Give it Up!

If you know anything about my story, you know I am SUPER frugal.  Read here to get the full scoop.



There are a lot of things I have been willing to give up in order to meet our goals of building a dream house.  As Dave Ramsey says, "Live like no one else now, so you can really live like no one else later."



Maybe with this current economy you have had to let some things go as well.



Here's some things I gave up during our last 5 years of extreme savings:



A big house

Cable TV

Gourmet coffee

Ready-made and packaged foods

The latest fashions

Brand name products



Here's some things that I consider splurges that I'm just not willing to let go of (unless I really had to):



Coffee creamer

Brand name dishwasher soap (I hate spots!)

Healthy foods (lean meats, LOTS of fruits and vegetables, nuts and occasionally fish)



What have you given up (or thought of recently that you should give up) for helping you get in a better financial situation?



What are some splurges you just can't live without that you allow for in the budget?







Erin

Sell Something!

Recently, Dave Ramsey spoke at Lifechurch.tv on getting out of debt.  He suggested one strategy for a quick start is to sell something.  We'd like to increase our cash-flow around here and we have a few things to sell:



*a nice beginner drum set (Pacific) $550

*a US Kids youth golf club set (really nice) w bag $125

*2005 Ford Ranger pickup (57K) $9900

*1989 Ford F-250 pickup (117K) $3000

*AND GET THIS!  Dirk is selling his 2006 Honda VTX-1300 motorcycle with LOTS of extras!! ($7750)



So?  What do you have to sell?  List it with a contact e-mail.  Who knows? One of our readers might see it and drop you a line!





Robin

Mommy Break

Last week Erin's Mother-In-Law kept her two boys (ages 5 & 3) for two hours so she could have a Mommy break.



Guess what she did?



She worked out at the gym . . .



For two hours!



What would you do with a two hour Mommy break?



Robin

Beans, Glorious Beans!

White Bean Hummus



1 pkg cooked  (or can) white beans

2 cloves garlic

one sprig fresh rosemary (about 1 T.)

2 t. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

a few shakes hot sauce



Place all ingredients into food processor and whirl until smooth. Add a couple teaspoons water, if necessary, to make smooth.



Serve with vegetable stick or pita chips (pita bread quartered and baked in oven until crisp)



Mexican Black Bean Dip



1 pkg cooked and thawed (or 1 can) black beans, rinsed
1/3 cup salsa
1/4 cup cilantro leaves ( or more, I love cilantro)
1 Tbs. lime juice
l clove garlic

Drain and rinse the black beans. Combine the black beans, salsa, cilantro leaves, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor. Blend until smooth.



Serve with tortilla chips or vegetable sticks.



Bean Flautas (1 pkg beans makes about 5-6 flautas)



1-2 pkgs cooked and thawed (or 1-2 cans) pinto beans

2 t. chili powder (or to taste)

1 t. cumin (or to taste)

salt, hot sauce to taste

tortillas

non-stick spray



Place beans in skillet and mash with potato masher until mostly blended.  Heat through.



Place 2-3 Tbs. beans on softened corn or flour tortillas.  Roll tortilla.  Place on baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Spray flauta with non-stick spray.



Bake at 350 degrees until flautas are lightly browned and crisp



Serve with salsa (or salsa mixed with Ranch dressing, as my boys do).  This is one of my teen sons' favorite lunches.



Find a few other favorite beans recipes here.



Hope you enjoy trying these good-for-you, low-fat, high fiber recipes.





Robin

If You Don't Know Beans About Beans

Beans get a bad rap.  But did you know they are a great source of protein, are high in fiber, and low in calories. 



If you cook your own from dried, they will cost you about ½ as much as the canned varieties!  (and have you ever checked out the sodium content in those cans??!! Whew!)



It's easy to do.



Purchase a pound package of dried beans (on the same aisle as the rice and pasta in most grocery stores).  Choose from white, red, pinto, black and many other varieties.



Rinse in a colander and place in a large pot.  Completely cover with water.  Leave over night to soak.  The next morning, bring the temperature of the water to almost boiling, and turn down to a low simmer.  Now, cook for 4-6 hours, or until soft.  (1 lb. dried = approx. 10 cups cooked.)



That's it!



You can even soak them overnight in the crockpot and cook all the next day. Season them now, or later.





At this point they are ready to be used in recipes or stored in the freezer.





I usually place 2 cups in a zip-lock freezer bag, seal, and lay flat in the freezer.



Currently, my freezer has red beans, white beans, black beans and a new supply of pintos.  To use them, I lay the frozen bag into the microwave and heat until thawed. Then, use as you would for canned beans.



Tomorrow, I'll share a few recipes:



White Bean Hummus

Mexican Black Bean Dip

Bean Flautas



C'mon...use your bean and start eating more beans!



 

Do you like beans?  Do you use them in any recipes?  Do share!





Robin

Double-Dog Dare: 30 Meals in 30 Days

Last year I had a free subscription to Cookie magazine. It's technically for parents, but the articles are really cool and artsy, so I read it. One story in particular spoke to me, especially since Andrew's daughters have become increasingly interested in cooking and "weird" foods. The article opens like this:

"I started making a list on the train home from work one night last fall. I was sitting there, racking my brain, in a mild panic, trying to decide what to cook for dinner that night. Here's what came to mind: nothing.

So I pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down all the meals I could make for my husband and two kids that didn't involve the toaster oven, or customizing plate after plate, or Gitmo-style negotiations before every microscopic bite ("If you don't try that pork/pea/basmati grain, no dessert! Okay. I'm counting to three...!"). The exercise didn't take very long. I stared in disbelief at the sad, sorry lot that was my culinary repertoire:

The sad, sorry lot:
Breaded chicken cutlets
Hamburgers
Pizza
Sautéed shrimp

Four meals. How was this possible? How had my mammoth archive of prekid dinners devolved into this grim little lineup?"

After making her list, the author made a pact with herself to get more creative in the kitchen and expose her kids to new things. I know this is an issue many parents can relate to. It seems that so many of us (especially us self-proclaimed BUSY folks) struggle to break out of culinary ruts sometimes...or we don't know how our families will respond if we attempt to do so.

For those of you with picky eaters in your house (whether it's your kids or your spouse!), I encourage you...no, I DARE YOU, to do a similar experiment in your household, maybe even making it a game if you must.

Read the full article here (make sure you see all of it...it's a few pages, including tips and suggested menus) and get 30-days' worth of recipes here.

Bon Appétit!

Are there picky eaters in your household? What's your favorite "weird" food? Are you going to accept my dare? :)

ABBI

Biggest Loser Cookbook

I don't know about you guys but I love watching The Biggest Loser. When I saw they came out with a new cookbook that was all about being budget friendly, I couldn't wait to get it from the library. It shows us how we CAN stop using the excuse that it costs too much to eat healthy. Here is a sneak peek at one of the recipes I tried this week.  It's really good...like Potatoes O'Brien.

Breakfast Sweet Potatoes

1 lb. Sweet Potatoes, cubed
1/2 c. Green pepper, chopped
3/4 c. Onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Garlic
1 1/2 tsp. Olive oil
1/4 tsp. Paprika
1/8 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Mix ingredients and arrange in single layer on pan. Bake 20 min, turn and bake 20-25 more min.

Makes 4 Servings

Calories 125
Fat 2g
Fiber 4g

2 points per serving







Ali

An Entrepreneurial Spirit

When I was 7 or so, I was determined to get RICH! Kool-Aid stands, "baby-sitting" my little cousins, raking leaves, collecting golf balls from the ditch by the fairgrounds and washing them for resale...I was just sure I was going to make it big someday! Let me tell you that selling used golf balls is no way to get rich quick. But then, few ventures are.

One of the most rewarding things to me about being a designer/creator/brain-storming machine with some technical skills is this: Creativity is what you make of it. A couple years ago, I began a side business I call "Z as in Zebra". I create handmade books and designer cakes and although it's nice to make some extra money, that's not the main reason behind what I do. Whether I make a dime or not, whether someone loves my wares or not, whether my baked goods look more like biscuits or bricks, all that really matters to me is the process of creating. It's liberating.

So liberating, in fact, that I'm taking steps to improve my business and get my name out there more. I'm being more intentional about building a strong base now so that my dreams are easier to reach in the future. My #1 dream is to someday be a stay-at-home mom (perhaps even a homeschoolin' one!) who still finds joy in creating handmade things that bless other people.

By now, you're probably wanting me to put my money where my mouth is. :) So...to satisfy your curious minds, here are some snapshots of some of the work I've done.











If you want to see more (or if you want details on how you can get your very own custom journal or cake!), check out Z as in Zebra. Through the process of building my business, I've learned that my dreams may not necessarily make me rich, but chasing them does make me happy! And that makes it all worth it!

Do you enjoy making things? What do you create? Why do you love it?

ABBI

Tweaking Tricks for Baking

Use these tweaking tricks to help you squeeze out the fat and calories in your baking and in turn help you squeeze into your cute jeans.  ;-)



Most basic baking recipes call for dry ingredients, wet ingredients, fat ingredients, and sweet ingredients.



For dry ingredients such as flour you can pretty much substitute any whole grain type flour and/or whole grain cereal (oatmeal, cream of wheat) or mix and match.  I use a scant less than it calls for when baking with whole grains to keep my baked goods moist.



For the wet ingredients you can make any substitute of skim, lowfat, reduced fat, etc. in place of whole fats.  (in place of whole milk, sour cream, yogurt, etc.)



For fat ingredients you can substitute no-sugar added applesauce cup for cup with little or no change in taste for any oil, margarine or butter that the recipe calls for.  I use a bit more applesauce to oil to help with the moistness.  For things where the flavor would be appropriate bananas, pumpkin, and plain non-fat yogurt can be substituted for the fat.



To tweak the sweet ingredients choose from these lower calorie and/or healthy substitutes :

Splenda

Molasses

Honey

Sunette

Sugar-free maple syrup

Go here for specific details on using these substitutes in your baking.



So to take this recipe I just randomly looked up, check out how I would tweak it in the parenthesis that follow each ingredient:



To Die For Blueberry Muffins





1 -1/2 c. all-purpose flour (slightly less of a mixture of whole wheat flour, little wheat germ, little oat bran)

3/4 c. white sugar (splenda, or other tweaks from above)

1/2 t. salt

 2 t. baking powder

 1/3 c. vegetable oil (applesauce or banana - or a little of both)

 1 egg

1/3 c. milk (skim)

1 c. fresh blueberries



I'm going to bake these at 375 (25 degrees less than it calls for) and check them way earlier than the original baking time (about 12 minutes) all to keep moist.  Using high fiber and sugar substitutes makes things drier and causes things to cook faster so I work real hard to keep my baked goods moist.



So, find a recipe or use one of those favorites you've had to put away because it is too fattening and get to experimenting.  Now you can enjoy those baked goods a little more often since you have some new baking tricks up your sleeve.

 



Erin

My Mother is a Waiter

Whenever any of my brothers and sisters got injured or were sick while we were growing up, I always remembered these words come out of my mother's mouth, "Well, let's wait and see."

 

My mother is a waiter.

 

This is not a bad thing of course, as there are plenty of injuries or sicknesses that do not need emergency medical attention.  It is a bad thing though, if it is something critical. I remember when I was about 12 or so, my brother Jacob broke his leg playing on the neighbor's trampoline. My mom was at the garden and I had to convince her that his leg was definitely broken.   Other than major injuries, : ) she was always good at diagnosing and taking care of non-emergency situations. (There were only 3 emergency trips from the 7 of us).

 

I thought it might be helpful for those moms that are waiters and for those that race to the emergency room at the slightest break in skin, to list some criteria that warrants a visit to the ER as well as some that can stand to be taken care of at home. 

 

Reasons to go to the ER:

 

--You or your child has a temperature of 104F that is unrelieved by Tylenol or Motrin AND you cannot get in to see your regular doctor

 

--You or your child has a laceration that needs sutures. For example, very deep or a split like across the eyebrow AND you cannot get in to see your regular doctor

 

--You or your child has a suspected broken bone and there is obvious deformity or unbearable pain when trying to move it AND you cannot get in to see your doctor.

 

--You or your child sustains a head injury, with loss of consciousness and are confused when they wake up, for example, ask the same questions over and over again or has slurred speech or just isn't making sense AND you cannot get in to see your doctor

 

--You or your child is having an allergic reaction, breaking out in hives, getting short of breath, etc. 

 

--You or your loved one has a sudden onset of chest pain that makes you short of breath, nauseas or radiates to your arms, shoulders or back (especially for women), that is unrelieved by antacids or rest, and you have a history of heart or cholesterol problems

 

--You or your loved one are having any trouble breathing, have a history of asthma, coughing especially at night, chest tightness, pain or pressure, wheezing, very rapid breathing, difficulty talking because of shortness of breath, feelings of anxiety or panic, pale or sweaty face, blue tinged lips or fingernails.

These are signs of an asthma attack, or could be of any type of breathing difficulty. It is especially important to be attentive to these signs in children as risk for respiratory arrest is increased in a child with asthma.

 

And many others....but please use common sense!

 

Reasons not to go to the ER:

 

--You think a bug flew in your ear and you want to see if it got in your brain

--You have a splinter or a paper cut that takes a microscope to even see

--You have a fever and you have not taken Tylenol or Motrin

--You have a runny nose

--You can't find the contact in your eye

--You have the common cold

--You think you are pregnant

--If any of your complaints are followed with the words "for a few months"

Example: "I have had a cough . . . for a few months"

 

 

Are you a waiter or do you jump to the ER at any sign of sickness?



 

Katie (who works in the ER)

A Love Story

I love having my kids home with me and doing fun art projects. I don’t love when one of them disobeys and picks up a whole pint of yellow tempera paint and drops it on the floor splashing it up on walls and leaving a saturated pool of yellow paint in the carpet!
 
I love that when a certain child drops this whole pint of paint that I can call Mimi Meadows sobbing and she comes and helps me clean and saves her poor grandson from being killed. I don’t love that after 3 hours of working on this yellow stain that it still remains a huge yellow stain resembling a pool of dog urine right in the middle of the floor!
 
I love that after giving up and letting it sit for three weeks that this certain product Clorox Oxi Magic catches my eye at Crest and gives me one last hope for my pee-stained-looking floor. And after scrubbing it in and having it work I love it even more!
 
I don’t love that I forgot to vacuum it right after cleaning the floor like the instructions said (I didn’t get the point of that anyway - at the time) and when I go to vacuum a few days later I think my vacuum has exploded because Clorox Oxi Magic dust is flying all around. Oops. Hope those fumes didn’t mess with me too much. I think I’m still normal.

Do you have a favorite cleaning product? Or a paint disaster story?



 

Erin

 

 

The Abs Diet for Women...a book review

I'm currently reading The Abs Diet for Women by David Zinczenko (Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health Magazine, as well as the author of several other books including "Eat This, Not That"). One of the main focuses of the book is the health risks associated with belly fat and how to lose it if you've got it. But for me, the book has really solidified this fact in my mind: Getting fit is 80% what you eat (or DON'T eat), and 20% how much you exercise. 80/20, I promise you. The more books I read, the more facts I have to support that claim. From a personal standpoint, I don't exercise any more than I did the last 10 times I belonged to a gym, but this time the pounds are melting off. The difference? The way I eat. I could work out all day long and not lose weight if I am still choosing to fill my plate (and mouth) with garbage!

The book centers around the idea that our bodies are machines and food=fuel. Your body will function at optimal levels only if it gets good fuel! That means lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy. Zinczenko shares the 12 "Powerfoods" as well as dozens of recipes that include them. While the book title does include the word "diet", Zinczenko himself expresses his dislike for the word and its connotations. Rather, the Abs Diet Power plan is an eating plan, a way of life that can be sustained because it is realistic. For that other 20%, the book also offers suggested workouts that target your core (translated: abs and back muscles) and other muscles.

This book has changed the way I view both food and exercise. I've revamped my workouts and started eating 6 small meals a day, rather than 3 big ones. I can already feel a change in my energy levels and focus. I'm never stuffed or starving. And, in terms of exercise, my workouts are shorter and more intentional, and I'm still seeing amazing results.

Get this book. If you're like me, reading it will result in many 'aha' moments that will lead to better health for you and your family!

Have you read any health and fitness books that have changed your life?



Abbi

Make No Mistake

Observing my kids through the years in their academic education I noticed they hated to make mistakes. Many times some of them would go off in a huff because of missing a math problem or not spelling something correctly. In fact, you could almost be assured that they would be affected for a little while after making a mistake.



In the business world I think it is just the same. A business makes a mistake in buying or selling or maybe making a hiring mistake. It affects that business.



Why do I bring this up? The pressure to be right and the self-imposed disposition for everything to go smoothly and easily has caused us as a society to become fearful of taking risks. But, I've found that those mistakes are some of the greatest lessons in my life. My favorite reading is self help books and character quality building books and without exception making mistakes and learning from those mistakes and overcoming the fear of risk is common in all of them.



Personally has fear or failure ever caused you to withdraw from an activity that might have grown you?  Overcoming our fears and being willing to make mistakes can either push us forward or hold us back. I want to move forward.



Are you a risk taker? Does the fear of risk freeze your progress? What are some ideas and methods you have found to overcome fear?







Dirk

Cake for Dinner!

Oh yes, we have cake for dinner at least twice a month.  What, you say?  Has Erin finally fallen off the wagon of healthy eating?  No worries!  These cakes are loaded with fiber, vegetables and are  well-rounded in nutrition to allow you the pleasure of cake for dinner.



For meat based cakes I use about 1 lb. of raw meat with some shredded or chopped veggies (done in the food processor).  For veggie based,  about 3 - 4 cups veggies.

           

You use two add-ins:

 1.  Dump in a handful of oatmeal or a slice or two of double-the-fiber bread in the food processor along with the veggies and/or meat.  Or add whole grain flour to the mix until you reach desired consistency.



2.  Mix with a couple of eggs

You want to scoop out a large dollop on griddle or skillet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Flatten to about a ½" and lightly fry on each side.  (About 3 min. each side - or 'til cooked through, as in the case of meat).

Cheese is an optional add-in and can even be added on top after flipping (this is what we do here on part of the batch of cakes since cheese is usually not an indulgence I allow myself, but all my guys love.)



Our favorite cakes are zucchini (just shredded zucchini w/ a little onion mixed with the egg and flour), confetti veggie cakes (pictured) (shredded potato, carrots, squash, onion, peppers - whatever else I have on hand! with egg and flour), tuna cakes (canned, drained tuna with various veggies, bread crumbs and eggs), and turkey cakes (ground turkey, various veggies, bread crumbs and eggs).  (The turkey ones are great on the grill as well! - Form into patties as you would a hamburger).

Have you ever made cakes for dinner?  I think your kids would like the sound of it at least!  They may even ask for syrup on them like our little Will!  ;-)







Erin

The Code of Conduct

Have you ever held a door open for a stranger in a public place who has said, "Chivalry is not dead!"  Or have you ever read about the chivalrous knights of the Middle Ages?  Have you ever wondered what makes a knight chivalrous, or what exactly the word even means?



Chivalry is derived from the French word cheval.  In the Middle Ages, chivalry was "the code of conduct for the nobility and the knights."  This code stresses the good qualities of a person:  strength, courage, loyalty, courtesy, spirited bold or a well-mannered person.



Not long ago chivalry was a concept largely ignored.  Men thought that a quality like courtesy simply wasn't "manly" enough.  Though, in the 21^st century, some people have realized that the world needs a code of conduct.  And people are realizing that anyone-men and women, teachers and coaches, students and soldiers, doctors and athletes-any one of us can be a knight in shining armor.  And every one of us should be.



So in today's world, you can see that chivalry is, in fact, not dead.  Some people are still courteous, spirited and bold.  Many people are still very well mannered.  So next time you're in public, hold a door open for someone, use the words please and thank you.  And more than that, help bring chivalry back into our modern, everyday life.



Do you think chivalry is dead?





Jacob

Sow Your Oats

Do you eat breakfast?  Shame on you if you don’t!  Don’t get me started on the benefits of starting your day off right!  If there were a pill that was super cheap, fought cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and cholesterol you’d probably jump right on it right?  Well, you don’t have to take a pill, you just have to eat oatmeal - and you could do this everyday for months and not even have to eat the same flavor!

Dad and Mom Meadows eat oatmeal E-V-E-R-Y-D-A-Y!  I love to give them a hard time about it (especially because they only eat it two different ways) but I’ve seen the benefits in their health when they started this daily regime.  Plus, I can’t say anything because I eat oatmeal for breakfast at least half the time.  Oatmeal can be pretty bland though and I get really bored if I don’t mix up the flavors.  Well, over the years I have tried many different ways to make this yummy-health-in-a-bowl and I thought I would share some of the ideas.

For your base, mix:

 ½ cup dried old-fashioned oats (not instant - not as healthy!  And no packaged pre-mixed oatmeal!)

1-cup milk (variations: soy milk, chocolate soy milk, water + 1/3 c. dry milk)

Flavor Variations:

Fruit

mix ½ cup fruit of choice (frozen or fresh chopped apples, peaches, pears, bananas, pineapple, mango, applesauce, berries, canned pumpkin, whatever sounds good!)

Spices

1 t. appropriate spice (cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, ginger, all spice, almond or vanilla extract)

Sweetener

1 teaspoon,  more or less of Splenda or favorite sweetener (sometimes the fruit is sweet enough!)

Other Variations:

Add 1 T. peanut butter, small handful of favorite nuts; use sugar-free maple syrup or sugar-free coffee syrup in place of both seasoning and sweetener (the variations here are countless!)  For super healthy additions add 1 T. ground flax seed (like Dad and Mom) or 2 T. wheat germ.

Microwave for 5 minutes on half power (stirring once or twice to keep from spilling over).

You can even make baked oatmeal

Try any type of fruit in place of the pineapple

And if you love those easy packets (that are filled with tons of chemicals) you can make your own here

So make sure and get you some power food and start your day off right!

Do you eat breakfast?   What do you have?

Erin

My Kids are Dumbbells

I don’t ever want to hear anybody say they don’t have time to exercise.  If you are thinking that about your life, then you just haven’t gotten creative enough about figuring out how to fit that physical training in.  So maybe you’re a busy mom or dad who just can’t justify leaving their kids anymore than you already do to get to the gym.  Well, why not make kid time PT time too!

 

I’ve threatened to write a book called “Baby Dumbbell”.  I don’t want to go through the hassle of getting some doctor to help me make sure my methods are “safe”, so I’ll just get my message out on the web where I don’t have to worry about somebody suing me. . . wait you won’t right?   So, I’m warning you  - use at your own risk!  Grab those dummies (oops, I mean kids)  and let’s get in shape!

 

Set a timer on your watch and start jumping!  Trampoline, jumping jacks, in place - whatever!  You keep your heart rate up for 20 minutes, you are burning some fat off!  Don’t like to jump?  Do a routine of marching, running up and down stairs, walking, jogging, kicks, arm circles, you can even lunge around the yard.  The kids will love it!  Play follow the leader and you can take turns leading - you follow a rambunctious 5 year old around and you’ve had a workout that wouldn’t even rival any military PT!

 

Yucky weather outside?  Do it inside.  Tables are great for lapping around, crawling is even better inside.  Do bear crawls (on hands and feet), military crawls (on forearms and feet), jump like frogs, hop like bunnies, walk around the room like monsters (stay in a deep squat while walking around and roaring).  Put on some music and dance.  Let them imagine and make up things.

 

Not enough of a challenge?  Play games.  Tag, duck-duck-goose, freeze games, red-light-green-light, hop scotch, red rover, ball games, races, etc.  Set that timer and just keep moving! 

 

Ok, so for part of my book (using them as dumbbells).  Hold them and do chest presses, do superman (with them on your feet) and bend and straighten your legs, have them sit on your back while you do push ups.  Hold them in your lap while you do dips.  They can sit on you as you do sit-ups.  Give them a kiss or a five each time you come up! 

 

 

Let them sit on you while you hold a wall squat (back against the wall, legs bent at a 90 degree angle).  While standing lift them up and down.  Hold them and twist at the waist back and forth.  Just grab them and start doing something - be creative!  You’ll be surprised at what you come up with and the kind of workout you can have.

 

Maybe one of your resolutions this year is getting in shape.  Maybe it’s to spend more time with your kids too.  Well, you have no excuses now!  Grab them and get moving!  Follow some of these tips and make up some of your own and you are getting that body in shape and for all your little ones know you have just become a cool parent that likes to play with them! 

 

What activities do you like to do to keep you and your kids in shape?

 

 

 

Erin

 

Chocolate and Chicken....Yum!

As promised, two recipes from the Hungry Girl Cookbook.

Death by Chocolate Cupcakes



2 cups moist-style chocolate cake mix (half of an 18.25-oz. box)

Two 25-calorie packets diet hot cocoa mix

1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)

2 tbsp. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

1 tsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

1/8 tsp. salt



Place chocolate chips and the contents of both cocoa packets in a tall glass. Add 12 ounces of boiling water, and stir until chips and cocoa mix have dissolved. Place glass in the freezer to chill for 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once cocoa has chilled, give it a stir, and mix with all other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whip batter with a whisk or fork for 2 minutes. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray, or line it with baking cups. Evenly spoon batter (which will be thin, but don't worry, your cupcakes will puff up!) into the pan. Place pan in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes. Cupcakes will look shiny when done. MAKES 12 SERVINGS 

Serving Size: 1 cupcake

Calories: 108

Fat: 2.5g

Carbs: 19g

Fiber: 1g

POINTS® value 2*

 

Kickin' Chicken Pot Pie 

8 oz. raw boneless skinless chicken breast; cut into bite-sized pieces



3 cups  Mixed Vegetables



1 can (10.75 oz.) Campbell's Condensed Soup, 98% Fat Free Cream of Celery



3 servings Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls (unprepared)



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute chicken pieces for several minutes in a pan spritzed with nonstick cooking spray, until chicken is light brown/cooked but still tender; set aside. Heat frozen veggies in microwave according to package. Mix chicken, vegetables and soup together and put in a 9" round baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place dish in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly (stir about halfway through). While dish is cooking, unroll 3 crescent rolls. Combine pieces together with hands to make one large ball of dough. With a rolling pin, roll dough out into a circle to cover top of dish. Add dough to the top of the dish and cook for an additional 15 - 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serves 4.



Serving Size: 1/4th pie (approx. 7 oz.)



Calories: 210



Fat: 6g 

Carbs: 24g



Fiber: 2.5g



 *4 Points





Ali

Goal Tending

Here are a couple of ways we try to stay on the healthy eating, weight loss goal.

 

Hungry Girl Cookbook

I recently got the new Hungry Girl cookbook and have tried a few of the recipes.

The thing I like about her cookbook is that it's "normal food" (those of you who have been on diets before know what I'm talking about.) There is even a chapter called"Guy Food Rocks". 



Come back tomorrow and I’ll share a couple of recipes from it! 



 

 

Ali

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 You can sign up for Hungry Girl's daily newsletter for tips and recipes: Hungry Girl newsletter 

One of our favorite recipe sites is at Health Discovery.net   This is their Boot Camp Buddies forum for Weight Watchers.  (Not the easiest forum to use, but loads of recipes).  Scroll down to the recipe section and you’ll find all sorts of recipe categories.  Click on any of the links.  Now scroll all the way to the bottom of the new page.  In the “Display Options” box, click on the drop down menu “from the” and choose “beginning” and then “show thread”.  You should now have many pages of recipes to choose from! Remember to do this each time you open a new page. It's worth the effort...I promise!

Also, find Abbi and Ali over at Abbi’s new blog The Bod Squad.  Those girls will help you stay focused on your health and losing those unwanted pounds.

And expect plenty of ideas and workout suggestions to come from our resident fitness expert, Erin, or as we lovingly refer to her,  "Sgt. Simms".

Robin

 



 



What are your healthy eating or weight loss helps?

Healthcare for Less?

Many of you probably agree that our healthcare industry is rather cumbersome and complicated. I mainly want to share what I have come across when dealing with your providers.

Let's start with pricing. Pricing is probably the one aspect that is most important in our everyday lives. We buy just about everything because of price. In the health care industry price is the most far away part of the process. Can you imagine if you wanted a heart transplant but you asked for the economy model that comes off the close-out shelf? We just wouldn't do that so we are kind of at the mercy of our providers to set the prices and have to deal with them as they come.

Or do we?

I found that you can actually deal with hospitals, doctors, and radiologists.  It seems there is a sliding scale when it comes to paying your bills.

So what can you do? Politely ask for a discount or a reduction even if services have been rendered. You can ask for payment plans. You can ask for programs that are in place to help people with their unexpected medical emergencies. I know that if you are a self-pay patient that even your personal doctor can give a discount. But ask politely and be in a place that you can accomplish what you are asking for. I bet the insurance companies always try to get the lower price in a claim.

Here's what I asked:  "I was just wondering if there was any kind of discount if I can pay this bill within the next 30 days?"

Even if you have a debt that can't be paid in 30 days,  it doesn't hurt to ask for a percentage reduction.  All they can say is no.  Be persistent, be polite.  Usually, the first person you speak to may not have the authority to give the discount, so ask for a supervisor.  Explain your situation, and let them know you are aware of the sliding scale on the bill. 

Side note:  Many Samaritan Ministry members use this service as a supplemental to their regular or company health insurace coverage.  It would cover whatever the insurance did not.  (EX: Your $100,000 bill is covered by your insurance for $70,000.  Samaritan would cover the remaining $30,000, minus the first $300.)

Were you aware that you could ask for a discount?

Have any other ideas that can be passed along?  We are all here to learn.

By the way, all but two of my bills were reduced, some as much as 40%. 

Dirk