I love Thanksgiving!

No matter what culture, race or religion you are, you can always find a reason to enjoy this day.

For me, I consider Thanksgiving “family and friends” day.

In today’s hectic work world, I am thankful for all the holidays because it gives me the chance to take off and spend the days with people I adore.

Another obvious reason that I love this Turkey day is because of all the yummy food!

Yes, most households will cook up the traditional Turkey and stuffing, but depending on the culture and upbringing, you may find other unique side dishes on the table as well.

My Thanksgiving started with me rolling out of bed at 6:30 am after a long night of music and friends. I brushed my teeth, pulled back my bed head and hopped in the car to drive to my mom’s in Lancaster, PA (1.5 hours away). Most people will fast the whole morning to make us much room in their belly for the huge feast, but I like to keep my meals small regardless. Instead of showing up starving to my mom’s, I stopped by Starbucks for a double shot Espresso to wake me up and ordered an egg white whole grain muffin to hold me over until lunch.

I arrived at my mom’s at 9:30 am and walked into a house of flavorful aromas. Mmmmm..

Unlike most households where a few family members combine their cooking efforts to create a great meal, our household is a bit different. At my mama’s house, she whips up all the dishes before the guests even arrive. My mom has always been and still is an amazing cook. I’m amazed at how clean the kitchen stays too while she creates magic in the kitchen.

In the next room, my little brother Yousef was still knocked out from his night out and my other bro Khalid was on his way from Harrisburg where he currently lives.

Being the cool sister that I am, I stomped into Yousef’s room and abnoxiously woke his butt out of bed “You and mom are the worst!” as he made his way out of the bed. My older bro Mo and my dad couldn’t be with us since they’re living in Kuwait, so we called them when Khalid arrived.

Yes, my Thanksgiving was quiet but it was still filled with love

Instead of eating late, we set the table at noon and had a Thanksgiving lunch. Mmmmm… Wait until you see what my mama made!

Ooooo… Her Garlic Roasted Turkey smelled and looked delicious! This big guy was marinated all night and then slow cooked in the oven for a few hours.

My favorite part of the turkey is the gigantic

juicy leg. I like to pretend that I’m in the Renaissance era and barbarically bite into it!

Now for the side dishes!

My mama knows how much I love my veggies, so she made a special steamed veggie dish full of brussel sprouts, carrots, broccoli and sweet potatoes. Yes, I love brussel sprouts! lol

In addition to the regular stuffing, my mom hooked up some safron seasoned, basmatti rice. Light, fluffy and delicious.  The stuffing was tasty, but I prefer rice any day.

Another delicious side dish that made it on to the Thanksgiving menu this year was a black bean, tomato and cilantro stew. I think this won for the best item of the day! It was hearty, tangy and fulfilling. I made sure this was coming home with me!

So here’s what my plate looked like!

Instead of the huge plates, I grabbed a medium sized plate and scooped a little bit of everything.

I tore apart bits of the turkey drumstick, scooped a cup full of basmatti rice, a few spoons of black bean stew and loaded up on veggies.

For dessert, I grabbed a few chunks of fruit and called it a day.

Now that I showed you a peak into my Thanksgiving day, I would love to hear and see pictures of yours!

Email me or leave a comment!

Happy Holidays everyone!

xoxo

Thanksgiving dinner always ends up with a bunch of leftover white turkey meat. Instead of eating the same ol’ turkey carvers all week, I like to transform the bland meat into a delicious, flavorful turkey salad.

Check out my yummy recipe for lean turkey, cranberry & walnut salad!

Ingredients:

• a bunch of white turkey leftover meat (2-3 cups)
• 2 x finely chopped celery stalks
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 oz chopped walnuts
• 1-2 tbsp low fat mayo/ miracle whip
• dash of salt n peppa
• dash of garlic powder

Preparation:

• Shred your turkey meat to your liking.. I love chunks!
• mix all ingredients in a bowl
• store in fridge for a hour before serving

Scoop this delicious concoction on to whole grain bread or right on to a bed of greens. If you’re in the mood to cook some more, then try a yummy sandwich with a warm cup of butternut squash soup!

click here for that recipe.

My legs are still soar from doing Lisa’s leg workout on Monday!

It feels great!

Now that I showed you a few of our muscle sculpting moves, I promised that I would share with you a sample of my menu.

Since I’m training a little harder, upping my calories is necessary to maintain my muscle. Once again, you can consult a trainer to see how many calories you should be taking in while on the program.

Ready to drool! Check out a sample day menu

Being that it’s getting chilly out and we’re nearing winter time, I like to prep something warm and cozy for breakfast.

8 am. After my 45 min cardio session, I drive home and hook up a pumpkin oatmeal pie… mmmmm

Mix 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 scoop vanilla protein, 1/2 cup egg whites, 1/2 cup oats, 2 packets of sweetener, pumpkin spice and microwave for 6 min. You can also make this on your stove top but it will take a little longer.

11 am. Three hours later, my belly is asking for some fuel so I heat up my pre made chicken, vegetable stir fry.

I usually cut up 3 oz of chicken, 1-2 cups of veggies like zucchini, eggplant and broccoli, and measure 1/2 cup of brown rice. For seasoning, I use salt n peppa, shredded ginger and a little bit of low sodium soy sauce.

2:30 pm. By this time, I’m craving my cup of Joe and a guilt-free dessert.

Caffeine around mid afternoon is the perfect picker upper to get me through another few hours of work, and coconut coco cream is a delicious sugar free, high protein bar. Mmmmm… The protein keeps me satisfied and suppresses my appetite until dinner time. It’s so good, you’ll forget it wasn’t a candy bar.

6 pm. Dinner’s ready! I like to keep my night meals light yet yummy.

I love poaching a piece of salmon and steaming asparagus.

Squeeze a little lemon juice, throw in a little dill and end it with tiny drizzle of olive oil.

Just what my belly needed!

8 pm. Most nights, you’ll find me taking a break on the couch by this time and craving a snack.

My favorite night snack is either a protein bar, or a fresh juice.

This might sound nuts, but it really tastes delicious!

In a blender throw in a handful of Kale, celery, parsley, ginger, red cabbage and one scoop of vanilla protein to sweeten it up and a little bit of coconut oil… Not only is it refreshing, but so detoxifying.

I hope you enjoyed a sneak peak into my day! I truly love eating healthy and working out because I have created a regimen that I enjoy. Adding flavors and variety to my meals leads me craving more healthy eats. Just because you’re on a diet, doesn’t mean you have to eat bland boring foods.

If you need some fun guilt-free recipes, check out some of my health food concoctions that I post on Sundays.

Happy Holidays!

It has been two weeks since committing to working out with my personal trainer Lisa. We meet three nights a week for an intense upper and lower body routine.

All I have to say is WOW!

I can’t believe the difference she has made in my body. In just these two weeks, I have noticed more definition in my shoulders, back, arms and chest. My thighs are leaner and calves are turning into lean sexy muscles.

I love you Lisa!

“Why does someone like you, who already knows how to workout seek a trainer?”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that in the last few weeks.

Yes, I can do fine working out alone, but with my schedule getting even more hectic, I wanted to make sure that I don’t slack off. Did you know that even Jillian Michaels has a personal trainer! She even feels the need to have someone boss her around.

Teaming up with Lisa has sparked even more drive to achieve a more powerful body! I’m so excited about this new fitness regimen that I wanted to share some of my new program with you.

The following is just a sample of what I do, so please don’t hurt yourself trying to copy it. Consult a personal trainer before to make sure that your body is ready. Be patient and take it easy and you’ll find yourself at the finish line faster than you know it. Rushing will only lead to frustration and even injury.

So here’s my weekly schedule:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday, Lisa has asked that I get 45 minutes of HIT (high intensity training) cardio preferably on the elliptical because she noticed an injury in my left knee. The elliptical is less harsh on my knees than the stair stepper and treadmill.

When do I fit this in? 5:30 am is when you will find me jamming out to my favorite tunes while busting a sweat on the elliptical.

I also meet up with Lisa on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but after work. By 5:45 pm, I’m in Lisa’s home gym with my workout gear and gloves ready to feel the burn.

We have dedicated Mondays and Fridays to lower body, and Wednesday to upper. Every meeting starts off with a 15 minute ab blasting routine that brings out the potty mouth in me.

Lisa makes sure that every workout is challenging and switches it up when she notices my body is getting used to it. Changing up your workout every so often will cause your muscles to work harder and boost results.

Check out a few of the power sculpting routines that Lisa puts me through. Most of these can be done at home or at your gym.

Booty work!

Lisa has definitely whipped my butt into shape these last two weeks with intense burning lunges, squats, dead lifts, leg curls and more. The key to maximizing your results is to have proper form and momentum. Without proper form, you may skimp on targeting the necessary muscles. As far as momentum, going too fast or slow can also minimize your results.

Lat Pull downs! Lisa has shown me the proper way of pulling that bar down and targeting back muscles I never felt were there.  One secret to sexy muscles is the squeezing of the back muscles at the end of each pull down.

Arnold press! This is a cool motion that combines the use of your shoulder, chest and biceps. Stand in front of a mirror and watch your biceps and shoulders start forming. In a few weeks, you’ll look like Michelle Obama!

If you want to know more about my routine, send me a message!

Tune in later this week to see what I’ve been eating during this training period with Lisa!

Keep in mind, I’m not training for any competition nor trying to be a super model. I’m training merely for the reason of being healthy and looking my best. Love, Ghada

coconut coco cream is 2 ounces of delicious high protein that fits perfectly into your day!

You’re late to work and need a quick bite to hold you over until lunch time. You’re not in the mood for a greasy egg sandwich, so you stop by a gas station to check out their protein bars.

With all the varieties in front of you, you’re still confused! This one has a million grams of protein, this one is “natural” with fruits and nuts, this one looks too body building-like and this one just sounds gross… Another thing you notice is that most of these are sugar loaded!   Ugghhh…

Trust me, I feel your frustration. In the last few years, I have resorted to making my own protein concoctions at home to avoid the excess sugars and carbs that most of these store brands contain. Low carb protein bars like Atkins contain zero sugar, but provide very little amounts of protein.

Since I love incorporating protein in my day to help rebuild my muscles and suppress my appetite, I thought.. “why keep spending money on all these ingredients when I can just make my own?” As crazy as that sounded to everyone around me, I began doing the research to make this happen.

I began contacting companies and formulators to better understand the process and cost. One thing led to another and I found myself in the midst of planning, creating cute little wrappers and formulating a winning delicious recipe!

After a year of this fun-filled madness of trying to come up with the perfect, guilt free protein bar, I now bring you smallworld beauty’s first official high protein bar. YAY!

smallworld beauty’s coconut coco cream is 2 ounces of delicious high protein that fits perfectly into your day!

Finally a bar that provides 18 g of superior protein

Contains ZERO sugar, ZERO artificial sweeteners, ZERO hydrogenated oils, and ZERO preservatives.

Did we mention that these bars are gluten free too!

Oh wait! They’re even perfect for “carb conscience” dieters with only 2 g of Net Carbs.

smallworld beauty’s coconut coco cream is the perfect snack to help boost your weight loss efforts. Not only will you help build sexy muscles, but you’ll also keep cravings at bay.

These bars taste so good and decadent that you’ll forget that you’re watching your calories!

I’m so confident that you’ll love them or your money back. Pinky swear!

You deserve to love your life more, so why not start now!

Click here and taste this yummy bar!

Not only can apples be the perfect to-go snack, but both its flavor and texture can add a unique twist to your diner menu.

I recently found this delicious recipe in REAL SIMPLE magazine that I found to be so easy to make and also showed to be a crowd pleaser among my friends.

Move over Rachel Ray! This meal is going to take us 25 minutes tops

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• firm apple cut into slices (I like sweeter varieties in this dish over the green granny apple)
• 1 cup apple juice (natural, no added sugar)
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves (dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 tbsp Dijon
• 1 tbsp Olive oil

Directions:

• Heat your large wok or skillet and add your olive oil
• grill your chicken halves for 3 min on each side
• throw in apple slices, apple juice, onions, garlic, thyme, salt
• Cover and simmer for 8 min until chicken is tender
• Remove chicken and apples from stew and set aside
• Turn up the heat under the sauce and bring to a boil
• Add in your mustard and whisk briefly
• Pour this sauce over your chicken and apple mix

Yummy! Serve this over some Kasha grains, brown rice or whole wheat linguine. I love a side of bitter greens with this dish to compliment the sweetness of the apples. I love me some garlic broccoli rabe.

I love to cook! And then gobble it down!

In good health

Ugghhh… Somebody shoot me!

If I have to hear another pity party about why this or that person’s life is miserable then I’m going to lose it. At the end of the day, we all have issues and dysfunctions so we have to try our best to make the best of each situation.

It’s so easy to hide behind excuses on why we’re not rich, why we’re not fit or why we’re not meeting that right person.

Excuses can stem from laziness or even fear of failure. Trust me, I had tons of excuses about my weight and other matters in my life.

After years of dragging pounds and pounds of fat around, I finally owned up to my responsibility and set goals to achieve that healthy body. I also set financial and relationship goals. I worked both hard and smart to land better paying jobs, and surrounded myself with people I loved and that loved me back.

If you’ve been making the same New Year’s resolution for over 5 years then I suggest you make this year’s official. Throw those excuses out the window and start making things happen!

“To change one’s life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.” -William James

Find your passion. You may love babysitting, baking, playing your guitar or even writing. Start jotting down a few things that you whole heartedly enjoy and envision yourself doing it for a career.

Be realistic. If you never sang before or even attempted the game “Rock Band” then I don’t suggest aspiring to becoming a music sensation. Be realistic with your goals and dreams.

Be ready to work. For the average person, life is not that easy. You have to be ready to push and fight for your dreams. You may have to work overtime, and loose some sleep. Stay motivated and determined, and you’ll reach places you never thought you would.

Stay flexible. When striving for goals, it’s almost never smooth sailing. Obstacles always arise so expect them to pop up. Be flexible and work around them but don’t let them stop you from moving forward.

Take risks and go after it. “The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live” Don’t be that person that looks back on life and says if only…. No! Jump in with both feet and give it all you got.

Stay positive and optimistic. Surround yourself with supportive friends and family who radiate positivity and encouragement. Eliminate the Debbie Downers and Bob Bummers!

Set goals, plans and timelines. Once you’ve decided on your goal, create deadlines and follow through. Set realistic timelines on when you will reach certain points and what needs to get done to reach the next.

If you need some words of encouragement or guidance, feel free to leave your comments and I’ll be more than happy to reply

I believe in you! Now, believe in yourself.

Researchers from the State University of Rio de Janeiro studying the impact of fruit intake on weight loss found that overweight women who ate just 300 grams of apples or pears – that’s the equivalent of three small fruits a day – lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than women who didn’t add fruit to their diet.

I admit that I’m a pack rat especially when it comes to my purse. My bag is filled with daily essentials like hand sanitizers, tooth brush & floss, tea bags and on the go snacks. One of the snacks that you’ll always find deep in my bag is a delicious apple. Not only are apples delicious, but they’re packed with benefits for boosting energy level, suppressing my appetite making it sweet and simple to maintain my waistline and antioxidants that improving my skin.

Check out more fascinating facts below:

• Rich in Vitamins and minerals
• Rich in Vitamin C which helps boost immune system and promote collagen production and hair growth.
• Low in fat and calories. An apple averages 70-100 calories
• Fiber & water packed promoting better digestion and suppressing appetite
• Rich in Flavonoids and antioxidants that can prevent cardiovascular disease
• Shown to have anti cancerous properties
• Rich in phenols that help in reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol
• Nature’s mouth wash. It’s juice can kill 80% of bacteria and help prevent tooth decay
• Considered a low GI food
• Contains phytonutrients to prevent neuro diseases like Alzheimer’s
• Contain quercetin a free radical and cancer fighter

A few weeks ago, I tasted the simplest, most delicious rice bowl ever! Since that rice bowl was hand made in Seattle, I had to figure out how to make it in the comfort of my own home. So after a few trial and errors, I came up with a pretty close recipe.

Ingredients:

• steamed brown rice 1 cup
• 3- 6 oz cooked wild smoked salmon (already packaged)
• Salad mix: cucumbers, tomato, sweet red pepper, red cabbage, shredded carrots, spinach
• Salad dressing: 1/2 cup chopped dill, 2 tbsp honey mustard, 1 tbsp mango juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:

• Steam your rice and keep it warm until you’re ready to eat
• Warm your smoked salmon
• Chop up your salad
• Mix all Salad dressing ingredients and set aside
• Grab a deep dish bowl and set your brown rice on the bottom
• Next, arrange your wild salmon on top
• After that, pile your cold crisp salad mix on top
• Finally, drizzle your homemade lemon dill sauce all over

This rice bowl is packed with nutrition from essential fatty acids, antioxidant rich veggies and fiber jammed whole grain rice.

Dig in to this well-balanced meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Time feels like it’s flying this year! I looked at my desk calendar and noticed that I had an upcoming business trip to Seattle, a city I have never been before.

Of course I had to Google the town, its attractions and more importantly, the healthy eateries near by.

My coworkers don’t mind that I choose our dinner spots because my palette is diverse, I love all food, and always keep everyone in consideration.

As I browsed the online menus, I notice lots of seafood joints, typical steakhouses, oooo…. an African restaurant and one that fit me perfectly…. a cafe called “JUICE IT“.

According to Google maps, JUICE IT was only a few blocks from my hotel, and one block from where I was working.

Yay!

So I took a 7:30 am flight out from Philly airport (go Phillies!) and landed in Seattle by noon. I made it to my hotel, unpacked, put my warm boots on and trucked around the city.

The weather was cloudy, a little breezy and in the mid 50s. For a change, the lack of sun made it feel relaxing and peaceful.

Anyway, so as I walked around I came across this funky food vendor that served pulled pork and grilled veggie sandwiches. I loved the design of the Maximus Minimus mobile, but I wasn’t in the mood to stuff my belly with grease so I kept it moving.

Everyone seemed to point me to the direction of the famous PIKE STREET MARKET, so I headed over to check it out.                  

It was soooo cute! The market place featured hundreds of vendors including fresh seafood, fruits and veggies, pastries, nuts and candy, arts and crafts, and even live music!

The sight of fresh everything triggered my appetite, so I decided to find this “JUICE IT” place.

After a few blocks of walking, I finally arrived at the Convention Center where I saw a sign for the eatery. It wasn’t visible from the street, but arrows pointed me into the basement of the building and there it was!

It was a little quaint cafe that displayed its menu on a chalk display.

Hmmm…. What should I get?

I heard a few people order a rice bowl and others requested fresh juices. Since it was around 3 pm then, I decided to keep it light and order their “Cleansing Juice” with my own twist.

It was my turn in line, and a beautiful glowing girl smiled and asked for my order. Of course, I always add a twist to my orders but she was sweet enough to cater to anything I wanted.

This concoction consisted of Carrot, kale, beet, cucumber, apple, wheatgrass and ginger. I added a scoop of whey protein to make it a mini meal and to fill me up until dinner time.

I was so intrigued by this little spot and sparked up a conversation with the staff. The glowing juicer girl was actually the owner. She introduced herself as Abigail and revealed that she had owned this place for 15 years! What! She looked like she was in her mid, to late 20s… wow… maybe the Juice is keeping her young and radiant.

When my juice was done, I thanked everyone and assured them that I would return in the next few days.

A few hours later, my hunger struck again and I couldn’t help but crave that Juice cafe again. Oh well, I’m going for it!

“You’re back!” Abigail smiled and asked what I would like. I noticed a Wild Salmon rice bowl that sounded tempting and delicious so I asked her opinion.

“It’s yummy! And light!”…. as she put her hands on her hips and swayed side to side. ha ha.. what a bubbly chick! I like this one!

Ok.. yummy and light are two words that perfectly describe good Ghada food so I ordered it…

In just a few minutes, Abigail handed me a brown paper to-go box with my meal inside. I sat at one of the tables outside and opened my package to dig in.

Mmmmm…. Interesting concoction!

On the bottom was a perfect portion of cozy steamed brown rice, topped with smoked wild salmon, then topped with cucumbers, sweet peppers, cabbage,broccoli, carrots, spinach and finally topped with lemon dill sauce.

Wow… what a delicious little rice bowl! I had to go back in and give the staff props on their delicious food and discuss their menu.

Before I left, Abigail reached into a glass case and pointed to a few homemade raw desserts. I had a choice of cranberry oats, coconut, peanut butter or magic chocolate… hmmmm… let’s do coconut!

All I thought was.. I wish I could take this whole place home with me!

For the next 4 days, I stopped in at least twice a day to order a Cleansing Juice and my Wild Salmon rice bowl. The fresh ingredients and atmosphere were so addictive and kept me wanting to come back for more.

Before I left to head back to Philly, I made sure to grab Abigail’s info so we can keep in touch. I felt like I truly found a hidden treasure.

If you’re in the Seattle area, and you’re looking for fresh, light and healthy food, please stop by JUICE IT. I promise you’ll thank me!

Click here to check out their menu!

Tune in this Sunday and I’ll teach you how to make a similar version of this delicious Wild Salmon bowl!