What's next?

So I had some very wise friends that encouraged me to get right into training for something new! I was glad that I took their advice. I started personal training sessions just 2 days after the ride. I am excicted for this new opportunity. It is going to be very challenging but I am determined to meet these goals! I have come  a long way, but still have a ways to go. The things I have learned about myself is that .....

1. I can work much harder than I think I can!
2. I need a goal and a partner to keep me honest!

I am starting to work on my running and soon to be swimming so I can participate in the Palouse Sprint Triathlon, here in Moscow on September 11.  I am also going to stay very focused with my eating and workouts so I can finally shed some pounds!  I am excited for the next phase in my journey! I will keep you all posted!!

Chafe 150!!! I did it!!

The night before the Chafe 150 ride we stayed at a friends condo. As we were driving to it, we saw this brown bear cub just hanging out! We are glad we didn't see his mother.... 

We had a nice evening. I spent the night trying NOT to be nervous!

Here is Skyler and I at the start of the ride. We started in Troy Montana. There were about 80 other riders participating in the half Chafe. It was exciting to see everyone all decked out with their fancy bikes! The second picture is me and my buddy Rachel who couldn't ride with me. She is the one responsible for all the motivation and encouragement! Actually lots of friends were encouraging, but Rachel rode every single mile with me, except for the day of the ride. I took a picture of her in my jersey just in case I decided to chicken out! I sure missed her!!

Speaking of fancy bikes! Skyler and I got quite a laugh at how they just piled all these expensive road bikes into horse trailers! Some of those bikes were worth thousands of dollars. But they all arrived safely.

Here we are! Me in the back, Skyler in the middle and my friend Colette in front. We also had another friend with us Sue, who is not pictured. The ride was really beautiful. The scenery was amazing. I wish now that I would have gotten off my bike for just a minute to capture it's beauty. We even saw a Moose in a small pond off the highway!  The first of the ride started with a hill. I have been worried about that silly hill for 5 months! I was steep but when I got to the top I said "that's it?" I laughed at myself for doubting my ability. I have all the training on the rolling hills of the Palouse to thank for it! In fact the night before at the dinner we sat by some riders who had rode the ride last year. I told them I was worried about the first hill. He said "You are from Moscow, right? And you ride your bike there? You will be just fine!" and he was right!  So the first 30 miles were great. We stopped at the rest station  then headed out for the next 30. Those were tough miles. It was a lot of up and down, nothing too steep but just up and down for about 30 miles. I was getting very tired. By the time I pulled into the 2nd rest station I was exhausted! I refueled with some food and tried to think positive thoughts! Colette really helped me out because she taught me how to draft behind her a bit so I could get some rest. Apparently drafting cuts your work load down by at least 30%. I don't like riding that close but it really did help and after about 12 miles or so I was feeling much better. About this time Todd and the younger boys found us on the highway and were able to get some photos of us riding. They rang a cow bell and did lots of cheering, that made it a lot of fun! The ride ended up being a little longer than I had thought but we crossed the finish line at 81.5 miles! We did the ride in about 6 1/2 hours (plus time for stops)

 It was a great feeling to know that I had done it!!

Finish line  of the Chafe 150 (half) 81.5 mile ride. From Troy, Montana, to Sandpoint, Idaho.

I am looking forward to doing it or another similar ride, next year! Anybody with me!???

 If I can do this, anyone can!

Here is one of the funniest things that happened.
 I now have a sun tattoo of my ipod on my arm! Guess that's what you get for staying in the sun all day long!! My kids thought this was hilarious!

Here are some pictures of our last great ride.. before I wrecked my bike. It was a beautiful day and the scenery was amazing! We had just ridden about 30 miles at this point, and had just come down a big hill. About to do 10 miles of uphill. It was a great ride, even though it was cut short.

"Life Is What Happens When You Are Making Other Plans"

Well it is only 10 days until the big ride. We have been training hard and the excitement has been building. Then a big 'real life' event changed it all. My friend who has been with me from the start, my inspiration, my cheerleader, the person I have spent all of my free time with for the past 3 months can't ride our race with me.  There is nothing that can be done, she has a family event that can't be missed. But it just won't be the same without her. She has really taught me that I can do hard things, she has pushed me a long to do this when I never thought I could.  It is really sad- for both of us. I know how sad I feel, and it must be tons worse for her. BUT we have to look at the whole picture. We have made it so far. We have overcome so much and we will always have those memories. Now more than ever I wished we would have documented it better- We only have a few pictures and nothing together. Oh well, I will never forget the experience and that's what counts. The good news is that my amazing son has offered to take her place. He is very excited, so it is very bitter-sweet. I will finish this, and take my good friend with me in my heart.


To update this blog here is what has happened in the past while since I have been too busy to blog:
I had a very big bike wreck on a day that we were doing so well! I crashed in a construction zone. I was fine, my bike was fine. But I did have a bunch of scrapes and bruises! They were terrible. But I am healing up nicely- not sure how long the hematoma on my leg will last. Ouch!

Also another AMAZING thing happened! I got a call from the trainer, I was talking about last post, she said that an anonymous person bought me 10 sessions of training with her!! I could not believe it!! It was like Christmas in May for me! I don't know who did it, and that really bugs me :0) But I am trying to accept this enormous gift. Actually I am super excited. I think NOT knowing who forked over the dough will make me work harder. They might be watching me!!????  So if you are the donor, and are reading this. YOU ARE MY HERO!!! I promise to work hard and give it my all.

Oh and I am starting to see better weight loss results! I think my mind and body is finally figuring this whole thing out. I feel so good!!!

A lot to think about.....

Well I just had a very interesting conversation with someone at my gym. She is an awesome trainer who has been helping lots of people meet their goals. She is tough and serious. Some of my friends have encouraged me to talk to her.  I am concerned that after I finish this training that I am doing with my bike and finish the race on June 12th, I need something to keep me going. I am not meeting my goals for weight loss like I thought I would. I feel great, much stronger and more fit, but the scale is not showing that. I am not saying I am getting hung up on numbers but I know that to really reach my goals I am going to have to work harder. So that's where I have a lot to think about.... As I talked with this trainer, she put it to me as straight as I have ever heard it before. She said that to get my body to change I have to push it harder than it has ever gone before. It will be hard, it will hurt but if I am consistent and dedicated, it will work. So I left the meeting with very mixed emotions. I do want to reach these goals. I have wanted it so many times before, I don't want this year to be like all the other years. I want to succeed!! I want to say I did it!! But I realized after talking to her that I will have to work harder than I ever have before. I don't think I can do it alone. I just don't push myself like that. So I am feeling like I am at a crossroads. Either bite the bullet, find a way to do it, both physically, emotionally, and  financially( Her sessions are $300 for 10) or continue to try and work on my own. I just don't feel like I will get there alone- but it will be hard and to be truthful I am a little scared. I also have got to make a commitment to myself to track my eating. I think I might be tricking myself into believing that I am eating so wonderfully because of the things I have cut out of my diet. Bur since I am not writing everything down and analyzing it, I don't know for sure.  I feel like I am starting to lose my dedication and I need to stick with it. I think I am at the point I have been so many times, but I really don't want to give up. Somehow I have got to dig deeper inside and find what I need to be the person I want to be. Hmmmmm so much on my mind!

The Palouse a gorgeous view on two wheels!

No this is not me! But this looks like what I ride through many days. The fields are starting to be green and you can see the rolling hills. So beautiful!! We are starting to find all sorts of routes and new places to ride.

My new Felt Road Bike!!

 Here is my new road bike!!! LOVE IT!!!!

Too Much Biking to Blog!

Its been a long time since I felt like I could justify some blogging time! Sad but true. We are well into our cycling training schedule and I have been spending A LOT of time pedaling all over the Palouse. For instance this week we ride for 96 miles. With our long ride being 40 miles. The training goes up in miles each week. I have really surprised myself with what I can do when I have to and I can tell that I am getting much stronger and faster. I absolutely LOVE my new road bike and would recommend buying a road bike to anyone thinking about serious cycling. They are faster, lighter and they make you feel like Lance Armstrong-even though compared to him I am riding on a tricycle! But hey I can dream, can't I!!

I have my share of funny stories and bumps and bruises. I have had some trouble figuring out my pedals that I clip my bike shoes into.  I have used biking shoes for years in spin class but there is one important difference. Spin bikes don't move!! So I have fallen quite a few times, mostly because I forgot to unclip my foot BEFORE I stopped. It was really funny at first but then  the bruises and blood started showing up. I quickly am learning to be much more careful. At least I have mastered one of my greatest fears, the fear of falling!

 I had to laugh yesterday... I had just finished a long 40 mile ride and was headed to pick up my boys in the car. I stopped at a stop sign and started to un-clip my foot from my brake pedal. There is a good indication on how much I am biking!

My second greatest fear is starting to be mastered.. the fear of riding hills! Hills are not one of my favorite things, but there is nothing so exhilarating than looking ahead and seeing the hill you need to tackle and then making it to the top. I have to do a lot of mind tricks with myself to make it through sometimes. Like counting pedal strokes, looking at the ground instead of the hill, watching the clock on my bike computer and saying to myself.. you can do this for 30 more seconds, okay now 15 seconds more etc.. I also usually have my ipod with some good music that can get me trough and it the worst cases I talk to myself!  It also helps that my riding buddies,who always ride hills faster than me are waiting at the top or on the other side for me. The guilt I would feel if they had to ride back up to find me keeps me pedaling away!


All in all I feel great about my accomplishments and so happy that my good friends encouraged me to take on this challenge. It is the toughest physical challenge I have taken on yet and it feels great!

Healthier Spreadable Butter

I was looking at the labels on different butter spreads the other day and realizing that I could not pronounce most of the ingredients listed. This is a HUGE red flag for me. I am really starting to believe that we need to be aware and pro-active in what we put into our mouth. Just because the product is low calories or screams other such marketing from it's colorful packaging. You really just need to turn it around and read!
To give an example: here are the ingredients from two butter spreads I used to use all the time:

INGREDIENTS: WATER, VEGETABLE OIL BLEND (LIQUID SOYBEAN OIL, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL), NONFAT YOGURT* (CULTURED NONFAT MILK), SALT, GELATIN, VEGETABLE MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SOY LECITHIN, (POTASSIUM SORBATE, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA) USED TO PROTECT QUALITY, LACTIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, VITAMIN A (PALMITATE), BETA CAROTENE (FOR COLOR).

NATURAL OIL BLEND (PALM FRUIT, SOYBEAN, CANOLA, AND OLIVE OILS), WATER, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, WHEY (FROM MILK), VEGETABLE MONOGLYCERIDES AND SORBITAN ESTER OF FATTY ACIDS (EMULSIFIERS), SOYBEAN LECITHIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, LACTIC ACID (TO PROTECT FRESHNESS), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, VITAMIN B6, VITAMIN B12, VITAMIN D, VITAMIN E (DL-α-TOCOPHEROL ACETATE), BETA-CAROTENE COLOR


Here are the ingredients for butter: Cream, Salt


Why would I put all of those other ingredients on my toast! Butter has gotten a bad rap in the past. But you can't argue that at least you know what it's ingredients are! The problem with butter is it is hard to spread so I did a little research and found that if you blend real butter with some healthy oil- canola or olive oil. It makes a spreadable butter, right from the fridge AND you are cutting the saturated fat in half. 


So now I am making my own butter spread. I still have to practice some self control- since I have a weakness for butter but I think this is a much better, whole, real food product! And that is what I am all about these days. Real food, eating things my great grandmother would recognize and not being deceived by all the food marketing mumbo jumbo!


Enough Rambling... Here are the easy directions!


To make your own. Take 1 cup real butter and 3/4 - cup canola or olive oil. Blend in blender, food processor or with a hand mixer. It will be a sloppy runny mess. Pour this into a container with a lid and refrigerate. Soon the butter will re harden and you will be left with  yummy spreadable butter with ingredients you can pronounce!

It has been way too long since my last post!

It has been to long since I have been able to make the time to post on my blog! Life just gets in the way sometimes doesn't it. This month has been a tough one for me. In some ways I had lost some of my drive for my goals and was starting to feel very overwhelmed with life. In other ways I have been trying hard to find some balance so I can accomplish my goals!! What a double edged sword life can be!!

The Good...I can honestly say I have stuck to my no sugar/white flour goal as best as I can. It has really become a way of life for me. I only have trouble when having to make a choice when eating out-which we rarely do anymore- or when eating at someone's house. However the trouble has not been whether to make the right choice or not but more which is the best choice to make! Sometimes you can't get nutritional information on everything so you just have to go with the best options available. So I just try to do my best! One thing that has become easy is to not feel deprived when others are eating dessert and I am not. That is HUGE for me. I must say though that if I didn't have some dark chocolate occasionally, I would be a mess!! I have also developed a liking to high quality dark chocolate! No more Hershey or Dove for me anymore. Thank goodness our local food co-op stocks lots of delicious options. My son picked out a dark chocolate bar with ginger in it!! Super YUM

As far as exercise is concerned. I have been biking, and getting better at it! It has been a struggle to deal with my current bike, and I am excited to be getting my new road bike this week. But I have proven to myself that I can do things that I didn't think I could.  It is a struggle to balance getting a good workout in every day- with all the other things in my life.

The Bad.... It have not been as strict as I was with keeping track of my food. I am sure that is why my weight loss has been slow or non- existent the past few weeks.  Although I am still making healthy choices, I  need to be more careful that my diet is balanced and that I don't have too many or too few calories. Recording my food  on livestrong.com  is the key and sometimes I just get too busy to make the time to record. However I am starting to see that I must make time if I want to reach my goals!

In the world of Exercise.... Spring Break got the better of me, and I let the change in schedule keep me from doing the things I should have been doing! I did get in 2 good rides, but that is pretty sad considering I have been pretty consistently exercising 5 or 6 times a week.  However the official training starts this week so no more slacking off for me!!

The Ugly... Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows how I tend to live my life on an emotional roller coaster! Just imagine being my husband! Well the lack of performance with my current bike sent me on a big up and down emotional ride! I wanted it to be the bike that was keeping me back, and even though I knew that was the case and even had friends backing me up, I still started doubting myself and my abilities. That sent me for a serious downward spiral into what my hubby and I call "my hole" I have spent a good deal of time in 'my hole' over this silly bike. Thoughts like "What if I buy a new bike and still am slow" or "Why doesn't my husband go and buy me a new road bike, TODAY!", "When is someone going to help me around here" "What was I ever thinking, this goal is too much for me to do! " etc...You get the picture. I spent way too much time, worrying, crying, yelling and pretty much being a bratty child instead of just explaining my problems and finding a solution! Thanks to the world's most patient husband. I now have most of what I want and the gear I need to be successful with this bike ride. Now it is up to me to do the work!!  I think I am out of the woods so to speak.... but I better stay buckled and seated cause you never know when the loop-de- loop is coming round again!

I will try to update my blog as much as I can throughout the next 12 weeks! I am excited and nervous for the training. SO glad I am doing it with such great friends, and I think I will feel so empowered when it is all over!!

Pizza Margherita

I forgot that I promised a few of my friends that I would post this recipe. It is very yummy!
The crust recipe is from a good friend - who might be reading this! ha ha and it is in our church cookbook. I modified it to work with my new eating 'rules'.

Makes 2 large pizza crusts:

2 Tbl. yeast
2 cups water
1 tsp. honey
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cups whole wheat flour

Mix by hand or mixer. Then let rest for 5 minutes while preparing your pans. Grease pans and divide dough into 2 globs of dough.  Add sauce and toppings. Bake at 375-400 until golden brown.

Toppings for Pizza Margherita:
Pizza Sauce ( I use Ragu homestyle because it has no added sugar)
Fresh Mozzarella sliced thin
Tomatoes sliced thin
Fresh basil leaves coarsely chopped

Spread sauce onto unbaked crust.  Layer top with tomatoes and fresh cheese slices. Sprinkle with basil.
Bake as directed above

I always make one of these for me and add my families favorite toppings to the other. Then everyone is happy!

Reality Wake Up Call

Okay so my friend and I rode our bikes form Moscow to Troy today. Well almost, we had to stop about 2 miles short because there was too much ice on the bike trail.  We think it was about 20 miles- but since we couldn't get the bike computer to work we aren't sure. It was a HUGE reality check for me. Thank goodness I have such an awesome, positive and great friend! She kept me going. So some things I learned about myself today.... My bike needs some serious help. I need to work harder in spin class, I need A LOT more biking outside time and this 75 mile bike ride will be the hardest thing I have ever done. 

Do I feel in over my head? oh yes, but I also feel empowered and good about myself. It was a tough ride for me, but we did it. We started our training. I am just glad that I registered for the ride BEFORE today! It is going to be an adventure.

But 2 hours of biking and 2000 calories makes for a pretty good day. Now for a hot shower and some lunch! I wonder how my legs will feel tomorrow??

Wheat Grinding Maniac

I can't believe that I have used almost 100 lbs of wheat since Jan 5th! All of the white winter wheat that I bought was ground today plus most of what was left of a  50 # bucket of red wheat. I guess that makes sense since that is all I am using, and I make all my own buns, rolls, etc.. It was just surprising to me. I guess when we were asked by church leaders to store hundreds of pounds of wheat for the future they knew what they were talking about! I took some time yesterday, since I was home with sick boys, to make a double batch of my hamburger buns. I turned half of it into hoagie rolls. We had french dip sandwiches on some of them last night! Yummy! This time I added 1/3 cup of gluten flour to the recipe and I can't believe how much bigger they got. Huge Buns! I froze them so I will have them when I need a quick meal. Well my timer is ringing, back to my bread making!

Making my own Greek Yogurt

Okay most of you know that I have this thing for Greek Yogurt. I LOVE IT! but it is expensive. I got to thinking there has GOT to be a way to make this sutff. So I got searching on the interent and also talked with some friends who tried a similar method. It sounded easy so I gave it a try.  It is SO easy and super yummy. So here are the easy instructions.. You have got to try this out.

I have a huge crock-pot so I made a full recipe. You could easily make less, by using half the ingredients.

1 gal milk ( I used fat free but the more fat the creamier the yogurt)
1 cup of plain high quality yogurt with active bacteria ( I used Nancy's)
White 'flour sack' type of dish towel or Cheese Cloth
Colander
Big Bowl
Crock Pot

Pour the milk into the crockpot. Turn on to low. Let cook for 2 1/2 hours. Unplug crock pot. Wait 3 hours. Scoop out a cup of the warm milk into a small bowl. Mix in the plain yogurt until smooth. Stir this mixture back into the warm milk. Put lid back on crock pot. Wrap crock pot in 2 big bath towels. Go to bed. In about 8-12 hours you will have a crock pot full of plain yogurt! Now before it is ready to eat you have a few more easy steps to do.

On top of the yogurt will be this watery liquid that is slightly yellow. This has to be drained off. To drain the yogurt: Open the dish towel and place it in the colander, put the colander in a slightly larger bowl. Scoop out the yogurt from the crockpot and let drain.  The more of the liquid you drain off the thicker the yogurt will be. You can just drain off a little and then whip it all up together. This will be about the consistency of plain store bought yogurt. The thick greek style that I like is about the consistency of sour cream I let mine drain about 4 hours and it was almost as thick as cream cheese! I mixed back  in some of the drained water to make mine the way I prefer. Let the yogurt cool in the fridge. I let mine drain and cool at the same time. When it's cold it is ready to eat.

I like mine just plain with a little fruit (berries especially) and some of my homemade granola. But you can add jam, fruit spread, honey, whatever to make it how you like it. I read that the Greek's like it with honey and walnuts, that sounds yummy! You can also use the plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.

Now the difference between regular plain yogurt and the thick greek style aren't just the consistency. I did a nutritional comparison on both. They both have the same calories and fat per serving BUT the greek style has double the protein (23 grams per cup!) and also about half the sugar, the sugar that is naturally in milk- so therefore less carbohydrates. Both are great for you, but I like the higher protein content. Adding some fresh fruit and a little homemade low fat granola and you have a great breakfast!

I am sure I will be making this a lot. I am going to experiment with some flavor additions. I will let you know how they tun out. My kids are pretty willing guinea pigs! I might even stop buying yogurt all together. It's nice knowing I am making a product without any added sugar, preservatives or gelatin that is in most store brands.  In fact look at the label next time you eat a small container of yogurt. Most brands have at least 27 grams of sugar per serving and most of those are from High Fructose Corn Syrup or chemical sugar substitutes.  For 27 grams of sugar you might as well have a bowl of sugar cereal or a donut- not the healthy choice you were thinking it was, right?  Okay off my soapbox for the moment.

Let me know if you try it out.

Super Decadent Chocolate Torte

Okay I must admit that during Valentines week I had a tough time not eating sweets. I was craving Chocolate Cheesecake or something so badly. So I got on one of my favorite websites and found an awesome recipe that would meet my eating requirements. It is NOT low Calorie (about 372 per piece) but very satisfying and my family loved it. So if you need something for a special occasion try this out...

www.thenourishinggourmet.com is one of my favorite sites for new ideas! This is where I got the recipe from, but of course I modified it- don't I always!


Super Decadent Chocolate Torte



Crust: Grease a springform pan with Pam, and set aside.
▪ 2 cups of almonds (or choice of nuts)
▪ 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
▪ 1/2 cup of oat  flour (oatmeal blended in my blender until fine powder)
▪ 2/3 cup of real butter
▪ 1/4 cup of Agave Syrup
▪ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
▪ 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place almonds in a food processor, and process until a coarse flour, add the rest of the ingredients and process until it forms a uniform dough. I had to add a little bit of cream to make it mix well. Just a tablespoon or two.  Press down into the greased pan and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.
Take out of the oven and cool. Once the crust is cool, making the filling.
▪ 8 ounces of quality dark chocolate ( I used Newman's Own organic Orange Dark Chocolate)
▪ 2 tablespoons butter
▪ 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
▪ Dash of salt

1-Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a medium size, heatproof bowl. Add the butter and  mix it into the chopped chocolate a little.
2-Heat the  cream on the stove until very hot. Pour over the chocolate and tap the bowl on the counter to settle the chocolate. Let this sit for about one minute to start melting the chocolate. Using a rubber spatula (heatproof), slowly stir in a circular motion, starting from the center of the bowl. Stir for about two minutes or until melted.
3-  Pour this over the crust and carefully place it in the fridge to set. It will take about an hour to set. Cover with plastic wrap once all the way cool. Will keep at least three days in the fridge (if you can resist that long!).

Back on track with my plan....

Okay I must be honest. NO, I didn't eat any sugar or white flour BUT I have really slipped the past few days with my plans. Life just got in the way.... some things were out of my control (like Ashton accidently breaking Isaac's arm and me not really clueing in to that for 2 days!) and lots of other little things not in my control that threw me off base a little. Anyway I took a few days to re-group and now I am feeling on top of my game again. I won't make my fitness or eating goals for the month or get my monthly reward that I chose for myself BUT I am not going to give up. I feel too good when I am doing the right things for that to happen. Plus I have paid and registered for my bike ride in June so I can't stop now! Funny thing about that... I got my race number. I am #3,  which means that there was NO reason to stay up and register at midnight last week, BUT apparently having a single digit race number is cool. Just hope I don't come in dead last on the day of the race! :0)

Sugar Cookies? Are you kidding me!

Okay Valentine's Day was getting to me. So I found this recipe for Sugar Cookies made with White Whole Wheat flour and Agave Syrup. They are amazing. Of course they are about 80 calories a cookie. But one, okay two plus a little dough sample! :0) and my craving is cured. Better give the rest of these away, any takers? I found this recipe on a blog called myyearwithout.blogspot.com  (or otherwise my year without sugar) it is a very inspiring blog and has tons of great recipes and information!!

Sugar Cookies


Ingredients

1 1/2 cup White Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Agave Nectar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Directions

Combine butter and flour in food processor until combined. Add vanilla and agave syrup slowly. Form into a disk. wrap in plastic wrap. Refridgerate until firm. Roll out. Cut, Bake at 300 for 6-8 minutues

Yummy Low Fat and Low Sugar Granola!!!

I found this recipe in Bob Greene's Book The Best Life Diet. It was fast to make and my whole family loved it! I made it just like it suggested. But now that I know how easy and yummy it is I will tweak it in the future. The possibilities of spices, fruits, and nuts you could add would be limitless! I ate mine with some plain yogurt and fresh berries for breakfast... Super Yum! Try it out, it took me about 30 minutes to make from start to finish.


Ingredients

4 cup Rolled Oats
1/4 cup Unprocessed Oat Bran
2 tbsp Canola Oil
1/3 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Pure Almond Extract
1 tsp Ginger, Ground
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
1/2 cup Pears, Dried-unsweetened
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries- sweetened with apple juice
1/4 cup Dates, Chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the oats and bran on a large baking sheet

In a small pan over medium heat, stir in the canola oil, maple syrup, ground ginger and vanilla and almond extracts.. When the mixture bubbles, pour it over the oat mixture and mix well. Bake for 10 minutes.

Add the almonds and stir the mix thoroughly. Continue to bake until the oats and almonds are lightly toasted, about 10 minutes more, stirring again halfway through.

Stir in the pears, cranberries, dates, and ginger. Bake until the oats are crisp, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and stir the mix. Let the granola cool for 5 minutes, then stir again.

When completely cool, store the granola in an air-tight container for up to 4 weeks.

Well it is official....

Well it is official. I am registered for the CHaFe 150 on June 12, 2010.  I think I will add a countdown to the 75 mile bike ride. This is going to be an adventure.... This is a ride for a charity so if anyone is interested in pledging money for a good cause. You can do so on my fundraising page at www.active.com/donate/chafe150/rickimartin

Registration is tonight for the big bike ride!!!

My friends and I have to register tonight at midnight for our crazy bike ride in June. It is called the ChaFe 150. We will bike from Troy Montana to Sandpoint ID (75 miles total). I am super scared, but excited at the same time. I can't believe I am going to even attempt something so huge. Thank goodness I am doing it with friends that I love. It should be an adventure to say the least!!

Honey Ginger Mahi Mahi

This is one of the first fish recipes that I found that I loved! It is easy and delicious. I buy my Mahi Mahi at Costco. It comes in individually frozen fillets. This fish is extremely mild. I also used the same marinade for some chicken tenderloins- for those kids who don't want to even try the fish. It worked just as well.

We had this last night with Quinoa.(pronounced KEEN-WA) A very yummy grain that you might not have tried before. It is faster and easier to cook than rice. It has tons of protein and other great things in it.!! Try it out!! My kids LOVE it!

Honey Ginger Mahi Mahi-  (From Allrecipes.com)


Ingredients
3 tbsp Honey
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Fresh Ginger Root
1 cloves Garlic Clove
2 tsp Olive Oil
4 fillet Mahi Mahi Fillets
1 tbsp Oil, Canola

Directions
In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.
Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

Best Food Finds of the Month!

You can not even imagine my excitement when I found unsweetened ketchup at our local food co-op. I literally squealed... I am sure the employee stocking shelves thought I was crazy. But not having ketchup has been hard. Westbrae Natural Vegetarian Unsweetened Ketchup is what I found and I love it!

The other find was Coconut Bliss Ice- Cream now this is not a low calorie food and is pricey. But one night the family wanted ice-cream and I started feeling a little left out. So I found this in the health food section of my local grocery store and I was in heaven. It is made with coconut milk and agave syrup.
I had to have some self control and have just a serving but it was so delicious. It comes in lots of flavors.
I had the Dark Chocolate. It will definitely be on my list of treats for those special occasions! YUM!

I also was impressed with a protein drink that my gym sells called  Syntha-6 . I am not positive about the sugar content but at first glance it looked safe, what I am impressed with is the protein content and other benefits they were amazing and it takes great! I plan on buying some and using it on those days that I do extra hard workouts and need to replenish.

Goals for February

It's a new month so it is time to shake things up a bit. I have decided to add at least two days of strength training a week to my 6 days of cardio routine. I am really focusing on my biking to get ready for the 82 mile bike ride in June. So I am taking at least 4 spin classes a week. One day of the week I try to get in a double spin or at least a long class if I can. I am cross training on the other two days. I had started my walk/run program but my knee is really complaining about that so I am just walking fast or doing the elliptical. My hope is that as I get in better shape and drop weight my knees will stop wining and cooperate! We shall see.... I am trying to get a strength workout for my legs figured out. Apparently my right knee doesn't like to do squats of any kind- so I am in the process of figuring out what I can do.

I am also tracking my food daily using the livestrong.com  site. I can't believe how fast and easy it is to use. I have also found that as I insert my recipes in for nutritional information, they are then available for everyone to use. I highly recommend it for whatever your health and fitness goals are. It is by far the best site I have used and it is free!  I spent way too many days this week trying to figure out what I should be eating and when... I think I had some information overload. In fact one of my best friends and I  spent a good portion of a day trying to decide what we would eat for lunch! We of course laughed about it the next day and decided that we were making WAY to big of a deal about it. I am continuing to eat very healthy, no refined sugars of any kind, and really limiting any added sugars ( honey, fruit concentrates, etc..) I have also stuck to my no white flour, pasta, or rice. It is easy for me at home. It gets a little tricky when I am not, so I have to plan ahead and make the best choices that I can. The  livestrong.com site really helps me to make sure I am getting a good daily balance of nutrition and enough calories. Another thing I learned about this week- too little calories will make your body hold onto everything- so I have found that something between 1700 and 1800 calories work. I don't feel hungry but not over-full, and have enough energy to get me through the day. I have to adjust it a bit when I have a big workout and burn lots of calories vs a day when I don't.  I have found that my tastes are really changing and when I do eat something that I think is sweet, my family looks at me like I have lost my taste buds completely! But again I can't deny that I feel better than I have in such a long time, and that has made these changes easy for me.

The Sunday Weigh in..

I am actually happy to report that today's weigh in was a 5 pound loss! I was so happy, especially since last week had me at a gain.. So all together I have lost 12 pounds. But more importantly I feel so good. I was very disappointed 2 weeks ago when the scale showed another gain when I have been working so hard that week- the calories in vs. the calories burned just didn't add up! Thank goodness I have such awesome and supportive family and friends.  I have been reading a lot this week, and have learned a little more about the science of weight loss. Our bodies fluctuate all the time and sometimes it takes a while for things to start working together. I also think that you have to look at the overall month to really get a gage for how your weight loss is working. I have been reading Bob Greene's book  The Best Life Diet  all this week and have learned a lot about how my body is handling all of these changes I am making. It is going to take time and I have to remind myself often that I AM NOT looking for a quick fix, but a change for life. But I also would be lying if I didn't say a 5 pound weight loss made me down right giddy!

Back from the long blogging break!

Well as you know our family took a week off to 'unplug' ourselves from all electronics. It was a nice break in some aspects but I really missed blogging. Then last week life for some reason was just really crazy for me. I really didn't feel like I could justify blogging when I couldn't put all my groceries away for 3 days! Part of the reason life was so hectic is that I added some new goals for myself, and that took some adjusting with my schedule. But I am feeling more on top of things now so I am excited to share some great things I learned and discovered over the past two weeks!  Read on.....

Sunday's Weigh In....

Well I was happily surprised to be down 1.4 pounds this week. I am planning on working extra hard this week, and trying to be more careful with my eating this week. Since my hubby is back, life should be a little bit more normal around here. Which means completely crazy and busy but better than doing things as a single mom!  :0)

By the way I have taken a challenge that my Husband gave to the youth at church today. So I am 'un-plugging' myself from media and electronics for a week. So I won't be blogging this week. I hope to have lots of good news and great recipes to report next week.  I have found some news things I want to try out this week.

Quick and Easy Honey Mustard Chicken

This is a recipe I made up some time ago. I just mix a little honey and some dijon mustard together
(I always taste it so it's not too sweet or not too strong on the mustard flavor)  pour the mixture over chicken tenderloins and bake for about an hour.  You might want to line your baking dish with foil or be prepared to soak it overnight before washing. The honey makes a big mess when baking.

BUT It's easy, quick and yummy! We had it with some whole wheat pasta with a little cheese and herbs, and broccoli and carrots.

Craving Carbs like Crazy!

I have hard a tough time this week, I have been craving anything with bread and cheese this week! I don't know if it's hormonal changes, or the fact that my hubby has been gone and it has thrown me off? Anyway I have still been eating well, just too much of a good thing! So I don't know how my weigh in will be. I am keeping this positive since this is likely to happen from time to time. I am also behind in spin days  this week. I tired to get into a class early this morning, but it was full. So I did elliptical instead,  But since I am friends with the owner, and she is super amazing, she let me have my own spin class after her's got over. She even left me her ipod so the music was new. I stayed in there for an hour and it felt great! I feel good about the day and ready for anything, which is good since my kids are all off of school today!  I always feel like I can take on the world after a good cardio work-out!

Had two days of good workouts.. feeling good!

I am going to have to get a bit creative the rest of this week with my exercise plan. My hubby is out of town which means I have got early dog walking duty, and getting the kids to school- plus still trying to make my spin classes. I have a plan, hope it works out. If not I've got the dog as my treadmill and he NEVER gets tired!  Here's to a good week and flexibility!

Breakfast this morning! Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal

This is from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook. 

It is a favorite in our house, but we are pumpkin freaks!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup Skim Milk

1/2 cup Pumpkin (canned)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 cup Old Fashioned Oats

1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Directions:

Mix the milk, pumpkin, vanilla, spice and cranberries to a slow boil. Stir in the oatmeal until soft and creamy.

I don't add the sugar that is called for in the original recipe and let my kids add it to there own bowls. 

I had mine with a little pure maple syrup. YUM!

Feeling a little discouraged....

Okay I said from the first day that this would be an honest blog. That I would report the up's and the down's. Well today was one of the downs. I did my weekly weigh in this morning and was up .4 pounds. Nothing to freak out over but I don't feel like I did anything different this week than I have been doing. In fact I exercised more this week. Anyway this is where I have gotten to in the past, given up and thrown in the towel... but not this time! That would be silly. It is only the 17th of January. But in the past that is the attitude I might have taken. So I will keep doing my best to eat quality food, exercise, get enough sleep, try to fight off stress and keep going.  I am not in this for a quick fix, but a lifestyle change. Or in other words... A change for life!!! Here's to another week of taking care of myself!

Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Smashed Red Potatoes With Buttermilk and Scallions

I made these to go a long with some more of the maple mustard pork chops (recipe already on my blog). We loved those and I had a boneless pork roast in the freezer that I sliced up and used.  The spinach was great prepared this way and the mashed potatoes have a healthy twist by adding buttermilk instead of butter and cream. Yum!

Sautéed Spinach with Garlic

Ingredients
1 lb Baby Spinach (I used one bag)
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic Clove
1/2 tsp Salt
Directions
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until the garlic is just beginning to brown. Add the spinach to the pan, packing it down a bit if you need to with your hand. Use a couple spatulas to lift the spinach and turn it over in the pan so that you coat more of it with the olive oil and garlic. Do this a couple of times. Cover the pan and cook for 1 minute. Uncover and turn the spinach over again. Cover the pan and cook for an additional minute. After 2 minutes of covered cooking the spinach should be completely wilted. Remove from heat. Drain any excess moisture from the pan. Add a little more olive oil, sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve immediately.



Smashed Red Potatoes With Buttermilk and Scallions

Serves: 6
Ingredients
2 1/4 lb Red Potatoes ( about  8-10 medium)
1 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
3/4 cup Lowfat Buttermilk
1/3 tsp Salt
1/3 tsp Pepper, Black
1/4 cup scallions
Directions
1.In a heavy large saucepan, place the potatoes, broth, and enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are very tender.

2. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. With a potato masher, mash until fairly smooth.

3. With a wooden spoon, a bit at a time, beat in the buttermilk and enough of the reserved cooking water to make the potatoes moist but with a chunky texture. Stir in the salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the scallions.

Whole Grain Banana Muffins

I combined a few recipes from my new "Eat and Be Lean" cook book to make these muffins. They turned out fabulous and my kids loved them!


Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
6 Tbl. Frozen Apple Juice Concentrate
2 Tbl. Canola Oil
1 cup Quick Oats
1 cup Lowfat Buttermilk
6 Tbl. Honey
1 whole egg
1  egg white
2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pure Baking Soda
4 large banana's mashed
1/2 tsp Nutmeg, Ground
1 tsp Cinnamon

Directions
Mix together all the wet ingredients (bananas, honey, apple juice, buttermilk, oil, eggs) add in the spices (Baking powder, soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon) Add the whole wheat flour and oats. Stir just until combined.  Bake in paper muffin cups for 12 minutes at 400 degrees.

Makes 24 (You could easily half this to make only 12- but I am sure they would freeze well too!)

If I can do this, anyone can!

It's been another busy but productive week. I was able to reach my goal of exercising every day and my eating was great. It hasn't been easy and I have had to make an effort to make myself a priority. But I have found that when I do that. I feel better about myself and then can better take care of my family. Did I get everything done that I wanted to this week? NO! Did I have to go out in public in my workout clothes, sweaty and not looking so great, YES! Did the world stop because of that? NO! I guess what I am trying to say is that I am learning that all of that is okay. I know now, more than ever that exercising really makes me feel good. It makes me feel good physically but also emotionally. I feel happier, have more energy and feel more productive. Eating quality food does the same. I don't feel sluggish or tired. My cravings for sugar and other junk food have virtually disappeared. Food is not on my mind all the time. I have found that I am paying more attention to when I am hungry and when I am full. If I can make these changes, ANYONE can! I am a serious emotional eater, I thought that my hunger scale was broken. I can't believe I can watch someone eat a brownie in front of me and not freak out! In fact I don't even want the brownie at all. I have found that food tastes different. I really enjoy how things taste. A cold grapefruit or orange is like juicy candy in my mouth. Making a sandwich on very healthy whole grain bread is delicious. I have also learned that I can still enjoy baking and cooking without sacrificing the healthy changes I am starting to make. If you are reading this thinking, there is NO WAY I could do that. The answer is YES YOU CAN! 


Read on for some more recipes to try!

livestrong.com A Great Site to Track Your Daily Food and Fitness

My oldest son found this site and it is awesome and free! It is Lance Armstrong's site at  livestrong.com. It is easy to use and lets you not only count calories, but gives you a breakdown of fat, carbs, sugars, fiber etc. Lets you record exactly what you did for exercise with TONS of options. It also lets you set goals for yourself so you know how much you should be eating to maintain, lose or even gain weight ( if you are one of those lucky people!) It also has tons of other great things to help you track! I  just tried it out t and thought it was great! So I thought I would share it with all of you! Enjoy

When plans fail.... don't quit!!!

Today was a perfect day of  'life happens!" My little boy was home sick from school. I must admit my first thought was "Oh shoot, how will I get my work out in now? " In the past a simple thing like this would throw me for a loop, I would decide that it's okay to skip my workout, then I would be mad at myself for the rest of the day because of it. I might have even thought. "Well I HAD to skip my workout plan, and now I feel sorry for myself, and I do have a sick little boy, maybe we should make cookies together! " Well not today folks! Yes I took care of my sick little boy, I even read stories and had a short nap when he did. BUT the big difference is I made sure to make time for myself to get a workout in anyway. I waited until my older kids came home and then asked them if they would mind hanging out with their little brother while I took the dog for a walk/run. Of course the idea that THEY wouldn't have to take the dog for a walk sealed the deal. So I headed out, in the rain, with my muddy-overly hyper dog, my ipod and my watch. After the first 20 minutes or so, I actually started feeling great! I had time to think, I was exercising, getting some fresh air, wasn't cold anymore because I was moving and sweating. and I was away from the house. Perfect! I ended up doing my first walk to run day from my training plan. I walked for 14 min. / ran for 1 min.  until I had walked for about 45 minutes! I came home to my kids still watching television ( happy as can be), a tired dog and a happy attitude! The point of this story is that I am learning to  STOP MAKING EXCUSES!!! Sure life doesn't go as planned but you can always find someway to get in some exercise. Now what about tomorrow.......

Can't believe I did this! But love it anyway!

Well since I am all about changing things up, I decided to add my hair to the mix. It is going to take some getting used to, but it was fun to do something new! Not sure if my family will feel the same!!! ha ha

Cranberry and Herb Turkey Burgers

This is another great turkey burger recipe. I found it this summer on www.realage.com (aka Dr. Oz). I am going to serve it tonight without buns and with a side of homemade whole grain stuffing,  sautéed veggies and pumpkin custard for dessert. Sounds like Thanksgiving!

Cranberry and Herb Turkey Burgers


1/4 cup(s) whole-wheat couscous, plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup(s) boiling water
2 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
1  small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk(s) celery, minced
1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup(s) dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 pound(s) 93%-lean ground turkey

Directions
Place couscous in a large bowl. Pour in boiling water, stir and set aside until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. If grilling the burgers, preheat grill to medium-high.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add celery; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add thyme, sage, salt and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds more. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the couscous, add cranberries and stir to combine. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add turkey and stir until combined; do not overmix. Form the mixture into 6 patties.
To cook on the stovetop: Coat a large nonstick skillet, preferably cast-iron, with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the patties, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for 2 minutes. Cover and continue to cook until lightly browned but still juicy (the juices should run clear, not pink), about 4 minutes more. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should read 165 degrees F.) To grill: Oil the grill rack (see Tip) and grill the burgers for 5 to 6 minutes per side, flipping gently to avoid breaking them. Serve immediately.

Whole What Blender Pancakes

If you are a mormon, then you probably have this recipe somewhere and don't even know it! I have seen it in a ton of places. It is a great recipie to use whole wheat, especially` if you don't have a wheat grinder. I changed it up some from the original. They were quick and filling and I had to make two batches because my kids ate them up so fast!

Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes

In blender add:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup of whole wheat berries (kernels)

Blend this on high for about  5 minutes.
If your family isn't awake by now, they will be, and so will the dog! It's loud!

Then add to blender mixture:
3 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp soda
2 Tbl. Oil
1 Tbl. honey
1/4 tsp. salt

Blend until smooth. Cook on hot griddle! Yum!
This recipe works well for waffles too, just increase oil to 4 Tbl.

Mahi-mahi with Macadamia Nut Crust, Island Rice and Fruit Salsa

This was so good! I have not been a fan of fish for most of my life. Then I had some great fish tacos a few years ago and since then I have been a little more daring. Mahi-Mahi is super mild. I buy mine at Costco. It comes in a bag with individually frozen fillets. It is very reasonably priced, which is a bonus. This meal did take me a longer to prepare than most of my recipes. I don't know if I was just having an off day or the constant interruption of 4 boys made it so slow, but it was well worth the wait! I found this recipe at the Mayo Clinic Site, but I changed it up just a bit.

Mahi-Mahi with Macadamia Nut Crust

Ingredients
• 1/3 cup fresh whole-grain bread crumbs ( I just whiz up my favorite bread in the blender)
• 6 tablespoons macadamia nuts, finely chopped
• 1.5 tablespoon parsley ( I used dried)
• 3/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup lite coconut milk
• 6 mahi-mahi fillets, each 5 ounces and about 1-inch thick
• 1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 F. Place a small wire rack in a shallow nonstick baking pan.
On a plate, stir together the bread crumbs, nuts, parsley, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Pour the milk into a shallow dish. Dip each fillet in the milk and then dredge in the nut mixture, coating completely and pressing lightly so the mixture adheres well.
Place the fillets on the rack in the baking pan, making sure that they don't touch. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
Bake until the fish is opaque throughout when tested with the tip of a knife and the crust is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to warmed individual plates and serve immediately.


Island Rice: I got this recipe recently from my sister in law. I liked it a lot, but it got mixed reviews from my kids. I think I let it overcook a bit, since my fish took longer than I thought. It calls for dried pineapple. I found some dried pineapple without any added sugar at Trader Joe's. I went there over the holidays with this same sister in law. She is teaching me all sorts of great stuff!

 Island Rice

2 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice ( I used brown rice)
1/2 cups chopped dried pineapple
 2 teaspoons butter
 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind
 1/4 teaspoons salt
 1/4 cups chopped fresh cilantro
 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
 2 1/2 tablespoons  fresh lime juice

 Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add rice and next 4 ingredients (rice through salt). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro, onions, and juice.
 Yield: 3 cups

Fruit Salsa

We love making this and it is always a hit. It is good with lots of meats.

Cut up any tropical fruits you like. This time we used pineapple ( I used canned) mangos and kiwi. Chop up a green or red pepper, red onion, jalapeno pepper (finely diced I just use 1) and some fresh cilantro. Squeeze in the juice of one lime and mix well. Let sit in the fridge for at least one hour before eating.

Citrus Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Carrot Apple Slaw

Citrus Pulled Pork
Super easy... Just get a boneless pork roast ( mine was still frozen), about half a can of 100% frozen orange juice concentrate. Put that in the crock pot and sprinkle with some all purpose seasoning. I use "Fantastic Farrer's" My brother invented it last year, if you want some just ask me! Anyway let the roast cook on high for 6-8 hours. Or until it easily shreds with a fork. Shred it up and eat it on those healthy hamburger buns from last week!
An easy and quick dinner for those busy days.

Carrot Apple Slaw
I found this recipe in a cookbook we got for our wedding. It is a vegetarian cook book. "Moosewood Cookbook" by Mollie Katzen. I was looking for something different then just coleslaw. So we tried it. About half my family liked it, I thought it was a nice change, plus you get your veggies and fruits at the same time!


1 pound carrots, grated
2 medium apples- grated
1 cup plain yogurt
1- 2 Tbl. honey ( I let me 5 year old tell me when it was sweet enough)
pinch of celery salt
1 Tbl. lemon juice
A handful of raisins

Mix all together and chill for at least an hour to let flavors combine.

Sweet Success!

I have been dying to get on my blog all weekend. But my kids and their homework projects were taking over the computer. But here I am, everyone is at school and I can write all I want! I have to say that blogging has totally changed my attitude about eating and fitness. I am so excited to report on what I am doing just in case someone is reading!!! Have you ever read the book a'Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel?' Well it's been all of my boys favorite book at some point. Anyway, in the book he says that when people come to watch him dig with his steam shovel they work a little harder and a little faster. That is how I am feeling. Anytime I hear that somebody has read something on the blog, it makes me even more motivated. So tell all your friends to come and check out what I am doing,  it will only make me work a little harder and a little better at reaching my goals!

So the big news of the week... all my exercise and eating right is paying off. I lost 3.2 pounds this week! I cant remember the last time I saw that kind of number in just a week. I am feeling terrific and excited to continue!
We've had some yummy but very healthy meals since I last posted so read on......

I am thankful for supportive and encouraging friends!

I was having a tough morning, things weren't doing as planned. Feeling picked on by my family, I was just pretty much being a big baby. Took the dog on a walk and went to spin, that helped me feel much better. Then after a conversation I had with someone at the gym I started doubting myself and my goals. Am I doing enough? Will I really make it? Then I ran into 3 of my most supportive and encouraging friends( I have lots of those, thank goodness!) and now I am feeling better. 

Yes, this is going to be a tough challenge, it is not going to be easy. BUT that is what I am looking for right? A challenge!I've taken the easy road for far too long, This year I want to do things I have never done before. I can do hard things, and I will succeed! Thanks guys my outlook is much better! 

Meatballs and Pasta for Dinner

Tonight I decided to make meatballs to go with our pasta for dinner. Since the turkey burgers I made the other night were such a hit, I decided to use the same ingredients for my meatballs with just a few changes:

I added a bit of milk, and some italian seasoning. I mixed it all together and used a cookie scoop to scoop them on to a baking sheet. I baked them at about 400 degrees  for about 15 minutes.

They were tasty and with  Barilla Plus Penne Pasta (whole grain with a bunch of other awesome stuff in it!)   NEWMAN'S OWN SPAG SAUCE  (one of the only one I can find with out added sugars), and broccoli we had a great healthy dinner in about 30 minutes that everyone loved!

Spin Class at NIAC with Amy ROCKS!!

Well if know me at all you know I LOVE SPINNING!  Well today we had an extra long bonus class. We rode for 1 hour and 35 minutes. I burned 1382 calories... I can't believe how great it felt. I think I could have ridden forever. It made me super excited about training for the 80 mile race in June! I am ready to bike my buns off! And I really hope I do!  :0)

Peachy Pork Picante

Here's what's for dinner at my house tonight. I love this recipe and use it lots. I have to modify it a little bit because I can't find any peach jam made only from fruit. So I am substituting apricot preserves instead. I think it will still be delicious.

Peachy or Apricot Pork Picante

Pork Roast or Boneless Pork Chops- cubed
16 oz. bottle of your favorite salsa
taco seasoning
peach or apricot jam

In a ziploc bag place the pork cubes and taco seasoning. Shake well to coat. Brown the pork cubes in a large skillet until brown. Add the salsa. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add about 2 Tbl. of the jam and stir until combined. Serve over brown rice.

My New Favorite Quote!

One of my best friends, you know the kind that really know you, well she sent me this quote that I just had to put on my blog. In fact if it wasn't so long, I might paint it on my bedroom wall! ha ha

I have to give you just a bit of background information. This quote is by Patricia Holland, the wife of a very prominent LDS leader. I love her, I have some talks and quotes from her that have gotten me through some very tough times. I have never met her, but feel like she is a friend of mine and that she really 'get's' it! Anyway this quote is perfect for what I am trying to accomplish with my fitness goals.

“Anyone who reads a newspaper or magazine is constantly reminded that proper diet, appropriate exercise, and plenty of rest increase our daily capacities as well as our life span. But all too many of us put off even these minimal efforts, thinking our family, our neighbors, and our other many responsibilities come first. Yet in doing so, we put at risk the thing these people need most from us: our healthiest, happiest, heartiest self. . . .

“The issue for me then, is accepting that we are worth the time and effort it takes to achieve the full measure of our creation, and believing that it is not selfish, wrong, or evil. It is, in fact, essential to our spiritual development.

“My oldest child tried to teach me this principle years ago. I had not been feeling well on a day I had promised to take this then three-year-old son to the zoo. As my aches and pains increased, I finally said in exasperation, ‘Matthew, I don’t know if we should go to the zoo and take care of you or if we should stay home and take care of mother.’ He looked up at me for a moment with his big brown eyes and then stated emphatically, ‘Mama, I think youshould take care of you, so youcan take care of me.’He was wise enough even at that age to know where his best interests were ultimately served. Unless we take care of ourselves, it’s virtually impossible to properly take care of others” (“The Many Faces of Eve,” in Jeffrey R. Holland and Patricia T. Holland, On Earth As It Is in Heaven[1989], 66–67).

If that doesn't inspire me and make me realize that what I am doing is worth it and okay, I don't know what else anyone could say that would. Hope it inspires you too!

Best Ever Belgian Waffles...made with whole wheat and no refined sugar of course!

We recently got a belgian waffle maker and I have been trying all sorts of  healthy recipes in it. Some have really failed but here are two that are awesome! 


This first one I modified from http://www.kingarthurflour.com


Hearty Whole Wheat Waffles

1 1/2 cups  whole wheat flour,  white whole wheat or traditional (I used the white and it was awesome!)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups milk ( I used half milk, half buttermilk)
1/3 cup melted butter or vegetable oil ( I used canola oil)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and butter or oil. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring just till combined.

Cook the waffles as directed in the instructions that came with your waffle iron.
Yield: about eight 8" waffles.

This one we had on Christmas Morning: I modified a recipe I found at http://ellysaysopa.com

Pumpkin Gingerbread Waffles

3 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
2.5 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1.25 cups pumpkin puree
1/4 cup molasses
1.25 cups low fat buttermilk
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1.5 tsp. vanilla

Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In another bowl, beat the eggs and egg whites with the until fluffy. Add the pumpkin,maple syrup,  molasses, buttermilk, butter and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients–don’t overmix.

These are great with applesauce on top! Yummy!