THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY: “SkinnyLicious™” menu

I love eating at the Cheesecake Factory. The delicious meals and the decadent desserts make the visit such a pleasurable and scrumptious experience. So I was extremely happy to find out that The CheeseCake Factory, starting August 9th and at all location nation-wide by September 9th, will start to offer a new “SkinnyLicious™” menu.

The new “SkinnyLicious™” menu will have almost 50 different delectable items that you can select from and will offer those of us who are calories conscious, a wide variety of menu options that are only 590 calories. Some of the wonderful meal selections to be offered are the SkinnyLicious™ Hamburgers (including a succulent Veggie Burger), Tuscan Chicken and SkinnyLicious™ Herb Crusted Salmon and that is just the beginning.

The Charlotte location will roll out the new menu options starting September 9th. I'm super excited to try the more healthier dishes and I will post a follow up review when that time comes. Be sure to click on your state here to see when the SkinnyLicious™ menu will be at your favorite location.

Let me know, by posting a comment below, if you've already had a chance to try any of the healthier dishes and which was your favorite "must have" dish that others should try as well. 

HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY ♥

I hope everybody had a wonderful Easter and was able to share this day with their loved ones. My thoughts and prayers go out to you all on this most joyous occasion.

On a more personal note:

While my children are a little old for the traditional Easter egg hunt they still enjoy getting candy and this year was no different. Nestle crunch, Snickers, Skittles, Reese cups, etc, (you get the idea) were overflowing in their Easter baskets and the end of Spring Break was foremost in their minds. So to help ease the transition back to getting up early in the mornings for school (as opposed to the all-nighters they had over Spring break) I decided to cook them one of their favorite meals. Also, given the holiday celebration I felt it entirely appropriate to cook something special.

Here are some pictures of our meal: 

 

I cooked the ham with potatoes, onions, and carrots and served dinner rolls to complete everything. This dish is extremely easy to make, it is very healthy, and it took no time to cook. 

1. First you line the bottom of your pan with tinfoil, This helps hold in the juices better for the potatoes, onions and carrots plus it makes clean up so much easier. Also, go ahead and preheat the oven at 325 degrees.  
2. Next you place the ham (I used an uncooked butt ham) flat side upright and add 1 cup of water to the pan. Tightly cover the top of the pan with tinfoil, put the lid on the pot, and then place it in the oven for an hour. Be sure to use a meat thermometer so you know that is reaches the proper temperature and will be safe to eat when it finishes cooking.
3. While the ham is cooking you will need to wash and cut up the potatoes and onions into cubes or chunks. It all depends on how big you prefer the portion sizes. 
4. After the ham has cooked for an hour take it out of the oven. This next part is kinda tricky and the potential to get burned is great (trust me...I burned my arm doing this next step). Uncover the pan and flip the ham so that its flat side is now on the bottom. 
5. Now place a few (about a 1/4 of the amount you are going to cook) of the potatoes around the ham and then add the carrots (however many you want to eat) and finally add the remaining potatoes and onions making sure they cover the carrots completely. This helps to ensure the carrots are cooked all the way through and will be soft. You will need to add an additional 2 cups of water to the pan too.
6. The seasonings are optional and really up to the individual. I like to make my meals as healthy as possible so I used a little bit of butter buds, a pinch of sea salt, and a dash of Mrs Dash Garlic seasonings on everything except the ham. 
7. Be sure to cover everything and cook for an additional 2 1/2 hours.
8. Once the food has finished cooking uncover the pan and let it sit for 15 minutes. During this time you can add a glaze to the ham. I added honey to mine and it was D-E-L-I-S-H!

Hope you enjoyed this recipe and be sure to subscribe to my blog for future posts!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

I wish everyone a Happy New Year in 2011. So many possibilities to be had and a fresh start to a new year.

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

I have been cooking up a storm all day today and will post pictures later.
Hope everyone has a good time with food, family and friends. Much love ♥♥
Every year hubs makes the turkey but this year he has to work so its up to me!

Here is a picture of my very first turkey:

And here is a picture of the rest of the good food:

So how did your Thanksgiving event go? Leave a comment below and share some pics as well!!! ♥

BLACK BEAN LASAGNA ROLLS

OMG! This dish is so easy to make and it is extremely healthy for you as well. I usually double the recipe so that once I have finished baking the dish I freeze some of the lasagna rolls for later. As long as they are kept in an airtight container you can freeze them for up to 1-2 months. 

Ingredients

• 8 uncooked lasagna noodles (I use whole wheat for an even healthier version)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained 
•  Chopped jalapenos - Add these if you like a spicier flavor otherwise just skip this step
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 2 cups drained canned no-salt-added (low sodium) black beans
• Olive Oil cooking spray
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) jar no-salt-added salsa
• Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350° and cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat (oils); be sure to drain well. If you are making a big batch of lasagna noodles then lay out the lasagna noodles onto a sheet of tinfoil that has been lightly sprayed with olive oil. Arrange the lasagna noodles side by side and make sure that none overlap. Combine the cheeses and stir in all the ingredients except for the beans, salsa and cilantro sprigs. Be sure to stir it really well. Spread cheese mixture over 1 side of each noodle. Spoon black beans evenly over cheese mixture. *This step is optional - spoon a little bit of the salsa on top of the beans if you want to add some extra flavor. Now you will roll up the noodles, jelly-roll fashion, beginning at narrow ends. Place lasagna rolls, seam sides down, in an 11- x 7-inch baking dish coated with olive oil cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated. To serve, spoon salsa evenly over rolls, and garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Here are some pictures of the ingredients that I used for this recipe and they can all be found at your local Super Target.

whole wheat lasagna pasta

low sodium black beans

Helpful healthy tips:

To save time you may want to mix the beans and salsa in with the cheese mixture and then spread the mixture onto the lasagna noodles. I have tried it and it really is delish! 

If you are trying new recipes it helps if you make a list of everything that you need and start looking at the grocery store ads and coupons to see if any of the ingredients are on sale that week. Sometimes I cook a dish because the items that I needed were on sale that week. So if that is the case then double up your recipes and freeze some for later.

Sometimes when I find a recipe that doesn't fall into the healthy category I look to see if I can modify it. If you can substitute some of the ingredients for healthier alternatives then you can incorporate it into your weekly meal planning and still maintain your healthier lifestyle.

HEALTHY IS IN! 1....2....3.....GO....

     Back in August I decided that it was time I lost some weight. Did I have a life changing event that spurred me on this weight loss kick? No. Did the Doctor tell me that I needed to drop a few? No and truthfully I have not been to a Doctor in quite some time. Not because I am avoiding them, but I have been relatively healthy and just go for my annual physical each year and that is about it.    

     The extra weight that I gained did not happen over the span of several years as is the case with many people. Although, I did notice that as I got older there was some weight gain but nothing really significant. The truth is it actually occurred within the last 5-6 years. Typically there are stress-ers that cause people to turn to food. For me the stress-er happened / started when Hubs got a job offer in Charlotte, NC and I was going to college and was only a couple of classes from graduating. The job offer wasn't something he could pass up so we sold our house, I dropped out of college, and we moved to an apartment in Charlotte. I was leaving everything behind to start over in a new location without my family and my friends and not knowing if or when I would be able to finish my education.    

     Yeah, so there was plenty for me to stress about. Especially since we moved from a huge house with a fenced in yard to a small cramped apartment. Anyway, one of the questions I am asked most often is how much weight do I want to lose? Good question! But it is one that I have not really made a decision about yet. Fortunately for me, when I was younger I was never overweight and I never had a weight problem. Why is this good? Well, according to my Nutritionist (to much to post here - so more about that in another post), if you do not have a history of weight problems then you are more likely to be able to keep the pounds off! Sounds promising and I hope this is true. Now keep in mind, you no longer have the metabolism of a teenager because the older you get it starts to really slow down and to keep the pounds off will be hard work but the end result will be worth it. Again, here is hoping that holds true.

     So, how have I been doing so far? Well, as of today I have lost a total of 25 lbs. Now I know some of you are doing the math in your head so I will tell you that it averages roughly to about 2 lbs per week for the past 14 weeks. It hasn't been easy but I am proud of myself. To some that may not seem to be a huge weight loss but I want to lose the weight slowly so that I can avoid the yo-yo dieting that is so common among many dieters. I want to eat healthier foods and meals and I want to build an attainable exercise program that I will stick with even though I have such a crazy work schedule.

     As I mentioned above I am incorporating healthier foods and meals into my diet. However, I have had a hard time trying to find recipes that were healthy but yet still taste just as good as the original fatter versions. After many weeks of scouring bookstores, websites, and such I compiled several notebooks full of recipes of meals that I could try each week to help me on my weight loss journey. Well, it was after having tried several of these recipes I decided to post some of them for you, my readers, in the hopes that you could enjoy them as much as I have. Each week under the Healthy Living tab I will try to post weekly updates of foods or recipes that I am eating or incorporating into my diet and have proven beneficial to me. Today I am starting off this series with the following recipe - Black Bean Lasagna rolls.

* Please note: I will post the recipe as a blog entry as well for those that only want the recipe.

This dish is so easy to make and it is extremely healthy for you as well. I usually double the recipe so that once I have finished baking the dish I freeze some of the lasagna rolls for later. As long as they are kept in an airtight container you can freeze them for up to 1-2 months.

KEEP IT CLEAN – STILA EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON THE BIG DEBATE

So how long do you keep your makeup products? Do you label them with the purchase date so you can monitor if it is time to toss it out? I know that I am guilty of keeping stuff way past the expiration point. I give the products the old sniff and smell test and if it doesn't cause the gag reflex to kick in then I'm keeping it. I know, I know, that is totally unsanitary but I adore that beautiful one of a kind ______________ (fill in the blank with your favorite product) to death and I'll never be able to duplicate it!!!! How many times have you thought that or heard one of your friends say that exact same thing? Admit it, we have all at one time or another thought that. Well, you need to get past it, cause your health is a lot more important than your favorite beauty product that is starting to wreck havoc on your face and should have been tossed ages ago. Read on as the Stila Experts weigh in and guide you step by step on what to keep and how long is too long.

General Safety Measures Wash your hands before putting on makeup to avoid the spread of bacteria. Wash brushes once a week. See cleaning methods below. Wash sponges once a week and discard monthly. Don't share makeup. For makeup items that you use on a daily basis, such as mascara, foundation, powder, and moisturizers, try and only open and use one at a time. Finish it completely before you open a new one. If makeup begins to change color, smell, separate or look off, you should throw it out. If you can't remember when you bought a piece of makeup, toss it.

Eyes: Eye Shadow - recommended good for 12 months after opening Cream Eye Shadow - recommended good for 12-18 months after opening Pencil Eye Liner - recommended good for 12 months after opening Includes Smudge Sticks, Kajal and Smudge Pots Sharpen regularly to get rid of bacteria Includes Convertible Eye Color, Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner Liquid Eye Liner - recommended good for 6 months after opening Includes Convertible Eye Color, Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner Toss if it gets dry or starts to smell off Mascara - recommended good for 6 months after opening Toss if it gets dry or starts to smell off Avoid over pumping your mascara as this allows air into the moist environment, creating a breeding ground for bacteria Overall If you get an eye infection, stop using makeup for at least two weeks and toss all of your eye makeup.

			Lips: Lipstick - recommended good for 12-24 months after opening Can store in refrigerator to extend life Toss if it changes color or starts to smell off Includes Long Wear Lip Color (12M) Lip Liner - recommended good for 12 months after opening Sharpen regularly to get rid of bacteria Lip Gloss - recommended good for 12 months after opening Includes Lip Glazes, Long Wear Liquid Lip Color, Lip Enamel Lip Color - recommended good for 6 months after opening Overall Don't use lip products if you develop a cold sore. Toss out any products that have been used on a cold sore to prevent spreading.
			Face: Powder - recommended good for 36 months after opening Includes Sheer Pressed Powder Toss it if it changes color or begins to clump. Foundations: Oil-Free Liquid Foundation - recommended good for 24 months after opening Includes Natural Finish Oil Free Makeup Oil-Based Liquid Foundation - recommended good for 24 months after opening Includes Illuminating Liquid Foundation Compact Foundation - recommended good for 18 months after opening Includes Illuminating Powder Foundation One Step Foundation - lasts 6 months after opening Foundation Tips: Toss if changes color, separates, begins to smell off or dries up. Foundations with pumps will last longer. If the foundation bottle requires you to dab your fingers in it, it should be replaced every 6-8 months. Can store in refrigerator to extend life Liquid Concealer - recommended good for 24 months after opening toss if it changes color or separates. Also, wipe the applicator off after each use to prevent introducing bacteria into the tube Stick Concealer - recommended good for 12 months after opening For stick concealers, toss if it becomes dry and loses coverage. In general, stick concealers will last longer. Powder Blush - recommended good for 12-24 months after opening Powder Bronzer - recommended good for 12 months after opening Cream Blush - recommended good for 6-12 months after opening Includes Convertible Color, Prime Color (6M) Cheek Stain - recommended good for 3 months after opening Includes Stila Crushes Tinted Moisturizer - refer to expiration date on the package Includes Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer, Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer Toss if changes color, separates, or begins to smell off. Overall There is not as high of risk of infection with face makeup products; however, face products will become less effective over time. Try to avoid using your fingers to remove product from a container. Use a brush or spoon instead. This will help prevent bacteria from entering the product.

Brushes: As mentioned above, proper and frequent cleaning of your makeup brushes will greatly reduce your risk of infections or irritations. Here are some general tips on how to clean your brushes (can be used on all Stila brushes): Use warm water to clean the brushes Apply either a small amount of mild shampoo, antibacterial soap or brush cleanser. Gently lather the brush and rinse under warm water until the water comes out clear and all makeup has been removed. Squeeze out the excess water in the brushes. Lay the brushes flat on a towel and allow them to air dry.

So do you have any tips for prolonging the life of your makeup that were not mentioned above? Leave a comment and share it with us! ♥

APRIL ALL*STARS - THINGS I'M LOVING RIGHT NOW

***Please note this is an old blog post. The original never posted so I am updating it now. 

 

      I have never been a tea drinker. As much as I have tried I can't get past the taste. For some people, like myself, we are glorified coffee drinkers and will always prefer it over tea. I have known this since I was about 5 years old and my Granny and I would have coffee and biscuits for breakfast. After that first sip of sugary sweet goodness, I was hooked on coffee! Yes, I love my coffee and on occasion I have been known to have the strong stuff pumped directly into my body.  LOL!

Tazo® Shaken Iced Passion Tea Lemonade | Starbucks Coffee Company

Then a friend introduced me to Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade. This stuff is amazing! The taste is nothing like an original cup of tea; far from it to be honest. So I'm sure true tea drinkers will agree that this really can't be considered a "true" tea drink. In my opinion, I think it is actually Kool-aid trying to pass itself off as tea...

     This next item I received as a birthday gift from my family because my old phone, an original LG Rumor, would randomly quit working. Meaning, there were times when someone would call but the phone wouldn't ring, or it wouldn't hold a charge (yes, I changed out the battery), and it would randomly shut itself off and on (and no it wasn't because of updates either). Anyway, we all agreed that I definitely needed a new phone so they bought me this:

     Yes, they bought me the Motorola Droid and what an amazing deal we got at Best Buy too! We ended up paying about $50-$60 for the phone and I am amazed at what all it can do. This phone is so worth the money! Now, I'm sure a lot of you want to know "How did we get it so cheap?" Well, the first thing we had to do was switch service providers. This was no big deal because I had wanted to switch from Sprint for the longest time so this was a "no-brainer" for me. So we switched to Verizon, signed up for a two year plan and then Best Buy discounted the phone to $100. Now the next discount we received was because we are Silver reward zone members; which means we spend an ungodly amount of money there each year to qualify for this status. Anyway, one of the perks of the Silver status is that you receive special coupons with greater discounts, than you would if you had the regular membership, which are to be used on your purchases which we did and we had reward zone coupons too. So that folks is how you work the system in your favor!  (I will do a review about the features of the phone later!)

     This last item is not as glamorous as my phone but it is still adorable! It is the fit and fresh sets which are an easy and convenient way of storing your lunch.

These cute and adorable containers help to keep your foods cold and fresh with the removable ice packs that come with the set. They also have measurement markings on the sides that help you monitor your portion sizes without having to measure everything beforehand which is so nice! Portion control made easy! 

 

Well, I know it isn't much but these are my most loved All*Star products for April. Leave a comment below telling me what are you current All*Star products. ♥

MONTHLY SERIES - THINGS I'M LOVING RIGHT NOW

Coming soon! 

Throughout the year, I will be posting some of my favorite things I'm loving right now. Not all of the posts or items will be beauty-related but the vast majority of them will be. Anyway, you are more than welcome to comment and share what your current loves are as well. I think it will be fun & interesting to see what each of us has to offer. Some of the best ideas and product recommendations have come from fellow bloggers in the beauty community!   

**Due to past computer issues several of my blog posts failed to post correctly or did not post at all. Therefore I am having to go through each month and update and/or upload those missing posts. I'm sorry for the inconvenience and please forgive the multiple posts!