Morning Starter

I'm veering off of summer today, because I have a headache and just feel like sitting quietly with a relaxing treat, so thought I'd share that with you.

'Tis the season of Pumpkin Spice everything (except that a lot of it includes no pumpkin at all), but especially in the coffee-shop-addicted Pacific Northwest, the Pumpkin Spice Latte and it's variation, the Pumpkin Spice Frappe, are big news when they're first available.  We bought one of the latter from our local shop, but being used to homemade concoctions with more nutrition, we found them to be too sweet.  --Also, of course, too expensive to enjoy very often.

Last year, I shared a homemade version of the hot, pumpkin spice latte.  This is our homemade, whole-foods variation of the cold, blended drink.  I started by using a powdered frappe mix, but when we ran out of that, made it using ingredients we normally have on hand instead, which means I'm more in control of what goes in, anyway.

Confession:  Sometimes this is my breakfast!

Pumpkin-Spinach Spiced Frappe

Yield: two 20-ounce servings 

Add to blender:

• 1 large handful fresh spinach leaves (approx 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
• 1/2 - 3/4 c canned pumpkin
• 18 ice cubes (ours are made by our freezer...18 fills about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 c liquid (* see options below)
• 1/2 to 3/4 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder (This could be optional, but I add this or vanilla yogurt to make the smoothie into more of a balanced snack/small meal.  We use Pure Protein 100 % Whey Protein, Rich Chocolate, because we prefer the whey protein source, and it doesn't have artificial sweetener.  If you leave this out, you may need more sweetener.)
• 2 good shakes of ground cinnamon (~1/4 teaspoon)
• 2 small dashes of ground ginger (~1/8 teaspoon)
• 1 tiny dash of ground cloves
• Sweetener, to taste

This is sometimes our
take-along-on-the-long-ride-to-Grandpa's treat

Blend until smooth, adding more liquid, if necessary, to reach desired consistency.  Of course, adjust the spices to your particular taste, too.

Poor into 2 large cups.  Prince CuddleBunny likes to add a straw.  ;-)  The spinach hides in flavor, but adds a green tinge to the drink, which, overall, tastes pretty much like pumpkin pie in a cup!  Enjoy.



*Liquid combinations I've used to equal 2 cups:

• 3/4 cup cold espresso or coffee, 3/4 cup vanilla almond or soy milk, 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
• 1 1/4 cup vanilla almond or soy milk, 1/4 cup half and half or whipping cream, plus 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (which is optional, especially for kiddos)
• 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, 1+ cup soy or almond milk, 1/ 2 cup cold coffee (or milk equivalent for caffeine-free)  

Write31days.com

I'm, honestly, have mixed emotions about using and recommending protein powder, even though I'm pretty picky about which I use.  This article just came to my attention that lists real-food options that will add protein to smoothies, without the use of processed powders, so I thought I'd offer the link.

Kale... Fail. Cauliflower? Better.

I'm a snacker.  I love little things to munch while I drive or watch TV.  In trying to keep unhealthy and/or extra carbs and fat in check, the options are limited, and I keep my eyes open for new ideas.

More veggies in my diet would always be a good idea, so vegetables that could also be snacks would be a double bonus.  A couple of years ago, I tried making kale chips.  You can read about that here... I just wasn't thrilled with the result.  But I was recently intrigued when I heard the term "Cauliflower Popcorn."  I am a cauliflower fan, and loooovvvve  popcorn, so it was worth a try.

A quick search in the internet turned up a 5-star rated recipe on Food.com.  The method is about the same as what I do to make roasted cauliflower, except for one thing.

For roasted cauliflower, I wash and pat dry a head of cauliflower, or pre-prepped cauliflower pieces and break them into approximately 1 1/2 inch pieces.  I place them in a large bowl, drizzle on a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.  I also add parmesan cheese, but often hold it to sprinkle on in the last several minutes of baking. 

I spread the oiled and spiced cauliflower on a oil-sprayed baking sheet, one layer deep and spread out so that they aren't touching each other any more than necessary. 

After roasting for 20 minutes

I put the pan in a preheated 425 degree oven, and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and starts to brown.  

This is where the Cauliflower Popcorn recipe is different.  The 'popcorn' is supposed to bake for a full hour.  This is a long time for the impatient to wait for a snack! According the recipes and comments I read, the extra browning, or caramelization, though, should make the cauliflower sweeter, and some of the smaller pieces will get nice and crispy.

At 30 minutes

Unlike the kale, which I didn't like at all, I wouldn't consider this to be a fail.  I really like roasted cauliflower and this is so  similar.  So similar, in fact, I'm not sure it was worth the extra time for the trade offs.  Yes, the ultra-browned pieces were crispy.  

"Cauliflower Popcorn"... After one hour of roasting.
Actually, it was after 55 minutes, because this was brown enough!

But to us they didn't seem that sweet, just a little burnt.  --Not so much that we couldn't eat them, but not anything we'd consider much of a plus.  The pieces that weren't browned to crispiness were super soft.  When I roast cauliflower, my aim is to get some definite browning, but also to get it out of the oven while the cauliflower still has some crispness of its own left, and hasn't turned to mush.  In an hour, there isn't much hope of that.

My other concern is, when it's cooked this much, has all the good veggie nutrition been cooked out of it, too?  Raw or barely cooked cauliflower, according to the nutrition facts listed on sites, such as World's Healthiest Foods, is an awesome source of Vitamin C, and also a very good source of other vitamins, including K, B-6, and folate, and fulfills other nutritional needs, like manganese, fiber, and Omega-3s.  It might help prevent certain cancers and has anti-inflammatory effects.  It is low on the Glycemic Index, which means it won't cause problems by raising blood sugar levels too much or too rapidly.

According to this article, steaming loses approximately 15% of most of the vitamins in cauliflower, while boiling causes much more of a loss when the vitamins leech into the cooking water.  Nutrition charts on this site, show more than a 50% loss of potassium when boiling, but doesn't have other cooked cauliflower information.  I'd guess the loss in roasting might be equivalent to that of steaming, but I couldn't find more exact information to share.  I still believe that the quicker the cooking, and the more intact the vegetable, the better the retained vitamins.  I would also think over-cooking would make the sugars more readily available to the bloodstream, which is another negative.

I think I'll stick to the shorter roasting time from now on.  I'll have my snack and eat it, too... more quickly!

Just Curious

Saving money and calories can help us feel better, right?


After I shared Prince CuddleBunny's treat recipe with you yesterday, I thought about a moment a few days ago when Princess Eager suggested we pick up a drink from a local coffee shop, but I preferred to go home to the Prince's brew.  I started to wonder how much that cup of deliciousness cost... or, actually saved, both in money and calories.

Per 16 oz serving, here are the ingredients in our homemade treat:

1/8 c. (0.4 oz) coffee beans, making 1/4 c. espresso

2 Tbsp pumpkin spice creamer

8 oz vanilla soy milk

2 Tbsp whipping cream

1/2 Tbsp powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

cinnamon

nutmeg

These total 290-320 calories... with variation figured in for the inexact measurement on whip cream.

The cost is roughly $1.50, trying to be generous for the powdered sugar, vanilla, and spices, since their amounts and cost are more difficult to estimate accurately, but they'd be small.  Also, there would be tiny costs for the water for the espresso, and gas to heat the stove.

According to Starbucks, their 16 oz/Grande, (Soy) Pumpkin Spice Latte with whip cream has 370 calories.  Our drink isn't as sweet, so I think that's where the difference lies.

At approximately $4.50, though, it's cost is 3 times that of the beverage I can enjoy at home.  Plus, I'd miss that (priceless) grin of pride on my prince's face.  ;-)

31 Days at The Nesting Place

An Apple - Just the Facts, Ma'm

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  

We've all heard that old adage throughout our lives.  Of course, it means apples will help you retain your health so that you don't need a doctor.  But do apples do this?  And how?



I have to admit that I never before looked up the nutritional info on apples.  I've known that the skin offers a good source of fiber, and as a fresh fruit, it must offer some healthful vitamins... but that's about all I could tell you for certain.





So, if you're like me, and really know little about apples, and why you might want to grab one or include them in your kids' lunches, here is a little more to back up that decision *(for source, see image & caption below):

*My source.  I was introduced to this book in college.
When my college text fell apart from use,
I just had to get myself another.
Bowes and Church's
Food Values of Portions Commonly Used

1 medium apple (138 grams) offers:

81 calories
0.5 grams fat
0 grams cholesterol
1 mg sodium
0.3 grams protein
21 grams carbohydrates... 3.7 grams of that is fiber (eat the skin!) and 18.4 grams are sugar


According to the USDA, quoted here, apples provide
10% of an adult's daily requirement of Vitamin C
1-3 % of an adult's daily requirement each of some B vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Iron, and Calcium



So although apples don't offer many vitamins and minerals in appreciable amounts, the Vitamin C level is helpful.  Vitamin C supports the immune system, which should help keep those doctor visits to a minimum. 

Most of the fiber is in the skin, but as long as you eat that, it meets 12% of the daily recommended amount of fiber. (Wash it good, of course, since the skin is where any contaminants may be, also) Fiber is good for colon health, and also benefits weight control, energy levels, and heart health, according to WebMD.

Since over 90% of the calories in an apple are in carbohydrates, and mostly sugar, at that, it is advisable to have some protein and fat when you eat your apple for a snack or meal... Maybe nuts or nut butter, a piece of cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt (not too sweet), meat, poultry, or eggs.  

My kids don't feel their lunches are complete without an apple.  They are old enough now to care about what's healthy and to give up old previous desired treats, like chips and cookies.  They are glad to be able to keep their apples.

31 Days at The Nesting Place

Everything Cookies

Tuesday, when listing the contents of Prince Go-for-It's lunch, I mentioned our "Everything Cookies," so thought today I'd share the recipe.  They came from wanting to pack as much nutrition into an appealing snack that I could for my hungry and growing athletes.  The kids often requested commercially produced granola and energy bars to add to their lunches or to provide a boost going into sports practice.  My goal was to replace those sugar-heavy bars with whole grains, protein, and healthy fats to sustain them through their strenuous activities... Basically, trying for a meal in a cookie (or two).

"Everything Cookies"

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (convection) or 375 degrees (bake)

Cream together

• 1 c butter (or 1/2 c butter + 1/2 c coconut oil)
• 1/2 c almond butter
• 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice sugar

Add and mix in til fluffy

• 2 Tablespoons molasses
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix in thoroughly

• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 cups rolled oats

Stir in

• 1 cup chocolate chips 
• 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• 1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup coarsely chopped or broken walnuts

Using a spoon or cookie scoop, place dough in approximately 3 tablespoon portions on lightly greased cookie sheet...with space in between for spreading.  I press the ball-shaped portions with my fingers to flatten slightly... Don't know that it's really necessary.





Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes, until lightly brown.  Remove from oven, and after a minute or 2 to rest in the pan, move to a rack to cool completely before packing or storing.


Makes 36 - 40 cookies.


Nutritional value, per cookie:  200 calories, 12 g fat, 25 g carbohydrates (6 g sugar), 4.4 g protein



I pack 2 cookies per small ZipLoc bag for lunches and packed snacks.  I find that they disappear much less quickly if they're bagged right away, instead of just put into the cookie jar!

Ship Shape? Not.

Photo Source

I may not look like this yet... All dried up, rusty and deteriorated, and unable to move.

Photo Source

But I'm afraid I'm starting to look like this... Listing to the side of what's healthy, with my cargo shifting precariously and unattractively, and pushing my inner contents out of balance.




While we were building our house, I pretty suddenly put on 10 pounds and had to trade my size 6s for 10s.  I figured it was hormones or something, and felt like it would never drop back off.  But a couple years ago, whoosh! it went, and I was barely, but definitely, back into 6s... Which was particularly nice for the weddings.

Then during April 2012, the 10 lost pounds were found again...mostly around my middle.  I think it was due to imbalances in my system due to stress over my mom's difficult heart surgery, because my dietary and activity habits didn't change.  The sad thing is, it hasn't dropped back off after the stressful period passed.

The other all-too-'interesting' thing that happened recently is my usually low cholesterol numbers jumped up.  My total increased by 40 points, which confounded my doctor a bit.  He said weight and cholesterol levels are linked, but he wouldn't have expected 40 points with 10 pounds. 

Image courtesy of Suat Eman/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Truth be told, that in the last few months, because of being frustrated with the extra weight that wouldn't go away, I let my habits slide, and was eating more carbs than normal.  I'm not normally into breads, but had been enjoying the occasional bagel or pastry that I usually eschewed.  I also haven't found a way to get more sleep, which probably isn't helping my overall health, and perhaps affects those numbers?

I have cut back on the carbs, so I hope the cholesterol situation is better, but the weight sure isn't.  Like with budgeting, I don't have any major calorie vice I can cut, like alcohol, soda, or milkshakes, and I am a fairly healthy eater, so I'm not sure how to better my diet.  My gynecologist said she won't discuss any other solutions to weight with me until I have a regular exercise routine.  Claiming to be an active mom of many with stairs in my house, places to go and things to do, and promising that I do get up and move more than I used to, just doesn't do it for her.  She wants to know how many minutes of what focused physical activity/activities, how many times a week.

From My Weight Makeover

On a recent trip to the Big City, Princess Artiste and I had to run for the ferry... about 250 yards, at the end of which I fell into the nearest chair with my heart pounding.  The next day, I biked about 1 3/4 miles (y'know, partly uphill, mostly flattish, and including a good bit of coasting, so that's not much), then walked for 15 minutes on the treadmill at "warm up" speed (2.5 mph).  My legs felt like jelly after.

So I thought if I posted the truth of things here, it would force some accountability in keeping regularly active...gaining strength and stamina.  Hopefully, my metabolism will wake up, the weight will drop, and that tummy fat will disappear.

Current Stats:

Weight: 142 pounds (goal: 127) 

Blood pressure:  OK at 110/68 to 120/70 

Cholesterol: 214 (goal: back down to under 175 with favorable HDL to LDL ratio) 

Weekly exercise: Little to none  (goal: 30 minutes or more, 5 days per week) 

Sleep per night:  5 - 5 1/2 hours (goal: 8 hours+)

I suppose I should post a "Before" photo... But maybe when I have a great "After" to post with it!

Burning Love

Getting kisses, hugs, and "I love you"s from my kids as they head out the door: ................................................................ Absolutely PRICELESS 

Doing so while holding oatmeal, fresh and bubbling out of the microwave, then getting tangled up, almost dropping it, so sticking a whole hand into the very hot (and sticky) cereal instead:  ............................ NOT RECOMMENDED

Healthy finger at the top, swollen, blistered finger underneath

I can tell you that is when oatmeal more closely resembles, as a friend put it, molten lava.

After several minutes under the coldest water (probably not anything near the 20 minutes first aid courses recommend, though), and after coating it generously and repeatedly with aloe vera gel and wrapping it in cold, wet cloths, it still felt like there had to be flames coming from my hand for the next couple of hours.


As it calmed down, the only visible damage was some redness on my ring and pinkie fingers, although I was quickly reminded of the event any time I scratched my hand, ran warm water on it, or stirred something steaming on the stove.  

It won't be fun if/when the blisters open,
but I promise not to post photos of that~

The next day the pinkie was quite blistered over both knuckles.  (Aloe vera often takes all the bite and redness from a burn for me, but this was a more serious case than I usually give it.)





New rules for handling hot oatmeal... or realistic ones, just now specified:

Two hands. 

No hugging.

:-)

Quinoa Going Greek

Once again, as with my Italian and Asian versions, shared in the 2 previous weeks, I claim no expertise in ethnic cuisines of any sort.  --So this is my own take on "Greek" Quinoa Salad, based mostly on Greek gyro sandwiches we've had.  Princess Artiste couldn't stop snacking on it before heading out to the gym, and said it's her new favorite dinner.  Hubby said it was definitely worth remembering for another time, and sharing on the blog, so here you go...

Greek Quinoa Salad

2 cups Quinoa, cooked as directed, using chicken stock as the liquid 

1 1/2 lbs beef steak --marinated for an hour or more in Greek Marinade found on the  Greek recipes section of Food.com.

While the quinoa cooks, then cools slightly, and the steak marinates, prepare the following:

1 1/2 slicing cucumbers, peeled, sliced, then salted, set to rest for 20 minutes, and drained 

1/2 large, sweet onion, finely sliced, then cut in 1/2" pieces 

4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped 

1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

*If I'd had them, I would've also added olives, and pepperoncini or sliced Anaheim peppers. 


Drain, and broil or grill the steak until it reaches the desired doneness.  Allow it to rest a few minutes, and slice thin, across the grain.


Toss all the above together with a dressing of

1/2 cup plain yogurt  

Lime juice, squeezed from one lime 

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil 

1 tsp dried oregano  

3 tsp minced parsley 

My poor attempt at staging... Should've put more salad in the bowl!  ;-)

1/4 tsp garlic powder 

1/4 tsp black pepper 

dash cayenne pepper

Serve warm or cold.

Quinoa Salad, Take 2

This weekend I tried my own Asian version of salad, using quinoa.  My apologies to anyone truly Asian or knowledgeable about true Asian cuisine... because I am neither.  But this salad was good, and the family liked it, too.  Another dish full of vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, good fat, and protein, so like my previous Quinoa Pasta Salad, it's another "meal in a bowl."

Asian Quinoa Salad

Begin with

2 cups Quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to directions, using 4 cups chicken stock for the liquid

Cool, and add 

5 stalks Celery, chopped 

1 - 2 cups Red Cabbage, thinly sliced 

Several Cherry Tomatoes, quartered 

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped 

1 bunch Green Onion, sliced 

3 Chicken Breasts, cooked, cooled, sliced, and cut into bite-sized pieces

Dress with

1/2 cup Olive oil 

2 Tbsp Sesame Chili Oil 

3 Tbsp Rice vinegar  

1 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

        Adjust those approximations to taste, and season with the following, also to taste 

Dried Mustard Powder 

Garlic, pressed, or Garlic Powder 

Ground Ginger 

Sugar or Blue Agave Nectar

Serve, topped with

Sliced Almonds

Summer Sustenance

I have been reading a lot lately.  Kind of hit and miss through lots of books, many on healthy eating and lifestyle.  The one I just devoured, reading almost the whole thing straight through, was Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones for a Hot and Healthy Body!

Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets
 to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones
for a Hot and Healthy Body!

--If her experience, thoughtful know-how, reasonable approach-- and very fit body-- don't speak to her credibility, I don't know what does.  :-)


Anyway, it was a very informative book, full of charts to help show what foods help and hurt what physical conditions and processes, plus plenty of good instruction and guidance.  This includes meal ideas and recipes.  A lot of it I already knew, but I can always hear it again until it finally sinks in!


We already eat fairly healthily in terms of whole, made-from-scratch, rather than processed foods.  But it's still a challenge for me to get all kinds of veggies in, and enough protein, especially for lunch or snacks.

For the workday feast on Saturday, I knew I wanted (the girls) to make pasta salad.  I also knew I didn't want to use white-flour pasta, but whole grain.  However, I was only going to Costco, and the only whole grain pasta they offer is spaghetti, which didn't seem a good choice for the salad.  I decided it was a good time to try quinoa in a cold recipe, which we'd never done. (Previous discussions on quinoa here)


Princess Artiste cooked up 2 cups of quinoa with 4 cups of water, and when it was cool, mixed it with 
 - small strips of Pepper Jack cheese
 - chopped yellow, orange, and red bell peppers
 - coarsely diced tomato
 - sliced black olives
 - diced celery
 - sliced pepperoncini
 - diced onion.  


I made a dressing of 
 - olive oil
 - pomegranate red wine vinegar (approx 2:1 ratio, oil:vinegar)
 - juice of 1/2 a lime
 - black pepper
 - pressed garlic clove
 - oregano
 - parsley
 - a squirt of blue agave nectar
 - a dash of cayenne pepper
 - a handful of shredded Parmesan cheese.


I was wondering if we'd like the texture, but it was a great success with the pasta salad fans.  


With the possible exception of the cheeses, the ingredients are all unquestionably healthy.  The veggies of all sorts and colors offer a variety of vitamins and antioxidants. There is healthy fat from the olive oil, and fiber, more healthy fat, and protein from the quinoa, so an all-around good option... A meal in a bowl.  


This type of salad lends itself to variety to keep it from getting boring... I could serve it over spinach to add more healthy components available in 'leafy greens.'  I could vary the types of veggies, adding things like asparagus and summer squash.  I could stray from the slightly Italian flavors, and lean toward Asian or Greek, with different vinaigrette dressing and an appropriate adjustment in vegetables.


I could really live on this salad, and may for most of the summer!  Actually, since a lot of the ingredients we used Saturday are available through the winter, it could be a decent, year-around choice.

How the fruit situation looks in our house...

Tuesday afternoon, just after a trip to Costco

Wednesday afternoon

Thursday afternoon

Friday afternoon

Saturday afternoon...time to reload!

Stepping Out of the (Pizza) Box

Motivated yet again to add more variety, especially in veggies, to my diet, I got a little creative with last week's Pizza Night.  Might not be too adventurous for some of my readers who are into more interesting foods, but for us it was different.


Not wanting to alienate the less culinarily courageous folks in the family (here that means any boy under 19), I still made some more standard pies with tomato paste-based sauce, sausage, onions, and Mozzarella cheese.  The new one was topped with 

• balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing
• Browned, crumbled Italian sausage
• mixed kale leaves
• baby spinach
• onions
• sliced portabella mushroom caps
• Roma tomato
• a bit of crumbled Feta
• a bit of shredded Mozzarella

It didn't taste anything like what we're used to when we hear "Pizza," but it was a fun change.  Next time I might not use both the vinegar and the Feta, as together they were a bit sour.

It's Complicated

Thankfully, not the same type of complicated like the scandalous goings-on in the movie of the same title (one of my faves).  But, as in buying groceries, and fixing meals and snacks to meet the needs of each person living in our house at once.

Hubby:  52, high cholesterol, sometimes high triglycerides, wants/needs to lose about 20 pounds.  He's not exercising, but because of work and projects, is certainly not sedentary either.  He's a snacker, and likes 2nd helpings.  He gets busy during the day and puts off eating sometimes, and 'makes up for it' later.

Me: 52, good blood test numbers, battles occasional low blood sugar issues and adrenal fatigue, recently gained about 7 pounds that needs to go away again.   Exercise for exercise-sake only is hard for me.   I tend to forget to eat during the day, or finding no pleasing options, I choose nothing.

Newlyweds: Former high school athletes, slightly struggling to adjust to the busier adult lifestyle without the regular schedule of sports that used to keep them fit.  They are trying to stay active, and set up good habits and diet.  Princess Sassy's chosen healthy foods get 'boring' after awhile, and feeling deprived, her sweet tooth returns.

5 Kids: 8 to 18, healthy, varying activities and sports involvement, but all very active.  All have good metabolism, so have no issues with too much weight.  Growth and getting enough calories is the focus.  They tend to fix themselves meals and snacks without enough protein.                                                                                                                                  

For Hubby and Princess Sassy it'd be a good idea to rid the house of their temptation foods.  But with our recent problems getting Prince Go-for-It to take in enough calories to meet his activity and growth needs, I cannot feel good about cutting things, like mayonnaise, tortilla chips, granola bars, and cookie baking.  We don't have a lot of processed foods or ingredients, and don't eat a lot of sweets.  I don't think the cookies, made with whole grain flour, and often with reduced sugar amounts, will damage the overall health of the active, growing members of the family.  It's tough for the rest of us that we don't have the same options, but that's apparently how life works!

The newlyweds gave me a water bottle & exercise
mat for my birthday.  The water bottle really has
helped me remember to drink enough water
during the day. The mat has not seen
as much action as it should!

Enough water and the right kinds of foods at the right times of day is a challenge for everyone.


I have noted, over time, that certain things considered healthy eating choices for most don't work for me, highlighting the fact that an individual's body may have a say in their specific dietary needs.


One answer would be to make a variety of foods available from which everyone can choose, but that doesn't work for family meals, which I'm not willing to give up in this endeavor.  I also don't want to get in the position of providing a grocery store or restaurant for the family, which wouldn't be a good thing for our budget.  So... Individual health needs (and preferences), family priorities, and finances all factor in.


Research to do.  Questions to ask.  Thinking to do.  More to report later.