I'm in love with Big Lots

Anyone who knows me knows that I love this store. Though most people look at me and snicker, think I'm weird, and tease me about it, I usually get the last laugh. When I return from my weekly trip with a bag full of great ingredients for delicious meals, desserts, or just pantry staples at a fraction of the cost of even the cheapest grocery stores, I know I've "dun good" with my dollar! 

What you've heard is a myth. They don't sell all "expired" stuff. Although they do have their own brands, it's also a closeout store. So, for example, when stores stop carrying certain brands, or a brand changes their logo, stores like Big Lots buy out their stock to resell in their own stores at a discount. You can get all kinds of stuff there for any kind of lifestyle -- from junk food junkie to health aficionado (totally spelled that right the first time ;-)), Big Lots has something for everyone. And with shipments every week, you never know what you're going to find! Here are some of the great finds I've picked up at my local Big Lots... that really fit my lifestyle!

• organic tomato paste ($0.33 per can)
• organic diced tomatoes ($0.80 per can)
• organic veggie broth ($1.50)
• organic chocolate (cherry vanilla... amazing and $1.80 for a bar!)
• Bob's Red Mill 7-grain cereal and bean soup mix
• whole wheat couscous ($2 a box!)
• organic canned beans (pinto, garbanzo, black, $1 a can!)
• Ghirardelli chocolate chips (their semi-sweet chips are vegan)
• Ghirardelli brownie mix (makes a mean pan of black bean brownies!)
• organic granola bars (Nature's Path)
• Kashi cereals
• Clif bars
• light coconut milk 
• potato gnocchi ($2 per pack, vs. $4-$5 at a normal store)
• Tom's toothpaste
• REAL Italian pasta
• organic pasta sauce
• organic canned vegetables (green beans, yellow corn)
• organic teas ($2/64 oz.) Green Tea Pomegranate, Peach White Tea)
• Ocean Spray Fruit + Veggie juice ($2.50... it's $4.29 at Publix!)
• Arnold 100-calorie Sandwich Thins ($1.40 for eight! Freeze them and use them for veggie burgers)
• lots of ethnic foods, including dry beans and Asian stir-fry sauces -- chili garlic is one I like to have on hand and it is a cool $1.50!

I love to check Big Lots for these kinds of items before I go someplace like Whole Foods--it's great when I find the items here because most of the items listed here do NOT have coupons... shopping at Big Lots is like using coupons... without using coupons! Their loyalty club, by the way, sends 20% off entire purchase coupons through your email periodically, and each $20 purchase gets you a step closer to a 20% coupon as well. Ten $20 purchases = 20% coupon to use on anything!

Big Lots has a lot to offer. They even have furniture, lamps, rugs, hardware and it is THE cheapest place to buy BATTERIES (4 AA batteries for $1.50, it really does not get any cheaper and they have tons), Wii games, dishes, kitchenware, decorations, outdoor stuff, pet supplies... you name it, they probably have it or will have it in time. I try to make it in at least once a week.

I am not a big sandwich eater but they do have a steady supply of bread about a week away from expiration at a DEEP discount - $1.40 - $1.80 per loaf, which is even cheaper than buying them BOGO at Publix. I have stocked up for Ben in the past. Just put the loaves in the freezer and store the loaf you're using in the fridge and it will last for weeks. If I see the sandwich thins though, I will snatch those up quick. They've also had Thomas' Bagels and Bagel Thins.

There is also a great variety of condiments at Big Lots -- many types of mustards, ketchups, chili sauce, hot sauces, relish, dressings, spices/rubs, peppers... it's all there! You really never know what you'll find.

Keep in mind that some Big Lots stores get preferential treatment. Specifically, those stores in a wealthier area of town are actually labeled "flagship" stores, which are generally better stocked and organized. The one closest to my place of work is a flagship store. I prefer this store, but I still love venturing into a non-flagship store just to see what I'll find. It's an adventure every time!

Water, Weights & Real Exercise: Take the Burden OFF of your Body

I bounce out of bed Monday mornings at 5am to do kickboxing in my living room. Who is this person? It's me. And I'm approximately 137 pounds of awesome.

I should be feeling good. And I do! But I still get down in the dumps about the numbers sometimes.

When The Biggest Loser winner and runner-up, sisters Olivia and Hannah, weighed in at the finale at like 127, 128 lbs after 8 months of literally living in the gym--for some reason I vowed I could get to the 120's, too.  So I decided to work out harder and eat better to try and get there. Well, I worked out hard, and my energy level skyrocketed in comparison to where it was. I added in a lot more strength training and varied my cardio a lot. My "workout weeks" were averaging between 2-3 hours of exercise weekly, which for me was very inconsistent. Now, thanks to how much better I'm feeling and great technological inventions like The Gymbox , I am now averaging between 4-6 hours of intense workout time weekly! I used to aim for 4 days a week, now I'm at 6, and I even had a string of 8 workouts in a row (don't worry, one of those days was a lot less intense).

I did drop a few pounds, really noticed things getting firmer and tighter, my clothes were fitting better, and I really saw my abs come out! But then, while these things were happening, the number started to go back UP to where it was! I wondered why. I was definitely burning a ton more calories and eating all the right foods. I have heard about people not used to exercising putting on weight at first until their bodies get used to it. A common adage in the fitness world is "muscle weighs more than fat" -- which, when taken literally, doesn't make all that much sense. Five pounds of muscle weigh exactly the same as five pounds of fat. Similarly, a square inch of muscle really does weigh more than a square inch of fat. Muscle is simply more dense.But the two look and "hang" on your body in two drastically different ways. Behold:

Each of the above-pictured replicas represents five pounds. However, it is obvious that one takes up significantly more space than the other. One is also a lot "prettier" than the other.  I know which one I'd like to have in my body!

But I still hadn't figured out why I had gained weight... why does muscle weigh more? I was about to find out.


Water in the Body

I am almost done with my fitness nutrition certification course through ISSA. One of the things I have recently learned about was water content in the body. Did you know that muscle cells contain 75% water, whereas fat cells in adipose tissue contain only 25% water? All of a sudden, the fact that I had been trimming down but supposedly gaining weight made more sense. The stronger my muscles get, the larger the muscle cells become, which means they require more water. Obviously women's muscles, due to hormones, don't get indefinitely large.

Water is also used to repair torn muscles. So when I spend an hour lifting weights, and wake up the next two days practically unable to walk, this could very well be the muscles swollen with water trying to repair themselves. Water metabolizes fat and makes muscle more elastic. So drink up!
Exercise: What counts?

Don't be fooled as many Americans have-- as THIS article in Time magazine reveals, the most frequently reported moderate activities were food and drink preparation (25.7%), followed by lawn, garden, and houseplant care (10.6%). What is exercise, anyway? Most Americans would say that it is anything where you are moving. That could be true. But what does it take to get the health benefits? You have to get your heart rate up. It doesn't matter if you're vacuuming. If vacuuming gets your heartrate up, it's exercise. Do it often. What does NOT count as exercise is this: sweating. Just because you are doing something that makes you sweat (I sweat while cooking, while taking a stroll around the block with Ben, and even while sitting at my computer sometimes!!) only indicates your body temperature--not your heartrate--has increased and your body is trying to cool itself down.

Ok... so how much exercise do I need to fit into my already-busy schedule?

According to the CDC, you need a MINIMUM (stress the MINIMUM) of either ...

1. Two hours and 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic activity each week (like brisk walking or cycling)
AND
muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days of the week that work all major muscle groups--legs (including the booty!), hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

OR

2. One hour, 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous intensity aerobic activity (jogging, running, Spinning, kickboxing, boot camp)
AND
muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days of the week that work all major muscle groups--legs (including the booty!), hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

OR

3. An equivalent mix of both options 1. and 2.
AND
muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days of the week that work all major muscle groups--legs (including the booty!), hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

So what doesn't count? Anything that doesn't get your heartrate up. Cooking. Shopping. Light gardening. You get the idea. Get that heart pumpin'!! It feels so good.



You can read more CDC guidelines by clicking here. The more time you put in, the more benefits. Getting your heart muscle and the rest of your muscles strong will make you not only look better, but FEEL better and BE actually BETTER. The top two leading causes of death in our country are heart disease and cancer. You know it wasn't always like this. Eating is very, very important to good health, but so is exercise. So if you're a healthy-eater that doesn't do their body good with at least the minimum amounts listed above, change something! We reap what we sow, so... sow what you know!

[RECIPE!] Skillet Lasagna

This weekend Ben decided he wanted to make dinner for me, and I told him he had to work "out of the pantry". We like to stock up about once a month so I don't have to shop as much or as often. This recipe came to mind immediately as one that would definitely meet that criteria.

My sweet hubby making this delicious meal for us on Saturday!

This is one of my all-time favorite crowd-pleasers. It was the first recipe I cooked out of Supermarket Vegan, which is my favorite cookbook ever. It's on page 78-79! My parents came over the second time I made it and everyone got seconds. I plan to feed it to my in-laws very soon, and this weekend, my husband Ben made it for dinner. It is almost foolproof.



A recipe almost exclusively from the pantry! We used a mixture of organic and conventional ingredients.


Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained.
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano and/or rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles (whole wheat works the same), broken into bite-sized pieces
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices included
1 cup prepared pizza or marinara sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Method:
In a large nonstick skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add the beans, wheat germ, 1/4 cup of the water, tomato paste, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Scatter pasta over bean mixture without stirring. Cover and bring to a brisk simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. adding the basil the last few minutes of cooking. Remove skillet from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Serve at once (with homemade bread!)

Per serving:
Calories: 378
Protein: 16g (or more, you can use whole wheat lasagna)
Total Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 0mg (of course)
Carbohydrates: 67g
Dietary Fiber: 8g (or more)
Sodium: 583mg (or more depending on what kind of tomatoes you use--you could use no-salt-added)

You can also add 4 ounces of chopped spinach when you add the basil!


The leftovers made a great lunch for us the next day! And you know, I was thinking how easy it would be to swap out the pasta used... as long as it is 8 ounces (half a box, usually) of the pasta, you can use whatever! Just make sure the sauce covers the noodles completely so they cook thoroughly. I might try it with penne or bowties sometime. Enjoy!

12 Reasons I Should Eat More Meat...

...and why they're bogus.

Meat. Delicious, not always unhealthy, but entirely unnecessary.

I get on kicks once in a while. Everyone does. Since I'm a big health, food and exercise nut, I usually alternate between the three when I'm on a kick. Lately my kick has been veganism. I'm not a vegan. I'll never be a vegan (knock on wood, I said that about becoming a vegetarian!!), but I love, love, LOVE reading about how plants, these beautiful plants that decorate our earth, can provide humans with all the nutrients and vitamins they could ever need. It fascinates me!

Anyway, I have been reading a ton of articles advocating veganism, and why meateating is unhealthy, but I have been more fascinated by the counterarguments--those that have commented on the articles saying that taking meat out of the diet is unhealthy and unacceptable, and that it could harm you. I advocate researching and reading credible information on both sides of arguments, so I did a Google search on "Why You Shouldn't Eat Meat"... just to brush up on this supposed supporting "research" for these counterarguments. There are some blogs out there that legitimately are making the argument that meat is somehow necessary for good health. Take a look at this blog article I read in particular:

12 Reasons You Should Eat More Meat

The point of this post isn't to negate every single reason listed by this blogger. The point of this post isn't to tell you, like many of the articles I was reading, that meat is unhealthy. My argument has never, ever been that meat-eating is inherently unhealthy. It's not. My argument is that meat-eating is not necessary. Eating the wrong meat (and there is a lot of it out there) is what is unhealthy. Factory farmed meat (I don't care if that is all you can afford, it is garbage), farmed fish, lunch meat, hot dogs, sausage, bacon... is, indeed, unhealthy...both for our bodies and the Earth. And just because a person might eat it in moderation doesn't make it suddenly healthier. That is a cop-out. I choose not to eat it for a variety of reasons, namely because I personally believe that it is healthier for my body, the environment, and more ethical to not consume it... so I don't. So I'm really not out there fighting against meat-eating. I'm fighting against those who say that meat is necessary for health.

For those who believe it IS necessary... I do have to point out that I know very few other vegetarians/near-vegans (like myself) in general... and fewer still that "do it right". One thing that this blogger and many people I know completely leave out in their arguments that "meat is essential" is illustrated in this scenario:

If it's someone I know and they're sitting in front of me telling me flat-out that I NEED meat to be healthy, that my digestive system won't work right if I don't eat it, it makes me want to scream, "LOOK AT ME!!! I am fitter than you, get sick less often than you, have more muscle than you and my digestive system works juuuuuust fine. What do you make of that?" I haven't eaten meat in almost two years and have had several conversations of this sort where people try to push my logic into a corner by using stuff they have heard, without taking into account exactly who they're talking to.

Seriously. What do you make of it? What do you make me (if you know me)? Of all the incredibly healthy vegetarians and, especially, healthy vegans out there?  What about all the celebrities and athletes? There are lots of athletes that don't eat meat. And celebrities? Ellen DeGeneres, Natalie Portman (who is healthy enough to have a baby!), Alicia Silverstone... the list goes on. Are these people unhealthy? No.




P.S. Did you know that 65-70% of Americans are overweight and have no idea what is considered moderate exercise? Many Americans believe that cooking or taking a walk after dinner counts as moderate exercise! A future post will detail what counts as exercise, and how much you really need to have a healthy heart.

[RECIPE!] Homemade Salsa -- Restaurant Style!

Ben and I went on a mini-vacation to Melbourne Beach this weekend and had a blast. Time slowed down as we really focused on enjoying each other and this chance to really unwind. On the way home we talked about our favorite parts of the "vacation" -- we said things like just being together, the breezy beach Saturday morning, our fantastic Indian feast Friday night, seeing a seaturtle lay her eggs late Saturday night... and the salsa at Cantina Dos Amigos for dinner last night... yes, the salsa. It was fantastic. As I tried to pile on as much salsa per broken piece of chip as possible, I resolved right then that I would figure out how to make salsa as good as this...

...we got back at 5:00 p.m. after a tiring, HOT few hours' jaunt at Gatorland, and I did just that... the result was beautiful!

This is a REAL photograph of the deliciousness that resulted from my
mission to develop a salsa as tasty as the one we enjoyed at Cantina Dos Amigos...

Ingredients:
(makes enough to fill two 16-oz. salsa jars!)

1 1/2 cans of plain diced tomatoes, juices included (yes, I said canned!)
3-4 green onions, white parts included (not the roots)
1 small yellow onion, quartered
a few chunks or more of a red onion (I had some leftover in the fridge)
1/3 cup cilantro
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
juice of 1 small lime
~ 1 tsp sea salt
about 4 seconds' shaking of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Put all ingredients in a food processor in no particular order and process until desired consistency is reached... some folks like it chunky, some folks like it smooth... I like it a little in between :)

12 Really Great Health Reasons to Go Vegan [At least a LOT more often]

I often get asked... "So, what do vegans eat?" ... wouldn't it be a lot easier to ask "What DON'T vegans eat?"

I just got a new cookbook, Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson. I've been thumbing through it for the last 45 minutes or so and I stumbled across this article tucked inside the Soups section. The recipes are really, really enticing, but I also really like how great a resource this book is. And she not only lists her reasons, she lists quite a few sources for the claims. Now, I am not a true vegan. I do have cheese on pizza, sometimes, but I reduce the amount by at least 50%. Most of the time I leave the cheese off. Sometimes I eat frozen yogurt, or Stonyfield Organic yogurt. And you bet your bottom dollar if there's birthday cake, I'm probably eatin' some. Or if someone brings in bagels at work, I'll eat one with a bit of cream cheese.  I don't buy other dairy products or eggs anymore. I just don't want it going bad and growing disease in my refrigerator. I haven't purchased those products in over a year now, and the last year I have become healthier and more energetic than I ever was. No turning back!

Here's the list. Although I'm again, not a true vegan, it is helpful to be reminded of the true nature of these foods that can supposedly be enjoyed in "moderation"... most Americans could not identify this so-called "moderation" if it hit them in the face.

Enjoy. [My thoughts are italicized in brackets.]

1. A vegan diet has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, adult-onset diabetes, and osteoporosis. [That could easily be because it is low in saturated fat and cholesterol free!]

2. The Journal of the American Medical Association has reported that a vegetarian diet can prevent 97 percent of coronary obstructions. [Ben's grandfather had a heart operation earlier this year and for one of his first meals, they gave him turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes.]

3. Osteoporosis is a disease of protein excess. The protein in milk actually inhibits the body's ability to absorb the calcium from milk. Many plant-based sources of calcium are easily assimilated into the body. [You know what I say... the only people that say milk is good for you are the people that make it... and profit from it... and the people who buy into their b/s...]

4. Dairy consumption as been linked to heart disease, cancer (especially breast cancer), allergies, sinus trouble, migraines and psoriasis. [It is not natural to drink cow's milk!]

5. Dairy foods can create excess mucus in the body, which can host cold and virus germs in the respiratory tract. [That's kinda gross... I have no other comments.]

6. Vegans and vegetarians tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters. [I do know meat-eaters slimmer than I, but not many that are fitter than I ;-) totally bragging... hey, I'm allowed! I work my butt off!]

7. Studies show that a plant-based diet can increase your life expectancy by 7 to 15 years. [Heck, even one year would be worth it! Ben and I are counting on 100!]

8. The feed given to livestock is sprayed with pesticides. More than 90% of the toxic chemical residues found in foods consumed by Americans comes from animal products. [This actually makes me scoff when people criticize me for not buying eeeeevery stinking fruit and veggie organic.]

9. More than 60 million pounds of antibiotics per year are fed to livestock. These are passed on to people in meat and dairy products. This results in a diminished effectiveness of antibiotics used to treat human illnesses. [Anybody care for a dose of MRSA?]

10. Meat also contains bovine growth hormone, which can cause early sexual maturity in children. Statistics show that 100 years ago, American girls reached puberty at the average age of 17; today girls as young as 8 are beginning puberty. [Puberty began veeeerrry early for me!]

11. A vegan diet can reduce the risk of food poisoning. According to the Centers for Disease Control, campylobacter infects up to 90% of all chickens. In addition, each year up to 20,000 Americans become ill from E. coli found in meat. [Not to mention listeria that can grow rampant in your refrigerator if you store chicken in it!]

12. Cornell University's long-term study of diet and health, called the China Project, showed that 80 to 90 percent of all cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other forms of degenerative illness can be prevented by adopting a plant-based diet. [Other degenerative illnesses include Alzheimer's, MS, and others!]


I'd say those reasons are more than enough to keep meat and dairy out of the center of my plate, for sure. What do you think?

Favorite Cookbooks...

I love cookbooks!

This past Friday I took my first-ever client, Judy, on a tour through the vegan cookbooks at the bookstore. We sat on the floor and I told her everything she wanted to know about different diets, what are macrobiotic diets, where can you buy these ingredients, etc. They had almost every cookbook I own sitting right there on the shelf so it was really easy to find my favorite recipes and tell her about how they are not only nutritious but are delicious!! Judy, who formerly loved to cook with tons butter and cream, is now venturing into the world of vegan cooking. And so far, she's lovin' it! I really love sharing my excitement for vegan deliciousness with people so this was the perfect opportunity!

That trip to the bookstore is the inspiration for this post-- my favorite cookbooks!! I sometimes look online for recipes and print them out, but there is something about pouring over the pages of a good cookbook before bed on a Sunday night and dog-earing recipes you want to try out, and even making a shopping list for the week based on those recipes. I love it!

Although I have mentioned several of my favorite books in previous posts, I thought it would be useful to have them all in one spot. My favorite cookbooks are pretty much all of them. For the most part, I never buy anything without reading reviews on it, and cookbooks are no different. I like to buy with confidence!  So here's my list of my all-time favorite cookbooks. I'll put my top three and then list the others I recommend. Each title is linked to where you can buy it -- most of these can be purchased for $10 and under!!

1. Supermarket Vegan by Donna Klein -- I love this one! By far my favorite. I have given away about four copies of this book since I first purchased it and there are so many gems in here. Tons of great flavor, NO meat substitutes, and NO weird ingredients you can't find in a normal supermarket. A staple in my library!

2. Tropical Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein -- same author as SV above, and more simply delicious recipes from the Tropics--including Africa, China, Thailand, Australia (!), and the Caribbean! Irresistible stuff.

3. Vegan on the Cheap by Robin Robertson -- great book for beginning veganists looking to "rough it" and make their own stuff -- cooking heavily from scratch, baking homemade bread the way the pioneers did, homemade seitan. There are lots of creative recipes in here, like "savory vegetable cobbler" and some great desserts, two of which are currently on my top 5 desserts list -- Chocolate Blueberry Crumble and Pumpkin Spice Cake (hold the suggested chocolate frosting!).

Other titles I own and recommend:

1. Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen
2. Vegan Comfort Food -- by no means are these healthy, but they are GOOD! Killer vegan Mac n' Cheese that NO ONE will know is vegan!
3. Vegan Italiano
4. 30-Minute Vegan -- there are even some raw options in here.
5. The Indian Vegan Kitchen
6. How to Cook Everything Vegetarian -- lots of vegan options --I like it 'cause it has so many ideas!!

Also, I can't recommend it yet because I haven't used it myself, but Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson got such great reviews that I couldn't resist picking it up for a mere $10 on Amazon the other day. I thumbed through it at the bookstore on Friday and it has a great variety-- it features over 400 vegan recipes with flavors from around the world, I couldn't wait to dive into the pages and start planning some of the delicious, flavorful, and nutritious meals held within its pages!

So what are you waiting for? Revolutionize your family's meals, save lots of money and stave off cancer and heart disease-- try cooking vegan for a month! You'll wonder why you didn't switch sooner :)

[Dinner Party SNEAK PEEK] Thai Pumpkin Soup

This is a sneak preview for a SUPER easy recipe I haven't even made yet... but I know I am going to love it, so I thought I would post it ahead of time.

Not an actual photo, but it looks kind of like that :-) 

Our friends Mary and Barry (whom we actually know through Ben's parents... they are in their 40's, but we don't mind a bit!!) are coming over for dinner this weekend and I am going to be creating a magnificent [vegan!] Thai feast for them. The menu will consist of....

• Thai Pumpkin Soup
• Thai-Style Cabbage Slaw
• Thai Curried Sweet Potatoes (my fourth time cooking this incredibly flavorful dish!)
• Thai Tapioca Pudding with Mango

I am so excited to make this full of a menu. I've been gathering supplies carefully all week long so I can get to work on Saturday. Please note, this meal is NOT low-calorie, but it is high in nutrients and should not be consumed with any regret :-)

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

1 tbs peanut oil

4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (a favorite ingredient in our home)

3 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth 

1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree

1 (11.3-oz) can mango nectar

1/2 tsp grated fresh orange peel

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup light coconut milk

2 tbs smooth peanut butter

1 tbs plain rice vinegar

Directions

In a medium stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the white parts of the scallions, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the broth, pumpkin, mango nectar, orange peel, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, rice vinegar, and green parts of the scallions, stirring well to throughly incorporate. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Serve warm. 

Per Serving:

237 Calories

14g Protein (!)

10g Total Fat (3g saturated)

0mg Cholesterol

28g Carbohydrates

7g Fiber

512mg Sodium 

I counted the calories estimated to be in all four dishes I am making this Saturday and the count totaled almost 1200! So needless to say, I will be most definitely be turning on my Gymbox this Saturday and sweating up a storm... and going easy on the meals so I can splurge with less "guilt" that night!!