Miscarriage and Grace

When I found out I was pregnant in August, I was so thrilled to share the good news with you.  Of course, a small voice told me to wait to blog about it until I was further along.  But I’ve always thought that miscarriage was something I’d want my friends to know about if it [...]

Four Bean Salad

My friend and nutritionist Tonya Dirksen has a great quote, “Beans are God’s candy!”  If you can think of them that way, you’ll be losing weight after baby in no time! 
Here’s a recipe to get you eating more of God’s candies!
Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell [...]

Pedometers, Zoos and You

You’ve got kids which means you probably want to lose a few of those baby pounds.  One suggestion for this week: plan an outdoor activity that involves a lot of walking with your kids.  For us that means a trip to the Zoo!
I put my pedometer on my shorts shortly after I woke up (Did [...]

Whole Wheat Cheese Ravioli, Marinara Sauce and Fresh Asparagus

For me, it’s hard to give up eating pasta when trying to lose weight for 2 simple reasons: it’s yummy and it’s easy to make.  So swap out your regular pasta for whole wheat pasta for a healthier choice.  Here’s a very easy recipe with vegetables from Buitoni, courtesy of meals.com:
Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) container BUITONI® Refrigerated Marinara Sauce
1 [...]

Meeting Miss America

Here are my kids with Miss America 1998, Miss Nicole Johnson!  This was taken this week after we had dinner together.  She was visiting my hometown, speaking at a conference.  Yes, I am name dropping…I know royalty!  Believe it or not, Nicole and I were in the same graduating class at Regent University in 1998 before she [...]

Catherine’s Spicy Chicken Soup

Eating something spicy helps you feel fuller, so here’s a spicy soup to welcome the fall in the coming weeks. 
Recipe courtesy http://allrecipes.com
 
INGREDIENTS:

2 quarts water
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon onion powder
5 cubes chicken bouillon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (16 ounce) [...]

Fudge Covered Marshmellow Cookies

Yup.  I was at the 99 cent store a few weeks ago getting party favors for my son, and I saw them.  The Fudge Covered Marshmellow Cookies.  Without flinching, I threw them in my basket, trying to hide them from my kids.
When I got home that day, after the kids had gone for naps, I [...]

What You Don’t Want to Hear at Your First Ultrasound

When the words “Oh my gosh” came out of my doctor’s mouth, I got that terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.  There was no baby or heartbeat to look at on the ultrasound monitor.
However, turns out there was no reason to panic.  The doctor said I was just not as far along as [...]

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Lemon, Basil and Salmon

My family is a big fan of whole-wheat pasta.  Trader Joe’s is a great place to find different varieties.  This Monday’s Meal recipe is courtesy Giada De Laurentiis from the show Everyday Italian. 
Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Lemon, Basil, and Salmon

 

 

1/2 pound whole-wheat spaghetti pasta
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for [...]

Enter Today to Win Arlene’s free eBook!

Ever feel unmotivated?  Maybe you were losing a lot of weight but then all of sudden, the scale just stopped moving (hate it when that happens!).  We all need a little help once in a while to get back on track. 
If you can relate, you need my eBook, Jump Start: Your 5-Day Plan to Get [...]