Stacking the odds in our favor

This is the way our freezer looks after Monica has been cooking all day, 5 hours to be exact. Over 50 portioned containers with known calorie counts. Santa fe soup, Zucchini meal, Black bean chicken casserole, Chili Verde and crust less broccoli & feta quiche filling our freezer.

By no means do we do this because we are experts at eating right or anything of the sort. Whether it is society, having kids, both? I don't know, but we are apparently trained to want fast food.

We are most definitely weak and if these guys weren't readily available in our freezer then we would be just that much closer to going out and eating something that is quick, probably heavily processed, and certainly not real good for our health.

We are just weak ole humans who need to stack the odds to make up for our lack of will power.

Super Size Me

In response to the 2004 documentary Super Size Me a new Raw for 30 days film is coming out which will document the journey of five Americans subsisting on a standard American junk food diet and all suffering from Adult Onset Type II Diabetes. They undergo a radical 30-day raw food diet and lifestyle change in hope of reversing or reducing their insulin dependence.

The film will show the eating habits that led to the development of this disease and will posit an alternative approach to living and eating, one in which foods can heal and hold the potential to reverse Diabetes.

Should be interesting........

Please use approved receptacles

Certainly a key ingredient to the PRISM program is discarding sugar laden foods such as donuts and their rectangular, sometime maple covered, bar counterparts.

But please use approved trash receptacles. PRISM is a green program.

Bucking the trend in 2008

This is a cross post from my alter ego's site. Monica and I were both a little amazed, but not surprised. She was also a little hurt that she has to special order tall sizes even while new plus size sections are popping up.

Walking through Fred Meyers yesterday my wife realized we were in the junior plus size section. I thought plus size was the territory of Big & Tall or Lane Bryant. When did kids get a plus size section? I guess it follows from the supersize trend in America. Well bucking that trend is one of this year’s resolutions in the Wally household. Thankfully, we are continuing an effort rather than starting the tough road today.

Last year we embarked on a journey to change the way we view and consume food. Our goal; eat to live rather than live to eat. For us eating to live entails limiting refined sugar, refined flours, process foods in general and of course no gluttony. We and several friends have been pretty successful with this goal over the last 6-7 months, but it can still be a struggle for us from time to time. For our sake and the sake of our children, we pray for God’s continued assistance in 2008.

Happy New Year and may God bless you in all your efforts!

Prism on artificial sweeteners

In video #7, which we watched at the 1/3/08 meeting, happy hostess Shawna Marie spoke about artificial sweeteners. Being the lawless group leaders that we are, we have stolen the text and are presenting it here mostly for Phyllis' enjoyment. :)

....Now we need to address artificial sweeteners. Most of the low cal and diet foods we think will help us loose weight, contain artificial sweeteners. New studies show that foods and beverages containing artificial sweeteners may actually work against weight loss by increasing hunger and your cravings for sweets. These fake sweeteners can decrease your levels of serotonin, the brain chemical that hears the “I’m full, don’t eat anymore” message from your stomach. At the same time these sweeteners trigger the insulin response which reduces fat burning and increases fat making. According to Dr. Julian Whittaker….

“Artificial sweeteners play a significant role in our current weight problems. Far from helping us loose weight, aspartame has been proven to increase appetite, especially cravings for sweets. Imagine “diet” products that help you pack on extra pounds! And aspartame’s downside doesn’t end with weight gain: This sweetener is associated with multiple health problems. The most common adverse reactions attributed to aspartame are headaches, dizziness, attention difficulties, memory loss, slurred speech and vision problems. This cluster of symptoms has become so common that it is actually referred to as “aspartame disease.”
What about multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, depression and other mood disorders? I have reviewed scores of documented cases mistakenly diagnosed with one of these conditions, only to have all signs of disease completely vanish after getting off aspartame.
Aspartame is comprised of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartic acid acts as an “excitatory neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger in the brain, stimulating neurons to fire. Problems can arise when aspartic acid is out of balance with inhibitory amino acids that calm things down. Phenylalanine also easily enters the brain, where it is transformed into neurotransmitters that can further interfere with normal brain function. This is likely the reason why aspartame lowers the threshold for seizures, mood disorders, and other nervous system problems. This altered brain chemistry may also be responsible for the addictive nature of aspartame. Some patients report that getting off diet soda takes more willpower than giving up cigarettes!”

Dr. Whittaker recommends that you don’t trade one bad habit for another by switching to sugar laden drinks and sweets. Avoid most bottles or canned sodas, teas and juices all together. If they don’t contain an artificial sweetener they’re loaded with some kind of sugar. Your beverage of choice should be water. Try perking it up with a slice of lemon, sparkling water, diluted fruit juice and homemade herbal ice tea flavored with the herbal sweetener Stevia are other options. If you haven’t already done so you must begin to wean yourself from any products containing artificial sweeteners.

Black Bean Chicken Casserole

Prep: 25 min Bake: 35 min Yield: 10 servings

1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cans (15 oz ea) black beans, rinsed & drained
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
8 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack or Mexican cheese blend, divided

1. In a large saucepan saute the onion, green pepper & garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, salsa, cumin, salt, oregano & pepper. Add beans & chicken; heat through.
2. Spread a third of the mixture into a 13x9x2 baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Layer with four tortillas, a third of the mixture & 1 cup cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas & chicken mixture.
3. Cover & bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 8-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

1 serving equals 283 calories

Spinach Feta chicken rolls

Prep: 25 min Bake: 45 min Yield: 6 servings

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 cup boiling water
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup feta cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup greek olives, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 boneless chicken breast halfs (6 oz each)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1. Place tomatoes in a small bowl; add boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine the spinach, feta cheese, onions & garlic. Drain & chop tomatoes; add spinach mixture.
   
2. Flatten chicken to 1/4 inch thickness; sprinkle with salt & pepper. Spread spinach mixture over chicken. Roll up & secure with toothpicks. Place in a 12x9x2 baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Cover & bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170. Discard toothpicks.

1 stuffed chicken breast half equals 272 calories

Santa Fe Soup

1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
1 lb ground beef, cooked
1 1/3 cup corn
15 oz kidney beans, not drained
14 oz can diced tomatoes w/ green chilies
14 oz can stewed tomatoes
2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning

Cook on stove or 3 hours in crock pot

303 calories per cup

Salsa Verde Chile w/ Chicken

Dissolve: 4 chicken bouillon cubes in 1 cup boiling water. Add three more cups water.

Cut: 5 whole chicken breasts into bite size pieces.

Brown & cook: chicken in a small amount of bouillon broth in a very large frying pan in two batches.

Drain & Rinse: 2 cans of black beans
2 cans great northern (or other white) beans.

Place in large kettle: 16 oz pkg frozen corn
16 oz jar La Victoria Thick & Chunky Salsa Verde
all above ingredients (bouillon, chicken, beans)

Simmer: a few minutes to combine flavors

170 calories per cup

Note from Jean: A small can of sliced olives and a few chives or green onions make the dish even more attractive.

Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

8 cups 1 inch thick sliced cauliflower florets (about 1 large head)
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Toss cauliflower, oil, marjoram, salt and pepper. Roast on a large rimmed baking sheet until starting to soften and brown on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Toss the cauliflower with vinegar and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven and roast until the cheese is melted and any moisture has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Makes 4 servings, about 1 cup each

Per serving: 149 calories; 10 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber; 364 mg sodium

Zucchini Supper

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
½ pound reduced fat bulk pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 cups cubed day-old whole wheat bread
½ cup fat free milk
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)
4 cups chopped zucchini
¾ pound reduced-fat process cheese (Velveeta), cubed (I used reduced-fat cheddar)
1 can (10 ¾ ounces) reduced-fat, reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
¾ cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon rubbed sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon pepper

In an Dutch oven, cook the beef, sausage, onion, carrot and celery over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine bread cubes and milk; set aside

Remove meat mixture from the heat; drain. Stir in flour until blended. Stir in bread mixture and remaining ingredients.

Transfer to a 13x9x2 baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160. Uncover and stir. Bake 8-12 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Nutrition Facts: 1 1/3 cup equals 373 calories, 17 g fat (7 saturated fat), 80 mg cholesterol, 1,119 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 34 g protein.


Calories listed above are for the recipe as it was written in Light & Tasty Magazine, February 08. Using turkey meat and possibly less of it could further reduce the calories.