The Winter That WOULD NOT DIE!!!

I know it's only February, and we still have AT LEAST two months of winter left, but here I am at home on our FIFTH or SIXTH (I've lost track) snow/cold day of the year since January 1st!  I am not complaining at all (about not being at school) because, to be honest, this morning's commute was more than I could bear. 

The newscasters were calling the metro roads "treacherous" and recommended "not leaving the house unless absolutely necessary".  Thick ice from recent metling, covered with 8 inches of new snow, and winds whipping it all around at 20-25 miles per hour...no THANKS!!

The day started with the district calling a two hour delay for students, and staff instructed to report "as soon as they could safely get there".  Had I left at my normal time, I would already have been on the road for an hour by the time they called it (which is REALLY disconcerting).

So...glad to have the snow day, to "catch up" on stuff, and stay in my bathrobe, but REALLY, REALLY, SUPER REALLY ready for this winter to end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last Saturday, I put away the plastic snowmen that were on the deck, and shoveled off the two feet of snow that had accumulated there.  This is what it looks like again today...

 

 

 

...sigh...

Here's hoping YOU live somewhere warm...and green!!!!

Brrrrr!!!

What a strange school year, and a crazy 2014!!!!  In my last FOURTEEN years in Minnesota, I've had exactly FOUR snow/cold days. 

This school year, and this month...THREE!  I'm certainly not complaining about another "day off", but I'm SURE I will be at the end of the school year, when we have to make them up....!!!!

Here's hoping YOU aren't burrowed down in a place with temperatures that rival the average daily temperature on Mars too!!!!

The Diet Continues!!

I'm about four weeks into the diet, and I'M HUNGRY!!!  Not really...I've found some really good recipes, with very minimal Weight Watchers points.  I DO miss pepperoni and green olive pizza, and cupcakes, and "spoons full" of peanut butter, but, it's all good.

There are good days, and CRAPPY days, but, overall, I'm happy with my progress.  TEN pounds down...SIX to go to get to goal.

Here's where I started...

 

Here's where I am...

 

Here's where I want to be...

 

I'm getting there!!!!!

To that end...here are some recent recipes that I've been cooking to help achieve my goal...

Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Breakfast Bake 

1	c. UNCOOKED quinoa
1½	tsp. cinnamon
½	tsp. nutmeg
⅛	tsp. ground cloves
2	apples, peeled and diced
¼	c. raisins, soaked for a few minutes in warm water to "plump"
2	eggs
2	c. skim milk
¼	c. maple syrup
⅓	c. sliced almonds

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Pour quinoa into baking dish. Sprinkle apples and raisins on top.

Whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Pour over the top of the fruit in dish. Sprinkle almonds on top.

Bake for 1 hour until casserole is set. Allow to cool and refrigerate leftovers.
4 servings = 9 pts. 6 servings = 6 pts.

Pizza Pasta Bake

1	lb. ground lean turkey sausage
1	medium onion, chopped
1	clove garlic, minced
1	carrot, minced
1	tsp. Italian seasoning
2	tsp. olive oil
1	(26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
8	oz. whole wheat rotini pasta, cooked and drained
2	c. shredded reduced fat, part skim mozzarella cheese
32	slices turkey pepperoni

 

Brown ground turkey, onion, carrot, garlic, and seasoning in olive oil.  Drain.

 

Stir in pasta, spaghetti sauce, and 1/2 c. cheese.

 

Place mixture in 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

 

Top with pepperoni.

 

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes, until heated through.

 

8 servings = 10 pts. each.

 

 

Cauliflower Oreganata

1	head cauliflower, cut into florets
2	T. butter, melted
2	T. olive oil
⅓	cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
¼	cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1	T. garlic powder
2	T. dried oregano
	a palm full of fresh chopped parsley
½	cup water or vegetable broth

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

 

Place the cauliflower florets and the water/vegetable broth into a baking dish.

 

In a small bowl mix the butter and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

 

In another bowl stir together the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic powder, oregano and parsley. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture overtop the cauliflower. Evenly pour over the butter and olive oil mixture.

 

Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes.

 

Remove the foil and cook another 20-30 minutes until the cauliflower is tender and the breadcrumb golden brown.

 

4 pts. = 4 servings

 

Here's hoping YOU are attaining your "New Year's Resolution" goals too!!!

 

Adding to the "Diet Food" Repertoire

"Diet food" can be SUCH a drag...carrot sticks...celery...ground turkey...more celery.  I'm FOUR days into my "New Year's Resolution" diet, and have lost three pounds, so it's working, but temptation is EVERYWHERE!!!

This morning Duane and I went to a cupcake place that we really like, Sweet Bebe Cakes in South St. Paul, because today is their final day of business.  After two years of DELIGHTFUL cupcakes...like the salty dog...

...they are calling it quits. 

Cupcakes don't usually tempt me, but these are DIVINE.  I will really miss them.  We bought TWO DOZEN assorted cupcakes...

...and are freezing them for a cold winter day...which...apparently...will be tomorrow (a temperature of -12, and a wind chill of -9,000,000, I think...).

Anyway...what was I talking about.  Oh yeah...dieting.  I managed to only eat a QUARTER of a chocolate ganache cupcake before they were put in cold storage, but needed something TASTY to compensate.

I found the following recipes recently...the Super Sloppy Joes were in a recent edition of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and the Cauliflower Casserole came from Pinterest.  Neither are chocolate, and I wouldn't drive twenty minutes to buy them, but, for "diet food", they're pretty darn good!

Not my actual sandwhich....although it looks just like this.

Photo from:  http://www.lazarocooks.com/2010/06/quick-and-healthy-tempeh-sloppy-joes.html

Super Sloppy Joes

 

1 small white onion, finely diced

2 ribs celery, finely diced

1 small red bell pepper, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pkg. (1 1/4 lb.) ground turkey

1 can (8 oz. ) tomato sauce

1/4 c. ketchup

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

whole-wheat buns

 

In large skillet, saute onion, celery, pepper, carrots and garlic over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, or until they begin to soften.  Add turkey.

 

Continue to cook, using spatula to break up meat, for 5 minutes or until turkey is cooked through.  Add tomato sauce, ketchup,Worcestershire, brown sugar, salt and pepper.

 

Stir.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until flavors blend, and sauce thickens.

 

Serve on whole-wheat buns.

 

 

Cauliflower Casserole

 

1 head of cauliflower, cut into pieces
1/2 c. water
garlic powder, salt, and pepper, to taste
2/3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. skim milk

Cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces, and place in large saucepan with water. 

Steam until cauliflower is tender, drain water.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Add milk.

With a fork, two knives, or a potato masher, mash the cauliflower with milk until only slightly lumpy.

Add cheddar cheese and stir.  Place in casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove and top with mozzarella cheese.

Place casserole dish under the broiler (uncovered) for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbling on top.

Here's hoping YOU have a couple of healthy "go to" foods to make you forget things like cupcakes and chocolate too (yeah right....)!!!





A Brief Glimpse of Green

Duane and I typically try to take a trip "out of town" during winter break to get AWAY from the infernal cold and snow of Minnesota.  Flying standby, however, makes it a little risky.  This year,  due to EVERYONE trying to get somewhere warm, and nasty weather systems, and delayed/cancelled flights throughout the U.S. (due to those nasty weather systems), we decided to not even try.

We DID briefly entertain the thought of going to NYC to ring in the new year, but decided that getting up at 4:30 and trying to get to the airport in below zero temperatures was NOT very appealing.  Turns out it was a good thing we didn't go...with the impending storms, we would probably NEVER have made it back...

Not the couple to just "sit around"...we decided to take the next couple of days as a "stay-cation" here in the cities.  Today's trek involved lunch at coffee shop called "Groundswell" in St. Paul (at which I had an AMAZING black bean burger with sriracha horseradish aioli)...

...and a lovely, warm, GREEN meander through the Como Conservatory.

I LOVE the Como Conservatory!  The sunken garden is probably one of my favorite places in the twin cities...ESPECIALLY when the temperature outside is STUCK at -7 degrees!!!

 

 

 Tomorrow...we're off to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts...another of my FAVORITE places in the cities!!!

Here's hoping YOU are staying warm, and enjoying a lovely "vacation" too!!!!!

New Year's Resolution- Motivation

I haven't really had time to make my "formal" list of resolutions.  It's still a work in progress...BUT...at the TOP of the list, is to LOSE WEIGHT. 

I'm finding it more and more difficult to lose weight as I get older, and I'm also finding my willpower to say no to fried foods, cookies, peanut butter, and, of course, bacon practically non-existent!!!

To motivate me to lose about 15 pounds, I am posting my most recent school photo in hopes that seeing myself looking...a little portly...will help!

I think I'll also post THIS photo as added incentive...!!!

Here's hoping YOU are well on your way to a better new you too!!!!  Happy New Year!!!!

Reflections on Commuting

I've never been a patient driver.  I get behind the wheel and suddenly EVERYONE is an idiot, and NO ONE, apparently, ever took a driver's ed. class IN THEIR ENTIRE CLUELESS LIFE...

That being said, I now find myself BEING a commuter.  When I took the new job this fall, I KNEW it would be a struggle.  I KNEW it would be a challenge.  I THOUGHT there were enough radio stations, and musical lyrics to memorize, and relaxation techniques to master...and it would be fine.  I vowed that I would learn to relax, and come to enjoy the "quiet time" in the car.  Yeah...not so much.

In my countless hours in the car over the last several months, I have made a few observations.  I have come to realize that there are, basically, FOUR kinds of commuters.  They include:  "Mr. Shifty", "Ms. Tortoise", "Mr. RIGHT UP MY BUTT", and "Miss Driver's Ed"  (and, even though I've assigned a gender to each, the types are not gender specific).

"Mr. Shifty" is the guy or gal who NEVER stays in a lane longer than three seconds.  Somehow believing that the line of DEAD STOP traffic ahead will not interfere with getting from "point A" to "point B" quicker, "Mr. Shifty" weaves in and out of open spaces (left by "Ms. Tortoise", which I shall describe next), causing those of us behind, beside, or in front of them, to veer off course, slam on the brakes, and, generally, try NOT to get sideswiped, dinged, or rammed as a result of their intense desire to get beyond the jam, and zip merrily on their way.  "Mr. Shifty" could also be called "Mr. I Don't Ever Use My Turn Signal Because It's No Ones Business Where I'm Going", but that's too long to type, and uses too many capital letters...

"Ms. Tortoise" is my LEAST favorite commuter, and the rationale of this woman (or man) is COMPLETELY beyond my realm of understanding.  "Ms. Tortoise" CRAWLS through traffic jams, leaving AT LEAST NINE CAR LENGTHS in front of her at all times.  When traffic is moving, or the roads are slippery, I understand leaving a little "sliding/slamming on the brakes" space, but when you are at a DEAD STOP, there's ABSOLUTELY no reason to sit a distance the length of a FOOTBALL FIELD behind the vehicle in front of you.  "Mr. Shifty", "Mr. RIGHT UP MY BUTT", and even "Miss Driver's Ed" will ALL cut in front of you, causing those of us behind you to be delayed even longer, since you INSIST on keeping that same distance AT ALL TIMES, no matter how many cars fill the void.

"Mr. RIGHT UP MY BUTT" is the complete opposite of "Ms. Tortoise".  Come dry roads, rain, snow, ice, or tornado, he's right on your back bumper, DARING you to touch your brakes.  "Mr. RIGHT UP MY BUTT" makes sure that NO vehicles are going to get between him (or her) and you...no matter what.  When "Mr. RIGHT UP MY BUTT" is behind me, I avoid a glance in the side view mirror, because "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" would put "Mr. RIGHT UP MY BUTT" squarely in my back seat...

Luckily, there is a genteel and docile commuter known as "Miss Driver's Ed".  She (or he) is generally young, looks like they might have JUST completed actual driver's ed, and does everything correctly.  She (or he) maintains a safe distance behind the car in front (but not too much, like "Ms. Tortoise"), signals when switching lanes, smiles when making eye contact with other commuters, and waves when someone lets her (or him) in when switching lanes.  Unfortunately, "Miss Driver's Ed" is a rare and elusive creature, and sightings are about as common as Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. 

I guess I could classify myself as a FIFTH, and probably not very desirable, type of commuter..."Mr. Yell At People And Man Who Needs To Learn To Relax".  The name is too long, and is a species that probably needs to become extinct. This type of commuter is a tricky one to identify, and is kind of a Jekyll and Hyde.  He starts out calm, and vows to make it home without transforming into the monster, but...after encountering all of the other types of commuters over and overANDOVERANDOVER again during that tedious, TEDIOUS drive, finds it almost impossible.

So..."Mr. Pissy", as I will call myself for now, needs to figure this out.  I can't continue to expend THATMUCH energy twice a day for nine months of the year.  It's almost New Year's Resolution time.  I will add "calm commuter" (a more attainable version of "Miss Driver's Ed") to my list, which I never quite seem to accomplish, but for which I continue to try.

Here's hoping YOU have a short commute, or, if it's a long one, that you are not a "Mr. Pissy" (or a "Ms. Pissy") as I am.  If you have any suggestions as to how to make the commute more "harmonious", please feel free to leave them in the comments section of this post!!