Pork – The Other White Meat

Happy Friday everyone! I’m so glad that the weekend is here and I’m sure you are too. I only stayed at work until 3 PM today. I was getting a little stir crazy. Plus, my body and mind still think I’m supposed to be off on Fridays.

When I arrived home I was happy to find that my husband had gone to Costco and Trader Joe’s to buy a bunch of things we were out of – including olive oil! I can’t believe we actually ran out of olive oil since we usually have stash of it somewhere.

Before dinner, I made us a little appetizer plate of white and orange cheddar cheese, black grapes, and mulit-grain crackers….

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I indulged a little too much in this department. I guess I was hungrier than I thought because I just kept eating those crackers! By the time dinner was ready, I really wasn’t that hungry (this is why mom used to tell me, “no eating snacks before dinner!”)

For dinner, my husband made one of his own creations –  roasted potatoes, fresh off the grill…

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He peeled and sliced 4 red skin potatoes, divided the slices and put them in foil, then layered the slices with onions and butter. Then he sprinkled salt and pepper all over them, covered them with foild, and threw them on grill for 40 minutes or until they were crunchy. I remember the first time I had these potatoes – I just couldn’t get enough.

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With our potatoes, we also enjoyed grilled boneless pork loin chop and steamed carrots. My hubby can be such a healthy cook when he wants to be. I NEVER used to eat pork (aside from Easter ham) until I started dating my husband. I just didn’t like the taste. And it’s not that I love the taste now, but pork is a nice change from chicken and turkey, which I have most days of the week.

Now, my husband is making homemade, fresh-from-the-stove popcorn in a “popcorn” pot he’s had, what looks like, his whole life. It smells great but I really don’t want to have a lump of popcorn sitting in my stomach when I go to bed. Instead, I opted for something on the creamy side…

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I had a scoop of Breyers all-natural vanilla bean ice cream topped with 2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips, and about 1 tbsp sliced almonds. This was just enough to satisfy my dessert fix for the night.

I’m going to try to make it to 8 AM yoga tomorrow and I need to get there EARLY. The 8 AM Saturday class is a drop-in class, so if you don’t get there early, you don’t get a spot. I missed last week because of apple picking so I don’t want to miss two weeks in a row.

Have a great night everyone!

Tricking the Office Snack Monster

Evening everyone. Wow, talk about temptation. Because my office had a special meeting/course being held onsite all week, there has been food everywhere – and not much of the healthy kind either. For instance, today, there were all sorts of Panera sweets, bagels, and then for lunch, deep dish pizza. 

How To Trick the Office Snack Monster

I do have a little trick that helps me pass up these high calorie, low-nutrient foods. If I see something that looks good, like a coffee cake, I will take one small slice and wrap it up to save for the afternoon. This way, I don’t feel left out in the merry-making, but I make myself wait all day to make sure that I really want the treat and am not just eating it because it’s there. Many times, by the time afternoon rolls around, I get too busy to eat it. Or, I decide I’m not really hungry enough to eat it and just toss it in the garbage. I’m telling you, this works like a charm! Although, it can be a bit wasteful I guess.

For dinner tonight, I defrosted some of the homemade chili I made a few weeks ago. The chili was made with turkey meat, red and green peppers, grape tomatoes, and spinach – kind of a cross between a veggie and regular chili!

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I served the chili over Barilla Plus Multi-grain pasta with added Omega-3. And, it has 7 g. of fiber per serving! Some people (like my father) refuse to eat anything pasta/bread product that is NOT white. I just don’t understand it when the multi-grain or whole wheat kind is so much better for you. My father also refuses to eat any lettuce other than iceberg lettuce, even though I’ve told him it is the equivalent of eating paper because it has zero nutrients. If I could only convince him to change his eating habits, even a little, I’m sure he wouldn’t have as many ailments as he does.

Sorry for the digression. After my chili bowl came dessert! I wasn’t really craving dessert – which is a good thing really – but decided to have a few of the brand new French cookies I bought the other day.

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The Le Chocolatier cookies, or biscuits as they are known in Europe, are chocolate covered wafers that are layered with both chocolate and cream. They are really yummy, but man do they get stale FAST. They need to be sealed up tight (like in a ziploc bag) or else any humidity will ruin the cookies.

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I had 3 of the cookies which totaled 150 calories, plus a little more than a shot glass of milk. Ahh, cookies and milk before bed, now that’s what I called being a kid again – right Mia? I think the only thing that could have made these cookies better is if they were dipped in peanut butter – already planning that little experiment for tomorrow!

Ok, I need to head to bed. I’m usually off on Fridays, but I’m going into work tomorrow to catch up on a bunch of projects. And, there WILL be more food there tomorrow. You can run but you can’t hid from the Office Snack Monster!

Night everyone!

A Two Dessert Kind of Night…

Ok, gang. I’ve had a pretty tiring day as I’m sure many of you have had. On a brighter note, I just booked my trip to San Diego for October! Although the trip is for work, I’m hoping to see a few of the sites, visit with my brother and his family, and try pinkberry frozen yogurt for the FIRST time. It’s the little things that excite me, can’t you tell!

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It’s probably good that there are no pinkberry stores in Illinois or else I might be addicted to froyo by now!  If you have a favorite pinkberry flavor combo, let me know!

Before I go to San Diego, I have to finish ALL of my big projects related to the San Diego trip – ha! So, this afternoon, I went from project to project, working, editing, reworking, etc. I seriously have not had this much work to do since I was in grad school, but at least I’m getting paid for it this time. 

By the time I arrived home, it was 6:30 PM and I was exhausted. Thankfully, my dear hubby had dinner nearly ready….

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He grilled what he calls rustic chicken, with rosemary and other spices. He also made mashed red potatoes and fresh green beans. Ahh, just what I needed – a home-cooked meal.

My long, frustrating day quickly became a two dessert night…

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I had a small piece of the apple cake I made yesterday and a brownie leftover from Sunday. I am so glad this day is almost over so that I start fresh tomorrow.

I’m off to bed. Good night all!

Sweet Smell of Apple Cake Success

Evening everyone! Well, I am very happy to report that my first-ever homemade apple cake turned out great! Other than slightly over baking it, it was very moist on the inside and has a super yummy apple cinnamon and sugar flavor!

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After an hour of baking, I let it cool for about 10 minutes and cut into it just to see what the inside look like. I was skeptical at first because the crust looked so thick and bland. But after cutting into it, I could see the very cake-like texture and was quite pleased with myself. 

Then, we were off to see Harry Potter in IMAX. I love this movie! It was incredible how much they were able to include from the book (although they did leave quite a bit of the unnecessary story lines out). I even became teary-eyed in a few parts. That was the first time I’d every gotten choked up at a Harry Potter movie – ha!

After the movie, I went shopping for a few hours as part of my last hurrah for vacation. I went to Lucy to see if the store had any good sales. The sales girl convinced me to try on one of their petite size new Hatha yoga pants. They looked fantastic! But, then I looked at the price tag – $88! I love yoga and Lucy, but $88 on yoga pants? I think I’ll pass.

Scott was teaching again tonight so I made a few leftovers for dinner…

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I had homemade fried chicken, veggies that I picked from the pasta salad, and some freshly-made Trader Joe’s white cheddar shells and cheese. I really love mac and cheese, and Trader Joe’s has one of the best all-natural, organic boxed mac and cheese that I’ve tried.

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Then, for the BIG finnish… Apple Cake!

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Ahhh, so yummy! Not exactly like my mom’s famous recipe (in our family it’s famous!), but it was truly very good. I took one small piece, dusted it with powdered sugar and added one small scoop of Breyer’s natural vanilla ice cream. A practically perfect September dessert!

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As for this recipe, I can’t take all of the credit. The Betters Homes and Gardens cookbook did help me quite a bit. I took the BH&G recipe and modified it slightly to make my own version of the cake, ie. used walnuts instead of pecans, used nutmeg instead of allspice, etc. Not bad for my first time!

Now, I’m off to bed. It’s going to be hard going to work tomorrow after being gone for 5 days!

Have a great night all!

Farewell To Summer And Peach Pie à la Mode

I can hardly believe that Summer 2009 is over! It went by so fast that I feel like I didn’t get enough time to enjoy it. I guess I shouldn’t be too sad since we are heading into my favorite season of all – Autumn!  From apples, to leaves, to pumpkins, there are so many things that I love about this time of year. I’m sure you’ll be hearing about my favorites for the next few months – he he!

Today was a gorgeous day for Labor Day! It was 75 degrees and sunny – just perfect for sitting in the backyard enjoying the last sounds of summer. Before heading out for our Labor Day dinner, I had a small lunch of leftover veggie pasta salad. I really wasn’t that hungry and I knew that we’d be eating an early dinner.

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Then, we left for my in-law’s house which is about 45 minutes away. I did happen to enjoy a Starbuck’s Frap along the way – a Labor Day treat to myself!

We spent most of Labor Day at my in-law’s house chatting, laughing, and eating. I was content just to sit on the double swing outside, reading a magazine, and watching the kids run around. And, while sitting outside, we snacked on some of my father-in-law’s homemade salsa…

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So goood! Even though salsa is very low in calories, the accompanying tortilla chips are not, and I had way too many. Good thing I’m planning another 40 min/5-mile run tomorrow.

For dinner, Scott’s parents prepared a family favorite, Chili Verde made with pork loin and green chilies, which give the dish it’s rich green color.

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Chili Verde is customarily served over rice (at least in my husband’s family it is) and with a side of homemade pinto beans and soft tortillas. I’m not a huge Chili Verde fan and never have been, but tonight it was extra good and a little spicy. I really had to make myself stop at one serving, especially because I wanted to save room for dessert…

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Homemade summer peach pie! My father-in-law makes some of the best fruit-pies (and other desserts) that I’ve ever eaten. I’m lucky that he shares the recipes with me but even luckier that he takes the time to make these treats for his family.

I had the peach pie with one scoop of Edy’s slow-churned vanilla bean ice cream, which has about 100 calories per 1/2 cup – not bad. The peach pie and ice cream combo was amazing! I have only ever had peach pie that my father-in-law has made – I’d hate to try any other for fear that I’d be disappointed!

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Tomorrow is my first vacation day in about 2 months and my last until the week of Thanksgiving! It really is nice having an extra long weekend to do things around the house while having a little fun too. So, on my much needed vacation day, I plan to finally see the latest Harry Potter film at the IMAX theatre. I am a huge Harry Potter fan – read all of the books 2-3 times, seen all of the movies, etc. I seriously can’t believe I’ve waited this long to see the Half-Blood Prince. Of course I know what happens because I read the book, but it’s always fun to see how they adapt each book into a movie. Can’t wait!

I need to run out again tonight to return some library books and to pick up a few things at the store for an apple coffee cake. It seems like I am always going to the grocery store!

Have a great night and I’ll see you in the AM!

Oh, What a Beautiful Day

I had such an awesome and very tiring day! I began with a morning run, but this was not like my typical Sunday morning run. I ran for over 50 minutes and logged just over 6 miles. It’s such a great feeling knowing that I’m running faster and increasing my pace.

I usually don’t eat anything before I run (there are pros and cons to this) but I decided to eat something today. I knew I wanted to elevate my performance and would probably need some extra calories to help.

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I ate 1/2 of a LUNA bar for women – the caramel nut brownie flavor. It has 9g of protein and 4g of fiber – perfect for a prerun snack. The bar itself was mighty tasty with a nice chocolate flavor.

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I then laced up my shoes and headed out the door. I made a deal with my legs that if they were too tired to run a full 45 minutes then we could stop at 35 or 40. But, at 40 minutes, my legs and whole body felt great so I went past 50 minutes – hooray! The only reason why I didn’t run longer was because we had a TON of things to do today and I really couldn’t spend anymore time running. 

Immediately after my run, I did some stretching and a 15-minute ab workout (what I do after each run). By this time, I was so completely ravenous that I ate the second 1/2 of the LUNA bar followed by a big bowl of mixed cereal.

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Cheerios Multigrain and Kashi Go Lean Crunch with flaxseed and blueberries, to be exact. On the side, I had a little shot of wellness from Zola..

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Before heading out this evening, we had a huge list of things to accomplish:

  • Clean the house, including the basement
  • Grocery store run
  • Eat lunch
  • Laundry
  • Make food for event: fried chicken, pasta salad, brownies
  • Write blog post
  • Pack car for event

Whew, I’m tired just thinking about all of the things we did today! Lunch was nothing too fancy because there just wasn’t enough time for fancy…

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I had my leftover Mediterranean salad from yesterday and also a Vienna Beef all-natural, nitrate-free hot dog with a few Mezzetta peppers on top. And of course, low-fat Cape Cod chips were on the menu!

By 4:30 PM, the food was ready and the car was packed to go to our final outdoor music event of the summer. We went to listen to a local orchestra play the music of Rogers and Hammerstein. If they don’t sound familiar to you, R&H did the scores for such musicals as The King and I, Carousel, The Sound of Music, Oklahoma, and South Pacific. The vocalists, accompanied by the orchestra, sang several songs from each musical, but I only recognized a handful:

  • Title song – Sound of Music
  • Getting to Know You – The King and I
  • Some Enchanted Evening – South Pacific
  • Overture – South Pacific
  • Oh, What a Beautiful Morning – Oklahoma

In fact, there were so many songs that my husband and I didn’t know (and we both like musicals so that’s saying a lot) that he dubbed this the night of obscure Rogers and Hammerstein songs.

For our picnic-style dinner, we started with white cheddar cheese and crackers – I had more than my share of these…

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We then feasted on homemade fried chicken, courtesy of my husband using his mother’s recipe. We also had homemade pasta salad made with a ton of fresh veggies and Trader Joe’s organic tricolored pasta.

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I did eat a few other things, but by this time in the evening it was so dark that my pictures were not turning out very well, even with the flash. I had a few chunks of juicy watermelon, a couple small but delicious chocolate chip cookies that my father-in-law brought from Panera, and a big cup of lemony frozen yogurt. I was so cold after I was finished eating the yogurt that I was shivering!

I am home now and am sooo ready to go to bed. We have a busy day again tomorrow. The guys are NOT going golfing as planned but we are headed to an early Labor Day dinner at my in-laws

See you in the AM All!

Learn to Stop Eating Before You're Full

Hey all! Apple picking was so much fun! I have loads of pictures to share but I’m going to wait until tomorrow AM to post those. Otherwise, I would have WAY too many photos to put in one entry.

After apple picking, we all headed out to lunch. We went to a very popular Chicago chain restaurant called Portillo’s (if you’re from the Chicago area, you know exactly what I’m talking about!). Well, I normally LOVE Portillo’s but today, I just wasn’t in the mood for their food. Luckily, there was a Corner Bakery, another Chicago-area favorite, just  a few doors down. While everyone else was ordering their food at Portillo’s I ran over to Corner B and got me a bistro-style lunch to bring back and eat with the others…

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I had a cup of baked potato soup with bacon and a Mediterranean salad. As I’ve mentioned before, this soup is one of my absolute favorites to eat and it’s super filling. It was so filling that I couldn’t even eat the salad that came with it! It didn’t help that I chowed on the equivalent of two Gala apples just an hour before. But apples are healthy and full of fiber, so I didn’t care.

I took the salad home and had intended to eat it for dinner, but my husband had other plans. With summer winding down, chicken tacos seemed to be a great grill-friendly dinner to have on a cool and comfortable evening. We started out dinner with a little Frontera all-natural salsa and tortilla chips…

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If you’re not familiar with Frontera salsa, it is made by the famous Chef and restauranteur Rick Bayless who is the Chef at Chicago’s Frontera Grill. Scott and I have eaten at Frontera and loved it. Now, Scott wants to eat at Bayless’ Topolobampo, Frontera’s sister restaurant, but it’s really expensive (for gourmet Mexican food) so I’ve been holding off for a really special occasion. One thing is for sure, Chicago has some of the most amazing restaurants in the US and I’m looking forward to trying all of them some day – ha!

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The salsa in a jar was very good as well. It has a roasted tomato flavor which I love, just a hint of garlic, and not too spicy. Love it!

Then came the main event – grilled chicken tacos!

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They tasted as amazing as they look – no joke! The chicken marinade my husband uses is similar to his fajita recipe, but not as tangy. I stuffed my whole wheat soft tortilla so much that it nearly fell apart (but that’s what forks are for, right?)

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See, it’s bursting at the seams – hah hah! I only had ONE taco and then ate a little more Trader Joe’s guacamole and salsa – I’m all about the appetizers!

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And, if it’s one thing I know, it’s to stop eating just before I get full (or when I feel satisfied). I very rarely let myself get stuffed because I hate that “just ate a bag of rocks” feeling in my stomach. I also try to eat slow so that I actually recognize that I’m full (or not) before I eat too much. That’s a key factor for me in keeping my weight down and being able to fit into my Gap jeans year after year. Try this strategy, you may be surprised at how it can work for you.

Now, I’m sitting at Barnes and Noble contemplating a Starbuck’s night cap – should I get a skim hot chocolate or a new pumpkin spice latte – hmm…decisions, decisions.

Stay tuned tomorrow morning for an apple extravaganza!

Walnuts – Small in Size, Big on Nutrition

Hey Friends! My hair is officially shorter than it was this morning thanks to a brand spankin’ new haircut! I do like it, but it’s styled a little too flat for me right now (and that’s saying a lot since I like my hair straight) so I decided to wait until tomorrow to take a photo.

Prior to my haircut I ran to the grocery store and to Trader Joe’s just to pick up a few odds and ends, including Yogi antioxidant green tea which my husband loves. For lunch, I originally made a simple sandwich, but then doctored it up with a few Mezzetta red pepper slices and provolone cheese…

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For some reason, I’ve been in a potato chip mood lately. Today, I had more of the Cape Cod low-fat plain potato chips – love them!

After lunch, I was able to get a little work done answering emails and even doing a little house work. Then, I actually sat outside in the warm sun and read my new Real Simple magazine – and I just happened to have a Starbucks mocha frap in my hand at the same time. I’m such a multi-tasker like that.

Friday nights are typically my night to cook. But, whenever Friday rolls around, I never seem to want to cook anything. Tonight followed that same pattern. So instead of me cooking the planned chicken stir fry, we opted for pizza takeout. I know, it’s such a cliché Friday night dinner, but it was gourmet pizza!

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My husband and I split a plank-style pizza. His half had pepperoni, spinach, and red peppers; mine had spinach, goat cheese, red peppers, mushrooms, and pesto sauce. I’ve had this many times before and it is so awesome each time I order it.

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I was pretty full after I finished my pizza (all but two pieces) but just a few minutes ago I decided to end the night with a little spumoni….

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I had about 3/4 cup Edy’s spumoni and added about 1 tbsp of walnuts to the cold, creamy treat. I’ve been adding walnuts to everything lately – well, nearly everything. Most people know that walnuts, and many other nuts, are high in fiber and good fats (MUFA). But, new research from the Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that walnuts may actually help lower cholesterol more than fish. I am so glad to hear that news because I do NOT like fish, but LOVE walnuts. Finally, I have an argument for not eating fish!

Tomorrow, we are headed apple picking with my husband’s whole family. It’s a tradition we started a few years ago. After that, we all go out to lunch, then head home to start out apple-treat baking. I think a homemade apple pie is in my near future. Stay tuned for a recipe!

Have a great night all.

Now Playing…Chocolate-Covered Mulberries

Today went by really fast because of all of my morning meetings and the great staff appreciation luncheon. I have to say that I looked a little funny taking pictures of the food – kind of like the wedding photographer who wants to take pictures of every little detail. I’m just glad no one asked me why I was taking the pictures.

The veggie burger I had for lunch kept me extremely full the rest of the afternoon. I wasn’t hungry at all when I arrived home from work at 6:30 PM. But around 7:30 PM I decided to make a little somethin’ somethin’…

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I made a half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Funny, I used to hate these when I was a kid, but now I can eat them for a quick meal or snack. I made my sandwich with a dollop of MaraNatha all-natural cream peanut butter…

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And then topped that with some Knott’s strawberry preserves. I also had a few (ok, more than a few!) Cape Cod low-fat potato chips on the side.

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The sandwich was just enough to make it so I would not go to bed hungry. It’s weird saying that knowing that there are people who go to bed hungry every night. I thought I was done eating for the night, but then I realized there was a surprise package at my door!!! Yeah! The folks at Kopali Organics sent me a sample of one of their superfoods…

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Organic, dark chocolate covered – not cherries, not raisins, not cranberries….MULBERRIES! Can you believe it? Who would have ever thought to cover a mulberry with dark chocolate or any chocolate for that matter. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever had a mulberry before. It actually looks like a blackberry but it’s a little sweeter. Mulberries also are packed with all sorts of good nutrients – antioxidants, etc – and have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce your risk for blood clots and strokes. 

I wasn’t very hungry but I decided to tear open these little babies.

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I really loved the taste of the mulberries. It was a nice change from the typical chocolate covered raisin or peanut. I am rather neutral on the taste of the chocolate. Normally, I really like dark chocolate, but this kind just tasted a little different than what I’m used to – not bad, just different. Maybe it’s because it is organic chocolate, which, to my knowledge, I’ve never had. 

Despite it’s health properties, I don’t think this snack is ready to replace raisinets at the theatre anytime soon, but they would make a nice alternative (you’d have to sneak them though – he he!), especially if you’re looking for a snack that’s on the healthier side. In addition to chocolate covered berries, Kopali Organics also has dried fruit and other organic mixes.

Ok, I need to head to bed. I’m finally getting my hair cut tomorrow and I’m so excited!

New Research: Popcorn as Healthy as Vegetables

Hello All! Well, I never ended up going for my walk. I was hoping to walk to a new farmer’s market about a 1/2 mile from the office. But, when I was about to head out, I decided to double check how late it was open. Sure enough, it’s only open until 1 PM and it just happened to be 12:45 PM! Bummer. So, I opted to stay at the office and continue to work – not very fun, but fairly productive.

But, I did snack on some really tasty popcorn….

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It was just the microwavable kind with butter and salt, but I also added a little black pepper – so good!

There was a time when I would eat popcorn nearly every day at work. But then I became burned out on it and stopped eating it altogether. Now, I enjoy a few cups every now and then. Popcorn is actually a great alternative snack to pretzels and chips because it has way more fiber. And, my popcorn only had 25 calories per popped cup.

Not only does popcorn have more fiber, but new research presented last month at a meeting of the American Chemical Society found that popcorn has surprisingly large amounts of the healthy antioxidant, polyphenols. Polyphenols, which are commonly found in fruits, vegetables, chocolate, wine, coffee, and tea, are known for protecting against cardiovascular disease and reducing the risk of cancer. Further tests showed that popcorn contains similar levels of the antioxidants per gram as fruits and veggies. Who would have thought that popcorn would be as healthy as a salad!

For dinner, I had intended to make BBQ chicken and grilled sweet potatoes, but I arrived home later than expected AND the chicken wasn’t defrosted. Don’t you hate that?! I had to make a fast executive decision – we were going to have homemade pasta sauce instead.

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And even that took longer than expected – and all I had to do was warm up the sauce! We didn’t eat until about 7:30 PM which is really late for us. I swear we’re not that old, we just don’t like to eat late.

Now I’m enjoying some of Edy’s Spumoni ice cream – one of my husband’s favorites.

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He says that he likes to eat it after having Italian food because it “settles the stomach”. This is just one of my husband’s many justifications for eating ice cream and other not so healthy foods.

Ok, now I’m off to bed. We have our annual staff appreciation luncheon tomorrow, and you know what that means…more food! I’m hoping we have a few healthy selections on the menu, but what can you really hope for with free food?

Have a great night everyone!