Cami's Healthy Living Blog

Today

2010-04-06T09:53:00.002-06:00

I was researching some health and fitness stuff on the American Heart Association website and they had these great motivational slogans that if we all live by, we can take a step towards a healthier, more fufulling life.

Today is the day I.... drink water instead of soda
Today is the day I.... eat apples instead of apple pie.
Today is the day I.... eat what i want my children to eat.
Today is the day I.... take a 30 minute walk at lunch time.
Today is the day I.... dust off my rollerblades/running shoes.
Today is the day I.... check my heart health.
Today is the day I.... take the stairs rather than the elevator.
Today is the day I.... get my blood pressure checked.
Today is the day I.... burn 250 extra calories.
Today is the day I.... get my cholestorol checked.

Maybe just try and do 2-3 of these things this week, every day and see how it makes you feel!

Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2010-04-06T09:48:00.001-06:00

Nutrition Information
Calories – 298Protein – 27 gTotal Fat – 9 gSaturated Fat – 2 gCholesterol – 80 mgSodium – 610 mgCarbohydrate – 34 gFiber – 5 g

INGREDIENTS
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely diced
• 3 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons grated or finely minced fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground chicken (at least 90% lean)
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup bottle Chinese plum sauce
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot chili paste, such as sriracha (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews, chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish (optional)
• 1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce

DIRECTIONS
Liberally coat a large skillet with oil spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat.
Add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, water chestnuts, scallions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly, about 5 minutes, adding a tablespoon of water at a time as necessary to prevent scorching.
Reapply oil spray if necessary, and add the ground chicken to the skillet. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, breaking the meat into a fine crumble with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season with the salt and pepper.
Add the plum sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili paste and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until heated through.
Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the cashews and cilantro. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Clean the lettuce and break off 12 individual leaves (trim away the stem end of the leaves if they are tough). Fill each lettuce cup with roughly ½ cup of the chicken mixture. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

My thoughts on healthcare

2010-03-26T20:38:00.002-06:00

Many of you who know me, understand how conservative I am so it is no surprise how against I am of the new health care "reform" that has recently passed. I am against taking away the right to chose (let's be honest, that is EXACTLY what Obama is doing-- taking away our choice of whether or not to get health-care)

So here are a few thoughts on what I think WE could all do to help America have better health care. I get that this would all only happen in a perfect world... but hey, a girl can dream, right?!

First off.... Americans are fat. We are. Just admit it. I have accepted that, so you should too. I was once super large... and I could sit here and blame it on genetics or something, but most of it came down to my own lifestyle. I was lazy and liked to eat... a lot. So you put those two together, what do you get? Weight gain.

So we as Americans need to take our health MORE seriously! I am a firm believe that Medicare wouldn't be in such disarray if it weren't for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that clog up the whole system (both are obesity related diseases). So we need to take "health-care" in our own hands.

I can tell you first hand the benefits of going from super lazy and obese to a healthy weight and in good shape. Is it easy? HECK NO! I have to literally schedule an hour in my day (which is hard working full time and school full time) to work out. I have to map out and plan my meals to ensure I am getting the lean proteins and vegetables and all that other jazz that I need to stay fit. But man oh man, it feels amazing after you run for an hour and feel that accomplishment. And after I eat a delicious and healthy salad, I can just feel the good energy that makes my body feel so much better.

My asthma is almost completely gone now. Growing up, I had to go to an asthma doctor once a week because it was so bad. Once I began working out daily, it slowly faded. I took my own heath into my own hands. Many problems that Americans face are due to their own lifestyle. The government can't control that-- Only YOU can!

I am not saying that by taking care of our bodies that we will never have to see a doctor again, we all need our checkups and stuff... but I know it would allow us to be sick less frequent. Just think that if we as Americans took care of ourselves and truly treated our bodies as temples, of how many diseases would be diminished and cancers would be less frequent? It's a real possibility! So my challenge to you is to break out your running shoes and go for a walk around the block and to go through your fridge and throw out the junk! Start taking your health into your own hands... something the government should NOT control! Do it... I triple dare you!

Half and Half

2010-03-16T22:26:00.002-06:00

And I am not talking about the creamer you put in your coffee.

This is something Geoff and I are very dedicated in doing.

Whenever we go out to eat-- we SPLIT an entree. And you know what? We never leave feeling unsatisfied.

Portion sizes are about double what they should be anyways, and this is MUCH easier on your pocketbook. Give it a try-- next date night of girls night out or whatever the occasion may be... split your meal!

Just tonight Geoff and I split a whole wheat turkey avacado sandwhich with fruit and baked chips from Jason's Deli... our total bill was just a little over 7 dollars and our calorie intake was about 400 each! Can't beat that!

Try it-- I dare you!

Time is of the essence!

2010-03-04T17:27:00.002-07:00

I don't know about you, but when I come home from a long day of work-- I am FAMISHED! It is so easy to eat unhealthy when this happens cause lets face it-- how easy is it to go through the drive through of a fast food joint or to throw a frozen pizza in the oven? Well, eating healthy can be quick and easy! It just takes a small effort and dedication to your health... just be sure to plan your menu for the week and you will be ready to eat quick and healthy! Here are a few new recipes for a quick, delicious and healthy dinner. Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken with Chipotle-Orange Glaze

1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate, thawed
1.5 teaspoons finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, (see Note)
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (8 ounces)
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat grill or broiler to high. Lightly oil the rack.
Whisk orange juice concentrate, chiles, vinegar, molasses and mustard in a small bowl.
Sprinkle chicken with salt. Grill or broil the chicken for 2 minutes. Turn the chicken, brush with the chipotle-orange glaze, and cook, brushing occasionally with more of the glaze, 4 minutes more. Turn the chicken again, brush with the glaze, and cook until no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 5 minutes more.

MEDITERRANEAN ROAST VEG ON COUSCOUS

Ingredients
2 eggplant cut into in 1/2 inch slices
3 zucchini, cut into chunks
2 red peppers, seeds removed, sliced lengthways into fingers
4 red onions quartered
half small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
fresh rosemary needles, or fresh thyme leaves
16 cherry tomatoes
1 cup couscous
4 tbsp pesto
2 tbsp French dressing

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly spray a baking tray and place the aubergine slices on it, brush with a little oil.
Place all other veg in a bowl, drizzle over some olive oil and scatter with herbs. Turn to coat, then place in a roasting tin.
Roast for 20-25 minutes, turn the eggplant slices over. Give the other veg a stir, throw in the garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes and roast for another 10-15 minutes until cooked through.
Meanwhile, prepare the couscous by placing the grains in a bowl and pouring over 1 cup boiling water. Cover and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the grains with a fork.
Mix together the pesto and French dressing. Place a helping of couscous on each plate and top with the roasted vegetables. Pour some dressing over.
You can top each portion with grated Parmesan cheese, or for a more substantial dish, poach one egg per person for 5 minutes until the yolks are just set and serve on top of the vegetables.

GRILLED SALMON WITH A YOGURT CRUST

Very quick, very tasty. What more do you want?

4 salmon steaks. For the crust 2/3 cup low fat natural yogurt, small bunch fresh coriander, leaves and stalks finely chopped, 1 garlic clove, crushed, 1/2 tsp each ground cumin, smoked paprika

Serves 4: Mix the crust ingredients together and spread over the salmon steaks. Cook under a pre-heated grill for about 10 minutes, turning once, until fish is cooked through.

Portion Control

2010-02-09T16:47:00.002-07:00

One reason so many people in America are gaining weight is because of a lack of knowledge when it comes to portion control. This is something I have really had to learn throughout the last five years of losing weight. Before, I would eat a HUGE bowl of sugar cereal in the morning in one of those huge bowls that seem very common nowadays, which equals to about 2 1/2-3 cups of cereal. Now, I try to follow the recommendations for serving sizes so conveniently located on the nutritional information. I admonish everyone to READ READ READ the nutritional information before you eat. Read what the serving size is. Often we look at a package of something and it says 150 calories and we think "Sweet!" but we don't look at the serving size, which may say 2 oz, and the WHOLE package equals 8 oz-- making the snack to be very high calorie if we consume the whole bag. Make sense?

You don't need to memorize a food list or carry around measuring cups to get a better grasp on serving sizes. Instead, use common visual cues to remind yourself of appropriate serving sizes. How? Many foods match up to everyday objects. For example, a medium pepper is about the size of a baseball and equals one vegetable serving.

FRUIT= SIZE OF A TENNIS BALL

1/2 CUP OF VEGETABLES= SIZE OF A BASEBALL

PASTA/RICE= SIZE OF A HOCKEY PUCK

DAIRY/CHEESE= 3-4 DICE

MEAT/PROTEIN= DECK OF CARDS

MAYO/FATS/NUTS= 3 DICE

This may seem like REALLY small portions but that is because we go to restaurants and they serve us portions that are about 2-3 times bigger than what our body actually NEEDS. So it's all about training your stomach to appreciate what it really needs. One trick I always use is to drink a big glass of water before I eat a meal. It helps me feel full and eat less.

Splenda Whole Wheat Banana bread

2010-02-03T13:09:00.001-07:00

I love love LOVE Banana bread but we all know this is normally a very fattening, unhealthy bread to make. Well, I have found a great recipe that is REALLY low cal and full of fiber and whole grains. Just try it out... please?! You won't regret it. It is in my oven right now and it smells YUMMY!!!

ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 350
Prepare 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Add vinegar to milk or substitute with low fat buttermilk.
Blend dry ingredients.
Blend wet ingredients.
Pour wet mix into dry, do not overmix.
Add nuts and stir.
Pour into pan and bake until set, aprox. 45 min.
Loaf slices into 8 generous servings.

Number of Servings: 8

Baby steps

2010-01-20T15:37:00.003-07:00

Quite often I get inquires from friends and family on how to lose weight. First thing I tell them-- TAKE BABY STEPS!

why?? Because if you try to totally revamp your lifestyle overnight... more likely than not, you will fail. Here are 5 tips that I did to help me lose weight. If you try these things you will notice a difference almost immediately which will give you even more motivation to continue down a path of a healthy lifestyle change.

1. Stop Drinking Soda

This is a big one. All of the processed sugars in these sugary drinks just makes you crave more. These drinks have contributed to the skyrocketing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes. These are all USELESS calories that do nothing but eat your teeth and add unwanted pounds.If you must (and yes sometimes I must!) drink diet soda. I am a diet coke lover so I limit myself to one can a day.

2. Keep a Food Journal

You can double your weight loss by just writing down everything you eat. Research has shown that the more people wrote down what they ate the more weight they loss. We become aware of our habits when we go through the process of reflecting on what we eat. That is the only way to change a behavior, to become fully aware of it. There are online food journal sights that can make it easy or you can get yourself a cheap notebook and write it all down there. Make sure you include the time so you can see any patterns forming with they type of food and the time. Make sure to write how you felt at the time. Measure your hunger from 1 to 10, just that alone may keep you from putting that extra helping on your plate. This really helped me when I began my weight loss journey!

3. Eat Whole Foods and Go Organic Where You Can

Any un-processed or un-refined with no added sugar, salt or fat. usually whole foods have a low glycemic index so they will not increase your blood sugar and insulin levels as quickly as processed foods. Eat whole wheat bread! Eat as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. Stay away from anything in a bag, box, or can. Good rule of thumb!

4. Eat Outside The Home Less Often

Eating out at restaurants just makes you loose control of what you are eating. Many times they get prepared foods and fail to really cook anything. many additives and preservatives are used in the foods and many meats are soaked in a "salt brine" to keep it from spoiling (salt is a preservative). Be careful about the foods you buy for home, Look at the label. Be aware of sodium levels and keep them as low as possible. Be a conscious eater. There are many tools for when you do eat out to know the nutritional information-- pick up an app. for your iphone or itouch (if you have one) that allows you to see what is in the food you order... or go purchase a book like "eat this, not that" which will show you what to order at popular food chains.

5. Get Plenty Of Sleep

People really over look this factor. Sleep is one of the most important aspects of health. Without it hormone levels go "whacky" and you do not have the energy that you might have, you gain weight easily and you are moody. One thing that helps sleep is to have a routine and stick to it. No eating late at night, and make sure your bed is comfy and inviting!

Low-cal angel food dessert

2010-01-14T15:57:00.001-07:00

Very light and fresh!

1 angel food cake prepared
2 pkgs. sugar-free vanilla pudding (cooked or instant), prepared per pkg.
1 can any flavor pie filling
1 lg. carton lite Cool Whip
Fresh fruit (blueberries and strawberries are best)

Crumble up angel food cake on bottom of 13x9 pan. Prepare pudding and spread over cake. Put pie filing over pudding. Top with Cool Whip and fruit.

Apple stuffed Chicken Breast

2010-01-14T15:51:00.004-07:00

This is one of my favorites! Looks and sounds really fancy but is really healthy and low-cal!

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped apple
2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Italian-style dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup apple juice/cider
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Combine apple, cheese, and bread crumbs. Set aside.
Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.
Melt butter or margarine in a 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts. Add juice and 1/4 cup water. Cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken, and garnish with parsley. Serve.

Lime chicken soft tacos

2010-01-14T15:48:00.003-07:00

This is super easy to make and pretty affordable!

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 (6 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (i leave this out to help save on even more calories)
1/4 cup salsa

Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan, warm, and turn over to heat the other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese and salsa.

Finally-- a new post! What I am making for dinner tonight.... Cream Cheese Crockpot chicken

2010-01-13T13:19:00.003-07:00

Sorry, i have been so bad about posting new recipes and stuff--- moving and settling in a new state caused me to be a slacker on my blogging. But I had some time today to plan a healthy meal for my family and wanted to take a minute to document it on this blog. This meal is healthy as long as you have the correct portions and keep it balanced. Most of your plate should be filled with veggies with only about a 1/3 with this recipe. Enjoy & eat slowly!

Cream cheese crock-pot chicken!

1 packet of Italian salad dressing mix

1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup chicken broth

5-6 peices of boneless skinless chicken

8 oz fat free cream cheese

1 small onion diced

1 clove of garlic chopped

Dump all into a crock pot and let cook on low for about 6-7 hours. Serve over brown rice. A correct portion of this would be about a 1/2 cup of rice, and about 3/4 cup of the chicken mix. Add a healthy salad on the side of a complete meal.

What Cami eats everyday

2009-12-09T18:36:00.002-07:00

Here is a few sample menus of what I eat in a given day

Breakfast--- Day One: Egg whites, one slice of whole wheat toast, an orange

Day Two: Quaker's weight control oatmeal (has added protein & fiber & it's yummy!) and also a piece of fruit like half a banana or apple slices

Day Three: 1 cup light vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup of go-lean crunch, and strawberries all mixed together. Delicious!

Lunch------ Day One: Turkey & avacado sandwhich on whole wheat bread, 1/2 cup baby carrots, 1/2 cup red grapes

Day Two: Healthy Choice steamers (these are SO good & you can never tell it is

considered a "frozen meal")

Day Three: SUBWAY sandwhich (I always get a six inch turkey on honey oat and

load up the veggies and get NO cheese or mayo on it, just a little honey

mustard) with apple slices or occasionally baked chips.

Dinner------ Day One: 6 oz Grilled or baked chicken with some lemon pepper or italian seasoning, 2 cups of steamed veggies

Day Two: Can of low-calorie chicken & veggie soup, a piece of whole wheat toast

Day Three: 1 cup ofWhole wheat pasta, chicken & veggies in a low-cal white sauce

Breakfast smoothie for 2

2009-12-03T00:28:00.004-07:00

Whip this up one morning for you and your honey and start your day off with loads of energy!

ingredients:

8 oz (1 cup) nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup 1% lowfat or nonfat milk
1 ¼ cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled
1 fresh peach, peeled and sliced, or ¾ cup canned or frozen peach slices

Scoop of whey protein powder (optional)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
2 whole strawberries (optional)

Instructions:

Place first 5 ingredients in a blender.

Purée mixture for 15 to 20 seconds.

Pour into two tall glasses and top each with 1 Tbsp chopped nuts.

Garnish glass with strawberry, if desired.

Note: If you prefer a thicker smoothie, replace the peach with 1 small sliced banana.

Apple Oatmeal Bread

2009-12-03T00:24:00.003-07:00

This is a great breakfast bread or can even be used for a dessert. Easy to make and stays moist and delish for days!

Ingredients:
1 cup quick or old fashioned oats, uncooked
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 egg
2 apples, diced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Beat next 4 ingredients in another bowl until blended. Stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in apples. Transfer batter to a lightly buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until tester comes out clean when inserted in center.

Rosemary Zucchini

2009-12-03T00:21:00.001-07:00

I made this a few times this summer with the abundance of zucchini and squash we had from our garden and it was very tasty and a good way to sneak in some more vegetables into your diet!

ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 pinch fresh rosemary, or about 1/2 teaspoon dried sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Instructions:
Saute garlic in oil until barely brown, and add zucchini.

Stir to cover zucchini with oil and garlic.

Add rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Simmer gently, adding a little water as necessary to maintain moistness, until zucchini is barely tender, about 6 minutes.

Banana Brownies

2009-12-01T09:08:00.001-07:00

These are moist & absolutely delish!

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat Flour

1/4 cup Nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Splenda
1/4 cup skim milk or fat free Buttermilk
1/3 cup Cocoa -- unsweetened
1/4 teaspoon Baking soda
1 Banana -- large,ripe
2 Large egg whites
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Instructions:
Preheat oven 350F. Coat 9 in. square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Combine flour, cocoa, milk powder, baking soda and salt in bowl.
Puree banana, splenda, egg whites, buttermilk and vanilla in food processor until smooth. Add dry ingredients and pulse just until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick
comes out clean. Cut into 2 in. squares.

Chicken and Pesto Rolls

2009-12-01T09:03:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

8 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts halves
6 cups, 98% fat free, no-salt-added canned chicken broth
basil for garnish
pesto
2/3 cup (156 ml) tightly packed basil leaves
3 scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, cut into quarters
1 teaspoon dry-roasted sunflower seeds (optional)
salt (optional)
freshly grated pepper
3 to 4 teaspoons 98% fat free, no-salt-added canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons dried unseasoned bread crumbs

Instructions:

One at a time place the chicken halves between two pieces of waxed paper. Pound to 1/4-inch thickness.

Cut pieces of cheese cloth into eight 8-inch (20 cm) squares.

Prepare the pesto: Place the basil leaves, scallion, garlic, sunflower seeds, salt (if using), and pepper in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse on and off until minced. Slowly add enough broth to make a smooth thin mixture. Stir in cheese and bread crumbs.

Season the chicken breasts with salt (if using) Divide the pesto among the breasts leaving a border around each edge of each breast. Starting with the short end, roll up each breast enclosing the pesto completely. Place in cheese cloth and tie each end with kitchen twine tightly.

Place the chicken broth in a skillet. Bring to a boil, Reduce the heat and add the chicken rolls. Simmer about 20 minutes in a single layer until firm to the touch. Remove from the stock and remove and discard the cheese cloth.

Arrange on a platter and slice on the diagonal to serve. Garnish with extra basil.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie to die for!

2009-11-23T15:29:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups splenda
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
3 egg whites
2 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 cup evaporated skim milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the splenda and flour. Add eggs; mix well. Stir in the pumpkin, milk, vanilla and cinnamon if desired; mix until well blended. Pour into a greased 9-in. pie plate. Place pie plate in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; add 1/2 in. of hot water to pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Delicious & Healthy Mashed Potatoes

2009-11-23T15:26:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

6 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup low fat, low sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste
3 small Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place the shallots, oil, broth, thyme, pepper and salt in a small casserole dish. Cover and roast until the shallots are very soft and brown, about 45 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven.
Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and place the potatoes back in the pot over low heat to dry.
Heat the milk over medium low heat. Add it to the potatoes and beat with a mixer. Add the roasted shallots and beat again until potatoes are smooth

Work out tips

2009-11-22T20:42:00.002-07:00

Came across these tips & wanted to pass them on for anyone trying to get into a work out routine (: No time to start like the present!

1. Be Consistent

Chase Squires is the first to admit that he's no fitness expert. But he is a guy who used to weigh 205 pounds, more than was healthy for his 5'4" frame. "In my vacation pictures in 2002, I looked like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the beach," says the 42-year-old Colorado resident. Squires decided enough was enough, cut out fatty food, and started walking on a treadmill. The pounds came off and soon he was running marathons -- not fast, but in the race. He ran his first 50-mile race in October 2003, and completed his first 100-miler a year later. Since then, he's completed several 100-mile, 50-mile, and 50k races.

His secret? "I'm not fast, but I'm consistent," says Squires, who says consistency is his best tip for maintaining a successful fitness regimen.

"It all started with 20 minutes on a treadmill," he says. "The difference between my success and others who have struggled is that I did it every single day. No exercise program in the world works if you don't do it consistently."

2. Follow an Effective Exercise Routine

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) recently surveyed 1,000 ACE-certified personal trainers about the best techniques to get fit. Their top three suggestions:

Strength training. Even 20 minutes a day twice a week will help tone the entire body.
Interval training. "In its most basic form, interval training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout," says Cedric Bryant, PhD, FACSM, chief science officer for ACE. "It is an extremely time-efficient and productive way to exercise."
Increased cardio/aerobic exercise. Bryant suggests accumulating 60 minutes or more a day of low- to moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, running, or dancing.

3. Set Realistic Goals

"Don't strive for perfection or an improbable goal that can't be met," says Kara Thompson, spokesperson for the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). "Focus instead on increasing healthy behaviors."

In other words, don't worry if you can't run a 5K just yet. Make it a habit to walk 15 minutes a day, and add time, distance, and intensity from there.

4. Use the Buddy System

Find a friend or relative whom you like and trust who also wants to establish a healthier lifestyle, suggests Thompson. "Encourage one another. Exercise together. Use this as an opportunity to enjoy one another's company and to strengthen the relationship."

5. Make Your Plan Fit Your Life

Too busy to get to the gym? Tennis star Martina Navratilova, health and fitness ambassador for the AARP, knows a thing or two about being busy and staying fit.

Make your plan fit your life, she advises in an article on the AARP web site. "You don't need fancy exercise gear and gyms to get fit."

If you've got floor space, try simple floor exercises to target areas such as the hips and buttocks, legs and thighs, and chest and arms (like push-ups, squats, and lunges). Aim for 10-12 repetitions of each exercise, adding more reps and intensity as you build strength.

6. Be Happy

Be sure to pick an activity you actually enjoy doing, suggests Los Angeles celebrity trainer Sebastien Lagree.

"If you hate weights, don't go to the gym. You can lose weight and get in shape with any type of training or activity," he says.

And choose something that is convenient. Rock climbing may be a great workout, but if you live in a city, it's not something you'll be doing every day.

7. Watch the Clock

Your body clock, that is. Try to work out at the time you have the most energy, suggests Jason Theodosakis, MD, assistant professor and exercise physiologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. If you're a morning person, schedule your fitness activities early in the day; if you perk up as the day goes along, plan your activities in the afternoon or evening.

"Working out while you have the most energy will yield the best results," says Theodosakis.

8. Call In the Pros

Especially if you're first getting started, Theodosakis suggests having a professional assessment to determine what types of exercise you need most.

"For some people, attention to flexibility, or balance and agility, may be more important than resistance training or aerobics," he says. "By getting a professional assessment, you can determine your weakest links and focus on them. This will improve your overall fitness balance."

9. Get Inspired

"Fitness is a state of mind," says fitness professional and life coach Allan Fine of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. One of Fine's tricks to get and stay motivated is to read blogs or web sites that show him how others have been successful. "Who inspires you?" he asks.

10. Be Patient

Finally, remember that even if you follow all these tips, there will be ups and downs, setbacks and victories, advises Navratilova. Just be patient, and don't give up, she says on the AARP web site: "Hang in there, and you'll see solid results."

Chocolate Pumpkin Bunt Cake done LIGHT

2009-11-22T20:22:00.007-07:00

1 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup splenda

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup nonfat buttermilk

1 15-ounce c unsweetened pumpkin puree

3/4 cup dark brown sugar splenda, packed

2 large egg white, at room temperature

1/4 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup packed confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoon toasted chopped nuts

Step 1
To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray.

Step 2
Whisk flour, splenda, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 3
Blend 1 cup buttermilk, pumpkin puree and brown sugar splenda in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in both egg whites. Stir in apple sauce, corn syrup and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

Step 4
Bake the cake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack, about 2 hours.

Step 5
To glaze & garnish cake: Combine confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a small bowl, stirring until completely smooth. Place the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the glaze over the top; garnish with nuts while the glaze is still moist.

Spicy Chicken Tacos

2009-11-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

8 whole wheat tortillas

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into thin strips

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

1 large onion, sliced

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced

3 large clov garlic, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 cup prepared hot salsa, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Sliced scallions, chopped fresh tomatoes and reduc, for garnish

Step 1
Preheat oven to 300°F. Wrap tortillas in foil and bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2
Meanwhile, season chicken with salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Add chicken and cook, stirring until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Step 3
Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add onion and cook, stirring, until they start to brown around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, garlic, jalapeño and cumin. Cook, stirring, until peppers are bright green but still crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Step 4
Stir in salsa and reserved chicken. Cook, stirring, until chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Spoon into warmed tortillas and garnish with scallions, tomatoes and sour cream.

Southwestern Cheese Panini (so yummy!)

2009-11-22T20:14:00.001-07:00

4 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup prepared salsa

1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño pepper, (optional)

8 slices whole-wheat bread

2 teaspoons olive oil

This serves 4 (:

Step 1
Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.

Step 2
Combine Cheddar, zucchini, carrot, onion, salsa and jalapeño (if using) in a medium bowl. Divide among 4 slices of bread and top with the remaining bread.

Step 3
Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining panini.

Cinnamon apple coffee cake

2009-11-20T15:58:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar splenda
1/4 cup margarine, softened
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium apple, unpeeled, cored and finely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick pan spray.

In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, margarine, and egg whites until smooth.

Stir in the milk.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix just until the ingredients are moistened. (The batter will be stiff.)

Fold in the apple.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cut into nine 3-inch squares.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves: 9

Apple & Pineapple crisp!

2009-11-20T15:56:00.003-07:00

I made this for a ward function and everyone LOVED it!

Ingredients:
4 cups sliced peeled apples
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup packed brown sugar splenda
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup melted butter (i use the fake butter that has 0 calories and it tastes just as good!)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degree's. arrange the apples in a 9"x9" baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the undrained pineapple and lemon juice in a bowl. Spread over the apples. Combine the brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans in a bowl and mix well. Stir in the butter. Sprinkle over the prepared layers. Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes; remove the foil. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes longer or until crisp.

Baked salmon dijion

2009-11-20T15:54:00.001-07:00

If you like fish, this is a GREAT recipe that is really easy and yummy.

Ingredients:
1 c fat free sour cream
2 tsp dried dill
3 Tbsp scallions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ lbs salmon fillet with skin, cut in center
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
As needed, fat free cooking spray

Instructions:

Whisk sour cream, dill, onion, mustard and lemon juice in small bowl to blend.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Lightly oil baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place salmon, skin side down, on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper. Spread with the sauce.

Bake salmon until just opaque in center, about 20 minutes.

Honey Mustard Chicken

2009-11-20T15:51:00.003-07:00

So simple but super yummy. You can even do this in a crockpot for Sunday dinner. Really good to mix with some brown rice!

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons shallot, minced

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Instructions:

Combine honey, mustard, soy sauce, ginger and minced shallot.

Preheat broiler. Spray broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts on pan and brush generously with honey-mustard mixture. Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes.

Turn, baste again and broil 5 minutes longer, or until chicken is no longer pink when cut into. Brush with remaining sauce, remove to warm serving platter, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

7 layer salad done right!

2009-11-19T17:19:00.003-07:00

I am sure you all have had this salad before but this is the version without all the added calories and junk!

8 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced

1 cup halved grape tomatoes, or quartered cherry tomatoes

1 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup sliced scallions

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1-2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

3 strips cooked turkey bacon, crumbled

Step 1
Place lettuce in a large bowl. Layer peas, bell pepper, tomatoes, celery and scallions on top.

Step 2
Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar to taste, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread the dressing evenly over the top of the salad (an offset spatula is handy for this, if you have one). Sprinkle with cheese, basil and bacon. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Not your grandma's EGG SALAD

2009-11-19T17:07:00.002-07:00

This is a great way to get some lean protein in your day & it is seriously so good on a piece of whole wheat toast or over some lettuce!

2 hard-boiled eggs leave one yolk OUT , peeled and chopped

2 tablespoon finely diced celery

1 tablespoon fat free mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced green onion

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

salt to taste

Mash all together and ENJOY!!

Chicken Fajita Wraps

2009-11-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

Sever dashes of hot sauce, to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 whole-wheat tortillas, heated (see Tip)

1/2 cup shredded lettuce

1 plum tomato, thinly sliced

Step 1
Preheat broiler.

Step 2
Place chicken in a shallow dish and sprinkle with lime juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Step 3
Whisk sour cream, cilantro, hot sauce, cumin and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Step 4
Place the chicken and onion on a lightly oiled baking sheet and broil for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and stir the onion. Broil until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into thin slices.

Step 5
To assemble wraps: Place the tortillas on a work surface or plate. Top each with half of the chicken, onion, lettuce and tomato. Top each with half of the sour cream mixture and roll into wraps. Serve immediately.

Whole wheat pizza dough

2009-11-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

1 package quick-rising yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons), such as Fleischmann’s RapidRise

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/2-2 cup hot water, (120-130°F)

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Step 1
Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.

Step 2
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.

Step 3
Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack; preheat oven to 500°F or highest setting. Roll and top the pizza as desired (we suggest a 13-inch circle) and bake the pizza until the bottom is crisp and golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Serve immediately.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread... Best ever!

2009-11-18T19:34:00.001-07:00

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 1/3 cups (10 1/2 ounces) water
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (3 ounces) honey, molasses, or sugar free maple syrup
3 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup (1 ounce) nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Mixing: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual.") Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it's crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Baking: Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or measuring its interior temperature with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf). Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature. Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices.

Healthier Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

2009-11-18T19:31:00.005-07:00

Really moist & delish! This recipe cuts more than 1/2 the calories and 1/2 the fat!

1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup splenda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg
2 egg whites
5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar splenda
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

In a small saucepan, heat the milk until just below the boiling point. Don't boil. Stir in the oil, sugar and salt. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and cool until lukewarm.

In a small bowl, combine yeast and water. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat the egg and egg whites using an electric mixer. Add in the yeast and milk mixture. Using a wooden spoon or a KitchenAid-style countertop mixer, mix in the flours, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, knead gently until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. If using a countertop mixer, use a dough hook and follow the manufacturer's directions. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough in half and form into 2 balls. Cover with plastic and let sit for 10 more minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins.

Spray an 11-by-14 baking sheet with cooking spray.

Using a rolling pin, roll each ball of dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Spray the dough with cooking spray. Sprinkle each rectangle with half of the cinnamon mixture. Starting at the long side, roll up each rectangle. Slice each roll into 16 pieces and place on the prepared baking sheet. Let rise until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a saucepan, heat the apple juice over medium heat. Cook until the juice is syrupy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Brush each roll with the apple juice. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Breakfast Burrito

2009-11-18T19:27:00.003-07:00

Super easy. Super yummy. Super healthy. Great way to start the day!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped tomato
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 cup canned corn
1/4 cup egg substitute or about 5 egg whites
1 whole wheat flour tortilla, 6 inches in diameter
2 tablespoons salsa

In a small skillet, add the chopped tomato, onion and corn. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and moisture is evaporated. Add the egg substitute and scramble with the vegetables until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

To serve, spread the egg mixture in the center of the tortilla and top with salsa. Fold in both sides of the tortilla up over the filling, then roll to close. Serve immediately.

Obesity in America

2009-11-18T07:28:00.001-07:00

I watch the news almost every night but rarely pay full attention as I am usually reading for school or something like that. But last night, one segment really caught my attention. They were focusing on the rise in obesity in America. Here are a few alarming facts they shared with their viewers:

- Did you know that 6 states in the US (and Texas was not one of them, thank you very much!) have almost 50% adults with obesity??

-Obesity increased in adults about 9% from 2008 to 2009!!

-They predict by the year 2018, about 45% of the adults in the US will be considered obese

-The #1 cause of death among adults in the US are all obesity related problems (type 2 diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases)

This is NOT good news and quite disturbing if you ask me. What is wrong with Americans? Do we not care enough about our lives that we will just let ourselves get this way? Not to mention what this is doing to the health-care system in our country!

So I am challenging each of us to evaluate your lifestyle and see if you need to make some changes so that you are not part of these statistics! Our bodies are AMAZING things but we have to put work into keeping them that way!

Brown sugar crackle cookies, simply delicious!

2009-11-17T21:14:00.002-07:00

Ingredients
2 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups Splenda brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat together brown sugar splenda, butter, oil, eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, making sure no lumps of splenda remain, about 1 minute. Stir in the dry ingredients until completely blended. (The dough will be stiff.)
Divide the dough in half and press each half into a flat disk. Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a 2-inch round cookie cutter, placing the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough. Press the scraps together and cut out additional cookies. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until they are puffed in the middle and browned around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Let stand for about 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sausage Lasagna... mmm mmm good!

2009-11-17T21:05:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:

3 medium onions, chopped
8 ounces lean sweet Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
2 (14 ounce) cans no salt added tomato sauce
½ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) container skim milk ricotta cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
½ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
12 ounces no cook whole wheat lasagna noodles (15 noodles)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded skim milk mozzarella

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the onions and sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the sausage is cooked through and the onions are soft, 7 to 10 minutes, breaking up the sausage into bits with a wooden spoon. Drain the mixture in a colander and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.

2. Return the sausage and onions to the skillet and add the tomato sauce, water, and salt. Heat to simmering over medium-high heat.

3. Combine ricotta, parmigiano-reggiano, basil, and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the egg.

4. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a deep 13 by 9 inch baking dish and cover with 4 noodles, breaking them to fit. Spread one third of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles and sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella. Repeat twice more, ending with the remaining mozzarella.

5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the noodles are cooked and the lasagna is bubbling, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

My LOVE for p90x

2009-11-17T17:17:00.005-07:00

P90x is something you have probably heard of because they have about a bazillion infomercials on TV. Let me tell you, this is the BEST workout program that I have ever tried. It works every single muscle in your body and leaves you just exhausted (good exhausted) after each workout. It is not something I would suggest you just start doing because it is very very very tough. I tell you, one of the workouts called "Plyometrics" is tougher (to me) than running 10 miles. I kid you not! It gets your heart pumping and just totally sweaty. Man, I love it! I highly suggest that after you begin exercising for awhile, to purchase these dvds. I noticed my legs were slimmer almost immediately after using it and Geoff lost about 40 lbs from this program and added quite a bit of muscle. It is a great program and totally worth the $90 you have to spend to purchase it.

Key Lime Pie-tart

2009-11-17T16:37:00.002-07:00

This is really yummy and a great "treat" for summer time!

Ingredients

CRUST:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
FILLING:
4 teaspoons grated lime rind
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)
4 large pasteurized egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
MERINGUE:
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 large pasteurized egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add butter and oil; pulse 5 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle flour mixture with water and vinegar; pulse 10 times or just until combined. Gently press mixture into a 3-inch circle on plastic wrap, and cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Slightly overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a slightly damp surface. Unwrap and place chilled dough on plastic wrap. Cover with 2 additional sheets of overlapping plastic wrap. Roll dough, still covered, into a 10-inch circle. Fit dough, plastic wrap side up, into a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Press dough against bottom and sides of pan. Pierce bottom of dough with a fork. Line bottom of dough with a piece of parchment paper; arrange pie weights on paper. Bake at 425° for 16 minutes or until edge is lightly browned. Remove pie weights and parchment paper; bake an additional 5 minutes or until bottom of crust is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

To prepare filling, combine rind, juice, egg yolks, and milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until set. Remove tart from oven; place on a wire rack.

Increase oven temperature to 425°.

To prepare meringue, place cream of tartar and egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form; beat in vanilla. Spread meringue evenly over filling, sealing to edge of crust. Make peaks with the back of a spoon (shown here). Bake at 425° for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Low-fat Low-Cal Chilli WITH lots of flavor & yumminess!

2009-11-17T16:33:00.002-07:00

Ingredients

1 bacon slice, finely chopped (could even use turkey bacon to make even healthier!)
2 1/4 cups finely chopped onion, divided (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound coarsely ground turkey breast
1/2 pound 96/4 lean ground beef
1 cup water
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation

1. Cook bacon over medium heat 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in 2 cups onion; cover and cook until onion is tender (about 5 minutes). Uncover and stir in garlic; cook for 1 minute.

2. Increase heat to medium-high; add turkey and ground beef to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add water; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup (about 7 minutes). Stir in chili powder and next 5 ingredients (through tomato sauce). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in beans; cook 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle 1 cup chili into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with 4 teaspoons cheese and 2 teaspoons onion. Serve with crackers, if desired.

Pecan-topped Pumpkin bread

2009-11-17T16:28:00.003-07:00

This is about 1/2 the calories & fat of most pumpkin bread. It is REALLY REALLY yummy. You can't tell this is a "healthy" version at all!! Even so, one slice a day is sufficient enough to get a "treat". Enjoy! You won't be disappointed!

Ingredients

3 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup skim milk
2 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through allspice) in a bowl.

Place sugar, egg substitute, applesauce, milk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add 2/3 cup water and pumpkin, beating at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans evenly over batter. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Fettuccine Alfredo done LIGHT!

2009-11-16T23:45:00.002-07:00

An Italian favorite with 1/2 the fat and 1/2 the calories. You always want to watch your portion size when it comes to pasta, so break out the measuring cup after you make it to measure exactly how much you are eating. If you still think you are hungry after, drink a full glass of water and wait 10 minutes. Chances are, you will be very satisfied with the cup you ate and it will make that much more left-overs! Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cups skim milk
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons fat free cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups hot cooked WHOLE WHEAT fettuccine (8 ounces uncooked pasta)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cracked black pepper
grilled chicken pieces (optional)

Preparation

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream cheese, and salt, stirring with a whisk until cheeses melt. Toss sauce with hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately

Chicken Pot Pie

2009-11-16T18:49:00.003-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 ounces each
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 small red potatoes, cut into quarters
2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 pound mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
freshly ground black pepper
1 9-inch pie crust

1. In a sauce panl combine the salt and thyme. Add the chicken breasts and enough broth to cover them. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the chicken cool in the liquid for 10 minutes.

2. Remove the chicken from the broth with tongs and set aside. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into small pieces and place it in a large casserole baking dish.

3. Meanwhile, add the carrots, parsnips and potatoes to the broth and heat over high heat. Simmer until they are just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer them to the baking dish with a slotted spoon. Add the green beans and mushrooms to the simmering broth and cook until they are just tender, about 3 minutes and then transfer them with the slotted spoon to the baking dish.

4. Strain the broth and reserve it in a bowl. Melt the butter in the now empty saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 3 or 4 minutes. Whisk in the reserved broth, slowly at first and then more quickly. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil and cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon. Pour the sauce into the baking dish and season well with salt and pepper.

5. Roll out the dough until it is 1/4 of an inch thick.
(This can be done in advance and stored separately in the refrigerator for 1 day.)

6. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

7. Place the dough on top of the baking dish and trim it so that it fits inside the dish. Cut a few slits in the dough to allow the steam to escape. Place the pie in the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Let the pot pie stand for 10 minutes before serving.

This may seem time consuming but it is REALLY yummy and filling. It serves 8!

How do you stay motivated??

2009-11-15T14:32:00.003-07:00

My husband often asks me how I stay motivated to consistently eat healthy and exercise when I do not always lose weight when doing so? The reason being, I am much happier when I live healthy. Here are also a few ways I have learned to stay motivated to keep up with a sometime hard lifestyle of being healthy...

1.Self-acceptance is the first, all-important step in achieving any goal. The fact is, you are where you are. You can’t change it. You can only take control of the present moment, which then becomes the future. If this is difficult for you, practice some techniques to induce relaxation. Meditation and yoga can be helpful. Relaxing music or visualization recordings can also be good for this.

2.The next step is to focus on what you’d like to accomplish. What’s crucial is to keep your mind on your desired outcome, not on what you have to do to get there. If your goal is to lose forty pounds, imagine how you will look and feel when you’ve reached this goal. If you find yourself thinking about how you’ll have to deprive yourself or how hard you’re going to have to work exercising, relax and try to return to the desired outcome.

3.The problem many people run into when it comes to losing weight, or any other goal, is that they get overwhelmed thinking about all the steps they have to take to achieve something. Your mind tends to put all of these steps together and you feel as if you have to do it all at once. This is not the case. You only have to live one moment at a time. This, in fact, is all you can do.

4. To lose weight, or achieve anything in life, you have to take certain actions. Or stop doing things that take you in the opposite direction, as the case may be. In most cases, however, it’s not more information that you need. You probably already know what you have to do and not do to lose weight. What’s stopping you is not lack of information, or even lack of will power. It’s the way you’ve been focusing on the wrong side of the equation. The more you focus on where you want to be, and not on the difficult (at least as you probably think of it) journey to get there, the faster you’ll arrive!

Pizza Snack

2009-11-15T14:28:00.002-07:00

I am a pizza girl. Always have been. Last time I ate a REAL pizza from like Pizza hut or Dominoes? Couldn't even tell ya. One day I was on one of my favorite websites CALORIEKING.COM and I saw how many calories are in just one slice of pizza and haven't really gone back since-- Not saying you have to do that, but I just can't knowing the calorie intake I would be putting into my body. To help curb my cravings I make up these little yummy snacks from time to time. It is super good and almost as good as Pappa Johns. Almost. (:

Ingredients

2 whole wheat English muffins sliced
1/4 cup marinara sauce
1/4 cup diced bell pepper
sliced red onions
4-5 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. Place English muffins on a baking sheet lines with aluminum foil. Top with marinara sauce, bell pepper, olives and basil. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 12-15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Nutrition information per pizza

Calories: 130; Total fat: 4.5g Saturated fat: 2g; Carbohydrate: 16g; Protein: 7g; Sodium: 390mg

Turkey Bacon Potato soup

2009-11-14T12:25:00.003-07:00

6-8 slices of turkey bacon cooked and crumbled

4-5 potatos peeled and diced

1 bunch of green onions diced

1 can corn

1 can campbells 98% fat free cream of chicken soup

1 cup fat free sour cream

4 cups of skim milk

salt & pepper (as little or as much as you like)

cayanne pepper to

2 chicken boulion cubes

Dump all into a crock-pot and slow cook for about 6-8 hours. Enjoy! Would taste wonderful with some homemade whole wheat bread!

Breakfast of champions!

2009-11-13T21:00:00.002-07:00

We have all heard that breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day and I can honestly attest that it is true! Back in the day I used to skip breakfast to "save" on calories but would end up so hungry & sluggish that I would over-eat at lunch and dinner. I was reading an article about some good breakfast ideas and I am using some of their ideas as well as some of my own breakfast ideas that I use to help jump start breakfast the healthy way! So here are 8 really great meals to start your day with a nutritious meal. I find it so much easier to eat healthy the whole day if you start it out eating healthy (:

Oatmeal with fruit. To me, this is the perfect breakfast. Oatmeal is probably the healthier choice, but if you are in a hurry, the instant kind will do fine (it doesn’t have as much fiber, but the other ingredients make up for that). After microwaving the oatmeal, add ground flaxseed (can get from a health food store or even the health food section of the grocery store) add some frozen blueberries, sliced almonds. You can add a little cinnamon and honey (not a lot) if you’re using the non-instant oatmeal. That’s four power foods, full of fiber and nutrients and protein and good fats, with only a couple of minutes of prep time. And very tasty!

Kashi Go-lean crunch Actually, any whole-grain, high-fiber cereal is a good choice, but I mention this particular one because it’s a favorite of mine. It has a high amount of protein and fiber, low sugar. Addskim milk (which has 1/3 the saturated fat of 1% milk), perhaps even some berries if you like.

Scrambled egg whites on a slice of whole wheat toast. By eliminating the yolks you get rid of about 80 calories per egg. Add some onions, green peppers or other veggies, some light soy sauce or tamari, maybe some garlic powder, and black pepper, stir-fry with a little olive oil. Eat with whole-grain toast. Fast and delicious.

Fresh berries, yogurt, granola. Get LIGHT yogurt, cut up some berries or other fruits, add some healthy cereal. I actually use the Kashi Golean Crunch instead of granola, as many brands of granola have way too much fat and/or sugar.

Grapefruit with whole-wheat toast & almond butter. Add a little splenda on top of the grapefruit, and it’s actually pretty good. The almond butter is healthier than peanut-butter, with lots of good protein to fill you up. At Smith's you can even grind up your own almond butter so there is NO preservatives or additives-- really yummy!

Fresh fruit salad. Cut up some apples, melons, berries, oranges, pears, bananas, grapes … any or all or whatever your favorite fruits are. Add a little bit of lime or lemon juice. Perfect.

Protein shake with extras. I use soy protein powder, but whey works well too. Blend up with skim milk, some frozen blueberries, and perhaps some almond butter or oatmeal. That may sound weird, but it’s actually pretty good, and pretty filling. A little ground flax seed works well too.

Cottage cheese and fruit. Get low-fat cottage cheese. Add any kind of fruit. Apples, citrus, berries.

strawberry apple cobbler

2009-11-11T19:43:00.004-07:00

servings 6

1/3 cup splenda
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups chopped peeled apples
2 pkg (each 300 g) frozen unsweetened strawberries (could use fresh as well)
2 tbsp lemon juice

Topping:
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tbsp splenda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp cold butter
2/3 cup skim milk

Combine sugar, flour, lemon rind and cinnamon. Stir in apples, strawberries and lemon juice.
Spread mixture in 8-inch square baking dish and bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Topping:
In bowl, mix together flour, splenda, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. With fork, stir in milk until soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto fruit.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden and biscuits are cooked through.

Serve plain or with some fat-free cool whip! Delicious!

Peach cream cake

2009-11-11T19:38:00.002-07:00

This is still a dessert you will want to watch your portion size with, and you may wanna add a few more minutes on the treadmill, but if you want to indulge, here is a really good recipe where I substituted a lot of junk, for lower-calorie junk

servings 12

13 oz angel food cake, cut into 1/4" slices
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
14 oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 cup Cool Whip� Free, thawed
1 cup cold water
29 oz peach slices in syrup, drained
3 oz fat-free vanilla pudding mix

Arrange half cake slices on bottom of 13 x 9" pan; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, water, and pudding mix. Mix well. Fold in vanilla extract and whipped topping. Pour half the mixture over cake slices in pan. Arrange half the peach slices on top. Repeat layers. Chill four hours, or until set. Cut into squares.
Refrigerate leftovers.

Healthy Chicken "fried" rice

2009-11-11T19:32:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

Directions

You can use brown rice or brown basmati rice. Cook rice according to package directions, but instead of boiling rice in water, boil it in stock. You will need 3/4 cup DRY rice and add 1 1/4 cups stock. Other than that, follow the package directions.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat and cook chicken and mushrooms for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink.

Once the rice has cooked for 25 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed, add green onions, carrots, celery, and cooked rice to the chicken and mushroom skillet.

Cook, stirring about 2 minutes, to combine all ingredients.

Add remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock and 1/4 cup of soy sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Add FRESH bean sprouts (optional).

Albino Chicken pasta

2009-11-11T07:46:00.001-07:00

This is a super simple and easy recipe. You can pretty much add anything to it as well. Ingredients 1 (16 ounce) package dry whole wheat penne pasta 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/3 cup low fat grated Parmesan cheese Diced chicken Cooked broccoli Directions Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. In small saucepan, saute garlic a small amount of oil. Combine garlic, olive oil, and pasta in a bowl. Mix in parmesan cheese, chicken and broccoli.

Proper serving size

2009-11-10T18:56:00.002-07:00

America is so out of wack when it comes to serving sizes. You go to any fast food restaurant and they ask you "do you wanna super size this..? And more often than not, the response is yes. We stretch out our stomachs and feel like we need to feel absolutely stuffed after a meal, rather than satisfied. 5 years ago, this was something I really had to learn. I was one of those who was okay to sit and eat a super-sized meal from Jack-in-the-Box. Little did I know, that one meal had MORE calories than my body needed in a whole day. Thus, led to a lot of weight gain. Now, me and Geoff measure everything. I have a food scale to weigh my raw meat and I make sure half of my plate is veggies. It is something we have to train ourselves to do. We have to be conscience when it comes to our health. It's not easy, but then again nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

All you ever wanted to know about Whole Grains.

2009-11-09T16:43:00.003-07:00

If you are a carb lover like I am, than bread and pastas are a weakness.

So what do you do because we all know "carbs are the enemy!? Quite the contrary. Carbs are good. The problem is, most americans are eating the wrong kinds of carbs. We are filling up on sugar, starches and many other empty calories. One thing I suggest is to switch to WHOLE WHEAT AND WHOLE GRAIN! You can find whole grain pasta that is amazing & delicious and you will never know the difference.

Some facts about whole grains:

A grain is considered whole when all three parts – bran, germ and endosperm – are present. Most people know that fruits and vegetables contain beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidant s, but many do not realize that whole grains are often an even better source of these key nutrients. In fact, whole grains are a good source of B vitamins, V itamin E,magnesium, iron and fiber, as well as other valuable antioxidants not found in some fruits and vegetables. Most of the antioxidants and vitaminsare found in the germ and the bran of a grain.

Common Types of Whole Grains:

wild rice
brown rice
whole wheat
oatmeal
whole oats
barley
whole rye
bulgar
popcorn

Whole grains have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by decreasing cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood coagulation. Whole grains have also been found to reduce the risks of many types of cancer. They may also help regulate blood glucose in people living with diabetes. Other studies have also shown that people who consume more whole grains consistently weigh less than those who consumed less whole grain products.

*Interesting side note...Did you know that in order for it to be considered a whole grain, it MUST read 100% whole wheat/grain? So when you are picking up a loaf of bread that says "wheat" on it, it probably has very little whole grains in it. Read labels carefully because they are very tricky.

Whole wheat zucchini bread

2009-11-09T16:37:00.003-07:00

I made this SO much this past summer and early fall as our garden was bursting with zucchini. This recipe was a hit with my neighbors, family and friends as I was constantly giving it away to them to get rid of some of our harvest.

2 c. splenda
1 c. applesauce (this makes it SO much healthier than using Oil and it is still super moist!)
3 egg whites
2 zucchini, unpeeled & grated
3 tsp. vanilla
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Mix sugar, oil, eggs, zucchini and vanilla in large bowl. Sift together in separate bowl whole wheat flour, salt, soda, cinnamon and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to first bowl, stirring to combine well. Add chopped nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Yield: 2 loaves.

Whole Wheat Banana bread (REALLY good!!)

2009-11-09T16:33:00.004-07:00

This is an incredibly moist and delicious bread-- you would never know it is "healthy". Go on and give it a try-- I dare you!!

Ingredients

3/4 cup SPLENDA
3/4 cup flax seed meal (can pick up at the health food section @ the store)
5 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
2 teaspoons egg whites
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar blend, flax meal, bananas, milk, sour cream and egg whites until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the banana mixture until moistened. Spoon into prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean.

Whole wheat chicken (or beef or turkey) enchiladas

2009-11-08T18:55:00.003-07:00

So easy to make and SO easy to make healthier

Choose either 96/4 ground beef, ground turkey, or chicken breast for the meat. Cook the meat prior.

Soup mixture:

-1/2 c. skim milk

-1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken

-1 c. fat free sour cream

-1 can green chillis

Using whole wheat tortillas for this recipe is a great way to get your healthy carbs.

Place a little of the soup mixture on a 9x13 pan

-In the tortilla, place the meat and a little soup mixture & roll and place in the pan

-When finished with the tortilla, pour the remaining soup mixture over enchiladas. You can use a little low fat cheese shredded on top but you really don't have to have it.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Oatmeal cookies

2009-11-08T18:24:00.004-07:00

Here is a recipe I have modified that turn out quite tasty and without TONS of calories. Enjoy!

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. applesauce

1 c. splenda brown sugar

1 c. splenda

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

_________________________

Cream all those ingredients

_________________________

Add:

3 cups Oatmeal

2 cups whole wheat flour

_________________________

Drop in spoonfools on cookie sheet

Cook 8-10 minutes at 375

An email to a friend

2009-11-07T11:47:00.005-07:00

I had a friend I grew up with that knew me when I was "fat" email me about a month ago asking me HOW to get motivated to to change her lifestyle and what I did to change mine so drastically and here is my reply:

Dear ______________________,

First off, the best thing you are doing right now is having a desire to change. That's the first step. There needs to be a strong desire. Growing up very over-weight, my highest weight tipping the scales at almost 250, I would cry about my weight and be so unhappy over it, yet, I never really had the desire to change.

Til one day, when I was 20 years old, something inside of me just snapped. I could not take it any longer and I got on my knees and asked God for help to make a drastic change in my lifestyle. I didn't want to go on a diet, I wanted a whole new life-style. From that day on, I have been on track. It had to come from somewhere deep down inside of me. My desire never was to be a size 2. I just wanted to be healthy and happy.

Where does a girl who hardly exercised a day in her life and lived off of fast food begin? Well, I started by doing a lot of research and found a friend to do it with me (my dad). Here is what I learned and has worked for me.

-Write down every single thing you put in your mouth. EVERYTHING! Even if it is a teaspoon of whatever. Write it down! Those calories add up.

-For me, I went on a 1200 calorie a day diet. Sounds restrictive I know. And the first few days were really really tough. But you can eat a lot with 1200 calories. Fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains and lean protein are what my diet consisted of. If I wanted a "treat" it was a very small portion (often times just a bite of dessert, just to have a taste)

-Self-control & self motivation is so important in changing your life-style. It is so easy to give up and go eat a box of donuts. But I always told myself "Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels". I live by that motto now.

-Exercise, exercise, exercise! I am not talking running a marathon. When I first started changing my life 5 years ago, I would only be able to make it on an elliptical machine for 2 minutes at a time before I felt like passing out. So i would go 2 minutes, stop a minute to rest, go another 2 minutes, stop a minute... until I reached 30 minutes of good heart pumping exercise. It gets easier and the weight comes off and I have basically CURED my asthma now. I rarely rarely use an inhaler, where I was using it almost everyday before.

-Once you get on the scale and see results, you become more and more motivated to work harder to keep it coming off.

-You will reach a plateau at some point. Everyone does. For me I have been battling that for the past few years. Even marathon training wasn't helping as much as I thought it would. NEVER EVER give up. If the weight doesn't come off, do not go back to your old "life". If nothing else, you are keeping your body healthy and you will feel better after eating right and exercising.

-Reward yourself. For me, the greatest reward was new clothes because my other clothes were falling off of me and it was a need to get some new ones. Even if the reward is something as small as a new pair of earrings after losing 10 lbs-- do it! Make yourself feel special for working so hard to make such an important change!

This truly does work. I am down 85 pounds now and have never felt better. I still struggle from time to time but I am ten times happier. I truly believe that one of the hardest things in life is conquering yourself. We are our own worst enemies and constantly have to fight the battle to over-come self doubt and fear. Start with small changes if you need to and gradually increase. Ask for help when you need help. Just do not give up! Our bodies are capable of so much- we just have to convince ourselves of that!

Good luck & keep the faith,

Cami

Lime Garlic Chicken

2009-11-06T21:17:00.002-07:00

This is really good with some brown rice or a nice side salad. Very filling & good for any time of year!
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.
Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Peach Cobbler (yes, even this can be healthy!)

2009-11-06T21:02:00.003-07:00

I am a HUGE fan of splenda. It is made from sugar but without any calories! Some people say it is too expensive to bake with. My response? Can you really put a price on your health? It is worth it to bake with it! Here is a great, yummy peach cobbler that I have made many of times and nobody knew it was made with splenda!

1/4 butter
1 cup splenda
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
¾ cup of skim milk
3 cups sliced fresh peaches, peeled or skins left on
½ cup splenda brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

preheat oven to 350. Melt the butter either over the oven or in the microwave. Add the butter to a 8 inch baking dish.Then mix the dry ingredients (except brown sugar splenda) and the milk. Pour batter in the dish. Arrange the peaches over the mixture and then sprinkle the splenda brown sugar over it. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Rather than having the popular ice-cream on it, you can serve it with light or fat-free cool whip! It's truly delicious!

Whole wheat pumpkin pancakes

2009-11-06T20:46:00.002-07:00

To die for-- try it with sugar free syrup! (It may take awhile to get used to but the difference in calories is amazing... a 1/2 cup of regular maple syrup has OVER 400 calories! That is JUST in the syrup alone! If you switch to sugar-free syrup you can have a 1/2 cup for around 50-60 calories!)

These pancakes are to DIE for!!

1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1 C. skim milk
1 C. canned pumpkin puree
2 egg whites
2 T. olive oil
1 t. vanilla
2 T. dark brown splenda sugar

Mix and pour pancakes on a hot griddle. Perfect for the autumn/fall season or just for anytime of year!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-11-06T17:20:00.003-07:00

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Totally just made this up but Geoff says it is amazing so try it for yourself

1 can chicken broth

1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken

chicken breast cooked & cubed

2 cans corn (do not drain)

2 cans black beans

1/2 diced yellow onion

1-2 cans of green chillies

1 packet of fat free ranch seasoning

1/2 c fat free sour cream

1 tsp oregono

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

salt & pepper to taste

dump everything in and let simmer

bag of tortilla strips (can buy them where the croutons are)-- you only need to sprinkle a few of these on the soup. Not too much of it won't be so low cal anymore! A cup of this soup is all you really need to be satisfied without stuffing yourself.

*Big healthy living tip is watching your SERVING SIZE. In America everything is super-sized. One reason obesity is out of control! Geoff and I measure EVERYTHING we eat. Right down to our morning oatmeal or cereal. You can weigh your meat by getting a food scale for less than $10 at Walmart and also just by using a plain old measuring cup. It really lets you know how much food you're consuming and is a great tool in weight loss!