pssst...Mom...call me

I really love this Chai Spice Tea when I'm sick. It smells like Christmas. It tastes even better. The honey is so soothing - just look at that bear, doesn't he look helpful? The little bee on top of my teapot just makes my day, too. The teapot is a beehive - so simple and fun. I haven't been able to find another one like it. I wanted to get one for my sister. I don't think she even likes tea. 

This is the kind of stuff you need when your Mom lives 10 hours away...and besides you're an adult so you don't need your Mom when you're sick anyway...so... Next time you're sick give it a try. Or, if you just want to warm your belly it works for that, too. <pssst...Mom...call me...>

The Soundtrack of Your Life

“Music is the soundtrack of our lives.” ~ Dick Clark

First, I love the sound of silence. It’s probably my favorite thing. It balances me and makes me quit clenching my jaw. It might be because I grew up in the middle of nowhere and that’s what I heard when I went outside – silence, or birds, or the sway of the tall grass in the wind. I have an appreciation for silence that my husband and children don’t. They want some sort of background noise at all times. If I’m listening to something, I want to be actively listening, otherwise, it’s just noise. It makes my head fuzzy and tense.

Speaking of noise – that’s what a lot of TV is for me. I don’t watch any reality TV. In my limited experience, they are celebrations of arguing and drama. I have 4 children and I work in an Emergency Department. I get regular doses of both arguing and drama. So, I choose the shows that I watch carefully. I don’t watch anything that annoys me, scares me or makes me too terribly sad. I mostly want to watch comedy.

When I am ready to actively listen, I so enjoy music – all kinds of music. There have been times that l let life get in the way and I have been too busy for music. I will suddenly realize the only music I’ve been listening to is the radio in my car to and from work. I have missed music so much during these times – but I didn’t know it until I start listening again.

These have been some of my favorite artists throughout my life:

• 1970’s – Superbubble record and Golden Hits of ’76 – both ordered from TV
• 1980’s – Foreigner, Reo Speedwagon, Journey, Genesis, Van Halen, Chicago
• 1990’s – Hootie and the Blowfish, Alanis Morissette, Redhot Chili Peppers, Sheryl Crow
• 2000’s – Matchbox 20,  Counting Crows, Creed, Black-eyed Peas, Switchfoot
• 2010’s – O.A.R., Mumford and Sons, Fun., Train

This is only a partial list because I listen to so much more. Rich is older than me, so I listen to a lot of music that was “before my time” or just timeless music, really: Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Jim Croce, Michael Martin Murphey. I have gone through phases where I only listen to country music – now it’s just interwoven – Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Alabama.

This is the reason Pandora has been the best musical gift! We plug in one of our favorites and it plays similar artists. It’s fun and surprising to hear what comes up and we’ve heard artists we’d completely forgotten about – some great one-hit wonders. We’ve been able to expand the soundtrack of our lives.

Music is a great escape – a reason to want to exercise – to listen to my own playlist or my own Pandora station as loud as I choose with my headphones. I can use all the motivation I can get!

Take some time to listen to music you love. It will do your body and soul good. You will feel yourself relax and smile. Let me know what tunes are making you feel like singing and dancing. What music is making up the soundtrack of your life?

O.A.R. Concert, Kansas City, July 2012

It was so hot - everyone looked a little blurry!

Let the Mourning Cease

When you go gluten-free, you have a period of mourning for all those familiar glutenously wonderful things you grew up with: caramel rolls, homemade bread, and pasta. I’m told that Wheatfield’s makes a delicious cinnamon roll, though I haven’t tried it yet. I haven’t actually missed bread that much – not enough to try to make some anyway. If I need toast, I use Udi’s. Pasta was the real issue. I felt a tantrum coming on…

I am inept at cooking rice pasta. It turns into a clump of goo and I’m pretty sure that’s not what anyone intended. Corn pasta didn’t have quite the right texture. It’s all about texture for me. A food can taste great but if it has a weird texture – no thanks! This Ancient Harvest combination of quinoa and corn pasta is perfect! It has to be cooked a bit longer but the texture is just like wheat pasta. Even better than wheat pasta, this reheats to the same texture (not sticky) it was when it was originally cooked. Perfect for taking leftover’s to work.

The pasta in the picture today is linguine. I use the elbows to make macaroni and cheese. I serve the linguine with a meat sauce made with my favorite marinara sauce: Newman’s Own. I cook the hamburger with garlic, then add 2 tsp each, basil and oregano to the marinara and let it simmer for a little while.

I make garlic drop biscuits to go with it instead of garlic bread. Just add some garlic salt or powder to the mix. If I’m being super-duper fancy (and have some leftover calories), I’ll add some shredded cheddar. In this case, I wait to add the garlic until the end when I brush it (and butter) over the warm biscuits when they come out of the oven. Red Lobster biscuits anyone?

Let the mourning cease…this pasta is fantastic! It’s one of my favorite meals. I hope you enjoy it!

p.s. Nutrition facts are easy for this meal because they're right on the packages

The Way Out is Through

“The best way out is always through.” ~ Robert Frost

A few people have given me this advice throughout my life. I’ve also read about it. I always thought it was interesting, but it was one of those things that was so ethereal, it didn’t ever really stick. As I get older it’s starting to make a bit more sense.

It comes down to problem-solving. Choosing what you want for your life is entirely up to you. I’ve been in denial about it for a long time, but for me, exercise, food and relationships are the recipe for my perfect life.

Let’s start with exercise. There are excuses like: I don’t have the time to exercise every day or I don’t have the energy to exercise every day. However, I now know that exercise is the means to an end. It’s going to give me the energy I want. It’s going to help get me the body I want. So, I have to figure out what I can change in my life – what I can shift or cut out completely – to make room for the exercise that I know needs to be a priority. What can I do to make myself look forward to this period of exercise every day? A playlist of my favorite songs or my favorite Pandora station (Counting Crows) makes my exercise time an escape to somewhere fun. Reminding myself that I am strong and capable and energetic rather than using the negative self-talk of “I can’t” or “I don’t have time” or “I’m tired” is also helpful. Exercising outside is energizing and rejuvenating. And then, there’s the ‘just do it’ factor – just make it a habit – the way out is through.

When you exercise regularly, you get the benefit of endorphins. You crave them after awhile which makes exercise easier to fit in. You want that feeling again. The brain hormones that are affected by food make food the most difficult part of this equation. The strong emotional reactions we have to the taste of food make it so difficult to resist. You have cravings that are sometimes uncontrollable.  Rationally, I know that to get to the level of health I seek, I need to eat well. I know how eating good food makes me feel. I know that eating good food in the right amounts consistently requires planning and conscious, diligent effort on my part. So, I need to make time to plan to have this food in my house, accessible. The way out is through.

If I am being honest, open and vulnerable in my relationships, they improve. Everyone’s been hurt. Everyone eventually needs to set limits in their lives. It is a painful (but also liberating, in a way) reality that there are people I can’t allow close to me. The people I have chosen to be a part of my life deserve my time and attention. They deserve all of me. If I have chosen well, there’s no reason to put up protective barriers. Those barriers don’t offer protection from hurt anyway – they just create misunderstandings and hard feelings. It’s true what they say: great relationships take work. They take time. They take patience. They take effort. The way out is through.

It’s up to each of us, every day, to figure out how this looks in our lives. How does this all fit together to make our lives the best they can be? The way out of unhappiness, joylessness, and poor health is through exercise, healthy food and honest, open relationships. Realizing that is the easy part. Practicing it - honoring ourselves and our relationships - is the work of a lifetime. I struggle with this work every day. We’re in this struggle together. The way out is through. 

One lane tunnel

The way out is through...

Sylvan Lake, SD - 2000

You're Not the Boss of Me

I come from a long line of people who like to laugh…real, throw-your-head back, deep, belly laughs. It’s one of my favorite things about my extended family. You have to hold onto some silliness. It makes every day life so much more fun.

“You’re not the boss of me.” is probably my favorite saying of all time. My friends and family will attest to that. I say it with a completely serious face, wide eyes and raised eyebrows in response to simple requests like, “Can you get me a glass of water?” It’s hilarious…to me. However, I often find myself more amusing than others find me. That’s okay.

You know that stage your kids go through, when they’re 13-17 years old or so – when they’re mortified to be seen in public with you? It was then, with my boys, that I liked to say (as we were walking into Target or Kohl’s), “Do you want to hold hands and skip?” It drove them crazy. They would shake their heads and whisper to themselves, “So stupid…” (with maybe a hint of a grin) – which just made me giggle more. Or, depending on how late they were out and how early I made them get up, they might angrily say, “No! Mom! I don’t want to hold hands and skip!” Again, giggling. I really can hardly stand how funny I am sometimes. They’re 22 and 23 years old now…I will still occasionally bring it out. It never gets old…for me.

One thing Allison and I love to do right now is make up goofy voices and pretend we know what the dogs and cat would be saying if they could talk. It’s so stupid funny. We both crack ourselves up!

I like to bring back old sayings – “you’re not the boss of me” is one; “Do you want me to clean your clock?” was one from a few years ago. I have had a person at work say to me once, “You are weird.” It’s true. It’s not beyond me to break out some good old pig-Latin. I call my boss “ossbay” all the time. He loves it. He hasn’t said as much but I’m sure he does. There are people who can’t speak pig-Latin. I feel an obligation to use it.

I learned from my family that you should never take yourself so seriously that you’re offended by people poking fun at you or that you’re unable to poke fun at yourself. I will, on occasion, do the runway walk – usually on the way to the restroom when we’re out. My friends, as they’re reading this, are recalling a specific instance where they’ve seen it and are rolling their eyes. They’re probably remembering how they wanted to hide under the table at a bar or restaurant to avoid people’s wondering glance, “Is she with you?” But they know if I saw that, I would do something like wave and yell, “HELLOOOO, best friends ever…OH! That’s them…under the table!” I know it sounds obnoxious…it’s really not…really…

If you haven’t belly laughed in a while or if you just need to inject some fun into your life – I encourage you to take matters into your own hands. Find humor in every day things. Poke fun at yourself. Use a little sarcasm. Teach your kids that a life infused with humor is much more pleasant than one devoid of it. Happy laughing!

Our Adam - 1989 -

In a photo that makes me giggle every time.

A Bowl of Loaded Baked Potato

Some day I will post something that's not soup! I quite enjoy a good loaded baked potato. It’s one of my favorite meals. I’m a simple girl. The idea to make this soup came about when I had left over baked potatoes because I’d planned on the big kids (and their entourage) being here for a meal and they ditched us for something more fun. I bet they were disappointed and wishing they were home with their mother, don’t you?

Anyway, I had all these left-over baked potatoes and started my search to find something to do with them. Now, if I’m making a meal with baked potatoes, I will make extra so I can make this soup. This time of year, just making some baked potatoes is a nice way to warm up the kitchen.

The first time I made this was the confirmation that I have a level of lactose intolerance. I have some of the enzyme to digest lactose because I can tolerate small amounts of milk, cheese, sour cream, etc. I can’t tolerate regular milk in this recipe – within 10 minutes my stomach is burning and I’m miserable. I liked this soup so much that I tried it again just to be sure – same thing. I complained to Rich that soon I would be able to eat one kind of nut and one kind of berry! It’s really not that bad. I can handle the amount of dairy I usually eat and when I can’t, I use Lactaid milk and all is fine.

Our family loves the heartiness and warmth of this soup. I hope you do too!

It started with this recipe from Allrecipes.com: Baked Potato Soup. Their’s was a little thick and didn’t call for any seasoning – so I doctored it up a little bit. You can use left-over baked potatoes or you can just pop some in the microwave. I prefer the taste when baked in the oven.

1/3 cup           butter (I use the light whipped butter with canola oil)

1/3 cup           gluten-free flour

4 cups            2 % milk (I use Lactaid Milk)

6                    baked potatos, peeled and cubed

1 cup              sour cream

2 cups            vegetable broth

1 ½ tsp           onion flakes

1 ½ tsp           garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter on medium heat. Slowly stir in flour to make a roux. Cook for 5-10 min. being careful not to burn the roux. Slowly add the milk a little at a time, stirring so it doesn’t get lumpy until all the milk has been stirred in. Allow to thicken. Add diced potatoes, vegetable broth, onion flakes and garlic powder. Stir frequently so the milk doesn’t scald. Just before serving, add the sour cream and stir in well.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits for garnish.

Nutrition facts for 349 grams of soup (excluding garnishes):

• Calories: 348
• Fat: 11.5
• Carbs: 48.7
• Fiber: 2
• Protein: 33.9

Choose a Better Life

I don’t want to just go through the motions of this life. I want to live all the way, every day. Whether that’s what I want or not, there are obstacles to actually doing this right every day. I wish I could go through my day, every day, with this attitude:

               People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them   
           anyway.
           If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind 
           anyway.
           If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine 
           enemies. Succeed anyway.
           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere 
           anyway.
           What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
           If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
           The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
           Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
           In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and 
           them anyway.
           -this is credited to Mother Teresa

I try. Every day life makes it difficult. That constant to-do list I’ve talked about before gets in the way. The pervasive feeling that we’re not doing good enough, fast enough…enough…There is a downward spiral of negativity and hate that is perpetrated by every news agency. Yes, every one. It’s perpetrated by them because it sells to unhappy, negative, angry people and spreads like wild-fire through social media and other networks. It scares me because there are so many angry people. They choose that. It makes me think, “Really? In this one life you were gifted, that’s your choice?”

That’s not to say I discredit anyone’s passion. That’s what makes lives great – the passion to be moved to change something. However, that seems to be missing. There’s a lot of hateful lip-service and senseless acts of violence, but not much “what have I done to fix it?”

I was one of those angry people for awhile. I don’t know why. Maybe I was overwhelmed, depressed or just plain felt bad. This life-change over the last few years has finally made me understand that my reaction to everything around me is a choice I make with each interaction. I still don’t always choose well but I probably make the 80/20 rule which is a big improvement.

The path out of anger and hatred is gratitude. It can change perspective and it can do it fast. Gratitude takes all the other “noise” in our day out of the way and focuses us. It brings what’s important to the forefront.

The things I’m grateful for today are:

• Warm coffee
• Warm home
• The crispness of the cold (if I only have to be out in it a little while)
• Oranges
• Chocolate
• My family at work
• Work that I really enjoy
• Constructive conversations
• I can’t complete a list without listing my entire circle of friends and family because it feels disrespectful. So, all of them, too!

Try some gratitude on for size. Choose a better life. It’s so worth it!

Hot Air Balloons around my house!

Something I'm grateful for whenever they appear...

Little House on the Prairie Moments

I made Ham & Beans tonight. Yum. We had the big ham dinner two days ago. That’s where I got the ham bone for this soup. I told Rich I always feel like I’m on Little House on the Prairie when I save the ham bone for soup later. Yes, when I put the ham bone in a zip-lock bag, put it in my refrigerator to cook it later on my electric stove, it’s exactly like Little House on the Prairie. Duh. I loved that show.

My daughter’s more of a realist than I am. At the very ham dinner I mentioned above, I was talking to my boys about what we now refer to as the “Goose Incident.” There were hundreds of geese in the field south of our house. I took a picture of them and posted it on Facebook. I referred to them as “my geese” – I would wave to them and say, “Hi Geese!” as they nested in what I referred to as “my field.” It’s not. Regardless, one Saturday soon after the geese arrived, the hunters came. I come from a family of hunters. I have no issue there. It was hard to watch it all unfold from our kitchen window. As I was telling this story to the boys – complete with horrifying sound effects, hand gestures and facial expressions – my 7 year-old daughter says (as she holds her ham up on a fork), “Mom, you have to get used to things dying. This comes from a pig!” Allison hasn’t watched any Little House on the Prairie. She doesn’t get us. 

If you feel like having your own Little House on the Prairie experience, try this soup. It was the perfect thing to warm us today after Rich and Allison were at the barn (very Little House on the Prairie-ish, don’t you think?) for horseback riding lessons. The cornbread is from the Pamela’s mix that’s pictured. It’s the best cornbread I’ve ever had…gluten or no gluten! It’s nice to have that surprise sometimes. I hope you enjoy this as much as our family does. Ma, Pa and the girls would've loved it!

Ham & Bean Soup

4 cups     vegetable broth

4 cups     water

4 oz         ham (ham hocks or ham bone)

1 cup       onion

1 cup       celery

1 cup       carrot

4 cans     Northern Beans, drained and rinsed

salt and pepper to taste

Place broth, water and ham into a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 45 min to an hour. Remove ham bone and cut ham off bone and return ham to pot. Add vegetables, cook for 30 minutes. Add beans and cook for 20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes. Serve with corn bread or baking powder biscuits.

Nutrition facts for 333 grams of Ham & Bean Soup:

Calories: 159

Fat: 1.9

Carbs: 27.5

Fiber: 9.3

Protein: 11.3

Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat

I love oranges right now. They are juicy, perfect, and bursting with flavor. I love different types of foods at different times of the year. I will devour a great salad but I don’t want anything to do with them in the winter. I wonder if it’s conditioning – that’s not something we had in the winter growing up in South Dakota. All the fresh, juicy flavors of summer are so fun to think about in the winter – and so fun to finally get to when June rolls around. When fall comes, I crave pumpkin bread, chili, kettle corn and turkey legs. In the winter: roasted meats, baked potatoes, soup, soup and more soup, anything that warms the belly.

My friend, Jessica, eluded to this in a comment yesterday. She said when she’s eating well, she only eats what she loves. Me too. This is one of the most satisfying things to be able to do. I’ve eaten some pretty awful things in my life: Laffy Taffy, Funyons, Coca Cola, Mountain Dew, sardines, Twinkies, Oreos, Little Debbies, and SO much Fast Food. I apologize if you still eat these things. Aside from sardines, are any of these even real food?

It’s satisfying to eat only what you love because when you’re doing it right, you’re completely in control of what food you consume. You only want to eat what you love. Some people will respond, “I’d just eat chocolate, all day until I hit my calorie limit.” First of all, that would happen surprisingly quickly. Second, you’d get pretty sick of being hungry. When your calories are limited, you want to make the most of the food you’re eating. You want high fiber because it makes you feel full. You want a good amount of protein to help build the muscle you’re working on. You’re also paying attention to carbohydrates because they keep your energy level steady throughout the day.

What’s great about eating only what you love is that your tastes evolve and you start to love only food that’s very good for you. You crave that clean, natural flavor and the way it sits on your belly – comfortably – not like an expanding brick. There are days when I flat out fall on my face in this endeavor…who am I kidding? There are stretches of days. (Again, this is just between you and I, folks!) When I do this, I can feel it: indigestion, bloating, exhaustion. I try to write it down, remember how it felt, so I don’t repeat my mistake.

Think about a day when, all else being equal, you just had some indigestion. It wasn’t enough to stop you from going about your normal day but how did it make you feel? Sluggish? Maybe a little irritable? Me too. I don’t like it. Let’s make a pact to eat only what we love, only what makes us feel vibrant and healthy; food that sits well on the belly. Let’s start with oranges!

Enjoy the Little Moments in Life

I have eaten the same breakfast every day for 7 months. I love it. I never grow tired of it. If any of you are eating instant oatmeal – you’ll want to take a few extra minutes and make this instead. It sticks to your ribs, as they say, and it tastes delightful. Most mornings I comment on how good it tastes. Allison will say, “I know, I know – it’s SO good.” Apparently I can be a little repetitive (and annoying. That can just stay between us).

I first had this concoction when I was visiting my dear friend Sheri, where she lives, in Big Sky Montana. That’s why I call it Big Sky Oatmeal. I don’t know if I eat it every day because I love it so much or because I want to be transported back there. To three life-renewing days of hiking and biking in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, a muscles-melting-off-your-bones massage, laughing until we cried, reconnecting with one another and the beauty surrounding us.

Sheri made this for me, at least once, with an egg – over-easy. I will do that on the week-end – add an egg or maybe a piece of bacon if I’m already making it for someone else. It’s just that little extra decadence it needs for a week-end, lingering breakfast.

This is the most important meal of the day. I didn’t used to buy that. I used to grab whatever I happen to have – or nothing. That didn’t get me very far into the day before I was looking for something else. Eating a good foundational breakfast has made every day better. I’m not hungry until it’s time for lunch and by lunch I’m not starving; ready to devour whatever’s not nailed down! You know the feeling.

Whether you eat this or not, eat something. Preferably something that fills you up. Something you look forward to having again. Maybe something that reminds you of a beautiful, comforting place. That something should nourish you and lay the foundation for a good day ahead. It’s all about taking the time to better care for yourself. Enjoy the little moments in life - like breakfast!

The recipe for this is one serving of Scottish Oatmeal cooked per directions on package (3/4 cup water/ 36 grams oatmeal). When that’s done (about 10 minutes) put it in a bowl and top with: 1 tbsp. dried mixed berries, 1 tbsp. chopped pecans, 1 tsp. honey. Every morning I have this with two mugs of coffee with caramel macchiato creamer. I’m in love with that, too (only 35 cals/tbsp.)!

Nutrition facts for Big Sky Oatmeal:

Calories: 241

Fat: 7.9

Carbohydrates: 241

Fiber: 5.25

Protein: 7.75

Lone Peak - Big Sky, MT

June 2012

To Sleep: A Love Letter

Dear Sleep:

I love you.

I can’t get enough of you.

Let’s ditch these yahoos and meet for a rendezvous.

Wendy

The perfect time to talk about sleep is when my young adult children (yahoos) and their friends (yahoos) are in the house. That’s when I crave it. They are in the phase where staying up most of the night is the cool thing to do. I spoke to them at 2:00 am. I was stern…not really, they make me laugh and want to chatter at that hour. I like them chatty. Their seven-year-old sister (and a yahoo herself) was awake at 4:00 am with a bad dream and then up at 7:15 am for good. It’s 9:00 am now and I’m still in denial that we had to get up.

My husband (also a yahoo) and I are just as much to blame. Allison usually goes to bed at eight and is asleep by 8:45 or so. Then, I have my time to really get things done  – dishes, plan tomorrow's meals, pack lunch, straighten up, pay bills and if I’m lucky – maybe I get to read a few pages in the latest book I’m reading. Then, Rich will ask about watching a show on the DVR or a movie. Forget if there's anything ELSE planned!

One time, when I was particularly sleep deprived I was telling Rich how I fantasize about getting a hotel room (he listens, curiosity piqued)…and I dash his hopes and dreams when I end with “just to sleep.” What a sad truth! That’s when I know I’ve really got to get a handle on this thing.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-8 hours of sleep per night for adults as our basal sleep need. The consequences if you don’t get that are startling:

Though scientists are still learning about the concept of basal sleep need, one thing sleep research certainly has shown is that sleeping too little can not only inhibit your productivity and ability to remember and consolidate information, but lack of sleep can also lead to serious health consequences and jeopardize your safety and the safety of individuals around you.

For example, short sleep duration is linked with:

·         Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents

·         Increase in body mass index – a greater likelihood of obesity due to an increased appetite caused by sleep deprivation

·         Increased risk of diabetes and heart problems

·         Increased risk for psychiatric conditions including depression and substance abuse

·         Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information

According to researchers Michael H. Bonnet and Donna L. Arand, "There is strong evidence that sufficient shortening or disturbance of the sleep process compromises mood, performance and alertness and can result in injury or death. In this light, the most common-sense 'do no injury' medical advice would be to avoid sleep deprivation."

When I don’t sleep at least seven hours, I find it difficult to navigate even the easiest of days. I’m a little grouchy. When problems arise, they seem bigger than they actually are. My body and brain are slouchy – begging for glucose for energy – so I fight them all day to stay within my calorie range. You have to be able to recognize when your body needs food and when your body just needs to lay down. It’s difficult because most of time you can’t just lay down.

If you do have insomnia, this site is a good resource: Harvard Sleep Center. Since I’ve been exercising daily, I haven’t had insomnia. As a precaution, I guess, I’ve still used the recommendations I’ve read for people who do. Our bedroom is already painted a serene green. I’ve removed pictures from my bedroom and replaced them with abstract art and candles. I try to control the clutter (which apparently causes anxiety) – dresser tops and floors should be clear. Bedside stands should be organized. I try to read a little before bed so that electronics have been off for 30 minutes or so.

The one thing that works wonders when I’m being really good about sleep hygiene (that’s really what it’s called!) is The List. I don’t do everything I feel like I need to before I go to bed, but I make a list of all those things. This gets them out of my head, so I can rest, and my brain and I are lulled by the false promise that it will all be done tomorrow. Shhh…what we don’t know won’t hurt us. Let us sleep. 

Ah...sleep...

Allison - Summer 2012

Willpower is a Jerk

Willpower is the kind of jerk who says they’re going to do something and then doesn’t follow through. Or who breaks a promise, then promises the same thing again – expecting you to believe them. Willpower might actually be a guy I used to know!

We’ve heard it all of our lives:

• “Pull up your boot straps.”
• “Put your nose to the grindstone.”
• “All you need is a little willpower.”

I wish willpower worked but our brains are more complex than that. Too complex for us to fool with will alone. Dr. David Kessler writes in The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, “Alone among the senses, taste is hardwired to brain cells that respond to pleasure. It prompts the strongest emotional response.”

If you have had trouble with your weight, you know what this means. You’ve been there - feeling like you’re out of control…a drug addict…or a crazy person around foods that are triggers for you. According to Kessler, these foods usually fall into the category of: fat, sugar or salt. More often they are a combination of two or all three of these categories of food – that make them even more powerful to resist.

So, if willpower doesn’t work – what does? I’m not altogether sure. But, I have figured out a few things. As Einstein says, “One cannot alter a condition with the same mindset that created it in the first place.” So try something you never have before. Don’t just join the weight-loss program you have in the past and go through the motions. It didn’t work before – it won’t this time either. Change it up. You don’t want the heartbreak that goes with gaining that weight back again.

The first thing that has worked for me so far is planning. I use a day off to make a grocery list and shop for good food to plan meals and snacks for the week ahead. It helps to have the right food within reach. Pack your lunch and snack and take it with you – even if you’re not going to work. I take water and a snack with me if I’m going to be out running errands. I’m less likely to pull into a drive-thru if I’ve got something with me. My Achilles heal is chocolate – Ghirardelli chocolate chips – as you already know. To keep from eating the entire bag, I divide the bag into single servings in those little snack baggies and put them in the freezer. Freezing them means I have to eat them a little slower and it makes it seem like I’ve had more of them. It’s not as easy to grab a handful and down them before I know what hit me.

The second thing I’ve done is: exercise every day no matter what. It’s necessary for the good health, strength and vitality you will need to be young and energetic throughout your life. You won’t like it every day. You won’t feel like you have time. Do it anyway. Even if you’re convincing yourself you’re NOT going to exercise today, go put on your exercise clothes, get outside. After awhile, it’s almost automatic.

The third thing that works is to make a list of things you want to get done. We all have these lists in our heads anyway. Mine has things on it like: organize photographs and make albums, journal, organize cupboards and closets, touch-up paint in the house, spend time with family – go to a movie or a museum or on a hike, or put together puzzles and play games. The object is to turn off electronics and do something that keeps you out of the kitchen and that keeps you from being idle when eating is done mindlessly.

Willpower is a jerk you can’t count on. Find things that work for you, that you can count on, and use them to make your life what you want it to be. 

Ta da! Allison and I in our snowshoes!

Spending time with family...check.

December 2012

My Life in the 'Hoods

Every parent has had more than their share of advice about how to handle tantrums. The advice ranges from “pick them up and remove them” to “ignore them.” It’s possible to pick them up. But, if you’re going to attempt this, it helps if you’ve had experience lifting flailing, 8-legged, baby giraffes. You can also ignore them…if you have a blindfold and headphones with loud music playing. Now, after all of my kids are through the tantrum stage, I realize, there’s nothing you can do to stop them. They are going through a developmental stage where they don’t have the words to express their frustration so they have to express themselves physically and emotionally. It doesn’t matter what you do. In most kids, tantrums will happen until they don’t anymore. 

What I need your help with is what happens when tantrums recur? Say, for example, in your mid-forties? I was going to change names to protect the innocent but I thought you’d figure it out anyway. I have been through my share of life crises. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m all business and “what do we have to do to get this fixed” when a crisis presents itself. It’s the times when I’m tired and/or sick or just need a vacation from the ‘hoods – adulthood, parenthood, nursehood, and wifehood – that the tantrums flare.

That’s my first tantrum: Did anyone ever tell me that you don’t GET a vacation from the ‘hoods once you’re in them? Not that that would have changed any of my life decisions, but I would’ve had a different mindset, like, “We’re goin’ in folks!” head down, jaw set, better prepared. As it is, there are times when I’m a little wide-eyed and bewildered. Still.

I just recently identified these as tantrums. Previously I would’ve said I was being grouchy or bitchy. But, I’m not a grouchy or bitchy person. These tantrums last just minutes and then I’m back to my normal, fun self (just ask me). These are some examples of tantrums I’ve had over the last 6 months:

• “I don’t want to do math (add calories) before I eat dinner!”
• “I don’t want to exercise today!”
• "This <insert expletive> dog chews EVERYTHING!”
• “I’m tired.”
• “Why is the cat puking…AGAIN?!”
• “Why are there dishes downstairs? Are we waiting for the dishes fairy?”

I don’t get a lot of help with these tantrums from my husband or children. They steer clear…remain silent…stare straight-ahead…and don’t make eye contact. They’re a smart bunch.

Keep in mind – I made the choice and I PAY to have the accountability of counting my calories and exercising daily. We paid (too much) for the dog who chews everything. We elected to have a cat.  I would not change a thing about my career choice, my delightful husband or my beautiful children.

My issue is just these ‘moments’ in time where I seem to snap a bit. Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? I could use some suggestions. My family implores you. Please advise.

I can't stay mad at this face.

Zsuga the Puli, Christmas 2012

Your New Best Friend

This recipe started with Sweet Pea's Kitchen. I changed them by making them gluten-free with Glutino Pretzels and pumped up the chocolate with the Ghirardelli chocolate chips pictured in the “Best. Snack. Ever.” post from 1/12/13. They are fabulous and wonderful – amazing really. They remind me of the Take5 candy bar. I love those but I can’t eat them because of the gluten in them. But, I can eat these marvelous chocolate/peanutbutter/pretzel bites!

Now, I’m a grown woman, I understand a snack cannot be the love of your life…but these could be your new best friend.

I usually provide the nutrition facts for the recipes I post, but these are difficult. They don’t make the same amount every time. Sometimes I like them with lots of peanut butter – most of the time I like them with less. Find your perfect amount of the peanut butter mixture – add up the calories of all the ingredients and divide by how many you made. Then, enjoy your new best friend – guilt-free!

Everyone Needs a Mom

Disclaimer: This is in no way to discount the importance of fathers. It’s just not about you this time.

My children complain that they never got to go to the doctor unless they were dying. They blame this on the fact that I’ve worked in Emergency Departments all of their lives. They exaggerate. On the other hand, my sister says I’m one of those neurotic mothers whose children always have to have a coat or a sweater on whether they are actually cold or not. She probably doesn’t exaggerate. My children are getting mixed messages.

As I said, the majority of my career (nurse and NP) has been spent caring for patients in Emergency Departments. The way you do this work for a long time is to realize that every patient coming through that door believes they have a true emergency. Many of them do. Many of them don’t. They don’t know what we know.

Let me preface this by saying these are not baby-boomers or even people of my generation. These are people under 35, for the most part…people who could really use a Mom about now. Some of the complaints they come in with are:

• “I got my period 2 days early.”
• “I vomited once an hour ago.”
• “I started to have a sore throat today.”
• “I have a bug bite.”
• “I fell down. I feel fine but I just want to get checked out.”
• “I cut myself.” (abrasion that's not bleeding...or paper cut)
• “I need a pregnancy test.” 

When I was younger these ultra-minor complaints used to try my patience – especially on those crazy, busy days. Now, they make me sad. They make me wonder why, if they had this sort of question, they didn’t just call their Mom. I would’ve called my Mom. I would’ve gotten my dose of sympathy or possibly a well-placed, “Well, you klutz!” and I would’ve been on my way.

It’s possible they didn’t have a Mom like mine and maybe they were rushed to the doctor with every ache and pain and odd symptom their body developed. They didn’t teach them that not everything is an emergency. They didn’t teach them that a normal part of living is sometimes being sick and it might do you good to just go to bed. They didn’t teach them how to care for themselves (don’t eat McDonald’s if you just vomited an hour ago) – by doing simple things like just drinking liquids, taking their own temperature, resting, and containing themselves from exposing others.

Perhaps I need to open first aid stations a block from every hospital called “Momma’s House” to field questions, take the McDonald’s bag away, hand out Gatorade, do pregnancy tests, apply bandaids…and give out sweaters.

Our girl's sick pose.

GI bug Christmas 2012.

The Ultimate Comfort Food

I wish the computer had a scratch-and-sniff feature, like my strawberry shirt from Woolworth’s when I was kid. The smell of chicken and dumpling soup is the kind of smell that makes you inhale deeply while your eyes roll back in your head. Scratch-and-sniff probably wouldn’t do it justice…it didn’t for the strawberry either.

No-one really knows how long this recipe has been in our family. We’re all (except maybe Dad) just really glad it is! These aren’t southern-style biscuit dumplings that are dry in the middle. They’re more like the dumplings in knoephla soup, if you’ve ever had that. Knoephla is more of a milk-based soup whereas this one is the typical chicken/vegetable soup with dumplings in place of the noodles.

You could start out with your base many different ways depending on the amount of time you have and how much effort you want to put into it. I have taken to using the chicken bones/meat I have left over from this recipe:

Perfect Roast Chicken - Ina Garten

This really is the perfect roast chicken. My boys proclaim it’s the best chicken they’ve ever had! When I’ve carved the chickens from that meal (leaving just the right amount of meat on the bones), I double bag the bones and put them in the freezer to await the perfect soup day. The spices and citrus from that recipe (I use oranges rather than lemons) make a delicious broth.

The base of this soup is pretty easy. You will have no trouble with that. You may have to perfect your dumplings as you go. When I first started making this on my own, we had a few “rock or dumpling?” contests! You want to use the precise amount of flour called for in the recipe. I always wanted it thicker, like biscuit dough. That will get you rock dumplings. The dough will be on the sticky side – really sticky – that’s perfect. Before you start dropping the dumplings, your soup should be at a rolling boil. It cools off really quickly when you start dropping the dumplings in.

You can use a table spoon or you can use the cookie scoops like I use. I need to use them because it’s my standard for measurement in calculating the calories. At any rate, drop the dumplings into the boiling soup by the spoonful. They will drop to the bottom at first and rise to the top as they cook. They expand as they cook so use a pot with plenty of room. Cook them for the full 20 minutes, even if it seems like they’re done before that.

The consistency of these dumplings should be light without being airy. I have nothing else to compare them to for you – it’s sort of unfair to say they should have the consistency of a really good dumpling. What does that mean to you if you’ve never had one? You will know it when you’ve mastered it and your whole family will thank you!

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

One or two chicken carcasses, already cooked carved of most of the meat

8 Cups of water

4 Cups of chicken broth

Boil gently for one hour.

Remove chicken to cutting board.

Add to broth:

1 cup potato, diced

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup carrots, sliced

Remove chicken from the bone and discard bones.

Add chicken back to the soup.

Boil gently 30-40 min.
Salt and pepper to taste.

At this point, you could add either the dumplings from the recipe below or egg noodles for chicken noodle soup. Dumplings are WAY better, though!

Dumplings

3 eggs, beaten

1 ¼ cups milk

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour (to make gluten-free, use Gluten Free Pantry All-purpose flour)

Mix all ingredients and drop by spoonful into boiling soup. Cook approximately 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Vegetable Soup Nutrition Facts for 309 grams:

• Calories: 81
• Fat: 3.2
• Carbs: 7.7
• Fiber: 1.2
• Protein: 7.4

Dumplings Nutrition Facts per dumpling:

• Calories: 69.3
• Fat: 0.4
• Carbs: 14.3
• Fiber: 0.5
• Protein: 1.2

Miss Othmar's Soup

You may not know who Miss Othmar is. I didn’t until today. We’re going to talk a little bit about fiber. Whenever anyone talks about fiber, I start to hear the voice of Charlie Brown’s teacher. Her name is Miss Othmar (There! You learned something.). This soup is dedicated to her. Don’t tune us out! It is delicious and full of fiber!

The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults and children get 14 grams of fiber for each 1000 calories they eat per day. This was overwhelming when I first started all this. I’d never paid attention to fiber before in my life. It’s important because it lowers cholesterol, thus preventing heart disease, and significantly lowers your risk of colon cancer. If you want to see more specifics, you can read more here: Harvard Nutrition Source

I eat 1500 calories a day and keep my fiber anywhere from 20-33 grams/day. I’m not real rigid about it. I just try to get enough. There are so many options, if you’re not gluten-free, of high fiber breads or tortillas or bagels. There are always fiber bars if you’re in a pinch.

Those of you who are gluten-free will find that beans, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables will be your best sources of fiber. Oranges are so good right now that I have one every afternoon. There’s not much you can eat that beats the flavor and texture of a really good orange and they have 7 grams of fiber in each one.

I first tasted this type of soup from a can. I got it because of the fiber content. I’d never loved black beans – never tried them, really. Our older daughter is vegetarian, so this is a great meal to make when she is coming over. Every time I make it, there are audible “mmmm’s” around the table. It warms the belly and we love that at our house. I usually pair it with gluten-free cornbread muffins or biscuits.

This is the recipe from which I adapted this soup. I haven’t ventured into soaking beans. I will, just not yet.

Taste of Home Black Bean Soup 2

Black Bean Soup

1 tbsp canola oil

1 onion

1 carrot, shredded

4 garlic cloves, chopped

Saute in pan until onions are translucent.

Add:

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp oregano

4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Cook on medium for 30 minutes

Add:

1 - 6 oz can tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

Stir in well. Cook 15-20 more minutes.

Cool on stove slightly before serving.

Nutrition Facts for a 238 gram bowl of soup:

• Calories: 165.5
• Fat: 2
• Carbs: 36.8
• Fiber: 9.7
• Protein: 9.7

Enjoy!