Archive for March, 2010

Mediterranean Pasta with Zucchini

Simple and healthy. You can make it healthier by using whole wheat pasta. After I took the picture, I also threw some steamed asparagus (cut up) on top, and that made the dish even better. Also, I might have sprinkled some parmesan cheese over everything, but don’t tell anyone.

16 ounces penne or ziti pasta
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with Italian spices (I use an all-natural brand: 365 from Whole Foods)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 medium zucchini (I used one green and one yellow)
4 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
2 cups steamed asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. While pasta cooks, combine tomatoes and next 3 ingredients in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Mix in steamed asparagus. Spoon tomato mixture over drained pasta.

Yield: 8 (2-cup) servings.

Adapted from Cooking Light 5 Ingredient 15 Minute Cookbook

Third Time’s a Charm

Caleb lost his third tooth last night! It fell out while I was brushing his teeth. I’m so glad I didn’t have to pull it out because pulling teeth makes my skin crawl.

Happy Tuesday to you!

A Special Surprise

The kids and I had a big surprise waiting for us when we went to Whole Foods today. We have developed a friendship with one of the ladies who works there, and she gave Caleb and Chelsea huge Easter baskets that she made herself! Wow, what a blessing! We are thankful for her love and thoughtfulness.

Choose Health

I heard Patty Minta speak a few nights ago, and her topic was Choose Health. Local friends, you missed a great message! Patty is a registered dietitian and the author of Mom, What’s For Dinner?, a meal planning guide for families. I bought the book, and you are welcome to borrow it when I am done with it.

Just wanted to share a few tidbits from her message:

  • Twenty-five years ago there were only a handful of autoimmune disorders. Now there are 80 different types.
  • Everything you put in your mouth either builds you up or tears you down.
  • Google Miracle in Wisconsin. Cool story.
  • 4500 studies show that increasing your fruit and veggie intake prevents cancer and heart disease
  • Our bodies are either slightly alkaline or slightly acidic. Cancer cannot grow in an alkaline environment. Drinking lots of water and eating plant-based foods makes your body alkaline. Eating too many animal products makes your body acidic.
  • 75% of each meal should be plant-based. The amount of meat you eat should be equal to the size of your palm. Same applies to your kids’ portions.
  • Eating 1 gram of trans fat daily (hydrogenated oil/fat) increases your risk of heart disease by 20%.
  • Mayoclinic.com has several food pyramids. Search on pyramid.
  • Drinking lots of water flushes all the junk out of your body. When you don’t drink enough water (half your body weight in ounces), it’s like using the toilet all day long and never flushing. Gross, I know.
  • When Patty’s kids were younger, she never made a separate meal for them if they didn’t like what she was serving. (I need to work on this one!)
  • Patty would make her kids bite, chew, and swallow two bites of food before they could say they liked it or not.

Check out www.momwhatsfordinner.net

How to be a Baby

How to be a Baby by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Chelsea found this book at the library on Wednesday. (She only picks books that have pink bindings.) We laughed hysterically when I read it to her. Chelsea could hardly catch her breath.

But moms, beware. When I got toward the end of the book, I got so choked up I could barely finish reading it. (I’m glad Chelsea didn’t notice the tears streaming down my face.) You might want to have some tissues nearby.

The ideal audience for this book is little girls–the girl in the book is 6–who have a new baby sibling. We don’t fit into that category (nor do we plan on fitting into that category), but we still loved it.

Happy Birthday, Cheeseburger.

My McD’s cheeseburger is one year old today. Still as disgusting as ever.

The white stuff is not mold. It’s just part of the bun that stuck to the cheese. The nuggets and fries are a little bit older–they turned 1 on March 8. Here’s the whole story in case you missed it. These things have been sitting in my laundry room (out of the bag) for a year. No bugs have tried to eat them. No mold or bacteria will touch it. Because it’s not real food. It’s a food-like substance. Blech.

Michael Pollan, author of Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, says, “Eat only foods that will eventually rot.”

Have a great weekend, guys. Go eat a vegetable salad or an apple or anything that isn’t processed. Your body will thank you.

Pretzel Fried Eggs

Caleb found these cute treats in his Fun Food for Healthy Kids cookbook.

They are super easy. Just put a cup of white chocolate chips into a ziploc bag, and melt them in the microwave. Cut one of the corners off the bag, and squeeze the chocolate over each pretzel (the round twisty kind). Put a yellow M&M on top. (We used an all-natural alternative to M&M’s called Sun Drops by SunSpire–from Whole Foods.) Let the eggs set for a couple hours. They are yummy and fun to make!

A tip from the cookbook: If you want to make green eggs and ham, use a green M&M in the middle. For the “ham” you could cut small pieces of pink fruit roll-ups (or all-natural fruit leather).

Why Health?

Why am I so passionate about my health and my family’s health? As a follower of Jesus Christ, I believe God calls me to be a good steward of my health and my body. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” I Corinthians 6:19, 20 (NIV)

God wants me to take care of my body not only because it is His home but also so I can serve Him to my fullest potential. It is much easier to serve God and my family when I am not sick and tired all the time. The link between my mind, body, and spirit is so important. If I neglect one, the others suffer.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3: 7, 8 (NIV)

Blog History

May 2008–Started a blog called Galatians 2:20. The blog’s main purpose was to communicate with the members of the adult Sunday School class that my husband teaches.

June 2009–Changed the name of the blog to Fulfilling My Purpose and made it available to anyone who wanted to read it, not just our class.

September 2009–Moved Fulfilling My Purpose from Blogger to WordPress and bought the Fulfilling My Purpose domain name.

September 2009–Started another blog called Destination: Better Health to chronicle my journey toward better health.

January 2010–Merged Destination: Better Health with Fulfilling My Purpose.

Winter is Gone

 Well…at least in this part of North America it is.

“See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” Song of Songs 2:11, 12

Our picnic in the backyard today. Sunny and 72–perfect!

Playing with beans and rice while Mommy read Crazy Love.

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