Thursday, July 25, 2013

What the Heck Happened!

From not doing much last week to this week really never having a minute to spare, what's with that?

Yesterday I finished  my six Weight Watcher meetings for the week, I thoroughly enjoyed the subject this week as we were making smarter salads.  One of the members told me that she would go to McDonalds and order a side salad and then a grilled chicken breast, just a chicken breast  not a sandwich, then cut it up and put it on the salad for a chicken salad.  The portion size was just right for her and the cost was only $3.00, a buck for the salad and 2 bucks for the chicken breast.  What a great idea, I never thought of that.

Friday we went to the zoo with friends and did the usual, feed the giraffes, watch the elephants get their bath and walk around for some activity.  The humidity was up and it was so hot that I found myself needing to drink some water, I went to the concessions to buy some water and because of the conditions they were giving out free ice water.  WOW what a reminder, we might think were doing ok but we really need to stay hydrated, drink plenty of water in these hot summer months.  When we left the zoo we all went to lunch as it was Mycah's birthday, we stopped at Panera Bread and had a good time, next time you go there ask them about their hidden menu.
Support your local zoo

Over the weekend we went to the mall in Springfield, guess who needed to buy some new clothes, ME not Jan.  We got there a little before the stores opened so we walked the mall and when we went past the See's candy store we saw that it was the annual lollypop promotion.  Needless to say we went back when they opened to get some and I'm glad we did, they were $5.00 off a box, had 2 new flavors to try root beer and chocolate caramel and they are only 2 Weight Watchers points per lollypop, what a deal!

After I got some new clothes we went to the movies and saw Red 2, I highly recommend it as it had action, comedy and a great cast. They are refurbishing the movie theater we went to and we were very impressed with the changes. the new seats are extra wide leather recliners, just hold the button down and it reclines and the foot rest comes up, all they need now is waiter service.

Monday was our volunteer day at Horses of Hope, we had a great time as usual, kids were their from Greene County as part of a service project to learn that one person can make a difference and that person could be them.  Horses of Hope provides such incredible services and it is a pleasure to be a part of their volunteer team.
Check out their website, horsesofhope.com

WOW, I'm glad the week is over and this can be a rest day, I only need to do some yard work, mow, edge, trim and finish putting the block around the flower bed, I think I need a nap just thinking about it.

I thought I had maintenance figured out, NOT, I lost 1.4 pounds this week, I'm going to have to increase  my points again and see what happens.  Jan stayed the same this week and was thrilled as it was tough week for her.  I found this great article about artificial sweeteners and I want to share it with you,

Debunking the myths about ‘reduced-fat,’ ‘zero-calorie’ & artificial sweeteners

If the words “fat-free,” “sugar-free” or “zero calories” convince you to purchase and consume certain foods and drinks, listen up. While healthy alternatives always are welcomed, we need to know exactly what we’re putting into our bodies. Sometimes all of the food labels and buzzwords can make healthy eating more complicated than it needs to be.  
Myth: Artificial sweeteners, such as those found in diet sodas, are bad for you and will make you fat.

Fact: Like almost anything, artificial sweeteners aren’t bad for you in moderation. They are beneficial when used in a diabetic or low-calorie diet. Also, contrary to popular belief, there’s been no conclusive research indicating that they cause cancer or brain tumors in humans. But artificial sweeteners, which are significantly sweeter than sugar, mean that those products in which they are used also have other additives, which could be undesirable to some health-conscious people.

Myth: Reduced-fat, low-fat or zero-calorie foods are healthy alternatives.

Fact: Removing the fat from food often means an increase in additives or unhealthy levels of sodium and carbohydrates to compensate for the change of flavor. Sometimes these additives make a low- or reduced-fat food just as bad for you if not more than the regular product. 

Myth: High-fructose corn syrup is worse than sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Fact: High-fructose corn syrup was designed to come as close as possible to replicating sugar, which as far as calories go, it does. As a sugar substitute, it's no better or worse for you than a cube of the real stuff.


The big problem seems to be how much sweeteners are used in everyday diets,

The food find this week is a fun one, pudding in a pouch, enjoy.

Another slow cooker recipe.

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Chicken Tacos

Servings: 4 • Size: 3 tacos • Calories: 313 • Fat: 8 g • Carb: 41 g • Fiber: 8 g • Protein: 22 g •

Ingredients:
·         12 oz raw skinless chicken tenders or breast
·         15 oz can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
·         10 oz can tomatoes with mild green chiles (I used Rotel)
·         1 1/8 tsp chili powder
·         3/4 tsp plus 1/8th tsp ground cumin
·         1/4 tsp garlic powder
·         1/4 tsp oregano 
·         1 medium scallion, diced
·         1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

For the Slaw:
·         1 1/3 cups shredded red cabbage
·         1 tsp red wine vinegar (or lime juice)
·         salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Taco:
·         12 crisp corn taco shells

Optional toppings: (not calculated)
·         pico de gallo
·         1 medium haas avocado, sliced

Directions:

Season chicken with pinch of salt, garlic powder, oregano, 1/8 tsp of the chili powder and 1/8th tsp cumin.
Add the beans and tomatoes to the crock pot and season with the remaining chili powder and cumin. Place chicken in the crock pot and cover. Cook on HIGH 2 hours
Meanwhile, combine shredded cabbage with vinegar (add more to taste), season with salt to taste; set aside.

Remove chicken from the crock pot and shred with two forks. Drain beans and transfer to a platter, or back to the crock pot to keep warm. Top with shredded chicken, scallions and cilantro.

To serve, warm the taco shells according to package directions. Fill with equal amounts of bean and chicken mixture. Top with cabbage and your favorite toppings

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Thursday, July 18, 2013

Not Much Going On!

Like the title of this post says, "Not Much Going On!" as a matter of fact I can't remember doing anything different or exciting this past week, it just went by way to fast and I have no idea what we did.

A quick update on Abby, she is doing pretty good right now as she has kept most of her food down, however, she looks even thinner to us than she did last week.  We are always looking for something new to feed her that is full of nutrients and vitamins and Jan found something new. When she told me about it I thought she was kidding me because one of my favorite television channels is the Food Network, anyway, it is a new dog food by Rachael Ray and the ingredients are amazing, it even smells good and Abby really likes it.  It smelled so good I was tempted to try it myself.

Wow, Rachael is into everything! Chicken Paw Pie

Weight maintenance was good this week as I lost .6 this week at weigh-in, it looks like I'm getting the hang of it.  Jan was up a tad and is alright with that as she hasn't felt a 100% this last week.

Most of you know that I like my sweets and I saw this list of healthy sweet snacks and wanted to share it with you.  You can get these snacks at any grocery store.

·     1 package Original Apple Nature Valley Fruit Crisps (50 calories)
·     1 packet O'Coco's Mocha cookies (90 calories)
·     1 Jelly Belly 100-calorie pack (100 calories)
·         One 100-calorie pack Trader Joe's Chocolate Graham Toucan Cookies (100 calories)
·         One 100-calorie Balance Bar (100 calories)
·         1 Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino bar (120 calories)
·         1 package Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks (120 calories)
·         ½ banana rolled in 1 tbsp frozen semisweet chocolate chips (123 calories)
·         2 tbsp Better 'n Peanut Butter, 4 stalks celery (124 calories)
·         1 bag Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Butter Mini Bag topped with a spritz of butter spray and 1 tsp sugar (126 calories)
·         24 Annie's Chocolate Chip Bunny Graham cookies (140 calories)
·         Half of a 1.08-oz container of M&M's Minis mixed with 1/3 cup lowfat granola (145 calories)
·         1 McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait (160 calories)

·         1 container Fage Greek Total 2% fat yogurt, 2 tsp honey (173 calories)
Quit stuffing your face & face your stuff!
This weeks food find is actually one that I can't recommend, we had a free coupon for this and thought we would try it, not worth the calories.



I love turkey burgers so I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Naked Turkey Bruschetta Burgers

Servings: 5  • Size: 1 burger  • Calories: 288 • Fat: 14 g • Carb: 10 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 27 g •

Ingredients:
·         1/4 cup chopped red onion
·         1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
·         1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
·         kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
·         3 medium vine ripe tomatoes
·         2 small cloves garlic, minced
·         2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
·         3 oz part skim mozzarella, diced

For the turkey zucchini burgers:
·         1.25 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
·         1 small zucchini, grated (1 cup, or 5 oz)
·         1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
·         1 clove garlic, grated
·         1 tbsp red onion, grated
·         salt and fresh pepper
·         oil spray
For serving:
·         2 medium tomatoes, sliced into 10 thin slices
·         4 loose cups baby arugula

Directions:
Combine the red onion, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside a few minutes while you chop the tomatoes, then place in the bowl. Add the garlic, basil and additional salt and pepper, to taste and mix well and set aside. Toss in the cheese when ready to serve.

Squeeze the excess moisture from the zucchini in a paper towel. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, shredded zucchini, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Form into 5 equal sized patties about 5 oz each, forming them as flat as possible.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, lightly spray with oil. Add the burgers to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook another 4 minutes, careful not to burn

To serve, arrange 3 slices of tomatoes on each dish, then place 1 cup arugula on top in the center, then top with the burger and finish with the bruschetta (don't forget to add the cheese), serve right away.

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Thursday, July 11, 2013

Fun at the Zoo

Saturday was a fun day as we went into Springfield to go to the zoo, but our first stop was at the Breadsmith a terrific bread bakery.  I just love their sourdough rolls and when ever we go into town I do my best to get there and pick some up.  After the bread stop we headed over to the zoo and of course our first stop there had to be at the giraffes, I really enjoy feeding them and get a kick out of watching them stick out their tongue.  We did find out that the female giraffes are a little bit more subdued and don't stick their tongues out as far as the males, who would of thought that!

Male or female?

We then worked our way over to the elephants as Saturday morning 11:00 am was bath day and we had never seen that.  When we got there the big male elephant was enjoying his bath and when he was finished the handler called out Moola, Moola and the smaller female who was on the far side of the enclosure picked up her head and started walking towards him.  As the handler kept calling her name she continued her slow walk to him for her bath and the male found the mud hole and was covering himself up with mud, so much for his bath.  Moola finally arrived at her designated place and the handler then turned on the fire hose to give her her bath. It looked like she was enjoying it as she kept getting as close as possible to the handler.

Moola getting a drink during her bath

As we were going through the zoo we came to the tigers and as often as we have gone to the zoo we have never seen a tiger in the water, but today was different, one of the tigers was almost under water.  It was pretty hot, close to 90 degrees with 70% humidity so i guess it was an opportunity to cool off.

Just laying there, only his head was out of the water

We just love our zoo and enjoy every opportunity we have to visit, it's not to big or to small, it's just right!

One of the walkways between enclosures, lots of green

While I'm thinking of it, whats going on with the price of gas?  It's gone up 30 cents in the last 2 days and the news says it will probably go up another 30 to 40 cents in the next few days.  Turmoil in Egypt?  There's turmoil in that part of the world all of the time, just another excuse!

I was thrilled with weigh-in this week as I MAINTAINED, no gain and no loss, maybe I've figured it out, I guess next week will tell me if I have.  Jan had another loss this week and is getting ever so close to her 5% goal.  It seems like I need to use around 15 of my points allowance each week in addition to my 32 daily points so I have been using some of them on a Dairy Queen mini Snickers Blizzard, 10 points and WORTH it!

Having trouble starting or keeping an exercise program going?  Here are 10 tips or tricks to help you out.

1. Be Consistent – Slow and steady, at least a little bit every day.
2. Follow an Effective Exercise Routine – Figure out what works for you - Strength training, interval training or cardio/aerobic exercise.
3. Set Realistic Goals - Don't strive for perfection or an improbable goal that can't be met.
4. Use the Buddy System - Find a friend or relative who also wants to establish a healthier lifestyle.
5. Make Your Plan Fit Your Life – Home, gym or outside, what works for you?
6. Be Happy - Be sure to pick an activity you actually enjoy doing.
7. Watch the Clock - Your body clock. Try to work out at the time you have the most energy.
8. Call In the Pros – If you’re having trouble getting started.
9. Get Inspired - Fitness is a state of mind, who inspires you?
10. Be Patient - There will be ups and downs, setbacks and victories - Hang in there!

This weeks food find is one of Jan's favorites, I'll eat it but would just as soon have a Blizzard



Zucchini is plentiful this time of year so enjoy this weeks recipe

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats


Servings: 8 • Size: 1 boat • Calories: 153 • Fat: 7 g • Protein: 13 g • Carb: 9 g • Fiber: 2 g

Ingredients:
·         1 1/4 cups marinara  sauce
·         4 medium zucchini
·         1 tsp oil
·         1/2 small onion, finely diced
·         3 cloves garlic, crushed
·         1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
·         14 oz lean Italian chicken sausage (remove casing)
·         1/2 cup part skim shredded mozzarella
·         8 tsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Preheat oven to 400°. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4" thick. Chop the scooped out flesh of the zucchini in small pieces and set aside.

Drop zucchini halves in boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove from water, p
lace 1/4 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 12" baking dish, and place zucchini halves cut side up.

In a large saute pan, brown sausage, breaking up as it cooks into smaller pieces until browned; set aside. Heat oil and add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on a medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add chopped zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook about 2-3 minutes. Combine with sausage and cook a few more minutes

Using a spoon, fill each hollowed zucchini with 1/3 cup cooked sausage, pressing firmly. Top each with 2 tablespoons each of sauce, 1 tablespoon each of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 teaspoon each of Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.


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Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy Birthday America!

Here it is, the 4th of July, with celebrations all over the good old USA.  Independence Day and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  Was it signed on July 4, 1776?  Actually they say that it was adopted on July 4, 1776 and signed by John Hancock with the majority of signatures gathered on August 2, 1776.  Maybe we should celebrate from July 4th through August 2nd.  A lot of the celebration is done with fireworks and I have to say that the selling of fireworks here in Missouri sure is different than anything I had ever seen on the west coast.  I had only seen small firework stands with a minimal selection of fireworks, however here there are no small stands, only huge tents with  anything that could explode for sale.  The prices also seem to be very reasonable as you could purchase a gross (144) firecrackers for $1.25 or how about a gross of bottle rockets for $3.00.  I just had to stop in one and check it out and had a nice conversation with the owner, but didn't spend a penny.  That's another thing, these huge venues are not operated by and for non profit organizations they are owned and operated by individuals for profit.  The owner I was talking to has had that location for 20 years, what a difference from anything I was a custom to.  By the way, in our small town of only 10,000 people I counted 9 huge tents.  We were going to go out to our main street and watch the cities fireworks show like last year, but Jan has had a tough week and Abby hasn't been doing well the last couple of days.  We have decided to just stay home this year and maybe we will be able to see the fireworks from the house, or watch them on TV.
This is the fireworks stand I visited

This was just one row of fireworks, there were four rows in total

As I said this was a tough week for Jan, about 5 weeks ago she had an injection in her back which gave her much comfort from the pain she was in but last weekend the pain came back with a vengeance.  Her next injection wasn't scheduled until mid July but fortunately the pain management doctor was able to see her last Tuesday which is giving her some relief.  Then the next day, she had a visit to the Dermatologist for a procedure.  

Abby has had a couple of tough days also having trouble keeping any food down so she's back on a rice diet and chicken broth for a while.  I thought things were going good, as last Friday when I took her to the vet she had gained four pounds over the last three weeks.

Friends from Horses of Hope had a birthday party for their one year old grandson last week so we ventured off to Kansas to attend.  We had a great time and enjoyed the food, fun and friends.  The BBQ beef was absolutely delicious ( I had 3 helpings).  There was a wagon ride and even a harpist, I think JK the birthday boy really enjoyed the harpist!

The tables and chairs (straw) for the party

The wagon rides were fun, that's the proud grandma in the red & white

I was happy with my weigh-in this week as I gained one pound, still working on maintenance, I'll get it figured out I just don't want to lose anymore.  Jan didn't weigh-in this week as she was at the doctors, however, she did say to me today that she feels like she has lost weight.  There has been a lot of talk this week about a ripple effect, that is how can one thing create a chain reaction, so give this exercise a try.  Think of one little thing that has helped you in your weight loss, for example tracking, then ask yourself what happens when I track, answer the question and then ask yourself again then what happens.  keep asking yourself then what happens and you will see the ripple effect of tracking.

One small change CAN make a difference.

I was reading a great article at HellaWella on foods that help relieve stress and I wanted to share part of it with you.

Ditch your “comfort” foods. When we're stressed, our bodies release more cortisol than usual, causing more food cravings, especially the need for carbs and sweets for women. This consumption of unhealthy food when we’re stressed increases the likelihood that we’ll store belly fat. So it’s important to understand how stress and poor eating affect our overall health.

Unsurprisingly, many of the foods that reduce stress also are the same that are recommended to improve cognitive ability and memory. They include blueberries, garlic, oatmeal, salmon, nuts and dark chocolate.

Eat your greens. Asparagus, which is high in folates; avocados, rich in glutathione, a fat-blocker in the intestines; and leafy greens, high in B vitamins, will help you keep your stress down.


Drink your liquids. Chamomile and green tea have threonine, an amino acid linked to the reduction of anxiety and promotion of sleep. That’s why Sleepy time tea makes us feel like we’re floating on a cloud. Likewise, the calcium in milk also serves as a calming agent.

If you like coconut, if you like fudge, if you like cookies, you'll love this weeks food find.



This weeks recipe is a great summer time salad.

Pasta Salad with Baby Greens


Servings: 4 • Size: about 1 1/2 cups • Calories: 169 • Fat: 5 g • Carb: 29.5 g • Fiber: 5 g • Protein: 6 g

Ingredients:
·         3 oz (about 4 cups) baby arugula and baby spinach mix
·         5 oz high fiber or whole wheat pasta (use brown rice pasta for GF)
·         1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced thin
·         2 tbsp capers, drained
·         2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
·         1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
·         salt and fresh pepper to taste
·         2 tbsp freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. When done, drain and rinse under cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, baby greens, sun dried tomatoes, capers, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss well then just before serving top with fresh shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.

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