Chicken Salad

Okay-sorry I forgot to take a picture of this one (I am new at this still), but I have to say chicken salad is one of my favorite things to eat-mostly because it is so versatile, and no matter what you add, it is almost always amazing! Here is my recipe I used (this time anyway)!

1 rotisserie chicken (this has got to be one of the best things in a super market you can buy!!) skin removed
2-3 bunches of red grapes (or however much you like) I have also used mandarin oranges-yummy!!!
1/2-1 cup of chopped pecans (you can toast these too if you like)
1/4-1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cucumbers (I have also used celery or water chestnuts)
1/2 cup miracle whip (or mayo, whichever you like best)
salt and pepper
herbs de provence
Torn lettuce leaves (I like butter lettuce or romaine the best)

Make the sauce by combining your miracle whip, salt, pepper and herbs de provence to taste. (I just throw it in!) Combine the chicken, grapes, nuts, onions and cucumbers in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and allow to sit in your fridge overnight so the flavors can combine. (You don't have to do it this way, I just like to if I have time.) Serve over the lettuce leaves and enjoy!!!

Note:  If you don't have herbs de provence, I highly suggest you try some, but make sure it has lavendar in it-it is super yummy!!

Running, Running, Running!

So, my hubby and I are taking the plunge, and running a half-marathon! (I thought we better start slow!) We are going to run the Rock-N-Roll Half Marathon in Phoenix in January! Needless to say, we are training like crazy, because we are quite frightened about running 13 continuous miles right now!!! So, wish us luck, and if you want to train with us-let me know, and I will post a schedule!! Hey-if I can do it-you can too!!!

Veggie Pizza

One perk of having your hubby travel is that you can make whatever you want for dinner! Since mine happens to hate squash of any kind, I decided to make a veggie pizza for dinner the other night with fresh zucchini and tomatoes from our garden and it was OH SO GOOD!!!! I made a whole wheat crust, topped it with some olive oil, minced garlic, and italian seasoning and then I added some thinly sliced zucchini and tomatoes and topped it all off with some freshly-grated parmsean cheese!!! It was so, so good!!  I also made a little apple pizza for my girls, which was also yummy!

Pilates Machine!

Well, I started taking a pilates class twice a week, and I have to say--it ROCKS!!! If you have never done pilates, or if you have, I highly suggest you get in on it! I have never had defined abs before...but I do now!!! It is so great for toning and slimming-I have finally kicked off those last few baby pounds-and it feels sooooo good!!

A Little Treat....

I have to admit-I have a sweet tooth, and I really like to have dessert. I am always trying to come up with things that are not too terribly bad for you, but still satisfy that little craving. The other night, I made these little pudding parfaits. I thought they were quite yummy!

1 small box instant pudding-sugar free, fat free, any flavor you like!
2 cups fat-free milk
8 Tbsp Cool Whip Light (use any of the low-fat, low-sugar, light varieties)
1/2 Cup chopped almonds (or your favorite nuts-almonds are mine because they are the best diet-wise)
1/2 Cup Dark chocolate pieces

Make up the pudding according to the package directions and divide half of the batter evenly among 4 dishes. (I used these parfait glasses because I thought it would be fun). Top each with 1 tbsp of Cool Whip, and half of the nuts and chocolate pieces. Repeat the layers and refrigerate until ready to eat (ending with the nuts and chocolate pieces)! Here's how mine turned out!

Yummy Cake!!!!

Hey everyone-thought I would finally share a recipe with you!! Unfortunately, I am lame, and didn't take any pictures of the cake-so here is a picture of a slice of it! Sorry!

1 box cake mix (I used spice cake)

3 egg whites

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1 cup applesauce

1 large pkg sugar free vanilla pudding

1 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

1 cup chocolate chips (use your favorite kind, I prefer semi-sweet, dark or even carob chips)

Mix together everything but the nuts and chips in a mixer on medium speed until well blended. Stir in the nuts and chips. Pour into a greased bundt or fluted pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Let cool slightly and frost. Top with sliced fruit. I used peaches.

Frosting:

1/2 cube butter

8 oz reduced fat or fat-free cream cheese

1-2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

milk

Cream butter and cream cheese together in mixer. Slowly add sugar to desired consistency. (The more you add, the thicker the frosting will be). Add vanilla and milk to thin out if desired. Be careful with the milk-you only need a very little!! Make sure the cream cheese is at least room temperature, or it may be lumpy.

I altered this recipe from one a friend used with chocolate cake, oil, chocolate pudding and sour cream. She topped hers with strawberries. Have fun and be creative!!!

5 Simple Tips

Ok-sorry it has taken me so long to make a new post-got a little distracted! But here we are, back again!! I thought I might share some tips for healthy living with you!

1. Buy in bulk-Costco has come out with some really great organic products-and it is so much cheaper to buy it at Costco than at your grocery store. (Kirkland Signature brand Organic Peanut butter, for instance, is the same price for twice as much at Costco as at my local grocer).
2. Pay attention to what you are eating--'organic' doesn't necessarily mean 'healthy'; i.e. an organic chocolate bar has just as many calories as a regular chocolate bar!
3. Little things do count!! Parking farther away, taking the stairs, doing yard work, etc. all add up to calories burned at the end of the day-so don't cheat!!
4. Shop and buy local produce!!! Use your farmer's market-you will find the freshest and best-tasting produce for a reasonable price. Set aside money from your grocery budget to spend every week at the farmer's market instead of at your grocery store. You can buy a week's worth of produce for about $20-30 (depending on the size of your family) and it tastes sooooo much better!!
5. Start small. Choose 1 item at a time to replace in your pantry with a natural/organic product and notice the difference in your diet!! For example, start using honey instead of sugar; (remember though, honey is twice as sweet as sugar, so you don't need as much! I use about 1/4 cup of honey for every 1 cup of sugar called for in a recipe.)

Hope this is helpful-happy living!!!

Pamper Yourself!!!

So most of you who access this blog know that I sell Silpada Designs, a beautiful line of sterling silver jewelry. Our new catalog is going to be coming out next week, and so I thought I would let you all know so you can check it out!!! Go to my website www.mysilpada.com/katie.greene so that you can see some of the new stuff we have!! After all-jewelry is the only thing you can wear no matter how fat or thin you are feeling! Thank heavens for that!!!

HFCS Monster!!

Ok-so I have a HUGE bone to pick with these new ads about -'the truth about high-fructose corn syrup' (HFCS). The truth is-high-fructose corn syrup is a bioengineered food-does that even SOUND healthy or natural? which means, it is a man-made food. HFCS is bad for you because it doesn't satiate you-it is processed to make you CRAVE MORE HFCS!!! Look on your food labels-if it is listed as an ingredient-which-most likely it is-put the bottle down and run away-especially if it is listed as one of the first ingredients (which means it has a lot in it-the higher to the top of the ingredient list, the more there is in the food).

Welcome, welcome!!!

I have created this blog because I love to learn about nutrition, exercise, and all things good for your body, mind, and soul!!! And yes, that includes being pampered!!! What woman doesn't need to feel special in some way everyday?

As a mother of two beautiful girls, I understand the importance of taking care of myself along with my children. I want to be my best, so that I can teach them to be their best. For me, this includes everything from eating well, exercising, crafting, baking, decorating, pampering, gardening, and looking good! I don't believe you have to be exceptional at any one thing in your life to be successful-but I do think you have to take time to explore your talents and improve upon them. There are many things I am not that great at, but every now and again, I like to try again just to see how it goes!

So please feel free to share your thoughts and information you may have about anything that is important to you!

Each week, I will post some information about an area for you-for your body-or for your mind-so stay tuned and check in often, and please leave your comments!!!!

This week, I am going to start with your body. I love to run and exercise. In fact, I just love doing anything that is active. Biking, hiking, canoeing, taking exercise classes, and I often will just pop in a workout video at home. My favorite workout started back with Billy Blanks and the Tae-Bo era!! I actually still do his workouts, and they are great! Now, my favorite exercise video/guru is Tony Horton-creator of Power 90, or more popularly now, P90X. He has a great workout that I love, 10-minute trainer, which consists of 5 different 10-minute workouts. Don't be deceived that they are only 10 minutes though-you'll be sweating-and they are great when you either don't feel like working out, or you don't have time to get in a long workout. You can get information about him and some other trainers at the BeachBody website below.

My other passion is running. I actually have exercise-asthma and bad knees, and so growing up I always used those excuses not to exercise, but when I became a young adult, I just decided I wanted to run, and so I did. I started off pitiful!! But, I worked my way up, and the better shape I am in, the better my body feels and the more control I have of my asthma, and my knees haven't bothered me for years. I still am not a great marathoner by any sense of the word, but I continue to set goals, and I am increasing my distance even after having two babies! In fact, I am in the best shape of my life and running more than I ever have-and that feels sooooo good! The link below to Runners World can get you hooked up with all kinds of great info on how to get started, taking care of your body to enhance your performance, and where to find races in your area if you are interested!!!

If you love to exercise, or you want to be more active, check out www.runnersworld.com; www.beachbody.com; or www.trails.com. Happy Exercising!