Menu for April 11 to April 17

There are two major places where I find my recipes.  The first one is Pinterest.  There are oodles and oodles of recipes there.  But you have to keep focused or else before you know it you'll be pinning stuff that has nothing to do with food. And what I like about Pinterest is that you can narrow down your search.  And there are pictures of the food.  I'm very visual so pictures are a good thing.  The second place I find recipes is in my cook books.  And I have a bunch.  If I'm stuck at a long checkout line at the store then I have a tendency to look at the recipe magazines.  If there are a few recipes I like, I'll go ahead and buy the magazine.  I also have kept this dinner spiral for about a year now.  So if I am having trouble deciding what to make, I can flip back through it and find something that was a hit.

Saturday:  Asian Burgers and sour cream and onion corn puffs.  I found this recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  It featured in an issue that advertised no diet recipes and the recipes were under 360 calories.

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/asian-burgers/  

I didn't change too much in this recipe.  But here's how I made them.

Asian Burgers

1 tbsp onion, chopped

1 tsp Chinese five spice blend

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 lbs 93/7 lean ground beef

3 tbsps hoisin sauce

In a very large bowl combine hoisin sauce, onion, Chinese five spice, and crushed red pepper. Add beef, mix well. Shape into five 1/2" thick patties.  Preheat grill to medium. Place patties on grill and grill for 10-13 minutes turning once.  Serve.

I use sandwich thins instead of hamburger buns, I  added a spicy mustard, some spinach and a thin slice of onion.  Also the directions say to make these on a grill, but I prefer to them in my frying pan.  I spray the pan with Pam heat to medium and follow the directions for grilling.  One more thing after the patties are done I will place them on a baking sheet, cover them with foil, and let them rest for 7-10 minutes.  Letting the patties rest redistributes the juices.

Sunday:  Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash, lemony green beans, and a side salad.  This is a recipe that I found on pinterest.  I wanted to try something different with my spaghetti squash.   And my husband likes artichokes so I figured we could give it a try.

http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/spinach-artichoke-spaghetti-squash-recipe/

Here is my version:

Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash

2 tsps olive oil

3/4 cup onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup light sour cream

3 cups packed spinach

3/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped

4 Laughing Cow light creamy Swiss cheese wedges

4 cups of cooked spaghetti squash

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a pan heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add in the sour cream, Swiss cheese, and half of the Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the spinach and artichoke hearts and cook until the spinach has wilted. Stir in the cooked spaghetti squash.  Transfer to a 9x13" baking dish and top with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.  Place under broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.
Note: if you save the spaghetti squash halves, instead of using a baking dish, you can add half the mixture to each half of the squash then top with cheese and broil.

To roast the spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 375.  Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds, drizzle 1/2 tsp. olive oil on each half, season with salt and pepper.  Roast 45 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes and scrape out the strands with a fork.

The chicken comes from my prepped chicken that I do on Sundays.

http://harddoesnotequalimpossible.blogspot.com/2015/04/recipes-for-prepped-chicken.html

For added flavor I like to use a lemon pepper marinade.  First I trim all the fat off of boneless skinless chicken breasts.  Then I cut them in half, and with a meat mallet, I pound them all to an equal thickness.  Put them in a ziplock baggy and refrigerate about 6 hours.  When I get ready to cook the chicken.  I spray a frying pan with Pam, and heat on medium.  Then I take the chicken sprinkle it with lemon pepper seasoning and place them in the pan.  Cook for about 6 or 7 minutes.  Flip them over and continue to cook for 6 to 7 minutes.  Take them out of the pan and place in a baking dish to cool down.  Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to use.

The green beans were from a frozen package.  I just cooked them according to the directions, seasoned with Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, the juice of one lemon wedge, and 1/2 tsp. butter. 

I always have salad components ready to go.  Side salads are a quick and easy side to put together.

http://harddoesnotequalimpossible.blogspot.com/2015/03/menu-planning-and-meal-prep.html

Monday:  Leftovers which meant it was chicken burrito night, and ranch veggie straws.  Once again this is another recipe from one of my previous posts.

 http://harddoesnotequalimpossible.blogspot.com/2015/04/recipes-for-prepped-chicken.html

If you take one day to prep chicken, and really it only takes about 15 minutes to get the chicken ready and to cook the chicken, then you will have a quick and easy way to pull a healthy and delicious dinner together in no time. This is just a Flatout flatbread, with laughing cow cheese, black beans, chopped chicken, salsa, and sour cream.

Tuesday:  Tuna Fish Sandwich, coleslaw, and ranch veggie straws.  I like to use albacore tuna packed in water.  I'll add 1 tbsp. of canola mayonnaise, lemon pepper seasoning, and add a chopped baby dill pickle.  Mix it all up and put it on a Flatout Foldit.  I like to put some spinach, and halved cherry tomatoes on my sandwich.  I also have a spicy mustard that gives the tuna sandwich a little zip.  I served it with coleslaw.  And the recipe for that is 1 1/2 cups of tricolor coleslaw mix, with 1 tbsp. Kraft Creamy Poppy Seed dressing and the juice of one lemon wedge.     

Wednesday: One Pan Enchilada Pasta, black beans, and broccoli and cauliflower mix.  And here is another one from pinterest.

http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2013/12/09/one-pan-enchilada-pasta/

This is my version: 

One Pan Enchilada Pasta

1 lb. 93/7 lean ground beef or lean ground turkey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 (1 oz) package old el paso 25% less sodium taco seasoning mix

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 (15 oz.) can enchilada sauce
1/2 c. water

8 oz, dry, yields or about 2 1/2 cups rotini

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet over medium heat cook the ground beef, garlic, and onions until browned. Add the taco mix and follow directions on the package. Add the dry pasta, chicken broth, water, and enchilada sauce to pan. Bring to boil, the reduce heat to low and cover. Cook on low, with pan covered for about 15 minutes. Remove lid and let simmer for additional 5 minutes until pasta is tender and sauce has reduced. Stir in cheese until melted. Serve.

For the black beans, I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

The broccoli and cauliflower mix is made by Steamfresh.  Just follow the package directions.  Once they are done I'll pour them into a mixing bowl and season with Mrs. Dash, pepper, and 1/2 tsp. butter. Stir to coat.

Thursday:  Leftovers which was a Chicken Bacon Pizza and Special K Sour Cream and Onion cracker chips.

http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/low-cal-bacon-chicken-pizza

My version:

http://harddoesnotequalimpossible.blogspot.com/2015/04/recipes-for-prepped-chicken.html

Chicken Bacon Pizza

1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese
2 tsp. light sour cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. Italian seasoning
crushed red pepper, to taste
1 pita bread
3 to 4 ounces of cooked chopped chicken
1 tbsp. mozzarella cheese
2 cherry tomatoes, sliced
1-2 pieces of fully cooked bacon

Preheat toaster oven to 375.  In a small bowl, mix Laughing Cow cheese, 2 tsp. light sour cream, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, and 1/8 tsp. Italian seasoning until smooth.  Spread it on top of a pita bread.  Sprinkle with crushed red pepper.  Add 3 to 4 ounces of chopped chicken.  Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of mozzarella cheese, top with sliced cherry tomatoes and 2 slices of fully cooked bacon.  Bake in toaster oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is nice a bubbly.

Friday:  Beef Stroganoff, garlic ranch mashed potatoes and lemony green beans.  I used to make stroganoff  with bottom round steak cut into small pieces, but my husband prefers ground beef.  So that's what I use now.

Beef Stroganoff

1 package stroganoff mix

8 oz light sour cream

1 cup water

1 lb 93/7 lean ground beef

1/2 tsp parsley flakes (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook stirring until browned and no longer pink.  Stir in sauce mix and water.  Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream. Sprinkle parsley flakes, if desired and serve.

You'll notice that my recipe for mashed potatoes calls for chicken broth instead of milk.  The reason I make these with chicken broth is because ever since I switched us to almond milk I never have regular ol' cow milk.  And I didn't see the point in buying some just for mashed potatoes.  So I figured that all I needed was some kind of liquid and I substituted chicken broth for the milk and they come out just as yummy.


Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs white potatoes, peeled

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 tbsps Land O'Lakes light butter with canola

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash

1/2 tsp ranch dry dips mix

1/2 tsp salt

1 Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese wedge

Cut peeled potatoes into large chunks. Add potatoes and garlic to a large pot filled with water. Boil 18-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place the potatoes and garlic back into the empty pot. Add chicken broth, butter, cheese, salt, pepper, dry ranch mix and seasoning to the pot. Mash until desired consistency. Serve.

For the green beans, I buy the Marketside French Green Beans.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and serve.

And that's it.  It really isn't that hard to plan out your menus.  And then you won't be tempted to opt for something fast that isn't very healthy!

Tips, Tricks, and Tidbits Part 2

Just because you change to a healthier lifestyle doesn't mean that you have to give up on desserts.  I have found a couple of ways that you can still enjoy ice cream.  The first one is Banana Ice Cream.  This is also a good way to use your ripened bananas.  For banana ice cream all you need is a frozen banana.  Take the banana, wrap it in plastic wrap so it doesn't get freezer burn, and place it in the freezer for a few hours.  After the banana is frozen break it up into a couple of chunks, although I guess you could do that before you freeze it, and toss it in a food processor and pulse.  It may take a bit but it will turn into ice cream.  I do like to add about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, depending on the size of the banana, just to help with the creaminess.  Now that's just the base and it's delicious as is, but if you want there are several things you can add to the ice cream.  You can add peanut butter, mini chocolate chips, frozen strawberries, a bit of chocolate sauce or really anything you can think of.  Just remember that with every mix in or topping you add more calories.  Another dessert I make is frozen yogurt sandwiches.  This one takes just 2 ingredients.  Healthy Choice Frozen Yogurt, they come in individual servings, and a graham cracker.  Just scoop out the frozen yogurt, place between the graham cracker and enjoy.  Recently I found Blue Bunny Double Strawberry Light Ice Cream that is only 90 calories for 1/2 cup.  And this also made a very yummy ice cream sandwich.
 

A few years ago Walmart decided that we needed a Supercenter instead of the small one we were used to.  Instead of plastic grocery bags they switched to paper bags. And needless to say we all had a huge collection of paper bags.  I would gather them all up and take them back to the store to recycle them. One day I was at my mother in law's house because she was going to show me how to make fried burritos, my husband loves them, and they really are delicious.  After frying the burritos she set them on the paper bags to drain the excess oil.  That gave me an idea.  I buy lean ground beef/turkey, the 93/7 one.  I noticed that there was still grease in the pan after I was done browning the meat.  So I started using the paper bags to drain the ground beef/turkey after cooking it. Here is what I do now, while the meat is cooking I'll take a bag, set it on the table and line it with a couple of paper towels.  After the meat is browned I'll pour it onto the paper towels and press as much grease as I can out. Then I'll wipe the frying pan and spoon with a paper towel, and return the meat to the pan to finish the recipe I am working on.  I was really surprised at how much grease the meat will release.  And I don't add any extra oil to the pan.  I have a friend that rinses her cooked ground meat in hot water after it's browned. Which ever way works for you, just another simple step to make things healthier.





 
My husband and I very rarely go out to eat for dinner.  It has to be a special occasion, birthday or our anniversary.  But we do go out for lunch.  And there is a local Mexican food restaurant that we love going to.  It's called Bienvenidos and they have the second best grilled chicken salad in town, mine is better, although my husband may argue that point.  The only problem is they don't have my salad dressing.  I like a zesty Italian, and I bought a raspberry balsamic vinaigrette that I really love, and I also purchased a balsamic vinaigrette that is super delicious too.  My daughter had an itty bitty ketchup bottle that was sitting around empty.  And I had the idea to put a serving of salad dressing, 2 tbsp., in it and take it with me. When we go, I'll order my salad, with no cheese and no dressing.  When the salad gets to the table, I'll add some salsa and then whip out my trusty little bottle of salad dressing.  After I pour it on my salad I'll just drop it back in my purse.  Just don't forget to take it out once you get home and wash it.  I've done that.  And now I have a itty bitty empty bottle. 

The last tip I have is using a toaster oven.  When I first bought it my husband said I would NEVER use it.  HA! I use it all the time.  I think I paid 20 bucks for it and it was money well spent.  Mostly I use it for making tostadas.  I didn't want to turn on the big huge oven just to make two tostadas.  I'll preheat the toaster oven to 375, and turn the timer all the way on, other wise the toaster oven doesn't start preheating.  I like to put foil on the baking tray so that it won't get all yucky.  I spray the foil lined baking sheet with Pam.  Warm up the corn tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds each, just to make them pliable, and place them on the baking sheet, thend spray the topside with Pam, so the tortillas will get crispy.  Put them in the toaster oven and bake about 10 minutes flipping once.  You have to keep an eye on them because they will burn.  The first time I tried it I ended up with two black discs.  I also use my toaster oven to make fish sticks for my daughter.  Another thing I do is toast 3-4 pieces of frozen garlic toast, that way there isn't a whole bunch and we won't be tempted to eat them all. I just take out the slices of garlic toast we are going to use and put the rest back in the freezer. I also have a recipe for breakfast taquitos.  And I bake them in my toaster oven.

Bacon Breakfast Taquitos

1/3 cup egg substitute

1 light creamy Swiss cheese wedge

2 yellow corn tortillas

1 slice bacon

Preheat toaster oven to 375. Spray baking pan with nonstick spray. Cook 1 strip of bacon according to package directions.   In a large microwave-safe mug sprayed with Pam, microwave 1/3 cup of egg substitute for 45 seconds. Stir and microwave for another 45 seconds, or until set.  Mix in cheese. Chop or crumble bacon and stir into mixture.  Place tortillas between 2 damp paper towels. Microwave for 15 seconds, or until warm and pliable.  Evenly distribute egg mixture between two tortillas. Tightly roll each tortilla and place seam side down in the baking pan. Lightly spray with Pam. Bake until crispy, 10-12 minutes.   Serve with salsa.

And you can make these taquitos with turkey sausage as well.  If you don't like the flavor of egg substitute you can use a flavored Laughing Cow cheese wedge, like garlic and herb, French onion, pepper jack, and you can season the egg substitute with Mrs. Dash and pepper. I hate Egg Beaters, but these taquitos are delicious!

One more quick thing, I also buy bacon that is fully cooked.  That way I just take out what I'm going to use and put the rest back in the fridge.  If I make a whole pan of bacon, no one can resist it.  NO ONE.

So that's it for now.  Keep up the good work and if you have any tips, tricks, or tidbits just let me know.  I'm always interesting in seeing what works for other people.

Menu for April 4 to April 10

Normally my dinner planning spiral doesn't look like this.  Usually the menu is set in stone.  My weekly menu starts on Saturday and ends on Friday. On Thursday I decide what I'm going to make the following week. And Friday is grocery shopping day.  The night before I set out all the non perishables that I need for the next day.  And everyday by 4:30, after picking up my daughter and walking my dogs, I get started on dinner.  That way it's on the table by 6pm.  This week was different because it was Easter weekend.  And we got together at my mom's house for hot dogs on Saturday night.  And a lot of other things happened that made this week a bit hectic so thus the changes.  I try not to have the same kind of protein two days in a row.  So if we have ground beef one night then I try to have turkey or pork or chicken the next night.  And Wednesday usually is leftover day.  Once again because of the holiday things got jumbled.  I'm still learning to try to be flexible.  But it really irks me to change things around.

Saturday:  Hot dogs, potato salad, coleslaw and hummus.  I was in charge of making hummus.  I decided to go with a ranch hummus that I found a recipe for on Pinterest.  http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/13-different-ways-make-hummus

Ranch Hummus:

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp dried dill

16 oz chick peas

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

Rinse and drain the chick peas.  Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Note: for a thinner consistency add 1 tablespoon of water at a time.  

I do add 2 tbsp. of water just to make it thinner and more of a dip consistency.  If you follow the link there are 13 different recipes of hummus.  I have tried the Italian and Southwestern flavors and both are delicious.

Sunday:  Bahn Mi Sandwiches.  A Bahn Mi is a Vietnamese meatball sandwich.  And they are so good.  I have changed a few things in the original recipe.  http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/beer-mi-asian-meatball-subs/d205c506-3018-4e38-abac-55b6c7295d17?nicam2=Email

There are three components to Bahn Mis.  The first is the pickled topping.  Don't be intimidated it's really not all that hard.  And the dish comes together pretty quickly.

Banh Mi Pickled Topping:

4 tbsps rice vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup carrot, grated

1 cup cucumber slices

1 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and salt. Add carrots and cucumber.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

After you get the pickled topping in the fridge you can move on to the meatballs.  

Banh Mi Meatballs:

1 lb ground pork (the leanest you can find)

1/3 cup panko crispy plain bread crumbs

1 tbsp low sodium beef broth

1 tbsp sriracha chili sauce

1 tbsp less sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam. In a large bowl, stir ingredients until well mixed.  Shape into 30 (1 inch) balls and place in pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in center.

While the meatballs are baking, I make the sauce.

Banh Mi Sauce:

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup low sodium beef broth

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp less sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp sriracha chili sauce

In a 3 quart saucepan, stir ingredients until well blended.  Heat to boiling over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low, simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When the meatballs are done then place them into the sauce and stir them around so that each one of them is coated.  Serve.

I eat mine in a pita bread.  But it seems like I always have such a hard time keeping the bread from tearing.  After I carefully get the pita open, I take a serving of meatballs which is 5 meatballs, and 1/4 cup of pickled topping and a little spoonful of sauce.  I think it's the extra sauce that causes the pita bread to tear, oh well.   

Monday:  Burrito Night.  But burrito night ended up being chicken tostada night instead.  I just forgot to change it.  I have posted how I make these chicken tostadas in one of my previous post: http://harddoesnotequalimpossible.blogspot.com/2015/04/recipes-for-prepped-chicken.html

If I'm making them for myself I use my toaster oven.  If I am making more than two I have to use the big oven.  No matter which one you use the method is the same.  Preheat to 375.  Line a baking pan with foil, and spray it with Pam.  Warm up corn tortillas in the microwave.  Place them flat on the baking sheet and then spray the tops with Pam.  Bake for about 10 minutes turning once until light brown and toasty.  For myself, I split one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese between the two corn tostadas.  Then spread black beans, divide 6 ounces of diced warmed chicken and pile it on top, add salsa, sour cream, and devour.  You can add any kind of salsa and guacamole as well.

Tuesday: Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry, brown rice, and spring rolls.  I used to make this as a beef and broccoli.  But my husband doesn't like Beef and Broccoli.  Actually he just doesn't like the beef part.  So I decided to give this recipe a try with tofu.  Here is the original recipe in case you don't like tofu. http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/stir-fry-beef-and-broccoli/0ec54243-0d08-4201-aadd-b66c5164f477  And I add a lot of fresh broccoli and carrots.  I suppose you could use frozen stir fry mix, but nothing beats fresh.  Oh and try not to use baby carrots.  Eating them raw is good, but something weird happens to them when they get cooked.

Tofu and Broccoli:

1 (14 oz) pkg. extra firm tofu, cubed

2 tbsp. less sodium soy sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsps ginger, grated

1/3 cup. roland hoisin sauce

1/3 cup water

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbsp. coconut oil (or canola oil)

8 cups chopped broccoli

2 cups strips or slices carrots

In a medium bowl mix, tofu, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger; set aside (be very careful with the tofu it breaks easily). In a small bowl, mix hoisin, water, cornstarch, and crushed red pepper.  In a wok, heat half oil on high for 1 minute. Add tofu mixture; cook 2 minutes without stirring. Stir fry 4 to 5 minutes or until tofu is browned around edges. Transfer to a clean bowl.  To the empty wok, add remaining oil; heat over high heat about 1 minute. Add broccoli and carrots; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 tbsp. water; cover and cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broccoli and carrots are crisp-tender.  Return tofu to work. Mix sauce mixture again to recombine; pour into woke. Stir to coat mixture with sauce. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Serve. If desired sprinkle each serving with cashews.

The brown rice is just a boil in a bag rice.  Follow the directions, although I toss in a cube of chicken broth to the boiling water just to add flavor.  When then rice is done I'll drain it.  Sprinkle in some Mrs. Dash, 1/2 tsp. of less sodium soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp. of butter.  Yes I said butter.  Butter is better for you than margarine, and besides it's only 1/2 tsp.  And the spring rolls I just bake in my toaster oven, according to the package directions.  I remember when I bought it my husband said I would NEVER use it.  HA!  I showed him, I use it a lot.  When I get ready to serve, it's 1 1/3 cup of stir fry, 1/2 cup of brown rice, and two spring rolls.  Sprinkle some cashews on the stir fry.  Maybe add some more crushed red pepper, and even some sriracha.  I like it spicy!

Wednesday:  Spaghetti Squash with a turkey meat sauce or chicken and vegetables, and a side salad.  I know the menu says that today we are having carne molida con papas and a quesadilla, but I switched it again!  I gotta stop doing that.  To make the spaghetti squash: Preheat oven to 375.  Then I cut it in half.  Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. olive oil on each half.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 45 minutes.  Then take it out of the oven and let cool 10 minutes.  Take a fork or a spoon and scrap out the strands.  While the spaghetti squash is roasting, I'll make a meat sauce (for my husband).  I'll brown some lean turkey.  Season the meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder.  Once it's browned I'll will drain off any fat.  But it being lean ground turkey there usually isn't that much.  Then I add a marinara.  I do make my own.  This time though I didn't have time so I just used a good quality jarred one.  If I use my own I don't add any extra seasonings.  But if I use a jarred one, I'll add dried parsley, dried Italian seasoning, dried basil, and dried oregano.  For my husband I'll serve him some spaghetti squash and top it with the meat sauce.  I like to have mine with vegetables and chicken. The side salad is just a smaller version of the salads I make for lunch.

Thursday:  Carne Molida con Papas aka Ground Beef with Potatoes.  I remember this dish from my childhood. My grandma, who we all called Mother, would make this and it was one of my favorite things to eat.  After she passed away I regretted never getting the recipe from her.  One day I was shopping and I really wanted to make carne molida con papas.  One of my friends said to google the recipe.  I told him that I didn't need Google, I would ask my mom.  And she gave me the recipe.  The original recipe calls for homemade salsa but I substituted Rotel, and it's just as good.

Carne Molida con Papas (Gound Beef with Potatoes):

1 lb lean ground beef

1 can Rotel

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups low sodium beef broth

3 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into strips

2 tbsps all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

In a large skillet over medium-high heat brown the ground beef, drain. To the meat in the skillet, sprinkle flour, add the potatoes and seasonings. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Add the beef broth and tomatoes and green chilies. Bring to boil, and then lower heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. 

I like to serve it topped with extra hot sauce and sour cream.  For the quesadilla, I'll take a Flatout flatbread, spread Laughing Cow cheese on one half and black beans on the other side.  Toast it on a comal, a flat griddle, and there you go.

Friday:  Baked Herb Crusted Cod, lemony green beans, and coleslaw.  Even though this recipe calls for cod, it works just as well with salmon.  

Baked Herb Crusted Cod:

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. dill

1 pound cod

Pam

Preheat oven to 450.  In a small bowl mix spices.  Spray cod with Pam and then sprinkle the herbs evenly over the fish.  Place fish in a baking pan sprayed with Pam.  And bake 10-12 minutes.  You can also place the fish close to the broiler for a minute or two to crisp up the herbs a bit more.

For the green beans, I buy the Marketside French Green Beans.  You can steam them right in the bag.  Just follow the directions on the package.  Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, pepper, crushed red pepper, and the juice from 1 wedge of lemon.  Then toss to coat and pour them onto the plate next to the fish. The coleslaw is super simple.  I usually make this first to give the flavors time to meld together.  To make one serving:  Take 1 1/2 cups of the Marketside Tri-Color Coleslaw mix and place in a small bowl.  Add 1 tbsp. Kraft Cream Poppy Seed Dressing and the juice of 1 lemon wedge (sometimes I'll add some a sprinkle of crushed red pepper, and a little bit of Italian dressing).  Mix and refrigerate until ready to serve.  The reason I make 1 serving is because my husband likes his a little different.  He likes a bit more dressing in his.  So I'll make his in a separate container. 

All of these dishes are not that hard to make.  And most of them take under an hour.  You don't have to rely on fast food places or frozen dinners.  You really can have a healthy home cooked meal in basically the amount of time it would take get in your car, drive to Mcdonald's, order, get your food, go home and eat it.  And it's cheaper too. 

Is that really me in the mirror?

Your body will can do almost anything.  It's your mind you have to convince.  Your brain is going to tell you that you can't do those exercises, it's going to tell you that you really do want to eat that piece of cake.  Don't listen to it.  When it comes to exercises what you have to listen to is your body.  Your body will tell you what it's ready for.  Just because you can't do jumping jacks or burpees right now doesn't mean that you won't be able to later on.  That's why there are modified exercises.  To help you build up strength and be able to do them properly.  When I first started there was a lot my body couldn't do but I could do modified exercises.  For instance push ups.  I couldn't do them on my toes.  In fact I actually started doing them against the wall.  After building some upper body strength I was able to do them on knees.  Now I can do push ups on my toes.  Maybe not perfectly yet but I'm working on it.  You have to push yourself a little bit each day, don't rely on modified exercises.   Listen to your body not your head.  I know that when I'm working out, and those of you that join me at the gym know this, I'm pretty quiet during the reps.  But inside my head, with every rep I tell myself, "You can do this,  I know you can.  Don't you dare give up."  And when I feel like I can't go on I say to myself,  "Just one more."  

Although changing your mentality may be the biggest hurdle.  It's something that I still struggle with it.  In my mind I'm still that 280 pound person from a year ago.  When my clothes starting getting too big for me begrudgingly I had to buying new ones.  Naturally I gravitated to the bigger sizes.  Women's sizes, it's where I had shopped for years and years.  Even in high school I was wearing 1X and at my very heaviest I was wearing 2X shirts and 3X bottoms.  So I thought those were still my sizes.  Boy was I shocked when I went to the dressing room and they were too big.  Even after I got out of the women's sizes, I still have a very hard time believing what the tags on the clothes say.  There are times when I'm folding laundry and I don't believe those are really my clothes.  Last week when I was getting my official gym instructor shirt and was asked what size S or M, surely she was asking someone else I mean me S or M....really?  I took the M of course.

My husband thinks it's kinda funny that I look at myself in the mirror so much.  And I admit that I do, a lot.  But what he may not understand is that I'm not looking at myself and thinking, "Oh yeah I'm so hot.  WOW, I look so good." I'm standing there thinking, is that really me?  Is that my face?  Is that my body?   No way.  I feel my hands touching my face but it's still sinking in that this is how I look.  There are very little pictures of me at that 280 pound weight.  I hated taking pictures.  Now I don't mind.  And I take a lot of selfies.  My mom, who has never like to take pictures, asked me why.  And why post them on Facebook?  There's a lot of reasons. I'm proud of myself.  But at the same time I need that confirmation from my peers.  And maybe I need people to see me the way I am now.  I actually had one lady who I worked with for a long time, and although it was years ago, not even recognize me.

You don't know how you look to someone else.  I will never forget how people used to stare at me at the store or whenever I was out in public.  I remember once when we were at a restaurant and a little girl pointed out how HUGE my legs were.  My daughter got so mad.  And the little girl kept telling her mom, "But look her legs are so BIG."  And her mom said to her, "I know, hush."  I think it upset my daughter more that it upset me.  I was used to being stared at.  Now that I lost the weight.  People don't stare at me like that any more.  I get treated so differently.  I get treated like I'm an actual person.  It's kind of sad actually to think that it's still OK to point and snicker at overweight people.  Looking out of my eyes the world is the same.  I see everything the same as before.  I don't know how I look to others.  But hopefully I look much healthier and happier, moreover I really and truly hope that I can inspire people with my journey.  Because if I can take control of my mind and my health then so can YOU!

Monday Morning Weigh Ins

      The second thing I put in my Walmart cart, after my food scale, was a digital weight scale.  It was the first scale I ever owned.  In the past I would just wait till I got sick and then get weighed at the doctor's office.  I thought that if I didn't see my weight creeping up then it wasn't true how many pounds I was putting on.  Denial is a terrible thing.  So I bought my scale, brought it home, took it out of the box, and probably gave it a dirty look.  In those first few weeks when I wasn't losing any weight I figured that the scale was broken and I thought about taking it back.  But then the doctor's scale said the same thing and I knew it wasn't the scale.  But my body refusing to lose pounds.  But I stuck with my new healthy lifestyle.  I didn't give up because I knew that eventually those pounds would start coming off.

     I first started weighing myself on Fridays. But, when I would do it on Fridays I found that I wasn't paying much attention to what I was eating on Saturdays and Sundays.  Then I decided to change to Mondays that way I would keep focus during the weekends.  June of 2014 a friend of mine started a weight loss challenge.  Everyone who wanted to enter paid 25 bucks and at the end the person who lost the biggest percentage would win the pot.  This challenge was conducted on Facebook and we had to post our weigh ins into a private group.  Talk about intimidation.  But every Monday morning I stepped on the scale took a picture and posted it.  It got me in the habit of taking a snapshot of my weight, and even after the challenge was over I have continued to take a picture and keep a record of my weight loss.  Oh and by the way I lost that weight loss challenge.  I got second place. 


      It doesn't really matter to me when you weigh yourself that's a matter of personal preference. Just pick a day and a time and stick to that schedule.  I think the best time is in the morning, after you have taken care of business and before you have breakfast.  Your weight will fluctuate throughout the day.  That's why I say pick a day and a certain time.  I have done all kinds of weight experiments.   I have done it before going to the bathroom, after using the bathroom, clothed and naked, before working out and after working out, before and after showering.  I have concluded that for me the best is Monday morning, after using the bathroom, naked, before eating breakfast, before working out, and before showering.  My husband says it's cheating to step on the scale naked, but I don't think my clothes should be held against me.  Besides when a baby is born it's weighed naked.  And I kid you not to this day I still have a hard time believing when the scale says that I lost weight.  Therefore are days when I will step on the scale.  Take the picture.  Step off...step back on see what it says...step off, step back on (sometimes holding my Yorkie) and then see what it says.  Then I get off the scale, put poor Maggie down and weigh myself one last time, just to make sure that it's not lying.  By the way I know what Maggie weighs was well and she could probably use less Milkbones.




     One day in July of 2014 I was wondering how many calories were in a banana.  So I typed into the the search box "how many calories in a banana" and it took me to the website:  FatSecret (there will be a post coming soon about the wonder that is FS).  Essentially it's a site that keeps track of calories, activities and weight progression, but at the same time so much more.  After joining FS I decided to start weighing myself  every day.  BIG mistake.  Like I said before your weight can fluctuate throughout the day and it can also fluctuate throughout the week.  And even though I was losing weight by the end of the week I was missing the overall loss because I was obsessing over my weight every day.  After about 3 weeks of doing it that way and getting supremely frustrated I went back to Monday mornings, and I have never looked back.  I know one guy who weighs himself everyday and then takes a weekly average.  And I know others who weight themselves several times a day.  You just have to find the method that works for you and stick with it.

     I also post my weigh in pictures to Facebook.  Yup, I make them public.  I have let everyone and their friends see what I weigh.  It keeps me accountable.  I remember the first time I posted the picture I thought I was going to hyperventilate and pass out.  I couldn't believe what I had done.  But everyone has been so supportive.  I also weigh in on FatSecret.  There too my buddies are the best!  I love every single one of you guys and I can't thank you enough for all the support.  Don't be scared to put yourself out there.  There may be some people who are jerks but you will find that mostly everyone will be super encouraging.

     And last but not least remember this:  IT'S JUST A NUMBER.  I know how frustrating it can be when you are working so hard and not seeing those numbers go down.  But a scale cannot measure who you are as a person.  It cannot measure the inches that you are losing.  It cannot measure how healthy you are getting.  And every single healthy step you take is a step in the right direction.  Keep on stepping!