Lip Smackin' Bar-B-Q Chicken Bake

I found this delicious looking recipe over at Betty Crocker and I can't wait to try it! It's a Heart Smart recipe, which is great for those with PCOS.


Lip Smackin' Bar-B-Q Chicken Bake

Bisquick Heart Smart® recipe! Chicken breasts make a lip-smackin’ barbecue flavored dinner bake.

Prep Time:20 min
Start to Finish:50 min
Makes:6 servings

2/3 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (6 oz)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch pie pan or 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In small bowl, stir together Bisquick® mix, water and egg. Spread in bottom of pan; sprinkle with 1 1/4 cups of the cheese. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil, stirring occasionally, until outsides turn white; drain. Stir in barbecue sauce; heat just until hot. Spoon over batter in pan to within 1/2 inch of edge.
3. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until edge is dark golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 1 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese melts; loosen from side of pan.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Nutrition Information

1 Serving: Calories 240 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 80mg; Sodium 760mg; Total Carbohydrate 23g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 12g); Protein 22g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 30%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 3 Very Lean Meat; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Pumpkin Protein Cookies

It's starting to feel like fall, and that always reminds me of Halloween! Here's a great recipe for a cookie made with Splenda. Not only are they delicious, they are sugar free and have extra protein in them to help keep you full longer!

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup SPLENDA® Granular
* 1 cup rolled oats
* 1 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup soy flour
* 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 2 teaspoons water
* 2 egg whites
* 1 teaspoon molasses
* 1 tablespoon flax seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together Splenda®, oats, wheat flour, soy flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in pumpkin, canola oil, water, egg whites, and molasses. Stir in flax seeds, if desired. Roll into 14 large balls, and flatten on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 5 minutes in preheated oven. DO NOT OVERBAKE: the cookies will come out really dry if overbaked.

Trying times...

As has been stated many, many times, PCOS is one of the major causes of infertility in women. For a couple that desperately wants children, this can, at times, either make or break a marriage.

I can remember when my husband and I finally decided that we wanted to try to have a baby after being married for almost 4 years. Month after month, I would be disappointed again and again when I realized I was not pregnant. I was extremely lucky in that my husband wanted kids just as much as I did, so he went through the same disappointed that I did.

That's not always the case. There are times when the husband doesn't truly want kids, or is unsure about it. So that leaves the burden on the wife to go through it alone. There are also times when the husband is the one that wants the kids more than the wife! I'm sure at times like that, the wife could actually feel like she is letting the husband down.

Occasionally, couples have decided that they've needed to see a Marriage Counselor in order to help each other understand what they are going through. If there are already children in the family, they may even look into Marriage Family Counseling to help the kids understand things as well. Many marriages have been saved because they have found a way to neutralize their problems and implement a program of positive relationship habits that change the way they relate to each other.

If infertility is causing problems in your relationship and you want to learn how to save your marriage, definitely look into seeking outside help before you proceed any further with trying to have a baby.

Acne...

Becca was always lucky that she had beautiful clear skin all through middle school when her friends were starting to break out. However, her senior year, all of a sudden, she developed acne. Not something you want to worry about your senior year when you have pictures and all kinds of things you want to look good for!

She's been doing some checking to see what kind of products that she thinks will work best for her. She found a product called Murad Acne that looks like it offers the products that she would need to clear up her skin. Acne is one of the most common side effects of PCOS. Of course that doesn't mean that all girls with acne have PCOS... it's just one of the side effects of having PCOS.

Murad is a 3 step acne complex that includes products that will cleanse, treat and hydrate the skin. It says that it is gentle enough to use every day, however it is powerful enough to fight even the worst cases of acne. Becca's acne seems to go in a cycle where she'll go for a while with just a minor breakout, then suddenly, she has a major breakout, and it's usually right before a big event...

She's planning to give Murad Acne Complex a try and see how it goes. She starts college in just under a month and wants to look her best for her first days! I'll post back and let you know how it goes!

Tomato and Mozzarella Pockets

Here is a great recipe that is PCOS Friendly

Tomato and Mozzarella Pockets

Ingredients:

2 whole wheat or soy pita bread rounds, cut in half to make 4 pockets
4 ripe tomatoes, sliced
4 tablespoons of olive oil
4 (1 oz.) pieces of part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup of fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper


Warm up the pita pockets. Place tomato, mozzarella, garlic, and basil in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil. Place all ingredients in warmed pita pockets. Makes 4 servings.

Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here's a great recipe for Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies that is even good for diabetics! Just remember though that diabetics need to pay extra attention to the amount of carbohydrates they eat to maintain control of their blood sugar levels.

You can include cookies in your diabetic meal plan - just plan ahead and remember to eat in moderation.

Prep time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

* 2/3 c. light margarine, softened
* 2/3 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
* 2/3 c. sucralose
* 2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 1/4 c. pecans, chopped


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius).
2. Cream butter, brown sugar, sucralose, and vanilla extract together in a mixing bowl.
3. Add eggs to above mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well until blended.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
6. Place level tablespoon size of cookie dough on a greased baking sheet.
7. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius) for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and cool on wire cooling rack.

Serves: 36

Serving size: 1 cookie

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

76 calories
1 g protein
4 g fat
1 g sat. fat
11 g carbohydrate
0 g fiber
12 mg cholesterol
78 mg sodium
7 mg calcium
0.5 mg iron

Diabetic exchanges:

2/3 carbohydrate exchanges

Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used.

Variations and suggestions:

Substitute another type of nut if you do not like pecans. Store the leftovers in an airtight container. You can either freeze half the batch or share them with your friends.

Refried Bean Roll Up

Lighten up! You can enjoy great-tasting seasoned refried beans, lettuce and cheese in soft flour tortillas and still keep an eye on the fat.

Prep Time:10 min
Start to Finish:15 min
Makes:4 servings

1 can (16 ounces) Old El Paso® fat-free refried beans
1/2 cup Old El Paso® salsa (any variety)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
8 fat-free flour tortillas (8 to 10 inches in diameter)
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)

1. Mix beans, salsa and chili powder in 1-quart saucepan. Heat over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warm.
2. Spoon about 1/4 cup of bean mixture onto center of each tortilla; spread slightly. Top with lettuce and cheese. Fold over sides and ends of tortillas. Serve with addiditional salsa if desired.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 245 (Calories from Fat 45 ); Total Fat 5 g (Saturated Fat 2 g); Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium 840 mg; Total Carbohydrate 44 g (Dietary Fiber 8 g); Protein 14 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8 %; Vitamin C 6 %; Calcium 22 %; Iron 20 % Exchanges: 3 Starch; 1/2 Very Lean Meat
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Health Twist
This lighter version of refried bean roll-ups shaves off 70 calories and 7 grams of fat from each serving of the regular recipe.
Purchasing
Traditional refried beans are prepared much like their name suggests. Cooked beans are mashed and fried, often in lard. Check your grocery aisle for equally tasty fat-free refried beans.
Variation
If you like your tacos "loaded," then load these up, too! Bulk them up in colorful, delicious style with chopped or sliced jalapeños, sliced ripe or green olives, chopped tomato or chopped bell pepper.

Addictions...

I often joke about being addicted to chocolate. Sometimes I think that I truly am because I'll feel like I can't make it through the day without some chocolate! I can laugh about it, but in all honesty, you can be addicted to sugar.

Many women who are overweight are in fact addicted to sugar. White refined sugar is not a food. It is a chemical. It can be a drug addiction. Yes, that’s right, an addictive drug and when you remove it from your diet you can experience withdrawal symptoms as excruciating and serious as alcohol withdrawal, including tremors, flu like symptoms, headaches, and mood swings so intense you would darn near kill for a chocolate bar. Some say it is as addictive as heroin.

I'm not trying to make light of those who need substance abuse treatment. Drug addiction is a very serious issue all over the world. Luckily there are places that you can go to get help for addiction recovery. But we also need to be aware of what we are putting into our bodies every day... foods that we purchase right at the grocery store. There aren't any drug treatment centers specifically for sugar addiction since sugar is a very legal and constantly used product in the foods that we eat.

Be aware of what you put in your mouth on a daily basis... try giving up that chocolate bar, and putting down that Easter Egg... your body will love you for it.

Easter Candy!

Ugh!!! I HATE/LOVE Easter Candy! Why, oh why does it have to be so good??? I was doing so well until I bought the girls candy for their baskets.... They each told me they didn't want a lot of candy this year, which was great with me, so I got them a few things, and then bought them some jewelry and gave them each a gift certificate to Walmart so they can get something they want.

But... that stupid candy has just been calling my name!!! We had ordered candy from my nephew and got the delicious miniature chocolate easter eggs today... oh my, they just melt in your mouth! And while I was getting the girls baskets together, wouldn't you know it, there was an uneven number! What's a mother to do??? I can't give one girl more candy than the other, right? So I just HAD to eat it! right? am I right???

Okay, this week is going to be a week of extra exercising, I can see that right now!

Happy Easter everyone!

Down two pounds!

Well, the gym is working! I'm down two pounds this week. Woo Hoo! Jilli and I went three times last week. We didn't get to go over the weekend, but we plan to go at least three times this week.

I've been working hard on cutting out the sweets and I've been trying to eat more protein with each meal. I bought some of the Special K Protein water and I've been drinking that with my meals because I'm not the best at planning protein in with my food.

There are 62 days till our cruise! I'd really like to lose 10 pounds, but 15 would be fantastic! I've got two months to do it, so I should be able to. But it's going to take work and commitment.

Working in the gym....

My daughter Jillian is trying out for the volleyball team. She really, really wants to make it this year, but they have 60 girls trying out for 30 spots, so half the girls won't make it. Jillian has always been a petite girl, but has grown several inches in the past two years, so now she's all legs and arms! lol!

So, she decided that she wanted to start working out to build up her stamina. We have a local Community Center with a really nice gym, so she and I have been going several days a week. I enjoy the treadmill more than anything else, but I also like the stationary bike. Jillian likes the treadmill too but also likes to work out on the weight machines as well.

There are a lot of men and women that come in while we are there... most of them are in very good shape. I can't help but wonder if they use some sort of supplement when they work out... I've heard of being able to purchase cheap supplements online through a company in Australia. They carry Redbak products which are supposed to be the best protein products in Australia.

Jillian finds out Monday after practice if she makes the team or not, so she really worked out hard today, and wants us to go back tomorrow too. If she makes it, she'll have practice every single night after school, or a game, so she'll definitely be in great shape by the end of the season! If she doesn't, she still plans to go to the gym often, so that she's in better shape next year....

I'm very proud of her, either way!

Wonder what her conversation is about?

Biggest Loser...

Everyone is having a Biggest Loser challenge...

The High School/Middle School in our town is offering a 9 week program for the kids who'd like to participate in a Biggest Loser Challenge! Becca has signed up for it as she still wants to lose at least 20 more pounds.

The high school gym teacher is in charge of this program. The kids all weighed in last Tuesday (over 50 kids participated!) and she gave them information on weight loss programs and exercise programs. She is taking each week's school menu and converting it to the Weight Watchers Points System, so that the kids can track what they eat. The gym and weight room will be open during lunch and after school for extended hours so that the kids can exercise and work out.

Becca stayed a couple nights last week to either work out in the weight room or do laps in the gym with a couple of her friends.

I hope that the gym teacher extends this for the last nine weeks of school as well. She will monitor their weight loss and encourage them to lose weight in a healthy way.

I think this program is fantastic! Kudos to the teacher!

Hair Loss in Women

Hair loss in women who have PCOS is a very common problem. The reason that women don't grow new hair is not totally understood, but in the case of women with PCOS, excessively high levels of androgens (male hormones) are thought to be primarily responsible.

A male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is converted from testosterone, binds to sites on hair follicles and appears to make the follicles go into their "resting" phase sooner, which in turn starts to cause the hairs produced by those follicles to become thinner and thinner with each growth cycle.

Women with high or increasing levels of androgens, such as women with PCOS or who are menopausal, may find that the hair on the head is thinned, while facial hair is coarser. Although new hair is not produced, the follicles remain alive, suggesting the possibility of new hair growth.

So what can they do about it? One option for treating hair loss is with the use of medications. The only drug or medication approved by the FDA to treat female pattern baldness is Minoxidil, used topically on the scalp. Minoxidil was discovered before the 1980's but was used to treat high blood pressure, not baldness. However, those that tried the product found they had an unusual side effect.... hair growth!

Another medication that is not recommended for women, but does work well with men is Finasteride (Procerin).

You can read more about hair loss and check out the discussion board for those that suffer from hair loss over at publichealthforums.com.

Fruit Filled Puff Pancakes

I love breakfast! Here is a great recipe that I got over at Better Homes & Gardens for a fruit filled Puff Pancake. It sounds delicious!


Fruit-Filled Puff Pancakes

Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes

Ingredients

* Nonstick cooking spray
* 1/2 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 whole egg plus 1 egg white
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup fat-free milk
* 1 tablespoon cooking oil
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups fresh fruit (choose from sliced strawberries, peeled and sliced kiwi fruit or peaches, blackberries, blueberries, seedless grapes, sliced nectarines or apricots, and/or pitted and halved sweet cherries)
* 2 tablespoons orange marmalade, warmed

Directions

1. For pancakes, coat four 4-1/4-inch pie plates or 4-1/2-inch foil tart pans with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl use a rotary beater or wire whisk to beat egg product or whole egg plus egg white, flour, milk, oil, and salt until smooth. Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake in a 400 degree F oven about 25 minutes or until brown and puffy. Turn off oven; let stand in oven for 5 minutes.

3. To serve, immediately after removing the pancakes from oven, transfer to 4 plates. Spoon some of the fruit into center of each pancake. Drizzle fruit with warmed orange marmalade. Makes 4 servings.

Good Food, Good Health Eating Plan Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 fat/sugar.
Nutrition Facts
Close
Nutrition facts per serving:

* Calories 123
* Total Fat (g) 4
* Saturated Fat (g) 1
* Cholesterol (mg) 0
* Sodium (mg) 210
* Carbohydrate (g) 18
* Fiber (g) 2
* Protein (g) 5
* Vitamin A (DV%) 4
* Vitamin C (DV%) 69
* Calcium (DV%) 4
* Iron (DV%) 6

*Percent Daily Values are base on a 2,000 calorie diet

Are you addicted to sugar?

My biggest problem when I get off track of watching what I eat is that I always end up eating junk food with lots of sugar in it.... cookies, candy bars, ice cream, and anything with sugar in it. I fully admit that I am a sugar addict.

Now that I'm back on track for 2008, what can I do about it? Well, I did a little research this week to try to figure out why I always end up eating the things that I promise myself I won't. I know I wrote above that I'm a sugar addict. Unfortunately, I'm not joking. I really am addicted to sugar, much the same that a smoker is addicted to nicotine or an alcoholic is addicted to booze.

So what can I do about it? After reading the ebook Weight Loss: How to Keep Your Commitment, I've learned how to say "no thanks" to fattening food, without having to struggle with cravings. I'm now eating nutritious food without feeling deprived, and without obsessing about the fattening food I chose not to eat. It taught me specific mental skills that help me to rise above the addictive cravings for sugar and fat.

If you want to learn more about how to cure your sugar addiction, I suggest you check out this great e-book by Jonni Good, Weight Loss: How to Keep Your Commitment. I honestly believe that you won't regret it. Even if you do, she offers an 8 week money back guarantee and you still get to keep the e-book! What have you got to lose, except your sugar addiction.

Have a Great day!

Exercise Bands...

I love using exercise bands! I started using them when I purchased the Slim In 6 DVD set last year. The thing I like best about it is that you don't really feel like you're getting a work out! lol! You should use strength training every other day with a good cardio workout on the opposite days.

I found a great workout guide over at Prevention.com called We Found It! The Fastest Way To Sculpt. This is what I want! I have 6 weeks to get back in shape for our trip to Florida with the marching band. We leave Feb. 12th and I started working out again on January 1st... So I have exactly 6 weeks!

I started with the gazelle and elliptical machine in the evenings and I'm doing Slim in 6 and the bands in the morning while the girls are getting ready for school. My goal is to be back to where I was last summer so that I look pretty good in my bathing suit. I'm at the 'kind of sore' stage right now after 4 straight days of exercise! lol! But I am bound and determined to lose the weight I gained since Halloween.

31 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise

Here is a great article that I found over at ZenHabits.

How do you find motivation to exercise when you just don’t feel like getting off your butt? I ask myself this question every now and then, and I have the feeling I’m not the only one.

A few weeks ago, I wrote 4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit … and the fourth and final step was to add motivation as needed until the habit sticks. This post is to help you with that fourth step.

There are a million ways to motivate yourself to exercise, actually, but these are a few that have worked for me. And trust me, I’ve had days when I’ve struggled with exercise. Most recently, the things that have helped include finding a workout partner (one of the best motivators!), logging my exercise, reading magazines, books and websites, and rewarding myself.

1. How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout. It’s a high. And I let that motivate me the next time: “You know how good you’re going to feel, Leo!”
2. Time for you. While many people make time to take care of others (kids, spouse, other family, co-workers, boss), they don’t often make time to take care of themselves. Instead, make your “you” time a priority, and don’t miss that exercise appointment.
3. Calories burned. If you count calories (and it’s really one of the most effective ways to lose weight), you know that the more you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the bigger your calorie deficit.
4. Having fun. Exercise should be fun. If it isn’t, try a different kind of activity that you enjoy. As long as you’re moving, it’s good for you.
5. How you’re going to look. Imagine a slimmer, fitter you. Now let that visualization drive you.
6. Magazines. It motivates me to read fitness magazines. Not sure why, but it works.
7. Cover models. Sure, they’re genetically freaky, and probably Photoshopped to look perfect. But for some reason, looking at how good a cover model looks helps motivate me to work harder.
8. Blogs. I enjoy reading blogs about people who are into running, or losing weight. It can show the ups and downs they go through, and you can learn from their experiences.
9. Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational. If a fitness website has success stories, I’ll almost always read them.
10. Forums. Do the monthly challenge on the Zen Habits forums, or join another forum full of like-minded or like-goaled peopled. Check in daily. It really helps.
11. Rewards. If you exercise for a few days, give yourself a reward! A week? Another reward. Do it often in the beginning.
12. Fitting into new clothes. Wanna look good in a smaller size? Work out!
13. Being attractive. That’s always a good motivator, as I’m sure we all know. Edited to correct language.
14. Adrenaline rush. I get a rush when I exercise. Ride that rush to complete the workout.
15. Stress relief. Wound up after a long day at the office? Get out and work off that stress. It makes a world of difference.
16. Time for contemplation. I love, love the quiet time of exercise for thinking about things. Most of this post was written in my head as I exercised.
17. A workout partner. Best thing I’ve done.
18. An exercise class. Sign up for a class, perhaps with a friend, and you’ll be motivated to get there and work out.
19. A coach or trainer. Worth the money, just for the motivation.
20. An exercise log/graph. For some reason, writing it down is extremely important. Really. Do it for a week and you’ll see what I mean.
21. Your before picture. You often don’t realize how far you’ve come. Take pictures.
22. A 5K race or triathlon. Just sign up for one, and you’ll be motivated to train.
23. The dread of feeling “yuck” from not exercising. I hate how I feel after not exercising. So I remind myself of that when I feel tired.
24. Living long enough to see your grandkids … and play with them.
25. The scale. It’s not motivating to weigh yourself every day, as your weight fluctuates. But if you weigh yourself once a week, you’ll be motivated to have it keep going down, instead of up. Combine the scale with the measuring tape, and measure your waist.
26. Reaching a goal. Set a goal for weight, or your waist measurement, or a number of days to work out, or a number of miles to run this week. Setting and tracking a goal helps motivate you to complete that goal. Make it easily achievable.
27. Posting it on your blog. Tell people you’re going to lose weight or exercise daily, and report to them. You’ll make it happen.
28. Motivational quotes. I like to print them out or put them on my computer desktop.
29. Books. I just bought a strength-training book as a reward. It makes me want to hit the weights!
30. Others commenting on how good you look. When someone notices the changes in your body, it feels good. And it makes you want to work out more.
31. An upcoming day at the beach, or a reunion. Nuff said.

What are your motivations? Let us know in the comments.