M a n a g e d M a c r o s

Tuesdays with Teri: Give-a-way WINNER and TLC Philosophy

2012-02-21T08:01:00.000-06:00

First things first. Lets talk winner of the Naturally More Peanut Butter, Cafe Bustello Coffee, Dickenson Toner and 2 speed jump rope. Drum roll please...drrrrmmmmmm....SAGESPOT!!!

Who answered her top three favorite places to visit. She was also the very first person to respond to the blog! I promise...I mixed up the pot real well!

Sage's response:

1. Prague, Czech Republic

2. EstesPark, CO

3. London, UK

We will be in touch and I will get that off to you ASAP! Congratulations and thank you to all who entered. I plan to do this again in the near future, so keep reading!

I'm sharing today my favorite inspiration quotes that I have pinned on Pinterest and collected. TLC Philosophy comes from my initials: Teri L. Collins (TLC). Now you know!
Warning; If you have me as a friend on FB,you may see again!

Enjoy and if you have any additional to share, I would love to add to my collection!

Its true. I'm addicted.

Girl power!!

my very favorite

Again...THANK YOU for reading! SAGE, congratulations!!! Happy Tuesday, Happy week!

Tahini and Chia Seed Pudding

2012-02-19T07:16:00.002-06:00

I recently joined the community, Around The Plate. Its a great compilation of 'the world's best food and nutrition experts that help make living healthy simple.' I love this sight, It takes the leg work (maybe finger work...typing...get it??) out of searching for awesome blogs that focus on fresh, fun and nutritious. Its all here!
My very first recipe I found on it was this amazing pudding. It is so simple and so nutritious and the photography just entranced me to want to make my own. Here is my version, unaltered from the original...I mean, if Its not broke, why fix it??

I recently posted a recipe for Blueberry Chia Jelly. The concept of this pudding is the same, where the texture of the dish is created by the solubility of the seeds in liquid. You should be warned, 1 tablespoon of Chia provides 6 gram of fiber...so go slow, its easy to just wolf this down its so good!

Tahinin and Chia Seed Pudding

by KatieDid. adapted from Pure 2 Raw

( I doubled the recipe to have extra but I am posting the original serving sizes )

1/4 cup chia seeds

3/4 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 Tbsp Tahini (ground sesame seeds)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla

pinch of salt

Mix ingredients well and place in refrigerator 10-15 minutes to allow seeds to absorb liquid and gel. Serve with desired fruit, honey and or nuts!

The texture reminds me of a tapioca, a rich creaminess with little pearls of goodness. The flavor is a mellow nut with a gentle kiss of sweetness. The nutrition is rich in fiber, ALA Omega's and Vitamin E. I hope you enjoy as much as I did

What is your favorite pudding flavor?

Tuesdays with Teri: Top Ten and A GIVE-A-WAY!!!!!

2012-02-14T04:22:00.000-06:00

I need to rename it 'Tuesdays with Teri...when I feel like it!' I don't remember why I didn't do a Tuesday last week...I didn't feel like it?? LOL...and generally I have QUITE a bit to talk about!
OK...this should save me. I have been wanting to do a give-a-way for a little bit now. Someone recommended I do it, as' it's a great way to give a thank you back to your audience.' Now how can I argue with that?? So my give-a-way is based on 4 products of my 10 TEN favorite things and not in any particular order.

1. PEANUT BUTTER!! Like I said, this in no particular order but if you read my blog often, you know this is one of my favorite foods! I have tried numerous products and different kinds of nut butters but I would have to say my favorite kind of nut butter is peanut and my favorite brand is.....

I like this PB because they use flax seed oil vs palm oil to thin the product so has a higher ALA omega 3 content and they add flax seed to add fiber AND also contains pasteurized egg whites to add an extra protein burst (10 gm. per serving!), a nice dollop of honey adds a perfect hint of sweetness. THIS IS THE FIRST THING IN MY GIVE-A-WAY TO YOU! Naturally More makes an organic butter also but I have not seen in in my area...IF I find the organic between now and mailing you will get it...if not, the conventional rocks too!

2. Olive oil. I just posted this on my FB wall. I love olive oil for numerous food preps but I love it just as much for SKIN CARE! Its the perfect eye make-up remover, moisturizer after my shower...face and body and it is the perfect, perfect, PERFECT base for a salt or sugar scrub. Just mix oil with either until it is a paste and scrub away...you won't believe what a great exfoliater it is and what a great peace of mind knowing that what you put on your body can be put in it too!

3, Along the line of skin care...toner. I have been using this for years and was happy to see it on Dr. Oz (yes, I watch him...don't yell at me) as skin care products that are affordable AND effective.

Dickinson's Witch Hazel is a natural toner minus about 10 to $20.00 when labeled as name brand; Clinique, Neutrogena. About 3.00, sold at Walgreens. It does an amazing job of cleaning pours after a face wash. HIGHLY recommended.....SO MUCH I AM GOING TO SEND YOU A BOTTLE, Number 2 in the give-a-way. Big spender, I know! :)

4.. This is a NEW FAVORITE. My friend, Kristen, is a HUGE fan of Patrick Boltinghouse of Vanity and Glamour here in the East Village in Des Moines, Iowa. He is a make up artist who uses premium vegan products who focuses on reusing packaging to minimize costs. I have worn MAC powder...FOREVER and now I use his because now I get the same premium product for almost HALF THE PRICE because now I don't have to pay for the packaging over and over. I have only bought from him once but I WILL go back and if you live in Des Moines and wear make up you should stop in and listen to him...he is very customer service oriented and knows his buis!

Vanity and Glamour

5. I'm a coffee lover...not going to lie! The stronger and blacker it is...the more I love it! This brings me to GIVE-A-WAY NUMBER 3. My favorite coffee! I appreciate a great cup of coffee and also appreciate a little jump in my step pre start my day. Cafe Bustelo is a Cuban dark roast espresso that has a great robust, dark, heavy, semi-bitter taste that I find very appealing. I hope you like too!

6. My favorite place to work out: The YMCA. If I had a big bag of money, they would be my first stop. I love their involvement with the kids in our community and their commitment to not turn any one away based limited income. Big hug to the Y...I've been a proud member for 15 years. Honorable mention to Kee's Camp. If you live in Des Moines and want something FUN and EXHILARATING from a true professional? This is your gal! I enjoy dropping in for 10.00 a class just because I KNOW she will give me a run for my money!

Kee's Camp

7. I guess it wouldn't be very 'dietitian-y' of me if I didn't mention some more food! Peanut butter covered, check. OK...favorite antioxidant: Blueberries.I buy the 5 pound bag from Costco to keep me in check. I use it in a smoothie on almost a regular basis. Blueberry, spinach and avocado is my favorite combo!

8. My JUICER!!! I LOVE IT!!!! I got this for a Christmas present and we have been in check of carrot juice ever sense. I love the combo of carrot, lemon, tomato and cucumber.

9. Oxygen Magazine. I just got my new month in the mail yesterday and you would think it is Christmas in my mind. I love the exercise tips, which I use very, very often, the recipes and the motivation. I have subscribed about 8 years now.

10. JUMP ROPE!!!! I LOVE IT!!! And I have 2 Speed ropes,1 for YOU and 1 for a FRIEND!

There we have it: 1 jar of fabulous peanut butter, 1 skin toner, 1 can of awesome coffee, 2 jump ropes to jump start your day and too much knowledge about my personal life!

This is what you have to do to win:

Reply to this blog telling me your top 3 favorite anything!
I will enter your name TWICE if you share on FB or tweet :)

Winner will be announced next Tuesday

Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

2012-02-09T05:38:00.000-06:00

Brian actually chose to make this recipe..he chose it, I made it..hhummmm, what is fair here?? :) On first bite, I had mixed emotions about the 'pizza.' My very first initial opinion was low. Pizza really is made by the base of it, the dough. The foundation of any great work is dependent on how the rest will be built. So for me this was a texture comparison. You have to go into this thinking, 'cauliflower crust, cauliflower crust.' You can't pick it up with your hands, too 'doughy; for that, therefore lacking in any crisp texture. You really can't argue with the added nutritional benefits and what a great alternative to a gluten free diet and for kids that might be picky eater...I good way to sneak it in!
Having said that...the pizza did grown on me. I found having it the next day for lunch was better. The 'crust' had a chance to sit and there was more texture to it and the overall flavor was better but that is so common with food on the second day, isn't it??

The 'dough', looks good! Just like the real deal!

His: Right side, mushroom and green olive. Hers: Left side, broccoli,tomato, mushroom

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

adapted from Eat. Drink. Smile.

ingredients:

1 c cooked, riced cauliflower
3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)

pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings*

directions:

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:

Cook 1 bag frozen cauliflowr, or 1 head of fresh until cooked through. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater).

One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower and the frozen makes 2, which I used for a 'his and hers' pizza. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).

*Note that toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.

Next time I would reduce the cheese in the crust to 1/2 cup (original recipe was 1 cup, I already reduced it some) and add corn meal to create a bit more texture

Not hearty but nice and light . Will make again!

Tell me about your favorite pizza!!! Toppings?? Pizza joint?? Crust preference?

Roasted Chickpeas Snack

2012-02-05T06:26:00.000-06:00

I love Pinterest, I'm such a visual! Generally when I search for a recipe I do a Google Image Search instead of Web Search..Pinterest does the same thing, kind of...giving me all kinds of great visuals to feed from. So long story short, I got this recipe from there and SO EASY. If you notice a theme about my recipes...most of them are easy. I love to cook but I don't like time consuming recipes with multiple ingredients. The simpler the better. This fits right into those expectations.

I've been working a bit more with dried beans... although that generally does not fit into the category of 'time consuming' but if I know I'm going to be using them the next day, its just as easy to trow them in some water and let them soak. Its a bit friendlier on my pocket book too and I like that!

any spice would work. I think a curry and cayenne would be perfect!

Baked Spiced Chickpeas

Recipe adapted from: Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body

Ingredients

~~2 cans (14 oz each) Chickpeas~~ 1 bag chickpeas that has been soaked overnight

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ~~sugar~~ honey

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

protein and fiber rich, the perfect macro snack

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place the clean chickpeas on a layer of paper towels and gently rub the tops of them with another paper towels, getting dry as possible.

While the chickpeas are air drying further, make the spice mix. Pour all of the spices into a bowl and mix well.

Place the clean and dry chickpeas in a bowl and toss them with the olive oil and honey. Once coated, sprinkle on the spice mix to taste.

Place the seasoned chickpeas on a lined cookie sheet and roast 40-60 minutes. Mix them around about half way through.

Carefully watch the chickpeas at the end as they can quickly burn. Once done, the chickpeas will be browned and crunchy. As the chickpeas cool they will become even crunchier.
The crunchy ones are the best ones...I need to figure out how to do it so they are ALL that way!

HAPPY SNACKIN'! What do you snack on throughout the day? Any good snack ideas you would like to share? Send me the link!

Tuesdays with Teri: On a Saturday and Sunday

2012-01-31T04:32:00.000-06:00

I've been having so fun taking pictures on our outings, I thought I would share some of our day trips with you so you can experience a day in the life of Teri Collins...just what you wanted, I'm sure! We (Brian and I) have been making more of an effort to embrace our city a bit more, explore local restaurants, attend local events, just experience the best Des Moines has to offer because no matter what you hear...Des Moines, Iowa is not too shabby! In fact, I think It's pretty cool.

Des Moines skyline (not my pic)

Cool Des Moines Photo, again..thanks Google image!

I realize bowling is not an area attraction but it was a new experience together! We went for the first time on New Years Eve and it was so much FUN...how come we have never done this before?? Last weekend we got together with one of Brian friends who is an avid bowler and whala, here we are bowling again twice in 1 month!

I'm not short, he is just abnormally tall.

New PR for me: 122. Bring it with my pink ball! :)

Before you know it, we'll be making having our bowling bowls custom made! Later that evening we attended a local event featuring local wineries at a really cool venue.

The West End Architectural Salvage is a 4 story building in the heart of downtown Des Moines that is reaping with treasures of antiques and remnants of doors, windows, tiles, stained glass, ect., ect. The building is a great rustic brick that also host wedding receptions and other functions. Last Saturday we attended Indulge; a Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Affair.

The place was jammin and it seemed like all the Des Moinesians were out that night. We sampled all area wines, artisan cheeses and local chocolates. It was tons of fun exploring and I did managed to get a couple pics among the elbow to elbow crowd.

Local wine from Madison County.

There is an image in the picture of a man I was trying to get him to mimic. I would say we succeeded!

LOL. My eyes do not work well with flash. He probably took 12 pictures and each time my eyes were closed. This is my 'open' eyed shot!

Yup, closed again. Nice kitty.

Our weekends are good with a usual outing on Saturday and stay close to home day on Sunday. When the weekend ends, I start making plans for the next weekend..don't you just love then??

Where are you from? What's the best thing about your city?

Roasted Almond Butter and Blueberry Chia Jelly

2012-01-26T19:39:00.000-06:00

What's your favorite sandwich? Its peanut butter and jelly, right? MINE TOO!!! It is a classic sandwich although when our taste buds emerge and grow and the appreciation of nutritious food takes center, the standard skippy and grape jelly on white bread just doesn't cut it anymore.

I was inspired by this recipe when I ran across a recipe in Oxygen magazine for homemade strawberry jelly that had 3 ingredients: Strawberry jelly, orange zest and chia seed. WOW. That is a pretty impressive list of ingredients. No high fructose corn syrup, no articial flavors, and a nice dose of ALA Omegas and fiber. Lets do this!

BLUEBERRY CHIA JELLY

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 Tablespoon Chia Seed

2 Tablespoon Water

Combine chia seed with water and set aside. Mash the blueberries with a fork. Combine the gelled chia seeds with the blueberries. Spread and eat!

chia when it absorbs water forms a nice soluble gel

Chia is a complete protein rich in antioxidants, fiber and ALA Omega 3's. When combined with water, chia forms a gel substance giving you a great visual of a soluble fiber. These little bitty seeds have the ability to absorb many times their weight in water and they do that just that with the water in the frozen fruit giving the jelly a great natural gelled texture.

Of course you can't have jelly without some king of nut butter! I did make almond butter for this one but of course a nice natural peanut butter works perfect too.

ROASTED ALMOND BUTTER

2 cups roasted-unsalted almonds

4-5 Tablespoon flax oil

1 tablespoon whole flax seed

(I used the whole seed vs ground primarily for 'decoration' as the flax oil provided quite its own dose of ALA I really didn't need the ground to provide it.)

2 tablespoons wheat germ

1 tablespoon honey

Combine all ingredients into food processor and pulse until sooth. Depending on your desired texture, you may need to add additional oil to achieve desired consistency

add any nutritious stir in to your butter; pasturized eggs for extra protein, coconut oil, dark chocolate chips, ect.

a lemon zest would be a perfect addition. Next time!

layer between sprouted bread and pair with an ice cold glass of almond or coconut milk. a perfect meal or snack!

I really had fun making this combo...I hope you give it a try, especially the jelly! If you do..let me know how it turns out!

What is the 'grossest' way you have heard of eating peanut butter? With mayo? On a hamburger? With hot sauce (Brian!)??

Quinoa Burger

2012-01-19T20:24:00.000-06:00

I am REALLY excited to share this with you! I found this on Pinterest. Spicy RD pinned it, I re-pinned it. She has great taste! :) I had never heard of a quinoa burger, ever. So having the opportunity to make something new, fun and nutritious...well, that's right up my alley! When I tell you these are good, it really is an understatement. The qunioa has a subtle soft nutty flavor, the cottage cheese adds to the creamy texture and the corn meal adds a nice complimentary crunchy texture. Hope you love as much as I do.

Quinoa Burger

Modified from Eating Well, Living Thin

2 c. cooked quinoa (see below for cooking instructions)

1 c. low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated

4 egg whites

3 Tbsp corn meal, plus additional for topping of 'burger'

2 whole green onions, chopped

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp salt

Olive oil for frying

To cook quinoa:

2 c. water

1 c. uncooked quinoa

1/2 tsp salt

In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and salt to a boil. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook approximately 18-20 minutes, or until water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooked and cooled quinoa, cottage cheese, carrots, eggs, corn meal, green onions and seasoning. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, form quinoa in cup and drop onto serving plate. Slightly flatten and sprinkle with corm meal. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. (The original recipe did not call for this but I think because of how sticky it is, it helps to hold its shape)

Heat a frying pan and 2 tsp olive oil over medium low heat and fry patties until golden brown, about 4 minutes each side. Makes 10 burgers.

topped with Greek yogurt thinned with fresh lemon juice and dash of cayenne pepper.

Quinoa is considered a "complete" protein, meaning it packs all of the essential amino acids your body needs to build muscle. Throw in eggs whites and casein rich cottage cheese and this is a power house of protein that also rich in micro-nutrients and TONS of flavor!

Nutrition Facts per burger: 89 calories, 2.2 g. fat, 11 g. carbohydrates, 6 g protein. A perfect serving size is 2!
Enjoy!
Any fun weekend plans?

Tuesdays with Teri: Road Maps

2012-01-17T05:12:00.000-06:00

We are fortunate to be leaving in the computer area. We can print maps to any destination, program our GPS or plug in the Garmon to get us where we need to be. We are dependent on these applications to get us to our destination accurately and to return us home just as efficiently. If along the way we are lead on a wrong path, we curse and yell but ultimately learn from the mistake. If we arrive safely. We remember the path only to repeat it in the future as it was a successful journey and hey...if it's not broke, why fix it??

Take the same advice and apply it to your personal lifestyle goals. Weight loss? Weight gain? Strength training? How do you know what is working for you or what can be improved upon or where you took that wrong turn that really ended you up in lost land if you are not writing it down? Studies after studies support journaling as one of the successors attributed to positive lifestyle changes. Food journaling is one of the more valuable tools in weight loss programs used clinically. It allows the clinician to evaluate and educate on; positive choices, better management, portion suggestions, timing of meals and macro management to name a few. It return the client is given a perfect individualized map of what is driving him to a successful journey or on a wrong course with opportunity to turn around and get back on course.

I am a firm believer in practicing what I preach. So, if I am asking you to write it down...guess what? I am too!

Nutrition Map

My nutrition goal right now is weight gain. I've reached a plateau on my gaining. I was not writing my intake down, so guess what? I had no idea what to change! I'm back on track as I have my compass working again to assess where I need to make changes to get to the destination I desire!

gym map

My gym map is my best tool. It truly keeps me on track and because of it I have been able to see where I was 4 weeks ago and how much I have improved. That is the reward in its own!

Running map. Have made some modifications :)

The Big Green Brain.

Take home message: Write down your goals. Track how you are achieving them. Use your maps to determine where you went wrong and what turn you need to make to get back to your destination, or use them to see what you need to do next time to get you back to the same destination that was a successful journey.

Do you do any food journaling or fitness logging?

What do you like better: 'Manged Mondays or Tuesday with Teri?'

happy Tuesday...may your weeks journey be without any road blocks!

Tempeh

2012-01-14T07:31:00.000-06:00

I took a break from soy products quite some time ago just because of adverse health effects of soy that I kept reading on. They truth is though, that soy is really very nutritious and contains many properties that aid in overall wellness and healing properties. What I was blind to was the TYPE of soy that beneficial. This was a research project for me, learning the differences between the types of soy and the health benefits associated and not associated with them.

Tempeh: a cooked and fermented soybean formed into a patty.

What I found was that research supports evidence that the FERMENTED soy products are the ones that are really shown to have the optimal health benefits that we read of when we associate soy with better heath. Fermented foods in general are a host of nutrition research because of the potential health benefits.

The difference between fermented soy vs. non?

Fermented Soy: Most common in Asian diets. In this case the fermentation process is done in which a mold is allowed to grown on soybeans that destroy toxins in the been while making the nutrients in the bean more bio-available to the human body, meaning that it is easier to absorb. Fermented beans are shown to aid in preventing and reducing a variety of diseases including certain forms of heart disease and cancers
Fermented soy product include: Natto, Miso, Tempeh and Soy Sauce.

Non Fermented Soy: Most common in the US diet. Popular products: Soy milk, nuts and tofu. These product contains the anti-nutrient; phytic acid that binds essential minerals (iron and zinc) and is also a anti-enzyme inhibitor, meaning that when these foods are digested they block the body's digesting enzymes to do their job so they are not fully digested leaving us more prone GI distress.

I think this was the perfect introduction recipe for Tempeh. It seems odd to me using ketsup in any recipe but I enjoyed the flavor and plan on making again this weekend!

Tempeh Hot Winds

modified from Don't Eat off the Sidewalk

■ 1 8 oz package of tempeh
~~■ 1/3 c rice milk~~ I used Almond since that is what is always in my fridge
~~■ 1/3 c flour~~ whole wheat
■ 1/2 t salt
■ 2 t thyme
■ 1 t paprika
■ fresh ground pepper, to taste
■ 1/2 t garlic powder
■ 2/3 c panko
Sauce:
~~■ 4 T margarine, melted~~ 1-2 T butter
■ 2 1/2 T hot sauce
■ 4 T ketchup
~~■ 2 T agave nectar~~ Drizzle of honey

In a small saucepan, boil three cups of water. Cut the tempeh into four equal blocks, then cut those blocks into triangles, and carefully slice the triangles in half lengthwise. Place tempeh in the boiling water and cover fifteen minutes or until tempeh is softened. Pour contents into a colander and rise with cold water. Allow the tempeh to cool enough that you can handle it.
While the tempeh is cooling, assemble the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Make your assembly line for the wings: Milk in the first bowl, flour and spices in the second, and panko in the third. At the end of the line, have a greased baking sheet waiting.
Take a tempah triangle; dip it in milk, then coat in flour. Then another quick dip in the milk before thoroughly coating it in the panko and placing it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the tempeh.
Spray the tops of the wings with cooking spray, and bake ten minutes, flip over, and continue to bake for ten more. While tempeh bakes, heat the sauce over a medium heat until warmed through.
Remove wings and immediately transfer them to the mixing bowl/pan with wing sauce and coat. Serve immediately.

One 3 ounce serving of Tempeh contains: 160 calories, 3.5 g fat, 20 gm. carbohydrates and a whopping 13 gm protein.

Look for the Organic variety to assure a GMO free product!

Have you had tempeh or any other fermented soy products?

If you have an awesome recipe for any of them...send me a link!

Tuesdays with Teri: Treasures

2012-01-10T04:32:00.000-06:00

I am a hunter, pecker, bargainer and scavenger! I love the hunt of rummaging at tag sales, garage sales, flee markets and yes...even Goodwill! These places hold things you can't find at commercial venues (don't get me wrong...I love those too!). I'm not a collector of any one thing in-particular but I do love eclectic wall hangings, fun bold fabrics, unique furniture and POTTERY which is my FAVORITE! So, allow me to share with you some of these finds as they lift my spirit from their unique designs and inspirations.

Cute yellow Frankoma clay coffee cups: $1.oo each/Goodwill

Meet my friend, Frank as in FrankOMA! I'm going to guess that you have heard of most of these pottery companies that I mention, but if not here is your opportunity to know what to look for next time you are out and about. First thing I do with any piece of pottery I find is to flip it and read the bottom. Generally the markings are engraved into the piece and depending on the potter. Finding the mark USA is a give away to something GREAT! I am not by any means and expert in this field but I am familiar the the big US pottery players of the 19th and 20th century; Frankoma, Hall, McCoy (my personal favorite), Haeger, and Homer Laughlin lets not forget to mention him (he is the maker of Fiesta-ware, but not his only contribution to pottery...if you find his name on something, snag it!). These treasures are to be found, so why not find them affordable vs. paying full price at an antique mall? (but I like them too!).
They are so fun to use for rustic food pictures, here is the Hall piece filled with a savory soup and the Frankoma with some pumpkin Latte .


My friends; Hall, Haeger and McCoy. My 'set' consists of different sets, colors and styles. I think it makes a great rustic, earthy display. When buying one bowl at time, very very VERY affordable!

I KNEW this ice bucket was going to be a treasure when I found it...I mean, LOOK AT IT!!! Its beautiful!!! I love the bright colors and design, it makes me happy to look at it. This has a stamp on the bottom: DESIGN BY DAMER, MADE IN ENGLAND. It is not a valuable piece but it is a vintage tin and I LOVE IT...and for only 1.59...I love it even more!


.75 cent box at flee market. Fun to hold jewelry. See the pottery pot holding makeup brushes? McCoy, my fav


This picture doesn't do these curtain justice. Bold shear striped and gold...perfect match to my chair and my bird pic that I love so much! 3.00 for the set of 2 panels...goodwill, thank you.


Left: $1.00 magnet board to display my eclectic bird love. Right: local artist painting from flee market, 5.00

There is more...MUCH more but I just want to share that art doesn't have to be valuable to be cherished and appreciated. If it is meaningful to you, then it is meaningful and that is what warms the soul!

Tell me about your treasures...I would LOVE to hear your bargains and collectables!

Chicken Cacciatore

2012-01-07T07:19:00.000-06:00

I chose the recipe to because the grocery store had portebella mushrooms on sale for only $2.99/lb and that my friend, is a bargain! Cooking by what is on sale and is season is the way to go for us thrifty shoppers, because good nutrition should be affordable.

The mushroom would have to top my personal list of super foods. This fungi is a plethora of health benefits including properties of anti-bacterial, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, rich in micro-nutrients, and 25% protein...and that is not even all of it, research supports many health benefits. Depending on the variety of mushroom, the benefits can vary. I love mushrooms. LOVE them.

Why I love this recipe is because it is a great rustic flavor with rich reaping flavors of rosemary, sage and bay leaves. It is a must dish for any colder weather. The flavors soothe the soul while the rich nutrient properties nurture the body. This recipe has been part of my collection since 2003 (the date is printed on the recipe I ripped from LHJ magazine). It is tried and true and regular part of my fall/winter line up. Classic, like a little black dress.

Chicken Cacciatore

Trivia: "Caccatire" is Italian for "hunter-style" which reflects this dish's earthy flavor. White wine adds pungency but you can use sub chicken broth. Also, if you don't readily buy wine, or white wine (me), you can buy the single serving airplane size for about a buck or two.

4 chicken breast cut into smaller 2 ounce pieces (original recipe is with whole chicken cut into 8 pieces. This is the leaner version)

1/2 tsp salt divided

1/4 tsp cracked pepper

1 Tbs olive oil (healthy dietary fat, lowers cholesterol = reduces risk of cardiac events)

1 large onion, diced (anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial)

1/2 cup dry white wine (research show drinkers live longer than non-drinkers...moderation of course) :)

3 garlic cloves, pressed (antioxidant with anti-clotting properties = prevention heart disease)

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp dried sage

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1 can stewed tomatoes ( Contains phytochemical lycopene, the red color of the fruit. Cooking tomatoes can boost the lycoopene content up to 35 percent, longer its cooked the more you get, helping lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers)

1/2 pound sliced mushrooms (health benefits listed above)

1/2 cup lower sodium chicken broth

3 Tbs tomato paste (more lycopene!)

Season chicken with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown well on both sides, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl and set aside.

Add onion to pan and cook, stirring frequently until softened. Stir in wine, garlic, bay leaf, sage and rosemary. Cook 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, 10 minutes. Remove cover and continue to simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minute more. Remove bay leaves.

I served this with a very basic creamy polenta, I didn't want anything to compete with the flavors of the dish. Perfect with brown rice or whole grain pasta. Also perfect served standing alone with a green side if trying to reduce caloric intake. I prefer not to eat a heavy carbohydrate meal as the last meal of the day, especially if my activity level is anticipated to be low. If those carbs aren't utilized as energy they are stored as glycogen (stored sugar) and if that is all filled up it, the excess is stored as fat.

Nutrition Facts based on 6 servings per dish: 200 calories, 5.5 g fat, 9.6 g carbohydrate, 26 g protein.

On a personal note...I love this China. Typically not my stye with the dusty pink and baby blue but this is my parents post-wedding China that was bought over seas when my dad was stationed in Japan (I'm an air-force brat). It is a broken set. Pieces literally broken, lost, damaged, ect. It was given to me at a young age, too young to appreciate it. However, now at my seasoned age, I appreciate its beauty and more so the memories captured in them. I don't let them collect dust, and I use as a part of my daily wear. I like eating off it it, it feels elegant and provokes great memories.

I didn't add all the health benefits to everything ingredient, so it you know something about bay leave, rosemary or sage, let me know!

Do you own China? If yes, do you use it?

Tuesdays with Teri, Tried and True

2012-01-03T04:32:00.000-06:00

This is my new thang, Tuesdays with Teri. Nice ring, huh? I love reading others blogs when they recommend favorite finds and true treasures. It really is product endorsement that sells it for me...if my friends like it and recommend it, I am definitely more likely to buy it. So with that in mind, these weekly posts feature all my faves and will range from everything covering the three aspects of wellness that I find most important; body mind and spirit.
My last post featured my goals for the new year. Highlighted in big bold letters I wrote' 'This is my big one for the year; USE FEWER INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS.' I actually started this a few months back but have kicked it up a notch just in the last couple weeks. And why have I started this transformation? Because I pay so much attention to the food I eat, I have neglected to pay better attention of the other routes of absorption outside my gut; lungs (Lord knows I have spent many years destroying them) and skin (with all our lotions and potions ).
Brian said to me, this summer when we first got the kitties, 'I don't want them in the basement, there are too many chemicals down there.' That stuck in my mind quite some time because I just used it against him in my plot to throw out a good chunk of money in these cleaning supplies. Why do we care so much about the kitties and not ourselves? If the concern is prevalent for them, isn't it only fair we practice the same approach?? I say, YES! So my search for earth friendly, skin lovin', lung happenin', pocket book savin' products have begun!

I love this product. I read where someone called it, 'Shamp-boo' and that is totally appropriate! Everyday Shea is a fair trade product fortified with unrefined shea butter, coconut oil and shea leaf...you could practically eat it! More importantly in the list of what it contains...its what is DOES NOT contain: No Parabens (chemical preservative that may be linked to some cancers, including breast) no animal testing (good because we love our furry friends) no synthetic fragrances (use essential oils) no sodium lauryl sulfates (causes the foamy action in other commercial products, commonly linked to skin irritations). THEN even MORE MORE MORE important, as pointed out by my friend and RD KriNeb, EveryDay products are produced and manufactured in West African nations in order to reduce poverty and inequality. Its a community product that helps empower growth by fostering employment within its community. It's a triple good thing. I will continue to use it for all these reasons AND because it is ONLY $10.00 per liter and that my friend, is a steal! Sold in Des Moines at Campbell Nutrition and Whole Foods.

Zum Natural bar soap. You've seen his before, I'm sure. I am back to the good ole bar soap and right now I am generally buying the ones on sale as they can be a bit pricey. This one is my favorite because it is so creamy, rich and the fragrant. I like how the goat milk feels on my skin after is rinsed off and Patchouli is my new fav scent, a nice musky woody sent..smells like a hippie, and I like that!

How to make a Non Toxic Clean kit. If you look at my previous post you can see my before and after pics of my cleaning supplies. It really is a transformation and I am quite pleased with the results! I have moped, sprayed and wiped all weekend and the big pay off is the affordability! WOW, what a saving difference. The debbie downer? The vinegar smell. This is cured easily with addition of essential oil which I plan on purchasing this week, a nice lemon or lavender..the basics.

WINDOW CLEANER
1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
Spray bottle
Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Those are my picks for this week. My next venture in the war against chemicals in the household will be with liquid hand soap. Check out this recipe; efficient, fragrant and chemical free :)

http://familyoffarmers.blogspot.com/2011/11/liquid-hand-soap-diy.html

What have you done to be less dependent on chemicals?

Any favorite earth friendly products that you love?

thanks for reading and thanks for responding. Be healthy and be happy! Teri