Every year around holidays, the famous TV show host Oprah Winfrey sparks a frenzy among loyal fans of the show with her list of top 20 of her favorite things of Holiday Gifts. Oprah’s 2007 list of favorite things has many gifts ranging in price from affordable to not so affordable for mere mortals.

However Holiday Shopping and Gift Giving need not break your budget if you shop smart and be sensible about giving gifts to loved ones.

Although it is hard to match Oprah’s list but we can certainly suggest several things under $30 that would make excellent and appreciable gifts.

For starters lets look at what is available for “HER”

Monogramming and Personalization is all the rage in gift giving these days, so why not give a gift that is just for “HER” and nobody else. How about a beautiful Monogrammed Tote Bag or Carry All which is a very handy gift and at the same time a very “In Style” gift as well.

Or how about a very unique gift of Monogrammed Clogs or Flip Flops! I bet that would be enough to capture attention and who knows may even start a new trend in Gift Giving.

Hers is another Idea although it is not a very new one, Personalized Jewelry. Every body loves to see their initials carved on watches or earrings or bracelets or even necklaces. You can even engrave lines of messages on bracelets or anklets or bangles or necklaces. There are unlimited choices and varieties in the jewelry and with engraving so cheap these days, also very affordable.

Lets see what is available for “HIM” under $30

Well How about a toolset for that very handy around the house guy, a set of tools with his initials on the box or the tools, how can you go wrong with that?

For the well dressed how about some swanky cufflinks! Boring and old, well they can be classy and stylish if they are the right kind. How about some CD’s initialized for the techie kind, I bet he would be thrilled to get an entire set of those with his name or initial or a special message on them. For the sportsman there are a number of options that you cant go wrong with like personalized Golf clubs or Golf Balls, baseball bat or any number of sports items that can be thrilling for the sports lover at the receiving end. For the more humdrum I mean sedentary person there are endless options. For the Food lover how about some gourmet berries or chocolates with their initials on every chocolate, that would be a trip every mouthful.

We cannot forget the “LITTLE ONES” as they make holiday season worthwhile

Why not give something memorable or fun keepsake rather than just some plastic toy which holds attention for a few seconds before being relegated to a corner in the closet. How about a Money Box with their own name engraved on it or a miniature something that they really identify with.

Holidays need not be a stress or a stretch for ones budget. On the contrary they can be fun without breaking the bank and incurring debt which you will pay for the rest of the year. All These Gift Ideas are not very expensive but very affordable and sensible and they can also be really very meaningful and fun. The Gift recipient would enjoy receiving these gifts and would be appreciative of the sentiment and thoughtfulness gone into the gift.

Having a simple meal for the entire family is easy, delicious, and healthy. Add into the equation Mexican food, and you will find you have a delicious meal for any occasion. Having a favorite chicken recipe on hand when mingled with Mexican food cuisine will obviously take you to explore this recipe.

Choosing the best solution for your needs means looking at a lot of Mexican food recipes. In addition, you will want to explore the differences between Tex-Mex food and Mexican food. This Chicken and Bean Burritos recipe incorporates a lot of healthy possibilities along with delicious Tex-Mex cuisine that is not always for the healthy conscious.

Chicken and Bean Burritos

Ingredients:

4-5 chicken ******* (or thighs or a mixture)

1 small onion chopped

1-2 bay leaves

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp red pepper

1/8 tsp white pepper

1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

chicken stock or broth

1 red onion chopped

1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced fine

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

grated Colby-Jack cheese

fat free sour cream

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

salsa

lettuce, chopped

tomatoes, chopped

burrito-sized flour tortillas

Directions:

Place chicken, onion, bay leaves, spices in a pot and cover with chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken, let cool and shred. Strain the broth and save.

Drain and rinse the pinto beans. Place the pinto beans in a food processor and process until smooth, adding a couple of tablespoons of either salsa or chicken broth or sour cream if too thick.

In a bowl, combine the chicken and beans, again adding salsa or the chicken stock until the filling mixture is moist enough to stick together. (If you get it too wet, add more processed beans). Add the chopped red onion, the jalapeno pepper and the chopped cilantro and mix.

Take a large flour tortilla and spread with a little bit of the fat free sour cream and some grated cheese. Add a couple of tablespoons of the filling on one end and fold the sides over and then roll up. You can use a toothpick to keep it rolled up or place it end side down to keep it from unrolling.

Either bake in the oven at 450F until brown and crunchy or microwave until hot. Serve topped with lettuce, tomatoes and red onion, fat free sour cream, grated cheese, salsa and jalapenos.

Have you heard this one….

A Texan’s explanation (exaggerated and over simplified) of what is Tex-Mex food?

“Anything with jalapeno peppers in it or with it is Tex-Mex!”

“Anything that is chicken-fried is Texas cooking”.

“The basic food groups in Texas are: chili, barbecue, beans, jalapenos and Meskun food!”

Remember, if you are looking for an exception chicken recipe for your next meal, you may find just what you are looking for with the Mexican food recipe. Filled with delicious goodness, you will definitely make this a favorite in your household. In addition, you can easily cater this to meet your family’s needs and preferences.

This menu features a quick and easy recipe for chicken cacciatore, a warm spinach salad and a sugar-free white cake with various topping options, to finish off the meal.  Quick, easy, and healthy, too.  Try this meal.  You’ll be glad you did.



EASY CHICKEN CACCIATORE

2 tbsp olive oil

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken ******* and/or thighs

1 cup thinly sliced onion

1 cup thinly cut strips of green bell pepper

1/2 cup diced celery

2 tbsp Tomato Basil Garlic blend (such as Mrs. Dash)

1 - 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup red cooking wine

Cooked whole-wheat thin spaghetti for 4 to 6 servings.

Heat oil in large skillet.  Add chicken and cook over medium heat on both sides until lightly browned.  This should take about 5 minutes per side.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add onion, bell pepper, celery and spices to skillet.  Cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in tomatoes and red wine.  Return chicken to skillet with vegetables and cook over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Serve over cooked spaghetti.

 

WARM SPINACH SALAD

1 bag (approx. 7 oz) baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup salad croutons (non-fat preferred)

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

3 tbsp SPLENDA Granular

5 slices bacon

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Wash spinach leaves well, remove stems and drain in a colander.  Place in a salad serving bowl and add croutons.  In a small mixing bowl, blend together water, vinegar, mustard and SPLENDA.  Set aside.

Over medium-high heat, fry bacon in saucepan until crispy.  Drain well on paper toweling.  In same pan, put onion and garlic; cook 1 to 2 minutes.  Add vinegar mixture, return bacon to pan and simmer another 1 - 2 minutes.  Pour over spinach and croutons and mix well.  Serve immediately while still warm.

This is a good diabetic salad as the carbs and protein are basically equal and a 1 3/4 cup serving has only one gram of sugar.

QUICK WHITE CAKE

1 2/3 cups sifted cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup Equal Sugar-Lite

1/2 cup solid shortening

2 egg whites

3/4 cup 2% milk

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and Equal.  Blend together well.  Add shortening and egg whites.  Using an electric mixer, at low speed, mix into flour mixture.  Add milk and vanilla and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes or until smooth.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Topping suggestions:

Cut into squares and top each square with a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping, and fresh berries of your choice.

Mix a small package of your favorite flavored gelatin mix according to package conditions.  As cake begins to cool, poke holes in cake with a large fork.  Pour 1/2 of the gelatin mixture over cake.  Refrigerate.  Refrigerate the remaining gelatin until lightly set.  Using mixer, mix gelatin into one small carton sugar-free whipped topping.  Spread over cake.  Keep in refrigerator until serving time.

Enjoy!

Jessica stops in to visit Rachel Ray on October 16th. Looking beeautiful, she even helps COOK with the talk show host!

Inspired by the reality of Childhood eating disorders and the lack of time families spend in the kitchen together, Cooking With Kids television segments were designed to motivate parents and children to cook healthy, nutritious meals together.

The 10 segments of Cooking With Kids are shown in classrooms throughout Washington State, and received great feedback!

To get your FREE Cooking With Kids DVD and educational packet filled with worksheets, please message or call (206) 682-3699. (Sorry- no international shipping)

Also, don’t forget to check out www.CookingWithKids.org

There are a lot of health aids out there that can get your life moving back, going in a right direction, such as books, supplements, nutritionists, gyms, health food stores, clubs, and more. Health clubs are forms of health aids if you can afford them.

Elliptical Fitness Equipment, the wonders it can and will do for You. I know because I use it, at least 3 times a week! Elliptical fitness equipment is swarming the nation as more and more people are realizing the real health benefits of elliptical equipment.

Elliptical Fitness equipment, also called Elliptical trainers have become one of the most notable cardiovascular workout machines in the world. They provide low impact for every muscle in the body because it uses arm and leg movements at the same time.

And, if you’ve ever used a Gazelle, you’ll see the benefits of hand placement on the moveable bars increases arm reach,creating more movement. Most home fitness trainers strengthen upper and lower body, although some offer just lower body exercise. Elliptical fitness equipment works all the muscles at the same time.

Elliptical Fitness Advice

For many years, medical professionals and fitness experts have been advising clients to use exercise equipment, whether at the gym, or home, to improve overall physical health well-being. Elliptical fitness equipment(at the gym or health club) and those used for home fitness, imitates walking, running, while producing almost no consequences to your joints.

Fitness equipment training included in your workout can go a long way towards achieving your fitness goals. Elliptical fitness is hugely popular, and with it a flow of elliptical equipment to buy. I have noticed for myself, more calories are burned than using a treadmill. Elliptical Fitness equipment does not have to fancy and super expensive.

While some types of exercise equipment or aerobic fitness equipment (cardiovascular equipment that is), aren’t seen as for muscle building,they remain identified as aerobic fitness equipment or cardiovascular equipment. Fitness equipment reviews will help you do your homework and find the best one for you. Elliptical Fitness equipment is a low impact choice that also provides a full body workout.

The following is suggested in health articles noted by health experts, and remember also, consistency and a developed routine. You should exercise at least three times a week, and it is better if you to exercise daily on a cardiovascular machine. Elliptical machines are growing as a popular home fitness answer to a need for a more convenient way to exercise. Hey, use them too during your workday, I do! Lunch time is a great way to up and away from the complacent desk and out to the blood pumping atmosphere of exercise and motivation.

Elliptical fitness equipment is available in a wide price range, from a couple of hundred dollars up to several thousand. If you’re going to go out and invest in elliptical fitness equipment, then you ought to at least know what it is. Elliptical fitness equipment is manufactured by many companies like Nordic, Eclipse, Life, ProForm, Precor, and are available for prices ranging from as much as $500 and up to $10,000 or more.

Invest in a few pieces of trusty elliptical fitness equipment and you’ll never have to go to the gym again. Well, that’s what someone said, anyway. I like to hit the gym as well, just in case you lack fitness weight training equipment at home. Good luck and happy workout!

Jill Bolte Taylor, Byron Katie and Eckhart Tolle have the same thing in common: all three had a powerful experience of awakening, and all three have been contented and happy ever since.

Jill had a stroke at age 37 and the illness changed her life. She no longer was the same person.

She is a neuro-scientist who found the stroke to be fully dimensioned and instructive. She remembers every detail of the experience.

Ms. Taylor became interested in the workings of the brain because of her love for her schizophrenic brother. She strived to know more about his mental illness.

The morning of her stroke, 12/10/1996, she arose to go to work with a throbbing headache behind her left eye. Thinking she could relieve or ignore the pain, she got on her exerciser and went through the motions. She looked at her body as if out of body. She noticed her hands looked like claws. Her body appeared strangely to her inner eye. Her thoughts began to slow down.

She got off the machine and when she walked across the room, her body felt rigid.

As she took her shower, she marveled at the amplified sound of water hitting the shower stall. When the shower water hit her chest and felt like tiny bullets, she knew something was wrong and that she needed to get help.

Yet she felt perplexed, intrigued, almost ecstatic, feeling a new respect for “Life! I am Life! I am cellular, molecular life!”

Jane Bolte Taylor saw her body, her form as light, as flowing energy, as a beautiful world within. She said her being was a conglomeration of trillions of organisms, and she felt it all.

Oprah then asked Jane if she saw herself as a stroke survivor or a stroke triumphant!!

Jane was delighted to say, “A stroke Triumphant!”

Jill’s stroke was a left brain bleed due to a congenital malformation in the brain, leaving her right brain intact.

The right brain represents the Big Picture, the left brain logic, language, detail orientation, and analytic thinking.

She lost all memory of who she was, Harvard Brain Scientist, and also lost her identity.

She wrote a book about her experience called, “My stroke Of Insight.”

Jane said her first stroke of insight was a sense of peace, and she said she experienced nirvana, heaven on earth, love and compassion of mind.

But now she needed to find the motivation to come back from this feeling of total bliss, and seek help.

She managed to call her co-worker, by matching forms in her head with the numbers on her phone. But she couldn’t speak. Her co-worker recognized she was in trouble and by the sound of his voice, she knew he was going to get help.

Her experience in the hospital gives doctors and nurses something to think about.

1) Be responsible for the energy you bring to your patients.

2) Show up 100% for your patients. Do not be hurried or rushed.

3) Be a safe haven for your patient.

4) Soften your voice and be gentle.

5) As you care for an elderly patient or parent, know that they are still here. Speak to them eye to eye. Be with them.

At this point, Oprah cried a little.

Jane experienced a quiet mind before she had her surgery. Some of the people around her seemed to be thinking, “Poor Jane, she had a stroke.”

But she was experiencing euphoria, a deep place of happiness, even though she could not feed herself, speak or communicate.

Her mother, G.G., came to take care of her. G.G. was not negative, did not pity her, and taught her about life, how to get up and walk and count and talk again with a cheerful and persistent attitude.

As Jane was learning it all again, she said she felt perfect, whole and beautiful as well as determined to master the intricacies of this physical dimension once again.

Even as she learned her own name again, who she used to be had died, never to return. Her family and friends had to let go of the person she once was and accept her for who she is and allow the freedom for the new Jane to replace the old.

It took her 8-9 years before she remembered her old life. She lost all of her old emotional baggage and was determined not to regain or accumulate any more. When people laid their “old stuff” on her she said, No! I won’t do this anymore.

She lost her pain body, as Eckhart Tolle calls it. (The pain body is emotional pain that adds up in a person’s life, and can cause tremendous physical pain).

Jill said she changed the rules and created a new game with new rules.

She changed her neural circuitry.

She said all of can do this without having a stroke to accomplish the same thing.

Do this, Jane says, by paying attention to your thoughts. You are not your thoughts.

By purposely living in the present moment, you are allowing the right hemishere of the brain to take over, and the mind will quickly create restoration to the physical body.

Also, by concentration on an attitude of gratitude, the right hemishere takes the reins, and you function from a place of joy and connection.

Jane adds, Choose the thoughts that feel good and weed out those that cause resentment, and a belaboring of past hurts.

Let all of all of that.

Jane says that when we die, we leave behind a memory of who we were.

What is most important is: was I kind, did I love, did I treat all people and living creatures with compassion?

Jane said that as a patient, she needed the people who took care of her to recognize:

1) I am wounded, not stupid, please respect me.

2) Repeat yourself and be patient with me.

3) Take your time.

4) Connect with me.

5) Bring your positive energy.

6) Do not raise your voice.

7) Touch kindly and appropriately.

Be with.

9) Allow time to answer.

10) Listen deeply.

11) Be a cheer leader!!

12) Expect complete recovery.

As care givers, we must take complete responsibility for our energy.

This is a great lesson, taught by Jane Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.

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At a Rachael Ray taping

In our effort to get healthier, eat better, and watch our waistline, we often take drastic measures like cutting all sweets out of our diet. And those diets rarely last because we feel deprived. So rather than going completely drastic, here is a question I ask you to consider: Why not try small changes that you can live with? So instead of cutting all sweets out of your diet, why not replace the typical sweets you eat with a dessert that is healthier and that you can feel good about? And what tastier way to help you get that daily intake of veggies than through dessert? Here are a couple of recipes to help you in your urge to get healthy but not feel deprived.

Zucchini Crisp

5 cups sliced zucchini, peeled and seeded

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup water

Combine all of the above ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook the mixture until it starts to boil. Then boil the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes. Put the mixture in an 8- or 9-inch square pan.

Topping:

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, brown sugar, and baking powder. Mix well. Cut the flour into the mixture and combine until it is crumbly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the zucchini mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Avocado Pie

1 (3-ounce) package lime or lemon-lime jello

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 can (8-ounce) crushed pineapple

1 medium avocado

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 package (3-ounce) cream cheese

1 cup whipped cream

9-inch graham cracker pie crust

In a large bowl, put the jello, salt, and boiling water. Stir the mixture until the jello is dissolved. Drain the pineapple juice into a measuring cup. Add the lime juice to it. Add enough cold water to make the mixture equal 3/4 cup. Add this mixture to the jello mixture. Put the jello mixture in the refrigerator until it is very thick. While that is cooling, peel and half the avocado. Cut up half of the avocado into small pieces. In a small bowl, mash the other half of the avocado until it is smooth. Add the cream cheese to the mashed avocado and mix until well blended. Add the cream cheese mixture, avocado pieces, pineapple, and whipped cream to the jello mixture. Mix well and put into the pie crust. Refrigerate until the mixture is firm.