Skillet white beans, spinach & tomatoes over Linguine

Skillet white beans, spinach & tomatoes over Linguine

High in calcium and very yummy

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano (do not drain)
1 can any white beans (I use Great Northern or Navy usually)
1 package fresh spinach
6 cups cooked linguine
6 Tablespoons Romano or Parmesan cheese (grated)


DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet.
2. In a separate pan start boiling water for linguine and get linguine cooked while you continue.
3. Add garlic, saute for a minute or so.
4. Add tomatoes and beans and bring to a boil.
5. Cover with spinach, top with lid, reduce heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. Spoon tomato/beans/spinach mixture over linguine and sprinkle with cheese.
This makes 6 servings of 1 cup of pasta, 1 cup of sauce and 1 tablespoon of cheese.

Number of Servings: 6

.

Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving: Calories: 318.7 Total Fat: 5g Total Carbs: 55.4g Dietary Fiber: 7.2mg Protein: 13.4g

Soft Serve Banana

www.sparkspeople.com

Soft-Serve Banana

Frozen bananas rival soft serve when given a whirl in the food processor. My brother and boyfriend loved this treat! Trust me, it's AMAZING: no fat, no cholesterol, no added sugar, just creamy and sweet bananas!


INGREDIENTS
4 frozen bananas



DIRECTIONS
Place frozen bananas in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to break into smaller pieces, then turn on and run for about five minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The bananas will start to resemble soft serve in a few minutes. Transfer to a bowl and place in freezer for about 15 minutes, if you'd like, or serve immediately.

I topped mine with a tablespoon of pure maple syrup mixed with 2 t dark cocoa powder (calories not included).
(Makes four 1/2 cup servings)

Number of servings 4

Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving: Calories: 108.6 Total Fat: 0.6g Total Carbs: 27.6g Dietary Fiber: 2.8mg Protein: 1.2g

Blueberry Mango Yoghurt Popsicles-Yummy

Blueberry Mango Yogurt Popsicles

www.blackwomenlosingweight.com

1 6 oz container plain fat free greek yogurt
3/4 cup partially frozen blueberries
3/4 cup partially frozen mango cubes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Agave nectar

Add all ingredients to blender. Blend until smooth or desired texture. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze. Enjoy!

Number of Servings: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 35.7
Total Fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 1.3 mg
Sodium: 11.7 mg
Total Carbs: 6.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g
Protein: 1.9 g

If it is to be, it is up to me. Author Unknown

Cranberry Chicken Salad

60 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

www.sparkspeople.com

Ingredients

2 cups of chicken thighs
1/2 cup Kraft mayo w/ olive oil
1/2 cup of craisins
1/2 shredded green apple
1/4 cup of pecans
1 Tbsp of lime juice
1/4 tsp of dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cook chicken and cut up into small pieces. Mix all ingredients together, to coat well. Refrigerate over night to enhance the flavors.

Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 6
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 278.8

• Total Fat: 16.4 g
• Cholesterol: 102.5 mg
• Sodium: 172.9 mg
• Total Carbs: 15.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g
• Protein: 20.0 g

Weigh to Hold~ From this day Forward

"No I am not a surrogate mother. I am not pregnant. It is a hernia. It has weighed me down (but not out)!
Moon o her porch needing TLC with hernia-Frontal.
Moon in her garden. It was blazing hot that day so my poor babies were wilting. (Yes I did water them)! 7-28-10
The plants like me needing some TLC

My front porch with the new plants that could use some TLC from Freecyle


Every man is going to have problems & sometimes he can be the problem for you"~N.N



No I am not blogging about men. This is about attitudes and how people that can make assumption that while initially are, I hope, without malice or intent to cause harm, can ultimately harm you.

I've spoken of it numerous times on my blogs of my challenges & frustrations, not so much about releasing weight, but more observational of life & culture and people as I continue to grow myself.

In less then 2 weeks I am schedule to have surgery to repair something that should have been cared for almost 2 years ago, but because of bias on the part of some professionals (and yes educated ones are not exempted from bigotry) access to badly needed surgery was not forthcoming..

I've had to pay for it in compromised health, economical & a wear on my heart & spirit. As of now I am so full literally & figuratively to the point there is no more room.

Literally, right now I am spilling my guts. I have what is a hernia, but it is not "just a hernia". If I was an elephant my abdomen would be right about the 2nd year gestational period for birth. The only thing that is preventing my intestines from spilling all over the floor (which would make an inconvenient mess) is my skin.

I went from an active, happy for the most part, humorous professional artist to someone who is now operating at perhaps on a good day 25% of where I was a few years ago.

All behind something that was fixable then & fixable now.

Over the course of the last 2 years, I've heard it all: People making assumptions about why you are the way you are to outright blaming while you suffer somehow holding you responsible for something that absolutely was not in your control.

Make no mistake, I do not see myself as a victim, so please do not make assumptions.

I have decided from this day forward as I continue to document this process since I 1st developed this hernia that now I will be very public from the surgery to recovery to reclamation to joy.

Despite what people may assume, I KNOW that once this is corrected I can correct all the rest.
I've been working on "the rest" for awhile, but with restriction because of the badly needed operation. It shouldn't have gotten to this point, but it has. It did. And it will be cared for.

One cannot unring that bell...

What is a weight issue will be far more manageable then it is now. I've gain 50 pounds simply from the inability to be very active. I have lots of limitations in my activity level right now because of a very real danger to my health until this surgery is done.

The surgery, I kid you not, once done, I will lose two dress sizes simply because of the distension. Several weeks down the pipeline , if all goes well, I will have my energy level back where I can be more physical. I've already been advised by the surgeon NOT to lift anything heavy for several weeks until fully healed & I will take him at his word.

I took these pictures of me the day I saw the surgeon so I can track & monitor my progress. My neighbor was kind enough to do it full frontal and side view. I wanted people to see what I look like. Perhaps for some they will believe me when I say "I'm not fat, I have a hernia" or if I am in a good mood "I am not pregnant, its a hernia".

It won't matter in the long run whether people will believe me or not. I've learned you cannot argue with beliefs. Beliefs are not often based on reality but on a person's attitudes, biases or their life's experiences and has little to do with you.

I just know from this day forward I will not be silent nor will I allow others to mar my life with their beliefs that can potentially cause me harm. I may not be able to stop all of it but I can surely stop a lot of it.

I've been enabled to gather knowledge, to learn a lot of what I did not know and reconfirmed what I knew and now I can put them into my own action plan & my vision statement.

I am in no rush. It is not a competition for me. I expect some missteps and definitely mistakes.

I have already redefine myself while here in eating, health & well being.

I've watched others in their triumphs & joys & also in their setbacks, but continue to get up.

I do not like the word "journey" It is so overused and for me when I see someone using it weigh too often I think "oh oh they are setting themselves up for failure" based on the context they use the word "journey".

But hey if it works for them, so be it.

For me, I am not going anywhere, I am exactly where I need to be.

I will spare you what the hernia looks like in its entirety, so you still will not be able to see all of it, only what is pronounced in clothing which makes it understandable why people assume wrongly I'm just fat.


A part of what is helping me immensely has been gardening. Great for your well being. A great stress reducing. A wonderful group in New Orleans, the New Orleans Food & Farm Network
www.noffn.org has been instrumental in my getting a container garden started. This wonderful group should be investigate and those of you are donors and financial angels should check into this a a cause sending your charitable dollars to aid them to do even more!

Like many non-profits, they are struggling with budget cuts, but wealthy in aid & assisting others to have access to healthy food right at their fingertips which will benefit us all in the long run.

If you are in the New Orleans area you should check them out. In other places you probably have a similar program where there are groups who will help you put in a garden as they believe it is an inalienable right we should all have accessible healthy food that is affordable.

My morning ritual is to tend to the watering, feeding & plucking. It almost puts me in a meditative state & helps me to manage my blood pressure and cope with all the external stress. Having the healthy food is almost the lagniappe ( a little extra) from this. I started gardening again2 years ago when this nightmare.

This morning I acquire because of Free Cycle: www.freecycle.org a potted okra plant, passion flowers, chives and morning glories plus empty pots & a raised bed to transplant. I am like a kid in a candy store!


"Comfort & prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has. Out of pain & problems has come the sweetest songs & the most gripping stories"~ Billy Graham

Corn & Pepper Soup

Chef Meg's Roasted Corn and Pepper Soup

www.sparkspeople.com

This is a great recipe when the garden is overflowing. Any leftover soup can be used as a sauce to bake boneless chicken breasts.

45 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients

4 ears yellow corn, shucked

3 bell peppers, (red, orange or yellow)

OR
1 jar roasted peppers packed in water

5 Roma tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
OR
1 1/2 cups of diced tomatoes, drained

1 T olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, finely diced
pinch red pepper
1/4 t cumin, ground
1/2 t dried thyme

1/4 t black pepper
16 oz chicken broth, low sodium

1 T chives, chopped (optional)


Directions


Roast the corn and peppers over a grill set on medium heat or in a 400 degree oven until the kernels just start to brown and the skin of the peppers starts to char. Place the peppers in a paper bag or in a bowl covered with a kitchen towel. Allow the peppers to steam for 10 minutes. While the peppers are steaming, allow the corn to cool to the touch. Using a knife and slicing away from you, remove the kernels from the cob. Remove the charred skin from the peppers and chop them. Heat a large stock pot or saucepan over moderate heat. Add oil and once hot, add onions. Cook onions for 3-4 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in food processor.Make eight one-cup servings.

Number of Servings: 8


Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 78.5
Total Fat:
0.8g
Total Carbs:
17.1g
Dietary Fiber:
3.3mg
Protein:
3.4g

Weigh to Oh! (I didn't know that)....

My Cantaloupe beginnings...

Bell Peppers & cantaloupes...

My 1st Eggplant

Peek-a-boo...My eggplants & Green Beans

My 1st fruits-Bell Peppers

If it is to be, it is up to me. Author Unknown

While I am now enjoying the beginning fruits of my garden, I've been reading an excellent book entitled "Grub" which gives many amazing facts about the typical American diet. The authors, Anna Leppes & Bryant Terry, two young energetic& compassionate young people, one who is a chef have included in the 3rd section a battery of delicious recipes to use. They are not "food Nazi" not trying to force any way of living on anyone, but bringing some awareness. Bryant Terry, the chef has actually started a program in Brooklyn New York aiding young folks to know where their food is coming from & how to grow what they need even in an urban city like New York.

http://www.eatgrub.org/

They believe like others that all should have access to healthy food.

So in reading book I've learn some interesting & disturbing facts...

Did you know:

Among infants & toddlers 1/2 did not eat one single vegetable for lunch & 1/3 will have none at dinner

Only vegetable consumption on the rise is romaine lettuce & bagged lettuce?

1/2 of Americans consume less then 1 serving of fruit a day? Only 1 in 5 eat 5 servings a day...

Our typical diet is causing obesity & obesity related diseases to sky rocket. Our diet is making us sick and is implicated in many disease like cancer & Type 2 diabetes... But there are others...

Only 3 vegetables iceberg lettuce, potatoes (frozen, fresh ) and canned tomatoes constituted nearly half of all vegetables consumed in 2000.

We eat 38% more fats & oils today then in 1970~600 calories more per day with many of them being trans Or "bad" fats.

Average American consumes twice the recommended amount of salt per day...

We are eating 223 pounds of meat per person per year up from 177 pounds in 1970 & all but a tiny percent is raised on factory farms, fed a diet that includes antibiotics & growth hormones?

Fast food companies pays singers & rappers to riff about Big Mac in their hits songs although a

Big Mac hits you with 60% of your maximum daily dose of saturated fats & 30% of your salt intake?

Food & beverage industry marketing to kids in U.S. eats up between 10-12 billion dollars a year enough to provide health insurance for EVER uninsured child in the U.S.?

There are more Americans going hungry every year, 32 million, more then the entire population of Canada although there is enough food to satisfy 2 times the caloric needs for every American.
Farmers' despair is deepening as agri-business are either forcing them out or become modern day serfs. Farmers suicide rates is twice the national average and the 5th leading cause of death in the Midwest.

A lot to take in, eh?

Make no mistake every once in awhile I indulge in a Big Mac maybe once or twice a year... I think there are creative ways we could all co-exist and provide healthier food for all...

I am happy that this weekend I was able to although a humble beginning to provide a local food bank that was started by a young woman right in her day care for her children whose parents although working people cannot manage to keep much food in the house, some of the fruits of my garden. The owner has started her own garden but I was able to provide her, green beans, eggplants and some herbs as she will need far more then I can consume.

It made me feel good and in some small weigh able to help someone else out...

http://www.worldhunger.org/

http://www.noffn.org/

http://www.lifeonthebalcony.com/

And Chef Bryant Terry has released a new book entitled "Soul Vegan Kitchen"

http://www.amazon.com/ . I read of him in July O magazine where he speaks about traditional soul food and taking it back to its West African roots. I did not know that the typical diet was mostly grain vegetables with little meat except for flavor. And even in slavery while enslaved Africans had to become creative in what they ate, still stuck to those traditions. And while other foods were introduced, the level of work they did prevented what we now, morphing into 2010, from having problems with obesity.

Chef Bryant has created numerous delightful foods without losing the soul in the soul food.

"Triumph is always nearest when defeat seems inescapable"