Make a food diary for a week

Here's an idea! Make a food diary for a week. Do this for several reasons. Many times, if you know you have to write it down, you won't eat it. Also, at the end of the week you can look at what you ate. What do you think? Did you eat healthy? How much junk food did you eat? Were your meals balanced? How many servings of fruits and vegetables do you eat in a day? Try it and let us all know what you think.

How to lower cholesterol

I am reading a new book about how to lower cholesterol. Cholesterol Down: Ten Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in Four Weeks--Without Prescription Drugs by Dr Janet Brill.  For some reason, I just can't seem to get mine down even though I am eating very healthy. It's gone down from "oh, shit" to "still that high?". Anyway, I will keep you posted on what I've read.

So far... ALMONDS (1 oz; about 23 nuts) and OATMEAL (1 cup) eaten daily will bring it down. She cites research study upon study about how these foods help bring down your LDL levels. (bad cholesterol). She explains the science of it in very plain terms. I've been doing this for last several days and I've lost weight, too! I've been exercising, but I usually don't lose it that fast. I will keep you posted.

I have this book on my kindle.

hot sauce

I tried my hand at hot sauce today. My mom sent me a link on the internet to a copycat recipe for Taco Bell's hot sauce. This is what I did:

3 cups of water
3 tsp. cornstarch
1 can (6 oz) of tomato paste
3 T. white vinegar
4 tsp chili powder (you may desire it to be less hot - so cut back)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper or ground red pepper (less pepper if you don't want a kick)
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Dissolve cornstarch in water in a medium saucepan. Mix well all dry ingredients in a separate bowl; chili powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.  Mix the dry ingredients in with cornstarch and water mixture. Stir. Add tomato paste, vinegar, and lime juice. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before pouring into glass container. Store in refrigerator. Makes approx. 3 cups.

Grape-Nut Cookies

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 Tbls. honey
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 cup grape-nuts cereal

(next time I will add raisens or craisens, choc. chips, or peanut butter)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
3. Add honey, eggs, and vanilla; mix well.
4. Add baking soda, salt, rolled oats, flour, and grape-nuts. Combine until just mixed.
5. Drop Tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets.
6. Bake for 10-14 min. or until golden brown.
7. Cool 2-3 minutes; remove from cookie sheets.
8. cook on wire racks.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Recipe from Spry Living Magazine. 2001 Feb. pg. 5

Unsalted Butter

Did you know that unsalted butter (yes, REAL butter. Julia Child and I love real butter) is fresher than salted butter. The salt preserves it so it has a longer shelf life and can sometimes mask inferior ingredients. The unsalted butter has a shorter shelf life and therefore is fresher. When baking, always use unsalted butter unless the recipe states otherwise. This way it is fresher and you control how much salt is added. The amount of salt added to salted butter varies and is not consistent. If you use unsalted butter for things like toast, you can always add a bit of salt to your tastes.

Bought New Vegetarian Cookbook

We made a trip to Border's Bookstore today. When we got back out to the car, Nathan (my 11 year old), asked me what I bought. I told him a vegetarian cookbook. "What?! We aren't vegetarian!" My husband told me that I should probably take it back and get my money back. Do you feel the resistance? It's not like I'm going to force them to be vegetarians. But, it doesn't hurt to eat more veggies and less meat once in awhile.

Beer Chicken

I have a metal gadget that you put an open can of beer in the bottom and then you stick a chicken on it and bake or grill. Have you ever wondered who would have thought of putting a can of "anything" up a chicken's butt, cooking it, and then eating it? I mean, gross.

Bean Brownies and Diet Soda Cake

I've shared this tip with all my facebook friends, but thought I would share here as well.  A nutritionist on television said that you can puree a can of beans in the blender (Northern or Black). Mix the pureed beans into a brownie mix INSTEAD of the oil and egg. I have not tried it, but will very soon. Maybe this weekend!

Another friend of mine suggested to put a can of diet soda into a cake mix instead of the usual liquid ingredients. Dark cola for a chocolate cake and a clear soda for the lighter colored cakes.

writing a cookbook?

Has anyone written a cookbook before? I wonder how hard it would be. I love to try new recipes and enjoy cooking so much. I think that makes me a "foodie".

Beginning a Blog - Exciting!

Well, I got a hair-brained idea to start a blog to talk about food, cooking, nutrition, and overall health with some family anecdotes mixed in. Are you ready for a fun and exciting adventure with me?