Good Morning! I had trouble getting on this the past few days to post, sorry for the delay, but here we are. I want to share with you one of my favorite fruits that exists.........the LIME! My friend Joelle will tell you I carry them in my purse (only sometimes!).
Nutrition facts for one medium lime (lately I can only find small limes, so take that into consideration):
Calories 20, Total Fat 0, Cholesterol 0, Sodium 5mg, carbs 7g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 0.
**Can you see why I love these little green guys!
They are loaded with Vitamin C and they are delicious.
Ways I use my little green friends (the lime):
*Squeeze over your salad with a little olive oil (what a delicious way to cut the fat!)
*put on your mango or papaya
*slice 1/2 and avocado and 1 large tomato, squeeze a little lime juice...delicious! (add shaved red onion, too!)
*Squeeze over sliced onions to reduce the "sting"
*Squeeze over your fish after you grill it...I use it on salmon and tilapia specifically.
*Squeeze it on your meats as a marinade, with a little salt and pepper
*Use in place of lemon in your ceviche salads
Try lime on anything you might put salad dressing on, you will taste the difference! Creamy salad dressings hide the flavor of your veggies, the little green friend (the lime) will enhance the flavor of anything you put it on.
A tossed salad I always make, this is full of flavor:
*Chopped romaine lettuce
*Sliced avocado
*Sliced tomato
*Shaved red onion
*squeeze the juice of 2 to 3 limes over the salad
*about 2 Tbsp. olive oil
*salt and pepper
*sometimes I add very thinly sliced cucumber to this salad
Toss together and enjoy
Have a blessed and glorious day, remember to love and accept your body as Jesus loves and accepts you...God is glorious!
I have to go now, my husband is playing the most beautiful Goo Goo Dolls song on his acoustic guitar and it is melting my heart right now....he is just too talented (thank you Jesus!).
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
A Few Recipes Today...
Thought I would share a little today:
This is a veggie soup I just put on the stove today:
1 32oz. container vegetable broth
1 15oz. can hunts tomato sauce
2 containers "Fresh Harvest Medley" (this is yams, butternut Squash, and turnips all cubed and ready to be tossed in the pot from Trader Joe's!)
1 small package fresh frozen green beans
1 cup frozen edamame (soy) beans
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
Put all ingredients in a soup pot, if more liquid is needed to fill the pot just above the vegetables, add water. Bring to a boil, let simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes.
This soup is so tasty and delicious! You can serve a loaf of ciabatta or sourdough bread with it!
What I will have for dinner tonight:
4 oz. grilled tilapia
1 cup arugula
1/4 red onion, shaved
Blue cheese sprinkles
lemon
Put the arugula in your bowl first, then the onion, then tilapia. Sprinkle blue cheese over top. Squeeze lemon juice over salad. Salt and pepper to taste. So good!
My Chicken Salad:
Grilled chicken, shredded or cubed
Red seedless grapes, cut in half
Red onion, shaved and chopped
Walnuts or almonds, chopped
Safflower or eggless mayonnaise
salt and pepper
Chop all ingredients, stir in just enough mayo to your liking, add salt and pepper. I don't add the nuts because of my son's allergy, but either way, this recipe is yummy!
Serve on toasted whole wheat bread with fresh fruit or carrot sticks or over a bed of lettuce.
Even my kiddos love this chicken salad.
My challenge for you this week: Eat at least two pieces of fruit every day....make one piece of fruit citrus!
Have a fantastic day!
This is a veggie soup I just put on the stove today:
1 32oz. container vegetable broth
1 15oz. can hunts tomato sauce
2 containers "Fresh Harvest Medley" (this is yams, butternut Squash, and turnips all cubed and ready to be tossed in the pot from Trader Joe's!)
1 small package fresh frozen green beans
1 cup frozen edamame (soy) beans
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
Put all ingredients in a soup pot, if more liquid is needed to fill the pot just above the vegetables, add water. Bring to a boil, let simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes.
This soup is so tasty and delicious! You can serve a loaf of ciabatta or sourdough bread with it!
What I will have for dinner tonight:
4 oz. grilled tilapia
1 cup arugula
1/4 red onion, shaved
Blue cheese sprinkles
lemon
Put the arugula in your bowl first, then the onion, then tilapia. Sprinkle blue cheese over top. Squeeze lemon juice over salad. Salt and pepper to taste. So good!
My Chicken Salad:
Grilled chicken, shredded or cubed
Red seedless grapes, cut in half
Red onion, shaved and chopped
Walnuts or almonds, chopped
Safflower or eggless mayonnaise
salt and pepper
Chop all ingredients, stir in just enough mayo to your liking, add salt and pepper. I don't add the nuts because of my son's allergy, but either way, this recipe is yummy!
Serve on toasted whole wheat bread with fresh fruit or carrot sticks or over a bed of lettuce.
Even my kiddos love this chicken salad.
My challenge for you this week: Eat at least two pieces of fruit every day....make one piece of fruit citrus!
Have a fantastic day!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Enjoy your Sunday! Go praise the Lord today for your healthy family!
Happy Sunday! Hope you get to worship with the Lord the way our church worships!
Enjoy your day....have that donut and coffee after church if you really are wanting it! You should fall into your cravings every once in a while so you don't binge......have the one donut today so you don't go tomorrow and buy a whole box of donuts and eat them!
Remember to eat in moderation. Don't stuff yourself...that is so uncomfortable! Eat until you are satisfied (that content feeling your tummy has that falls right in between feeling hungry and feeling stuffed).
Another thing to remember, DON'T eat by the clock...for instance, don't eat your morning snack every morning at 10 A.M. just because it is 10 A.M. Listen to your body, it will tell you when it is hungry, you will feel it. You want to feel your hunger rather than think your hunger. When you feel your hunger, drink a glass of water first. If you still feel hungry after about 10 to 15 minutes, then have your snack. By eating in moderation and only when you are hungry, you will find you will need to give your body at least four feedings a day...just make sure they are healthy, moderate feedings.
By the way, ALWAYS eat breakfast. Start your day off right. Breakfast gets that metabolism going and let's your body know you are not starving it. If your body thinks it is being starved, it will slow your metabolism down and work really hard to hold onto the fat on your body....we don't want that! We work too hard to keep the fat off....so eat breakfast and get your motor (metabolism) going for the day!!
Blessings to all of you!
Today is a beautiful day and you are all beautiful people!!
Enjoy your day....have that donut and coffee after church if you really are wanting it! You should fall into your cravings every once in a while so you don't binge......have the one donut today so you don't go tomorrow and buy a whole box of donuts and eat them!
Remember to eat in moderation. Don't stuff yourself...that is so uncomfortable! Eat until you are satisfied (that content feeling your tummy has that falls right in between feeling hungry and feeling stuffed).
Another thing to remember, DON'T eat by the clock...for instance, don't eat your morning snack every morning at 10 A.M. just because it is 10 A.M. Listen to your body, it will tell you when it is hungry, you will feel it. You want to feel your hunger rather than think your hunger. When you feel your hunger, drink a glass of water first. If you still feel hungry after about 10 to 15 minutes, then have your snack. By eating in moderation and only when you are hungry, you will find you will need to give your body at least four feedings a day...just make sure they are healthy, moderate feedings.
By the way, ALWAYS eat breakfast. Start your day off right. Breakfast gets that metabolism going and let's your body know you are not starving it. If your body thinks it is being starved, it will slow your metabolism down and work really hard to hold onto the fat on your body....we don't want that! We work too hard to keep the fat off....so eat breakfast and get your motor (metabolism) going for the day!!
Blessings to all of you!
Today is a beautiful day and you are all beautiful people!!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Happy Saturday!
Saturday mornings are a great time to spend a little time in the kitchen prepping food and snacks for the week (as if we don't have enough we need to do...cleaning, laundry, etc.), but this is great practice if you can get into it!
I just spent a few minutes cutting up a couple of cantaloupe, a watermelon, a pineapple. I put each in their own container and placed them in the fridge, now they are ready for when someone is wanting a snack.
Also, a great way to prep chicken for the week (for all the meat eaters out there) is to put your chicken breasts in a gallon ziploc bag, squeeze at least 2 lemons worth of juice in the bag, add 4 to 5 cloves of freshly peeled garlic, salt and pepper. Close the bag and put in the fridge. Your chicken will taste delicious! Using different marinades is fine too, just watch the calorie count on those marinades.
I know I 've talked a bit about fruit, now about meat. I urge you to buy your meats from a market that carries brands with no hormones, no nitrates, no nitrites, and no steroids in their meats. Even if you see the words "All Natural" on a package, dig deeper and read more into the package to make sure the meat is hormone free! Steroids and chemicals in the meat means steroids and chemicals into you and your families body! What an easy way to gain weight without knowing, good old steroids! Also, because of these steroids, young girls bodies are developing way before their time. Ten year old girls are walking around in a twenty year old body (boobs and all!). I could go on and on.....
Anyway, if you haven't shopped at Trader Joe's yet, please get over there and check it out. Not only are their prices amazing (for natural, organic foods), their meat is junk free! If Trader Joe's doesn't carry it, you don't need it!
Other markets that carry chemical free foods: Whole Foods Market (expensive) and Sunflower Market. Some major grocery stores now have "Organic" sections. Just look around when you are out shopping, see what's out there!
My find of the week:
All Natural Hawaiian Chicken Meatballs at Sam's Club, they are yummy!
Have a GREAT weekend!!
Get out and enjoy the sunshine.
I just spent a few minutes cutting up a couple of cantaloupe, a watermelon, a pineapple. I put each in their own container and placed them in the fridge, now they are ready for when someone is wanting a snack.
Also, a great way to prep chicken for the week (for all the meat eaters out there) is to put your chicken breasts in a gallon ziploc bag, squeeze at least 2 lemons worth of juice in the bag, add 4 to 5 cloves of freshly peeled garlic, salt and pepper. Close the bag and put in the fridge. Your chicken will taste delicious! Using different marinades is fine too, just watch the calorie count on those marinades.
I know I 've talked a bit about fruit, now about meat. I urge you to buy your meats from a market that carries brands with no hormones, no nitrates, no nitrites, and no steroids in their meats. Even if you see the words "All Natural" on a package, dig deeper and read more into the package to make sure the meat is hormone free! Steroids and chemicals in the meat means steroids and chemicals into you and your families body! What an easy way to gain weight without knowing, good old steroids! Also, because of these steroids, young girls bodies are developing way before their time. Ten year old girls are walking around in a twenty year old body (boobs and all!). I could go on and on.....
Anyway, if you haven't shopped at Trader Joe's yet, please get over there and check it out. Not only are their prices amazing (for natural, organic foods), their meat is junk free! If Trader Joe's doesn't carry it, you don't need it!
Other markets that carry chemical free foods: Whole Foods Market (expensive) and Sunflower Market. Some major grocery stores now have "Organic" sections. Just look around when you are out shopping, see what's out there!
My find of the week:
All Natural Hawaiian Chicken Meatballs at Sam's Club, they are yummy!
Have a GREAT weekend!!
Get out and enjoy the sunshine.
Friday, January 22, 2010
A Few Thoughts to Pass Your Way
So, did you know if you take your current body weight and multiply it by 10, it will equal the amount of calories you should eat daily to maintain your weight.
For instance, if you weighed 150 pounds.... 150 x 10 = 1500, therefore a 150 pound person should consume 1500 calories a day to maintain their weight.
Obviously, if you want to lose weight, you consume less calories than the answer to the above equation!
Remember, when deciding to lose a little weight, changing your lifestyle and the way you eat is A LOT healthier than going on a diet! Also, a healthy range of weight exists for each level of height and body type. Be sure to know your range of weight, and remember your goal is to be healthy, not as skinny as you were in high school! By the way, you all have beautiful bodies and beautiful minds!
Here is a fun little treat for you (and a great way to get in a little fruit):
FRUIT PIZZA
1 Pillsbury Pie Crust
whipped cream cheese
marshmallow creme
several types of fruit (kiwi, strawberry, raspberry, banana, etc.)
powdered sugar
Directions:
Flatten the pie crust on a pizza pan and bake according to directions on the box.
Once crust is baked, remove from oven and let cool for just a few minutes.
Mix equal parts of cream cheese and marshmallow together and spread on pie crust.
Cut up all fruit and arrange on top of pie crust.
Sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top (just dust the top).
This is super yummy!
By the way it totally goes against what I wrote about fruit a few days ago, but it is a great way to get kiddos to eat fruit (and a little better alternative as a dessert).
Thanks for your time!
Have a Blessed Day!
For instance, if you weighed 150 pounds.... 150 x 10 = 1500, therefore a 150 pound person should consume 1500 calories a day to maintain their weight.
Obviously, if you want to lose weight, you consume less calories than the answer to the above equation!
Remember, when deciding to lose a little weight, changing your lifestyle and the way you eat is A LOT healthier than going on a diet! Also, a healthy range of weight exists for each level of height and body type. Be sure to know your range of weight, and remember your goal is to be healthy, not as skinny as you were in high school! By the way, you all have beautiful bodies and beautiful minds!
Here is a fun little treat for you (and a great way to get in a little fruit):
FRUIT PIZZA
1 Pillsbury Pie Crust
whipped cream cheese
marshmallow creme
several types of fruit (kiwi, strawberry, raspberry, banana, etc.)
powdered sugar
Directions:
Flatten the pie crust on a pizza pan and bake according to directions on the box.
Once crust is baked, remove from oven and let cool for just a few minutes.
Mix equal parts of cream cheese and marshmallow together and spread on pie crust.
Cut up all fruit and arrange on top of pie crust.
Sprinkle a little powdered sugar on top (just dust the top).
This is super yummy!
By the way it totally goes against what I wrote about fruit a few days ago, but it is a great way to get kiddos to eat fruit (and a little better alternative as a dessert).
Thanks for your time!
Have a Blessed Day!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
Water, water, water. Drink it, drink it, drink it! You will pee.....A LOT! If you are peeing, you are flushing toxins out of your body, isn't that wonderful!! You should never feel thirsty, your mouth should never feel dry. If you are thirsty, your body is dehydrated. So drink it up! Hot tea (green tea is best for you...I'll talk about that another time). Add a squeeze of lemon, lime, or orange to your water...so tasty! If you drink tea, go herbal and caffeine free. If you need to drink flavored water, just PLEASE make sure it does not contain Aspartame (the ingredient of the devil).
By the way, Starbucks makes a yummy green tea latte. I order mine without the syrup and with soy milk...what a treat!
Snack for Today:
Dried banana chips with a dab of semi-sweet chocolate chips (great for kiddos and adults)
Lunch for Today:
Simple Ceviche...(My wonderful Mom's recipe!)...
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
4 oz. cooked then chilled shrimp without the tails, chopped
mix it all up, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over all of it,
add a little salt a pepper.
This really is Delicious!
Have a Wonderful day.
By the way, Starbucks makes a yummy green tea latte. I order mine without the syrup and with soy milk...what a treat!
Snack for Today:
Dried banana chips with a dab of semi-sweet chocolate chips (great for kiddos and adults)
Lunch for Today:
Simple Ceviche...(My wonderful Mom's recipe!)...
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
4 oz. cooked then chilled shrimp without the tails, chopped
mix it all up, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over all of it,
add a little salt a pepper.
This really is Delicious!
Have a Wonderful day.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Good Mornings
Start that beautiful day God gave you in a beautiful way...
Treat that body of yours like it should be treated....as a temple to the Lord! Remember...our body is a gift from God, how we take care of it is our gift back to Him!!
Your mornings should be a time to start FRESH! Let everything that goes in it be FRESH! Fruit for breakfast is a great way to get "moving", if you know what I mean. Fresh melon, a bowl of mixed berries, grapefruit (my choice usually), orange slices, mango with lime juice (yum-yum!), or the ultimate... a fruit and juice smoothie. If you make your smoothie, make sure it is all fruit, no dairy that goes inside of it!
A yum-yum smoothie we love:
Orange juice,
banana,
canteloupe (ripe, of course..makes it sweeter),
ice,
a little spot of honey.
My breakfast this morning:
An apple (30 minutes before the toast)
slice of Ezekiel toast
Green tea
Quick note:
One thing I read about eating fruit....eat it by itself, not with anything else. If eaten with a meal it will likely ferment in your tummy (no fun...bloating, gassy, stinky). Give yourself about 20 - 30 minutes before or after a meal to eat your fruit...or eat it as your mid-morning or afternoon snack.
Blessings to all of you!
Have a FRESH day
Treat that body of yours like it should be treated....as a temple to the Lord! Remember...our body is a gift from God, how we take care of it is our gift back to Him!!
Your mornings should be a time to start FRESH! Let everything that goes in it be FRESH! Fruit for breakfast is a great way to get "moving", if you know what I mean. Fresh melon, a bowl of mixed berries, grapefruit (my choice usually), orange slices, mango with lime juice (yum-yum!), or the ultimate... a fruit and juice smoothie. If you make your smoothie, make sure it is all fruit, no dairy that goes inside of it!
A yum-yum smoothie we love:
Orange juice,
banana,
canteloupe (ripe, of course..makes it sweeter),
ice,
a little spot of honey.
My breakfast this morning:
An apple (30 minutes before the toast)
slice of Ezekiel toast
Green tea
Quick note:
One thing I read about eating fruit....eat it by itself, not with anything else. If eaten with a meal it will likely ferment in your tummy (no fun...bloating, gassy, stinky). Give yourself about 20 - 30 minutes before or after a meal to eat your fruit...or eat it as your mid-morning or afternoon snack.
Blessings to all of you!
Have a FRESH day
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Why Can't We All Live Off of Soda and Fast Food?
Here's the deal, choose what you want to eat....after all it is your body! I am the way I am with food for one specific reason. My father acquired....did you hear me say acquired...a destructive, debilitating, deadly, life-sucking blood cancer known in the world of medicine as Aplastic Anemia at the ripe age of 32. He acquired this cancer from a chemical released into the environment from two large factories where he grew up as a child and teenager. This chemical, Benzene, soaked into his system and over the course of time attacked his blood. (The two factories, by the way, were Firestone and Clorox...just in case you want to boycott them like I do!) At the age of 33 he died. This was 25 and a half years ago. My Aunt Sonja died of the same acquired blood cancer 3 and a half years ago.
Because of the chemical factor involved in their illness, I live daily working to keep food chemicals and chemical ingredients of food away from the mouths of my children and myself. Some food choices I make for us are very simple changes others are discovered through the books, articles, magazines and journals I read on nutrition.
Do you even think about what you are eating before you eat it or do you just pick a drive-thru when you "think" you are hungry?
So, my FIRST SIMPLE TIPS OF THE DAY....
STOP DRINKING SODA!
STOP DRINKING ANY TYPE OF DIET DRINK (they are even worse than regular sodas)
DON'T EAT OR DRINK (OR CHEW ANY GUM) THAT CONTAINS ASPARTAME....JUST DON'T...PLEASE DON'T...PROMISE ME YOU WON'T!
**Aspartame is also disguised under the ingredient names of SORBITOL and XYLITOL***
MY CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK:
NO FAST FOOD...stop the drive-thru addiction!
My Yum-Yum Snack to share with you: Raw almonds, craisins, and white chocolate chips
Use equal amounts of each, mix 'em up and enjoy.
P.S. This is a great snack for kiddos, they love it!
Okay, that's it for today folks. I hope this benefits you and your loved ones!
Because of the chemical factor involved in their illness, I live daily working to keep food chemicals and chemical ingredients of food away from the mouths of my children and myself. Some food choices I make for us are very simple changes others are discovered through the books, articles, magazines and journals I read on nutrition.
Do you even think about what you are eating before you eat it or do you just pick a drive-thru when you "think" you are hungry?
So, my FIRST SIMPLE TIPS OF THE DAY....
STOP DRINKING SODA!
STOP DRINKING ANY TYPE OF DIET DRINK (they are even worse than regular sodas)
DON'T EAT OR DRINK (OR CHEW ANY GUM) THAT CONTAINS ASPARTAME....JUST DON'T...PLEASE DON'T...PROMISE ME YOU WON'T!
**Aspartame is also disguised under the ingredient names of SORBITOL and XYLITOL***
MY CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK:
NO FAST FOOD...stop the drive-thru addiction!
My Yum-Yum Snack to share with you: Raw almonds, craisins, and white chocolate chips
Use equal amounts of each, mix 'em up and enjoy.
P.S. This is a great snack for kiddos, they love it!
Okay, that's it for today folks. I hope this benefits you and your loved ones!
Okay...Here we go...
Okay, so I decided to create this blog to share with you what goes into our bodies on a regular basis. I am NOT a nutritionist, I am NOT a doctor, I am NOT a dietician. I AM a mother of two who has always had a book on her nightstand about nutrition or health. I have read a lot in my thirty-something years about food intake.
It is not unusual for someone to ask my opinion of food related topics or about a recipe, food allergies, nutrition choices for their kids, or just have an hour long conversation about food, health, or wellness.
If I had not chosen to study special education as my life's work, I would have chosen a career that had something to do with nutrition or wellness. I do not feel I am any different than any other mom who cares about her kids and I am sure many other moms exist who take better nutritional care of their children than I do. With that all being said, please take my suggestions for what they are worth, just suggestions. I will post recipes I have used, suggestions, snacks, books I've read, movies I've watched, markets and restaurants I frequent, and favorite items I keep in the house or in the travel bag. Please let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is always appreciated
It is not unusual for someone to ask my opinion of food related topics or about a recipe, food allergies, nutrition choices for their kids, or just have an hour long conversation about food, health, or wellness.
If I had not chosen to study special education as my life's work, I would have chosen a career that had something to do with nutrition or wellness. I do not feel I am any different than any other mom who cares about her kids and I am sure many other moms exist who take better nutritional care of their children than I do. With that all being said, please take my suggestions for what they are worth, just suggestions. I will post recipes I have used, suggestions, snacks, books I've read, movies I've watched, markets and restaurants I frequent, and favorite items I keep in the house or in the travel bag. Please let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is always appreciated
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