Trim Tuesdays- lowfat Mexican

Notice I used the word trim instead of skinny. The word skinny brings to my mind adolescent girls- or maybe myself 3 babies ago. Whereas trim makes me think of someone who is both at a good weight for their size, and healthy. Oh, and that other word we don't like much...exercise.

Tuesday is weigh-in day at dieting is not a piece of cake. So I thought in keeping with the spirit of things I would declare this day as, drum roll please...Trim Tuesdays and post some healthy, low-fat meals each week.

Now ladies low fat, contrary to popular opinion, does not mean tasteless. I will admit that fat does a lot to enhance our enjoyment of various foods. A whole lot. But cutting it a little here and there won't kill you; although not doing that just might.

So today's recipes are low fat Mexican. I love Mexican food! And I'm not just talking Taco bell here:) But low fat and Mexican doesn't always mix well. After all, what can you cut out: sour cream, cheese, guacamole....? Are you kidding??? Those are what transforms a Mexican dish from good to excellente! But enough gabbing, I'll move on to the recipes.

Lowfat Bean and Veggies Burritoes

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1Tbsp chili powder
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 tsp cumin
1 lg sweet potatoe, baked and diced or 1 (16 oz) can yams in syrup drained, rinsed and diced
1 can black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed and drained
2 Tbsp lime juice
3/4 shredded reduced fat Mexican blend cheese
4 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil over medium high heat. Cook onion, stirring often, about 10 minutes til golden. Add pepper, chili powder, garlic and cumin; stir one minute more. Add 1 Tbsp of water and stir; Remove from heat. Stir in sweet potatoe, corn, beans and lime juice.

Spoon 2 Tbsp of cheese in the center of each tortilla. Top with one cup of filling. Fold all four sides around filling to enclose. *Place seam side down on a baking sheet. Cover with foil and cook 30 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with low fat or fat free sour cream and a little bit of salsa (these are considered optional; but they're really not!). The picture on the side is from my own test kitchen:) By the way, these are quite hearty and filling.

Nutrition info: Cal 428 Fat 9g Sat Fat 2 g Carb 75 (sorry, it's not low carb) Fiber 9g Protein 22g

*I spray my pan, and both sides of my tortillas, with non-stick (non fat) cooking spray because I like a little crunchy texture.

Lemon Cheese Quesadillas with Mango Sauce

4 (7 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup non fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla
1 ripe large mango
2 tbsp lightly packed fresh mint or basil plus sprigs for garnish
enough assorted fruit for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place tortillas on center oven rack (I spray both sides lightly with non-stick). Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until golden. Place on plate.

Combine ricotta, yogurt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, sugar, lemon peel and vanilla in a small bowl. Spread about 1/3 cup over each tortilla. Peel mango. Cut fruit away from the pit and chop into 1/2 inch cubes. Place 1/2 of mango into food processor or blender. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice and mint (or basil) and process until pureed.

Place remaining mango cubes in small bowl with other assorted chopped fruit. I used strawberries and mango, but bananas and pineapple would also go well with this dish. Mix with remaining 1tbsp lemon juice, tossing gently to combine. Spoon 1/2 cup fruit on each tortilla. Drizzle with about 1 tbsp sauce. Garnish with mint sprig. 4 servings

Nutrition info: Cal 283 Fat 6g Sat.Fat 3g Carbs 48 (again, not low-carb) Protein 11 g

Dont' skip the sweet potatoes/yams in the burritoes, they make a big difference in adding to the taste.

And the quesadillas are so pretty..and as for the taste: they're absolutely delicioso!

10 things I'm Thankful for when Dieting:

1. That Angel food cake is fat-free.


2. That aerobic exercise actually cuts down my appetite; so why is that not enough incentive to do it faithfully?


3. That Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches are so incredibly delicious!


4. That fruit is low-calorie and somewhat filling...quess I lucked out on that one Mrs.D:)


5. That eating right actually makes me feel better.


6. That tea is practically calorie free.


7. Baked potatoes chips- for when you just have to have some.


8. That having an occasional "cheat" meal usually stimulates your metabolism.


9. That really good feeling when you realize you need to go down a size in clothing!


10. That I have a friend also counting calories...which helps me to stay on track.

Probably just about everyone who comes to my site is already familiar with Mrs.Darling at Dishpan Dribble. She happens to be a real-life friend of mine, as well as my mentor in many areas. She recently started another blog called Dieting is not a piece of cake about her quest to lose 100 lbs! She is one of the most determined women I know; I have no doubt she'll lose that weight. But in the meantime, we get twice the serving of Mrs.Darling- what a treat!

So regardless of how much you want to lose (my goal is 20 lbs), doing it in league with other women really does help. We're all busy, and have a lot to juggle. But doing it (losing weight) later will only be harder (I speak from experience) ; so if you're interested, check this blog out and sign up!

Of Beautiful weather and Sick babies

In spite of the persistent claims of wet weather coming our way, we have had truly beautiful weather here- especially for this time of year. It has been sunny, with highs in the fifties. Considering it is our rainy season, this hiatus is enough to make a person delirious.

Unfortunately, the germs are circulately right on schedule.

My little girl is asleep on my bed right now. She has a chest cold that seems to be getting worse, making her sound like a miniature locomotive. It would be funny if it wasn't so pitiful. I hate it when my babies are sick- and they are always your babies when they are sick (even the ten-year-old).

And some well-meaning person felt the need to tell me today that some children have gotten pneumonia from it and a few have died- I really don't need to hear things like this!

So I am thinking of picking her up and rocking her while she sleeps. And suddenly it makes me remember when she had the same thing as a baby....and it's hard to believe that was five years ago. Time goes by so quickly....

So here's to hoping the lovely weather stays, and the nasty germs go.

To be Continued....

No, I have not deserted my democracy series. I am actually finding more food for thought as hubby and I discuss the issues being raised in this years political race (and the issues NOT being raised).
Most of our conversations rotate around kids and church, so this has added a little spice to the mix, so to speak.

That said, I have to admit severe headaches have sidetracked me for the time being. I suffer from migraines, but have pretty much gotten the count down to 2 per month. However, when my neck injury acts up, it goes to basically a constant dull roar. The Chiropracter wants me in his office 2x a week- I'm thinking he has a kid or two he must be putting through college, LoL . I wonder if Hilary's health plan will cover Chiropractors.....?

I went through my stretches this morning, noticed the fireworks weren't shooting off in my head, and hit the floor running to get as much housework/schoolwork done as I could. Being that I have 3 somewhat willing helpers, we're doing pretty good so far. It's so nice when those fireworks stop.

So, if all goes well, part 3 coming soon!

PS. Did I mention I'm running a children's program at church for the next 2 nights during special meetings? That's sure to keep the headaches away! Thank goodness hubbys my somewhat willing partner! LoL

Liver Detox

I know- just the post you were hoping to read today- LoL. I have to admit a great interest in health and healing matters. I can't help but feel that there are many natural options to deal with our health ailments. But I also can't afford to go to the local healthstore and stock up on all those wonderful little bottles that can work wonders for a person. So I try for a good balance, and hopefully a low-cost one.

Enter good ol' cranberry juice. I love the stuff in almost any form. And cranberries are a power food.

Next on the list : Flaxseed. This is the first time I tried this. Hubby thinks it tastes a little funny. I thought it tasted a little bit like Oatmeal (when mixed with liquid). With it's mild flavor, it's definitely something I could learn to live with. And great fiber. So a few tablespoons added to a drink, or even yogurt, helps you feel full. And I recommend ground flaxseed (Bob's red mill if you can get it), and don't forget to refrigerate it to keep it fresh.

The first phase of the liver detox I'm describing is done in 24 hrs of only liquids allowed. This is followed by 2 days of a specific diet (not weird, really workable) which is supposed to both cleanse your liver AND kickstart metabolic fat-burning. You can lose 5-7 pounds this way, but safely (I'm a big stickler for that).

So here's the recipe if you want it:

1. 80z all-natural cranberry juice (concentrate-NOT diluted) I used R.W. Knudsen brand.
2. 56 oz of water - Okay, I messed up on this part when I did it. For some reason I thought this meant a gallon of water, while it is actually only a 1/2 gallon of water- I wondered why it made so much!

Bring to a light boil. Place 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a tea ball and steep for 15 minutes. Cool the mixture, then stir in 3/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice, and 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Add SleviaPlus natural sweetener to taste (my store didn't have plus so I just used reg.Stevia).

The first 8oz of cranberry mixture of the day you will add 2 Tbsp of ground flaxseed to. Then hourly ( for the next 12 hours) you alternate between water (8oz) and the cranberry mix (you only add the flaxseed to the first and last cup of the day).

The next two days your diet needs to be the following:

Breakfast: 2 eggs, veggies, water with lemon

Snack: Yogurt (with live cultlures) sprinkled with ground flaxseed, fresh or frozen berries ( I used Nancy's nonfat vanilla yogurt)

Lunch: 60z protein, Salad with beets, artichokes. *Okay, so maybe it's a little weird with the beets and artichokes, but it's much better than the diets I've seen that make you eat really weird stuff. There is a method to the madness here: beets and artichokes contain an antioxidant that increases fat-dissolving bile. Just plug your nose and swallow! *I did only beets and skipped the expensive artichokes.

Snack: Baked apple with cinnamon and nutmeg. Now THAT is just yummy!

Dinner: 6oz lean protein, cruciferous veggies (cauliflower, broccoli) These enhance the liver's ability to break down fat.

I found this in a woman's magazine. I heard the book "the fat-flush plan" has a similar recipe. I've never read the book, perhaps I should. Anyway, I just thought I better say that.

And I realize that I actually love veggies so this was an easy one for me, but if you don't care for broccoli and beets, maybe not so easy for you. It was very hard for me to eat so much protein, it was atleast twice as much as I eat in a typical day.

Hope this helps somebody else. If not- I now have another place to find the recipe when I lose it next time!

**I lost about 3 lbs over 3 days, but many people lose 5-7 lbs. I was already on a low-fat, high fiber diet before doing this and that may account for the difference. Also, the afore mentioned fact that I watered down the juice mixture could have affected it, since I made it probably only half as potent. I plan to try it again in a month or so.

Much Ado about Nothing

I am writing this post to basically say "yes, I am still in the land of the living" (Mrs.D). My daughter and I have both been under the weather this week. We are slowly but surely getting better.

While some people can write very good posts when afflicted, I am not one of those people. Once my head starts to hurt (which seems to be the one symptom for everything that I can count upon) all clear thinking disappears. I put things in strange places, and usually say the opposite of what I mean to say.

So yesterday, amid those chores that could not be ignored, I tried to get extra rest. You would think my kids would have been continually at the bedroom door, but they weren't.

The oldest was busy making cards (similar to baseball cards) that featured family and friends. They were actually quite humorous as he gave them all traits and different powers. And the most powerful of all? His little sister! The middle child spent alot of time writing little comic strips, mostly consisting of aliens and dragons. And my under-the-weather daughter did lots of coloring and watching of Dora dvd's.

And meanwhile I'm also doing a 3-day liver detox. But I'll leave those details until tommorrow when I will officially be through with it (I know, the suspense is killing you!). LoL

Diets, Migraines and More

So, after almost 2 weeks of dieting, I am happy to announce I have lost around 4 pounds. I really hate that word: diet(ing). It makes me think of the latest fad that everybodies doing. You know, where they lose 20 pounds in two weeks by drastic measures and then go back to their former way of eating. Of course, those lost pounds often come back within a short amount of time. Okay, I may have exaggerated that time span, but you get the general idea.

I went out after church last evening with a friend of mine and we spent awhile talking about this very subject. We are both on diets right now. But we're not taking any drastic measures. We both want to have the benefits that weight loss and exercise will give us. I can't imagine anyone having more energy than this friend of mine, that's definitely a scary thought. She's moving all day long. Just listening to her schedule for a day makes me feel the need for a nap. And she's healthy as an ox (haha- sorry, it's an inside joke). I think she's thinking more of 10 years from now and how her weight may affect her health then. She is close to 50, but still has two young children. I don't even want to imagine myself 10 years from now in this area.

While I wouldn't mind fitting into my clothes from several years back, that's not my main goal. I am feeling the need, really almost an urgency, to get my body into a healthy state. I see so many people around me suffering from illnesses that are so tied in to how they eat, and how they take care of their body. I find it hard to understand why they are willing to suffer when they have the power to make a difference in their health.

I'm not professing myself as an authority on health. Or saying that everything can be fixed in this way. I'm just saying that too many people act as if they are helpless when it comes to adding to their quality of life in this area. Yes, I may end up with cancer, in spite of my careful eating. But I believe I will have had a better quality of life leading up to that time.

One good example of this is migraines. I rarely ever had a headache growing up. After my middle child was born, the migraines started. Anyone who has studied migraines knows that there is quite a bit of quesswork on what causes them. There are so many triggers: diet, sleep, allergies, hormones, foods, other health issues, stress,ect. If you've never had a migraine, I can't really describe what it's like. They are incredibly painful. And disorienting. And exhausting.

A couple years ago, I was to the point where I was having atleast a low-grade migraine every other day. I was managing to get by through popping over-the-counter medicine, but just barely managing. When I went to the Doctor, they had the solution: take a pill every day to keep the migraines away. The only problem: the pill made me terribly ill.

I started to see a Chiropractor and found that I had several vertabrae that were slipping out in my neck. Now, a year later, I don't have near the amount of migraines I used to. I'm careful not to go too long without eating, and I try to drink plenty of water. But, in spite of so many things I've tried, they haven't completely stopped. They are something that I've had to learn to live with. But I have been able to influence their frequency. It's alot easier to endure 2-3 migraines a month than one every-other-day.

I know we live in a busy, hurried society. And even though I homeschool (or maybe it's because I do?) I don't always have alot of time to make "special" food. Because of that, I have to stick to basics when I eat for my health. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies, healthy grains, lowfat meats. Fortunately, I love that stuff so it may be easier for me because of that. But then, I also love ice cream, homemade chocolate chip cookies, pie, dark chocolate and pastrys! (with special emphasis on those last two).

And while I'm rambling, I'll add something else I read today. The University of N.C. did a study on the drinks we consume. They found on average that people (in general) consume 450 calories daily through what they drink. This amounts to 23 lbs a year that we have to work off or just carry around with us. Wow! Did I hear someone mention Starbucks?

During my last pregnancy I spent six months on feeding tubes. Some of this time was in the hospital, but most of it was at home. I carried a backpack hooked up to a pic-line IV in my arm. Twice a week, a home health nurse would come by and redo my bandages. I was a rare patient for her, pregnancy being my main ailment. Most of her patients had cancer of some kind. Talking to her really made an impression on me. I realized how fortunate I was: after my baby was born I would be through with all this (On top of getting the Bonus of the baby!).

6 months of feeding tubes, multiple blood infections, continual heavy medication. I determined I wanted to be as healthy as I could be. Afterwords, I lost 30 pounds through eating well and daily exercise. It was rumored I was starving myself, but I wasn't. I just had really good initiative.

And now I find myself not in the same place as before, but not where I should be. Should I just say it? Junk tastes good! If it didn't, there would be no need for that all-important self-control. Then we could all happily nibble on our carrots and broccoli with never a glance at that delectable cinnamon roll (did I mention I really like those too?).

And exercising, while being somewhat energizing, is still exhausting. And not nearly as fun as reading a book or going shopping. And when I said I needed 20 minutes to myself each day, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind for that time!

So, I confess I had a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie last night at the restaurant. And a scoop of ice cream to go with it. And it tasted very similar to what I expect heavenly food will taste like. But today I happily go back to my "diet". As much as I enjoyed that dessert, I enjoy more the extra energy I've started to feel. The better sleep I'm getting. The loss of that bloated feeling. The generally good feeling that comes from being in control of oneself. And maybe even the way my clothes fit just a little better yesterday~

Colds and Congestion

I am really trying to knock out a wicked cold/sore throat combo right now. Why is it that I always get sick at the worse times? Lol

Okay, so maybe there isn't a GOOD time to get sick. But with a full day of church tommorrow, and traveling both Monday and Tuesday to another church to run a kid's program for special meetings, this really isn't the best time! I will drag myself half-dead to church on Sunday Morning to teach my Sunday School class- I'm not irreplacable, but those little girls mean alot to me (unless I am contageous that is). Last week I went with the beginning of a migraine and had to leave morning church service early. But I turned out to be the only female teacher there that morning, so it was important that I was there.

There's also the fact that I don't like to send my daughter (5yrs) without me. I'm in a position to keep an eye on her when I'm there. Unfortunately, anywhere is a place for predators, even churches (less you think I'm overboard here, I'm not; but that's another post).

But with a family to take care of I will probably spend the next 24 (during which hubby will tend to the kids, although the house will still look like a tornadoe touched down, but hey, they won't starve) and try to get a little extra rest. I've already been drinking 64oz of water daily this week (hurrah for me!) so I'll add the vitamin C and chicken broth.

My monthly "visitor" is also here (just between us girls) and so with it's symptoms I'm not sure which one is giving me the hot flashes! I am very happy to say I usually have alot of pain during this time, but have noticed when I eat healthy and drink lots of water it seems to make a big difference. So, Yes I feel crummy, but it could be oh so much worse (Isn't that called looking on the bright side?)

I think this is the perfect time to curl up with a book a dear friend gave me for Christmas, a true story of espionage behind the iron curtain. It doesn't get much better than that!

Temptation

Okay, it's the first official day of my lowfat diet and what does hubby bring home? Would you believe pumpkin walnut bread and those really yummy twist pastry things from Starbucks, and a Dove dark chocolate bar (Okay, so I asked for the last one). I mean, I'm only human here!

He didn't buy them, they were given to him. But still....I'm very proud of myself, I threw the pastry in the trash- I knew I would never be desperate enough to dig it out of there.

So I leave you with this word of wisdom: It's easier to avoid buying a food, than resisting it once it's in your refrigerator. So true.

Taking that first step

Today, in keeping with one of my New Years resolutions, I signed up with myfooddiary.com. I am really excited about this.

In the past, I've found one of the best stratagies for losing weight is to keep a journal of EVERYTHING that goes in the mouth. It really makes you think twice about those extra helpings and misc. tidbits that add lots of extra calories. So in the past I would scribble down all the info. in a notebook and figure the calories at the end of the day.

Well, out with the old,in with the new- this site keeps track of all this, my exercise (of any kind) and even keeps track of fiber, iron, good fats, and other misc. stuff I never tried to keep track of before. You can then look at a daily report on your progress and see what you need to work on. Now, I know there are those of you who would probably hate to see a daily report like that, but I love lists and being able to see progress while working towards a goal, so this will work great for me.

I am also going to be working up to an hour each day on the treadmill (slowly but surely) and I am incorporating an exercise routine with the kids into our schoolday. It will be fun to do this together, and will help them get some energy out during our rainy weather season.

I want to lose about 20 pounds, but my main goal is to get fit and feel better. With my pregnancies, migraines and female issues, I've spent more than enough time feeling sick, fatigued, and overall crummy. And I'm convinced that I can naturally feel much better than this. Naturally meaning without taking pills or stimulants to get there. Sounds a little overoptimistic? Maybe so, but I already feel better just taking the first step.

A change of plans

I am not the most flexible of people. Little changes in plans are fine, but having the carpet pulled out from under my feet (so to speak) doesn't go down well with me.

So this morning I was 10 minutes from going out the door to my kid's party, when I was suddenly siezed with unbearable pain. Now I would say I have a pretty high pain tolerance. Between my difficult pregnancies (and their many procedures) and mega-migraines at times, I've learned to mentally manage pain (somewhat). I mean, life has to go on...

So when I say it was unbearable, I mean just that. I knew right away it was another ovarian cyst. I've had them from time to time but seem to be hitting a patch of them the last few months. And they hit just as if someone flipped a switch. From my fetal position on the floor I told hubby to get the medicine I have horded for this reason. I keep telling myself I need to get a doctor to prescribed vicodin for this, but what do I say "um.., could you give me a really strong painkiller just in case a cyst should happen to act up a few months from now?" Somehow I don't think that will fly.

Anyway, I had horded some percocet from a tooth removal so I'd have something at times like these. But it was nowhere to be found (still looking for it). Hubby was determined to take me to the hospital. But I knew they would want to do the whole nine yards: IV's, tests, ect. So I pretty much figured I had nothing to lose. I mean I felt like I was dying anyways... so why not raid the medicine cabinet.

By the by, hubby was convinced it HAD to be something else; I mean a little old female problem couldn't cause this much pain surely (ok, the sarcasm is entirely mine). I informed him in no uncertain terms (not in my sweetest voice) that women the world over go through this kind of unbearable pain, that men have no idea what we have to bear (my fellow sisters would have felt proud of me).

So I took enough painkiller that either the pain, or I myself, would be knocked out (and I didn't care which one). Thus, I have slept the day away, and it took the edge off to where I can now walk around carefully.

Truthfully, I will probably be just fine tommorrow, as it usually only lasts for a day or so. But I have decided I will have to trim some of my plans for the next few days. Time lost is just that. I sure did not expect this day to turn out as it has.