Clean Eating at MSY New Orleans Airport- Gate D

Gate D...treat us well. 

Whether you are traveling for business or for fun, the airport is a landmine for disaster if you are trying to eat clean and healthy. Many foods are marketed as 'health' foods and are not good for you. I'll walk you through each restaurant, book/food store and kiosk that is currently at the New Orleans Airport Gate D. Go Delta! ;)

What we are looking for are REAL FOODS. That means, you know what it is, where it grew and doesn't have ingredients that we can't pronounce. Seems like an easy system to say "YES" or "NO", but like I said before...there are some hidden traps.

Are you READY? Let's navigate Gate D of MSY the New Orleans Airport! 

In true New Orleans style, the first place to eat and/or drink is a bar. Come on New Orleans, get on the clean eating bandwagon, I promise its a good one. Needless to say. That's a NO. Unless, of course, you are on your 3rd delay and then I might say "okay go have a drink", but we are staying strong. Pass that Bad Boy up!

Attached to that bar is the Wow Cafe, everything on the menu is fried or comes with a side of grease so really, I would avoid this one as well. It's temptation central. However, there is a nice to-go refrigerator that has some options worth considering if you can resist the smell of bacon. ;)

Here is the fridge.

• Yes --> Fruit Cup + Water
• No--> Everything else. I'm serious.

I'm sure you are going to wonder why not Naked drinks? Naked drinks have 53 grams of sugars. 53. There is no official guideline for how many sugars one should consume in a day, but I can tell you 53 grams in a tiny bottle is a whole hell'of've a lot. I can also tell you an apple or banana will fill you up more than a Naked juice as it will have FIBER. Go for the real deal, grab that apple, banana or orange and eat away. :)

Next down the runway <giggle>, is the Essence News Bookstore. I have a picture for you but really, I would just pass this one up unless you need a book or magazine or non-food item. The only thing I would advice you to grab in there (besides water) is a bag of unsalted nuts. There is a whole WALL of nuts, every kind. What you need to be cautious about is the amount of nuts you are buying. (Oh I'm sure there are many jokes to be had here.) If you can't just have 12 almonds or a small (I SAID SMALL) handful of peanuts, then just don't buy them. If you eat the whole bag you will eat your whole day worth of calories. It's easy to just eat, eat, eat and WHOOPS...the bag is gone. So, bring your own bag of unsalted almonds and avoid this trap.

Exit Essence and we're walking, walking, walking and we come to... SMOOTHING KING. I love Smoothie King. Love. Ugh. Mixed emotions as well. Most of the fruit is coated in syrup, which means sugar, which means its not a great option. I will say that this is a NEUTRAL option because it's likely to create a sugar high and find you still hungry after you finish. This means if you are trying to lose weight fast, avoid it...but if you are just looking to eat healthy and 'be good' then this is not a terrible option. Choose a smoothie that is 200 or less calories and Enjoy. They use all REAL ingredients and you can add a protein booster shot to help hold you over to your next meal.

In the same kiosk, there is a refridgerator with lots of 'healthy' looking options... but...really the only thing that we want to eat are those yummy red and green apples. I'm sure you asking, "Really, Jen, that's it?"...yes, that's it. The yogurts are surely full fat yogurts, the Chobanis are packed with sugar. If you find PLAIN Chobani, then that would be a "GO". So, let's go find some more options... I have a feeling there is something PERFECT within this Terminal.

Next up are two places across from each other: Hudson Bookstore and Ye Olde College Inn.

If you are looking for breakfast, I would just rest on some black coffee, apple/banana. If you are insistent, I would suggest the vegetable omlette (no cheese, no butter, hold the potatos). All you need to sustain you are the eggs and some vegetables. If you are brave, ask if they can cook you 2 eggs without butter with the side of fruit. That would be a ideal.

If you are looking for lunch, I would go with one of the salads, dressing on the side, no cheese (or cheese on the side), no bacon with a side of farm vegetables steamed no butter.

Feeling high maintenance...avoid this one as you'll need to adapt the menu offerings to fit our clean eating lifestyle. Remember your goal and picture it. Stay strong. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

Hudson News is across the way and ...well... its the same story as Essence News. A wall of nuts that require self control. So, grab a magazine, book or souvenir and pass on any food items. Don't worry, next walk up has some greatness in store (and some coffee).

Then finally, a place featuring salads with clean protein, little amounts of cheese and dressing on the side. Score. To add some irony, the place is called Cheesecake Scoop Cafe, but we'll be staying to the left where the healthy salads and water are featured front and center. Cheesecake? What cheesecake ice cream? When looking for a salad keep in mind these guidelines: 

• Little to no cheese
• Throw away those croutons
• Protein option should be clean (not fried, not coated in sauce/mayo, not battered) 
• Dressing on the side
• Look for a variety of Veggies featured within

I would choose the Shrimp Louis Salad as it has two sources of protein (boiled eggs and boiled shrimp) with dressing on the side which I will not use. If dressing is a must, then try to limit it to a teaspoon. Just enough for flavor that won't overload your nutritious salad with unhealthy fats. Need some extra spice? Try some black pepper. I try to make each bite last with some lettuce, an extra veggie and a bite of protein to help each fork bite taste super yummy.

Last up (but certainly not least), we have PJ's Coffee House. Can't go without coffee! Grab it black or grab some tea. No sugar, no fake sugar. YOU CAN DO IT!

Here's my final recommendations. Clean Eating Airport Style!! Let's do this!!

Clean eating at the airport is completely possible...YES...even in New Orleans. :)

Need a Refresh? The 3 Day Refresh Review

Let's face it...we had fun! But time to get back to basics.

Ever feel like you are rocking and rolling... on track, doing CRAZY AWESOME and them BOOM...something comes up and completely throws you off track. Holidays, parties, work dinners, you name it... for me it started with my recent 4 day sales meeting last week. Seriously, I so thought I had prepared, brought my snacks, was drinking water and still...I left feeling bloated and gross. Then I went and partied and ate like a champ that Friday night (because I 'deserved' it of course). Final conclusion...I needed a reboot; something to help me break this feeling, those small bad habits that were adding up so quickly. So, Saturday I started the 3 Day Refresh from Beachbody. I needed to start again mentally more than anything and I hoped that this would get me there.

Everything comes in these packets. Quick. Easy.

What is the 3 Day Refresh? 

The 3-Day Refresh is a scientifically designed program that helps you fast-track your weight loss, kick-start healthy eating, and get a clean break from bad nutrition habits. 3-Day Refresh is a simple, straightforward program that will help cleanse your body and improve the way you feel— without starving yourself. Unlike juice cleanses or liquid fasts which tend to be high in sugar and low in protein (leaving you feeling weak, hungry, and sluggish), this easy-to-follow program helps support your metabolism while nourishing your vital organs. For 3 days you’ll follow a program of 3 shakes a day, a fiber drink, plenty of filtered water, plus a wide array of fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats throughout the day to keep your energy and metabolism going.

What does each day look like?

• Morning: Shakeology with 1 fruit
• Mid-Morning: Fiber Sweep
• Lunch: Vanilla Protein Shake + 1 veggie  + 1 fruit + 1 healthy fat
• Mid-Afternoon: 1 veggie + 1 healthy fat
• Dinner: Vanilla Protein Shake + 1 veggie dinner option
• * Add in 3 optional tea breaks as needed

Vanilla Protein Shake? Does it taste good?

YES! This shake is delicious. My boyfriend kept telling me it smelled like cake batter and he wasn't far off. Delicious. High protein. Satisfying. Soy and Dairy FREE. 

Each meal is prepackaged so you don't have to scoop anything. This makes it simple, easy and quick. I often took mine to go wherever I was headed. The protein-rich formula helps curb your hunger with more than 20 grams of wholesome plant-based protein, 22 essential vitamins and minerals, probiotics for digestive health, and a patented potato protein extract clinically tested to curb your appetite. 

Fiber Drink...What's this about?

Each day you will drink a fiber drink an hour after you drink your Shakeology for breakfast. This drink gently and naturally eliminates waste from your digestive system with its patent-pending blend of whole ground flax, chia, and psyllium seed husks. Psyllium can help lower cholesterol, support healthy blood sugar levels, and may even reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, as part of a healthy diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Did it work? 

Easy answer YES! I lost 5.8lbs in 3 days and am amazed. Wasn't expecting that. I feel great. It was exactly what I needed to mentally get back on track. My mind feels clean, my body feels clean and I'm kind of excited to see the low 160s again. 

I am however, a little skeptical of how I will keep it off, so true test will be where I am at on Friday (in four days). The program is calorie restriction to about 900-1000 calories which will always produce results if you follow the program. My hope is that I will keep it off and use it as a tool to jump-start for my next challenge group. My goal is to get toned for bikini season and this definitely helped me start to get there. 

Was it hard to stick to it?

Oh how I don't like posting these pics,
but oh how they tell the story.

Yes and NO. The first day was an extreme challenge. I was HANGRY and my boyfriend didn't like it. I thought about giving up, or adding in extra foods this next day to keep me more satisfied. Looking back on it, I really think I was detoxing from all the bad junk I had been eating and drinking the week prior. The second and third day were easy breezy. I drank more tea to keep me satisfied and generally was satisfied throughout the day. The nights were a bit of struggle as I usually struggle with cravings after dark, but I stayed strong and glad I did. Now, I am motivated and ready to start really working the 21 Day Fix program and seeing a new toned tummy soon. July 4th is this magical date in my head that I've been working hard towards, trying for that bikini body. So, it's full force from here on out! 

Would you recommend it?

Yes... with caution. If you use this program to jump-start your weight loss or stop yourself from some bad eating habits or reverse a holiday/vacation weekend, I think this program is a GREAT idea. It's hard and challenging but produces results and I think most importantly breaks those bad habits that are ingrained in us (those pesky routine, unconscious cues). 

My caution come for those who use this strictly for the weight loss benefits as I think its important to view this as a cleanse. It's a once in a while reboot, refresh that should be used as a tool not a solution. So, if you are ready to jump start your weight loss and get ahead start. Absolutely...this is a great system to use before you start your new lifestyle eating. 

Want to TRY it?

If you think this is something that interests you email me at jennifergunnell@gmail.com or fill out the application below. I will absolutely coach you through this program so that you can see these results too. My advice is to start this as part of a challenge group incorporating Shakeology for 30 days. This way you can maximize this 3 Day Refresh into a 30 day clean eating challenge. We will start the challenge with the 3 Day Refresh then will replace one meal a day with Shakeology, incorporate clean eating and 30 minutes of exercise of your choice. 

Within the group, each day we will teach you how to eat clean, lose weight the healthy way, how to fight cravings, we will motivate you and teach you how to get results. Does this sounds like something you would want to do? 

Fill out my online form.

Blackberry Picking in the Sun

Last weekend, Chris surprised me with a fun trip to Brechtel Park for some healthy blackberry picking. Who would've thought that the city park would have such healthy free treats for us to snack on. It was the first day in quite some that it was sunny, breezy and not a cloud in sight. 

Did you know blackberries were high in Vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants? With only 62 calories in a cup, these bad boys are a great addition to your weekly fruit diet. They are sweet like candy and savory like chocolate. These are definitely our favorite fruit  across the board. 

I use this the most for my easy breakfast parfaits. Chris likes them most as a snack plain. Nutrition Tip: These do have 7 grams of sugar per cup already, the healthy natural kind, so try to add these to recipes in a healthy way without extra sugars. 

We were able to get a nice walk in the woods in addition to healthy treats to take home! 

Anyone who can tell me what this flower is gets +5 bonus points...

You know when Blackberries are ready to be picked  when they turn this deep black purple color.
The red ones still need some time. 

Wear long jeans if possible, being pricked by thorns is not so fun, but the prize is behind those thorns.

Blackberries galore! 

Do you have any fun, free, healthy activities that are right in your backdoor? Would love to hear! :)

Quick, Easy Meal Prep Sunday

I'm sure you've heard it before, diet is 80% of your results. What does that mean? Well, simply, you can't out exercise your diet. Believe me, I know it and lived it. Running and running and running and still had that extra weight slowing me down physically and figuratively. That is until it finally hit me...I need to be following the 80/20 rule. So, I cracked down on my nutrition and the weight started coming off.

One major tool that I started using was batch cooking my meals for the week. It took several weeks to get the hang of it, so patience is key, but it is well worth it. So, every Sunday or Monday, I will sit down and plan my week. For me, breakfast, lunch and snacks are where I often fall off the map. So, on Sunday, I'll make all of my breakfasts (this week is breakfast parfaits), then my salad bases, cook quinoa, make a healthy dressing and chop all my veggies. It takes me about an hour and I don't have to think about "what's for breakfast" or "what's for lunch", its all there packed in my fridge ready to eat.

My recommendation, especially as you are just starting out, is to make basically the same breakfast and lunch for the week. It simplifies your routine and sets you up for success. As weeks progress, you can build on variations to add some variety.

For dinners, we still cook our meals one by one as its just the two of us and we like to spend that time together in the kitchen. However, there are options for batch cooking dinners as well, so message me and I can give you some suggestions. I'm here to help coach you and want you to succeed!

It's a great idea to buy most of your foods in bulk since we are going to be eating many of the same foods. I have a Costco/Sam's list which is my 'monthly' list. Then each week I have a Grocery List which I use for the 'in-between' items.

This week was an 'in-between' week. It doesn't take much... all my groceries for this week fit in one of my grocery baskets and totaled $22. This is the stuff that I can't get at Costco/Sam's or stuff that I ran out of.

Grocery list: Greek Yogurt (0% fat/plan); salad mix, tomatoes, veggie broth, radishes, green onions, avocado and sprouts.

Steps to meal prep in an hour our less:

1. Start your quinoa. It takes the longest to cook. Recipe here. Chop onions, press garlic and get going. 
2. Chop all your veggies and assemble your salad bases (the base of your salad).
1. Grab your salad containers. You will use 1 green container for your salad greens. Then 1 container of the 'extras'. My 'extras' this week are bell pepper, cucumbers, radishes, green onions and tomatoes. Place everything in its own container for each day. I like to make these 2-3 days worth so that everything stays fresh then put the remaining veggies in a separate container (I call these the replenishment veggies). To note: You do not want to put your tomatoes on the salad until that day.

3. Next we will put all of our cutting utensils away, rinse and put directly into the  dishwasher. Looking for efficiency here.

4. Now, we'll move onto make our breakfast parfaits.This week I am doing 2 with mango/pinnapple and 2 with cherries. MMM.. Yum. These take NO TIME and are such a great breakfast or snack. 

5. Last up is making my homemade healthy ranch dressing. If anyone is interested in the recipe message me and I'll send. It takes maybe 5 mins, throw everything into a blender and go. 

Here is my fridge, post batch cooking. Organized and ready for a healthy week!

Hope this helps you set your week up for success! Happy Sunday and happy meal planning! Now get in that kitchen!!! :)

Herb Cauliflower Pizza

Confession: I have been dying to try out a recipe to make a pizza dough out of cauliflower. I mean...how cool and healthy is that?! Plus...we love to make healthy pizzas in our house. We can have our pizza and eat it too, RIGHT?! 

So, I finally braved the intimidation factor and went all in....and almost burned down our kitchen. WHAT?! But the final product was DELICIOUS and surprisingly enough Chris and I both looked at each other after the first bite, through the smoke that still filled the kitchen and said, "Yeah, we can do this again." But don't worry, I'll teach ya where we CLEARLY went wrong (and right). So here it is: Cauliflower Pizza (1/2 red; 2 greens, 1 blue)

MMM... jalopenos....yes please! 

First thing first, break up a full head of cauliflower and place it in a food processor or blender. I ended up having to do batches. 

This is what you will get...some very mushed up cauliflower. Check.

Place that goodness into a microwave safe bowl and cook for 4 minutes. 

Let cool for 5 mins because next we are going to put it into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze the living ba-jeezus out of it. Goal: remove all the water... and IT WILL come STREAMING out. 

And just when you thought you squeezed enough... squeeze some more! No more water for this cauliflower. 

Turn on your oven to 500 degrees. Yes... 500 big ole degrees. Cauliflower likes it hot! 

Now we're ready to prepare the crust. This is the where our herbs come in. Grab some rosemary and basil from the garden and mince. You can use dried if your garden is needing some attention. ;)

Next you will add 1 EGG, your herbs, and stir together until everything is incorporated. Then, roll into a ball and roll out onto some wax paper. I found using my hands worked best. You want it about a 1/4 of an inch thick so that it has weight and won't crack but is not too thin. 

 Now oil your pan however you like, we used Pam...then transfer the pizza onto the pan directly. Do not put the wax paper into the oven (or you will get smoke...lots of smoke). Cook for 10-15 mins. We are going for a nice brown crisp look. Ours cracked because we had to midway through remove the wax paper so we didn't burn the house down...but it ended up being a nice halfway point to cut. 

Now spread your pizza sauce. I used Hunt's Tomato Paste with Oregano and Basil spice already in it. It's the cheapest way to do sauce (67 cents) and its not so watery. The formal pizza sauce cost almost $4.00. No thank you. ;)

Next up toppings--> Add 2/3 cup of low moisture mozzarella cheese. 1/3 cup for each side. (This equals 1 blue and serves 2 people)

This is the fun part. Add whatever toppings you like. We like jalopenos and we had green bell peppers in the fridge. You can also do mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spinach, etc. 

Final step: Turn on Broil High and broil for 2-3 mins or until cheese is melted. Cut and serve!! 

MMMM.MMM. Who's making this tonight! 

  

Cauliflower Herb Pizza (Serves 2)

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 egg
• 1 sprig of Rosemary
• 1 sprig of Basil
• 2/3 low moisture Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 can of Hunt's Tomato Paste w/ Basil/Oregano Spices
• Toppings of choice

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Process cauliflower until it is finally mashed. 
3. Microwave for 4 minutes.
4. Let cool for 5 minutes, then squeeze all water out using a kitchen towel. 
5. Mix in a medium bowl, cauliflower 'dough', egg, and herbs.
6. On wax paper, roll out into pizza form using hands or spoon.
7. Spray cooking pan with oil and transfer dough to pan. 
8. Place in oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
9. Spread tomato paste on crust.
10. Add half of cheese to one side and half of cheese to the other.
11. Add toppings.
12. Broil on high for 2-3 minutes. 
13. Cut and enjoy! 

Enjoy! 

Breakfast Parfait (21 Day Fix)

Need a simple, quick way to get a good healthy breakfast in? Here's an idea. Breakfast Parfaits.

Make these ahead of time and you'll just need to pull out that mason jar and a spoon and you'll be on your way to a healthy, 21 Day Fix approved, breakfast.


Here's the scoop.

You'll need three things:

1. Greek Yogurt, Plain {1 red}
2. Rolled Oats {1 yellow}
3. Frozen fruit (your choice) {1 purple}

I get my rolled oats, frozen fruit and yogurt all from Costco.




Now, grab your containers, fill to the top and then layer... easy right? 

For added zest, you can add cinnamon or vanilla depending on the top of fruit you are using. For the mango parfait, I added cinnamon and for the cherry parfait, I added vanilla.

Make all at once and you'll have breakfast ready for a week!

Oh my gosh, these are SUCH a hit. So, QUICK and super DELICIOUS. Even my non-breakfast eating boyfried ate his all up (for a snack, lol).

Some "just woke up" hair and a yummy breakfast. Get out of bed and GO!

Try this week and let me know what you think? 

Enjoy!