Monday, January 18, 2010
This is the day the Lord has made...
Lunch consisted of BBQ Grill Cheese Waffle Sandwiches and Tortilla Chips with Salsa Ranch Dip and then back to playing. More Nerf swords and guns, some sort of talent show was going on under my carport, played Nail Salon (everyone but Cameron), coloring, more treadmill and elliptical, walked the dogs, drank a sherbet freeze for a snack, built a blanket city in the living room, shot people on TV with Nerf guns and I think the actually stopped an had a conversation for a little while in the middle of it all.
Dinner pretty much finished the day. We had Chili and a brownie for dessert, then they hit the treadmill and elliptical again, shot some more people on TV with the Nerf gun and the fun was over with Zoe's mom Amy arrived. I guess more fun to be had another day.
We are in back to school mode, straightening rooms, bathing and bedtime is slowly approaching. All in all it was a good day.
By the way we have to give God the credit and glory for everything. This morning we were facing a $4500 bill to fix Kevin's car, before lunch it changed to about $50 and just a few minutes ago Kevin walked and the car is fixed and we only spent $40. Praise God! Prayer is everything. God knew we didn't have the money or resources to get this car fixed or another car for few more months and he took care of us as always. I'm so very thankful for his blessings and my family.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Busy Day
Saw Cameron's Psychiatrist on Tuesday and we decided to up his ADHD medication to see if he might be able to stay on task a little better. We have talked about this a few visits ago but I decided I wanted to see how things went and well he needs some extra. We are doing a new technique of breaking down responsibilities. For instance when he has to clean his room I won't just say, " Go clean your room". That is just to big for him. So now we are breaking it down. I may send him in his room to pick 10 things off the floor. Then later tell him to make his bed. After a while passes I tell him to look in his closet and do 4 things to improve the look of his closet. WOW, this really worked. It took maybe 45 minutes in all to clean his room. This might seem like a long time to most people but usually I tell him about 20 times to clean his room over a course of 2 hours to all day (depends how worn out I become over the issue) and frankly it still isn't clean. Great Job Cameron!
Kevin and I went to Cameron's IEP meeting at the school today. It was a reevaluation meeting. Basically things are going as planned. Cameron is growing socially and fitting in. Grades are steady however the recent issues with his on task we decided to add the same technique that we are using at home to the classroom to avoid shut down. So when he seems overwhelmed or lost the teacher will have him just focus on one part of what he is doing at a time. And the other issue is related to his short term memory loss. I will work with him over the weekend to create a checklist he is responsible for every day and not forget homework items. We will meet in March or April to establish his IEP for Jr. High School. Our goal is to not hinder him in getting his diploma and graduating. All seems good at this moment. We will start the new medicine dosage this weekend since I like to keep and eye on him when anything changes. ADHD medicine can have a bad affect on someone with Bi-Polar sometimes, so you always need to keep a close eye just to be safe. Who can do this better than me?
Well looks like tonight will be filled with looking over grocery sales ads and coupons to plan my shopping for the weekend. I always enjoy saving money.
Something good is also going on in my life. With all the different medical and learning issues Cameron has had over the years I'm in the process of working with my Pastor to set up a support group that will help parents of children with various issues. I have to admit this has been on my mind for some time now and by the grace of God it will come to pass. I feel that there are many families that could benefit from such a group, probably more than we realize. So please keep me and my church in your prayers as we make this a reality to our community.
Brunswick Stew
Brunswick Stew
1 lb Pork Roast, cubed (I bought a 3 lb Pork Roast and cut a 1/3 of it up for this and reserved the other for BBQ to save money)
8 medium Potatoes, diced
1 can Corn, drained
1 can Peas, drained
2 cans Carrots, drained
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 cans Tomato Sauce
Dash Pepper
3 Tbsp Minced Onion
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
4 cups Water (make sure everything is covered)
Brown Pork in pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil for about 15 minutes and reduce heat to medium and cook for about 45 minutes. Make a wonderfully thick gravy for a satisfying meal.
Serves 10
247 Calories per Serving
I usually make this in the Crock Pot but today I really wanted to speed it up. I also have my meals planned or the weekend and had both Crock Pots busy at the time. This was very yummy and filling.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Panko Oven Fried Drummies
Panko Oven Fried Drummies
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with non stick spray.
30 Drummies
Dry Mix (put everything in a Ziploc baggie and shake)
1 cup Panko Crumbs
1/2 tsp Salt
Dash Pepper
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Wet Mix (put everything in bowl and mix)
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Milk
Rinse your Drummies and coat in the Wet Mix then in the Dry Mix and lay out on your baking sheet. Make sure each Drummie is completely covered.
Bake 20 minutes and then turn over an bake an additional 20 minutes.
Makes 8 Servings
Serving Size 4 Drummies
264 Calories
Fried Chicken is a staple in the South and dieting shouldn't have to change that. I came up with this recipe so we could eat what we wanted healthy. I've never been much on frying anything in oil anyway, mostly because of the mess it makes in the kitchen...I hate a big clean up. This was really good and the whole family liked it. I think you could do some easy variations in this by just adding some different spices or hot sauce. ENJOY!
Monday, January 11, 2010
-3.7 and counting!
Goal for this week:
1. Have as much fun planning my menu and coming up with recipes as I have this week.
2. Step up the exercise to twice a day (I'd like to double my time).
3. Praise God every step of the way...without him this wouldn't be possible.
Now what will we have on the menu tomorrow?????
Cameron got his report card today. He did pretty good. Remember this year he is not on any special curriculum, he is doing what the rest of the class is doing. I got a note that is IEP meeting will be Thursday, so we will see what everyone thinks. I'm very proud of him and I pray that he keeps up the good work. Middle school is just around the corner and I'm not ready.
We see his psychiatrist in the morning and I feel like it will go pretty well. I know we may have to adjust some meds so I'm prepared for that. I'm interested to see what he will say so I can report back to everyone at the IEP on Thursday.
Okay, I'm a bit tired tonight since I basically had a boring day at home. Car acted up again this morning. After having it checked out the solution is to drive it and see what happens, lol. Don't you just love that one? I think it will be fine, God takes care of us in every way and he always has.
Spicy Black Bean Chili
Spicy Black Bean Chili
1 lb Ground Chicken (could use turkey or beef)
2-15 oz cans Black Beans
1-10 oz can Rotel
1-14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes
1 pkg Chili Seasoning
1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Minced Onion
4 cups Water (less if you want it to be thicker)
Put Ground Chicken and all spices including Chili Seasoning packet in pot and brown meat. You may have to add a 1/4 cup water to keep Chicken from sticking since there is no oil in this recipe. When meat is brown add Black Beans, Rotel, Diced Tomatoes and Water then bring to a boil. Reduce to Medium heat and allow to continue to boil for 30 minutes. It is ready to serve. If you want it to be thicker let boil with lid off and reduce amount of water you add by at least 1 cup. This is so low in calories that you can top with a little shred of cheese or sour cream, just remember to add those calories in.
Makes 10 Servings
151 Calories per Serving
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Breakfast Surprise!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Ham and Bean Soup in the Crock Pot
Ham and Bean Soup in the Crock Pot
1 lb Mixed Beans (or whatever you have)
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 lb Ham, diced
1 cup Carrots, chopped
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
10 cups Water
Look and rinse your Beans. Put everything in Crock Pot, adding Water last and stir. I put mine on High overnight and then switched to Low in the morning until ready to serve. It is very tasty and low in calories.
Makes 10 Servings
129 Calories per Serving
Peanut Butter and Banana Waffle Sandwich
Peanut Butter and Banana Waffle Sandwich
2 slices Double Fiber Wheat Bread
1 tbsp Peanut Butter
1/2 Banana
Spread Peanut Butter on Bread. Slice the Banana and place on sandwich. Heat your waffle iron up and spray with non-stick spray, then place sandwich inside. Press down and let cook until browned.
250 Calories per Sandwich
This is a Yummy Sandwich that anyone of all ages will enjoy. Heating the Bananas makes it a little sweet. I'm sure you can find a lower calorie Peanut Butter but I just used regular.
Low Calorie English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich (now with picture)
Okay I made this breakfast of champions again and had to re-post it with a picture.
Low Calorie English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
1 Multi-Grain English Muffin (I toasted mine)
1 Egg (fixed how you like it, I fried mine and Kevin scrambled his)
2 slices of Bacon
I put a little bit of light mayo on mine and seasoned with salt and pepper. I would have added a slice of tomato but forgot to pick them up yesterday when at the store. If you prepare your bacon once a week it will save on the time to prepare.
260 calories per serving
Friday, January 8, 2010
Splenda Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Splenda Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup Splenda
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
Mix all ingredients together and bake 10 minute at 350 degrees. I use non stick spray on my pans to insure they don't stick.
Makes 2 Dozen (I like to make them small so I can feel like I get to eat more, lol.)
32 Calories Each
I was trying to think of something really good today for a snack and a little sweet. Finally I remembered a this recipe and how good they were.
In my search I found a website that I've been to several times but didn't realize how fun and helpful it might be for me...so I joined today. Check out recipezaar.com and you will fall in love.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Snow Day
This is what the front of the house looked like when it first started to snow.
For some reason Cameron put Breanna's Pink hat on...who knows! Breanna bundled herself up all by herself...can she move?
Yep they made snow angels on the driveway...hey in Tennessee you have to make due with what snow you get, lol. And yep it seems they are helping each other out.
Cameron is having a good time, I'm sure Breanna is running fast away from him.
Nothing like getting out of school early due to snow and thankful that they can sleep in and enjoy it again tomorrow...Yep NO SCHOOL.
New Orleans Corn Bisque with Smoked Sausage??? Or Chowder?
Remember I told you I had found a recipe on the Internet. I found it at all recipes.com in case you were wondering and if I happen to be liable for mentioning that, lol. Safe and clean...whew! Well I made it tonight and all I can say is YUM! I changed it up to lower the calories.
New Orleans Corn Bisque with Smoked Sausage
(After tasting it I think it is a chowder, but I guess their name will draw more viewers, lol)
1 package (14 ounce) Turkey Smoked Sausage
1 medium Onion, chopped
1/4 cup Butter or Margarine
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 (15.25 ounce) can Whole Kernel Corn, drained
4 cups Skim Milk
2 cups Cubed Cooked, Potatoes, cooked, drained
Chopped Parsley (optional) ~ I used 1 Tbsp of Dry Parsley
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional) I left this off to save calories, not sure if it was figured in to begin with
Prepare Potatoes and set aside. Cut Sausage into 1/2 inch cubes. Melt Butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add Onion; cook and stir until tender. Add Flour, Salt and Pepper (this is where I added the Dry Parsley); cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add Milk. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Add Corn and Sausage; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in Potatoes; heat through. Top each serving with Parsley and Cheese if desired (didn't do this to save the calories).
Serves 8
263 Calories per Serving
I just have to say again this was great and a good choice for a snow day...the kids loved it!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Chicken and Veggies
Okay here is our healthy dinner for tonight. Kids loved it, well Cameron said he would rather have carrots out of the can instead of the bag, lol. Good Grief!
Crock Pot Roasted Chicken
1 Whole Chicken
2 tbsp of McCormick Garlic & Herb Salt Free Seasoning
1 1/2 cups Water
Rinse Chicken and sprinkle Seasoning inside and out. Place in Crock Pot and add Water. I plan to use my stock in a soup for Friday so if you don't plan on doing that you might not need as much water. I was really surprised at how brown it got. Anyway I put my on low the night before and waited this morning for a few hours to see it it would brown before turning it to warm.
I think there would be at least 6 Servings
335 Calories per 1 cup Serving (this is the only way I knew how to figure it, I used a website to help me calculate)
Aluminum Foil Oven Roasted Veggies
1 can Corn drained
1 can Green Beans drained
1 cup Baby Carrots
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper to taste
I made a foil packet and just put Corn, Green Beans and Carrots inside. Sprinkled on the amount of seasonings that I thought would be good (didn't need much) and then covered with my Olive Oil. Tossed it with a fork and closed the packet. Baked at 400 degrees for an hour and just turned the stove off and let it sit until I was ready to serve it. It was great. I went really low on salt since I'm always afraid to over do it, so ended up added some when we ate.
Serves 4
165 Calories per Serving
As shock to me the whole meal came to 500 Calories. We all drank water so we stayed healthy.
Did great on Caloric Intake and Exercise today, YEA!
Well kids are so tired from the first day back at school. They are taking baths and then asked to go to bed early. I'm going to oblige them, lol.
Low Calorie English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
1 Multi-Grain English Muffin (I toasted mine)
1 Egg (fixed how you like it, I fried mine and Kevin scrambled his)
2 slices of Bacon
I put a little bit of light mayo on mine and seasoned with salt and pepper. I would have added a slice of tomato but forgot to pick them up yesterday when at the store. If you prepare your bacon once a week it will save on the time to prepare.
260 calories per serving
I wanted to come up with a healthy and quick way for us to eat breakfast everyday. Kevin is always running out the door so this works out great. He even scrambled his egg the night before. I couldn't do that, yuck! I needed my egg to be fresh. I also put 2 slices of Bacon but really you can get by with 1 and cut back the calories even more, just minus 40 calories. Be sure to use a no calorie cooking spray. Tomorrow I think I'll make Oatmeal, a favorite of mine and good for you.
I've been looking up some tasty recipes and making them low-calorie so that we can eat them. I'm going to try one tomorrow and I'll post it and let you know how it is. I meant to take a picture or my Breakfast Sandwich but forgot. I'm sure I'll be having that often. I've got a whole chicken in the crock pot and I want to use up some of my pantry items so I think I'm going to make green beans and try to roast a can of corn and some baby carrots in the oven for dinner. Should be good. I'm going to save my broth and may make my Leftover Turkey Soup again Friday. It really went fast.
I am officially looking for some part-time work. As of February 1st I will no longer be at the charity. I need to make a little money and of course they can't compensate me like I need to be. So if you hear anything. I need something at home or during school hours if at all possible but would consider other times.
Yesterday's diet and exercise plan went very well for me. Stayed on track. I have to admit that needing a snack before bed will be an obstacle to overcome. Today I'm learning to drink my coffee black, done it before so it should be good.
Kids started back to school today and very tired I might add. Breanna came home and said she had slept good during her visit. We have such a strict routine and it is hard on her to come back from not as much structure to our schedule. Of course we had been working on Cameron's schedule for past several nights so he was pretty good. He woke up several times in the night and was a little tired tonight. Both said they were going to bed real early tonight, lol. I told them we had church but I may see how they feel after school and may just stay home and let them get in bed early.
Of course it didn't help getting home from picking up Breanna until 9 pm. My car broke down and was fixable it just took a little while to do it. So it delayed us at getting the kids in bed on time. Well I have a few things to do on my schedule today so I will try to post more later. I've never cooked a whole chicken in the crock pot so I'll let you know how it is. All I know now is that it smells very delicious.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Calling All Losers!!!!!
Some tips we were given for Week One:
1. Set realistic expectations and goals for exercise. (I figure at least 30 minutes on the treadmill a day would be a good first step)
2. Working out in small bust strenuous spurts will get you the same results as working out moderately for a continuous about of time. (3 days this week I plan to turn up my pace for 5-10 minutes, as long as I don't pass out)
3. Pick exercises you enjoy. (I love to hula hoop on the Wii Fit, so I might do this a few times this week)
4. Integrate weight training into your routine. (the treadmill had weights, so once I get my balance and am sure I won't fall off I'll just start swinging those weights in my arms)
5. Do not expect Spot Reduction. (hey I plan on the all over weight loss, if it was just my arms then I wouldn't have joined I would have bought long sleeves, lol)
Well wish this house luck, this will be a journey for us all. Let me know if you are doing it, I'd love to know how you are doing and what you accomplish.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Biggest Loser Diet
I was wondering what to expect when we start the Biggest Loser Challenge at our church tomorrow night, so I went to the Internet and here is what we all want to know. This seems pretty simple explained this way. Hope this is helpful to you if you are interested.
What You Can Eat
The book includes one-week sample meal plans for 1,200-, 1,500- and 1,800-calorie diets, along with some recipes. Forty-five percent of the total calories come from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 25% from fat.
The 4-3-2-1 Biggest Loser Pyramid sets the stage for number of servings from each of the food groups:
- 4 servings of fruits and vegetables
- 3 servings of protein -- lean, vegetarian, or low-fat dairy
- 2 servings of whole grains
- 1 extra of fats, oils, sweets, alcohol, or your choice, equivalent to 200 calories
Here's a sample meal daily plan:
Breakfast: 1/2 serving protein, 1 serving whole grain, 1 serving fruit
Snack: 1/2 protein, 1 fruit
Lunch: 1 protein, 1/2 whole grain, 1 vegetable
Snack: 1/2 protein, 1 fruit
Dinner: 1/2 protein, 1/2 whole grain, 2 vegetables
Dieters are urged to choose foods that are not processed and contain no added fats, sugar, or salt. "Read food labels, and if you can't pronounce some of the ingredients on the list, don't buy it," suggests Forberg.
Whole fruits and vegetables are preferred over juices or dried fruits. Foods should be eaten raw or prepared simply without extra fats. Whenever fats are used, they should be healthy fats -- not saturated or trans fats.
Dieters should choose whole grains that are less refined and have at least 2 grams of fiber per serving of bread or 5 grams of fiber per serving of cereal, with no more than 5 grams of sugar. Protein choices include lean meat or fish, vegetarian protein, or low-fat dairy. Your calorie level determines portion sizes and your protein options.
Still hungry? You can eat more than four servings a day of fruits and vegetables.
found this on Internet at:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/biggest-loser-dietLeftover Turkey Vegetable Soup
Leftover Turkey Vegetable Soup
32 oz Chicken Broth (4 cups)
1 can Carrots
2 med. Diced Potatoes
2 cups Diced Leftover Turkey
4 cups Water
1 cup Macaroni Noodles
3 cups Baby Spinach
1/2 tsp Salt (leave off if concerned with sodium)
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Minced Onion
1 Tbsp Parsley
Pour Chicken Broth and Water in Pot and bring to boil. Add Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Minced Onion and Parsley. Dice Leftover Turkey and Potatoes and add to pot, drain carrots and add to pot. Once potatoes are to liking at Macaroni Noodles and cook until done. Stir in Baby Spinach and let boil for about 5 minutes. Yep it is ready to serve.
Serves 8
266 Calories Per Serving
Takes about 30 minutes from start to finish...not to bad.
Good Morning!
The holidays were just absolutely wonderful. It was filled with tons of family and friends. The kids had a great time. And I'm proud to say we had sweets but didn't overdo it. To me that is a major accomplishment.
Cameron started back on his school schedule last night. It is so hard for kids to get so much time off and then have to be thrust back in the school scene. This is the first time that I've let him just stay up and sleep as late as he wanted. I'm sure that wasn't a good thing, but everyone deserves to indulge in something every now and again.
Breanna has been gone since Christmas Day afternoon. I really miss her. She can be very tiring at times with all the talk but I really miss her. I'm going to work on getting her room put back together for when she comes home Tuesday. I hope she isn't to tired. It is really hard on her to come back from a long visit and not having the same sleep patterns and having to get up early the next day to go back to school. I'm sure she will do as always and come straight in from school and try to fall asleep and beg for bed at 6:00 pm.
Just like the last few years, Kevin and I get past birthdays, anniversary, and all the holidays and then sit back and say "Wow, look how long we've been together!" Yep, we've been married now 3 years and together for 4 1/2 years...can you believe it! This has been the best years of my life with him. I never thought marriage could be so comfortable. I know comfortable might sound like not a great word to describe a marriage but it really is. We know each other in and out and have a wonderful way to communicate. There is never any drama (unless the outside seeps in from down under, lol) and we just take life in stride. But most of all we love each other and we both know it. If you've ever been in a bad relationship (most have) then you know how wonderful it is to find one that really works. Plus to share a relationship with God tops the list.
The church is starting a Biggest Loser Challenge and Kevin and I have seriously thought about joining. We start Monday and I think more than anything it would be good to do as a family. So keep tuned to see if we crash and burn or become our skinny inner beings, lol.
I'm going to start working on some new recipes. I told Kevin last night that I thought the hardest part of eating healthy was that every recipe called for a dozen items and 1 1/2 hours in the kitchen. Who wants to do that? So my goal this year is to make good healthy food fast. We will see. Today I'm going to do a leftover turkey soup. I baked a turkey breast (the hugest thing I've ever seen) on New Year's Day and have plenty leftover. Everyone knows how I feel about throwing away food and wasting. And of course turkey in my house doesn't go to waste since it is my favorite meat to cook with.
Also, I'm considering a job endeavor. Not sure if it is going to work out. I will know more next Tuesday. It's one of those too good to be true, but to good not to try things and I'm still weighing in on it.
Well not a bad post if I say so myself. I'll try to be on here more often. Yep, you did hear that one before. I decided I'm going to post when I have something to say. So you might see me more than one time in a day. So hold on to your keyboard and don't turn your desk chair over, I'm okay!