Social Networking - Lurking on Twitter and Facebook

I finally succumed to the lure of Twitter then Facebook. No one I really knew was on either so I never bothered. Twitter for me is just a way of keeping updated on stuff going on locally and keeping up with my favorite websites. Martha Stewart tweets. Here she is with a giant cocktail shaker and looking human. Her blueberries

were lovely and she had a hard time with tomatoes this year because of the rain back east. I basically feel like a fly on the wall listening in on tweets of people I don't know. Demi Moore tweets so often I unfollowed her. I like being able to access it from my phone. I still haven't figured out how to send pictures from my phone to Twitter.

Facebook is more real to me because I actually know people who are on it. I am very bad about keeping in touch with former co workers and friends who have moved away. Don't like the phone really and this is a nice way of letting people know what my exciting life is like, and looking in on theirs. Facebook has an easy way to upload pictures from my phone so I've been able to use the picture function. My dog is featured prominently

Cool Picasa Collages

I scrapbook. I take pictures. Sometimes I take waaaaaay too many pictures. Scrapbooking is fun and all but sometimes it seems like one more thing to try and keep up with. I have a new shortcut - Picasa collages. I spent a very long time about a month ago trying to acheive with Photoshop what Picasa does in about 2 minutes. I don't like the way you have to browse through your folders on Picasa but I'll live with it for the collages. I create a square collage - very intuitive once you've got all the photos you want to use in one folder. Then I print the thing as a 12 x 12 inch print. I use Costco. For $2.99 a page I have a finish scrapbook page that I can also share with friends and relatives. That's less than the price of a pack of stickers. Here's the latest one I made while taking pictures of local sights.

Keep On Keepin' On

I know that title has just dated me, but it's been going through my head this morning as I struggle for motivation. It's a dull and dreary day and all the fabulousness that is spring is taking a breather. Getting out for my daily constitutional is a little more diffucult under these circumstances. That's when a walking buddy comes in handy -dogs don't count since they can't talk. I've set up walking dates that I feel obligated to keep. Making excuses between myself and me is so much easier than making some lame excuse to a friend. Casual conversations with coworkers have turned up other women who are looking for someone to walk with.

A daily walk along the beach at lunch always sounds great until it's time for me to get up and move. If it was just me maybe I wouldn't make the effort, but that little e-mail comes through and I'm out there breathing the lovely sea air enjoying a chat with a friend. Trips to my sister's usually include a walk or two and it's a good way to catch up without the distraction of family.

Around the Neighborhood

Getting out for a walk first thing in the morning is always a goal, but not always a reality. I have to remember how wonderful the early morning is to get me motivated. It doesn't have to be a full-on hike to get my exercise. It's a great way to start the day before the office routine.




Even the local gardens can make the venture worthwhile.

The Hills are Alive ...

The hills are beautiful and the nearby trails are calling my name. A little rain has washed the dust off and means they will be green a little longer. There's one spot where you can see the ocean, but it's hard to catch on camera. I'll keep trying because it's a lovely little glimpse down the hill.

An hour walk and an energetic romp for the dog is good for both of us.

Sights Along the Way

Motivation for getting out there and walking this week comes easily this time of year. The air smells like blossoms and there is always something to take a picture of. I suppose that stopping to take a picture does slow me down a bit but at least I'm out there.

So I'm using my new fancy SLR as an exercise device. Someday with the aide of my new camera I'm hoping I can capture images I see everyday. Until then here's a glimpse of my corner of the planet. Timothy Swope takes the great pictures, the kind that are in my head but never in my camera. There's this strawberry field I drive by with poppies blooming along the borders. I have to get there with my camera before the poppies are gone. Sunday my dog and I were on a walk in the green green hills and the sun was shining on the tall grass and all I could see of her was her head as she perked her ears to listen to the breeze. No camera!

My goal for this week is to do my photo walks which will involve actually having a camera on me - not just my phone.

Finishing a Week of Healthy Breakfasts

I was nudged along on my healthy path this weekend by my step daughter's visit. She's a very healthy eater so I scrapped the idea that having a guest in my home meant making a big batch of cinnamon rolls. Instead I tweaked a recipe I've been making for almost as long as she's been alive. It was a Pillsbury Bake-Off winner back in 1980. Zucchini was big back in the day and quiche was quite trendy. My mom made a killer zucchini bread. Somewhere around this time Pillsbury started putting nutritional information on all their recipes which was helpful. The original recipe is 8 points. I took away the crescent rolls the recipe called for - each one is 2 points, which basically turned the quiche into a frittata. I started it in my beloved cast iron skillet and finished it in the oven. Since I had Italian Seasoning I just used that instead of the individual spices the original recipe calls for. Reducing the cheese would have saved some points and fat too - but I love cheese. The leftovers are easy to bag up and heat up at the office. Here's my recipe:

INGREDIENTS
1 TB Olive Oil
4 thinly sliced zucchini
1/2 cup chopped gren onions
1 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In 12-inch iron skillet, heat olive oil. Add zucchini and onions; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. In large bowl, mix eggs and cheese. Add cooked vegetable mixture; stir gently to mix.
3. Heat iron skillet and spray with PAM or rub a bit of oil and add the mixture to the hot pan.
4. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


7th 6 point breakfast is a Rachel's Dairy yogurt - (Plum Honey Lavendar!) strawberries and 1 oz of granola. I was able to track down the Rachel's Dairy cottage cheese at Whole Foods and also bought the yogurt. There's no artificial sweetener in the yogurt and minimal sugar so it's not as sweet as I'm used to but it's good. The lid describes the yogurt as "Blissfully blended mood -inspiring" Wow, now that's marketing. Each flavor is labeled with the mood it's supposed to elicit. Rachel's Bite (not affiliated) likes it too!

More Easy Portable Breakfasts

I love peanut butter, and I know I'm not the only one that has been known take a spoonful right from the jar. It packs a big calorie punch but, carefully aministered, can be very satisfying - and easy for breakfast. My standard assemblage is half of a whole grain English muffin (double fiber - 4 grams) 1 TB peanut butter and 1/2 an apple sliced. That's a snappy little 6 point breakfast that's portable and quick.

Can you believe Martha Stewart even had a "recipe" for my breakfast this morning? Martha's used 1/4 cup of peanut butter at 8 points. Even the standard serving 2 TB is 5 points. If I need two whole tablespoons of peanut butter I'll have that with an apple for 6 points. That's plenty for breakfast. Plus English muffins have a tendancy to disappear from my fridge leaving the apples behind.

Oatmeal Upgrade

I know a bunch of people who gag at the thought of oatmeal. Fortunately I'm not one of them. My mom used to serve it with a big hunk of butter and brown sugar. On a cold Seattle morning it was just the thing.

On any morning it fills the empty spot and warms me from the inside out. About 6 months ago I got a coupon from Starbucks for a free "perfect oatmeal." The picture is very enticing - it's sitting on my desk now staring at me. I've heard mixed reviews. It's actually an instant oatmeal

A packet of instant is easy to for me to fling into my purse as I head out the door and all I need is some hot water-even if I don't have a microwave available, and my own dried cranberries and toasted pecans if I remember. Quaker Weight Control has less sugar and 6 whole grams of fiber. That's 2 points and leaves some wiggle room for accoutrements like pecans - you have to be careful. 1 ounce is 5 points, so I weigh 1/2 ounce of them them carefully into the little baggie. 1/3 cup of dried cranberries is 2 points. So 6 points gets you fancy oatmeal without going to Starbucks. Trader Joe's has little individual packets of nuts called Trek Mix already measured into packets. 150 calories=3 points for 1/4 cup.

My sister swears by steel cut oatmeal and has made it for me when I visit - when we're not eating cupcakes for breakfast. It takes extra time but it's really good oatmeal. I'm going to try the slowcooker version soon. There's a recipe for Overnight Oatmeal on the Eating Well site

Asian Breakfast Alternative

A while back I read the book Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat and added some new foods to my breakfast repetoire. This way of eating features a hearty breakfast of tofu and eggs and rice. Then I remembered the little egg foo young patties I used to make for breakfast. Without rice they didn't hold me through the morning but they had the advantage of being pretty portable and easy to heat up. Did I mention I'm a cubicle dweller?

Here's the recipe I use now (They're just for me.)

1 egg

1/4 cup tofu

1/4 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup bean sprouts

1/2 cup shredded spinach

1 tsp soy sauce (or to taste)

Mix everything together and fry them as little patties in a tablespoon of oil. I suppose you could make one big patty but the little ones are easier to transport and can be eaten more easily. 6 points counting in the oil.

In my travels I found the site call Beyond Cereal that explores alternatives to the traditional American breakfast. The author advocates using leftover meats. I think I'd like shrimp best for these.

Another Healthy Breakfast

I didn't take a picture of my breakfast. Getting out the door in the morning is my first priority, but I did find this nice picture from geniuscook.com. I don't use the grapes, but they do look nice and they prop up the pears nicely. There was also this post from a busy mom and fitness professional that shows a healthy new flavored cottage cheese from Rachel's Dairy that I've never heard of. Their website even told me I could get some nearby. Not sure what mangosteen is but I bet it's good for you. The yogurt sized container is handy to pack since breakfast is usually eaten at my desk. My version is a small can of pears, unless I happen to have a nice ripe one handy, 6 oz of cottage cheese and about a tablespoon of toasted almonds. The sliced kind seem to go farther for less calories than the slivered kind I usually get. So, a whole pear, 6 oz of lowfat cottage cheese and 1/8 cup toasted blanched almonds is a 6 point breakfast that starts you out with some protein. I found this site that will calculate Weight Watchers points. I use Dottie's Weight Loss Zone a lot but this is easier for non brand name foods. Her site is wonderful for restaurant listings. Unfortunately I have been known to consult it after I've eaten lunch instead of planning like I'm supposed to.

Spring Has Sprung

What can be better than spring? This is my favorite time of year. The nearby hills are green and the air smells of flowers. It makes me want to take a long walk and explore. My dog loves running free for a change.

It also motivates my dormant healthy instincts and I try once again to partake of healthy things. I have a crazy diet scheme whereby I go on a three day detox (that's what I call it anyway.) It's really just a way of getting a grip. This means I start with a liquid day and that means a smoothie for breakfast.

Here's the template for a 5 point smoothie:

1 nonfat sugar free yogurt
1 cup frozen fruit
1 cup fruit juice.

Vanilla yogurt works with everything but I usually match the flavors of fruit, juice and yogurt. For orange fruits I also add the 1 point Weight Watchers Orange Creme smoothie mix or, if I remember, I also add a scoop of Trader Joe's Soy Protein, also 1 point. I wouldn't have thought that it would fill my breakfast needsand keep me satisfied but it does. Since I work and don't always have a blender to hand I've frozen these and later nuke them to slushie wonderfulness. The Bullet works great and has portable mugs with lids that work splendidly for this purpose.

Assembling my Miscellany

This is a spot for healthy stuff, recipes, scrapbooking etc. I seem to have so many projects going on at once I need a place to park all of my ideas. Right now I'm working on an WWII Navy scrapbook for my dad, gathering local yeast for my first sourdough starter, planning an Easter menu and waiting to see what my little wheaten terrier looks like completely shaved.

This week I'll:
* List diet menu breakfasts with Weight Watchers point counts
* Create my Easter Menu
* Update my Dog's blog
* Update my recipe blog