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Weight Loss Wednesday

I know June 21st is the actual “real” first day of summer. (It is also the longest day of the year. And it is my anniversary. Todd surely thought it was the longest day of the year in 1986 when he wanted to ditch the stinkin’ reception and get to the honeymoon night already!)

Ahem….sorry to ramble.

My point is this. Although Memorial Day weekend isn’t the official beginning of summer, its arrival certainly spells summer to me. It means all things “summery” are just around the corner like…..

Sunburns.

Summer camp.

Grilling.

Vacations.

Family reuinons.

Picnics.

Ice cream.

Swimming.

Shorts.

YIKES!!!!!

So let’s talk summer today. This won’t be a long and philosophical post. (I’m still packing and tying up loose ends. We leave for the Homeschool Baseball National Competition today. Go Summit of Michigan! This was an unplanned editorial )

So ladies……

How do you handle the temptations of picnic and potlucks?

How do you deal with the frustration of still having weight to lose, but not wanting to hide all summer in long pants and long-sleeved shirts to cover up chubby thighs or ‘teacher flab’– the giggle that wiggles under your arms when you write on a chalk board?

What do you do when ice cream stops and shops are in the works weekly due to kids sports or other activities?

If it is too hot to exercise outdoors, what else can you do?

How will you handle this weekend’s annual cookout, laden with fattening food including grandma’s delicious potato salad?

Please give any ideas/thoughts/solutions/recipes when you comment this week to let us know how you are doing in your journey to health. If you don’t have any, still leave a comment to let us know how your week went so we can pray for you!

Here  are a couple grill-out ideas I try.

I know it always helps when I offer to take a couple items I can eat. So, I usually take cut up watermelon and a sensible side dish. Then I opt for the grilled chicken, the side I took, some watermelon for dessert and then just ONE small serving of whatever fattening dish is calling my name.

Usually it is grandma’s potato salad!

Here is a side dish idea to get you going:

Broccoli-Bacon Salad

1 lb fresh broccoli, broken into small flowerettes

1/2 C. chopped red onion

1 1/2 C. chopped celery

1 lb. turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled (can also use real bacon)

1/2 C. raisins (or dried cherries or cranberries)

1/2 C. sunflower seeds

Dressing:

3/4 C. light mayo

3 T. sugar

2T. vinegar

Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl and let it sit while you combine the remaining ingredients, except the sunflower seeds, in a large bowl. Pour dressing over top and mix well. Cover and store in fridge for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, toss in sunflower seeds. Serves 8.

Calories: 169 Fat grams: 5

Happy Summer and see you tomorrow for Lisa Whelchel’s interview!

Kim:  Timestamp: March 15th at 11:10 am

Send your home address to me at karen@proverbs31.org and I’ll ship you your prize!

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Welcome Weight Loss Wednesday gals! (And anyone else peeking in–especially those I met this past weekend at Hearts at Home!) If you haven’t joined our little cyber group of girlfriends, don’t fret! Newcomers are always welcome. You can get caught up by clicking on Weight Loss Wednesdays in the side bar. Just leave a comment on the last post listed there. You can read any of the past post too, if you’d like. Or just join us today!!!

Holidays and food.

They just kinda go together, huh? Pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Sm’ores on Memorial Day. Cake with thick icing on your birthday. 17 kinds of Christmas cookies calling you nearly the entire month of December.

Well, today I have a great St. Patrick’s Day recipe for you! Kind of a cleaned up, healthier version of traditional corned beef and cabbage. I’ll post it in a minute.

But now, let me ask you how your week went? Mine was 50/50.

I had four days of travel that included the Hearts at Home conference where chocolate and girlfriends abound and where I was taken out to dinner twice, ate on the road four times and had meals prepared for me four times. YIKES!

I actually did really good for 90% of the weekend, making good choices or simply going without. I did have a “Whew! Its over!” feeling after my last talk (a new one I was nervous about) so to celebrate, I decided to have one handful of the M & M’s that had been beckoning me all weekend from Julie Barnhill’s table right next to me. Unfortunately, one handful turned into four! (sorry Jules )

When I returned home, I set about trying to wrap up the weekend, unpack (still not done) and jump back into our busy spring. Todd and the boys had gotten lots of “guy food” while I was gone and I really need to go grocery shopping to restock my pantry with foods that are actually good for me! (Note to self: Guy food and my thighs make a bad match)

Today I feel like I am hitting that restart button again. Still not getting on the scale until April 1st. I’ll decide then if my break up with it was a good move or if I should go back to weighing in weekly like most of you.

Okay, here is the recipe and please check in and let us know how your week went, or if you are new, what your reason for joining us is! Happy St. Pat’s Day!

Cabbage Roll Casserole

1 lb. ground sirloin or turkey

1 onion, chopped

1 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper & 1/2 t. garlic powder

1 C. Minute Rice (brown or white)

2- 1 lb. cans of chopped tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 C. V-8 or tomato juice

3 C. chopped cabbage (can use pre-shredded, bagged cabbage to save time)

Brown meat and onions in a non-stick pan sprayed with cooking spray. Add rest of ingredients except cabbage. Place cabbage in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Pour meat mixture over evenly over the top and do not stir. Seal pan with foil. Cook 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees. If it seems a little dry , add a tiny bit more juice.

Serves 8  Calories: 205  Fat grams: 4

Your turn to check in. See ya next week!

Hi all!

I’m home from running Spencer to his day of classes at the homeschool academy and ready to dive in and tackle a big chunk of school with Mitch. Besides helping him study for his mid-term coming up at his co-op, I need to answer several waiting emails, write a Proverbs 31 devotion, do two loads of laundry, mop the kitchen and send a care package to my daughter.

Oh yeah….and my family would probably like something hot and delicious for supper tonight before they dash off to basketball practice.

Enter the Freezer Cooking Manual by 30 Day Gourmet.

I met the author of this fabulous resource many years ago when we both spoke at a Hearts at Home moms conference. As a busy mom with two small children and a baby on the way, I heard her speak of “quantity cooking”; putting up several main dish, side dish and even desserts in the freezer to take out and enjoy on those crazy, busy days.

I was hooked.

Now, before you tune me out….hear me out. I am not talking about “once-a-month” cooking where you assemble several complicated, casserole-ish, “glop-on-rice” dishes that are starchy, fattening and look like a church potluck gone bad.

I’m talking delicious, easy and family friendly meals that are easy to assemble, freeze well and reheat beautifully.

This book even is a sort of “freezer cooking for dummies” walking you through step-by-step how to plan, shop, prepare, freeze and serve the great dishes contained within its pages.

Oh, and it shows you how to do it even if you don’t have a separate freezer.

So, if you have a desire to make a big mess, either by yourself or with a friend or two, on one day, but buy yourself several days off of kitchen duty by doing so, I have a deal for you.

I carry this fabulous cookbook when I speak on organization and hospitality and let me tell you, it flies off the table! Well, I am not speaking on these two topics for several months, so I am clearing out my inventory.

I have about 10 Freezer Manuals left. They are normally $15.00 plus shipping and tax. However, I will sell the remaining ones to those of you who’d like one for $13.00 and I’ll cover the shipping and tax.

So, if you’d like to try making Cheeseburger Quiche, Chicken Divan, Taco Chili, Parsley Parmesan Chicken, Master Meat Mix (to use several different ways-from meatballs to meatloaf and more!) Frozen Peanut-butter Bars, Breakfast McBiscuits and the BEST bread machine mix EVER (that you can use to make pizza dough, calzones, bread sticks or cinnamon rolls) then email me at karen@proverbs31.org. I’ll get your credit card info or give you my address if you’d prefer to mail a check.

Then, on one of your crazy-busy days, you can do what I’m going to do today.

Walk to your freezer and ask yourself, “What sounds good for supper tonight? Mexican? Italian? Good ole’ meat and potatoes?” Then pull it out, pop it in and enjoy! (oh….and wash much fewer dishes since there were no prep pans, just the baking dish!)

Happy Cooking!

NOTE: During this week of Valentines giveaways, you may leave comments on any of the five posts until Sunday midnight EST. All winners will be announce next Monday.

Well—we had our first group conference call last night and it was a blast! I loved hearing your voices, sharing a bit from God’s word with you and then, listening to everyone interact. We will most definitely try to do it again and hope more of our WLW sisters can join us! (Those of you who signed up for the call, but couldn’t make it, email me at karen@proverbs31.org and I will send you instructions for listening to it online.)

Today, I simply want to showcase the Valentines week giveaway for the day and give you a delicious and guilt-free recipe that is great to serve to your sweetheart, family, friends or co-workers. Every time I make, it gets rave reviews!

First for the giveaway:

One of you will be sitting soon in your home enjoying the scent of P.S. I Love You oil in a new electric oil diffuser. Both are from Bath and Body Works. Along with it, you’ll also receive some shower gel in the same fun, flowery scent. Oh, and by the way, married or single, it is God whispering “P.S. I love you!”

Now for the recipe: (and then I’ll announce the winner of last week’s little scripture memorization challenge…)

Hot Fudge Cake

1 C flour

3/4 sugar

2 T cocoa powder

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1/2 C skim or 1 % milk

2 T olive oil

1 t. vanilla extract (can use almond, coconut or cherry too–Yum!)

1 C brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 C cocoa powder

1 3/4 C boiling water

Combine first 5 ingredients in an ungreased 8 or 9 inch square pan and stir. Add milk, oil, and vanilla, blending until smooth. Combine brown sugar and 1/4 C cocoa and sprinkle over the top. Pour boiling water over entire pan and do NOT stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes until lightly set.  A layer of oohey-goohey fudge settles to the bottom. Serve warm. (For the deluxe version, top with light whipped cream or ice cream!

Serves 9         240 calories        3.8 grams of fat

Okay—now….the winner of a fun, funky, and colorful set of recipe cards, along with matching measuring cups and spoons is:

Danielle Timestamp:  February 3, 2010 at 9:15 pm

Congrats! Email me your home address at karen@proverbs31.org so I can mail your your gift!

Now, go ahead and check in and let us know how your week went. Or, if you are new, let us know your health goals—weight loss, exercise or healthy eating desires.

My week was pretty good, other than it was crazy busy and I missed two planned days of exercise because of it. But,  this morning, I was still down one 1.4 pounds and for that I am thankful!

Your turn! Remember, one gal who comments will win today’s giveaway pictured above!

Guilt-free blessings,

Speaking of recipes….. Many of you know I have started a feature here on this blog called Weight Loss Wednesdays. (If you want to join us, it is never too late! We check in with each other every Wednesday. Click here to get caught up or just join us next week,)

Anyhow…

I’m going to end this post with a great Thanksgiving desert recipe called Crustless Pumpkin Pie. It is yummy. It is creamy. It is only 116 calories a slice!!!!!

Offer to take it to the get together at Aunt Lou-Lou’s. Then, munch on the crunchy raw veggies and maybe have a small hunk or two of cheese at appetizer time. Sip on something calorie-free. At the meal, eat lots of turkey breast and veggies and just a taste or two of the fattening sides you must have in order for it to be Thanksgiving to you. Then, for desert, have a piece of your pumpkin pie with lots of light whipped cream.

You’d be out the door for one half to one fourth of the calories usually consumed at a Thanksgiving meal.

And, you won’t have that “I-can’t-believe-I-ate-that-much-and-gained-three-pounds” awful feeling that can set in so easily.

Now, for the contest winners for this week.

The winner of the Bible study basket-in-a-box is:

PattiHazlett— timestamp: November 16th at 4:25 pm

And the winner of the  Busy Moms Slow Cooker Cookbook is:

Iditarod14@aol.com—timestamp: November 18th at 4:23 pm 

Ladies….email me your home address at karen@karenehman.com. I’ll ship your goodies out pronto.

Now…..for those of you who didn’t win….stay tuned.

The contests are coming….the contests are coming….starting with two next week when you can win some cds, both musical and teaching, an advent devotional and some girly, foofy stuff too.

Then, mark your calendars for my biggest giveaway of the year, the second annual 12 Days of Christmas running November 30th-December 11th. Each day a different member of the Proverbs 31 speaker team will be interviewed and will give away prizes.

Totally awesome, cool and clever prizes.

“I-wish-I-could-win-them-all” kind of prizes.

In fact, I  just may enter a comment using a false name and then pick myself!!!

Naaahhhh…

Have a great weekend everyone. Here is the promised recipe:

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

15 ounce can pumpkin

12 ounce can evaporated skim milk

1/2 cup egg substitute

2 egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or:

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon each nutmeg, allspice and ginger (I use slightly more–we like to really taste the spices)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, blend all but cracker crumbs well with a mixer on low. Increase to medium to make sure it is creamy and smooth. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray and sprinkle with the cracker crumbs. Pour mixture over evenly. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over bake!!

Serve with light whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon. Yum! Store in fridge.

Serves 8    Calories: 116    Fat: 3 grams

Sweet Blessings,

Betsy; Timestamp October 29; 12:12 am

Email me at karen@proverbs31.org with your home address so I can get your gift to you!

Okay everyone. I encouraged you on Wednesday’s post to not be tricked into thinking you can’t have a treat now and then and still lose weight. Well, here is one of the recipes I make often that the whole family loves and I can eat without guilt. Try it this weekend. And if you celebrate Halloween with your kids, you can substitute fall colored mini-marshmallows for the regular ones to make it extra festive. Enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Bars

Sheet cake:

2 1/2 T butter

2 1/2 T. water

1 1/4 C. sugar

1/2 C. Egg Beaters

1 t. vanilla

1 C. unbleached or all-purpose flour

1/3 C. cocoa powder

1/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

3 1/4 C. mini-marshmallows

1/2 C. coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

GLAZE:

2 C. powdered sugar

1/3 C. cocoa powder

1 t. vanilla

1/4 C. skim milk

2 T. butter

To make sheet cake, melt 2 1/2 T. butter and mix with water, sugar, vanilla and Egg Beaters in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients for sheet cake except marshmallows (and nuts if you are using them). Combine. Pour in a 9 X 13 inch pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle on marshmallows and nuts (if desired). Bake 3 minutes longer. Remove from oven and drizzle with glaze. For glaze: combine sugar and cocoa powder. In a sauce pan, melt butter on low. Remover from heat. Add milk and then add dry sugar/cocoa mixture. Stir in vanilla. Drizzle on top of sheet cake. Cool and cut into 18 squares.

Serves: 18        Calories: 193 w/out nuts   215 with nuts             Fat grams: 3.5 without nuts   5.9 grams with nuts

Sweet-treat Blessings,

If you need a harvest-time treat to take to a weekend gathering or just to enjoy with your family, here are two of our favorites. One is a colorful creation; a mixture of black beans, red peppers, crisp golden corn and vibrant mangoes. The other is a sweet caramel apple dip that draws rave reviews and recipe requests every time. I hope you like them.

Hey, and, feel free to leave any fall recipes you simply love. After all, a girl’s gotta have new recipes. Especially healthy ones! And if you try making either of these, let me know how they went over.

Oh, and by the way, yes, you can use low-fat or fat-free cream cheese and sugar substitute for the dip. However, It just doesn’t do it justice. I’d rather have a little of the real stuff.

Really. It is deadly!

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Dip

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 C. brown sugar, packed

3/4 C. sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 C. chopped, dry roasted, lightly salted peanuts

Crisp, tarts apples for dipping. Golden Delicious, Gala or Honeycrisp (our favorite!)

Blend all but apples and peanuts. Just before serving, fold in nuts. Serve with sliced, but not peeled, apples. If you must keep apples out for a while, to keep from turning brown, plunge in lemon-lime pop (diet works) and drain. The citric acid keeps them from turning dark. Your family will LOVE this dip!

Serves: 8  Serving size: 1/3 C.

Per serving: 289 calories, 25 grams fat, 5 net carbs (Apples are 35 calories for one medium. So hey, you Weight Loss Wednesday gals. Have one serving and LOTS of apple slices to make it go a long way!)

Black Bean-Corn-Mango Salsa

2 C. drained, rinsed canned black beans

1 C. thawed sweet corn

1 C. chopped red bell pepper

1 C. chopped red onion

1 C. cubed mango

1/3 C. fresh lime juice

1 T. fresh minced garlic (or 1 t. garlic powder)

1 T. dried cilantro (sometimes called Mexican parsley)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all in a large bowl. Let stand in fridge for at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Serve with tortilla chips. For less calories, use Baked Tostitos Scoops.

Serves 12     Serving size: 1/2 C

Per serving: 60 calories, 9 net carbs, less than 1 gram of fat

Savoring-the-Season Blessings,