Tuesday, December 22, 2009

No Menu Plan Needed

Last week I didn't post my menu plan.  Honestly, I still made out my plan, but just didn't want to spend the time to post my plan and to blog about recipes.  I really enjoy doing that, but we have so much going on right now, that I just do not have to luxury of time to spend here.  I do miss it and all the new recipes and healthy ideas I've gotten from all of you though.  But as of right now, I'm on a leave of absence from blogging.  I know that I'll return when things calm down a bit, but for the sake of my family I just cannot put my full effort into Mom Living Healthy right now. 

Until I return, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and the best in the New Year!

Monday, November 30, 2009

Menu Plan Monday: November 30th


Last week I didn't do nearly as much for our meals at home, but I did do a lot of baking!  We went home to my husband's parents house for Thanksgiving and baked tons of Christmas goodies.  These will last us all through the Christmas season.  I love baking weekend because it is such wonderful chance to get to spend time with my husband's family.  We had a great Thanksgiving meal and went to pick out our Christmas tree as well.  Although we were busy the whole weekend with cooking and taking care of kids, I still feel refreshed after such a fun time. 

This week, my sister is coming to visit us from Florida.  She recently moved there to open a Plato's Closet store and has been working EXTREMELY hard to get it up and running.  She and her friend will be staying with us here while they attend training for almost two weeks.  So, I'm VERY excited for that!  Also, on Saturday we have another family Christmas party AND on Sunday the three of us (me, husband and son) are leaving for a week on vacation to Mexico.  So, yet again our week is looking busy and I won't be stressing myself out by trying to cook a whole mess of meals.  I'm keeping it simple! 

What is your week looking like?  Are you having any visitors or going to any parties? 

Here's our menu plan:
Monday: Yoyo (You're on your own)
Tuesday: Restaurant Night
Wednesday: Zuppa Toscana
Thursday: Yoyo
Friday: Restaurant
Saturday: Crab Dip
Sunday: off to Mexico in the AM

I know, two nights out, but my sister is only here for a short time before we leave, so I want to spend more time with her and less time doing the dishes! 

Have a great week :)  As always, check out Org Junkie for more menu planning ideas! 

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Menu Plan Monday: Thanksgiving Week


I have yet to post about it, but my Cowboy Caviar was the highlight of our menu last week.  It didn't last two hours at our family's get together on Saturday.  Zuppa Toscana came in a close second, and I will provide recipes for both of those dishes this week. 

This week's menu will be short and sweet.  We'll be leaving for the in-laws on Wednesday, so I'll only be cooking Monday and Tuesday for dinner.  Our Thanksgiving weekend at home will be so much fun!  We're baking cookies and having a great Thanksgiving meal together.  I always enjoy being with my husband's parents and siblings.  Having an amazing family is one thing for which I am definitely thankful.  Can't wait! 

Here is my menu plan for the week:
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday-Sunday: Meals at my in-laws

I just recently made the split pea soup and we loved it. Since my husband's mom loves it too, I'm going to make it again and bring her a batch as well.  Shhh, don't ruin the surprise :)

FYI- I will be taking a blogging vacation Wednesday through Sunday this week, as I'll be away from home.  I look forward to sharing with you our family's baking experiences...we always come home with plenty of treats for the holidays. 

What was your favorite dish from last week?  I'm always looking for new, healthy recipes! 


Friday, November 20, 2009

Fitness Plan Friday: November 20th

If you haven't been here to Mom Living Healthy before, Fitness Plan Friday is something I've been doing for about a month now.  It's simple, each week I post my fitness plan for myself and my family's activities.  So far it has been a great accoutability tool in helping me achieve my fitness goals.  Last week's plan went really well.  I did all my workouts and for most of them I felt energized and motivated. 
Here's my plan for this week:

Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Family trip to the dog park, 1 hour of walking
Monday: Walk to Local Park, 45 minutes of walking
Tuesday: Jillian Michaels Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Wednesday: MTV Pilates Mix with Kristin McGee (review to follow) plus Family Walk
Thursday: Kari Anderson's Go Step: Step Workout for Beginners (review to follow)
Friday: Rest or easy walk

Your turn! Do you want to start making your health and fitness a priority? This week I encourage you to link up your own fitness plans with Fitness Plan Friday here at Mom Living Healthy. Don't worry, I'm not asking you to sign up for a marathon in three weeks! I'm simply asking that you give some thought to at least a few times each week during which you and/or your family will participate in physical activity of some sort. Making your fitness plan should be easy and take less than 5 minutes to do!Here are some guidelines:
  1. Walking counts (as long as it is at a moderate pace or faster for you runners)
  2. Shoot for 30 minutes of continuous activity per session
  3. Plan for rest days as well!
  4. Have fun- mix up your workouts and try something new!
If you need some workout ideas, check out these posts:
Go ahead! If you want to use workout planning to help your family stay fit, link up your workout plan here. Just make sure to create a link on your post back to this post on Mom Living Healthy. Also, make sure you link up to your Fitness Plan Friday post, not your homepage. Plus, if you want, feel free to use my Fitness Plan Friday image above on your blog (just click and save, then upload it like you do a normal picture). I can't wait to see what you all have planned!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Workout Wednesday: Community Education Classes

Do you want the social interaction and variety that a group fitness class offers without the monthly membership fee?  If so, community education classes might be the perfect fit for you!  As I discussed last week, I just finished a 6 week water aerobics class that our city offered. 

Here are some things that I like about taking community education classes:
  • I have one night out per week: The class met every Tuesday for an hour and for me that was a great chance to have one night per week where I got to do something for myself. 
  • The class sessions are short: I like that the class only lasted six weeks because I'm likely to get bored with something that goes on for longer periods.  This way I can try new classes.  If I don't like them, no problem!  It will be over in a few weeks and I don't have to repeat the class. 
  • Classes are inexpensive: I paid $35 for these six sessions.  This is WAY cheaper than a month's membership at my local gym!
  • There are so many classes to choose from: So far I've only tried the water aerobics class, but there are other swimming classes, yoga, pilates, aerobics, not to mention all of the other educational non-fitness classes. 
  • Going to class gives me something to look forward to: I enjoy my home workouts, but it can sometimes feel like I'm getting stuck in a rut with my fitness routine.  By signing up for the occasional community education class, I add variety to my workouts.  This challenges me both mentally and physically, which makes being fit much more enjoyable. 
So, if you're looking for a new workout, why don't you give community education classes a try!  If you're new, you can read more about Mom Living Healthy and my focus on being a fit family by checking out my posts on Fitness Plan Fridays.  I'd love for you to come back on Friday and post your fitness plan here too!

Also, these are some recent Workout Wednesdays: Why I'm Loving My Jillian DVD and No Gym, No Problem!

This post is linked with Works for me Wednesday

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Homemade Pizza Night



I admit, in the past, I NEVER made my own pizza.  We actually love Dominos...I know, bad!  Although we probably won't cut out delivery pizza completely, I do hope to keep them to a minimum.  If we could have it once a month at the very most, I'd be happy.  If we had it once every other month, I'd be EXTREMELY happy!  The thing is, we love pizza.  So, I'm gradually introducing homemade pizza into our routine.  First, we started with storebought crust and jars of sauce.  Last week, I finally got around to making my own pizza crust using this recipe from Laundry on the Line.  In the next weeks I will try out a homemade sauce recipe as well. 

I really like this pizza's crust.  It does taste healthier because half of the flour is whole wheat.  I also notice that I felt full after two pieces.  Maybe that's because I savor this pizza more since I put all the effort into making it?  Or, the whole grains have something to do with it?  Either way, this pizza is a winner! 

This post is linked with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday

Monday, November 16, 2009

Split Pea and Ham Soup


Since we made a 5 pound ham last week, I have some leftover.  So, I thought this week would be perfect for making split pea and ham soup.  I found this recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook and have varied it slightly.  They call for a meaty smoked pork hock, which I substituted for the ham cubes.  Also, I am using homemade chicken broth instead of the storebought version.  I love this recipe.  It's easy and tastes great!  My mother-in-law heard that I made a batch for my sister-in-law who just had her baby today and has now requested some for herself.  SO, I will be making this again soon!   

Split Pea and Ham Soup
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups dry split peas, rinsed and drained
14 ounces chicken broth
2 cups cubed cooked ham
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
dash black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped carrot (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan combine water, split peas, broth, ham, marjoram, pepper and bay leaf.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 
2. Stir in carrot, celery and onion.  Return to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes more or until vegetables are tender.  Discard bay leaf.

Crock pot instructions:
1. Combine split pas, ham, marjoram, pepper, bay leaf, carrot, celery and onion.  Pour water and chicken broth over all.  Cover and cook on low-heat for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat for 4 to 5 hours.  Discard bay leaf.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Menu Plan Monday: November 16th


Ah, what a week!  We were busy looking at homes, putting in an offer on one AND our newest little nephew was born early this morning.  Welcome to the world little Dane!  He's a healthy boy and mom is doing great :)  We ended up switching the order around on our meals this week, but we did eat just about everything on the plan, with the exception of the vanilla wafers.  This week I'm trying my hand at 4 new recipes AND I expect our grocery bill to be minimal.  I love this menu planning stuff! 

Here's what cooking in our little home this week:
Monday: Zuppa Tuscana (like the Olive Garden soup, review to follow)
Tuesday: Chicken Lasagna, carrots
Wednesday: Split Pea and Ham Soup
Thursday: Yoyo (you're on your own)
Friday: Pizza Night using crust recipe courtesy of Andi from Laundry on the Line
Saturday: Carrot Casserole and Cowboy Caviar (recipe to follow) for family gathering
Sunday: Yoyo

Snacks: Homemade Vanilla Wafers

All right, I have to fess up about that chicken lasagna.  It's a pre-packaged version I bought a long time ago and haven't used yet.  I know, probably NOT healthy, but I'm purging it from our freezer and will NOT be buying those types of meals again.  I'm finding it's way too easy to make double-batches of meals and freezing those for later.  There, I spilled the beans :)

What meals are you cooking this week?  If you need ideas, head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for hundreds of ideas! 

I know nutrition is important, but do you also focus on fitness?  Is your family active?  A major part of Mom Living Healthy is fitness.  I like to make a fitness plan to keep on track and I write about the different workouts that work for me.  Check them out!  If you want to make a fitness plan, I post mine every Friday and you're invited to do so as well. 

Friday, November 13, 2009

Fitness Plan Friday: Raking Leaves and Burning Calories


My Fitness Plan had a couple of detours last week.  One of them I blame on the yard full of leaves that we had to rake.  My husband and I each took turns raking the yard while the other one watched after our busy little guy.  I don't know what's a better workout, raking or running after a curious baby!  We had a fun time though and our little guy sure did like playing in the leaves and crawling down the hill toward the sidewalk.  He kept heading right for that hill, and then when he got to the bottom, he'd turn right around and try to climb up it.  It was a little too much of an incline for him though, so he usually only got about halfway up before he looked up at one of us to rescue him.  What a great chance to have family time and to be active.  Needless to say, after all that raking, we were beat and didn't do family Wii night.  I'd take a great afternoon outside with some manual labor over Wii though any day!

Here's my plan for this week:

Saturday: Family Trip to Dog Park, 1 hour of walking
Sunday: Rest
Monday: Walk to Local Park, 45 minutes of walking
Tuesday: Jillian Michaels Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Wednesday: MTV Pilates Mix with Kristin McGee (review to follow) plus Family Walk
Thursday: Kari Anderson's Go Step: Step Workout for Beginners (review to follow)
Friday: Rest

Your turn!
Do you want to start making your health and fitness a priority? This week I encourage you to link up your own fitness plans with Fitness Plan Friday here at Mom Living Healthy. Don't worry, I'm not asking you to sign up for a marathon in three weeks! I'm simply asking that you give some thought to at least a few times each week during which you and/or your family will participate in physical activity of some sort. Making your fitness plan should be easy and take less than 5 minutes to do!

Here are some guidelines:
  1. Walking counts (as long as it is at a moderate pace or faster for you runners)
  2. Shoot for 30 minutes of continuous activity per session
  3. Plan for rest days as well!
  4. Have fun- mix up your workouts and try something new!
If you need some workout ideas, check out these posts:
Go ahead! If you want to use workout planning to help your family stay fit, link up your workout plan here. Just make sure to create a link on your post back to this post on Mom Living Healthy. Also, make sure you link up to your Fitness Plan Friday post, not your homepage. Plus, if you want, feel free to use my Fitness Plan Friday image above on your blog (just click and save, then upload it like you do a normal picture). I can't wait to see what you all have planned!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Workout Wednesday: Water Aerobics


Hello there!  Every Wednesday I am writing about a workout that I've tried and enjoy.  Part of being healthy is maitaining an active lifestyle and I feel that this is an area that can easily be overlooked.  Yes, we are all busy working to provide healthy meals for our families, but are we making sure that we're getting out there and moving our bodies as well?  If you missed them, read more about being a Healthy Family and about Fitness Plan Friday

My criteria in choosing these workouts is that they are inexpensive, challenging and fun.  Today I'm very excited to share with you my most recent workout: water aerobics!  Last night was the final session of my 6 week water aerobics class.  This was a new experience for me in two ways.  I had never taken a community education class before nor had I ever done water aerobics. 

What do you think of when you hear "water aerobics?"  Do you picture old ladies splashing around in a pool?  Well, you are at least partially right.  Most of the people in the class were women and they were older than me.  That doesn't mean we didn't get a good workout though!  Here's a recap:

What is water aerobics?
Water aerobics is like a typical aerobics class, but it takes place in the water (simple enough!).   We did may of the calisthenic exercises that I've done in other classes such as high-knees, lunges and jumping jacks.  Doing these exercises in the water sure does add a twist!  You get added resistance, so each movement is just a little more difficult.  It might be harder to do each movement, but you strain your joints less because there isn't as much impact as with a typical floor aerobics class. 

Water aerobics can include cardio and toning segments.  For cardio, our class consisted mainly of intervals of fast exercises and slower jogging.  For toning, we used the side of the pool to do pushups and dips.  We also used noodles (yes, those long flotation devices that kids play with) to do leg raises.

Water aerobics might be for you if you:
  • want to try a new workout 
  • like the social aspect of group fitness classes
  • love the smell of chlorine and jumping into cold swimming pools :)
  • enjoy regular aerobics but want something low impact
  • want a fun, yet calming workout
So, what new workout do you have planned this week?  Have you started thinking about your fitness plan yet?  We'll link them up again this Friday for Fitness Plan Friday!

If you like learning about new workouts and ways to keep your family and yourself healthy, consider subscribing to Mom Living Healthy either by email or by reader.  Thanks!

If you want other workout ideas, check out these Workout Wednesday posts:

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

My Very First Chicken Broth and Soup!


Yes, this was a fun experience!  I decided to go with Kitchen Stewardship's recipe for chicken broth, since using a whole chicken just seemed really cool to me.  Ha, I know, I have a strange sense of what is cool.  For the chicken noodle soup, I used SnoWhite's recipe from Finding Joy in My Kitchen.  If you haven't been to her site, you must check it out...she has some great recipes!

I started making the chicken broth on Saturday afternoon.  Making your own broth isn't really difficult, but it is a fairly long process.  It suggests allowing the chicken to simmer for 4-24 hours and went somewhere in the middle at about 14 hours.  The end result was that I had a huge bowl of chicken broth that will last me for at least 5 soup recipes.  I just love that I knew exactly what went into my broth- no MSG, no natural flavorings...just chicken and veggies.  Yum!  I froze two ice cube trays full of broth to use later and had some more leftover for a soup I'm making this week. 

I made two batches of the chicken noodle soup and plan on giving one batch as a gift.  I've never made homemade noodles either, so the process of making the egg noodles was new too.  They seemed more like small dumplings to me, but I don't care because I still think they are tasty!

Well, those are my notes from this weekend's cooking.  Did you try something completely new?

This post is linked with the Moms' 30 Minute Blog Challenge, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Menu Plan Monday- November 9th


Yes, it's Monday again and time for another great menu.  Last week we did a lot of cooking and have lots of GREAT leftovers to show for it!  This week we're trying out a few more new recipes and will eat the leftovers from last week as well.  Here's what's cooking in my kitchen this week:

Monday: Split Pea and Ham Soup, Wheat Oatmeal Quick Bread
Tuesday: Yoyo (You're on Your Own) with leftover Chicken Noodle Soup
Wednesday: Yoyo with leftover ham and Fresh Herb Spaetzle
Thursday: Meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes with steamed Carrots (recipe to follow)
Friday: Pizza with Andi's homemade pizza crust recipe
Saturday: Tuna sandwiches
Sunday: Sunny Broccoli salad, going to my grandma's for birthday celebration for my son. 

I'm also going to be trying this recipe for Homemade Vanilla Wafers.

What recipe has you really excited this week?  I'm making bread for the first time AND can't wait to see how those vanilla wafters turn out. 

Love meal planning? Check out Org Junkie for lots of menu planning ideas!  Now that you have meal planning down, why don't you try fitness planning?!  Get your fitness plan ready and post it up on Friday as a way to keep your exercise goals on track.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Fitness Plan Friday: Running with my Crazy Dog!


Last week's plan went really well!  I was a little worried that we wouldn't fit in our walk on Sunday, but my hubby, son and mother-in-law went for a stroll that afternoon.  It felt so great to get outside.  My son loved the fresh air, the sights outside and watching our dog running ahead of us.  My DVDs were fun and Thursday's run felt just amazing.  I decided to risk being pulled the whole way and took our dog with me on the run.  Yes, he did pull for most of the run, but somehow I managed to keep him under control by yanking on the leash about 1,000 times.  He really is the sweetest dog except for a couple of things, and leash pulling is one of them.  We just never got him to stop that, even with the dog training classes we took.  Oh well, having him along made it more of an adventure.  Since I haven't been running recently, I did run/walk intervals for 30 minutes.  I will gradually start to build up to distances with running only...that will tire out my crazy running dog for sure! 

Your turn!  Do you want to start making your health and fitness a priority?  This week I encourage you to link up your own fitness plans with Fitness Plan Friday here at Mom Living Healthy.  Don't worry, I'm not asking you to sign up for a marathon in three weeks! I'm simply asking that you give some thought to at least a few times each week during which you and/or your family will participate in physical activity of some sort.  Making your fitness plan should be easy and take less than 5 minutes to do!

 
Here are some guidelines:
1. Walking counts (as long as it is at a moderate pace or faster for you runners)
2. Shoot for 30 minutes of continuous activity per session
3. Plan for rest days as well!
4. Have fun- mix up your workouts and try something new!
If you need some workout ideas, check out these two posts:
Here's my plan for this week:
Saturday: Family Trip to Dog Park, 1 hour of walking
Sunday: Family Wii Night, 30 minutes each of Wii Fit 
Monday: Walk to Local Park, 45 minutes of walking
Tuesday: Water Aerobics (review to follow)
Wednesday: Jillian Michaels Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism
Thursday: MTV Pilates Mix with Kristin McGee (review to follow)
Friday: Rest

Go ahead!  If you want to use workout planning to help your family stay fit, link up your workout plan here.  Just make sure to create a link on your post back to this post on Mom Living Healthy.  Also, make sure you link up to your Fitness Plan Friday post, not your homepage.  Plus, if you want, feel free to use my Fitness Plan Friday image above on your blog (just click and save, then upload it like you do a normal picture).  I can't wait to see what you all have planned! 

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Homemade Whole Wheat Graham Crackers


My son LOVES graham crackers and I wanted to make a homemade version, so I tried this recipe for homemade whole wheat graham crackers from Heavenly Homemakers.  He's only 11 months old, and I have read in several places that honey, even in baked goods, is not good for babies at the age.  So, I made two versions of this recipe...one with honey and one without.  They both tasted great, although I prefer the ones with honey a bit more.  My baby likes them too, but I still think he prefers the packaged version best because they are thinner and easier for him to eat.  So, note to self: roll them out thinner!!  Otherwise this recipe was quick, easy and I would make it again in a heartbeat.   

NOTE: If you've been reading my Fitness Plan Friday posts and want to get your family into an active routine, post up your fitness plan here on Friday! 
 

Workout Wednesday: Why I'm Loving My Jillian DVD


Although we don't currently have room in our budget for a gym membership, our family has found ways to stay fit and active for less money.   One of the things I loved about belonging to a gym was the group fitness classes.  They were fun and difficult at the same time.  I never got bored because my workouts changed from session to session, unlike workouts on the treadmill or elliptical.  So, now that I'm working out mostly from home, exercise DVDs have been my very own group fitness classes, minus the actual class!  Granted, I don't have the social interaction that my gym group fitness classes offered, but I hardly miss that.  Plus, walks with my husband and son and the occasional community ed class (more about that in another post) provide plenty of social interaction. 

Like I said, I'm loving my collection of workout DVDs.  They are inexpensive and I get so much use out of them!  One of my current favorites is Jillian Michaels Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism.  If you haven't heard of Jillian Michaels before, she is the trainer that consistantly produces winning contestants in the TV show The Biggest Loser.  This DVD is done in circuit style using simple, yet challenging exercises.  Each circuit is done twice, so you really get to work each area of your body.  The workout is 55 minutes long, including the warmup and cooldown. 

I love Jillian's teaching style.  She really challenges you to push yourself and get the most out of your workout.  On days when I want to really sweat, I choose this DVD. 

Do you use workout DVDs?  If so, which one is your favorite and why? 

Stay tuned for more Workout Wednesday posts. I will talk about some of the other ways that my family and I stay healthy. If you missed them, check out my posts on Fitness Plan Friday and on being a Fit Family.  Remember, start thinking about your Fitness Plan, because on Friday we'll post them.  This will help us stay motivated and keep us accountable to our active family goals.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Update: Fresh Herb Spaetzle


Last week I found this recipe for Fresh Herb Spaetzle as an entry in Kitchen Stewardship's Healthy Fats carnival.  Tonight we tried this recipe and just loved it.  My husband rated this as an 8 out of 10, which is very good coming from him. I felt like I was sitting in one our favorite German restaurants, which was a lot of fun!  I did alter the recipe a bit, so I'm going to repost this with the changes I made.  If you're wondering what this funny-named dish even is, here is a discussion of it from wikipedia

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour (I used half all purpose and half whole wheat)
2 tablespoons Olive oil
3 Eggs
4 tablespoons Butter
1/8 teaspoons Nutmeg
3/4 cups Whole milk
8 oz (1 package) Mushrooms
8 teaspoons Assorted herbs (I used parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme...just like the song!)
1/4 teaspoons White pepper
3/4 cups Broth
1/2 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper

Instructions:
1.Blend flour, pepper, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. Whisk in milk and eggs, forming soft batter. Mix in half of herbs.
2.Bring large pot of slightly salted water to boil. Butter large bowl. Working with 1/3 cup batter at a time and using a rubber spatula, press batter directly into boiling water through 1/4-inch holes of a strainer, coarse grater, or wide ladle. Stir spaetzle to separate and boil for 2 minutes. Using fine sieve, scoop spaetzle from pot, drain well, and transfer to buttered bowl. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
3.Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms; saut until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add onion; saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon oil, and spaetzle. Saut until spaetzle begins to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of broth. Simmer until broth is absorbed, adding more broth if dry. Mix in remaining herbs; season with salt and pepper.

If you want to make this without using a special spaetzle maker, I would recomment using a large ladle or spoon that has holes for draining out water.  These aren't supposed to look perfect, so don't worry if they have irregular shapes!

This post is linked with The Grocery Cart Challenge and Fight Back Friday

NOTE: In unrelated news, if you haven't started planning your fitness routine for the week, I suggest you check out my Fitness Plan Friday post!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Menu Plan Monday: November 2nd


Another week, another menu plan!  Last week's menu was great and I have yet to share some of those recipes with you.  This week I'm trying a four new dishes and I'm very excited for them.  What meal are you most excited for this week? 

Monday: Ham and Fresh Herb Spaetzle
Tuesday: my mother-in-law's tuna hotdish, as requested by DH
Wednesday: Yoyo (You're on your own...eat those leftovers!)
Thursday: Salad and Sandwiches
Friday: Pizza Night
Saturday: Yoyo
Sunday: Chicken Noodle Soup with homemade chicken stock.  (Recipes from SnoWhite at Finding Joy in my Kitchen)

I'm also going to try this homemade granola recipe from Home...With a Purpose.

Yum, it's going to be a tasty week!  For more menu planning ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Fitness Plan Friday: October 30th


This is now the second week of Fitness Plan Friday here at Mom Living Healthy.  Did my plan and posts about fitness get you thinking?  Maybe you were thinking that my workouts sound too easy?!  Or if you don't have a fitness plan in place, maybe you started contemplating one.  If so, I challenge you to actually take 5 minutes and make out a plan!  Making an active lifestyle a part of your life doesn't have to be hard.  If you have a plan in place for your workouts and active family time, you are more likely to actually be a healthy and fit family! 

If you missed them, check out my introduction to Fitness Plan Friday and my Workout Wednesday: No Gym, No Problem posts. 

If you are like me and want to create an active family lifestyle, go ahead, plan your workouts this week.  If you post this on your blog, feel free to leave me a comment with the link and use my Fitness Plan Friday picture.  Or, if you prefer, write your seven day plan starting with Saturday in the comments section. 

Week in Review:
Last week went well for me and I really appreciate having this plan because it holds me accountable for my workouts and for our active time as a family.  We could have easily skipped our walk on Sunday, but I knew it was part of the plan.  As always, life does happen, so even the best plan may not always work out.  The woman who watches my son when I work was sick today, so I wasn't able to sneak in my Pilates.  Oh well, that's what next week's for, right?!

This week's plan:
Saturday: Halloween!  Rest Day
Sunday: Family Walk, 30 minutes
Monday: Family Trip to Dog Park, 1 hour of walking
Tuesday: Kari Anderson's Go Step: Step Workout for Beginners (review to follow)
Wednesday: Pilates for Beginners DVD with Kristin McGee (review to follow)
Thursday: walk/run outside with son, 30 minutes (if it's rainy, then Jillian Michaels DVD)
Friday: Rest

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Healthy Fat Recipe: Fresh Herb Spaetzle



For the last month, our family has been drinking nothing but whole milk.  If you think that's crazy, check out what the folks at Experience Life magazine are saying about it.  Anyway, as part of a challenge put on by Kitchen Stewardship, I've been looking for a recipe that includes full fat dairy and other healthy fats.  Nothing was really standing out to me, until I saw this recipe for Fresh Herb Spaetzle which I found through the Revolution Health website.  I have loved spaetzle since I was about five years old, when I lived in southern Germany.  Spaetzle with cheese is like the German version of macaroni and cheese, and it is SO tasty!  This is what I ate in restaurants when we would eat out EVERY CHANCE I GOT.  In fact, every time we go to a German restaurant these days, and I see spaetzle on the menu, I definitely order it. 

I have been wanting to make spaetzle for the longest time, and now that I have the chance, I won't let this opportunity pass me by.  If you haven't tried it, I do recommend it with cheese and onions.  There are many variations, but that is my definite favorite. 

I have not made this recipe yet, but plan on incorporating it into our menu next week.  Look for my review then :)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups, Flour
2 tablespoons, Olive oil
3 counts, Eggs
4 tablespoons, Butter
1/8 teaspoons, Nutmeg
3/4 cups, Whole milk
8 fluid ounces, Mushrooms
8 teaspoons, Assorted herbs
1/4 teaspoons, White pepper
3/4 cups, Broth

Instructions
1.Blend flour, pepper, salt and nutmeg in large bowl. Whisk in milk and eggs, forming soft batter. Mix in half of herbs.

2.Bring large pot of slightly salted water to boil. Butter large bowl. Working with 1/3 cup batter at a time and using a rubber spatula, press batter directly into boiling water through 1/4-inch holes of a strainer, coarse grater, or wide ladle. Stir spaetzle to separate and boil for 2 minutes. Using fine sieve, scoop spaetzle from pot, drain well, and transfer to buttered bowl. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

3.Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms; saut until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add onion; saut until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon oil, and spaetzle. Saut until spaetzle begins to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of broth. Simmer until broth is absorbed, adding more broth if dry. Mix in remaining herbs; season with salt and pepper.

Have you made or eaten spaetzle before?  What did you think of it?

This is where I found this yummy looking recipe.  Visit Kitchen Stewardship for more Healthy Fat Recipes as part of the October Fest Carnival of Super Foods.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Workout Wednesday: No Gym, No Problem!

Once upon a time I used to rely heavily on a gym membership for my workouts.  I would use the treadmills, ellipticals, weights and participate in the group fitness classes.  While these workout options were great, the cost of having a gym membership were not so great.  My husband and I decided to cancel our gym membership before our son was born.  While I miss it at times, we are finding ways to fit fitness into our lives outside of the gym. 

I do have friends who go to the gym regularly, and this does work for many people.  For us though, finding ways to be active together as a family is critical.  I want my son to see his mom and dad being active.  When I was younger, one of my favorite memories of living with my dad was that we would have family dance nights.  We'd put Bon Jovi or the Go Gos on the record player and dance around our living room.  It was a blast!

Today, we are trying to create the same active lifestyle in our family.  For example, tonight we took a walk with our son and dog to a nearby park.  We stopped for a few minutes to push our son on the swing, and then we headed to an open field to let our dog run.  To make it fun and to push our dog to really run fast, my husband and I would take turns sprinting around the field, having our dog chase us.  My husband held our son who giggled like crazy to be bouncing around with his dad!  We had an amazing time and got a pretty good workout in the meantime. 

For me, the biggest obstacle I have to being fit is TIME.  Working out takes time and going to the gym takes time.  I don't want to waste precious time that my husband and I could be spending together with our child, just to make the trip to the gym.  What I realize is that by finding things to do together that are also active, I can have the best of both worlds.  I can stay in shape AND I can enjoy my family. 

Stay tuned for more Workout Wednesday posts.  I will talk about some of the other ways that my family and I stay healthy.  If you missed them, check out my posts on Fitness Plan Friday and on being a Fit Family

Your turn!  What does your family do to stay fit?  Is it a focus in your life?  Is this an area that gets neglected?

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

How to Make Your Own Taco Seasoning Mix

I've always used the packets of seasoning for taco night until I looked on the labels and didn't like what I saw.  So, this week when my husband requested tacos for dinner, I decided to make our own seasoning mix.  Little did I know that it would be so easy!  My husband thought the mix tasted very similar to the store version, without the unhealthy additives.

This mix is so easy to put together, I don't think I'll ever buy the packets again!  Just put the ingredients into a small container, mix them up and they are ready.  I found this recipe at cooks.com and just love it!  Here's what I put it:

1 T chili powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. each ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, powdered oregano and sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

That's it!  This makes 3 tablespoons, which is the equivalent of the store packets.  I used this for one pound of beef.  Enjoy!

Do you make your own taco seasoning?  Do you have any other spices you add to your taco that I didn't list?

Monday, October 26, 2009

Menu Plan Monday: October 26th









Last week's menu was great and I'm LOVING menu planning!  We have super leftovers, which deter us from wanting to eat out, and I know exactly what to buy at the supermarket.  This week we going out to dinner with friends on Wednesday, so I won't be cooking that night.  We're also going to my in-laws' house to stay this weekend, so things are a little more up in the air because of that. 

If you missed them, here are the recipes for the chili and cornbread that we ate last week.  Yum!

Our menu plan for this week is:
Monday: Pirate Food (modified from a recipe my grandma makes, details to follow!)
Tuesday: Yoyo, (You're On Your Own, or leftovers) due to water aerobics class
Wednesday: dinner with friends
Thursday: Minnesota Heartland Eleven Bean soup from Frontier Soups.  We got this from our local apple orchard last year and loved it, so I thought I'd make it again this year. 
Friday: Yoyo- We have a lot of leftovers from last week!!
Saturday: Halloween Party at the in-laws.  I will be making chili again.  The party is outside and a warm bowl of chili will be so tasty!
Sunday: Tuna Melts
Snack: homemade graham crackers

As always, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for her Menu Plan Monday and lots of other recipes! 


Sunday, October 25, 2009

Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe

We loved this cornbread recipe!!  It was moist and so delicious with butter and honey.  Previously I have been using a mix that I bought at the store.  I wanted to make something from scratch though and found this recipe here.  I think this was just as easy to make as the packaged version.  Basically, just stir the ingredients together, pour them in the pan and bake!  Next time I will try some healthy upgrades by decreasing the sugar and by replacing the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.  We ate these with this most delicious chili.  They both make for excellent leftovers too.  Enjoy!

Grandma's Buttermilk Cornbread

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch square pan.
2. Melt butter in large skillet.  Remove from heat and stir sugar.  Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended.  Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan.  Stir in cornmeal, flour and salt until well blended and few lumps remain.  Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Delicious Chili Recipe

This chili recipe was part of my menu plan last week and we all enjoyed it so much.  We finished off the leftovers today for lunch and it was still tasty!  I did alter the recipe slightly, which I will indicate in green.

Wazzu Tailgate Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped, divided
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 habanero pepper, seeded and minced (I actually forgot to pick this up...next time!)
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped green onion (didn't add this)
3 (15 ounce) cans chili beans (I did one can chili beans, one can black beans and one can navy beans)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 ounce) bottle lager-style beer
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 cup water
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Cook ground beef and pork in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink.  Drain and discard any excess grease.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Stir in the onion and green pepper, habanero pepper, jalapeno pepper and garlic.  Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.  Stir the drained meat into the onion mixture along with the green onion, chili beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, beer and water.  Sprinkle with the cornmeal, then season with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. 
3. Bring to simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Refrigerate overnight.
4. Reheat the chili over medium heath until it begins to simmer again.  Top individual servings of chili with cheese (and sour cream, like I did!)

What variations do you add to your chili?  I'm always looking to improve on my chili recipe.  This one was a keeper though :)

I found this chili recipe at allrecipes.com. 

Friday, October 23, 2009

Fitness Plan Friday: An Introduction


As part of my Fit Family theme here at Mom Living Healthy, I'm introducing a fitness plan to correspond with my meal plans.  You may ask, why is a fitness plan necessary?  Well, being that I was in the Army for 8 years, I did learn at least one slogan in addition to "Be all that you can be."  That is:

A Failure to Plan is a Plan to Fail

While I do feel that planning for good nutrition is crucial for nurturing a healthy family, I think that a family's fitness often gets neglected.  Now, if you have an 11 month old son who is constantly on the move, you can rest assured that your child is fit.  However, what about you and your spouse?  What do you do to stay active and keep your body in healthy shape?  What about your older children?  It would be nice to think that just because children are young that they are also on the move, but childhood obesity in America is a serious problem. 

Don't worry, I'm not asking you to sign up for a marathon in three weeks!  I'm simply asking that you give some thought to at least a few times each week during which you and/or your family will participate in physical activity of some sort.

By no means is my family perfect right now.  We do make it to one walk per week together and I have been working out 2-3 times on my own.  As you can see, we have room for improvement as well. 

This is where Fitness Plan Friday comes in!  I encourage you to add a comment with your fitness plan for the week and I will do so too. 

Here are some guidelines:

1. Walking counts (as long as it is at a moderate pace or faster for you runners)
2. Shoot for 30 minutes of continuous activity per session
3. Plan for rest days as well!
4. Have fun- mix up your workouts and try something new! 

Since Mom Living Healthy is such a new blog, I will not be doing a Mr. Linky for this event yet.  Instead, just post your 7 day fitness plan in a comment.  If you do a post about Fitness Plan Friday on your blog, feel free to include a link in your comment and link back to Mom Living Healthy.  In future posts, I will discuss different workouts that I find to be quick and inexpensive. 

Without further ado, here is my plan for this week:

Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Family Trip to the Dog Park, 1 hour of walking
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Water Aerobics class, 50 minutes (class description to follow)
Wednesday: Jillian Michaels Banish Fat Boost Metabolism DVD (review to follow)
Thursday: Pilates for Beginners DVD with Kristin McGee (review to follow)
Friday: Rest

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Healthy Snacking Links

Now that my son is eating finger foods, I'm even more aware of what we as a family eat.  Currently he LOVES Nilla Wafers and graham crackers.  I know, they are packaged and processed and not great for him!  So, I've been on the lookout this week for snack recipes that I can use to replace our current snacks for healthier versions. 

Here's what I found:
Whew, these recipes should make for amazing snacks!  I can't wait to try them. 

Do you have any other cracker/ snack recipes to share? 

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese



















I am submitting this recipe as a part of Kitchen Stewardship's October Fest Carnival of Super Foods for her Un-processed Foods Edition.  Check it out for lots of tasty recipes! 

If you're new to Mom Living Healthy, you can find out more about me here and here

Previously, I have always just made mac and cheese from the box.  Lately, I've been tempted to try my hand at a homemade version, partly as an effort to cut out processed foods and partly because my sister in law raves about how delicious the homemade version is!  I made this for the guys last night and we all loved it!  You should have seen my son gobbling it up.  Of course, he does gobble up just about anything, but he really did seem to like it.  I felt good that this was a homemade dish and that I knew exactly what went into it. 

Macaroni and Cheese V

Ingredients:
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
8 ounces macaroni
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
1 tablespoon flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Now, I did use whole grain bread crumbs, and I had inteded to use whole grain flour and macaroni, but my son was fussy in the grocery store, so I got a little flustered while shopping and didn't remember to grab the whole grain version!  I did use whole milk though (for more info on full fat dairy, check out this article). 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.  Place the bread crumbs into a small bowl and mix well with the melted butter; set aside. 

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, then place into prepared casserole dish.

3. While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tablspoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the minced onion and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the flour, pepper, salt and dry mustard until incorporated, then pour in the milk and bring to a simmer.  Simmer, stirring constantly until the milk has thickened, about 10 minutes.  Take the milk off the heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until melted.  Pour cheese sauce over the macaroni, then sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs.

5. Bake until the top is golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. 

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes

What do you put in your homemade macaroni and cheese?  Do you have any variations?  What do you do to make this dish healthier? 

I found this recipe here.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

From Runner Girl to Fit Family

My, how things change!  It is hard for me to believe that two years ago I was on an Army base in Iraq, running 20 miles at a time and working out almost every day.  Back then I attended toning classes, lifted weights and even taught some toning classes (and did I mention I ran?).  If you would have asked me then what I'd be doing for physical activity in 2009, I would have most certainly told you running.  To top it off, I probably would have told you that I'd be running marathons or even those crazy 100 mile runs (if you haven't heard about ultramarathons, yes, people do run 100 miles all at once).

Looking tired, frazzled and happy after a 20 mile run

Flash forward to 2009....
These days I am lucky if I get three workouts in a week, and that qualifies as a really good week.  I haven't run for months and I count walking the dog as a workout!  My old runner girl self would be embarrassed and would definitely NOT write about such a pathetic situation in a blog.  However, what I've realized lately is that the disappearance of runner girl has opened the door to a new opportunity. 

From Runner Girl to Fit Family
Now I am able to focus my attention on fitness in two new ways.  First, it is a way for our family to share fun and active experiences.  I read so often that Americans are sedentary and glued to the television.  Being a fit family to me doesn't mean that we are in the gym seven days a week.  It means that we go for walks together, dance together and choose other activities that keep us moving and healthy!  Second, fitness is an even more important stress reliever than it was to me back in my Army days.  Yes, life in the military on a deployment is tough, but I will tell you first hand that being a mother is even more challenging!  This parenting gig is difficult.  Without workouts and fitness, my energy begins to wane, I get moodier and I don't handle stress as well. 

I believe that being healthy includes regular physical activity, but that being fit should not be expensive or incredibly time-consuming.  In upcoming posts, I will share with you what I do to keep fit and to keep my family (dog included) fit.

If you haven't done so yet, you can find out more about me and Mom Living Healthy here.  If you're interested in reading upcoming posts about fitness, be sure to subscribe either in a reader or by email. 


Still fit, but in a new way

What about you? 
Is your family a Fit Family?  What kinds of physical activities do you enjoy?  I'd love to hear from you!

This post part of Steady Mom's 30-Minute Blog Challenge

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Menu Plan Monday: October 18th


While I did Menu Plan Monday last week on my other blog, this will be the first time participating at Mom Living Healthy. Last week MPM went really well! We ate two new recipes and enjoyed both of them. I will be reposting them on Mom Living Healthy as a reference shortly. This week we're also adding two new recipes in addition to a recipe for homemade taco seasoning.
Here's the plan for this week:
Tuesday: YoYo (You're on your own, or leftovers). I have water aerobics this night, so it will be a great chance for us to clean out those leftovers!
Wednesday: Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans
Thursday: Tuna Sandwiches- my husband has a work event that night so I plan on keeping it simple with a sandwich
Friday: Family Pizza Night
Saturday: We are attending a potluck with my Army friends' and spouses. I will be bringing a brocolli salad.
Sunday: Tacos with Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
If you're interested in learning more about menu planning, check out all the information that Laura from I'm an Organizing Junkie offers and all the other recipes that her subscribers post. I am particularly fond of her Menu Planner Template that helps to organize your menu for the week and all the groceries you will need to buy.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

My Cloth Diaper Baby

Here are a couple of pictures of Nolan in his cloth diapers. We use them almost exclusively when he is not at day care. If you missed it here is a previous post in which I discussed cloth diapering. So far we are 10 months into using cloth diapers and are still going strong! I'm showcasing my two favorite brands of cloth diapers. The first, a One Size Pocket Diaper, is from my friend Deb, who makes adorable cloth diapers at her site Made By Mama. The second is the Bum Genius 3.0 One Size Pocket Diaper which I bought at the Peapods Natural Toys and Baby Care store.




Diapers By Deb



Diapers By Deb



Diapers By Deb


Bum Genius

Chicken with Gingered Brown Rice

I made this chicken with gingered brown rice for dinner last night. While my husband didn't like it as much as the tomato soup from Monday, he thought it was pretty good. I REALLY enjoyed the rice. It was my first time using crystallized ginger and I thought it added a nice flavor. Be aware that this is a sweeter meal due to the orange marmalade and ginger. I got this recipe from the Betty Crocker Whole Grains cookbook. I would make it again, but perhaps just cut the chicken into smaller pieces.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
2 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons orange juice (I used a little more than that)
1 small onion, finely choppen (1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons orange marmalade (use a low-sugar version)
1 tablespoon canola oil (I used olive oil)

1. Cook brown rice in water as directed on package

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch square (2 quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon orange juice to boiling over medium heat. Cook onion in orange juice 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender. Stil in cooked rice, ginger, parsley, thyme and remaining 1 tablespoon orange juice.

3. Spoon rice mixture into baking dish. Place chicken breasts on rice mixture. In small bowl, mix marmalade and oil; brush over chicken.

4. Cover baking dish with foil; bake 25 minutes. Remove cover; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170 degrees).

Question: In which recipes do you use ginger? I have some left over now and don't want to waste it if possible. Leave a comment if you have any ideas!

PS- I'm posting this recipe on the Kitchen Stewardship blog as a part of her October Fest Carnival of Super Foods. Check it out!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Fresh Tomato Soup

Last night when I asked Ryan if he had any requests for dinner this week, he said he wanted grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Normally, we use Campbell's tomato soup made with milk instead of water. I admit, I do really like that version of the soup. However, I wanted to try making a tomato soup on my own. I found this recipe for Fresh Tomato Soup in the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book.

Ryan rated this soup at a 7-8 out of 10...his only complaint was that it wasn't exactly like the Campbell's. I LOVED it! I'd definitely make this again. I did alter the recipe a bit, which I will indicate in red.

Fresh Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and quartered (I used 5 tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups water (I used Swanson low-sodium organic chicken broth)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
1/2 of a 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules (Swanson broth)
1 teaspoon sugar
few dashes bottled hot pepper sauce

1. In a large saucepan combine tomato, broth, onion, celery, tomato paste, cilantro, sugar and hot pepper sauce. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until celery and onion are tender. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes.

2. Place half of tomato mixture in a blender or food processor (I used the Magic Bullet). Cover and blend or process until smooth. Repeat wiht the remaining mixture. Return all to the saucepan; heat through. If desired, garnish with additional cilantro.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Experience Life Magazine: Skimming the Truth

I know, I haven't blogged in a REALLY long time. Sorry! And this post is a little different from what I usually write. I just read this really interesting article in Experience Life magazine (which is put out by Lifetime Fitness). It's about dairy products and they refute the common assumption that skim milk and low or non-fat dairy is better for you. I had not heard this before, so let me know what you think!

Experience Life Magazine: Skimming the Truth

Shared via AddThis

Monday, August 10, 2009

About Me

Welcome to Mom Living Healthy. I'm Greta. For several years, I've been very interested in all things related to health and nutrition. I loved my college nutrition class, and I've always been fitness-minded. Being a mom has only increased my passion for living a healthy life. I may not be perfect (I do LOVE chocolate and ice cream!), but I enjoy learning ways to live a healthy life and to make healthy living fun and easy for my family. The Mom Living Healthy blog is something I've been wanting to create for quite some time. My goal is to create a space for people who are interested in healthy living and parenthood to share ideas and things we have learned with each other. I will write about topics including nutrition, recipes, fitness, recreation and time management. I am by no means a nutrition expert, so any information I share is from my own personal research. You should certainly do your own research when it comes to making healthy decisions for your own family. I love to learn, so if you have any suggestions or facts about these topics, please feel free to share. Here are a few fun facts about me. I have been married for 4 years and have an 18-month old son. I have a Bachelor's Degree and majored in German. I was in the Army National Guard for 8 years and went on two deployments, one to Bosnia and the other to Iraq. I worked as a medic in Iraq, treating American soldiers, Iraqi civilians and also enemy combatants. I love running (although I haven't been doing as much of it since my son was born) and the farthest I've run to date is 20 miles.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

And the Favorite Toy Award Goes To...

For a 6 month old, Nolan sure does have a TON of toys! Most of the time, I have a hard time corralling them and keeping them organized. Some of his toys he won't look at for more than 10 seconds and others he just loves. His absolute favorite toy is the Very Hungry Caterpillar developmental toy.


This toy is guaranteed to keep his chubby little fingers busy during car trips, in restaurants, on long walks, when mom is busy making his banana cereal and just about every other occasion you can think of. It crinkles, has bright colors, has antennae and a green tail for chewing and has a squeaky strawberry. I heard from someone that a good work of art continues to move your focus from one area of the painting to the next, eliciting new thoughts and keeping the viewer interested. Although I bet you don't usually think of squeaky toys as art, this toy sure keeps Nolan interested with new things to look at and play with at every turn. Toy art! Plus, I love that this is the Eric Carle caterpillar. We've been reading this book to Nolan just about every day, and it's nice to have a connection from his book to his toy, even if he doesn't notice the connection himself.

My only complaint is that this toy is supposed to clip onto car seat handles by a plastic hook. Well, Nolan ripped that thing off in the first few days. So, maybe they could have sewn that hook on a little better. Nolan doesn't seem to mind though. He'd much rather hold his caterpillar buddy...how else is he supposed to chew and taste every inch it?!

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