The last few days post "fat Tuesday" have gone really well. Ben and I celebrated our "fat Tuesday" on Wednesday with insane cinnamon roll waffles drenched in icing syrup, bacon and cheesy eggs. Ohhh....it was divine, but Thursday had to roll around and that meant better choices, healthier eating and making the effort to get to the gym more frequently. The kids and I went grocery shopping Thursday morning and stocked the cart with fruits and veggies, better snack options and absolutely NO sweets! Well, that creates a problem for me. My diet has been great for 3 days and I have been working out but I m in the mood for something to satisfy my sweet tooth. I have oodles of brownies mixes I stocked up on when I found them on sale for $0.50/box. The deal was great and they are awesome to have on hand if you need to make something super quick or need to bring something to an event. The only problem is, they sit out there and tempt me. To get something sweet, I have to make an entire box of brownies and then after I have my small sampling and am satisfied, the pan sits there and I take a bit EVERY.TIME. I go into the kitchen.
The perfect solution- an individual serving of brownie in a mug. Here's how you do it:
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa (we tried a coule different options and our favorite is still Nesquick powder)
a pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. water
Put your dry ingredients in the bottom of a coffee mug then add the oil and water. Stir until well combined. Cook in the microwave (AHH! this is just the icing on the perfection cake) for 1:40 (Yep, you read that right....1 minute and 40 seconds!!). The top will look undone but trust me, it's not. And also trust my burnt tongue....the inside is VERY hot. I stirred the brownie a little to release the steam and allow to cool slightly then topped it off with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Now, the consitency isn't the same as your typical brownie but this is delicious!! Just enough and no temptation left tomorrow morning eyeing me with my morning coffee.
And because I am in a foodie sharing mood, here is an amazing chicken recipe that my kids devoured!
Baked Paprika-Parmesan Chicken
1/4 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. paprika
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine flour, parmesan, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. In seperate bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Dip the chicken in the egg, then dredge in the flour mixture. Place in the baking dish and pour the melted butter evenly over the chicken.
Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes (we baked this long, next time I will cut down slightly), until the cheese has browned.
Because the kids loved it so much, I think next time I will double it up and cut my chicken into bite sized pieces before coating and cooking and create a twist on chicken nuggies.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
It's All in the Planning
Nervous. Overwhelmed. Intimidated.
I am so looking forward to getting healthy. When I walk into a gym, I know where to start. I was actually blessed to have a best friend who is a personal trainer. While we have lived several hundreds of miles apart for years, she is amazing at passing on tricks and tips and ideas whenever I ask for her help. I would ENCOURAGE anyone who can to invest in a personal trainer, they are invaluable, but I have learned quite a bit from her that I am fairly familiar with a gym of any size and what to do in it. I know cardio. Oh Lord, have mercy do I know cardio. After training for a few 5K's, a 13K and a half-marathon, the treadmill and I have a love/hate relationship.
I was told once that getting into shape is 3 components. Cardio, strength training and diet; cardio making up 20% of that ratio with diet and strength training splitting an even 40% and 40%. I think that's probably true. So if I am comfortable with cardio and strength, all I have left is what I put in my body to fuel it. This is where I am overwhelmed.
There are so many blogs, sites, links, pins about paleo, clean eating, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free.....ahhh!! It's like brain overload!! I don't even know where to start!!! Well, here is what I've got. I start small. We don't have the finances to throw out our entire freezer, outside freezer, fridge and pantry but I can start with the little things and work from there.
I am a planner, by nature. I like lists, things planned out and organized. I am awesome at dinner meal planning and our dinner meals are usually well rounded and health-concious. Breakfast, I do fine but my kids are still eating toaster streudels and frozen waffles every morning. Lunches I can definitely improve upon but more often than not, we are eating leftover dinners and since they were pretty good, I feel okay eating them for myself or giving them to the kids. Where I FAIL miserably is snacks! Snack choices, on the go snacks, last minute snacks, snack portion size....across the board, I fail. And the old saying goes, "Failure to plan is planning to fail." So that's where I start. I pulled out some of my Biggest Loser cookbooks and started making a list of good snack options as well as surfed around a bit to see what I could find that would satisfy myself and 2 children. Luckily, neither one of my kids are picky and I like to experiment so this is a good trial situation.
I have a long list now hanging on a cupboard. All the "go to" snack options so the minute Connor walks in the door from school and immediately asks for a snack before he can even take off his coat, I can say, "would you like a homemade granola bar or crackers with hummus?" Here are some of the snack options on my list....enjoy.
granola bars (search around, you can find a ton of recipes that fit your tastes)
apple slices (cross-wise slice with a little peanut butter, oats and chopped nuts)
Trail Mix (not store bought but you can find a ton of recipes out there)
apple slices with sliced cheddar cheese
hard boiled eggs
chili roasted chickpeas
veggies with hummus (again, hummus has a huge variety of options, try one!)
banana freeze (dip a banana in greek yogurt and roll in coconut flakes. freeze and enjoy)
fruit leather (you can find this all over pinterest right now)
jello
ants on a log (can spice it up with a little granola thrown on top too)
I am so looking forward to getting healthy. When I walk into a gym, I know where to start. I was actually blessed to have a best friend who is a personal trainer. While we have lived several hundreds of miles apart for years, she is amazing at passing on tricks and tips and ideas whenever I ask for her help. I would ENCOURAGE anyone who can to invest in a personal trainer, they are invaluable, but I have learned quite a bit from her that I am fairly familiar with a gym of any size and what to do in it. I know cardio. Oh Lord, have mercy do I know cardio. After training for a few 5K's, a 13K and a half-marathon, the treadmill and I have a love/hate relationship.
I was told once that getting into shape is 3 components. Cardio, strength training and diet; cardio making up 20% of that ratio with diet and strength training splitting an even 40% and 40%. I think that's probably true. So if I am comfortable with cardio and strength, all I have left is what I put in my body to fuel it. This is where I am overwhelmed.
There are so many blogs, sites, links, pins about paleo, clean eating, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free.....ahhh!! It's like brain overload!! I don't even know where to start!!! Well, here is what I've got. I start small. We don't have the finances to throw out our entire freezer, outside freezer, fridge and pantry but I can start with the little things and work from there.
I am a planner, by nature. I like lists, things planned out and organized. I am awesome at dinner meal planning and our dinner meals are usually well rounded and health-concious. Breakfast, I do fine but my kids are still eating toaster streudels and frozen waffles every morning. Lunches I can definitely improve upon but more often than not, we are eating leftover dinners and since they were pretty good, I feel okay eating them for myself or giving them to the kids. Where I FAIL miserably is snacks! Snack choices, on the go snacks, last minute snacks, snack portion size....across the board, I fail. And the old saying goes, "Failure to plan is planning to fail." So that's where I start. I pulled out some of my Biggest Loser cookbooks and started making a list of good snack options as well as surfed around a bit to see what I could find that would satisfy myself and 2 children. Luckily, neither one of my kids are picky and I like to experiment so this is a good trial situation.
I have a long list now hanging on a cupboard. All the "go to" snack options so the minute Connor walks in the door from school and immediately asks for a snack before he can even take off his coat, I can say, "would you like a homemade granola bar or crackers with hummus?" Here are some of the snack options on my list....enjoy.
granola bars (search around, you can find a ton of recipes that fit your tastes)
apple slices (cross-wise slice with a little peanut butter, oats and chopped nuts)
Trail Mix (not store bought but you can find a ton of recipes out there)
apple slices with sliced cheddar cheese
hard boiled eggs
chili roasted chickpeas
veggies with hummus (again, hummus has a huge variety of options, try one!)
banana freeze (dip a banana in greek yogurt and roll in coconut flakes. freeze and enjoy)
fruit leather (you can find this all over pinterest right now)
jello
ants on a log (can spice it up with a little granola thrown on top too)
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Back to Basics
I have been tossing around, researching, searching for information on "clean eating." I have been really intrigued by this concept lately. Since the move, living in a hotel for 3 weeks and eating fast food almost every single meal of those 3 weeks left me feeling, well, let's just say I put one rocking split in the leg of my jeans yesterday and now I am on a commitment tour to change my lifestyle. Of course, this would be the moment I decide to change in the middle of a birthday celebration weekend for Alaina.
"Clean eating" is essentially only putting in your body things that are natural. I have seen a multitude of variations on this but I think for my family what clean eating will entail is as as few as possible foods that are processed in any way. Loading up on fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. But this is also meaning stepping away from the "convenience" items. I have already been making my own taco seasoning and taco sauce but now I am on a missing to get rid of all the "packets" that we use. I found a recipe for homemade mac and cheese (more similiar to the kraft box [without the additives] than your traditional hearty side dish of mac and cheese. I am on a search for fruit snacks. I tried one Pinterest recipe that fell flat so I am looking for something a little different. We make our own granola for cereal and toppings for yogurt. We are already buying farm fresh eggs. If Ben was a hunter, our freezer would be stocked with fresh meat, but we are blessed in this region to have many opportunities to buy fresh, certified and organic beef, chicken, lamb and deer at a reasonable cost.
I am really not posting this out there to brag about all the ways we are changing out lives. For me, it has become more than just fitting back into my size 4 pants (which, is a goal but not my focus). Did you realize 17% of this country's children ages 2-19 are considered obese? This is not a little baby fat, people....this is obesity. Being unhealthy has become a national epidemic. It is costing our health system millions of dollars in medical issues caused by a failure to take care of ourselves. Our kids are being taught by example and we are continuing the cycle. I want to do more for my kids. I want them to learn to make good choices. Ben and I have health issues that run in our families and while we can't safegaurd against anything bad every happening to us, we certainly can do our part to be the healthiest we can be.
I am not against birthday cake, as will be evidence by Alaina's Very Hungry Caterpillar party tomorrow afternoon. I am not against reese cups, as will be evidence come Easter when the Reese eggs hit the shelves. I am not against girl scout cookies, no worries GSA I have already done my part and ordered my thin mints. But having something sweet or a nice treat should be exactly that, a treat, not a nightly post-dinner necessity.
So here are a few of my favorite at home changes to share:
Taco Sauce:
8 oz. tomato sauce 1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. onion, chopped 1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
Mix all in a blender until smooth. Pour sauce into a pan and cook over medium low for 15-20 minutes. Freeze in small batches.
Cooking Spray
1 part olive oil
5 parts water
1 misting spray bottle
Mix in your spray bottle. Shake well. Store in a dark, cool place.
Hamburger and Fry Seasoning
1/4 c. paprika 1/4 c. salt
1/8 c. garlic powder 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. cumin 1 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. celery salt 1/2 Tbsp. basil
Mix together and store in an air tight container.
Dry Onion Soup Mix
2/3 c. dried minced onion 3 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. onion powder 2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. celery salt 1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
Mix and store in an airtight container. (4 Tbsp. equal one packet of onion soup mix.)
"Clean eating" is essentially only putting in your body things that are natural. I have seen a multitude of variations on this but I think for my family what clean eating will entail is as as few as possible foods that are processed in any way. Loading up on fresh fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. But this is also meaning stepping away from the "convenience" items. I have already been making my own taco seasoning and taco sauce but now I am on a missing to get rid of all the "packets" that we use. I found a recipe for homemade mac and cheese (more similiar to the kraft box [without the additives] than your traditional hearty side dish of mac and cheese. I am on a search for fruit snacks. I tried one Pinterest recipe that fell flat so I am looking for something a little different. We make our own granola for cereal and toppings for yogurt. We are already buying farm fresh eggs. If Ben was a hunter, our freezer would be stocked with fresh meat, but we are blessed in this region to have many opportunities to buy fresh, certified and organic beef, chicken, lamb and deer at a reasonable cost.
I am really not posting this out there to brag about all the ways we are changing out lives. For me, it has become more than just fitting back into my size 4 pants (which, is a goal but not my focus). Did you realize 17% of this country's children ages 2-19 are considered obese? This is not a little baby fat, people....this is obesity. Being unhealthy has become a national epidemic. It is costing our health system millions of dollars in medical issues caused by a failure to take care of ourselves. Our kids are being taught by example and we are continuing the cycle. I want to do more for my kids. I want them to learn to make good choices. Ben and I have health issues that run in our families and while we can't safegaurd against anything bad every happening to us, we certainly can do our part to be the healthiest we can be.
I am not against birthday cake, as will be evidence by Alaina's Very Hungry Caterpillar party tomorrow afternoon. I am not against reese cups, as will be evidence come Easter when the Reese eggs hit the shelves. I am not against girl scout cookies, no worries GSA I have already done my part and ordered my thin mints. But having something sweet or a nice treat should be exactly that, a treat, not a nightly post-dinner necessity.
So here are a few of my favorite at home changes to share:
Taco Sauce:
8 oz. tomato sauce 1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. onion, chopped 1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
Mix all in a blender until smooth. Pour sauce into a pan and cook over medium low for 15-20 minutes. Freeze in small batches.
Cooking Spray
1 part olive oil
5 parts water
1 misting spray bottle
Mix in your spray bottle. Shake well. Store in a dark, cool place.
Hamburger and Fry Seasoning
1/4 c. paprika 1/4 c. salt
1/8 c. garlic powder 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 Tbsp. cumin 1 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. celery salt 1/2 Tbsp. basil
Mix together and store in an air tight container.
Dry Onion Soup Mix
2/3 c. dried minced onion 3 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. onion powder 2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. celery salt 1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
Mix and store in an airtight container. (4 Tbsp. equal one packet of onion soup mix.)
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Easy Peasy Snack
Summer time officially means travel time. We definitely have travel plans this summer, not to mention just going to the pool with little ones feels like we are packing for vacation sometimes. I don't know about you, but hot summer weather is the last time I feel like eating crap food. Yes, I know...it tastes so good but a greasy double cheeseburger from Wendy's doesn't quite hit the spot when temperatures soar above 100 with 98% humidity. Fast food is certainly less appealing when you are car traveling. It may sound good when all you've heard is "are we there yet?" from the moment you leave Fort Benning (and yes, that happened to us last time we traveled to Orlando) and you just want everyone to stop talking, eat fast and get to the final destination but after fast food and eating out for an entire vacation, my belly and I are in a screaming match by the time we pull back into the driveway.
My sweet friend, Danielle, gave me this wonderful recipe for homemade granola bars. She shared them with me months ago and out of pure laziness I hadn't made them for myself until this afternoon. No joke- they took less than 10 minutes to make, not including baking time. But seriously, lunchtime for the kids takes longer than 10 minutes to put together- this was easy!! And this would be a good "mommy's little helper" kitchen project with your little one. They are so delicious and will definitely be a "must pack" for the car on our next trip.
2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. hulled pumpkin seeds (I prefer sunflower seeds)
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. mixed nuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk.
Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Leave enough parchment on each end to pull out when baking is finished. Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all the ingredients and spread onto prepared pan, evenly pressing the corners.
Bake 20-25 minutes (20 for more chewy bars- 25 for more crunchy bars). Cool 5 minutes, remove from pan and cut into bars. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.
My sweet friend, Danielle, gave me this wonderful recipe for homemade granola bars. She shared them with me months ago and out of pure laziness I hadn't made them for myself until this afternoon. No joke- they took less than 10 minutes to make, not including baking time. But seriously, lunchtime for the kids takes longer than 10 minutes to put together- this was easy!! And this would be a good "mommy's little helper" kitchen project with your little one. They are so delicious and will definitely be a "must pack" for the car on our next trip.
2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. hulled pumpkin seeds (I prefer sunflower seeds)
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. mixed nuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk.
Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Leave enough parchment on each end to pull out when baking is finished. Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all the ingredients and spread onto prepared pan, evenly pressing the corners.
Bake 20-25 minutes (20 for more chewy bars- 25 for more crunchy bars). Cool 5 minutes, remove from pan and cut into bars. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container.
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