Tuesday Tip: Sticky Baking Ingredients

When measuring out sticky substances while baking or cooking, spray the measuring spoon or cup with cooking spray. So next time when you measure out corn syrup, honey, peanut butter or maple syrup, spray the measuring cup or spoon - it will empty into the bowl easier and clean up easier too. 

Philly Steak Stuffed Peppers

2 large bell peppers

8 oz thinly sliced roast beef

8 slices provolone cheese

1 medium sweet onion - sliced

1 cup mushrooms - sliced

Preheat oven to 400◦. Slice peppers in half lengthwise removing ribs and seeds. Sauté until onions and mushrooms are nice and caramelized. Slice roast beef into thin strips and add onion/mushroom mixture. Cook 5-7 mins. Line the inside of each pepper with provolone cheese and fill each with meat mixture until they are overflowing. Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese and bake for 15-20 mins until cheese is golden brown. 

Cashew Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken - cut in 1 inch cubes
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry (or leave out if you don't have it)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 cups chopped veggies - any combo: broccoli, peppers, carrots, snap peas, mushrooms
2 green onions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1/2 cup unsalted cashews, toasted

Directions
In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of broth. Add chicken to the skillet; stir-fry over medium heat until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes.

Add garlic and veggies to skillet; stir-fry for 3 to 5 until crisp-tender. Stir broth, soy sauce, dry sherry, ginger, pepper,and sugar into the skillet. Cook and stir for 1 minute.  Add cornstarch to a little bowl.  Spoon  in some of the hot liquid from the skillet into the cornstarch - stir to mix.  Add to skillet.  Cook for 2 minutes until thickens. Stir in cashews and green onions. Serve over rice.

*in the photo I used red bell peppers and mushrooms

Tips:
If it isn't thickening up, add more cornstarch.  Put in a little bowl as in the direction and then add some hot liquid to it first. Don't just dump the cornstarch in or you will get lumps in your sauce.

If you don't feel you have enough sauce, add more chicken broth.  But be aware you are watering down the soy sauce and ginger. So you might have to up those flavors too, just add a little at a time. Let cook and then taste.

If you want to kick some heat into it, add some red pepper flakes or some Sriracha Chili Sauce.

Friday Favorites

How to Cook Pork by Everyday Foods - has a cheat sheet for knowing the difference between each type of  pork and how to cook them plus links to quite a few recipes that look delicious!

40+ Free Apron Patterns -  free sewing patterns for aprons linked up by Tipnut

How to Build a Raised Bed for a Garden -  This idea really appeals to me for the space we have.  I would really like to build a raised garden

DIY Outdoor Square Planters - she does a round up of a bunch of DIY planters

Earl Grey Oatmeal - this recipe is for Earl Grey Oatmeal with a Cardamon and Honey Cream - oh my!

Apps Gone Free - this app tells about apps that are going free for a day or so. I believe they have an android version just google Apps Gone Free for android.  I have gotten some good apps for organizing and cooking on here as well as photography, journals, and others hobby based apps. 

Tuesday Tips: 10 Tips for Line Drying

HANGING LAUNDRY OUT TO DRY

1. Just installing a clothesline? Don't put it under a tree or you will just be throwing clothes back in the washer after a bird leaves its droppings all over your clothes

2. Hang shirts from the hem instead of the shoulders so you don't get little teeth marks and bumps from the indent of the clothes pins

3. Materials that tend to lose their shape - hang on an hanger on the line.  I also hang dresses on hangers.

4. Think about where the sun is going to be when hanging things out to dry. I like having the sun's heat work on sheets and towels so I like to hang those out when the sun is shining at its fullest on my clothes line.  If you have a load darks, you don't want the sun to fade them so hang when the sun is not beating down on it.  Also hang darks inside out to help with fading.

5. Don't like the stiffness that happens with line drying?  Pop them into the dryer for about 5 mins and then you are still saving energy by using the clothes line, but also getting your clothes to feel a little softer.

6. Using vinegar in your rinse cycle also helps on the stiffness. I use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup vinegar per load. Your clothes won't smell like vinegar. That odor disappears as it is rinsed through your clothes.

7. Don't over crowd the line when hanging clothes out.  It takes the clothes longer to try and causes wrinkles as you are bunching things closer together.

8.  Have a bag or somewhere to store your clothes pins as they can weaken over time with the sun constantly beating down on them. Plastic clothes pins are said to weaken and break springs faster than wooden ones.

9. Just because it is an overcast day doesn't mean your clothes won't dry. Air and wind dry just as much as the sun's heat.  Just watch for the weather so that you don't have to re-launder clothes.

10. Don't have room in your yard for a line or live in an apartment - think about getting a drying rack.  I use mine all year round. I put it on the deck in the summer and nicer days and in the winter and fall, I set it up in our tub. It is easy to take down and put. Folds compact to not taking up a lot of room.

Monthly Menu

March 3 - 9
Sunday - Breakfast for dinner - pancakes and sausage with some grapes on the side
Monday - I had a late afternoon meeting so picked us up take out on the way home
Tuesday - Casserole with ground beef, veggies and topped with biscuits - served with salad
Wednesday - Stir-fry
Thursday -  went to a party so didn't cook
Friday -  big salad with some grilled chicken on it and some homemade croutons
Saturday -  BLT Pasta served with a side salad (recipe to be coming soon)

March 10 -16
Sunday -  Ham and Bean Soup
Monday -  Pork Roast, roasted potatoes, carrots, onions and green beans
Tuesday -  Pork Roast panini  with cheese, sauteed peppers & mushrooms on it - served with salad
Wednesday - scrambled eggs with red peppers, cheese and mushrooms served with hashbrowns, sausage and grapes
Thursday - out of town
Friday -  nachos
Saturday - pork chops - dipped in a mixture of egg and Dijon mustard then coated in panko and Parmesan cheese, served with roasted asparagus

March 17 - 23
Sunday -  Corn Beef Brisket and salad
Monday - Grilled Chicken served with roasted asparagus and a salad
Tuesday - left overs
Wednesday - out of town
Thursday - out of town
Friday -  out of town
Saturday - out of town

March 24 - 30
Sunday - out of town
Monday - Rotisserie chicken, steamed veggies and salad
Tuesday - Smothered Burritos
Wednesday - left overs
Thursday -  Chicken & Stuffing Casserole (recipe coming soon) served with salad
Friday  - Beef and Broccoli served over rice served with salad
Saturday - Chicken Alfredo serving with roasted asparagus and salad


* Salad = leafy green salad either a spring mix or just baby spinach with assorted topping I have available: tomatoes, mushrooms, green onion, red or yellow bell pepper, croutons, cheese, sometimes some chopped hard boiled egg

Tuesday Tips

Cleaning Crystal

Washing Crystal 
* When washing crystal, line your sink with a rubber mat or thick dishtowel.  Do one item at a time so they don't bang up against each other and get damaged or break.
* Fill with warm water and a solution of a healthy squirt of liquid dish soap and 1/4 cup of vinegar.
* Rinse in clean water and vinegar to help with spotting
* Dry with a lint free cloth such as a microfiber cloth

Cleaning Cloudy Crystal

I had one vase that got extremely cloudy. I had tried to clean it many times over, but nothing seemed to work.  I tried to use a paste of baking soda and vinegar on it and scrubbing with a slim brushes bottle brushes and toothbrushes, uncooked rice, vinegar, lemon juice, and egg shells and a couple other ideas too, but none of them worked. Nothing I did would clear it up.  When I had a second vase starting to get cloudy, I knew I had to find a solution. I read online about using denture tablets to clean crystal so decided I would give it a try.

So I picked up a box of denture tablets at the Dollar Tree and gave it a try...




I added the denture tablets and let it soak for 15 mins.  I then took a toothbrush and scrubbed - lightly. I rinsed the vases out and one vase was clear, but the other which was extremely cloudy to start  so wasn't completely clean yet.


I then did a second round of denture tablets.  The second time I only added the water to just past where it was still cloudy.  I then rinsed with warm water and it was clear.

So there are no more cloudy vases in this household....



That second vase only had a light ring of cloudy film. So it only needed one time through with the denture tablet process. The whole process was so easy. I think of all the time I had been struggling to try to get the one extremely cloudy crystal vase clean and couldn't.  I now always use them at first signs of cloudy film.

Just so glad I found an easy way to clean them.

Southwest Egg Rolls

2 cups cubed boneless skinless chicken  (or one large chicken breast - I had a little under 2 cups and it still worked well)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup of finely chopped red bell pepper (optional - I just wanted a little more color)
1 can (7 oz) green chilies
1/4 cup of finely chopped green onions
1 cup frozen corn
1 can (14.5-15 oz) black beans - drained and rinsed
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups cheese (I like it a little spicy so I used all pepper jack, but if you don't like it too spicy - I would use half pepper jack and half cheddar)
1 package egg roll wrappers - 20 wrappers


Toss the chicken with seasonings. Make sure they are coated with the mixture. If  it isn't - add a little more cumin and chili powder.  In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil or olive oil on medium. Add in the chicken and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through.  Stir in green chilies, green onion, corn and black beans.  Add the spinach.  Cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and add cheese..

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Using a spoon or scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the wrapper. Follow the directions on the back of the egg roll package for folding. Position an egg roll wrapper out like a diamond with one tip pointing towards you. Scoop the filling near the center of the egg roll wrapper. Pick up a corner on your left pull it over the filling. Pick up the corner opposite and bring it over the filling.  Take a corner pointing down towards you and start rolling it up around the egg filling.  Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Place on baking sheet seam side down, not allowing egg rolls to touch.  If you are having problems with them staying shut - slightly wet the edges with your fingers as you roll them.

Brush the egg rolls with olive oil or coat with cooking spray so that they crisp up in the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy.

Serve with or without a dipping sauce.  I used 2 different dipping sauces - Guacamole mixed with some sour cream and salsa mixed with sour cream. About a 1 to 1 ratio.

Friday Favorites

Homemade Garbage Disposal Refreshers - I use the components of these - lemons & baking soda, but these would be nice to have around
Homemade Wool Dryer Balls - use instead of fabric softener
Small Living Room Solutions - ideas to help make a small living room look more spacious
The Well-Appointed Bar - a list of liquor and glasses to have in a well stocked bar
Skinny Meal Plans - a month of menus, links to recipes and downloadable grocery list

Tuesday Tips: Vegetable Storage

I thought I would revive Tuesday Tips.  I will be posting some tips once or twice a month on Tuesdays. Today's tips are all about Vegetable Storage.  

General Tips

*  Don't wash any vegetable until ready to use. I do break this rule at times though because if I am going to have a busy week - prepping veggies ahead makes things easier. Just make sure you store in the best way possible after cutting to keep them fresh still.

*  Any vegetable that has cuts and bruises will start to spoil and pass that on to others stored with it. So if you find one that has cuts or bruises, use them first and put aside away from the others.  

* Do not store fruits and vegetables together as the gases from fruits can make your vegetables go bad quickly.

Tomatoes - Don't refrigerate tomatoes.  It ruins the texture and taste. Keep out of sunlight on a cool counter top. 

Asparagus - Cut an inch off the bottom of asparagus spears and submerge ends in water and refrigerate until cooking.

Onions -  Place whole uncut/unpeeled onions in a cool, dry dark place - away from potatoes.  After cutting, store in sealed container in refrigerator. 

Garlic - Place whole heads of garlic in a cool, dark place. Don't refrigerate until you have peeled or cut.  

Potatoes - Place in a cool, dry, dark place - a box  or paper bag works well in dark corner of a pantry.

Green Beans -  In a perforated plastic bag or in an open container that is covered with a damp cloth. Green beans like humidity, but not overly wet environment. 

Zucchini‐ Leave out on a counter out of sunlight.  Wrap in a cloth and refrigerate for longer storage.

Broccoli -  Broccoli doesn't like to be crowded so store in a loose fitting plastic bag or an open container in the refrigerator. 

Letttuce/Leafy Greens - Wash and then lay out to dry on a thick towel. After dry, place in a plastic bag lined with paper towels to absorb moisture. (Just as an extra - this method by The Kitchn looks interesting) 

Mushrooms -  Keep mushrooms out of the crisper as moister makes them slimy.  Store them one of 2 ways - 1) in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator   2) In the plastic container they are bought in. Keep them sealed until ready to use and after opening place a piece of paper towel over them and then seal with plastic wrap.  I use the second method mostly and ever since I started putting a paper towel in the container - it has helped them last longer. 

Book Review: Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day

Cook Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day: Make-Ahead Meals that Transform Your Suppertime Circus into Relaxing Family Time by Theresa Albert

I just read this book recently, but I didn't follow how it was laid out  because I just wanted ideas. I can see how it could be very helpful if you are wanting to move to more once a week type cooking. Once a week cooking is where you prepare the majority - if not all of every meal for the week and then freeze, keep in fridge to bake or do final cooking.

A few good key points of the book:

• One thing I found much improved from other books of this type is that the recipes are healthy.
• The menus include a wide range of foods. Not just standard ground beef or chicken. 
• This book would be good for those with limited time to cook and needing to make some more healthy meal choices and who have children.
• The book has 12 weeks of menu plans, shopping lists, how-to prep and cook for the week based on each menu, and then recipes.  The weekly menu includes 5 meal plans. So that you can account for some leftovers or a night out.

I checked this book out from the library to get some ideas for meals and I have to say overall - this book didn't give me anything really new to add. But if you are new to healthy cooking, new to cooking in general or having problems with getting meals to the table after work - I can see this book will be helpful. 

Friday Favorites

How to store, defrost and cook frozen foods - I was looking for info on freezing fresh veggies that I picked up and know I won't use soon. I found this...it didn't really answer my question, but it had a lot of good info on freezing foods.

DIY Deodorizing Disks - now they say for diaper pails, but I think they would be great for trash cans too.

Interior Car Cleaning - Gives how-to on cleaning a car like a pro

Guide to Natural Sugar - giving you tips on how to substitute white sugar with natural sugar options

75 Healthy Casserole Recipes - from Cooking Light

Sunday Brunch Frittata

Frittata is a really hard recipe to write because it can be anything. You can add almost anything to it. The base component of a Frittata is eggs. But you can add veggies, cheese, meat and seasoning to it.  It is just finding a combination that works for you. I love this because it is so great with left overs.  When I put it on the menu it is usually because I have left over veggies in my fridge I want to use up. Last night I made one with mushrooms, onions, red peppers, broccoli, a little pepper jack cheese, potatoes and then some sliced deli turkey slices (chopped the slices into thin strips) I threw in too at the last moment. I used smoked paprika and black pepper as my only seasonings and it was fantastic.  

The one in the photo below, I used for brunch when I had left over roasted peppers and mushrooms. I threw in potatoes and breakfast sausage. A Frittata is great meatless too - I have done cheese, potatoes and spinach and loved it.  I like potatoes in mine because I like the structure of the egg around the potato. But they are good without potatoes too.  

Sunday Brunch Frittata
4 small to medium sized russet potatoes - sliced and cooked - I just boil in the microwave
1/4 cup of bell peppers
1/2 cup of mushrooms
1/4 cup of onions
1 to 2 cups ground breakfast sausage
1 cup shredded cheese
10 eggs
3 tablespoons milk (cream or half-n-half will work too)
Seasonings - your preference - this one I did rosemary, pepper and thyme


Heat oven to 400

In a medium bowl mix eggs, milk and seasonings. Set aside.

In a 10-in. or 12 in. ovenproof skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until browned and almost cooked through. Drain grease and  add in bell peppers, mushroom and onions.  (You could add in potatoes and cook them now too, but I like mine done ahead.) Cook until veggies are tender. Remove from heat and add in cheese. Pour egg mixture over veggies and sausage. Stir once before putting it in the oven.

Cook for 15 to 20 mins until eggs are set.  Cool for 10 mins and cut into wedges to serve.

NOTE
* You can up the veggies to 1/2 cup or 1 cup - I just added what I had left and again that is what is great about a Frittata you really can't go wrong with just adding whatever is in the fridge left over from the previous meals.

3 Weeks of Menus

I have been keeping track of my menus a lot better this year. So just sharing my last 3 weeks menu with you.

Feb 3 - Feb 9

Sun -  grilled chicken, baked potato, steamed veggies
Mon -  nachos with all the toppings
Tues - Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad and garlic bread
Wed -  out of town
Thurs - Rotisserie Chicken and salad
Fri - Sloppy Joe Skillet and green beans
Sat - pancakes and sausage served with some pineapple

Feb 10 - Feb 16

Sun -  Pot Roast - with roasted potatoes, carrots and green beans
Mon -  Breakfast for dinner - egg in a hole with sausage
Tues -  Shepherd's Pie and salad (only thing I do different from that recipe is only use 1 1/2 to 2 cups veggies)
Wed - Cashew Chicken
Thurs - Went out to eat for Valentine's Day
Fri - Baked Southwest Egg Rolls - meant to serve with a salad but when the egg rolls came out they looked so good we just started with those and forgot about the salad in the fridge (so had those for lunch the next day)
Sat -  Pitas stuffed with sliced turkey, spinach, tomatoes, cheese served with pickles and potato chips.

Feb 17 - Feb 23

Sun - Philly stuffed peppers* with steamed veggies and salad
Mon - stomboli and salad
Tues - Frittata and salad - have left overs from the philly stuffed peppers and steamed veggies so using it in a frittata
Wed - Grilled chicken breasts and either cauliflower pancakes or a cauliflower potato bake served with a side salad
Thurs - out of town
Fri - out of town
Sat - Cashew Chicken (yes again - just have everything and it is quick after we have been out of town)


* Recipes coming soon!

Friday Favorites

Laundry Stain Stick  - if you make homemade soap this might be a good recipe to help out in the laundry room

Cleaning Reusable Totes/Shopping Bags - yes they do need to be cleaned and it is something that often isn't thought about

SproutRobot - put your zip code in and it tells you what you should be planting right now

Tutorials for Recycling T-shirts - several ways to repurpose something that I ended up often just cutting and using as rags or throwing out.

Broccoli Cheese Bits - little patties made of broccoli, cheese and a few more ingredients that would make a good side

Egg in the Hole

This is an easy, versatile breakfast that has many names. I grew up with my Grandma and Mom calling them Toad in the Hole, but my best friend in grade school had a different name for them - Eggs in a Nest. They are simply an egg in a hole. 

The normal way is to do this in a frying pan, but then that means cooking them almost one at a time. If you are doing several, I find baking them much easier. Plus it allows me to walk away and do other things while they are cooking.

We like even having these for a quick dinner when things have been so busy during the day.  

sprinkled with cheese and ham

Ingredients
serves 6 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for sheet
6 slices sandwich bread
6 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: grated cheese, finely chopped green onion, crumbled bacon, ham, chopped parsley, sliced avocado, hot sauce, and chopped tomatoes 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter (or use coat with cooking spray) a rimmed baking sheet. 

Butter bread on both sides. With a cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut a 2 1/2-inch round from center of each bread slice. Place slices and rounds on sheet and bake until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and flip bread.

Carefully crack 1 egg into center of each slice. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until egg whites are set, but yolks are still slightly runny or cooked hard, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through (sprinkle with cheese, bacon, ham, onion, if using, during last minute of baking). Serve with desired toppings.

NOTES:
During the holidays - I used heart, star, snowflake shaped cookie cutters.  With Valentine's approaching, I will be doing these for breakfast with crumbled bacon and cheese on top and using a heart cookie cutter on the bread. 

Baked Eggrolls and Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

I have been craving eggrolls, but Master doesn't like eggrolls because he doesn't like cabbage. So I came across a recipe that still had cabbage, but had quite a few other veggies in them so that inspired me to figure out a way that Master might eat an eggroll or two.

Last winter I made some chicken thighs in the crock pot with teriyaki on them and decided to make wraps. Instead of lettuce or tomatoes as a topping in the wraps, I used a bag of shredded broccoli slaw. I didn't mix it into slaw, just used the raw ingredients to top our wraps and it was really good.  Broccoli slaw has some cabbage in it, but very little so Master can usually put up with it as the other flavors are so much more pronounced.  He really enjoyed the broccoli slaw on the wraps so thus came the idea of using broccoli slaw for eggrolls instead of nappa cabbage. They turned out pretty good. He enjoyed them and said he would have them again.

Baked Chicken Eggrolls
2 large Chicken breasts cubed and sauteed in 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. After chicken is cooked through, add 1 bag broccoli slaw  &  1/2 cup sliced green onions.  Add 2 tablespoons teriyaki and 1 tablespoon soy sauce if the liquid has been absorbed into the chicken.  Cook until veggies are just underdone as they will cook some more when you bake the eggrolls.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place 1/4 cup of the mixture on the middle of an eggroll wrapper, turned like a diamond. Fold the bottom corner up, over the filling. Fold in the two sides, then roll upwards. I didn't have a problem with them sticking or staying closed, but if you do put a dab of water on the corner to help it stick. Place on the pan seam down.  Repeat until you run out of the mixture, about 15 to 20 rolls.

Place eggrolls on cookie sheet, they can be close, but not touching. Brush the egg rolls on all sides with the vegetable oil. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes or until lightly brown and crispy. Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

Homemade Sweet and Sour
adapted from Serious Eat's recipe

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
2/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Set aside.  In a medium saucepan, combine orange juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce and bring to a boil over medium heat. Take a tablespoon of the hot mixture and stir into the cornstarch slurry. After well mixed pour it into the saucepan. Cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Organizational Links

I find that often my lists have lists.  Now recently I find myself checking out a variety of "lists" apps for my iphone. So now my apps have apps.  I have, however, found a few worth sharing that others may enjoy learning about as well.  Some I have kept, others have gone by the way side over the past year.  In no particular order of importance....

List Wrangler:  I find that this one has great templates for setting up the re-occuring lists that you use daily, weekly, monthly, yearly.  The ability to customize, set dates, reminders and all that sort is very helpful.  I only wish that this app integrated with my icloud calendar.  It does not.

Todoodles:  This app was okay.However, I found it lacking in some ways that the already free "reminders" app on my phone does not already accomplish the same thing.  I was not overly impressed with many of this apps features, and kept wishing it would do more.

Remember the Milk:  I like that this has a website as well where you can update and integrate items.  I also liked that these lists could be customized somewhat.  Yet I wasn't in love with this app either.

Checklist:  This was a complete waste of 99 cents in my opinion and did absolutely nothing but allow you to create a singular list, which plenty of other free apps already do and do better.

A Personal Assistant:  This app is interesting in that it allows you to manage a variety of online accounts all from one place.  It is convenient and quick.

Ewallet:  I have heard great things about Ewallet but haven't actually used it.  I haven't heard anything bad about it however and those that I know who have tried it or continue to use it really enjoy it.

Grocery IQ:  This app is fun and useful.  It has barcode scan ability.  List sharing ability. (a huge perk!!) and I can integrate my coupons.  This is a winning app for my family.  Oh and it's free!


There are so many more great apps out there that I know people use, please list any that you love in the comments section so that those of us with Type A personalities and a need for even further list making, organizing, etc.  can check it out.

Friday Favorites

6 Air Purifying House Plants - list of 6 house plants to help your air in your home. He gives reasons why they are good.
Free Herbal Medicine Library - free ebooks - I haven't had time to really explore yet but looks like it could be a good resource.
Guide to the Knives You Actually Need - not only does it tell you what knives it thinks you need, it has a glossary of terms, how to sharpen and just basics of a knife.
Decluttering Tips and Tools - by Design Sponge
Cheesy Cauliflower Pancakes - looks like would be a different way to serve Cauliflower as a side dish

New Year, new changes....

I know if you are anything at all like me, then the new year always brings about new things, and changes.  While I try and adhere to those changes all year long, I don't always succeed.  However, I have been working hard for  year now to eat better and in a more healthy way.  I've read countless articles on foods that are better to eat for a healthier you and they all seem to list the same ones.  So I would like to share what those are with all of you.  I have found that I have been able to incorporate them more and more into my family's daily eating.  I plan to continue to do that in this new year.

1.  Mushrooms:  Mushrooms are found to be very high in vitamins as well as satisfying when substituted for meat in many dishes.  Portobello mushrooms are especially meaty and make a great substitute.  By doing this you still get a satisfying feeling of being full, but you are cutting your calories and fat in take significantly.  One of my favorite ways to do this is to make a "veggie burger".  I grill or sauté a portobello mushroom cap.  Then I drizzle a bit of basalmic vinegar on it.  I like to top it with a grilled or roasted red pepper and perhaps a slice of sharp provolone cheese.  When I want a bit more zing, I like to add some grilled onions to the mix.

2.  Eggs:  I realize that for some with cholesterol issues, eating eggs may not be a viable option.  However, if this isn't your medical issue, then studies have shown that people who eat eggs for breakfast are fuller longer and lost twice as much weight as those who ate bagels or other bread products for breakfast.

3. Apples:  There is truth to an apple a day keeps the doctor away.  Apples are low in calorie and very high in dietary fiber.  Boosting your fiber is good for weight loss and digestion.  It is also a great way to stay full and satisfied longer.  If you are looking for a protein option to pair with your apple, try a bit of natural peanut butter or a slice of cheese.

4. Low calorie desserts:  Okay while not "healthy" per say, studies have shown that by not completely denying yourself sweet treats, helps you to stick to your eating plan longer and achieve your goals more readily.  By planning in some calories each day for a treat you don't feel deprived and since you know you have a treat coming you will be more likely to not binge.

5. Soup:   Several studies have shown that those who start their meal off with a vegetable based broth soup are more likely to eat 20 percent fewer calories over all at each meal.  So make a big batch of vegetable soup and start your dinners off with a nice warm bowl.

6. Oatmeal:  Steel cut unprocessed oats are a great breakfast option for those looking to eat carbohydrates at breakfast.  They take longer to digest, they do not cause a spike in insulin production since they digest slower than refined carbohydrates, they are fiber filled so they keep you full longer.  You can also make them ahead of time so that they are ready for the eating.  you can also add in fresh fruit or nuts.  Or even some dried fruits.  Lots of different options for your oatmeal.

7. Hot Chili Peppers:  Studies have shown that those who eat spicier foods eat about 10 percent less in calories than those who don't.  It also showed that if you consume a hot pepper 30 minutes before eating your meal your metabolic rate increases slightly helping you to burn calories faster.  So indulge in some really yummy spices.

8. Almonds:  Almonds are a great mid day snack when eaten whole and raw.  They take longer to chew and thus you feel more satisfied.  They are also high in protein and healthy fat so that you insulin stays balanced.  They are one of the brains super foods and are just an over all great addition to your daily diet.

9.  Greek Yogurt:  I can't say enough great things about greek yogurt.  While it took me awhile to get used to its thicker consistency, it is a great source of both protein and dairy all in one.  It's also versatile. You can use it as a savory addition in many recipes.  You can also sweeten it with a bit of honey and some fruit and you have a great breakfast or snack.  Its higher in protein than other yogurts, lower in sugar, and filled with good fats.  It's really a great food to incorporate daily.

10.  Olives:  Lastly Olives are one of those great foods that you should try and have a few every day.  They are filled with healthy fats, they will help fill you up while cutting down on calories.  They add lots of flavors when you use them in a recipe, or you can enjoy a few along with a slice of cheese, or a handful of nuts as a quick snack.  They are easy to take with you on the go, and they also satisfy any salt cravings you may have.  It's a winning food!

So in 2013, live well, be well, and eat well.