Healthy Eating Habit Changes

I want to share a few of the eating habit changes I have made recently. They have been very easy to adapt to, and I already feel better in my jeans, after only a few weeks, so its working!

1. Greek Yogurt- This is my breakfast staple. It's double the protein of a regular yogurt, and the consistency of pudding. I'm actually hooked on this, and at only 100 calories, it makes a good snack too. I buy the plain, and squeeze about 2 tsp of honey in, and a dash of cinnamon. Natural, healthy sweetness from the honey, and the cinnamon is full of antioxidants, and is said to boost metabolism. If I'm eating it for breakfast, I'll throw in some fresh or frozen berries. Because of the consistency of the greek yogurt, it's actually very filling.

2. Salad for lunch- Sounds generic I know, but I make a bulky salad for lunch. I use spinach leaves instead of lettuce, because of the iron content (I'm notoriously anemic). I add cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, red pepper strips, black beans or sunflower seeds, and 1/2 an avocado. Its very filling. I also make my own dressing: 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbsp honey, 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard, and 3/4 cup EV Olive Oil, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Dinner- No white potatoes, no rice, no noodles. I load a SMALL dinner plate with whatever veggie I'm serving my family, a small chicken breast or piece of fish, and a sweet potato or another small salad.

This is what I've been eating. I'm full after every meal (which is great, because I would not be sticking to this eating plan if I wasn't.) I'll add in whole grains soon, like oatmeal for breakfast, whole grain pita with my salad, quinoa with dinner, but for now I'm cleansing my system of carbs.

I haven't given up my coffee, but I switched from half and half to whole milk I'm weaning to at least 2% soon), and I'm using a bit less sugar (yes sugar, but sugar in the raw). I figure a heaping tsp of sugar per day won't kill my diet, and I've tried stevia (yuck). I won't do splenda or artificial sweeteners, because they really aren't healthy for you. So it's my only treat, and everyone needs something to look forward to :)

I'll post my weight loss so far in the next few days (the battery in my scale died, and its a hearing aid battery, so I have to find one!) But I know I've lost weight because my pants fit a lot better, and my stomach looks flatter.

I haven't posted in a few weeks, so wanted to give a little update.

First and foremost, God is providing! Even though my husband hasn't found a new job yet, we have been getting mounds of snow dumped on us (3 storms in a week, a few weeks ago!) so he has been plowing, shoveling roofs, and paths for people, and making money that way. Even though I hate the snow, I thank God for providing for us. He always meets our needs, even if its in a different way than we want Him to.

I've been doing very well with my weight loss goals. I've lost 6 lbs so far this month. I'm sort of following The Maker's Diet for Weight Loss, and sort of just doing my own thing (portion control, healthier choices, no white flour) and it seems to be working. I'm already fitting better in my jeans. I have had to endure a lot of temptation, and I have to consciously watch what I put into my mouth, but I'm keeping my mind on my goal. I've also been fitting in some sort of excecise everyday, whether it be a video, a full-day of shopping/walking (torture, I know), or just doing some sets of whatever with my balance ball. I know its going to be a long road, but I'm on the right track!

I taught myself how to cross-stitch a few weeks ago, and I'm totally addicted :) Its so easy! I'll be sharing some of the cute things I've made in the nest few days. I encourage anyone to try it, even if you're not "super-crafty" it's really one of the easiest things I've ever tried.

As far as potty-training goes, we are working on it. We got some "Dora" underwear this week (thanks Grandma!) and that has seemed to spark a bit more interest from Kendall. I also made a little sticker chart for her, and got some star stickers from the dollar section at Target, and she really loves to get stickers to put on her chart! We also included teeth brushing on the sticker chart, and that has seemed to lessen the tooth-brushing battle (thank you Lord!) She's a very strong-willed one, but positive reinforcement is what works.

And one more random thought: Hanes Toddler Camisoles are amazing! Kendall always wore onesies under hear clothing in the winter, but now that she's potty-training, we need something with a little more accessibility. So I searched high and low for undershirts (I remember wearing them as a kid) and came up with these. They are super cute, comfy under clothing, and tagless. Love them!

15 Minute Pork Tenderloin Stir-Fry

So I had no time (or motivation) to cook dinner, but I had a pork tenderloin that was going to go bad if I didn't use it. I didn't have an hour-and-a-half to marinade and cook this thing, so I decided to improvise! YUM!

PORK TENDERLOIN STIR-FRY

1 1/2 lbs Pork Tenderloin, cut into 1/2" medallions

1 sweet red pepper cut into strips

1 vidalia/sweet yellow onion cut into strips

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tbsp honey

1 1/2 tbsp spicy brown mustard

Cook it all up in a skillet over medium-high heat until the peppers and onions are soft and the pork is cooked through. It makes your whole house smell AWESOME!

Serve over brown or white rice, or even on a sub roll!

I'm sure you could use beef successfully in the dish. Minced garlic and red pepper flakes would certainly jazz it up too.

2011 Pay It Forward Pledge

I am taking the 2011 Pay It Forward Pledge.

The pledge is as follows: I must send something handmade to the first 5 people who comment on this post, and take the PIF pledge, sometime in 2011.

The rules are:
1) You must publicly follow my blog.

2) You must comment on this post with a link to your Pay It Forward Pledge.

3) Please leave an email so I can contact you for mailing information.

The first five (5) people to comment will be the recipients! Good luck :)

Snowcakes

We're having a blizzard today. I'm thankful that my husband doesn't have to drive in this mess. Please continue to pray that he finds a job!

Because of all the powdery stuff falling, I thought it would be a great day for "snowcakes". I had never heard of these until I met my husband. The first time it snowed after I met him, he begged for snowcakes. I thought it was just what he called pancakes on a snow day, but, in fact, there is such a thing as snowcakes. I recently asked my mother-in-law for her recipe, and I would love to share it with you all.

This is a recipe that can only be made with FRESHLY FALLEN snow. You don't want to use snow that's been hanging around, so this is a special treat for those snowy days.

SNOWCAKES

In a large bowl, combine:
2 Cups Flour
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Sugar
Mix well with a fork.

In a seperate bowl combine:
2 Eggs, scrambled
1 1/2 Cups Milk

Slowly add wet mixture into dry, until you have a nice smooth batter.

Heat your greased griddle until hot and sizzling. Once you have your skillet nice and hot, run outside and scoop up:
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Snow.
Gently fold the snow into the batter, and then mix well.

Immediately cook pancakes as usual in the skillet. (Hint: Wait to turn pancakes until edges are cooked and top is nice and bubbly, then turn pancakes and just leave for about 10 seconds. Don't over flip your pancakes, or they'll be tough!)



This recipe makes melt-in-your-mouth pancakes! They're yummy!!

Enjoy the snow!!

Economic Statistic

We have now become a statistic in this current economy. My husband was let go from his job last night. If you have been following my blog, you'll know that I'm a stay-at-home Mom. This means, we currently have zero income. Very scary, to say the least.

I don't really know what to say, other than I am absolutely blown away by this. We were completely caught off guard. My husband has worked for this company for 10 years, and to have them let him go without a real reason, is just so sad. He feels betrayed, and disappointed.

We will make it. God will provide for us, and I have to trust in Him. He gives us the very breath in our lungs, and I know that He will make a way for us to pay our bills. I pray that He gives my husband an even better job, closer to home, with great benefits and pay. Please pray for us as we endure this struggle.

My New Year Goals

Happy 2011! I hate the idea of a resolution, I prefer to say goals. So, here are some of the goals I have set for myself for the year.

1) I'm setting out to make one craft per month for my house, and one craft per month for a gift. Some months, I may make two gifts and no house craft, some months the opposite, but by the end of the year, my goal is to have 12 gifts to give for Christmas, and 12 pretty things to add to my decor. I'll blog about them along the way, so you can keep me on track :) I got a wonderful new sewing machine for Christmas (thanks Hubby!!) and I want to utilize it as much as possible.

2) I know this is a pretty generic goal, but I would like to lose 20 lbs by Christmas. I have struggled with my weight since having my daughter (now 2 1/2 years old) and it's time for me to lose that baby weight. Before I gave birth, I never had to watch what I ate, never had to worry about scheduled excersize. I was skinny by design. Upon giving birth, I came to realize that my body and metabolism had changed, and I was in for a serious uphill battle. So, here I am almost 3 years later, and we are starting to contemplate another baby. Before I even think about that, I want to get to a healthy weight; for my children, and also not wanting to make my current weight situation even worse.

3) I want to make this next year as fun-filled as I can for my daughter. As I said before, we are contemplating another child, and I want to get some good quality time in with Kendall while I'm still Mommy to only her. I know adding a new infant to our family will be a lot of work, and might make our field trips less frequent, so I want to get a lot in this year. Kendall is also at such a wonderful age for doing things, so I want to thoroughly enjoy this time with her!

4) I want to be the best wife I can be to my husband. I love him with all my heart, and we need to nurture our relationship before adding another child into the mix. Life is busy, and we tend to not make a lot of time for just us, so I want to do more of that this year. Date nights?

5) POTTY TRAINING. I'm sure I'll have plenty to blog on about that. Wish me luck...

These are my goals for 2011. I'll share my journey along the way, and these goals will be the focus of my blog for 2011. Please stop by often, and feel free to leave comments with your suggestions for reaching my goals, or criticism/encouragement. Thanks :) Best wishes to my readers for a happy and healthy 2011