Monday morning tales from the scale….

Yeah, I know it’s Wednesday and I haven’t posted this for a really long time, but it’s all good news.  I’ve now lost 26 lbs. since last April, I’m making healthy choices, eating moderately, not really dieting, and NOT GAINING!

What do I do about holidays?  I eat, hopefully don’t make too many bad choices, but don’t worry about it, then go right back to healthy eating the next day.  That’s what I did at Thanksgiving, and it worked great!  I’m a pretty happy camper these days.

Still no idea of how much more I will lose.  I’m a 12 really comfortably, now.  Another 5 lbs. and I think I’ll be starting to get into 10’s.  When those 10’s fit like the 12’s do now, I’m done…

Hungry Girl Liquid S’Mores

This is a healthy version of Liquid S’Mores. Everything we love, hot chocolate, marshmallows, chocolate chips, graham crackers.  You did it again, Hungry Girl!

 

Ingredients:
One 25-calorie packet hot cocoa mix (like Swiss Miss Diet or Nestle Fat Free)
2 tsp. fat-free non-dairy powdered creamer (like the kind by Coffee-mate) **I’m going to substitute 2 teaspoons of fat free half and half for this**
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
20 mini marshmallows (about 1/4 cup)
2 low-fat honey graham crackers (half a sheet), crushed
Directions:
Place cocoa mix, powdered creamer, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips in a large mug. Add 1 cup very hot water, and stir until ingredients are fully dissolved, melted, and combined. Top with marshmallows.
Using a kitchen torch, toast the marshmallow layer for 5 - 10 seconds, until slightly melted and cooked to your liking. (Some like their 'mallows golden, some like 'em blackened!) Allow to cool slightly, and then top with crushed graham crackers.
Now enjoy!
MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: 1 mug (entire recipe)
Calories: 178
Fat: 3.5g
Sodium: 202mg
Carbs: 35g
Fiber: 2.75g
Sugars: 18.5g
Protein: 3.5g
POINTS® value 3*

 

Hungry Girl’s Egg in a Mug – INCREDIBLE….

Okay ladies, I have a fantastic, easy recipe for you this morning.  It’s from Hungry Girl, one of her most requested, and now I know why.  This is only 95 calories, 2 measly little WW points, and it tastes awesome.  Even picky hubby requests it.  And SO easy, too – if you like eggs, you have to try this…

~ jan

1/2 cup eggbeaters, or if you don’t have them 1/2 cup eggwhites (about 3 eggs) works great

pinch of salt and pepper

1 wedge Laughing Cow Lite Cheese – I used the Herb one, it’s SO good…

Spray an oversized coffee mug with Pam, put in the eggbeaters, and cut up the wedge of cheese and put it in, add the salt and pepper, nuke it in the wave on high for 1 minute, take it out, scramble it with a fork, back into the wave for another 30 seconds – that’s it – you will be shocked at how good this is.

Try it, you won’t be disappointed…

Here are some variations of it on her website

Monday Morning Tales from the Scale…

I haven’t been good about posting updates every Monday, I haven’t been Tweeting what I eat, but I have been eating healthy and the scale is slowly moving downward.  I’ve lost a total of twenty-four pounds now since the beginning of April, I’m learning how to eat in moderation every day, it will always be a work in progress, but for now, this minute, it’s working.

Has it been worth not eating dessert and burgers and pizza, well I do have had pizza occasionally.  It’s totally 100% worth it.  When I look in the mirror and can actually suck it in, it’s such a kick.  And when my jeans fit and the muffin top is going down, down, down, it’s SO worth not eating  the bad stuff.  And when I go shopping and try on clothes in the dressing room, it’s so wonderful not to be horrified when I look in the mirror.  It’s actually fun to shop now, well as fun as it can be for an almost sixty-year old woman…

I eat lots of fruit, salads, veggies, and beans.  And I like it, I really like it!!!!!

Monday Tales from the scale on a Tuesday…

Still status quo, weight is exactly the same.  I had a couple of days this week that I ate too many points, we went on our annual old(er) lady picnic, and I totally overindulged with the sugar.  But the next day, I was back on track, and no weight gain.  I also went to Olive Garden for minestrone soup and salad, which I absolutely, positively, adore, ate a breadstick, and then another one, which I knew better than to do.  But I did it, that bread gets me every time, so I cut back at dinner time, and squeaked thru without the scales showing a gain. 

I’ve seen pictures of myself lately, and its apparent that this weight loss rodeo isn’t over for me yet.  I’m guessing another 15 lbs. will do, though.  It’s that damned midsection.  Arughhhhh!!!

I can do another fifteen, just have to get myself psyched to lose instead of maintain.  I told hubby yesterday that I really think I’ll make it this time.  Something has changed for me, it really has.  I don’t have it in me to do this again, it’s make it or break it time… I just don’t have the desire to eat unhealthy food anymore, well except for V’s yummy oatmeal cookies with browned butter frosting, everything in moderation.  The 80/20 rule really does work.  I just try and stay out of the restaurants as much as I can, they’re killer.

This week is Fall Festival in Heavensville.  It’s a huge deal for the locals, 130+ food booths, everything imaginable to eat.  We went yesterday, I had a corndog and half of a baked pretzel without the butter. 

Hubby didn’t understand why I ate a 1 point muffin and drank a cup of coffee before we went.  I did it so that I wouldn’t be tempted by all the bad food, and it worked!  I was moderately hungry but able to control it.  I had every intention of having a funnel cake, but passed on it, just didn’t want it.

So life continues to be good, and surprisingly, I’m not nervous eating while I await the birth of this granddaughter.

Staying focused, not tweeting what I eat like I should be, though, kind of burnt out with the tweets, but I’ll get back to it soon.

The next month or so will be a challenge for me, I’m always hungry in the fall.  Body trying to store fat for the winter, ya know.  But I’m going to try a lot of new soup recipes, I’ll post the good ones for you.

I hope some of the rest of you are having success along with me.  One day at a time, one meal at a time, sometimes it’s even one bite at a time…

xoxoxo~ jan

Sugar Free/Fat Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee

FF/SF Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer
1 cup Fat Free half-n-half
½ cup Splenda
3T canned pumpkin
½ t vanilla
½ t cinnamon
¼ t ginger
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t cloves

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat until Splenda is dissolved and spices are well combined. Stir in desired amount and enjoy in a hot cup of coffee. Store in refrigerator.

Source Mary Lea Wright/WW Boards

Monday morning tales from the scale…

Same weight, Other than dropping a pound, I’ve held steadily for a few weeks now.  I’ m not really dieting, just eating all healthy food, not much processed food except for those light chips that I just have to have. and an occasional piece of dark chocolate. I’m really careful when eating out, that is the downfall of all us, too big of portions, totally salt laden, fat laden food.  I avoid fast food restaurants, with the exception of Wendys and Chic-Filet.  My standby at Wendys – a plain baked potato and a small chili, pour the chili over the potato, and it’s a yummy meal for under ten points.  And the cost - $2.00 for both.  Yeah, it is, both of those items are on the dollar menu, and they have great chili, too, not greasy, tastes like homemade…  Works for me, I can take the money I saved and buy a great pair of earrings. :0)

I can live with where I’m at right now, I would like to go down another ten pounds, and I will, I have no doubt about that,I’m as committed as ever, just taking a breather while I wait for this grandchild to be born. 

V and I were talking just this morning that regardless of how much we lose, we’ll still be thick thru the middle.  That is the bane of post menopausal women.  It’s okay, I’m dealing with it.  As long as I can shop and fit into size 12’s, I’m not going to complain, but a size 10 would have me happy dancing in the aisles! *cheesy grin*

Back next week…

Tales from the Scales on a rainy Friday…

I haven’t been posting my weekly entries lately, haven’t been tweeting what I eat, but I have been diligent about what goes into my mouth.

My weight is down another pound, I’ve lost 23 lbs. now.  I’m at the point where my weight is okay, I can live with it, I still want to lose more, but I’m not being strict enough with what I eat.  I’m eating just enough points to maintain.  But that’s okay, the point is I’m not gaining, like I normally do when I’m not being totally on program.

Just taking a breather, I’ll get back in the game soon, set a mini-goal for another five pounds, but in the meantime, I’m treading water, still excited about eating healthy, too.  I’m in a good place…

Bonnie Hunt’s diet…

I  read her newsletter today, and thought some of you might enjoy what she eats to lose weight.

~ jan

Hey Everyone,

Wow, these weekends fly by don't they? I tried to stick to my meal plan as much as possible, and the veggies and fruits fill me up, but I was tempted and bought a piece of cherry pie... ugh... and yes, I put ice cream on it. I actually ran into someone at the grocery store who exclaimed, "Oh, Bonnie, I'm waiting to see the newsletter on Monday so I can follow your diet"...YIKES!!! Did I put the piece of cherry pie back on the pastry shelf? NO... ugh. I avoided my cart because I didn't want them to see the cherry pie.

You know that kind of thinking, right? If no one witnesses me buying or eating the cherry pie, then somehow the calories won't count. Yeah, I know that doesn't work.

After the guilt settled in, I decided that I'd like to have dessert once a week, so for right now I'm having a small dessert, like a small slice of pie on Wednesday nights. For now, this particular meal plan allows dessert ONE NIGHT a week.

I actually managed to do my morning hike on Saturday and Sunday. I will wait a minute for your applause to die down.

I promised to share my eating plan with all of you; yep my good old "getting in shape for being in a film" eating plan.

As an actress, I've had to get in shape before filming began (although as we all know, a studio prefers an actress be in shape... I did this for myself). I do this eating plan for my own comfort, energy level and, okay, at times I'm hoping to get a better "character wardrobe." (In "The Green Mile" the wardrobe was neither cute nor flattering, so I didn't worry so much about my weight.)

In "Cheaper by the Dozen," "Only You," "Jumanji," "Jerry Maguire," etc., I would always do the same "nutritional eating" at least a month before we began production. Yes, on this plan I would lose weight, my skin would look better, my energy levels would go way up, everything got better.

The plan I use is combination of what works for me and some tips I've learned along the way from experience, taking nutrition classes at Duke University and from a nutritionist by the name of Hermaine -- she was an inspiration and was dedicated to helping people learn healthier eating patterns. Mostly, she would recommend 1,500 calories a day for losing weight.

What those 1,500 calories consist of is just as important. We've all known people who have lost weight in an unhealthy way, or by some quick-fix diet plan that might include pills, but the outcome is usually at an awful price; kidney issues, an unhealthy look, gaunt appearance, lack of energy.

Let's all agree to do this in as healthy a way as we can... I'm not good at counting calories, so I'll just explain how I eat.

Planning is crucial -- when starting out, you might not want to try the diet at all, but instead simply write down everything you eat for one week so you can be more aware... then get yourself started. Number one hint: plan your meals. The night before, plan what you will eat the next day. If you are eating at restaurants more than most people, I will give you a few tips at the bottom of the page.

Please remember this plan is to LOSE weight; eventually you will want to maintain your healthy goal weight and when we get there, we can have our pasta back (once a week) and our wine and sauces that we miss -- once we get the metabolism up and burning fat, then we can put some extra calories back into our daily routine. I'll try to explain it as best I can. If you have any questions, please write in and I'll try to answer on the air. Here we go...

This plan is divided into a DAILY ALLOWANCE OF:
Men dieting: protein intake should be around 10 oz. per day.
Women dieting: protein intake should be around 9 oz. per day.

PROTEINS are: milk, eggs, meat, chicken, tofu, cheese. Combined total of above limited to 9-11 oz. per day.

CARBOHYDRATES are: veggies, fruit, bread, pastas, mayo, ketchup.
3-4 servings of fruit
4-5 servings of veggies
2 slices of a bread, (2 whole grain bread, or 1 scooped-out bagel, or 1 English muffin)

Liquids:

Alcohol: Please note that booze is SO fattening, and it bloats the face.
NO white wine. NO beer.
Red wine... (This is suited for me, that's why I'm adding this.) You may have one glass a week, remembering that one glass is considered 2 servings of bread. (This limit is so you can lose weight. After you get to ideal weight, you can go on maintenance, two glasses of wine.)

Coffee is fine, NO cream. NO flavored coffees. (If you put skim milk in coffee, that is considered a serving of 1-2 oz. of protein.)

Diet soda is extremely fattening, even if it is sodium-free. It is full of chemicals that are difficult for liver and kidneys to process, and in turn it affects your metabolism (ability to burn fat). If you must have a diet soda, limit yourself to 2 cans of Diet Rite a day. Or 2 Diet Cokes. (Diet Rite is less in... well, everything.)

Fruit Juices (apple, orange, grape juices) are very high in sugar and are not recommended, so limit to a small 6 oz. glass a day (if any).

It is important to have fruits and veggies with every meal.

The fruits and veggies list here are to lose weight, and are specific fruits and veggies because of their low sugar content.

To burn fat fast, remember to always combine a carbohydrate with a protein.

AGAIN: REMEMBER fruits, veggies and breads are CARBOHYDRATES. Meat, milk, cheese, soy and chicken are PROTEINS.

If you have a piece of fruit, have some cottage cheese or Laughing Cow brand low fat cheese with it.

FRUITS that are unlimited: Eat as much as you want from the below list, but have AT LEAST FOUR servings per day:

Raspberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Black Berries

FRUITS that should be limited:
Apples: one a day
or
Bananas: one a day
or
Oranges: one a day
or
Grapes: twenty a day

Protein ideas:
FYI: When we say "scoop," you should picture an ice cream scoop size, which is estimated to be 3 oz. of protein; a chicken breast is about 3-4 oz. of protein.

PROTEIN: (meat, dairy)
Scoop of tuna salad.
Scoop of chicken salad.
Egg white egg salad from Trader Joe's (one small container 3 oz.)
Chicken breast
Steak
Non-fat yogurt
Hamburger patty
Tofu
Skim milk
Turkey
Cottage cheese
Laughing Cow brand spreadable cheese (two triangles)
Laughing Cow brand Bonbel light cheese (comes in red circle of wax in a small netted bag in dairy counter at most grocery stores)
Carbohydrates: (bread, fruit, veggies)
Bread: (one serving a day, meaning two pieces)

Types of bread: Choose ONE SERVING per day
Whole grain wheat, two pieces per day
OR
One bagel scooped out, (use a fork and scoop out the doughy inside of bagel before toasting or eating; this is considered a half-serving of bread)
OR
English muffin, sourdough is best, but any English muffin is less calories than bread or bagel.
OR
Sourdough bread, two pieces per day.

Carbohydrates continued: Veggies: unlimited ones, (as much as you like of this list per day, but at least 4 servings)
VEGGIES that are okay while dieting:
Green peppers
Red peppers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Green Beans
Asparagus
Onions
Mushrooms
Spinach
Brussels sprouts

Veggies below are one per day, meaning a limited amount, like a cup.
Carrots
Peas
Corn
Yams
Sweet potato

CONDIMENTS

Condiments that are a "yes": mustard in an unlimited amount (can have as much as you like). Condiments that are to be used in limited amounts (meaning two tablespoons): ketchup, mayonnaise, relish, olive oil.

Sample menu:

BREAKFAST:
Cup of coffee, or water, or hot tea, or iced tea
Three egg whites omelet with all or some of the following ingredients:
Tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, spinach, small amount of parmesan cheese (with salsa or mustard).
Scooped-out bagel with Laughing Cow cheese.
Fruit from your list: strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, raspberries.

MID MORNING SNACK:
Cup of coffee
An apple with a piece of BonBel cheese.

LUNCH:
Tuna salad on English muffin with
Asparagus, broccoli, strawberries, raspberries.

AFTERNOON SNACK:

Half a banana with tablespoon of Laura Scudder's peanut butter.

DINNER:
Steak fajitas with corn tortillas (not flour)
Blueberries, strawberries (or fruit of choice)
with one cup of non-fat vanilla yogurt.

OR

ANOTHER TYPE DINNER: Chicken breast smothered in mustard and baked with onions, broccoli, cauliflower, tomato slices, spinach.
Strawberries with one cup of non-fat vanilla yogurt.

BEDTIME SNACK:
Frozen strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe
or
Piece of BonBel or Laughing Cow cheese.
Tablespoon of Laura Scudder's peanut butter (oil poured off the top before use) with half banana.

Okay, that's our start, any questions, please ask. Restaurant eating is so fattening, but if you do go to restaurants, keep it simple; order chicken breast grilled with veggies... drink plenty of water with each meal. Be proud of yourself, we are starting out... one day at a time.

Best,

Bonnie

Read more: http://www.bonniehunt.com/message_from_bonnie/message_from_bonnie_week_of_se_1.php#ixzz0R7Q6bfKh

This is from her newsletter, I thought some of you might enjoy this -

Chicken Cordon Bleu from Hungry Girl

Warm chicken wrapped around melted cheese and juicy ham that won't break the calorie bank!? Sign us up...

Ingredients:
One 5-oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlet
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, room temperature
1 oz. (about 3 slices) 97 - 98% fat-free ham slices
salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put chicken in a large sealable plastic bag, squeeze out as much air as you can, and seal. Using a meat tenderizer or a can, carefully pound chicken through the bag until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Remove chicken from the bag, and season to taste with salt and pepper on both sides.
Lay the chicken flat and spread the cheese wedge over it. Evenly layer the ham slices on top of the cheese. Starting with one of the longer sides (or any side, if it's square), tightly roll up the chicken breast cutlet, and secure with toothpicks.
Place chicken roll in a baking dish lined with foil and/or sprayed with nonstick spray, and then cover the baking dish with foil.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil covering the dish. Continue to bake (uncovered) for an additional 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!
MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: 1 chicken cordon bleu (entire recipe)
Calories: 222
Fat: 4.5g
Sodium: 692mg
Carbs: 2g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 40g
POINTS® value 5*

I need to tell you all about pumpkin oatmeal…

I’ve read about adding pumpkin to oatmeal often, it’s an old Weight Watchers favorite thing to do, but never tried it until this week.  Oh my, have I been missing out!!!

Cook a 1/2 cup serving of Old Fashioned Oats, I put mine in the microwave for about three minutes, then stir in 1/4 cup canned pumpkin, a heaping teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, I added more cinnamon and a pinch of cloves, and a splash of fat-free half and half.

It’s warm, filling, tastes like you’re eating pumpkin pie, well kinda…  This stuff is amazing, and the increased fiber from the pumpkin really fills you up.  Give this a try, girlfriends, it’s a keeper recipe…

~ jan

Monday Morning, tales from the scale -

It’s the end of August now, the scale is barely moving, but it is moving downward.  I’ve lost a total of 22 lbs. now since I started this lifestyle of eating healthy on April 1st.  When I get frustrated that I’m not losing as fast as I would like, I try to reflect back to where I was when this started, how I looked, how I felt, and I’m definitely in a much better place now.

I continue to consume too many carbs, even though they are healthy, whole grain ones.  I adore bread, always have, always will, it satisfies the soul, and even though I always eat whole grain bread now, usually Nature’s Own 100% Whole Wheat (2 slices for 1 point) I don’t limit myself to two slices per day.  I don’t actually limit myself to anything.  But I am aware of when I’m eating too much and reign it in.  I’m definitely not eating enough vegetables, but I did make vegetable soup yesterday, so that will help this week.  I continue to grab from the fridge and eat instead of cooking meals for myself, I need to concentrate more on actually “cooking” food.  I’m sure I will when the weather is cooler, I find amazing recipes on SparkRecipes.com.  If you aren’t visiting this site, you definitely need to, it’s hands down, the best healthy lifestyle site I’ve ever found.

I’m in a good place though, still highly motivated, still focused, no pity parties here about what I can’t eat, but I am apprehensive about fall, that’s when I store fat for the winter!  Seriously, I am always starved in the fall…

I need to work with this blog, I haven’t added content in awhile.  I’ll update this week, so check back…

Monday morning, tales from the scale…

It’s been two weeks since I’ve posted, last week followed a weekend in Nashville and Alabama, I took a couple of days off, didn’t even get on the scale, and didn’t update last week. 

So where am I this morning?

Exactly the same weight I was the last time I posted.  That’s okay, I managed to reign it in after the trip, but ate high end of points most of the week. It’s been a struggle for me this month, don’t know why, but it happens sometimes.  Am I still motivitated?  You bet, I am.  Those size 12 jeans are fitting really well, that’s motivation enough!  And, when I bought clothes for Lindsay’s shower at Coldwater Creek, I bought size 12 side zip, no stretch, black pants.  They went right up, zipped, fit perfectly, oh yeah, yours truly was doin’ the happy dance in the dressing room!

One more size to go, and then I maintain.  It will probably take me until next spring, as my body tends to not turn loose of the weight  after I get to this point.  But that’s okay, it’s not a race, I’m actually enjoying browsing the racks in the stores, wearing size L tops now, and  I’ve found that great bra I told you all about on the Daily Dish. I have no complaints about my healthy eating journey, zero, none, nada…

Hang in there with me, girlfriends, it’s a daily struggle sometimes, but so worth it…

 

It’s Monday again, more tales from the scale…

I lost just a bit this week, I’m now down twenty one and a half pounds.  After the big loss last week, I’m happy to have gone down even a little bit.  It was a good week, I’m refocused, revitalized, happy with what I’m eating.  I have no complaints.  We went to Deerhead Saturday night, I had catfish, yep, fried catfish and a couple of bites of double stuffed pizza, and felt not a shred of guilt. 

I will continue this journey that I’ve embarked on, I really intend fort this to be a lifestyle change, not a diet.  I made Auntie Em’s Oatmeal Cookies for Ryan and a peanut butter sheet cake, and wasn’t tempted by them at all.  I focused on fresh peaches and cantaloupe instead, and it was delicious.

The guys grilled burgers last night, my burger was pretty pathetic looking, it was so small compared to everybody else, but I ate it, and it tasted delicious, filled me up and I was satisfied.  I ignored the baked beans, and only had a couple of bites of the potatoes.  I’ve found I really don’t need as much food as I thought I did to feel satisfied.  And I’ve also learned that just because calorie laden food is on the table, it doesn’t mean I have to eat it.  I’ve had more meat this week than I normally eat, and that’s okay, too.  I’m adjusting, adapting, and enjoying the entire process.

We’ll see what next week brings, Lindsay’s baby shower is this weekend, and I’m going to just take a day off and eat all the yummy stuff.  If I gain a pound next week, that’s fine, I know I will get back on track when I get home.

I’m a little over five  pounds away from my original goal now, but I can tell you already that I’m going to revise it.  I still want  to lose more, I’ll reset it for an additional ten pounds, then see where I’m at.

I hope that some of you reading this can make a lifestyle change that works  for you, also.  It’s such an empowerment to be in control of what I eat, and it’s amazing how much better my body feels.  But I’ll be honest with you, the best part, is looking in the mirror,  and the face that is smiling back at me isn’t bloated, and the pants that I put on glide over my hips and zip easily with minimum muffin top.  I’m fueling my food with healthy food, so I’m not having heartburn.  I’m eating lots of fiber which is awesome for my digestive system, I’m taking vitamins, drinking a lot of liquids, and my next goal is to do a bit of mediation.

It’s a good day, today, I’m doing this, I really am, one day at a time, and it feels wonderful…

Monday Morning Tales from the Scale….

Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again
So, Let's sing a song of cheer again

Happy times
Happy nights
Happy days
Are here again!

Remember, last week, I pinky swore I would do better.  Well, let me tell you girlfriends, no other way to say this, I totally kicked ass!!!  Totally.  I’m a rock star….

I ate low, low, low, yes, I took my vitamins, ate salad out the wazoo, and the scale went down, down, down.

I could have kissed the contraption when I weighed this morning, the plateau is over, I’ve now lost are you ready for this.  Drum roll, please…………..

21.2 lbs.  that’s over three pounds this week.

Jan here, doin’ the happy dance, big time!!!!!!

Faux Fried Rice

Another cauliflower recipe, got good reviews on WW boards…

Faux Fried Rice
1 head of raw cauliflower, grated (had about 3.5 cups of grated, loosely packed cauliflower)
1-2 bunches green onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 - 3 Tbsp. of soy sauce
1/2 to 1 tsp. of garlic salt (don’t use too much - it’s salty from the soy sauce)
3 eggs, beaten
Oil
Pork (bacon), chicken, or shrimp, cooked (optional)
In a wok or large pan, heat enough oil to cover bottom of pan. Fry minced garlic and white part of onions for approx. 1 min. Add grated cauliflower and fry for approximately 5 min, stirring constantly. Add soy sauce, garlic salt, green onion tops, and meat (optional) and stir until mixed. Push mixture to side of pan. Add more oil if necessary, and scramble eggs in empty side of pan until done but still moist. Stir eggs into "rice" and remove from heat.
Serves 4 as a side dish.

Cauliflower Rice, what will they think of next….

BASIC RECIPE: Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower (or however much you want)
Preparation:
To make this dish the most easily and to have it come out the best, three pieces of equipment are very helpful:
- A food processor
- A microwave
- A covered (or fairly tightly coverable) microwave-safe dish

Wash cauliflower. Cut into small size florets. Process fresh cauliflower until it is the size of rice, either using the plain steel blade or the shredder blade. Alternatively, you can shred it with a hand-held grater, or even use a knife, if you have the dexterity to chop it up VERY finely.

Microwave it in a covered dish for 4-5 minutes. DO NOT ADD WATER. Cauliflower absorbs water like crazy, and the "granules" will become gummy. To keep it fluffy, just let the moisture in the cauliflower do its work.

Here’s a link to a video showing how to make it… and here is a link to the orange, almond cauliflower rice  pictured above

Optimism….

When you clean out your closet, and put all of your size 14 jeans on the high shelf where you can’t reach them. and put all your size 12 jeans front row center.

That’s optimistic, or is it realistic???  What would it be called if you threw the damned things away.  Stupid?  Yeah, probably. 

Toot, toot….

Had to share….

I’ve really kicked ass this week, eating, low, 12-15 a day.  Refocused, determined to get back on track.  It’s working, weight is down a pound and a half since Monday, total lost now is 19.5.  Going for 20.  I stalled for weeks, it’s good to see the scale move!

Jan here, doin’ the happy dance, happy dance, happy dance…

Splenda Nutritional Information

Thank you for visiting the SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener website. We hope you became more familiar with SPLENDA(R) Brand Sweetener during your visit to the site.

We manufacture four forms of SPLENDA (R) Brand Sweetener: SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener Granular, SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener Packets, SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking, and SPLENDA (R) Brown Sugar Blend for Baking.

The caloric and carbohydrate content for SPLENDA (R) No Calorie Sweetener Brand is as follows:

SPLENDA (R) Granular 1 tsp = 0.5 gm carb = 2 calories one half cup = 12 gm carb = 48 calories 1 cup = 24 gm carb = 96 calories

*1 tsp. = 1 serving

Packet of SPLENDA (R) 1 packet = .9 gm of carb = 4 calories

*1 packet has the sweetness of 2 tsp of sugar

Note: Per U.S. labeling laws, anything with less than 5 calories per serving, is properly labeled as "zero" or no-calorie.

Note: The calories and carbohydrates in SPLENDA (R) No Calorie Sweetener comes from dextrose and/or maltodextrin, which are added for bulk. Sucralose the sweetening ingredient in SPLENDA (R) Brand Sweetener, has no calories and is not a carbohydrate.

Granular - sucralose, maltodextrin (0.5 gram per serving) Packets - sucralose, maltodextrin and dextrose (less than 1 gram per packet)

Since you need to use only half the volume of sugar called for in your recipe, SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking provides half the calories and carbohydrate that sugar would ordinarily provide.

SPLENDA(R) Sugar Blend for Baking (use ½ as much as sugar) Sugar

For recipe sweetening: 1/2 cup 1 cup Calories 384 768 Carbohydrate 96 grams 192 grams Per serving: 1/2 tsp. 1 tsp. Calories 10 16 Carbohydrate 2 grams 4 grams

1/2 cup of SPLENDA(R) Brown Sugar Blend contains 1/2 the calories and 1/2 the sugar of 1 cup of regular brown sugar, but has the same sweetness as a full cup of regular brown sugar. Half a packed cup of Splenda Brown Sugar Blend provides approximately 95-105 grams of carbohydrate.

The exact calorie count of 1 cup of regular brown sugar is a function of how firmly/densely the measuring cup is packed, yielding 500-850 calories. So, consumers can save ~250 calories or more by using 1/2 cup SPLENDA(R) Brown Sugar Blend in place of 1 cup regular brown sugar.

The measurement for 1 cup of regular brown sugar that is on the back panel of SPLENDA(R) Brown Sugar Blend packaging does not exactly match the USDA listing for 1 cup of regular brown sugar. Our back panel listing falls between the USDA listings for unpacked and packed brown sugar.

We value hearing from our consumers. Please feel free to call us with any additional comments or questions on our toll-free number 1-800-7-SPLENDA (1-800-777-5363), Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Time. You may also access our website at {www.splenda.com for answers to frequently asked questions, recipes, cooking and baking tips.

Monday Morning, tales from the scale…

I came to the proverbial fork in the road last week, the same old fork that I’ve come to many times in my life, my control was slipping, the focus wasn’t there, I was at the place where I could start increasing my eating easily.  I ate too much Friday and Saturday, the weight wasn’t coming off, duh, wonder why???

But instead of continuing the path I was on, as I have so many times in the past, I took the other fork in the road, reigned it in Sunday, ate minimal points, nine to be exact, got my groove back, and I’m off to the races again….  I’m proud of myself, it’s so hard to not fall back into the old habits.  Not gonna do it this time, nope, not gonna happen.  Oh, my weight?  Exactly the same, haven’t gained or lost all month.

Next week I’ll have a better report… Pinky swear…

Monday morning tales from the scale….

I have to admit, when I know the scale isn’t going down, it’s not too exciting to step on them first thing Monday morning.

It’s samo-samo here.  The scales haven’t budged since July 8th, haven’t gone up, haven’t gone down.  I’m stuck!  Am I surprised?  No, not at all.  Hooterville was here this week, and while I didn’t go over points, I hovered in the high range, 18-20, ate too many sandwiches, no salad, not many veggies.  I should be thrilled that I’m at least treading water.

So it’s back to it this morning, I took a break from tweeting what I ate this past weekend, time to regroup, move forward and concentrate on losing another five pounds.  Mini goals seem to work the best for me now, it will be slow going, getting through these next 5-10 lbs., but I keep reminding myself, it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle.

One thing that I am pleased with, is that lately when I eat, I reign myself in, regardless of how good it tastes, I just eat a few bites, push away and quit.  It’s getting easier, too, I hate to go out on a limb and say that I’m forming a “habit” doing this, but hey, I’m trying, and that’s all I can do, is try, day, after day, after day, after day…..

Weight Watchers Health Salad

This recipe got great reviews, keeps for days in the fridge, too…

Health Salad
Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 14 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Like slaw, but better. This recipe is wonderful with burgers, chicken kabobs and grilled fish. A fantastic side dish for a summer crowd.
Ingredients
4 cup(s) shredded red cabbage, or green cabbage
1/2 medium English cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove(s), thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper(s), thinly sliced
1 medium carrot(s), thickly shredded
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 1/2 tbsp Splenda
2 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (optional)
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, cucumber, onion, garlic, green pepper and carrot; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; pour over vegetables and toss to mix and coat. Chill in refrigerator, tossing once or twice, for about 1 hour. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Its Monday morning, tales from the scale…

Nothing new to report here, weight hasn’t changed.   It’s to be expected, though, I can’t lose every week.  I struggled last week, ate too many carbs over the weekend, yeah, they were complex carbs, but still….  Stella will get her groove back this week…

I did make yummy pinto beans in my electric pressure cooker.  A bag of pinto’s, six cups of water, a slice of bacon, lots of garlic and onion, salt and pepper, and I pressured them for an hour and fifteen minutes.  They were much better the next day with lots of chopped jalapenos.  Good stuff….

Monday weigh-in, tales from the scale…

Yeah, yeah, I know it’s Wednesday… Okay, I admit it, Monday was not good, nor was Tuesday.  Even though I didn’t go above points on the 4th, I ate a lot of carbs, I was retaining water, but, after two days of eating healthy, I’m FINALLY into those new digits.  Yep, I AM!!!!!

Weight loss is sitting at 18 lbs. now!  The slowdown is happening, which is to be expected, it always slows drastically as I get closer to my target weight.

John said last weekend, “Mom, I think another ten pounds will do it for you.” “You will always be thick thru the middle, you never did have a little waist.”  He’s right on, of course, I never did. 

Will I stop at another ten pounds?  I’m barely into twelves now, and another ten pounds will have me wearing them really comfortably, and that’s where I’ve always said I would stop now that I’m older.  Of course, there is a huge part of me that wants to be a size ten again.  I know, it’s vain, but “Vanity thy name is Woman,” even when you’re fast approaching the big 6-0!  It just depends on how gaunt I look in the face.  I’ll have to just see how it plays out.  But first I have to lose those ten pounds!!!

Am I still motivated?  Is a horse a horse?  You damn betcha I am!!!  This old energizer bunny just keeps on going…  I’m looking forward to passing the twenty pound loss, that will be huge for me.

My newest mini goal is 4.5 pounds more by Labor Day.  Maybe I’ll make it, maybe not, but I’m not racing, I’m just eating healthy….

Snaps for me….

I weighed on the garage scale this morning, the old fashioned penny scale that never waivers in it’s accuracy.  I’ve cursed that scale more times than I care to think about, but it gives me a true reading, and from now on, that’s the scale I’m going to use for my weekly weigh-ins.

Sooooooooo, according to the garage scale, I have now lost 17 lbs.  Yep, I’m only half a pound from breaking into the new digits.  Life is good again, sez Jan, tooting her own horn. 

Hey, I deserve a toot today…..  I’ve worked hard for this!

How much more do I want to lose???  10 more lbs. and then I reevaluate, see where I’m at, how comfortable the size 12’s are, decide if I’m going to go for the 10’s. or if I’m looking too haggard to lose more.  I can diet until I’m a twig and I’ll still have a thick middle.  Such is life when you’re my age…

Monday morning tales from the scale :0(

Despite the fact that I jumped up and down on one foot, exhaled, and moved the scale to a different location, despite that I was totally naked and peed numerous times this morning in a desperate attempt to rid my body of any infinitesimal amount of extra weight, and despite the fact that I have stayed within my point range, every single day, my weight is up a half a pound from last week.  Arughhhhhhhhhhh

I’ve been spoiled, I haven’t gained, the weight has dropped steadily,  even though my last serious attempt at dieting found me gaining several times.  Have I cheated????  Have you read my tweets??? If you have, you will realize that I haven’t cheated, at all, I’ve even held down the carbs! 

But shit happens, and even though I know I’m eating right and my clothes are fitting so much better, and despite the fact that I’ve cracked open a few pairs of size 12 and have been able to fit into them, I’m bummed.

Silly me, looking at that number on the scale and letting it dictate my mood.  I know I’m not really gaining, it’s fluid, yadayadayada, but I’m still almost two pounds from where I wanted to be July 4th.

It was a bad week for me, I was not satisfied with what I ate.  And even though I didn’t cheat, I wasn’t a happy camper for most of the time.  I need to go back, look at what I ate that worked well for me, duplicate some menus, stay focused.

I will be okay, next week will be a better report, despite the fact that it’s the 4th and family are coming home, I will eat healthy and stay focused. Pinky swear, I will…  And if I happen to get on the scale this week and it has moved downward, you betcha I will be on here talking about it, so check back…

Seana’s Cinnamon Roll Protein Shake

Seana just sent me this recipe, she says it’s just fabulous – can’ wait to try it!!!!

Cinnamon Roll Protein Shake

8 oz. water or low fat/nonfat soy milk (vanilla is best)
1 scoop protein (vanilla flavored) powder
2 Tb sugar-free/fat-free vanilla pudding mix powder
1/4 tsp (or to taste) ground cinnamon

a scoop of ice if you desire

Whir it up, and enjoy!

Monday weigh-in, tales from the scale….

I’m now down 16.1 lbs. and still going strong.  I’ll be into another set of digits in a couple of weeks.  My capris are baggy now, no muffin top when I wear them, the weight loss is starting to be really obvious.

Every week I tell you that I’m still pumped, and I am.  It’s astounding how effortless this is for me.  This week’s food find isn’t a recipe exactly, but something I’m really enjoying.

I’m buying the faux crab and lobster at the grocery store, you know the ones, the sticks and chunks in the refrigerated seafood department.  It’s inexpensive, and always in the past I’ve made it into crab salad, but instead I’m now just putting chunks of it into mixed greens, adding red onion, radishes and cherry tomatoes and drizzling it with my wonderful Ramona’s Poppyseed Dressing.  It’s absolutely perfect for a hot summer evening.

If you haven’t made Ramona’s Poppyseed Dressing yet, you’re missing out on the best salad dressing you’ve ever tasted.  My friends adore it, here’s a click to the recipe, just substitute Splenda for the sugar, I use a heaping half cup of Splenda, that’s just the right amount, and I limit myself to 1 tablespoon of dressing.  That’s plenty if you stir it well. 

I’ll never buy diet dressings again, homemade ones are so much better, take just a few minutes to prepare and a little bit of the real stuff is so much better than a whole lot of  bland diet dressing.

I had an absolutely AWESOME dinner…

I adore Mexican food, it’s so good, and you can fix it with relatively low points by using healthy ingredients.  My dinner tonight was quasi  Mexican, I used low mozzarella cheese instead of jack, added mushrooms, which isn’t Mexican, but it was really great!

Pork Quesadillas

2 La Prefidera Low Carb Tortillas [2]

Leftover lean pork roast, shredded [3]

1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained [1]

1/4 cup low fat mozzarella cheese [1]

onions

mushrooms

taco sauce

I sprayed a skillet with Pam, put down a tortilla, topped it with taco sauce, then started layering, pork roast, onions, mushrooms, black beans, cheese, another few squirts of taco sauce, and grilled it.  It was SO good. 

How could it have been better?  Green salsa, sour cream, more cheese, green chiles, but then that adds more points… 

This is definitely a keeper, a huge meal for [7] points.  If you’re really hungry, and love Mexican, this is for you…  You could easily substitute shredded cooked chicken breast for the pork, or even better lean ground beef.  Good stuff!!!!

Jan’s Yummy Black Bean Salsa

1 can Rotel tomatoes, original, drained

1 can green chilies

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 can Black Beans (Bush) rinsed and drained

1 cup whole kernel corn

green onions/or red onions are good, too

1 teaspoon chili powder

red pepper flakes, a few shakes

1/2 tsp. cumin

dash of salt

juice of a lemon

juice of a lime

Mix all and marinade.  Adjust seasonings to taste

It’s colorful, it’s so yummy and so healthy.  You can add a tablespoon of olive oil if you don’t worry about the calories.  Good with pita chips, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes or carrot and celery sticks for dipping…  Baked Doritoes work, too… Calories add up really fast with Doritoes, tho… 

You can bake your own corn tortillas in the oven for this, spray with Pam, sprinkle with salt and bake.  Add garlic salt or cumin or chili powder if you want flavor.  I’ve browned tortillas in the toaster, but it works better baking them on the oven rack.  Set the oven at 375-400, watch closely and flip with tongs, they brown really quickly, just 5 minutes or less…

You can add avocado to this, also cherry tomatoes and cilantro, I detest cilantro, so I leave it out…

Monday morning, tales from the scale….

I’ve stayed on program all week, eating below points some days.  I’ve lost 14.5 lbs. now, down from 14.1 last Thursday.  I’m due for a pound or so drop soon.  Maybe next week.

My mood?  Fantastic, still excited, and I made the most wonderful black bean salsa this week.  I’ve been busy, I get in a rut eating the same foods, if you follow my Tweets you realize this, but it’s okay, I like what I eat.  That black bean salsa was wonderful with a salmon burger.   My friend Janet eats black bean salsa on a hot dog with a bun, like a relish.

I’m eating a lot of hummus, too and have found that I like the traditional hummus best.  I prefer it over the garlic, or roasted red pepper, the original has a bit of garlic, and lemon juice, it’s wonderful.  I’m buying it at Aldi’s for $1.69.  I pick up their English cucumbers for $1.00 (English cukes are long and skinny with no seeds, my buddy V loves them, so I tried them and think they are amazing, too).  So I cut slices of cukes and dip in the hummus along with a few cherry tomatoes from my garden, good stuff, filling low calorie, a high protein snack!  I also bought great whole wheat pita chips at Trader Joe’s when I was in Nashville, sometimes I eat those with it, also, with the M&M’s dancing circles for a bite.  They love pita chips!

I have an easy week ahead, just a day trip to Louisville on Wednesday, it’s easy for me to stay on program when I’m home.  I hope to try a couple of new things this week, that’s my goal, just one or two new dishes a week.

Life is good, just for today, it’s working…

Monday morning review…

Yeah, I know it’s Thursday, but we’ve been at John’s this week, no time to update.  Scales continue to steadily move down, I’ve now lost 14.1 lbs. since April 1.  Slow, yep, but it’s not a horse race, it’s a lifestyle…

Even  though we were in Nashville, and I ate more than I regularly do, I was extremely conscious of what I was doing, and reigned it in.  John and Deanna made monster cookies, a family fave, oatmeal/chocolate chips/nuts/M&M’s– i had 1/3 of a cookie over a two day period.  I choose to taste, not eat, and I made myself  strawberry smoothies to indulge in while the others were eating cookies.

I would love to lose another 3.6 lbs. by July 4th, that would put me down into another set of scale numbers.  I don’t know if I can do it. but I’m going to try.  It’s all about trying, I try every day, and I’m still not fighting what I can’t have, but embracing what I can…  This morning it was homemade whole wheat pancakes, Morningstar Farms Soy Bacon and coffee.  It tasted as good to me as any pancakes I’ve ever eaten.  And yes, I’ll share the recipe with you all, later today.

My family are all good sports, they run by Chick Filet for me, because they know I won’t eat what they do.  Tuesday night John grilled burgers, he had a Boca Burger for me, we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant in Nashville, I took my own Doritoes to dip into the salsa, then had a chicken taco salad without the shell.  It worked.  Was it as good as the others, of course not, but it worked, and I made a Weight Watcher chocolate smoothie when I got home.  1 point, 10 grams of protein, you buy them at Weight Watcher centers, and nope you don’t have to be a member to buy them.  They’re spendy, $7.50 for 7 of them, but that’s not a lot really.  A cup of Starbucks is $4.00…  I looked forward to the Smoothie I was going to have instead of feeling sorry for myself that I couldn’t eat the gooey mexican food.  I can fix WW mexican at home if I’m hungry for it, I have great recipes.

And so  my journey continues, I’m much happier with myself this summer than I was last, because I’m taking control of my life, one day at a time…

 

Roni’s Banana Pancake Tweaks….

 

This recipe for Banana Pancakes is absolutely, positively wonderful, you would never know you’re eating Healthy.

Here’s my tweaks – I add  1/4 teaspoon of salt, a splash of vanilla and use 8th Continent Light Vanilla Soy Milk (30 calories per half cup) instead of skim milk.  Ang told me about 8thContinent Light Vanilla Soy Milk, it’s so much better than Silk and lower in calories, too.  The only place I can find it is at WalMart.  It comes in chocolate, too, but I haven’t tried it yet.

I let my bananas get really ripe, until the skins start to blacken, then I put them, unpeeled in their skins, in a ziploc baggie and freeze them.  Then I remove one, let it thaw until the skin peels off, or if you’re in a hurry, put it in the wave for 15 seconds, then peel it, cut it into chunks and it will thaw in just a few minutes.  This works great, and you can always have bananas for recipes.

The batter keeps great in a covered tupperware in the fridge.  The top turn a bit dark, but just stir it, it works fine.  You may need to add a bit more soy milk, as it tends to thicken as it sets. 

I pour Mrs. Butterworth’s 35 calorie no sugar syrup on these.  It’s a wonderful breakfast!  If I want added protein, I nuke a couple of pieces of Morningstar Farms Soy Bacon, [1 point]. 

These pancakes are only 1 point each, and they are a great size!  The whole wheat flour gives them a dense, nutty flavor. 

I use a  1/4 cup to scoop the batter in a  skillet sprayed with Pam, to cook.

Roni has another whole wheat version without the bananas.  I haven’t tried it, but all of her recipes are wonderful, so I’m sure it’s good also.  Here’s the click.

If you go to her site to access the banana pancakes, scroll down to the comments.  People have substituted applesauce for the bananas with successful results.  I want to try them using pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, soon!  I love pumpkin pancakes…

Dreamsicle Smoothie – 1 point!

I’m turning into a real Smoothie lover this summer, thanks to my Bella Cucina bullet blender.  Yesterday I made a great Dreamsicle Smoothie for 1 point, yes, dear hearts, one point!!!!

I’m a Dreamsicle lover, have loved the orangy ice cream on a stick since I was a child, so for me, this is just mind blowing!!!!!

3/4 cup Dannon Lite & Fit Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt

3/4 cup Crystal Light Orange Sunrise Beverage

Splenda to taste

Healthy splash of Fat Free Half & Half

dash of vanilla

crushed ice (about 1/3 cup)

Put everything into the blender and process until slushy.

Here’s how it breaks down – 1 cup of Dannon yogurt is 110 calories, but I only used 3/4 cup, so that coupled with the splash of FFree Half &” Half was only a point – that’s it, no points for anything else.

The flavor was wonderful, but I’m always tweeking, so the next tub of Crystal Lite OrangeSunrise that I make, I’m going to just use half the water it calls for, that way the orange flavor will be even more intense and still no calories.

Whoohoo, works for me!

Monday Morning Review…

I’m doing so well, sez Jan, patting herself on back. Hey, I’ve really been diligent, I deserve a pat. I’m down 13.3 lbs. now. You betcha I’m counting every ounce!!!!!

Instead of just making do, eating anything that’s low points to lose weight on a “diet” I’m really trying here to embrace a new lifestyle. I’m trying new recipes, finding healthy choices and enjoying the taste.

I made the most AWESOME banana pancakes, thanks to Roni, who has the most amazing recipes, they are 1 point a pancake, hearty, and filling. I made them exactly like her recipe, except I substituted cinnamon for the nutmeg, and instead of using skim milk I used 8th Continent Soy Milk (Wally World) which is even lower in calories than skim milk, and works great! I ate them with Mrs. Butterworth Sugar Free Syrup and a slice of Morningstar Farms Soy Bacon and it was fantastic, seriously. I think I will add just a bit of salt to the recipe the next time I make it, but other than that, it’s perfect! I love whole wheat flour, love the density of the pancakes, but if you like them a bit lighter, you could use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – it’s whole grain but not as heavy. I’m a big fan of King Arthur Flour, that’s the brand of whole wheat flour I always use.

My latest trick with bananas, is that I let them get really ripe, until they are black in spots on the skin, and then I put them in a ziploc bag, leave the skin on them and freeze them whole. I take them out of the freezer, let them thaw for a few minutes so I can peel them, or if I’m in a hubby I wave them for 10 seconds, then cut in chunks, they thaw almost instantly. That’s what I did with the banana pancakes and it worked GREAT!

I know, you all want the recipe – here’s Roni’s click…

And so another week begins. And I’m so excited, still. Clothes fit so much better already, another ten pounds and I’ll see a major body change.

Two years ago I lost weight, and I looked at my stats this week. It took me three months two years ago to lose 13 lbs., and that was with daily walking. This year it has taken me just two months to lose 13 lbs., and I haven’t been walking. Isn’t that awesome? I’m two years older and losing faster and eating more. Why? I’m sure it’s because I’ve cut out the junk. I don’t eat processed foods, as I’ve said, a little but not much, as opposed to two years ago when I enhaled frozen diet meals, diet cookies, diet ice cream and ate white bread. And, I’m mixing up those points. I’ll eat 18-20, even 22 for a few days, then kick it back down to 14-6. My body isn’t going into starvation mode and holding onto the fat. I’m losing steadily.

Why am I not walking? Prosthetics aren’t fitting well enough right now for me to do it. It’s complicated, but it’s all about how I’m losing weight in my legs and trying to adjust my fit. So I’m not walking until I’m sure the fit is good. Sore legs or blisters are not fun!

Now I know better, and I’m doing better…

Ramona’s Poppyseed Dressing

I no longer eat low fat salad dressings.  They just aren’t as good as the real thing. 

I eat one tablespoon of real dressing and count it as 2 points.  I would much rather give up the points and have something fantastic.

This is my very favorite dressing, I have modified it by using Splenda instead of sugar.  I only use 1 tablespoon, but I put my greens in a large tupperware container with a lid and shake, shake, shake, that way the dressing distributes evenly and it’s enough.  You can add fruit to your greens, strawberries, grapes, mandarin oranges, or just onion and mushrooms.  It’s the best salad dressing I’ve ever tasted.  Enjoy  ~ jan

Poppy seed dressing:
3/4 C. splenda -I cut this back a bit, i think 3/4 is too sweet, so I use a heaping half cup of splenda
1 t. dry mustard
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 t. salt
1/3 C. balsamic vinegar
1 C. mazola oil
1 1/2 T. poppy seeds - always store poppyseeds in fridge, they get rancid easily, if you have them in pantry, throw them out and buy fresh
To make dressing:
Whisk together all ingredients until you can no longer feel the sugar grains (because they have dissolved in the liquid) and the whisk leaves a trail in the thickened mixture.

Makes about 3 cups, so you will have leftover dressing.

NOTE: When I make this, I find it necessary to blend dressing ingredients in my blender to get the silky smooth, honeylike consistency.  This stuff is nectar of the gods, you will never regret giving up some of your precious daily allotment for this.

Monday Morning Review…

I’ve lost another pound this week, down a bit over 11 lbs. now.  I stayed low in points, but even so,  I knew it was time to slow down a bit with the loss, let my body catch up.  That’s the way it works for me.

We’re going to Ryan’s for a few days, that will be such a challenge, lots of temptation, but I’ll cope.  I’ve purposely stayed low in points, as I’m sure I’ll bump it up at his house, which isn’t a bad thing, I need to shock my body with more calories, so it doesn’t hibernate in starvation mode.

Life is good, I continue to tweet every bite, weigh everything I eat, I’m managing to stay motivated, for today, it’s working…

Pearls of Wisdom from the Spark Community -

1. Losing weight is hard!
2. Being fat is harder!
3. I rather be fit and healthy than fat and unhappy.
4. Giving up is not a good option.
5. Set backs are inevitable.
6. Overcoming setbacks can make your stronger (if it doesn't kill you- just kidding.)
7. Stay in the game long enough and eventually you will hit a plateau.
8. Pushing harder doesn't always yield the best results.
9. Listen to your body and take a break when you need to.
10. Reach out to at least one person everyday on SparkPeople. (Friends or strangers, it doesn't matter.) It helps and keeps me accountable.

Another week in my life of eating healthy, one day at a time…

It’s Monday morning, the 18th, I’ve been dieting since April 1st and I’m down a little over 10 lbs. now.  Last week was a hard one, I had one day that regardless of what I ate I was starving.  I ate 22 points, but I reigned it in and I quit.   That’s the important part, I quit eating, and the next day I was back on track.

I continue to do well, still excited about the small changes, I’m seeing.  Capri’s feeling really good, another 7-8 lbs. and hopefully some of my size 12’s will be starting to fit. Sure, I’ll have a muffin top in them, but there  is just something about being able to wear a 12 again.  Silly, I know it is, it’s all about the fit, not the tag, we tell ourselves that, but old habits die hard, it’s a numbers game…

My weight has been dropping really well, it’s time to play catch up.  This is how my body works, now that I’ve lost fairly rapidly, I’ll stall out for 2-3 weeks, then I’ll have another significant loss. But I know if I stay on track, I’ll go ahead and lose.  Hubby took me to Deerhead last night, I only ordered a grilled chicken breast, dry, no oil.  I had a tomato, ate the chicken, and blotted just a few of his breaded mushrooms with a napkin to get the grease out, and it was okay.  Sure, I would have rather had a pizza, or a fried catfish sandwich, but I didn’t, and it was enough food to satisfy me.  Sometimes it’s one meal at a time, just getting thru one meal to the next.  We got to Versailles next week to visit Ryan and Lindsay.  It will be a challenge, he is such a good cook.  But I’ll make it work, I really will…

And so my week begins again, just keeping focused, measuring everything I eat, tweeting those points, it’s working, for today, it’s working…

Skillet Lasagna

A much quicker version of the Italian classic; less time, but no less taste.

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion (chopped)
3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1-1/4 cup water
8 oz tomato sauce
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried basil leaves 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp salt
2-1/2 cup broken up whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/4 cup fat free grated Parmesan cheese
Dash Basil and Pepper (optional)
1 egg
Shredded fat free mozzarella cheese for garnish

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown beef with onions and garlic. Drain. Add tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, and salt. Stir in uncooked pasta. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Combine cottage and Parmesan cheeses. Mix in the egg. Sprinkle in basil and pepper to taste. Drop cheese mixture by rounded tablespoons onto pasta mixture. Cover and cook for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and serve. Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user DREAMANGELE.

Cucumber salad, one of my all time favorites…

I’ve loved this salad since I was a little girl. It was always Daddy’s family favorite, and they made it for summer picnics. The original recipe was made with oil and banana peppers, but I’ve lightened it, so that it’s totally Weight Watcher friendly, and no points.

1 cucumber, preferably English seedless, peeled, sliced and cut into small dice.

1 green pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 large tomato, chopped

Dressing:

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

red pepper flakes to taste

5 packets of Splenda.

Refrigerate several hours to blend flavors. You can add additional veggies, especially tomatoes to the marinade as you eat it, without having to make a fresh batch. It keeps for days in the fridge…

I use this Williams Sonoma Vegetable Chop and Measure to make this salad. It’s a wonderful addition to your kitchen and will make quick work of dicing veggies

Weekly thoughts about eating healthy…

I made it thru Mother’s Day without doing damage.  I’m learning that I don’t have to be perfect, that I can have an occasional treat and it not sabotage my weight loss efforts.  I think why I did so well, even with family here for days, was that I didn’t fight it.  I didn’t brood about what I couldn’t eat, I just accepted it and ate healthy, except for that piece of wonderful strawberry shortcake.  I’ve now lost nine pounds since the first of April.  It’s a good feeling, my muffin top is shrinking just a bit, my jeans no longer torture my mid section, but when I saw Mother’s Day pictures of myself I was still horrified.  I hope to lose another twenty and stabilize.  That’s reasonable for my age.  It does no good to tell you all how much I weigh, as I don’t know myself.  No feet remember?  No way to tell, you just have to go by the size you wear.  I just know what the scale said and what it says now, and it’s telling me I’m down 9 lbs.  Size 14 is very comfortable for me now.  Since you lose a size every 15 lbs. if I lose another 20, I will be a comfortable 12.  Of course I would love to be a 10 again, but older women can look really bad if they lose too much weight.  Anyway, I have a long way to go before I really access when I want to stop losing and hopefully, maintain.

If I’m honest with you, I have few illusions that I will be successful with this.  That’s a defeating thing to say, but this is certainly not my first rodeo with weight loss, but I do think it’s my smartest.  All the stupid, silly things I’ve done, ATKINS to be exact, have been in vain. Low carbing is hideous, you’re so deprived and it doesn’t accomplish anything long term for me, but it has shown me that I need to eat adequate protein to feel sated, and to avoid sugar at all cost, because it spikes insulin and makes me hungry.  Weight Watchers is the most sensible eating plan of all, but I’m not doing it like I did when I was in my early 50’s, then I ate lots of processed food, ice cream bars, low calorie cookies, a lot of white diet bread, now I eat only whole grains, brown rice, few potatoes, except for those light chips.  That’s my treat, they’re so good at lunch, even if they are processed.  And I allow myself to eat 18-20 points.  I used to try and hold it to 16, and I was always hungry.  I’m not in so much of a hurry this time, and I’m much more satisfied eating within this point range.  I don’t eat a lot of meat, but I do eat beans, peanut butter and soy products for the protein.  I enjoy these foods, so it’s easy for me…

Yesterday morning we ate out, I ordered fresh strawberries, plain, they came with just a dusting of powdered sugar, and that was enough to make me hungry all day.  Sugar is just not a good thing in my life, and as long as I make things at home, I can substitute Splenda and still satisfy my love for something sweet.

I may ramble on about how I’m doing weekly, just ignore me if it doesn’t interest you.  I do this for myself.  I Tweet What I Eat because it keeps me honest.  Maybe nobody even reads it, I don’t really care if you do or not, I’m doing it because for now, today, it works for me.  As I’ve said before, the idea that I’m putting it out there for everybody to see is keeping me accountable, and it’s saving me the $12 I would spend if I attended Weight Watcher Meetings weekly…

Hungry Girl’s Cheesy Cornbread….

Boy, do we have a winner with this recipe, ladies.  These corn muffins are just 2 points each, they are so  moist they are almost like a spoonbread.

The recipe is in my archives, but here it is again.  First is Hungry Girl’s exact recipe, followed by just a couple of revisions.

Cheesy-Good Cornbread Muffins
PER SERVING (1 muffin): 85 calories, 1.5g fat, 240mg sodium, 14g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g sugars, 4g protein -- POINTS® value 2*
Cheesy cornbread muffins for only 85 calories each?! How can it be???
Ingredients:
1 cup canned cream-style corn
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Optional: 1/4 tsp. hot sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, cornmeal, Splenda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix together all other ingredients -- then add the contents of the small bowl to the large one, and stir until well mixed.
Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or line it with baking cups. Evenly distribute muffin batter among the cups. Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes (until muffins are firm and a light golden brown). Allow to cool and then enjoy!
MAKES 12 SERVINGS

And here is what I changed – I didn’t have 1/2 cup of fat free sour cream, so I used 1/4 cup of ffree sour cream and 1/4 cup of plain yogurt.  I substituted 1/4 cup finely chopped onions for the chives, and I put in 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes instead of hot sauce.  I also didn’t have egg beaters, I used 4 egg whites to equal 1/2 cup.  I used fat free Kraft shredded cheese rather than reduced fat.

I divided these into 12 muffins and baked them for approximately 20 minutes, they weren’t  done in 15 minutes as she suggested.  They were just lightly browned in 20 minutes and perfect.

I counted these muffins as 2 points each.  I also  want to try this with whole-wheat flour and see how they come out, as I am tring to not continue to eat white flour.

This recipe is 4 stars, give it a try!

Banana Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients

2 slices high fiber wheat bread (I like to use Milton's 100%whole wheat... but I used Natures Own Double Fiber for the recipe calc)
1tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg beaters
cinnamon to taste
1TBLS low fat cream cheese
1/2 banana sliced
2TBLS sugar free syrup
spray butter

Directions

Combine egg sub, vanilla extract and cinnamon
Spread cream cheese on on side of bread and top with banana slices. Put bread slices together to sandwhich banana and cream cheese. Dip opposite sides of slices into egg mixture. Cook on medium until browned on each side. Spray with spray butter and top with SF syrup :) enjoy!
Number of Servings: 1

Nutritional Info – 4 WW Points

• Servings Per Recipe: 1
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 229.3

• Total Fat: 3.9 g
• Cholesterol: 9.0 mg
• Sodium: 431.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 39.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 12.1 g
• Protein: 14.1 g

Source:  SparkRecipes/Calliefornia

Roni’s Whole Wheat Pasta Pie

• 12 oz whole wheat rigatoni
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz extra lean ground turkey
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 gloves garlic minced
• 1 medium zucchini diced
• Kosher Salt & Pepper
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried basil (or more to taste)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 4 oz fancy shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• dried parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta until just done. Shave off 1-2 minutes from the time given on the box. I cooked mine for 10.

While preparing the pasta you’ll be making the sauce. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the turkey with the olive oil, onion and garlic. Add the zucchini and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.

By this time your pasta should be ready. Drain, rinse with cold water and put back in the pot. Add 1/4 cup of the crushed tomatoes and stir to coat the pasta. Set aside.

Add the remaining crushed tomatoes to the skillet. Stir and add the tsp of basil. It should boil fairly quickly. Lower to a simmer.

Returning to the pasta, add the 1/2 of Parmesan cheese and stir to coat.

Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Begin to place the pasta upright in the pan. It will be a little touch and go for a bit but you’ll get the hang of it. I started with the perimeter and worked my way to the center. It took me about 10 minutes. Don’t worry some will be taller and shorter. Some will even have a bend. It will all work out once you are finished.

Top the pasta with the meat sauce. Now, I do NOT have patience to make sure there is meat and sauce in every tube. I just banged the pan a few time allowing things to setting and then added some more sauce until all but about a cup or so was on left in the skillet.

Bake in the preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove and top with the mozzarella. Sprinkle a bit of parsley on top. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes.

Remove and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edge. Release the spring form and viola!

Add a splash of water to the remaining sauce in the skillet to serve on the side in case anyone wants a little extra.

Now, for the nutritional information. I reduced the amount of pasta, cheese and meat from the original recipe, yet used the same size pan. Using the ingredients originally posted on Noble Pig and using the same number or portions for each recipe (6), I reduced everything but fiber, that I increased. :) Here is a little side by side from Nutrition Data. Remember these are just estimates.

You can see pictures of how Roni made this on her site.  Here’s the link!

Sausage & Pepper Skewers…

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 large green bell pepper cut into large chunks
• 1 large red pepper cut into large chunks
• 2 thick slices of a large sweet onion cut into large chunks
• 20oz (6) Italian turkey sausage links (I used Shady Brook Farms Hot) partially defrosted
• 8 skewers sticks
• non-stick cooking spray (for grill)

Preheat the grill.

Put the olive oil, vinegar and Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Add the pepper and onion chunks. Toss in the oil mixture to coat.

Cut each sausage links into 4-5 chunks. If you keep the sausage slightly frozen this process is much easier. Simple defrost frozen sausage for a few minutes in the microwave.

Toss the sausage chunks into with the pepper and onions

Skewer the sausage with the pepper and onion, alternating the three ingredients. I shot for 4 pieces of sausage per skewer.

Makes 8 skewers and I had enough veggies left over for a veggie one.

Lower the grill to medium cook for 20-25 minutes turning frequently.

Serve  on a bed of instant whole grain flavored rice.

Aprox Nutritional Information per serving

Servings
Amount per Serving
Calories - 260
Fat - 13
Fiber - 2
WWPs – 6

Another great recipe from Roni at GreenLiteBites.  More pictures here.

Whole Wheat Pizza Margherita

Serves: 8

Details:

Sometimes nothing satisfies like a slice of cheesy pizza. This one's made with a whole-wheat crust and part-skim mozzarella, so it's ideal for South Beach Dieters — and anyone in the mood for a slice.

Tip:

Note: If you don't have a rolling pin, use a wine bottle or stretch the dough out with your hands. If the dough springs back too much, let it rest for 3 minutes to relax the gluten. The cornmeal on the pizza stone or baking sheet makes the crust dry and crunchy. The basil shouldn't go on until after baking, or it will burn.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour, plus additional for kneading

Topping:

• 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced, then cut into half circles
• 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella, thinly sliced into half circles
• Extra-virgin olive oil (optional garnish)
• 8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• Dash of cornmeal for pizza stone

Nutritional Information:

237 calories
7 g total fat (2 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
31 g carbohydrate
12 g protein
5 g fiber
703 mg sodium

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine yeast and warm water; let sit until yeast foams, about 5 minutes. Stir in oil and salt. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing with a large spoon, until dough comes away from the side of the bowl and holds together.
2. Sprinkle additional flour onto work surface. Turn out the dough and knead about 5 minutes, until it is smooth and springy, adding only enough flour to keep it from sticking to the board.
3. Form dough into a ball; place in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. To make pizza: Preheat oven to 475°F. Place dough on lightly floured work surface; flatten with your hand. Using floured rolling pin, roll dough outward from the center. Form dough into a circle or rectangle about 1/4-inch thick.
5. Sprinkle pizza stone or baking sheet with cornmeal. Lay crust on stone or sheet. Lay alternating slices of tomato and cheese on top of the crust, slightly overlapping each piece. Lightly drizzle with additional oil, if desired.
6. Let pizza rest 10 minutes. (This step can be skipped, but it makes for the crispiest crust.) Place pizza in oven and bake 20 minutes, or until cheese is melting and browning a bit. Sprinkle pizza with sliced basil leaves.

Source: southbeachdiet.com

Red Robin, fuggedaboutit…

Red Robin just opened in Heavensville. Hubby loves their burgers and is excited about going.  I just checked with DWLZ to see how many points.  Holy Crap, there’s more points in a burger than I eat in an entire day.  A LOT MORE!  Just look at this – the numbers at the end are the points.  *GASP*, the peppercorn burger has 35.5 points in it!!!!! 

Burgers, as served
5 Alarm Burger (907 cal/58g fat/3g fiber/49g carbs/46g protein) 22.5
A.1. Peppercorn Burger (1400 cal/94g fat/3g fiber/88g carbs/54g protein) 35.5
Bleu Ribbon Burger (1022 cal/61g fat/3g fiber/62g carbs/46g protein) 25
Guacamole Bacon Burger (1151 cal/76g fat/3g fiber/52g carbs/62g protein) 29
Monster Burger (1151 cal/69g fat/3g fiber/57g carbs/74g protein) 28.5
Pot Roast Burger (725 cal/38g fat/3g fiber/56g carbs/38g protein) 17.5
Red Robin Bacon Cheeseburger (1030 cal/70g fat/3g fiber/47g carbs/52g protein) 26
Red Robin Gourmet Cheeseburger (850 cal/49g fat/3g fiber/57g carbs/46g protein) 20.5
Royal Red Robin Burger (1178 cal/82g fat/3g fiber/48g carbs/60g protein) 30
Santa Fe Burger (1036 cal/63g fat/5g fiber/62g carbs/46g protein) 25 (25.5)
Sauteed 'Shroom Burger (971 cal/60g fat/4g fiber/52g carbs/60g protein) 24
The Banzai Burger (1054 cal/63g fat/3g fiber/69g carbs/48g protein) 26
Whiskey River BBQ Burger (1169 cal/72g fat/5g fiber/77g carbs/49g protein) 28.5 (29)
Knife & Forkers, as served
Bruschetta Chicken Burger (876 cal/54g fat/4g fiber/54g carbs/46g protein) 21.5
Burger Parmigiana (1081 cal/68g fat/5g fiber/82g carbs/60g protein) 26.5 (26.5)
Chili Chili Cheeseburger (979 cal/57g fat/6g fiber/58g carbs/58g protein) 23.5 (24)
Honky Tonk BBQ Pork Burger (811 cal/33g fat/5g fiber/78g carbs/41g protein) 18 (18.5)
Chicken Burgers, as served
Blackened Chicken Burger (791 cal/48g fat/2g fiber/49g carbs/45g protein) 19.5
California Chicken Burger (982 cal/62g fat/3g fiber/50g carbs/53g protein) 24.5
Crispy Chicken Burger (929 cal/56g fat/4g fiber/71g carbs/37g protein) 22.5
Teriyaki Chicken Burger (900 cal/47g fat/3g fiber/65g carbs/55g protein) 21.5
Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Burger (994 cal/54g fat/5g fiber/77g carbs/49g protein) 23.5 (24)
Adventuresome Burgers, as served
Crispy Fish Burger (565 cal/27g fat/3g fiber/58g carbs/24g protein) 13
Grilled Salmon Burger (806 cal/32g fat/2g fiber/52g carbs/36g protein) 18.5
Grilled Turkey Burger (704 cal/45g fat/3g fiber/47g carbs/29g protein) 17.5
Lettuce-Wrapped Protein Burger (560 cal/37g fat/3g fiber/17g carbs/36g protein) 14
The Garden Burger (578 cal/18g fat/10g fiber/63g carbs/22g protein) 11.5 (12.5)

If you want to depress yourself even further, here’s the complete menu…

Awesome breakfast, 4 pt. burrito…

La Prefidera Low Carb 1 point tortilla

onions and red peppers sauteed in non-stick skillet sprayed with Pam

1/2 cup refried beans

1/2 cup egg beaters

fresh spinach

taco seasoning

taco sauce

salsa

Sprinkle the onions and peppers  with a teaspoon or so of dry taco seasoning mix, and cook in the nonstick skillet until somewhat limp.  Meanwhile spread 1/2 cup of fat free refried beans down the middle of the tortilla.  Add the cooked veggies to the top of the beans.

Scramble the egg beaters with a handful of fresh spinach in a skillet until cooked.

Pile on top of the burrito filling.  Add the mozzarella cheese and squirt on a healthy line of  Taco Sauce (I use Pace).

Fold tortilla into an envelope, then wet a paper towel, place on top and nuke it in the wave 1-2 minutes until it’s hot and the cheese melts.

Remove, add another sprinkle of cheese and salsa.

This is fantastic, very filling, and full of fiber and protein so you don’t get hungry again for hours.

The points for this, only 4.  1 point for the beans, 1 for the egg beaters, 1 for the cheese and 1 for the tortilla.  Pretty amazing, huh?