Mmmm good...

So in attempt to use up some fresh vegetables and fruits before they go bad (well, and to deter doing any homework)  I decide to whip up a few concotions that are both comfort foods and actually really healthy.  For awhile now I've been able to spend my little free time cooking healthier versions of good foods and finding new ways to cut calories but still feel satisfied.  And you know what?  I love it!  Not only am I enjoying good food it's healthy and so far through trial and error others enjoy it too.  Hmmm maybe a possible career change?  Who knows. All I know is that the following recipes from my FAVORITE web site, Hungry-Girl.com are delish! 

First up.... Better off Banana Bread  not only is this very delicious but its hearty and once I added my own little ingredient it tastes EXACTLY like the Starbucks "Reduced-Fat" Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake.  Which I LOVE.  That's right I added some mini chocolate chips and when all is said and done a "thick" slice of this banana bread is only 200 calories Did you know by "reduced fat", Starbucks is referring to 10 actual grams of fat???   

My tip:  When you see "reduced" really read the labels.  

Now for the kicker this bread has only 4 grams of fat for a thick slice!  Yum?  I know.  

On to my entree....(notice my dessert comes before dinner?)  Good Luck Parm which is a healthier version of Eggplant Parmesan.  My favorite Italian dish!  The trick to this was substituting whole eggs with egg whites and regular bread crumbs with crushed up Fiber One cereal (A Hungry Girl staple) and some italian seasonings.  Throw in some fat-free cheeses and sauce and you got a HUGE piece is only 170 calories!  Yum!  I can't wait to bring this final product to lunch tomorrow.  

Now mind I know what your thinking.....fat-free?  Fiber One? Ewww.  Now I'm not going to say that these versions will taste incredibly better then the original  HOWEVER since making recipes like this and enjoying good food without the guilt I've learned to actually enjoy the healthier versions much better.  

So check out the web site, surf around and find some great finds.  Also make sure to register for daily email hints and tips.  

Happy (and healthy) eating!  

Crocs: What not to wear

So unless you live under a rock you know that some people have made the unattractive fashion statement of wearing Crocs. If you're one of those people I suggest moving on now. Because this blog is just not for you and you will in fact, be very offended.

For some strange reason what was once used as a cute pair of gardening sandels for women in their late 50's has become some kind of "I'm a lazy ass but they have a store devoted to them in every mall so they must be cool" type of statement.

NEWSFLASH: They are not!

Crocs are popping up everywhere. In every mall there is either a store devoted entirely to them or a stand that is strictly devoted to adding charms to the holes in Crocs. CHARMS?!?!?! on shoes? What are we 10?

Which brings me to my next point. Some crazy self-obsessed overweight mother of three has outfitted all of her children with a pair of Crocs because she is obviously way too "busy" to teach her children how to tie a pair of sneakers. STOP THE INSANITY.

So last week I found the coolest pair of shoes to outfit my feet. They are called sneakers. Yes....these things:

Cute yes? (Thanks you to my Fleet Feet sales guy I think I have the best sneakers, EVER!) And they are multi-demensional, see you use them to run, walk, hike, joke, go to the store, watch a hockey game, eat food, kick someone in the ass, study, hide a body.....you get my point.

So the next time your in the mall and you walk by one of these "Croc" stores, please do us all a favor and find the nearest Foot Locker/Foot Action/Finish Line and get a real pair of schlepping around footwear. Your feet and your neighbor who has to smell your stanky feet will thank you.

I'm so pulling a Madonna....

So for the first time ever, today, my mental health day, I took yoga.  Now for some people they've made yoga a lifestyle and some kind of saving grace.  I may be that person. 

For a good while I've been through some ups and downs and I'm not particularly doing to well in dealing with them.  So I decided to jump in and take a yoga class.  

I think Yoga just may be my new cardio.  I've never been limber of flexible and if you know me, I'm usually always stressed.  I feel like this kind of exercise can really be my saving grace.  What works out great is that the BAC offers a great time for me to fit it in.  

So after my first class I feel stronger, more limber and dare I say flexible.  Did I mention I was able to clear my head?  

Here's one down and my plan is to take yoga at least once or twice a week.  

Namaste everyone! :)  

When I really wanted to believe.....

So last night was the first Sabres game I had been to in awhile. Mind you I never was a hardcore fan. In fact I cannot bring myself to watch Buffalo sports team, for the exception of the Bisions and Bandits, because let's be honest, when have they totally let you down or made you the laughing stock of the sports world? I rest my case.

So while I enjoyed my first of three Blue Light's last night, gossiped and chatted the night away with my partner in crime Melissa, I couldn't bare to keep watching what was supposed to be a National Hockey League game. That was until....the third period.

Goal after goal, the crowd got louder, people actually went back to their seats and I decided I'm finally watching a hockey game. A win....from behind, 7-4. I'm lucky, I'm always there for great games like that. It felt good and a small part of me wanted to be believe.

However......eh-hem, it's Buffalo.

And I ask you....when does it end? The aniexty? The disappointment? The ups and downs of professional sports in Buffalo, NY. I love this town, I love that we are obsessed with hockey fights and tailgating BUT I cannot spare myself to take in another disappointing season. Yes folks, I've officially given up.

Mind you, I'll always be a fan, I will never root for any other team but the Bills and Sabres....however, spare me the disappointment and let downs. I want a damn championship, I want a come from behind, knock-down upset and slap in the fact to the entire sports industry. Please? pretty please?

I blame my dad. Contrary to popular belief...yes he did love me enough, so no it's not that kind of blog. But after the fourth straight? yes STRAIGHT Super Bowl loss by the Buffalo Bills he has never watched a game since. The man had season tickets to War Memorial Staidum for years, he brought me to my first Bills game, he lived and breathed football for most of my childhood, and the only time I saw him cry EVER was when Jim Kelly retired. He decided then and there he never could put his whole heart into another sports team, for what? Stolen victories and stolen dreams.

Grown men (and women) who live here, moved away from here and grown up knowing nothing but the greatest sports comeback in history and the French Connection deserve a championship. I hope to see one before I die as well.

An Open Letter

Over the past few months I've had a lot of unresolved issues. Yes, I know shocking!?!?!?

But throughout my young adult life I've never really been able to hold on to friendships very long. But I've had a lot of friends. I'm an extremely social person, I hate sitting at home, I hate just lounging, I like meeting people, trying new things and having a good time. Maybe I set my expectations too high, maybe I'm meeting the wrong people or maybe....I just smell.

Either way I feel it necessary to write an open letter to those who in my past have left me hurt, broken and used. So here goes....

Dear Ex-friend,

I hope you are well. I know it's surprising coming from a wretch like me. But I do in fact actually wish you well. I do this because lucky for you I was raised that way. However, I was also raised to stand up for myself, for what I believe in and to not let anyone make me feel inferior. In which case, that is more or less the reason we're not friends anymore. I stand up for something when I feel wronged or hurt and I would expect you to do the same for me. I'm not perfect, your not perfect but it's the imperfections that make us unique, which is why I enjoyed our friendship.

I hope you realize that I was deeply hurt by your actions and words. I hope you realize it's not fair to treat someone the way you did me. I hope you understand that the reason I let you know of my hurt was only to help you to realize you are a good person and you do not need to stoop to such a low level in order for your own benefit.

I certainly never meant to make any situation a bigger deal then it was, but ultimately I was hurt and to the point that I knew our friendship could never really last. I sometimes look back and think to myself, what did I do wrong? Maybe everything, maybe nothing. I know deep down I was hurt and being a friend is a big deal to me. When someone doesn't honor that and instead decides to find certain ways to make my life miserable in the process, well that just doesn't sit well with me and I act upon it.

Call me a drama queen, call me crazy, call me whatever you want but what I know you can never call me is a bad friend.

Regretfully,

A possible lost cause...

Why? Why? Why?

Here's my dilemma: I have this great passion about Buffalo, NY. Why? Because it's not only my hometown and where I grew up but the potential for turning this city around is there!!! People cannot see it!

I'll say it: Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus & UB's Center of Excellence

Oh and have you read UB's 2020 plan?????

If you're smart. You should. TODAY!

I avidly read and comment on the Twentysomething blog on The Buffalo News' website. Good blog. However, I think sometimes the "twentysomethings" who write it do not have a great view on their surroundings. But I digress....here's my thing.

If many of you know me you know I spend far more time explaining to people what we have to offer here then I do tearing it down. Yes, we have HUGE issues with politics, yes people are focused on casinos and a bait and tackle shop. We're NOT New York City, we're NOT DC. But god dammit we're a pretty happening and fun city!

I encourage anyone and everyone to read the Buffalo Rising blog.....weekly if not DAILY! You will see we're not just some washed up rust belt city with a football problem. We're movers and shakers and believe or not you have some of the country's best museums, best theatre and best god damn food EVER!

I can spend my weekend dining at some upscale restaurant for half the price of the same fare you would see in the big cities or heading down to Ellicottville (the Aspen of 25 years ago, quaint and affordable!) to do some skiing, snowboarding or tubing (ok I don't ski but I plan on learning soon!) And have I mentioned the summers? There is a festival if not at least two every weekend in some part of this region. You can slip back into a reasonably priced cottage on the shores of Canada or Dunkirk for a nice summer weekend getaway or do some wine tasting along some of the best wineries this side of the Mississippi.

You all know my shtick. I boost up Buffalo and even if I do leave (Mind you I'll go kicking and screaming), I won't tear it down!

So please if you've left Buffalo and constantly bash it, let's dig deep into your deep rooted hatred for something besides snow. Seriously, people.

CCCCCCHina

Ah yes, my trip to China. It'll be here in oh say.....2 months...which is far to quick.

So I've never flown this far west before. In fact I've never flown over a BIG body of water, besides the Gulf of Mexico, and that was nothing.

I'm freaked. Absolutely freaked out about going to this country.

I'm trying to tell myself...it's a once in a lifetime experience that I may never have again. But guess what? It's not making it the least bit better.


.....so I started writing the first half of this blog a few days ago. Then I saw this video:



It was on the Today show and one of the anchors mentioned that the chance of being in a plane crash is 1 in 11,000,000. So what I'm thinking is that as long as the flights I'm taking to China, in China and from China are below that 11,000,000 since this German plane had issues, I should be fine right?

Of course I told this to Kyle and he had this intellectual (and far too long) scientific response. Ultimately the statistics are actually far more then 1 in 11,000,000. SO woo hoo! No plane crashes!

In all seriousness, I was letting the nerves of flying get to me about this trip. I have since been trying to watch and read as much on China as possible. Ok it's not the Caribbean but it's a culture that has so much history, it's hard not to want to take that all in. I'm a history buff, however I think I slept through most of China's history in class, but I digress I still want to learn more. Mind you this trip is strictly for the purpose of really branching out and realizing we're in a global community and China is growing, VERY fast. I'm blessed to be able to have this opportunity and I'm finally feeling right about taking full advantage of it.



PLUS! I hear you can get North Face jackets for dirt cheap and the shopping is incredible!!! Come on, priorities people.