Cookbook Corrections - as of 6-30-10

The following items are corrections to my cookbook:


Page 78 - Honey Crunch Bars - Missing ingredient - 1/4 cup Ghiardelli 60% Cacao Chocolate Chips
(You can do this recipe without them if you want)


I will add to this list as they are found!!

Cookbooks have arrived!!!

One box of my cookbooks arrived yesterday! The rest should be here today!

Here are some pictures of the real thing!!!

Cover
This was hard to photograph since it is
laminated and VERY shiny!

Recipes
Lots of open space around most of the recipes
for notes and comments!!

Section dividers

Dividers all have great tips and information on the back!
(I didn't write that part - it came with the cookbooks!)

For ordering information and other pictures, visit my Facebook page:

Berger Bites for Healthy Appetites

You do NOT need to have a Facebook account to access that page and all the information posted there. If you would like to leave a comment there, then you must have a Facebook account. Comments and questions can also be posted on this blog!

All cookbook orders postmarked by Friday June 18, 2010 will be entered in a drawing for (at least) two of my handmade baskets!

I also posted some new pictures of recipes that are in the cookbook and also some new ones that will be in volume II!!
Thanks!!!

Five Things You Can Do TODAY to Get Yourself on the Road to Better Health!

A lot of people want to 'clean up their act' so to speak when it comes to food and exercise...they want to lose weight and gain good health...but once they see this long list of things they need to change, they get overwhelmed and just say forget it...

So..here are 5 things you can do TODAY to get you on your way to better health! If you can't do all 5, then pick 2 or 3 and start there..Make a conscious effort to do these every day for a week...then add the rest and do them for another week! See how you feel....habits don't start just like that..you have to force yourself to do things sometimes, but the rewards are usually worth the effort...

#1 - Drink more plain, unaltered water!! Tap water is just fine..Shoot for 8-10 glasses (like 100 oz. or so total) Coffee, tea and sodas DON'T count - even sugar free ones...just plain water... [For those of you who don't drink a lot of water now, this can be really hard at first..aim for adding 2-3 glasses to what you already drink and work your way up to the 8-10 per day] Also..drinking this much water really flushes you out! Bathroom breaks will increase...just a warning!! LOL But that calms down after a while...

#2 - Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night...I know I function much better when I get my full 7-8 hrs...less than 6 and I am a zombie!

#3 - Eat more fresh fruits and veggies - If you already eat a lot - GREAT - if you don't, eat a banana or some grapes for a snack instead of potato chips and junk food! Frozen Banana Slices are really good on a hot day too!

#4 - Get moving!! Instead of spending hours on end on the computer, get outside and go for a walk, play with your kids, just do something that gets your heart pumping and body moving! A nice walk with your family after dinner is not only great for your health, but a great time to spend together as a family!
Shoot for 30 - 45 minutes a day...5-6 days a week...

#5 - Eat breakfast every day! A REAL food breakfast, not a cup of coffee full of junk from Starbucks! Try to include a protein, a starchy carb and a piece of fruit too! Believe it or not, a Peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread (not white bread) is actually a really good complete meal if you use peanut butter that is just peanuts, jelly that has no sugar added (like Simply Fruit) and whole grain bread!


Small changes lead to big rewards if you just have the patience and willingness to do it and continue doing it!!

:-)

Cookbook Order Form

Here is a link to the Order Form for my cookbook:

Berger Bites for Healthy Appetites

If you have trouble printing from that page, email me at the address listed on the form and I will send you a PDF version to use!

Cookbooks should be ready to ship by early July (maybe sooner!)

Thanks!!

Pre Preorders for my Cookbook

I am now taking pre preorders for my cookbook.

Go to my Facebook page or click this link:

Berger Bites for Healthy Appetites

and leave a comment on that note with the number of cookbooks you would like. No money required at this time, just names and numbers so I know how many to order! If you are not registered with Facebook, just leave your name and number of cookbooks you would like in a comment on this topic on this blog.

I will be taking prepreorders thru Monday May 3, 2010 so get your order in now!

Thank you for your support!

My first attempts at cooking Healthy Chinese Food

My Veggie Fried Rice

The past two weekends, I decided to try something completely different..Cooking Chinese Food! I was never one that liked Chinese food when I was fat (I wasn't the veggie eater that I am now!), so this type of food never interested me before either cooking or eating it!
Now, I like a lot of the veggies and things in Chinese food, so I worked on developing recipes using these foods, but eliminating all the added salts and fats!

So far..I like everything I made! But the jury is still out on ginger in food that isn't one of my baked goods! (LOVE my Gingersnap Muffins!) Guess I need to ease into it!! But I do have a good NSA Soy Sauce recipe and that REALLY helps get the right 'taste'.

I am using my NSA Soy Sauce recipe to make all the recipes that I post on here or are in my cookbook. Since I never eat (ate) commercially produced soy sauce, I have no idea how it compares on taste and strength..so you may need to use less (or more) to suit your tastes. I am fine tuning the amounts to what I like..and that is the amount I am listing in the recipes! Feel free to adjust as necessary!!

Pork Egg Roll Filling

Since most egg rolls are wrapped and deep fried, I opted for making just the filling. I will wrap this in green leaf lettuce leaves and serve with Brown Jasmine Rice and maybe some of my Sweet and Sour Sauce (with pineapple).

More pictures of my Chinese food and other recipes are on my Berger Bites Facebook page.

Berger Bites for Healthy Appetites

Name Change for my Blog

Renaming my blog to coordinate with my cookbook project..

The address for the blog will remain the same so it will be easy to find!

Cookbook pre preorder info coming later this week!!

Cookbook Info Updated April 23, 2010!!

I am finishing up all the final details for my cookbook and it will go to the publisher on or about May 1st! Barring any setbacks, I should have them ready to ship by early to mid July!

Once the order is placed with the publisher, I will start taking pre-orders that will be shipped as soon as I get the finished cookbooks! So far..I have 108 recipes with the possibility of adding a few more in the next few days!

The price will be $10 per cookbook + $3 per book for shipping...If you order more than 1 cookbook, I will let you know what the shipping costs will be.
Any books purchased in Indiana will also be subject to Indiana state sales tax on the book and the shipping costs.

Ordering information will be posted here and also on Facebook. I will provide links when everything is ready to go!!

Cookbook Update to the update!!

I decided to do my cookbook of healthy recipes after all....I have been working on getting all the recipes entered (about 100!) and now am in the process of editing. My goal is to get it to the publisher by the end of February so they will be available before Mother's Day!!
It's not going to be really fancy, but I am going to include some B/A pictures of me and some other helpful information for a healthy lifestyle! Most of the recipes on my blog are in the cookbook, plus some that aren't on the blog. I am also providing sugar free alternates for those who don't want the extra calories in the natural sweeteners that I use now.
My cookbook will be called 'Berger Bites For Healthy Appetites'. (Thanks to my best friend for the title).

***UPDATE***
Had a delay in finalizing all my cookbook things, so it won't be out before Mother's Day, but it will be available this summer...more details on how to get one will be posted when the schedule is finalized!! Over 100 of my favorite healthy recipes...and some healthy lifestyle tips thrown in too!!

Gingersnap Muffin recipe - UPDATED

Here is my Gingersnap Muffin recipe updated with the version that I make now since I have eliminated most of the artificial sweeteners from most of my recipes.
I left the SF information at the end of the recipe for those who don't mind using Splenda or Diabeti Sweet Brown Sugar...

Gingersnap Muffins
(updated 3-2010)

1 cup rolled oats
½ cup steel cut oats
1/4 c. flaxseed meal (optional)
2 T. black strap molasses
1/4 cup Sucanat (or light brown sugar)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons clear vanilla
½ teaspoon maple extract
¼ teaspoon butter extract
½ cup water
orange zest (about 2 teaspoons)(I like this added flavor, so I use all the zest from 1 medium orange)
12 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350o F.
In large mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients. In small mixing bowl (or oversize measuring cup), combine all wet ingredients except egg whites). Stir into dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined and all oats are covered. Will be moist, but not sopping wet. Set aside.
In separate bowl, beat eggs for about 15 secs with hand mixer. Stir into oat mixture and combine well with mixer.
Allow to sit for 15 minutes while oven heats and you prepare the baking pan.
Spray and wipe out a large capacity 6 muffin pan. Divide batter into each section. It is OK if it fills above the rim.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan. Freeze.

Makes (6) Servings of 2 oz. Protein A and ½ cup Carb B

For a sugar free version, use this instead of the Sucanat and the molasses:
[½ cup Diabeti Sweet Brown Sugar Substitute*
(*If you don't have this, you can sub 1/2 cup Splenda and 1/2 teaspoon maple extract for a similar flavor)]

Hot Dog Carrots - A Food Confession!

No..I didn't stop eating healthy foods and gorge myself on ICK for days on end...no, I made a goof while cooking and the result was an unexpected, rather tasty, surprise.....

Last week I was cooking baby carrots in a SMALL amount of water (too small actually) and I went back to my office...I got distracted and FORGOT I left the carrots cooking on the stove....I smelled them 'cooking', but totally forgot about them.. (Old age does that!)

When I finally remembered I was cooking carrots...I ran to the kitchen to find them fully cooked dry and the bottom ones were burnt where they were touching the pot! I pulled one off the top to see how 'smoky' they tasted...not too bad (I eat most of my mistakes..don't like to waste food) I dumped the non-burnt ones in a dish and surveyed the rest...about 1/3 of the pot had a burn strip on them..so I pulled one out to see how bad they tasted...

I was totally SHOCKED when the burnt baby carrot tasted like a hot dog I used to 'fry' in a pan on the stove..except for being orange..the carrots even LOOKED like hot dogs! I ate another one to see if I was crazy....NOPE..same taste...and actually pretty good!! LOL So I dumped the 'hot dog carrots' in a different container...they were edible!! My best friend told me to just dip them in some ketchup!! LOL I almost did!!!

The pot was a mess, but I left it soak for a while and it cleaned up rather easily...

I ate all the smoky carrots and the hot dog carrots!! A nice change, but probably a one time deal..

But..I might try 'frying' some in a non-stick pan and see if they taste the same!!

Meal Planning for Fat Loss and Health

Meal Planning for Fat Loss and Health

One of the hardest parts of changing to a healthier lifestyle and/or starting a weight/fat loss program is making the commitment to do it. Once you make this decision, the next step is to map out your plan and then put it in motion (i.e. JUST DO IT!)

Meal planning is a critical aspect of any successful fat loss strategy and it can be a daunting task if you try to do it ‘on the fly’. Most times, this ‘seat of the pants’ approach leads to failure to comply and reverting back to the way you ate before.

Here are the 5 steps I use in making my weekly menus:
[NOTE: This is a general approach I use to make out my weekly menus. You can use this plan along with more specific guidelines from The Six Week Body Makeover, The Body Fat Solution, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, or any other fat loss program to make menus customized just for you.]

Step #1 – Make a list of all the foods you already have on hand and/or what you need to make. Keep it simple when you are starting out (grilled chicken, baked potatoes and steamed veggies). Once you get comfortable with all the changes, then start adding in more complicated recipes. Learn the process, then advance! Separate your foods into these categories: Lean Proteins, Veggies, Starchy Carbs, Fruit, and Healthy Fats*. I also include Muffins as a separate category for my planning purposes. This category is optional for you. *I incorporate healthy fats in my recipes and in the form of supplements. I include it here just so I can keep track and don’t forget about it!

Step #2 – Make a weekly menu chart to show all 42 meals/snacks (yes, I eat 42 meals/snacks per week. 6 meals/day X 7 days/week = 42 meals/week) This may seem like a lot, but when you eat every 2-3 hours, the number of meals you need to plan add up fast! You can also include lines for water consumption, cardio, workouts and other noteworthy events that impact your life.

Step #3 – Determine the components for each meal (per your specific plan – P/V/C/Fr) and write that next to the meal name at the top of each column) The exact components you eat at each meal will depend on your specific body type or plan you are following. Just remember to include a protein source at each meal including snacks.

Step #4 – Fill in the chart using choices from your food list and following the components for each meal. Hopefully you have enough options on your food list that you don’t have to repeat every meal 2 days in a row. It is OK to repeat meals thru the week (I do this all the time), but some people want/need more variety in their daily meals. But planning 42 unique meals each week requires an enormous amount of cooking and that is not practical AT ALL! This is about saving time, not making things worse! The more food options you have, the less repeating you have to do. Just rotate meals to every other day or 2 and that should work fine. You can also include the actual quantities of each component for each meal too. Since every one is different, these numbers will vary. Your sex, body type, body composition and current goals (maintenance or fat loss) all help determine how much you need to eat.
Be creative when planning your meals. Breakfast doesn’t just have to be a muffin or omelet. Chicken Corn soup makes for a hearty breakfast too! And there is no law that says you can’t have so-called breakfast food for dinner either!
Once you have your meals planned and charted, write in your cardio and workout plans for the week also! Schedule it and you will be more inclined to actually do it! And also track your water intake if you find it hard to consume at least 100 oz. per day.

Step #5 – Post this chart on your refrigerator or another prominent place in your kitchen and FOLLOW IT - EVERY DAY – exactly as written! Try your best to not miss meals, but if you do, just continue on with the next meal on your list! And don’t forget your workouts! Just 30-45 minutes a day of exercise (cardio and weights) can make a big difference over time!

Do this menu planning every week. Update your available food lists every week as well.
My food list changes every week, mostly the veggie and fruit options. What I eat depends a lot on what is in season or what is on sale at the grocery store. Cooking in bulk and freezing pre-measured portions also save lots of time thru the week. I bulk cook, portion and freeze most of my proteins, muffins, soups and fruit. I cook enough veggies and carbs for 3-4 days at a time. Most of my meals are ready in 5-10 minutes!

Preparation and planning…building blocks of healthy eating!!


Here is my Menus for this week: (Click to enlarge)
** Eggs on the chart refers to the egg whites. I usually add about 1/2 of 1 yolk to my omelets, usually when I have eggs for snacks, they are hard boiled egg whites or Vanilla Puffs (egg whites only)

Cranberry Crumble

Here are some new recipes for you to try-

Enjoy!

Cranberry Crumble

Yummy holiday dessert!

Servings per recipe: 12

2 1/4 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups puffed brown rice cereal

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

2 Tbsp oat bran, raw

1/4 cup Sucanat

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp butter extract

1/2 cup water

1 batch of Cranberry Sauce (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350°F

Topping:

In medium mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients except for cranberry sauce. Set aside.

Bottom layer:

Prepare Cranberry Sauce. Spread in bottom of 10 x 10 silicon baking dish.

Spread topping evenly over cranberry sauce.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.

Allow to cool. Keep refrigerated.

Cranberry Sauce

(and this is good just on it's own!)

3 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed (I use one small bag)

½ - 1 cup water

1 cup NSA applesauce (homemade or Mott’s)

¼ cup honey (or 1/3 cup Splenda works too)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Juice and zest from 1 small orange

In medium saucepan, combine water and cranberries. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook until cranberries pop.

Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, stirring well.

Allow to cool completely before refrigerating. Warm or cold sauce can be used for Cranberry Crumble recipe.

My Tips for Living Lean - Update for 2010!!

Thought I would bump this post to the front of the line....basic things you can do to lose fat and tips to help keep it gone for good!

- Cardio in your THR (target heart rate) is important!! Monitor it closely. No slacking. And change it up once in a while!! I do biking and power walking. It is good to change up the routine - this takes to boredom factor away too...like what you are doing and you will continue to do it!]

- Strength training is important. No slacking here either!! Really..a little goes a long way..make your workouts fit your goals! Rest and recovery periods are necessary so don't overdo it. Start with bodyweight exercises like planks, mountain climbers, bird dogs, and pushups! No extra equipment required.

- SCALE WEIGHT IS JUST A TOOL. NOT THE BE ALL END ALL!!! I have decided that being fit and having a healthy body fat percentage is more important to me than a number on the scale. Hence, I only weigh occassionally and go more by my body fat calipers and how my clothes fit. Both are better indicators than the scale number!

- Limit off plan(aka nonclean) meals/foods as much as possible. I know I feel better when I eat clean. Too much, too soon can cause problems. Crazy days aren’t an option. Maybe a crazy meal, once a month – OR LESS! Once I fired up that old metabolism, I NEEDED TO EAT EVEN MORE!! Staying POP, I was not consuming enough calories and I got myself back into starvation mode!! And considering how much I ate already, this was a real shock!!! But, since adding the required calories (thru healthy nutrient dense foods - NOT ICK) and also some healthy fats and EFA supplements, I feel and look a LOT better. You really do need to eat to lose!]

- Once you are at goal size - you can add things you have refrained from eating while reducing back in SLOWLY. Again, too much, too soon causes problems. Monitor but be brave - More is better (see comment above), but too much healthy food can be bad for the body too!

- Try new healthy foods. Search out new flavors now that your taste buds are finely tuned!! You will be surprised at what appeals and doesn’t appeal to you anymore. This blog has LOTS of healthy recipes that I make and eat most of the time...good for reducers and those at goal...A lot of them are made with foods I never even thought of eating 5 years ago. Once you can taste the real flavors of real food (nonprocessed) it is amazing what you will like now!

- Drink plain water, 100+ ounces per day! Helps to flush out all the yucky stuff..Most people don't even come close to doing this on a daily basis...a simple fat loss tip that you can start doing NOW!!

- Always be prepared!! Keep plenty of healthy on plan (healthy) foods on hand and take your cooler and water jug with you everywhere!! No reason to stop now!! And purge all the ICK out of your house...if not readily available to eat, you probably won't eat it!!

- Eat 5-6 meals per day and journal your food and exercise. Helps you see trends and head off problems before they get out of hand. Also keep track of other things in your life. TOM, stress issues, physical ailments, lack of sleep, cardio, and weight training can all impact your weight almost overnight!

- Recheck your bodytype once in a while. If you start gaining while remaining POP (including cardio and toning), maybe you are not eating what your body needs [probably NOT ENOUGH!!!!!]. Snacks are the key. Too many starchy carbs, even healthy ones, can cause problems. They do for me...But the addition of some healthy fats and nutrient dense food is definitely a necessity in a healthier lifestyle!! Nuts and olive oil are not the enemy! Just don't go crazy....

All you learn while reducing should help you live lean for the rest of your life! Don’t let life get in the way. YOU are important FIRST – then everything else. Be selfish. Keep healthy food and exercise as priorities! Their importance has not changed just because you lost all the weight. Habits – both good and bad - can be hard to break and/or relearn. Why go back? Don’t let Easy Street tempt you!! The longer you stay in a healthy mindset, the easier it ALL gets. It does become your lifestyle – make it work for you!! Finding the balance is the key. And this doesn’t happen overnight. Just because you are Living Lean doesn’t mean you can eat/do anything you want. If you do, you will be right back where you started and that should NOT be an option. It’s NOT FOR ME!!

Also, rethink your goals once you have been Living Lean for a while...your body and you are worth it!

2 comments:

Larry57 said...

Jenny,
Thanks so much for your recipies. Thanks even more for your tips on Living Lean. I am going to print those out and remind myself by reading them from time to time. They make perfect sense and obviously have worked for you. You look FABULOUS.
Larry57

2/02/2008 5:48 AM

MrsKaren said...

Hey Jenny,
I love your web site. I am pleased that you have started a living lean blog. I know I will be there soon enough and it comforts me to know that you are paving the way. Thank you and you do look totally fab!
MrsKaren

4/11/2008 5:04 PM