Slim in 6 Update

Okay... it's been about a week since we finished the 6 week exercising program. We tried to start another program with Jullian Michaels, but found ourselves going right back to Slim in 6. We're just hooked and it is REALLY working!!

Mr. Niu has lost a total of 30 pounds and I have lost 10 pounds all in 6 weeks! With healthy eating and consistently following the work out program we are dropping pounds and toning. We haven't measured ourselves, but my clothes are loose on me and we had to buy Mr. Niu new jeans because he looked like a gangsta with his sagging pants, haha. Most importantly, we are creating fantastic habits and we feel absolutely great!

We still have more pounds to lose to reach our goals, but it's important to celebrate every achievement! I wish I had before and after pictures... maybe next time I'll remember.

Luvs!

Visitor's Center Reunion

As many of you know I served a mission in Washington D.C. While serving I also had the privilege to serve at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitor's Center. It was one of the greatest and most rewarding experiences of my life. I made lots and lots of new, lifelong friends.

Last Saturday we got together at our Visitor's Center Director's home in Salt Lake. Elder and Sister Child (our VC Directors) are two of the most wonderful and generous people I know. Many of you may have heard of RC Willey. It is a furniture store that Elder Child began and helped to build years ago. Now it is a thriving business. Elder Child has a new book entitled, "How to Build a Business Warren Buffet Would Buy." Elder Child is the one on the left ;) It is his fascinating story of how to progress honestly and successfully in the world of business. Copies are available at Deseret Book.

We feel so blessed to have so many of us close together here in Utah. It has been an incredible experience watching each other progress and grow after coming home. So many are married, engaged, and even becoming mothers. Others are going to grad school. I truly cannot imagine my life without knowing these women and senior couples. Enjoy some pictures from our party.

Life Happens.

We've all heard the expression, "when it rains, it pours. " And we have all experienced this. This past week was one of those weeks for us. It just kept pouring. I am learning that if it's going to pour, why not dance in the rain? Isn't life truly wonderful? No matter our situation, there is always something to be grateful for. I am grateful for perspective and that I married a man with a constant, eternal perspective.

Yesterday I learned this... "Instead of laying down a list of expectations for what your life should be, you can participate in the ongoing discovery of what your life was meant to be." - Thomas Kinkade

I know that we have a loving, attentive, intimate Heavenly Father who not only loves us perfectly, but knows us perfectly. My life now is more wonderful than I could have ever planned for myself. Mostly because I married Mr. Niu. He is all and more than I could have imagined to be with forever. Just as an example... Two Sundays ago I was putting on my favorite red necklace when it suddenly broke. Every piece went flying every which way. I wanted to cry. The first thing that Mr. Niu did after church was find every, single piece and carefully (and perfectly) put back together that blasted necklace. Now if that isn't love I don't know what is, haha. I have never known anyone so kind, faithful, honest, happy, loyal, generous, and drop dead gorgeous! I am blessed.

You know what, life happens. And I believe life happens for a reason. The sting of the moment will fade into understanding... it always does. And then we will look back with gratitude for the experience. So come what may and love it!

Slim in 6

In my last post I mentioned our workout program "Slim in 6." To keep myself motivated I thought it would be wise to keep friends and family updated with our progress. Oh how I love accountability, haha. When we got married I promised myself I wouldn't gain the newlywed weight. But then the wonderful holiday foods of Thanksgiving and Christmas came, along with our fabulous cruise, topped off with our birthday week. Hello scrumptious food!!! I may not have looked too much different, but I definitely felt yucky! Just after our cruise I saw a commercial for "Slim in 6" and I was hooked! I bought it from Amazon. My sweet husband, being the supportive, incredible man that he is, decided he would join me. We began our vigorous schedule on January 25th. We also decided to create a balanced, healthy meal plan. Our schedule along with work and school (for the hubby) goes something like this...

4:15am (soon to be 4:00) - wake up (I have to be to work by 7am, hence the early start.)

4:15am - 5:15am - "Slim in 6" exercise

6:30am - breakfast

9:00am or 10:00am - 1st snack - Usually string cheese, fruit, yogurt, veggies or Slim Fast.

12:00pm or 1:00pm - lunch (one serving, healthy meats, veggies, and carbs) Our lunches are usually leftovers from dinner the night before, saves money and time ;)

3:00pm - 2nd snack

5:30ish - dinner (one serving, healthy meats, veggies, and carbs)

9:00 or 9:30 - sleep time!

And lots, and lots, and lots of water all day!

My main goals during this program are to:

• feel healthy & active
  
• lose 15 pounds
  
• maintain healthy eating habits
  
• create smart workout habits before I get pregnant
  

I want so badly to be a healthy prego! I know that once we have a child our schedules will change, but hopefully we can keep many of the good habits we are creating for ourselves.

Results so far...
"Slim in 6" is a pretty tough program. We have one more day of week two. To get the results you want it's required to workout 6 days a week. The first week is the first phase, a 25 minute workout called "Start it Up". The second week is the second phase, a 47 minute workout called "Ramp it Up". The last four weeks is phase 3, an hour workout called "Burn it Up". The first week I was extremely sore, but already felt healthier. The second week was definitely more difficult, but the soreness wasn't as bad. We are excited to move onto phase 3. The hubby has already lost about 10 pounds and I have lost about 4 1/2 pounds. We probably won't measure ourselves until we're completely done. My clothes fit better and I feel fantastic!! We are pleased with our results.

If any of you are looking for a good workout program "Slim in 6" has been great for us. The exercises are geared more towards women's bodies. A great workout to take off that baby fat! We will keep you posted every week or so!
Luvs!

Healthy Recipes and A New Blog

For most people a new year means new goals. Most of the time those goals include losing weight and becoming a healthier person. I am a huge fan of goals and was really excited to begin a fresh start for the New Year. On Monday, after our birthday week (our birthdays are almost exactly one week apart), we are beginning the "Slim in 6" program. It is a 6 week workout program. We are excited to jump start our healthier lifestyles for the year. One of my main "physical" goals this year is to create healthier eating habits through yummy, healthy recipes. After some research and testing my new recipe finds on my sweet husband, I have found some excellent choices. This year my goal is to find recipes that are not only healthy and tasty, but under about 300 calories and 10 or 15 grams of fat per serving... and of course they need to be easy and fast. I work 10 hour days and by the time I get home I'm exhausted. Although I wish I had more time in the kitchen, it helps to make meals quick and to always have leftovers for lunch the next day.

My mom, sisters, and I have created a new blog, lulushomecookin.blogspot.com. We invite you to enjoy our combination of tasty finds. These new recipes below will also be posted on our cooking blog. As I continue to find new recipes I will either post them on my blog or on our new cooking blog. Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.

Pollo Fajitas - Picture here

The sauce/marinade for these fajitas is fabulous and can be used for other chicken dishes. Use any healthy tortilla and top it off with a small dollop of sour cream.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place chicken in sauce, and turn once to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for several hours.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken strips to the pan, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper, and saute another 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Servings: 5
Prep Time: 15 min. Cook time: 5 min. Ready in: 55 min.
Amount per serving - Calories: 210 Total Fat: 8.3g


Maple Salmon - Picture Here

We LOVE salmon! One of my favorite salmon dishes is a brown sugar glazed salmon. I could eat it every day but it's a little too unhealthy for what we want. This recipe is a fabulous second.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger, minced (I added the ginger, it's divine!)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound salmon

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and pepper.
2. Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish (covered with foil), and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 min. Cook time: 20 min. Ready in: 1 hour
Amount per serving - Calories: 265 Total Fat: 12.4g


Chicken with Asparagus and Roasted Red Peppers - Picture Here

This is such a flavorful meal without loads of calories and fat! You can serve this with a healthy portion of pasta or rice. Whatever pleases your taste buds!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound boned and skinned chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped roma (plum) tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Heat the broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in skillet. Cook 15 minutes, until chicken is almost done.
2. Place asparagus, red peppers and garlic in skillet. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear and asparagus is tender. Place tomatoes in skillet during last 2 minutes of cook time. Sprinkle with vinegar. Top with mozzarella cheese to serve.
   

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 min. Cook time: 25 min. Ready in: 40 min.
Amount per serving - Calories: 186 Total Fat: 5g


Salsa Chicken - Picture Here

This has become a favorite and it's painfully easy, fast, and healthy. I usually serve with a small portion of homemade Mexican rice and vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 4 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
2. Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle taco seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts, and pour salsa over all.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is tender and juicy and its juices run clear.
4. Sprinkle chicken evenly with cheese, and continue baking for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with sour cream if desired, and serve.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 min. Cook time: 40 min. Ready in: 45 min.
Amount per serving - Calories: 287 Total Fat: 12.4g


These last two recipes are from a favorite cooking blog, prudencepennywise.blogspot.com. Click on the "pasta" tab and the "soup" tab for pictures on her blog. All of her recipes have been simply fabulous. Her goal is to create scrumptious meals for her family of four on a tight budget. These two may seem more extensive because she is very detailed in her directions, but they are just as easy and healthy too!

Whole Grain Penne with Sweet Red Pepper, Ginger and Feta

Ginger has become a well-known ingredient in our home. It always adds magnificent flavor to our meals and keeps well in the fridge or freezer. Now, combine ginger with pepper and feta... WOW! As of late this has become our favorite meal. I'll be making this meal for our dinner party tomorrow to celebrate Jon's birthday with close friends. I always look forward to this fantastic dinner.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. box wheat penne pasta
• 4 green onions (greens only)
• 1 14.5 oz. can Italian style diced tomatoes (optional: blend smooth in blender)
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 small handful of fresh parsley (save some for garnish)
• 4 Tbsp. cream of half and half
• 2-4 Tbsp. feta, crumbled
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Option: I always add two chicken breasts. Season with rosemary. Brown in the olive oil. Remove and add back into the simmering sauce.
  

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Remove the top, seeds, and membranes of the pimento pepper and slice into thin strips. Toss them into the saucepan and let them soften on low-medium heat for about 10-15 minutes (if your strips soften quicker, there’s no need for you to wait 10-15 minutes), stirring every now and then.
2. In the meantime you can peel the ginger with a spoon, then finely chop the peeled ginger.
3. Begin cooking the pasta according to package directions.
4. Add the chopped ginger and garlic to the saucepan and give it another stir. Sauté for 2-3 minutes then toss in the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper mix and stir again.
5. Chop up the green parts of 2 green onions and add them to the sauce. Simmer on low heat, partially covered, for 5 minutes. You might need to add 2-3 Tbsp of water during these 5 minutes (to keep a sauce-like consistency), depending on how watery your crushed tomatoes are. I didn’t need to so it all comes down to what brand you’re using.
6. Chop up the fresh parsley leaves and add them to the sauce. Let the sauce cook, partially covered, for another 2-3 minutes, then remove it from the flame and set aside.
7. Plate the cooked pasta, add some sauce on top then spoon 1 Tbsp of cream (per plate) on top of that. Crumble ½ Tbsp of Feta on each plate, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
   

Good For You Creamy Tomato Soup

This is my favorite tomato soup recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups chicken broth or stock
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. honey
• 3/4 cup evaporated skim milk, or 4 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
  
• chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add oniion and carrots and saute for five minutes. Stir in garlic and saute an additional minute.
   
2. Add tomatoes, broth, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
3. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
   
4. For a creamy soup, transfer to blender and blend, or use an immersion blender directly in the pot. (Immersion blenders are a must have for soup lovers!) Soup can be made up to 2 days ahead of time to this point. ***This is a must, it is so much better creamy***
   
5. Just before serving, add evaporated skim milk (or cream cheese of half and half) to pot. Warm through, but do not boil. Serve immediately with basil or parsley.
   

May these delicious recipes serve you well as you make healthier goals for the New Year!

p.s. The pictures would not load so instead I attached the website to each recipe with pictures included.

Christmas 2009

We hope everyone had a most wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. Ours was full of fun activites. We had quite the busy Holiday. The day before Chritmas Eve Jon and I drove to Sacramento to spend the holidays with my family. We've driven to Sacramento about 7 times this year and know exactly where to stop for the cheapest gas, haha. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family and it was so special. I was especially excited to see everyone open their gifts from Jon and me. I am grateful that we have this time of year. It is my absolute favorite time of the year and to me really is "the most wonderful time of the year". We felt completely spoiled this year. We received a huge George Foreman from my parents and countless other needed and wanted gifts. Jon gave me a beautiful set of sapphire jewelry with diamonds and white gold. He also gave me some brown boots with fur and all. They are perfect for fashion and function. He also spoiled me with a red tea pot and a "Flirty Apron". So fun! I got Jon a new SwissGear shoulder bag and some blu-ray movies. It was the perfect Christmas as we spent quality time with those we love so much.

One of the highlights of our visit was spending time with our nieces, Mari and Alice. Alice is just beginning to smile and make those sweet baby noises... it is priceless. My sister, Sarah, has beautiful children... Jon and I have a lot to live up to, haha. We spent time with our Grandpa and Grandma Hogge. They took us to dinner at one of our favorite restuarants, Red Lobster and then to Leatherby's for dessert. We each ordered a Black and Tan. Yum! We had our entire family together for Christmas for the first time in a few years. My brother, Joey, recently returned home from his mission in Japan. We're so happy to have him home. Watching all of my family together and being with my own sweetheart was truly special for me. They are my best friends and I think I'll keep them forever.

The day after Christmas we drove to Mendocino, California. We call this beautiful, little town our "heaven on earth". We go camping as an extended family each summer and just recently my family began the tradition of going each few days after Christmas. I love the ocean and the rocky beaches were especially beautiful this visit. It's always hard to leave Mendocino, but this year it wasn't so difficult to leave.
Jon and I left Mendocino to drive down to Long Beach for our long awaited cruise!!! Yes, we finally made a getaway for our honeymoon. I had been on a cruise before, but this was Jon's first and he absolutely loved it! We both did! Our cruise took us down to Ensenada. Jon had served part of his mission in Mexico and it was so fun for me to see him speaking Spanish with all of the natives. He has a great love for the people of Mexico. We lived a life of luxury for a few days. We took naps, explored the ship, ordered room service just because we could, and ate lots and lots and lots of food. And yes, I did gain a few pounds, but it was so worth it! My favorite dish was lobster, of course and for dessert we loved the chocolate melting cake, absolutely divine! We're planning to take another cruise in a few years... maybe for an anniversary down the road (hint, hint). It was so nice to be disconnected from the world and enjoy one another. After the cruise we had planned to go to Disneyland for a few days but felt strongly about spending more time with the family. Disneyland will always been there, maybe next year.
We spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day back with the family. I struggled to stay awake until 12:00am. I'm much more of an early bird than a night owl. New Year's day was the girl's shopping day. Mom, Sarah, Hilly, and the two little ones, Mari and Alice all went for a day out to the mall. I'm so grateful for my mom and sisters. I love that we are best friends. It was especially hard this year to leave my family and come back to Utah. (Luckily I have Jon's family in Utah.) Although it was a crazy, busy trip we had a wonderful time. We wish the best for you and yours this New Year. Luvs!

Yummy holiday treats.

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is all the yummy food we get to eat. These are just a few of my traditional and new favorites for the holidays. Enjoy!

Peppermint Meltaways

A college roommate and dear friend of mine introduced this recipe on her blog and it is completely delicious. They really do melt in your mouth! Thanks Claire ;)

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are very lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Frosting:
2 TBSP butter, softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2-3 drops red food coloring
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies/candy canes (I like to use the green and red peppermint candies.)

Beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, milk, extract and food coloring and beat until smooth. Spread over completely cooled cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candies.

Easy Oreo Truffles

I found this recipe off of my favorite recipe website, allrecipes.com. They were given to me as a gift in Relief Society and Jon and I fell in love with them. They are positively sinful!

1 (16 ounce) package OREO chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, softended
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER's semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookies mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch diameter.

2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax-paper covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for anther use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.

3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Nestle Toll House Pie

This is a family favorite of the Hogges. I made it for Thanksgiving with the Niu family and it was a hit. So easy and so rich! Eat with a glass of cold milk...yum!

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

2 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat eggs in large bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.Bake in over for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. (I don't add the nuts, but I think the pie would be really delicious with them.)

Mom's Cinnamon Rolls

My wonderful and talented mother has been making these for years. Every time I come home to California I ask her to make them. This last time we visited I asked her to write down her recipe. She's never written it down before! It has become one of my absolute favorite recipes. Whenever I eat them I think of home and family. Enjoy this divine family recipe!

1. In large mixing bowl of upright mixer, whisk together: 1 3/4 cups hottest water from the tap 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil ~ Let sit for 15 minutes.

2. Using wire whisk attachment, mix in: 1/3 cup granulated sugar 3 level tablespoons yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 egg whites 5 1/2 cups flour - bread flour works best but is not necessary. *The last 2 cups of flour should be added slowly to allow flour to be completely absorbed. Dough should be sticky, but should pull away from sides of bowl.

3. Beat dough in mixer on medium speed for 10 minutes.

4. On a floured surface, roll out dough 3/8" to 1/2" thick, forming a large rectangle.

5. Melt 1/2 cup butter. Spread several tablespoons of melted butter onto the rolled out dough. Save rest of butter for icing*

6. In a medium bowl, combine the following: 3 cups brown sugar 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon ~ Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly onto prepared dough.

7. Roll up dough, jelly roll fashion, starting at one long end of rectangle. Pinch final edge of dough to seal.

8. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray. I use a microwave-safe 12" by 12" baking pan. If you use a 9" by 13" baking pan and have slices of dough leftover, bake the extras in a prepared pie plate.

9. Using @ 18" of heavy string or dental floss, slide the string under the roll of dough. Slice off 1" to 1 1/4" pieces by bringing the string up over the dough, crossing it and pulling tightly to slice through the dough. Place on baking pan. A 12" square pan will hold 16 slices.

10. Let dough rise in a draft-free place till doubled or microwave at 10% power (not 100% power) for 10 minutes.

11. Bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and centers look done.

12. While cinnamon rolls are still warm, make glaze (recipe below). Spread generously over rolls. This can be done as soon as they come out of the oven. ~ Best eaten warm and with a cold glass of milk.

Cinnamon Roll Glaze ~* remaining melted butter from above recipe 3 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla ~ Combine butter, sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth. Spread on warm cinnamon rolls.


Enjoy these scrumptious treats as you spend time with family and friends this Christmas! Luvs!