Veggaholic

I am finally learning to love vegetables. When I started this journey I dreaded the prospect of a diet full of brown rice and vegetables. Today, I spend a lot of time in the vegetable section. I take my time going down the aisle looking for new and interesting veggies. My goal is to try a new veggie at least 2 times a month.

I would like to share some WW tips with you on storing veggies:

Vegetable	Storage Tips
Artichoke	Refrigerator life: 4 to 5 days. Add a few drops of water to a plastic bag.
Asparagus	Refrigerator life: 4 to 5 days. Wrap stalk bottoms in a damp paper towel and place in a loosely closed plastic bag.
Broccoli	Refrigerator life: 4 days. Store in an open plastic bag.
Cabbage, Whole	Refrigerator life: 1 to 2 weeks in a plastic bag.
Cabbage, Cut	Refrigerator life: 1 to 2 days if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Carrots	Refrigerator life: Very variable. Store in their original plastic bag.
Cauliflower, Whole	Refrigerator life: Up to 5 days. Store stem-side up in a plastic bag.
Celery	Refrigerator life: Up to 2 weeks. Store in a plastic bag.
Cucumber	Refrigerator life: 1 week if waxed; less if not waxed.
Eggplant	Refrigerator life: 3 to 4 days. Store in a plastic bag.
Garlic	Shelf life: A few weeks to a few months, depending on size. Store in a dark, cool spot.
Green beans	Refrigerator life: 3 to 5 days. Store in a plastic bag.
Leafy Vegetables	Refrigerator life: 3 to 5 days. Wrap in a damp paper towel and place in a plastic bag.
Leeks	Refrigerator life: Up to 1 week. Loosely wrap in a plastic bag.
Lettuce	Refrigerator life: Varies greatly by type. Leave in plastic bags.
Mushrooms	Refrigerator life: Varies greatly by type. Store in a loosely closed paper bag on a refrigerator shelf and not in the produce drawer.
Onions, Whole	Shelf life: 3 to 4 weeks. Store in a cool, dry, open space.
Onions, Cut	Refrigerator life: 2 to 3 days if tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
Peas	Refrigerator life: 1 to 2 days. Store in a plastic bag.
Peppers	Refrigerator life: Up to 1 week. Store in a plastic bag.
Potatoes, New	Shelf life: 1 week. Store in a cool, dark, dry place.
Potatoes, all-purpose and baking	Shelf life: Up to 2 months. Store in a cool, dark, dry place in a burlap, brown paper or perforated plastic bag.
Pumpkin	Shelf life: Up to 1 month in a cool, dry place.
Scallions (green onions)	Refrigerator life: Up to 3 days. Store in a plastic bag.
Squash (Winter), whole	Shelf life: Up to 3 months. Store in a cool, dry place.
Squash (Winter), cut	Refrigerator life: Up to 1 week if wrapped tightly in plastic.
Squash (Summer)	Refrigerator life: Up to 1 week. Store in a plastic bag.
Sweet Potatoes	Shelf life: Up to 1 month if stored in a cool, dry place; up to 1 week if stored at room temperature.
Tomatoes	Shelf life: Up to 2 days once fully ripe. Store at room temperature for the best flavor.

 I love salad BUT...Salad can be a trap. Watch out for salads with fried ingredients like chicken and shrimp. Look for grilled or poached chicken or seafood.

Tip:  Instead of pouring the dressing on your salad - dip your fork in the dressing and then mix the salad with your fork.

Recipe:  dressing base:  1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup fat free or reduced calorie mayonnaise and coarse salt and pepper.  You can add in a variety of herbs, cheeses or veggies to change things up a bit.

Quick Fix Dressing:  1 pack Good Seasons Garlic & Herb dressing mix, 11/2 cups safflower oil,
2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon tarragon, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1 teaspoon ground sage, 1 teaspoon ground thyme, 1 teaspoon dill. Shake to mix and refrigerate. You may need to add more lemon juice and a little vinegar to cut some of the oil.

Tip:  McCormick's Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme can be used for one stop seasoning with a 1 cup of olive or safflower oil.

Are you confused about lettuce? There are so many options. Below is a list of lettuce varieties with brief descriptions. I got this from WW. It is very helpful.

Lettuce Guide:

Butterhead

Butterhead lettuces, such as Boston and Bibb

Crisphead

Crisphead lettuces like the classic iceberg have a slightly acidic, clean taste, best with creamy dressings.

Loose-leaf

Loose-leaf lettuces like red leaf, green leaf or oak leaf lettuce offer a mild, grassy taste and a soft texture, good as a second fiddle to more robust or crisper greens.

Long-leaf

Long-leaf lettuces like romaine provide crunch with a slightly bitter flavor, great with creamy dressings or against softer, sweeter greens like red leaf lettuce.

Arugula

A microgreen with a peppery bite, sometimes overwhelming on its own, especially when the leaves are larger.

Mâche

A mild, sweet microgreen that pairs extremely well with tomatoes.

Mizuna

A Japanese variety of microgreen, very tart and best paired with crunchy greens like torn-up romaine.

Sorrel

A very bitter microgreen, best only with very strong dressings (Roquefort, anyone?) or braised with other vegetables in soups, stews and stocks. Raw, it should be eaten in moderation since its high oxalic-acid content can cause an upset stomach.

Watercress

A mustardy microgreen that’s great in sandwiches (so long as you remove any tough, woody stems).

Belgian endive

Crunchy and bitter, it’s a good foil to sweeter greens (despite its name, it’s actually a chicory-like radicchio, grown in the dark to prevent its turning green).

Curly endive

Like the French favorite, frisée, these are lacy, floppy greens that offer a pungent, chewy backdrop to crisp bacon or radishes.

Dandelion greens

Aggressively bitter, they can also be braised, as you would collard or mustard greens.

Escarole

An Italian favorite, a bitter punch often cooked in soups and stews.

Radicchio

A red chicory, it has a pleasant bitterness often mixed with romaine. Spearlike heads are less bitter than the more familiar, rounded heads.

 Next Blog: Veggielicious Grill Ideas

I have been bad about blogging because life has been very hectic. To all of my blog friends. I AM till on WW, focused and working hard to maintain my lifestyle changes. 

This weekend I wore a suit that was two sizes smaller with a very tailored fit. This morning at 5:30 a.m. I swung myself out of bed and put on my running shoes. I looked back at my pillow with a smile and thought about the suit. I gave myself a choice between sleep or the satisfaction of wearing a smaller size.

What are you willing to give up to win the battle of the bulge. The answer may surprise you. 

Have a veggie great day,

FitandSlim4ever

Mother Knows Best

The USDA recently replaced the iconic food pyramid with a plate. The USDA offers the plate as a guide for daily food intake. Bottom line - We should have a lot of vegetables and small servings of meat, dairy and grains. The plate reminds me of childhood dinners with my family. My mother always made sure that we had vegetables on our dinner plate. We always had a salad followed by a dinner that consisted of at least two vegetables and a meat. We rarely had bread with dinner. Looking back at my childhood meals I realize that my mother was way ahead of the USDA, Mr. Atkins and the whole gang. :) 

Mom relied on the basics of nutrition. She put together meals that were based on the old rule of "eat your vegetables." This rule pre-dates microwaves and TV dinners and quick fix meals. My mom's home cooked dinner menu consisted of portion controlled traditional foods that were natural and delicious. Guess what? Mother knew best. We were not fat. We were all slim and trim. 

Today, everyone in my family struggles with weight. Maybe it is because we stopped following the basic rules. The modern way of fast food and quick fixes makes it easy to forget about the basics.

I think we need to get back to the basics. The USDA food plate is not news to those of us that were raised by health conscious mothers. It simply affirms the fact that mom was right along when she said "EAT YOUR VEGETABLES."

Tip: Salads are a great way to load up on veggies BUT watch the dressings. Dressings can often have 15-20 grams of fat in one tablespoon. Below is a light dressing recipe from Martha Stewart's FOOD magazine. 

Here is a great salad dressing base that you can use to morph into a variety of tasty toppings:

NOTE: 2tbs = 1points plus value on WW before additions

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream (you can replace with low-fat Greek yogurt)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

Green Goddess

add 1/2 mashed avocado, 1/4 cup chives, 2 tbs lemon juice, 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

Thousand Island

1/3 cup ketchup

3 tbs sweet pickle relish

Blue Cheese

3 ounces crumbled blue cheese (3/4 cup)

Have a Veggie Great Day,

FitandSlim4ever

Entering the forbidden zone

OK,  I think everyone that has put on a few (or more) pounds can relate to this blog post. When you put on weight you avoid stores, clothes and any situation that reminds you of the dreaded dress SIZE. It is so humiliating to go to a store and try on NUMEROUS outfits that are too small, tight and do not fit.

Many of us stand in front of the mirror dreaming of the day when everything we try on will FIT. Well, I am here to tell you that no matter how skinny you become - there will always be the outfit that got away.

Today, I ventured out to the mall. It is important to note that I have not been to the mall for more than three months. WOW!!! Yes, it is true. The shop addict has been in rehab for several months. I have been afraid of the forbidden zone. You know- that area on the other side of the aisle that has the clothes that fit the OTHER people (skinny people). Maybe we are afraid that after all this dieting, sacrifice and hard work the clothes on the other side MAY NOT FIT.

Today, I summoned my courage and ventured across the aisle to the "regular size" clothes. The section with the cute styles that hug your shape. My palms were sweating as I glanced around for the snide sales clerk to ask "Can I help you find your size?" Ugh!!! I ran my hands over the clothes like someone that has been on a hunger strike for weeks. I made a stupid giddy gurgling noise as I grabbed ten suits from the rack. I ran to the dressing room as an urge came over me to try on EVERYTHING.

Guess What? I left the mall with 4 suits. I survived my journey to the other side. I also proved to myself that my lifestyle changes are worth it.

On my way home I prayed for the strength to stay focused and on my plan. I want to feel the joy of crossing over to the other side of the aisle. I want shopping to be fun - not agony.

The solution is simple.

Have a Veggie Great Day,
FitandSlim4ever

Still In It to Win It

I have been very bad about blogging. All I can say is that LIFE happens. It is hard to believe that you can get up in the morning and never stop until bed time.  Is this a good thing? NO!!!!!

You are probably wondering whether or not I am still on the WW program. The answer is YES!!! I am in it to win it. This weekend I will be doing my first 5K with my WW walking group. We are really looking forward to a great day. The other day my dad walked 2 miles with me. When we started out he boasted that he was in much better shape than me. HA HA HA . The truth hurts pappa bear.

Are you still in it to win it? I sure hope so. Please do not take my blog absence as a sign of defeat. I am still here and working hard to make lifestyle changes. This has been a journey...and I am starting to figure some things out about myself. Example: I like myself. Do you like yourself? That is the QUESTION. So many people hate themselves and the lives that they lead. I think this often manifests into weight gain and depression. When you make yourself a priority everything else falls into order.

I am letting some things go and making a few adjustments. Try it. It works. It is really OK to say "I do not want this or I want to go in another direction." Think about it.

Have a Veggie Great Day,
Fit and Slim 4 Ever

A Royal Wedding

I confess. I will be up at dawn to watch Prince William and Kate get married. I remember getting up at dawn to watch Diana and Charles get married. It will be exciting and a lot of fun. Somewhere deep down inside I have some English blood. I love the whole story because it reminds us all that there is such a thing as true love and happily ever after. I know some of you are wondering whether Kate will end up miserable like Diana. I do not think so- William seems do different from his father.  I think they will have a wonderful life together.

So what does a diet savvy royal watcher eat while glued to the tellie watching the nuptials on the tube? Well, might I suggest English Muffins :) with sausages (browned to a juicy perfection just like they are described in English novels, A coddled or soft poached egg or Kate's favorite "eggy toast".  What the hey- add some low calorie jam for a jolly good show of it. How about some TEA to wash it all down? After all - watching the Posh Set is very hard work.  I can't help but wonder what Jane Austin would make of it.

Whatever your venue, menu or space - take a minute to close your eyes and dream the impossible dream. Dream about having your greatest wish come true. Dream about being a prince or princess for a day. Most importantly, enjoy a few minutes of positive TV. There is a lot to cry about in this world. Tomorrow we can all be Brits for the day - Hurrah!

Get some sleep and set your alarm,
Have a Veggie Good Day
FitandSlim4ever

Happy Easter

Happy Easter,

I love Easter. It is one of the best days of the entire year. Easter is a time of renewal, redemption and change. It is a time to make a fresh start. To resurrect your spirit and strive for better things. I am going to make the most of this Easter-new start. I am going to keep pushing forward with my lifestyle changes. I will show up for all of my training sessions with my 5k team, I will give thanks for the life that God has given me - MOST IMPORTANTLY - I will strive to stay focused, centered and grounded.

What is your Easter promise? Use this time to reflect on the mission and purpose of your life. Today the sermon was "Easter is here..." Make the most of it.

Have a Veggie Great Day,
FitandSlim4ever

HAIR

Last fall a big chunk of my hair fell out.  It was pretty bad. You could see my scalp so I decided to cut my hair . (I now have a short version of a pixie) It was a great move on my part. Eight months later... the bald spot is gone. Here is my recipe for restoring hair:

1) Everyday I cut the top off of a vitamin E capsule and applied it to my scalp.
2) I increased my intake of vitamin D by taking 2 capsules every morning
3) I cut my hair to give it a break and reduce the need for heat appliances like flat irons and curling irons
4) I got a new hair stylist (sometimes you have to try something different).
5) I started my fitness program

Today my hair looks a lot healthier and I feel much better about my crowning glory.  Be sure that you are getting enough nutrients and vitamins. Healthy nails, hair and skin must be nourished by a healthy diet and lots of water.

Have a wonderful Veggie Great Day,
FitandSlim4ever