<p>Thanks for the recipes. I will try them but do they have chunks of tomatoes? I can’t stand chunks! I may have to puree the tomatoes in a blender if they don’t cook down. I don’t eat chunky salsa either. It’s a texture thing. :o</p>
<p>Didn’t somebody point out that canned tomatoes are a problem (BPA in the can combined with acidity of tomatoes? Makes me want to put fresh tomatoes in jars for the winter (yeah right). </p>
<p>NorthMinn…not sure what you consider low sugar but Classico has some that come in around 5 grams per serving. And the upscale places like Whole Foods usually have some good jars…but they can run between $5 and $7. Also Trader Joes if you have one near you. BTW, my h also HATES chunks…tomatoes AND apples. So we have lots of smooth stuff around here…:)</p>
<p>MoWC, I get toe cramps at my yoga/pilates class. I’ve never taken Boniva or any drug like it. So maybe your cramps are a side effect, but maybe not.</p>
<p>Hmmm- that’s what I was wondering. Have you found any way to stop them?</p>
<p>More stretching, for me, is the key, including stretching out my toes periodically during the day.</p>
<p>If canned Italian plum tomatos end up being my biggest health concern after 38 years of smoking, I figure I’ll laugh all the way to the pearly gates. I don’t plan to stop eating ribeye steaks or country ham either.</p>
<p>idad:
I’d need a mattress at the bottom of the stairs in case I fell down! That reminds me, once when doing box jumps in the gym in front of a wall of mirrors I got a little too much momentum going and slammed my forehead into the mirror. Left a big sweaty mark on the mirror and a small bump on my head.</p>
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<p>I was thinking that I could collect a bunch of black walnut pods and put them on the stairs to add a little extra challenge! </p>
<p>Of course, if the cats see me going up and down the stairs, they may grab the laser pointer and try to wear me out on the stairs. Turn about is fair play I guess. I use it for kitty interval training.</p>
<p>And the winner is (ding ding ding ding ding) mathmom. I made the chilaquile casserole. Actually I made two of them and just took them out of the oven about a half hour ago. Am letting them cool down before I put them in the frig overnight. H will take them out of the frig in the A.M. when he gets up so it won’t be quite so cold when I put it in the microwave (or oven… not sure yet) before I have to leave. I bought an insulated casserole dish-sized carrier with a carry handle tonight at World Market so they will stay warm on the way there.</p>
<p>However, I looked seriously at many of the recipes on the website northminnesota linked me to, and there were some good ones there, too. Definitely several there I will try down the road, but for my family.</p>
<p>MOWC-have you tried increasing your calcium intake? I’m wondering if the cramps have something to do with the calcium levels. Historically, I had occasional leg cramps, and taking calcium helped them. Now that I’m of age to take calcium every single day, never have one, aside from the one day I forgot my morning pills. </p>
<p>Am curious as to what, if anything, the Boniva might be doing with calcium levels to cause the cramping. </p>
<p>What an inspirational group on this thread! And fun. </p>
<p>Another question back there regarding fruit. In WW, grapes are certainly on the high cal fruit list. Lots of sugar. Cantaloupe is one of the better ones.</p>
<p>I take max calcium and D- but now they say maybe you shouldn’t… Can’t win.
I love grapes. :)</p>
<p>MOWC…I also get the toe and finger cramps and I don’t take Boniva. The cramps are so bad I feel like the toes or fingers are paralyzed! They curl up and then I have to apply pressure to get them to release. I am not taking a calcium supplement and rarely have milk. I go to the dr. on Friday so will get more info.</p>
<p>Hi great lakes mom! I love fruit,too, but have really had to cut back. Have been eating more berries.</p>
<p>It is spitting snow! Guess I better put long pants on to go to the gym!</p>
<p>teriwitt, cool! Hope you enjoy them. Sure you don’t want to serve it with those azuki bean cream puffs I linked a picture of? ;)</p>
<p>mathmom - sitting in my meeting now and those who have tried it really liked it. The only thing I added was bacon, which was an issue for one my co-workers who I didn’t know was vegetarian. </p>
<p>We had fewer people today, so there are leftovers… it will be my lunch today, too! Have also had two requests for the recipe, too.</p>
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<p>I’ve canned tomatoes and it’s not that hard–you don’t need to use a special pressure cooker as you do with other veggies because tomatoes have acid and you can use a water bath. But you’re right that it takes time and you have to buy the jars, etc. etc. Here’s what I do when I’m pressed for time.</p>
<p>[How</a> to Put Up Tomatoes (The super easy way!) | Southern Plate](<a href=“http://www.southernplate.com/2009/07/how-to-put-up-tomatoes-the-super-easy-way.html]How”>http://www.southernplate.com/2009/07/how-to-put-up-tomatoes-the-super-easy-way.html)</p>
<p>Battled the wind, cold rain and snow and went to work out. Did the usual bike ride but then a friend came and sat down beside me and we started to talk. I kept biking next to her and stayed way past my normal time! Came home and was starving so made a broccoli and portabella mushroom egg white omelet with a light multigrain English muffin and peanut butter! Yum! Think I will make some type of soup for dinner tonight as the temps keep dropping.</p>
<p>BTW, the reason for the canned Italian plum tomatoes is not solely convenience. They are simply riper and better than the fresh tomatoes typically available in grocery stories. It’s a Marcela Hazen (the Julia Child of Italian cooking) trick.</p>
<p>I had to buy cherry tomatoes to get anything even remotely ripe for the guacamole I made to go with my chicken fajitas last night. Damn that avacado in the fridge. Thanks to that bad boy, I had to make guacamole, which put me over my calorie target for the day. Oh, well. I don’t thin eating an avacado is the worst splurge in the world. I’ll have to see if I can offset it today with chicken caesar salad for dinner.</p>
<p>Making Taco Soup and it smells so good! Made it with reduced sodium broth, black beans, pinto beans, great northern beans, extra lean ground turkey, corn, rotel tomatoes and chilies…remember I pick out the chunks!..my own mix of taco seasoning since I cut out sodium and ranch dressing. I want to eat now but H isn’t home yet. Wonder why I am so hungry today???</p>
<p>Now, that was a workout. I’m alternating Sparatcus and iPod nazi this week, because they work somewhat different muscles and Spartacus is tough three times in a week. So, iPod supersets today - four 3-exercise supersets, two reps of each superset. </p>
<p>When, I was done, I went for a little bonus:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>1 leg bulgarian split squats, six on each side. I did these without dumbbells this time so I could use my arms out to side for a bit better balance and work on going deep. I was able to get my knee all the way down the floor on one side.</p></li>
<li><p>Then, I broke out the new 25 pound dumbbells for some shoulder presses on the stability ball. 8 reps. That’s right at my limit, at least at the end of a 57 minute workout. I don’t wanna drop the things on my head. I’d already done two sets of stepping up on a step while curling and pressing two 20 pound dumbbells.</p></li>
<li><p>Then, I balanced out the presses with dumbell rows with a 25 pound dumbell, eight on each side. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Oh, and Lowell George/Little Feat is fantastic for ol’ fat guy pumping iron.</p>
<p>I forgot to mention: Chintzy would have been proud. I acually got off the ground (just a wee bit) on the burpees today. That is a truly sadistic exercise.</p>