Recipe - Mostly Mushroom Salad

I used a bit of watercress that i had left over which wasn't much. I had mushrooms that needed to used so that was pretty much the base of the salad. You don't always need lettuce for a salad. Any veggie will work. I also had to use up some cucumbers, tomatoes and blueberries. Added some red pepper too. Sprinkled some of the bacon cooked earlier. White wine vinegar and oil. S&P. YUM.

Recipes - Pan Seared Sea Scallops

A message board friend made a post yesterday about her love for bacon and that she needed to give it up. I tried to convince her otherwise because bacon is awesome. I decided to do the quicker version of scallops wrapped in bacon. When you do the regular version you have to parboil or cook the bacon, wrap them individually bla bla bla... i didnt have time for that...

I nuked some bacon. (i try not to use the microwave but when i'm hungry and want to save some time i do.)
I then put some bacon fat in a non stick pan. Heat to medium high..Add scallops and cook 3-4 mins each side depending how big they are. I accompanied w/ Green Giant frozen Green beans and almonds as well as a salad.

Recipe - Watercress Salad w/ Blackberries

this was the salad that accompanied the shrimp. Using a different green other than what you're used to (romaine, baby mixed greens) keeps things fun and exciting. and adding the blackberries is far from ordinary as well. I got the berries for $1 at reading terminal. Can't beat it! and i just dressed w/ white wine vinegar and olive oil. S&P to taste.

Recipes - Popcorn Shrimp

I saw this recipe on Ellie's Food Network show and had to try it. I thought the cornmeal coating would lend a perfect non deep friend crunch. and it did! i used extra large shrimp because that's what i had but in the fridge. i would def stick to the rock size. the coating doesn't really lend well to taking multiple bites off the shrimp... so i think this works much better for the size that you just pop in your mouth.
This recipe does take a little time cause there's dunking and coating in multiple bowls.
She serves hers w/ a chili lime sauce but i just wanted the standard cocktail sauce. I always jazz mine up by adding extra horseradish. and if you don't have cocktail sauce... just make ur own entirely by using ketchup and horseradish. I paid this meal w/ some green giant frozen veggies.

2007, Ellie Krieger All rights reserved
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 egg whites
* 3/4 cup cornmeal
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 pound medium rock shrimp (90 to 100 count), shelled and cleaned
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* Spray cooking oil
Place flour, chili powder, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl and stir with a fork to incorporate. Place egg whites in another shallow bowl and beat lightly. Place cornmeal, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a third bowl and stir with a fork to incorporate. Toss the shrimp, a few at a time, in flour until well coated. Shake off excess flour, then dip in egg whites. Transfer to cornmeal mixture and toss to cover all sides. Reserve coated shrimp on a baking sheet or piece of parchment paper and repeat with remaining shrimp.

Preheat broiler. Brush a large cookie sheet with the oil and heat the oiled sheet under broiler for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly arrange shrimp in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Place shrimp under broiler and broil until crisp and browned, about 5 minutes.

Serve shrimp with dipping sauce.

Recipes - Marinated Butternut Squash Scapece Di Zucca

Don't forget to eat your veggies over turkey day. This is a simple, delish dish! i've made it in the past and am making it again for Thanksgiving.

By Mario Batali


Ingredients

* 2 medium butternut squash, seeded and cut into 1-inch slices
* Salt and pepper
* 4 tablespoons plus 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
* 1/2 medium red onion, sliced paper thin
* 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 clove garlic, sliced paper-thin
* 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Season the squash with salt and pepper, drizzle with 4 tablespoons olive oil, and place in a single layer on 1 or 2 cookie sheets.

Bake in the oven until just tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the remaining oil, vinegar, onion, chile flakes, oregano, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Remove the squash from the oven and pour the marinade over. Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the marinade, sprinkle with fresh mint leaves, and serve. This dish can be made earlier in the day but should not be refrigerated.

News - MSG and Weight Gain

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Food takes center stage with Thanksgiving next week. There is an alarming study about a popular food ingredient that's often hidden and it can make you gain weight.

MSG, monosodium glutamate, is found in everything from canned soup to those cheese flavored tortilla chips. In many cases it's what makes these favorite foods taste so good.

"You're eating a lot of MSG and you probably don't even realize it. It's just a baseline across a lot of foods," said Nutritionist Melanie Pearsall.

Some people try to avoid MSG, believing it causes headaches, but a new study suggests it also can be contributing to America's expanding waistline.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina followed people in rural China. They all ate the same healthy foods. Some used MSG, others did not.

"We analyzed the data and found that those who used MSG are more likely to be overweight than non-users," said Dr. Ka He, University of North Carolina.

In fact, the researchers found three times the rate of overweight people in the high MSG-use group compared to the non-users.

For years, animal studies have suggested a possible link between MSG and obesity. This study is the first to make the connection in humans, but at this point there's no explanation.

Because the government considers it safe, there are no warnings or restrictions or MSG.

"We have to be pretty savvy about reading the label and trying to find things that are less processed," said Pearsall.


RELATED LINK
Study Information

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Recipes - Marinade Sauce from Roasted Chicken

So i saved the marinade in a container because i figured it would make a great sauce/gravy. WHen you refrigerate it, all the fat floats to the top. I scooped off the fat and threw away, placed sauce in a saucepan and brought to a boil. I used about 1/4C flour and 1/4C cold water to make a thickening agent. Add and continue stirring until thickened.

This didn't turn out as good as i would have hoped. it was too lemony and too salty (from the soy). Next time i would add 1C or more water to dilute it and then add the thickening agent. It should be perfect at that point. Just sauce over some sliced roasted chicken and rice. Add a veggie. insta dinner.

Recipes - Chicken Strawberry Almond Salad

Ingredients
-Roasted Chicken
-Baby Greens
-Strawberries
-Almonds (preferably slices but i only had whole in the office)
-Purple Onion
-Cucumber
-Carrot
-Olive Oil & Red Wine Vinegar
-Salt & Pepper

Quick, Easy, Delish. I love strawberries w/ Purple onion. Sweet + tangy = awesomeness... not to mention almonds thrown in there too for a different type of crunch. yum yum.

Recipes - Chicken Pot Pie w/ Cornbread Crust

How pretty does this dish look? I know! Too bad it didn't taste as good as it looked.

Recipe created by Cristina Ferrare
Ingredients:
Filling:

* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
* 1 medium Onion , chopped
* 1/4 cup flour
* 2 cups chicken stock
* 2 cups chopped Roasted Chicken
* 1/2 cup frozen sweet petite peas
* 1 potato , diced and boiled
* 1 1/2 cup chopped, cooked carrots
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* Cracked pepper
* Dash of Tabasco® sauce

Crust:
* 3/4 cup white or yellow cornmeal
* 3/4 cup flour
* 1 Tbsp. baking powder
* 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1 large egg
* 2 Tbsp. canola oil

To make filling: Preheat the oven to 400°. Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil and unsalted butter together. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 4 or 5 minutes. Add in flour until blended. Slowly stir in 2 cups of heated chicken stock, whisking well. Cook mixture over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken, peas, potato, carrots, salt, pepper and Tabasco®. Pour into a 2-quart ovenproof casserole dish coated with cooking spray and spread mixture evenly.

To make crust: In a bowl, stir cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir milk, egg and canola oil until well combined. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Spoon the batter evenly on the filling. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes.


So, things w/ cornbread aren't exactly low calorie, but i really wanted to make this comfort food. This would have been good if it were saucier and less of a cornbread crust. I found that all i wanted to do was slather on butter so that it didn't taste as dry. If i make this again i would increase the broth by 1-2C. Remember you need to increase flour if you do this too (and salt/Tabasco too). I think in doing that, i won't feel the need to add butter. Also, the crust was just as thick as the pie filling. It just felt like too much to me. No need to overdo it. I would probably decrease the crust by 1/2.

Recipes - Chicken Enchiladas

So this was one of the recipes I made w/ a Rotisserie chicken. i forgot to take a picture of mine.

Recipe created by Cristina Ferrare
Ingredients:


* 16 ounce bottle or can enchilada sauce
* 6 low-fat or fat-free tortillas (i used whole wheat)
* 1 jar salsa
* 2 cans refried beans
* 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
* 1/4 cup shredded sharp Monterey Jack cheese
* 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
* 1/4 cup kalamata olives , pitted
* 1 jalapeño , chopped and seeded
* Roasted Chicken

Heat oven to 400°.

Pour the can of enchilada sauce into a pie dish. Dip tortillas in the sauce to soften them.

On a cutting board, gently spread refried beans on one side of each tortilla. Add enough diced Roasted Chicken to cover the beans. Sprinkle with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Add olives, chopped jalapeño and salsa (optional).

Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side down in a 9" x 13" baking dish.

Blend the sour cream into the remaining enchilada sauce in the pie dish. Pour over enchiladas and sprinkle remaining cheese.

Cover and bake for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

This came out great! Got rave reviews by both stacie and sean. I even froze a few of them. I was really nervous how they would turn out using the whole wheat tortilla shells, but you couldn't even tell the difference. The enchilada sauce soaks right in and masks the whole wheat taste. I also left out the olives cause i'm not a fan. This is a very nutritious dish and you only need one enchilada if you stuff each w/ 1/3 can of fat free refried beans. just add a little chicken and cheese for flavor. Enchilada sauce has zero fat. and the whole wheat shell is a better option than the white. I use regular cheese like she did because fat free and reduced doesn't melt or taste the same. 1/2C is a small amount when it's divvied up between 6 servings. This is a good meal to get your legumes in. You should try to get at least 1 serving in per day if you can!

Recipes - Roasted Chicken

(I forgot to take a pic once it was done. it's all hacked and carved into, but ohwell.)
I was watching a DVR'd Oprah and on came Cristina Ferrare (never heard of her before) w/ some easy budget saving meals. They sounded so good that i would decide to give it a whirl. Basically you roast a chicken and use the meat in different recipes throughout the week. I do this all the time anyway w/ store bought rotisserie chicken. i bring the whole chicken into work w/ me and make salads and wraps with it. Healthier than using lunch meats and usually cheaper. Shoprite in south philly always has them for 4.59 for a 2lb bird. Other places are around 5.50-5.99. Quality lunchmeat can sometimes run you 7.99-9.99/lb! If you buy chicken when it's on sale (.99/lb on a whole bird is about 40% off and is a good price) and roast yourself, you can save even more.

Roasted Chicken:

* 2 chickens , 4 1/2 to 5 pounds each (i just used 1 big chicken 7lbs)
* 6 lemons
* A poultry mix of fresh herbs: Rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley and oregano work well

Marinade for one chicken:

* 1 cup Dijon mustard
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 1/2 cup juice from fresh lemon (don't discard lemon rinds)

To make marinade: Place all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl. Whisk with a wire whisk until ingredients are incorporated well—the marinade should have a smooth and creamy consistency.

To make roasted chicken: Preheat oven to 425°.

Clean chickens well and pat dry. Place each chicken in its own baking dish.

Stuff cavities with lemon rinds and fresh herbs. A poultry mix is fine, usually consisting of rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley and oregano.

Pour marinade over chicken. Add cracked pepper and remaining herbs to the top of each chicken.

Place an oven thermometer in each chicken and cover with aluminum foil. Place on the lower rack of the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, then remove the aluminum foil. Baste with a basting bulb. Keep basting often, ever 15 minutes until the thermometer reads 180°. (mine took longer to cook because it was a bigger bird)

Recipes - Chicken Potato Succotash Soup

So i'm having this for lunch today. I pulled it out of my freezer as i probably made it about a month ago. It's my own creation combined of left overs. I made a Potato sucatash as a side dish and it made too many left overs for me to eat. i can usually only do left overs once or twice...I would have been eating them the entire week, but couldn't and didnt want it to go to waste. Here's what's in it.


olive oil
1 diced Green Pepper
1 finely diced Onion
2 minced Cloves Garlic
2-3 Left over cooked corn on the cob cut off cob(use frozen or canned. Canned corn is more crispy in my opinion)
2-3 cooked diced medium potatoes (peal and dice. cook through but not mushy)
1 Can of Lima Beans (next time i'll use frozen, not a big fan of canned)
1 TBSP Butter
1-2 C cooked brown rice (uncle ben's is the closest tasting to white)
Leftover Roaster chicken
Chopped flat leaf Parsley
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
3-4 boxes low sodium organic chicken broth (i've found the cheapest are at trader joes)

Make the succotash just by sauteing garlic, onion, and green pepper in olive oil until cooked but not mushy. Add some salt, corn, potatoes beans and butter and heat through.
Now you just want to dump everything else into the pot and heat through. You may have to play around w/ ratios of broth to contents. I usually get a roaster chicken once a week to use in my salads or wraps for lunch. better for you than lunch meat. (although i do like lunch meat here and there) I decided to add rice because i felt it needed more starch. I only used 2 potatos for a pretty big amount of soup. Freeze for later consumption.

***BTW i never use soup base or boulion because they all have MSG in them. They probably have something at wholefoods, but i haven't really looked. I know they don't have anything that doesn't have MSG in them at regular grocery stores or trader joe's. I just stick w/ buying the boxes of broth. It tastes more natural that way and not spiked full of salt.

Enjoy!

My Progress - Netting Calories

I have to say that since i haven't been netting my calories (Days calories - Calories burned working out = Net), the weight is coming off. (i've lost 2-3 this past week to 2) Like i said before... i was logging my gym workouts w/ my food diary at The Daily Plate and i noticed that i would see that i could eat more so i would. I'd allow myself to have a few more little snacks w/in the day... this would then lead me to go over my calories sometimes by the end of the day.

i never used to Net my calories while going to my holistic health counselor. I journaled only my food intake on paper and didn't know or use the daily plate, but since the daily plate auto does the workout calculation for you, i would use it. I'm thinking that in some instances maybe i would burn more or less depending on the workout and their calories burned/min may not be the most accurate....

Anyways, i'm sticking to eating 1450-1500. I'm no longer keeping record on the daily plate of my workouts. this is a sure way for me to SEE myself sticking to the calories... and if i do overdo it say by 200 calories, it's still less overdoing if I continued Neting.

This practice has seemed to help and work out for me, just because I know myself. It may not work for you... Maybe you need to log your workouts because you need to SEE it on paper and be proud of it. Maybe you don't have a problem w/ netting calories and you're continuing to lose weight... just do what is right for you.

Also, I did well this weekend w/ my boozing. I will continue allowing myself to go over a good amount of my calories 1 day/wk. This past weekend i only went over by 400 which is AWESOME, considering i can easily go over by 1000+

News - New Regulations Mandate Country of Origin Labels

New regulations at U.S. supermarkets are giving consumers information about where the fresh food they buy originates.

Country of origin labels will now be on beef, pork, lamb, chicken, goat meat, perishable agricultural commodities, peanuts, pecans, ginseng, and macadamia nuts. For safety advocates it is a huge step forward.

"It's vitally important to ensure that products coming in from other countries as well as ones growing here are quickly identified in an outbreak," says Caroline Smith DeWaal, Director of Food and Safety Center for Science in the Public Interest.

But some food safety advocates say country of origin labeling is not specific enough, and say that labels should contain bar codes that can automatically trace foods all the way back to the farm.
Sources:

* ABC News October 5, 2008

Country of origin labeling, known as COOL, was mandated as part of a Farm Bill back in 2002, then put on hold because of extensive lobbying from food groups who said the new rule would be exorbitantly expensive.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that first-year costs of COOL would be $1,530 for retail stores, although a study by the Food Marketing Institute found costs to be closer to $9,000 to $16,000 per store.

The extra expense would certainly be worth it if it meant safer, higher quality food for Americans. But will COOL really make a difference?

The COOL Controversy

Many consumer groups and individuals support country of origin labeling because it gives you knowledge about where your food is coming from. This is clearly a good thing; it should be a basic right to know where your food comes from. Of course, food manufacturers who get a lot of their product from places like China or Mexico, which have received a lot of bad press lately, are worried that no one will want to buy their products.

Opponents say that COOL won’t make food any safer, but would simply serve as a marketing tool benefiting U.S.-grown foods.

From an environmental perspective, country of origin labeling makes it easier to choose foods grown nearby, or at least in the same country. It really doesn’t make much sense to purchase, say, mushrooms from China when you can get the same product from the United States.

On the other hand, though the labels give you more information than ever before about where your food comes from, they are glaringly deceptive. For instance:

• Foods produced in the United States but packed somewhere else (a common practice) may be labeled “product of USA”
• Processed foods do not have to be labeled
• Foods used as ingredients in other products don’t have to be labeled (so while lettuce has to be labeled, salad mixes do not)
• If a store adds spices or does any additional processing to an imported food, it is considered to have undergone “substantial transformation” and can be labeled “Made in USA” (even if the original food or ingredient came from China or another country)

There are many other exceptions as well. For instance raw peanuts must be labeled, but roasted ones don’t have to be. Similarly fresh strawberries require a label, but chocolate-covered strawberries do not.

Even assuming you could tell that a food is grown in the United States instead of Chili, New Zealand or anywhere else, does it necessarily mean it’s safe?

U.S.-Grown Food is Plagued With Problems Too

You will now have the ability to choose a many U.S.-grown foods over those from other countries, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re healthier or safer. The United States has had many food scares in recent years, from tainted spinach grown in California to the massive beef recall -- the largest in U.S. history.

Some U.S.-grown produce is also being subject to potentially harmful irradiation while many other U.S. foods, from meat to eggs to milk, come from factory farms with some of the most horrific conditions you can imagine. The United States is also a world leader in the production of genetically modified foods, so the new labels will do nothing to protect you from those risks.

So if you’re thinking you can stick to only U.S.-grown food as somewhat of a “gold standard,” you are being misled.

Even with the new COOL law, there remain only two surefire ways to know your food is safe. The first is to grow it yourself, and the second is to get it directly from a farm, farmer’s market or community-supported agriculture program in which you have personally inspected the growing conditions and judged them to be safe.

Locally Grown Option Best

There are several reasons why opting for locally grown produce is one of the best choices you can make. These include:

• Freshness and taste
• Wanting to keep farmland and open spaces in the community
• A desire to be close to the food source and know where it comes from
• Support of local farmers and keeping money in the community
• Increased food safety

And according to one grocery chain poll, a full 82 percent of customers said locally grown produce simply tastes better.

Not only is locally grown food tastier and healthier, but there is something about shopping for fresh foods in an open-air, social environment that just feels right. The mere act of shopping for your food in this kind of environment even tends to inspire more healthful living, as research by the Economic and Social Research Council has confirmed.

They found that people who participated in alternative food networks (which supply primarily locally grown foods), typically:

• Increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Improved their cooking skills
• Improved their knowledge about food
• Changed their behaviors in relation to other goods, such as household products and clothes

If you want to experience some of these benefits first-hand, check out this list of some great resources to obtain locally grown, wholesome food that supports not only you but also the environment.

*Dr. Mercola's Comments

Recipes - Homemade Instant Oatmeal

This morning as I was walking my dog I thought to myself, no way am I having fruit for breakfast. The temperature drop and the wind blowing made me feel like i needed something warm and grounding. I opted to make homemade quick oatmeal. I bought a canister at trader joe's because i was going to use them for a snack bar recipe, but figured i'd give them a whirl for breakfast. Oatmeal is not something i usually eat. Country Choice Organic Oats Old Fashioned style is what i went with. This morning I only did 1/4C instead of a 1/2 C. (I had 1/2C on monday when i first tried it and it seemed to be a lot.)

I added about 1/8 C dried chopped cherries and less then an 1/8 C of sliced almonds. Add 1/2C water and nuke for 2 minutes. (I try not to use the microwave, but mornings are not my strong suit so i'm always in a hurry to get out the door.)

It's great to make your own because there is no added salt or sugar... or if u do decide you want to add some brown sugar, it's at you're discretion.... a teaspoon won't kill you. So you're adding 4 grams of refined sugar if you do that. You probably won't even feel like you need that much. And try honey instead of the refined stuff.

(It doesn't look like there's much in the picture shown above, but i have giant bowls.)

Food Finds - Breakstone 2% Cottage Cheese

I've tried many a brand, and this is by far the best. Usually I'm fine w/ generics, but this is one brand that I never stray away from. I frequently do fruit, cottage cheese and some sort of nut mixed together for a snack... 1 serving of cottage cheese, 1 fruit and 1/8 C nuts (just a few for crunch, flavor, and healthy fats to feel satiated. (peaches, pecans), (apple, walnuts), (pear, almonds)

Recipes - Steak & Broccoli Rab

Tuesday's Dinner

Sear filet on hot grill about 4 minutes on each side for medium.
Steam broccoli rab in some chickenbroth and garlic for about 6 or so minutes. Add in cut roasted red peppers and chick peas to warm. Sprinkle w/ some plumb vinegar. Salty sweetness will cut some of the bitterness. I also had some leftover greens.

Recipes - Shrimp Remoulade

This was Monday's dinner. I made the Remoulade a week ago. I put it over a lightly dressed salad.

There are two types of remoulade sauce -- the classic French mayonnaise based white sauce (more like what we Americans think of as tartar sauce) and the red colored New Orleans Creole variety, of which this recipe is one.

The New Orleans style sauce has whole grain Creole mustard as its base, with a variety of chopped vegetables and spices giving it texture and piquancy. Some sauces have a loose consistency that's more like a salad dressing, while others, like this one. are tighter emulsion-based sauces. Some sauces contain a little mayonnaise or an egg as a thickener, and others use ketchup to deepen the color and sweeten the flavor; some are spicy, although others are mild. How they're made is a matter of house style or personal preference.

Remoulade sauce was served at the old Delrnonico on boiled and peeled shrimp for Shrimp Remoulade, but it's a great complement to any type of boiled or fried seafood from crawfish tails to catfish and soft shell crabs. A variation on this is the fried green tomatoes with lump crabmeat and two remoulade sauces, one of the more popular of Emeril's Delmonico offerings, where both red and white remoulade sauces top the crabmeat and tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Creole mustard or other mild whole grain mustard
• 1/2 cup prepared horseradish
• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (i substituted grape seed or olive oil. i think i used grapeseed because it is a blander oil like vegetable.)
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar


Preparation
1. Combine the mustard, horseradish, yellow onions, green onions, celery, sugar, paprika, Worcestershire, and garlic in the bowl of a standing mixer, and mix on medium speed until well blended. With the machine running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream and continue to mix until the mixture is thick and emulsified. Slowly add the vinegar in a steady stream and mix well to blend.

2. Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate until well chilled before using, at least 2 hours. (Stored in an airtight container, this sauce will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Taken from www.homemakers.com and Emeril Lagasse, author of Emeril's Delmonico

Recipes - Brown Crispy Rice Treats

Brown Rice Crispy Treats (no refined sugar !!! aka marshmellows)
2008, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup honey
* 1/2 cup natural chunky-style peanut butter
* 6 cups crispy brown rice cereal
* 2/3 cup chopped dried cherries (3 ounces)
* Cooking spray

Directions

Combine honey and peanut butter in a large pot and heat over medium-low heat until melted, about 2-3 minutes. Add brown rice cereal and cherries and stir to combine until mixture is sticky. Press into a 9 by 13-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Let cool, then chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Cut into 15 (2 1/2 by 3-inch) squares.

Per Serving:

Calories 160; Total Fat 5 g; (Sat Fat 0.5 g, Mono Fat 0 g, Poly Fat 0 g) ; Protein 3 g; Carb 26 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 35 mg

NOTES: i used smooth peanut butter cause that what i had on hand. These don't quite stick together as well as the marshmallow version. On her cooking show it looked like she added at least 3/4C of the peanut butter. I may try that next time.

Also - Brown rice crisps were only available at Whole Foods. I tried a big ShopRite (that has a lot of natural organic products) and Trader Joe's and no dice...

Recipes - Green Chicken Curry

Easy all in one meal. My own creation.

Was going to make this baked stuff chicken curry recipe but i was missing some ingredients. i already cooked so much stuff that i didn't feel like running out for more ingredients.

5 Coconut Milk Ice Cubes (frozen from left over can)
1-2 C water
2 Chicken Breasts
Juice of 1 Lime
1 Red Pepper
2 TBSP Green Curry Paste
1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Bunch of Scallions
Sesame Seeds for garnish

Melt the cubes in the water and lime juice.
Throw in curry, peppers, onion, chicken until cooked. Doesn't take long cause its cooking in the simmering coco/water mixture. I initially put too much water in and the sauce was too runny so i used 1 TSP corn starch w/ a small bit of cold water. mix together and dump in while stirring. insta thickness. Turn off heat. Add cilantro and scallions. sprinkle w/ sesame seeds.

Recipes - Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

* 10 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (from about 3 purchased roasted whole chickens)
* 2 cups roasted red and yellow bell peppers, drained, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
* 1 1/4 cups paper-thin slices red onion
* 3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
* 3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
* 1/2 cup drained capers
* 1 1/2 cups (about) Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 24 butter lettuce leaves (from about 3 large heads)
* 1 (4-ounce) piece Parmesan, shaved with vegetable peeler

Directions

Toss the chicken, bell peppers, onion, parsley, almonds, and capers in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season the chicken salad with salt and pepper, to taste.

Arrange 1 large lettuce cup and 1 small lettuce cup on each plate, overlapping slightly. Spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce cups. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the salads. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.

Do-Ahead Tip: The chicken salad can be prepared 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. Just before serving, spoon the salad into the lettuce cups.
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually add the oil and blend until emulsified.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

Notes: This chicken salad is BANGIN. i couldn't believe how good this tastes. I 2/3rd the recipe. I only used 2 roaster chickens and i probably could have just used one, but i do like left overs and its a good snack food. Protein and healthy fat (olive oil & almonds) to fill you up. No starches.. yippeee!

Capers are cheaper at trader joe's than the regular grocery store. But the regular grocery store is where you want to go for the roasted red peppers. At shoprite i got a 24 or 28oz jar for 2.99. Cheap! They had even bigger jars but i was afraid i wouldn't use them quick enough (they do spoil as they're not packed in vinegar)... but i did end up using more than half the jar for the about 2 cups i used. always a good item to have on hand because of its big flavor and its ease of use.

i would definitely make this over and over again. Quick, but not super quick cause u have to pull apart the roaster chickens.

Recipes - Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale or Collards

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis


Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 onion, sliced
* 1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (about 14 mushrooms)
* 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and slice into 1-inch pieces
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup white wine
* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1 bunch kale (1/2 pound), rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
* 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

Directions

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, green beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

Notes: I've tried this recipe w/ both collards and kale and i like the collards better. The only tedious process of this dish is cutting everything up. Collards take a while cause u have to cut out the thick membrane in the center. once you did that though, stack them on top of each other and roll them up. Slice into strips.

Also when using collards instead of kale, i cook it for another 5 or so minutes so it wilts and is a bit more tender.

I really think the wine and lemon make this recipe. the bite of the lemon really neutralizes the bitter green and makes it taste great. And the bit of parm is a perfect touch too.

I make this recipe frequently.

Recipes - Toasted Almond Barley Ham Bake

*Taken from Enjoy Good Carb, Better Carb Recipes

1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds
1 TBSP margarine or butter
1 C uncooked barley
1 C chopped carrots
1 bunch green onions
2 ribs celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 LB lean smoked ham or turkey ham, cubed
2 tsp dried basicl leaves
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 box of reduced-sodium beef broth (2 cans)
1/2 lb fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spracy 13x9 baking dish w/ nonstick cooking spray, set aside
2. Spread almonds in single layer on baking sheet. bake 5 mins or ntil golden brown, stirring frequently. Set aside.
3. Melt margarine in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add barley, carrots, onions, celery and garlic; cook and stir 2 mins or until onions are tender. Remove from heat. Sirt in ham, toasted almonds, basil, oregano and pepper. Pour into prepared dish.
4. Add broth to medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Pour over barley mixture.
Cover tightly wih foil and bake 20 mins. Remove from oven; stir in green beans. Bake, covered, 30 minutes or until barley is tender.

Serves 8
Calories 251 (may be lower if using turkey ham)
Carbs 25
Fat 9G
Fiber 7
Protein 19

*This was really good. I substituted the regular ham with turkey ham, but i found that the turkey ham i got was really salty, so try to get reduced salt if you can find it. Fun to cook w/ grains you're not used to cooking or eating. barley is tasty and quite filling.

Recipes - Fresh Herb Bean Salad

*top left
1 Can Canelli (white) Beans drained and rinsed
1 Stalk Celery chopped
Handful or 2 of cherry or grape tomatoes halved
1/4 C Purple Onion sliced/chopped
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP Lemon (1 small lemon)
Handful each of fresh chopped mint, cilantro, & flat leaf parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix everything together

*So simple but devine! I'm a cilantro addict, but the mint in this recipe really sets it off. Not sure where i got this recipe from. I can't find it anywhere at this moment.

Recipes - Moch Mashed Potatoes

*Pictured bottom right.

So i checked out about 15 different recipes for this and read everywhere that this isn't the easiest think to make. Over cooking or under cooking will ruin the recipe. Same thing w/ adding too much liquid. Really no way to fix it. Here's what I did and it worked my first try!

Moch Garlic Mashed

1 Cauliflower head cut into florets
1/4-1/2 C skim milk
2 oz reduced fat cream cheese (1/4 of a bar)
1/2-1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt

You need a double bowler. Boil water.
Place florets in the top part. cover and steam for about 7 minutes. You want it cooked all the way through but not mushy. I was afraid i may have overcooked mine, but it turned out great. So you do want it fully cooked.
Toss into food processor. Add cream cheese, 1/4C milk, garlic, and salt. Process on low. Add more milk in small increments if it's too thick.

I was actually surprised at how wonderful these taste. They don't taste exactly like mashed potatoes cause they have that cabbagey flavor, but wow, what a great way to get a veggie in and dollop some of the sauce from the stuffed peppers over em... YUM!

My Progress - Booze is a Weakness

Well I went out on Friday night to go see TV on the Radio. I told myself that I would allow myself to go out boozing once a week. I don't want to deny myself the social pleasure of getting downright tipsy. I enjoy it. It's fun. And it's not like I do it every night. BUT.... when i do the calorie counting the next few days, it just blows up right in front of my face.

If you start drinking early which i consider 8:30PM early...you're basically shooting yourself in the foot.

Shot of Jamison - Took one before I left my house to catch up w/ friends that were drinking since 4 because of the phillies game.. 64 Calories
1 and 1/2 Sierra Nevada's at Will's - 263 Calories
1 Sam Adams Irish Red at Will's that Lisa brought back from tailgating - 180 Calories
2 Stoudt's @ The Electric Factory - 310 Calories
1 PBR @ Silk - 150 Calories
2 Shots of Jamison afterpartying - 128

Calories that Rach went overboard - 1095

I'm trying to keep to a 1500 Calorie Range / day. I'm currently trying to stick to that number even if i work out... meaning, I don't want to calculate the Net... What I eat minus calories burned from working out. (I noticed that I tend to allow myself to eat more when i work out and I just wanted to try this out to see if i'd still be ok at that calorie range...which i think i will because I was doing 1450 or so when I went to my nutritionist. That number took into consideration that I'd be working out 3 or so days/wk. I definitely still boozed while I saw my nutritionist, but I didn't drink beer at all. it was mostly wine and gin. and it was pretty moderate cause it wouldn't take me much to get drunk. Only a few cause i drastically cut back and when i reintroduced it i think i started metabolizing differently.

Anyways, long story short, even this one day of drinking is really messing up progress.. in a big way. Well, maybe i'm being a little drastic... There are 3500 calories that make up a lb, so by me doing this type of drinking 1/week, I won't be losing about a pound/month.

I guess i gotta figure out what drinking is worth to me. Cause its hard to just have 1 or 2.. let's be real here.

hmmmmmmmmm.


edit:: ok so here is the thing.. i just started to not NET the calories on thursday of last week.. so i haven't even really given myself enough time to work through this experiment. I'm going to give myself 1 month of trying to stick to 1500 calories/day period. I will go over allowed calories 1 day per week because of the drinking. I will just have to accept that. and I'll see how it goes for the month. It's good to actually write this stuff out, read it, digest it, and then gain insight into some solutions or errors.

Recipes - Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Going to post some of the recipes i've made on the past weekends.

1.3 lbs of ground turkey. most of this stuff is prepackaged and it doesnt usually come in 1LB...usually always over.
3/4 C Cooked Brown Rice
1 finely shredded carrot
1 small finely chopped onion
1 stalk finely shredded celery
1 large egg
3 TBSP Fresh Tarragon
1 TSP salt
1/4-1/2 TSP Pepper
1 Can Campbell's Condensed Healthy Request Tomato Soup
1 Can Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
4 peppers

Cut Tops off of peppers and drop into boiling water for 4-5 minutes to blanch.
Mix together first 8 ingredients and 1/2 can of the healthy request soup.
Stuff the mixture into peppers.
Situate peppers in a baking dish. Trim the bottoms of the peppers so they stand properly. (i didn't do this and the one kept falling over.)
Add remaining soups into a mixing bowl. Add a can and a half of water.
Cover w/ Foil
Bake at 350 for at least an hour.

Note: It's very important that you shred or food process the vegetables. Even if you dice finely they still may be crunchy. If the sauce in the peppers is too thin, after cooking dump into a pot, don't cover, and let the water cook out of it until it's the consistency you want. If it's too think during cooking add some more water.

I always loved when my mom made stuffed peppers and served it with mashed potatos. I decided to finally try making the moch mashed potatoes for this dinner which turned out amazing!

I calculated the calories to be 529/pepper, but... i betcha you can't eat the whole thing. they're honking. If you pair this w/ the moch mashed potatoes you have a very hearty, filling meal for under 550 calories... but u'll prob only eat about 400 calories worth.

Neti Pots for Free @ Rite Aid This Week

NeilMed Nasalflo Neti Pot Includes 50 Premixed Packets Limit 1 Rebate Plus applicable sales tax

Price: $10.99
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Valid Until:10/18/2008


Simply Saline Sinus Kit Limit 1 Rebate Plus applicable sales tax

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Simply Saline Nasal Mist Cold Formula 3 oz. Limit 1 Rebate Plus applicable sales tax

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Ayr Saline Nasal Rinse Kit +100 Refills Limit 1 Rebate Plus applicable sales tax

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Halloween Planning

Don't forget to start ordering or picking up stuff for your costume. If you wait too long you will have to pay extra for expedited shipping. Save your pennies where you can peoples. Also, the Halloween stores are GROSSLY overpriced. I found the wig i was looking for online for half the price @ www.buycostumes.com. I took a trip there last week to see if it would be cheaper just to buy direct and not have to pay for shipping... NOPE! I guess it all depends on what you are looking for as well, but the shipping was only $4.99 and guaranteed delivery by the 22nd. (I just ordered today.)

Food Planning - Cooking on the Weekends

So, for the past 3 weeks i've decided to cook a quantity of foods to get me through my lunches and dinners for the week. the reason i decided to do this is because I joined a new gym. I now have to work around class schedules, so i'm getting home later. I really love to cook, so I try new recipes and new ingredients and I like to challenge myself.... Getting home later doesn't really afford me the time to do this anymore. Technically it does, but the food isn't ready until 9:30 or 10 sometimes, and I try to go to bed by 11:30 or midnight. People always say don't eat after 8 or don't snack before bed because this can make you gain weight. If you think about it, it's somewhat bollocks. If you have enough calories left in you're day, you're not going to gain weight.... the problem is... if you eat so late and then try to lay down to get a full nights sleep, your body is still in work mode trying to break everything down... This doesn't allow your body to fully rest and can cause a shotty night's sleep. You may be groggy and possibly feel lethargic all day because of it. Another weird side effect from eating so late is you wake up starving. You're stomach is immediately growling for more. Everyone is different so this may not happen to you, but the more people i've talked to, i find this is a common occurrence. I really haven't found anything to explain why this happens.

Ok so back to the point of this story.... I thought it would be a good idea to cook on the weekends. That way i can try fun new recipes and be set all week. Well i've done this for 3 weeks now, and I have to tell ya, I'm exhausted. So, i'm not just going to full on give up. it's just time to make some changes to the plan and really break down what happened.

PROBLEMS

1. I took on too many recipes. I really overwhelmed myself. I thought i didn't take on too many, but then i'd be in the kitchen for 4 or so hours on Saturday and 3 or so on Sunday. it's not fun anymore when you're standing in the kitchen for that long. There's so much i want to try, but there are other things i want to accomplish on my weekends!


2. I was cooking hard level, new, or ingredient intense recipes. Most of the stuff I want to try and work on is generally of a harder level or takes more time to do. For instance, i had this one recipe for skillet zucchini, but it took so much time to salt it, drain it, squeeze it, let it rest some more, squeeze it again, etc... yes you can do other things in the mean time, but all this work for some skillet fried zucchini? Regarding ingredient intense, i basically mean there's a laundry list of ingredients that go in something. Anytime there's more ingredients usually this means more time to do! More chopping, grating, blending, opening, closing, pouring, taking out, putting away, etc.


3. I end up with a lot of leftovers. I can't eat the same thing every day whether it be for lunch one day and dinner another. Also, some I can't freeze because they're fresh ingredients.


4. After cooking and smelling this stuff and or tasting it, i didn't want to eat it. I wanted to order out! How weird right?! Again, i just really burned myself out and didn't want a blessed thing i made on the day i made it.

SOLUTIONS

1. I'm only going to pick 1 or 2 newer/harder recipes to work on during the weekends. Limit the amount of items made that I can't freeze.


2. Since what I make yields many leftovers, freezing things is a must do! This will allow me some weekends off from cooking all together!


3. Yes, we all know how people (rachel ray) say to cut and prep all salad and veggies when you bring them home from the grocery store. I usually never do this, BUT, this is way less time consuming than the actual cooking part. This will take me minutes and then during the week i can just make quick salads or all in one skillet meals.


4. Make plain whole grain starches on the weekend. Boiling water and dumping in brown rice or whole wheat pasta is easy! Heating it up later during the week for a stirfry or skillet dish is even easier.


5. Meat is quick and easy to cook. So I'll keep the meat cooking during the week. Whether it's a filet on the grill or stirfry shrimp, max meat cooking time is less than 10 minutes!


6. Take advantage of those healthy pre-made sauces. I completely forgot about them cause i try to do everything by scratch. No need to do everything by scratch! Trader Joe's has some great ones. The Indian ones are my fav. Cook some chicken and some peas in the sauce. heat up some rice. Throw you're pre-cut salad ingredients together... insta meal!


7. While cooking during the week, limit your ingredients. You don't need 10 different veggies in your stir fry all the time.

Basically, what I learned is try to keep it simple. Make 1 or 2 new recipes, starches and cut up veggies on the weekends. This will only take 1-2 hours. During the week cook the meat and use less ingredients. Use one pan to cook everything! Should take less than 20 mins for cooking and less then 5 to clean it all up.

Honey Kills Bacteria That Cause Chronic Sinusitis

Honey is very effective in killing bacteria in all its forms, especially the drug-resistant biofilms that often make treating chronic rhinosinusitis difficult.

A study found that in eleven isolates of three separate biofilms, honey was significantly more effective than commonly-used antibiotics in killing both planktonic and biofilm-grown forms of the bacteria.

The findings may hold important clinical implications in the treatment of refractory chronic rhinosinusitis, which affects 31 million people each year in the United States alone, and is among the three most common chronic diseases in North America.
Sources:

* Science Daily September 23, 2008
Dr. Mercola Article

Key points

* Antimicrobial activity is due to more than the osmotic effect of the sugar content
* The low level of hydrogen peroxide in honey is effective as an antimicrobial agent
* At least some honey sources also have antibacterial activity not related to peroxide
* Honey causes increased lymphocyte (white blood cell) and phagocytic (killing) activity
* Allergic reactions are rare

In another study, 30% to 100% honey concentrations inhibited a wide variety of bacteria. The most sensitive bacteria were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Haemophilus influenzae.
The Cam Report

I really try not to use drugs so this honey thing is interesting to me. may give it a whirl. They say though to use the most pure form you can find. Organic Raw Honey from GloryBee Here's a slightly local place in Exton if you wanna pick it up. They do not ship Exton Bee Company You can also pick some up at Reading Terminal Market in the city. 12th and Filbert. Bee Natural

On the same note, I always suffer from some sort of stuffiness and sinus pressure w/ cold season. Just recently I tried the zicam nose spray. that stuff works wonders. but i was using it way longer than the recommended few days. (Note:the nose spray isn't homeopathic like the rest of their main products)

I also have a neti pot. not exactly the most fun thing to use. it's still not as effective as some drugs, but if you use it regularly it opens ya up. You can pick this brand up at any CVS for like $10 or so. Maybe even less. That's where I got mine.

Online Food Journal - thedailyplate.com

I've used The Daily Plate for quite some time in the past and then i stopped because i didn't need it anymore. (so i thought). well the past few months the weight has been a struggle to come off so i need to start journaling again so i can actually see my calorie count. I, as do most people, grossly underestimate how many calories we actually eat. You think you did well for the day and then when it's on paper, you're like, shoot... i went over my target calorie allotment for the day!

My main issue is that since i'm working out longer and harder than i have in the past, i'm tending to eat more because I feel like i can. this is a determent to my weight loss endeavors! Cause i actually end up overeating. I think i'm just going to not log my physical activity so that i can stay around 1500/day whether i work out or not... i'll give it a try and see how it goes.

A Little About Myself

I've been (or was) a big girl ever since the 2nd grade. it's been quite the roller coaster ride.. from childhood diet programs, to shakes, to weight watchers in my college years. i was at my heaviest during my third year in college. (2002) 264 lbs. (i'll post some scanned pics at my heavest, just gotta scan them at work) that's when i went to weight watchers and dropped a lot. i dropped to 207 but then gained about 15 of that back and supported the 220something weight for a few years... I found that i just couldn't do weight watchers anymore. using that stupid slider and making everything have points was just to exhausting to think about. Was this how the rest of my life was going to be lived? By marking point values on boxes of food? I quit going.

Around April/March 2007 I started visiting a chiropractor (Dr. Snyman) because of back pain. This pain was all caused by sitting in an uncomfortable chair at work 8-10 hours a day. Usually after 8 or so sessions it was explained to me that most people feel a noticeable difference in their pain. After my sessions they would conduct a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). Basically you get hooked up to a machine and it's one of the most exact and accessible methods of screening body fat. It was just something the office provided for free and you can do what you will with it.

Basically Dr. Snyman's office takes on a holistic approach to health... treating the entire person, not just the symptoms. They want to see people happy and healthy.

Well after my 8 sessions I felt like a new person. Back pain was drastically reduced and i became a firm believer in chiropractic. Would be awesome if my insurance, United Healthcare, allowed you to use your visits as a preventative, but we'll get to that at a later date. So BIA day came and we discussed the results. I already knew the grim outcome. I knew i was a fat ass. let's face it. i knew i was unhealthy. let's face it... know wha i mean?... I really didn’t want to hear my results but i knew i needed to. this could or would maybe be the day that i decided to do something about this...again...for the umpteenth time.

well, yeah the results blew. it was the first time anyone said to me that i was on the roadway to diabetes. It was something i never thought about and that no other doctor's ever brought up to me... but i knew it was truly possible, having seen other doctor's talk about it on those tv weight loss shows.

So after that day i decided i would do a free consultation w/ the holistic health councilor that rented an office in their space. Yes yes i know. they (chiropractic) totally up sold me and i fell for it... but i fell for it cause i needed it. i needed someone to reach out. i need that extra nudge and dose of reality. i needed that care. I needed to stop hoping and praying that it would just magically go away and that one day I'd be an average weight.

I visited Jillian Bird (www.jillianbird.com) for my free consultation and a few days later I decided it was worth it to me to pay to see a holistic health councilor. I signed up for a 3 month program. It was a big decision for me because i was fronting out large sums of money that I wasn't used to doing... but the way i looked at was this is an investment into myself. So, with all the other investments out there and considering the ROI, it's pretty much a no brainer. This is virtually pennies in the grand scheme of things.

I started in may of 07 and have lost 55 lbs since then. It's been a very slow process (with many highs and lows and ups and downs) since I did and am still doing it the healthy way. I remembered losing more and quicker when i did weight watchers. I've learned so many things in such a short time frame even though i felt like i've already been super knowledgeable about food. And from doing so, i want to teach and show others that it can be done, so I'm attending the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC to become a certified holistic health counselor. I registered early in 2008 even though classes don't start until Jan 2009. I am that sure of myself that this is my calling.

W/ my own personal weight loss goals...i'm trying to get down to the 130s. Right now i'm in the 160s. It's been quite the struggle for the summer months as well as a few months before it.. I would have to say that i've been between 169-176 for 5 months. it's been rough. but i look back at all the progress that i've made. It took me a long time to put this weight on (all my life), it's going to take me a little while to take it off. You just gotta keep on trucking. You fall off and you get back on again. and every day is a great new day in becoming a better person.