Chocolate Chip "Cookies" for a rainy day

I only had one can of garbanzo beans in the pantry. I was really supposed to make hummus with that one can. But is was raining. Again. And I knew the only way I could get through another rainy day was to make cookies. Because you know, making cookies is about the only thing rainy days are good for. But if I make cookies, I have to EAT cookies. (You know, it's the law.)  I have made chocolate chip cookie dough dip with garbanzo beans and it's pretty good to spread on graham crackers (or eat with a spoon) but I really wanted COOKIES. So I made the cookie dough dip, added a little baking powder, and baked them. This is what I ended up with.

What you'll need:

1 can garbanzo beans, drain, rinse and then roll around on some paper towels in a bowl to remove as much water as possible
1/4 cup sugar free pancake syrup
3 Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 packets of Splenda
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp salt


What you'll do:

Pulse the drained garbanzo beans in the food processor until they get crumbly. Then add the remaining ingredients (minus chocolate chips) and pulse until you get dough-like consistency. If you over blend, it will become too thin and more like batter than dough. Then stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips by hand and a sprinkle of sea salt. Using 2 spoons, scoop dough onto cookie sheet in heaping teaspoons. They don't spread so it's okay to  get them pretty close together. It should make at least 25-26 cookies as long as you don't taste it too many times. I fit all 26 cookies on one cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until they look dry and are just beginning to get golden. Do NOT over bake.

No, they're not the real thing - but my honey gobbled them right up! And believe me, he KNOWS chocolate chip cookies. And check out the nutritional info:

Serving size: 3 cookies (yes, three!!) 142 calories, 4 g protein, 21 g carbs, 5 g fat

Compare that to 2 chocolate chip cookies made with flour and butter: 234 calories, 3 g protein, 28 g carbs, 14 g fat

I'm gonna call that a good rainy day trade.

This week's activity (10/22 - 10/28)

Monday
45 minute cardio/strength interval class
15 minutes abs
3 mile dog walk

Tuesday
5 mile run
2 mile dog walk

Wednesday
1 hour bar bell class
3 mile run
3 mile dog walk
12 minute ball workout

Thursday
1 hour barbell class
2 mile dog walk
15 minutes abs

Friday
12 minute workout

Saturday
4 mile hike

Sunday
5k Color Me Rad run - So FUN!!

Meal Plan (10/29 - 11/4)

This week's dinner proteins are chicken (of course), fish, and some lean ground beef. I think my honey might sprout wings from all the chicken he eats so I thought I'd surprise him with a couple of beef meals. Even "lean" ground beef isn't very lean but it is economical and we'll serve small portions with lots of veggies.  I'm still friends with cottage cheese and am eating the fat free version a couple times a week. My weekly veggie chop is still onion, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, zucchini, and yellow squash -- though this week I did add some chopped carrot and also  a can of black beans -- excellent with egg beaters for breakfast, added to greens for a quick salad, thrown into soup and quinoa, and snuck into wraps and sandwiches. 

Remember: 

• Food is fuel. 
• Weight control is 80% food choices and 20% exercise.

Day 1: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: egg beaters with veggies
Lunch: turkey lettuce wrap and Greek yogurt
Snack: fat free cottage cheese with pineapple and banana
Dinner: parmesan tilapia, roasted asparagus, balsamic cherry tomatoes

Day 2:

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on thin bun with milk
Lunch: soup and grilled reduced fat cheese sandwich
Snack: baby carrots with hummus and wheat crackers
Dinner: lean beef burger on thin bun, spinach and apple salad

Day 3: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: egg beaters with veggies
Lunch: veggie burger on greens
Snack: celery and peanut butter
Dinner: chicken with quinoa, and broccoli

Day 4:

Breakfast: peanut butter and banana on thin bun with milk
Lunch: soup, crackers, and cottage cheese
Snack: Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts
Dinner: weight watcher taco casserole and salad

Day 5: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: chocolate peanut butter protein shake
Lunch: egg salad on bed of greens
Snack: fat free cottage cheese and pineapple
Dinner: cauliflower "fried rice" with chicken and ginger soy snap peas

Day 6:

Breakfast: cereal with milk and fruit
Lunch: cottage cheese with veggies, apple and peanut butter
Snack: Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts 
Dinner: mini lean beef meat loaf, spicy smashed sweet potatoes, green beans

Day 7:

free day  :)

Pinterest Inspired Success Story

I kept seeing these cake recipes all over Pinterest and I have been overcome by chocolate chip cravings lately so I had to give it a try.

I mixed:

1 sugar free vanilla cake mix

with 12 oz of diet 7-Up 

Then folded in:

a scant 3/4 cups of mini chocolate chips.

And baked it in a bundt pan sprayed with cooking spray at 350 for 41 minutes. 

Oh

my

gosh...

I was afraid the lemon lime soda would make it taste funny but the consensus at my house was: moist, light, chocolaty goodness. 

For about 1/3 of the calories and 1/2 the fat, you could leave out the chocolate chips. (I mean I wouldn't, but you could.) I'm thinking next time I'll try a sugar free chocolate cake mix with a diet cream soda...and probably cupcakes for better portion control.

If you are craving a sweet treat but don't want to break your calorie budget, this is a winner. Or if you need to bring a dessert to a function where you know you're not the only one watching your weight, this is it. 

Yes, definitely a success.

Nutrition info: 1/12 of the cake (this is a big serving - but you'll want every bite!), 147 calories  2 g protein, 25 g carbs, 5 g fat

12 Minute Workout #4 - Get On the Ball

I'm not sure why but I was drawn to my exercise ball this morning. I haven't used it for a while and I guess I was feeling a little guilty. It is a great tool and kind of fun...

I set my timer app for 12 rounds of 50 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. I use the 10 second rest to get into position for the next exercise. This workout really works your back and abs. Though challenging, it didn't really get my heart rate up or break a sweat, so I kept my shoes on and pounded the pavement for a couple miles afterwards.

1. Crunches: sitting on the ball with feet flat on the floor and knees bent, lean back on the ball so it is supporting your lower back, finger tips behind the head in a light touch. Crunch up into a full sit up. Repeat.

2. Wall sit: place ball behind low back against a wall and roll down into a wall sit with knees over ankles. Feet can be narrow or wide. Leaning against the ball, pull abs in as you hang arms at side and hold for full time.

3. Push ups: in full push up position with ball under lower shins, long straight body, bend elbows to lower down with neutral neck, continue push ups until times is up.

4. Hip lifts: lie on back with heels and ankles on the ball, feet close, and toes pointed straight up, arms at sides on floor. Lift hips until body makes a straight line, then lower. Contracting abs, lift and lower until time is up.

5. Low back extensions: kneel on the floor with feet against a wall and adjust the ball so it is under your hips and between your belly button and your thighs. You may want to anchor your feet under a chair for leverage.   With arms folded over chest or finger tips lightly touching behind ears (advanced), squeeze glutes and lift upper body just until back is long and flat being careful not to hyper-extend, then roll body back down over ball. Straighten and round slowly until time is up.

6. Oblique crunches right: lie on left side with hips on ball and legs wide with feet against a wall (resting on the edges of your shoes with straight legs) and finger tips lightly touching behind ears. Contract obliques and lift left rib cage off ball in a sideways crunch, then roll back down. Repeat with control until time is up.

7. Oblique crunches left:  lie on right side with hips on ball and legs wide with feet against a wall (resting on the edges of your shoes with straight legs) and finger tips lightly touching behind ears. Contract obliques and lift right rib cage off ball in a sideways crunch, then roll back down. Repeat with control until time is up.

8. Pike rolls: in full push up position with hands under shoulders and shins on the ball, contract the abs and roll the ball closer to hands while piking hips up toward the ceiling, pause and then slowly roll back to start position - be careful not to let back sag but to keep a long straight line with the body. Repeat.

9. Lifted hip heel rolls: lie on back with calves on ball, feet together with toes pointed straight up. Lift hips off the floor and hold lifted position. Dig heels, bend the knees, and pull ball toward glutes then extend legs again, continuing to keep hips off the floor. Repeat.

10. Diagonal chops right: stand with wide feet and a wall to your right about an arm's length away, holding ball in both hands, squat down and tap ball to floor near your left foot, then lift ball up and diagonally overhead and tap it high on the wall above your head and right shoulder. Repeat.

11. Diagonal chops left: stand with wide feet and a wall to your left about an arm's length away, holding ball in both hands, squat down and tap ball to floor near your right foot, then lift ball up and diagonally overhead and tap it high on the wall above your head and left shoulder. Repeat.

12. Crunches: repeat exercise #1

Labels: misleading or misunderstood?

Most of us wrangle our way through more than a few nutrition labels while on our weekly shopping trek. We pay attention to calories per serving and number of servings per container, look at protein, carbs, and fat, take notice of sugars, try to avoid transfats, choose lower sodium, and search for ways to get more fiber.


Once we find those brands we like, we don't have to examine every label and shopping becomes a little faster and easier.

But food manufacturers are smart. They are constantly changing packaging in hopes of luring us to new - or even not new - products with buzzwords that capture our attention. Here are a few and what they really mean:

"calorie free" means it has less than 5 calories per serving

"low salt" should contain 1 gram or less of sodium per serving

"low sodium" means the product has less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving

"sodium free" products must have less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving, including sea salt

"reduced fat" means less than 25% of the total calories per serving come from fat 

"fat free" foods should have less than .5 grams of fat per serving

• Often reduced fat and fat free foods have added sugar and salt to enhance the flavor (that was the fat's job) so don't assume those foods are "healthier."

"cholesterol free" products must have less than 2 mg of cholesterol per serving

"low cholesterol" means less then 20 grams of cholesterol per serving

• But remember, your body makes cholesterol out of saturated fat so it's not just the cholesterol already present in a food we need to worry about. Another reason to opt for reduced fat dairy products!!

"high fiber" must contain at least 5 grams of fiber per serving

"good source of fiber" should have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving

"natural" means there are no artificial ingredients

"organic" means no pesticides were used when growing the product nor any preservatives when packaging

"fortified" means vitamins and trace elements have been added during manufacturing, as in most breakfast cereals.

• Are you confused yet?? The food manufacturers are SO tricky!

A couple great tips when choosing foods and reading food labels:

1. The shorter the list of ingredients, the better.
2. If you can't pronounce an ingredient, you probably don't want to eat too much of it either.
3. Think about a target with the bull's eye of the target being how a food originated: eat as close to the bull's eye as possible. The more a food has been "messed with" either by adding more ingredients, during processing, packaging or preserving, through enhancing or changing it in any other way, the further it gets from the bulls eye. The further from the bull's eye -- likely the less healthy and nutritious.

This week's activity (10/15-10/21)

Monday

45 minute cardio/strength interval class

15 minutes abs

3 mile dog walk

Tuesday

3 mile run

2 mile dog walk

Wednesday

1 jour bar bell class

2 mile dog walk

Thursday

1 hour bar bell class

4 mile hike

Friday

1 hour cardio/strength interval class
3 mile dog walk

Saturday

1 hour bar bell class
15 minutes abs

Sunday
4 mile dog walk

Meal Plan (10/22-10/28)

This week's meals include chicken 3 times at dinner, then a pound of ground turkey makes meatballs for one dinner and the rest goes into tacos. Lunches are quick and easy - turkey burgers and/or veggie burgers a couple days, tuna and egg salad, and my favorite frozen veggie. If I am hungry or sluggish between meals, my go-to is a small protein shake with some frozen fruit. At about 150 calories, it fills me up and keeps me out of the stash of animal crackers: better to add something nutritious than blow the whole day on extra empty calories. 


Day 1: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: protein shake
Lunch: turkey burger with tomatoes and baby spinach on thin bun, Greek yogurt
Snack: cottage cheese sprinkled with 1 tsp sugar free jello
Dinner: oven "fried" chicken with tomatoes, onion, squash ratatouille

Day 2:

Breakfast: overnight oats and fruit
Lunch: veggie burger and Simply Steamed veggies (Garden Vegetable Medley)
Snack: reduced fat cheese, crackers, apple
Dinner: stir fry chicken, onion, broccoli on brown rice

Day 3: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: egg beaters and veggies
Lunch: tuna salad stuffed tomato on greens
Snack: celery and peanut butter
Dinner: southwest black bean and corn quinoa

Day 4:

Breakfast: cereal with milk and fruit
Lunch: veggie burger and Simply Steamed veggies (Garden Vegetable Medley)
Snack: popcorn with peanuts and raisins
Dinner: turkey meatballs with spicy ketchup, green salad, cauliflower "mashed potatoes"

Day 5: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: protein shake
Lunch: egg salad on thin bun, cottage cheese with salsa
Snack: hummus and baby carrots
Dinner: green salad with hardboiled egg, chicken, sunflower seeds

Day 6:

Breakfast: overnight oats with fruit
Lunch: grilled cheese and veggie sandwich
Snack: cottage cheese sprinkled with 1 tsp sugar free jello
Dinner: ground turkey tacos, chiplotle slaw, fruit

Day 7:

free day  :)

Puppy Love

Is this not the cutest face ever?

We love our yellow dog. She is like our fifth child. 

She's pretty awesome. 

We think she's probably the best dog in the whole world.

Though if you have a furry family member, 

I would understand if you don't agree.

Recipe: Low Carb Pizza (Gluten Free)

This is one of those recipes that you might see and think - no thanks, too weird, or no way that works. Trust me. I thought all of the above and was pleasantly surprised. 

Low Carb Pizza (Gluten Free) aka Cauliflower Crust Pizza

What you need:

Crust
1 head cauliflower
3/4 cup egg beaters
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat mozzerella cheese
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Garlic Mrs Dash
1 1/2 tsp Italian herb Mrs Dash

Toppings:
3/4 cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded reduced fat mozzerella cheese
1/2 onion
3 roma tomatoes
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/3 yellow pepper
10 black olives
6 oz sun dried tomato chicken sausage (fully cooked)

What you do:

Trim the thick stems from of the cauliflower. Pulse the florets in a food processor until it resembles rice. (If you over pulse, it will quickly turn to a puree.) In large bowl, mix olive oil and seasonings into egg beaters. Stir in grated cauliflower and mix well. Line a cookie sheet (I like to use one with edges, like a jelly roll pan) with parchment paper. Spread out the cauliflower mixture and pat and shape it evenly to the edges to form a crust. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until it starts to brown a little and begins to look a little dry. Place another cookie sheet on top and carefully flip the crust over onto the second cookie sheet. Remove the parchment paper and return to the oven to bake an additional 10 minutes. Prepare toppings.

Spread sauce evenly over crust. Top with cheese, sausage and veggies. Return to oven and bake another 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly.

You may need to eat this pizza with a fork as the cauliflower crust is tender and not very sturdy  No, it doesn't taste like Pizza Hut Deep Dish. But it is good, significantly lower in calories and carbs, and perfect for that gluten free friend.


Nutrition info: 2 slices (1/4 of pizza) 336 calories, 28 g protein, 22 g carbs, 14 g fat, 7 g fiber
(compare to 2 slices of Papa John's Garden Fresh Pizza (veggies, no meat) 2 slices of 14 inch pizza: 560 calories, 22 g protein, 78 g carbs, 18 g fat, 4 g fiber

Warm soup for a cool fall day

My favorite thing to do on a cold evening is snuggle on the couch in a warm blanket with a fire in the fireplace. Oh yea. I don't have a fireplace. My second favorite thing to do is snuggle on the couch in a warm blanket with a hearty bowl of soup. Besides being super easy and really filling, this soup is also ridiculously cheap. Adjust the seasoning to your tastes but start light. You can always add more curry and pepper but  simmer the soup a little to develop the flavors before you get too heavy handed. The splash of lime juice just before serving is key. If you have any other veggies in the fridge that need to be eaten, throw them in. I've been known to add broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, and a multitude of others and it always tastes awesome. It is a very inclusive sort of soup. If a soup can be inclusive.

Coconut Lentil Soup

What you need:

1 cup red lentils
1/2 pepper, any color, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped or shredded
1 cup spinach, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced garlic, more if you like
1-2 tsp curry powder
1/3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup lite coconut milk
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 Tbsp lime juice
fresh chopped cilantro
cooked shredded chicken, optional


What you do:

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or dutch oven. Add onion, peppers, carrots, and spinach and cook 3-5 minutes until they soften and start to brown a little. Stir in ginger, garlic, curry, cinnamon, salt and pepper and cook until fragrant. Add garbanzo beans, coconut milk, tomatoes, lentils and enough water (at least 4-5 cups) to cover. Simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add more water for a thinner soup or let it thicken for a stew-like consistency. Just before serving, stir in lime juice and cilantro. My honey likes the extra protein of some cooked chicken stirred in though it is very yummy and satisfying without. Makes around 8-10 one cup servings.

Nutritional info: 1 cup about 160 calories, 9 g pro, 23 g carbs, 3 g fat, 9 g fiber

A Monday Morning Workout You Can Do Any Day

I woke up sore this morning. I love that. It reminds me that I worked hard yesterday. And typically I am sore on Tuesdays so that must mean my Monday morning class is effective. It is a build, repeat format of cardio/strength one minute intervals. After the first 2 minutes, you add on another exercise, then repeat all three, and add on again, then repeat those four and add on again, etc. Here is a version of what I teach on Mondays - you can use a timer set for 1 minute repeats or 50 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for at least 26 rounds. (Sometimes the 10 seconds of rest means you work harder during the working phase so it can be a good trade off.) You will need 1-2 sets of hand weights - I usually recommend a light set (for overhead shoulder work) and heavier set (for triceps and biceps) but you can get by with just one set also.

1. Alternate high knees with jogging in place (cardio - no weights): for the high knees, lean back very slightly and pull in abs, pump bent arms and really lift your knees. When jogging, lift heels behind you and reach and pull hands up over head and back down. Counting every time your right foot touches the floor, do ten high knees then ten jog/reaches and repeat until time is up.
2. Squats with overhead lifts and squat jumps: using a hand weight in each hand and hands close together, sit back into a squat and reach weights towards floor, pull weight in towards body and then up overhead (hands still together) as you stand out of squat. After 8 squats with overhead lifts, squat down and place weights on floor and do 4 squat jumps. On the last one, squat down and pick weights back up to continue squats with overhead lifts. Repeat until time is up.

1. Alternate high knees with jogging in place (cardio - no weights)
2. Squats with overhead lifts and squat jumps
3. Side lunge with triceps kickback: step wide out to one side and sink into that leg to hold a static side leg lunge (one leg bent low with hips to the back, the other leg straight; toes, knees, hips of both legs pointing straight ahead). Tip forward from hips, and lift elbows behind you with shoulders to elbows parallel to the floor. With hand weights, bend and extend arms in triceps kickbacks. Half way through time, step out to the other side in a static side lunge on the other leg and continue triceps kickbacks until time is up.


1. Alternate high knees with jogging in place (cardio - no weights)
2. Squats with overhead lifts and squat jumps
3. Side lunge with triceps kickback
4. Touch downs (cardio - no weights): Tipping from hips, reach down towards floor with one hand while bending the opposite knee. The other leg is extended out to the side. Quickly change feet in a little leap and reach towards floor with the other hand .This should really get your heart rate up. Repeat until time is up.


1. Alternate high knees with jogging in place (cardio - no weights)
2. Squats with overhead lifts and squat jumps
3. Side lunge with triceps kickback
4. Touch downs (cardio - no weights)
5. Static lunge with bicep curls: take a big step forward, roll back heel off the floor and sink down into a forward lunge with both knees at about 90 degrees. With hand weights, bend and extend elbows in a bicep curl. Don't let elbows sneak behind you or rest on the body. You can do hammer curls or palms up, or alternate between the two while staying low into the lunge. At the halfway point, switch legs and lunge on the other, continue biceps curls.


1. Alternate high knees with jogging in place (cardio - no weights)
2. Squats with overhead lifts and squat jumps
3. Side lunge with triceps kickback
4. Touch downs (cardio - no weights)
5. Static lunge with bicep curls
6. Plie's with torso twists: with very wide feet and toes pointed out, bend knees and sit into plie position - knees should be over ankles not toes. Pull shoulder blades back and keep chest open and abs in. With hand weights, open arms out into goal post position (elbows at shoulder height, palms forward), alternately rotate torso to side in a twist like you are looking over your shoulder and then forward again while keeping hips squared and staying low in the plie, then twist to the side to look over the other shoulder and then forward again  Continue twisting side to side in low plie until time is up.


1. Alternate high knees with jogging in place (cardio - no weights)
2. Squats with overhead lifts and squat jumps
3. Side lunge with triceps kickback
4. Touch downs (cardio - no weights)
5. Static lunge with bicep curls
6. Plie's with torso twist


Done!! That was a 26 minute workout. For my class, we have a 5 minute warm up, run through the whole series one more time, and then hit the floor for push ups and planks to make a 45 minute class.

Hopefully you will get to feel a little sore the day after.

 :)

This week's activity (10/8-10/14)

Monday

45 minute cardio/strength interval class

15 minute abs

3 mile dog walk

Tuesday

12 minute workout

4 mile dog "wog" - our dog is NOT a runner though I am trying to convince her she is. A dog wog consists of running for 5 minutes, then walking for 2, and repeat for the duration using an app on my phone. It's actually kind of fun; the walk/run intervals prevent the auto pilot from kicking in. By the end of every 4 minute burst, the yellow dog is lagging at the end of the leash but the two minute walk lets her sniff around and get back in front of me. 

Wednesday

1 hour bar bell class

2 mile dog walk

3 mile run

Thursday

3 mile dog walk

1 hour bar bell class

Friday

1 hour cardio/strength interval class

2 mile dog walk

Saturday

1 hour bar bell class

6 plus mile hike with the yellow dog

Sunday

5 mile run
15 minute abs

Meal Plan (10/14 - 10/20)

This week's meals will use up the left over pork tenderloin from last week. I also had a great coupon for veggie burgers so I will be using those. I love Morning Star brand, Spicy Black Bean variety but turkey burgers (or any other lean protein) would be an easy alternative if you are not a fan. I'm also on a fat free cottage cheese kick. I used to live on it. Then got sick of it and probably went for a whole year or more without. I don't know why - but cottage cheese and I are friends again. The lentil soup uses the left over coconut milk form last week's Chicken Curry recipe and the recipe for that and the cauliflower crust pizza will follow soon. 

Even if you don't follow the meal plan, make good clean food choices!! Drink lots of water and get enough sleep. Have a great weekend!


Day 1: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: chocolate peanut butter protein shake
Lunch: turkey, hummus, roasted red pepper lettuce wraps
Snack: Greek yogurt with almonds or sunflower seeds
Dinner: green salad with pork tenderloin and hard boiled egg

Day 2:

Breakfast: oatmeal with fruit
Lunch: cottage cheese, wheat crackers, hummus and baby carrots
Snack: celery with peanut butter and raisins
Dinner: spinach and quinoa enchiladas, chips and salsa

Day 3: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: egg beaters and veggies
Lunch: veggie burger on greens
Snack: cottage cheese and berries
Dinner: spaghetti squash with black bean and corn salsa and cheese

Day 4:

Breakfast: cereal with milk and fruit
Lunch: pork tenderloin sandwiches and veggies and dip
Snack: reduced fat cheese, wheat crackers, and fruit
Dinner: coconut lentil soup (recipe to follow)

Day 5: (lower carb day)

Breakfast: egg beaters and veggies
Lunch: veggie burger on greens and tomatoes
Snack: Greek yogurt and nuts
Dinner: cauliflower crust pizza with chicken and veggies (recipe to follow)

Day 6:

Breakfast: cottage cheese and toast with fruit
Lunch: grilled cheese and left over lentil soup
Snack: apple and peanut butter
Dinner: chicken and pesto stuffed shells and salad

Day 7:

free day  :)

Music

I am a music person. In the car, I listen to music - even if it means changing the channel 43 times on a 6 mile drive to avoid having to hear a commercial. But the other day I was driving the "wrong" car, and the presets weren't mine, and I was growing tired of pressing the seek button incessantly and just settled on some voice.

She was talking about relationships. And egos. And how even the most timid of us still have egos - like it or not. And how in any relationship, when there is a point of friction or disagreement, you have 2 choices.

You can either choose to be right

or

you can choose to do what's right for the benefit of the relationship.

That got me thinking. Sometimes we know we're right. I mean really right. We might be taken for granted, or taken advantage of, or under valued, or over worked, or ignored, or on and on.... And we even might be right. Pick a scenario and yes, it might be very accurate. We could rail on about the injustice, throw fits over the way we're treated, yell, pout, punish, whatever. Did it help? Are things different? Are things better? Will it bring a positive change? Sometimes the answer is YES. Sometimes we just gave reason to change the channel.

Or, we could do whatever it might take to benefit the relationship. Sometimes that means standing up for ourselves or sharing hurt feelings or stating needs or restating the rules. Sometimes that means setting the example of how we would like to be treated. Sometimes it means just accepting that not everyone is on their best behavior every minute of every day and sometimes the people we love the most unfortunately get to witness the worst in us. And some people, honestly, just don't know any better.

If every decision, every reaction, was measured based on how it would benefit whatever relationship we are currently experiencing -  imagine the impact it would have. Whether we're talking about a fellow co worker, friend, student, teacher, roommate, parent, child, sibling, loved one - if we respond to benefit each relationship we find ourselves in, think how fulfilled and healthy those relationships would become.

Music. That's what I want - in the car and in my relationships.

Dress your Salad

Building a salad to go with lunch or dinner (or to BE lunch or dinner) should be quick and easy.

Hearts of romaine have a decent shelf life and if stored properly can last the whole week. (I like to keep mine in a large sealed Rubbermaid container.) Bags of prewashed baby spinach and other greens are plentiful, convenient, and often on sale.The weekly veggie chop is a super quick and colorful addition to every salad. If you don't have a fresh apple or pear, having staples like dried cranberries and raisins in the pantry can add a sweet touch. Need something crunchy? Throw in some nuts, seeds, soy nuts, Chinese noodles or a couple croutons but be careful - the crunchies can also be a huge source of calories if we add too much. Think 1 Tbsp max. Same with the addition of cheese: go light. Cheese high in flavor like blue, feta, goat, or Parmesan can pack a flavor punch with just a small amount. Again 1 Tbsp should do it. If you're going for a complete meal, the addition of a little chicken, diced lean ham, slices of pork tenderloin, edamame, turkey or veggie burger, or a hard boiled egg does the trick. Adding about 2-3 ounces of protein will keep you going. A little avocado goes a long way to add some creamy mouth feel and excellent healthy fat.

Keeping all of these components accessible and available is key. Set yourself up for salad success ahead of time by chopping and slicing veggies, cooking a few hard boiled eggs at a time, and relegating lean protein from main meals to be used later in the week in salads. Otherwise it all sounds like "too much work for a salad" - I hear clients say this all the time. Sometimes I want to smack them for it....

And then - the dressing. Here's where most of us get in trouble. We've just made this beautiful nutritious salad and then we smother it with 200 calories (or more) of dressing. Why bother. Go get a burger. No, just kidding. But really. There are some great light or fat free dressings available. You may have to experiment to find the one you like. Walden Farms makes a line of calorie free dressings - the balsamic vinaigrette is AWESOME. I have no idea how they do it - it's calorie free, fat free, and sugar free. There are some ingredients I can't pronounce but it is really good.

Recently there have been some studies that say we need small amounts of omega 3 fatty acids to absorb the phyto-nutrients in all the veggies of our salad, especially lycopene, lutein, and beta carotene. Now we add a teaspoon of olive oil to our salad before we pour on a little Walden Farms dressing.

Another alternative is to make your own.  Here are some simple variations that are quick, easy, and cost efficient.

Balsamic Blue Cheese
1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup safflower oil*

Asian
1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp reduced sodium soy souse
1 tsp minced ginger
2 Tbsp chopped scallions
1/3 cup safflower oil*

Citrus Cilantro
1/2 tsp hot sauce or tobasco
3 tsp lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/3 cup safflower oil*

In each version, puree the ingredients in a blender and then add the safflower oil in a stream until emulsified. Makes 1/2 cup.

*Researchers think adding a tablespoon of safflower oil to your daily diet may help shrink your belly -- the amount of linoleic acid in the oil may help keep your body from storing fat.