New Years Peach-y Cobbler

Well, it’s the first day of 2011 and I managed to survive for another year. That is no small feat these days. The economy sucks. The job market is tight, and time is a precious commodity. There never seems to be enough hours to go around. I did manage to make it through the Christmas season without gaining too much weight, though (a minor miracle if you ask me). Actually the diet, (uch! I hate that word) has been on hold since Halloween. I decided that I needed a little vacation from rules. I may need to adopt this every year. It has done amazing things for my attitude. But now it is time to come back home, like the prodigal son.

It should be no great surprise to anyone that I indulged in a number of sweet treats over the last two months. Actually I only crave sweets a couple of times a year. Around Easter, and beginning at Halloween. I think I would be fine if they were not sitting right under my nose at every turn. The fact is I do have a sweet tooth, but with the diabetes that runs in my family, along with the weight problems, it is just not safe to eat that much sugar. This year, I found a new recipe for sweets that I absolutely adore. I want to share it with you:

Peach Cobbler:

6 fresh Peaches, stones removed and sliced into quarters
¼ C honey
½ tsp. vanilla
1 egg white
½ C rolled oats
Pine nuts
1/4 C brown sugar

Quarter the peaches and lay skin side down in a baking dish. Mix the honey and vanilla together. Drizzle over the peaches.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites for about a minute until smooth. Mix in the oats and pine nuts and stir well. (If mix is still moist, add more oats until a crumbly consistence. Spread the mixture over the peaches, and finish with sprinkled brown sugar over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until the peaches are soft and the topping is golden brown. Let cool.

This dessert is delicious as it is, or can be topped with fat free ice cream, yogurt, or whipped cream. It is low in calories, and fat free, and above all, delicious. You can also use, pears, apples, apricots, plums, or any other fresh fruit that you like.

“…the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22

Enjoy!

Lori Sinclair
Psalm 23:6 "...my cup overflows."

Coming Christmas 2010
Ho, Ho, Hey! What Just Happened?
Holiday enlightenment from an overworked Santa and his testy crew!

http://www.sinclairinkspot.com/

You can find me on my web site, Facebook, MySpace, Classmates, Shoutlife, Yahoo, or Twitter.

Bionote: Lori is the author of three business books, numerous church skits, and several articles. She lives in Sacramento with her two children, two dogs, and cat. She loves to hear from her readers, so please email your thoughts and questions.

Chicken Soup for the Stomach

Chicken Soup for the Stomach

Happy Sunday everyone! It is November 7th, and it is cold and rainy outside; the kind of day when a hot steamy bowl of soup would really hit the spot. Actually for lunch I had canned tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. It was very mediocre.


With the celebration of Advent right around the corner, and the traditional soup suppers at church, my mouth began watering for a great bowl of soup. Not something out of a can, but something homemade, filling and delicious.

My favorite, like the rest of the world, is the all time popular Chicken Noodle soup. With my recent discovery that my body doesn’t tolerate carbohydrates well, I will have to settle for my second favorite: Chicken Vegetable. It is quick, easy, and cheap. What’s better than all that?

Take a whole chicken, rinse and remove the giblet package (discard this, EWWW!). Toss it in a crock pot, fill halfway with water, salt and pepper lightly, and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove the chicken reserving the liquid in the crock pot. Take the meat off the bones and return to the crock pot. Chop your favorite vegetables into uniform, bite size pieces and add to the crock pot. You could even throw a package of frozen veggies in there if you are pressed for time. I like to use:

Carrots

Celery

Onions

Garlic

Corn

Zucchini

And potatoes

You could also add noodles, or rice, if you wish.

Cook on high for another 1-2 hours. Serve. Eat.

What is simpler? The house smells great. It is nutritious. It is cheap. You only use 1 pot, so clean up is a breeze. It can also cook itself while you are out running errands or at work. It’s hot and it’s perfect. It is also an easy meal to share with a large crowd. At my church, we have soup suppers on Wednesday evenings. This travels well, reheats in a snap, and satisfies a large, hungry crowd. Serve with buttered bread, or crackers (if you are not carb intolerant). Celery sticks with cream cheese, or grilled zucchini slices topped with parmesan cheese make a good side as well.

…John 6:57 “…so the one who feeds on me, will live because of me.”



Enjoy!



Lori Sinclair

Psalm 23:6 "...my cup overflows."



Coming Christmas 2010

Ho, Ho, Hey! What Just Happened?

Holiday enlightenment from an overworked Santa and his testy crew!



www.SinclairInkSpot.com

You can find me on my web site, Facebook, MySpace, Classmates, Shoutlife, Yahoo, or Twitter.

Bionote: Lori is the author of three business books, numerous church skits, and several articles. She lives in Sacramento with her two children, two dogs, and cat. She loves to hear from her readers, so please email your thoughts and questions.

What is?

What is your favorite fat free/low fat recipe?  Send it to:  lori@sinclairinkspot.com

Thanks,
Lori

Ho, Ho, Hey!  What Just Happened?
Holiday enlightenment from an overworked Santa and his testy crew
Christmas 2010

Cheesecake Caramel Apples

Apple Hill

So I took my annual trek to Apple Hill, California this week with my parents. I love Apple Hill. The weather is beautiful, and the scenery beyond description. We walked among the orchards and saw all of the fruit still ripening on the branches. The smell of fresh fruit, warm in the sun is a beauty to behold. I have decided that when I am rich and famous, I am going to buy an orchard and live up there among the fruit trees.

We saw the crafters, smelled the fresh baked pies, saw the presses squeezing the juice for cider, and then my favorite… the Fudge Factory.

Now for those of you who know me, I have been on a strict diet for quite some time now. I have lost 35 pounds, and it should come as no surprise sugar has been off limits for me for the better part of this year. Walking into the Fudge Factory I went onto sensory overload. I didn’t behave shamefully though, after all, my parents were with me. I did, however, walk straight to the corner with the caramel apples and took my place in line. I have two favorites, and with a little shameless flirting, I was able to extract the recipes for Cheesecake Caramel Apples, and Turtle Carmel Apples.

Here they are:

Cheesecake Carmel Apples

Follow your favorite recipe for a standard caramel apple (usually apples dipped in the little melted caramel squares that you buy at Halloween time). Let sit on a tray, sticks up, and let the caramel set. Then as a second layer, dip the apple (over the top of the caramel) in a mixture of half white chocolate and half cream cheese, slowly melted over a double boiler. After dipping, roll the still wet chocolate in some graham cracker crumbs and return to the tray to set. It is DELICIOUS!!!

Turtle Carmel Apples

For the Turtles follow the same recipe for the first step (dipping the apple in caramel and allowing it to set). For the second layer, dip the apple in a mixture of half white chocolate (or dark chocolate if you prefer) and half peanut butter. Roll in your choice of chocolate chips, cookie crumbs, or any assorted candies.

Refrigerate to set firm and enjoy. I gave myself this treat after such a long time of being diligent on my diet. It was my reward for a job well done, with no serious after effects either.

Isaiah 49:4”…and my reward is with my God.”

Welcome to all my new subscribers this week! Especially to those who subscribe on the Kindle Blogs. I am thrilled that you are here.

Enjoy!



Lori Sinclair

Psalm 23:6 "...my cup overflows."

New Release: Ho, Ho, Hey! What Just Happened?

Holiday enlightenment from an overworked Santa and his testy crew.

Coming Christmas 2010

www.SinclairInkSpot.com

You can find me on my web site, Facebook, MySpace, Classmates, Shoutlife, Yahoo, or Twitter.

Bionote: Lori is the author of three business books, numerous church skits, and several articles. She lives in Sacramento with her two children, two dogs, and cat. She loves to hear from her readers, so please email your thoughts and questions

The Schizophrenic Diet

The Schizophrenic Diet


I have tried sssooo many diets sometimes my head spins. Low calorie diets, the hot dog and boiled egg diet, the belly fat diet… you name it and I have tried it.

So, I finally found a diet that works – or so I thought. I tried one of the popular no-carb, low-carb options, and lost 33 pounds. I was so very proud of myself. When I went to the doctor I bragged about it, until my blood work came back. Seems I lost 33 pounds, and gained 40 points on my bad cholesterol! How could this happen? I was eating healthier than I have in years, and the scale proves it. I cried. Then I called the doctor and cried again. “Now Lori,” she said, “it could be genetic.” Even that didn’t comfort me much. My cholesterol is still high, and I now have to change my diet, yet again, from something that works to something unknown. I am Lutheran. We don’t like the unknown. We tell God that all the time.

Low fat was recommended. After a consultation with a dietician, I was armed with the information that I needed to cut the fat from my diet. So, being a bookkeeper, I did the only thing that I know how to do – I made a spreadsheet. I have columns for carbohydrates (out of habit), calories, fat, and one to automatically calculate the percentage of fat from calories, then subtract my exercise for the day, leaving me with a net calorie total at the end of the day. Once I set it up, I never have to think about it again. I also made macros for the food counts of my favorite foods. Now all I have to do is enter things like:

1 tomato

½ chicken breast

2 tsp ketchup, etc.

and the spreadsheet does the rest. I’m still not happy about it, but am willing to give it a try for my health.

Now I know my body is a temple, and that we are to avoid things that will hurt us (I now put blood tests in this category). I wonder what Biblical times people did to lose weight. The federal government says that low fat is the best. What does the Bible say. Then I found it:

Genesis 4:4

‘But Abel brought the fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering.”

We are supposed to give the fat to God, and He is happy. This is mentioned multiple times in the old testament. We are not to eat the fat, but save it for our offerings. Could it be that the federal government is right, and that fat free is the best way to go? I don’t know if I will go that far, but I am willing to try it and see what works.

Stay tuned…

Enjoy!

Lori Sinclair
Psalm 23:6 "...my cup overflows."
http://www.sinclairinkspot.com/

You can find me on my web site, Facebook, MySpace, Classmates, Shoutlife, Yahoo, or Twitter.

Bionote: Lori is the author of three business books, numerous church skits, and several articles. She lives in Sacramento with her two children, two dogs, and cat. She loves to hear from her readers, so please email your thoughts and questions.

Welcome Amazon.com and Amazon Kindle subscribers

I'm back...

First, let me apologize for such a long delay in postings.  Thank you all for sticking with me.  I have been working on, and completed my first work of humor.  It is a short story Christmas collection for adults, called   Ho, Ho, Hey! What Just Happened?  With stories like:

Santa loses his Blackberry which contains his Naughty and Nice List.  He is not eligible for an upgrade, has no insurance on his phone, and gets no reception in his own home.

Santa's sleigh fails its smog inspection because of the noxious fumes from the reindeer.

and,

Santa is fighting with his Homeowner's Association regarding pets generally considered to be livestock.


It is testy, at times obnoxious, and lots of fun.  It says all of the things that we wish we could, but don't dare to.   I hope that it can bring a smile to the faces of everyone that has ever felt stressed at Christmastime.  We also cover the elves learning about the very first Christmas, bringing us full circle back to the reason why we all celebrate in the first place.  It will be available through Amazon.com print on October 1st, and Amazon Kindle ebook October 1st also.

And with that, we have only about 100 more shopping days left until Christmas.  With that depressing thought in mind, we will be starting some holiday recipes that will take us from the fall harvest, through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

I'll be back soon.  Thank you, and welcome to the world of Amazon blog readers that have just joined us.

Enjoy!


Lori Sinclair
Psalm 23:6 "...my cup overflows."
http://www.sinclairinkspot.com/
You can find me on my web site, Facebook, MySpace, Classmates, Shoutlife, Yahoo, or Twitter.

Bionote: Lori is the author of three business books, numerous church skits, and several articles. She lives in Sacramento with her two children, two dogs, and cat. She loves to hear from her readers, so please email your thoughts and questions.

Hybrid Veg-a-holics

My New Plan for weight loss:


I hate diets. They never work. I am told that your metabolism will eventually catch up to anything that you are doing. So, a new diet will work for a short while, then your body adjusts and it stops working. There’s even a fancy term for it... they call it Plateauing. Personally, I call it stubbornness. My body revolts against anything that it doesn’t want to do. When you tell me I can’t have something, that’s the only thing that I want. At that point my whole world turns OCD.

We all know that too much of anything is bad for you, especially in the red meat genre. One main problem that I have is portion control, and a love for beef. I do love vegetables, though. I have often joked that I could be really happy being a vegetarian. Although not a traditional vegetarian. I am not at all satisfied with a plate of steamed vegetables and a no-dressing green salad. From my childhood I have carried a love for soups, gravies, and sauces. I need texture too; crunch, spice, and above all good flavor.

So, I have formulated a new plan. I call it Hybrid Veg-a-holism. Defined by me as generous portions of my beloved vegetables, flavored with limited amounts of broth, and healthy meat products. I will eat vegetarian several days a week to start, then if all goes well, perhaps increase. I need to take it slow and see what works for my body and lifestyle.

Now I don’t really know that much about it, but I do know there are degrees of vegetarians. I could never make it all the way up to Vegan ( no animal products of any kind). But there are Veg-a-holics that only eat chicken and fish. They also eat cheese and eggs. That’s where I am going to start. I am also not going to give myself any hard and fast rules that I will immediately be tempted to break. So, if I occasionally (and I do mean occasionally) want a fat juicy burger, then I can have one. But, as a general rule, for my eating habits at home, I plan on going healthy hybrid.

Here is my own version of a recipe that I got from a fellow blogger who calls herself the Skinny Chef ( 2010). She recently posted an idea for Lentil Tacos. Here is my own take on it.

Take 1 8 oz. can of chicken broth, combine with 4 oz. water, and 8 oz. of dried lentils. Boil until lentils are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed (approx. 30 minutes). Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (remember lentils take a lot of spice) and 1 small finely diced onion. Cook until tender. Add 1 package of prepared taco seasonings, or your own taco spices to taste. Adjust the amount of liquid if necessary. Once the lentils are soft enough and the seasonings are right, use this as a replacement meat mixture, and prepare tacos as normal. I like the crunchy taco shells that you can buy at the store. I put shredded cheese, refried beans, sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes on mine. Top with hot sauce, and enjoy. When I ate them I was so satisfied with the familiar flavor of the spices and the traditional crunch of the taco shell, I didn’t even miss the meat. My daughter (another original carnivore) loved them too. We decided that this definitely was a meal worth doing again. Another idea is to take the spicy lentil mixture and make lentil tamales with it (recipe to come in another blog posting).

If I can get enough good tasting meals that will satisfy me, then this whole hybrid healthy eating thing might just work. Just don’t tell me that ‘I can’t’ have something. It’s all over at that point.

Help me get through this, please. Send me your ideas for your favorite meals that could easily be converted. I will try them all and post the results, good, bad, and ugly. In the meantime, try the lentil tacos and let me know what you think. I would love some feedback.

Today is also Easter Sunday. He is Risen! He is risen, indeed! Hallelujah!

Enjoy!

Lori Sinclair

Psalm 23:6 "...my cup overflows."

http://www.sinclairinkspot.com/

You can find me on my web site, Facebook, MySpace, Classmates, Shoutlife, Yahoo, or Twitter.

Bionote: Lori is the author of three business books, numerous church skits, and several articles. She lives in Sacramento with her two children, two dogs, and cat. She loves to hear from her readers, so please email your thoughts and questions.