A healthy snack your kids will LOVE!!

My son is a very picky eater, to get him to eat anything healthy is a huge chore. I found a recipe today and made it my very own..and packed a whole bunch of nutritional goodness in them so you can feel good about your kids eating them and more importantly your kids will love them. These are also a great breakfast bar for grown ups on the go... just cut them into bigger pieces and head out the door !!

Pecan and Chocolate Power Bars

Ingredients
1 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup whole-wheat Pastry flour or regular whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten to mix
1 egg white
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Cooking spray

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, oil, vanilla, egg and egg white until well combined. Stir in the oatmeal mixture until well combined. Add mini chocolate chips and pecans.
Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out
clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely and cut into 12 bars, about 4 by1 1/2 inches each.

Nutritional facts per serving ( 1 bar = 1 serving )
Calories 211.3; Total Fat 10.4 g; (Sat Fat 1.3 g, Mono Fat 2.7 g, Poly Fat 5.2 g) ; Protein 4 g; Carb 27.4 g; Fiber 2.8 g; Sugar 14.8 Cholesterol 18.4 mg; Sodium 60 mg

Excellent source of: Manganese

Good source of: Thiamin

Birth Mommy Tattoo

While I was pregnant with Rylee, my birth daughter back in 2001 and when I decide on doing an open adoption..I always new that one day I wanted a tattoo honoring Rylee and my sacrifice. Well it finally happened.
I have been searched and searched online for a tattoo that I felt told my story and my feelings about my love for Rylee and my pain. I could NOT find anything that really did any justice. I asked my very good friend Jen for some advice, right away she told me that I should go to her brother, Jason Kunz (http://jasonkunz.com/ ) he is a tattoo artist and has his very own tattoo shop.
I thought that would be a good idea. She emailed him with a brief description of my story and he came up with a beautiful drawing! It was so perfect.

Yes, it was a bit more painful then I had expected, a lot more painful then the little chinsy tattoo I got when I was 18... but I think I fared well. After it was done (2 1/2 hours later) I looked in the mirror and immediately got teary eyed...it was perfect..he did an amazing job and I was so pleased!

I love it so much, and look at it way to many times throughout the day!

This is a sacred heart tattoo. If you notice at the top of the heart there is a big piece of heart missing with rays of light pushing out the pieces and that sends a crack through the heart, well that of course represents that Rylee is the missing piece of my heart and the broken heart says that there will always be pain. The halo reminds me of the heart wrenching sacrifice I made and that God will never forget that sacrifice. Wings of course always remind me of peace....which I hope that someday I will have.

This is an old blog from Myspace, I had this tattoo done in June 06.

Southwest Salad

Southwast Salad

6 cups torn romain lettuc

1 cup frozen corn thawed

1 cup beans (black beans or kidney beans)

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup light ranch dressing

1/2 cup chedder cheese cubed or grated

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/2 of an avocado sliced

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1 medium tomato sliced

1 cup broken tortilla chips

Directions:

Place lettuce on a serving platter, bowl or you can do it individually like I did. Layer with the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with salsa and ranch on top and sprinkle with chips. Makes about 4 servings

Nutritional Facts:

Calories 350

Fat 18 g

Sodium 585

Carb 37g

Fiber 9g

Protein 13g

I took this picture before I put on the chips, chesse, and dressings... but the nutritional value does reflect all ingredients

Kids Favorite Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Choclate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Ingredients

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup non fat milk
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 frozen or ripe banana
3 tbsp choclate syurp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp wheat germ (optional)
1 cup ice

Directions
Throw all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.... if you like it sweeter add more chocolate syurp or you can use honey too. I have also made this with chocolate soy milk..replacing the use to choclate syurp....and it tastes fantastic also!!This makes about 3 -10oz servings or 2 big 16oz servings!!Number of Servings: 3

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 3
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 405.8
Total Fat: 22.2 g
Cholesterol: 1.6 mg
Sodium: 275.7 mg
Total Carbs: 40.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.9 g
Protein: 16.7 g

Raspberry Walnut Bran Muffins

Krissy's Raspberry Walnut Bran Muffins

Ingredients
1 c. Frozen or fresh raspberries

1 c All purpose flour

1 c Wheat Bran

1/4 c sugar

3 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 beaten egg

1 c fat free milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c cooking oil

1/4 c chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions
In bowl stir together flour, bran , sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in center. in a small bowl combine egg, milk, vanilla and oil: add all at once to flour mixture. Stir just till moistened. Fold in raspberries and walnuts. Grease bottoms of muffin pan or line with paper bake cups. Fill 2/3 full. Bake in 400 oven about 20 minutes or until done. Remove from pan. Cool slightly on wire racks. Makes 12 Good drizzled with honey.Number of Servings: 12

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving 1
Calories: 132.9
Total Fat: 6.1 g
Cholesterol: 18.1 mg
Sodium: 331.9 mg
Total Carbs: 18.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.2 g
Protein: 3.5 g

Mexican Turkey Soup

Mexican-Style Turkey Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp group cumin
1 tsp chill powder
1/2 tsp paprika
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 cups cubed,peeled winter squash
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups cooked turkey, chopped
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions
In a Dutch oven cook onion and sweet pepper in hot oil over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in cumin, chili powder, and paprika; cook and stir for 30 seconds.Add broth, squash, tomato, salt and black pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until squash is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in turkey, corn and cilantro. Heat through.Have a fresh fruit salad and warm crusty bread with it.Number of Servings: 6


Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 182.7
Total Fat: 4.4 g
Cholesterol: 31.9 mg
Sodium: 543.5 mg
Total Carbs: 19.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.3 g
Protein: 18.2 g

A Birth Mother's Love Slideshow

I'm crying already just posting this blog. This song, this slide show is very personal to me. I hope you watch it and really listen to the beautiful song, because this song is a part of me. If you watch closley..you can see the picture of Rylee and I, I'm kissing her for the last time as her mommy and I am about to place her in the arms of another. Click the link below to watch..thank you.

I love you Rylee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQXHVKsJr2c

Here are the lyrics:

With so many wrong decisions in my past, I'm not quite sure.If I can ever hope to trust my judgement anymore.But lately I've been thinking, 'cause it's all I've had to do.And in my heart I feel that I should give this child to you.

And maybe, you can tell your baby when you love him so that he's been loved before.By someone who delivered your son, From God's arms to my arm's to yours.Now if you choose to tell him and if he wants to know.How the one who gave him life could bear to let him go.Just tell him there were sleepless nights I prayed and paced the floors.And knew the only peace I'd find is if this child was yours.

Now I know you don't have to do this, but could you kiss him once for me?The first time that he ties his shoes or falls and skins his knee, And could you hold him twice as long when he makes his mistakes.Tell him that he's not alone, sometimes that's all it takes -I know how much he'll ache.
This may not be the answer for another girl like me.And I'm not on a soapbox saying how we all should be.I'm just trusting in my feelings and I'm trusting God above.And I'm trusting you can give our baby both his mother's love.
{Repeat Chorus}

Twi-hard, Twilighter...call it what you will... I'm proud of it!

I'm sure you can already tell by my profile that I'm a Twilight fan. Yes, it's true...I love the Twilight Saga.. it's the best series I have EVER read. Yes, even better than Harry Potter, but I can't lie I still have a place for Harry in my heart. If you haven't read this series I highly recommend you to go out and buy it RIGHT NOW...go..fast...haha!!! No but seriously, buy it. You will read it over and over and over again. I was very skeptical when I first heard about it at my sister's bridal shower last July. Close family friends of ours said that there is a must read series. When I heard it was about vampires I was very weary of it. I never cared for that sort of thing..so I kinda just forgot about it. Then in November I kept hearing more and more about it..so finally I was at Fred Meyer and saw a copy for $5 and decided to buy it. It sat at home for about a month before I decided to read it...and when I did, boy was I HOOKED!!! You just can't get enough of it. You just want to read and read and read until your eyes are red and dried out and then you are walkin around bugged eyed and can't even blink because your eyelids are stuck to your eyeballs...hehe. It took only a couple weeks to read all 4 books, it's very fast. So please go read this series...you will NOT be disappointed!!

hmmmm..did I really just post a blog about Twilight...geesh I must be a Twi-hard. There will be more to come...I can talk about this book forever!!

Biggest Loser

I am a HUGE Biggest Loser fan. I have been watching it since my own "FAT" days...when I wish I could be on the show. Well this season is probably my most favorite season so far. There is one girl in particular that I very much relate too or I think I just wish she was my BFF, hehe. I just love her, she is Tara Costa. This girl is a PURE MACHINE. I have never seen anyone on BL as dedicated, determined and as disciplined as her. She is so motivating and very inspiring. She works harder than anyone I have ever seen on the show. In challenges she is competitive, fearless and unstoppable. It is amazing to watch...she makes me want to work even that much harder at my own weight loss journey. I can only hope that she is inspiring people just as she has inspired me. If she can do it, if I can do it.....I know YOU can do it!!!!!

My first post

Finally after a year of starting this blog..i finally am posting for the first time. It took me awhile to figure this all out, I really lost my touch after not having DSL for over a year!! Now lets see if I can keep up with this thing. I know I will have tons to post about!!!