Yes, I am a dietitian, but as far as dietitians go, I'd say I'm pretty liberal! (But as far as politics go, well... let's just stick to nutrition..) Of course I believe in eating healthfully and leading an active lifestyle, but I prefer to focus on finding balance - which, trust me, is no easy thing to do! In my life, balance means vegetables, jogging, and working hard... but also ice cream, lazy days on the couch, and playing hard too! Throughout this blog, I plan to provide nutrition tips, fun ideas for physical activity, delicious new recipes, and ways to pamper yourself to show your body and life how much you LOVE them!
I'd like to start by sharing with you a few recent real-life examples of balance from my own life. Two weeks ago, I was lying on the beach in sunny Hawaii. I was blessed to be able to travel to the islands after my internship graduation to visit a college friend. Sunshine + ocean + friends = 1 amazing week!
Traveling is an important part of my life. I find that I am reenergized and that my love for the world is renewed each time I venture somewhere new. I am a spiritual person, and being in nature is where I feel most connected to God. Sitting on the beach in Hawaii, soaking in the beauty, I felt God's presence all around me, which is very refreshing.
I kept my days well-balanced by hiking through the rain forest and to the peaks of volcanic craters in the morning, and then relaxing on the beach with a great book in the afternoon.
I also laughed, a lot, while hanging out with my friend Erin, and laughing happens to be my favorite ab exercise. ;) I treated my tastebuds to lots of new experiences by trying all kinds of island foods, from kalua pig and raw ahi tuna, to fresh pineapple and haupia (a coconut custard).
And, of course, you can't visit a tropical place without partaking in some tropical drinks, but to maintain balance, I stuck with just one big sugary drink, and filled in the rest of the week with a light beer or wine here or there. It's all about balance and moderation!
As this post's title also indicates, I love cookies! I really have a huge sweet tooth, and that is an area where I don't always succeed as I strive for balance. Any of my family and friends can vouch for me when I say I love to bake. One year, I even gave up baking for Lent, and it was a long 40 days! For the past several days, I have had a strong urge to bake cookies, and I finally gave in last night. I have tried many times to create "healthy" cookie recipes, and am generally not very successful. Fat-free, whole-grain cookies are, not surprisingly, not going to cut it when you're craving something chewy and sweet. I finally decided when you want a cookie, you want a cookie! But the dietitian in me continues to find ways to tweak the recipes to make them at least a bit healthier. Last night's recipe was actually relatively successful, and while I am by no means promoting this as a nutritious recipe, I thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy!
Laura's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 - 3/4 sticks margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 whole egg + 1 egg white
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&M's
Cream margarine and sugars together. Add eggs, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Mix in flours and oatmeal until well-blended. Add chocolates last. Bake in 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Have a happy, well-balanced day!
Laura
Dear Laura,
ReplyDeleteI thought your blog was very...inspirational. I thought it was very helpful. I tried the cookies and I thought the recipe was a success. In fact it was so successful that I ate 7 cookies -- some with ice cream in between. I may need some help with the "balance".
laura,
ReplyDeletei love you blog! what a great idea! hope your summer is going well and you are adjusting to your new job. miss you.