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For whatever reason, I have been in some sort of experimental mood lately. You know on my later nights, I pretty much eat a big salad and a piece of meat. 10 minute meals…

I don’t even know where I got this hair brained idea – maybe from reading too much cure cancer stuff  – but it occurred to me to just pour some plain old yellow mustard on my pork chop while it cooked, like you would bbq sauce. Now, I had already seasoned with garlic powder and Italian seasoning.

It was really good!

So, I decided to try it on chicken. Not so good. Oh Well…

Did you try that green bean with mustard sauce recipe?

Yellow mustard contains tumeric, which they are now saying is a powerful weapon against cancer cells.

Its not just for hot dogs anymore! And that’s OK with me

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• Pork Chops with Apples and Brussels Sprouts (hashisanon.wordpress.com)
• Pan Seared Pork Chops with Fuji Apples and Honey Thyme Carrots (lauralovinglife.wordpress.com)

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I have to say, January is my least favorite month of the year. Its cold and gray, and just unmotivating. I am having real trouble accomplishing much.

So, I’ve been puttering.

I do the bulk of my spring cleaning when I take the Christmas tree down. There’s not a lot to be done in that respect. I do have some projects, like finding the right window treatments, and starting the bathroom – but I’m just not up to projects right now.

I did manage to get a new ebook up on Kindle.

My taxes are half done.

I seriously am working on Shuffling. Everyday I’m shufflin….I’m at half speed. Its gonna take a lot of practice. At least I’m getting some exercise! Now, I have to motivate myself to pick up the resistance band that is hanging right next to my desk…

I’ve been cooking. I made split pea soup last weekend. Tonight on the way home from work I was thinking about dinner. I had taken a pork chop out of the freezer. I was pondering, “What can I do different?’  By the time I got home, I had a plan. I sauted the pork chop with some garlic and onions. While that cooked, I made some brown rice. During the last 5 minutes, I threw some broccoli into the rice and some bbq sauce on the pork chop. It took all of 15 minutes total, and it was pretty darned good.

It was easy because I had a plan. Always have a food plan. Its the only way to stay thin & healthy, and not succumb to temptations.

So then I had leftover brown rice. I tried making rice pudding with it. That didn’t turn out. Oh well.

I’m just going to take the hint that maybe I need a little mental down time. I just hope this doesn’t last too much longer. I feel so guilty if I’m not accomplishing something.

But you’ll notice that even being unmotivated, I still take care of my diet and exercise.

How about you? Are you making self care a priority? No matter what?

Related articles

• Spring Cleaning For The Soul. (elephantjournal.com)

The first time you hear something controversial, or something that goes against everything you’ve been taught – you might find it mildly interesting, but not worth taking to heart.

The second time you hear something, you might think, “Wow, I’ve heard that before.” But you still probably won’t believe it.

How many times does it take before you start to think, “Maybe I need to listen to this..”?

Login and start making some really good food that’s good for you!

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• Hearing vs. Listening (bloominginwashington.wordpress.com)

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I’ve been immersed in my goals, resolutions, whatever you choose to call them.

One of my ‘resolutions’ is to get back to my normal eating habits. I have gotten a little lazy – which is really stupid since making food my way is so easy and fast. But, managing life with my new schedule has been a little bit of a challenge. It became apparent that I needed to establish a new habit.

When I get home at 7 or later, I don’t really feel like cooking. Imagine that.

And I’m starving by that time. Its the perfect breeding ground for eating crap.

Here’s my new habit – I make and eat my salad first thing. OK, second thing. I have to feed the cat first or he won’t shut up.

Sometimes that’s all I eat. I’ve started making my salads bigger – dark green lettuce, broccoli, tomato, onions, croutons, cheese, maybe chicken or something if I have it. At least I’ve gotten my veggies and I’ve avoided the bad binge. Its a simple solution that works for me.

You might be tempted to make your salad ahead of time. The problem with that is the veggies lose their nutrients within a short time of being cut. They’ve already lost nutrients from the time they were picked. So for the most part, I don’t cut my vegetables until I’m ready to use them.

I also find I’m more likely to eat something else if I have it ready to cook. Just having something defrosted and seasoned takes away your excuses.

That’s really what its all about, isn’t it? Removing the excuses….

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• The Hungry Programmer (jstorimer.com)

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On those nights when I get home from work at 7:30 or 8 – you can bet your last dollar that I don’t feel much like cooking dinner. I always plan something really fast and easy for those nights.

Tonight was one of them.

I had a sauteed pork chop seasoned with garlic and Italian seasoning, a (micro) baked sweet potato, green beans and cranberry sauce.

I find that I’m more successful if I prep the vegetables first.

Some people like to prep their veggies the night before. That is not the best. Vegetables lose more nutrients from the time you cut them. If you’re being good and eating your vegetables, you want to get the biggest nutritional bang, right? It only takes a few minutes.

It would take you 10 -15 minutes just to pick up fast food and get it home half cold.

Which would you rather eat?

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• Slow Cooker Baked Sweet Potatoes (greenlinglocal.wordpress.com)
• On The Menu {week of Jan. 1} (easypaleo.com)
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• Quick fry zucchini (examiner.com)

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Its the time of year when everyone has big ideas for what they want to accomplish this year – and it usually involves something that they have been struggling with for years.

And then 2 weeks into the new year, the resolution is all but forgotten.

I have a simple resolution that will help give you better health, make your skin look better, give you more energy, help ward off disease, and help you lose weight. Its really that powerful.

Resolve to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Thats it.

Even if you change nothing else, the benefits of this one little resolution are amazing.

I like to have a big salad (dark green, not iceberg)  at dinner. I can knock off 2-3 servings of vegetables right there. Have some green beans, a sweet potato and a glass of juice (with no added sugars), and you’ve knocked out your requirement in just one meal.

Plan your fruits and vegetables with as much importance as you give your entree’

Every day, think about how you are going to get your 5 servings in.

Make it important.

You will feel and see a difference.

Happy New Year!

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“Carole, I see you on the site all the time lately?”

That’s right. We baked cookies on Saturday.

I made banana bread today.

I’m making sweet and sour chicken tomorrow night with pineapple, tomatoes, and broccoli. I like broccoli in sweet and sour sauce. Weird, I know. 

I have a Christmas Dinner to plan.

Yeah, I need to be here a lot! All my best recipes are here.

Don’ think that I felt like making banana bread, or cooking up a couple extra chicken breasts. But it will make my week go a whole lot easier.

I have banana bread for my morning snacks.

Tomorrow night’s dinner will be a breeze, and so will the barbeque chicken sandwiches with a big tossed salad on Tuesday. Wed. is dinner out – department Christmas party. Thursday is pork chops with sweet potatoes and green beans.

My sister is having outpatient surgery on Wed. She made a ham and a turkey so they have food for the week. That’s crazy! I am so proud of her. She has come a long way!

We’ll be eating great all week.

How about you? Do you have a plan? You know what happens when you don’t have a plan? Its right to the drive thru lane or frozen pizza, right? Login and start picking some great fast food to eat this week.

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• Our Menu (Week of December 4, 2011) (cozycakescottage.com)
• For the love of God, stay out of my kitchen!! (jeanneifeellikeblogging.wordpress.com)