Soup for the Soul

ADecided to work smart yesterday and chose a soup recipe.  Italian Meatball Soup Rapido and I accompanied it with a loaf of crunchy bread that I sliced, buttered both sides, topped with shredded mozzarella and broiled until cheese melted.  Two hints for this very easy soup.  Double the meatballs because otherwise your man will be complaining "Where's the meatballs?"  Also, add the cheese to the individual bowl, I used just the Walmart shredded parmesan and it kind of clumps as it melts.  Fine in the individual bowl, but weird in the pot.  I buried urge to make the meatballs myself and got the frozen Italian Meatballs at Walmart.  Everyone said YUM and the girls staying with us said "Hey, it looks like the picture!"

No dessert : (  Having this many people in the house is a challenge to get everything in order, so it was ether dinner or dessert.  If it was just me, it would have been a very different meal!  Which is probably why I am not posting to my Physique category lately.

Last night we went to Gateway Church in Southlake and slipped into the Pastor's Conference.  My husband IS a Youth Pastor, but was not scheduled for this event.  We all went.  Jimmy Evans was speaking.  The girls wondered if Kari Jobe (if you open this link and listen, bring a tissue) would be leading worship.  If you are reading this and not a Christian, it is the equivalent of the Jonas Brothers opening for...Aerosmith.  Kari IS one of the worship leaders, but she also now has a career in music, so I was worried they would be disappointed.  Well, WHA WHA, aren't I the downer!  She was totally there in fervent Kari fashion, jumping up and down on stage and the girls were ecstatic.  They sang a song I had not heard that really rattled me inside.  Some of the lyrics are:

Our walls fall down, our strongholds broken,
Eternity's spoken, righteous we stand.
The church we'll rise declaring your kingdom,
shouting your freedom, the blood of the Lamb!
You rein in all the earth,
You reign victorious,
Your power is limitless,
There is no one like our God.

I can not even begin to tell you the fullness of joy throughout that time of worship.  This is such an anointed group of worship leaders.  Again, if you are not a Christian, imagine the best concert you have ever been too, all the lighters are lit, everyone singing the lyrics...only, when you leave, you don't smell like beer, cigarettes and marijuana.  You don't wake up with a stranger.  You have your car keys and your dignity.  All your senses are ON and you are on fire!!!  You feel like you could do ANYTHING!  And it's not the cocaine talking.  That's because we are not singing for ourselves, we are singing in praise to the One who created us, and He LOVES to hear us sing to Him!!  Wouldn't you? I think my husband wouldn't mind...

It was a great way to end the day.

I'll post today's menu tomorrow, as I am not sure if I am up to dinner, I may have to invite my in-laws to ensure I commit to it.  Now that is saying something, just sayin'...

Day One of Gourmet Round Up

What a day!!  I am exhausted but my taste buds are happy.  Normally I advocate only ONE complicated dish per meal, like meatloaf and then open a tub of Country Crock mashed potatoes.  After this evening meal, I can confirm that that is the best way to go!  Breakfast was pretty quick with Orange Chocolate Chip Pancakes. The only real effort was zesting the oranges but it was sooo worth it.  I substituted the semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark chocolate.  It tasted worthy of any B&B!

Dinner was Scalloped Potatoes,  Meatloaf, Green Beans and Chocolate Coconut Bites.  A word about organization in the kitchen.  I broke every rule for myself and this meal took forever.  I was so scattered, it should not have taken me that long.  It was pretty darn yummy though.  Any one thing on it's own would have been a stand out.  This is not your mom's meatloaf and scalloped potatoes. In the Meatloaf I substituted oats that I ground in the food processor for the bread crumbs, ground chicken and chicken sausage for the beef and pork, and apricots for the prunes (yes, dried fruit!)  All the ingredients complimented nicely so don't let the unusual combination scare you.  For the Scalloped Potatoes I substituted 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg for fresh.  Like I said, it had to be ingredients I had around.  It was a nice addition.  The Chocolate Coconut Bites tasted like an upscale Almond Joy minus the almond.  The bittersweet chocolate made it not too sicky sweet.

I was feeling pretty good about myself and then peeked over at Pink and Green Mama's blog and scrolled through her daughter's 4th birthday party and almost fell asleep.  It was exhausting how much trouble she went too, and yet inspiring.  So many little fun details.  I think my daughter would be happy if I just paid attention to her, for real.  I did manage to sit down with the kids and a Busytown puzzle.  Samuel's personality is SOOOOOO...something.  I don't know.  He talks constantly and she barely says a word.  I have to work VERY HARD to gauge what it is she needs from me.  One minute she wants me to hold her, the next minute she wants nothing to do with me "Go away mommy", nice.  Typical female I guess!


Everyone down for the count, me included!

Root Veggies, 3 Headed Snowmen and Kettlebells

Ok, yesterday I did Jillian Michael's Shred It video.  No pic because you can get her at Walmart for Pete's sake and I don't feel like getting up.  It is a kettlebell workout, which, if you have never used them, they are pretty intense.  I bought one of course, 10 lbs.  For this 30 minute non-stop workout that may have been overshooting a bit, she recommends 3-8 pounds, but she doesn't SAY that on the cover.  There is a beginner's and an advanced, so I did the beginner's.  I recommend the tutorial, as it is not as easy as it looks and you could get injured pretty quickly.  You can also use a dumbell, so you may want to start there.  There was one exercise that took me from a standing to a laying position and back up again all the while holding the kettlebell over my head.  Yeah, I bombed that.  This was a good all over workout and I would recommend it on the rotation for beginners looking for a challenenge.  Anxious to see what the advanced is all about!  Recommendation B+

This weekend I made tri-tip and roasted root vegetables.  I will post in the recipe section.  It was a PERFECT meal, healthy and easy.  The guys went on and on about it.  Tri-tip is not sold commercially, but if your grocer cuts their own meat, you can ask them for it.  It reduces to about a third when you cook it.  2.5 lbs fed 4.

The snow has finally melted, but we managed to make a 3 headed, 3 handed snowman.  Samuel's idea.

Exercise Video Revealed

Well, I did Jackie Warners video this am.

I consider myself an intermediate exerciser, so I skipped the warm-up.  Which has nothing to do with my fitness level!  I was just impatient.  But she gets off to a roaring start, so I decided to go back to the warm  up.  I immediately got my heart rate up.  This is a very basic video, but she does the exercises for one full minute and uses weight, so you really get your heart rate up (cardio bonus without running) and puts your muscles to work.  I really like this chick too.  She is not annoying, bouncing, or prancing.  There is no explanation of the moves, and no breaks, so if you are a beginner, forget the weights and watch it once or playback just to get the form correct.  All in all, pretty good, felt like I "worked out".  Good supplement to a regular fitness program.

Made sure I had my adult beverage - water in a milk jug, kept on counter in hopes I will drink it by days end

I couldn't wait for my mail order protein that I am certain is going to catapult me into shape because it is made from goat protein...ok, I am being ridiculous, but it was still worth investigating, I mean they DO have two udders.  So I got Jillian Michaels protein at Walmart where the exercise equipment is.  It's not DE-LISH, but pretty good.  No sugar or preservatives That's a plus.

Then made my shake!  Got in my fruits and veggies.  Put 1C milk, 2 handfuls spinach and handful frozen fruit in blender.  The fruit is pretty sweet, but if you need more add a couple drops liquid stevia, NOW Brand

Then blend and drink!  Spinach is great this way, but I don't recommend brussels sprouts.  Raw beets are yummy too!

Then we came to the in-laws to get away from winter doldrums and sit in very close proximity to peanut m&m's, fresh baked bread and chocolate chip cookies.  Thanks Grandma!  But I am making tri-tip and roasted veggies.  If any good I will put in permanent recipe file cause it was super easy and very healthy!

Meal Planning?

OK, I totally stink at this.  I have had good months, cut our grocery bill, then terrible months where all I am pulling out for the kids is hot pockets and chicken nuggets.  This is that current month.  So begins another journey.  If I can manage to do a little planning after that confession, so can you.  I have gone to other blogs to try and steal healthy meal plans.  But some mothers feel that if they are using whole wheat, than they are being healthy.  Don't get me wrong, but I am not going to maintain my waist cooking cheesy hamburger whole wheat macaroni or whole wheat donuts.  This mother either has a faster metabolism than I do, or she is not eating her own cooking.  If all I had to do was go to my Goosebury cookbooks copy 45 casseroles I would be in business.  But alas, that is not the case.  Why is NOTHING easy for me.  Some, but not all, of my recipes on the blog are truly healthy.  So I can choose from some of them.  But let's face it, 3 meals a day, 7 day's a week, 52 weeks a year...this is exhausting, overwhelming.  At least when I look at it during the one calendar week a month where nothing works.  Are you feeling me ladies?
I watched Julie & Julia yesterday since we are snowed in and good grief did it make me want to eat!  I immediately put Julia Child's cookbook on my wish list.  I have some great cookbooks that I will never eat from.  It is sad.  I wish I didn't care if I was fat, because I would really put down some good food.  It makes me sad that all the weight I gained when I first moved to TX was from Sonic and various every other day church events.  Apparently gluttony is not a sin in the bible belt.  I don't even have a memory of great food passing my lips as a result of that.
Gluten is totally off the menu.  I longingly look at the grilled cheese sandwiches the kids ate today and remember that with tomato soup on a cold day in my youth.  I'm not saying never again, but not right now as I try to get in better shape.  Unless I get more active, meaning more than 2 days a week, I have to REALLY watch it.  You would think that would motivate me, because I seriously love food, and yet it doesn't.
So, for now, I will attempt to TRY and put together some meal plans that people can actually eat and not get as big as a city block.  Stay tuned!

Something Yummy - Kefir?

A word about Kefir.   I can't imagine drinking this plain, yuk, but when put into a shake...YUM!  I made it in an attempt to use it to can fermented vegetables...ok, that didn't sound right, just think "sauerkraut".  Well, THAT was disgusting.  So I had used the better part a $7 gallon of raw milk to make this stuff and now I have a half gallon of this stuff that looks REALLy disgusting in the glass jar.  But wait!  I mistakenly think this is Kefir, but it is really whey.  Oops!  So now I'm really stuck, right?  I shake the jar and it looks like milk with floating curds, but smells ok.  It's supposed to last 6 weeks in the fridge. So what do I do?  Make a shake!  Well, needless to say, it will not go to waste.  It was delicious!  But like I said, I thought it was kefir...I will drink until finished and THEN make some Kefir.  I think it will taste about the same and actually be a bit creamier, and of course, good for me!