Good Finds

So here is my So Cool post for the week. I have wanted this year to have our family eat a little more healthy and me in particular. There have some things that I have tried that have been so so yummy and super healthy so I thought I'd share them with you. Some of them people have suggested them to me (thanks Pam for tons of your suggestions).
As part of your comments on this one I want you to share all your good finds with me. I love finding a new yummy snack/meal/treat that is healthy, so share with me too.



Boca burger--You will not believe me but this meal is so delicious. I have never tried veggie burgers before until just recently and I can't believe how good they are especially this Boca kind it is Mushroom Mozzarella and it is super good if you don't like mushrooms they have tons of other kinds. This is the only one I have tried and it is one of the lower fat ones. There is only 100 cal. in each burger and 4 grams of fiber there is also 10% of your Iron in there and iron is sometimes hard to get.

Sandwich thins-- I toast this and put the boca burger on the sandwich thin it is only 100 cal and 5 grams of fiber. These sandwhich thins work great in the place of any bread and work great as a bun too I can't wait to use them this summer with our BBQ's and I can't wait to cook one of my Boca burgers on the grill. Yum! I top burger with lettuce and tomatoes and you could add any veggie you want then use the sandwich thin as the bun. You can get these at most grocery stores I think I got mine at Costco they were a good price there. I will admit they were a bit more pricy than normal bread but worth it to me.

Potatoes-- Those colorful things are a harvest medly of potatoes from Costco a way better alternative to fries they work as a potato side for just about anything and they are really good. Three grams of fiber per serving and I think it is 1-2 grams of fat can't remember exactly but really good and healthy. They sell them in a big box at Costco and they are actually reasonably priced I think they are just over a dollar a pound when you break it down, and they are fast and easy, my kids dont care for the sweet potatoes but they like all the rest (we'll keep trying). I love all of the kinds they are super good.

One more tip insted of mayo on the burger I used light blue cheese dressing from wish bone it is really good for light dressing and only 2 grams of fat per serving and 50 cal. If you don't like blue cheese Try another low fat dressing or a lower fat mayo in place of the high fat mayo.


Flat Out Bread-- another great altertative to bread but it is more like a tortilla so you can use it for fajita's, enchalada's, wraps, pizza, etc. This is 100 cal. per wrap 8 grams of fiber and I think this one has iron in it as well you'll have to look on the package, 2.5 grams of fat per wrap. Super healthy and super good a great alternative to a white tortilla.


Yoplait Smoothie-- My Friend Bobbi told me about these so so yummy They sell them at Costco in a big pouch for around $10 (10 servings in a bag when you buy them there) I am a cheapskate and I found a coupon on http://www.coupons.com/ and it is still there so you can go print it off if you want to I also found one at http://www.bettycrocker.com/ and you can print it there too. You should be able to print each coupon twice so you can have four coupons. which should save you about half of what you would get them at Costco for. They are a little over $2 at Wal-mart and if you have a Winco near you they are a $1.98 so you would get them for .98 cents or a little over a $1 if you get them at Wal-mart.
They are so yummy and all you have to do is put the contents of the pouch in a blender and add the milk. Refreshing treat. 2.5 grams of fat per serving around 120 cal. and this particular kind has 3 grams of fiber, they have a mango, pinapple, strawberry one and that one only has 2 grams of fiber (still good) and the Strawberry banna one I am not sure. It also provides one full serving of fruit.


Ice Cream-- My new found love. If you have not tried low-fat or fat-free ice cream in a while you need to give it a try again, I am a HUGE ice cream fan (one of my weaknesses) and I used to hate low-fat ice cream but they have come out with new ways to churn it and it tastes so creamy seriously you are not sacrificing when you eat these they are so good. You will sacrifice a little in flavor choices when you are gettting the free kind but Dryers has a yogurt line and a half the fat line and those are really good too. The yogurt line has active cultures in it which are healthy for you and I tried the cookies and cream in that kind and it was so good I thought there was no way it would taste as good as the real stuff and I really couldn't tell the difference. I should have taken a picture of that kind but I ate it all:) That particular kind had like 3 grams of fat and I think 120 calories (this is off memory so you need to check for yourself for actual nutrition facts) and it does have sugar in it so moderation in all things is the key but a great way to cut calories and still enjoy. The Dryers yougart or half the fat ice cream doesn't have any fiber in it I don't think. Again check the label.

Ok for the Breyers free the French cho. has 4 grams of fiber and I think 120 cal. The strawberry is around 100 cal and 5 grams of fiber. Both do have sugar.

If you get the paper there are $1 off coupons for Dryers ice cream going on right now and Albertson's has it for $2.99 for 1.5 quarts. So you would get it for $2 a quart. The bryers I bought on coupon at alberton's a little bit ago, the coupons are not still active.


From what I recall these are not any more expensive than the full fat kind and I am a really thrifty person so I will always try to tell you how you can get it for cheaper if there is a way.


Yummy, Yummy treat also you can see the nutrition facts right on the front of the picture. (this is an ice cream sandwhich I told you I like ice cream )These are a little more pricy usually. If you watch though Costco periodically puts out a coupon for them for $3 off a box 20 or 24 which makes them more affordable. A yummy healthy treat! If you don't get Costco's coupon book and have a membership there go to guest services next time you are there and ask them to put you on the mailing list for one. They send them out monthly.

Ok now I am ready for all your healthy tips and finds...

Chocolates

And for a very Yummy treat that is not so healthy but oh so good.

Easy Oreo Truffles (see recipe below)

Well I saw this recipe on http://www.allrecipes.com/ and It looked so good so I had to try it. I have never made chocolates by myself before so this was a whole new thing for me something I've wanted to try, they said really easy so I thought I'd give it a stab and they were really easy and so so good we all loved them. Kayelee, Kapri and I made while them while the older kids were at school they were fun ones to make with my girls. Here is the recipe, if you try them tell me what you think.

I altered the recipe a bit so I will list the ingredients and in ( ) I will put what I used.

Easy OREO Truffles
(it looks like a lot of things to do in the recipe because I added my own commentary, really there are only a few ingredients and they really are super easy to make.) Like I said my kids helped.

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided (I bought mine in bulk at Costco they are cheaper that way, you could try reduced fat Oreo's also for less fat I didn't do that)
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat I bet you could even use fat free and they would still taste good)
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted ( I used Hersery's special dark chocolate chips and melted them they were quite a bit cheaper and worked just as good you can buy extra dark chocolate chips at Winco right now in bulk and they would even be a little cheaper than the Herserys I didn't look at the ingredients though at theirs you might want to compare it to the Hersery's to make sure there are not a lot of added ingredients.) I also used so white melting chocolate I had for the white ones and blended dark and white chocolate for the light brown chocolates. If you use white chocolate make sure it is real white chocolate usually white chocolate chips are not real white chocolate so check the ingredients. You might have to buy real bakers dipping white chocolate if you want the white ones (the ones with white chocolate on the outside are my favorite).
Directions

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.
Source. http://www.allrecipes.com/

These were my pictures they were so so yummy!!!

Good Stuff!

On monday we were having Family Home Evening and while we were getting started Joe asked the kids who's birthday it was. It wasn't any of ours so I was even a little stumped. Then Kambree piped in and said "George Washington's, we talked about it in school." It was so fun for her to be the one who knew the answer and to know it was his birthday I thought that was so awesome. They talk about the early days of the U.S. a lot and talk about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson etc. Kyle has already learned about the Boston Tea Party and the Daughters of Liberty. He knows what minute men are and the British Soliders and sometimes I find him pretending to be a minute man it is so cool. I don't remember learing that much about history at that age and I know they didn't learn that much about it last year. I am so far really enjoying the education they are getting at the charter schoool they are at.


And Kyle memorizes a quote every week in his class here is an example of one of them "Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows." --Mohammad


Good sutff!!

Indoor Dutch Oven

My mother in law gave us this pan for Christmas. I am so excited about it. It is an indoor dutch oven. Yeah all those dutch oven meals we can eat inside now. It is cast iron but coated in the inside and out so you don't have to season it. It is comparable to the Le Creuset pan that I think William Sonoma sells for like $150-$200 You can get them at Costco for $50, huge savings. She made us a crusty artisan bread in it and it is to die for, when I try some new recipes in it I will share them with you.
The have other colors besides red too.

Private

I have really drug my feet over this for various reasons and I think I have posted on this 3 times now (I know it is getting a little old) but I do think I better do it to keep us safe so if you still read our blog and want an invite let me know by e-mail or on this post and leave me the e-mail address you want me to use when I invite you.

So Cool!!--Diabetes

Ok so here is my So Cool post for the week... Diabetes is the topic, and it is not So Cool.

I watched a special on Oprah about it and Dr. Oz was there too and they were talking about Diabetes and it really got me thinking about it. You would not believe the pounds and pounds of sugar one person eats each year in America. They brought in a huge load of sugar to show what the average Amercian eats each year and it really was crazy, we are talking about pounds and pounds I was amazed. They just talked about Diabetes and the disease and how we would avoid something so deadly if we knew how it would really affect our life, and that most of us can if we just learn to have a healthy lifestyle, its all about our choices. (I am guilty I can be so much better) I don't want diabetes it is something hard to live with and those of you that have it know. If you already have it then you can manage it and keep it in check if you are aware. If you don't have it yet some can't avoid it but for most it it can be avoided it is something we bring on ourselves. My Grandma had diabetes and eventually died because of it way younger than she should have.

The remedy: Diet and Exercise Thats how you avoid and control it. (I am sure there are other things too but that was the main jist of it) So make a few healthier choices at the grocery store. One quick tip chose whole grain and whole wheat/no white when buying bread, rice, tortillas, pasta, etc. White acts as plain sugar in your body so just going whole grain will help out a lot at your house.
Go for a walk or make time for a little exercise they said 30 minutes of exercise each day and you will cut your chances of getting it significantly.
Here is the link about it if you want to read more... http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Diabetes-101-with-Dr-Oz-Dr-Ian-Smith-and-Bob-Greene

MOM!!

Kapri-- "Mom" (calling from her bed as she is trying to fall asleep)
Me-- "What"! (and me thinking ok here we go)
Kapri-- "Mom can I get a drink"
Me-- "No you can get one in the morning"
Kapri-- "MOM"
Me-- "WHAT!!??"
Kapri-- "Will you fight the bad guys?"
Me-- As I am softening a bit cause that was sweet question. "Yes Kapri I will fight the bad guys"
I am thinking ok she will be good with that answer and go to bed.
Kapri-- "But do you have a sword"
Me-- "No but I can get one" "I will save you from the bad guys, go to sleep"
I love how their little minds work. She won't just take, yes I can fight the bad guys, for an answer anymore she has to know HOW, and aparently I have to have a sword to do it.

funny little story

One morning Kayelee kept yelling Kapri's name for her to come look at something. Kapri was in the bath tub so finally Kayelee just went to find her as she was wheeling around Britt in this doll stroller. She wanted to show Kapri her naughty but little did she know I was in the bathroom with Kapri. So when Kayelee walked and and saw me she said "oh I thought you were downstairs" thinking she would be getting away with her bad deed. It was too cute and Britt was having a great time so I had to take a picture. Caught ya Kiwi!!!

She is growing way to fast!!

I really can't believe how time flies and how much they grow up in 10 short months.

She's crawling

Ok I know this is a little late since she's been doing it for a while but I wanted to get it on viedo.

Play House

Our friends had to move and couldn't take this with them they thought with all our girls we might be able to put it to good use:) We love it even Kyle, they love taking their meals out there and eating in their own little house, it's been so fun.

Making Messes

I caught her playing in the kitchen already making a mess.

Trying something new??

Well I post a lot about the kids and I do love them and they are a huge part of my life (the biggest and the best part of it in fact) but I wanted to post about some relevant and interesting things other than my kids too sometimes.
Things I enjoy. I love nutrition and exercise I enjoy learning and reading about it a lot it is a passion I have. I also love the medical field especially when it comes to babies, it has always facinated me a lot from the time I was a little girl. If I go back to school some day I want to become an RN or a mid-wife and work in Labor and Delivery. I would like to get a minor in exercise/nutrition science. I also like couponing and copying other people's crafty idea's I am not that good at sewing but I like sewing certain things and I love decorating and refinishing furniture. I love getting a deal on something ugly and fixing it up. I enjoy the Book of Mormon and the stories that are in there I need to learn a lot more about it and the Bible as well. I love fashion and dressing myself, my kids, and my husband, it really is a work of art for me I love it. I also have things I don't know a whole lot about that I would like to learn more about or get better at like travel and photography those are just a couple of examples. I have other things I enjoy too but I think you get the point. So this year I am going to try and share a few of these things with you as I educate my own self on things, or learn a new thing then I can share it with whoever wants to read it. Again it is probably mostly for me but I thought it would be a fun new thing to try this year and would maybe make this blog a little more fun and interesting, so here goes...
I'll try to post something new each week (a side from what I post about the kids or my hubby although I am going to make them my first priority since this is the only journal I am keeping and they are most important, they may even be added in the post if it goes along with what I am doing).
So here's...
My advice to you: if you don't like it don't read it, easy enough.
Your advice to me: tell me what you think and tell me what things interest you and maybe I can do a post about it. Also share with me your ideas and things I didn't add or share. I love learning new stuff. Thats also what makes this so cool is that so many people can add their thoughts and their ideas so we can all benefit.

So I am going to title the posts So Cool each time I do a post (I may change this but I am going to try it out as this) The first one is just Tomatoes since I did a whole write up about the first post.

I am not going to make this elaborate, I'm keeping it real and simple (I have five kids after all)
The post may even just be a picture or a one liner sometimes or just a cool quote, it may even just be something I have been thinking about and want your opinions on. None the less simple:)

Ok by now this is so long probably none of you are still reading but I wanted to atleast explain it so there it is.

Ok so my first stab... Post below. I know I may be off my rocker but kind of fun don't you think?

Tomatoes

I know I blog a ton about my kids so I thought I would try and blog about some other things that I find interesting:) Since I do think about other things besides my kids (who would have thought) no I'm not really that weird it's just that 5 kids does take up a lot of thought time in your brain ok moving on this is not about the kids right.

No really I have been thinking about tomatoes lately, how they are used in so many different kinds of food, American, Italian, Mexican, Greek, the list goes on and on I think most people who have access to tomatoes use them. They go great in pasta, to top off soup, in soup, in a dip, or on a dip, with chips, in salad the list goes on and on, really think about it we really use tomatoes a lot and they are so so healthy for you. I am including an article I found by searching google that was so beneficial about their nutrition facts. They have 40% vitamin C so insted of popping your vitamin C vitamin just eat yourself a couple of tomatoes and then you can also get the health benefits of lots of other things as well (you can read about those below). They also have some iron which is hard to get. So throw some tomatoes on that pasta dish or that soup even if it doesn't call for it, it will taste great and give you a ton of health benefits. They usually aren't that expensive either even in the winter. I usually get mine for less than a dollar a pound even in the winter (that is usually for roma's the on the vine tomatoes are a little more expensive).

Ok there is my food for thought for you today and here is the article I found so interesting.

Starting with the basics, tomatoes contain large amounts of vitamin C, providing 40 percent of the daily value (DV). They also contain 15 percent DV of vitamin A, 8 percent DV of potassium, and 7 percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of iron for women and 10 percent RDA for men.
The red pigment contained in tomatoes is called lycopene. This compound appears to act as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells in the body. Only recently, studies have revealed that lycopene may have twice the punch of another well-known antioxidant betacarotene. Studies conducted by Harvard researchers have discovered that men who consumed 10 servings of tomatoes a week, or the equivalent to 10 slices of pizza, can cut the risk of developing prostate cancer by a formidable 45 percent. However, its benefits are not limited to the prostate. Italian researchers have found that those who consume more that 7 servings of raw tomatoes lower the risk of developing rectal colon or stomach cancers by 60 percent. Israeli researchers have found that lycopene is a powerful inhibitor of lung, breast, and endometrial cancer cells. Research has also indicated that the lycopene in tomatoes can help older people stay active longer.
New research is beginning to indicate that tomatoes may be used to help prevent lung cancer. Two powerful compounds found in tomatoes-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid-are thought to block the effects of nitrosamines. These are compounds that not only are formed naturally in the body, but also are the strongest carcinogen in tobacco smoke. By blocking the effects of these nitrosamines, the chances of lung cancer are reduced significantly.
When choosing your tomatoes, be sure to pick those with the most brilliant shades of red. These indicate the highest amounts of betacarotene and lycopene. Though raw tomatoes are great for you, cooking them releases even more of the benefits. Lycopene is located in the cell wall of the tomato, so by cooking in a bit of oil, this healing compound is more fully released. In addition cooking the tomato in olive oil allows your body to absorb the lycopene better. Don’t worry about the availability of fresh tomatoes. Tomatoes don’t lose any of their nutritional value in the high heat processing , making canned tomatoes and tomato sauce are both just as viable and beneficial as fresh tomatoes.

( I couldn't find the exact page where I found that article but here is the website http://www.essortment.com/ )

Kapri

And here are a few sweet pictures of Kapri when she was just tiny, I forgot to add them to her birthday post so here they are, it's amazing how much they change in just 3 short years.

Kapri is 3

My baby that is not so much of a baby anymore is 3 I can't believe it.
I must say this girl is a breath of fresh air she is so so sweet from the moment she came to our family she has been a peacemaker. For those of you who know my kids on a personal level know most of them have very strong wills and I will say she does too but there is just a softness about her. She is really kind and loving and loves to put a smile on your face. The best way to describe her is angel. She is a sweet little angel and we lover her so much. Happy Birthday Kapri.

Ok so I took her picture for about 5 minutes on her birthday and she came up all those crazy poses I just snapped away it was fun to see her personality in all of them.

I'm three!

I am the birthday girl and I know it!

I am outta here!

Sassy

Jumpy

Huggable

Cute!

Suprised

Weird

ewe don't let that spider get me (it is just a piece of brown fuzz and that wasn't what she was doing but it made for a cute picture).

Don't you dare take another picture of me!

I am cuter than these boots!

Sweet smile

dancing

Ok can we be done yet.

I am getting tired...

The end

Me and the birthday girl. (I know my crazy long hair a little ridiculous I know).

Birthday cupcakes

lighting the candles

Presents

All her door stuff and her two birthday cards from both Grandmas.

She loved her birthday and had a wonderful day. Her birthday was on a saturday and on monday morning after everything was over she sweetly asked me if she could be the birthday girl again.

Daryl and McCall

We headed to Utah a couple of weeks ago to see Joe's brother Daryl get married to McCall in the Draper temple.
Everything was wonderful!! Here's some highlights of the weekend.


The grand entrance


and a kiss


all those little eyes longing to look like the princess. All the little girls just malled McCall when she came out I guess they liked the dress:) And the girl.... maybe some day that'll be me (they were thinking).


The group, thats a big one you gotta feel pretty special Daryl and McCall.


Stealing a kiss. (BTW McCall I don't know if I told you that day but I loved your hair it was gorgeous)


Kapri and her daddy.


The Austins... this is all the brothers and sisters parents and all the grandkids... That is quite a good lookin bunch I must say!


All the grandkids... See Daryl and McCall look what you have to look forward to:)


And the decorations... couldn't be more beautiful!


I Love this table it was pictures of all the wedding days of people in Daryl and McCall's families.


I loved this picture of McCall so I took a picture of it. Mine doesn't do justice of what it really looked like it was such a unique picture I loved it!


Sisters after a long day!!


Dancing with Daddy


Dancing with McCall. McCall gave all the little girls fairy wings for before the dance they loved them.


More dancing...


and even a little dancing with Brittlee


Catching the bouquet. What a cute bunch of little girls in the front row, they better be waiting a while is all I can say, and their daddy's will say never:)

It was a perfect,long wonderful day!