I just wanted to share a website that I am very impressed with if you are trying to exercise, lose weight, and eat right.  If you haven't heard of www.sparkpeople.com, you have to check them out.  You can sign up to receive their emails with suggestions and helps in meeting your goals.  This week I received an email about their Spark Recipes.  I did not know they had recipes.  They have over 50 Thanksgiving Recipes that are about 150 calories per serving.  Each recipe has been rated by some of its members.  To view the recipes go to recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipes.asp.  I plan on trying a few this holiday season. Let me know if you try some. 

I tried a new recipe today, and it was great.  If you are having a hard time getting your children to eat a good breakfast, why not give them these breakfast cookies made with flaxseed?

Breakfast Cookies

2 c oats (large flake)
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. cinnamon (optional)
1/4 t. salt
1 19-oz can white kidney or navy beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 c butter, softened
1 c. packed brown sugar
Zest of one orange
1 large egg
2 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. raisins or dried cranberries
1/4-1/2 c. chopped pecans
2-4 T. ground flaxseed (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the oats in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse flour. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.

Put the beans into the food processor and pulse until roughly pureed. Add the butter and process until well blended. Add the brown sugar, orange zest, egg and vanilla and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Pour the bean mixture into the oat mixture and stir by hand until almost combined; add the chocolate chips, cranberries, nuts and flaxseed and stir just until blended. Drop large tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed, and flatten each one a little with your hand. (Dampen hand first.) Bake for 14-16 minutes, until pale golden around the edges but still soft in the middle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool

Makes 2 dozen cookies.  Let me know how you like them.

Did you know that 66% of all American adults are overweight? You may think, no big deal, everyone gains weight as they get older. But did you know that either preventing that weight gain to begin with or trying to drop 10-15 pounds and getting more exercise can greatly reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease?

And this problem is not just for adults anymore. Children are getting heavier and running into adult-like problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and even type 2 diabetes. This is a new trend for children to have adult health problems, and it’s time for families, friends and neighbors to join together and get healthy.  To see more about this topic and other health topics, check out this website.    www.shapingamericashealth.org  Let's get healthy America.

If you have just been diagnosed with Diabetes, I came across a book that might help you out.  The title of the book written by Theresa Gamero, is Your First Year with Diabetes: What to do Month to Month. Over the course of one year, you'll learn about medications, exercise, meal planning, and how to handle lifestyle and emotional issues - all at a pace that suits you. To order the book visit, store.diabetes.org/products/product_details.jsp. 

I came across an interesting website www.etsy.com/view_listing.php that markets a computer wrist keyboard and mouse pillow.  These are made from all organic material and filled with flaxseed and some lavendar to make them smell good.  The reason they use flaxseed in their product is because "the actual seed of flax contains 30 – 40% of an oil known Flaxseed Oil. This oil remains inside the seed. When the seeds are heated, the soft shell of the seed allows for moisture to be absorbed. As the seeds cool, a moist heat is released. Flaxseeds unique thermal and oil content allow for it to heat quickly and retain heat for 30 -45 min, making it an ideal natural heating product. Flaxseed offers a moist therapy relief."  So if you have strained wrists or carpal tunnel, check this out.  Let me know how they are if you try them.  The benefits of Flaxseed never cease to amaze me.  Carol
 

I came across a website, www.flaxmatters.com/home.php. They have quite a few recipes with flaxseed as one of their ingredients. There are smoothies, shakes, banana date flaxseed bread, and even brownies. If you have tried some of these recipes, how did they taste? I would love to hear from you.