New reads & recipes...and a whole lot of thanks!

I've found some great new blogs to read, enjoy, and learn from this weekend. I haven't "gotten out there" in the blog world due to limited time at the computer. Well, more like a lack of down time. So, check out some new blogs per my recommendation, why don't ya!?

Andrea and Erin of Care to Eat  

ktbwoods of Faith Food & Fitness

Grace of Food-Fitness-FreshAir 

Corinne of Green Grapes Blog 

Heather of Health, Happiness, and Hope 

Caitlin of Healthy Tipping Point

Morgan of Live, Love, Eat and Play 

Michelle of Lucky Taste Buds

Paige of Running Around Normal 

Meredith of Pursuing Balance 

Tay of Taydor Tot

 

And on the topic of reading...Hedge Fund Wives by Tatiana Boncompagni is HILARIOUS! I'm only a few chapters in and am thoroughly enjoying it! Thank you, KG for the rec! Glad I asked for rec's!! : )

I went to Akins Health Foods Store after my FIRST hockey game today. Other than Zevia's price increase and the discontinued pumpkin apricot butter I'm obsessed with in my oats, it was a successful venture. As always. Check out the loot:

Going from left to right: organic quinoa, organic low-sodium chicken broth, organic almond granola, Terra Chips x 2, Tasty Thai organic pad thai dinner kit, Fiber Gourmet mac'n cheese, raw honey, and nutritional yeast flakes.

 

 For my oatmeal which will no longer be laden with pumpkin butter (*tear*), I purchased reduced-fat, organic coconut. I think vanilla soy milk + coconut flakes could be potentially mouth-watering additions to old-fashioned oats, eh?

And most importantly, I tried a new dish that is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I don't say that very often, so believe it. This salad dressing is by far, hands down, shout-it-from-the-roof-tops phenom (and a recipe of Gina's). Unless maybe you detest goat cheese, and then I question the reliability of your palate. Kidding...kinda. But really, if you decide to try something new in the future, consider this Honey Goat Cheese Dressing!!

Salad: mixed greens, diced apples, Craisins, and pecans topped with Honey Goat Cheese Dressing! Deliciousohhh! Husband seconds that claim, too!

Honey Goat Cheese Dressing

4 ounces fresh goat cheese

1 1/2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 Tbsp water

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Blend together, mixing until combined and creamy in texture.

46 calories per tablespoon

We also had sirloin steaks with bleu cheese topping. Mmmm! I've had red meat twice this month, that's a near record for me. Typically, not a huge red meat fan. But bleu cheese steaks...hook a sistah up! I do believe this makes me a FLEXITARIAN!

 

bleu cheese smothered sirloin with buttermilk mashed potatoes 

Last night husband and I went out to dinner to a new Thai restaurant. Here's what we ordered...

Tom Kah soup with tofu...SOO  GOOD!!

Husband got pineapple fried rice with seafood (which was okay, but it was canned pineapple...bummer!)

Chicken and Vegetable Curry for me...mmm!

I cannot believe tomorrow is our 6 month wedding anniversary! How beautiful was our Chicago wedding? Ahhh! Perfect, amazing day! 

It's been a wonderful 6 months filled with an abundance of blessings...a new home, a WONDERFUL job, the cutest little puppy, and most importantly...our health and love for one another.

So tell me...

What are YOU thankful for this Thanksgiving?

What is your FAVORITE Thanksgiving dish?

What do you use nutritional yeast on/in?

Recipes and Reform

Boy, do I have a treat for you all today! Go to Gina's WW Recipes for some WONDERFUL and EASY recipes to try! My patient load is light today and I was able to spend some time perusing her blog this morning, saving TONS of recipes I'd like to try! If you enter your email address into her FeedBurner, you'll never miss a great recipe delivered right to your inbox!

Today for lunch I ordered take-out from Chili's Guiltless Grill (our microwave at work is still on the fritz)...the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich to be exact. It was really good! I was feeling great about my "Guiltless Grill" selection until I learned of the sodium...over 2,300 milligrams! Ahhh! At least the sandwich was only 386 calories, 7 grams of fat, and contained 9 grams of fiber??? :-/ Disappointing, Chili's! Very disappointing! I've also been reading Gina's blog, which has probably made me hypersensitive about sodium levels...which is a good thing!!!!!

Today for a snack I tried the Kay's Naturals Honey Almond Protein Cereal (gluten-free). I love the crunch of a cereal, but would be interested to see if the crunch held when served with milk (I ate the cereal plain). Most gluten-free products are "airy" in taste, weight, and texture...and the Kay's Naturals products are no exception. Though I should mention, I am a fan of the "light-weight" nature of gluten-free products...less bloat, I feel. The Honey Almond Protein Cereal is lightly sweetened, nothing over-powering which I prefer. Again, the portion size is excellent and one serving contains 100 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and 9 grams of protein! Nice work, Kay's Naturals...I am LOVING your products! Thank you!!

And in the news...a feather in the caps of those like myself in prevention...

A new poll for American's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows the majority of Americans consider disease prevention the MOST important element of health care reform.

The US Department of Health and Human Services aimed to reduce obesity rates to 15% in every state before 2010 (baaahahaha!). However, the trend is showing movement in the opposite direction -- obesity rates continuing to rise. As of 1991, no US state had an obesity rate over 20%. Today, only Colorado has an obesity rate under 20%.

In playing devil's advocate I have to propose...DO we (as a nation) want to change, or are we just sick and tired of our ill-fate if trends continue? 

If you had to take a side in this debate, what do you feel is consensus for the nation as a whole: 

a) improve health through prevention (nutrition, exercise, and preventative health care)

--OR--

b) continue Western medicine of treating the disease and not the problem