Per serving: (1 1/2 cups soup and 1 Tbsp Parmesan) 150 Cal, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 18 mg Chol, 482 mg Sod, 25 g Total Carb, 6 g Total Sugar, 4 g Fib, 8 g Prot, 119 mg Calc.
Points Plus Value: 4
This recipe was adapted fromWeight Watcher's New Complete Cookbook.It is now officially spring, the calendar tells me so, but there are also multiple signs of its presence if you take the time to look around you. The magnolia tree outside our office window is in bloom, the birds are singing and the flowers are peeking up from the earth's shelter. Yet there is still a slight crispness to the air and a hot bowl of soup seems to be the perfect remedy. This particular soup is jam-packed full of good-for-you vegetables. You will be sure to finish every last drop in your bowl!
1-2 c green cabbage, thinly sliced (I used napa because it was what I had)
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 all purpose potato, peeled and diced (I used fingerling potatoes and left the skin on)
3 c reduced-sodium vegetable broth
3 c water
1 (14 1/2-oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 zucchini, chopped
2 c cooked small pasta (I used Tinkyada brown rice pasta shells - Love this brand!)
1/2 c canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
Combine cabbage, onions, carrots, celery, potato, broth, water, tomatoes with their juice, oregano, salt and pepper in large pot. Bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until carrots begin to soften, about 15 minutes. In the mean time, cook your pasta.
Stir in green beans and zucchini; cook, covered , until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in pasta and chickpeas; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Ladle soup evenly into 8 soup bowls and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan.
This recipes was adapted from the basic pancake recipe in the New Complete Weight Watchers Cookbook. Four pancakes equals one serving (10 points) but I cut that in half and serve with a heaping dish of fresh fruit. Fresh berries pair nicely with the melted chocolate and the addition of lemon makes for a refreshing finish. You can serve with a drizzle of pure maple or agave syrup if desired, but these flavorful pancakes are delicious naked, fresh off the skillet.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
2Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 c low-fat buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Zest of one lemon
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 c dark chocolate chunks
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, vanilla and oil in a small bowl. Add the milk mixture to flour mixture, then add chocolate chunks and stir just until flour mixture is moistened (batter will be lumpy).
Lightly spray or grease nonstick griddle and set over medium heat. Pour scant 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto griddle. Cook until bubbles appear and edges of pancakes look dry. Turn pancakes over and cook until golden brown on second side. Transfer to platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, making a total of 24 pancakes.
As I sit at my computer, with a hot cup of coffee and Ray LaMontagne crooning in the background, I can't help but to think how lucky I am. With all the destruction and heartbreak in the world right now, sometimes the only thing that makes me feel better is appreciating all the wonderful people and experiences I have in my life. This week, I spent three fun-filled days with a family that is very dear to my heart. They are wonderful parents who have raised their newly 5-year-old and 6 1/2 year old to be such open, caring, accepting and sweet young girls. We spent the first day exchanging hugs, kisses, happy squeals and stories. The next few days were spent at the market, the aquarium, enjoying lunch on top of the Wheedle's Needle, swimming and exploring the Woodland Park Zoo. We were even lucky enough to have a sleepover! We spent the evening playing foosball and a few minutes of Rock Band before it was time to hop into our PJ's, make some kettle corn and watch Peter Pan. Wednesday morning, we woke up and celebrated a 5th birthday with chocolate chunk and lemon zest buttermilk pancakes with fresh fruit.... served in bed, of course! We spent the morning jump roping, blowing bubbles, dancing to the Chipettes and other kid tunes and playing on the monkey bars and swing set before meeting up with their parents. Our last day together was enjoyed to the fullest and the evening was spent celebrating birthdays, love, friendships and family.
Seattle Aquarium
Birthday pancakes
Getting ready to feed the penguins at the zoo
It was a bittersweet reunion as I was reminded of how much I missed the Saeterens. The girls have wild imaginations and spending time with them makes me feel like a kid again. Whether we're pretending to be baby horses, seal pups or dogs adopted from the shelter, their youthful minds always weave an interesting adventure. I'm not sure when we lose our imaginations and stop pretending, but at some point in my youth I left all of it behind in exchange for reality. Maybe we realize that life itself can be just as exciting, that we can create our own realities. Yet, real life is far more challenging than the make-believe world.
Last week, I watched in horror with the rest of the world as the clips and pictures of the catastrophic earthquake that rocked Japan spread across the news and were plastered all over the internet. And then the ocean raced in. My heart sank. With each passing day, the threat of a complete nuclear meltdown seems to be closer.
Residents describe spooky scenes of municipal cars driving down near-empty streets telling people to stay indoors, but they've seen few other signs of outside help.
Aid agencies are reluctant to get too close to the plant. Shelters set up in the greater Fukushima area for "radiation refugees" have little food, in part because nobody wants to deliver to an area that might be contaminated. And with little or no gasoline available, not everyone who wants to leave can get out.
Radiation fears mingled with a sickening sense of abandonment and now the United Nations reports that the movement of the radioactive plume could reach the west coast of the United States in days, but should be diluted enough to not cause any risk. The news is glum and the sights are heart-rending. The pictures of the long lines outside of medical tents while people wait hours just to check the list of patients in hopes to find missing loved ones, and the man riding his bicycle around with posters of his wife's name on each side, showing her picture to anyone that would take the time to look, these pictures are their reality. I feel small and completely helpless, but this is our world and we are all in this together.
I don't know if it is last night's good-byes, the soulful music or my female hormones...but tears are literally streaming down my face as I imagine the pain they are going through. I reach out to my family, I strive to be a better person and I vow to help others when I can. I hold on to "hope" and through all of this I am reminded of what is truly important to me: love and my relationships with my family and friends. The bonds are irreplaceable and make me feel like the luckiest girl. Today, I celebrate the extraordinary people in my life, for without them, I would not be half the person I am today. I strive to be better for them. I am excited to be a parent and start my own family because I know that I have an amazing support system. I cannot wait to introduce our children to all of them. From each individual in our life, we have learned something important to teach our children and for this, I am grateful.
As I clean up the last of the Hello Kitty confetti from our dining room table, I can't help but smile. I am reminded that we were all children at one point and have been through struggles and challenges that have helped mold us into the people we are today. As I'm trying to wrap up this post, Tracy Chapman's "At This Point In My Life" comes on. We all have our stories and today I ask you to put your trust in people, to not judge, bully or put them down, but to simply give them a chance. Enjoy today and celebrate the blessings in your life. Much love <3
"Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed." - Storm Jameson
"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." ~Maya Angelou
Now that we are officially three months into 2011(can you believe it?!?), it is the perfect time to check in on the progress we've made on those resolutions. I usually have a list of 10 intentions for the new year, but this year I decided to try something different. I decided to focus on one or two things each month, whether it be improving or trying something new. January went great, as it usually does. I was inspired and ready! Bring. It. On. I challenged myself to practice 3-4 days of yoga each week and drink green smoothies and fresh vegetable/fruit blends most days of the week. I worked really hard on yoga for a month and drank green smoothies almost every morning, which I discovered I LOVE! Then somehow February snuck up on me and the fire fizzled a bit. I was off to South Dakota to visit family, then it was Valentine's day (which brings chocolate, lots of chocolate), then girl scout cookies arrived (I ordered a few boxes from my co-workers niece, then ended up with a few from my cousins and a few more boxes from my sister-in-law)...you know, the usual tempters that cause you to sneak off that health wagon. But no excuses, it is March now and time for me to jump back on! Sometimes it is tempting to give up after a few bumps, but please don't. We have the power to accomplish anything we desire. Whatever it is you are working towards, you deserve it. If you've failed a few times already, start over. We only have today.
Since my move to Seattle last July, the pounds have slowly snuck up on me. I've thoroughly enjoyed trying new restaurants, finishing everything on my plate, not always choosing the healthiest option, ordering desserts and trying new beers/wines. All of this is ok in moderation, but throw not working out into the mix and I am bound to gain weight. Oh and did I mention I started baking again? I enjoy nothing more than baking on rainy afternoons. But having plates of cookies, brownies, quick breads and cupcakes around is extremely dangerous, for I have an incurable sweet tooth. To top it off, my hubby isn't much of a "sweets" guy so this leaves more for me and somebody has to eat all those morsels before they go bad, right?? Time to ♪check myself before I wreck myself♪ :)
When I was in college for dietetics, we had to practice the diets that we would be advising our patients to follow. We had to count carbohydrates so we would understand what we were asking of diabetics, eat 1200 calories a day for those needing to lose weight (the worst), $5/day for low income families (extremely challenging), heart healthy, gluten-free, etc. Lately, there has been a lot of buzz around Weight Watchers and I realized I have no idea how it works. A lot of people turn to this program and I decided I wanted to understand it. For the next 3-months I will be trying to follow their plan. It has already proven to be a bit challenging for me to switch my thinking (calories, protein and fat to "points") but so far I think it is a great program. I love being able to add my own products and having the freedom to create my own recipes. I'm not sure if I can keep up with it perfectly for three months (or even a month for that matter) but I am going to try. Thus far, I've learned 29 points allows for a lot less food than I would normally eat. I have found myself hungry and wanting to come more than my allowed points. Luckily, they add in those weekly bonus points which average out to about 7 extra points a day. These lovely points allowed me to have that 5 oz glass of red wine and 1 tablespoon of dark chocolate chips the other night. :)
Another focus this month is finding a volunteer position. I was going to do "Big Brothers, Big Sisters" but the supervisor told me it could take up to 3 months to find a match and it is a big commitment (at least one year, preferably two). Plus, they don't typically have a lot of kids from my area. In the past I've learned that in order for me to keep up with something, it has to be close. Therefore I'm looking into the YMCA which is only one mile away from our house. Plus, it relates more to my degree. They offer cooking classes for families and sports camps for kids. I would love getting involved in both of these areas. I left a voice mail with the volunteer coordinator and will hopefully hear back from them soon.
Alright, it's Friday and I got paid today. It is time to get out of the house with my pup and get some much needed grocery shopping in before I head back to work for the weekend. Enjoy the simple things....
"One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone. Do not be troubled by the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering."
I have always been a sucker for lemon flavored baked goods. Lemon bars, lemon meringue pie, lemon cookies and my favorite, lemon poppy seed muffins. One overcast day, I was browsing through a gluten-free cookbook and found this recipe. I had to try it because the idea of infusing the bread with a lemon syrup afterwards made my mouth water. The bread was a little dense, but had a subtle sweetness with a pop of lemon that made me come back slice after slice. This particular cookbook uses their own mix of gluten-free flours and I found all of the products I needed at my local Fred Meyer. If you are from a smaller area and have a hard time finding these, I discovered you can order them through websites such as amazon.com or www.bobsredmill.com/. So don't let that minor detail stop you from re-creating your favorite baked goods. Keep on bakin' on....
Preheat the oven to 350 F . Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
To make the lemon loaf:Mix together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, sugar, poppy seeds and salt in a mixing bowl.
Add the egg, milk, vanilla and lemon zest and juice and mix for 30 seconds.
Add the melted butter, scrape down the side of the bowl and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
While the bread is baking, make the glaze: Mix together the lemon juice and sugar. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave and stir until the sugar fully dissolves.
Brush the top of the loaf with the syrup and let the bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.
When cool, wrap the bread in plastic wrap and let sit for at least 8 hours to allow the syrup to spread throughout the bread.
We all have our vices in life and coffee is certainly one of mine, only to be beaten out by rich, bitter dark chocolate. Oooh, put the two together and I am completely and utterly defenseless. The robust smell alone is enough to lure me into any coffee shop. Unlike my chocolate, I despise a bitter cup of coffee. Therefore, I usually order an espresso drink. In the past I have avoided buying a coffee maker to be sure I do not get too dependent on the stuff. Nevertheless, after starting a job at a hospital with not one, but two Starbucks, I decided it was time to buy my first coffee pot as one soy latte was costing me just under $5. Times that by three to four days a week and that quickly adds up to $80/month or $960/year!!! That's insane! I usually have up to two cups of coffee in the morning and then switch to tea or water the rest of the day. To make myself feel better, I decided I would research coffee to see if it was really that hard on my body, if consumed in moderation.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, many studies have investigated the effects of caffeine intake on fertility and pregnancy. The majority have found that moderate caffeine intake (<150 mg/day or 1 1/2 cups of coffee) does not affect fertility or increase the chance of having a miscarriage or a baby with birth defects. However, most of the studies did not consider the lifestyle factors that could contribute to infertility or miscarriages. The Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS) and Mortherisk are in agreement that moderate caffeine intakes are safe. Yet, caffeine can enter breast milk and lead to wakeful and agitated babies. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that nursing women limit caffeine, but states that no harm is likely to occur from one cup of coffee (8-12 fluid oz.) a day. I feel comfortable that my one to two cups of coffee are not going to have an effect on my fertility after reviewing multiple studies. However, I believe I will break off my love affair with coffee in the future during my actual pregnancy as caffeine does pass from the mother to her child through the placenta. The March of Dimes suggests that the "systems for breaking down and eliminating chemicals are not fully developed in the unborn child" and that "the blood levels of caffeine may remain elevated for longer periods in the unborn child compared to the mother." All of the previously named groups are in agreement that high caffeine intake (>300 mg/day or about three cups/day) should be avoided during pregnancy.
When it comes to your own personal health, caffeine's effects have been studied endlessly. According to the Mayo Clinic, caffeine can have a short, but dramatic effect on your blood pressure. The amount of caffeine in two to three cups of coffee can raise systolic pressure (the top number) 3 to 14 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and diastolic (bottom number) by 4 to 13 mm Hg. Lucky for me, my blood pressure has always been on the low side, but if you struggle with high blood pressure, you may want to cut back on your caffeine intake (not just coffee). Also, according to a study published by the National Institute of Mental Health, caffeine is not a good substitute for a nap when it comes to improving motor learning and verbal memory for the sleep deprived. Caffeine boosts alertness and concentration, but the nappers had significantly better performance when it came to motor tasks, memory recalls and perceptual learning. Moral of the story, be sure to get your zzz's. The Sleep Foundation suggests 7 to 8 hours for the average adult.
In addition, recent studies have concluded that the consumption of caffeine was not significantly associated with an overall increased risk of breast cancer (or any cancer for that matter) unless the women drank four or more cups of coffee a day. There is suggestion that heavy caffeine consumers have an increased risk for tumors that are negative for both estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) and for tumors larger than 2 centimeters --factors that lead to a poorer prognosis. These types of findings suggest that caffeine may speed the progression of existing tumors, but more research is needed. Also, well-known nutrition researcher Walter Willett, MD suggests that coffee and caffeine may be protective against type 2 diabetes according to several studies and a research analysis. He also adds, "it is fair to say that, so far, the overall balance of risks and benefits are on the side of benefits."
Overall, this is good news for me! For now, I will continue to have my occasional cup or two of coffee and do it without any guilt at all. That's it for "Thirsty Thursday."
As I sit down with a chocolate chip cookie (or four) and a glass of milk, I can't help but smile. No matter what I'm going through in this moment, I'm reminded of how sweet life really is. As we grow and change through the years, so may our taste buds. I now prefer to use dark chocolate in place of milk or semi-sweet chocolate, add new flavors such as coconut, use different flours and almond milk replaces my cow's milk. What I love about cookies is that you can count on your favorite recipe throughout the years, or you can play with it as you grow. This is definitely one of those recipes to keep around. Everyone at work devoured the two bags I brought in and only one of them has to eat gluten-free. This particular cookie is gluten-free, but it is surprisingly light with a great crumb. The recipe comes from Kelli and Peter Bronski's Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking. I only adapted it slightly by using dark chocolate and coconut in place of the 6 oz of chocolate chips.
Artisan Gluten-Free Flour Mix
Makes about 3 cups
1 1/4 c brown rice flour
3/4 c sorghum flour
2/3 c cornstarch
1/4 c potato starch
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp potato flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks salted butter, softened (I use 1 c Earth Balance)
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 tsp GF vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 3/4 c Artisan GF flour mix
2 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz dark chocolate chips
1/2 - 1 c unsweetened dried coconut, shredded
Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
Add the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt. Mix until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and shredded coconut.
Shape into balls and drop dough on ungreased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. I like to use parchment paper for easy clean up.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden on top. Let the cookies rest for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
