Diaper Pins? Who needs diapers?

I'd like to say that we are officially out of diapers, but I can't really say that. Not officially because I still put one on Aaron at night. However, we are diaper free (and almost completely accident free) during the day. Even Jared made his goal to not wear diapers at night anymore. YAY! Aaron usually stays dry all night long too, but just in case we still put one on him. There's been a few times when I'm really glad I did!

At this stage in the game we are working towards Aaron going potty all on his own. We discovered this week that he is now tall enough to turn all the lights on and off by himself. YAY! We won't need to leave a light on in the bathroom anymore because he can reach the switch. Up until this week he's 'needed' help getting his pants down because he couldn't do it. I was tired of hearing him say, "I can't!" when he can get dressed forwards and backwards just fine, so I told him he was an 'I can kid' - just do it like you are putting your pajamas on. I walked him through it and all of a sudden he wasn't saying he couldn't anymore. YAY! Sometimes he still needs a little bit of help, but for the most part I can send him to go potty and he'll come back out completely done - including hands washed and pants on. woohoo!!

It is really weird to walk by the baby section and know that we don't need to buy diapers.

Let's Begin Again

I knew my weight gain was bad, yet I could not stop eating. The cookie exchange created an eating addiction. A literal addiction where I would shake if I thought about not having something sugary to stuff in my mouth. As the weeks have passed, I've tried cutting back and have been somewhat successful. I've also been thinking about going back on Weight Watchers. I've been having these mental conversations with myself about whether or not I could do it and how I was able to do it last time, etc. Last year I started on Jan 1st whether I was ready or not and it gradually got easier. One of the mental roadblocks I realized was that I kept thinking about where I ended, not where I began. One day as I was having one of those mental conversations, it hit me that I would have 35 weekly points as my disposal, not just my daily. By the end of my WW time I had cut out the weeklies, but I certainly didn't start that way and I wouldn't have to now. I NEED those points to help wean myself off the extras. When I realized this, for the first time I thought, "I could do it!!"

I woke up Jan 1st feeling like I could take the WW challenge again, but I didn't sign up. This last week I finally decided I was ready and then it ended up being a week full of get-togethers and hormones causing a lot more caloric intake than a person should have at a time. So, I thought "Next week will be better. I'll start next week." The other side of the conversation said, "There will always be something. I can't get putting it off; I need to learn to be healthy despite the challenge of the types of food available to me."

So, begin again I must. This morning I weighed in on the Wii for the first time since November. I've been weighing myself on the bathroom scale for the last month so I've had an idea of the numbers. For the record, today there was a 1 pound difference between scales.

So, my starting weight: 163.4 (exactly 10.5 pounds higher than my last weigh in in Nov)

Lettuce Eat Cake 2 starts Feb 5th. I have 10 weeks to stay accountable to someone other than the voice in my head :p I will also be officially joining WW this week.

Matthew is also working on shedding some pounds, so hopefully with our combined efforts we can both be successful.

Cookie Fat

I don't think I'll participate in a cookie exchange ever again - especially when it involves 13 dozen cookies. The idea is that you pass them out to neighbors, etc but mine only got passed to my thighs. It has become absolutely ridiculous. There've been a few days this week where ALL I ate were cookies. I have mental reprimands throughout the day as I try to battle the urge to eat one. Usually I lose and eat one or two. Or five. It's bad.

I did P90X twice this week. YAY!

On the couch with Dr. B ~

Confession Time.

A few months ago, I attended a Primary Leadership meeting and received a small goodie bag as a token of appreciation for my service in the organization. Contained in this bag were 2 or three cookies and some brownies. I had the cookies after the meeting, then that night I ate all the rest of the goodies. I did not want them. I wanted them gone so they'd no longer be a temptation. I told myself I didn't need them and that if I don't eat them now they will still be there when I do want them. By the end of the night though, they were all gone and I felt so sick and disgusted with myself I seriously considered making myself throw up. This surprised even myself and sent red flags all over my brain. I did not do it. But, I realized that I had a problem and needed to do something about it. I was out of control. I joined sparkpeople - a free website that has food, weight, and exercise tracking tools. I was good about keeping it updated for about 3 days before it felt time consuming and overwhelming. So, I quit. And as the days go on, my eating habits have not changed.

I just finished a 9 week Biggest Loser contest, so each week I have watched my weight go up by degrees, but still somewhat consistently at 153 pounds. I did not weigh in last week, but I weighed on my mom's scale last night. 160 pounds. This morning I weighed on my bathroom scale that is a few pounds below what the Wii is measuring. 155 pounds. I must accept the fact that I am going to be back where I was last January if I don't stop. I MUST exercise some discipline and self-control. Walking each morning has been enough to barely hold on, but everyday the walk has been getting harder. It should be getting easier!! My baggy clothes are starting to fit better and my others are getting tighter.

I want to start doing P90X again b/c I know that will help target the areas that the fat is collecting, plus it is a more vigorous exercise. I just don't want to do it alone. And I am dreading the sore muscles that will come as my body gets used to it again. I also want to get back on Weight Watchers. I think I am ready. It is familiar. With sparkpeople I had to worry about calories and re-do everything. WW will have saved my profile and contain all the foods I had before. My brain is used to thinking in terms of points. My big set-back is the monthly fee. We -I - just do not have the money to maintain the program. Right now they are having the no sign up fee special. It costs $54 for the 3 months. I usually get $50 for Christmas from my parents, so that is what I plan on spending it on. I just don't know if I can afford to wait that long - physically.

With my bulimia incident, I realized that my perceptions about weight - and the reasons for weightloss - had changed over time. Up to that point, I was still trying to 'be good'. But I think to counter my obsession, I let go of all concern about weight and food intake. As a result the climb began a little more steadily. I have been analyzing and evaluating some experiences that shape the thought processes and have encouraged some of my new weight gain. To the whys:

It still throws me off when I hear people - strangers, or people not in my closer circle of friends - call me or refer to me as thin or skinny. One night with one such reference, in jest a person said, 'You're thin so that means we don't like you.' I realized how awful the prejudice is that overweight people can have against thinner people. I have felt those same feelings of jealousy and intimidation that can come from being around thinner people, but I realized they are unfair. Thin people are people with feelings too. It was a little bit shocking and hurt my feelings to be told that someone wouldn't like me because of my stature.

Now that I'm writing this, I can't remember the specifics of another chink to my motivation. I know it has to do with jokes/comments that are made regarding my weight loss from people closer to me. The end result is that I feel like I have to eat more to feel accepted.

I am a people pleaser. I want others to be happy, so I will do what it takes to make sure that happens - even at my own expense (or even my family's). Helping ensure the happiness of others is not a bad thing. However, I think in this case I need to not worry so much about what others think and just be happy myself. This is a very hard thing for me to do.

Another big contribution is stress - stress over finances. Money is more than tight and as a result I've got a two edged sword going. I am constantly thinking of ways to save money and make the food stretch, and I'm making a lot more of my own food: bread, tortillas, milk, beans, cottage cheese is my latest - and so I feel like it is more expenable. MMM homemade bread and tortillas are the best!! Very yummy - very not good to eat a lot of. I've made a lot of cookies lately too. Again, yummy but not good for the smaller tummy.

In the past it has helped me to be able to identify the causes behind the not-for-nourishment food intake. Once I know the reasons, I can stop the eating. Hopefully having penned this will do the same.

Red Alert!

*deep breath*

.....Exhale.....

Don't panic. Don't cry.
Look down.

*deep breath*

.....Exhale.....

Don't panic. Don't cry.
You are better than that.
You are stronger than this.

*deep breath*

.....Exhale.....

Don't panic. Don't cry.
Turn around and walk away.

*deep breath*

.....Exhale.....

Don't panic. Don't cry.
Keep walking.

Plum Crumble

Plum Crumble

Ingredients:

•3 pounds fresh plums, pitted, quartered, about 5 cups
•1/4 cup brown sugar
•1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
•1 cup granulated sugar
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
•1 large egg, beaten
•1/2 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

Combine plums and brown sugar, stirring well to blend. Pour into a buttered 11 1/2x7 1/2 inch baking dish.

Sift together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the beaten egg, stirring lightly with fork until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the plums then drizzle with the melted butter. Bake plum crumble at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.

*******
Oct 26, 2010 - This is not a light and tasty recipe, but since it was my first time making anything with plums I had to share. I had exactly 3 lbs of plums left from a large co-op produce order, so I figured this was a great way to use them. My guess is that you could substitute any fruit for the plums.

This is a really simple dish and we all loved it. I don't know why, but it surprised me how purple the juices were in the final product.

Overnight Stuffed French Toast

Overnight Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients

20 slices French bread (1 inch thick)
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
3 cups egg substitute
2 cups fat-free milk
1/3 cup plus 1-3/4 cups sugar-free maple-flavored syrup, divided
1 teaspoon Spice Islands®, All Natural, No Corn Syrup Added, Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions

Arrange 10 slices of bread in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread each slice with cream cheese. Top with remaining bread. In a large bowl, whisk the egg substitute, milk, 1/3 cup syrup, vanilla and cinnamon; pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until top is lightly browned and a thermometer reads at least 160°. Serve with strawberries and remaining syrup. Yield: 10 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 serving equals 306 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 805 mg sodium, 54 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 19 g protein.

********
Oct 24, 2010 - Can we say heavenly?! These were so good! It was sad that there were only enough for each of us to get 1 1/2. The strawberry jam again was a special addition to it, but I think these would be good no matter the topping! We did not add any more syrup to them. It didn't need it. The strawberry jam with powdered sugar was great. Although, by the end we were adding some plain homemade yogurt and that was a really delicious addition. Some of the liquid steamed out and created a cream cheese consistency. YUM!

I did tweak the recipe a bit because I don't have egg substitute and 3 c. of egg substitute is equal to a dozen eggs. There was no way I was going to use a whole package of eggs on this. So, I did some research to find out what other overnight french toast recipes called for. I ended up only using 5 eggs and 1 3/4 c. milk and that was addequate. Also, I only used about 1 TB of cream cheese - not a whole package. The author of the recipe must use 1 TB per french toast sandwich I just didn't see the need for that much.

The bread I used was homemade and it fluffed up really nicely and had a nice texture and taste. It soaked the liquid really quickly. To keep the bread from being soggy on one side and not coat evenly on the other, after pouring the liquid I think flipped every sandwich over and left it so that the other side got to soak in the bread too. This method worked really well, except a few of the smaller slices did kind of crumble. In the end it was fine because it still baked up nicely and made great little pieces for the boys.

I would definitely make this again. In fact, we liked it so much we wished we could eat every Sunday morning! The only setback is that it requires a whole loaf of bread and a lot of eggs. But, the 5 eggs isn't any more than I'd use to feed our family anyway, so I guess it really isn't that bad.

Nutty Whole Wheat Bread (oven, knead)

Nutty Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, walnuts, brown sugar, yeast and salt.

In a saucepan, heat the water, yogurt and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining all-purpose flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes (do not let rise).

Shape dough into a ball; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool on a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices).

Nutritional Analysis: One slice equals 156 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 167 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

*********
Oct 23, 2010 - Another really yummy bread recipe. I liked the crunch of the walnuts in it. This was a hit with everyone. Even the boys kept asking for more. I'm sure the jam helped with that too. It would have made a really great addition to a soup, but I never did get around to making one.

This was a tricky bread in that I never was sure what "knead until smooth and elastic" meant. I kept kneading it but it never got less sticky and it was always elastic. I finally got it to where I thought it was close enough - though it took a lot longer than the 4 minutes. It was kind of cool to see that it was a round bread.

Slow Cooked Sirloin (crockpot)

Slow Cooked Sirloin
Ingredients

1 beef top sirloin steak (1-1/2 pounds)
1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Progresso ® Beef Broth
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown beef on both sides. Place onion and green pepper in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Top with beef. Combine the broth, Worcestershire sauce, dill, thyme, pepper and pepper flakes; pour over beef. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until meat reaches desired doneness and vegetables are crisp-tender.

Remove beef and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook about 30 minutes longer or until slightly thickened. Return beef to the slow cooker; heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 serving equals 199 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 68 mg cholesterol, 305 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 26 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 vegetable.

*******
October 18, 2010 - The picture does not do this justice. I took it as an afer-thought.

I was really impressed with this dish. The meat was so tender and the flavor was great. Matthew didn't even complain about the bell peppers! I served it with mashed potatoes and green beans. I don't make gravy very often, so I thought the juice would go well with the potatoes. It did. A-1 sauce was a really great addition to the meat too.

I did substitute the sirloin with striploin because that was what I had in my freezer.

Four Grain Bread (breadmaker)

Four Grain Bread

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups water (70° to 80°)
1/2 cup honey
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rye flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available.

Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Yield: 1 loaf (2 pounds, 24 slices).

Nutritional Analysis: 1 slice equals 108 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 148 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein.
Diabetic Exchange: 1-1/2 starch.

******
October 18, 2010 - I did not have any rye flour on hand, so I substituted some five grain cereal that I used in another multi-grain recipe. The result was a chewy yet crunchy texture that was just delicious! The honey flavor comes out really well too.

This bread is addictingly delicious!! Especially with homemade strawberry jam! YUM YUM YUM!!

Peanut Butter -n- Jelly Muffins

Peanut Butter -n- Jelly Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup reduced-fat chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup strawberry spreadable fruit

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine the eggs, apple juice concentrate, peanut butter, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Spoon half of the batter into cups. Spoon about 1-1/4 teaspoons spreadable fruit into the center of each; top with remaining batter.

Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 dozen.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 muffin equals 225 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 43 mg cholesterol, 315 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 6 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.

********
Oct. 18, 2010 - I wasn't quite sure what to expect of this recipe, but I was surprised the way they turned out. The peanut butter mixes really nicely into the batter and you are left with just bits of peanuts throughout the muffin. This was a nice effect, but if I were to make them again I'd just use creamy peanut butter.

I didn't have any spreadable fruit, so I made some freezer strawberry jam and used that. The picture in the cookbook shows a nice central blob of jelly, but that certainly was not how mine turned out. The jelly oozed over the edges and seeped through the muffin wrappers. I think next time I'd creat more of a well in the middle of the batter to see if that helped to keep the jam frome spreading.

These were really convenient to have on hand as a quick to-go snack, and although I have lots of ideas for tweaking, I don't think I'll make them again.

Mixed Greens and Apple Salad

Mixed Greens and Apple Salad

Ingredients:
5 1/3 c. mixed salad greens
2 medium apples
2 TB feta cheese

Dressing:
4 tsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp honey
3/4 tsp vanilla yogurt
1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp garlic
salt & pepper
nutmeg

******
October 15, 2010 - I liked the flavors of the apple. It was different.

This recipe is not on the website, so I did the lazy thing and only wrote down the ingredients. The instructions were basically mix it together.

Golden Oatmeal Bread (oven, no knead)

Golden Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon quick-cooking oats, divided
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions
In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup of oats, whole what flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine the applesauce, egg and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins and pecans.

Pour into an 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining oats. Bake at 325° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (10 slices).

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 slice) equals 188 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 21 mg cholesterol, 149 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fat.

*********
October 5, 2010 - YUM! I accidently cooked it longer than I should have, so it had a much darker look to it. This was a really hearty bread and made for a great breakfast while we waited in the Chick-fil-a parking lot in the wee hours of the morning.

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Ingredients
4 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches)
6 cups shredded romaine
1/2 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 small tomato, chopped
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives, drained
Sliced jalapeno peppers, optional

DRESSING:
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tablespoons fat-free ranch salad dressing
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional

Directions
Place four 10-oz. custard cups upside down in a shallow baking pan; set aside. Place the tortillas in a single layer on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 425° for 1 minute. Place a tortilla over each custard cup, pinching sides to form a bowl shape. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until crisp. Remove tortillas from cups to cool on wire racks.

In a large bowl, combine the romaine, beans, tomato, cheese, onions, olives and jalapenos if desired. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad ; toss to coat. Serve in tortilla bowls. Yield: 4 servings.

Editor's Note: When cutting hot peppers, disposable gloves are recommended. Avoid touching your face.

Nutrition Facts: 1 tortilla bowl with 1-1/4 cups dressed salad equals 257 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 485 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 11 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable.

********
Sept 29, 2010 - Again, another great recipe. I enjoyed the flavor enough that it didn't bother me to not have any meat in it. This was a pretty easy dish to prepare and put together. The hardest part was waiting for the tortillas to crisp, but it was quick enough that seconds or thirds could be served up within minutes.

We don't have custard cups, so I used some smuckers ice cream bowls that we had. If I hadn't remembered the bowls I would have used my glass portion cups.

Terriyaki Turkey Burritos

Terriyaki Turkey Burritos

Ingredients
12 fat-free flour tortillas (8 inches)
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (16 ounces) broccoli coleslaw mix
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

Directions

Wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Warm in oven at 350° for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat until turkey is no longer pink; drain. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, stir-fry broccoli in oil for 2 minutes. Add the teriyaki sauce, five-spice powder, garlic powder and pepper; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in cheese and turkey mixture; heat through.

Spoon about 1/2 cup filling off center on each tortilla. Fold sides and ends over fill and roll up. Place seam side down in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 2 burritos equals 493 calories, 14 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 80 mg cholesterol, 982 mg sodium, 60 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 32 g protein.

***********
September 23, 2010 - YUM. I really like the flavor of the Chinese 5 spice.

Turkey Barbecue

Turkey Barbecue

Ingredients

1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup picante sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
Dash hot pepper sauce
4 cups cubed cooked turkey
8 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, saute the celery, onion and green pepper in oil for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Stir in the brown sugar, ketchup, picante sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper and pepper sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes. Add turkey; simmer 10 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve in buns. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 sandwich equals 295 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 53 mg cholesterol, 758 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 25 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch.

****************
Sept 22, 2010 - I really liked this, but it does have a little bit of kick to it. Serve it on a bun or bread for a BBQ sandwich. I did not have turkey, so I substituted chicken.

Breaded Ravioli

Breaded Ravioli

Ingredients
1 package (16 ounces) frozen beef ravioli
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 to 1-1/2 teaspoons salt-free Italian herb seasoning
1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing

ITALIAN SALSA:
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 medium green pepper, quartered
1/2 small red onion, quartered
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Cook ravioli according to package directions; drain and let stand for 10 minutes. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasoning. In another shallow bowl, pour dressing. Dip ravioli into dressing, then coat with crumb mixture.

Place on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat ravioli with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 8-9 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the salsa ingredients. Pulse for 15-20 seconds. Serve ravioli with salsa. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 5 ravioli with 1/3 cup salsa equals 262 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 26 mg cholesterol, 924 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 10 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Sept 21, 2010 - I think I was the only one who really liked these. The salsa that goes with it tasted similar to a marinara sauce. We had a lot of the sauce leftover, and I think I used it to make pizza at some point.

In the cookbook, the ravioli are darker and much more crispy looking. With the way our oven works mine didn't quite make that status, so the picture shows them lighter than ideal.

Jesu, joy of man's desiring
Holy wisdom, love most bright
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned
With the fire of life impassioned
Striving still to truth unknown
Soaring, dying round Thy throne

Small miracle = Huge blessing

We are out of ALL disposable diapers - including Jared's - so I pulled down the cloth diaper bin to find something that would fit Jared. I had quite CDs months because I ran out of the disposable liners. We had budgeted money to buy new ones, but ended up using the money to buy sposies instead. We budgeted a small amount for the boys' supplies again this month, but since liners have to be delivered, it's too late to order and have them when I need them. Anyway.... I opened the lid to the CD box and there in the corner was a brand new roll of liners!!! I almost cried b/c that it is such a HUGE blessing! It seems like such an insignificant thing, but it is one of those moments that I recognize as a tender mercy of the Lord. I have no doubt that He is aware of us and our needs.

Doing the Potty Dance

This weekend we made a trip to Houston with the last 2 diapers and a size 5T pullup. I really hoped that we could make it back home without being a diaper short. Unfortunately we didn't quite make it without having to use one of my nephew's diapers, but thankfully it was at the end of our journey and it was only one, so it worked. Aaron pottied in the toilet enough in the evening that it worked for the night too, but it was too full this morning to keep it on him. I woke him up this morning to go exercise and put him on the toilet. He's taken to refusing to use the toilet - or at least making a HUGE fuss about not going - but this morning there was no complaint. I wasn't sure what I was going to put on him, so I decided to just make a leap to real underwear. I tried to use the potty training underwear, but he was starting to wake up enough to have an opinion - and we did not agree. I offered him Thomas the Train underwear and that was acceptable.

My biggest fear has not been whether or not he pee in the underwear - at least not in the morning. Aaron is a creature of habit, and every morning about 9:30 (while I'm in the shower and can do nothing about it) he poops. So today instead of going straight home and getting ready for the day, we made a trip to HEB. I offered to take him potty for a horse ride, but he wasn't wanting to go. So, we just went shopping. About half way through our trip I noticed he was starting to hold himself, so we rushed to the bathroom. Successful venture :) We finished our shopping and came home.

I was debating what I was going to do about him and checking my email and facebook in the meantime. Aaron was playing down by my feet. Suddenly I caught a whiff of something and was immediately alerted to Aaron's needs. I was afraid I was too late, but I checked him and ran to the bathroom. We made it just in time! It took a little bit of time and some effort, but we had a successful experience. YAY!!! Aaron did Jessica's potty dance about 5 times b/c he was so proud of himself. I'm hoping this is a major turning point. I bought a big box of diapers from the store this morning - one of the main reasons I wanted to stop there, but I kept them in the car for now. I want to see how long we can go without having to open them. We shall see.