Guacamole Dip

I love getting together with friends.  I love seeing them, their kiddos, talking, playing Mario Kart, watching movies, and playing board games.  One of the other things we like to do is eat good food!!!

Last night we were joining some friends for dinner so I offered to bring guacamole dip.  I love guacamole.  I could eat it til I was sick.  I actually messed up my regular recipe last night and had to fix it...and amazingly it turned out better than normal.


Guacamole Dip

6 Avocados Cubed
9 Roma Tomatos Large Chop
1/2 Red Onion Small Chop
2 Tblspns Lime Juice
4 Tblspns Chopped Cilantro
1 Tblspn Sugar
8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

I chop the onions and cilantro and put them in a separate bowl with the salt, pepper and lime juice.  I think this wilts the onions some and keeps them from being so bitter and overpowering in the dip.

Chop the tomatoes and Avocados up and put them in a bowl and mix lightly with an electric mixer.  Add the wilted onion mixture and stir again.  Then add the softened cream cheese and mix well. The more you mix the smoother the dip will be.

I prefer my guac a little chunky so I kept out two of the chopped tomatoes and folded them in at the end.  Also use your seasonings to taste including the lime juice and cilantro.  I like lots of cilantro.  And never....NEVER skimp on the pepper.


Hope you enjoy it!!

Boar Meat Ball Sliders

As I said in the last blog post, James went to our new Sprouts recently.  He came back with quite a load of goodies.  One of which includes some ground ferrel swine (AKA Ground Boar).  I wasn't quite sure what we were going to do with it, but I was excited to try.  Then we were watching Friends today, one of our very favorites.  It was "The One With The Ride Along" and Joey gets the best meatball sandwich in the world.

That got me thinking.  I haven't made meatballs in months!!!  James loves my meatballs and they're great as subs or along with a great pasta.

The following recipe is pretty basic.  You can do this recipe with ground beef, ground pork, or ground turkey.  My suggestion to anyone is to be aware of the fat content of your meat.  A pork or a high fat ratio beef will possibly need more bread crumbs to hold it together.  The low fat ratio beef or a ground turkey could need less bread crumbs so they're not dry.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

What you need:

1 Lb Ground Meat
1 T Chopped Garlic (or 2 cloves of fresh garlic)
1 Medium Onion Chopped Fine
1 Red Bell Pepper Chopped Fine
4 Strips of Bacon Chopped
2 T Diced Sundried Tomatos
1/4 C Italian Style Bread Crumbs
1/2 C Italian Style Bread Crumbs (separate)
2 T Olive Oil
2 Eggs
1/4 C Parmesan Cheese
1/2 T Salt
1 Tsp Pepper

Bread (I prefer Focaccia, but tonight we used Ciabatta)
8 oz. Mozzarella Sliced
Jar of your Pasta Sauce of Choice

1. In a skillet over medium heat add your olive oil, garlic and onions and caramelize.  Add the bacon and brown.  Add the bell pepper and the sun dried tomatoes and cook on low for 5 minutes to late the flavors develop.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

2.  Preheat your oven to 400°F.  In a mixer or a large bowl add your raw meat, 1/2 a cup of your sautéed mixture, your bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, Salt and Pepper, and eggs.  Mix thoroughly.

3.  On a plate pour your 1/2 C of bread crumbs.  Roll a portion of the meatball mixture, approximately 1/3 C, into a ball and roll through the bread crumbs to coat.  Layer in a greased metal or glass pan.  Place in the oven for 20 minutes turning every 5 minutes to brown.

4.  While the meatballs are cooking in the oven add the pasta sauce you chose to the remaining vegetables and simmer to thicken the sauce.

5.  When the meatballs are finished place them on bottom layer of bread, adding the slices of mozzarella to the top of each meatball.  Place in the oven to broil for 5-8 minutes or until melted and/or browned.  Remove from the oven add the thickened sauce to the top of the meatballs and add the top of the bun.

6. Enjoy!!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs

James made a run to the new Sprouts today and brought home tons of veggies, chocolate-toffee covered almonds, and other yummy goodies.  When I came in from work he had a smile on his face and told me he brought home my favorite part of the chicken....THIGHS!!

He prefers the breast because he says it's tastier, but I COMPLETELY disagree.  The thigh is the juiciest and tastiest part of the bird for sure!!  Tonight I wanted to make something tasty and easy and I think my concoction has won him over to the dark side...pun intended.

My husband loves food, and I'm a pretty decent cook, so when I ask him how dinner was he usually tells me, "Good," or "I liked it."  Occasionally I get an, "I liked it a lot," or, "Really good," but tonight he gave these chicken thighs an, "Awesome," rating....always makes my heart happy to get a good review from my favorite food critic.  ;)

The recipe is VERY easy, super simple, very little prep, and doesn't take long for total dinner time.  This is a very basic recipe and you could always amp it up by stuffing the thighs before rolling them up if you wanted something fancier.  Some suggestions for stuffing could include Cream cheese and jalapeño, stuffing mix and apples, spinach and feta cheese, or cooked wild rice and herbs.  Experiment and let me know how yours turn out!

Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

What you'll need:

4  Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

4  Strips of Bacon

½ C Worcestershire Sauce

¼ C Brown Sugar

2 T Brown Sugar (separate)

2 T Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Gallon Zip Lock Bag

Glass Baking Dish

To make:

You'll want to marinate your chicken thighs for the best flavor.  To do this you'll mix the worcestershire sauce and the ¼ C. of brown sugar together in a zip lock bag.  Add your chicken thighs to the bag, press out the air, and seal.  Massage the bag for a few minutes to make sure all the chicken is coated thoroughly.  Let them sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour.  I suggest a few hours for best flavor.

Preheat your oven to 400°F.  Add prepare your glass pan by coating a thin layer of olive oil in the bottom to keep the thighs from sticking. 

Take your chicken thighs out of the bag and season on both sides with salt and pepper.  If you're stuffing the thighs with something this is the point to add it.  Roll the thighs up as you would a cinnamon roll.  Wrap one strip of bacon around the thigh and if necessary secure with a toothpick.  I didn't need any tooth picks.  I just tucked the ends of the bacon under the bottom of the chicken thighs when I added them to the pan.  If you stuff them I would suggest using a tooth pick to keep the stuffing secure.  

Place the chicken thighs in the greased pan and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar on top.  Cook in the oven, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes or until they reach 170°F on the inside.  

I really think this is a fool proof chicken recipe.  After trying it you can start experimenting.  Try marinating in Soy sauce and Pineapple juice for a teriyaki flair, lime juice and chopped cilantro for a Mexican craving, or a simple worcestershire and BBQ sauce.  I also think these would be great on the grill as long as you watch out for flair ups as they'll drip a lot of fat.  

Good luck with your cooking and I hope you get an "Awesome" rating from your Honeys!!!

Italian Soup and a Cup of Tea

So here in Missouri the weather has changed....just like it did last week, and the week before that.  It's ridiculous, really.  Somehow we went from single digits, to upper 60's, back to single digits, and then back to the 60's in the space of four weeks.

Unfortunately, along with that comes aches, pains, and migraines!!!  Thankfully there are things that help with that.

1. I've just recently started trying essential oils.  I've been trying for a more natural resort than the ibuprofen and migraine pills.  Peppermint oil seems to help a lot with the migraines and Clove has been great for the aches and pains.  I am convinced there is some Clove in the Tiger Balm that I'm always reaching for to soothe my back.


2.  Tea always makes me feel better.  There's something about a hot, steamy cup Cranberry Orange Harvest that just relaxes a person.  My newest Tea Charm is just Gorgeous!!  Don't you think??

If you want one of these babies you'll have to check out the Etsy store GlisteningTruth.  She has something for everyone!!

3. Lastly, soup.  Soup of choice for the night Zuppe Toscana!!! And my special gift to you is the recipe!!  Found below!!

2 lbs Italian Sausage
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
8-10 medium red potatoes sliced
1Tablespoon red pepper flakes
Chicken base or bullion and water or Chicken Stock
1 Quart half and half cream
3-4 cups chopped Kale
olive oil

In a large soup pot, over medium heat, add oil, onions, and garlic and cook until onions are translucent.  Add sausage and red pepper flakes and cook until meat is browned.  When meat is thoroughly browned add potato slices and a half cup of water and cover, stirring often.  This helps the potatoes to steam.  After 5 minutes or so, add the stock or bullion and water until potatoes are covered under an inch of liquid.  Bring to boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bring heat down to low.  When temperature in the pot has dropped so that it is no longer simmering, add half and half to the pot.  Season again with salt and pepper to taste.  You can also grate some fresh nutmeg over the soup to taste if you like the flavor.  While soup is still hot but not simmering, add the kale and submerge it.  It will cause the kale to wilt slightly.

Ladle into bowls and add parmesan cheese to garnish, it's also really great with buttered french bread.

Enjoy guys!!!!   Hope the soup helps you handle the next CRAZY weather swing!!!  I heard it's supposed to get cold again.  Love ya'll!!

Detoxing

**After looking back at my previous blogs in relation to this one I just want to say that I've never told most of this story...but tonight just seemed like the time, so sorry for the blast from the oh so painful past.


Whether it's cigarettes, alcohol, drugs (prescription or otherwise), sugar, or soda....detoxing is NO FUN.

About a year and a half ago I decided I was done.  I was done with all the pain relievers, muscle relaxers, and all the side effects that come with them.  I was taking a nerve medication called Neuratonin that was supposed to help with the constant pain in my neck.  The drug was so potent that I had to start taking 1/9th of a daily dosage to start and then stepping my way up.  I did 100 mg three times a day and slowly increased up to 300 mg 3 times a day.  This was the very worst and darkest time during my recovery.  The drug would cause me to lose control of my hands and I would drop things.  I dropped a pan of cookies, numerous cups of coffee, random things throughout the day, but the most memorable was my iphone into a cup of coffee....embarrassing and frustrating.

Other side effects included feeling like my skin had been peeled back and all my nerves were exposed at random points throughout the day.  I'd hurt if anyone touched me, talked to me, really any kind of stimulation was painful.  I don't know if the suicidal thoughts were a side effect of the drug or a side effect of how the drug made me feel and the idea of escaping it all.  It was really weird.  Light touches, like a comforting hand on your back or shoulder were excruciating, but a deep and what should be painful pressure actually brought relief.  I turned to cutting.  When my husband noticed my wrists that I was so careful to hide, he was angry and disappointed, understandably, that I didn't come to him for help. But mostly he was concerned and scared.  I confessed everything, the cutting, the thoughts of suicide.  Getting up in the middle of the night and crying on the bathroom floor as I hurt and just didn't want to hurt anymore.  He was great.  Held me, told me I wasn't alone and we'd get through it together.  

We scheduled an appointment with the pain management Dr. who had put me on the medication.  It was a horrible visit.  I had come to hate the place, not because it reminded me of the pain, but because when I first went there it held the promise of help and relief.....but now I was worse off than when I started.  As I sat on the exam table waiting on the nurse practitioner to come in and see me I got more and more angry and upset, but was trying to control myself.  You see, that night that James and I decided I'd come off the medication I stayed up and researched how to come off of it.  I had resolved to quit cold turkey, but figured that if I had to step up like I did, then it only made sense that I'd have to step down.  As I researched I got more and more scared.   I know they say never to Google things that might be wrong with you, but I'm so glad I did.  What I found said that quitting cold turkey could cause a wide range of things including heart attacks in patients that had no previous heart problems, seizures, and permanent nerve damage.  I was terrified.  I was angry.  Why would a Doctor put me on something and not explain ANY of those things to me?  

The nurse came into the room to get my vitals.  Unlucky for me, I got the notoriously grumpy nurse.  That was kind of the final straw for me. As she checked my blood pressure she looked worried.  She looked between my husband and I and asked if I was okay because my blood pressure was so high.  She asked if everything was alright while looking accusingly at my husband.  I broke.  The flood gates opened and I just sat on the table shaking and sobbing uncontrollably.  I told her I needed to see the Dr.  I was done, I wanted off the medication. She got all nervous and backed out of the room saying the nurse practitioner would be in to see me soon.  James held me and I calmed down enough that when the she did come in I could speak for myself.   She seemed annoyed with me, like I was being over dramatic.  She told me that if I wanted off that bad I could just quit taking it.  She said she had never seen anyone who had a reaction like mine and she didn't really think it was the medicine.  She said she thought it was stress and that I needed to destress my life.....I could have strangled her.  It was my fault.  All my fault.  That's what she was saying  She was taking no responsibility for any of it.  I told her what I found online.  She practically rolled her eyes at me and told me if I wanted to I could step down the same way I stepped up on the meds.  We left the office and went straight home.  

I don't remember most of the rest of the day, but I do remember laying on the couch with a mixture of emotions.  I was relieved that it would be over.  I'd stop feeling this way...but also bracing myself because I knew this wouldn't be easy.  

I started stepping down that day.  If the side effects from being on the pills was horrendous, the detox was absolute hell.  I actually hit points when I thought I'd break.  I could feel my mind and my body rejecting life.  It hurt to sit, stand, move, lie still.  Everything was painful.  

The time that was hardest on me were nights and when I would lead worship at church.  Everything during the detox was heightened and, I don't know what it is, but leading worship can be exhausting mentally ad physically.  It's wonderful. Opening your heart, pressing in close to Him, and feeling God kind of shine on you and everyone around you is amazing.  It's personal....but it was also very painful.  I don't understand the science of it, but being that open emotionally and mentally was, sometimes, more than I could handle.  I would finish the last song, ask someone else to pray as the pastor came forward, and when everyone had closed their eyes for the prayer I would slide off my stool and work my way gingerly to my husband's side, collapsing against him.  I'd have shivers, my skin felt scraped raw, and I had a hard time concentrating.  He was always good to help me hide it.  I hate to have an issue and be the center of attention because of it.  I like to be independent and take care of myself.  I don't like to be asked if I'm okay, because I hate lying and saying, "Yes," to keep others from getting uncomfortable and looking guilty because I say, "No," and breaking down in sobs.  

Working through all the pain was a blessing in a single way.  I learned what it was to hurt.  I see people sing and you can just tell that when they sing about "Our Healer" or "trials" that God helps them to overcome...they've never felt a real pain in their lives.  We live in America.  There are a lot of  people who grew up just like I did.  I was good in school, decent at most sports, not bullied overly, and I was fairly healthy.  I had a good church, a good set of friends, and a good family.  I had my own issues, but nothing extreme.  When I began leading worship the year before my accident I didn't know what it was like to hurt.  I didn't know what it was like to connect with people that way.  I was leading worship because I liked to sing.  It's something I had done my entire life.  I sang in church.  Even to this day when I go visit my family I am asked to sing in church.  But with this new pain I could sing the words that.before,  meant almost nothing to me...with an intent.  

You hold my every moment

You calm my raging seas

You walk with me through fire

And heal all my disease

I trust in You, I trust in You

I believe You're my Healer

I believer You are all I need

I believe You portion 

I believe You're more than enough for me

Jesus You're all I need.

That meant something to me now.  And now that it meant something to me, I could lead others in worship more effectively.  I had experience in what it meant to need God.  I had experience in what it meant to need to be healed...to need more, not be able to find it anywhere, and then find it in God.  I was broken and needed my maker to fix me.

The down side to being so open to God, also meant I was open to other things.  The urges to hurt myself to find some sort of relief were even more pressing while I detoxed.  I turned to cutting again numerous times and finally my husband and I sought out our pastor for counseling.  He suggested I see some professional help, but to me that was admitting defeat.  It probably would have been a good idea, but I didn't see a counselor.  I was determined to do this on my own....it made it lonely, and I can't say that it was the best decision, because it probably wasn't.   

I'm a year or so from having taken my last pill.  That includes all of the medications I was on.  I was on multiple pain killers, multiple muscle relaxers, and the nerve meds all at the same time at one point.  I tried injections for pain but I'm allergic to the lidocaine they use to numb you and the steroid they inject into you gave me such a bad reaction that I ended up in the ER.  It's been a long road, and I still hurt every single day.  Some days are worse than others, like when the weather changes, or I forget to get out of bed the "right way."  On occasion I get the feeling that I'm detoxing again and for a few minutes I'll feel my mind splitting and my nerves feel exposed and I hurt.  But mostly it goes away.  I still drop things and randomly lose control of my hands, and I don't know if that will ever fully go away, but I'm dealing with it and it IS getting better. 

I no longer feel the need to cut.  I no longer feel the push towards suicide.  I look back on that time and I don't know who that person is... I still hurt every day....I still don't know what God hast in store for all of this, but I'm working on my patience.  I'm working on relying on other people and not just myself.  I'm learning to give honest answers when people ask me if I'm okay.  Though not to everyone.  I have a specific few that if they ask me I can be honest, because I know they are really asking about me and not letting useless pleasantries fall out of their mouth.  

I'm working out because it makes me feel better.  I'm watching what I eat because I know less weight means less stress on my back.  And mostly because I want kids and I'm terrified of the pain that is going to come with pregnancy.  Not the normal pains, the labor and such, but the pain in my back.  As I said, I hurt every day.  The  unknown of the additional pull and strain on my back scares me a lot.  So, James and I have both decided to get into the best physical condition we can be in before that time comes so that I will have the best chance at a normal pregnancy.  This blog is going to be the journey towards that.  

It all started with that red dodge in my rearview mirror....I'm not quite sure where it will end up, but I guess we'll see...

-Dani
DV

A Journey Toward Less Pain

At the first of the year James and I decided to start working out more.  Partially because we just NEEDED TO, but mostly because we are wanting to have kids at some point soon.  With the pain I deal with on a daily basis I'm honestly scared to go through a pregnancy.  I have seen perfectly healthy women go through pregnancy and have so much back pain that I feel like one of two things will be true for me.  1.  It'll be no different than the pain I have now.  Or 2.  It'll be unbearable for 9 months.....I don't know that I can handle the second possibility.

So, that being said James and I want to both be in the best physical shape possible before pregnancy so that I'll be strong and able to handle the pregnancy as well as possible.

We joined Planet Fitness, which is saying a lot, because I hate their commercials.  I feel like they're trying to be so accepting that they're shunning a large group of the fitness community...the so called "lunks."   But it's a cheap gym membership so we did it.  As it turns out I love the place! They are a gym with all the frills.  For $20 a month we get to use the gym equipment, enjoy the really nice locker rooms with clean showers and changing rooms.  They have circuit rooms that make it easy to get in a really good 30 min workout while going at your own pace.  Best of all, and my very very favorite thing about our membership is that with the membership we get unlimited tanning, chair massage, and ****hydro massage***.  I've never been a fan of going to the gym.  I've made it fun for myself, I've gone with others, and that helps, but knowing I get a massage at the end of the workout makes me SOOO ready to go to the gym at the end of the day.

Some goals?  Besides weight loss, I want to be stronger, I want to feel better, and try to get away from being in some sort of pain every day.  I want to work on what I call the "Shame factor" that comes with weight loss.  I'll discuss those as time goes a long.  I think I'll also post recipes if I can as I go.  Just healthy things that I find here and there, as well as encouragement and downfalls I run into.
Well....here starts the journey.  Thanks for reading!!  - Dani

Cranberry Orange Pecan Sticky Buns

I haven't blogged in forever, and I've wanted to throughout the entire christmas break but have had only intermittent internet access.

I created these sticky buns on Christmas Eve in 2013 when I made breakfast for Christmas morning.  They're fairly simple.  They are just a sweet dinner roll recipe, rolled out, filled with goodies, rolled up, cut, baked, and slathered with a yummy topping.  Here's what I did.

I used a simple sweet dinner roll recipe from a Betty Crocker Cookbook (bonus edition) that my mom gave me when we first moved to KC. The filling is my own concoction, and the topping I got from Mom.

Ingredient List:

Dinner Roll:
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter (don't cut and use margarine...it's just not as good)
1 teaspoon salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup very warm water
1/2 cup very warm milk
1 large egg

Sticky Bun Filling:
1 1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-2 oranges
1/2 - 1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 - 1 tsp ground all-spice
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cream Cheese Topping:
1 package philadelphia cream cheese
1-1/2 cup powdered sugar (or more for desired thickness)
1/2 cup butter
1-2 Tablespoons Milk
1 Tablespoon Vanilla


Directions:

In a large bowl, stir 2 cups of lour the sugar, 1/4 cup butter, salt and yeast until well mixed.  Add warm water warm milk and egg.  Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently.  Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently.  Stir in enough remaining flour to make the dough easily to handle.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface.  Knead about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy.  Grease a large bowl with shortening.  Place dough in the bowl, turning dough to grease all sides.  Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.  Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

While the dough is rising, place dried cranberries in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water.  Let sit until cranberries are soft and plump (approximately 10 minutes). When cranberries have soaked enough water, drain the excess.  Add chopped pecans, vanilla, brown sugar, cloves, and all spice to the cranberries.  Zest 1-2 oranges into the bowl.  Cut the oranges in half and juice the oranges into the bowl, allowing as much pulp as possible to be included in the bowl.  This is is a very orangey recipe! Add a tablespoon of corn starch for thickness. Mix ingredients well and let sit.

When dough is ready remove and split into two equal halves.  Roll halves into rectangles about 1/3-1/4 inch thick.  spread half of the stuffing mixture onto the dough leaving a 1-1/2 inch wide strip on one long side clean.  Roll from the spread side to the clean side pinching the clean strip into the roll to create a seal.  (think making cinnamon rolls)  Take a piece of sewing thread or baking twine and slide under the roll.  Cross the string over the top and pull.  This makes beautiful even cuts.  Feel free to make the rolls as thick or thin as you like.  I do about an inch to 1 1/2 inches thick.  Place the rolls flat into a buttered dish as close together as possible.  This will give you soft buns.  If you want a little stiffer buns then space the.

Allow buns to rise for 30 minutes until doubled in size.  Place in a 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

While the rolls are baking, mix together your softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and melted butter until smooth.  Add milk to gain desired thickness.  Allow the rolls to cool for 5 minutes and apply the cream cheese topping.  Serve warm!!!

Hope you enjoy these.  My family sure did!!

(Later edit:  Can add some rum to the fruit concoction and simmer until alcohol is cooked off.  Makes it extra yummy!!)

Low Cal Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2.5 Lbs of Boneless skinless chicken
2 medium onions chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped
4 cups of chopped carrots
3 cups of chopped celery
32 oz bag of frozen peas
¾ cups of all purpose flour
7 cups of milk
Phyllo dough
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Sage
Rosemary
Red Pepper Flakes


Assembly:

1. In a skillet add olive oil and chicken.  Season and cook until cooked through.

2. In a soup pan over medium heat, add olive oil, the onions, and garlic.  Sweat off.  Add carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are softening.

3. Add flour and seasonings.  Stir constantly, cooking for 1-2 minutes.  Then add the milk gradually, stirring until smooth.  Bring to a simmer and continue stirring until thickened.

4. Remove from heat and add frozen peas.  Stir well and taste for seasoning.  Chop chicken and stir into vegetables and gravy.  Put half into a large casserole dish and half into another (for freezing).
Add 5 sheets of phyllo dough to the top of each pan, brushing with olive oil in between each layer.

5. Cook at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.  Top should be golden brown and sauce should be bubbling.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Makes 16 servings total.  8 for each casserole dish.  206 calories per serving.  Freeze one casserole dish for future use!

(Sorry there are no specifics on seasoning.  I usually just season as I go and then taste it all at the end.  Check the seasoning of the filling after stirring in the chicken and peas and add seasoning as needed.)

Curry Chicken and Dumplings

Every now and then I like to experiment in the kitchen and sometimes I even come out of it with something especially tasty.  These dumplings are no exception.  They're tasty, comforting, and addictive!! Most importantly, if you make your own dumplings, they're actually pretty healthy.

Hope you like them!

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

12 oz chicken breast* 

1 med. sliced onion

2 cups sliced carrots

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

Chicken Broth

Dumplings**

Curry***

Garlic powder***

Salt ***

Pepper***

Rosemary***

Instructions:

In a large pot, cook onions on medium until translucent.  Add carrots and celery and cook for 10 minutes on medium.  Cut chicken into small chunks and add to the vegetables.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, and curry and cook until chicken is cooked through.  When chicken is cooked through add water and bouillon cubes or chicken broth.  Leave room in the top of the pot for the dumplings.  Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.  Add biscuits (in pieces) or dumpling mix to boiling water, cover and let boil for 2 minutes, turn down and simmer for 10 minutes.  Biscuits will puff up and then shrink again.  Dumplings will puff up and stay big.  At this point the soup is basically done.  I usually taste and season some more at this point.  There's no real science to it, I just add til it tastes good.  I use quite a bit of curry and garlic powder.  The curry and garlic are what make this dish taste so good.  

*I have done the chicken in this recipe many different ways.  Legs and thighs boiled and then pulled apart, chicken breasts chopped up, tenders chopped up.  The best is either the tenders or breasts chopped up.  I have found that the boiled legs and thighs tend to get stringy...it's good but some people have texture issues.  The breast stays in pieces and makes for a better soup.

**I prefer the taste of the butter flavored biscuits to the plain ones.  And the dumplings I make are basic ones that I found on line.  They could have used some more flavor in the dough, so make sure you find a dough that has plenty of salt and seasoning.  

*** Don't stress over how much seasoning you use.  It's going to depend on a lot of factors, the most important of which is your own personal taste.  I like my dumplings with lots of curry and garlic powder and pretty spicy.  If you dont like it that warm then use more salt, pepper, rosemary, and other herbs.  Most of all, just keep tasting and add a little here and there til it's perfect.

A final thought:

Change the recipe up!!  I never go strictly off of a recipe.  I always make it my own, either because of what I have in my pantry or fridge, or because I just want it to taste a certain way.  Have fun with it though!!

Let me know if there are any questions.  I'll try to be more clear.

Learning to be a Follower

Lately, James and I haven't been able to do much running or walking because we've both been adjusting to new schedules at school, work, and church.  But tonight he felt motivated to go for a jog and I was more than happy to throw on some ratty sweats and move out!!

  We did the first week of the C25K series and it felt really good to be running a little again.  I was breathing hard, my feet hurt, and I had a nagging stitch in my side most of the time, but it was great!! As I ran I was able to focus on my breathing, clear my mind, and just run for the sake of running.

  When James and I run together I tell him not to hold back and run with me because he can push harder than I can right now.  He is always great about walking, or even running, back to me during the walking portion of our outing, though.  During our running segments I enjoy watching him run and spending time alone with God.

Tonight, I asked Him specifically to show me something to help me through this rough patch of the last few weeks...I needed something I could learn from and apply to my life.  It didn't come like a lightening bolt, a light bulb, or even along with any light at all, for that matter.  

It came at the end of our run and it was getting dark.  We had just finished our last jogging portion and were doing a 5 min. cool down/walk back to the house.  James reached out and grabbed my hand and we tried to walk this way for a bit, but when you've just been running it's hard to get your gates matched up and arms swinging in unison so that it is comfortable.  

James has a shorter, faster gate while mine is longer and slower.  In order to walk together comfortably we need to match our inner hips/feet to be stepping at the same time so that our arms can swing in unison.  

As I did a little skip and worked my gate to match his it hit me.  I needed to be a good follower.  We didn't talk, we just walked together on the way home.  I concentrated hard on matching our gates and holding on to him.  It was lovely...

Sometimes we just need to sit back, slow down, and concentrate on someone else.  Especially in a marriage, it's important that we know our roles.  James is a leader, and in our marriage I wouldn't have it any other way.  I want to follow him because I trust him, but I don't want to just be drug along.  I want to follow well, concentrate and focus on him, and do what I can to be a help and not a hindrance.  

I want to apply the same principals to my relationship with God.  He has a plan, I don't need to go my own way and do my own thing, I need to concentrate on Him, study his movements and teachings, and follow as closely and harmoniously as possible to create the most good.  

It's like breathing....

Have you ever been still...just quiet and still...and listened to the music? 

My life has been permeated with music throughout its entirety.  One of my earliest memories of music is sitting on my grandpa's lap in the choir seating while he sang a swinging tenor and pointed out the words and notes for me to follow along.  I would beg my mom to let me sit in the choir seating with him on Sundays while the choir sang just so I could be up front and singing with my Dee-boy.  My parents and grand parents encouraged me from a young age to sing in church and my mom taught us songs that little ones remember easily during sunday school that I would repeat during church, with no fear of rejection by my church family.  They were always delighted to see the curly haired little girl, standing on the stage, singing about Jesus.  

In my teenage years I had aspirations of being a famous country music singer, and believe me, I had the twang to go with it.  When I was older my voice coach would cringe and tell me to, "Stop with the Tammy," referring to Tammy Wynette, a beautiful singer in my opinion, but definitely without the training my coach was trying to instill in me.  

Throughout high school and college I sang in Latin, Italian, German, Spanish, and occasionally in English, though it is not viewed as "high brow" as foreign languages in the competitive settings.  My coach would sing the assigned songs or play the CD of the demonstrations and I would always try my absolute hardest to mirror their every inflection, facial expression, and movement to convey the feeling of the songs.  

Now that I am older (a whole whopping 24) I am a worship leader in my church.  I am given the responsibility of picking out the songs for our Sunday Worship service, making sure we practice as a band, and then working with the band to lead our congregation in worship.  Think it's simple?  Cuz it's not....

You see, throughout my ENTIRE life of music I have been merely a reflection.  Nothing even close to the real thing. I have always been dissatisfied with it too.  I have been told before to "find my own voice" and make a song my own, but I have never been able to truly let the images and sounds of what a song is "supposed" to sound like leave me long enough to make it my own.  

While I have always seen this as a terrible curse and that something is wrong with me I have come to realize why I have been made this way...and I am no longer fighting it.  

My job is not to break the mold.  My job is not to blaze new trails, create my own music, and be different.  My job is to be a mirror.  My job is to be the moon. My problem in life has not been that I am only a reflection, my problem is that I have been pointed in the wrong direction.  I have been pointed at an artist, a song, a style of music, and all of these things fall incredibly short of what I am supposed to be pointed at.  

I have a great desire to be pointed in the right direction.  I want to reflect what God is.  I want to show people what God looks like.   Music is a gift to us all.  There is power in music, as though the God has given humanity an inner pulse that beats only with the rhythmic cadence of a song.  It's a force that flows through us to other people.

I have said that Sundays are exhausting because God's presence is more that a body should endure.  Our bodies were not made for such glory.  But something I heard the other day stays with me.  We are not bodies with a soul.  We are a soul with a body. Our souls are all given a gift when we become Children but I really think that God gives it to us as infants - we're just not able to truly tap into it until we can truly tap into Him.  My gift was music.  It is not only His gift to me, but my gift to Him.  I want to sing for One who loves me, the greatest love song I can give - the song of my own life.  I only hope that it pleases Him.  

Dani
DV

"I want to sit at Your feet/ Drink from the cup in Your hand/ Lay back against You and breathe/ Feel Your heart beat./ This love is so deep/ It's more than I can stand./ I melt in Your peace/ It's overwhelming." -Kari Jobe

Something I'm the BEST At

I am the BEST procrastinator in the world.  

I will put anything off, at anytime, just so I don't have to do it right now.  I never understood why I had this huge flaw, but now I think I know.

I heard someone the other day say that some people are DREAMERS and some people are LIVERS....not like the organ but...well, you get it.

Dreamers are people who have all these hopes, dreams, big aspirations, and plans, but they never seem to actually get anything done towards those dreams.  They know their goals, but they can't seem to grasp how to get to them.  When that happens they just....dream.  They dream instead of doing!!!  

Livers are ones who can say, "This is my life. That is where I want to go. This is how I get there," and then they do it!  Livers are people who get things done, they see that you only get places in live through your own hard work and perseverance.  

I am a dreamer.  I want to be a doer.  I'm not even sure if a person can change that about themselves, but I'm going to try.  Starting today I am going to do.  

I heard a quote by an anonymous author yesterday that says,

LIVE by the SUN, 

Love by the MOON.

It means that you should be living your life while the sun is up.  Be like the elderly who get up at the crack of dawn and DO while they can.  And then do your dreaming while you have to sleep!!! Don't waste your sunlight doing time on your dreaming!!

My Momentary Anthem

I have been a worship leader at my church now for almost two years.  Through my many days and nights of trying to find the songs that best fit the service I find myself being drawn to certain songs because of their words, feeling, or even just the ideas that it presents to my heart. 

Recently we've sang the song "God of This City" in worship a lot.  I have said that I feel that that song is the anthem for North Lake Church, what we're about, and what we believe.  We believe that "You're the God of this city, You're the King of these people, You're the Lord of this Nation.  You are."  What greater phrase describes exactly what God is to us?  

While being on this journey of finding myself and where I stand as a worship leader I find that there are many days where I go to worship service and I am just not feeling it.  I don't feel like singing, I don't feel like praising, I just don't think I can make it through a song set.  You see, leading worship for me is exhausting.  NOT IN A BAD WAY!!  

I'll explain.  I put my whole self into worship.  I feel that when leading worship that my job is to lead others to the throne of God and show them His face through songs and let them just bask in all that glory.  But I put my whole self into it.  It's like when Moses wanted to see God, God wouldn't even allow him to see His face because he would have been struck dead.  He was only allowed to see His back as He walked away and even then when Moses went down to the Israelites his face was shining so bright from being in God's presence that Moses had to cover his face!!  It's that sort of absolute exhaustion that I feel, and I love every moment.

The Flyleaf song "All Around Me" is my anthem most of the time during worship.  I get it.  In those moments of worship "I'm alive....So I cry, the light is white." I encourage you to click the link and listen to the words and the song. It's beautiful.  

Other times, and more often lately, my anthem is Sanctus Real's "I'm Not Alright."  I think that in always having enough I have taken for granted that I have been taken care of.  In being brought up in church I have felt the need to constantly say, "God will provide. I have faith." But I haven't ever had to put the belief behind it.  It's dogma, it's repetitive speech.  As a worship leader I have felt the pressure to always answer the question, "How are you doing?" with "I'm alright."  I should be alright.  I want to be alright.  The first line of that song says, "If weakness is a wound that no one wants to speak of, then cool is just how far we have to fall.  I AM NOT IMMUNE.  I only want to be loved.  But I feel safe behind the firewall."  For the first time last night and tonight I have not been able to lie.  My husband says it's a good thing, but it is so awful to admit to myself that I've been lying.  

Here's the truth.  I'm not alright.....I'm broken inside and out.  Being able to say that in a group of people who I know love me deeply and not have those feelings changed is a HUGE relief.  The next lines of the song say, "Can I lose my need to impress? If you want the truth, I need to confess, I'm not alright."  I am truly not alright at this time.  I don't love God any less, I trust Him and I know that he will either heal me or be my strength to bear whatever my life hands me, I just haven't found that strength yet.  And you know?  It's alright to be broken.  It's alright to be honest and say you're not doing okay, you're hurt, you're angry, sad, depressed, addicted, in a dark place that no one would want to be....It's okay.

We are not expected to be alright.  If we were expected to be alright then there would have been no reason for Jesus.  If there was a way for me to be good enough, then I wouldn't NEED Him.  If there was a way...I'd have found it by now.  

In the song "I'm not alright" it starts out as a bursting scream of no longer being able to hold in the grueling, terrible truth.  But by the end it is a soft belief and relief that, "I'm not alright. That's why I need You....That's why I need You."

Bathed in Prayer

Last night was the first night of our annual cookout in Smithville for North Lake Church.  We talked about faith, coming out of Sunday when Jamie introduced the subject, and about where we are in our personal walk of faith.  

Going around the group it varied from highs to lows, most of which was situational, but by the time it got to me I couldn't even come up with a good lie, which I wanted to desperately.  Instead, I sat there and cried.  

I told the group that a couple of months ago I had started studying James and I never got past verse 2-4 in chapter 1.  "Consider it all joy..." just ate at me.  In the last year and a half I have been at my absolute lowest and then found myself a little lower than the day before, and then lower and lower....you catch my drift?  I haven't felt real joy about much of anything in a very, very long time.  

I laid all this out before my friends, my church, the people I lean on, and they all sat there and let me cry.  My husband, my very sweet husband, reached over and held my hand while I cried and explained everything and how I had been feeling - hopeless and lost.  At the end of the discussion, after the last person had talked about their faith walk, and Jamie had started the discussion for this evening, Jamie asked them all to come and pray for me.  

I sat there in my camp chair, sobbing, while these people, who love my husband and I so very much, laid hands on me and prayed.  Prayed for my health, my level of joy, my feeling of hope, for strength, for the loneliness to leave, and just asked God to bless me.  

I still hurt, I'm still injured, but prayer has its power and I can feel hope.  Before I had dug down in the depression and pain so far that I had actually buried myself in it.  I've not been fully excavated but I can see light peeking through all the muck.  

Thank you, God, for putting James and I in the place and situation that we're in so that I could see Your mercies through these people.  I still have my Reason to Smile.

Deo Volente

At a dead stop.

So, in case you haven't noticed, I haven't blogged about running...well, that's because there hasn't been much running going on for me.  You see, I no longer have my physical therapy covered by my insurance, and it's really ridiculously expensive to keep going anyway.  I'm not supposed to run while in pain, and right now, I'm constantly in pain.  I've hit a roadblock at this point, but I'm still doing the diet.  I've lost 3 lbs in the past couple weeks, which is not great, but it's good for not having worked out at all.  

I must say, it's depressing to find a way to have a release, to let your mind settle into place while running, and then have it ripped away.  It's been a hard month or so for me, and I feel like I just complain all the time.  I was studying James for a couple of weeks and then had to put it down because it's just too much to take.  It says, "Consider it all joy" when we face different troubles and trials because it produces "steadfastness" or "perseverance."  Then, when we have the steadfastness and perseverance we are going to move on to maturity and perfection.....well, I can't seem to get the steadfastness down pat.  I am constantly struggling with why I am still dealing with my back.  Why God has put this in my way, and basically "why me God, why me?"  

My doctor says that I shouldn't try to start a family any time soon because the pain medication I'm on will be bad for a baby, and I probably shouldn't anyway because my back will be in a lot of pain when the baby changes my body's shape.  That, all by itself, is really depressing.... 

I haven't figured out yet what I'm supposed to learn, I'm not even sure if I'm supposed to, but my constant prayer is to figure out what it is I'm supposed to be learning and growing into, so that I can move past it. It's taken my joy and I'm really struggling....maybe one day I'll know.  

Summer time....

Well, it is summer time and I am itching to experiment and share!!  I know I haven't written in quite some time, but it's been valentines day and mothers day at the flower shop and, trust me, unless you've worked in a flower shop you'll never understand.  It's been crazy!!  Now it is summer time.  It's time to take a break, go on vacation, spend some quality time with my husband and puppy, and EXPERIMENT!!

I really love experimentation.  I worked with an AmeriCorps program back home for a year and we were strictly science based.  We got to experiment all the time and I loved it.

I have discovered that I most enjoy experimenting with baking and cooking and because of this I'm going to try out a recipe that I've spent the morning trying to figure out.  James and I went to cheesecake factory last weekend and had, what he calls, the obvious choice from now on.  It is a pineapple upside down cheesecake!!!  I know, you're drooling on your keyboard....I am too just thinking about it.

My plan is to make a cheesecake that is marbled with crushed maraschino cherries and sandwiched between two thin layers of pineapple upside down cake...the result will be heavenly, I just know it.

Well, I'll let you know how it goes and if it turns out.

Love to you all!!

Steadily seeing results

James and I are on week two of the C25K program and it is kicking my butt!!!  But, I am really enjoying it!!  I'm exhausted - I'm sore - and most days I just don't want to do it, but I have a great supportive husband that keeps me going.

Yesterday was an especially hard day.  I hurt everyday, still, since the car accident, but life must go on, right?  Yesterday was a terrible one though.  Not only was I hurting but I had a massive headache.  We had to go see the lawyer and then got home late, ate dinner and were about to get around to do our off day workout when my very sweet husband looked across the table at me and said, "Why don't you go run yourself a bath."  Me - "But what about our workout?" Him - "Go run yourself a bath and add all the salts and bubbles and such and just soak.  You'll feel better."  I thought I'd regret not working out, but when I sunk down in my tub all that just soaked away........

As sweet as James is, he doesn't let me cop out.  I didn't want to go running today either, but we went anyway.  And he is running on the treadmill beside me cheering me on the whole way with high fives and "Ok, last 30 seconds," "One more set," and, "We could take it a little faster." :)

Well, now that I've bragged about him and his awesomeness, let's talk the last couple of days.  

This whole "Diet/Eating right" business is actually GETTING EASIER.  It's moved from an effort into habit - GOOD HABITS!!  Now, I get up and make my lunch in the morning (Salad), I don't even consider ordering out at lunch unless it's an unsweet tea or a coffee, and I have been eating breakfast, which for me is really hard.  I don't know about you, but eating breakfast has always been something I struggled with because I could get really nauseated after eating in the morning.  I have motored through it though and I don't get nauseated anymore and I can tell that it helps me to be less hungry come lunch time.  Salads and a piece of fruit are more satisfying at lunch when you don't feel like you could eat everything in sight.

I have also started some daily goals.  My most common recent ones are to have a salad every day.  Even if it's just a small side dish with a full meal.  I look back on meals and realize I could go a week or so without an actual serving of fruits or vegetables in one meal.  Pitiful!!  I've also been drinking lots and LOTS of water, as planned.  Finally, I have been slowly drinking less coffee and more green tea.  I really just want the hot liquid anyway and there are zero calories in my tea!!  I steep it by the cup, add a tea bag, a dash of lemon, and a packet of Truvia (or a half packet if I feel like it) and sip away.   

I've seen a lot of really great results from these daily goals.  My skin is clearer.  I thought I'd never get rid of acne, but I only have the occasional pimple now! I can tell that I look healthier.  I feel better, and I don't crave things the way I used to.

Running and going to workout has been easier as well.  It's more of a habit then a tentative plan.  James and I even got our workout in today when normally we wouldn't have considered it a day with enough time.  I sweated more today than I have during any of our running sessions and it felt good!!  I forget about the pain and exhaustion after I've had a shower and I've recovered. Then I can just look at it as a really great workout.  

There's been progress, and it's not all measured in weight or inches.  I feel better, I can see a difference in myself, and I am loving it.  

Rewiring My Food Brain

This weight loss program is a whole new ball game for me.  In high school I worked out because I played sports all the time and had someone to kick my butt, blow a whistle, and tell me to take another lap.  Now, I am having to do all this to myself, and I'm not quite the drill sergeant that my former coaches were.  Through this program I have realized that I have a very, very, VERY addictive personality.  I like things the way I like them because...well, I just do.  

This week I am working on rewiring my brain a bit.  Until now I have always wanted the most.  Oh, geez, how this has piled the weight on me.  I can look back on meals that I have eaten and remember the little voice in my head. It goes as follows:

*We ordered pizza and it just arrived.  It's still piping hot!!  Covered in all the most amazing toppings and cheese!!  I take it to the kitchen and grab the biggest plate I can find because I'm really convinced that I'm so hungry that I could eat a piled plate the size of Texas.  I open the box and size up all the slices.  Do I go for the smallest piece?!?!  HECK NO!!!  I want the largest one with the most toppings.  I want the best!! Once that one's on my plate I realize it looks lonely on that big plate....all alone, getting cold....poor thing!!  It needs a buddy!!!  So, I look for the second largest slice and lay it right down next to the other.*

I mean, come on people, you know you've done this before.  We can't stand to see things that are not full!!  We want the excess, we even believe that we need it, or that it's wrong for something to only be half full...or empty, depending on your state of mind.  

I feel a little crazy or OCD sometimes because it actually bothers me when something isn't as full as it's supposed to be.  It looks like the job is only half done!!  For instance, when I go running and I come back and I'm jonesing for some sort fo food, I now reach for an apple, the healthier choice. (Who am I kidding, I never went running before!! :)  )  But I can't just cut my apple into four pieces because it doesn't fill up my plate and I'm still hungry afterward.  Instead I'll cut it up into little slices so that my plate looks fuller and this makes me more satisfied after I'm done.  I mean, is that crazy?!?  Maybe it's a good tactic, because it gets me to where I want to be, but I also want to get out of the mind set of needing everything to be full all the time.  

This week I have been trying to make myself stop all the craziness.  When I fill up my coffee cup in the morning, I measure out my creamer and I don't have to fill my cup up to the brim.  If I get a bowl of cereal, I don't have to fill the bowl with cereal, and then fill the spaces with milk.  I was handling the situation with getting smaller bowls and plates and going ahead and filling those up, but then I feel like I'm just feeding my own addictive habit. 

Basically, I want to be addicted to new things.  

I want to be addicted to the gym, sports bras, running shoes.  I want to be addicted to sweat and how I feel after a long workout.  I want to be addicted to seeing the numbers drop on my scale, and I want to be addicted to where I want to be and then staying there.   If I really want "the best" then I want to be addicted to wanting the best me that I can have, and less crap I don't need!!

I saw a quote the other day on pinterest.com and I loved it!!  I have been telling myself this every day.  When I have a craving I remind myself that, "Your body is not a waste basket....don't treat it like one."  This really hit home with me.  Our bodies are a temple (1 Cor. 6:19 - Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?).  We should not put trash into our bodies that we know darn well harm us or make us less than what we can be.  I have been looking through the old testament and looking at the care and rules that the priests had to follow to keep the temple up to standard. We should treat our bodies the same way.  Clean it up, get it in shape, and treat it with the respect that we should.  We only get one body, why treat it like a dump?!?

Last thing:  James and I just finished the last work out of the first week in C25K and we both did really well!!  We are not going to skip a day tomorrow like we're supposed to because we skipped three this week (meh) to finish up today.  Tomorrow we start the run 2 min walk 2 min workout.  Wish us luck!!!

Tipping the scales at....

....208 lbs!!  Whoa...The day I got on the scale and saw how out of control my weight had gotten I cried.  It was heart breaking to know that I had gotten so lazy.  However, I didn't decide that day to hit the gym and lose the weight.  That day I felt very sorry for myself and I was upset, but a week or so later my husband (such a great man) came up with this plan to run a thing called the Warrior Dash in Platte City, MO, a little town outside of KC, MO.  It is a 5K run in which you climb over walls, cross a moat, jump over a fire pit, and crawl through a mud pit that has barbed wire and ropes over the top, etc. He told me that he wanted to do this run and I said that it sounded like fun, until he informed me that someone died last year during the run. I was quaking and a shaking inside...."please don't ask me to do this with you" was feverishly repeating in my head.  He kept raving about it and how much fun it would be and I realized what was going on.  He really did want me to do it with him, but he didn't want to push me into it.  I sheepishly asked him if he wanted me to join him and he looked me in the eye and said, "I would love it if you would do this with me, you don't have to, but I would love it if you would."  Well, when such a handsome man says something like that to you, you get convinced pretty fast.  Besides, I was extremely flattered that he wanted to do this WITH ME!!

At this point, we are signed up for the 11:00 am run and are training for it. I believe the program we are using is the Couch to 5k and this week we have been running 1 min and walking 2 min 6 times. It's not been too bad!!  The first day of running I was on my last set and felt like I was going to pass out, but the second day of running wasn't nearly as hard.  We finish up with a good hard ab workout and on days that we don't run he lifts, and I do cardio.  The best part is that we are doing it together.

 I have also been on a new eating plan (I don't like to say diet because those have always been so temporary for me).  So far I have lost 14 lbs, but then the Thanksgiving holiday hit and Bob came to visit (for those ladies and gents that don't know, bob is the monthly cycle :) ) so I hadn't been back on the scale to see how much I knew I had gained back.  But getting on this morning I am exactly where I was.

My food plan is as follows:

#1 -  I don't usually eat breakfast, but it's in the plan to slowly start eating more for breakfast and less throughout the day.  There are many dietitians that suggest that eating breakfast is actually one of the best ways to lose weight.  When your body goes for hours over night having not eaten it thinks it is in starvation mode and starts holding to any and all calories that it can get a hold of.  Therefore, if you feed your body well in the morning and let it know that it's gonna get food today it will process those calories and the coming ones with more efficiency.  Don't go crazy with this and assume that it means that you can eat whatever you want for breakfast.  This research clearly shows that eating a balanced meal in the morning can help you lose weight, but don't abuse it!!

#2 -  Drinking plenty of water is very, very, VERY important to shedding pounds.  James, my husband, bought me an early Christmas present that I LOVE so very much!!  He bought us Camelbacks so that when we go to the gym we both have plenty of water and we can stay hydrated during the day.  So far it's been great!!  I love Camelbacks because they don't spill, there's no lid to unscrew while you're running on the treadmill and there's no tipping the bottle, thus no spills down the front of you.
Staying hydrated is important for weight loss because as you do your cardio exercises you are losing water and turning food into energy and waste and the water is what helps move the waste out and replace the hydration you are losing.  Water can also help with other weight problems such as over eating and hunger.  Drinking water throughout the day will keep something in your stomach instead of it being empty then full, empty then full.  Drinking a glass of water before a meal will help you not over eat because your stomach has contents (water) then you don't need as much food to fill it up!

#3 -  If you were to ask my husband, "To Dani, what makes any food taste better?" He'd tell you that I love the taste of pretty food.  I like color in my food - red, yellow, green, and I'm always thrilled with the occasional purple!!!  I love color in my food and the more color in your daily diet, the more nutrition you are getting.  Plus, if you take the time to plate your food nicely you will enjoy eating it more and won't scarf it down.

#4 -  Avoiding eating out is something that James and I have been doing for a while, but for our budget, not our waist line.  I am one of the lucky ones who actually really enjoys cooking.  I love looking for new recipes to try, adding a twist to make it mine, and plating it beautifully.  There's a real feeling of pride to work hard on a meal, present it with flair and hear the "mmmmmmmmm"'s that follow.  Eating in can also be good for your health and body.  Most restaurants, even the fancier ones, use foods that are stuffed with preservatives, were frozen, and are not fresh.  When you cook at home you know that you and your family are getting the freshest ingredients that you could find.   You can replace things in the recipes that you don't like with food that you do, make a recipe healthier, or just tastier and more appealing.

#5 -  I have a salad every day.  Vegetables and fruit are important for a healthy body, so I try to make sure that I have a salad for lunch or a salad with dinner and a piece of fruit every day.  This may sound extremely boring, but I make it fun and tasty.  My coworkers tell me every day how my salads always look good.  I make them pretty because then I want to eat them!!  I always use really green lettuce (no ice burg in sight), nice red tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, olives, and cheese.  Don't freak out about the cheese or the dressing.  Yes, there's fat in it, and yes there's more calories, but pay attention to your serving.  I don't burry my salad in cheese and I don't drown it in dressing.  I get a sprinkling of cheese 1-2 tablespoons of dressing for my salads and that is just fine.  That may not seem like enough dressing, but a good way to stretch the dressing is to put the dressing in a separate bowl, container, whatever.  Dip your fork in dressing, then get a bite of salad.  You get dressing with every bite, and I usually don't even eat all my dressing this way.


I am planning on blogging about my weight loss,  I won't promise every day, but maybe once a week?  It's hard to post where I am now and I hate to post how much I weigh, but I'm going to own it, because when I get to where I want to be, I'll be proud to share my progress.

Here is where I am now.

Height: 5'6"
Original Weight: 208
Current Weight: 197 lbs
First goal: 175 lbs

Total weight lost so far: 13 lbs
To go: 22 lbs


I'm gonna get there....

Exercise and calorie counting

I am a very social person.  I like to do things in groups or, at least, with a partner.  I have struggled with my weight for the last 4 years.  I have steadily gained weight since graduating high school because I played three sports every semester since seventh grade.  I have tried to lose weight and manage my diet for the last four years, but not seriously enough.

The last few days I have been working out and watching calories with the support and participation of my wonderfully amazing husband.  It has been extremely encouraging.  I feel like this time I'll stick with it because we'll do it together.

I'll keep you updated on my progress.  Thanks for taking a moment out of your day.

DV
Dani