Category: MISC

YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE ~ THE ABC’s OF HEALTHY EATING

Many of you know about the ongoing struggle I have been having after being diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer.  Even before the cancer, I struggled with living a clean eating and healthy lifestyle to cope with the aspects of Systemic Lupus.  Now sandwiched right before the cancer diagnosis was also a a diagnosis of Systemic Scleroderma which now labels me with a “mixed connective tissue disease“.  Oh and by the way none of them have cures.  This makes want to find a way to live even more healthy so I’ll be around for the cures!
Without going into a long story, many years ago after the Systemic Lupus diagnosis when I was in college and after 6 months of taking Progesterone and various other drugs, I went to my Rheumatologist (a fortunate recent referral and a truly great doctor and caring woman after several other doctors who really had no clue) and said I can’t live like this!  The Progesterone had put almost 60 pounds on me, I could no longer play racquetball (something I did 3-4 times a week) or jog (something I did 5-7 times a week after being a cross country runner in high school).
This great and caring doctor sighed with relief and asked me to sit down so we could talk!  Really, she just wanted to chat and chat we did for an hour and a half.  I truly believe that she changed my life forever!
The first thing she did was refuse me a support group – I know that sounds strange, but she truly felt I was better off with my positive attitude working through the steps with guidance.  Step 1 was to change my eating habits.  Remember I was in college, always eating on the run from whatever vending machine was close and diet everything to keep from putting on any more weight.  So, she had me write down my diet for a week and guess what?  When you see it in writing you realize how much all those “a little here” and “a little there” things add up! After that realization was Step 2 – eliminate the “non food” items from my diet.  She qualified these “non food” items as anything that didn’t have a direct receptor in the body.  This included saccharin, aspartame, splenda, anything processed with ingredients the average person can’t pronounce and preserved in a box or a can.  Below is the new food pyramid in an easy to read and follow format.

And here is an easy to follow breakdown!

It is a personal choice, but she also asked me to stay away from pork and shellfish – you know the bottom feeders of the world that will eat anything!  As she put it, garbage in, garbage out via your kidneys and liver!

Step 3 was to get regular exercise, proper rest and meditation to care for my whole being.  Oh and to avoid stress – yeah right in this world.  Sound advice for anyone, healthy or not!

So, the bottom line is that you were given only one body and despite popular belief, it cannot be easily replaced and does require the proper fuel and rest to work properly.  The easiest way is to start with a good diet.

Save Room for Dessert…Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing

Andrew and I had a baking day yesterday.  Last week, I won an auction at a PTA function, the annual Pelican Palooza.  My win was a large basket filled with cookbooks, measuring spoons, and Andrew’s favorite, a kid’s baking set.  All week long he asked when he was going to be able to use his baking stuff.  I asked him what he wanted to bake and he chose cupcakes, chocolate, of course.  Before we even starting on the cupcake batter, he had pulled all of the gel food coloring out of the pantry.  I asked him to choose 5 colors, and voila, you can see his choices.  I mixed the icing, but I let him do the rest.  He chose pink, because “moms like pink.”  His favorite was the blue.
The recipe I used was from Rebecca Rather’s The Pastry Queen.  I adapted her Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake for the cupcakes, leaving out the cinnamon and halving the recipe.  It’s a nice cupcake; Andrew was happy, and I’m sure you will be, too, so be sure to save room for dessert when you make these!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing Printable recipe
1 stick unsalted butter
¼ cup cocoa powder
3 oz water
1 cup sugar
½ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners (15-18)
Over medium heat, melt butter, add cocoa and stir until smooth.
Pour in water and continue to stir over medium heat.
Pour mixture into a bowl, the add the sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and egg; whisk mixture until smooth.
Add flour, soda and salt, whisking until dry ingredients are incorporated in the wet.
Divide batter amongst liners and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester inserted comes out clean.  
Allow to cool before applying the icing.


Buttercream Icing
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
2-3 cups powdered sugar


Cream together butter and vanilla until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  With the mixer on low, gradually add 2 cup powdered sugar, then slowly pour in the 2 tablespoons of milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add more powdered sugar or milk, to reach desired consistency.
Divide icing and mix in gel food coloring.
When cupcakes have cooled, frost as desired. 


Ambitious WEEKLY MENU

Okay, let’s try it again.  Last week got so out of whack that we didn’t eat anything from this menu so we’ll try again this week. I’ve missed cooking more than just about anything during this time down!
Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Monday 4/4
 YOGURT & FRUIT SANDWICHES CRAB CAKES & CAESAR SALAD
Tuesday 4/5
 TOAST & FRUIT LEFTOVERS GRILLED MEATBALL KEBABS & PARMESAN PUFFS CHOCOLATE QUICKIE STICKIES
Wednesday 4/6
 YOGURT SOUP GRILLED CHICKEN SUPREME PINEAPPLE STACKS
Thursday 4/7
 FRUIT CHEESE & FRUIT PEPPER STEAK BEARNAISE & CHEDDAR CHEESE GRITS
Friday 4/8
 OATMEAL C.O.R.N. FLANK STEAK with LIME MARINADE
Saturday 4/9
 RASPBERRY JAM OMELETTE leftovers OUT
Sunday 4/10
 BREAKFAST QUICHES RACING FOOD PORK NORMANDY

A to Z Blogging Challenge

There is seriously something wrong with me. I know I have absolutely no business joining another challenge as busy and overwhelmed as my life is right now, but you know how I am, I can’t resist a good challenge!

I stopped over to visit my blogging buddy Martha from Menagerie today and found a fun A-Z Blogging Challenge she is participating in…

Of course I’ll play along too, who could resist?  If you’d like to join us just click the badge! This isn’t necessarily a photo challenge, it can be anything at all as long as it represents the letter for that day. The challenge is to post every day this month (except Sundays) for a total of 26 A-Z posts. So far there are 1210 participants and more still joining!

I’ve been wanting to get more active again here at 3 Sides of Crazy, what better way to give myself that little push!

Since I just found this challenge today I have to catch up so I’m including both A and B today.

Yesterday’s letter was A – is for Absent, what I was yesterday!
Today the letter is B – is for Busy Bee, that’s me!

Come play along, this is going to “B” fun  😉