Here they are!

Aren't they just lovely little cakes?  Ahh!  Did I mention how much I love crab? 

Here's the recipe I used:
(adapted from a recipe called Paleo Maryland Style Crab Cakes, & had just the right amount of spice)

1 large egg
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp Old Bay (type; I made my own mix) seasoning
ground black pepper to taste
1 pound lump crabmeat (remember those lovely legs?)
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 Tbsp diced sweet red pepper
1 green onion stalk, sliced thinly

1. Whisk together in a bowl the first 8 ingredients.
2. Break apart the crab meat and place it into a large bowl.  Pour the ingredients from step 1 into the crab bowl.  Mix in the red pepper and green onions.
3. Pour the bread crumbs into a shallow bowl. *See note for "healthy" bread crumbs*
4. Form the crab mixture into patties by pressing the mixture into a 1/4 cup measuring cup.  Gently knock out the mixture into the bread crumbs and coat.  If these aren't sticking together to your liking, go ahead and mix some bread crumbs into the crab mix.
5. Place the formed patties onto a baking sheet and throw into the fridge to chill out for about an hour.
6. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bake the cakes for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping them about 10 minutes in.
7. Enjoy with tartar or lime juice.  I used some homemade horseradish sauce!

*A lot of store bought bread crumbs have hydrogenated oils or corn syrup in them.  Avoid this by taking a couple slices of bread and toasting it until completely dry and then put in the blender or food processor.  Just make sure your bread doesn't have those nasty ingredients in it either.  I can't believe 'food' makers put that junk in everything! <rant*

Although I got a suggestion to use my crab for some devilishly delicious looking crab rangoon, these were lovely and I'm glad I could find shortcuts to make them healthy!  I substituted plain yogurt in this recipe for mayo, didn't use prepackaged breadcrumbs and baked instead of fried them.  These tricks can be used in a lot of other recipes too.  

P.S.  I did use some of the leftover pieces in my lunch with drawn butter.  Old habits die hard, and while I try to be absolutely healthy, I don't think there's too much wrong with a tablespoon of butter here and there.

*Balance*

Sun peeking over St. James Cathedral

This morning at work one of my coworkers asked, "How was your weekend?"  "Good," I answered quickly, then stopped to really consider it for a few seconds.  I let my coworker go on about their own business, but stopped and thought to myself, it was an awesome balance of work and play.  I love feeling productive  and accomplished!  And to do it without even realizing it, is like a godsend!

Too often I run through my mental list of 'to-dos' without actually taking any action and think 'Why can't I get motivated!? Argh!!!'  Then I've just wasted an hour... two... the entire day!  No wonder I find myself asking where the time has gone.

I've learned over and over, and today I was reminded how rewarding it is to: 

J

U

S

T

D

O

I

T

!

(Thanks, Nike) 

Know what I mean?  I used to think that some people were just good at being aggressive and dedicated and that just didn't describe me.  I thought, I'm shy, I'm quiet, I take things slow.  But I learned that aggressive doesn't have to mean hasty or greedy, but also encompasses clear and confident.  Once you know what you want out of life, it becomes that much easier to clear your path to get to it.

One tactic I learned from my aunt, who has been a great inspiration to me, is to write a list of things you want/need.  This helps to set your intention and rid your mind of any hindrances that may come along your path.  I've done this a couple of times in my life so far, come across the lists years later, and laughed because I got about 85% of what I wrote on my lists (ask me about it sometime).

So my weekend consisted of cleaning up the yard and planting some seeds, painting the trim inside the house for my work portion.  (It may not sound like a lot, but the finished product pays off!)

For fun I started at a yoga studio a couple blocks from home.  That was also work (kind of), but it felt so good afterwards.  My sister brought me, my dad and husband together over a happy, italian dinner to celebrate her 21st birthday.  I always feel so good to get family time in and am reminded how blessed I am to have them around.  So thanks sis!

Next time I ask how your weekend was, I want you to know I genuinely mean it.  See ya!

I LOVE CRAB!

I Apologize ahead of time if you are not a seafood fan, so you need not read further.  Unless of course you like torture.

I may be the luckiest girl in the world.  At least that's how I feel tonight.
Thanks to my friends at Kloosterboer, Brandon spared me some of the loveliest legs I have ever seen.  Crab legs, that is.  My only regret is that I didn't photograph them before I dismantled them.
But the meat is beautiful...
Now, what to do with it?  Beyond the obvious, eat it, with lots of butter.  I want to showcase this lovely crustacean flesh in a dish that will be healthy and most definitely delicious. My first thought was crab quiche; pretty high in fat and not much else. :(
Dustin suggested crab cakes.  I wasn't too hot on the idea at first, but now that my wheels are turning, I think that could be the best bet.  Found a recipe by Elie Krieger on foodnetwork.com that I was sure would hit the mark since she is known to lighten up many dishes without sacrificing flavor.  But I was left searching for a bit more.
I'll let you know what I come up with...

Sparkpeople - Heard of it?

There is an e-mail that I subscribe to that frequently sends tips about living with diabetes. I have learned a lot over the last 5 years about the disease, and generally, tips I get aren't anything I haven't heard before.  But last week I read an entry from one of the website's members that was so inspirational to me.  Again, I'm sure I've heard this stuff before, but for whatever reason reading this short blurb about routines struck a chord in me.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=584

By the way, if you are interested in the website, I would recommend spending some time signing up and customizing your profile.  There's tons of cool features like a meal tracker, exercises, recipes.