Back Home Again in Layton

Well a big welcome home to my beautiful daughter Brynn from her adventures in West Yellowstone.   We teased her that she would come home with a boy friend with cowboy boots and a big belt buckle.   Didn't happen, but she had a great time.   We also enjoyed visiting her several times.   Now if we can only talk her in to doing it again next year so we have an excuse to go up more often.    The poor thing though is in shock having to live with 5 boys again in a small house.   Her brothers are all really glad she is home and so are her parents.   I am still waiting for her to bake something for me since she learned how to bake at the bakery from Mrs. Salmon.   Her cherry pie is to die for!!!!!!!   And so is everything else she makes.    If you didn't make it to West Yellowstone this year, you have to plan to go next year and stop by the Woodside Bakery next to the playmill and stay in the Hadley's Motel.   Anyway, enough talk of delectible pies and brownies and cakes and such.   I love to cook and especially love Gumbo.   For those who don't know and aren't Cajun, Gumbo is a Cajun soup that is flavored by a roux made of oil or fat and flour that has been cooked in a cast iron pan for about 45 minutes till the roux is almost black in color.    Then the Cajun Holy Trinity (Peppers, Onions and Celery) is added and cooked down then added to your soup base.  Obviously that isn't health concious, then I found a great trick that is almost as good.   Here is my recipe.....enjoy!

H's Almost Fat Free Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
2 roasted chickens (bought the already cooked ones at the store. Could use just breast meat.)
1 package Jeanie-0 Turkey Kielbasa
2 large cans Swanson's 100% Fat Free Chicken Broth, Low Sodium
3/4 cup flour
2 Red Peppers
2 Grenn Peppers
2 large Onions
5 Stalks Celery
2 cloves garlic minced
Cajun Seasoning - I love Tony Chachere!!!   could use cayenne instead, less sodium.
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil or Pam cooking spray
Cooked Brown Rice
Optional is cut okra or file' powder for thickening.

in a 400 degree oven put flour on baking sheet and bake.   Stiring often to not burn.    Flour witll turn to a dark brown color.    If you burn it, through it away and start over.
Mix flour in with cold water to make a slurry.   Mix well so there are no lumps.
Pull chicken from the bones, or pull breast meat apart.
In non-stick pan, brown sliced kealbasa.   I cut it in half and then then chop to make half moon shapes.
add olive oil or pam spray to non stick pan and sautee all the vegetables after dicing.   Cook till softened.
Heat broth in large pot.   When boiling, add flour slurry and stir to avoid lumps.   Add vegetables, chicken, kielbasa and cajun seasoning.   
Put 1/2 cup brown rice in a bowl, and add a ladel or 2 of the gumbo over the rice.    mmmmmmmmmm!!!

To report on my weight loss......I am down 25 pounds now in 6 1/2 weeks.  
"Lookin good Billy-Ray.   Feeling good Louis."

Biggest Loser

Well Chrisi and I are part of a biggest loser challenge in our neighborhood that the Thoma's are running.   What a great idea and way to get alot of people healthy.   It has been a big adjustment, but one that I am determined to make happen in my life.   I have lost about 18 pounds so far in a month. For those who may not know, I love to cook, and love to eat even more.   If I do say so myself, I am a very good cook, and that helps out a lot in my desire to eat healthy.   I have studied nutrition alot on my own, and am able to make healthy meals for Chrisi and my family.   I know there are a lot of diets out there, but here is my philosophy.   It is based on "Body 4 Life" and "The Biggest Loser" and on other study I have done on healthy eating.

1. Eat at least 5 smaller portion meals a day
2. Breakfast must be healthy and should never be missed
3. Eat at lest every 2.5 or 3 hours
4. Drink at least 10 glasses of water a day
5. Eat at least 5 fruits and vegetable servings a day
6. Low fat, complex carbs, more protein

I love Whey Protein shakes with  skim milk.   Add fresh or frozen fruits if you like.
Natural Almonds make a great snack, so do apples.
I love oatmeal for breakfast with a protein shake.
If you want mayonnaise?   Take fat free cottage cheese, puree in blender with a little skim milk, and you have a healthy substitute for mayo.   Mix it with your tuna fish, or use on your sandwhiches.
Fish, fish, fish!!!
Switch from potatoes to sweet potatoes
Switch form white rice to brown rice.
Size matters in meals.
Salt free seasonings are your friend.

Here is a recipe for my own "Black Bean Chicken Soup"

3 cans black beans
1 can diced tomatoes (I use cilantro lime diced tomatoes)
1 can corn
1 can diced green chili's
1 Tblspn chicken boullion paste
1 onion diced
3 grilled chicken breasts

Season chicken Breasts with onion powder and garlic powder, grill.
Spray non-stick pan with Pam and add diced onions.   Sauted till soft.
Put 1 1/2 cans of black beans in blender and puree.
In soup pot add puree'd beans, other beans, corn, tomatoes, chili's, boullion and onions.
Bring to a boil.   Take grilled chicken and cube then add to soup.
Add pepper to taste.
If you like it a little spicy, use hot chili's, or red pepper flakes or even some tobasco.
I usually eat 1 1/2 cups of this for a meal.   I don't have the exact calories, but has to be around 250 or less .   Applebees has a black bean soup that is similar for 220 for a cup.   I use less fat I bet so 250 should be a good guess.

enjoy!!!!   Low fat, good fiber, good protein.   Make extra and store for a quick meal another day.

I use loseit, and app for my iphone to track my food and workouts.   I love it!!!  

Does it ever slow down?

Why am I starting this blog?   I really can't tell you, I just feel like I need to.   I am sure it will morph over time into some awesome, but for now just a few thoughts and photos to get it started.

Our family has been running ever since 2010 began, and I don't see it slowing down anytime soon.  Vacations, Church activities, sporting events and more driving people places than I would like to admit.   We are excited to get our Brynn back next weekend from West Yellowstone.   She has been working there for the summer in a bakery and motel.   quite a growing experience for her with lots of outdoor benefits except for the buffalo.    Chrisi would love to have one in our backyard...Brynn would like to shoot them all.   Our family has made 3 trips to see her. of course not all of us at once.   We got some great photo swhich I will post.
Jace just finished Little League Football, and it has been very taxing on me as a parent.  I have coached youth in baseball and basketball many times, but for some reason to be a football coach you have to throw all fairness of play out the window and try to prove to some unseen power that you are ready for the big time and should be coaching on Sundays.  If I say more, I may be banned from the league. :)  
Logan is deep into his senior year as Northridge Highs Senior Class President.   It has been fun seeing him grow and experience High School like no one in our family before.
Jaron has his dream job working at backcountry.com,  taking online orders and can't wait for the snow to fly so he can use his free lift tickets.   The dude is a snowboard freek. :)   Also is in a band called "Art in Thesis", they are very good, and that's coming from an old codger like me.
Cade is the most energetic, skinny, hard working, car maniac I know.   Love that kid.   Just don't leave your hot wheels out where he can find them.
Chrisi is now working at the elementary school for 2 1/2 hours a day, and I get to work from home 2 days a week.    Can I just say how awesome that is!!!!!
Well till I actually have something to say, this is done.