Tasty Frozen Vegetables? It's Possible!

Days Until My 50th Birthday: 121
Weight lost since January 1st: Don't ask. I'm not speaking to my #*%*  scale right now.
GOAL: To lose 20 pounds by my 50th birthday - May 20th.

Today I was looking around in my freezer for something to eat and came across vegetables. How did they get in there? Perhaps they were too close to the Ben & Jerry's and I picked them up by accident.

Green Giant's Immunity Blend showed cauliflower and carrots tantilizingly tossed in a "flavorful butter sauce." I must have been blind and drunk when I went shopping! After searching desperately through the freezer for something more tasty - months old birthday cake, frozen eggnog from the holidays, a brownie from the turn of the century - anything but vegetables - I gave in and decided to give them a try. Cauliflower and carrots are two of the healthiest vegetables you can eat, hence my  natural aversion. Here's the twist - these have dried cranberries and butter sauce. Suddenly I'm interested! I popped the pouch in the microwave for four minutes and considered how to make these more tasty. Maybe I'll just suck the butter from the cranberries. That sounds pretty good! But because I'm so adventerous, I decided to give them a taste test. The blend of butter and cranberries gave the vegetables a savory taste that I love. Yummy! Even if your a veggie-phobic like me, these are worth a try.

Green Giant claims there are 2 servings and that might be true if you live in the Land of Liliputtins, but I ate the entire container. Total calories if you eat the whole thing: 140, Fat: 5 grams (thanks to the butter), Fiber: 4 grams, Sugar: 7 grams. They are called an "immunity blend" because each serving contains 20 percent of Vitamins A and C, which are known to support a healthy immune system. A tasty snack to keep in your freezer at home or work.

Do you have recipes for healthy foods that taste good? Or have you found other ready-to-eat foods that taste good and don't pack on the pounds? Please share! I need your help.

Next Blog: The Truth about the "Big O" - Organics!

STRATEGY: Enjoy everything you eat. This isn't about being deprived of what you like, but making what you like work for you to keep you healthy and vital.

AFFIRMATION: I enjoy eating foods that support my health and vitality.

Lasagna's Secret Ingredient Shocker!

Went to Prof. Wonderful's house last night and was served lasagna "surprise." As readers of this blog know, I was very concerned that the surprise involved some type of tofu product. He wouldn't tell me what the suprise was and I reminded him that I have a laminated "emergency alert" card in my wallet stating that I am not to ingest soybean products of any type.

Not that I'm allergic; I just don't like them. It was a great day when my doctor said soy-based products could cause hormonal problems in women and I wasn't to eat any more of them. Sadly, this came great day came one decade after another well-meaning doctor said soy would be the best thing in the world for me and I began experimenting with all things soy. Soy milk, soy cheese, soy ice cream, you name it, I tried it. If you haven't done this yourself, let me save you some trouble. It all tastes like a mashed soybean, no matter how pretty the carton or how much you pay.

Back to the lasagna. I have to admit, I was a little afraid because who knows what a vegan might consider a "surprise." Had he stripped some needles off the pine tree in the backyard for color? Or dug down past the snow to pull up some weeds for texture? I swallowed the first bite with some trepidation and it was . . . good. I tried a second bite to make sure. Yep, he had used real pasta, tasty sauce, and while there was no cheese, it was definitely creamy and delicious and . .  .orange! Carrots? No. Squash? No. The secret ingredient was sweet potato!

The recipe was from The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your Life Plan. The cookbook was written by Rip Esselstyn, a firefighter in Texas who noticed he and his buddies were getting fat on their regular food. So, Esselstyn remade the traditional firefighter house recipes into tasty dishes that cut the fat and cholesterol. The premise of the book is, if a Texas firefighter will eat it, you know it's gotta be good.

Adding sweet potato is a stroke of genius! Prof. Wonderful has redeemed himself with this delicious recipe.  Now, excuse me while I go get seconds on the lasagna.

Lasagna surprise

Prof. Wonderful invitied me over for lasagna tonight. That's one of my favorite foods - pasta, meat, multiple cheeses - it's fantastic. So, why am I nervous? Because Prof. Wonderful's diet does not include meat or any kind of "cheese" that comes from cows. His "cheese" comes from soybeans. In fact, instead of cheese, he said there is a "surprise" ingredient.

Back in the day, whenever I put tofu in anything I called it the "surprise" ingredient. I'd say, "You'll never guess what's in here." And my guests never did; they were too busy trying to swallow my "surprise recipe." I've made lasagna surprise and chocolate pudding surprise, all kinds of surprises. Had to stop when people stopped accepting my invitations to dinner. There are still those who are scared to have me cook for them and they fall into two broad categories: 1) my family; and 2) my friends.

When I moved to the south, I discovered a new "surprise" ingredient - Velveeta "processed" cheese. Bright orange deliciousness. You can put it in anything and not only is it a suprise, it becomes cheesy delicoiusness. I have a favorite apples and cheese recipe from my friend, Michelle. Just like the tofu, I don't tell anyone what's in it until after they've tasted it. Difference is, they always come back for more and beg for the recipe.

Wish me luck as I check out Prof. Wonderful's suprise lasagna.

Lose 27 Pounds in 3 Weeks!

Weight Lost Since January 1st: 0
Days until my 50th Birthday: 127

Books and magazine headlines everywhere are promising that you can lose huge amounts of weight in ridiculously short amounts of time. There are three ways to do this and for maximum results, you will need to do all three: 1) Drastically cut down on the amount of food you put into your mouth; 2) Drastically increase the amount of time you devote to exercise each day; 3) Have any unnecessary body appendages surgically removed. Some days, #3 sounds like the easier solution.

Skipped my 10 minutes workout for two very good rationalizatoins, oh, I mean "reasons" yesterday: 1) I had hurt my knee and shoulder the previous day and they needed to rest; 2) God proclaimed we should rest on the seventh day and that was my seventh day.

Since I didn't devote my standard 10 minutes to exercise, I had more time yesterday to think about eating. In fact, I became a bit obsessed with it. You don't get to be my weight without a good, healthy obsession. I really, really, really wanted Cheese Puffs, glorious, radiation orange, greasy Cheesy Puffs. Normally, this obsession would work itself out by me stopping by my nearest grocery store and buying a family-size bag. But, because I'm "watching what I eat," I decided to buy the .99 cent bag at a gas station.

I'd like to be able to look back on that moment of weakness and say it wasn't worth it, that I didn't enjoy it. I really would like to be able to say that. But they were good. Really good. The best I can say is the obsession has now passed and today I do not want Cheese Puffs.

After one week of eating better and exercising, in which I had lost one pound, when I weighed this morning I was exactly where I had started. Someday, I hope to be able to make the connection between what I eat and what I weigh. That hasn't happened yet. When I am in obsessoin mode, I don't care. The good news is today is a new day and I can make new choices.

STRATEGY: Realize that each day offers you the opportunity to make new choices about what I eat and how I move my body.

AFFIRMATION: Today I rejoice in the knowledge that I can make new choices. I make healthy choices for my body, mind and spirit.

Unleashing Your Creative Genius

Days until my 50th Birthday: 131
Weight lost since January 1st: 1 lb.

If you ever think that you are not a creative genius, just remember back to the last time somebody asked you to join them at the gym. If you're like me, the creative juices start flowing immediately. Of course, to be effective, the reason you are not able to join them - under any circumstances - must sound somewhat reasonable. I like to stick to something like, ""Darn the luck, that's when I'm going to be practicing the didgeridoo in my ongoing studies of the native people of northern Australia." I bet you've come up with some winners, too.

On Monday, Prof. Wonderful and I committed to starting every day with 10 minutes of exercise. On Tuesday, I bounced out of bed, ready to meet the challenge. In less time than it takes to order a Value Meal at McDonald's I was filled with energy and ready to take on my day. Wednesday, same story. Why hadn't I been doing this all along? It's sooooo easy! Thursday - Is that a twinge in my knee? Maybe I should take today off. But then I remembered my committment and persevered. Didn't seem like nearly as much fun, but a deal is a deal. Friday - This is stupid. Is 10 minutes really going to change anything? What was I thinking? But I gotta do it; promised Prof. Wonderful. Saturday: Was I supposed to be doing something this morning?

Funny how the mind works. I spent a lot more than 10 minutes this morning coming up with a number of good, solid reasons why I shouldn't spend 10 minutes moving my body. Finally, the rationalizing grew so tiring I realized it would be easier to just do the exercises. And you know what? It felt good to honor my commitment to myself and to Prof. Wonderful.

STRATEGY: You know you're a creative genius when it comes to manufacturing excuses. Use that same genius to create a plan that will have you moving your body every day. Time crunch? Start with 10 minutes. Really out of shape? There are exercises you can do while sitting down. If you truly desire to have more energy and feel better, the creative genius within you can figure out how to make it happen, just give it a chance.

AFFIRMATION: Today I tap into my creative genius to create a lifestyle that gives me health and vitality.

Oh, no! The Law of Attraction Gave me What I Asked For

Weight Lost since Jan. 1st: .05
Days until my 50th Birthday: 134

One moment I was contently sitting on my sofa wondering what was in my cupboard that could be deep fried (the Twinkies maybe?) and the next thing I know I'm part of a "wellness group" committed to eating healthy foods and exercising for the next five weeks. This is the Law of Attraction in action, my friends; watch out!

Prof. Wonderful and I attended a Wellness Event on Monday night that said it was offering an "effective, inspirational approach to enhanced physical well being." Brilliant marketing because somehow I didn't tumble to the fact that that translated into "diet" and "exercise." I thought we'd hear a motivational speaker, get pumped up to do better and I'd be home in time to finish my fried ice cream.

First we were handed a workbook. Prof. Wonderful squealed in delight. Books, magazines and any form of the written word that takes up huge amounts of space and I can trip over thrills him. I was confused. Why would I need a workbook? How naive I was.

Right from the start I began hearing those key words that mean I'm going to be very unpleasant to be around for the next five weeks: no fast foods, no baked goods, no refined sugars. I think there was more but I started to grow faint as I saw my life as a foodie flashing before my eyes - garlic knots at Anthony's, pasta at Maggiano's, ice cream at Maggie Moo's, the memories flooded in.

Then, they started talking exercise, the need to move our body, being grateful we can move our body. I have to admit, the speaker's enthusiasm was sucking me in. We all know exercise is good for us, but he said the magic words to this group that largely consisted of Baby Boomers: exercise can help you LOOK YOUNGER! By the time he was finished talking we didn't even need our cars to get us home that evening. We were ready to run out of that building and keep running until the bags under our eyes fell off. Turns out eating the right foods combined with body movement helps plump the skin and give it a more youthful appearance. I'm on board with that as I say goodbye to my 40s!

The workbook is filled with sample menus, recipes and, I've got to admit it, inspiration. On New Year's Day I set an intent for 2010, my 50th year on this planet. I told the Universe I am creating a strong, healthy body filled with vitality. By setting that intent, I was setting the Law of Attraction into motion. I did not go into the details of how this would be done - that's up to the Universe. The wonderful thing is the Law of Attraction always works, in ways expected and unexpected. I had no idea what I was getting myself into that evening. I walked out with a healthy new eating plan that, now that I've recovered from my shock, I find is absolutely do-able. And Prof. Wonderful bought both of us an exercise DVD that starts out with only 10 minutes of exercise in the morning. Just 10 minutes that will set the tone for my day, help me think clearer and increase my metabolism. Luckily enough, I happen to have an extra 10 minutes a day since I'm not spending that time trying to fry macaroni and cheese (yes, it's possible!).

Best of all, Prof. Wonderful, who already has a clean, healthy diet, is completely on board with me and 100 percent supportive and enthusiastic. Which is what makes him, well, wonderful.

STRATEGY #8: Set a clear intent of what you want to create this year.

AFFIRMATION #8: All that I need comes to me with ease and grace.

Best and Worst Food Moments of 2009

Pounds lost since January 1st - 0.5
Days until my 50th birthday - 136

Nowadays, there are lists for everything - Best Movies of the Year, Best-Dressed Celebrities, Best McDonald's Drive-Thrus (oh, perhaps that one's just on my list). Food is a topic near and dear to my heart so why not a list of the best and worst food moments of the past year? Drum roll, please . . .

Best Food Moments of 2009
8. When my friend Bryan drove for hours so we could eat at Little America, which bills itself as, "The Finest Truck Stop in Wyoming." I don't even remember what I ate because I couldn't get over the fact that there was a chandelier over my table. At a truck stop. In Wyoming.

7. When Prof. Wonderful started packing Vegan Morningstar Veggie Burgers in his pants pockets "just in case" there wasn't food he could eat at the summer parties we attended. Not only were the dogs following him around, but I had to swat away a few vegan women, too.

6. There were many amazing discoveries in 2009, including a new giant rat species and the fossilized remains of a 42-foot snake, but none outranked the absolute joy Prof. Wonderful experienced when he discovered Go Raw - All Live Organic "Food" Bars. The bars are made of nuts and seeds and dried berries with no flavor added (they really didn't need to add that part; it's obvious). Prof. Wonderful describes them as "exquisite" but that's because he has not had sugar in over 20 years.

5. I made a great discovery myself - Coke made in Mexico is made with real sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup, and therefore I can drink it. Yes, I know carbonation depletes calcium; that's why I always make sure to have some ice cream after my soda. See? I'm always thinking.

4. When McDonald's brought back the McRib (for a limited time only!).

3. When I conducted the inaugural brownie contest to determine once-and-for-all the best boxed brownie mix. Don't try this at home; it will lead to pants with elasticized waist bands. The winner is Ghiradelli dark chocolate brownies with chocolate chips. Dark, crunchy bits of heaven.

2. Eating the last of the chestnut dressing at my Aunt's house. It's my grandmother's recipe and makes the holidays complete.

And the #1 Best Food Moment of 2009 is, without a doubt,
1. When I got a doctor's note saying I should not eat soy food . . . in any form (I had to pay a little extra for that last part). Tofurkeys everywhere breathed a sigh of relief that day. Tofu , soy milk, soy cheese, soy anything and everything was deemed off limits for me. Seems that for some people, soy can be inflammatory. I know I became inflamed whenever anyone tried to sneak some tofu into my food. Can I have an amen?

Worst Food Moments of 2009
3. When I realized that Pepperidge Farm was not coming out with its usual holiday cookie - the chocolate-dipped Milano double-chocolate cookie. Another sacred holiday tradition down the drain. The sorrow was quickly replaced by one of my Best Food Moments in 2009 - Chocolate-covered Ritz crackers. My doctor didn't say anything about not eating those!

2. Having to tell Prof. Wonderful that as much as I loved him, I just could not eat one more sandwich consisting of hummus on gluten-free bread. That was a rough patch, but we got through it.

1. Spending 2 days in San Francisco - a foodie's paradise - and not tasting one morsel of sourdough bread or dim sum. For those who do not know, dim sum is a traditional Chinese cuisine that consists of a variety of foods served in small portions for very large prices. Although some of it is not recognizable, there are lots of fried things from which to choose and that makes it all good.

STRATEGY #7: Create your own list of best moments from 2009. Like me, you'll probably find that the good far outweighs the bad.

AFFIRMATION #7: I enjoy eating foods that fuel my body.