fajitas + smoothies, but not together

 One of my favorite meals at the Holt house is fajitas. I used to be more intimidated by them because it is hard to find a carb-friendly tortilla. We found a great Carb Balance variety by Mission. 6 Net Carbs? Yes, please! The recipe is easy. You can remember it just from this image. Once you purchase the flavor you want, you follow the directions on the back to marinate (usually water, olive oil, and the flavorings). Marinate for 15 minutes. Cook until browned - we added bell peppers. And VIOLA! Fajitas :)

make with

guacamole (recipe here)

The world deserves to see this clip in keeping with fajita night. Ross was having a bit of a hard time coping with Joey and Rachel's relationship...

I am also obsessed with berries. They are lower-glycemic than most fruits, so I can eat more with less of an impact on my blood sugar. They are packed with fiber, so they are perfect for a side or the flavor of a smoothie. 

Shall we Brunch?

There isn't a ton to do on a sunny Memphis Saturday in the dead of winter, but when friends invite you to brunch at Rizzo's Diner...you go. And so we went. While mimosas are a fabulous drink of choice for  brunching, I am used to thinking of orange juice as a treatment for low blood sugar. I don't drink it recreationally. So, I opted for coffee. 

The champagne sure does look appetizing, doesn't it? I am glad that I caught Stephanie's expert pour.

We are really interested in the food, though, right? What did I order? Well, I had wartime flashbacks of Rizzo's diner. You see, the only other time I have been there was during a highly symptomatic time - Spring 2012 (diagnosed in April). We went on a lovely bachelorette brunch for a friend, and I ordered Bananas Foster French Toast. Y'all, it comes with a scoop of ice cream. I remember it being delicious. Andrew ordered it this time, and all I could see were glucose molecules when I looked over at his plate. It is strange how Diabetes can affect your perspective. I had never tried Eggs Benedict anywhere. So, I opted for the Vegetarian Eggs Benedict with a side of bacon (go figure). And yes, it tastes every bit as good as its presentation.

Andrew and I had a pretty active weekend. We took the dog on a four-mile walk through South Bluffs after brunch to take advantage of the sunshine. Yesterday, we each had a long run to do. His parents grabbed their bikes, and we all set out to Houston High School. His mom biked along for my 5-mile run, and Andrew's dad accompanied him on his 6.5-mile run. What's bad? He gave me a head start, and he still finished his longer run faster than I could finish my silly 5-miler. Whatever. I am just glad to have a fellow running enthusiast in the house these days. I feel like all we talk about is joint pain and the Nike+ running app. Ain't marriage so glam?

diabetes + irony + oops?

I have been on Diabetes overload lately...but in a good way. Stephanie and I went to the JDRF Symposium in Nashville last weekend, and it was so much fun. I learned a lot, and I was around people with whom I could relate. We even got to meet Kerri Sparling, one of the bloggers that Stephanie introduced me to while I was in the hospital.

Last night, Stephanie and I went to the JDRF Type 1 dinner at Salsa. Don't ask me about what Mexican food does to my blood sugar...it really isn't fair. The speaker was a local endocrinologist, and he was a wealth of fabulous information and enthusiasm. I think it is amazing when someone who studies a disease day-in-and-day-out for decades is able to approach it with fresh enthusiasm no matter what. We diabetics don't get a vacation from it, so I guess it is only fair :)

I am enjoying staying plugged in and meeting new people. It would be easy to hide under a rock, but approaching my diabetes head-on is more my flavor.

Speaking of flavors, I just dropped one of my Torani Sugar-Free Mocha syrups. It fell behind the refrigerator. Then, I hear ::guzzleguzzleguzzle::. Yes, it is spilling out. The puddle creeps out from under the fridge, and my dog noses closer to it. Right now, all that is stopping an epic chocolate flood is an old brown towel and the hope that my dog doesn't realize that she can simply move the towel and partake any time until my husband gets home with more muscles than I have to offer the situation.

Oops.

I was looking for my coffee this morning, and I found one of my freezer meals. I used to eat these Smart One's meals all the time pre-diagnosis. In fact, I don't know that I have touched a noodle since April 2012. Trust me, not all diabetics are like this. They simply figure out the carb-count in their noodles and bolus for it. I wasn't that brave on shots, and I am certainly not that brave on Metformin.

From the iPhone

It is 2013, so I should know how to make a blog from a cell phone app. I have no idea what it will look like once it is published.





Here I sit in Republic Coffee, drinking one of the more fabulous sugar-free coffees I have ever tasted. Who knew I liked sugar-free caramel? It was my back-up to sugar-free raspberry, which I've never had. Doesn't that sound fabulous? I'm thinking of ordering it off of Amazon, because I am *obsessed* with raspberry.

Has anyone tried the Torani?

Is anyone out there?

Bueller?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Walnut Grove Rd,Memphis,United States

quickie post: project report

sometimes you just have to share a nice 24-hour block of obedient blood sugar...
this is especially surprising considering the amount of chocolate i ate yesterday!
thank you metformin...keep doing what you do!

Wassup with Wasa?

A few months ago, I fell in love with Wasa Crisps. So far, in 2013, I have made pretty decent decisions regarding meals. I have only hit my Dexcom's high note (180) three times, and each time I can point to the food the caused it (Pita Bread, Fruit, and Mexican food). Here are two of my meals that incorporate Wasa. 

This is a breakfast staple. 2 Eggs + 2 Slices of Turkey Bacon + 2 Wasa Crackers with Laughing Cow Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread with Light Cinnamon and Splenda sprinkled on Top (makeshift cinnamon toast). All of this is under 15 carbs.

This is a lunch option. 10 Berries (5 Raspberry & 5 Blackberry) + Carrot Chips with Ranch + 2 Wasa Crackers topped with Tuna, Light Mayo, and Tony's seasoning. This is under 25 Carbs. Those berries pack a lot of good fiber :)

So, I thought I would share some fun, quick breakfast and lunch ideas for those of you who may be wondering how to eat light in the New Year!

Also, just to check in - I have done 2 Pure Barres this week and have slacked on running. I am running 3-4 miles this afternoon. Long runs are on Sunday! Don't worry. After our NYE experience, Andrew bought Just Dance 4 and Hip Hop Dance for our Wii. We have spent a lot of energy on this game. It is a great workout and drops my blood sugar quickly! It will be my Winter equivalent to taking a post-meal walk!

new month? heck, new YEAR...

Capturing Diabetes has a feature entitled "new month". I started this series because I find that the first day of a new month is the perfect time to assess my habits and create new aspirations for the next 30-days. Well, January 1 is the grandaddy of them all! Not only is it a new month, it is a new year! It is a perfect time to make our monthly short-term goals and new long-term goals. It amazes me every single year how many people are inspired by the notion of starting anew. We all believe in the power of positive change, but our resolutions have a shelf life. Some of us last a matter of weeks...days, even, before we are back to our old habits.

Maybe you made a resolution to start running, only to be confronted with the realities of the cold weather. So, maybe you edit your resolution. Instead of running outside, you vow to go to the gym and hit the treadmill. Shortly, you realize driving to the gym takes time. Once you get there, it is so crowded with other inspired folks that you are waiting in line for your turn to sweat. The next thing you know, you are back on the couch promising yourself you will run when it is warm. Maybe you do, maybe you don't.

Maybe you resolve to save money. You even start your own budget on Microsoft Excel, allotting money for food, gas, and fun. Then, you get your first e-mail about Spring fashion, and you've typed your debit card number in faster than you can say "epic fail". <---Hoping this won't be me.

I love resolutions. I always have mixed emotions about whether they are effective, but I think putting a healthy amount of pressure on yourself is a great thing. In one swoop, you are forced to acknowledge your past weaknesses and strategize a method of attack to improve. The key is to make realistic resolutions. Don't resolve to run a marathon if you have never run a mile. Don't resolve to lose 20 lbs. if you only have 5 healthy lbs. to lose.

I know you can make positive changes and stick with them! We've only got one shot at 2013, so why not start out full-steam ahead in our productivity?

Here is a thorough list of my resolutions:

Diabetes. 

Keep my hba1c under 6%. 

Do a better job of logging blood sugar.

Stay aware of carb content just as I did when I injected insulin.

[Last year, I brought my a1c down from 12% to 6.3% to 5.9%]

Fitness.

Run the entire Germantown Half Marathon in under 2:30:00. <--March 17, 2013.

Do Pure Barre at least three times per week. Oh, and try yoga. 

Go on more post-meal dog walks.

[Last year, I trained for a half marathon up to 12-miles. I ran 9/13 miles on raceday and finished the race in 2:31:00.]

Food.

Eat fewer than 20 carbs at breakfast.

Find a healthier relationship with caffeine.

Cook more, eat out less. 

Friends.

Keep in touch with my friends from out of town, even if that means talking on the phone.

Make a better effort to see friends who are in Memphis.

Send cards for special occasions and send letters just because.

Finances.

Donate one garment for every garment I purchase.

Save $xxxxx by 2014 (sorry, that's private financial stuff)

Make an effort to find cheaper gas instead of convenient gas.

Career. 

Study for and pass the February Bar Exam.

Continue to meet with people to hammer out a career plan.

Apply to the Journalism Masters program.

[Last year, I met with at least a dozen people to discuss career-related ideas.]

Blog.

Learn how to use my camera's full capabilities.

Maintain blog post frequency.

Forge more blogger relationships.

[Last year, I exceeded all my blog statistic goals.]

Faith.

Join a small group.

Regularly donate the excess "stuff" in our house.

Invest more in trusting God to achieve less anxiety.

[Last year, Andrew and I explored different churches to find a church home.]

Marriage.

Hug more.

Let the little things go.

Express due gratitude. 

Home.

Change sheets once per week.

Clean all countertops daily, including bathroom.

Sweep up pet hair twice per week, or as it becomes noticeable. 

[Last year, I made my bed nearly every single day.]

Habits.

Work on sleep hygiene. Less TV. 

Don't let the gas light pop on. 

Sketch more.