Feather Down Farms

Feather Down Farm tent

Inside of the tent.... how cozy?!

Wood burning stove

How incredible to ride bikes among the animals

You get to pick your own breakfast

I am in love! Feather Down Farms is a unique experience where families can stay and become part of a working rural farm. This is widely know in Europe and has recently been brought to the United States. These farms are a perfect escape to become one with nature and remove ourselves from the stress of everyday life. The farmer will greet you upon arrival and give you a behind the scences look at the daily chores it takes to care for animals and grow good food. You can participate in milking cows, making cheese, harvesting crops or take a long hike or bike ride.

This is something I have to do sometime in my life. Just a chance to slow down and appreciate nature and understand fully how the food we eat gets on our plate.

Still The Best Butt Firmer Around!

I just finished reading the latest issue of Shape Magazine and Rollerblades are back! I still remember at the age of 12 getting a pair but rarely using them because they were so pretty and I didn't want to scratch them up. Looking back I wish I used them more. But I have a second chance; the Rollerblade Spiritblade XT is a new skate that is wider for stability and perfect for any beginner. Not only is this a perfect fall activity to spend time outdoors as the weather cools but you will torch more than 700 calories and hour!

Perfect Dessert

This dessert is not only delicious but a lot of fun! A great option for an upcoming dinner party or romantic dinner for two. Its so easy to make and studies show that chocolate actually helps improve your mood.


Chocolate Fondue
2/3 cup evaporated skim milk
3 tablespoons of agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee granulates (optional)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 oz bittersweet chocolate (such as Ghirardelli), chopped
1 cup cubed angel food cake
2 cups fresh fruit (kiwi, bananas, mangos, apples etc.)

• Combine evaporated milk, agave nectar, vanilla extract, and espresso powder in a small heavy bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook until mixture begins to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat.
• Whisk in cocoa powder until well blended. Add chocolate. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is well blended; pour mixture into a fondue pot to keep warm. (Add more milk if mixture becomes too thick).
• Use forks or skewers to dip cake and fruit into chocolate.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving (1/4 cup fondue, 1/4 cup cake and 1/2 cup fruit) 291 calories, 10g fat, 52g carbs, 146mg sodium, 6g fiber and 7g protein.

Women's Health Magazine October 2010

DIY Bath Salts

Every woman needs some peace and quiet and what better way than relaxing in a tub with a glass of wine. Just as easy as the previous DIY detergent that I posted I found a great DIY Bath Salt recipe. This recipe not only smells great but is also beautiful to look at in glass jar!


Ingredients
4 cups of sea salt
1 cup Epsom salt
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup dried rose, calendula, or citrus rinds
1/4 tsp bergamot or grapefruit essential oil

• Combine sale and baking soda.
• Mix 1 cup of dry mixture with essential oil.
• Add it to the rest and mix.
• Add petals or citrus.

Whole Living Magazine October 2010

Understanding Obesogens

1 2 3 next >> We blame weight gain on eating too many burgers and burning too little...

Dr. Oz had a really interesting segment on yesterday about a Obes-Ogens. This may help explain why some people eat less and exercise more but still gain weight. The chemicals we put in our body may be causing our society to become obese. Click on the photo above for more information.

Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts

Ingredients

2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/3 cup chopped parsley leaves

salt and pepper

• Put the broth and quinoa in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and grain is tender.
• Meanwhile toast the nuts in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove nuts from pan and set aside.
• Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to brown, about 6 minutes.
• When the quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in the pine nuts, onions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Per Serving (yields 6 servings, 3/4 cup each) 180 calories; total fat 8g, protein 6g, carb 23g, fiber 2g, cholesterol 0mg, sodium 30mg

www.foodnetwork.com

The best spaghetti recipe!

OK I don't have a photo or the nutritional facts for this recipe but I got it from a Weight Watchers handout years ago and it has been a favorite ever since!


Ingredients
Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Zucchini (cut slices in quarters)
Yellow Squash (cut slices in quarters)
Onion (dice)
Low Fat Ricotta Cheese
Canned Tomato Sauce


Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package and drain.
2. While the spaghetti is cooking, heat a medium frying pan on medium/low and spray with PAM. Saute zucchini, squash and onion until soft. Add 1 can of tomato sauce and cook until heated through.
3. Top spaghetti with vegetables and sauce then complete with a dollop of the ricotta cheese

**It ends up tasting like a lasagna and the vegetables bulk up the spaghetti so you can eat a larger portion and feel satisfied. For an even a lower calorie option substitute spaghetti squash for the whole wheat spaghetti.

Getting Back on Track!

I had a great question from one of my readers that I wanted to take a moment and answer.

Question- "I need a post on how to get back in the swing of working out after a holiday weekend with entirely tooooo much good eating!"

First of all thank you for the question! I think we can all agree that we encounter this issue probably one too many times each year. When the holidays are over we find ourselves reaching for bigger and looser clothing and lack the motivation to get back on track eating right and exercising. It can be a vicious cycle but we can break it!

•Get moving. It may be the last thing you feel like doing, but getting the blood flowing is the perfect remedy for a food hangover. Think simple -- walking, light strength training, or yoga. Even a few minutes can boost your mood and your energy levels.
•Drink water. That bloating you're experiencing could be due to an overload of salt, which can cause water retention. Many holiday favorites contain way more salt than the body needs, so drinking extra water can help you get rid of the extra bloat.
•Eat lightly. After eating too much, you may be tempted to declare, "I'll never eat again!" You may also be amazed that you're actually hungry after all that eating. Starving yourself, however, isn't the answer. Nibble on light fare such as salad, soup, sandwiches and fruit to give your body nutrients without overloading it with calories.
•Make a plan. One of the worst side effects of eating too much is the guilt that comes after. Guilt is sometimes inevitable, but you can use that feeling to motivate you into something better. Make a plan for the next few days for how you'll get back on track with your eating and exercise. Just the act of planning can make you feel better...just make sure you follow through.
•Plan for the future. Last, take some time to think about the mistakes you made this season and what you can do to avoid those same mistakes in the future. Doing this can also help you make good choices more consistently so that overindulgence isn't a frequent problem.
*About.com

Also as we enter the fall season enjoy this gorgeous weather and exercise outdoors. We will also begin to get back into a routine now that summer is behind us, so take some time to plan activity into your calendar.

Wellness Journal

I was reading the magazine Whole Living and they had an article about a new Wellness Journal from www.moleskineus.com. I think this is such a great resource for sticking with healthy habits. This journal has 240 pages with sections to record goals, exercise, diet, vitamins, doctors appointments, inspirations etc. You can even include recipes.

This is such a great tool as we start to get back on track before the holidays!

Ginormous Cereal Bowl-Anza

If anyone knows my mother, they know her favorite food is cereal. So growing up cereal was a go to meal for breakfast, snack or a quick dinner. To this day I still love sitting down with a bowl.


The sad part is the portion size for a single serving is in most cases 2/3 cup. Seriously?? That's ridiculous! When I pour a bowl it usually ends up being 2-3 servings. So what I thought was going to be a healthy breakfast turns into a calorie monster, because I eat way to much.


Hungry Girl is an amazing website and I have almost every one of her cookbooks. One of my favorite recipes is the ginormous cereal bowl-anza. And shes not joking its huge, I had to use a popcorn bowl to make it. But its less than 300 calories so a great quick dinner or filling breakfast choice. Or the perfect choice on one of those days that you have endless munchies!


All you need
1 cup of light vanilla soymilk
1 cup of puffed wheat cereal
1 cup of puffed rice cereal
1/2 cup of puffed corn (like kix)
1/4 cup of Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1/24 cup of blueberries


Mix together and ENJOY!


Per serving (1 bowl)
286 calories, 3g fat, 253mg sodium, 60g carbs, 10g fibers, 12 g sugar, 12g protein, 5 WW Points