Friday, September 14, 2012

I'm feeling moved...

Have any of you been able to catch Katie Couric's new daytime show?  I've never really paid much attention to Katie Couric but I came across her show the last few days.  On Tuesday her guest was Aimee Copeland.  I'm sure you've heard of her. The girl her lost both hands and a leg to some rare flesh eating disease.  What an incredible story.  This girl has lost so much but WOW she seemed content even in her circumstances and is so brave and is going to do great things with her life and the lives of others. 

Well, yesterday's show was a good one!! Her guest was a woman by the name Brene Brown.  I have never heard of this woman but supposedly she's pretty popular.  She recently wrote a book which I am going to purchase called Daring Greatly.  I really enjoyed listening to her talk.  This women has a PH.D in pretty much the topics of vulnerability, courage, worthiness and shame.  She's research these feelings in people for years! I guess it hits home to everyone when you talk about being vulnerable at some point or just plain scared.  Maybe that's why people love this lady.  

What really got me was when Brene Brown stated a quote from Theodore Roosevelt's, The Man in the Arena.  Should I have known about this famous part of this Presidents speech?  Print it out! Put it someone you can see it daily! It is so good and I think everyone can take something huge out of it.  Here it is.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

I LOVE THIS!!  Gives me chills!  It's okay to FAIL!!  At least you are in the arena, right?!! So what if you fail! It's okay to put yourself out there...to be vulnerable.  Brene says you can be vulnerable and be brave!! Get those goals and dreams and desires and go for it! Do what you have to get them checked off your list and living them.  Dream BIG! Step out there! Would't you rather fail then never have tried at all?! Gosh, I would! 

"What's worth doing even if I fail?"-Brene Brown



Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Delish Breakfast

Look what I had for breakfast this morning. 

If you don't read or buy the magazine Good and Fresh I would start.  They have so many delicious and healthy recipes.  Like this one I made this morning.  

3 Grain Pancakes with Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce.  
Okay, I have never in my life bought rhubarb.  I had to Google rhubarb so I could see what it looked like to locate it in the grocery store.  Sad, I know.  Whatevs. The point is is that this dish was delish! 

Check it out. 

You will need:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup quick cooking rolling oats
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup fat free milk (I used almond milk)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Nonstick cooking spray
3 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup sliced rhubarb
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

 Look at all them purdy ingredients. 

I always get all the ingredients out before starting and as I use them I put them away.  Makes cleanup easier. 

1. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a small bowl whisk together egg, milk, and oil. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).

3. Lightly coat an unheated skillet or griddle with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. For each pancake, pour a scant 1/4 cup of the batter to the skillet. Spread to 3 - 3 1/2 inch circle. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes or until pancakes are golden brown, turning to second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and slightly dry edges. 

4.  Meanwhile, for sauce, in a blender or food processor combine 2 cups of the strawberries, the rhubarb, granulated sugar and vanilla. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan; heat until warm. Quarter the remaining 1 cup strawberries. Serve pancakes with sauce and quartered strawberries.

I didn't quarter strawberries this time around but the sauce is yummo!!

Makes 6 (2 pancake) servings.
Per serving: 212 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 32 mg chol., 191 mg sodium, 34 g carbs, (13 g sugar), 4g fiber, 6g protein.

The delish sauce!

Okay, so my presentation isn't the best but they taste really good.

See..that's how good they are. My 2 pancakes gone.  
Since there are so many servings I put the remains in the fridge.  I'm heating them up in the morning. 
Let me know if you try them.
ENJOY!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

{Way to a mans heart. Well, to my mans heart}

It's my hubby's birthday today and I always struggle with what to get him. So, this year I thought I would give him the gift of food. Most of you know that John is out of town a lot for work and I thought that he would like some slow cooker meals while away. Some yummy "home cooked" meals while at the rig. This is the first time I've made freezer meals for the slow cooker. From start to finish it took me about 1 1/2 hours or so to chop and get the meals in the freezer.
The original site I got this from is here.  You can find the grocery list and all the other goodies you need to try this out for yourself. 


I first put all the food on the counter. Look at all that food.  Wowza!


Begin to chop chop and chop some more.  It's really not that bad.  You can divide the veggies in each bag while chopping.  This made things pretty easy.


Labeled the bags with the meal, date, and directions for the day you make it. 
I put the meals in gallon freezer bags. 


Bam! Each bag is 2 - 4 servings.  Two bags for each meal and I made 4 different meals (Teriyaki Chicken, Healthy Barbecue Chicken, Traditional Beef Stew and Goulash Beef Stew). 
The 2 packages of chuck roast steak that were in the grocery pic up top are in the slow cooker as we speak. I am making this recipe. I only wish John were here to eat it.  That's a lot of food for me and Liam. 

Anyway,  Happy birthday to my darling husband.