Fitness~Health~Lifestyle~Take a Look at This Fabulous Blog

I adore this blog!

This girl is a wealth of information!

If you want tips on how to maximize your healthy lifestyle,

you MUST take a look at Heidi's blog!




click this link to read more!
Health Nut Mom Wannabee

A Little Levity ~The Mean Kitty Song

Kit Kitty little Kit Kitty~

Take a look at Kitty Sparta and his frustrated daddy!

Seriously, this video is so cute, and the guy (SMP Films) who put it together is super-talented! There are more Sparta sequels on YouTube!

ENJOY!

I SWEAR I'VE ONLY HAD ONE DRINK!

I ONLY HAVE ONE glass of red wine with dinner!

Honey, I only had ONE Glass of BEER with the guys!

I don't know what happened!

I had ONE glass of Champagne and ended up HERE!

Got Cheesy Buns? (~No, Not Yours~! ) I'm Talking About EASY Low Carb HAMBURGER BUNS! ~Keep Reading~

Just in time for backyard barbeques, here is a fabulous recipe for low carb hamburger buns, adapted from my Thin & Crispy Pizza Crust recipe!

Thanks to Charski (from Low Carb Friends) for tweaking my Thin & Crispy Pizza Crust to make these delicious cheesebread rounds!

One of the things most low carb eaters miss the MOST is bread. We all know white sugar and white flour are our enemies, but sometimes you just want a sandwich or a hamburger, right?

Don't fall off the low carb wagon! Keep your buns lean by shunning the white flour and trying these low carb delights!

Now, you have a choice when everyone else is eating a burger. Make a batch for home and keep some with you when dining out!

You'll never have to eat just the middle of a sandwich or burger again!

Incorporating the Low Carb Lifestyle to your way of life is as easy as pie (low carb, that is!) ENJOY!

Here is her adaptation~with pictures and Charski's notes!

Cheesebread Rounds - takeoff on NancyEllyn's Crispy Pizza Crust

DH and I really loved Nancy's crispy pizza crust. I got to thinking about it and figured, why not make a BREAD out of it? So this is the result!

Cheesy Bread Rounds

3 extra-large or jumbo eggs
1 scoop Designer Whey unflavored protein powder
1 tablespoon raw wheat bran
1 tablespoon flax meal
6 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
6 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375*

lightly grease nonstick muffin top pans to make 12 rounds

In a blender or food processor, place ingredients in order listed.

Process til smooth. (I used my VitaMix but will probably try the food processor next time - easier to get the stuff out! )

Portion equally into muffin top pans ( An ice cream scooper makes this very easy)
I used one that holds just under 1/4 cup

Smooth evenly into cups



Bake at 375* approx. 10 minutes, or til just starting to brown on top

They will puff a bit and then flatten again with cooling

Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely



Enjoy with our favorite low carb sandwich filling, tuna salad, cold cuts, burger, grilled chicken~Use your imagination!



Store leftovers in a ziploc in the fridge!

EASY, fast, delicious! I figured these to be about 1 carb each but may vary with the protein powder you use. Fiber is a trace.Thanks, NancyEllyn, for that wonderful pizza dough recipe!
__________________________________________________________________

Read the original post with follow ups here
http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lowcarb-recipe-help-suggestions/552023-cheesebread-rounds-takeoff-nancyelle-s-crispy-pizza-crust-pics.html

Thank YOU Charski, for this wonderful adaptation!

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

Crusading to Prevent Harm~ Medusa Writes and Informs from the Heart

My lovely, intelligent friend, Medusa, continues to blog against anorexia, bulimia, and very low calorie diets.

She is a hero in the world of those who want to educate themselves about eating disorders. Additionally, she is an incredible source of information for those who are struggling with an eating disorder.

Her platform is clear, and her zeal is admirable.

Recently, she wrote about how her blog was "searched" and what the content and key words of the search included.

Almost every single search, which led to her blog, had something to do with pro-ana, anorexia, bulimia, and one horrific search involved intestinal worms for weightloss.

Read about it here
http://2medusa.blogspot.com/2008/04/jaw-dropping-google-search.html

Is that not the most deplorable subject matter? I perish to think who would be searching for that sort of information.

Probably a young girl, wanting to look like her favorite celebrity.




Certainly, developing an eating disorder is no easy task. However many young girls actually SEEK advice on how to become anorexic!

How does a desperate young girl learn to become a skinny, frail, fragile facsimile of her idols and icons?



If she is smart (and most girls with eating disorders are) she goes to exactly the same place you and I go to for each and every bit of information we are interested in~ the Internet.

The Internet is both a blessing and a curse. WE have the world at our fingertips; and all that that implies. Good, bad, ugly, criminal...If we have patience and we can search, we can find just about anything on the vast world wide web.

Anyone interested in anorexia, bulimia or extreme dieting, can find an incredible array of information on the www.

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, anorexics and would-be anorexics around the globe can access more than 400 web sites designed solely for them.

These websites give tips on how to deprive, how to purge with laxatives and diuretics, how to deal with parents and weigh ins, and what to do to keep yourself from eating.

~Girls, Self Esteem, Apples & Boys~

I saw this on the internet and it really hit home with me.

Are our little girls like apples? Are we teaching them to be at the top? Do they feel worthy of love and adoration?

I am so saddened lately, about the promiscuous nature of our little girl children.

I’ve read reports about girls as young as eleven, engaging in sexual behavior. Is it because they idolize the likes of Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus (who has some pretty racy pictures out there, despite being only fifteen) or because their self worth depends on the attention of a boy?

Popularity is so important to teens, but, popularity at what cost? Being provocative and sexually available may be necessary for "popularity", but it will ruin the girls reputation, hurt their heart, damage their soul and ultimately CHANGE who they are and who they are meant to be.

It is important to tell our daughters, our sisters and our girlfriends how incredibly special each and everyone of them are. The man who finally wins their heart, should be as incredible and discriminatory as they are. Focus on their intelligence, their talents, special gifts~Help them love themselves so much, no one could corrupt their unique, special essence.

I think anytime a girl gives up a part of herself, in the hopes of winning the affection of a young man, and the young man “loves her and leaves her”, that part of her heart and soul erodes.

Every bit of innocence that is taken selfishly, hardens and hurts the heart.

I know we have a double standard in our society. We have forever. My mother taught me that is up to the girl to say “no”, because the boy won’t.

I’ve never raised a boy, so I don’t know what I would have taught him, with regard to this subject. I hope I would tell him to respect all girls and women, and don’t treat any female any differently than he would his own mother or sister.

Respect and revere; don’t use and abuse.

My darling father, now deceased, was a modest man. I remember my mother telling me that after having two daughters, he never looked at “sexy” girls the same. If he saw a girl behaving provocatively ( ie the Lido Review in Las Vegas, or the one time he and my mom were on a beach where some girls were topless) he would look away, rather than soak up the vision.

The reason?

My mother told me it was because all he could see in those women, was the fact that they were also daughters~ little innocent girls at one time. All he saw, was my sister and me, and perish the thought that we would be leered upon by some man.

We need our girls to value themselves, and we need our young men to appreciate and respect them for the goddesses they are. By respecting the opposite sex, the young men will become better husbands and fathers. By valuing themselves, the girls will be stronger, wiser and much more appealing. Love yourself and others will love you. Be brilliant and you will attract brilliance. A glowing spirit is anyone's best asset.

High self worth and respect makes for a better society. Tell you daughter, your sister, your friend, YOURSELF that you are worthy of all the love and respect the universe offers!

We should never sell ourselves short.

I May Not Be Famous~BUT~ My Pizza Crust IS!

The "queen" of low carb cooking actually included my pizza crust recipe on her absolutely wonderful website. I'm feeling like I got an A on a test, or a raise!

What a compliment!

If you don't know Linda Sue and her fabulous recipes, you don't know what you're missing in the world of low carb cooking/lifestyle. This lovely lady has adapted all of your favorite high carb recipes, tweaked them for low carb, prepared them for her family, and posted the recipes, complete with pictures and reviews.

Additionally, she samples other low carb recipes and places a rating for each and every recipe. She is a jewel in the low carb lifestyle world and you MUST visit her website! Her website is one of the BEST, when it comes to low carb recipe help.

Here is her wonderful website~
http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/index.html

This is the review and her adaptation of my pizza crust!

NancyElle's Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust





Ingredients

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
3 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon basil, optional
Toppings of your choice *


Mix the cheeses, eggs, garlic powder and basil well.

Line a 16-inch pizza pan with parchment paper or nonstick foil.

Evenly spread the cheese mixture in the pan, almost to the edge, making it as thin as possible. Bake at 450º 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

I suggest checking it after about 10 minutes. If it's getting very dark on the edges and top, turn the oven down to 400º and continue baking until brown all over and no longer pale on the bottom.

Pat off any excess grease then add your toppings.

Keeping the oven rack in the center position, put the pizza under the broiler until the toppings are hot and any cheese you added is melted and bubbly, about 4-5 minutes.

Makes 8 servings

* You may want to sauté your mushrooms, peppers and other vegetable toppings before using because the pizza will only be baked briefly with the toppings on. I also recommend pre-warming any meat toppings as well. I put all of my toppings, except the sauce and cheese, in a big skillet and heated them up together.

Nutritional Information
Crust only:

Per Serving:
176 Calories;
14g Fat;
12g Protein;
1g Carbohydrate;
trace Dietary Fiber;
1g Net Carb


Topped with 1/4 cup pizza sauce,
4 ounces mozzarella cheese,
pepperoni,
1/2 cup cooked Italian sausage,
4 ounces mushrooms,
1/4 cup green peppers:

Nutritional Information with toppings

Per Serving: 271 Calories;
21g Fat; 18g Protein;
3g Carbohydrate;
trace Dietary Fiber;
2.5g Net Carbs


***** (she gave me five stars!)Here are her tasting notes~

This is my new favorite low carb pizza crust and it's quick and easy to make. It is crispy on the edges and nice and thin. Even though it is very thin, you can easily pick this up and eat the pizza in your hand. I went very light on the pizza sauce on mine because it gives me heartburn. You could use more than I did but too much might make the crust turn soggy. Although 1/4 cup isn't a lot of sauce, I was able to very thinly spread it over the entire surface of the crust. It was just enough to suit me. I also went light on the cheese topping because there was already 12 ounces of cheese in the crust.

Four ounces for the topping was just enough to help hold the other toppings in place. Although one slice would have been plenty for me, I didn't have too much trouble eating two slices. It is very filling and satisfying. If you serve a salad along with this, one slice might be enough for all but the biggest appetites. Click here if you'd like to read Nancy's original recipe thread at Low Carb Friends.

Not sure about an ingredient you see here or where to buy it? Click here for information on just about any ingredient in this recipe.

Click any of the links below to visit Linda Sue's fabulous site!
HOME MENUS RECIPES BREADS SOUPS SALADS MAIN DISHES SIDE DISHES SNACKS DESSERTS MISC RECIPES

THANK YOU LINDA SUE! I'm such a rookie with recipe adaptations, your endorsement makes me so proud!

Why Chilled White Whine? Jackson Browne~How Do I Love Thee?~

Some people probably think I don't know how to spell "wine".

Ahhhh, but I do! The reason for the title of this blog has nothing to do with vino, a favorite beverage of mine for sure.

No, dear readers. It has to do with Jackson Browne,a man I have loved for over thirty years. A love my husband completely honors and accepts.

Many years ago, a music reviewer (who shall not be honored on my blog; thus no name) sardonically described the songs of my beloved Jackson as "California Rock? Chilled white
whine...."

What?????

Sacrilege I say, blasphemy for those who follow the "Gospel According to Jackson"!

This statement so incensed me (even in my youthful innocence) that I declared that one day, I would write a book claiming this title~Chilled White Whine~A Music Lover's Musings.

I would claim the title as my own, and rescue my lovely Jackson from that label forever more.

Although the book may be in the works one day, I am honoring my promise to myself and Jackson, via this blog.

This is for you, Jackson!

Yes! That would be me and Jackson, October, 2007.

Kimorexia~Low Carb Gone WRONG!

Please check out this blog and read up on how very scary the Kimkins diet actually is.
Kimorexia: Angry About Kimkins
"Kimmer" or Heidi Diaz advocated starvation (500 calories or less) and daily laxative use to the poor people who turned to her for dieting advice. How many people has she harmed?

Low Carb Food Porn? Do You Have Eggs & Cheese? Then You Have PIZZA!

Okay, folks....Here is another variation of Nancy's Low Carb Pizza!

I added an extra egg to make a slightly chewier crust. This is like a traditional, hand tossed pizza!

Ingredients for crust~

4 Eggs
3 Cups Shredded Mozzerella
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar/Jack Combo
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Basil

Mix all this in a bowl until all the cheese is coated with egg. I do it by hand, like when you make a meatloaf

The extra egg makes a traditional, substantial crust.

Your cheese egg combo will feel wet, but just pat, pat, pat it out onto your pam sprayed pan.

Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes

Here is a picture before baking

Once it is baked it will look like this

Now, add your toppings

I used

1/4 cup marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup shredded cheddar/jack

12 Italian Meatballs sliced into quarters

1 onion sautéed

Top the pizza and run it under the broiler at 500 until cheese is melted.

Here's what my finished pizza looked like! ~~~~~ I know you're drooling!

This yields a slightly thicker, chewy crust with crispy edges.

It makes a huge 16 inch pizza.

It yields 12 to 16 slices with a very low carb count depending on toppings.

If you like a classic, chewy crust, this one is for YOU!

Is this what we call food porn?

Enjoy with a side salad or some yummy broccoli!

DINNER IS SERVED!

Hope you will try it, especially if you low carb, or avoid gluten. No
flour of any kind in this yummy pizza!

A Personal Truth~A Blessing in Disguise

I started this blog initially because of my outrage over the fraud perpetuated by Heidi Diaz aka "Kimmer" (and many other aliases). Her seemingly cruel and abhorrent behavior incensed me. I will confess, this woman still disturbs me.

However, I know that negative energy I harbor for her is only festering within ME. My spiritual self tells me to release and forgive. I'm trying, but all of the analyzing I've done, based on the facts, reveals that she continues to hurt others.

I've often wondered what her personal truth is. What hurt has she experienced that created the person she is today? Of course, I have no idea, because she has not ever seemed contrite, humble or even embarrassed about any of her shenanigans.

I wrestle with my feelings because I believe we are all one; all part of the whole.

Although she didn't directly hurt me; she DID hurt me, by hurting some incredibly wonderful women. It doesn't make me feel good to be infused with negativity, so I'm going to try to turn it around, at least from my perspective.

Let's say everything DOES happen for a reason, and we are all in each other's lives to heal something within ourselves or learn something about ourselves.

Maybe this fiasco with Heidi has made someone stronger, more reflective, or wiser.

Perhaps it has brought people together, that would never had known each other~(I count myself in that group.)

Maybe you've found a loving heart and generous spirit in a person that would have never crossed your path, yet somehow enriched your life.

In your pain and anger, maybe you found a touch of humor and could laugh at an otherwise painful situation.

Maybe you discovered a side of yourself you didn't know existed; a blessing you may have not received, were it not for this horrific experience.

The community who has banded together as a direct result of Kimmer/Heidi Diaz is filled with extraordinary, intelligent, beautiful, fabulous women, and I am grateful~yes grateful to know you. You all inspire me and enrich me; that's why I want to help you fight the good fight.

Would we have all crossed paths had it not been for our common interest in bringing Heidi to justice?

I hope there really is a blessing in this experience for all of us. I think for me, the blessing is obvious. It's learning about and knowing all of you!

I LOVE My Sister!

Your sister is the closest thing to YOU, besides your babies!

My sister is dynamic, beautiful, loving and evolved....

My sister owns a part of my heart!~ I love you, Debbie Jan!

Back Across The Line: A good reminder....

A Wonderful Message from a Wonderful Person! Thanks BamaGal!





Back Across The Line: A good reminder....

An Observation~

Why Low Carb?

We have to work with our bodies and create harmony. Low carb can bring balance to your body, like nothing else.

Based on my own research, I believe that inflammation is our bodies biggest enemy. Inflammation upsets the beautiful synergy within.

When one eats white flour, white sugar, processed breads, cereals, grains, weird butter type spreads, refined cookies, chips, white bread, cakes, mac & cheese, et al (the list goes on and on and on) I think the body will react to the irritant by producing an inflammatory response.

This could manifest as anything~heartburn, spastic colon, exzema, psoriasis, acne, migraines, problems with menses, allergies, colds, flu or even worse cancer, diabetes, or a myriad of chronic health problems.

Granted, outside sources can contribute to inflammation that we have no control over, but we can control what we ingest.

I thought I was avoiding anything inflammatory, until I discovered Red Dye 40 ( and other numbers!). Check your labels...what you think may be safe contains crap like red dye, msg, other chemical additives that I cannot spell or pronounce and that our bodies do not recognize.

Believe me when I tell you, I have suffered from a myriad of conditions that I blame on inflammation. Now, many, many years ago.....I put it all together, and have tried to eliminate most inflammatory substances from my diet. I'm not perfect, but I do the best I can.

The Fountain of Youth? (It’s Not Botox)

Besides good health, let me tell you what else can be achieved when you eliminate sugar, flour and crap from your diet.....You will improve your skin tone. Ladies (and gents) I am telling you, the fountain of youth rests with an anti inflammatory lifestyle.

I am fifty years old (Yes, I said it 50). I used to lie about my age because I could and everyone believed me. But, I'm going to be honest and tell you that I am 50, that's me in my avatar picture. My photo isn’t faked or photoshopped and I have more if anyone wants proof. (no Russian Brides here!) Here's another recent one with my husband.




I have NEVER had botox, plastic surgery, restalyne, boob implants, lipo, or anything else.

Because I follow a diet relatively free from inflammatory substances, I believe my skin has not suffered from the effects of free radicals. I seriously don't have wrinkles and my hair is full (although I do have to touch up a bit of gray).

I don't use Retin A or anything like that. Just Oil of Olay for sensitive skin and make-up you can buy at Wal Mart or Target. I even tan (not burn, there is a difference), with no ill effects.

The Secret Is On the Inside

Learn to love and forgive, add good supplements, don't eat junk. DON’T SMOKE! Get some exercise at least five times a week. Meditate, pray, take time for yourself. The fountain of youth and of health will be yours!

True beauty is within; treat others as you want to be treated, release anger, try not to stress!Love your body and she will love you back!

LOWEST CARB! Thin Crispy Pizza Crust! BEST EVER!

I decided to experiment ~.

I know, that sounds dangerous, but stay with me here!

I've been housebound since an unfortunate allergic reaction to some shea butter moisturizer. (caveat~if you are allergic to tree nuts, DO NOT slather shea butter all over your face,
neck and body to combat dry skin).

Anyway, I don't know if it was the copious amounts of allergy meds I've taken, or the obsession I have with the myriad recipes encountered on the web, but I had a weird dream about making pizza crust that didn't involve cauliflower, zucchini, shirtake noodles or broccoli.

I woke up with this crazy idea and I'll be darned if it didn't work! I still love the veggie
pizza crusts, but this was delicious and easy for a change.

Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust

Heat oven to 450 degrees

In a bowl thoroughly combine

3 eggs

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp basil

press evenly into Pam sprayed pizza pan or cookie sheet

(this makes one 16 inch pizza crust)

Bake at 450 degrees until golden brown

Here is what your crust looks like after baking

It will completely lift off your cookie sheet. I patted the grease off
of it, but that step is optional

add toppings of your choice

I added

1/4 cup low carb marinara

1 cup Mozzarella cheese

2 links Italian sausage (browned and crumbled)

1/4 cup sliced back olives

After adding toppings, run the pizza under the broiler until cheese is melted
and toppings are bubbly

This slices up beautifully and the crust is crispy and thin

Yes, you can hold it in your hand!

This was super easy to make! The veggie crusts are much healthier, I'm
sure! However, this is a very quick and easy alternative, especially if
you want a crisper crust!

Broccoli in Pizza! LOW CARB GOURMET PIZZA! YEAH BABY!

Of course your favorite foods can be duplicated! Even PIZZA !

Try this next time you want a low carb treat!



BROCCOLI SURPRISE GOURMET PIZZA!

This was AMAZING! Here's some step by step instructions along with my
pictures!

2 cups cooked broccoli shredded (squeeze out as much water as you can)

2 large eggs

2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 cup shredded cheddar

1tsp garlic powder

combine all and press evenly into well greased pizza pan or cookie sheet
(this makes a LARGE 14 inch crust)

sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and basil (if desired)

Bake at 450 degrees until browned and bubbly (15-20 minutes)

Crust before baking

Crust after baking

Remove crust from oven and add toppings of your choice!

here is what we used~

sauté the following in olive oil

1 red pepper

1/2 onion

1/4 cup fresh spinach

prepare 16 Italian meatballs from the recipe of your choice; slice in even
pieces after baking

chop 1/4 cup black olives

1/4 to 1/2 cup low carb marinara sauce

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Assemble the pizza!

Spread sauce over crust

Sprinkle Cheese evenly over crust

Arrange sliced meatballs over crust

Top with sautéed pepper, onion and spinach

sprinkle black olives over entire pizza

Broil at 500 until cheese is melted and toppings are bubbly!

EAT and ENJOY!