What's For Supper Tonight?!

I cannot take credit for this recipe.  I can only take credit for the slicing and dicing and the operation of my crock pot and rice maker.  The rest of it is from kraftcanada.com.  The recipe.  Slow-Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken.

I doubled the recipe because I wanted leftovers for the next couple of days.

Ingredients:
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into strips or chunks
2 Tbsp taco seasoning [like Old El Paso]
2 Tbsp flour
1 green pepper cut into chunks
1 red pepper cut into chunks [I only used red peppers because my tummy is sensitive to green]
1-1/2 cups salsa [I used a Pico de Gayo from Costco]
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup Kraft Tex Mex Shredded Cheese

Directions:

1.  Toss chicken with seasoning and flour in slow cookier.
2.  Stir in all ingredients except cheese.
3.  Cook Low 6-8 hours or High 3-4 hours.
4.  Stir before serving.

Serve over hot cooked rice.  I cooked jasmine rice because it's what I had on hand.  I also used my rice cooker.  Yeah.....so basically I didn't cook any of it!  Top everything with Tex Mex Cheese.

It was really really yummy.  Hubby and I agreed that some black beans would be great in this as well.  There is cilantro in the salsa from Costco so I didn't add any, but you most certainly could.  By doubling the recipe, Hubby and I both had healthy portions plus there is enough left over for 3 more meals!

According to Kraft this recipe is 310 calories but when I put it into MyFitnessPal it came out much less so I've got some tweaking in the app to do!

Anyhow, this was delish and you should try it the next time you have to eat.  *grin*

Dream Intervention

I think two people came together in my dream last night to hold an intervention.  Dieting and weight loss was on my mind because I had received my letter to see a dietitian although I thought it was a nutritionist and it turned out to be a workshop and not a one on one consultation so.....I was upset by it.

In my dream, my school director [Boss really] who has recently lost about 35 pounds and my coworker, Andrea, who has never had to diet in her life I am sure, confronted me about my weight.  Well, actually they were making fun of me.  They'd never actually do that.  They are both good people.  I was really upset with them and stormed off to the bathroom where sitting on the counter was a bowl of cereal.  Go figure.  Oh and the whole thing happened at my parents house.

Dreams are weird.

Today I realized that the Andrea in my dream was only a namesake.  I know another Andrea.  A very creative, loving, pet mama who shares many of my same concerns.  THIS is the Andrea in my dream telling me to get in shape.  Stop being a lazy bones.  Get ready for New York!

Shortly after I got my iPod I downloaded the app, MyFitnessPal.  It is also a website.  I never used it.  I downloaded it because I had noticed my Bosses Mom had also lost a significant amount of weight.  She mentioned the app to me and it just happens to be the same one Andrea mentioned to me about a year ago.  Ugh.  What can I say?  I downloaded it and never opened it.  Funny thing.....it's not going to work until you actually use it.

Well, I finally opened it.  OHMYGOD it's cool.  It keeps track of everything.  You can scan store bought foot via bar code.  You can store your own recipes.  It keeps track of exercise and makes suggestions and yes, it even said, smilingriderfan needs inspiration she hasn't logged in for 3 weeks.

ACK!

I don't know yet if I'm going to attend the dietitian workshop.  It coincides with my work schedule.  I've got to figure that part out.  In the meantime, I'm going to log my food and get a good idea of what I'm eating and then next week I'll add some exercise.  

I've got to do something so people stop showing up in my dreams.

Java & The Human Bean

We usually buy Kirkland Brand coffee from Costco.  It always tastes good.  The last while I've gotten hooked on adding creamers for flavouring.  I know they are calorie rich and full of sugar and fat, but man, they make a cup of coffee taste good.  This morning I had the thought, "If I had my own coffee company I'd make coffee sweet already.....so no one has to add anything."  Why hasn't anyone thought of that?

My coffee shop would be called The Human Bean.  It would be created with real people in mind.....you know, the human kind who don't care about fancy names.  There wouldn't be any tall, grande or vente in my shop.  Nope, just good old small, medium, large and the give-me-all -the-coffee-you have jumbo size.

The cups would be real insulated cups too with non-spill lids.  There's be no need for fancy cuffs or double cupping.  Everyone would enjoy the lids because it wouldn't mess that white blouse you worked so hard ironing for the job interview only to stop and drip coffee down the front.  Ugh.  Right?!

I'd have blends like Wide Awake,  Intravenous,  The Morning After, I've Got Company, Heading to Bed [decaf of course], Working Late, First Date, Save Me from My Kids [which may or may not have a shot of Vodka added] and PMS.  Although PMS might just be hot chocolate with a coffee bean floating on top.

There would be cold drinks as well.  They'd have titles like Lordy I'm Hot, Chillaxin' and Sitting in the Shade.

This wouldn't be the type of coffee shop to sell frou-frou types of baking.  Good old fashioned cookies and squares is what I'd sell.  Nanaimo Bars, Matrimonial Squares, Rice Crispy Treats and real cookies that were made for dipping like Ginger Snaps.

Yup.  There'd be no messing around at the Human Bean.

The staff would be friendly and helpful.  We'd encourage you to sit and visit but if you'd rather sit and do homework.....you might just want to continue on your way.  It would be comfortable but not that comfortable.  We'd play real music on the sound system, but we wouldn't try to peddle you the latest cd.  We'd have it tuned in softly so you could carry on a decent conversation without yelling and straining your voice.

Alas, it is not meant to be.  When I googled the name, someone else has already taken it made it organic and fair trade.  Meh. I guess I'll settle for my International Chocolate Mint creamer after all.

My Mommy's Punkin Muffin Recipe

For as long as I can remember my Mom has been baking this recipe.  I enjoy them all year long and it's my favourite way to consume pumpkin.....not being a pumpkin pie connoisseur.  They are great any time of the day and it makes a huge batch.

Ingredients

4 Eggs
2 Cups White Sugar
1-1/2 Cups Canola Oil\
1-14oz can of Pumpkin [like Pumpkin Pie filling]
3 Cups Flour
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
2 cups of Raisins

* I did not have Cinnamon on hand this go around and I used Pumpkin Pie spice instead and it works just as well. *

Procedure

1.  Beat eggs with an electric mixer.
2.  Add sugar, oil and pumpkin.
3.  Mix.
4.  Add the dry ingredients and raisins.
5.  Mix.

Scoop into lined muffin tins.

Bake at 400*F for 15 minutes.

This recipe makes 2 dozen large muffins.