German is hard. Das ich gut. Er something.

Today I got an email from Mike Posner. Yea the singer of "Cooler Than Me". Ok, not a personal email... I signed up for it. Anyway! Point is, it was a mistake, it was in German or something.

I mentioned it on Z98 today. Oh! Here Listen!


Later I got a call on Q97 from Eddie and he told me German is easy! :)
Listen to him teach me German.


Twas fun. Haha!

What makes a Granola Bar Gooey & Chewy?

Last night I made a first attempt at making granola bars. I should have made a smaller batch for sure. I have that problem often! Turned out pretty good, but not quite like I wanted them. I dream of making a copycat fiber bar you find on store shelves which get a little spendy when you like them as much as I do!

The bars I made are tasty but I want to try another round. It'll be a challenge to finish eating this batch before I start experimenting again... I'll probably run out of freezer room!

Have you ever made your own granola bars? Have any tricks and tips to share?

I don't recall my exact ingredient amounts but here's a basic idea. (All stuff I had in my cupboards already)

Quick oats 1 cup

Steel Cut oats 1 cup

Rolled oats 1 cup

Wheat germ 1 cup

Ground Flax Seed 4 Tbs

Rice Puff Cereal 2 cups

About 2 cups of the chocolate nut mix to the right. It's a really good mix on it's own so I thought it'd be great in a granola bar.

Cinnamon 1/2 tsp

Honey about 1/2 cup

Pure Maple syrup 1/3 cup

Brown sugar 2/3 cup approx.

Margarine 1/2 cup approx.

Water 1/6 cup approx.

Sea salt less than 1/2 tsp

Vanilla 1 Tbs

Sprinkled some mini semi-sweet chips 3 Tbs

I think that's it...

Mixed it all together and pressed it into a pan. Baked for 20 mins at 350°

I wonder if I have to use corn syrup to get the gooey chewiness that the store bought brands have...?

I think my next batch will have more rice cereal type stuff and fewer oats to get a lighter texture. Gotta figure out the secret to chewiness though.

-Carissa

2 Months To Go

For the last 13 weeks I've been working slowing on bettering my habits for a healthy lifestyle. I never intended to be so slow about it, but that's just the amount of effort I've ultimately been putting in each week.

August 2008 was "the good month" I was really solid about my efforts and after that 4 weeks I fell off the face of healthy-living-earth, gained weight and that's where I've been hovering since.

I'm sitting here today thinking: "Man, I'm so drained. I wish I wasn't in this work-eat-sleep cycle." I know what I have to do to fix it, a first step and little bits of consistency is all I need.

Got to break that cycle.

A couple days of waking up earlier than I'd like to after late nights will turn me intoan early-nighter faster than you can shake a tail-feather.

Exercise is the next part. I have this flawed mind set that if I don't work out for 30 minutes or more it's just a waste of time. Why get all sweaty and only burn calories for 15 minutes? Well, nights that you feel too tired to do anything are nights that 15 minutes of sweat will make all the difference right? Right!

I'm feeling really good about the small changes I've made to my eating habits so there's no sense in requiring long hard workouts either - baby steps for real!

I need this month to be another "good month". The second month will be gravy.

It's all up to me.

(That can't be good for your knees... is it?)

Thanks for reading,

Carissa

I'm losing weight on YouTube

I'm feeling comfortable saying that I am posting regular videos on YouTube and losing weight! Woo!

I'm just getting started really but off to a strong start. I'm posting 2 videos a week. A "Weigh-In" and a for-fun video series called "Hotter Every Humpday".

My Weigh-in's tend to be the longer video and "Hotter Every Humpday" (HEH) I try to keep fun and short (or shorter at least... haha!).

I actually have two YouTube channels:

www.youtube.com/carissav is where you find my weigh-ins and HEH. This channel I recently decided to focus on Health related anything. (so you will find some other stuff posted there, but not from now on)

www.youtube.com/carissasophia is the newer channel for 'everything-else'. Videos unrelated to health junk.

Thanks in advance for subscribing. Assuming you subscribe. If not, boooo! Hehe, kidding... maybe!

Thanks for reading. TTYS.

You Won't Believe These "Brownies" another Rocco recipe

I went on and on and on about Rocco Dispirito's recipe for cookies made with beans instead of flour but today I'll save you from the on and on and on and just let you know that the brownies are even better!!! And they were much easier to make than the cookies.

http://www.dietsinreview.com/recipes/roccos-brownies/

I can't wait to get my new Now Eat This cookbook!

The next batch of cookies I make I will not use the wax paper because the cookies stuck to the paper even after I oiled it up. If I can't get them off the pan easily then I'll probably make the brownies much more often than the cookies.

Can't wait for my book to arrive!

Cookies Are My Weakness - No Flour Cookies from Rocco Dispirito

I DVR the Dr. Oz show. I don't get to watch every episode, so I'm soooo glad I caught a recent one about Toxic Bloating because at the very end of the show celebrity chef Rocco Dispirito was on. (He's been on The Biggest Loser a few times)

He made these Triple Chocolate Cookies. (the video is pretty helpful to watch to see how he makes them)

Dr. Oz and an audience member taste tested his cookies and their reaction was SO convincing that I decided I had to try making them.

The outstanding thing about these cookies is that they call for NO butter or flour! You use BEANS instead. And you can eat 5 cookies for the same calories as eating ONE normal cookie.

I made them today with the ingredients I had available. I couldn't find cacao nibs (at Walmart at 2am...) so I just skipped those and added a touch more mini chocolate chips. I couldn't find dark chocolate mini chips so I used regular. Hersey's Special Dark cocoa powder for the fun of it. (Everything else I had)

I don't have a full size food processor so I struggled a bit to get the beans blended, but managed well enough with my $10 mini processor. The bean mixture was really thick and I did struggle to get it out of the mini processor and mixed properly with the egg mixture, but overall I managed well enough.

You really do need to use a spray oil on the wax paper or they will stick. I didn't have any available and skipped pouring oil on the paper and spreading it around, so the cookies stuck to the paper... I had to kinda eat them off the paper. Yes it was very cute. :P Suuuure.

Cook time was about 5 minutes less for me in my gas oven.

Anyhow, these cookies were AWESOME! I couldn't believe it. I ordered his cookbook called Now Eat This. (it wasn't at GC Walmart at 2am so I just ordered online) I can't wait to try more of his recipes, especially the brownies! (you can find that recipe by googling for it if you want)

I'm also going to try finding the cacao nibs, will probably end up ordering those online too.

These cookies are like a miracle to me. I really do have a huge weakness for cookies. I worked at a sandwich shop for 3 years and they have awesome cookies, but it is a major part of how I starting gaining weight and quickly.

I'm going to experiment with this recipe and see if I can make a plain chocolate chip cookie. I can tell you one thing for sure though this is going to become something I make on a regular basis. I mean they are cookies, but they are beans! It's like a meal! Beans and egg whites - get some proper dark chocolate in there and it's a healthy dessert too.

I am SAVED from cookie demise! Thank you Rocco Dispirito!

High Rotation - My Personal Playlist

In no particular order here's what's popular on my playlist lately:

1. Ke$ha (her album is EXCELLENT! Go BUY it. I'm singling her out because she's more than you'd expect.)
2. Black Eyed Peas
3. LMFAO
4. Miranda Lambert
5. Lights
6. Owl City
7. Lady Gaga

Some of the other stuff that I've been playing quite a bit but not as much as the list above:

1. Paramore
2. Lady Sovereign
3. Ludacris
4. La Roux - Bulletproof
5. Ladyhawke - My Delirium

My playlist is generally Pop heavy, I think mostly because I get 4 hours of Country every Monday to Friday on Q97 versus 2 hours Monday to Friday on Z98. ;)

What's in your heavy rotation?

2010 Resolution Update

Listen to the audio version of this blog.

Click here to read my first resolution blog of 2010.

I am not well on my way to achieving my 2010 goals, but all is not lost. I still have time, and I even remember what 2 out the 3 goals were when I wrote my resolution blog at the beginning of the year.

1. Pay Off Visa

This is the goal I think about most often, and the one I feel I'm still most likely to achieve even with limited success so far.

Current Balance: $881.52

Current Minimum Payment: $19 (11.7% APR)

To Pay Off by January 1, 2011 Minimum Payment: $90 per month (that's up from $81 when I first decided to make this a goal)

2. Eat More Vegetables

This is the goal I forgot about... Kind of! My crappy diet is something I'm always thinking about but often ignore. I specifically chose to focus on eating more vegetables to simplify the goal of "eat better". Instead of focusing on switching every bad food I eat for a good food I want to attack the goal differently by incorporating one segment of a larger goal and inadvertantly achieving the bigger goal in the process.
Thinking about adding more vegetables to my diet is a lot less stress inducing than thinking about all the chocolate I shouldn't have eaten or can't eat anymore of. My progress on this goal is slim to none. I am trying to journal my food at least twice a week on Sparkpeople.com. I used to log my food everyday but I fell out of that habit a while ago and I'm trying to build it back into my routine. I will journal one day I feel I've done well, and one day I know is not going so well. That way I'll really know if my idea of a good day is all that good and see what kind of damage I've done on a bad day.

3. Fit into a smaller bridesmaid dress than last time.

I am not succeeding at this goal. I LOVE going to Project Fitness, I LooooOOovve the workouts. My trainer is excellent. I am just not consistently going. It's a shame. I can change it, but I need to focus hard on changing my routine and using work time for work. Then winding down at least 8 hours before getting up for the day and going to my noon Pfit class.

Simple as that. Just have to make it happen.

I have sacrificed sleep and/or a good breakfast to make it to class. The results are not good. The workouts are very intense and when I sacrifice sleep and fuel to get there I get sick and then feel like a whiner-drama queen. For this goal I will focus on getting a good nights sleep with at least 8 hours before heading to Project Fitness.

The Bottom Line:

Each paycheck I will pay $45 (or more) toward my visa.

I will make vegetables the "star" when thinking about meals.

I will focus to make sleep a priority.

Valentine Love Music Mega Mix - Part 2

You did such a great job saying your I Love You's to your Valentines on Z98 this week. Thank you for making the show so much fun! :)

Monday and Tuesday's playlist is in the previous blog. Check it out.

Wednesday February 10th, 2010

Mix1

Owl City - If My Heart Was a House

Paramore - crushcrushcrush and My Heart

Black Eyed Peas - Missing You

Mix2

We The Kings - Secret Valentine

Sixpence None the Richer - Kiss Me

David Archuleta - Crush
Colbie Caillat - Fallin' For you

Thursday February 11th, 2010

Adam Sandler - Grow Old With You

Cobra Starship - Three Times a Lady

Mozella - Love is Something

The Bird and the Bee - My Love

Jason Castro - Let's Just Fall in Love Again

Friday February 12, 2010

Amy Winehouse - Cupid

Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction

Natasha Beddingfield - Love Like This

Jason Mraz - I'll Melt With You (50 First Dates Soundtrack)

Butch Walker - You Belong With Me (a Taylor Swift Cover)

Happy Valentine's Day!

-Carissa

Valentine Love Music Mega Mix

This week I've been taking your calls so you can have a special message aired on Z98 for your Valentine. Here's the music I've played so far this week. Hope you've enjoyed so far. Today I've got another couple mixes I think you're going to like and Thursday, Friday will be ultra special since we'll be doing Children's Miracle Network programming.

(I'm also going to be outside your Walmart from 10am-1pm collecting your donations. Thursday at the Garden City location and Friday at the Dodge City location.)

Monday February 8th, 2010

Mix1

Ke$ha - Your Love Is My Drug

Mika - Love Today

Leighton Meester (Feat. Robin Thicke) Somebody To Love

Mix2

Angel Taylor - Like You Do

Hellogoodbye - Oh, It Is Love

Adele - Make You Feel My Love

Rilo Kiley - Give a Little Love

Jay Sean - Down (Candlelight remix)

Tuesday February 9th, 2010

Mix1

Lady Gaga - Alejandro

Michael Buble - Haven't Met You Yet

Mary J. Blige (Feat. T.I.) Good Love

Mix2

Lights - Drive My Soul

Michael Franti & Spearhead - Say Hey (I Love You)

The Bird and the Bee - Love Letter to Japan

I buy my music on iTunes. I like buying one track at a time. :) Makes me feel like I have more of the music I want and less fluff. :) And I can sample something new without investing a ton of money in something I'm not sure I'll like.

How do you get your music?

Crappy Customer Service Costs More

(I was going to audio blog this like usual, but A. I sounded very annoyed and will save you from hearing so much negativity you can read it and interpret the level of vexation! B. my website reached the bandwidth capacity for the first time in the 5+ years I've run it. Wow, must be that Ke$ha song. haha!)

I'm usually pretty easy going... and generally find it easy to NOT be critical of crappy customer service. I chalk it up to them having a long day, or they just don't realize or whatever. But lately I've had some of the crummiest customer service at just about every place I've been lately.

And it is NOT because they are having a long day or they're just not realizing they're missing something... it's absolutely because they are lazy, uncaring and unconcerned with doing. their. job! It's as if they really don't want me to come back. I'm a major pain in their neck with no ability in padding their wallet.

I don't expect backward cartwheels. I'd just like it if you paid some attention.

I'm really concerned that I'm going to become a customer service psycho! Gosh I hate those people! Please don't make me do it!!!

As much as I'd love to sit here and hammer out all the ways that customer service has ticked me off lately, I won't. You've probably experienced it all yourself and don't need to hear every moan and groan from me but the last few months your customer service has sucked. Please fix it.

And... to the girl at that one place... who saw a $0.00 tip on the credit card receipt and then suddenly changed her super nicey nice (fake) vibe into a totally annoyed one. GET REAL!! We left cash on the table! More than you deserved even after you held us hostage waiting for our bill while you socialized with your friend... we gave the benefit of the doubt! You can bet your bottom dollar I'll remember you next time... You won't remember me but I'll remember you. ARrrgg you suck.

*sigh*

I wish I didn't care... I don't want to be so negative and nasty...


Thanks for stopping by. Share your stories of crappy customer service.


My next blog will be much happier! Promise! :)

2010 Resolutions

Listen to the audio version of this blog. (sorry... I'm kinda sick right now, but I tried...)


Setting goals are important and all that jazz.

There are a couple things that I think are really important when you set goals. These are generally things I've picked up on while reading articles on how to achieve goals, so they may not be anything new to you either.

First, be specific about your goals. Simply saying "I want to lose weight" is not enough.
Second, figure out a way to measure your success. "I want to eat more vegetables" that's nice, but how much more?

I've decided on 3 goals. I don't want to commit to too much so that I actually have a chance at success.

1. Pay off Visa card.

I actually should focus on a different card with a higher rate of interest, but the balance due on that card is much higher and feels impossible for the moment. On top of that, I've been making little to no headway on all my cards for a long time... so paying off one will feel like a huge accomplishment. I know I can pay off my Visa with a current balance of $907.
Current Minimum Payment: $20 (11.7% APR)
Payment needed to pay off in less than one year: $81 per month
Credit Card Repayment Calculator
Spending on this card won't be a problem because the account is already closed. Which is a stupid story I won't bore you with, but bottom line is, Wells Fargo lost a loyal customer that day.

2. Eat more vegetables (and less meat)

It is really easy to make meal after meal with not a single vegetable! (At a Mexican restaurant the other day I had rice, beans and chicken in red sauce with a dab of guacamole and some shredded lettuce.) I want to eat a more balanced diet including a vegetable at every meal including breakfast, sometimes. I will log my food at SparkPeople.com (it's free, check it out)

3. Fit into a smaller bridesmaid dress than last time.

I've gained weight since Ashley's wedding September 2008. Now my sister Beth is getting married October 2010. And while I'd like to be at my goal weight by then, it's just not a realistic goal. I will need to lose a minimum of 35 pounds. Eating more vegetables will help me achieve this because my diet will probably get better over time altogether. Keeping a steady exercise routine at Project Fitness and home workouts. Once the weather warms up again biking to work and doing C25K training will help too. I will log my meals and exercise at SparkPeople.com.

I'm going to try to blog at least once a week here so I'll keep you updated on how I'm doing.