Sunday 23 February 2014

10 Comfort Foods that Won't Pack on the Pounds

For most people, low temperatures and winter weather means it's time to integrate a sixth food group into their diets: comfort foods. Bowls of belly-warming macaroni and cheese, creamy mashed potatoes, and piping-hot chicken pot pie help satisfy your body's instinctual drive to stay toasty and conserve energy for the winter ahead. Obviously, if you're not careful, these annual indulgences can quickly add pounds of extra insulation that are hard to remove come spring. Fortunately, fat and calories aren't prerequisites for a soothing, satisfying dish. Some smart ingredient swaps can transform hearty favorites into lighter, healthier fare that's still satisfying. These tips from Michelle Dudash, RD, Phoenix-based chef and recipe developer, and Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, author of Comfort Classics, will allow you to enjoy savory, cold-weather foods without adding inches to your waistline.
1: Macaroni and Cheese
Maybe the mother of all comfort foods, this creamy dish can pack close to 900 calories a serving when it's loaded with whole milk and five different cheeses. To shave calories and fat from the sauce, use low-fat milk, tub butter, reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan, which contains 2 g less fat and 3 g more protein than Cheddar per quarter-cup serving, says Dudash. You can also cut back on cheese by adding pureed cauliflower to the sauce. Punch up flavor with garlic powder and spices, recommends Dudash. Also, use whole wheat noodles to deliver twice as much fiber, which slows your body's absorption of sugar and keeps you feeling full.
2: Mashed Potatoes
Despite being chock-full of nutrients, potatoes get a bad rap. A medium-size potato serves up more than 25% of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C, about 18% of your daily potassium intake, as well as 2 g of fiber (if you leave on the skin). So why are mashed potatoes the enemy? Most are drowning in butter and whole milk. Keep your spuds lean by using low-fat milk, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, and chopped chives for flavor. If you can't imagine eating your taters without butter, Magee suggests placing a small pat of butter on top as a garnish. "I find it's comforting to have it melt on the mound of potatoes," she says.
3: Oven "Fried" Chicken
Frying any food is a surefire way to make it a nutritional no-no, and it's not the only way to give chicken a satisfying crunch. "You can crisp most food in the oven by adding an oil spray or a light brush of oil. You can't control how much oil meat absorbs when you deep fry, but when you bake it, you call the shots," she says. Mix sliced almonds and whole wheat bread crumbs in the food processor and use that as breading, says Dudash. If you can't eat nuts, try panko and ground Cheerios, she says. Add flavor with garlic powder, paprika, spices, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

4: Meat Loaf
A loaf made with 70% lean beef can pack about 14 g of fat. To lighten it up, start with 95% lean ground beef. "It's still really lean and gives you a beefy taste," Dudash says. You can easily plump it up with more nutrients by adding oatmeal instead of bread crumbs and throwing in chopped mushrooms, beans, or other high-flavor vegetables and herbs. "Adding vegetables keeps the meat loaf moist and forms a wonderful au jus without making it greasy," Magee says.

5: Chili
When it's loaded with beans and vegetables, chili is one of the healthiest comfort foods out there. Top it with heaps of cheese, sour cream, and nacho chips and you're eating a bowl of deconstructed nachos. So lay off the fixings, and lighten up your recipe by replacing most of the meat with vegetables and additional beans, Dudash says. Ground turkey can also be a great substitute for beef, but be careful, warns Dudash. "Some ground turkey isn't any leaner than beef. It might be made with the skin, and it depends on whether it's white or dark meat." Check the label and opt for lean or extra-lean varieties of beef or turkey.

6: Pot Roast
This hearty Sunday dinner staple is surprisingly low in fat and calories. A chuck shoulder roast has fewer calories and less fat than chicken thighs, Dudash says. A 4-ounce piece packs 210 calories and 13 g of fat, and a chicken thigh clocks in around 220 calories and 16 g of fat. To achieve melt-in-your-mouth flavor, the cut needs to be simmered for several hours--the longer you cook it the more tender it will get, she says. Surround your roast with tons of vegetables, and you'll have a well-balanced and not terribly fattening meal.

7: Casserole
With layers of starch, meat, and creamy sauce, some casseroles contain over 400 calories a serving. A smarter bet is to load your dish with vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat. "Even if a recipe doesn't call for beans or vegetables, you can still add them," Magee says. Punch it up with a layer of zucchini, or double the amount of mushrooms the recipe calls for, or put in peas. Even better, include a serving of fish via canned tuna. "It's a convenient and budget savvy choice." It also delivers protein and omega-3 fatty acids with minimal calories. Just make sure you use a low-fat substitute for cream or butter to lighten the dish..

8:Minestrone
Soup can warm your body from the inside out without filling you up on calories. Choose a broth-based version, which tends to be lower in calories than a soup made with cream. Minestrone's an especially great choice because it's filled with beans and vegetables and has a tomato base, which keeps it light. If you opt for chicken noodle soup, add extra veggies, like frozen peas and carrots. Packed with protein and fiber, bean soups are another nutrient-rich selection. If you prefer a creamy soup, puree caramelized onions and use in place of cream. "They'll give you that buttery, creamy taste without all the fat" Dudash says. Other substitutes include nonfat creamer, pureed potatoes, or a little bit of nonfat yogurt.
9: Pot Pie
The buttery crust is how this recipe racks up calories and fat. Dudash recommends making your own using canola oil instead of butter and whole grain flour. If you're uncomfortable making crust from scratch, a whole wheat biscuit mix can form your crust. Lighten up the filling by using more root vegetables and less chicken than the recipe calls for--carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips, Dudash says. "Then for the chicken, use breasts instead of thighs, which will save you fat." 
10: Spaghetti and Meatballs
This Italian classic packs on the pounds, partly because of the way we serve it--heaping platefuls of pasta topped with a couple of meatballs. The Olive Garden's spaghetti and meatball platter comes to 920 calories, for example. According to the USDA's recommendation, grains should make up only a quarter of each meal, so cut back on your pasta serving and supplement your plate with veggies. As for the meatballs, make yours using lean beef instead of sausage (just one Italian sausage link can pack nearly 20 g of fat) and replace bread crumbs with oatmeal to add fiber, save calories, and cut down on sodium (Italian bread crumbs have about 450 mg). Serve the juicy spheres over some whole wheat pasta and you'll double the fiber.


"I Know Who I Am" (Video)

Enjoy this beautiful song this morning by our sweet sister Sinach, See video and lyrics below. ENJOY !


We are a chosen generation
Called forth to show His excellence
All I require for life; God has given me
And I know who I am
[Repeat]

I know who God says I am; What He says I am
Where He says am at; I know who I am
[Repeat]

I’m working in power, I’m working miracles
I live a life of favor, Cause I know who I am
[Repeat]

[Repeat from Top]

Ohh oh oh, oh oh oh
I know who I am [Repeat]

I am holy, I am righteous oh…
I am so rich, I am beautiful

I’m working in power, I’m working miracles
I live a life of favor, Cause I know who I am
[Repeat]

Take a look at me, I’m a wonder
It doesn’t matter what you see now
Can you see His glory, ‘Cause I know who I am

Ohh oh oh, oh oh oh
I know who I am [Repeat]


Dancing Before the Lord Releases Power To You!

Most of us are familiar with the Indian war dances, which always occurred before they entered warfare with their enemies. Dancing and rejoicing before the Lord is also an effective weapon before we go to war against Satan (Ps. 149:1-9).

We have the scriptural example of this when Jehoshaphat sent the singers ahead of his army and ambushes against their enemies were established: "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever" (2 Chr. 20:21, KJV).


We learned the importance of rejoicing before the Lord with singing and dancing through attending a fellowship in Jerusalem. The Zion Fellowship is a unique fellowship that spends a lot of time in praising the Lord with the dance. Ruth Heflin, who heads this fellowship, has written a book called Glory in which she expresses the importance of the dance in spiritual warfare. She relates in her book Glory the following: "I believe that dancing brings an anointing for the nations. I never let a day go by without dancing. I have danced in the toilets of 707s, 747s and DC-10s. How do I do it? Straight up and down."
Ruth urges her readers not to let a day go by that they don't dance before the Lord. I am just now catching on to the power and anointing in rejoicing before the Lord in the dance. David made this discovery years ago when he wrote, "Let them praise His name in the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp" (v. 3).
If you have not tried rejoicing before the Lord in the dance, you can start today. Put on some praise music and dance before the Lord. The Lord loves to see you dance before Him, because after all, He rejoices over you with singing. David was a man after God's own heart because he often danced before the Lord with all of his heart. We are exhorted to praise the Lord with our whole being. Dancing is a good way to do this. Have a good day and a good dance.
Lord, I want to be free in my worship and praise to You. Help me to get rid of all self-consciousness and just have my eyes on You as I praise and worship You. Set my feet to dancing, Lord.
READ: 2 Kings 18:13-19:37; Acts 21:1-17; Psalm 149:1-9; Proverbs 18:8
SOURCE: LINDA SOMMER


 

Saturday 22 February 2014

YOU CANT FIGHT THIS ALONE, YOU NEED AN ANCHOR

I usually wonder how those engineers discovered car airbags.
They are deployed once there is impact. Once there is impact, they are activated and POOF......they rise just in time, saving the pretty face from smashing on the dashboard........Just like the seat belts too, once the sensors on them perceive that the speed with which they are pulled is faster than normal, they snap and stop your chest from hitting the steering.

These things are in almost all new cars now, and i think all road-worthy cars would have them....Because at times in life, you have to slow down very quickly......and you just need something strong and reliable to hold you at those times!!!!! Or else, you sink fast..

There are some challenges in life that will shake even the strongest of men!!!!

So, God help those who are naturally feeble.

The good thing is that God knew that we are humans and that our heart starts beating fast at the mention of a sad news or when we are confronted by that which is not pleasant.

God has given us some seatbelts and some airbags because He knows that at times, life will throw some suprises and He wants us well equipped.

For some of us, its the breakdown of treasured relationships.

For some, its failure in that which you thought you were excellent.

For some its physical body illness,

For some , its financial disappointments.

Those times come, when you look up and down and you want to hold onto THE SURE THING...that will not fail you in spite of all around failing...that's what I am talking about...

THE ANCHOR....THAT HOLDS YOU STRONG IN THE STORM....

John 14:25-27:

25 “I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Comforter[a] instead of me*—and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Haaaaaaa, peace of mind!!!! and heart!!!!!
Peace that is not fragile!!!! That is not easily toppled by the wind...

That is not subject to change!!!!

What a relief...! That means when every other factor changes, THIS IS CONSTANT....

God has ensured that your car is road-worthy.

He has given you His spirit as a seal.

He is with you even when you are worried that you are alone.

He is the only reason why many of us are still smiling in spite of the heat that is burning under the clothes.

He is the assurance and the hope for tomorrow! That in spite of all that is going on now, it will be well.

I would like to remind you my sisters, the only anchor that does not fail is in JESUS.

He is the only One who can help you stay calm in the midst of all that life is throwing at you. Dont take it all on your head and on your heart. The human mind is not designed to be able to withstand this extreme pressure. You have the SHOCK ABSORBER......

Call Him when you feel weak

Call Him when you feel like no one else cares.

Call Him when you cant even tell your best friend what you are going through.

Call Him when you think He has given up on you, you will be shocked that He is there , hanging around you.

Don’t allow weariness to take away your joy....the enemy will come, he is bound to come, dont face him alone.....USE THE AIRBAGS, they will cushion you and save you from the dents and broken bones.....YOU CANT FIGHT THIS ALONE.

Your helper is ever present.
 –By sis Omobola

A Divine Love Is Fearless

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18, ESV).

What do you fear?
Whether it’s death, pain, loss, loneliness, shame or anything else, fear is not from God. Jesus described Satan when He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10).
What have you allowed him to steal from you? Your peace? Your confidence? The assurance that God loves you? Yes, the enemy is active on this earth. But so is God. After describing Satan’s plan of attack, Jesus spoke of His own plans: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
If you’ve ever allowed dread and anxiety to invade your thoughts, you know living in fear is the opposite of living abundantly. God knew we would struggle with fear. From Genesis to John, the words do not be afraid appear again and again, often coming straight from the mouth of Jesus.
Jesus knew we’d encounter fear—not just a healthy fear of God, but distracting, stifling, crippling fear. He wants to help us conquer it because it’s not from Him.
First John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
Jesus loves us unlike anyone else—with a perfect love. A fearless love. If we focus on Him when we’re afraid, we can be fearless too.
Fear has to do with punishment, and Jesus put an end to the worst punishment of all when He died on the cross. If we confess our sins and commit our lives to Him, our souls will never die. We’ll never face the punishment our sins deserve.
When we’re no longer afraid of death, other fears are put into perspective. But how can we tackle fear of failure, rejection and so much more? King David figured it out. “I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears" (Ps. 43:4).
Don’t keep your secret fears welled up inside. Seek the Lord. Tell Him your fear. Ask for His help, and have faith that He’ll come through.
When you look to our great, big God, everything else gets smaller. And remember that nothing—not life, death or “anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:39).
By Billy Graham

Friday 21 February 2014

Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies

 These deeply peanut buttery blondies are topped with honey-roasted nuts and just the right amount of sweetness from a swirl of strawberry jam. This dessert proves that you’re never too old for peanut butter and jelly—especially when there’s a healthy sprinkling of flaky sea salt involved.

SALTED PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BLONDIES
“These are really peanut buttery and not too sweet, so the strawberry jam on top is a perfect complement.” 
Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups light brown sugar
¾ cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1 tablespoon chopped honey-roasted peanuts Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)



Preparation:
Whisk together 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. kosher salt. Whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, ¾ cup smooth peanut butter, ½ cup melted unsalted butter, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract; fold in dry ingredients. Scrape batter into a buttered 8x8” baking pan. Dollop with 2 Tbsp. strawberry jam; top with 1 Tbsp. chopped honey-roasted peanuts. Bake at 350° until a tester comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.


Source: yahoo.com

Thursday 20 February 2014

Use Your Shield Of Faith

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (Ephesians 6:16).
1 John 3:8 says, "…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." This scripture is absolutely clear about what Jesus came to do: He came to destroy the works of the devil! He paralyzed Satan, demolished his works, and rendered him and his demons completely helpless.
Colossians 2:15 tells us that He made an open spectacle of Satan and his cohorts in hell and placed them under your feet. But you see, you have a responsibility to keep Satan and his demons where they belong; they shouldn’t be allowed to run rampage in your life.
Understand that though Satan is a defeated foe, the Christian isn’t shielded from his wiles, stratagems and manipulations. That’s why in Ephesians 6:10-11 we’re admonished to put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. It’s your responsibility to put your armour on; God isn’t going to do it for you.
One of such armour is the shield of faith: "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16). God gave you the shield of faith to use; that’s the shield with which you extinguish all the fiery darts the enemy throws at you. Keep building your faith strong by learning and acting on the Word. Irrespective of what happens around you, refuse to fear; refuse to give up or give in; speak the Word in faith.
Confession


I’m strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper; by the shield of faith, I extinguish all the fiery darts of the enemy, foiling and rendering his devices, schemes and stratagems ineffective, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
f u r t h e r s t u d y:Ephesians 6:13-17
Daily Scripture Reading
Matthew 25:31-46 Exodus 31, Acts 15:32-41 Psalm 1-2
-By Albert.
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