My journey to Clean Eating

I have been fascinated for a long time with eating nutritious foods in my daily diet.  This is the beginning of my journey to do just that.  I am now a mom, a wife and it is my job to provide my family with the best nutritious meals and to teach my little girls the best way to provide their bodies with the best fuel. I have been feeling very sluggish and tired all the time and I think it has a lot to do with my diet.  Too much sugar, bread and food made in a science lab.  Today I made the first step to my journey of clean eating. I avoided the middle aisles at the grocery store as much as possible.  In the picture above is some items I added to my grocery cart. I have to say I felt good when I looked  in my grocery cart with all the healthier choices I made this trip.  I plan to add 1-2 new fruits or veggies to my list each week.  This week I purchased brown rice, and 100% whole wheat  spaghetti and pears which I normally wouldn’t pick up.  Wish me luck to a healthier more energetic life!

Weight Watchin' Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! Today is my blogging day that I always dread but love at the same time. My Wednesday weigh in- weight loss day.  I am a mom and a wife at the same time, I cannot put everyone on a Diet so I dedicate this one day to healthy weight loss tips and recipes just for me.  Oh and also the dreaded weigh in day for myself.  I will not say my weight yet because I am too chicken but I will tell you that I have lost 1.5 lbs last week following this new lifestyle. Yay for me! And Ya for Weight Watchers!
 My heart is in the kitchen especially baking seriously high calorie beautiful desserts which is how my blogging days begun but everything is in moderation and balance.

Here below is a great ZERO Points food value list for those of you following the weight watchers new points plus program.

Apples
Asparagus {12 spears} {1 cup}
Banana
Green Beans {1 cup}
Blackberries { i cup}
Blueberries {1 cup}
Broccoli {1 cup}
Cantaloupe {1 cup}
Carrots { 1 cup~ cooked/uncooked} Baby {10 carrots}
Cauliflower {1 cup}
Celery {1 cup}
Cherries ,fresh {1 cup}
Clementines { 2 small}3 oz each
Coffee,black~no sugar {1 cup}
Cranberries, fresh {1 cup}
Cucumber {1 cup}
Fruit salad in water {1 cup}
Grapefruit {1cup}
Grapes {1 cup}
Kiwifruit {4 oz}
Lettus {1 cup}
Mushrooms {1cup}
Pears {1 cup}
Plums {2 small}
Onions, cooked/uncooked {1 cup}
Raspberries {1 cup}
Salsa ~ fat free {2 tbsp}
Scallions {1 cup}
Soy sauce {1 tbsp}
Soft drinks/soda~diet
Squash {1 cup}
Strawberries {1 1/2 cup}
Tea {1cup} no sugar
Tomato, fresh, canned {1 cup}
Tomato paste {2 tbsp}
Frozen veggies {1cup}
Zucchini {1 cup}

Three Times Berry Pie

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups raspberries
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

How to make this Fabulous Pie:

        

   

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar and cornstarch. Add strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries; gently toss until berries are coated. When using frozen fruit allow fruit mixture to stand for 15 to 30 minutes, or until fruit is partially thawed.


Line a 9 inch pie plate with half of the pastry. Stir berry mixture, and transfer to the crust lined pie plate. Top with second crust, and seal and crimp the edge. To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of the pie with foil.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 minutes when using fresh fruit, 50 minutes for frozen fruit. Remove foil. Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Blueberry muffin

 

 

WHOLE WHEAT BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. honey

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. blueberries


Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin and muffin cups. Beat egg; stir in milk and oil. Mix in remaining ingredients except blueberries just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

Warm oatmeal raisin cookies

I seem to have bags and bags of raisins in my pantry. Thought I should use them up. So simple oatmeal raisin cookies were in order!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins

How to make them:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool slightly, remove from sheet to wire rack. Cool completely

Banana Bread

 

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 bananas
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup *Chocolate Chips

Instructions
1.Heat oven to 350
2.Combine and mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
3.Place batter in a greased bread pan (bottom only) or in muffin tins.
4.Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5.Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan. Complete cooling on a wire rack.
 Makes one loaf.

Chocolate Mini Egg Cookie

I found this idea with using mini eggs from my favorite magazine www.kraft.ca.  Thank you Kraft for the idea.  I did however change up the actual cookie dough recipe from what they use.  I just wanted to be a little different and try my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with the candy coated chocolate pieces of heaven.  This is a cookie that you need to take caution with keeping them on your kitchen counter.  They WILL call you name....

How to make these fabulous cookies...

2 1\4 cups all purpose flour,
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup of butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3\4 cup granulated sugar
3\4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-2 cups of mini candy covered chocolate eggs
1 cup of mini semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat your oven at 375 degrees

2. In a small bowl; mix together flour, baking soda & salt.

3. In a larger bowl{ or your kitchen aid bowl} mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, softened butter and vanilla until it becomes creamy.  Then add each of the 2 eggs one at a time making sure they are mixed in well.

4. Gradually add the flour to the sugar mixture. and blend.

5.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips,  Then on a pan with parchment paper drop each cookie by a rounded tbsp. And top each cookie with 3 or more desired candy coated chocolate eggs.

{this is the dough before it went in the oven}

6. Cook in the oven for 9-11 minutes depending on oven.  I like to cook them less time because remember { they will cook on the pan even when they are not in the oven. Giving you the best chewy cookie}

Enjoy

Applesauce

Found this recipe in the Biggest Loser 30-day Jump Start Book.

(1 point the old version) ( 2 POINTS~points plus)

Makes about 4 (1\2 cup) servings

per serving: 80 calories, 0g protien, 20 carbs, 15 gr sugar, 0 fat, 3g fibre, 0 sodium

Ingredients

4 Unpeeled apples (Gala or delicious)

1\4 cup water

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1\2 teaspoon ground cinnamon    

Directions

1. Place the apples, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat.  When water is boiled, reduce heat to low & simmer, covered.

2. Cook apples, stir occasionally ( about 10 minutes), or until they are soft but still hold their shape. 

3. Removethem from heatand allow to cool slightly.  Transfer the apples to a food processer and "pulse" to a chunky consistancy.

4. Stir in vanilla & cinnamon.  Serve warm or cool.

**Makes a great topping for hot cereal or perfect addition to stir into yogurt.**