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.