My Favorite Things

JUST MOVED TO FITNESS & SPICE!

2009-09-08T23:10:00.008-05:00

I finally finished packing up all of My Favorite Things and moved to my new home at Fitness & Spice.

I can't wait for you to see my new place! Web designer Mack Richardson gave my new site an extreme makeover (blog edition)!

Here's my new address:

www.FitnessandSpice.com

Join me at my Fitness & Spice, where fitness, food, and fashion get a healthy shake!

I'm saving you a seat!

Balancing acts

2009-09-08T05:18:00.006-05:00

Do you live a balanced life? I do, when all of the stars are aligned. But when there's a star out of place, watch out world!

We all have a lot to balance everyday from work, school, family, friends, fitness, nutrition, errands...you name it. When your schedule gets out of sync because of a sick kid, a broken down car, bad weather, a long day at school or work, an unexpected errand or favor, what's the first thing to go?

When my days got out of whack, my workouts used to be the first thing cut from my to-do list. I was an "all or nothing" kind of girl in terms of my fitness. But no longer. If I don't have the time to go to the gym or to complete my entire workout, I look for ways to modify.

Here are some of the things I do:

Take a couple of trips up and down the stairs
Complete a few body weight circuits (Like: Push ups, squats, tricep dips, planks, forward and reverse lunges)
Work in a shorter session in my home gym (consisting of light weights, a spinning bike, and pull up bar)
Go for a walk or bike ride
Workout to a DVD

What do you do?

I am a firm believer that on a busy day, or any day for that matter, that it is OK to make time to take care of yourself. Be selfish. Be creative. A healthier you will make you a better employee, student, friend, spouse, or parent (or maybe even all of the above).

The next time you find yourself too busy to workout, plan ahead and move from all or nothing to all or something.

"To keep your balance, you must keep moving." -Einstein.

Sunday School

2009-09-06T05:50:00.007-05:00

I hope your long weekend includes good food and good friends...and in either case, a few nuts.

Looking for a great way to round out your weekend? Watch some TV or rent a great movie (speaking of nuts, here is short clip from one of my favorite movies, Best In Show). Or, just find time to unwind and make something new, or simply light a candle or two.

Which brings me to your Sunday School assignment.

Take a moment to reflect on this quote:

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle." - James Keller

You are so bright. Pass it on.

Honey, What's for dinner?

2009-09-04T05:35:00.008-05:00

What's for dinner? Don't ask me, ask Supercook. Supercook is a recipe search engine that simply helps answer the question, "What's for dinner?"

With Supercook, all you have to do is enter in items you already have in your kitchen and it instantly searches major online cooking sites and pulls up recipe suggestions.

It is so easy.

My Mom sent me the link to Supercook and within minutes I was whipping up dinner and dessert! I just entered eggs, cheese, broccoli, onion, and BOOM! Up popped several recipes. I picked quiche, because who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?

And, for grins, I typed in eggs and peanut butter. Supercook asked me if I had sugar, too. Splenda for baking? Close enough. And, up popped a recipe for Easy Peanut Butter Cookies. So, I made some cookies with my Honey (nut butter).

Here's the recipe:

1 cup Justin's Honey Peanut Butter
1 egg (or egg beater)
1 cup sugar (or Splenda for baking)

Stir. Spoon on to a cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. This recipe makes 8-10 cookies depending how much batter you eat.

So, Honey, the next time you're wondering "What's for dinner?" skip the trip to the supermarket and make a trip to Supercook. A few clicks and you will be on your way to being a Supercook and maybe even a Superbaker.

Justin's Nut Butter Winner

2009-09-04T05:24:00.003-05:00

Congratulations, Michelle! You won the Justin's Nut Butter prize package! You are so lucky.

Take Shannon's suggestion and serve it with a banana, or stir some into some greek yogurt, I think that could work, don't you Josie? Or, even spread it on an apple or celery...sounds like something Erin might do! Whatever you do...enjoy it!

Peanut Butter & Justin

2009-09-03T05:31:00.006-05:00

I had a nasty break up with peanut butter a few months ago. I blame myself. I was becoming rather obsessed, constantly nagging it, sticking my knife in it over and over again. And then one day, I covered the remains in Comet and buried it in my garbage can. And I haven't invited another nut like that back in my house since.

Until! One day, following this domestic disturbance, I did a double take at the grocery store. It was love at first sight. Justin's Nut Butter packaged in single serve packets! Could this be the start of a healthy relationship? YES! We have been seeing each other ever since.

I am just starting to get to know Justin but I already knead to squeeze him every time we get together! We go on long walks, bike rides, picnics, and sometimes I'll make dinner at my place (I make quite a spread).

I've been introduced to a few members of Justin's all-natural and organic family: Honey and Classic  Peanut,  Honey and Classic Almond and their daughter,  Maple . I think he said there's a Cinnamon Peanut, too, but she must have been on a date. So far, I like them all even though they are a little nutty.

In the Fall, Justin promises to introduce me to his friends: Organic Chocolate Peanut, All-Natural Chocolate Almond and All-Natural Chocolate Hazelnut. Naturally, I can't wait to meet them, they sound sweet.

If you haven't met Justin yet, here's your chance. I have an entire 16 ounce jar and ten 1.5 ounce packets to share with one lucky reader. Tell us 1 healthy thing you are obsessed with in the comments section below and you will be entered to win this prize package. Be sure to enter the drawing by 12:00 A.M. CST and check back Justin-time on Friday to see if you are the lucky winner.

Food Should Taste Good Winners!

2009-09-03T05:23:00.006-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS!

Bobbie
Chrisanne Romeo
Dawn
Geri
Shannon

You each won a bag of Food Should Taste Good chips! Please send your mailing address to joanna.sutter@gmail.com and I'll mail your coupon!

Thanks to everyone who entered their tasty flavor suggestions (even though some of them were a bit cheesy). I'll forward olive-our ideas to Food Should Taste Good and see what they whip up.

Just a reminder, if you become a fan of Food Should Taste Good, you will receive a $1 coupon instantly. I hope you'll pick up a bag (or ELEVEN) to share over the upcoming long weekend.

Enjoy!

Chip, Chip, Hooray!

2009-09-02T05:12:00.007-05:00

What do you eat with dip? Chips? Crackers?

Me? I eat dip with a spoon. Salsa? Bean dip? Just give me a separate bowl and a spoon, please. While I love chips, I have control issues so I usually pass.

As I was passing by the chip aisle at Whole Foods a few weeks ago, a display caught my eye. I think it was the simplicity of the packaging that drew me in, and then the name: Food Should Taste Good. I can't argue with that. I stood there mesmerized by the design and the ELEVEN varieties to choose from. ELEVEN. I knew I wanted to try them, but I couldn't decide on the flavor so I left the store without a single bag.

When I got home, my curiosity got the best of me. I mean, if I'm going to break down and actually eat a chip, then it has to be good. So, I logged onto www.foodshouldtastegood.com.

I discovered these chips are:

Made from the highest quality, all-natural ingredients
Gluten free, cholesterol and trans fat free, and do not use genetically modified ingredients (GMOs)
Certified Kosher
Lower in sodium
A good source of dietary fiber

Sold!

On my next trip back to the store, I picked up 3 bags of Food Should Taste Good chips: Olive, Sweet Potato, and Chocolate. To my delight, each chip (or are they crackers? I'll let you decide) looked exactly as pictured on the package. Each bite delivered a depth of the flavor that gourmet chefs would celebrate.

As silly as this sounds, I tested the chips as if tasting a fine wine...with appreciation. And, like fine wine, the good people at Food Should Taste Good actually went to the trouble of making recommendations on what to serve with each flavor. They put their pairing recommendations right on the package and even included some amazing recipes on their Web site.

So the next time I make dip, I'm going to keep the spoon in the drawer and serve it with these chips. Chip! Chip! Hooray! Can you tell I'm a fan? You can become a fan of Food Should Taste Good, too by joining their Fan Club, and when you do, you will receive a $1 Coupon instantly. While you're visiting their site, check to see where they sell these chips in your neck of the woods.

Did I mention these chips come in eleven varieties? Multigrain, Sweet Potato, Olive, Jalapeno, The Works!, Buffalo, Chocolate, Potato & Chive, Cinnamon, Lime and Yellow Corn.

I think they should create at least one more flavor so they have an even number. That way they can start a flavor of the month club and we could be their charter members. To help them fulfill this (really good) idea, I thought we should brainstorm the 12th flavor on their behalf.

I have 5 coupons for one FREE bag of chips to give away. Just enter the NEW flavor you would recommend adding to their line up in the comments section below.

Be sure to submit your response by 12:00 A.M. CST and you will be entered into the drawing. I'll draw 5 winners and announce them here Thursday, September 3rd.

The limelight

2009-09-01T04:34:00.006-05:00

This is a really bright idea.

I was reading Food Network Magazine and came across an article about making votive candles from hallowed out oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes. I had some lemons and limes in the house so I decided to give it a try.

I didn't follow the instructions exactly, I simply gave them a slight twist.

Here's what I did:

Sliced a lemon and lime in half
Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each half so they would stand up straight
Juiced each side of the lemon and lime
Placed a tea light candle inside each citrus shell

I think these lemon and lime votive candles would produce a nice centerpiece when:

Serving Mexican food or making your favorite salsa recipe calling for lemon or lime juice
Blending up Margarita's (this might be fun to do if you are entertaining your Margarita Club, right Mom?)
Making fresh lemonade
Life gives you (more) lemons
Feeling a little fruity
You just need to lighten up

I hope you'll give this fresh and really easy idea a try! Glow on.

Must Move TV

2009-08-31T05:19:00.010-05:00

If you are like me you just might be looking forward to the upcoming season premieres of your favorite television shows. My three favorite shows? The Biggest Loser, Grey's Anatomy, and The Office.

In some cases I tape these shows, watch them at a later time, and buzz right through the commercials. When I catch an episode at its regularly scheduled time, instead of sitting on my comfy red chair for 30 minutes to 2 hours(!) straight, I make myself get up and move. Commercial break workouts have become a great way for me to get in some extra exercise and can keep me from feeling like a complete coach potato.

Lucky for me, I have a spinning bike placed right in front of my television set. It's pictured here along with my handsome workout partner, Bella. Speaking of commercials, Bella probably belongs in one...just look at that face!

Anyway, sometimes I'll do interval sprints during the frequent commercial interruptions. For example, I will sprint one commercial, recover the next, and repeat this sequence until the show comes on again. The next commercial break I might crank up the resistance and climb a hill for the first commercial, then release the resistance and sprint for the next commercial, repeating this sequence until the show returns.

Other times, I'll do some body weight or light weight exercises during the commercial breaks. For instance, I'll pick 4-5 exercises and complete 15-20 reps of each one, repeating the circuit until the advertisements are over. Here are some of the movements I pick from:

Squats
Forward lunges
Backward lunges
Side lunges
Single-leg deadlifts
Push-ups
Tricep dips off the floor or chair
Bridges
Clams

If I want to get my heart rate up a bit more, I might mix in 30-60 seconds of some of the following moves with the exercises above:

Jumping jacks
Running in place with high knees
Running in place with butt kicks
Air jump rope
Burpees
Tuck jumps
Single-leg hops

Then, at the end of the show while waiting patiently for a preview of the next episode, I'll stretch out. Before I know it, I've completed a nice interval workout in no time while indulging in my favorite primetime comedy or TV drama.

So, instead of feeling like The Biggest Loser just watching Grey's Anatomy, I'll work on my own, all while getting a little McSteamy (that's what he said).

Sunday School

2009-08-30T05:19:00.006-05:00

I was a Military Brat so I grew accustomed to moving around quite a bit. Just when my family would get a little comfortable in one state, sure enough it was time to pack up and move. While packing and unpacking was never the fun part of the journey, it was always an amazing adventure.

The framed needlepoint that adorned our walls said it best: Home Is Where The Air Force Sends You. Each new home meant a fresh coat of paint, a brand new bedroom to decorate, and new friends to meet.

Speaking of new friends, I'd like to introduce you to my new friend Mack Richardson. Mack has been helping me make a blog move...does that make me a Blog Brat? Don't answer that! Over the weekend we've been packing up articles and pictures, water bottles, bracelets, and all of My Favorite Things. Heck, we've even been moving some furniture around.

Actually, Mack has been doing the heavy lifting, I've just been on the sidelines cheering him on and telling him where to put things. Mack is one patient and talented Web Designer who is probably exhausted! I should get him some water with a little EBOOST.

Your Sunday School assignment is to pause and be grateful (right, Shannon?) for friends old and new who help you make a change for the better. It's friends like this that make sure you feel comfortable and are at home wherever your path sends you.

I am beyond excited about my new site, it has a new location, brand new furniture, a new coat of paint, and I think you'll agree the logo is HOT.

I'll be changing the locks soon and rolling out the welcome mat. Be on the lookout for change of address cards and an invitation to the house warming party, you can bet there will be lemonade!

Water on the rocks

2009-08-28T05:29:00.015-05:00

When life gives you lemons you can do one of two things:

#1. When life gives you lemons: Cut them up and turn them into ice cubes.

If we have spoken, in say the last 2 months, then you are painfully aware that my ice maker is not doing its job. I ask that machine to do one thing, ONE THING! and it's letting me down. Ok, in all fairness, I'm asking it to do two things: Freeze the water and drop it into the bucket. Apparently, that is too much to ask.

After doing as much troubleshooting as I possibly could, I went out in search of ice cube trays. I will warn you, if you don't own ice cube trays, they are not the easiest things to find. Bed Bath & Beyond, my final stop, has them (and in more shapes than are really necessary).

As I was thinking about new ways to give water a twist of flavor, without adding many calories, I found an article in the August issue of Body+Soul Magazine. The article featured ice cubes infused with herbs, fruits, and vegetables. I couldn't decide which flavor I wanted so I went with a variety of ingredients so I could test them all. Now, I did not use the recipes in the magazine, I simplified the already simple recipes and just did the following:

Washed and cut up fresh mint, basil, seedless cucumbers, limes, and of course lemons
Washed fresh blueberries and raspberries (frozen would do just fine, too)
Divided the herbs, fruits, and vegetables into my brand new ice cube trays
Topped some of the fruit cubes with 2-3 drops of liquid stevia (I used NuNaturals Pure Liquid Clear Stevia)
Covered the fruit with water and popped them into the freezer

You know when you have something baking in the oven and you open and shut the door to check on the progress even when you know you shouldn't? Well that's what I did with the freezer to check on these ice cubes. Now that I think about it, this might explain why my ice maker doesn't work.

Anyway, these ice cubes are ahhh-mazing!

They are refreshing, delicious, and quite pretty if I do say so myself. I will make them again and again. Next time, I'm going to make some with Strawberry Italian Sparkling Mineral Water, because I'm fancy like that.

Now that I've put my water on these rocks, I almost wish my ice maker would have stopped working long ago. Almost.

Moving on to the second thing to do when life gives you lemons...

#2. When life gives you lemons: JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Now you know what to do when life gives you lemons: Put some water on the rocks and just keep swimming.

KOR Water Contest

2009-08-28T05:18:00.003-05:00

Congratulations, Carrie!

You won yesterday's drawing for the KOR One Hydration Vessel! Send an email to joanna.sutter@gmail.com with your mailing address and we'll get your KOR ONE on the way. And, congratulations to everyone who entered this contest who continue to keep their glass half full.

If you did not win, do not be blue. Be Ice Blue, Sawgrass Green, Sunrise Orange, or Orchid Pink! Visit www.korwater.com where you can shop for your KOR One.

KOR Water Contest: Final Day!

2009-08-27T05:28:00.004-05:00

Congratulations Marlow! You won yesterday's KOR One Hydration Vessel drawing! Please send an email to joanna.sutter@gmail.com with your mailing address and your prize will be on the way!

Today is the FINAL day to win a KOR One. To enter today's contest:

Share the quote featured in the article below titled "Keep your glass half full" with three of your amigos
Then, in the comments section below type: My glass is half full

This contest ends at 12:00 A.M. CST and the winner will be announced on Friday, August 28th!

Keep your glass half full

2009-08-27T05:10:00.005-05:00

"If you think you can't, you're right. If you think you can, you're right." ~Ken Hatton

I ran across this quote and quickly scribbled it on the bottom of my new training program. It certainly came in handy to help push me through my workout when I thought I couldn't finish a set. I thought wrong.

It goes without saying this quote can be applied to many areas of life. Keep this quote in mind when:

Training for a race
Trying to lose a few pounds
Making healthier food choices
Finding time to volunteer or take a vacation
Working on a tough paper or project
Searching for a new job
Saving a little money
Trying to drink more water

If you think you can, you can.

Speaking of drinking more water, I wanted to share one of my favorite movie clips from The Three Amigos. It looks like Chevy Chase has the right idea:

Is your glass half full or half empty? Either way....go fill it up!

KOR Water Contest

2009-08-26T06:05:00.017-05:00

Congratulations to Andrea for winning yesterday's KOR One Hydration Vessel drawing! You are going to love sipping water from your KOR One bottle after going for a run!

To enter today's drawing to win a KOR One Water Hydration Vessel:

In the comments section below type: I am going to drink more water then I did yesterday.
Drink more water then you did yesterday.

This contest ends at 12:00 A.M. CST and the winner will be announced Thursday.

To your health!

H2O Hero

2009-08-26T05:25:00.010-05:00

You know Trista Sutter, from ABC's The Bachelorette? We're totally not related.

Nevertheless, Trista and I share something in common besides our last names. Trista recently posted a link on Twitter about a campaign started by Yield Clothing called Millions From One. Yield Clothing is in the business of giveness.

The mission of Millions From One is: "To save millions of lives by providing long-term clean water to those most in need across the world." They are fulfilling this mission by raising money to build water wells in areas in need.

Here are some facts about the water crisis from the Millions From One Web site:

Water-related diseases kill a child every 8 seconds, and are responsible for 80% of all illnesses and deaths in the developing world.
2.4 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation.
One person in six lives without regular access to safe drinking water.
Across the world, water-related diseases are the leading cause of death for children under 5 years old.
At least 1 billion people must walk three hours or more to obtain drinking water.
At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease.

(Sources: United Nations, World Health Organization, National Geographic Society, WaterPartners)

As you learned in the video, to raise money, Yield Clothing created a bracelet. The purchase of one bracelet is enough to provide 30 years of clean water to one person in need. Each bracelet is $10 and half of the profits go directly to building water wells. The remaining profits go to helping Yield Clothing develop their infrastructure and additional programs.

So, what do Trista Sutter and I have in common? We're simply passing the information on to the heroes among us.

Visit www.millionsfromone.com to learn more.

KOR ONE Contest

2009-08-25T06:15:00.004-05:00

Dawn is the winner of our first of four KOR ONE Hydration Vessel drawings! Dawn said she would write, "I'M WORTH IT" under her KOR ONE cap. I couldn't agree more! What a great statement. Watch this short video to learn more about the statement you can make with KOR Water and then read below to see how you could win a KOR ONE, too!

To enter today's contest:
1. Go drink a glass of water
2. In the comments section below tell us the number of ounces you just drank
3. Go refill your water

This contest will end at 12:00 A.M. CST and the winner of the drawing will be revealed on Wednesday!

Cheers!

Water works

2009-08-25T00:07:00.029-05:00

Water is essential for good health.

Every part of our bodies from our skin to our brains count on water to function. If something as simple as drinking more water can improve one of our greatest gifts, our health, then I propose we drink up!

(I'll wait here why you go get yourself some water)

I'm not going to lecture you on the benefits of drinking water because (I am not qualified to do so and) I'm kind of thirsty.

In a nutshell, here are the top motivators to get ME to drink more water.

H2O:

Suppresses my appetite naturally and aids in digestion
Provides me energy throughout the day (seriously!)
Keeps my skin clear and healthy
Cushions and lubricates bones and joints allowing me to preform better in the gym
Transports nutrients throughout my entire body
Helps maintain my hard-earned muscle
Reduces water retention
Increases my metabolism

Speaking of metabolism, I recently read 3 interesting claims about the impact water can make on this very subject:

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that drinking about two cups of cool water on an empty stomach resulted in a 30 percent leap in metabolism.
Even mild dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3% (according to an article referenced on definingedge.ca). GULP!
Researchers at the University of Utah found that subjects who drank eight to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water per day had higher metabolic rates than those who only drank half as much.

Just reading these three points again are good enough reasons for me to commit to drinking more water.

While the experts agree there are many benefits to drinking water their recommendations vary on how many ounces you need.They usually calculate their recommendations on a complicated equation based on the weather, your activity level, your weight, and the last four digits of your social security number (kidding)!

Some experts will tell you to drink 8 cups of water 8 times a day, others will tell you to double that on days you exercise while supplementing with a sports drink. Still others recommend dividing your weight in half and consuming that many ounces, plus an additional 24 ounces on training days. I'm sure you've read some of these recommendations along with a few others. It's confusing, isn't it? Whatever equation you choose the most important thing is to pick one that is right for you and start making water part of your healthy lifestyle.

If you were to ask me how much water I drink a day, I would probably say not enough. I do drink quite a bit of water, but I could do better. If you're already in the habit of drinking water then I give you a standing H-2-Ovation!

If you are looking for ways to add more water to your day, here are a few tips that might help you get your fill:

Fill a water pitcher each morning and make sure you drink the entire thing by the end of the day. The pitcher I use makes fruit infused water.
Find a favorite water bottle (like the KOR ONE Hydration Vessel) and refill it throughout the day
Carry a bottle of water with you everywhere you go
Drink a glass of water before each meal and one during each meal (sometimes I mistake hunger for thirst, so this tip can help me reduce the amount of calories I consume)
Freeze half a bottle of water and then top off the rest of the bottle with cold water to make ice cold water to go
Drink a bottle of water every hour. Sabrina gave me this tip! I'm going to try to set my Blackberry to go off once an hour as a reminder.
Drink 4 gulps of water before returning every email
For a little variety add lemon (right, Amy?), lime, orange, or cucumber slices. Sometimes I will add a cinnamon stick or even a few mint leaves to a bottle that I refill during the day.
Keep tabs on how many glasses you've had by entering a tick mark on your calendar, on an index or business card, or whatever is convenient for you

Now, I'd like to hear from you. What tips do you have to make sure you're drinking enough water?

While you're doing that, I'm off to the loo.

Salute!

Water Bottles Redesigned

2009-08-24T05:48:00.014-05:00

If the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wanted to add a 4th "R" to their Reduce, Reuse, Recycle campaign, then I would suggest adding "Redesign" and the KOR ONE Hydration Vessel should be its mascot.

The truth is, I am a self-proclaimed water bottle critic. Because I drink a lot of water on the go I happen to be a little picky about the reusable water bottles I purchase from the shape, size, lid, mouth, weight, and even the color.

I have my fill water bottles in my cupboards, but only one water vessel. I recently received a KOR ONE Hydration Vessel as a gift and now it's one of my favorite things. There are many features that make this vessel unique including: The sleek contemporary design, the easy-open hinged cap, and the cushioned base that protects furniture. It's the water bottle redesigned.

The KOR One holds 25.3 ounces, is BPA-free, and is made to stand up to extreme use and repeated runs through the dishwasher. It is also taste, odor, and stain-resistant and can tolerate hot liquids and even freezing. All of this makes this water bottle critic rejoice!

KOR's exceeded my expectations with the design elements alone and then they went ahead and out-did themselves. KOR's takes social responsibility seriously. Very seriously. They donate their time and 1% of sales to non-profit organizations focusing on water-related issues. They operate under stricter environmental production standards than required by law, and they will even pay the postage to have your water vessel recycled when it's ready to retire.

As if all of this wasn't inspiring enough, the KOR One features a secret space inside the cap so you can to write yourself a personalized note. So, each time you take a drink you read a motivational message. You can change the message as often as you like. I love this feature, especially when taking a sip of water during an especially grueling workout. Right now, the message under my lid says "Difficult, Difficult" click here if you need a refresher.

Did I mention the vessels come in 4 colors? Ice Blue, Sawgrass Green, Orchid Pink, and Sunrise Orange. For the next four days we'll be giving away one KOR ONE Hydration Vessel, one in every color!

Here's how you can win a KOR ONE Hydration Vessel today:

Repeat this contest information to a few of your friends in an email, on your blog, on Facebook, OR, retweet it on Twitter ( RT@joannasutter H20 bottle redesigned! Win 1 here 2day http://bit.ly/4psBnN )
Then, enter your name and what inspirational message you would write under your cap in the comments section below.

Today's contest ends at 12:00 A.M. CST, one winner will be drawn from the entries, and the winner will be announced back here on Tuesday.

Now, I really must go, it's time for a refill!

Sunday School

2009-08-23T06:30:00.006-05:00

RISE AND SHINE! It's time for Sunday School! Throw on your good shoes, grab some snacks, and pack your Wordlock so it can keep a Birds Eye view on all of your favorite things.

Then, get moving and enjoy the wondrous world out there...

Wordlock Contest Locked Up

2009-08-22T07:02:00.007-05:00

Congratulations to Joe for winning the final Wordlock drawing. Joe entered GOLF as his favorite 4 letter word.

Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun this week during our Wordlock contest series.

I hope you have a great weekend whether you GOLF, DRAW, chop an ONION, enjoy some good FOOD, or just go a little LOCO! But, as DAWN suggested, make sure you build in some time to REST!

Wordlock Contest for Sports Nuts

2009-08-21T06:32:00.009-05:00

Congratulations to Pintarosa for winning the Wordlock en Español! Pintarosa entered the word LOCO as her favorite 4-5 letter word, isn't that crazy? Thanks to everyone who played along! You guys are bien! Pintarosa, please send your address to joanna.sutter@gmail.com and your loco lock will be on the way.

You have one FINAL chance to win a Wordlock today! We are giving away a BIKE Wordlock so to enter the drawing submit your favorite 4-5 letter sports or fitness related word in the comments section below. This contest ends at 12:00 A.M. CST. Check back tomorrow to see if you won!

Go to it sports NUTS!

Sometimes you feel like a nut

2009-08-21T06:24:00.007-05:00

You might think I went to (entirely) too much trouble putting these nuts on a pedestal, but I happen to believe that is exactly where they belong.

Two of my favorite things, almonds and chocolate collided and as a result, Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds were brought to market. These almonds are not wearing a chocolate candy coat, but more like a baked-in dusting of dark cocoa. They are a great afternoon snack and have a knack for helping me knock out my sugar cravings.

If you don't have an nut allergy, then you simply must give these almonds a try. They come in 100 calorie packs, jars, and if you are a Sam's Club member then consider yourself blessed because you can buy a vat of these almonds on your next visit.

I think Emerald can sleep better now because with Cocoa Roast Almonds the slogan "sometimes you feel like nut, sometimes you don't" does not apply. Now that these almonds hit the shelves, I always feel like a nut.

Wordlock Contest en Español

2009-08-20T06:57:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to ERIN for winning Wednesday's Wordlock contest.Yesterday's challenge was to list your favorite 4-5 letter VERB. Erin entered DRAW, which is entirely appropriate because I've seen her work and this girl has SKILLs!

You can enter today's drawing to win a Wordlock en Español! That's right! Wordlock created a lock that uses palabras en Español, no números! To enter today's drawing, in the comments section below, list your favorite 4-5 letter word en Español.

Be sure to enter before 12:00 A.M. CST and check back on Friday to see if you are número uno!

Hasta luego!

Shoes with a soul

2009-08-20T06:45:00.006-05:00

When I grow up, I want to have a title like 'Chief Shoe Giver'. Blake Mycoskie's holds this title as founder of TOMS Shoes. TOMS Shoes, named for the idea that there can be a better tomorrow, is a company that incorporates giving in every thing they do. For every pair of TOMS shoes purchased they give a pair of shoes away to a child in need.

Chances are you've seen the AT&T commercial featuring TOMS Shoes, or watched Blake's story on CNBC's The Entrepreneurs, or even read about TOMS Shoes somewhere along the way. My friend Sheila actually took the extra step and ordered a pair of their shoes and inspired me to write about this amazing organization.

As I was researching TOMS Shoes I was moved by the magnitude of their mission. Since they started in 2006, they have given away 140,000 pairs of shoes and plan to give away 300,000 pairs of shoes this year. Because of this, children in need around the world have protection from disease that can spread through foot sores. Not only that, these children can walk longer distances to get things we take for granted everyday like food, water, clothing, shelter and medical attention.

I encourage you to stop by www.tomsshoes.com to learn more about this organization. If you need a new pair of shoes, you might as well shop while you're there. I have my eye on a pair of TOMS boots that I might pick up for the Fall. I guess if I can't be a 'Chief Shoe Giver' I can step up and be a 'Pretty Good Buyer'.

Wordlock Contest

2009-08-19T06:36:00.004-05:00

The winner of Tuesday's Wordlock challenge is ALI! Ali's favorite 4-5 letter food is ONION. No need to cry if you didn't win because you have another chance to win a Wordlock today!

Since it is back to school time, we are going to break out our English books. To enter today's drawing, in the comments section below, enter a VERB containing 4-5 letters.

JUMP on it, the contest ends at 12:00 A.M. and the Wordlock winner will be announced on Thursday.

Rise and Shine

2009-08-19T06:21:00.007-05:00

From what I can remember, every Sunday morning Mom would start the day by singing "RISE AND SHINE" to get my brother, sister and I out of bed. But truth be told, what really got us "up and at 'em" was the sweet smell of potatoes, green peppers and onions sautéing in the kitchen. Those mouth-watering flavors and the crackling sound of vegetables sizzling in a hot pan always bring me back to memories of home sweet home.

Dad was always in charge of making breakfast, from Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes to vegetable filled frittata's. A frittata is an Italian omelet often made with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and of course, eggs. In other words, a frittata is like a crustless quiche, capisce?

I can picture Dad standing in front of the stove with a dish cloth tossed over one shoulder flipping our frittata ever so carefully in order to cook both sides of the egg bake. It was quite a
balancing act. He would invert a plate covering the hot skillet, flipping the frittata, and returning it safely to the pan. I think I held my breath every time I watched him.

Dad made frittata using this technique until a few years ago when we discovered an easier way. Our friends, the Calphalon's, created the Unison Slide Nonstick Frittata Pans. The pans are sold in a set and have interlocking handles for flipping frittatas right on the stovetop, eliminating the need to use a plate. The pans are available at Williams-Sonoma and are sold in two sizes. Dad has the large set of pans that make a 10' diameter frittata and I am the proud owner of the
small set that make an 8" frittata. I have to say these are my favorite pans in my kitchen.

There are a million or more recipes out there for frittata, just ask Google. Below is the recipe I've been flipping up lately. I love the simplicity of this recipe and the fact that you can add in whatever ingredients you happen to have on hand.

Buon giorno Frittata
(Makes 1 serving)

3-4 eggs (I've been using egg beaters or egg whites)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. olive oil
1 handful of fresh spinach
1/4 cup broccoli
1/4 cup red onion

Directions:
In a bowl, gently beat the eggs and whisk in the pepper and cheese. Set aside.

In the deep half of a frittata pan warm the 1 tsp. olive oil. Toss in the vegetables and sauté until tender.

Add the egg mixture and cook, using a spatula to lift the cooked edges and allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath. Continue cooking until the eggs begin to set.

Set the shallow half of the frittata pan over medium heat and lightly coat with olive oil. Place the shallow pan upside down on top of the deep pan and flip the frittata into the shallow pan. Cook,
covered, until the eggs are set, about 5 minutes.

Gently shake the pan to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a serving plate.

I've never made a frittata as good as Dad's, but they never fail to help me Rise and Shine!
Buona fortuna!

Wordlock Contest

2009-08-18T06:56:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Yum Yucky for winning a Wordlock in Monday's Wordlock drawing. The 4 letter word that makes her smile is FOOD.

To keep her smile going, today's contest is to list your favorite FOOD containing 4-5 letters. No, Jen, BEER is not food!

Submit your entry in the comments section below before 12:00 A.M. CST and check back on Wednesday to see if you won a Wordlock.

I would submit my answer, but you might think it's a bit CORNY.

Fast Food

2009-08-18T06:45:00.005-05:00

I just happen to be a vegetarian and I find it a bit fishy that even I can enjoy something from a company called BIRDS EYE. They might consider opening another division and call it something like "Apple of My Eye" specifically for their vegetable line (but, that might be a little fruity).

Nevertheless, I will continue to buy Birds Eye Steamfresh Fresh Frozen Vegetables by the case full. I love that you can stick the entire bag in the microwave for 5 minutes and have perfectly steamed vegetables in, well, 5 minutes.

My friend (and figure athlete!) Sabrina steams her favorite vegetable blend, mixes them with a little bit of cheese, mustard, tuna, and almonds....and bingo...lunch is served! Now that's what I call fast food! I think I have created a similar vegetable bowl every single day since she gave me this tip. That was 3 months ago.

Birds Eye offers us their Steamfresh line in a variety of combinations. I happen to be in love with their healthy mix of broccoli, edamame, carrots, and crunchy water chestnuts. They call
this their Baby Broccoli Blend. Who knew broccoli had babies? I think this calls for a meeting with the Big Birds Eye himself so I can give him a little ear full.

Word-to-your-locker

2009-08-17T05:57:00.012-05:00

How many PIN numbers do you have to remember? Well, I have great news! You can now lock up your favorite things without having to remember yet another 4-5 digit code. The creators of Wordlock have taken the numbers out of traditional locks and replaced them with letters.

Instead of having your locker combination be something like 4-2-9-6 it can be something W-I-L-D instead! With Wordlock you create your locker combination out of 4-5 letters to form a word that you can actually remember. So, LOCK up your BIKE, your PURSE, your BOOK, your DOOR, your BEER, and especially your WINE with EASE!

WATCH and LEARN:

You have 100,000 words to choose from and 5 chances to win a Wordlock right here every day this week!

Here's today's GAME:
I'm sure many of us can think of plenty of 4 letter words to describe Monday's, but let's START this week off on a positive note. Besides, the makers of Wordlock built-in an algorithm to lock-out bad words. So let's keep this contest CLEAN! ; )

In the comments section below enter your name along with a 4-5 letter word that makes you SMILE! The contest will close at 12:00 A.M. CST. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Tuesday, August 18th!

Have a BLAST!

Sunday School

2009-08-16T06:35:00.011-05:00

What's on your plate today? Maybe a little Peanut Butter & Jelly Salad or some Una Bella Salsa?

Speaking of food, after my workout I am heading to brunch with my sister Jennifer and then off to see Julie & Julia with my (niece) Ali.

Good food and girl time...life really is good!

Here's to a great week of full plates and Clean Slates!

Salsa Saturday

2009-08-15T06:43:00.008-05:00

What do you get when you cross a Mexican and an Italian in the kitchen?

Una Bella Salsa!
From the kitchens of Carlos Orduna & Joanna Sutter

6-8 Roma tomatoes
3 jalapenos
1 vidalia onion
1 red onion
2-3 garlic cloves (not optional)
4-5 scallions
1-2 avocados
1 can black beans (optional)

Thyme
Cilantro
Lime juice (1/2 lime)
1/4 cup pineapple juice
Salt and black pepper

Chop, chop, chop. Mix together and let stand for one hour before serving.

Now, my sister-in-law Dawn makes a mean Polish Salsa...I would give you
that recipe but I'm running out of thyme.

Ciao, Amigos!

EBOOST & SUTTERSPICE...So Nice!

2009-08-15T06:36:00.010-05:00

Congratulations, Courtney! You are the winner of a box of EBOOST! You are going to love this powdered, portable, energy boost!

This wraps up our EBOOST contest series. I learned a lot about the great people who played along...you are all Rockstars in my book!

Just a reminder, if you want to give EBOOST a try head on over to www.EBOOST.com to pick up a box or two. Enter SUTTERSPICE in the promotional code at checkout and get free shipping on your orders through September 10th, 2009.

EBOOST CONTEST: DAY 5

2009-08-14T06:51:00.008-05:00

EBOOST CONTEST: DAY 5!

KRISTINA is the lucky winner of the EBOOST Day 4 drawing! The good news is that Kristina won an entire box of EBOOST, the bad news is that it doesn't include her dream vacation! (Kristina, Send your mailing address to joanna.sutter@gmail.com and your shipment of energy will be on the way!)

If you missed the EBOOST overview click here and I'll get you up to speed.

Here's the scoop for the FINAL DAY of the EBOOST Contest Series.

To enter today's drawing, answer this question in the comments section below:

What promotional code do you enter at www.EBOOST.com checkout to get free shipping on EBOOST orders now until September 10th?

Be sure to leave your name so we can notify you if you are the winner of a box of EBOOST. The contest will close today (FRIDAY) at MIDNIGHT CST and the winner announced here tomorrow!

Swimming Lessons

2009-08-14T04:47:00.015-05:00

Each year we wrapped up the swim team season at our annual awards ceremony. When I was 10 years old my coach handed me my participation trophy at the banquet along with a button that read:

"The more you complain the longer God lets you live."

I think this was his subtle way of saying I was an absolute joy to coach.

I have to admit, my joy for cardio induced workouts has not improved over the years, because I'm still complaining. Put a barbell or a dumbbell in my hand and I'm happy, but put me on a treadmill and the 10 year old girl in me emerges and she's usually whining.

Yesterday's workout called for 30 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). To shake things up a bit, instead of hitting the cardio equipment, I made a detour to the weight room. I knew I could get my heart rate up using light weights and body weight movements if I put my mind to it.

I ended up breaking my workout into three 10 minute segments. Here's what I did:

ROUND 1: 10 Minutes
I grabbed an empty 45 pound barbell and did the following barbell complex:

10 Deadlifts
10 Overhead presses
10 Squats
30 Seconds rest

I repeated this sequence 1 time through (without putting the bar down between movements) and repeated the set 4 more times.

ROUND 2: 10 minutes
10 Pushups
10 Weighted step-ups to a bench (10 steps-ups per leg)
25 Jumping jacks
30 Seconds rest

I repeated this set 4 more times.

ROUND 3: 10 minutes
30 seconds jump rope
30 seconds reverse lunges
30 seconds skipping
30 seconds rest

I repeated this set 4 more times.

Before I knew it I knocked out 30 minutes of HIIT, completed a full body workout, and worked up a great sweat...all without complaining. I completed my workout and I actually enjoyed it. The next time you're dreading a workout, you are more than welcome to borrow this one, or find a way to incorporate things you love into your session to help you get the most out of your training.

Now, I'm hoping to live a long and healthy life, so if the saying on my button is true, that God really let's complainers live longer, then I best be on my merry way to find something else to complain about.

EBOOST CONTEST: DAY 4

2009-08-13T06:43:00.003-05:00

EBOOST CONTEST: DAY 4!

Congratulations to SHANINREALLIFE for winning our EBOOST Day 3 drawing! Shan won an entire box of EBOOST. Thanks to everyone who entered yesterday's contest...YOU ALL ROCK!

If you missed the EBOOST overview click here and I'll get you up to speed.

Here's the scoop for EBOOST Contest Day 4:

I'm sure a lot of you could use a vacation. Sometimes just the thought of a vacation can give you a boost! So for today's contest just answer this question in the comments section below:

If you could go anywhere on vacation where would you go?

Be sure to leave your name so we can notify you if you are the winner of a box of EBOOST. The contest will close today (Thursday) at MIDNIGHT CST and the winner announced here tomorrow!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Salad

2009-08-12T22:00:00.018-05:00

I made Peanut Butter & Jelly Salad for lunch yesterday. WHAT? You heard me right, Peanut Butter & Jelly SALAD!

I'm pretty sure Rachael Ray inspired me to toss this creation together after reading two of her recipes, one for something like peanut butter and jelly trail mix and the other for peanut butter salad dressing. I simply mixed the two ideas together and ended up with this tasty little number.

Here's the recipe:

Spinach
Dried cranberries
Peanut butter mixed with water

That's it! 3 ingredients...4 if you count the water. I'm not sure if it's legal to call this a recipe, but I'll risk the ticket.

As you can see in the picture, I used a powdered peanut butter called PB2, but any peanut butter diluted with water will do to make the dressing. I like PB2 because I cannot be trusted with a jar of peanut butter. It's too easy for me to overdose on just about any nut butter, to be honest. However, I can handle this powdered version as it needs to be mixed with water to form a peanut butter-like consistency.

If I do say so myself, I think this turned out to be a wonderful Peanut Butter & Jelly creation, minus the Wonder Bread. I think you should give it a try.

Now, I'm off to go work on my pitch to the Food Network for a show called "30 Second Meals " as I think this recipe would make a great season premier. While I have an appreciation for Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals program, I think even Rachael would agree sometimes you just want a meal on the lighter side and one that saves you 29 and 1/2 minutes.

EBOOST CONTEST: DAY 3

2009-08-12T07:24:00.000-05:00

EBOOST CONTEST: DAY 3!

Congratulations MEGS for winning our EBOOST Day 2 drawing! You've won a box of EBOOST! All you have to do is decide if you want the orange or pink lemonade flavor. Decisions, decisions! Thanks to everyone who shared their favorite energy boosting songs with us. You can bet I'll be downloading a few of them today.

If you missed the EBOOST overview click here and I'll get you up to speed.

Here's the scoop for EBOOST Contest Day 3:

To enter today's contest all you have to do is go out and give someone a boost.
Once you've completed the first bullet, then in the COMMENTS section below this post just type, "I ROCK!" that's it!
Be sure to leave your name so we can notify you if you are the winner of a box of EBOOST
The contest will close today (Wednesday) at MIDNIGHT CST and the winner announced here tomorrow!

The Clean Slate Club

2009-08-12T06:59:00.010-05:00

I woke up yesterday ready to tackle the day and all of a sudden I felt like I was hit by a Mack truck after discovering my Mac computer would not turn on. My hard drive crashed and I lost all of my files, every single one. The "Mac Genius" at the Apple store said, "When you get it back it will be like a brand new computer."

It goes without saying, I should have my files backed up, but I do not. So, I am starting with a clean slate.

Maybe that's not such a bad thing. Maybe a fresh start is exactly what I need. A brand new set of files, a brand spanking new resume, and a brand new way of organizing my work. A clean slate.

When we would set out to create a new business plan, my boss would tell us to "start with a clean piece of paper." Meaning, don't just dust off an old file, bring something new to the table. Start with a clean slate.

My personal trainers at Precision Nutrition also have a clean slate policy. If you miss a lesson, skip or have a less than perfect workout, or even indulge a little too much on your diet, you're forgiven. You don't look back and beat yourself up, you just pick up where you left off. You instantly get a clean slate.

I attended a Webinar this week with business consultant Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive. She was coaching the audience on risk taking and said something along the lines of, "You win some, you learn some." I think that was my take home lesson of the week. Not everything is going to go as planned. Every risk you take isn't going to be a home run, just find the lesson and move on. Wipe that slate clean.

When I got home from the Apple store, I took a deep breath, booted up my computer and pushed the "RESTART" button. I was greeted by the word "Welcome" and a bright blue, blank screen ready to fill up with some brand new ideas. And for the first time in quite a while, I felt rather optimistic.

To help me remember how good it feels to have a fresh start, I decided to begin the Clean Slate Club. You might be a good candidate for membership if you ever encounter a technology glitch, a nutrition slip up, a skipped workout, a business challenge, or any place you need to hit the RESTART button. I think we should borrow Carrie's quote for our team motto: "The Clean Slate Club...where you win some, you learn some."

So, welcome to day one of the Clean Slate Club! I better roll up my sleeves and put my "new" Mac to work. My first plan of attack? I'm going to hit up Mr. Clean to be our team mascot, I hear he has a Magic Eraser.

EBOOST CONTEST: DAY 2!

2009-08-11T09:45:00.005-05:00

EBOOST CONTEST: DAY 2!

Congratulations to Olivia for winning our EBOOST Day 1 drawing! You are the lucky winner of a box of EBOOST...that's 24 packets of energy! I'll send you an email with all of the details!

If you missed yesterday's EBOOST article click here and I'll get you up to speed.

Here's the scoop for EBOOST Contest Day 2:

In the COMMENTS section below this post tell us what song gives you a boost
Be sure to leave your name so we can notify you if you are the winner of a box of EBOOST
The contest will close Tuesday at MIDNIGHT CST and the winner announced here tomorrow!

The song that gives me a lift? Baby Got Back. Now it's your turn, what song gives you a boost?

Pizza Tuesday

2009-08-11T09:22:00.007-05:00

Growing up, my family used to have "Pizza Tuesday" for dinner. I'm not sure how it started really, my guess is that we just coincidentally made pizza two consecutive nights in a row, and bingo, a tradition was born!

I still love pizza but I also love fitting into my favorite jeans, therefore, I must enjoy real pizza in moderation. So I can get my pizza-fix any day of the week, without getting Pizza Butt, I turn to a recipe I call Cauliflower Pizza Kitchen.

Because I tend to shy away from white flour I've been making pizza crust out of another white food....cauliflower.

Now, you may argue (and you would be right) that this is not as good as the real thing, but it is a great substitute. Give it a try.

Cauliflower Pizza Kitchen
Hats off to Chloe for this recipe!

(Makes one small pizza)

1/2 package cauliflower, steamed and riced (I use a bag of frozen cauliflower, microwaved per the instructions on the package, and then chopped with a vegetable chopper*)

1 egg (or 2 egg whites)

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

1 t fennel

1 t oregano

1 t parsley

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Mix the cauliflower, egg, and cheese in a bowl and place onto a prepared cookie sheet, forming a shape of a pizza crust. Add the fennel, oregano and parsley evenly on top and bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven, top with your favorite pizza toppings, and toss under the broiler for a few minutes. Enjoy!

My pizza's lately have been topped with low-carb marinara sauce (doctored up with just about every Italian seasoning in my cupboard), spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta cheese. Now there's a veggie-lovers pizza for ya!

*Now for the footnote. You're probably wondering how I rice my cauliflower. I use a fabulous gadget you might have seen on TV called the Vidalia Onion Chop Wizard, pictured here. Their marketing team should really give me a call because it has far more uses than slicing just onions, but that's not important right now. My favorite sister-in-law was the first in our family to discover this little time saver. Guess where I found mine? Walgreens.

Once your cauliflower is steamed, just pop it into the chopper and press. The Vidalia Onion Chop Wizard (that really needs a new name) also makes homemade salsa a snap! But since this article is all about Pizza Tuesday, you'll have to wait for Salsa Saturday for that one. It'll be spicy!

Take a nap without taking a nap

2009-08-10T05:59:00.008-05:00

Have you ever had one of those days when you really needed a 15 minute power-nap but didn't have 15 minutes to spare? I had one of those days last week and that is when I fell in love with EBOOST.

After a sleepless night, I needed a pick-me-up. You know those kind of nights, the kind where you have too much on your mind and all you do is toss and turn, stare at the clock, and count the number of hours before your alarm clock goes off.

Those kind of nights make for a rough kind of next day. As predicted, I was sluggish and dreaded the very thought of dragging myself through a workout on a half tank of energy. Lucky for me, I had a packet of EBOOST in my glove compartment so I tore it open, poured it into my water bottle, and sipped it on my drive to the gym. And guess what? I felt refreshed and I ended up having a workout that would have knocked Rocky out.

EBOOST is an effervescent, great tasting drink mix, packed with Vitamin C, B6, B12, Zinc, Green Tea Extract and more. The makers of EBOOST created a natural blend of vitamins and minerals said to support energy, immunity, recovery, and focus. Now, I am not a doctor, I just play one on my blog, and even then I cannot confirm or deny that EBOOST cranks your immunity and improves your recovery and focus. BUT, I will tell you that it gives me energy (and if it does all that other stuff, too, well then that's just a boost).

EBOOST comes in orange and pink lemonade flavors, and in your choice of packets or tablets that dissolve quickly into water. The oomph I get from EBOOST really feels like a natural energy lift, not that jittery feeling you get with some mass-marketed energy drinks. And, I've never experienced an energy crash from EBOOST either.

I have been an EBOOSTelite subscriber for a few months now (that's just a fancy way of saying every month I get a box of energy in the mail without going to a lot of trouble). Heck, anything that is only 5 calories and can make me bubbly when I'm not feeling so bubbly, is a
winner in my book.

If you want to give EBOOST a shot head over to www.eboost.com. You get FREE SHIPPING on orders when you enter "SUTTERSPICE" in the promo code at checkout. Get moving, this offer expires September 10, 2009!

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST!

Now, I know you might be a little fatigued since you haven't had a nap and you don't have your EBOOST yet, but trust me, you'll want to wake up for this one! For 5 consecutive days we are going to give away one box of EBOOST! So be sure to check in every day to enter for your
chance to win.

Let's get started! On the EBOOST Web site they list types of people who benefit from EBOOST. To enter today's contest, in the comments below, tell us your name and the type of person YOU are! Below is the list to pick from.

What type of person are you?

Jet setter
Fitness buff
Bartender
Mom
Investment banker
Lawyer
Sailor
Party animal
Biker
Systems analyst
Student
Professional athlete
Nurse
Airline pilot
Drummer
Supermodel
Pirate
Railroad tycoon
Graphic designer
Security guard
Or, are you something else? Tell us! We're curious!

Enter the drawing right now. Monday's contest ends at midnight CST. Our first EBOOST winner will be announced tomorrow!

Sunday School

2009-08-09T07:31:00.013-05:00

Welcome back to Sunday School!

Here are a few homework assignments:

You have a lot to do today, you better get another cup of coffee!

Only good people read my blog

2009-08-07T06:23:00.009-05:00

My mom always told me "It's nice to be important, but more important to be nice." I like to think I took her advice, but some days it never hurts to have another gentle reminder. This is exactly why the first email I read everyday gives me a new idea on how to do some good.

I recently joined a network of Do Gooders. It's a pretty nice group of people I have to admit, so I know you'll fit right in.

The mission of DailyChallenge.org is simply to inspire people to do something good every single day. The network activates people around the world to practice daily acts of kindness, because a lot of people doing little things can create big change.

Here's how it works:

I challenge you to join DailyChallenge.org. Don't worry, there is no cost to join and the assignments are quite easy. For example, one assignment this week was to pay two people a compliment, another was to support your community by selecting locally grown produce. Things you were probably planning on doing anyway, knowing you.

Once you've signed up you will receive an email delivered each day with challenges submitted by your fellow members. You can even contribute challenges throughout the network as well.

I know you are already quite good, but can you be just a little do-gooder?

Guess who won the Somersault Contest?

2009-08-07T05:57:00.006-05:00

TANYA is our Somersault drawing winner!

Congratulations! I bet you are doing cartwheels right now! Send a quick email to joanna.sutter@gmail.com with your mailing address and I'll hop to the post office to mail your 3 bags of Somersault's

You can all be winners by going to the Somersault Web site and requesting a free sample. While you're there, you can order your healthy Somersault snacks right away and search for where they are sold in your neighborhood. If they don't sell them in your area yet talk to your local grocery store and ask them to start. I'm on a first name basis with my grocery manager and you can bet I'm hand delivering him this letter.

Thanks to everyone for playing along and sharing your thoughts and stories on what makes you feel like a kid again. Your homework assignment for the weekend is to do one thing from our list of contest entries to bring out the kid in you. Just be sure to be home before the street lights come on.

Now, I've got to run, I think I hear the ice cream man!

Somersault Contest Ends Today!

2009-08-06T09:11:00.008-05:00

Join in the fun!

Today is the last day to enter the Somersault contest!

Roll your mouse right here and click for all the details!

I hear voices

2009-08-06T06:40:00.015-05:00

I hear voices in my head when I workout and they're not coming from my iPod.

Sometimes I hear the voices of past personal trainers or coaches I once worked with, and sometimes I even hear my own voice. I'd like to introduce them to you.

Meet Heather. Heather is the voice of my spunky, yet fierce spinning instructor who, with gritted teeth and veins bulging screams: "GO JO! YOU GOT THIS! YOU'RE DOING IT!" and, "DON'T. YOU. QUIT."

Sometimes, in the final stretch, she throws in some friendly reminders like, "You can do ANYTHING for 60 seconds!"

Then there's Kim. Kim is a gentle soul who oozes sunshine, she was my first personal trainer. She counts my reps for me and as I near the end of a set she says things like, "8-is-great, 9-is-fine." Kim taught me a lot about form and on many lifts her voice still reminds me to "keep your shoulders back and down."

Krista, pictured here, is my online trainer. I've never met her in person and I've never even heard her voice, but I feel like I know her. Krista is from Ontario so her voice inside my head speaks with a Canadian accent. She visits when I am

distracted by the interesting people that train at my gym, like the air-bowler for instance. Krista's a former police officer so I picture her beside me with a big stick and a booming voice saying, "FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND."

And then there's my own voice. Sometimes, on challenging heavy lifting days, I kid myself by saying the weights are as light as air, and so I hear whispers counting down my reps, "5 marshmallows, 4 marshmallows, 3 marshmallows..." Other times my voice gets a little nasty and says things like, "Don't you give up, you sally" or it questions my efforts asking, "Are you earning your carbs?"

And speaking of carbs, sometimes these voices follow me into the kitchen. Especially when I want just one more sliver off that row of Wild Oat Bars. Out of nowhere a voice clears her throat and speaks, "Just a pinch to grow and inch." Which really isn't smart to say when I have a knife in my hand, but nevertheless, it makes me stop and think.

I hope you have enjoyed meeting the training team that lives inside me. I encourage you to turn down your iPod and tune into your inner voice the next time you workout. It's there to challenge you, to give you some friendly reminders, to help you get the most of your workout, to make you think. That team is your inner spirit talking, screaming, cheering you on when you need it the most, and it's there to make you stronger.

Now, the girls and I are off to (massage) therapy. When we return we just might change our Web address to www.sybil's.blogspot.not.calm.

I hope you have a difficult, difficult day

2009-08-05T06:44:00.018-05:00

I am taking a nutrition course through an organization called Precision Nutrition. And, to my surprise, I am learning a lot more than just the macro nutrients that make up food. Each day we are given a lesson, some more challenging than others.

A few weeks ago we were simply asked to read and reflect on an article posted on Geoff Thompson's Web site. Geoff is an incredibly inspiring, best selling author, teacher, screen writer, and martial artist. I contacted Geoff and asked if I could share this lesson with you, and he generously agreed. This message has challenged me, and as a result, my life is a lot more difficult. I invite you to see why.

Difficult Difficult, Difficult Easy

I bumped into an old friend from the distant past. In my early days as a hard–nosed knuckle–dragger he was one of my compatriots, and one of the hardest working martial artists around. He had always prided himself on his sinewy mentality when it came to all things physical, and he had a prolific work rate. After a brief (and predictable) catch up (how's the work, the car, the kids, the wife and the mum - in that order) he said 'hey, you still doing animal day?'

Animal day, for those that do not know, is a form of knock–out or submission fighting (any range, any technique) that I pioneered in the mad, bad (and often sad) 90's. A time I absolutely loved, but a time I am also grateful to have left behind.

I shook my head in the negative. It had been a many years since I engaged in my last animal day fight.

'Why not?' he asked, adding, 'I'm still mad for it.'

'Because it is difficult easy,' I said, 'and in order for me to continue growing my character, I don't need difficult easy. In order for me to grow my character I need difficult difficult.'

He gave me one of those loud, squinty eyed confused looks that shouted from a hundred feet 'Explain!'

So I explained.

Even as a veteran of thousands of fights, animal days were still a scary experience for me, it was violent and dangerous and extremely difficult. But because I had fought so many times and knew the terrain well it no longer stretched me.

Whatever it was that I needed to reap from that hard period of my life had been well and truly harvested; there was nothing left for me to learn there. Animal day was still difficult, and from the outside looking in it probably looked as though it was mad difficult, but for me it wasn't, in fact it had become difficult easy.

My friend was still in love with the ground–and–pound style fighting and whilst his physical prowess was evident he had not grown even a single inch in any other area of his life, probably not for the last ten years. His was the mistake made by many; they presume that if something is difficult then they are in the arena. But experience has taught me that the only time you are truly in the arena is when you are (ever so slightly) out of your depth.

Difficult easy is when you are on familiar terrain, not matter how hard the going.

Difficult difficult is when you find your self at the bottom of someone else's class with three crazy training partners; fear at your left, doubt on your right and (that big bastard) uncertainty squaring up in front of you.

Difficult easy is treading water whilst kidding yourself that you are swimming against the tide.

Difficult difficult doesn't need to employ pretense because it is drowning and swimming for its life.

I see many people suffering stalled development because they are so busy occupying themselves with very worthy, respectably, difficult easy tasks that they use to avoid the difficult difficult areas of their lives.

I am doing it right now as it happens. I should be doing a re–write of a difficult (difficult) film script that is over due, but instead I am busying myself with a piece of difficult (easy) work that is not really due to be in print for another fortnight (damn, caught myself out again!)

Some (more) examples; you bury your relationship problems (difficult difficult) under hundreds of miles of road running (difficult...but easy).

You fill every spare moment with hard lists of worthy causes (difficult easy) so that you don't have the time to invest in the book that you were always going to write, or the film you would love to make (if only you were not so committed in other areas) or the (difficult...very difficult) painting career that you had always intended to create.

You immerse yourself in course after course, book after book (so difficult, and yet...so deliciously easy) on becoming a life coach/property developer/master chef instead of just getting out there (difficult, oh so difficult) and actually doing it.

Listen. Let me tell you, the moment a task becomes difficult easy you stop growing. That is a fact. In order to re–establish your vital development you need to take an honest inventory (difficult, very difficult - I have done it) of your life, ditch the pretence, and embrace the black that is...difficult difficult.

And stop chasing ostentatious challenges (that are difficult easy for you) and sort out your health; you are three stone over weight and your blood pressure is off the scale.

Kill the worthy endeavors that you think other people will think are impressive and do something truly and uniquely impressive; take your (secret) addictions to task and kill the porn (in all its forms).

Stop collecting trophies and certificates and belts that tell the word how successful you are and actually BE a success, by taking a hammer to that creepily burgeoning fear that you are harboring.

And don't, please (like my old mate) fall into the trap of mistaking hard work - even extremely hard (easy) work – for progress. Because, let's be frank, difficult easy is really just another way of saying 'easy', and there is no growth in easy.

We aspirants are into the hard game, the long game, the difficult difficult game. What we are not into, or what we should not be into is the game of easy.

I hope my favorite lesson makes you a little uncomfortable, too. I hope that it inspires you to push harder in your training, at school, at work, in your relationships, or wherever you are just coasting in the "difficult easy" arena. Because, you are better than that.

Now, go out and make it a very difficult, difficult day.

Wild oats

2009-08-04T06:53:00.012-05:00

I was up all night sowing my Wild Oat Bars.

Technically, they aren't "my" Oat Bars since Julie Nodgaard gave me the original recipe but I made them so maybe it's not entirely unethical to call them mine. That, and I went to the trouble of changing the name of the recipe from Oat Bars to Wild Oat Bars because you can get a little crazy and create many variations just by changing an ingredient or two.

I made a few substitutions to Julie's recipe, so today I am going to share two versions of the Wild Oat Bar recipe. It's kind of like stumbling upon a BOGO sale--it's your lucky day!

If you are a fan of oatmeal granola bars, then these recipes are for you. These bars are really easy to whip together and make a great, wholesome, post-workout oat meal.

Before the big reveal, I want to point out two things about today's photo:

1. I will not be winning any photo journalism awards if I keep posting cell phone pictures, and;
2. I was up LATE baking these oat bars to share with you

So without further delay...

From the kitchens of Julie and Joanna Crocker:

JULIE'S WILD OAT BARS

Dry ingredients:

3 cups old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup fruit (raisins, chopped apples, dried cherries or cranberries, dates, etc.)
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda

Wet ingredients:

1-6 oz. carton plain, low fat or nonfat yogurt
1 whole egg or 2 egg whites
2 Tbs. melted butter or vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2-4 Tbs. honey

3 cups of your custom Moja Mix cereal
1 heaping handful of Ghirardelli chocolate chips!
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
2T NuStevia Sweetener Stevia Baking Blend

Wet ingredients:

1-6 oz. carton plain, low fat or nonfat yogurt
2 egg whites
2 Tbs. coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2-4 Tbs. agave nectar

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly. Mix wet ingredients thoroughly. Pour wet into dry and mix thoroughly. Press the mixture into an 8 or 9 inch square pan, sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

A note or two about my recipe. I have a bit of a sweet tooth so I added in the dark chocolate chips and a little bit of stevia. I will be telling you more about NuNaturals NuStevia soon as it is a "nu" product for me. So far I've found this stevia bakes up beautifully and makes a great alternative to sugar.

I think it's safe to say you can mix and match these recipes or go a little wild with your own creations. Add cinnamon, use almond extract, drizzle a touch of melted dark chocolate on top, mix craisins with chocolate, you decide. And, while you are chewing on that, I'm off to research cameras and make a strong cup of coffee.

I'm flipping out

2009-08-03T07:04:00.010-05:00

The food critic, the marketer, and the kid in me are all aflutter about my latest good-for-you snack find. If you are a fan of healthy snacks packed full of ingredients you can actually pronounce, then I think you might flip for Somersaults, too.

Somersaults are all natural, round nuggets of toasted grains and sunflower seeds with a hearty crunch. These baked, bite-sized bundles come in three flavors: S.S. Sea Salt, Chez Cocoa, and Salty Pepper. I sampled all three flavors and I can't decide which ones I like best so I'm going to keep snacking. The sea salt Somersaults remind me of a cross between a sesame cracker and a crouton. The cocoa flavor isn't sweet as you might expect, it contains just the slightest hint of chocolate baked into the salty, nutty mix. The salt and pepper snacks have a zesty snap and a touch of garlic sprinkled on top of each bite.

So far I've enjoyed snacking on Somersaults right out of the bag. But tonight, I might have a few of the Chez Cocoa Somersaults with a cup of decaf for dessert. And, I have a pretty good feeling that either the S.S. Sea Salt or the Salty Pepper flavor will go well with some cheese and fresh fruit for a snack tomorrow after gymnastics. ;-)

Somersaults are packaged up with all of the whimsy you would expect from a product with such a perfectly-silly name. Bags of Somersaults are adorned with bouncing bakers, hand-standing sailors, and cart-wheeling pirates. I have to admit they sold me with their clever packaging, but they'll keep me coming back for the naturally satisfying snacks.

So, for taste, variety, and presentation, I give Somersaults a perfect 10!

Now you be the judge!

Want to give Somersaults a whirl? Hop over to Somersaults and pick some up online or search for where you can find them in your neck of the woods.

But, before you roll, enter this easy contest and you could WIN 3 bags of Somersaults! The winner will receive a 6-ounce bag of S.S. Sea Salt, Chez Cocoa, and Salty Pepper Somersaults.

All you need to do to enter the drawing is tell us what makes you feel like a kid again in the comments section below! Be sure to leave your name so we can notify you if you are the lucky winner. The contest ends Thursday, August 6th at midnight so skip right back here on Friday to see if you will be doing Somersaults all weekend long!

Sunday School

2009-08-02T11:03:00.011-05:00

Now that you've had your coffee, worked out, read the paper, and gone to church. It's time for Sunday School.

Today's lesson: Food prep.

One of the things I've gotten in the habit of doing on Sunday afternoons is prepping food for the week ahead. It saves a ton of time during the week and keeps me on track so I don't make horrible, no good, very bad food choices.

Here's what I do:

Cut up a ton of veggies so they are ready to toss into salads, stir-fry, eggs, and side dishes
Whip up crustless quiches baked in muffin tins
Bag my own 100 calorie packs of almonds
Bake batches of homemade protein bars and wrap them up into individual serving sizes
Hard boil eggs to eat as snacks, top spinach salads, or make into egg salad
Slow cook oatmeal or steel cut oats to heat up each morning
Brew coffee and green tea to mix in with shakes or just enjoy over ice

Now, I don't eat meat, but if I did, I'd probably grill up a few extra pieces of chicken breasts to serve with salads, wraps, or a healthy chicken salad.

Just some food for thought. Now, go get chopping, do some laundry, and don't forget to say grace before you eat.

Class dismissed, home-schoolers.

Cereal Killer

2009-07-31T07:12:00.022-05:00

There comes a point in everyone's LIFE when it's time to retire Cap'n Crunch, bury the Fruity Pebbles, pass over the Cocoa Krispies, and remind ourselves that Trix really are for kids.

It's time for a grown up cereal. And that is why I invented DIVA-LICIOUS. ;-)

I recently learned about a premium, custom-mixed cereal company called MojaMix. It's a cereal you design yourself. With MojaMix you get to pick your ingredients, name your own invention, and they'll create your customized label and ship it right to you. It's like Moja-Magic without the sugar-coating of Lucky Charms.

Here's what I like about MojaMix:

They offer a unique variety of REAL ingredients
You choose your cereal base (because some of us are flakes), add dried fruit, and select nuts and seeds
You get to unleash your child-like creativity and give your cereal a name
You can see the nutritional value of your cereal during the easy-to-use online design process
They use environmentally friendly packaging
You can eat your MojaMix like cereal with milk, sprinkle it on top of yogurt, heat it up like oatmeal, or snack on it like trail mix
They have impeccable customer service--even offering "do-overs" if you don't get your mix right the first time

What could make MojaMix better? If they would offer us a subscription service so we can have our MojaMix automatically delivered every two weeks. Don't worry, I have them working on this idea ;-).

Now, go say goodbye to Toucan Sam and say hello to Moja. To help with the "morning" process get 10% off all of your MojaMix orders until August 15, 2009. Just enter JOANNASUTTER in the coupon code at checkout.

R.I.P. Tony the Tiger, it's been grrrreeeeaatttt!

Flat-out in Beverly Heels

2009-07-30T09:26:00.022-05:00

Hints from Joanna-Louise

Dear Joanna-Louise,
Every pair of jeans in my closet have been tailored to wear with 3.5. inch heels. But what if I want to wear my jeans with flats? Signed, Flat-out in Beverly Heels

Dear Flat-out,

I have the perfect solution. Now you can wear any shoe style with the same pair of jeans just by using Hem Tape. Hem Tape is a double-stick tape designed especially for jeans that lets you change up the length of your jeans easily. So now you can wear your ballet flats or your boots with the same pair of jeans.

*****

Dear Joanna-Louise,
I just bought the most fabulous skinny jeans today. I want to wear them to a party tonight but they are an inch too long. What do I do? Signed, Anita Taylor

Dear Anita,

I can relate to this dilemma as just about every pair of jeans I buy are too long. Have you tried Hem Tape? You can wear your brand new jeans within minutes and have time for a manicure before party time.

*****
Dear Joanna-Louise,

I just won a hip-T on My Favorite Web site. I'm going to wear my shirt with my Jordache jeans but they are a little frayed at the bottom. What do you suggest? Signed, Carrie DeWay

Dear Carrie,

Congratulations for winning such a fabulous prize! Quick question, are you really sure those jeans are still in style? If so, tape up your tattered jeans with Hem Tape.

*****

Dear Joanna-Louise,

I have the back to school blues. I just bought some new jeans and I don't want to spend more money to have them hemmed. That, and I don't own a needle or thread. What should I do?

Signed, No Hemingway

Dear Hemingway,

Relax! You can give your jeans a makeover in minutes without having to sign up for Home-Ec. The durable adhesive of Hem Tape will hold your pants in place for days and you won't even need an iron or scissors.

*****

Dear Joanna-Louise,

I just ran home for lunch and I spilled hummus on my pants! I paid a small fortune for the jeans I want to throw on and they have a torn hem. Help! I'm late! Signed, Juanita Break

Dear Juanita,

Get a grip! First of all, are you sure it's casual day? Second, if you have some Hem Tape you can repair your fallen hem and be back to work before anyone notices you've taken another long lunch. And third, you have some broccoli stuck in your teeth.

*****

Dear Readers,

You're probably wondering how you lived without Hem Tape all of this time and where you can get some. Go to www.bristols6.com, enter the code SUTTERFAVE at checkout and save 20% off your entire order. This discount applies to Hem Tape as well as their other solutions to help with many sticky situations. Hurry offer expires August 15, 2009!

hip-T Winner Revealed!

2009-07-30T07:17:00.005-05:00

Now, for the moment Victoria and her secrets have been waiting for, the winner of the hip-T's drawing is...

EDENCR also known as CARRIE

Congrats, Carrie! You get to pick a hip-T of your choice. I'll send you an email with all the details on how to redeem your prize.

Thanks to everyone who played along and shared their very timeless, fashionable, and (sometimes even) inspiring quotes. A special note of thanks to Ali and Michael Scott who made us laugh out loud.

If you weren't the biggest winner like Carrie, no worries, you can order your very own hip-T at www.myhip-t.com. Go on now, as they say at hip-T's, don't let your style fall through the crack.

HURRY! hip-T's Contest Ends Today

2009-07-29T09:44:00.005-05:00

Just a quick reminder...

It's not too late to enter to win a hip-T! The contest ends tonight (Wednesday) and the lucky winner will be announced tomorrow!

Just click here to enter. Good luck!

Heavenly Hummus

2009-07-29T07:48:00.010-05:00

I am brand-loyal to a handful of products, one of them is Sabra hummus, olive-it.

I discovered Sabra hummus at two different Food Marketing tradeshows. The first event inspired me to come home and bug my local grocery store to carry the brand---eventually they gave in. I'm pretty sure that during the second tradeshow the Sabra team was going to charge me rent for hanging out at their booth and eating most of their samples. It's their own fault for introducing their salsa at the conference and being strategically positioned so close to the Corona booth (but that's not important right now).

Sabra hummus is smooth, full of flavor and perfectly packaged. Their hummus comes in many flavors from plain to garlic, and from mild to spicy. I've tried every last one and I haven't found flavor I didn't like.

"Olive-hummus" as a healthy alternative to mayonnaise condiments, for example:

I serve it as a dip to accompany raw vegetables
I eat it as a topping for semi-homemade chips (just lightly spray low-carb wheat tortillas with olive oil, toss them in the oven until crispy and then cut with a pizza cutter into triangles)
I mix it in with steamed vegetables as a side dish
I spoon it on top of salads
I toss it in with tuna-salad as a substitute for mayo

Look for Sabra hummus at your grocery store, Super Target, and Costco. Then, dive right in, I think you'll agree the chickpea has never tasted so good.

Be your own barista

2009-07-28T08:23:00.007-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I love to stop for coffee, but sometimes I just don't want to pay FourBucks per cup. One of my favorite ways to get the same coffee shop taste is to use filtered water, good coffee, and a splash of flavored Italian syrup. Because I don't like to add calories to my caffeine, I look for flavorful sugar-free syrups.

Starbucks has sugar-free cinnamon and caramel syrups for sale. The big bottles are behind the counter, so just ask your friendly barista. And, if you ask nicely, they'll give you a pump to go with it.

DaVinci Gourmet and Torani also offer a ton of sugar-free Italian syrups. You can find a few flavors at your local grocery store in the coffee aisle, but to get some unique flavors (like peanut butter!) you will have the best luck online.

In addition to coffee add sugar-free syrups to:

Cocktails (there are some fruity flavors available, too)
Iced or hot teas
Protein shakes
Lemonade

I've been making my own frappacino's at home for an afternoon pick-me-up. Here's my featured house blend:

A cup of cold, strong brewed coffee (or if I'm lazy, I'll skip this step and add in a tablespoon or two of instant coffee)
1/2-1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons of sugar-free caramel syrup
Ice

I just toss everything into my Magic Bullet and blend.

So, if you're into flavor, but just don't want to pay for the pump, I encourage you to give these syrups a shake.

Drop and give me about 20 bucks

2009-07-27T07:53:00.006-05:00

Not all of my pushups are perfect but with the Perfect Pushup they get a better shot.

My brother received the Perfect Pushup for a Christmas gift one year so I gave them a test run. He stumbled upon me popping out a few pushups and told me his "house record" for the number of consecutive pushups. I was up for the challenge...so I thought.

Knocking out a pushup using the rotating disks that make up the Perfect Pushup kicks your run of the mill pushup up a notch (as Emeril would say). The disks increase your range of motion so you get a deeper dive at the base of your pushup. Let me tell you, the traditional body weight pushup is intensified with this As Seen On TV gadget.

What I like about the Perfect Pushup:

They are small, lightweight and portable
They can be used on carpet or hard surface
They are effective for training your chest, back and triceps just by changing the position of the disks
They are an affordable addition to your home gym

Ok, so I didn't break my brother's house record on Christmas day, but I did stop at Walgreens the other day, and tucked between the Chia Pets and the Snuggies was a set of Perfect Pushups. It was a Christmas in July kind of a moment. So, I snagged a set and I am pleased to announce, I am officially on the leader board of my own house record.

Give this salad a spin

2009-07-25T08:16:00.016-05:00

Are you hitting the Farmer's Market today? If so, grab some plum tomatoes, garlic, and basil because you'll want all the ingredients ready to make this Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad. Then, hit Super Target for some mouthwash because this salad has some punch. Julie Nodgaard shared this recipe with us, she has great taste and minty-fresh breath. ; -)

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad

INGREDIENTS:

12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeds (not cores) removed
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 ounces fresh salted mozzarella
12 fresh basil leaves, julienned

DIRECTIONS:

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the garlic, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 2 hours @ 275° until the tomatoes are concentrated and begin to caramelize.

Allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature. Cut the mozzarella into slices slightly less than 1/2 inch thick. If the slices of mozzarella are larger than the tomatoes, cut the mozzarella slices in half. Layer the tomatoes alternately with the mozzarella on a platter and scatter the basil on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve at room temperature.

Tour de Lance

2009-07-24T09:30:00.006-05:00

I am a rebel like Lance Armstrong. I am breaking every journlistic rule by giving a book recommendation without actually finishing the story. But, I am doing this for your own good because:

1. You might need a good book to read this weekend and;

2. The Tour de France ends on Sunday so this is a timely read.

I am reading It's Not about the Bike, My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong. You don't have to be a sports fanatic to be inspired by this fast paced read, I assure you. By page 62 you will learn life lessons of teamwork, patience, persistance, and overcoming obstacles...on and off the race track.

I don't know what's in store for the rest of the book, but I can tell it will be quite a ride. Speaking of rides, that's another thing Lance and I have in common, we're both doing a little biking this weekend.

LIVESTRONG.

I'm curious, what are you reading?

Cover your assets and enter a contest

2009-07-22T18:54:00.019-05:00

Do you love mid to low rise jeans but fear getting the dreaded muffin top, booty cleavage, or maybe worse...plumbers butt? No matter how tiny you are, it could happen. Let me tell you about the solution: hip-T's!

hip-T's are like tube tops for your hips. Even if you are not wearing low rise jeans, sometimes you just want to add a little length or dimension to your top without adding bulk. hip-T's are just like the bottom of a t-shirt--a layering piece without adding an entire layer. These shirts come in multiple colors, sizes and styles just click here to see the entire collection!

Now why didn't I think of that!? Well, I didn't so I had to buy 2 to give them a try. I have them in black and white, both trimmed in lace. So far I've worn mine with with shorts and jeans. LOVE THEM! In fact, I'm going back for more because I'm sure they'll work well with just about anything from hoodies to business suits.

Now it only gets better! The good people at hip-T's are giving one hip-T away to the lucky winner of our contest. To enter the contest all you have to do is post your all-time favorite quote in the comments section right below this post. That's it! It's that easy!

You have until midnight on Wednesday, July 29th to enter, but do it now because you'll forget. The winner will be randomly selected and the winner of the hip-Ts contest will be announced Thursday, July 30th.

Now get crackin'!

P.S. Tell your friends! The winner gets to pick a hip-T in any color, any size, any style (so men, you can win one and re-gift it to your favorite girl).

A quick "T"easer!

2009-07-22T18:19:00.003-05:00

Have you ever come across a product and say to yourself, "I wish I would have thought of that?" Well I did and I will tell you all about it tomorrow. Not only that, I will tell you how to enter a contest to win one right here on My Favorite Things!

Details Thursday!

Who's your edamame?

2009-07-22T07:44:00.007-05:00

Dora the Explorer is my edamame.

I tend to stay away from soy-based products mostly because many of them tend to be highly processed. Enter edamame. It's the real deal.

Edamame are young soybeans harvested at the peak of ripeness when they have just the right crunch and nutty flavor. They are loaded with healthy amino acids, protein, and are low in saturated fats. All good things, in my book.

A few years ago, while attending a Food Marketing Institute conference with Caryn Neidel (my friend and former Stop & Shop Supermarkets marketing goddess) we discovered Seapoint Farms Edamame. Seapoint Farms decided to package edamame in kid-friendly, individually wrapped packets appealing to parents who want to give their kids a healthy snack at home or in their lunch boxes. And to entice kids into eating something green and good for you they slapped SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer on the labels. Brilliant!

You can still find these healthy snack-packs in the organic section of many grocery store freezers. When you find them, you'll discover you have two options: buy them in the pod or already shelled. Keep the edamame frozen and then toss them into your lunch box, briefcase, purse, or backpack and by lunch or snack time they'll be thawed and ready to enjoy.

Left is Right

2009-07-21T17:57:00.007-05:00

I eat approximately 97% of my meals alone each week. As a result, I have a tendency to eat way too fast. To slow myself down, I eat with my non-dominant hand from time-to-time.

Eating with the wrong hand is awkward (and a little messy especially with utensils), but it slows me down, it reminds me to taste my food, and it keeps me from over-eating.

So next time you are about to shovel down your food. Stop. Switch hands and see what's left on your plate.

A quick HIIT

2009-07-21T10:55:00.002-05:00

My workout assignment for today was to do 30 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Because the thought of going to the gym today didn't sound all that appealing, I did my workout at home.

Here's what went down:

10 minutes of bike sprints (30 seconds sprint, 30 seconds recovery)
5 minutes of jumping jacks (50 jacks, 15 seconds recovery, repeat)
5 minutes of bike sprints
5 minutes of jumping jacks
5 minutes of bike sprints

This workout felt great and the time flew by.

Now, I am a sweaty mess. Time to HIIT the shower.

A note from the editor

2009-07-20T19:46:00.002-05:00

Dear Loyal 4 or 5 readers:

As you may have noticed, I am playing around with the template for My Favorite Things. I am only doing this because I got a note from a reader that said, "the new zebra template makes me car sick" and she wasn't in a car at the time.

Please hang in there with me as I research a new layout that appeals to my diverse readership.

In the meantime, please enjoy reading today's post directly below this letter from the editor. Especially you, Sheila! ; )

Best Regards,

The My Favorite Things Team

A pocket full of sunshine

2009-07-20T16:55:00.006-05:00

Are you in need of a pocket full of sunshine? I am. It's a rainy day and a Monday and you know what that combo can do to a girl.

And that is why today I am featuring the greatest baggies I have in my entire kitchen. The good people at Ziploc created a Summer design covered in the happiest sun-bursts you ever did see (on a plastic bag).

I happen to be "portion control challenged" so baggies in general are one of my favorite tools for creating my own 100-calorie packs. I love to buy big 'ole buckets of almonds, toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes to enhance the flavor, and then immediately bag them up so I don't go overboard.

You will never guess where I found these sweet Summer baggies? Super Target, end-cap. When these suckers go on clearance, I'm stocking up so I can have a little bit of sunshine all year round.

The Joy of Cookies.

2009-07-19T20:03:00.007-05:00

I have been searching for an oatmeal cookie recipe I can eat after a workout without guilt. I am happy to report I have found one. A very good one.

Carrie came through and delivered a recipe that I just love. Because I'm giving her all the credit ; -), I'm sure she won't mind that I pass it on to you.

Joanna Banana (I mean...) Carrie's Banana Oatmeal Choc Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups oat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup choc chips
1 tsp canola oil
1/3 cup soymilk
1/2 cup banana puree (1 med size banana)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until well combined.

Use a medium size ice cream scoop or a large spoon to scoop batter onto a cookies sheet covered with waxed paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking, or bake until the edges of the cookies are light brown.

Now, you will never believe this (insert sarcasm and a few eye-rolls here) but I made a few substitutions to this recipe. Here are the adjustments I made:

I used 1 cup of oat flour plus 1/2 cup of vanilla protein powder
I used Splenda for baking in place of the raw sugar
I used unsweetened almond milk in place of soymilk
I used coconut oil in place of the canola
And, of course I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips

Let's raise our glasses (of milk or coffee) and give it up for Carrie who has given me a belly full of joy and cookies.

My favorite chocolate is like me: bittersweet.

2009-07-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

I like my chocolate like my coffee: strong and dark. So I'd like to introduce you to my new love: Ghiradelli Extra Bittersweet Chocolate for baking.

I've been sprinkling a handful of these chips into pumpkin bread, homemade protein bars, and on top of my Joanna Banana Ice Cream. I think they'll make a great addition to a simple handful of natural almonds or as a topping to a bowl of oatmeal, too.

Next week (and by next week, I mean tomorrow!) I'm going to toss them into a new oatmeal/banana cookie recipe Carrie (finally) sent me. I'll let you know how those turn out.

I found these Ghiradelli gems at my Super Target in the baking section. I was delighted to see they were on clearance for about 1/2 price and freaked out when the grocery manager told me they weren't going to carry them anymore. So, I bought 8 packages. It was a bittersweet moment.

Got Moo?

2009-07-17T18:36:00.000-05:00

I had the best play date today.

Thank God Ellie, Suzanne and I are lactose tolerant because we enjoyed pigging out at Maggie Moo's for ice cream. In the event your tummy tumbles at the thought of dairy, Maggie Moo's has lactose-free vanilla ice cream on the menu. I tasted it. Not only is it lactose-free, it's flavor-free, too so I'd recommend mixing in the entire toppings bar to spice it up a bit.

If you've already over-dosed on carbs for the day, no worries, there's a low-carb strawberry on the menu. I went with this option with almonds mixed in and I'd do it again.

While I was getting the scoop about her second birthday (pony and all!), I snapped this picture of Ellie. She's a strawberry with sprinkles kind of girl. I happen to think she's perfect for Maggie's new ad campaign, "Got Moo?"

Operation Beautiful

2009-07-16T21:12:00.002-05:00

Hello Gorgeous!

I recently learned about a great little movement called Operation Beautiful. It's a simple but powerful idea and what's great is we can all participate.

The mission of Operation Beautiful is to leave anonymous uplifting messages on post-it notes for people to find reminding them that they are beautiful (even if they are having a fat and/or bad hair day : ) ).

Operation Beautiful is spreading like wildfire! Post-it notes with creative messages are popping up in grocery stores, bathrooms, mirrors, scales, lockers, you name it!

So, here's our homework:

1. Watch this 3 minute video.

2. Put a pad of post-it notes and a pen in your purse.

3. Leave thoughtful messages where you work, shop and play.

Spread the word. You will makes someone's day just a little more beautiful.

www.operationbeautiful.com

A bag that goes above and beyond

2009-07-16T07:13:00.000-05:00

How great is this bag? I love this one, because seriously, I AM beyond blessed, but there are other sayings available or you can customize your own. I saw this bag (and borrowed the picture you see here) on www.instyle.com. You can order yours at Beyond Yoga.

Heads up, these bags are $65 but part of that cost goes to charity.

I am beyond impressed.

Joanna Banana Ice Cream

2009-07-15T13:36:00.001-05:00

In all honesty, I did not create this recipe, but I could have if Krista didn't beat me to it.

I actually got this recipe from my personal trainer; she calls it something clever like "Krista's Guiltless Ice Cream" but doesn't "Joanna Banana Ice Cream" have a better ring to it?

Anyway, here's the scoop:

- 1 banana, sliced and frozen

- 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese (partially frozen)

- 2 packets of Splenda

Put all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Add vanilla and cinnamon if you're up to it.

Call it what you want, just call me over when you whip up a batch.

I'm feeling a little kinky

2009-07-13T20:18:00.002-05:00

...and by kinky, I mean the kind of kinky you get after a hard workout or sleeping funny. And when that happens, I turn to my favorite home gym accessory: my foam roller.

Seriously. Who knew an inexpensive, hard, cylinder piece of foam could be your chiropractor and your massage therapist all one? And the best part? You don't have to shave your legs before your visit. ;-)

Here is a picture of my foam roller. You use it by placing it on the ground and using your own body weight to apply pressure and massage your muscles from head to toe. It is great for warming up before a workout, cooling down after a workout, working out some knots, and increasing flexibility.

I think a video will give you a better idea so check out this clip and then pick up a foam roller at your local sporting goods store or order one online.

It hurts so good.

I might have a drinking problem

2009-07-13T17:21:00.001-05:00

I noticed a lot of my blogs lately have focused around beverages. Today is no exception.

Pictured here is an acrylic pitcher I recently purchased.

This fabulous find makes fruit infused water. Simply cut up some fruit, insert it down the inside tube, and then add water. I have lemon in the fridge chilling right now, but you could add limes, cucumbers, strawberries, or whatever inside.

You can buy yours at www.cooking.com. I found mine at Category One and I think I spotted one at Bed, Bath & Beyond as well.

It's kind of like what a spa tastes like, only cheaper.

Thin Mint Shake

2009-07-12T19:36:00.000-05:00

Here's a recipe for you, it's kind of like drinking a Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie, without the pesky Girl Scout. Just kidding, I love Girl Scouts and their calories...I mean, cookies.

Thin Mint Shake

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

Mint flavored water (Metromint Chocolate-Mint water is fantastic, but you can make your own with water and mint extract)

Ice

Blend. Enjoy.

You can find Metromint at your grocery store, usually in the organic/health food section. For a money saving coupon click here: http://www.metromint.com/coupon/

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

2009-07-11T19:54:00.000-05:00

I went on a canoe race this morning to raise a little dough for a volunteer fire department. Now my shoulders are burning. How's that for irony?

To make sure I'm going to be able to function tomorrow, I'm going to take an epson salt bath. I try to take one epson salt bath a week to help my body recover from a weeks worth of workouts...it's great for comforting sore muscles and reducing inflammation.

You can get epson salt at fine stores like Walmart. They even carry some with lavender that is suppose to make you sleepy---which sounds a little risky to me. So, if you decide to buy the lavender epson salt bath, make sure you call a fireman and/or life guard first in case you go under. That, or wear a life jacket.

Sweet dreams.

The power of positive thinking....

2009-07-11T06:48:00.000-05:00

The MAGIC Bullet

2009-07-10T11:38:00.000-05:00

My sister has a rule: The only kitchen appliances allowed on your counter top are the ones you use more than once a week. As a result, the only appliances I have out are my coffee maker AND my Magic Bullet.

If you know me, you know that I have a great deal of passion about my Magic Bullet. It is the greatest blender ever. I use it EVERY day and in most cases, I use it more than twice a day.

You mix up your favorite shake in the same container you drink from...which makes clean up and portability a breeze! Not only does this little gem make a mean protein shake it's also great for making iced coffee, guacamole, salsa, pancake batter, tuna salad, blended cocktails and more!

I bought my Magic Bullet at Costco for $49, but if you're not a Costco member you can find my favorite kitchen appliance online or on end-caps at fine stores like Target and Walgreens.

If you buy the Magic Bullet, your kitchen counter top will have a new accessory. And I guarantee you won't be picked up by the kitchen police as your daily use will keep you in compliance with my sisters appliance rules and regulations.

Blender Bottles

2009-07-08T12:32:00.000-05:00

Since I'm such a do-gooder, I'm trying to cut back on the amount of disposable plastic water bottles that hit the landfills. As a result, I've been searching for alternative bottles that I can refill, grab and take with me on the go. One of my favorite reusable water bottles is the Blender Bottle. In addition to holding good ole H2O, these bottles have a little whisk inside that are great for quickly mixing up drinks like Crystal Light or homemade lemonade. The Blender Bottle is also great for mixing up salad dressings, protein shakes, and pancake batter. How great is that?

AND! Not only are these bottles dishwasher safe, they also come in pink.

Check out www.blenderbottle.com to learn more and order your own. Rumor has it amazon.com will sell you one, too.

Going Green on the Inside

2009-07-05T15:21:00.000-05:00

I eat and I drink a lot of vegetables. That's right. I drink my vegetables, too.

My new obsession? Green protein shakes. Why? Because going green is all the rage (wink, wink). That, and I believe it's important to eat a protein and a vegetable with every meal. And by every meal, I mean every time I eat, and for me, that means 6 times a day.

So here's my recipe for my Green Protein Shake (trust me, you won't even taste the green stuff) :

1/2 - 1 scoop Protein Powder (vanilla or chocolate)

1 handful of spinach

Water and/or chilled coffee or green tea

Ice

Blend and enjoy, Popeye!

Coffee Talk

2009-07-05T11:27:00.000-05:00

Want to know a little secret? I am a Tassimo addict. Tassimo is a clever little machine that makes freshly brewed single-serve coffee or tea within about 60 seconds. I first discovered this fabulous little invention in a hotel, most likely in Boston since I traveled there more than I care to admit during my stay in corporate America. Oh, the things I learned in Boston! but that's not important right now.

Back to the subject at hand...My Tassimo.

My Tassimo gets a daily workout that looks like this:

6:00 a.m. Morning Coffee Blend

7:00 a.m. Morning Coffee Blend

11:00 a.m. Green Tea

3:00 p.m. Green Tea

7:00 p.m. Decaf Coffee

9:00 p.m. Espresso (this cup goes in the fridge to mix in with my morning protein shake)

Go to www.tassimo.com to learn more and while you're there ask them to create a decaf green tea, because no one really needs that much coffee.

Tassimo: It will have you bouncing out of bed and skipping to the kitchen in the morning. Ok, perhaps that's neither safe nor entirely true. Afterall, you should never, never skip without having caffeine first.