What's for dinner

Well it is Saturday night (usually pizza night) but I was SO NOT looking forward to pizza. Of course everyone (almost everyone) came home for dinner tonight. I'm standing in front of the refridge thinking WHAT am I going to throw together that will be quick, tasty and doesn't include pizza.

Hubby was easy (although he's not home yet) I found 5 sweet sausages I had put in the freezer about 2 weeks ago since I didn't make them as a quick meal. While I was browning the sausages, I chopped up an onion and a red pepper. Once the sausages were browned I added the onion and peppers and about 1/3 cup of water and covered, lowering heat to medium low.

Now the kids are never easy when I want to change things around. I had a rotisserie chicken that I didn't use from Wednesday night when it hit me - Chicken Linguine Alfredo. I got to use my favorite new pasta - Fiber Gourmet (130 cal and 18 or so grams of fiber).

Now I still have leftovers - which was surprising but I may have this for lunch tomorrow if the garage "project" takes over most of the day.

The RIGHT size

I came across this "cheat sheet" when I was cleaning out all the magazines that I accumulated during tax season (that deep hole I fall into in February only to truly surface in May) and I didn't get to read until now.

Since most of us (ok many people I know, including me) would like to lose a few pounds or at least maintain our current weight during the summer fun, I thought this was really perfect.

Based on standards that most nutritionists follow, here is what a serving size would look like:

steak - an Ipod Classic
pasta - an ice cream scoop
baked potato - computer mouse
fish - checkbook
butter - stamp
salad dressing - 1 oz shot glass
brown rice - baseball (not softball)
peanut butter - golf ball
cheese - a matchbox
pancake - a dvd
beans - lightbulb
dark chocolate - dental floss container

Now whats the breakdown of what you really should have ........ you know proteins, carbs, fruit, veggies, dairy and fat (yes FAT)

Protein - 4 oz of beef, poultry, fish or tofu
1/2 cup beans
2 TBSP peanut butter
1 egg
8 oz milk
6 ox yogurt

Carbs - 1/2 cup pasta (whole wheat is better)
1/2 cup rice (brown is better)
1 slice bread
1 potato
1/2 cup beans
1/2 cup couscous

Fruit - 1 medium size whole fruit
1/2 cup cut up fruit
2 TBSP dried fruit
4 oz 100% fruit juice
4 oz no sugar added applesauce

Veggies - 1/2 cup cooked veggies
1 cup raw veggies
1 cup salad

Dairy - 8 oz milk
6 oz yogurt
1 oz cheese
4 oz cottage cheese

Fat - 2 TBSP salad dressing
1 TBSP Oil
1 Tsp Butter
2 TBSP peanut butter
1 oz nuts

Now just remember that just because its a "serving" doesn't mean that it has the same caloric value. I try to find the lowest calorie version for my servings, like lower fat cheeses or mayo, but at least this gives you an idea of what you are suppose to be eating.

So when you sit down at a restaurant and think ....... mmmm I'm going to have a treat and order a steak. That steak may be on 1 dinner plate but it could be 2 or 3 servings (in reality) since a serving of steak is only 4 oz not 8 or 12! Now I'm not saying don't order it - I'm saying take part of it home and make at least 2 (or 3) meals out of it!

Must really be spring .......

Here is a picture of the herb garden I am attempting this year. The big pot has basil, rosemary, oregano and french tarragon. The "baby" pot has catnip for my "baby".

This morning while I was waiting for the windshield repair guy to come fix the glass (gotta love stones on the highway) I planted a new azalea from Mother's Day and did a little pruning around the gardens in the front on the house.

In my front garden to the left of my front door is the rhododendron that is just about to pop and a few smaller azaleas (you can see the light pink one in the left corner.

Directly in front of my steps (ok off to the left and right but really close to right in front) are deep, bright pink azaleas that were planted when my father in law was born - so Spring of 1931! The one on the left is very large and FULL of exploding buds/flowers. The one on the right (which was overshadowed by a huge spruce tree that had to be removed last fall) is much smaller and less FULL, but again mainly because of the old tree. A few years ago some snow came off the tree into the middle of the azalea - although it didn't kill the bush - it did some "serious" damage. I was able to keep it alive and hopefully one day get "back on par" with the other . I just wish they were a little farther apart - and therefore you don't have to "duck under" to go out to the mailbox ...... One day I'll figure something out to open that walkway up - hecks its only been 28 years now.

Two of a kind, working on a full house: Pacific Cornetta Review And Giveaway

Here's another great giveaway at Two of a Kind. Its good until May 25th (but don't wait since it will be here before you know it)

You can check out all the other great things available at Pacific Cornetta here pacific-cornetta

And you can enter the giveaway here:
Two of a kind, working on a full house: Pacific Cornetta Review And Giveaway

Freebies

Who doesn't like (ok LOVE) freebies?? I've been using the following site to find some interesting freebies daily. Sometimes I don't find anything I am interested in - other times I could click on each and every one.

Check out this freebies site shop4freebies

Hopefully you too will find things you might like, at least every now and again.

Planting Day

Yesterday was the first day in almost a week that we had no rain, which although we needed the rain, was a blessing.

About 10 days ago I bought a few herb plants from a local market, to try and cultivate them on my deck . I am thinking a nice container garden. I really like this market because they have a pretty nice variety of vegetables and in the spring/summer/early fall have a garden center.

In very early Spring, I had picked up a basil plant and oregano plant from one of the supermarkets in the area. I WAS going to transplant them into an indoor planter - but of course that never happened. I had put the plants in a cute basket (lined in plastic) and put it on the window sill over my kitchen sink (now this window looks into my dinning room NOT to the outside). Aside from the fact that the plants have gotten VERY leggy they did do pretty well all things considered.

So now I'm thinking I'd like to try something on the deck (which gets tons of sun all summer) hence my purchase 10 days ago. I picked up another basil plant, a rosemary plant, an oregano plant (looks different than the one on my windowsill) and a french tarragon plant. Since the rain has stopped, I brought one of my larger deck planters back up on the deck and cleaned it up, added fresh potting soil and then my plants.

Oh and just because, I planted in a little planter a catnip plant I bought for Shadow - she's not sure she really likes the catnip or not - but she LOVES oat grass, so I will take another small planter and plant some of this as well. We bought her a container of Oat Grass (at almost $4 a pop) at the store - and you would think we bought her a filet mignon (please note my cat does NOT like fish - she likes beef, go figure) So before this one is either eaten up or dies, I better get that planter ready for the seeds I picked up as well.

I sure hope I still have a green thumb - or the $10 - $12 I spent will have been for naught.

Gourmet Gift Baskets

Two of a Kind is having a wonderful give away that ends soon - so don't dilly dally - - for a gardening gift basket. Now this basket looks pretty amazing, but I also went to the giftbasket site - and I want to tell you they all look pretty amazing! www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com Just in case you don't win - you can check out everything here

Don't miss out - click for your chance to win!!!! I did

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