Friday, November 30, 2018

How To Make An Amazing Cheese Board in 3 Steps

Cheese boards are one of the best ways to please all your guests. They look gorgeous with a variety of colors and textures – and can often double as a centerpiece. And the options are limitless, so appealing to different palates and preferences. There are so many delicious combinations!

Bonus: “No cooking required” means you have more time to enjoy the company of your guests (or tend to other kitchen tasks).

cheese board 3 step charcuterie platter

But if you don’t know a lot about cheese or charcuterie boards – it can be intimidating (or expensive if you try to buy every kind of cheese and cracker in the store!). So I’m sharing 3 easy steps to make an amazing and impressive Cheese Board featuring Real California cheeses – that means real food from real people!

3 Steps to Make an Amazing Cheese Board

1. Cheese – choose 3 different types of Real California Cheese.

This is usually where it can get intimidating because there are so many different types of cheese! And that’s a good thing when you love cheese!! But it’s not great if you aren’t sure what types of cheese work on a board and want to make it a quick trip to the grocery store.

The first step is to make sure you have 1 of each type of cheese. They’re often categorized by firmness and texture so if you want to keep it simple, get one firm / semi-firm cheese, one soft / spreadable cheese and one blue veined cheese.

Feel free to get more than this! But at minimum you should start with these varieties and add any others that look good.

1 – hard cheese

1 – soft cheese

1 – strong cheese

1 – bonus: your favorite cheese

Tip: Aim for 2-3 servings of each cheese per person.

Try this: If you’re serving with wine – cut out the middleman and serve a wine-soaked cheddar, which is not only delicious but also adds a fun color and conversation piece to the board.

Remember to look for the Real California Milk seal when buying cheese for your spread to ensure it is made with 100% Real California Milk from Real California Dairy families. You can also get information on Cheese 101 (storage, nutrition and their cheese makers) on the Real California Milk – Cheese section.

2. Crackers, Bread or other vehicles for enjoying the cheese

Choose 2 carb options for the board. Ideally, at least one should be crunchy – think crackers or mini toasts. The second pick can also be crunchy or you can do bread – think pita or sliced baguette.

Keep in mind the cheese you got and get something that will complement it. You might want to get a mild cracker if you chose very strong, flavorful cheese. If you went with mild cheeses, a seeded or cracker with fruit and nuts might work well.

1 – crunchy or salty

1 – soft or sweet

The possibilities of textures and flavors are practically endless in this area. You can do crackers or bread – or both! Just make sure the flavors complement the cheese. If you chose very strong cheese flavors – go with mild crackers that won’t compete with the flavors.

3. The Extras (that complement the flavors)

Fresh Fruits & Vegetables– choose 1 of each (ideally different colors).

This category serves double duty on the cheese board because they’re tasty and add some great color. The best fruits and veggies are the ones that are in season. Shop for produce that’s at the peak of season for the best flavors. And fruits and veggies are often cheaper when they’re plentiful.

1 – fresh fruit

1 – fresh veggie

Sweet – choose 1 sweet treat to complement a strong cheese.

1 – jam, honey or spread

You can use honey or jam that you already have – just serve it in a nice bowl or cup. And make it easy for guests to serve themselves with a small spoon nearby.

Salty – choose 1 sweet treat to complement a milder cheese.

Examples: nuts, pickles, hummus, olives, etc.

Tip: Sprinkling nuts in any bare areas of your cheese board make it look more plentiful too.

Read the breakdown of each category and screenshot this checklist (or print it out) and take it to the store with you. Enjoy!

*Look for the Real California Milk seal when you’re shopping for dairy. The seal means it’s made with Real California Milk – from dairy farms all around the state.

Check out more >>> Tips & the delicious cheese board I made when I met with some of the Real California Milk team in San Francisco here!

Do you have a favorite cheese & cracker combo?

I love cheddar and whole grain crackers with a dab of honey. Sooooo good!

This post is in partnership with Real California Milk. All opinions are my own. #SavortheSeason #Holidairy #CADairy #sponsored

The post How To Make An Amazing Cheese Board in 3 Steps appeared first on Run Eat Repeat.

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Started 4 (M23)onths ago, just lost 1/8th of my body weight.

I hit 220 on the scale last night. I’d stared at it in August (leaning over to see around my gut) and seen 250. There was this voice in my head just saying “that’s an 1/8th of a ton bro. An EIGHTH!!!”

I snapped. I re-downloaded my fitness pal, bought a jug of protein powder, and started the one form of torture the government is ruled too extreme for terrorists: jogging. 3.5 miles a day.

Backstory: I’d started working out and eating better in my senior year of high school, and by graduation I’d hit 188. I was happy with that, but then college happened. Going to a new school away from everything I knew led to a sedentary lifestyle with poor nutritional choices (read: pizza, video games, and more pizza). So by the end of my freshman year, I was 235.

The “freshman 15” is coined because that’s the average a new student gains. I’d hit the freshman 50.

Luckily, things improved in my personal life. I’d made friends, and got out from living with a shitty roommate to being an RA. Sophomore year went fine, no gain. But junior year, a lot of outside factors crept in: parents had a tough divorce, money concerns over college, and my job was seriously starting to affect my mental health. I was 240 when I graduated, now suffering from depression, which also didn’t help with weight loss.

I started work in FEMA, just in time for Hurricane Harvey to hit. Hardest thing I ever did, and being rushed because of a disaster was good for the depression and the weight. I lost 10 pounds because of that. Then I got home, and started driving for Jimmy Johns. That obviously involved a lot of sandwiches and not a lot of movement, so I was at 250 before I knew it.

So on August first I started the torturous journey of getting back into shape. I bought some basic weights, and just started working on it hard. I started logging my meals and calories, and eating the right things. I was horrified at where I was, and I wanted to change it.

Fast forward to now. It’s been four months, and I’m down 12.5% of my body weight to 220 pounds. There is literally 1/8th less fat on me, and I’m in the best shape I’ve been since I was 18. I’ve had to put aside half of my wardrobe to put back on what I haven’t been able to wear in years. I look in the mirror and for once I don’t think “shit, Clark Kent let himself go” (that’s roughly what I look like)

And I’m still going, I’m planning on getting down to 170 by August of next year. I’m going to kick my own ass, and I can’t wait.

But through all of this, I’ve been lurking here. I’ve seen people help each other out, and support each other. And it’s made a real difference to a lot of people.

So I’m making my first post and I’m really excited. Thanks for all the motivation!

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Fun Friday Discussion: Are there any gadgets/apps that have helped you stay on track?

With the holiday season upon us, I thought it would be fun to know if there has been any gadgets, apps, appliances, etc. that have helped you lose weight or stay motivated? I know it all comes down to CICO, and no gimmick can replace that equation, but let's face it, weight loss can be boring, so having something to make it fun can help with motivation.

For me:

MyFitnessPal- this is an obvious one for people on this community, but this app is a lifesaver. I recently discovered a widget on my phone to put the calories remaining on my home screen, which is a good reminder.
FitBit- I have an old version, and it does help me stay motivated to move more. I generally don't count back the calories from thing like walking, and know it isn't always accurate...but still, there is something motivating for trying to reach those 10,000 steps. Especially if I'm having a lazy Saturday, seeing "200 steps" in a day makes me get off my lazy ass.
SodaStream- I bought one on Black Friday and already am obsessed. I'm just using it for unflavoured fizzy water, and find it helps me drink more water during the day, and also reduces my desire to drink unhealthy beverages like juice. I put some lime or lemon in it, and for some reason, it's just more enjoyable than regular water.

What about you? Anything else I should be adding to my wish list?

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Face gains from about 180 to around 135:)

https://ibb.co/W64fvqy https://ibb.co/LgFFzWG The first one is the other day at around 135 and the second is from a few years ago at ~180. I showed the guy I recently started dating, and he mentioned that I didn’t look that chubby before, but with the weight loss my whole face just looks different. And he’s right! It’s crazy. I always thought that because I didn’t have a double chin I wasn’t carrying weight in my face, but I definitely was!

Im posting the text twice to get around the post getting blocked for having too little content :/

https://ibb.co/W64fvqy https://ibb.co/LgFFzWG The first one is the other day at around 138 and the second is from a few years ago at ~180. I showed the guy I recently started dating, and he mentioned that I didn’t look that chubby before, but with the weight loss my whole face just looks different. And he’s right! It’s crazy. I always thought that because I didn’t have a double chin I wasn’t carrying weight in my face, but I definitely was!

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I gained two pounds and it's seriously making me upset

I'm a 5'1 19yo female and I started my weight loss journey after peaking at 134lbs August 2017. Long story short by May I had gotten down to 116lbs and by October 114. I plateaued for a while and after I realized I was way over estimating how many calories I burned exercising I got down to 110-111 (depending on the morning) and that was like a dream come true. I stayed 110.2 all the way until Nov 17. Then Nov. 24 was 112. Now I'm 113. 113 has been consistent since Monday so I don't think it's a "I ate too much salt last night" kinda thing. The correlation with the weight gain being that I started eating at maintinence instead of at a deficit because I started weight training (I haven't been weight training long enough to gain two pounds of muscle). Back to a deficit I guess...

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6 Things to Do on Friday for a Weekend of Weight Loss

It’s Friday! Congratulations. On this day of celebration, the last thing you probably want to think about is talking about weight loss—you’ve worked all week and want to cut loose! While you should relax, know that the weekends can be a results-crusher after a week of great weight loss work: Studies have shown that dieters eat more extra calories on Saturdays than any other day and why, according to a study, people usually weigh in heaviest on Monday mornings—they’ve just finished a two-day binge. The solution? A weekend weight loss plan!

It doesn’t have to be all plates of carrots and drudgery, though.

A Weight Loss Tip for Every Day of the Week

Follow these six tips on Friday to set yourself up for weekend weight loss:

1. Start the day with a protein-rich breakfast.

Fridays can be full of temptations: Coworkers bring in baked treats, a cool manager might order pizza for the office or people might invite you to an extended lunch. You’ve only got so much willpower: Eating protein in the a.m. can make it go farther: Protein takes longer for your body to digest, so it stays in your system, making you feel fuller, longer, than a fast-acting carb breakfast. That’s probably why, in a 2013 study, overweight people who ate breakfast with 35 grams of protein ate fewer high-fat, high-sugar snacks in the evening compared with those who ate cereal or no breakfast at all. If you’re on the Nutrisystem program, you’re in luck: All of our meals and snacks are prepared with the best balance of protein, carbs and fats. So dive right in to one of our morning meals (and feel free to add one of your PowerFuel allotments with the meal for an added protein boost if you’d like!).

Click here to find weight loss-friendly, high-protein breakfasts to start your day right >

2. Hold off until Happy Hour.

Once you’ve got a good plan, the key to weekend weight loss success is compliance. But nobody’s perfect: That’s why many coaches and diets aim for an 85 to 90 percent compliance rate for success. So if you’re on-plan that percentage of the time, you increase your chances of seeing results. If you’ve got 21 meals per week, an 85-percent success rate is about 18 on-plan meals each week. So don’t use up all your splurges on Friday with a big, lavish lunch and trips to the vending machine, or else you won’t have any wiggle room for the weekend. Besides, Saturday is best for splurges: Studies have shown that’s the day dieters consume the most extra calories.

How to Have a Healthier Happy Hour

So on Friday, hold off until Happy Hour. Eat your normal meals on your plan, eating healthy snacks that you’ve planned for and enjoy a celebratory treat that evening as you remember the week’s success.

3. Gameplan: Look at Saturday’s menu now.

If you’re headed out to dinner Saturday, look at the menu for the restaurant online on Friday. If your Saturday meal isn’t planned as a cheat, look for options that will fit in with your weight loss goals, with lean protein, lots of veggies and in reasonable portions. If the restaurant’s a chain, you can probably even find calorie counts listed online for more precision in your decision.

If Saturday’s meal is a cheat, look at reviews: If you’re going to have your splurge, make sure what you’re ordering is going to be good. And once you’re there, even if it is your splurge, stick to a reasonable portion: Consult this Eating Out Guide to make sure you are sticking to your weekend weight loss plan no matter where you go out to eat.

Click on the link below to see the full Eating Out Guide with tips on how to eat at every type of restaurant you might go to this weekend!

The Nutrisystem Dining Out Guide

4. Chop it up.

If you’re going to be spending some weekend time at home curled up watching movies or yelling at a football game with friends, be prepared: Spend a few minutes this morning cutting up vegetables and fruits into bite-size pieces in snack-sized containers to stock the fridge. Then, when it’s TV time—or just when you get snackish—there will be healthy options that are as easy to grab as any bag of junk. And the act of cutting them could be helpful overall: In a study from the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, more time spent on food prep was associated with healthier eating habits—like eating more fruits and veggies—and with saving money on food. How’s that for some weekend weight loss?

If fruits and vegetables just won’t do, try one of these 20 delicious, weight loss-friendly snack options >

5. Plan a longer workout for the weekend.

Come on, you’ve got the time and it doesn’t have to be a slog. Become a tourist in your own hometown: Look on sites like TripAdvisor for high-rated hikes, walks and parks you haven’t visited before and grab a friend or reconnect with your spouse over a longer walk than you’d normally do during the week. The walk will also help you create and retain new memories—literally: In a nine-year study, those who walked six to nine miles per week lowered their risk of developing memory loss by half compared to those who walked less. The study, published in a 2010 issue of the journal Neurology, found that the walkers had more gray matter in their brains.

10 Reasons to Go For a Walk Today

6. Set your Saturday alarm for the normal time.

You may be tempted to sleep in, but shifting your wake-up time significantly can shift your sleep cycle—leading to worse sleep all week. A study of 2,700 high school students found that weekend sleep shifts left them “jet lagged” when they got to school on Monday, affecting their performance and weekly sleep schedule. Also, losing sleep can cause weight gain: Losing as little as 30 minutes of sleep every weekday can result in weight gain and have significant effects on insulin resistance, increasing your risk for Type 2 diabetes.

So set your Saturday alarm for the normal time: You might need an extra cup of coffee, but you’ll sleep better when the weekdays roll back around—and be better rested to stay on the weight loss path.

Sleep Better Tonight to Lose Weight Tomorrow

The post 6 Things to Do on Friday for a Weekend of Weight Loss appeared first on The Leaf.

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3 Recovery Techniques to Optimize your Workout

Over the past 15 years, I’ve had my fair share of clients who get frustrated or hit plateaus with their exercise routine. What I’ve learned in this situation is that most of my clients weren’t overtraining, but rather they were under-recovering. While they were putting in the hard work and long (sweaty) hours, they weren’t putting in the intentional time to unplug and recover!

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