What My Family Ate for Dinner - Week 16

Another week in the books and I'm still in a recipe funk. I'm going to go ahead and blame it on the heat.

Here's what my family ate for dinner this week!

Sunday, June 15: Happy Father's Day! Scott and the kiddos went for a fun filled day of swimming and BBQ at his parent's house, while I soothed an upset stomach with toast. It was every bit as exciting as it sounds.

Monday, June 16: Chicken stir fry. I originally just had chicken teriyaki on the menu and Scott transformed it into chicken stir fry. It was super yummy and gave us plenty for leftovers.

Tuesday, June 17: Breakfast for dinner! Seriously, is there anything better than pancakes and turkey bacon for dinner? I mean, real bacon would make it better, but ya know. Aaron boycotted this meal because he did not think it was a real dinner. Tell me that again in 20 years kid.

Wednesday, June 18: Marinated pork chops. I shared this recipe a few weeks ago and we loved it so much we had to have it again this week. I marinated them longer and it made a HUGE difference. If you can marinate them overnight.

Thursday, June 19: "Hey, this weather sucks, let's just order pizza." "Okay."

Friday, June 20: Scott and I were supposed to have a date night, but an incident kept him at work. Thank goodness for leftover pizza.

Saturday, June 21: Chicken Marsala with parmesan orzo and zucchini. Yum! One of my favorite cookbooks is Rocco Dispirito's Now Eat This! series. He takes lots of your favorite foods and slashes calories and fat from them. Perfection.

I hope you enjoy these and I hope my funk ends this week. Fingers crossed!

What My Family Ate For Dinner - Week 13

One of the things I love about this weekly post is that it keeps us honest. Scott is on a huge weight loss journey and it has caused us to completely reevaluate what we eat. Never in a million years did I think we would eat the way we are now (that's not to say we were unhealthy eaters before).  It's amazing to see the growth these past 13 weeks. I cannot wait to see where we go from here!

Now on to why you're really here...

This is what my family ate for dinner this week...

Sunday, May 25: We celebrated Memorial Day a day early since Scott had to work. We had a late lunch of turkey burgers, turkey hot dogs, beans, chips and salsa, fruit salad, veggies and apples. It's safe to say we burned a lot of that off in the pool.

Black Bean Burrito Bowl

Monday, May 26: I made black bean burrito bowls and oh my word. They were DELICIOUS! They are so easy to make, too. You can either use quinoa or brown rice, black beans, and literally whatever veggies you want. It's that simple. 

Tuesday, May 27: (Happy anniversary to us!) This recipe is what I like to call stupid simple. It's BBQ chicken melts that literally takes zero time to prep and make. How did I not think of this sooner?

Wednesday, May 28: Aaron is on a noodle kick, so we made shrimp alfredo with broccoli. I think he ate 3 servings. No, really. I just used the Bertolli light alfredo, frozen shrimp, broccoli and whole wheat penne. That simple.

BBQ Chicken Melt

Thursday, May 29: Another Aaron request...Jambalaya. I cannot find the andouille sausage I like at my Target, so I swapped it for chicken sausage. Um, yum! Again, I was lucky I had any of this. Aaron gobbled it all up.

Friday, May 30: Uncle Bob, Aunt Vanessa and sweet baby Jaxson were in town, so we brought in Giordano's. I'm proud to say I can still hold a baby and eat at the same time. Momma's still got it!

Saturday, May 31: Shrimp Boil. That's all I need to say. It is SO good and we just gobble it up. 

I hope you enjoy all of these recipes as much as we did!

What My Family Ate For Dinner - Week 6

It was a crazy week, again, but we tried out a few new recipes and had a few of our favorites. Here's what my family ate for dinner this week...

Sunday, April 6: Turkey Burger Casserole made its way back into the rotation. This is one of our most favorite recipes. I paired it with some fresh asparagus to give us an extra green veggie with dinner.

Monday, April 7: I found this recipe for pork tenderloin cooked in BBQ sauce and diet root beer on Skinny Mom and I can safely say it is definitely staying in the rotation. I also cut this recipe in half, there is no way we would eat 4lbs of pork tenderloin.

Instead of using a hamburger bun, we opted for the sandwich thins. I think we are going to start doing that for anything bun related. I'm going to try it with turkey burgers this week, I'll let you know how that works out for us.
The whole meal, with veggies, was under 300 calories for a serving. Boom.

Tuesday, April 8: I made another favorite of ours, white bean chicken chili. This recipe makes a ton and it is so filling. It heats up really well for leftovers, too.

Wednesday, April 9: We had leftovers because of parent-teacher conferences. I have found that we almost always have a leftover night now, which is a good problem to have.

Thursday, April 10: I found this yummy recipe on Pinterest and it's great because it's a one pot recipe. It also has quinoa, which is my new favorite, even though I'm convinced I have it in my teeth after every meal.

This Mexican Quinoa Bowl pairs great with a dollop of light sour cream, some reduced fat cheddar or Mexican cheese and a few tortilla chips.

This also warmed up really well the next day for leftovers.

Friday, April 11: Another Skinny Mom recipe! This Creamy Tortellini with Veggies was SOOOO delicious and filling!

My biggest change to this recipe would be to add some fresh cracked black pepper. It definitely needed some.

I hope you're enjoying all of these recipes! You know we are :)

What My Family Ate For Dinner - Week 5

We finally got back on track this week (kind of). It was great being away and enjoying all the yummy Southern food, but your waistline can only handle so much of that, right? Here's what we ate this week...

Sunday, March 30: We met up with my niece Lorren and her boyfriend (referred to as "the boyfriend" by the kids). We had a late lunch, so it was just snacks that night.

Monday, March 31 AND Tuesday, April, 1: Meatball Stroganoff with roasted asparagus. I love this recipe, but it makes SO much! We enough for lunch and dinner on Tuesday.

Wednesday, April 2: I found this yummy Pork Stew recipe and it's so simple! Plus, you can customize it to your own tastes.

Aaron had THREE helpings of this and ate every veggie I put in it (mushrooms, carrots, celery, red potatoes, tomatoes and onion).

All you have to do for this recipe is brown your pork chops, chop your veggies, throw everything in your slow cooker with some seasonings and let it cook for 8 hours. Top it with some parmesan cheese and dig in!


Thursday, April 3: Here's where the 'kind of' comes into play. After a pretty crazy day my frolleague (you know, friend who's also a colleague) and I were talking about dinner and she said they were having pizza. I instantly sent a text to Scott that simply read, "Pizza." We were both sold. It was perfection.

Friday, April 4: The 'kind of' continues. PawPaw gave us quite a scare and while Scott met him at the hospital, I grabbed the kiddos and went home. The veggie gumbo we were going to have sat a little too long in the slow cooker. It was not pleasant looking. We both snacked that night.

Saturday, April 5: I found this super stuffed potato recipe on Prevention's website and it is ridiculously delicious. I did cheat and use the microwavable baked potatoes because it is already in the upper 80's down here. The idea of running my oven at 425 for an hour just makes me miserable.

The potatoes are stuffed with broccoli, turkey bacon and a cheese sauce that you make yourself. It was definitely filling, especially since we paired it with a salad.

Aaron even had some of this and enjoyed it.

I hope you enjoy!

What My Family Ate for Dinner - Week 3

This was a crazy week for us. I ran over the weekend and have been prepping for a conference all week, so we needed a bunch of simple recipes that were still fairly healthy.

In case you haven't checked in with Southern Fried Fat Guy, Scott is still doing extremely well with his weight loss!

Here's what we ate:

Sunday, February 23: Teppan Eddo

No, it's not the name of a dish, it's the name of a restaurant in EPCOT. It's a hibachi style restaurant that serves super delicious Japanese food. We were there celebrating Cathy's birthday.

Scott and I both had the chicken and shrimp, Aaron had shrimp (yeah) and Jillian had chicken. Everyone even ate with chopsticks. Well, Jill didn't, but Aaron did. He did an amazing job and didn't ask for his fork once!



Monday, February 24: Dirty Rice with Smoked Turkey Sausage

This was a request from Aaron. Sometimes something really simple is the best meal you can have. All I did was make some Zatarains Dirty Rice mix and add some Jennie-O Smoked Turkey Sausage. Add a veggie on the side and your meal is complete!

Tuesday, February 25: Quinoa Chicken Chili

This is a favorite for Scott and I. One serving is only 214 calories and is packed with protein. My favorite part? All you have to do is put it in the crock pot and walk away. So simple!

Wednesday, February 26: Ground Turkey Tacos

This was another Aaron request. I usually make my tacos with ground turkey instead of beef. Sometimes I use meatless crumbles (like Quorn) or I shred chicken. This is another easy weeknight meal that you can pack with veggies (lettuce, tomato, salsa, etc.).


Thursday, February 27: Pepperoni Chicken

O.M.G. This was SO delicious! I found this recipe on one of my favorite sites, SkinnyMom and cannot wait to make it again! Each serving is 211 calories. We paired it with some steamed broccoli and it was perfect!

Friday, February 28: Turkey Burger Casserole

I know, we eat a LOT of this. Aaron gobbled this up, again (think 3 servings).

This is an old photo, not from last night, but we have started taking the tomatoes out. Only Scott eats them. I just add more zucchini to the recipe and then some on the side.





Saturday, March 1: Leftovers

Not exciting, I know.

I hope you enjoy all of these yummy recipes!

What My Family Ate for Dinner This Week

Another week in the books and a few inches shaved off of Scott. Obviously, we are doing something right.

Here's what we ate this week:

Sunday, February 9: Meatball Stroganoff

The recipe for this is really vague and I ended up making entirely too much. We had leftovers for several days. The meal was really yummy though and a serving was about 358 calories. Not too shabby.

Monday, February 10: Chicken, Broccoli & Cheese Skillet

This is another yummy and quick meal that you can make during the week. It also contains all of Aaron's favorite things, chicken, cheese and broccoli. This is about 422 calories per serving.

Tuesday, February 11: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

I did not snag a picture of this because I was too busy shoveling it in my mouth. Holy yum, was this good! Again, this makes a lot and we were able to have leftovers for a few days. Each serving (which is 2 cups and HUGE) is only 358 calories. It was a struggle for me to eat 2 cups worth of this soup. It is so filling!

Wednesday, February 12: Tuna Sandwiches

We were running behind and the weather was AWFUL on Wednesday, so Scott fed the kiddos dinner and he and I had tuna sandwiches. We had it on Rudi's Gluten-Free bread with one serving of Starkist chunk light tuna, mixed with a half of a tablespoon of Ken's ranch dressing. I added some super delicious whole grain Cheez-It's on the side and my dinner was 470 calories. Not the greatest, but comforting on a stormy night.

Thursday, February 13: Sour Cream Enchiladas

Again, no photo. You will probably never see a photo of these from me because they are just so delicious. One serving (which is two enchiladas) is 374 calories. You will lick your plate with this meal. I'm not even kidding.

Friday, February 14: Chicken Jambalaya 

Okay, we were supposed to have chicken jambalaya for dinner, but neither my stomach nor Scott's stomach could not handle another meal that included Rotel tomatoes. I have the completed meal in the fridge for leftovers. We have made this before and it is really delicious. So what did we have? Um...we may have just ordered a pizza and called it a night. Everyone is allowed one of these nights.

Saturday, February 15: Repeat! Chicken, Broccoli & Cheese Skillet

Aaron helps plan the meals with me each week and this was one of this requests. Of course I obliged and made it again!

I hope you find these meals just as yummy! Enjoy!

"Is she eating again?"

Scott is on a huge weight loss journey and because of this we had to switch up our meals and all around eating habits. Now this doesn't mean that we ate awful before, we just really needed to start being mindful of everything we were putting in our mouths.

Scott has started sharing his "what did the fat guy eat" on his blog, but I thought I would share a few of the meals here, too.

When Scott told me he wanted to start losing weight I started researching meals that were healthy, low in calories and still yummy. Sometimes that can be a tall order to fill, but thankfully there the site, Skinny Mom. Here are some of the yummy things I have made from that site:

Turkey Burger Casserole
Aaron and Scott both gobbled this up and it's even better the next day!

Three-Cheese Penne
O.M.G. That's all I have to say.

Mexican Stuffed Shells
This recipe makes a ton, no, seriously.

Other favorites include sour cream enchiladas, slow cooker chicken pot pie and BBQ chicken flatbread.

So that takes care of dinners and well, let's be honest, lunches because Lord knows there are enough leftovers for lunches. What about snacks/desserts?

Well, our go-to dessert is a concoction that I made up. Take one apple, dice it up, melt one tablespoon of peanut butter, pour over the apple and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

It satisfies every possible craving you could have.

For snacks, I will tell you this, I eat almost all day. No, seriously. Chances are if you step into my office I am either a) eating something b) just finished eating something or c) am about to eat something. What am I always snacking on? Here's the short list:

• Dannon Light and Fit Greek Yogurt (either Caramel Macchiato or Vanilla) with granola
• Baby Bell Light 
• Gala or Fuji apple
• Strawberries and kiwi
• Reduced Fat Fig Newtons
• Angie's Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn (only 140 calories for 2 cups!)
• Luna bars
• Whole grain Cheez Its
• Snap Pea Crisps
• Banana
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (I have to be honest here.)

Scott included some of his snacks on his blog, so you can check those out, too. 

All in all I think this was a pretty easy transition. The kids love the meals and so do a few of my coworkers who get to sample the leftovers. 

Be sure to check in with Scott and help encourage him! He's almost down 30 lbs!!!!

Couscous Paella with Shrimp and Chicken Sausage

In an effort to continue eating healthy, I found this super yummy recipe for paella with shrimp and chicken sausage and instead of using rice, you use couscous (so good they named it twice!).

Here's what you need:

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1 cup of chopped onion
2 links of cooked chicken sausage, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
8 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup whole wheat couscous
3/4 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
1/2 cup chopped italian parsley
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Here's what you need to do:

In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add red pepper and onion, cook stirring for 6-8 minutes or until soft.
Add sausage, garlic, paprika and oregano.
Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
Stir in the broth and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and stir in shrimp, couscous and peas.
Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and shrimp are pink, firm and opaque.
Fluff couscous with a fork, stir in parsley and lemon juice.

This was so light and yummy! Plus, it took less than 20 minutes to make, which is perfect for a busy weeknight.

I hope you enjoy!

Chicken, Broccoli and Asparagus Stir Fry

I love Asian and Asian-inspired food, what I don't love is getting take out that is full of sodium and just not so yummy stuff. I've taken to making my own Asian-style food and this is one of the newer recipes I've tried.

Here's what you need:

2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups of small broccoli florets
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small strips or cubes (I used chicken tenderloins)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions (I omitted this, not a huge fan)
1/4 cup hoisin sauce

What to do:

In a large skillet, or wok, heat half the oil over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds.
Add asparagus, broccoli and half of the chicken/veggie broth. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes or until the veggies are tender-crisp.
Transfer the veggie mixture to a bowl.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and cayenne pepper and place in skillet. If you are using the green onions, add them here too.
Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.
Return the veggie mixture to the skillet and add remaining broth and hoisin sauce.
Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

I served this over brown rice and it was delicious! Aaron had two helpings of it and ate all of the veggies. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Review: 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking

image credit: Colin Erricson/www.robertrose.ca

Camilla V. Saulsbury came out with another fantastic cookbook (you may recall I reviewed her book on making cookies out of cake mix); 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking 500 Recipes for Lifelong Wellness. Before we get to the delicious recipes, I want to talk about the front section of the book.

With our daily exposure to a constant stream of conflicting information about nutrition and health, it can be a challenge to discern which foods really do form a healthy diet, let alone how to turn them into delicious dishes that can be prepared without too much time, fuss and expense.
5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking offers a solution. Vastly different from a diet book, this simplified, five-step approach to health is holistic and flexible. It begins and ends with easy and enticing recipes.

The five steps are:

1. Choose fresh, whole foods
2. Eat mostly vegetable- and fruit-based foods
3. Opt for healthy fats and proteins
4. Select superfoods (nutrient-dense foods)
5. Eat more whole grains

The choices we make at the market, in our kitchens, and around the dining table, can affect our health (for better or for worse). No one food can make you healthy on its own, aim instead for a varied and balanced diet.

I think one of the most surprising things I learned while reading the front section of the book is that the Meatless Monday phenomenon is not a new concept. It started almost 100 years ago during the First World War to reduce consumption of meat, something that was hard to come by during war time. I've been aiming to cut meat out of our diets, at least one day a week, and substitute other forms of protein into our diets.

Something else I loved about this book is that Camilla gives you descriptions of all of the ingredients she uses in the book. If you are reading a recipe and say to yourself, "What in the world is that?", all you have to do is flip to the front and she provides a description, including where you will find it in your store. How great is that? A lot of the ingredients though are not coming from left field, you're probably familiar with all of them.

When you get to the recipes Camilla has side notes next to each one. My favorite note with each recipe tells you which of the 5 steps that particular recipe falls into. She also gives you the nutritional break down, which is awesome great to have!

Now onto the recipes! I've made quite a few of the recipes so far and am in love! I've made Jamaican Jerk Chicken Couscous (so good they named it twice!), Apple Chips, Chipotle Tilapia Tacos (great doesn't even describe these), and Crunchy Vanilla Granola. My sister and my Mom also own the cookbook and have been loving the recipes as well. I was on the phone with my sister the second I got this cookbook and I think she ordered it while we were on the phone. She's made quite a few of the recipes as well. I know she's made the Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Lemon and loved it. Here's the recipe:

image credit: Colin Erricson/www.robertrose.ca

Barley Risotto with Asparagus and Lemon (page 266)
Makes 4 servings

Great for Steps 1, 2, 4 and 5
Here, the bright flavors of lemon, basil and asparagus play against the earthiness of barley and onions.

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 10 mL
1 cup finely chopped onion 250 mL
1 cup pearl barley 250 mL
1⁄2 cup dry white wine 125 mL
4 cups reduced-sodium ready-to-use 1 L
vegetable broth, divided
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 500 g
1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed 250 mL
1⁄2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, 125 mL
divided
1⁄4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 60 mL
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 5 mL
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 30 mL

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and barley; cook, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes or until onion is softened. Add wine and cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until liquid is evaporated.
2. Stir in 2 cups (500 mL) of the broth. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Add the remaining broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until barley is tender and mixture is creamy (there should still be some liquid).
3. Stir in asparagus and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in peas, half the basil, cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice; simmer for 1 minute or until heated through. Serve sprinkled with the remaining basil.

Nutrients per serving
Calories 345
Total fat 6 g
Saturated fat 2 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 430 mg
Carbohydrate 57 g
Fiber 15 g
Protein 12 g
Calcium 183 mg
Iron 2.8 mg

One of my favorite recipes from the book is the Chipotle Tilapia Tacos with Pineapple. I made them this past Friday and they were out of this world! Another Tilapia Taco recipe I want to try is Grilled Tilapia Tacos with Mango Salsa (doesn't that scream summer?). Here's the recipe:

image credit: Colin Erricson/www.robertrose.ca

Grilled Tilapia Tacos with Mango Salsa (page 366)
Makes 4 servings

Great for Steps 1, 3, 4 and 5
This dish showcases tilapia's outdoorsy side and the bright, fresh flavor of early summer mangos in tropical tacos that are perfect for lunch with friends or a light dinner eaten al fresco. Brushing the delicate fillets with a spiced lime vinaigrette seals in their juices and intensifies the flavor of the tacos.

• Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high

Salsa
1 cup chopped fresh or thawed frozen 250 mL
mango
1⁄2 cup chopped red bell pepper 125 mL
1⁄2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, 125 mL
chopped
1⁄4 cup finely chopped red onion 60 mL
1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt 1 mL
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 15 mL
Tacos
1 tsp ground cumin 5 mL
1⁄2 tsp chili powder 2 mL
1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt 1 mL
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 15 mL
2 tsp vegetable oil 10 mL
4 skinless farmed tilapia fillets (each 4
about 6 oz/175 g)
4 8-inch (20 cm) whole wheat tortillas, 4
warmed
2 cups shredded purple or green cabbage 500 mL

1. Salsa: In a small bowl, combine mango, red pepper, cilantro, red onion, salt and lime juice.
2. Tacos: In a small cup, whisk together cumin, chili powder, salt, lime juice and oil. Brush on both sides of fish, coating evenly.
3. Grill fish on preheated barbecue, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until fish is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork. Flake fish into small pieces.
4. Fill warmed tortillas with fish, cabbage and salsa.

Tip: According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, U.S.- and Canadian-farmed tilapia are the best choices because the supplies are abundant, well managed and farmed in an environmentally friendly way. A good alternative is tilapia farmed in Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras or Ecuador.

Nutrients per serving
Calories 370
Total fat 9 g
Saturated fat 2 g
Cholesterol 88 mg
Sodium 579 mg
Carbohydrate 34 g
Fiber 5 g
Protein 41 g
Calcium 52 mg
Iron 1.7 mg

There are 500 recipes in this book that cover everything from breakfast, snacks, meatless dishes, and so much more. I challenge you to not find at least 400 recipes in this book that you and you family wouldn't love. If you are thinking of eating healthy and changing your eating habits, or if you already are on the healthy bandwagon and just need more recipes, you should definitely pick up a copy of this cookbook. It is worth every penny and so much more.

About the author:Camilla V. Saulsbury is a food writer, recipe developer, cooking instructor and fitness expert/personal trainer. She has been featured on the Food Network, in the New York Times and on Today and QVC, and has won numerous top cooking competitions, including the Food Network's $25,000 Ultimate Recipe Showdown (Cookies Episode).

*Recipes excerpted from 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking by Camilla V. Saulsbury © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.*

Disclosure: I received a copy of 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking by Camilla V. Saulsbury for review from Robert Rose Inc. The opinions expressed are my own and were in no way influenced.

BlogHer Book Club Review: Why Women Need Fat

I wanted to love "Why Women Need Fat" by William D. Lassek M.D. and Steven J.C. Gaulin, PH.D., I really did. When the email came out about reviewing this book I jumped at the chance, mainly because I love reading all things related to nutrition. For me though, this book disappointed me.

The book is broken down into three parts; Why and how we got fatter, why women need fat and how to achieve your healthy natural weight. A lot of the information in the first two sections are not surprising and really nothing new, to me at least. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that when the label on the food you are eating has more ingredients you cannot pronounce than you can pronounce, it's not healthy. I did, however, find some of their findings quite surprising and slightly disturbing.

One of the most disturbing claims I read was that high fructose corn syrup is ok, and not a reason why we are getting fatter. Um....I'm not a doctor, I don't even pretend to be one on tv, but I'm not buying that. Maybe by itself and in extremely low doses it's fine, but when it's in almost every product on the market, I think that is the problem. Now, we can start a debate on this, but let's just get back to the book.

The book has such potential to really educate women about eating healthy and making sure that you have smart fats in your diet (high in omega-3's and low in omega-6's), but I feel like it ventures off that path too many times and almost encourages the reader to be overweight. No, really. I was floored when I was reading and it said it's better to be overweight because you will be less likely to break a hip when you're older since your bones will be stronger from carrying the weight. A discussion about natural foods and eating the right amount of fat (and not processed fats) would have made this book amazing. I worry that women are going to read this and not get the right message out of it.

I'm interested to see what the other reviewers have to say over at BlogHer, be sure to join us and join in on the discussion.

Disclosure: This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own

Van's Natural Foods Giveaway

I've reviewed Van's products quite a few times on here and I love that they keep letting me check out their new products. I'm not exaggerating when I say they are my favorite breakfast food company, mainly because I can trust what's in their products. I recognize all of the ingredient names and my kids love them (specifically the chocolate chip waffles).

Van’s has just launched Power Grains, the first high protein waffle nationally available. Each serving, made with cracked red wheat and steel cut oats, offers 10 full grams of protein, more than an egg. As the journal Obesity recently found, eating a breakfast high in protein helps keep people feel full longer, with fewer food cravings, than other breakfasts. And a study published in July by the International Journal of Obesity has found that children who eat breakfast tend to gain less weight over time than children who skip breakfast.


Like all of Van’s products, Power Grains are made with high-quality, natural ingredients and frozen for freshness so they don’t contain nasty preservatives. Van’s is proud of its ingredients, and makes its foods with the recipe list you’d use at home. (And Cooking Light just named their 8 Whole Grain waffle the best one on the market!)

The new Power Grains waffles are really yummy. They are not available in all stores yet, but thanks to the handy dandy store locator feature on Van's website, I was able to find some at my local Whole Foods Market. I got them in 'totally natural' and they are beyond delicious. For me this is a great way to get some added protein while I train for the half marathon, without having to eat more eggs (which get old real quick), grilled chicken (again, gets old), or a protein bar.

One lucky Twice the Love...Half the Sleep reader has a chance to win coupons to try Power Grains waffles completely free! For a required entry, simply visit Van's Natural Foods website and tell me what flavor you would love to try.

For additional entries:
Follow Twice the Love...Half the Sleep
Like Twice the Love...Half the Sleep on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter (@amandanethero)
Like Van's Natural Foods on Facebook
Tweet about this giveaway, be sure to include @amandanethero in the tweet

The winner will be announced on Friday, January 13th, 2012. Be sure to leave separate comments for each entry!

Disclosure: I was provided coupons for free Van's products for review. The opinions expressed are my own and were in no way influenced.

BlogHer Book Club Review: Lunch Wars

The moment I started reading Amy Kalafa's Lunch Wars I immediately had flash backs to what I ate in the cafeteria in school. I remember the grease soaked pizza pockets, the hot dogs, and the hamburgers. Nothing about any of those meals sounds remotely appetizing to me and I would hate to see them served in my kiddos school.

Lunch Wars dives into some of the nations schools and how parents have worked to change the cafeterias and food programs in their areas. I am not totally familiar with the programs at the schools in my kids areas and was planning on packing them lunches anyway, that way I would have control over what they ate. That little dream of mine was practically shattered when I was reading the book and saw that Kalafa's own daughter was bamboozling her and eating Pop-Tarts and french fries, all stuff that was off limits for her. I began to think my little plan would not work.

Now here's the thing, my kids have Oreo's, french fries and things of that nature. This book kind of made me feel like I am destroying my children to the point of no return. I understand that these types of things are by no means healthy and contribute to the fact that our kids probably will not outlive us because of the health problems they will have, but what's wrong with McDonald's every once in a while? Sometimes the book comes off a little extreme and I find myself up at night worrying if my kids will end up with Type 2 Diabetes because I let them have a Nutter Butter. In reality what it comes down to is you need to find a balance for you and your kids. For my family it comes down to understanding what our genetics are, what diseases we are more likely to have and to adjust our diet to prevent those. It's also about getting out and being active.

That being said, I do think that the school cafeteria situation needs to change. I appreciate that this book is basically a how-to for reforming the food program in your school, it will definitely be a reference if I feel that the food in the school cafeteria in my area needs to be changed. All in all I think this book is a great resource that every parent should read it to better educate themselves about what is going on in the schools and how they can make a change.

Be sure to check out the discussions going on at BlogHer about this book!

This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Van's Natural Foods Giveaway

The kids and I had the chance to try some of the latest products from Van's Natural Foods this past week and cannot wait to tell you about them!


One of the newest products are the Muffin Crowns, basically the part without the stump (go ahead, insert that episode of Seinfeld, I know I did!). There are two flavors, wild blueberry and triple chocolate. I, personally, love the wild blueberry and Scott is a fan of the triple chocolate. The Muffin Crowns are made with at least 7 grams of whole grains and pack 6 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein per serving, in only 120 calories or less. They’re individually packaged and can be eaten oven toasted or simply thawed, so they’re great as a quick, portable breakfast or snack. For Scott this is a perfect, quick breakfast that he can eat on his way into work.


Another new product is the waffle sticks, which come in two flavors, vanilla and chocolate. We tried the vanilla sticks and the kids loved them. Van’s new Waffle Sticks have only 70 calories per serving and they are sized perfectly to fit in kids' hands, so they're a great treat on-the-go. You can either microwave these, put them in a toaster oven or toast them in the oven. We did them in the microwave and I'm happy to say they were not soggy at all! The vanilla flavor is sweet, but not overpowering, which is perfect for the kids.

I haven't been able to find these at the Publix by my house yet, but thanks to the handy store locator feature on Van's website I was able to find them at my nearby Whole Foods Market. I'm a huge fan of the whole line of Van's products (the french toast sticks are without a doubt one of my favorites, followed closely by the apple cinnamon waffles and now the wild blueberry muffin crowns) and the fact that they are nutritious while still being delicious. A huge thank you to the wonderful people from Van's for allowing me to sample these new products!

One lucky reader will have a chance to try out these new products as well! Simply visit Van's Natural Foods website, check out their list of goods and tell me which product you'd like to try the most.

For additional entries:
Follow Twice the Love...Half the Sleep
Like Twice the Love...Half the Sleep on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Like Van's Natural Foods on Facebook
Tweet about this giveaway (be sure to include @amandanethero in your tweet)

The winner will be announced Friday August 12th! Good luck everyone!

Chicken Noodle Salad

I'm playing along with the lovely Heather of Life As We Know It. She just started a new blog hop called What's Cookin' Wednesday, so I thought I would share Scott's favorite summer recipe: Chicken Noodle Salad.


Here's what you need:

• 2 carrots, diced, or you can use a handful of the matchstick carrots
• 2 stalks celery, peeled and diced
• 1 red, green or yellow bell pepper, diced (I started using sweet peppers and Scott says they are better in the salad than the bell peppers. I use about 6 sweet peppers since they are small)
• 2 cups small pasta noodles, whole wheat preferably, cooked
• 2 cups cooked chicken, in a pinch use canned chicken
• 3 cups romaine lettuce
• Grape tomatoes (optional)

What to do:
Simple, toss it all together!

Here's the dressing I put on it:

Honey BBQ Ranch Dressing

• 4 tablespoons low fat Ranch dressing
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

Whisk together and pour over salad.

This is a perfect lunch option in the summer, it's really light and really fulfilling all at the same time. Enjoy!

I'm Chiquita Banana and I'm here to say

That's right, I'm a Chiquita Mom, sorry no Carmen Miranda style hat though. Ever since my kiddos started on solids bananas have always been a favorite. They still to this day split one every morning, although right now Aaron is on a serious banana kick and eats at least 2 a day. I firmly believe this love of bananas comes from my eating a ton when I was pregnant with them. Being a Chiquita Mom definitely brings some perks, like receiving a Chiquita Mom kit which includes bibs, feeding tools, freezer bags, a reusable grocery tote, recipes cards and a coupon for free bananas.

Bananas are somewhat of a powerhouse in the nutrition department. They are full of three kinds of natural sugar: glucose, fructose and sucrose as well as a significant amount of fiber. They also have manganese and Vitamins A, C, E and K which help give you that energy boost you need in the morning, during the 3 o'clock slump, or before you work out. And, as we all know, bananas are full of potassium which plays an essential role in metabolic and body functions like building muscles, absorbing calcium and maintaining blood pressure.

Bananas are pretty easy to mix into foods as well. We all know about banana nut bread (soooo yummy) and chocolate covered bananas (equally delicious), but have you had banana pancakes? These are a favorite in my house, but they rarely are made because I usually don't have enough bananas left (we go through at least 2 bunches a week). I did learn that you can freeze bananas for up to two months, so I think I'm going to start buying extra and freeze them for these recipes. Ok, back to the banana pancakes. I originally got the recipe from The Sneaky Chef, but I've tweaked it a little and took out the orange puree because I never seem to have it when I make this.

Here's what you need:

• 2 large bananas, mashed, should come out to about 1 cup
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/4 cup milk (possibly more since I took out puree)
• 1/2 cup of The Sneaky Chef Flour Blend
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

What to do:

• In a medium size bowl mix together the banana, egg, maple syrup and milk
• In another bowl mix together the flour blend, baking powder, and salt
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until just blended
• Prepare on griddle, or if you are cool like me, put in the snackmaster
• Serve with some warm maple syrup if you are brave

My kids gobble these up and I love that they are getting a great boost to their morning. This is just one of the many recipes you can make with bananas. You can find all of those on Chiquita's website as well as more information on health, nutrition and all about their bananas.

At the end of the month I'm going to be posting another recipe over at Multiples and More. I'm definitely having a hard time narrowing down what I want to make, so maybe I'll post a few more over here too.

As an added perk, Chiquita is offering to 2 lucky Twice the Love readers a Chiquita Mom kit like the one I received. For a required entry head over to Chiquita's site and tell me what recipe you'd love to try with your kids. This giveaway will close at 9pm EST on Monday, January 10th.

For additional entries (leave separate comments for each entry):

• Follow Twice the Love...Half the Sleep
  
• Like Chiquita Bananas on Facebook
• Like Twice the Love...Half the Sleep on Facebook
• Follow Chiquita Chatter on Twitter
• Tweet about this giveaway, you can tweet once a day until the giveaway ends (be sure to include @chiquitachatter and @amandanethero in your tweet)
  

The winners will be chosen using Random.org and announced on Tuesday, January 11th.

Thank you again to my friends at Chiquita for giving me all of this information and recipes to use!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the product mentioned above for free for review purposes from Chiquita Bananas/Empower MediaMarketing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

New Years Resolution

I'm working on a post for Multiples and More about getting kids out of a food rut, you know when they only will eat one thing and only that one thing no matter what time of day it is? Ours is toast, waffles, bagels and chicken nuggets. Quite the combo right?

For a while I was making their nuggets from scratch and then Winn-Dixie closed by me and there went my buy one get one deal on chicken, so I resorted back to the super simple Tyson nuggets. I watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and saw what went into chicken nuggets, threw up a little in my mouth, and then *yuck* continued to serve them to my kids. I'm making a vow to stop serving that crap to them (really, it is crap) and anything that has an ingredient that I cannot pronounce.

I have to admit I got really lazy towards the end of the year. With everything going on, and going back to school it just became overwhelming for a moment. Now I'm over it and fed up with the crap that is out there for people to eat. 90% of what is sold in supermarkets, quite frankly, is garbage. This is my new years resolution, to stick to my guns about nutrition and set my kiddos up for success. Let's hope I don't flake out again this year.