"WHAT'S COOKING WITH RUTHIE?" Well how about some fabulous Banana Bread & Recovery Smoothies! YUM!

Last week we had a "workshop" in Relief Society. One of the classes was about Menu Planning. I was totally inspired! I can't wait to get settled in our new home over this week. Next week, my goal is get MUCH better about it. I mean, it is the best thing for your budget and your waist line! I know, for me, if I have a plan, I plan healthy. If I don't, I eat whatever is easiest. Generally not the best choices.

Sometimes I get in a bit of a recipe slump. I have tons of great recipes, but it is always fun to switch things up and try new recipes. For this, I have to say, the internet is one of the greatest tools around! SO many amazing cooks post their recipes with step by step how-to's. I love that. What is real magic is when you find a blogger that posts recipe after recipe that just sings to ya. You know what I mean?

Well recently my friend Ruth started a food blog. It is called "What's Cooking With Ruthie". I love how personal she makes each recipe & post AND the fact that they are practical & realistic family meals, treats, etc. PLUS, she comes from famous cooking stock! Her grandma had a cooking show on TV in the 60's called, "What's Cooking With Louise Connolly". How cool is that?! Check her blog (the link above) to see a picture of her grandma from the TV Guide. Pretty cool!

Anyway, I wanted to share Ruth and her blog with you! What better way than to share a couple of her recipes with you, right?! So, I asked Ruth to do a little guest post for me and she was kind enough to obligue! Thanks Ruth! :) Here you guys go! Be sure to check her blog for more SUPER YUM recipes to try and then add to your next Menu Plan!

Take it away Ruth!

One of my most frequently used recipes of Grams is her Banana Bread.  It's hands down the best I have EVER tasted!  Gramma Weza was always happily busy in her kitchen.  We have a large extended family and she frequently hosted dinners for all of us... one of my uncles has 13 kids! Anyway, I miss Gram.  She died of Breast Cancer in 1996 at too young of an age. I wish my kids could of known her...maybe through my cooking, they do a little bit...

Gram is one of my hero's. She was a single mom of 5 in the 60's and 70's when people did not get divorced.  I am a divorcee and at that time a mother of 3 young children, the example Gram set of strength and determination has helped pull me through some pretty tough times... as my Aunt Jinny reminded me, "We come from tough stock, we are strong women."  

I'll share her original recipe and then my, slightly healthier version.  I think both are really good and for some reason using fresh lemon juice makes it super amazing!

 Louise's Banana Bread
In large mixing bowl, beat well:
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
 2 eggs

Add:
2 large overripe bananas

Add:
2 C flour

Hand stir remaining:
1 tsp soda (dissolved in 1 Tbls water)
1/2 C walnuts (optional)
1 Tbls lemon juice

Spray 1 glass loaf pan with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.  Toothpick in comes out clean when done. Spread butter across the top of warm bread and sprinkle with sugar.
Note: Gram lined the inside of the loaf pan with foil or waxed paper-- before cooking spray.

Ruthies Banana Bread
Blend:
1/2 C butter
1/2 C applesauce
3/4 C sugar
2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites (I use that combo for higher protein and lower fat/cholesterol or use 4 eggs )

Add:
2 2/3 C flour - half at a time

Add: 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
1 tsp baking soda
4 overripe bananas- add one at a time

Mix for 2 minutes on high to blend well, batter will appear glossy.
Pour into 3 glass loaf pans or lined muffin tins... my kids favorite part is sprinkling the tops of the batter with brown sugar. (a trick I learned from my mom)
Bake at 350 degrees.
 Loafs- 35-40 minutes, muffins- 18-20 minutes. Poke with a toothpick, done when clean.
Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn them out on the rack to finish cooling.



Mix batter, add bananas (the blacker the better)



Sprinkle with brown sugar before baking



Oven ready



Cool 5 minutes on wire rack



Turn out to finish cooling

Banana Bread always reminds me of Gram. I hope when my kids make this recipe for their children, they'll talk about Gram, and this Banana Bread recipe will continue to connect the generations... Maybe this post will start some new banana bread generations out there?

And how about another.....

RECOVERY SMOOTHIES

I keep myself physically active... my family is too.  For the past 12 years I've been a runner at almost every level.  My first 5K meant as much to me as my first marathon... there was a period in my life when I was over weight, unhealthy, and out of shape. 12 years ago, I made some changes and started to learn what a balanced, healthy life style was all about.  I learned to eat and exercise intuitively (a super great book, "Intuitive Eating" by Tribole and Resch talks about this concept).  I have tried to teach my kids these principles in hopes that they won't struggle, as I did for many years. I love that my body can do almost anything I ask of it and I am so grateful.... really, our bodies are amazing!
 

Recovery after exercise is vital... part of this is adequate rest, the other part is good nutrition.  This smoothie recipe is a favorite of our families.  The kids like it in the morning for a quick breakfast!  They also ask for them after football or basketball or dance practice (depending on the kid). There's a 30 minute window, after exercise, to get the best recovery nutrition to your muscles.  I'm so glad that they are aware of their bodies and are learning how to take care of them. 



Didn't I have glasses like that in the 80's?

 Recovery Smoothie
1 C water
1/2 banana (I buy on sale, remove skin, break in 3rds, freeze in ziplocks)
1 scoop whey protein (I buy at Costco)
1 packet Emergen C (Costco, again!) 
1 Tbls Flax seed (don't skip this one... it's so good for you)
1 tsp Glutamine powder (this is specifically for after intense workouts)
1 C frozen fruit (yep, Costco)
 (optional 1 tsp lemon juice, if you like a sour twist!)

Blend the first 6 and then add the frozen fruit.  (I have to triple this recipe for our family.) *I got this recipe from my Rockin Awesome trainer friend...


Add water



The ingredients



Add frozen fruit



 Bottoms up!

 Another really good and simple one to try is:
1 C Milk (even soy)
1 banana
1 scoop of whey protein Blend

Live, Laugh, Love.... to do that we need a balanced diet, exercise, and take good care of our bodies! After all we only get one!!!

Time for A Little Endorphine Releasing Lymphatic Massage, People!

Have you ever heard of LAUGHTER YOGA? No? Well, check this out.




I LOVE to laugh! I laugh all the darn time! I love to make my hubby laugh and I love that he ALWAYS makes me laugh. My favorite sound in the WORLD is the sound of my kids laughing!

My friend Jeni found a Laughter Yoga class and I SO wanted to go with her. As it is, we are a few weeks from ONE GINORMOUS downpayment on our new home. The budget is TIGHT! Real TIGHT! So I had to forego! I was so sad! I think Laughter Yoga with Jeni would be one of the funnest experiences EVER! Probably because we both could sit for hours with each other and bust up over everything! I love that about her!

She just posted about her experience in the class. I really loved it! Wanna read it? CLICK HERE. Now THAT sheds a little light on why laughter is so darn good and makes you want to try to laugh a little more, doesn't it?!

Well, I am here to provide! Let the endorphine releasing & lymphatic massage begin!

There is nothing like a laugh that makes you laugh harder, which makes them laugh harder, which makes YOU laugh harder! LOVE THIS! The guy in the middle KILLS me!

And now for the 14 year old boy in me. I don't know why, but these totally crack me up! :)

Alright, now get back to your day, and for the love of Pete, laugh a bit more, would ya?! :)

THREADING

The other day my friend asked some local friends if they knew anyone that did eyebrow threading. I must be seriously behind the times. I honestly pictured some sort of eyebrow extension! Can you imagine?! :) So I did what every other information seeking person would do....I Googled it!

Oh and am I ever glad that I did! Thanks to this little tutorial, I threaded my own eyebrows this morning! I don't think I will every pluck again! THIS ROCKS! I also threaded my upper lip....this is NOT for the faint of heart....which is why only half of mine was done until I forgot the pain and the watery eyes and sneezing.
B R U T A L!!

Apparently it is like waxing, because it pulls the hair all the way down to the follicle and makes it grow back slower and finer. Well shoot! If that is the truth, I am just about as pleased as can be!

Wanna try? Here is the tutorial I watched. I checked out some others. They were quite annoying, to be honest. This girl has two different videos. Here is the one I like most. Oh, and when you try it on yourself, don't get frustrated that it feels a little awkward! It does for a bit, but then you get the hang of it and you want to call all of your sisters and your sisters friends and your sisters friends cats....Ok, maybe not that far, but seriously! You will want to thread everything you can get your hands on! Ok, maybe not, but your eyebrows will thank you for it, anyway.

Here you go!

A Trick For The Picky Eaters!

My Mallory is honestly one of the pickiest little people EVER!! I know there is some texture issues with it, but I will be honest, it makes me CRAZY!

There is nothing quite like making a nice dinner for your family, only to sit down to long faces, complaints and sometimes even tears! UGH! It makes me nuts! I knew I had to find something that would help the situation!

So, one day I decided to try having Mallory cook the meal. Maybe if she is the one that cooked it, she would be willing to at least try it.

Andy you know what?!

IT WORKED!!

I have made this soup a bunch of times and she would never touch it. Even though it is filled with things she loves, like celery, carrots, etc. There was no way she would even think about letting that past her lips. However, as we cooked she sampled. She even wanted to sample a raw onion. I let her. I forewarned her that it would be spicy and not very great, but that after it cookes it is amazing. She tried and decided she didn't like it raw, which is OK! I honestly just care if she gives it a fair try.

Working together on this soup was a lot of fun for us! My great grandma ALWAYS cooked something with me. Those are some of my most fond memories of spending time with her. I loved it and would love to create the same memories with Mallory, ESPECIALLY if it serves as a double bonus by helping us get her to try new things!

This soups was gobbled by the spoonful! I was thrilled!

I can't wait to try more things with her so she can get a bit better at this whole picky thing.

Do you have any tricks? Heavens knows I could use all the help I can get! Please tell me what works for you!

Bountiful Baskets!

Have you heard of Bountiful Baskets?!

I LOVE IT!!

There has been a whole lot of this around my house.....

And This......

And THIS........

I am loving it! Here is the low down......

You go to THIS website. You sign up. You make a "contribution" every Monday morning. Your contribution is $16.50. That includes one basket. LOADS of fruits and veggies. Then you can add the bread pack for $10. It comes with 5 loaves and the bread is whole grain, no preservatives and totally awesome! You can also throw in other miscellaneous packs they offer, if you want. One week I ordered the tropical pack. It came with the most divine mango's I have ever had, banana's, honeydew, pineapple, a coconut, mint leaves, vanilla beans, limes, lemons and STARFRUIT! DELISH! I made a fruit salad out of some of it! Totally different than my norm and TOTALLY AWESOME!

Honeydew, pineapple, starfruit and chunks of raw coconut! I felt so tropical! I LOVED IT!

Anyway, back to the skinny....when you make your contribution you pick your state (they are ALL OVER!) and the pick up spot closest to you. It will have the location and time for pick up listed.

On Saturday morning, you show up at that place, no later than 20 min after your pick up time, and they hand over a load of produce! All for $16.50 (plus anything else you may have ordered).

Here is the thing, I have heard a lot of people say that they don't eat that much produce and they are afraid it will go to waste. Some people split one order with someone else to help with that. I have learned that I eat WAY more produce now days! I know I will be replenished next week. AND that there is a lot to eat by then. I find that I am filling my meals with loads of fresh veggies. For dinner the other night we had Chicken Marsala, delicious corn on the cob, watermelon & steamed asparagus! It was so great!

To give you an idea of what comes in a basket, last week I got a LOT of red potatoes, fresh blueberries, bananas, a pineapple, a canteloupe, brocolli, romaine lettuce, jicama, apples, oranges, etc. Sometimes I have had watermelon, strawberries, corn, etc.

It has all been good and SO worth it!

In reviews I have read that people have priced what they got out at anywhere from $33-$62 worth of produce! All for $16.50. All fresher than from the store! I LOVE IT!

Just wanted to share it with you! Check it out! Feel free to ask anything about it! I may not have all the answers, but if I can help, I would love to!

Calorie Counting Snack Ideas

Remember last weeks healthier snack ideas? Did you make any of them? Did you love them? 

I just wanted to share a few more good snack ideas that I learned from that meeting. It is always good, for me at least, to have a few quick HEALTHY "go-to's" in the pantry, otherwise, my quick "go-to's" aren't so much as healthy as they should be! So let's dish this out, shall we?

This first list is for the calorie counters. Just some ideas. I like reading lists like this because it sparks my creativity. I may not like some of the things on the list, but it makes me think of something I would like.

100 CALORIE SNACK IDEAS

1. 1 c. Sliced Bananas and Fresh Raspberries
2. 2 c. Carrots
3. 3 1/2 c Air Popped Popcorn
4. 5 Melba Toast Crackers, Rye or Pumpernickel
5. 2 T of Peanuts
6. 2 Domino Size Slices of low-fat Colby or Cheddar Cheese
7. 1 Fat Free Pudding Cup
8. 1/2 c of Sugar-Free Gelatin, any flavor, and 2 T low fat Whipped Topping
9. 15 Chocolate Covered Raisins
10. 6 Animal Crackers
11. Add 1/4 of fat-free Ranch Dressing to 1 c of mixed Fresh Veggies such as Zucchini, Red Bell Pepper, Celery, Carrot Sticks and Cherry Tomatoes
12. Either 6 Saltine Crackers or Two Graham Cracker squares with 2 tsp of Peanut Butter or Fruit Jam
13. One 1/2 c of Fat-Free Ice Cream
14. A luscious Parfait: 1/2 c of Low-Fat Pudding layered into a parfait glass, alternating with two crumbled vanilla wafers and a dollop of Low Fat Whipped Topping to Garnish the top
15. Spoon 1/2 c of Salsa and 2 T of Non-Fat Sour Cream over a small Baked Potato
16. Place a Marshmallow on top of a Graham Cracker and microwave until gooey, drizzle with a tsp of Chocolate syrup
17. Cut half an apple into slices and spread with 2 t Peanut Butter
18. 1/2 c of Applesauce and 1 piece of toast cut into 4 sticks for Dipping
19. 10 Dry Roasted Cashews or 12-15 Natural Almonds
20. 26 Grapes
21. 1 two inch slice of Angel Food Cake
22. 1 Hard Boiled Egg
23. 4 Hershey's Kisses
24. 2 T Hummus with 12 Grape Tomatoes

This next list was an idea they gave at the class. This is a "build-your-own" type of list for snacks and lunches. It's a list to keep handy so we can combine different portions to keep portions and calories under control.

BREAD, CEREAL, RICE & PASTA               CALORIES

1/2 c plain cooked instant oatmeal              80

1 oz Cheerios Cereal                           110

1 c Cooked Tender Macaroni Noodles             115

1 Twisted Dutch Pretzel                         65

1 Slice French Bread                           100

1 oz Shredded Wheat Cereal                     100

FRUITS

1 c Fresh Blueberries                           80

1/2 Cantaloupe Melon                            95

1 c Unsweetened Applesauce                     105

1 medium size Banana or Pear                   105

VEGETABLES

1 c Mixed Veggies, Cooked                      105

1 Ear Corn on the Cob                           85

1 c Squash (baked acorn or butternut)          100

1 Sweet Potato Baked/Broiled and Peeled        115

1/2 c Frozen Broccoli with Cheese Sauce        116

MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, EGGS and NUTS

1 Fried Egg                                     90

1/4 c Frozen Egg Substitute                     30

1 Roasted Chicken Drumstick (1.5 oz)            75

1 T Peanut Butter                               95

5 oz Turkey Breast (roasted, no skin)          115

12-15 Almonds                                  110

2 T Pistachios (25)                             92

DAIRY, MILK, YOGURT and CHEESE

1 c Skim Milk                                   90

1 oz Bleu Cheese                               100

1 oz Cheddar or Swiss Cheese                   115

3 Fl oz Fat Free Vanilla Ice Cream             100

SWEET TREATS

1 3.5 oz Brownie (from box mix)                160

1 c Hot Cocoa (from powdered mix)              100

1 oz Hard Candy or Jelly Beans                 100

FATS, OILS and SUGARS

1 T Olive or Canola Oil                        120

1 T Whipped Butter                              80

1 T Regular Mayo                                99

1 T Light Mayo                                  44 

10 French Fries                                110

    

   

   

Eat This...Not That

                                                                              Image from PNWER

So, as of late I have been trying to get back on my schedule of getting myself back in shape and healthy again. I absolutely LOVE working out really hard! It isn't really comfortable, but I am addicted to the feeling I get afterward.

I would say that my biggest problem is making healthier food choices. I am not a crazy junk food addict, but I am a creature of simplicity. I grab what is easy, good for me or not, and usually the latter. Having PCOS means that I have to be CRAZY careful with food choices (like sugar, refined or simple carbs, etc) I'm learning or at least trying to! :)

A while ago our Relief Society had a lesson about making healthier choices in our lives. We had a fabulous taster table with some healthy treats. They were SO yummy! Each one of them were a representation of a better choice to make. For example exchanging chips and dip with a better version of chips and dip, etc. I just can't resist sharing some of the recipes with you! You MUST give them a try! You will totally love them! I know I am planning to whip up a few of these this week!

BAKED GARLIC PITA CHIPS

* Olive Oil Spray

* 4 (6inch) Whole Wheat Pita Breads

* 3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

* 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed

* 1/4 t Salt

*Heat Oven to 400  *Spray 2 rimmed baking sheets with olive oil spray  *Use a pair of kitchen scissors and cut along outside edge and separate each pita into 2 circles  *Cut each circle into wedges and arrange on baking sheet  *Combine Olive Oil and Garlic  *Lightly brush on to each pita triangle (only the side facing up)  *Sprinkle with Salt  *Bake until chips are lightly browned around edges and crisp (turn the pan once during baking) 8-10 minutes  *Chips can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days

*Makes 48 Chips: 16 Servings

Calories: 53.6  Fat: 2.9  Protein: 1.1g  Carbs: 6.2g

GUACAMOLE

* 2 Plum Tomatoes, finely chopped

* 1/4 c Red Onion, finely chopped

* 2 T Fresh Lime Juice

* 2 T Fresh Cilantro Leaves, chopped

* 1/2 t Fresh Chiles, seeded & minced

* 1/4 t Salt

* 1/4 t Ground Cumin

* 2 Small Ripe Avocados, pitted and peeled

*Gently combine the tomatoes, onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt and cumin  *Stir  *Add the avocados and use a fork to gently mash and combine with other ingredients

*Makes 2 c: 16 (2 T) servings

Calories: 43.3  Fat: 3.7g  Protein: .6g  Carbs: 2.9g

BLACK BEAN DIP

* 1 (15oz) Can no-sodium Black Beans, rinsed and drain

* 1/2 c Fresh Cilantro Leaves

* 1/4 c Chopped Red Onion

* 1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped

* 2 T Fresh Lime Juice

* 1 T Orange Juice

* 1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

* 1/2 t Minced Canned Chipotle Chile in Adobo

* 1/4 t Salt

*Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed

*Makes 1 1/2 c: 12 (2T) Servings

Calories: 40.9  Fat: 1.2g  Protein: 2g  Carbs: 5.71g

CHOCOLATE ALMOND MERINGUES

* 3 Egg Whites

* 1/4 t Cream of Tartar

* 1/3 t Really Fine Sugar

* 3/4 t Almond Extract

* 2 oz Dark Chocolate, finely chopped

*Whip until soft peaks about 3 min  *Fold Chocolate into mixture  *Put mixture in plastic bag that has a small hole in the corner  *Pipe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper  *Bake for 40 minutes at 250

*Makes 20 cookies

CHOCOLATE PRETZEL BARK

* 12 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

* 2 c Thin Pretzel Sticks

* 3/4 c Dried Sweet Cherries, chopped

* 1/2 c Pistachios, chopped

* 1/4 c Crystallized Ginger, chopped

*Place chocolate in microwave safe bowl and microwave on high 1-2 minutes, stirring after 30 seconds  *Stir in pretzel sticks, coarsely chopping with wooden spoon  *Pour mixture into 9x13 pan lined with wax paper, spreading to coat bottom of dish  *Sprinkle remaining ingredients on top, pressing into chocolate  *Refrigerate until hardened (about 20 min)  *Invert chocolate bark onto plate, carefully peel off wax paper and break or cut into pieces

*Makes about 1-1 1/2 lbs: 16 (1 oz) Servings

Calories: 175  Fat: 8g  Protein: 2.3g  Carbs: 25.8g

CHICKEN SATAY WITH ALMOND SAUCE

* 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

* 1/2 c + 1 t Low-Sodium Tamari

* Juice of 1 Orange

* Juice of 1 Lime

* 3 Cloves Garlic, chopped

* 1/2 c Rice Wine Vinegar

* 2 T Natural Almond Butter

* 1 T Honey

* 1 T Fresh Minced Ginger

* 1/4 t Toasted Sesame Oil

* Olive Oil Spray for Grill

*Slice chicken breast into thin strips (3-4inches long)  *Thread 2 pieces on each skewer that has been soaked in water 20 min  *In medium bowl mix the 1/2 c Tamari, orange, lime juice and 2 Cloves of Garlic  *Add the chicken slices and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight  *In a blender or food processor place vinegar, almond butter, honey, ginger, sesame oil, 1 t Tamari and remaining Garlic, blend until smooth  *Set aside until ready to serve  *Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat  *Spray grill with Olive Oil Spray and grill skewers for 2-3 minutes per side  *Arrange hot skewers on a platter and either drizzle with sauce or serve on the side for dipping

*Serves 4

Calories: 203.5  Fat: 5.5g  Protein: 29g  Carbs: 9.1