Kathleen Rowland's Blog, page 42
November 15, 2012
Wordsmith– I also write books
As promised, I’m having another key-finder contest. This month’s contest is for WINDWARD WHISPERINGS, 99 cents for the Kindle edition. I’m thrilled this book is a steady seller. Some of you may know that my heroines have dogs, and the key finder features a jewel puppy. To enter, read the first chapter (use the free Look Inside the Book feature) and tell me who’s giving sailing lessons. Just the first name is fine. Email me at kathyrowl@aol.com, and in the subject line, write Windward Whisperings contest. Don’t forget your name and address so that I can mail you the key finder.
Puppy Key Finder
November 13, 2012
Eat– for Good Health
If you love Minestrone Soup, try it with kale. The addition gives Minestrone a deep, peppery taste and a nutritional boost. We used flavored canned tomatoes to help streamline the ingredient list.
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium uncooked zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
10 medium uncooked baby carrots, halved widthwise if large
1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped
2 cup(s) uncooked kale, coarsely chopped
28 oz canned diced tomatoes, with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
4 cup(s) vegetable broth
15 oz canned great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup(s) cooked orzo
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano recommended
Instructions
Heat oil in a large pot. Add zucchini, carrots and onion; sauté over high heat until onion is transparent, about 7 minutes. Add kale; sauté until wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes, broth and beans. Simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in cooked orzo, salt and pepper.
To serve, pour into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Yields about 1 cup of soup and 1 1/2 tablespoons of cheese per serving.
November 12, 2012
People appreciation
Glass artist Dale Chihuly has amazing talent.
Chihuly has an exhibit going on at the Dallas Arboretum, and seen by day or night, his works are brilliant.
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November 9, 2012
Eat– for Good Health
Readers of GOLD STANDARD OF THIN rave over (page 53) our White Bean and Chicken Chili. It’s delicious with a dollop of low fat sour cream, sprinkles of shredded low-fat cheddar, corn bread and a side salad.
Ingredients for 6 servings:
3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 ounces each) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, divided
3 cups chicken broth, divided
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream and minced fresh cilantro, optional
Directions
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken, onion, jalapeno, oregano and cumin in oil for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is browned and vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, mash 1 cup of beans; add 1/2 cup broth and stir until blended. Add to the slow cooker with the remaining beans and broth. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until heated through.
Stir before serving. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired.
November 8, 2012
Exercise– for Good Health
“Don’t stress over joining a gym. Just walk,” advises Beth Bishop who lost 245 pounds without gastric bypass. Beth, at 380 pounds, and 5’4″, started with just a 15 minute walk. Here are some tricks that fake gastic bypass according to Jaime Ponce, MD, president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatic Surgery: 1) The Shrink Trick. At her heaviest, Beth consumed about 7,000 calories a day, much of it bakery products. Regular overeating stretches the stomach, making it larger. As Beth went from huge to small portions, her stomach began shrinking, and she was satisfied with less. 2) The Protein trick. Gastric bypass shuts off the part of the stomach that makes a hunger-stimulating hormone called ghrelin, says Dr. Ponce. Increasing protein supresses ghrelen, and so does cutting back on greasy foods, another strategy Beth used. 3) The schedule trick. Establishing set meal and snack times like Beth did trains your body to get hungry when you are supposed to eat. Bonus: a British study found that eating on a schedule causes hormonal changes that actually boost metabolism. 4) The Blood sugar trick. Gastric bypass changes digestion in a way that improves blood sugar quickly. Better blood sugar control leads to faster fat burning. Beth skipped the sugar-spikes. She switched to empty white stuff to natural whole grains and fruit.
November 7, 2012
People Appreciation
At NASA’s Ames Research Center, William Borucki, the mission’s chief scientist, lectures on the space observatory orbiting the sun in search of distant Earthlike planets. New discoveries suggest that our galaxy contains billions of Earth-size worlds. Now the search is on for a planet that truly resembles our own– and could support life. Kepler II’s six planets orbit their sun. Keplar 22b, the first planet discovered to orbit the “habitable zone”, where water could exist is below:
October 31, 2012
Eat– for Good Health
First, my prayers are with East Coast people suffering from the terrible effects of hurrican Sandy. In New Jersey the governor moved Halloween to Saturday. For those who have escaped this devastation, Happy Halloween! If you are out and about or just busy answering your door for Trick-or-Treaters, you might enjoy homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. The recipe below is the super-fast version. The important part is to cook the noodles separately, rinse them, and add to the soup just before serving time, thus avoiding soggy noodles. A field greens salad and baking powder biscuits are nice accompaniments.
Have a safe, happy October 31st!
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 4 regular sized cans chicken broth, 1 can vegetable broth, 1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 cups egg noodles, 1 cup sliced carrots, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
Cook noodles according to package directions, rinse, and place in a covered bowl. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, 5 minutes. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths and stir in chicken, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add noodles just before serving.
October 30, 2012
Wordsmith– I also write books
My current goal is to begin writing a new (60 thousand word) book today and finish it by mid-March. To accomplish this I need to write 450 words per day. To save time I’ve outlined the book and determined the main characters. Because it’s a sweet romantic suspense and I write sensuous (adults only!) romantic suspense under my real name of Kathleen Rowland, I will write my young adult book under my chosen pen name, Rudyard Rowland.
Here’s the thing, I couldn’t choose a busier time to start writing a new series. I’m using “Easy Millionaire Secrets” that make some people rich but in my case– accomplish the task of writing the best story I can within a set amount of time. These are five minute tips for could-be-millionaires: 1) Gaze at a glass piggy bank. Successful people like to watch their savings grow. As I add loose change to my piggy bank, I’ll pretend they are words of action and concise meaning. 2) Take a millionaire minute. Compare best value. As a writer, think about what I’ve written and decide how I can “up the stakes.” 3) Create a wealth manifestation board. Start at the center that states your main goal. Create pathways. Mine are neural pathways of pictures and graphs about my story. 4) Whip out a 3″ x 5″ card. Jot down what it takes to achieve your goal. I’ve done that. I need to write 450 words per day. This will make my dream come true of finishing my 60,000-word book. 5) Toast to your accomplishments every week. Not a drinker? Neither am I, but I will acknowledge my small successes along the way at a Saturday night sit down dinner– with flowers (at least one!) and candle light. 6) Get in daily exercise, either a power walk or in my case swimming laps. Hard aerobic exercise turns us into power players! Getting our hearts pumping improves our brain-power.
Kathleen Rowland uses “Millionaire Secrets” to write a book.
October 26, 2012
Eat– for Good Health
Over the weekend enjoy Coconut Curry Chicken! It’s an all-in-one main dish, and you can make it in a slow cooker. I’m making this as our Sunday dinner. Calories for one serving is 396, not bad for a really filling meal. I’ll serve a field greens salad on the side. In GOLD STANDARD OF THIN (99 cents for the Kindle edition) we suggest building a meal around a protein, a vegetable, and a fruit. Once a day a 100-calorie carb is lovely, and the potato is in this recipe. Ours is a simple plan that works much like the Zone or South Beach, but because our recipes are delicious, dieters stick with it. This week I received an email of thanks from a post-menopausal woman who lost 28 pounds on the Gold Standard of Thin plan, and it took her seven weeks. That’s a 2-pound week loss, but sometimes she lost one pound and other weeks, three.
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small onion, chopped
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1 cup light coconut milk
4 teaspoons curry powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium chicken bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups hot cooked rice
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Raisins, flaked coconut and chopped unsalted peanuts, optional
Directions
Place potatoes and onion in a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken on both sides.
Transfer to slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the coconut milk, curry, garlic, bouillon, salt and pepper; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender.
Serve chicken and sauce with rice; sprinkle with green onions. Garnish with raisins, coconut and peanuts if desired. Yield: 4 servings.
Nutritional Facts 1 serving (calculated without optional ingredients) equals 396 calories, 11 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 63 mg cholesterol, 309 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 27 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2-1/2 starch, 2 fat.
October 24, 2012
Eat– for Good Health
At our house we enjoy Beef and Vegetable Stew prepared the low-calorie way, meaning fewer potatoes and more turnips and parsnips. I make this in my electric crock pot, starting in the morning. I serve the stew with a tossed salad. For any of you on the GOLD STANDARD OF THIN plan, we’re all about health and well-being, food and nutrition, and beauty and style.
Ingredients for 8 servings:
- 7 oz frozen chopped onions, about 2 cups
- 3 pounds raw, lean beef brisket, trimmed, boneless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
- 1/2 pound baby carrots, cut in half if large
- 4 small uncooked new potatoes, cut in half (unpeeled)
- 2 turnips
-2 parsnips
- 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided (from 2 small lemons)
- 5 tsp honey, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup beef broth
For a stew with thicker gravy, spoon 1 tablespoon of flour into a cup of liquid. Add the flour mixture to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 10 minutes.
Directions:
Place onion, beef, garlic, sweet potatoes, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of honey in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon and broth; stir well.
Cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours. About 5 minutes before serving, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and remaining 2 teaspoons of honey; cover and cook on low for 5 minutes.
