I have recently been exploring more healthy options while on my path to a lighter me. It started with just the organic milk (which typically has an expiration date twice as late as non-organic) and has slowly progressed to whatever has an organic version conveniently next to the non-organic choice. This article on Oprah.com has a list that ranks the amount of pesticides in different produce. Another rule of thumb that has been passed on to me, is if you eat the skin or the skin is thin, you should probably consider organic. What I am still trying to find is the best healthy sugar substitute. This article at Time.com makes me consider a strategy that an Africa-bound friend of mine employed, black coffee. I just don't think I could do it. Perhaps I'll just go the organic route and use too much raw sugar, and just be confident that the calories are at least pesticide-free.
But to go along with the organic question, I have been searching for less Southern cuisine and for more healthier dinner options and tasty-guiltless snacks. With these goals in mind I have turned to Weight Watcher cookbooks (specifically the 5-ingredient ones that are next to the magazines in the checkout line), MarthaStewart.com which has an awesome option that lets you save, label, and categorize recipes you like. This has helped me select several healthy recipes and then my picky husband can scroll down the list and pick out something that he will actually eat. As I'm sure you know, with the years that Martha has behind her empire there is a lot to choose from, and the label feature has made her website my favorite for a recipe source out of comparable websites. My other favorite source (which spurred this blog) is my iPhone app for EatingWell.com. I'm able to select my favorite recipes and has full pictures with categories for poultry, meat, seafood, or veggies, or divided into type of meal (appetizer, lunch, dinner, etc.), or into time divisions (15, 30, 45 minutes). Also each recipe comes with nutritional facts! and labels like: high fiber, heart healthy, low carbs, etc. Planning dinner away from home is so much easier at the spur of the moment. Tonight was: "Cucumber & Black-Eyed Pea Salad" so good!
I'm off to eat my awesome salad and have some Starbucks Via coffee with Kroger granulated definitely not organic sugar! Please be sure to share any of your healthy eating habits!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
House Guests
Now that my husband and I have moved into our rental home for the next year (maybe more), my southern hospitality gene has kicked in. Now that we have the space to host people in our home, that means we should, right? My husband is South African, but not Southern, so he doesn't quite get it. Why are you pretending that you cook a gourmet meal breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Don't get me wrong, he loves that all of the laundry gets done, the house is vacuumed, and my clutter is finally dealt with, but why do we need guests to motivate this behavior? Again, my Southern DNA is responsible. Tips I have found to achieve this false interior: "If you have time to clean only one room, it should be the bathroom. The one place people have time to reflect on the cleanliness of your home." "Vanilla cuts the smell of dog" (from my mother an owner of two indoor/outdoor dogs) "Hide things in your oven and dryer, no one opens those""To cover the smell of cleaning, bake cookies/cake/pie". All of these things can create an image of a beautiful, welcoming, clean home.
I do not pretend to be to modern in my roles, I enjoying being complimented on the state of my home, the taste of a meal, or exclamations over a beautiful room. My husband knows that this makes me happy and will often over look expensive grocery bills to buy expensive spices, for meals I will likely only cook once, for these guests that will probably only stay once in the year we are in our home. God bless him. I recently found out that the International Farmers Market in Dekalb, Georgia (a neighborhood in Atlanta) sells spices by the cups for next to nothing (I mean less than $1!). I've recently gone on a health kick, so what better way to control what I'm eating, than cooking. Some of my favorite sources for healthy recipes are MarthaStewart.com and EatingWell.com. So far? I have lost 20 pounds! That's since July mind you, but still, twenty! My secret? The scale. If I see the reward (or consequence) of the previous day it helps. Now I haven't really denied myself anything. I, of course, will be eating Thanksgiving meals, but not eating after 7pm has really helped and when I want a dessert, I get one piece of chocolate (like one truffle). PS if you join Godiva's rewards/customer thing (for free) the give you a free piece of chocolate once a month in exchange for sending you emails. I am such a fan! When you want dessert (or really anything) check the serving size, you will be surprised, and only eat that much. Your Ben & Jerry's will last so much longer! Ok I know I'm bringing down the pilgrim spirit, but just remember, every year an American packs on one extra pound over the holidays they never lose...
I do not pretend to be to modern in my roles, I enjoying being complimented on the state of my home, the taste of a meal, or exclamations over a beautiful room. My husband knows that this makes me happy and will often over look expensive grocery bills to buy expensive spices, for meals I will likely only cook once, for these guests that will probably only stay once in the year we are in our home. God bless him. I recently found out that the International Farmers Market in Dekalb, Georgia (a neighborhood in Atlanta) sells spices by the cups for next to nothing (I mean less than $1!). I've recently gone on a health kick, so what better way to control what I'm eating, than cooking. Some of my favorite sources for healthy recipes are MarthaStewart.com and EatingWell.com. So far? I have lost 20 pounds! That's since July mind you, but still, twenty! My secret? The scale. If I see the reward (or consequence) of the previous day it helps. Now I haven't really denied myself anything. I, of course, will be eating Thanksgiving meals, but not eating after 7pm has really helped and when I want a dessert, I get one piece of chocolate (like one truffle). PS if you join Godiva's rewards/customer thing (for free) the give you a free piece of chocolate once a month in exchange for sending you emails. I am such a fan! When you want dessert (or really anything) check the serving size, you will be surprised, and only eat that much. Your Ben & Jerry's will last so much longer! Ok I know I'm bringing down the pilgrim spirit, but just remember, every year an American packs on one extra pound over the holidays they never lose...
Easy Favorite Recipes
Today, I should say late night/this morning, I thought I would share so of my favorite recipes that I know right off the top of my head. These are obviously my favorites, because I memorized them, and they are obviously easy, because I memorized them. I thought this could be useful with the holidays, parties, and the bake gifts looming. I'll start with the most popular:
Corn Dip - I have never had so many people ask for one recipe and then had those people tell me how many people asked them for the recipe and so one. I dare you to serve this and not get the same result (unless your friends are super healthy, in that case, who needs 'em?)
2 drained not rinsed cans of Mexi Corn or Corn with peppers (the picture has corn with red and green specs in it)
2 cups of Mayonnaise (like I said, loose your healthy friends or convert them with this)
2 cups of Monterrey Jack cheese (this is where people experiment with Pepper Jack, etc.)
1 cup of parmesan cheese
Mix ingredients all together. Place in a baking dish 8x8 or of comparable size (can be round). Bake in the oven on 325ish for 25ish minutes. We're going for the bubbly effect. The serve straight from the oven and serve with Fritos. I promise this one is such a crowd pleaser!
Extra Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies - it exactly what it sounds like, Tollhouse with extra sugar & vanilla. Follow the recipe on the Tollhouse chocolate chip bag (because you would be crazy to get any other kind) and replace the 3/4 granulated sugar for 1 cup, same with the brown sugar, and replace the wimpy one teaspoon of vanilla for a tablespoon. Now you have the best chocolate chip cookie dough ever! Who needs cookies? If you do though, please make sure you put you milk in the freezer for 15 minutes before you drink it.
Pepper Jelly Pecan Dip - Another one with Mayo (my family is definitely Southern)
1 cup green onions or scallions (basically one of the bunches held together by rubber band)
1 cup of crushed, food processed, diced, chopped, whatever you method, pecans
1 cup of mayo
1 cup of cheddar cheese
Mix the above mixture together, add a little extra of your favorite ingredient, spread a layer on a plate, then spread a thinner layer of pepper jelly over the mixture and serve with Ritz crackers. If you wait to serve this, please refrigerate.
Quick Teaser - Later on in the month, I will post the sweet potatoes with brown sugar/pecan crust, green bean casserole recipe, chocolate silk pie recipe, banana bread recipe (great to make for guests so always something yummy around), and wedding cookies (great for the baked gifts for teachers, mailmen, etc.). I'll also see if I can get my sister-in-law's brining technique for turkey, it was amazing last year!
Corn Dip - I have never had so many people ask for one recipe and then had those people tell me how many people asked them for the recipe and so one. I dare you to serve this and not get the same result (unless your friends are super healthy, in that case, who needs 'em?)
2 drained not rinsed cans of Mexi Corn or Corn with peppers (the picture has corn with red and green specs in it)
2 cups of Mayonnaise (like I said, loose your healthy friends or convert them with this)
2 cups of Monterrey Jack cheese (this is where people experiment with Pepper Jack, etc.)
1 cup of parmesan cheese
Mix ingredients all together. Place in a baking dish 8x8 or of comparable size (can be round). Bake in the oven on 325ish for 25ish minutes. We're going for the bubbly effect. The serve straight from the oven and serve with Fritos. I promise this one is such a crowd pleaser!
Extra Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies - it exactly what it sounds like, Tollhouse with extra sugar & vanilla. Follow the recipe on the Tollhouse chocolate chip bag (because you would be crazy to get any other kind) and replace the 3/4 granulated sugar for 1 cup, same with the brown sugar, and replace the wimpy one teaspoon of vanilla for a tablespoon. Now you have the best chocolate chip cookie dough ever! Who needs cookies? If you do though, please make sure you put you milk in the freezer for 15 minutes before you drink it.
Pepper Jelly Pecan Dip - Another one with Mayo (my family is definitely Southern)
1 cup green onions or scallions (basically one of the bunches held together by rubber band)
1 cup of crushed, food processed, diced, chopped, whatever you method, pecans
1 cup of mayo
1 cup of cheddar cheese
Mix the above mixture together, add a little extra of your favorite ingredient, spread a layer on a plate, then spread a thinner layer of pepper jelly over the mixture and serve with Ritz crackers. If you wait to serve this, please refrigerate.
Quick Teaser - Later on in the month, I will post the sweet potatoes with brown sugar/pecan crust, green bean casserole recipe, chocolate silk pie recipe, banana bread recipe (great to make for guests so always something yummy around), and wedding cookies (great for the baked gifts for teachers, mailmen, etc.). I'll also see if I can get my sister-in-law's brining technique for turkey, it was amazing last year!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Insomnia
Considering it is almost three o'clock in the morning and I am keeping myself up (but against my own will, sort of) I thought we could look at solutions to a problem it seems most of us face, except my husband, at one time or another...
Why am I up? Probably a couple of things: Drank coffee (regular Breakfast Blend at 7pm), frustrated with customer service (another story) and I opened my eyes and got up.
How I could be asleep? Enough ways that I could be if I tried...
1. Try and make your bedroom about just that, sleeping (yeah I know that doesn't quite flow, but again it's 3am). This means no work (don't worry I'm in the living room so as not to wake my husband who can sleep), no TV, no computer, no last minute twitter on your cell phone. Ok so in one fell swoop I violated all of these... Starting to see my problem? Studies have shown (you know, the same one you reference in all did-you-know conversations) that the lights in TVs and computers actually stimulate our brains so that it is harder for us to go to sleep. So if you are reading this and thinking the same thing I am (that I am not going to move my TV out of my bedroom because there is nothing better than a Saturday in bed watching a great movie) then just designate a time to turn it off and read a book. Apparently, though any exciting book should be avoided at bedtime because that keeps us up (read those insurance policies that don't make any sense). Again, nothing but bedtime oriented activities in the bedroom. This way, your body begins to associate the space with sleep. Now these studies have actually appeared in several of my psych textbooks and the moral of their story is that the more similar the location and atmosphere of the activity the easier the activity is. * True story * Participants who studied underwater, performed better on tests underwater (where they learned the material). You drive better in a car you're familiar with on a route you're familiar with, you test better in the same seat, same classroom you learned in, you sleep better with the same routine, the same room, same pillow you always sleep with. So... how in the world does anyone sleep on a plane!?!?
2. No exercise before bed. If you go straight to the gym from work, that's a-okay, but any later and you are waking your body up, so either give yourself that boost in the morning or make sure you fit it in about 3-4 hours before its time to nod off.
3. No caffeine. No chocolate, no candy, no coffee, no tea, no sugar. Yeah I think that one is pretty ridiculous too. But if you aren't eating after 7 or earlier it shouldn't be a problem?
4. Another study: Take a warm bath before you get in the bed, studies have shown that the drop in temperature (warm to cool) is actually getting us ready for bed, because our bodies typically like to sleep cooler since they actually tend to heat up (we warm up our sheets, blankets, mattresses during the night to create a toasty little bed furnace).
5. Now, if you are going to sleep but waking up still tired you might want to check your Snore Score on the American Sleep Apnea Association website. Sleep disorders are very common, so if you think you might exhibit some of the symptoms please consult a doctor and get some sleep!
**** Please know that this is my opinion and has not been evaluated by anyone, much less that FDA or CDC or even my mom. These are just ramblings of a sleep-deprived blogger. If you have any concerns about your sleep or any other health related issues, please consult a doctor! (One with a diploma and license is typically best)****
As for me, I am off to bed. I will not pick up my cell phone to check Twitter one more time. I will not watch any TV and I will try and drown out my husband's snoring (Thank you for your thoughts and prayers)
Why am I up? Probably a couple of things: Drank coffee (regular Breakfast Blend at 7pm), frustrated with customer service (another story) and I opened my eyes and got up.
How I could be asleep? Enough ways that I could be if I tried...
1. Try and make your bedroom about just that, sleeping (yeah I know that doesn't quite flow, but again it's 3am). This means no work (don't worry I'm in the living room so as not to wake my husband who can sleep), no TV, no computer, no last minute twitter on your cell phone. Ok so in one fell swoop I violated all of these... Starting to see my problem? Studies have shown (you know, the same one you reference in all did-you-know conversations) that the lights in TVs and computers actually stimulate our brains so that it is harder for us to go to sleep. So if you are reading this and thinking the same thing I am (that I am not going to move my TV out of my bedroom because there is nothing better than a Saturday in bed watching a great movie) then just designate a time to turn it off and read a book. Apparently, though any exciting book should be avoided at bedtime because that keeps us up (read those insurance policies that don't make any sense). Again, nothing but bedtime oriented activities in the bedroom. This way, your body begins to associate the space with sleep. Now these studies have actually appeared in several of my psych textbooks and the moral of their story is that the more similar the location and atmosphere of the activity the easier the activity is. * True story * Participants who studied underwater, performed better on tests underwater (where they learned the material). You drive better in a car you're familiar with on a route you're familiar with, you test better in the same seat, same classroom you learned in, you sleep better with the same routine, the same room, same pillow you always sleep with. So... how in the world does anyone sleep on a plane!?!?
2. No exercise before bed. If you go straight to the gym from work, that's a-okay, but any later and you are waking your body up, so either give yourself that boost in the morning or make sure you fit it in about 3-4 hours before its time to nod off.
3. No caffeine. No chocolate, no candy, no coffee, no tea, no sugar. Yeah I think that one is pretty ridiculous too. But if you aren't eating after 7 or earlier it shouldn't be a problem?
4. Another study: Take a warm bath before you get in the bed, studies have shown that the drop in temperature (warm to cool) is actually getting us ready for bed, because our bodies typically like to sleep cooler since they actually tend to heat up (we warm up our sheets, blankets, mattresses during the night to create a toasty little bed furnace).
5. Now, if you are going to sleep but waking up still tired you might want to check your Snore Score on the American Sleep Apnea Association website. Sleep disorders are very common, so if you think you might exhibit some of the symptoms please consult a doctor and get some sleep!
**** Please know that this is my opinion and has not been evaluated by anyone, much less that FDA or CDC or even my mom. These are just ramblings of a sleep-deprived blogger. If you have any concerns about your sleep or any other health related issues, please consult a doctor! (One with a diploma and license is typically best)****
As for me, I am off to bed. I will not pick up my cell phone to check Twitter one more time. I will not watch any TV and I will try and drown out my husband's snoring (Thank you for your thoughts and prayers)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Holiday Entertaining
Getting into that Holiday Spirit yet? I hit it about Halloween time. Yes, I'm that person you hate. The one who is encouraging shopping malls to begin this wonderful season earlier and earlier... I can't help it! To quote the Muppet Chirstmas Carol (because that is what I am watching as I blog) "Have you ever noticed that everything seems wonderful at Christmas?" Don't get me wrong, my husband stresses out about the long list of gift exchanges that we shop for and he really can't stand the smell of cinnamon sticks (if you put them in a little teapot or pot at the back of your stove filled halfway with water, two or three cinnamon sticks, heat on low) but we are both suckers for Christmas music. Is it not the most refreshing change from "look at how awesome I am with all my awesome stuff" to "Love, peace on earth, happy birthday Jesus"?
Now the question comes in, for a southerner who is newly wed, with only a few pennies to rub together, how does one decorate for a Norman Rockwell Christmas? Simple. Keep it simple. White lights (which are always classic) and greenery. Now garland can get expensive, but if you ask the location where you get your tree for their extra cuttings, they typically give them away. These are the few extra branches at the bottom of each Christmas tree that get cut off so the tree can fit in the stand. So greenery and white lights. Now what about that Christmas glow? White/cream candles are always beautiful and cast a very flattering light. Apparently the best light for you and your guest is a glow! Another great idea on RealSimple.com is for a centerpiece that only requires sticks, spray paint, and a glass vase. YOu could even go really simple with just unpainted branches or some of those free Christmas tree branches in a vase. There are several really great money saving ideas on RealSimple.com for those of us on a budget this year. Just remember something that is always free and beautiful for the season is some love and kindness. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!
Now the question comes in, for a southerner who is newly wed, with only a few pennies to rub together, how does one decorate for a Norman Rockwell Christmas? Simple. Keep it simple. White lights (which are always classic) and greenery. Now garland can get expensive, but if you ask the location where you get your tree for their extra cuttings, they typically give them away. These are the few extra branches at the bottom of each Christmas tree that get cut off so the tree can fit in the stand. So greenery and white lights. Now what about that Christmas glow? White/cream candles are always beautiful and cast a very flattering light. Apparently the best light for you and your guest is a glow! Another great idea on RealSimple.com is for a centerpiece that only requires sticks, spray paint, and a glass vase. YOu could even go really simple with just unpainted branches or some of those free Christmas tree branches in a vase. There are several really great money saving ideas on RealSimple.com for those of us on a budget this year. Just remember something that is always free and beautiful for the season is some love and kindness. Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones!
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