Many of us — myself included — make a living at a computer keyboard. I love technology as much as the next person but please, we need a little work/life balance here! If your idea of a full life has been reduced to watching your favorite TV show (we have all been there!), you may need to shake things up a bit. Here are seven ideas I’m putting into play within the next few weeks. Feel free to copy or come up with your own plans to break the mid-winter blahs.
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If you are trying to get your health on track for the new year, eating a healthy breakfast is a huge step in the right direction. These two recipes are tasty, healthy and easy to make. In fact, one only takes minutes to assemble. Using Greek yogurt, which is loaded with protein, will fill you up, though you could serve either recipe with a scrambled or hard-boiled egg for good measure. Both recipes contain fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy and protein, which is a balanced meal.
Healthy Breakfast Muffins
Ingredients:
3 cups Fruit and Fiber (or other whole grain flake cereal)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of white flour
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 egg
1 cup of low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of canola oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups. Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy!
Breakfast Parfait
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of berries strawberries, blueberries and/or raspberries
1/2 cup of Low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 cup of low-fat granola
Directions: Layer each of the ingredients in a parfait glass. That’s it! You DO have time to make breakfast!
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Winter is well underway and if you are like me, you are looking for a few items to jazz up your wardrobe. Mid winter also offers some great shopping bargains, and boy, do I love finding cute clothes for less. Check out a couple of pieces I found recently.
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Last night, I went out with some neighborhood friends to welcome another member to the Big 5-0 Club. We shared funny stories about hot flashes, sleep apnea machines and the general charms of 50-year-old bodies. With these conversations fresh in my mind, I came across this TED Talk that offered some encouraging words about life’s third act. As the speaker notes, we are living on average 34 years beyond the age our grandparents lived. Unfortunately, we often live chained to the old paradigm that this last third of life means living in decline. We can cut loose from the old way of thinking. The question now becomes: What can we do to make these added years successful and use them to make a difference? Take a listen …
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Whew! Okay, I’ll be the first to say it: I love Christmas but I’m also glad it is over! The day after Christmas, my sister, daughters and I got together for some relaxing crafting and here is what we tried — simple collage making. It was fun, easy and we were pleased with the results. Below are two collages we made, as well as simple instructions.
Instructions:
Happy crafting!
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If you are looking for a healthy breakfast casserole, perhaps for the holidays, this one is a winner.
Healthy Breakfast Casserole
10 eggs
2 cups of low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoons each of garlic power and onion powder
1/3 cup each of chopped mushrooms, tomatoes, fresh spinach and red pepper (You can substitute fresh broccoli, zucchini or other favorite veggies.)
Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then pour into a 13 X 9 inch glass pan that you have sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees (350 degrees for a metal pan) for 40 minutes until firm. Cut into squares and serve with fresh fruit for a very healthy breakfast.
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The Christmas gifts are starting to pile up so it’s time to start wrapping. I like to put as much thought into the wrapping as I do in the gift buying. Below are some stylish wrapping ideas, along with the lovely blogs/web sites providing the inspiration.
SweetCheeksTastyTreats/Blogspot.com
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What advice would you give to your 20 or 30 year-old self knowing what you know now? One thing I would do is discuss the principles in the book Younger Next Year for Women with my younger self. Admittedly, this book appeals to me because I’ve joined the ranks of the Menopause Mommas, but it also contains great nuggets of wisdom that can equip any women to turn back the clock by making the most out of her life.
The book’s authors — one a doctor and the other a vital 80-year-old who could pass for 50 — write that a person’s approach to life can mean either a step forward to vitality or a step backward to decay. The book’s life-stretching principles can be summed up in three words: exercise, connect and engage.
Exercise: Commit to working out six times a week, no excuses. Regular cardio exercise and weight training helps treat a variety of health issues, including depression, insomnia and weight-related illnesses. The chemistry of exercise is the chemistry of alertness, optimism, and an increased willingness to connect with others and with life.
Photo courtesy of FastCompany.com, from an article on the connection between exercise and creativity
Connect: We are wired for regular contact with other people If you make this your job to build new bridges make new friends and build new communities, you can stay connected virtually forever. You can do this at any age but it is far easier if you start early. Studies confirm that isolation hurts us and connection heals us. Social connections are a more powerful factor in health than anything else, including nutrition and exercise.
Engage: Continually explore new interests and seek to learn something new every single day. Look for ways to serve others and make a positive difference in the world. Always keep working and work on a variety of projects all the time. Seek to achieve, excel and accomplish whatever is of interest to you.
Photo courtesy of ImprovePhotography.com
Jessica, a woman whose story is shared in the book, provides a perfect example of this life approach. Though she was widowed for the last 40 years of her life and faced numerous challenges, she lived a vital life and was fully immersed until her last day on earth. The reasons:
So, exercise hard and you will grow physically younger; care about other people and you will grow happier; build a life that has meaning and you will grow richer.
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We just had new bedroom furniture delivered that has ample storage so I’m in the mood to get organized. Here are five great ideas I came across to clean out and prioritize.
From the Haute Indoor Couture blog:
From Apartment Therapy:
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If you have been invited to someone’s home for Thanksgiving, don’t go empty handed. Now’s the time to assemble a hostess gift. Here are three creative but inexpensive gift ideas.
We are feasting at my in-law’s home so I’m bringing these goodies: a tiny cheese platter and matching spreader with a packet of vegetable dip mix tied with ribbon, this festive potholder, all wrapped up in a brown box with wired ribbon and garnished with a twig pumpkin. (World Market has all these items and more.)
This square basket with flowers, wine and caramels from The Party Dress
A Spice Kit (Chili Spice, Mulling Spice and Pumpkin Pie Spice with recipes) from Mixing Bowl Kids
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