waiting...

while i wait to feel better,
i'll keep doing my very best.

i'm really proud of how i'm taking special care...
i also see the smart choices my girls are making.
it helps the mama to have their co-operation. 

they understand what's going on
and they are
my greatest motivation to get back on track.

oliver has been by my side every minute.
he watches me wash and chop and peel...
wishing for a bit of apple or carrot or pepper or onion.
he likes it all...whatever flies off the cutting board.
***
he's my walking (learning to run) buddy too.
i let him on the treadmill first.
he goes for a little run
and then he lays on his pillow and waits for me to finish...
and of course he cuddles when i am not feeling my best.

by the end of this week i should have some answers
and i hope to be feeling much, much better soon.
xox

still focusing...

this little chart explains it all.
i have ALWAYS known...
that all i have to do is THINK of certain foods
and i gain a pound
and being insulin resistant only makes it worse.
***
 so the good news is that
i've been making really good choices...
spinach, kale, tomatoes, red peppers,
avocado, lentil, quinoa, whole grain breads, oatmeal,
water, water, water... green tea, green tea, green tea,
cinnamon, apples, nuts, berries.....
you get it right?

the bad news is
i have had terrible sinus/neck/throat pain
for the last week...
just not feeling like myself,
haven't taken a single photo...
hopefully i'm on the mend
and back to normal...
or should i say, back to myself :)
xox

saturday night...

brrrr...it was cold when i went to bed last night.
it was cold all day today and colder now this evening.
the kind of cold,
that when you go outside
your lips can freeze to each other...
and your eyeballs sting.
so us girls didn't go out there.
mike did though...he had to go find our driveway
under the week's worth of snow.

today i left my comfort zone...
elsie wanted a pineapple upside down cake.
we had to make it from scratch.
i have NEVER ever done that before.
i do not bake.
i don't own a mixer...
we just went ahead and did it anyway.

we got to it...
did our best.
i helped her and she helped me.
i gave up control.

i focused on our time together.
didn't worry about it being imperfect.
chose to make a mess...

it looks good to me.
if i'm going to have sugar, it has to be this yummy.
(recipe is in the comments)
xox
i also needed to document another important first.
mike and elsie are watching FOOTBALL together.
they are cheering and laughing and everything!
completely elsie's idea...
:)

happy friday's mac n' cheese n' butternut squash recipe ;)

while oliver and i are in hibernation mode...
allie cat went in and out approximately 11 times today.
it's cold tonight...
and elsie is on the hill.
silly girl.
just like her mama at that age.

i started to write this out a few times... in the end decided a quick photo would do the job.(click on the photo to enlarge it)
now, i made a few changes from the recipe,
because i always do...
i did 4 cups of uncooked macaroni.
i cooked a frozen pack of butternut squash.
i used marble and mozzarella...
and probably more than a cup each.
i did not use the cayenne...black pepper instead.
also, i used plain breadcrumbs and ground flax seed on top.

no one knew it was squash...
they guessed the flax seed though.
it was very creamy, buttery and cheesy.

good luck!

happy friday

it was a positive week.
both girls had check-ups with the doctor...
resulting in some further tests for things
that have just been "bugging" me.
this mama's instinct is pretty bang on.
so "check" that off my list of things to do.
***
i made this yummy mac n' cheese....
no worries, it's a healthier version.
they had no clue it's creamy goodness was butternut squash.

i'm already feeling my symptoms fade away.
today i rewarded myself
with an added drizzle of maple syrup.
(just a little makes a big impact)

today's salad was whatever i had on hand to throw in.
greens, leftover bean salad and lentil salsa...
a sprinkling of trail mix.

i emptied my kitchen's book shelves...
sorted and organized.
only half the stuff is going back up.
yesterday i re-filled all my spice jars
and cleaned out my pantry and fridge.

i'm on a roll...
listening to new jim cuddy...and old journey.
dancing around whenever the music calls me to.
last night i was in the hot tub during freezing rain...
i love to sit under the partially removed cover...no jets on.
it's like a little fort....
it's quiet except for the sounds of the weather, the trees
and the occasional snowplow grumbling down the road.
it makes me happy.

have a cozy little weekend friends...
xox

cinnamon

i've known about the magic of cinnamon...
but of course having knowledge is only half of it.
we actually ran out sometime ago
and with the rush of december
i kept forgetting to pick up more.

well,
it's back.
cinnamon is a great tool for lowering blood sugar.
we add it to our coffee...
i add it to cereal, yogurt, french toast...

i've done more research lately
and so now i will add even more cinnamon to my life.
it's that good.

*breakfast*
greek yogurt
a heaping spoonful of cinnamon
another heaping spoonful of ground flax
drops of vit D
raspberries
(mix it and eat it)
***
then go dance
xox

this is not a "foodie" blog

oh beans.

i love a bean salad.
i get the low sodium kind...
i add good stuff like
parsley and peppers...
love to add apples sometimes too.
(add whatever good things you like)
(just not chocolate or marshmallows...that would be bad)

today i added ground flax seed.
i hardly noticed it.
my dressing is usually a balsamic vinegar...
today i added extra white vinegar.
i like the zip.
a small bowl of this really fills me up...
it's good for me too.
lots of fiber, magnesium, iron and protein.
it's the right kind of carb for me.
it's nice on it's own
or added to a green salad.
now to brew a pot of tea.
ta ta for now.
xox

days of december...bbq in the moonlight

oranges.
because they were there...
and because i have a camera.

tonight i stood outside and flipped homemade burgers.
it was cold, but fresh.

the burgers were fresh...and hot...
and like a good blogger...
i took photos of it all.

i nearly served charred burgers
because i was under a spell.

i love the moon.

recipe for recovery

what to do when you find yourself home alone, 24 hours post-surgery and hungry...add the fact that a low fat menu is all you have to choose from. not feeling up to a lengthy process either.

2 cans of no fat, low sodium chicken broth

1 can tomato soup

3 "cans" of water

1 cup pre-packaged soup mix (rice, barley, peas, lentils and beans)

1 or 2 cups frozen veggies (i had a bag of "spaghetti mix",onions, carrots, celery and peppers)

a sprinkling of "Mrs Dash" or whatever you like

bring the soup to a boil

add the soup mix and seasonings and simmer for about 45 minutes

add frozen veggies

simmer another 10 minutes

really yummy...kind of peppery. it gave me much needed energy and i have lots left for the next couple of days.

xo