Pulled Pork sandwich. This could be on a diet if it's adapted into the menu! Maybe leave off the fries and add vegetables of some kind ; maybe a salad.

I found this on Facebook and think it's cute!

Texas Hash

This is a picture of Texas Hash I found. I make another version of it, but they are similar. To make mine:  Preheat oven to 350 deg. The basic ingredients are gr. beef, onion, green pepper, tomato sauce or diced tomatoes, chili powder, seasoned salt or seasoned salt substitute and rice. You brown the beef  until done and add all the vegetables but the tomatoes or tomato sauce, and seasonings. Cook together.  Cook about 3 cups of rice. When everything is cooked , but the tomato sauce or tomatoes, start layering all ingredients  in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Start with the rice : Put a layer of rice on the bottom, then a layer of the ground beef mixture, and a layer of the tomato sauce or diced tomatoes on that. Keep layering until you have a layer of rice on the top. Cover the top with ketchup or a mixture of ketchup and tomato sauce. Bake at 350 deg. for 30 min. To make a somewhat healthier version you can use brown rice.

This is Taco Lasagna! It looks yummy and it's on the healthy list too!

I found these pictures of healthy food on Pinterest. I think they look yummy too!

This looks Light and Nutritious: Omelet and Vegetables. This could be varied and work for Breakfast , Lunch or Dinner!

I found this recipe on the Food Network Facebook sight. It's grilled Salmon with Salsa Verde  and it looks healthy and delicious!

Brendans congratulation Cookie Cake for making Jr. High Baseball!

I found this picture of healthy pizza! It looks yummy as well! I'm on my way with this Grace Diet! Hopefully it can help other people as well. Perfect for anybody who has ever started a diet and quit because they messed up. Now if you mess up you just change what you're eating and keep on moving forward!

This is what I had for dinner yesterday: Chicken Breast cut in pieces, Peas and Carrots, in a Philadelphia Lemon & Herb Cream Cheese Sauce. Pretty Yummy!

All of those pictures of food look yummy and healthy!

This is what I had for dinner last night : Roasted Chicken, Carrots, Green Beans, and a small amount of potatoes. It was yummy as well as healthy! I never did get around to exercising yesterday. I plan on making up for it today by using our Ab Coaster Pro. Hopefully I can use it long enough today to do me some good and make up for yesterday! I've been taking a vitamin daily too. And trying to drink plenty of water. I plan on weighing myself this week too. I hope the results will be encouraging! Well I guess I better get off here and get busy! Check back this evening or tomorrow and maybe I will have some more weight loss or something equally as exciting to report! LOL!

A Market of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables in London, England

A market in London, during the Olympics. Looks great! This is the best kind of food to eat.Try to eat 5 everyday! It's Monday again and another great day for a new start! We bought fresh fruit and vegetables over the weekend. Also chicken and no sugar added juice. Hope to go to the Farmers Market Wednesday morning. I got out some books on nutrition , I hadn't read in a while, over the weekend. They are very interesting and motivating, as far as learning about health, wellness and nutrition is concerned. One is Miracle Food Cures From The Bible by Reese Dubin and the other is Miracle Cures by Jean Carper. You might be able to look them up on the internet if you're interested. Ok; well I still need to exercise today and fix something good and nutritious for dinner tonight. I'll try to remember to take a picture of it and post it later.

Do you think it looks good? Comment below!

Some more foods that look good & healthy!

Some more foods that look good & healthy!

I found some pictures on Pinterest & think they look good & healthy! Check them out!

Walnut & Banana Bread

I found this yummy recipe on the back of an Apriva bag for Walnut & Banana Bread. It's really easy and inexpensive, and it will only take you a little bit to cook! It's a healthy treat that you can enjoy with your friends and/or family, and I thought that you would enjoy it. Here is all that you need to know to make:

Ingredients
-1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
 1/2 cup Apriva No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
 1 tsp baking powder
 1/2 tsp baking soda
 1 pinch salt
 1 1/4 cups mashed well-ripened bananas
 1 tbsp vegetable oil
-1/3 cup buttermilk
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Blend dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
4. In separate bowl, combine oil, buttermilk, vanilla & bananas. Mix well. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients and stir until blended.
5. Add walnuts and stir until blended.
6. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
7. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and center comes clean with toothpick.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 65-75 minutes

Servings: 8-10

Best way to eat to lose weight:

 You need to change your lifestyle instead of just going on a diet. The best way I've found to do this is to start with your grocery list. I've been put on a low calorie, low sugar, low salt , low cholesterol diet. So when I make our grocery list the first things on the list are whats on my diet. And actually my husbands diet too. Since he has a lot of the same concerns I have. He doesn't have high cholesterol or kidney disease though. But the way I'm supposed to eat is good for him too.

Do you like this quote? I think it is funny!

Seasonal Foods

I would like to share with you guys something new on this blog! If you go to the right side of the screen and scroll down, you will find a tab that is titled Seasonal Foods. There you will see many foods that are in season during the beginning or end of the month.  

Do you want to stock up for the next month before everyone else gets to the fruits and veggies? Then go to the drop down bar, pick the next month, and ta da! You have all of the foods there for you to pick from!

Pick your state for the seasonal foods for your season!
Another cool feature on this, is that you can pick your state, and it will show you all kinds of foods that is in the right climate for you in your home state! Cool, huh?  

Click it!
While you are scrolling through the different kinds of foods listed, you may pass by one that you are not familiar with or want to know more about. If that is the case, you can click on the name of the food and it will take you to a new window. You will see a tab that says Click for the original source. Once you click on that, it will take you to the wikipedia for that food!

There are so many things on this cool feature that can help you if you need some help finding good, in season, fruits and veggies.

Have you tried this feature yet? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think about it!

Weight Loss Tips

I found some easy tips for losing weight on http://specialk.com/ and thought I would share them with you!

1. 
   
   Divide your plate. Divide your plate, conquer your weight. Fill half of your plate with veggies or salad (watch those fatty dressings!) One-quarter should be lean protein—fish, chicken or beef—grilled, baked or poached. And the last quarter should be starch—but watch the butter or oil. It’s easy to remember at home, or in a restaurant.
2. 
   
   Drink your H₂O. Feeling tired or hungry? You may just be thirsty. Make sure you get at least 6 glasses of water a day. Water helps your body transport nutrients and eliminate toxins. Get tired of all the agua? Add a cucumber or lemon slice to jazz it up!
3. 
   
   Plan ahead. Curb the afternoon munchies by planning ahead. Tempted to hit that vending machine? Have some string cheese, protein water or a handful of nuts at the ready to help keep you satisfied.
4. 
   
   Ride the wave. Feel yourself getting ready to overindulge? These urges come in waves. If you can allow 10 to 15 minutes to pass, chances are the urge will pass with it. Occupy the time by moving around, calling a friend, taking a shower, going on a walk, or doing something relaxing and positive for yourself…you are definitely worth it!
5. 
   
   Go for fruit. Fork over the fruit! Fruit is packed with vitamin and antioxidant power AND it contains fiber (which can help you feel more satisfied). Try some yummy berries: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries—they’re great on top of cereal or with a little part-skim ricotta cheese.
6.  
   Watch portions. When you get takeout, think of it as two meals and split it with a friend or put half of it away before you even start eating. When you’re playing chef at home? Avoid serving plates or bowls; pre-portion your feast on a smaller plate instead. It will be more satisfying both to your eyes and your stomach!
7. 
   
   Build willpower. Be smart when you eat out. Going to dinner tonight? Eat a balanced snack 1 to 3 hours before leaving the house: veggies with hummus, a non-fat yogurt with 1 tbsp chopped walnuts, 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter on whole wheat toast, or a piece of fresh fruit and a slice of lowfat cheese. The extra something in your belly will give you the self-control to say “no” to fatty appetizers and gigantic desserts.
8. 
   
   Don't skip meals. Skipping meals can cause low blood sugar, which means you’ll end up feeling weak (booo) and lightheaded (hisss). AND it can lead to overeating and food cravings later. Statistics show that people who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight than people who eat in the morning. Never skipping a meal will help you stabilize blood sugar and control your appetite.
9. 
   
   Learn to eyeball. Eyeball those portion sizes! Want to make sure you’re getting the right serving sizes? Use these tricks of the trade: 3 oz. of lean meat = a standard deck of cards. Half a cup of fruit, veggies or whole grains = an orange. 1 oz. of cheese = 2 dominoes.
10. 
    
    Choose the crunch. Choose fruit over fruit juice. The real thing is more likely to have higher fiber content and make you feel fuller…so always opt for the whole fruit when you can.
11. 
    
    Move it. Feng Shui Your Fridge. It sounds simple, but just taking your good stuff out of the crisper, cutting it up so it’s ready to go and putting it on a more visible shelf can aid in your effort to eat better. (And it doesn’t hurt to move the fattening stuff out of sight.) You'll be more likely to reach for a healthy snack if it’s front and center!
12. 
    
    Start Journaling. Keep a food journal noting what you eat, how much, when and where. Journaling can help keep you accountable for what you eat and help you think twice before overindulging. It can also help identify unhealthy patterns that may be inhibiting your weight loss.
     
     If you want more tips on how to stay fit, go to: http://www.specialk.com/challenge/tips/fitness/ .

Stuffed Chicken Divan with a Sherry Dijon Sauce

I found this recipe on the food network website. I think it looks very good and healthy too! Since I am on a diet, I am trying to look for many new recipes to try. I found this one, and thought that I would share it with you. Here is what you need to know to make this:

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 cups (4 ounces) fresh broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup low-fat evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

 Directions

Preheat the broiler. Mist a shallow rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and run under cold water until cold. Drain well again and squeeze dry in paper towels.

Chop the broccoli and toss in a bowl with the Gruyere and garlic. Insert a paring knife into the thickest part of each chicken breast to make a 3-inch deep pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of the broccoli mixture. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Put the chicken in the pan and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium to finish cooking through. Transfer to the baking dish.

Meanwhile, combine the milk and stock in a small pot, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the sherry and cornstarch until smooth and pour, whisking constantly, into the sauce. Cook until just thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of sauce and place under the broiler. Broil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then cut each breast in half on an angle. Whisk the mustard into the remaining sauce and spread a few tablespoons on each plate. Top with a halved chicken breast.

Nutritional analysis per serving
Calories 347; Total Fat 11g (Sat Fat 5.1g, Mono Fat 3.9g, Poly Fat 1.1g) ; Protein 50g; Carb 10g; Fiber 1g; Cholesterol 126.5mg; Sodium 433.5mg

I hope you try this! Tell me what you think in the comments below.