Accordion Treats

Dear Lissy,

Christmas has rolled around again, and it's time to dust off the Accordion Treats recipe.  These treats, an American twist on the French Madeleine, are light and buttery cakes (or maybe cookies?) with crisp ends and a soft center.  The moniker was given because of the unique pan the baker has to fashion out of foil in order to create the signature shape.  Accordion treats are simple to make, and a favorite of many of Senior Saints.

Accordion Treats

Makes 48

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Fold 1 yard of foil in half lengthwise and fold into 1" accordion pleats.  Place on cookie sheet.  Lightly spray with non-stick pan spray if desired. 

 

Cream until light and fluffy:

3/4 cup room temperature butter or margarine

3/4 cup sugar

Beat in one at a time:

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

Stir in:

1 cup (5 oz) flour

Drop by teaspoonfuls into the center of each pleat of the foil. Too much batter causes the treats to run out the ends of the foil.   Bake 18 - 26 minutes until the cookies are deep golden brown on the ends and have golden centers.  Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, pull the foil flat to release one side of the treat, and then carefully remove the treats to a wire rack to cool.   Use opposite side of foil and refold the accordion for the next batch.  

Melt together using 50% and 30 second bursts in the microwave:

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tsp shortening or coconut oil

Drizzle treats with dark chocolate using a fork.

Mom's Notes:

• Try different flavorings:  lemon, orange, almond, and anise are all delicious.
• Add 1/2 finely chopped nuts to the batter.
• Dip the ends in chocolate and roll in crushed nuts or toasted coconut.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar instead of using chocolate.
• Serve plain cookies with a dip.

Love ya, Cookie!
Momma

The No S Diet: 2 Month Review

Dear Lissy,

 Three of the five of us have been following the The No S Diet for the past couple of months.   I wanted to write you a letter for once you are out on your own to:

1. Remind you of how simple and effective the No S diet is,
2. Add in the few little tweaks that have made this a success for us, and
3. Remind you that good health and good sense is nearly free.  Too many weight/health management programs are priced out of reach for the people most in need of it.

Disclaimer:  I am not affiliated in any way with Everyday Systems or The No S Diet.  My opinions are my own.  As always, consult a health care professional before making changes to your diet or exercise. 
 
The No S Diet:  "No Snacks, No Sweets, No Seconds except on Special Days."  The special days include Saturday, Sunday, family birthdays or major events, holidays, and sick days. That's it.  It's a "good enough" approach that is easy to follow and effective for long term weight loss and maintenance.  Our N.P approved it whole-heartedly for all three of us, even though two of you are still in growth periods.

My favorite part of the No S Diet is the sense of quiet power. I was hyperfocused on food for most of my life.  No S broke that tumultuous affair, and moved food back to it's rightful place in my heart and life.  

  No S Diet Observations

• Buy the book.  Yes, all the information is on the website for free.  You don't have to buy anything.   But the book is worth every penny -- just sayin'.

• Listen to the podcasts -- they're fun and encouraging.  They go in reverse order, so you have to start at the bottom of the page.  Everyday Systems is only partially about weight management, so some of the podcasts are for systems besides No S.
  
• Join the Facebook group or No S message boards for daily inspiration and a great place to troubleshoot.
• Don't fear hunger.  Give your body a chance to re-calibrate. 
• Be prepared for people to be uber concerned that you're not snacking. 
• Don't add restrictions from other diets.  You are free to eat one plate of anything but sweets three times a day.  Everything is fair game on weekends.
• Know yourself -- you're free to eat whatever makes you feel great within the parameters.  I eat a low carb lunch so I can function all afternoon.  That's a choice made based on my knowledge of my own body, not a rule that's hard and fast.  I'm also free to hit Subway if we're driving all afternoon, skip lunch when I'm researching for a new book, or join my folks at Ramuntos for a couple of slices of za when they come to town for an oil change  I'm free.
• Be prepared for slow loss:  we've each lost about 2% of our current body weight per month.  If a friend is starting or on another program at the same time, she'll probably be losing that much per week, and it can feel discouraging.  No S is for the long haul, not short term loss.  I love seeing the testimonials of folks that have been on No S for 5 or 6 years with a steady loss every year.

 A few observations on mealtime.  
The following practices aren't a part of the official No S plan, but we find them helpful.

• Make up your single plate of food, and sit down at the table to eat.  Other diners are ideal, but no smart phone, book, or other distraction.
  
• Every meal is accompanied by a large glass of water.
• Watch your bite size.  The amount of food on the end of your fork should be about as much as a large grape. 
• Take 3 breaths or a sip of water between every bite.  Retraining yourself to breathe or sip between bites will slow you down so that your full-o-meter works properly.
• Stop eating when you are pleasantly full, even if there's food still on the plate.  Your body will cue you by reducing the flavor in the food.  Once the food tastes bland, stop eating.
• Thoroughly clean your mouth after every meal as a signal to your brain that you. are. done. 

• Consider making the same breakfast and lunch every day.  Reducing choice reduces stress and failure.  Eating close to the same thing every day helps your body adjust more quickly, too.

What about between meals?
Zip.  Nada. Nothing. OK...water.   That's part of what makes this diet easy to follow. I also find that minted green tea (plain, no sweetener or artificial sweetener) cuts cravings and hunger.  We don't chew gum because the artificial sweetener wreaks havoc on our system.

Those awesome S Days.
S Days are like a pressure release valve, and a lot has been written about dieters' Mardi-gras-ish tendencies during the first few weeks.  Once you've passed that stage, here are a few thoughts...

• Think powerful thoughts.  You are absolutely free to eat anything and everything, but you are also now free to say, "Nah, not right now."  That is phenomenal.  Many people don't have that freedom.  If they see and want food, they either gobble it up, mourn that they can't, or obsess about it until they finally cave and eat twice as much.  Enjoy your newly minted superpower.
• Don't add restrictions for the first 90 days.  I promise that S days normalize eventually.
  
• Focus on your favorite S and make it extra special, downplay the other two.  I love having a sweet treat after a meal, so I make or purchase special sweet treats for the weekend.  I don't care as much about snacks or seconds, so I downplay those freedoms.  I won't have a snack or seconds unless I'm genuinely hungry.
• Stay active.  Go for a walk around town, or take a bike ride with the fam. S days provide a couple of relaxed dieting days, not an excuse to forgo exercise.

Oh, yeah...exercise.  Is this the catch?
No catch, I promise!  We don't have room in this letter to discuss exercise at length, so I'll give you the short version:  exercise is vital for your health, but not a significant contributor to weight loss.   

• A brisk daily walk or bike ride will keep you strong mentally, emotionally, and physically and make it easier to maintain an eating plan. 
• Strengthening and stretching muscles will prevent injuries as you age.  

End of story.  Anything more is a hobby, not holiness, despite what anyone says. 
Two exercise programs -- Urban Ranger and Shovelglove -- accompany the No S diet.  They aren't part of the diet, but more of a companion to it. 

• The core principle with Urban Ranger is to walk more.  Errands.  Lunch breaks.  A trip to the library.  Urban Ranger is not about working the treadmill or a taking a power walk around the track in stretchy neon clothing.  

• Shovelglove strives to incorporate muscle strengthening exercise for 14 minutes a day, 5 days a week.  We opted for isometrics over sledge hammers, but the overall principle is the same.

I plan to stay with No S for the rest of my life.  It's a quiet way to manage my weight without the ups and downs of dieting.  I hope you'll be successful with it now and keep it going as you head out on your own.  If you ever lose your way, know I love you to the moon and back, and pray every day you'll have the health and energy to bloom where you've been planted.  I hope this letter reminds you that you don't have to do something painful, expensive, awkward or dangerous to maintain your weight.  Lose that frantic feeling, and relax into a sensible plan that gives long term success.

Love ya,
Momma

Bullet Journal: 6 month update

Dear Lissy,

Hello, Sweetie! I've been using a bullet journal since this summer, and I wanted to update you on how and what I'm doing.  Bullet journaling has been an productivity epiphany for me, allowing me to simplify (yay!), plan what I can actually accomplish in a day, and become much better at staying in the moment. I'm also consistently using the calendar app on my phone, something that's become more important now that four of us have work, club, and church schedules to coordinate.

• I use my smartphone for all date specific items -- work schedules, appointments, due dates -- and for my address book.  These are tedious to recopy and can get lost in a bullet journal.
• I use my bullet journal to plan, focus, and record my day as well as keep notes on topics or projects.
• I use clip in master sheets to avoid re-writing routines.  I also use post-it tabs and washi to help me find pages instantly.

Planning

or, "Creating a do-able day using a bullet journal."

I've always had piles of lists.  Routine lists, to-do lists, project lists, Big Idea lists and lists of lists floating around in a variety of notebooks.  Few things in life are more discouraging than a sheaf of to-do lists with a handful of undone items on each one.  Bullet journaling put an end to that.  Everything is in one place and indexed.  Undone items simply forward.  More than once in the last couple of months I've not planned any new tasks for a day and used my whole day to catch up on old work or work on a project with a deadline.
Planning  my day is a 5-10 minute part of my evening routine now. This is my method, step-by-step.

1. I write tomorrow's day and date after skipping 2 lines, as well as the weather and my dinner plans.  I consider this the same as a metadata tag on nature journal pages.
2. I draw tiny circles and copy any appointments or other date-specific items from my calendar app. If the event requires money, it's preceded by a $.  Anything I need to bring is listed in a box beneath the event.
3. I check my monthly calendar in the bullet journal and my tickler for any items I've tickled for tomorrow's date.  This section is mostly handled by my phone app now.  If I need to coordinate with another person, that becomes a task (i.e., "Ask Dad to pick up Nate from work")
4. If any undone daily tasks remain from previous dates that aren't already visible on the two page spread, I recopy them with box bullets. Items that are still visible will have a forward arrow, blank box or partially colored box that catches my eye.  
5. I check ongoing project pages -- "Camping Trip", "Start of School" -- to see if there are any items I need to follow up on the following day.
6. I use boxes to denote any tasks for the upcoming day.  Every boxed item has to be something I can physically do.  This week, for example, I don't have "car inspection", I have "Call Dexter's to schedule inspection."
7.  Projects have a heading and a boxed list of tasks beneath them.
8. Items I need to buy or bills to pay are listed with a $.  I balance my checking account daily, so that's part of a routine sheet.
9. Work I'm assigning to one of you kids is marked with your initial and a down arrow (for "delegated") in the task box.
10. I clip my routine sheets onto the facing page.  After I've completed all the tasks, I'll move them back inside the back cover.
11. I put in dots, and record anything I did today that wasn't on the page.  Picking up a friend at the doctor's office.  The emergency batch of cookies.  The cup of coffee with a friend who dropped by.   More about that under "Recording".

Focus

or, "How I eliminated ferret brain using a bullet journal."

Moving everything to one book (ok, one and a half -- I have my Quiet Time journal in a separate thin notebook inside the same cover); and placing my current day on one page has given me laser focus.

I've tried the one book thing many times before in ring binders with dividers, and failed.  Really, Filofax -- it's me, not you. I'm a helpless list maker.  I don't know the psychology behind why a simple bound book would allow me a freedom a ring binder system didn't, and I really don't care.  Everything goes in this book, and I'm on the same page most of the day.  Seriously, everything.  I've even installed a card/cash pocket so I don't have to bring my purse into the store.

My bullet journal just hangs out with me like a newborn, wherever I go.  Maybe I should create a Bullet Bjorn.  Around 4 pm, I take a look at what's still left, and forward or delegate items I know won't get done today.  Deep sigh of relief.

A few examples...

• If I'm washing dishes and have a sudden "Eureka!" moment on the curriculum I'm writing, I can stop and jot it on the page.  No running to the computer and pulling up the file, forgetting the dishes until they're cold and slimy, and getting sidetracked editing.  No stress having the idea circle through my consciousness until I'm done dishes, crash deep into the gray matter, and then resurface as soon as I'm in bed.
• Idea for a watercolor illustration in my nature journal?  Sketch it right then on the page along with the tasks.
• Fantastic cup of tea at Mom's house?  Jot down symphonyoftea.com and "Carmelized Pear" on the page.
• That mouthwatering recipe in BHG?  Jot down the month, page #, and any non-pantry ingredients on the "Recipes to Try" page. Next time I bring Nate to work, I can pop in and get the ingredients.

Recording

or, "How I Mastered the Work Record."

I accomplish many, many items that aren't on my "to do" list every day.  Some of them are relational, some are emergency tasks.  A few of them are delegated from Dad or one of you.  It's not unusual for me to work like the Little Red Hen all day, and only check off one or two planned tasks.  I used to find that incredibly discouraging.  Now that I have my bullet journal out, I just jot down everything from "Mom and Dad stopped by for a visit!" to "Cleaned up after Eggpocalypse 2014."  I try to jot items down as they occur, but if not, I'll write them in while planning for tomorrow.

At the end of the day, my "Done" list encourages my heart when I have only blank boxes glaring at me from my "to-do" list.  This isn't a foreign concept.  My mom used to have to go through reams of work records for the billing for her law office.  Anyone who bills their time gets in the habit of recording their life in 10 or 15 minute increments.  I don't get money for my time, but I am a steward of the time God has given me.   I can look through the list at the end of the day and thank him for the health, strength, and grace to accomplish His to-do list, even when my own wasn't done.

What worked and what didn't (in no particular order)

• The Midori traveler's notebook (Traveler's Notebook Refill #13 Lightweight Blank Paper 128 pages ) has replaced my blank Moleskine Cahier in 3.5 x 5.5.  I desperately needed the larger size. This also allows me to keep my Daily Quiet Time notebook grouped with my Bullet Journal effortlessly.  Midori has add-ins available to hold a wide variety of items from pencils to credit cards, and mylifeallinoneplace.com has dozens of fun printables and add-in projects for the Midori TN as well.  I'm still waffling on whether to buy a Midori cover or stick with my DIY (http://www.mylifeallinoneplace.com/2013/02/my-handmade-travelers-notebook.html), but the Midori lightweight notebook is spot-on for my needs at a fair price.
• I don't have a gazillion special symbols.  I've only added the $ sign, the Tickled bullet, and "delegated" down arrow to the original set of symbols.  
• My index starts on the first set of facing pages, not the first page of the book.  I don't remember where I picked up that tip, but it's a winner.
• I use Post-It brand divider tabs to mark monthly calendars (top of page) and projects (bottom of page).  The Midori has a built in page marker for today's page.
• I prefer the line-style monthly calendar over the grid style.
• I made sturdy routine sheets for morning and evening routines, daily chores, and weekly household chores to avoid re-writing recurring tasks.  These store in the back of the notebook and can be clipped into the journal as needed.
• I only use a pencil and an architect "font" for readability.
• I keep a tray handy with washi, paper clips, binder clips, stickers, a glue dot runner, and other doo-dads that add a little color and interest.  I found that I enjoy adding the little bits of ephemera and sketches in my journals almost as much as I enjoy the actual lists.  It makes my book fun to look back through, too.
• I finally mastered and use my phone's calendar app.  The calendar app and the bullet journal are a match made in heaven. 
• I kept my tickler file because it  incorporated into the bullet journal seamlessly.

I find the bullet journal an irreplaceable tool for a stay-at-home mom with a smartphone.  I know many professionals have also latched onto the bullet journal because it has the power to focus and record the day.

Lovin' you!
Momma

One Quick Tip: Crispy Pie Crust

Dear Lissy,

No more soggy crusts -- even in puddin' pies.  Want to know my secret???  It's an oldie (c. 1939) but a goodie.

Roll out your favorite pie crust recipe on graham cracker crumbs instead of flour.  

That's it.  Really. The graham crumbs that get smooshed onto the outside of the crust don't add any flavor or weird gritty texture, but they keep the crust crisp.

You're my little puddin' pie,

Momma