Posts from — October 2009

I’m homebound today with big daughter who is sick.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that it’s not Swine, but it’s likely since every kid in school is dropping like flies.  We were able to get her vaccinated early last week, so hopefully that will keep the worst of it at bay.  We’ll see…

So when I’m hanging around the house, I always get the urge to bake!  After yesterday’s wrestle with the bag of Halloween candy, I decided to bake something healthy.  I’ve been thinking of a new Breakfast Cookie idea and wanted to try it out.  I loved it!  This one is a keeper…

Ginger Apple Oat Breakfast Cookie

• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup oat bran
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, unpacked
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 egg white, beaten lightly
• 2 tbsp. molasses
• 1/2 cup applesauce

1. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon).  In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients.  Add to oat mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop batter and place mounds on lined cookie sheet.
3. Bake 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Makes 5 BIG cookies.  Each cookie is 171 calories, 1 gram fat, 4 grams fiber (calculated using www.calorieking.com)

These were a cross between a soft oatmeal cookie and a gingersnap…

I had to have one right away.  It was soft and warm with a nice bit of spice.  Perfect with a cup of joe…

Yeah, I’ve fallen off the “no coffee” wagon.  I’m trying to keep it to a minimum though, and if my stomach or throat acts up, I’ll break up with it again.  But, for now, it’s making me happy.  Speaking of joe and happy, I got some fun mail that I won from my friend, Danica…

Looking forward to trying these   Thanks, Danica!

Since I was around the house, I had plenty of time to get creative for lunch.  This actually was a quick meal to put together.  It was another take on breakfast – Fried Egg with Polenta Toast over sauteed spinach…

I used some of the leftover Cheesy Polenta which I had spread in a baking dish and refrigerated until firm.  I cut the polenta into 2 triangles and broiled until “toasted” on each side.  Meanwhile, I sauteed a heaping bunch of baby spinach until wilted (down to nothing – how does that happen?).  I pan-fried the egg in nonstick spray and plated it all.  I garnished with 2 slices of crumbled center cut bacon cooked in the micro and a shaving of parmesan.  How fancy is that?

Later, I needed a hearty snack…

Kidding, kidding   A hearty, healthy snack…

Dinner was low-key.  The husband had to work late and the daughters were up for an easy meal (aka sandwiches).  I dug through the freezer and found some shrimp, so I decided on a quick Shrimp Fajita bowl – frozen shrimp(no need to thaw – they cook to perfection when cooked from frozen), sauteed red and green peppers, onions, taco seasoning and salsa…

Love easy and tasty dinners:)

Time to tend to the sick!  Hope you all are staying well!

ONE GOOD THING:  Ginger Apple Oat Breakfast Cookies!  Cookies for breakfast are a great way to start the day

Hey guys!  I’m a little off my blogging schedule – not enough hours in the day, ya know?  I’m faltering with my “to-do list”!  I started off great but, I got side-tracked with other things and now my list is a mile long again.  Pffft!!

The morning began with the growl of my stomach.  That is one annoying alarm clock ;P  Breakfast was definitely in order before gyming it.  I munched down a Thomas’ Light Multigrain English Muffin with homemade almond butter and a pear…

Almond butter is so good.  And sooo hard to control!  I could eat gobs of it, but I have to keep reminding myself:  A serving is 2 tbsp., a serving is 2 tbsp.  Yes, I chant this as I spread it   I have received some requests for this recipe, so here it is…

Homemade Almond Butter

• 1 cup whole almonds, roasted
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. olive oil (not extra virgin)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 7-10 minutes. Watch closely to not burn.
2. Place nuts in food processor and pulse until nuts are fully chopped.  Add salt, honey and oil.
3. Continue to process until creamy;  this may take 5-7 minutes.
4. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
5. Try not to eat the whole thing.
6. Good luck with that

Then, I drug myself to the gym.  I know that’s not a word, but it is when you don’t want to go to the gym.  Drug is way worse than dragged ;P  I usually like the gym, but since I’m restricted to the recumbent bike  til this dizziness goes away, I’m less than thrilled.  For some reason, the bike just doesn’t do it for me.  It’s boring and I don’t feel like I’m doing much of anything  for a workout.  I did try to pump up the resistance, which definitely was a challenge, but it’s still just “meh” to me.  Maybe, I’ll learn to like it??

I was ready for lunch after my non-exciting gym experience.  I couldn’t wait to get some food.  It was one of THOSE days.  Lunch was a Health is Wealth Chicken Free Patty on a deli flat with guacamole, chopped tomatoes and spinach.  Some soy crisps and carrots filled up the rest of my plate…

But not the rest of my stomach!!!  No, really my stomach was full, but my brain did not get that memo.  It was too focused on these Halloween candies…

My favorite…

A close second…

What I thought I should have instead…

What I did have… all of the above.  And CHEEZ-ITS!  I hate those friggers!

Dinner, as if I needed it, was a delicious bowl of Cheesy Polenta with mushrooms and asparagus…

I used this Polenta recipe from Everyday Food …

It was a beautiful thing.  So is chocolate.  I know it so well

ONE GOOD THING:  I did not eat 105 pieces of chocolate

Question of the Day:  What is your favorite exercise machine at the gym/home?

I can’t stop singing that dopey 80’s tune.  But, it pretty well describes my morning.  I was still having vertigo issues and the medicine I took the night before made me drowsy to boot.  I actually went back to bed for a bit in the morning, too.  Don’t like that feeling, but I had to do it.  Anyway, I finally felt decent enough to make breakfast.  I went with Chobani nonfat yogurt sweetened with NuStevia and topped with strawberry syrup, pomegranate arils and granola crumbs…

Really good!  I loved the crunchy addition of the pomegranate arils (aka seeds!).  This is the season for pomegranates and I picked one up at the supermarket the other day along with a cool brochure from the POM people with instructions on how to open one.  I have always just hacked away at it, but now I know the “proper way” to open this beautiful guy…

and you can, too…

It worked perfectly and I got many more arils, especially non-butchered ones, than when I just hacked away at it –LOL!

I slowly worked on some house cleaning, then realized that I was starving and ready for lunch.  When I’m like that, the first thing that jumps at me is what I choose.  Today, leftover pizza was the winner…

With some awesome cantaloupe and grapes.  Hmmm… I miss summer:(

I spent some time doing research on my vertigo diagnosis.  I love doing research (it’s the old paralegal in me) and I love the easy access to all info via the Internet.  It’s so easy to come up with questions for doctors when you have info at your fingertips!  Anywho, what I found was a bit disheartening.  Without getting into a bunch of medical mumbo jumbo, I basically found that there  is no specific, guaranteed  cause or treatment for Benign Positional Vertigo.  The general treatment is a series of exercises or maneuvers that the doctor performs to help move debris from your inner ear to a less sensitive place within your head.  Many of these exercises I can do as a home treatment.  So, I decided that I would try to do these and see if it would rectify the situation.  There is a decent success rate with doing these, however, BPV may reoccur.  But, I’m willing to try it so as not to have to take any medication (Antivert) which, oddly enough, has a side effect of possible dizziness!!!  Huh???  The disappointing part is that while doing these maneuvers, I have to be careful not to put myself in a position that’s counterproductive to moving the debris – no leaning too far back or flat, no bending over with head down, no sports activities involving lying flat (weight bench, yoga, pilates) or too much jostling of the head (RUNNING!!) and I need to sleep propped up on pillows for a bit.  For now, running is out.  Major bummer since I was all juiced up to start racking up my mileage   But, if I’m going to lead a “healthy” lifestyle, I have to do ALL the things needed to keep me healthy which includes paying attention to my body’s needs.  So, I may be benched for now, but hopefully not for long!

I felt a little frustrated after my research session and I took it out on myself by eating!!  Aaaah!  I made up some homemade almond butter…

and ate a whole lot of it!  Then I snacked on most of these guys…

and there may have been a few Cheez-Its involved, too.  Moving on…

I finished off the whole shebang with a hearty, carby bowl of Creamy Bowties with Asparagus…

made with Chavrie goat cheese, parmesan and a bit of milk.  YUM!

Have a great day, everyone!!!