St. Patty's Day Muffins

Happy St. Patricks Day to all.  Even though I am 100% Italian, I still like to celebrate the little holiday.  If you look into St Patrick he was a great man of God.  So, today I am making my usual corned beef and cabbage with red potatoes for supper.  For dessert I thought I would try something new.  I switched up my blueberry muffin recipe to make it a St. Patty's Day sour cream muffin.  I like to play around with ingredients so I thought I would give it a try.  Well, interestingly enough they taste good, really good and they are healthy.  I did use some real sugar, but cut it down to 1/2 cup and replaced some with 1/4 cup agave syrup.  I used white wheat flour and if you think I got the green color from food coloring you are wrong!!  I blended up some frozen spinach with the sour cream and egg for the green color!  How great is that?  Shhhh... don't tell the kiddos though. 

Here is the recipe:
1 1/2 C white wheat flour
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C agave syrup (you can get this at any supermarket nowadays)
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 C sour cream or you can use plain yogurt
1 egg beaten
I used about a Tbsp milk to thin out the sour cream a bit, you may or may not need it.
1/4 - 1/3 C frozen (or fresh) spinach shhhh don't tell.

Preheat oven to 400
Combine all dry ingredients and agave.  In a blender or a food processor blend the egg, sour cream and spinach.  I used a magic bullet blender.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients.  Mix until just blended.  Don't over mix.
Fill muffin tins.  I also sprinkled some sugar on top. 
Bake for 18-20 minutes until done.
It made 11 muffins for me.  But figure around 10.

By the way, you CANNOT taste the spinach at all !!!

Today's tip:  Sneak hidden fruits and veggies in your foods.  You will get added color and nutrition.

Blessings,

Trish

                                                                     Very moist !!

Chicken with potatoes and onions

I know it seems I have been slacking and maybe I have, but my computer has had some major issues lately.  I hope that it is fixed but who knows with computers.  I made a really quick and easy recipe last night that I want to share.  Shame on me for not taking a picture, but it is so easy and really delicious and even healthy.

1 package chicken thighs or breasts (bone in)
1 large onion sliced
5-6 potatoes skin on and cubed
1 can whole tomatoes or diced whatever you have on hand  15 oz can
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste and about 1/2 tsp of garlic powder or any spices you enjoy.

OK this is so easy... Spray bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray
Put the onions and potatoes in the pan.
Lay the chicken on top of that and sprinkle with salt and pepper and garlic powder.  Drizzle with about a tsp of olive oil and bake for 30 minutes. 
Take out of oven and add the can of tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked. (I use a meat thermometer because I never know when the meat is done )
That is it !!  So good and so easy. 
You can serve this with quinoa or brown rice to soak up the juices from the chicken and potatoes and a side salad. 

Enjoy!!

Tip:  Try adding some fresh herbs to your meals.  They add so much flavor and NO CALORIES.  Gotta love that.  I added fresh parsley and basil to this when i added the tomatoes.  Yum.
P.S  The aroma while this is cooking is unreal.  So good.

Blessings,

Trish

Ugh... I got it

Well I got it.  As much as I tried to avoid it at all costs, I still got it.  I try to eat healthy most of the time, exercise and drink enough water and yes I still got it.  Now mind you it has been a very long time since I got it, but nevertheless, I got it.  What did you get you ask?  The flu.  The dreaded fever, chills, cough, head congestion flu.  First my oldest son got it, then son #2, and then me.  I thought moms weren't supposed to get sick?  I guess not.  No I didn't get a flu shot and the kids didn't get that up your nose flu mist which didn't work last year.  I am so sceptical about those vaccines.  I don't want to sound weird but injecting a sickness into me so I don't get sick sounds not so good.  I know it works for many people and even Sweety has gotten his since he works in the medical field.  So, let's see if he gets it or not.  There are many strains of the flu so you can still get it if it is a different strain than the one you got the shot for.  How dumb is that?

So anyway I have been down and out this week with the wrist still hurting, the broken tooth that I had to get a crown for on Monday and now yes on top of it, the flu.  (Did I mention that son #3 woke up this morning feeling sick and has a headache and now has a fever as well?)  Ugh.  Am I going to make it through till Spring? 

I guess we can't avoid everything out there.  We can only do our best to stay well, but if we get the bug we get it.  So, If you do, keep up your liquids so you don't get dehydrated.  That is a big problem for me because I only like to drink when I am thirsty.  Eat healthy foods and plenty of veggies for the vitamins. 
Tea with honey and lemon is great for the throat and cough.  My personal biggest problem is the head cold.  I cannot stand it when I can't breathe.  The only thing I know that works for me is pheudophedrine.  The real kind you get at the pharmacy.  I have heard many people have great success with these sinus draining contraptions.  You shoot saline up one nostril and the fluid comes out the other.  Sounds gross, but I have heard it works great.  Maybe I will have to give it a try.

Today's tip:  Try not to get sick.  lol  good luck with that one.  If you do, take it easy, give your body the rest it needs to recover or else you will just take longer to heal, stay hydrated, and eat plenty of fruits and veggies.

Blessings,

Trish

Injury

Happy Monday everyone !!  My day started off with me dreading getting out of my bed.  Why is it Monday mornings my bed is just way more comfortable than any other day?  Oh well, after pulling myself up and coming down for my coffee, my oldest son has a 100.4 fever.  He has been sick off and on this weekend but this boy does not want to miss school, but he has too.. bummer.  So, I get the other 2 boys ready to go and when I get to the van it is totally dead.  I mean the electric doors won't even open.  Hubby has already left and I don't know what to do.  So, we call my Pastor... thanks Pastor for coming and jump starting the van so I could get the boys to school. 

So that is the start of my week.  Anyway, I wanted to write today about my little injury.  About 2 weeks ago I hurt my wrist.  What did I do you ask?  I have no idea.  I was getting ready to go out to dinner and bam....pain..that wouldn't go away.  So, after a week of not getting better I go to my local medical clinic to see the Physician Assistant there.  He takes an x ray and thank God there are no breaks but I have several torn ligaments in my wrist and I have to wear a brace for the next 6 weeks he says.  6 weeks... I can't use my wrist?  I can't lift weights or do my yoga??  He smiled and said if you don't baby it, this could be a 6 month or more recovery.  Ugh.....  not what I wanted to hear.  Did I also mention I am left handed and this is my left wrist.  So needless to say this has been really hard for the past 2 weeks....4 more weeks to go.  Everything I do from putting on my contacts to make up to pouring anything uses my left wrist.  I have tried to use my right hand and boy am I clumsy with that.  Try using your opposite hand... it's really awkward.

So now I have to adjust my exercise routines to not use my wrist.  This is not easy.  I refuse to stop exercising.  Not an option.  So, I am back to walking and jogging.  It seems simple enough except I hate jogging.  Walking I could do, but jogging.... ugh... it is torture.  I want to love it.  I want to be a runner.  But every time I think of doing it I dread it big time.  But last week I started doing it and in a week I lost 1.6 lbs.  So my total is 5.4 lbs.  I am getting back to my goal weight.  I am determined. (even though I went to the Chinese Buffet yesterday, hey gotta live a little)

So, my tip for today is when something happens, like an injury or something that stops you dead in your tracks, to stop where you are, pray and redirect.  Don't give up.  Don't stop.  Just redirect your energy somewhere else.  I may not be able to lift weights, but I can improve my mile run now by focusing on that while I am not using my wrist.  Let something positive come out of something negative.  It really is encouraging when you redirect something that is a big problem or negative into something new.

Blessings,

Trish
All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called to His purpose. 
Romans 8:28

The Scale or not...

In my post yesterday, I shared my story of gaining 10 lbs over a year without even realizing it.  I have read many articles about not weighing yourself.  I totally understand this concept because as I said it really defined how my day went, good or bad.  How shallow is that?  I feel very guilty letting some number define who I am, but I am working on it everyday with Gods help.  Anyway, the scale or not the scale.  Should we weigh in? 

 On the flip side of the coin when we don't hold ourselves accountable, we don't realize how that scale just creeps up.  (It makes me think of sin, how if we give in just a little at a time thinking it is no big deal how it just creeps into our lives unnoticed until one day we are miserable and our lives are in turmoil.)  Anyway, back to the scale.  I have done the weigh in thing and the avoid the scale at all costs thing and for me, I have to weigh in to keep myself in check.  It is a lot easier to get on that scale and see that you have gained 3 or 4 lbs, than to weigh in once every year or 2 and gain 25 lbs.  I let it go too far so from now on, I will weigh myself once a week to keep myself accountable.  I have worked way too hard to get here and I never want to go back to where I was at 4 years ago.  So, you have to decide for yourself what is best.... the scale or not...

Tip for today is go ahead... weigh yourself.  Don't let it define you but let it encourage you to be a better you. 

Blessings,

Trisha
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Stuff happens

I know it has been ages since I've blogged and I guess I have felt like I didn't have anything to say.  No real tips.. boring stuff.  Well today's topic is me.  You all know I have lost 42 lbs and kept it off for 4 years... well sorta.  I have avoided that scale at all costs because it just freaks me out.  I don't know why I have to be scared by that number, but I know I am.  So, for probably 5 months I have ignored that scale.  When I used to get on I guess I let it define me.  If I was down a little I would have a good day, up a pound or 2....really really bad day.  I know this is shallow, but it is how I feel.  So instead of weighing in, I just totally ignored the scale so I wouldn't let it create a mood for me.  Fast forward to 3 weeks ago.  I had this inkling that I should get on the scale.  I was feeling a bit .... bloated... yeah bloated.  So after 5 months of abstaining from that weekly weigh in I stepped on that darn thing.  Well, needless to say, what I was feeling was not bloating but a pretty substantial weight gain.  UGH.  7 lbs since my last weigh in and 10 lbs from my goal weight.  10 lbs.  That is why I say stuff happens.  Life happens.  When I tell you I have exercised 6 days a week (minus 2 or 3 days) for the past 4 years, I mean it.  I have busted my butt working out and eating healthy.  Thus the healthy tips blog I'm writing.  But here I sat feeling over come and defeated.  I felt really really bad.

So, I could do one of two things.  I could throw in the towel and eat my way through a few pizzas and ice cream or I could go back... reflect on what I have done in the past and do it again.  I did do this once and yes I let it creep up a bit, but I can do this again.  So, my main problem that I have realized is my eating.  I just love to eat.  I really do.  So while I was exercising regularly, I was still eating too much. 

So, I cut back on my portions, started eating more fruit and veggies and stop eating that after dinner snack.  That is my biggest downfall.  I can do good all day, but after dinner my sweet tooth kicks in. 

So, now in 3 weeks I have dropped 4 lbs and hopefully on my way back to my goal weight.  I guess I needed some accountability so I felt like I needed to share this. 

So, I guess my tip is for myself mostly.  It is don't give up.  Setbacks happen sometime.  Stuff happens.  Just stop where you are and figure out where you want to be and start doing what worked in the first place. 

Blessings,

Trish

I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

Don't over resolute !! Is that even a word?

I don't know if that even makes sense, over resolute.. but it makes sense to me.  So many of us for the new year make resolutions... too many of them all at once!  We want a new year to be the spark of the new us and that is great but then by the end of January every resolution is broken !!  I know I do it.  So this year instead of trying to do TOO much all at once, why not pick one thing.  Just one thing that we could change or do.  If we can master one thing then we can go on to the next.  So this 2011 go at it easy.  Pick one thing that is important to you this year and stick with it!  I know you can.

Today's tip  Don't go overboard with too many resolutions.  Pick one thing and make it happen.

Blessings,

Trish