So I was remembering this one time at camp (no, not the band variety) when I participated in probably one of the stupidest and most ridiculous contests ever known to man. In some states people have died in such contests, but for me the only pain involved is that somewhere out there is a video of me doing something that once it hits the internet is going to ruin my career. That's right. It was a water drinking contest.
Okay, get whatever you thought the video was of out of your head and focus now.
So the short story is that a few of us were being silly and decided to figure out how much water we could drink in a limited number of time...I can't remember how long, but I remember it felt like the longest few minutes of my life. The three of us settled down with little dixie cups that our friends were filling with water as we drank it as quickly as we could. The first one to go flew from the room and I'm not sure where she ended up, but she didn't return. Then the second one ran to the door and made it luckily into the bushes before, well, you know. And thus it was I who won the contest, realized it was over and reached for the tub of popcorn before, well, you know.
Now I'm not really proud of that moment (or the subsequent video footage that we decided, for some god-awful reason, to blow up with a projector the next night) but I am proud to say that I am a champion water drinker. And when it comes to weight loss, water is a serious secret weapon. Over the past three weeks I have gotten back to my normal water drinking and it feels wonderful. It fills me up so I'm not as hungry, it flushes out the gross toxins and I just feel better. I try to focus on all those benefits as I take about 10 bathroom breaks a day.
Today, as I was thinking about water and all of its glories, it got me to thinking about quantity. My entire life I've heard the "8 glasses a day" method and it has always confused the heck out of me for the basic reason that glasses come in all different sizes. And then you hear, no it's "8 cups a day." To me that translates to 64 ounces a day which sounds a little more standardized, but still seems like it's just not enough. And then I came across this calculator which comes a little closer to what I really drink every day.
At any rate, drinking water is definitely a good habit, but one that can be hard to keep up. I recommend having something to flavor it (I use this new MIO stuff that's great!) and starting early. Drink a bottle with every meal and one inbetween every one too. Carry a bigger bottle with you and you'll be surprised how much water you can drink.
And my basic rule of thumb? Drink at least half your weight in ounces every day! How much do you drink?
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Sweet Little Treats
I'm a notorious sweet tooth and being such I always need to find ways to get that little treat in somewhere. As I am now trying to avoid things like candies and cookies, I've been looking for ways to substitute the sweetness I want with other things. At this time of the year it's a great chance to get more fruits in and I do find that a nice sweet fruit is a great way to get that sugar without sacrificing. Lately, I've been eating lots of watermelon and we've been finding great deals on strawberries, blueberries and other summer fruits at the store. And last night I made this little yummy dessert...I so don't feel like I'm dieting!
Sweet Fruity Tart
Ingredients
Graham crackers
3 tbsp non-fat yogurt (any flavor)
3 tbsp Splenda (if desired)
1/2 cup berries (your choice!)
1 pkg non-fat, sugar free instant pudding (I used white chocolate flavor)
Graham cracker crust: in a blender or food processor crumble the graham crackers until they are finely ground. In a bowl you can mix with a spoon (I used my hands!) and press them into a pie pan to create the crust.
Mix the pudding as directed and spread it into the crust. Mine didn't use all the pudding so I stored the rest for later. Then, prepare your berries however you want and cover the top of the pudding with them.
Really easy, really yummy, not expensive AND low fat! PointsPlus value: 2 pts (if you cut the tart into 8 peices)
Enjoy!
Sweet Fruity Tart
Ingredients
Graham crackers
3 tbsp non-fat yogurt (any flavor)
3 tbsp Splenda (if desired)
1/2 cup berries (your choice!)
1 pkg non-fat, sugar free instant pudding (I used white chocolate flavor)
Graham cracker crust: in a blender or food processor crumble the graham crackers until they are finely ground. In a bowl you can mix with a spoon (I used my hands!) and press them into a pie pan to create the crust.
Mix the pudding as directed and spread it into the crust. Mine didn't use all the pudding so I stored the rest for later. Then, prepare your berries however you want and cover the top of the pudding with them.
Really easy, really yummy, not expensive AND low fat! PointsPlus value: 2 pts (if you cut the tart into 8 peices)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Apple Spice Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Okay, so I'm going to claim this one as my own. I took bits and pieces from other recipes but had to improvise a bit in the construction because of the ingredients I had on hand. It turned out great and made me feel kinda fancy in the process! And I think I will do a honey glaze on it next time for some added flavor...I suggest you do too!
Apple Spice Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
3 5-6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup chopped apples (I used galas)
1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I eyeballed it so you can really add however much you want!)
2 oz shredded 2% cheddar cheese
olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a casserole dish for the chicken (I use an olive oil spray). Chop up the apples so they are in smallish pieces. Mix apples, cheese and spice together and set aside in a bowl. With the chicken breasts either pound them out to an even thickness with enough room to roll or do what I did and slice them in half...this really depends on the original thickness of the chicken. Then, take a handful of the apple-cheese-spice mixture and stuff it into the fold. Wrap the chicken so it is encasing the apples and place the chicken in the casserole dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is well-done but not dry and enjoy!
We had this with salad and it was really yummy. Like I said, next time I think I will do a honey glaze over top of the chicken for a bit of added flavor because they weren't super spiced, but the apples, cheese and spice was great! I recommend playing around with the type of cheese for an even different flavor.
Apple Spice Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
3 5-6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup chopped apples (I used galas)
1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I eyeballed it so you can really add however much you want!)
2 oz shredded 2% cheddar cheese
olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a casserole dish for the chicken (I use an olive oil spray). Chop up the apples so they are in smallish pieces. Mix apples, cheese and spice together and set aside in a bowl. With the chicken breasts either pound them out to an even thickness with enough room to roll or do what I did and slice them in half...this really depends on the original thickness of the chicken. Then, take a handful of the apple-cheese-spice mixture and stuff it into the fold. Wrap the chicken so it is encasing the apples and place the chicken in the casserole dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is well-done but not dry and enjoy!
We had this with salad and it was really yummy. Like I said, next time I think I will do a honey glaze over top of the chicken for a bit of added flavor because they weren't super spiced, but the apples, cheese and spice was great! I recommend playing around with the type of cheese for an even different flavor.
The Procrastination Weasel
So, I found this on a blog so I can't take credit for it but I thought it was fitting. Procrastination is an interesting issue that can perpetuate things like weight gain, no exercise and a myriad of other things (I'm staring straight at my "junk" table and groaning). If we think of it in the context written below it becomes something you can fight. My procrastination weasel is usually the one that gives me excuses not to exercise, not to lose weight, not to do the dishes or make dinner every evening, you catch my drift. If we face him off, maybe we will see some success!
There's a voice... trying to get you to procrastinate... this voice is the "Procrastination Weasel". The Weasel represents your old collection of procrastination thoughts.
The Procrastination Weasel wants to stop you from taking actions in your interest... and he isn't satisfied until he's robbed you of your money, health, and opportunities, made your house a mess, and has sunk you into depression. The Weasle's mission is to take your self-efficacy, your self-acceptance, and waste your valuable time.
Weasel Tactics
The Weasel is well-trained in how to affect you and is brutal in his tactics. He knows when to pop up and strike! Here's a list of his tactics:
Diversionary Actions
This is where the weasel pops up when you are set to take positive action and he creates an unwanted diversion. The result is playing video games, watching TV, daydreaming or another 'safe' activity. "Let's do something else instead!" the Weasel will tell you, and instead of going to the gym and working out you comply and stare at the TV with a bag of Cheetos.
The Weasel can convince you some of these diversions are somehow more important because they are happening Now. "Untold Secrets of the Ancient Pyramids" is only on TV NOW... and this paperwork will be here all week!"
Anti Self-Efficacy
The weasel tells us lies about our capabilities to get his own way... "Forget it buddy!" the Weasel will say "You can't do this!" This Weasel attack is aimed at your self-acceptance as well. The weasel rates you and tells you that you're just not capable of carrying out the task.
Awfulizing
The Weasel is a drama queen! With hand to forehead, the Weasel will tell you how awful your task is going to be. By the time the Weasel is done, a task as simple as washing the dishes becomes the Bataan Death March. The weasel's tactics here include 'warning' you that you will be bored, threatened, and inconvenienced.
Anti-Assertiveness
Another way the Weasel can awfulize a situation includes playing up the discomfort of telling someone else "no" to get a task accomplished. The Weasel will try to convince you that pleasing others is more important than your task.
Shouldn't Have To
The Weasel is great at telling you when you shouldn't have to do things. "You don't deserve this!" the weasel will say, laying out an entitlement that allows you to avoid the task... even though it's in your best self-interest!
Another version of this tactic is "The Excuse" where the Weasel coaches you into an alibi that seemingly absolves you of your responsibiltiy and creates a false entitlement to justify the avoidance.
Later Is Better
Here's where the Weasel convinces us that there's no lack of pressure, therefore our interest is served in waiting.. and waiting.. and waiting again. "Relax! Conditions will be better later! There's no reason to rush into this!" Here tasks are put off for another day... over and over.
Weasel Blitzkrieg
The blitzkrieg tactic will try to convince you "It's just too much!" The Weasel will pile one thing upon another until the tasks, including the old ones, appear insurmountable.
"It's hopeless!" the Weasel whispers in your ear "so why bother?"
Anti-Weasel Warfare
The following anti-Weasel tactics are aimed at reducing the effect this procrastinating pest has on your daily life.
Enemy Identification
Figure out how the weasel has been affecting you today. Write down the ways you been procrastinating and understand his game.
Battle Plan, Tactics, and Logistics
Create a reasonable mission statement and get your weapons ready for dealing with the Weasel. He's a tough adversary, but he can be defeated! Here's some anti-weasel tactics:
1. Create Clear Goals
The Weasel loves when our goals are not defined as it gives him the opportunity to flank us by telling us we aren't achieving enough. Making clear goals allows us to accurately plot and measure our progress.
2. Planning
Don't just have goals, work backwards from the goal you'd like to achieve and lay out a plan! If you'd like to achieve catching up on your paperwork at home, schedule time when you can start this task.
3. Anti-Weasel Chunking
Don't give the Weasel the opportunity to do the blitzkrieg on you! Break tasks into smaller bits and pieces to prevent getting overwhelmed. Don't insist that the entire task has to be done at once! Instead of "cleaning the house" as a task, start with one room, or simply schedule small amounts of time for these tasks.
4. Scheduling
Create a schedule whereby you can deal with re-curring tasks in an efficient manner. For instance, schedule time to do paperwork when you are least likely to be interrupted.
5. Use an Action List
The Weasel doesn't want you to feel a sense of accomplishment! Create an action list that not only points to the tasks at hand, but allows you to record your successes!
6. Create Your Own Motivation
"Action Creates Motivation" is an anti-Weasel tool! Use the 15-minute tactic on the Weasel to get going... just get up and work on a task for 15 minutes... the activity will create your motivation. Break it into an even smaller time, say 5 minutes, if an all-out Weasel attack is occurring.
7. Pick a D-Day
Set a date and plan to declare war! Get all your goals, plans, and anti-weasel training in place... and decide when you are going to deploy!
8. Deal Effectively with Setbacks
The Weasel is a skilled enemy! Don't believe you've lost the war if he wins a battle or two. Watch out that you don't start believing his propaganda! Make adjustments to your plans and re-deploy.
9. Catch-Up and Keep-Up
Dedicate your resources to both catch-up and keep-up tasks. Try to deal with items as they come up rather than to have them end up in your catch-up pile.
10. Practice, Patience, Persistence
Understand that defeating the Procrastination Weasel is a matter of practicing anti-Weasel techniques. The more you practice, the easier it becomes! Destroy the Weasel's morale by being persistant in your fight... but be patient with yourself as you hone your battle skills.
12. Bayonet the Weasel
HALT! Who goes there (in my thoughts)? OH! It's YOU, Weasel! Take THIS!
There's a voice... trying to get you to procrastinate... this voice is the "Procrastination Weasel". The Weasel represents your old collection of procrastination thoughts.
The Procrastination Weasel wants to stop you from taking actions in your interest... and he isn't satisfied until he's robbed you of your money, health, and opportunities, made your house a mess, and has sunk you into depression. The Weasle's mission is to take your self-efficacy, your self-acceptance, and waste your valuable time.
Weasel Tactics
The Weasel is well-trained in how to affect you and is brutal in his tactics. He knows when to pop up and strike! Here's a list of his tactics:
Diversionary Actions
This is where the weasel pops up when you are set to take positive action and he creates an unwanted diversion. The result is playing video games, watching TV, daydreaming or another 'safe' activity. "Let's do something else instead!" the Weasel will tell you, and instead of going to the gym and working out you comply and stare at the TV with a bag of Cheetos.
The Weasel can convince you some of these diversions are somehow more important because they are happening Now. "Untold Secrets of the Ancient Pyramids" is only on TV NOW... and this paperwork will be here all week!"
Anti Self-Efficacy
The weasel tells us lies about our capabilities to get his own way... "Forget it buddy!" the Weasel will say "You can't do this!" This Weasel attack is aimed at your self-acceptance as well. The weasel rates you and tells you that you're just not capable of carrying out the task.
Awfulizing
The Weasel is a drama queen! With hand to forehead, the Weasel will tell you how awful your task is going to be. By the time the Weasel is done, a task as simple as washing the dishes becomes the Bataan Death March. The weasel's tactics here include 'warning' you that you will be bored, threatened, and inconvenienced.
Anti-Assertiveness
Another way the Weasel can awfulize a situation includes playing up the discomfort of telling someone else "no" to get a task accomplished. The Weasel will try to convince you that pleasing others is more important than your task.
Shouldn't Have To
The Weasel is great at telling you when you shouldn't have to do things. "You don't deserve this!" the weasel will say, laying out an entitlement that allows you to avoid the task... even though it's in your best self-interest!
Another version of this tactic is "The Excuse" where the Weasel coaches you into an alibi that seemingly absolves you of your responsibiltiy and creates a false entitlement to justify the avoidance.
Later Is Better
Here's where the Weasel convinces us that there's no lack of pressure, therefore our interest is served in waiting.. and waiting.. and waiting again. "Relax! Conditions will be better later! There's no reason to rush into this!" Here tasks are put off for another day... over and over.
Weasel Blitzkrieg
The blitzkrieg tactic will try to convince you "It's just too much!" The Weasel will pile one thing upon another until the tasks, including the old ones, appear insurmountable.
"It's hopeless!" the Weasel whispers in your ear "so why bother?"
Anti-Weasel Warfare
The following anti-Weasel tactics are aimed at reducing the effect this procrastinating pest has on your daily life.
Enemy Identification
Figure out how the weasel has been affecting you today. Write down the ways you been procrastinating and understand his game.
Battle Plan, Tactics, and Logistics
Create a reasonable mission statement and get your weapons ready for dealing with the Weasel. He's a tough adversary, but he can be defeated! Here's some anti-weasel tactics:
1. Create Clear Goals
The Weasel loves when our goals are not defined as it gives him the opportunity to flank us by telling us we aren't achieving enough. Making clear goals allows us to accurately plot and measure our progress.
2. Planning
Don't just have goals, work backwards from the goal you'd like to achieve and lay out a plan! If you'd like to achieve catching up on your paperwork at home, schedule time when you can start this task.
3. Anti-Weasel Chunking
Don't give the Weasel the opportunity to do the blitzkrieg on you! Break tasks into smaller bits and pieces to prevent getting overwhelmed. Don't insist that the entire task has to be done at once! Instead of "cleaning the house" as a task, start with one room, or simply schedule small amounts of time for these tasks.
4. Scheduling
Create a schedule whereby you can deal with re-curring tasks in an efficient manner. For instance, schedule time to do paperwork when you are least likely to be interrupted.
5. Use an Action List
The Weasel doesn't want you to feel a sense of accomplishment! Create an action list that not only points to the tasks at hand, but allows you to record your successes!
6. Create Your Own Motivation
"Action Creates Motivation" is an anti-Weasel tool! Use the 15-minute tactic on the Weasel to get going... just get up and work on a task for 15 minutes... the activity will create your motivation. Break it into an even smaller time, say 5 minutes, if an all-out Weasel attack is occurring.
7. Pick a D-Day
Set a date and plan to declare war! Get all your goals, plans, and anti-weasel training in place... and decide when you are going to deploy!
8. Deal Effectively with Setbacks
The Weasel is a skilled enemy! Don't believe you've lost the war if he wins a battle or two. Watch out that you don't start believing his propaganda! Make adjustments to your plans and re-deploy.
9. Catch-Up and Keep-Up
Dedicate your resources to both catch-up and keep-up tasks. Try to deal with items as they come up rather than to have them end up in your catch-up pile.
10. Practice, Patience, Persistence
Understand that defeating the Procrastination Weasel is a matter of practicing anti-Weasel techniques. The more you practice, the easier it becomes! Destroy the Weasel's morale by being persistant in your fight... but be patient with yourself as you hone your battle skills.
12. Bayonet the Weasel
HALT! Who goes there (in my thoughts)? OH! It's YOU, Weasel! Take THIS!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Habits...aren't those what nuns wear?
Well yes, but that's not the kind of habits I'm talking about. I'm talking about the sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-tv-while-eating-a-big-bowl-of-ice-cream kind of habits and the what-the-hell-is-a-carrot kind of habits that got me into this mess in the first place. Of course, I can't really remember when I acquired these sweet, little behaviors, but here I am and now I'm thinking. It's a dangerous place...
Dictionary.com defines a habit as "an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has almost become involuntary." Hmmm. Interesting. There are a couple of key words in there, did you catch them?
The first bit would be that a habit, according to the web-based dictionary gurus, is a behavior. Now, I realize this might seem elementary, but given my expertise in being a big girl, I have a variety of excuses that would claim that my weight and lifestyle are part of my personality and genetics. But they are saying that it's behavior! Ludicrous! Why, you ask? Because if it's a behavior, and not only that, but an acquired behavior, then I might just have some control over it. Well isn't that just a bag of crazy!
Of course it's not and I know that. But now that I know I might have some control over it, what does that mean? It means that I might actually be able to lose all the weight I'm supposed to. It means I can exercise on a daily basis. It kinda shoots all the excuses I've had for being okay with the status quo right in their big ol' foot. Darn, they were pretty comfy excuses.
Then, those silly masters of terminology went and threw in that a behavior followed eventually becomes a behavior that is almost involuntary. So what is it? Are my bad health habits in or out of my control? Sheesh, take a side already.
But really, how I read that is that while I might have some bad health habits, I am still the only person in control of me and my behaviors. And if I want to change those behaviors, I can do it, because they are only almost involuntary. And, according to this, if I want to acquire a new habit then I'm going to have to follow that new habit until it becomes almost involuntary too. Right? Simple logic, clean, direct, sounds easy.
And it really is. Honestly, when we put our minds to anything we really can do it. It's the putting our minds to it that's the trick. Like how I am at 5am when I need to go workout and I know that I just have to get out of bed and it will be okay. It's the getting out of bed that's the hard part! I'm my worst enemy when it comes to making excuses or ignoring what I really know to be healthy in lieu of something that might make me feel happy, but only for the short term. In the process of changing behavior, it's really pretty simple and at the same time takes A LOT of work. People who haven't ever acquired bad habits (and I'm not sure there's a single person out there who hasn't) and have tried to change their behavior won't understand what that is like. It's a complete mind shift.
I think of it like this: I love sweets. I love everything sweet and delicious. Now, my bad habits/behaviors have always led me toward the cookie table. A real example would be this luncheon I went to last week at work. They had a delicious salad buffet and healthy wraps and right at the end of the table was a platter of oh so yummy looking cookies and brownies and desserts. I caught myself gravitating toward it over and over, hovering, eyes gazing longingly, damn near drooling. It was the habit, the unnatural urge that kept pulling me back that was so unnerving. And yet I was able to consciously stay away with a quick and mindful redirect that my health wouldn't sustain another cookie (this is what I tell myself...) and that honestly I don't want it. Of course my body is screaming at me that I want it , I NEED it and if I can't have it I'm going to wither away. Well, that last part is anything but true, I think we can all agree about that. :-) The point is that it took me three rounds with the cookie tray before my mind was like, uh uh, no way and turned my feet in the opposite direction. It can be very hard to re-train your brain.
These days, instead of indulging that sweet tooth with cookies, I've started to replace it with sweet fruits and they satisfy me just as well and maybe more. The watermelon I have in the fridge is especially delicious. I figure that slowly, as I consciously re-arrange my lifestyle and restrict myself to the natural types of food to sustain my cravings, I will begin to make these behaviors, these choices, these habits "almost involuntary" to a point where my mind will naturally guide me to the salad and fruit buffet and ignore the other parts. Of course, 29 years of bad habits doesn't go away overnight, so this is going to be an interesting process to be sure.
And if you need some clues and ideas on how to eat healthy, I suggest spying on someone who has the complete opposite habits as you do...that's what I've been doing and I'm pretty sure one of my co-workers thinks I'm stalking her. Oh well.
What bad habits are you going to change this week?
Dictionary.com defines a habit as "an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has almost become involuntary." Hmmm. Interesting. There are a couple of key words in there, did you catch them?
The first bit would be that a habit, according to the web-based dictionary gurus, is a behavior. Now, I realize this might seem elementary, but given my expertise in being a big girl, I have a variety of excuses that would claim that my weight and lifestyle are part of my personality and genetics. But they are saying that it's behavior! Ludicrous! Why, you ask? Because if it's a behavior, and not only that, but an acquired behavior, then I might just have some control over it. Well isn't that just a bag of crazy!
Of course it's not and I know that. But now that I know I might have some control over it, what does that mean? It means that I might actually be able to lose all the weight I'm supposed to. It means I can exercise on a daily basis. It kinda shoots all the excuses I've had for being okay with the status quo right in their big ol' foot. Darn, they were pretty comfy excuses.
Then, those silly masters of terminology went and threw in that a behavior followed eventually becomes a behavior that is almost involuntary. So what is it? Are my bad health habits in or out of my control? Sheesh, take a side already.
But really, how I read that is that while I might have some bad health habits, I am still the only person in control of me and my behaviors. And if I want to change those behaviors, I can do it, because they are only almost involuntary. And, according to this, if I want to acquire a new habit then I'm going to have to follow that new habit until it becomes almost involuntary too. Right? Simple logic, clean, direct, sounds easy.
And it really is. Honestly, when we put our minds to anything we really can do it. It's the putting our minds to it that's the trick. Like how I am at 5am when I need to go workout and I know that I just have to get out of bed and it will be okay. It's the getting out of bed that's the hard part! I'm my worst enemy when it comes to making excuses or ignoring what I really know to be healthy in lieu of something that might make me feel happy, but only for the short term. In the process of changing behavior, it's really pretty simple and at the same time takes A LOT of work. People who haven't ever acquired bad habits (and I'm not sure there's a single person out there who hasn't) and have tried to change their behavior won't understand what that is like. It's a complete mind shift.
I think of it like this: I love sweets. I love everything sweet and delicious. Now, my bad habits/behaviors have always led me toward the cookie table. A real example would be this luncheon I went to last week at work. They had a delicious salad buffet and healthy wraps and right at the end of the table was a platter of oh so yummy looking cookies and brownies and desserts. I caught myself gravitating toward it over and over, hovering, eyes gazing longingly, damn near drooling. It was the habit, the unnatural urge that kept pulling me back that was so unnerving. And yet I was able to consciously stay away with a quick and mindful redirect that my health wouldn't sustain another cookie (this is what I tell myself...) and that honestly I don't want it. Of course my body is screaming at me that I want it , I NEED it and if I can't have it I'm going to wither away. Well, that last part is anything but true, I think we can all agree about that. :-) The point is that it took me three rounds with the cookie tray before my mind was like, uh uh, no way and turned my feet in the opposite direction. It can be very hard to re-train your brain.
These days, instead of indulging that sweet tooth with cookies, I've started to replace it with sweet fruits and they satisfy me just as well and maybe more. The watermelon I have in the fridge is especially delicious. I figure that slowly, as I consciously re-arrange my lifestyle and restrict myself to the natural types of food to sustain my cravings, I will begin to make these behaviors, these choices, these habits "almost involuntary" to a point where my mind will naturally guide me to the salad and fruit buffet and ignore the other parts. Of course, 29 years of bad habits doesn't go away overnight, so this is going to be an interesting process to be sure.
And if you need some clues and ideas on how to eat healthy, I suggest spying on someone who has the complete opposite habits as you do...that's what I've been doing and I'm pretty sure one of my co-workers thinks I'm stalking her. Oh well.
What bad habits are you going to change this week?
Monday, June 6, 2011
What he doesn't know, won't hurt him...
So I'm constantly in search of healthy versions of meals that Justin will eat. Just to give you a peek into what I'm dealing with, Justin is the type of guy who thinks that a burger provides all of the necessary food groups and when confronted with a piece of lettuce usually thinks it's trying to kill him.
What do I resort to? Pretty much trying to figure out how to make foods he will think are delicious while secretly hiding the healthy stuff inside. Tonight's deliciousness came from a WeightWatcher's tip I stumbled upon and it was fantastic. Justin had no idea what he was eating, and that's how it's going to stay! Sorry, no picture, we ate it too fast, but if you're looking for something creamy for your pasta sauce that isn't going to pack on the pounds, you have to try it!
There wasn't a title so I'm going to call it...
Amy's Magic Creamy Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
9 cups cooked whole-wheat spaghetti
4 medium shallots, peeled and left whole
2 tsp olive oil
8 oz silken tofu, about 1 cup
1/2 cup watercress tough stems removed
1/4 cup basil
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp table salt, to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Place shallots on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Bring four corners of foil together to make an open pouch. Pour oil over shallots and pinch foil ends together to close pouch; place on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes. Carefully remove pouch from oven, open and let shallots cool (use oven mitts and keep face away from pouch when opening).
Place tofu, watercress and parsley in a blender or food processor and blend on low for 20 seconds; scrape down sides of container with a spoon. Add lemon juice and roasted shallots. Blend on high for 30 seconds and scrape down sides of container with a spoon; season to taste with salt and pepper. Blend on low for 20 seconds more; serve over spaghetti. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti and 1/2 cup of sauce per serving.
Points per serving (1/2 cup sauce): 1 (that's right, I said 1 point.)
Amy's Notes: I made the sauce and heated it on very low until the pasta was ready. We paired this with baked chicken and it was super delicious. And seriously, if Justin will eat it and go for seconds, you know it's good!
What do I resort to? Pretty much trying to figure out how to make foods he will think are delicious while secretly hiding the healthy stuff inside. Tonight's deliciousness came from a WeightWatcher's tip I stumbled upon and it was fantastic. Justin had no idea what he was eating, and that's how it's going to stay! Sorry, no picture, we ate it too fast, but if you're looking for something creamy for your pasta sauce that isn't going to pack on the pounds, you have to try it!
There wasn't a title so I'm going to call it...
Amy's Magic Creamy Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
9 cups cooked whole-wheat spaghetti
4 medium shallots, peeled and left whole
2 tsp olive oil
8 oz silken tofu, about 1 cup
1/2 cup watercress tough stems removed
1/4 cup basil
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp table salt, to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Place shallots on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Bring four corners of foil together to make an open pouch. Pour oil over shallots and pinch foil ends together to close pouch; place on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes. Carefully remove pouch from oven, open and let shallots cool (use oven mitts and keep face away from pouch when opening).
Place tofu, watercress and parsley in a blender or food processor and blend on low for 20 seconds; scrape down sides of container with a spoon. Add lemon juice and roasted shallots. Blend on high for 30 seconds and scrape down sides of container with a spoon; season to taste with salt and pepper. Blend on low for 20 seconds more; serve over spaghetti. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti and 1/2 cup of sauce per serving.
Points per serving (1/2 cup sauce): 1 (that's right, I said 1 point.)
Amy's Notes: I made the sauce and heated it on very low until the pasta was ready. We paired this with baked chicken and it was super delicious. And seriously, if Justin will eat it and go for seconds, you know it's good!
A Wake-Up Call
So, my inferiorities at keeping up a blog aside it is time to start anew. And now, with added gusto, I begin a completely new phase of my life in which I take control again of who I want to be and how I want to live. You may be asking yourself, "why, Amy, whatever can you mean? You seem so happy with your life?" or maybe your saying "geez, Amy, finally, now stop your self-indulgent pity-party and get your butt in gear!" Of course, I'm putting words in your mouth but that is exactly what I am going to be doing, putting my butt in gear to lose weight, change my lifestyle and hopefully my life.
Enough is enough. This realization came to me in the past two weeks after visiting my doctor and getting some pretty uncomfortable news. At 29, I am now pre-diabetic, have high blood pressure and am on the verge of a very tall cliff with my internal organs. At 29. 20-freaking-9.
So after this news was taken in and process for a whole of 5 minutes I realized that I need to stop playing around. While a variety of things can cause the above-mentioned issues, I am in no more denial that ultimately my weight is playing the biggest role. I am 119 lbs overweight. There, I said it. Done and done.
The doctor has put me on medication for blood pressure, restricted my diet to little to no refined sugar, no alcohol (aaahhh!!!), and more exercise with the message that if I don't turn my lifestyle around soon, it's going to get worse. So instead of curling up on my not-so-comfy couch and taking a good, self-pity cry with a bag of cookies and my remote control, I have decided to attack this issue from all sides. What does that mean, you ask? Well, in a nutshell, it means this:
What it sounds like is I can finally stop kidding myself and giving myself excuses, right? I have made excuses not to have salads or fruit or healthy foods around me at all times. I've made excuses not to exercise and lose weight. I've got every excuse in the book. And now, there's not an excuse good enough.
What about this excuse: "I'm too busy to get to the gym every day."
Lame, that's what. How about this one: "Making a good salad is too hard and requires too many ingredients."
Ultra lame. My response now is: "This is how you live. You eat salad, you work out every day, you care about you enough to get healthy. So stop being such a pansy and do it!"
It's actually been a great week and full of discoveries. I'm remembering that I actually like to live this way and eat this way and it's really not that difficult. I'm remembering that I am a strong and active person. I am learning and discovering a lot about the self-sabotage I have used in the past few years that has kept me from making the commitment to being healthy.
So now begins the journey to find that inner-skinny person who has been fighting to get out all these years. My first goal is 28 lbs by August 31st and between now and then I hope I will figure out how to keep up the momentum to finish this once and for all!
Enough is enough. This realization came to me in the past two weeks after visiting my doctor and getting some pretty uncomfortable news. At 29, I am now pre-diabetic, have high blood pressure and am on the verge of a very tall cliff with my internal organs. At 29. 20-freaking-9.
So after this news was taken in and process for a whole of 5 minutes I realized that I need to stop playing around. While a variety of things can cause the above-mentioned issues, I am in no more denial that ultimately my weight is playing the biggest role. I am 119 lbs overweight. There, I said it. Done and done.
The doctor has put me on medication for blood pressure, restricted my diet to little to no refined sugar, no alcohol (aaahhh!!!), and more exercise with the message that if I don't turn my lifestyle around soon, it's going to get worse. So instead of curling up on my not-so-comfy couch and taking a good, self-pity cry with a bag of cookies and my remote control, I have decided to attack this issue from all sides. What does that mean, you ask? Well, in a nutshell, it means this:
- No more fast food
- No more pizza
- No more soda
- No more candy
- No more cookies or ice cream or sugar coated sugar sticks (jk!)
- No more sitting on my butt watching tv all weekend
- Salads for lunch and dinner
- Fruit all day long
- Exercise and activity 7 (yes 7!) days a week
- Etc, etc, etc.
What it sounds like is I can finally stop kidding myself and giving myself excuses, right? I have made excuses not to have salads or fruit or healthy foods around me at all times. I've made excuses not to exercise and lose weight. I've got every excuse in the book. And now, there's not an excuse good enough.
What about this excuse: "I'm too busy to get to the gym every day."
Lame, that's what. How about this one: "Making a good salad is too hard and requires too many ingredients."
Ultra lame. My response now is: "This is how you live. You eat salad, you work out every day, you care about you enough to get healthy. So stop being such a pansy and do it!"
It's actually been a great week and full of discoveries. I'm remembering that I actually like to live this way and eat this way and it's really not that difficult. I'm remembering that I am a strong and active person. I am learning and discovering a lot about the self-sabotage I have used in the past few years that has kept me from making the commitment to being healthy.
So now begins the journey to find that inner-skinny person who has been fighting to get out all these years. My first goal is 28 lbs by August 31st and between now and then I hope I will figure out how to keep up the momentum to finish this once and for all!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Yummy Slow Cooker Apple Dessert
So, apologies for my sporadic posting but I seem to go in cycles with my cooking...after my sister's wedding it has been difficult for me to get back into my routine! But here is a dessert I made a couple weeks ago that was so amazingly yummy (especially hot over ice cream!) and can be good for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert!
A very basic recipe, I definitely recommend and you will never pass it up...
Slow Cooker Applesauce
(8-10 servings)
Ingredients:
8 medium to large pie apples (or whatever you like!)
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar (modify amount based on sweetness of the apples)
cinnamon, to taste
pumpkin pie flavor, to taste
Directions:
Peel, core and chop apples into medium chunks. Add them to the slow cooker with about 1 cup of water. Let cook, covered, on low for 6 hours or high for 3-5 hrs or until the apples are soft but not complete mush. Ciphon off a bit of the water so it is not soupy and add the sugar and spices and mix well (at this point I also tried to chop the apples a bit further so they weren't too big of chunks). Cover again and cook for another 1/2 hr to hour and it's ready! Enjoy over ice cream, on it's own or however you can imagine!
A very basic recipe, I definitely recommend and you will never pass it up...
Slow Cooker Applesauce
(8-10 servings)
Ingredients:
8 medium to large pie apples (or whatever you like!)
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar (modify amount based on sweetness of the apples)
cinnamon, to taste
pumpkin pie flavor, to taste
Directions:
Peel, core and chop apples into medium chunks. Add them to the slow cooker with about 1 cup of water. Let cook, covered, on low for 6 hours or high for 3-5 hrs or until the apples are soft but not complete mush. Ciphon off a bit of the water so it is not soupy and add the sugar and spices and mix well (at this point I also tried to chop the apples a bit further so they weren't too big of chunks). Cover again and cook for another 1/2 hr to hour and it's ready! Enjoy over ice cream, on it's own or however you can imagine!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
MMM...Meatloaf!
So the dessert isn't done so I'll have to post about that later, but for now, check this delicious turkey meatloaf recipe. You actually make theses as mini-meatloafs in a muffin pan but they are packed with veggies and believe me, they were so tasty! And again, I use Justin as my gauge because if he will eat it, I know it's good! Of course, I haven't come across much he won't eat...except veggies that aren't hidden in the food. Hehe!
Anyway, these are really not difficult to make at all but it makes a lot so be prepared. We definitely have dinner for the next night which is nice to know! I think you can substitute some different veggies too, just play around with it and have fun!
Turkey Mini-Meatloafs
(1 PointsPlus value, 32 servings...aka, one point per mini-meat loaf. I had three :-))
1-1 1/2 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
1 zucchini, coarsly chopped
1 green pepper, coarsly chopped
1 onion, coarsly chopped
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 egg
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup bbq sauce
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop up the veggies with a food processor or other type chopper and mix together with the turkey, couscous, egg, dijon mustard and worchestershire sauce. Add to a non-stick muffin pan, filling each cup approximately 3/4 of the way. Add a dollop of bbq sauce on top of each. Cook for approximately 25 minutes or until the juices run clear. Remove and enjoy!
We also had sweet potato chips with this and those were good too...I need to refine my process with those and when I do I will post about that. Also, dessert is coming up so start drooling...hot baked apples over ice cream!!!
Anyway, these are really not difficult to make at all but it makes a lot so be prepared. We definitely have dinner for the next night which is nice to know! I think you can substitute some different veggies too, just play around with it and have fun!
Turkey Mini-Meatloafs
(1 PointsPlus value, 32 servings...aka, one point per mini-meat loaf. I had three :-))
1-1 1/2 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
1 zucchini, coarsly chopped
1 green pepper, coarsly chopped
1 onion, coarsly chopped
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 egg
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup bbq sauce
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop up the veggies with a food processor or other type chopper and mix together with the turkey, couscous, egg, dijon mustard and worchestershire sauce. Add to a non-stick muffin pan, filling each cup approximately 3/4 of the way. Add a dollop of bbq sauce on top of each. Cook for approximately 25 minutes or until the juices run clear. Remove and enjoy!
We also had sweet potato chips with this and those were good too...I need to refine my process with those and when I do I will post about that. Also, dessert is coming up so start drooling...hot baked apples over ice cream!!!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Back in the Saddle
Just a quick message if anyone is paying attention that I have been a bit out of it lately but will be back tonight with something yummy! See you then!
Monday, March 21, 2011
A Colorful Endeavor
So this meal was very good but may have been a bit more intense than I anticipated. What was great about it was how colorful it ended up being and for anyone who has really tried for lifestyle change around food, you will know the rule of thumb is to make your dishes colorful. That way, you know you're getting your veggies!
So tonight, the food delight was Guacamole Chicken & Spanish Rice. I did my own modifications to it, mostly adding more veggies and bulking it up. It was great but I think that next time I will try to make the guacamole the day before so I don't have to do so much chopping. A trick I've done before is to spend the weekend chopping up veggies so that when I'm ready to make whatever I am making I don't have to spend as much time during the week. I also think that the lettuce I used (red leaf) didn't really work for the wrap...I just can't find lettuce that is big enough!
I definitely recommend this one, but just be prepared for at least an hour of cooking/chopping/creating and I would also recommend cutting the recipe a bit unless you want leftovers or have enough people to feed...it made a ton!
Guacamole Chicken
10 servings (1 wrap = 1 serving)
Ingredients:
3 avocados
1/4 onion
3 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup black beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 lime
garlic powder, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
Directions:
Season the chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper and put in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, peel the avocado into a bowl and mash it up. Dice the tomatoes and onion and add to the mixture. Add the black beans, garlic and cilantro. Squeeze the lime juice into the mixture and add spices.
When the chicken is done cube it and add it to the guacamole mixture. Place mixture in lettuce or tortillas for the wrap you prefer! (w/lettuce it is only 5 points on Weight Watchers, with tortilla it is more!)
Spanish Rice
(? servings)
Ingredients:
1 cup long grain brown rice
1 bell pepper
1/4 onion
1/2 cup black beans
2 cups water/chicken broth
1 10-oz can of diced tomatoes w/green chiles
garlic powder, to taste
onion salt, to taste
cumin, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Saute onion, bell pepper and black beans in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Once slightly browned, add the cup of uncooked rice and brown rice well. Add watr or chicken broth and can of tomatoes. Season with spices and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice has soaked up the water. Enjoy!
So tonight, the food delight was Guacamole Chicken & Spanish Rice. I did my own modifications to it, mostly adding more veggies and bulking it up. It was great but I think that next time I will try to make the guacamole the day before so I don't have to do so much chopping. A trick I've done before is to spend the weekend chopping up veggies so that when I'm ready to make whatever I am making I don't have to spend as much time during the week. I also think that the lettuce I used (red leaf) didn't really work for the wrap...I just can't find lettuce that is big enough!
I definitely recommend this one, but just be prepared for at least an hour of cooking/chopping/creating and I would also recommend cutting the recipe a bit unless you want leftovers or have enough people to feed...it made a ton!
Guacamole Chicken
10 servings (1 wrap = 1 serving)
Ingredients:
3 avocados
1/4 onion
3 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup black beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 lime
garlic powder, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
Directions:
Season the chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper and put in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, peel the avocado into a bowl and mash it up. Dice the tomatoes and onion and add to the mixture. Add the black beans, garlic and cilantro. Squeeze the lime juice into the mixture and add spices.
When the chicken is done cube it and add it to the guacamole mixture. Place mixture in lettuce or tortillas for the wrap you prefer! (w/lettuce it is only 5 points on Weight Watchers, with tortilla it is more!)
(? servings)
Ingredients:
1 cup long grain brown rice
1 bell pepper
1/4 onion
1/2 cup black beans
2 cups water/chicken broth
1 10-oz can of diced tomatoes w/green chiles
garlic powder, to taste
onion salt, to taste
cumin, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Saute onion, bell pepper and black beans in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Once slightly browned, add the cup of uncooked rice and brown rice well. Add watr or chicken broth and can of tomatoes. Season with spices and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice has soaked up the water. Enjoy!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Black Bean Brownies
Okay, I swear I ran this recipe through the Weight Watchers recipe builder a couple times but it comes out as being a zero point brownie. Score!!! This recipe is an alternative to making brownies with the oil and the eggs and adds a bunch of fiber and goodness to them. They might be slightly different texture but are not much different and are a great way to sneak in good stuff to your kids diet...seriously, they can't even tell. If Justin will eat them, you know they work!
Try them, they are really good a little heated up with some fat free whip cream, too!
Ingredients:
Any dry brownie mix
1 can black beans, pureed
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
a dash of cinnimon (if desired)
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients together until the dry mix is completely stirred in. Bake according to the package instructions and enjoy!
Yum!
Try them, they are really good a little heated up with some fat free whip cream, too!
Ingredients:
Any dry brownie mix
1 can black beans, pureed
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
a dash of cinnimon (if desired)
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients together until the dry mix is completely stirred in. Bake according to the package instructions and enjoy!
Yum!
Shrimp and Veggie Mini Skewers
We ate these so fast that I didn't even have a chance to take a picture, they were that good! I think the only thing I might have done differently is add an additional side or make more of the skewers because it didn't fill me up as much as I would have hoped. A tossed greens salad or greek salad would be really good on the side.
Shrimp & Veggie Mini Skewers
Ingredients:
1/2 lb peeled raw shrimp
1-2 bell peppers
1/2 onion
Italian dressing/marinade
quinoa
mini-skewers
Instructions:
Put the shrimp in a container and cover with the marinade about 1-2 hours before cooking the skewers. Chop the vegetables into larger chunks and start constructing the skewers by alternating different vegetables and the shrimp. Place skewers in a heated skillet or grill. Cook the quinoa by the box instructions. Take the skewers off the grill or skillet once the shrimp is pink. Put skewers on a plate over the quinoa and serve!
Shrimp & Veggie Mini Skewers
Ingredients:
1/2 lb peeled raw shrimp
1-2 bell peppers
1/2 onion
Italian dressing/marinade
quinoa
mini-skewers
Instructions:
Put the shrimp in a container and cover with the marinade about 1-2 hours before cooking the skewers. Chop the vegetables into larger chunks and start constructing the skewers by alternating different vegetables and the shrimp. Place skewers in a heated skillet or grill. Cook the quinoa by the box instructions. Take the skewers off the grill or skillet once the shrimp is pink. Put skewers on a plate over the quinoa and serve!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Working It Out
Whew, I'm spent. After a grueling 60 minute strength and cardio workout I know I'll be feeling this tomorrow. And the next day. And probably even the day after that! But what's great is that I can feel muscles again that I haven't felt in a very long time...kinda sad, really. Lately, I've been having flashbacks to the days when I worked out every day and pushed my body to it's limits. I remember my arms and legs and how toned I was at that point and can't wait to get there again! Here's a pic of me around that time:
It's a little small, but this was about 50 lbs ago at least, maybe more (boy I'm being honest here...), and I really miss that time! I think about how much energy I had, the confidence, the ease in my body and it's great motivation to reflect back to that time. It's so easy to forget how much the exercise was a part of my life and how great it is to do that again.
This week, the goal is to go to the gym at least 4-5 times and to mix up the cardio and the strength. The trainer at the gym told me to get at least 45 minutes cardio in when I do that and to start with 3x per week with the strength exercises. I'm looking forward to getting that body back, but the most important thing, too, is to make sure it's something I can sustain. It has to be a commitment.
Here's to feeling the burn! :-)
It's a little small, but this was about 50 lbs ago at least, maybe more (boy I'm being honest here...), and I really miss that time! I think about how much energy I had, the confidence, the ease in my body and it's great motivation to reflect back to that time. It's so easy to forget how much the exercise was a part of my life and how great it is to do that again.
This week, the goal is to go to the gym at least 4-5 times and to mix up the cardio and the strength. The trainer at the gym told me to get at least 45 minutes cardio in when I do that and to start with 3x per week with the strength exercises. I'm looking forward to getting that body back, but the most important thing, too, is to make sure it's something I can sustain. It has to be a commitment.
Here's to feeling the burn! :-)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
My Weight Loss Resume
Okay, this is kinda silly, but I thought it was a good exercise in positive self-talk. I've been a member of WeightWatchers for several years and have had some success with the program. I committed to continuing to go the last time I signed up and so far I have been doing great with that goal. I may be losing slowly, but I am still losing! And beyond that, this process is absolutely about lifestyle and health and not as much about the weight. I want to make sure that I am learning how to eat and live so that I am healthy and passing on good habits to Kaela especially.
Last week in our meeting the leader asked if we were to make a resume to reflect our career in weightloss what would it include as our achievements, because that's what a resume highlights. It was fun to hear other people's ideas and what they would include and I thought it would be fun to do one just for me. It's important in the process of trying to change a habit to also stay positive. It takes time and energy and it is so easy to go to the bad place where you feel depressed because you haven't achieved your goal yet. So here is my weightloss resume and all the things I am proud of!
Last week in our meeting the leader asked if we were to make a resume to reflect our career in weightloss what would it include as our achievements, because that's what a resume highlights. It was fun to hear other people's ideas and what they would include and I thought it would be fun to do one just for me. It's important in the process of trying to change a habit to also stay positive. It takes time and energy and it is so easy to go to the bad place where you feel depressed because you haven't achieved your goal yet. So here is my weightloss resume and all the things I am proud of!
Amy McGreevy
Objective | To effectively establish a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise |
Experience | 2009-present Weight Watchers Fort Collins, CO Member · Identified needed changes to personal health habits. · Established a healthy grocery shopping ritual. · Increased planning for daily healthy eating habits. · Increased positive self talk for maximum success. · Joined and attended a gym for improved exercise regiment. · Identified personal goals and stuck to them. · Learned how to cook in creative and new ways. · Experimented with new routines and ways to approach weight loss. · Attended regular meetings and committed to the on-going process of weight loss. · Established social connections and relationships with other members. · Experimented with new types of food and cooking. · Identified and implemented increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. · Rewarded positive efforts of both self and others in the goal of establishing a healthy lifestyle. · Engaged in the on-going process of focusing on self-achievements rather than setbacks. |
Breakfast Mini Egg Souffles
Okay, so they aren't quite a souffle but I just can't bring myself to call something an "egg muffin." Sounds not as tasty, right? Anyway, these are a very good breakfast food that I whip up in bulk once a week and keep in ziplocks in the fridge. They keep well and microwave up easily for a breakfast on the go, which is usually how I do it! Kaela and Justin both love these and it is another good recipe to get veggies into without being too obvious. Little does my silly family know but that they are eating a ton of veggies!
Something you will find if you continue to read about my cooking is that I do not always measure the ingredients (if I'm baking, I absolutely measure!). I tend to estimate spices and measurements to just keep in mind that the following recipe is based a little bit on my estimations. I think the best if you aren't comfortable with spices is to play around with them without measuring and just try to get comfortable. That's how I did it!
Anyway, here's the recipe:
Breakfast Mini Egg Souffles
(makes 36 servings, PointsPlus value = 1)
Ingredients:
12 whole eggs
14 egg whites
1 red pepper
1/2 large white onion
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
4 servings Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage links
1/4 cup 2% milk (or whatever you prefer)
1 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
garlic powder
onion salt
salt & pepper
olive oil cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop onion and red pepper (or any other veggie you wish to add!) into small bits (not a very technical cooking term :-)). Add these along with the chopped spinach to a heated skillet with some olive oil spray and heat the veggies until they are warmed but not browned.
Using the cooking spray, coat a regular sized muffin tin. Evenly distribute the egg mixture in the muffin tin, only filling the individual cups about 3/4 full. Cook in the preheated oven for approximately 12-15 minutes or until the egg is cooked. Let them cook on a paper towel or rack and then you can bag them up for later!
Feel free to add or modify the veggies or additions to these. I put a lot of veggies because I like how unobtrusive they are in this, but these would be equally good with potatoes or other types of meat. Next time, I think I might try to make these with green chiles for a little kick and I've also thought that asparagus would be good chopped up in these. You can also put cheese on top of them but I mixed it in because the fat free cheese can be weird sometimes in how it cooks. There's a lot of versatility to this recipe so have fun with it!
Something you will find if you continue to read about my cooking is that I do not always measure the ingredients (if I'm baking, I absolutely measure!). I tend to estimate spices and measurements to just keep in mind that the following recipe is based a little bit on my estimations. I think the best if you aren't comfortable with spices is to play around with them without measuring and just try to get comfortable. That's how I did it!
Anyway, here's the recipe:
Breakfast Mini Egg Souffles
(makes 36 servings, PointsPlus value = 1)
Ingredients:
12 whole eggs
14 egg whites
1 red pepper
1/2 large white onion
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
4 servings Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage links
1/4 cup 2% milk (or whatever you prefer)
1 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
garlic powder
onion salt
salt & pepper
olive oil cooking spray
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop onion and red pepper (or any other veggie you wish to add!) into small bits (not a very technical cooking term :-)). Add these along with the chopped spinach to a heated skillet with some olive oil spray and heat the veggies until they are warmed but not browned.
Remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes. Crumble the sausage links into smaller pieces and heat in the skillet, remove after a few minutes and cool. While veggies and sausage are being cooking a bit, mix up the uncooked eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste as well as a tsp (or dash) of garlic powder and likewise of onion salt. Mix in the cooled veggies, sausage, milk, and cheese to the raw eggs and stir.
Feel free to add or modify the veggies or additions to these. I put a lot of veggies because I like how unobtrusive they are in this, but these would be equally good with potatoes or other types of meat. Next time, I think I might try to make these with green chiles for a little kick and I've also thought that asparagus would be good chopped up in these. You can also put cheese on top of them but I mixed it in because the fat free cheese can be weird sometimes in how it cooks. There's a lot of versatility to this recipe so have fun with it!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Cheesy Tuna & Tomato Melts
This was crazy good. Seriously easy. Completely low-fat. And totally cheap! Success! It's a variation on an old recipe we used to have as kids called tuna cheese boats but much less fat. See below for the recipe and the picture.
Oh, and Justin and Kaela both ate these up like crazy. I think Justin might have had five of them and didn't realize how low fat they were! And talk about sneaking in a vegetable...hehe. :-)
Cheesy Tuna & Tomato Melts
(PointsPlus Value = 3/serving)
Ingredients:
2 cans tuna in water, drained
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
2-3 roma tomatoes, sliced
1 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
Eating Right Sandwich Thins
Directions:
Set the oven to broil to warm up. On a baking sheet, open up the sandwich thins. Mix up the tuna and mayo and spread an even amount over all the sandwich thins. Slice up the tomatoes and put them on top of the tuna and finish by putting cheese on each one so that it will melt evenly. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and let it cook until the cheese is slightly browned.
BEFORE
AFTER
Yum!
Oh, and Justin and Kaela both ate these up like crazy. I think Justin might have had five of them and didn't realize how low fat they were! And talk about sneaking in a vegetable...hehe. :-)
Cheesy Tuna & Tomato Melts
(PointsPlus Value = 3/serving)
Ingredients:
2 cans tuna in water, drained
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
2-3 roma tomatoes, sliced
1 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
Eating Right Sandwich Thins
Directions:
Set the oven to broil to warm up. On a baking sheet, open up the sandwich thins. Mix up the tuna and mayo and spread an even amount over all the sandwich thins. Slice up the tomatoes and put them on top of the tuna and finish by putting cheese on each one so that it will melt evenly. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and let it cook until the cheese is slightly browned.
BEFORE
AFTER
Yum!
Don't Grocery Shop Hungry
Best advice ever. Seriously. I've now completed my plans for dinners over the next few days and it's time to be off to the grocery store but I'm hungry! Looking at recipes and planning meals for the last hour has really made my tummy growl...
Anyway, thought I would share some of my upcoming meals! I will take pictures and put recipes up as I make them and let you know how I will cut calories and modify to fit the diet. The most fun of cooking is the modifying and teaching myself how to cook and grocery shop differently. And I figure if my grocery list has more veggies and fruits than cookies and candies, I'm on the right track!
Here's the line-up (in no particular order):
Turkey Veggie Meatloaf Cups
Shrimp Kabobs w/quinoa cranberry salad
Honey Garlic Pork Ribs
Tomato & Tuna Pita Melts
Guacamole Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Breakfast Sausage Egg Muffins
Everything here includes ingredients on sale and most of them are super fresh so it won't be difficult to stay healthy! Next is to just get the ingredients I don't have and start cooking!
Anyway, thought I would share some of my upcoming meals! I will take pictures and put recipes up as I make them and let you know how I will cut calories and modify to fit the diet. The most fun of cooking is the modifying and teaching myself how to cook and grocery shop differently. And I figure if my grocery list has more veggies and fruits than cookies and candies, I'm on the right track!
Here's the line-up (in no particular order):
Turkey Veggie Meatloaf Cups
Shrimp Kabobs w/quinoa cranberry salad
Honey Garlic Pork Ribs
Tomato & Tuna Pita Melts
Guacamole Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Breakfast Sausage Egg Muffins
Everything here includes ingredients on sale and most of them are super fresh so it won't be difficult to stay healthy! Next is to just get the ingredients I don't have and start cooking!
A (Wo)Man With A Plan
One of the things I'm teaching myself about is meal planning, because planning ahead for your eating is one of the components of a healthy diet and weightloss. I find that the weeks I am able to spend some time planning my grocery list and the meals I will eat, I do 150% better than the weeks I do not. It's kind of a no-brainer if you think about it...if I plan my meals then I know there will be food around to eat and I won't be as tempted to eat out or grab something that is fast. When I don't plan my food, especially my breakfast or lunch, I make much worse decisions about what I eat. I also find that if I don't look at my days and plan out my weeks for activity, it follows that I'll be a couch potato, but that's a topic for another day. :-)
So on the topic of meal planning, here's how I do it. Usually it occurs on Sundays when I have a chunk of time to spend working on our meals. I start by surfing the grocery store websites to find the best possible deals for the week. We also have to be budget friendly with what we eat, so whatever is on sale, is what we eat! And usually I'm most concerned about what the meat is going to be and then I build the menu around that. So once I know what's on sale then I usually go to allrecipes.com and do a little searching.
I don't like to cook the same thing all the time, so allrecipes is a great website to find that variety. I also have to be aware of how difficult or time consuming the recipe is and how many ingredients are going to be involved. I like to keep it simple, cheap and varied. This week, it looks like we will be having some yummy shrimp, chicken and pork...I'll be back with recipe ideas soon!
So on the topic of meal planning, here's how I do it. Usually it occurs on Sundays when I have a chunk of time to spend working on our meals. I start by surfing the grocery store websites to find the best possible deals for the week. We also have to be budget friendly with what we eat, so whatever is on sale, is what we eat! And usually I'm most concerned about what the meat is going to be and then I build the menu around that. So once I know what's on sale then I usually go to allrecipes.com and do a little searching.
I don't like to cook the same thing all the time, so allrecipes is a great website to find that variety. I also have to be aware of how difficult or time consuming the recipe is and how many ingredients are going to be involved. I like to keep it simple, cheap and varied. This week, it looks like we will be having some yummy shrimp, chicken and pork...I'll be back with recipe ideas soon!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Ginger-Orange Glazed Shrimp Stir Fry
Can I just say, yum! This was probably one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life, and I made it! I got the glaze idea from another recipe but it worked great for this. It was a very light, very flavorful sauce and the ingredients were very easy to work with. My goal with a lot of recipes is to make them easy but fun to cook. For this one, if you don't have fresh ginger then I'm sure powdered can work.
Here's the recipe and a picture...it didn't last very long, I can say that and I thought Justin was going to finish it before I could swipe some for my lunch. We're definitely going to have to re-do this one. :-)
Ginger-Orange Glazed Shrimp Stir Fry over Quinoa
Glaze:
1/2 cup orange juice
1-2 tsp minced ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Stir Fry:
1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 bag frozen stir fry veggies
quinoa
Directions:
Add the orange juice to a sauce pan over medium low heat. Cook and stir 10 to 15 minutes until reduced by 1/2 and thickened. Remove from the heat and cool.
Begin cooking the quinoa, follow package instructions. Add olive oil to a non stick pan and heat veggies over medium high heat for about 15 minutes or no longer frozen. While it is cooking, stir in the ginger and garlic to the orange juice. When the veggies are heated enough, add the shrimp to the mixture. Cook until they begin to turn pink and add the sauce. Do not over cook, it should only take a few minutes for the shrimp to be ready.
Once finished you can add some quinoa and stir fry to your plate and enjoy!
Here's the recipe and a picture...it didn't last very long, I can say that and I thought Justin was going to finish it before I could swipe some for my lunch. We're definitely going to have to re-do this one. :-)
Ginger-Orange Glazed Shrimp Stir Fry over Quinoa
Glaze:
1/2 cup orange juice
1-2 tsp minced ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Stir Fry:
1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 bag frozen stir fry veggies
quinoa
Directions:
Add the orange juice to a sauce pan over medium low heat. Cook and stir 10 to 15 minutes until reduced by 1/2 and thickened. Remove from the heat and cool.
Begin cooking the quinoa, follow package instructions. Add olive oil to a non stick pan and heat veggies over medium high heat for about 15 minutes or no longer frozen. While it is cooking, stir in the ginger and garlic to the orange juice. When the veggies are heated enough, add the shrimp to the mixture. Cook until they begin to turn pink and add the sauce. Do not over cook, it should only take a few minutes for the shrimp to be ready.
Once finished you can add some quinoa and stir fry to your plate and enjoy!
Accidentally Gourmet
So I realize the idea of a food blog is not a new one, but here's to hoping this adventure is a positive one. In an effort to not be narcissistic or self-important, this all comes down to my health. I am and have remained very overweight since the birth of my child (and maybe before that, wink, wink, but everyone needs a good excuse!) and in the past year of dieting and trying to learn a whole new lifestyle, I feel there is still something missing. I've definitely gotten better at this process, but it's still a process.
I love food. That's the barest fact there is and I have figured out that I am in love with cooking, playing with recipes and trying out new things. I've also learned over the past few years that in order to get to where I want to be with my health and my weight loss, it's going to be important to try new things and learn an entirely new way to cook my food. And if I can have some fun along the way, well great!
So this blog is really just all about me and my learning new ways to cook, a new way to live and if it works then I'll be on my way. I hope to share recipes, both good and bad, and all the ridiculous little challenges that pop up when we try to change our habits and live differently. I hope you enjoy the read!
I love food. That's the barest fact there is and I have figured out that I am in love with cooking, playing with recipes and trying out new things. I've also learned over the past few years that in order to get to where I want to be with my health and my weight loss, it's going to be important to try new things and learn an entirely new way to cook my food. And if I can have some fun along the way, well great!
So this blog is really just all about me and my learning new ways to cook, a new way to live and if it works then I'll be on my way. I hope to share recipes, both good and bad, and all the ridiculous little challenges that pop up when we try to change our habits and live differently. I hope you enjoy the read!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)