You Have to Let go of Pride

I had two experiences this week that have caused some introspection.  Both left me thinking about Pride and how it holds us back.  I'm not talking about the "I'm so proud of myself," stuff.  I'm talking about the deeply held beliefs that we have about ourselves.  The little things that we secretly gloat over.  The way we make excuses for ourselves.  For instance, I am not very strong.  I really never have been.  BUT, I will always tell you, that I have endurance.  I can't run fast, but I can run for a long time.  This is true, but it is a pride that holds me back.  By saying this, I justify not trying to run faster.  I don't have to do it, because what I can do is equal or better than what I can't.  Pride in one is holding me back from trying and quite possibly failing, in the other. The thing is, you can't get better while you hold onto this type of pride.

So today, I ate the worst tasting crackers of my life.  Not because of the crackers, but because of what those crackers represented.  I've been working out at a fitness center for the past few weeks.  (This is new for me, for numerous reasons, that will have to go in another post.) Today, during the workout, I had to stop twice and sit down. Once because I was working too hard, and once because I didn't eat and my body didn't have anything more to give me.  I was so angry with myself.  I didn't prepare properly, that is my fault.  But more than that, my body didn't do what I told it to do.  My endurance, didn't save me.  I have NEVER had to sit down in a work-out before.  NEVER!  As I sat there, those crackers were a dry, crumbly reminder that I am not where I want to be. They were the illusions I had about myself, just crumbling and cracking in my mouth.  The idea that I could do anything, shattering with every crunch. My pride dissolving with every swallow. It pretty much stank!

A couple of days ago, I met with a nutritionist.  A good thing to do when dieting, combating diabetes, or just trying to be healthy.  There was a small group of us.  We asked questions, and she gave some advice based on her observations of our needs.  We are all adults.  We all know what to do.  And we don't like to be told what to do.  That is human nature.  But I noticed that some people were very open to her advice and some had their backs up.  I started with my back up.  My Pride.  I am an adult, I know what to do.  But here again, that pride was holding me back.  I may know what to do, but I'm not doing it.  I had to step back and look at myself. Was it important that I already knew what to do, or was it important that I change?  I chose change.  And then the meeting changed, at least for me.  I did learn a few things.  Wow! You mean someone with a Masters Degree in nutrition might be able to teach me something?  What a concept!  Seriously, I did learn some things, but I also became more willing to do the things I already knew. 

Things like, "eat breakfast." Which takes us back to the crackers.  Why didn't I eat a handful of nuts on the way out the door?  Because I don't need it?  Guess what? I was wrong.  That didn't even hurt to type.  I was wrong.  Others know more than me. Duh!

Do I sort of feel like crying over this morning?  Yes.  However, knowing where you are weak is the only way to change. Forced to see the truth, you can start to rebuild and reshape, literally and figuratively. But the ideas we have about ourselves are painful to release.  So, yes, I may be the one sitting in the back of the class. I may be that one every day. (I really hope not, but I may. --- For a while.) But I won't be the one to quit. How would I become better if I did that?

I'm Not Losing Weight, I'm Leaving it Behind

Having gestational diabetes changed me.  It changed my mentality toward food and it changed the way my body deals with food.  I know that the diabetes went away once I gave birth.  I know that I am perfectly healthy.  I also know that I crave sweets in a way that I didn't before.  I can't lose weight as easily as before.  That is actually the point of this blog post. 

I've been thinking about the phrase, "lose weight."  And I kept thinking 'this is wrong.  I don't want to lose it.  That indicates I might find it again (as I have many times before). I don't want it back.'  I pondered this for a few days, and then a friend wrote something on her facebook page that clicked with me.  She said, "I left 15 pounds behind in July."  That's it!  That's the phrase!  She left it behind.  She doesn't intend to go looking for it.  It is not something lost.  It is something given up!  Given up for something better.  Doesn't that ring truer in the ear?

 Isn't that a statement of determination and strength. " I'm leaving it behind." This is on my terms.  Not because of a fad diet, or a sense of loss, or any inability on my part. "I'm leaving it behind" indicates that I am in control.  This is not a matter of begging the scale to cooperate.  This is me telling my body how it will act. 

I am actively working on eating in a more healthful way.  I am working on exercise.  I am working on leaving some weight behind.  But more than that, I am working on understanding that I am in control.  I can, at any point, leave this behind.  It may take practice, but it really is up to me. 

Woohoo Low Carb Nachos!!!!!

 My last challenge recipe is here!!  This one was nachos.  There are so many ways you can make nachos healthier.  Most of them require switching up the toppings.  Turkey instead of beef, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, lower fat cheese.  All of these things help, but we still have to deal with the chips.  The salty, crispy, fried chips.  And lets face it, the reason we love nachos, is that crispy chip with the gooey cheese. 

After looking all over the internet for "low-carb" nachos, I found a recipe for one that used peppers instead of chips.  If you like peppers, this has possibilities.  I like peppers.  However, too many peppers causes gastro-distress, in the form of burps.  All. Night. Long.  And if you are prone to reflux- fah-git-ah-bout-it! 

I had bought some carrot chips to munch on, earlier in the week.  So, I took those carrots and spread them on the tray.  They looked chip-like, so I tried it.  Guess what?  It worked.  Even the hubster said, "this is doable."  And since he doesn't always love my healthy swaps, I call it a win.  We ate quite a bit.  He really liked the carrots.  I loved the peppers, but also liked the carrots.

This really isn't a recipe. Just a few things you should know

1) Don't cook the carrots or peppers ahead of time.  Place them on the pan raw.  They will cook a bit while the cheese melts, but they will retain a bit of crispness and beautiful, bright color.

2) I don't think I would double layer this.  You will end up with a casserole instead of nachos. So make 2 pans if you want, but don't layer.

3) If you are watching calories, you should use ground turkey, low-fat cheese and use Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream

4) Add beans!!!  Seriously, beans are so good for you.  You should add them to every dish, where you can reasonable sneak them in.  :)

Here is a list of my favorite nacho toppings:

Taco meat - I like ground beef, I typically use a pound, and yes a flavor packet.  But feel free to make your own seasoning- it's not hard.

tomatoes

green onions

avocados - I like to put them on after the nachos have cooked
olives
salsa
sour cream
Kidney, pinto, or black beans
Cheese - the more the better- er, uh, no.  Go a little lighter on the cheese than you think you should.  Let the other flavors play.  Cheese doesn't have to be such a diva!

That's it! Tell me how you like it.:)

Healthier Spaghetti and Meatballs

Healthier Spaghetti and Meatballs

 This is the 2nd of 3 recipes that I am re-working to be a bit healthier.  Spaghetti and meatballs seemed almost too easy.  --- Seemed is the important word here.  My meatballs kept falling apart and then I had spaghetti and meat sauce.  Tasty, but not the challenge. 

I tried to figure out what I was doing wrong.  Meatballs are essentially tiny meatloaves and I've never had a problem with meatloaf.  That's when it hit me- meatloaf is BAKED.  I was trying to fry the meatballs, as traditional meatballs are done.  However, because of the ingredient changes, the little patties wouldn't hold together.  So I skipped the frying step and went straight to baking.  This worked perfectly and as a bonus, made the dish a little healthier, (since they weren't fried in oil.)  Bonus!

Now about those ingredient changes.  Most meatballs are held together with breadcrumbs and milk, with a healthy dose of Parmesan cheese.  They also taste really good with a mixture of ground pork and beef.  They are mixed with spices and formed into balls.  They are then browned in oil and added to the sauce to cook.  Delicious!

To make mine healthier I removed the cheese, bread crumbs, and milk.  I replaced these items with shredded carrots, whole oats and onions.  It would be very easy to make these with ground turkey, or a beef-turkey mixture. I used 97/3 lean ground beef.

I recommend using whole grain noodles or --- and I promise this is really good ---- veggie noodles.  I love to par boil cabbage and eat my marinara sauce on top of cabbage instead of noodles.  I also like to use brown rice.  I used white flour noodles the night I made this, because it's what I had.  However, I ate mine over brown rice and it was delicious.  You can use spaghetti squash, zucchini, cabbage or any number of veggies.  Maybe even experiment with carrot noodles.  It could be very interesting.

Diabetic version of "spaghetti" and meatballs

Healthier Meatballs

1 lb of ground beef, turkey or a mixture
1 large or 2 small to medium carrots, peeled and shredded
1/2 small onion (finely chopped)
1 egg
1/2 cup oats
1 heaping teaspoon Italian seasoning, or a combination of parsley, basil, and oregano
1/4 tsp powdered garlic. (I use more because I like garlic)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Mix everything in a bowl.  Use you hands and get everything mixed really well.  Form the mixture into balls about the size of golf balls.  Lightly grease a 9X9 baking dish ( I recommend olive oil.)  Place the balls gently into the pan in a single layer.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 min.  remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes so the meat will reabsorb some of the juices.  Add to your pasta sauce and serve over noodles, veggies or rice.

Lower Calorie Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

  A while back I issued a challenge.  I needed some new recipes, and I wanted them to be healthy.  So I asked for meal ideas that I could make healthy.  From that challenge came 3 fun recipes.  This one, for Lower Calorie Creamy Chicken Enchiladas, a healthier spaghetti and meatball option, and the big one - Nachos.  This is the first in a 3 part series to answer the challenge.

Lower Calorie Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

When I looked for recipes for creamy chicken enchiladas, I found that most had a few things in common.  They used sour cream, condensed soup, cream cheese, and sometimes cream or half and half.  They looked amazing!!  Cheesy, gooey, and an entire day's worth of calories in one serving. Clearly, this would not work for me.

I decided to change a few key elements.  First I decided to substitute neufchatel cheese for the cream cheese.  It has about 1/3 fewer calories.  Then I did not add the copious amounts of cheese to the enchilada filling.  Instead I used some lowfat cottage cheese. I did not add the condensed soup or the cream.  I just left them out.  I don't think they add enough to worry about. I used an entire bottle of salsa verde.  And because I try to sneak healthy in, every way possible, I also added a can of white beans.  Beans are a great source of fiber and vitamins.  Add them to your food.  Seriously, add them.

I did add cheese to the top, but a very minimal amount.  I didn't use whole grain tortillas, because my family has been very cranky about everything being "super healthy" lately.  But next time I make them, I will use whole grain, corn tortillas.  They simply hold up better. The first night these were great, but the left-overs seemed mushy, because the white flour tortillas got too soft. Corn or whole wheat tortillas should not have the same issue.



Lower Calorie Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2 large chicken breasts
Olive Oil
salt and pepper

1 8oz pkg neufchatel cheese
1 15 oz can white beans (drained and rinsed well)
1 jar salsa verde
1 16 oz container low fat cottage cheese (about 2 cups)
1 container mild or med green chili enchilada sauce, (I think it was 18 oz)
1 cup grated colby/jack cheese (about)
1/2-1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 small onion (chopped)

Tortillas

 9X13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. 

Place chicken breasts in an oven safe container. sprinkle olive oil over the top and salt and pepper.  Bake, uncovered at 375 until juices run clear and no pink remains. (165* on a meat thermometer)

When chicken is done, let it cool enough to handle and then shred.  Place in a bowl and add neufchatel cheese, beans, salsa, cottage cheese, garlic salt, onions and cumin.  Mix. You can add shredded carrots for extra veggies too.

Roll about 1/4 cup of filling in each tortilla and place in prepared pan.  Cover with enchilada sauce.

Bake at 350 until bubbly and then pull out.  Sprinkle grated cheese on top and return to oven.  Bake for 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

O will admit, I was lazy.  I layered my tortillas and filling like it was lasagna.  This reduced the number of tortillas, which for anyone watching carb intake, is a good idea.

If you try this, please let us know how it turns out for you.  :)

Challenge Accepted

I have a few replies to my challenge request.  I am therefor, making healthy nachos, healthy spaghetti and meatballs and healthy creamy chicken enchiladas.  But not tonight.  Tonight I made a slow cooker meal.  I bought chicken in bulk from Zaycon foods.  I love their chicken. Nope, I am not a paid spokesperson.  I just happen to like the product.  It comes in bulk, 40 lbs to a box. (No hormones, not prefrozen, boneless, skinless - you know, chicken, the easy way.) Anyway, the last time I bought it, I got 80 lbs and repackaged some of it into quart bags and some into gallon bags, and some of it, I used to create meals.  I got my pinterest on and made 20 some odd meals.  One of them was a sweet and sour chicken.  I threw them in the freezer and I take them out when I need a day without cooking.  It's been cooking all day.  I cooked some brown rice in the oven and just a few minutes ago, I threw in some extra broccoli, because I don't think you can have too many veggies in a meal. Adding the extra veggies and using brown rice instead of white helps me stay on track.  It isn't even hard to do.

+Zaycon Foods

I'm accepting a challenge. I might be crazy!

This is not actually the lasagna I made last night.  I was too hungry and didn't take a photo.  This is the lasagna that I made in an earlier post and you can find the recipe here

Alright all you followers in blogger land, what are you eating that is healthy?  Last night I made lasagna.  I added wheat berries and carrots to the lean ground beef.  I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta.  I added about 1/3 the parmesan and mozzarella.  I did incorporate 8 oz of cream cheese to up the flavor and the bulk. I cooked it in the slow cooker and added an extra can of tomatoes.  I did not cook the noodles ahead of time.  It was fabulous.  Am I allowed to say that? It really was good.

 No one in the family noticed all of the extra healthy stuff.   I expected push back, but everyone just scarfed it down. It's like my own version of  skinny lasagna.  I am working on changing how we eat, by keeping what we eat and making it better.

Tonight, I am taking the left over chili, adding some refried beans, and some yams.  Yup, yams.  And I am going to roll it in tortillas and some enchilada sauce.  I'm hoping it's yummy.  It's definitely healthier. 

Back to my question; what are you eating that is healthy?  I need ideas?  I think I also must need a challenge, because if you leave me a comment with a meal that you would like to have made healthier, I will work on that. 

So, if you love pizza or fried chicken or shepherd's pie, but feel guilty eating that item, leave me a comment.  I will work on making a healthier version.  I'll post recipes that I have "healthified."  For anyone who is newly diagnosed with diabetes, and is worried that you might have to give up your favorite foods, this is a great deal!  I'll do all the work for you. 

This is a limited time offer.  And it should be reasonable.  Please don't ask me to make healthy Texas Sheet Cake.  It can be done, but I am eating like a diabetic, so sugar is NOT my friend.  :)  But if this goes well, maybe I'll take on a dessert challenge in September.

I forgot how hard this was/is.

  
It's day two and I have already fallen off the wagon.  No, I didn't make cookies.  No, I didn't eat candy.  I did, however, make cornbread.  And not just any cornbread, my super-sweet-it-might-as-well-be-cake, cornbread.  And I made honey butter.  Seriously, I had 4 pieces.  FOUR!!!!!  I couldn't stop eating the stuff.  I prefer cornbread and honey butter to cake.  And now, I'm going to have to exercise to make up for the calories and carbs.  Oh the carbs.  I LOVE carbs. 

I wish I liked protein and fruits and veggies more than carbs, but I don't.  Darn it! And while I did eat an orange, I mostly snacked on Club Crackers today.  They were the whole grain crackers, but come on, more carbs.  You would think I could make it more than two days.  So guess what?  Tomorrow, I start again. 

On a good note, I did not have cookies, candy, cake, or ice cream.  Yea me! (Little golf clap here, if you feel so inclined.)

The Obligatory New Year Post

Seriously- do you need another post where some blogger tells you how you can make this year so much better?  Well, maybe.  But this isn't it.  I'm just not feeling it.  I am going to try an experiment though.  Because if I am honest, I haven't stayed on my eating plan at all this year.  But for the next few weeks, I am going to eat like a diabetic and log it!  I'm going to see how I feel, how I look, and if it is worth it.  I'm not diabetic anymore.  But I'm going to test the diet and see how I do.  If you want to follow along, I'd love it.  :) 

So I have this blog . . .

I have recently been reminded, by more than one party, that I do indeed, have a blog.  I humbly apologize to my followers.  All 3 of you.  Just kidding.  I know that there are at least 5 or 6.

Actually, I have been tracking my re-pins on Pinterest, and have found that I have a few recipes that are pinned quite a bit.  They are not the recipes that I would have expected.  I thought it would be fun to list my top 5 pins for you.  :)

 5) The first meal log.  apparently, that first log is popular. I thought it would be the post about the day I found out I did have diabetes.  That post has the most comments.  But this one is pinned.


4) Egg cups are next on the list.  I'm so embarrassed at the photography.  It is truly horrid.  But people seem to care more about the recipe than the photo so --- whew!

3) Next up are my favorite little indulgence.  Peanut butter balls!  Mnnnn.  Again the photography is just awful.  But the peanut butter balls are fabulous.  You should try them, even if you aren't diabetic.  They are awesome, easy, and fairly healthy! 

2) This is a funny story.  My kids were complaining about how much salad I was making them eat.  To "cure" this, I declared 'Salad Week.'  Meaning, every meal was a salad.  This was such a hit, that my kids still beg for it!  This is Cheeseburger Salad.  Once you make it, life as a diabetic, or low-carb dieter, will never be the same.  You will discover that you can eat real food, and feel satisfied!  It really is so good!


1) This one shocked me!  My Peanut Butter and Chocolate malt smoothies are pinned lots and lots and lots.  They are good, to be sure.  But the picture is not! But please, make the smoothies, then judge the picture.  You will be too enraptured with the creamy goodness to worry about my silly photography.  :)  Enjoy!

Top Ten Things You shouldn't say to a Diabetic

Let me start by saying that I have made all of the comments below.  I can remember really getting after my dad for not taking care of his diabetes that way I thought he should.  I remember telling him that I wanted my kids to have a grandpa and he needed to do better at controlling the disease.  I don't think I said it that nice.  Hello!!!!  Guilt trip city.  I got after my older brother for not taking care of himself.  I did it out of love, because I love them.  Because I don't want this disease to take them from me.  I thought I was right. Then I got gestational diabetes.

For only 5 months I needed to follow a diabetic regimen.  It was hard.  I was lousy at it.  I hated it.  I felt deprived.  And it dawned on me, I was wrong!  My dad and my brother were doing the very best they could.  It is hard. And while my diagnosis would reverse as soon as I gave birth, they have no end in sight.  They live with the disease everyday. 

I have changed my responses.  My diabetic friend was eating a piece of cake and a friend walked up and said, "don't eat that, it's not good for you."  My friend said, "don't tell me what to do."  Can you blame her?  

We all want to help our friends who are diabetic.  We find ourselves thinking, "they shouldn't eat that."  But should we really say it?  Well, probably not.  Here are the most common comments that I have heard, or made and a better way to say it.  :)



1) Should you be eating that?  ---  My response, in my head, is usually, "what's it to ya?"  This is one that you shouldn't say period.  There is no sweet way to say it.  Leave it alone and trust that a diabetic knows what they can or can't have.

2) I made everyone this for dessert, but I made you this. ---  Really?  I'm not a child who is unable to abstain if needed.  But you were trying to do something nice.  How about this instead: (announce to everyone) "for those who would rather not have so much sugar, I have made this.  For those who would like to splurge, I have made this.  Please enjoy."  Now, don't get upset if the diabetic splurges.  They spend most of their life going without, once in a while it's okay to have that beautiful dessert you made.

3) You aren't taking care of yourself. ---  If you are a spouse, a parent, or a doctor you can say this.  If you are a buddy that meets for lunch once in a while, uh uh.  Don't say it.  Better is this:  "I don't know much about diabetes.  Please tell me what you have to do to manage the disease."  Mostly this is reserved for close friends.

4) Don't eat that. ---  this is usually followed by a grab for the offending food item.  Again, unless you think the item has been poisoned, don't say this.

5) Oh, you can't eat there can you.  We'll pick a different restaurant. --- Diabetics live in the real world and learn how to navigate menus.  If you want to be sensitive to where a diabetic will enjoy a meal, a better way to ask is: "Do you have a preference for where we eat?" 

6) Wow, I've heard of all the problems diabetes causes, like blindness.  Does that freak you out?---  YES!!!!!!!  Yes they are very freaked out.  They never get to stop worrying about it.  If you are close friends, you can ask this.  But time it well and start with, "I know there are some complications with diabetes, if you ever want to talk about that, I'm here for you."  Or even " Are you worried about your eyesight and all the complications that go along with diabetes?" Most of the time, they don't want to think about the disease, but trust me, 4 times a day, when they are pricking themselves with a needle to test their sugars, they are very well aware of what the disease is doing to their bodies.

7) I know you're diabetic, but I just had to share this plate of cookies with you.  ---   Better: "Hey, I really wanted to share some cookies I made, so I brought you 2, just so you would know I was thinking of you."  Or even better:  "I made you some bath salts, or I made you a card, or a phone call ahead with a "I just made some cupcakes that I would like to share with you, can I bring you one or a dozen?" and let them say- "oh just one." or "oh I'm so glad you thought of me.  I don't need treats, but I'd love a visit.  or even "heck yeah!  I've been so good this week.  I want the whole dozen." (As an aside, the diabetics I know, don't love sugary treats dropped off to temp them, but they love loaves of wheat bread with low sugar jam, or a quart of strawberries with a bit of whipped cream.)

8) You are so amazing, I could NEVER go without sugar. (sometimes followed by stuffing the face with a giant cupcake.) ---  Um, they didn't get diabetes on purpose.  No hero worship necessary.  Try: "I admire how you have handled this."  Enough said. 

9) If you lose weight will the diabetes go away? ---  Let me answer the question first.  Maybe, maybe not.  There are a lot of things that contribute to diabetes.  Weight is only one of those things.  However, for a diabetic, losing weight is soooo hard.  They have to eat on a schedule.  They have to eat!  And they have to eat enough.  Their bodies hold on to the weight.  Don't remind them of their shortcomings.

10) Is it contagious? --- No no no no no!  It is not contagious.  However, for many in America, it is preventable.  You can't catch it, but you can develop it, so keep working on becoming the healthiest you possible.

Funeral Potatoes - Healthified ... Mostly

Funeral Potatoes - Healthified

  If you are not from the Northwest, then you have probably never heard of Funeral Potatoes.  If that is the case, I am truly sorry. You have been denied the ultimate comfort food for far too long.  Funeral potatoes, or at least the name, probably originated in Utah. An organization called the Relief Society made it famous.  This organization, which just happens to be the largest service based womens organization in the world, is often called upon to bring meals to a funeral for the family of the deceased.  One of the standard dishes is a cheesey potato casserole that is like heaven in your mouth.

Funeral Potatoes - Healthified

Funeral potatoes are made of bakers (Idaho talk for really large russets), which are shredded.  The potatoes are mixed with a little meat, usually ham, and lots of butter, sour cream, cheese and more butter.  Have I mentioned that they are like heaven in your mouth? MMMMnnnnnnnn.  Anyway, they are served at Northwest funerals so much that they earned the name Funeral Potatoes.  You learn something new every day.

The thing about Funeral Potatoes is that diabetics and anyone watching their weight or fat intake is also denied this little bit of heaven in the mouth.  (I just noticed the irony of Funeral Potatoes tasting like Heaven in your mouth. . . never mind.) Anyway, a sane person does not eat Funeral Potatoes on a regular basis, and a diabetic, just doesn't eat them.  However, I LOVE them and I WANT to eat them.  I really really want to eat them.  So I thought about how I could do this without feeling guilty.

Now I'm not saying that these potatoes should be part of your weekly meal rotation.  These are still fairly decadent.  However, for a special occasion, at least you could enjoy a serving. And I mean really enjoy it, because after all, it is potatoes, yams and carrots.  And it is lower in cheese, sour cream, butter and condensed soup than the original.  It's still creamy and satisfying.  It is still comforting.  It should not shoot your blood sugar levels to the moon, faster than a moon pie, and I promise, the original will.

If you are not diabetic, I highly recommend that you try real Funeral Potatoes at least once in your life.  But if you do, you will want them again.  But if you want them more than once a year, you might try this version and grab a bit more vitamin A for your trouble.  :)


Funeral Potatoes - Healthified

2 large bakers - Idaho Russets
1 large Yam
2 medium carrots
1/2 red onion diced
1/2 C. diced ham OR 2-3 strips bacon, crumbled OR 2-3 strips turkey bacon, crumbled
1 can cream of whatever soup (I used chicken)
2/3 C. Sour Cream OR Greek Yogurt
1/2 C. Low Fat (or not) Cottage Cheese
2/3 C. Swiss Cheese
1/2-2/3 C. Cheddar Cheese
1/4 C. Butter
Salt
White Pepper
Your favorite spices - I used garlic salt, and Old Bay


Peel and grate the russets.  Take a clean kitchen cloth and spread on counter.  Put the grated potatoes on the cloth and wrap it up.  *Over the sink, wring the cloth out and squeeze out all the excess water.  Repeat with the Yam.  Place in a bowl. Grate carrot and place in the same bowl. Add the onion.  Mix.

Take about 1/3 of this mixture and set aside.  I made some yummy hash browns.  You could probably use 1 large and 1 small russet and then you wouldn't have any excess, but I liked the hash browns and I liked the orange to white ratio for appearance and taste.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture still in the bowl.  Stir well and place in a greased 9X13 pan.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Remove foil (add a little cheese on top if desired) and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes.


*If you choose not to squeeze the juice out of your veggies, you will get a creamier sauce.  However, the few that you remove for other uses need to be squeezed if you are going to make them into hash browns like I did.  Removing the moisture is what allows them to crisp up.

Potato, yam and carrot hash-browns.

**In case you were wondering.  I added salt, pepper and Old Bay, along with onion to the yam and potato mixture and I threw them on a waffle iron that had been sprayed with cooking spray.  I cooked for about 10 minutes and they were golden.  Tasted great.  The hardest part was getting them off the iron.  But a little patience and grabbing from the center with a fork and it all worked out.  :)

Low Carb Chicken Nuggets

I'd say these are pretty healthy.  For Chicken nuggets, they're slamming on the health charts!  They are also diabetic and diet friendly, because they are low carb.  They are also baked.  Seriously, make these for your kids and don't feel bad.  Feel good, cause you're the cool mom, who gives real chicken nuggets.  :)


Low Carb Chicken Nuggets

2 large chicken breasts
1 egg
1 c. raw almonds
1/2 of an 8 oz pkg of cream cheese (optional- this can be done without the cream cheese, but I liked the flavor)
1 Tbl parsley flakes
2 1/2 tsp. garlic salt - divided
spices that you like--I chose Old Bay (thyme, lemon pepper, cumin are also good options)
White pepper

Boil your chicken breasts until they are white all the way through.  (I save the water to make soup later.)

While your chicken is boiling, beat the egg and cream cheese together with the paddle attachment on your mixer. Add 1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt and 1/2- 1 tsp old bay and a couple of shakes of white pepper. 

When your chicken is done, cut it in 3 or 4 large chunks, and with the mixer going, toss the chicken in with the cream cheese mixture.  Beat until the chicken is all shredded and starting to form a ball. Set aside.

Put almonds in a gallon sized bag and beat with the back of a spoon until your almonds are almond crumbs.  Add the rest of your garlic salt (1 tsp), the parsley, another 1/2-1 tsp. Old Bay, or whatever spice you are using (thyme, lemon pepper, cumin), and 2-3 shakes of white pepper.  Close bag and shake to distribute spices.

Form chicken mixture into patties and throw 3-4 at a time in the baggie.  Shake to coat and place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  When you have all patties made, add a little spray on top and bake at 375 for 10 min.  Flip and bake another 2-3 min.  You can drizzle with butter to make a bit crispier, but that is up to you.

  :)  Enjoy!

Spanish Quinoa

Spanish Quinoa - Easy and Healthy

 

 

I have to admit, when I made this, I forgot to write down what I was doing as I went.  Darn it!  I know that some of you like nice, neat, perfect measurements.  And truthfully, so do I.  Often I create something like this, love it, and can't duplicate it.  I should learn, but when I'm cooking and everyone is hungry and I'm trying to get it on the table as fast as I can, I am not always good about stopping to write down what I'm doing.  Sigh---

Happily, this recipe is so easy, that it really doesn't make a huge difference.  You should use the recipe as a foundation and make it your own.  :)  I know Martha Stewart says that cooking is a science, but I disagree.  I think baking is a science and cooking is an art!  However, if you want to reproduce the art, you better get it down to a science.  See what a nice circle I just made there.  lol

I served this dish with tacos, as a replacement to Spanish rice.  It had a nice Tex-mex flavor.  However, unlike rice, this was light.  Tacos, re-fried beans, and Spanish rice can be a very heavy meal.  The quinoa had all the flavor of the rice, but it was light and fresh.  The veggies really came to the front.  It was such a surprise when I first tasted it.  A very nice change in texture from the rest of the meal. And it was easy to make.  Bonus!!

Spanish Quinoa

3 c. cooked quinoa (about 1 c. dry)
1/2  10oz. can of enchilada sauce, (or make your own and use about 2/3 cup)
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes (I like the ones with green chilies)
1 15oz can Black beans
1 C. frozen corn
1/2 green pepper diced
1/2 orange or red sweet pepper diced (a few of the little ones that you get at Costco are great too)
1/2 large onion
1 Tbl. Olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Rinse your dry quinoa for two minutes to get rid on the bitter flavor. Set aside.  In a large skillet heat olive oil and onion until oil gets hot.  Add quinoa and cook for about a minute until the moisture evaporates.  Add 2 cups of water, cover and lower heat to med low.  Cook for 20 min.  (This is how you normally cook quinoa, but I thought someone might not know.) :)

Once the quinoa is cooked add all the rest of the ingredients and cook until hot and bubbly.  the quinoa will absorb the liquid from the tomatoes.  Once that happens, and your peppers are soft to your liking, it's done. 

I topped mine with cheese, but it really doesn't need it. 

Super easy, huh?

If you want it spicier, use spicy enchilada sauce.  If you want it a bit wetter, use more sauce.  If you don't like peppers, don't add them.  Fresh avocado would be fantastic added over the top. 

Try it out and let us know how it worked for you. 

Apple Cinnamon Chip Cake

Apple Cinnamon Chip Cake

Like I said, I've been on a sweets kick.  Actually what happened is, I served my kids some homemade applesauce and they didn't finish it.  Then I worried that it would go bad.  It bothers me to just throw good food away, so I had to do something with it.  --- Seriously, I had to, there was no other option. lol.

This turned out to be such a good experiment though. It tastes exactly like a cinnamon roll!  I'm not kidding.  It really does.  But it's made with 1/2 whole wheat flour, Greek Yogurt and applesauce.  Yum, huh?

Give it a try and let me know what you think.  If you try this with 100% whole wheat, please let me know how it turns out.  I really want to know, but I'm taking a baking break for the next 2 weeks.  (Instead I'm blogging the past 2 weeks worth of baking!)

Apple Cinnamon Chip Cake

1/4 C. butter (Yes you could substitute coconut oil)
1 C. Apple sauce
1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 C. Plain or Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 1/4 C. skim milk (Almond milk will work)
2 C. Flour
1 1/2 C. Whole Wheat Flour
2 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Bag Cinnamon Chips -- I used Hershey's- find them here.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 lb. powdered sugar
2-3 Tbl. milk
8oz cream cheese (1 block - you can use reduced fat or neufchatel)
1/4 c. butter

Instructions: Beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yogurt and applesauce. Mix until smooth.  Add milk and mix until incorporated.

In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients- but not the cinnamon chips. Gradually add to the wet ingredients.  Fold in cinnamon chips.

Pour into a greased jellyroll pan. (or a sheetcake pan). bake at 350 for 25 min.  Check with a toothpick.  You may need to cook longer so keep an eye on it at this point.  Allow to cool

For the frosting: add the cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and blend.  Keep mixing until it starts to become a ball.  Add milk one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Frost your cooled cake.  Yum!

+Hershey's Kitchens

Chocolate Quinoa Cake (Includes a quick Ganache Recipe)

Chocolate cake that uses quinoa instead of flour. Amazing!

 I've been playing around with making "healthy" sweets.   Well, healthier anyway.  And I have some friends who are gluten intolerant.  As in, just plain can't eat the stuff. I saw a recipe for chocolate quinoa cake and my interest was piqued.  However, so was my skepticism.  Seriously, could a cooked grain- actually a cooked seed, make a light, moist cake with an actual cake-like texture? Only one way to find out.  I made it. 

It was good.  The texture was a little dense, but not bad and I actually like that anyway.  My family devoured it.  They really didn't know the difference.  It stayed moist for 3 days.  That's how long I managed to hide the last few pieces, 3 days. I expected a weird texture or flavor.  Instead I got a really nice cake that I can make for people who can't eat traditional flour.  I think it's probably a bit healthier too.  Don't get me wrong.  There is sugar in it.  It is a treat, like any cake.  However, it is a treat that is a little better for you without sacrificing flavor.  Because I would rather have a small amount of fantastic, rather than a big amount of only okay.  So to have fantastic that is better for me; bonus!


I am going to direct you to the link that harbors the recipe that I used.  I normally make my own recipes, so I don't often redirect you, but it's not my recipe and I want to be fair.  But please come back and see me again.  I am posting my recipe for Whole Wheat Lemon Yogurt Blueberry Cake soon.  It was divine!

Any way the link is here: Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Oh- by the way, you may notice that my frosting is quite different.  I made a simple ganache by heating 1/2 c. cream (don't let it boil) and adding about 1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips.  I use a mixture of semi-sweet and dark chocolate.  I stir until melted and let it set up to a pudding like consistency. I make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.  When I made this cake, I pulled it out and spread it on the warm cake.  Then I added some more chocolate chips and let them melt into the cake a bit.  I spread it out with a knife.  It was a little like eating a layer of fudge on the cake.  Very yummy!

Chicken and Quinoa Soup

 I'm experimenting with Quinoa.  It's tasty stuff and pretty simple to work with.  No more difficult than rice, you just have to make sure to rinse it for 2 min. before you cook it.  Easy enough. 

I thought this soup was really tasty.  It's packed with veggies and makes a nice snack in the middle of the day.  Quinoa doesn't really have a flavor.  It seems to take on the flavor of the soup.

I'm getting brave enough to use quinoa in other ways.  I think I might try a cheese sauce for a "quinoa mac and cheese."  I've even seen recipes for quinoa chocolate cake.  It may take me a while to get that brave.  :)



 I think you could easily throw in some squash or pumpkin or zucchini or even parsnips and peas.  I wonder if you could can this, for easy winter meals, using the veggies from your summer garden?  Something to think about.  A nice effortless soup dinner without the extra preservatives and chemicals used by commercial soup companies.  If I wasn't a brown thumb I think I would attempt it.  But honestly, if I ever manage to grow anything more than hopes and dreams in my vegetable garden, I may have to bronze the produce to prove I did it.  :0

Let me know what you are experimenting with.  I'd love to hear your adventures in cooking.  :)

 

Chicken and Quinoa Soup

• 1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast,  
• 1 15oz can Canned Diced Tomatoes, (I used one with Green chilis on accident and it was great.)
• Green Beans, drained, .5 cup (I had some left over and threw them in.  Add the whole can and it will be great also,)
• Carrot - chopped, 1 cup (one large)
• Celery, raw, 1 stalk, large 
• 1/2 med yellow onion, 
• 1/2 large Yellow Bell Pepper, 
• 3-4 cups Water, (start with 3 and add more if needed)
• 1 cup cooked Quinoa 
• 1/2 cup Broccoli, fresh,, chopped or diced 
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp white garlic
• 1 tsp salt

Add the water, (3 cups), chicken and onions and bring to a boil.  While that is cooking chop all your veggies.  Feel free to add any extra veggies.  It will taste yummy.  Remove the chicken to a cutting board.  Add all ingredients to the water, except quinoa.  Dice the chicken and add back to the soup.  Bring to a boil and turn down heat to low.  Add quinoa. Allow to simmer for at least 30 min.  

According to this recipe calculator http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp the soup is only 76 calories per serving.  (It makes about 9).  That is a low cal meal people!  So go ahead and add a nice crusty loaf of bread.  This is a yummy, easy and low calorie soup!

Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

 My husband lived in Brazil for two years, while serving a mission for our church. He came home blond, tan (well more red, but a tan red), and devastatingly handsome.  I fell for him within moments of our first meeting.  But that is another story.  While he was in Brazil, he ate beans and rice nearly every day.  He never got tired of them.  Absolutely loves them.  I have been trying to recreate the most common type of beans since we got married. 

I'll never be able to completely recreate them.  In Brazil they use chicken feet and pigs ears and all sorts of meats that, I'm sorry, I can't ask the butcher to give me.  Even if I could, yeah, I wouldn't.  I can't get past the gross factor.  So I do not make Feijoada the exact way that you will have it if you go to Brazil and eat it.  However, I do make a very close facsimile.  Trust me, it's yummy.

I use a few beef short ribs, a nice ham hock and sometimes a chicken breast.  Or pork meat, or whatever I have on hand.  That's the point.  Just use up the meats that you have and enjoy.  I also like avocado on my feijoada- which I don't think you would find in Brazil.  The avocados that my husband ate in Brazil were sweet and usually served in a milkshake.  So if anyone tries this recipe who is Brazilian, or who has lived in Brazil recently, please comment and let us know how I did.  My husband?  He thinks this is the bomb!  :)

So Feijoada is pronounced [fay ge wah dah} The accent is on the first syllable I think. That's how I say it any way.  It is a very versatile stew.  I make it in my crock pot, but I think the Brazilians usually use a pressure cooker.  I don't think it matters which method you choose, but my instructions are for the crock pot.

Feijoada

1 lb. dry black beans
1 ham hock
2 beef short ribs
1 chicken breast (I left this out of this batch as the ham hock had a ton of meat.)
2 beef bouillon cubes
2-3 cups of water
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz) -- [optional]
2-3 peeled and sliced carrots. (I use 3 because I want the extra veggies)
1 small or 1/2 large onion (white or yellow)
2 large celery stalks, washed and diced
3/4 tsp. white pepper
4-5 shakes of your favorite seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
1 tsp. minced garlic, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp coriander (optional but yummy)
1/2 tsp cumin

Rinse and soak your beans overnight. -- you must do this unless you are going to pressure cook them.  In the morning, drain and rinse your beans.  Add to the crock pot.  Add all other ingredients and turn it on for 8-10 hours.

Serve over brown rice. 

Can you imagine an easier recipe?  Just dump and go! 

A few Caveats--
1) I don't cook with a ton of salt. ham is salty, so I don't add a lot extra.  My husband added more when I served it.  You may need to adjust to your tastes.
2) Slow cookers are different.  Yours may take more or  less time.  The first time you make it, you will want to test it after 6 hours.  If the beans get too soft, you will be serving re-fried beans.  ;)
3) Like most of my recipes, this makes a LOT.  I think you could halve the recipe, but you will kick yourself if you do.  Left overs can be stuffed in enchiladas, (which I did last night and will post soon.) or quesadillas.  And really, the left overs are yummy with bread on day 2 and 3 and . . .     :) You get the idea.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

It's January.  How many of you have already broken your New Year's Resolutions?  Yup- that sounds about right.  I didn't really make a firm resolution - I almost never do.  I make goals, when they strike me, but not resolutions.

For instance, back in October I saw a quick biography on a professional football player who said that he would complete 1000 Sit Ups, and 1000 push ups every night.  That seems insane.  But I thought about it and decided that I would do 1000 push ups, sit ups and squats.
It took me 4 weeks.  Not bad!  Now I do 50 push ups and 50 squats a night along with a couple minutes of plank.  I do it while I watch TV and I don't even think about it.  It's not a resolution, it's a goal that turned into a habit.  :)

Another goal I have is to eat more healthfully.  This is a reoccurring goal, because it is way to easy to get out of the habit.  But if you really want to change your habits, you have to keep trying.  I'm back to trying.  That is what inspired this latest creation.

I had a few sweet potatoes (actually yams, but around here they are all called sweet potatoes).  Anyway, I had some sweet potatoes that needed to be used.  My family doesn't love sweet taters.  I took a chance anyway.  I made these and served them with low fat sour cream, fresh salsa and fresh avocados.  They were a hit.  A shocking hit!  My kids even ate the left overs for breakfast.  Whoa!

So how did I make them?  Thanks for asking, I would love to tell you!  ;)


Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

2 large or 4 small sweet potatoes (or yams) Fresh- not from the can.
4 oz. low fat cheddar cheese shredded
4 oz. low moisture, skim milk mozzarella cheese shredded
1 pkg deli turkey (I like the Hormel Naturals cracked pepper Deli Turkey) - No Preservatives
1 pkg whole grain tortillas
1 15 oz can black beans (I like S&W) rinsed and drained
garlic powder
onion powder
Salt
white pepper
paprika
Old Bay or another seasoning salt (I use Old Bay for everything!)


Start by peeling your sweet potatoes.  Then cut them in quarters and poke with a fork a few times.  Place in a glass, microwave safe bowl and add about 1/2 inch of water. Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes.  Then pull out and turn all the pieces over so the ends that were out of the water are now in the water.  There won't be tons of water left.  Don't stress, it's fine. Cook for 3-5 minutes more, or until you can easily slide a fork in and out of the potatoes.  Most of the water should be absorbed.

Once the potatoes are cooked, mash them really well.  Sprinkle with the spices listed.  I didn't give exact measurements, because you are just sprinkling it over the top.  Be liberal with the Old Bay, but go easy on the Paprika.

Take a large tablespoon full of the potato mixture and spread on a tortilla.  Add 1-2 spoonfuls of beans.  Lay a 1 or 2 slices of turkey down. Sprinkle a little of both kinds of cheese on top. Place another tortilla on the cheese.  Repeat until you run out of the mixture.

I sprayed a pancake griddle with cooking spray and cooked 2 at a time on 350.  I don't have an exact time for you, but when you see the bottom start to turn golden, flip and cook the other side.  When both sides are golden and the cheeses are melting, it's done.

Enjoy with your favorite salsa and some low fat sour cream. 


+Hormel Foods
+McCormick Colombia
+Anthony Chen 

BLTs - Bites Licks and Tastes, plus a quick weekly menu

 

I have noticed that what really gets me, are BLTs. Bites, licks, and tastes. A bite of my child's cookie, a taste of my husband's dinner and lick- okay a tablespoonful of ice cream, 3 cheetos, and 4 chips... after a while they start adding up. I think if I avoided all BLTs, I might not even need to diet. I think a lot of my calories are coming from that. My goal has been to track everything. My goal now is to track everything and avoid BLTs.

 I do really well with my exercise. I am even working super hard to cook healthy.  I have tried diligently to add more vegetables and I've come up with some delicious dinners.  But I really think that one of the biggest changes I need to make is a small change- the BLTs.  That's the goal.  Wish me luck. :)

  How about you.  What small changes could you make to get healthier?

So here is a quick list of the dinners that I made this week.  I'll get recipes up soon.  

Sunday -- Pork Sirloin Roast with mashed potatoes and salad.  I almost always serve salad. It's so filling and good for you.

Monday -- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas. (I made some with whole grain tortillas and some with white tortillas.  My kids loved the whole grain tortillas!) They were amazing. and Salad.

Tuesday -- Very Veggie Lasagna Casserole.  You can find the recipe Here. and of course, salad.  We also had whole wheat garlic bread

Wednesday -- Grilled Cheese (on whole wheat, of course) and Tomato Soup for the family.  I had a left-over quesadilla.

Thursday -- Lower Fat Stroganoff, fresh veggies with dip and green beans.

Friday -- Husband cooks-- will probably be burgers.  I will most likely eat mine bunless with yummy avocado added.

Saturday -- oh Saturdays are always a toss up.  so Free day.  :)

 Here is a list of Breakfasts that I made this week. Recipes soon.

Sunday -- I didn't eat breakfast.  :)

Monday -- Whole grain Breakfast Burrito

Tuesday -- Whole Grain Breakfast Burrito (what can I say- if I like it, I'll eat it 2 days in a row)

Wednesday -- 1 egg

Thursday -- 1 egg, 1 buttermilk, dollar sized pancake

Friday -- 1 egg, 1 pancake

 Okay so breakfast hasn't been exciting this week.  However, I will get the recipe for the breakfast burrito up soon.  It really is tasty, fast and low cal.