Race follow-up

Aunt Maggie and I ran the Landis Arboretum 5k in Duanesburg. It was my first 5k ever and it was tough! The entire race was off-road - through the woods, up hill, down hill, over branches and rocks - but we finished!

Landis Arboretum

New blogs

I started a new blog absolutelypositively1015.blogspot.com

I will post to everydayputtering once in awhile, but my main focus will be on the new one.

Michele also started a new one futuretriathlete.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

Become an organ donor!

Joe and I went to the DMV this past week to renew our licenses. When we got up to the counter, the lady at DMV started entering our information into the computer. She then asked a very difficult, yet necessary question - would you like to be an organ donor? I immediately said, "yes". Joe was a bit hesitant and then agreed.
I reassured Joe that our organs won't be any good six feet under, so why not donate them to someone in need?
Today I received a form in the mail from the NYS Department of Health asking me what organs I would like to donate. This is when I found myself being a bit hesitant...
I could either donate all organs, tissues and eyes (ugh), or choose to donate a limited amount of organs. I spent about ten minutes staring at the piece of paper - do I check all organs or limited organs? Ok, so I know some people may need skin or eyes, but you can live without those - you can't live without a heart or a liver. So for now, I chose the limited organs. I will be donating: heart (for valves), heart with connective tissue, kidneys, liver/lliac vessels, lungs, pancreas (with lliac vessel) and small intestine.
It's going to take a bit more time before I check off eyes and skin. I know I contradicted myself by telling Joe "your organs aren't any good six feet under", but I just feel uneasy checking those boxes off. I can change my mind at any time so maybe down the road my opinion will change.

Stamp Out Hunger!

Tomorrow, May 9, is the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive! Please clean out your cupboards and donate all non perishable items that you know you will not use or even those items that you may use but would rather donate to your local food pantry. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Just choose your items, place in a bag, put in your mailbox and your letter carrier will pick the items up! It's probably the easiest donation you could make!

Shed that winter fat!

Winter is a time for eating lots of cookies, snacks, casseroles and creamy sauces. As a result, some of us put on a little extra "stuffing" to stay warm...

Well, now is the time to shed that extra weight since the Spring/Summer will be here before we know it! Michele and I have started eating a little healthier (Michele has been better at this then me...I'm still working on it.) and thought we would share our light snacks with you. If you have any additions, please feel free to add them!

Michele's List:

~ 1/2 multigrain bagel/ light cream cheese.
~ Cucmber slices with tuna salad
~ Low fat triscuits/weight watchers (or low fat) cheddar
~ Low sugar/high fiber oatmeal
~ Celery/apple/banana w/ low fat peanut butter or light cream cheese
~ Light english muffin or slice of low calorie whole wheat w/ low fat peanut butter or Laughing cow light
~ Low fat multi grain waffle w/ low fat peanut butter
~ Fiber one granola bar
~ Almonds
~ Olives
~ Progresso light or campbells healthy request soup, 1/2 can w/ some goldfish crackers

*All of these are around 100-150 calories

Morgan's List:

~ Coffee with splenda instead of sugar
~ 1/2 cup of regular oatmeal with one tablespoon on reduced calorie maple syrup
~ Plain or vanilla Stonyfield yogurt - add blueberries, bananas, strawberries, etc. for added flavor
~ Five melba toasts with a couple of slices of chedder cheese
~ Melba toasts with tuna fish
~ Reduced fat snack packs

I am going grocery shopping this weekend and buying all of Michele's snack ideas!

A couple of other things that you can do to shed those extra pounds:
~ Park far away from your work building, grocery store, etc. so you can walk a little further
~ Take the stairs instead of the elevator
~ Instead of plopping on the couch and watching tv, go on the treadmill and watch tv (I'm still working on this concept).
~ If you're really motivated, join a gym! lol!

Here's to healthy eating!

New and improved touchless car wash?

Back in August, I wrote a post about not being a fan of the touchless car washes. Well, I have to take that back. I went to the touchless car wash this past Monday at Colonial Car Wash on Western Ave. This time I paid $10 for "The Works" and I was very pleased with the results! Last time I paid $8 for the "Basic" wash...maybe that was a mistake. Pay the extra $2 for a better turnout!

Cooking Light #5 with Morgan

Last night I made chicken enchiladas! They were delcious! Joe actually said, "I feel like I'm at Pancho's!" They were a big hit with him!
The recipe says that it makes eight enchiladas...mine only made four. Maybe it depends on the size of the tortiallas? I bought the bigger size.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 enchiladas and about 2 1/2 tablespoons sour cream)

Ingredients
Filling:
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 black peppercorns
1 onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
1 pound skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion

Sauce:
2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (11-ounce) can tomatillos, drained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained

Remaining ingredients:
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
Preparation

To prepare filling, place first 6 ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Remove chicken from cooking liquid; cool. Remove chicken from bones; shred with 2 forks. Discard bones. Reserve broth for another use.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine chicken, 1/2 cup each Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, and 1/2 cup onion in a bowl; set aside.

To prepare sauce, place milk and next 5 ingredients (milk through chiles) in a food processor; process until smooth.

To prepare tortillas, fill a medium skillet with 1 inch of water; bring to a simmer. Dip 1 tortilla in water using tongs. Spoon 1/2 cup filling in center of tortilla; roll tightly, and place in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas and filling.

Pour sauce over enchiladas. Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1/4 cup each Monterey Jack and cheddar. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheeses melt. Top with sour cream.


Nutritional Information
Calories:502 (30% from fat)
Fat:16.6g (sat 8.4g,mono 3.7g,poly 2g)
Protein:47.6g
Carbohydrate:40g
Fiber:4.6g
Cholesterol:114mg
Iron:3mg
Sodium:725mg
Calcium:598mg