Are You a Hungry Girl?
Posted on: May 11, 2010
Great Recipes,
Let’s face it, if you are over the age of 40, it seems like you are on a perpetual diet, it never ends..I keep telling myself “I am eating healthy” but in reality, ITS A DIET!
I was put on a “Healthy Diet” by my cardiologist, 2 years ago, to help with my skyrocketing blood pressure..it worked great in the first 5 months I shed 45 pounds and was at a normal BMI without that much excercise. Then…well…lets just say I slipped , gained it all back..
So when I returned, to my cardiologist, I was in the hot seat, to say the least..so I started back, but this time…even after following the same diet the weight refused to budge. I was even walking, 1 or 2 miles a day…So forget just eating “Healthy” I had to do a drastic cut in calories..
A DIET…1450 calories a day…now the scale is finally showing a decline.. Yea I was eating very healthy, but I like food, so I ate lots of healthy stuff..nothing processed, no sweets, just fruits, vegetables, chicken and fish…but someone forgot to tell me healthy food has calories too{LOL}
Now I don’t know about you, but I have a sweet tooth, and after 2 months of all this healthy food and not seeing the weight drop, I was depressed to say the least. So I thought, if I could just have something sweet, to satisfy my hunger, maybe I wouldn’t be so inclined to eat so much healthy stuff…I mean after all you can only stand so many carrots, apples, and sweet potatoes…You might say…Linda the answer to that problem is Just don’t eat so much of the healthy food cut back your portions…blah blah blah…yeah I could do that…but I would have been hungry…fat…and miserable...a very bad combination for a 40 some year old menopausal woman!!!
Now, I like easy, things to prepare…not something that is going to take forever in the kitchen…so I began looking for recipes, for easy things to prepare for a snack..that would satisfy that sweet tooth, and not destroy my 1450 calorie diet… I found tons of recipes for things…but…..you had to cook, bake..or they had over 250 calories and lots of fat….NO GOOD…a snack must be under 250 calories..
Then I found Hungry Girl..cookbook, she also has a website…with a lot of good ideas and recipes…If you haven’t checked them out..do because I have prepared a lot of things from her book, and found them to be most tasty and satisfying. A lot of her things call for sugar substitute splenda, I use stevia, I cannot tell the difference… Most of her recipes are easy, easy easy.
- Some of my favorite recipes are
- Banana cream pie
- vanillalicious cafe freeze(blended coffee drink,yum yum) apple cinnamon crunch parfait, and coconut cream pie…
If you looking for something easy, and delicious, and satisfies that sweet tooth, these will do the trick…So all you Hungry Gals, check out her website for the recipes…stay skinny, stay happy..and lets all pretend “WERE JUST EATING HEALTHY”
Oh yeah…Please don’t tell my cardiologist, I have traded eating the carrots with the sweet delicious apple cinnamon crunch parfait..As long as I loose weight.. she can still think I am one of those health nuts….yeah right….The way I see it, Life is short, I am going to enjoy it….I may have to diet to keep my blood pressure undercontrol..but I am going to still indulge something sweet, and satisfying..
I do not want to give the wrong impression , this book if filled with healthy recipes from meat,to vegetable recipes…I am enjoying the dessert recipes though… there is a really sweet vegetable recipe that is full of fiber and omega’s 3 Mapelicious Butternut Squash..love it, one of my favorites…good with chickcen..yum yum
Lets Do the Deal
Posted on: May 10, 2010
It,s Monday, time to get a new week planned out and get to work..I keep saying I am going to get work, but somehow I do not quite accomplish the task..anyway one of the task I always do for a new week is go thru circulars from Sunday Paper, and look for bargains. I consider myself a Coupon Diva..
I started couponing last year, when I watched a clip from the Coupon Mom website. At first I thought this is ridiculous how could I possible save as much money as this lady. After watching several videos on you tube on how to start, my coupon journey began. Yes I said journey,because it takes time to learn this skill, perfect your craft, and learn what works for you.
I am convinced that if I did not live in a one horse town, with only 2 stores, I could save a fortune, but you have to work with what you have.
I drive almost, 25 miles to the nearest Krogers, because this is the best place in this area to redeem your coupons. Everyone thinks that Wal-Mart is the place to for bargains, (so did I) but not so…now I am not saying that there aren’t things you can purchase cheaper at Wal-Marts. There is..but if you
truly want to be a Coupon Diva, forget Wal-Mart.. I have put myself on a grocery budget, and I always find if I go to Wal-Mart I spend more than I intend to..to many things to choose from to many impulse items at the front..I always pray, Lord lead me from temptation..So the good lord responded to my prayer and said” you need groceries, not pretty shiny things…(this is what he told me, I swear) so he led me away from Wal-mart and all their pretty shiny things.
If you are going to be serious about couponing , you must have an organized system, there is a video on you tube that explains how to do this..and trust me this is the best..It’s easy, and you always have everything neat and organized..once a month I go thru my notebook and look for outdated coupons, and remove them…I have about 15 different categories in mine, but you can put as many as you like. My book is set up to follow the aisle at Krogers because that is where I shop most often..(CVS, and FoodLion are excellent coupon places also).
One of the things I found that works for me the best is I have a certain amount of money I allow for coupons within my budget..unless I run upon a killer sale which sometimes I do then I will make an exception.One of the key things I had to realize was that when using coupons, to make the system work, you have to purchase items in quantity when they are on sale, and build a stockpile, now this takes at least 3 months, after that you should see a real difference in your grocery bill. There was a few months this was the best things that ever came my way, because of unforseen money circumstance (like a car repair bill) I was not expecting I took my most of the money budgeted for grocery and paid the bill, with no doing without because I had enough things stocked from couponing. Items you use everyday, (toothpaste, paper towels,toilet paper, deodorant shampoo , especially razors, should be bought and put away.) Like this week Krogers has the new Schick Hydro Razor for 6.99 I have 3 coupons for 5.00 each meaning I will get 3 razors for less than the cost of one. You may say but I don’t need 3 razors, well I have found after 25 years of marriage, my husband will always ask for a new razor after I have already been shopping, and to go out and purchase one when it is not on sale, now that is ridiculous …This is a top quality razor cheaper than disposables..I never buy replacement blades because razors is something regularly featured in coupon inserts.
My system may not work for you, you will have to devise your own system that best suits your needs… but give couponing a try…it is easy, does not take that much time once the initial coupon book is set up, and saves you tons of money. The best I have done is about 90.00 at one store…(like I said if there were more stores available I could do better) but 90.00 for one week of grocery shopping is a big difference!!!
I will elaborate more on couponing, this is just one of many post on it, so please check back…. and if you have any questions just leave me a comment..
If you want to see what is on sale for the stores in your area, and the coupons available to use with the sale for bigger savings , join the Coupon Mom group. it is an excellent site, I use it often. Remember you must have a plan when you go to shop..you cannot just go to store and try to find coupons that you have dropped down in your purse…WONT WORK... It only takes about 10 min out of your week, and you could possibly save 50 to 100 dollars..Now how many jobs have you worked that you made that much money in about 10 or 15 min???? It is your money u decide…
If you are one of my facebook friends and you would like a coupon organizer let me know, I have an extra one, I would gladly give to someone. Just leave me a note..
Everyone have a great day, and save lots of money!!!! Linda
Sunday Dinner
Posted on: May 9, 2010
Cooking for my Mom today, I love her very much, and I hope she enjoys today.
Great meal planned……. ham and rolls, greenbeans,
roast, butternut squash, fresh corn on the cob, cheesecake, chocolate, and one with blackberries… tea, coffee..yum yum
oh yeah I forgot, I’m on a diet, and will be very limited on what I can eat, but I made everything as low fat as I could..so a little want hurt I guess.
Found some recipes using the new Almond Milk from Silk…This stuff is awesome!! I normally use soymilk..but this almond milk is 100 times better.. The cheesecakes are made from it….u cannot tell the difference..once slice of the cheesecake made from the almond milk is 190 calories 4 grms of fat…not to bad…
Can’t blow the diet to bad just lost 2 pounds this week, and it was not easy…had to cut my calorie count to 1450 all week to loose it..man as you get older it gets a lot harder.. have a great evening everyone..
Mother’s Day thoughts
Posted on: May 9, 2010
I hope all you mothers out there have a grand day, and you are richly blessed..
Mothers Day has never been a big event my house, my son on some occasions remebers to call and say Happy Mothers Day but not often..
Now I am not saying that to invoke pity, or to make him sound like a horrible son…no you must read on…He would tell you and me also I do not need one day of the year set aside to let you know what a great mom you are… He often tells me ,Mom your the greatest…Mom I love you at least 4 or 5 times when he calls home..and I know he is saying it from his heart..
Whenever he has a questions about life, his job, his relationships with friends,I am the one he calls. This makes me feel wonderful as a mother, because I know that he values what I have to say , and he thinks that I am capable of helping guide him thru the hurtles we all face. There is no greater gift or compliment than to have your childrens trust and faith that you have wisdom to help them make the correct decisions in life.
I look at him and think, God has truly blessed me, he kind, and smart, funny, and very protective of his mother..all the things you dream of when you first, hear the words.. from the doctor You are going to have a baby…
So even though a big fuss will not be made today…I don’t care…because I know I am blessed to have him, and many times every day, he lets me know I am a great mom in his eyes…
Starting a new blog
Posted on: May 9, 2010
I have had an account for awhile to blog, I was so excited to share it on my facebook page..but when I sat down to write, I came up blank..
I thought there are so many great blogs out there, whatever shall I write on? So I thought and I thought, yesterday while talking to my sister
I realized that I should just write on what is on my mind that day.. I am not really educated in one thing, but I do know a lot of tips and tricks on dieting, cleaning, couponing, photography, and raising kids… So that is what I am going to do…whatever is on my mind that day, is what I shall write about…I hope you enjoy..and come back often to let me know what u think.
Tips and Tricks for Todays HomeMaker 
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