Looks Like We Made It....

Zak and I have been married for 15 years! It sounds strange even to me. We have lasted longer than both of our parents marriages even did. They were the same ones who told us NOT to get married...Hmmm. How has it lasted so long you ask? I couldn't tell you really except for the fact we are two very stubborn people. I'm sure there have been times when one or both of us wanted out but we had the foresight to know those moments would pass. If someone asked me to write down everything I would want in a husband, Zak would be all of those things. Well, maybe he would at least score a 92%, no one is perfect! Hopefully I would even score close to that, I am not always the easiest person to love. He has kept trying for the last 15 years and I am so thankful he never gave up on me! Even though we didnt have the traditional courtship, I think maybe starting under the conditions we did actually made us stronger. We knew from the start how hard marriage was, how hard it would be to raise kids, how to make time for one another, how to bond together when times got tough. Somehow as we have gotten older we have grown up together not apart and for that I am thankful. Now onto the next 15 years...I wonder what new challenges, what new joys, what new triumphs, what new tragedies we might face? At least we can do it together.

DEVIN ALEXANDER'S 8 SLIMMING SECRETS TO EAT MORE CHOCOLATE

1. Less is more with mini chocolate chips. These little guys are one of my secret weapons when it comes to sneaking chocolate into sweet treats. Because they're much smaller than standard chips, you need fewer to get more in each bite. I use them in my signature Chocolate Chocolate Brownie Cups (see below), and you can also try adding a few to a sandwich bag with some whole grain cereal for a delicious on-the-go snack.

2. Get creative with cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is not just for baking. Add a spoonful to your favorite fruit smoothie in the morning (my personal favorite is raspberry) or add a touch of cocoa to your oatmeal for a decadent twist. Not only is cocoa powder a light way to get in some chocolate, but it's high in fiber, too.

3. When in doubt, use chocolate syrup. Whenever I'm looking for a quick chocolate fix, I pull out the chocolate syrup and drizzle it on everything from fresh fruit to marshmallows. I love to make breakfast "sundaes" with nonfat yogurt, bananas or berries, low-fat granola, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top!

4. Choose chocolate graham crackers. Did you know that chocolate graham crackers are actually low-fat? Though the label almost never says so, 1 chocolate graham sheet has typically only about 3 g of fat. Try these with a glass of low-fat or nonfat milk for a sweet pick-me-up.

5. Get chocolate and protein into your ice blended. I love those frothy ice-blended drinks from the local coffee shop, but they're usually full of fat and empty calories. Blend your own at home with nonfat milk, coffee powder, ice, and chocolate protein powder. It'll give you a great energy boost and satisfy your chocolate craving.

6. Enjoy hot fudge without pudge. Lots of store-bought hot fudge toppings are actually fat-free. Even if the front label doesn't say so, read the nutrition facts. You'll find that many of them actually have zero grams of fat. I dip fresh strawberries in warmed hot fudge for a chocolate "fondue" treat anytime.

7. Don't be afraid to try something new. I'm always looking for new ways to sneak chocolate into my diet. I recently discovered all-natural chocolate brown rice syrup. It's like a cross between chocolate syrup and hot fudge, but it's all-natural, gluten free, and even fat-free! It's made without beet or can sugars, corn syrup, or other refined sweeteners of any kind. It has a super rich, deep chocolate flavor and goes well with everything from fruit to fat-free ice cream. Look for Suzanne's Specialties Chocolate Brown Rice Nectar at Whole Foods or on their website.

8. CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CUPS
Devin Alexander's signature recipe from "The Most Decadent Diet Ever!" (Random House)
Makes 48 brownie cups; 24 servings

Save: 151 calories, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat. Each two-brownie serving has: 109 calories, 2 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat, <1>A traditional brownie serving has about: 260 calories, 3 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 165 mg sodium.

Ingredients:

Butter-flavored cooking spray
¹/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 large egg whites
2 cups raw sugar
¹/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¹/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly mist two 12-cup nonstick mini-muffin tins with spray.

2. Use a sturdy whisk or spatula to mix the applesauce, vanilla, egg whites, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined and no lumps remain. Working in batches, fill each cup until just barely full. Sprinkle about one-fourth of the chips evenly over the brownies in each of the tins. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (a few crumbs are okay).

3. Transfer the tins to a cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes. Use a butter knife to gently lift the brownies from the muffin tins (if they stick, carefully run the knife around the edge of each cup). Cool on the rack for another 10 minutes. Repeat with the second half of the batter and the remaining chips.

Healthy Snack Idea of the Day!

2 Quaker Cinnamon Toast Cakes

¹/₄ c

low fat vanilla yogurt

¹/₄ c

blueberries

¹/₄ c

raspberries

1 T

Quaker® 100% Natural Low Fat Granola

with Raisins

Serving size: 1 rice cake with topping
Calories 80, Total Fat 1g

Healthy Snack of the Day!

Here is one of my favorites when I am having a chip craving. There are a couple of options, depending on how healthy you want to be.
If you want a real chip taste you can bake a whole wheat tortilla at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Then cut into wedges. If you are being super healthy, I like to buy the carrots that are sliced to look almost like a ruffle chip to dip in guacamole. I make my guacamole with just avocado and salsa. The salsa gives it all the flavor it needs and is much healthier than buying the store made kind or using the packets which are loaded with sodium.
Tortilla and 2 tbs. Guacamole: app. 200 cal. depending on what kind of tortilla you buy. Mine are 120 calories.
Carrots and 2 tbs. Guacamole: app. 100 calories!
Please keep all the healthy snack comments coming!

Snack of the Day!

I am trying to improve my eating habits, not that they are so bad, but I am definitely a junk food-aholic and tend to not eat all the fruits and veggies I should. In doing so, I have been looking for healthy and delicious snacks. I thought I would add a new post on my blog with healthy snacks for anyone else who needs some good snack ideas. Please feel free to leave some of your own!
Here is one of my new favorite snacks: apples and almond butter
One apple and one tablespoon of almond butter about 200 calories
Almond butter is a little less sweet than regular peanut butter but so healthy and really filling. The good fats keep you fuller than just the apple alone!

Negative Nelly!

I realized later that my last post seemed really negative! Maybe it is the two weeks sans husband or coming home to crummy weather and a mountain of laundry but I swear I don't hate my kids! Most people seem to only blog about all the great and cute things their kids do and guess what sometimes having kids is not great and not cute but it is always worth it! I will blog tomorrow after my husband gets home and it will be only sunshine and rainbows...at least until the next trip!!!

Vacations as a Single Mom

Every once in a while I get a wild hair to jump in the car and take a vacation with the kids while Zak is working. (Lets face it, when is Zak not working?) Every time I do it I have visions of relaxing days by the pool or time filled with fun activities with the kids. Usually by hour 2 those fantasies have crashed and burned!
We have these amazing friends that have a gorgeous home in St. George who have offered us a weekend there. Zak is traveling over the weekend so I figure we could head down there for a few days for some family time, well for some reason, my children tend to fight even worse when their dad is not there. I don't know if they are scared of him or maybe I am less ornery because I have someone there to help me so I don't notice the fighting as much. I am not kidding, on the ride home the 14 year old, the 10 year old and the 5 year old are all fighting over the same Santa Claus blanket! We couldn't go anywhere without Ethan running off, the older girls trying to meet boys, and Chloe whining that something wasn't fair.
Anyways, if you are considering doing this please make sure you are either going to visit family or talk one of your friends into going with you because it is sometimes not worth it. Obviously, I am not cut out to be a single mom, that is for sure! Maybe when they are MUCH MUCH older, we will try it again, but probably not anytime soon!