A Shout Out to Myfitnesspal.com

At the beginning of this year, my husband and I had a good look at ourselves. We had become overweight. Just barely, but it still wasn't pretty. I had been living in denial. I avoided the scale (I don't own one, so that was easy), and was sure the mirror and pictures were lying. I wasn't that fat! I scoffed at those who DIETED and did silly things like COUNT CALORIES. HA! I thought I was above such things, when the only thing I was above was my healthy weight limit.

One day it hit me that I was no longer that 20 year-old that could eat anything I wanted and stay skinny. I searched apps on my iPod and found myfitnesspal. It's a FREE calorie counter you can also access online at myfitnesspal.com. To start you enter such things as your current weight, your goal weight, how much you want to weigh, and how much you want to lose each week. Then you enter what you eat each day, keeping track of any exercise, and it keeps track of the calories for you. I started using it and I never went hungry. My extra weight melted off and now I am within my healthy weight limit. It feels GREAT to be held accountable for what I eat, instead of just popping anything I see in my mouth. America is overweight or obese--reaching 70%--and we need to do something about it! Anyone can go to National Lung Heart and Blood Institute to calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI). If it says you're overweight, don't be like me...BELIEVE IT! :)
Crash diets are wild and at times unhealthy. Keeping track of calories in vs. calories out is the healthiest and most effective option!

A Shout Out to HERB Substitutions

Herb Substitutions
Basil	Oregano or thyme
Chervil	Tarragon or parsley
Chive	Green onion; onion; or leek
Cilantro	Parsley
Italian Seasoning	Blend of any of these: basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground red pepper
Marjoram	Basil; thyme; or savory
Mint	Basil; marjoram; or rosemary
Oregano	Thyme or basil
Parsley	Chervil or cilantro
Poultry Seasoning	Sage plus a blend of any of these: thyme, marjoram, savory, black pepper, and rosemary
Red Pepper	Dash bottled hot pepper sauce or black pepper
Rosemary	Thyme; tarragon; or savory
Sage	Poultry seasoning; savory; marjoram; or rosemary
Savory	Thyme; marjoram; or sage
Tarragon	Chervil; dash fennel seed; or dash aniseed
Thyme	Basil; marjoram; oregano; or savory

A Shout Out to Common Ingredient Substitutions

Common Ingredient Substitutions

from allrecipes.com.

Ingredient	Amount	Substitution
Allspice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Arrowroot starch	1 teaspoon	1 tablespoon flour, OR 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Baking mix	1 cup	1 cup pancake mix OR 1 cup Easy Biscuit Mixture
Baking powder	1 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar OR 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
Beer	1 cup	1 cup nonalcoholic beer OR 1 cup chicken broth
Brandy	1/4 cup	1 teaspoon imitation brandy extract plus enough water to make 1/4 cup
Bread crumbs	1 cup	1 cup cracker crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Broth: beef or chicken	1 cup	1 bouillon cube plus 1 cup boiling water OR 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus enough water to make 1 cup OR 1 cup vegetable broth
Brown sugar	1 cup, packed	1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses and decrease the liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup OR 1 cup white sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Butter (salted)	1 cup	1 cup margarine OR 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter (unsalted)	1 cup	1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 7/8 cup lard
Buttermilk	1 cup	1 cup yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup
Cheddar cheese	1 cup shredded	1 cup shredded Colby cheddar OR 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chervil	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Chicken base	1 tablespoon	1 cup canned or homemade chicken broth or stock. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1 cup
Chocolate(semisweet)	1 ounce	1 (1-ounce) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons sugar OR 1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips plus 1 teaspoon shortening
Chocolate (unsweetened)	1 ounce	3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil
Cocoa	1/4 cup	1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
Condensed cream of mushroom soup	1 (10.75-ounce) can	1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of celery, cream of chicken, OR golden mushroom soup
Corn syrup	1 cup	1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup honey OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Cottage cheese	1 cup	1 cup farmer's cheese OR 1 cup ricotta cheese
Cracker crumbs	1 cup	1 cup bread crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Cream (half and half)	1 cup	7/8 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon butter
Cream (heavy)	1 cup	1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter
Cream (light)	1 cup	1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons butter
Cream (whipped)	1 cup	1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Cream cheese	1 cup	1 cup pureed cottage cheese OR 1 cup plain yogurt, strained overnight in a cheesecloth
Cream of tartar	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar
Crème fraiche	1 cup	Combine 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt. Let stand for 6 hours at room temperature
Egg	1 whole (3 tablespoons or 1.7 oz)	2 1/2 tablespoons of powdered egg substitute plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water OR 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute OR 1/4 cup silken tofu pureed OR 3 tablespoons mayonnaise OR half a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder OR 1 tablespoon powdered flax seed soaked in 3 tablespoons water
Evaporated milk	1 cup	1 cup light cream
Farmer's cheese	8 ounces	8 ounces dry cottage cheese OR 8 ounces creamed cottage cheese, drained
Fats for baking	1 cup	1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Flour--Bread	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon wheat gluten (available at health food stores & some supermarkets)
Flour--Cake	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons
Flour--Self-Rising	1 cup	7/8 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Garlic	1 clove	1/8 teaspoon garlic powder OR 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt--reduce salt in recipe
Gelatin	1 tablespoon, granulated	2 teaspoons agar agar
Ginger--dry	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
Ginger--fresh	1 teaspoon, minced	1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger
Green onion	1/2 cup , chopped	1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped shallots
Hazelnuts	1 cup whole	1 cup macadamia nuts OR 1 cup almonds
Herbs--fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 teaspoon (chopped or whole leaf) dried herbs
Herring	8 ounces	8 ounces of sardines
Honey	1 cup	1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup corn syrup OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Hot pepper sauce	1 teaspoon	3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus 1 teaspoon vinegar
Ketchup	1 cup	1 cup tomato sauce plus 1 teaspoon vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Lard	1 cup	1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 1 cup butter
Lemon grass	2 fresh stalks	1 tablespoon lemon zest
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lime juice
Lemon zest	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon lemon extract OR 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Lime juice	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Lime zest	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon zest
Macadamia nuts	1 cup	1 cup almonds OR 1 cup hazelnuts
Mace	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon nutmeg
Margarine	1 cup	1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 1 cup butter OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mayonnaise	1 cup	1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup plain yogurt
Milk--whole	1 cup	1 cup soy milk OR 1 cup rice milk OR 1 cup water or juice OR 1/4 cup dry milk powder plus 1 cup water OR 2/3 cup evaporated milk plus 1/3 cup water
Mint--fresh	1/4 cup chopped	1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
Molasses	1 cup	Mix 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Mustard--prepared	1 tablespoon	Mix together 1 tablespoon dried mustard, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar
Onion	1 cup, chopped	1 cup chopped green onions OR 1 cup chopped shallots OR 1 cup chopped leeks OR 1/4 cup dried minced onion OR 1/4 cup onion powder
Orange juice	1 tablespoon	1 tablespoon other citrus juice
Orange zest	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon orange extract OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Parmesan cheese	1/2 cup, grated	1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese OR 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
Parsley	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil OR 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Pepperoni	1 ounce	1 ounce salami
Raisin	1 cup	1 cup dried currants OR 1 cup dried cranberries OR 1 cup chopped pitted prunes
Rice--white	1 cup, cooked	1 cup cooked barley OR 1 cup cooked bulgur OR 1 cup cooked brown or wild rice
Ricotta	1 cup	1 cup dry cottage cheese OR 1 cup silken tofu
Rum	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon rum extract, plus enough water to make 1 tablespoon
Saffron	1/4 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salami	1 ounce	1 ounce pepperoni
Semisweet chocolate chips	1 cup	1 cup chocolate candies OR 1 cup peanut butter or other flavored chips OR 1 cup chopped nuts OR 1 cup chopped dried fruit
Shallots, chopped	1/2 cup	1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped green onion
Shortening	1 cup	1 cup butter OR 1 cup margarine minus 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe
Sour cream	1 cup	1 cup plain yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough cream to make 1 cup OR 3/4 cup buttermilk mixed with 1/3 cup butter
Sour milk	1 cup	1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice mixed with enough milk to make 1 cup: Let stand 5 minutes to thicken
Soy sauce	1/2 cup	4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Stock--beef or chicken	1 cup	1 cube beef or chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water
Sweetened condensed milk	1 (14-ounce) can	3/4 cup white sugar mixed with 1/2 cup water and 1 1/8 cups dry powdered milk: Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 20 minutes
Vegetable oil--for baking	1 cup	1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Vegetable oil--for frying	1 cup	1 cup lard OR 1 cup vegetable shortening
Vinegar	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice OR 2 teaspoons white wine
White sugar	1 cup	1 cup brown sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar OR 3/4 cup honey OR 3/4 cup corn syrup
Wine	1 cup	1 cup chicken or beef broth OR 1 cup fruit juice mixed with 2 teaspoons vinegar OR 1 cup water
Yeast-active dry	1 (.25-ounce) package	1 cake compressed yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoonsrapid rise yeast
Yogurt	1 cup	1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup buttermilk OR 1 cup sour milk

A shout out to Flat Belly Solution

This website, 5 Flat Belly Tips, is awesome. There is a short video that debunks common misconceptions about fat and goes over some good fats and five bad fats we should avoid.

Good Fats
real butter
olive oil
coconut oil
avocados
whole meats (hacked straight off the animal)
eggs
raw nuts

Bad Fats
hydrogenated oils
canola oil
vegetable oil
margarine
substitute butters

Artificial sweeteners and processed food (processed soy products) were mentioned as bad, also. They state that these bad things inhibit your body's ability to process fat. The bad fats are stored away as...well...bad fat. ;) When you eat good fats, however, your body can process them better AND they speed up your metabolism. Good fats are pretty much real, whole foods that come from nature. The stuff our bodies are supposed to eat. And we get those fats when we cook good, wholesome meals at home and stay away from prepackaged meals.
And don't starve yourself.
They mention things I've learned in school (the only thing I really remember from my California public school education) from nutritionists that would lecture in the assembly hall. ;) I've always been interested in nutrition.
Watch this! (You can stop once they start selling their product, unless you want to buy it, of course.)
You will probably be enlightened.

A shout out to Betty Crocker

When I finally became a housewife (2 years into our marriage), I decided I needed a good basic cook book. I didn't know much about cooking and needed the help. One day I was perusing the books at Costco and came across Betty Crocker, New Edition: Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today. It wasn't lying about "everything you need to know".
It's got just about every basic recipe you can think of and then some, and they're tasty! The inside cover has "Yields and Equivalents" showing conversions from cups to ounces or lbs, etc. The back cover, which is my favorite, has a list of "Emergency Substitutions". Did you know you could add 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 c milk in place of 1 c buttermilk? Either did I, until dear ole' Betty told me. She has substitutions for tons of things I never have on hand like beer, cooked Bulgur, or plain yogurt. The back cover is a jewel in itself. She shows you how to cut up a whole chicken, shows pictures of all the different cuts of beef, timetables for storing meats, explains how to buy fresh meat, how to cook it....ANYTHING you'd ever need to know. There's a metric conversion chart, even. It has 540 pages, NOT including the index (575 pages with). It's a great book, so if you want to start with the basics, or just have a handy cookbook around, this one is an excellent choice!

A shout out to WEEKLY MENUS

If I could encourage one thing ever it would be to use menus. If you make a weekly menu on say, Sunday, for the whole next week or two (1) you can buy what you need at the grocery store, and (2) it makes cooking dinner 1,000,000 times easier! Seriously, 1,000,000 times. Figuring out what to make is often the hardest and most grueling part of dinner time.
This is a sample weekly menu (two weeks to a page). As you choose each dish, look at the menu and write down ingredients you need to buy at the right of the page. You go to the store once (Monday morning/afternoon), and wa-la! Dinner is as good as done for the whole week. While planning, try finding meals that will use up the ingredients you'll be buying. For example, if you need to buy cilantro for one meal (and you won't use the whole bunch), plan at least one other meal that week that uses cilantro, also. That way you waste less.
I assign a meal to each day but don't always stick to the assignment for the day. Some days are busier than others, and maybe you'll crave Tuesday's dish on Monday (who cares?). But no matter what, you'll start to LOVE making dinner!

A shout out to the Food Nanny

Mother's Day 2009 my oldest sister gave all us girls--her three sisters and our mom--a recipe book called "The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner". It inspired me to make a weekly menu and shop for needed ingredients at the beginning of the week. With a menu and needed ingredients on hand, making dinner is SO much more enjoyable!! :D
The author, Liz Edmunds, splits the recipes by days of the week. Monday is comfort food (casseroles, etc.), Tuesday is Italian night, etc. so if you're really unimaginative she has it laid out for you!
She wants to bring back family dinner time; which is a very important time to spend as a family. Families that have dinner together generally have less "problems". A lot of recipes have a suggested conversation starter for your kids...It's just plain a good idea, but mainly her recipes are awesome! There have only been three recipes I've tried that I didn't love...and I'm hard to please! Overall I've been really happy with the book and very highly recommend it!