Thursday, February 9, 2012

Day 39 and 40 ....and a crock pot



Crock pot as diet aid? Sure, why not. Crock pot cooking tends to be healthier usually, just by virtue of the fact that you don't need to use a lot of fat or oil, just moisture of some sort.  Of course there are crock pot recipes for everything from mac and cheese to lasagna. Must say I've never tried those, I usually do some form of chicken or soup in my crock pot. Some examples....





Rich Chicken Stew





Southwestern Three Bean and Barley Soup

You can add a lot of flavor to your meals without adding too much salt, fat or anything 'bad' for you. Carmelized onions are a great way to enhance flavor and give your dish some color.  So using your crock pot is not only convenient but can also help your waistline.

Some inspiration for finding your waist if you have been estranged from each other for too long...




and......


Source: google.com via Kate on Pinterest



Yeah, I want to be that strong again....SIGH.

And I'm still dreaming about getting away....




 That seven minute mile starts with a single step....

logo
Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Day 38 and a sinus headache...



So today I had a sinus headache so bad I could barely open my eyes this morning. YUCK! With enough drugs, it has gotten better, now it's down to a dull ache. BLAH!




So I'm remembering how much I miss Siesta Key Crescent Beach in Sarasota, FL.  We lived there for just under four years and I definitely don't want to live there again, but I do miss that beach. SIGH.




The water is shallower for quite a ways out, making the water temperature similar to a bathtub when the weather is warm.  There is plenty of actual beach as well, and it was sooooooooooo nice to walk up and down the beach.  I was never one for sitting still and frying in the sun, so I spent a LOT of time walking. 




We spent a quite a few evenings watching the sun set over the water as well.. SIGH. There is just something so soothing about the sea and sand and sun.....




And no two sunsets were ever alike.....




My mind is definitely on vacation! :o)

I slept most of the day away, and didn't eat much. I made myself egg salad for dinner, and the leftovers are going with me for lunch tomorrow.  I have sliced carrots and bell pepper with my ranch dressing for snacks. And I'm making turkey meatloaf with potatoes for dinner tomorrow.




Off to dream of warm sunny beaches.....

logo
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, February 6, 2012

Day 37 and desserts



Flourless Honey Almond Cake


So I did pretty well diet wise today.  I packed snacks for myself and we had a catered lunch at work that consisted of two kinds of salad, grilled chicken with pitas and a yogurt cucumber tomato sauce. Pretty healthy actually. And and apple for an afternoon snack.  For dinner I had leftovers from last night.  But now I'm starting to think about desserts for Valentine's Day....




Grilled Apples with Cheese and Honey

or .....





Chocolate Fondue

Yum.

And maybe a few decorations....


Source: bhg.com via Kate on Pinterest






And for some inspiration...a few quotes about love...

"There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved."
- George Sand

 Two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one."
- John Keats

 "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
- Helen Keller

 Choose Happy.

logo
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Day 35 and 36....and food for the week



Well it all started with this recipe for Broccoli cheese soup....YUM.  I made this for dinner tonight and it was super easy. Then I made spaghetti sauce with ground turkey and some high protein whole grain spaghetti. We have leftovers for a couple of days. I am making turkey meatloaf with mashed potatoes and corn, and that should get us through Thursday. 

snacks

I also packed snacks for my lunches for the week! Very proud of myself. ;o)


So at least food wise, I'm ready for the week.

So as the weather gets better, I am gearing up to do some Spring Cleaning....and there are a few areas that really need it. I already cleared out the linen closet which houses a lot of extra stuff like toilet paper and paper towels and extra shower soap, etc. Got rid of a bunch of stuff too. Feels good!

So as I clear stuff out, I am starting to pay more attention to my organization in the closets. Not bad  but I think I can always improve.  So I have gathered a few ideas for dream organizational projects.




Dream pantry.




Another pantry....sigh.


Source: houzz.com via Kate on Pinterest


Pantry...




Laundry room...wow




An actually super easy organizer....an Ikea bookcase with bins and boxes....looks really nice.


Source: roomzaar.com via Kate on Pinterest


And the ultimate walk in closet.

Off to dream of an organized home.


logo
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, February 3, 2012

Day 34 and I did good today....



Today I am looking for some tranqulity....I did really well food wise today....mushroom omelet for breakfast, my home made chicken enchiladas for lunch, and a small apple for a snack and homemade egg salad for dinner.   




I've been dreaming of vacation all day long becuase it has been really gloomy around here all day. Blah. So I thought I'd look at pictures of where I would rather be right now...




or





or




or even better yet, live someplace like this...





Have a great weekend.

logo
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Day 33 and dog treats

100_1967

So I've been looking up recipes for healthy dog treats today.  My little one has 'irritable bowels', which means if he eats even one thing other than his usual diet, there are dire consequences. :o(  My older one has lupus so she needs to be as healthy as possible to keep her autoimmune issues at bay.  They are also on a supplement that keeps tummies and immune systems happy.

So these are some of the recipes...




Home made dog biscuits




Peanut butter dog biscuits

or, if you'd rather let someone else do the baking, try a local doggie bakery...




Happy Husky Bakery, Evanston, IL 

My eating for the day will not be discussed today as we had a birthday celebration at work and everyone brought food and....never mind. :o)

And more ideas for beds...





and...




and...




and...


Source: kohls.com via Kate on Pinterest


and ....




I sense a theme here...




Now off to dream of one of those beds in a cabin like this....


Source: google.com via Kate on Pinterest


Sweet dreams.

logo
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Day 32 and enchiladas...



Another great use for leftover chicken from last Sunday! Yum. Of course my version used low fat cheese, and no salt and lots of flavor. Have you ever tried Rick Bayless' pouch cooking sauces? Really good and low salt, no extra junk in it, just lots of flavor.  Warmed the chicken through in the cooking sauce, and then built the enchiladas, and baked them in the oven until all the cheese melted and they were heated through. Very hearty dish. I could barely finish one. But leftovers will be very much enjoyed tomorrow.





We have a birthday to celebrate at work tomorrow, so we will be snacking all day. We all bring something to share. I made banana nut bread with walnuts and real banana. I also add ground flax seed and a tablespoon of plain fat free yogurt instead of oil. It comes out moist and yummy and is not too bad for you either.

Today I am extra tired, didn't sleep well last night, so I felt like looking at lots of girlie stuff. :o) My next obsession is getting a new bed.... some examples.... :o)







or....





or even....





but actually, I want this particular one, a little more within the budget :o)




So sweet dreams...I'll be dreaming of a new bed....with at least some floral bedding ;o)

logo
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)