my very best oatmeal cookies

I am one of those grateful adults who grew up in a home where scratch cooking was gold. I also had the pleasure of being allowed to try my hand at cooking at a very early age. To say the least, pizza and cookies are two items I mastered very early. Throughout the years it has been my mission to make the best delicacies healthier, without sacrificing the flavor.

These are my best cookies. I hope you try and enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you!

Ingredients

1 c. packed dark brown sugar

1 c. ap flour

½ c. butter or margarine

1 c. rolled oats

1/3 c. oat flour

1 large egg

½ t. baking powder
CGA dash: cinnamon, ginger, and all spice

1/8 t. salt

1 t. good vanilla

¾ c. mixed nuts & berries

Preparation (12-18) cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soften butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Ease in salt, baking powder, ap flour, oats, CGA, and oat flour. Fold in nuts and berries. Cover. Allow to stand in order to proof. Drop onto baking sheet to your desired portion (1-2 tablespoonful’s). Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let stand for 1-2 minutes. Place on cooling rack. Enjoy!

easy chick-pea-sy tomato soup

1 T vegetable oil
1/4 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 t. chopped garlic
1 c. water
1 14.5 oz. can of stewed tomatoes,
drained & chopped
16 oz. vegetable broth or base equiv.
1 bay leaf
1 c. frozen spinach
3/4 c. cooked chickpeas
1/2 t. dry parsley
cracked pepper
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese

Preparation:
Saute onion, celery, and then garlic in vegetable oil over medium heat for five minutes. Add water and next 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil: cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 mins. Add spinach and next 3 ingredients. Cook until heated. Ladle soup in bowls and sprinkle with cheese. 3 servings.

what's the skinny in january 2014

It's not because I'm off the wagon, although I do love it when someone thinks they know me. The truth is...I'm still coaching, still supporting, still giving my advice to anyone who is listening. I'm not awake before dawn...unless I'm paid to do so. I'm up when I'm up...aka rise and fly. I'm enjoying the winter, getting fresh air in my lungs, and cooking more. I'm experiencing with different foods in the Vegetarian Cuisine since I am now a full-fledged veggie...3 months. My seafood days are behind me.

I am not selfish by nature. I had to become that way to preserve my health. On occasion, when I need to go warrior mode, I do it. I have several fitness memberships and as much I'd love it if LAFIT would expand their facilities or simply move to a larger site, that's not happening yet. I love yoga. I've been taking it or parts of it for so long that I know and have access to stay in the practice without going into a formal class. In short, I do 45 mins. - 1 hour of yoga 3-4 times a week.

Flexibility is simply a must. I still charm on the mat.

Upper body strength is making me go WOW! I think this is largely do to my core development in the last quarter of 2013. Not only do my arms feel strong, they look more defined. This is the same for my body overall. But, everyone knows my upper body has been given more investment this round.

Cardio is at every workout day and so is core along with stretching, and massage. 45 right now. I only run on Upper days. This gives my legs two days between runs. It's allowing me to step up the resistance, speed, and the endurance.

Day 1: Upper (Chest/Back/Shoulders) - 45 Min Run/Upper Workout/Core/Yoga/Massage
Day 2: off
Day 3: Lower (Lunges/Squats) - 45 Min Cardio Circuit/Lower Workout/Core/Yoga/Massage
Day 4: off
Day 5: Upper (Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders) - 45 Min Run/Upper Workout/Core/Yoga/Massage
Day 6: off
Day 7: Lower (Machines/Floor) - 45 Min Cardio Circuit/Lower Workout/Core/Yoga/Massage
Day 8: off...recycle!

I do love concluding each workout with a 7 minute HydroMassage at Planet Fitness. It's one of the best kept secrets. It's amazing for the recovery. Like stretching, it's hard to convince the novice to take that 7 minutes. I'm enjoying that for now, I can get one in after every workout.

vegetarian southwest bowl

Vegetarian Southwest Bowl

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

1/4 cup sweet corn

1/2 cup (rainbow peppers chopped)

chopped onion

minced garlic

1/2 cup black beans

1/2 cup seasoned tofu crumbles (to taste) : red pepper, chili powder, & thyme

1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make S.W. corn salsa, saute onions in light oil, fold in peppers, corn and black beans. Lightly brush ramekin with olive oil. Layer: brown rice, seasoned tofu crumbles, half of cheese, S.W. corn salsa.

Cover with foil. Place ramekin on cooking or bake sheet. Heat for 20 minutes. Add remaining cheese. Heat until cheese melts. Enjoy!

vegetarian food find

Food find of the month…smoked apple sage sausage links by Field Roast. I felt
like a junkie, anxious to try them. I had heard about their deliciousness, but I tried making my own patties first, which were fabulous for a first time recipe try-out, an original inspiration!

One Apple Sage Sausage link is 240 calories. I split the link in half for two servings. Delicious. I plan on trying other flavors. 

new pizza griddle

Last year on a visit to JCPenney, shopping for sales but primarily a new pizza pan with a non-stick surface, I discovered this rectangular griddle. I was not sure about a griddle surface. I was worried about my pizza rise. The salesman urged me to go with it, but I declined.

A week ago, I returned to JCPenney for the post-holiday sales and saw the same griddle. It was on sale now for $24, that’s down from $70. With only a few left in the store, the price and the limited quantity was all I needed to make the leap.

I tried that new griddle. The pizza was a hit!

happy new year 2014

It's always a resolution, right? You spend the entire year waffling back and forth, feeling a little guilty about the fact you're still stuck where you are when the year began. Stop making resolutions. You don't have to put off what you would like to see accomplished unto a New Year. The new year does not need you putting a burden on it the very first day. It is not fair to the new year. It has yet to be determined and clearly you are not good at keeping your promises to it.

So...stop!

Happy Birthday to me. I can tell the one thing I am contemplating and it does not require a resolution to keep me on track. I am tired of combing my hair and thus seriously considering dread locks.

It is cold outside. The most you can hope for with resolutions and hair is to wait until spring anyway...right?

That is my point. Make small goals, post them, make measurable progress...post your accomplishments. Repeat.

This is how I would do it. My fitness season ebbs and flows. After injuring myself last summer, I am no longer a control freak when it comes to working out. I do not mind facing breaks I cannot control. It gives me a sense of freedom to make a decision to change up a workout and not worry about how it is impacting my overall fitness.