Article: 10 Days Worth of Mood-Boosting, Waist-Shrinking Lunch Ideas by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.

Here's a great article by the author of Eat Your Way to Happiness which is on my review pile and I'm looking forward to reading it.   Thank you Julie Harabedian of FSB Assoicates for forwarding me this article to use.

10 Day's Worth of Mood-Boosting, Waist-Shrinking Lunch Ideas
by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.,
Author of Eat Your Way to Happiness

1. Wrap It: Fill a Mission Life Balance flour tortilla with 2 ounces of turkey breast meat, 1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce, 2 tablespoons grated carrot and 1 tablespoon low-fat Caesar salad dressing. Serve with a glass of 1% milk and a piece of fruit.

2. Salad Fixings: Top 3 cups of baby spinach and/or romaine lettuce with 1/2 cup berries, 1 tablespoon pecans, 1/2 cup broccoli florets, 1/3 cup kidney or black beans and 2 tablespoons low-fat dressing. Serve with 100% whole-grain bread and a slice of low-fat cheese.

3. Pocket It: Fill a 100% whole-wheat pita with 1/2 cup black beans, 1/4 cup grated carrot, 1/4 cup chopped cucumber, 1/4 cup diced red peppers and 2 tablespoons light Italian salad dressing. Serve with Rachel's yogurt and a glass of 100% juice.

4. Burgerville: Top a 100% whole-wheat burger bun with a vegetarian burger, 2 tablespoons low-fat crumbled feta cheese, 1/3 cup baby spinach leaves, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Serve with a piece of fruit and a glass of 1% milk.

5. Chicken of the Sea Sandwich: Top 2 slices of 100% whole-grain bread with 2 large romaine lettuce leaves and a mixture of 2 ounces drained, water-packed tuna, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon fat-free mayo and 1/4 cup diced celery. Serve with a side salad or piece of fruit and a glass of soy milk.

6. Take-out Desperado: If you must go, then order a kid's cheeseburger, a side salad with fat-free dressing and apple dippers, or Wendy's Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich (hold the mayo), a carton of low-fat milk and a Mandarin Orange cup.

7. Soup-n-Sandwich: Have a bowl of Campbell's Healthy Request Savory Chicken and Long Grain Rice soup and add extra frozen vegetables. Serve with fresh fruit and a grilled cheese sandwich made with 2 slices of 100% whole-grain bread, low-fat cheese and cooking spray instead of butter or oil.

8. Veggie Broil: Cut in half and toast a 100% whole-grain English muffin. On one side, put 2 tablespoons mashed avocado, 1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts, 1 thin slice red onion, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and 2 teaspoons low-fat ranch dressing, and top with 1 ounce grated, low-fat cheddar cheese. Place under broiler and heat until cheese bubbles. Remove and add other side of muffin to form a sandwich. Serve with tomato juice and a side salad or fruit.

9. Campfire Crunch Sandwich: Mix 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese with a dash of lemon juice, lemon peel, 2 tablespoons dried tart cherries, 1/4 cup grated carrot and 3 tablespoons trail mix. Pile onto a slice of 100% whole-grain bread, spread evenly and top with second piece of bread to form a sandwich. Serve with 1% milk and a piece of fruit or a salad.

10. Bagel Sandwich and Slaw: Spread 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard on half a 100% whole-wheat bagel; layer red onion, cucumber, red pepper slices, spinach leaves and low-fat cheese; and top with the other half of the bagel. Serve with broccoli slaw made with broccoli-coleslaw mix, low-fat coleslaw dressing and dried cranberries.


The above is an excerpt from the book Eat Your Way to Happiness by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.
Copyright © 2009 Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Eat Your Way to Happiness

Author Bio
Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Eat Your Way to Happiness, is a registered dietitian and author of several books, including 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet, Food & Mood and Age-Proof Your Body. She is a member of the editorial advisory board of Shape magazine and editor in chief of Nutrition Alert, a newsletter that summarizes the current research from more than 6,000 journals. She appears frequently on NBC's Today and other national television shows.

For more information please visit www.EatYourWayToHappiness.com.

Review: Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

My rating: 4.5/5.0

Publisher: Hyperion
Publish Date: May 1, 2007
Pages: 320

My Review:

Picking up quickly where Blue Bloods left off, this one starts with Oliver and Schuyler on the hunt for her grandfather in Venice. While at home the other Blue Bloods are preparing for the annual Four Hundred Ball.

There is a lot of excitement in this one and I pretty much read it in one sitting. It reads quickly with a lot of action and inner turmoil going on with Schuyler, Oliver, Mimi and Jack. Also a new boy is introduced and quickly becomes part of the story. More and more is learned about the Blue Bloods and the Silver Bloods. Schuyler is also starting to learn to use her gifts.

I really enjoyed this book and this series so far. I have the next one Revelations on my library pile at the moment and I am anxious to pick it up. This is a great young adult paranormal series and I would like to thank all those bloggers who talked these up, because they are the reason I picked this series up and I just love it.

The characters are well done in this one, growing more and learning more from what is going on. I like the continuation through the books because it allows for a more in-depth look at the characters since a small amount of time is covered in each book. Of course I love Schuyler, Ollie, Jack and Bliss. Mimi is there to hate, but I do believe she is still redeemable. I'm still trying to figure out the whole Silver Blood thing and lots of possibilities are still left open and that is part of the fun of these books.

About the Book:

Schuyler Van Alen is starting to get more comfortable with her newfound vampire powers, but she still has many unanswered questions. A trip to Italy in search of her grandfather only serves to make things more confusing. What secrets are the leaders of The Committee hiding? Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the famous Four Hundred Ball. In true Blue Blood fashion, the ball is totally fab, complete with masks, and hidden behind this masquerade is a revelation that will change the course of a young vampire's destiny.

Challenges:
100+ Book Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge
Fall Into Reading Challenge 2009
Countdown Challenge 2010

What Are You Reading Monday - November 16

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see J.Kaye's Book Blog and join in!

Books Completed Last Week:

• A Courtesan's Scandal by Julia London (review)
• Invasion of the Boy Snatchers by Lisi Harrison (library)
• The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate (review)
• Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz (library)

Reading Now:

• Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough (review)
• Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis (audiobook with DS)
• Sole Survivor by Dean Koontz (audiobook)
• The Cutting by James Hayman (review)

Reviews Completed Last Week

• The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney (4.0/5.0)
• The Clique by Lisi Harrison (4.25/5.0)
• Merchant Kings by Stephen Bown
• To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt (4.0/5.0)
• The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate (4.5/5.0)
• Best Friends For Never by Lisi Harrison (4.0/5.0)
• Revenge of the Wannabees by Lisi Harrison (4.75/5.0)
  
• A Courtesan's Scandal by Julia London (4.25/5.0) 
• Invasion of the Boy Snatchers by Lisi Harrison (4.5/5.0)
• Austenland by Shannon Hale (4.0/5.0) 
• Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan (4.0/5.0)
  

Next:

• Kissing Games of the World by Sandi Kahn Shelton
• Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie Montana by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss
• The Silent Gift by Michael Landon and Cindy Kelley
• The Pretty Committee Strikes Back by Lisi Harrison
  

Reviews to do:

• The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate
• Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• Only In Your Dreams by Cecily von Ziegesar
• Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Relentless by Dean Koontz
• Hunted by P.C. and Kristin Cast
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• True Colors by Kristen Hannah

Summary -

It was an excellent week for getting things reviewed, but not as great on the reading side.  The books have taken me longer and I have been a little busier.  I think this week will be better.  Logan (my oldest) and I have been making great progress on Prince Caspian (it took a little bit to get into) and I'm almost done with Sole Survivor on audio.  I have several books to read for tours this week and some catch-up to do on others, so I need to get reading!

Review: The Maze of Bones (39 Clues #1) by Rick Riordan

The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

My rating: 4.0/5.0

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publish Date: September 9, 2009
Pages:  224


My Review:
Fun read - this is an adventure/treasure hunt type book that involves two orphaned children who are being cared for by an aunt that wants nothing to do with them. She hires an au pair to watch after the brother and sister. When their grandmother, Grace Cahill, dies she leaves a will and everyone involved can either take 1 million dollars or go on the hunt for all of the grandmother's fortune. Several in the family take up the offer of the hunt as do Dan and Amy in the company of their au pair.

Pitted against varied members of a very interesting family (they come from all over the world), Dan and Amy are off with the first clue. Offers come in of help from other members but who can Dan and Amy trust and will they be able to find the next clue?

It's fast-paced and exciting. I loved watching Dan and Amy make sense of what they learned and dash around trying to beat the other family members to the next clue.

Fun book for the middle grades - my 8-year-old will be reading this soon and I am sure he will enjoy it. I have the next book ready to go and can't wait to see where the clues take Dan and Amy next.

Challenges:
100+ Book Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge
Fall Into Reading Challenge 2009
Countdown Challenge 2010

Review: Austenland by Shannon Hale

Austenland by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4.0/5.0

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publish Date: May 29, 2007
Pages: 208

My Review:

This is a delightful read. I've been into the Jane Austen Pride & Prejudice inspired books lately and I have read one of Shannon Hale's book so I checked this one out from the library.

I enjoyed the growth of Jane from before she went to the English Austen-like resort to the end of the book when she returns home. She battles with a lot of things during her stay including her attraction to Mr. Darcy. She's on the outside a lot of the time because of the ratio of women to men and the unfortunate fact that she does not have much money and is not expected to be a repeat visitor. Being on the outside gives her more of a perspective on the whole ruse and once she settles down into character she realizes the changes in herself.

I enjoyed this book, it was hard for me to put down. I liked the various characters and really enjoyed Jane. I enjoyed trying to figure out who each character that was introduced was in relation to Jane Austen books. I also liked the absurdity of the resort and the woman caretaker. The fact that you could get thrown out for having a cellphone and how every one had to act all the time, was amusing. I liked the ending especially and wish for more of the book to see what happens to Jane. But like most books that is left up to me and I like books like that.

A quick fun read - if you like Pride and Prejudice or other Jane Austen works or are a fan of Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy then this is a great book to read.

About the Book:

Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?

Challenges:
100+ Book Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge
Fall Into Reading Challenge 2009
Countdown Challenge 2010

Review: Invasion of the Boy Snatchers by Lisi Harrison (The Clique #4)

Invasion of the Boy Snatchers by Lisi Harrison
My rating: 4.5/5.0

Publisher: Little Brown Young Readers
Publish Date: October 5, 2005
Binding: Trade Paperback
Pages: 256

My Review: 

A fast read geared towards middle school girls. This is the fourth installment of The Clique series and I am still enjoying it. With each book we learn a little more about Massie, Claire, Dylan, Kristen and Alicia. I like how Massie's insecurities show a little more in this one, at least in the glimpses the reader gets of her. To everyone else she is still cool and collected Massie, but the reader knows the truth - she's just like every other teenage girl.

Invasion of the Boy Snatchers focuses on three things - Claire and Massie's growing friendship and the fact that they are sharing a room at the moment, the arrival of Alicia's cousin, Nina, and the Valentine's Day Dance.

The other girls are becoming a little jealous of Claire and Massie and their inside jokes, but is Massie becoming a little tired of Claire after living in the same room with here. Also Nina is throwing a monkey wrench into all of The Pretty Committee's boy plans by showing up and wowing the boys with her looks and barely there clothes. Massie doesn't like this because she is no longer the one everyone wants to follow and we all know what happens when Massie doesn't like you.

What follows is the usual Clique fun - a plan to get Massie back on top and the girls rushing to be the first one kissed. And will Claire finally get Cam back and be kissed by him.

Well that's all in one books fun and I enjoyed reading this one immensely. A lot was going on and it kept me reading straight through. The characters are starting to grow and I'm enjoying watching that. It's another cliff hanger ending for me and that means I need to start reading the next one soon.

About the Book:

The holidays are over and Massies room is chock full of new things from Santa: jeans, sweater, and a new . . . roommate? Once Claire unpacks, Massies room feels more crowded than a Zac Posen sample sale. But whats worse, Claire isnt the only person moving into Massies territoryAlicias hot, Spanish cousin, Nina, shows up from Spain and starts edging in on all the Briarwood boys, including Massies crush! Will Nina, with her super-tight mall clothes, make every boy in Westchester fall in love with her? Or will Massie toss her out faster than last seasons Sevens jeans? The social minefields of Westchester Countys most privileged middle school girls drive the page-turning action of this addictive series, set in New York Citys most elite suburban county. The Clique . . . the only thing harder than getting in is staying in.

 Challenges:
100+ Book Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge
Fall Into Reading Challenge 2009

Guest Post & Blog Tour: Author Shelly Nicholson (Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time-Out Chair)

Please welcome Shelly Nicholson to My Reading Room today - she is my first ever author guest post!   Thanks for being here today Shelly.  

I am the author of Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time-Out Chair and A Stinky Surprise for Jake the Snake (to be released early in 2010) as well as several short stories and articles for children’s magazines including Kid Zone, Fun for Kidz, Jack and Jill, and a popular e-zine Stories for Children‘s Magazine (www.storiesforchildrensmagazine.org).  The inspiration for most of my stories comes from my four children.  The inspiration for my Jake the Snake early chapter books came from my now 8-year-old son, Jacob William Nicholson.   I got the ideas for these books when he was about 4-years-old and because of his (let’s just say, “energetic spirit”) the inspiration has never stopped!

In my writing it is my intention to get early readers interested in reading with laugh out loud humor and relatable characters. But I also want to instill a valuable lesson in each of my books.  In my book Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time-Out Chair, the lessons I tried to instill were thinking of others first and sibling camaraderie, with the hopes that children will be laughing the whole way through and will be able to relate to the sibling rivalry Jake shares with his older brother as the plot unfolds revealing what happens to Jake the Snake on Christmas morning.  Will he get a “stupid lump of coal” or will he not???


If your child is a fan of Junie B. Jones or the Fudge series, I think Jake the Snake’s voice is similar.  My books are written in the voice of a five-and-three-quarters year old.  And he is a very candid character, indeed! He always says it like he means it. 

My favorite part about writing for children is seeing their reaction when I read my stories to them.  Whether it be for a classroom or for my own kids, Jake the Snake is one of those books in which I can’t stop laughing right along with the kids. 

If you are an aspiring writer, I would suggest that you look around at everyday situations for inspiration.  Because I am a children’s writer, I always get ideas from my own children, as I think many children’s writers do.  Keep a journal.  Jot down your ideas, no matter where you are or what you are doing.  Someday, an idea might spark into a wonderful story.

Thank you again, Crystal for hosting me on your blog!   If you would like to find out more about the many adventures of “Jake the Snake,” please stop by my website, www.booksbyshelly.com.  Have a great day! And as always, Happy Reading!

Thank you Shelly for visiting my blog - I am very excited to read and review Jake the Snake and the Stupid Time-Out Chair with my boys.  I think it will be a hit in my family.