and pour into lasagna pan coated with non-stick cooking spray and baked, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes or heat in crock pot, on low, until warm (about 2 ½ hours).

Servings: 8 Nutrition Information: Prepared with extra lean beef, 1/8 pan has 322 calories and 7 grams of fat. Prepared with ground filet of chicken, 1/8 pan has 292 calories and 5 grams of fat.

Weekly Fitness Progress: W/E 4/10/11

Well after being horribly sick earlier in the week (out Monday and voiceless Tuesday), I was able to still get some activity in to try and build my endurance, which for whatever reason, sucks right now. It seems at 2 miles running or 20+ minutes of any physical activity, I’m just dead-legged and my “on status” (from meds and my DBS device for Parkinson’s) drops significantly.

Still, with all that said, my activities and accomplishments for the week ending 4/10/11 were:

  • Wednesday, 4/6: Ran in my neighborhood (elevation change of near 100 feet per the Nike+ app). Distance run: 1.08 miles. Total time: 8:56. I set a new personal best average time per mile of 8 minutes and 16 seconds per mile.
  • Thursday, 4/7: Rode my new bicycle 2 miles in mt local area. Played with a new app (iMapMyRide) but did not capture valid stats for this ride.
  • Friday, 4/8: Off day.
  • Saturday, 4/9: Over 45 minutes, hit 75 solid, hard-swinging drives at the driving range [golf]. I love doing this as everything from my calves, glutes, abs and arms will be sore the next day. Often I even hit the full 150 but I showed restraint this day and good thing, because I was spent by the end.
  • Sunday, 4/10: Used the iMapMyRide app to record my whole ride. Distance: 2.24 miles. Total time: 17 minutes, 27 seconds. Pace: 7:48 minutes per mile. My pace was slow because (I think) I’m still getting used to a 21 speed bicycle as I’ve never had one before. Plus it was 90 degrees and I was sweating buckets as our subdivision has almost a 100 foot elevation change!

Queue the Rock-y Music… My First Half-Marathon

Rock-n-Roll Half MarathonAs many of you know, I have early onset Parkinson’s Disease, having been diagnosed over 8 years ago at the age of 32. If you’ve read my other blog posts, you also know that 2010 was a year of transition for me. I had DBS implant (basically a pacemaker in your brain which ‘encourages’ your brain to make dopamine through the release of electrical impulses) surgery for my right side in May and the left in December. [see my blog post on this]

The settings are not yet perfect, but I have begun running this year. According to my NikePlus.com app on my iPhone [Read my blog review of the Nike+ App], I have run 6.43 miles this year and on Wednesday had my fastest average mile ever: 8 minutes and 16 seconds, which I am very proud of given where I was even four months ago. I have talked about some of my plans with some great blogger and fitness/running peers and friends and shared the fact that my goal for 2011 was to show that Parkinson’s Disease cannot defeat my will or my body by running a half-marathon by end of year.

However, I had not stated this goal openly and publicly… until today. Rock n’ Roll marathon series is in St. Louis on October 23 and Los Angeles on October 30 and I will run in one of them! Join me won’t you? I will be sharing my workouts, runs, and overall progress towards this goal.

Are you already registered?

Will you run with me? (in either location – yes I realize the ultimate insanity behind this request)

Join and friend me on NikePlus.com!

Follow my progress on Twitter (or Facebook if you know me). (See top of page for links)

Do you have a 5K race you suggest I run before then?

Training tips or encouragement? Post a comment and I’ll respond to every single one.

Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

 

Heather's Chicken Enchilada LasagnaIngredients:

26 ounces cooked, shredded chicken breast
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained
1 4.5 ounce can diced chile peppers, drained
1 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
8 6 inch corn tortillas
1 10 ounce can red enchilada sauce
2 cups 2% shredded Mexican cheese blend

 

 

A new dish we just tried for the first time. Delicious doesn’t even begin to cover how good this dish was! A must try!

 

Preparation Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Spray non-stick cooking spray on 11×7 inch baking dish, set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix chicken, cumin, cilantro, beans, chile peppers and tomatoes thoroughly.
  4. Spread half the enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
  5. Layer four tortillas over enchilada sauce.
  6. Cover tortillas with half of chicken mixture.
  7. Sprinkle one cup of cheese over chicken mixture.
  8. Spoon remaining enchilada sauce over cheese.
  9. Layer remaining four tortillas over sauce.
  10. Cover tortillas with remaining chicken mixture.
  11. Sprinkle remaining cheese over chicken mixture.
  12. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  13. Uncover and continue baking 10 minutes longer.
  14. Let stand ten minutes before serving.
  15. Garnish with reduced fat sour cream, if desired.

Servings: 8

Calories per Serving: 278 calories

Fat: 9 grams (81 calories or 29%)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Mama Heather's Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS:
26 oz. shredded chicken breast
2 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
2 10 oz cans tomatoes with green chiles
1 16 oz. can white beans
1 teaspoon onion powder (or actual diced onion, unless you hate onions like I do)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sea salt
dash of black pepper
10 oz. frozen corn
1/4 cup masa harina (yellow corn flour)

Update as of March 30, 2011: As promised, the photo has been updated to be an actual image of the soup from dinner tonight. Try this low-fat, healthy recipe … and trust us, don’t leave it out – the masa harina makes a big difference!

This isn’t your mom’s chicken soup, though it may clear your sinuses. A quick hearty and healthy chicken tortilla soup bathed in a sultry selection of spices. Warning: may melt your socks off.

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine the chicken, broth, chilies, tomatoes, onion power, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sea salt, cilantro and garlic in a large pot.
  2. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove about 1/3 cup of broth from the pot with a large spoon and pour into a mixing boil or cup.
  5. Slowly whisk the 1/4 cup of masa harina into the broth about a tablespoon at a time. Whisk until smooth.
  6. Stir the broth/masa harina mixture back into the soup (NOTE: Don’t put the masa harina directly into the soup pot or it will clump).
  7. Add corn and continue to simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. Serve with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

Serving size: 2 cups
Calories per serving: 314
Fat: 3.4 grams (31 calories or 9.9%)

Running with a Zest for Life

Running

Running

As a man who is increasingly intent on BEATing Parkinson’s Disease (see that category for more info on this if you like), I have decided on several goals for this year. Some overlap but it’s my list so it can be whatever I want! A big one is that I have now become a “running enthusiast” so any tips or encouragement/help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

• Eat healthier. This means less sugar, less fat and more protein.
• Drink more water and less sugary soft drinks.
• Gain back 25 of the 45 pounds I lost due to the last 18 months of complications and surgeries.Nike+ GPS
• Run 30 miles by April 17
• Run 211 miles in 2011
• Run a 5k (race or on my own) by 6/11
• Run 5 10’00″ miles by 4/20
Run a half-marathon this year (and donate any proceeds to Parkinson’s research)

I presently weigh 149 lbs and have 9.7% bodyfat.

To date, I’ve run 5x so far this year, totaling 1 hr 05’36″ with a distance of 5.35 miles and an average of 12’15″ per mile. My fastest mile thus far was an 11’10″ mile today.