Can I have dessert and lose weight?

I'm sharing weight loss coaching tips to get you through the sweet part of the holidays. 

The Medical Minute is a local show here in Missoula I do as the head coach at Inches-A-Weigh.

Desserts aren't taboo. Learn how to make it through the season and feel the joy.

Merry Christmas!

Angie

Pear Harvest Time in Montana

Oh yes, pear time! 

Pear Harvest.jpg

My friend has a pear tree while we have apple and cherry trees. We picked two grocery bags and three buckets full of delicious pears. This week most will continue to ripen safe from the frost. A few are still tucked in that paper bag you see to ripen faster for eating. The others will become dried pears, pear filling for crunches and pies, and maybe even some pear fruit leather.

Apple season comes next. I'm hoping for a week or so. But it's right after the first frost. Same plans for those luscious little gems :-) 

For pear and apple pie/crunch fillings, I've found I can add all the ingredients to chopped and peeled fruit. Then mix well, fill one pie's worth freezer bag, squeeze out all the air, and put in the deep freeze until needed. The fruit will do well in the deep freeze all winter. But it doesn't usually make it that long, lol.

Our lives are so hectic nowdays, but when we stop to prepare for the future (as the Bible suggests) then we simplify many of our scheduling issues. Pull a bag of prepared pear or apple pie filling out of the freezer, top with crunch mixture of oatmeal, flour, butter, brown sugar, and spices like cinammon. You can have that potluck dish or dessert ready for the oven in less than 10 minutes. Less cost, less hassle on busy nights, and you control the ingredients. (So double the cinammon to amp up your  metablolism and cut back on the sugar a tad.) Love the way these prep items have saved my peace of mind over and over again.

So try something new with your harvest, if you haven't already, and freeze the pie filling already prepped for the crust. (I don't cook it first either.) You'll have homemade goodies in a snap.

Mrs. High Energy is Back!

Hah! Figured it out! So excited! I went from feeling like this even after a good night's sleep...

Sleepy Panda

Caffeine became my crutch...And having felt like that all day for the last several months...

Super sloth in the afternoon

I was ecstatic to realize I didn't need a nap today to feel like this...


How?

I did the unthinkable! Yes, the thing most people dread... I had my annual check up and learned something about myself I didn't know. Something that might be helpful to other people too.




I learned that all I needed was to supplement with some folic acid and Vitamin D3. In fact, my doc helped me understand the right amount for me. I'm feeling a lot better and am thrilled that I can see it will keep getting better as I build my immunity and minimum needs back up. (By the way, minimum needs of folic acid are not those touted on cereal boxes. Doc says that's just enough to stop the rickets but not enough to help with fatigue, diabetes, and colon cancer.)

How did I get so tired? Coping with Colitis is a difficult chore. I've spent a long time discovering the foods I can and cannot eat. Dark greens and fresh vegies are a real problem for me. But there are other people out there that can eat them and just don't.

My doc was thrilled with all my blood tests, blood pressure, heart and all my results. Except this one thing kept plaguing me, fatigue, but my thyroid numbers were doing fine. So we ran back through my regular daily diet. Because the colitis interferes with the foods that have folic acid and I live in a Northern clime, she determined I had some deficiencies we could clear up simply. Yahoo! I'm all about simple.

So once I undersood that certain elements in our diet really do matter for energy, protection from diabetes, bone density, and metabolism then I saw dramatic results in how my body functions.

For me, it was such a dramatic difference after even 2 doses of higher level folic acid and Vitamin D3 that I'm astonished. I'd forgotten to ask how long until I'd see results. I wish I could express to you how different this is. Maybe Snoopy does. My eyes are not burning. I'm not yawning. I'm not dragging through the afternoon like I have for the last year. I feel elated!

Do you know what else she said? Keep eating what you're eating. It's working well and add the supplements. Oh yes, I am sticking to her advice!

Something so very simple and yet so crucial. May I suggest you talk to your doc, evaluate your personal requirements, and recover from the fatigue?

We'll Snoopy dance together :-)

Is fatigue an issue for you?


Keep eating what you're eating because it's working...
Here's how I eat. :-)
Creative Cooking for Simple Elegance

Decisions, Decisions

Today I'm exploring how to publish the Creative Cooking Series to hard copy.  It's out as ebook and CD book copies already. Now the requests from actual bookstores are coming in for a standard book style too.

Two books with more planned.
 Each meets a special need. Cooking for Colitis helps people with IBD issues. Simple Elegance helps people make simple, elegant, inexpensive meals. Same recipes, two different markets.



The problem is the cost to self-publish. Two books in the series means two sets of costs. The other problem is that I've already received requests for orders. The CD and e-books were doing fine. In fact in the self-publishing world, I've done great. Most self-published authors don't break even. So far I've been able to do that. Now though, I'm being asked to take it one step further.

If it were a standard book, no worries. That's actually more affordable because of the black and white printing. But these books are heavy with photography. I don't want to lose those photos because it's what makes the book special. The cook can see what the recipe is supposed to look like and several recipes show the stages of the recipe. So to meet the cost issue, I can only do one book at a time. It makes me sad to have to choose. Which would you do?

Another possibility is in presales. By preselling the book, it's possible to help offset the costs. But again, we're looking at the costs times two. In the meantime, I'm trying to decide on a solid company that will meet my needs with this series. Not an easy task. I'd love to hear from others about their experiences in choosing a company. I'm considering Westbow, Create Space, and open to others that allow me to have my design inside versus the cookbook template style designs. Remember I need to print full color.

Have you ever thought of self-publishing?
If you did, what would you publish?

Angie

Completely Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Whew! Talk about learning courage! Admitting to a problem publicly takes one heck of a dollop of courage. Then attacking the problem with ferocity builds enough to stand on a platform of confidence.

I'm writing a cookbook. Sounds simple, those words, writing a cookbook. R-i-g-h-t. Well, putting the words on a page isn't that hard. But a few other things have turned out to be a challenge.

Here's the big reveal, if you didn't already know. This last year I was diagnosed with microscopic colitis. Embarrassing, frustrating, stupid condition. Basically, I have a collagen layer blocking food and water absorption and a second layer of lymphocytes flaring up that also blocks nutrition. Try finding good information on food and treatment. Uh huh, not so easy. Websites don't agree, doctors don't agree, and even the Mayo Clinic isn't sure about the disease. Medical treatment is trial and error. What works for one person probably, maybe, might work for another.

After being really sick for a long time, the not so fun colonoscopy at least told us what was the problem. But not how to fix it. I've been on a wild ride trying to discover what I could eat that didn't make me sick.

But I have dreams and goals and a purpose. Microscopic colitis is a diagnosis I have to learn to live with and manage. So off I went on the adventure of discovery.

Last week I began writing tips and recipes for people like me. People who want to eat without fearing their food (sounds crazy, but it's true) and want to be able to eat with their families. The birth of Creative Cooking for Colitis begins with 20 tips. I now have several recipes and am working on more.

The challenges: Sharing publicly in order to help others, photographing recipes and figuring out the right size and resolution for food photography, and finding out how to format a cookbook.

The potential: The opportunity to help others with this same condition really engages and inspires me. Friends are already asking for it and it's only about half done and I'm learning new skills along the way.

The humorous: My family now knows they cannot cut into a dish until I take a picture. LOL, you should see them standing over dinner like vultures circling. I'm planning some very strange combination menus just so I can get a certain recipe or photo. One night steak, but the side dish was another main entree. Another night home made egg drop soup with stroganoff, lol.

I've been caught with a measuring tape trying to figure out which size I want to make the book. I'm opening and shutting all sorts of cookbooks looking for the kind of binding I like best. Don't you hate a cookbook that won't stay open in the middle of cooking, especially when your hands are gooey???

I've never written a cookbook before, but I can tell you that I'll know how when I'm done. Courage comes from doing even when you don't know how. Confidence comes from realizing that you now know, from what you've learned, while being courageous.


Angie

Related Posts:
1.http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com/2010/01/building-confidence-on-past.html
2.http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com/2010/01/confidence-get-it-by-learning-something.html

Rehydration Recipes

I know that's a strange title! But here's the deal:

I was diagnosed today with Norovirus. I've been pretty sick the last week and a half. I'm downright dehydrated. Ugh! 

Anywho, my lovely doctor gave me some recipes to rehydrate me so she could have my blood drawn. Now I warn you, some of these are graphic . . . (Okay, that was just the image in my head when she told me one of them includes baby food.)

Recipe 1:

1 level tsp. salt

8 tsps sugar

1 liter of water

Mix and sip until gone. 

Um, okay, I could probably handle that one.

But this one?

1 Cup of Babyfood rice cereal

2 cups of water

1/2 tsp salt

Mix, sip until gone. Gone what? Gone fishing? Gone running? Gone. Nope, nada, nix, no can do . . .

There's also pedialyte or something similar. Hmm, I could try that one. I have a sports drink for my son that is low sugar and is full of electrolytes. I squeeze the tube into a pint of water and sip until gone. Yep, yep, yep, yep, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh. (Reminiscing about the muppet character here ;-) People do weird things when they are sick. What? They don't? Hmm. Okay, it was just the delirium . . . )

But there you have it, recipes I bet most people have never even thought about. Are you adventurous? Willing to try something new?

I dare you. Try the babyfood one and let me know, lol.

Angie

Bon Appetit

Book: Bon Appetit

Angie's Take: I LOVE this book! First of all, I love to bake. I also used to live in Europe so I can relate to the things the little character, Lexi, is going through. I've completely fallen in love with the very close and personal writing voice that Sandra (the author) uses. I am enjoying the recipes and the sense of France from its people to the food to the everyday way of life. So cute, so fun and an excellent story!

Oh, and I definitely plan to try the recipe for chouqeuttes. I am entertained by the signs and recipes and inserts all through the book. It works really well to keep the flavor of the book and author's voice. It actually entices me to keep reading for more little samples of fun and tastes of the unique.

Author: Sandra Byrd

Summary: In this second book in the French Twist series, readers join Lexi Stuart in a crème de la crème adventure!

Deciding to leave her familiar home in Seattle and her could-be boyfriend Dan, Lexi moves to a quaint village in France to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef. Life among the French initially proves to be less than easy as Lexi is challenged by her coworkers, missing her friends, and failing to master the perfect baguette.

Determined to find her place, Lexi settles into the culture and life becomes la perfection. She finds a church, meets a new friend, and makes the acquaintance of a child named Celine—as well as Celine’s attractive, widowed father, Philippe. Even Patricia, the gruff pastry cook, shows a softer side as she mentors Lexi in the art of baking.

Fast, fun, and packed with French culture, foodie appeal, and unique recipes readers will love accompanying Lexi on her journey in Bon Appetit as she tries to choose between two countries, two men and the faith to lean on God while savoring the surprises life brings!

Author Bio:
Best-selling author Sandra Byrd enjoys a successful career writing adult, teen, and children’s books, including the Friends for a Season, Secret Sisters series and the French Twist series, including the first Lexi Stuart novel, Let them Eat Cake. She is also a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines. Sandra lives in Washington state with her husband and two children.

PS: Don't forget to listen in this morning to www.fresh1045.com for your chance to win the 10 p.m. showing (night of your choice) of FIREPROOF the movie. See details on yesterday's post.

The Irish Woman

Patti: Hello, Angie! Thanks for offering to be a part of the release of my debut novel, An Irishwoman’s Tale.

Angie: You are so welcome. Would you tell us a little about your book, Patti?

Patti: This contemporary women’s fiction story explores an impetuous Irishwoman’s first memories: A shattered cup. Cheap tea. Bitter voices asking what’s to be done with the “little eejit.”

At age five, Mary Freeman was yanked from her beloved Irish cliffs, her beloved Mam. No one ever told her why. Even though forty-eight-year-old Mary has found contentment with a loving husband, beautiful girls, and satisfying volunteer work, that first memory has continued to haunt her. It takes her daughter’s substance abuse crisis to pull her back to Ireland where, over forty years later, God’s about to explain that first memory—and a few other things.

An Irishwoman’s Tale explores serious topics, including two homes blighted by sexual, physical, and mental abuse. Yet a gregarious Southern school teacher, a boisterous black waitress, a socialite/former home economics teacher, and a lively Irish grandmother add humor, wisdom—and lots of good eats to the story! We’ve got soul food, fresh fruit smoothies—even Irish blood pudding! I’ll spare you THAT recipe and share the recipe for Irish coddle, a dish Mary’s loving grandmother prepared on Sabbath night.

Angie: That sounds like a great book! Now, you have one more request to fulfill. Would you share that authentic Irish dish?

Patti: Here it is, Irish Coddle?

Saturday night supper for the Dublin working man was a traditional dish in his family. The amount of bacon and sausage would depend on the financial circumstances at the moment. Original Dublin versions didn’t call for browning the meat, but most American versions do.

Irish Coddle
Ingredients:
• 1/2 to 1 lb. thick sliced bacon
• 1/2 to 1 lb. pork sausage or ground meat
• 3 medium-sized onions, chopped
• 3 medium-sized potatoes, diced
• Chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to taste
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup water

Directions:
1. Brown bacon and sausage in a heavy frying pan. Drain on paper towels, then crumble bacon and slice sausage.
2. Arrange bacon and sausages in a casserole or heavy kettle.
3. Slice onions and arrange on bacon and sausages. Pare and slice potatoes and place on top of onions. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Sprinkle layers of onions and potatoes with salt, pepper, and parsley to taste. The amount of salt added will depend on saltiness of bacon and sausage.
4. Discard all but a tablespoon or two of the drippings in the frying pan. Add 1 cup of water to drippings and bring to a boil. Pour over Coddle. If needed, add additional water to nearly cover potatoes. Wrap dish with foil and bake at 350 until potatoes and onions are very tender, about 1 hour. Uncover for last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking and brown slightly, if desired.
Any leftover meat or veggies can be used. Adjust liquid accordingly. Enjoy this taste of Ireland! And thank you, Angie, for allowing me to visit your home!

Patti Lacy, debut author of An Irishwoman’s Tale


Angie: Thank you! Can't wait to enjoy the flavor of Ireland.

Simple & Elegant Strawberry Short Cake

I have a fun 4 ingredient cookbook that uses really simple ingredients. Nope, this one's not in it. I'm sure other people have figured out my trick to a fast & pretty treat, but just in case...

I have a 4 Tier Tea Tray that I bought at Costco over Christmas. It swings into lots of different display styles.

Now for the simple fun:

-Slice strawberries and sprinkle with sugar, stir, and set aside for sugar to dissolve.
-Add angel food cakes from any bakery on each layer of tier trays.
-Fill the center of each angel food cake with sliced strawberries.
-Now for the fun...Dollop (yes, that's right, too cool of a word not to use, lol) 3-4 tubs of whip cream all over each cake.
-Cover the sides and swirl down the tiers in a waterfall of whip cream.
-Now take your sliced strawberries and gently top each cake and gently drop several spoonfuls down the cream from cake to cake.
-Oh no, you are not done until you swirl dark chocolate syrup around each cake and down the strawberry cream waterfall.
-Now top each cake with one huge whole strawberry.
-Of course if you feel like dipping those huge strawberries in chocolate first, it could be awesome.
-Voila! You have a fun, elegant & simple cake that takes you about 20 minutes.



Psst: I found out from a really smart guest that it's easiest to cut an angel food cake with an electric knife so as not to smush the confection. Another thing that works well is a bread knife instead of a cake knife. The serrated edge saws through the cake instead of pushing down on it and scrunching it into the plate.

Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck

Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck! (And be sure to scroll down for the special recipe:-) )

Caroline Sweeney has always done the right thing--the responsible, dependable thing--unlike her mother who abandoned her family. But when her best friend challenges her to accept an exciting job adventure in Barcelona, Spain, Caroline says "yes" to destiny.
Then, without warning, ownership of the run-down cafe where she's been waitressing falls right into Caroline's lap. While she's trying to determine the cafe's future, handsome Deputy Sherriff J.D. Rand captures Caroline's heart.

But when her first love, Mitch O'Neal, comes back to town, fresh from the heat of his newly-found fame as a country music singer in Nashville, Caroline must make some hard choices about love and the pursuit of the sweet life.

Buy the book at this link: www.rachelhauck.com/2008/05/welcome-to-sweet-life-blog-tour.html



About Rachel: I've always wanted to be a writer. My dad used to tell me, "You're a writer." I have letters he wrote me post college, exhorting me to write. In this, I believe he had the heart of God.
In '93, I started an epic WW2 novel with two plots. It was well rejected. After that ordeal, I took a break and put efforts into my job as a software project manager. But, I missed writing and in late ' 99, I took up the craft again.

With a little help from my friends, my first book was published in ' 04, Lambert's Pride, a romance novel. I love writing chick lit and romance. I love writing. What an honor.

Rachel's Website: http://rachelhauck.com

Rachel's My Book Therapy ( a writing craft blog for writers): www.mybooktherapy.com

Sweet Life Blog Tour link

And BONUS here's a recipe for Bubba's Buttery Biscuits!

3 cups self-rising flour
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled, plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted for brushing the tops
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the flour and chilled butter in a medium mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingertips until the butter pieces are a little larger than an English pea, but not larger than a lima bean. If you are using your fingers, work quickly so that the heat of your hands won't melt the butter.

Pour in all of the buttermilk and, using light pressure, fold the mixture a few times with a plastic spatula until it holds together. Do not over mix. In order to make light biscuits, it is important to work the dough as little as possible.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead it quickly and gently 6 to 10 times or until it begins to be almost homogenized. There will be large pieces of butter throughout. Sprinkle a little flour under the dough so that it won't stick to the board and lightly dust the top of the dough so that it won't stick to the board and lightly dust the top of the dough so that it won't stick to the rolling pin. Roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness.

Cut the dough into 2-inch rounds, place on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. I like the biscuits to be crispy and brown on the top and bottom, but not dry in the middle. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter. Serve right away. (recipe from Louis Osteen)

Angie's Caramel Corn Recipe

Caramel Corn

12 Cups of Popcorn (already popped)
1 Cup Butter
2 Cups Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Now here's the tricks to making the caramel. The boiling time is crucial. Pay attention to your caramel for yummy, chewy caramel corn.
Use a deep non-stick pan. Mine is about 3 inches deep and 10 inches wide.
Use a huge heavy bowl or canning pot for the popcorn and caramel to mix in.
Butter this bowl well. Butter your wooden or heavy spoon well. (Not from your recipe butter.)

Melt the cup of butter with the brown sugar and salt.
Keep stirring until fully mixed.
Bring mixture to a full boil and boil for 5 minutes. Set a timer! Stir often to avoid burning.
Remove from heat BEFORE you add the next ingredients.
Add vanilla and baing soda. STIR. The color will change lighter and the caramel will foam up quite high.
Now it's ready to pour over the warm popcorn.

I use a family member to hold the pot over the popcorn while I stir. Scrape out the excess caramel from the pan. You'll be shocked at how much you pull out. Now stir very well.
Spread on buttered cookie sheets to cool.

When dealing with sticky things, rinse your hands in cold water and shake off the excess over the sink.
Clean up is a breeze. Soak any caramel item in water for a short time. Then your kitchen will wash up really easily.

Enjoy!

Thanks for being here,
Angie
PS Over the next week or so, I will be posting about travel to Thailand. I hope you'll come back and enjoy the adventure with me.

Scallion Pancakes Recipe from Camy Tang

Scallion pancakes shared by Camy Tang, author of Only Uni

Camy: I got this recipe from About.com, although I’ve altered it a bit:
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/breakfast/r/springonioncake.htm

Serve these popular pancakes with meals or as a snack. Makes 8 - 10 scallion pancakes.

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons vegetable oil or Asian sesame oil
* 1 cup boiling water
* 1/2 large leek or 2 green onions, washed and thinly diced (or as you like)
* a bit of oil to brush on pancakes
* a bit of salt to sprinkle on pancakes during frying

PREPARATION:
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the vegetable oil (I usually eyeball it). Pour in the boiling water and begin stirring immediately. Cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour.

While the dough is resting, wash and dice the spring onions. (I prefer leeks because they’re significantly sweeter and give the pancakes a really nice flavor, but traditionally these are made with green onions).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cut into thirds.

Roll each of the three sections of dough out into a flat piece approximately 1/2 cm or 1/4 inch thick. (If desired, you can make a thinner pancake, about 1/8 inch thick)

Brush the pancake with a bit of oil, and sprinkle with spring onion pieces. Roll up the pancake and cut into 8-10 pieces. (You can actually cut it into fewer pieces if you like your pancakes larger. I like them smaller.)

Set each piece on its cut end and use the palm of your hand to flatten it. Roll out again into a spiraling pancake.

Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet. Shallow fry the pancakes until both sides are golden brown, being sure to sprinkle with a bit of salt during frying. (They typically don’t take very long to cook, like maybe 30 seconds or a minute on each side over Medium to Medium-High heat. Watch to make sure they don’t burn.)

Serve whole or cut into wedges. Serve plain or with soy sauce or another dipping sauce if desired.


We hope you enjoy them!
Angie

Did You Ever Think Sour Cream Would Be Hard To Find?

That's what my daughter found out today over in Thailand. She's trying to make stroganoff for her host family. I just had a panic email asking what to substitute. So in case you ever wondered what you could substitute for sour cream, it's plain yogurt. Now if she can't find that, we're in trouble.

So I had a brainstorm. I don't know if it will work at all, but why not try buttermilk? It's slightly tangy. You'd have to keep taste testing to see if you were coming close. And of course, you'd have to be able to get either yogurt or buttermilk. sigh. It's hard to know from halfway around the world.

What common thing did you expect and were surprised you couldn't get?

Isn't life interesting? I hope to have the chance to go to Thailand and visit my daughter over there. I'd love to meet the lovely people who have cared for her for me through the school year. So many wonderful things they've done for her. Knowing she celebrated Christmas even when they don't, many of her Rotary friends gave her gifts. How thoughtful!

I really want to say thank you to all those people. Since we are hosting an exchange student too, I understand the commitment. But I also understand how much you can come to love a new member of your family. I'm treasuring the time I have with our Japanese son because he will be gone way too soon.

If you ever have a chance to host an exchange student, be sure to do it. It's an amazing and eye-opening experience. We totally look at our culture through new eyes. And, it's also incredible how much we have in common.

Angie

Sage Turkey

This is awesome for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Turkey Bag.
One really big turkey rinsed and patted dry.
Rub turkey inside all cavities, completely under the skin while loosening the skin away from the meat, and all over the skin with Olive Oil.
Mix all these dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add more as necessary.
2 Tablespoons of Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons of Garlic Salt
1 Tablespoon of Cracked Black Pepper
1/2 cup sage (dried or rubbed.)

Now take the dry mix and rub inside all cavities of the turkey. Then continue rubbing under the skin as far as you can possibly reach to get to the entire white meat. Rub all over the entire outside of the bird.

Following the turkey bag directions, put the bird inside the turkey bag and bake for the allotted amount of time. Around 2-3 hours depending on the size of the turkey.

It's a spicey, flavorful bird:-)

Enjoy!
Angie

Sugar-Free Peppermint Patty Latte

Curling up with this homemade latte is perfect for a snowy day.

1 Cup Skim Milk
Dark Chocolate Syrup (I use Hershey's sugar-free from the grocery store.)
Sugar-free Torani Peppermint Syrup
1-2 shots Espresso

Now I'd tell you the amounts, but everyone's taste is different. The sugar-free syrups are not as sweet, so you may need more. Start with a tablespoon of each. You can go to 2 Tablespoons of sugar-ree chocolate syrup without worrying about the point values. And the sugar-free peppermint is 0 points/calories.

I have a little espresso/latte machine that only does one little cup at a time. I just bought it at K-Mart because I was tired of paying $3-5 for a latte and not being able to guarantee the flavor level. So now I can make it at home to my taste. I think I paid $60 or 70 for my Hamilton Beach. It's my third one because I tried to go cheap on the machine. It's still not the best, but it works since I'm the only one who makes lattes. If there were more than me, it couldn't keep up with it in a reasonable time frame. If I had a little more money, I'd buy a better machine. I think you could get a better one for under $100.

Now translate that into one latte a day. Let's say it's $3/day. You've paid for the machine in less than a month.

I also realize you have to buy the syrups, milk, and the coffee. But add it up. You're still ahead in the first month and it's done to your liking.

Anyway, the Weight Watcher points for a 10-12 ounce sugar-free. skim latte is 2 points. Add real chocolate and take it up to 3 points. I use real chocolate when I'm away from home because I don't like the watery sugar-free chocolate or the powder versions.

I hope you curl up with a sugar-free peppermint patty latte soon:-)
Angie

Cheesy Chicken Recipe from Tricia Goyer

A recipe from the author of Book 2 in the Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War series, A Shadow of Treason.

Sophie discovers that nothing is as she first imagined. When Walt, the reporter who helped her over the border, shows up again after Guernica is bombed, Sophie is given an impossible mission. She must leave behind the man she's fallen in love with and return to the person who betrayed her. Another layer of the war in Spain is revealed as Sophie is drawn into the international espionage schemes that could turn the tide of the war and help protect the soldiers from the International Brigade ... she must find a way to get a critical piece of information to Walt in time.

And in case you missed it over at Faith Girls blog, here is a recipe from Tricia Goyer:-)

Cheesy Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste; place on greased
baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until
chicken is almost cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, in a skillet over medium heat, sauté onions,
garlic and pecans in the butter for three to four minutes. Remove from heat
and add cheese. Stir until cheese is blended with onion and pecan mixture.

Spoon cheese and pecan mixture over chicken. Return to oven and bake for 5
to 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Enjoy! And be sure to pick up your copy of A Shadow of Treason today.
Angie

Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

Hi:-D
I'm excited to share with you the little things I do to change some of the recipes I love with a tiny tweak or two. Since I eat every 2-3 hours, I need small healthy snacks. I eat this way for a few reasons.

First, it evens out the insulin use in my body. Less of the highs and lows of moods and/or starvation feeling. Two, I get hungry that often. Three, I eat less when I am not voracious.

I break the 21 points a day that I learned in Weight Watchers into smaller 3-6 point meals and snacks through the day. For instance, 3 for breakfast, 3 for a snack, 4-5 for lunch, 2-4 for a snack, 5-6 for dinner, and 2-3 for a bedtime snack. The bedtime snack is usually a small bowl of cereal and milk equal to 3 points.

If you can eat a sweet without needing more, then these cookies can fit well into a plan. Following the recipe, one cookie is 2-3 points. So do plan for it and don't justify having more. (I found out that salt water taffy is 1 point for 1 piece. I had eaten 4 or 5 and thought it was 1 point. sigh. No cookie that day:-D )

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 Cup Butter
(Another really good thing is to substitute one Tablespoon of the butter with 3 Tablespoons of ground or milled flax seed. The flax adds Omega-3. For people like me who don't eat fish, this is a very important addition.)1/2 Cup Applesauce (unsweetened.)
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar(I love dark brown versus light brown for the caramel flavor.)
1/2 Cup Splenda for Baking (sugar blend.)

Mix well.
Add:2 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

Mix well, roll into large teaspoon size balls, press with fork to make criss-cross designs and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes (or so since everyone's oven is different.)

Let the cookies cool on the pan for several minutes or they fall apart. Freeze most of them, put only one dozen out at a time. They stay fresh that way:-) Another thing I do is keep the dough in tupperware in the fridge. I bake some every few days for the freshness of it. Store it in the back, behind something, on a lower shelf to avoid the temptation to eat the dough:-)

Each cookie should only be about 3 inches in diameter when baked. I count each cookie as 2 points, but they are also good for you as they have B vitamins, protein, fiber, and fruit in them. I can't tell the difference in white and wheat flour in peanut butter cookies. Try them and you'll see that they are a good substitute for the high sugar, high white flour cookies you are used to eating.

One of my goals in creating a new lifestyle was to find alternative choices. What could I have rather than what couldn't I eat. It's a much more positive outlook. On top of that, I'm always finding new and fun things because I'm looking for them with an adventurous attitude. It makes the journey fun instead of work. The growth, the journey...that's the gift I didn't expect. The amount of confidence that I can change, I can help others, and I can make a difference.

So, yeah, start with something small like a cookie recipe. Then branch out and experiment with ways to grow an open mind to new foods and watch your attitude gradually expand. Happiness isn't a place or an ultimate destination. You can't "get" happy. You have to choose to take the steps toward your dreams. Those steps, that growth is what gives you confidence. The sense of accomplishment with dreams still ahead of you, that can help make you happy. So try something new today. Try a different cookie, try writing down the idea that has tickled the back of your mind for so long, and ask yourself what the next step is on your journey.

One day, like me, you'll look back a year later. You'll say, "That year went so fast! Look at me now!" Then smile in the mirror at the sparkle in your eye. Go on. Make the decision to look toward that tomorrow vision so you can look back on yesterday's accomplishment.

May God bless you with joy and commitment to your journey,
Angie

Recipe and Creativity Opportunity from Tosca Lee

I am hosting a contest for Christian speculative fiction on my website. For
complete novel proposals, the prize is that my agent has promised to give it
serious consideration. For 15 page novel excerpts for not-quite-finished
works, Jeff Gerke is going to critique it. It's really an excellent contest
for that reason.


In chapter 14, Clay meets the demon in an Italian restaurant in Boston’s North End and orders Mussels Fra Diavolo.

(Yes, I did mostly rip it off from Global Gourmet. So if you want a more complete one, go to: http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/pasta/1298/mussels.html.) If you must know the truth, I don’t get to cook much. I employ a chef service three days a week to keep me from living off pans of brownies, Taco Bell and the kindness of culinary friends.

To get you in the mood, here's the snippet from the book:-)

“It was nearly seven o’clock. I hurried down Hanover, the smell of the ocean briny in my nose. In summer the restaurants—barely more than little open-kitchen joints boasting no more than eight tables apiece—threw open their doors, spilling tables onto the sidewsalk to catch the influx of tourists and saints’ feasts celebratns. Tonight they were closed up against the coastal chill, menus peering out from the windows, the flames of tiny candles dancing on the tabletops inside.

On the second floor entrance of Vittorio’s, I experienced a brief moment of déjà vu when the host informed me my party was already waiting, and again when he led me to a candle-lit booth where a woman in her thirties waved at me…”



Clay’s Mussels Fra Diavolo

1 lb. any pasta
¼ c. olive oil
chopped garlic, to taste
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. (or more) red pepper flakes
3 hot Italian cherry peppers, chopped
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 cans tomato purée
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup basil
6 lbs. mussels, soaked and scrubbed, beards removed
2 cups white wine
1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Method:
Cook pasta according to destructions. Drain, set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion. Sauté. Add red pepper flakes and cherry peppers. Sauté for 10 minutes more. Add tomatoes, purée and wine. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add herbs. Simmer 20 minutes more.

Place mussels in a large pot over high heat. Add white wine and enough water to halfway cover mussels. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until all mussels are open, (about 15 minutes). Discard any that do not open. Drain. Combine with pasta. Cover with sauce, cheese, and serve.

Tosca, thank you so much for this fun day with you! We get one more day on the mini-series. Everybody stay right here because tomorrow, I'm posting the first chapter for you from, Demon-A Memoir. You HAVE to read it.

Thanks for visiting,
Angie

Recipe for Loco Moco

Angie: So Camy, I hear you have an unusual use for eggs, lol. Please share it with us. (Folks, we have Camy Tang back for an encore with a recipe.) Remember to get her book, Sushi For One, on the shelves now! It's a fun read with a lot of flair, just like Camy:-D





Camy: Here's my fav recipe for Loco Moco that I make all the time, despite the fact it's a cholesterol bomb:

Make white rice (actually, we use half brown rice) in the rice cooker or on the stove. Uncle Ben's is okay but not preferred.

Make hamburger patties: one pound ground beef, one egg, three slices of bread pulled into thumb sized pieces, salt and pepper, mixed together (sometimes we add one small minced onion). We make four patties, but you can make anywhere from 3 to 6.

In a cast iron skillet, cook patties in a little oil until cooked through.

In the same skillet, toss in a tablespoon of flour and mix in the oil. Then add a can of beef gravy (we use Campbell's). Heat through. We sometimes add mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate pan, fry one egg over easy for each person. The yolk has to be runny b/c that mixes with the gravy. I heard on good authority from Alton Brown at Good Eats that a little raw yolk typically won't kill you. :)

For each person, serve a small mound of rice, topped with a patty, topped with an egg, smothered with gravy. The runny yolk might sound gross but trust me, it's delish.

Angie: Camy, this sounds really interesting. Thank you so much for sharing it.

Taco Soup Recipe

Tricia Goyer is kind enough to share a favorite recipe her family loves. We hope you enjoy it too:-D

Remember to post a comment on yesterday's post for your chance to win her newest book.


TACO SOUP
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 can pinto (or kidney) beans
• 2 cans chili beans
• 1 can whole kernel corn
• 1 can white corn
• 2 cans Mexi-corn
• 1 can stewed tomatoes - Mexican style
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
• 1 pkg. original Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
PREPARATION:
Brown ground beef and onions in a large pan, drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients (do not drain any of the cans) and simmer for an hour or so. When ready, serve in big soup bowls with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream.

(Note this recipe can have substitutes too. For example, my family doesn’t like onions, so I usually don’t use them. You can add whatever beans you like. I just use what’s in my cupboard. It’s the same with the corn and tomatoes. Sometimes if I don’t have Rotel, I’ll just throw in a can of green chilis for flavor. Some people serve it with cornbread instead of tortilla chips. You really can’t mess it up!)

Thanks so much Tricia!

Thank you for visiting.
Angie