Happy New Year!! (and our 2014 goals!)

It’s almost 2014 – that means resolutions! We aren’t doing resolutions this year…. I’ll be honest – I usually don’t anyway. Sure I get the idea that it’d be nice to have a resolution but ultimately it’s not important enough for me to stay at it. Before January is up, I’ve forgotten about it. I decided that we would have New Year’s goals instead.

We survived the cold!

2013 proved to be my hardest year yet. If you don’t know, check out my story here. In all honesty, the last few years have been a struggle that has just gotten worse. I now know why my body is fighting itself constantly and why I feel so terrible all the time. That’s a great start for the New Year. It has been hard for me to accept the fact that I’ve gone through so much with little results up until recently. I have spent over a year getting tested for everything under the sun. It’s pretty exhausting. I’ve learned that dwelling on the negative is one of my biggest hurdles to healing. So my #1 goal for 2014 is having a more positive outlook on life and my healing. This includes stronger faith, patience and hope.

We went fishing!

We soaked up some rays!

#2 is to take better care of myself. This includes taking help when it is offered. I’m pretty independent but I just can’t do everything on my own right now (it’s been hard coming to terms with that). So yes husband, I will stop fighting your help every day (or at least try to). I’m also going to completely embrace my new diet, nutrition counseling, etc. I know that next week when I go to my first nutrition appointment my world will be rocked. I know the first few months of this year is going to consist of me letting my body heal – which also means giving up practically every food I’m accustomed to for a while. It’s just food – I can do it.

#3 goal is to control my stress better – at work, at home, etc. I love cooking as a hobby but it’s hard to enjoy cooking when you can’t eat much so temporarily I’m going to try other outlets to reduce stress. I’ve never been one for exercise – I figured chasing kids was exercise enough. I know that I need to stay fit though…. Most people think that since I don’t weigh a lot that I’m fit. Not the case – I’m pretty puny and weak. If I’m going to be scrawny, I might as well be stronger and toned. I’m going to share my exercise plans each month, starting with January.  These will be simple, easy plans that I think others will be able to use. I’d go ahead and call these beginner plans. My husband is active so he helps me out when I need advice. This is a plan I’ve come up with to help me but it is simple enough for others to use. I’m also going to try and get more organized – in every way possible! That’s got to reduce stress right?!

We rested...

We got "more married"

#4 is to save more money. We had a nice little cushion for a family our age. We’ve worked hard for what we have but as the saying goes “you spend what you make”. I’ve also learned the hard way that your “cushion” can be gone real quick. Ours went to pay medical bills. We’d been saving for a nice little vacation or mini honeymoon we’ve never had. That didn’t happen but what a blessing it was to have that little bit saved so we didn’t have to sacrifice anything that makes us comfortable! It made me think though… good grief we have a lot of junk! This goal is simple – don’t waste money on things we don’t need. I’ve got it figured up and I’ll also post our savings plan. We already keep a budget each month that I reconcile often. We go over budget each month but not on our items we need (utilities, etc) but on things we want (clothes, entertainment, etc). I may end up with a few more goals before January is up but they are all attainable and realistic. If you have any ideas for good goals or tips I could use with mine – let us know! It’s always nice to share thoughts and ideas that can help one another!

We had birthday #5!

and birthday #1!

To finish this post, let me just say that I hope your 2014 is full of love, happiness, blessings, faith, strength, etc. Regardless of how you feel about 2013, it is over and behind us! Let’s make 2014 the best year yet and if not, try to enjoy it anyway!!

Things weren't always great....

But we love each other anyway...

Healthy Nachos

Going low carb can be a real challenge. I find it especially hard to eat healthy during football or parties. We just love party snacks but you know as well as I do that they can be awful for you! I’m still adjusting but for now these nachos will work great in a pinch! Believe it or not, the bell peppers make a great substitute for a chip. Let’s be honest though – it’s still not a chip. I really liked the light and crisp taste though. Plus I could eat a lot more without feeling guilty about it! I did made my husband some with tortilla chips though – not everyone is excited about finding a low carb, clean, appetizer like I am : ). Makes enough for about 4-6 servings depending on if you are serving as an appetizer or a meal.

3-4 bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2” chunks

1 can beans, drained and rinsed (our favorites are black beans or cannellini beans)

2 medium tomatoes, diced

½ cup corn

½ cup jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1 avocado, chopped

¼ cup green onions chopped

½ cup shredded cheese (we used dairy free)

Salsa, sour cream, etc for additional toppings

Heat oven to 400°F. On a large baking sheet sprayed with olive oil, line bell peppers in a single layer. Spread evenly over peppers the beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers. Top with cheese and bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with avocadoes, green onions and additional toppings if desired. Serve immediately. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This recipe may trick you. It looks like a cheesy, fattening, heavy casserole. However, it is a slimmed down, lean, tasty casserole that you can feel good about eating. This low fat, low carb dish is still comforting and delicious. Chicken Cordon Bleu can typically be very heavy and most casseroles have a rich and creamy but fatty sauce. I swapped out the heavy cream for a lighter but still savory sauce. I kept the swiss cheese but it could easily be substituted for a diary free cheese and still taste great. I also swapped out the carb filled pasta for some carb free spaghetti squash. I even added a few extra veggies to get more nutrients. Any way you make it (traditional or modified), this dish is savory and wonderful. Perfect for a fall or winter day.

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 Tbsp Olive oil

¼ cup onion or bleu cheese dressing (homemade or bought – I used a sweet Vidalia onion dressing)

½ spaghetti squash, cut lengthwise

¼ cup water

¼ cup onion or bleu cheese dressing

2 cups swiss chard, cut into thin, short strips

4 slices of swiss cheese

3 oz of sliced deli ham, diced

2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic, minced

• Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Cook chicken breast chunks in olive oil and ¼ cup of the onion or bleu cheese dressing. Cook chicken for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked through completely. 
• In a greased 2 quart baking dish, pour water and place one half of the spaghetti squash, cut side down. Pierce squash shell with a knife or fork. Cook in microwave for about 10 minutes. Once spaghetti squash is cooked, drain any extra water from the baking dish. Turn over squash and scrape edges and bottom of shell with a fork to make spaghetti “noodles”. Place scraped squash into a separate bowl. 
• While squash is cooking, quick-blanch the swiss chard. Bring two cups of water to boil in a sauce pan. Put swiss chard in boiling water and cook for about a minute. Drain water quickly from chard. 
• In the same baking dish, spread cooked chicken on bottom. Sprinkle spaghetti squash over chicken. Pour the remaining ¼ cup of dressing over squash and chicken. Place swiss chard over squash and then sprinkle on diced ham. Next, layer on slices of swiss cheese until mixture is covered. Layer on sliced tomatoes until dish is covered. Finally, sprinkle on salt pepper and minced garlic.
•  Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes until cheese is melted and mixture starts to bubble around edges. 

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 12/29/13-01/04/13

Good Morning All!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday! I know we sure did. We wrapped up our 12 Days of Giving, went to Midnight Mass, celebrated with all of our families, relaxed a little, spent extra time together - it was perfect! I'm not too thrilled to be back to the normal Monday craziness but that's what pays the bills! We've been discussing our New Year's goals (not resolutions!). I'll be posting those later in the week. What are some of your goals or resolutions for 2014? Save money? Lose weight? Travel? Strengthen your faith? I hope to help those of you that answered yes to some of these... we've got some big plans for the new year! If you are looking to get a little more organized this year, check out the Menu Plan Monday hosting site www.orgjunkie.com. If you click on this link, you will also find some other menu plans to start your week and new year off right! Enjoy bringing in the New Year and stay safe!!!

29	30	31	1	2	3	4
SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY
Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast
egg	tofu eggs	Breakfast	cinnamon rolls	tofu eggs	fruit/nut	scones
toast	muffin	quinoa	hashbrowns	toast	cereal	eggs
banana	fruit	apples	orange	banana	apple	fruit
tea/milk	tea/milk	tea/milk	tea/milk	tea/milk	tea/milk	tea/milk
Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
chicken	olive	fruit & nut	leftover	lettuce	chicken	chicken
veggie	chicken	salad	pasta	wraps	soup	chili
spring rolls	lettuce wraps	carrots	salmon	carrots	rolls	cornbread
water	water	water	water	water	water	water
Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
leftovers	salmon	butternut sq.	crockpot	chicken	KIDS	tuna steaks
or	asparagus	pasta	roast chicken	enchilada	CHOICE	kale salad
salad	salad	kale	potatoes	casserole	burgers	squash
water	water	water	water	water	water	water
Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack
pretzels	apples	celery/PB	apples	pretzels	smoothie	smoothie
orange	carrots	pretzels	carrots/hummus	celery/PB	carrots	trailmix
brownies	chocolates	party food!	milk shake	cookies	fruit pizza	cupcakes

I hope 2014 brings as many blessings as 2013!

Zucchini Lasagna & Gluten Free Italian Breadsticks

When I first went gluten free, I was so worried about finding replacement pasta. There are plenty of gluten free pasta options out there that taste great. I have plenty in my cabinets but I find myself trying different alternatives. I really like replacing pasta with different types of squash. Sliced zucchini is a fantastic replacement for lasagna noodles. It is low fat, low carb, grain free, gluten free, etc. It softens up nicely while baking and makes gives the dish and extra boost of flavor. We made this vegan but you could easily add ground beef or turkey to make it a little heartier. As always, you can substitute regular cheese for the dairy free kind. Serves 4-6

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into 12 slices lengthwise (use a mandolin!)

1-2 cups pasta sauce

½ cup mushrooms, diced

1 cup swiss chard, kale or spinach, chopped (use a combination!)

¼ cup diced onion

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp parsley

½ tsp basil

2 cups shredded dairy free cheese (I like Daiya brand)

• In a large skillet, sauté onion, mushrooms, chard and garlic in olive oil. 
• In a 9x9 baking pan, spread about 1 Tbsp of pasta sauce. Place 4 slices of zucchini over sauce. Top with ½ of the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over veggies. Top with about ¼ cup pasta sauce. Repeat layers one more time. 
• Top with the final 4 slices of zucchini and any remaining pasta sauce (as much or little as you desire). Top with the remaining cheese. Sprinkle over basil and parsley. 
• Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown. Let cool about 10-15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

GLUTEN FREE ITALIAN BREADSTICKS

Just saying – these go PERFECT with my Zucchini Lasagna. These are lightly and fluffy but still filling and as always, gluten free. These are actually made with non-soy flours and no dairy as well. My biggest suggestion with these is that you form them nicely, otherwise they can look like many things, some not so appealing. Either way they still taste great! Customize your toppings to what you like!

½ cup brown rice flour

½ cup amaranth flour

¾ cup potato starch

¾ cup tapioca starch

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp basil

1 pkt of active yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar or honey

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

additional basil or other seasonings for topping

• In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar and water. Whisk together and let sit for 5 minutes to let yeast activate. 
• In a large mixing bowl, combine rice flour, amaranth flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, salt and basil. Add in olive oil, vinegar and yeast mixture until and mix over medium-high speed for about 30 seconds or until dough ball forms. 
• Separate dough into small dough balls and form into bread sticks (I made about 8 medium sized breadsticks. The best trick to this is to have wet or lightly floured hands to help keep dough from sticking to you. 
• Lay breadsticks onto a greased baking sheet. Let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes. Brush with olive oil and add any desired toppings (Salt, pepper, seasonings, cheese, etc) 
• Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Best if served immediately.

Turtle Surprise Brownies

It’s not New Years yet, which means most of us still have a couple more days to indulge before the resolutions take over. So you better try these in the next few days! They are still more healthy than your typical brownie but they do have some extra sugar and calories for the turtle center. I’d trade the taste of these brownies for any number of calories though! They have a gooey, caramel center complete with mixed nuts, sandwiched in between two layers of cakey brownie. Oh so good… This serves about 16

1 package of brownie mix (I like Bob’s Red Mill)

1 cup water

¼ cup applesauce

1 over ripe banana

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar or honey

½ cup butter (I used Earth Balance Dairy free)

1 Tbsp milk

1 cup mixed chopped nuts (I used pecans, peanuts and almonds)

In a large mixing bowl, blend together brownie mix, water, applesauce, banana, oil and vanilla until smooth. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add in sugar, milk and vanilla until boiling. Boil for about 7 minutes or until sugar is complete dissolved. In a greased 9x13 baking pan, spread half of the brownie batter. Sprinkle mixed nuts over batter and pour over caramel sauce evenly. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes or until brownies are cooked through. 

Sweet Potato Skins

For Christmas this year, my mother-in-law made these great looking little potato skins for an appetizer. They were just potato skins, stuffed with bacon, cheese and onions. I of course couldn’t eat them because of the cheese and onions so I decided to make my own! We don’t eat a lot of white potatoes and I’m currently on a non-dairy diet so I modified this quite a bit. They turned out really great though. They would be perfect for a game day snack or party food. Plus they are made with more natural ingredients so you don’t have to feel as guilty for eating them! This makes 8 potato skins.

4 small sweet potatoes

1 Tbsp olive oil

5 slices of turkey bacon, diced

½ cup shredded cheese (I used Daiya DF cheddar)

1 Tbsp chives

1 Tbsp coconut sugar

Paprika

Garlic salt

Black pepper

• Bake sweet potatoes as desired, oven or microwave, until just cooked. Cut baked potatoes in half, lengthwise and carefully scoop out insides, leaving about ¼ inch layer of potato in shell. 
• In a large skillet, cook diced bacon pieces until cooked through. 
• On a large baking sheet, lay potato shells and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle coconut sugar, chives, paprika, salt and pepper onto potatoes. 
• Sprinkle turkey bacon inside potato shells and top with shredded cheese.
• Bake at 450°F for about 15 minutes or until shells are crispy and cheese is melted. Serve with ranch or sour cream.