Important Wordy Bits

Admit it....You have a clothed and naked weight....plus a recipe

Hola!

I admit to it. I have a naked weight and a clothed weight. Since I have to leave my clothes on at my Weight Watchers weigh in I have to have a clothed weight ;). That weight is a half pound away from 30 lbs. lost. My naked weight is about two pounds lighter. I like that weight so much better. If I was doing Weight Watchers online I would sooooo use that as my official weight. It seems like something stupid, but when you are losing weight you want to weigh the least amount that you can. As long as I keep plugging along, following the Weight Watchers plan, there will be a day that I won't have to be sneaky and weight myself naked because my clothed weight will be so totally awesome it won't matter. For now, having that naked weight, well, it puts an extra smile on my face because let's face it, who doesn't like to weigh less????

Weight Watchers meetings really have been a God send this time around. Last time I lost on line, but it seemed too easy to kind of slip from what I was doing. This go around I religiously go to my Weight Watchers meetings. I go every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. I like Sunday because it's the natural start of the week and it's a good start for my WW week too. I have to say that I really like my meeting leader. She is uplifting when needed, my cheerleader when needed, and understanding when needed. I have realized that no matter what I do I lose about 1 to 1.5 lbs. a week. Instead of getting down my leader Diane always tells me a loss is a loss and I am more likely to keep off the weight. Little things like that make such a difference. Also, by going to meetings every week whether I lose or gain I am keeping myself accountable for how my weight loss is going. Lastly, I've met some really nice ladies at my meetings. In fact, two of them will be doing a 5k with me on June 6th. It's great having other people to push you. For me, meetings just work. 

Ok, time to wrap this up. I do have one recipe for you. This recipe is loosely based on a Giada DeLaurentis recipe. Mine is much simpler. Her recipe is Fried Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Dressing and mine is just the Fried Smashed Potatoes. Take a look below....this was super yummy. My son ate them and my mom told me that I could make these any day of the week for her.

Fried Smashed Potatoes

1-2 pounds of boiling or red baby potatoes

garlic salt

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

Boil your potatoes until a knife goes into the potatoes easily. Drain and then put back in pot with cold water. Let the potatoes cool until you can easily handle them. You will take each potato and "smash" them until they are flat. You still want them to have definition and not falling apart.

In a large frying pan, heat on medium/medium high heat. Add about olive oil two times around the pan. Sprinkle garlic salt on the potatoes and then put garlic salt side down in the pan. Sprinkle more garlic salt on the other side. Add a couple splashed of balsamic vinegar to the pan. Fry until the bottom of the potatoes are browned. Turn the potatoes and fry on the other side. Add a couple more splashed of balsamic vinegar. Fry until the other side is browned too. Serve as an accompaniment to any meat dish you may have.

For a twist, add cumin and lime juice to the recipe for a fajita type taste. Another twist could be chinese five spice or ginger with rice wine vinegar or teriyaki for an Asian taste. Just use your imagination. 

Mini Cheeseburger Salad...yum!

Hi everyone!!!

Thought that I would share a favorite recipe of mine courtesy of Rachel Ray. This recipe, MIni Cheeseburger Salad, is simple, kind of summery and just yummy. Now, this has a Yellow Mustard Vinaigrette, but I add ketchup to the mixture so it REALLY tastes like a hamburger. This is also a good way for your child to maybe get some greens into their diet. Yeah, my son still doesn't like rabbit food :).

 

Rachel Ray's Mini Cheese Burger Salad

• 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, eyeball it
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons steak seasoning blend or coarsesalt and ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 3/4 pound brick sharp Cheddar (regular cheddar works fine too)
• 3 large hearts romaine lettuce or a bag of spinach leaves
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup scallions

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard 
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• ***can add 2 TBSP ketchup which makes it taste super yummy
• 
  
• Directions

Preheat a grill pan or a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat or, preheat outdoor grill.

Combine the meat with onion, Worcestershire and steak seasoning or salt and pepper. Form 2-inch meatballs, then flatten them into patties. Drizzle formed mini patties with extra-virgin olive oil to keep them from sticking to cooking surface.

Slice the brick of cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Place patties into a preheated pan or grill pan or arrange on outdoor grill. Cook the mini burgers for 3 minutes on each side then add cheese to melt over patties. On outdoor grill, close the lid to melt cheese. In a skillet or on a grill pan, tent the mini cheeseburgers loosely with foil to melt cheese.

Coarsely chop romaine and add any other salad add on's that you like. 

Whisk together the mustard and cider vinegar. Stream in the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the chopped chives and pimentos, stir to combine. (Add ketchup if you like too)

Arrange mini cheeseburgers on salad and drizzle prepared yellow mustard over the completed dish.

(from Food Network/Rachel Ray) ***adapted

Lemony Orzo and Tomato

Hello my pals! Tonight we had a super yummy dinner. I made my Lemony Orzo and Tomato for dinner and it reminds me of summer time with this bit of tastiness. Here's the recipe:

Lemony Orzo and Tomato

2 c. dried orzo (boil in water or chicken/vegetable broth and salt to taste)

1 crushed garlic clove

1 pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half or thirds

1 c. FF feta cheese

1 lemon, grated rind and juice

1/4 to 1/2 c. olive oil

1 tsp or so, garlic salt

(can add anything else you like to it i.e. olives, chicken, avocado, capers, sun dried tomatoes, etc. whatever your taste buds like)

Cook orzo in water or chicken broth until done. Rinse under cold water. Put in bowl. Add garlic, tomatoes, feta, lemon rind and juice, olive oil and garlic salt. Stir. Chill in refrigerator for about a half hour. Taste to see if you need more salt. I serve this with a green salad. 

Making a list and not gonna do it twice

Hey everyone!

So how's everyone doing? I'm going pretty good I have to say. I've been a bit proud of the fact that I have been eating when hungry and eating until I am full....not stuffed. Not easy to get to, but I feel better. As much as I love all that wonderful food out there is it really worth it to be so full you are completely uncomfortable? Not worth it anymore. Eating when hungry and until full have been on my list. It's a little list of things I'm trying to do. It seems that if I write it down I stick to it more. My list has small goals, long term goals, things I'm striving for etc. 

My List

-get to 30 lbs. lost

-lose a total of 85 lbs. (gah......very long term goal)

-reach 50 lbs. lost in one year

-eat less processed food

-eat more fruits and vegetables

-drink more water

-be caffeine free (hopefully in about 2 mos. I'm weaning myself)

-exercise 3 times a week

-don't give up

-gaining a couple pounds is not a defeat; it's normal

-every loss is a loss even if it's half a pound

Sit down and write your own list. Write it once and do it once. Stick with it...you can do it.

 

Tomorrow is more of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. A great show on food and what we should be eating. Sign Jamie's petition on his website. Even if you don't have a school cafeteria signing it will do nothing, but help other kids. 

My Food Revolution

*looks sheepishly*

I'm back!!! It's been a while, but I'm getting back on track with my blog. So you see from my title that I am doing my own Food Revolution. I've been on the good side of eating, but I could be better and I have to admit that seeing Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution has completely spurned me on. I am on a mission to change the way I eat and the way my son eats. My son will take Wheat Thins instead of Doritos, but he loves his popsicles and m & m's. His eating could be better too.

First item I am going to change is portion control. I am going to buy snack baggies and put good portions in them. Also, using smaller plates, meat being the right serving size (size of a fist), etc. All of it starts in eating how we should eat. 

Second item I am taking control of is processed food. My family and I were going to have loaded nachos one night (WW friendly with FF refried beans, lean meat, veggies, etc.) and I was looking at the cheese sauce in the jar. How good can it be for you if it has a long shelf life? I decided then to make my own cheese sauce. FF half and half, skim milk, RF cheddar cheese, salt and Wondra flour.....I know what is in this and it's not in a jar. I'm making my own pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, Alfredo sauce, and so much more. My son loves his popsicles so I am going to make yogurt pops for him. High fructose corn syrup won't be the first thing in it. It may take a bit more time, but isn't it worth it??? 

Third item I am taking control of is eating out. We're not huge on eating out, but the simplicity of going to a drive thru window is way to easy to get crap in your body.  Instead I have frozen single serving meals aka leftovers :), pizza dough and sauce always on hand, grilled veggies and bread for sandwiches.....all stuff that I have made, but that can be re-heated or cooked in a jiffy. What I make is infinitely better than a Quarter Pounder cheeseburger and a large fry.

Lastly, I am taking control by taking the steps to make ALL of my own stuff. This may take a bit longer because I want to make my own pasta, bread, etc. I just need to get the stuff to do it. Fresh pasta is easy to make and so much better for you. PLUS, I can easily put something like spinach or roasted red peppers in it and my son won't know. I REALLY want to make my own bread. I love bread and if I can make healthier bread yay me.

Another part of my Food Revolution is getting up and moving. I've been good about exercising and I want to make sure my son is moving too. I have to be responsible for his little 7 year old body and it staying fit and healthy. Thank goodness he is not a couch potato and loves going outside to play. For me, thank goodness for Wii. It has been my savior. 

Start your own Food Revolution! Don't use ease as an excuse. Good fresh food doesn't take long to make. If you can't cook, take a lesson or ask a friend that does know how to cook to show you how to. We take the time to watch our favorite TV shows so we need to take the time to plan our menu's. We need to take time for us to be healthy! 

I do have a good recipe for you. This is one of my favorite marinade recipes: Slightly Sweet Lime Marinade. This marinade is great for chicken, fish, pork or beef. Because it has lime as it's acid do not marinate overnight because if you do your meat will become mealy. It has a fresh taste. The protein is great on it's own or cut your protein and put on a salad, in a tortilla, etc. I usually cook my protein on the grill whenever I can....on to the recipe.

 

Slightly Sweet Lime Marinade

4 limes, juice and zest

1 TBSP brown sugar (can use honey too)

1 TBSP rice wine vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, rough chop

1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together. Place protein in the marinade. After a half hour turn over the protein. Marinate for about an hour. Cook your protein however you like. Super tasty!!!!

Asian Crockpot Chicken and Moo Shu Lettuce Wraps

I have two recipes for you. First off is the Asian Crockpot Chicken. I just kind of put this together and it was so yummy.

Asian Crockpot Chicken

2-3 frozen or thawed chicken breasts

3 TBSP soy sauce

4 crushed garlic cloves

1 TBSP lemongrass, crushed or smashed (Garden Gourmet already crushed is what I use. Can get from the produce section)

salt to taste when the chicken is done

Put all the items in a crockpot. Put on high 4-5 hours or low 8 hours. When done, shred the chicken. You can thicken sauce with a water/cornstarch slurry or Wondra. Can put chicken on rice, veggies or on lettuce leaves.

Moo Shu Lettuce Wraps

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork (or you can use "meatball mix" in the meat section. Mine at my grocery store is 1/2 pork and 1/2 beef)

2 TBSP soy sauce

2 TBSP rice wine vinegar

4-6 chopped garlic cloves

1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice

1 tsp garlic salt

(I added two shakes of sesame oil too)

1 medium onion, small chop

--------

Lettuce and toppings (can use any or all of these). These items do not go in the crockpot. 

Bibb Lettuce (could you flour tortillas for mandarin pancakes)

shredded carrots

chopped mushrooms

La Choy Chow mein noodles

bean sprouts

plum sauce

Add everything above the dotted line into the crockpot. Cook 4-6 hours on high and about 8 hours on low. When mixture is done put a helping on the bibb lettuce. Add any toppings that you want to the Moo Shu Lettuce Wraps. Super yummy.

Dieting: Over the honeymoon phase......and oh a recipe :)

Morning all!

Yeah, I'm sooooo not into being "good" this week even though I've pretty much been "on plan" with Weight Watchers. Sometimes you get to that point where you JUST want a piece of chocolate cake or brownies or rice krispies. You just feel like you don't want to have to watch what you eat. The problem then is, well a couple problems, you're not eating healthy. Also, you're not doing yourself any favors AND you won't lose weight. So I know all these things, but I still want that chocolate cake damn it :). I've really been trying to make some new foods and try new recipes. I figure instead of having full fat Pad Thai to make my own low fat version. It's a matter of finding what you love and changing it to fit how you eat now. Oh, I did have the piece of chocolate cake anyways LOL. It was within my points anyways. 

Another thing....I'm really trying to stay on plan for exercising too. My goal is to work out at least 3 days a week. Yesterday I counted the snow as my exercise. Believe me, the way I was sweating after shoveling the wet, heavy snow I could count that as exercise and then some. I've been trying to mix up my exercise so that I am dealing with different muscles and so that I am not getting bored. I really want to join my park districts fitness center, but I don't want to spend money and not go there consistently....even though I have been good about exercising. 

Enough about my weight loss talk. Yesterday I tried a new recipe that was just awesome. It was Greens with Cannellini Beans. I have never tried kale before and I'm pretty adventurous with food so I figured why not try it. Kale, if you have not had it, is not a bitter green or leafy lettuce. It does have more texture than something like spinach. It doesn't seem to have much water to it. I was surprised that I liked it as much as I did. This recipe can be a whole meal and I'll tell ya, I was full for a LONG time after eating this. 

Greens with Cannellini Beans

Ingredients

• 2 slices pancetta or bacon, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
• 1 bunch beet greens, roughly chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained

Directions

1. Microwave the chopped pancetta or bacon on high for 3 minutes. Drain the drippings, and set the crispy pancetta aside.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion in oil until soft. Add the crushed garlic cloves, and cook a minute more. Stir in chopped greens, and season with salt to taste (be conservative at this point - you can always add more!). Partially cover the pan, and cook until the greens begin to wilt. Stir in crispy pancetta and cannellini beans. Cook partially covered for 5 more minutes, until the flavors have combined and the greens are tender.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 437 | Total Fat: 16.3g | Cholesterol: 10mg

This was from All Recipes by By: Diana Moutsopoulos. I used regular bacon and fried it up in the pan. Also, this was for 2 servings, but it can serve a bunch more.

Great Thai Pizza Recipe and yadda yadda yadda

Hi all!

Tonight we are eating regular pizza with my homemade pizza sauce, but I figured I'd post a favorite recipe from Rachel Ray. She made this Thai Chicken Pizza and it is absolutely delicious and different. I think even the kids would like this because it uses plum sauce instead of regular pizza sauce. Also, my grocery store has reduced fat provolone so I use that. Here's the recipe:

Thai Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 pizza dough, any brand
• 1/2 cup duck sauce or plum sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 package (2 cups) shredded or package of sliced provolone
• 2 -3 TBSP peanut sauce (check Asian aisle)
• 4 chicken breast cutlets, 1/2 pound
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 cup bean spouts, a couple of handfuls
• Palm full cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, 2 ounces

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Put pizza dough on pan and top with plum sauce and provolone cheese. Bake for about 12 -15 minutes. 

Add chicken and sauce to pan; coat evenly with mixture. Let stand 10 minutes then grill chicken cutlets 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until firm. I use medium to medium high heat. Slice chicken. Could easily use a grocery store roasted chicken. 

While chicken cooks, mix honey and vinegar and add the cucumber. Turn to coat evenly.

Top the hot, cooked pizza with chicken, scallions, sprouts and cilantro. Drain cucumbers and scatter over the pizza. Garnish pizza with peanuts, cut into 8 wedges and serve.

recipe courtesy of Rachel Ray/Food Network ****adapted

A good thing to remember with your pizza is that it CAN be different and be delicious. We also like using BBQ sauce, chicken, mozzarella/cheddar combo along with bacon and onion. Soooo good. Try using ricotta instead of any sauce at all. I love ricotta, fresh tomato and basil. Make it a taco pizza with olives, taco meat, chihuahua cheese, chilis or whatever you can think of. Point being that it does not have to be the same old, same old pizza. Oh! Before I forget, I use either Pillsbury pizza dough or Aldi's pizza dough and I ALWAYS pre-bake the crust for about 6 minutes. The crust seems to be better. 

For the yadda, yadda, yadda.....what can I say it's Olympic time. I am ADDICTED to the Olympics. I watch summer and winter olympics and it does not matter what the sport is. I can watch it all. Curling? Sure! Why not? Biathalon? I'll give it a go. It's two weeks where I am glued to my tv all them time. Can't help it. I've been an Olympic fiend since the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. I clearly remember Eric Heiden and the US Olympic hockey team. I was supposed to go to the grocery store with my parents, but there was no way I could miss the US vs. Russia hockey game. Remember the Russians just standing there hanging on their sticks while watching the Americans celebrate? Remember "Do you believe in miracles? YES!!!"? Heck, I even remember some of the guys: Mike Eruzione, Ken Morrow, Mark Johnson, Jim Craig....such a great story....still. So, yes, I had the US women's curling match on in the background while I dusted today :). 

A delicious pesto recipe

I have a great recipe from Giada of Food Network. She has this spinach pesto that is amazing! I do take out the jalapeno because it's not loved by everyone here. Also, had weigh in at Weight Watchers. I was down another .6 lbs. I wanted more, but a loss is a loss. I lost over 2 lbs. last week so I'm okay with a .6 loss. Lastly, I made BBQ Pork Crockpot sandwiches today. Easy.....pork tenderloin and bbq sauce in a crockpot. Put on low for about 6-8 hours. Done and delicious. On to Giada's recipe.

Fusilli With Spice Pesto

 

Ingredients

Pesto:

• 1 cup chopped walnuts (or pine nuts)
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups grated (4 ounces) Asiago cheese
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces baby spinach
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound fusilli pasta
• 4 ounces Asiago cheese, shaved

Directions

For the pesto: In a food processor, combine the walnuts, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add the spinachand process until blended. Then slowly add your olive oil. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Place the cooked pasta and pesto in a large serving bowl. Toss well and thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Asiago cheese shavings and serve.

Also, great by adding grilled chicken to it too!

***copyright by Food Network and Giada DeLaurentis ****adapted

Two Yummy recipes: Sweet Potato Pancakes and Homemade Pizza Sauce

I'm not going to be too wordy here. I am going to give you two recipes though. The first one is my Sweet Potato Pancakes. This is my own recipe that I kind of put together. I love Potato Pancakes and thought it would be wonderful to use sweet potatoes because they are so tasty and have lots of good vitamins/minerals. Second is my Homemade Pizza Sauce. This one came by accident. We always have homemade pizza once a week because it's my sons favorite. For me I load it with good veggies. My son only has cheese, but eh. Sooooo I already had my crust pre-baking and I thought I had pizza sauce; I didn't. What to do. My mom then says, "Well, do you have tomato paste?" My first thought was it's too sweet so I kind of bounced it around and my own sauce that is sooooo good. Also, I know exactly what's in it. So no further ado.....

 

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Fiber One pancake mix; follow the 12 pancake recipe

2 medium sweet potatoes, shredded

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 TBSP brown sugar (Fiber One is not that sweet and I needed my kid to eat it :) )

Mix pancake mixture as done on the box (I'm sure you could use light Bisquick too if you do not have Fiber One. I found Fiber One at Wal-Mart). Shred your sweet potatoes in your food processor or you can grate them. Add sweet potatoes to mixture. Then add the other ingredients. NOW :) I also added two smashed, ripened bananas too and it was delicious. This isn't part of the recipe. You could add almost anything. Blueberries would be good too. Make sure all ingredients are incorporated.

On medium to medium low heat warm a large skillet or griddle. I use Pam in my pan and then I put my pancake mixture in medium size dollops. I use medium low heat because you don't want to scorch your pancakes and they will cook more evenly so you don't have raw sweet potatoes in your pancake. Low and slow to get a done pancake that is not black. Check the middle of your pancake to test doneness. 

You can top with fruit, lite syrup or whatever you like. Mine was spray butter and lite syrup. Two pancakes (they are filling because of using Fiber One and the sweet potatoes) were 5 pts. or roughly 250 calories. Everyone loved these and what's wrong with a little breakfast for dinner? Nothing. :) 12 to 14 pancakes will be made.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

1 12 oz. can of tomato paste

2/3 cup stock or broth; veggie, chicken or beef

2 crushed garlic cloves

2 TBSP Garden Gourmet Italian Herbs (can easily use fresh basil and oregano)

2 tsp dried Italian seasonings (I also use Weber Roasted Garlic seasoning)

salt and pepper to taste

Super easy. In a medium sauce pan heat on medium and add tomato paste and stock. You are basically thinning out to a pizza sauce consistency. You can use water if you want. Once thinned out add the rest of the ingredients. You'll want to taste to make sure it is to your pallets liking. You could make it a bit spicy by adding red pepper flakes too. The great thing is that there is NO sugar. Yay! It keeps really well in the refrigerator. I make a big batch because we have pizza every week. You cold halve it and use the small tomato paste can if you want. I have not put in the freezer, but I'm sure it would freeze well too. The whole can of tomato paste is 300 calories and the chicken stock is 0 pts. so to put on the pizza and per serving the pizza sauce is about 1 pt. because you will have a lot left over and what you put on your pizza.