My Fitness Pal App Discovers

For almost three weeks I have been using the app My Fitness Pal thanks to a close friend and Prairie California recommendations. I haven't been living a super healthy lifestyle and this app has definitely gotten me motivated to get back on track.

So what does the app do?

1. It helps me count calories - EASILY. You can use the barcode scanner to quickly find input foods into your food diary. The database also has thousands of items that you can search through, and recipes are also easy to add. This was really important to me because we do a lot of cooking in this house.

2. It has shown me that I can eat a lot of food in a day. I am definitely not starving myself. Some days I find it a challenge to consume all 1,400 calories that I am supposed to be eating to meet my health goals. It also helps me stay away from junk so that I can eat lots of good food in a day.

3. It motivates me to workout. I still need to increase this part of my healthier lifestyle, but I need to continue to work on the amount of exercise I am putting in during a week.

What I have learned?

Each day you get a nutrient breakdown with your total, goal and what you "left on the table." What I am finding is that even though I am eating healthy and taken a multivitamin I am still falling short of calcium and iron daily recommendations pretty consistently. I drink milk and eat quite a bit of cheese, and pretty much everyday I am having at least one serving of beef, which is a good source of iron. However, this little chart is telling me I need to find some additional sources of calcium and iron.

I have a big bag of frozen broccoli in the fridge that I know will help, however I think I better find some other foods because I won't lie broccoli isn't my absolute favorite. I know that I can also change my multivitamin to a women specific vitamin for more calcium and iron, but maybe my readers have so suggestions or maybe it is time to meet with a dietitian at our local health clinic.

Have you set any health goals for yourself this spring?

The Picture of Health

Since January I am have been going to a Yoga/Pilates class. The class is offered three times a week, I set my goals at twice a week, however I did make it three times once, and often I don't make it there at all (especially when I am traveling). I definitely feel stronger and I think a few pounds have maybe come off. Ideally I would like my arms to be stronger, middle tighter and legs not to jiggle so much but I think I am doing OK. Especially, when you consider I ate the breakfast of champions on our way to judge showmanship at a cattle show in Minnesota this weekend.

This is what I call breakfast of champions. This is not a daily thing, or even weekly, but if we are headed to cattle show bright and early, and we make a stop at a gas station, this is what I'm getting. 

Today in class we were working with the balance balls. I'm not sure if that is the correct name for them, but they are big balls that you can balance on and do a variety of moves with. One of the most challenging moves is when we have to knee on the ball, feet off the floor and sit up tall, and put your hands out. It's taken me since January but I've mastered it. There is also an older gentlemen in our class. He's got to be 70. He wears jeans, a long sleeve button up, and tennis shoes to every class and can't understand why most of us would want to go barefoot. I love watching him or more listening. He grunts and groans and is not nearly as flexible as he probably once was, but he shows up to class. Today he also mastered the kneeling thing on the ball. I would say he is the picture of health. Not as slim as could be and the muscle definition might not be there but he's mastered one of the toughest moves in the class. I hope to be like him when I am that age. 

One last note. Today in class I wore my God Made a Farmer/Stockshow Kid shirt that I received from Stockshow Confidential.  One of the ladies behind me commented on how much she loved reading the back of my shirt in class. It made me smile. A good workout, people loving farmers and sunshine - that is a pretty good way to start off a Monday! I hope you have a fantastic week. 

Home to Canada and Back to Midwest Home Again

Repack, unpack, repeat

In the the last 20 days I have been to six states and Alberta, Canada. I have been on eight flights. And I am about to do more traveling this weekend and next, so I apologize for a lack of blogging. Maybe next year I should instigate a vacation week from my blog. Just a little chance to catch up. Anybody do that before?

However, on my little break with my family I did manage to take a few photos.

This is Elle. She is one of my sister's and parent's Simmental cows. Last year they purchased her after I took a look at her at a sale in Kentucky. Elle's originally family are awesome new friends of ours. I love cattle, but I think I love the people in the cattle business even more. 

This is our family's Border Collie Bud. He is a working dog and helps up move our cattle. A good cattle dog is like having an additional man helping move cattle. Also, using a dog is a great stress free way to move cattle. That is something that is really important to our family. We want our cattle to always be treated in a low stress manner so they are more comfortable. I can't wait until the Boy and I have a good working dog one day. 

This was my view above Alberta. I love the patchwork of fields below. The bright yellow fields are Canola as in Canola oil. You don't see this crop often in the U.S., usually only in the northern states, but it  is common in Canada. 

This is what is looks like from the ground. I think Canola is one of the prettiest crops. I also try and show my love for Canada by always buying Canola Oil at the grocery store instead of Vegetable Oil. I know I'm a nerd. 

p.s. Remember that Canola is low in saturated fat, a source of omega-6 fat, high in omega-3 fat and cholestrol and trans fat-free. 

And finally maybe it was Canola Oil that were used for these French Fries. I love French Fries - I know not super healthy, but hey everything in moderation right. But do you know what I love even more than French Fries? French Fries and gravy. It is a Canadian thing, and for some reason has been hard to replicate south of the border. If they would have had it I would have order poutine, which is French Fries, Gravy and Mozzarella cheese!

Reminder all of these photos were taken on Instragram if you are on it let me know. I'm Crystal Cattle. 

Difference between sell-by date and an expiration date

What's hiding in your fridge

I remember growing up cleaning the fridge was my sister's and I's least favorite job. I mean my mom was a good house keeper, but there was always bound to be something left in a tuperware container a little too long, or some vegetable shoved to the back of the fridge long after it should have been consumed, and I may or may not have been guilty of drinking milk out of the cartoon a day after that expiration day. I mean it didn't kill me.

photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/Kuriputosu 

Disclaimer: This is not my fridge. 

So what is the difference between the sell-by date and an expiration date? How far can we push the limit. Lisa Abraham, Beacon Journal food writer explained the difference and this is what I learned.

1. Sell-by date and an expiration date are not the same. Sell-by date is used by the store, to let their employees know how long the product should be offered for sale. You should buy before the sale-by date, but your food will be good after that date, at least for a couple days.

According to standards established by the Food Safety Inspection Service of the USDA, poultry, ground meat, organ meat and sausage, if kept properly refrigerated, will be good for up to two days beyond the sell-by date; beef, veal, pork or lamb, three to five days; and cured meats like ham, five to seven days. Eggs typically will stay fresh for three to five weeks after the sell-by date.

If we are talking about baked goods we are looking at three days after the sell-by date, and that's if they were properly refrigerated. I'm not really sure what that means for the loaf of bread on my counter.

2. Let's talk about the expiration date. They are little more important. The expiration or use-by date is a manufacture's date, and the product should be consumed by this date or pitched. Stick by these dates, or you might find yourself with a tummy ache.

3. And lastly, the best-by date. This is a date, which again the the manufactures have set, and the product will be at its high quality level. So those cans of tomato soup will last forever, however you might see a little difference in taste if you wait too long.

Who's going to run over to the fridge or pantry and start checking dates?

Zucchini Fries - Healthy Living

Yum.

I was really excited last night when I came across this Zucchini Fries recipe on KraftRecipes.com. I am a big fan of Kraft's recipe website, I am already a big fan of their healthy living spinach artichoke dip.

Fried Parmesan Zucchini sticks have been a favorite of mine for a long time, however what made me excited about this recipe is that they are baked - ie. healthier for you! They were the perfect pairing for my pork loin.

Ingredients

3 zucchini (1 lb.)

1/4 cup  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 pkt. SHAKE 'N BAKE Chicken Coating Mix (I used 1.5 cups of Italian Bread Crumbs)

1   egg

Additionally I like to add Jim Baldridge Secret Seasoning - in typical Crystal cooking style add enough until it looks right.

Cook it

Heat Oven to 350 degrees

Cut zucchini cross-wise in half and then into quarters like fries. Add cheese and seasoning to shaker bag, or if you are using the bread crumbs make your own shaker bag. Whisk egg in medium bowl. Add zucchini; toss to coat. Use tongs to place 1/4 of the zucchini in shaker bag; close bag and shake to evenly coat. Spread onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining zucchini.

Bake

12 to 13 min. or until golden brown, turning after 7 min.

They also suggest a Lemon Ailoi as a dip, which I honestly thought won't be very good, but it was awesome.

1/2 cup KRAFT Mayo with Olive Oil Reduced Fat Mayonnaise (their olive oil mayo is one of my favorites!)

1/2 tsp.  lemon zest - I used lemon juice instead

1 small garlic clove, minced (about 1/2 tsp.)

Mix ingredients together and let the dipping begin!

Photo courtesy of Kraftrecipes.com - I may like photography, but I'll leave Pioneer Woman to taking food photos!

p.s. Baldridge Seasoning is some of my favorite seasoning, created by so Angus friends of mine. I love to use it during grilling! Definitely worth checking out.

Angelina Jolie will eat Carrie Underwood's steak any day.

I love beef. 

Angelina Jolie is a carnivore. This actually doesn't surprise me one bit, but I am to glad to see it in print. In OK! Magazine the actress reveals that her secret to a healthy lifestyle is read meat. She is quoted as saying that when she followed a vegan diet her health suffered.

OK! reports...

"I joked that a big juicy steak is my beauty secret. But seriously, I love red meat. I was a vegan for a long time, and it nearly killed me. I found I was not getting enough nutrition."

And that is why I like to call beef nature's best multivitamin. The are 29 lean cuts of beef that all provide tons of protein, zinc and iron to keep you moving. Click here to download a wallet size version of the 29 lean cuts. Perfect for grocery shopping or while dining out.

My kind of treat - the Bacon cupcake

It's true what they say, everything is better with bacon. 

I love bacon. Pure and simple. It pretty much makes anything taste better, and ends up in the majority of meals I cook. I also feel the same way about mushrooms, but that is a post for another day. And so, back to the point, I would like to present you with the Bacon Cupcake.

And, for my more health conscience friends, do not fear, bacon has been proclaimed a "surprising health food" by Bonappetit.com. Their reasoning is that 45% of the fat in bacon is monounsaturated fat, the good-for-you fat that helps lower bad cholesterol. And to add to this, they also say that the monounsaturated fat in bacon is oleic acid, the same fat found in olive oil. More cupcakes please.