Gluten-Free *week one update*

Hi guys!!! Hope y'all are all waking up on the right side of the bed this morning. ;) I know I gave a semi update on my gluten free status yesterday...but I wanted to do a full post on it today with a few extras. I will try to do this once a week for those who are interested in becoming gluten free with me!!

Week One: Improvements

My skin is clearing up!!

(Yep that's it so far but I'm not giving up that easy!)

Week One: Favorite Gluten-Free Foods

-Yoplait Whips! yogurt (Have y'all had these?? They are like mousse and taste like you're eating dessert! YUM!)

-Carrot sticks and garlic hummus

-Eggs over medium and grits...yep together. ;)

-Wendy's Chili and Baked Potato with chives....okay and the Frosty!

-Grilled salmon with my homemade sour cream/dill sauce, steamed asparagus and quinoa

-Chocolate!

-Nachos (corn tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, chili)

-Steak Asada Tacos (grilled steak, lime, cilantro, onions, chipotle sauce on corn tortillas) SO GOOD!

Week One: Gluten-Free Recipe to try

Gluten Free Pumpkin Coconut Custard   (I read that pumpkin is super good for you and I wanted to find a good gluten free pumpkin recipe. Doesn't this sound DELICIOUS?! I can't wait to try it!)

Week One: Gluten-Free Link

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef  -  Anytime you search for gluten free...you will find this blog! I believe she came out with a book too! I can't wait to try out some of her many recipes!!

Week One: Thoughts

I am so excited about how easy this transition has been for me. I was so scared to try it and I just put it off thinking that I could never do it. I'm so glad that I got over that and tried it out. It's actually VERY easy. I haven't been having a hard time with it at all and you won't find someone who likes to eat as much as me!! I am having fun finding all kinds of new foods and recipes. I can't wait to see what else starts improving!!!

I am pondering giving up dairy for a while too to see if that helps me even more. I know that I'm somewhat lactose intolerant but not terribly so. It will definitely be a bit harder to be gluten-free AND dairy-free. I am trying to cut it back slowly for now and I will try going off of it completely at a later time.

Anyone who is looking to start going gluten free...click here for some info. Remember to ALWAYS check with restaurants and look at ingredients before assuming something is gluten free. They add that junk to EVERYTHING!

Bye Bye Bread

Yep. It's hard to believe...but I have gone gluten free!

Okay so it's been one day...but that's a good start for me. LOL My doctor has been telling me to go gluten free for about 2 years now and I'm like "Yeah...right." But on Monday I got to visit with one of my best friends while she was in town and she was telling me how she's been gluten free since June! I was like "Wow! How the heck did you do it?!" She gave me lots of tips and as it turns out...it's really not THAT hard! There are so many things you can eat! The only problem I am going to have is not eating out. (okay and cupcakes) We don't exactly have gluten free restaurants around here and you can't trust the sauces or marinades and all that jazz so it's safer to just eat at home. If I do go out, I can eat before and just have a salad at the restaurant. Of course only oil and vinegar...(or I may sneak in my own dressing).

Anyway, my friend told me that she feels fantastic...her skin is clear, her digestion is in perfect working order and she has rid herself of allergies!!! I can't wait to start seeing the improvements in my life. I know that once I start feeling better, the diet will be much easier!

Are any of y'all gluten free?? Give me some tips!!

How Often??

Good morning friends!!! Hope you are all doing well! It's starting to get chilly here in NC! Woohoo!!! Now I can wear my boots and sweaters without looking like a goober considering I was wearing them as soon as Fall hit. Hahaha.

So, a couple of weeks ago I did something I've never ever done before. Made a chore list. I make lists for EVERYTHING! Things to do today, gifts I want, books to read, etc. But I had never felt the need for a chore list. Until I got lazy. I decided that if it was wrote down and I had to check it off, I would be more likely to do it. (Oh and make sure to take it off of your refrigerator before a party...people are way more interested in it than they should be. LOL)

I've done pretty good with the chores lately...but last night I got to wondering HOW OFTEN are certain things really needed. Taking in account health issues and such. Like should we be washing our sheets once a week? How often should we really have to mop? Well, I've done some research for you guys and here's a list I came up with!




1. Changing bed sheets

There is considerable debate on how often you should change your bed sheets. Several surveys conducted over the years suggests that the majority of people change their sheets anywhere from once a week to once a month. Most people recommend changing the sheets at least every two weeks, and some people may need to change them more often, depending on certain needs.


We shed skin cells at all times, and at night we shed these in our beds. Unfortunately these cells are the food of dust mites, and if you have allergies to dust mites, it may make sense to keep skins cells in bed at a minimum. Some people have extreme allergies and really need to change their bed sheets once a day. Most others can get by with changing sheets once a week, which is about the average rate of sheet change if you employ a housecleaner.

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-often-should-i-change-my-bed-sheets.htm




2. Mop Floors

Depending on the traffic of your floors, you may need to mop weekly, biweekly or in some areas only monthly. However, it's best to wipe up obvious dirt as it happens to prevent you from scrubbing on your mopping day.


http://housekeeping.about.com/od/surfacefloors/f/mopfrequency.htm




3. Dusting

If no one in your household suffers from allergies, you won't have to worry about the health effects of dust as often as other families do. You'll still need to dust electronics and furniture weekly to prevent buildup that can scratch, damage, and clog surfaces in your home. More out of the way spots like ceilings, corners, and door frames will only need to be dusted as needed, and may only require your attention every couple of months.

http://housekeeping.about.com/od/cleaning101/f/frequencydust.htm




4. Washing the dog

It depends mainly on the dog breed. Though most dogs do not like water, it is necessary to wash them frequently, not to make them look extremely clean but to protect them from skin diseases. The washing interval also depends on the coat of the dog. Dogs with coarse or wiry coat, like Schnauzers and Terriers need to bathed every 4-6 weeks. Double coat dogs need to be washed every 4-8 weeks, dogs like Cocker Spaniel and Pekingese fall in double coat category. If you have a smooth coat dog like Chihuahua you will need to wash it only once in 8 weeks. The last category of dogs, the non-shedding dogs like poodles need to be washed every 6-8 weeks.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-often-should-you-wash-your-dog.html



5. Vaccuming carpets

It’s best to vacuum your carpet at least twice a week, if you can’t vacuum your entire house this often, at least vacuum the high traffic areas at least twice a week. (Yikes!)

http://www.carpet-rug.org/about-cri/what-is-cri/frequently-asked-questions.cfm#38




6. Cleaning the bathroom

The bathroom should be cleaned once a week, and even more frequently if it gets heavy use from a large family.


http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-clean-bathroom.htm




7. Replacing kitchen sponge

Replace your sponge every month. Signs that your sponge should be replaced immediately, regardless of the time elapsed since the last replacement, include musty or unpleasant odors and a sponge that is beginning to disintegrate.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7413831_should-replace-kitchen-sponge_.html#ixzz14E9mM63d

Dust is just a country accent. ~Author Unknown

A clean house is the sign of a boring person. ~Author Unknown

Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy. ~Author Unknown

I'm not going to vacuum until Sears makes one you can ride on. ~Roseanne Barr

My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. ~Erma Bombeck

Tips from a beginner runner!

And by beginner I mean I just started yesterday.

Even though it was my very first run ever, I learned a great deal and thought I would share my findings with you.

1. Choose your dog/running companion wisely. Halfway through our WARMUP walk my dog stopped, looked at me with her pitiful eyes and layed down in the middle of the sidewalk.

{my Ollie girl after our workout}

2. Invest in an iPhone/iPod carrying case that straps to your pants in some way. Wearing your husband's huge camo fannypack is NOT hot.

3. Do not include "Tonto, Jump On It" on your running playlist. Every time they said "TONTO...jump on it, jump on it!" I had to stop and do the lasso dance in a circle. I couldn't help it!

4. Do not yell at the C25K app announcer guy when he says Run. and you are too tired to run. He can't hear you and he doesn't seem to care if you are tired or not. Also you might get a few strange stares from neighborhood passerbys.

5. Don't choose a neighborhood with lots of hills. Somehow it worked out that everytime the dude said Run. I was going uphill and everytime he said Walk. I was going downhill.

6. Do not eat goo goo clusters right before you go on your run. It causes cramps during the running part.

Hopefully my misfortunes can help you to have a more enjoyable running experience. :)

Vitamin B12

Well I have sucessfully taken another baby step to feeling better! While I am still waiting until the 20th to see my new specialist, I decided to visit my regular doctor to see if he had any thoughts on my symptoms. He plainly stated that what I was rambling on about was out of his area and over his head. I figured as much. However, he did some bloodwork and did find a little something that may or may not help me. My Vitamin B12 level was low. For those of you who don't know, I have an autoimmune disease. With one autoimmune disease comes many more it seems and low Vitamin B12 can be linked to the autoimmune disease, Pernicious Anemia. He didn't do any extra tests for that and I will leave that up to the specialist when it comes time.

In my usual style, I researched the heck out of Vitamin B12 as soon as the nurse relayed the results. I found out a lot of interesting stuff about it and read that low levels were often unchecked and undiagnosed. I wanted to tell everyone about my findings in hopes that if you are having some of the symptoms and can't find relief, you will see your doctor and make them check your Vitamin B12 level!! It's very important for us to stay on top of our own health. We know our bodies better than anyone and it's up to us to keep pushing to feel better each day. We absolutely cannot leave it all up to doctors because too many things slip through the cracks and too many doctors aren't updated on new research and discoveries. I know this from experience.

Some symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency are:

Fatigue
Nausea
Shortness of breath
Irritability
Sore mouth
Headaches
Hair loss
Dizziness
Sleeping problems
Numbness or tingling in fingers or toes
Problems concentrating
Confusion

Vitamin B12 is most commonly found in animal products such as fish, meat, and dairy products. If you aren't eating enough of these products, you could have low Vitamin B12 levels and it could simply be fixed by eating more of them. Low B12 levels could also be caused by a number of other things and it's best to check with your doctor before starting any supplements.


I started my B12 supplements yesterday and I've got my fingers crossed that it will help even if only a tiny bit!! :)

Oh and I'm so super excited that the first preseason game of the Carolina Panthers is on tonight!!!!!! I LOVE football season! Don't y'all??

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!

Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head!! Hahaha. I had to throw that in there. Love me some Lion King. Anyway, don't y'all just love coconut??? The smell and taste bring me straight to the tropics! Not only is it delicious but it's also very healthy!! Coconuts are rich in specific fats that have great health benefits.

Coconut water has been known to re-hydrate the body, raise your metabolism, boost your immune system, cleanse your digestive tract, break up kidney stones, fight viruses, cure hangovers, boost thyroid health, eliminate swelling, reduce wrinkles and balance your ph among many other things!! And if you're into Ayurveda, I've read that drinking coconut water can have a calming, stress relieving effect. I came up with 10 different ways for us to use coconut water so we can all benefit from this wonderful fruit!

I know you can find coconut water in health food stores or on the internet but I'm not sure if you will find it at your local grocery store or not. Make sure you get natural coconut water with no added sugars. It's pretty sweet all by itself!

1. Make tea with coconut water instead of plain! I made my decaf Earl Grey with coconut water and it was DELICIOUS!

2. Pour yourself a glass of coconut water with a few drops of lemon juice. A cool, refreshing drink for the summer!

3. Make your regular rice with coconut water instead for a delicious side dish!

4. Freeze the coconut water in an ice cube tray and add to any drink for a taste of yummy coconut.

5. Add a cup of coconut water to your favorite smoothie recipe. I love to add it to strawberries and bananas. The coconut water helps to replenish your body after a workout!

6. Add it to your shampoo and/or conditioner for oily hair. (I haven't tried this yet but I'm definitely going to!)

7. Smooth coconut water over your face and leave on for about 15 minutes before rinsing. It helps to clean, tone and hydrate your skin. I've read about it helping with acne and acne scars too!

8. Mix coconut water and your favorite fruits, freeze and you have yourself a delicious popsicle. :)

9. Soak your feet in a mixture of warm water and coconut water. It hydrates the skin and makes them nice and soft.

10. Soak your fingernails in coconut water before a manicure to soften your cuticles and hydrate any dry skin around them.

There are tons of ways to utilize coconut water! It seems like a miracle liquid! Even celebrities are taking notice of it.

Do you need any more reasons to get yourself some coconut water ASAP?!

A Natural Way Of Life

Can you just imagine how many toxins and chemicals we put in our body every day??? Not just from the air we breathe...but from the food we eat, the products we use, the clothes we wear...etc. Even before I started the oil cleansing method for my face, I have been slowly trying to go natural with everything! Amber from The Survival Guide for the Young, Fabulous & Newlywed did a great post the other day about dangerous cosmetics (you can read it here) and it got me thinking. I know it's a difficult, expensive process and I know that I'll NEVER be 100% natural in the items I use and the food I eat...but I'd like to try to do as much as I can for my own health. I've been reading Natural Health Magazine and I'm learning all kinds of great tips.

I started thinking about natural products I already use and what products I need to start using. I am on hormone replacement and I made sure my doctor prescribed bioidentical hormones that are derived from plant extracts. I absolutely hate and always have hated taking medicines of any kind. I don't take allergy medicine, diet pills or any other kind of OTC medicines. I only take a pain killer if I am ABSOLUTELY dying from the pain. So you can imagine how upset I was to learn that I was going to have to take hormone replacement for a good part of the rest of my life. I knew if there was no way around it then they were going to have to be natural and the best there is.

I have been eating fresh fruits and vegetables as often as possible with meals and for snacks. Yummy!! Doesn't it feel so good to eat something that is straight from the earth and hasn't been messed with?

I have been using Organic African Black Soap to shower with. It's all natural and it works amazingly. There is no leftover residue whatsoever and it leaves my skin feeling clean and soft.

I use a mixture of white vinegar and water to clean the kitchen and bathrooms with. It smells pretty bad at first but once it dries you don't smell it at all!! It works just as good as any cleanser you can buy at the store and it's cheaper too!! Just use an equal amount of both water and white vinegar and store it in a spray bottle!

I have been brushing my teeth with Tom's Natural Antiplaque Toothpaste. My mouth feels just as clean and it seems to give me even fresher breath than the other toothpastes. The good thing about this one is that it is all natural. No artificial sweeteners, no preservatives or chemicals and no flouride. I'm not an expert on flouride but I've done enough research to know that I can do without it.

I take natural, whole food vitamins. They don't contain artificial colors or flavorings or GMO's. They are made from whole foods which is said to be easier for your body to absorb. I feel good knowing that I'm putting natural vitamins in my body every day that don't contain harmful substances or chemicals.

I do not eat and have not eaten any artificial sweeteners in about 2 years. I have done lots of research on the harmful effects of them and it's not something I want in my body. I don't go around telling people they shouldn't eat/drink artificial sweeteners but I feel strongly enough about them to stay away from them for my own health. You have probably heard that Splenda is natural but I stay away from it too. It has been chemically altered which makes it just as bad as the other culprits in my book. The only no calorie sweetener I will use is Stevia but I rarely use that.

If I do eat packaged foods, I try to eat natural, preservative free foods. I just recently found Healthy Choice All Natural entrees and I love them!!! They contain no preservatives, they have tons of veggies and whole wheat additions. Kashi is another one of my favorites. Their products contain no preservatives and no artificial sweeteners or flavors. I know I've got a long way to go and tons more research to do but I feel good about how far I've come. I learn more and more everyday about different foods and products.

There are tons of other things I do and tons of things I need to start doing. It's not easy but slowly I will be able to add more and more natural things and develop a natural way of life. I know I will become healthier in the process. I have still yet to find a good natural deodorant, dishwashing liquid, dryer sheet or makeup but I'm working on it!!!

What do you do to try to attain a natural way of life?

Broiled Asparagus with Lemon-Basil Dressing

I love love love asparagus!!!!! It screams summer to me and also has great health benefits! I usually stick with my favorite way to eat asparagus, still crisp with a hint of lemon and butter, but I thought I'd try a little something different last night for dinner. Here's what I came up with and it was easy and delicious!!




Broiled Asparagus with Lemon-Basil Dressing

1 bunch of asparagus spears, trimmed
4 teaspoons of olive oil
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Dressing:
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1/4 teaspoon of dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons of crushed or slivered almonds
kosher salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste





1. Preheat the oven's boiler on high and set the oven rack 6 inche from the top.

2. Toss the asparagus and the next 3 ingredients together.

3. Spread on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for about 7 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

4. Prepare the dressing by whisking all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.

5. Once the asparagus is done, place it on a serving plate and pour the dressing on top. Toss asparagus so that the dressing completely covers it. Serve! The asparagus is a still a bit crisp and definitely a bit tangy with a taste of yummy cheese. I think y'all will love it!

What's your favorite way to cook asparagus??

It's a bird...it's a plane...it's Superfoods!!!

That was way cornier than I hoped it would be...hahaha. Now that bathing suit season is coming up,  flattening my tummy is at the top of my things to do list. Sit-ups and crunches are great, but adding these belly flattening foods into your eating routine can get you on your way to a sleek, sexy stomach. Here's a list of foods from Self Magazine and how they help.




Avocado - fights fat

Blood sugar peaks can signal your body to store fat around your midsection but monounsaturated fats stop the spikes, thwarting fat accumulation. Half of an avocado contains 10 grams of the healthy fats. Dip veggies in guacamole for a flat-ab snack. Try this recipe I found on Goodhousekeeping.com.

1 can of (15 to 19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon of (or to taste) lime juice
1 jalapeño, seeded
1/2 cup of loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup of coarsely chopped sweet onion 
Salt
1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
2 plum tomatoes
1. In food processor with knife blade attached, puree beans and 1 tablespoon lime juice until smooth. Transfer to medium bowl.


2.In same processor, place jalapeño, cilantro, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; pulse until juicy and thick.


3.With spoon, scoop avocado from peel into bowl with beans; mash with fork until mixture is blended, with some chunks remaining.


4.Cut each tomato crosswise in half. Squeeze halves to remove seeds and juice. Coarsely chop tomatoes. Stir tomato-and-onion mixture into avocado mixture until blended. If you prefer a little more zip, stir in additional lime juice to taste.






Green Tea - revs metabolism

The compound ECGC in green tea makes it easier for your body to fry fat. Drinking 3 cups a day may kick up your metabolism and erase 30 calories daily.

Yogurt - flattens fast

Treat puffiness with probiotic-rich yogurt. One cup encourages the growth of good bacteria in your gut which crowds out other bugs that can cause bloating. Make sure the yogurt you choose has a Live & Active Cultures seal.

Blueberries - fuel fitness

Antioxidants in berries enable you to step up crucial conditioning. Antioxidants help improve blood flow which delivers more oxygen to your muscles. Giving your muscles the oxygen they needs makes exercise feel easier so you may work out harder, longer and more often. I found a recipe for Blueberry-Beef Burgers on EatingWell.com. Sounds interesting huh??

2 slices of whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
1/3 cup of fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon of salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 ounces of 90%-lean ground beef



1.Place bread in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl. (No need to wash the workbowl.)



2.Add blueberries, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor; process until pureed. Scrape into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add ground beef and mix well with a potato masher. Divide the mixture into four equal portions; form into 1/2-inch-thick patties, about 4 inches in diameter.


3.Meanwhile, preheat broiler or heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high. If using the broiler, coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. If using a grill, oil the grill rack by rubbing it with an oil-soaked paper towel. Cook patties until browned and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 160°F. Serve immediately, with or without rolls and toppings.




What are some of your favorite meals including these ingredients?

Strawberry Fields Forever

Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to strawberry fields! I don't know what my fascination has been lately with strawberries...but I want so bad to go wandering through a strawberry field with a little basket picking my own strawberries. I know there are places around to do that but I just haven't had the time or gotten the opportunity to do it yet! Have y'all ever done that?? It probably isn't all it's cracked up to be...but in my head it's the best thing ever.

                                                                   Photo from typarlandscapes.com

Photo from destinationfantastic.com

 

Isn't this necklace from Forever 21 adorable?!

 

And look at these Keds! I'm pretty sure they are for kids...but I would totally rock these!

 

We can't talk about strawberries without mentioning strawberry wine!!! 

 Photo from vitiswine.co.uk

Now you can sing along with me "Like strawberry wine and seeeeventeen...the hot July moon...saw everything! My first taste of love...ohhhhh bittersweet....green on the vine. Like strawberry wine..."





Isn't this bedspread darling??

Photo from finebeddingpro.com

One of my favorite scents from Victoria's Secret...Strawberries and Champagne. Yum.

And how do y'all feel about strawberry chicken salad?!?! Sounds delicious right? I think I'm going to have to try out this recipe very soon. 

Strawberry Chicken Salad




2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chutney
2 teaspoons lime juice
3/4 teaspoon grated lime peel
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
4 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves





In a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery and onion. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chutney, lime juice, lime peel, curry and salt. Add to chicken mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


Just before serving, stir in strawberries. Serve on lettuce-lined plates. Yield: 4 servings.



Nutrition Facts: 1-1/4 cups equals 222 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 61 mg cholesterol, 528 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 22 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 very lean meat, 1 fat, 1/2 starch, 1/2 fruit.


Strawberry Chicken Salad published in Healthy Cooking April/May 2008

A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work.

Oh how I love fishing. The first time I ever went fishing, I was probably around 5 or 6 and I went with my dad. I remember catching the tiniest little fish and dancing around, excited as I could be screaming "I got a fish! I got a fish!" Since I met my husband, I've learned a lot more about the different types of fishing and I have fallen in love with it even more. I always throw my fish back but my husband will keep one every now and then if it's a good size and type for eating. Last weekend, he and a couple of friends traveled up to Kingston, NY to go fishing on the Hudson River. They had a blast and caught a couple of pretty big Stripers. Here's my precious husband with his catch.

When he brought home some filets of Striper I knew I had to come up with a good recipe and quick while it was still good and fresh. I chose Striper Cakes with a low fat zesty remoulade sauce. I whipped up some of that yummy coleslaw I told y'all about a while ago and it was all DEE-licious!! Here are the recipes I used!!





Striper Cakes

2 pounds of fresh striper (remove all red meat)
2 tablespoons of light mayo
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of italian bread crumbs
1 can of sweet corn with red and green peppers
2 teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning
a couple dashes of ground red pepper
a dash of red pepper flakes

To poach fish:

4 1/2 cups of water
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut fish into 1-2 inch pieces. Add to a saucepan and add the poaching ingredients. Heat on medium high heat until water begins to simmer. Simmer (not boil) fish for about 10 minutes or until fish looks flaky.
3. Saute corn in a pan with a tablespoon of canola oil.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine mayo, mustard, eggs, sauteed corn, Old Bay, ground red pepper and flakes.
5. After fish is done, drain it of all excess moisture and mix it into the above mixture until the pieces of fish are small enough to make good cakes with.

6. Add bread crumbs and mix.
7. Make into 6 patties and place them about 1-2" apart on an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet.

8. Bake for 40 minutes then broil them on high for 5 minutes on each side.





Low Fat Zesty Remoulade Sauce

1/2 cup of Fat Free Thousand Island Dressing
2 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish
Cajun seasoning to taste

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.

Mmmm...tasty!!! I'm pretty sure any flaky fish would work just fine for this recipe! Try it out sometime! You'll love it!!

So what are some of y'alls favorite seafood recipes??

Low Calorie Fast Food Lunches

Hi guys!! Hope y'all are doing well on this beautiful morning!! It's going to be a great day!! It's finally going to warm back up today in my neck of the woods. That cold and rainy weather is not for me. Also, we bought a new car last night!! Well, new to me anyway. I looove it!!! It's a white Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. It's a v8 which I could care less about but it makes my husband happy. LOL I can't wait to get one of those mirrored monogrammed license plates that I saw on this post from Southern Cinderella. I'm thinking about getting the same scalloped design but in turquoise. Isn't it adorable?!


On to the food!!! Since I've been on my diet plan since January, I've learned a lot about fast food for lunch. As much as I would LOVE to make my lunch every day and have a little homemade salad or sandwich with some homemade hummus dip or baked sweet potato fries...it's just not practical for me. I don't have a lot of time to make that and to be honest, on my lunch break sometimes I'd like to get OUT of the store for an hour rather than eating at my desk. That's where fast food comes in. Fast food isn't ALL that bad. There are good choices, you just have to sift them out!! I'm going to share with you some lunches that I have found to be low fat and/or low calorie that you can pick up quick on your lunch break.



1. Taco Bell - Fresco Chicken Burrito Supreme - This burrito is soooo good and it's very filling! It only has 340 calories and 8 grams of fat. Easy lunch on the go!

Photo from tacobell.com

2. Panera Bread - You Pick Two (Half Sierra Turkey Sandwich and Half Classic Cafe Salad) - On the sandwich, you can substitute the chipotle mayo for spicy brown mustard and save 155 calories!!! Also, substitute the Foccacia bread for Whole Grain White bread and save 170 calories! This puts your sandwich at only 170 calories. With the reduced fat balsamic vinaigrette, your salad only has 80 calories making your whole lunch come to only 250 calories and 9 grams of fat!

Photo from panera-easttennesse.com

3. Wendy's - Grilled Chicken Go Wrap and a Side Salad - On the Go Wrap, order it without cheese to save 35 calories. For the salad, order the fat free french dressing which only has 70 calories in it. This meal will have a total of 320 calories and 7 grams of fat. The Go Wrap has a honey mustard sauce on it and it is so delicious!!

Photo from wendys.com

4. Chick-fil-A - Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Medium Fruit Cup - This is probably my favorite go to meal. I even eat it for dinner sometimes. It is so yummy!! The sandwich has 300 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. The fruit cup has 70 calories and 0 grams of fat. This puts your meal at 370 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Healthy AND delicious!!

Photo from eduinreview.com

5. Subway - 6" Roast Beef Sandwich with Apple Slices - With wheat bread, lettuce, tomato, onions, green peppers and mustard, the sandwich has 315 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. The apples have 35 calories and 0 grams of fat. This meal is very filling and comes to only 350 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. Yum!! Just try not to look at those heavenly peanut butter cookies while standing in line. I could eat 15 of them...

Photo from cookinglight.com

These are just a few of my favorite lunches but there are so many more healthy choices and different combinations out there. Just go to your favorite restaurant's website and figure out a healthy meal for yourself before you go and it will help you to eat the right things. I hope this helps y'all to start eating better and getting in shape for summer!! What are some things y'all are doing to get in shape??