For the last, gosh I don’t know, seven or eight years, my best friend Lynn D. and I have been obsessed with the Biggest Loser. This is when I don’t mind admitting to you that I watch TV every Tuesday night not only for the inspiring stories, training ideas, eating tips, and cutie Bob Harper… but for a good CRY! 

Love him!

It never fails. I’ll cry if a contestant loses a pound or doesn’t, if they throw-up while working out, and at the end of each episode when there’s an update about the eliminated player. Oh! And if Jillian or Bob cry, I cry ever harder. I pretend I’m not but Andy always calls me out because I start to sob, even if they’re tears of joy. It’s one of the reasons I had to stop watching the TV show Parenthood…and plus it’s on past my bedtime! 

Lynn and I will place bets during the season on who’s going to win and be named Biggest Loser and of course we are always shocked at how much they’ve lost and what they look like in the end. How do they do it? I guess working out for five to seven hours a day with world-class trainers will help jump-start the lose! But I love the week when they leave the Biggest Loser Ranch and there is no gym, no Jillian, no Bob, and no refrig stocked with lean and green foods. Welcome to the real world right??!! 

When the big guys ask what they’re suppose to do without the gym, Bob always encourages them to use what they’ve got, and since I don’t have any small hand weights at home, and I did a mini circuit this afternoon, I used these butternuts as a replacement! Butternut Bicep Curls anyone??!!!

I know, I amuse you!

Losing weight is hard man! And maintaining it can be even harder! I’ve lost about 25 pounds since last October and I basically had to change my diet to include more protein and good fats, as opposed to all the heavy Italian and Midwestern food I was eating before. If only I had started creating healthy soup recipes 10 years ago, I would have been fine. The winters were literally so cold in Chicago, that I lived on soup and grilled cheese to warm up in between long walks to different buses and yoga studios. Here’s to sunny, warm California! 

Squash yoga!

I think I’ve got these squash arm balances down! Time to test out handstands!

I stumbled upon this Biggest Loser Simple Swaps Cookbook while I was carousing the library last week and I’ve found some really good recipes like Mini Apple Gingerbread Cupcakes, Sunrise Polenta with Vanilla and Blueberries and a Vegetarian Eggplant Lasagna. Yum! The book also gives you easy tips for making better choices like swapping lasagna noodles for veggies or swapping traditional yogurt for Greek-style, or even eating almonds by the handfuls instead of granola. Plus there’s pictures of the previous contestants from years past and what they looked like before and after… even more motivation to make better food decisions!  

Here’s a healthy Butternut Squash soup I created this afternoon in my slow cooker. I’m headed to the LuLuLemon Trunk Show in SLO this evening after my class, so I want to have something prepared for when I get home, exhausted from shopping and with no energy to cook! Oh! And I found this new product at the store today…. did you know Blue Diamond now makes Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Coconut Milk? Me either! There was only one left on the shelf so they must be going fast. After I had a taste, I knew this had to be in my soup! Especially because it has only 45 calories per cup and no sugar!!! 

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Biggest Loser Approved!

Butternut Squash Soup, Biggest Loser Style- makes one large crock pot worth 

Ingredients:

-1 large butternut squash, halved and de-seeded 

-2 apples, peeled and de-cored (I used a Fiji and a Granny Smith)

-1 and 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth 

-1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond coconut milk 

-1 heirloom tomato 

-5 cloves garlic, minced 

-5 celery stalks

-1 small red onion 

-1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated 

-1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, apple pie and pumpkin pie spice 

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Save the seeds and you can roast them later for a snack!

2. Chop up all of the vegetables and place them, the liquids, and spices, in the crock pot. 

3. When the squash is soft, let it cool and then scoop it out of its skin and place it in the crock pot too. 

4. Cook on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.. unless you aren’t home, than don’t!

5. Use your blender to make the soup smooth and creamy! Enjoy! 

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Oh! And I did NOT forget to rub it in the face of all you Cardinal fans out there (Jillian!)… because, yes I am a true fan and not on the Red Sox insta-bandwagon! And to Boston we go for Game 6! Woot woot! Thanks to my lovely student Kent for this yummy bottle of Grenache Blanc that he gifted me to celebrate the win last night! Now that’s the spirit! 

Check out Tolosa! I love their wines!