The Ex-Perfectionist

This is it: The Re-Launch

2010-05-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

This is the moment we've all... or at least I... have been waiting for. Today is the Re-Launch!!

My site has moved: http://experfectionist.com

The new blog is dedicated to health and wellness. At ExPerfectionist.com you'll see my meal plans (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks!) designed so you can follow along, meal planning tips and tricks, recipes, and tips on health and wellness. Please visit, follow and bookmark my new blog. I'm really really really excited to see you there!

P.S. If you haven't seen the Best Of: Shawnee's creations, check that out too! (See below)

Cheers!

Best of Shawnee's Creations

2010-05-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is it people. The last day before the Re-Launch of 2010! Tomorrow you're going to see a whole new format, new ideas, and a new URL. Check back tomorrow for details. I've been working on this all weekend and I am really excited.

Until then, here are my Best Of: Shawnee's Creations! These are recipes I created. I couldn't narrow it down to just 5.

8. Sweet Sundried Tomato Balsamic Dressing

Recipe Details

7. Fiesta Hummus

Recipe Details

6. Vegetarian Black Bean Pocket

Recipe Details

5. Pasta, Spinach and Walnut Salad

Recipe Details

4. Paper Plate Omelet (You gotta check this one out)

Recipe Details

3. Cheesy Mexican Pizza

Recipe Details

2. Easy Peasy Almost Carbonara

Recipe Details

1. Prosciutto Wrapped Turkey Patties

Recipe Details

The past year of blogging has been really fun. I've learned a lot about myself as a person, cook, health enthusiast and a blogger. I am ready to turn the page in this blogging adventure. Come back tomorrow.

Drum roll please....

Best of Breakfast

2010-05-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

What a day! An amazing yoga session in the a.m and then...hours spent working on the blog re-launch! Only one more day left of the Best of Series and then the new blog is on!

For now enjoy my favorite breakfasts of the past year.

5. Fruit, Yogurt and Granola

Recipe Details

4. Blue Berry and Walnut Oatmeal

Recipe Details

3. Peachy Pumpkin Pankakes

Recipe Details

2. Whole Wheat Oatmeal and Raisin Waffuls with Fruit

Recipe Details

1. Juevos Rancheros

Recipe Details

Tomorrow's best in review will be my favorite recipe creations.

--Blessings,

Best of Healthy Sides

2010-05-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Today my coworkers got to play guinea pigs for a recipe I created last night. Now I can say it's co-worker tested, husband approved. I'll be sharing that soon on my new blog. The blog re-launch is happening Monday people. Here's a hint of what's in store: Meal planning, videos, and a re-design! Woah! I know right?

For now, take a look at the top 5 sides I made this past year. Most of them are adapted from others' recipes. Enjoy.

5. Broccoli and Mushrooms

Recipe Details

4. California Carrots

Recipe Details

3. Summer Fruit Salad

Recipe Details

2. Kale Chips and Sweet Potato Fries

Recipe Details

1. Zucchini and Green Pepper Cakes

Recipe Details

Come back tomorrow for Best of Breakfasts!

Cheers!

Best of Healthy Desserts

2010-05-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

OMGoodness! Do you know how hard it is to blog and watch the season finale of Grey's Anatomy. Sheesh. My heart is racing. I am not sure how I am supposed to focus on these desserts.

Anyway...4 days until the blog re-launching party! Until then, here's some scrumptious and waistline friendly sweet treats.

5. Peanut Butter and Chocolate and Bananna Sundae

Recipe Details (Sorry 'bout the picture, it was from back when I first started.

4. Raw "Brownie

Recipe Details

3. Peaches and Cream

Recipe Details

2. Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe Details

1. Spinach Brownies

This recipe came from the "Deceptively Delicious Cookbook." They are wonderful! You can't even tell there is spinach in there. :) Recipe Details

What was the best dessert you've made so far this year?

Check back tomorrow for Best of Side Dishes.

Ciao,
--Shawnee

Best of Healthy Meals

2010-05-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

For about two hours last night Little A (aka Alli) and I worked on a project for our blog re-launching, which takes place on Monday, May 19. Clue: the project included crayons. Can you guess what it is? We're very excited.

For tonight's blog I've picked out the past years' top five healthy meals, all of which I created. Most of the meals I create are healthy, so I had a hard time narrowing it down to five. Enjoy!

5. Black Bean, Rice and Turkey Enchiladas

Click here for recipe details.

4. BBQ Chicken and Mushroom Tacos

Click here for recipe details.

3. Healthy Shrimp Fried Rice

Click here for recipe details.

2. Corn Tortilla Pizzas

Click here for recipe details.

1. Stuffed Romaine Leaves

This healthy meal made the #1 spot because it was one of the first meals I created and photographed for my blog. It was extra delicious. Even my husband liked the rice mixture. Click here for recipe details.

Tomorrow is Best of Desserts!

--Shawnee

Best Of: Sandwiches

2010-05-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

Just 6 more days until the Re-Launching, Re-Vamping and Re-Designing of the Ex-Perfectionist Blog. The launch is taking place with my fellow foodie-bloggin buddy, Little A. We have a suprise in store for this co-launching.

For now check out my top 5 "Best of Sandwiches." I love sandwiches. There are some weeks when the only thing I have for dinner are sandwiches. All of these sandwiches, wraps and burgers where created and enjoyed by me. So check them out. I've included the post link to each one too for recipes and meal ideas!

5. Hot Cream Cheese, Tomato and Basil Sandwich
Click here for details.

4. Spinach Salad Wrap
Click here for details.

3. Black Bean Tortilla Burger

Click here for details.

2. Grilled Cheese and Fiesta Hummus

Click Here for details.

1. Enchilada Burger.

Click here for details.

Did you see yesterday's post? I set some really good goals for myself! See you tomorrow for the Top 5 Best of Healthy Meals!

--Shawnee

Counting down to the Re-Launch!

2010-05-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

A little over a month ago my blog entered modus hiatus (aka I stopped blogging). Because I'm not perfect, I realized I needed a break -- a time of re-evaluation if you will. Also, in a moment of insanity, my fellow coworker, foodie and bloggin' buddy and I signed up to take an Abnormal Psychology class. We were out of our minds. Perhaps, our psyche was in a state of abnormality?

Anyway, for the last month I've been plotting the re-launch of my blog (this is not it). I've got ideas people. I've got direction. But until the monumental re-launch takes place, I'd like to revisit this past year. A year in review if you will. Today, I want to go over last years goal, and tomorrow I'll begin the "Best of" series. Are you totally psyched?

Goals for the 25th Year of My Life

On my 25th birthday last year (May 4, 2009), I set some goals for myself. Below are the goals I set and... what I really accomplished.

-Sing karaoke with my best friend, Michelle Check! Seattle girl's trip of 2009 (Note the date in that picture is wrong. Stupid timer).

-Re decorate my bathroom.

Not check. But I bought a new house and have so far put up a new ceiling, painted the living room and bedroom and now the exterior is being done. Does that count?

-Lose at least 10 pounds.

Not check. But I trained for and ran a 5k. Below is my first race SWAG.

-Smile more. Totally check. My new coworkers make me laugh on a daily basis.

-Publish a few more articles. Kind of check. I published my first full feature article in Just Between Us Magazine. Check out Is Chick Lit Hurting your Marriage? But I haven't really done anything since.

26th Birthday Goals

-Train for a 10k
-Study for and pass the test to be a Certified Group Exercise Teacher
-Increase my Yoga practice for entrance into Yoga Teacher training
-Plan my meals and my days
-Stay connected with friends and family
-Write and publish a couple more articles
-Come out of the blogging closet (yes, only a select few of my friends and family know I'm a blogger)

I feel like those are reasonable goals. That's it folks. This is me. Take me or leave me.

Tomorrow's blog: The Best of Sandwiches. I'll be revisiting the best sandwiches I made since this blog's conception.

See you tomorrow. Kiss Kiss!

-Shawnee

Reevaluating

2010-04-14T11:39:00.000-07:00

Here I am, on my lunch break, making a quick post. It seems like most of my posts take place during my lunch break these days.

I am going to take a break from blogging. I really need to reevaluate my priorities right now. Currently I am training for a 5k; working 40 hours a week; volunteering at my youth group; renovating my home; taking an Abnormal Psychology class; and scheming up ways to pay for yoga school. Yes, next year at this time I plan to be enrolled in a yoga teacher training program, to become a registered yoga teacher. Of course, those are my plans, not God's. So we"ll see. Oh and I've also started cooking from scratch again to save $$.

My hope is to start blogging again once my class is finished after the first week in May. I have a lot of big plans for my re-launching of my blog. Perhaps a giveaway...

See you all in about a month!

Fast Food

2010-04-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

I'm back from vacation and movin and groovin to the daily 9-5 gind. Life is busier than ever, what with me taking a college class for the next 6 weeks. Not sure what I was thinking when I signed up. I already have my B.S. in Journalism, but since I work at a university I get free classes.

Also, I'm still training for the 5k (coming up April 24). My training and studying will all be in the evenings after work, so I've been trying to come up with quick and nutritious meal ideas for dinner.

So far, I've come up with...Sandwiches. I love hot sandwiches and they are so fast. My first idea (sorry, no picture) is a grilled cheese and spinach sandwich. Prepare it like a regular grilled cheese, but throw on a hefty handful of spinach. It's perfecto! Especially dipped in some Red Roasted Pepper and Tomato Soup by Pacific Natural Foods. Yummm!

Are you looking for some quick meals? Check out this nifty tool from Real Simple: Dinner in 15 minutes flat. This tool will help you come up with some fast meals using some of the ingredients you already have at home!

I also want to point you in the direction of Sam Zien's Just Cook This on Discovery Health (also on Fit TV). He has some great meal ideas that are super fast. I am especially excited to try his Chimichito recipe.

What are some of your favorite fast meals?

Have a great Tuesday.
--Shawnee

Vacation... all I ever wanted

2010-03-31T21:02:00.000-07:00

My vacation started Friday.

Since then I've...

Cleaned the whole house
Shampooed the carpets
Painted my bedroom (I am in love with the colors!)
Ruined the carpets (too wet)
Ripped up the carpets
Bought very large room throws
Put the living room and bedroom back together
Decided with my husband that we're putting in new hardwood
Watched "Sherlock Holms" at the local theater and pub
Ran
Walked
Went grocery shopping
Packed for my trip
Drove to Ashland, OR (4 hours from Salem)
Arrived at The Pelton House B&B
Ate a fabulous dinner at Greensleaf
Took a hot bath (as it's raining, otherwise I would have sat in the hot tub)
Ate a homemade cookie as I took a bath (chocolate and a bath is there anything better?

And now I am lying on the most comfortable king size bed in my complimentary robe, getting ready to fall asleep. I am also thinking about eating another cookie. I love this B&B. I told my husband, "It's like a pimped up version of Grandma's house."

On the agenda tomorrow: Morning soak in the hot tub. Gourmet Breakfast (cooked by our wonderful host). A possible drive to Yreka, CA to eat at the Black Bear Diner (a tradition of ours). Finally, we'll end the night with a trip to the theater to watch, "Pride and Prejudice!" I love the book and the movie, the play should be fab!

Hope you're all having a Happy Hump Day!

--Shawnee

Is Jamie Oliver nuts?

2010-03-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

Did you watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution last night? What did you think? Were you appalled? Upset? Disgusted? Or just irritated that an Englishman would try to change America and how we eat?

I say, hat's off to you Mr. Oliver for attempting to do what many of us are too lazy or too self absorbed to do.

Can I tell you a secret? I actually have a pack of processed chicken patties in the freezer. The same kind he used as an experiment to show the kids how processed foods are made -- how they're yucky.

Even though the chicken patties are my husbands, I am ashamed to admit, I ate one of those processed patties like two days ago! This is what happens when I refuse to go grocery shopping. Anyway, after watching him show the kids the good cuts of chicken and how the processed foods are made from the rest...I felt so, so dirty.

My husband watched this scene too. The look on his face after seeing the ground-up fat and bones was priceless. He said, "Well I haven't eaten the chicken patties for a while, but I did have two corn dogs for lunch." Hmmm, I guess corn dogs are better...NOT!

What I couldn't believe is that even after Oliver showed the kids the nasty chicken patties and how they were made, they still wanted to eat them. The kids weren't stupid, they knew the processed patties were bad for them.

But like Oliver said, "We've brainwashed our kids so brilliantly...unless something genius happens, it's hopeless."

Even before this show aired, I've been focusing my efforts on nutrition. Not dieting, but food pyramid-like nutrition. My desire is to eat the foods my body needs to not only shed weight, but also to live a long and healthy life. I appreciated this show. It helped make me aware. It helped make my husband aware.

With all this talk of nutrition, I want to leave you with one healthy meal idea. This meal includes all the food groups, except sweets.

Meal includes:

Pacific Foods' Red Roasted Pepper and Tomato Soup (fruit and veggie)
1 slice of whole wheat bread (whole grain)
1/4 Haas avocado (good fat, protein)
less than an ounce of prosciutto (protein)
3 slices of tomatoes (fruit)
1 cup kale (veggie)

A healthy meal can be made in minutes, just like a processed chicken patty. I am not sure how to do it, but I want to get on board with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

Wishing you all a nutritious weekend,

--Shawnee

E-E-E-EGGS? shreaks

2010-03-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

Eggs.

What does that word bring to your mind?

Is it fear, anxiety, compulsive calorie counting?

Or do you feel a strong fondness for this incredible edible?

I happen to like the egg. No I love the egg! In my mind the health benefits far out weigh the health consequences. Please note: I did not say I only like the egg whites. I said I love the whole egg, the yellow part and all.

Why I'm so fond of the egg: The egg is cheap. And, they're rich in protein, monounsaturated fat (the good kind), and this little guy packs nutrients that promote eye health! Yeah, they do all of that.

The recipe possibilities for eggs are endless. Here is a heart-healthy spin on an old classic.

Juevos Rancheros con...Oatmeal ??

That's right. I made this after a run. The original recipe called for corn tortillas, which I used. However, for me, corn tortillas do not pack a satiating punch. So I though, "Hmmm egg, usually a breakfast food...I know oatmeal!"

Ingredients:

2 eggs (140 calories)
2 corn tortillas (100 cal.)
1/2 cup oats (140 cal)
1/4 cup salsa (25 cal)
Kale for Kale Chips

Directions (requires basic cooking skills). Preheat oven to 400. Place the corn tortillas on and rinsed and dried kale on a cooking sheet. Keep an eye on the kale, as it should cook quicker than the tortillas. You'll have to pull the kale out before the tortillas finish. I did not keep track of the time, but the tortillas will be nice and crispy when they are finished.

While the kale and tortillas are baking. Fry the eggs over easy and put 1/2 a cup (or less) in a bowl with water. Microwave oats for 3.5 minutes (or follow package directions). When oats are finished add a pinch of chili powder, and a little garlic powder and salt.

When the tortillas are nice and crispy, layer on the tortillas, oats, salsa and eggs. Top the kale and juevos with a little hot sauce for an added zing.

I enjoyed this meal. It was filling, low in calories and rich in nutrients!

CHANGES: Next time, I will go with less oat meal. Maybe like 1/4 cup. Also, when I make this again, I am going to try to not break one of the yokes. The runnier the yoke on this one, the better!

Check this out:

I want to point you all in the direction of a really great article on thatsfit.com. Check out, "The Poor Misunderstood Egg." I couldn't help but nod my head in agreement and think AMEN to myself every now and then. :)

Until next time my peeps.

--Shawnee

Seeds of Change

2010-03-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

The last time I fell off the face of the earth it was because I was hiding – ashamed of my non-exercise and terrible eating habits. But this time, this time my excuse is actually a healthy one. I think anyway.
I’ve become, in the past month or so, a healthy-eating, exercise- lovin’ fool! My hiatus from the blog-o-sphere has not changed that. I’ve had this massive revelation injected into my brain and now it’s trickling down to my stomach and my legs. It’s like I can’t get enough of exercising and healthy foods.

The time change is probably the biggest factor for my not blogging. I had been running in the morning, but due to the sun not getting out of bed until about 7 a.m., I am stuck running in the evening. Also, my yoga instructor was in a car accident, so there haven’t been any good classes in the morning. But on the plus side, my hubby is running with me more and I finally got to try Zumba. I heart Zumba!
I am just trying to figure out how to juggle this new schedule, which has included eating dinner as late as 8 p.m. on some nights. And somehow, I’m ok with a late dinner. My life used to be based on my food schedule. Now, if I’m hungry, I just wait to eat.

What has changed?

I am trying to figure out this new enthusiasm. I feel like if I don’t figure it out it’s going to slip away from my grasp.

Anyway, despite my lack of presence, I do intend to continue my blog. I have a couple ideas for blog updates that may make my life easier. We shall see.

What have you all been up to lately?

So far. So good!

2010-03-10T20:52:00.000-08:00

A quick post to say that so far I have kept up with my training, and I even talked my mom into running the 5k with me!

Training started out on Saturday with about 6 minutes of running and 14 minutes of walking. Sunday I did 12 minutes running and 28 minutes walking. Both of those days I just went out and ran to see what I could do. Monday I lifted weights for 40 minutes. Tuesday I ran for 10 and walked for 30. And finally today I lifted weights for 20 minutes and then rode the stationary bike for about 22 minutes.

My plan was to do yoga on my off days, but my yoga instructor got into a car accident so class has been canceled. :( I am really missing yoga.

I have been pretty tired this week and haven't felt much like getting on the computer to blog. I did a trial and error of a new recipe and I hope to share that in the next couple of days.

Question: Have you ever ran a 5k?

Blessings,

Shawnee

When all else fails, sign up for a 5k

2010-03-06T10:02:00.000-08:00

So after my last pathetic pity-party of a post, things are looking up in the health and wellness department. The change of heart went something like this:

My alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. on Friday morning. I didn't get out of bed and rush to yoga like in weeks past. Instead I lay there, and like a 7 year old who had been scolded for her wrong doing, I thought about what I had done.

I thought about my poor eating habits for the past week and my failure to comply to the exercise gods. I came up with two solutions...

1.) A mini-morning fast

2.) Sign up for a 5k

As I sipped on my detoxifying lemon juice that morning, I browsed the web for upcoming 5ks. I didn't want one too soon, or too far out. I discovered the Earth Day run on April 24th. After thinking about it for an hour or two, I pulled out the credit card, paid, and officially registered.

That's right, I'm running a 5k.

Either the 5 hour fast provided me with mental clarity or it completely clouded my brain with a nasty crust of craziness.

I have seven weeks to train. Today is day one. I am going to take up the Lord on his beautiful sunny day and punish myself and push myself and see how far I can run without stopping.

I'll be starting with week 3 of the Couch to 5k running plan, as I can already run for about 5 minutes at a time. My exercise schedule will look like this: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1 hour of yoga and strength training; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, run!

I'll keep you updated with times, distances, triumphs and failures. Wish me luck.

Have an awesome rest of the weekend!

Shawnee

P.S. The picture is from Courier-journal.com.

Talk about Irregularity

2010-03-04T22:07:00.000-08:00

This week. Oh this week has been irregular (no I haven’t been irregular, the week has). I had most the day off Monday for some flex time and then took the day off on Thursday to tend to family. I honestly felt like I had three Mondays.

I am tempted to blame the irregularity for my lack of exercise. I only went to the gym one day. That same old sorry-for-myself feeling is creeping back in. On top of that, my eating has been pretty poor. The perfectionist voice is back and my instinct is to pull the plug on the blog, exercise and my attempt at healthy living.

Sleep comes more abundantly when I feel like this. I don’t want to wake up and face my failures. Or get up and face myself.

I said two posts ago that I would write about portion sizes.

See, last week I bought a weeks worth of healthy pre-packaged meals, so I could condition my body to eat normal portion sizes. I don’t think it worked. I don’t know that I am ready to give up my poor eating habits. I’ve had a lot of stress this past week and food and salt and carbs and sugar are so stinking comforting.

I don’t know what this post is about, but I thought I should post. I thought I should get this all out and that maybe by acknowledging it magical fairies would make it all better.

Maybe.

I am going to scrub my face with sugar now and go to bed.

Good Night All

Shawnee

Paper Plate Omelets!

2010-03-02T20:48:00.000-08:00

No, not an omelet made out of a paper plate, an omelet made entirely on a paper plate! My coworkers looked at me like I was crazy when I told them this, but I am not.

Now I've never seen this before, so I am claiming it as my own. I hope this idea becomes just as big in the blogosphere as the peanut butter jar oatmeal. (Just a note, blogger is being weird, so I am just going to list all my pics at the bottom, sorry.)

First the paper plate: it should be one of those slick, dixi type plates with a good lip. Next, spray the plate really well with non stick spray. I like crisco.

Crack two eggs (I used Eggland's Best) right on to the plate. Lightly and carefully whisk eggs until blended. Microwave the egg mixture for about one minute, it probably won't be cooked all the way through. Add filling of choice. I did spinach and tomatoes. Cook the egg mixture for another 30 seconds to one minute. Using a spatula, fold over. Eat and enjoy.

I had mine this morning with some homemade Apple Pecan Bread, which is not perfected, so maybe I will share that later. See pictures below.

Blessings,

Shawnee

Ode to Exercise in the key of E minor

2010-02-26T12:17:00.001-08:00

Every time I start to write my “Ode to Exercise,” which I promised last week (or was it two weeks ago?), it starts out as a history of my exercising patterns. Blech. Who wants to read that?

Instead I decided to do a quick in-a-nutshell recap of exercising then, in between and now…

As a kid: Hated it.

As a teen: Obsessed about it.

As a college student: What is exercise again?

And now…

I don’t know what it is. Some way, some how, I’ve been exercising for nearly a month. I joined a fabulous gym that has group exercise classes, exercise equipment, programs for kids, a water slide, a lazy pool and a lap pool. The best part is membership is only $25 per month. I KNOW, RIGHT?

Miraculously, I’ve been working out 4-5 times a week. A month ago I only averaged 1-2 times per week, if that. Now, almost every morning, I roll myself out of bed, throw on some clothes and partake in the amazingness that is yoga and Pilates. And for variety and cardio I throw in a little walking with the hubby, elliptical and cycling machines.

Wow! I impress myself.

So I am trying to figure out what’s changed? I think my success in all of this is…

1.) Knowing I am paying for it.

2.) The fear of having my coworkers ask if I worked out this morning.

3.) Grace.

Grace should really be #1 on that list. Probably twice a week I wake up and just don’t go or I sleep in. Only once have I felt like a huge failure. Otherwise, I give myself a pep talk which goes something like, “Okay Shawnee, you’re doing awesome. So you’re tired. You’ve already worked out 2 times this week and there are still 4 days left after this. You are doing this for you and you alone.”

I know soon I will have to kick it up a notch, adding in more strength training and cardio, but for now...wow. Did I say that already?

Questions: How many times a week do you work out? How many times would you like to work out?

Tomorrow I hope to post my thoughts on portion sizes and nutrition.

Blessings,

Shawnee

P.S. The picture is from www.prevention.com.

P.P.S If you didn't see my new recipe from Wednesday, check it out.

P.P.P.S Check out Dancia Daily's amazing giveaway!

Prosciutto Wrapped Italian Turkey Patties: Because sometimes I do things

2010-02-24T19:02:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I do things. And sometimes I get ideas.

This idea came to me at work, because sometimes I think of things other than what I am doing (or supposed to be). I usually think about food. Of course it doesn't help that an avid foodie (hi Alli) sits in the cubicle across from me. This new recipe is a combination of stuff in my fridge and a "Big Bite" from Guy's Fieri's show on the Food Network.

Prosciutto Wrapped Italian Turkey Patties

(Please excuse the name...I got nothin.)

The ingredients:

1 pound of low fat ground turkey
1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup spinach
Prosciutto (enough to wrap each patty)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Eggland's Best Egg

I was originally going to use the above ingredients to make turkey burgers and stuff pitas with the burgers. But I went to World Market and found precooked polenta, and I thought that might be an interesting alternative.
I also purchased the prosciutto at World Market.

To make the patty mix the turkey burger, chopped spinach, chopped sun dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder together.

Oh and don't forget an egg! Smoosh it all together until well blended.

Form small patty's together in the palms of your hands (I used a clean coffee scoop to measure the patties). Then, slice your prosciutto lengthwise in half and wrap around each patty. I actually didn't make all the patties with prosciutto, as I wasn't sure how they would turn out. I recommend with the prosciutto.

I got the idea to wrap the turkey with the prosciutto from an episode of "Guy's Big Bite" where he ate dove wrapped in bacon. The bacon helps to prevent the bird from drying out. I figured, turkey is usually dry, maybe this will help...It did.

Fry the patties until cooked through. Cover the patties to keep warm, while you fry the polenta. I have never eaten polenta, nor cooked it. The package said that 2 1/2 slices of polenta was one serving and that you could basically heat it up however you wanted to.

For a sauce I just used some Hunts stewed tomatoes, garlic and basil. I honestly felt like the tomato chunks were too much. A pured sauce would have been better.

Serve with the polenta on the bottom, tomato sauce and the patty on top. Garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and some sliced spinach (basil would have been fabulous!).

There you have it folks, another new recipe...by me!

Oh and by the way, Maddie wanted to say hi, and she wanted me to tell you she loves her baby. :)
*Loves and Hugs*

--Shawnee

Easy-Peasy almost Carbonara

2010-02-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

I still can't find the cord for my cell phone to share my recipe with you. But, I enjoyed my recipe creation so much the first time, I figured, "What the heck? No husband to feed tonight, I'll make it again!"

I've only made carbonara once; about three years ago. When I named this recipe, "My take on Carbonara" that was because I vaguely remember there being egg, cheese, bacon and pasta. Mine doesn't have bacon, but adds avocado for added protein instead. So really, this isn't carbonara at all. It's "Easy-Peasy almost Carbonara."

The ingredients (This will feed one. Double for two, triple for three...you get the idea!):

1 ounce whole wheat rotini (1/2 cup cooked) <-- Did you know that 1/2 a cup of pasta is one serving? I always thought it was one cup?
1 Eggland's Best Egg
2 tbsp shredded Parmesan
1/4 Haas avocado
Splash of milk
Dash of salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

Directions: Cook pasta until al dente. Remove from heat. Toss pasta with milk, pepper, and garlic powder. Add Parmesan to pasta last to avoid the cheese melting and creating one big cheese blobby.

Simultaneously (while pasta is cooking) fry egg until the yolk is medium-soft. Serve egg, punctured, over pasta. Add sliced avocado and a dusting of paprika.

Serve meal with lightly sauteed spinach and garlic. To make this side heat up 1 tsp olive oil with one small clove of chopped garlic. Throw in spinach, add a pinch of salt and swoosh around a bit.

I don't like squishy spinach, thus "lightly sauteed."

That's it. The point of the dish is to basically mix the egg and avocado in with the pasta. But it wouldn't look nearly as good would it?

One thing I had a problem with was keeping the rest of the meal warm while I made the side. Do you ever have that problem? Do you have any tips for keeping everything warm?

Wishing you all the warmest blessings!

-Shawnee

P.S. I made this meal using Eggland's Best Eggs provided through FoodBuzz and Eggland's Best.

Cooking for an Enemy 101

2010-02-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

So I still can't find my camera cord to load the pictures for the recipe. However, I do have something fun to share with you.

The other day I decided to do a creative writing prompt. I haven't done one for a really long time. The prompt I randomly chose was "Write about what you'd cook for an enemy." I took the prompt one step further and decided to make a cooking for an enemy tutorial.

I present to you...

Cooking for an Enemy 101 (Muahahaha)

Preparing a meal for an enemy is no simple task. It’s an enchantingly elusive endeavor, which requires much planning and patience in order to secure proper execution. As the host devises a plan to relinquish Karma onto their opposition, he or she must take two important steps in order to deliver a deceptively vindictive feast.

1. First the cook must define their foe. It is worthy to note that there are varying degrees of enemy. For example, if your adversary is a childhood bully who consistently trampled upon your dreams of one day marrying a Backstreet Boy, this would be a lesser degree of enemy than would someone who stole from you. Or perhaps your antagonist is a cheeky sort of fellow who annoys you to no distinguishable end. As you can see, one enemy is far worse than the other.

2. Next our protagonist must devise a scheme. The scheme is broken down into two parts: the meal and the atmosphere.

a. Meal: The point of the meal is not to kill off your enemy with a poisoned glass of wine. Nor is it to feed the man an utterly disgusting dish. These options are much too obvious, not to mention messy. Think of the meal as execution.

Consider a feast of barbeque ribs and corn on the cob. Imagine you’ve invited your childhood nemesis over for a lovely dinner. In front of her you place an appealing and irresistible plate of good ole home cookin’. Half way into her barbeque slathered ribs, she realizes she doesn’t have a napkin. She politely asks you for one. “Sorry,” you respond. She silently complies and dives in to her corn on the cob, which by the way doesn’t have the cute little corn holders. By the end of the dinner she’s covered in barbeque sauce and butter. There’s even a little on her forehead. Vindication never was so delicious!

b. Atmosphere: You may be mulling over what to prepare for your pest of an acquaintance who has too many annoyances to count on all your phalanges*put together. In this case your annoying foe is a vegetarian. The obvious choice is to feed him a meaty meal or a dish that hides the animal all together. In a case like this think in terms of your atmosphere.

Go ahead. Make him a baked Tofurky with vegan Turkey gravy, mashed potatoes and peas. He won’t even be able to swallow when the TV in the family room (only viewable from his seat) displays a wonderful nature show featuring wild felines preying on innocent gazelles. Sit back and revel in the glorious day that is. Vengeance belongs to you my friend.

*Phalanges: A bone of a finger or toe, not just a term Phoebe Buffet created.

The End

Wasn't that fun?

Now, question of the day: What would you cook for someone you just can't stand?

Have a fabulous weekend everyone?

P.S. Check out this Fiber One Giveaway from Simply Life!

Something Clever

2010-02-16T13:06:00.001-08:00

I have exactly 20 minutes to write something clever.

This Friday at approximately 11 a.m. our house became a shiny beacon of hope -- A door opening wide into an old world made new. It's a fast paced land where information is magically accessed using only my finger tips and the help of my trusty sidekick, Mouse. That's right! The world-wide-web.

Even with the Internet freshly installed at my home, I failed to make a post. :( I did have hopeful intentions, however. I created a new recipe, my take on Carbonara. I planned to share said recipe with you, but I fear my cord for my cell phone has made itself scarce, probably hiding in a box somewhere.

I also want to share with you all my new found passion for exercise. Yes that's right, I the Ex-Perfectionist, have committed to exercising regularly. And, I've kept it up for more than a couple days.

So in the next few days to come, be prepared for a Shawnee Creation (new recipe), an ode to exercise, and hopefully a review of a really great book.

Many Blessings all,

Shawnee

P.S. Did you have President's Day off and what did you do?

P.P.S Thank's Alli for the Starbursts.

I might actually post one of these days...

2010-02-09T18:32:00.001-08:00

*shurgs sholders*

I've been so long without

the world wide web

INTERNETLESS! I shout!

The time draws near

for high speed instalation

so bright and so clear

My web surfing shall be!

Anyway, I am getting internet on Friday! Hopefully I will be posting more regularly.

*Loves and Hugs*
-Shawnee

If Martha and Oprah can have favorite things...

2010-01-26T12:25:00.000-08:00

...so can I!

So still internet-less at my new home. Just a quick post during my lunch hour to share with you some of my excitement during the last couple of days.

My favorite things about my new home:

*My new glass-top stove is so purdy! I got some of the special cleaner to make it shine. It's like staring into a lava-lamp: mesmroizing!

*Doing dishes with an overhead light and water pressure makes all the difference! At my last house I had no pressure. It was seriously like a trickle. I had to fill up the sink just to rinse off my dishes to put them into the dishwasher. Not to mention my kitchen was d-a-r-k.

*Small is not necesarily a bad thing. So some people think they have to feel sorry for me or something due to our small home. Can I share a secret with you? Having a huge home was more of a burden than a blessing. I can seriously sweep my kitchen in about 30 seconds.

I am sure I will have many more favorite things to come. :)

What are your favorite things about your home? And remember your home is where your heart is! That's a cheesy-overly used saying, but true.

Blessings,

Shawnee

Moving, moving, moving

2010-01-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is D day. This is it folks; my last night in my old home. Tomorrow I turn a new key and cross over a different threshold into a land of the unknown.

Several things will change for me. Not only will it be a new house, in a new city, but it will be a small house in a big city. No more spending 15-25 minutes driving into town to go shopping or to dine out. Plus, I'll be literally 5 minutes away from the gym I plan on joining. My plan is for my first day at the gym to be Monday. Another new thing is my commute will be about 5 minutes longer, which means no more going home for lunch. You mean I actually have to prepare and plan a lunch and find something to do without wasting gas? hmmm

I'll also be internet-less for a while. I will have internet at work to check emails and such, but I'm not sure how convenient posting will be.

I'm excited and overwhelmed at the same time. There is so much left to do still. But, the good thing is, I can just worry about one house and stop focusing on two.

Peace out my peeps (LOL that is so 1990)

--Shawnee

P.S. I have to give a shout out to Andrea at Andrea's Wellness Notes. She is the only one that ever comments on my blog. So thanks Andrea! It is so encouraging. I know people are visiting my blog from my stats, leave a comment for me and let me know I am not writing only for me and Andrea. :) Answer this question: What is a big change or challenge you are facing right now? Are you scared, excited, nervous?

Two things

2010-01-18T19:47:00.000-08:00

Two things have been polluting my mind since last night. Both causing me sleep deprivation and ADD at work:

Drapes and the differentiating factors between now and then.

Let me explain...

The husband and I are getting ready for the big move this weekend. We still need curtains. I originally wanted some wooden roman shades, but seeing as my windows are not standard sizes, that won't be happening any time soon. Custom is just too pricey.

I have one large window behind my "bay window" and another that looks out to the front of the house. I also have a small window on my entry-way door and two small square windows that are located on either side of the fireplace.

So far I think I have narrowed it down to navy blue drapes on the two large windows and some sort of valance on the door and the small square windows. I want to do a different color on the small windows and I would like to incorporate red. I thought plaid, but I am not ready to commit to plaid.

Deciding on window treatments is almost as stressful as picking out wall colors.

On to differentiating factors...

I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what is different about the last times I lost weight and now trying to lose weight.

The first time I lost a substantial amount of weight was the summer between my junior and senior year of high school. I lost 35 pounds in a month and a half. Of course I began gaining weight my freshman year of college.

More recently, when I was up in pounds, I lost 10 pounds. Again, I lost the weight during the summer between my junior and senior year of college.

Now, I am back up. Way up. I can't figure out what is so different. I want to lose weight. I know what needs to be done to lose weight, but I just can't seem to muster up enough will power to do it.

Here are the Circumstances for high school:

Dating, for pretty much the first time
A little more popular (as I was dating a football player and quit band)
Guys began noticing me
Determined to look good for senior pictures
Rededicated my life to Christ
Excited to be graduating
Planned on a senior trip

My diet regimen for high school:

Ate only fruits and veggies for nearly 2 months
Walked every day for 40 minutes

Circumstances for college:

Excited to be graduating
Proud of myself for finishing
Really in to fashion and "What not to Wear"
Attending a Christian college
Took up leading worship at youth group
Was not working

Diet regimen for college:

Took up running (up to 3 miles a day)
Ate small controlled portions

I don't really remember much about that summer. College was so stressful and I have a really large mental block on most of the experience.

Circumstances now:

Working 40+ hours a week
Remodeling a home
Recovering emotionally from a stressful life events
Spiritually and (nearly) physically disconnected from church

Diet now:

Eat what I want and how much I want
Pretty much sedentary now

Yuck! I feel so disgusting. I think I see a small pattern. Both times I was able to lose weight, I had some sort of pride in myself and in my appearance. I had a goal that I was excited about and could almost feel the end results. I was also connected with God.

Writing this blog has actually been really eye opening. Wow, the pattern isn't small at all. It's huge! Now what the heck do I do with the info?

God Bless,

--Shawnee

Welcome to my American Dream

2010-01-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

First thing first.

And the winner of the hardcover copy of "The One Day Way" is...

LINDA!

Congratulations Linda. Please send your mailing address to wilson_power@hotmail.com.

The American Dream

One area of my life that I have (in the past) allowed perfectionist ideals into my life is a future home. I remember actually saying to my mother-in-law, "I'll never live in anything smaller than 1,500 square feet."

I idealized the American dream as 2,500 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a gourmet kitchen, three car garage and me vacuuming in high heels and pearls like June Cleaver.

Well, when Josh and I decided to purchase our first home, I had to come to peace with an older smaller home -- a much smaller one.

This 886 square foot home (1200 if you count the finished attic which will be Josh's den), was built in 1926.
It had some updates in the 70s. Please note the terrible drop down ceiling.

But it has some really great features, like the "bay window" with storage underneath, the crown molding on the door and window frames, and the built in hutch. The home also has a nice fenced backyard, a two car garage, and a full basement for storage.

It is definitely a work in progress. Since we closed on the home during the first week of December, we've been spending all of our spare time getting it move-in ready. Our first task was to tear down the drop down ceiling, mud the ceiling, add a faux beam, paint the living/dining room area and add updated lighting.

Ta-da! I am still working on painting the trim and edges. We just got a new water heater put in today and we'll get new appliances next Thursday. The we should be officially moving in.

The house still needs a ton of work. Mostly a bunch of little projects here and there. As well as some big projects like new flooring and an outside paint job.

Anyway, I still feel a little embarrassed about my first home. Some of my friends have big-brand new homes. And soon I plan on inviting those friends over to hang out in my little-tiny modest home. The thing is, I am not envious of their homes. I really love my little house, but my inner perfectionist feels like I need to play catch-up with the Jones'.

The good news is, happiness is not materialism. Nor is it status symbols like granite counter-tops or a master bath the size of my new master bedroom.

I am challenging myself to be content with what I have. To learn to be satisfied with the blessings that God has given me. We are so rich in America. We have clean running water for crying out loud. I am also challenging myself to stop comparing myself with your friends or coworkers. It is not easy, but I'm never going to be happy if I am focusing on other peoples' "happiness."

Have you been comparing something you have or don't have with something a friend or coworker has?

Many Blessings,
--Shawnee

Big Changes for the Ex-Perfectionist

2010-01-11T22:22:00.000-08:00

Perfectionist.

That is what I am. The whole point of creating this blog was to throw away the perfectionism trash that clutters my existence and learn to love myself as I am.

Disappointed.

That is how I feel about myself for not being able to maintain a daily blog. I am one perfect dust bunny away from kicking this blog to the curb. I don’t even care to recycle it.

Scared.

The thought of having to consistently photograph my food every single day FREAKS-ME-OUT! The mere inkling of waking up every morning and exercising, straitening my hair, cleaning my house, working for 8-9 hours, cooking dinner, and being a wife makes me want to run away to some deserted island with no television, radio, and internet. Essentially, I want to live in a world without any FOR-THE-REST-OF-MY-LIFE responsibilities.

Takes a deep breath in, holds for five seconds and slowly releases.

I took a look through all the pictures I've taken for my blog since it’s conception in May. Wow. The few recipes I’ve created. All the ones I’ve tested and tried. All the restaurants I’ve eaten at. In terms of food: I’ve done a lot in the past eight months. In terms of my other hobbies and goals: I’ve done squat.

2010 is going to look different for The Ex-Perfectionist. I still want to write about cooking, and about food. But I also want to write about all of the other 1001 hobbies and goals I have.

In 2010 The Ex-Perfectionist hopes to write about:

Food
Restaurants
Traveling
House Beautification Project
Crafts
Friends and Family
My relationship with Jesus
Health and Wellness
Fashion
Writing
and anything else that comes to my mind

This blog is and will forever be a health and wellness blog for body, mind and soul. Think of it as a general interest blog.

Cheers to a beautiful, peaceful and passionate 2010!

Book Giveaway: The One Day Way

2010-01-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

With the start of a new year most of us have our minds set on our waist lines and our treadmills. Even if, like me you refused not to make a resolution, you know you're thinking about it.

When WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group offered Chantel Hobbs' "The One Day Way" for review, I was skeptical. I've seen Hobbs' books on the shelves in Christian bookstores before. Something bothered me about a skiny-busty blond selling health and wellness books in a supposedly Christ-centered bookstore.

Perhaps, for some reason I've always disassociated my health goals and my spirituality. I am not saying that "The One Day Way" is boasting Christianity. It's not. But I have never quite been able to grasp the idea that it's okay to feel great about my body and still be a good Christian.

Anyway, when I opened up to the introduction, I nearly (nearly) cried a little. I needed to read this book. Hobbs is totally relate-able. And, my favorite part, is that she is all about putting our perfectionist demons to rest by taking one day at a time, one goal at a time. This isn't a diet book. This is a pep talk in a book -- a motivational coach.

I especially enjoy the personal weight loss stories, the exercise guide and the meal plan. All three are really great resources.

I really am not being paid to say this is a book I will read again!

From the back cover:

"Lose All the Weight You Want, One Meal, One Pound, One Day At a Time!

I've got great news for you: You are about to feel better and look better beginning today! Today is truly a new opportunity for you to reach your weight loss goals. No, you won't fit into your "skinny jeans" today, but I'm going to show you how each day will get you closer to that goal.

Yesterday's mistakes are gone so let them go. You can't control tomorrow, so stop worrying about it. Today is your opportunity to lose weight, get strong, and look great. It won't happen overnight, but you can build a new life by changing your actions immediately and I'm here to show you how to make the changes that will create the new lifestyle you dream of: body, mind, and spirit. Best of all, you will start celebrating right away!

Come on, my friend. Let's get started! By opening this book, I'll show you how to unlock every tool you need to lose weight and get fit —and stay that way for the rest of your life. Success can be yours, what are you waiting for?

-Chantel"

Win a free hardcover copy!

This is a $20 value! To be put into the random drawing, all you have to do is comment on this post with your name and answer this question, "What is one perfectionist ideal that you have about weight loss?" If you would like an extra entry, follow me on blogger. Make sure to post a second time to let me know you are following me. If you are already following me, go ahead and make a second post to let me know.

Once the names are drawn, please check back to see if you've won and send me an email with your address.

All entries must be made by Tuesday at 5 pm pacific standard time, winners will be announced on Tuesday night. I am sorry but at this time I can not ship outside of the US.

P.S. Now that the holidays are over I hope to get back to my regular posting. :)

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Visit the Randomhouse Website to purchase this book.

Winner announced!

2009-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

I used a random number generator and it picked post number 4! Congratulations Cafairman.

Please send your mailing information to wilson_power@hotmail.com

:)

I'll have another giveaway the week of January 4.

Another book giveaway? That's amazing!!

2009-12-18T20:35:00.000-08:00

That's right folks. After a long day at work and an exhausting evening mudding my ceiling, I am fully prepared to review and giveaway another FREE book!

Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group, sent to me one complimentary book to review and one to giveaway!

Because my blog is a "health and wellness blog for body, mind, and soul," it is my goal to fairly and unbiasedly review products, books, movies, restaurants, etc., that will enhance my readers' lives. 40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day by C.D. Baker is a book that can do just that -- if you let it.

What do I mean? If you're a Christian, or have been around many, it is well known that a lot of us tend to stick to a certain type of legalism. We, (yes including myself) like to follow rules. We obediently go through the motions of church, and pretend to have our lives together. When, in reality, we don't.

As followers of Christ, it's difficult to ask questions; to ask the really hard ones. It makes us feel "bad." More sinful than we already are (as if we could be any more sinful).

So why would a Christian have to "let" this book enhance their life? Well, I hate to be cynical, but if a believer who has always obediently done what is told, without question, ever wants to grown in his or her faith, they're going to have to pull their annal retentive plug!

We need to start asking questions! In this daily-devotional type book Baker assists the reader in doing just that. Each day, the reader has the chance to "break bread" and start a conversation between themselves and with God.

Each daily reading poses a question such as, "Why do I get so angry with God?" Baker then uses personal anecdotes, stories from the Bible and scripture to help answer the question. Each reading is ended with "Food for Thought" and "A Prayer." To help the reader dig deeper into their emotions and to talk to God about how they feel.

I've truly enjoyed reading through this book. 40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day is a book that will remain in my personal collection.

From the back cover:

"Why don’t I have more faith?

Why am I so bored with Jesus?

Why don’t I feel connected at church?

These are the types of questions the religious establishment often makes it uncomfortable, if not impossible, to ask. And by asking them, C. David Baker, author of 40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day hopes to start a conversation in people’s hearts, then with others, and ultimately with God. Many circles of Christianity have led us to believe that certainty and confidence are the proof of true spirituality; questions are discouraged.

But Jesus offered his followers an ongoing conversation—a relationship built around a free, open-ended discussion. Questions were encouraged. They were often impertinent, sometimes alarming, and the religious establishment was distinctly uncomfortable with them … just as it is today.

“40 Loaves is something of a collection of the kinds of questions I felt finally free to ask of myself and of my relationship with Christ,” says Baker. “It’s my belief that these questions are shared by many others who long for the freedom to simply ask them out loud. I hope this book becomes a platform that frees others to search their hearts more deeply and be fed with the Bread of life.”

Each “loaf” here is a big question that stimulates discussion, investigation, and contemplation; it will take hours—or days—to digest. Conversational, inviting, disarming, and real, 40 Loaves nourishes self-examination and offers validation for those who feel discouraged, guilty, or even shamed when the realities of their lives don’t match up with the ideals of the Christian establishment."

How to win your free copy:

All you have to do is comment on this post telling me your favorite way to spend your personal quiet times with God. Please leave at least a screen name! It is important to check my blog by Tuesday evening to see if you've won, then you can email me your contact information.

For an additional entry in the hat, follow me! Please leave an additional comment letting me know that you are following me.

Please enter by Monday, December 21 at midnight! Winners will be announced Tuesday evening.

For more information or to purchase this book please visit RandomHouse.com

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. Book graphic from the WaterBrook Multnomah website.

I'm alive!

2009-12-15T20:27:00.000-08:00

This past week has been a combination of spending all free hours at my new house trying to get things move-in ready and me battling a really bad cold/flu.

I have to say I haven't been eating very well or exercising. :( I feel really icky about that. Though, I have been following through with my one goal: wake up early. This is my last week of just focusing on that goal (see my post on Nov. 25

I was originally going to make my goal 5:30 a.m. , but I realized there is really no point to it. I am at 5:50 right now. That will give me time for at least a half hour of exercise and time to eat breakfast, have a short quiet time with God and then an hour to get ready. My reward for following through with this goal is a subscription to Real Simple Magazine. I am pretty proud of myself. At the end of this week, I'll have been following through with waking up early for four weeks!

My next goal is to spend quiet time with God in the mornings. I am trying to build up to 10 minutes. I'll start with five minutes and then move up to ten the next week. After that goal is completed I'll move on to either cleaning daily or exercising daily. I'm leaning towards exercise. It is going to be my most difficult goal.

The reason I am breaking down the goals like this and only focusing on one at a time is because I really want to live a healthy lifestyle. I want all of those things I listed (see Nov. 25) to be things that I do daily. I want them to be habits for the rest of my life. Nothing has worked so far, so I figured maybe taking it slow is the best approach.

Well, my posting will probably be off and on for the next few weeks due to the holidays and my house taking up a lot of work. I have a book review/giveaway coming up here really soon. I'll post it on Friday night.

Christmas Books Winners Announced!

2009-12-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

And the winner is...

G.D. in Central Illinois, who said she would also like to give one to her niece who is also her Godchild!

Congratulation's G.D, I hope these books brighten up your Christmas season. :)

Thank you to all for posting. Your comments really touched me. Thank you for all of your encouragement.

Another book giveaway???

Bookmark me, follow me, and keep coming back! I will be giving away another really awesome book next week.

"40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day" by C.D. Baker.

This daily devotional-type book presents answers to questions that some Christians have difficulty with or might be embarrassed about. The author presents very challenging concepts.

This book will definitely help you grown in your Christian faith.

Next week I'll have a full review and give you a chance to win this exciting book.

Picture provided by the Random House website.

That's all I got for tonight folks. Life has been crazy what with the house buying, packing, being sick, etc. We should be getting the keys tomorrow or Wednesday. I may or may not be posting tomorrow. If we get the keys tomorrow, I'll be taking a few loads of stuff to the house. If not, then maybe I'll have a special "house" blog. :)

Many blessings!

Giveaway: A Treasured Gift from Me to You!

2009-12-03T20:15:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a time for giving and receiving -- a time for loving and sharing. We can spend lots of money buying expensive jewelry or the latest technological gizmos. But Christmas is about so much more. It's about passing on the gift of God's love. God sent his only Son into the world, to save the world and not to condemn the world. That's what we're celebrating on Christmas.

I think the best presents are kind gestures, a warm smile from a passerby on the street, or a handmade gift from a loved one. God's love is shown in the smallest of packages. This holiday season I would like to share with you the message of God's love.

"Treasured," "God Gave Us Love" and "God Gave Us Christmas"

Treasured written by Leigh McLeroy.

From the back of the book: "Cigar boxes. Refrigerator doors. Scrapbooks and sock drawers and top shelves. These are the places we store our treasures–the keepsakes that tell the story of whom and what we’ve loved, how we’ve lived, and what matters most to us.

God is a collector, too, whose treasures are tucked securely into the pages of his book: a golden bell here, an olive leaf there, a scarlet thread, a blood-stained cloth, a few grains of barley. Each of these saved artifacts reveals a facet of his heart and tells the story of a Father whose most precious possession is…us.
In Treasured, Leigh McLeroy considers tangible reminders of God’s active presence and guides us in discovering evidence in our own lives of his attentive love."

I've really enjoyed reading through Treasured Each chapter is based off of a treasure in the Bible, such as a Fig Leaf or a Fresh Olive Sprig. The treasure, presented as a promise from God, is then examined through the story and the people surrounding it. Finally McLeroy provides a parallel and captivating anecdote from her personal life.

McLeroy is witty, likable and relatable. I could easily put myself in her shoes. This is the first devotional type book that I've enjoyed in a really long time. (And I am definitely not getting paid to say that!)

God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren and art by Laura J. Bryant

From the back:" As Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, the young polar bear begins to question why we must love others… even the seemingly unlovable.

In answering her questions, Grampa Bear gives tender explanations that teach Little Cub about the different kinds of love that is shared between families, friends, and mamas and papas. Grampa explains that all these kinds of love come from God and that it is important to love others because…
“Any time we show love, Little Cub, we’re sharing a bit of his love.”

This sweet tale will warm the hearts of young children as they learn about all the different sorts of love, while the gentle explanations of each provide a valuable opportunity to encourage children to share with others a “God-sized love.”""

God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren and art by Laura J. Bryant

From the back: As Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear begins to wonder… “Who invented Christmas?”

Mama’s answer only leads to more questions like “Is God more important than Santa?” So she and Little Cub head off on a polar expedition to find God and to see how he gave them Christmas. Along the way, they find signs that God is at work all around them. Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns about the very first Christmas and discovers that… Jesus is the best present of all.

This enchanting tale provides the perfect opportunity to help young children celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to discover how very much God loves them."

Oh my goodness. Talk about the cutest books ever!

The special child in your life will love and cherish these books. Both books are beautifully illustrated and provide a wonderful glimpse of God that children can grasp.

God Gave Us Love is a beautiful story about God's love being shown in many different forms. Kids will be able to relate to this book as "Little Clubs" asks questions like why sometimes she loves her little brothers but other times she doesn't.

I have to admit though that God Gave Us Christmas was my favorite of the two. The story line of "Mama" taking a journey with "Little Club" to go find God is heart-warming. I especially enjoyed the drawing of the Northern Lights. What an amazing picture of God and His awesome power!

Both of these books will open up conversations with your little ones about God and Jesus this holiday season.

I want to give these three books to one of my readers!

So what do you have to do to get this books? Just simply reply to this post with your name and email address and tell me who you'd like to give these books to this holiday season or the best gift in a small package you've received.

I'll draw a winner out of a hat and post the results by Monday night! (Please note that I unfortunately can not ship outside of the US at this time)

P.S. This will be my last blog of the week as my husband and I are done with our house paperwork and will be signing either tomorrow or Monday! I have a lot of packing and cleaning to do. :) Many blessings all!

All three of these books were provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

To learn more about Treasured visit the WaterBrook Multnomah/Random House website http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074815

To Learn more about God Gave Us Love visit the WaterBrook Multnomah/Random House website http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074471
To learn more about God Gave Us Christmasvisit the WaterBrook Multnomah/Random House websitehttp://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400071753

She cries herself to sleep...

2009-12-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Yeah, that's pretty much what I feel like doing right now.

My first time home buying stress is at an all time high right now. :( We just had to pay an extension fee because our closing date is on Friday. I am not sure we're going to make it.

We were told for the last three weeks, just one more piece of paperwork. So we finally get it in (after sending for it three weeks ago) and then this morning they tell us we just need one more piece of paperwork. GRRRRRR.

I was really hoping to close and to have some Christmas decorations up soon, but it doesn't look like there will be decorations this year. :( I am feeling really hopeless about the whole thing.

Anyway, I was hoping to have a REVIEW/GIVEAWAY! up tonight, but I spent the last hour and a half gathering paperwork and faxing it. So, my hope is by tomorrow.

Tell all your friends!!!!!! To check out my blog tomorrow for the giveaway, it is going to be a gift from me to you. :D

Oh yeah, Thanksgiving was good. I only ate one plateful. So that is good. I haven't really been eating that healthily the last few days though. My stress level is high and I am on week for of my cycle, which means massive cravings!

Blessings All,
Shawnee

Get off your butt and eat some Stewi

2009-11-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

You'll have to read the whole blog to get the title...sorry. LOL

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! I am so excited to see my family and eat good food. Josh and I may just be buying a flat-screen tomorrow too. We decided the deals on Black Friday for the tvs are really not that good. *shrugs*

I didn't photo-document everything I ate yesterday, but here's the gist of it...

Breakfast: Medium caramel latte with nonfat milk, an apple and an orange.

Lunch: 1 cup steamed rice and steamed veggies with a little teriyaki-ginger sauce.

snack: 2 pineapple spears and 1 serving of blue diamond almonds

Dinner: (see below)
I had one whole wheat La Tortarilla Factoria tortilla with cheese, salsa and a chopped up veggie burger and a side of sour cream.

Evening snack: I was still hungry so I ate 2 WASA crackers with cream cheese and chicken broth.

Today...

Breakfast:
Pumpkin pancakes! That's right. You heard me. This recipe was deliciouso and oh so filling. I switched out the white flour for whole wheat. White flour burns off too much. I topped them with peaches, a few walnuts and light syrup!
Thanks Martha Stewart for the recipe. :) Click here to give it a try.

Lunch: 1 whole wheat Thomas English Muffin with cream cheese, salsa and cheddar cheese, lightly melted. YUMO! This temporarily satisfied my salty-starch craving.
Dinner: I shall call it Chili Stew. I tried to come up with something more clever, but the alternatives were Stile or Chew or maybe even Chew-e. LOL Yeah this is one of my odd ball creations.
I threw into the pot:

left over frozen bean soup (1 cup or so)
left over frozen sloppy joes (1 cup or so) Made with 7% fat beef
3/4 cup green beans
1 small can of portabella mushrooms
1/4 cup or less of corn
1/4 cup of salsa
a dash of chili powder and garlic powder

This creation came out surprisingly really well. It tasted really close to chili, but added the big chunks of veggies like I like in stew. I ate this with a flour tortilla on the side (I ran out of La Tortarilla tortillas)

Get Off Your Butt: My revelation:

If you're one of my regular blog readers (I think I have 2), you may have found my goals, hopes, aspirations and the outcomes of them to be rather flakey. I agree. It seems like I can't stick to anything. I can't.

*sighs* I googled "How to get motivated." I periotically browse the internet for solutions to my life's problems. I found an article titled: "Get Off Your butt: 16 Ways to Get Motivated When You're in a Slump."

I am really lazy. I see patterns of behavior starting to emerge from myself that are a mirror image of my father. He's a "when I get around to it" type of guy. Getting around to it rarely comes often. I can't live my life like that.

Anyway, the author of the article discussed how people who set goals for themselves set too many at one time. That was the biggest thing that stuck out to me. I listed out all of the changes I would like to see happen in my life. There are 8 daily habits that I have been working on impleminting in my life:

Wake up earlier (at 5:30 a.m.)
Spend quiet time with God (at least 10 min daily)
Clean daily
Exercise daily (1 hour)
Cook dinner and prepare lunch daily
Cut calories down to 1300
Incorporate yoga (at least 10 minutes daily)
Write my book (1 hour daily)

Each one of these daily habits should individually be goals. The author of the article talks about taking each goal one day and week at a time and breaking them down into obtainable goals.

For example waking up earlier: I'll start with 6:10 a.m and then each week I'll set the alarm back 10 minutes until I am at 5:30 a.m.

The thing is I can only work on one goal at a time. I broke down each of these goals week by week and getting through this would take me until July. But I am excited about it.

The big picture goals in my life are: lose weight, write a book, travel and start a family. I think that if I start working on these goals, I'll get there. I'll still be exercising and cleaning, but my focus for the first five weeks will be waking early, so I have some more time to do those things. If I lose weight in the process, awesome! If not, that's ok too. I want more than anything to be healthy and happy. I think this is a way to achieve it. I am going to give it a try. I'll start waking up at 6:10 on Monday morning. Until then I am going to work on waking up at 6:30 a.m.

Right now, I am going to have some dessert: vanilla yogurt and granola.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Wonderful Weekend

2009-11-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a quick post, as I'm tired and am planning on hitting the sack here shortly.

Weekend Eating Recap

Friday:

Breakfast: Pumpkin oats w/almond butter and cranberries. 1 egg w/ ketchup.

I only ate about 3/4 of the oats, it was just way too much! I was really craving an egg.
Thought I should take a picture of the last of my fall decor. This is a day before I took them all down. :( I love fall.

Lunch: Whole wheat La Tortarilla Factoria tortilla, w/ cream cheese, spinach, craisins, walnuts and a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

I also had an apple, an orange and a banana throughout the day.

Dinner: Homemade whole wheat Pizza w/cream cheese, a sprinkle of cheddar, and tomatoes. I dipped it in a cup of red roasted pepper and tomato soup by Pacific Natural Foods (My favorite!).

Saturday:

I was craving salt and starchy foods really badly. The thought of downing more oatmeal made me not want to eat.

Breakfast: Whole wheat tortilla stuffed with homemade hashbrowns, 1 scrambled egg, cheese and salsa! Mmmmmm.

Lunch: So I was feeling a little guilty about my salty breakfast (though it was not that high in calories), so I had a light lunch. 2 honey bran muffins (150 cal. each) and...

...a pumpkin smoothie...

1 banana
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup natural vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. YUM!

Dinner: I ate out with my friend before going to "State Fair" the musical. I had a cup of barley beef soup, a side Caesar salad and corn bread.

Sunday:

Breakfast: I skipped breakfast 'cause I didn't feel like eating.

Lunch: 1/2 a baked potato, 1 cup bean soup, a little sour cream, and salsa.

Dinner: 1 can of chicken noodle soup and a corn bread muffin.

Snack: I slipped up on this one. :( I had 6 pizza bites and two chicken nuggets. Yeah, I got into Josh's junk food. But hey, I skipped breakfast.

Today:

I didn't take any pictures as I was running late and nothing was that interesting anyway.

Breakfast: Two bran muffins, apple and an orange

Snack: 2 cookies at work. Someone brought them in :( There were two varieties.

Lunch: 6 inch sweet onion chicken teriyaki sandwich, personal size bag of sun chips.

Dinner: 1 cup of chicken broth and two WASA Crackers with cheese.

Snack: five walnuts and a fruit leather.

My Assessment:

I had a couple of Kath worthy meals in there. I kind of lost it on Sunday with the excessive snacking, but over all I think I did ok. I am upset with myself for today though since I only got 5 hours of sleep and I didn't wake up in time to make breakfast or lunch. But I think I made up with it for dinner.

I decided that I really need to cut back on calorie consumption as I have a sedentary job. :( I really like to be full.

Held my own

2009-11-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

I couldn't sleep last night. I haven't been able to for a few days now. I think I've been coming down with a cold and that on top of everything I having going on...

So I took some NightQuil. That stuff is good. It knocked me out fast, which means I slept in. Needless to say, because I was running late I deviated from the "Kath" meal plan (see previous posts x 3).

But I held my own. I think I did pretty darn good. For fun, I think I'll list my meals in descending order.

Dessert: 1/2 cup of natural vanilla yogurt w/ 1/2 a pear, tsp strawberry jam, and a sprinkle of granola.

Dinner: 1 cup of mixed whole wheat pasta, on top a bed of spinach and topped with freshly made bruchetta, walnuts, and a dusting of cheese.

This is one of the best meals I've made in a while. I could have eaten a ton! For my fresh bruchetta, I used tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Snacks throughout the day: Apple, oranges, fruit leather, piece of pumpkin/ginger bread

Lunch: 1/2 can of split pea soup (left over from yesterday),1 WASA cracker (crumbled in the soup), 1 whole wheat tortilla with cream cheese.

WASA crackers are delicious crumbled into soup!

Breakfast: Whole wheat English muffin, peanut butter, jam, 1 banana and a cup of coffee.

I'm starting to get anxious about Thanksgiving! My favorite dish is my aunts stuffing. She packs it full of, get this, pine nuts, and Italian sausage.

What's you're favorite Thanksgiving dish?

Eating less = fuller longer? No way!

2009-11-18T18:52:00.000-08:00

I am perplexed. How is it that the last two days I've been eating less and yet I am staying satisfied longer? I guess Kath does know what she's doing (see the last two posts).

Breakfast: 2 WASA crackers w/ tomatoes, basil, a drizzle of olive oil and cheddar cheese baked in the oven. I also had a small glass of milk. I ended up saving the banana for a mid morning snack. I also had 2 cups of coffee today! I shouldn't drink that much, but I was sleepy today.

This was amazing and oh so filling. I love the whole wheat WASA crackers. This meal idea was taken off of Kath's page, but it was from a guest post.

Lunch: 1 Whole Wheat Thomas English Muffin, 2 tbsp cream cheese, tomatoes, spinach and basil. I heated it up for a few seconds.

Delicious! I also had some carrot sticks and celery with peanut butter. I was s-t-uffed by the end of this. I also ate an orange, but forgot to take a picture of it.
Dinner: 1/2 a can of Progresso (without added MSG) split pea soup and 1 whole wheat La Tortarilla Factoria tortilla. I added some left over white beans to the soup. The soup was pretty thin and I think the beans helped. I ate half of the tortilla with the soup and the other half with a little cream cheese and strawberry jam.

Dessert: Fruit leather, a small serving of walnuts and a few raisins and craisins.

Dinner was supposed to be gnocchi, but I was too tired to make it. I think I'll save it for the weekend. I am excited to try it.

A good day over all in the eating department. I didn't exercise though. :( I think I am coming down with something. I've just been so tired.

Well, I'm off to finish my show and do some packing. We're hoping to have signed the papers by the end of the month. We have a lot of work ahead of us!

WWKE?

2009-11-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

This is day one of my WWKE (What Would Kath Eat) meal-stalking diet plan. If you didn't see yesterday's post, I've document two weeks worth of meals that Kath has eaten. I've adapted them slightly to fit foods I can afford and foods available at my grocery store.

Today's breakfast was pumpkin oats with mashed banana, craisins, walnuts and almond milk. To make the oats, I mixed 1/2 a cup of pumpkin, 3/4 cup of almond milk and a 1/2 a cup of oats. I cooked them on high in the microwave for 3.5 minutes. I also added a dash of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Lunch was 1 cup of natural vanilla yogurt, with a 1/4 cup of granola, pears, and a spoonfull of strawberry jam. I also had 2 celery sticks cut into halves with 1 tbsp of peanut butter. For snacks throughout the day I had a tangerine and an apple.

Dinner was a small romaine salad with a 1/2 of a tsp of ranch, and a quesadilla. I used whole wheat La Tortarilla Factoria Tortillas. I highly recommend them. They're soft and they don't have any hydrogenated oils!

Inside:

Sour cream/white bean mix (see below)
1 serv. shreaded cheese
1/2 chicken breast w/taco seasoning
1/2 cup chopped spinach
Topped with salsa (I used about a 1/2 cup)

For the sour cream/white bean mix, blend in a food processor, 1/2 a cup of white beans and 3/4 cup sour cream. I am sneaky sneaky. I did this so my hubby would get a little added fiber. He's none the wiser. :)

I'm really surprised in how full and satisfied I was all day long today. I couldn't finish all my breakfast and lunch actually filled me up! I was really worried with lunch. But I ate the yogurt and two of the celery sticks and didn't get hungry again until about 4 p.m. At that point I at the rest.

It was a good day today. I also woke up this morning and worked out on the wii fit for a 1/2 hour. I did free step and lifted weights.

Well I'm off to bed. I'm hoping to wake up at 5:30 again tomorrow morning and actually begin exercising earlier.

Maybe you'll see me again tomorrow night. Ciao!

I'm a meal stalker!

2009-11-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

It's a sickness I tell you. A disease. You see it happened over night: this unnerving desire to take over someone else's meal plan. I couldn't control it. I couldn't help myself. It was like an out of body experience. One minute I was eating a slice of pizza. The next, I was searching over two weeks worth of what Kath Eats!

I'm ashamed. But if feels so right, why is it so wrong?

Seriously though, all this weekend I kind of felt at a loss with my eating and exercising habits. I figured Kath lost weight, she's super healthy AND she's studying to be a nutritionist. She must know what she's doing. So, laying on my counter is a print out of all the meals she's eaten in the last two weeks -- somewhat adapted to fit foods available in my local grocery store. And after a grocery store date with my husband, my fridge and cabinets are stocked full of healthy Kath worthy foods.

Tomorrow is day one of my WWKE diet: What Would Kath Eat. The day's meals look like this:

Breakfast: pumpkin oats w/ craisins, walnuts, flax and almond butter

Lunch: Yogurt w/ fruit and granola and a romaine salad w/ a homemade vinaigrette dressing

Dinner: Qusadilla w/ chicken, beans, salsa, spinach (my addition) and tomatoes and a small salad.

We'll see how it goes.

Recipe Review and New Creation

Check this recipe for homemade poptarts from Genesis of a Cook.

I've made these beauties one time before with my beautiful best friends, Michelle and Brittany. We didn't quite follow the directions though. Both times I made these, I made them without shortening or butter. Basically, I followed the directions with the amount of flour and slowly added applesauce (starting with a 1/2 cup) until the dough became pie-dough like.

It worked too, despite the fears of Michelle. Now, without fat they are a little chewy and are best heated up in the microwave rather than the toaster. They don't taste anything like real pop-tarts, but they're an amazing alternative to those of us attempting to be healthy.

I made a batch of about eight of these yummy treats and had some dough left over, but ran out of jam.

So I came up with dinner...I shall call it a Mexican Turn-Over!

I stuffed this bad boy with black beans, left over enchilada sauce, vegetarian cheese, and vegan sour cream (don't even ask why I had those in the house).

It turned out softer than the pop-tart, rich and so incredibly filling!

I think if you want a good no-fat pie crust, follow the recipe for the pop-tarts, but exclude the fat and just add applesauce. It won't be perfect, but it will be pretty darn good none-the-less.

I'm not making promises but...

I really miss blogging. I think I've been hiding in a cave these last few months and denying the fact that I am a terrible eater and I am incredibly lazy. I am going to try blogging daily again. It keeps me honest.

But, even if I don't do it every day, I'll still do it once a week. On the up side, I have three amazing giveaways coming up soon. One will be the week of Nov. 30 and then one for December and one for January! So look forward to those. :)

Well, many blessings everyone. I hope to see you here tomorrow.

Is Chick Lit Hurting your Mariage?

2009-11-04T06:22:00.000-08:00

Hi all. I have been so super busy this week, at both work and home. The house stuff is going well. We had 1/2 of our inspection yesterday. We would have had the full inspection but the power guy never came out and turned the power on. GRRRR. So we'll have it finished tomorrow. After the inspection we'll just be waiting on it to close. We're hoping to close by the end of the month.

So I can't really weigh in. :( My scale went nuts. It gave me three different weights in less than 30 seconds. Maybe I'll start weighing in on the Wii Fit.

Halloween was really good. I handed out lots of candy and had a great time. Also that week I created an amazing recipe! I'll share that later.

Finally to the question... "Is Chick Lit Hurting your Marriage?"

Find out at Justbetweenus.org. And read my latest published article. It should be coming out in hard copy here in the next few days or so. I am really excited, even though the editor batched it. Editors, can't live with them and can't get your articles published with out them.

The editor cut out my favorite line..."Michelle and I shot back our macchiatos like a shot of something strong." I loved that line. It is so witty and gave such a strong image of how we were both feeling. However, it is a Christian magazine and apparently Christians cant handle wit! I am a Christian and I can.!? The editor also made me take out (before she got her hands on it) that I read both a secular Chick lit book and a Christian one. I read it for educational purposes. She thought reading a secular chick lit book it "wouldn't go over well with her readers."

Oh well, I am still really excited to finally have it published and very grateful they even took it.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week.

Shawnee

Man cannot live on bread alone...or can he?

2009-10-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

So I've been doing some reevaluating of my personal goals and the things I spend my time on. One of my conclusions is that I can't be a everyday blogger. Nor can I blog three times a week. So instead, I'll be a once a week blogger.

Nature's Pride

This is a long time coming but...

A few of weeks ago I was Fed-exed a package containing two loaves of bread from Nature's Pride for me to review.

Nature's Pride presents New "12 Grain" and "100% Whole Wheat." Both varieties are 100% natural with no high fructose corn syrup.

I have since devoured both loaves of bread, using them for a variety of different recipes.

Above pictures both varieties side by side. I really enjoyed both. The 12 grain was very light and absolutely wonderful with butter or strawberry jam. I really enjoyed the subtle hint of the different flavors of the grains and sunflower seeds.

I personally preferred the whole wheat for sandwiches. I used the bread to make a new chicken salad sandwich as well as several paninis. mmmmm. The whole wheat was not dry and hard to swallow like many whole wheat breads.

I highly recommend Nature's Pride breads. I rarely buy bread, however, the next time I do I'll be looking for Nature's Pride.

Weigh-in Update

This past Wednesday I weighed in at 169.6. The week before I weighed in at 169.2. I'm not worried about this, as I have been feeling really bloated. Though I am bummed that I can't seem to stick to a weight loss plan.

Health Update

Since August of 2008, I have been struggling with this awful and annoying pain in my side. It hurts so badly! I have had doctors call it everything from stress, IBS (embarrassing!), gall stones, and acid reflux (wth!?).

Anyway, for the last week I have cut out: deep fried foods, red meat, dark poultry, shortening, artificial sweeteners, coffee (including decaf), dairy, citrusy or acidic foods, and solid chocolate.

Sometimes it seems like it's helping, but other times it still just hurts. Grrr. I'm going to the doctor this Friday. I hope to get referred to a specialist.

Question: Since I've cut out foods with citric acid, it's really hard to find a sauce to replace my beloved ketchup, bbq sauce and salsa! Do you have any ideas for a sauce that would be easy on the gut and that is dairy free?

Hope you all have a great week!

Shawnee

P.S. No I do not believe man can live on bread alone, but instead can be sustained through the word of God. :)

Today's like sweet Honey Sunshine

2009-10-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

Marla, The Flylady, would tell me that I let my inner-perfectionist take over. It’s true, I have. Every single time I thought about the three reviews that I needed to type up for my blog, I would mentally block it out. I didn’t even want to log on last week to weigh in. I felt like if I did, I had to write all three reviews. So I procrastinated.

I hate procrastination. And I’m the queen of it.

Any how, I had to psych myself up to allow myself to do one review at a time. So here it is, my first review…

Kashi’s new Honey Sunshine Cereal!

I became a member of Kashi’s Taste Tester Panel, and my first “assignment” was to dig into a whole box of Honey Sunshine and take it to trial.

My verdict: DELICIOUS!

I love Kashi cereal anyway, but this variety is childhood-comfort-food good. It still has the 7 whole grains in each serving, like Kashi is famous for, but it doesn’t taste ”healthy.” It’s comforting, subtly sweet, and lays that I’M-CRAVING-SUGARY-STARCHES monster to rest.

You’ll love it, your husbands will love it and your kid’s will love it.

Let’s just say when I was finally able to find the cereal at my local grocery store and use my “free box” coupon, it only lasted in my cupboard a week.

Wednesday Weigh-In

Last weigh in: 169.8

Current weigh in:

So I’m down a little over a half a pound. I did weigh in last week, but the scale didn’t budge. Like I said, I was just too profectionisty to log on. I’m so weird.

I most likely won’t get to my 10 pounds lost by Nov. 1. But if I can at least keep going down .5 a week, it’ll be progress. I am really excited to see that I have maintained 169 for three weeks though. I haven’t went back up to the 170s, which means I am actually losing weight.

Josh and I have been getting up in the mornings and walking. I’m proud of us for that. I haven’t been keeping track of calorie consumption. I really just hate doing it. But I need to build myself a bridge and: GET OVER IT!

House News

Josh and I found a house, made an offer and they excepted it. We’re psyched! We are just praying that the inspection will be ok and that nothing funky will happen with our loan. Wish us luck!

Question: What is your favorite cereal?

I'm still here

2009-10-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

I haven't forgot about my blog. I just was again feeling sorry for myself. I went into a little bit of a depression this past weekend and I am so not looking forward to weighing in tomorrow. *blech*

On the upside, I have three reviews to give my readers! I've actually been putting them off 'cause my life just seems so hectic right now. And I don't really think it is all that hectic. I just feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders...this is my inner drama queen/perfectionist.

I think I just need to simplify my life, but I don't know how. Oh I know how, I need to hire a cleaning lady, a cook, a personal assistant, a nutritionist, and a fitness coach. :) If I had the money, I would probably do that.

Anyway, I'm going to go. I hope to post my reviews tomorrow.

--Shawnee

Slowly making progress

2009-09-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

Calories In/Out

For yesterday…

Calories in: Well I charted 1550 exactly. I did really well too until after dinner. I had a slice of bread with some jam on it.

Calories out: 0 Grrrrr. I was telling my husband that I feel like a bad person. I realized that is the exact thinking that makes me self sabotage. I had planned to exercise that evening after work, but we had to go in to our real estate agent’s office to sign some papers. Then we had to go to Wal-Mart. We didn’t get home until 9:30 p.m. by then I was just too exhausted. I feel like these are lame excuses, but that’s what happened.

Click here to see what I ate.

Wednesday Weigh In

Last weigh: 170.8

Current: 169.6

I’m slowly making progress. Even if I don’t make it to 10 pounds, I’d be really happy with 5.

Calories in/out

2009-09-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

I was some what on track yesterday. Well, except I didn’t burn as many calories as I had thought. I’ll do Tae Bo tonight and make up for it.

Calories in: 1555

Calories out: 177

Click here to see what I ate.

--Shawnee

P.S. I have Wii Fit on the calories burned, I actually didn't get around to doing that.

P.P.S. Thank you to everyone for all of the inspiration and encouragement!

and the scales fell from my eyes...

2009-09-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

I had a semi revelation this weekend. After a couple of days of moping and feeling sorry for myself, I began to question why I treat myself the way I do? Why do long to lose weight in order to be healthy, and yet sabotage myself with overeating and laziness?

As I questioned myself, I wondered, “Am I worth it?” Do I really believe my life deserves to be a happy and healthy one? The answer is, YES! Many times I let the voice of worldly perfection creep in and tell me that I’ll never be as skinny as the anorexic super models, and then I get discouraged, give up and force feed myself an abundance of junk. Like I really want to be that skinny anyway, pshaw!

I just want to be healthy, happy, energetic, and to feel youthful. I am, by the way, only 25. I do deserve the premier player’s club treatment.

Calories in/Calories out

I didn't keep very good track of what I ate on Friday and Saturday. I am pretty sure I ate around 2000 calories though. :( I also didn't exercise again on Friday. See the self sabotage! It's disgusting.

However, click here to see what I ate yesterday (Sunday)l went over, but at least I kept track.

Calories in: 1725 (Though I think I ate a few more things that I couldn't remember)

Calories out: 632

I did 90 minutes of working out: A 40 minute walk with Maddie; 30 minutes of Free Step with weights on the Wii Fit; and 20 minutes of Tae Bo. I did 90 minutes to make up for no exercise on Thursday and Friday. Sunday was supposed to be my day of rest. :)

Some pictures of what I ate yesterday:

1/2 cup organic vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks and a smooshed up Crunchy Nature Valley Bar. This makes a very good meal.

Corn tortillas baked in the oven. A mixture of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, chicken, salsa, light ranch, and bbq sauce.

Below is a banana with a couple spoonfuls of yogurt, 1 tbsp peanut butter and 10 chocolate chips melted with the PB. Pretty good desert. :)

Meal Plan Monday:

Monday: Spaghetti

Tuesday: Chicken & Black bean enchiladas

Wednesday: Dinner at ma's house

Thursday: ?? I'll be at a convention for work

Friday: Paninis

Saturday: Subway? (I decided I have to leave room for Subway. I'm going to eat it anyway :P)

Sunday: I haven't made it this far yet

Also, see everything I have planned for today: Click Here.

I'm right on track so far. I just need to make it past dinner. :) Oh and I did exercise this morning, a 1/2 hour walk with Maddie.

I hope you all have a fabulous Monday!

--Shawnee

Calories in/out for Thursday

2009-09-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

Calories in/out for Thursday:

Calories in: 1597

Calories out: 0

I know. I know. I was pouting and feeling sorry for myself yesterday. I'll make up for it on Sunday (my day of rest).

CLick here to see what I ate.

It went a little something like this...

2009-09-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

So day one of my new goal for losing 10 pounds by Oct. 31 went like this:

Calories in: About 1550

Calories out: 456

Click here to see what I ate, and how much I exercised.

Every time I wanted to be lazy or eat more than I should have, I thought, "Real Simple magazine, Shawnee! Think of all the glorious pages of organization, home decor, fashion, and cooking." :) Hopefully it is enough to motivate me to lose the weight.

BTW, in order for my to lose weight at a healthy rate, SparkPeople said I can't lose it any sooner than Nov. 1. :P

Oh and according to SP, my calorie consumption should be between 1250 and 1540. I should burn at least 288 calories a day.

Wednesday Weigh-in

2009-09-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

Last week: 170.8

This week: 171.2

Not too worried about this, I tend to fluctuate between these numbers.

I have a new goal set in place. My hope is to lose 10 pounds by October 31. Fall has always felt like a new beginning to me. Plus, I made a deal with my husband. If I can lose the 10 pounds, he’ll buy me a subscription to Real Simple Magazine. YAY!

I have about five weeks to do it. That’s 2 pounds a week.

Here’s how I plan to do it. Cut down to 1430 calories a day (Mapped out by SparkPeople). Exercise 6 days a week for at least a ½ hour. I am also going to attempt to plan out my meals everyday. I’ll also count my calories each day. My hope is to provide a link on this blog everyday to show what I’ve been eating.

I’m not sure if I can do it, but I need to try. I’ve been so stagnant with my healthy lifestyle lately. I need my 21 blog readers to cheer me on. If I lose 10 pounds I’ll give something away on my blog. I’m not sure what, but it will be good.
Wish me luck!

Monday Meal Plan

2009-09-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

Mornin! I'm here to give blogging another try.

My Meals for the Week:

Tonight: Quesadillas and Taco Salad

Tuesday: Pot Roast with Red Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions. (I love fall!)

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken and corn on the cobb

Thursday: Grilled chicken Salad

Friday: Dinner Out with In-laws

Saturday: Spaghetti

Sunday: ??

This weekend I also made and planned 8 days worth of lunches:
I made my own "tv dinners." I started off with a big ol' pot of whole wheat rice. Then I made different varieties. I have three meals that are Lemon/Dill Rice with Tuna; three that are Spanish rice with salsa and chicken; and two that are Oriental rice made with low sodium soy sauce, sweet chili sauce and chicken.

Each frozen entree has a cup of rice. The ones with chicken have about 3 ounces of chicken breast, and the ones made with tuna have about a 1/3 of a can of white tuna. I plan to eat the lemon/dill variety with half of an avocado.

I placed each entree onto a cookie sheet and froze them, that way I could put several individual portions into one baggie!

Life update:

Josh and I are still in the home buying process. We've been interested in two different homes. I'll let you know the out come soon. Other than that, I've just been working.

Wednesday Weigh-In

Last Wednesday I weighed in at 170.8 :)

I'm still trying to get into the grove of exercising and cleaning with this new job, but it's still hard.

I gotta get off this thing, I have a date with the treadmill.

Ciao,

Shawnee

P.S. I am really behind reading people's blogs. My apologies. I'll try to catch up soon.

Wednesday Weigh-In

2009-09-09T21:39:00.000-07:00

Last week: 171

This week: 171.2

I'm actually pleased with this, as I have not exercised in about 7 days (maybe longer). My heals were hurting so badly due to shoes without support.

I now have new shoes, my feet feel %100 and I hope to get back on that saddle and ride, Sally, ride!

Sweet Dreams

Yeah, I wish. I haven't been sleeping very well lately. I think it's one part home buying process and one part lack of exercise.

Our home search is going so/so, though I feel the Lord's blessings in so many different ways it's hard to express. The hubby and I have a lot of competition, but I am confident God will bless us, whether we stay where we are, rent an apartment or buy a home. No matter what, we'll be fine. :)

New blog format

I am working on a different format to how and when I blog. I'm thinking 3 days a week, with set themes for different days.

Mondays: Meal Planning

Wednesdays: Weigh in/health update

Fridays: Food! (Food finds, interesting recipes, good eats, resturant reviews, etc.)

What do you think? I love to blog 'cause it keeps me accountable, but I don't want it to consume my life. :)

In store for Friday's blog:

I'm hoping to do a review on a new product from Kashi, I received a free sample and a coupon for a free box of their new cereal and I want to spread the word.

*loves and hugs*
--Shawnee

Lost my passion

2009-09-08T07:30:00.001-07:00

Hi all. No I didn't crawl in a hole and die. I just lost my passion for blogging.
I hope it comes back soon. I plan to log in tomorrow with my weight and a little health update.

Blessings,

Shawnee

Weigh-In Wednesday

2009-09-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

Mornin!

Here is my weigh in info for today:

Last week: 172.2

This week: 171

I'm glad to see the scale back down to 171. :) I was a little worried this morning, as I have taken a few days off from exercise due to my feet.

I also haven't been keeping track of what I eat, but I can't blame that on my feet. I just forget about it.

I think I am going to take one more morning off of exercising and then tomorrow I'll start back up with a walk on the treadmill. The treadmill is a lot more giving than the road.

That's it for my post today.

Have a good one,

Shawnee

I always feel like somebody's watchin me

2009-08-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

LOL ok, so I was eating grapes and watermelon the other day and one bite looked like this. It reminded me of the Geico commercial.

I trust you all had a fabulous weekend. I did! However, this post is going to be rather short as none of my pictures from the weekend turned out. :(

Brittany and I did an "Ambush Makeover" of our best friend, Michelle's, apartment. We mostly just organized her things and utilized some of the stuff she already had to create a more "cozy" atmosphere.

After the makeover we went to the downtown Portland "Pastini Pastareia" for lunch. It was delicious. :) Good choice Michelle.

The rest of my weekend included house hunting with my husband, cleaning, and watching some Heros.

Josh and I found a couple houses in our price range. We were pre-approved yesterday for a loan, but we still need to talk to the loan agent today and get somethings figured out with the down payment and closing costs. Hopefully we get it all figured out soon. Brittany if you're reading, this is something we just decided to pursue Friday night.

Of course buying a house would mean we'd probably forfeit a trip to Mexico :( but I suppose buying a house to raise future children in is worth it!??

About Running

Okay, so last week I was up to 17 minutes of running. I wanted to push myself to 20 minutes (I'm training to do a 5k in November). But, my heels started hurting so badly. I know it's because I'm running in worn out shoes. I talked to my husband (the sport expert) and he told me absolutely no running until my feet feel better. I also have to go buy shoes, something I just don't feel like doing.

I've been icing my feet and they tend to feel better the morning after, but after walking on them for a few hours they begin to hurt again. Anyway, I probably need to buy at least one par of supportive dress shoes as well. All my dressy work shoes are either heels or flats with no support. *humph* I'm only 25 this stuff isn't supposed to happen. LOL

Today's plans

First, as soon as I get off of the computer, I'm going to do a 1/2 hour of Tony Horton's Yoga-X. It's way extreme. The video is actually 90 minutes and it's supposed to burn 500 calories. So, divide that by three and it's only 167 calories. :( But I can't think of any thing else that would be ok on my feet.

I also plan to follow this motto WWKE (or BE). LOL This means What Would Kath or Brit Eat. I'm not really trying to idolize Kath (from Kath Eats) or Brittany (my best friend) but I'm trying to follow what a healthy person would eat. Wish me luck.

Well, I'm off to do yoga, shower and go to work.

Blessings,

Shawnee

Peaches and Cream: Is there a better way to start my day?

2009-08-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

I finally feel like I have a little direction at my new job. It's always intimidating starting a new job and learning how things work. This position is kind of scary in that I'm dealing with people's lives. Well, their education anyway.

I'm in charge of recruiting, informing, and getting prospective adults enrolled in our Family Studies degree completion program. For many of the adults, this is their last chance to finish the degree they've put off for 20 years (or whatever), or it's their chance to get involved in ministry or counseling and help people who've struggled with the same problems the prospective student has struggled with; problems such as drugs and alcohol, or physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

Anyway, I am the one who has to make sure these adults are on track with their incoming (or transferring) credits, I have to make sure they complete all the steps necessary to be accepted, and as of right now I, along with my director, am the acceptance committee.

It's a huge job, with tons of stuff to learn. I've felt like I've had stuff just kind of thrown at me in terms of paper work and responding to students. In the midst of all that paper work, I've also had students "walk in." In these cases I have to drop what I'm doing and go over the program with them. Of course, for now I have another coworker in there with me.

Ok, that's more than you ever wanted to know about what I do. LOL sorry. I just think I needed to write that to see who important my job is! :)

Anyway, on to eats...

Peaches and Cream!

Ingredients:

One whole peach, sliced into sections
1 serving of organic Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of oats
2 tsp of brown sugar
1 tbsp of butter (or I used Smart Balance Light)
A sprinkle of Cinnamon

First melt the butter on medium heat in a non stick frying pan. Place the peaches in the pan and sprinkle the brown sugar over the top. Let the peaches saute for a few moments. Next sprinkle the oats over the top of the peaches. Stir frequently, but be careful. Peaches are delicate. It's done when the oats are soft. Place most of the yogurt in a bowl, place the peach/oat mixture on to top, place the rest or (a dollop) of the yogurt on top of the peaches, and sprinkle with a tiny amount of Cinnamon.

If I had to have a favorite way of eating oatmeal, this would be it! This was the perfect breakfast, with the right balance of carbs, bulk to fill me up after my morning run.

The rest of my eats:

You might be able to click that and make it large, if you want to see what I'm eating. :P Sorry for the bad handwriting.

Anyway, I was so full after lunch. My coworkers and I ate at this little restaurant in Salem, OR called Rolling Bagels. SO GOOD. They had a salad bar, a soup bar (with about 7 varieties of soup), sandwiches and fresh bagels. I highly recommend this place.

I ate a little too much. I also had a strawberry cobbler, as it was my director's b-day and well...I was away from my desk making copies and a piece of it was already dished up and on my desk. So I ate it. It was amazing too.

I balanced the big bulky lunch with steamed veggies and rice for dinner. :)

Exercise:

I was only able to run for 17 minutes and walk for 13. I'm not quite up to my 20 minute jog like I was hoping to be.

Weekend plans:

Tomorrow I am going to Portland to makeover/organize my friend's dorm room for her b-day. My friend Britt and I have some tricks up our sleeves to make her tiny space more livable. Plus, we're sending her away to enjoy a day to herself while we clean.

I plan on blogging about my weekend on Sunday!

Have a fabulous weekend all.

--Shawnee

Just an OK kind of day

2009-08-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was not too very exciting in terms of good eats. Or in terms of exercise for that matter. :(

I ended up eating lunch on campus for a lunch meeting. It was just a sandwich and salad, but it made me feel really awful. I felt bloated and had my tummy issues all day long.

I also didn't exercise yesterday. I ended up blogging my exercise time away and ran out of time. :( I planned on doing it when I got home, but I got home an hour later than usual and ended up just veggin' out.

I'm trying to not be too hard on myself. I'm hoping I'm tired because I'm still getting into the groove of working longer hours and waking up early. Who knows.

Anyway, I have exactly a 1/2 hour to exercise in the morning and I need to burn optimal calories during that time. I do my run/walk 3 days a week. I need something else to do on the off days.

I have a series of strength training exercises I can do, but I would also like to implement some cardio. Anyone have any suggestions? Any cardio/strength training videos that are only a 1/2 hour?

Well, wish me luck today. I'm going out to lunch for my coworker's birthday. Sometimes I wish we lived in a society where we didn't celebrate with food.

Blessings,
--Shawnee

Journaling, Weigh-In and Questioning Life

2009-08-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

Morning all! I hope you had a fabulous Tuesday night. I sure did. I just focused on relaxing. :) I needed it after work last night.

Pizza Wraps:

Dinner ended up being super quick and easy with my Hawaiian Pizza Wraps.

Ingredients:

Flour Tortilla
Cheese
Ham/Canadian Bacon
Pineapple
Tomato slices
Pizza sauce

The amount of each ingredient doesn't matter, just stuff that tortilla to your hearts content.

I had mine with 1/2 cup grapes, as I had already eaten 4 servings of veggies for the day.

Calories in/Calories Out

I haven't done this for a while, but I finally tracked my calories on SparkPeople.com.

Calories in: 1668

Calories out: 237

My goal (as of now) is 1700 calories in and 288 calories out. This is what I need to do to lose 1 pound a week.

I only have a 1/2 hour every morning to exercise, and so sometimes I don't meet my 288 calorie goal. I guess I need to think about possibly cutting my calories in :( . Not something I want to think about doing right now.

Click here to see my cals in/out details at SP. Oh and you might be able to click the pic of my journal above, no promises though. :P Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Weigh in Wednesday:

I'm going to start weighing in on Wednesdays. I kind of copied the idea from "Fat Free Me." I just need to be accountable. For the past 6 months or more I've been fluctuating between 169-173 pounds. At some point I was up to 176 pounds.

Today's weight: 172.2 :( Last week I was at 171.

This bums me out. I'm really against starving myself, and when I eat less than 1500 calories I do feel like I'm starving! I want to lose weight slowly, naturally and healthily.

I'm 5'8 and right now my bmi is "overweight." I really want to be back down in the healthy range. I also want to feel healthy. Right now I don't feel healthy. Anyway, I'm rambling on about this because of the post I read from Jen, a Prior Fat Girl.

Her post just made me realize and question "WHY?" Why are we so freaked out and worried about looking like Angelina Jolie (sorry that's the first name that came into my mind). Life is just too short to worry about these things ladies.

Do I want to lose weight? Yes! I want to lose weight because I don't feel healthy. There is the side of my that wants to lose weight to look good, but that's vanity talking. That's my Perfectionist talking.

Anyway, I can't preach any longer, I'm 12 minutes into my morning exercise time.

Gotta run. Well, I got to lift weights anyway!

--Shawnee

P.S. I almost forgot, check out Jen's amazing blog post here.

Look who's back, back again

2009-08-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

..Shawnee's back. Tell a friend. (Wicky Wick Slim Shawnee) HAHAHA. Sorry you may be too old, or too young to get that reference. ;)

Happy Tuesday everyone! I am on my lunch break at work, so I'm going to make this super fast. :)

Last week: I fell off the face of the earth by choice last week. I just woke up and decided, I'm going to take the day off from blogging. Though, I fully intended on blogging on Sunday. Anyway...

Thursday Night's Dinner: Lemon/Citrus Chicken

I borrowed a cook book from Brittany that has nothing but fabulous crock pot meals in it. I tried the Lemon Citrus Chicken one.

I would give you the recipe, but I'm not sure on copy right laws and such. But basically this was a whole lemon, orange juice and honey. I also threw in some carrots and a yam on top.

The flavor was really mild, but absolutely fantastic.

I ended up soaking a piece of french bread in the juices. YUM!

Saturday's Dinner: Deceptively Delicious Chicken Quesadillas and Brownies

Here is the deal, my husband despises beans of any sort. With these quesadillas I was able to hide white beans in with the sour cream mix. He had no idea he ate beans. He may have induced vomiting had I told him. ;) Also, this sneaky recipe hides butternut squash puree in with the cheese.

The husband's verdict? Well he said he would have preferred just chicken and cheese and had the sour cream on the side. I don't think I could have gotten away with just the cheese/butternut squash mixture. He may have been able to tell.

Anyway, I think I will make these again, but put the sour cream on the side for him. :) At least he'll get in some beans.

Are there green specks in your brownies? Why yes, yes there are. In fact, my husband stuck his face about three inches away to inspect this mixture. All he said was, "That's brownie batter?" And then walked away. LOL But what he doesn't know is that I hid spinach and carrots in the batter. MUAHAHAHAHA

Thankfully you can't see the green specks once cooked.

He told me I was zero for two. Meaning, he wasn't excited about either the quesadillas or the brownies. I didn't really like the brownies at first, but with a little powdered sugar over the top, they're pretty darn delicious.

I think my husband didn't like the fact that they weren't very sweet. The recipe called for only a 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Most brownies call for regular sugar, and a lot more of it. I liked them though, they had a dark chocolate taste to them and they're really moist and fluffy!

Check out http://deceptivelydelicious.com/ for more information on Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook.

My weekend at a glance...

Here are some of my highlights for the weekend:

Watched "The Soloist" (Great film)
Watched "Knowing" (Ok-cheesy ending though)
Began watching season 1 of Heros (L-O-V-E IT! Yes, I'm a nerd at heart)
Cleaned the whole house (8 man hours between Josh and I)
Hiked all of Silver Creek Falls (8 miles)
Planned all of my meals for the week

I don't normally watch that many movies or TV in a weekend, but I was so exhausted from my first week of work that I just wanted to relax. It really felt good.

I started food journaling again!

That's yesterday's journal. :) I didn't exercise 'cause my legs were still sore from the hike on Sunday, but I did exercise this morning. I plan on pushing up my jog time to 20 minutes on Thursday.

I'm gonna run. I'll post tomorrow morning. :)

Have a great weekend all!

--Shawnee

The Kashi Kraze

2009-08-20T06:44:00.001-07:00

I got a Kashi coupon in the mail for one free box of any of their product. This reminded me that I had a $1.50 off a box of TLC crackers or cookies when you buy a box of Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal.

So late last night after youth group, my husband and I drove to Safeway. I had two of those $1.50 coupons, but they say one per person. I made my hubby buy one separately. Oh and we also had one of Safeway's double off coupon for up to .50. So the total discount ended up being $2 off. :)

Anyway I got about $23 worth of Kashi products for 12! I was very excited when I realized that each box of the Go Lean Crunch cereal contained two snack sized pouches of crackers, and they have two $1 off coupons on the back of the boxes. :)

Major score!!

Anyway, I really do have to make this one short this morning. I'm about 45 minutes behind my morning schedule. I'm thinking I don't have time to exercise. I am going to attempt to force myself to do it tonight.

Go to www.kashi.com for your $1.50 off coupon! I printed off a couple more just in case.

Happy Thursday everyone! Tomorrow's Friday. Yippee. :)
--Shawnee

The way snacks were meant to be

2009-08-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

Quick post this morning. I don't really have anything exciting to share with you in terms of creative or exciting meals.

I thought I would take a picture of my lunch for today, which I packed last night.
My lunch looks really large, but its actually about 4 small meals or snacks. For my first snack I'll have the Oikos with blueberries and granola. For my actual lunch I have 3 of my enchiladas (in the smaller Tupperware container) and two wee oranges. Third lunch includes carrot sticks, cucumber slices and 1 tbsp of almond butter. Meal number four includes watermelon and a small slice of cheese.

The method behind my lunch madness? Well, I was reading an article in Real Simple magazine that talked about snacks and what they should include to keep you full and energized throughout the day. Basically your snacks should have bulk, protein, and a carb.

Thus, each of my snacks/meals have bulk with the fruits and veggies, which are also my carbs in most cases, and protein. I have protein in the yogurt, the beans/turkey in the enchiladas, a slice of cheese, and almond butter.

Of course we've all heard that we should eat smaller meals throughout the day. I fully agree. Smaller meals will keep you satisfied longer.

Anyway, my in-service day went well yesterday. There was a whole lot of talking going on, but being a Christian work environment, I kind of enjoyed some of it.

All three meals were included. For breakfast I had eggs, hash browns and a large serving of fruit. For lunch I ate a salad and splurged on the blue cheese dressing. :) I also had a half sandwich with turkey and pepper jack cheese. Oh and I also had a cookie which I should not have eaten, 'cause it kind of pushed my full-o-meter over the top. For dinner I had a salad, a small chicken breast, a small scoop of potato salad, and a dinner role.

I think throughout the rest of the day I ate a banana, a plumb, two starbursts, grapes and a slice of smoked Gouda.

I did not exercise yesterday. My excuse was that I had to leave for work at 7:30 a.m. and I didn't get home until 7:30 p.m. I was really tired, but I should have still forced myself to at least walk for a few minutes.

I'm now off to run and shower. Today is day 3 of my new job. Wish me luck. :)

Blessings to all,
--Shawnee

I so forgot to name this post this morning...oops

2009-08-18T06:12:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've finally joined the ranks of the working class. Yes, I've been working since I was 16, but I finally felt like that grouchy man (though I'm a woman) who wanted nothing more than a hot meal and tv. Well, thanks to my preparations on Sunday, I got my hot meal...

I also came home to an empty house and watched Ghostbusters for free on Youtube. It was kind of nice to just not talk to anyone and process for a while.

My enchiladas included rice, beans, and a wee bit of ground turkey. I seasoned the "stuffings" with organic ketchup, salsa and chili powder. I know the ketchup sounds weird, but it adds just the slightest bit of sweet to all the savory.

I cooked the enchiladas in a homemade enchilada sauce:

2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp flour (to make a roux)
1 can of Hunts all natural tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 tbsp chili powder (or less)

I can't tell you all the directions (cause I can't remember), though you make the roux and then add the other ingredients and cook on low until thick.

I make my own sauce because one it's much cheaper and two I've only ever found one enchilada sauce that I love and it just disappeared. After making my own, I've come to the conclusion that mine is just as good.

Eating Assessment of Yesterday

I feel like I ate rather well yesterday. I started off with a serving of oatmeal with banana, 2 tsp of brown sugar, 10 chocolate chips :) , 1 tbsp flax and 1/2 cup of Vanilla Almond Breeze. I also had a cup of coffee with Truvia and Almond Milk.

For lunch I ate a salad with my own homemade dressing, 1/2 oz blue cheese, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, 1/2 serving of raisins. I also had a single portioned Oikos with 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/8 cup homemade granola.

For my snacks I had 1 serving of grapes, 1 slice of smoked Gouda, 1/2 cup of cucumber slices, 1 carrot, and 1 tbsp almond butter. I also had 5 Starbursts. :)

For dinner I ended up eating 5 of my enchiladas. *YIKES* I know that's a lot, but when I sit down and think about it, the corn tortillas are only 50 calories each and the filling is minimal. I think I'm looking at about 500 calories total for dinner. For dessert, I had my last Pumpkin Raisin Oatmeal cookie.

Anyway, I don't usually type out everything I eat, but it's beneficial for me to see it all listed. I really really want to get back into the habit of writing it all down in my journal and posting my journal page.

Well folks, thank you for reading. I'm now off to shower and get ready to go in early for an In service day. A long day of all the VPs talking about their vision and what not. Hey, at least breakfast, lunch and dinner are included!

Remember to take one day at a time, and love yourself as you are and where you are.

Loves and Hugs,

Shawnee

P.S. I plan on catching up on blog reading tonight.

P.P.S I also just thought I should say that even though I might sound negative about my job, I'm really not. I'm just really tired from working longer hours. :)

Why I'm never home on the weekends...

2009-08-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

So, I meant to upload photos of my weekend first and then pictures of what I accomplished yesterday, but because blogger is acting weird, I'll start with yesterday and go backwards. LOL

Because I start my new job today, I did some preparations yesterday in order to make my week go by a little more smoothly.

First, I made a fruit tray. My husband is always telling me that if he could see the fruit, he'd eat it. So, I am taking my chances of the fruit possibly going bad...
I also prepared and planned a weeks worth of dinners. On the menu:

Monday: Enchiladas
Tuesday: BBQ with all my new coworkers
Wednesday: Chicken salads
Thursday: Whole Lemon/Citrus Chicken
Friday: Chicken Quesadillas
Saturday: Soup and Sandwiches

To prepare, I cooked two chicken breasts and chopped them up for easy chicken salads and chicken quesadillas.

Because my meat is all cooked, all I have to do the night before for the salads is chop the lettuce, tomatoes and carrots, and shred the cheese. For the quessadillas, I'll just shred the cheese the night before.

I also cooked some ground beef for Josh's enchiladas and for other beef dishes later in the month.

I forgot to take a picture of my enchilada stuffings, but it included rice, pinto beans and a little ground turkey. I actually made Josh enough enchiladas for two meals (lunch and dinner) and for me enough for dinner and two lunches.

My whole lemon citrus chicken dinner will just be thrown into the crock pot the night before.

Oh and I also made homemade granola...

On to why I'm never home for the weekends

I'm never home, 'cause I have more fun elsewhere!

This weekend, Brittany invited Michelle and I over for a Bed and Breakfast (at her home). We actually stayed two nights. I didn't take too many photos. I just forgot. Plus all I had was my phone and the pictures are not the best.

The first night Brittany prepared for us a whole bunch of assorted goodies. She made stuffed mushrooms, prepared humus, bean salsa, spinach dip, fruit, veggies, etc.

Breakfast the first morning was homemade pumpkin bread, spiced peaches and vegan bacon.

After chatting over coffee, we then ventured to Ashland, and had lunch at the Greenleaf. Britt and Michelle got salads.

And I got a pita pizza, which I meant to upload, but forgot to. It's too much hassle to load it now. Sorry. The pizza was so delicate and light. It was just enough to hold me over until...

We made our way to Rising Sun Farms, where we sampled about 15 different Cheese Tortettes. I bought a small sample one...
OMGoodness, talk about delish!

We also went to Eden Valley Orchards. I had a sip or two of complimentary wines, but gave the rest to Michelle. I'm just not that in to wine. Though, I still had a blast!

The view was beautiful. And check out these flowers...

After visiting the different creameries and wineries, we went to Jacksonville for dinner.

Isn't that sign cute. I had to take a picture...you know since Brittany is Britt. LOL This is actually for the Britt Festival in Jacksonville.

We ate at a Mexican restaurant for dinner. My meal seriously cost $3.45 and I got stuffed. I had a side taco and a side of rice. Amazing.

Brittany bought some organic chocolate, so I had a piece. Mmmm chocolate.

Breakfast the next day included egg beaters and homemade bread pudding, while we watched Rachel Getting Married. Good movie, though a little depressing.

Thank you Brittany for a beautiful weekend!

Well, sorry that post didn't give much in the way of creativeness, but I had to hurry. It took 10 minutes longer than I had planned. I'm now off to go for a morning run. Then I have to get ready and head out for my first day at work! Wish me luck.

--Shawnee

P.S. What did you all do this weekend?

Fried Oatmeal!?

2009-08-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

There are probably about 101 things to do with oatmeal. This one happened on accident! I give you Fried Oatmeal:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oatmeal
2 egg whites
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 tbsp of Smart Balance butter
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp Almond Butter to top

So I set out to make some "Oatmeal Pancakes" for dinner. Now, they're not really pancakes, 'cause they do not require wheat flour. How I usually make them is...Place the oats in a circle in a small non stick coated pan fry pan. Beat the egg whites and poor over the top. Heat through, and flip once. Top with fruit, butter, sugar and other toppings.

But here's what really happened...I started out cooking the oats with the eggs, but then DUN DUN DUN they stuck! So I just stirred them up in a sort of scramble, and added the blueberries to the fry pan.

I made my own "syrup." By melting the butter and sugar in the microwave and pouring it over the top. I also added almond butter.

This made a pretty good dinner last night.

After dinner I counted a 1/2 hour long water balloon fight with our youth group as my workout.

I must confess that I ate 3 Oreos and two pop tarts yesterday. :( That is not so helpful for the healthy eating. But I am not going to stress out about it. I'm just going to do better today! Oh and I lost a pound! Woo Hoo. I am back down to 170.4. YAY!

My stomach is feeling a little better today. It at least didn't wake me up last night. Thank you, both for caring :) LOL.

Well folks, tonight I leave for my best friend's house in Roseburg. She's planning a little mini escape for us. I'm excited.

Where have all the cowboys gone?

2009-08-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

I mean where have all the photos gone? Or something. Just trying to be witty. Sheesh.

Last night for dinner I made homemade bbq chicken pizza on my homemade whole wheat crust, but I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture. It wasn't that pretty anyway.

Health wise yesterday I was not feeling so hot. See I have these stomach issues, which the doctors thought was a gall bladder problem, but after very expensive and exhausting testing, we found out its not. Grrr... doctors. There are a couple other things it could be, but I am staying away from the doctor for a little while, as I racked up some doctors bills. :(

Anyway, my issue or flareup as I like to call, it has been waking me up the past couple nights. I've never had that happen before. It's been getting pretty bad so I have to eat bland and boring foods for the next couple of days.

For breakfast I had oatmeal, plain almond milk, a banana, and a tbsp of honey. For lunch I'll have plain rice and apple sauce. I haven't even thought of dinner yet. I sure wish i had a sweet potato.

I didn't exercise last night. Though I should have. Exercise is actually pretty beneficial to my problem. I am going to try to run tonight.

Anyway, sorry there are no pictures. Hope you all have a good day.

--Shawnee

Shrimp Fried Rice and a New Dressing!

2009-08-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to rack my brain to figure out what I've done since I last posted. I haven't done anything that exciting. Though, I did go shopping to buy some clothes for my new job. :) I got a couple cute pieces.

Health wise: I've definitely done better these last couple of days than I did over Thursday and Friday. I really really need to start journaling again. Even if I only keep track of what I eat for my stomach issues. That would be better than nothing. Oh and I am so running 15 minutes strait! Woohoo. Pretty soon I'll be doing my 45 minutes of running again. :)

Here are a couple interesting meal choices...

Healthy Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice (cooked equals three cups)
1 egg
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of fresh baby shrimp
tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Soy sauce to taste
Top with sweet chili sauce

Cook the rice. Then in a medium fry pan scramble the egg over medium heat. Toss in the baby shrimp and toasted sesame seeds and let warm through. Add the rice. Toss with soy sauce and top with sweet chili sauce.

Of course you could add veggies to this, but I didn't have any peas and carrots on hand. This made 3 servings. I ate 2 in one sitting. :( I just felt so hungry Sunday night.

Shrimp Salad with Sweet Sundried Tomato Balsamic Dressing

In this bowl:

2 cups romaine
1/2 cup whole wheat macaroni noodles
1 egg, hardboiled and chopped
1/2 cup shrimp
1/2 serving oyster crackers
Sweet Sundried Tomato Balsamic Dressing

So I totally didn't mean for this to be photo worthy. And actually the photo is kind of messy. But I was so proud of my dressing. I added the whole wheat noodles for a carb, 'cause I was planning on running that evening (and I did). The noodles were surprisingly delicious.

Recipe for Sweet Sundried Tomato Balsamic Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (not oil packed)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey
About 1/4 cup water (more if too thick)
Salt to taste

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until desired texture. You may have to continue adding water to get the thickness you choose. This dressing is amazing! I don't think I'll ever go back to store bought junk. Unless I am really craving ranch. :)

Until next time my faithful few followers!

--Shawnee

Winner of the "Deceptively Delicious" Cookbook Giveaway Announced!

2009-08-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday morning everyone! I'm sorry I've been so scarce lately. I had a big changes take place in my life this past week, and now I'm back and ready for action! I'll talk about my changes later, but first...

The drawing for the "Deceptively Delicious" Cookbook Giveaway. Drum roll please...

And the winner is...

...STEPHANIE! Who wrote that her favorite childhood comfort foods are "Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches, or my Dad's Minnie Mouse Pancakes :) Yumm!" Well Stephanie there are a couple of pancake recipes in the book that I'm sure you'll add to your favorites. ;)

Congratulations Stephanie! Please send your shipping info. to shawneerandolph@gmail.com. I'll send the package out on Monday!

Thank you all for entering. This has been a blast!

Shawnee's Creation: Salmon Alfredo with Dill and Lemon

Sometime in the midst of all this craziness, I came up with this dish...

I was just playing around with the plating.

Ingredients:

1 can of canned pink salmon
1 cup of Almond Milk
4 tblsp light cream cheese
1 cup pureed cauliflower
1/2 of a large chicken bouillon cube
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp of dill
Desired amount of whole wheat pasta

First, start the water for the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the milk on medium heat, stirring frequently. Add the cauliflower puree, and cream cheese. Allow the cream cheese to melt. Next add the bouillon, lemon juice, dill and salmon. If necessary, add a little bit of corn starch (follow directions on box) to thicken. Serve over pasta.

I topped it with a wee bit of paprika for some color. This was delicious. My husband didn't even notice the cauliflower. See, you can adapt and change ideas in the "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook!

Out with the Old and In with the New

Here is a brief life update:

While, I am a freelance journalist, I also work at my church as my church's office administrator. I have no desire to attempt to live on a novice freelancer's salary. I think we might starve.

Anyway, there are aspects of my job that I love, and other aspects I do not. For example, it is extremely slow, and boring, and there is never any chance of my ever moving up.

I started picturing myself as the secretary who was there before me...for 30 years! I just decided, I can't do that.

I graduated from college with my B.S in English-Journalism in 2008. I have been doing freelance, but I wanted to put my degree to better use. So I started to apply for different jobs.

Well two weeks ago, I got a response. Then a week ago I had a phone interview. Then on Monday I had an in person interview. On Tuesday I was offered the job. And finally on Wednesday I was officially hired. Oh and on Thursday and Friday I went to a Leadership conference in Eugene with my new coworkers.

I'll be an Admissions Councilor for the Adult Degree and Graduate college I graduated from. I am just blown away. I start on the 17th of this month.

That's next Monday folks. This will mean a couple of things: one my church has to scramble to find someone else; two I'll now be working on Fridays and later days; and three my husband and I can go back to school for free (part of my amazing package).

Anyway, I am excited and nervous at the same time. I don't really want to go to church on Sunday, because I am not sure who knows. I may just lay low for awhile.

This will mean I'll have to make some adjustments to when I blog and exercise. So bare with me for the next few weeks as I make some changes.

I hope you all have a fabulous rest of the weekend.

--Shawnee

I've fallen off the wagon

2009-08-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for the "Deceptively Delicious" Cookbook giveaway, click here.

*hangs head in shame and can't bare to meet your eyes*

I haven't exercised for 3 days and I've lost track of all I've eaten. Bad Shawnee! Here are my excuses. Keep in mind they are just excuses and I know I am entirely at fault for not exercising and not eating clean...
I had a semi stressful event take place on Monday, and knowing that it was coming, I had massive anxiety about it all weekend. On top of that aunt Flo is coming to visit and we all know how much of a pain in the you-know-what she can be.

Like I said, I know that all of these things are just excuses. I should have nipped my naughty behavor in the butt and got off the couch and exercised. I also should not have given into my salt cravings. :(

But instead of dwell on my misfortunes, I can rejoice in some of the good choices I made:

While I did eat one of my husbands corn dogs for a meal, I only ate one!
Even though I had a massive craving for Subway, at least I wasn't craving Burger King. I had a 6 inch sub.
I spent a couple hours cleaning my house.
Even though my husband came home from his trip yesterday, and I ate fast food twice, *screams* I made good choices for those as well (or better choices at least). I had a McDonalds' Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad (only about 450 calories, with lots of veggies). I also had an Arby's French Dip, with no fries.

Anyway, instead of just sitting and moping about this weekend, I'm going to get right back on that wagon and ride baby ride! I'm going to write down my food intake today, and enter it on SparkPeople. I'm also going to exercise when I get off work.

I can do this, and I will do this! I am not going to let little Mrs. Perfectionist get in my way and tell me that I've screwed up this weekend, so there's no way I can achieve my goal.

One interesting eat in the midst of all this chaos:

My very own Mexican Pizza!

Like I said above, I was having these massive salt cravings, so I really wanted something salty the other day.

I try to always have some homemade pizza crusts on hand (see my July 19 post for a link to the recipe), and I had a bunch of Mexican type toppings left over from when I made my Quesadillas and Mexicana Hummus. Here is what I came up with:

For the sauce, 2 tbspn hummus, 2 tbspn cream cheese, 1 tbsp salsa.
Black beans
Chopped Belle Pepper
More salsa!

It was the best pizza I've had in a long time, period! ;)

Well, my goal for tomorrow is to wake up early and post. Tonight is Scrappy Tuesday. :) Hope you all have a great one.

-- Shawnee

P.S. I had every intention of making those Spinach brownies, until I realized they also call for carrot puree! I am out of carrots, so maybe I'll get some tonight (or tomorrow??)

P.P.S Not that anyone would notice, but I accidentally deleted my links at the top of my page, under my header. I hope to get those back up in the next couple of days.

Wisdom of a Foodie

2009-08-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

Psst. If you're looking for the "Deceptively Delicious" Cookbook giveaway, click here to enter. Don't forget to enter by Aug. 7!

Over the last couple of days I've been sharing my thoughts with a fellow foodie on FoodBuzz. Rachel of Laptops and Stovetops told me she is also on a similar self improvement journey. She is living by the motto, "trying to be the best me I can be." And of course I am attempting to "love myself as I am."

I told her my biggest frustration with being a perfectionist is that I want to be all, achieve all, and have all -- perfectly. In other words, I want everything done now, and mastered to perfection! When it doesn't happen the way I think it should, I get frustrated, overwhelmed and give up.

She replied: "When I am getting frustrated with progress, I try to liken myself to a master work of a marbled sculpture. Even if it's just a few minor chips I make each day, I am still working towards my masterpiece."

Thinking back to when started this blog (three months ago or so), I could barely force myself to exercise for 30 minutes a day on a regular basis. Before Rachel made that comment, I thought my silly little "21 Day New Habit Challenge" was a failure. I may not have completed all my goals, but look at me now. I've been exercising regularly since the start of it!

Rachel inspired and reminded me to take one day at a time. To view every step of progress, no matter how small, as a leap on my path towards my final destination. Thanks for the inspiration!

And now my progress of yesterday...

So after going to the bank, and leaving my debit card there, I went grocery shopping. I was on the hunt to find a VitaTop muffin, but Fred Meyer doesn't carry them. They did, however, have Oikos Greek Yogurt!

I've been craving yogurt the last few days, but I won't buy the sugary stuff and I despise plain yogurt. I remember having some Greek Yogurt with fruit and honey at a B&B, and I liked it.

Oikos' flavor is by far less offensive than that of plain yogurt. For a snack, I had 1/2 a cup of Oikos, 1/2 cup blueberries, a little natural applesauce and some honey. Hit the spot.

Doggy Days...

Below is a picture of Maddie with her baby after going for a run. See the way she's lying? She actually sleeps like that. Weirdo.
Maddie loves her baby.

"Deceptively Delicious" Mac & Cheese: Deceptively OK

I wanted to give the Mac & Cheese recipe from "Deceptively Delicious" a try, since many of you said it was your childhood comfort food. Hey don't forget to enter the "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook giveaway. Jessica Seinfeld's recipe called for cauliflower puree (or butternut squash puree), skim milk, lowfat cheddar, lowfat cream cheese, paprika, salt, and pepper. Since I use organic dairy, I did use full fat. I really have to be careful with her recipes, because she uses a lot of "lowfat" variaties. Variaties that are usually not organic. Anyway...

It was ok. I happened to like it anyway. I'm sure had my husband eaten it, and I told him it was mac & cheese, he would have objected. :) But, if I were to use the basis of that recipe and add some turkey burger or something and give it a different name, he would have eaten it and told me it was ok.

The recipe definitely didn't taste like the boxed stuff. It was closer to homemade mac & cheese. Though, I can tell you nobody would know cauliflower hides among the elbow macaroni and the cheese.

For a healthy all natural version of mac & cheese, it hit the spot.

I served mine with leftover steamed cauliflower and chicken breast. To make the mac & cheese more grown up, I crumbled some blue cheese over the top. hehehe

I had to share that the mac & cheese definitely filled me up (due to using whole wheat pasta), and I left 1/2 of the chicken breast. :) I usually clean my plate.Today I'm going to try the Brownies with Spinach. I'll let you know how those go!

Here is everything else I ate...

With some changes though. I did have the banana soft serve, but I ate it with a spoonful of blueberry jam, rather than chocolate syrup and nuts.

I also exercised for 55 minutes. I did 20 minutes on the treadmill -- 5 minute warm up and 15 minute run. I also did 35 minutes of tae bo.

The rest of my day today:

So much to do so little time. I'm off to clean the house now. YAY *sarcasm*

Remember, ever little bit of progress you make is still progress.

--Shawnee

And the Ex-Perfectionist emerges from her hole

2009-07-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

First off, thank you all so much for entering into the "Deceptively Delicious" Cookbook Giveaway! Giving away this cookbook is just as exciting for me as it is for you. :) I've already made one recipe from my copy and tomorrow I plan to make the mac & cheese, a childhood comfort food of many of you. If you have not yet entered, click here.

As for my absence the last couple of days, I have no excuse other than I haven't made myself get out of bed in the morning. :( It's the best time for me to blog.

Here is a glimpse of what I've done the last few days...

Cucumber Egg Salad Sandwich

Yes, this is another one of Shawnee's creations.

In my sandwich:

1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/4-1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup red onions
handful chopped parsley
2 hard boiled eggs with the yolk, 2 without
1/4 cup light mayo (it's all I had, would have preferred plain organic yogurt)
1/4 cup mustard
salt, pepper, paprika to taste

Directions, mix everything together and serve on whole wheat toast. This made three servings. I served mine with kale chips (my new favorite). Not bad. I am not so sure I liked the parsley.

The benefits of living in a farming community...

I am always getting fresh veggies and fruit from people. I got all this in just one week. That's blue berry jam! :D It is delicious.

Zucchini Cakes

I put that yellow squash, or as some people call them, yellow zucchini to good use and made some Zucchini Cakes. I got the recipe from Food del Mundo.

I really liked them. Of course I made some changes (as usual). First, I gratted the carrots, rather than thinly slice them. I added about 1/2 a cup of thinly sliced green peppers. I needed to use them. I also used3/4 cup flour, rather than part Parmesan cheese, 'cause I didn't have any. Oh and I needed another egg. I also added some chili powder to go with the theme of these...

Quesadillas from "Deceptively Delicious"
I was really surprised by the quesadillas. Jessica Seinfeld incorporated squash puree into the cheese. You couldn't even tell it was there! Of course I only had white cheese, but with yellow cheese your kids (or husband as in my case) would definately be fooled.
I made a Mexicana Hummus to go with my Mexican meal. I used this...
Brittany got it for me a while back and I had yet to try it. It's supposed to be mixed with sour cream rather than chickpeas, but I though "why not?" It's not too bad.
Overall a very satisfying meal!

Sometimes I do things

I've been feeling a little blue today. I'm not sure why. Actually I do know why but It's all gonna be a'ry! But sometimes when I feel blue, I do things...
Like dye my hair. LOL
I'm satisfied with the color. I still need to put highlights in, but I'll do that tomorrow. If Brittany can get a tattoo, I can color my hair.
That's right, I said it!

Tuesday was pretty Scrappy

I did an hour of scrapbooking again on Tuesday, but I ran out of glue. So tonight, I'll be finishing the pages. This layout is for my 2007 trip to Nashville for a Journalism conference.
When I went to buy the glue I couldn't help but buy this fabric!
Ahhh Michelle what have you done to me? Thanks again, Michelle, for "The New Handmade." It's such an inspiring book. I am so excited to make homemade cloth napkins! Won't these just be adorable as napkins? But before I make the napkins, I have to make my cloth grocery bags. I'm starting those tomorrow.

What I've eaten in the last 3 days.

So I didn't calculate calories, but here is my food journaling. You can click them to make them bigger (edited to note that for some reason you can only click the last one to make it bigger...who knows why). I've also been exercising. Though I don't think I'm going to get to it tonight. :( I've been bad. I'll just do a double tomorrow. Well everyone, thanks for reading, and don't forget to enter for my Deceptively Delicious" Giveaway!

Until tomorrow,

--Shawnee

Deceptively Delicious Cookbook Giveaway!

2009-07-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

Photo from www.deceptivelydelicious.com

The Ex-Perfectionist is giving away a free copy of Jessica Seinfeld’s Deceptively Delicious.

Ecstatic barely explains how I felt when I received my copy of Deceptively Delicious. I’ve been plagued with the riddle of trying to figure out how to get my husband to eat more healthily on a regular basis. That’s when I found this cookbook.

It’s full of revamped recipes of childhood comfort foods, and best of all, your kids (or picky husbands) won’t even know it’s good for them. Seinfeld sneakily incorporates good-for-you fruit and vegetable purees into each innovative dish.

Admittedly, at first the puree preparation worried me a bit. That is, until I realized Seinfeld gives the reader ideas on how to stock their kitchen, and prepare the purees ahead a time to make dinner a snap.

More from the website:
“Jessica Seinfeld, like many busy parents, struggled to get her three kids to eat healthily. After much trial-and-error — and many mealtime battles — she discovered a foolproof system: delicious and easy-to make stealth recipes that sneak in puréed veggies so kids will never suspect the foods they love are actually good for them!

Her new book, Deceptively Delicious, is packed with Jessica's own mouthwatering recipes, tips on making healthy snacks and improving store-bought foods, and her advice on creating harmony around the kitchen table. Now, parents will never again have to say "Eat your vegetables!""

I was so impressed with the ideas in this cookbook, that I got my friend Brittany a copy of one for her birthday. She also lives with a finicky husband.

This recipe book is perfect for: Parents with kids; spouses with picky significant others; and those days when you yourself don’t feel like eating your vegetables

Here's how to enter (Please read all the rules):

First: In order to be entered, everyone must at least comment on this post and tell me your favorite childhood comfort food.

After you've completed the first step, there are six additional ways to enter your name into the drawing:

Follow or subscribe to my blog.
Add my blog to your blog roll (give me your blog url in your comment)
Link back to this post on your blog post (give me your blog url in your comment)
Follow me on Twitter (let me know your Twitter Name in your comment)
Tweet this Giveaway (let me know your Twitter Name in your comment)
Refer a friend to this contest (have them mention your name/username in their comment)

You have a chance to enter this contest seven different times! Each entry you make gives you another chance for your name to be drawn.

Make sure you let me know in your first comment the additional entries you have made. For example, if you add me to your blog roll and follow me on Twitter, please let me know in your comment. Be sure to leave your blog url and your Twitter name, so I can check out your blog and Twitter.

All entries must be made by Friday, Aug. 7 at midnight (Pacific Standard Time).

Good Luck!

--Shawnee

P.S. Invite all your friends!

P.P.S Jen, The Prior Fat Girl, is also giving away a cookbook and an apron! How awesome is that!? Check it out.

My Weekend Review and a Rumor of a Givaway??

2009-07-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

Finally, after taking forever to edit and load my photos, and the Internet going down, I am ready to make this post!

But, before I do I just wanted to mention that I heard from a little birdy that I might just be doing a really awesome giveaway in the next couple of days. That's right, come back soon to find out how you can win a really amazing cookbook!

And now, my weekend review.

Friday:

Josh and I headed up to Longview to sell some junk at his parent's garage sale. We ended up making $60 a piece! YAY.

I went out to lunch with my mom and grandma at the Country Folks Deli, aka Cow Deli.

I had half a Grilled Avocado Sandwich with Swiss cheese and a side salad. Their Sun Dried Tomato Basil Dressing is to die for. I think I figured out all the ingredients.
I went for a run that evening and then shopping with my cash! I got a complete outfit at Ross for $22.50.
I already owned the purse and necklace. But, guess how much I got the shoes for?? $.50, they were originally $50! A total score. :)
I also bought new bowls to go with the plates I purchased a month or so ago. I wanted to do the mix and match thing. Doesn't my set totally look like a flower?
I also bought the cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, Every Day Chance by Max Lucado, and the newest addition of Real Simple Magazine. The other book in this photo and the utensils are gifts from Brittany and Michelle. I'll share about those later.

Saturday:

Josh and I made our way to the Oregon Coast on Saturday for my mom's wedding.
Maddie wanted to say hi.
The ceremony was super laid back, short and sweet. That's mom and her new hubby below.
The whole new family, including my new little siblings (weird huh) lol. But they're nice. I am an only child, so it will take some getting used to.
Me and Mom.
Mom's reception was totally non traditional. We had lunch in Manzanita...
at the Pizza Garden.
There were about 12 people total in and at the wedding. We all ate out on the deck and watched the two bald eagles fly around their nests.
The inside was really cute too, and...
...pizza was amazing. I was super impressed that they had gluten free crust!

Sunday:

After church on Sunday (back home in A-Town), I drove south to Eugene to meet up with my best girls.
Brittany and Michelle.

We had lunch at the Midtown Marketplace.
I loved the atmosphere. You have to see it for yourself to understand.
We each ordered a different salad. They were all amazing. I got the Pene Pesto Pasta on top of a bed of greens. To die for. It had big chunks of artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and more. So good!
Then we exchanged gifts! The occasion?: Britt's birthday was July 17th, Britt brought us souvenirs from Disneyland, and Michelle brought me a belated b-day gift!

Britt brought me the Mickey/Disney cooking utensils (in the photo under Friday), and she got Michelle Jack Skellington Mickey ears. Michelle absolutely adores A Nightmare Before Christmas.
I bought Brittany a super cute polka dot apron and a copy of Deceptively Delicious.
Oh, and for my belated b-day present Michelle got me The New Handmade, a really awesome book with tons of modern sewing ideas! I am so inspired.

After lunch, Brittany was in the mood for a smoothie, so I suggested we go toward the University of Oregon. I kind of remember there being a bunch of places to eat and hang when I was at a journalism conference there.

We didn't really find it, but we stopped to walk around the campus and check out the Hayward Field.
Then we intentionally got lost and found our way to the Fifth Street Market...
...and La Velle Vinyards.
Michelle talked us into wine tasting. It was seriously like 3 tblsps worth of wine. I did really enjoy the sweet Rieslings.
Below is Sam, they nice man who put up with us! Hi Sam. :) If you're ever in Eugene, you should stop by the Fifth Street Market and go to La Velle Vinyards, and say hi to Sam.
Finally we found a place to have a smoothie. The LN. LN stands for something, I just can't remember what. Nor can I find it on Google.
Michelle and I indulged in the peach and Brittany treated herself to the strawberry. They weren't too sweet, which is good 'cause it makes me feel like I am not eating a bunch of sugar.
Whew! That post was exhausting. :) Until next time my faithful nine followers!

--Shawnee

P.S. Don't forget to come back often to learn more about my amazing giveaway.

P.P.S. I got sick of looking at myself every time I viewed my blog, so I designed a new header. It may change a bit from time to time in the next few days. So bear with me.

A fabulous weekend and some more online finds!

2009-07-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend was fabulous! I’ll be posting either tonight or tomorrow. I have lots of pictures to share of my weekend adventure. Here’s a glimpse what you’ll see on my next post:

Good Oregon Eats and a Washington Dud
My complete $20 outfit (including shoes)
New Books and Kitchen Utensils
Pictures from my mom’s wedding

I can’t wait to share my finds and adventures! For now check these online finds out:

Article:
3 Picnic Menus from Real Simple Magazine. It's supposed to get up to 100 degrees today, so maybe when it cools down a bit, I'll consider a picnic. :)

Cool Blog:
Healthy Eats: Read, Chicken Salad, Lightened Up. This would make a great addition to the picnic meals. I would probably make this with organic plain or Greek yogurt instead of light mayo.

Coupon:
Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce from Pillsbury $1 off. Plain tomato sauce and diced tomatoes is a staple in my home. I'm always on the lookout for a good deal on the organic varieties!

Comment on this, and let me know what your favorite online find!

Have a great day,
Shawnee

Awesome Organic Food Coupons

2009-07-23T10:47:00.001-07:00

Hi all, I just wanted to leave you with some awesome finds before I head out for my crazy weekend with my friends and family!

Coupons:

Kashi: Save $1.50 on any TLC® snack when you buy a box of Kashi.

Such a good deal! Safeway has the TLC crackers for sale for $2.50, plus pair that with the coupon and their double manufacture's coupon (up to .50) that's .50 for a box of Kashi crackers! Plus I think their cereal is on sale too. Good find.

Organic Valley (Dairy products): $1 coupons for several of their products. Milk, cheese, sour cream, soy milk, etc.

I never go to the store without printing off one of these babies. Organic milk is just too pricey.

Seeds of Change: $1 off their organic sauces.

Seeds of Change is hard to find in my area, but I love their frozen entrees.

Recipe Find:

I stumbled accross a blog, Then You Stand and she posted yesterday about a homemade Lara Bar recipe at cleaneatingonline.com.

I am so excited to try this. If you've been reading my blogs you know I rarely buy packaged foods, as it is just too costly. But with great coupons and recipes like these, who needs to buy them at full price (or buy them at all for that matter). :)

Enjoy a fantabulous weekend all.

Blessings,

--Shawnee

50 Foot Plumber Man meets Eating Disorders

2009-07-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

I’m one of those people who can’t sleep because thoughts, emotions, and ideas are constantly racing through my brain like it’s the German Autobahn. I’m blessed and cursed as a thinker and a visionary -- always dreaming up new ideas or projects for myself. But I can get so completely overwhelmed and ahead of myself that I can’t seem to control the steps or processes it takes to get to my desired outcome.

Thus, perfectionism.

Bah! Well, today I am going to discuss a couple of those things that have been plaguing my thoughts. Just to get them down and out is so relieving.

Attack of the 50 Foot Plumber Man!

First off, I nearly just had a panic attack. I got a phone call today from a plumber’s office and it went something like this:

“Hi this is Trudy from Mr. Smith’s Plumbing. Mr. Smith is ready to come and look at your home." (The plumber is seriously a block away!)

“Oh, uh, wow. I didn’t get any sort of a warning.”

“Well, dear he’s been in business for 20 years and nothing bothers him. Don’t feel embarrassed.”

I agree to let the man come over, hang up the phone, and talk myself out of throwing a fit. (Names have been changed to protect the innocent)

See, I broke my 21 Day habit yesterday and let my dinner dishes go. I had planned to wake up and do them this morning, but I slept in (thus breaking another habit). I had already been feeling guilty about breaking my habits, and now someone has to see the living proof of it!
I had to slow down and think about the rest of my house. It isn’t that bad. Just the dinner dishes.

Anyway, I realized right off that this is the voice of perfectionism creeping in. I’m not perfect. The man has no right to judge me. And even if he does, he doesn’t know how busy I was last night.

So in yo face MR. Plumber man!

Eating disorders: A deadly perfection

There was a common theme floating through the air yesterday. Or perhaps God was just trying to tell me something.

My best friend, Brittany, admitted on her blog yesterday that she has an eating disorder. Then, I was reading the Daily Sparkblog and found a link that defines different eating disorders, including one that is not usually associated or defined as such. Click here for the definitions.

I’ve admitted briefly and vaguely to Brittany and my other beautiful best friend, Michelle, that I have an eating disorder. But I wasn’t really convinced. After reading that definition, I am pretty sure it defined me.

In fact I was just talking to my Mom on our trip to Ashland about this. I actually told her that I am not a binge eater. I told her I’ve never eaten a whole box of cereal or a whole bag of chips. But, occasionally I do have one or two serving extra of something small. Then I feel really disgusted with myself, and out of control, and like I want to crawl in a hole and die.
Part of that definition, defines me. It turns out it doesn’t matter how much you binge on, it’s more about the emotions and feelings that are associated with eating.

I am pretty convinced one of the reasons the world -- girls, teens, people in their 20s and older – struggle with eating disorders and negative body issues is because we’re all trying to obtain perfection. It saddens me to think that some women work for this perfection, but they’re never going to obtain it.

We feel this need for perfection because we were created to feel that need. God created us to keep our eyes on Jesus, who is the embodiment of perfection. Sadly, the world is striving for the wrong perfection.

I’m no better.

But knowing I struggle, and admitting it, is going to make my path to healing so much easier.

Recap of yesterday:

Calories in/Calories out

I'm sorry I didn't get to adding up my calories yet today. Perhaps I will have time and edit to add my calories in and out.

I did do 35 minutes of Billy Blanks' Tae Bo Bootcamp. That was a blast from the past. An exhausting one at that!

I told my hubby last night that when I was in high school, Tae Bo was a sinch to me. It made me feel really out of shape.

Dishes: Not check. Exercise: Check. Wake up early: Check.

So far today, I did not wake up early.

I will be gone this weekend!

On the agenda:

Garage sale at Josh's parents house on Friday
Mom's wedding on Saturday
Lunch with Britt and Michelle on Sunday! Busy Busy.

I'll take my laptop. Hopefully I might have some time to do a quick post.

Have a good weekend everyone.

--Shawnee

Oh Scrappy Day

2009-07-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

I had a fabulous day yesterday. Pretty much everything seemed to just flow together, with no major hiccups to my schedule. That makes me a happy camper. Oh wait! Does that mentality make me a perfectionist?

Ahhh! Blind-sided by my own philosophy. Of course, there were a few moments when not all went as planned, but I am not focusing on those insignificant details. I just want all my efforts to be geared in the direction of living and loving my life -- even the imperfect times. If that makes any since at all.

New recipe at add to my recipe binder

My day started off yesterday with an early rise to blog. And, I even had time to try a new recipe: Baked Oatmeal! Thanks to Kath from Katheats.com. Click here for the recipe.

Now, Kath used all banana, but I had some leftover pumpkin puree in the fridge that needed to be used up. I'm calling my version Baked Pumpkin Banana Oatmeal.

Here are my substitutions/additions:

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (in place of the one mashed banana)
1 .5 tsp Cinnamon
.5 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp brown sugar (added to the batter)
1/2 cup mixed chopped nuts and seeds (added to the batter)
Vanilla almond breeze in place of the milk

I enjoyed ever single bite. This morning, I topped it with half a cup of fresh blueberries. YUMO. Thanks for the idea Kath.

Girls lunch out: Gardner House B&B

My coworker and I went out for lunch yesterday to the Gardner House in Stayton, OR. I had their Hummus and Grilled Veggie Panini (half) and a cup of the chicken dumpling soup. So wonderful and light. Though, I could have eaten a whole sandwich and a bowl of soup. :P

Then for dessert I took one of these babies to go. Chocolate Raspberry Tart.

I ate half after lunch and half after dinner. It made for a sweet treat.

Dinner creation: Chicken Breast with White Wine Lemon Gravy

This recipe is no where near perfect. I'll give you a quick version of the recipe...

Ingredients:

Chicken breast
Chopped parsley
1/2 green pepper sliced
Handful of baby Bella mushrooms
1/2 of a fresh diced tomatoes
Juice from a quarter of a lemon
1/4 cup (or less) White Wine (not cooking wine)
1/4 cup (or less) chicken stock
tsp Corn starch

First cook the chicken on med-low in a frying pan. Lightly salt and pepper each side. When the chicken is cooked through, lower heat and add the wet ingredients. Next throw in the veggies on top. Once the veggies are cooked to desired crunchiness (or lack there of), remove the veggies and the chicken. Arrange with chicken on top of veggies. Next mix your corn starch with a little COLD water. Add the corn starch water to the left over juices. Stir until the gravy is thickened. Spoon over chicken.

I served mine with grilled zucchini and a baked yam with Smart Balance Light Butter. Not a bad meal for 4oo calories!

Calories in/Calories out (July 21)

As light as dinner may have been the rest of the day goes as follows...

Calories in: 1873

Calories out: 297

Please note that my calories in does not include the wonderful little tart. I'm guessing we could add another 200 to that total. *screams* Keep in mind my goal is 1700.

I am however very pleased with my calories out. I ran for 10 minutes strait, walked for 15 at a decent speed, then walked at the same speed at a 10% incline for 10 minutes, and cooled down for 5 minutes. For a total of 40 minutes.

Don't forget to click the photo of my food journal for a better view into what I eat! I was beginning to feel a little self conscious about taking a picture of my food journal. That is until Dancia posted a very encouraging comment about my journaling on my last post. I began to worry that the photo looks too cluttered. And not to mention I have terrible hand writing. So thanks for the encouragement!

A little me time: Scrap-Happy

Remember the list of things I want to do every week but don't have time for, which I mentioned in my last post? Well, scrapbooking is one of those things. I made time to do it last night for 1.5 hours. It felt nice.

After two years, I was finally able to scrap my best friend's wedding and bachelorette party. Scrapbooking used to be one of those things I was a perfectionist about. I could literally take 4-5 hours on one page. I wanted my pages to by stylish and something that other scrapbookers would admire. You know, a layout worthy of a scrapbooking magazine.

But I realized, I scrapbook for me. Nobody else but me. I want to preserve my memories in a way that makes me smile. I don't care if they're cluttered, or if I use too many photos on one page.

My goal is to do this at least1.5 hours every week. I think Tuesday will be my scrap day. :) I've been putting it off for way to long.

Day 12 (July 21): Dishes: check. Exercise: check. Wake up early: check

My goal for today is to have a good day! I plan to work hard and eat less. :)

What is your goal for the day?

Blessings,

Shawnee

Almost forgot to name this post!

2009-07-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I'm awake. :D It's 6:34 a.m. and I've been out of bed for 34 minutes. Yay. I feel like I accomplished something huge.

So what prompted this early rise? Well, yesterday I made a list of all the things I would like to do in a week. Maybe one of these days I'll share it. On that list there were about 10 "extra-circular" activities, or things that don't necessarily need to happen, but that are hobbies. And there are about five things that are necessities (cooking, cleaning, exercise, etc.)

After making this list, I jotted down a basic schedule of my every day. I realized, I am either going to have to give some things up or add a couple hours to my day. So here I am, blogging (not a necessity) at the wee hours of the morning. If I want to do it. I'll make time to do it. Right?

Recap of yesterday...

Interesting meal idea: Grilled Blue Cheese and Baby Sandwich:

On this sammy:

Homemade whole wheat bread
2 tbsp left over pizza sauce
1 oz blue cheese
handful of baby Bella mushrooms
handful of spinach
3 slices tomatoes

In a small to medium frying pan, using non-cook spray, saute the mushrooms until desired tenderness. Rinse the spinach and throw it in with mushrooms. Cook spinach until warm, but not mushy. Add other toppings to the bread, then add spinach and mushrooms. Grill the sandwich on medium-low heat until golden brown and cheese is melted. YUM!

I had this for lunch yesterday.

Calories in/Calories out
(for July 20)

Click the pic for a larger view.

Calories in: 1918

At least its less than yesterday! I'm pretty sure my problem is the stupid chips. I am not sure why I am so addicted. I didn't even buy them, but they're in my house so I eat them. Grrr how they vex me so.

I subtracted the chips from my total calories, and yes I would have been under my goal of 1700 calories had I not eaten them. :(

Calories out: 185

I should have burned about 100 more calories. I did do a 30 minute walk yesterday.

Dishes, check. Exercise, check. Get out of bed early, not check. But as you can see, I did get out of bed early this morning. :)

Amazing Blogger Giveaways!

Oh and BTW Dancia is having a Annie's new Mac & BBQ Sauce Giveaway! To enter, click here to checkout her blog.

Also, check out Missy Maintain's Musselman's Apple Sauce Giveaway, click here.

Don't miss this fabulous Artistan Nut Butter Giveaway at Twirlit, click here.

Well, I'm off to make a new recipe for breakfast. I'll share it with you tomorrow morning.

--Shawnee

Baked Kale=Kale Chips???

2009-07-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

I finally tried Kale Chips!

For last night's dinner, I was in a salty/carb type mood, so to save some calories, I had kale chips and sweet potato fries. So delicious.

For the kale chips recipe, visit katheats.com. The chips really are crunchy and chip like. The recipe said to bake them for 15 minutes, but mine were a little overdone at 7 minutes!

For sweet potato fries:

Slice a sweet potato into fries, drizzle on some EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), add some spices, and bake at 375 for about 25 minutes or until desired tenderness. I added, fresh garlic, rosemary, chili powder, nutmeg, curry, and salt.

Calories in/Calories Out

(for July 20)

Calories in: 1997

Calories out: 159

So I realized last week, that if I want to lose 1 pound a week, all I have to do is consume 1750 calories (or less) and burn 288 calories a day.

I've been trying to lose 2 pounds a week. I've been trying that for a year! I figured losing 1 pound a week is better than no pounds.

But, for whatever reason, I am having a really hard time staying in my calorie range. Last week I was eating about 1600-1700 a day.

I do know that there have been potato chips in the house lately. I have a pretty strong addiction to them. I didn't have any yesterday, but for the last couple days before that (and today), I have had a couple servings worth. That is definately a factor. I just need more self control!

I don't know about this. I can't seem to wake up in the morning. Though I did exercise and do the dishes.

I hope to post in the morning. I'm off to Bible study. Ciao!

--Shawnee

The Ex-Perfectionist

This is it: The Re-Launch

Best of Shawnee's Creations

Best of Breakfast

Best of Healthy Sides

Best of Healthy Desserts

Best of Healthy Meals

Best Of: Sandwiches

Counting down to the Re-Launch!

Reevaluating

Fast Food

Vacation... all I ever wanted

Is Jamie Oliver nuts?

E-E-E-EGGS? *shreaks*

Seeds of Change

So far. So good!

When all else fails, sign up for a 5k

Talk about Irregularity

Paper Plate Omelets!

Ode to Exercise in the key of E minor

Prosciutto Wrapped Italian Turkey Patties: Because sometimes I do things

Easy-Peasy almost Carbonara

Cooking for an Enemy 101

Something Clever

I might actually post one of these days...

If Martha and Oprah can have favorite things...

Moving, moving, moving

Two things

Welcome to my American Dream

Big Changes for the Ex-Perfectionist

Book Giveaway: The One Day Way

Winner announced!

Another book giveaway? That's amazing!!

I'm alive!

Christmas Books Winners Announced!

Giveaway: A Treasured Gift from Me to You!

She cries herself to sleep...

Get off your butt and eat some Stewi

Wonderful Weekend

Held my own

Eating less = fuller longer? No way!

WWKE?

I'm a meal stalker!

Is Chick Lit Hurting your Mariage?

Man cannot live on bread alone...or can he?

Today's like sweet Honey Sunshine

I'm still here

Slowly making progress

Calories in/out

and the scales fell from my eyes...

Calories in/out for Thursday

It went a little something like this...

Wednesday Weigh-in

Monday Meal Plan

Wednesday Weigh-In

Lost my passion

Weigh-In Wednesday

I always feel like somebody's watchin me

Peaches and Cream: Is there a better way to start my day?

Just an OK kind of day

Journaling, Weigh-In and Questioning Life

Look who's back, back again

The Kashi Kraze

The way snacks were meant to be

I so forgot to name this post this morning...oops

Why I'm never home on the weekends...

Fried Oatmeal!?

Where have all the cowboys gone?

Shrimp Fried Rice and a New Dressing!

Winner of the "Deceptively Delicious" Cookbook Giveaway Announced!

I've fallen off the wagon

Wisdom of a Foodie

And the Ex-Perfectionist emerges from her hole

Deceptively Delicious Cookbook Giveaway!

My Weekend Review and a Rumor of a Givaway??

A fabulous weekend and some more online finds!

Awesome Organic Food Coupons

50 Foot Plumber Man meets Eating Disorders

Oh Scrappy Day

Almost forgot to name this post!

E-E-E-EGGS? shreaks