Nov. 6: Thank you!

All of the feedback and encouragement I have gotten from you all has been amazingly helpful at getting me back on track.  I don't know if this applies to the rest of you all, but diet, weight loss, and whether I'm on track or not isn't something I can really talk about in my everyday life.  None of my friends are really dieting, so the topic is boring to them.  I work with a bunch of guys who would just stare at me blankly.  The people that I do know who are dieting are still in that place of justifying every bite they put in their mouth.  I'm good enough at doing that - I sure don't need someone else making up excuses for me!

So really, that leaves a forum that a post on with people I just adore, and this blog.

I believe, strongly, that without this blog to keep me honest, I'd have quit long ago.  I'd never have hit my goal weight and I would have probably yo-yoed back up to a higher weight than last year's Maximum Density.

I also love sharing recipes with you! I really enjoy cooking and being able to share some tricks and ideas is so much fun to me!

This week's menu:

Monday: Honey Garlic Meatballs, brown rice and steamed green beans
Tuesday: Mexican pita pizza
Wednesday: Ground chicken and bean burritos
Thursday: BBQ Beef Chili
Friday: Upside-down Nachos


What are upside down nachos?  I posted the recipe last year but it's definitely worth posting again.  I thought I had a pic somewhere but I can't seem to find it.

I use some of my big batch Mexican ground chicken for this (recipe below)

UPSIDE DOWN NACHOS

In an oven safe pan, layer, in this order:

~1 serving of ground chicken mixed with 1/4 cup of black beans

~ chopped veggies of choice (think peppers, onions, tomato, etc)

~1/2 serving (about 25 grams) of finely shredded cheddar

~ 6 blue corn tortilla chips, crumbled

~ the other half serving of cheese

Bake this in the oven at 400* until hot, bubbly and delicious.  (5-10 minutes)  When it comes out of the oven, top with plain, low fat yogurt and salsa, and perhaps some homemade guacamole if you are feeling industrious.

I love this because it gets rid of my pub-food appetizer cravings.  My kids love it because it has a funny name.  6 tortilla chips never made anyone fat, and neither did a bit of cheese.

BIG BATCH MEXICAN GROUND CHICKEN

2 pounds of extra lean ground chicken

chopped onion and garlic (to taste)

sprinkle of sea salt

chili powder (I like LOTS)

1/2 cup of barbecue sauce or ketchup

In a nonstick pan, cook the chicken, onion and garlic until chicken is cooked through, stirring to keep it broken up.  Once chicken is cooked through, season with sea salt and chili powder.  Stir in your choice of bbq sauce or ketchup and heat through until hot and thoroughly mixed.

There are a billion and one uses for this big batch of yumminess.  I'll list a few.

~ Taco or burrito filling

~ Mexican pizza topping

~ Mixed with brown rice

~ Upside down nachos

~ Meat for chili

~ Taco salad

~ In a pinch, stir it into canned spaghetti sauce and serve over pasta

I make a batch of this nearly every week - it's a staple in our house!



March 6: Cheats, treats and assorted planned noshing

What is the best thing to call a meal that is off-plan? I was calling it a cheat meal, but I recently read that putting judgement on foods is not mentally very healthy. The person suggested the term "free" meal. I like that. "Treat" meal, by that definition, would also be a judgement. I also like the term "off-plan". That says it all - it is just a food you do not normally consume. Hmmm. I'll go with off-plan for now. What do you guys call the meals that are not your standard fare?

I had my off-plan meal last night. The girls and I went out for pizza. I find that Pizza Hut, despite being one of the most expensive places around, is one of the cleanest options around. I got thin crust, light on the cheese, grilled chicken and veggie pizza. It was delicious and it calmed my crazy pizza craving that I have been fighting off all week. I ate a little more than I really should have, but finished my day in the range of 1600 calories. Still a calorie deficit day! Hooray! The leftovers went right into the freezer in single serving portions for a smaller off-plan meal to combat future cravings and to deter munching on it today!

I strongly believe that an off-plan meal here and there ( no more frequently than once a week for most people) is vital to stave away feelings of deprivation. No one can change their tastes so completely that they never ever feel the urge to have a few chips, some pizza or a yummy dessert. It's important to note that off-plan does not mean unplanned. Unplanned meals are weight loss sabotage. An off-plan meal is something you work into your weekly food consumption. An unplanned meal means you caved, you did not plan ahead and you were unprepared. The unplanned meal will crop up now and again but be sure you don't let it happen too often. Remember, you are in control of your food, your food is not in control of you.

As for cravings, there are two ways to deal with them effectively. First, of course, is the off-plan meal. But what do you do if you have had your off-plan meal for the week? You move on to Option 2 - recreate the flavor in a healthy way.

Here's my new favorite food remake - Upside Down, Grilled Chicken Nachos! The next time I make them I'll take a photo to put on here!

UPSIDE DOWN GRILLED CHICKEN NACHOS

Grilled chicken

Diced tomato, peppers, and onions

Clean salsa

A sprinkle of finely shredded all natural cheddar cheese

6-8 organic blue corn tortilla chips

Low fat plain yogurt (drained to thicken it)

On a microwave safe plate, place a serving of grilled chicken, cut into bite sized pieces. Top the chicken with veggies, salsa and cheese in that order. Microwave until ingredients are hot and cheese is melted. Crumble the tortilla chips over the top of the hot mixture and drizzle with plain yogurt if desired. Use a fork and dig in without guilt!

You can also use a lean ground meat seasoned with chili powder for your base instead of the chicken. Any healthy thing you might put on a nacho can go on this dish! Enjoy it!