The Journey begins with me page 198

[athomeontherange]

PA270004.jpgHere is DD in her costume as a popstar. She is hamming it up as you can see!! Her costume preview at trunk or treat got a lot of positive attention. She was truly one of a kind! LOL


Sleeping has been a little better the last couple of nights. I am not wearing the fitbit to monitor yet but will when things settle down into some sort of pattern. Random data irritates me..LOL.. dang hormones!

So.. I am having a great food day so far:

2 eggs, sausage and made a crustless individual pumpkin pie.. yum (1/2 c pumpkin, 1/8c cream, egg, sweetener and cinnamon (out of pumpkin pie spice). Divine!!

Getting ready to have a little lunch which will be leftover roasted red bell pepper soup I made from SCRATCH yesterday... umm yupp.. so good (roast 3 red bells then in a pan/pot sautee 1 chopped onion with a bay leaf and thyme if you have it- I didnt so I added italian seasoning. When the onions are sauteed and browned on edge add broth and the roasted red bells. Simmer for @ 20 min or so. Using an immersion blender, blend it all up. Tadaaaaa!!! Instant yum!) I need to find something to eat with it so I dont go for a grilled cheese (don't ask). I have some bronsweiger (no idea how to spell it) that might go on the side with some spicy brown mustard. Fall comfort foods!! Love em!

I need to start walking. Today I am going to try walking a couple blocks out and a couple back. Since I go back to work on the 8th.. I need to build up my endurance.

[demuralist]

a side with soup is definitely one of my issues and one reason why I tend not to make it. I am better with stews that end up with virtually no liquids, but still a hunk of bread or sandwich (which I don't even care for any other way) is hard to pass up.

The kid is cute! I sooo miss doing the dress up thing. Well not me, but dressing them up. DD went to a party as Luna (from Harry Potter) with a pair of "glasses" she made that looked sort of like hands. DS didn't do anything, he is in the middle of finishing the Common App and the essays for college applications. Stressful is an understatement!

[athomeontherange]

I ended up having 3 gluten free crackers with the soup and some ham salad on top of them. Thinking now, I have some beautiful leaf lettuce I could have put the ham salad into.. duh!! In any case, I think I still did ok. It could have been a MUCH LARGER train wreck. The soup is so flavorful and delicate, I can not describe it except it kind of makes me slow down to savor it rather than rush through it. Maybe its the current mood.

Was rudely awoken from a nap by a grumpy kid. Dang kids!!

[demuralist]

I can't tell you how much it irritates me when someone wakes me from a nap. I am so respectful of a sleeper because I consider sleep sacred. I will adjust activities so that I will not make excessive noise in the mornings when my kids can sleep in, and I can tell you they get an earful if they are noisy at night and wake me up (they go to bed later than I do). But waking me up from one of my rare naps, is cause for revenge, bwahahaha

[athomeontherange]

Had another great breakfast. Well, actually it was the same as yesterday. I am loving the pumpkin pie for breakfast. At this point, I am happy getting my carbs from pumpkin

For lunch, I am making an apple celery salad to put in leaf lettuce leaves, a burger patty and a cup of roasted red bell pepper soup. Sounds like a SMART lunch too huh? Plan plan plan.. now I need to keep the momentum so when I head back to school next week I can be prepared.

Thinking about dinner, I think I will have bacon wrapped chicken livers with a homemade bbq sauce and some veggie as well as some pumpkin pie I dunno.. maybe some soup then too.

Today's high is in the 70's. Perfect weather to do some walking.

[demuralist]

are you just doing the pumpkin pie in the microwave as you go or did you make a whole one? I am loving pumpkin and it is actually lower in carbs than I would have thought, given some of those squashes can be very high (I am looking at you acorn squash!) Lunch sounds lovely. Not too long ago I made a waldorf type of salad with half the apples, and added chicken breast cut up. I used a homemade mayo, and walnuts (which I know you can't do, sorry).

Have you ever made lettuce wraps. It is an Oriental recipe with a slightly spicy meat or chicken mixture that you put into cold lettuce leaves. I can pass along the recipe when I get home, they are very yummy and would be a great take along lunch.

[athomeontherange]

I like to add chicken in my walnutless waldorf when I have it. I may have to go get some rotisserie chicken as I can do a two-fer. I am out of bone broth too. LOL

I would love the recipe for lettuce wraps. Its on the to-do to make but have not found a easy-peasy (translate-lazy) way to make them.

As for the pumpkin pie.. haha.. I made them in my rubber muffin tin and baked it in the oven. So I have mini pies! Get a little HWC ans whip it up and wow.. you have a party in the mouth. Not to mention, while using muffin tins, you exercise portion control.. a nemesis of mine. So incredibly simple a recipe too (translate-lazy). LOL

On a side note.. this change in weather has been hell on my skin. The menopause does not help. So.. I am experimenting with making some homemade body scrubs using some of my wonderful essential oils. I made one today using coconut oil, epsom salt (I put it in my mini food processor to grind it fine) and then some drops of valor and peace & calm. WOW.. the smell is incredible and so far my skin feels wonderful. The smell is.. oh my goodness, fabulous. I read they recommend to use this once a week but shoot.. with my skin and the change in weather it might be a daily thing. Anyhoo.. I decided to make my own because the stuff you buy is way too expensive of a luxury and literally pennies to make.

[demuralist]

homemade anything in my opinion is better, just a matter of if it is worth the time for the money you save, body scrub is definitely one of the things that falls into so worth it! Have you tried using the coconut oil straight as lotion? Not nearly as greasy as you would imagine, very nice!

So this is an old recipe from when I was a vegetarian, change up as needed, ie. I no longer add the sugar and usually make some sort of homemade Asian sauce, I also add more different veggies depending on what I have on hand, it should be 4 generous servings...

Ingredients:
8 medium iceberg lettuce leaves (or leaves from another round, firm head of lettuce)
pound of ground beef
1 cup canned sliced water chestnuts, drained & chopped
3/4 cup each diced mushrooms, onions, peppers, celery, carrots, etc (what ever you have on hand-pick 4)
1/2 cup chopped scallions (I rarely bother)
2 tbsp. soy sauce (or whatever)
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar (not packed) or some substitute if you think you need it
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (found in the Asian foods aisle)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil -this is essential

Directions:
To prepare sauce, combine soy sauce, sugar, chili garlic sauce and oil in a small dish. Mix well and set aside.

Bring a medium pan to medium heat. add oil if necessary to stop sticking, Place all ingredients except for the scallions and lettuce leaves into the pan. Saute until done. Add the sauce, and stir. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes more.

Add scallions, cook for 1 minute more, and remove from heat.

Divide mixture evenly among the 8 lettuce "cups" and enjoy 'em wrap-style (fold 'n chew!). It is particularly good if the mixture is on the spicy side and the lettuce leaves are cold and crisp. so good!

[athomeontherange]

sounds like an awesome recipe. I will try this soon. Its seems simple enough, which is good for me! haha

I made another scrub to try in the future with orange and basil.. it smells SO GOOD! I have used coconut oil by itself before in the middle of winter when the weather is at its harshest. I like the scrub with it as well to sluff off the old dry skin, it kind of polishes the skin.

I was reading the difference between salt and sugar scrubs and they say the more sensitive your skin, use sugar. However, I hate ants and such so I will stick with salt. LOL. I just grind it up further so its fine.

[athomeontherange]

So my dinner was the same as my lunch. I did not make the apple celery salad though (forgot) but will to that today. I felt SO GOOD for having a super clean day.. and then.. the friggin candy bowl!! UGH! Trick or treaters will be getting A LOT tonight. My goal is to not have any left in the bowl. DD will bring home her candy from trick or treating though..thinking of a strategy so I stay out of it.

Today is the first and last time I get to see my daughters halloween parade. They go through the town with the MS band playing the Adams family.