Practicing What I Preach....

Ooh Spring!! This happens to be my favorite and least favorite season at the same time. My favorite because we get out of winters chill, the earth is green and the plants are in bloom. My least favorite because I am a sufferer of allergies so this is the season I feel the worst. The warming temps are a constant reminder that summer is on its way really soon and like most I am in a frenzy of trying to get my summer body.

Few know or I make it known that I have a degree in Nutrition. In the past I have written menus, exercise and diet tips for people who are trying to get into better shape. I figured its about time that I practice what I preach. I have a great disdain for exercising and an immense pleasure for food! Don’t get me wrong I don’t go out on food binges in fact it’s the opposite. I don’t eat enough. I can have breakfast and go for the entire day without eating another meal. A horrible eating habit that makes your body go into starvation mode, slows the metabolism and stores whatever you do eat as fat. 

I finally had a lil talk with myself and decided that now is the time to change my ways. I know better therefore I can do better for myself. Its not about getting skinny, its just about being a healthier me. The joy I will have to not suck in my stomach or to actively want to take a ton of pictures because I know I wont look chubby in them. Its time to practice what I preach. To use this expensive Culinary Nutrition Degree I have along with exercise to become a better me. 

Since starting on my fit journey I have come up with a couple of tricks to help me along the way. The most challenging thing for me thus far is eating. I have to go through great lengths to make sure I am eating something every 2-3 hours. My go to items have been whole fruit, oat-bran muffins and smoothies. The oat-bran muffins are a recipe that I came up with one day. I wanted something that was easy to whip up, filling, healthy but low in calories. They are gluten free and the different dried fruits/ nuts can be substituted out for what you prefer.

Oat Bran Muffins aka Everything but the Kitchen Sink Muffins 13 servings, approx. 195 cal.
Vegetable Oil                  1 Tablespoon
Apple Sauce                   1/2 Cup
Greek Yogurt-plain           6 ounces 
Banana- ripe                   2-each
Eggs                              2 each
Agave Nectar                  3 Tablespoons
Oatmeal- plain uncooked   1 cup
Oat bran- plain uncooked   1 cup
Baking Powder                 1 teaspoon
Wheat Germ                   1/2 cup
Almonds, sliced               1/2 cup
Cranberries- dried           1/2 cup
Coconut- shredded           1/2 cup

Preheat oven for 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, mash ripe bananas with a fork. Once mashed, add vegetable oil, apple sauce, greek yogurt, agave nectar and eggs.

In another mixing bowl combine the rest of dry ingredients making sure everything is thoroughly combined.
Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix. 
With a muffin tin- either spray muffin tin or use paper liners. 
Using a 1/3 cup measure, scoop out batter and fill.
Sprinkle tops of muffins with oats (optional) and bake for 25 minutes or until top is firm to touch

Now usually I don't do this however, being that this is a personal blog I am going to post a picture of my starting point and progress thus far. I will post an updated blog in June sometime so you guys can see if I am actually practicing what I preach. Don't fear this will not turn into a fitness rant. I will remain true to food. A lil change sometimes is good though. 

CRINGE !!!

The glasses are day one, without the glasses are 3 weeks later, 11 pounds lighter

Now time to go work out! 

Hello World

HELLOOOOOO WORLD!!!

          Welcome to my blog. Well i guess for starters an intro is in order. So here goes..... My name is Shaquay and I am from NYC. A true native being born in Brooklyn, raised in Queens and now reside in Harlem. Since the age of about 5 i always knew that I was going to be a chef. I always was in the kitchen watching my mother and grandmother make family meals. As a young child I was also heavily influenced by my older brother Darius (2 time CHOPPED champion :) who is also a chef and has been since I was about 6 years old. Since I already knew what I wanted to do as a career, picking a college was easy for me. I knew that I had wanted to go away, live on a campus, study culinary arts and have my peers be around my age. So the obvious choice was Johnson And Wales University. I went to the Providence, Rhode Island campus where I got my AS in Culinary Arts and my BS in Culinary Nutrition. After JWU, I worked in many kitchens in different places in Anguilla, Colorado, New Jersey and New York. 

          Back on the subject of my brother, people constantly asked me " are you a chef because of your brother" which I get why people would ask because of the coincidence that my mothers two children are both chefs. However that comment is also irritating to me because if people knew how much went into being a chef, they wouldn't say such a thing as me doing it just because of my brother. Its not all glamorous... sure you make meals, are able to be creative, work with different ingredients which is all fun. However this profession is not for the weak..... it will break you down. Being a chef is also EXTREMELY physical, on your feet 12+ hours a day, lifting and carrying pounds, running around a HOT kitchen (i have worked in kitchens over 100 degrees) and the injuries. I have cut myself numerous times and have countless burns on my arms and hands due to my job. Slicing the tip of my finger off with a mandolin, steam burns to the hand, burning my forearm with an oven door and burning grease splattering on my face and hand are just a few injuries that i have gotten over the years. So as you can see, if it wasn't for the love of what I do, there would be no way I would do it.

          So I know you are wondering........ why are you doing a blog? Well i have always had an interest in food writing, being a food critic, food photography and food styling. I love going to restaurants and being a critic, taking pictures of a cool plate and eating something interesting and unique. I have more pictures of food on my camera than actual people. So, this blog will be a mainly a restaurant review- only my opinions so hopefully people wont take offense. Every now and then I will post a recipe that needs to be shared and little anecdotes of my professional life, travels and how it relates to the topic. I want to do something unpretentious, educational and fun. A great read and view points from a person that is a chef but doesn't take herself too seriously. Because in the end..... its just food :)