WellMeals4U Blog

Amazing Chocolate Pudding. . . from scratch

2011-08-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

Pudding doesn't come from a box? I grew up with boxed pudding mix. Imagine my surprise when "from scratch" takes just as much time and tastes oh so much better. This recipe was gleaned from the Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat cookbook. There was a little footnote at the bottom of the recipe that stated "no matter how many fancy desserts are in your repertoire, this is most likely the one the kids will remember when they are grown and gone."

This is a family favorite and I would suggest you let it cool down a bit before eating it. Hot pudding is like eating lava, tasty lava, but not worth the blisters.
We have taken to making this in a double batch. My eldest son, has claimed this as his domain and the double batch contains his slight changes in measurement.

Serves 4 (total time 15-20 minutes)

3 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Cups skim milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, thoroughly combine the dry ingredients (cornstarch, sugar, and
cocoa.)
2. Next, add the milk to the saucepan and stir until smooth.
3. Cook the mixture on MEDIUM heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding comes to a boil.
4. Lower the heat to SIMMER, still stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes.
5. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
6. Pour the hot pudding into bowls and serve warm or chilled. Chilled takes about 2 hours.

To double the recipe (as per my son):

4 Tbsp cornstarch
6 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
4 Cups skim milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Enjoy! Be sure and check out the menu at WellMeals4U.com Works GREAT on smart phones. Now you can choose your menu, immediately view the grocery list and then email yourself the food prep and meal cooking instructions for later! It is so simple and convenient.

Healthy Meal Planning Part of Your Corporate Wellness Program?

2010-08-01T01:48:00.001-07:00

The word on the street is that there will be grant monies available for organizations with 100 or less employees who are putting together a wellness program. The specifics on how to actually go about submitting a request for the money has not been announced yet, but should be through the grants.gov website. As I find out more, I will pass on the word. The health care reform act also makes it easier for employers to provide incentives for employees who participate in corporate wellness programs. If you think that WellMeals4U memberships would be a good addition to your corporate wellness program, let me know. We do offer corporate memberships. Contact me directly at info@wellmeals4u.com

May is Member Favorite Month

2010-05-05T13:45:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to all of you who told us what you liked and didn't like. There were so many favorites we created a month soley featuring them!

The month of May, WellMeals4U is hitting the road and spreading the word.

Thank you to all of you (you know who you are:)) for making WellMeals4U as success!!!

Getting Ready to Grow a Garden

2010-04-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

In honor of spring (and a sunny weekend) we began the process of "deweeding" our garden. This year we are proud to report we started waging our war on weeds before they became a formidable foe. Now with our garden bed weed-free we are "thinking" about putting a soaker water system and a timer in place. I say "thinking" because we have had the soaker hoses for about 4 years and have yet to use them. We all agree it is still too cold to plant any seeds, but that does not stop us from drooling over the seed catalogs that began arriving shortly after Valentine's Day. Should be try growing Marina Di Chioggia (a bumpy looking squash that averages 10 lbs each) or Red Burgandy Okra? We will moon and dream, but reality will eventually set in. What do we consume a lot of that grows really, really well and is super good for us? Greens! Greens grow fast and can be planted in a small plot. Spinach, Kale, Collards, Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Beet Greens, Swiss Chard, Lettuce Greens, Arugula, etc. Sweet peas, green beans, squash, tomatoes, tomatillos, green onions, cilantro and parsley finish out the mix.

I always relish this time of year. The freezer is starting to look slightly bare of staples, the empty canning jars are crowding the cupboards. It is a nice reminder that our mission to control and reduce our food budget has been effective. With that said we are going to stick with the plan we laid out last year for reducing our food budget and eating well. Our plan is as follows:
1) Grow as many vegetables as we can, eating fresh during the summer and then freezing for the rest of the year. (We are lucky, unless there is a hard freeze collard and kale will survive through the winter.)
2) Buy seasonal fruits and freeze/can
3) Utilize WellMeals4U (http://www.wellmeals4u.com/)
4) Eat meat free at least two times a week.
5) Fish for salmon during the season to assure we get our Omega3 for the year.

Employers and Worker Health Habits

2010-02-28T19:46:00.000-08:00

There was an article today in the Investor's Business Daily titled "Employers Move on Health Costs." In a nutshell, the article talked about a survey conducted by Towers Watson in which 83% of employers reported that they expect to revamp their health care strategy in the next two years. That is up from 59% in 2009. Needless to say, health care costs are pressuring companies to find ways to support "effective health management programs under budget constraints." 66% of employers are planning on offering incentives for employees to complete a health risk appraisal. This is up from 61% in 2009.

As we all know healthy eating habits and exercise play a huge part in improved personal health. WellMeals4U is a great way to demonstrate to your employer that you are actively working to improve your health.

WellMeals4U commends King County's Eat Smart Challenge

2010-02-09T17:02:00.000-08:00

Every so often I visit the King County Health Matters website to see how the wellness program is progressing. Now in its 4th year, they have raised the bar for employee involvement. This year employees are encouraged to complete the wellness assessment, complete an individual action plan and then track individual progress online. This year employees are encouraged to create goals and act on "moving more" and "eating smart". They are asked to log what they eat for 5 days out of 7 for a period of 10 weeks.

WellMeals4U is a terrific way to eat better, change eating habits and make it easy to keep track of what has been eaten.

Build WellMeals4U into your Eat Smart Challenge. Visit www.wellmeals4u.com

New Years Resolution: Eat Better 2010

2009-12-28T21:51:00.000-08:00

The window between Christmas and New Year's Day is always the time I haul out my big list of things to do and try to finish up as many as possible. The hope is to be "ready" for the New Year. To open the year with a clean, fresh slate so I can create a new list of things to do.

I know, to some of you this sounds crazy and to others you are saying, "me too!". What keeps showing up year after year on my list is ways to improve my organizational and time management skills. We have been working hard de-cluttering our living spaces, reducing our expenses and streamlining how we plan and prepare our meals. (For those of you who are new to this blog, WellMeals4U an online meal planning ans assembly system and is all about helping members with the planning and preparation of meals. Check it out (http://www.wellmeals4u.com))

If your goal is to manage your time better, eat within a budget, and eat healthier meals; try WellMeals4U . The cost is $15/month. There is a special running until the end of January. Buy 3 months and receive a fourth month for free.

Giving the Gift of WellMeals4U

2009-12-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

WellMeals4u www.wellmeals4u.com a gift for those you care about.

My word, Christmas is quickly approaching. We already have a tree in the house and plan to decorate this weekend. The catalogs are arriving by the gross and our kids are pouring over them. I try to catch them as they arrive an plunk them directly into the recycle. Somehow they magically jump out and into the boy's laps. The race has begun. Mark and I try to divert them away from the shiny new toys in the catalog and toward the spirit of the season. We remind them of how little they actually play with toys after the flurry of Christmas morning. They in turn assure us that they are on board and that we are not to worry, Santa will take care of the presents.

The concensus is in, this is not the year to be running to the mall and buying beyond means. In fact, it may be a long, long time before our nation returns to that mind set. It feels like thoughtful consumption, thoughtful giving are new modus operandi. Try explaining that to the kids who are busy looking at the cool toys!

Then I think back to what I remember as a kid. I remember the anticipation that felt like a gnawing toothache, that time seemed to crawl by. I remember very little about any of the gifts ever received. I remember the family traditions, the decorated house, the smells, the music. I remember things we did as a family.

For the last few years we have made it a priority to create family memories that revolve around helping others and giving the gift of our time or a gift of quality time. We are trying something new this year. Giving the gift of our time to each other with the understanding that Santa will bring one toy.

Giving someone you care about the gift of WellMeals4U http://www.wellmeals4u.com/ is giving the gift of thoughtful consumption. Assembling, preparing and eating the meals created using WellMeals4u should be a family experience. In other words, by giving the gift of WellMeals4U you are creating opportunities for positive family moments, improved eating habits, enhanced cooking skills, etc.

Thanksgiving Tradition: Harvesting Potatoes

2009-11-22T13:48:00.000-08:00

Digging potatoes from our yard for our Thanksgiving meal started by mistake. A few years ago a section of our yard turned into a jungle. It was November and after the usual 3 week stretch of non stop rain, the patch was quickly turning into a yellow mushy mess. I'll admit it. . . it was an eyesore. Armed with yard waste bucket and shovels we marched outside during a rain free moment. Imagine our surprise while pulling up plants we discovered potato gold below the surface. Those glorious potato volunteers! Now the kids were engaged! A treasure hunt.

Every year since we designate a spot in the garden or flower bed and plant potatoes. Water them a bit and then ignore them. That is our motto. Then, right before Thanksgiving we all march outside and start digging around for our potato treasures.

How Much Did I Eat?

2009-11-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

Halloween is not a pretty time in our house. Our kids are master candy collectors and this year ended up with a huge amount of candy. I admit, I sampled a bit of their candy the day after and was feeling quite proud of my control until I reached in my pocket and discovered it FULL of candy wrappers. I was amazed. How did this happen? I must have suffered from a massive memory block! My first thought was that I picked up the empty wrappers as I passed through the house and put them in my pocket. Then I noticed the wrappers were from my favorite candies. So busted!!! Then there was the movie night candypolooza with a mound of wrappers to show off. Thank heavens the candy is nearly gone.

There is a lesson here, for me at least. That my brain convienently does not track how much I eat. I need visual cues (such as candy wrappers). For me eating healthy is about 1) limiting access to sweets and fatty foods, 2) keeping healthy veggie snacks convienient, 3)recognizing correct portions and sticking to it when I sit down for meals.

Dressing Beans

2009-10-08T18:16:00.000-07:00

Beans, beans, beans. Such a wonderful food. Couple beans with rice and kazam, a complimentary protein.

I was recently reacquainted with the notion of complimentary proteins. Complimentary proteins are those non-meat food items that when combined provide the essential amino acids found in complete proteins (meat). For example, beans coupled with rice create a complimentary protein.

Of late I have been creating and testing quick bean dishes that can be served aside rice. I refer to it fondly as "dressing beans with handy spice mixes". Need a quick meal? Serve your rice alongside beans seasoned with various ethnic spices and a bit of oil. I like to take a teaspoon of a spice mixture added to 2 tsp olive oil and let sit for a few minutes. Pour your beans in a bowl, add the "spice/oil mixture and mix well. Heat up in the microwave for 2 minutes or until warm.

Here are some of my favorite spice mixtures. Each makes about 1/2 cup of mix.

Creole
(makes about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup paprika
2 tbsp dried thyme leaves
2 tsp ground Cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
In a small bowl combine until well mixed.