SAVANNAH DAY DREAMIN'

It excites me so much to share the most fabulous news with you! Over the past month, I have been cookin' up a cream cheese storm in the Paula Deen and Philadelphia Cream Cheese "Real Women of Philadelphia Challenge". Well...one side dish, two appetizers, two entrees and two desserts later...all my hard work has paid off. Folks, I am so lucky to have been chosen as one of the sixteen finalists to fly to Savannah and compete for a spot as one of four "Real Women of Philadelphia." This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I can't begin to explain how thrilled I am!


Some of you may be thinking, "What is the Real Women of Philadelphia?" It is a competition where women from all over create original recipes using Philadelphia Cream Cheese and make a video cookin' them. The recipes must be original and must contain Philadelphia Cream Cheese. That is it! The rest is up to you and your creativity. For more details on the competition, click here.

Hundreds and hundreds of women have joined in on the adventure and a really cool community has formed out of it. There is so much support and enthusiasm within this competition. You really have to see it for yourself. Please take a moment and check it out. Who knows... you could be the next woman chosen to go to Savannah!

I really can't believe it guys. I get to meet Paula! What an adventure this year is turning out to be. Life is absolutely amazing.

Oh, one more thing. Here is the video and dessert recipe that won my spot in the finals. No, it's not completely lean, but a splurge is good for us every now and then.

Take care!

Paula Deen's Lean: Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise

Over the past year, I have really branched out from my comfort zone and tried new things. Even so, there is one branch I have not been brave enough to venture out on and that is the seafood branch. It doesn't help that I am allergic to most shellfish. That is a slight problem. But there is no excuse for not cooking fish, except for that it intimidates the heck out of me. I order it a lot when eating out, but when it comes to preparing it, I am always a little nervous. Well not anymore! Fish, such as the Tilapia in this dish, is so easy to cook. Plus, it is really affordable too. Since I never bought it before, I didn't realize it is actually cheaper than chicken. Bonus! Check out this simple and slim version of Paula Deen's Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise.


BLACKENED TILAPIA SANDWICH WITH CILANTRO LIME MAYONNAISE
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 (10-ounce) tilapia fillets
4 WHOLE WHEAT buns
Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, recipe follows
Store-bought mango salsa (2 tbsp per sandwich)


Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup Hellman's mayonnaise dressing
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


DIRECTIONS:
Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.


In a shallow dish, combine first 6 ingredients.


Pour EVOO into another shallow dish. Dip fish fillets in EVOO. Then coat with the spice mixture.


Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.


Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise Dressing evenly over buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with mango salsa, and cover with top half of bun.


THE RESULTS:


This is such a light and easy dinner. The mango salsa is such a nice touch. I will definitely make this one again. It takes no time at all and really fills you up. And did I mention it was cheep?!?! A real budget-friendly dinner.


The EVOO is replacing the butter and providing the heart healthy fats that our bodies need. By using a whole wheat bun instead of a Kaiser (and not buttering and toasting it), you are saving over 150 calories alone! Other than that, there is no need to change anything else. Another fabulous dish inspired by Paula Deen!

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving):  504 calories;  14.9g fat;  32.4g carbohydrate;  63.2g protein;  5.9g fiber

Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday: Making Exercise Fun

If ya'll don't know this already, I am an elementary physical education teacher. My mission is to teach children about health, nutrition and exercise. But most importantly, my job is to create positive feelings about exercise within my students. I want them to find something they enjoy and be able to carry it with them as they become adults. How do I do this? I make movement fun!

Believe it or not, we are not much different than elementary students. If something is fun, we are more likely going to do it. If it seems like work or a chore, we aren't. It is that simple. So, what we need to do is find ways to make exercise fun or find additional activity in things we already enjoy. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about ways to spice up your exercise life!

WAYS TO MAKE EXERCISE FUN

Fitness with Friends - Find a friend or group of people to take walks with. If someone is counting on you, it is harder to talk yourself out of going for that walk. Plus, it is a great time to laugh and talk with other people; a bonus for your emotional health as well.

Play with Your Kids- I don't know about you, but when my daughter and I run around outside, it can be exhausting! My sister is always tired after babysitting. Kids have tons of energy. Get out there and play with them. It is great for you physcially and strengthens the parent/child relationship.

Dance- Dancing is a fabulous workout! There are probably classes in your area to sign up for. But if you are not into the group class thing, throw on some music and dance in your living room. You could even dance as you clean your house or do other chores. With the right tunes, you won't be able to stop yourself.

Sports Leagues- If you are the competive type or just like being around people, check with your local parks and recreation department for adult sports leagues. The one in my area offers tons of options for adults to get out and have fun.
Hopefully these ideas have you thinking about ways to have fun with fitness. The weather is great this time of year. Get out there, get moving and have a great time! If you include your kids, you are also making my job a little bit easier. PE teachers everywhere appreciate that!

Have a great day!