TGIGSD!!!

(Thank Goodness it's Grocery Shopping Day!)

Seriously. I cleaned out what we had in the fridge veggie wise (which was honestly pathetic, a clove of garlic, half a white onion, and a couple of green onions. That's IT), cleaned out the fruit as well, and used what I could find in our pantry. I came up with a pretty filling and yummy Nacho dish thingy (I have NO clue what else to call it). This is what I used: the white onion, the green onions, the garlic, ground beef, a can of green chiles, 1/3 block of Velveeta (yeah yeah don't hate!), tortillas.

1. I usually make my own tortilla chips by taking 2 tortillas at a time (I usually only use 4 tortillas total for my family and that is more than plenty), and using a pizza cutter, cut them in half, then cut the halfs into quarters, and once again cut those quarters into chip sized tortilla strips. I line a cookie sheet with my tortilla strips and drizzle EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil for those of you who don't watch Rachael Ray) lightly over them. I bake at 350°F til I feel they are done (Browned and crisp but a little soft is how we like em!). This is so much better for you- you are using Olive Oil, which is more healthy for you than Veg Oil, and you're baking- not deep frying- the chips. I have a weird aversion to deep frying ANYTHING and it's due to the fact that when we were really poor when I was pregnant, my DH would fry up potatoes and I usually couldn't keep them down because of my morning/all-day sickness.

2. I brown up my ground beef (which you can substitute a much more healthy ground chicken or turkey for!) in my pan, seasoned with Cumin and Taco Seasoning. When it's almost done, I add the onions and garlic (I prefer em diced thinly, so I use my mini food processor to get that job done).

3. I took the 1/3 block of Velveeta and diced it up into small cubes, added my can of Green Chiles and melted in a microwave-safe bowl for 2 minutes, took out and stir like crazy.

4. I placed the chips on the bottom of the plate, placed the meat/onion mixture on top and then drizzled the cheese mixture on top and added a dollop of sour cream.

And again I forgot to take pictures, but I have to say, I am pleased with how yummy this turned out. For the past few days I have been eating very light because my sinuses are infected and I've been doing the whole homeopathic nasal irrigation thing. It's been a miserable few days here! At least now I can eat! Sheesh! I am also proud to say that despite feeling like crap I got myself up everyday to do my exercises. I don't like falling behind.

As for school, I am in finals week and this is the worst week to be behind. I did manage to get one final done, our taxes done (which is easier than ANY final in the world as far as I am concerned), and will start on my other final tomorrow. *Sigh*. I can't wait for this week to be over with!

Neighhhhh

Above: Mini-Pie is the one on the top row second to the left with the huge grin on her face.


It really was an adorable play, and I am so proud of my little girl for sticking with it and putting up with the long rehearsals after school to learn her part. They only had a few days to learn this play and they all did an exceptional job. Way to go!!!!

It's a Beautiful Sunday!

Yesterday was Mini-Pie's school play, where she was a seahorse. I will post pictures later, but it was so darned cute. Only problem is, I woke up in the morning with a sore throat and you know what that usually leads to? Cold, flu, icky sickness. So I was convinced I could get it out of my system, by taking some Vitamin C, drinking lots of water, hot tea to soothe my throat, and using lozenges to help the throat. When we got home from her play, I was too tired to move, so my husband made dinner and my daughter helped him with clean up, and I took my butt to bed early.

Woke up this morning at 7am (which I never do. 8am at the earliest normally), and was craving some carb-a-licious pancakes so I made pancakes and eggs, got my laundry started, finished up homework, and here I am now. Can't believe I felt that well to do that. I still have a bit of a sore throat but not as bad as it was yesterday!

Here's to beating the ickies. You too can do it. I swear by vitamins. Speaking of swearing by vitamins, I swear by B-Complex. It has helped my mood tremendously, gives me energy, and a positive attitude to boot. Normally during the winter I get S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Not this winter. B-Complex. I swear by it.

It's all about Cumin

I just love the taste of Cumin, the smell of it, and really, I just discovered it. (I told you I'm no seasoned pro! I'm still learning!) My husband is such a fan of the smoky flavor that he pretty much uses it in anything he decides to cook (I usually make him cook for us on the weekends because I tend to get burnout from the week!). Last weekend it was Cumin-flavored pork chops. Yum. This week he's considering grilling some Cumin-flavored Chicken breasts and making some sort of Mexican feast for us.

Mexican and Italian foods are very common in this household, just because of the ease of what I am used to cooking as well as the tasty herbs and spices, but I'm considering buying the Chia Herb Gardens so I don't have to constantly run back and forth from the store for Basil, Rosemary, Chives and such.

Steering away from the Cumin topic...

This recipe here I found on All Recipes looks good and is in the "Diabetic recipes" top 20 recipe section:

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (16 ounce) package dry penne pasta
• 8 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place the penne pasta in the pot, cook 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
2. In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the tomatoes, Italian dressing, basil, red onion, and Parmesan cheese.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 243

• Total Fat: 3.6g
• Cholesterol: 3mg
• Sodium: 183mg
• Total Carbs: 43.9g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.7g
• Protein: 8.6g

Rigatoni Chicken dish

I decided to fly by the seat of my pants when preparing last night's dinner...so I will describe what I did.

First off, I took two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them up into 1/2 inch biteable sizes and sprinkled them liberally with oregano and pepper as well as some garlic salt. I sauteed some white onion and garlic (both minced) in some olive oil and then threw the chicken in and cooked until browned. I boiled the Rigatoni and when that was done, I added a half ziplock bag of shredded cheddar cheese and a can of crushed tomatoes to the mix. I diced up some green onion and also added that to the mix as well. When that was all incorporated I added my skillet sauteed chicken/onion/garlic mix and mixed well. It was a hit.

How's that for creative? I was working with limited supplies (going shopping next week), so I basically used anything and everything I had in my cabinet and crisper. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures!

Taxes, homework and tummy troubles, oh my!

So, this past weekend was spent with some sort of tummy ailment and sinus pain, popping Kirkland brand Allergy Sinus pills like they were jujubes. Friday night my oldest nephew spent the night (a trade-off deal I had with my BIL/SIL because they kept my daughter overnight during DH's Christmas party in December), Saturday was a blur, mainly sleeping because the pills made me woozy, getting my homework done, and then Sunday I spent doing my brother-in-law's taxes for him (I am the resident family CPA so long as I can file a 1040EZ/A because I have yet to file the more extensive tax forms) as well as hanging out with my sister-in-law and watching my bratty 2-year-old nephew destroy my apartment (grrr). Ahh well, at least he finally gave me a hug and a kiss (which he never does, only because he has the world's chubbiest cheeks and you can't help but plant kisses on them). Overall it was a pretty good weekend, despite feeling icky.

I have been tagged by Lemony Lemons to do a music list describing my weekend, a top ten list of what my angst was over the weekend. Here goes nothing!

• Crazy by Gnarls Barkley, because I must have been crazy to offer to do BIL's taxes for him.
• Hell Yeah by San Quinn, because that song just makes me want to get "Hyphy" as they call it in the Bay Area (Gahh I feel so old just saying that- HYPHY, and all my friends and family members are all about getting "hyphy"...I guess Monterey caught onto the "hyphy" movement?).
• The Horror by Spacehog, because I recently got The Craft soundtrack, and I felt like a horror this weekend, feeling icky.
• Don't You Want Me by The Human League, because I keep seeing that Chips Ahoy! commercial with the little chocolate chip cookies singing "Don't you want me baby??". Yumm.
• Thank God I'm a Country Boy by John Denver, because that came on while I had Rhapsody up and my 2 yo nephew started dancing and clapping his hands to that song (he is a country boy! and so cute too, even though he's a brat!).
• Don't Cha by The PussyCat Dolls because of the compliation they did on American Idol, and now my 6 year-old daughter is going around the house singing, "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a FREAK like me?" *Sigh*
• Green-Eyed Lady by Sugarloaf because this is a favorite of mine. Reminds me of my mother doing this head-bop thing in the car to embarass my sister and myself. My daughter knows this song and sings the instrumental parts. LOL!
• The Logical Song by Supertramp because my favorite station on Rhapsody Radio (the 70s station) plays this one constantly, but it's a favorite of mine.
• 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer by George Thorogood, my husband knows how much I hate this song and proceeded to blast it to my dismay.
• Three Times a Lady by The Commodores, everytime this song comes on, I have to sing along with it, and my husband either makes fun of me or joins right in.

That was fun! Now it's time for me to tag some people...you must create a Top Ten List of Angsty or Otherwise Moody Songs You Listened To This Past Weekend! Enjoy!

• My friend Jac!
• New & Improved Mom, who I know shares my infinite love for 70s music!
• MommaBot, I hope this is a way to get ya bloggin again! :)

Pork Adobo take one, success

Following my Nana's instructions (which you can implement into any form of adobo, be it beef, chicken or pork), I decided to use the pork we had in the freezer. I remembered that this time around, it was not necessary to use half a bottle of vinegar (ackkk!).

The result? Pure goodness. Just like Nana made it. But what was missing? Whole Black Peppercorns like Nana puts in hers! My family enjoyed it. Well, my husband, who is a rice-a-phobe enjoyed it this time around. Not fond of the rice, but liked the meat nonetheless. And I am sorry, but I just cannot serve adobo without rice. It's just wrong!

Next on my menu is learning how to make Nana's pancit!

Guilt-Free Brownies Review

My new handmixer RAWKS!


Well the recipe was very easy to follow and I made my brownies last night. Just making them alone wiped my sweet craving away, amazingly. I did try a little piece of the brownies made after I frosted them and put walnuts on them, and they are definitely a bit different from ones I have had. More cocoa-ey but still cake-like and good. Overall I give this recipe a 5/5.

Treats for the pooches!

First off, I would like to wish Miss Layla, 52 Cupcakes American Bulldog, a very Happy Fifth Birthday! Check out pictures from her birthday party!

Madeline of Everything Rachael Ray posted about how another blogger, Rachel, made her dogs "Doggie Burgers" that was inspired by Rachael's pet pit bull, Isaboo. I think it is wonderful to give your pets a treat. These are faithful companions who stand by us (well, most of the time, right?), and can sense when things are wrong. I'll never forget the time when my old cat Kitty sensed my sadness and jumped into my lap so I could pet him.

So if you have a pooch who you would love to make a treat for, here is the recipe to the Doggie Burgers:

Isaboo's Bacon-Cheese-Barley Burgers
1/2 cup pearl barley
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
2 slices lean bacon
1 large egg
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions
In a medium saucepan, bring the barley and chicken broth to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the barley is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.

While the barley is cooking, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Reserve the fat from the bacon for cooking the burgers. Finely chop the bacon and add to the cooled barley. Mix in the egg, bread crumbs and cheese. Combine thoroughly and score into 4 equal pieces. Wet your hands and form the pieces into patties.

Reheat the bacon fat and cook the burgers over medium heat for 4 minutes on each side.

Guilt-Free Brownies (Diabetic Friendly)

I plan on making these this weekend because I have a major sweet tooth right now. I will post pictures and my review later!

Guilt-Free Brownies
Courtesy of Diana's Desserts

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. chocolate extract or chocolate flavoring
2 large eggs

For The Frosting:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp. skim or 2% milk
1/2 tsp. chocolate extract or flavor
1/8 tsp. butter flavoring
Walnuts halves, ( for garnishing tops of brownies) optional

Instructions:
Heat oven to 350° F (180 C). Grease bottom only of 8-inch square pan. Combine all brownie ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Spread in greased pan.

Bake at 350° F (180 C) for 13-18 minutes, or until top is dry and springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all frosting ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Spread over top of slightly cooled brownies. Cut into 24 squares. Top each brownie with 1 walnut half, if desired.

Makes 24 brownies.

Nutrition Information:
(serving size: 1 brownie)
Calories: 80
Sodium: 50mg
Cholesterol: 18mg
Fat: 3g
Carbohydrates: 13g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch and 1/2 Fat

Mid-month update

It's been half a month since I started my new regimen, and everything seems to be going smoothly, except I am constantly hungry, which is normal with a diet. I have also begun my T-Tapp "Bootcamp" (exercise program), and it is a LOT harder than I thought. Every muscle is used and man do I feel it afterwards...but I remind myself that this is a good soreness.

I have been munching on Clementines as snacks, but the ones we recently picked up are gross and I have to make another run to a different store where the produce is better. I hate the smell of peanuts and don't really like to eat them as much as I used to, but they have been a great snack for me as well. As for dinner, that's when I have the most of my carbohydrates. Like I said, I am not militant about my diet, but I am trying to be very mindful of what I eat. For example, last night I made a spaghetti and experimented with crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. It came out good but next time I will be following Mommy Chef's Pasta Bruschetta recipe. It looks delicious!

My child is even hunkering down and eating salads without causing a stir. This is great!

Easy Macaroni & Cheese (for Diabetics)

This one is for you, mom.

Easy Macaroni & Cheese

1 box (7 ounces) elbow macaroni

1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half

10 ounces light process cheese loaf, cubed
(such as Velveeta Light)

1 1/2 teaspoons butter-flavor sprinkles
(such as Butter Buds)

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Fill a two-quart pan two-thirds full of water. Bring to a boil, add macaroni, stir, and cook until tender (about 6 to 8 minutes). Drain well. Add half-and-half, cubed processed cheese, butter-flavor sprinkles, and pepper to the macaroni. Place over low heat and cook until cheese is melted; gently stir periodically.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Yield: 5 cups
Serving size: 1/2 cup

Per Serving:
Calories: 135
Carbohydrate: 19 g
Protein: 8 g
Fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 2 g
Sodium: 445 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1/2 low-fat milk
Carbohydrate choices: 1 1/2

Chicken broth has an expiration date??

This sucks. I bought the more expensive range-free or free range (whatever it is) organic Chicken broth back in November or October and thought I would just stock up on it. I went to make some chicken broth for my poor husband last night (stomach was hurting) and he says, "check the expiration date". I said, "there's no such thing" and he told me, "yes, there is". I'll be darned. And the expiration date was November 2006!!!! Ugh! I know I bought it near that too, which sucks even more!

I guess I can't even keep Chicken broth on hand like I wanted to! You learn something new every day!

NFB: Being a woman sucks sometimes

My new blogging assignment is a topic I came up with, about a time that you had to make a choice about something that affected you deeply. I'm still in the process of this choice, and it hasn't been made final yet...but I feel that this is my only option to live with less pain.

As most of you know, I have PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) and was recently diagonosed with Adenomyosis. Sometime in early December I spoke with the nurse at the doctor's office and they are pushing for an endometrial biopsy because they are unsure of whether what I have is Adenomyosis or if it is Endometriosis. *Sigh.* I am tired of the tests. It's painful and I keep having problems. The first problems were in 2001 with the uterine polyps. They say that in 5-7 years after having polyps removed they can recur. With all of the problems I am having, a partial hysterectomy is recommended. It's not worth going through the pain and it's not worth the expense. We haven't had anything done yet as we are one of the millions of families without insurance (at least our daughter has insurance, which I am grateful for), but I have to do something soon. The pelvic pain is getting increasingly worse, and has immobilized me at times. I've resorted to taking Aleve, which is a strong painkiller and even THAT does not work. There's really no cure for this, except for the hysterectomy. Part of it is the ovarian cysts that grow inside of me, but the uterus is now causing trouble for me.

I used to beg for a partial hysterectomy, even prior to the uterine problems, because I hate dealing with that time of the month, and I hate dealing with the female issues it brings along with it. Now? Because it's going to happen eventually, I can't help but think of what I may be losing out on. We are blessed to have our daughter and she is the light of our life...but I can't help but think of the what if's. What if something ever happened to her? Yes, you cannot replace a child, and I realize my paranoia in this, but I know that I would probably want another child. Yes, there is adoption, but it's not something my husband will consent to (don't ask me why- he won't even discuss it with me). In any case, what if I want a baby in the next two years? Then I think, please! With everything I have gone through and will continue to go through, the likelihood of becoming pregnant is slim to none. But you know, the uterus is a part of me. It's what has housed my daughter for the 9 months she grew, it's what has given me agita, it's a part of me. I won't go as far as to say it is who I am, because it is not...but I have had dreams where the uterus was gone and I felt like a part of me was missing.

I am pretty sure this is a normal feeling and only psychological, but I can't help but feel this way. This is a huge decision that I have made and when it is made final, there is no turning back.

Sugar substitutes

I admit, I am very leery when it comes to using Equal anymore with the amount of medical research showing links to cancer and other problems. Of course, there's Splenda, but I believe that is the same thing as Equal. The other sugar substitutes I have heard of are Agave Sugar (which I cannot find anywhere) as well as Stevia, which doesn't seem to have the effects (apparently) that Equal, Sweet N Low or Splenda have.

Being Insulin Resistant and trying to watch what I eat has presented a problem with regular sugar (which I do keep handy for baking and sweetening up bland cereals or other foods), as that is something Insulin Resistant and Diabetic folk need to stay away from. My only option was to use a sugar substitute, but with Stevia costing an arm and a leg, Equal et all causing problems, I am not sure on what I should be using.

If you have suggestions, I am open to them!

NFB: My lame attempt at being artsy fartsy

This is one of many shots I got yesterday while it was snowing here (another 11 inches were reported in my town!). Anytime I do a Non-Foodie Blog I'll just post NFB. Anyhow, here is another one, taken while the snow was falling:


The snow was falling in fat flakes yesterday. It was not even that cold, about 32°F, and it was pretty but as you know, I hate the snow! My husband had a hard time getting my truck out of the driveway but our neighbors helped push him out and then he did fine the way to pick up our daughter from school and to and from work.

No school again for my daughter today. We still have a couple of months of winter left so I am concerned about that. Not to mention, the more snow days they have to make up, the shorter of a summer they have. Our make up days are being scattered throughout the school year, but already the kids are getting out in the last week of June here...which sucks!

We shall see what else winter has in store for us. Arghhh.

Gnocchi

I've never had gnocchi in my life and my curiosity is peaked after watching last night's 30 Minute Meals episode where Rachael made Montalcino Chicken with Figs and Gnocchi with Pancetta and Nutmeg. First off, the chicken looked divine, and the thought of adding figs was not a complete turn-off, but rather, an interesting concept. I don't really cook with wine, or drink it, but this is a recipe I would be willing to try. Whether I do or not is a different story! Anyhow, I have never had gnocchi in my life, and Rachael describes them as little "pillows" of potatoes. I used to think that gnocchi was a form of pasta, and I guess it is, but in the potato form.

Unfortunately there are no real Italian speciality stores near where I live (I do believe there is one in Bellingham, but I don't venture often out there because the traffic is terrible), but for the pancetta I guess I could substitute bacon. As Rachael said it would be more of a smoky flavor than anything. As for gnocchi, I wonder if I could find that at my local grocery store. I guess I could always call and ask. I just don't really have the time to make my own gnocchi (which I am assuming you could do).

We shall see. My quest for gnocchi will be fulfilled. Someday...perhaps?

Cooking with kids!

I have an almost 7 year old (going on 15 some days, I swear) daughter and I'm teaching her how to bake and teaching her how to measure out ingredients. Recently a friend of mine (dawnfire) posted how her daughter recently made some pancakes from scratch for the whole family. They were a hit and everyone loved them! Here is the recipe she wanted to share with everyone and it's child-friendly!

1. 2 Large Eggs

2. 1 cup Milk
2 tbsp. Cooking oil

3. 1 1/4 All-purpose flour
1 tbsp. Granulated sugar
1 tbsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

You will need: a small bowl, measuring spoons, measuring cups, a mixing spoon, a frying pan, no-stick cooking spray (we used a small amount of cooking oil), a pancake lifter and a serving spoon.

1. Break the eggs into the bowl and stir until the eggs are fairly smooth and a bit bubbly.

2. Add the milk and cooking oil to the eggs. Mix.

3. Add all the remining ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Heat the frying pan until a few drops of water bounce all over. An electric rying pan would be 380 F (190 C). Spray the pan with no-stick cooking spray. Scoop spoonfuls of the batter onto the frying pan using the serving spoon. When tops are bubbly and the edges are a bit dry looking, turn them to brown the other side. Spry should not be needed for the rest of the cooking. Remove with the lifter to a plate. Serve with butter or margarine and syrup. Makes 18 round pancakes (small pancakes).

*from Company's Coming Kids Cooking book.*

What kind of cookie are you?

I am still cookied out from the holidays! But here goes, anyhow!

You Are a Black and White Cookie

You're often conflicted in life, and you feel pulled in two opposite directions. When you're good, you're sweet as sugar. And when you're bad, you're wicked!

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

Grocery shopping

Did not put a dent in my wallet as previously thought to buy the healthful things we are going to start eating. Here is what we bought that deviates from our normal list:

5 lb box of Clementines (Costco has them at a good deal for $5.99 for a 5 lb box right now)
Weight Watchers Honey Cluster Almond cereal (I don't do WW, I basically follow a diet similar to the South Beach one but not quite as strict)
Raisin Bran (because seriously, I am sick of the sugary crap that my daughter and husband whine for constantly)
Trail mix
Fresh Spinach
Fresh Broccoli and Cauliflower

So far so good. Just constantly hungry. I am watching my portion sizes as well. When I have a bowl of cereal it is not ginormous. It's measured out to the serving size on the box (usually 3/4 cup) and the milk is a bit more generous.

My sister to date, has lost over 80 lbs. She just wants to drop another 20 and she will. She looks good! I am very proud of her.

Hopefully I am next.

OT post: Flashback

Because you know you remember this. I still say Davey Havok of AFI is Pete Burns long lost twin...

Sweet dreams

Oh I had the weirdest food dreams last night. First off, I was at my Nana's and we made blonde brownies with chocolate chips in them. I had to go do something and she was upset that I had to leave. Then I was hanging out with my mother and had to go run an errand when I ran into my father, who asked me if I wanted to go have lunch with him (which that kind of scenario would never play out in real life, and I think that part of my dream made me sad). So I felt torn because my mom needed me, my Nana was upset I could not stay at her place, and then my dad, who never shows interest in hanging with just me, wanted to have lunch with me. Then we go to the house we used to rent out and my uncle's hanging out there, and I tell my father to try these brownies I made. In my dream I can taste the brownie and the chocolate chips inside of the brownie.

If that made your head spin, imagine how I felt when I woke up.

So let's get this straight- the food is significant because I am really trying to watch what I eat. The emotional aspect of it is the dad part and the part of feeling torn and wanting to be with everyone at once.

I had another food dream after I woke up, where I was at Burger King with my cousin, husband and daughter and was ordering for everyone. I was harassed by the cashier who demanded my license so they could compute my address and phone number for delivery purposes (WTF?). I demanded to speak to the manager and he apologized and gave us our food for free. The major problem (besides the cashier, who resembled an old classmate from high school that I haven't thought of in years!) was that I was trying to pick out something healthy that was not high in fat or carbs that was not a salad. Interesting.

I know a lot of it is due to the "dieting" aspect, because I had a really weird dream last year when I quit smoking of being offered cigarettes and I was trying to say, "NO! I don't want them!"

Ahhh the games our subconscious plays on us!

Always hungry

Why is it that when you start a new way of eating you are constantly hungry? I've been snacking on peanuts, fruit, anything that is not really too bad for you. I guess eating 5-6 small meals a day is what I should be doing, but I just don't ever remember and I'm terrible at it. Now that I'm back in school and am working on reading and assignments again, I like to just grab things and go.

What I would like are suggestions for "grab-and-go" snacks that are healthy and beneficial to a lower carbohydrate/higher protein "diet" (ugh I hate that word!). I follow the Insulin Resistance "diet" (which is a lot like South Beach), so for example, for every 9 grams of carbs you eat, you must eat 18 grams of protein, or something like that. Twice the amount of carbs anyhow. I don't follow it to a tee, but I try to keep mindful of it.

So far here is what I have on grocery list for Thursday's shopping trip to the store:

Trail Mix
Romaine/Spinach lettuce
Fruits (berries, apples, bananas, maybe grapes)

What else am I missing here? Remember- grab and go! :)

Goodbye, 2006, Hello, 2007

Wow. Just wow. I started off with a nostalgia for the past when the clock in Times Square hit the 2007 last night on my television set. Has it really been ten years since I was a naive and excited 18 year old, getting ready to graduate high school and head off to college? Has it been almost ten years since I met my now-husband (it will be in January of next year! Gahh!)? I'm in shock. Sometimes it feels like it was yesterday. My daughter will be 7 years old this year as well. I remember 7 years ago last night, very pregnant with her, watching fireworks being shot off of the wharf in Monterey (and we had an awesome view at my dad's place back then), celebrating 2000. I don't know why my nostalgia-ometer was peaked, but it had me in amazement. 2006 whisked by before we knew it. Hell, by June when my daughter graduated kindergarten, all I could think of was, "where did the time go??". With that said, please enjoy life and realize- time is short. Spend time with those you love and let them know you love them.

Alrighty, back to business. Today marks the beginning of a new year (duhh), and also a chance to try to change things in my life once again. Last year I quit smoking after my Grandpa died. If I can do that, surely I can become healthy again. It's not just my health, it's also my academics and career. In four short weeks I will graduate from this sister school to the University of Phoenix online and have my Associates of Arts in Business. Then I will start planning ahead to go onto UoP and study towards my Bachelors degree. Two more years! That's IT. And these past two years of studying towards my Associates has flown by as it is.

As for food, I am going to make more of a point of getting more greens in our life, especially my daughter, who is starting to become less picky with salads (yay). I want us to eat and live more healthy. Normally I'm not one to skimp out on the butter, cream, or look at labels closely (because I try my hardest to not buy processed foods for this household). While I will still use butter or cream when necessary, I will use them in moderation. I will not become uber-crazy or militant, but I will be about introducing new (and healthy) foods in this household, even if my daughter throws a fit about it. I also plan on beginning a new exercise regimen by Teresa Tapp called the T-Tapp system, which I have heard nothing but good about.

So here's to 2007, and whether or not you have made (or believe in) a resolution, I wish you all nothing but a prosperous, happy and healthy new year! Cheers!