SILLY SUNDAY

NOW THAT THE KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL...

AND THE HOUSEWORK IS DONE...

THE YARDWORK IS DONE...

THE PETS CARED FOR...

AND DINNER PLANNED...

THERE MAY BE TIME FOR YOU TO DO
A FEW
OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS!

LIKE TAKING A WALK IN THE RAIN...

JOINING A BOWLING LEAGUE...

OR TAKING A DRIVE IN THE CAR...

TAKING A NEW ROUTE...

AND JUST ENJOYING THE SITES ALONG
THE SIDE OF THE ROAD...

OR
JUST JOINING FRIENDS
FOR AN AFTERNOON OF
BLOGGING!!!

ENJOY THE REST OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!!

HOT LINK!

I ran across a great recipe blog today called Enlightened Cooking written by Camilla Saulsbury. Her profile indicates she has a solid background in the food and fitness world as a food writer, recipe developer, and cooking and fitness instructor. If you have time, go check out her blogs.

While there, I found this recipe for a Carrot Dip that could be eaten as you would hummus with pita wedges or crudite caught my eye and I hope she won't mind if I share it with you and link you into her wonderful world of Enlightened Cooking! (If I get a cease and desist order, I will promptly delete it and pretend that the internet pixies put it here to get me in trouble!!!)

Lemony Spiced Carrot Dip

1 pound carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped (or use a pound bag of baby carrots)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Steam the carrots in a steamer over a large saucepan of simmering water for 30 minutes or until very tender.

Place the carrots, olive oil, cumin, paprika, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and cool completely. Makes 8 servings.

GUILTY PLEASURE

Fat Bridesmaid challenged everyone to post their non-food guilty pleasure today...and embarrassing as it may be, here's mine: Project Runway!!! Gotta watch this train wreck every week! I record it and watch after the Hub goes to work so he doesn't make fun of me!
So...what's your non-food guilty pleasure???

EATING...THE WORLD VIEW

I wanted to share the following with you from my favorite magazine on nutrition, Clean Eating, because it gives an excellent birds eye view of how differently people in other countries view food and the process of eating.

NOTES FROM A LIFE ABROAD

by Peggy Hall

Living in a country where some people go hungry made me rethink my relationship with food. Here's what I learned about eating in Morocco.

*The food was natural, wholesome, healthy and made from scratch. Packaged, processed foods were hard to come by and very expensive. And why eat stale, salty, imported potato chips when you could buy a handful of hot, perfectly crisp chips from a street vendor?

*The meals were prepared with care. Fresh, seasonal ingredients were purchased daily from local markets. Taking time to plan and prepare nourishing meals was viewed as a valuable, essential part of life, not an unpleasant, intrusive task.

*People enjoyed their food and received tremendous pleasure from it, No struggle,no strain, no guilt. Food was a gift to be revered, not feared.

*Eating was an event--often lasting two hours or more--and meals ended with fresh fruit and green tea. Families and friends came together--it was unheard of to eat alone. And the notion of wolfing down food on the run was inconceivable! People who ate in restaurants were almost pitied because it was clear that they were missing out on healthy home cooking,

*Food was never thrown away. Instead, it was shared with less fortunate individuals. Bread was considered sacred, and leftovers were often placed outside for others to take.

What a terrific reminder of how simply prepared, good food can play a much healthier place in our lives. It need not be feared or faced with dread. The examples she gave reflected closely the way we ate on the farm. How things have changed!

JOY IN MY HEART

I feel so full of joy this morning that I just have to share some of the things that are making me happy.

First of all, my morning glories have finally bloomed! I planted the seed this spring near the spindles on the deck cause I wanted to see the pretty heart-shaped leaves and the colorful trumpet flowers coming up there every summer. We had morning glories that spiraled up the front porch post every summer when I was a kid and the thought of seeing them blooming at the door of this home was a nostalgic trip that I was really looking forward to.

I nurtured the young plants as they rose from the ground and made sure they had lots of water. I used the mist setting on the garden hose to give them a drink because the shower setting beat them down and I wanted to protect them.

When they began to vine, I put little stakes made from dental flossers in the ground next to them and ran green yarn from my stash from the flosser to the deck to encourage them to travel that direction. And they performed their little trick just as they were meant to do. Within days, I had lush heart-shaped leaves and vines wrapping their way around the uprights.

And then the wait began for the first flowers to appear. The vines kept getting fuller and greener and spreading like crazy, but we finally decided last week that we just weren't going to see flowers this year.

But yesterday, it happened! Dozens of pink-edged white blooms that were stunning. And the hummingbirds are buzzing around them. I smile! So now I have morning glories in the back of the house and moon vines that bloom at night in the front of the house! I think we're covered!

Next thing to make me happy was finding my shirt again!

Several years back I went shopping and found a top that I grew to love. It was V-neck, had long sleeves that were easy to push up to three-quarter length, it was made of a combination of cotton and spandex so it was comfortably snug but stretchy enough not to bind. The length was perfect. I loved everything about it! So I rushed back to the store and bought maybe 4 more of them in different colors.

It has become the shirt that I judge all other shirts by and all the newcomers have failed miserably! I have worn those shirts out...they are stained and threadbare...but I still wear them because they are comfortable. No pulling, tugging, or straightening when I have them on. But I could not find them again! I went to the store from which the originals came and they didn't have them anymore! How could they not continue to carry the perfect shirt???

But, oh the joy! I checked with them last week and they have them again! Not imitations or different cuts or different fabric...they are the same! I warned the Hub that I was going to shoot the limits of the clothing budget (non-existant since we just don't clothes shop!) and was going to buy as many as I could possibly afford in every color so I will have a lifetime supply of them. I will save back a somber black one to be laid out in!!!

I do the happy dance!

MEET YOU AT THE STOP LIGHT!

I will probably sound like the granny I am when I say that I think the world does move just a tad too fast these days.

I mentioned yesterday that a lot of us look at taking a nap or reading a book or just taking a sit in the shady back yard as self-indulgent and unnecessary. We have been conditioned to think that every waking moment must be filled with activity or we will be labeled as slackers.

Alysha left me this comment:

Thank you so much for writing this; yesterday I was just sitting in the park doing nothing and I started to feel guilty about wasting time, but you are so right -- it is necessary to take some time for ourselves, whatever that may mean.

As a child on the farm in the '50's, I was assigned tasks from a very young age and was expected to lift my own weight. I dusted all Mom's trinkets every Saturday, got up early with Mom to have breakfast on the table when Dad got back from milking the cows, I helped in the garden, ironed clothes, and even learned to sew my own clothes when I was still in grade school.

We had responsibilities, but we also had lots of unassigned time which we filled with activities as diverse as our imaginations. There was a lot of playacting in the old buildings that accumulate around a farm...smokehouses, coal bins, hay mows, and corn cribs.

We turned watering tanks into makeshift swimming pools and the old maple tree into second base in an impromptu softball game. We lay in the grass and stared into the sky and turned clouds into sheep and trains and faces.

And as night fell, we tried to find the Big Dipper or gathered under that same old maple to tell spooky stories about monsters gathering in the ditch along the narrow gravel road we lived on.

The adults worked their tushes off but when the work was done, they felt no guilt about just sitting and conversing, playing cards, or taking that nap. And as busy as my own mother was raising that family of ten kids and being a farm wife, she still found time to read, crochet, and chat.

I've read lots of reports about the current crop of wireless workers who never get a break from their jobs. The same technology that allows them to work from anywhere also keeps them on the clock and available 24/7. The computers and Blackberries follow them on their vacations and to their dinners out.

And when there is a period of leisure, it has probably been blocked out on a very busy calendar and been pre-scheduled with all the activities that "free" time will permit. Even that bubble bath has to be treated as a reward and bargained for.

My husband and I have turned into that senior couple we used to laugh at. The people who drive a little slower than the rest of traffic and are complaining to each other that people should just slow down and enjoy the drive a little more rather than racing down the street, weaving in and out and having to come to abrupt stops. We enjoy that game of arriving at the stop light to find ourselves sitting beside the guy who has just flown by us! You can't help but smile!

The farmers in the mid-twentieth century were wise people. They knew that they would be required to work hard in order to make it and you would see them in the fields until the last minute of daylight had been spent sometimes in order to get the crops in or out, but you never saw them on a tractor on Sunday! It just wasn't done! They knew that even a farm needed to lie still one day a week and that the field would still be there on Monday morning.

I am not just reminiscing here...there is a point to my ramblings and it is this: Working hard is good for us...I think we feel best about ourselves when we have purpose and fulfill it...but we should never feel guilty about admitting that we need time to sit and reflect. Our minds need the same rest that our bodies do. Our imaginations need unencumbered time in order to soar. Our spirits need quiet in order to grow. And our eyes need to close occasionally in order to see the beauty in the world around us when they open.

Now...just for fun:

WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT?

Have you ever found yourself standing in front of an open refrigerator or food pantry thinking, "I need something...I'm just not sure what."?

Or coming home from work, kicking the shoes off at the door and heading straight for the cookie jar?

Or looking at the stack of laundry that needs to be folded, the library books that are past-due, the dishes that need to be washed, and the kids that need baths and suddenly remember the ice cream that is in the freezer?

And having succumbed to a little snack that turned into a diet-blowing big snack, sitting down to wonder why you did it?

Author, Judith Wurtman wonders:

"...if we tend to reach for food rather than what we really want because eating is simple. Eating does not have to involve anyone else. Seeming to satisfy some needs within us, it can be done privately and in secret. And, for a very brief period of time, it seems to quell the “I want” feeling."

The "I want" feeling leads a lot of us astray. And her argument is that food may not be what we are really looking for when we reach for those snacks.

12 Step Programs teach the HALT alert. If you are thinking about reaching for whatever addiction you are recovering from, ask yourself: Am I HUNGRY...ANGRY...LONELY...OR TIRED? Are you really just reaching for comfort from the feelings that those states bring on?

There have been many times that I've eaten out of boredom or I am tired and want a pick-me-up. Or I am putting off less pleasant activities.

Waiting that urge to eat out long enough to ask yourself: "What do I really want?" may lead you to taking a quiet break away from the rest of the family or a bubble bath with candles lit instead of chips and a soft drink.

My younger daughter recently gave up smoking...Yes!!!...and said that she misses the excuse to just step away from business for awhile and go outside for a few minutes of "me" time! We tend not to do that without a very good excuse!

A lot of us look at taking a nap or reading a book or just taking a sit in the shady back yard as self-indulgent and unnecessary...but are they?

Wurtman goes on to say:

"While you can’t always get what you want, knowing what your wants are is half the battle in controlling weight gain. Eating won’t change the wanting; it will only allow you to deny or mask what you want."

So maybe our goal for today should be to ask ourselves..."What do I really want?"

OLDER AND FATTER FRIEND FOR HIRE...INQUIRE BELOW

How do you think you look this morning? Are you feeling fat after an indulgent weekend? Or are you feeling thin after a weekend of sticking to your plan and getting in an extra round of exercise?

In looking for a way to gauge those feelings, Catherine Price of O Magazine has come up with a Personal Body Image Index:

Start with your weight.
Subtract seven pounds if you have just worked out.
Add five if you've single-handedly finished a plate of guacamole and chips; four for macaroni and cheese; six for death-by-chocolate cake.
Subtract 10 pounds if people nearby are fatter than you.
If you're wearing black pants, subtract two; if in a bathing suit, add eight.
If you are more than seven years older than the group average or are surrounded by bikini-clad undergraduates with toned stomachs and cellulite-free thighs, add 20.

I will offer myself up as the person who is heavier and older than you and will stand beside you, thus helping you feel like you've shed between 10 and 30 pounds! It's the least I can do for my friends!

SHOW AND TELL

HERE'S TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT...GO TO THAT BOOKSHELF WHERE ALL YOUR DIET AND NUTRITION BOOKS ARE LINED UP AND POST A PICTURE OF THE BOOKS THAT HAVE OR ARE STILL INFLUENCING YOUR IDEAS ABOUT WHAT COMPRISES A HEALTHY DIET.

GO AHEAD...I DARE YOU!

IF I CAN BE HONEST AND SAY THAT I HAVE NOT ONE, BUT TWO SUZANNE SOMER'S DIET BOOKS, HOW COULD YOU BE EMBARRASSED BY ANYTHING YOU MAY HAVE HIDDEN IN YOUR PAST??? I DID GET THEM AT A YARD SALE IF THAT MAKES THEM A LITTLE MORE ACCEPTABLE!

YOU MAY NOTICE THE EMPHASIS ON CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE IN MY BOOKS? I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT THAT WAS A PROBLEM AREA FOR ME AND THE DIET BOOKS REFLECT IT.

I'M NOT PASSING JUDGMENT HERE...JUST GIVING A LITTLE BACKGROUND AS TO WHAT HAS FORMED SOME OF THE BELIEFS THAT I'M STILL DEALING WITH.

HERE ARE MINE (MINUS MY WW INFO!!!):









NOW SHOW ME YOURS! TAKE SOME PICTURES AND POST THEM ON YOUR BLOG!

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.-- Mark Twain

Feeling better since I have some watermelon and some vegetables in me again! Thanks for all the comments yesterday...it certainly helps to know that I'm not alone on this lonesome road to health and not the first to be taken in by all the glossy ads and exit signs promising quick fixes along the way! I can't help it...I've always been easily distracted!

Looking forward to another late summer weekend coming up. I hope there will be a yard sale or two in my future tomorrow and I'd love to get to a farmer's market early enough to grab some fresh local vegetables.

Hub and I went to the apple barn last week hoping to find some early apples and grabbed a bag that are similar to Granny Smith...yellow-green and tart as all get out. They beg to be cooked so I think I will have them with some pork roast tomorrow night for supper. The Jonathan and McIntosh varieties are our favorites and they are supposed to be available here mid-September. Can't wait for them!

Kate sent me a recipe yesterday for oatmeal with apples and spices which got me thinking of all the great fall oatmeal recipes I was doing last year with the apples, pumpkin, pears, and even a carrot cake experiment with grated carrots, crushed pineapple, a few raisins, and lots of spices! Gotta get my little crockpot out and do the oatmeal thing again!

And while I'm talking recipes, I have to give another shout out to Alanna's A Veggie Venture for yesterday's recipe for Blueberry Vinaigrette...the recipe can be found here...which sounds simply wonderful. I have to pick up a pint of blueberries this weekend so I can try it out.

When you visit her site to look at the recipe, be sure and take the time to look around cause it is a treasure trove for Weight Watchers and anyone else who is interested in simply prepared and delicious food. And the points are listed...how great is that?

We have a birthday get-together Sunday afternoon for my brother-in-law Steve and son-in-law Darin which will be centered around pizza...great for all the kids involved and safe for Steve who is our resident vegetarian who doesn't really eat vegetables! Is there such a thing as a pastatarian? I think that describes him best...lol! Anyway...cheese pizza is on the menu and I'm adding a big bowl of Caesar salad to make the meal a little safer for moi! Unless the cake is an absolute wonder that I can't pass on, I think I'll get busy with grandkids while that is being dealt with...no problem there.

Steve has ingratiated himself with me by saying he loves my handknit socks...silver-tongued devil!!! So he is getting a pair! I made the mistake of doing the interesting part first and I've been left with mind-numbingly boring 2x2 rib tops to finish the past two days! The fact that they have to be done by Sunday and that I try never to start the next project until I've finished the present one is the only reason I am down to the last six rounds!

And then there is the imminent Democratic VP announcement and the start of the convention in Denver beginning Monday...I seem to have lost all interest in the Olympics since the swimmers are finished...anyone else had that problem?

I'll leave you with this: Know what Pixifood is? It's defined as food you loved as a kid that you find disgusting when you eat it as an adult? More here...kinda fun!

Have a great weekend, guys! And watch out for those exits along your journey to better health!

MODERATION IN ALL THINGS

Ever feel like this?

I feel like the ball in the Pong game this week and it's my own fault.

I realized...the hard way...that I had allowed too many items containing sugar back into my food plan and decided it was time to change all that.

So, instead of just getting back to good WW eating...the sensible thing to do...I decided I needed to rid my body of all those carbs for a couple of weeks and then would gradually add back the fruits and grains. You know how we all or nothing people think!

So, I'm going along for about a week doing a basic Atkins and I'm feeling like HELL! Do I listen to my body? Me??? Oh, no! I keep saying to myself that my light-headed, ear-ringing, heartburn suffering body just needs time to adjust!

Yes, the swelling went away but I was so weak, I had to have help with the dishes!

Yes, I was thirsty and drinking lots of fluids, but my brain was working so badly that I was afraid to sit down and write out the checks for the month!

And by yesterday afternoon, my body finally spoke loudly enough that I finally listened to it's plea for a carbohydrate or two. And anyone who has been in that position knows that the body does not demand a bite of apple or a banana!

No! It wants SUGAR!...and lots of it!

I've been through this so many times! But, at least, I wasn't left thinking I was crazy and carb addicted! I just reminded myself that this is what happens when you try to do extreme dieting! Your body will always rebel because it is so much smarter than you are! Treat it in an extreme manner and it will treat you in kind!

So...today, I have left the extremism for another time and place and gone back to sensible eating...the thing I should have done in the first place.

It makes me wonder if I had just acted moderately back when I was in my twenties and first began doing those crazy diets, if I would have gained the amount of weight I did in the following decades. I always seemed to gain the weight I had lost with them back with an extra 10 that I took to the next diet and that adds up after a few years.

What would have happened if I had just moderated my food intake, left off a few pats of butter, second helpings, or a couple of desserts back then? Now that's a step back in time I'd love to take!

But for today...it is back to moderation and still another lesson learned!

IT'S NOT FAKE ANYTHING

We were having dinner last night when I brought the mashed cauliflower to the table. The Hub asked if it were "fake" mashed potatoes.

"Nope...it's "real" mashed cauliflower!"

I've been guilty of this attitude myself. We sometimes tend to look at what we are eating and try to compare it to the items we used to eat and end up with a negative feeling about a perfectly great recipe.

If we are constantly comparing a meal of baked chicken to our Grandma's fried chicken, we may find ourselves under-appreciating that perfectly seasoned, lemon scented chicken breast that is sitting on our plate.

I sometimes have to "lecture" the Hub out of this way of thinking...ahem...for his own good! lol! And by that, I mean, negative thinking about making healthier choices tends to make us feel like we are being deprived or punished at mealtime rather than nourished.

Even when he states he wants to cut back on the trash food and eat healthier...and he means it...I see that subtle little look that reminds me of a kid who has been told there will be no dessert tonight! He doesn't complain but he does sometimes wear that "poor me" cloak when he sits down to a meal.

I recognize the attitude so well in him because I have suffered from it many times myself. Instead of looking at all the great things I am eating, I will let my mind go to all the things I'm not...and that is dangerous thinking when you are trying to reinforce healthier habits!

Aside from the "fake" comment, we were both pleased with the mashed cauliflower...it was really good. After cooking it until it was tender, I drained it, mashed it with a couple of tablespoons of that buttermilk that is still in the fridge, added salt and pepper and sprinkled a few shreds of cheddar on top when I served it. The buttermilk gave it the same flavor that a big pat of butter would have...a good choice that I will use again.

The cauliflower was accompanied by chicken breast that I cut in half lengthwise and sprinkled with a little seasoned salt. I then put a thin slice of a tart apple on the chicken and wrapped the whole thing with half a slice of bacon that I stretched really thin. I baked them at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. These were extremely good and I had extra that I will slice today to top a salad for lunch.

He also had a nice salad with one of our homegrown tomatoes on top and a little vinegar and oil dressing and finished up with some summer cantaloupe...the best Indiana has to offer.

Does that sound like a "fake" meal? Nope!

Hub also wants to always have one or two food items around that he can eat all he wants of...usually raw vegetables. There is something reassuring about knowing that an unlimited amount of some food is available to him even if it is celery. And I say...whatever it takes!

Lorraine asked me this yesterday and I told her I would pose the question to all of you:

Do you know of any dessert, sugar or chocolate, that will not send your sugar craving skyrocketing?

I know some people are satisfied with the sugar-free or low-carb chocolate bars and, of course, the sugar-free ice creams that are available while others find them to be less than wonderful and would prefer smaller amounts of the "real" thing. And many of us find that a taste of the sugar laden stuff, though tasty, may lead us to crave more and more.

What have you found satisfying and safe?

HAPPY DANCE!

Get down! That's the way I feel this morning after getting my dieting mojo back!

I haven't felt the best over the past three days after abruptly ending the sugar spiral I was in. I have had the shakes, been bone-tired-exhausted, suffered a mild headache, and just been generally wiped out while my body is trying to recover.

But on the good side, I have rid myself of the swelling in my feet and legs, I'm breathing better, and feeling naturally thirsty so I'm taking in a lot more fluids than normal.

I think today may be a turning point...so far...so good!

We all react differently to simple carbs and I should have learned my lesson by now that my body does not react well to a steady diet of them at all! I should have that message tattooed on my hands or something! I just can't seem to keep in mind that if I allow myself back into those foods that I will suffer grievously for it...never mind the increase in weight that follows.

Eating that type of food rather than the good proteins, fats, and the carbs that are derived from vegetables and fruits leads me to craving more and more of the garbage and that leads me to ignore the very healthy foods that my body needs so much. It is a vicious cycle to enter.

When I eat the better foods, I am satisfied and my mind turns to things other than what I'm going to grab from the pantry next. Absent the sugar and white flour foods, I find myself not needing to eat between meals and eating less when I do eat.

Why is this so clear when I free my diet of the garbage and so hard to figure out while I'm in the midst of indulging in it? The mind is capable of sending out messages both good and bad depending on what it is being fueled by...good food will equal good messages...bad food will produce bad messages! It's all up to me to make the choice.

SO CUTE!!!

SO HAPPY FOR MICHAEL PHELPS
AND SO ARE THESE GUYS
WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE
GUINEA PIG OLYMPICS!

FOR PICTURES OF THE OTHER
ELEVEN EVENTS
THEY ARE COMPETING IN
GO HERE!

GUINEA PIG OLYMPICS

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO OFFERED SUGGESTIONS
ABOUT HOW TO RECHARGE THOSE WEIGHT-LOSS BATTERIES!

I'VE TAKEN YOUR SUGGESTIONS
AND
RID THE HOUSE
OF
ALL THE EMPTY CALORIE SNACKS

RESTOCKED THE FRIDGE
WITH
GREAT LOOKING VEGETABLES

I CREATED
A
FITDAY FOOD DIARY
AND
HAVE BEEN POSTING THERE
FOR THE
LAST THREE DAYS

I HAVEN'T EATEN
ANY
SUGARY FOODS
FOR
THREE DAYS

SO
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP
AND
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!

Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?--Mark Twain

I saw that quote on another blog this morning and decided I was, indeed, that blank envelope this morning. But not so much in a bad way as in trying to decide what destination I should be writing on that envelope.

The Hub and I decided yesterday that we had allowed too much valueless food items to creep back into the pantry and inevitably back into our diets. It doesn't happen overnight...it's that gradual buildup that begins with a whole grain cracker and then turns into a box of Ritz. It is the Fiber-One that turns into Raisin Bran that turns into Cheerios that turns into the box of kids' cereal that needs to be eaten up because they won't be here again for awhile.

It is the 100 calorie packs of popcorn that turn into the regular size low fat popcorn that we found on a "too good to pass up" sale at the grocery store...but we eat the entire bag!

It's the return of the 100 calorie snacks that take the place of fresh fruit and end up being eaten two at a time because they are so small.

It's the sugar-free ice cream that gets eaten from a big bowl because I ran out of the small cones that controlled the portions.

It was the grilled meat that went onto a bun because we had them left over from a family dinner.

It was the whole grain toast that crept back into the breakfast meal and ended up covered with butter and jelly.

And suddenly you look around and all the crap that you cleared from the pantry and your diet is right back again and you're left with the same mess you started with.

This weekend will be "clean out the pantry" time and get back to basics time. We love oatmeal...we really do...so why did we allow the boxed, empty calorie cereals back in?

We love fresh fruit...why did we start replacing it with the processed snacks?

We were fine without all the crackers and breads and "healthy" processed snacks in the boxes...why did we begin eating them again and leaving the fresh vegetables in the fridge?

It's that gradual creep that you swear you won't allow to happen, but unless you are vigilant and acutely aware during every shopping trip, it happens even to the best of us.

Today is "Eat Fresh Day" for me...out with the processed stuff.

I think I'll address that blank envelope with "Return to sender"...return to the Kathy who was buying only the good stuff for her family and liking it!

REMIND ME WHY I WANT TO DO THIS

I found this spot yesterday that you might find helpful:

HASSLE ME

It is like an alarm clock that you set to remind yourself to go to the gym or out for a walk!

And with flagging interest and the need to be hassled to do what needs to be done to get in shape and stay there in mind...tell me what you have found to be a successful method for recharging your batteries or to get yourself back in the proper mindset for sticking to that food plan or exercise routine.

Over the years, I have found myself in the position of having to restart or at least tighten up my adherence to my food plan. It is so easy to see yourself drift away from the guidelines and end up so far away from the original...and successful...plan that you are no longer making progress. Or losing ground! At that point you are left with making a decision to do what has to be done...and it can be hard to do. Drifting is so easy and finding excuses to eat outside healthy limits can become a recreational activity!

I've gotten back on the straight and narrow in the past by using several devices.

1. Challenging myself to achieve "One Perfect Day" to get myself past that first day barrier and "just doing it". The knowledge that anyone can white-knuckle it through a single 24 hour period make it seem doable. And having accomplished it, you feel empowered and ready to move forward.

2. Making a big pot of vegetable soup, cut up raw vegetables, and salads and declaring a day "Vegetable Only" day has worked for me. I allow myself to eat all I need to get through the day and the abstinence from other foods makes the introduction of healthy portions of lean proteins, fruits, and whole-grains again seem like luxuries!

3. Along the same lines, I have gone all protein for 2 or 3 days which usually helps me get rid of a few pounds of fluid weight which instantly makes me feel better, and leads me to crave those same fruits and vegetables I may have grow weary of eating!

4. I've promised myself that I won't adjust what I'm eating but will be adamant about recording every bite of it. Just seeing those numbers and food items mount up is enough to drive me back to healthier portions!

So...Hassle me!...Tell me what you have done to get yourself motivated for a restart! What have you found to be a successful method of kicking your own behind into gear?

****************************************************

Speaking of "Why do I want to do this?"...I finished three pairs of children socks recently and gifted Morrigan and Teagan with theirs while they were here for supper last night. If I doubted it was worth knitting handmade socks for six year olds, I don't any more! They were ecstatic! They immediately put them on and skated around on my kitchen floor pretending they were "skating stars" and were mightily impressed when I told them that no one else in the whole wide world had socks exactly like theirs! I have said that I love being a grandma, right? Can't wait to give Audrey her pair now!

ZUCCHINI BUTTERMILK SOUP

This was the soup recipe I found during my Google ingredient search the other day. I tried it for supper last night and was so happy with it...the Hub thought it was pretty tasty too!

In fact, we were so busy eating it that I forgot to get a picture, but imagine a smooth pale green soup with flecks of bright green throughout. I've never tried buttermilk in soup before and found it to be an excellent choice...better than the evaporated skim milk I've used in soups in the past. It adds a thickness and a little more body than the evaporated milk, and the flavor is very pleasant.

I've never been a fan of buttermilk as it stands alone. My dad loved a glass of cold buttermilk with soda crackers...one of his favorite snacks. But I do enjoy using it in my cooking for the little extra flavor it adds to baked goods. Now I have one more way to finish off what is left in that container after I make the muffins or cornbread that I bought it for in the first place.

Another note...try it in place of regular milk or water in a packaged cake or muffin mix! It is a great substitute! And low-fat!

So here is the recipe I used last night...very easy!

ZUCCHINI BUTTERMILK SOUP

1 medium zucchini cut into chunks...leave the skin on
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
1/2 medium onion cut into chunks
1 cup buttermilk
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, combine the zucchini, onion, and chicken broth. Bring to boil and simmer until the vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and blend until smooth. Add the buttermilk, salt and pepper and serve either hot or cold.

I used my immersion blender that I found at a yard sale for a dollar and it worked perfectly. We had a little bag of tortilla strips and I added a couple to the top of each bowl just for a little textural interest.

I will definitely be making this again and probably with other vegetables now that I know how well the buttermilk works in creamed soups...cauliflower...potato...yellow squash with a little nutmeg?

Click here to see what the number one song was on the
day you were born!

Mine was "Some Enchanted Evening" by Perry Como

MEMORY TAG

Caroline over at Caroline's Commitment had the Memory Tag on her site and I thought it would be great fun to play. Here are the rules:

1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! And if we've never met in real life, leave me a comment of your favorite post I wrote and why it was your favorite.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually really funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

I'm waiting!

MY VERSION OF THAT GOOGLE RECIPE

Here's my less than professional picture of my version of the stuffed zucchini I wanted to try after the Google search last night. I have to say it was pretty good and I would definitely try it again.

I reviewed the recipe I found last night and decided I wanted to alter it a bit before I made my casserole today. First, I don't really care for sliced or cubed zucchini in a casserole...the texture just doesn't agree with me. So I decided to grate the zucchini before using it. If you've done much cooking with zucchini, you will know how much water comes from it while cooking, so it is important to squeeze the extra liquid out of it before continuing or the casserole will be watery.

The cheese stuffing reminded me of the cheese layer in lasagna and that led me to tomatoes! I have lots of tomatoes sitting here so I decided to layer zucchini, onion, and some diced tomatoes with the cheese mixture.

I had some Ricotta left from another recipe, so I used that instead of the cottage cheese and skipped browning the onion in butter.

This is the original recipe:

BAKED ZUCCHINI

Printed from COOKS.COM

---

6 med. zucchini
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 c. chopped parsley
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. low-fat cottage cheese
1/3 c. buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese or 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

OPTIONAL:

Whole wheat bread crumbs
Dash of garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onions and celery in butter. Stir into cottage cheese. Add buttermilk, beaten eggs and seasonings, including garlic if desired. Stir in parsley.

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Place halves, cut-side up, in a greased baking dish. Cover and bake until half done (about 15 minutes). Spread with cottage cheese mixture and bread and bake again, uncovered, until done (about 15 minutes). Sprinkle with grated cheese and let stand a few minutes. Serves 6.

MY VERSION

5 to 6 cups zucchini grated and drained
1/4 cup diced onion
2 medium tomatoes, rough chopped
Salt and Pepper
Garlic powder
Oregano
1 1/2 cups Ricotta or Cottage Cheese
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cups grated Parmesan
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoons bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar

Layer the zucchini, onion, and tomatoes in an 8x8" casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano.
Combine the Ricotta, eggs, buttermilk, Parmesan, salt and pepper and pour over the vegetables.
Top with the bread crumbs and Cheddar and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until bubbly and brown.

It would be easy to decrease the fat and calorie content by using lower fat versions of the cheeses and egg whites rather than the whole egg.

GOOGLE ME A RECIPE!!!

One of the fun things I love to do is go to the fridge, see what I have in there, and then enter those ingredients in the Google search bar with the word recipe and see what possibilities pop up.

Today, it was zucchini and buttermilk. I've been gifted with several fairly large zucchini and also had about 3 cups of buttermilk left from a recipe I made last week.

I expected to see recipes for zucchini bread or cake and I was not disappointed. There was a bread recipe with spices, walnuts, and raisins. And a chocolate chip zucchini cake.

I was kinda hoping to see a savory bread or muffin recipe and there was...Zucchini and Pecorino Cheese Buttermilk muffins with slices of Kalamata olives in them.

I was also interested in the recipe for a puree of zucchini thinned with a little buttermilk, seasoned with dill and nutmeg and served along side fish or chicken.

But I think I'm going to try the Zucchini and Buttermilk soup recipe that came from Cooking Light Magazine...I love soup and this one can be served either hot or cold.

And the Baked Zucchini which is stuffed with a combination of onion, cottage cheese, buttermilk, and eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, oregano, and garlic and then sprinkled with grated hard cheese sounds wonderful! Definitely going to do that one or a version of it, anyway!

I didn't bother linking back to each recipe because they all appear on the first page of the inquiry for "recipe buttermilk zucchini" on Google if you're interested in any of them.

I'll give a review of the soup and stuffed zucchini after I prepare them, but they certainly sound good. If it weren't 10 in the evening and nearly bedtime, I would probably be in the kitchen right now.

This is a fun exercise if you've never tried it and a great way to find ways to use up those ingredients you may find yourself with at the end of the week and shopping day still a day or two away!

Let me know if you find anything good!

THERE'S ALWAYS MONDAY!

TOO MANY BUFFETS!

HIDING TO EAT!

I WANT A PILL THAT MAKES ME FEEL THIS FULL BEFORE I EAT!

I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE TUNA IN WATER!

BUT I LOVE FOOD!

ALL MY FRIENDS LIKE TO GO OUT AT NIGHT AND EAT!

AND PARTY!

AND SHARE FOOD!

I'M JUST TIRED OF EATING TOO MUCH!

CHRISTINA'S WORLD EXPANDED

Would Wyeth choose to portray paralyzed Christina like this today?
Would strong and independent Christina be exploring the world outside the farm on which she lived by taking advantage of the internet?

Christina Olson was paralyzed from the waist down by polio but her desire to expand the boundaries of her "world" led her to pull herself around the grounds of the farm she lived on. Andrew Wyeth saw her do this and captured it in the painting.

The original painting was done in 1948...60 years ago...the year before I was born. Seeing this version made me think of all the women who lived on farms back then...women like my own mother...who had little communication with the outside world.

My family had no telephone. The neighbors were barely within walking distance. They had little cash to spare for gasoline so going somewhere in the car was limited to once weekly trips to a little neighboring town to buy what groceries couldn't be raised on the farm.

So a drop-in visit from a friend or family member was very welcome to my mother. She would chat up the Omar bread man, the Fuller brush man, the Watkins dealer. And if she could time it right, she would be at the mailbox waiting when the mailman came so she could chat there too. And, if you'll notice, it was men who had these routes...women seldom did that sort of thing back then.

She died before the computer became a common household object, but I can imagine her loving the internet and becoming involved with e-mails and perhaps blogging. She would read the newspaper from front to back...can you imagine how much she would have loved all the possibilities on the world wide web?

I wish there were more computers in nursing homes. If I were rich, I would contribute them. I remember visiting my mother and seeing the residents watching whatever happened to be on the television at any given time. They were so bored and welcomed any interruption. Can you imagine what being able to communicate with people outside that environ would mean to some of them?

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

I finished those dreaded short-row heels yesterday and you can see them here installed in a pair of child-sized socks I made to use up some bits and pieces of various yarns that are left from other projects.
The light colored yarn in the above sock remained after I completed this pair of lovelies!
And that praise was not directed at me, but to the designer of the pattern I followed. She is Janel Laidman and the pattern is Rivendell from her book The Eclectic Sole.
I haven't knitted socks for the grandkids before for two reasons. First, they just grow too quickly and second, the thought of a sock I spent time on ending up under a bed and permanently separated from its partner would seriously depress me! But Audrey showed a definite interest in having some brightly colored, patterned socks while she was here last, and I decided I would make a few here and there and since they are smaller versions of adult socks, they are a perfect way to try out new techniques and stitches.

So, now I have a folder with outlines of various children's feet...this week, at least...and will try and be a generous Mimi and knit a few for the holidays. I see skulls and pirate shapes for the boys and a few fancy cuffs for the girls...maybe practice bead placement...fun projects.

TOO FIT FOR OFFICE???

Wall Street Journal writer Amy Chozick recently penned an article questioning whether or not Barack Obama may be hampered by his healthy choices and slim physique.

"Listen, I'm skinny but I'm tough," Barack Obama says at a rally.
But in a nation in which 66% of the voting-age population is overweight and 32% is obese, could Senator Obama's skininess be a liability?

She went on to get on-line and introduce a thread asking that very question and found that there were a number of people who said they would feel more comfortable with someone who was more like them and had a little paunch. You can read the entire article here.

I've heard pundits criticize him for being particular about his food and asking why he can't "just eat a doughnut!" And the decision of the Democratic National Committee to serve healthy choices during the Denver convention has been derided.

I know politics enters into the equation and it is expedient to make fun of anything the Democrat does if you are a Republican...and vice versa...but is there a point here?

I remember the derision that has been tossed at Al Gore, President Clinton, and Bill Richardson for gaining weight at various times in their careers. Mike Huckabee underwent bypass surgery, slimmed down, and then ran for the presidency.

Does a candidate's weight affect your feelings about whether or not you vote for them?

When our nation is facing ever-increasing numbers of its citizens becoming obese at ever-earlier ages and dealing with the health costs of that epidemic, should our politicians lead by example and be more conscious of the nutritional value of their own meals?

Do we think that candidates who refuse fries and exercise regularly are not like us?

What do you think?

YOUR TONGUE ON COKE-ZERO?

Silence from the Hoosier blogger because I'm deep into figuring out short-row heels! I know I can do it...I know I can do it...it just takes practice...why did I choose dark-colored yarn to figure it out???

I don't have to do toe-up socks and learn a new skill, but I think challenges keep you young and make your brain cells do little push-ups!

And while we're talking about body parts...get a load of these Coke-Zero ads! I don't think I'm a fan!

What say you?

BLAME PATTIE!

I was reading Pattie's blog this morning while watching the first part of a three-part Law and Order rerun...the Hub is fishing!...and she introduced us to this meme and I think, "What the heck...I'm going to do "the Google" and find out what 10 things "Kathy needs...".

Try it...you'll like it!

Kathy needs to give herself some credit. Yes! That's what I'm talkin' about! Me...me...me!!!


Kathy needs a Komb. And a kookie, a kat, and a klandestine kinky kuddle!

Kathy needs advice. Well, maybe. But I watch a lot of those political pundits and I've about reached my limit today.

Kathy needs to get off the "D list". I think I'm pretty much stuck on the "F List" actually. Friends and Family...no celebrity here!

Kathy needs to be on more talk shows. OK! There's Oprah...I would love to be on the "favorite things" edition! And Dr. Phil...he'd just say "Are you kidding me?" and send me to the gym. Regis and Kelly...if Regis was gone and some hunky guy was co-hosting!!!

Kathy needs to start dating more. Unh-Unh! First...the Hub might get concerned cause how can I get up at 5 in the morning to fix his breakfast if I'm out partying all night! And it would require new clothes, make-up, hair-styling! And there aren't that many guys who would let me knit while we were parked! (Do they still do that? If they don't...they miss the best part of dating!)

Kathy needs more attention. No...no! I want less attention! I want to knit!

Kathy needs to make an updated version of her DVD. One of the fun things about being named Kathy Smith is pretending that I'm the one who did the exercise video! I try to push the idea on those high school "Where are they now?" sites all the time!

Kathy needs to reflect upon her daughter's willful endangerment of some of us "everyday persons". Excuse me while I make a couple of phone calls!

Kathy needs to come back to earth and de-Oprahfy. But I have that school to visit and my favorite things to pick out! And Gayle is meeting me for lunch!

CHERRY TOMATO IDEAS

What do you do when you have too many cherry tomatoes? A good problem to have.

When the first one ripened a couple of weeks ago, we happily split it and were happy to have just that little taste of what was to come! And now, as tomatoes do, they are ripening at a pace that we can't keep up with by just eating a handful at a time.

The problem was lessened by having our 8 year old granddaughter, Audrey, stay for a couple of days...she eats them like candy!

So, I took what was left today and prepared a pan of roasted tomatoes which will end up tossed with some angel hair spaghetti at some time in the future.

I prepare them by washing and stemming the cherry tomatoes...these are a combination of Sweet 100's and Baby Romas. I then put them in a pan large enough that they are basically in a single layer. I don't measure anything accurately, but I drizzle them with probably two tablespoons of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and a few red pepper flakes. Then I add about a tablespoon of minced garlic, and then a good sprinkle of oregano and basil flakes.

I usually roast them at 400 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes until they pop open and the juices begin to caramelize around the edges a bit, but tonight I was baking some stuffed peppers...the peppers also from our little garden...and so I baked them at the same time at 350 degrees for a little over an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes.

Tomatoes prepared this way are sweet and very fresh tasting compared to stove-top preparations. I'm going to pack each batch in freezer bags and they will be ready for a quick spaghetti dinner later in the year when the tomato patch has been put to bed for the winter.

I also saw an interesting preparation of the Baby Roma tomatoes.

These are firmer than cherry tomatoes and have fewer seeds. The recipe I saw took these tomatoes and had you split them length-wise and then remove the seeds from the middle. Then they mixed Ricotta, a little minced garlic, and parsley with a little salt and pepper and then stuffed the tomatoes with that combination. The top of the stuffed tomatoes was then dipped in crushed Ritz cracker crumbs, drizzled with olive oil, and baked at 350 for about 40 minutes until every thing had browned.

This could easily be altered to a WW friendly dish by using the low-fat Ricotta, measuring the oil, and using a whole grain crumb on top. They would make a great appetizer or served alongside a grilled chicken breast or fish fillet.

I have also used Campari tomatoes which are about the size of a quarter to make appetizers by cutting the top off and scooping out the seeds and pulp. I then made a salad to stuff them with by combining about a cup of finely sliced lettuce, a minced green onion, a slice or two of crisp bacon diced, a tablespoon of the tomato pulp, and just enough Miracle Whip to moisten it...about a tablespoon. Then I stuffed this back into the tomatoes for a BLT tomato.

Again, this recipe can be made point friendly by substituting the low fat Miracle Whip and controlling the amount of bacon in the salad.

Leave me a note if you have any recipes for the little tomatoes that your family likes. I love sharing ideas about food!!!

And I'm going to give serious blogging a rest for the day...so, I'm going to break out a few more of those pictures I have stolen...er...borrowed from other sites!

When people ask me, "Kathy...how do you stay so calm?", I can only offer this:

Otherwise...I'm afraid I would more closely resemble this little lady!

LEGO has recreated some iconic album covers. Remember Abbey Road?


I am always thankful that the biggest problem I have in the whole world is facing a daily dose of overabundance...things could be so much worse!

And when things turn bad, you turn to your friends and just hang on!


Do you think this lipstick works?


There's always someone who wants what you have!


Modern technology...gotta love it!


Sometimes you just have to listen to that little inner voice to know who you really are.

The neighbor's dog is loose again!


I think it's flooded!

I'm not into J.K. Rowling so much but the binding on this new collection is so cool that I would lay out the $100 for these if I had it to spare. After wool, I think I love books the most.

Virtual Bubblewrap Popping! I'm in love. Is there nothing you can't find on the Internet???

Have a great summer weekend! Enjoy some of those summer fruits and vegetables!