Life's Journey

Life's journey sometimes does not seem like what we thought it would be. It is amazing to sit back and look at where life has brought our family over the past two years since my last post.  There has been heartache, pain, sickness, struggles, joy, excitement, and accomplishments.   It has been an adventure.

I have to take one day at a time.  Looking at that day as a fresh start and looking at the opportunities that day will bring my family and I.  Ultimately each day is a test of surrendering my plans and desires to what I allow God to do through me today.  How will I look at others and reach out to them? How will I show love to my family and others today? Who do I need to release in forgiveness today? How can I make wise choices today that will impact my life and others?

As I start today I take a deep breathe and ask God to guide my steps as He walks with me.  May your journey today be filled with dependence on God.  That is my desire today. Even when those difficulties come may I see Him at work in the midst of it all.

Life is a Journey

Paper Dream

Have you ever felt that life is not turning out like you planned?  That what you dreamed would happen looks nothing like your real life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not of disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  

Many times I can not see the whole picture of what God is allowing to happen in my life. From my view things are not clear. I can not understand what God is doing but I have to be willing to trust Him and know He knows best for me.   My response to these disappointments should be to praise God for what He is doing. This is not easy and sounds so strange. My heart questions can I really trust Him?

Recently I was reminded of this as I have watched my sister and brother-in-law go through a very difficult time through the pregnancy of their little girl, Ivy Raye. You can follow their story at http://theivyleagues.wordpress.com/  Watching God become real through any difficulty is hard but He wants to draw us to Him so that we can know Him more.

A great short movie Paper Dream created by American Family Association is a wonderful story and reminder that God is in total control of all things in our lives.  He desires for us to praise Him through difficulties.  Watch the trailer at www.christianmoviepreviews.com/preview/paperdream

I don't know what your dream is but I do know that I have a God who cares and desires for me to know Him more every day even when life doesn't seem like He does. The question I have been trying to ask myself is "Will I trust Him even when life doesn't look like what I planned? Will I allow Him to be enough when my dreams are not as I had hoped?" 

Planning Ahead for Summer Travel

Eating Healthy While you Travel

One of the biggest challenges during my summer break is making sure that we are eating right during all of our summer travels. But the biggest key is to plan ahead and be prepared with eating options and to not over do it by over eating carbs or making unwise choices.  Here are some of my suggestions to stick to your healthy eating plan:

Breakfast
Mom's have always told their children that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and they were right.  After fasting all night long it is so very important to start your day with a energy packed meal.

• Stay at a hotel that serves a full breakfast which includes items like eggs, sausage or bacon.  Skip the waffles, bagels, sweet rolls and choose health options.  Don't eat empty carbs.

• Take along your favorite breakfast items such as a low-carb greek yogurt.  My favorite is "The Greek God's Traditional Plain Yogurt. It is rich, thick and creamy and only has 5g of net carbs per serving and 4g of protein..  I have found this brand at my local Kroger store.   Mix the yogurt with your favorite sweetener and some fresh berries.

•  Take along low-carb protein bars.  My favorite is the Nature Valley Protein Bars.  This one comes in two different bars, peanut butter dark chocolate, and peanut, almond and dark chocolate.  It has a total of 9g of net carbs and 10g of protein.  I usually buy a big box of these from Sam's Club.

Snacks
A mid-morning snack will keep you full until lunch.  Don't forget that every time you eat something that it should include protein.  This will help keep your metabolism up.
Don't forget to have that mid-afternoon snack too.  It is very important!

• 1/4 cup of nuts - place a serving size in a snack bag and take it along with you.  If I take the whole container then I will want to eat more that the correct serving size.  

• If I have not eaten a protein bar for breakfast, I might eat one for a snack.

• Cheese stick is also another options for a quick snack.

• Pork Rinds fill that need for a crunchy snack.  Rudolph's Bar-B-Que Pork Rinds are one of my favorites.  They are an inexpensive snack. It has 0g of carbs and 10g of protein.   I have found this brand at my local Wal-mart store.

Lunch and Dinner

•  Before eating out at a particular restaurant check out the nutritional facts out on the web to know what are the healthy options to select at that restaurant.  

• When eating out consider sharing a meal with someone instead of ordering your own entree.  Many time my husband and I will share a meat entree but we will both order a side salad and a low-carb vegetable option.  It is very satisfying.

• Eating at a fast food restaurant can be very challenging.   Many time I will select the bun less option of a sandwich.  Yes, the person taking the order usually thinks I am crazy but they will do it.  I usually ask for extra lettuce and tomato to be added to my order.  Skip the fries because they are not worth the carbs!

• Take your own sack lunch with your.  Pack your favorite sandwich wrap so that you can control your own ingredients on your sandwich.  Some of my favorite wraps are the Xtreme Wellness! High Fiber Low Carb Tortilla Wraps 5g Net Carbs per tortilla and  the Mission Low-Carb White Tortilla Wrap has 6g Net Carbs per tortilla.

KEY to success is being prepared and planning ahead.  It is worth it and you can have success in eating healthy while you travel.

Great New Recipes

New Recipes from www.foodonthetable.com

 

 

 

Zucchini Rounds

Don't forget that you can get the free subscription to www.foodonthetable.com  The code is SUMMERFREE.  I have tried several new recipes and wanted to share a a few of my favorites.

Another website that I found this week was www.myfitnesspal.com   It is a site that will help you track how many carbs you are eating daily.  They have a large data bank for even many of your favorite recipes.  This was great web find.

I also added a sweet treat that my sister found on the Fiber One Cereal Box.  It is great and filled with lots of fiber too.

Servings: 4
Ready In: 15 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Wait Time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 (teaspoon) Black Pepper (ground)
• 1/2 (teaspoon) Salt
• 2 (tablespoon) Grated Parmesan Cheese (May want to add a little more Parmesan on top)
• 2 (tablespoon) Extra-virgin Olive Oil
• 1 (tablespoon) Italian Seasoning (mccormick)
• 3 Zucchini (cut into 1/4-inch slices)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, Italian seasoning, olive oil, cheese, salt, and pepper.
4. Spread zucchini in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once.
6. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

This nutrition information is an estimate only. We use software to calculate the nutritional analysis from the individual ingredients in each recipe. While we do our best to ensure accuracy, we make no representation or warranty regarding the information, and there can be no assurance that any of the information contained therein has not been, or will not be changed or altered.

amount per serving

Calories 68

Total Fat 7g

Saturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 1mg

Sodium 314mg

Carbohydrate 0g

Dietary Fiber 0g

Sugars 0g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A 0%

Vitamin C 2%

Calcium 1%

Iron 0%

Potassium 23mg

NOTE:  We loved this dish and served it with tomato sauce with a little bit of Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powder added to the sauce.  It was great.  I would try this again soon.

 

Crockpot Easy Chicken Chile Verde

Servings: 4

Ready In: 4 hour on High

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:4 hours on High

Wait Time:0 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 (teaspoon) pepper
• 1 (16.0 ounce jar) SalsaVerde
• 1/2 (cup) chicken broth or white cooking wine

Directions

1. Cut chicken breast into pieces.  Place in crockpot.  
2. Top chicken with Salsa Verde and pour chicken broth or the white cooking wine around the chicken. 
3. Cook in crockpot on High for 4 hours.  
4. Serve with low carb tortillas.  Top each taco with cheese and sour cream.
5. Serve with a lettuce and tomato salad.

Nutrition Information

About  2g of Carbohydrate

 

Note:  Our daughter even tried this dish and loved it and she is such a picky eater.  It was delicious.  Will try this one again.

Chocolate Peanut Haystacks

 My sister, Kara, told me about this recipe and I had to try it.  She found it on the side of the Original Fiber One Cereal Box.  I adapted it a little bit and it makes a nice treat that only have about 6 carbs per haystack.


1 bag of Chocolate Chip Morsels - I used Nestles Special Dark Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 sleeve (about 4 cups) Fiber One Cereal
Peanuts (optional)


Melt chocolate chip morsels in microwave until smooth.  Cook for intervals of 15 seconds until completely melted.  Add peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Stir in Fiber One Cereal and coat cereal well.  Drop by tablespoon fulls onto wax paper.  Optional to top each haystack with peanuts, which gives a salty taste but it is really yummy.  Refrigerate to allow haystacks to firm up.


Store individually in snack size ziplock bags.

Summer Break!

Out of the "Normal" Routine

Now that summer is here our normal school routine has changed.  There is time for doing all of the things we love like sleeping in, new adventures with family and friends, staying up late, eating out with friends and traveling.  Sometimes this makes it difficult to stick to my low-carb eating plan but it is not impossible.

This is a great time to try new recipes and to get motivated to exercise (that is something that is very difficult for me)!  I found a new website that is excellent.  It is http://www.foodonthetable.com and you can sign up for a free subscriptions with the promotion SUMMERFREE.  I had a hard time putting in the promotional code so I just emailed them and they set it up for me.  It connects the sales in your area with your favorite grocery stores and gives lots of recipes and there are even low-carb, healthy recipes.  I am excited to try a lot of the new recipes.  I am always looking for great ideas.

Another great offer that I have found with AAA East Tennessee for a Fitness Membership for 30 days for $10.  Check these great deals out online.

$10 for 30 Day Membership, Fitness Assessment & Global Access Card ($160 Value)

Snap Fitness - AAA Show Your Card & Save Partner

New Cooking Ways

 I love to cook!

Been working on some new recipes.  Check out the Recipe pages!  I love to cook and am so excited that I am finding great food that is very low in carbs.


Pete and I together have lost over 60 pounds while being on this journey.  It has been worth it.  No way are we going back to eating our old way.

Great Books are Hard to Find

I love cookbooks and cooking is a relaxation for me.  So I am always looking for great cookbooks.  It has been such a challenge now that I am cooking more and more low carb items.

Megan and I love to go to McKay's Used Book Store to look for great books.   We've even managed to take Pete along and he has enjoyed it too.  One of my favorite sections to look through are the cookbooks.

Recently we found a great low carb cookbook by Better Homes and Gardens.  All of the recipes in the book have 5 net carbs or fewer.  

For Christmas Eve, I made the Bacon-&-Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms and it was wonderful.  I think it might become a Christmas tradition.  I'll place the recipe on the side dish recipe section of the blog.  Check it out!  It is worth making.

I will be on the look out for the Phase 2 book.  All of its recipes are 8 net carbs or fewer.  Let me know if you find one!