No one enjoys being sick. While I believe eating healthy will improve how I feel and lower the chances that I will get diseases, unfortunately it doesn’t mean that I’ll never get sick! Sometimes we just have to take a few days to rest and endure it.
I found the recipe below and it sounds about perfect for those sick days. Now if only we can get someone to make it for us!
Get Well Soup
1 Tsp Butter
1 Tsp Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, Minced with a pinch of Sea Salt
1 Large Onion, Chopped
6 Celery Stalks, Chopped
8 Medium Carrots, Chopped
8 Cups of Chicken Broth
1/2 Tsp Thyme
1 Tsp Parsley
1/4 Tsp Sage
1/4 Tsp Basil
1/4 Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
4 Whole Chicken Breasts, Bone in with Skin (Preferably Organic)
2 Cups of Cooked Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Pasta, or Noodles
Melt Butter and Olive oil in a large stock pot. Saute the garlic until fragrant. Immediately add onions, combine well and caramelize. Add celery and carrots. Toss well. Deglaze the stockpot with the chicken stock. Add the dried herbs. (If using fresh herbs, double the amount.)
Add the chicken breasts, place lid on the stock pot and bring soup to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken breasts are done. Remove chicken breasts from pot and place on a large cutting board to cool slightly. Add rice, pasta, or noodles to the pot and bring soup back to a rolling boil.
Meanwhile, remove skin from chicken and discard. Remove chicken from bone and discard all bones. Chop or shred chicken, return to stock pot, and return to a rolling boil. Boil soup for 3 minutes and turn heat down to low. Skim pools of fat from the top. It is not difficult to remove all of the fat, but I prefer to leave some behind as it adds quite a bit of flavor to the soup. Ladle into bowls and serve steaming hot.
www.ceressecrets.com/2007/05/25/get-well-soup/
Monday, March 8, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Crockpot Chicken, Beans, and Rice Stew
Ingredients
1 cup white beans
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 lb chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup chunky salsa (or pico de gallo)
1 cup rice
¼ tsp cumin
1 ½ Tbsp peanut butter
½ cup boiling water
2 Tbsp chopped peanuts
1 Tbsp lime juice
Cilantro
Directions
Soak beans overnight in a pot of water. Drain and rinse.
Sauté garlic and ginger for 30 second in olive oil, then add chicken until all sides are browned. Place chicken in Crockpot.
Using the same pan, sauté onion and celery for 4-5 minutes. Mix in chicken broth to the pan, then pour the mixture into the Crockpot.
Add all remaining ingredients except peanut butter, peanuts, and lime juice. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours.
Mix boiling water with peanut butter until well blended. Add peanut butter mixture into stew. Add peanuts and lime juice. Garnish with cilantro. Serve.
Ingredients
1 cup white beans
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 lb chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup chunky salsa (or pico de gallo)
1 cup rice
¼ tsp cumin
1 ½ Tbsp peanut butter
½ cup boiling water
2 Tbsp chopped peanuts
1 Tbsp lime juice
Cilantro
Directions
Soak beans overnight in a pot of water. Drain and rinse.
Sauté garlic and ginger for 30 second in olive oil, then add chicken until all sides are browned. Place chicken in Crockpot.
Using the same pan, sauté onion and celery for 4-5 minutes. Mix in chicken broth to the pan, then pour the mixture into the Crockpot.
Add all remaining ingredients except peanut butter, peanuts, and lime juice. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours.
Mix boiling water with peanut butter until well blended. Add peanut butter mixture into stew. Add peanuts and lime juice. Garnish with cilantro. Serve.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Put Myself First?
Recently Eden was invited to participate in a sticker exchange that my husband jokingly called a pyramid scheme. The gist of the exchange is that you send 6 copies of the letter to your friends, and one packet of stickers to the person written on your invitation, and within a couple of weeks, Eden should get 36 packets of stickers for the price of sending one.
Giving often works that way. When we give to people and for people, we are rewarded many times over. We probably don’t receive money or stickers—the reward is often internal and longer lasting than that. Giving has a way of reaping benefits and building connections with other people. You have probably heard the term “paying it forward,” referring to the idea that if you give to others, then when you need something in the future, someone will give to you.
There is a popular TV reality show called The Biggest Loser that I often watch. Although there are many things I enjoy about the show, I don’t always agree with the trainers. One of the philosophies that they promote is that people need to “put yourself first.” In this week’s episode, one of the contestants, Michael, was given the power to choose teams for the players. He made his decision based on what would help him stay on the show the longest—basically stacking up his team with the strongest players so that they wouldn’t have to go to the elimination room. He wasn’t very popular for his decision, with the trainers or the other players. His response when one of the trainers called him out on his selfish decision? “I finally put myself first, just like you’ve been telling me to do.”
I’m not convinced that “putting myself first” is the secret to losing weight or getting healthy. Usually that kind of mentality just helps me succeed in losing friends and hurting the people I love. I’d much rather give of myself, without expecting much in return, and be surprisingly rewarded by the love and support I get many times over in return.
Giving often works that way. When we give to people and for people, we are rewarded many times over. We probably don’t receive money or stickers—the reward is often internal and longer lasting than that. Giving has a way of reaping benefits and building connections with other people. You have probably heard the term “paying it forward,” referring to the idea that if you give to others, then when you need something in the future, someone will give to you.
There is a popular TV reality show called The Biggest Loser that I often watch. Although there are many things I enjoy about the show, I don’t always agree with the trainers. One of the philosophies that they promote is that people need to “put yourself first.” In this week’s episode, one of the contestants, Michael, was given the power to choose teams for the players. He made his decision based on what would help him stay on the show the longest—basically stacking up his team with the strongest players so that they wouldn’t have to go to the elimination room. He wasn’t very popular for his decision, with the trainers or the other players. His response when one of the trainers called him out on his selfish decision? “I finally put myself first, just like you’ve been telling me to do.”
I’m not convinced that “putting myself first” is the secret to losing weight or getting healthy. Usually that kind of mentality just helps me succeed in losing friends and hurting the people I love. I’d much rather give of myself, without expecting much in return, and be surprisingly rewarded by the love and support I get many times over in return.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Sleep
The other morning I was in bed sleeping, exhausted after a rough night with my son Lance. Suddenly, I had the wind knocked out of me as cold water gushed down my back. I was up in a flash only to find my 2-year-old Eden standing by the bed, holding up an empty glass.
“Here go, Mommy!” she exclaimed brightly. I lifted the soaking blankets off of me and got up. My chance at sleep was clearly over.
I have heard of people who are able to charge ahead with thrusters on full, day after day, with only four to six hours of sleep a night. I am not one of those people. In fact, I’d like to know how they do it! I seem to require a lot of sleep. If I slept as long as I wanted each night, it would probably be somewhere around nine to ten hours a night.
My need for sleep usually lessens during summer, especially when the days are extremely short. I suppose that the sun and light give me more energy. Likewise, during winter is when I need the most sleep. I could sleep ten hours and still nap during the afternoon if I had the opportunity!
Some people might say that sleeping is a way to waste your life. I suppose that is true to an extent. I wouldn’t want to sleep and miss something important. But I also wonder if sleeping means I’ll have a longer life. Perhaps I’m adding years to my life by staying rested when I can. Certainly getting enough sleep will keep me healthy. If it means I feel better, think better, and achieve better things during my days, I don’t think a little more sleep is a waste of time at all. Now, if only my kids would agree!
“Here go, Mommy!” she exclaimed brightly. I lifted the soaking blankets off of me and got up. My chance at sleep was clearly over.
I have heard of people who are able to charge ahead with thrusters on full, day after day, with only four to six hours of sleep a night. I am not one of those people. In fact, I’d like to know how they do it! I seem to require a lot of sleep. If I slept as long as I wanted each night, it would probably be somewhere around nine to ten hours a night.
My need for sleep usually lessens during summer, especially when the days are extremely short. I suppose that the sun and light give me more energy. Likewise, during winter is when I need the most sleep. I could sleep ten hours and still nap during the afternoon if I had the opportunity!
Some people might say that sleeping is a way to waste your life. I suppose that is true to an extent. I wouldn’t want to sleep and miss something important. But I also wonder if sleeping means I’ll have a longer life. Perhaps I’m adding years to my life by staying rested when I can. Certainly getting enough sleep will keep me healthy. If it means I feel better, think better, and achieve better things during my days, I don’t think a little more sleep is a waste of time at all. Now, if only my kids would agree!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Stress and Fatty Foods
I recently received an email from a friend who mentioned that levels of high stress have been found to create a craving for fatty foods. I certainly have experienced that myself.
After a little research, I found that in a study by UCSF, 600 women were surveyed regarding their stress levels and diet. They were questioned about various stress factors, from work problems to financial problems to family concerns. There was a remarkable correlation between the levels—as the stress went up, so did the fatty food intake.
So why do we crave these foods? Think of our bodies as going into “survival” mode when we’re stressed. The natural reaction is that our bodies want to cling to fat, since fat is what fuels the body. Therefore when we’re stressed, our appetites tend toward fatty foods.
Another reason for craving fatty foods might be based on emotional needs. We often desire to feel full and satisfied physically, especially if we don’t feel satisfied emotionally. Nothing satisfies the body better than fats. When we’re stressed, we usually we feel like we deserve an extra indulgence too!
Being aware of our predictable cravings is an important step in being able to handle them. We might not be able to do much about our circumstances in life, but knowing how our bodies react can help us use our heads when the physical and emotional “needs” take over.
Thanks to Becky for a great topic!
After a little research, I found that in a study by UCSF, 600 women were surveyed regarding their stress levels and diet. They were questioned about various stress factors, from work problems to financial problems to family concerns. There was a remarkable correlation between the levels—as the stress went up, so did the fatty food intake.
So why do we crave these foods? Think of our bodies as going into “survival” mode when we’re stressed. The natural reaction is that our bodies want to cling to fat, since fat is what fuels the body. Therefore when we’re stressed, our appetites tend toward fatty foods.
Another reason for craving fatty foods might be based on emotional needs. We often desire to feel full and satisfied physically, especially if we don’t feel satisfied emotionally. Nothing satisfies the body better than fats. When we’re stressed, we usually we feel like we deserve an extra indulgence too!
Being aware of our predictable cravings is an important step in being able to handle them. We might not be able to do much about our circumstances in life, but knowing how our bodies react can help us use our heads when the physical and emotional “needs” take over.
Thanks to Becky for a great topic!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Scale
The scale is powerful. It has an amazing ability to bring great joy or great disappointment to a person. It’s interesting how much importance I can put on a few numbers. It’s as if the scale itself judges on whether or not I have been successful. The scale becomes my affirmation. It tells me that I’m being healthy or not, right?
I spoke with someone recently who has been trying to lose excess weight and has come up against a common problem. She was doing everything right—counting calories, balancing foods groups, and drinking water—but for some mysterious reason, she hadn’t lost any weight.
It can be discouraging! When you work at it for weeks, only to have your one source of affirmation tell you that you’ve failed. I’ve seen people give up based on what the scale tells them.
I don’t understand why the numbers on the scale don’t move as fast for certain people, or why there are times when the numbers go down rapidly or slowly. I don’t believe that the scale is the only measure of success when it comes to being healthy and even getting fit. There are other ways to measure success.
Measuring inches, for example, will show the loss of fat from the body. Sometimes our bodies are gaining muscle through our exercise, which will appear on the scale as no weightloss. We very well might be losing excess fat and inches, however.
Scales are important to a degree because they can help give us an idea if we are doing something right or wrong over a long period of time, but it’s not the only measure of success. Sometimes the best measure of success is whether or not we have met the personal goal we set, regardless of the short term results.
I spoke with someone recently who has been trying to lose excess weight and has come up against a common problem. She was doing everything right—counting calories, balancing foods groups, and drinking water—but for some mysterious reason, she hadn’t lost any weight.
It can be discouraging! When you work at it for weeks, only to have your one source of affirmation tell you that you’ve failed. I’ve seen people give up based on what the scale tells them.
I don’t understand why the numbers on the scale don’t move as fast for certain people, or why there are times when the numbers go down rapidly or slowly. I don’t believe that the scale is the only measure of success when it comes to being healthy and even getting fit. There are other ways to measure success.
Measuring inches, for example, will show the loss of fat from the body. Sometimes our bodies are gaining muscle through our exercise, which will appear on the scale as no weightloss. We very well might be losing excess fat and inches, however.
Scales are important to a degree because they can help give us an idea if we are doing something right or wrong over a long period of time, but it’s not the only measure of success. Sometimes the best measure of success is whether or not we have met the personal goal we set, regardless of the short term results.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Again and Again
My son Lance is almost 7 months and beginning to move around the house. My husband thinks he looks like a komodo dragon when he crawls. It’s very charming to watch him explore.
Recently he has begun to pull himself up to a standing position when he is near the couch or a chair. Unfortunately, he has also tried pulling himself up using moveable objects, like his activity chair with wheels or the open pantry door. He is amazingly hearty, the way he endures the crashes he has during these endeavors, not to mention the crashes he endures at the hand of his 2-year-old sister.
I have discovered something about Lance that I have found rather inspiring. When he has his falls, he immediately gets back up and tries the task again. Even times when he really gets slammed and cries so that I feel like my heart will break when I hear it, within minutes, he’s back to his exploring without holding back.
What an inspiration a baby can be! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could have that kind of resilience emotionally and physically? Perhaps I’ll start trying to be like Lance the next time I fail, and fail again, and fail again. He would get up and try again.
Recently he has begun to pull himself up to a standing position when he is near the couch or a chair. Unfortunately, he has also tried pulling himself up using moveable objects, like his activity chair with wheels or the open pantry door. He is amazingly hearty, the way he endures the crashes he has during these endeavors, not to mention the crashes he endures at the hand of his 2-year-old sister.
I have discovered something about Lance that I have found rather inspiring. When he has his falls, he immediately gets back up and tries the task again. Even times when he really gets slammed and cries so that I feel like my heart will break when I hear it, within minutes, he’s back to his exploring without holding back.
What an inspiration a baby can be! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could have that kind of resilience emotionally and physically? Perhaps I’ll start trying to be like Lance the next time I fail, and fail again, and fail again. He would get up and try again.
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