REPOST: Easy meals low in cost, cooking time and calories

Healthy eating should be a part of our weekly diet. This article from Today shows some recipes that are not only low in calories, but also in cost and cooking time. Here’s one of them:  

Steel cut oats with apples and cinnamon

· Cost: $0.55
· Cooking time: 8 hours (only 3 minutes prep!)
· Calories: 250


Ingredients 

· 1 cup oats, steel cut

· 4 cups water

· 2 apples, diced

· raisins, for garnish

· dash of cinnamon

Directions
Combine the oats, water and apples in the slow cooker. Cook on low setting overnight for approximately 8 hours. Garnish with raisins and sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.

The dish
We've heard over and over again that oatmeal is a great way to start your day. It’s good for you and especially good for those with diabetes. Steel-cut oats are even better for you than regular oatmeal, but they are a pain to make. use the slow-cooker overnight to prepare you steel cut oats. On the surface, the 8-hour cooking time can seem daunting, it all takes place while you're sleeping.

Additionally, the slow cooker allows for you to prep breakfast for the whole family at once.

My Ingrid Callot blog articles share healthy and green living tips. Visit this page for more updates.

REPOST: Your hour-by-hour guide to better sleep

"Our bodies have an internal rhythm that takes cues from daytime behaviors, so the more strictly a person adheres to a schedule, the more his or her body will know when it's time to sleep," says Michael Breus, PhD, a clinical psychologist. Learn more how to get a good night's sleep from this Today article:  

Any bleary-eyed new mom or dad will tell you that the expression "sleep like a baby" is grossly misleading. Many babies sleep through the night only when they're put on a schedule. And you know what? If you can't remember the last time you got a good—and full—night's sleep, the same thing will work for you.


"Our bodies have an internal rhythm that takes cues from daytime behaviors, so the more strictly a person adheres to a schedule, the more his or her body will know when it's time to sleep," says Michael Breus, PhD, a clinical psychologist and the author of several books on sleep, including The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan: Lose Weight through Better Sleep.


In today's world, where smartphones keep us tethered to work 24/7 and we all have more balls in the air than a Ringling Brothers clown, that might seem easier said than done. But there are plenty of good reasons to try, and not just because lack of sleep makes you crankier than a carb addict on Atkins. Research has linked sleep deprivation to some surprising conditions, including weight gain, reduced immunity, diabetes, and heart disease (not to mention that groggy "just give me another cup of coffee now" feeling that marks the days of the approximately one in four women who has trouble sleeping).


Find it hard to get yourself on any kind of schedule? We can help. We put together an hour-by-hour action plan that will help you fall asleep—and stay asleep—by 11 p.m. tonight. If your bedtime is earlier or later, adjust the times to compensate. Either way, you can look forward to finally getting the sleep you need.


7 a.m.: Wake up at the same time every day
It can be so tempting to sleep until noon on weekends, but one day of sleeping in can sabotage you for the rest of the week. "Your internal biological clock craves consistency—the more you stick with one schedule, the easier it will be for you to fall asleep and wake up," says Dr. Breus. Ideally, you will go to bed around the same time every night so that you wake up at the same time in the morning. In fact, if you're getting enough sleep, experts say, you'll wake on your own a few minutes before your alarm goes off.


8 a.m.: Seek some light When it's dark out, your body produces the hormone melatonin, which tells your brain it's time for sleep. Then daylight signals the body to suppress melatonin production so you can remain alert and awake. For a morning dose of alertness, get some direct sun exposure for 30 minutes within one hour of waking up. This is the time for taking your daily walk, sipping coffee on the back deck, or spending some quality time weeding the garden.


Here's why: Being in the light helps reset your body's internal clock so it keeps you awake when you need to be and puts you to sleep at the right time. "Light is the major cue that synchronizes our circadian rhythm, and getting enough exposure to it can solve many sleep problems," says Arthur Spielman, PhD, co-director of the Weill Cornell Center for Sleep Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. If you can't get out in the morning or it's still dark when you wake up, ask your doctor if a commercially available light-therapy box that simulates natural sunlight might be right for you and, if so, which one she'd recommend. Dr. Breus suggests finding one that emits blue light with a wavelength around 450 nanometers that works faster than traditional light-therapy boxes.


2 p.m.: Drink your last latte
Caffeine can stay in your system for eight or more hours, so try to avoid consuming any regular coffee, soda, or other highly caffeinated beverages too late in the day, says Judy Caplan, MS, RD, the author of "GoBeFull: Eight Keys to a Healthy Life" and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. If you're really sensitive to caffeine, you might also want to avoid or cut back on chocolate and tea, which contain smaller amounts of the stimulant. If you're ultrasensitive, even the smidge of caffeine in decaf could keep you up.


5:30 p.m.: Get in a workout
Good news for you gym rats: Working out is one of the best ways to ensure a good night's sleep. "Exercise reduces the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and helps you sleep more soundly for longer periods," says Peter Walters, PhD, professor of applied health science at Wheaton College and the author of multiple studies about the link between sleep and exercise.
That doesn't mean you need to train for a triathlon—exercising just 30 minutes five days a week can help you get some shut-eye.


Schedule your workout for whenever you're most likely to stick with it, but if you find that late-night sweat sessions keep you awake, try to end it at least four hours before bedtime. "During exercise, your body releases endorphins and your heart rate increases," says Dr. Walters. "After you're finished, your heart and metabolism continue to function at an accelerated rate."
So if you're exercising close to bedtime, calm down by meditating or doing a few gentle yoga poses before you hit the sack, like these 13 sleep-inducing poses.


6 PM: Limit fluids
If you're prone to waking in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, avoid drinking too much late in the day. "Drink if you're thirsty, but otherwise don't guzzle fluids at night," says Prevention advisor Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine. "When you drink a beverage, it takes about five hours before your body filters it through the kidneys and into the bladder so you can urinate it out." Get most of your eight daily glasses of water in before dinnertime.


6:30 p.m.: Eat a light meal
You've heard it before: Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. Well, that old saying isn't just a prescription for maintaining a healthy weight—it can also help you sleep better.


"Big, heavy meals take longer to digest, so if you lie down too quickly afterward, you're more likely to have acid reflux, which can interfere with your sleep," says Caplan. Also, avoid spicy, acidic, and fried foods, which can cause indigestion and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) in some people. If you're still hungry a few hours after dinnertime, experts say it's OK to have a small bedtime snack, but choose wisely: Stick with 200 calories or less, and opt for snacks that contain complex carbs and a bit of protein, such as a small bowl of cereal with milk.


7 p.m.: Have your nightcap early
Sure, that glass of wine might make you drowsy and help you conk out, but it can also prevent you from falling into a deep sleep. In fact, a study by University of Michigan researchers found that women slept around 20 minutes less and woke more often throughout the night after consuming alcohol. And no surprise here: They also felt less rested.


"People fall asleep more easily with alcohol because it acts as a sedative, but once it wears off, it causes more arousals and sleep disruption later in the night," says Matt Bianchi, MD, PhD, director of the sleep division at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.


Bottom line: Stick with one or two alcoholic beverages—at most—around dinnertime, and cork the bottle 3 hours before bedtime.


8 p.m.: Prepare your room
"The bedroom is often the least carefully arranged room in people's houses," says William Dement, MD, PhD, past chief of the division of sleep at Stanford University and founder of the first sleep disorders clinic in the country. To create a peaceful environment for sleeping, make sure there's no stress-inducing clutter, and keep the room cool (around 65°F is optimal for most people). Close room-darkening drapes or shades so no light peeks in to cut off melatonin production. If you're menopausal and prone to night sweats, keep an ice pack close by and dress lightly (no more flannels for you). "These changes are simple, but many people don't make them," says Dr. Dement.


9 p.m.: Jot down your worries
Avoid that flood of predreamland jitters just as your head hits the pillow by designating a time earlier in the day to journal, write your to-do list, or work through any issues you've been mulling over.


"So many of my patients tell me they can't turn their brains off when they get in bed because it's their only time to be quiet and reflective all day long," says Mary Susan Esther, MD, past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. With your worries and to-dos on paper, she says, "if your mind starts wandering when you're in bed, remind yourself that you've closed the book on the day and there's nothing else you can do about the particular issue until tomorrow."


10 p.m.: Wind down
All that late-night Internet surfing you're doing before bed might be preventing you from falling asleep. A 2012 study from the Lighting Research Center found that a 2-hour exposure to light from self-luminous backlit devices such as tablets, e-readers, smartphones, and computers suppressed sleep-promoting melatonin by about 22 percent. Plus, texting or playing solitaire or Words with Friends can stimulate your brain so that you're too alert to fall asleep.


The solution? Power down early. "I give my patients an electronic curfew—an hour before bed, all devices must be turned off," says Dr. Breus. (One exception: If you find watching TV relaxing, some experts say that's OK, since it's not interactive.) After turning off your tech toys, keep the lights dim while you lay out your clothes for the next day and wash up for bed. Then do something soothing that clears your mind and relaxes your body, such as meditation (which some studies have suggested can increase melatonin production), reading, or doing these gentle full-body yoga stretches.


11 PM: Lights out!
Snuggle into bed and literally rest assured that you've planned the perfect day to help you get a good night's sleep.

Ge more updates from mom, wife, and blogger Ingrid Callot by following her on Twitter.

Professional organizer Barbara Reich: On organizing your child's world

“Just after I finished clearing the decks, my son Jacob would set out his stuff and play with them until they’re all over the floor. Then I’d wade my way through the chaos all over again.” — me, recalling an Ingrid Callot indignant moment.

If you have kids at home, you know exactly what I mean. You also understand how difficult it is to keep everything in order, especially if you’re a sentimental mom. But getting rid of sentimentality, when organizing kids’ stuff, is one advice that I’ve picked up from Barbara Reich, author of Secrets of an Organized Mom.

Image Source: thebeoples.blogspot.com

“You absolutely have my permission to throw those greeting cards away! Only save the few with those special notes inside. I’d suggest getting a small letterbox or clear large envelope so you know what’s inside,” Reich shares in the Today Show.

Reich also introduces her four-step system of avoiding unnecessary clutter. It begins with purging, followed by designing and organizing, and ends with maintenance.

Image Source: noordinaryhomestead.com

I agree with Reich when she says that being overwhelmed should not stop you from starting to get organized. Identifying problem areas of your children’s small world and spending time on those areas are simple steps to make progress. Once you get started, you’ll less likely to get any more overwhelmed.

Image Source: homeorganizeit.com

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On bloopers, blunders, and losing: Why they're good for kids

Image Source: lifestyle.yahoo.com

“Ingrid Callot, do you ever bend some board game rules or loosen a bit during a family race so your kid wins?” a friend of mine asked.

I answered with a resounding yes.

For me, this parental inclination makes sense to protect my son from needless feelings of hurt. However, I also believe that it should only be done on occasion to help kids learn from the errors they make along the
way. In fact, research found that kids learn better if conditions are arranged so that they make errors.

Image Source: moms.popsugar.com

Gone are the days when committing errors was not encouraged in school and at home. Just like last week, my 11-year-old son Jacob forgot a very important routine: bringing the trash out for the early morning pick-up. Although I knew all the while that he was missing his nightly duty, I intentionally let him be. The following morning he realized the consequences of his mistake. And he never forgot to take out the trash again.

On the Today Show, Amy Creed, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, affirms that teaching a child to fail doesn’t mean that he’s a failure. Rather, mistakes make room for learning and preparation for greater responsibilities ahead.

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REPOST: White House: Sequester won't stop Easter egg roll

Easter Bunny visit to the White House will push through despite imminent sequester crisis. Read this article from Today news: 

The looming sequester crisis will not stop the Easter Bunny from visiting the White House for the 135th straight year.

The annual White House Easter Egg Roll, hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, will go on as planned on April 1 this year after a memo sent out by the White House last week indicated it could potentially be cancelled due to spending cuts. White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday that the event is still on.

"I just want to be clear that we are currently planning to proceed with the Easter Egg Roll," he said. "Because we distributed tickets to the Easter Egg Roll far in advance of the actual event, we alerted all ticket holders that this event is subject to cancellation due to funding uncertainty, including the possibility of a government shutdown."

The event on the White House's South Lawn is expected to attract 35,000 people who won tickets via a lottery system. In the White House invitation sent out last week, it notes that “by using these tickets, guests are acknowledging that this event is subject to cancellation due to funding uncertainty surrounding the Executive Office of the President and other federal agencies. If cancelled, the event will not be re-scheduled. We will notify you if there are any modifications to this event.”

"Again, the language that got attention on the Hill and was reported duly by the press was prepared well in advance, and it had to do with the potential for at least the possibility of a government shutdown should there not be a resolution on the continuing resolution,'' Carney said. "It was not about sequester principally.

"So having said that, I want to be clear that because it certainly looks like there is progress being made, and nobody expects a government shutdown, that we have every expectation that the Easter Egg Roll will proceed as planned. I hope that settles the matter."

That led to speculation that the event would be a victim of spending cuts if a resolution is not reached to prevent a federal government shutdown. Carney had previously reassured a crowd last week that the Easter Egg Roll would go off as planned.

The White House seemed certain that the event would survive when it released a promotional video on Monday of the Obamas' dog, Bo, prowling for Easter eggs on the White House lawn.  

Hello there, Ingrid Callot, here! Visit my blog  for more fun updates.

REPOST: Who works from home and how they do it

Are you a work-from-home employee, or do you plan to take on freelance work and do it at home? This CNN.com article shares some tips on how to stay productive and collaborative even while working from home. 

Image Source: edition.cnn.com

(CNN) -- Kelly Ann Collins works in a cave. At least that's what she calls her home office, where she does the majority of her work.

Collins, a self-employed marketing and public relations strategist in her 30s, values the quiet home work zone that she yearned for when she worked in a traditional office setting.

"For me, it was really challenging working in an office, because you have people walking, stopping by, knocking on your door and bringing you birthday cake," she said. "There's always something going on."

Given her experience, it's perhaps not surprising that Collins disagreed with Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's decision to implement a company policy saying employees can no longer work from home.

A memo circulated by Jackie Reses, Yahoo's executive vice president of people and development, said "communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side" and "speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home."

"I do not know what she is talking about, because I don't think speed and quality of work are affected by working from home," Collins said of Mayer's policy change. "Has she not been to a water cooler? You can hardly get away from a water cooler at work. I am 100% about working from home and staying away from distractions."

When she worked in an office, Collins found, she was most productive from 5 until 10 p.m., when her co-workers had left for the day. She thinks the workplace has become too social and distracting.

Always be accessible

But just because Collins works from home each day doesn't mean she lacks social skills. She spends her mornings writing speeches, drafting press releases, updating social media and developing marketing plans. In the afternoons, she goes out and meets with clients face-to-face.

"I think one good idea is to go in for meetings, go in for team bonding events, but just work from home," she said. "It's easy."

And whether she's out at a coffee shop or at home in her "cave," Collins is always accessible via Google chat.

"During work hours, make sure you are logged onto your favorite chat tools," she writes in an iReport. "For example, if you are on a tight deadline and someone is asking you a not-so-important question, then you may choose to either ignore your chat window or inform your coworker that you will be available in a few minutes."

Through social networks and other chat tools, people can screen a conversation when deciding whether it's worth their time, she explains. But Collins says no matter what, telecommuters should always stay accessible.

"Remember: If your clients forget you're there, then they might forget to write your checks, too," she writes.

Establish a routine

Dylan Mason, 40, works from the West Coast for an East Coast company as a software developer.

Mason enjoys the freedom that comes with working from home. He can research new ideas and test them out at home without interruptions.

"I think the key to staying fresh in your job is to have the freedom to explore new ideas," he said. "A lot of workplaces allow for this to certain degrees, but telecommuting can allow for greater and longer engagement when coming up with new ideas."

Like many places, Mason and his colleagues use e-mail, teleconferences and instant messaging to stay connected. These modes of communication help co-workers keep in touch but can also be distracting. Mason says to watch out for the "distraction creep."

"Distractions of any sort can pull you out of a 'flow' mode, and if you are prone to distraction, then working from home can be very challenging," Mason said.

In order to prevent interruptions, Mason says, people must establish a regimented routine that is work-conducive by separating the personal office from the rest of the home and avoiding noisy coffee shops.

Take a personality test

Telecommuting is not for everyone; it's better suited for introverts, Mason says.

"If you are forced into telecommuting and are an extrovert, then seriously consider a new job," he said.

Mason suggests a person take a personality test to determine whether they're an introvert or an extrovert before making the decision to work from home.

"Introverts can naturally draw energy from being solitary and this (I think) is the most important factor," he writes in an iReport.

Mason says that if a person is an extrovert and enjoys social activities, loneliness will set in, and be a big challenge when telecommuting. For extroverted people who say they would love to get out of the company office, they might have a difficult time adjusting to working from home.

"You might be surprised to learn that all those personal interactions, although distracting (and unpleasant) at times, are really what make you feel part of a group," he writes.

Build trust

Jim Johnson, 57, does not miss the "office politics" that are often prevalent in the workplace. He now works from home as a mortgage origination systems consultant.

Johnson says people working from home need to earn the trust of their clients and colleagues by avoiding gossip and keeping co-workers and clients informed.

"The whole system works on trust," he said. "Always do your best to understand your customers' and co-workers' viewpoints before you communicate with them. Don't make rash promises you can't keep, and do everything in your power to keep those promises you make."

Johnson often corresponds with colleagues and clients using e-mail, but he knows where to draw the line.

"Keep all shareholders informed, but don't 'shotgun' your messages to everyone," he said. "If you do, your messages will be ignored."

Keep communication concise and work-related, he says. To earn the trust of colleagues, Johnson emphasizes the importance of keeping a written record of all conversations and correspondence.

"Document everything and use the very best desktop search tools you can to quickly retrieve and resend things," he said. "It will save you from a whole lot of 'he said/she said' trust breakers."

Make sure you have a voice

Cara Case, 25, works as a human resources representative for a small tech firm that requires her to travel. Since her company allows employees to telecommute, she alternates one week at her home in San Francisco and one week in Seattle.

Her biggest fear of working from home: being out of sight, out of mind.

"I don't want anyone to forget I'm there and maybe pass over my opinion on a project or a decision," she said.

To stay assertive and ensure that she has a voice in the company, Case makes more of an effort to speak up by keeping her cell phone on all day and communicating with colleagues through instant messenger.

But because of this, Case struggles with keeping her personal and professional lives separate. She is constantly in contact with co-workers, but she says it's important to know when to turn off the computer and hang up the phone.

"Don't let people at work abuse the fact that you are working at home," she said. "Your time is just as valuable as theirs, and there needs to be a work/life balance, or you will resent your work."

Case spends an equal amount of time at the company office as she spends working at home, but she accomplishes more when she works by herself without distractions.

"When I'm at home, I'm focused," she said. "I would even go as far as saying I get more done at home than I do in the office."

Visit this site for more of Ingrid Callot’s DIY tips and updates.

A muddle-free 2013: Decluttering your home

As the domesticity queen, I am always on the lookout for fresh ideas to organize and declutter my home. Sometimes, my husband Roger would say “Ingrid Callot, you’re a neat freak!”

He kids, but I don’t mind him saying that because he also knows the value of an organized life. Anyway, I have stumbled upon this Forbes article by EB Solomont about freeing the home of paper clutter. Included in the writer’s list of tips are the following:

• Sorting and filing papers using grammar.
Sorting by verb (e.g., pay the bills) and filing by noun (e.g., recipes) is a fun way of identifying among papers I need now against those that I need to store away.

Image Source: Blog.turbotax.intuit.com

• Paying bills online.
I’ve started doing this years ago, and it seems to be one of the most efficient ways to lessen paper waste. In this day and age, most credit card and utility companies provide options for how their clients can receive billing statements and pay the bill.

• Eliminating old papers.
I ask myself this: “Is this stack of magazines worth the space in my home, or do I have all the information here available online?”

Image Source: Home-style-choices.com

• Integrating a filing system in home furnishing.
This is something that I have to work on. My plan of action: Make a dining room sideboard cabinet as a discreet file cabinet.

Organizing the home doesn’t have to be taxing and difficult. All it takes is a little bit of planning and a few minutes a day of execution.

Image Source: Quickandsimple.com

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