Soup's on!

Easy Cauliflower-Parmesan soup

2.5 c leftover roasted cauliflower (olive oil, sea salt, pepper, cauliflower at 425 for 20 min + 1/4 c grated parm on top at the end)
1 T olive oil in pot
1 Onion
2 Celery stalks
1 and 1/2 c chicken stock
1/3 c parmesan cheese


Brown the onion and soften the celery in the pot first, then add the stock.
Add the leftover cauliflower.
Get out your wand of wonder (or use the blender)
Blend all ingredients until pureed.
Warm on low.
Made enough for 2.5 bowls of soup at about 150 c a bowl. Enjoy!

I made up this recipe, avoiding adding my favorite heavy cream, and it was still delish! For a higher calorie version, check out Pioneer Woman's version. You just know that's gonna knock your socks off!

Lunch

Well here's the sad truth. My lunches are almost invariably leftovers. Whatever anyone else doesn't want to eat, I eat. Mostly because I can't stand waste, but also because it's easy. Yesterday (pictured) it was refried beans, homemade salsa, a green salad, and sauted onions and bell peppers with a slice of turkey lunchmeat on whole wheat. Boring, I know! But I got a few containers emptied and outta my fridge.

Can I just vent?

Do you ever have a week that just seems hard? Maybe it's nothing out of the ordinary, just hard. I have to keep reminding myself that life wasn't intended to be easy...that would take all the fun out of it. Mama Haas, I really liked your quote. It got me thinking about some problems I am dealing with and how I expect a single action to fix everything, but that's not how things work. In order to loose weight we have to be consistently good about what we put in our bodies, and the same concept applies for any other result we are striving for.


So, here's what's got me down...
I found out that my 6 year old has been getting in trouble every day at school, since school began on Tuesday. He's beating himself up over it, and so am I. I'm not sure what to do, or what's going on...but I do know I am going to have to request a meeting with his teacher and shoulder the weight of it on my own since my honey is out for a bit. This really stresses me out. I often jump to conclusions...and the voice in my mind sounds like this...

"He's going to struggle through school, drop out, and be homeless."

Silly, I know, but with a husband who's too busy to talk at the moment, I find my sounding board of reason temporarily missing.

He's a good kid, but he's impulsive too...just like me. Last year his teacher was so patient and loving toward him. This year, from what I know about this teacher, it's going to be a different story. He also has a snorting issue, one we have been trying to get to the bottom of for the past 2 years. We have been doing allergy shots for the past year to try and help him, but it hasn't made a difference. I just took him to the ent this week, and hopefully we will get some answers. The girl who sits next to him in class was making fun of him, and on Friday, while she was teasing him, my son responded to her by telling her he couldn't help his snorting, and the teacher caught him talking and sent him out of the classroom to sit in the hall. He's so down on himself, and his behavior this weekend has been just horrible.

Do you have any advice?

Anyway, thanks for listening and being my sounding board. I feel better.

Time travel

Somedays I feel like there is no time to exercise in the day. The day itself is one big race from one commitment to another. Other days, like today, I find time, reclaim and repurpose it for the better.

Today the kids were up rather early for a Saturday making quite a racket, so I rolled out of bed to quiet them down. After breakfast came the kids' cherished Saturday morning screen time and suddenly, I realized there was a window of time opening before me. I could have addressed the messy kitchen, the pile of laundry, the muddy floor or the scattered school papers, but instead, I shrugged my shoulders, ran upstairs, bolted into my gym clothes and whispered to the groggy husband "I'm going to the gym, be back in about an hour."

When I got home, nothing had changed. Kids still glued to the screen, dirt, grime and stuff still waiting for cleanliness and order, husband still sleeping. It was like I opened a door in time to a secret world and came back the very same moment without any time passing at all. Cool.

My Lunch . . .

So, since blogger will no longer let me comment on this blog {what is up with that? Can anyone help me?}- I'm going to try to post about my lunch for Melissa. I had a fresh peach, carrot sticks with hummus, a pulled pork sandwich with zero additional toppings on a whole wheat bun and a big glass of milk.

Tiny Mr. Oliver had two turkey slices, fresh peaches, raisins, a string cheese and whole milk.

Tonight I have a dessert party to go to. I am making a triple berry trifle and oatmeal cookies. Neither are low fat. Both are the exact opposite of low fat. I will try to have only a bite of trifle and one cookie. Aaack!

Fall salad for lunch

Well, since I kind of invited you, I felt like I needed to pull out the big guns and make that fall salad I mentioned earlier in the week. This salad was yummy with fancy lettuce, goat cheese, roasted butternut squash, and green lentils. It was also rather time-intensive for a busy mom lunch time treat. Still, I will use the leftover roasted butternut squash and lentils for a soup this week-end or early next week. So in a way, I've made two meals at once! {The kids had tuna fish on wheat, baby carrots, and plums for lunch. They wouldn't touch that salad with a ten foot pole.}

Easy to do. Easy not to do.

I have been listening to a new book these last few days and I decided to share a thought or two. He is talking about how slight the edge is between success and failure. We all know things like what food is good for us, that we need exercise, water etc. and they are EASY things to do. But the problem is, it is also EASY NOT to do them. We do not see immediate success. We eat healthy one day, look in the mirror but all that flab has not disappeared. We expect a quantum leap and it doesn't happen. We have to continue to be consistent to see results and in our microwave, immediate gratification world, it is hard.
We have all the information and technology but if we don't have a "processor" we don't have anything to build on. We need to have a philosophy which in turn creates a attitude which leads to action. If immediately after we ate a juicy double cheese burger, we had a heart attack, we wouldn't eat another one. But no, it takes time too. So we can either do the right things and be successful or we will later face the consequences. My philosophy needs to be like our Blog......Healthy Wife, happy life. Then I have something to build on.
Gave me something to think about and confirm that it is the small daily choices that do make a difference.
Lets all have a good weekend. I am attending Time Out For Women so I know it will be great. Twelve of us are staying overnight at the Embassy Suites on the River Front by Old Sac. A real time out for some young mothers.
Becky, have fun scrapbooking. Sorry you are not going to Salt Lake..:( but I'm sure you will have fun. Remember to choose the "easy" things. Mamahaas

Lunch date anyone?

I'm one of those people who goes to Open Houses even when I'm not house shopping. Or who peeks into windows, all lit up at night, just to see how other people's dining rooms look. I'm a nosy Nellie like that. So today I'm wondering if you won't let me peek into your lunch box. What will you/did you have for lunch today? That's what I want to know. When I figure out what I'm having, I'll get back to you.

The Last Bite

The other day as I was enjoying a yummy zucchini casserole for lunch when I was met with a common predicament. Just over halfway thought eating my lunch I started to feel full. Thus begins the battle between my mind and my body.

My mind says, "Mmmm this is so yummy keep eating."
While my body answers back, "Not too much, stop eating."
Followed by my mind saying, "You can keep eating, you have the calories to spare."
Met by my body's reminder, "You will regret this later if you overeat."

I am trying to be more aware of what my body wants and not be tied so much to numbers but it can be downright hard especially with a food like this that I LOVE! After all it is 95% veggies. Does anyone else have a hard time leaving food on their plate? Especially when you have the calories to spare? Do you have a secret weapon to get through it?

I take it back

Hi Ladies! I'm about halfway in the Women Food and God book and I take back my preliminary assessment. This book has got me thinking quite a bit. But, half way through, I've decided it would be more appropriately titled "Women Food and Compulsive Eating" {that wouldn't sell as many books though}.

Here are some choice bits:

"Sometimes people will say, "But I just like the taste of food. In fact I love the taste! Why can't it be that simple? I overeat because I like food." But. When you like something, you pay attention to it. When you like something--love something--you take time with it. You want to be present for every second of the rapture." p 53

"A talk show host once asked me how people could change their relationship with food. When I answered that understanding was the first step, he said, "That's it? That's all? We're supposed to believe that change happens by going around understanding ourselves?" Yes, as the first step. Because until you understand who you take yourself to be, true change is not possible. Even if you are lucky enough to get every single thing you think you want, the person who gets those things--your sense of yourself--will still be poverty-stricken and miserable and fat." p. 78

"Change, if it is to be long lasting, must occur on the unseen levels first. With understanding, inquiry, openness. With the realization that you eat the way you do for lifesaving reasons." p. 80

The unseen levels. That's where it's at ladies. Hope you've been spending time understanding your unseen levels! O.K. that's it on my book report. You'll just have to pick it up yourselves. Right, Jenn?!

Late Exercising?

How does everyone feel about exercising later at night?  You wonder why I am asking?  Well it seems the older I get the earlier in the evening i need to exercise.  It use to be that I could exercise at 10pm at night and go right to bed afterward.  Now if I exercise past 8pm I am up for several hours and cannot fall asleep.  The only exercise I can do later at night, as long as there are no headstands, is yoga.  Let me know what you all think.

Not Your Ordinary "Regular" Walk

So while I was out in California I was able to get a couple of walks in with my mom. My parents house is perfectly located for some great loop walk/run paths. This particular one is just about 2 miles long and has some great rolling hills.

So the second morning there I get up to walk the dog with my mom. It's a beautiful morning, cool temps, blue skies, no humidity. This is an exercise haven.

As we're walking my mom says to me that we're going to pick some figs off of the tree just ahead for breakfast. I'm thinking to myself that we're not very far into are walk and that's a long way to carry them but I'm like OK.

So we walk up the street and come to this huge lush fig tree right on the road. I pick two handfuls of figs and continue on. Not much longer I look at my mom...she's eating the figs. I start laughing, ohh. this is a little early breakfast treat. So I eat the two handfuls of figs which were juicy and delicious but at the same time I'm thinking what is this going to do to my bowels.

A little further on the walk we had blackberries that were warm and reminded me of having a warm berry pie strait from the oven.

I wish this was my regular walk because I love figs with a little Gorgonzola cheese and balsamic vinaigrette and they are expensive in the store.

As a side, I did not suffer any ill effects from this "regular" walk and we did it again....

Mmmm. Figs. Good Stuff.

Sampling at the library

Look what I picked up at the library today. I cracked open Women Food and God and so far, well, to be honest, it's a little disappointing. The author is more about spirituality, than any particular faith and drops the "f" bomb within the first three pages. But I'm going to stick it out and focus on the forest, not the trees. This passage on page 2 gave me pause (mostly in a I-don't-think-the-author-and-I-are-on-the-same-page kind of way):

"When we inhale Reese's peanut butter cups when we are not hungry, we are acting out an entire world of hope or hopelessness, of faith or doubt, of love or fear. If we are interested in finding out what we actually believe--not what we think, not what we say, but what our souls are convinced is the bottom-line truth about life and afterlife--we need to go no further than the food on our plates. God is not just in the details; God is also in the muffins, the fried sweet potatoes and the tomato vegetable soup. God--however we define him or her--is on our plates."

I did try the Biggest Loser DVD today too (not to be confused with Jillian's workout DVDs mentioned by several of you in previous posts). The 10 minute abs section made me sweat. Good stuff.

Soup book looks promising. Doesn't the fall just make you want to curl up with a big bowl of soup and a crusty piece of rustic bread?

Scrapbook Expo in Salt Lake - I'm Gearing Up!!

You might be asking - "What in the world does the Scrapbook Expo have to do with the HWHL blog?!!" Well, that's where I'll be getting some MEGA inspiration for the cards and miniscrapbook I'll probably be giving away at the end of this session. Not that I'm throwing in the towel, mind you, but I'd be weirdly bummed if I won again. That's kind of boring! Getting your "trash kicked to the curb", as Cat from Cat's Challenge says, can kind of be good for you. It can renew your determination, kick in your competitive spirit.

Anyway, the Scrapbook Expo is this weekend in Salt Lake City at the Southtowne Expo Center, Friday and Saturday. I'm coming into town to visit with family (one of my cousins has a fiance from Alaska we all need to meet), so I'm going to see the Expo, and maybe be there with my cousin and fam, too. Anyone else going? We could meet up! The thing is, I'll probably only be able to be there Friday night at the midnight crop, from about 8pm on, and then I can show up whenever Saturday. I sure hate to pull my kids out of school Friday on their first week of school, especially my Connor, who just started kindergarden. Man, that was a rough first day for him today! But that's another saga.

If I bring back some cute things, I'll definitely post some teasers here on the blog. Neener, neener, neener, come and get me!!

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Congratulations Becky!

Becky has rocked this competition this summer! She's even thrown a little sass in there to get us all motivated! If you don't know what I'm talking about read THIS.

I can tell by the number of comments and new post that the competition is heating up! I think this is going to be a very interesting few weeks. I hope you are all up for the challenge!!!

All vegetables are lovable when treated right

I keep thinking I'm getting close to eating all the veggies in the produce section and then I look around and realize I've been playing it safe, sticking with the standards, not going too far out of my veggie comfort zone. So, today I added these two beauties to my cart. A bit out of my comfort zone and here's why: 've had cauliflower before. So have my kids. But I've never found a recipe that they like that isn't covered in cheese or white sauce. There must be one out there and I'm guessing it involves roasting. So I'm going to scour the net and find it...unless you've already got it and will share it with me. Did you know that in French, calling someone a "chou-fleur" is a term of endearment? {Kind of like Americans calling their sweeties "pumpkin." Veggies rule!}.

Now as to the squash, one of the things I like about this particular variety is that it's called butternut squash. I love butter and I love nuts. So, I am bound and determined to love this squash. I have never made anything with the butternut variety, only the acorn variety. It will make a cameo appearance in a fall salad later this week, then will likely be the feature performer in a soup.

As much as I love vegetables, I have a knock-kneed weakness for chocolate chip cookies and I'm experimenting with recipes, trying to find the perfect one (to enter into a local bake-off). If you find, taste, know of a good one, please let me know. And yes, I'll be giving away lot of cookies this winter/fall because if they're in the house, well, it's beyond my control.

Here's the Skinny

I have to tell you something. Are you ready? Ok, here it goes...


I bought a pair of skinny jeans. I know, isn't that so crazy! I remember the first time I saw them, while looking through the Sunday adds. My thoughts were consumed with how ugly they were. How could anyone wear those? It was like in the 80's, when I used to fold my jeans over themselves at the cuff, and tuck them into my socks. What an awful fashion statement, one I swore to never repeat.

I momentarily forgot that promise last week at the store. As I buttoned the top button in the dressing room, I talked myself into being a little brave. I'm the mother of 4 wonderful kids, and I spend most of my time doing all the duties that come with that. A pair of skinny jeans seemed like the perfect thing to spice up my life. I began to day dream about how cute I would look while scrubbing the toilet, or vacuuming the floors.

The jeans sat in the bag for 4 days while I waited for the perfect opportunity to slip them on and debut them. The day finally came, and as I walked into the room where my family sat, my cute husband just smiled and didn't say a word. I couldn't leave it there, so I probed further. I discovered that he preferred my old ratty jeans much better. I think his reaction to seeing them the first time was the same as mine. Sometimes change is hard for everyone, (wink).

So now I have a pair of skinny jeans. I am not sure if I like them or not. Those of you that know me, know that I don't have skinny jean legs. I have always been "stocky", and I don't mind that one bit. It's just fun sometimes to step out side of our comfort "jeans", and try something different. I'm keeping them. They might grow on me, and my husband. They look weird, but fun at the same time. They might be cute tucked into boots this fall. Who knows, maybe I'll be brave and wear them to the grocery store next time. Maybe I'll even get brave enough to put a picture of them on the blog.

I'm Back!

Hi Ladies!  After my extended absence I am rejoining the club.  I am in need of some calorie counting, even though I feel the same was as Mindy about it, and some accountability for exercising.  I have had a great summer and spent much needed time with my 15 year old.  We have gone to the beach, spent time just hanging around the pool at the house and had lots of laughs together.  Christina decided to join the Cross Country team and has been running since the beginning of August.  She absolutely loves running.  Even though I despise running I have committed to running a 5-k race with her called Freeze your Gizzard in November.  It is for a good cause, the canned food donations go to the local food bank.  If any of the Northern Virginia Happy Housewives want to join us that would be great. http://www.leesburgva.gov/index.aspx?page=571  Hope everyone has had a great summer.  Oh and Becky it is so ON!!!!!!!!!! :)

A Fuller Richer Happier Life

Today I will have a slice of a very rich Chocolate Mousse cake, I know it will make me feel very full and momentarily happy. But if you want to know what really makes my life full, rich and happy it is the people in these photos. Mindelicious and Ken, you two are the kind of calories that I never have to cut back on. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both of you, you're my kind of diet!

Oh, It's Already Been Broughten!

Have you all seen Bring It On? Becky's post made me want to reply like a sassy, dumb, blond, cheeerleader. Picture me saying the title of this post with one hand on my hip and my head wobbling like those gay guys on In Living Color.

But for reals, Becky, good for you! We all took the summer off, and you're calling us out for it! I think I speak for a lot of us when I say that we LOVE this blog, but we got a little burnt out. I seriously hate tracking my calories. It is so tedious that I would rather give myself paper cuts in between all my toes. I took a break, and now I have to pay for it. But thanks to this blog, I am fully equipped to lose the pounds that I put on this summer.

So I say, it's ON!
You better watch your back, Becky, cause we are right behind you!

PS- Audrey- Thank you for starting the new challenge on Tuesday, cause I got a whole container of peppermint ice cream in my freezer, and I'm gonna eat it like it's my birthday.

PPS- Becky- I cannot say the name Becky without thinking of Sir-Mix-Alot. "She looks like one of those rapper guy's girlfriends!" That line is gonna have me cracking up all day. Although, now that I think about it, that might not be a bad theme song for this blog.