Friday Fun Facts!!

In honor of Halloween Friday fun facts is all pumpkins.

Did you know..........

Pumpkins are 90% water...they range from less than a pound to over 1000...they are good sources of potassium and vitamin A...and there flowers are edible.

Life interupted!!

Last week I let my diet slide (the kids too) and by the end of the week we were all grumpy, tried and sleepy. So Sunday I got up early made breakfast and took the kids to the store. We picked out lots of fruits and veggies and pretty much shopped the perimeter of the store. Then I came home and started taco soup.
Recipe from zupas.com

Then I took the kids to the park and walked a mile+ while they played. When we got home I made lunch and started prepping foods for the week. I made homemade granola and banana bread for breakfast.
Homemade granola is new for me I love granola but hate nuts so finding a commercial brand without nuts has always been a challenge. Then one day I was reading a food blog and got up went to the kitchen added rolled oats, butter, honey, raisins, and craisins together in a bowl. Tossed in the oven a 275 and 45 min. later I had granola for the week. I use it in yogurt for lunch or with milk as a evening snack.

I am glad to be back on my diet and am starting to feel better already.

Friday Fun Fact!!!!

Did you know.....

             That Bananas are America's favorite fruit BUT Mangos are the most widely consumed fruit in the world.

Winter vegetables

It's not exactly winter but the stores are filling up with winter vegetables like squash and pumpkin. I personally don't remember my parents cooking these hearty vegetables but remember being fascinated by there bold colors and odd shapes.

Over the weekend we took full advantage of the grill and some acorn squash....

We grilled them with butter and spices skin and all. I even talked my friends into eating the skin which is full of fiber. (Since most people don't get enough fiber.)

Quick facts of squash:
Low in Calories (by themselves w/o butter)
High in fiber
Rich source of vitamin C, potassium, and folate

They are also rich in beta carotene which the body converts to vitamin A. Great for the eyes and helps with immunity (helps fight colds)

Oh and they are yummy!!!

Friday Fun Fact!!!

Did you know....

       Lemons yes I said Lemons have more sugar than strawberries..

Food Sample

I forgot I had to bring a food sample to work today.I wake up earlier than I need to most mornings so I can be lazy if I want which is good if you forget to make food samples the night before. The best part of baking is I could shower and get ready while the bars cooked.


Sample Table

 The bars finished when I was packing lunches so time was it was perfect. I wrapped them then off to work I went.

Recipe

Apple Cereal Bars

Bars
2	cups Whole Grain Total® or Total® Raisin Bran cereal
1 1/4	cups packed brown sugar
1/2	cup canola oil
1/4	cup fat-free (skim) milk
1	egg
1 3/4	cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 1/2	teaspoons ground cinnamon
1	teaspoon baking soda
1/4	teaspoon salt
2	medium apples, peeled, very finely chopped or grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2	cup raisins
Glaze
3/4	cup powdered sugar
1/4	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1	to 2 tablespoons apple juice or milk
1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place cereal in plastic bag or between sheets of waxed paper; crush with rolling pin.
2.	In large bowl, mix brown sugar, oil, milk and egg. Stir in cereal, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in apples and raisins. Spread evenly in pan.
3.	Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4.	In small bowl, stir together all glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over bars. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

Recipe from eatbetteramerica.com

FYI most people love these and they go really fast and our great for breakfast too.
I would post more pictures but it won"t let me :-(

Fall fun

Flour was flying every where on Sunday we were baking up a storm. We began the day rolling, cutting and baking sugar Halloween cookies. I also put chicken in the crock pot with BBQ sauce for dinner.

Halloween cookies

Though they are not that pretty or healthy. The cookies got the kids in the kitchen helping out on something they would enjoy. Learning to cook and enjoy the process is half the battle in eating healthy homemade meals.

Finished cookies

 Pulled chicken sandwich and Ranch fries

The pulled Chicken was slow cooked all day in the crock pot. About a hour before I wanted to eat I sliced and seasoned the fries with ranch then baked at 350 degrees for a hour.  I also bought four cans of pumpkin and plan on whipping up some bread this week and maybe pumpkin chili.





Friday Fun fact!!!

Did you know....

             Carrots were the first vegetable to be canned commercially.

Trick or treat....

I love to go out to eat. I enjoy food made others and it gives me a chance to try new things. No I have not been out to eat recently but I was thinking about unsalted butter while I was baking today. Have you ever gone to breakfast and ordered toast.....

Well I have and the toast always looks like it has butter on it but I can never taste the butter so I add more calories to my toast (more butter,jelly etc.) Butter is also used on steam vegetables and on sandwich's to avoid the bread being soggy.

 Do you feel tricked yet? I always order dry toast and ask if butter is being used on my veggies. I like to know what I am eating so if I want a treat later I can without guilt.

Apple Pie

I finally made apple pie from all those apples we picked a few weekends ago. I took it with me to a dinner party and decided to leave the leftovers with host so I would not consume all those extra calories. I think I prefer to make the pie over eat it though I do enjoy apple pie.

Apple pie

Now I know it is not the prettiest pie but the kids woke up demanding breakfast while I was making dough. So I did the best I could with two over eager helpers.

Goal update. Have to go to store to buy pumpkin to try a recipe this weekend and donate while I am there.

Fall Day

Got the kids up early to go have breakfast at their preschool down the street. we had to dress warm because we walked. We enjoyed a nice breakfast by Chris's cakes he tosses pancakes to you and makes a ton of them. He has even been on food network I watched that episode. The kids ate all their pancakes so we headed off to the farmer's market we walked there too.

It's not a huge farmer's market but we got sweet rolls and dakota bread for lunch. kinda sad today is the last day for the market till next spring. We also picked up two pumpkins and carried all our goodies home. they decorated the pumpkins and I started to decorate the outside.

Pumpkins from the farmers market.

Homemade Chicken noodle and dakota bread grill cheese

Big plans for tomorrow finally going to back a pie with those apples!

Ocotber Goal(s)

Besides donating to food banks. My personal nutrition gaol this month is to add more pumpkin to my diet at least once a week. Pumpkin is rich in beta carotene that converts to vitamin A which helps with vision and your skin. Also to try out new recipes which I will post and have been doing this week. I made red beans and rice on Monday and sweet potato/black bean enchiladas on Wednesday.

October Goals
1. Donate to food banks
2. Try out 4 pumpkin recipes (1 a week)
3. Try 2-3 new recipes a week

Hunger Awarness Month (Friday fact)

Millions of Americans everyday go hungry. They have no money to buy food for themselves or their families. These families include small children maybe even ones your children play with, your neighbors, and coworkers. It's a harsh reality most of us try to ignore.

In 2008, 55.0 percent of food-insecure households participated in at least one of the three major Federal food assistance programs – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program), The National School Lunch Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.  (cited from feedingamerica.org)

According to the USDA Household Food Security in the United States 2008 report, ten states exhibited statistically significant higher household food insecurity rates than the national average (12.2%):

1.        Mississippi              17.4%

2.        Texas                      16.3%

3.        Arkansas                 15.9%

4.        Georgia                   14.2%

5.        New Mexico           14.1%

6.        Missouri                  14.0%

7.        Oklahoma               14.0%

8.        Kansas                    13.8%

9.        Maine                     13.7%

10.     North Carolina        13.7%

(cited from feedingamerica.org)

So for hunger awareness I will be cleaning out my pantry this weekend and donating all the canned goods I will no not use and will be buying an extra something on all grocery trips to put in the harvesters can as I leave the store. (Remember small changes can make a huge difference)