if not now, when?

there has been an incredible influx of folks at the gym these last couple of weeks.  recently i asked a fellow patron, "what gives?" and she offered her opinion which is probably pretty accurate, "people getting ready to eat all that turkey."  have to look your best for the big day, right?  good for them. i guess.  sometime is better than no time but it's interesting.

then there's those other folks who are waiting for "after the holidays" to make a move (or move).   i've heard it several times over the last little while and thinking about it took up a lot of mental space the other day as i tried to finish my b.o.r.i.n.g. eight mile treadmill run.  i wondered, "why?"  what after the holidays?  what changes after the holidays?  

let me tell you what i think about this (because two of you care to know what i think).  living a healthy lifestyle is something that happens before, during and after the holidays.  you can't fake it by waiting until "after."  at that point, you're basically setting yourself up.  'cause the holidays don't just happen one time.  they're pretty consistent which means that at some point, if the whole "starting after the holidays" is your plan, you're going to run into another holiday season.  what then?  do you quit what you started?  

most people do.

don't be most people. make your plan part of your life.  not something that is "in addition to" your life.  

consider yourself challenged.

6 new recipes ~ a long time coming

six new recipes.  i've been trying to get them posted for a long time now but, life happens and, what can i do besides all i can do?  there's not enough hours in the day.

but listen, these recipes are all really yummy and i've been obsessed with finding slow cooker recipes as well as meals that i can freeze.  unfortunately, i will not be the one to cook the frozen meals, i'm giving them away so i won't be able to report back about how well they worked out but, i'll try to get feedback from the recipient and post about the results in the future but i can attest to how delicious each meal was on the day it was prepared.  only a select number of recipes made the cut (i've had a few slow-cooker flops the last few weeks) so please, give them a try and tell me what you think.

don't expect much from the posts themselves, my goal was to simply get the recipes up so i could refer back to them in the future, i'm already planning on making the white chicken chili again this week for my hunk's birthday dinner.  he's also requested "better than sex" cake which really is ..............

maybe soon i'll have a chance to post something fitness related.  we'll see.

without further ado, the list (all recipes are posted below this post if you just scroll down. surprise!):

homemade spaghetti sauce (with meat) ~ awesome stuff
chicken adobo soup
white bean chicken chili
baked penne with sun-dried tomatoes and chicken
baked ziti
sweet potato chili

happy cooking!

sweet potato chili ~ slow cooker

this recipe comes from a wonderful blog, "can you stay for dinner" which is full of beautiful photography, wonderful recipes and the blog author has an incredible story about weight loss and weight maintenance that she chooses to share with the world.  i'm grateful for folks like her.

real quick, i made a couple minor changes from the original recipe such as browning the meat and cooking the onions before throwing everything into the pot.  i'm sure either way, the chili won't disappoint, i just like to cook the meat a little before to knock the flavor up a few levels.

sweet potato chili ~ slow cooker

recipe via can you stay for dinner?

printable recipe

(1) 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

(1) 14 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

2 tsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

(1) 15 oz can kidney beans (reduced sodium), drained and rinsed

(1) 15 oz can black beans (reduced sodium), drained and rinsed

1 lb ground beef (optional)

1 tbsp olive oil

heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  cook beef until just beginning to brown.  add onions and cook until beef is no longer pink. 

throw everything into the slow-cooker,

stir

 and cook on low for 8 hours.

super-duper nutritious!
yields approx. 8 servings

Nutrition Facts recipe sweet potato chili Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 335 Total Fat 7.3g       Saturated Fat 2.3g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 30mg Sodium 662mg Carbohydrate 50.9g       Dietary Fiber 12.5g       Sugars 15.7g Protein 19.6g Vitamin A 415% Vitamin C 50% Calcium    13% Iron 21%

baked ziti

okay, so not the most beautiful photo but don't let it fool you, it tastes a lot better than it looks.

baked ziti

recipe adapted from annie's eats

printable recipe

3 cups lowfat cottage cheese

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups grated parmesan, divided

1 lb ziti

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 lbs sweet italian sausage (i used chicken sausage)

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

(1) 28 oz can no-salt-added tomato sauce

(1) 14.5 oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1 tsp oregano

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, divided

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp cornstarch

1 cup half and half

8 oz mozzarella cheese

salt & pepper

preheat oven to 350 degrees.  whisk cottage cheese, eggs and 1 cup of parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside.  

bring a large pot of water to a boil.  cook pasta al-dente, in a large pot according to package directions.  drain pasta and set aside, leaving the pot to be used for white sauce.

heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  cook sausage until nearly browned.  add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is softened and the sausage is completely browned.

stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano.   simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.  off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup of the basil and the sugar then season with salt and pepper. 

in a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and the half and half together. 

transfer the mixture to the now-empty stockpot over medium heat.  bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes.  remove the pot from the heat and add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/2 cups of the tomato/sausage mixture and 3/4 cup of mozzarella.  stir to combine.  add the pasta and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce.  transfer the pasta to a large baking dish and spread the remaining tomato/sausage mixture evenly over the top.  sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the top.  

cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes (until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown).   cool for 10 minutes or so and then sprinkle with the remaining basil prior to serving.

this made enough for a 9x13" baking dish as well as a smaller (two serving) reusable dish that i put in the freezer for later.

yields 10 servings

Nutrition Facts baked ziti Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 460 Total Fat 16.9g       Saturated Fat 7.8g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 100mg Sodium 816mg Carbohydrate 49.5g       Dietary Fiber 3.6g       Sugars 10.1g Protein 31.8g Vitamin A 20% Vitamin C 29% Calcium    42% Iron 13%

baked penne with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes

baked penne with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes

recipe adapted from martha stewart

printable recipe

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tsp italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

scant 1/2 cup flour

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups milk (i used 2%), heated in the microwave until warm

2 tsp red pepper flakes

10 oz white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

1/2 cup oil packed italian herb sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced

8 oz provolone, shredded

1 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

13 oz whole wheat penne pasta

preheat oven to 400 degree. 

poach chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper and seasoning.  

remove chicken from water (save water) and set aside.  using the same water used to poach the chicken (plus more if necessary), bring water to a boil and cook pasta al dente according to package directions.  drain and set aside.

heat milk in microwave and have ready.  in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil and butter over medium high heat.  saute red pepper until softened, about 5 minutes.  add garlic and cook an additional minute stirring constantly.  turn heat down to medium and slowly whisk flour into the pan. 

slowly add milk, whisking constantly.  add red pepper flakes and continue stirring occasionally until sauce is thickened.

while sauce is thickening, slice chicken into bite sized pieces.

once sauce is thickened, add mushrooms, tomatoes to the pan and mix in. let cook for a few minutes and then add the provolone and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.  stir until cheese is melted.  add the chicken and the pasta to the pan and mix everything together.

spread the mixture into a lightly sprayed large casserole dish (or two smaller dishes; freezing one for later).  top with remaining parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browning.

i put aside a serving or two (for someone else) for the freezer in a disposable container.

bon a petite!

yields approx. 10 servings (probably a little more)

Nutrition Facts recipe baked penne with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 444 Total Fat 19.6g       Saturated Fat 9.1g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 62mg Sodium 603mg Carbohydrate 39.5g       Dietary Fiber 4.6g       Sugars 5.6g Protein 34.4g Vitamin A 11% Vitamin C 23% Calcium    28% Iron 10%

white bean chicken chili ~ slow cooker

another successful and delicious recipe from mels kitchen cafe.  my friend melissa made this for me when i went for lunch recently and it was so good, i made it for dinner the next night.  the whole family loved it. 

white bean chicken chili ~ slow cooker

recipe adapted from mels kitchen cafe and annie's eats

printable recipe

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3.5 cups great northern beans (cooked or from the can)

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

(2) 4oz cans chopped green chilies

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

place chicken breasts in bottom of slow cooker.  add the onion, garlic, beans, chilies and all of the spices (do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet).  pour chicken broth over top and stir mixture to incorporate dry spices. cook on low for 7 hours.  remove the chicken the last 30 minutes of cooking to shred and then put it back in the soup.  stir in the sour cream and whipping cream until smooth.  continue to cook for the remaining 30 minutes.

this recipe yields about 6 servings.  i will double it next time (husband was bummed there wasn't enough for left overs).

Nutrition Facts recipe white bean chicken chili Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 268 Total Fat 8.1g       Saturated Fat 4.8g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 66mg Sodium 1349mg Carbohydrate 27.5g       Dietary Fiber 8g       Sugars 3.9g Protein 26.3g Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 17% Calcium    15% Iron 14%

chicken adobo soup ~ slow cooker

this is seriously good stuff.  

chicken adobo soup ~ slow cooker

recipe adapted from a full measure of happiness

printable recipe

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 yellow onion, diced

(1) 14-oz can reduced sodium red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup dry lentils

(1) 14-oz can corn (salt free), drained and rinsed

(1) 14-oz can diced tomatoes (salt free)

3 cups low sodium chicken broth + 2 cups water

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cumin

2 bay leaf

1 tsp red pepper flakes

black pepper to taste

combine everything in the slow cooker and turn on low for 8 hours.  remove chicken 30 minutes prior to serving and shred it.  remove bay leaves and return chicken to the soup.

yields approx. 8 servings

Nutrition Facts recipe chicken adobo soup Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 206 Total Fat 1.7g       Saturated Fat 0g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 45mg Sodium 599mg Carbohydrate 95.9g       Dietary Fiber 5.9g       Sugars 5.5g Protein 24.8g Vitamin A 5% Vitamin C 7% Calcium    7% Iron 11%

homemade spaghetti sauce (with meat)

this year at rendezvous i volunteered to prepare most of the meals for the group so we would have something to eat besides hamburgers and hotdogs every night.  not that there's anything wrong with hamburgers and hotdogs, it's just, well, spaghetti is better.

my idea was to make things in advance that i could freeze and re-heat later while camping.  this sauce worked perfectly and it was very good.  several people said so, i tell the truth.  

now, the only problem is i didn't take a photo of the final (re-heated) sauce atop the (whole wheat) spaghetti noodles so, you'll have to click over to mels sight to see what it looks like.

homemade spaghetti sauce

recipe via melskitchencafe

printable recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups onion, chopped and divided

1 red pepper, coarsely chopped

2 lbs hamburger (at least 90% lean -i used laura's lean 92/8)

5 cloves garlic, minced

(1) 12oz can tomato paste

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 tsp dried oregano

3 tsp dried basil

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

(2) 14oz cans italian-style diced tomatoes

(2) 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes

1 carton fresh mushrooms

1 1/2 cups beef stock or beef broth

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

directions (verbatim):

"heat olive oil over medium high heat.  add 1/2 of the onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned.  add garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. 

add beef and cook until no red is showing.  drain beef slightly.  blend up the remaining onions and red pepper in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth. 

add mixture to the garlic, onions and beef and stir to combine, cooking for another minutes.  

add tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minutes, stirring until combined. 

add tomatoes, beef broth and sugar (and mushrooms, if using).  

stir until combined and add the bay leaves.  bring to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  fifteen minutes before serving, stir in the balsamic vinegar.

note: the sauce will seem watery at first but will reduce to perfection after simmering for an hour.  i've let it simmer on the stovetop for up to three hours before with no problems."

this makes a lot of spaghetti sauce.  at least a double batch for my family (one to eat and one to freeze for later).

Nutrition Facts recipe homemade spaghetti sauce Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 246 Total Fat 8.4g       Saturated Fat 3g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 40mg Sodium 268mg Carbohydrate 25.2g       Dietary Fiber 1.6g       Sugars 5.6g Protein 19.5g Vitamin A 13% Vitamin C 49% Calcium    2% Iron 6%

chicken enchilada soup ~ slow cooker (and a bonus "recipe")

my last post about balance was so serious.  i'll try to keep it light for the next while, none of the poor-me crap.  (real quick, to you wonderful friends who commented on that post, i did reply to your comments.  one thing i can't stand about blogger is the fact that you can't reply to individual comments like with wordpress).

speaking of light, this soup is light.  and awesome. 

we have some crazy busy weeknights around here and sometimes we don't get home until 8:00 or so.  it's too late by then to whip something up for dinner that i feel good about so i've been using the slow cooker a lot.  

this recipe for chicken enchilada soup was seriously good.  the kids ate theirs gone and i enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next day topped with a 1/4 cup of pepper jack cheese.  yum!

chicken enchilada soup ~ slow cooker
printable recipe
via realmomkitchen.com (link shows malware so, i'm not posting it)
1 (14 oz) can reduced sodium black beans
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with sweet onion
10 oz frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (i used 2 - 6oz breasts)
1 (10 oz) can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 oz) can mild or medium enchilada sauce (i use medium)
1.5 cups milk (i use 1% organic)
topping suggestions: pepper jack cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, avocado

combine the black beans, tomatoes, corn, onion and bell pepper in the crock pot.  place chicken breasts on top.

in a medium sized bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, enchilada sauce and milk.  pour over the top of the chicken.

cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.  30 minutes or so before serving, take chicken out and shred with a knife.  put chicken back in and stir to combine.

serve with breadsticks and with your favorite toppings.

yields 6 servings

Nutrition Facts recipe chicken enchilada soup Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving Calories 244 Total Fat 4.2g       Saturated Fat 0.8g       Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 37mg Sodium 1130mg Carbohydrate 34.1g       Dietary Fiber 4.9g       Sugars 12.5g Protein 19.6g Vitamin A 24% Vitamin C 56% Calcium    14% Iron 9%

and a bonus "recipe" ..

have you ever tried crockery gourmet?  you just mix the pouch of poisonous chemicals with 2 cups of water and then add everything else.  teasin' ... it's just a bunch of dried herbs and spices and maybe a little bit of starch.  no big deal.

anyway, it makes a delicious meal.  i use 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, a bunch of new potatoes, chopped onion, baby carrots and celery.  you're not supposed to mix it all together.  just put everything on top of the broth mixture and let it cook all day.

a complete meal!

balance

{via}

how do you balance your life?  is it even something you think about?

it's something i think about.  actually, it's something i obsess about and lately it has consumed me.  mostly in regard to healthy living and that's only because i feel well balanced otherwise, honestly.  

what first sparked this was when i realized recently that, despite all of my intentions, efforts and focus, i have lost ground when it comes to sticking to the very principals that i preach.  i've gained weight.  not a lot, just enough to make me feel lousy.  enough to make me wonder if this could be the reason my back keeps giving me trouble.  enough that my clothes are tight and, i'm uncomfortable.  enough that i'm really grumpy about it.

this is tough to admit but necessary because i think my struggle to obtain and maintain my ideal body weight is something that other people can relate to.  when other people relate, they'll be more open for discussion and more apt to offer support.  i need your support.

last week there was a bloggers conference held in philadelphia called the healthy living summit.  many of the bloggers that i follow (read) attended this conference and so there has been a lot of re-cap type posting from these individuals.  truthfully, i find it all to to be rather boring and drab but one blogger over at the delicate place wrote yesterday about her opinions of the conference and what she said really struck me:

"you cannot magically un-do your healthy lifestyle in a span of three days."

she was referring to the obvious OCD she witnessed from fellow bloggers over food and exercise while they were there. 

obviously i wasn't there and i don't know any of these bloggers on a personal level but i'm not surprised that these kinds of behaviors/conversations transpired.  the kind of people who attend a "healthy living summit" are typically the kind of people who are interested in (obsessive over) health/wellness/fitness/etc.   it's what they do.  it's who they are.  but one commenter said something that stood out to me which was, "... life is much richer than just that topic [diet/exercise/health/fitness]."  

and i agree.  even with my tenancy to be obsessive and my obviously impressionable personality, i do believe that balance is imperative.  there is so much more than just diet and exercise but, i really struggle to find it (the balance) and maintain it.  

what is really important? i think "happiness" is the answer to that question and what makes one person happy is not the same as what makes another person happy.  knowing this is the only reason i bite my lip every time i want to spout off health advice/statistics/information to folks around me who may or may not want to hear it.  . someone said to me fairly recently, "not everyone cares like you do" which made me question if i care too much?  am i unbalanced?  

yes.  based on one fact alone and that is how my entire demeanor/mood/outlook changed horribly when i stepped on the scale the other day and then took the time to look back at my previous numbers from last year.  like that number is the only thing in the world that can make me happy.  like it's the one thing that determines my worth.  it's not healthy and i am, therefore, unbalanced by even allowing the thoughts into my mind.  

what i know to be true is that i originally lost weight for pure vanity.  i am vain.  however, at some point i realized that maintenance would not be possible if i wasn't in it for the long haul and for the right reasons.  i began to devour information about the food industry and subscribed to many fitness magazines. then i got confident and really felt like i had a handle on it.  this was our life and i could balance this way of living.  it's what i want, to raise a healthy family.  i thought that my desire to make our health a top priority would be enough to keep my weight in check.  the fact that i exercise and enjoy it.  that by eating balanced, wholesome meals i wouldn't have to be as conscious about the numbers (calories, macronutrients, etc).  then i stopped weighing myself thinking i didn't need the scale.

i was wrong.

even with all that i do, all that i care about, "too much food" is still too much.  the proof is in the pudding. balance is important.  figuring out how to live a full life by accomplishing all that is important to me is tricky.  what i strive attain i need to be able to maintain.  i cannot be told that i'm put too much importance on these things because these things truly are important to me.  (along with a slew of other things -- i don't have complete tunnel vision).  

so my goal right now is to strive for balance while i work on incorporating certain activities that will help me to get back to my goal weight.  these activities include obvious things like eating even more mindfully and continuing to exercise my body ~ things i do already, sort of. but now, i will be doing so with even more diligence and taking care to make better choices by being mindful of the consequences.  i have no interest in being skin and bones and i have no interest in being overweight.  i'm interested in being healthy.

because it's important to me.  when i'm doing what is important to me, i'm happy and "if momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy." (thanks deb!).  when i'm happy, my family gets the best version of me.  i am less distracted and more present for them which is what they deserve.