Chicken Pot Pie
The cold weather season is here. Many of us are looking forward to ending the work day at home under a cozy blanket with a warm meal. Comfort foods take us back to some of our best memories; unfortunately, these can be foods that are high in fat and calories. However, some comforting foods can be good for you, easy to prepare and fit any nutrition plan. Here are a few tips:
• Spaghetti is a great comfort food and has less calories that the typical pasta dishes such as lasagna and creamy pastas. Opt for whole-wheat pasta or get adventurous and try some spaghetti squash. Also, look for chunky sauces without added sugars. Use fresh herbs and vegetables such as basil and onions for added flavor.
• Vegetable soups and stews make great hearty meals. Use a slow cooker to prepare lean cuts of meat along with large pieces of vegetables such as potatoes and carrots. Add your favorite seasonings and let it cook all day. Typically cream soups are much higher in fat and calories, so stick to those that are broth based.
• Cut the crust. Many of our favorite comfort foods such as chicken pot pie and peach cobbler have a top and bottom crust. Simply doing away with the bottom crust could save you a good bit of calories and fat.
• Use lean meats for soups, stews and especially foods that have gravy such as meatloaf or beef tips. Use herbs and spices for flavor. Look for ways to cut fat and calories in your favorite comfort food by searching for healthier alternatives on the Internet on recipe sharing sites and other places, such as Pinterest.
In memory of a proud & loving Grand-Poppa
This weekend marked the beginning of hurricane season. This is a great time to make sure your family is adequately prepared for emergencies. Being prepared is essential to making sure you and your family stay safe and have nourishing food during and after an emergency. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the upcoming season:
1. Make sure your refrigerator is set below 40 degrees and your freezer is at 0 degrees at all times. It is important you keep your appliances well maintained and check the temperature on a regular basis.
2 . Don’t store foods such as potatoes or onions under the sink. Leakage from pipes can damage the food. Keep them in a cool, dry place.
3 . If your power goes out, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed and only open them when necessary. After the power is restored, check to see if the temperature inside your refrigerator has risen to 45 degrees. If so, discard any potentially spoiled foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy and any cooked foods.
4 . A refrigerator can keep foods at the proper temperature for about four hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will keep foods at an adequate temperature for about 48 hours, if the doors are kept closed. Keep in mind extreme outside temperatures can affect this.
5 . Discard food that has come in contact with flood water.
Words of Wisdom :
In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail. Explore. Dream. Discover."
We have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way, we cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is remember to keep a positive attitude. It will keep our burdens light.
Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.
"It is a common characteristic of human nature that a man sees the faults of others more easily than he sees his own." "At the same time on the path of self-study he learns that he himself possesses all the faults that he finds in others." "In order to see himself in other people's faults and not merely to see the faults of others, a man must be very sincere with himself."
If you want happiness for an hour—take a nap. If you want happiness for a day—go fishing. If you want happiness for a month—get married. If you want happiness for a year—inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime—help others.
Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parent's, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors we borrow it from our children.
A proud grandpa G.
Hello my friends .
You may have heard this week is testing week for our area students . Eating a healthy breakfast will help set you for a day of eating . A healthy breakfast is important for kids year-round , but a well-balance breakfast is especially important on tasting days . Children who eat breakfast are significantly less likely to be over weight . School breakfast improves test results as well as well as memory and verbal skills . It may seem convenient to grab prepackaged foods or go through a drive-through , but in the long run , these options will end up costing you more money and most likely do not contribute to long-term health goals . Avoid products that are made with abundance of added sugars and fat . Although these can provide immediate energy , later sugar and insulin levels will fall , creating periods of extreme tiredness . Here are a few tips to help you and your child have a healthy breakfast .
Plan ahead :
When you plan your meals for the week , make sure you include breakfast . Many breakfast options can be made ahead for the week or several days ,
Have a portable Breakfast :
In Case you are running late have a portable breakfast ready to go . Portion out dry cereal or chopped fruit into sandwich bags . Buy single-serve yogurt and fruit cups . All of these are great when you are in a hurry .
Think outside the box :
Turkey or peanut butter sandwiches make a good quick breakfast .
Words Of Wisdom :
9 Things I Hate About Everyone
1. People who point at their wrist asking for the time... I know where my watch is pal, where the hell is yours? Do I point at my crotch when I ask where the toilet is?
2. People who are willing to get off their a** to search the entire room for the TV remote because they refuse to walk to the TV and change the channel manually.
3. When people say "Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too". Damn Right! What good is cake if you can't eat it?
4. When people say "it's always the last place you look". Of course it is. Why the hell would you keep looking after you've found it? Do people do this? Who and where are they?
5. When people say while watching a film, "did ya see that?" No Loser, I paid $12 to come to the cinema and stare at the damn floor!
6. People who ask "Can I ask you a question?"... Didn't give me a choice there, did ya sunshine?
7. When something is 'new and improved'. Which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it, couldn't be new.
8. When people say "life is short". What the hell??? Life is the longest damn thing anyone ever does!!! What can you do thats longer?
9. When you are waiting for the bus and someone asks "Has the bus come yet?" If the bus came, would I be standing here?
A proud grand-poppa G.
October is National Pork Month . In the past , pork has created a little controversy in the nutrition world with some listing it as a power food and others putting it on lists of food to avoid .
To clear up the debate , one must consider the particular cut of meat and the way it's prepared . For example , it is no secret that bacon and sausage are much higher in faat and sodium . However , pork loin and pork chops are great options for leaner cuts of meat .
Pork is high in protein , low in fat and a great source of B-vitamins , putting it on the list for one of the energizing foods .
Here are a few tips to help you enjoy pork in a healthy way :
1 . Keep meat separate in your grocery cart and make sure you bag it separately for transporting home . Meat should always be kept on a plate or tray , below other foods to prevent juices from dripping on other foods and prevent cross contamination.
2 . Make sure you cook pork steaks and chops to an internal temperature of at least 145 F and ground pork to at least 160 F.
3 . Pair pork with fruits . Pork goes well with many fruits such as pineapple , apples , pears and oranges .
4 . When possible , buy meats raised by local farmers .
Words of Wisdom :
Getting old is when your toupee looks good , your false teeth work fine , your peg leg is O.K. , but you sure do miss your mind .
My senior moments sometimes turn into a week long vacation !
My memory is so bad I finally have a clear conscience.
We do not stop laughing because we grow old ; we grow old because we stop laughing .
A proud Grandpa -------G.
