Zahlmann Zoo Crew

Monday Weigh-in

2012-01-30T18:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday all! After a super busy week (lots of work, most of it while sitting on my butt), I was less-than-surprised to find the following results:

Last week's weight: 191

This week's weight: 190

Yep, just one pound. I haven't had this little of a loss since October, and I wrote about it HERE. So, I am revamping again - I know the little tweaks that help and the areas that need improvement. I love knowing how to fuel my body properly and what I need to do to keep it running at its optimal level. I have an incredible program, I have amazing health coaches guiding me and I have the pleasure and ability to share that with others. I am so blessed.

For those who are interested, here's what I'll be working on this week:

*Increase water intake (I should be drinking 95oz each day & probably have been closer to 75oz)

*Get moving (to start my day off on the right foot, I will do the elliptical every morning for 20 min, plus incorporate extra movement into daily tasks)

*Cut out snacks (I'm pretty good about not having snacks, but I did indulge in some almond butter a couple of days this last week. I also have been choosing some of the higher calorie maintenance meals instead of the regular ones that I need to stick to)

*Watch condiments (again, we're pretty good about this, but we will be extra vigilant in monitoring our condiments for our Lean & Green's)

*Get plenty of sleep (this is vital to ones overall well-being and I have been really bad about it lately - we have set a schedule for ourselves for this week, so we are sticking to it and I think that will help a lot!)

So, I guess I'll let you know next Monday how everything paid off! I know it will make a huge difference - and I can't wait to be in the 180's! Wowza!!

I had an epiphany this week. While on the phone with a new client, I was told how they'd been following my blog for quite some time and how much they enjoyed it (I'm not bragging...yet). Then they remarked, "I don't know how you put yourself out there like that, it's so brave and inspiring - I mean, I know how much you WEIGH!" BWHAHAHAHA - I love this!

It really got me to thinking (hence the epiphany): I would never have "put myself out there" before. Ever. As the perpetual fat kid, who went to great lengths to hide her weight, it seems crazy to post it on this blog every week for all to read. Maybe I am crazy? But I don't think so. I do it because I am not the same person I was 8 months ago (or 8 years ago!) - I don't want to be. I have taken the best of Stephanie, the things that really make me, me and tried to bring them into harmony with the new me - the one who loves herself and her body (this is a work in progress, of course)! I am trying hard not to be ruled by fear. If I do things that take me outside of my comfort zone and survive (I always do), then I'm that much braver (is that a word) and continue to challenge those things which once held me captive.

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature...avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."

~Helen Keller

I'm pretty proud of this 190 lb body!

Please disregard the dog...and the messy shelves...and my ghost hands. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. ;o)

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Lean and Green: Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti Squash "Noodles"

2012-01-28T13:38:00.000-08:00

This is - HANDS DOWN - one of my most favorite meals - EVER (PS - another one of Mr. Charming's creations!)! If you like the flavors of chicken cacciatore, then you will love this spiced up version complimented by the sweet squash - truly a combination to DIE for!

How to roast a spaghetti squash:

Preheat oven to 350 degress

Cut squash in half, lengthwise.

Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds from the center of the squash (just like a pumpkin). Then season your squash liberally with salt (we didn't use much) and cracked pepper. You can drizzle with a little olive oil as well, but we didn't add any fat to it).

Lay cut-side down on a PAMmed cookie sheet and place in your preheated oven for about 45 min.

For the sauce:

This is spicy, so for a toned down version, you could omit the red pepper and use regular tomato sauce (not Mexican style). But it won't be nearly as yummy...it's worth the runny nose! ;o)

Slice your red onion, yellow bell pepper and tomato.

The chicken:

Chunk up your chicken breasts (dark meat would give a heavenly taste as well, but the breasts were awesome - and healthier!).

And throw them in a well-PAMmed pan (I feel the beginnings of a tongue twister here...).

Add your Italian seasoning, salt, cracked pepper, crushed red pepper and garlic.

Well seasoned chicken...nicely undercooked.

Once the chicken is cooked on all sides (but still slightly undercooked in the center), add in your veggies.

Saute for 3-5 min

Just until your onions become translucent.

Add in your tomato sauce and simmer for 15 min on low, stirring occasionally.

See how the sauce begins to thicken? Getting close!

The spaghetti squash is perfectly cooked - see how the striations are obvious? A fork should go through it easily.

Take your fork and gently scrape the side of the squash from rind to center, creating "spaghetti noodles". Your kids will love this!

Put 1 cup of the spaghetti squash in the center of your plate and scoop 1 1/2 cups chicken and sauce over the top.

Grab a fork and sink your teeth into a bite of this.

Uh huh, I told you! It's amazing, huh?!

Let me know when you try it and how you would change it up! I love hearing from everyone who is trying our recipes - and SO fun to hear how you make it your own! Three cheers for healthy meals!!!

Chicken Cacciatore and Spaghetti Squash - Serves 2

1 Spaghetti Squash, halved lengthwise

1 lb Chicken Breasts, trimmed of fat and chopped (should be about 14 oz when cooked)

1 can El Pato Tomato Sauce (or regular tomato sauce)

1/2 large, Yellow Bell Pepper (or red or orange), sliced

1 whole Tomato, sliced

1/4 medium Red Onion, sliced

1 Tbl fresh Garlic, pressed

1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

1 Tbl Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cracked Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season squash with salt and pepper and lay face down on a PAMmed cookie sheet. Bake in oven for 45 min, or until squash is fork tender and releases easily from the shell.

In the meantime, place chicken pieces, salt, cracked pepper, crushed red pepper, italian seasoning and garlic in a PAMmed pan over med-high heat. Saute until chicken is cooked on the outside, but slightly underdone on the inside - 8-10 min. Add bell pepper, tomato and red onion and saute for 3-5 min, until onions are translucent. Add in your tomato sauce and simmer for 15 min on low, stirring occasionally. Sauce will thicken quite a bit. You can let this simmer for longer while you wait on your squash, but don't let your chicken get rubbery.

Pull squash out of the oven and using a fork, gently scrape the side of the squash from rind to center, creating "spaghetti noodles".

To plate:

Place 1 cup of the spaghetti squash in the center of your plate and scoop 1 1/2 cups chicken and sauce over the top. ENJOY!

PS - Save your leftover spaghetti squash for other "green" options! We love it in omelets, with salads, sauteed veggies, etc.

Nutritional Information can be found HERE.

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WARNING: Healthy AND kid friendly recipe!

2012-01-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

You've been warned! hehe

We love to involve the kids in cooking and they love it too! Tonight we made these fun little mini pizzas, with a healthy twist. The kids love them and I feel good about serving them something that is good for their bodies!

I present to you: Whole Wheat Mini Pizzas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Slice your english muffins in half and toast them (keeps them from getting soggy and you don't have to bake them as long)

Grate your cheese and chop your veggies

Lay your toasted muffins on a cookie sheet and spread 1 heaping tsp of pizza sauce on each one.

Then start laying your veggies on (we used colored bell peppers, red onions & olives).

Next add your turkey pepperoni slices (if you want to, nobody's forcing you - not everyone wanted olives either)

All layered up...almost ready to go!

Here's a good trick, take the back of a serving spoon (it doesn't have to be well-used or ugly like mine) and press firmly on your pizzas to create a flat surface for the cheese. Dude, nobody likes all of their cheese to drip off the sides. Nobody.

Put your cheese on (about 2 Tbl on each pizza)

We also did some plain cheese and pepperoni with cheese for the purists.

Place your cookie sheet in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned...

Cheese and pepperoni ones are done! A little sloppy...I see dripping cheese!

And here come the veggie pizzas! Yum! Notice, no dripping cheese...back of a spoon, I tell ya!

Aerial view of the plain cheese and pepperoni pizzas...messy, but oh so good!

Whole Wheat Mini Pizzas

1 pkg (6 whole, 12 split) Whole Wheat English Muffins

1 pkg Turkey Pepperoni (or other low fat alternative)

1/2 lb Mozzarella Cheese, grated

1 jar Pizza Sauce (our favorite cheap and easy and no weird additives is the Fred Meyer brand)

1/4 Red Onion, diced

4 Baby Bell Peppers, sliced thin (or your favorite large bell pepper - about 1/4 of one)

1/4 cup Olive, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Split your English Muffins in half and toast each one (you can determine how toasty you want them) - just enough that they are crisp (so they don't get soggy when you put the sauce on). Lay flat on a cookie sheet and spread 1 heaping tsp (up to a Tbl) of pizza sauce on each muffin. Then layer as desired with: bell peppers, onion & olives. Add 3 slices of turkey pepperoni to each muffin. With the back of a large serving spoon, press down on the center of each muffin to flatten it out and make a nice area to set the cheese. Top with about 2 Tbl mozzarella cheese and place sheet in oven for 15-20 minutes (until cheese is melted and slightly brown on top).

Enjoy!

Nutritional Information HERE.

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Happy Hump Day!

2012-01-25T21:24:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a great day today! Me? I came down with a small case of gastroenteritis (stomach flu)...so, less than fun for me, but not nearly as bad as it could be!

It's really got me to thinking...I haven't been sick in 8+ months. I've been on my program for 8+ months. Correlation? I think so.

Christopher and Zeke came down sick on Sunday (unfortunately for Christopher, he was at church when he threw up). So I should have known that's what it was, but mine has been a little funny. I've been awakened around 4-5am every morning with stomach cramps (but higher up), but eventually fall back asleep and feel fine when I wake for the day. But this morning, the cramps lingered and became pretty intense. They were also accompanied by headache and lightheadedness. Mr. Charming was insistent that I go to the doctor.

I spent the morning at the Walk-in clinic and ended up with a couple of prescriptions and a lab order. I walked over to the lab across the street and waited for them to call my name. There was an older woman seated next to me who was freaking out because she was there to do a "pee test" and she had to go "NOW!!" and apparently the staff wasn't moving fast enough for her (they had to sterilize and prep the bathroom). I tried to talk to her, ya know, to help take her mind off of her impending explosion of bodily fluid, but she would burst out in angry rants to the staff walking around and behind the counter. It was awkward. I was called back before she was (she may or may not have wanted to strangle me) and when I came back, she was STILL waiting! I felt so bad for her. As I sat down to wait for Mr. Charming to come pick me up (dude, I wasn't driving in the condition I was in), the woman jumped up (maybe a bit dramatic because she was older and very cumbersome in size) and headed for the bathroom screaming about how they can't make her wait anymore or they'll have to wring it out of her panties. Yes, she said panties. Did I mention...awkward? So...I'm pretty sure she made it on time (3 staff ran to assist her), but ya know, always an eventful time at the doctor's office. And almost always awkward.

In less awkward news, the phlebotomist was phenomenal (like that?) and with one quick stick and one little vial of blood, I was done!

I've requested a copy of my lab results, for my own personal records, but y'all - my numbers were FABULOUS! I'm healthy as a horse (but not as big as one anymore)! The doctor's concern was that I may have a cranky gallbladder because of where the pain was, but nope, everything looked good! So it's really just a stomach bug. Yuck (but I'll take it over the alternative)!

I do remember that my heart rate was 76 and my BP was 100/68. My doctor used the word "stellar" to describe it. YUS!

Anywho...Mr. Charming took over all of the household duties and sent me to bed when I got home. I slept soooooo hard. It was awesome.

I was going to leave you with a hilarious video that Mr. Charming took while waiting to pick up the kids from school, but my internet is conspiring against me and it's going to take all night for the video to upload to youtube, so I'll post it tomorrow! Check back...you won't be disappointed! hehe

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Here it is! I died laughing! Payton and her shifty eyes...and Zeke in the background trying to sing the various sound effects...too stinkin' funny!

Lean and Green: Cilantro Lemon-Lime Salmon and Sauteed Veggies

2012-01-24T16:48:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, I couldn't stand seafood. Maybe it has something to do with growing up in sunny Southern California, then moving to this little coastal town at the age of 9 where everything was about seafood. It was kinda like a seafood immersion program...and I balked. Fast forward about 10 years, while in college, I started enjoying some shellfish dishes here and there, then slowly worked my way up to salmon, halibut, crab, lobster and even...*gasp* scallops! I still don't like a strong fishy flavor, but I do love me some good seafood! When a customer of my dads brought by some of his fresh caught Coho Salmon, we were thrilled!

My husband is a culinary genius (I may have mentioned this before). Seriously, our kids' classmates are always asking, "Is your dad a chef?" because, well, you should see some of the lunches they get! Gourmet meets convenience! Again, genius.

Here is how this salmon titillated our taste buds: (I just wanted to say titillated!)

Glorious salmon, Cilantro, fresh (organic) Lime and Sal Con Limon (lemon salt) and garlic (oh wait, I forgot to put the garlic in the picture *forehead slam)

Dice up your cilantro and garlic

Tear off some sheets of aluminum foil and lay out on your counter. Sprinkle some lemon salt, lime zest, cilantro and garlic in the center of one sheet.

Lay your gorgeous salmon on top of the seasonings.

Sprinkle some more on top.

Squeeze some fresh lime juice over your salmon.

Then start folding: Bring the sides of your foil in to meet in the center (they should overlap).

Then fold the top over the center...

And fold the bottom over the top to make a nice little pouch. Then flip your pouch over into the center of another foil sheet (so the seams are on the bottom) and fold again - so you have 2 layers of foil pouching.

Then place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 7 min (or until fish is flaky and moist).

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For our side dish, we sauteed broccoli and cauliflower (OH YUM!).

Spray a saute pan with PAM (or use a tsp or two of olive oil)

Sprinkle lightly with this - it's divine, but strong (and high in sodium), so use accordingly.

Add lots of pepper, ya know, if you're like us. We like hair on our chests.

Plate salmon and veggies together and enjoy!

I sprinkled my salmon with a little low sodium soy sauce and Truvia (for a teryaki-like flavor) - it was AMAZING!

Cilantro Lemon-Lime Salmon and Veggies

12 oz Salmon (fresh caught if you're lucky!)

1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped finely

1 heaping tsp Garlic, pressed (you can add to taste, we used about 1 tsp on each pouch)

1 Lime, zested and juiced

1 tsp Sal Con Limon (lemon salt)

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Lay out 4 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil (approx. 12" long). Sprinkle some of your cilantro, lime zest, garlic and lemon salt down, then lay the salmon fillets (we had 2 each) on top of the seasoning. Sprinkle more of the seasonings on top of the salmon then squeeze some lime juice over the fish. Wrap your salmon up tightly into a pouch (see instructions above), flip pouch over onto new foil sheet and wrap again.

Bake in oven for about 7 minutes, or until fish is flaky, but moist.

Broccoli & Cauliflower Saute (we used frozen veggies)
1 1/2 cups Broccoli (florets and/or stems)
1 1/2 cups Cauliflower
Pepper (fresh cracked) to taste
Johnny's Seasoning Salt to taste (doesn't take much!)

Spray a stainless steel (or pan of choice) pan with PAM and set heat to medium. Place broccoli and cauliflower in the pan and season to taste. Saute until slightly wilted and warmed through. Add PAM as needed.

Nutritional Information can be found here.

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Monday Weigh-in

2012-01-23T21:40:00.000-08:00

Good Monday everyone! I'm sitting here enjoying my cinnamon pretzels with horseradish mustard - don't knock it 'til you try it! I love that sweet/savory combination!

Anywho...so it's Monday and you know what that means! Monday weigh-in!

My weigh-in this morning was: 191 lbs Yee-haw!! That's another 2 lbs down!

I can not tell you how surreal it is to be this close to the 180's! Yus, yus, yus!!!

Have a healthy week friends!

PS - If you're frustrated with your current state of health and want to get on the fast track to feeling Grrrreat, then drop me a line! It is my pleasure to help others lose weight and feel great! I'd love to help you; yes, YOU!

Email me at: fitandfabforlife @ gmail . com (without the spaces)

The Perfect Party Pico - Swearsies!

2012-01-21T22:39:00.000-08:00

We have gotten lots of questions on where to get the best pico. We often buy our pico from the store (no particular brand stands out above another). But truth-be-told, the BEST pico is the stuff you make at home...and it's easy peasy lemon squeezy (or in this case, lime)!

Seriously, TRY THIS - you can customize it to your preferences, but this is a great base recipe!

I love the beautiful array of fresh and colorful veggies!

A good dicing knife is super-handy too! We love our Miracle Blades (you can get them at Fred Meyer or Bed, Bath & Beyond)!

Dice your tomatoes - we like ours nice and small.

You would usually use Roma Tomatoes, but we couldn't find any nice ones (I seriously would not eat the ones that we saw), so we used good old vine ripened tomatoes.

Because we used regular tomatoes, we drained them in a strainer first.

And then threw them into our mixing bowl.

Then we diced up our onions - white AND red...it's important!

And mixed them all together.

Crush your garlic - you can do it right into your bowl...you probably don't take pictures of your food anyway!

Lovely garlic with it's cohorts...plotting to tantalize your tongue!

Jalapenos - so, so good and so, SO important! See helpful hint below...

Aw, cute...a baby bell inside the mama bell!

Dice your bell peppers up...we always use a green as a base, then a colored bell (red, yellow, orange) for some added sweetness.

Throw them into your bowl

Lovely, aromatic cilantro...how I love thee.

Put your cilantro into your bowl...and admire the gorgeous colors! Real food has color AND flavor!

Generously salt and pepper your dish.

We scooped half of it into some containers to store in the fridge. What did we do with the other half, you ask?

Squeezed some lime

And lime zest into it OF COURSE! For an easy tip on zesting, see below...

Perfectly mixed with the lime and zest...oh. my. YUM!

Then scooped some into our kids' favorite chips!

They LOVED it! My kids are the coolest! They love their pico!

PS - See my brownish bananas? We'll be making these tomorrow!

Perfect Party Pico (this makes A LOT, so feel free to scale it back!)

5 large Tomatoes, chopped

3/4 medium White Onion

1/2 medium Red Onion

3 large Garlic Cloves, pressed

3 large Jalapenos, diced

1/2 large Green Bell Pepper

1/2 large Yellow Bell Pepper (or any other colored pepper)

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped (or to taste...we like a lot!)

Cracked Pepper to taste (A LOT)

Salt to taste (really just to taste)

Chop, dice, press, etc. all ingredients in mix well in a large bowl.

If you're Mr. Charming, that is your perfect pico, but if you're like me....

Add:

1 whole Lime, juiced AND zested

*HINTS:

To seed and devein your jalapenos (or bell peppers), cut them open (length-wise in half) and use a spoon to pull the seeds/veins down and out. It works like a charm and cuts down on how long you handle the jalapeno. Be sure to use gloves if you haven't handled them before. I think some people are move sensitive than others!

If you forget to zest your lime before you cut it; go ahead and juice it first, then turn your segments over (pulp side down) and drag your zester from top to bottom for a quick, easy zesting method (see pic above)!

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Healthy Kids: Homemade Protein Bars

2012-01-20T12:24:00.000-08:00

Do you love a good protein bar? Do you love ingredients like peanut butter, coconut, raisins and oats? Then you (and more importantly, your kids) will love these bars!

I've been using my iPhone...like A LOT - it's wonderful and convenient and I always have it with me, so please forgive some of the quick pictures! I was having fun baking with my daughter!

I know that banana looks really gross, but it wasn't nearly as rotten on the inside!

See? Smash your banana to smithereens! This is a great job for the kids!

Place mashed banana in a bowl. I love glass bowls.

Add your oats...I think these would be amazing with rolled wheat as well...just sayin'!

Grab your lovely flaxseed (I heart Bob's Red Mill and love the golden flaxseed). Next time I will toast these for a little added crunch!

Throw your flaxseed in with your bananas and oats

Next, add in your protein powder (I went with the lesser scoops - see recipe below). We were out of our favorite stuff, so this is what we used - the kids liked it just fine!

Then your beautiful, non-sweetened coconut flakes. You can find these in the health food isle of most stores or in your local health food store.

Throw in your raisins - these Sunmaid Mixed Jumbo Raisins were so beautiful and moist - the kids devoured them straight from the bag!

Add in your melted butter (or coconut oil)

Then some peanut butter - we used the Jif Extra Crunchy for some extra texture, but the Adam's Natural Peanut Butter is what we will use from now on!

Add in your water and...

Mix well! This was also Avonleigh's job - she loved the challenge! hehe

I love how you can see all of the wonderful ingredients!

Pour your mixture into a parchment lined baking tray (I used a 13x9 because I tripled the recipe for a crowd!). And have a cute kid handy to lick the bowl - I hear it's good luck...

Smooth out your batter (can I really call this a "batter"? I'm not sure, the baking police may come after me! Wait, can I even call this "baking"?! Yikes!).

Avonleigh made ours extra smooth...little perfectionist that she is.

See? Perfectly smooth. I'm sure it tastes better this way. Ask my daughter.

Ready for my favorite part? Oh yeah you are! Slowly peel back the delicate foil on your beautiful dark chocolate bar...like you're searching for Charlie's golden ticket...

Break up the chocolate into smaller pieces and set in a microwave safe bowl. Nuke on high for 1 min, stir and nuke again until melted. It took me 2 min, but the microwave wasn't as powerful as it could be.

That is just gorgeous to me...thank you Lindt...thank you iPhone...

Another great kid job - stir that chocolate!

And pour it over your batter/mixture/yummy-goodness

Time to smooth again! Avonleigh can take over from here.

Isn't that beautiful? You can stop licking your screen now.

There you have it! Now pop that bad boy into the freezer for a couple of hours (if you can wait that long)!

Now the hard part (besides the waiting)...clean up!

Avonleigh to the rescue, once again!

A couple hours in the freezer and you have lovely, homemade protein bars that are sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

I didn't get any pictures of them cut up...lame, I know! But they were devoured. Seriously, even my ultra picky nephews loved them! Hooray for health treats that kids love!

Make these. Today. Like, now. Go make them now!

Homemade Protein Bars

1 mashed banana
1 1/2 cups dry oatmeal
2 Tablespoons flax seed, ground (I used whole seeds, next time I'll toast them)
2-4 scoops protein powder (we used 2)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup water
1 large chocolate bar (I used Lindt 90% Dark Chocolate) or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients but chocolate together well (mixture will be somewhat sticky). Line an 8×8-inch pan with foil and spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Melt chocolate on the stove or in the microwave. Drizzle or spread over the mixture in the pan.

Place the pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Cut into 10 -12 bars and wrap in plastic wrap and/or foil and store in the freezer.

Thaw slightly before serving.

*1/1oth of this recipe = approximately 260 calories and 11 to 13 grams of protein (depending upon how much protein powder you use, per Calorie Count.)

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One Year Older and Wiser Too!

2012-01-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

We have a slew of January birthdays in our family/extended family. A few of them don't live locally, but for the ones who do, we got together at my in-laws to celebrate our January birthdays!

3 lovely cupcakes for 3 lovely people, Scott, Avonleigh and Renee...can you guess whose was whose?

Avonleigh (pink), Scott (chocolate), Renee (German chocolate)...did you guess correctly? I know, you totally thought the pink was for Scott!

Scott's card....BWHAHAHAHAHA

It said, "A Birthday Aging Quiz"

open card:

"What color was her purse?"

at the bottom:

"If you said, 'She had a purse?' you're still young!"

Renee's card

"There are scarier things than having a birthday!" HAHAHAHA

Avonleigh opening her card from Nana & Papa

And this was falling all around

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So yesterday was Avonleigh's actual birthday. We spent it at home (in the dark for half the morning). The storm was a ragin' and there was NO way we were sending the kids to school (don't get me started on how irresponsible I think it was to even have the schools open!!)! So daddy painted his girls' nails by lantern light. I love this picture.

In the evening we had a little family party for our Choochie Bear

Crazy knee highs

And fun leggings

The all-important Zoobles!

A "make your own bangles" kit

The ratlets with Grandma and Grandpa

A quick (and blurry) self portrait of mom and dad with the birthday girl - can you tell it was a no shower kind of day? Awesome.

*Another post about Avonleigh's birthdays here.

And then Payton hoovered the rest of my dinner...this kid loves good food!

We had a great day with everyone at home (listening to the rain and wind POUND at the house)! So much so, that we kept them all home again today! I'm seriously NOT sending them to school in this weather (and we had no power this morning)!

We're seeing pictures on FB of all of the flooding around town here and lots in the Valley as well! Be safe out there!

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Lean and Green Meal Idea: Boca Burgers and Bleu Slaw

2012-01-18T13:47:00.000-08:00

My husband is a genius. At least once a week he comes up with a brand new (and always fabulous) recipe for our Lean and Greens. We love Boca Burgers and enjoy them in a lettuce wrap with steamed veggies. Well one night he decided he wanted something different...and Bleu Slaw was born!

I didn't get a picture of all of the ingredients together, so I'll just go through them individually, sorry!

Slice up a head of cabbage (or however much you're going to use) very thin - this particular slaw was a big one! You could also buy the bags of shredded cabbage.

Dice up some red onion

Throw in a small handful of sprouts and mix everything together.

Here's the sauce magic: Regular Blue (Bleu) Cheese Dressing and Walden Farms Bleu Cheese Dressing ( see below).

Mix sauce into cabbage mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

Now for the "lean": Boca Burgers baby!

Fry your burgers in some PAM (according to box)

Buy some good pico or make your own (this isn't exactly what I would consider good pico, but it was decent).

This is how Mr. Charming likes his: Burgers on the side, slaw with pico on top

And this is how I like mine - one big Boca Burger Bleu Slaw Salad! YUUUUUMMMY!

I would never have thought to use bleu cheese, but let me tell ya, IT WORKS! This is super, super good and goes so well with the Boca and pico. We have also eaten the slaw with baked chicken and pulled pork - all were yummy!

Bleu Slaw
5 cups Cabbage, shredded
1/3 cup Red Onion (you can add more or less to taste - we probably use a little less)
1/4 cup Sprouts

Sauce:
3 Tbl Bleu Cheese Dressing
4 Tbl Walden Farms Bleu Cheese Dressing to consistency (just use enough that it coats everything nicely, but isn't runny)

Mix all ingredients together and serve immediately. You can make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, but I would use less dressing, because it will get kinda soupy - still good though!

PS - I've uploaded this recipe to Sparkpeople for easy printing AND Nutritional Information!

click HERE (slaw) and HERE (burgers & pico)

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Snow Day 2012

2012-01-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

We had a snow day yesterday...well, a snow morning at least! The kids had a great (albeit cold) time playing in the snow and having snowball fights! We weren't very prepared, as most of our snow gear is in storage (it's the coast, not the valley)!

I ran outside to snap a few pictures, but my subjects weren't very cooperative! I sure love these little faces!

My precious....snowball

Look at those little red hands and ears! Poor dude!

Hello baby boy...you are my sunshine!

The crew (L to R back to front): Laethym, Christopher, Avonleigh, Zeke & Payton (Sassafrass)...and the mutts in either corner...

Look at those poor chapped lips! I slather Eucerin on her every chance I get, but not as often as she needs!

I swear this boy's eyes change colors...they look almost brown here...sometimes very blue...other times green. Lucky kid!

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Monday Weigh-in

2012-01-16T11:23:00.001-08:00

I was really looking forward to today's weigh-in. I like my Monday weigh-ins, but I really changed up my eating schedule (and tweaked my snacks) a couple of weeks ago and things have been moving right along, so I'm loving my Mondays even more!

Last week I was down 4.2 lbs and this week I'm down another 3 lbs! YUS!

Here are my stats now that I'm in the 8th month of my program:

Beginning weight: 315lbs

Current weight: 193lbs (yep, 122 lbs down!)

Beginning waist measurement: 52" (size 26 jeans)

Current waist measurement: 33" (size 14 jeans)

I hope you have a healthy week! Check back tomorrow for some snow fun! I love the snow!!

Lean and Green Meal Idea: Sweet and Spicy Southern Pulled Pork

2012-01-14T10:11:00.001-08:00

This is probably my favorite way to prepare pork! You MUST try it!

This is how I like to enjoy it: over a bed of fresh spinach & crisp lettuce, with tomatoes.

I didn't take a picture of the raw roast and brine ingredients, so here's how it goes:

5-7 lbs Pork Butt

4 cups Apple Cider Vinegar (I like the Bragg's brand)

2 cups Onions, chopped

4 Bay Leaves

1 Tbl Salt

1 Tsp Pepper

Put all ingredients in a large crockpot on low and slow cook until meat pulls away from the bone easily. At least 6 hours (like to set mine at bed time and let it cook all night).

A yummy, cooked roast! Drain most of the juice (reserving 1 cup for sauce). Now, skim off all of the fat as you shred the pork in the crock pot. If it has been cooked long enough, it will shred easily with 2 forks.

Now to make the sauce:

1 cup Reserved Pork Juice

1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (I've substituted Red Wine Vinegar and it worked great)

3 tsp Smoked Paprika (I adore this stuff, but you could use all regular Paprika, if you want)

3 tsp Paprika

1 Onion, chopped

2 tsp Italian Seasoning

2 tsp Garlic granules

2 tsp Oregano

2 (15 oz) can Tomato Sauce

2 packets Truvia (Splenda, etc) - you can add more if you like it a little sweeter
4 tsp Salt

2 tsp Pepper

3 tsp Worchestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp Chili Garlic Sauce

Mix all ingredients together in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil to combine flavors.

Once done, add back into crock pot with meat and simmer together until heated through. I like to do this step in the morning, then turn my crock pot to "Keep Warm" and let it sit until dinner that night.

Mix well!

This stuff is soooooooo yummy!

As I said up top, I like mine of crisp salad greens, but you could make a coleslaw or something too!

We make pulled pork sandwiches for the kids and they LOVE them! You could also serve it over brown rice or mashed potatoes. Very versatile dish!

In the next few days I'll be posting our "Lean and Green Coleslaw" recipe! It FABULOUS!

Happy, Healthy Eating!

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Walk-a-Thon for Donnie

2012-01-13T18:36:00.000-08:00

Today's Walk-a-Thon was a complete success! I'm so impressed with our elementary school and their efforts to organize this fundraiser! There were some 600+ kids there plus lots of community members and families. It. was. awesome.

Christopher's teacher told them that their class alone raised more than $700! Now multiply that by 6 grades (K-5th) and 3 classes per grade...you get the picture!

Plus there was a donation jug at the Walk-a-Thon that was being filled by the community members. I'm so thrilled for the Luizzi family. I hope they will get some sense of relief from these donations.

Random pictures from the day:

What a gorgeous day! It was warm(ish) and sunny with blue sky and lovely clouds.

My boys.

Our wonderful Principal, Mr. Harklerode.

Lots of kiddos!

My Choochie Bear!

This poster was so great!

Alice is always there to help out!

Cute family!

My Payton.

Sisters.

Cutie!

Awwww

Run, Forrest, run! There were quite a few kids who chose to run. So proud of them!

Brothers.

This doesn't do justice to the shear volume of people that showed up!

These girls were inseparable!

The 3 sisters...love it!!

My little dude.

*An account has been set up in the name of Don Luizzi at Oregon First Community Credit Union in Florence. You can donate at any time - all through his treatment.

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Please help Donnie Luizzi - Spread the WORD!

2012-01-12T22:28:00.000-08:00

1988 was a memorable year for me. I was 9 years old (for most of it) and a lot happened that year - a lot that I thought was a big deal.

Our family and extended family gathered at my grandma's house as my grandpa took his last breaths. He had been sick for quite some time, so we had the gift of time - to prepare. I remember sitting up on the bar stool in the kitchen facing my grandparents' room. I sat and watched as the covers rose and fell, ever-so-slightly, until they didn't. I told the closest relative - my Aunt Linda, and she went into the living room to get grandma.

We cried, we mourned, we planned for the next steps and eventually, slowly, painfully, it got better. I'm still grateful for that gift of time. And the gift of time to heal the pain.

Later that same year, my family made the decision to pack up and leave Southern California for the beautiful Oregon Coast. It took 2 weeks for our house to sell. We packed up the big, yellow Ryder truck and the Pinto. We drove around the corner to grandma's house to say goodbye. As we pulled away from her quaint yellow house, with the perfectly manicured yard and beautiful purple plum tree, I thought my heart would break in two. I felt like we were abandoning her. I wanted the adventure that we were about to have, but I wanted to stay where everything was comfortable...where I had lived my whole 9 years of life.

My first day of school at Rhododendron Elementary was a good one. As I was introduced to my new 4th grade class by my new teacher, Mrs. Helphinstine, a girl in the middle of the room exclaimed, "Yes! A girl!" She and I went on to become the best of friends throughout our school years in Florence. A few days later, I earned the nickname that would follow me throughout my elementary and middle school years: Shamu. Kids are cruel. But again, time heals all wounds, right?

Nine was a memorable age for me. My Christopher was 9 years old less than two years ago and my Laethym will be 9 in a few months. And right now, in those very same walls which house so many memories of my growing up years, a little 9 year-old boy is fighting for his life. Our children came home distraught (particularly Christopher) a few days ago. Each of them clutching a large, white envelope with a news article pasted to the back. Christopher, Laethym and Avonleigh frantically explained that their friend, Donnie had a "really bad" cancer on his brain and that he needed their help! Christopher played Wall Ball with Donnie at every recess and spoke of him often. They were becoming great friends! After listening to the kids pour their hearts (and their piggy banks) out, I sat down to read the article.

SIDENOTE: I would love to put a link to the full article on this blog, but unfortunately, our small town paper doesn't allow public access online without an annual subscription (or e-edition)...lame if you ask me. So here's a similar one that Coast Radio put out.

I read in horror the account of 9 year-old Donnie Luizzi who, after complaining of headaches and dizziness, wound up at Doernbecher Children's Hospital with the diagnosis of: Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (brain stem tumor). And that fast, his life has changed. The rare and inoperable tumor has a 90% mortality rate within 18 months, 97% within 3 years. Absolutely heartbreaking. Donnie will be undergoing intense radiation at Doernbecher for the next 6 weeks in the hopes of shrinking the tumor. In the mean time, he and his dad will be staying up in Portland, in a hotel and commuting home to Florence on the weekends. You can image the costs this family will incur.

The elementary school is having a fundraiser for Donnie and his dad. There will be a Walk-a-Thon tomorrow (Friday, Jan 13th) from 1:30-2:30pm at Hans Peterson Field. If you can come and pledge, please do! If you can't come, but want to donate, PLEASE do!

*An account has been set up in the name of Don Luizzi at Oregon First Community Credit Union in Florence. You can donate at any time - all through his treatment.

Nine was a tough age for me, but nothing like what Donnie is facing. I was never fighting for my life. I always had time on my side (even if I didn't know it). Nine-year-olds have other things they should be worrying about; like who's going to win at Wall Ball or what Angry Birds t-shirt they'll wear next. Not cancer. Not brain cancer. NOT 97% fatal brain cancer! I hope to raise my five little ones to the age of 9 and FAR beyond. They will have their pivotal ages and their trials. I just hope cancer (or kidney replacement) isn't one of them. Our heartfelt prayers are going up for brave little Donnie and for his family.

*PLEASE repost and share (share buttons are below)! This family really needs our help!

**I will be taking lots of pictures at the Walk-a-Thon, so look for Part 2 tomorrow! Luvs!

Some pictures from our efforts to gather donations:

It's hard to tell, but there is ice all around the perimeter of this puddle! Brrrr!

We met some wonderful people...salt of the earth, really.

And we were silly.

And we had a really good time. Together.

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Lean and Green Meal Idea: Veggie Omelets

2012-01-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

We love breakfast for dinner! I'm a huge fan of eggs and veggies and pico...and, and, and!

So I think you're going to love this simple, yet flavorful recipe and soon, YOU will be having [healthy] breakfast for dinner!

This was for 2 omelets:

2 Whole, Organic Eggs

2 cups Egg Beaters

2 Green Onions

1/2 Green Bell Pepper, sliced

2 Colored Baby Bell Peppers, sliced

1 Zucchini, sliced

1/4 White Onion, sliced

1 cup Fresh Spinach

1/2 Avocado, diced (optional)

2 Tbls Salsa Verde or Pico de Gallo (optional)

Chopped and ready to go! Extra points if you make your zucchini look like poker chips...that Mr. Charming...he's so talented!

Spray a heavy cast iron pan (my preference) with PAM and saute the bell peppers and onions until slightly translucent, over med-high(ish) heat.

Then add your zucchini and continuing cooking. *See Part 2 below

As the zucchini begins to soften, throw in your spinach and green onions. I cut my green onions over my pan with scissors - it's just easier.

*Part 2: The Omelet

I'm actually going to write a whole blog post on making the prefect omelet...because I'm the WORST at it! I write, Mr. Charming cooks. We like it that way.

Whisk together 1 cup Egg Beaters with 1 whole egg (season as needed - we use pepper) and cook slowly in a well-PAMmed pan (I prefer stainless steel). Flip once and viola - this sounds easy, but I seriously suck at it. So, you will only see pics of Mr. Charming's perfect omelets...stay tuned for the tutorial!

Stuff each omelet with 1/2 of the veggies and fold over.

I added 1/4 of an avocado for a little extra flavor & healthy fat.

I also topped mine with some fabulous Salsa Verde!

Then we sat down with an ice cold Diet Rite Pure Zero. I'm not a soda fan, but every once in a while, these just hit the spot!

What veggie combinations (or other things) do you like on your omelet?

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My Favorite Things From 2011

2012-01-10T13:22:00.000-08:00

We said goodbye to 2011 just over a week ago, but I'm still thinking about all of the wonderful things that happened last year and everything we were able to enjoy. I could wrap 2011 up in a big RED bow and give it a kiss! We were so blessed and had so many good people come into our lives. Some of my favorite things of 2011, in no particular order:

1) My iPhone 4S (and the "4" before it!):

I got my first iPhone in March of 2011. It was an instant love/love relationship (Mr. Charming didn't think so)! Then I was super-spoiled in November when my awesome family threw me a surprise birthday party (after a shopping spree) and got me the new #apple iPhone 4S in WHITE! This thing is amazing!! I can't imagine productivity without it!

Sidenote: My fav app is #instagram - you can follow me here.

2) MAC Ruby Woo lipstick and Half Red lipliner:

I have been looking for the "perfect" red lipstick for many years. I searched in college and finally settled on a mix of 3 different colors - still not quite what I wanted. Then I saw a picture of the adorable Natalie Holbrook (known as #natthefatrat) on her blog and had to know what color it was! She was kind enough to share and a love affair was born (with the lipstick, not with Nat, ya know, we don't do that polygamy thing anymore).

3) Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara

I love a good mascara. I have used Lancome since the age of 12, so I'm partial to it. But I have tried a lot of different mascaras throughout the years and *so far this is my fav! It is a deep black (don't you hate that whimpy blackish/brownish/dullish/boringish mascara?!!), with great coverage and fabulous lengthening! I highly recommend!

4) OS Trim Meat Sticks

If you're looking for a great protein source, look no further (gimmicky?...I think so)! I love these meat sticks! They are flavorful and filling without being fatty, greasy or grainy! We get them locally at Fred Meyer, but you can order them right from the website listed above. They are the perfect snack to keep in your purse/backpack or in your car. Our kids love them and I feel good giving them a nutritious snack. Fav beef jerky ever!

5) Adele ('nough said)

If you haven't been introduced to the vocals of Adele, then let me tell you that you are seriously missing out! Over this last year, she has become one of our most favorite voices. The kids love her and sing all of her songs. I love her powerful and gritty-yet-dreamy voice. Once you start listening, you'll know her every time she comes on the radio - she's very distinctive! If you've heard her, I'm sure you love her too. If you haven't, you're welcome.

You can find her youtube channel here.

6) My Target Gray Sweater

I love this all-purpose, throw-over-anything sweater! It goes with *almost everything and is just a cute accessory. It's also a really cozy sweater even for wearing around the house...like with pjs. But I never wear pjs around all day...right? (insert Mr. Charming snickering)

7) My Memory Foam Pillow

These have been the best pillows ever! If we go anywhere overnight, we always bring our own pillows! They are firm, yet soft, conforming to your head and so cozy! I love how durable they are (kids jumping on pillows) and they're easy to clean. I've slept better these last several months than I have in a long time. Of course, I know that has more to do with losing 100+lbs than with my pillow, but I do love this pillow!

8) Eucerin Original Moisturizing Creme

I love Eucerin and have used it for years. We used Aquaphor for our baby's bums and this moisturizing creme on their bodies (and ours)! But I have struggled with really dry, cracked lips for years. It was really frustrating because I was buying expensive lip balms, healing lotions, etc. and nothing was working. It was so bad, that I didn't wear any lip color for several years - I thought I was allergic to them all! I do have sensitive skin, but I'm definitely NOT allergic! So one day Mr. Charming says, "My Aunt Patty used to rub that stuff on her lips, you should try it." And suddenly the heavens opened up and soft, supple, beautiful lips were born! Ok, they may not be THAT great, but Mr. Charming likes them. And I'm back to wearing my lipsticks (see #2 above).

9) Sock Buns (google it)

My cute sisters-in-law introduced me to sock buns before I saw them explode onto Pinterest. It was a little while before I actually tried it out and now I mourn for the time that was lost! These things are so easy, so cute and can be done in several different looks - very versatile! I love it! Plus, when you sleep in them, you end up with beautiful curls - like these:

I promise to do a whole blog post about this fun little hair style - for adults and for kids! Stay tuned!

10) My Favorite Blogs

I have so many blogs that I have followed throughout the years - all for different purposes. I have lists of my favorite blogs organized into sections...ya know, things like: photography, healthy lifestyle, fashion, children, family, LDS (Mormon), etc. I was looking over those lists at the end of last year (which is only the end of last month) and reminiscing over each of those beloved authors and why I had chosen to follow their blogs. Several of them I no longer read...no time...not as much interest, etc., etc. But some of them, some of them are the cream of the crop, the ones that I will be a fan/follower of for as long as they keep writing them. Those are the ones I want to share with you today. My list may be short, because not many blogs have stood the test of time (it's me, not you), but I hope you will look into these (if you don't already) and find some enjoyment as well! I'd love to hear what blogs YOU follow!

Stephanie Nielson of The NieNie Dialogues

Courtney Kendrick of CJane Enjoy It

Natalie Holbrook of Natthefatrat (see #2)

Wendy & Tyler Whitacre of BlueLily Photography

Ree Drummond of The Pioneer Woman

April Meeker of Suaviloquy

Kelly McCaleb of My Happy Little Life

Shawni Eyre Pothier of 71 Toes

Smitten Kitchen

The Sisters Cafe

Our Best Bites

Wow, I just noticed that I listed 11 blogs...that was totally random.

11) The Beautiful Oregon Coast

For those who don't know, we moved to the lovely little town of Florence, Oregon recently. I grew up here, which is fun...like coming home...where things are comfortable...but kinda weird because people still think of you the way you left - know what I mean? I feel bad because I will see faces that I recognize, but can't, for-the-life-of-me remember their name (or sometimes how I knew them)! That's super-frustrating. And there are some people that I think, still think of me as a kid & have a hard time validating me as a parent...who wants what's best for her children. So yeah, overall, good, but still some small-town politics that are what makes a small town, a small town. Right?

Just know that we love it here; we are happy & the kids are having a fabulous school year (hallelujah)! And really, it has got to be one of the most beautiful places to live:

Can you believe this is January? Amazing!

So that's my 11 favorite things (mostly products) in 2011. Like I said before, it was a good year for our family. We are happy, we are healthy & we are so looking forward to all of the great things in store for us in 2012!

PS - Would you do me a favor in 2012? If you follow my blog and enjoy reading it, would you share it with your friends, family, checkout person at the grocery store, mailman, person at the bus stop, etc?
I will love you for like, ever!

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Lean and Green: Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Spinach

2012-01-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

Gotta love Pinterest, right? I also happen to love Thai food, so when I saw this recipe posted,

I knew I could make it into a Lean & Green meal with very few changes. SCORE!

The list of players (kinda):

Fresh Lime (I also have lime juice pictured, but 1 whole lime was plenty, so I didn't use it)

Lime Zest

Chili Garlic Paste

Truvia

Garlic

Soy Sauce (we keep refilling our original little bottle with a low sodium soy sauce)

Salt (totally optional - it was plenty salty, so I would omit this altogether)

Put 3 Tbls Soy Sauce in a bowl

Prepare your lime! You may already know this trick, but if you press firmly while rolling your citrus (lemon, lime, orange, etc), it is A LOT easier to juice. So roll it out - and only take pictures of it if your hands don't look nasty....and your nails are nicely manicured...and painted. the end.

Zesting time! If you don't have a zester, you can use the smallest holes on a cheese grater, or use a regular cheese grater and gently zest JUST the top layer (no white!). Then you can lay your zest on a cutting board and finely chop it with a sharp knife.

Pretty

Add your zest, garlic, Truvia, chili garlic paste to the soy sauce and whisk everything together until well-dissolved.

Next, it's time to cut the tofu. I always take mine out of the fridge, drain it and wrap it in paper towels or napkins. Then I place it on a place with a heavy cast iron pan on top (to squeeze out the liquid). So here is my dried brick. I sliced it 8 times, giving me 9 rectangles (short ways).

Then take each rectangle and cut it in half.

Now cut your halved rectangle on each diagonal giving you 4 triangles.

I chose to have spinach (raw), but the original recipe calls for wilted collard greens. I'm sure that would be yummy too!

I completely spaced taking a picture of the actual frying process...what a dork! I set my heat to medium, then sprayed a heavy cast iron pan (10") with PAM. I laid the triangles from the whole brick of tofu in the pan (if you have a smaller pan, you'll want to fry in batches). Take the back of your spatula and press firmly on your tofu to help squeeze the water out of it - this is a method known as "dry frying". It works like a charm! Like I said above, I always dry my brick ahead of time, so the dry frying doesn't take very long - maybe 5-8 minutes (depending on how brown you like them). Keep turning them until you reach the desired brownness on each side.

Once your tofu is done, add the sauce to the frying pan and coat well. Stir fry it together for a couple of minutes (until you see a nice glaze on your tofu).

This was SOOOOO good! The perfect amount of sweet & sour, spicy & bitter! I would highly recommend you try this dish!

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu

1 Block Tofu, extra firm (14 oz)
3 Tbl Truvia
3 Tbl Reduced Sodium Tamari (or soy sauce)
1 3/4 Tbls Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 Zest of the Lime
1/2 tsp Chili Garlic Paste
1 Clove Garlic, pressed
1/4 tsp salt (I omitted this)

Whisk all ingredients in a bowls until well-dissolved. See above for "dry frying" and glazing instructions.

The original recipes can be found here. (I'll bet it is delish with the quinoa!)

Lean and Green Meal Idea

2012-01-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

This is what we had for dinner last night....it was YUMMMMMMY!

(iPhone pics)

We used some Chicken Apple Sausages (that we'd gotten on clearance at Fred Meyer and stuck in the freezer) and sauteed them with broccoli, cauliflower, colored bell peppers, red onion and spinach. We also threw in some Montreal Steak Seasoning and viola! SO good and filling and healthy - my favorite 3 things in a meal!

And this is how we changed it up for the kidlets:

Chicken Apple Sausage

Broccoli

Onion

Colored Bells

Cauliflower

Apples

Pineapple

Montreal Steak Seasoning

And to really kick it up a notch, we skewered those ingredients and roasted them!

The kids LOVED this meal (both sauteed and roasted)! It was easy and pretty fast, so I would definitely say, "Give it a try"!

Guest Blog: Favorite Things from 2011

2012-01-06T12:52:00.000-08:00

Today I am having a very special guest blogger on this lil 'ol blog of mine! He's smart, handsome, funny and let's not forget...charming! I love that he is so supportive of everything I do and that he was more-than-willing to contribute to the blog. Without further adieu, I give you one of my favorite human beings, Mr. Charming (but you can call him Chris)!

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As we recently said goodbye to 2011, I decided to take sometime to reflect on some of my favorite things from this past year.

I will call it my “Top 11 in 2011”.

11. Kicking it off at number 11 is TRANSFORMERS. With the recentresurgence of this popular kid’s toy, I feel like I am back in the 80’s. Thistime around they made it big on the big screen. The Transformers movie The Darkof the Moon was one of my favorites of 2011. I am just hoping that we see a4^th movie, soon!

Movie trivia: In, The Dark of the Moon, who said, “Did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?”

10. Next rolling in at number 10 is ANGRY BIRDS. This littlegame won my heart when Steph got her first IPhone. I think I played it for 3days straight. I love the little green pigs, you blacken their eye and theylaugh in your face. How rude! Take that! The best thing about this game besidesplaying, is that it’s the best babysitting tool on the market. If you ever needto get something done, shove an iphone, ipod, or ipad with angry birds on it infront of the kids and you’re golden, for about 20 minutes that is. Be quick!Angry Birds was definitely my favorite game of 2011.

9. Making a splash at number 9 are my favorite TV shows. Theyall happen to be on the USA network. Besides football, these are the only“can’t miss” shows on my list - thank goodness for Tivo. No NOT Tebo, TIVO. Myfavorite of the three has to be Burn Notice about ousted spies-turned-knights-in-shining-armorhelping all the whack jobs in Miami.

Next would have to be Suits followed by Psych.

From Psych:

Carlton Lassiter: Hey, we found prints.

Shawn Spencer: Was he in a little red corvette?

Burton 'Gus' Guster: Under the cherry moon?

Carlton Lassiter: FINGER prints!

Shawn Spencer: I'm Shawn Spenstar and this is my partner,Gus "TT" Showbiz.

Burton 'Gus' Guster: The extra T is for extra talent.

8. Well……… I have finally seen the light or APPLE youmight say, so at number 8 on my fav 11 in 2011 is i-Anything or just aboutanything made by Apple. This innovative company makes some of the mostintuitive products on the market. How do I know this? There are 90 year oldgrandmas playing Angry Birds, while asking Siri where the closest early birdspecial is, and tweeting about Frances cheating at bingo. I think I end updriving behind most of them. I love my iPad, my iCloud, my iTunes, my iHome,and my iPod so much I decided to get an iPhone. It’s about time….. right? Checkout http://www.apple.com/ to learnabout all the cool stuff from apple. Here are a couple funny conversations withSiri:

Me: Open thepod bay doors

Siri: Oh, not again

Me: Open the pod bay doors

Siri: sigh…
Me: Open the pod bay doors
Siri: That’s it… I’m reportingyou to the intelligent Agents’ Union for harassment.

----

Me: Beam me up Scotty!

Siri: Energizing

Siri: By 3G or Wi-Fi?

7. I am proud to say that number 7 on my list are my SanFrancisco 49ers. Could this be the year they make it back to the Super Bowl?Not really sure if that’s going to happen, but stranger things have. If theyare to make it all the way, they would have to plow through either the GreenBay Packers or the New Orleans Saints, probably the 2 best offenses in theleague. Make no mistake, I’m rooting for them just the same and I like theirchances. If the 2000 Ravens can do it, so can these Niners! Here’s a blast fromthe past, check out Chrisser and me at the Niners game in Seattle, we got fieldpasses. GO NINERS! http://stephaniezahlmann.blogspot.com/2007/11/nfl-boys-weekend.html

6. Coming in at number 6 in my fav 11 in 2011 is my GerberMulti Tool. For years I was a Swiss army guy, but after I got this as apresent, I haven’t looked back. I have used this tool in just about everyhousehold repair project, even electrocuting myself (not intentional of course).I have also used it in various other capacities like removing slivers, warts,and hang nails! I think every Dr.’s office should be equipped with one ofthese. If you know someone who is handy, this would be the ideal gift! Here’s alink where you can get one http://www.gerber-tools.com/ Hurry! There’s only 353 more days until Christmas!

5. On to number 5, not golden rings, I wish! My number 5 fav isour family food storage. I remember as a kid having to move our family foodstorage every time we moved. I began to resent that food storage and in my mindthe only thing it was good for was sneaking wheat to see how long we had tochew it before it turned into gum, really works, by the way. This year has beena little different though, and my attitude about our food storage hasdrastically changed. Because of economic times and money being VERY tight, wehave had to dip into our food storage for many meals. We have used our oats,rice, potato pearls, green beans, applesauce and stewed tomatoes, and all ofour meals have been great! The kids never knew the difference and that’s how itshould be! Here are a couple of sites to help you get your food storage ontrack. http://www.simplylivingsmart.com/& http://www.foodstoragemadeeasy.net/

4. Rolling in at number 4 of my fav’s in 2011 is Better Health.Not just for me but for my entire family. As you may know, Steph has been on anamazing health trip, losing over 115 lbs last year, and at the end of 2011 Idecided to get on board. From September to the end of the year, I lost 63 lbsand I have some good news and bad news about that. The good news is that I lost63 lbs, amazing right? The bad news….. I still have 80 lbs to go. That justgoes to show HOW unhealthy I really was. More good news…… I feel great, I havemore energy, my outlook on life is better, I am more focused and determined,and I don’t ache! For more info, here’s a link to her health coaching site www.fitandfabforlifecoach.comShe is helping lots of people get healthy, like me, and she can help you too!

3. My number 3 is our US troops. These brave men and womenserve, fight, and die to protect the freedoms that our founders made sure wehad! I have always had great respect for our military, but the point was hithome even more this year when Steph’s cousin Julian (who serves in Afghanistan)came for a short visit here in town. He showed us videos of the areas that hehas served in. The conditions were terrible. It looked like a desolatewasteland, nothing but dirt, sand, and weeds. He talked about how there weretimes when the re-supply trucks would be late for a delivery and they wouldhave to go days with very little food or water. It truly is a sacrifice thatthese people make, and it’s not just them, their families are sacrificing rightalong with them. I don’t want to get too political here, but no matter yourviews, we should all show the utmost love, appreciation, and respect for ourservice men and women! Their life is on the line! Here’s a great charity if youfeel like helping a little http://www.pattillmanfoundation.org/

2. Number 2 for my 11 favs in 2011 is my family. I know, Iknow, kinda anticlimactic, but we have had some awesome times this year. Mostof them have been in the candid moments of our everyday meandering that we calllife. Check this one out from my daughter Payton, http://stephaniezahlmann.blogspot.com/2011/12/enjoy-cuteness.htmlreally….singing a Justin Beiber song into a shower head? Where’d she get that?What was really cute was that her little brother had to do it too. All of ourkids have had moments like this throughout the year, some of them we caught onvideo or camera and the others we burned forever in the space between our ears.The best times for me have to be the simple little encounters that I have witheach of my children on a daily basis, the “daddy I luuuub you”… “give me aknock man”… “daddy, want to wrestle”… “when I grow up, I am going to marrydaddy”… “can you tickle my back”… “dad the 49ers made the playoffs”… “daddy howdo I look?” It’s great to be a dad in my house. As for my partner in crime, Ilove her for eternity! She makes me want to be a better husband and father, nonot because of her foot in my rear, although that helps…. that’s just how shemakes me feel. She truly is my best friend, my fairest critic, my motivation,and I couldn’t do it without her. She is the most beautiful women in the world!The most important thing is that we are on the same page and heading in thesame direction. She may get there before me, but I’m not far behind!

1. Finally number 1…..drum roll please……………………………………….. myfaith. I know again, anticlimactic…. But it’s true. My faith is what gets methrough every day. It’s the premise that all of my decisions are based on. Ithink that’s the same for most people whether they realize it or not. Here’s alittle quote about faith:

"Faith is putting all your eggs in God's basket, then counting your blessings before they hatch."

~Ramona C. Carrol

Steph and I have taken a real leap of faith this last year. Wemoved from Corvallis to Florence, so that she could become a full time healthcoach and we could work her new business together. We have passed on other jobsand business opportunities, so that we could make this happen. It’s truly beena test of our faith and determination, but it’s working out. We feel verystrongly that this is where we are supposed to be and what we are supposed to bedoing. Every night we pray like it all depends on the Lord and every day wework like it all depends on us.

Wellthere you have it, My mostest favorite things from 2011. Did I just say“mostest”? Kids got me again!

May your 2012 be filled with all of your favoritethings!

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#photoaday Challenge, Day 4: Letterbox

2012-01-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

This is the letterbox I use most:

Yes, 67 messages...I'm a little behind in the email department! If you've emailed me, I will get to them shortly!

Are you behind on your email? How do you keep up with messages? Do share your organizational tips!

Have a great day!

Milestones

2012-01-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

Monday is my weigh-in day and I look forward to it. I have been eking my way down to the low 200's and I was DYING to see the 100's!! When I weighed on Monday I was 200.2lbs. Sooooo close!!

So this week I decided to eat more frequently and really stay on top of my water (as well as cut out peanut butter). I'm thrilled to say that I stepped on the scale this morning (I couldn't wait - I'm so bad!) and weighed in at: 197lbs! Seriously, I still have 5 days left in the week, but I can not tell you how excited I was to finally break into the 100's!! I can't remember seeing a number below 200 since I was about 12 years old.

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All through middle school my least favorite class was PE (gym class). Shortly after the school year started in 8th grade, we had to have a physical...at school...during PE...by the school nurse, Mrs. Clark. I don't think they do them like they used to, but it was an eye exam, dental exam, lice check, scoliosis check and weight/height check. Basically, at the super-UN-awkward age of 13, it was nothing short of torture. I nervously went through all of the other stations, eyeing that cold, steel scale in the center of the room. I thought, if I just walked around like I was busy until the bell rings, then I wouldn't have to weigh-in in front of everyone. I thought of excuses that I would use to not have to do the weigh-in...

Alas, the bell rang and I sprinted down the stairs and into the musty locker room. I took my time getting ready and figured I would slip out the door through the gym, so the nurse wouldn't see me if I went back upstairs. The locker room got quiet as the students took off to their next classes. Just as I grabbed my bag to head out the door, smug look and all, I came face-to-face with the nurse. She kindly assured me that no one would be seeing my chart except for her and that she needed to have my weight recorded. I refused to go up and use the scale, but instead quietly whispered my 13-year-old weight, "Two-hundred" I murmured and ran out the door.

8th Grade school picture

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I was so thrilled with today's weigh-in that I decided it called for a little impromptu photoshoot with Mr. Charming. He's a fantastic photographer - and one heck of a funny guy! You can check him out on twitter here.

I'm really happy with the changes that have taken place with my body and mind. I'm learning to love my curves and I feel absolutely amazing! I still have about 50 lbs I want to lose, but that will happen in no time, but more importantly, I'm loving the journey I'm on!

#photoaday Challenge, Day 3: Something I Adore

2012-01-04T07:26:00.001-08:00

This boy:

He has been fixated on the gingerbread house all season long. Last night, he couldn't handle the pressure any longer. He stood up on his chair and leaned forward and started licking that thing all over! He was particularly focused on the gumdrop at the tip of the roof (as you can see). I was dying laughing and grabbed my phone to capture the moment!

When yesterday's theme was "Something I Adore", I had intentions of doing a family portrait, but this was so spontaneous and funny, that it became my challenge photo submission.

New Year Giveaway WINNER!!

2012-01-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for entering the New Year Giveaway! I will definitely be doing another book giveaway in the near future!

I hope that as some point, you will all have the opportunity to read these books.

May you have a blessed new year!

And the winner is (by random draw)...

BlueAmy623, who said...

Ever since we moved to Oregon three years ago I have let myself go. I have gained 75 pounds and numerous health issues because of it.

I have not taken an active roll in my life or the lives of my children, but instead I have sat on a chair and watched life happen to me. My
seven-year old daughter and I watched a movie where the mother and daughter played jump rope, hide and seek, hoola hoop, and danced. At the end my daughter wished she had a mother like that. I felt like some punched me in my flabby stomach. How could I have done this to myself?

Since that time I have tried to take a more active roll in my life. I have applied for membership at the YMCA, I volunteer more, and I am more active at church. I go visit my church sisters instead of just writing letters, and I accept more invitations.

Stephanie I promise should you select me I too will give back. For as it is done for you, so you should do for another. Thank you fir this opportunity for one of us for I am sure each one if is us deserving.

You, Stephanie, are an inspiration! Your story as well as you are beautiful! ! Congratulations for all your successes. May your life and the life if tour family be filled with joy, happiness, HEALTH, and prosperity! !

Thank you for your heartfelt and kind words Amy! I hope you will love these books as much as I do!

Email me at: fitandfabforlife AT gmail DOT com and send me your address! ;o)

Happy, Healthy New Year Everyone!!

#photoaday Challenge, Day 2: Breakfast

2012-01-03T12:06:00.000-08:00

This was my photo submission for Day 2 of the #photoaday challenge. The recipe is below.

And this is what I had for breakfast - I adore my Dutch Chocolate shakes in the morning! So. Good!

Chili Browns

I love the bags of shredded, frozen potatoes - fast and easy! We spray ours with PAM and season with a little salt and pepper, then bake in the oven (450 degrees) until brown and crispy (about 20-30 minutes).

Place a small portion on your plate.

Then top with a fried egg (we use PAM to fry them).

Sprinkle a little cheese on (any kind is good - this is sharp cheddar).

Add some diced green chilies...

I love green chilies!!

And some salsa...pico de gallo if you have it!

Ready for the kicker (in the ticker)?

Top with a spoonful of country gravy (recipe below). You could use the prepackaged mix, but then we couldn't be friends. Friends don't let friends eat crappy gravy. The end.

Viola! That is a Chili Brown...they are so good and super filling!

Homemade Country Gravy

4 Tbl butter

4 Tbl flour

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a pot on medium heat, then add the flour. Incorporate them together and let them warm through, stirring constantly with a whisk - this just helps the flour breakdown and mix well with the butter. You don't have to brown it, but you can (just a little bit), for a deeper flavor.

Add:

1 can evaporated milk (NOT sweet and condensed milk - trust me, it will ruin your day)

1 cup (+/-) milk (or to consistency)

Whisk all ingredients together and continue stirring until it begins to thicken. You can thin it out with more milk if necessary. Take it off the heat when it's about where you want it. It will continue to thicken as it cools down.

New Year's Day 2012

2012-01-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

It's been a really relaxing New Year's Day for us!

We've had a great time hanging out with Scott, Jessica and their 3 boys!

Here's Mr. Charming with our kids and 2 of the cousins (Cooper & Corbin). We had the kids watch the ball drop on the iPad (at 9:30pm) because we missed the 9pm drop on tv (was it even on? did anyone watch on the west coast at 9pm? we seriously couldn't find it)! Oh well, the kids had a great time!

New Year's Day has always been about football (and food) in the Zahlmann household. This year, we added some new things to try and let the kids just snack all day (and night).

I'll let you know how that ended up...

These were from a pin that Jessica posted on Pinterest and can be found here. The original recipe came from tastykitchen.com and can be found here.

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Crescent Poppers

The players:

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (8 oz) We used 2 cans and doubled this recipe

Jalapenos, diced - 4 oz (we used pickled ones that Nana canned - so good)

Cream Cheese, at room temperature (8oz)

Sugar (or Truvia, etc) 1 Tbl

Please note: Cute girl not included.

Pretty simple!

Laethym was our little helper in the kitchen. Rolling out the dough into thin rectangles.

Mix the cream cheese, sugar and jalapenos in a bowl.

Spread 1/2 of the mixture (or 1/4 if you double it) onto one of the rectangles and spread it out evenly.

Then roll it into a log

We did the rolls up earlier in the day and refrigerated them until we were ready to bake them. When you're ready, cut each roll into bite-sized pieces (I think it's about 16 per log, 32 total). Place on baking sheet sprayed with PAM.

Set each little roll on its end so the cream cheese is up (and down).

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 13 minutes (each oven varies, so we had to cook them a little longer).

Viola! Fresh outta the oven!

I'm ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille!

These got good reviews from those who tried them (I'm not one of those)!

We also made our usual Li'l Smokies in Orange Sauce (recipe below)

And this little boy refused to pull his pants up, but I think he's so cute in his little skivvies, so I did what any good mother (with an camera phone) would do: took his picture.

We had such a fun, relaxing, yummy time with you guys - thanks for the invite! And the drive home was just gorgeous!

The fog was quite thick in places!

So overall, we had an awesome time, but the kids have definitely paid the price for all of the junk they ate! They've had sick tummies and some vomiting - boo for junk food! You can definitely tell that they aren't used to eating so much CRAP! We won't be doing that again!

Lil Smokies Orange

Put 1 pack of Lit'l Smokies in a crock pot and add 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4cup orange juice concentrate (do not mix with water), 1 T. flour, 1 T. mustard,1 T. vinegar. Heat on low for 2 hours and serve.

Variation:

When tripling the recipe (good for large amounts of smokies)I didn’t have oj concentrate, so I subbed 2.5 cups cranberry juice and 1heaping Tbl of dried orange peel

#photoaday Challenge, Day 1: Self Portrait

2012-01-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

This was my first submission to the #photoaday challenge.

Honestly, I snapped it very quickly and it's not a photo I love, but it's nothing if not authentic. ;o) Here's the letting go of perfectionism!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-30T16:01:00.000-08:00

The quickly-approaching new year symbolizes a fresh start for many of us. A time to reflect on the past year (or years) and to set new goals for ourselves. I hope your list doesn't look like this:

I think all of our resolutions kinda end up looking/feeling this way as reality sets in. So I wanted to write a post about some of the most common New Year's Resolutions and how we can achieve them.

Top 5 most common resolutions:

1) Lose Weight & Get into Better Shape

This has been my resolution for as long as I can remember making resolutions. I wrote a little about it here. This year I found an amazing program that has helped me shed 115 lbs since May. You are welcome to visit my website here for more information.

Regular healthy exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight.

It can also help:

*Prevent heart disease, strokes, diabetes and other chronic diseases

*Boost your overall mood

*Lower high blood pressure

*Reduce stress

*Strengthen muscles, bones and joints

*Improve metabolism and increase your energy level

*Strengthen your immune system while decreasing CRP levels and inflammation

*Help prevent depression

*Increase bone density and help prevent osteoporosis

You can learn more about diet and exercise in my favorite health book, here.

2) Stick to a Budget and Get Out of Debt

This is a hard one! Most people find it very difficult to stick to a budget. It does take hard work (and lots of self-discipline) in the beginning. The good news is, the longer you stick to it, the easier it becomes!

Some tips on budgeting:

*Create a budget that is realistic and based on your everyday needs

*Don't take drastic steps to cutting your budget - do it in baby steps

*Get serious about want vs need

*Be honest with yourself (and your spouse)

Here is an interactive budgeting worksheet to practice on. I'm sure there are others, just do a google search!

Now let's talk DEBT:

Ok peeps, Christmas is over, time to put away the credit cards! Make a resolution to stop charging everything - if you can't pay cash for it, you don't need it! Keep a diary of all money spent (cash, check, debit, etc). Once you know where your money is going, you can prepare a realistic budget (see above). Then you can allocate a percentage of your monthly monies to paying off debt. You'll be amazed at how quickly you can do it when you stick to it!

One of our favorite financial managers is Dave Ramsey. He will whip you into shape in no time! ;o)

3) More Quality Time with Family & Friends

Family...isn't it about...TIME? Love those commercials! It is so true - we are as busy as we let ourselves become and if your priorities are not in line with your values, then something(s) has to suffer. I think all-too-often it is our family. They are the ones we love and rely on, but also the ones we justify taking away from (spending less time with) in order to fulfill other obligations. Make a resolve to take action and do something EVERY DAY that will improve your relationship with your family. Making families stronger and healthier is an important part of building relationships and strengthening our communities and our world. And f'rills, it matters...for eternity.

My favorite website on families can be found here.

PS - Do you date your spouse? YOU SHOULD! Here is a fantastic article with some great ideas! Now go surprise your significant other...you're welcome!

4) Quit Smoking/Drinking

While neither of these vices are ones that I have dealt with personally, I have loved ones who do and I understand their struggle. Much the way an obese person deals with food, it is an addiction and it's very hard to control! Quitting smoking and/or drinking can be one of the hardest things you will ever do, but it will also be one of the most worth while.

Here is a list of websites that have some helpful tips on quitting smoking.

And here is a link to a great alcohol addiction treatment plan.

5) Get Organized

I have always struggled with this one! I want to be more organized and have good intentions to be so, but as time wears on, I get lazier and lazier about sticking to a routine. I'd like to think it's been a lot better in the last few months (you can verify with Mr. Charming...or not)! I do love to find things to help me get organized; from bins and baskets to electronic devices and calendars (and shiny new schedules)! Below are a few of my favorite organizational websites (there are way too many to choose from)! Enjoy!

Whatever your resolution(s), I hope you find 2012 to be a wonderfully successful and fulfilling year! I sure am looking forward to it!

Happy New Year!

A Christmas Morning Tradition

2011-12-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

Every year my Father-in-law makes this breakfast for the family on Christmas Morning. If we are ever not together, Mr. Charming assumes the chefly responsibilities and thus a tradition is carried on!

This year was so busy with trying to get to church on time, that we actually had our special breakfast the morning after Christmas...oh and Mr. Charming taught me how to make them.

These are not the healthy version, just a quick version. You could easily make these with whole wheat pancake batter.

All pics are from my iPhone:

Spray a pan (warmed on med/low heat) with PAM and crack an egg in the center of it. Dude, what's with my huge arm?

Don't break the yolk...or get shells in it...or...sorry, can't focus...elephant arm is distracting me...

The egg will spread, but I like to drag the spatula through the thicker white parts to help it cook more evenly.

As the edges get done, flip them in on the egg...just trust me...I've done this, like...once

Continuing folding inward to make your egg nice and small

Next, pour a little batter around the outside edge of the egg

It will spread, but it should look something like this

Wait for bubbles to form, so you know it's a beautiful golden color underneath, then flip that bad boy...or girl...I don't discriminate

Viola! Let it brown no the other side (it only takes a minute) and flip it out onto a plate!

I think we should call them Paneggs...Eggcakes...Ceggs...I may have gone too far - just call 'em good!

PS - the official Zahlmann name is: Pancakes-with-eggs-in-the-middle. We are an original people.

WARNING: Making these may spontaneously cause neighbors to coming knocking on your door looking for food...I'm just sayin'! And by all means, do no serve them with sausage...you've been warned!

PPS - My favorite whole wheat waffle/pancake recipe:

Whole Wheat Waffles

1 ¾ cup whole wheat

1-tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 large eggs

2 cups milk (I use soy milk and it works fine)

Mix together.