Potato Crab Cakes- Nutrisystem

It's been a while since I posted a recipe using Nutrisystem foods. If you follow me, you know my success with Nutrisystem. You can also read my journey by clicking the tab at the top of my page or if your reading by smart phone, just click HERE.

I have been on Nutrisystem over four years now. The past two years I have been on the maintenance plan. This is where I eat a lot of foods on my own but still keep Nutrisystem foods at hand. I still have a least one Nutrisystem meal a day. I like it that much. It tastes good. It's convenient and I know I'm eating something that's good for me. Taking what I've learned about healthy eating habits and balancing my diet, I have been able to keep the weight off and I feel great!

People often ask me if I ever get tired of eating Nutrisystem foods. I say "not really". Why? because Nutrisystem is always adding new meals to their menu and they have a large variety of different foods. Also, I like to play around with some of the foods and make my own recipe.

Today I want to share with you this delicious recipe using Nutrisystem's loaded potato.

*Makes 4 patties (photo shows 3 because one was tested first).

**counts as one meal plus one power fuel.

Potato Crab Cakes

1- Nutrisystem loaded potato (cooked as directed).

1/4 cup- mix of finely chopped onions and peppers.

1- Snack pack imitation crab meat (about 1/2 cup) finely chopped .

-Saute' the onions and peppers until soft and add all ingredients together.

-Mix well then form into 4 small patties.

-Cook in a non stick pan or use cooking spray ( I use both because I have trust issues in the kitchen).

 cook until browned on both sides.

I experimented and made a dipping sauce (since I did not have any tarter sauce) and it turned out perfect. My husband even gave it two thumbs up.

1- Tablespoon of mayonnaise.
1/2 -Tablespoon horseradish.

Sprinkle of dill weed.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I lost 50 lbs on Nutrisystem in just 8 months. 

Start your weight loss journey today. "If I can do it, you can do it".

Click HERE for 40% off your first order.

Expect to lose 1-2 lbs per week.  

DIY- Desk Top Zen Garden

I have been wanting a Zen garden for a while now. AKA Japanese rock garden.

Zen gardens go way back to the sixth century when Monks created the first Zen gardens to aid in meditation. It was a place to go for peace and serenity. They would consist of a large area of sand in a setting that included rocks, small plants and rakes. Ripples in the sand represent the nature of water. Rocks are delicately placed to add energy.

Small Zen gardens are popular right now. Kits for these small gardens online can cost up to $100.00 depending on the quality of dish, sand and rock you choose. That's just crazy, so I decided to make my own for less than $9.00.

First I called my brother in law at the beach and asked him to bring some soft white sand when he comes to visit. When he arrived last week with a bucket of sand, I was excited. I mean, who else can have the beach delivered to them?

Next I ran out to the thrift store where I found a small shallow glass dish and an unwanted fake succulent to adopt.

I needed a rake so I visited an Etsy shop and purchased an authentic Art of Bali brand Zen rake. This was the most expensive part of my project costing a whopping $5.75.

I glued the plant to the bottom of the glass dish, poured in the sand and began to play. I think I spent a half hour playing with this thing once I got it all together. It's amazing how something so simple can add hours of soothing fun to your desktop or table.

Many people have resorted to small desk size Zen gardens as they reduce stress, improve focus and relaxation. Most Zen garden include a little buddha statue, but I prefer to stay away from that. Meditation? Na, My meditation is in prayer.
I just like the way it looks. It adds some tranquility decor to my office. I do think it is relaxing. After all, I am fidgety. This may even keep me from all the doodling on paper that I do.

Glass dish- Goodwill -.99 cent.

Plastic Succulent- Goodwill $1.49.

Desktop Zen garden Rake- TheZenGardner $5.75.

Sand- Myrtle Beach, SC-  FREE +1 cup of coffee.

No way to get real sand? 

Visit your local dollar store where you can purchase a small bag of craft sand for only a dollar.

Old Games-Memories

When the husband and I take our afternoon walks we will often come across coins, broken jewelry, lost keys and more. But what I like to find is marbles. It's rare but I have found a few. When I pick a marble up, I will always say "Someone is loosing their marbles".  I have no clue why I find them because I'm pretty sure they are not needed in any of the video game kids play now days.

I still have a bag of old marbles. Some are mine and some are my husbands from when we were kids.

I remember playing marbles when I was younger. It's started by drawing a ring in the dirt with your finger or stick. Each player would throw in a few of their own marbles into the center of the ring. Each player also had a "Shooter" marble which was larger than the marbles in the center. We always had our lucky shooter. Each player took turns thumping there shooter into the ring and try to knock out the other player's marbles. They also got to keep the marbles they knocked out. This led to going home with either more marbles than you had or less. It was sort of a gamble. But it was fun.

As I was cleaning out some old games from the TV hutch the other day, I came across some old Jack Rocks. These were not the large plastic ones you see in the stores today. These are the tiny metal ones that would scar your foot for life if you ever stepped on one barefooted.

I used to play with these things all the time. I remember the back side of my pinkie finger would be raw and even bleed at times from sweeping my hand across the pavement. You would start with collecting one, then two and so forth until you were able to grab all ten jacks in on sweep before the ball bounced. You do not see that being played by kids anymore either.

Another game I came across while cleaning..... wait.....let me back up...It really has not been that long since I have cleaned. I was just going through some old small games I had stashed away.
I found a box of Old Maid cards and a can of "Pick up Sticks". These were all simple and fun games we enjoyed as a kid. I think I'll hang on to them for the next generation.

Do you remember old games you used to play? Do you still have them?

Oversized Crochet Sweater

So far we have had a pretty mild Winter here in North Carolina. We had one snow fall back in December that slowed the city down for a day and that's it. Our average temperatures for January have been in the 50's. However, we have had a lot of rain. I think it has rained almost every day since August with only a few peeks of sunshine. The grounds here are saturated and cars are dirty. I’m beginning to feel like I live in a mud hole.

Though it has been rather warm around here for now, I believe Winter will finally hit us in February. Looking back, February is the month we have always had our biggest snows. I do not like being out in temperatures lower than my age. I also do not like wearing layers of clothes and I am not a fan of coats. I’d rather wear light sweaters. Speaking of sweaters, with a cold spell in mind, I’m sucking it up and decided to take a shot at making my own crochet sweater.

I limited my crocheting to only an hour a night since this project was for me and there was no rush. It was more enjoyable not having a deadline and just work on it a little each night while watching. Six skeins of yarn and a few nights later, I had made my very first sweater. Something I can actually wear. 

It was crocheted using a double crochet stitch in five sections with added crocheted ribbing to each; two front half panels, one back panel and two sleeves. 

Then sewn all together. There were times I thought I was creating a monster because it just seemed so big! I’m used to crocheting little things.

At first I thought it was too heavy and bulky, but after a regular cold wash in the washing machine and tumbled dry, It turned out soft and comfy. 

This sweater can be worn alone or as a pull over with a shirt underneath. I love the tunic length and the puffy sleeves. 

If there was anything I could go back and change (which actually I could but I’m too lazy) is to make the neck a little bigger so it would hang off the shoulders. This sweater will be perfect for the cold weather that could possibly arrive next month. 

There is no printed pattern for this sweater. I actually found a video tutorial online and wrote the instructions down. If you would like to make this sweater, you can find the tutorial video HERE. 

Yarn- Acrylic

Color- Silver Mist

Brand- I love this Yarn

Mug- Gift from Nutrisystem

Nail Color- Strawberry Latte (gel)

Hearts Of Palm-Wraps

While shopping for groceries the other day, I came across a can of Hearts of Palm. I had no idea what these were or how to use them but I tossed them in the buggy and continued my shopping.

The curiosity was killing him, so Nick started searching for some info about this veggie and found a recipe to try. I'm not sure what the recipe is called but I have to give him all the credit for this one. It was a win as he put together a combination of healthy veggies and made a delicious filling for tortilla wraps.

Hearts of Palm comes from the center of a cabbage palm tree. The textures is crunchy yet soft sort of like an asparagus stem. (They taste nothing like asparagus). 

They have the taste that resembles artichoke hearts. They are very tasty and I could seriously eat them right out of the can.

This veggie is full of nutrition. To name a few:

• Zinc
• B-6 (promotes healthy sleep cycle)
• C
• Potassium
• Protein 
• fiber 

Hearts of Palm has many health benefits. To name a few:

• High in fiber and protein so it enhances weight loss.
• Improves immune system.
• Great for digestive system.
• Lowers blood sugar..
• Decreases inflammation.
• Supports bone health.
• Prevents Anemia.

You can use Hearts of Palm for many recipes as they take on any flavor they are mixed with. They are also great chopped into salads or made into dips. I seen a recipe for "Crabless Crab cakes", I cant wait to try next. 

I love the recipe Nick came up with for the wraps. We have eaten these several times as a healthy, delicious and filling meal. Here is how he did it. 

Hearts Of Palm Wraps

Spray sauce pan with no stick spray or ad a touch of oil.

add:

Chopped onions

Frozen Zoodles (or chopped zucchini) 

Cook until soft.

Sprinkle some minced garlic (optional)

salt and pepper.

add:

1- can of chick peas (Garbanzo beans).

1- can of chopped Hearts of Palm.

Cover and simmer about 15 minutes to get it all softened up.

Now Enjoy.

We like to add sour cream, cheese and salsa to our wrap before rolling it all together. These are delicious and you will not even miss the meat.

I can't help but wonder about the first person that chopped a palm tree down and said, 

"hmm, I wonder what this taste like". 

Sashka -Review

I just purchased more arm candy. I love anything with a beach vibe. I am obsessed with the glass beaded rolled Nepal bracelets. I have several made from different Nepal artisans. That's why I'm excited to be part of SashkaCo's. advocate group.

SashkaCo. offers beautiful hand made jewelry that is delicately created in the valley of Nepal by artisans with passion, skill and love in putting together these one of a kind bracelets. Each piece is created using the worlds finest glass and sterling silver beads. My first purchase of more to come is this beautiful clear/white and gold beaded bracelet.

With every purchase made, proceeds go to empower Nepali artisans to rise above poverty through fair trade. Women earn a living wage that exceeds local minimum wage and get a fair price for their goods.

.....and you get to wear a beautiful bracelet like me! I love how these roll on bracelets are light weight and have just enough stretch to roll over your hand and onto your wrist. They wear good whether your sleeping, working, swimming or working out.

I like wearing mine best in the summer where they can be seen stacked on my arm with several other colors. I get a lot of compliments on my Nepal bracelets and they often become a great conversation piece.

Visit SashkaCo. today and purchase your very own one-of-a-kind bracelet. They even come in plus size and all bracelets are backed with a 100% guarantee.

 SashkaCo. 

This product was purchased by me, for me. 

Reviews and honest opinions are all my own. 

I may receive a small commission with each purchase.

Oatmeal Pancakes with Collagen

My goal this year is to reverse my age improve my health not only on the inside but on the outside as well. One of the things I started doing this year is taking Collagen supplements. When I say collagen, your probably thinking plump lips. Come on, yes you did. But no, I'm not talking about movie star style lip "injections" of collagen. I'm talking about a different kind of collagen.

I'm adding collagen powders to my coffee or drinks and sometime in my foods. That's why I wanted to show you these delicious pancakes I made using only three ingredients: oatmeal, applesauce and an one egg. Then I just added my flavorless collagen powder into the mix as my own preferenc.

Collagen is a protein that is crucial to supporting hair, skin and nails. It will improve your skin by reducing dryness and wrinkles (This is where I sign up). Not only does collagen work for your outside appearance, it may also increase muscle mass, relieve joint pain and prevent bone loss. I read that it could actually cause weight loss if taken 30 minutes before a meal. It will make you feel full and you will not want to eat so much. I'm in! (Source)

Our body naturally produces collagen every day, but as we grow older, it slows down. That's when we start getting wrinkly and our hair, skin and nails lose strength and glow. I should start seeing results in 4-6 weeks according to the info I've' read.

* My friend Hazel said "It's amazing how ground up cow bones can have so many awesome benefits!" haha gotta love her! (Source)

Now back to the pancakes. You can just leave the collagen out. I mean, some of you don't have hair or wrinkles anyway, so.....

These pancakes are a healthier option to the ones mom makes. So do not expect them to be as good as Aunt Jamima's, or Hungry Jack's because they are not. However, they are better for ya.... I think..

Oatmeal Pancakes

Makes 4 (serving size 2)
130 calories and 5 grams of protein per serving

• 1/2 cup quick oats (processed into a flour texture is optional but best).
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup applesauce.
• 1 scoop collagen or protein powder - (optional).

Pour into a in a heated skillet and make as you would any other kind of pancakes.

Top with you favorite topping. 

I used zero calorie spray butter and sugar free syrup.

This container of collagen was given to me
by my sweet friend Hazel to try before I buy.

Natures Truth

This and other brands can be found in most stores
such as Walmart, Target and Amazon. 

*Not vegan friendly

Rocket Book

At the beginning of the year I decided to start a bullet style journal. I am not sure what I'm doing yet but so far it seems to help me keep up with the things I need to do, goals for the month and blogging ideas.

I purchased a reusable smart notebook called a RocketBook Everlast and I love it.

This particular style has 36 pages (18 sheets) that can be used over and over as much as you want. What's so cool about this note book is that when you no longer need a page of notes you can simply moisten the fiber cloth (included) and erase the page and start over. Sort of like a dry erase board in a book. Pretty cool huh?

One of the other styles (called the Wave), you put in the microwave to erase the sheets. I can not see myself doing that and the pages only work through a few uses.

With RocketBook you can down load the RocketBook app and simply scan a page of notes then save it to an online file of your choice. That way you can keep your important stuff safe and at your fingertips.

So far this book has helped me stay accountable. I love to sit down at night and look at what I have accomplished and what I need to work on.

I tried to use a planner but I never stuck to it. I would start each month faithfully, but once I messed up, it looked messy and I would lose interest.

With the RocketBook, if I mess up or need to change something, I can simply just erase it. I will be using the RocketBook for ideas, blog, social media, etc. I plan to continue using my Google calendar on my iPad and iPhone to keep events and appointments.

You never know how busy you are until you start writing it all down.

I suggest the "Everlast"
includes: one FriXion pen and micro fiber cloth.

Find RocketBook 

HERE

Virtual Assistant

I have dived into the world of virtual assistants. I rarely use Suri on my iPhone unless I'm too lazy to look something up and I will just ask her for the answer.

Now I have a new assistant in the house. She is adopted.

Two Christmases ago, I got my gadget loving daddy an Echo Dot virtual assistant named Alexa.
This past Christmas he wanted me to take it back. He lived with fear of this thing all year. He read a lot of nonsense news saying this gadget can spy on you in your home. He wasn't going for that no matter how much we convinced him that it's not how it works. He didn't care. He wanted it gone.
So, I adopted her back.

We have had a lot of fun with this thing. I have had it for two weeks now. I loaded the Alexa app on my phone and set up my account. It repeats a lot from my icloud account such as my music, calendar events and reminders. It also has it's own built in features such as games, news, and trivia.

So far,

• When we ask...Alexa tells us the weather, temperature low and highs of the day and what to expect in precipitation. We do this every morning. It's more fun than looking at our phone and no more walking outside in our jammies.
• Alexa  helped me in the kitchen this past New Years Day during my cooking. I would ask her to remind me when to put in the roast, start the crock pot and set timers. I normally jot this stuff down on a piece of paper but it was nice to have a voice command. 
• We would also ask Alexa to turn on music and she would play any kind of music genre we asked. If it was a certain radio station we wanted to listen to, she would play that too. 
• She has timed my workouts each day and will even make phone calls at my command. 

We are still learning new features with the Eco Dot. The latest feature I learned was enabling Q&A's in "Skills". This is also found in the app. You can add up to 40 of your own custom questions and how you want Alexa to answer. 

This feature was fun when Daddy was at the house for dinner the other day. I had set up a custom question and answer before he arrived and this is how it went...........

We were sitting around the living room and I simply asked Alexa if she would talk to us. She answered, "Tell Sidney I miss watching him" .

We all had a good laugh when daddy said "See!!!! I told you, it was watching me!!" 

I explained to him later how it did that. But I still don't think hes buying it.

As a kid I always wanted a robot.

I guess this is the closest thing I'm going to get to "Twiki". (Buck Rogers robot from the 70's).

Weekend Review

We finally saw some sunshine this weekend and got outside a bit. We headed to Charlotte and met up with our daughter for lunch at a place called  Tupelo Honey Cafe. It was a nice little place in the South End of Charlotte. 

They started us off with a plate of warm biscuts and jelly. Then I started off with my first ever Mimosa. 

I’m not real sure what all is in a Mimosa except champagne and orange juice, but I have always wanted to try one.

For the meal, I ordered one of my Southern favorites. Fried Green Tomatoes with basil, goat cheese grits, and roasted red pepper coulis.

Our daughter had the Slow-Roasted Pork Grilled Cheese white cheddar, smoked jalapeno bbq sauce, on pumpernickel bread (not pictured). And Nick chose the veggie burger with a side of Beer City Chicken Chili. 

I loved the rustic atmomphere that gives you a warm cozy feel. They also have a large outdoor sitting area to enjoy on a warm day under a covered porch. The food was delicious and the staff worked hard to make sure we had everything we needed. 

Afterwards we took a walk around the area. The temperature was in the 60’s and the streets were packed with people wanting to get out and enjoy the pretty day. 

What is the weather like in your area? Is it unseasonably warm like it is here in the Carolinas? 

But hey, I’m not complaining. I could live where it stays warm year-round. I love it.

New Blogger Shout Out

Hope everyone had a Happy New Years Day. I had a great day with a house full of family. Everyone came over for the traditional New Years Dinner. We fixed pork roast, collard greens, black eye peas, potatoes, macaroni and cheese and rolls. It was a great feast and I am still stuffed. I am ready to dive into the year with new goals. 

Speaking of new, there is a new blogger in town. Well, she is way out of town for me but we are all in the same blogging world, right? Get ready for some positive words and motivation! 

Meet Michelle. 

“Life On The Bright Side”

I had the privilege to spend a few day with her during my last Nutrisystem Photo/Commercial shoot in Orlando Florida. You can see her in several of the Nutrisystem Commercials and is cute as a button. When I met Michelle it was like we already knew each other. It is like that with all of the girls and guys I met during these shoots as they are all so nice and we all have something in common. I call her one of my NutriSisters.

Michelle is always smiling her big signature smile and is as fun as she looks. She is also great at promoting and works hard for the things she is passionate about. Though she is new to the blogging world, her first post already proves her writing talent. I’ll stop here and let you read more about her and see for yourself. Just head over to “Life On The Bright Side” and show her blog some love.

Good Luck Michelle!

New Year New Goals

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hope everyone is doing great and recovering from the mid night activities. My husband and I went out for a nice dinner then back home to start the preparation for my annual family New Years Dinner. We are not fans of late night partying. We like to stay in and stay sober.

I started my morning off using this little New Years coaster I whipped up for fun.

Crochet pattern HERE.

I love having a coaster under my coffee mug so it doesn't clank on the table.

Later, we will be enjoying a feast of meat, black eye peas, collard greens, potatoes, macaroni n cheese, bread and dessert. When everyone comes, I can have a crowd of about 13 people. However, now that the nephews are all grown up, they can't be forced to come over and eat greens.

Do you make resolutions for the new year?
I don't make what I call resolutions but I do make goals for myself. Here are my top five.
I will always be adding new goals throughout the year.

1. I have lost the weight, now I want to get healthier.
My goal is to be able to run a mile without stopping, be able to do 50 sit ups by my 50th birthday, and loose another 10 lbs by Summer. I will also be taking more vitamins and collagen to help with my skin and muscles.

2. My car will be paid off in July.
My goal is to purchase a new one by Fall. I like to keep a new car so I never have to worry about putting money into always fixing an old one. I like warranty protection and new car smells.

3. I want to get more involved in blogging.

My goal is to get more involved as an influencer while still keeping my blog personal. 

I want to build my blog followers and reach out more.

4. Keeping up- I can never keep a planner going. I always fall short. I find it easier to just jot things down to remember other than adding them to a certain date on a calendar.
My goal is to start a bullet style journal using my new "Rocketbook" for keeping blog ideas, to do list, social media activities, and goals. I will keep using my Google calendar on my phone and iPad for appointments and events. This also keeps "Alexa" in the loop. haha.

5. Call me crazy, but I want to start a small Loofah garden.  I think it will be something different to try and fun results at the end.
My goal is to be able to actually get it to produce.

....Not sure about number five. Nick is over there shaking his head. Well, see. I have already bought the seeds.

Do you have any new plans for the new year?