Better Than Doing Laundry

He's Writing Your Story

2014-04-17T18:26:00.001-04:00

A young friend of mine, in her early twenties, was lamenting that "all" of her friends were having kids and putting pressure on her to find a husband and have kids ASAP.

It made me feel sad for her. I remember the pressure of that age; although, I can concede that much of it was implied pressure I put on myself. I saw my friends in relationships, getting married, beginning their families, and I felt the expectation that I needed to join in as if the twenties are the golden time to make all of that happen. Then there was the spoken pressure from family and friends...

"How come you aren't seeing anyone?"

"You need to get out there - get yourself a boyfriend!"

"You should be having your first child by now!"

"You're not married yet? With all of your skills?"

All of it made me question myself...

"Am I really that ugly?"

"Is it because I'm not skinny enough?"

"Does my personality stink that badly?"

"Am I too Type A for someone?"

"What's wrong with me?"

It made me question God...

"Why isn't this happening?"

"Why are you letting me hurt so badly?"

"Why aren't you giving me what I want?"

"What have I done wrong?"

"What's wrong with me?"

I kept coming back to the question, "What's wrong with me that I'm not like them?" One day, I finally started hearing and believing God when He would say, "There's nothing wrong with you. I didn't create you to be like them. I created you to be you. I've written a story that's just for you, just like I've written a story for each of them that's just for them. Your story looks different from their story, just like their story looks different from yours. Do you trust Me with your story? Will you put down their book and pick up the one I'm writing for you?"

I left my book sitting in a corner for quite a long time, until I got tired of feeling hurt. I figured it couldn't make me feel any worse to pick up my own book. I discovered some amazing chapters and am embracing the stories within. I read them with anticipation.

Family and friends mean well. When they begin to question the marital relationship chapters of my book and wonder why the pages are blank, it's just because they treasure the filled pages of their own book so much. You know how it is: When you have something you love so much, you want to share it so someone else can share in the experience.

So, what would I tell my young friend to say to her friends who are pressuring to "find" someone? I would tell her to smile and gently share that "the story God is writing for me looks different than the story He's writing for you. My story of love and joy is being written differently than your story of love and joy. It's still a story of love, joy, and hope, but God's writing mine with me in mind."

If you're asking, "What's wrong with me?" I'm here to tell you there is nothing wrong with you. God's writing a story about you and for you. All you need to do is dust off the cover of your book and open to the first page to see it.

-- Erin

PS - Give Francesca Battistelli's song, "Write Your Story" a listen here

Practical Success Takes Preparation

2014-04-06T14:49:00.000-04:00

What do I want or need to be successful in this week?

What do I need to do today to help make that success happen?

I want to be successful at losing weight this week, and in order for me to do so, I need to make my meals today, get them portioned and ready so all I have to do is grab and go. It doesn't guarantee a weight loss success, but it puts me on the path to achieving success in that area because I'm prepared.

I don't want to have to dig through my closet to find clothes to wear, so that means I need to do laundry today, get it folded, and put away so I have options. It doesn't guarantee that I won't stand in front of the closet deciding what to wear, but at least the pieces I'm more likely to wear will be there because I prepared them to be there.

I want to be able to help someone who is standing on the street corner asking for money. I choose not to give money; I like to give a bag of toiletries, food, water, etc. If I want to help someone this week, I need to take the time today to put a little kit together and put it in my car so when the opportunity arises, I can help someone in need instead of thinking, "I wish I had done that."

Preparation takes it from "I'd like this to happen" to "I'm going to make it happen." So, in order for me to be successful in those areas this week, I need to get busy today to prepare for tomorrow.

What's the area you need to successful in and what do you need to do today so that you can make it happen...and be happy with yourself because you did?

Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

2014-03-18T09:45:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've had a craving for a creamy soup. Rather than going out and "splurging" I decided to create my own, and I know exactly what's in it.

This creamy broccoli cheese soup is reminiscent of the soup served at Panera Bread. The soup they serve is 6 PointsPlus for 1-cup; 9 PointsPlus for the 1 1/2 cup serving size bowl. This soup makes me just as happy, and it's only 3 PointsPlus for 1-cup; 5 PointsPlus for 2-cups.

I'm not a fan of fat free cheeses, but if you decide to swap the reduced fat shredded cheddar for fat free, your bowl of delicious soup is only 2 PointsPlus. If you're doing Simply Filling or Simple Start, you'll still only need to account for 1 Indulgence PointsPlus.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

3 cups low sodium vegetable broth (I used Trader Joe's)
1 cup fat free half and half
16oz frozen organic broccoli
2 carrots, grated (or 1 cup carrot shreds)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 Tbls corn starch
2 Tbls water
1 cup shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese

1. In a large microwave safe bowl, place the grated carrots and top with the frozen broccoli. Microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, until broccoli is thawed and carrots are soft.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, addd the broccoli and carrots and pulse until finely chopped.

3. Transfer chopped broccoli and carrots to a large saucepan. Stir in the vegetable broth, half and half, minced garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

4. While waiting for the soup to boil, mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Once soup comes to a boil, stir in slurry, and cook over high heat until thick.

5. Reduce heat to low and stir in cheese.

6. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!

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6 servings | 3 Weight Watchers PointsPlus

Biggest Loser and Being Healthy

2014-02-06T07:59:00.000-05:00

They say the camera adds 10lbs.

If that's true, then I'm really concerned for the Biggest Loser winner, Rachel Frederickson.

The look on Bob and Jillian's faces said all that needed to be said.

It pretty much mirrored the look on my face.

It was the first time I've watched The Biggest Loser and didn't feel inspired. I felt downright concerned.

Rachel's final weight was 105lbs, twelve pounds below the minimum weight recommendation for a woman of Rachel's height - 5'4". According to my Weight Watchers Healthy weight ranges guide, a healthy weight for a 5'4" woman is between 117lbs - 146lbs.

In a recent interview, Rachel admitted to struggling with binging/gaining/losing,

“I’m not going to lie, I’ve gained weight coming home,” she said. “I’ve lost weight. I’ve binged. I had a hard time over Thanksgiving. Those are all natural adversities I faced, but to overcome those is what’s made me strong and what I’ve learned so much from.”

I imagine the pressure she's been feeling to look her very best and be her very best for the finale has been intense. Then there are the feelings of being excited for the weight loss, the change in one's self, feeling stronger and more confident. There's the excitement of being thinner than you've ever been before. But then there's the drive to maintain it to make sure it doesn't come back because if you do put 5lbs back on, people will comment. People think they're helping you - they recognize all the hard work you've put in and they don't want you to be the person you were - but they don't realize that it's harming you and the game that's already happening in your head.

I totally get it - I've been there.

When I was 16, I lost close to 70lbs and was two pounds under the recommended weight for my height. I was thin. I'd never been that thin. It was GLORIOUS. I felt pretty; I felt good about me. Trying to maintain that was difficult. Some days I'd just grab an apple for lunch, or I'd eat a baked potato with steamed broccoli and fat free sour cream. I did not feel like I was becoming anorexic, but my mother started to notice that I wasn't eating enough. I remember grabbing an apple, saying that would be my lunch, and her saying, "No, it's not. You're going to eat a sandwich." And I ate the sandwich, not happily. I was driven to maintain my weight loss, but I didn't realize that I was taking a dangerous path to maintain it. I didn't know then what I know now: eat whole, healthy foods in moderation is the best way to lose weight and maintain it.

The point is, Rachel may not see or feel what we're seeing and feeling because she's stuck in the drive to lose weight and maintain the incredible loss. I'm hoping there are respected people in her life who can sit her down and tell her to "eat a sandwich" the way my mom made me. Rachel was an incredible athlete and competitor throughout the season and I have no doubt she can do what's healthy when guided to it.

I also hope that NBC will respond to the outcry to soothe fears for Rachel. It's clear they didn't have a plan on how to handle this, and their lack of response is disappointing. Since it is a health competition, maybe the rules need to state that in order to win you have to have the lowest percentage of weight loss / body fat WITHOUT going below the recommended height/weight ranges. Either way, for a show that is encouraging health, it would have meant more for them to take a stand for health, and that doesn't always mean losing weight. Sometimes it means gaining it.

Find It In Everything

2014-02-04T09:02:00.000-05:00

If we're friends on Facebook, then you know about my sweet love notes from God. Whenever my heart needs a little extra love, God always fashions a heart out of nature and drops it in my path, typically on my morning walk.

When I see that little heart, I think of the incredible effort God put into making it for me.

Growing a tree, making one of the little leaves unlike the rest (or a potato, in the case of the potato chip), and then dropping it on the ground so it's waiting for me at the exact moment I walk by.

It's kind of mind-boggling, yet that's God.

This one was different.

I didn't even see it until after I got home from this concert I was working/photographing. I remember feeling stressed and alone that day, and it was compounded by thousands of people who came as friends. Surprise - I wasn't alone!

In the wintertime, He gets really creative since I'm not outside walking.

The potato chip was discovered during winter.

Most recently, I discovered this one on the ground on my way into the gym after I had told God that I missed finding little heart treasures on my outside walks with Him.

Today, I took a little trip to Barnes & Noble, and as I was waiting in line, a simple, white book caught my eye, "Find It in Everything." When I saw it was by Drew Barrymore, I actually got out of line to pick it up. She's been one of my favorite actresses, and we're also distantly related. Supposedly, my great-great grandmother was first cousins with Lionel, Ethel, and John (Drew's grandfather) Barrymore. Family legend has it that no one talked about them or wanted anything to do with them because they were "actors" and it wasn't an honorable profession. {insert chuckles here}

As I flipped through the book, I noticed a theme... hearts.

"Find It in Everything" is a collection of Drew's personal photographs. Hearts have been a theme in her life and every time she sees one, she takes a picture of it. Sounds familiar!

I enjoyed the personal anecdotes that went with the photos. One of my favorites was the bread clip:

"I have seen these for so many years.

I have handled them - twisted things and clamped these on.

It was waiting for me to find it.

One day the heart appeared.

It has been there all along."

I bought the book on the spot. An entire book about found hearts is like water to a thirsty heart finder, and this was my heart find. I wonder if Drew had any idea when she put this together that someone else would consider her book of found hearts to be a found heart itself.

How about you? Do you have a reoccurring theme that pops up when you need it most?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was not a paid book review - just my own thoughts and opinions!

Get a copy anywhere books are sold or here.

Connect with Drew on Twitter here.

A Decision Was Made

2014-02-02T14:04:00.000-05:00

I saw this at the grocery store today. Clearly, someone had to make a decision and the super bag of Sour Patch Kids won. Can't you just just hear the conversation in this person's head?

"Sour Patch Kids... they've got citrus in them. Citrus is fruit. I need more fruit in my life. Decision made."

"First they're sour...then they're sweet... brussels sprouts don't have a personality... Sour Patch Kids for the win!"

"Yesterday was Day 21 of the Daniel Fast... FREEDOM!!!"

"New Year's resolution...what 'New Year's Resolution'??"

I mean, really. The choice between organic brussels sprouts and Sour Patch Kids doesn't even seem fair.

And to set the record straight: It was not I who made the above decision.

One Word: GROSS

2014-01-27T21:51:00.001-05:00

Apparently, if you decide to cook an egg in the microwave, you should either scramble it first or put a paper towel over the bowl if you're cooking it straight up. I learned that lesson the hard way this morning. Yup.

I'd also just like to state that food blowing up in the microwave 5 minutes before having to leave for work is the single person's equivalent of a toddler in need of an emergency poopy diaper change.

Ain't nobody got time for that.

For the record, I'd rather clean the microwave than the poopy diaper.

Sloppy Taco Joes

2014-01-22T17:23:00.000-05:00

This week has been a crazier week than usual. I find that when my schedule is packed, eating well is the first thing that goes out the window. I was determined to keep it simple, yet make sure I was following my Weight Watchers Simple Start plan. I feel better and more in control of myself, my emotions, and my hunger if I just take an extra five minutes to plan out my meals.

Here's something I whipped up before I went into work. Who doesn't like a 3-ingredient recipe? That's all it takes to make these Sloppy Taco Joes. It took all of about 15 minutes to cook and divide into containers. It made 4 meals, and instead of the bread, I served it with a 1/2 cup of quinoa and a piece of fruit. It was a quick and easy lunch.

If you're doing Weight Watchers, this is a Simple Start meal or 4 PointsPlus for just the Sloppy Taco Joe mixture.

Salted Hershey Kiss Popcorn

2014-01-18T13:09:00.000-05:00

Week one of Simple Start is done, and I'm down .8lbs. It wasn't what I wanted, but anything moving in a downward direction I'll take! Jennifer, who weighed me in, reminded me the small numbers are good, safe, healthy, and mean I'm not swinging around with big losses and big gains. She's right.

The theme this week was, "You can't eat it if you don't have it." How right is that? I do all of my shopping for the week on Saturday, and I find by Thursday I'm out of food but I don't want to go to the store because I'll be going in two more days for my big shopping trip. That's the day I struggle with the most - I want to go out to eat "because there's nothing in the fridge." So when I went to the store today, I tried to be aware of that and plan food that can be made on those two final days before my grocery trip on Saturday.

Something else I realize I needed to plan are snacks because I've found myself very snacky in the evenings. Most of the time I try to ignore it, but this week I just wanted to indulge. What's your go-to snack right now? One of the snacks my Weight Watchers leader Noelle shared that she makes was a Fiber One brownie, fat free Cool Whip, and strawberries. Lots of volume in that snack so you feel full afterwards!

As I was thinking about snacks that would fit into Simple Start, would be kind to my indulgence points, yet truly feel like an indulgence, I settled on my own version of "gourmet popcorn." I discovered Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Air-Popped Popcorn is 3 PointsPlus for 2 1/2 cups, and it's a Power Food! Heaven! It's also very bland, so I'm going to look at it in a positive way: it's a blank canvas and ready for me to add my own fixings. And if I'm going to add something to this canvas, it's going to be chocolate. Chocolate, glorious chocolate. One ounce of chocolate is 4 PointsPlus. I did the math: 6 Hershey Kisses is one ounce, 4 PointsPlus. I can do that. Drizzled on the popcorn and sprinkled with sea salt? YES.

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Salted Hershey Kiss Popcorn

2 1/2 cups (1oz / 28 grams) Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Air-Popped Popcorn
6 Hershey Kisses (or 1oz chocolate), unwrapped
Sea Salt
Sandwich sized Ziplock bag

Line a small tray with foil or wax paper. Place popcorn on the tray in a single layer. Try to fill in the holes as much as possible - you don't want the chocolate falling through the cracks.

Place the Hershey Kisses in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and then return for another 30 seconds. The kisses should be melted; if they aren't, microwave on 10 second intervals.

Spoon the melted chocolate into the sandwich bag - try to get it as much in one of the corners as much as possible. Snip a tiny corner off of the bag and drizzle over the popcorn. Immediately sprinkle with the sea salt. Don't be stingy with it - the popcorn isn't salted so it can use the help.

Eat now for a slightly messy treat, or leave on the counter for the chocolate to harden. Eat or store in a quart sized bag for your next snack attack.

The Habit

2014-01-15T15:13:00.000-05:00

It's much easier to get out of the habit of doing something than getting in the habit.

Getting out of the habit takes zero effort.

Getting in the habit takes work.

Hard work.

Hard, effortful work.

But the rewards are so much better.

The sense of accomplishment hard work brings...

The knowing that you've worked hard for something...

It makes attaining that thing so much sweeter.

But what do you do when you've created the habit, put in the effort, and attained the gold pot at the end of the rainbow?

You keep working hard.

You keep putting in the effort.

It took the habit you created to attain it.

It will take the habit to maintain it.

What's the habit you created that you're most proud of?

10 Minute Lentil Taco Bowl

2014-01-12T14:08:00.000-05:00

After weighing in at my Weight Watchers meeting, I made the decision to reset the scale. Resetting the scale means a fresh start. All of my previous weight records - the gaining, the losing, the gaining, the losing - is erased.

I had made the same decision in February of last year, hoping it would kick start something in me.

It didn't.

To be honest, as much as I was frustrated and wanted to change, I just wasn't willing to put in the effort to make the change. I'd put in the effort a few days out of the week and then not the rest. I wanted to lose weight doing what I was doing - not being 100% committed. I ended up gaining an additional six pounds on top of ten that made me reset the scale the first time around. Sixteen pounds. Yikes. It just felt like that number kept hanging over my head. Even though I was losing weight, I never saw the negative number because the booklet kept showing me that I was still up pounds. That number was slowly being chipped away, but I didn't really see the progress. So I decided to erase the whole thing and start fresh again. I can now see the progress - down .4lbs this week. I need to keep chipping away at my ultimate goal, but it feels good to see that minus sign and not that plus sign.

In the spirit of new and fresh starts, I decided to try Simple Start for a week. Actually, I've decided to combine tracking with Simple Start. The point of Simple Start is to eat Power Foods since they are the most filling - and eat until you are satisfied. Not full, but satisfied. No measuring, no tracking, just keep it simple by focusing on the Power Foods. To help me keep a handle on what I'm eating, I'm going to track/measure as I go along. It's been a really great challenge to see what meals I can create based on Power Foods.

Here's something I came up with using lentils. It really took me all of ten minutes to make - thanks to a package of Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils. The longest part is just waiting for the lentils to simmer with the taco spice. Build the bowl however you want. I used brown rice, but feel free to use quinoa or even polenta. Whatever floats your boat!

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10 Minute Lentil Taco Bowl

1 package of Trader Joe's Steamed Lentils - or - 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils
2 Tbls homemade taco seasoning or 1 taco seasoning packet
1 cup of water
1/2 cup brown rice per person/serving
Lettuce
Pico de gallo
cilantro
green onions
2 Tbls fat free Greek yogurt per serving

Place the lentils in a medium sized saucepan with taco seasoning and water over medium high heat. Bring the mixture up to a hard simmer and then turn down to simmer. Stir occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes until the lentils are heated through and spices are absorbed. Serve 1/2 cup of lentil mixture over 1/2 cup brown rice. Top with veggies and fat free greek yogurt. Enjoy!

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5 servings | 5 Weight Watchers PointsPlus

How To Be A Friendlier Person

2014-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

When the new year rolls around, I seem to get the cleaning bug. I think I like to have a clean, fresh everything to start a new year. Somehow, though, I seem to neglect the "junk drawer." Please tell me you have one of those. It's the grown up version of throwing everything under the bed.

As I was tackling the most ridiculous pile of odds and ends, I found my Dale Carnegie's Golden Book - something I received when I graduated from the Dale Carnegie Training. If you've never heard of it, it's a series of classes for business professionals to teach them leadership skills, how to speak confidently in public, and really just how to be an all around better person. Dale Carnegie was a salesman born in 1888 who wrote about his experiences with people, how he handled difficult situations, and shared how he did it. Dale Carnegie's book, "How To Win Friends and Influence People" is timeless and worth a read if you've never done so. The man really had keen insight into humankind and what makes people tick.

It was fun to read through this little book again, and it made me feel energized to make sure I'm employing these methods at work and at home. The steps below are called How To Be A Friendlier Person, but I really notice that I not only become a friendlier person when I do this, I become a better person.

1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.

2. Give honest, sincere appreciation.

3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.

4. Become genuinely interested other people.

5. Smile.

6. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.

9. Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

Easy Lunch: Kashi Roasted Vegetable Pizza Fixed Up

2014-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

I really, really wanted pizza.

I wanted greasy pizza.

But, I'm keeping my goal in mind, and I don't like how I feel after eating greasy pizza - mentally or physically. I'm trying to get back to basics here. If I can't eat in freedom (meaning, if I can't eat it without over-doing it or hating myself for eating it), then I don't eat it. Sometimes I can eat greasy pizza in freedom; sometimes I can't. Right now, as I crawl my way to my goal, I can't. BUT, I can eat a healthier version in freedom.

Here's how I do it...

Kashi Roasted Vegetable Pizza, fixed up. One serving, not fixed, is 1/3rd of the pizza for 6 Weight Watchers Points Plus. It makes a great base for additional toppings.

To this particular pizza, I added 1/2 cup wilted spinach (pop two big handfuls of baby spinach in a bowl and microwave for one minute to wilt), 2/3 cup Weight Watchers Mexican Blend Cheese, and 16 (Margherita) turkey pepperoni slices, a sprinkle of dried oregano, and a dash of red pepper flakes. Pop it in a preheated 425 degree oven for 12 minutes or so, and cut into thirds when it's done. Each third is 8 Weight Watchers Points Plus. I pack the other two servings up and enjoy them for lunch/dinner later in the week.

It's pretty satisfying and hits my craving without guilt!

Simple Start To Losing Weight

2014-01-04T16:34:00.002-05:00

One thing I love about a new year is the feeling of a fresh start, a clean slate. I know I can do that easily each day, but I feel like a new year gives me the chance to step back and look at the big picture and plan from there.

One of my goals for this year is to go to Weight Watchers for free. I've been paying my monthly dues for awhile now and haven't reached my weight loss goal. I'm dedicated for a few weeks, and then I stop being dedicated and gain back what I've lost. It's annoying, and it's my own fault. My weight is a life long battle, and it's kind of stupid to be tangled up in something so ridiculous for so long. Know what I mean? I think last year I gave myself a reprieve after an extremely difficult 2012, but looking back, I pretty much wasted 2013 in terms of getting myself back on track. So, I'm ready to buck up and do this thing...not because it's a new year, not because it's "resolution time," but because I'm continuing the process of what I already started about three months ago. I'm already down several pounds, and I'm working on keeping the number going downwards.

One of the things I love about doing Weight Watchers is there are no restrictions on food, literally. I saw a commercial for another weight loss service on TV and the host said, "Can you have mac and cheese? Ummm...nooooo...of course not, but you can have [this weight loss system's] version and it's good!" With Weight Watchers, I can have the real mac and cheese because it teaches me how to account for indulgences. When I first started with the program, I was a little confused by the points and just wished they had a program that I could follow with recipes to get me going. I'm so excited they've now released a version of the program called Simple Start, complete with recipes.

It's a two week program with an emphasis on what Weight Watchers calls "Power Foods": lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free dairy and dairy substitutes. It's truly a no-brainer way to lose weight for those who are just starting out. It's also a great shot in the arm for those of us who have been doing the program for awhile. As long as you eat Power Foods until you are satisfied, there's no need to count. There are also 7 extra "indulgence" points for items that aren't power foods, like chips, jam, butter, ice cream, etc.

Simple Start has some seriously easy, no-brainer, meal ideas, plus ideas on how to create your own meals. There's also a Simple Start app for the iPhone and Android, so you can easily access the recipes. It really takes the guess work out of what to eat. Since I'm still not doing a lot of gluten or dairy, I'll just follow the alternative ideas the guide provides.

So why am I telling you all of this? Because I've been there. I remember what it was like to start losing weight. It should be easy - "eat less and move more" - but for those of us who battle weight, it feels complicated. I've had great success with Weight Watchers (when I follow the program!) and I love that they've made it even easier for someone to get a jump start on life change. If that's where you are, I just wanted you to know there's something out there that can help you get the ball rolling.

Here's to a great 2014!

Erin

(PS - really, Weight Watchers isn't paying me to talk about them. Everything I said, I said for free and on my own. I'm a middle child like that.)

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies

2013-10-15T14:12:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite fall treats is the two ingredient cake.

Have you heard about it?

It's sometimes called the "Weight Watchers Cake." You simply mix one box of cake mix with one 15oz can of pumpkin puree. That's it. No other ingredients. You'll be tempted add some liquids because the mixture is quite thick, but resist the urge. It bakes into a dense cake.

I like to bake it in muffin tins, and recently decided - since it's so thick - to see what would happen if I used my cookie scoop to portion the batter out onto a cookie sheet. It bakes up into sweet pumpkin spice cake-like cookies.

Then I had a jar of marshmallow fluff in the cupboard and somehow a knife found its way to the jar and it schmeared some marshmallow fluff onto a cookie.

Heaven.

Yes, the cookie is a bit thick to be considered a whoopie pie, but it works for me!

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Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies

Cake

1 box of spice cake mix

15oz can of pumpkin puree

Filling Ingredients

1 cup shortening

1 jar (7.4 oz) marshmallow fluff

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix the cake mix and pumpkin until thoroughly combined. Do not add any extra ingredients - batter will be very thick.

Use a cookie scoop and drop batter onto cookie sheet.

Bake 15 minutes or until done (a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean).

Remove and cool.

In the bowl of a mixer, combine all filling ingredients and mix until the filling is light and fluffy.

Once the cookies are cool, sandwich a heaping spoonful of filling in between two cakes.

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Makes 15 whoopie pies | 10 Weight Watchers PointsPlus

Pumpkin Spice Rice Pudding

2013-10-09T07:41:00.000-04:00

Know what my sweet downfall is?

Creamy. Anything creamy.

I love puddings and cheesecakes and desserts made out of whipped cream. Remember Dirt? Did your mom ever make it for you? My mom made it on special occasions. It's ground Oreos, chocolate pudding, and Cool Whip mixed together with gummy worms hidden inside. I could eat a whole bowl of it.

We never had rice pudding growing up. Not sure why...probably because we didn't eat rice too often and when we did, we'd eat it all up. I had my bestie over for dinner the other night and made rice to go along with a dish. There was plenty left over and I didn't feel like eating it "as is." I hunted through the fridge and found a leftover can of pumpkin puree, and figured...let's go for it. Pumpkin Rice Pudding was born. It's a warm, comforting, autumn dessert. You could also eat it for breakfast - not like I did that or anything.

Quick note to my friends doing Weight Watchers: I made this recipe with 1 PointsPlus homemade coconut milk. I ran other milks through the recipe builder including skim, 1%, 2%, and unsweetened almond milk, and the PointsPlus values did not change. If half of a cup doesn't sound like enough to you, try bulking it up by stirring in a diced pear - so good!

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Pumpkin Rice Pudding

2 1/2 cups cooked rice
3 cups unsweetened coconut milk (like this)
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2/3 cup agave (maple syrup or honey will work, too)
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 Tlbs vanilla extract
1 Tbls cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, place the pumpkin. Slowly whisk in the coconut milk and agave. Add spices, rice, dried cranberries, and stir. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice has soaked up most of the liquid, around 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

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Makes 12, 1/2 cup servings | 4 Weight Watchers PointsPlus

...or...

Makes 6, 1 cup servings | 7 Weight Watchers PointsPlus

Love Take Me Over

2013-10-04T10:12:00.002-04:00

Sometimes, I get so caught up in the doing, the lists, the getting-things-accomplished that the right side of my brain starves. I start to consider the list, the what-needs-to-get-done, more important than people.

Last year, around my surgery, I promised myself I would be different.

I promised myself I'd spend more time listening to people and paying attention to them.

I promised myself I wouldn't let the to-do list overwhelm my need to love others.

The other day, I had a "promise check" when I actually wished someone would leave me alone and not tell me their happy news because I had things that needed to get done.

I was choosing things over people again. I had to stop to course correct my attitude.

I turned away from what I was doing and focused solely on what the person was saying. You know what the other person said after our conversation? "Thanks for listening - I really appreciate it."

One thing I've learned about people is they just want to be heard. They want to know someone is listening and that someone cares about them.

I think our greatest need is to know and feel love. I'm not talking romance; I'm talking genuine love is a verb, an action kind of love. It's love that listens, that pays attention, that says "You're more important to me than anything - including this phone call, this Facebook alert that popped up on my cell, anything." That's the kind of love I'm aiming for in my relationships.

How can I leave someone feeling and being better and knowing that someone cares about them?

If you haven't heard it yet, take a listen to this new song from Steven Curtis Chapman. It's called "Love Take Me Over." Every time the song comes on the radio I make it my "promise check" and my prayer...

So I'm praying, Father, help my heart believe
That right now You're singing over me
And fill me up with Your love

Love, take these words that I'm speaking
Love, take these thoughts that I'm thinking
Love, take me over
Love, fill up all of my space and
Love, come stand right here in my place
Love, hear this prayer that I'm praying
Love, take me, love, take me over

Now... I'm going to go love some people today and not let the list get in the way of doing it!

Shockingly Good Pumpkin Chili

2013-10-03T18:22:00.003-04:00

Seriously. Yes. There's pumpkin in this chili recipe. Why "shockingly good?" Because...who actually expects pumpkin in chili to be good, right?

This is exactly what my family considers "weird" cooking, so I made it and took it into work. They were a little leery about pumpkin in the chili, but it got nothing but big thumbs up. The pumpkin is very subtle and makes the chili very creamy. Plus, it's a nice nutrient boost. It's very hearty, meaty, and filling, and a 1-cup serving is only 4 Weight Watchers PointsPlus. I was ravenous at lunch, so I ate two cups for 9 PointsPlus and it totally hit the spot.

The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a nice, smokey heat. If you've never tried them before, try 'em for this recipe. Just package the rest of the peppers and sauce up in a sandwich baggy and freeze for your next recipe...or for when you make this again.

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Shockingly Good Pumpkin Chili

2lbs of lean ground beef (93/7)
1 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
8oz sliced baby Bella mushrooms
14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
15oz can tomato sauce
15oz canned pumpkin
1 cup water or broth
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, plus one heaping tsp of sauce
2 Tbls chili powder
1 Tbls unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbls cumin
1 Tbls coriander
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cook the ground beef in a large skillet on the stove until it's cooked through. Drain and transfer to a big slow cooker.

Add in remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Alternatively, mix in a big pot and cook over medium heat on the stove for a couple of hours.

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11 servings | 4 Weight Watchers PointsPlus per serving

Slow Cooker Coffee Chuck Roast

2013-09-19T09:14:00.001-04:00

I'm so glad fall is finally here. I've been dying to break out the slow cooker and make some comfort meals! It's just so easy to throw something in it and not think about it for the rest of the day until dinner time.

This is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes. I made it for my friend Mike a couple of Christmases ago as a gift. I used a 4lb roast, quartered it, and placed it inside of slow cooker bag, along with the sliced onions and garlic, which then went inside of a large Christmas tin. I packaged the coffee and soy sauce in a mason jar and the cornstarch went in a snack size baggie. He baked it the next day and his family loved it.

Heads up: this makes the house smell super ridiculously AMAZING.

Slow Cooker Coffee Chuck Roast
recipe from Taste of Home

1 2lb organic, grass-fed chuck roast*
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup brewed coffee
1/4 cup soy sauce or soy sauce substitute (coconut aminos, tamari, etc)
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 Tbls water

Place onions in bottom of slow cooker. Top with beef. Spread minced garlic on beef, and sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper. Combine coffee and soy sauce; pour over beef. Cook on high, 4-6 hours, or low, 6-8 hours, or until tender.

Combine cornstarch and water; stir into juices. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until gravy is thickened.

* If using a larger roast, double the onions and garlic, halve the roast, and layer the onions, garlic and beef. Keep liquid the same.

Dear Mrs. Eiermann

2013-08-20T20:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Mrs. Eiermann,

Since today is GratiTuesday and it's also the week teachers go back to school, Jack (my radio show partner) and I are talking about teachers we are grateful for. I never told you, but I’m grateful for you. To be honest, you scared me a little; you seemed really stern. I remember you put quite an emphasis on sitting up straight at our desks and writing neatly. You had beautiful penmanship. I remember wanting to have penmanship like yours. As a matter of fact, I compared all other teachers handwriting to yours, and you always won.

It’s not until this very moment that I’ve realized what an incredibly difficult job you had teaching second grade in 1988. I’m sure you remember that year. It was the year Brandon, your student and my classmate, and his little brother were murdered by their mother who was suffering from severe bipolar disorder. I remember Brandon’s mom coming to school to pick him up to go to a “doctor’s appointment.” You were a little surprised, but Brandon grabbed his stuff and left. That was the last time we saw him. The next morning, I remember you standing, welcoming us as we came in, hugging us. You looked like you had been crying, and you had been. Some of the kids were also crying because – like me – we saw it on the morning news. You explained, through your own tears, that Brandon wasn’t with us anymore. You hadn’t even come to grips with your own grief and here you were explaining to a class of eight year olds what happened to their friend. I remember the play our class put on for the school and the little story I wrote about Brandon’s always messy desk. I remember planting a tree on the Relay Elementary School grounds in Brandon’s honor. I’m sure you were involved in organizing all those things.

I’ve never said it before, and I’m not sure you’re even alive or if I've spelled your name right, but thank you. Thank you for being tender with this group of seven and eight year olds. Thank you for trying to help us navigate our grief while you were navigating your own. Thank you for being strong for us. I’m sure you’ve wondered if you did okay that year, if you were able to help us through that, and I want you to know you did. I hope we were able to help you through that hard year too - maybe with our laughter, smiles, and frequent potty breaks. As Jack and I celebrate the teachers we are grateful for, I want you to know how grateful I am for you.

Love,

Erin

...that slightly neurotic, perfectionist, shy little girl who has better posture and handwriting because of you...

What Motivation Looks Like

2013-07-04T09:54:00.001-04:00

"Daddy, is Mommy still coming?" the little girl questioned her dad.

The Arbutus Firecracker 10K can be brutal; the hills, plus July heat and humidity makes for an exhausting 6.2 miles. Even I was feeling a little anxious for them as the minutes ticked on without another runner in sight. I had cheered and clapped for all the runners, and if it wasn't for this father/daughter, I would have thought all the runners were through. I decided to stick with them because the last runner deserves a cheering section like the first runners - maybe even a little more.

The dad assured his daughter Mommy was coming. We chatted about Mom's typical pace and figured out she'd be coming any moment now. Sure enough, we saw Mom's head bobbing over the hill. The little girl squealed, "Here comes Mommy!" She ran up the sidewalk and held up the sign she made. Mommy's pace picked up when she saw her husband and daughter. She kept moving, slowing down enough so they could take her picture, and then kept right on moving.

I don't know what Mommy's final time was but I know this:

Perseverance should be her middle name

She is deeply loved my her husband and daughter, and her family is so proud of her

Her daughter wants to run with Mommy one day

She is showing by example that health is important to her and her family

She showed me that I can do the 10K too - just focus on running my best race and don't worry about comparing my ability to the people leading the pack

Thanks for the reminder and being such a great example, "Mommy." You did your family proud and inspired this girl to stop saying, "Maybe I'll think about doing the 10K next year" and say instead, "I'm DOING the Arbutus Firecracker 10K next year."

Asian Peanut Penne

2013-06-27T10:39:00.000-04:00

Branching out this morning and deciding to try something different for lunch!

I picked up a box of gluten free brown rice pasta. I haven't had too much success with gluten free pastas. It seems like the noodles turn to mush fast. I discovered cooking them one minute below the instructions on the box seems to be curing that issue.

Asian Peanut Penne

...Mix...
2 cups cooked, cooled penne (4oz dry)
2 cups broccoli slaw mix (with red cabbage and shredded carrots)
4 scallions sliced diagonal

...In a separate bowl whisk...
1 1/2 Tbls natural peanut butter
1 1/2 Tbls Tamari (soy sauce)
1 1/2 Tbls sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbls lime juice
2 Tbls water
1 tsp agave
1 small clove garlic, minced

Stir all together and enjoy! Makes four 1-cup servings - 5 Weight Watchers Points Plus per serving.

Real vs. Fake

2013-06-04T09:38:00.000-04:00

Many times when I exercise outdoors I see this...

Heart shaped leaves and twig crosses are my little love notes from God. They're always dropped perfectly in my path. I never have to search for them; they're just there.

This morning, I saw this...

If I looked hard enough, I could see a tiny indent on the leaf that could possibly count as a heart. The twigs are together and if I nudged the twigs just so, they'd form a cross. But you don't have to be a genius to see that this leaf and two little twigs are pale imitations of the "real" ones I've been given so many times. The leaf has a little indent, but it isn't really a heart. The twigs are together, but definitely don't form a cross.

Sometimes, when we are vulnerable, dry, or thirsty, we want to grab ahold of the first thing that will quench the thirst. We'll settle for something close to the real thing because we want it to be real. We're parched for whatever that thing is. But I believe God gives us the real thing enough times for us to know the truth, so we can't be deceived. Satan is the master of illusion and deception. He has the ability to make something look real and genuine, but if you know the real thing, you can tell where the master illusionist has gone wrong in his deceptive recreation.

My heart wanted to grab on to the feelings and emotions of receiving my little love notes from God. It's been a while since I've had a heart shaped leaf or a twig cross, primarily because I haven't been exercising outdoors (or exercising much at all, but that's a story for another day). God gave me a gift greater than a heart shaped leaf or a twig cross on my walk today; He showed me how to be alert, to really look for Him, and not to settle or be enticed by cheap imitations of His gift. He showed me to always grab ahold of the truth.

No matter how badly you want something, no matter how thirsty you get, never trick yourself or allow yourself to be tricked into settling for less than God's best for you. The more time you spend with the Author of perfection, the easier it will be to spot the imitation things that pale in comparison to the real, best thing.

How To Get Clean FAST After The Color Run

2013-05-20T06:55:00.000-04:00

The Color Run 5K... it's all about fun and happy... but at some point you've got to get clean! My friends and I were completely covered in color - even under our clothes!

Somehow, a TON of blue landed on me.

It looked like someone had swung and hit me with a Smurf. Even my feet were covered in blue. I have no idea how it got in my shoes and through my socks!

The question is... how do you get clean afterwards?

The Color Run does provide some suggestions on how to get clean post race, but we didn't find it very helpful, so I thought I'd share what worked for me and what didn't.

Before beginning the race, here are some things you might want to do:

- Bring an old towel to cover the seats in your car. The powder WILL get all over them.

- Put your phone in a sandwich bag to keep the color from staining your case or getting into the fine cracks.

- If you have light colored hair, put some coconut oil in your hair to keep the color from absorbing...unless you want multi-colored hair! My friend Megan has blonde hair and still ended up with a light pink tinge to her hair for a few days afterwards.

We brought baby wipes along so we could clean up right away. While that helped to remove the loose powder, it didn't remove the staining. My friends and I were a little concerned at that point. Someone mentioned baby oil would help remove the color. I decided to take the idea of the oil and combine it with some brown sugar and honey for a scrub, but the idea didn't pan out at all. The coconut oil just made my bath tub greasy. The bar of natural soap wasn't doing it.

Not going to lie, I was starting feel a bit panicked. If an exfoliant wouldn't get this out...what would??

But then I wondered... would conventional shampoo work?

It contains sodium laureth sulfate, a chemical that is used as a degreaser in garages and strips color (according to my hair stylist). It's very strong stuff and the reason I don't use conventional shampoo anymore. This bottle happened to belong to a family member, so I stole some from them - shhhhh!

I squirted some Suave on a washcloth, rubbed it where the color was, and the minute the shampoo hit the color, the color dissolved! Amazing... and scary at the same time.

Imagine what this does to your hair - especially if your hair is color treated!

Within 60 minutes, I was 100% clean. Even my nails and hands, which were virtually black from all the colors muddling together and looked like they would be permanently stained, look normal. My nails aren't stained at all. I do recommend having a nail brush or some kind of brush on hand just so you can get it off of your feet. Shampoo with sodium laureth sulfate is very drying, so a little bit of coconut oil as a "lotion" afterwards helped restore the moisture.

That's it - shockingly simple. I've heard horror stories of people who lived with stained arms, legs, and faces for days. Make sure you have a bottle of shampoo with sodium laureth sulfate on hand, and you should be good to go!

The Color Run Is FUN!

2013-05-19T20:58:00.000-04:00

This morning, my friends Tiffanie, Megan, and I went to National Harbor in Washington, D.C., for The Color Run 5K. Oh my goodness...if you've been thinking about doing The Color Run... do it! The Color Run says it's the "Happiest 5K," and it really is. All the volunteers were happy, positive, and fun. Everyone there to race was in a great mood and ready to have a fun time. The Color Run is definitely a race for all ages - kids to young at heart - and we saw all ages represented.

We knew it was about to be a ridiculously awesome experience when a unicorn emerged from the crowd. I could have died with excitement. I heart unicorns.

Be prepared for a ridiculous mass of people. The earlier you get there, the better. We managed to get in the second wave and they started things a little early since there were so many people. There was an emcee at the front of the line, music was pumping, volunteers were randomly raining The Color Run bracelets and magnets into the crowd, so it really made the wait at the start line seem minimal.

Along the race route are "color zones." When you run through a color zone, volunteers squirt you with colored food-grade cornstarch. I wore a pair of sunglasses to protect my eyes from the powder and found myself pulling my shirt up over my nose because it made it easier to breathe through some of the zones. Staying in the middle of the color zone meant that we didn't get as much color on us as we wanted, so we made sure to get close to the edge where volunteers were "colorizing" participants.

This isn't a timed race - it's all about fun! Lots of people were taking pictures of themselves after each color zone, rolling around in the color at each zone - think FUN. Make sure to put your phone in a plastic baggy to protect it. Also, if you love your phone's case, consider swapping it out for a cheap one or going without the case. The color will seep into the case. I went cover free on my phone and it got a bit dusty, but it's completely fine. I also brought a plastic baggy for it just in case and didn't use it at all.

Isn't this sweet?? These two ladies (mom and daughter, maybe?) made these signs to encourage the runners/walker.

Lots of people piled near the finish line to high five and cheer everyone on in the final stretch.

We were handed bottles of water, free Slurpees, and bars from KIND. But The Color Run kept the party going by having a "color toss" party. Everyone was given a packet of color in their race packet (included in the race packet was also a shirt, bib number and safety pins, The Color Run tattoo, and entry wristband), and we tossed our color in the air at the same time...and got covered in even more color. SOOOO MUCH FUN!!!

My friends and I had a GREAT experience at the The Color Run and would totally do it again! Big kudos to the workers and volunteer crews who made it such a fun experience. It really is the "happiest 5K!"

Trying to figure out how in the world to wash all the color off after The Color Run and not be stained for days? Click here and I'll tell you what I used and how I got 100% clean in less than an hour in the shower using one bath item to make it happen.