The Cardiologist's Wife

National Peanut Butter Day

2012-01-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

Since my whole family loves peanuts and peanut butter, I can't imagine how we all missed National Peanut Butter Day on January 24th. Had I known, we would have celebrated with all our favorite ways to eat peanut butter. It would have been hard to choose between peanut butter pie and chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting for dessert, but we could have started our meal with a nice peanut butter soup and moved on to Peanut Butter Chicken for the main course. I must admit that the girls in the family are the big peanut lovers, followed by my husband and then my son. My son doesn't like Peanut Butter Chicken but I will share the recipe and you can try it for yourself. I have been known to have a serious peanut addiction that meant I ate a small amount of peanuts every day. The last couple of months I haven't felt like eating peanuts though so I must have finally burned myself out on them.

Peanut butter has an interesting history. It is thought to have originated in South America where the Indians ground peanuts into a kind of paste. The modern version of PB probably started in the late 1800's with Dr. Kellogg of Kellogg cereal fame, who made peanut butter and served it to his patients as a nutritious protein. Other Americans perfected the spread or invented machines to grind up the peanuts. The National Peanut Board claims that Americans eat more than 6 pounds of peanut butter a year. Wow! Peanut butter is very nutritious though high in monounsaturated fats and calories. It is high in fiber, protein, vitamins B3 and E and iron. Peanut butter contains more antioxidants than apples and carrots and contains Resveratrol, a natural anitmicrobial agent that can protect against cancer, viruses, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

I didn't cook with peanuts or peanut butter until several years ago. Peanut butter was for PB and J's. Once we were having an early American dinner when the kids were really young and I made peanut butter soup. The rest of the family wasn't crazy about it but I discovered that peanut butter had so many more possibilities. The following recipe is is pretty easy and a different from your ordinary chicken. You'll like it if you like peanuts.

Peanut Butter Chicken
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
8 pieces of chicken such as legs or thighs
Place these ingredients except for the chicken in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 30 seconds at a time until easy to mix. Place chicken in a large zip top bag, add marinade and close bag. Massage chicken to make sure it is all coated then marinate about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile mix the following ingredients in a pie plate or similar dish.
1/2 cup ground peanuts
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper
After 30 minutes, remove chicken from bag and roll in the peanut/crumb mixture. Place in a lightly greased baking dish and bake at 375 for 35 minutes or until lightly brown and done.

Update On Fish Oil

2012-01-24T04:37:00.000-08:00

Back in September I wrote about the benefits of fish oil, one of them supposedly being that it was good for achy joints. I promised to report back after taking fish oil for at least 12 weeks so here it is. First of all, let me say I have not taken the recommended 4 pills a day for joint pain relief. If I have to take that many honking big pills a day, you can forget it. There, confession is out of the way.

Second, I must also say that I have switched from Meloxicam, the drug which made my stomach hurt, to Celebrex, more expensive but easier on the stomach. So I have been taking Celebrex at the same time as the fish oil. I did that because I hurt so much in my lower back that I couldn't wait 12 weeks for the fish oil to take effect. However, I ran out of Celebrex about 7 to 10 days ago, so I decided to see how I felt off the drug. For the first several days I was amazed that I had no pain. I was beginning to believe the fish oil was working, even on 1 pill a day.

But the last two days, I have started hurting again and will be headed to the pharmacy later today. (It is now 6:13 a.m.) This may be due to the fact that I went dancing into the wee hours at the Rhumba Room Saturday night plus had a few really vigorous workouts close together. Maybe all that extra exercise finally put me over the edge. Whatever the cause, I've got to get back to a pain free state again.

Constant pain really wears you down and makes it difficult to be in a good mood and to do your regular activities. When I hurt, I tend to snap at people more and be really crabby, as do most people. Therefore, it is so important to do something for constant pain. You should consult with a physician first to find out what is wrong and to follow his or her advice. Don't ignore pain, wherever it is, or try to treat it yourself if it doesn't go away after a couple of days rest and some Motrin or Tylenol. If you have really severe pain, see a doctor right away. And for heavens sakes, don't take someone else's prescription medication!

Exercise can be really good for certain types pain and helps keep achy joints moving more comfortably. Obviously, pain from an injury needs rest, not exercise unless it is physical therapy from a licensed professional. The more I sit around, the more my joints get stiff, so movement definitely helps. Soaking in a hot tub also helps those stiff joints or muscles as does massage so consider both therapy, not an indulgence.

So what do I think about the fish oil? I plan to keep on taking fish oil as I felt really good for several days off the Celebrex but I do plan to take two pills a day now. Plus there are heart benefits to taking the fish oil and I'm not aware of any potentially harmful side effects. I'll report back in another couple of months on the increased dosage. I'm not convinced it works for joint pain for everyone but I'm willing to try. I'm also thinking of visiting my doctor again soon especially the foot doctor to discuss my other foot which has begun to hurt in the bunion joint. (I hate my feet. I've worn sensible shoes, tennis shoes and flats most of my life and yet I have painful bunion joints. It's just not fair!) Anyway, here's hoping you have a pain free week!

Fast Sides

2012-01-19T10:20:00.000-08:00

We all want to get a fabulous dinner on the table quickly but some nights are more rushed than others. My family is no different in that we are all going in several directions many nights. However, we still manage to sit down together for a family dinner most of the time. It takes planning and the help and cooperation of everyone to pull it off. I have always said that one person doesn't have to be responsible for meals all the time. Young children can set the table or help with simple tasks. Older kids can cook or clean up after dinner. Both spouses should be able to prepare a decent meal that doesn't involve takeout.

If you have been solely responsible for the cooking in your family, it's time for a change. Have a family talk and get everyone's input but don't allow anyone to say "I"m too busy" or "I can't cook". Assign jobs or nights for everyone to pitch in or take over the cooking job entirely. After all, your children will be on their own someday and who will feed them then? In the mean time, here are a few ideas of fast sides that anyone older than 9 should be able to do.

Salads: Anyone can open a bag of salad greens, dump them in a bowl and pick over them for wilted pieces. It is easy to add some craisins, nuts, grated cheese, chopped boiled egg, grated carrot, cut up apples or pears to make the salad more nutritious and tasty. Use your imagination for different toppings. Anyone can make a fruit salad by opening a can of mandarin oranges, another of pineapple, draining them well and then adding some sliced banana. Once again, use your imagination for different combinations.

Spicy fries: I had my son prepare spicy fries the other night and these couldn't be easier. Simply bake a bag of steak fries according to package directions. Meanwhile, mix up 1 tsp. of chili powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 or more of cayenne pepper in a small bowl. When the fries are done, place them in a paper bag, add the spices, close the bag and shake. They were very yummy with the sloppy joes we had.

Steamed squash: Wash and trim ends from yellow squash. Slice in 1/4 inch rounds into a microwave safe bowl and add 1 tbsp. of water. Cover tightly and microwave for 5 or 6 minutes or until just tender. This depends on how many you cook. Drain well, salt and pepper to taste with a small scoop of Brummel and Brown or other butter substitute.

Steamed asparagus: Wash and trim tough ends. Place in a pan and add about 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and cook 3 to 5 minutes until asparagus is fork tender. Season with salt, pepper and a small scoop of butter substitute.

Anyone can prepare these sides while a meatloaf or some chicken breasts bake in the oven and Mom picks up little Johnny from basketball practice. It really is that easy, it just takes some planning. Don't forget to brag on the efforts of those who help out in the kitchen. They will be more likely to help next time.

Paula Deen and Diabetes

2012-01-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you heard in the news but Paula Deen, that great lover of butter, sugar and all things fried, has confirmed on the Today show that she does indeed have type two diabetes. However, she assures everyone that it is not a death sentence. Well, lets look at some statistics from the American Diabetes Association and you decide. I assume they know all about diabetes there.

There are 18.8 million people in the U. S. who have been diagnosed with diabetes BUT, about 7 million more are undiagnosed and perhaps as many as 79 million are pre diabetic. No, that 79 million is not a typo. Having diabetes greatly increases your risk for that triumvirate of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. Diabetes is also a leading cause of blindness and kidney failure. Sixty to seventy percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage while 60 % of non traumatic amputations are to diabetics. Does all that sound like a serious problem to you? It certainly does to me, in fact, I'm thinking more along the lines of earlier death.

What are some of the causes or risk factors for Type Two Diabetes? 1. Age. The older you are, the more likely you are to develop this disease. 2. Diet and being overweight. (Ah Hah!) Eating too many calories of a high fat and high sugar diet leads directly to obesity which leads to diabetes. That simple. 3. Race. Non-white people are more likely to develop diabetes. 4. Life style. Being physically inactive leads to obesity which leads to ______. You know the answer. 5. Family history. Having a close relative with diabetes means you are more prone to the disease.

Prevention is always the best answer. I have harped on this subject so often but I can and will harp again in hopes someone gets it. Take care of your health now because your doctor can't always put a bandaid on your booboo and make it all better. So what is the treatment for diabetes? You must commit to a lifelong monitoring of your blood sugar. You may test it once a day or more often depending on your situation. You need to change your diet to a healthy one and learn to be careful of your carbohydrate intake. You need to exercise regularly. You should lose weight. All of that may be enough to control your blood sugar but if not, your doctor will prescribe medicines or possibly insulin. Insulin must be injected. There really is no cure and if you neglect to take care of your diabetes? Read paragraph 2 again. My Aunt lost both her legs to diabetes and I knew a young woman who died before we were out of our twenties because she refused to take her medicine. So Paula may be putting on a good face for the public but I hope she takes her diagnosis seriously.

And yes, I too say that you don't have to eat only roots, nuts and tofu but treats like Paula Deen makes should be eaten very infrequently. I eat fried chicken only about 2 or 3 times a year for example. So rethink what you are eating today and ask yourself, is it worth it?

OMG! I was just checking the news on MSN as I ate lunch and I came across more Paula Deen info including a reference to a hamburger with bacon and a fried egg on a DOUGHNUT! I couldn't believe this was possible but I goggled it and sure enough there was a video, I assume of her show. I watched in complete horror as she assembled the doughnuts, hamburger, bacon and fried egg and then took a bite. She also offered it to her guest! Her comment was something about you get your savory and your sweet. She did not mention you get your fat, your sugar overload, your spare tire, your diabetes, your heart attack. On the news, she is claiming she has always promoted moderation. There is no "moderation" in such an offering. She is also stating that she cooks food for plain folks who don't have a lot of money to spend. She should consider that these same people don't have a lot of money to spend on health problems either!

Rebate Offers and General Information

2012-01-12T12:32:00.000-08:00

I have some new readers and I thought I'd just take a moment to explain what this blog is all about. I do scan other blogs from time to time and while there are some excellent ones out there on all kinds of subjects, some I just can't figure out. This one is pretty easy, it's all about health and how we can all lead a healthier, better life. I am not a nurse, doctor or nutritionist. My husband is a cardiologist and we share a passion to promote better health, me through the things everyone of us can do every day. The main thing you need is a desire to learn more and do better.

I share recipes that my family actually eats, most are easy, fast and good for you but I try to present the whole picture. We don't eat 'nothing but vegetables' so sometimes I share dessert or fattening recipes too. You can eat a balanced diet. I try to provide motivation; don't we all need a push now and then to do the right thing? I share exercise tips and suggestions and once in awhile, I do some research and present a few health facts in an easy to understand way. I also confess "our sins" so that readers don't think we are the perfect family who exercises and eats roots, nuts and tofu. I hope you enjoy reading this material and share it with your friends and family.

I've been writing since August about my attempt to master the coupon system and save more money on groceries and household goods. I thought I'd briefly update you on something I did this month that has saved me $30! REBATES. Maybe you've sent off for rebates before or maybe you did and didn't get your money but I have had success with this in the past. If you read magazines or the sales circulars in your newspapers, you will find rebate offers from time to time. Wal Greens is particularly good to put rebate offers in their weekly sales circular. Rebates are not hard to do but follow the instructions carefully in order to be eligible. Make a copy of everything you send in and mark the expected arrival date of the refund on your calendar. Most require you to purchase an item, send the register receipt and perhaps the UPC code off the product package. I think this is a great return of money for about 5 minutes of my time and a stamp. All I know is that I'm going to be on the lookout for rebates on the things I use regularly. I am not going to stock pile goods in a spare bedroom just because I saved money, but I have no problem buying 3 or 4 extra items to save $30 on something I use frequently.

In 5 months, not including January yet, I am on track to save $1800 this year by using coupons, rebates and watching for sales on the things I buy regularly. Not bad. Not going to get me on the extreme couponing shows, but I can definitely put that money to use elsewhere. Have a wonderful weekend saving money!

Top Ten Reasons To Be Active Or Exercise

2012-01-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

I am into finding reasons to exercise today. Believe it or not, I have trouble making myself dance, ride my horse and especially do my weight workout. You know I love to dance and I have loved riding since I was a wee child but I do have a laziness factor. This morning for example, I was excited that it wasn't raining because I could get in a quick ride before the deluge starts. Still, the couch called out to me and the unmade bed looked appealing. I got into my riding clothes and out of the house as quickly as I could, before I was seduced into slothfulness.

So why do I do it? What keeps me motivated? How do I keep going? It isn't always easy but here are the answers.

1. I don't want to be fat! I do however, want to eat pretty much what I want. I am a foodie first and foremost.

2. I like the way I feel. I have more energy when I exercise.

3. Exercise helps keep the achy joints working. The more I move, the better my joints feel.

4. I like feeling strong. The weight work I do has given me stronger arms and legs, indeed just stronger all over. That makes anything physical I do easier, like lifting the heavy slow cooker over my head to it's spot in the cabinet over the refrigerator or toting a basket of laundry up the stairs.

5. I know it helps my heart and the rest of my body stay healthy and work properly. I don't want to die young!

6. It's a great way to socialize. You meet people and make friends when you go to the gym, yoga or play tennis.

7. Helps to relieve stress and to keep a positive attitude. Don't we all need more stress relief and an attitude adjustment?

8. I like the way I look. Don't we all admire toned arms and legs? Who wants to have underarm flaps?

9. I like the challenges exercise brings. I try to change my routine frequently or to try new things so I don't get in a rut. Gives my brain a workout too when I'm learning something new.

10. I like being labeled athletic. Who really wants to be known as a couch potato? There's more prestige to being a tennis player, a runner or a gym rat. It makes you more interesting as a person when you are active.

Now get out there and get moving. Surely some of these reasons motivated you and what reasons can you name for not being active?

Bucket List

2012-01-05T08:25:00.000-08:00

A friend has inspired me to think about a bucket list. I'm not sure what is on her list, besides learning to salsa, but the conversation definitely made me think about my own goals. Sometimes we get so caught up in day to day living, just making ends meet and making sure everyone is fed and clean, that we forget to really live. It is those extra little things that make life worth while, otherwise life is day after day of drudgery. The beginning of a new year offers a promise of change and it is as good a time as any to think of your bucket list.

What are your dreams? What would you like to accomplish? What kind of example do you set for your children and others? Your goals don't have to be big, just meaningful to you. Maybe you just want to read the whole Bible in one year rather than climb Mount Everest. Go for it. If you are 60 something and think you are too old to learn to surf, think again and make it happen, even if for only one day. This year, set aside some me time and take a painting class or learn a different language. You may find that whatever you attempt is not really something you want to continue doing but at least you'll know.

Many of the things on your list won't be that hard to accomplish, it is more a matter of making time to actually do it and looking at your options. I'd always wanted to learn to dance but didn't dream there were any opportunities in my little home town other than ballet and hip hop for children. Then I was introduced to a young Mexican who has now been teaching me Latin dancing for 2 years. I have envied my friends who are wonderful amateur photographers, while making excuses for my own photos. This past fall it became obvious our trusty point and shoot was on it's last legs so I decided to get a decent camera and take a class. I found a local one day class scheduled this January and received a Cannon Rebel for Christmas. I've already taken some nice photos and you'll be seeing some here soon.

The point is that everyone should have a list of things they'd like to do and to work at achieving at least some of them. Instead of plopping in front of the TV tonight, get a piece of paper and write down the things you'd love to do, big and small. Think how good you'll feel when you can cross something off and say "I did it!".

Here is a sample of my bucket list.
Travel to somewhere in Europe, Italy being high on the list.
Travel to somewhere in Africa.
Learn basic Spanish.
Climb down into the Grand Canyon.
Finally have a decent yard and landscaping while learning more about growing things.
Have a small green house so I can grow vegetables year round. (Ha! I have a black thumb!)
Grow more flowers, especially to attract birds, bees and butterflies.

OK, not the best photo but not bad for someone who really still doesn't know what they are doing. There are a lot of buttons on that camera!

Too Much Sugar - First Confession Of The Year

2012-01-03T11:15:00.000-08:00

I'm going to start the New Year off with my first confession: I overdosed on sugar New Year's Eve. We were invited to a party and I guess I took leave of my senses as I overindulged on the treats offered. My friend had gone to a lot of trouble and everything looked and tasted so good. I really don't know what got into me as I normally have better self control. Just goes to show that we all blow it sometimes.

I had at least 4 cups of wassail, made with fruit juice and rum. It was so yummy, warm and good. Plenty of sugar there. Then she had made beautiful squares of shortbread with a cream cheese and fruit topping. Each was carefully decorated and no two were alike. I had 4 of those. Then there was the chocolate trifle with small chocolates and raspberries ringing the bowl. I had a large serving of trifle and that was my downfall. I did have several crackers with a smear of the snowman shaped cheese ball, not that that helped. At any rate, I began to feel rather yucky, as we do when we've had too much sugar. A lesson remembered.

I'm fine now but what if I consumed large amounts of sugar every day? Do you know that the average American consumes 22 tsp. of sugar a day or around 75 pounds of sugar a year? Pretty gross if you think about it, considering sugar is just empty calories with no nutritional value whatsoever. The USDA recommends eating only 10 tsp. of sugar a day and since each tsp. contains 16 calories, that means you are eating 352 extra calories a day if you eat those 22 tsps.!

Some scientists refer to sugar as poison and they are deadly serious, no joking around. The body metabolizes refined sugar differently than sugar that occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. The liver is responsible for breaking down refined sugar and if you consume enough sugar quickly, the liver will convert it to fat. While sugar does not directly cause diabetes, it does cause obesity which leads to diabetes. It is also a major cause of tooth decay and causes your skin to wrinkle.

It is all too easy to eat too much sugar in America. It is found in foods you wouldn't think contained sugar like tomato sauce and salad dressing. A 16 ounce bottle of chocolate milk contains about 11 tsp. of sugar so you can consume more than your daily amount in just one food.

So what can you do? First of all, watch what you are drinking. Here is another great reason to give up sodas (even the diet drinks!) and other sugary drinks like sports drinks and coffee drinks. Avoid products with high fructose corn syrup but watch for sugar in all it's forms like honey and brown sugar. Read food labels for hidden sugars. Take vitamins B1 and B6 and wear sunscreen to counteract the effects of sugar on your skin. Also eat a fiber rich diet high in antioxidants.

I don't know about you but I am vain enough about my skin to try to avoid sugar so I won't look like an old hag. I also don't want a Michelin tire man look nor do I want to deal with diabetes. I think I can cut back on sugar! I hope you will join me this year in an effort to eat less sugar and lead a healthier life.

Getting Ready For New Year's

2011-12-29T10:27:00.000-08:00

There are only a few Christmas cookies left and it's already time to think about New Year's. I'm a big believer in getting plenty of black eyed peas for good luck and some leafy greens for cash in the new year. However, not everyone gets excited about black eyed peas so its best to disguise them somehow. My sister has a wonderful way to eat those peas and enjoy it at the same time - Georgia caviar. If you eat it on a chip it doesn't seem like you're eating something healthy does it? Disguising vegetables in a dip is a great trick with kids and certain adults, just make sure the fat and salt content isn't too high and that there are plenty of vegetables to justify it.

Georgia Caviar
1 lb. peas, drained and rinsed (you can use dry peas and cook them or use canned)
2 cups Italian salad dressing (use a light version)
1/2 cup diced and seeded jalapeño
1 1/2 cup diced onion
2 oz. diced pimentos, drained
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 cups diced bell pepper
pinch of black pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and chill several hours. Serve with corn chips. I couldn't use that much jalapeño and still eat it so use the amount you can tolerate.

It's the next to the last holiday in the line up (Valentines is coming, remember?) so use some judgement and skip the high fat party food. Visit the fruit and veggie trays, skip any dip that has mayo, too much cheese or sour cream like spinach dip or artichoke dip and you'll be better off. Don't eat too many chips period. Remember those alcoholic drinks are loaded with empty calories so drink some sparkling water or at least a diet coke in between. Besides, you don't need to drink and drive!

Most of all, reflect back on the year that is passing. Remember the good times, learn from your mistakes and look forward to a new year full of promise and opportunity. Your number one New Year's resolution? Make time for your friends and family and share your love.

Note: I received a new camera for Christmas so let's hope I can figure out how to use it. The old one is breathing its last and won't last much longer.

Christmas Menu

2011-12-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

As you may know, I've been struggling with what to cook for Christmas dinner. I am usually full of enthusiasm for any special menus or trying something new but this time I just haven't got it in me. So here's where having a stock of tried and true recipes comes in handy. I decided to keep it simple since we don't need any more extra calories anyway. Here is our traditional Christmas Eve menu, eaten right after the 5 p.m. church service.

Ham (Petite Jean is our preferred brand)
Cheese grits (Barry lives for cheese grits)
Mandarin Orange/Spinach Salad
Chocolate Mocha Punch
Assorted Christmas Cookies

The ham and cheese grits never varies but the rest varies each year. I decided I hadn't had enough Mocha Punch at the Cookie party so I'm making it again plus it whips up in no time. None of this is hard to prepare and the grits can be assembled earlier in the day then cooked at dinner time. Here is the Christmas Day menu, breakfast included.

Breakfast
Cheesy Scrambled Eggs
Brown Sugar Bacon
Grapefruit Compote in Rosemary Syrup
Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Dinner
Spicy Beef Tenderloin
Mashed Potatoes
Cranberry Brussel Sprouts
Cranberry Salad
Rolls
Guinness Chocolate Cake
Hot Cidar

Once again, all of this is super easy, especially since my sisters are in charge of the cranberry salad, the brussel sprouts and rolls. I'm making the cake Saturday and marinating the beef over night. Recipes for the Mocha Punch, Beef Tenderloin, and Brussel Sprouts are on this blog. The recipe for the spinach salad is on jonesboro.com under the title, "The Cardiologist's Wife Goes Green For Easter" on page 4. I hope your Christmas meal plans have gone more smoothly and everything turns out wonderfully.

Merry Christmas!

Coupon Savings Update

2011-12-20T07:53:00.000-08:00

Have you overspent this year on Christmas? Do you need to save money somewhere in your budget? If you are a regular reader, you know I started a coupon clipping effort in August to see how much money I could save. I never expected to equal the savings of those super shoppers on TV but I hoped for modest savings. Here is an update on my experience so far.

First, let me say I really hoped to do better. However, the fall months are always so busy with school, the kid's extra curricular activities and the birthdays and holidays, that I had a hard time with the coupon side of shopping. I was too rushed to visit coupon sites and I seem to have a problem using the coupons I've loaded on my Kroger card but haven't taken the time to figure it out. I still looked at sales circulars and tried to plan my menu around things on sale or to stock up when I saw a good deal, like the time when Kroger, then Target, offered Del Monte canned vegetables at the unheard of low price of 49 cents a can! Certain things like deodorant and shampoo I try to never buy without a coupon or it being on sale or both. So many items are on special during the holidays that it can be easy to save money on things like sugar, flour, canned pumpkin, green beans, etc.

Here are my savings in total for 4 1/2 months: $680.16. Coupons accounted for only $163.40 of that total, not too impressive. Still at the rate I'm going, I will save about $2000 for the year and that is a nice savings all together. I suppose the real coupon kings and queens would scoff at my tiny savings but I think some of them have a real problem so we're even. After all, how long does it take to use up 20 bottles of shampoo or who needs 10 lip balms just because you got a good deal? If you are looking to cut back next year or would like to save up for something, or pay off your Christmas debt, your food/toiletries budget does have wiggle room even if you think it doesn't.

To save money, I have done a few things I'd never considered before like trying brands I never would have before and finding some that are just as good. I have bought Tide recently instead of Gain and saved money for example. You can easily save money by shopping the weekly sales circulars and eating a vegetarian dinner at least once a week. Visit some coupon sites or read my previous posts on couponing for more tips. I intend to pick up the coupon pace again next month to see if I can increase my savings. If you really need to save money, this is one of the easiest ways to do it, you just have to make the time.

Thursday, I'll reveal the Christmas dinner menu I've been agonizing over.

Oh My Gosh, What's For Christmas Dinner?

2011-12-15T07:56:00.000-08:00

Since I love to cook, and love to eat even more, I am seldom at a loss when it comes to menu planning. But here's a BIG confession, I have no idea what I'm serving for Christmas dinner. There will be 10 people to feed so this question deserves a good answer. I've considered my favorite beef tenderloin recipe but for some reason, I can't get excited about it. I certainly don't want another turkey.

Part of the problem is I'm cooked out from Thanksgiving, all the birthdays and cookie party. See, even the most dedicated cooks get burned out sometimes. It's not like I haven't been researching the issue either. I've checked my most reliable cookbooks and websites and magazines. Nothing catches my fancy. I thought about lamb but some members of the family don't eat lamb. I can't criticize, I refuse to eat veal. I thought about a crown roast but that seems like more trouble than I care to undertake right now. I'm thinking elegant, delicious but easy. I thought briefly about fish but that seems very odd and would not go over well with my family. I'd almost like to hire someone else to do the cooking! Now I bet several of you are really shocked and don't think I'm not serious. However, if I did that, my family would probably disown me and be terribly disappointed.

So what will you be having for your special meal at Christmas? Do you trot out another turkey? Ham will most likely be a top contender for many but we always have ham and cheese grits right after church on Christmas Eve. That is very much a tradition in our family and I can't change it. I ran the idea past my husband and met with stiff resistance. So let him cook I thought.

I do get a chance to relax this weekend with NO cooking for me. I'll kick back with more cookbooks, take some opinion polls and check more websites. Next week, hopefully Tuesday, I'll have that menu squared away and a grocery list started. Maybe we should just grill hamburgers.................

Check In For Christmas Game Plan

2011-12-13T04:32:00.000-08:00

Wow, another cookie party has come and gone! If you have been reading my blog, you know all about cookie party but if you don't, read Confession of the Year, December 2009. I have now made it through all the Christmas parties we will be going to and my weight has been stable. I just have family gatherings and one really good restaurant visit to get through. How about you? Have you tried my suggestions on portion control, exercise and eating healthy foods most of the time? It has worked for me though cookie party and its remains have almost done me in. There are several tins of cookies left lounging on the kitchen counter, calling out to me whenever I'm near.

This year, the cookie line up included the traditional favorites: Oreo Truffles, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies and World's Best. New cookies were Oatmeal Creme Pies, Red Velvet Brownies and a Pecan Praline cookie. All new cookies received high ratings. Then I made a double batch of Mocha Punch. FOUR cartons of ice cream, 2 each of coffee and chocolate, 2 cups of coffee, and 1 quart of chocolate milk, all gone. One gallon of apple cider, almost gone. Twenty cups of coffee drained and who knows how many sodas? Oh the outrageous decadence of it all!

I covered myself by exercising almost every day, even the morning of the party. I've been mostly eating light, healthy meals like the grilled tuna and steamed vegetables I had for dinner after the cookie party. The point I always try to make is that you can have your treats some times; just not all the time, every day. You have to exercise, you have to learn what appropriate portions are and you can't eat junk day in and day out.

Don't think it's too late and give up. You can always do better today and the next day. Don't' wait for New Year's and those resolutions to jump start your healthier new self. Today's weather promises to be decent so slip in a 15 minute walk at lunch. Cut out extra helpings at meals. Drink a glass of water instead of that coke. You slip in a few good things every now and then, and before you know it, you're doing better overall!

So here's my wish for your Christmas Eve; may you have visions of vegetables dancing in your head and may those pesky sugar plums leave you alone!

Note: In the interest of helping my readers to avoid temptation, there will be no pictures of the unrestrained revelry this past weekend.

Overblown Portions

2011-12-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

My husband and I were in Memphis yesterday for Christmas shopping and of course, we had lunch at a restaurant. We tried a new place, Swanky's Tacos and had a nice experience but I noticed a disturbing thing while there. Swanky's is what I'd call an upscale fast food restaurant. They serve a variety of Tex Mex food that is prepared using fresher, better ingredients than say, Taco Bell. My husband and I ordered grilled fish, tacos for me and red snapper with a mango salsa for him. The fish was cooked and out to us in about 10 minutes and was delicious.

However, you could also go through a line and order burritos in a bowl and pick out exactly what you wanted in them from meats, beans, cheese, lettuce, salsa, onions, etc. The problem was the size of the bowl. This seemed to be the most popular item as several customers in line with us ordered them. By the time they got through the line, there was more than enough food in each bowl for two people. There is a terrible problem with portion distortion going on here. Unfortunately, I also noted that each person who ordered one of those bowls was overweight.

I've taken a picture of one of my mixing bowls that my husband and I agreed was close to the size of the restaurant bowls so you can get an idea of how much food these people were potentially consuming.

Not the best photo example, but you can see that would be a lot of food if the bowl were approximately half full of meat, beans, cheese and salsa. I've seen similar problems with portion sizes in all restaurants, not just Swanky's of course. I'm just using this to point out how we allow ourselves to think it's ok to eat large amounts of food. If you aren't an elite athlete who works out several hours a day, there is no way your body needs to consume huge piles of food several times a day. Even athletes need to be careful what they consume to perform at their peak. I think you'll find that you actually feel better when you eat less. You won't feel as heavy, bloated and lethargic. So treat your body better and think before you eat.

Past Time To Pay Attention

2011-12-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

This topic has been on my mind for some time and I feel I must write about it today so brace yourselves. It's more than time to sit up and pay attention people! Your driving is horrible and you are probably lucky you haven't caused a serious accident yet. Now don't move on to your Facebook page or another blog because you don't think the topic is unimportant or doesn't concern you. It does.

There have been a couple of horrible accidents lately which have made me think more about my own driving and I realize I could improve. While on my way to school to pick up my daughter one afternoon, I nearly had to get off the road because the oncoming car was half way in my lane. He looked up just in time and swerved back over.

How many times do you cross the center line going around even the slightest curve? I see that happen all the time. How many times are you driving with one hand while chatting on the phone? Can you not at least buy an earpiece? Is the conversation that important? God forbid any of you are texting but I bet you are. I understand one of the accidents I'm thinking about recently was due to texting but the young man involved isn't alive to confirm that. A friend of mine was there and tried to help him but there was nothing she could do. He died on the scene but luckily the man in the other car and his daughter survived the accident after being flown to Memphis. It was a bright sunny day with great road conditions so what happened? The driver was distracted in some way. I assume most of my readers are adults and that some of you are sitting there smugly thinking that it's kids who are the worst at texting and driving but you'd be wrong. I have yet to see a kid with a phone in their hand while driving but the adults all around me can't put theirs down.

I understand we all need to be connected and multitask but you won't be doing it from the grave. Some of my other observations are that people have no idea what the turn signal is for and seldom use it nor do they understand the stop lights apparently. If you have ever been through the pick up line at any school but particularly at local junior highs, you know it's a free for all with everyone feeling free to park and block other traffic and not move up to fill gaps. It's ridiculous that adults act this way. Any parking lot is almost as bad as everyone thinks they are the only ones there and can do as they please. People have no idea how to merge or who has the right of way. Last, if you are on the highway, slower traffic should stay in the right lane.

Lets all make driving better a priority. We can all improve our driving skills and pay more attention to the road. The life you save may be your own.

Disaster in the Kitchen

2011-12-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

Just so you know, not every one of my dinners goes smoothly or turns out great. Now some of you may find the following story funny, but it's not funny to me yet, maybe in another week or two it will be. If only I'd had the presence of mind to take photos.

Last night I decided to make broccoli cheese soup. I'd never made any but I saw a recipe that looked wonderful and sounded easy. Actually, it sounded almost like dip and I started thinking about chips, but I digress. It was easy to make until you got to the puree part. But let me back up. I had a bad afternoon yesterday, wrestling with reconciling bank accounts, then trying to figure out some problems on an accounting system. And the horses decided to be spooky and ran around, refusing to come in the barn.

Back to the soup. I poured the first batch in the blender, turned it on and discovered that the bottom wasn't screwed on firmly enough so that the soup oozed out the bottom and all over the appliance. Several unkind words were said. I mopped up that mess and proceeded to process the remaining soup. Then I did something I'd never done before: I poured in the last batch and turned on the blender without the lid! Fortunately, there was very little mess as I clapped my hand over the top and quickly shut off the machine. At this point, I really didn't want to eat that soup at all. To top it all off, I burned the some of the rolls but was able to salvage them by pulling off the burned part.

My daughter did laugh quietly and since it was her birthday, I didn't cuff her ears. I can tell you that I will never, ever make broccoli cheese soup again. Barry did eat three bowls but I think it was only because he was desperately hungry. Cameron barely ate one.

So there you have it. An epic kitchen failure by the cardiologist's wife. The lesson is that everyone makes disasters in the kitchen but that shouldn't stop you from trying to prepare nutritious meals at home. I also warned my family that I have cooked myself into a coma lately with two birthdays and Thanksgiving in a little over a week so they had better not expect culinary greatness from me for awhile. There will be some pretty basic and simple food served next week but no nasty pizza or fried chicken take out I can assure you!

Try to have a simple, easy going weekend. I know I am.

After The Indulgences

2011-11-29T07:15:00.000-08:00

Well, how did you do over Thanksgiving? Did you keep your eating down to a reasonable amount? Did you exercise any? I was pretty successful on both counts and I must say I felt really good about not being bloated on Thanksgiving night. I'm learning to eat enough to make me happy, not sick. Believe it or not, I sometimes have found that to be a problem. We had a great time with friends and family and that is what matters most.

I made a really good pot of bean soup last week before Thanksgiving and I'm going to share the recipe. It's hearty and filling, just right for the snowy weather we experiencing. Plus, you need all that wonderful fiber to counter the sugary calories you consumed recently.

Lisa's Bean Soup
2 1/2 cups Navy or Great Northern beans, rinsed and picked over
1/2 lb. ham, Petite Jean if you can get it, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 to 2 cups diced carrots
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. thyme
Place beans in a slow cooker and add water until the beans are well covered. Add bay leaf, cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 hours. Give beans a stir and add ham, carrots, celery and onion. Cover and cook another hour. By this time, the beans and vegetables should be getting soft. Add remaining seasonings and adjust to taste. If you want a thicker soup, you may need to spoon off some broth, mine was a bit too soupy.

My Daddy would have been proud!

Make a nice pan of cornbread to go with the soup, or at least serve a nice crusty bread like sourdough. This soup should please everyone; it's tasty, warm, filling and inexpensive. You can cut back on the ingredients easily to make less, or add more to make enough for a crowd.

Heritage Free Range Turkey

2011-11-25T08:32:00.000-08:00

Well, if you were curious to know how the Heritage free range turkey turned out, here is the official report and pictures. Since the turkey was very expensive compared to the frozen Butterballs you can get everywhere, I was somewhat nervous about cooking it. However, I have Alton Brown to thank for my last two turkeys now which have turned out beautifully. I don't think I have ever had a fowl brown up so perfectly and evenly. It was simply lovely to look at. Follow step by step as the turkey is brined and roasted so you can do the same, even with a Butterball.

This is the way the turkey looked upon arrival.

Next I washed the turkey and trimmed the fat. There was quite a bit of fat around the breast and neck area. I was surprised because I had read that free range turkeys had much less fat than their captive, overbred brethren.

I placed the turkey in a large bucket (used only for brining turkeys) and poured the brine over it. Next it was placed in a large ice chest and filled with ice to keep it cool overnight. I simply do not have enough room in my refrigerator to put it in there, plus the whole turkey should be submerged. I have heard that there are brining bags but I have not looked for one. The turkey should not brine more than 24 hours.

The next day, I rinsed the turkey and discarded the brine. I placed it on a rack in a large roasting pan, filled the cavity with an apple, rosemary sprigs and an onion. The outside was rubbed with canola oil.

Alton Brown recommends roasting the bird for 30 minutes at 500 to brown it. I then turned the turkey breast side down to finish roasting for 2 more hours at 350. I read that roasting it breast side down results in more tender, juicy meat and it seems to work. It was done in 2 1/2 hours and I tented it with foil while we finished the rest of dinner. Gorgeous, isn't it?

The taste test, which is most important? Everyone agreed that it was very tender, juicy and delicious. Was it better than the average turkey? Hard to say. I wish I had a commercially raised turkey side by side to compare. The consensus was that the white meat was better but maybe not that much better considering the price. However, if your conscience bothers you about commercial farming in light of recent revelations of McDonald's eggs, perhaps you'd rather buy more humanely raised meat. I know I would. Anyway, for the rest of Alton Brown's recipe, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html

Warning! Excess Calories Ahead!

2011-11-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

I'm just in time, I hope, to head off excess calorie consumption and weight gain over the holiday ahead. I read a short article this morning that should help prevent disaster. ( http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-cook-calories-clt1111#fbIndex1) I am starting my Thanksgiving cooking today and yes, sampling the food or licking the bowl can be a huge problem for a cook. Personally, I'm thinking of wearing a Hannibal Lecter style mask to keep unwanted food from straying into my mouth.

I always preach mindful eating though I don't always achieve it. Cooking for a big party or event is always a recipe for disaster. Yes, cooks do need to taste food to make sure the seasoning is right but try to keep it under control. Perhaps a baby spoon would be useful to taste broth, soup, etc. Really there is no reason to lick the entire cake or icing bowl, is there?

I hope you all have been busy exercising and eating right to get ready for the big day. I know I have been, even though I had to be out of town over the weekend at a swim meet. I still exercised in the hotel and took a long walk during warm ups when ordinarily there is nothing to do but watch my daughter and hundreds of other kids in the pool at one time. I ate oatmeal for breakfast, drank lots of water, limited myself to only one martini. The biggest downfall was being drug along to a pizza place that is a favorite of the team.

Anyway, check out the link, and think, think, think before you sample the cooking! I am anxiously waiting for my free range Heritage turkey to arrive today. On Wednesday, I will slip it lovingly into a nice brine bath to soak and relax before roasting. I have a beautiful new white platter for it's big debut. I will write about it in my next post on Friday.

Have a wonderful, slim, Thanksgiving!

Enjoy Fall, Be Thankful, De-stress

2011-11-17T09:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I took my dog Molly for a walk. The wind was pretty fierce and the temperature cooler than it had been but we both enjoyed the walk so much. I had such a good positive feeling from being outside in the fresh air and looking at Mother Nature's handiwork. Sometimes I don't think mental health is emphasized enough and that we don't do enough to encourage good mental health. With all the stress in our lives and the problems we all face, it would seem that we would take better care of ourselves and our loved ones but we don't. That is why I'm challenging each of you to get out this holiday, not to shop in the mass of frenzied humanity, but outdoors with friends and family or even alone and take time to be thankful.

Be thankful for the beauty of autumn all around you. I love walking along and looking at the different shapes and colors of the leaves that have fallen. The road I live on is a kaleidoscope of infinite possibilities, green mixed with brown, orange, yellow, red and purple, straight lines, sharp points, and curves. Look up at the sky and observe the color whether it's a clear blue or smoky gray. If I'm lucky I'll see a deer while I drink in the quiet. That is what you need too, an escape to someplace quiet with fresh clean air to breathe.

Be thankful for all you have; the friends and family who are always there when you need them, your home and job. Take along your family dog and show him some unconditional love. (Two of my cats like to go on walks but that may not be the case at your house.) Drag everyone out of the house and play dodgeball, shoot some hoops or toss a frisbee. You'll be surprised at the bonding that occurs when everyone is breathless and laughing. Take the family to the park to ride bicycles. You won't even notice you are burning off Thanksgiving calories. Take a big deep breathe of cold air and notice how it makes you feel and the different smells. Much better than the stale air indoors. When it is time to go back inside, take the peace and good feeling with you.

2011-11-15T12:51:00.000-08:00

I advised getting ready for the holidays on my other blog by exercising and eating better so you won't fall into the plus side and you know what I mean. The plus side is the dark side of health and there is nothing good on the dark side. This time of year is full of danger for my family. There are four birthdays, five holidays (Halloween thru Valentines) and numerous parties to get through without packing on the pounds and consuming calories like we are Olympic athletes.

Get busy and exercise now; don't wait for New Year's to get started. If you just add 15 minutes a day, you will be better off than if you do nothing. Of course, I expect those 15 minutes to increase to 30 at least 3 or 4 times a week and for you to actually sweat on those days!

Think about what you are shoving in your mouth right now too. Make good choices at most meals (and snacks) so you can feel better about indulging at parties and holiday meals. But that doesn't mean you should go whole hog and eat as much of whatever you want at parties and events either! It doesn't have to be difficult; forego seconds and eat the grilled chicken breast, not the burger and fries. Stuff yourself with vegetables, at least the kind that haven't been fried or covered in fat. To help, I've got a recipe that was served at supper club recently. You can make this for dinner and take leftovers for lunch the next day. Once again, it is packed with nutrition and good taste.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
2 cups water
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 minced clove of garlic
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 large red onion diced
1 large bell pepper diced
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Bring water, bouillon cubes and garlic to boil in a saucepan. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Pour quinoa into a large bowl. Gently stir in onion, bell pepper, olives, feta, parsley, chives and salt. Drizzle with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Stir till mixed well. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold. Add some chopped cooked chicken to make it a heartier main dish.

So join me in warding off the evils of the holiday season, not waiting to repair the damage next year. Damage control is always more difficult and doesn't always work as we've seen time and again in the news.

Examples From The Tube

2011-11-10T12:27:00.000-08:00

I love to watch Good Morning America while getting the kids ready for school and then while I exercise every morning. I'm addicted to the news. This morning while huffing and puffing away, I saw a piece on a man who has lost 200 lbs. since January. He weighed in around 370 and his wife was worried about him. She decided a challenge would be the best way to motivate him so their joint New Year's resolution was to see who could lose the most weight the fastest. He realized he had a problem and since he had just turned 30, he thought it was now or never.

So how did he do it? The hard way: no pills, no surgery, just eating right and exercise. He described what he might eat at night before; the largest steak on the menu, THREE baked potatoes loaded with all the goodies. Then when everyone was in bed, he'd sneak off to the local burger joint and order two triple hamburgers with cheese and two chicken sandwiches and eat ALL four of them. He'd consume upwards of 10,000 calories a DAY. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps trains for 6 hours a day, 6 days a week and consumes around 12,000 calories a day but this man was only in training for early death. His before and after pictures are amazing. I would not have recognized that the man who appeared on GMA was the same man in the photos. His children were asked what they thought of their Dad. The oldest replied that now their Dad comes out to play with them whereas before he made excuses not to because he was too tired.

How sad is it that through our own fault we miss out on so much in life? It was not due to a gland problem or his "genes" that this man was obese. It was because he ate enough for 4 average men and was physically inactive. I'll bet he never gets that way again.

So no, I wasn't exactly enjoying myself this morning while doing crunches or squats. And I'd really like to eat bag of chips quite frequently. But I do the right things so that I don't stand in my own way of doing the things I really like to do, like horseback riding and wearing a hot dress when I go dancing. For further inspiration I have a few pictures to share with you.

These pictures are of some fat I trimmed from a pot roast (top) and a whole chicken. Gross and disgusting isn't it? Beef fat is often really hard but chicken fat is greasier. When you think about fat like this packed around your waist, arms, thighs and butt, it's even worse. Now do you want that extra piece of pizza? How about another soda? Did you have any vegetables today? When was the last time you sweated? Gives you something to think about doesn't it? So don't look like the turkey this Thanksgiving - get busy and get healthy.

Thanksgiving Desserts - What Do You Serve?

2011-11-08T09:48:00.000-08:00

Now I don't know about you but when it comes to Thanksgiving meals, there are certain foods I feel are necessary or it's just another day. I have slowly come to realize that what is on the table at Thanksgiving is a matter of region and individual family traditions. (Heavens, I've heard that some people of Italian descent even serve pasta on the big day!) I believe we can almost all agree on turkey except for vegetarians. I guess y'all can have tofurkey. I think we can all agree on dressing although there are endless varieties of stuffing or dressing. After that, it gets murky. But I really thought that Thanksgiving desserts were set in stone. Then I got married. That was my first clue that not everyone ate pumpkin or pecan pie on Turkey day.

I have written about suffering through Thanksgiving meals in Mississippi where I thought I'd be safe. We're in the deep south aren't we? But there has yet to be a pumpkin pie served to me nor a pecan pie, that other traditional pie, in that state. Or even a sweet potato pie, that other Southern substitute for pumpkin. In my family there were only two options for dessert on Thanksgiving, both lovingly prepared and proudly served: pecan and pumpkin pie. Imagine my dismay when I was served lemon meringue pie one Thanksgiving in Mississippi! In my family, that's what we serve at fish fries in July!

Recently, several people got together to plan Thanksgiving dinner for a mutual friend who is ill. I scanned the dessert list and saw things like blueberry pie. ?? I still didn't see any mention of pumpkin or pecan. Really, is there something wrong with me? I did a bit of research this morning and found that pumpkin pie is considered the most common dessert at Thanksgiving but after that it is a free for all with fruit pies like cherry and apple perhaps the next most common.

So good readers, please share with me what desserts you will be serving this Thanksgiving. I'm really curious. We will have pumpkin; even my kids demand it and I may have pecan pie but I'm also thinking about pecan pie cake. Who knows? Maybe we'll throw tradition to the wind and have some cookies! No, wait.....we have cookie party coming up.

I'll leave you with one more thought: in my research I came across a small study which showed that men are more turned on by the smell of pumpkin pie than by women's perfume. Vanilla comes in a close second. If you are looking for some action this Thanksgiving, give dessert some careful thought.

Already Excited About Thanksgiving-Heritage Turkeys

2011-11-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

Being the foodie that I am, I am already thinking about Thanksgiving and what we will be eating. Last night at 10:30 I was online ordering a turkey. Not just any turkey, but a heritage, free range turkey. Heritage means it is one of the old breeds we had before those poor white turkeys came along that are prized for their large breasts, fed all kinds of antibiotics and growth hormones and are kept caged up. They reach maturity in about 18 weeks while heritage turkeys need 24 to 28 weeks. Free range means the turkeys are allowed to roam in fields eating grasses and insects like nature intended.

Heritage turkeys are supposed to taste better and have less fat than commercially raised turkeys. Since I have never been a huge turkey fan, I decided I had to try one. The bird will be delivered to me on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, fresh, not frozen. I will brine it lovingly and roast it Thursday morning, watching it closely and basting frequently.

I am a big fan of poultry and meat raised the old fashioned way. I think it is better for us and certainly tastes better. There is organically grown beef in our area but I haven't heard of anyone raising free range poultry. I have to admit that the price stops me sometimes. I think if there was more competition locally, the price would drop. I think quality and taste always suffers when food comes from large commercial growers but I also realize it would be hard to grow enough food otherwise.

I will be reporting on the Heritage turkey and letting you know if it is worth the trouble. Like I said, turkey meat is not my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal but I will also report every one's opinion on the bird. As time draws closer I will share the rest of the holiday lineup and recipes. In the meantime, I have an update on my birthday. I did not get to go out to dinner as I planned. Oh no, my family had other plans. I had a surprise birthday party at my friend's house. The whole family knew about it and did a great job of keeping it from me. Since my husband can't lie about the smallest thing, I totally missed any clues and my children are unfortunately awesome at keeping secrets. Thanks to everyone who came out and helped celebrate my big day. And yes, there was dancing!

Vacation

2011-11-01T07:21:00.001-07:00

The cardiologist wife is taking a holiday. Please check back soon.

16 Candles and Fried Chicken

2011-10-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday and I can do what I want so if I want 16 candles, there will be 16 candles right? No one will be fooled but I will be happy. So far, my family has done well; roses, Grace's biscuits for breakfast, sunshine, beautiful fall colors everywhere, everyone happy and in a good mood. Fifty isn't so bad and would even be great if I weren't still tired. Life has been lived at a breakneck speed lately with me needing to be in more places than physically possible. I did get a good night's sleep last night and I will the next three nights so I should be much better by Monday. I have a massage scheduled later this afternoon so I'm getting a bit of pampering. My husband will take me to dinner and though he doesn't know it, I plan to have some dancing later.

It is only right to spoil yourself once in awhile. If you spoil yourself too often, you are probably selfish or foolish or both. Take a day once in awhile to slow down and rest. Listen to your body. When you stress yourself out too much and don't take time to rest, bad things can happen to that poor old body that carries you around. So that is my agenda for the weekend - taking care of myself. I will still eat right most meals and I've already had a good workout this morning, and every morning.

However, one gift I look forward to all year is the fried chicken dinner I will indulge in on Sunday. I've mentioned it before, that my sister cooks fried chicken and makes chicken gravy with it. One of the best experiences on earth if you ask me. Then the Apple Betty pie my husband and children make and I will be one happy woman.

So there. I've shown that you can indulge once in awhile, over do once in awhile and still survive if you do the right things most of the time. My philosophy of life is that you take care of your body like you would any precious thing and a few over indulgences are acceptable.

So have a lovely weekend with friends and family. Get out and enjoy the cool weather and nature's beautiful display. Rejuvenate for the next week. And if you are inclined, drink a toast in my honor. I'm 50 after all.

Computer Wrestling

2011-10-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Warning: Today's post will be a bit odd. Wrestling with computers or any type of technology should count as exercise. I have just spent the last hour and a half trying to upload the Wellsphere badge (explanation to follow) to my blog. Oh, the instructions say that it is easy, even if you are not technologically savvy but I beg to differ. I feel more tired now than I do after an average workout and I haven't even reaped the benefits of the nice calm feeling I get after exercising. I am so irritable now I could spit nails. Along with the badge, I was trying to upload a photo to go with it but that didn't work so well either.

As for those of you who are snickering right now, thinking how stupid could I be, I need to catch up to the 21st. century, etc., you can stop right now. I have seen plenty of you stumped by your iPhone, dragging your computers into the "docs" to be fixed and on the verge of a melt down too. The truth is most technology is too complex for what the average person really needs or wants and makes perfect sense only to the designer. Maybe not even then. So, those of you who want to consider computer wrestling a sport, type a smiley face. :)

Wellsphere is a web page devoted to helping readers connect with health information on a variety of topics. I was honored to be asked to join this page, especially as I didn't seek them out. I am always looking for ways to connect to others and encourage good health on the home front, where good health begins. Around the same time, I also received an email from nursing schools.net, a web page that serves as an online guide to nursing careers. I was very honored to be included in the article "50 Best Blogs For Physiology Students", especially since all the other blogs under cardiology were written by physicians.

I sometimes feel like I am talking in an empty room as I know personal health isn't usually viewed as an interesting topic until something goes wrong. I just like being here for those who are interested in taking better care of themselves and want some support along the way. Despite all my wishes, there is no magic wand to wave or words to say to ensure perfect health. You know that. Anyway, I'm off to manage my high stress level by exercising. I know I'll feel better after I've sweated.

Fit2Fat2Fit, A Blog You Should Check Out

2011-10-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

I read a lot and watch the TV news so I can stay informed on any health news whether it is a new medicine, the latest exercise craze or people who make a difference. Today on Good Morning America, there was a feature on a personal trainer who is trying to make a difference. After years of listening to his clients complain that he just didn't understand how hard it is to deal with food cravings and to lose weight, Drew Manning decided to walk in their shoes. Literally. So he embarked on a 6 month reverse diet. He's been eating the typical American diet; whatever he wants, whenever he wants, consequences be damned. Exercise has gone out the window. After the 6 months, he plans to get fit again, all in an effort to reach people and show it can be done. So far, his weight has blossomed from 193 to an alarming 263 and his waist line has dramatically bloomed as well. I will be following his blog, especially when he starts the fitness phase, to see how he progresses and the lessons he learns. If you need some inspiration in your life, you may want to check out his blog as well.

Also today I want to thank my friend Kara for sharing a wonderful new recipe with me, Baked Oatmeal. I admire Kara because she will spend a day now and then, cooking, baking and freezing so her family can still eat homemade, healthier food on those busy days. I whipped this recipe together last night, put it in the fridge, then baked it this morning. I think if you didn't tell your family it has oatmeal in it, they probably won't know. Just tell them it's a breakfast cake, or coffee cake. I think next time I will try some raisins or nuts in it or add a bit of flax seed. I'm sneaky like that. The peanut butter version would probably be good with chunks of banana as well. Make a batch this weekend; I know you will like it.

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
3 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
Mix all ingredients and spread in a 9x13 pan that has been lightly greased. Spread an additional 1/4 cup brown sugar over the top. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Bake less time if you prefer it to be more moist. Serve warm with a bit of cream or Pet milk poured over the top. This keeps well in the refrigerator if it lasts that long.

The peanut butter version is the same but substitute 1/2 cup peanut butter for the pumpkin. My son did fuss about having oatmeal last night when he saw what I was making. However, he grudgingly said it was OK this morning and ate every bite.

Planning Ahead

2011-10-18T04:35:00.000-07:00

This is such a busy time of year with all the band competitions, football games and swim meets we attend. I always want my family to eat home cooked food so I was happy to find another super easy yet good crock pot recipe this weekend. I also want to encourage my readers to make extra and freeze for those busy days when it will be impossible to cook. Make a big pot of soup, chili or spaghetti so you can freeze the extra portion. I will be making my beef vegetable soup later this week which is more than enough for several meals. I also want to encourage you to plan ahead for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. If you are having a bunch of people at your house this year, make your life easier by cooking now and freezing food so you can enjoy your holiday too. You can even freeze baked goods like cookies and muffins. You'll be glad you did your prep work early!

Back to my new recipe. Five ingredients and a crockpot. Dump it all in and forget about it. How much better can it get? Oh yes, it tasted good too. Leftovers were good the next day. Cleanup was a breeze. It was almost like eating fast food but way, way better. So here it is.

Herbed Beef Sandwiches
3 to 4 lb. beef chuck roast, trimmed
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 Tbsp. dried
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp. dried
1 1/2 cups water
1 envelope onion soup mix
your favorite sandwich rolls
Place roast in a slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Combine remaining ingredients in a measuring cup. Pour over roast. Cook on high one hour, then on low 5 or 6 or cook on low 8 hours while you are at work. Before serving, shred meat with 2 forks and serve on rolls.

Because we all like onions, I sliced a couple of onions and browned then in olive oil and put them on the sandwich too. A nice white cheese like Harvarti or Provolone would be good too if you like. These sandwiches are kind of juicy and sloppy but it was a nice change from pot roast. I also like that you don't brown the meat first which makes it faster and less messy to make.

Still haven't worked out the problem with the photos. I need a home computer nerd to come help but mine seem to be busy all the time.

Lentils: Tiny In Size, Big In Nutrition

2011-10-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

I have alot of cookbooks as you can imagine. Most were given to me or they belonged to my parents; a few I bought for fundraisers. I try to cull through them once in awhile as it seems that recipes get repeated so much. Really, how many ways can you make spaghetti or bake a chicken? My advice on cookbooks is that everyone should have one basic cookbook that can serve as a reference book such as Joy of Cooking. This cookbook has all kinds of cooking and food information such as cuts of beef and a whole section on ingredients. It is my go-to book when I need to know something. Then you should be really, really picky about every other cookbook that comes into your home. They take up so much room after all. The only other cookbook that I feel is absolutely necessary is Traditions, A Taste of the Good Life, published by the Junior League of Little Rock in 1983. I have found more great recipes in this cookbook than any other and if you can locate a copy, you will have a treasure. They were still available a few years back in local cooking stores.

The soup recipe I promised to share comes from this cookbook. It contains lentils, a member of the legume family that we don't see used very often around these parts. That's a shame because lentils, like other beans, pack alot of nutrition. Lentils are high in fiber, contain 2 B vitamins, protein and 6 important minerals. They have an indefinite shelf life and are quick to cook. This soup is very comforting on a chilly night. Just serve with crackers or bread.

Sausage and Lentil Soup
1 lb. lentils
8 cups water
2 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
8 slices bacon, diced
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 large onion, diced
1 cup chopped celery
2 lbs. sausage, browned and drained
Wash lentils and combine with water, tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Fry bacon until limp, then add carrots, onion and celery. Saute' over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Add bacon mixture and browned sausage to lentils. Simmer for 1 hour.

I am having technical difficulties with downloading photos. I hope to have a picture of the soup posted soon. Enjoy the soup!

Couponing Update

2011-10-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

In August, I decided to try to maximize my coupon savings and learn to be a more savvy shopper. I am also tracking my coupon and shopping savings so I can see my progress. I felt there was possibly a great deal of money I was basically throwing away by not using coupons. So I am now in my third month and I feel like I have stalled. Where are the good coupons? The best coupons I have found are for things I don't use or that I have plenty of like shampoo and hair products. I'd like more coupons for fresh vegetables, milk, orange juice, meat and eggs. We don't eat many processed foods or drink sodas so the free liter of Dr. Pepper at Target did not excite me. Neither did the coupon for .99 air freshener at Walgreens.

Don't get me wrong; I'm very excited about the savings I've accumulated so far. Total savings to date are $367.70; of that $106.63 are coupon savings, the rest is sales price savings. The trouble is you get sucked into believing that you should only pay maybe $5 for $100 worth of groceries like they do on TV. Maybe I should watch the show for some tips. One thing I am better at now is really looking at the sales sheets that stores send out. I've been trying to plan meals around the items on sale that week and of course, matching coupons to sales items when possible.

One new coupon site I've found is couponbug.com. There are several pages of coupons each week and they are easy to scan quickly and print. I have also tried a few other brands I normally wouldn't have because I had a really good coupon for them, making them a much better buy than my favorite brand. I have also discovered that Walgreens is a great place to shop for all sorts of items. I never really shopped at Walgreens before but lately I have picked up things like mascara, soup and and shampoo at really great prices.

So here are my tips: be open to shopping some place different and to trying new brands. Check out many websites, magazines and newspapers for coupons. Planning meals and having a shopping list saves money and keeps impulse buying to a minimum. Watch for promotions such as buy two and receive a coupon for money off your next shopping trip. I received $3.50 in such coupons yesterday while buying spices and toilet cleaner on sale.

If any of my readers have any coupon tips to share, please do! We'd all love to save more money wouldn't we? On Thursday, I'm going to share a new soup recipe I just tried. I think it's going to get cooler sometime and my family thought this soup was great.

Do School Lunches Measure Up?

2011-10-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

I was excited to see a segment on Good Morning America this week about a teacher who began to blog about the school lunches which she felt were less than desirable. The majority of the kids at her school receive free or reduced lunches, meaning that lunch at school might be their best meal of the day. Yet what are schools serving up but fat, salt, highly processed foods and empty calories? I even give my local schools a less than stellar grade on the lunches they serve though they have improved a tiny bit lately. Let's look at a sample from this week from two different schools: Clux Delux Chicken sandwich with RF chips; Mac n cheese and beef sticks; Mystery beans, apple wedges, juice bar and choice of milk; Hot dog, potato wedge, pickles, crisp rice square; Mac n cheese, black eyed peas, cornbread, peaches and gelatin. I don't know about you but I very curious about beef sticks and mystery beans. Any food with the word "mystery" in front of it is immediately suspicious and probably to be avoided in my mind.

I'd like to see more fresh fruit and raw veggies offered at schools. I'd certainly like to know that a "choice of milk" meant 2% or skim, not chocolate or strawberry which usually contain more sugar than a soda. I'd like to see chicken nuggets outlawed all together and a nice chicken leg or breast on the tray instead. There are healthier ways to cook potatoes other than frying them too. I'd like to see food served that kids actually want to eat that won't leave their arteries clogged and their waists bloated.

This week I made lunch for 6 of my son's friends because they were all longing to eat whatever he brought that day. They were tired and disgusted with the school lunches and wanted something fresh and different. I made a ham salad sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce, grapes and pretzels. They were so excited and grateful. It didn't really take more than 20 minutes to assemble 8 lunches that morning. Some of it could have been done the night before but it shows a healthy lunch isn't hard to make. Though I can't do it every day, I plan to make them another lunch soon with a turkey, avocado and red onion sandwich to see their reactions.

Are you concerned about what your children eat at school? If so, get involved. Let the school board know you expect better for our kids. If you'd like to check out that teacher's blog, go to fedupwithlunch.com. She also has a book out this week. We can improve our own health with our actions!

ATV Safety

2011-10-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently had an accident on an ATV (all terrain vehicle). He suffered a couple of broken bones and several bad bruises and it will be 6 weeks or so before he is fully recovered. It could have been much worse.

I have never been a fan of ATVs and never let my children ride them. Most people take them for granted and treat them as a toy and source of entertainment for themselves and their children. I have seen children turned loose in the woods near my house, riding on adult ATVs with no supervision. If they were to have an accident, it would be some time before their parents realized they were missing and then it would take awhile to find them. The same goes for golf carts and other types of farm vehicles known as gators and mules. Children don't treat these vehicles with respect and unknowingly take risks. Earlier this year, a couple of girls suffered broken bones when their golf cart overturned while riding down a steep hill in their neighborhood. Another teen who lived near me was thrown from his ATV because he was going too fast. He suffered a broken back.

I never cease to be amazed when parents let children operate such vehicles. They are not toys and should not be used as such by immature, thrill seeking children. But back to ATVs specifically. In 2009, there were 376 deaths and 131,900 ER visits tied to ATV accidents. Kids were involved in 32,400 of these accidents and 61 died. In fact, the risk of serious injury to kids from an ATV accident is 61% higher than in football. Rollovers are the most common accident involving ATVs and children are easily pinned or crushed beneath their weight.

If you and your family still feel like riding ATVs, here are some basic safety rules. Number one - GET TRAINED. Every rider should take a course on operating and using an ATV. Two - Always wear a proper helmet, long pants and sturdy boots. Three - Don't ride double. Children should not ride with another adult or child. ATVs are controlled in part by body weight so an extra rider could throw off the driver. Four - Children should never ride adult sized vehicles. Buy an appropriately sized one. Five - Don't operate an ATV while drinking. This should be a no brainer but many accidents are a result of alcohol. Six - Don't ride alone and always supervise children.

If you use your ATV for work and hauling, make sure you know how to properly load it so it is balanced. ATVs tip and rollover easily so make sure the weight is distributed in a balanced manner. Once again, don't work alone when using such equipment or at least make sure someone knows where you are and when you will be finished. My friend was using his ATV for work but had someone else along who was able to call for help.

Think twice before treating these machines so casually. The life you save could be your child's.

Fish Oil

2011-09-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

Because I have stiff, achy joints, I have been taking an anti-inflammatory drug for some time. But what helps one pain causes another. I had been experiencing some stomach pain and nausea for about a week when my husband finally convinced me to try some Prevacid and to stop the anti-inflammatory drug. In two days, my stomach was much better but my achy, stiff joints were not. A friend recommended that I try fish oil.

I knew fish oil was good for your heart, one of the reasons I feed my family so much fish and that I recommend everyone else eat fish. But I knew nothing about what fish oil could do for your joint pain. I did a little research and found that for some, fish oil does help relieve pain and stiffness but it could take 12 weeks before I notice a difference. So I am experimenting again and I will let you know the results. If you are currently taking fish oil for joint pain and have had success, please let me know in the comment section below. I am already so miserably stiff and sore that I know I can't wait 12 weeks for results.

Since I had technical difficulties yesterday in that I could NOT upload the photos I took of the recipe below, I did not get this post posted. The pictures are on the computer but for some reason do not appear when I try to add them to this post. Even my husband couldn't figure it out. Usually I have no trouble. This time you will have to imagine how good this dish looks. If I get the problem worked out, I will post the pictures.

Polenta with Meatballs
1 cup polenta
4 cups water
1 tsp. salt
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 bell pepper sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 26 oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce
1 12 oz. package of meatballs, thawed
Cook polenta in boiling water with salt added according to package directions. Spray a 9 by 13 baking pan with cooking spray and spread cooked polenta over the bottom. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and set aside.
Saute bell pepper and onion in 2 or 3 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet. When lightly browned, add pasta sauce and mushrooms. Add the meatballs at this point or make your own meatballs, see my recipe on January 19, 2010 and cook covered in the simmering sauce about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Heat broiler to high and place polenta dish in the oven. Watch closely and remove when top is lightly browned. Spoon meatballs and sauce over the polenta and serve.

My sister brought a nice green salad with herbs and fresh homemade bread. It was an easy and great dinner. This is one of her favorite dishes so she said it was like her birthday because I'd also made a chocolate layer cake.

Hoping you have a pain free week.

Benefits Of Massage

2011-09-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very hectic day. I was up at 5 a.m., feeding animals, making lunches and taking Grace to swim at 5:30. Back to the house to fix breakfast, finish lunches, clean the barn and make sure Cameron was up. Then back to pick up Grace and drop her off at school. Home again, where I got in a quick workout, showered and rushed off to pick up groceries. After a fast lunch, I was off running errands: picking up laundry, fulfilling my duties as swim team treasurer, dropping off a T-shirt for my son at school and putting up flyers for Bark in the Park for my daughter. I picked Grace up from school, then took her back to afternoon swim practice. I raced home and threw together dinner (tortellini soup, recipe on the blog), fed horses and went to a 2 hour meeting about scholarships and financial aid at the high school. I missed dance class but got home at 7:30 finally. Worse than my days usually are but it explains why I didn't write yesterday.

I left out one thing: I squeezed in a massage between the workout and grocery shopping. OMG! I took an hour for myself, how selfish and wasteful! How decadent! But with today's post, I hope to change opinions that massages are just expensive self indulgences to massages can be part of your health care plan.

Yes, massages can be a wonderful treat but more and more, people realize that they can be good for your health. Studies have shown that massages can help with stress, anxiety and depression, stiffness, lower blood pressure, help with low back pain, sports related injuries and cancer treatments, boost immunity, release endorphins (the body's natural painkiller) and improve circulation. People often report having more energy, reduced fatigue, improved concentration and better sleep after massages. Does that sound good to you?

There are several types of massage so if you plan to have one, consider which one may be best for you. Here are some of the more common ones.
1. Swedish - a gentle massage to relax and energize you.
2. deep tissue - a more forceful massage to target deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, usually to recover from injuries.
3. sports - like a Swedish massage but geared to help prevent or treat sports injuries.
4. trigger point - focuses on trigger points or sensitive areas of tight muscles that form after injury or overuse.

If you have certain conditions such as blood clots, cancer, fractures, rheumatoid arthritis, severe osteoporosis or are pregnant, you should talk with your doctor before getting a massage and certainly you should inform your massage therapist.

There are sure to be many options for massages at many price points near you. Ask your friends for references or check the yellow pages. Remember that if you don't particularly like something such as you feel the therapist is too rough, speak up. Try several places till you find someone who suits you too. I think you find a massage to be very beneficial. I know it helps me with stress, stiffness and sore muscles from workouts.

Something Smooth To Warm You

2011-09-20T04:36:00.000-07:00

If you remember, I love soup in the fall and winter. Soup is an easy way to get a balanced, nutritious meal in your family in just one pot. So I get really excited when I find a great new soup recipe. A friend of mine recently brought me a big pot of this soup and my whole family loved it. It is smooth, warm and comforting; just the thing for chilly nights. The rather complex mix of flavors intrigued me and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the recipe. So here it is just in time for another dip in the temperatures later this week when fall officially begins.

Butternut Squash Soup

2 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 large potato, chopped
1 medium butternut squash
1 32 oz. container of chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Cut off stem, cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Roast halves on a cookie sheet on foil, flesh side down at 400 for 45 minutes. While squash cooks, peel and chop other vegetables. Melt butter in a large pot and cook vegetables 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove squash from oven, let cool a bit, then scoop out the flesh. Transfer squash and vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth. May need to do in several small batches. Return to pot and mix in any remaining chicken broth to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Note: use vegetable broth for vegetarians and skip the butter for vegans, substitute a nice vegetable oil.

I added a dollop of sour cream to our soup but I want to try a few shavings of parmesan cheese next time. This soup would be a wonderful meal on Halloween, a great first course for a Thanksgiving dinner or as an appetizer served in small glasses. If you have picky young eaters, tell them it is pumpkin soup like Harry Potter eats and make a jack o lantern face on the surface of the soup with cheese slices. Or add a few sprigs of parsley for hair and a couple of olives for eyes and tell them it's a ghoul. Hey, you have to make food fun and creative once in awhile!

A Little Inspiration

2011-09-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was thinking about how hard it is sometimes to go exercise. Believe it or not, I really am lazy at heart. I long to lay in bed till at least 7 (seems pitiful that 7 would be a luxury doesn't it?), eat a big breakfast of pancakes and read the newspaper. But that seldom happens, even on weekends. Instead I am up by 6:20 most mornings, 5 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays because our evil child has talked us into morning swim practices, and going hard once my feet hit the ground. I make breakfast for my kids several days a week, oatmeal, eggs or a breakfast sandwich. I have 7 animals to feed and take care of and I send a good lunch to school with the kids. Soon after they are gone, I am exercising. After that, I shower and get on with the day.

Many days, my laziness fights to take control and steer me back to bed or to the fridge for something wonderful. I love dancing and go to class twice a week. Some days I am so tired I don't want to go to class, I just want to stay home on the couch and watch TV. Sometimes I have to drag myself out to the barn to ride my beautiful horse, another activity I live for. Everyday there is something I'd like to eat that I know I shouldn't and I wage a terrible battle with my conscience. Last night I almost had a chocolate milkshake but heartburn after dinner stopped me.

The point of all this rambling is that I am just like you. I have cravings, love to eat, live a busy life and yet I manage to exercise and try to eat healthy most of the time. Why? How do I stay on track? Why is easy. I love the way I feel. Right now, my exercise routine is the best one yet. I have more energy and feel really good. I feel like I did 25 years ago, ready to do anything. I also like the way I look. Yes, I'd love to have a tummy tuck and have more muscular arms but I've kept my weight in a normal range. The second question is easy too. I have a strong willpower and I've put my health at a high priority. I've seen what neglecting your health does all too often and I don't want to be that kind of person. That is why I'm out dancing and having fun with my husband. I plan to ride my horse as long as I can because it is a huge part of who I am and I can't imagine not riding. I want to live life, not watch others live theirs.

Me, the couch potato. Notice I am wearing exercise clothes.

Hopefully, this will be a bit of inspiration for you to go for that walk today, to not skip your workout this weekend and to put down that donut. That is the other key to what keeps me going: finding inspiration from others. My daughter inspires me with her swimming, as does Dara Torres, another swimmer in her 40's and so does a friend of mine who has serious health problems. So find your motivation and get going.

Participating in Wanna Dance last year with my partner, Brandy Lloyd.

Join The Coupon Craze

2011-09-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

If you haven't joined the coupon craze, you're missing out on an opportunity to save money. Now I'm not talking about extreme couponing like on the TV show but just making some effort to cut your grocery bill, putting that money to use elsewhere. I've clipped coupons for years but often I'd forget to use them and they'd expire. Recently with all the talk about couponing, I decided to get more serious and see how much money I could save in one year's time.

I started by cleaning out my coupon box. I already had a small box with dividers for cereal, dairy, pet supplies, etc. Then I found a couple of websites with advice to help me save even more money. Of course, I set up a spreadsheet to track my savings month by month. Reading the first website gave me some good advice. Don't be partial to brands, watch for sales and try to match coupons with them, look online as well as in the paper for coupons, know when each store offers new promotions and sales, and be familiar with each store's coupon policies. Now I have a problem with the first one; brand partiality. There are some things I simply won't substitute another brand for like orange juice, the facial moisturizer I use and pet food. However, there are other things I'm willing to be flexible with to save money. I am also not going to have a closet dedicated to the stockpile of goods I've collected because I "saved money". I don't mind buying an extra tube of toothpaste or a few extra cans of vegetables but I think some people get too carried away.

So get to the good part, you may be thinking. How much money have you saved, a few bucks? Hundreds of dollars? Well maybe $166 dollars the first month doesn't impress you, but it did me. After all, if I just average $100 dollars a month, that is $1200 dollars for the whole year! And that was just the first month; hopefully, I'll do better as I go along. Of that $166, $45 was the result of using coupons, the rest was the money I saved buying things on special. So far this month, I've already saved $109. One day I even had $23 dollars in coupons. I was as excited as kid at the fair!

I've spent about an extra hour a week clipping coupons from the paper and checking online for coupons. Not too much time for the savings I'm enjoying I think. Here are the online sites I've tried and like so far: couponmom.com and dealseekingmom.com. I even sent off for some free samples for the first time today from dealseekingmom.com; horse treats, Hugo Boss cologne, and Sooo Sweet, a sweetener. The only downside I've found so far is that some sites want you to sign up for free offers and then try to sell you something so be careful. The least you can do is the make sure to sign up for and use a store's frequent shopper cards. You can even load coupons onto these cards from the store's website in some cases. I'll be writing about my savings from time to time this next year and updating you on any tips I learn.

The flaxseed oil was buy one get one and I had a coupon for $1.50, the green beans were on sale for .63 a can and the Aquafresh was nearly a dollar off and I had a dollar coupon.

2011-09-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

Just in time for fall, I have a quick new recipe to share which could become a family favorite during school nights. I'm always looking for good recipes to share which show that you can cook a healthier dinner at home faster than you can go get take out. This is another dinner that anyone can cook if they can use a can opener and turn on the stove. Seriously.

Pierogies with Meat Sauce

1 12 oz. package frozen potato pierogies
1 package turkey Italian sausage ( I used sweet sausage, not hot)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
Bring 4 cups water to boil in a large pot. While waiting for water to boil, brown sausage in a large skillet till crumbled and no longer pink. Drain and rinse fat and return to pan. Add tomato sauce and cherry tomatoes and bring to a simmer. When water is boiling, add pierogies and cook according to package directions. When pierogies are done, drain and add to meat sauce. Stir gently and serve immediately.

I added about a teaspoon of basil to the sauce but no salt was needed due to the spicy sausage. A bit of Parmesan on top is nice. I added a large green salad with mandarin oranges, almonds, grated cheese and chopped bell pepper. You can see for yourself that this dinner is much better than Burger King or Pizza Hut. It can be on the table in just under 30 minutes and your family might just get a serving or two of vegetables.

If you aren't a sausage fan, substitute your favorite ground meat, mine being turkey. You'll definitely need to add some salt, pepper and basil to flavor it up though. This would double nicely too, if you are feeding a crowd but this served 4 well last night.

I wanted to quickly recommend two restaurants in Greenwood, Ms. in case any of you are thinking of making a trip there. We ate lunch at the Delta Bistro where I had a tasty grilled salmon salad. You can get the recipe on my other blog at jonesboro.com. Then we ate our anniversary dinner at Giardina's, which is part of the Alluvian Hotel. The lamb sliders with jalapeno slaw on cheese biscuits were just divine. I wish I had one now. However, I also had catfish cakes and Barry had the Giardina's oysters. Both were really good; I'm inspired to find a recipe for catfish cakes now that I should avoid crab cakes. I loved the quirky decor of Delta Bistro and the private booths at Giardina's were leftover from prohibition days. The booths provided privacy so that the law couldn't see you sneaking a drink. Now they just make for an intimate dining experience.

Have a wonderful weekend and get out and enjoy this exceptional weather!

Viking Cooking School

2011-09-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Cooking school is lots of fun! Nothing like regular school, no tests, no studying and best of all you get up out of your seat and move around and talk alot. Why wasn't school that way back in elementary and high school? Anyway, I'm reporting on our trip to the Viking Cooking school in Greenwood, Ms. Viking has their headquarters in Greenwood, Ms., which is about a three hour drive from Jonesboro. There are other Viking cooking schools scattered around but Greenwood is popular in our area due to the Alluvian Hotel and Spa, the shopping, restaurants and local museums that have sprung up. It makes a nice weekend get away for couples or groups of friends.

We signed up for only one class on Friday night, the Italian Alfresco Dinner Party. We skipped the tamale class going on at the same time because that would have been too much work. There were two other couples in our class and we all hit it off right away. Soon we were chopping, mixing Bellini's, marinating and laughing. In no time at all it seemed, we were eating a delicious dinner. I'm going to share our favorite recipe from the class which coincidentally, is the easiest. I want to add that we were using all of Vikings famous products and I must say their ovens and cook tops are nice. The dessert we made was delushious as my daughter says but I'm not sharing that because it isn't heart healthy.

Asparagus With Prosciutto
20 fresh asparagus spears
2 Tbsp. olive oil
pepper to taste
10 thin prosciutto slices, torn in half lengthwise
Preheat oven to 450. Trim the tough ends of the asparagus and arrange on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Roast until just tender, about 5 minutes. Wrap with prosciutto (do not wrap tips) and serve at room temperature. Note: we wrapped ours before cooking and grilled them. I liked this version better as the prosciutto was a bit crispy. Delish. Serve as a side dish or an appetizer.

After class, we had an opportunity to shop in the Viking store of course. We picked up some handy gadgets; a mop brush for barbecue, a shot glass with measurements on it, and a poach pod for poaching eggs. I can't wait to try the pod as I love poached eggs and mess them up every time. One of the men in the class said they are great to use.

To find a Viking Cooking School near you, simply go to vikingcookingschool.com and select a town. The upcoming classes, prices and descriptions will be listed as well as whether the class is sold out. I'm sure there are also local cooking classes in your town. Check around as they are fun and educational, not to mention tasty.

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend is one of my favorite holidays. Maybe it's because my anniversary falls near Labor Day or that it signals the end is near for the heat, humidity and mosquitoes. Maybe it's because it is another excuse to have lots of fun, food and swim with my kids. This year my husband and I are spending half of Labor Day at the Alluvian Hotel and Spa in Greenwood Ms. for our anniversary. We will attend one of the famous cooking classes at the Viking Cooking school located in Greenwood so I will be reporting on that next week.

The kids will be left to fend for themselves and take care of the seven animals we have. I think they can manage, particularly if I text them to remind them what they should be doing. Once we get back, I'm planning a cookout on Sunday and Monday plus lots of swimming. Got to swim to work off the calories you know. As you know, Barry loves his Big Green Egg smoker and has even been hinting that he'd like a bigger one. Anyway, one of his favorite ways to smoke a chicken is to set the whole bird over a can of beer or other liquid if you prefer and let it cook away. The liquid in the can keeps the chicken moist and supposedly lends it some flavor. Best of all, it is super easy to do.

Barry found this ceramic jar made for holding liquid for smoking chickens.

Along side that chicken, I'm serving fried corn cut from the cob, some sort of salad and for dessert, pound cake with peaches. Pound cake with peaches is a delectable dessert. Pound cake should always be made the day before serving because it gets moister with time. I simply peel and slice a few fresh peaches into a skillet, add butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and a splash of your favorite liquor such as bourbon, amaretto or perhaps peach snaps. Stir that over medium heat till the peaches soften a bit. Spoon it over a slice of pound cake and you have a little bit of heaven. Yum Yum!

Monday we are going to keep it simple - burgers of some sort, maybe salmon burgers for a change. A few sweet potato wedges would be good too. Of course, there will be leftover pound cake.

Whatever your plans this weekend, have some fun with friends and family, eat some good food and stay safe. Wear your sunscreen!

La Dolce Vita

2011-08-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, living the good life! I wrote recently about my struggles with turning 50 on my other blog at jonesboro.com. I was not looking forward at all to 5-0. I was depressed about the whole thing and tried to deny my age. But age just won't be denied. It creeps up everywhere. You can get a facelift only to notice how wrinkly your hands are and how many sunspots you have. And your joints ache no matter how many sit-ups you do. Your doctor won't kindly overlook your age; he just smugly tells you it's time for a colonoscopy. After all, he's a good 20 years younger.

However, I couldn't help but notice how good I've been feeling lately. I have more energy and I am in better shape than I was 5 years ago. I am rarely sick. My family is in good health as well, though some members should exercise more. Not going to name names, they know who they are.

Yes, some of our health is related to good luck. We are lucky certain diseases that can't be helped have avoided our family. But most of our good health is due to eating right and exercise. The payoff is in the way we feel and the things we are able to do.

So I realized I'm living the good life and how sweet it is! I have to brag; my husband and I went out dancing this past weekend with friends Alex and Caitlyn and had so much fun! Now I must hasten to say that this was a first. We are normally home with the kids but this past weekend, we branched out. And we learned something. Doing something different, maybe outside your comfort zone, is a wonderful energizer! We feel totally stimulated and ready to tackle other new things. Doing something new as a couple is great for your marriage as well. Everyone needs to get out of their rut and see what's happening on the roadway.

If you want the good life, you know what to do. Yes, you can ignore me and all the others who nag about your health. You may be living the good life now you say, without all the work. But sooner or later, that kind of lifestyle catches up with you and kicks you hard in the butt. So make a choice. Take charge of your life or sit on butt in your little rut. Smoke your cigarettes. Stuff your face with fast food. But I'll be dancing.

Hunger In America, A Wrapup

2011-08-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

I hope you have taken the time to educate yourself a bit on this serious topic that affects all of us ultimately. As I have said, hungry children do not learn well, and then aren't prepared to enter the workforce. Then they become the next generation of poor and the cycle continues.

My daughter and others in her youth group at church had an excellent lesson this past week as they experienced different aspects of poverty. The last day they fasted until 7:30 when they were served a surprise meal at the youth group meeting. While my daughter said doing without food wasn't so bad, she realized it was only for one day. She had plenty of food at home and no worries about where her meals were going to come from. There were others in the group who found it harder to do without food.

I watched some of the programming on local and national news about hunger in America yesterday. One of the most touching interviews was with a 10 year old boy. When asked what the most difficult thing was for him, he replied, "Watching my Mom do without dinner." She sacrificed so her children could have more.

So the next time you think that hungry people are those who don't work, think again. Your co-worker whose husband got laid off three months ago may not make enough to cover the bills and buy food for the month. She may be doing without so her children can eat. The cashier at Wal Mart may work full time but find it hard to provide for her family on minimum wages. Your yard man's job will run out during the fall and winter and he may struggle to find other work and his family suffers.

There is also the curious issue of obesity and poverty. When we look at someone who is obese, we seldom stop to think that he or she is malnourished but that is often the case. The cheapest food is usually the least nutritious and highest in fat and sugar calories. Poor people often live in food deserts as well, meaning there are no grocery stores near them or they lack adequate transportation to get to a store. Could you carry home a week's supply of groceries on a bus? I think not.

I challenge my readers to contribute money to their local food bank or soup kitchen. Instead of stopping to get your morning latte for a week, donate the cost of the drink. Get your scout troupe or Sunday school class to do a food drive. Challenge your family to do without sodas for a month and donate that money. Just donate. You never know when it could be your turn to need your neighbor's help.

Hunger In Our Own Backyard

2011-08-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

Last week, I gave some pretty harsh statistics on hunger in America and even right here in Arkansas. What can you do to help? The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas is based here in Jonesboro and works to combat hunger in an 11 county area. The Food Bank distributes food 4 to 5 times a year in 18 different locations within these counties. Other programs include providing 20 lb. box of food every other week to an elderly person in need and a backpack of food for the weekend to school children who would otherwise go hungry. Statistics from the Food Bank show that 89% of recipients have incomes below the government poverty level, 25% are children under 18, 8% are elderly, and 3% are homeless.

You can help with these efforts by giving money or time. Volunteers deliver senior packs, organize food drives, sort food, pack food boxes/backpacks, assist with office work or help with food distributions. Call 932-3663 or check their website at foodbankofnea.org for more information. Giving money is important too. You can sponsor a senior for $120 a year or a child's backpack for $144 a year. By simply giving a check, you can ensure that the Food Bank is able to buy what is most needed at the time.

Another worthy organization here in Jonesboro is the Helping Neighbors Food Pantry which serves Craighead county. Helping Neighbors is an all volunteer organization supported by area churches. Donated money is used to buy food from The Food Bank or from local merchants who sell the food at cost. Helping Neighbors provides food for about 21,000 individuals annually. Volunteers are needed for office work, sorting and packing food, or picking up food from different locations. Call 935-7298 or visit the website at helpingneighbors-craighead.org. for more information.

City Youth Ministries provides dinner during the school year and lunch or dinner during the summer and snacks daily to disadvantaged youth, among other programs. They can always use volunteers and donations of money to help. Call 932-9398 or visit their website at cityyouthmin.com for more information.

Last, ABC News is starting a new series on Hunger at Home; Crisis in America. This series starts Wednesday and will air on Good Morning America, World News with Diane Sawyer and Nightline. The federal government has released new data showing that America now has the largest number of people living in poverty in 50 years and nearly 51 million have no health insurance. Unemployment is around 9%. Watch this series and do what you can to help.

Starving In Arkansas

2011-08-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

As you know if you've read my blog long enough, my focus is often on food. What to eat, what not to eat and sometimes just plain good food. My daughter came home from youth group this week with a project that has changed my focus. They are talking about poverty, extreme poverty, and the youth minister provided an excellent challenge for the youth to emphasize with those who live daily with poverty. Over 7 days, the youth will sleep on the floor, wear the same clothes for 2 days, live a day with out any media, find their own transportation, beg for their lunch, eat only rice one day and finally, fast one day. A pretty daunting task for these teens but no where near as daunting as facing these problems every single day of your life.

Our society is obsessed with food. In America, 1/3 of the population is obese or overweight. Food seems to be everywhere in abundance. Therefore it is hard to believe that there are starving people in our own backyard, but there are. I did a little research and learned that in 2009, 50 million Americans lived in food insecure households and that includes those most helpless to do anything about it - the elderly and children. (A food insecure house is one where there is often not enough for everyone to eat.) Worse, 5 states had higher rates of food insecurity than the national average between 2007 and 2009 and Arkansas was at the top. Not Mississippi or Alabama or West Virginia. Arkansas. Nearly 25% of Arkansas' children don't know where their next meal will come from. Most of those children come from single parent homes with the parent working. I find it sad that Heifer International, a high profile non profit based here in Arkansas which works globally to help people rise above poverty, even has projects right here in their home state.

The government sets the poverty level for a family of four at $22,350 but a single mother with three children, working 40 hours a week at minimum wage only earns $15,080, considerably below the poverty level. It shouldn't take a genius to realize that a hungry child won't learn as well, will suffer health and developmental issues and ultimately, won't be able to rise out of poverty. As for the elderly, they may be too proud to ask for help and may be making tough choices between medicine, rent, utilities and food on social security wages.

Seems strange that we Americans should be busy helping other nations in times of crisis when we can not solve our own problems. Rather we prefer to ignore them as much as possible. Next week, I will take a look at hunger closer to home and give you some suggestions on how you can help. After all, don't we want our younger generation to be strong, health productive citizens?

Warning: This Post Could Be Hazardous To Your Health

2011-08-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

I want to share a link to another blog today but I warn you, this blog could be hazardous to your health. Ree Drummond is an interesting woman who married the love of her life and moved to the middle of nowhere to be with him. She began blogging to keep up with the friends and family she left behind but she soon developed quite a following. To pass the time and feed her four children, she also went to work in the kitchen in a big way. Now she has at least one cookbook out and another on the way and has appeared on such shows as Good Morning America. Soon she will have a Saturday morning show on Food Network.

Ree is a fine cook but she never met a stick of butter or a cup of sugar she didn't add to whatever she was making. To use some of her own words, she is a very, very, bad, naughty girl. I find coffee undrinkable but she has a recipe for iced coffee that makes me want to whip up a batch. I couldn't bring myself to make her positively sinful Milky Way cake this weekend with the eight Milky Way bars in it. In other words, we are pretty much polar opposites. Still, being the foodie I am, I have been willing to try some of her recipes and found them to be good. Last night, I made her meatball sliders. They were a huge hit and super easy to whip up; just right for a school night.

I encourage my readers to check out her site. She writes about life on a cattle farm, her children, farm animals and more. She has a section of beautiful photography, hers and others. And then there are the recipes, conveniently divided into sections such as dessert, breads, cowboy food and cowgirl food and filled with helpful photos. You could just lick the screen looking at some of her food. However, don't say I didn't warn you if your diet is wrecked. You need some self control in looking at this site and you probably need make no more than one of her recipes a week, or even a month. I plan to make the peach-whiskey barbecue chicken this weekend. Sounds too good not to.

Check her out at thepioneerwoman.com and keep an eye out for her new show. But don't say I didn't warn you several times!

A Sandwich For Carnivores and Herbivores

2011-08-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

I try to include vegetarian friendly recipes from time to time because several of my friends don't eat meat and I also like to encourage others to eat more vegetables. I had to try this sandwich recipe because it sounded so good and it was. My son said and I quote, "It's good but not great." High praise from a 17 year old boy who prefers meat in his meals and I'll take what I can get. Without further ado, here is the recipe.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich With Mozzarella
1 lb diagonally sliced zucchini
2 Vidalia onions, sliced in rings
1 bell pepper, sliced in wide strips
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch rounds
3 to 4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
fresh basil leaves
fresh mozzarella
loaf of Italian or French bread
Heat grill to medium high heat. Combine all vegetables except onions in a large bowl, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Toss well. Place bell pepper and eggplant on grill coated with cooking spray. Cook 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until brown and soft. Remove and cook zucchini about 3 minutes on each side. Meanwhile heat an additional 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet and add onions. Cook onions at least 10 minutes, turning occasionally until nice and brown. Slice the loaf of bread horizontally and hollow out the top and bottom. Save torn bread for another use or stuff it in your mouth like I do. Layer the bottom half of the bread with mozzarella, basil and vegetables. Replace top and carefully place on grill. Heat about 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 4 pieces and serve.

For the carnivores, add some prosciutto under all those veggies. I found the neatest mozzarella at Kroger's deli for this sandwich. It is actually in a roll lined in plastic so all you have to do is roll it out on your bread. It also had a very good taste. The veggies acquire a nice smoky flavor and I dearly love browned onions. I can eat them all by themselves.

Now that I've dispensed with the good food, I'd like to encourage my readers to check out my other blog at jonesboro.com this week. I think the post about colonoscopies, though something rather unpleasant, is important to discuss and think about. Note: there are no pictures on that blog this week.

Tips For Back To School

2011-08-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, school does start next week for us; it may have already started in your area. I say unfortunately because I am never ready for school to start, unlike most parents. I wish we could play all year. But because I want my kids to have the best possible educational experience, I start early with back to school prep. Here are some tips for getting your child ready for school.

1. Set a bedtime and have your child start going to bed at that time now. Sleep is one of the most important factors in the learning process. A tired child is not going to be able to pay attention or learn.

2. Eat a decent breakfast. A donut or skipping breakfast will not do. A hungry child can not learn; all he or she can think about is their stomach. Eat a boiled egg and have some juice or banana, peanut butter and milk.

3. If you didn't hear the news last night, tests show lunches from home most likely are not cold enough to keep food safe until lunch. Freeze the child's drink as well as including an icepack to keep food cold and avoid food borne illnesses.

4. If your child is nervous about the start of school, make sure they attend the open house and meet their teachers. Try to have them attend open house and the first day of school with a friend. Don't ignore or make fun of their feelings but don't add to their anxiousness either.

5. If they had summer projects to do for school, make sure they are done now, don't wait until the night before school starts.

6. Talk with your child about what to pack for lunches and let them make some decisions. Just make sure their choices are nutritious, not disastrous.

7. Make sure their shoes and clothes fit well. Ill fitting clothing and shoes are uncomfortable and distracting.

8. Wash all clothes before the big day and pick out something to wear for a couple of days. This will speed things up and lessen stress on school mornings.

9. Organize everything your child needs to take the first day on the night before for the same reasons listed in 8.

10. Tell your child you love them and you just know this will be the best year ever! A positive attitude is inspiring.

Another Winner For Hot Summer Nights

2011-08-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

It's way too hot to cook these days so what are you preparing for dinner? I try not to use the oven and use only the stove top, microwave and grill these days. I was flipping through my cook books looking for something different and came across this recipe that I had forgotten about. It really fits the bill for keeping the heat down in the kitchen and it is ready in no time.

Skillet Stuffed Bell Peppers
2 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
Cooking spray
1 lb ground turkey or beef
1/2 cup water
1 package taco seasoning
1 package refrigerated mashed potatoes
1/2 cup grated cheese such as cheddar
Place bell pepper halves open side down in a microwaveable dish. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet and brown meat. Drain and return to pan. Add water and taco seasoning; cook and stir until heated. Heat mashed potatoes according to package directions. Spoon meat mixture into pepper halves, top with heated potatoes and some cheese. Microwave 1 minute more until the cheese is melted.

I served canned ranch style beans mixed with a can of Great Northern beans on the side. Made a tasty dinner without standing over the hot stove too long.

I hope you are taking precautions while the heat is this severe. I have found this heat hard to exercise in as well as to do any outside work, like clean the barn. Yesterday afternoon I went to check on the horses and I felt like a chicken turning on a spit just walking across the yard. So drink extra water, check on your pets and the elderly and take it easy till this heat breaks.

Meanwhile, here is a fantastic dessert idea you can whip up on these hot nights. Put a pint of raspberries in a small pot and add 3 Tbsp. of sugar. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar is melted and berries break up. Let cool completely. Scoop some lemon sorbet into a small ice cream dish, add a Biscoff cookie, graham cracker or ginger snap cookie on the side and top with the raspberries. Cool and delicious and light on the calories.

Some Real Food To Eat

2011-08-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoyed my reminiscing last time. Maybe it reminded you of what your parents or even grandparents cooked for you. Last night, I made a recipe I haven't used in awhile and was reminded how good it is. While it requires a good bit of chopping, nothing is hard and it goes together fast. The flavors are a nice blend of ginger, hoisin sauce and garlic. Try this recipe on these hot summer nights when nothing sounds good.

Ginger and Garlic Asian Lettuce Wraps
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup water
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup sliced shitake or button mushrooms
1 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 head iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves
Cook carrots and 1/2 cup water in microwave, covered, about 2 minutes. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook turkey, stirring till brown and crumbled. Drain turkey and add carrots and mushrooms and next 8 ingredients. Increase heat a bit and stirring occasionally, cook 4 minutes. Add green onions and mix well. Serve mixture into lettuce wraps, roll up and eat. Don't worry if you are missing an ingredient. I left out the sesame oil and it was fine.

This is fun to eat and my kids have always liked it. Last night for a side dish, I stir fried sugar snap peas and sliced carrots in some olive oil. When nearly done, I added some garlic, cooked 2 minutes more and seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.

I always have a hard time separating the lettuce leaves without tearing them to shreds. If you have a fool proof way to do this, please share. I cut the bottom around the core and gently work the leaves free.

Old And New

2011-07-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think about the way my parents cooked and the things I ate as a child. Though my parents taught me to cook and have been the inspiration for my love affair with food, I cook quite differently than they did. I still have and frequently use some of their recipes but I have "modernized" most of my cooking techniques. My parents used bacon grease to flavor vegetables, grease pans, fry eggs, etc. I hardly ever cook bacon much less have enough grease to do anything with, though I do love it. I sometimes wish I could have a pot of my father's green beans but I never mastered his technique because there was no set recipe. He just did it. He also just threw cornbread together, never needing a recipe. I made pan after awful pan of cornbread but could never seem to get it right, like his, until my sister Pat finally taught me his recipe, written down after her careful observations.

I think my father had more of a passion for cooking while my mother mostly cooked out of necessity. He loved to try new dishes and show off his cooking skills. I think his love of food stemmed from his childhood when food was often scarce. He also loved to eat and he could put away a mountain of food. When my husband first met my parents, he was amazed at the size of my father's "cereal" bowl, which in reality was a small mixing bowl.

Growing up, we never ate fast food and indeed, seldom ate out because there were so few restaurants in the small town I grew up in. I can remember being taken to a small restaurant out in the country occasionally. It was such a treat as they served great fried chicken and plain home cooked vegetables. The best part for me though, was watching the peacocks in the yard outside. I have no idea why the owner had a pair of peacocks with his chickens but they were as exotic as it got in rural Arkansas in the 60's.

My parents each had their specialties that they made. Dad always made cakes while Moma made pies and cobblers. She also made the best fried chicken. I loved her fried chicken and each year on my birthday, my sister Pat fries some chicken for me, just like Moma did, with rice and white chicken gravy. Since my husband and children make my mother's apple Betty pie as well, my birthday is certainly a day to look forward to all year long.

Much as I loved my parents food, I can see that I cook much healthier foods with less saturated fat and less fried foods. We have the opportunity to educate ourselves about better health because we know so much more now than we knew back then. However, one thing I still do that they did: I cook, we eat at home and eat whole foods, not processed crap.

Just for fun, here is one of my father's recipes which he served at deer camp to the guys. Apparently, he was always the cook because his food was the best. You be the judge.

Pig Tails and Beans
2 cups white or pinto beans, washed
1 pig tail, chopped into small pieces or substitute rinds
water to cover by 1 inch or more
1 or more hot red peppers
Cook all ingredients 3 to 4 hours until beans are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Liquid will be mostly gelatin and have little fat. For variety, add 2 Tbsp. brown sugar. Serve with fried potatoes, hot cornbread and hot pepper relish.

Ratatouille Rating

2011-07-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I must report that though the ratatouille was pretty good, it was not well received by my children. I think it would make a much better side dish than a main dish but vegetarians will love it. The recipe I used called for eggplant, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, basil, mushrooms, and zucchini, all layered with Parmesan cheese. It was a pretty dish as well. If you are interested in making ratatouille, simply google it. There were plenty of recipes online and none were hard, just a bit time consuming with all the vegetable chopping.

Continuing with the farmers' market theme and fresh produce, I am sharing a favorite pasta dish that uses eggplant, tomatoes and fresh parsley. Eggplant is one of those vegetables that people don't know what to do with it seems. I love eggplant and look forward to finding new uses for it. My kids never even noticed the eggplant in this dish so give it a try and see how your family likes it.

Penne With Sausage, Eggplant and Feta
4 1/2 cups peeled, cubed eggplant
1/2 lb. light pork sausage
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 ripe tomatoes, diced or 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
10 oz. cooked penne pasta
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Cook eggplant, sausage and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until sausage is browned and eggplant is tender. Add tomato paste and next 3 ingredients. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta, cheese and parsley to sausage mixture and toss well. Makes 4 servings.

Serve with a salad and crusty bread. Notice how easy my dinners are, side salad and bread heated in the oven. All our vegetables are in one dish practically. I am making this dish Friday with the tomatoes and eggplant I got Tuesday at the Farmers' Market. I will make another trip Saturday for more tomatoes and blueberries, maybe a melon of some sort. I hope to see you there!

Farmers' Market, The Place To Be

2011-07-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

Am I the only person who thinks a farmers' market is just like a candy store for kids? I love farmers' markets. I love wandering among the vendors to see what everyone is selling and to find the best produce. I just came home from the ASU Farmers' Market with a large, heavy bag full of beautiful okra, tomatoes, eggplant, thyme dinner rolls and an oatmeal cookie, just one. I am amazed at how much the ASU market has grown this year. The shed and landscaping are so attractive and the vendors are top notch. If you haven't gone this year, you are in for a treat.

The ASU Farmers' Market is open at 7 on Saturdays until they sell out; then again on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons starting at 2:00. There are several new faces this year plus some of my old favorites. Whiton Farms is back selling organic and heirloom produce. These people have a commitment to food grown without chemicals and with plenty of flavor. One of my favorites is a farmer from Bay who has the best okra, eggplant and squash around. He grows some unusual varieties such as white eggplant and yellow zucchini and his produce is absolutely blemish free. He always has several bunches of gorgeous sunflowers and zinnias as well. There are usually several bakers selling everything from jelly to sourdough bread to cobblers to cookies to cinnamon rolls. The thyme dinner rolls were from 3 Birds Baking and they always have an interesting selection of breads, cookies and rolls. The organic beef people are usually there and today I saw a vendor selling fresh pork sausage, tenderloins, etc. A few people sell farm fresh eggs. Last Saturday, a vendor had pulled up a trailer and was selling breakfast foods hot off the griddle! I plan to eat breakfast there Saturday while shopping for blueberries and melons.

People bring their dogs and children because you never know what you might encounter. One weekend, some children were putting on a magic show. My sister reported that they were quite professional and entertaining. Some local artists also bring out items such as photographs, bird houses and jewelry. So head out sometime soon and fill a bag or two with the best produce around and support your local farmers. I guarantee the produce is freshly picked, not shipped across the country and unripe to boot.

I have an update on my weekend cooking for those who are wondering how my risotto turned out. I must admit it was divine. I served a simple salad and some great bread with it. Since peaches are now ripe, I made a Very Berry Peach Pie. (see my recipe list) If you would like the recipe for the risotto, check out my other blog on jonesboro.com under blogroll. My next cooking adventure will be ratatouille. Some of you may remember the movie about the rat who cooked the best ratatouille. Anyway, I've wanted to make some ever since seeing that movie and now, thanks to the farmer in Bay, I have some lovely zucchini. I'll have a post on my ratatouille soon.

Great Weekend Ahead - Take Advantage

2011-07-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

Here we are right in the middle of summer and we have a wonderful weekend ahead -so enjoy it. Take advantage of all summer has to offer in the way of water sports, the beautiful outdoors and good food and friends. Just remember to take it easy in the heat and wear sunscreen and a hat.

I plan to put the family to work for a bit this weekend, doing some cleaning up around the yard but then we'll hit the pool and relax the rest of the weekend. But before all that, the whole family will attend the last Harry Potter movie. Surprisingly, I don't have a Harry Potter themed party planned. We won't be having butter beer or treacle tart, whatever that is. My kids will be attending the midnight showing tonight but the older set is waiting for a better hour.

Then there is the good food part. This weekend, I plan to make a mushroom risotto so cross your fingers for me. I've made risotto before with good results but I'm hoping for something really special. Grilling is one of the best ways to cook in the summer not only because of the taste but because it keeps the house cool. A friend shared the following recipe with me recently and once again, the whole family approved. I approve because it took me very little time to put together and then my husband cooked it. Truly a win/win situation. Serve with the following green salad that's bursting with summer's goodness.

Pork Tenderloin With Basil and Feta
1 package pork tenderloin
1 4 oz. package crumbled feta
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
several leaves of fresh basil
cooking twine
Mix the mayonnaise and feta together in a small bowl. Spread one of the flatter sides of the pork tenderloin with the feta mixture. Cover the top with the basil leaves. Place the other tenderloin on top and secure with cooking twine. Heat grill to medium and cook 1 to 1/2 hours or until the meat registers 160 on a meat thermometer, turning once.

Green Salad With Blueberries and Strawberries
1 package mixed salad greens
1 pint blueberries, washed
1 pint strawberries, washed
1 cup lightly toasted sliced almonds
3 tbsp. Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette
Place salad greens in a bowl. Top with blueberries, strawberries and almonds. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss gently.

I hope you have a great weekend and do something fun!

From Overweight To Beauty Queen; The Story Of Bree Boyce

2011-07-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen the inspirational story of Bree Boyce, Miss South Carolina, you need to. Just five years ago, Bree was significantly overweight and at 17 was already suffering from problems associated with obesity. Her aching knees prompted her to go to the doctor whom she credits with saving her life. The doctor didn't mince words; he told her it was time to loose weight.

Up to that time, Bree suffered from low self esteem and had turned to food to shore up her emotional well being. She hid her problem from her family and ate junk food in secret, often eating whole pizzas and other fast food away from home. Of course, the secret eating habit and excess weight only made her feel worse. Hearing her doctor say that excess weight was the cause of her aching knees and that it would only get worse gave her the courage to loose the weight.

Bree lost the weight the old fashioned way; eating a healthy diet and exercise. She did not turn to surgery or fad diets, thank goodness. The first 64 pounds came off quickly but it took three years for her to achieve her goal and loose over 100 pounds. She says that she educated herself along the way and learned more about nutrition and how to cook healthy foods.

Now she has won the Miss Carolina title (where she also won the swim suit competition!) and will go on to compete in the Miss America pageant in January. Her platform naturally is about obesity and healthy eating. She looks forward to traveling around the country promoting good health and also has a facebook page where people can leave comments.

I hope my readers will learn from Bree's story that good health is important to leading a more fulfilling life. As she says, it takes alot of hard work and determination, but anyone can do if they are truly motivated. I hope you are motivated to take charge of your health and not take it for granted until it is too late. Remember my mantra: eat healthy foods and exercise!

Body Sculpting

2011-07-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I enrolled in a body sculpting class on the cruise and really enjoyed it. Well, maybe not enjoyed, but I definitely feel I learned a great new workout. I sweated so much, it was dripping in my ears and I could hardly walk up stairs the next day. I knew I needed to step up my workout as it was getting too easy and a bit boring and I think I have. Is a body sculpting class for you? Let's find out.

Body sculpting is a strength training workout that combines cardiovascular exercise, flexibility and weights to shape and tone your body without adding bulk. Therefore, it is an excellent workout for those trying to loose weight as it boosts metabolism while burning those calories. It also lowers the risk of bone loss so it is ideal for women. It's just as good for you men too. There were two basketball players in my class and they thought it was a good workout. Unlike some exercise, it has little impact on the joints, done properly. A dumbbell is the only weight used and it should be heavy enough so that you can't do more that 15 reps per set. If the weight is too light, you won't be working hard enough to achieve much benefit.

Any fitness level can do this class though you should expect to be sore if you haven't been exercising much and maybe even if you have. Look for an instructor that teaches proper form and helps you progress comfortably at your own pace. Do let the instructor push you beyond your comfort zone so you are working hard. There should be a warm up and cool down time and stretching of the muscles that just worked so hard. Please bring a bottle of water to drink between sets. My instructor emphasized the need to hydrate your body before, during and after a workout.

Here are some of the exercises taught in my class to give you an idea of what you'll be doing. After a warm up of jogging in place, jumping jacks, etc, we might do burpees (jump up, squat down and jump into a pushup position, jump back up), step lunges with a twist to the side holding our weight out in front, or boxing punches with the weight.

Though I have not checked around, I am sure some of the local gyms offer body sculpting classes. If there just aren't any near you, try to find a video to get started. I brought home a booklet so I can do the workout at home. I am hoping to see some results by the end of the month.

If you have been looking for a new routine, check out body sculpting. I think you will like it.

Surviving A Cruise Vacation With Your Health Intact

2011-07-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

Last week I took my first cruise vacation and since we didn't have affordable internet connections, I made no posts. We went to Alaska and it is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth, remote and unspoiled. I hope it always stays that way.

Cruises are notorious for being little more than a floating 24 hour restaurant and the reputation is well deserved. I was impressed at the quality of the food prepared three times a day for around 2000 people plus 900 or so crew members. I was also impressed by the quantity. If you are going on a cruise, bring your will power and avoid the floors where the restaurants are located. Hang out at the workout center and stay on shore every minute possible.

Seriously, a cruise is an overeating paradise where any craving can be indulged. You need a strategy if you want to walk off the boat, not waddle or roll. Since the temperatures hovered in the 50's and 60's most of our trip, I found myself needing alot of hot chocolate. We ate an appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert most every dinner meal. At least the portions were more reasonable than that found in many restaurants but we were still consuming quite a few extra calories. The ice cream bar was open most of the day and proved a popular spot for cruisers. There was the main gourmet restaurant, a buffet that offered a vast array of choices, a hamburger grill, the light menu restaurant, another 7 course restaurant, a small coffee shop that served tapas and desserts and two bars. So as you can see, temptation was everywhere.

So how did I cope with all that food calling my name? My plan, which I stuck with pretty religiously, was to eat a light breakfast; eggs and fruit, or muesli and fruit. I loved the salad bar on the buffet so I heaped greens, nuts, vegetables, craisins and oil and vinegar on my plate every lunch but two. I did over-indulge at night but I didn't drink alcohol every day. The best thing I did was to enroll in the body sculpting class for 4 out of 7 days. That was one tough workout and I learned a new exercise routine and some great additions to my ab work. I am proud to say that one day there were only three participants in the class due to slightly heavier seas; me and two young men, one 19 and one 24. I kept up pretty well. But that class was the real reason I only gained three pounds over the whole trip!

So to sum up, here are my tips for a cruise, or any vacation where food temptation is over the top.
1. Have a strategy before going; for example, plan what you will eat for breakfast and lunch and stick to it.
2. This is not the time to skip exercise, in fact doing a bit extra pays off so go dancing at night.
3. Don't buy the beverage package so you will not be tempted to have unlimited sodas or alcoholic beverages.
4. Avoid temptation by staying away from the food service areas.
5. Do allow yourself to enjoy your food and indulge some cravings. Just remember that fresh fruits and vegetables can be delicious too.

One of the many beautiful views in Alaska.

Thursday I'll talk more about the body sculpting class and what I learned.

Dehydration

2011-06-23T05:01:00.000-07:00

Dehydration can be a problem in the summer, especially for the young and the elderly. Of course you can become dehydrated at any time, but the heat tends to make things worse. I decided to talk about dehydration because a child I know had been exercising and working in the heat but not drinking enough. He became lightheaded at practice and the coach then discovered that the child had mowed the lawn before practice but obviously hadn't had plenty of fluids. Rest, 3 bottles of water and a lecture about dehydration was the coach's solution.

So what is dehydration and how do we prevent it? The body is made up of up to 75% water and has very fine parameters for having enough water. Dehydration occurs when more water is leaving the body than is being taken in. This occurs through breathing, sweating and urinating. When the body is becoming dehydrated, it tries to conserve water. The kidneys limit the amount of water leaving the body and your urine becomes dark yellow and concentrated. Other signs of dehydration are: thirst, dry mouth, no tears, sweating ceases, muscle cramps, lightheadedness, nausea and vomiting, heart palpitations and loss of skin elasticity. If left untreated, dehydration can lead to serious problems, even death.

When it is hot, and you are working or exercising, it is important to drink extra fluids. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink. When I am exercising, I always have a bottle of water and drink frequently. If you exercise regularly in the heat, you may need to drink something to replace electrolytes as well, such as Gatorade.

My experiences with the elderly have taught me that they often do not drink enough. One common reason is that they feel they have to make too many trips to the bathroom. You can point out that they may become dizzy and fall and break a bone if they don't drink enough but that may not convince them. If you care for an elderly person, try making lemonade or tea to get them to drink. Get an insulated glass and set it near them so it is handy to drink from all day. Give them food that contains alot of water as well such as jello, watermelon, cantaloupe or soups with broth. Avoid sugary drinks like sodas and too much fruit juice. Try adding cucumber, lemon or lime slices to a glass of water. It looks pretty and improves the taste. These tips will work for children too.

I will not be posting next week so I will see you after the 4th. Have a safe and happy holiday and remember your sunscreen and water!

Skin Cancer and Aging - A Must Read

2011-06-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

I hope I don't sound like I'm no fun, always harping on this or that, don't eat that, exercise, exercise, exercise! But I realized a long time ago that if you don't take care of the only body you'll ever have, you certainly won't be having fun. Ask my niece if having skin cancers removed from her shoulder and face was fun. Or my friend who had one removed from her nose recently. She didn't enjoy her black eye and the lovely stitches at all. However, both were extremely grateful that their skin cancers weren't melanoma.

So let's talk about the various types of skin cancer. You should examine your skin frequently and look for changes in moles or for new skin irregularities that might pop up. It is advisable to have a dermatologist examine your skin once a year as well. There are five things to look for that might point out a cancerous spot.
1. The mole or skin lesion is asymmetrical. If you drew a line through it, the two sides wouldn't be equal.
2. The border of the lesion is irregular. Moles tend to have nice, smooth borders.
3. The lesion has two or more colors.
4. The diameter of the lesion is bigger than a pencil eraser.
5. The lesion keeps changing.

There are three types of skin cancer; squamous cell, basal cell and melanoma, the worst. Squamous cell cancer is the second most common type of skin cancer. If you have had it once, you have an increased chance of it reoccurring. Squamous cell carcinomas are slow growing and treatable when detected early. They may appear as a red bump that bleeds occasionally or a scaly, crusty spot and can appear anywhere on the body, even in the mouth.

Basal cell carcinomas can look like a waxy bump, a scar or a scaly brown patch. It may bleed or form a depression in the center. Basal cell carcinomas appear most often on areas exposed to the sun like the face and neck. You can often see blood vessels running through it. (See picture.)

While melanoma is the leading cause of cancer deaths, it is treatable if detected early. Like the other types of skin cancer, melanoma can occur anywhere but shows up most often in areas commonly exposed to the sun. It often looks like a mole. Notice that the border is irregular, it has different colors and it is asymmetrical.

It is important to keep in mind that early sunburns in children do the most damage and can show up years later as cancer. While UVB rays burn the skin, UVA rays penetrate the skin and cause the damage. Buy sunscreen that protects against both UVB and UVA rays. If nothing else, keep in mind that sun damage is the main cause of aging in your skin. If you want your face to wrinkle and sag, making you look 60 when you are only 30, skip the sunscreen. AND remember that tanning beds are just as bad because they have UVA rays!

Have a happy summer but take care of yourself!

Skin Cancer And Sunscreen- A Must Read

2011-06-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

Reapplying sunscreen at the beach.

If you didn't hear or read the latest news on sunscreen protection released by the government yesterday, read on. The government is requiring all sunscreen manufacturers to change their labels by next summer to better inform the public. What is sad is that European countries made these changes 5 years ago. Think you've been getting the maximum protection from your sunscreen? Think again. No sunscreen is waterproof or sweat proof so it needs to be reapplied more often than you think. Do you know the difference between UVB and UVA rays? If not, you are setting yourself up to be a victim of skin cancer.

So what you ask? I'd rather be tan, I want to look good and have fun. Did you know that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S.? Skin cancer has increased 45% between 1992 and 2004. That means 1 in 5 Americans will get skin cancer sometime in their life. It also means that 1 person dies from skin cancer every hour! Worse yet, melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is the most common cancer for people in their 20's. Still like your tan?

I'm going to write about skin cancer and sunscreens today and again on Tuesday as there is so much important information to share. Today, I will concentrate on sunscreen so you can buy the best available and start applying it properly for all your outdoor activities.

Consumer Reports tested sunscreens for effectiveness against UVB and UVA rays. I admit I was quite surprised and none of the brands I buy made the list. It is extremely important that you buy sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays so read the ingredient list. Buy sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 but anything over 50 really hasn't been shown to be more effective. Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before going outside and adults should use an amount equivalent to a shot glass full. THEN, you must reapply every 2 to 3 hours! If you are outside for 6 hours, you should use up an entire average sized tube of sunscreen.

Here is the list of the top nine.
1. Banana Boat Sport Performance SPF 30
2. Coppertone Sport Ultra Sweat proof
3. CVS Fast Cover Sport
4. Up and UP Sport
5. No Ad with Aloe and Vitamin E.
6. Equate Baby
7. Walgreens Sport
8. Ocean Potion Kids Instant Dry Mist
9. Banana Boat Sport Performance SPF 100

The SPF factor doesn't matter as much as the ingredients in a sunscreen. Look for Zinc, Titanium and Parsol 1789 among the ingredients for the best protection. Try to avoid the sun between the hours of noon and 3 p.m. when the sun's rays are at their strongest. If you can, wear clothing that has an SPF factor built in or at least a hat and a T-shirt that isn't see through.

Don't fool yourself; UV rays can do their damage on cloudy days. You also should wear sunscreen all year round, even in the winter. If you are at the beach, sit under a thick umbrella and always seek out shade. I myself try to do all outdoor activities before 10 a.m. or after 4 or 5 p.m., mostly because I hate the heat. But I also realized a long time ago that the sun ages your skin and started protecting my skin in my teens. No, I haven't always been as careful as I should but this information will make me do better.

Next week I will explain UVA and UVB rays and give more information on skin cancers and how the sun does it's damage. I'm hoping my readers will take this information to heart. Skin cancer is very avoidable and you could save the life of someone you love.

Cook Books

2011-06-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

Some people collect cookbooks; they just can't seem to pass one up. I have always tried to avoid buying cookbooks because they clutter up the kitchen and after a while, it seems like the recipes get repeated. Still I have a number of cookbooks that were sold for fundraisers and others that were gifts. I have bought few of them on my own. One cookbook that should be in everyone's kitchen is "The Joy of Cooking" by Rombauer and Becker. It is a great reference book and when I need to know how to do something, I look there first. It also has several great recipes, though it does have a number of strange ones like Broiled Kidneys. Adventurous as I am, I think I can skip that one.

Simply the best cookbook I have is "Traditions, A Taste Of The Good Life" by the Junior League of Little Rock. That cookbook has more wonderful recipes than any other I've ever used. It is worth buying if you can still find it. We have liked most every recipe from that book that I've tried and many have become family favorites.

I am a sucker for magazines though, and can hardly pass up Paula Deen, Southern Living or a new magazine I discovered, Clean Eating. This is where I really find most of the dishes I make. Once I try a recipe and determine that it is worth keeping, I tear it out and put it in my recipe notebook. My sister took all of my loose recipes once that were once stufed in a file folder and organized them into this notebook for me. It was one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me and now I can easily add to it. Being the foodie that I am, I am constantly finding new recipes that I plan to try. Sometimes I never get around to it. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the food I'd like to cook!

I am going to share an old favorite from "The Joy Of Cooking". After making this dish years ago, I really fell in love with paprika.

Chicken Paprika
Several pieces of chicken, legs, thighs, or breasts
1 Tbsp. of butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 tsp. to 2 Tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp. flour
1 cup sour cream
Melt the butter in a large pot or skillet. Add oil and heat over medium heat. Add onions and paprika and simmer till red and glossy. Then add the salt and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and add the chicken. Simmer covered until tender, about an hour. Stir the flour into the sour cream and mix well. Stir the sour cream mixture into the chicken and simmer until thickened. Do not boil. Serve over rice or noodles.

Use brown rice and add a green vegetable and you are set!

Snacks For Camps

2011-06-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

My happy camper at Mizzou swim camp.

Do you wonder what food to pack for your child when they go off to camp? Sending snacks for a week long camp can be tough, especially if they won't have access to a refrigerator. If the food at camp is really bad, snacks can help your child make it through the week; therefore, the healthier the snacks, the better off your child will be. For me, the problem is worse with my more rebellious son than with my more health conscious daughter.

If your child will actually eat them, bake some homemade muffins or make your own granola bars. That way you can control what goes into them and make them more nutritious. Nuts are another good option unless you are afraid that your child may be rooming with someone who is allergic to nuts. You can also make your own trail mix, there again controling exactly what goes into it. Try adding sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins or craisins, nuts, dried cherries, or soy nuts. A dusting of cinnamon will give it a taste twist plus add healthy antioxidants. A bag of apples is an easy snack but most any other fruit will bruise too easy or need refrigeration. Remember to wash the fruit before packing it as your kid won't take the time. Most kids like beef or turkey jerky but I don't buy large bags due to the salt content.

My son is attending band camp soon and has a small refrigerator that looks like a cooler. He uses it primarily for bottled water but I can send some cheese cubes as well. For drinks, I like to send water and G-2. If it is a sports camp and you know your child will be exercising strenuously in the heat, Gatorade may be better than G-2. As a compromise with my son, I will also send a bag of pretzels and a box of Goldfish.

Sharing snacks at camp is a great way to make new friends. Don't we all love to socialize over food? I am going to include our favorite granola bar recipe. My daughter found it in one of her swim magazines and it is packed with good nutrition and tastes like you are having dessert.

Oatmeal Energy Bars
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup non-fat milk powder
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
1/2 cup lightly salted roasted almonds
1 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
Line a 9x9 inch square metal baking pan with foil. Spray it with baking spray. Mix the oatmeal, flax seed, wheat germ, milk powder, dried fruit and nuts in a medium bowl. Set aside. Place the peanut butter, honey and molasses in a large saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly, melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Pour over the oat mixture and stir till well combined. Spread mixture in the prepared pan. Using a large piece of foil, press the mixture down firmly to compact it. Cool completely. Cut into 16 bars or squares. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Keeps several days in the refrigerator.

We have found this recipe does better by cutting back on honey to 1/2 cup. It is firmer and less sticky. Pick the right snacks, don't send a bunch of junk food and you will be guaranteed to have happy campers.

Epic Fail - A Confession

2011-06-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

Time for a confession: I failed on the Slim Fast Diet in record time. Actually, the truth is that I am not a good dieter. I cheat constantly. When I tried the 17 Day Diet, I only did the breakfast and lunch portion and pretty much ate what I wanted for dinner. Since I usually eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and lean protein, that wasn't so bad. But the Slim Fast Diet was too hard for me. By day two, I was hungry after breakfast AND lunch so by 1:30, I broke down and had a piece of whole wheat bread with a smear of peanut butter. I was starving again by 5:30 but I had a dance class to go to so all I had then was a handful of carrots. The reality was that I just couldn't starve myself. I cheated from the get go in that I added a banana to each of the shakes I made and that still didn't hold me. Yes, I ate the snacks but that still wasn't enough.

In fairness to Slim Fast, yesterday was a hectic day. I was up before 6, walked the dog, cleaned the barn and rode my horse. I picked Grace and a friend up from swim workout, then spent the rest of the day trying to purchase a car, deal with the repairman, do my job as treasurer for the swim team including attending a board meeting, wash and iron clothes for Grace who left this morning for swim camp and go to Wal Mart which I hate. I also cooked dinner and went to my dance class. Whew! No wonder I was hungry. Maybe this stressful time was not an ideal time to diet.

The good news and there always is good news if you look really hard, is that I lost 2.2 lbs!!! Now how much of that was due to the diet and how much to the long walk, horseback riding, barn cleaning and dance class I cannot say. I can't begin to imagine how I would manage to stick to the diet for one whole week, much less any longer.

Overall I can't recommend this diet. If you only need to lose 5 lbs. or so and are very determined, you could be successful. If you exercise hard and therefore burn alot of calories, you will be very hungry on this diet. But it is easy to do, the shakes do taste good and it is not terribly expensive. You could add a vegetable only salad at lunch and a boiled egg at breakfast as a supplement. If any of you have tried Slim Fast and have a story to share, please feel free in the comment section.

This experience exemplifies the reason I preach healthy eating and exercise to begin with. It is so much easier to keep the weight off in the first place than to try to lose it later. Keep this in mind this weekend and don't overindulge every meal and get some exercise!

Experimenting

2011-05-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

I always try things before I recommend them and if possible, before I condemn them. I recently wrote about the top 7 diet plans as ranked by Consumer Reports and commented that I knew very little about Slim Fast. So I decided to give it a whirl and see if I lose any weight in the next two weeks while drinking those shakes.

As I said before, the plan seems aimed at people who want to lose a little weight, perhaps for a special occasion. I couldn't find a promised amount of weight lost anywhere on the website but an article on Web MD about Slim Fast did mention 2 lbs. a week. The plan requires you to eat the bars or drink the shakes twice a day in place of two meals. You are also supposed to eat three healthy snacks every day such as fruit, vegetables, nuts or a Slim Fast bar. Your last meal of the day should be 500 calories and consist of a lean protein, plenty of vegetables and a whole grain starch. Of course you are supposed to exercise 30 minutes a day and drink lots of water.

Right away I found several things I approve of: the diet promotes exercise, eating fruits and vegetables and drinking water. The shake took seconds to mix with 8 oz. of fat free milk (another plus, dairy is so good for you) and the chocolate tasted good. (I get a chocolate fix. Not sure if that is good or bad.) I generally do exercise more than 30 minutes a day so that is easy but the drinking water part is difficult for me. I'll have to work on that. I also eat a variety of fruits and vegetables but keeping dinner to 500 calories will be hard.

I recorded my starting weight today at 131.6 so we will see where I am next Tuesday. By the way, that weight was taken on home scales. I usually weigh about 5 more pounds at the doctor's office. I really don't like those scales so I weigh at home.

The canister of shake powder cost under $6 today at Kroger because it was on sale. I didn't get any bars yet and to be honest, they don't appeal to me. However, I'm trying to do this right so I will get some later today. I got broccoli, squash, apples, bananas, and Brussels sprouts to eat for the next couple of days. Tonight's dinner might not fall under 500 calories but the next two nights look better. I'll load my plate with veggies each night just like the plan tells you to.

If you are interested in Slim Fast, be sure to check back next Tuesday for some results. Also, don't forget that I write for the Jonesboro Occasions online magazine at jonesboro.com under blogroll.

Trifle - A Lighter Dessert

2011-05-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

Memorial Weekend is the official kick off for summer and that means parties and grilling. Many people will head to the lake or have a cookout this weekend. Since special occasions always call for dessert, I am sharing a recipe that will have everyone coming back for seconds but is lighter in calories than most. This trifle is easy to assemble as no real cooking is involved so practically anyone could make it. It makes quite a bit so it is good for a large crowd.

White Chocolate Angel Trifle
1 store bought Angel Food cake, cut into cubes
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups blueberries
2 cups sliced kiwi
2 4 oz. packages of white chocolate pudding
3 cups of skim milk
1 8 oz. tub of reduced fat Cool Whip

Hopefully you have a pretty trifle bowl or a large clear bowl with straight sides. Make pudding according to package directions. When done, stir in the Cool Whip. Put a layer of 1/2 Angel Food cake in the bottom of the bowl. Top with a layer of strawberries, blueberries and kiwi, using half the fruit. Spread 1/2 the pudding on top of the fruit. Add the rest of the cake, the rest of the fruit and spread the remaining pudding on top. Decorate the top with some fruit if desired. This dessert will be better if it sits in the refrigerator a few hours.

You can substitute other fruit if you like such as raspberries or blackberries. I must mention that I am not a fan of Angel Food cake or Cool Whip but that I really enjoyed this dessert recently. It was just right with the grilled chicken, baked beans and salad that was served. I think you'll find it is just right for those hot summer days ahead.

Have a wonderful weekend and make the most of your time off. Relax with friends and family, get some exercise and fresh air.

Black Bean Soup

2011-05-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

Even though it is late spring, the weather has been pretty cool. I haven't even gotten any flowers potted because the weather has been so unpredictable and unseasonable. The temperatures haven't stopped my daughter Grace from swimming 4 to 6 every evening because that is what swimmers do. Her coach did pull her out early one day because she was turning blue. So it seemed like the perfect idea to make black bean soup last week with some leftover pork tenderloin. You know how I like to use leftovers for another meal!

So I pulled this soup together with some pantry staples and it turned out very well. It got high ratings on taste from the family and simplicity from me. You could probably have this soup on the table in 20 minutes if you hustle. I made cornbread to go with it so that took a bit longer. Make the cornbread first and let it bake while you prepare the soup.

Black Bean Soup
3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 to 2 cups chopped cooked pork
1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cilantro
1 tsp. cumin

Heat 2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat and saute the onions 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and continue sauteing until all is lightly browned, about 5 minutes more. Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, pork, and seasonings and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and let simmer 10 minutes. Add more water if the soup is too thick. Done!

You could use leftover chicken or even some beef or just make it vegetarian. You might also want to use a tad less chipotle powder as this was pretty spicy and hot. Serve it over rice for another variation if you like or if you need to feed more people. The leftovers were good for lunch the next day.

A holiday weekend is coming up and I will feature a "light" dessert on Thursday that would be perfect to serve at your cookout.

No Pain, No Gain

2011-05-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Remember this old saying - No Pain, No Gain? I think that statement is true. If you don't push yourself when you are exercising, you won't make any progress. Now I don't mean you should ignore real pain and risk injuring yourself. Time spent recuperating from an injury sets you back on your weight loss goals or your fitness level. When you feel real pain while exercising, you should immediately stop and evaluate the extent of your injury. If it really hurts to move or put weight on an area, you need to seek medical help. Otherwise try rest, soak in a hot tub or use an ice pack and take Tylenol or ibuprofen for a couple of days.

However, if your walks resemble strolls through the mall, then you aren't working hard enough. You need to work hard enough to break a sweat, raise your heart rate and become a little breathless at least, depending on what you are doing. If your workout has become too easy, it's time for a change. Try something new or get a new routine from a trainer. I have seen people who "work out" not make any progress because they never really break a sweat.

Working your body hard has other benefits than just better fitness. A good workout leaves you feeling relaxed and happy, at least until you get home to the kids. I swear, five minutes with my kids can undo a whole hour of intense yoga! Anyway, people who exercise regularly have more energy and sleep better. Exercise helps fight chronic disease like high cholesterol and can even lead to a better sex life. What else can I say to motivate you? Oh, exercise can even be fun! A hike with the family on a beautiful spring day or tennis with friends can fill an otherwise dull afternoon.

So step up your game! Get moving and discover the benefits of exercise for yourself, especially if you've already done the sit on your butt routine. Just remember to check with a physician before starting an exercise program if you are seriously out of shape or have a medical condition. Also, start slow and increase your workouts gradually. If you go out and injure yourself or become so sore you can't move the first day, you are doing more harm than good.

Teen Eating Habits Revisited

2011-05-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

Lately the topic of what teens are eating keeps popping up at my house. I feel I should comment on teens and their health again because the message isn't getting through. As parents, we do need to let go and let our teens make some of their own choices. It is our job to set a good example and help them make good choices along the way. We have to accept some rebellion but try not to let a lunch of pizza, chips and french fries become the norm for your child. And yes, that is exactly what kids eat at school along with Pop Tarts and cokes for a snack.

Kids just want to fit in with their friends and not stand out in any way that makes them seem weird. Those who are used to eating healthy foods to begin with will probably make the best choices. Even though my son likes eat out with his friends at fast food restaurants, he chooses water over sodas a good bit of the time. It's a small victory. So how do you convince your stubborn teen to eat better?

First of all, keep healthy alternatives around the house. Put a bowl of bananas on the table. Keep yogurt and tea, milk or G-2s in the refrigerator. Set out a veggie tray and dip or a bowl of grapes when friends are over. Kids like to crack their own nuts like peanuts and pistachios. Don't buy junk food and soda. Offer to make your child a lunch to take to school. Insist on family meals several times a week and serve plenty of vegetables. Make sure you are setting a good example by eating wisely yourself.

If your child has a favorite athlete or is involved in a sport, point out that athletes need to eat very healthy meals to be in peak competitive shape. Ask your child's coach to talk with the kids about nutrition. An outsider can often make an impact when parents can't.

Involve your teens in meal preparation. Since they are probably home before you are, let them make dinner a few times a month. Buy the ingredients and leave the recipe on the counter. Or let them plan the dinner menu as long as it's well balanced and has some healthy components.

Make sure they understand the consequences of eating a poor diet filled with fat and sugar. They may enjoy watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution which will return to TV towards the end of May. The Biggest Loser may inspire them to be healthy so they don't end up like the people on the show.

Basically, it's a matter of educating your children as they grow about healthy nutrition just as you teach them anything else. I'm sure your children are the most precious thing in your life so safeguard their health until they are mature enough to do it themselves.

Consumer Reports Ranks Top Diets

2011-05-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

You may have already seen this in the news: Consumer Reports Health just released their ranking of the 7 most popular diets and Jenny Craig came out on top by a wide margin. The ranking is based on 3 areas: 1. adherence to U. S. government nutrition guidelines, 2. ability to produce weight loss in the short term as well as the long term, 3. cost and complexity of the diet plan. Jenny Craig did well in part because the program takes the guesswork and stress out of meal preparations. Dieters buy prepackaged meals and receive weekly counseling sessions. The main drawback is cost as the prepackaged meals can cost several hundred dollars each month. However, an impressive 92% stayed on the Jenny Craig program for 2 years and maintained an average weight loss of 8% of their original body weight.

I was surprised to see Slim Fast ranked number 2. I knew nothing about the Slim Fast Diet beyond seeing the shakes and bars in the grocery store so I did a little research. The website seems to promote Slim Fast as a plan to slim down quickly for a special occasion, not a plan for serious weight loss. Slim Fast encourages you to eat 3 nutritious snacks a day; either a 100 calorie Slim Fast Bar, nuts, fruits or vegetables. For breakfast and lunch, you drink a Slim Fast shake or eat a bar. Dinner is limited to 500 calories and they provide recipes to help you stay in that calorie range. Consumer Reports did say that the plan fails in that few people tend to stick with it for very long. Personally, it wouldn't take long for me to get sick of drinking a shake or eating those bars twice a day.

Weight Watchers came in third, a big drawback being that the program is high in sodium. The studies done seem to show that counseling or peer support groups contribute greatly to a program's success and that the best diet for anyone is the one they can stick with. I also feel that a diet program should encourage exercise and teach healthy eating habits for a lifetime. Many of us know all too well that you can't lose the weight just once if you don't change your ways for the better.

I personally think that Americans are going to have to relearn how to eat. When you go to the grocery store, make sure you are buying plenty of "real" foods such as vegetables, fruits and fresh meats. If your cart is filled with spaghettio's, chips, cookies, frozen pizzas, Hawaiian punch and more, there is no hope for your waistline. I always say someone in the family has to cook and that doesn't mean putting Marie Calendar's in the oven. Americans are going to have to eat out less to avoid high calorie, high sodium meals as well.

If you want to read more on the Consumer Reports findings, simply google it or go to Good Morning America's website where they reported the story this morning.

Gyros - A Quick Lunch Or Dinner

2011-05-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with my yogurt theme this week, I'm going to share a recipe for gyros, a classic Greek sandwich. This sandwich makes a nice lunch or dinner especially paired with a Greek salad. The sauce is made with Greek or regular plain yogurt, cucumber and dill. Lamb or beef is the traditional meat used and I have cheated a bit by using Boar's Head Seasoned Roast Beef, sliced thin.

Gyros
4 pieces pita bread cut in half
1 lb. deli roast beef
chopped lettuce
thinly sliced or chopped tomatoes
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 small cucumber chopped
2 tsp. dill
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. feta cheese.
Combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, lemon juice and feta in a medium bowl and mix well. Toast or heat pita bread. Divide the roast beef among the pita halves, add lettuce and tomato. Top each with a spoonful of the sauce.

Greek Salad
fresh lettuce
sliced red onion
black olives
chopped tomato
sliced cucumber
feta cheese
Combine the above ingredients in a bowl in the amount you need. Make a dressing of the following.
6 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
pepper to taste
juice of one lemon
Whisk ingredients together and pour over salad. Toss well to coat.

This meal would be great in the summer when you don't want to heat up the kitchen. I am excited to announce that Kroger's is now carrying Boar's Head products. If you haven't tried their deli meats and cheeses, you are in for a treat. Boar's Head has several unique flavors but leaves out the chemical crap we don't need.

Yogurt!

2011-05-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

Does your family eat yogurt? If not, they certainly should be. Yogurt is a delicious, nutritious powerhouse. It is easy to carry, pack and eat in many different settings. Yogurt can be used to make smoothies, parfaits, sauces, salad dressings and desserts. Yogurt contains probiotics which are microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast. Probiotics can improve intestinal function and maintain the lining of the intestines. Probiotics may also help fight off diarrhea causing bacteria. Buttermilk and Kefir are some other common foods that contain probiotics.

Greek yogurt has become all the rage in the last few years. Here are the main differences between regular and Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is lower in carbohydrates, sodium, and sugar while higher in protein. Regular yogurt is higher in calcium. Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier than regular. I prefer the Greek yogurt but my children like regular better since that is what they have always eaten. Unfortunately, Greek yogurt is more expensive.

Not only do we eat yogurt straight out of the carton but we love smoothies and parfaits. I even use non-fat plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream in recipes because it tastes better than non-fat sour cream. Smoothies made at home where you can control the sugar, fat and other ingredients are great for breakfast, lunch or a snack. A yogurt parfait with fresh fruit and a sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs on top makes a light and nutritious dessert. How often can you say your dessert is nutritious?

Some of our favorite smoothies have been featured in my blog already. Try a smoothie made with frozen peaches, peanut butter, flax seed meal, buttermilk and Greek vanilla yogurt. I seldom add any sugar to our smoothies but you can add a touch of honey if you need to or some orange juice. I love the peanut butter pumpkin smoothie in my November 9, 2010 blog. I like to add cinnamon for the taste and antioxidants it contains. Wheat germ is another great addition for the extra zinc and other good for you things it contains. You can cram so much nutrition into a smoothie and your kids won't even know they are eating something healthy! I find a green salad and a small, 6 oz or so, smoothie for lunch keep me full for several hours.

So if yogurt isn't a regular part of your diet, make it one!

Salmon Burgers

2011-04-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for something different this weekend, try a salmon burger or a fish sandwich. Go light on the mayo or other fatty dressings and you'll have a tasty but calorie cutting burger. By now, my readers probably know that I love fish more than poultry or meat and I'll choose fish or seafood in a restaurant almost every time. Except now that I had that lovely reaction to scallops, I may be limited to fish only. We'll see.

Salmon Burger With Lemon Mayo
enough fish to make a decent, bun sized portion for each person
salt and pepper to taste
buns
fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
lettuce and tomato if desired
Season fish and grill or bake 7 to 10 minutes depending on thickness. Fish should be slightly underdone.
Mix mayo, lemon juice and zest. Spread thinly on toasted buns, top with fish, fresh basil, lettuce and tomato.

Now does dinner get any easier than that? Catfish or tilapia also makes a yummy fish sandwich. You can even cook it the same way. Or season the fish with a little chili powder and a pinch of cayenne and top it with fresh salsa and lettuce.

Serve those burgers with a side of home fries or better yet, sweet potato wedges which have more nutrition.

Sweet Potato Wedges
2 to 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into long wedges
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat oven to 400. Mix dry ingredients in a large Ziploc bag, add potatoes and shake to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 20 to 30 minutes until lightly browned.

Have a wonderful weekend and keep an eye on mother nature.

Top Four Tips For Better Dieting

2011-04-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

We've all been getting plenty of exercise lately - running to the storm shelter. Seems like every other day brings not April showers but severe thunderstorms capable of producing large hail and tornadoes. By the sound of thunder and the look of the clouds, we will be running again later tonight.

But I'm not here to give weather reports. I'm here to report on some things I've learned from the 17 Day Diet book. If you are a regular reader, you know I've been following the 17 Day Diet plan half way. I eat the recommended breakfast and lunch but with dinner I'm more lenient. After all, my kids don't need to diet. Because I love to do lists, here are the top four things I've learned.

1. Eating protein at breakfast really does keep me full till lunch time. I love my carbs and love cereal for breakfast and snacks but I admit that I am usually starving well before lunch. Therefore I am eating less by having protein and haven't had the urge to rush to the kitchen and grab whatever I can stuff in my mouth. Breakfast is usually two eggs and some fruit or sometimes a Greek yogurt parfait with fruit and a bit of granola.

2. A salad made with dark green lettuces, raw vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, broccoli or chopped fruit, nuts, craisins AND some lean protein like canned salmon or chicken and a wee bit of dressing also keeps me full till dinner. I now eat salad for lunch several days a week.

3. A smoothie with lunch also helps keep me full. I use Greek yogurt, canned pumpkin and banana or peaches, banana and buttermilk. (See my past recipes.) I have also added a spoonful of flax seed and lots of cinnamon. My smoothies contain no added sugar and are only about 6 ounces.

4. Eating more vegetables at dinner helps keep me from snacking later. I have really tried to have larger servings of vegetables at dinner. I have found that I am less likely to be nosing around the kitchen later.

I must add that I am not a dieter usually but I try to eat healthy, balanced meals most of the time. However, I have liked the changes that I've made and plan to keep them up. You should check this book out even if you don't need to loose weight. After all, we all need to eat better. Now I must go check the weather and get my running shoes on.

Surviving Easter Weekend With The Inlaws

2011-04-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Does that title sound like your weekend? If you are about to entertain half of Memphis and a contingent from Mississippi this weekend or from other exotic places, read on for some survival tips. As I said earlier this week, Easter is another excuse for a feast. Right now I feel like I'm burning plenty of calories just getting everything ready from clean bedding to groceries to a clean house. All that in addition to all the things I usually do and I'm getting tired. I bought so many carrots that the checkout lady and the bagger kept giving me strange looks.

The first tip is that you don't have to do it all, especially if it's your spouse's family that is coming. Give assignments to the whole family. Split up the cleaning chores and your house will sparkle in no time plus your mother in law will be impressed that you got your husband to vacuum. Let someone else go to the grocery. Get some barbecue from a local restaurant instead of doing it yourself. Use paper plates for at least one meal.

How do you stay on your healthy diet plan during a holiday? This is a very troublesome question but here is what I'm doing. I've lost 6 lbs. on my part time diet and I don't want to gain it back by Monday morning. So, serve plenty of vegetables. I'm serving a fruit salad and a slaw that isn't made with mayo on Sat. We are having smoked chicken as well as barbecued pork for a less fattening choice. Then Saturday night I'm serving a minestrone soup which I'm making ahead. It's full of vegetables and lean protein while very low in fat. As always, keep the portions small, especially on those fattening foods.

I admit it will be hard to get any exercise other than cooking and cleaning up after every meal. Still if the weather is nice, I'll try to coax others to take a walk or play some ping pong. So relax and enjoy your company and remember the reason for the weekend. Oh, did I mention that prom is Saturday night? Did I say relax? That's for the rest of you.

Happy Easter!

Chocolate Bunnies Lurking In Your Future

2011-04-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

Easter is coming and like every other holiday, it has turned into a time to feast. Children awake to baskets of chocolate bunnies, cream filled eggs and marshmallow chickies. Adults indulge in more grown up delights though we also check out the basket when the kids are asleep. To keep the sugar and calories down a bit, fill your children's basket with items like bubbles, books, movies or small toys like matchbox cars. If you still do a basket for your teens, give gift cards to their favorite places to eat, the mall or movie passes. Gas cards would be really appreciated now.

My house will be filled with relatives this Easter and I will need to feed them. The key as usual is to try to be moderate. I've been back and forth over what to feed everyone, desiring to have some luscious, fattening foods while struggling with my health oriented conscience. There will be 16 or more people here on Saturday and I'm hoping we can have a barbecue and the weather will cooperate. Watching the weather report doesn't give me much hope though.

So my menu for the weekend keeps changing but for Easter Sunday we will have ham with Jezebel sauce, deviled eggs, fresh asparagus, and caramelized carrots. We are actually going to have two desserts - coconut cream pie and lemon meringue. Saturday, we will have smoked chicken or pork barbecue sandwiches, slaw, fruit salad and macaroni and cheese. I'm going to serve lemon cupcakes, I think. Here is the recipe for Jezebel sauce for those who've never had it. It is a great accompaniment to ham.

Jezebel Sauce
12 oz. pineapple preserves
12 oz. apricot preserves
3 Tbsp. dry mustard
6 Tbsp. horseradish
Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate. Serve with ham or spread over cream cheese for an appetizer. Keeps several days.

I am also struggling with another back injury, this time muscular, which does seem to be healing pretty fast. It has prevented me from exercising since last Thursday and I can only ease back into it now. Exercising has always been one of my strategies for coping with extra calorie consumption. If it rains all week like Mr. Vaughn is predicting, I may have to walk the mall. As usual, I am trying to watch my calorie consumption this week and keep it low.

Check back Thursday to see how the Easter prep is going.

Where Does Your Food Come From?

2011-04-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone tuned in to see Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Tuesday night. If not, then try to watch it online by going to abc.go.com. The first episode really brought home the lesson that it is important to know where your food comes from and how it is made. We trust the USDA to insure that we have a healthy food supply but a government agency can only do so much. Last year, Jamie showed us how some chicken nuggets are made which was pretty bad. If you watch Tuesday's episode, you may never eat hamburger again. Apparently, the USDA allows the beef industry to use parts of the cow normally reserved for dog food to be cleaned with AMMONIA, ground up and mixed in with ground meat. Your favorite restaurant or your child's school may be serving this meat!

This makes the case for buying locally and knowing where your food came from and how it was produced. For instance, did you know that the FDA allows 20% of canned fruit to be moldy? Or that your food can contain rodent droppings or maggots, all allowable by the FDA? No, these things won't kill you but it would be nice to know exactly what you are eating. And what about all those additives that no one but a scientist knows what they are?

Yes, my family eats canned, packaged and frozen foods. I don't raise my own chickens and I have a black thumb when it comes to growing vegetables. I do try to buy whole fruits and vegetables and whole pieces meat to cook myself rather than relying on processed foods. I think my family is healthier because of it too. I just don't think I can stress enough that someone in the family needs to cook most of the time for better health!

Speaking of health, don't forget to come out this weekend to the HMG Health and Fitness Expo at the convocation center. There are plenty of free screenings and information plus cooking demonstrations all day Saturday. There are free physicals for student athletes on Sunday. I will be cooking at 4 p.m. on Saturday so come by and sample my recipes. Hope to see you there!

Eat Your Veggies

2011-04-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

I had a conversation with a friend this morning about how hard it is to eat enough vegetables every day. That is why I promote just trying to get in three servings a day to start with, not the 5 to 7 promoted by the government's plan. I agree that it is easier to eat meat and easy carbs like potatoes, rice or pasta. As a society, we've gotten away from eating so many fruits and vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts or beets. Since the canned or frozen varieties are often tasteless, we've forgotten how good these vegetables can be when well prepared.

If you are ambitious and have a green thumb, grow your own vegetables and experiment with something new. Getting your kids involved in the garden can also tempt them to try what they grew. Those of us with shady yards will go to the farmer's market or grocery. Try adding vegetables to pasta or rice for a new twist.

The typical cookbook has few every day recipes for vegetables. They are usually filled with recipes we'd use only on holidays or too many potato and rice dishes. I usually stick to steamed or stir fried vegetables. (I use olive oil to stir fry all vegetables.) A nice green salad with plenty of raw veggies is a great way to get two or three servings of vegetables in.

Easter is just around the corner so I thought I'd share one of my easy carrot recipes. It's a nice spring dish and goes well with ham but it is quick enough to prepare any night. You can also adjust the number of servings by adding more carrots.

Pepper Jelly Glazed Carrots
1 2lb. package of baby carrots
1 can chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
1 10 oz. jar red pepper jelly
Bring broth to a boil over medium high heat in a large pot. Add carrots and cook, 6 to 8 minutes or until carrots are just tender. Drain broth, saving 1/4 cup. Return carrots and broth to pan, add butter and jelly. Cook and stir till mixture is thickened and carrots are glazed. (I seldom use the whole jar of jelly.)

I challenge you to go out this week and try a new recipe or a vegetable you've never eaten. You could even try a vegetarian dish if you are feeling brave. Don't forget that Jamie Oliver is back on TV tonight.

Note: I have been updating my recipe index so you can find those recipes you want to try!

He's Back!

2011-04-07T07:06:00.000-07:00

If you are needing some inspiration, be sure to tune into chef Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution starting April 12, 7 p.m. on ABC. Jamie Oliver has dedicated himself to teaching people how easy it is to cook and eat better, healthier foods. He loves to point out that we are killing ourselves with our poor diet choices and sedentary lifestyles. His main focus on these shows is to go into the school system to try to change school menus.

I have long been appalled at what school cafeterias serve, all under Federal guidelines to meet nutritional standards! That means as part of a "healthy" lunch, your childrens' school can serve desserts, french fries and processed meats. That is why my kids have almost always taken their lunch. With the current Federal standards and the way schools interpret them, it's no wonder we have an obesity epidemic.

Jamie Oliver shows just what makes up some of the popular foods we eat such as chicken nuggets. You probably won't want to eat another chicken nugget if you see what's in them. American kids have abysmal eating habits and parents are partly to blame. The food industry with the millions it spends on junk food and advertising aimed at children is also to blame. But parents can raise healthy eaters by offering fresh fruits and vegetables and cooking at home.

The exception is poor people. They often don't have access to stores that carry decent produce, if any, and the price of junk food is often cheap compared to healthier foods. This is something that has to change in our country if we want to control health costs. Everyone wants to cut reimbursement rates to doctors and hospitals and hold them accountable for rising costs. However, just as much emphasis needs to be placed on individuals to be responsible for their own health. If you are 5' tall and weigh 300 pounds, you are going to have joint pain and shortness of breath as well as a host of other problems. Don't expect your doctor to have a cure if you can't control your weight.

So tune in and watch Jamie Oliver. It just might be the push your family needs to do better. In the meantime, check out the HMG Health and Fitness Expo on April 16 and 17. I'll be cooking at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Are Church Goers Heavier?

2011-04-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

Did you see in the news recently that a new study finds that regular church goers tend to put on more weight in middle age than non church goers? The study also points out that the researchers are not sure why this would be. The only theory mentioned in the article is that perhaps because marriage is valued in churches and married people have a tendency to gain more weight than singles, then you would see heavier church members.

I have another theory. How many bible studies, church suppers or Sunday school classes have you attended recently? I'll bet there were donuts, coffee cake or other unhealthy treats at those classes, not to mention an array of fatty foods at any church supper. For some reason, if there is a gathering, we feel obligated to bring food and provide refreshments even if the gathering is for a short period. It has always bothered me to provide snacks for kids' ball games and Sunday school classes. The snacks most parents bring are high in sugar and fat and have not a shred of nutritional value. Plus I see no need to feed kids when they have had an opportunity to have breakfast and they will be going to lunch soon after the game or Sunday school class. There is no need to provide cake at the weekly bible study group either. These practices just teach unhealthy eating habits and cause weight gain. It is so easy to say to oneself, "I'll just have a small slice of that cake, it's not much." and never thinking twice about the hamburger and fries at lunch, the mocha latte you get everyday on the way to work and the weekend barbeque where you fill your plate twice.

It is so easy and fast to pack on the pounds but sooooooo hard to get rid of them. Try to focus on avoiding those snacks you know you don't need. Yesterday I was at a college open house with my son. There was a plate of lovely cookies beautifully iced and decorated with the school's initial. I wanted one badly but I walked right past that plate and sat down. Having a good breakfast that morning helped. At lunch at the school, I bypassed the pizza and had a salad with black beans, carrots, tomatoes and chopped egg and just a drizzle of dressing.

Don't get me wrong - I do believe in snacks that are healthy. I believe eating a snack in the morning and in the afternoon helps keep your energy level up and from eating like a hog at mealtimes. Lately I've been eating alot of citrus fruits, yogurt and cottage cheese for snacks. I've even eaten a handful of grape tomatoes or carrot sticks. You can do it and you will be amazed at how good you feel. No, it won't get rid of cravings in the short term but gradually you will feel cravings for junk alot less.

So think before you eat and pray. I hope you are taking advantage of the spring weather to get outside for fresh air and exercise.

I just want to mention that I will be cooking at the HMG Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday, April 16 at 4 p.m. Come by and get a sample of one of my favorite fast family meals.

What Goes Around, Comes Around

2011-03-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

A departure from my usual health topics today because sometimes things need to be discussed. While on my power walk with Molly this morning, a neighbor stopped me to ask if I knew anyone who might want a dog. Apparently, somebody had dropped a pair of Rottweiler's and one mixed breed puppy at his house. The Rottweiler puppies were very shy but looked healthy and surprisingly well bred. The other pup was no where to be seen at the moment.

I told my neighbor I would do something about the dogs so I marched home. A couple of quick phone calls and the dogs were picked up within the hour by Animal Control. They may already have a new home as someone who works in my husband's office was looking to adopt at least one dog.

I firmly believe that what you do in this life matters. When you do something bad, it will come back to haunt you. You can't foist off your problems onto someone else. A lifetime of bad decisions and actions will take a toll on your mental health sooner or later. By stepping up and taking responsibility for your own life decisions, you will feel more positive about yourself than by taking the easy way out. Help is out there if you just ask.

So the topic of a trio of abandoned dogs applies to all areas of life. They represent responsibility, stress, and even love and attachment. How you approach these areas of your life will ultimately affect your mental and physical health. So if you have a problem that you have ignored for far too long, spend some time this weekend in soul searching and decide on a solution. Finally dealing with the problem will give you peace, a sense of accomplishment and make you stronger.

Back Home

2011-03-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Well here I am, back home and you may be wondering if I gained any weight on our trip or if I'll admit it if I did. You know I love to make confessions so here it is: I gained almost 2 more pounds by drinking the daily martini and having dessert, even if only half, every day. There is a great lesson to be learned here: you just can't eat whatever you want, whenever you want, without consequences.

To be honest, I was glad it wasn't more but no more excuses. Time to lose at least 6 pounds and get back to my normal weight. I haven't the stamina to follow the 17 Day Diet Plan as is. Besides, my family won't want to eat that way and I'm sure not about to cook 2 meals each night. So my plan is to follow the diet for breakfast and lunch and snacks. At dinner I plan to cook pretty much my usual fare but I'm going to be sure to have plenty of vegetables and lean protein. I've had eggs for breakfast the past two days, vegetable soup yesterday and a green salad with chicken, broccoli, avocado and carrots today for lunch. I've gotten plenty of water for me but not the eight glasses Dr. Moreno wants me to drink. Last night we had chicken stir fry with cabbage, carrots, onion and sweet peppers while tonight it's pork chops, potatoes and carrots cooked in the crock pot with beef broth and seasonings. My portions at dinner have been pretty small and I'm trying to avoid the carbs I love so much. The results are that I've already dropped almost a pound since getting home on Saturday.

I have the terrible feeling that I'm really getting to the age when adding weight will be so much easier than losing it. But that is no excuse for giving up and throwing in the towel. If it's not too much trouble to take good care of your house or your car because they are expensive investments, then it's not too much trouble to take good care of the only body you'll ever have.

I'm also back to my regular exercise routine but I plan to step it up. Every day I clean the barn, then three days a week I lift weights and do various exercises and stretches and three days a week I dance or do other cardio plus stretches. Now that it's warmer, Molly dog and I are really going to take some power walks and swim season is just around the corner so I can swim laps. Maybe I'll even scour the town for a good place to ride my bicycle.

The point is to exercise and eat better because it makes you feel good. Use any excuse you need, swim suit season, a class reunion or to make your ex jealous because you look so good. Just do it.

Food Allergies

2011-03-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

Food allergies is a pretty big topic. Most of you are probably acquainted with someone who is severely allergic to peanuts and know that an allergic reaction can result in death. My discussion is limited to adult food allergies, the symptoms, the most common allergy producing foods, and treatment. I had an allergic reaction after eating scallops the other day. I've known for sometime that I'm allergic to shrimp but I've never had a problem with other shellfish. Fortunately, I just broke out in hives which went away after taking Benedryl. I'll be avoiding shellfish in the future as I don't want to see if the next reaction is worse.

Shellfish, nuts, fish, eggs and peanuts are the most common causes of food allergies in adults. The symptoms may occur in minutes or within an hour or so of eating. Symptoms include itching around the mouth, hives all over the body, asthma, difficulty swallowing or breathing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or most severe, anaphylaxis.  In an anaphylactic reaction, you experience a rapid, severe drop in blood pressure. Other symptoms are dizziness, tightness in the chest, a rapid pulse, fainting and trouble breathing.

Food allergies can begin at any time.  I always loved shrimp as a child and it wasn't until my twenties that I finally had a reaction. I ate shrimp a few more times and finally quit after having the same reaction each time.  I did continue to eat other shellfish without any problems until Tuesday. About an hour after dinner, welts starting popping up and quickly spread all over. It itched badly and one eye was swollen.

The treatment is simple; don't eat whatever causes your allergy.  This may mean you have to carefully read all ingredient lists and be careful in restaurants. Benedryl will help with swelling, hives and itching. See a doctor or seek help immediately if someone has trouble breathing or swallowing. Once you've had an anaphylactic reaction, you need to wear a medical ID bracelet and carry an Epipen at all times in case of another episode.

Hopefully, you will never have any food problems but be aware of the symptoms. I will miss eating shellfish terribly.

Spring Break

2011-03-22T07:26:00.000-07:00

As I write this morning, I am on spring break vacation with my children. If you remember, I confessed a couple of weeks ago that I had put on some weight due to eating too much "good" food. Now here I am on vacation which always includes eating more than usual at our favorite restaurants. I'm sorry to say that I had not lost any weight prior to leaving but not because I didn't exercise or try to eat better. My goal this week is to not gain any more. Will that be possible? I don't know but I have exercised even more than at home. Yesterday we went on an hour long bike ride. I wish we had bike paths or safer places to ride in Jonesboro. My whole family loves to bike on vacation but we don't at home because there is no convenient or safe place to bike. I'm not keen on the idea of my family pedaling down one of the main roads in Jonesboro, battling traffic. It was a good workout because I sure felt it in my gluts and thighs. I would love to add cycling to my regular routine. Maybe someday.............

In addition to working out, I have tried to watch the calories some. I've eaten a lean breakfast every morning and tried to cut back on portions. I've had more water each day than I drink at home and watched the snacking. I've had fish every day and plenty of fruit and vegetables while avoiding too much cheese and heavy sauces. Still I've not been that good. I can't resist having a martini with dinner but only one. I also have split dessert every night with someone. We'll find out the results when I get home since there are no scales here.

I was recently asked to review a book for the jonesboro.com blog - The 17 Day Diet by Dr. Mike Moreno. Read the full review on jonesboro.com but I think it is a worthwhile diet plan if you are really dedicated to improving your lifestyle. If you are looking for a miracle in a week, skip it. When I get home, I think I shall try it to knock off those 5 or 6 lbs I want so badly to banish by giving the 17 Day Diet a try.

I hope you will survive your spring break trips or upcoming vacations without gaining too much weight by keeping up with some exercise and watching what you eat if only a little bit.

Good Mental Health

2011-03-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about the tsunami and all the Japanese who suddenly lost family members and about my brother in law Hugh, who just passed away. Mental health is a key component of your overall health and our relationships with others play an important supporting role in our sense of self worth. Sad that it takes a tragedy to wake us up and make us remember how important our loved ones are. Spend some time with someone you love today. Let them know how special they are to you; it will benefit you both.

Poor mental health such as depression or anxiety can affect your sleep, energy level and cause you to have digestive problems. People who have a more positive outlook often recover better from illnesses. Pour yourself into developing better relationships and use a little less energy on your career. You'll never regret time spent with family and friends but you will regret being a workaholic at some point.

From the number of people who attended his funeral and visitation, it is obvious that Hugh payed attention to his relationships. But don't wait till the funeral and tell the relatives how great someone was and how much they meant to you, let that person know today. For today, put aside petty grievances and just enjoy your family. That doesn't mean you should work at bad or harmful relationships. Trying to maintain a relationship with someone who hurts you can damage your mental health and physical health.

The weekend is upon us and the weather where I live promises to bring a touch of spring. Spend time with loved ones but also consider spending some time helping others. That too, will do your mental health a world of good.

Mixing and Matching Is Good

2011-03-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

You know how excited I get when I find a great recipe so here we go. My sister gave me a copy of the Food Network magazine for March where I saw an article on Mix and Match Baked Pasta. I liked the concept of picking your favorite pasta, making a basic tomato sauce, picking mix-ins from meat to vegetables, adding flavorings and cheeses. Check out the magazine for further inspiration but here is the formula I used with a twist of my own. I even gave it a name because it was a huge hit with my family.

Mama Mia's Baked Pasta
1 16 oz. package bow tie pasta
1 35 oz. can whole plum tomatoes
4 Tbsp. olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup water
sweet Italian sausage
2 Tbsp. low fat cream cheese
1 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 6 oz. package fresh spinach
1 bunch parsley
1 package basil
1/2 cup low fat, low salt cottage cheese
1/2 to 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Remove casings from sausage and brown in a large skillet over medium high heat. Rinse, drain and place in a 13X9 baking dish that has been lightly greased. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to meat in dish. Meanwhile, reuse skillet to brown zucchini in 2 Tbsp. of oil. When lightly browned, add to meat in baking dish. Heat remaining oil in skillet and saute garlic until fragrant. Add tomatoes, crushing them with your fingers as you add them to the pan. Add water and 2 Tbsp. of cream cheese. Stir in fresh spinach and let simmer. Using a food processor, process the basil, parsley and cottage cheese until chopped and blended. Stir into sauce. Pour sauce over pasta mixture and mix well. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.

While this recipe isn't hard, it does have several steps but it was worth it. I'd serve this with a salad and bread to any guests; it is that good. The twist I used was the cottage cheese to make the sauce a bit creamier without the fat cheese would have added. Since there were so many nice vegetables in it, I didn't feel the need for a side, I just served bread. Give this recipe a try this weekend and see if you don't like it too.

Comforting Soup For Cold Spring Nights

2011-03-10T07:22:00.000-08:00

It's not quite spring yet though some days are warm and sunny with flowers poking up and other days are gloomy and a bitter wind whips through your hair. If you are tired of the same old food, try this easy soup to warm up. It has a pleasant texture and mild taste

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
1 package long grain and wild rice mix
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/4 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1/4 tsp. thyme
dash of pepper
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

Prepare rice according to package directions omitting butter. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan saute chicken, mushrooms, onions and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender.
Add the prepared rice, broth and spices and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and evaporated milk until smooth and stir into soup. Return soup to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened.

You can find reduced fat or no fat evaporated milk to cut the fat content of this soup. Serve with a nice whole grain bread and a salad to get in those servings of vegetables.

I'm happy to report that after the turmoil of the last few weeks, my husband is making an effort to get back on track with his exercise. He did his weight workout yesterday and should make it again on Friday. I believe that unless you do some sort of manual labor you really need to add weights to your workout routine. Keeping those muscles toned and fit not only makes you look better, but it increases the amount of calories you burn daily. Also, fit people are less prone to accidents.

This weekend women can attend the Women's Health Conference at the Southwest Church of Christ starting at 8 a.m. There will be several free health screenings plus several informational sessions to attend. This health fair is sponsored in part by Cardiology Associates. It's a great opportunity to check on the status of your health.

Tough Time For The Cardiologist's Wife: A Confession

2011-03-08T10:17:00.000-08:00

I make confessions about our problems from time to time to encourage you. I want people to understand that we are not perfect; we don't always eat right and we certainly don't always exercise enough. We fall off the wagon but we get right back on. We keep striving for our goals and working to maintain our health.

So here is my latest confession. With all the parties we've had to attend lately, plus Hugh's funeral, I've been eating poorly, not getting enough exercise and yep, I've gained 5 pounds. I am not happy. Spring break is two weeks away and I am not in swim suit shape. I weigh myself every day to keep track of my weight. Your weight will fluctuate even over a 24 hour period so you should weigh yourself at the same time of day. I don't worry when I'm a pound or two over my ideal but anymore I consider to be a trend in the wrong direction. I think weighing myself every day is a good motivator and a way to stop problems before they bloom into disasters.

Funerals are not good places to count calories. Right after the visitation, I walked right into a wonderful spread prepared by friends and neighbors. I was so hungry that I ate a piece of pound cake as an appetizer. (As did several others I might add.) Then I ate a plate of deliciously cheesy chicken spaghetti, green beans, roast pork and fresh fruit. After dinner we sat around several tempting desserts, trying to ignore them and talk anyway. It was truly pointless. I had a piece of very moist blueberry cake.

After the funeral, the kind ladies of the church had lunch waiting on us. Southern women know comfort food and these ladies had an assortment of casseroles, ham, fried chicken, breads, salads and desserts that would lead anyone into temptation. I did limit myself to one dessert, but barely.

The next two days included an engagement party and a birthday party with plenty of cake and tempting treats. My sister just had to make a new cake and trot it over to our house to try. It has truly been a difficult time to watch the calorie count. But I'm back on track, eating better and plunging into the exercise. For a few days, I'll try to cut back on portions to help loose that 5 pounds. I'll have to be extra careful this coming weekend as I'll be at a three day swim meet in Little Rock. Not only does that mean lots of sitting while Grace swims but I'll be too close for comfort to the best bakery in all of Arkansas. Nobody ever said life is easy.

Remembering Hugh

2011-02-28T16:23:00.000-08:00

There will be no posts this week due to the untimely passing of my brother in law, Hugh, on Sunday. He will be missed by all who knew him for the loving husband, father, brother, son and friend that he was.

Recipes And Updates

2011-02-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

I seldom cease to be amazed how some people never eat vegetables and don't even recognize them when they hold them in their hand. Just the other day I was at the grocery and my check out girl exclaimed, "Oh, this zucchini feels weird! I've never held one before." I can't imagine the look on my face. What kind of society do we live in when common vegetables are as alien to people as little green men from Mars? Please don't let your children grow up in ignorance and don't be a prude yourself about trying new things. With that said, here is a carrot recipe that has few ingredients but is big on taste.

Chili Carrots
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced in one inch pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 to 1 tsp. chili powder
In a medium sized pot, cook carrots in boiling water for 8 minutes or until just tender. Drain and return to pot. Add remaining ingredients and cook and stir till carrots are glazed, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I added a bit more chili powder myself.

Next week, I have an unusual new recipe I created that my family really enjoyed and it used BEEF! For once, the beef was flavorful and tender, not the usual shoe leather I turn out when I cook beef.

In an earlier February post titled "Flu Shot Or Not", I told what has been happening with my brother in law Hugh. I thought I should update everyone. The news is not good. It has now been three weeks since Hugh was admitted to the hospital and he has been in ICU the entire time. Last Friday, he had improved enough for doctors to put in a feeding tube and perform a tracheotomy so he could be awake more and start to sit up. (If you are on a ventilator, you are sedated most of the time and you can not talk. A trach is a transition to weaning off oxygen support.)

Then on Monday night, Hugh developed a GI bleed which caused his blood pressure to drop dangerously low and his body to go into shock. He suffered renal and liver failure. Miraculously, Hugh has survived after a great deal of blood pressure medicine and more than 6 units of blood. This has been a major setback. Please keep Hugh and his family in your thoughts this weekend. Never take for granted your own good health; take care of yourself as best you can.

Finding Inspiration

2011-02-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

I was lucky to spend this past weekend at the Missouri Grand Prix, a swim competition for Olympians, Olympic hopefuls and up and coming young swimmers. Never have I been around so many wonderfully healthy, fit people. Elite athletes understand that good nutrition, health and fitness is the key to their sport, even more than talent or natural ability. You can't perform if you don't eat well and certainly not if you don't train and take care of your body.

I am always looking for inspiration to keep me going. I don't always want to get sweaty; maybe I'd rather lay on the couch. I have my food issues too. Chocolate milk shakes are always calling out to me; I'm surprised others don't hear them. So use other's example to motivate you in your quest for fitness, weight control and better health. Surrounding yourself with people who live a healthy life will help you too.

One swimmer in particular is my hero. Dara Torres is 43, has competed and medaled in FIVE Olympics and is training for 2012. This weekend I was privileged to see her swim her first race since having reconstructive knee surgery in 2009. She has been back in training for a couple of months now and her competition is in their teens and twenties. Dara managed to qualify for the 2012 Olympic trials in the race on Saturday; her time was the 5th best. Dara does train differently than she did earlier in her career. She has to be mindful of old injuries and a body that doesn't work like it did. You can bet that I find her dedication a great motivating factor in my own life.

So get off the couch and get going. Maybe you aren't an elite athlete but maybe you'd like to improve your tennis game or run your first 10 K. Instead of just watching those games, use the athletes as role models.

As always, I'm on the lookout for veggie recipes and I found a great carrot dish that I'll share on Thursday. Check out my blog on jonesboro.com for more results on the health of the cardiologist and his wife.

Want To Be Less Stressed? Cook!

2011-02-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

I am always reading up on the latest health information and the other day I came across an interesting study that helps back up one of my key convictions - people should eat home cooked meals. The California study was done to find out the differences between families that had less stressful lives and those that had more stressful situations. One difference they found was that less stressed families ate meals prepared at home from scratch. The families that used more convenience foods actually spent more time in the kitchen, not less. Of course, sitting down together for a meal also bonded families and allowed for better communication.

Not only are home cooked meals better for you physically, but apparently they are better for your mental health too. I think most people who don't cook much would if they would just get organized. Your kitchen pantry needs to be organized and filled with basic foods so that you can prepare a simple meal without a trip to the grocery. You need to keep a running grocery list so that when you do shop, you don't forget things. You need to plan exactly what you are going to have for dinner for at least three days every time you shop. You can refer to some of my earlier posts for more tips on getting organized.

Family time can also include cooking together so get everyone involved. You will be teaching your kids the necessary skills to take care of themselves eventually when you get them to help in the kitchen. By the time they are teens, every kid should be able to prepare a simple meal. I'm not talking about peanut butter sandwiches by the way.

Even though our local weather has turned unseasonably hot, I have a simple, satisfying chowder recipe. Real crab can be very expensive but you can substitute imitation crab in this recipe and it will be just as good.

Corn and Crab Chowder
6 slices bacon (I used the precooked kind)
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion chopped
1 32 oz. container chicken broth
1 Tbsp. flour
2 14 oz. cans of whole kernel corn, drained or equivalent amount frozen
1 lb. crab meat, drained and picked for shells, or use imitation
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Cook bacon in microwave and crumble. Saute celery, bell pepper, and onion in 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil till tender. Whisk together broth and flour till smooth. Add to vegetables and stir in corn. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gently stir in crab meat and next 4 ingredients. Cook 5 minutes until well heated. Serve with crumbled bacon and oyster crackers. You could also substitute cooked chicken in place of the crab meat.

Spend some time this weekend organizing your kitchen so it is easier to prepare meals. I have begun posting the results of our health tests this week on my blog on jonesboro.com. Look for the cardiologist's wife under the living tab. The first test didn't reveal any surprises but there are some to come!

Today's Gripe - A Lack Of Restaurants

2011-02-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

Today I just feel the need to gripe so please excuse me. If you have been reading my blog the last couple of weeks, you have seen our weekly menu published and that we tend to eat out about once a week. My gripe is that our town has growing pains: we need more restaurants badly. Lately whenever we go out, there have been long waits at the local restaurants, even if we get there shortly after 5 p.m. I find it ridiculous to wait 45 minutes for a table at 5:15. The wait doesn't get any better at 6:15 or 7:15. Some of the new chain restaurants have made the mistake of putting in too small a facility with too small of a parking lot (Olive Garden). When our new Red Lobster opens, we won't even go near the place for at least 6 months because we know we won't be able to get in just like we haven't been able to get in the new pizza place (Larry's) that we've heard good things about. It will be a very long time before I agree to go to Olive Garden again. It has been here at least a year but we've only been twice because there is often a loooong wait. (And I don't think the food is that good to begin with!)

I'm hoping that restaurant developers will study the new census information just out and realize that with the growth in this area, we need more restaurants though preferably not Asian or Mexican. We have plenty of those. I'm also hoping for some better restaurants than fast food chains; we need better quality like Old Charlies, Outback and San Francisco Bread. I'd love to see more local restaurants like Omar's, Skinny Jay's and Sai Tai open as those are often some of the best places to eat.

So there's my challenge to anyone listening out there. If you have the skill, expertise and money to invest, restaurants are a growing industry in this area. We also need more restaurants available to those just under 21. If you aren't 21, there are few decent places to take a date. I've seen prom couples turned away from local restaurants and I know many head to Memphis for this reason.

Sorry to complain so today. I'm interested to know what my readers' experiences have been. Has anyone else felt like eating out is a hassle these days due to overcrowded restaurants and few places to go? Anyone had any really bad experiences? Feel free to comment if you have a story to share.

Meanwhile, cook at home and enjoy this bit of lovely spring weather. You know it won't last long. Also, I'd like to welcome any new readers and followers. I hope you've found some helpful information and enjoyable reading here.

Flu Shot Or Not

2011-02-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

The flu is something I've never worried about; it just didn't seem that bad so I have never gotten a flu shot either. The rest of my family gets a flu shot. I think Barry is more likely to get the flu given his line of work and I've always thought schools are the breeding ground for all sorts of diseases. But working at home, I felt less likely to be exposed and while that is probably true, I've changed my mind.

Sometimes it takes a major event to make you change your mind. Last week, Barry's brother Hugh and his family came down with the flu. I didn't think much about it until Hugh was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia later in the week. Then things really took a turn for the worse Friday night when the doctors had to put Hugh on the ventilator. Hugh has been engaged in a fight for his life since then and he still isn't out of the woods. He has responded well to a new drug in the last two days so we are hopeful. The doctors think he will pull through but admit that it will be a long process. Needless to say, all of this has made me rethink my position on getting a flu shot. Hugh is only 55 and has two teenage daughters. If a flu shot could prevent this from happening to me, it's worth the time and a little pain.

The problem with the flu is that it weakens your immune system leaving you vulnerable to other things like pneumonia. In this day and age, pneumonia still kills people regularly and not just the elderly. So if you have been like me and felt the flu shot was unnecessary, perhaps you'd like to think about it again. If a few bucks could prevent a life altering event like Hugh's, maybe it's a good investment. As I always say, your good health is too precious to ignore or take for granted.

As promised, here is the last of our weekly menu. Due to the snow and Barry being out of town, I've moved a few things around. Last night we had chicken and dumplings and sauteed butternut squash. The rest of the week follows.

Thursday - Eggs, biscuits, gravy and bacon (does that sound heart healthy?)
Friday - Beef Stew with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and green peas
Saturday - Eat out or leftovers
Sunday - Crab and corn chowder

Have a happy, healthy weekend and take care in the snow and cold.

Health Tests For The Cardiologist And His Wife

2011-02-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

Recently I began to wonder whether my own health is really as good as I think it is. And what about my husband's health? Though we exercise, are we really fit or are we fooling ourselves? So we decided to put ourselves to the test. Last week, we had blood drawn for several tests and we had a calcium score, a simple test to check for plaque buildup in our arteries, a sign of heart disease. In the coming weeks, we will have our fitness levels checked by a local trainer. Once the results are in, I will begin posting the facts on my blog on jonesboro.com. Then you can decide whether what we preach is the gospel or just alot of bunk. Should be interesting to see what the results are. I predict that one or both of us needs to work a bit harder at fitness though.

As for the Super Bowl party, I admit I pigged out pretty much especially with the Mexican Layered Dip and chips and the sausage stuffed mushrooms my sister made at the last minute. The cupcakes were to die for but as the recipe didn't make many (this is a handy tip, don't make extra), I only ate one. I skipped the alcohol this time and actually drank milk. Milk goes better with chocolate cupcakes anyway. I was dreading the scales the next morning but I was surprised to see I hadn't gained any. So my other strategies paid off; eat sensibly most of the time and exercise!

You can get outside at this time of the year and exercise you know. So many adults and unfortunately, even children, stay inside in the winter and become more sedentary. Being outside does so much good for your mental status as well as for the rest of your body. I took our extremely short haired dog for a walk this morning - we both bundled up in coats and we both felt better for the fresh air and sunshine. My kids and their friends get out and enjoy the snow like kids should, sledding, exploring and having snowball fights. I had planned on sledding yesterday but there wasn't enough snow. Maybe on Thursday.........

This is the last week I'm going to post our week's menus. I hope seeing what we actually eat is inspiring to you. I know so many people don't take the time to cook so I also hope my easy recipes will help with that too.

Monday - Tuna marinated in orange juice, parsley and oregano, wild rice and Brussel sprouts
Tuesday - Chili spaghetti and garlic bread (a good way to use up the leftover chili from Sunday)
Wednesday - Crab and corn chowder, a new recipe
Thursday - Chicken and dumplings, a family favorite

Stock up on supplies. I suspect that we will have more snow this week in our local area by Wednesday.

Super Bowl Menu

2011-02-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

As promised, I have finally settled on a Super Bowl menu which I will share with you. I've tried to include fun party food while keeping the fat, sugar and calories under control. The dips are kept to a minimum because they encourage mindless overeating. Of course the key at any party is not to eat too much, no matter what is served.

Chili
Mexican Cornbread
Fruit Tray
Mexican Layered Dip With Tortilla Chips
Chocolate Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Icing

I decided to make chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing for dessert as they are easy to serve and delicious, not because they are low fat or low in sugar. Plus the recipe only makes 2 dozen so there will be few leftovers for me to eat the next day. Between the chili and the dip, there are lots of beans for lean protein and fiber, plus the chili will be made with ground turkey. There are tomatoes and avocados, onions and spices to provide antioxidants, fiber and vitamins. (You can justify eating anything if you know a few tricks!) Anyway, make your game plan ahead of time and stick to it this Sunday and you are sure to be a winner, not overly stuffed and regretting your choices.

Also as promised, here is the rest of my dinner menus for this week. I hope you have seen that you can eat very well, enjoy your food and still eat a healthy diet. Many of these recipes have been featured in past blogs; you can check the recipe list at the side. This is how we really eat every week. I plan meals ahead for 3 or 4 days, do the grocery shopping and I'm set. Remember many of these dishes are a breeze. For instance, the Cranberry Chicken has four ingredients. You mix up the sauce and pour it over the chicken breasts in about 5 minutes in the morning to marinate all day. Then you pop it in the oven when you get home, cook some rice or pasta, add a side dish and you have a great meal.

Thursday - Kubideh Sandwiches (a new Iranian sandwich featured in Delish magazine recently)
Friday - Chicken and Potatoes with Onion Garlic Jam, Garlic Green Beans
Saturday - we will eat out
Sunday - See above

I hope you have a lovely weekend no matter what your plans are. Just squeeze in some exercise and eat well!

Big News

2011-02-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that my blog will now appear Wednesdays on jonesboro.com, a new website developed by Occasions Magazine with all kinds of information about Jonesboro, Ar. I am happy to bring my blog to new readers and hope they will find some useful information. Jonesboro.com has local events, movie listings, business information, etc. Just about anything you would want to know about Jonesboro can be found on this site. I hope you will check it out.

The Super Bowl is this weekend and I know many of you are planning to host a party or go to one. We are planning to have a small gathering this year so I'm thinking of food to serve. I love party food! I love cheese dip and chips, margaritas or martinis, pigs in a blanket, cookies, brownies and more! However, I realize I can't just eat all I want of every bad food there is. Choices will have to be made but that doesn't mean you can't eat well and sensibly at the same time.

I will have a fruit tray. Fruit gives you that nice sweet taste but some fiber and vitamins too. I must have a Mexican Layered Dip. It is one of my favorite things and yes, I will eat it with chips but it has beans for fiber, tomatoes, avocados and onions for antioxidants and more vitamins. This dip does have sour cream but I will use the low fat kind at least. I haven't made up my mind about wings yet. I don't have a tried and true recipe for wings and I've only made some once which were OK but not worth a repeat. If I do make wings, they will be cooked in the oven, not fried and will be coated in picante sauce and honey, a new recipe I'm contemplating. I may make stuffed mushrooms, empanadas or brushetta. So many possibilities. By Thursday, I will have made up my mind so I will publish the rest of the party menu.

Here are some tips for not eating the whole hog at your Super Bowl party.
1. Fill your plate only once, no seconds and try not to heap food so it's falling off the plate.
2. Choose things like fresh fruit, salsas, raw veggies or chili.
3. Avoid too much cheese dip or other dips made with cheese and mayo.
4. Have one dessert not a sampler platter. Eat two or three cookies or a brownie.
5. Watch the game and stay away from the area where the food is served.
6. Limit the alcohol intake to no more than two reasonably sized drinks as much for your waistline as for your ability to drive home safely.
7. Have only one soda then switch to water. Same for the alcohol.

Eat a decent, light lunch with plenty of fiber before the party. If you are not starving before you get to the party, you won't be as likely to eat out of control. Take a nice long walk or go to the gym for a pregame workout too.

An update on our weekly dinner menus. Last Thursday I posted our dinner for Saturday as sloppy joes with broccoli. Since both of our kids were not home for dinner due to a change in plans, Barry and I ate out at a Mexican restaurant. We had the sloppy joes dinner last night. Part of this week's menu follows.
Tuesday - Cranberry Chicken, rice and sauteed sugar snap peas.
Wednesday - Creamy tacos and a green salad.

Comfort Food And Crazy Diets

2011-01-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

It really worries me when I hear about another crazy diet plan that people actually try. I know I've been harping on this subject a bit but all you really need to do is eat sensibly. That's what the cardiologist's family does. We really don't deprive ourselves of food unless it's junk food or sweets and we even eat that occasionally. You need protein or meat, fruits and vegetables and some carbs every day. There is no need to eat strange things that you will give up on soon anyway without achieving any weight loss.

I'm going to publish our actual dinner menus for a couple of weeks so you can see exactly what we eat. For breakfast we eat cereal, oatmeal, eggs, pancakes, biscuits or other treats. The sweet breakfasts come about twice a week. Lunch for me is a sandwich, fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese or something leftover from dinner. The kids eat sandwiches, fruit, yogurt, pretzels or goldfish, applesauce or maybe cottage cheese. I have no idea what Barry sneaks in for lunch but I hear the doctors' dining area has cookies every day.

Now that he can drive, Cameron frequently stops at a fast food place after school with friends or goes for a coffee drink with his girlfriend. He'll have to figure that out on his own. Grace still eats pretty decent snacks like cheese and crackers, nuts, fruit, bagels, etc. She really needs alot of calories as she swims every day. I try to limit my snacks to fruit but I seldom do without a small serving of peanuts. (I have a strong peanut addiction and not just any peanut will do. I'm very snobby about peanut brands.)

Here is this week's dinner menu for the cardiologist's household.
Monday - Cheesy Vegetable Soup with Sourdough Bread
Tuesday - Parmesan Catfish, Couscous with Vegetables, Sourdough Bread
Wednesday - Poorboy Casserole, Sauteed Apples
Thursday - Vegetable Beef Soup
Friday - We will eat out.
Saturday - Sloppy Joes with Cilantro Slaw, Sauteed Broccoli with Breadcrumbs
Sunday - We are having a Greek meal; Pastitsio and a Greek salad.

The Poorboy casserole is ground turkey cooked with tomato paste, celery, onions, bell pepper, Lima beans and pork and beans, topped with homemade biscuits and baked. When my mother made this dish, it was a good day. Sundays are family day and we have a wonderful dinner with Aunt Pat joining us. We may have a dessert and often we have martinis. So far this week, the only dessert we've had has been one Lindor truffle last night. So you see, we eat very well, as healthy as I can make it and no one can complain.

I wanted to share a new dish I came up with. Maybe you'd like to make it this weekend. It is great comfort food and perfect for cold nights.

Hamburgers with Onions and Mushroom Gravy.
4 beef or turkey patties
1 can Golden Mushroom soup
1 onion sliced thin
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 onion rolls
Spray a nonstick pan lightly with baking spray and cook patties over medium high heat until browned and cooked through. Drain any grease and return meat to pan. Add soup and one can of water, stirring until mixed. Let meat simmer, covered, while you saute the onions in a separate skillet with the olive oil over medium high heat. Cook onion until nicely browned. Toast onion rolls, divide onions among rolls and top with a pattie. Spoon soup over the top. Yummy!

As you can see, this is easy to adjust for more or less people. Meanwhile, get out this weekend and enjoy the warmer temperatures!

Passing Of A Pioneer

2011-01-25T07:35:00.000-08:00

A true pioneer passed away this week - Jack Lalanne. He was 96 years young and in far better shape even than some teens. For those of you who don't know who he was, Jack Lalanne began his long career in 1936, promoting health, fitness and exercise. He designed several pieces of workout equipment still used today and his TV show ran for 20 years. He was still rigorously working out everyday until his recent death from pneumonia. As a child, I can remember my mother exercising with Jack and I'm sure I joined in sometimes. Look for him on YouTube the next time you need some inspiration to exercise or eat better. Jack and his wife of some 50 years were out living life, not wasting away in a nursing home. Think about it. You can do it too.

I have been back on track lately with exercise and eating better. I'll be the first to admit it's not easy but as a healthy lifestyle becomes habit and you notice you look and feel better, it won't be such a chore. I find it just as hard as you do to eat several servings of fruits and vegetables a day. That's why I promote eating just 3 servings for now. If you can reach that goal, you will have made a big difference in your diet. Try to eat just one piece of fruit each day, an apple or a banana. Eat two vegetables at dinner and there you have it. A serving size of fruits or veggies is 1/2 cup, one whole piece of fruit or 1 cup of leafy vegetables like spinach. If you eat a nice large salad with plenty of tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper and spinach in it, you probably have 3 servings right there. Just remember to go easy on the dressing. And remember, french fries do not count.

Here is a recipe for a really simple soup your family will enjoy on these cold winter nights and they won't even mind getting in a serving of vegetables. My sister refers to this a rotel dip with veggies.

Cheesy Vegetable Soup
Makes 4 large servings
4 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1 can of Rotel, hot as you like it
2 lbs. frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups of Velveeta cheese or 1/2
1 cup of your favorite pasta, preferably whole wheat
Bring the broth and rotel to a boil in a large pot. Add frozen vegetables and let simmer 15 minutes. Add pasta and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until al dente. Add cheese and stir till melted. Serve with a nice crusty whole grain bread or some sourdough. Add a spinach salad and you've really packed in some vegetables for the day.

Best Way To Have A Slim Figure

2011-01-20T09:49:00.000-08:00

Since everyone is still motivated by their New Year's resolutions, and since losing weight or getting in shape is a popular resolution, I chose this topic today. There are so many diet plans out there and some are good and will teach you a healthy lifestyle. But there are far too many that are bogus and just money makers for someone at your expense. The radio has been filled for ads for Look Slim 90 for example. The ads promise remarkable results just by putting a few drops under your tongue at night; no "yucky diet food or exercise." I have to wonder who could fall for that ad.

You didn't get out of shape or overweight in one day or even in one month so stop looking for a quick, easy fix. The solution isn't easy but once you acquire new habits, it will get easier. People who are of a normal weight work at it. They exercise regularly, doing something they enjoy. They are active in other ways such as walking their dog, playing with their children or hiking on the weekend. They don't just sit on their butt 24/7, they get out and participate in life. The TV or computer isn't their best friend.

Slim people also eat differently. They don't overeat; they stop when they are full. They understand the difference between snacks and treats. Most importantly, they eat balanced meals of lean protein, fruits and vegetables. Real food, cooked at home, not fast food or highly processed foods washed down with sodas.

Now that I have lectured you, I'll confess that I struggle with these same issues. Since the
holidays, I've found it difficult to go back to a normal diet and not to have desserts and calorie
laden drinks on the weekends. At this time of year, it can be difficult to get in exercise. I'm only
riding my horse about once a week due to the weather and I've missed dance class for one
reason or another. Then the inevitable happened. I noticed that I've put on 5 pounds over
two weeks. That has motivated me to get off my butt and get moving again. Plus, I'm really
trying to make healthy food choices and to ignore that chocolate milkshake that keeps calling
me.
I hope you find the motivation to keep your New Year's resolutions. Do it for yourself and do it for those you love. Stay healthy!

I must thank my son for helping me to fix the problem with this post that prevented me from publishing it last week.

Can Fast Food Have A Good Idea?

2011-01-18T15:14:00.000-08:00

I guess once in awhile everyone can have a good idea so fast food restaurants are no exception. There have been some improvements to fast food menus such as fruit and milk options on kids meals but not enough for me to recommend eating there regularly. However, I was watching TV the other night and saw a McDonald's ad that prompted me to imitate their product with great success.

Mickey D's now offers oatmeal with a fruit topping for breakfast. Now I'm not sure if they are serving instant oatmeal or the old fashioned kind or how much added sugar the fruit topping has but the idea inspired me. I made oatmeal so good that my son who doesn't care much for oatmeal even said it wasn't bad. Try this for a healthy start to your day.

Oatmeal with Fruit Topping
2 cups regular old fashioned oats
3 1/2 cups water
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
small apple chopped
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup mixed dried fruit such as cherries, craisins and raisins
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup boiling water
Bring water and salt to a boil. Add oatmeal and cook, stirring frequently till most of the water is absorbed. Add cream and brown sugar. Add dried fruit to cup of boiling water and let sit while oatmeal cooks. Drain and add chopped apple, walnuts and cinnamon. Spoon topping over oatmeal and serve.

I must also confess that every time I try to do something fancy with my blog, I screw up and I can't always find someone to help me. That's what happened again with last Thursday's post. I'll get my son to help me fix it and post it this week.

In the meantime, stock up on supplies. The geese have been flying over in waves today so that must mean that Thursday the weather will get ugly as predicted.