Down Came The Rain

It’s the season of spiders and I’ve been seeing them all around my house. Good thing I don’t have arachnophobia, otherwise I would not have snapped a photo of this guy. Have a great weekend everyone, I know I will try to be active and eat healthy as I’ve been for the past few weeks. Keep healthy and fit by climbing up a waterspout!

Steel This!

Do you remember those enameled metal cabinets that may have been in your kitchen or bathroom? I do believe they were in my childhood home growing up in the 50′s. Lucky for me I have dibbs on this one. It was procured by Gen (my SIL) who has a great eye for picking up garage sale deals and flea market finds. She asked if I would like it and I jumped all over it, yes indeed I wanted it, and hopefully I can restore it to it’s original beauty and simplicity.  Since I have not seen it in person, and you know how I feel about leaving objects as they are, I may not do much to it. Yet who knows, I may transform it into a cuisine cart, a small kitchen island or even a cabinet for the bathroom (I’ll keep you updated). I’m on a mission to create and make a habitable and gently worn, loved, cozy cottage by the sea!

Next week is the delivery of the kitchen cabinetry and appliances. Sometimes I feel that life is kind of like the rebuilding of my beach house. Of course Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are our lives. We certainly can’t rush actions or events, simply because we may wind up with bad results due to haste (faster isn’t always better). Secondly, we need patience and stamina to get through life as we know it. There are many obstacles that one faces living through the years, and having a home overhauled is also one that comes to mind. When I was getting fit and healthy those few years ago my catchphrase was always” slow and steady wins the race” and I believe that to be true in all walks of life. We should always take a deep breath before we prepare for the day ahead. Keep healthy and fit my friends by stopping and smelling the flowers!

Just Look Outside Your Window

I almost forgot it was May today, as it was below freezing this morning when I started my day. I really think Mother Nature is pulling a prank on us – remember that old joke what is the Mexican weather forecast?

Why it’s chili today and hot tamale!!!!

All I had to do was to look outside my window and make sure it was still green and I wasn’t dreaming (so, you don’t have to pinch me).

Keep healthy and fit everyone by shedding your layers of clothing as you keep calm and carry on…♚

Caramelized Onion & Shiitake Mushroom Soup

Friday night super soup night was a light (even though it looks heavy) onion soup that was easy to make, but worth the time for the flavor that awaited you with every spoonful. I was also surprised at the calorie and fat amount with this recipe and will definitely make it many times more. I found it on line and it was first published in 2008 as a Cooking Light recipe. There are added croutons which I lightened up a little by using low sodium swiss cheese and whole wheat semolina bread. Use your imagination and think healthier, although this recipe is on the light side already!

Ingredients

Yields 6 servings

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 cups vertically sliced yellow onion (about 2 pounds)
• 5 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 10 ounces whole mushrooms)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1.  To prepare soup, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 15 minutes or until almost tender, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until deep golden brown (about 40 minutes), stirring occasionally.
2. Increase heat to medium. Add mushrooms to pan; cook 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic and thyme sprigs; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high. Add wine to pan; cook 2 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates. Add broths to pan; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs.
3.  To prepare toasts, preheat broiler.
4.  Arrange bread (I used a semolina wheat crusty bread sliced very thin in a single layer on a baking sheet. Top each bread with 1 slice of lower fat or low sodium cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle chopped thyme over cheese. Ladle about 1 cup soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 1 toast.

Nutritional Information

The Height Of The Nation

Today marks an important date in architectural history as the tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere was unveiled. My admiration and love of  a building formally known as The World Trade Center is quite apparent if you are a follower and reader of my blog. When I was fortunate enough to visit the Downtown area back in October for my 60th birthday, I snapped some photos of the new 1 World Trade Center that was escalating within eyeshot of where we stayed. I think that the height of 1,776 feet is a profound statement to all Americans who are proud and patriotic of their country. Keep healthy and fit by being resilient and strong like a true patriot!

Avocado Salad Sandwich

I bought an avocado the other day and decided I would make a sandwich spread to eat on my 100 calorie fold-it bread with fresh romaine lettuce. The result was delicious and I will also use it as a spread on a turkey breast that I roasted up yesterday. Since avocados are very nutritious and have the good fat that we need to eat healthy we should incorporate them into our diet (remember, not too much).

Ingredients

The recipe yields one serving. Double or triple the recipe to enjoy with others :)

1/2 Avocado peeled – 161 calories, 105 from fat

1 1/4 Tbsp onion diced – 6 calories, 0 fat

1 Small clove of garlic diced – 4 calories, 0 fat

2 Tbsp of tomatoes diced – 4 calories, 0 fat

1 Tsp extra virgin olive oil – 40 calories, 40 from fat

1 Tsp of fresh lemon or lime – 1 calories, 0 fat

1/8 Tsp of cilantro – 0

Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste – 0

Use back of a fork and mash half avocado with all ingredients until desired consistency. Spoon over lettuce or mixed greens on top of your favorite bread of choice ( low fat and calorie). Enjoy it as a spread with poultry, fish or meat.

Total calories and fat for spread is 215 calories and 145 calories from fat. The bread is 100 calories so that is a nice sized sandwich for less than 400 calories! Also the fat content is good fat from the avocado and extra virgin olive oil. Keep healthy and fit by enjoying an avocado!

Stick-To-Itiveness

Well, I’ve completed what I actually started, and I must say there is such a sense of accomplishment that I’m sure this action prompted me to get back on my path of being healthy and fit once again. In the weeks that I have been collecting and painting my dining room chairs, I have also been eating right and exercising. I figured if I can build up an endurance for a pet project, than I can easily take on another one that will make me feel better physically. I was experiencing hip pain as well as sluggishness. I know that when I was taking care of my body just a short time ago, I never had any of these symptoms. It was my time to kick my butt into gear!

I was fortunate and was able to recover that familiar healthy mindset that I had before. It was almost as if something or someone clicked an “on” switch in my brain. Realization is a great tool as well. You all know that feeling that you get in the pit of your stomach when you know something is not right? I must say for me, simply starting up my exercise regime has ended the uneasiness that I was sustaining. I remember reading an article about how exercise actually helps adults combat arthritis and joint pain, and I’m proof positive that it works! If you need some incentive just take an assessment of your aches and pains and listen to your body. Keep healthy and fit by being a stick-to-itiveness kind of person who won’t give up!

Chick Pea Salad

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 277 | Total Fat: 16.7g | Cholesterol: 5mg

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

A few years ago when I was designing and creating miniature bears I added a Mexican one to my collection. Thanks to a family member who came across a few tiny sombreros I was able to construct “Juan”. I found a serape like fabric and made a poncho for him that paired well with the hat. Juan even made it to the cover of Teddy Bears and Friends a revered teddy bear magazine. I dusted him off for a photo shoot this morning and he looks as young as the day I created him (which was 18 years ago!).

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone, enjoy the day by being outdoors. Maybe you can even get a little exercise in (walking, shopping, spring cleaning, gardening) and eat a healthy meal. I am making my standard turkey chili  today and curbing my portion as I celebrate the Battle of Puebla which occurred on the 5th of May in 1862 against the French Army (bet you didn’t know that). Keep healthy and fit by joining Juan and me in hosting happy festivities!

P.S. In case you didn’t see my Facebook photos yesterday I took first place in my age group for female runners yesterday (60-64), I was actually more delighted and a proud parent because Erin placed third overall for female runners (total 110 females) and first in her age group (25-29)!

One Road Leads To Another

I copied a Facebook friends idea for this because I knew I had snapped a similar image to hers in our rental car when we were touring the great Pacific Northwest. So the above is my version of a stolen idea. You know those old cliches that you hear when something doesn’t go your way: “when one door closes another one opens” , “there are too many fish in the sea”, “turn your frown upside down” and so on, well this one works for me. I have taken that road less traveled by making a u-turn and changed my mindset once again. Since April 2nd I have lost 4 1/2 pounds the old-fashioned way by eating right and exercising. I told Ed yesterday that the month long has put me in the right frame of mind as far as following through with my healthy and fit routine. I’m ready to travel the road of opportunity by being my old self and practicing what I preach. I will be running in a 5k tomorrow, and merely  finishing will be my goal. It’s been four months since I entered a race, so I’m really looking forward to it. The best part of this contest is that my daughter will be joining me (she’s my biggest supporter).

Keep healthy and fit (and I say that with much conviction) by leaving your disappointments, misfortunes, obstacles, and setbacks behind you and look towards a new road of opportunity and favorable circumstances.

P.S. yum pasta tonight, and if you are interested:

https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/PomptonPlains/AppleChase5K10K