I’m in a Body For Life mood!  So, this week’s menu has a lot more protein than I normally cook for my family, but like I said, I’m just in the mood. . 

Fun stuff for locals (which means Utah County):

If you love photography, live in Northern Utah county, and have an SLR camera, my neighbor Natalie from Middle Gray Photography, just started the “Lehi Photography Guild”.  A club for emerging photographers who want to hone the craft.  Email her (middlegrayphotography@gmail.com)  if you are interested in joining.

If you are looking to join a CSA and get fresh produce weekly, here is one that is just starting in Orem.

If you love Alison’s Pantry, they are closing their store front!  But you can still buy their stuff, and the price hasn’t changed.  You just need to buy from a local rep.  For Northern Utah County, call Liz Kump.  (lizkump@yahoo.com)

	Breakfast	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Monday	Oat Pancakes with berries	Ranch Chicken Salad	Oranges and cashews	Italian Chicken Wild Rice, broccoli
Tuesday	Omelet’s with salsa	Chicken Pita Pizza’s	Cottage cheese with berries	Potato Soup (making soup for Blue and Gold banquet)
Wednesday	Egg Sandwich and banana	Sub sandwich with veggies and turkey	Apple and string cheese	Enchilada soup with avocado
Thursday	Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon	Egg Salad Sandwich	Yogurt and strawberries	Taco Soup (making soup for Primary Dinner)
Friday	Sunny Side- up eggs with whole wheat toast	Chicken pita with grapes, tomato, lettuce, almonds	Cinnamon apples with sliced cheese	French Dip sandwiches, salad

If you are viewing this in a feed, Click over to the blog to view this LDS Haiti releif widget!

Many of you know the love affair I have with Dr. Joel Fuhrman.  This week I want to try and stick to one of his menu plans.  Of course, minor adjustments may be made due to not finding ingredients (fig preserves?), cost, and time!  But I’ll do my best.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if I started making menu plans with photo’s!  Trust me, Its something I want to do! Maybe when this semester is over. I’m a bit nervous about Bio Chemistry!!

This menu looks much better as a pdf. I used the wrong computer to make it, so this display isn’t very appealing.  Click here for printable menus.

I made a perfect loaf of bread this weekend.  I have made this recipe three times now, and by far, this is the best loaf of them all.

This video does feed in the readers, so hop over to my blog to see our card.

This funky card is created by Amy Roskelley.
Create your own funky card at CardFunk.

Have a healthy and happy Christmas!! 

President Thomas S. Monson:

With the pure love of Christ, let us walk in His footsteps as we approach the season celebrating His birth. As we do so, let us remember that He still lives and continues to be the Light of the World, who promised, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”  ^{(John 8:12)}

Thank you for all your ideas yesterday. I’m kind of excited that you want more exercise ideas with your kids, health news, and I’m really glad you want to know why specific foods are good for you and your kids!!

This next week I want to talk all about spices.   Although this isn’t anything you would eat, do you remember making Christmas tree ornaments with whole cloves and oranges?  Erica enjoyed this so much, she wanted her friends to be able to make one at her birthday party.  They all sat, watching Parent Trap for a good hour poking cloves into oranges.  They really enjoyed it!  And they smell so good.

I picked up 1 lb of whole cloves from Alison’s Pantry, here in Utah.  It was about $10.

I had them pre-poke the orange so the cloves would easily slide in.

Then stick it with cloves! Easy as pie.

  And then we added some ribbon:

CLOVES:  A source I use often to find the health benefits of food (and I have their book) is The World’s Healthiest Foods. Here they talk about cloves.  In a nutshell, cloves have :

• Anti-inflammatory benefits. In some studies, cloves have been found to reduce inflammation by 15-30%!
• They are a good source of maganese, fiber, vitamin C, calcium, and omega 3!

One word of advice.  If you buy whole cloves, don’t grind them in your expensive blender. Emily did, and the food she blends now, still tastes like cloves!!

Erica left this note for me when she went to school the other day.  She has such a soft spot for the homeless.  Nothing I’ve cultivated as a parent.   She will sometimes draw pictures for the homeless for me to drop off to them while she is at school.

It says, “Dear mom and dad, 

I love Christmas, but I want to give a present to the poor!  the poor needs it more than me! love Erica.”

With 578 posts and 4571 comments, and over 2 years, I feel as though my creativity as a blogger is spent!   So, I want to hear what you want to see addressed on this blog?  What do you like:

• Breaking health news!
• New recipes
• Healthy food that you don’t have to cook!
• Menu ideas
• shopping plans
• Budget friendly food! (Which by the way, I’m stepping up my A game for food bargain shopping for 2010!  I’ve spent way too much money on food this year)
• More fruits and vegetables
• New produce you never heard of before.
• More giveaways
• Less giveaways
• Some video’s??
• Let me know in the comments, or email me.  2010 is going to be Fabulous!

Have you seen this NYC Anti – soda ad!  I pretty much love it!

Often I get Press releases in my inbox, but I hardly ever share them.  I really liked this one though from the Alliance For A Healthier Generation.  I thought you might like it too:

‘Tis the Season for Health: Tips for a Healthier Holiday from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

(NEW YORK) December 8, 2009 –The holiday season is a magnificent time of year, but it can also be challenging for families trying to eat healthy and stay physically active. Between family gatherings, parties, lots of food and traveling, healthy habits can get left in the cold. But the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, has tools and tips to help families stay healthy and physically active while still enjoying the holiday season.

Think Healthy Thoughts

Spend time before the holidays planning healthy snacks, appetizers, meals, and desserts to prepare. Make a grocery list and stick to it. Whether you are a host or guest, be the one to create healthy alternatives to the typically not-so-healthy holiday menu.

Snack, Don’t Skip

Just like any other day, you shouldn’t skip meals during the holidays. It is not a good approach to cut calories by cutting meals from the day. Not eating breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner may lead to overeating at holiday meal times. Keep normal eating times and if you do happen to skip a meal try to snack on healthy foods to keep you from starving and then stuffing.

Don’t Forget Rest

Don’t forget to add sleep and relaxation to the holiday to-do list. Staying well rested not only provides an extra boost of energy, it also helps keep you from overstuffing yourself. Studies have shown that lack of sleep directly affects the amount of energy you have, your appetite, and your ability to maintain a healthy weight; in fact, getting enough sleep can decrease your chances of becoming overweight.

Stay Physically Active

Don’t use the holidays or the cold weather as an excuse. Even if you are traveling you can find new ways to engage in activities alone or with family and friends. This time of year is the perfect time to try out something new like ice skating, or head to your local indoor pool or basketball court for some fun.

Rock the Halls

With the holiday season also comes lots of fun music, so get the family physically active by turning up those holiday tunes and dancing—anything that keeps the kids moving and having fun. If it’s impossible to pry your family away from those holiday TV specials, encourage them to do jumping jacks, sit-ups, and push-ups during commercial breaks.

About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation joined forces in May of 2005 to create a healthier generation by addressing one of the nation’s leading public health threats – childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices. The Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child’s health: homes, schools, restaurants, doctor’s offices and communities. For more information please visit: HealthierGeneration.org.

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I was so excited to post tonight and had fantasies of saying, “Organic Chemistry is over!!”  But I didn’t finish my final assignment today, and I’m pretty bummed that I’m still working on it.  However, interestingly enough, I am so glad I took that class! There is something about finishing it that makes me feel great! Makes me feel smarter!  The truth is, Self esteem grows from accomplishing difficult things. This is especially true in our kids.  A child will be beaming with pride when he ties his shoes for the first time at age 4.  But when he is tying his shoe at 15, generally no self-esteem will arise from that task, because it isn’t hard for the 15 year old.   Giving your child easy things to do all his life, or worse yet, doing things for him, will not develop the self-esteem they need!

ANYWAY!!! Why am I getting off on so many tangents lately?!?!?

My kids actually have a favorite salad. Generally, when we add anything sweet (like fruit) to a salad, we like it. Our two favorite combinations are:

• Greens
• strawberries
• nuts
• cheese (especially feta)
• With a creamy dressing

Second favorite:

• Greens (especially spinach)
• mandarin oranges
• craisins
• Nuts
• An oil based dressing.

However, these are totally interchangeable!  So, we tried the mandarin orange salad with the creamy dressing instead and LOVED IT! Except this time, instead of the fat free miracle whip I used plain yogurt.  I’ve also stopped candying my nuts, because let’s be honest… that is just too indulgent.  And, I omitted the red onions. They are just a bit too strong for my kids.  I have no self control over a pan full of pecans candied with butter and brown sugar.  But you know what, the kids eat the salad just the same!

Here is another dressing that would work with this salad:

• 2 TBL Orange Juice
• 3TBL olive Oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• salt and pepper 

So, why am I bringing up mandarin oranges again (clementines)?  Because the Cuties people want to do a GIVEAWAY!!!  Who wants a VOLUME of clementines to share with your family over the holiday??  Pop over to the giveaway page to enter

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Sick of me yet!! So sorry, You know me. I don’t usually compose so many posts in one day.. but I’m feeling somewhat addicted to my laptop today.  Not good.

But here is something that is good!  A giveaway.

First visit my mom blog to see my entry post about why I need a break.

Then visit the giveaway page to be entered for an Oikos Spa themed price pack.

Here is this week’s new menu plan.  I’m excited about the Sweet mashed potatoes that Katie sent me.  Sounded like something that would be perfect to make for Thanksgiving. I’m trying it ahead of time to see what we think.

Got to love Saturday’s. I hope to clean out Erica’s room today (HUGE project considering the girl is the recipient of more handme downs than a thrift store.  And she loves every single thing she’s given.  Wants to keep it all!