Frozen Grape Pops!

Supplies for Frozen Grape Pops:
1. Grapes - any color or size, washed

2. Lollipop Sticks - preferably 8 inches long, but any size will do. You can buy these at Walmart, or any cake/candy supply place. (We tried these with popsicle sticks and they are too wide for the small grapes.)

First, wash the grapes and dry them as best you can with a paper towel. Then pick about 6 grapes per 8 inch stick. Using the hole side of the grape, push your grape onto the stick. Go down about 1-2 inches from the bottom. Now pile the rest on.



Place your grape sticks in a freezer safe plastic bag. It’s best to wait over night for really good frozen grapes.



This super healthy frozen treat is giving me the fix I need to stay away from too much ice cream. I got this great idea from Makes and Takes.

Menu Plan Monday

I'm sure most of you have heard of Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious Cookbook. She claims a foolproof system: delicious and easy-to-make stealth recipes that sneak in puréed veggies so kids will never suspect the foods they love are actually good for them! This week I am going to try out some of her recipes and see how my family responds to them!

Monday: Beef Stew (with hidden broccoli purée)

Tuesday: Quesadillas w/ Avocado Spread (with hidden butternut squash purée)

Wednesday: Chicken Nuggets (with hidden broccoli & sweet potato purée)

Thursday: Italian Meatloaf (with hidden carrot purée)

Friday: Day Off

Saturday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (with hidden sweet potato purée)

Sunday: Spaghetti & Meatballs (with hidden carrot and butternut squash purée)

Healthy Helpful Hints

Skip Croutons and Try Walnuts!

Like croutons, walnuts add heft and crunch to salads. But thanks to their protein, fiber, and fat, they also add long-lasting energy. Unique among nuts for their high amount of alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fat that protects against heart disease, walnuts also contain melatonin, which helps regulate sleep---and they're a good source of phytosterols, which help lower cholesterol levels.



Skip Iceberg Lettuce and Try Romaine!

You know iceberg lettuce is no nutritional star, but you love its crunch in salads, sandwiches, and tacos. Next time you shop, reach for romaine lettuce instead. It has the same crisp texture as iceberg, but with more than three times the folate and seven times the vitamin A, as well as more potassium and vitamins C and K. Like other leafy greens, romaine is rich in carotenoids, which studies show may inhibit the growth of certain cancers.

Weight Watchers

Since giving birth to my 2 little ones, I have been 25 pounds over my ideal weight. Last year I joined Weight Watchers and in 5 weeks, I lost 15 pounds by staying on their Points System. (and with a lot of exercise!)

Being the frugal/cheap person that I am, I cancelled my membership because I just couldn't bring myself to pay the required $40.00 per month; afterall, I am pretty knowledgeable about nutriton and exercise and the meetings didn't serve me anything that I already didn't know. I guess I was paying for the accountability and the weekly weigh-ins.

Guess what? I gained the weight back. So what happened? By paying for the membership, it forced me to stay on the program because I refused to weigh in each week and have not lost any weight..... and pay them at the same time!

I thought I could do the program on my own at home but the accountability isn't there and I end up giving up.

Weight Watchers is not a diet, it's a lifestyle change. They don't teach you how to diet, they help you adopt a healthier way to live. It's a plan that let's you eat whatever you like..... but in MODERATION. It's hard for me to convert my current lifestyle..... I just love to eat too much!

The rational part of my brain knows I should eat healthy and exercise: I’ve read articles saying it prevents nearly every human disease, fights depression, and strengthens the immune system. I hear it reduces stress and anxiety, that it helps you focus and sleep and have better sex. I want all that—who doesn’t? But apparently, another part of my brain—which happens to be the dominant part—wants everything to stay exactly as it is.

Crafty Bagel Holder!

Do you ever worry about your bagel getting squashed in your bag on the way to work? Got an empty CD spindle lying around? You know, the kind that holds 50 blank CDs. This is a great travel idea to keep your favorite bagel sandwich from getting mushed :o)

This is my Works For Me Wednesday!

Black Bean & Corn Ranch Salad

This salad couldn't be easier or more simple to assemble! It is refreshing and zesty, and is a great addition to a picnic. Prepare it before firing up the grill and it will be nicely chilled for your meal.

Serving: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes (allow 30 minutes of chill time)

1/2 cup Wish-Bone® Ranch-Up!™ Classic, Zesty or Classic Light Dressing
1 can (19 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn or mexi-corn, drained
1 cup quartered grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients; chill. Garnish, if desired, with lime wedges.

Eating for Health

The phrase healthy eating has replaced the word diet as the pathway to a more fulfilling life. The path to having more energy and longer life and often less weight. The word diet has become associated with eating less and to some degree suffering. This means that over the longer run it is not fun and therefore not sustainable.

You can't wait for motivation in order to adopt a healthy eating program. Healthy eating should be motivation enough. Besides, you don't wait for motivation to pay my bills or to do the laundry--I do them because they need doing; it's a part of daily maintenance. It's like showing up to your job every day.

Any "diet" approach that is not livable will be abandoned sooner or later. Set up a plan that you can actually keep forever. It has to be a lifestyle change. Don't deprive yourself of the things you love--that's not possible to do for an entire lifetime. Enjoy things in moderation.

The Juice Remedy

Apple juice and white grape juice have been a staple in our home since the kids were born. I have always diluted their juice with water (1/3 juice and 2/3 water). When I discovered manufacturers selling "lite" juice, I read the ingredients and realized that what they were selling was just diluted juice! I refuse to buy watered down juice when I can just make it at home. I dilute our juice by pouring half of the juice into an empty bottle and then filling both bottles with water. Bam! This gives you two bottles of juice for the price of one! The benefits: It saves you money, you don't have to rush over to the sink when a toddler is screaming for juice, and the kids don't see you dilute it so they don't complain about how the juice tastes different. A minor drawback is that we always have two bottles of apple juice in the fridge.