Yummy!!!!

Dinner tonight was AMAZING! I took pictures of the beating of the meat....will save that for another blog.

I was at the gym this afternoon pumping away on the elliptical trying to decide what I'd fix for dinner. It was a toss up between pizza with the new homemade whole grain crust recipe I invented, or a pasta bake. All of a sudden I had an epiphany. Yep, right there on the treadmill in front of God and everybody! Chicken Parmesan.

When the boys were at home and I was on Weight Watchers years ago, I used to make veal Parmesan all the time. Our local store sold these cubed veal patties that weren't' breaded. I'd fry them up in a pan with no oil and put Swiss cheese on them and spaghetti sauce and have it with pasta. They don't sell that veal anymore and our retirement budget can't afford 'real' veal. I all of a sudden thought ohhhhhhhhhhh chicken!!!

I pounded out boneless chicken breast that I'd seasoned with garlic salt. Figured the pounding would push the garlicy goodness into the meat. I had homemade pasta sauce in the freezer and man oh man is it kick ass! I added some fresh cooked baby portabella mushrooms to the sauce. I cooked up some angel hair pasta (Ronzoni Smart Pasta). While that was cooking away I dredged the chicken breast in flour and 'fried' it in 1 teaspoon of olive oil. When it was done, I put a slice of low fat Swiss cheese on it and topped it with my wonderful sauce. Put my pasta next to that...I like my pasta naked. A side of steamed whole green beans and dinner was to die for!!!! It was sooooooooooo good. I'd eat it again all over and I don't say that often!

I really love this sauce. Here's my recipe if anyone wants to try it. It made 20 servings that came out to be 1 point each. I put them in the freezer and pop one out when I need it.

2 cups diced onion
2 cans mushrooms
3 15oz cans tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste 6oz
2 tbsp ground basil
2 tbsp ground oregano
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 large green pepper diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Marjoram, dried
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1 can diced tomatoes 28 oz
3 T SPLENDA

I sauteed the onion, green pepper, mushrooms in the oil. Added everything else and simmered for a while. I then used the immersion blender as I don't like chunks. If you like chunks, don't use it. Made 20 servings ....nice sized ones too...over 1/2 cup I'd say...I go by weight.


Yum, Yum, Yum!!!!

:-)

Prevention is the best medicine

I get 'Prevention' magazine. I love it. So many health tips and lots of information. I also get a daily email from them that is loaded with info.

One of today's links took me off to an article about 'Why slow weight loss wins'. If you're following Weight Watchers as I am, or another hopefully healthy eating program, you know that slow and steady wins the race. WW suggests to not lose more than 2 pounds a week. I think, as do the people that wrote this article, that we've all become victim to the 'I want it, and I want it NOW' bug at one point or another. I know I have.

Before I got back to MI, I was happy with 1-2 pounds a week loss. It meant I was eating right, exercising right, things were moving in the right direction. I gained 15 pounds between the last weigh in in FL, and the first one back here in MI. So, now, all of a sudden, the 'I want it and I want it NOW' gene has kicked in again.

I've never been a big loser like some. Lots of weeks that I was 100% OP, exercised faithfully 6 days, etc. I'd lose .2 of a pound. I rarely lost over 1 pound a week and 2 was heaven! Got frustrating at times, but it was coming off steadily.

I lost 4 pounds that first week back on plan here in MI. That was OK as everyone knows you lose a lot the first week. I lost 4.4 the second week. I thought that was great. Is it? I mean, really, is it? I told myself that as soon as I get that 15 pounds back off, I'll work on my daily points target to get my weight loss back to 2 pounds a week. Now I'm questioning that logic. Should I really wait?

I am hoping for a great loss this week of course. I'm hoping that the first two weeks weren't a fluke, that my system just wants to let go of that fat it put on so quickly. I think, however, that if I have a loss over 2 pounds this week, I shall add a point or two in daily. I'm still in the thinking stage. I'll let you know what I decide.

I don't want to commit plagiarism here, but I want to share a few things from the article. I think I'll be covered if i tell you it came from my wonderful daily prevention email. Everyone should subscribe to Prevention magazine...there, that should keep me safe from jail don't you think? Everything you read below I've cut and pasted from the article.

"We're constantly presented with advertisements that convince us that we can lose inches by tomorrow, and be slimmer by next week. It seems like there's no harm in wanting to lose weight by yesterday. After all, it is possible. Isn't it?

Not at all, insists Mandel. Because when it comes down to it, fast weight loss can't last, because it usually means adapting to very difficult eating habits and an impossible-to-live-with lifestyle.

Quick Fix, Fast Failure[With quick-fix diets], our metabolism slows down, and eventually we're eating fewer and fewer calories but not losing weight," says Mandel. "This leads to anxiety, which prompts us to eat even fewer calories to try to lose. The body rebels against that even more."

So it's a vicious cycle. Because if you don't get enough nutrients—which is a major risk when you're going for a quick fix—your brain, and then your body, will, well, insist that you eat. To your body, it's nothing more than survival. But to you, it will feel like you're giving in and losing control. Then you'll feel like a failure, which might very well send you to the fridge. "

Oh for goodness sakes!!! I just realized that article came in my weekly Weight Watcher email! Please change all the plagiarism rules to Weight Watchers is awesome and everyone should join. There.

I still think Prevention rocks!

Anyway, it brings me to my point, yes, there really was one! If you're trying to lose weight AND stay healthy, slow and steady does win the race. You, or I, didn't gain this weight over night and we're not going to lose it overnight. We might think if we have a single oat for breakfast and a tomato slice for lunch and a slice of chicken breast for dinner, we'll lose it fast. Just get it off and THEN we'll eat healthy. We're wrong. That's not going to happen. We'll ruin our bodies in the mean time so when we do try to add healthy food in, our body isn't going to know how to handle it. If you're not eating right, and saying you're trying to lose weight to be healthy, you're deceiving yourself. You just want to get skinny, you don't want to be healthy. Hey, I never thought about health for the first 20 years I was on WW either! I do now.

So what if you have 200 pounds to lose? So what if you 'only' lose 1-2 pounds a week. What would happen if you weren't trying to lose 1-2 pounds a week? If you're like me, you'd be gaining 5 a week that's what!

We need to keep our bodies healthy in the process. That means we need milk. We need healthy oils. We need fruits and veggies. Yes, veggies. Gag me, I know. I hate them. I'm a big girl, I suck it up and eat them because my body needs them and I would like to keep my body for a lot more years. We need protein. We need whole grains. We need water to keep our inside stuff moist.

What don't we need? We don't need trans fats. We don't need enriched bread products. We don't need hydrogenated oils (don't even get me started on that subject again!). We don't need white rice or white pasta. We don't really need all the sugar and salt that is in a lot of canned foods. The list goes on...you get the drift.

Will it hurt us once in a while? I'm not an authority, but I feel the answer is no. Except for hydrogenated oils!!! Do you just HAVE to have pizza once in a while? Do you just have to have fish and chips? Sure you do. It makes you happy, well it makes me happy anyway! Moderation is the key. As long as you're balancing it out with a healthy diet the rest of the time, I think it's fine. Doctor Debby I guess...this is of course opinion!

You can't say you want to get healthy and then say you're not going to eat veggies. That's part of it. Do you have to like it? Hell no, I don't. Just find a way to do it. Vegetable soup (toss some barley in for a whole grain!) works for me. Hold your nose and just eat it. You don't have to love it for it to be doing your body good.

Do you hate milk? What about pudding made with skim milk? What about yogurt? What about reduced fat cheese? What about fat free cottage cheese? There are ways around dietary dislikes.

Do you hate fruit? What about juice? Juice isn't as good as a whole fruit, but if you're not going to eat a whole fruit, the juice would be better than nothing!

Do you hate protein? What's wrong with you! hehe Not really...there are tons and tons of healthy proteins out there...just look around and find what you like.

I'm sorry, I rambled here....it's just that after all these years of trying to lose weight so I could be smokin hot, all of a sudden that's not my priority anymore. I want my body to be healthy so it can live for another 40 years or so. I need to do what it takes to make that happen.

If slow is the way to go, I'm there.

:-)

Bless me father.....

for I have sinned.

Oops, no I haven't, I just feel like I have.

So, it's freaking cold here. Hello? It's June. Summer and all? Should I really be wearing jeans, sweatshirts, turtlenecks, heavy socks, and STILL be freezing my whatevers off? No!!!! I was in need of comfort today an I got it.

Today was just lovely. We went to Mass and then were going to go shopping. We were of course starving. Thought of stopping home and having lunch and then hitting the store. Instead, I suggested broasted chicken at our favorite eatery for that. I like to use some flex points on Sunday.

For those of you that don't know about broasted chicken, let me fill you in (or you can go to the link and read how it's really done). You start with fresh, not frozen chicken. You soak it in soaky stuff for a day. You season it and put it in the special dip and then you put it in the broaster. A broaster is a kicked up deep fryer. It has a lid that locks down and some water is injected into the hot oil and it cooks fast, hot, and it's ever so moist, tender, and mmmmmm good! Greasy? No. Nutritional information puts a chicken breast or thigh, with wonderful mouth watering skin, at 7 points. That in itself is a heavenly treat, but with broasted taters to go with it? Divine. High point? Yep. Worth it? For me, occasionally, hell yes. It was a lovely lunch.

We then went to visit my girlfriend for a bit and then on to Wally World and our local smaller grocery store. Came home in the pouring rain. The cold pouring rain. Not even 50 degrees, again, hellooooooooo it's June!!!!! Comfort I need you now!

I'd planned filet mignon for dinner. That didn't sound good at all. I'm cold. I'm tired. I want true comfort food. Mac and cheese. Dare I? You bet your bippy. That's what I love about the Weight Watcher program. To me it's not giving in to comfort food if I plan, track, stay within my points etc. It's what makes WW doable. I made a serving of kick ass mac and cheese for my dinner. It was 10 points. It did not fill me up. Was it worth it? Oh hell yes. It warmed my insides. It fed my soul. It was exactly what I wanted, so I'm full in other ways.

I get 23 points a day according to my online tracker. I still think it's 22 and have NO idea where they're getting 23, but I'm eating them anyway! Of course we get 35 extra a week. I don't care if I use them all in one day and thought that day would be today.

The 'damage' for today? Total points 29. Holy guacamole Batman, I can eat more if I want to.

I don't want to. I'm satisfied. If I thought I couldn't have more, I'd not be satisfied. Weight Watchers have it goin on. They've figured out those of us that need to play mind games with themselves. They've got my number. I love it!

:-)

Busy bee!

Dragged hiney out of bed at 6:45am and went to the gym. Got my 37 minutes done on the elliptical. Stretched, came home, showered, drank copious amounts of coffee while having breakfast and planning things for the day.

Made a batch of pickled beets. I don't like veg, I'll eat these. I make them with splenda. Yum.

Made a batch of TVP. New stuff, never tried it. Heather and Jo have both blogged about it.

Made a batch of crock pot cheeseburgers, sans the crock pot. I don't know what time I'll be home from work tonight and it said 6 hours...I don't trust the big man to portion out my meals! So, cooked them on top of the stove and divided it into 10 containers. He can have his whenever and I can have mine when I get home from work. Not sure if I'll be putting it in a bun or on baked tortilla chips yet. Here's the recipe if you're interested. Stolen from Heather again. I've never tried them...I'll let you know if I like it or not. I used part of the TVP crumbles and part hamburger in the recipe.

I made a batch of pineapple FAF.

I fixed an awesome lunch. I should have taken a picture of it as it was purty. Sliced potato tossed with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and some sea salt spread on my silpat sheet at 425 for 10 minutes. Flip each circle. Cook 10 more minutes. If they're brown how I like them. Eat. If not, another 5 or so minutes. I got chicken spinach asiago sausages from Sam's and after I took the potatoes out of the bowl I tossed them in the oil in, I rubbed the sausage in it and put that on the pan to bake also. Turned it over when I turned the spuds. Got nice and brown and split open. Was moist and tasty and nummy. I also put 1/2 cup of butternut squash in the oven to heat.

Lunch, eaten, and enjoyed.

Now I'm off to work! A long day. Hopefully home by 9PM.

FAF in hand, dinner planned.

Gotta love a woman with a plan eh????

:-)

Work and stuff

I worked today. I really, really, really, really, wanted an antipasta salad with blue cheese dressing. Total points? 56! I managed to talk myself out of it thank God.

I then wanted fried zucchini with blue cheese dressing. Yes, I know, a trend! Our blue cheese dressing has 180 calories, 20 grams of fat and no fiber in a 2T serving. I eat 8T at a time. Sounds like a lot, it isn't. The cups we serve our dressing in are 4oz and I always, always, ate 2 minimum. I managed to talk myself out of that too.

I then wanted chocolate pudding. I took my fat self into the bathroom and turned on the water so nobody could hear and I talked out loud to myself in the mirror. Yep, I did. What did I say? Oh, I gave myself what for!

"Are you out of your f'ing mind? Did you honest to God just get over gaining 15 pounds and hate it and NOW you want to eat more? Earth to Debby. You are NOT even hungry!!!!! Get a grip and shut the F up as I don't want to hear you bitching about wanting food again. Got it???" I then got pissed at the bitch that was talking to me like that, pouted like a little kid, and said 'FINE!'. I stopped just short of stamping my foot.

I went back to work, and not wanting another lecture from the biotch in the mirror, I thrust all cravings for food out of my mind.

I'm home now. Feet up, and I feel good about not eating. It was close, I'll be honest. I did it though. I won.

I had a WW pizza for dinner. Sucked. 7 points and I ate it and was still starving.

I shall plan better for tomorrow for sure.

For now, it's Debby 1, cravings 0.

Let the games continue!

:-)

No tappity tap

I love when I read the blog of Carlos (note how I avoid the dreaded ' or not to ' there???), and he taps once, taps twice on his weigh in day.

We're digital and wired at WW, so no tapping. Just suck in a deep breath and step on up ladies and gentleman. I did just that last night at 5:30PM at my meeting. As Emeril would say 'BAM!' down 4.4 pounds. Oh ya, this old lady rocked it last night. I was thrilled. I just want to get as far away from that 200 number as I can. You see, being a woman, and being 50, there are weeks when I gain for no particular reason. I do NOT want one of those weeks to break my promise to never go back over 200 again. So, let's keep those numbers going down, down, down!

Because of Heather telling us of a free month for new members if they join online, my girlfriend joined last night! Awesome. I have a friend on the trail with me now. It's exciting to not be going alone. We'll support each other. Now, I just need to get her to the gym with me!

I'm off to the gym today at 1pm for a full round of cardio and strength training. I've got most of my daily meals and snacks planned. I don't work until tomorrow. Today I'm going to reward myself with some 'me' time. Yes, I really don't have that many commitments, but I tend to not do the things I love every day. That stops now. I love to read. Books, magazines, you name it. I've got a ton of magazines that I've not read. I love to sit in the sun in my Cracker Barrel rocking chair. So, today, I intend to sit in the sun and read a magazine! I won't look at the gardens that need weeding. I won't look at the hedges that need trimming. I won't think of the laundry that needs doing. I won't think of the mess in my basement oasis that I keep promising I'll tame. Nope, I'll sit and read a whole magazine, perhaps sipping on some Crystal Light lemonade. Oh ya, that's what I'm going to do.

I deserve it.

I'm Debby, I'm 50, I've got loving friends and family, I'm exercising, and I'm losing weight (I'd like to not be broke though!).

How much better can it get?

:-)

Bulk it up baby!

I like to cook a bigger batch of stuff and freeze part for later. I have 2 tools that help me with this. I love my vacuum sealer. I can make a big batch of whatever and portion up single serving sizes and vacuum them and toss them in the freezer. They can go right into the microwave or boiling water in the vacuumed pouch.

My foodsaver was about 15 years old. It packed it in when I got home from FL. I wasn't going to replace it. I mean I could use Tupperware or something. I rethought that and got one at Sam's. Yes, it was about $100. No, I couldn't really afford it. It helps me so much on my weight loss journey though, I figured I was worth it. I take things to work that I've vacuumed and just pop them into the microwave. I've always got a meal or two in the freezer for those days I just don't want to cook. It helps me. The new one has a bag cutter on it which I love. It even stores the roll of bag stuff right inside. A great improvement! If it lasts as long as the other one, it's worth the price for sure!


The other thing I use are my online tools. I've had them before with WW and never used them. Man was I stupid!!! It's so easy to make a recipe and know how many points it is with the recipe builder. Before I'd sit there with pen and paper and my slider and figure points for every single thing in my recipe and then divide....this is awesome. Type in the ingredient and it does all the work for me. It's also where I learned about WW math! I learned that a whole bunch of 0 point veggies do NOT equal 0. More about that later!



So, one of the things I do often is cook a HUGE pot of brown rice. It takes about an hour to cook brown rice, so if I've not really planned ahead for dinner and wanted brown rice, but only had half an hour prep time....I was screwed. Now I cook a big pot and freeze it. It freezes very well I was thrilled to find. So here you see a huge pot of brown rice cooking away.

After it's done, I measure out 1 cup portions and let them cool on parchment paper. I also do a few 1/2 cup servings.

This night I fixed a lovely curry to go with the brown rice. Made extra of course and vacuumed the extra. Here you see my method. I flatten it out so it fits nicely in the freezer and I write on the package what it is and how many points it is. If I don't write on it, I'll forget what it is, what size portion I have in there etc. My sharpie is my friend!

A close up. OK, that curry was good and now I'm hungry! I'd forgotten it was in the freezer! I also keep a list of what's in the freezer for just that reason! As I take something out, I cross it off the list.

I wanted muffins. I invented a recipe with the help of my online tools recipe builder. I used lots of grated zucchini and pumpkin and just lots of stuff. I wanted a serving to equal 1 point so I kept adjusting the serving size until that happened. Three of my mini muffins equal 1 point. A nice treat with my coffee.

Here they are all baked and ready to tip out of the pan. They came out nicely I must admit. I love my pampered chef mini muffin tin!

Here they are cooling. When they were totally cool, I put them in a square Tupperware container. I put a layer of waxed paper down and lined up the little muffins. Lay another layer of wax paper on top of those and then seal the container and freeze. I can take out 3 at a time that way. Always got them if I want them. Yum!

Those of you that know me, know I pretty much hate all veggies. They're semi OK to gag down if they're roasted though. It takes a long time to roast them the way I like them. Plus you have to do all the chopping, dicing, and clean up. So, again, I did it in bulk the other day. This is the stuff I roasted. Well, not the spinach, that was for the weight watcher creamy spinach pasta I made that night. It sucked by the way. I also chopped up an onion in the mix and you don't see that in the picture.

After they were all chopped, I put them in my big bowl and tossed with 4 tablespoons of olive oil...some sea salt, pepper, and parsley.

I spread them on my half sheet pan and roasted at 450 degrees for a really long time. They say 20 minutes. My ass. I did them in batches so they'd roast and not steam. I've got 3 racks in my oven and a large supply of half sheet pans!

I divided into 12 servings....scant 1/2 cup each serving I'd say. This is where WW math comes in to play. I thought they'd have 1 point each as the only point really should have been the olive oil. Each serving comes out to 2 points though. I'll have it to toss in soup, to eat as a side dish. I'm putting a serving in my grilled chicken wrap for dinner tonight.

Fix it once, enjoy it often!