Sandwich Saturday: Fancy Turkey Sandwich on Asiago Cheese Bread

Ingredients:

1 loaf asiago cheese bread, cut into 12 slices

1 lb sliced turkey breast

6 slices Swiss cheese

1 tomato, cut into 6 slices

1 cucumber, cut into 12 slices

1 package of alfalfa sprouts

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp curry powder

1 tbsp dill

Directions:

1. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, curry powder, and dill in a small bowl.
2. Toast bread slices. Divide mayo sauce among 6 slices of bread. Top with turkey, 1 Swiss cheese slice, 1 tomato slice, 2 slices of cucumber, a few pinches of alfalfa sprouts, and bread slice. Yield: 6 sandwiches (serving size: 1 sandwich).

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 522.8; Fat 31.9g (sat 11.5g, mono 8.1g, poly 10.2g); Protein 28.8g; Carb 30.8g; Fiber 1.9g; Chol 95.1mg; Iron 3.3mg; Sodium 1338.4mg; Calc 343.5mg.

Fish Friday: Fried Catfish with Hush Puppies

Ingredients:

8 cups peanut oil

6 (6oz) catfish fillets

1/2 tsp salt

9 oz all-purpose flour (about 2 cups), divided

1.25 cups cornmeal

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

3.4 oz all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 tbsp grated onion

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. To prepare catfish, clip a candy/fry thermometer to a Dutch oven; add oil to pan. Heat oil to 385 degrees.
2. Sprinkle fillets with 1/2 tsp salt. Place 4.5 oz (1 cup) flour in a shallow dish. Combine 4.5 oz (1 cup) flour, cornmeal, and black pepper in another shallow dish. Combine 2 cups buttermilk and 2 eggs in a shallow dish. Dredge fillets in flour; dip in buttermilk mixture. Dredge in cornmeal mixture; shake off excess. Place 2 fillets in hot oil; cook 5 minutes or until done, turning occasionally. Make sure oil temp does not drop below 375 degrees. Remove fillets from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Return oil temp to 385 degrees. Repeat procedure twice with remaining fillets.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon 3.4 oz (3/4 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 3.4 oz flour and next 7 ingredients. Drop batter 1 tbsp at a time into pan; fry at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until browned, turning frequently. Remove using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Yield: 6 servings (Serving size: 1 fillet and 2 hush puppies).

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 456; Fat 18.3g (sat 3.6g, mono 5.4g, poly 7.9g); Protein 29.4g; Carb 42.9g; Fiber 2.6g; Chol 150mg; Iron 3.6mg; Sodium 724mg; Calc 170mg.

Taco Thursday: Spinach-Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

1 tsp garlic powder

1 (10.75 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tsp onion powder

8 (8in) flour tortillas

1 cup American or Colby cheese, shredded

1 tbsp butter or margarine

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 cup sour cream

1 package of chicken tender strips (or 1-1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into strips)

3/4 cup milk

1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion and chicken strips. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink.
3. Combine sour cream, milk, soup, spinach, garlic powder and onion powder in skillet; mix well. Spread 1 cup sour cream mixture onto the bottom of a greased 13x9 in pan.
4. Divide chicken/sour cream mixture among tortillas. Top each with 2 tbsp mozzarella cheese and 2 tbsp Colby cheese; roll up. Place tortillas in prepared dish, roll side down. Spread with remaining sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Colby cheese.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through and bubbling.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 545.8; Fat 23.5g (sat 11.6g, mono 7.7g, poly 2.2g); Protein 45g; Carb 37.3g; Fiber 2.9g; Chol 116.2mg; Iron 3.5mg; Sodium 1063.9mg; Calc 469.3mg.

World Food Wednesday: Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

1.5 lb ground round

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 (8oz) package fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

4 tsp beef bouillon granules

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp all-purpose-flour

1 (14.5oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 (1 lb) pacakge baby carrots

1 tbsp butter

 1 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cooked

2.5 cups milk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbsp thyme leaves

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

Directions:

1. Brown beef in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove ground beef from skillet using a slotted spoon; reserve 2 tbsp drippings in skilled. Reduce heat to medium.
2. Sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic in hot drippings over medium heat 10 to 11 minutes or until tender. Stir in ground beef, peas, and next 4 ingredients. Sprinkle flour over meat mixture. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and vinegar, breaking up large tomato pieces with a spoon. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 3 qt. baking dish or pan.
3. Place carrots and 1/4 cup water in a large microwave safe bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; fold back a small edge to allow steam to escape. Microwave at high 8 to 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Drain.
4. Stir in butter. Coarsely mash carrots with a potato masher.
5. Mash up cooked potatoes, mix together and mash with carrots, milk, and cheese until well blended.
6. Spoon potato mixture evenly over meat mixture, smoothing with back of spoon.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 403.3; Fat 15.4g (sat 6.4g, mono 6g, poly 0.7g); Protein 33.1g; Carb 31.8g; Fiber 5.1g; Chol 85.9mg; Iron 5.3mg; Sodium 1116.3mg; Calc 239.7mg.

Day 114 - Mother Earth News "Building Community Food Security"

In an article from the April/May 2011 edition of Mother Nature News, Mary Lou Shaw writes about her experiences in connecting with a non-profit organization called Local Matters and their collaborative work on building community food security.

Local Matters is a non-profit food advocacy group that is based in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded in 2002, when "a collaboration among several local organizations created community gardens and a nutrition education program with a food security grant from the USDA". The group began by starting some of the gardens at Head Start schools ("Head Start is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families").

When asked about their success, Local Matters believes that success lies in listening to the communities about their wants and needs. For example, when one school asked for help in created green areas in the recess area of their school grounds, Local Matters helped them recruit "volunteers to plant green areas, add pathways through them and incorporate running water, small statues, and a small vegetable garden".  The school was then able to grow food in the gardens, serve some of the food in the cafeteria, teach the students about whole foods, and to start up classes for children and parents about sustainable living and eating healthy meals.

The executive director of Local Matters, Michael Jones, believes that educating people on food and nutrition begins with the education of children. By teaching them at young ages, we can "develop an audience that will be willing to eat healthier foods in the school cafeterias and make healthier food choices in general", he says. The Head Start program begins teaching children from the ages of 3-5, or in the second grade. "Volunteers and teachers spend one lively hour each week familiarizing children with the nutritional value of healthy foods that the students then help prepare and eat." Local Matters also offers classes on food ecology; on topics such as composting, water harvesting, and growing an organic school garden. They hope to empower these kids to find and grow their own local foods outside of school.

In order to help make local food more available, Local Matters has helped to create a new kind of grocery store: The Greener Grocer. These are local hubs for "farm-to-fork program[s], in which local farmers sell their produce at a price that supports their labors and farms". While these foods can often come at a higher price, "people who shop at The Greener Grocer know their money helps support nutrition programs in local schools". Additionally, the store also offers a "Weekly Fresh Market Bag", which mimics a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program by providing inexpensive produce when it is most in season and most abundant. The group has also worked with community partners to help encourage store owners to include fresh, local produce in their stores.

Local Matters has claimed that their success long-term is twofold: because they listen to the community needs and they synergistically weave residents into their efforts. Local Matters says, "It is our job to build honest, long-term relationships, work with others, and have complete respect for them and their knowledge of their community. We work with communities who invite us to work with them to build healthy food systems." While you may have big ideas on changes you would like to make to your own community, it is important to remember that it is difficult to do alone - you will need the help and support of your local community. However, Shaw reminds us that "If you listen to what the community wants, you'll find that nutrition and wellness can become the driving force behind many positive changes."

Before concluding this blog about Shaw's article, here are some tips she gives us on how to best do something in your community:

1. Ask teachers and school leaders how they think food education, cooking, gardening or farm-to-fork lunch programs could best be incorporated into local schools.
2. Ask parents what school programs they'd most like to see their children participate in, and ask how the parents themselves would like to be involved.
3. Check whether children in the community could visit a local farm to learn about food production firsthand.
4. Locate local organizations that work with children to see whether food-system goals could be incorporated into their existing programs.
5. Ask market and convenience store managers to consider adding locally grown produce to their selections. Try to foster connections between stores and farmers in the community, and set up a CSA program if one doesn't already exist.
6. Encourage chefs and restaurants to use more produce, meat and dairy products from local farmers, and support the businesses that support the local food system.

For more information on Local Matters, please visit the Local Matters Official Website.

For more information on Head Start, please visit the National Head Start Association Official Website.

Exercise: I started out this morning with another early morning run… lasting about 20 minutes and going about 1.5 miles, plus stretching. Then this afternoon I did my usual swim workout. Here's the workout:

300 warm up freestyle (100 swim, 100 kick, 100 swim)

6x25 drill (2xfingertip drag, 2xcatch-up arms, 2xevery three breathing)

1x100

2x50

1x200

2x100

1x400

2x200

14x25 (alternate easy-fast)

200 cool down (easy)

TOTAL: 2400 meters (1.5 miles)

Eat: When buying bagels at the bakery, there are a lot of healthy choices but the bagels generally do not come with nutrition information. If this is the case, here are two things to look for: First, check the ingredients list. The first ingredient should be whole grains. Other ingredients that are good in bagels are seeds, flax, and wheat germ. They may make the bagel higher in calories, but they will also increase the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy fats. If your bakery does not have ingredients lists, just ask the baker! Also, watch out for portion size… bakery bagels can sometimes be supersized! While you are shopping for your bagels, some flavored bagels (cinnamon, raisin, blueberry, poppy seed, etc) can be nutritious too. Just be sure to watch the sugar content when buying these bagels. (One more thing on bagels tomorrow!)

Relax: When I got home from my morning run, I was able to sit down and read a chapter of Food Inc. while eating my breakfast. Since it was so gloomy outside, I just felt incredibly sleepy. SO… I ended up taking a bit of a nap. I need some sunny weather to get here already!!

Tuna/Tilapia Tuesday: Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia

Ingredients:

4 (6oz) tilapia fillets

Cooking Spray

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tsp paprika

Directions:

1. Arrange fish in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Combine orange juice and next 9 ingredients (through garlic); pour over fish. Let stand 15 minutes.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Sprinkle fish with paprika; broil 15 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Drizzle sauce over fish. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and about 2 tsp sauce).

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 225; Fat 6.6g (sat 1.5g, mono 3.4g, poly 1.2g); Protein 34.8g; Carb 7.5g; Fiber 0.4g; Chol 85mg; Iron 1.3mg; Sodium 486mg; Calc 30mg.

Day 113 - Local Harvest

Local Harvest is America's #1 organic and local foods website. They provide a definitive and reliable network of local small farms, farmer's markets, and other local food sources. The purpose of the website is to help individuals locate products from family farms, to find local sources of sustainably grown foods, and to encourage contact with small farms in the local area.

The organization was founded in 1998 and is now the number one resource for information for the Buy Local Movement. Local Harvest was started by software engineer Guillermo Payet in order to create a way to generate positive social change through the internet. The organization encourages you to help out by encouraging your local farms, market managers, and restaurateurs to sign up on their website.

I encourage you to check out Local Harvest's Official Website to learn more about the organization as well as to find small farms in your area! When I searched for farms in my area, I was able to find producers of organic, free-range eggs as well as of beef. It is a great way to locate places to buy your food local in order to enjoy better products as well as help out the farms in your community! You can also find farms that allow you to sign up for CSA subscriptions (where you get a box of fresh veggies each week). These are a great way to get the freshest produce in the right seasons.

Exercise: This week I am starting out my days by waking up earlier (which also means I am going to bed earlier) so I can do a morning run outside. Since I don’t get outside a whole bunch right now, I figured this would be a nice way to wake up, get some fresh air, and get a warm up exercise in for the day. Today I did a quick mile run when I got up, around the neighborhood. Then I did some stretching and was ready to go for the day. Then tonight I went to my usual hour long yoga class. It was especially nice to get some deep stretching in after my morning run today.

Eat: Now I would like to go through different kinds of bread products and talk about them individually. Today is all about bagels. When buying bagels, remember to take a look at the calorie content. Large bagels should have about 250 calories or less per bagel, and mini's should have 75 calories or less. In terms of fiber, large bagels should have 5 or more grams of fiber, and minis should have 2 or more grams. (Remember, 1 mini bagel = 1 serving, 1 large bagel = 4 servings) While it is fine to buy and eat large bagels from the supermarket, it is important to remember that these count for more toward the daily recommendation of your grains - large bagels can count for 4 or 5 servings out of the recommended 5 to 8 per day. (More on bagels tomorrow)

Relax: After my morning run, I was happy to get outside before the rain came in order to read a chapter of my book while sitting on the back deck. I absolutely love reading outside!!

Meatless Monday: Pappardelle with Baby Spinach, Herbs, and Ricotta

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta)

1 tbsp kosher salt

1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

3 cups baby spinach leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

3 tbsp grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions:

1. Cook pasta with 1 tbsp kosher salt according to package directions, omitting additional fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, and reserve 1 cup cooking liquid.
2. Combine 1/2 cup reserved hot cooking liquid and ricotta cheese in a food processor or blender, and process until well blended.
3. Combine hot pasta, cheese mixture, spinach, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Add additional cooking liquid to moisten, if needed. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1.75 cups).

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 329; Fat 11.6g (sat 3.6g, mono 6.1g, poly 1.1g); Protein 12.2g; Carb 45.5g; Fiber 2.9g; Chol 14mg; Iron 2.9mg; Sodium 373mg; Calc 118mg.

Day 111 - "Plant Disease Raises Questions on Modified Crops"

In an article from the L.A. Times, P.J. Huffstutter writes about an epidemic that is sweeping genetically engineered soybean crops, called "Sudden Death Syndrome". The disease was first spotted in Arkansas in 1971, but it was blamed on damp weather and a fungus that rots the plants' roots.

Recently Don M. Huber, a professor at Purdue University, has done research  for Monsanto on chemical herbicides and has found a possible link between genetically engineered crops and crop diseases, along with animal infertility. Huber has written a letter to the USDA, asking them to look into this issue. The letter, however, has further sparked the tension between people who think industrial and bio-technology is the only way to feed the world, and those who are cautious of it and believe it results in foods that are nutritionally lacking and environmentally dangerous.

Monsanto has released a response in which they challenge the letter's claims but said that they would not ignore the letter - they want to look into allegations involving their products. In the meantime, Huber and his fellow researchers have decided to take his findings to the media, rather than to other scientists in the hopes of reaching the hearts, and guts, of the American public.

According to the Times, even if Huber's claims turn out to be false, his attention to GMOs and challenges to them are not out of place, especially after the government approved the growing of genetically modified alfalfa without doing much research on long-term effects on the environment. With over 75% of our processed foods containing GMOs, it is an important issue to be aware of and to challenge.

Huber concludes with the remarks, "If I'm wrong, OK. What's the worst that can happen? If I'm not, then we find out what it is."

Exercise: Happy Easter! So today I took a "holiday" day off of working out. If you want a good workout today, however, then try doing either a swim workout or some yoga practice. Better yet, do a little of both!

Eat: A final thing to really watch out for when buying bread products is bleached flour. Bleaching flour adds chemicals into the bread products while it also destroys the pigments in the flour; such as beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A.

Relax: To celebrate Easter, I went with my family over to my Grandpa's house. We ate a delicious dinner and then enjoyed some food naps while watching Tangled. Super cute movie, by the way!

Slow Cooker Sunday: Slow-Cooker Roast and Gravy

Ingredients:

1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup

1 (10.5 oz) can condensed beef broth

1 (1oz) envelope dry onion mushroom soup mix

1 (3.5 to 4 lb) eye of round roast, trimmed

2 tbsp all-purpose-flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a 5.5 qt. slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle roast evenly with flour, salt, and pepper. Brown roast on all sides in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Transfer roast to slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
4. Remove roast from slow cooker; slice to serve. Skim fat from gravy in slow cooker, if desired. Whisk gravy; serve over roast. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 623.5; Fat 25.5g (sat 7.8g, mono 9.7g, poly 3.3g); Protein 85.4g; Carb 7.6g; Fiber 0.5g; Chol 267.3mg; Iron 7.6mg; Sodium 1214.5mg; Calc 48.5mg.

Day 110 - Slow Food U.S.A.

Slow Food USA "seeks to create dramatic and lasting change in the food system, by reconnecting Americans with the people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils and waters that produce our food, and to inspire a transformation in food policy, production practices, and market forces so that they ensure equity, sustainability and pleasure in the food we eat."

So what is slow food? Slow food is "an idea, a way of living and a way of eating. It is a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members around the world that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment."

The organization has programs that work to educate through school and campus based initiatives, promote local and regional foods, safeguard biodiversity, and connect people around the country with our food and the people who grow it. They also put on events in the local community; such as farm tours, seasonal feasts, film festivals, and taste workshops. The organization has over 200 local chapters located throughout the nation that invite people to join in celebration of slow foods.

If you are interested in learning more about Slow Food USA, about the local chapters and events, or about how to get involved, visit the Slow Food USA Official Website.

Exercise: While I didn't really do a full blown workout today, I did spend four hours teaching swim lessons this morning and that can be exercise in itself. Normally I would have liked to get a good bike ride in this morning… guess that will wait until next weekend.

Eat: A second thing to watch out for when buying bread products is enriched flour. Enriched flour means that the grain has been processed, removing the fiber, essential fatty acids, and most of the vitamins and minerals. Then, the producers attempt to put the nutrients back into the product. By law, only five nutrients have to be added back into the product, and the fiber content cannot be added back in.

Relax: Tonight my grandparents came over, along with Aaron and my friend Bridgette. We all sat down and played a bunch of rounds of Uno. Great game and so much fun!

Sandwich Saturday: Chicken and Spinach Salad Wrap

Ingredients:

1/4 cup slivered almonds

3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 tsp cajun spice mix

Salt

1/4 cup all-purpose-flour, divided

2 tbsp vegetable oil

4 strips thick-slice bacon, chopped

1/2 cup Braeburn apple, thinly sliced

1/2 cup red onions, slivered

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup apple jelly

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

6 cups fresh spinach leaves

1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

4 flour tortillas, 8-10"

Directions:

1. Toast almonds in a skillet over medium-high heat, about 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Season chicken with Cajun spice and salt, then dredge in flour. Heat oil in the same skillet over medium-high, then sauté chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from pan and slice lengthwise into 12 pieces. Wipe out the pan and return it to the burner.
3. Sauté bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain bacon and pour off all but 1 tbsp drippings.
4. Add apple and onions to the drippings; sauté until softened, about 1 minute.
5. Deglaze with vinegar; simmer until liquid is nearly evaporated.
6. Add the jelly and mustard; cook until jelly is melted and dressing has thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in almonds and bacon, season with salt, then toss dressing with spinach and goat cheese.
7. Heat tortillas according to package directions over a gas burner.
8. Assemble wraps by  arranging about a cup of salad on each tortilla; top with chicken. Roll tightly, secure with a toothpick and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 689; Fat 27g; Protein 42g; Carb 66g; Fiber 15g; Sodium 1269mg.

Day 109 - The Biggest Loser April Update

Episode 12

At the start of the episode, contestants are told that they will be split into four teams of three - blue, green, black, and red. Each team will have one trainer and they must chose a weight with a color on the bottom in order to be sorted into their teams. Their turn to choose is based in order of the highest percentage weight loss. The new teams are:

Red - Courtney, Justin, Jennifer

Blue - Olivia, Moses, Irene

Black - Rulon and Hannah

Green - Austin, Ken, Kaylee

Rulon and Olivia are given the opportunity to bring one eliminated player back to participate on their black team. In the meantime, Bob takes his team member to his Crunch biking program so they can get into the community and find other people who are also making changes in their every day life to be more healthy. Jillian invites Rulon and Hannah to her beach house for a good workout by the water and for some heart-to-heart conversations. Brett takes his team member on a hike and tells them to take a moment to turn inward and see the progress and the changes they've made to themselves. Justin is especially emotional because he is proud of who he is. Cara takes her team to Trinity Boxing where her team members can finally get some practice fighting in a ring for real!

At the challenge, the black team reveals their decision to bring back Jay. They are also informed that Jay's weight loss will not count for their team this week. The challenge this week is to all hold onto ropes for their individual teams with a weight put up in the air, weighing the combination of their teams weight loss. The prize: video chats with their families. Even though the black team wins, they give their video chat opportunities to the blue team, who all really want to speak to their families back home.

At the weigh in, Kaylee announces that she feels she is ready to go home and therefore has asked her team to throw the weigh in. When the green team finally weighs in, Kaylee is devastated to learn that Ken did not throw the weigh in as she asked. She will be able to stay another week if she decides to stay. Kaylee is very upset but decides to stay on the ranch.

At the elimination, Justin asks his team members to do the right thing and keep Courtney at the ranch while he goes home. The players comply with his request and send him home.

Episode 13

After kicking off the episode with a statement from Kaylee, Allison has a surprise for the contestants: video footage of the moment they were told they were going to be on the Biggest Loser show. She then asks the group if they ever wondered what happened to the 12th team. Today she brings them onto the show and allows them an opportunity to win a spot on the show - if they have lost enough weight at home. Unfortunately, they both do not lose enough and cannot come onto the show. They do, however, leave inspired to continue on their journey of weight loss and will be at the finale.

For this week's challenge, the contestants are told to balance two balls on a flat board with a hole in the middle while walking over to a bucket and then dropping the balls into the bucket through the hole. The first to 10 balls wins. The green team wins the challenge, followed by the black, then the blue, and then the red. The green winners are given a 1 minute advantage at the weeks big challenge and the red team is sent packing off of the ranch for the week. The red team is given a "menu" where they are given a certain amount of dollars and different choices that cost different amounts; such as trainer for a day, massages, night out, gym memberships, etc. Amazingly, they choose to go without Brett for the week. The girls then learn they will be staying in a gorgeous, luxury house in California.

Back at the gym, Moses feels in a funk because he really misses boxing while doing his cardio workouts. Proud of him, Jillian turns off his treadmill and tells him to grab some boxing gloves. Moses feels great knowing that he is excited to be working out again with boxing and feels like he has made a breakthrough with his trainer and his ability to listen to his wants.

For this week's challenge, the teams are told they will be going on the mother of all Easter egg hunts. Each team must find and return at least 600 eggs (400 for the red team). In addition to the normal colored eggs, there is also a very special golden egg hiding out in the field with a very special prize. The green team wins the egg hunt, and Olivia finds the golden egg. When she opens it, she finds her "prize": so long as her team does not lose the weigh in, she will have the only vote.

At the weigh in, Jillian lays into Rulon for going rogue and not sticking to his healthy diet. He admits that he snacks on chips and junk food as rewards and Jillian reminds him that it's not good for him. In order to not lose the weigh in, the red team must lost 5 lbs. When Courtney loses only 2 lbs, Jen believes that she has the win in the bag. She is shocked to learn that she did not lose any weight at all! Jen is immediately eliminated from the show and leaves learning a big lesson about her need of a personal trainer at this stage in her weight-loss journey. She will continue on it at home.

Episode 14

With Jen and Justin gone, Brett is 100% focused on Courtney this week. He has to keep her on the ranch in order for him to stay as well. Allison then presents this weeks challenge to the contestants. Each team is given a flag and told to walk and place their flag as close to one mile as possible. The winning team is given the opportunity to have a night out Hollywood style, while the losing teams must completely clean the house and the gym at the ranch. The black team wins this challenge.

After last week's call out, Jillian makes a special visit with Rulon where they talk about the importance of staying on a good, healthy diet. She tells him that the rewards he is giving himself is his health and happiness, not junk foods. Hannah then talks about how excited she is to have a night out on the town where she can dress up and wear fancy heals for the first time in her life. She can finally admit to herself that she is beautiful and deserving of attention.

At the last chance workout, Courtney works her butt off and Brett claims she has the focus and determination that could win the whole show. At the weigh in, Allison lets Courtney know that it is do or die, if she loses the weigh in she will be automatically eliminated. All the teams are getting pretty good weight loss number, but most amazing is Irene who loses a whopping 6 pounds, putting her into the 160's! When Courtney weighs in, everyone is devastated to learn she has only lost one pound. Amongst shedding tears, Courtney tells everyone that it is meant to be and that she will be fine, and continuing at home. She tells her girls to finish out strong. In addition to Courtney leaving the ranch today, Brett also must leave since he does not have anyone left to train. Emotions run high as two well loved people must go home.

Episode 15

At the outset of this episode, Allison lets the contestants know that they will be spending the next two weeks in New Zealand. Kaylee and Moses are especially excited about going because New Zealand is close to the island of Tonga, where their family comes from. After answering a quick trivia question, Austin wins his way into a first class seat.

The contestants first challenge in New Zealand is to clime the 1,027 stairs to the top of the Sky Tower. Once at the top, they have two choices on how to get down - to go back down the stairs or to bungee jump off the tower. All can participate except for Moses and Rulon, who are too large to participate. Ken, who is terrified of heights, decides to jump off the tower when Bob agrees to do the same. They both face their fears together. They all make it down and are all proud of themselves.

New Zealand is full of all kinds of adventure for all the participants; including sailing a hybrid racing yacht, completing a 5K run across the mountainous terrain for a challenge, and Moses and Kaylee flying over the countryside in a helicopter. However, ever week still has its elimination and this week wasn't so great on the weight loss. Unfortunately the blue team loses the weigh in and Moses is sent home.

Episode 16

This weeks begins with Allison letting the contestants know they have made it to singles. There will no longer be teams AND Brett is back to help train them all. This week, still in New Zealand, is still full of lots of adventure; including cliff jumping, a river boating race challenge (which Olivia wins), cliff climbing, bungee jumping, and more.

At the end of the week, the contestants all go to their final weigh-in in New Zealand. The contestants all pull good numbers this week, however the vote for elimination comes down to Ken and Hannah. Ken ends up being sent home this week.

Exercise: Today my sister and I did a morning workout together. We got up and did a 20 minute run outside (before all the rain started up), running around our neighborhood. Then we came back and did another 30 minute workout using her Wii Fit game. It was fun and nice for the company.

Eat: So now we know what to look for when we are buying our bread products, but what do we need to watch out for? Cooking Light gives us three things to really be careful of when buying bread products. The first is to watch out for the phrase "made with whole grains". According to Cooking Light, "when a package reads "made with whole grains", it means the bread is made with a blend of whole-wheat flour and some other kind - most likely a less nutritious flour." While it is still a better choice than white bread, it is not the most nutritional bang for your buck.

Relax: Tonight my family all sat down together, after eating a delicious dinner Aaron made for my family, and watched two movies. Its always nice to get that family time in!

Fish Friday: Tuna and White Bean Salad

Ingredients:

20 asparagus spears

1 tbsp capers, drained

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp butter, melted

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 (15oz) can organic white beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups torn butter lettuce (about 1 head)

2 (5oz) cans solid white tuna packed in olive oil, drained and broken into chunks

Directions:

1. Snap off tough ends of asparagus spears. Steam asparagus, covered, for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.
2. Combine capers and the next 7 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
3. Place 1/4 cup juice mixture, cherry tomatoes, and beans in a small bowl; toss gently to combine.
4. Place 1 cup lettuce on each of 4 plates, and top each serving with 5 asparagus spears. Spoon about 1/2 cup white bean mixture over each serving, and divide tuna evenly among servings. Drizzle each salad with about 1 tbsp remaining juice mixture. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 270; Fat 14.6g (sat 3.5g, mono 7.4g, poly 2.5g); Protein 20.2g; Carb 16g; Fiber 5.6g; Chol 24mg; Iron 2.4mg; Sodium 467mg; Calc 65mg.

Day 108 - World Trade Organization (WTO)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. The goal is to help the produces of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business. The organization was established in 1995.

The WTO's main activities are:

1. To negotiate the reduction or elimination of obstacles to trade and agree on rules governing the conduct of international trade.
2. To administer and monitor the application of the WTO's agreed rules for trade in goods, trade in services, and trade-related intellectual property rights.
3. To monitor and review the trade policies of our members, as well as ensure transparency of regional and bilateral trade agreements.
4. To settle disputes among our members regarding the interpretation and application of the agreements.
5. To build capacity of developing country government officials in international trade matters.
6. To assist the process of accession of some 30 countries who are not yet members of the organization.
7. To conduct economic research and collect and disseminate trade data in support of the WTO's other main activities.
8. To explain to and educate the public about the WTO, its mission and its activities.

To learn more about the WTO, its mission, its activities, and its goals, visit the WTO's Official Website.

Exercise: Today I completed a 45 minute run. I started at a speed of 4.0 and then increased my speeds every five minutes by 0.5 until I got up to 6.0. Then I went back down by increments of 0.5. The last five minutes was a cool down. I went about 3.5 miles.

Eat: A final tip from Cooking Light on how to choose the healthiest bread products is to "Choose whole grains". According to Cooking Light, "terms like "health nut", "9-grain", and "multigrain" all sound healthy, but they don't necessarily mean the breads are made with whole grains." Instead, they recommend to choose breads that say "100% whole grain" or "100% whole wheat" on the package. Also, if you look at the ingredients list, the first ingredient should be whole-wheat flour, whole grain, whole oats, or whole rye instead of "enriched".

Two more ways to tell if your bread is whole grain is to look for the FDA-approved claim, linking consumption of the product to reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer; and look for the black and yellow whole grain stamp. This stamp, created by the Whole Grains Council, guarantees that at least half a serving of whole wheat will be found in each serving of the product. The stamp is a voluntary program, so not all whole-grain products will carry it.

Relax: Before heading into work this morning, I was able to catch up on the latest episode of The Biggest Loser while sewing up some flowers for the Glam Finale. It was relaxing and productive!

Taco Thursday: Chicken, Mustard Greens, and Gruyère Quesadillas

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1/2 tsp black pepper, divided

1/8 tsp kosher salt

2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 5oz), chopped

4 cups chopped stemmed mustard greens

1 tbsp minced fresh garlic

Dash of kosher salt

1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

4 (6 in) whole-wheat tortillas

1/4 cup (1 oz) grated Gruyère cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/8 tsp salt over chicken; toss to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add the greens, garlic, and dash of salt; cook 3 minutes or until greens wilt, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp pepper and rind.
3. Brush remaining 1 tbsp oil over a jelly-roll pan; arrange tortillas in a single layer on pan. Sprinkle 1 tbsp cheese evenly over each tortilla; top each tortilla with about 2/3 cup chicken mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Remove pan from oven; carefully fold each tortilla in half, pressing gently to close. Bake quesadillas an additional 10 minutes or until browned and crisp, turning carefully after 5 minutes. Yield: 2 servings (Serving size: 2 quesadillas).

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 476; Fat 22.9g (sat 5.2g, mono 12.2g, poly 2.4g); Protein 25.3g; Carb 41.3g; Fiber 8g; Chol 74mg; Iron 5mg; Sodium 736mg; Calc 400mg.