Girl, enjoy your log sawing...

I have a ton of crap to do. We are getting ready for the last minute rush in the center and I have the final paper to grade in my writing class so for the next few days, I will be rushing like a mad woman. 

Today is donut day at work. The tutors take turns bringing in donuts on Mondays. I have to say that I love the smell of the things and from time to time I do try to take a bite but after the other day, I won't be tempting fate again.  One of the tutors always grabs me non-sweet biscuit thing.  I manage to eat on it all day long.  My least favorite thing about only teaching one class a semester and running the center full-time is the culture of the office...there is always food. I swear; just when I think it's safe to come out of my office, there will be something on the round table....the round table is really rectangle but it is in the center of our center and it's where we meet for staff development or groups of students meet....it's also where people drop off food. Most know I cannot do the sweet stuff so sometimes it will be vegetable or fruit trays.  I'm taking homemade refried bean dip and homemade humus...I use celery and cucumber spears for the dipping. 

Well, ladies, I hope you all have a fantastic Monday and I am looking so forward to reading all the great things that are happening. Hey Carla, I think I am going to get my needle point out and work on my dragon....I started it when my 11 year old grandson was a baby and I hope it is finished before he graduates. LOL...it was for him.  That's what I love about needle point is you can stop and start so easily.

Ladies, peace....talk to you later today. 

Nancy,

All good ideas. I love the salmon too.  My DH  is always saying, I don't know how you do it, but we get home from work and within minutes, you have these wonderful foods hot and ready to go. LOL....It's about thinking ahead.   Good to see you posting again. I know you are so busy with all the things you are doing so when you swing by, we love it. 

Every week, JB buys a dozen eggs and hard-cooks them for snacks. I cannot eat a whole hard cooked egg as it seems too dry and it sits halfway down, so I take 2 eggs and mash them well, add chopped green onions and a bit of mayo and eat that right out of the dish...much easier to swallow for me.

I also keep celery washed and cut and stuff it, when I need something to chew on, with cream cheese then roll the pieces in assorted seeds and nuts (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, sliced almonds, coconut, walnut bits). very satisfying and fills that CRUNCH factor.

I also use my bigger crock pot and make my own kind of BAKED BEANS- using many different kinds of beans- white, black-eyed, kidney, chickpeas....all protein, I add mustard, homemade tomato catsup, onions, garlic, dark molasses and lean ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey or pork). That way I can quickly heat up a cup of beans easily...I even love them cold.

I buy the small cans of good quality salmon when they're on sale (I am not into tuna)...drain well, add a tbsp of green relish and some mayo for moisture and eat that, also right out of the dish...the cats enjoy the salmon "juice" which is high in GOOD fat and that is excellent for shiny fur. (even MY fur)...great protein

Another quick meal for me is Protein-Rich Salad...I always have romaine lettuce (much more nutritious than the regular lettuce), washed and chilled and have tiny "snack" baggies filled with leftover meats (chicken, part of a pork chop, shrimp, leftover steak, turkey, ham) in the freezer.  I can defrost the meat if I plan ahead, toss that into the chopped romaine lettuce, green onions, carrot pieces, tomatoes, cucumber and add several scoops of mixed seeds (same as listed above). This makes a guilt-free and satisfying meal quickly and has lots of protein.

In an emergency when my body is saying FEED ME!, I can always make a quick Hot Chocolate Protein Drink...I used skim milk powder (instant) instead of water to add protein, keep my bones strong and satisfy any nutritional needs. Actually, my Hot Chocolate protein drink is my "GO TO" at bedtime when I take my cancer meds...the warm milk also helps encourage sleep.

A small bowl of oatmeal-aka rolled oats- (not instant or processed)...a quick snack made in the microwave...with milk, cinnamon and my assorted nuts and seeds..add a wee bit of honey or brown sugar and that makes a satisfying treat before bed. In my cupboards are also Cream of Wheat and Red River Hot cereal. (add raisins)

My last on the list is home made soup...I make a healthy "bone broth"...roasted & darkened bones (whatever meat you like)...the roasting browns the bones which makes a healthier and tastier broth...that takes a while. But, once the broth is made (I make it in batches and freeze), I add pot or pearl barley, onions, garlic, dried celery leaves from my garden, beans, lentils, crushed frozen tomatoes (again from my garden) and add whatever lean meat that you prefer. The result again, is a high protein snack/meal.

The trick is to have it there and ready...or freeze in individual portions.  I have even frozen soups in ice cube trays...grab two "cubes" and microwave!! VOILA! If it is too much work to prepare, we grab the wrong stuff, right?

If I do not eat something before bed, I get very cold when I lie down...very strange but then I have always been rather unique.

I  love to have boiled eggs handy for a snack. I also love celery with a bit of peanut butter and a few cranberries. I keep fruit on the counter...some fresh and some dried plus some nuts. I have raised garden bed now and the bounty is coming soon. Fresh green, yellow and red peppers, zucchini, jalepenos, radishes, carrots, and some melons. We are very spoiled in the Central Valley of CA when it comes to fruit and vegetables. We have fruit stands everywhere with things that have just been picked. 

Yvonne,

Your weatherman sounds like our weatherman...says rain and it's sunny; says sunny and it's rainy...go figure.  

Enjoy your evening.