Thanksgiving and a Break

Thanksgiving at my house was small, with just 5 of us.  Compared to my mom's typical 20+ pound turkey, my 11 pounder looked like a chicken.  I tried 2 tricks that I saw on TV.  Thanks to Julia Child & Jaque Pepin, I removed the backbone, butterflied it open and cooked it on a pile of whole-grain stuffing.  Thanks to The Chew, instead of brining, I made a sage & rosemary salt (sea salt, dry rosemary & fresh sage in a spice grinder) and put a sprinkle of it between the skin and the meat on the breast and thighs.  It was THE BEST ever.

I had to laugh as I was setting out all the side dishes.  Everything but the dinner rolls either was, or was loaded with vegetables (except the one with grapes).

Most of those ended up in a veggie pot pie.  (There was actually turkey in it...but only about 1/2 cup.)  The squash and sweet potatoes became "pumpkin bread".  Shhh!  Don't Tell.

I'm now a month into my new job as a Diabetes Educator at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and totally loving it.   I am finding the transition from consulting to scheduled hours a bit challenging still.  I got a little spoiled by being able to do a half day's work in my PJ's.  Updating this nutrition blog is one of those things that just never seems to get crossed off my "to do" list.  I'm going to take a couple months off, then re-evaluate if it's something I want to continue.  Meanwhile, I will continue to coordinate the Idaho Dietetic Association / Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics blog.  Though written for Registered Dietitians, everyone may find the Tuesday Trends and the WWW.Wed posts of interest.

See you next year.

Live Longer By Eating Fruits and Veggies

A very large study looking at the fruit and vegetable intake of a group of people in Europe over 8 years, found that people who ate 8 portions  of fruits and veggies daily had a 22% lower risk of dying from heart disease compare to those who ate 3 or fewer.  For each serving over 3, the risk dropped by 4% per serving.  Women saw even greater risk reduction benefits than men.

The study did not count potatoes or dried beans as vegetables because of the higher carbohydrate and calories of those foods.  Only fresh fruit was counted (not canned) and nuts, seeds and olives were not counted either. A half-million people from 10 countries were included in the EPIC study with 313,074 in this assessment.  

The reasons for the reduced risks are not entirely clear.  Changes to cholesterol levels and blood pressure have been considered as have certain components within the fruits and veggies, but the detailed analysis of this study neither confirm nor refute those theories.

This is not the first study to show the benefits of eating more fruits and veggies, but this study shows how strong the connection really is. 

"Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality From Ischaemic Heart Disease"  European Heart Journal. 2011; 32(10):1235-1243

Physical Activity Challenge Cont.

The Fruit & Vegetable / Physical Activity challenge at work has spilled over to a second month.   Fruits and veggies are no problem for me (although admittedly, I really would prefer to order an Amber Ale at the Biker Bars on the weekend instead of a  Bloody Mary...ah, the sacrifices). 

I find my personal physical activity barriers a little frustrating.  I don't DISlike exercise.  I just have better things to do (like sleep or earn a pay check).  And my hobbies are frustratingly sedentary - I like to read and make quilts.  But I am making progress, as evidenced from the exercise clutter accumulating under my desk at work.  For the past month, one pair of shoes has lived under the desk and I manage either the 15 minute or 30 minute route from the office at least 3 of the 4 days I'm in the office.  Lindsay is leading lunchtime yoga twice a week...and I've committed to Wed (despite the pine needles in my hair and the fact that I got charley-horses in muscles I wasn't even aware were prone to cramping).

Finally, I think I may have found a solution.  I borrowed my daughter's ipod yesterday, and after about an hour's frustration with updating software and figuring out how to download and transfer files, I have a book on tape from the library.  I'm not sure what happens to this file at the end of the 2 week check out. Does it vanish? Maybe the guard from the library takes it away. (I've been wondering all week who or what he is protecting and from whom.)  So this morning I sent an email to my co-workers to warn them I would be late and I hoofed it to work.  65 minutes later, and only mildly sweaty, I arrived feeling virtuous and knowing a bit more about "choice architecture" and behavioral economics, a result of a couple chapters of Nudge. 

World Breastfeeding Week

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week by getting the word out that Nursing is Normal.

Beets

I went to the farmer's market this weekend where I found the golden beets to be absolutely irresistable.  Quite honestly, I had forgotten how much I like beets until I bought some for the veggie challenge.

My preferred way to cook beets is to roast them, but with summer time temperatures in the mid-90's F, I opted to steam them instead.  It took 20 minutes for them to get tender, and I tossed the green beans in for the last 5 minutes. 

After they cooled, I used a paper towel to rub the skins off the beets.

I was trying to think of a way to turn them into a salad without having the red and the gold bleed all over everything.  I diced the red beets then tossed them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper and arranged them on a bed of lettuce.  After rinsing the red out of the bowl I made another batch of vinegrette for the golden beets and green beans that included rice vinegar and a little mustard.  Some leftover diced chicken finished the dish.  (I included some crumbled blue cheese on mine too. YUM!) 

This turned out to be a great Cooking-While-Quilting meal.  The veggies cooked while I was sewing away at the machine and it only took 10 minutes (of my very valuable crafting time) to chop and assemble a yummy and healthy meal.  Oh...and if you don't normally eat beets...don't be alarmed when you go to the bathroom. (Everything changes to beet colors for a day or so.)

1/2 cup of beets is only 37 calories and provides 17% Daily Value for folate, 7% potassium, 5% vitamin C as well as 2 grams of fiber. (Source:  NutritionData.com) 

Gestational Diabetes

Just read a study on gestational diabetes (GDM) and the risk for children who's moms had GDM to develop diabetes at a younger ages.  Children were tested at age 11 for the risk factors that identify pre-diabetes (obesity, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL and blood sugar in the high-normal range).  Children who's moms did have GDM, but the infants were of average birth weight had similar rates of the risk factors as children who's moms didn't have diabetes - about 20% had at least one risk factor.  If, however, the mom had GDM and the baby was 9 pounds or more at birth, 50% of those children had at least 1 risk factor and 15% had 3 factors for diabetes (which is how pre-diabetes also known as metabolic syndrome is determined) at age 11. 

Getting the word out about postpartum screening for diabetes and making family lifestyle changes for healthy eating, exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight sure sounds like a great way to stop the obesity and diabetes epidemic.

Metabolic Syndrome in Childhood:  Association with Birth Weight, Maternal Obesity, and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.  Booney et al.  Pediatrics 2005; 115;e290

Great Quote

A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do.
– P. J. O'Rourke

Success with Veg!

The variety challenge is over, and I was able to use most (but not all) of the produce from the shopping spree. 

I really like roasted roots, but I wasn't about to turn the oven on and roast something for 40 minutes when it's 90 degrees outside. The parsnip, turnip and rutabega, I diced and steamed in the microwave  until they were tender (about 10 min).  Then I threw them in a pan with a little olive oil & garlic to brown them up.  A pinch of salt, pepper and rosemary for flavor.

The beets I cooked whole in the microwave also, about 8 minutes.  I diced them and some bartlet pears and made a vinegrette with a mix of balsamic and rice wine vinegar.  The beet juice turned the pears hot pink!  What's NOT to love about a food that's both of my favorite colors (lime & fuchsia). Then it was topped with a sprinkle of blue cheese.  Yum! 

I made a tomatillo sauce from the leek (slowly cooked in a little olive oil until they started to carmelize), then the tomatillos were added along with a jalapeno, sorrano, anaheim and poblano pepper (I removed the seeds to reduce the heat) and simmered until everything was soft.  That whole mess was tossed in the blender. 

My taste testers decided at that point that it was salsa.  So we added some salt and lime and ate a good bit of it with tortilla chips.

I also mixed some with some pre-cooked salad shrimp, diced tomatoes, avocado and blueberries and served them in boats made from the endive.

The butternut and acorn squash were also cooked in the microwave about 15 minutes.  The flesh was then mashed (potato masher) and some real maple syrup added.  This was a HUGE hit with my family who won't eat squash any other way. 

I'm still picking away at the cool fruit that I bought.  And the radichio and purple kale are still languishing in the fridge.  The challenge participants have until noon to send me thier lists.

Too much????

It’s all together possible that I got a little carried away at the grocery store in my attempt to catch up with Angela.  I wonder how many I really can eat in the next 4 meals.

Variety

The variety challenge at work has really ignited interest for some of my co-workers.  But why worry about variety in fruits and veggies anyway? 

It's easy to forget that each fruit or vegetable has it's own combination of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that help to prevent chronic diseases and keep us healthy.  

Here's a chart that compares 4 types of salad greens and the nutrients that we generally consider as being reasons to eat these foods.  By eating a variety of salad greens, you're sure to get the best of all the nutrients.

Water

We've all heard that we should drink 8 glasses of water per day, but is that true?  There's actually  no scientific data to back up that particular number.  Water is important to health, but how much you actually need depends upon many things. A good rule of thumb is that you need 1/2 cup (4oz, 118ml) for every 100 kilocalories that you eat.  I need about 2000 kcals per day, so my total fluid requirement is about 10 cups.

But that doesn't mean 10 cups of water.  Milk, juice, tea and coffee are nearly completely water.  Yes, I know you've been told that caffeinated drinks don't "count".  Recent research shows that you may have to pee sooner, but you don't actually pee more than if there's not caffeine.  Also fruits and vegetables are 90% water.  With this Fruit & Veggie Challenge at work, I've been eating 3-4 cups a day.  That's easily 3 cups of my 10. 

You may need more fluid intake than average if:

• you exercise vigerously (losses in sweat and breathing)
• you live in a dry climate (evaporation)
• you eat a high protein / low carb diet (foods naturally low in water and need extra water for metabolism)
• the weather is hot (sweating)
• you drink alcohol (extra water needed for metabolism)

You've probably also read claims that drinking water will help you to lose weight.  It won't rev up your metabolism (as frequently claimed) but may help for the following reasons:

• Drinking water instead of sugared drinks reduces your kcals by about 200 per glass.
• The volume of the water may make you feel fuller and thus you may eat less.
• Many people mistake the way they feel when they are thirsty and think they are hungry...feeding the thirst cue adds unneccessary kcals.
• Drinking lots of water requires lots of walks to the loo.  When it comes to exercise...every step counts.

Water Calculation Source:  Whitney & Rolfe's "Understanding Nutrition"

Chicken Veggie Salad

Here's one of my "proportion" recipes that makes it easy for singles and cooks of large families to easily adjust.  I served this on Chibatta Rolls for lunch.  This evening it was made into a tortilla wrap by one of the girl's friends, and considered a dip with crackers by my older daughter. 

Chicken Salad
For each portion:
1/2 cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
1 rib celery, diced
1 carrot, shredded
10 cherries, pitted and sliced/chopped
1/4 apple, diced
1 mini sweet pepper or 1/4 bell pepper
1 green onion (white & green parts)
Ranch dressing - to taste.

My Friday fruit & veggie variety count included: celery, carrot, cherries, apple, peppers, scallions, hominy, black eyed peas, pintos, kidney beans, great northern beans, green beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, Spanish onion, red leaf lettuce, pea pods.  My volume was less impressive, only 6 servings...unless I get to count wine as grapes.

Grilled Asparagus & Fruit and Veggie Challenge

After a long, cold spring, it's finally summer in Boise (temps in the 90's after months and months of 70's).  Tonight I'll make what will surely be the last of this seasons' asparagus.  Maybe I'll try grilling it like in this video.

I've just issued a challenge to my co-workers.  I'm giving a prize to the person who eats the most different types of fruits and veggies from Thurs July 7 through Wed July 13.   You can play the on-line version too.  Leave a comment after the daily Nutrition Blog post or on my Nutrition Facebook listing what you ate.  For example, on Wed July 6th I ate: cherries, cantaloupe, asparagus, onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, red leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes and avocado.  Prizes TBA.

Sneaky Treats

Looking for a way to sneak more fruits and vegetables into your diet?  Try fruit or veggie purees in baked goods.  The first time I made this, I was using up some canned carrots that I had purchased for a camping trip and never used.  Canned pumpkin, sweet potatoes or peaches would work well, as would any kind of left-over cooked winter squash.  This is perfect for a pot-luck or staff meeting where people want "just a bite" of something new.

Cherries

One thing that I love about summer is the fruit.  I'm fortunate enough to have a sweet cherry tree in my back yard.  With our cold, late spring I wasn't sure we were actually going to have any cherries this year.  I was delighted to discover on July 4th, that not only were the cherries ready to pick...but the birds had actually left some for us!  I don't mind sharing with the birds, but it does annoy me that they take just one bite from each cherry instead of eating the whole thing.   Every few years we get a bumper crop and this appears to be one of those years.  I was able to fill two 1/2 bushel baskets without even pulling out the ladder. 

Now to figure out what to do with the bounty. 

I used 1 gallon of fresh cherries as a bribe to get people to stop after the Central District Health Department Cholesterol Screening so I could tell them about the resources we've added to our website for managing the Medicare medication gap, and also the new YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program. The Medicare links are for people who are on Medicare to find out if they will hit the dreaded "doughnut hole" of coverage for the cost of medications (where individuals have to pay $1700 out of pocket for meds before coverage resumes.) Please share with any of your friends or relatives in the US over the age of 65.  The YMCA diabetes prevention program is available at 42 locations in 22 states.  There's more info at the provided links.

I shared 1/2 gallon with my WIC co-workers so we can win the July Fruit & Vegetable challenge.  We're having a contest with another department to see which of us has a higher rate of employees eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and 30 minutes of exercise 3 days per week.  I'll be posting frequently about produce and exercise this month so my team can win!!!

Tonight, I need to pick more cherries and do something with all of them.  I asked my Facebook friends what they would do with the bounty.  I think I'll follow all the advice: cherry crisp, just eat them, and soak them in booze.

Vote on the latest poll to the right.  What's your favorite summer fruit?

B 12

I just read an interesting article on Medscape News that said that Metformin, a medication used to manage Type 2 Diabetes, can reduce the absorption of B12.  Higher doses of the medication were more likely to lower B12 levels and people who took a multivitamin were less likely to have low B12.  In one of the studies B12 deficiency was reported for 22% of the Metformin users.

B12 is a vitamin that is found in all animal source foods.  The body produces a protein called "intrinsic factor" that is necessary for the absorption of B12.  Vegans (people who don't eat any animal foods) are at risk for B12 deficiency as are the elderly (who tend to make less intrinsic factor).  There are a number of medications and stomach/intestinal problems that can also contribute to B12 deficiency.

Many people are aware that iron is related to anemia, but there are also forms of anemia that are related to B vitamin deficiency.  Deficiency of  B12 or Folic Acid can both cause anemia as well.  Since the symptoms are similar for both B-vitamin caused anemias, a blood test is required to choose the correct treatment.  The Merck Manual has more information about B12 and Folate.

Nutrition Challenge #1

Becky shared with me that her biggest challenge to healthy lifestyle and living is "balancing my new eating habits and needs with those necessary for teens and those for a exercising high cal eating husband."

"I think planning weekly menus would assist but find when I do that hubs and kids sometimes make the food I had planned to have for dinner for their lunch! "  

That is a challenge!  Here are a few ideas that might help fill up your bottomless pits (in a healthy way) without de-railing your nutrition goals.

• Plan meals and snacks when you write your menu.  Have high nutrient snacks for the high calorie gang and low cal options for those with lower calorie needs.  Focus family meals on foods that are high in fiber and vegetables that are beneficial for everyone. 
• Establish "fair game" & "off limits" sections of the fridge.  Put any leftovers that are up for grabs as well as snacks for the high calorie eaters in the family. An upper shelf is good for this so it becomes the first thing that is seen when you open the door. (In contrast, put your low calorie snacks in an opaque container, which serves as a cloaking device to teens.)
• Set aside a shelf in the cupboard or pantry for high nutrient snacks.  Stock it with individual portions of nuts, dried fruit, trail mix, instant breakfast drinks, and instant oatmeal.  Snack size baggies are good for this to discourage the entire container from disappearing.  
• Make high nutrient snacks like energy bars, and bean dips  that are ready to eat.  (The teens I know always chose the path of least resistance.)   
• Dried milk can be added  as a protein supplement to foods that are warm and moist like mashed potatoes, oatmeal, or casseroles. 

I'll work on some meal ideas and post them in a few days. 

Deli Cheat

I would like to say that every meal at my house is cooked from scratch and reflects perfectly balanced nutrition.  Mind you, that does happen several times a week.  But sometimes I want a healthy meal that takes only 10 minutes to put together.  

A roasted deli chicken provided 2 great meals for the 4 of us.  The night that I brought it home, we had "wraps".  A hearty serving of lettuce from the garden, combined with shredded carrots, tomato & avocado provided the veggies.  Some shredded cheese for a little calcium, and the chicken for protein.

We LOVE ranch dressing at our house and I make mine with a store brand ranch powder packet, buttermilk and a combo of fat-free sour cream & mayo.  The buttermilk and sour cream help reduce the fat and the mayo keeps it from tasting whimpy.

While I'm putting away the leftovers, I make deli salads in 6 cup reusable containers for lunches (or suppers) the next day.

To make things come out evenly, I usually portion out the meat and let everyone else select the amount of the other items they want on their wrap or salad.

This works with any combo of meat and veg.  Tonight I served pre-cooked frozen shrimp with left-over roasted corn, some toasted almonds & pumpkin seeds. While the pan for the nuts was warm, I sliced up a cheese called "Idaho Golden Greek" from Ballard Family Dairy. They call it a "Halloumi style grillin' cheese".  Just toss it into a pan on medium heat and it gets an amazing golden crust on it, while maintaining it's shape.  Next time I'll remember to take a picture of it before I eat it all.  

Next time you're crunched for time, pick up some salad veggies and a deli chicken and make several healthy meals at once.

Strawberries!!!!

Mmmmm.   Strawberries.  Trust me, these were even yummier than they look.  I found them in the section behind the weeds that is my much neglected back yard strawberry patch.  I have a few under the roses in the front yard too...but someone always gets to those before I do.  I have a long range goal of getting all the Potentilla groundcover out of the front perennial garden and replacing it with strawberries.

These 4 delicious gems were only 16 calories, but had 1 gram of fiber and 44% of recommended daily intake of vitamin C!  If I get serious about this groundcover scheme, I could protect the whole neighborhood from Survy!  Well, if you talk me into sharing.

Choose My Plate

USDA has announced their new logo "Choose My Plate" this morning, which will be replacing MyPyramid. 

 

Their new logo and revised website to help us to understand the updates to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines.  The goal is to start by filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables.  At least half of the grains should be “whole grains” like whole wheat, brown rice, or oats.  Add variety to your protein choices by including fish and beans.  By choosing skim or 1% milk, you can get all the vitamins, minerals and protein without the extra fat and calories. 

 

The website still has some great free resources.  “Get a Personalized Plan” allows you to enter information to get a daily food plan that lists the recommended number of cups or ounces of each food group you should eat.  The “Analyze My Diet” option allows you to enter everything you eat for a day and get a detailed nutrient breakdown that includes calories, fats, fiber and 17 vitamins & minerals. 

Go check it out!  

Nutrition for Headache Relief

Each semester, I require my Nutrition students at Boise State University to pick a diet of their choice and follow it for 4 weeks.  They follow several parameters that might change as a result of what they are eating, for example blood pressure or weight.  They participate in an on-line discussion board to give each other help and advice the weeks they are on the diet, and then write a paper with the results of a computer based nutrient analysis.  At the end of the semester, we hold a panel discussion to ask questions and learn more about what everyone did.  This semester, I was amazed with the outcomes for students who chose to track headache frequency or severity as their outcome measure.  

One student used the Food Guide Pyramid.  She went to the website to get a personalized plan.  The printout provides the servings and portion sizes of each food group to eat daily.  She reported that her intake of most vitamins and minerals improved (though didn't get to the "recommended" amounts) and she had a dramatic decrease in the frequency of headaches. 

Another student used the Plate Method.  This approach to portion control aims for 1/2 plate vegetables, 1/4 plate starchy/grains, 1/4 plate meat/protein, plus a small serving of fruit and dairy.  This approach gained popularity as an approach to manage diabetes, but it is also useful for balanced nutrition and weight loss.  The student following this approach had lower intakes of sodium, lost 3 pounds, reported fewer headaches and felt like she was more alert and had more energy.  Focusing on more produce cost her about $20 per month more than usual, which she felt was a good trade for how she felt.  

Two students followed the Fruits and Veggies More Matters (formerly known as 5-a-day).  Instead of looking at all the food groups, these students concentrated on eating more fruits and vegetables.  One student lost 4 pounds, had fewer headaches and saved money since produce costs were less than the more processed foods she'd been buying.  The most dramatic change was a student who had frequent migraine headaches (3-4 per week) and claims that after 2 weeks of eating 4-7 servings of fruits or veggies daily hadn't had a headache in over a month.  Wow. She also notes that she feels less fatigued and saw improvements to her asthma symptoms too.   Although her food costs went up slightly, she's saving many times more than that on medication.  

Maybe mom was right after all....eat your veggies.

Asparagus, Broccoli

I grew up on Sesame Street.  So today's post is brought to you by the letters A and B.

Asparagus, because it is in season! Mine came from California, but I know that it is available from Idaho farmers.  Usually I'm picking broccoli out of my garden by now, but we've had a crazy - cold spring and my veg are a month behind.

I threw these onto a cookie sheet, drizzled some EVOO and minced garlic on them and roasted them at 400 degrees.  That's me new default temp.  My mom cooked everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) at 350, but Chef Brenda says she uses 400 for her default.  Uh...she's a Registered Dietitian and she studied at Le Cordon Bleu....sorry Mom...high hand wins.    I LOVE the nutty taste that broccoli gets when it's cooked this way.  I gave it a toss after about 10 minutes then checked on it every few minutes after that until the broccoli started to brown.

Besides tasting wonderful, 1 cup of these veggies is only around 30 calories with 4 grams of fiber!!!  Both are great sources of vitamin A, but did you know that a stalk of broccoli gives you 224% RDI of vitamin C?  That's more than double what you get from a small orange.

Mmmmm.  I need to go plant more broccoli.

Eat Your Weedies

I

Does your spring garden look like mine?  Tucked in with the wintered-over garlic greens, there's dandelions and some volunteer fennel.

I'll let you in on a little secret about dandelions.  1 cup worth has only 25 calories, but 112% of your daily goals for vitamin A, 32% of your C and a fair bit of iron and calcium.

And if you pick it when your family isn't watching, you can sneak it into recipes and call it spinach.

Especially if you throw in a lot of herbs like parsley and tarragon.

I also have these great Egyptian Walking Onions.

Since our neighbor shared some eggs from their back yard chicken, I had the makings for a great quiche.

I have an appetizer recipe that was given to me as "Spinach Squares" which is a lot like a quiche, but no crust to fuss with. This is also a great way to use up little bits of cheese. My most recent  version had feta and mozzarella.  I included about 2 cups of the dandelions, 2 c of onions & garlic greens, a big hand full of parsley, and a few sprigs of tarragon and fennel.

Spring Garden "Quiche"
3 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup nonfat milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup shredded cheese
4 cups chopped veggies & herbs

Heat oven to 350.  Spray baking dish with non-stick spray.  (I use 9"x13" for appetizer squares, a pie plate for a dinner portion or 12 cupcake tins for individual)
Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Mix in flour, milk, salt and baking powder.  Add cheese & veg.  Spoon into baking dish and bake 35 minutes.   Meal portion (6 servings/recipe) = 208 calories, 23 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 6 g fat, 16 g protein, 772 g sodium, 468 mg calcium, 2880 IU vitamin A, 20 mg vitamin C.

Nutrient analysis and information from Nutritiondata.com

Resolutions

Resolutions.
Most people make them Jan 1.  Not me.
After my annual Idaho Dietetics Association meeting last year, Colleen & I set up a Linked In site for IDA.    The response was underwhelming.

I have to admit, that I'm a social networking geek.  I was on Facebook before my teen daughters.  I learned to manage a website over a decade ago (but no...I don't know how to write HTML code...I just know it exists.)  I tried to Tweet.  I just have too much to say.

I've spent the past 2 years as a hard-core hobby blogger for my passion of quilting and applique. 

Today marks the starting point of something I've been pondering for about a year.  I am newly re-committed.  I signed a contract, with my co-worker Erin.  She's in charge of keeping me responsible.