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Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Without the Guilt

A friend of mine turned me on to a website called Hungry Girl.  It has great food swaps and low calorie recipes.  And since I know that most of us are always looking to eat a little healthier, I figured that i'd share a few that will satisfy your sweet tooth.  It also gives small servings so that those who live alone don't make enough to feed 40 people and then end up eating it all!

Excess calories often keep me from enjoying frozen drinks.  Here's one that I can enjoy without the guilt!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Sprite Zero (or any diet lemon-lime soda)
One shot (1.5 oz.) tequila
One serving (half a packet or 1/8th of a tub) sugar-free strawberry powdered drink mix (any variety, like Crystal Light Strawberry-Kiwi or Energy Wild Strawberry)
4 frozen unsweetened strawberries
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 cup crushed ice or 5 - 8 ice cubes
Optional Garnish: lime wedge

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until uniform and slushy.
Pour into a nice glass and, if you like, garnish with a wedge of lime.
Drink up!

MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: 1 margarita (entire recipe)
Calories: 125
Fat: 0g
Sodium: 24mg
Carbs: 7g
Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 0g
POINTS® value 2


I heart Milk Shakes and here's one that I can have without the guilt!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Breyers Double Churn Free Creamy Vanilla fat-free ice cream
1/2 cup light vanilla soymilk
1/2 tbsp. Coffee-mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer
2 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda or Truvia)
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup crushed ice or 5 - 7 ice cubes
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip
Optional: maraschino cherry

Directions:
Place powdered creamer in a small dish, and add 1/2 tbsp. very hot water. Stir until powder dissolves, and then transfer mixture to a blender.
Add all other ingredients except the Reddi-wip to the blender. Blend at high speed until completely mixed. Pour into your favorite glass and top with Reddi-wip. If you like, finish it off with a cherry!

MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: 16 oz. w/ whipped topping (entire shake)
Calories: 155
Fat: 2.5g
Sodium: 108mg
Carbs: 28.5g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 16g
Protein: 6g
POINTS® value 3*


Think that you can't have ice creamy goodness.  Think Again!

Ingredients:
1 standard-sized Keebler Waffle Bowl (or another store-bought waffle bowl with about 50 calories)
1/2 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream
3 frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 1/2 tbsp. Hershey's Lite chocolate syrup, divided
1/2 tbsp. sugar-free strawberry preserves
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip

Directions:
Pour 1 tbsp. chocolate syrup into the waffle bowl, tilting the bowl from side to side so the syrup coats as much of the inside as possible (sides too!). Freeze for 30 minutes, or until syrup has solidified.

Place berries in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave until thawed, about 25 seconds. Do not drain excess liquid. Add preserves and mash with a fork, until you have a chunky strawberry sauce. Set aside.

Remove waffle bowl from the freezer and place in a dish. Scoop ice cream into the waffle bowl. Top with strawberry sauce and 1/2 tbsp. chocolate syrup, and then finish it all off with Reddi-wip. Eat the WHOLE thing, waffle bowl and all! (FYI: It's fun to break up the waffle bowl and eat it along with the ice cream, which is why you need another dish to contain it all!)

MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: entire sundae
Calories: 198
Fat: 1.25g
Sodium: 110mg
Carbs: 45.5g
Fiber: 2.5g
Sugars: 23.5g
Protein: 3.5g
POINTS® value 4*

Strawberry short cake to die for..

Ingredients:
1 shortcake dessert shell (like a Hostess Shortcake Dessert Cup)
1/3 cup sliced strawberries
1/3 cup Breyers Double Churn Free fat-free ice cream, Creamy Vanilla
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip
1 tbsp. Smucker's Sugar Free Strawberry Preserves

Directions:
Mix the preserves with 1/2 tbsp. of hot water to make a strawberry sauce, and then set aside. Place about one-third of the sliced strawberries in the center of the shortcake. Top with the ice cream. Then, place another third of the strawberries on top of the ice cream (or if you want to be all fancy, press them into the ice cream). Drizzle the strawberry syrup over the top. Then squirt your dessert with the Reddi-wip, and top with the remaining strawberries (again, feel free to be fancy and place them prettily around the whipped topping). Enjoy! MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: 1 shortcake with ice cream (entire recipe)
Calories: 190
Fat: 2g
Sodium: 180mg
Carbs: 42g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 22g
Protein: 4g
POINTS® value 3*


Now I can have my cupcake and eat it too

Ingredients:

For cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots, roughly chopped if shreds are long
1 cup (1/4th of box) Pillsbury Moist Supreme Reduced Sugar Cake Mix, Classic Yellow
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
2/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
2/3 cup canned crushed pineapple in juice (not drained)
2/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/4 cup raisins (not packed)
2 tbsp. brown sugar (not packed)
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder

For frosting:
4 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt (or another thick, plain fat-free yogurt)
1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine all dry cupcake ingredients except for the carrots and raisins (in other words -- cake mix, flour, Splenda, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and baking powder). Mix well and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, egg substitute, and 1/4 cup water until blended. Add the contents of the medium bowl to the large bowl. Using a wire whisk or fork, blend until just mixed. Then, stir in the carrots, pineapple, and raisins. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute cake mixture among the cups, and place in the oven to cook for 20 - 25 minutes (until a toothpick poked into the center of one comes out clean). While the cupcakes cook, combine all the frosting ingredients in a small bowl. Using a whisk or fork, blend until smooth. Place frosting in the fridge to chill. Once cupcakes are fully cooked, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely. Then plate cupcakes, and spread frosting evenly over tops. Refrigerate until frosting has set and you're ready to serve. Enjoy!!! MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1 frosted cupcake
Calories: 130
Fat: 1g
Sodium: 205mg
Carbs: 26g
Fiber: 2.5g
Sugars: 10g
Protein: 5g
POINTS® value 2

Week Events - Atlanta

Do you live in Atlanta, Georgia or will be in Atlanta this week?  Here are some events we think you may enjoy.

Get out, dine, and enjoy
Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week begins Monday, July 27th and ends August 9th. 
30 Tables; Atlanta Grill; Durango Steakhouse; Pacific Rim Bistro; Rise Sushi Lounge; Sear; Social; Spoon; Terrace on the Peachtree; and Thrive are just a few of the restaurants participating in Restaurant Week.

Celebrate the Arts
National Black Arts Festival
Woodruff Arts Center
1280 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA  30309
Wednesday, July 29th to Sunday, August 2nd
Go to www.nbaf.org for shows, times, and locations

At the theatre
42nd Street
Fox Theatre
660 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Playing Tuesday, July 28th to Sunday, August 2nd

Make 'em laugh
Comedy Gold Open Mic
Vortex Bar & Grill
878 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA  30308
Wednesday, July 29th @ 8:00pm

MotherLand Culture
Atlanta African Dance and Drum Festival
Morehouse College - Archer Hall Gymnasium
894 Fair Street
Atlanta, GA 30314
Friday, July 31 @ 5:00pm
Saturday, August 1st @ 9:00am
Sunday, August 2nd @ 10:00am

Explore the human body
Bodies...The Exhibition
Atlantic Station Exhibition Center
265 18th Street
Suite 4200
Atlanta, GA  30363
Showing daily from 9:00am to 8:00pm

More Theatre
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Georgia Shakespeare @ Oglethorpe University
4484 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA  30319
Monday, July 27th to Saturday, August 1st

Jazz. Music.
Gary Motley Trio
Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
980 Briarcliff Road NE
Atlanta, GA  30306
Friday, July 31st @ 7:30pm
For the bride-to-be

The Georgia Bridal Show
Cobb Galleria Centre
2 Galleria Pkwy
Atlanta, GA  30339
Sunday, August 2nd from noon to 5:00pm

Product of the Week - Best Online Shopping Sites You May Not Know About

There are truly some great online shops that get overshadowed by the larger chain store shopping sites.  Here are a few sites that we think you should check out.

Children's Books
www.BankStreetBooks.com  This site has great selections of books, toys and activity games for children.  The products are reasonably priced.  Overall, it is a change from Borders, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Discounted Designer Clothes and Shoes
www.Outnet.com  We are all very familiar with sites like BlueFly and eLuxury but this site also offers some very nice designer bargains and the "Dress Me" feature can make online shopping a little easier.

Lingerie and Adult Fun
www.Ohlounge.com  For the sexy adult in you, this site offers elegant lingerie, role-play costumes, toys, bedroom accessories, position furniture, and footwear.

Online Magazine
www.Instyle.com  Ok, this so is one site you may already be aware of if you are a fan of the magazine.  Regardless, this is a great site for fashion, beauty and shopping.  The site also offers wedding style and planning features, virtual makeovers and a jean calculator.  Love it! 

Parenting Interest
www.Parenthood.com  With topics ranging from pregnancy to birthday party ideas, this site is very comprehensive and well organized.  As a www.Babycenter.com and www.Parenting.com addict, it is nice to have a third option.

An Open Letter to VH1

Dear VH1
Stop.  Just Stop.  Please.

I've watched you over the years and, at one point, was a fan of your format change.  You couldn't find a bigger fan of "I love the ..." and Best Week Ever.  You even managed to throw in a few videos in between.  Then you went and gave us Flava of Love.  Everyone was in love with it during the first two seasons and we looked past the shows silliness. 

Then I believe that you had one meeting and decided to have the exact same show with a few different people.  So you started a show for Tila Tequila, Brett Michaels, Ray J, Real and Chance, New York, etc.  And now next season, you've even given a show to Megan.   I mean seriously.  Cut it out.  Your spitting out the exact same show with a few different people.  You aren't even bothering to find original contestants anymore. 

Flav was interesting because everyone loved flav and we hadnt seen him in a while.  But after we saw him in the first season.  We were good.  Now you're just pulling people outta the woodworks.  I mean really.  Think of something else.

Best Week Ever used to be very entertaining.  Then it changed.  I will give you points because it's not like any of the shows that I just mentioned, but it's not as funny as it used to be.

I haven't seen the T.O show just yet, but I hope that it's better than your other programming.

If you're going to have several reality shows, come up with something original.  If you're going to start a new show, make it a new show!  Stop putting current contestants in existing story lines reality shows. 

As a matter of fact, just leave on VH1 Soul and stop all the non-sense that you have going on VH1.  Bring back pop-up video!

Thank you for your attention to this matter
Rae
P.S.  I do appreciate the below picture of T.O.  Thanks.

Great Finds

From time to time I love to share my great finds with you.  Here are a few things I have fallen in love with or in some cases have fallen in love with again.


Pure Vitamin E Oil - I have used vitamin E oil for years, but never consistently.  My latest stint with using the oil has me again saying, "I really should use this everyday."  I apply it at night before I go to bed.  It is a great way to moisturize and replenish the skin.  It is also great for scars, minor irritations or redness, and stubborn dry patches.  In my opinion, this is a great way to help keep your skin healthy.  It is also very good to soothe your bikini area after a shaving or waxing.


Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer - If you read this blog regularly, you know how I love low maintenance makeup finds.  Well, I have found another.  In previous blogs, I have raised my hands high in praises of Becca Cosmetics.  I must now do the same for this Smashbox find.  This tinted moisturizer is twelve bucks cheaper than Becca's Luminous Skin Colour.  In this recession, every dollar needs to be respected.  Becca is still tops for me though.

  Gotta put this Max Studio Platform Stiletto on your to do list.


Zappos free shipping policy.  www.Zappos.com is one of the rare sites I have found on the web that constantly offers free shipping.  Since I am a big online shopper (as I am sure most people are in this day and age), free shipping is essential.  Nothing gets me to the mall faster than shipping fees.

Product of the Week - Maxwell's BLACKsummer's night

  At a time when R&B/Pop is so pervasive, who does the Soul lover turn to for something savory to balance out that overdoes of R&B/Pop sugar?  Just when the scene seemed so dire, Maxwell has returned to help save R&B/Soul.  Several years have passed since Maxwell released an album, leaving his fans perplexed and frustrated.  Thankfully, Anthony Hamilton has been manning the gates in his absence.  If you crave genuine R&B/Soul music, you have not been forgotten.  At long last, Maxwell has served us something new to savor.  His new album, BLACKsummer'snight is classic Maxwell - silky, seductive, patient, and lyrical.  With tracks like "Stop the World", "Fist Full of Tears" and "Bad Habits", Maxwell's latest offering is bound to end up in your Ipod playlist rotation.

Now, all we need is for Anthony Hamilton and Maxwell to tour together and all will be right in a soulful world.


BLUSHING LADIES SPEAK:
If you have a good music find to share, let us know in the comments section.

The PostPartum Weight Loss Project - Zumba

The postpartum weight loss project forges ahead.  When last we meant, I was walking regularly and looking to employ new methods of exercise.  Since then, I have upped my walking mileage, added sprints, and running stairs to my workouts.  I have been very happy with the toning and loss of inches, but I have not seen the upper body progress that I would like.

Over the last several weeks, I have stepped into the land of Zumba.  It is latin dance set to latin and caribbean music that gives a hell of a cardio workout.  I love it.  Each time I leave a class I am a sweaty mess but that is just  what I need from my cardio workouts.  The class is upbeat and high energy, yet manages not to feel like a tedious cardio workout.  So far, I am taking two classes a week.  If I keep this up, my baby belly does not stand a chance.  I am already noticing a difference.

Weekend Happenings - Los Angeles

 
Do you live in Los Angeles or will be there this weekend?  Los Angeles offers plenty to see and do.  We have listed a few things we think will be worth your time.

Get a taste of Los Angeles' comedic talent
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
5919 Franklin Avenue
Hollywood, CA  90028
Friday, July 10th
Showtimes:  7pm; 8pm; 9:30pm; 11pm; and Midnight.

Take a bite of Los Angeles' most popular restaurants
Yamashiro
1999 N. Sycamore Avenue
Hollywood, CA  90068

Melograno
6541 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA  90028

Take an air tour by helicopter of various sites in the Los Angeles area

Orbic Air and Adventure Helicopter Tours are just two the many helicopter tour companies in LA.

Experience luxury at a Los Angeles day spa
Kinara Spa
656 N. Robertson Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90069

Ole Henrikson Face/Body Spa
8622A W. Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA  90069
 
Willing to spend a little more for spa luxury? 
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
300 S. Doheny Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90048

Do you appreciate French culture or just want some good food and wine?
Bastille Day Los Angeles Festival
Elysian Park
1800 Academy Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90012
Sunday, July 12th, Noon


HAVE AN LOS ANGELES EVENT THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE?  LET US KNOW AND WE WILL POST.

Product of the Week

This should be termed, place of the week.  I attended the American Black Film Festival a couple of weeks ago and attended a party at LIV.  It's the lounge inside of the Fountain Bleu hotel in Miami.  This place is GAW-GEOUS and the wait staff was phenomenal.  Here are a couple of my personal pictures. I had to leave out the bulk of them to protect the innocent.


   
Raheem Devaughn Performing




Our Table of Toxins

They have VIP rooms that are suspended above the club along with VIP tables that line the dance floor.  We had a friend who treated us to a table (Thanks T!) and let me tell you, the wait staff was no joke.  Most clubs/lounges will give you a table with a couple of bottles, mixers, and then the wait staff is on their merry way.  Not at LIV.  The wait staff makes your drinks for you and also works as bodyguards.  If anyone even thought about grabbing a drink from our table, our waitresses stopped them in their tracks and cleared it with the boss lady first.  They have great memories which allows them to make your drink with ease.  If they don't remember, they can take a quick whiff of an empty glass and know exactly what it is.  Now that's service! 

Your VIP sides include the standards.  Red Bull, Tonic, Cranberry, Orange Juice or whatever mixers you want.  But they also provide water.  But not regular water.  Nooooooooooooo.  Voss water.  And they keep it coming.  This made for a very smooth wake up the next morning.

In my opinion this was the best party of the weekend.  The DJ was fabulous, the service and place was great, and the company was phenomenal.  I don't know what the DJ is like any other night, but if you drop the money for a table or room,  the staff will treat you like a king or queen and the decor is gorgeous.  Those things don't change.  

Put LIV on your to do list.

 



Those are the VIP rooms at the top                                                                        Inside of the suspended VIP rooms

Sidenote: The leather VIP couches will withstand tall skinny heels dancing in them and people skipping across them to Michael Jackson songs.  Those are definitely stories for another day.

Share your memories today!

I'm sure that everyone has been watching all of the buzz and reviews of MJ's memorial service yesterday.  If you didn't see it, it was far more moving than even I thought that it would be.  From Al Sharpton's speech to little Paris Katherine's final goodbye.  It was moving and touching. 

We all have our MJ memories.  I remember the posters that I tore out of Right On! magazine and the dance steps that I worked to perfect.  I even still have the Thriller record at home. 

This period does not only make me remember Michael. I remember those that I've known personally that aren't here with me now.  I don't take death too well.  I don't turn into Wanda from Good Times, but I tend to internalize it and wrestle with it.  It takes a long time to digest with me.  It's something that I've been working with in my adult years, but it is, what it is. 

I came across an interesting activity in a post on a blog called 5 and a possible.  In this post, the blogger talked about how she wrote letters to her friends titled "When we first met...."  She used the letters to document the first time that she met her friends.  I thought that this was a wonderful idea.  It's times like these that we remember how important it is to let our loved ones know exactly what they mean to us.  Write letters to family too.  I have family that mean the world to me, but I may not speak to them as often as I should.  Do you think that Michael knew that this many people loved him while he was here?  Or did he think that a lot of people wouldn't miss him as much as they have?

Let's take advantage and savor the opportunity that we've been given to let those who are important to us know exactly how we feel.  Let's take it old school and forgo email.  Go out Blushing ladies.  Buy fly stationary and get your script on!