Trying to come up with meals to satisfy everyone can be a daunting task all on its own. Trying to come with healthy meals can be downright intimidating. Yet, somehow we manage.

These are just a few ways we make our favorite foods healthier
without losing any of the deliciousness we love:

Ⅰ Grow a garden.

The best way to eat make your favorite foods even healthier is to supply your very own homegrown ingredients. It’s a great money saver, too.

Ⅱ Buy locally grown.

If you can’t grow it yourself find someone who does. The shorter the distance from harvest to door the healthier it is for you. Find your local farmer’s market and u-pick farms and know what real food is supposed to taste like.

Ⅲ Coconut oil.

Coconut oil is great for so many reasons. It’s perfect for cooking at high temperatures, thus making it a great alternative to other oils for stir fry. It’s great in a fruit smoothie, too. Try it instead of butter the next time you need a little grease in your pan. A little goes a long way.

Ⅳ Canning and preserving.

Instead of buying jams, jellies, and even nut butters loaded with preservatives why not can your own. After your trip to the u-pick farm you’ll want to make sure all your hard work is not wasted. Jams are easier to make than jellies and are great for sandwiches, danish, and even homemade donuts. Freezing fruits and veggies picked at their peak will enhance your means all winter long.

Ⅴ Use butter instead of margarine.

Whether baking or sauteing your foods will love you more if you use real butter over artificial substitutes like margarine. Concerned about fat and cholesterol, try using less butter in the recipe or substituting half for margarine and meet the recipe halfway.

Ⅵ Venizen instead of beef.

Sure, not too many people are interested in eating deer meat, but it is leaner and healthier than beef and makes a great substitute when it comes to stews, steaks, and even hamburger. I mean, really, have you ever seen a chubby deer?

Ⅶ Leave out the salt.

Yes, sometimes we need to add a little salt to our food. Most times, we don’t. Read the labels on the ingredients you are using. If salt is a main ingredient, then avoid adding more. Try alternative spices like pepper, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and more. There are so many great seasonings available, don’t limit yourself.

Ⅷ Go meatless.

Make a stir fry of just veggies. Red, yellow, orange, and green peppers, onions, red cabbage, carrots, celery, garlic, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and more. Add a little wild rice and you have a filling and healthy meal, sans meat.

Ⅸ Cocoa or dark chocolate.

Cocoa makes a great substitute for regular chocolate in desserts. Dark chocolate has healthy properties and is great for satisfying ones sweet tooth.

Ⅹ Make it homemade.

We all lead busy lives. yet homemade is not out of our reach. I have a great pizza dough recipe that takes about 10 minutes to make. Make it a fun family night dinner and make individual pizzas for everyone. The dough makes 2 large or 4 small pies.

It’s all good

I always remember ‘everything in moderation’ and use that as my main rule of thumb. So many great foods and so many great ways to prepare them. Don’t limit yourself to just one way or say ‘low fat, salt free doesn’t taste as good’. Just imagine the world of flavor just awaiting you around the corner. Healthy can be tasty and you don’t have to give up your favorite foods to have it all.

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and WeightWatchers SmartOnes blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Ten Ways of Making Your Favorite Foods Healthier is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

A few months ago I signed up to be a reviewer for Eden Fantasys. For those of you who may not know, Eden Fantasys is an adult store on the web. I’m a bit old fashioned in that I don’t discuss my private life, but Eden Fantasys offers more than just your typical sex toys. One case in point, Hot Love Gel Packs.

How they work:

1. Bend metal disk back and forth until crystals form.
2. Feel the warm hugs and hot kisses heat up to a thrilling temperature of 54º C (129º F).
3. Apply gel pack to desired body area and feel the warmth.

Re-usable: Boil for 7-10 minutes in a pot of boiling water or until crystals are gone.

My thoughts:

Pros:

• I found the heat lasted about 45 minutes, which is just about perfect for alleviating the pain of sore muscles.
• After bringing water to a boil, it only took about 2 minutes to reheat the gel packs.
• Gel packs are reusable.
• Price point. At under $10, these are well worth the cost.
• Convenient. Each gel pack is just a little bit bigger than the palm of my hand. Can be moved and placed over various areas of the body depending on needs.

Cons:

• I found the metal disk difficult to break.
• Only comes in pink.

After breaking the metal disk the gel pack goes from a gel-like liquid state to a more semi-solid state. When cold, these are quite solid. After boiling they return to more their original gel-like state.

I used these on my sore muscles after a grueling workout. I can say the only thing better would be soaking in a hot bath.

Disclaimer: I received the Hot Love gel packs as part of the review program from Eden Fantasys. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and not influenced nor edited by Eden Fantasys. Affiliate links are used.

Review: Hot Love Gel Packs for Massage is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

Buy any:

1 pack and receive $1.25
2 packs and receive $2.75
3 packs and receive $4.50

Qualifying products:

FriXion Light (UPC#46505, #46506, #45507) and FriXion Ball (UPC#31553, #31554, #31556, #31557, #31565)

Rebate form found on the back of package. Limit one rebate per household. No expiration date listed.

Right now these are BOGO Free at CVS. If you happened to have missed the freebies at Walgreens (like me) and have 4 $1 off coupons this can be a sweet deal.

Buy 4 @ $4.39 BOGO Free = $8.78 – 4 $1 MQ = $4.78 – $4.50 MIR = 28¢ for 4 packs of pens (7¢ a pack).

If you’re interested in 4 $1 off coupons, exp. 10/31/10 (sent to me from SheSpeaks for reviewing these pens), then send me an email request. The first one who does gets them.

Pilot FriXion Pen Rebate is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

Do you like to keep up-to-date with Facebook and Twitter even when you’re away from your computer? Interested in connecting to Facebook from your mobile phone for just one low price per month? Boost Mobile is all about being social. For only $50 a month you can talk, text, email, IM, and stay social on the web.

No contract pay as you go.

It’s easy with Re-Boost. Pay in person, by phone, or even online.

• Set up worry-free automatic payments
• Make a one-time payment
• Register your credit or debit card for future payments

Don’t have a credit or debit card? No problem. Purchase a Re-Boost Card at one of the many Boost Mobile Authorized Retailers. Re-Boost Cards expire 5 years from date of purchase, so you have plenty of time to use your time on your time.

Putting the smart in smart phones.

Boost Mobile even offers a great deal for Blackberry users. Get all the same great services as a regular phone with your smart phone and pay just $60 a month.

I’ve been considering a Blackberry for several years now. Knowing it would only cost $60 a month for all these features is a great selling point for me. Unfortunately for me, I am under contract right now.

Social everywhere you go.

It’s important to keep in touch with friends, colleagues, even family wherever you may be. Business is more about being personal and less about being business. Tweet with customers during the day, even if you’re not in the office. Connect on Facebook and keep everyone informed of what’s new.

Pay one low price and never worry about breaking the bank. That’s just smart business for everyone. Plus, never worry about contracts; there are no early termination fees. You’re in control.

Get started today.

Boost Mobile, Keeping Up With Your Phone is Easy with Re-Boost is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

As with many great series, this one has a post that is not quite a part of the series, but fits with the theme overall. A nice filler until the next part comes out, if you will.

First, why not catch up, I’ll wait…

• Reflection: The Price of Educating Oneself, part 1
• Reflection: The Price of Educating Oneself, part 2
• Reflection: The Price of Educating Oneself, part 3
• Reflection: The Price of Educating Oneself, part 4

Goooooo You!

I don’t know about you, but I have a problem seeing myself the way others seem to view me. When my parents tell me how proud of me they are or how far I’ve come, well, I have trouble believing it.

So, when Dwayne told me, yet again, how much I have to offer. I, yet again, thought he just doesn’t see the real me. Or does he?

Sometimes it takes outside influences to make the reality of the situation really sink in.

Yesterday I was watching a movie where the 29 year old woman quit her dead end job, lost her apartment, dumped her pretty great boyfriend, and moved from NYC to Colorado to find herself. What she found was a list of things she wanted to do before she turned 30.

Of all the items on her list the one about forgiving her mother is what resonated with me. See, she felt her mother didn’t think she was good enough. What she learned was her mother thought she capable of anything. Here she had moved across the country to do what she wanted, on her own. She made friends easily, was kind and caring, pretty, and the only thing really holding her back, was a lack of confidence in herself.

Ah, confidence

Dwayne said when he met me I had it. Now I don’t. Something changed and only I have the power to fix it. But how?

Since I’ve been unemployed I don’t really leave the house. Why would I? I go to the grocery store, the drug store, sometimes the mall. I have no friends here. My children have their own lives and are not responsible for keeping me company anyway. I joined a gym in January, but then is snowed so much that I just stopped going. And of course, I’m cheap.

And yet, if I never leave the house I’ll never get over this, whatever it is I need to get over. So, even though I don’t want to pay for a gym membership I have to think about the bigger picture. My mental well-being as well as my physical well-being. Having one place to go may lead to more ventures out. Hanging out at the bookstore. Taking a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Maybe even making a friend or two. And, who knows, I may even find a job!

It’s about time I thought what others think about me. It’s about time I became my own cheerleader.

I am good enough. I am smart enough. And gosh darnit, people like me!

Be Your Own Cheerleader is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

September is official National Yoga Month. Cards worth ONE WEEK FREE YOGA and FREE YOGA CLASSES are available to all who visit www.yogamonth.org.  Get off the couch and onto the yoga mat in the name of better health.

For the first time ever, TITANS OF YOGA – an empowering and inspirational movie and the Official National Yoga Month movie – brings together twenty-five of the most prominent figures in the worlds of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, from Dr. Dean Ornish, a physician consultant to President Clinton, to Lilias Folan, the “First Lady of Yoga.” As they share their own life experiences from the tragic to the ecstatic, the Titans embark on a journey of self-discovery that touches and inspires.  Their tales of addiction and heartache, depression, an HIV positive diagnosis and a penchant for sex, drugs and rock-and-roll will move you as they share how they overcame these challenges and transformed them into their greatest life victories. Proceeds benefit Yoga-Recess in School to bring yoga-based health education into classrooms. To watch the trailer www.yogamonth.org.

National Yoga Month is a grassroots campaign administered by the Yoga Health Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. All funds benefit the national awareness campaign and Yoga-Recessin School to bring yoga-based health and fitness education into classrooms.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the Yoga Health Foundation. However, I do believe in the benefits of yoga and wanted to pass along the message of one free week of yoga to those who are interested and able to take advantage of this offer.

ONE WEEK FREE YOGA and TITANS OF YOGA movie world premiere to kick-off National Yoga Month September is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

School/office supply deals for Staples week of August 29 – September 4

Deals 50¢ or less

1¢ Items, $5 Minimum Purchase Required (August 29 – September 1 ONLY)

Bic® Round Stic ballpoint pens, 8/pack (limit 1)
[print $1/2 coupon or use $1/2 BIC stationary products 8/1 or 8/9 SS]
Staples® washable school glue (limit 2)

50¢ Deals

Staples® Accel® 1-subject poly notebook, 100 sheets – college ruled (limit 3)
Westcott® all-purpose 7″ scissors (limit 2)
uni-ball Jetstream Sport pens, 2/pack (limit 2)
Scotch® Gem tape dispenser, assorted colors (limit 2)

Easy Rebate/Staples Rewards® Deals

Sharp® 10-digit quiz calculator FREE (after easy rebate) limit 1
[$6.99 - $6.99 ER = FREE]
Sage Peachtree Pro Accounting 2011 FREE (after easy rebate) limit 1
[$199.99 - $35 IS - $165 ER = FREE]
HammerMill CopyPlus copy paper, 500-ream 50¢ (after instant savings & easy rebate) limit 2
[$6.79 - $1.80 IS - $4.49 ER = 50¢]
HP 4″x6″ advanced photo paper, 100/pack 50¢ (after easy rebate) limit 2
[$13.99 - $12.99 ER = $1]

Deals $1 – $2

$1 Deals

Staples® ComfortStic™ ballpoint pens, medium, 12/pack – blue
ALL SmileMakers® stickers
Staedtler® student pencil compass
Staples® medium binder clips, 24/tub
Scotch® Magic™ invisible tape, ¾” x 300″, 3/pack

$2 Deals

Expo® 8.9″x11.8″ double-sided writing and math practice dry-erase board
Expo® dry-erase board cleaner
1.6 liter Really Useful Box – pink
Metal pencil/crayon sharpener
Quartet® 8½”x11″ dry-erase board
Pilot® FriXion erasable gel pens, fine, 3/pack – black
Pilot® FriXion erasable highlighters, 3/pack – yellow
Staples® OOPS!™ retractable correction tape, 2/pack – gray-blue
Staples® invisible tape, ¾”x1,000″, 3/pack
XCellence 10-piece math set
Staples® pencil pouch with mesh pocket
Staples® 13-pocket coupon file
Staples® construction paper, assorted, 9″x12″, 200 sheets

Other Offers Worth Mentioning

Assorted Staples® fashion 1-subject notebooks and composition books, 99¢
Spend $20 on Avery®products get 20 bonus Box Tops
Post-it® ½” tape flags and page markers, $4
[print $2/$10 Post-it purchase]
Save 25% on ALL LockerMate® accessories
Save 25% – 50% on ALL backpacks
Save 50% on ANY lunch accessory when you buy ANY $9.99 lunch bag

Deal Idea #1 (without $5 off $50 coupon)

① Bic® Round Stic ballpoint pens, 8/pack 1¢
② Staples® washable school glue 2¢
① Sharp® 10-digit quiz calculator FREE (after easy rebate) limit 1
[$6.99 - $6.99 ER = FREE]

Before Deals $7.02
Rebates/Rewards $6.99*
After Deals 3¢ + tax

Deal Idea #2 (with $5 off $50 coupon)

① Bic® Round Stic ballpoint pens, 8/pack 1¢
② Staples® washable school glue 2¢
① Sharp® 10-digit quiz calculator FREE (after easy rebate) limit 1
[$6.99 - $6.99 ER = FREE]
① Sage Peachtree Pro Accounting 2011 FREE (after easy rebate) limit 1
[$199.99 - $35 IS - $165 ER = FREE]

Before Deals $172.02
After $5 off $50 Coupon $167.02
Rebates/Rewards $171.99*
After Deals $4.97 Money Maker + tax

*Rebates/Rewards will be awarded according to the terms of each particular deal, but average 6 – 8 weeks.

Post-it coupon info courtesy of AFullCup.
Disclaimer: Affiliate links used in this post.

Staples Back to School Savings August 29 – September 4 is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

First, how about a little visual…

My Thoughts

I remember when erasable pens were the big thing back in the 80’s. They had erasers similar to pencils and never seemed to perform as desired. Ink was left behind. Paper was torn. It was a mess. Disappointment ensued.

Enter the FriXion from Pilot®.

No pencil-like eraser here. FriXion (pronounced frick-shun) uses, well, friction to erase their gel ink pens and highlighters. Make a mistake? No problem. This is one gel ink pen that truly erases as promised. Highlight the wrong word, sentence, or passage? FriXion highlighters erase with just as much ease as the pens. Seriously, I’m impressed.

FriXion gel ink pens can be found at office supply, drug, and department stores (i.e. Target) as well as online for around $2.99 – $3.99 for a 2-pack.

Buy it…

Get a coupon for $1 off FriXion pens. A short registration is required, but you can hit your refresh or back button and print the coupon twice.

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀
Disclosure: I received several FriXion pens and highlighters courtesy of SheSpeaks.com for the purposes of this review. All opinions are 100% my own and are not influenced or edited by SheSpeaks.com or anyone else.

Review: FriXion Pens & Highlighters from Pilot® is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

you could
win an entire hotel for a weekend (100 rooms for 2 nights) in the…

Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes

Every day starting June 1, 2010 through September 4, 2010 Hampton Hotels & Suites is giving away weekend stays for four. 100 winners total.

One grand prize of an entire hotel for 2 nights will be randomly selected on or about September 10, 2010.

Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the fifty United States and D.C., Mexico, United Kingdom, and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 years or older as of June 1, 2010.

Two ways to enter:

1. Book a stay online at a Hampton hotel between June 1, 2010 and September 4, 2010 using the promotion code FRIEND or COF. Stay must be completed by September 5, 2010. Entry will be based on the day booked and only one stay will be eligible. Bookings through third party websites are not eligible.
2. Visit http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/promotions/hx_entry_form/index.jhtml?promo=friends and complete and submit the official entry form during the Promotion Period.

Limit one entry per person/email address for the duration of the promotion period, regardless of method of entry.

[complete rules]

A weekend away with the girls…

or boys.

Sometimes you just have to change your surroundings, gather a few of your closest gal (or guy) pals, and get away for a weekend of relaxation and good times. It’s a great way to recharge your batteries.

Where would you go away for the weekend?

Florida is always my go to state. Hawaii is my wannabe go to state. But I think this time I want to go someplace different. This time I would choose the Hampton Inn Canon City in Canon City, Colorado.

The Hampton Inn Canon City has an indoor heated pool and hot tub. So, even if it’s cold or rainy outside I can get my swim on. And while I’m there I can explore the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, featuring the world’s highest suspension bridge; or behold the stunning scenery along the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. Then there is backpacking, camping, and more in the over one million acres of the San Isabel National Forest.

I would gather my girls, Megan, Amanda, and Tracey and just hang, relax, laugh, and have fun. What about you?

Sweepstakes: Win An Entire Hotel for a Weekend from Hampton Hotel & Suites is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

• $1 off NOURISH+ Shampoo and Conditioner OR
• $1.50 off NOURISH+ STYLE Styling Priducts OR
• NOURISH+ Shampoo and Conditioner sample

The Free Samples Include:

✱ NOURISH+ MOISTURE Shampoo and Conditioner [drenches the driest hair with a fusion of gentle conditioners to give hair silky new life]
✱ NOURISH+ SHINE Shampoo and conditioner [illuminates the dullest hair, giving it shiny, vibrant life]

✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱✱

Limit 1 sample per household.
Must be 18 years or older, U.S. only.
Expires 12/31/2010 or while supplies last.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Free Sample or Coupon: Aveeno NOURISH+ Hair Care is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010