Time Will Do the Talking

 

This week I relearned a song called "Time will do the Talking" by Patty Griffin.  I just found out that she is touring and will be coming to Madison, Wisconsin in January.  It doesn't look like I will be able to go but, being that she is one of my favorite artists, I have always wanted to see her live.

I am happy that I decided to dedicate time everyday to playing the guitar again.  It was once a really important part of my life.  I would play every day but since I had kids I found myself playing less and less.  Now, my calluses are forming again, I'm slowing getting better and the kids enjoy it.  You can see them running around in the back of this video.

In other news, a new group begins the T25 10 week challenge tomorrow.  I am anxious and excited for these 5 challenge groupers.  If you missed this group but want to make the next one please send me an e-mail or check out my Beachbody website. 

Edie's new Crocheted dress

My husband has been away on a business trip for the last two weeks.  This is the longest he has been apart from us and I have been adjusting to life like this.  Thankfully my mom and grandmother decided to fly to Minnesota and visit with me for a few days.  We busied ourselves by crocheting and chit chatting.  I finally finished a project that I began last March, a pinafore dress for Edie.

I made some big mistakes with this dress but I just kept going.  Now that it's finished I regret not going back to make it right.  Oh well, it still looks so cute on Edie.  I added a cute daffodil flower and finished it with a covered button on the back. 

I found this free pattern for Angle Wings Pinafore on the website BevsCountryCottage.com

Top 5 Reasons to Join My Next Weight Loss Support Group

The Holiday season is upon us.  This year lets vow to at least maintain weight!  Join my "Healthy for the Holidays" Weight Loss Support Group is commit yourself to the challenge.  Group starts Nov. 18th, order by Nov 12th.  Here's the good news, the workout is only 25 minutes a day.  Yes, you have time for that!

Pictures from my weight loss journey this year.

3/16/13             7/15/13              11/9/13

Top 5 Reasons to Join "Healthy for the Holidays" Weight Loss Support Group.

1) It WORKS! Many people in my past challenge groups have lost 10 pounds in the first T25 phase alone. Just follow the workout calendar, put the right DVD in each day and Shaun T will train you personally. You don't have to worry about what move comes next and you will never get bored.

2) FAST! It's easy to find 25 minutes. For me it fits right into nap time and still gives me time to shower after.

3) EFFECTIVE! Seriously. New science shows that when you workout this way you don't need to put in an hour at the gym. In fact, you could probably be finished with your workout within the time that it took you to drive to and from the gym.

4) AFFORDABLE! It's cheaper than a gym membership that statistically, you won't get your money's worth out of anyway. Plus, you can redo the T25 program later without having to pay for more membership dues.

5) SUPPORT!! Be apart of something bigger. Join a group of people who are all in this together, working toward a goal of greater health, positive attitude and a happier life. You can do this! We can help you stay on track.

There are two spots left to join.  Email me, comment below or click here to order.

As Cold As it Gets

 

 

 

Last week was Halloween!  John was a race car driver who enjoyed racing to every house for Trick-or-Treat and Edie stayed home with Dad to pass out candy.  Proud Mom moment: John said thank you at every house.                                                                                                                                                                                        

I finished up week two of Body Beast and focused on stocking the freezer.  I'm no stranger to freezer cooking.  It's genius!  What's that? You've never heard of it?  How do you live without it?!  My technique is to prepare dishes ahead of time and fill up the freezer.  Then, I take the next month or so off from working hard in the kitchen because who really wants to be in there longer than they have to?  Yes I still go to the store but I don't have the big cart full and hefty receipt to go with it.  Instead, I just replenish fresh fruits and veggies.  Sometimes people call it Once A Month Cooking or OAMC.

 

 Fully Stocked Freezer                                                

 

When I first began freezer cooking it was in preparation for baby #1.  I filled the freezer with meals I thought would freeze well and were very filling which was... Italian!  I made lasagna, manicotti, baked ziti and stuffed shells.  It was great but... fattening.  After that I expeimented with other casserole dishes for the freezer and read a few cookbooks on it from the library.  Then, I decided to try Slow cooker freezer meals.  When a fried introduced me to this post from savingyoudinero.com my mind was blown!  I quickly assembled the meals in gallon sized freezer bags then neatly stacked them in the freezer.  Each morning, after my cup of coffee, I would select a bag from the freezer, run it under warm water for a few seconds so that I could release it from the bag, then plop it in the slow cooker.  8 hours later... BAM, home cooked meal. 

But, my problem with this method was meat...meat...and more MEAT!  I just didn't want to be that big of a carnivore and it certainly adds up on the grocery bill.  Alas, I compiled a list or vegan freezer meals.  Last week I made multiples of each recipe, one per day.  We ate it for dinner and I put the rest in the freezer.  We have over a months worth of food in there now.  I won't make only these 5 meals the whole month because there will be times that I just want other things.  But It feels so good to know that there is always SOMETHING to fall back on. 

Making freezer meals really frees up time during the day which is good because my workout program Body Beast is in full swing.  I am also busy forming my next T25 challenge group that is set to start on November 18th.  Any extra time I have now can be devoted to reading books, singing and playing guitar with the kids.  I have continued my journey of learning one new song per week.  Here I am singing my version of Patty Griffin's "As Cold As it Gets" which I think is a perfect title for my prepared winter meals in the freezer. 

 

VEGAN FREEZER MEAL PLAN

 

Raise the Roof Sweet Potato Lasagna.  From Engine2Diet.com  X4

I love this dish.  It's filling, flavorful and unlike any other dish I've had before.  But it's involved and takes me a long time to make.  I multiplied this recipe by 4.  I found that since it takes so much effort anyway I might as way multiply it and have it premade for future enjoyment. 

 

Snobby Joes from Post Punk Kitchen X4

This dish is super easy and just as yummy as the real thing.  My family just calls it "sloppy joes" because we are not that snobby.  After a big pot is made et it cool then fill quart sized freezer bags and lay flat in freezer to stack.  Once frozen you can turn them on there side to fit better if you need to.

 

The 3 recipes were taken from a website called EllensKitchen.com.  You can find them as part of this list here.  I found these recipes to be bland so I doctored them up with added seasoning as I saw fit.

 

OAMC Vegetarian Cabbage Roll Casserole [X3]

(serves 10)

4 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cups mushrooms, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cups sunflower seeds
1 head cabbage, shredded
4 cups tomato juice or tomato puree
Optional sweet-sour tang:
1/3 cup brown sugar (add to sauce)
3 tablespoons cider or rice wine vinegar (add to sauce)
1 cup raisins (add to rice with mushrooms) In deep, heavy pot saute onion, pepper and mushrooms in oil until tender. Add garlic and seeds. Add rice.
In large pan layer 1 cups juice or puree,then 1/3 of cabbage (approx.) then 2 cups rice and vegetable mixture.
Repeat twice. Pour remaining juice or puree over top. Cover and freeze.
To serve, place directly into 350 degrees oven from freezer. Bake 1 1/2 - 2 hours or more until cooked through.

 

*I made half f the recipe the "sweat and sour" version and half of the recipe regular but I added Italian seasoning.

 

 

OAMC Tamale-Style Corn Casserole [x3]

All the sauce can be prepared at the same time, but because of the difficulty preparing the cornmeal mush, in the home kitchen you should make each recipe of the mush separately:
(serves 10)

3 cups corn meal
1/2 cups soy flour
8 cups water
salt to taste (up to 1 tablespoon)
6 cups whole kernel corn
2 cups chopped olives
1 cup onion
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cups diced green chilis, or more to taste (optional)
4 cups cooked beans (can be cold, or drained, rinsed canned beans.) Optional (not on shopping list); 2 cups shredded cheese, added as topping last 20 minutes of cooking Mix the cornmeal and the soy flour together thoroughly. Boil water. Add corn meal mix. Cook over medium or lower heat until the consistency of mush, about 40 minutes, stirring very frequently to prevent scorching or sticking and set aside.
Saute onions, add corn, olives, and diced green chilis with tomato sauce over medium high heat until onion is transparent. If mixture boils down too much add water. Stir in the cooked beans.
In foil-lined or oiled casserole dish (4 quart)(or 2 9x13 pans)(or 4 8x8 pans), layer half of the mush. Pour vegetable mixture over this. Top by spreading on the remaining corn mush mixture. Cover, freeze.
Place directly into 350 degree oven from freezer. Bake 2 hours or until hot and cooked through.

If thawed overnight in the refrigerator, the large dish takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.

 

*I followed the cormeal mush recipe included on the cormeal container instead.  For the filling I added jalpeno and anahein peppers as well as cumin and cayenne pepper seasoning.  The next time I make it I will use less cornmeal per casserole to allow more filling.

 

OAMC Stuffed Peppers for the Freezer

OK, so everything else is cooked and assembled. This is the cleanup dish: everything left can go in here! Each batch makes 10.

8-10 large green peppers (or tomatoes or onions if you prefer)
4 cups cooked grain, rice, barley, millet, quinoa
4 teaspoons parsley
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 cups tomato sauce (half for stuffing, half for topping)
1 cup jicama, chopped (may substitute 2 cans drained sliced water chestnuts)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 peeled cucumber, chopped
4 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 cup sunflower seeds
Hollow peppers (or tomatoes or onions); steam until semi-soft. Steam by placing colander in heavy pot over 2-3 inches of boiling water. Put green peppers in colander to cool.
Mix remaining ingredients with half of tomato sauce. Stuff vegetables.
Place in zippered plastic freezer bags to freeze. Freeze remaining sauce in separate zippered freezer bag bag. To serve, place stuffed peppers in oiled casserole dish, thaw overnight in refrigerator. Cover with remaining sauce. Cover dish. Bake at 350 degrees, just until hot.
Try this at least once with the cucumber, even if you have not had cooked cucumber before. The cucumber provides a little moisture, which is a benefit in cooking, adding to the moisture of the mixture in the pepper.

 

*I added extra sauce and Italian seasoning

 

I like to put these meals into smaller casserole dishes.  Often times I buy the set of 3 small foil containers from the dollar store.  The smaller servings work better for my family because I don't like having all of the leftovers from a big lasagna that we have to eat for 3 days. 

 

Now that the freezer is full I am all set to continue the Body Beast program without having to fuss over dinner and I have time to form another T25 challenge group set to begin on November 18th.  E-mail me if you would like to join.  It's the perfect time to start a new workout routine and help prepare yourself against any holiday weight gain.  I am only taking 5 people for the group.