Sweet Potato Fries Recipe!!

Dear Dolls: 
I woke up with a craving for "Mc fries" today! My body said yes...but my mind said NOoo -a reg Fast Food fries is 378 calories and 18 grams of fat! My mind & body compromise = Sweet Potato Fries with BBQ Truffle Dip. Amazingly good, 1/3 the calories and still good for me and the TrophyWife Diet!  The Tangy BBQ sauce means you only need a small amount for dipping - enjoy the kick not the quantity. Here is my recipe and some pictures of my snack, but there are plenty of others on the web. So explore and enjoy!  -Trophy

Heat oven to 450.
1 med Sweet potato sliced into fry sticks
French Fry seasoning
Olive Oil 1- 2TBS to lightly coat sheet pan and to drizzle on "fries"
White Truffle Oil drizzle or 1/8 tsp
BBQ Sauce 2TBS
Light Mayo 1/2 TBS

Tabasco Sauce to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

Coat large sheet pan with olive oil (spray is fine). Place potatoes in bowl and drizzle 1 Tbs of Olive Oil over fries and sprinkle (to taste) with french fry seasoning. Arrange fries on pan evenly with space in between. Place pan in middle of hot oven and bake until crisp. About 15 minutes. 

Prepare dip by mixing BBQ sauce,Tabasco, light mayo and truffle oil in a small bowl.

 110 calories with Med Sweet Potato

* Make your own french Fry Seasoning - sprinkle paprika, garlic powder, pepper, chili powder and onion powder over fries.

** Sweet Tooth - Instead of French Fry Seasoning, sprinkle the potatoes with a dusting of sugar and cinnamon with the olive oil for a sweet variation on this dish.

**Great Benefits - Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). They are also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Additionally, they are a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and phosphorus.

Stand Tall to Look Slimmer

Dear Trophy: 
  While losing weight and getting fit I am seeking distractions to keep me busy instead of eating. Today's distraction - Proper Posture. Having proper makes you look more confident, taller and slimmer. We want that! So here are some tips.

Stand straight as if a hand is under your chin holding it up slightly to plant a kiss on your lips.

Shoulders should be pulled back - 2nd benefit, your bust looks bigger.

Tilt your pelvis forward and look in mirror. Make note of where your body looks aligned and feels comfortable.

Through all of this imagine that your almost floating against gravity. It will keep you from feeling dumpy. Your flesh is not holding you up - your skeleton is, let it do its work.

Hold your head and ears up with your chin. I always feel royal when I have great posture and walk in a room of people not watching theirs. You stand out. And Us trophies love standing out.

Hope these tips help. Have fun playing barbie with yourself!

Knocked out by Illness: How to workout after being sick.

Dear Diva:  After a recent bought (2 weeks) with bronchitis, I am ready to get back to working out.  But a few hours after proclaiming myself heeled - I am exhausted after just doing a few task around the house.  I am ready to workout - but I do not want a relapse so I decided to do a little research and grab some tips for easing back into my fitness routine - And of course I am sharing my knowledge with you!

WHAT? - Don't work out until you are actually better or you can slow the healing process! Your immune system needs all that extra energy to fight off what has been ailing you.  A Washington Post article says I should wait 2 weeks after being ill to start exercising or risk relapse.  While I initially thought this was a little long, I can attest that though my body feels better my oxygen levels are still labored, so even small amounts of movement ware me out.

WHAT? - Each week missed working out can slow your cardiovascular progress by 30%  according to SHAPE magazine.
     Silver Lining is that you can return to your former cardio levels quicker since you were already conditioned.  Take a couple weeks to build back up or try a variety of new routines to keep yourself mentally stimulated as you build back your strength.

WHAT? - Hydrate REST Hydrate REST Hydrate! No surprise here every article says hydrate and get plenty of rest.  Medication and the illness itself can zap precious hydration and many medications are very high in sodium so hydration makes sense.  And of course getting plenty of rest is important - Rest is when your body does it's most repair work, so along with the recommended 7-8 hours, I found I also need a 1-2 hours of rest in the middle of the day to feel fresh. **For the youthful fun of it I froze Gatorade in ice cube trays and noshed on them as a hydrating snack while resting and watching endless hours of Law n Order.




*http://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/how-to-exercise-after-being-sick
http://www.delightsanddelectables.com/
www.livestrong.com
www.washingtonpost.com