Getting ready for week 4

So I am down to 126 pounds.  My scale tried to taunt me with 125, but then changed it to 126.  Well that is fine!

I got a new cookbook this weekend on the recommendation of my friend Val.  It is Rocco DiSpirito's Now Eat This.  He takes recipes that are really popular and re-invents them into reasonable calories.  It is amazing how much he can take them down too.  Plus there are recipes that I wouldn't think I could ever have when calorie counting; like Creme Brulee!  He took it from the original 562 calories to just 116!  The one that really got me was the Shrimp Pad Thai (one of my most favorite dishes) from the original of 2,090 calories down to 291 calories!!  Yes you read that right!  This Friday night we are making his Burgers.  He took the idea of a Big Mac and changed it around (which is fine by me), but what I find most intriguing is that he puts Baba Ghanoush on it!  How fabulous does that sound!  I can't wait!

I will let you know how they turn out!

Trying to get life back on track

Man being sick and being the main chef in the house - just doesn't go well.  I didn't deviate from the calorie count and diet, but I didn't hold real true to my menu for the week either.  Thank goodness the Sloppy Joes made some good leftovers!

Last night we made the White Roasted Mushroom Pizza from Cook Yourself Thin Faster  and it was okay.  The flavor was really rather bland and we sat there thinking up ways to enhance it!  LOL  Tonight will be the Spring Rolls and Noodle Salad again.  I love those Spring Rolls!  And the sauce is killer!

I have most of the menu ready for next week, but haven't shopped for it yet, so that messes up tomorrow a little bit.  I better get in the kitchen and start working on dinner. 

Feeling a bit better

Today I feel a little better, I think.  Mostly just can't spend the time in bed although that is what I would rather be doing!  No soup today, so that is good.  I don't have a full appetite, but my stomach does keep growling at me.  I made some good use of my time though by prepping breakfast for tomorrow; since the French Toast Bread Pudding has to soak overnight anyway.  Man I love that recipe.  So easy and so yummy! 

For dinner we are going to have the Sloppy Joes from Ellie Krieger.  Those are a favorite of ours for some time now.  Since I had ground turkey in the freezer, I just used it instead of getting ground beef.  I actually made it this afternoon and then put it in the crock-pot to keep it warm.  I have one of those programmable kind, so it works out perfectly.  That way it is all ready for us when we get back tonight and we wont have to scramble to make dinner. 

For dessert we will be having strawberry shortcakes.  I am going to use the leftover Lady Fingers from the Tiramasu from last week.  This was the recommendation from the recipe book, so why not huh. 

I will post the sloppy joe recipe later on or maybe tomorrow.  It is really good and I think you all will like it.  One sandwich is only 265 calories.  Pretty awesome huh!

Down for the Count

Well I am officially admitting I am sick!  Dang Nabbit!  I hate being sick and I don't have time for it.  As a result I am not cooking today.  I know I know, but to be honest I am not really eating either - to sick to.  So I won't screw up my calorie intake today that is for sure.

Sunday was good.  We did leftovers for lunch, which was good.  Made more room in the fridge for the groceries we got on Monday.  For dinner I did make Buffalo Chicken Salad from Cook Yourself Thin and it was really good.  My daughter thought the chicken was too "zippy" though.  The Blue Cheese dressing was very light and not at all heavy like normal blue cheese.  Personally I would have wanted more dressing as I am a sauce fiend, but I know that is one of the worst contributors to high caloric foods.

Monday was shopping day and it took a lot out of me, being sick that is.  So we just hit Costco and the grocery store as Sunday was Trader Joes day (man I hate their parking lot).  For lunch we had Cheddar Melts minus the soup this time and dinner was Pork Medallions in Cherry Sauce by Ellie Krieger.  With the pork I also made Sweet Potato Gratin from the Cook Yourself Thin Faster cookbook.  It was so good!!!!!  The two together was only 483 calories! 

So today was chicken noodle soup for lunch and for dinner there is a can of Cream of Celery with my name on it.  Lame I know, but I just don't feel good and can't handle anything more than soup.  Hopefully this will pass soon!

PS:  Not only am I down for the count due to illness, but I am down in weight too.  When I left WA to move here, I was 137 pounds.  I dropped a couple here in sunny CA as we are more active, but I am happy to say after weighing myself this morning I am down 10 pounds from August.  Not too shabby - eh!!

Slow Sunday Morning

So I am not quite on the ball here.  I think it is this darn cold that is slowing me down.  I am just now working on my menu for this coming week.  But it was made a little easier by Hubby going through the cookbook and picking out some dinners.  Now I just need to do the breakfasts and lunches. 

I have to be honest, one of the biggest challenges with this is breakfast.  I am not a breakfast person.  Give me a cup of tea and call it good.  But I get that the 3 meals a day is the only way to loose weight.  But like most of us moms, trying to get the kid ready for school and all that jazz - the last thing I want to do is stand in there and prepare a stinkin omelet!  Not to mention that I really don't like eggs.  The best for me was the Bread Pudding that soaked in the fridge overnight and then all I had to do was throw it in the oven the next morning.  Now that rocked!

I think today we might head up to the Flea Market and Farmers Market.  Not super sunny today as it has been, but still a nice day!  Not sure about lunch, but for dinner we are going to try the Buffalo Chicken Salad!

Saturday Night

Well I survived my first big test today.  My husband said that we should just go by In-N-Out and get lunch today.  Then my daughter said we should go out to eat for dinner.  Both had the idea of making it easier on me so that I wouldn't have to cook.  I told them both they were sweet for the thought, but that I needed to stick to this! 

I can tell you the lunch I made was awesome.  No it wasn't In-N-Out and it is hard to compete with that, but I did pretty darn good.  I made Oven Baked Chicken Tenders with Coleslaw.  Now I have done the oven baked chicken plenty of times - and all have used the corn flakes and a buttermilk marinade, but what I liked about the Cook Yourself Thin  version is that to the buttermilk they added a bay leaf, dried thyme, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Great flavor!  http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/cook-yourself-thin/recipes/oven-baked-crispy-chicken-tenders-with-coleslaw  Give them a try - they are delicious.  I didn't make the tartar sauce as I just didn't want to bother and wasn't up for the extra calories.  I will say that, for me, the sauce on the coleslaw was a little dry, so I added a little more of the vinegar and little more buttermilk.

Dinner was super easy.  I had taken out a serving of the Mini-Meatloaves that were in freezer and made those.  I didn't have the veggies to go with it, but steamed up some broccoli instead.  Hence the extra calories I have leftover for a small dessert.  Not enough for the pie that I made yesterday though, bummer.

Oh I didn't tell you that yesterday did I, sorry!  I spent about 3 hours in the kitchen, but from it I made a Banana Cream Pie from Ellie Krieger (218 calories a slice), Mocha Chip Meringues from Everyday Food Light Magazine (28 calories), and Homemade Granola from Cook Yourself Thin (270 calories in 1/2 cup).  Not too shabby use of my time! 

Posted Recipes

I added some links to recipes that I made this week - one's we really liked and were a big hit with the family.  Hope you give them a try!