Chicken & Asparagus Pasta

Simple, tasty & healthy.  Good combo!

www.sparkspeople.com

Chicken & Asparagus Pasta

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 6.6g
• Carbohydrates: 25.4g
• Calories: 204.2
• Protein: 14.4g

Ingredients

3 cups whole wheat extra wide pasta
12 spears asparagus
1/2 chicken breast, bone and skin removed 
1-1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, pieces or slices 
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 medium tomato
Pinch of pepper, red or cayenne

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. 
Meanwhile, cut chicken into bite-sized cubes and place in skillet with olive oil. 
Cook until partially done. 
Add asparagus and mushrooms, continue cooking until chicken is done. 
Add chicken broth and cover pan, cook until asparagus is crisp tender. 
Add pasta, red pepper flakes (to taste), and feta cheese. Remove from heat. 
Serve with fresh diced tomatoes to garnish. Enjoy!

Number of Servings: 4

Cranberry Relish

Chef Meg's Cranberry Relish

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 0.0g
• Carbohydrates: 11.2g
• Calories: 42.7
• Protein: 0.2g

Ingredients

3/4 c sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 oranges, zest and fruit, discard pith and membrane
2 c cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 t cinnamon, ground
pinch cloves, ground

Directions

Remove the zest from the two oranges using a zester or a small knife. Place the zest, sugar, and 3/4 cup of water into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add cranberries and continue to cook until the cranberries start to pop, about 2 minutes. Transfer entire mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Add the oranges and spices to the mixture. Process until mixture is combined. Transfer to a plastic or glass container and refrigerate, covered, for 12 hours.
A serving is 2 tablespoons. 

Number of Servings: 18

Peaut & Sesame Noodles

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 11.0g
• Carbohydrates: 22.9g
• Calories: 208.6
• Protein: 7.7g

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cooked whole wheat spaghetti
  
  
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  
  
• 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
  
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
  
  
• red pepper flakes to taste (approx. 1 teaspoon)
  
  
• 3 tablespoons hot water
  
  
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
  
  
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  
  
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  
  
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  
  

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti as directed by the manufacturer.



2. Combine all other ingredients, mix until peanut butter is dissolved.



3. Add sauce to drained pasta, toss until pasta is fully coated.



4. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.



Serves 4.

Cauliflower Salad

Cauliflower (tastes like potato) Salad

Ingredients

2 bags of frozen cauliflower (16 ounce bag)
1 1/2 cup of Light Miracle Whip
1 TBS of vinegar
1 TBS of mustard (more if you prefer)
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
8 strips of fully cooked bacon (not the kind you fry)
1/4 cup of chopped scallions or onion if you prefer
fresh chives (optional)

Directions

Steam the cauliflower as directed on the bag, be careful not to overcook. Drain the cauliflower. Stir together the miracle whip, mustard, sugar, and vinegar. Chop the scallions and chop the fresh chives. I prepared the bacon as directed on the package in the microwave to make it crisp. I patted the bacon to remove the excess oil. Allow the cauliflower to cool slightly and stir everything together, place in the refrigerator to chill. Approx. 10 1-cup servings.

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 5.8g
• Carbohydrates: 16.3g
• Calories: 119.1
• Protein: 4.5g

Number of Servings: 10

Just Peachy Keen -Peach Sauce

Great sauce on chicken, pork or rice. Use just a tablespoon for lots of flavor! 15 miutes to prepare & cook.

Ingredients

1 Cup Peach Jam
2 Tbs. Lime Juice
1 Tbs. Soy Sauce
1/4 tsp. cayenne Pepper (or to taste)
1/8th tsp. Ground Ginger

Directions

Combine ingredients in sauce pan and bring to slow boil. Stir to keep from burning. Turn burner off and let cool 10 minutes before serving. Use sparingly.

Make this sauce healthier by using low or no sugar jam and low sodium soy sauce.

Number of Servings: 12

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 0.0g
• Carbohydrates: 13.4g
• Calories: 52.1
• Protein: 0.1g

Weigh to Whole~Breaking bread & other Stuff with friends.

I had a surprise today from an artistic friend of mine who will turn 67 2 days before I turn 60. She wanted to take me out to lunch before I went to the hospital & she need to run away from home, so to speak on it was her job which is also her passion. Like me she was born in N.O but spent the majority of her life in Northern Cal (me Southern Cali) so we are both Southern women with a West Coast groove.

Both of us return because we were compelled to to support & contribute to the 1st recovery, and now the revitalization of our beloved home with her getting her 3 years before I.

My artist friend is scattered, impulsive, moves like the wind, hard for many to "get" her ( I do).

But she is dead on as far as her passion here. So you put up with the scattering for all the other.

We went to after her driving down the street like Mr. Magoo as she wasn't sure where she wanted to dine. Like most artist self included funds are limited but you still want a good experience.

We settled to Sukho Thai restaurant on Magazine that I had been meaning to try upon my return & never could afford so I thought.

It turns out not only is the food absolutely delicious but the lunch menu is very affordable.

I had green curry with rice & chicken breast. And I am not a fan of chicken breast, but it was right on target. And I sat and listen to my friends grand plans of knocking on the door of the city Mayor to give him a peace of her mind (she, trust me cannot afford to lose any of her mind) :=) about his seemingly inability to look into the faces of people who are still displaced or struggling to re-carve a home back in the Lower 9th Ward.

I love her boldness & her passion. She has beautiful eyes and shows all the markings of her Houma Indian/African heritage. We talked about our shared history (I am Apache,French & African), about us being elder women, artists, visionaries...

It was a wonderful unexpected gift I had today. We will probably not see each other until I come and allowing for me to rest a few days. Generally we get together every couple of months although we only live 15 minutes away from one another.

Our lives are full, interesting and we are non-judgemental of one another. We are so different in appearance I am younger, taller & weigh bigger then she. She is sooo Berkeley, I'm more San Diego. She is completely gray, I am just starting to go grey, but oh hers is so striking!

Her last boyfriend decided he could not embrace her naturalness, i.e grey hair, so he left...

His loss...

Now in the middle of this I received a package from another artist friend of mine, a CARE package today filled with fabrics (we are fabric artist), a candle of my favorite scent-honeydew melon,even tissues as she knows I will cry, a "necklace" made of spools of threads, a Raggedy Ann doll, a new tissued collage ornament (one of her creations & an assortment of trinkets. Since she is out of state of course she cannot be here next week, but showed she cared in the best possible way.



Now for a shifting of paradigms. I finally sat down & looked at all my medical X-rays and Cat scans. 1st the human body is fascinating to see & it is rather intriguing seeing your "innards". While it was a WOW thing seeing how big the hernia was, but also how really small my bones are (They are healthy, I promise)

But when I saw surrounding the hernia the fat that I need to released, I did not feel badly, I felt determined. I also felt tenderness for myself & for my poor framed doing an extraordinary job of holding me up as I weighed it down.

I've said for the longest time, if we do not get rid of what' eating us, all the albeit successful weight loss one might have, it will come back to haunt you.

That is why I never use the word "loss" but release. You can use whatever you want: relinquished, vanquish, loss, but I know one thing for sure: when you lose something you will go back & find it.

Guarantee.

So while I have been working on a more healthful way of eating, I simultaneously worked on what was needed to make this successful release party, whatever length of time it took. I am not going to punish me or berate myself or torment myself in this process.

Those things never work anyway so I do not why people keep going that route instead of taking a different approach.

As I told the doctor, my family generally lives into the triple digits and I am not going to not follow that one tradition. Other things I have had to reform or reshape but I LIKE the idea of living & living well into the triple digits.

So all in all, an unexpected but a delightful way to spend a day, breaking bread & musing...

Curry This

I am on a curry kick today!


Chicken and Creamy Curry Wrap

Chicken and a savory sauce wrapped up.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 chicken breast, cut into cubes
cooking spray
2 tbsp light sour cream
1 tbsp red curry powder
1/2 cup lettuce
3 slices of tomato
1 "fajita sized" wheat tortilla


DIRECTIONS
Brown chicken with cooking spray in skillet.
Combine sour cream and curry in small bowl.
Warm up wheat tortilla for 20 seconds in microwave.
Once chicken is browned and cooked thoroughly place in warm tortilla, top chicken with sour cream and curry mixture.
Top with lettuce and tomato.
Wrap up tortilla.
Serve while warm.

Number of Servings: 1

Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 287.2
Total Fat: 8.2g
Total Carbs: 20.5g
Dietary Fiber: 11.1mg
Protein: 32.7g
See Full Information

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

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

Fare-Thee-Well

The groundwork for all happiness is good health.
- Leigh Hunt

How your body influences your emotions

www.sparkspeople.com

There is an undeniable link between feeling healthy and feeling happy. When was the last time you had the flu, a migraine, or heartburn and felt joyful at the same time? While many of us would agree that there is a relationship between our internal workings and our feelings of happiness, many of us don't take active steps toward living a healthy, positive life. How can we meet our goals when our body isn't feeling up to par? Tiredness, aches and pains, and feeling under the weather can all be big hindrances to our goals. It is very important that we nourish our bodies with adequate amounts of the right foods, condition ourselves to maintain and build strong bones and muscles, rest properly at night, and generally adhere to a healthy regimen if we expect to feel positive emotions.

Strawberry Fields 4ever...

Strawberry Spinach Salad


Ingredients

2 (6-oz.) bags fresh baby spinach

1 (16-oz) pint strawberries, washed, stemmed, and sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup candied walnuts

Directions
Combine strawberries, spinach and red onion, toss well. Top with goat cheese and candied walnuts, toss lightly.Number of Servings: 6Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user PHRAUGIE. Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 129.0
Total Fat: 7.8 g
Cholesterol: 15.0 mg
Sodium: 144.3 mg
Total Carbs: 10.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.3 g
Protein: 6.6 g

Strawberry Soup

A light summery fruit soup.


Ingredients


2 pints strawberries 2 cups plain non-fat yogurt 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup water 1 dash ground ginger 1 dash allspice fresh mint, if you like (to garnish)


Directions
Reserve 8 strawberries, sliced.In a blender, combine the strawberries, yogurt, orange juice, sugar, water and spices. Puree until well mixed. Chill and serve. Garnish with strawberry slices and fresh mint.

. Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 123.6
Total Fat: 1.3 g
Cholesterol: 3.7 mg
Sodium: 44.7 mg
Total Carbs: 25.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 4.0 g


Red, White & Blueberry Crisp
25Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients
2 cups blueberries 2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered 1/2 cup uncooked old fashioned oats 4 tsp sugar, divided 4 tsp unpacked brown sugar 2 Tbsp light butter, melted 1/2 cup Coolwhip, light

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar; set aside. In another small bowl, toss strawberries with remaining 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar; set aside.In a third small bowl, stir together oats, brown sugar and butter. Spread mixture in a single layer on a sheet pan; bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.Spread blueberries and strawberries in an 8 x 8-inch glass dish, alternating to create stripes. (Or prepare in individual serving bowls like I did here.) Sprinkle with oat topping, decorate with whipped topping and serve.

Number of Servings: 8


Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 74.8
Total Fat: 2.5 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 24.5 mg
Total Carbs: 14.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 0.4 g


Balsamic Strawberries with Ricotta Cream


Strawberries are combined with tangy and sweet balsamic vinegar and creamy ricotta in this quick and simple dessert. Chef Meg took a member-submitted recipe and made a few changes--and even tried this recipe with her own homemade ricotta. (It's easy!)TIP: Use a local honey in this recipe to add even more flavor. Each honey has a unique taste.13 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients
1 c part-skim ricotta cheese1 T honey1/2 t pure vanilla extract3 T Balsamic vinegar1 1/2 T brown sugar16 oz strawberries, hulled* and quartered1 T fresh basil, cut into fine ribbons*To hull a strawberry, remove the stem and leaves.

Directions

Open container of ricotta cheese and stir well to combine the liquid with the cheese. Spoon 1 cup of cheese into a mixing bowl of a food processor. Add honey and vanilla. Process for 1 minute until mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolved. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, heat for 3 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely. In a mixing bowl combine the strawberries and basil with vinegar mixture. Divide equally among 4 glasses. Top with ricotta cream. Serve chilled.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 156.9
Total Fat: 5.2 g
Cholesterol: 19.1 mg
Sodium: 84.0 mg
Total Carbs: 20.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 7.6 g

Strawberry Salsa Salmon
OMG! This salsa is the bomb!
30 Minutes to Prepare and Cook


Ingredients
1 cup chopped strawberries
2 kiwi, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 jalapeno. seeded and finely chopped (more or less to taste)
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro (or 3/4 tsp dried cilantro)
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp brown sugar
PAM spray
4 salmon filets (approx 14 oz)
Pepper, to taste

Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine first 9 ingredients (strawberrries through brown sugar); cover and refridgerate for abotu 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Preheat oven for 450 degrees. Spray a baking dish with PAM. Place salmon filets in baking dish and spritz with PAM or water/oil mixture; bake for 8-10 minutes or until salmon is done to your liking; pepper to taste. Spoon salsa over fish and enjoy!

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 250.6
Total Fat: 8.5 g
Cholesterol: 70.4 mg
Sodium: 62.3 mg
Total Carbs: 17.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.6 g
Protein: 26.2 g

Simple cool & delicious..oh yeah healthy...

Frozen Pudding Pops


Creamy pudding makes fantastic frozen treats.
INGREDIENTS

2 cups low-fat or skim milk
1 small box of instant pudding

DIRECTIONS
Prepare pudding according to package directions. Freeze in pop molds or spoon into small paper cups and insert popsicle sticks or plastic spoons. Place in freezer until solid.

Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 38.8
Total Fat: 0.7g
Total Carbs: 6g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1mg
Protein: 2.4g

Your Best may (not) be Good Enough...

There are only two options regarding commitment. You're either IN or you're OUT. There's no such thing as life in-between.~Pat Riley, basketball coach

-
Are You Giving Your Goals Your Best Effort?

Your dreams deserve better than a half-hearted effort. Meet your goals with a weak handshake and they'll soon be waving you goodbye. Since you probably don't want to look back on a life full of "almost made it" memories, it's time for total commitment. Leave it all on the field, don't hold anything back. Is there anything more satisfying than pouring out your entire being, straddling the cliff, reaching your total limit, then looking up and realizing that oh-my-gosh-I-can't-believe-I-really-did-it? And is there anything more tragic than failing and realizing you could have done more? If you feel "tuned out" of your current life, that's okay. Make your first goal to build a life that you can get "in"-to. Then don't look back. Make every day count and live purposefully, live energetically, live completely.

Just Kickin' it...

Salsa Turkey Burgers
Quick, easy and tasty turkey burgers with a kick.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground turkey (99% fat free)

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

4 tbsp chunky salsa (use medium or hot for extra kick)

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients until well mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide into 4 patties. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and cook over medium heat until cooked thoroughly (about 10 minutes), flipping once about half-way through.
Number of Servings: 4


Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 161.8
Total Fat: 1.5g
Total Carbs: 7.6g
Dietary Fiber: 0.5mg
Protein: 29.4g
See Full Information

Move Along...

Flaxseed, wheat, and bran muffins
High fiber, healthy breakfast muffin


INGREDIENTS

1 C.flaxseed ground
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C. Oat Bran
1 C. Brown sugar
2 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 C. shredded Carrots
2-3 Apples, cored and chopped up or shredded
1/2 C. Chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 c. Raisins (optional)
3/4 C. 2 % milk
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tsp. Vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Mix flour, flaxseed, bran, sugar and dry ingredients together. Shred carrots and apples and add these along with optional raisins and nuts to dry ingredients. Mix well. Stir together milk eggs and vanilla and stir this into batter until well moistened. Fill cupcake papers until 3.4 full and bake at 350* for 20 to 25 minutes.Makes 24 med muffins. ( freeze them in ziplock bag, then just pull one out each morning and will be ready to eat 20 minutes later on the way to work! )

Number of Servings: 24

Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving: Calories: 115.7 Total Fat: 3.4g Total Carbs: 20.8g Dietary Fiber: 2.8mg Protein: 2.9g

Taco Soup

Taco Soup (Chef Meg's Makeover)


Chef Meg cut the sodium on this hearty soup by swapping taco seasoning for three spices you already have on hand. There's a secret ingredient (garbanzo beans) that helps add fiber and thicken our Taco Soup!

INGREDIENTS

16 oz lean ground beef1/2 C yellow onion, chopped1 recipe taco seasoning14 oz tomato sauce14 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies14 oz kidney beans, dark, drained1 C water1 C corn, frozen4 oz green chilies, chopped1/2 C garbanzo beans, smashed

DIRECTIONS

Brown ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Drain mixture and blot away excess grease. Add spices cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook additional minute while stirring. Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add corn, green chilies, and mashed garbanzo beans, simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped cilantro, chips, cheese, or sour cream. (Calories not included.)
Number of Servings: 6



Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 342.1
Total Fat: 16.8g
Total Carbs: 29.5g
Dietary Fiber: 8.3mg
Protein: 20.4g

I love soups!

Watermelon Blueberry Banana nana bo dana....

Watermelon Blueberry Banana Split...
www.sparkspeople.com

Ingredients

2 large bananas
8 "scoops" watermelong and/or cantaloupe
1 cup blueberries (or raspberries or strawberries)
1/2 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup granola

Directions
1. Peel bananas and cut in half crosswise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. For each serving, lay 2 banana pieces against the sides of a shallow dish. 2. To make watermelon "scoops" use an ice cream scoop to create balls of watermelon. Remove seeds, if needed. Place a watermelon "scoop" at each end of the dish. 3. Fill the center space with berries. 4. Stir yogurt until smooth, spoon over the watermelon "scoops". 5. Sprinkle with granola.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Info
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 220.7
Total Fat: 2.3 g
Cholesterol: 1.9 mg
Sodium: 90.6 mg
Total Carbs: 47.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.7 g
Protein: 5.3 g

Linguine w Spicy Shrimp

Nutrional Information

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 393.5
Total Fat: 13.8 g
Cholesterol: 129.2 mg
Sodium: 885.7 mg
Total Carbs: 48.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 7.4 g
Protein: 24.7 g

Ingredients
3 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1/2 t red pepper flakes
2 T sun dried tomato paste*
15 oz Italian-style canned tomatoes
1 t salt
black pepper to taste
1/4 c parsley, chopped
1 oz white wine**
1 T butter (room temperature)
12 oz bite-size shrimp, peeled and deveined, heads and tails removed
8 oz whole-grain linguine

* Found in the international aisle. You can also substitute tomato paste.
** You can substitute low-sodium chicken broth.





Directions
Smash the garlic cloves with the back of a knife on a cutting board.

Heat a medium size saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Heat the mixture just until the garlic starts to sizzle.

Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions.

Add sun dried tomato paste to garlic oil mixture.

Stir to combine. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add wine and cook for 1 minute.

Add shrimp; cook just until shrimp turns pink.

Remove pan from heat and add butter. Swirl or stir pan to melt butter in sauce.

Drain pasta and place in warmed serving dishes. Top with shrimp mixture.

Serves 4 (1/2 c cooked pasta, 3 oz shrimp and 1/2 c sauce).





Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CHEF_MEG.

Number of Servings: 4