A delicious and healthy chicken sandwich with a Middle Eastern Flavor. Lebanese bread can be replaced with pita bread, if you are unable to locate authentic Lebanese bread. The ingredients can be prepared ahead of time, but to avoid soggy sandwiches, put the ingredients on the bread right when you’re ready to eat.

The Ingredients:

• 600 grams of chicken breast fillets
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1/3 cup of drained low fat sun dried tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 medium sized Lebanese bread
• 1/2 small sliced red onion
• 1 sliced Lebanese cucumber
• 60 grams of baby rocket leaves
• 1/3 cup of yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black cumin seeds

The Process:

In a large saucepan, put the chicken, chicken stock and water. Let it boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Leave the chicken to cool and slice thinly. Place the sun-dry tomatoes in kitchen paper towels to drain and slice them thinly. Also slice the rosemary leaves thinly. Next, take two tablespoons of chicken stock, the sliced rosemary leaves and blend them with the tomatoes till it turns into paste. Cut the bread in two parts, toast both sides and spread the paste on the bread. Top it with chicken, onion, cucumber and the baby rocket leaves. Combine yogurt, cumin seeds and serve with the delicacy. It makes 4 servings.

Uncovering low fat alternatives to your favorite dishes can be difficult to do especially if they are dishes that are designed to have fat in them. But there is still plenty you can do to keep the flavor without adding all the fat.

Quick Analysis: Look at The Ingredients

Pick a favorite dish and sit down and look at the ingredients for example let us say beef stroganoff which is a dish done with unions, and beef in a cream sauce which is then placed over noodles. Sounds good but it has a huge content of fat so usually is wiped off a low fat diet. However with a few modifications even this dish can be made into a low fat alternative.

Beef Alternatives

The first thing to do is look at the beef. You can do this dish with either ground beef or with chunked beef. If you are using ground beef choose ground sirloin instead of ground chuck or regular ground beef. You will want something that is 80/20 or higher. 80/20 refers to the ratio of fat 80% fat free in this case. If you are using chunked beef, then choose a cut of beef that is lean you can even use stew beef since this is usually a lean cut of meat. If you are using stew meat be sure to tenderize it to avoid toughness.

Sauce Alternatives

Next look at the sauce it is usually made with things like sour cream and creamed soup. Choose non fat sour cream instead of regular sour cream and a low fat cream soup use water or non fat milk instead of whole milk. Doing this turns this high fat meal into a low fat alternative without a lot of hassles.

More Tips

You can follow these principles with any dish. However if you are on a low fat diet it is usually best to avoid cream and cheese sauces since naturally these tend to automatically be higher in fat content.

Whenever possible look for low in fat alternatives to the foods you love such as low fat cheeses, like mozzarella, some Swiss cheese and provolone, meats should be evenly marbled without a lot of extra fat and the same goes for chicken.

These are just some examples of what you can do to create low fat alternatives for just about every dish. It starts with ingredients choosing the right ingredients for your dishes can make all the difference when it comes to the fat content. Experiment with different alternatives till you find ones that work best for you.

Editorial Commentary: It’s a commodity that we always seem to be short on — time. If you’d like to get more done in your day, here are some practical suggestions from Aurelia Williams, author of Journey to Joy.

Mom, Do You Want More Me Time?

Let’s see. You did the laundry, dropped the boys off at Karate and the girls at dance class, stopped at the grocery store for a few last minute dinner items…What’s missing? As you were taking care of everyone else all day long, did you remember to take care of yourself?

I know it can be hard to carve out space for you, since being a mom is a full time job, but taking care of yourself helps you have the strength and energy to keep taking care of everyone else, from your children to the snake your son left in the pocket of his dirty jeans. It’s all part of what I teach my Journey to Joy students. It IS possible to find the time to get what you need done.

If trying to squeeze out a few more hours a day just for you seems impossible, why not try one of these ideas:

1. Don’t be afraid to start small. It’s better for you to take five minutes to read the funny pages or your favorite inspirational poem than it is to not take any time at all for you.

2. Get up twenty or thirty minutes earlier than usual and spend some time doing something you enjoy, such as reading the paper while you sip your coffee or meditating. By the time the children wake up, you will be ready to start your busy day.

3. Talk to the other moms at your children’s classes and find out if any of them live nearby. See if several of them are interested in forming a carpool, so you don’t have to make every trip to drop off and pick up the kids.

4. Find another mom who has children that get along well with your kids. Alternate babysitting services with her, so that you each have a few hours of free time every week to go to the gym or get your hair done. Don’t be tempted to do chores instead. You need this time for you and you won’t feel very rested and refreshed if you pick up the dry cleaning, do the grocery shopping, and run the car through the car wash instead of relaxing.

5. Delegate evening chores like setting the table, washing the dishes, and packing the next day’s lunch. If everyone does ten or fifteen minutes of work, you will have enough free time to soak in the tub or read a chapter of the newest best seller.

6. If you cook all of your family’s evening meals and always pack lunch for your children, don’t be afraid to give yourself a break once a week. Pizza every night may be unhealthy, but an occasional slice isn’t too unhealthy for the kids. Eating the occasional school lunch can actually be a fun treat for children, even if it doesn’t taste that great.

Finally, make sure your family realizes the importance of letting you find some time for yourself. Speak with your children about respecting your quiet time, whenever and however you manage to fit it into your day.

Next Steps:

For more help, instantly access your Journey to Joy tools, for more time a happier and more fulfilled life. This inspiring eBook with accompanying audio recordings, worksheets and easy-to-apply action steps shows you how to squeeze more time and happiness into every single day.

(Want to republish this article? Click here to join the affiliate program)

If you’re a dog lover you probably don’t need any convincing, but in addition to having a fun and loving companion, dog ownership has health benefits including:

• Stress reduction
• They put you in a good mood.
• Encourage a more active lifestyle through play and walks outside.
• Studies have shown they can help lower blood pressure.
• Can combat feelings of loneliness
• Medical News Today reported on a variety of studies that showed dogs can help prevent illness, appeared to ease symptoms of schizophrenia and can help ill children deal with painful treatments.

And if nothing else, dogs are a great ego boost. Who else greets you like this after you’ve only been gone for an hour?

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Here’s the perfect solution for those techno-phobic individuals (ahem…like me) who want to easily record and share videos. It also comes in handy if you’re a little clumsy (this is a sturdy gadget) or if little hands will be using the camera as well. On a budget? Even better…it retails for around $130-$180.

The Flip Video Ultra Series Camera is a pocket-size camera (it fits in any handbag and most jacket pockets) that allows you to record with the click of a button. It comes in a 30 minute or 60 minute recording option – but get the 60 as it’s only a bit more.

There is no software needed to share your videos on YouTube, AOL or via email. Simply release the USB arm, plug into your computer and the built-in software walks you through the process.

Specs & Features:

• Dimensions: 4.17 x 2.16 x 1.25 inches
• 1.5 inch diagonal screen size
• Holds 60 minutes of full VGA-quality video on 2GB of built-in memory; no tapes or additional memory cards required
• One-touch recording and digital zoom
• USB arm plugs directly into your computer for easy viewing and sharing.
• Built-in software lets you easily e-mail videos, upload to YouTube and AOL, and capture still photos from video
• Use provided plug to watch videos directly on your TV.
• Transflective TFT screen (for bright daylight)
• Resolution: 640 x 480
• Video compression: Pure Digital Video Engine 2.0
• Frame rate: 30 frames per second (constant)
• Video format: Advanced Profile MPEG4 AVI
• Auto turn-off for saving power.
• Operates on 2 AA batteries (Lithium is recommended for longer life, but regular batteries work pretty good too)
• Built-in speaker and wide-range microphone
• Pure Digital DVD processing
• Editing capabilities: Video truncation (set start/end points); compose a new Movie Mix (including 6 movie styles)

System Requirements:

• Supported operating systems: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OSX
• Minimum system requirements (Windows): Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz computer with at least 512MB of RAM, Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista, SVGA display monitor (1024 x 768) and video card, Windows Media Player 9.0, Microsoft DirectX 9.0
• Minimum system requirements (Mac OSX): PowerPC G4 1.0 GHz, Intel Core with at least 512 MB of RAM, Mac OS X 10.3.9, SVGA display (1024 x 768) monitor and video card, QuickTime 7 or later

Final Thoughts:

This really is a fun camera that can go anywhere. My 5 year old is constantly asking if he can make movies and I feel comfortable allowing him mess around with a bit as it’s durable and the simple features are easy for him to handle.

Learn More: Read more reviews and where to buy

A Video Sample:

Without reading any instructions, here’s a quick video we put together and loaded to YouTube. I hate instructions.

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Editorial Comment: Finding happiness can sometimes feel like an elusive, intangible thing. After all, we all have good days and bad days – it’s a part of life. But if you’re looking for practical ways to have more good days in your daily life, here is a terrific article by Aurelia Williams, author of Journey to Joy.

Here is the article…

In a search for happiness, many people look for it in other people and not within ourselves. Many people feel that things like money, a better job, better relationships..etc will make them happy. In reality, to find true contentment you must look inside yourself and learn to be your own best friend. That means you have to trust, love, and care for yourself just as you do the people you consider to be close to you.

Following are steps that you can incorporate into your life that will help you to feel more empowered and happy about yourself! These are just some of the many practical strategies I provide to my Journey to Joy students:

Begin to lift yourself up, not put yourself down. If you don’t like something about yourself, work to change it. If you can’t change it, simply accept it. Don’t beat up on yourself with negative self-talk. You’re not likely to change for the better when you fill yourself with negative thoughts.

Give yourself positive rewards. When you do something that you are proud of give yourself a small reward. Try not to wait for others to praise you because you may grow resentful if the praise doesn’t come. Pat your own back, it is a great feeling that can stay with you for a long time.

Forgive yourself. I doubt that you would keep scolding a child over and over for making a mistake so don’t do that to yourself. Give yourself the gift of forgiveness when you make a mistake. After that, work to figure out what lesson you can learn, and use it to make better choices the next time around.

Enjoy your successes. Most people can remember all of the details of depressing, painful or even embarrassing events that happened many years ago. What if you did the same thing with all of your wins? Try to remember all of the triumphs and accomplishments that you’ve made and keep that memory with you and think about it at least once a week.

Always remember to celebrate your wonderful qualities! You will soon discover that the more you love yourself, the more you will be able to give love to others – and the more others will be able to love you!

Next Step:

For more help, instantly access your instantly access your Journey To Joy tools for a happier and more fulfilled you. This inspiring eBook with accompanying audio recordings, worksheets and easy-to-apply action steps shows you how to take back the joy in your life.

(Want to republish this article? Click here to join the affiliate program)

Allowing stress to build up inside you not only leads to emotional outbursts that can be damaging to your family relationships, but it can turn inwards and cause many physical symptoms from anxiety, to insomnia, to ulcers.

Take just a couple of minutes, to let the stress go. Whether you’re at home dealing with a toddler, or in the office coping with deadlines, put yourself in your own “space”, even if that is at a desk, or standing at the
kitchen sink.

Draw a deep breath and visualize the air entering from the soles of your feet.  As you inhale, see it flowing up your legs, into your abdomen, swirling around your back and neck, then finally as you exhale slowly, see it leaving through the top of your head, taking the stress with it.

No, it won’t solve any of your problems. But it will alleviate the immediate physical stress, and break the cycle of constant, negative thoughts.

Can wine really improve our health and increase longevity? Scientists are beginning to say “Yes!” Supposing that the theory is true — which wines give us the most bang for the buck?

Researchers have found that red wines rich in flavonoids are best for our health. Flavonoids are best known for their antioxidant qualities and help the body resist such maladies as allergens, viruses and carcinogens.

Red wines also contain anxioxidants, which help the body resist cancer and cardiovascular disease. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir contain the highest concentrations of antioxidants and flavonoids.

Other red wines such as Merlots and red zinfandels contain fewer flavonoids, but more than most white wines. So, the best bet for drinking wine for our health is to stick to the dryer red wines. Just because wine contains components that are central to good health doesn’t give us a free rein to get plastered every night. Don’t overdo it — but adding a glass of wine to your daily diet can definitely make a difference to our health.

Paracelsus, the noted 16th-century Swiss physician wrote, “Wine is a food, a medicine and a poison – it’s just a question of dose.” As with almost any food or drink, wine consumed in large doses can be a detriment to our health.

Most health officials agree that one or two four-ounce glasses of wine per day can be beneficial to men, while women should limit their consumption to one four ounce serving per day.

Cardiovascular expert, Professor Roger Corder, has spent years studying the evidence of health benefits from red wine. In his new book, “The Wine Diet,” he says he is convinced that most of us should include red wine in our every day lifestyle.

Corder discovered what he eventually labeled the “French Paradox.” Specifically, he wondered why the French have a lower rate of heart disease despite the fact that their diet was extremely rich in fats. He concentrated his research on the southwest portion of France, where life expectancy seemed to be highest.

Professor Corder discovered that the region produces very tannic local wines, which contain the highest procyanidin (antioxidant) content of any wines, worldwide. This led him to further research on the amazing medical benefits of red wine.

While wine may not be the ultimate elixir or fountain of youth, it certainly behooves us to consider adding a glass of wine or two to our daily diet – and raise a “toast” to our continued good health.

It’s not yet June here in Hotlanta, but I’m already getting too hot to cook. The last thing I want to do is heat up my kitchen these days. Plus, I’m trying to keep the a/c off until at least June!

I was brainstorming the other day of some ways to get dinner on the table without heating up the kitchen, and here are a couple of ideas that I came up with. Maybe these will help keep your kitchen cool too.

• Sandwich Night

Every mom should have a weekly sandwich night, just because it’s not fair to have to cook every night of the week! But another great reason to adopt sandwich night is to avoid heating up the kitchen.

Gather up your family’s favorite sandwich fixin’s and go to town. Get creative. If turkey and cheese is getting boring, how about a “salad” sandwich? This is one of my family’s favorites. We spread cream cheese on the bread, then add sliced tomato, cucumber, lettuce and a sprinkle of herbs and sea salt. Yum!

• Main Dish Salads

What’s nicer on a hot day than a cool, crisp, crunchy salad? In the summertime your body needs the additional water so give it what it’s craving by making a main dish salad.

Add cooled chicken, shrimp, tuna, beans, and hardboiled eggs for additional protein. Experiment with pasta salads too. If you need some help coming up with more ideas for hearty salads, check out this salad cookbook.

Little ones are such a joy. It’s fun to watch their little brains and imaginations at work. Of course, the milestones they reach can bring tears of joy to any parent’s eye. But through all this development, these little monkeys continue to make such a mess and it’s not always easy to get them on board with helping out.

Sometimes it feels like it’s just easier (not to mention faster) to just get everything done yourself instead of battling the resistant child. But in reality, the little bit of hard work you can do now to get your young child into a routine that will have lifetime benefits – for you and your child.

Contributing to the household chores teaches your child responsibility and self-sufficiency – positive things that will help your child throughout his or her life. Getting the kids involved helps ease your workload and that is priceless.

But what can a child under 5 actually do? Plenty!

Of course, the chore list will vary depending on the age of your child, but even kids as young as 2 can start contributing.

Ideas for Kids Under 5:

• Cleaning up Toys: It’s an obvious one, but one that parents give often give up on just to have a bit of peace. The rule in this house is just one activity / toy at a time. You have to put it your toy away before you get another one. Whether it’s Lego, some cars or books, they get put away before they start something else.

This teaches your children responsibility (i.e. I can’t start something new until the other thing is finished) and it also makes cleaning easier and less overwhelming for your child. If you’ve ever let your little guy or girl go wild in the playroom for a few hours and then asked them to clean up, they probably have a because the job seems just too big for them.

• Getting Dressed / Undressed: For very young kids, getting dressed can be challenging, so use your judgment – but don’t take the easy way out. Because most kids have no problem getting undressed, make sure they do that themselves. As they learn to master putting on different articles of clothing, let those articles be their responsibility. For example, if they can do their underwear, but have a heck of a time with socks, have them put on their underwear first and then help with the socks.

Resist the urge to just take over when your child is cranky or you’re rushing to get somewhere. The more often your child gets dressed themselves, the easier it is to get them into a routine, so avoid rescuing them. If you’re always in a hurry, start getting ready earlier.

• Laundry Tasks: After getting undressed, children can put their dirty items into a laundry hamper. Little ones can also carry laundry to the laundry room. It may take a few trips and some dropped socks along the way, but let them do it. If you have front-loading washer, small children can also help you load the washing machine and then move clothing over to the dryer. Of course, you want to explain laundry room safety and ensure that they don’t do these tasks on their own.

• Kitchen Tasks: Kids can most certainly clear the table after meals. Older ones can help set the table, even if you have to get the dishes and cutlery out from high cupboards. All kids can put condiments and other items back in the fridge and help load the dishwasher. They can also help sort recycling and bring it to the garage or wherever you keep your recyclables.

• Help with Pets: Young kids can feed the pets, hold the leash on walks and help with grooming. To prevent overfeeding, you may want to measure portions first, but allow your child to fill the bowl with the pre-measured food. Also supervise if your child is going to do brushing or other grooming to ensure they are gentle and learn to handle their pets properly.

Motivating Your Kids

Many kids love the idea of responsibility and just giving them something they are in charge can be enough to motivate them. But that doesn’t always work and if it does, the motivation can be short-lived.

To keep them working, you can make it fun. You can sing a clean up song and work with your child as she works (download the “Time to Clean Up” song here). Where it’s safe, make it into a game. For example, you can play stuffed animal toss to throw stuffed toys into a bucket or toy box.

Curiously, my kids are motivated if I give them a time limit to finish. I used to make the mistake of saying, “You’d better start cleaning by the time I count to 3.” They might get started, but they never finished their work.

Instead, I now give them 25 (lenient) seconds to get dressed and 50 (also lenient) seconds to clean their rooms before bed. I count in a funny voice and when they need more time near the end, I start counting slow and saying “23 and a quarter, 23 and a half….” This keeps them from getting stressed out that they won’t make it and they think it’s hilarious when I count like that. As long as they keep working, I keep counting and it gets done.

You can put up chore charts that list your child’s responsibilities, allowing them to earn stars (or small stickers of their choice) for completed tasks. Stars can accumulate points and points can be subtracted when tasks aren’t completed. Children can earn special outings, rewards or a monetary allowance, which can also open the door for lessons in responsibility with money. click here for a unique magnetic chore and responsibility chart

Finding What Works for Your Family and Stick with It

Start slow in introducing new chores for your kids, but continue to make steady progress. As you keep at it, you’ll learn what your children respond to and how to motivate them, allowing you to give them even more age-appropriate responsibilities.