Grilled Shrimp in a "Buttery" White Wine Sauce..

Now I am sure some of you are saying WHAT! How can that be healthy? Well after much experimentation I have created a healthier version of that fatty yet delicious meal.  Now I am a sucker for a savory creamy white wine sauce but I know it isn't a fan of my waistline.  By tweaking a few ingredients I have created a distinctively tempting alternative. And because I do not like "diet" tasting foods or lame recreations, I also tasted it against a regular butter white wine recipe.

This recipe is for at least two.  When cooking a single meal just for myself I simply cut the recipe in half.

You Need:

Sauce Pan

Frying Pan

Ingredients:

20-24 peeled shrimp

White Wine (dry) I use Chardonnay

Brummel & Brown

Garlic

Thyme

Basil

Rosemary

Salt & Pepper

1. To start put 3 Tablespoons of Brummel & Brown in a sauce pan over medium heat.  
2. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and saute
3. Add 1 Cup of White Wine  

• About a 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• About a 1/2 teaspoon Basil
• About a 1/4 teaspoon Rosemary
• A pinch of Salt and Pepper

       And Bring to a boil. Then let simmer for a few minutes.

At this point you can do one of to things

1. You can saute your shrimp in the sauce as is or

2. You can thicken the sauce

I like to add a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce up a bit before I add the shrimp.  

To do this add:

• 1Tablespoon of cornstartch &
• 1 Tablespoon of cold water in a small  bowl or cup and mix it together
• Bring the sauce back up to a boil and slowly mix in the cornstarch solution

     4.  Add your peeled shrimp to a frying pan over medium heat

5.  Pour the sauce over the shrimp and saute until cooked 

(nice and pink)

 

Now again you can do one of two things:

1. Top off a salad with these deliciously flavored shrimp

2. Pour the sauce and shrimp over whole wheat pasta

 Either way... Yum!!

Let me know what you think or if you have other ideas of how you can use this recipe!

Recipe yields 2 servings Each serving has 6 WW Points Plus Value

9 Tasty Low Calorie Foods!

It's a new year and many people have made resolutions to loose weight, get fit, stay fit, or eat healthier! These are tasty, healthy, diet-friendly foods that are also low in calories. If you are want to find some creative new ways to boost your weight loss try some of these!!

Popcorn:
One cup of air-popped popcorn contains only 30 calories! Its low in calories and easy, you can make plain popcorn right in your microwave. Just take a brown paper bag, spray the inside with cooking spray like "PAM" and add four tablespoons of popcorn kernels. (for extra flavor you can add some flavor with cinnamon, garlic salt, chili powder or any other spice)  fold the edge of the bag over twice to close and microwave the bag on high for 1.5 to 2 minutes.

Salsa:
Salsa is tasty and flavorful with very few calories, about 20 per ¼ cup.  Fresh homemade salsa or bottled  makes a zesty, low-cal dip for crunchy veggies like baby carrots and celery sticks. It's also the best slimming condiment for sandwiches, burgers, and baked potatoes. Use it place of calorie killers like mayo, sour cream and butter.

Grapefruit:
Besides being refreshing grapefruits are sweet and hydrate you. Its also one of the few seasonal winter fruits. It's just 120 calories for one large grapefruit. Plus since you eat a grapefruit one segment at a time, it also helps pace your eating.

Frozen cherries:
Frozen cherries are a healthy solution to those pesky sugar cravings. Snacking on them right out of the freezer bag is like a healthy version of Italian ice.  Plus they are only 110 calories for every ¾ cup.  They are also another treat that will help  stretch out your snack time.




Hot sauce:
Research shows that spicy foods suppress your appetite and ups your metabolism.  I love flavoring bland foods with it or even adding some spice. Try some on eggs, in soups and stews, or mix it into spreads like hummus to add some heat.

Naturally flavored seltzer:
You should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day but if you're bored with plain tap water try adding some flavor and carbonation with naturally flavored seltzers.  Best of all it's calorie-free, fizzes like soda, and comes in tons of flavors. (Just make sure the label says no sugar)






Whole-grain sandwich thins:
Sandwich thins are the best thing since sliced bread! These little things are tasty and a top and bottom have the same amount of calories as one regual piece of bread (100 calories) . These whole grain buns are great for sandwiches, toast, mini pizzas and anything else you can do with bread.

Egg whites
Egg whites are pure protein containing only 17 calories apiece. They are an ideal ingredient for a low calorie breakfast that will keep you energized. For a slimming start to the day try making a spinach omelet or scrambled eggs with sauteed vegetables.

  

Shrimp:
At only 8 calories a piece, shrimp are a great source of lean protein, which also helps to boost your metabolism and suppress your appetite. You can start your next meal at a restaurant with a shrimp cocktail appetizer to help fill up so you don't over eat.  Or try sauteing some shrimp with veggies, like onions, mushrooms, peppers, and broccoli, for a healthy dinner. I also like to top my salads with grilled shrimp.

So the next time your stomach starts to growl, you have a sugar craving, need a healthy snack or want to try a new healthy meal keep these tips in mind!  Let me know what you think and other great Low Calorie foods you LOVE!

New Year, New You!

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.  Read Getting Things Done.
24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

I see myself all over in this list. These are all excellent reminders and it contains helpful advice to think about as we head into a new year! This is something that was passed on to me and I thought would be beneficial to share with all of you. The original post can be found HERE

An Obituary printed in the London Times...

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, 'Common Sense', who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were lost long in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain
- Why the early bird gets the worm
- Life isn't always fair
- And, maybe it was my fault

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (Don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (Adults, not children, are in charge)

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun tan lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his four stepbrothers: I Know My Rights - I Want It Now - Someone Else Is To Blame and I'm A Victim.

Attendance at the funeral was not many, since so few realized that he was gone.

Top Ten...

 It's that time of year again to take hold and look at the crazy food concoctions that came out of State Fairs this year...

Each year gatherings from small venues to huge state fairs across the country offer visitors an array of food vendors with hundreds of options, most of which are fried and or on a stick for easy eating.

Since only the guiltiest of pleasures are considered as ingredients, the selection of food is often more ridiculous than you could expect and the combinations keep getting more obscure.  But when you can deep fry anything and call it delicious, hundreds of fair goers seem to rally around you.

Here is a look at some of the weirdest concoctions to come from fairs around the nation this year...

10. Chocolate Covered Corn Dog — The Orange County State Fair:

9. Deep Fried Kool-Aid — San Diego County Fair:

8. Deep Fried Butter On A Stick — Iowa State Fair:

7. Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack — Texas State Fair:

6. Red Velvet Funnel Cake — Florida State Fair:

5. El Bananarito — Texas State Fair:

 4. Chocolate Covered Jalapeno Poppers — Minnesota State Fair:

3. Deep Fried Salsa — Texas State Fair:

2. Breakfast Lollipop –- Minnesota State Fair:

1. Fried Ice Cream Burger — Florida State Fair:

Thoughts?

Quick Note!

I just wanted to take a moment and let you all know that some things have happened recently in my life and that is why I haven't posted in a few weeks. I have been dealing with some tragic deaths in my family and have not been motivated to keep up with my postings.  I am trying to get back into the swing of things and should have New posts coming soon!!

Feature Friday! Heart Rate Monitor USA Interview

Heart Rate Monitor USA recently did an interview with me so I thought I would share it with all of you..

• What made you decide to get healthy? (Your Journey page tells a bit, but could you be more specific?)

Growing up I struggled with my weight. I was a dancer since I was little and then in High School I stopped and began to gain weight. My weight would go up and down due to my poor eating habits and continued throughout college. Finally I saw pictures of myself and I didn’t recognize the person in the photos. I was not happy with myself and I finally realized that I not only wanted to lose weight but also become all together healthier. I knew I had to make long lasting changes.

• How do you stay motivated to stick with your wellness plan?

It is hard to stay motivated, especially after you reach certain goals you had been working towards. I definitely still plateau at times. It’s all about finding new ways to stay motivated. Finding new workouts, new recipes and working towards new goals. Keeping my blog also helps me to stay on track.

• What does a typical day of your diet/exercise plan look like?

A typical day for me:
Cheerios and a banana for breakfast, followed by and mid morning snack of some type of fruit. I usually have a protein shake for lunch; sometimes I hit the gym around lunch time. Then I will snack on fruits, nuts, or maybe some edename. For dinner I usually have a large salad with grilled chicken or shrimp or maybe some whole wheat pasta. It changes depending on the day, but dinner time is when I try to get most my vegetables in. If I am still hungry I will snack on pop corn I pop on the stove using a small amount of oil or some fruit. Depending on the season I will go to the gym, go to a boot camp class, do Wii fit or go for a bike ride in the evening

I am bad when it comes to eating vegetables; I am a very picky eater, so I usually always try to have a salad every day. I also take a green supplement to make sure I get all the nutrients I need.

• What about exercise? What do you recommend for those who are just starting out on the path to getting healthier?

I started out doing a mile on my bike one night and then tried to go a little further each night. I eventually got to the point where I was biking 26 miles around my neighborhood after work. I would say the best thing is to start slow and gradually work your way up. Walk around your block, then the next night go a bit further. After a while try walking some and jogging some, then try jogging the whole way.

• What, do you feel, has been your biggest wellness achievement so far?

I think just being able to feel healthier from within and getting to share my experiences and tips with others.

• What is your one best tip for someone who wants to start eating healthier?

Same as with the exercise, you have to start slow. If you jump into a whole new way of eating you are less likely to stick with it. Slowly change your eating habits and start to incorporate healthier meals and snacks into your day. Also I don’t think you should deprive yourself. If you say you will never eat ice cream again you will constantly wish you could eat ice cream and eventually you will sub come and feel like a failure. If you allow yourself special treats in moderation you will always feel satisfied and you will be able to make life long changes.

• What's your favorite food?

It sounds funny because I don’t like a lot of vegetables, but I love artichokes.

Aside from that I could live on a diet of pure chocolate… but since that is not a very healthy diet I am constantly teaching myself moderation.


Have a great day..

Worldless Wednesday!