Wii Fit and Me

I recently decided to commit to myself to getting in better shape. I'm not really overweight, but I noticed that I'm not in the best physical shape I could be in. So, with the help of Wii Fit, I've been trying to change that. For endurance, I'll stick with the cardio from my elliptical machine, but cardio alone doesn't build muscle tone. I tried going to a boot camp class at a gym, but it was too far away and I couldn't stay motivated to keep it up. So everyday for 1 hour I workout in the comfort of my living room with my Mii. I've developed quite an affection for my workout time. The way the exercises are designed, they are really fun to do, so getting in shape doesn't feel like such a chore. Yet often I wake up the next morning with a few sore muscles, so I know that I'm getting a good workout. And after exercising with Wii Fit, I get a good boost of 'feel good' energy. This is something that I've heard plenty about but rarely experienced. Regular cardio just makes me worn out, and boot camp made me sweaty, tired, and sore. So, if you've been thinking about jump starting a little exercise routine, I highly recommend you commandeer the kiddo's Wii for a little bit each day and give your Mii a workout with Wii Fit.

Candy Pumpkin Faces

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Create a ghoulish Halloween candy face with a variety of candy, but be sure to warn children not to eat the candy on the face. Perfect for little ones who are too young to carve yet.

Tools and Materials:
Good & Plenty
Miniature marshmallows
Twizzler licorice bites (Black)
Gummy teeth
Licorice wheels
Candy corn
Neapolitan licorice
Ball pins
Glass canisters
Scissors
Small pumpkin

Halloween-Candy Face How-To
1. Secure the candy to the pumpkin with ball pins that match the color of the treats so they aren't too noticeable. Tip: Chewy candy is easier to bend and snip.

2. Place pumpkin on glass canisters or reuse large glass jars for candy.

Resources
The glass canisters we used in this segment can be found at the Container Store.

From The Martha Stewart Show:

http://www.marthastewart.com:80/article/pumpkin-candy-faces

Veggie Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• Salt
• 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 3 cups salsa, store-bought or home-made
• 6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• Sour cream and avocado for serving (optional)
  

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and season well with salt. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring rarely until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, add 1/2 cup of the salsa and mix until well combined.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle. Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels or in a microwave-safe plastic bag and microwave until soft and heated through, about 45 seconds.

Spread half of the remaining salsa in the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. To make an enchilada, put 2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese in the middle of a tortilla. Roll up and arrange, seam side down, in the prepared dish. Repeat to make 12 enchiladas.

Cover the enchiladas with the remaining salsa and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until the filling is heated through, cheese is melted and starts to brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with sour cream and avocado.

My son is not a big mushroom fan, but he loved these! A great way to get your kids to eat their veggies. I'm thinking about trying green peppers next time, maybe a little garlic for fun. I topped mine and my husband's with some jalapeno peppers but left those off the kiddo's. Super delish!

No Crust Mini Quiche

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped, cooked broccoli
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
butter for greasing tins
5 eggs
8 ounces milk

Divide veggies and cheese into two buttered 12 cup nonstick mini muffin tins. Combine eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper, then pour mixture into tins. Bake at 350 degrees until browned and puffy, about 15 minutes

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

I think this is just about the best homemade Mac N Cheese ever! That blue box stuff almost ruined Macaroni and Cheese for me for life until I had some good stuff at a restaurant. It was like gourmet Macaroni and Cheese, no joke. So we went looking for a recipe that would do the humble dish some justice. Now when I have a little extra time to make dinner, and I'm searching out comfort food, I bake this (modified from a Barefoot Contessa recipe). What is your favorite comfort food?

Ingredients:

• salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
  
• 1 quart milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
  
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups prepared bread crumbs (I use Panko)
  

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Makes enough to feed my family for two meals.

To Buy Organic Produce?

Sometimes it's difficult to know whether you should really spend the extra dollars for organic produce, especially when the selection is poor. But according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) there are 12 foods that should be purchased as organic because they are prone to contamination with pesticides.
These are:
peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes.

They also have a list of 12 other foods that are not so necessary to purchase organics because they regularly don't have any detectable pesticide residues.
These are:
onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and papaya.

Good info to keep in mind if your market doesn't have a large selection of organic produce, or if you're trying to keep your bill down. I recently found an organic head of lettuce that was hydroponically grown, and came in a cool package that included the roots for longer lettuce life. Aside from how cool it looked, though, it didn't taste very good and was very limp. So, I guess the taste factor is another consideration!

Staying on Track While Working at Home

Working from home is such a blessing to me. I am home whenever my family needs me, and I can work around my son's schedule. Sometimes that means working really early or late, but that flexibility is priceless. However, it's not without its...distractions! Here are a few tips to staying on track:

*Making Lists: Write it down! Make a list of your goals, chores or task for each day. This will help you stay focused. As you complete each task, cross it off the list! Seeing all the things you've accomplished can help you feel like you've met your goals and help motivate you for the next day.

*Don't procrastinate: Avoiding an unpleasant chore or job does not help you reach your goal. In order to stay motivated, you must work on that job to finish it. If you procrastinate you may feel rushed at the last minute. Just get it done, and move on to something more fun.

*Exercise: A good, brisk walk around the block or a run on the treadmill can help clear your mind and think well during the day. Yoga, pilates, whatever you enjoy. Exercising can give you energy, too. You will feel better and be more ready to tackle your list.

*Eat right: Eating right can also help you stay motivated. Junk food can make you feel sluggish and all you will really want to do is take an afternoon nap. Eat a healthy breakfast and drink plenty of water. Vitamin supplements can also help keep you energized throughout the day. (Ask me about some great ones!)

*Do not stress: Putting yourself under stress each and every day is not healthy, nor will it inspire you. Stress can put you in a greater danger for depression and other health issues.

*Get enough rest: Moms know that sometimes sleep is hard to come by, especially when you are taking care of infants or sick children. Sleep and adequate rest is important, though. With a good night's sleep, you will feel more energized and motivated throughout the day. If you cannot seem to get the sleep you need at night, try to rest during the day while the kids are napping or try to take a quick rest during your lunch break.

*Reward yourself: Rewards can be a huge motivator! Even if you reward yourself with a new book, trip to the library, or thirty minutes of quiet time, you will be more likely to reach your goals with rewards. I especially like to take time for a facial mask, one of my favorite TV shows, or even that fantastic pair of shoes I've been eyeing.