Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Chipotle Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

Chipotle Macaroni & Cheese
Jay requested Mac N Chz for Thanksgiving, and since I have never made anything but the box brands I had no idea where to begin. I found this YUMMMMY recipe on epicurious.com. The original recipe is a heart attack waiting to happen (butter, whole milk, cream, full fat cheese), so I altered it dramatically. It still tastes AWESOME though, you would never know. Below is my altered version, also this is cut in half and still PLENTY of food. See the link above for the original full fat version.

For bread crumbs:1 tablespoons unsalted reduced fat butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 cups coarse fresh low fat whole wheat bread crumbs (dry bread slices and then process in food processor)

For Macaroni:
2-3 tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo (these are SPICEY-use caution!)
1/4 stick unsalted reduced fat butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 cups non fat milk
1 cup non-fat sour cream
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
1/2 pound macaroni
1 pounds Trader Joes 75% reduced fat Cheddar, grated
*corn starch if needed to thicken sauce

Make bread crumbs: Heat butter and oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook garlic and bread crumbs, stirring, until crumbs are golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt.

Make macaroni: Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop chipotles.
Melt butter in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, cream, and mustard and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Cook macaroni in a 6- to 7-quart pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in white sauce, cheese, chipotles, and salt to taste.
Fill a 1 1/2-quart shallow casserole with half of macaroni mixture. Bake in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

12.22.09: Workouts, Richard Simmons, Green Tea Frappucino Recipe

Today's Workout:
-Firm Aerobic Body Shaping
-Sweatin to the Oldies 3 (6 min)
*total w/o time 60 min + stretch


I know Richard Simmons is not the most popular w/o instructor out there but I like him :) Hes goofy and fun. His w/o's are upbeat and have good music. Sure, they aren't very tough, but you can modify them up (or down) as needed. I would MUCH rather pop in his w/o's than some of those boring repetitive walking w/o's that are so popular w/ so many (not mentioning names). And there are good walking w/o's out there, I own some. I know obviously this is very taste specific and anyone/thing that gets people moving is great, so I/m not knocking them. Just saying: good music+ goofy guy=good fun. To each his/her own.


Today's LOL:

Today's Recipe: Green Tea Frappucino from Hungry Girl

Ingredients:
4 oz. light vanilla soymilk
1 oz. Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup (Toroni, Da Vinci, etc.)

2 tsp. Coffee-mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer
1 heaping tsp. matcha green tea powder (found in tea shops, or at Japanese markets)
2 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda)
1 1/2 cups crushed ice

Directions: Combine matcha green tea powder and powdered creamer with 2 oz. of warm water, and stir until powders have completely dissolved. Place this mixture in a blender, along with the soymilk, syrup, sweetener, and ice. Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds.

Today's Tip: Skim Milk (again go organic IMO, or at least no growth hormones!)
Skim milk doesn't grab as many headlines as wine or green tea, but it's still a stellar sip. One cup supplies 30 percent of your daily calcium and 25 percent of your vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium and regulates cell growth. It also contains protein, potassium and riboflavin, a B vitamin that helps produce energy in all your body's cells. All this for less than 100 calories. Drink up!


 ( Custom cakes by Lindsey LuPhoenix custom cakesSpecialty Cakes PhoenixArizona custom specialty cakesSpecialty cupcakes phoenixCustom Phoenix cupcakes  Phoenix wedding cakes Phoenix birthday cakesspecialty birthday cakes phoenix)

Monday, December 21, 2009

12.21.09: Merry Christmas? & Workouts

Merry Freakin Christmas A-holes:
So this morning my boss asks me turn on Christmas music so everyone would stop being so grumpy. So what does one of the coworkers say
Coworker "does that music need to be so loud"
Me: "its Christmas music to put eveyone in a good mood"
Coworker: "sounds like talking to me"
me: "Uh, its a commercial..."
Voice in my head "Merry f-ing Christmas a-holes"

Today's Workout:
-The Works w/ Sharon Mann (from the strength dvd)
-Firm Fat Blasting Cardio
-10 Minute Solution Quick Tummy Toners (crunchless abs section)
*total w/o time -60 min + stretch


Sunday-rest day

Saturday's Workout:
-Bonus Cardio w/o from Firm Get Chisl'd
-10 Minute Solution Quick Tummy Toners (bikini belly section)
*total w/o time- 25 min + stretch

This is a cute cupie keychain I have had for a while. My friend Miki sent it to me. Its a cupie water bottle, but not just any water bottle. An Iwaizumi (the town I lived in) water bottle. We had a natural spring in our famous Ryusendo caves. So we bottled and sold water. Anways, its a cute cupie-its little butt has a peek hole in the back :)


Today's Lol.


Today's Tip: Soybeans (I would only go for organic though)
Soybeans are the ideal snack. They contain calcium, folate and omega-3s, which may protect against heart disease. Plus, they are low in calories and packed with protein (1/2 cup has 188 calories and almost 17 grams of protein), which can help keep you feeling full longer than you would eating chips or pretzels.

 ( Custom cakes by Lindsey LuPhoenix custom cakesSpecialty Cakes PhoenixArizona custom specialty cakesSpecialty cupcakes phoenixCustom Phoenix cupcakes  Phoenix wedding cakes Phoenix birthday cakesspecialty birthday cakes phoenix)

Friday, December 18, 2009

12.18.09: Cake Balls Recipe, Workout, and Tip

Today's Recipe: Cake Balls
I made some cake balls last night. I used white cake with green frosting for Christmas.

1. Bake and cool completely one cake.
2. Crumble cake and mix with one can of frosing.
3. Form into balls and place in fridge or freezer to "harden"


4. Melt chocolate pieces.
5. Dip cake balls into melted chocolate.
6. Sprinkle with candy cane pieces, sprinkles, or nuts.


Here are some wrapped up in a cute dish for a cat-loving coworker.  ( Custom cakes by Lindsey LuPhoenix custom cakesSpecialty Cakes PhoenixArizona custom specialty cakesSpecialty cupcakes phoenixCustom cupcakes )


Today's Workout:
-Firm Cardio
*total w/o time- 60 min + stretch
Firm Cardio is not really a "cardio" w/o. Its a strength training w/o with some cardio added in. The strength work does get your HR up there but I'm not using this one on a cardio day! Heidi Tanner leads this one and she says two funny things in it: 1) "grab 3-5 dumbells". Im thinking were about to start juggling. I think she meant 3-5 lb dumbells. 2) Then she says: "the box is behind the body" maybe I watch too much Law & Order but-yuck, I don't want a "body" in my hello kitty room. ok?

Today's Tip: Berries

Berries aren't just a sweet bite—they pack a serious nutritional punch. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries all contain anthocyanidins, powerful antioxidants. (They're what give fruit its color). You'll also get a good amount of vitamin C, folate and fiber.

And Today's Funny:

Thursday, December 17, 2009

12.17.09: Workout and Christmas Gifts!

Today's Workout:
-Firm Dangerous Curves Ahead (core cardio premix)
-Firm Cardio Inferno
-Sweatin to the Oldies (8 minutes)
*total w/o time 60 min + stretch

I LOVE the core cardio mix on Dangerous Curves! I hope the Firm continues that trend. Core cardio w/o's make nice little add-ons! And Cardio Inferno is a good one-Sue Mi leads it. She was with the Firm for a very long time. She's a background exerciser in some of the old BBH leotard & legwarmer Firms. Her and Janet Brooks both "left" the Firm abruptly last year? Janet had also been with the Firm since the ealry days. Strange. Janet was REALLY active on the Firm boards. I think they were asked to leave; Janet always said she would be with the Firm for life. So, it just seemed odd that a) they both "left" at the exact same time, b) they didn't "say goodbye" on the boards, and c) the Firm never really gave a good reason why they were both gone....

I got a few presents in the mail in the past few days! I got from the Shiwa's (my Japanese family) the CUTEST santa kaiten sushi card! I LOVED going to sushi-go-round! It was awesome-you sit around the conveyor belt and just grab which plates you want, eat them, and then the waitress counts your plates at the end and charges accordingly. YUM....they also got me this cute cat frame :) I will probably bring it to work...

Some yummmmy Japanese chocolates and a pink hello kitty key holder. I put it in the car. They also got Jay a key holder (thats Japanese for key chain) and the coolest Ichiro postcard, stamp gift book thingy from the post office. Its super cool! Forgot to get a picture of it...


And, from my good friend Miki: a cool hello kitty "girly" pack. It has hello kitty bandaids, Q-tips, and oil sheets for your face. Some cool multi-purpose HK bags.


Some cute fun hair tyes (Im wearing the blue flower today), and a pink hello kitty handkerchief. Japanese people carry handkerchiefs a lot-I did while I was there. There isnt always paper towells in public bathrooms so they come in handy. Also, its SUPER hot and humid there and people walk/ bike alot and there isnt always AC. At least where I lived-"inaka" which means "countryside" or something slightly more hillbilly-ish. Anyways, I have a huge bag of handkerchiefs now that I dont know what to do w/?? Many were gifts and Im sure werent cheap. I want to make a blanket out of them but havent gotten around to it. They are all different shapes and sizes so Im not sure how it would turn out?


And here is my first plate of Christmas goodies. Made them for the Schwan man, who comes tonight. I made chocolates and chocolate "lollipops" these ones are ugly. I will try harder on the next batch (they taste the same ugly or pretty!). I added walnuts to some, pretzel pieces, raisins, or candy cane pieces to some. I also made cake balls with chocolate cake and peanut butter filling-YUM.
Today's Tip: Wheat germ-(I used to eat WG a lot, havent in a while. Better add it to my shopping list)
Wheat germ may not be a staple on your shopping list, but you may change your mind about this health food once you hear just how healthy it is: It's loaded with minerals like selenium (it charges up your immunity), magnesium (which helps your muscles function), manganese (aids in bone growth) and zinc (key for tissue growth and repair). Sprinkle it on yogurt, cottage cheese, cold cereal or oatmeal. You can also mix it with bread crumbs and use the blend to coat chicken or fish before baking.

 ( Custom cakes by Lindsey LuPhoenix custom cakesSpecialty Cakes PhoenixArizona custom specialty cakesSpecialty cupcakes phoenixCustom Phoenix cupcakes  Phoenix wedding cakes Phoenix birthday cakesspecialty birthday cakes phoenix)

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

12.16.09: VF Secret Santa, More Jibjab, Workout, and TIP

Videofitness Secret Santa Gift Exchange:

Every year Videofitness.com does a secret santa gift exchange. Its always great fun! This is the third year I have participated. This year I got the cutest handmade card from my santas daughters. I forgot to take a picture of it, but its precious! Her daughters also helped her pick out the most PERFECT gifts for me!!! I got Hello Kitty playing cards, Hello Kitty jelly belly's (fat free, you know! and we had these at our wedding), and a Bath & Body Works set of holiday lotions: vanilla fig, vanilla bean noel, and candy apple.
Then they also got me the cutest Hallmark ornament. Which of course goes w/ my collection :), a neat book: Hidden Kitchens, and Jackie Warners new dvd.

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE all my gifts!!! Thank you to my secret santa and her lovely thoughtful daughters :) I think its so cool that she got her little ones in on the fun! I will definately do the exchange again next year.



Today's Workout:
-Firm Complete Aerobics & Weight Training
*total w/o time 60 min + stretch
This is a good one! It also contains a great Firm line "Gettin' down with the Fanny Lifter" lol.

Today's Tip: (is back!) I don't even remember where I found this. Its a list of 10 healthy foods, so I'm gonna list one each day. Today- Turkey breast
Turkey breast is the star of most Thanksgiving dinners, but there's good reason to enjoy it all year long. A 4-ounce serving of skinless meat will cost you only 130 calories and 0.5 grams of fat but contains 28 grams of protein, as well as more than a third of your day's need for niacin (the vitamin that aids in digestion) and vitamin B6 (which helps produce infection-fighting antibodies). Gobble it up!

Monday, December 14, 2009

12.14.09: First Cake Order-Big Wheel Baby Buggy, Recent Workouts....

My first cake order!!!! A friend needed a cake for a baby shower so she called me :) I told her it would be my gift to the mother to be. My friend is the grandma to be. She offered to pay, so that counts as my first order, right? Here it is:  ( Custom cakes by Lindsey LuPhoenix custom cakesSpecialty Cakes PhoenixArizona custom specialty cakesSpecialty cupcakes phoenixCustom cupcakes )
Big Wheel Baby Buggy

The 10" buggy is chocolate cake with peanut butter mousse filling (freaking delicious, if I do say so myself) and the 6" wheels are white cake with raspberry mousse filling. All buttercream icing. The connectors are chocolate covered pretzels.


I looked for 4" pans but couldn't find them. So I was thinking of doing the buggy in a 12" but didn't want it to be shallow, so I just told everyone it was supposed to be a "big wheel" baby buggy LOL. That way-no stupid questions like "why the big wheels" I know how to cover my ass. Preventative maintenance as I like to call it...


Today's Workout:

-TLP Functional Strength (10 min)
-Firm Complete Body Sculpting
-Richard Simmons Sweatin to the Oldies I (8 minutes)
*total w/o time 60 min + stretch


I had planned on the TLP (Tracie Longs 1st company) today. Put it in, and after about 10 minutes, ripped that sucker out. Bad cuing Bonnie Geer! She was all over the place and-I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again-TOO EARLY IN THE MORNING to deal w/ bad cuing! So out it came, I ended up grabbing Krista's BSS3 w/o-which is really good! To Krista I will say: eat a sandwich, or two. Then I had some time left so I popped in an oldie, but goodie-Sweatin 1. LOVE the music in these. They aren't the toughest w/o's out there but they are easy to modify up and sure to put you in a good mood.

I also got in a lunchtime walk today :)


Sunday's Workout:
*total w/o time 45 min + stretch
Sat: rest day


I was going to do the express version, but changed my mind at the last minute and did the whole thing-good job me. This is a good little w/o. I don't use it often enough as it has a bit of non-weighted strength work, a bit of cardio, and a bit of balance work in it. So its hard to know what to use it for? It has an AWESOME ab routine; I wish there was a core and/or core cardio premix on it. The balance work at the end is tough too!

And I saw this online and think its hilarious!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

12.2.09: Collage Video NEWSLETTER, Workout, Bike Ride Pic...

Collage Video featured me in their latest newsletter! WOOHOO! Each month they feature one of their "success stories" located here on thier site. This month they chose me!!!! I won $100.00 for me :) and they donated $100 dollars in my name to a charity of my choice. I chose The Humane Society! You can see the newsletter here.

Today's Workout:
-10 Minute Solution Hot Body Boot Camp
-Firm Total Sculpt + Abs
*total w/o time 60 min + stretch

I have gotten in a lunchtime walk every day this week. I didnt end up getting in a "real" w/o yesterday but at least I did something? I did an extra long walk today and got a little scared-my office is in a bad neighborhood. I won't venture past the railroad tracks again...

Heres a pic of our weekend bike ride. There were 11 bikes total this time! It was kind of cool out but I wore my full face helmet, layers, and my cool Goldwing jacket and was ok.


And this is just too funny :)


 ( Custom cakes by Lindsey LuPhoenix custom cakesSpecialty Cakes PhoenixArizona custom specialty cakesSpecialty cupcakes phoenixCustom Phoenix cupcakes  Phoenix wedding cakes Phoenix birthday cakesspecialty birthday cakes phoenix)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

12.1.09: Final Cake, Pillow Graveyard, & Other Randomness

Well I had another horrible nights sleep. I think my cake class winds me up-its not the cake-I didnt even have any! So I layed there awake for hours and hours, and woke up over and over again and had trouble falling back asleep. So I didn't do my w/o. I will have to take Sat as a rest day as we have a busy day planned SO I must do it tonight. Please motivate, guilt, push me to do my w/o tonight..... I did get in a lunhctime walk today and yesterday though-so thats something.

Final Cake for Course 3:

Its a white cake w/ raspberry mousee filling. Fondant with buttercream cornelli lace and royal icing lillies. The pink ribbon is a real ribbon. I am happy with it! Oh, I wasnt able to take course 2 (not enough people signed up) so the teacher let me take course 3. I will probably go back and take course 2 in January.   ( Custom cakes by Lindsey LuPhoenix custom cakesSpecialty Cakes PhoenixArizona custom specialty cakesSpecialty cupcakes phoenixCustom cupcakes )

Pillow Graveyard:
Here is an actual unstaged picture of my bedside. I count SEVEN pillows. I actually leave them there so I can rotate through them all multiple times each night. This is literally hundreds of dollars worth of pillows....BUT I got my new pillow and it worked like a charm! I am SOSOSOSOSOSO happy w/ it! I can actually almost rotate my head around today!


And, this is funny because a few years ago the birds were after Jay and me...First there was a dead pigeon on our front yard. Then as we were riding the bike down the freeway, the car in front of us hit a bird and bird guts flew ALL over us. It was SO discusting. I was very happy to have worn my helmet that day!