Veggie Bread

So what's a gal going to do when she is trying to eat healthy?  Hey why not put vegetables in your bread!  Why not!  You can throw any veggies you like in this bread and add any herbs and spices too!  A meal in a slice!  Excellent with soup or salad, or with grilled cheese on it!  My kids really like it..and.your kids will too!

Veggie Bread

1 2/3 cups warm water                                               Mix water, yeast, and honey.  Let sit until nice and frothy
1 Tbls yeast
1 1/2 Tbls honey

Chopped veggies(I use a food processor)Have fun with this and change it up to what your family likes!

• 2 tomatoes
• 2 carrots                                                           Add all remaining ingredients.
• 1-2 sticks of celery
• 1 onion
• 1/2 green pepper

1 1/2 Tbls oil
5-6 cups whole wheat flour                                         Reserve some flour for kneading.  The veggies will release some liquid as you knead.
1 tsp salt

Dried Herbs                                                              Knead for 5mins, and leave dough covered in an oiled bowl to rise.  45min-60min.

• 2 tsp oregano                                                    Punch down and shape into 2 loaves and let rise in an oiled loaf pan or baking sheet till
• 2 tsp garlic powder                                             doubled in size.
• 2 tsp Basil                                                          Bake in a 350 oven for 45 mins
• 2 tsp marjoram

Pita Pocket Bread

I love pita bread!  It is easier than you think to make.  I really think you should try it!

Pita Pocket Bread

1 cup warm water
2 tsp yeast
1 Tbls honey

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbls oil

You can add a little garlic and other spices for fun!

Mix together first 3 ingredients and let sit till frothy.
Add all remaining ingredients and knead for 5 mins.
Put in oiled bowl and let dough rise.  45mins till doubled.
Divide into 8 balls of dough(keep them covered) roll into flat rounds about 6" across.
Let the rounds rise till slightly puffy.
Bake in HOT oven 550 on bottom rack for 41/2 mins.
Note - Only a sudden blast of heat will make the pockets.  It is a good idea to start with 2 pita's on the sheet to make sure the oven is hot enough.

Oatmeal Cookies

So if you have been reading my goals for the week, you would notice that I said I was going to stay off baked treats.  Well who was I kiddin.   Hopefully not you!
I let my 2 kids have the kitchen last night.  They found a recipe for oatmeal cookies and I told them to go for it!
2hrs later...

 Kaitie was the photographer.  You like how they decorated the cookies with chocolate chips! 

Wow!  They made the greatest cookies!  Andrew was so proud!  He brought me a cookie to show me and of course I had to taste it!  It was so good!  But I just had one!

Kaitie and Drew's Yummy Oatmeal Cookies!
Please note - This recipe does not take 2hrs to make,  just for kids who are left on there own trying to figure out how to soften butter?,  what is all purpose flour?, do I grease the baking sheet or use one of those red mats? and stuff like that :)

3/4 Cup Butter, softened
1 1/4 Brown Sugar, packed (they seemed really sweet to me...when the brown sugar is gone we will be substituting for another healthier sweetener!)
1/4 Cup Almond Milk(any milk should work)
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat flour
1tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
3 cups Quick Oats
Chocolate Chips for decorating! (they only decorated half, cause my daughter doesn't like chocolate!!!I know weird)
(Walnuts and Raisins taste good too...but the kids made these ones the way they wanted  :) But add them in if you like!  1cup each!)

Pre-heat oven to 350
Mix butter, brown sugar, almond milk, egg, and vanilla in a bowl.  Beat until fluffy.
In another bowl mix both flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Mix both together and stir well.  Now add the oats and any add ins.
Drop by the teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet(greased or silicone mat).
Bake for 12-15mins.
The kids made 2 baking sheets full of cookies...didn't get a chance to count them.

The kids took most of them to school today which is good, cause they really are fantastic cookies!  And I really don't need to eat them :)

P.S. I had one for breakfast...shhhh

I'm Walking on Sunshine! The Sunshine Award!

Today is a beautiful day!  Walking home from the gym this morning and seeing the sunrise and shine!  I just needed to spread some Sunshine about!  Thanks to Lis at An American Girl in Bristol for awarding me with this bright and  beautiful award!  Now I can bring a little sunshine to you all!  And of course to 12 very fine blogs that bring a little sunshine to me with every post!

I didn't have any problems with picking these 12 blogs at all!

1.  Jen at The Misadventures of Mrs. B.
2.  Priscilla at Heart Sparrow. 

3.   Alyse at Sushicookie Fitness.
4.   Sskar at Writing To Wellness.

5.   Laura at My Epicurean Dreams.
6.   To the women at Four Foodies Get Fit.
7.   Debbi at Debbi Does Dinner... Healthy & Low Calorie.
8.   Miel Abeille at Bons Vivants
9.   Tara at Holding Myself Accountable.
10. Lori at R U N . L O R I . R U N 
11. Carole at Phit For Good!
12. Janine at A Spoonful of Sugar.


And the rules...

1. Nominate 12 blogs.
2. Put the award logo onto your sidebar or within a post.
3. Link the nominees within your post.
4. Let the nominees know they’ve received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link the sidebar logo to the person from whom you’ve received this award.


Enjoy the Sunshine Award!  I hope you all take the time to pay it forward!  Just love Spreading Sunshine!
Please click here to go to Watch My Weight Wednesdays

Watch My Weight Wednesdays

So...How was you week did you meet your goals?

My Goals this week...

1. Go to the gym 3 times!
2. Keep up with my water!
3. Work out on the wii fitt everyday.
4. No Junk including coffee, alcohol, and baked treats for this week.
5. Keep up with portion control!


Looking for recipes, tips, and your weight loss stories!
Hoping to find some inspiration and helpful tips from you all!



What are your goals this week? Let me know in the comment section!

Add your old or new post below with Linky! Can't wait to see all the helpful tips/recipes/stories you have!
Please link directly to your post and not your blog URL. Please link back here so that everyone can join in the fun.

If you like what your reading please subscribe! click here!

Do you drink coffee?

Caffeine is what we all grab in the morning to get our day started.  We all have heard that is not good for you...we all know.  But we still drink and enjoy our coffee anyways.  For me it is a bad habit.  I enjoy a cup first thing in the morning, another right after, and another or 2 in the afternoon. Sometimes it gets forgotten and cold.  So I have to pour another.  I recently have been trying to change this very bad habit of mine.  So I have been trying some coffee substitutes.  And I have noticed that I have not been missing the caffeine! No jitters at all!  Now I get the jitters when I have a real cup though :)

Some caffeine facts(from people who know more than me)


- Simply avoiding caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and any foods that trigger allergies, along with boosting B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium, can go a long way in relieving anxiety. In fact, cutting out caffeine alone often results in the complete elimination of symptoms. The diet should be rich in foods that have higher levels of B vitamins, such as leafy vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Foods high in calcium and magnesium include sea vegetables, sesame, milk, and dairy products as well as leafy green vegetables. Stress reduction and relaxation exercises are often recommended for those suffering from anxiety.
Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods 

- For every cup of tea or coffee a person ingests, the body has to mobilize about 2-3 cups of water just to remove the caffeine, a luxury it cannot afford. This also applies to soft drinks, pharmaceutical drugs, or any other substance or activity that brings about the release of stress hormones, including watching TV for many hours. As a rule, all stimulants have a strong dehydrating effect on the bile, blood, and digestive juices. To heal a cancerous growth, stimulants are counterproductive, and it is best to avoid them.
Andreas Moritz, Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A Survival Mechanism

- But some people are so sensitive to the effects of caffeine that they should stay away from coffee, tea, and caffeinated soft drinks at any time in the afternoon. And don't assume that decaffeinated coffee is the solution to your insomnia problems. If heartburn is contributing to your nighttime sleep woes, the culprit could be decaf coffee, which can trigger acid reflux that may wake you up.
Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy

- Although caffeine is a well-known stimulant, the intensity of response to caffeine varies greatly; people prone to feeling depressed or anxious tend to be especially sensitive to caffeine. The term caffeinism is used to describe a clinical syndrome, similar to generalized anxiety and panic disorders, that includes such symptoms as depression, nervousness, palpitations, irritability, and recurrent headache. Several studies have looked at caffeine intake and depression. For example, one study found that, among healthy college students, moderate and high coffee drinkers scored higher on a depression scale than did low users.
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D., Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition

 I have found a few coffee substitutes but Teeccino way far the best!  No they are not paying me to say that  :)  But the reason why I am telling you the brand I like is because they are giving free samples away to new subscribers and I just wanted to share it with you!  Everyone loves free and this is better for you than coffee so give it a free try!
Teeccino is a herbal coffee substitute, it is naturally caffeine free, and made with 70% Organic ingredients.  I really think it tastes better than coffee!  Click on Teeccino to read more about it!

So have I convinced you to change????
A tip to help kick the habit.
Instead of 3mugs(4,5,6,?)a day, downgrade 2, then 1, then decaf, or herbal.

We will talk about Tea in another post :)

Carrot Ribbon Salad

What do you do if you run out of lettuce and feel like a salad?  Peel carrots into some yummy carrot ribbons!

I just had to share my lunch with you today!  A super easy and quick salad you can whip up for one with the ingredients you have on hand!

2 carrots, peeled into ribbons.
Toppings, I used a no salt, nut, seed, fruit mix.
(have some fun with this and add what you like and let me know!)
Dressing, I used very little of a poppy seed dressing.

Put it all into your fave bowl and enjoy!

For some reason I just love carrot ribbons!  I think they taste way better then chopped carrots! I often put carrot ribbons on top of garden salads to fancy them up!

Happy 101 Award!

I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to Jo for nominating me for this award. It was such a wonderful surprise to receive this! Jo has an amazing blog called, Jo's Health Corner.   She has lots of info about healthy living, and I am learning so much from her!  You need to go check it out!

Here are the rules: 

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. List who gave the award to you and use a link to her blog (or hyperlink).
3. List 10 things that make you happy.
4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blog to let them know about the award.
 
10 Things that Make Me Happy

1. My children are such a joy, I could just sit and watch everything they do and be happy forever.
   
2. My wonderful husband makes me happy and has always been there for me through good times and challenging times.
3. Enjoying coffee, wine, food and the company of good friends & family 
4. Hugging my lil' A and L!  (best friends kids)
5. Sunday drives to nowhere
6. Finishing reading a really great book!
7. Thrift shopping and finding treasures for family and friends
8. Trying new foods (eating and cooking them)
9. Waking up to breakfast in bed from my 2 awesome kids!
10. After working out  :)

Ten Blogs That Make Me Happy!!!

I only get to pick ten? Seriously?  That seems impossible.  All the blogs I read make me smile!   

I'm passing this award to:  

Kitty at Just a student, helping her BF with a garden.  Please go give her a visit she has the sweetest blog! 

Megan at The Polished Pickle.  This blog makes me smile with her every post!

Tere at Pony Tails and Fish Scales.  Her blog is full of really great crafts! 

Scattered Mom at Notes From The Cookie Jar.  Check out her Food Revolution Fridays!

Julie at The Peanut Gallery.  I love her Mon n' Me Monday blog party! 

Jen at  The Misadventures of Mrs. B.  Go check out the cake she is baking today! 

Mrs. B at A Sweet Scented Path.  A lovely blog I enjoy reading.

Chaya  at My Sweet and Savory.  One of my favorite foodie blogs!

Jeanette at Sweet Jeanette.  Her blog looks so yummy!


Lisa at a Fine Sweet Life.  A really cute blog I enjoy!

Watch My Weight Wednesdays!

Good Morning!   I am eager to hear how your week went!  Did you achieve your goals?  

Did I achieve my goals?  Well yes and no...I made it to the gym 3 times!  I have been getting my water in!  And diet...well not so much over the weekend.  We had company and it is hard to diet when you have company!  But that is ok cause this is a new week!

 

My Goals this week...

1. Go to the gym 4-5 times!  These morning workouts have been working well with us!
2. Keep up with my water!  I am doing so good at this!      
3. Watch my portion sizes...and "DIET".  This is still a work in progress for me!

 

This past week I have been learning a little about endorphins!  And boy do I like experiencing them! so... 

What are Endorphins?

A group of chemicals produced in the brain that reduce pain and improve mood.

Endorphins have been shown to . . .

• Control persistent pain
• Control the craving for addictive substances
• Control feelings of stress and frustration
• Regulate the production of growth and sex hormones
• Reduce symptoms associated with eating disorders

So how do we get endorphins?

Working out!
Exercise releases endorphins as well as adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine.  When these chemicals work together your mood is boosted naturally!   The endorphins produced can be so powerful that they actually mask pain.  Physically active people recover from mild depression more quickly and physical activity is strongly correlated with good mental health as people age.
The best type of exercise for improving your mood is cardiovascular exercises and aerobics.  This is because vigorous exercise helps to release the chemicals necessary for the mood-raising high.  Yoga is also great as it reduces tension and stress while improving the mood.  Just ten minutes of moderate exercise is enough to improve your mood!  However, to obtain all the benefits from exercise, not just the mood improving aspects, you should do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day.

In Food
Chocolate is by far the most popular endorphin-producing food on earth.
Chili peppers increases the body's production of endorphins.
Ethnic foods, including Tex-Mex, Mexican, Cajun, Indian, Chinese (especially Szechuan) and Thai, are renowned for their spiciness, that results in endorphin rush!

In Music
Although music affects each individual differently, research has shown that classical, rock, heavy metal, and even the music in elevators produces specific physical and psychological effects. By choosing the types of music we most enjoy, we can enhance endorphin production in our everyday lives.

Meditation
Meditation also help the body produce endorphins for a feeling of well being.  As well as the ancient Chinese practice of Qigong and yogic breathing.

Sun
Spend some time in the sun. Overexposure to light can also cause a release of endorphins.

Sex
Have a healthy sex life. Intense pleasure causes the same effect as intense pain when it comes to endorphins.

Emotions
Laugh and cry. Some people claim that laughing hard for ten minutes can give at least two hours of pain-free sleep to those affected by painful illnesses. Some researchers claim that the body releases endorphins to release pain while experiencing the emotion that causes tears.

Sources
http://www.naturalnews.com/001541_natural_sunlight_Seasonal_Affective_Disorder_antidepressants.htmlhttp://www.naturalnews.com/022781.htmlhttp://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/Exercise_Endorphins
http://www.road-to-health.com/64/What_are_Endorphins_.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2063616_release-endorphins.html

 Last weeks in the comment section Moogroon left some very helpful tips that I feel are worth repeating!
Hey Angie - I have a couple more tips for losing weight!

1 - Chew your food! Believe it or not, there is a sensor in your brain that sort of keeps tabs on how much you chew, and then tells your body you are full if there is alot of chewing going on. So, like our Moms taught us, "Chew your food!"

2 - Junk food will make you hungry! Your brain also gets cues as to when to stop eating from the amount of nutrition in your food. So eating "empty" calories will not fill you up, and you will continue to experience hunger, or cravings. So eat complete meals (smaller portions), bursting with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and your basic food building blocks (proteins, oils and complex carbs) and you may not need to eat as much!

3 - A tip for remembering to drink water: Think of your body as a toilet - it doesn't flush to well without water, and it gets pretty stinky and gross pretty fast when you don't flush (think of a porta-potty... yuck!) So drink your water to flush the waste out!

Thanks Moogroon!  These are very awesome tips!

 

 Looking for recipes, tips, and your weight loss stories!    Read My Story you will see my before and after pics of my weight loss journey.  Hoping to find some inspiration and helpful tips from you all!

What are your goals this week?  Let me know in the comment section!

Add your old or new post below with MckLinky!  Can't wait to see all the helpful tips/recipes/stories you have!

Please link directly to your post and not your blog URL.  Please link back here so that everyone can join in the fun.

If you like what your reading please subscribe!  click here!

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Honey Dijon Salad Dressing

A very yummy lunch I had today!  A folded flat bread sandwich with chicken, cheese, red peppers, mushrooms, green onion, with a little chipotle sauce to spice it up!

Today's salad was what I had on hand...I really need to go shopping!   You could add so much more to this salad!  You could add nuts, sprouts, any veggie you like!  Today I had...

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Fresh organic baby spinach, with strawberries sliced on top,  and some toasted sesame seeds!

Honey Dijon Salad Dressing
Honey
Dijon grainy mustard
white wine vinegar

Measure equal parts honey and mustard and add vinegar till the right consistency!
Very yummy!

Thank you! Prolific Blogger Award!

I received the Prolific Blogger Award from Heather at Out Of The Box Into The Kitchen .  Thank you so much!

The origin of this award can be found here along with the rules. One of the rules is to pass it along to 7 fellow bloggers. 

So what is a prolific blogger Award? 
Written by the maker..."This award is to all those prolific bloggers, who read voraciously, blog tirelessly and have made the blogging community such a vibrant place. This award is in recognition of their achievements and their enthusiasm. They are the people who keep me going!"

These are the blogs I am awarding!

1. Jo at Jo's Health Corner.

2. Misty at Miss Fit.

3. Mandy at Peace and Craziness.

4. Kate. at Mommy Monologues .
5. Robin at Life In A Fishbowl .
6. Stacey at I'm A Lazy Mom.
7. Carrie at Confessions of a Former Messie 

Banana Curry Soup

This is another very easy and simple recipe that my kids love!  Just don't tell my daughter there is onion in it.  And 2 of the men who tried it couldn't figure out what the main ingredient was!  Tastes a lot like squash!
 

Ingredients:
4 Bananas ,sliced 
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
3 cups Vegetable stock
1 large Onion, chopped  
1.5 tsp Curry Powder

Directions:

1. Mix curry powder and vegetable stock in a pot.
2. Add onion, bananas and garlic to the pot.
3. Bring it to boil and then simmer for an hour stirring occasionally.
4. Put it all into a blender and mix until smooth.
5. Serve with naan bread and enjoy!

Why is the Sky Blue? UBP10 AFTER PARTY

Wow!  Boy was that a fun party that 5minsformom hosted for all of us!  I've been hoping around so much!  Now it is time for the After Party!
I visited so many new blogs!  And a follower of so many!  Here is a few of the new ones I follow...
Tori Close, 5 Vinez Monkeys, Mommy Monologues, I'm a Lazy Mom, Miss Fit, Thinking Outside The Box, Home is Where the Coffee is, A Foodie Fairytale, Dinners and Dreams, Susie B. Homemaker, Mama's Birds Nest, Jo's Health Corner, Pull up your potty seat, this could take awhile, Latte Mama, My Sweet and Savory.
If you visited my blog post for the party you would see the questions I asked!  And my favorite one is "Why is the sky blue?"  And I was so pleased that so many people answered!  I love all the answers!  These are all of them in the order that I received them!  Do you have a different answer?  Why do you think the sky is blue?

I'll tell you what my son told me....because it's not green. - Marsha

Because God decided to smile on us today and give us sun after all these blustery winter days! - Tori
I'll tell you what my kids tell me, "Because God made it that way. Duh." - Angie
The sky is blue cuz it's a bright, sunny and cloudless morning here in California. - Bri
b/c it's pretty that way? not very creative, but I tried :) - Kate

because I live in Florida and it's just about blue everyday..and God designed it that way ;-) -NSPHW
Thats the way God designed it. - MS
The sky is blue because our amazing God knew how much we'd love it! - Kirstin

The sky is blue because it wants the sun to come out! - Miss Fit

I should know this ... I just taught my second grader Earth Science last semester! ;) - Carrie

because God said so :)- i am sure it has something to do with reflections, etc- - - - Bree

IDK, but as long as your eyeshadow isn't that color, we're good! lol - Lissa

The sky is blue because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light. That's what google told me. ;) - PLA

As far as the sky...I don't really have a good idea for that, but I love the eyeshadow comment up above! :) - Amy

? - Nisrine
it is an illusion - Jennifer
It's a reflection from the ocean. - Tiffany
The sky is blue 'cause that's how God made it! :) - Susie B.

the sky is blue because it would be weird to look up and see a purple one. - Staci

because...hmmm, you know I have no idea. lol - Kristi
hmmmm, something about polution probably! - Amy

The sky isn't really blue! It has to do with Rayleigh Scattering and it is reflected Blue light that makes our sky blue!(i know it's a lot more complicated than that though!) - Alexis
The sky isn't really blue but I would need my nephew to tell you all the scientific details. - K
Because an orange sky would just be weird.- BWC
Because any other color would look funny! - Melissa
Um, is this a trick question? LOL - J

My kids would answer your question about the sky being blue with a "because." S and S
The sky is blue because God made it that way. (I think it is interesting how many people have skipped this question....)  - Jenny
Because it would not look right any other way. - Lisa

 To see all the comments go here

I hope you all have a lovely Weekend and hoping that the Sky is Blue!

Healthy Nacho's!

If you love nacho's, and are trying reduce your sodium...This is the recipe for you!  Takes a little more work than pouring out a bag of salty tortilla chips!  But well worth the time!

1/2 Whole Wheat Pita - cut into triangles and toast in oven till crisp.  (if you can find...fresh corn tortilla's will work too!)
Veggies - optional, I like green onion, peppers, corn, mushrooms, etc.
Protein - optional, If you have any leftover chicken, beef or black beans.
Shredded Cheese - small handful sprinkle on toasted pita, bake till melted.

Serve with homemade salsa, and guacamole(Avocado and lime juice mixed together)
Remember portion control!  For a snack use half a pita, if you are going to make it a meal with all those optional yummy extra's use the whole pita.
Enjoy!

Submitted to Foodie Friday, Friday Favorites, Friday Food, and Grocery Cart Challenge.  Give them a visit for more yummy recipes!

I am a WINNER! And read on you may be too!

 WooHoo!  I am a WINNER!  Ok I know...But This is my first blog award...

Laura at Hey What's For Dinner Mom? gifted me with this Kreativ Blogger award!  Thank you so much Laura!
Please, if you have never visited Laura at Hey What's For Dinner Mom? you should!  You won't be disappointed! 

Ok so with this award there is some rules...lets read them....

The Kreativ Blogger Award Rules:

1. Post the award.  Check

2. Thank and mention the person who gave you the award.  Check  

3. Pass the award on to seven blogs who you think embody the spirit of the Kreativ Blogger Award. OK

4. Name seven things about yourself that others don't know. That seems like work!!!!

5. Don't forget to notify your seven Bloggers about their award and post a link to their blog.  If you see your name let me know and I will try to notify everyone soon.

 I have to pass this on to 7  blogs that I feel are Kreativ...

Amy at a Foodie Fairytale   - The blog title is just screaming creativity and her recipes are awesome too!
Sarah at Sugar Banana's - Another very creative blog title, and a modge podge of creative posts!
Michelle at All Home Cooking. All Year Long. - For her very creative recipes that look O' so yummy!
Casserole Blog - for her "Throw it all together and see what it makes"... very creative blog!
Lindsey at Cheeky and Trig - Very cute crafts here!
Kelly and Laura at My Dear Trash - These girls make trash into treasures!
-K at Pull Up Your Potty Seat, This May Take A While. - You just gotta stop by this one to give it a read!

I have to share 7 things about myself that you all don't know...hmmm what do you guys want to know...feel free to ask questions!  I love to share :)
Ok so this is what I can think of that may interest you all!

1.  I break out into song and dance to get my kids attention. This happens daily, sometimes more than once.  The kids now ignore me when I do this, but that doesn't stop me :)

2.  I told you all that I mostly wear green..Then after I posted I realized I lied and I mostly wear purple.  Needed to clear that up...I am sure you all have see pics of me on the blog and I am never wearing green.

3.  I have to force myself to eat fruit...I would rather eat veggies instead.  Unless someone else will wash and prepare it...but than some times I take a bite out of a nice apple and think why don't I do this more often?  It is so good!

4.  I love British comedies!  The older ones are the best!  Allo, Allo... some newer ones Black Books, and Coupling, oh and  I absolutely love Doctor Who!!!!

5.  I much rather wear a skirt than my blue jeans...Long or knee length, the frumpier the better!  My daughter also has this love of skirts too!

6.  I drive a very cute purple car...a vw cabriolet!  And it not my first purple car either! 

7.  I am also very good at playing air piano and air guitar...I learned this from my very creative son!  It is so much fun!  You all should try it with your kids!

So that was easy :) 

Congrats to all the winners...Post your award with pride you all deserve it!

White Chicken Taco's

This is what we had for dinner on Monday...I thought it might be to plain for the kids...but they loved it and when asked if I should make again...the answer was yes!  Yay!   I love finding recipes that the whole family enjoys!

Ingredients

• Roast Chicken leftovers(I used 2 breasts)
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 squirt of lime
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped as much as you like(it is good for you!)
• 10 fresh mushrooms, sliced
•  a scoop of plain yogurt
•  8 tortillas

Directions 

Saute jalapeno peppers, and garlic in a pan. Squeeze in some of the juice from one lime. Mix in the cilantro, mushrooms, and add the chicken.  Heat thoroughly.  Add a scoop of plain yogurt stir till warm.

Serve with salsa, guacamole, and a garden salad!

Watch My Weight Wednesdays!

   Good Morning!

  Well it is great day...the birds are singing, the sun is shining, and I just got back from my first ever morning workout at the gym!  I was finding it very hard to reach my goal of going to the gym 3 days a week.  The problem was I was waiting to go after dinner.  You see my husband and I work out together and going after dinner was just not working out for us...so we are trying something new!  Mind you I was yawning most of the time and going slower than normal...but hey I am getting an extra hour or so of movement during the day than I normally have...So yay me!

Looking for recipes, tips, and your weight loss stories!    If you read My Story you will see my before and after pics of my weight loss journey.  Hoping to find some inspiration and helpful tips from you all!

Lets help each other achieve our weight loss goals!

My Goals this week...

1. Go to the gym 3 times!  Husband actually thinks it might turn into 5!  We will see how these morning workout go!
2. Drink more water!  Same as last weeks...still working at it!      
3. Watch my portion sizes...and start to "DIET"  This what I was trying to avoid!  

Here are Six great weight loss tips:
If you favor the traditional route of diet and exercise, then the following tips given below should work greatly to help with weight lose diet:-
1. Eliminate Eating Junk Food - Most of your efforts to reduce your weight will be unsuccessful of you are unable resist eating junk and processed foods. These primarily consist of fast foods and snack foods such as burgers, pizza, fries, potato chips etc. All of these foods offer very poor nutritional value and it consequently makes no sense at all to carry on eating them. Keep in mind - you will not be able to physically improve on an insufficient diet. You must look carefully at the contents of your cupboard, fridge and freezer and make certain that you switch all sugary and greasy foods with nourishing, healthy alternatives.
2. Drink a Lot of Water - Although you may have heard it over and over again, it is really true. Drinking water not only replenishes your system but also promotes weight loss. How is that possible? Well, as we all know, water is a fluid that directly passes your colon, so drinking water can flush away those toxins and unwanted fats. Drink at least 8 glasses a day for best results.
Water is essential to life and a healthy body. Dehydration will wreak havoc on you and your fitness goals. If you are dehydrated your body cannot function at its optimal level. For example, your muscles will loose strength, you won't burn fat as quickly, and you'll feel tired and fatigued.
3. Reduce the Size of Your Portions -You should eat five or six small portions each day at regular intervals of about 4 - 5 hours. This will aid appetite suppression and boost your rate of metabolism, causing you to burn additional fat without the need for too much physical effort.
4. Lower Your Calorie Consumption Without Deprivation - Do this by steadily reducing the amount of calories that you get through by a small quantity each day. This will tot up very quickly, but be aware that you will not start to lose weight until you reach the point at which you are expending a more calories than you eat each day. This incremental approach will help to cut down snacking and binging, which would clearly put you straight back where you began.
5. You Want to Start Exercising Regularly-This doesn't need to be anything excessive, but simply put: working out is almost certainly the most effective way to lose weight and enhance your general heath. Diets by themselves may assist you with losing some weight, but they are not able to improve your stamina, physical fitness, flexibility, mental state and help you achieve numerous other benefits in the way that regular exercise can.
Additionally, exercise is another technique to increase your metabolism, which, once more, helps you to burn off additional fat in less time.
6. Sleep Well - Practice a Good Night Sleep.  Sleeping is a favorite quick weight loss tip since it is one of the most effortless. Do not understand the power of having enough sleep. It is vital to your overall weight loss plan. Medical research has proven that sleep deprivation would induce hunger, and improve appetite. This often results in excessive eating. Likewise, having sufficient sleep of at least 8 hours helps to bring a balance to the leptin level and aids weight loss.

These weight loss tips come from here.

 What are your goals this week?  Let me know in the comment section!

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Meal Plan Monday

Monday : White Chicken taco's

Tuesday :  Roast Beef Dinner

Wednesday :  Soup!  Trying to put soup on the menu once a week.

Thursday : Vegetarian. Chickpea Enchilada's.  A  fun dinner!

Friday :  Homemade Pizza!


To see more menu plans click on the below links!

Chocolate-Coconut-Almond Squares

These are so yum!  I just have to brag about them!  Chocolate-Coconut-Almond-Squares!

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8″x8″ baking pan.


    6 ounces plain yogurt                                                        Mix first group of ingredients all together.                            
    1/4 cup applesauce
    1 cup brown sugar         
    2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    2 teaspoons agave nectar(recipe called for molasses)
    1 egg slightly beatened

   1 1/4 cups flour                                                                 add dry to wet ingredients, mix well.
   3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  
   1.5 cups chocolate chips (called for butterscotch chips...didn't have any)
   1 cup almonds, chopped                                                   stir in this group!
   1 cup shredded coconut

Pour mixture into the 8″x8″ baking pan.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the squares comes out clean.
Makes 16 squares.

So these did rise...so I am thinking you could throw these into a muffin tin.  They are very yummy but I did have a few people saying that there was too much chocolate in them!  Too much chocolate!!!  I love chocolate, so to me there is never to much  :)  But it got me thinking, these would taste even better with dried cherries!   or even craisins, or raisins, or what about a seed mix!

The next day...yes I had one for breakfast...They are more moist and so much yummier!  With a chewy texture!

Well I love these and will make again...but with more ingredients to replace some of the chocolate!

Go see what others are bragging about at Show off your stuff at Fireflies and Jellybeans!

Beef Stir Fry

So normally when I do a stir fry I just leave it plain...throw in the meat and veggies cook and eat..I know, it is so boring.  So this time I decided to spice it up for some fun!  It turned out so well I thought I would share what I did with all of you!  The kids loved it and were asking for seconds!  And instead of serving with rice I cooked up a huge quantity of bean sprouts! 

Ingredients



  steak or I used left over roast beef
  a couple shots of reduced sodium soy sauce
  a couple squirts of honey
  small spoonful of dijon mustard
  a few shakes or more of red pepper flakes
  garlic cloves, minced
  fresh ginger, minced
  medium onion, diced
  mushrooms, sliced
  red pepper, diced
  chopped broccoli 
  A whole lot of bean sprouts (you can use what ever veggies you have of course)
  can of sliced water chestnuts (so I had one in the back of the cupboard!  It needed using...No more canned chestnuts for us!)
  toasted sesame seeds

Directions
Whisk together soy sauce, honey, mustard and red pepper flakes. Add steak and stir until coated. Marinate, covered, at room temperature for 15 minutes. 
In a wok, saute garlic, ginger, onion, mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli, and bean sprouts, stirring 5-7 minutes. Transfer to another dish.(or skip this step if using leftovers)
Using same wok saute steak, stirring, about 2 minutes. 
Stir in sauteed vegetables, water chestnuts and sesame seeds until heated through. 
Enjoy! 
Linking up with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
 

It's Party Time! - The Ultimate Blog Party!!!

One of my favorite sites, run by twin sisters, Susan and Janice are hosting  The Ultimate Blog Party!!! Not only is it great fun, and a chance to win some pretty terrific prizes, it’s also a great way to get to meet some new mom bloggers.
 

Let me just take a moment before we get to the fun stuff to introduce myself.  I’m Angie, a mom with 2 beautiful kids, Kaitie 12, and Andrew 9. I have been married to the man of my dreams!   I love him more today than the day I first fell in love with him.   This is my blog, where I share healthy and maybe not so healthy recipes!  Well, enough about me, let the party begin!!!

First of all, let me personally welcome you to my little home on the blogosphere and invite you take a look around, tell me a little about yourself so we can get to know each other.  

Now to food!  Would you like...

A Black Bean Brownie with Avocado Superlicious fudge spread

Curried Sprouted Mung Beans

Slice of  Whole Wheat Honey Bread

Or some yummy Egg Drop Surprise Soup 

And for the kids how about a Banana Cracker!

Should I be one of the lucky winners, here are my Prize Picks:

#17,#39,#8,#10,#56,#59,#60 -US and Canada Only Prize List
#15 - International Prize List
#17,#8 , #10 -US and Canada Only Prize List
I would be happy with any prizes after this! Thanks so much!

I’d love to get know my fellow bloggers! How about a few questions…

What’s your favorite thing to do?

What is your favorite meal?
What was the last thing you ate?

Why is the sky blue?

Garlic Bread Sticks

I made this so quick and easy recipe when I realized that I wanted bread to go with our soup.  Of course it is one of the many recipes that my kids love!  And it is also fun letting them help to!  You can give the kids a ball of dough to play with and shape!  I think next time I am going to play with this recipe a bit to make it healthy, as......well you can see it not the healthiest recipe....but way better for you than the stuff you get at a fast food place, or in a box at the grocers!   I am thinking whole wheat flour.  Does anyone have any other ideas?


See my other Quick Bread Recipes for when you don't have time for yeast breads to rise!

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry parsley
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 more teaspoon garlic powder

Directions 

Pre heat oven to 425.
Mix flour, salt, garlic powder, parsley and baking powder.
Pour in your milk and stir with a big spoon until you get a ball of dough that leaves the sides of the bowl. Gently knead the ball of dough right there in the bowl about 5 or 6 times. 
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangle shape. If the edges get all scraggly then use your hands to press them back up into main rectangle.  It doesn't have to be perfect.
Butter you cookie sheet and sprinkle the second teaspoon of garlic powder into the pan. 
Lay your rectangle of dough onto the baking sheet on top of the garlic butter.
Cut the rectangle into narrow strips. 
Bake at 425°, for 20 minutes. 
1. Enjoy!

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Tonight We had Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas!  Unfortunately they were so good, that I forgot to get the camera to snap some pics of it :(  Cause we were all eating them up so quick!

So since I planned ahead I knew that I would have to soak some black beans...no more "I forgot", cause I planned ahead :)  If you know me I am more of a last minute kinda gal!  But I have heard you can freeze cooked beans to use for later...ah but I have the time so no matter.

So today was bread making day! er....Tortilla making day!  I have such a simple easy recipe to make tortillas!  I bet you could make them with what you have in your cupboard right now!  And do what I do and wrap up half the dough and put in the freezer till later!  So handy when you want tortillas at the last minute :)  Just thaw and make!

So this is so simple and easy to make!  Use what you have in the fridge!  Tonight I used...

tomato diced

green onion sliced

cooked black beans

frozen corn

jalapeno pepper

shredded cheddar cheese

Put what you like in a tortilla, fold in half, bake till cheese is melted!

So simple! So yummy!  No extra seasoning required!

Eat it with a side of salad and Enjoy!

For fun I let everyone make there own!  Kids love making there own and it really helps if you have a picky eater!

Beans: Fabulous Health Benefits, Weight Management and Nutrition at Very Low Cost

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Watch My Weight Wednesdays!

Looking for recipes, tips, and your weight loss stories!    If you read My Story you will see my before and after pics of my weight loss journey.  Hoping to find some inspiration and helpful tips from you all!

Lets help each other achieve our weight loss goals!

My Goals this week..

1. Go to the gym 3 times...Same as last weeks goal which wasn't met...but this is a new week now!
2. Drink more water!  For some reason I just forget to drink it?  Some days if I remember, I keep a running tally of how many glasses I consume...must do that this week!       
3. Watch my portion sizes...even if it is so yummy and I really want more!  That is a hard one!

This Wednesday I will tell you what helped give me a great start on my original weight loss journey.

I took out all salt and sugar from my diet.  I replaced the salt with herbs(chili powder is my fave flavoring), and sugar with stevia.

So that included juice and soda out of my diet.  I will admit that I started drinking diet soda to replace my soda cravings...but now I really regret doing so as the "fake sugars" are so bad for your body!  Now they have soda with stevia as the sweetener...I have never tried it, cause now I have no want for soda pop.

I also added more protein...I like easy...so I ate a lot of cottage cheese and eggs!

Add your old or new post below with MckLinky!  Can't wait to see all the helpful tips/recipes/stories you have!
Please link directly to your post and not your blog URL.  Please link back here so that everyone can join in the fun.

Fruit Salad

A simple yummy recipe that kids love!  Fruit salad!  We served ours with a dollop of natural yogurt and some crunchy cereal on top!

Today's salad we had :

Strawberries

Mango

Kiwi

Grapes

Of course I just used what I had on hand.

Enjoy!

Click on the above button For some more yummy recipes!