Memorial Day the Healthy Way

"Dieters" are constantly looking for excuses to go off their diet plans. I know the feeling! My number one excuse are holidays. "It is a holiday so I deserve some junk food," I tell myself. But is there ever a good reason to put junk inside our bodies? Is that what we deserve? Once those few moments of enjoyable taste and texture are swallowed we have to live with the hours of guilt and other repercussion which can take days to overcome. This is why I am trying to forget about the idea of being on a "diet" that can be broken and rather focus on a lifestyle of healthy habits. Good habits can take a while to form but once they are they can be our best friends. Let us make healthy holidays a habit!

How often do we forget the true reason for the holiday? We become easily distracted with preparing for family get togethers and what food we are going to eat. Let's put "food" on the side lines and more emphasize on the actual reason for the holiday.

Today did I prepare some healthy food for my family but we also tried to focus on the reason for Memorial Day. My husband Andrew installed a flag poll and we flew the stars and strips for the first time since we moved here two years ago this month. His mother came by and we all drove to the veterans cemetery where we paid our respects to the memory of her husband who passed five years ago one June 19th.

Andrew hanging our flag.

Veterans Cemetery.

For holidays such as Memorial Day and the 4th of July we think grill. Juicy steaks and burgers. Bags of chips and ice cold sodas. Let's not even mention the desserts! This year I did not miss these foods. I am learning to enjoy and anticipate healthier options just as much.

Zucchini Turkey Burgers

The zucchini in my Zucchini Turkey Burgers add juicy tenderness to what could otherwise be a rubbery burger because of the lean meat.

Ingredients:

Medium size pack of lean turkey meat

Three medium to small zucchini

I encourage everyone to be creative in their seasoning.

Experiment with different combonations to see what you enjoy. Here is what I used today:

Onion powered

Garlic powder

Basil leaves

Paprika

Dill weed

Fennel Seeds

Italian Seasoning

Grate your zucchini and mix in all your seasoning.

I mixed my turkey meat in with my hands. My son was standing near me in the kitchen on a chair watching mama cook. He said," no, no mama. Messy hand. Wawa." He then turned on the sink and told me wash my hands. :)

Form into patties of whatever size you like. These taste great from the grill, baked in the oven or pan fried.

If you are a BBQ sauce lover try this lower sugar and pretty potent concoction.

Worcestershire sauce

Liquid smoke

mustard( any sort)

A1 sauce

ketchup

vinegar(any sort)

I mixed about one tbsp of each ingredient and put in an empty spice jar.

For dessert I made whole wheat banana bread muffins. These were supposed to be for my husband and son but of course I ended up eating one! Therefor I am not including the recipe. Although a healthy option if you are going to "cheat" muffins are not part of a healthy lifestyle for controlling PCOS symptoms so make at your own risk! hahah

Go ahead. Look at my messy kitchen! Don't worry it is clean now. hehe

Happy Memorial Day!