But I Don't Want to Be a Survivor

As I have likely mentioned before, I am a FT Director of Development for the American Heart Association.  I have the incredible fortune of being able to meet some fascinating people with really inspiring stories.  I'm honored that these folks I meet share their stories with me, and humbled when they turn the tables and thank me.  Thank me?  Gets me every single time. 

I'm never quite sure how or when I'll encounter a person with a story to share.  The first time I heard Becky's name was when I learned that she had won a monthly contest we were running for participants who had personalized their fundraising web page.  Lots of people who walk in our Heart Walk have a personal connection; not everyone shares it, but many do.  And Becky did.


Her story was simply stated, powerful in its directness and so easy to relate to.  She's a Mom.  She lost a Grandparent to heart disease.  She wants to be a role model for her kids--heck, she wants to be here for her kids, period.  She was unique in that she wasn't all that unique at all.  I mean, she could be anyone of us, really. 

But Becky wasn't all talk and story-telling.  Becky was action.  Becky was get up and do.  Becky was making changes.  Working with a Registered Dietitian and incorporating a sound exercise program, this amazing full-time, working Mom of two found made the time to make herself and her health a priority.  She lost over 100 pounds and ran her first half marathon!  She turned limitations into motivations and setbacks into comebacks.  She took her fears and her worries and burned them as fuel to change the way she lived her life.

I was thrilled to receive a nomination for Becky for our Lifestyle Change Award and honored to hang backstage with her two little kiddos while she was presented with her award in front of 10,000+ at the Walk this past October.  She vowed to stay--and get more--involved with Heart as a way to pay it forward to others.

Over lunch today, we met to discuss what that might look like.  And that's where this whole idea of "I don't want to be a survivor" came from.  At first blush, it sounds crazy.  But in her eyes, Becky saw the word survivor as someone who had been through an event.  She wants to get to people before they suffer any kind of cardiac/vascular event.  She doesn't want to have to survive something to inspire someone.  And she doesn't want others to have to survive something either--let's get to them FIRST!  It's not enough to wring your hands when discussing Uncle Walter's latest heart episode or Mom's sketchy check up and say that you got a wake up call---you've got to take action. 

Did you know that 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable with moderate lifestyle modifications?  Did you know that most Americans think they're healthier than they actually are?  Did you know that almost 17% of children ages 2-19 and 35% of adults over 20 are obese?  Did you know that this generation of kids is the first in history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents? 

I'm proud of the work that we do on a daily basis to combat obesity, educate people about health risks and encourage behavioral changes.  We're making a marked difference, and for that, I am grateful.  I'm even more grateful for partners like Becky who stand with us, shoulder to shoulder and commit to being part of the change. 

If you'd like to learn more, I invite you to visit www.heart.org.  You can also take My Life Check, a free and confidential assessment designed to help you identify your overall health as it relates to 7 key factors.  In minutes, you'll receive your personalized score and a road map to improving it.  Check it out here.

Culinary Motivation

I really don't want to be that person who complains about the cold.  I mean, it is winter after all. And I do live outside of Pittsburgh.  So this is not exactly breaking news.  It is, however, record-breaking in that these temperatures haven't been seen in quite some time...when the HIGH is a whopping 3 degrees, it's a topic of conversation (and consternation).  And it's a prolonged cold snap, too.  So it's got folks feeling kinda cabin-fevery.  With good reason.  It's almost too cold to even go out and enjoy the snow.  Sled riding is great and all, until your face is completely raw after a mere 3 minutes outside.  

Outside.  The word alone sends chills up my spine at this point.  I'm glad I'm inside, cozy and warm.  I've got one sleeping, one working, so I'm taking that quiet time to "visit" with you here on my blog.  Whoever, wherever you are!

Today, I had a burst of culinary motivation.  In addition to making my normal weekly meal plan, I set aside some time to make dinner for my cousin and his wife who welcomed their second baby late last week.  My go to "you just had a baby" meal has been, for years, Chicken Tetrazzini and muffins (blueberry if you have a boy, strawberry if you have a girl---awe!!).  I don't know why I went that route, but I did--and it's stuck.  

This time, I'm adding a little something extra to the care package.  Thanks to my dear friend, The Pioneer Woman (what?  we're totally friends in my mind...we hang out, have coffee or whatever and talk about food and our families.  She's funny and kind and very generous!), we're tucking in some of her yummy Cookie Spreads for the happy (albeit likely exhausted) family unit.

Considering that I'm giving all of that goodness away, I simply had to make something for my very own family unit.  So, I made a delicious pot of Mushroom Barley soup.  I've only had the recipe, ripped from whatever magazine, for years.  For whatever reason, today is the day that it leaped from the pages and became a meal.  We'll enjoy that for dinner this evening---the perfect thing to cozy up to as we unwind the weekend and gear up for the week ahead.  Our house smells really, really good.  

Here's how that one comes together:

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 35m| Total Time: 40m

Ingredients

1 cup barley
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil2 medium yellow onions, diced
kosher salt and black pepper
1 large carrot, diced2 celery stalks, diced
20 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
5 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (8 sprigs)
sliced sourdough or other country bread, toasted (optional)

Directions

In a medium-size pan, bring the barley and 4 cups of water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until the onions have softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the carrot and celery and cook, covered, for 6 minutes more.

Add the mushrooms, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, covered, until they release their juices, about 4 minutes.
 

Add the broth, bay leaves, and thyme and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
 

Stir in the cooked barley; remove and discard the bay leaves. If desired, season with additional salt and pepper and serve with the sourdough toast.By Kate Merker , November, 2005

Once again, The Pantry Gremlins helped out and we had nearly everything on hand.  I used up some carrots and celery that were sorta on their way out the door which was great.  And, as I stated earlier, the house smells so, so, so good.  I love thyme---oh, the irony.

Speaking of time (that is what we call a bad segue)...while I still have some, how about I share one more recipe with you.  The muffins--no.  I cheat and use a boxed mix.  But the chicken tetrazzini...that's a good one to pass along.  My Godmother gave it to me several years ago.  And as I'm typing this, I'm realizing that I've never made it for our family; always made it and given it away.  Huh.  Better change that and fast!

Start with 2 whole chicken breasts, 1 chopped onion, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper.
Cover the chicken with water, add onion and herbs, then cook until tender. 
I use grilled chicken and/or rotisserie chicken here--saves time and, I find the taste is much better!
Once the chicken is ready, cut it into bite-sized chunks and set it aside.

In another pan, with a pat of butter, saute a chopped onion and 8 ounces of fresh, sliced mushrooms.  After about 5 minutes, add the chicken and cook a little longer, adding a little salt and pepper (go easy on the salt, because you'll be adding Parmesan later and that's a fairly salty cheese).  A lot of people add some cooked green peas at this point, but I'm a purest...I say leave the peas out.  But you do what you want.

While all this is happening, cook a 1/2 pound of pasta.  I used bow ties b/c they're a little easier to stab with a fork---remember, this particular dish is headed to a family juggling an almost 5 year old and a newborn.  Ain't NO ONE havin' time to twirl spaghetti. 

When the pasta is cooked and drained, toss the meat, 'shrooms etc. into the pot. 

In a measuring cup, mix 1.5 cups of milk, a tablespoon of mayo (I use the olive oil version) and, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese a flour paste (2Tbs flour mixed with 1/2 cup of cold water).  Whisk this all together and pour it into the pot.

Mix thoroughly and pour into a 9x13 and top with a little more cheese and some chopped rosemary.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  If it seems a little dry, add a touch more milk prior to baking.

Alright, it's time go clean up the kitchen from the first wave of messiness and get things ready to whip up some of The Pioneer Woman's "Cookie Spreads."  Abby made me promise that we'd make these together when she wakes up.  Stay tuned for a full report on how these turn out--something tells me we'll be doubling the recipe so that we can have some leftover to enjoy.  

Sending love, best wishes and lots of hugs to the newest member of our extended family, Joseph David.  We are all so glad that you're here, so happy you're healthy and so eager to meet you.  Though you are tiny, the love you have is great.

 

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar and Garlic Chicken

Menu planning and meal prepping usually looks like this.  It's Sunday morning, I'm in my PJs or workout clothes, sitting at the island in the kitchen, sipping on tea or Shakeology while the Acoustic Sunrise plays through the speakers.  Mark and Abby are typically involved, too--usually being silly about breakfast.  I've got my recipe binder out and the iPad.  Guess which one wins?  Damn you Pinterest!!

Yesterday, as I scrolled (after momentarily being distracted by pictures of dresses I love but will never wear and shoes that are way too funky for me) through some recipes, I saw the picture of this one and pinned it before I even read any further.  Then I read the name of the deliciousness pictured and it was all I could do to not start making it immediately.  You probably want to eat this post, don't you?  Oh come on...I'm not the only one with that issue, am I?  Hello?

Factor in that the high temperature for most of this week will not climb out of the teens, and this comfort food seemed like a must have on our menu.  I love the idea of crock potting, but ours doesn't have a timer on it (silly!) and we're usually gone longer than the recipe needs to cook.  Thankfully, Mark'll be working at home one day this week, so guess what's on the menu.  BONUS---I will walk into a DELICIOUS-smelling house after a long, cold day of running around for work.  Score! 

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar & Garlic Chicken
adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff

Ingredients4-6 chicken breasts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup cider vinegar 
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda
1-2 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 Tablespoons corn starch
2 Tablespoons water
Red pepper flakes (optional) 

Directions:

• Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place chicken (frozen, thawed or fresh) inside slow cooker (LOVE that you can add them frozen--how many of us forget to thaw chicken?  And don't try to tell me you don't!). 
• Mix together brown sugar, vinegar, soda, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper together. Pour over chicken. 
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. 
• Take chicken pieces out of slow cooker (they'll likely fall apart) and pour remaining sauce into saucepan. 
• Place saucepan over high heat. Mix together corn starch and water, pour into saucepan, and mix well. 
• Let sauce come to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to thicken and turns into a glaze. 
• Remove from heat and let sit for a minute or two (it will continue to thicken as it cools down).
• Sprinkle red pepper flakes on top if desired.  

I plan to serve this with brown rice and veggies.  I suspect it'd be good with whole wheat noodles or with a baked potato on the side.  Heck, it's probably good on top of the potato too!  

Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Breasts

I find it a smidgen ironic that I, the girl who does not like wings at ALL, has more than a few Buffalo Chicken-esque recipes in her repertoire.  A real wing?  No thank you.  But the flavors?  Sure...give me some!

Stumbled upon this gem when my "what are your thoughts on dinners this week" conversation with the hubby broke down.  Sometimes he just really doesn't care to chime in...and I guess that's okay, because he's generally not a picky eater so I can get away with trying new things and winging it....yes, I went there!

What I liked about this, too, was that it (a) was from Skinny Taste and (b) is reminiscent of another dish I make that's very similar.  I knew I'd have the technique down, so on the list it went. 

Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Breasts (from Skinnytaste.com)
Servings: 5  Serving Size: 1 stuffed breast  Calories: 172 • Fat: 5 g • Carbs: 5 g •
Fiber: 0.6 g • Protein: 22 g • Sugar: 1.7 g Sodium: 799 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup shredded 2% cheddar
• 4 wedges light Laughing Cow blue cheese 
• 1/3 cup celery stalk, minced
• 1/4 cup green onion, minced
• 1/4 cup carrot, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste (I actually forgot to add this, it was FINE!)
• 5 (3 oz each) thin boneless chicken breasts cutlets
• 15 reduced fat Ritz Crackers, crushed into crumbs
• 1 tbsp light mayonnaise (I used non fat plain Greek yogurt)
• 6 tbsp Franks hot sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp light butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• cooking spray (I forgot this step, too and it was FINE)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a baking dish with oil.

Mix cheddar, laughing cow cheese, celery, green onion, carrot, salt and pepper in a dish.

Lay out the chicken cutlets, placing even amount of mixture in the middle and spread in the center.

In one bowl make a breading station out of crushed Ritz crumbs. In another bowl combine mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of hot sauce, and lemon juice as a dredging mixture.

Roll chicken breasts in the mayonnaise mixture, then into cracker crumbs, and put on a lightly greased pan, seam side down.

Lightly spray top of chicken with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes. 

While the chicken cooks, melt butter and mix with the remaining hot sauce and garlic powder. 

Drizzle buffalo sauce over finished chicken breast and serve. 
______________________________________________________________
Couple notes---these puppies are pretty darn messy to put together.  I don't mind mess, but consider this a warning if you do.  I had to do some convincing to get some of the stuffing to stay inside the rolled up chicken, but it worked in the end...especially when I tucked them tightly into a smaller baking dish.

Also, I did find that I had far more "stuffing" than chicken, so....I would suggest either  buying more chicken OR, tossing a can of white meat chicken into the mix for "instant" chicken salad (I "think" it'll work out and be good--jury's still out).  I splashed in a few dashes of hot sauce and popped it into the fridge where it's waiting for me.  Look at that---dinner AND lunches done in one fell swoop.  That doesn't happen every day, folks.

We served our chicken with a big salad and some crisp cucumbers (again, trying to recreate that whole basket of wings thing).  Abby wasn't keen on the spiciness of it, but Mark added it to the make again list.  High praise, my friend.  High praise indeed.

Oregano Pork Chops

Chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken.  Sometimes we get stuck in a food rut.  And we love our chicken, and make it a zillion different ways, but every now and again it's good to mix it up.  I looked at our menu from last week and felt pretty bad--it was chicken, in some form or fashion 4 of 5 nights that week.  

So this week, I'm gettin' crazy in the kitchen....oh come on.  Not like that.  I'm only making (wait for it, wait for it) PORK instead of chicken.  This came together quickly, clocks in on the healthy side of the equation and actually turned out very well.  I say that only because some breaded dishes lose their crunch or there's not much flavor. Not so with these choppers.

Here's how we reinvented dinner (not really, but it sounds and seemed impressive!)
 

Ingredients (for 2 pork chops)2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 boneless pork chops
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
 
In  shallow dish, mix flour, salt, and pepper. 

In another shallow dish, beat egg.In a third shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and lemon peel. (you could also add in other herbs if you so desire; as we cleaned up, we discussed maybe rosemary would have been nice, too)

Gently press pork into flour mixture to coat and shake off excess. 

Dip into beaten egg, then press into bread crumbs. 

Gently toss between your hands so any bread crumbs that haven't stuck can fall away. Set aside.
 
Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown pork chops on each side, about 4 minutes per side, then transfer to baking dish.
 
Bake in preheated oven 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear. 

We served this with a delicious wild/brown rice blend and green beans.  It was a quiet dinner...a surefire way to know it's good.  No one was talking, everyone's mouths were full!  Even the littlest one asked for more! 

Cheers!

 

All Over the Map

It's January 19 and I'm sitting at my computer on a very cold, albeit sunny, afternoon.  And I'm feeling particularly guilty.  Like, Catholic missing a mass guilty.  And I'm not really Catholic anymore.  But that's another blog entry altogether.  Regardless, I'm finding myself muttering, "Bless me Blogosphere for I have stalled.  It's been nearly three weeks since my last entry."  I'm awaiting my penance like a good little girl.  Sigh.

I really don't know why I haven't made the time to write.  I've got good topics (yes, that's purely my opinion) jotted down in my journal.  I've got oodles of starter sentences and even a couple that morphed into paragraphs.  Yet, there they remain.  Inexplicably, trapped inside a worse-for-the-wear journal that goes pretty much everywhere I go.

But I'm fairly certain you did NOT click on this blog to read about that.  Nor do you probably care where I've been.  I thought about creating a fancy scenario in which I had been wrongfully imprisoned in some foreign country for speaking my mind.  But that didn't sound plausible enough.  I haven't traveled much lately, and you'd see right through that one.  The reality, the far-less-sexy reality, is that I simply didn't MAKE the time to write.  Shame on me, I know.  And what happens as a result of that?  A Potpourri Post!  So get ready--this puppy's going to be random, all over the map and probably pretty closely resembling my train of thought most days!  What?  You know you do that, too!  And look, it says so right up there...it's OKAY!

Here we go.  The New Year started off well enough.  Couple days back to the office to ease on into working life again after an extended Christmas break.  Then it was right back into the normal swing with school, work, birthday parties, and one more Christmas celebration.  Because we just didn't have enough in December!  But really, this one was super fun; we gathered at my Mom's house to make pasta and pizza from scratch.  The making was nearly as entertaining as the eating, I can tell you that much.  Especially when you factor in that there's no Italian blood in any of us!

And then, almost like another Christmas in and of itself, Super Saturday.  Super Saturday is a day for Beachbody Coaches to come together to learn, to celebrate and to connect.  I had been to one other event like this before, but this one blew my socks off.  There were over 350 people in a ballroom of a major hotel in town.  That's 350 like-minded people, all committed to our mission statement which is, "Help people achieve their goals and enjoy a healthy, fulfilling life."  Read that again--it's powerful.  Each word, deliberately chosen.  Not "live a healthy...life" but "enjoy a healthy...life."  Splitting hairs?  I don't think so.

As a Beachbody Coach, I've come to appreciate a lot of seemingly subtle differences just like that.  It's the phrasing a person uses when describing him or herself.  What once was, "I'm trying to...." becomes, "I am..." and where "I always struggle with..." once used to be, now "I used to think xyz was impossible" now resides.  It's the minor change in how someone tunes into his or her body when it comes to eating.  It's really paying attention to how certain foods make you feel.  Those differences lie in learning to recognize hunger over boredom, thirst over hunger and progress over perfection.  What gifts.

Another gift I've gotten is re-learning how to set goals.  Sounds like a skill one would not, could not (should not) lose, right?  Yeah.  Sure does.  But I did.  I got kind of lazy (gasp!) about where I was headed or what I wanted.  I mean, life was good, right? Why mess with that?  But I found a way to "mess" with it that was actually helpful.

It took some time, but I crafted a list of 26 goals for the year.  Some are more concrete than others.  For example, "Blog 2-3x a week" is more concrete (and yes, I totally get the irony here!) than say, "More unplugged family time" which can be a little vague.  In any event, these goals are proudly displayed next to my computer with several motivational quotes right along side them.  My family can see them every day, as can I, and that holds me more accountable.  Each day, I review them and try to consciously make choices that help me towards them.  Because that's really what it's about, right?  Choices.  Abby and I have that conversation a few times a week; you can have my iPhone on the way home OR you can watch one show after your tubby.  I have to admit; sometimes she is far better at making a choice (and the right one at that) than I am!

And one more gift---reconnecting with personal development on a daily basis.  This is one of the Three Vital Behaviors successful Beachbody Coaches are encouraged to engage in each and every day.  And (again, gasp!) I've gotten away from it.  And again, (gasp!) I have no real good reason.  Not going to be the case in 2014.  Right there on my goal board, it states, "One PD book every month!"  I even have plans of starting a virtual book club with some other Coaches so we can share what we're reading and--more importantly--what we're learning and how we're applying that. 

Goal-setting and learning like this is something I miss terribly.  Don't get me wrong; both of those things still happen, but not in as profound or deliberate a way.  Sure, I make it a goal to get out of the house each morning without spilling my shake or uttering curse words when we're running late.  And yes, I learn (at least 3 times a week) that even with the best laid plans, we're going to be late when there's a curious, striving-to-be-independent 4.5 year old helping to run the show. 

Carving out time to read every day has been so wonderful.  I consider considered reading a luxury (I cannot seem to sit and turn the pages of a book without feeling incredibly indulgent and guilty about the many other things I could/should be doing), but I've learned to see it as a necessity to help me grow.  And the growth is as much personal as it is professional which allows me to lump reading into the category of multi-tasking, thereby making me feel much better about it.  See how that works out?  Besides, I'm not just reading---I'm highlighting and taking notes.  So there's that!

I suppose that's enough "all over the mapping" for one day.  And I really didn't even get into family or work too much.  Guess it's a good thing I plan to blog 2-3x a week, because that should provide me with plenty of opportunities to fill you in on those pieces of the juggle.

For now, it's time to share my meal plan, get my Challengers motivated for the work we have ahead of us (starts tomorrow!) and do a little more reading.  Orrrrrrrrrrrrr I may get in some of that unplugged time and read some books with Abby.  Tune in next time to see what I choose!