700 CUPCAKES...ALL MADE FROM SCRATCH

If you are going to eat sweets,

 HOMEMADE IS

THE WAY TO GO. 

Sweets should be once in awhile.  They do not need to be part of your everyday intake, but should be a menu item that YOU DECIDE is right for a certain occasion.  I have learned to control calories and eat Dessert I really enjoy and I keep my serving to 4 BITES...TRY IT... only 4 bites of a Delicious Dessert and push the plate away.  Do not take 4 BIG BITES...BUT 4 Moderate Bites!  I recently made 700 Mini Cupcakes and realized it is the perfect dessert size. 

Here's me with my IN STYLE Hairnet!  

 After preparing and serving a dinner for 200 at my church...12 hours later..

I came home, sat down and along with a hot cup of coffee, I placed an expresso homemade mini cupcake on my plate and ate it with a fork and it took 4 BITES! 

I enjoyed every bite and HONESTLY, I did not need more...4 BITES was enough.  Why does Homemade make a difference...Learn to add FRESH ingredients like Citrus Juice and ZEST...add zest to Vinaigrettes, Icing, fillings, Salads, Teas, Yogurt,  pastas, sauces, etc...

* Citrus Juice is one if the best sources of vitamin C ~ 1 ounce supplies 120% of the Daily Value ~ Vitamn C is known to lead to less body fat and smaller waist measurements.  Some reasearch shows that Vitamin C helps the body utilize fat as a fuel source (instead of just storing it leading to weight gain!)

DID YOU KNOW:   Other studies show us that Vitamin C is not just in the juice, but in the rind too!  A study from University of Arizona reported that eating as little as one Tablespoon of Citrus Zest per week can reduce the risk of some skin cancers by 30%...SO DO NOT THROW AWAY THE Skin of Oranges and Lemons.  WASH THEM, DRY THEM OFF and then ZEST them with a zester or potato peeler.  Use in cooking during the week or freeze. 

Frozen zest will keep about six months!

Is this how you feel as you go about your day?  Columbus, Ohio has the #1 Zoo in America, so it is a great way to spend a day with my teenagers, YES...teenagers can enjoy the Zoo!  I love taking teenagers to the Zoo...no need for STROLLERS, PACKED LUNCHES, SIPPY CUPS, CHANGE OF CLOTHES, WAGON, HAT, etc..... AND THERE IS NO CRYING!

I laughed as I found myself saying, "What was that parent thinking bringing that child to the Zoo"! 

Of course I spent hours upon hours at the Zoo when the kids were young with all the above necessities and many hours dealing with crying, spilling and changings!

Actually when teenagers aren't talking, they are actually easier to travel with!!

Our diet and lack of routine and rules can leave us sluggish, tired and looking like this bear coming out of hibernation!!

If you are a Women, you spend your day taking care of everyone around you and then you justify a treat that you have somehow earned!  Usually it is not a treat or a Gift at all, but a curse on your hips...french fries can be my escape, but they become my enemy in the end!

Here are some tips to REALLY REWARDING YOURSELF AND GIVING YOURSELF MORE ENERGY!...from my favorite Nutrition book right now called CINCH by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD:

"Rules are the foundation of change; they create boundaries that prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and guidelines to keep you on track." 

Rules are not binding, constricting and hard to follow...rules change chaos into ORDER!  It is a simple fact of life!

Here are 3 Rules from the book CINCH:

1.  Eat like Clockwork ~

*Eat breakfast within ONE HOUR of waking up.  (the word breakfast comes from breaking the fast from sleeping)

*Then Space MEALS 3 to 5 hours apart!

This helps to regulate blood sugars, insulin levels and your hunger hormones along with REVING your metabolism!

*Eat 4 meals per day!

2.  Think, "Five Pieces FOUR TIMES per DAY!

Have a serving from each group below...no need to count calories, but it is important to understand portion sizes!

*Produce

*AWhole Grain

*Lean Protein

*Plant-Based Fat

*Seasonings

3. Make Flavor Your Focus

*Vinegar

*Citrus Juice or zest

*Hot Peppers

*Tea

*Herbs and spices

Lets put flavor back in our foods without adding more salt, butter or sugar!

Here is a great snack (one of your 4 meals/day):

Produce:  1 medium Apple with skin, finely chopped

whole grain:  1/4 cup whole oats

Lean Protein:  8 ounces skim milk

Plant Based Fat:  2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

Seasonings:  1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Toss the chopped apples with the lemon juice and cinnamon, and microwave on high for five minutes.  Top with the oats and walnuts, and serve with a side of milk

(or you can prepare the oats, mix with the milk and add the other ingredients for a great satisfying oatmeal!)



Don't be left standing on one foot, PUT BOTH FEET FORWARD to a better and HEALTHIER YOU!

I recently spent a week in Sarasota, Florida and enjoyed every minute of the warmth and BLUE BLUE Skies!!  I am a bird watcher or as my Teenage Children say..."a Bird Nerd".  So of course the birds on the beach got my attention!  They were hilarious and would surround you if you had any food at all!  NO, I was not eating on the beach, just walking and enjoying the Sand between my toes...because I do live in OHIO and sand is non existing!

Unlike the Birds, we should be PICKY about we chose to EAT!  We should eat low calorie FOODS in HIGH amounts and high Calorie in LOW amounts.  

My hubbies FABULOUS Chocolate Chip Cookies....do I run and avoid the kitchen when he makes them...MAYBE I lock myself in my bedroom, holding the pillow over my head so I do not smell them.  NO NO NO...I follow my "trick of the trade":

* 4 Bites of the High Calorie Foods I LOVE

* Make smaller batches so they are not around for a long time - make a batch of cookie dough, roll them in cookie size and freeze the dough except for the amount needed for your family that day!  I have a teenage son that can enjoy more than one cookie with a glass of milk!  It is great to be a Teenager!

*Have Something Nutritional with your High Calorie Treat

ex:  Milk and Cookies or Tortilla Chips with Mozzarello Cheese and Salsa.

 Portion PORTION Portion size is the KEY!

• Use Smaller Plates
• Measure until you are completely familiar with proper portions!
• Make your own Salad Dressing - Olive Oil and Apple Vinegar, add pepper and Salt Free Seasoning! Throw a little Celery Seed in.  Cut up some fresh, organic green onions and toss in!  FYI...Organic green onions are only about 20c more/batch and usually are fresher, larger and greener!

*Make MEALS using 4 or more COLORS! 

 When you focus on COLOR, you tend to pick FRESH Fruit and IN SEASON Vegetables.

Send me your Nutritional Questions...I am here to help YOU!

Back on TRACK...it is easy to get OFF!!

Do you ever find yourself walking in circles?  I feel that way this week!  It should be Spring, there is Snow on the Ground!  My job I have invested a lifetime in, is not what it should be.  The child I thought would only bring me Joy, is testing my patience!!  WHAT IS GOING ON...I think it is called LIFE!!

I thank the good Lord, He knows how the universe should spin!!  Phil 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

I find BALANCE in FOOD ~  learn to not let your food get you OUT OF CONTROL.  

I shared earlier:

**Pick 5 foods that are always in your weekly diet...add others to accent and always provide VARIETY
**Always Plate in larger portions the Fresh Foods ~ fruit, vegetables and USE great seasoning
Use Luncheon Plates, Put a higher calorie dish in a small dish like a custard cup to keep portion small.

**Do not go hungry, just learn to eat Low Calorie Items in higher amounts and the High Calorie Items in Smaller Amounts.   MEASURE when you are beginning to learn proper PORTION SIZES

For Me my 5 FOODS ~

• Eggs
• Raspberries/Blackberries
• Spinach
• Plain Yogurt
• Almonds/Almond Butter

I add Chicken, Fish, Whole Wheat Pasta/Bread, Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes, Fresh Vegetables and Fruit in Season. 

These food are always in my mind as acceptable choices, so when I am eating out or thinking about what I should prepare, I go to my 5 foods and then I can add to them. 

**Learn to Cook for the People you Love...give them Fresh, In Season and Closest to Natural.  Processed foods give them ingredients you are unfamiliar with, remember that when you are shopping!

We are BACK at the Grocery Store...it is a habit!

GROCERY STORE TOUR ~ TIP OF THE DAY: 

Did you know that 1 level teaspoon of sugar = 4 grams? Let this guide your selections. 

Read ingredients....How many teaspoons of SUGAR in 1 serving of your Favorite Breakfast Cereal....COMPARE and make some changes if necessary!  Look at the 2 examples and learn how to figure the sugar content out.  Look UNDER carbohydrates and look at SUGARS amount in grams.   4grams = 1 teaspoon so do the MATH!

Cinnamon Cheerios ~ 9gm Sugar  =  about 2 teaspoons of sugar in each serving (1 cup), 5gm FIBER (look for at least 4grams) and 2g Fat.

Honey Bunches of Oats ~ 14grams of Sugar = 3 1/2 teaspoons of sugar per Serving (2/3 cup), 4grams Fiber and 7grams of Fat!           

WHICH ONE IS BETTER??  ONE MORE THING....  LOOK at the Ingredient List! 

 Cinnamon Cheerios has mostly ingredients you can pronounce!  The fat choices do not have the words Hydrogenated, Palm Oil or Coconut Oils.  Honey Bunches of Oats has a

 LONG ingredient list! 

 LESS ingredients the BETTER for processed FOODS! 

Anytime the words, Hydrogenated appears, the chemical structure of that fat has been changed from its natural form, making it hard for the body to break it down.     Honey Bunches of Oats does use a High Oleic Oil that is thought to be more shelf stable and has a higher level of monosaturated fats.

My pick is CINNAMON CHEERIOS if I had to pick between these two ~ I would recommend Oatmeal every morning, but reality is WE live in a fast and moving world and sometimes quick and easy is the only choice,
so make the best one! 
 I love GRAPE NUTS with Frozen or Fresh Blueberries! 

 There are much better choices out there..Kashi has great cereals!

      Honey Bunches Of Oats

Cinnamon Cheerios

Sorry for NO POSTS THIS WEEK...my heart was heavy and no food could fix that! Ok, maybe alittle of my favorite Mango Sorbet!

Didn't you get the MEMO...it was NATIONAL Mental Health "take a break" Week! NO?? NOT REALLY, but I needed it and I took the week off!  No blog, No facebook, No emails, No nothing.  This week started off with a trip to the hospital, 3 hrs from my home, to visit my father.  DOUBLE KNEE SURGERY and a recovery that I in my 40's wouldn't want to do.  I got sick to my stomach a few times during the 3 days I was there.  With my brain fried from hospital information and my stomach churning from hospital smells, vision of scars and stitches, I opened my blog to "anonymous" words of  nonsense!  HERE IS THE TRUTH...when someone sends you "ANONYMOUS" messages...you do not have to listen to them!   It was all craziness and a sense of reality hit me.  I said to myself, it may have even been out loud, "You need a break!"   Remember the Calgon commercials....I needed to be taken away!

* But then it was 70 degrees on Friday and new life started popping up and the Sun was out and my spirit was renewed!

SO Today, I am going to enjoy a yummy breakfast made by my hubby and a cup of coffee from my favorite Keurig Coffee Maker.  Oh, did I mention, I took a break from cleaning this week also, so my day will include a marathon of Windex, Pledge and Cheer to clean those sheets!

Saturday Morning Omelette starts with

*Fresh Eggs, alittle Milk...BLEND

*Add to a Small skillet...we use a Kitchen Aid Omelette Pan (non stick)

*Put your vegetables in your skillet and sautee', then add your eggs.  We use 2 eggs for one omelette.

* Let your eggs brown on one side...add meat and cheese and flip one side over the other.

I use mozzarella cheese...Always use more vegetables than meat and cheese.  Enjoy your favorite breakfast meat but use it in small portions.  Use Cheese in small portions.  GO CRAZY with the Red Peppers, Green Peppers, Onions and Mushrooms.  Throw some spinach in and enjoy.  My favorite:

Eggs, Mozzarella Cheese, Bacon (small amount~1tsp), Red Peppers and Onions.

No matter how good something is...never finish it totally!  Get in the habit of not having to eat every bite...MOM is not always right!  "Eat everything on your plate" is NOT good advice!

Remember it is National Nutrition Month....visit the produce department of your Grocery Store and pick selections that have 5 different colors!  Yellow, Green, Red, Orange, Blue...

enjoy VARIETY in your life!

I now have to cook Gluten Free, due to medical reasons and THANK GOODNESS, it has come so far in the last 10 years.  In 1989, I was a Food Technologist for Wendys International.  I developed new menu items and answered phone questons about their nutritional analysis.  Many calls came in requesting information concerning Gluten Free menu items.  There weren't many items on the menu!  Parents had little choices, except to use rice flour and make their own foods.  THANK THE GOOD LORD, I do not have to make everything from scratch and grind my own flour :):):)  I have better things to do, sorry, but we all have our strengths.  If my family had to depend on me Growing the RICE, Harvesting the RICE and grinding for RICE Flour, they would be starving!!

DID YOU KNOW BISQUICK MAKES A GLUTEN FREE MIX?  THEY DO!!
Try this recipe:
adapted from Food Network Recipes

Cheesecake Pancakes (Gluten Free)

Try these gluten free pancakes that are filled with mini cream cheese bites and topped with strawberries

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INGREDIENTS

Pancakes

1	package (3 oz) low fat cream cheese
1	cup Bisquick® Gluten Free mix
1	cup milk (1%)
2	tablespoons of vegetable oil
1	teaspoon grated lemon peel
1	tablespoon lemon juice
1	egg

Strawberry Topping:

1 cup of Fresh Strawberries

1-2 pkgs of Truvia

1. Cut cream cheese lengthwise into four pieces. Place on ungreased plate; cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight.  (if time allows, if not just use cold cream cheese)
2. Cut cream cheese into 1/4-inch cubes; set aside. In large bowl, stir all remaining pancake ingredients until well blended. Stir in cream cheese.
3. Heat griddle to 375°F or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.).  Spray with cooking spray before heating).
4. For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook other sides until golden brown.
5. In small bowl, cut up strawberries and add Truvia.   Let sit for about 10-15minutes.   Serve over pancakes.

Blueberry-Sour Cream Pancakes (Gluten Free)

adapted from Food Network 

 

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	About Concordance™

INGREDIENTS

1	cup Bisquick® Gluten Free mix
1	cup milk (1%)
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
1	egg
1/4	cup sour cream
1	cup fresh blueberries
	Butter, if desired

1.  In large bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, oil and egg until well blended. Stir in sour cream; gently fold in blueberries.
2. Heat griddle to 375°F or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.) Grease griddle with vegetable oil if necessary (or spray with cooking spray before heating).
3. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes until dry around edges. Turn and cook other side until golden brown. Serve with butter.

Thanks for helping me get the message out about EATING TO BE FIT!  Christie