It is Now Official

BYU has accepted me to the Spring/Summer terms and I was actually able to sign up for all the classes except for a Chem Lab - but I will still work on that one, trust me.

So in exactly 5 weeks I will be back in school. The goal is to get the necessary prereq classes completed so I can apply for the Coordinated Master's Program in Dietetics. One year from now we should know if I'm one of the few & lucky who gets accepted for the Fall 2012 program.

I'm pretty excited to dive into these classes. Part time school, part time naps on the grass in the summer - sounds pretty good to me. But seriously - I am excited to learn all about nutrition and chemistry and see how it relates to our bodies. I'm pretty nutrition savvy now but just you wait :)

No I Do Not Want Fries With That

I came across this documentary on Netflix and at first rolled my eyes reading the description. Some guy proving he can lose weight by only eating fast food for one month. Well - sure - we all know about calories in/ calories out theory of weight loss. But nonetheless I was intrigued and started watching. I found this film fascinating. Let me point out that very little of this film actually focused on the food he was eating. Instead he was interviewing health experts, doing research and showing his findings to what our nation has been taught is "healthy eating." I'm not sure if I agree with all the findings but he made some very good arguments that question things we (as a nation) have been taught as "truth." His point wasn't to prove that eating fast food is healthy but instead that eating out for a few meals a week is not necessarily unhealthy and we can't be blaming the fast food industry for causing people to become fat. His bottom line was that there are fallacies in what we've been taught about "healthy eating" and that it is up to us individually to make better choices for ourselves. If you get a chance I highly recommend you watch this documentary.

Oatmeal Craze!

I may just have found an even greater love for oatmeal. I attended a cooking class at my local grocery store tonight and the featured guest has created 75 recipes for oatmeal. It has opened a new world of possibilities. She made a few recipes of baked oatmeal. I have never had baked oatmeal before but it was divine. You can purchase her book on Amazon but here are the recipes she shared:

RASPBERRY & CREAM CHEESE BAKED OATMEAL 1 serving

½ c old-fashioned oats
¼ t baking powder
½ t vanilla extract
¼ c fresh or frozen raspberries
5 t fat-free cream cheese (cut directly into oatmeal)
1 c water
2 egg whites
sugar substitute to taste

Directions: Mix above ingredients in an oven proof bowl (2 cup Ramekin bowls work well). Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Top with unsweetened Almond Milk.

(Nutritional Info: 211 calories; 3.33g fat; 34.58g carb; 5.25g fiber; 12.17g Protein)
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MAPLE PUMPKIN BAKED OATMEAL 1 serving

½ c old-fashioned oats
1 c water
¼ c pumpkin puree
¼ tsp baking powder
1-2 tsp pure maple extract (*may substitute with maple-syrup)
¼ t cinnamon
⅛ t nutmeg
3 T nonfat cottage cheese
sugar substitute to taste

Directions: Combine above ingredients in an oven proof bowl. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

(Nutritional Info: 202 calories 3.36g fat; 34.27g carb; 6.56g fiber; 11.27g protein)
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CHOCONANA BAKED OATMEAL 1 serving

⅓ c dry oats
¾ c water
5 t nonfat cottage cheese
¼ t baking powder
½ t pure vanilla extract
1 t dark chocolate baking chips
1 T sugar-free Torani chocolate syrup (may substitute with baking cocoa)
½ sliced banana
sugar substitute to taste

Directions: Mix everything except for the chocolate chips & cottage cheese. Once mixed, add dollops of cottage cheese & chips sparingly throughout oatmeal. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.

(Nutritional Info: 307 calories; 5.5 g fat; 41.02g carb; 6g fiber; 25.87g protein)
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BANANA CREAM PIE OATMEAL 2 servings

1 c old-fashioned oats
2 c water
dash salt
½ thinly sliced banana
¼ c fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅔ c nonfat vanilla Greek Yogurt

Directions: Bring water & salt to a boil. Add oats. Let cook for up to 5 minutes or until done. Reduce heat to low. Stir in vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, and sliced bananas. Cook for an additional few minutes or until bananas turn to mush. Serve in two bowls and top with ⅓ c nonfat vanilla Greek Yogurt.

(Nutritional Info: 341 calories; 3g fat; 64.25g carb; 5g fiber; 15.59g protein)
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FRUITY ALMOND MUESLI 4 servings

1 c old-fashioned oats
½ c shredded wheat
¼ c unsweetened dried cranberries
¼ c chopped dried apricots
¼ c dried blueberries
¼ c slivered almonds
2 T ground flaxseed
2 T toasted wheat germ
1 tsp cinnamon
1 T Stevia Granular

Directions: Combine the above ingredients in a bowl. Can keep in an airtight container for up to one month.

(Nutritonal Info: 227 calories; 6.87g Fat; 35.41 g carb; 6.56 g protein)
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A Valentine's Recipe: Chocolate PB Oatmeal

Looking for a yummy yet more healthier treat for Valentine's - try this delicious creation and feel free to add your own variations:

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL (1 serving)

1/2 c uncooked oats

3/4 to 1c lowfat chocolate milk or chocolate almond milk

1t to 1 T peanut butter (whatever amount you prefer)

Microwave oats & chocolate milk approx 2 min. Stir in peanut butter and a dash of salt. May also add other toppings such as bananas. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry CHRISTmas

• Take the mass out of Christmas and you find Christ.
  


• How can I have the Spirit of Christmas? = Have the Spirit of Christ
  


• What can I give for Christmas? = What can I give for Christ?

It may be a play on words – but the meanings are profound.

Let us not get caught up with the busyness and commercialism of the season. Let us remember the reason we celebrate.

May we have the spirit of CHRISTmas in our hearts all year long.

Happy Holidays!

Tis that season again where time rushes by and all the holidays come and go. Halloween was pretty low key this year but still fun. I went to a Halloween party Saturday and yesterday a friend and I carved pumpkins. Mine is the confusing one on the right (it is supposed to be a turkey. "Ah..." you say, now you see it!) Carving pumpkins with templates are more fun but definitely more tedious.

I love this time of year. I always get excited around the holidays. There is just something magical about the winter holidays. I guess it just reminds me of all the good times spent with family throughout the years. And this year will be no exception. I'm especially excited to be spending Thanksgiving and Christmas in sunny St. George. Can't beat that! My favorite holidays and warmer weather (at least no snow).

On a different note - I will be moving next month. All of 0.75 miles from where I currently reside. My roommate who owns the townhouse I live in is getting married. Hence, the reason for my move. This will definitely be a busy season: Thanksgiving, move, attend two friends weddings, and Christmas. I think I've got my weekends planned for awhile!