Oatmeal and Apples in Turkey Loaf Make This Recipe YUMMY and Full of Fiber!

I'm one of many featured today on Today's Creative Blog!

As fall approaches, we start to eat heavier foods.  This turkey loaf is one of my fall and winter favorites.

One of my favorite recipes, "Loafstyles of the Rich and Famous" is from a great cookbook called Looneyspoons by Janet & Greta Podleski. There are many recipes in this lowfat cookbook that I love. This one is unique, because it incorporates oatmeal and granny smith apples in the recipe. The oatmeal and apples add fiber to the meat dish. The cooked apples and oatmeal do NOT add flavor, just fiber and texture to the meat.

This recipe is guy tested and approved. I swear! Don't be afraid to try it.

Loafstyles of the Rich and Famous:

1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 C chopped, unpeeled Granny Smith apples
3/4 C chopped onions
1-1/2 lbs lean ground turkey (skinless)
1/2 C EACH quick-cooking rolled oats and chopped fresh parsley
1/2 C skim milk
2 egg whites
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. EACH ground sage, salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add apples and onions. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until onions are tender. Let cool.

In a large bowl, mix together apples, onion, and all remaining ingredients.

Spray a 9 X 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray. Pat turkey mixture into pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until no longer pink in the center. Pour off any liquid from pan. Invert onto a platter and serve.

Serves 6

Per serving: 198 calories, 3 g. fat, 13.7 carbs, 30.3 g protein, 300 mg sodium, 57 mg cholesterol

Hope you like the dish as much as I do! It is great as leftovers, too!

Julianne Moore

I am a huge Julianne Moore fan.  Lately, I have loved her in  A Single Man,   The Kids Are All Right, and now, Chloe.

I LOVE these movies.  I found that I would think about these movies, and Julianne Moore's performance, for days afterward.  Her characters in these movies are etched my brain.  Each movie is so well done.

Like all of us, Julianne Moore's characters are so flawed.  In A Single Man, she is past her prime and a very tragic character.  You pity her in many ways.  In The Kids Are All Right, she is going through a trying life transition.  In Chloe, she takes her curiosity too far, with dire consequences. 

Each of the characters that Julianne Moore is playing is going through some sort of emotional crisis.  She plays these characters with such honesty.  You recognize the complexity of her characters and their situations.  In the three movies I mention, you disagree with her characters' decisions, but understand her characters' points to view and root for them.

Julianne Moore is featured in Town & Country magazine, now on newstands.  Molly Haskell interviewed Ms. Moore and states that, "...the persistent theme in her work remians beautiful failures, and failures played beautifully."  I can't agree more.

I should mention that each movie has a strong sexual theme; however, it is not gratuitous.  The sexual theme in each movie is an integral part to the complexity of the character and the plot.

If you are looking for thought provoking, well done movies for a mature audience, I recommend all of these.  I am still thinking about them.

For Ladies Only---Spanx Bra-llelujah

I never thought I would talk about undergarments on this blog, but I must mention the Spanx Bra-llelujah.  Years ago, women fell in love with Spanx bodyshapers.  Spanx became the modern day girdle--oh I mean body shaper.  (My bad!)  I am so happy that Spanx is now offering a wider range of undergarments and body shapers.

I love the Spanx bra in the traditional and racer-back styles.  I have recommended it to friends and they love it too.  What makes it special is that the shoulder and back straps are made of soft hosiery straps--no more adjustable straps that dig in or fall off the shoulder.  The bra is comes with underwire or without and is front-closure, in both styles.  It isn't the most beautiful bra, but great for every day life.  It feels so nice, you don't care what it looks like.  And "the girls" look great in it.

I think this bra is just as comfortable as a sports bra.  Check it out!



P.S.---For the men that read this post, Spanx offers bodyshapers for men too!  Men's Compression T-Shirts are now available.  I never thought I would see the day.  First "manscaping" and now this.  Enjoy!

Got a Mani?

I made a commitment to myself to get a manicure or polish change once a week.  I am about two-months in, and love it!

I am definitely not the girl that has to look perfect all the time, but think about how often you look at your hands--while typing, driving, checking your iPhone, washing dishes, washing your face, etc.

Getting a manicure is like feng shui for your hands.  When you see that your fingers are nicely manicured, you feel good.  When you see tired, dry, hands with chipped (or no) polish, it is a downer. 

When you get your manicure, use it as an excuse to unplug from your iPhone--no emails, phone calls, texts, web-surfing, etc.  Just be present in the moment.  Let the nail tech massage your hands and forearms--don't skip it.  Use this time as "relax and recharge" time. 

This is self-love folks, take the 15-25 minutes and get a quick one!

IKEA Vases: Super Cheap, Super Cute

Vases purchased from IKEA

More vases...

I live pretty close to an IKEA store.  I usually avoid it.  (Have you seen the parking lot?)  There seem to always be so many people there.

Well, some one was telling me about all of the kitchen, bedding and home accessory items that IKEA offers.  So one evening, I braved IKEA.  I was shocked!

I can't say that IKEA is my favorite place on Earth, but it does offer some great items at great prices.  I now turn to IKEA to purchase vases. 

I was in need of smaller bud vases.  At no more than $4 for a smaller vase, you can't go wrong.  IKEA offers an assortment of colors, sizes and shapes.  You can even buy inexpensive plants there, including orchids.

Check it out!

Chalkboard Paint Canisters!

I am one of the many featured on Today's Creative Blog, my favorite do-it-yourself blog!



I share magazines with friends at work.  We each bring magazines that we have recently read and share them with others.  I got a call from a friend yesterday about the magazine that I gave her.  She told me that pages were missing.  I had to laugh.  I forgot about that detail.  I tear out pages that have images that inspire me--a pair of shoes, a product, an outfit, etc. 

Well, in the May issue of InStyle, I saw this and just had to do it myself....

If you can't tell from the image, the picture is of glass canisters that have been painted with chalkboard paint. You can put anything in the canisters and write the labels in chalk. Adorbs!

The InStyle article stated that the canisters were bought at Ikea. I got lucky and the Ikea by my home had the exact canisters! What were the chances? The Ikea "Burken" canisters were about $4 a piece.

Next, I went off to Home Depot and bought the Rust-Oleum chalkboard paint. Like other paints, you choose from a selection of colors to mix with a base. Honestly, the color selection is pretty juvenile, since most customers of this paint are parents that use it for children's projects (tables, walls, etc.). The Peapod color was the best color for me. The paint was about $12 for a quart.

Talk about simple to do! I painted the stripe at the bottom and waited two days for it to completely dry. Then, I took a wet rag and went over the paint once. Next, the chalk! I filled my canisters and wrote the names on the contents on the labels...Brown Rice, Udon Noodles, Almonds, Katz's Sam Houston Blend Coffee

Next, I decided to go crazy and paint terra cotta pots with the chalkboard paint! I bought two $4 cacti and potted them for my kitchen. I chose cacti, because it reminds me of Miraval Resort in Arizona.  Here is what I did...

Up close....

I keep the pots in front of my sink, where I see them througout my day.

I painted a green stripe across the top and a rectangle in the middle for the label. On one pot, I wrote, "A little piece of..." On the other, I wrote, "Miraval." (The Mackenzie-Child's pot and plant in the center are to make it more visually interesting.)

I tried to bring some thing that I love, Miraval, in a place that I see throughout my day. Subliminally, when you recognize a positive image, your energy rises. How great is that? I got a plant, an inspirational message, an energy boost and a reminder that I accomplished the challenge of making the pots.

I loved the challenge of trying this project. I have an almost full container of paint. Therefore, I think friends will be getting canisters and terra cotta pots for presents. How cute is that? I imagine wrapping the chalk in tissue paper and tying it with raffia.

Don't be scared to try this project. A kindergartener could do it! 

Try some thing new!

San Pellegrino Limonata: My Favorite Sparkling Beverage

Okay, I know that I encourage others to eat a healthy diet.  Trust me when I say that this item does not fall into the "healthy diet" category, but I love it so much that I cannot keep it to myself.

San Pellegrino Limonata is an Italian beverage that is, in my opinion, the best sparkling beverage out there.  It is a lemon flavored sparkling drink that has a perfect combination of sweet and TART.  I think I am hooked on the crisp and tart goodness.

At 160 calories a can, it is no joke.  Gotta limit myself to no more than 1/week.  Good thing I haven't been able to find Limonata in 6-packs, 12-packs or cases.  I don't know if I could help myself.

Enjoy!

Superga: My Favorite Sneakers

I started wearing Supergas in college.  They were the perfect shoe to wear to walk to classes.  That pair of Supergas is long gone, but I remember them fondly.

The other day, I was longing for a sneaker.  Then, I remembered Superga! 

Here is what I love about Superga:

• Supergas are supportive.  I can wear them all day without the shoe rubbing my skin.   My back and feet don't hurt at the end of the day!
• Supergas are a great classic look.
• Supergas come in many colors and styles for men and women. 
• I think what I like most is that the shoe is cut below the ankle bones.  This low cut is flattering to my leg and looks best with no socks. 
• These sneakers are durable and easy to wash. 
• Supergas come in whole sizes only (Size 7, 8, 9, etc.).  
• I like the "2750 Classic" style. (There are other styles that have caught my eye, though.) 
• At about $70/pair, I think they are a good investment. 

I bought my new pair online.  Several online stores offer Supergas, so find a store that offers free shipping.

Enjoy!

LOVE Pillows

The website Houston Tidbits is a great resource for restaurants, stores, spas, travel destinations, events, etc. in the Houston area.  You can always find the link on my blog. (See the bottom of this page.)

I found this post a few weeks ago for  "LOVE" pillow cases  from a store in Fredericksburg, Texas called Red.  I had to have them.  I called the store on Friday, paid over the phone and received them in the mail yesterday!

The pillow cases are white with tan, black, hot pink or soft blue letters.  I decided to add a punch of color to my bed linens and picked hot pink. 

I was surprised to learn that the opening of the pillow case faces the center of the bed, not outside, like most cases.  I called the store to verify that this was not a mistake.  I was told that the pillow cases are made in London, so the opening on the "wrong" side, must be like driving on the left side of the road.  I feel a little extra "cheeky," as they say across-the-pond, because of the hot pink letters and the fact that they are from London.  So fun!

My theory is that if you love it, buy it!!  Remember, your subconscious recognizes images that you love and provides you with a boost of warm energy.  If you dislike an image, it is an energy downer.  Just another reminder to surround yourself with things that you love!!

If you need another excuse to make a purchase, I am sure I can find one.

Happy Shopping!

Single Serving Chocolate Snacks--Goobers and Raisinets

I love having a little some thing sweet after lunch.  My go-to choice was 85% dark chocolate.  I ate the dark chocolate for about 3 years.  I'm not really enjoying the taste any more, even though I know it is the best choice.

Well, recently I switched from the super dark chocolate to peanut M&Ms.  Not a good alternative for my blood sugar or the size of my butt!! 

I was excited to unexpectedly find single serving boxes of Goobers (100 cals) and Raisinets (80 cals).  I think these are great.  I little chocolate and salty crunch or a little chocolate with sweet n chewy.

I found these in the candy aisle at HEB.  They totally satisfy my craving.

Enjoy!

Another Quick Meal--Gardenburgers

I have enjoyed Gardenburger's for years.  Now with the discovery of 100 calorie buns/bagels, I can enjoy a burger for about 250 calories.   (See prior posts on quick meals  here and here.)

To make the Gardenburger a little more extra-special, I add sauteed spinach and mushrooms, Dijon mustard, and/or a few blue cheese crumbles.  I cook enough spinach and mushrooms to last a few days.  Therefore, I can cook a Gardenburger tomorrow night, heat the veggies and toast the bun in about 7 minutes. 

In all of my low calories meals, condiments are key.  Soy sauce, Chinese hot mustard, blue cheese sprinkles, fresh Parmesan, a few tablespoons of spaghetti sauce, and red pepper flakes are a few of the condiments I keep on hand to make my meals extra tasty.  Let's be honest, the more flavor in a meal, the more satisfying it is.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Pasta

Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Whole Grain Angel Hair

I cooked a nutritious meal in 10 minutes flat!  I love Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Whole Grain Angel Hair Pasta.  I can boil the water and cook the noodles in 10 minutes.  After the water is boiling, you only need 3-5 minutes to cook!

So, I take the chopped raw veggies from Central Market (see earlier post) and put them in a pan with a little olive oil.  Put the pasta pot on to boil.  By the time the water boils and the pasta cooks, the veggies are perfect.  Add  a little pasta sauce and grated Parmesan and you have a great meal.

Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Whole Grain Pasta has 210 cals. for 2 oz. of dry pasta; 1g fat; no cholesterol; no sodium; 41 carbs; 9 g protein!; g sugar; and 6g fiber!!!  Can't get better than that!

Try it.  It is definitely more dense than white flour pasta.  However, the heavy texture makes you feel full and I don't know of another pasta that offers as much protein and fiber.

You can buy this brand at high end most grocery stores.  Enjoy!

Easy Meal

Ready-to-cook veggies from Central Market

One of my "new" favorite things is in the produce department at Central Market. They have a selection of ready-to-cook veggies, meats and meals. These options come with sauces and directions, too.

Most of my food shopping budget goes to purchasing fruits and veggies, since I don't eat much meat. I was shocked to see the prices of the washed and cut veggies. I bought a selection of Asian veggies (bok choy, carrots, snow peas, bean sprouts, bell peppers, onions, and celery) for $5.75. I put some brown rice in the rice cooker on the way to teach Spinning. When I came back, I cooked the veggies for about 8 minutes and added a little garlic and soy sauce and a little grated ginger and red pepper flakes for a punch. For about $7 and 10 ten minutes, I have dinner for 3 nights!!! You can't beat it!

Earlier this week, I tried a selection of Italian veggies (green beans, onions, red peppers, yellow squash) and ate it with some couscous for three nights!

Now, I doubt the veggies are organic, but they are fresh, washed, cut and ready to cook. I obviously don't mind eating left overs.  If you keep the veggies in a separate container as your starch and/or meat, you can mix the veggies with Udon noodles or whole grain pasta, too.  You can change it up.

If you have a family to feed, it is still a great deal. Healthy, inexpensive and EASY!!!

In the same produce cases, they offer chicken, seafood and meat that is marinated and ready to cook. There is even cooked pasta in containers for about $3.00.

Remember that the area is in the produce department, not the take-away, prepared foods.

Check it out!

Work With What You've Got

The facts: 
I'm 36 years old.  I'm 5'6".  Weighing at the doctor's office brings my bloodpressure sky high (not kidding).  I work out 5-6 days a week and have worked out consistently since college.

I am very honest with myself in the fact that I am not a woman with a small build.  I guess I would call my build a cross between muscular and curvy.  My legs are very muscular.  My calves are huge!!!  I'm that girl that can't wear tall boots that zip up the leg, because my calves are too big.  Guys would love to have my calves (and I would like to have their calves).  I won't even address my big thighs and ass.

I have never been a small sized girl.  I was referred to as "the big one" by my parents growing up.  They meant tall, but I heard BIG.  I was already 5'4" in 6th grade.  I've always had hips.  I never fit in "junior" sizes.  I went straight from girls clothes to misses sizes.  In my college group of friends,  there were two of us named Julie.  I was "Big Julie."  Again, the "tall" one.  Whatevs!

Since college, I've noticed over the years that my body will never be the size I want it to be---no matter how hard I work.  I try to live a balanced life and not exercise too much and eat in moderation.  I could always do better on diet, but am still convinced that I eat better than 93.75689% of Americans.

What am I getting at? 
I want to be a size 2 or 4 with long lean legs!  Doesn't every woman in America?  I want to look like the 22 year old airbrushed celebrity in InStyle magazine or the 16 year old supermodel.  Even though I consider myself fairly intelligent and reasonable, I still can't help but compare myself to these images that I see in the media and put myself down for not looking like them.

I am not going to go on a tangent about how the media causes women to hate their bodies.  Rather, I am going to share my new found philosophy on my body image issues......

I have to work with what I have. 

• I have a medium frame (not a small one), and I will never be able to change that. 
• I am naturally muscular, so I might as well give in and keep working my muscles.  (Women can only build 3 lbs of muscle a year, so I won't be able to bulk up too much.)
• My legs are bigger than most dudes.
• No matter how hard I work, I will never have a low BMI or percentage body fat.  My body is just not built that way.
• My arms are much bigger than when I was in my 20's.  It is true that fat invades your triceps in your 30's.  It sucks!
• No matter how hard I work, I will always be a bigger girl.  I will never be a size 2 or 4 or weigh 110 lbs (or 120 or even 130).  Muscle weighs more than fat, right?  Well, whoever said that can suck it (even if it is true).

What I do like about my body is....

• It is strong.  I kinda dig that.  I love being able to push my body to do better or more. I like that I lift a lot of weight for a girl.
• I have endurance.  I can work out at a high intensity for a decent amount of time.  The endurance helps me workout harder and longer.
• I am rarely sick.  I try hard to honor my body and workout, sleep and eat well (most of the time).
• I am coordinated and have a good sense of balance.
• I am flexible.
• I am in better cardiovascular shape than most Americans.  I could kick the supermodel's ass in the gym!
• I love being a Spinning coach and yoga teacher.  I think I motivate others to work hard.
• The most important thing to celebrate is that my body is healthy and it moves!!!!  I never take that for granted.  I am thankful every day for my body that moves.  Being able to exercise is a privilege.  Sometimes when I exercise or if I have trouble motivating myself to exercise, I think about those that can not move easily or exercise and remind myself of the privilege I have in the ability to move.  That will motivate your butt. 

Why exercise?  Because you can!!!

Most of us have our "problem areas" or things we want to change about our bodies.  We can put ourselves down about it or work with what we have.  And remember, there is always some one that envys the parts of our body that we dislike.

So, instead of focusing on what you do not like, celebrate what you do.  And celebrate your ability to move!!!

Work it, girl!  Shake (if you got it) what your Momma gave you.

Dog Gone Tired from a Great Weekend

Louis ("Louie") and Lucy Liu are ready for bed.

They say that "a tired dog is a happy dog."  Well, I think the same is true about exhausting oneself by spending time doing things that you love.  I'm a tired and happy dog, so to speak.

I had a great weekend spent with new friends, seeing great shows, eating great meals at Kasra Persian Grill and The Grove, and doing things that I love.  I taught Spinning, got to work with a great client on her wardrobe for an upcoming trip, saw a Kathy Griffin show at the Verizon Center, and today went to see The Kids Are All Right and ate at Yia Yia Mary's with family.

Some times I don't take the time to stop and appreciate how great it is to have weekend doing things that I love, even if it means I didn't get one minute of down time.   I am exhausted and will be SO tired when my alarm goes off in the morning, but it will be a small price to pay.

R&R is always some thing that we try to get more of.  We cherish our quiet weekends that bring a recharging of our spirit and energy.  I know that I do.  At the close of very busy weekends, my body may be tired, but I try to recognize the recharging of my spirit through the sheer bliss in doing things that I love. 

Hope you had a great weekend, whether it was a quiet one or fast and furious.  Enter Monday with a new energy.  A new week with new possibilities lies ahead.

The weekly flower buying is still going well.  Here are the pics of some flowers for the week:

I ran out of vases.  Had to use a  UofA sorority mug!

Building a Team: Resistance Training

This is not Mark, but you get the idea! ;-)

I love working out with Mark, a personal trainer.  Mark pushes me.  Those that know me know that I love to workout and sweat.  I love being strong and having stamina.  I love to ride my edge, as they say.

As a Spinning Coach, I try hard to keep motivating my students to ride their edge.  As I have said before, in order to improve your cardiovascular fitness and muscle endurance, you must train longer, faster and/or with more resistance.  Your efforts don't have to be drastic, but 10 second pushes/accelerations/sprints, a change on your tension knob (spin bike) or incline on the treadmill, exercising another five minutes, all count.

I know how to resistance train (weight lift, core work, etc.), but I work full-time, teach four Spinning classes and three abs/stretch classes a week.  I just don't have the MENTAL energy to plan my workout and do it.

The great thing about Mark, is that I just show up and do what he tells me to.  I work hard, push my limits, but it is still very relaxing to me.  Sounds strange, I know.  How can all that hard work be relaxing?  The answer is that for that one hour, some one else takes care of me.  I just go through the motions.  I don't think about any thing else.  I just connect with my body and let him lead me through the exercises. 

In Spinning, we say that clipping your feet in the pedals is 99% of the workout.  Just getting yourself there is the hardest part.  When I work out with Mark, I am usually five minutes late---winded and rushed.  I rush home; change clothes; take the dogs out;  grab my water, heart rate monitor, towel, and mat.  Then I rush downstairs to meet Mark.  But, after a few minutes to center and warm up, I am present and in the moment and enjoying the torture.

Having a team of people to help you is natural.  I am slowly learning this concept.  I was very stubborn and giving myself grief about not doing the weight training on my own.  The chatter in my head went like this----I know how to do it, so you are just lazy if you don't do it yourself.  It is a waste of money,  if you can do it yourself....blah...blah...blah

I realized that this mental chatter doesn't serve me and needed to go.  I now view my work with Mark as a way that I nurture myself.  I work very hard in my Spinning classes, but my focus is still on giving my students a challenge and motivating workout.  My one hour with Mark is all about me.

I hope I motivate, push and nurture my students the same way Mark does me. 

The big question is, Who is on your team?

Cherries

Summertime Cherries!

Cherries are an antioxidant super food!  Rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.   Cherries are a great summertime fruit.

Remember that nature provides us with a variety of fruits and veggies every season.  Try to eat fruits and vegetables of the season and, when available, locally grown foods.  The food industry (and we) spend a lot of money transporting fruits and veggies from around the world, in order to give consumers the instant gratification of having the fruits and veggies that we want all year around.  Think about it, the generations before us ate the fruits and veggies of the season from the land around them.

Nature provides us with fruits and veggies of various colors.  Each color provides us with different vitamins and minerals.  It is important to eat a variety of colors of produce in your diet.  (I'll get into more specifics in another post.)

Another idea for consideration.  Summertime (the hotter months) fruits and veggies are lighter in texture.  Winter (cold months) fruits and veggies are more heavy.  It all makes sense.  If you eat the season's fruits and veggies, you will have a variety all year long.

Just a little food for thought!

My Favorite Summer Drink

I love LaCroix. I've said it before, and I am saying it again. Any flavor will do. I love the sparkling water. I pour the can in a glass and add a splash of fruit juice (pom or blueberry) and squeeze a lime.

I credit my cousin and friend, Sandi, for teaching me this fun soda drink.

It is a little sweet, crisp, a little bubbly, and VERY refreshing. Check it out!

Flowers for the Week of August 1

Here are some pics of some of the flowers I bought for this week:

Amazing melon-colored gladiolas and a single yellow rose, for my desk area.

A stem of orchids on my bedside table.

I bought the orchid stem for my bathroom, but then decided it was so much better next to my bed. I love the fluid process of arranging the flowers. Sometimes I pick flowers for one area of the home and then realize they are spectacular in a different area. Another great surprise with the flowers.

Every week I look forward to seeing the selection of flowers at the store, picking them out, and then placing them in the home. Every room of my home now has an extra piece of beauty and nature in it. Love it!

Self Tanning

I love the idea of appearing tan, but I don't want wrinkles! As I get older, I avoid the sun (unless I am on a great vacation).

To tell you the truth, I don't like to spray tan at tanning salons, because it just adds another errand to my life. In addition, I don't like the smell of self-tanning creams that I have bought at grocery stores.

I took a chance and bought self-tanning mousse from St. Tropez. I invested in the mousse, body polish, and moisturizer. I really like it!!

With the package I bought, I received the application mitt. The mitt is key to this process. The site offers videos on how to apply the mousse. It is very easy to apply and dries quickly. The smell is slight.

When you shower several hours after application, you will see excess mousse wash off. Therefore, if you sweat after you apply the mousse, you will see the residual product come off with your sweat. (A little messy.) So I suggest that you shower, before you exercise or sweat to get the residual product off your skin.

So far, this is the best product I have found. I am not super dark by any means, but I have a nice color. And let's be honest, a tan makes us look thinner. Who doesn't want that?

Check it out!