Andrea's Diet Whirled

New Location

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:05:00 +0000

After much consideration, I've decided to close my blogs, reorganize and reopen them in a single format. Please visit me at http://www.andreainblue.com.

Thanks!

Journal - 9/29/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:39:00 +0000

Breakfast - 6.5 points

1.25 cups Vanilla Almond Breeze - 2.5 pts
1.25 cups coffee - 0 pts
1 cup Peace Cereal Raspberry Ginger Low Fat Crisp - 4 pts

Lunch - 10 points
Had planned to have a more substantial lunch but I had to prep for a meeting. Since I was woefully unprepared, I worked through and snagged a bean burrito I had stashed in the fridge over the weekend.

Bean & veggie burrito - 7 pts
Apple - 1 pt
Baby carrots w/ dill dip - 2 pts

Dinner - 20 Points

Miso glazed salmon - 8 pts
Sticky rice - 4 pts
Oven roasted potato wedges - 6 pts
Steamed broccoli w/ginger sauce - 2 pts

Evening Snack - 1 pt

Herbal tea with almond milk - 1 pt

H20: 72 oz

Summary - 37.5 Used/44 Allowed
Fell short on points. Had a rough day though so I'm not really sweating it. I'm happy just to have not gone completely off.

MIA yet again!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:38:00 +0000

I was OP these past few days but completely neglected to journal. During those days, I could feel my resolve starting to slip. Need to get back on it! I've already started today's entry...

Journal - 9/23/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Breakfast - 15 points

1.5 cups Peace Cereals Raspberry Ginger Low Fat Crisp - 5.5 pts
1/8 Honeydew melon - 1 pt
1/4 cup Fresh pineapple - .5 pt
1 cup Vanilla Almond Breeze - 2 pts
2 pieces breakfast sausage - 6 pts

Morning Snack - 2 points

Panda Black Licorice Bar- 2 pts

Lunch - 9 points
Picked up the wrap from a local vegetarian deli & health food store's ready to go case. The label on the container said that it contained vegan soy chicken, veganaise, roasted red pepper sauce, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, soy cheese and spring mix salad. I did notice there was also corn in there. Ate half the wrap and wrapped the other half for lunch tomorrow. The point value is a guess based upon what I know of the ingredients. Also bought some Thai chips but will save them for tomorrow since I caved this morning and ate the two pieces of sausage. The Cadbury Crunchy is courtesy of a swap partner. (Thanks, NicKilty!) I love myself some Crunchie bars.

1/2 vegan chicken tex mex wrap - 4 pts
Cadbury Crumble candy bar - 5 pts

Dinner - 17 Points

BBQ baked chicken breast - 5 pts
Steamed broccoli - 0 pts
Sauteed bok choy w/ ginger sauce - 2 pts
Mashed potatoes - 4 pts
Apple slices - 1 pt
Espresso panna cotta - 5 pts

Evening Snack - 1 pt

Tea with almond milk - 1 pt

H20: 64 oz

Summary - 44 Used/44 Allowed

Journal - 9/22/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:09:00 +0000

I was on program over the weekend... but is was SO hectic that I didn't write anything in my blog journal. I have an ocular migraine right now and think I might just skip those two days and jump back on today.

Breakfast - 13 points
I'm so ashamed of my breakfast. (Kel, if you read this, please don't judge me! I had a moment of weakness.) I slept late after working last night until all hours. I've had a wicked bad migraine for the last few days and didn't want to deal with much. Grabbed a McGriddle on my way to work. I vow to do better for the rest of the week.

McDonald's McGriddle - 10 pts
Hash Browns - 3 pts

Morning Snack - 2 points

Banana - 2 pts

Lunch - 5 points
Quick working lunch!

Fiber cereal - 2 pts
Applesauce - 1 pt
Veggie burger - 2 pts

Afternoon Snack - 6 points
Had Stitch n' Bitch after work so I am counting my latte as the afternoon snack.

White Chocolate Raspberry latte - 6 pts

Dinner - 18 Points
SO good. Tossed some cooked rigatoni in a saute pan with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, some peppers & onions, a bit of hot & sweet Italian sausage and a few shavings of Parmesan to finish. Pity I didn't take a picture. It looked as good as it tasted.

Rigatoni w/ sausage & peppers - 16 pts
Steamed broccoli - 0 pts
White grapes - 2 pts

H20: 72 oz

Summary - 44 Used/44 Allowed

Journal - 9/19/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:09:00 +0000

Breakfast - 3 points

Bran cereal - 2 pts
Organic applesauce - 1 pt
Peach - 1 pt

Morning Snack - 1.5 points
Snagged the last banana in the breakroom. Can you believe that some jack@ss is stealing my nanners? The boss keeps all manner of snack stuff for everyone, though none of it is WW friendly. So of course they have to take MY food. I'm going to booby trap my next bunch to blow their fingers off. So if I disappear for a while it is probably because I'm in jail. (Ok, I'm kidding. I don't know how to booby trap bananas. But maybe if I watch more Burn Notice episodes, I'll learn how...)

Banana - 1.5 pts

Lunch - 10 points

Turkey and veggie wrap on whole wheat wrap - 10 pts
Peach - 1 pt

Afternoon Snack - 6 points

Caramel Latte - 6 pts

Dinner - 22 Points
I dropped some things off at one of our clients, a local diner. The owner gave me a piece of chocolate cake to take home with me. Nom!

Roast Beef - 10 pts
Chopped vegetable salad w/ bleu cheese crumbles - 2 pts
Chocolate cake - 10 pts

H20: 64 oz

Summary - 42.5 Used/44 Allowed

Journal - 9/18/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:24:00 +0000

Breakfast - 0 points
No breakfast! Very naughty! It was a crazy day and I had to hit the ground running from the moment I got up.

Lunch - 7.5 points
A quick lunch on my way to a doc appt.

Chicken soft tacos - 6.5 pts
Apple slices - 1 pt

Afternoon Snack - 6 points
Stopped for a latte on my way back from the doc. Really hit the spot. I love the way a bit of caramel tastes in a latte.

Iced Caramel Latte - 6 pts

Dinner - 14 Points

Grilled chicken breast w/ BBQ sauce - 7 pts
Oven roasted potatoes - 4 pts
Steamed veggies w/ ginger sauce - 3 pts

Evening Snack - 8 pts
I'm really getting into almond milk. At first, I wasn't so sure about it but I'm hooked now. I had a cup of Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice and it hit the spot.

Tea with almond milk and honey - 2 pts
Coffee ice cream - 6 pts

H20: 108 oz

Summary - 35.5 Used/44 Allowed
Was a little short on points but oh well. Had a crazy day.

Journal - 9/17/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:56:00 +0000

Breakfast - 18 points
Met a friend for breakfast at a small mom n' pop diner. None of the selections were particularly healthful but they were delicious!

Small lean steak with grilled onions - 7 pts
Scrambled eggs - 4 pts
Bagel - 4 pts
Hash browns - 3 pts

Lunch - 6.5 points

Chicken soft tacos - 6.5 pts
Baby carrots - 0 pts
Salad of chopped veggies - 0 pts

Dinner - 19.5 Points
Met a friend for dinner... good carne asada! The fresh salsa was amazing. I put it all over everything. Nom nom nom.

Carne asada - 10 pts
Black beans & a bit of rice - 3.5 pts
A ton of fresh salsa - 0 pts
Salad of chopped veggies - 0 pts
Fruit salad with a dollop of vanilla creme fraiche - 6 pts

H20: 72 oz

Summary - 44 Used/44 Allowed
Good day for the most part. Right now I'm just trying to stay OP until I can get to the grocery store on Saturday morning and get provisions in order!

Journal - 09/16/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:38:00 +0000

Breakfast - 15 pts

Breakfast on the go! I woke up starving, which is unusual for me. I'm usually not hungry until later in the day.

Onion Bagel - 6 pts
Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese - 4 points
Latte - 5 pts

Lunch - 6.5 pts
One of the selections from my frozen entree stash in the office freezer. I'm not big on frozen entrees under ordinary circumstances. (Crazy amounts of sodium and the control freak in me prefers to know exactly what goes into my meals.) This selection illustrates why. It was edible. That's about all I have to say about that. I'm typing this 5 minutes after finishing it and I'm still wicked hungry.

Lean Cuisine Fiesta Grilled Chicken - 5 pts
Banana - 1.5 pt

Dinner - 22 points
Scrounged up some dinner from bits and pieces in the freezer and pantry. All-in-all, it was really good. Dinner had kind of a picnic vibe. The Greek yogurt was excellent with a bit of lemon curd drizzled over it.

Chicken breast baked in BBQ sauce - 8 pts
Mashed potatoes - 3 pts
Huge pile of shredded cabbage with vinaigrette, chopped apple, golden raisins - 3 pts
Greek yogurt with lemon curd - 8 pts

Summary

Total Points Used: 43.5/44 Allowed

The day was so-so. I was really hungry much of it. Need to get in more veggies throughout the day and also need to work in the 'healthy oil' requirement. Did well on water and dairy today.

Journal - 9/15/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Breakfast - 10.5 points
I am not a fan of drinking one's calories... but my first day back on program was woefully unprepared. I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some things for quick eating in the office and wound up grabbing this protein smoothie. We'll see how it goes this AM. I'm a jittery mess if I don't start the day out with plenty of protein.

Naked Juice Protein Zone Smoothie - 9 pts
(Verdict on the smoothie: ugh. Won't be getting this one again. It didn't taste bad; it had a tropical orange-y kick to it. But the protein powder gave it a gritty consistency that was reminiscent of those awful diet shake powders. If I go this route again, I'll get an Odwalla protein smoothie. The last one I had from them was nice and smooth.)
Banana - 1.5 pt

Morning Snack - 2.5 points
I had a weak moment and cut a little piece of the cherry danish bar thingie that I put in the breakroom for Boss Man and Warehouse Boy. My own fault. I shouldn't have picked it up for them. The lack of bulk in my breakfast meant I was hungry by around 10:00.

Small piece of cherry danish bar thingie - 2.5 pts

Lunch - 10 points
I stocked the freezer at the office with a few frozen entrees so I'll have something quick and convenient. This bowl from Amy's is a little high on points but one of the quickie meals I enjoy the most. I've done something like this at home.

Amy's Mexican Casserole Bowl - 10 pts

Dinner - 18 Points
I had an extremely late night at the office. Didn't feel like making anything when I got home so after scanning some fast point points options, I stopped at Taco Bell and picked up some Taco's. I had 19 points left for the day. I'm not particularly proud of my dinner... but it worked in a pinch. I'll spend some time Tuesday evening planning out the next few days.

5 fresco style chicken ranchero soft tacos - 18 pts

H20: 96 oz

Summary - 42.5 Used/44 Allowed
Yup. Experienced WWers can tell from my allowed points balance that I am a big girl. We all start from somewhere though.

Anyhoo... I did drink plenty of water, so I'm good there. Not so good on the dairy, multivitamin, healthy oils and activity. I spent most of the day working on a huge project at work. Tomorrow is another day! The protein smoothie from the morning had several servings of fruit at least.

Back in the Saddle

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:41:00 +0000

After a self-imposed exile from Weight Watchers, I'm back in the fold.

The decision was an easy one. I've been so crazy busy lately that structure in my diet has been hard won. I feel like I'm in a place to get what I need out of WW so I'm going to give it a go. I'm doing WW Online, as I really don't get anything out of the meetings anymore. Don't get me wrong, the leader at the center where I used to attend is a doll. I enjoy her meetings but I don't walk out all fired up and excited about the week to come. WWO will save me some $$$ in the long run and still give me some structure.

So without any further ado... here we go!

A Sneaky Weigh-In

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:35:00 +0000

I had previously decided that I was only going to weigh myself once a week. Just for giggles, I stepped on the scale. I was a little thrilled to see that I'm down 9 pounds since I started my new plan on Saturday. I'm sure most of it was water weight but I'm starting to feel a little better in general, so that's something.

PS... I'm pretty sure my boss thinks I'm a little freaky for taking pictures of my lunch when I eat at my desk. Oddly enough, this makes me want to carry my camera around and take pictures of other objects of daily living when he's around.

Lunch - 7/29/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:58:00 +0000

The Pioneer Woman has a knack for posting things that I want to eat. Her delicious looking veggie bagel sandwich spurned me to throw together the below for my lunch at work.

Ummm... wow. Not quite as pretty as hers, was it? In my defense it was a quickie improv deal. What you see is an Alternative bagel sandwiching some Boar's Head turkey breast, loads of baby spinach, a slice of the smoothest smoked gouda and a little bit of Annie's honey mustard.

It was good. But I still hear the call of the Pioneer Woman's veggie bagel!

Lunch!!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:39:00 +0000

I was out and about on my lunch hour and decided to stop by a nearby bakery that specializes in gluten-free products. They've expanded their grocery section and have also added a deli. I picked up this veggie wrap, a cup of yogurt made from coconut milk and some Totally Thai flavored Kettle chips.

The Verdict? The wrap really hit the spot. It was a little overpriced and totally something that I could have done at home. But it was quick and all organic. It was packed full with spinach, micro greens, red onion, tomato, fresh corn and a healthy dollop of guacamole. (And I love myself some guacamole.) I was really curious about their millet tortillas and found that I really like them a lot. They didn't get soggy at all. Of course, Kettle Chips are among my favorite chips ever. I do prefer the Jamaican Jerk chips but the Totally Thai are good also.

The coconut milk yogurt was new to me. I'm not much of a yogurt aficionado so I had never sought out dairy free alternatives. I decided to try the So Delicious Passion Fruit Mange yogurt after reading a glowing review on Vegan Lunch Box. The texture wasn't quite as creamy as dairy yogurt but it was still a nice addition to lunch. Had the good yogurt cultures in it, too. I ate it as I worked so I had it both cold and nearly room temp. It is much better icy cold.

*More thoughts on vegetarianism, dairy and other fun stuff coming!

Sunday Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:05:00 +0000

My theme this weekend has been controlled decadence and Sunday dinner was no exception. What you see below is a medium-rare beef filet, a strawberry-spinach salad and a few crash hot potatoes. All delicious and a nice way to end a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The filet was seasoned simply with a little kosher salt, white pepper and some garlic. Tossed it in a hot pan for 3.5 a side and it was done perfectly. The salad was a simple one. Baby spinach leaves topped with cut strawberries. I added a nice vinaigrette after taking the picture. The crash hot potatoes recipe came from The Pioneer Woman Cooks blog. The only variation that I used was to cut down on the olive oil by using an oil mister. It worked perfectly and the potatoes were perfectly golden-crispy.

Further Culinary Misadventures

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:53:00 +0000

Ask any foodie in the Northern Orlando area where to go for good meats and specialty items and Petty's Meat Market is bound to be mentioned in the conversation. Located just a hop west of I-4 on 434 in Longwood, it's a convenient place to get gooooood things. And for those of you so inclined, they also have beer on tap. You can help yourself to a glass and sip while you shop. If you're in the area around lunchtime, consider stopping in to check out their sandwiches. I highly recommend their roast beef and brie.

To cap off my day of Culinary Misadventure, I decided to get my dinner from Petty's. I figured they'd be hopping on a Friday night but it was pretty quiet, probably due to being relatively close to closing and the t-storm that had just cleared. Much of the deli had been shut down for the evening but that didn't stop me from getting some truly excellent pea salad and an antipasto salad. A quick hop by their meat counter scored a Parma stuffed chicken breast. (Chicken breast stuffed with red peppers, Parma ham, provolone and herbs.) For dessert, I picked up one of their mini peanut butter cup cakes.

And was it worth it? Oh yes. A thousand times, yes! It was an expensive dinner but I enjoyed it SO much more than just grabbing a quick fast food dinner somewhere.

Field Report from a Day of Culinary Misadventure

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:20:00 +0000

Lunch: Ropa Vieja with black beans/rice and plantains from a neighborhood Cuban joint. Mmm.... only wish I had thought this out a little better so I could share a picture.

A Day of Culinary Misadventure

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:03:00 +0000

Tomorrow is the day, y'all. I'm re-dedicating myself to healthy eating/living and it all begins tomorrow. (I had actually planned to do this about a month and a half ago but it was admitted a half-assed attempt. I just wasn't in the right place.) And I'm even going to start weighing myself. After many months of not caring what number showed up, I'm finally interested in getting it down to a more healthy level. I have a feeling that I'm going to be a little shocked when I see what I currently weigh. But that's life. The journey of a thousand miles and the single step and all that.

So today... Today is my official day of Culinary Misadventure. It began with a leftover Italian Beef submarino from Fazoli's and was continued with a caramel latte from Dunkin Donuts. I have no clue what lunch will entail but I've got some rather grandiose ideas for dinner. I'll post field reports as the day progresses.

My only wish is that I had thought of making an event of this a little earlier. Today won't be the ideal bad day but I'm sure I can enjoy myself nonetheless.

Anyone still out there reading this? What would your perfect day of Culinary Misadventure be?

Cattail Fried Rice

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:35:00 +0000

I was excited when I found out that the organic farm where I've been buying veggies announced they would start selling cattail shoots. I'm always game to try something new and ordered a pound.

I was surprised to find that they smell like cucumber. They also taste similar to a cuke except they have a mild peppery taste. I followed a recipe given to me by the lady running the farm. Cattail Fried Rice. Very simple. Chopped cattails, shallots, rice, sesame oil, cayenne powder, garlic and soy sauce. I also added some egg for a little protein.

It wasn't bad. It didn't leave me as blissfully happy as the passion fruit last night, but it wasn't bad at all. The cattails added a nice little something. But, to be honest, I think I would have been just as happy by adding some bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. And I wish that I had added some extra veggies for taste, color and texture.

At the end of the day, it was just a nice fried rice. EXCEPT... bad things happen to girls who get a little heavy-handed with the cayenne powder.

An Afternoon of Indulgence

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:10:00 +0000

Today has been a day of indulgence for me. I've spent most of the day knitting and relaxing. When it came time to eat, I had a tough time choosing between the goodies I brought home yesterday. Here's what won out.

Guacamole. Oh, guacamole. Rich and creamy, yet fresh and crisp at the same time. I like to keep my guacamole simple. Avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a dash of salt. I do sometimes throw in a handful of chopped red onion. I don't typically measure quantities, usually going by taste.

I usually use Haas avocados but the organic farm where I've been buying produce had a slightly different variety. It was more yellow, a little less creamy and a little more moist. Still excellent though. Everything that went into the guacamole (with the exception of the salt) was grown organically within 10 miles of my home. I love that.

(I know I have several WWers following this blog. If you're doing the Core plan, guacamole is on program. Otherwise, following this recipe, it would be 2 pts per serving.)

Onto indulgence #2. When I've gone to pick up my fruits n' veggies, I've mentioned to Nize, the owner, that I love to try new things. She offered me a few passion fruit. I've had passion fruit in prepared foods before. Passion fruit mousse, a time or two. Drinks with passion fruit in them. But I've never before had an actual passion fruit. She added two to my bags.

I gave them some careful consideration. I thought that, like the guacamole, I'd keep it simple. I poured the pulp from an entire fruit over a few scoops of really good vanilla ice cream.

Don't be fooled by the picture below. It may not look like much but it reminded me exactly how good simple food can be. How could I have forgotten something that basic? It was just a perfect dessert. The tart tang of the passion fruit melted into the sweet creaminess of the ice cream. Oh, it was bliss.

The ice cream was a caloric splurge. In the future, I plan to try to make a naturally lower fat mousse. I think a spoonful or two, along with a few raspberries, would be excellent over some Greek yogurt. Perhaps I'll also try this recipe for Tropical Fruit Champagne Granita.

But for now... I go to bed content.

Goodness in my Fridge...

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:36:00 +0000

This morning I picked up my second order from the local organic farm where I've started buying produce. Take a look at the loveliness below! And this is only around half of it. I'm so excited about this. I've got lots of old favorites and also some new things to try.

Sweet and hot peppers and tomatoes...

Peppers, okra, avocadoes, tomatoes and cattail shoots. (Yes, cattails! I'm planning to make fried rice with them.) In the upper right hand corner, you'll see a plastic baggy with lentil sprouts. In the back left, you'll see green herbs that include rosemary, parsley, a few different kinds of mint, basil, chives and cilantro.

A slightly different view of the above, with a better shot of the sprouts and also a few passion fruit.

Here are more of the cattails and a Brazilian squash of some kind.

From the organic place, I also got onions, scallions, salad greens and a dozen free range organic eggs. I did also stop by a nearby produce market to get some fruit, which I've been craving. Nectarines, grapes and cherries.

Mmm... stay tuned for a review of my cattail fried rice!

Today is the first day, etc, etc...

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:10:00 +0000

Today is the first day... yatta, yatta, yatta.

I've spent a lot of time over the last few weeks thinking about diets and food... and what I'm going to do about them. Since I left Weight Watchers, I've been not following any program in particular. I've considered various programs, read about them. I've read books on nutrition, diets and weight loss. Nothing has really clicked.

I have to be perfectly honest. I've really been enjoying not dieting. Not obsessing over very point, gram or exchange. It was really liberating to finally let it go and not let food be the primary focus in my life. HOWEVER... it has come to me that I have to do something about it. I'm not happy being overweight. My back hurts. My knees hurt. My ego hurts.

The solution? I've just decided to treat myself better and to make my own well-being more of a priority. I know what I need to do and, as usual, I've been over-complicating things of late. Rather than letting a book dictate what I do, I'm going to listen to my own body and try to eat more intuitively. I know how to cook healthfully. I was raised eating whole foods and learned what to do from an early age. I've just been allowing myself to indulge in junk as a salve for other wounds.

Through localharvest.org, I found a local small farmer who sells organic produce and free range eggs. I picked up my first order a few days ago and that one visit inspired me more than any diet book, program or guru. The woman running the farm just radiated health and happiness. She really drew me in and, for the first time in a long time, I am excited about good food. Is that part of what she's selling? If so, I'm definitely buying.

I wound up buying kale, rosemary, eggs, salad greens, rhubarb and scallions. What really stood out to me was the salad mix though. Is this gorgeous? She mixes edible flowers in with the greens. It is almost too pretty to eat. Almost!

Dinner tonight made use of the kale and the rosemary. This is Kale and White Bean soup, from a recipe found on epicurious.com. So good. The recipe called for a Parmigiano-Reggiano rind. A trip to my neighborhood grocery store did yield a rind but it did come at a premium. Worth it? Oh my, yes. It gave the soup a really lovely flavor. I would definitely make this one again. I'm looking forward to having some for lunch tomorrow. Most of the reviews mentioned that it was even better a day or two later.

Mmmm!

We've lost a hero.

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:16:00 +0000

I've started many, many posts over the last several months and never managed to finish and post any of them. I always had a underlying feeling of guilt about it... I need to make care of myself more of a priority. It just seems like there is always so much going on.

And then... something happens and it makes you realize that all the things that are just SO IMPORTANT, in the grand scheme of things, really aren't.

Today we’ve lost a hero.

Irena Sendler passed away this morning at 8:00 am CEST in Warsaw, Poland.

For those of you who’ve never heard the name, Irena was a relatively unsung heroine of the Holocaust. As a part of the resistance, she saved over 2500 children by smuggling them out of the Warsaw Ghetto and giving them new identities. She wrote their old and new names down on lists that she buried in a garden in hopes of reuniting families after the war was over. She was eventually captured, severely beaten and sentenced to death. Through a bribe to a guard, the underground helped her escape where she continued her work in hiding.

I’ve been privileged enough to be involved with a group here in the States that makes presentations to raise awareness about Irena and others. For additional information on Irena or the Life in a Jar project, please visit http://www.irenasendler.org.

Getting behind!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:13:00 +0000

I'm getting behind in posting my daily journals! I'll have them up shortly, probably on Saturday. It has been a busy week!

Food Journal - 1/4/2008

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea in Blue) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 01:29:00 +0000

I've been a little fascinated with pouch cooking lately. I threw something together last night that was decent but probably not something I'd repeat exactly. I took a sheet of aluminum foil and put around 2 tbsp of BBQ sauce down. A chicken breast went on top of that, followed by a little more BBQ sauce. I piled shredded potatoes and chopped peppers & onions over it. It was OK but I did under season it. Next time I'll follow Alton Brown's formula for pouch cooking.

	Calories	Fat	Carbohydrates	Protein	Fiber, total dietary	Sodium, Na	Vitamin B-12

Dunkin Donuts Coffee, cream, 1 serving	60	6	2	1	0	15	0
Dunkin Donuts Onion bagel, 1 serving	350	4	66	12	3	660	0
Dunkin Donuts Lite Cream Cheese, 1 serving	130	11	3	5	0	250	0
	540	21	71	18	3	925	0

Whole Wheat Spaghetti, cooked (pasta), 2 cup	347	2	74	15	13	8	0
Boca Italian Sausage, 1 serving	130	6	6	13	1	650	0
Mozzarella Cheese, whole milk, 2 oz	170	13	1	13	0	356	22
Newman's Own Organic Marinara Sauce, 1/2 cup, 2 serving	140	4	24	4	0	1,100	0
	787	24	106	44	14	2,114	22

Chicken Breast, no skin, 1 breast, bone and skin removed	260	3	0	54	0	153	15
KC Masterpiece Classic Blend, 4 tbsp	20	0	4	0	0	820	0
Baked Potato (baked potatoes), 1 potato (2-1/3" x 4-3/4")	145	0	34	3	2	8	0
Onions, raw, 1 medium (2-1/2" dia)	42	0	9	1	2	3	0
Green Peppers (bell peppers), 0.5 cup, strips	19	0	5	1	1	1	0
	485	3	52	59	5	986	15

None
	1,813	49	228	122	22	4,025	36
	1970 - 2320	49 - 86	250 - 361	60 - 194	25 - 35	0 - 2300	100 - 200