Wellness Wednesday

Wow... It's Wednesday and it is hot!  Very hot! Does it seem like your air conditioner is running non-stop... Can feel your energy bill going up?  This Wednesday, help your AC and your energy bill by turning on that ceiling or room fan.  Fans help the air circulate, which in turn makes you feel cool. Then you can increase the temp of your air conditioner, so it won't run as often.  The amount of energy a fan or ceiling fan draws is considerably less then your air conditioning unit.  Make sure your ceiling fan is spinning counter-clockwise, for the air to circulate down.  Some other great energy saving tips, draw your blinds/close your curtains, use a programmable thermostat, raise AC temp while out of the house, use minimal lights, and run larger appliances later in the evening when energy rates are lower. Keep your space well, and cool this Wednesday.

P.s. don't forget to stay hydrated, and check on the elderly.

Wellness Wednesday

Sorry forgot to post this yesterday...

It's Wednesday (bet you forgot, since WW hasn't been around), and Wellness Wednesday is back in full swing.  Recently, at meal time, the Thayer family has been making a major substitution on our our plates... And I thought I would share it as a Wellness Wednesday tip.  Instead of reaching for White carbohydrates or starches, we've been choosing color!  We've always eaten whole wheat (brown) bread & pasta... But we've decided to get more bang for our bite with our starches.  Yes, white potatoes are rich in potassium, but try sweet potatoes or purple potatoes for even more vitamins per bite.  Some other great substitutions that won't leave you craving a baked potato or white rice, are corn, squash (acorn, butternut, etc), peas, yams, beans, brown rice, barley, quinoa, and of course whole wheat pastas & breads.  Try these simple swaps, you will not only be satisfied after your meal, but your diet will be full of all the good things your body likes... Like beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, antioxidants, fiber, and protein.  And remember to stay away from the refined carbohydrates... White bread, sugar, white pasta, high fructose corn syrup, etc.  Stay well this and every Wednesday.  (Well, really Thursday)

Go Green Forever

On my last trip to the post office, I picked up two sheets of stamps.  Usually, the girls pick out the Disney-Pixar stamps, but this time they were out :-(. As the friendly postal worker was flipping through the stamp book with us, we came across theses cooler than cool stamps...

US Postal Service released these awesome stamps back in April of 2011 around Earth Day, to show that every person can help the environment. Award-winning animator, filmmaker, and illustrator Eli Noyes worked with Art Director Derry Noyes on his first stamp project, using a colorful, playful style to convey the message that every American can take simple actions to conserve energy and improve the environment. Go Green Forever Stamps give ideas like recycle, walk to the store, use reusable bags, fix a leaky faucet, maintain tire pressure, turn off lights not in use... Yes, the problems effecting our environment are Big, but Little things done by everyone makes a Big impact.  So, stop by your local post office and pick up these great stamps or order them online, and share these cool earth saving tips with all of your friends, family, and bill/payment recipients.  Go Green, always & forever!  Thanks USPS for such cool stamps!

Crab & Zucchini Casserole

Hey friends, I'm back after a mini vacation with a great recipe for you.  Now, it's not the healthiest recipe ever, but it's great if you love crab!  This casserole is very versatile, it can be served as dinner, for brunch, made ahead of time, it can easily be halved (like I did tonight), and it's easy!  This recipe originated from my Mother-in-law, however, I changed things up a little.  The original recipe called for Swiss cheese and imitation crabmeat.  I hope you enjoy this revamped Crab & Zucchini Casserole as much as we did.

Sorry, we dug in before I had a chance to snap a photo... Lol, it's soooo good!

Crab & Zucchini Casserole
Serves 6-8, total time 40-45 min

Ingredients
1/2 c butter, (really no substitute, flavor is key here)
2 medium zucchini, quartered & thinly sliced
1/2 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1 lb lump crabmeat
1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese (use skim-milk cheese)
1 c whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.
Melt butter over medium heat in large skillet.
Cook zucchini, onion, garlic in melted butter for about 5 minutes.
Add S/P, crabmeat, cheese, and breadcrumbs, stir.
Remove from heat, toss in tomatoes and basil.
Spoon mixture into a casserole dish, and bake for 30-35 min.

I served it with a field green salad, and an amazing glass of water!!

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 6
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 531.1

• Total Fat: 37.2 g
• Cholesterol: 101.0 mg
• Sodium: 1,066.4 mg
• Total Carbs: 25.6 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
• Protein: 23.6 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Crab & Zucchini Casserole caloriesby ingredient