DAY 104- Healthier Eating Journal

Well going to bed earlier certainly helped my energry and alertness level this morning, but I still wanted to hit the snooze button. I had to be there by 7:00 for kids coming in for the play and things I wanted to set up for my lesson today. Took an Activa yogurt (70) and banana (80) with me for breakfast. For lunch I had the full tuna sandwich on a bun (had to be 400 calories or more) w/baked chips (140) but I knew I would be headed straight to the track after school and wouldn't have time for any calories righ after school. I always just drink water with lunch. They had 1/2 cup of apricots for the fruit with lunch (50). After school I headed to the track meet to help out with timing and they brought in pizza about 6pm. I had a small thin slice of canadian bacon and pineapple (150). When I got home I had some warm hot chocolate- 120 calories-- (which is just always good after a track meet) and a piece of whole grain toast (110) w/butter spray, 1 tbsp. of peanut butter- 90 calories(yes, I measured to see what that would get me) and 1 tsp. of honey (which is plenty-32 calories).

Total Calories Today - 1200-1300

So Kali and I had this discussion today about how many calories I should be eating each day. I found this web site that calculates this for you based on 1)age 2) ht. and wt. 3) how active you are with exercise and 4)your gender. The nice thing about it is that it shows you how many calories you can take in each day if you want to maintain the weight you're at AND how many you should take in if you want to lose weight. You can also determine how much weight you'd like to lose per week. After the first couple of weeks doing this, I've never lost more than one or two pounds per week, so I just put in two per week. According to the calculations I should take in around 1300 calories per day if I want to lose 2 pounds per week. But I can take in 2000 calories per day if I want to maintain my current weight. So that's awesome, because if I decide I want to go eat out, or there's birthday cake, etc. going on, I can still do that as long as I stay at 2000 calories for the day and I'll maintain my weight. I only have seven more pounds to go and after getting used to 1200-1300 calories per day, I won't have a problem maintaining my weight. That is also based on moderate exercising 3x a week. I've about decided that 1500-2000 is the best range for maintaining my weight.

Here is the web site: http://calculators.hpathy.com/calories-need.asp

DAY 103- Healthier Eating Journal

So I was a little nervous about showing the teeny-boppers the dance routine for our play, but I have to say, that going over it and over it the last few nights has really reminded me of how many calories I used to burn when I danced. It has been great for me. And... the girls were kind. They didn't make fun of the old lady's dance and they are humoring me by doing it and saying they liked it. The important thing is... it's done. No more debating about which song, which moves, etc. And, they are good sports who look cute doing it so it's all good. I did threaten the boys that if they didn't have all their dance ready by Thursday that I'd be choreographing there's too. That got them going! They do all that "popping" and the only popping I can do is to put my hip back in place, so I'm glad they're on it!

I think I have spring fever turned summer fever because I am having such a hard time getting out of bed lately. That translates into breakfast on the go. Luckily, I have learned to keep healthy get and go food around. I grab my yogurt (70) and banana (80) and head out the door. I also took food to work. I had the 4oz. salmon (110) w/spinach salad that had mandarin oranges in it an a few sliced almonds (130). I used the balsamic spritzer (yum). I used it on both the fish and the salad. For dessert I had 1 cup of cottage cheese (200). My morning snack was a few carrot sticks and celery sticks. My after school snack was a Fresca because it was nice and hot outside and I was thirsty. I know it's not healhty. It's empty calories, but it sounded good.

For dinner we had so many phone calls and visitors in between that I ended up fixing a quick 1/2 sandwich (230) instead of dirtying the kitchen. Ever have those days? I did the baked chips with it (160) and a granola bar (90). Then.... Russ came in and gave me a plate of 4 shrimp he had cooked up. I wasn't going to eat them because I had already eaten, but I looked up the calories and... Holy Cow! 4 Large shrimp (steamed, no batter) = 22 calories! Yeah!Shrimp and Fresca both for 22 calories. What a day! Okay... they're both things that need to be eaten sparingly, but I liked it!

Another 1100-1200 calorie day and I could have a bag of 100 calorie mini pouch popcorn tonight if I want and still be fine! It does pay to pay attention to portion control, and what food you eat. It feels like I just eat all the time. The food you buy and keep around the house and at work really plays a lot into your failure and success at healthier eating and weight loss. The other part is staying active. Dance, bike, walk (quickly), try something new (like Tai Chi) or make a pact with your hubby (or parent or sibling) to do crunches and squats every night. Who are you accountable to? Makes a difference.

DAY 102- Healthier Eating Journal

Sleep plays a big part in our health as well. Sunday nights I tend to stay up a little too late contemplating and getting ready for Monday. Then I have to get up earlier than I have the two previous days because it was the weekend. Consequently, I came home and took a nap today.

I had my activa yogurt (70) and a banana (80) for breakfast. I am out of frozen Healthy Choice meals! Yikes! Need to go to the store tomorrow. Had to go with what they had in the cafeteria. Ended up eating 2/3 of tuna sandwich on a bun (280) w/baked chips (140) and an apple (90). Was starving when I got home because of not having my snacks. Had a granola bar.

I had leftovers for dinner so I'll do the salmon recipe for dinner tomorrow, so I'll leave it the same on my menu. If anyone did it today, go to the web site listed and get another recipe. They have a lot of great ideas. I had a slice of ham (140), 1/2 cup mashed potatoes w/butter spray (50), 1/2 cup steamed veggies (30). Relly and I had the 100 calorie mini pouch popcorn that we shared while I did my puzzle later on the couch and played with his train. He found some leftover mini robin eggs from Easter and shared a few of them (5-6). That's probably 150 pointless calories. I'll work those off tonight practicing this dance routine I have to show some girls tomorrow for the play!

Total Calories Today=1200

Thought for the day. Take time for yourself. I enjoy taking an hour after I get home from work and just doing the puzzle, or wrapping up in a blanket with something to read or watch. I need down time because I am go-go-go all the time and it doesn't do any good to work so hard all the time if we don't also take the time to enjoy it. We have to have balance. Saturday mornings I like to get up, eat a nice full breakfast and clean the house before I start my day. It just makes the rest of the day go so much nicer and it only takes an hour the majority of the time. Right now my spring play takes up a lot of my mental time, so taking a time out to do some puzzles tonight was just a reminder that I need to relax mentally too. And on that note.... now that I've done my puzzle AND had a nap... I'm ready to go work on the dance! :D

DAY 101- Healthier Eating Journal

It was a nice Sunday. I was fasting so I didn't have dinner last night or breakfast today and I thought I would be starving when I got home and I was hungry... but not starving. When we fast with earnest intent on the people and thing we are fasting for and about, it changes our physical desires as well as our spiritual desires. We fast as a family once a month and as I mentioned before, little ones, pregnant ladies, and sick-o's don't fast. So... zero calories on the breakfast this morning.

I enjoy the youth I teach at church. They are the poster children of hope, of future dreams unrealized yet, and of great things yet to come. It really is a privelege to be a teacher in any walk of life and we often learn far more than our students ever do. We talked about Rebekah and Isaac today and almost-teenagers love a good love story. I asked them if they knew what prearranged marriages were and was surprised that they did. They had heard about them in other countries. I asked them how they would feel having a prearranged marriage.... not so much. They did not like that idea at all. Then we talked about the servant of Abraham and how they would feel if they were him and their boss said, "Okay, go get my son a wife but not from around here." They were uncomfortable with that too. So the servant prays and knows that the "wife" will be a woman who offers to water his camels. Of course we have to talk about camels. Watering them is not a one bucket from the well scenario. When they stop to drink they consume 30-50 gallons per drinking. Their hump stores about 20 gallons. We had to discuss this. It says he had camel(s)... not a camel... so she's going to be hauling a lot of water.

He gets there and hopes someone will show up. We read the story in Genesis. Not only does a woman show up and offer to water his camels, but she is "fair" (we discussed this meant she was beautiful) and she was a virgin. We didn't go there... I just said that she was single and had never been married. Mom and dad can give the other details. Then she invites the servant to dine with her family. He retells the whole story to her family (which is related to Abraham) and I asked the kids what they would think if some guy came to dinner and told them that about their sister. They said they would think he was crazy. Then we read that the family thought he must be blessed by the Lord... and this was meant to be. What faith. A faith missing today. If that wasn't enough, the servant said (and I paraphrase) okay, thanks for the food, I need to take the bride-to-be and run. The mom and siblings of course asked if they couldn't wait a while... after all they had just learned she was to be married and leave. Again my students were surprised as well. He said he couldn't wait. They called Rebekah in and she said she would go (showing her crazy faith). Today we think of that as crazy behavior, but I think they would think some of our behaviors and customs are crazy as well. Each to their time. :D So the great love story began and Isaac loved her or so it was written in Genesis.

I had a great conversation with them and we made links for thier own chain out of the qualities they want in their future spouse. I know they're young (12), but they're still at the age where they don't quite know everything yet (that hits in 2 years) and where they are willing to listen. Their lists were quite impressive and not nearly as superficial as I had thought some of them might be. I guess when they compared their lives to Rebekah and Isaac, they were just happy to get to pick their spouse. Oh the things we take for granted in this beautiful free country we live in.

For dinner I had the baked ham and was aware that it was loaded w/sodium, so had two thin small slices and focused more on the potatoes. Had a full cup of those w/just a little gravy. I decided not to put the broccoli into a casserole or sauce because of the sodium in the ham. Instead I layered a small glass roaster with a package of fresh mushrooms (sliced), then a small thin zucchini I sliced, then some broccoli I cut up, then finally I sprinkled some baby carrots across the top. I seasoned it with lemon pepper and added 1/4 cup of water. I covered it w/wax paper and cooked it in the microwave for 15 minutes. Then I tranfered it to a skillet and sprayed a little spray butter on top, turned it and cooked it on low-med heat just until all the water was gone. I didn't use any cooking oil and the vegetables were just right and very good.

The kids love to squeal and run around when the cousins are all together. It's noisy, but it's a wonderful noisy. After they played a while and we got things cleaned up, I got out the bananas for their treat: CHOCOLATE DIPPED BANANAS. I would recommend this activity for any family. What fun and it's so easy.
1) put a cookie sheet lined with wax paper in the middle of table and use a toothpick to draw off "their corner"
2) give them each a banana that's been cut in half and still has the peel on it (so they can peel it themself before you start painting w/chocolate)
3) give them each two popsicle sticks (we found it's a waste to have them do more than one whole banana because they lick their fingers, etc. and no one else it going to eat their bananas when they're done!)
4) I gave them each a glass banana boat dish I had but you could also use paper plates
5) Divide the melted chocolate chips (I zapped them in the microwave two minutes and stirred) evenly between all the kids
6) give them each a butter knife to "paint the banana" or whatever utensil you feel safe giving them if they're not very old (but you are doing this with them to supervise)
7) PAINT THE BANANAS w/choclate
8) Add sprinkles and put on the wax paper
9) put them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes and the shell becomes hard like dipped ice cream. They loved it!

After that Stacy (my eldest son's wife) took the kids to the park and my son and I discussed his topic for his upcoming speech in his college speech class. Guess what it is.... obesity in America. Oh! Boy do I have plenty of advice for him. He was a standout athlete in HS and went to state in three sports his senior year, so he's all about the sports and exercise side of it, but I put my two bits in about the other side of it. We had a great family discussion about it too and he received lots of helpful ideas. It was a nice Sunday.

DAY 100- Woo-hoo Healthier Eating Journal

Well I decided to start off my one-hundredth day of eating healthier by weighing myself on the wii. It's been a couple weeks since I checked in because I skipped Easter weekend and the scale at school is still broken. The wii tells you that it hasn't seen you in a while (basically that you're a slacker) and then it reminds you of your goals. I started this journey at 167 and I thought it would be most appropriate to mark my 100th day with a weigh in. I am now 147. Now I know 20lbs. may not seem like a lot in 100 days, but I've been doing this at a realistic pace with realistic exercise (no gym passes or running or weightlifting). And I still have my sweet tooth, but I've learned what's in stuff and what some healthier choices are.

For example, today when I was yard-saling and the time was getting away from me and my stomach was grumbling, I rummaged around in my car as I headed home to fix a late lunch and found some jelly beans. Now two weeks ago I did the same thing-- forgot to take healthy snacks w/me. The jelly beans looked harmless enough, but they're 10 calories each and I ate 15 to hold me over. For 150 calories I could have a baked potato w/sour cream! I could have a small banana and Activa fit Yogurt! You get the point. Wasted, empty calories. 90% Of the time now, I make the better choices. I'm not perfect, but I'm so much better and know so much more now. I am still learning though. Like I ate turkey chili the other day and thought I was doing so great by going turkey, but found out that the avg. turkey chili has 900-1000mg of sodium in it. Hormel's turkey chili had even more~! Cured ham is horrible too 1900mg of sodium in a cup of ham. So, if you know you're going to eat something high in sodium (like tomorrow's baked ham), don't add salt to anything else at dinner, and pay attention to the sodium in whatever else you eat that day because you're already pushing your 2000 limit. For example, have an Activa Yogurt and a banana for breakfast (76mg sodium for both) and have a baked potato with sourcream and garlic powder and pepper for a total of 10mg sodium all together).

Total Food Intake Today:
BREAKFAST: French Toast w/2 tblsp. Lite Syrup, (225) 1 scrambled egg fried in Pam spray (90), 1/2 leftover baked potato fried in Pam spray (50 calories) and sprinkled w/bacon bits (25 calories.
SNACK: 15 jelly beans that I found in a bag in my car while I was driving around yard-saling (150)
LUNCH: ½ Tuna Sandwich w/pickle and 1 tbsp. of fat free ranch (230), 9 Kettle Cooked chips (75 calories, 80mg sodium, .5 grams sat fat.), 1 banana (80) and one chocolate covered pretzel Russ made me eat and said it was 40 calories.

Had a late, large breakfast (9:30) and a late lunch (2:30) because I’ll be fasting tomorrow, so I’ll be skipping supper tonight and breakfast tomorrow. We get home from church about 2:30 so it’ll be just in time to end our fast. I usually drink when I fast though most people don’t. It is not just a physical cleansing: it’s a spiritual cleansing as we think of a purpose to fast. We do this as a family once a month and think of those in need or ask for guidance in our own families, or both. The children and pregnant ladies or sick ones don’t fast.

TOTAL CALORIES TODAY= 1040 (without supper—which I won’t be having)

The daughter pulled out her tub of all her old (BTP)jeans (that means "before the pregnancy). I actually have pants that fit now. I am no longer a "sagger". I was so inspired that I choreographed the whole dance routine that one of my dance groups for the play hasn't been able to put together. That was my exercise for today and it was way more than I have been doing so I'm doing my crunches but nothing else tonight. A new weight, a new pair of pants, a lot of great deals at yard sales, a nice visit with my sweetie on the phone, and my kids are coming over tomorrow. It was a great 100th day of healthier eating.

BROCCOLI CHEDDAR CHOWDER

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces broccoli crowns, (see Ingredient Note), cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
2. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more. Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan.
3. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.
Nutrition
Per serving: 205 calories; 9 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 21 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 4 g fiber; 508 mg sodium; 436 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (61% daily value), Vitamin A (64% dv), Calcium (34% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 high-fat meat

DAY NINETY NINE- Healthier Eating Journal

It just occurred to me that tomorrow will mark 100 days since I've been on this journey to change the way I eat. I feel the need to plan some celebrating of some sort. Not quite sure what. Open to suggestions. Seems counterproductive to celebrate with food, but maybe I'll make myself that awesome homemade fudge cake recipe again. Or...maybe I'll buy myself a new pair of pants. They're all hanging off me right now. I found an old pair in my dresser this morning and put them on, but Kali informed me that they were highwaters. I'm glad someone's honest with me. Won't wear those to school again. So my daughter (who will be having her baby any week now) dug out all her old pant suits that I bought her when she was in state leadership in high school and I found a couple that look great. They all fit, but I'm just not quite young or hip enough to make a couple of the outfits work on a woman pushing 50. Some ladies can do it... but not me. I look like an old lady trying to look young... which I'm not. Still, I have a few pair of dress pants that fit now! :D

I could, of course, go to some yard sales in the morning and claim I deserve it in celebration of 100 days of healthier eating. Yep... I'm going to use that one. I need to go check on Grandma Shorty too. Maybe I'll take her a piece of my chocolate cake. It won't be anything like her famous pies, but it'll be fun to visit with her and hear about her latest adventures with Esther and Wheel of Fortune and the new little twins. Maybe I'll take the pregnant daughter shopping for a new baby outfit since we'll be seeing him in a week or so. So many options.

Okay... FOOD Talk..... I will skip right to the chase. I tried turkey burger for the first time today. Now nobody shoot me with your vegetarian darts, but it was just not good. I made the turkey meatloaf from the cookbook and we all agreed it wasn't "bad" but it just wasn't normal meatloaf. No one took seconds and we all like meatloaf. The only reason we leave any is so we can have a meatloaf sandwich the next day. So on the bright side, I didn't have seconds and I won't have to add up the calories for a meatloaf sandwich tomorrow. The texture and taste is just a lot different than hamburger. It's kind of mushy and bland tasting to me. We killed it with ketchup and ate just to say we did, but we all voted that in our house the meatloaf would remain hamburger based. I also would modify the recipe (and did) to eliminate frying anything before it goes into the meatloaf. It's just not necessary. I also throw fresh spinach into the meatloaf (chopped up) and that was the one thing that still tasted good.

I watched that show Food Revolution tonight on ABC. There's a lot more to it than what I originally thought. I didn't realize the actual programs he's establishing for kids and thought it was absolutely awesome what one person is doing for the problem of obesity in America. One teenage girl that worked in his program was obviously overweight and she said that even at her age she had spots on her liver from her poor eating habits and that her doctor said she may only have 7 years left to live. And she wasn't gigantic. I see her size kids in schools all the time. He also does so many other things that are just genius. He's passionate about it. He uses the word "revolution" and he means it. And though they said he wrote a book, he's not a celebrity in my book because I didn't even know who he was before this. He seems like an ordinary guy with a cool English accent. It makes you realize that each of us could make a difference. I encourage everyone to watch it.

Here's my food intake today:
BREAKFAST- Banana (80 calories)
SNACK: 55 Pretzels throughout the school day (110 calories)
LUNCH: 1 cup turkey chili, 1 slice of homemade whole wheat bread, 1 banana (300 calories total lunch)
AFTER SCHOOL SNACK: granola bar (90)and another banana (80)
DINNER: Turkey Meatloaf per OSU cookbook recipe (210 calories), baked potato w/1/3 cup of cottage cheese instead of sour cream (160), 1/2 cup green beans (20)

TOTAL=1100 calories today

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Chicken--

1/2 cup light brown sugar, *1/4 cup cider vinegar, *2 tblsp olive oil, *2 tblsp lemon juice, *3 garlic cloves, 1.5 tblsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp .Worcestershire sauce, 6 boneless chicken breasts (1.5 lbs.). DIRECTIONS: In a blender, combine the brown sugar, vinegar, olive oil, lemon jice, garlic cloves, mustard, lime juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Blend until smooth. Lightly pound chicken breasts and put in sprayed lrg. glass baking dish. Pour marinade over it and refrigerate 1-3 hrs. Cook on BBQ grill. 275 calories. (p. 34 OSU cookbook) Serve w/one cup of Mexican rice and baked summer squash w/butter spray. DINNER TOTAL CALORIES= 535

DAY NINETY EIGHT- Healthier Eating Journal

It's almost Friday.... Had play practice this evening and am very impressed with how dedicated so many kids are considering they're in a small school where everyone has a million other things going on. It's kind of cool to see them come in from tennis, and track, and the band kids, and cheerleading, etc. and everyone just pulls together. In larger schools, they keep to their "groups" a lot more than they do in small schools. I had Becca go run and get cookies for everyone and I didn't have a single one. Not that I could have moved faster than all those boys to get to them anyway...

I do have to say that with all the singing and dancing going on in this play I decided to come home right after school and see if I could put some steps to some music for one of the numbers we are using and I found muscles that have been on vacation for at least 10 years. I definitely got some cardio workout today. Dancing used to be great exercise, but the way they dance today... much faster beats. It's a miracle I didn't put my back out!

Today's eating:
BREAKFAST: Activa yogurt (70 calories)
SNACK: 25 Pretzels (55 calories)
LUNCH: ½ cup meatless chili, mixed w/1/2 cup cottage cheese. Carrot sticks and celery sticks, 4oz. fruit cup (300 total lunch)
SNACK: Bowl of Cold Cereal- HOney Bunches of Oats w/skim milk AND 1/2 banana cut up into it (200)
DINNER: 1 med. piece of Roast, potatoes w/butter spray, carrots (250)
DESSERT: A few more potatoes when I got home (80)

Total calories today= 1000

DAY NINETY SEVEN- Healthier Eating Journal

It was a beautiful day today, but it was cold last night. Compared to the other side of the state yesterday though... I can't complain. My husband said they woke up to 8 inches of snow and had to use a snow day yesterday! Meanwhile, I'm thinking I need to get the lawnmower out this weekend and cut the grass here. I need to get at least one full hour of healthy exercise this week (that means more than just walking), so the lawn mowing might be it.

I was researching long term effects of healthy eating and here is the lastest tidbit (which is enough to scare anyone into eating healthier and exercising more) that I found:

"Calorie restriction experiments since the 1930's in many species have shown that for every excess dry ounce of food (28 grams, 120 calories) you eat, especially empty sugar calories from drinks, rice, white bread, or potatoes, you lose one hour of your life and health, the equivalent of smoking 4 cigarettes. In other words 600 extra calories a day (2 soft drinks and a candy bar) will shorten your healthy years (youth) and lifespan 8 years on average, the same as a pack of cigarettes a day. Not getting at least 1 hour of heavy exercise each week also shortens healthy years, youth, and lifespan about 8 years."

Something to think about....

My stomach is still feeling bloated, but I've decided the word bloated isn't right... it feels packed... heavy and I don't mean six-pack on the abdomen type packed either~ I can't figure it out really because my body's clearly up to something. I'm eating normal to low calories, but I really think it's "what" I'm eating more than the calories I'm eating.

Today's food intake:
BREAKFAST- Activa Yogurt (70 calories)
Morning Snack- pretzels (55 calories)
LUNCH:
4 oz. Salmon w/spritzer and lemon pepper (110 calories) AND 1/2 cup cottage cheese w/mandarin oranges (170)
AFTER SCHOOL SNACK: 15 Lays stacks (150 calories)
DINNER:
4 oz. Salmon w/deli mustard and spritzer(115 calories) AND baked sweet potato w/butter spray (100 calories)
DESSERT:
Homemade chocolate cake from yesterday (see recipe in blog) 250 calories

Total is 1000-1100 calories but I still feel bloated or stuffed. I'm thinking it might be the onions or maybe I need to skip potatoes tomorrow and go for something lighter in my stomach.

I was going to do the tomato soup recipe tonight, but I was missing fresh cilantro and garlic. I need to go to the store again. I found some egg roll wraps that look pretty cool (100 calories)-- almost like a pastry-- in the Asian food section last trip and I'm thinking about experiementing with an eggroll wrap-type dinner tomorrow since I need to go to the store anyway. I was missing an ingredient for the black bean salsa too, so I didn't do a very good job of following my menu (or being prepared to follow it today). Please learn from my mistakes. :D My son-in-law is probably getting tired (or scared) of all my food experiments, but no one's died yet and we're all learning things we never knew! :D

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE-- 250 Calories of heaven

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder,
1/2 tsp. baking soda,
1/4 tsp. salt,
2 oz. bittersweet 70% Cacao Ghirardelli chocolate coarsley chopped,
1 1/4 cups sugar,
1 tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder,
1/3 cup boiling water,
1/4 cup unsalted butter,
1/2 cup light olive oil,
2 eggs,
1/2 light sour cream.
Glaze:
2 oz. Ghirardelli 70% cacao extra bittersweet chocolate broken into pieces,
1/3 cup powdered sugar,
1 tblsp. unsalted butter,
2 tblsp. milk.

DIRECTIONS: Spray 10X2 pan. Combine dry ingredients. In separate pan combine chocolate, sugar, and cocoa-- and process for 1 minutes. Add boiling water and butter-- stir one minute. Add eggs and stir, add olive oil, stir. Add sour cream and stir. Add flour mixture and stir. Pour into pan and bake on 325 for 45 minutes. Cool before topping w/glaze. Glaze is cooked over low heat until smooth and refrigerate 15minutes before pouring over cooled cake. I just let it set out on the counter and it was fine. 250 calories, 4g sat. fat., 170mg sodium.