Easy & (sort of) Quick homemade Vanilla Extract

Who doesn't want pure vanilla extract - made just for me!! This was a Christmas present. As you can see on the label, you have to keep it closed for six weeks. Asking me to wait on anything is just mean - but it was worth it. I opened it today & it smells FANTASTIC. 

Stacia (lovely lady who made this for me) used this ratio to make my extract: 

1 Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean : 1 pint of vodka. 

Put in a well sealed AIR TIGHT container, & let sit for six weeks. That's it.

You can use less vanilla, but if you do you will need to let the vanilla sit much longer than 6 weeks. (i.e. 1 vanilla bean : 1 quart vodka, let sit for 6 months). 

It is DIVINE! You can also use Rum, but Vodka doesn't have a scent, so it will definitely smell strongly of vanilla. Also, Vodka keeps well in the freezer, so you can easily save it. 

The hardest part of this is waiting. Once you open it, don't forget to strain out the vanilla beans.

Pour into some bottles & ENJOY!

No Weigh In This Week

This blogger is taking a break from weighing-in, calorie counting, etc. I'm also taking a break from P90X & Insanity. This April will mark the 18th anniversary of my diabetes diagnosis. So far, I've been extremely blessed to have avoided most of the long term complications associated with Type 1 diabetes, but time may have caught up with me. 

Last week while doing a high intensity workout, I noticed that my fingernails had turned blue.  I've had diabetes so long that my medical team wants to make sure that there is no damage in my heart before I can do an intensive workout again. I had a lung test & EKG. My doctor will consult with a cardiologist to see what happens next. Unfortunately in women, there isn't the typical symptoms of heart conditions, so we don't want to do just typical tests. 

Hopefully I will hear back soon, with news that I just worked a little too hard for a heart that's had diabetes for nearly 18 years, & to take it a little easier in future. If there is a problem I have confidence in my medical team that they'll find it. But mostly I'm confident that the LORD Who made me is in control. Nothing is outside of His power. 

Grandma Valerie's Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. lean ground beef
onion powder
pepper
1 1/2 large can diced or crushed tomatoes
garlic powder
oregano
1/2 small can tomato paste

Brown the ground beef with the pepper and onion powder.
Add the tomatoes, with their juice, oregano, garlic powder and more pepper.
Use spices to your own taste.
Cook for a few minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste until well blended.
Cook for a few more minutes.

Note from Mary Elizabeth: This is really delicious, & can be a very hearty low calorie meal if you add vegetables & reduce the amount of pasta that you use. 

This has a great meaty flavor, but the spices add something too. I shredded a tiny bit of fresh Parmesan over mine. True comfort food. 

Food for Fuel

When we are trying to lose weight and take charge of our health, what we eat REALLY matters.

Food is fuel. Just like a car needs gas to run, our bodies need fuel to function properly.

Would you put less than sub-par gas in your car?  We all know what happens when we put bad gas in our car. Yes, our car will still run but there will be problems. Problems that we will eventually have to fix. Problems that could shorten the life of our vehicle. Problems that will cost MORE money to fix than if we had just put a good quality gas in our car.

So if we wouldn't put bad gas in our car why would we put bad foods into our bodies? We have ONE body. We can not trade it in for another one. Why are we treating our cars with better care than we are our bodies?

Are you ready to take responsibility for your health?

Our food choices will make a big difference in how our bodies feel, function, and how our weight is maintained.

Let me give you an example of a poor nutritional choice versus a great nutrition choice...

Here we have a Raspberry filled Krispy Cream Doughnut:

Any one who has had one knows that they are oh so tasty. But that doughtnut is watered-down gas. At 340 calories and 21 grams of fat it is not only going to go straight to our waistline, it is nutritionally void. The doughnut has 36 grams of carbohydrates-all refined and highly processed which will cause your blood sugar to spike, cause you to "crash" later, and will mostly go straight to your waistline to be stored as fat. 

Not only is the doughnut high in calories, fat and carbs, it is not very filling leaving you looking for more food later.

The only nutritional benefits from this doughnut is 2 grams of fiber and three grams of protein-not a lot of bang for your buck!

Here we have a bowl of oatmeal flavored with a little milk, berries, and cinnamon + a low fat egg omelet:

The breakfast above is loaded with nutrition. It would be considered premium fuel. At just over 300 calories it has 25+ grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber and only has 8 grams of fat. This meal provides you with vitamins and antioxidants. It is a good source of fiber, complex carbs, and protein. It will keep you full and satisfied and give you energy that lasts. And with less than 2 grams of sugar, there will be no insulin spike or "crash" later.

The hot sauce added to the omelet will help boost metabolism (thermogenic effect).

The cinnamon added to the oatmeal will aid in weight loss, digestion, and will help lower blood pressure.

Not only is this breakfast loaded in nutrients, it is made mostly of real and natural ingredients. Ingredients that our bodies recognize and can easily digest. Our bodies can easily process "clean" foods causing us to use and burn up to 50% more calories than if we consumed refined and/or highly processed food (doughnuts).

That is a lot of bang for your buck!

Whether we are trying to lose weight, take better care of our health, or both the food choices we make matter. The more "clean" and natural we eat the more energy we will have, the healthier we will be, and the easier it will be to lose weight and keep it off.

Homemade Mayonnaise

Homemade mayonnaise is easy to make and tastes wonderful. It is an awesome way to add flavor and healthy fat into your diet.

 Mayonnaise Recipe

• 1 large Egg White (room temperature)
• 1 Tbs Lemon Juice (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup of Light-tasting Olive Oil (room temperature)
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp dijon mustard (or any other kind of mustard)

Instructions:

When making mayonaise the most important step is to have all of your ingredients room temperature.

1. In a blender or with a mixer beat egg white and lemon juice together. If the ingredients were already at room temperature continue, if not let it sit for about an hour.

2. Add salt and mustard and just a drizzle of oil and blend.

3. Very slowly (just a drizzle) pour in the remaining oil while mixing continuously. This process should take at least 3 minutes. Keep the oil at a very small drizzle. Patience is the key here.

Pour into a sealed container and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

Note: Although this recipe is "clean" it is not really a low calorie or low fat condiment so use in moderation. (The nutrition information on your olive oil bottle will give you

a good guide to the calories and fat in your mayonnaise because the oil is the primary source of calories and fat. The egg white adds an additional 15 calories).

You can use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe, 

but the flavor may be too strong which is why light-tasting olive oil is best.

Light Mayonnaise

This recipe tastes less like actual mayonnaise, but it is a good low-calorie/low-fat option.

• 1/2 cup low fat, plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 -3/4 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 tsp dijon mustard

Mix all ingredients. Enjoy!

Note: I like to make a batch of both recipes and then mix them together. That way you get a little more of the mayonnaise flavor with less fat and calories and more nutrition.

Weigh-in Week 5

The results are in & I love them! Down THREE POUNDS :-) Woo-hoo!!! 

I've started exercising 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. It's a bit early to see results from that on the scale, but I have been sleeping more soundly & my blood sugar has been a little better. 

I'm trying P90X3 for a few reasons. First, it came recommended by my fitness instructor (& on sale). Second, it only runs for half an hour. I'm a busy girl & 30 minutes is nice for my schedule. Third, it's something I can do at home even when I'm snowed in & since I live in the icy tundra of Indiana that seems to happen a lot lately. 

So far I'm enjoying it. I'm not an athlete by any means, but with modifications I've been able to keep up. It is challenging & I've definitely had soreness which is a good sign. 

All in all I've had a pretty good week. 

Smoky BBQ Sauce for a Toasted Chicken Sandwich

I love barbeque sauce, but it's usually full of granulated sugar, corn syrup, etc.  Now, for sitting and watching the big game this weekend, I had my heart set on a nice barbeque sandwich. So I replaced a pulled chicken barbeque sandwich for the following:

Toasted BBQ Chicken Sandwich

1. Make the chicken.  I rubbed some bonesless skinless chicken breast with a little extra virgin olive oil and cooked it on high in a crock pot for 2 1/2 hours.  I put on the herbs and spices to my taste.  Do whatever you like for yours.  Lemon, oregano, basil, seasoned salt, etc.  Do whatever you like - the sky is the limit.

2. Choose your bread. 
Clean options for bread is difficult.  Sometimes, it's best to make your own, if you have a breadmaker.  If not, I prefer Ezekiel bread brand. You can taste the difference, and it will fill you up so much better than processed breads.  It is expensive, but that only encourages me to use bread a little more sparingly than I would otherwise. 

3.  Make some smoky barbeque sauce.
In a small saucepan mix together the following: 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 1 1/2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt (more or less to taste), and a few drops of liquid smoke.  Use medium heat, and heat till boiling.  The longer you boil, the thicker the sauce will be once it cools.  The maple syrup gives is and nice carmel-y flavor that I love.  It works well with the liquid smoke.  If you want a little extra kick - add a tiny pinch of ground red pepper.

4. Choose a cheese. 
Something with FLAVOR.  If it says mild - anything - NOT THAT ONE.  The more flavorful the cheese, the less you need to get a good tasting bite.  That means less calories and unhealthy fat.  Asiago, parmesan, etc.

5.  Don't forget the veggies & condiments.
Lettuce, onion, green pepper, red pepper, etc.  Even fresh spinach leaves can make a sandwich better.  I like adding mustard - it tastes good and has no calories.  Avoid high calorie, high fat, or sugar condiments like mayonaise and relish.

6. Build your sandwich & enjoy a clean eating treat!