Jan. 9: Drumroll....

Finally, the scale is moving downward.

I can't believe how quickly I gained back 22 pounds.  Apparently, the physics law of weight goes like this:

Weight goes on twice as fast as it comes off.

So finally, at long last, I've actually lost two pounds.

How, you ask?

Simply by not eating anything that did not come from my own kitchen.  I didn't eat any takeout all week, which nearly killed me.  Also, I'm eating fruit for an afternoon snack.  So far, so good!  Another change I made?  I only had a half of a Diet Coke all week - otherwise I've been sticking to water.

This weekend was tough - I had a wedding shower to go to.  Social stuff makes me very anxious, so a stuffed in a few handfuls of cinnamon hearts to bolster my courage. I have to confess, I ate with some reckless abandon when I got there, too.  I ate cake and dammit, it was delicious.

Back in the saddle now for supper tonight, though - something simple from my kitchen!

Meal planning for this week is off to a rough start, however.  I had to work all day Saturday, I finished making my gift for the bride (a recipe and meal planning book, done scrapbook style) Saturday night and Sunday morning, and then went to the shower all afternoon.  I'm way to much of a homebody to consider this a weekend, gotta tell you.  My house is less than tidy since I had no spare time and I got absolutely NO cooking done.  I feel pretty stressed about this.  I did 3 rounds of Flylady cleaning when I got home, and that helped a little. I'm going to do one more round during commercials in DD10's disaster room.

Monday

Crock Pot roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans

Tuesday

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Wednesday

Mexican Pizza

Thursday

Salad with Roasted Chicken

Friday

Enchiladas (I have the day off!)

So the week hinges on getting that roast in the crock pot in the morning!  Everything else on the menu is from items I already have in the cupboards or freezer. Wish me luck, my friends!

Jan. 1: Meal Planning 101

The key to eating properly is preparation. I find that most of us fall off the wagon when we aren't prepared. Hunger is a powerful motivator to grab something at Taco Bell's drive-thru. I find that if I make a bunch of basics all at once then there is always something to grab quicker than you can say "Happy Meal"!


This is a revamp of a post I wrote almost exactly a year ago - Jan. 2, 2010.  Clearly, this plan has worked for over a year for us!
Once a week I do a big food prep and usually there is a little more cooking once or twice a week. I like to have certain basics on hand so that I can put a meal on the table (or in the cooler) in a snap.

I always have the following items prepared because I can change up the flavors and have many different types of meals according to how the day is going:

soup stock 

baked brown rice (recipe below)

cooked chicken breasts

veggie steamer bags (instructions below)

ground meat (usually turkey or chicken, sometimes beef) (recipe below)

some type of salad

I always have these staples on hand:

canned beans

salsa

whole wheat pita bread

frozen corn

cilantro

yogurt

whole wheat pasta

canned spaghetti sauce

tomato juice and tomato paste

baby spinach

eggs

raisins
nuts

natural peanut butter

crackers

frozen fruits and vegetables

a nice organic granola


This is the stuff that works best for my family and our particular tastes.  You have to balance this out with your own family's favorites.  For example, f you detest yogurt, clearly that isn't a good option.

Steamer Bags of Veggies:

My kitchen would not be complete without steamer bags full of veggies. As soon as I get home from the grocery store, all veggies that are to be cooked over the week get washed and prepped for cooking (cut up, peeled, etc.) Then the veggies are placed in steamer bags with a sprinkling of Mrs. Dash or other seasonings. I always have several in the fridge to choose from. Right now in my fridge I have bags of : cabbage, broccoli, broccoli and cauliflower, cauliflower and carrots, asparagus, and green beans and carrots. They get nuked for 4-6 minutes and then are all set. (Note: in the winter when produce is very pricey and not so fresh, I substitute frozen veggies for fresh - you can still use the steamer bag method, or you can just nuke them in a covered dish.)

If I am in a hurry ( which is most of the time) I steam the veggies before adding them to the stir fry skillet - it really speeds things along!

Mexican Ground Meat

1 pound of ground meat ( lean beef, chicken breast or turkey breast)

1/4 cup diced onion

2 cloves of minced garlic

chili powder to taste

1/2 can of tomato paste (or a squirt of ketchup)

Saute veggies in a bit of olive oil. Add meat and cook until browned. Add chili powder and stir in tomato paste. Thin with water if necessary. Cook for a couple of minutes until blended. This mixture is good for a quick taco filling, spaghetti sauce, or chili. It is also good stirred into rice and topped with salsa for an all in one dish.

Baked Brown Rice

This recipe is a modified version of Alton Brown's Baked Brown Rice - you can check out Alton's version at this link.

1 1/2 cups of brown/wild rice mixture
2 1/2 cups of homemade stock (you can use an organic canned chicken broth - you don't want MSG!)

1 cup of baby spinach

1/2 cup carrots

2 cloves garlic

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. Bring stock to a boil on the stove. I use a pot that can go in the oven to make things easier. While boiling stock, put spinach, carrots and garlic into the food processor and pulse until it is coarsely ground. Add the veggie mixture and the rice to the pot and immediately put the lid on it to seal it tightly. Place this in the oven for exactly one hour and you will have a big pot of perfect fluffy rice.



I usually have my chicken breasts baking on the other rack in the oven at the same time.
With the rice you have a side that goes with any meal: Mexican, Chinese, Greek - it is very versatile. It's also delicious in a soup.

Here is a list of meals that can be quickly put together using the above foods:

 ~ chicken and broccoli stir fry over rice ~

~ rice and chicken skillet with salsa ~

~ pita sloppy joes with ground meat ~

~ spaghetti with meat sauce ~

~ Mexican meat and rice ~

~ chicken soft tacos ~

~ ground meat soft tacos ~

~ chili ~

~ chicken vegetable soup with rice or noodles ~

~ chicken cacciatore with pasta ~

~ pita pizza with chicken and veggies ~

~ chicken pita w/ tzatzki and veggies ~

~ Mexican pita pizza ~

~ garden salad with chicken ~

I hope this gives you a few ideas for meal planning and food prep. This system is working really well for us. It's family friendly and best of all, there is constantly good food ready and available.

 

Dec. 26: Tons of Turkey!

Today my kitchen has been a turkey processing plant.  (Not in the yucky chemical way, of course!)

First, I sliced the remaining turkey breast and bagged up meal sized portions for the freezer.  I took the remaining dark meat and carcass and portioned it out between my two stockpots and my crock pot.  In each pot I added fresh whole cloves of garlic, a whole onion, a handful of carrots and a handful of spinach, as well as sea salt.  Then I covered the contents with water and simmered for 8 hours.  I was left with enough flavorful stock for 3 large pots of soup and 4 one-cup servings for cooking rice.  Then I removed the dark meat from the bones (an easy task after simmering for that long) and bagged up three 1.5 cup servings of the meat to add when I make soup.

I don't usually make a whole turkey but this has been a learning experience.  Leftover queen that I am, it thrills me to have such a full freezer!  I got the 17 pound turkey from my workplace. 

So what am I going to do with all that turkey? 

Top 10 things to do with Turkey

~ turkey noodle soup ~

~ turkey sandwiches ~

~ turkey Caesar salad ~

~ BBQ pulled turkey ~

~ smoked turkey and bean soup ~

~ turkey salad sandwiches ~

~ turkey fajitas ~

~ turkey stroganoff ~

~ turkey "fried" rice ~

~ turkey tetrazzini ~

I bet you can guess the basis for this week's meal plan!

Sunday: Turkey Caesar Salad
Monday: Turkey "Fried" Rice with Steamed Broccoli
Tuesday: Broccoli Soup (I might need a break from all that turkey!)
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Grilled chicken pizza with the kiddos
Friday:  New Year's Eve party

I'm kidless today and tomorrow - the girls have gone to their grandparent's house until Thursday.  I got up and went to the early church service and then did what little grocery shopping was needed this week.  I then packaged up all that turkey and managed to shove it into my thoroughly stuffed freezer and fridge, and the rest of the day will be spent purging and organizing.  (God bless the Flylady!)

I started a new blog today chronicling my financial issues.  Don't worry, it won't be as dismal as it sounds! There may be some cross-over, but anyone that is having, or has had, financial problems may be able to relate as I try to dig myself out of the hole and hide out from bill collection terrorists.  Check me out at Life in a Pinch.

I hope everyone continues to have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Dec. 19: Cleaning Marathon and the Weekly Meal Plan

I can't think of too many things that I like less than cleaning.  It would be tough.  Perhaps alligators? Snakes in the sewer system?  Spiders.  I definitely do not like spiders.  *Shudder*  But cleaning is right up there with all of those creepy crawlies.

Of course, applying this information, one might correctly ascertain that my house is a mess.  An unmitigated disaster.  A step away from being invaded by a film crew and unwillingly featured in Hoarders.

Okay, I'm exaggerating, but only a little.  The mess stresses me right out, too.  By chance, I got an email with a link to this page:  Crisis Cleaning

To put it mildly, the Flylady rocks.

I've worked a couple of hours this morning and my house is far and away cleaner and tidier than it has been in a long time.  I'm taking a lunch break and updating my blog and I plan to do 3 more 45 minute sessions today, which will finish up my disaster zone for the time being.  It feels great to be able to open the door without cringing, should someone happen to knock.

Sunday: Smoked Turkey Breast, Broccoli, Roasted Potatoes

Monday: Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Tuesday: Spinach Salad with Smoked Turkey, Garlic Bread

Wednesday: Leftover Spaghetti

Thursday: Pizza with Grilled Chicken and Veggies

Friday: ~~~~ Christmas Eve ~~~~~

I'm only planning through Thursday because I am hoping to fall into a great big puddle of money between now and Christmas - that will help me pick the weekend menu - it's all based on budget this year!

Today I am experimenting with a turkey breast I bought on sale.  My goal is to make an oven-smoked turkey for Christmas day - I can only imagine savoring the lovely leftovers and soups I can make from that.  I was lucky enough to get a whole turkey as a holiday bonus from my employer!  I'll photograph the results tonight and if it turns out as good as I hope, I'll post the recipe.

Well, alas, back to cleaning!

Dec. 11: Sunny Saturday

Well, the funds are exhausted.  We have had a whirlwind weekend of shopping.  The nice thing about this is that we are shopping for others.  My girls and I are participating in a work project where we have adopted a family.  We have had the most fun ever shopping for this family we don't know and hoping that they are happy on Christmas morning.  It has been more satisfying than any holiday shopping I have ever done.

We also did a big grocery stock-up that has me looking forward to every meal of the week!  I got some great deals on meat this week and have wonderful things brewing for the menu!

Saturday: Roasted chicken, whole grain bread and green beans
Sunday: Upside-down nachos
Monday: Chicken cacciatore, whole wheat pasta
Tuesday: Leftover Buffet
Wednesday: Grilled chicken pizza
Thursday: Vegetable beef soup
Friday: Grilled chicken Caesar salad

How good does that stuff sound?  I can't wait to eat it all!

Leftover Buffet, if not previously defined, is how I get rid of leftovers in our house.  All the leftovers go on the kitchen counter and we grab a plate and dish out a bit of this and a bit of that.  Then we take turns using the microwave to nuke it and enjoy our favorites.  The kids seem to find leftovers much more palatable when served this way and it makes for a super-easy evening.

Right now, the grilled chicken roasting in the kitchen is so tantalizing that I just want to grab a hot drumstick out of the oven!

During this holiday season please remember how blessed you are to have the delicious food you are eating (or trying to resist eating.)  Remember our less fortunate brothers and sisters, not only at the Christmas season, but throughout the year.

Dec. 6: Snowy Monday

Isn't it a nice feeling when you think you have pigged out but then realize it wasn't really that bad?  When I was adding up my food today I had that pleasant surprise......

Until I remembered the TARTS.

Dang.

Despite the tarts, the FOUR tarts, my intake was still within diet numbers.

Calories:  1822
Carbs: 208 (eek)
Fat: 64
Protein: 100

Not great but not nearly as bad as before I got at least one leg up on the wagon. (although the other leg is dangling and dragging in the dirt behind the wagon.)  Geez, I don't know what's wrong with me.  Is there a confused smilie?

On to the weekly meal plan.

On Sunday I cooked a batch of chicken breasts.  I found a really great seasoning that contains no MSG.  It is a brand called Cool Runnings and I found it in the ethnic food aisle.  It's just their multi-purpose seasoning.  I sprinkled it liberally on the chicken breasts and baked them in the oven.  Spicy and delish.  Then I made my lunches for the week.

I packed 4 pieces of Tupperware with the above concoction:  6-6.5 oz chicken breast sliced over 1 cup of frozen veggies.  The veggies are either broccoli or green beans.  I heat this in the microwave at lunch time for about 2.5 minutes and the veggies are perfectly steamed.  YUM.

Today I made a crock pot full of soup.  I'm working really hard to increase my veggies.

Crock Pot Beef and Veggie Soup

1 can of diced tomatoes with olive oil and garlic

1 can f diced potatoes

1 can of mixed veggies

1 pound of extra lean ground beef

Seasoning to taste

(I used Italian seasoning, my Cool Runnings seasoning,

black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder)

1 cup of water

Cook the concoction all day (8-9 hours) on low.  Yummy smelling tasty soup will await you when you get home.  Ballpark calories for this lusciousness on a cold and snowy Monday?  80 calories per cup!

Yep, I relied heavily on the canned goods for convenience today. The goods I chose were not loaded with salt and I was careful to select brands without additives or preservatives. Sure, fresh would be better but I'm a single working mom and sometimes corners are just going to be cut. Period.  As long as I use careful judgement about what corners I'm choosing to cut, convenience can still be part of a healthy lifestyle.

Weekly Menu:

Monday:  Beef and veggie soup
Tuesday: Beef and veggie soup
Wednesday:  Turkey Burgers, sweet potato fries
Thursday: more soup (my daughter will be at dad's tonight or she would rebel against having soup 3X!)
Friday: dinner out with the kids - pizza?

I didn't go nuts on variety this week.  Sometimes when I am trying to get into the swing of dieting I do better when I don't have as much variety.  This seems like one of those weeks.

I got up early today and used hot rollers and the entire array of warpaint on my face.  Sadly, my long-awaited, much-dreaded, work uniform shirts arrived today, so tomorrow and every workday thereafter, I shall be clad in a hideous, unflattering blue shirt.  However, from the chin up, I'll do my best!

Keep warm!  If you are living in a wintery climate, enjoy the beauty of the first snow!

Nov. 14: Weekly Food Prep

This week, I'm really feeling the cooking bug.  Maybe because it's cold and foggy out, maybe because last week's food prep kept me so successfully on plan.  Whatever the reason, I'm itching to get into the kitchen today!

First things first, I'm roasting 2 chickens.  Have you seen those flattened chickens at your local grocery store?  They are supposed to cook way faster that way.  Anyhow, they are on sale, so I'm grabbing two and making them today.  While they are in the oven I'm going to also make a batch of baked brown rice.

The chicken soup I made last week was such a hit that my daughter R asked me to make it again this week.  So after the chicken cools, I'll remove the yummy white meat and put it away for other meals and then I will put the carcasses and dark meat in the crockpot overnight to make broth for more soup.

Sunday: Roasted chicken with potatoes and carrots, green beans

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Mexican chicken  casserole (recipe below)

Wednesday: Chicken noodle soup

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pizza night



Mexican Chicken Casserole

("Casserole" usually indicates something baked in the oven.  We're going to nuke ours in the microwave in one dish servings.)

cooked chicken

cooked brown rice

canned rinsed black beans

frozen corn

chili powder, cilantro, sea salt

salsa

tortilla chips

finely shredded cheddar

plain non-fat or low-fat yogurt

Based on your pre-determined serving sizes, add chicken and rice to a large bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of beans and corn, and then season to taste with spices and salsa.  Heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until hot.  Carefully remove the dish from the microwave and top with some shredded cheese and crumbled tortilla chips.  Return to the microwave for 30 seconds, top with  yogurt and then enjoy!

One of the really nice things about this dish is that, depending on your nutritional goals, you can tweak the macros to suit.  For the kids, you can top it with a bit more cheese if you want.

Now that I am finally feeling healthier, this is the week that I am going to start my early morning walking plan.  I'm going to start off with a brisk 20 minute walk with the dog, and see how things go from there.

My goal has changed.  After the epiphany I wrote about yesterday, I really want to lookin the mirror and love what I see.  I want to treat myself kindly and feel beautiful.  I want to stop punishing my body with food and instead, nurture myself with food and activity.

I'm off to church and then the grocery store! 
Have a great week!

Nov. 1: Starting the Month Off Right

I just love a new month. Something about turning that page on the calendar always makes me feel a rush of anticipation, that feeling of a fresh start.  I feel like I've put the bad stuff from the previous month away, just by the mere act of turning that page.

So, in honor of starting the month off right, here is my weekly meal plan.

Monday: Chicken soft tacos, brown rice, guacamole and beans
Tuesday: Leftover Mexican food
Wednesday: BBQ beef chili
Thursday: Stir fry w/ cooked chicken breasts and broccoli
Friday: BBQ chicken pita pizzas

Already made are grilled chicken breasts and BBQ beef chili.  Today, since I have the day off, I'm making a yummy fiesta meal for supper.  I have salad fixings, baby carrots, and prepped veggies for the stir fry.  I need to pick up some fruit and the week is set.

Did everyone have a fun Halloween? I managed to limit my indulgence to a few packets of Twizzlers.  I also humiliated my dog by dressing her as a princess.

Tip of the day:  Freeze the Halloween candy your child is not going to eat this week and take it out in the mornings to put in his or her lunch pail.  You are less likely to eat it if you risk breaking a tooth to do so!

Oct. 25: Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

That's a favorite saying of one of my favorite people. (Jac!  This means you!)  Today would not be considered a total failure - my intake is under 2000 calories, but I failed to plan properly for lunch today.  When I got a call from the school that my little girl was sick, I ended up eating on the run while picking her up, getting her settled, dashing to the pharmacy for her and getting back to work.

So I went through the dreaded drive thru.  I was planning to get a grilled chicken sandwich.  I really was.  However, I ended up seeing a sign for the ever-so-delicious Bacon Mushroom Melt from Wendy's and I got distracted.  Yup, I got one.  On the bright side, I didn't get fries for the side.  I got a small chili which will serve for lunch for me or my miraculously recovered child (amazing how quickly they get better watching cartoons!) 

So, today's eats:

m1: ezekiel toast with natural pb
m2:  yogurt, protein powder, blackberries, and granola
m3: Bacon Mushroom Melt
m4: Crock Pot BBQ Beef, sweet potato oven fries

Calories: 1797
Carbs:  140
Fat: 85
Protein: 121

All in all, I'm not hating my day.  I also managed to drink only one Diet Coke today - the rest was all water.  Another step in the right direction - I have to count all the little successes I can right now to keep myself motivated!

Check out the Crock Pot BBQ Beef recipe here.  It's quick to prep, makes lots of yummy leftovers and my whole family enjoys it.

So, for tomorrow, I am going to plan my lunch better.  In fact, I'll make it tonight and put it in the fridge.  I learned my lesson today: I can't rely on getting home at lunchtime to fix something so I better just take it with me.

Another obstacle I can foresee this week:  my oldest daughter (who lives with her dad) wants to see me this week.  There are only 2 restaurants in the small town where she lives, so we will go to the steakhouse on Wednesday night.  Tomorrow, I will strive to have a good day, as well as during the day on Wednesday.  Life just happens and you can't hide out the entire time you are on a diet.  I will make decent choices and not beat myself up.

Thank you very much for the support and kind words.  It means a lot to me - it's kind of hard to write about falling off the wagon for all the world to read about.

Food prep for the week of Oct. 24th

I've returned from my trip to the grocery store, and eats are still relatively on track for today.

Tomorrow I am going to make crockpot beef bbq - R can have hers on bread but mine will just be a hunk of yummy protein on a plate.

Today's prep:

Chicken breasts
Huge garden salad
Veggie tray with baby carrots, broccoli and cherry tomatoes
Mexican ground chicken
"Refried" beans
Sweet potato soup
Chicken broth made from a rotisserie chicken

This week's menu:

Sunday: Greek salad with chicken breast
Monday: BBQ beef, sweet potato oven fries
Tuesday: BBQ beef "pizza" on a whole wheat pita, topped with mushroom, onion and red pepper
Wednesday: Broccoli and chicken stir fry
Thursday: Grilled ham and cheese on artisan apple bread, sweet potato soup
Friday: Chicken soft tacos, refried beans

As always, lunch is leftovers.  I have a small breakfast before work in the morning, nearly always the same thing: whole wheat toast with natural pb, and skim milk.  I have yogurt, fruit and granola around 10 am.  I'm filling in the munching time with microwave popcorn.  I have to curb the constant eating but this week, my concentration is on eating real food again.

Wish me luck and determination!

Oct. 13: Limited Success

You know, I'm a glass half full kind of girl, so I am going to call today a success, if a limited one.

I finally fixed my food scale (okay, I replaced the battery, but saying "fixed" sounds much more efficient and capable) so my calories are very accurate today. 

They are too high for weight loss.

Today's eats"

m1: ww English muffin, natural pb, skim milk

m2: yogurt, 1/2 a nectarine, granola and protein powder
m3: salad with turkey breast, homemade Mexican dressing and 30g of Doritos
m4: broccoli pizza
1,882 calories
204 carbs
65 fat
125 protein

It's the carbs, of course, that are pushing my numbers up so high.  I've got to cut them back.  I have to plan my days better too.  If I were eating a less "carby" dinner, I'd be right in line with where I need to be.

My plan is to cut calories and eat on the higher end of the deficit.  After the lengthy diet break I've been on, I should be able to lose on more calories than before. (The optimist in me speaks again!)

After supper is just killing me.  I want to sit here and munch in front of the TV with every fiber of my being.  Of course, if I want to do that I need to save up some of my calories. Tonight I'm going to try a flavored hot tea and see if that satisfies a little bit.

The rest of the week is full of stumbling blocks.  Tomorrow has a breakfast meeting with absolutely NO healthy choices although I've requested them.  My daughter has a doctor's appointment and wants to go for lunch afterwards.  I intend to make good choices then as well, to the best of my ability.  For supper tomorrow night, I'm going to make a stir fry with veggies and chicken and no rice or noodles.  Friday, my mom will be arriving for a one week visit.  With her also arrives bags of chips, cookies and candy, as well as convenience foods like macaroni and cheese and other nutrional minefields.  The weekend will be the tough part, since all the meals will be family style.  The work week will be far easier to navigate since I will be eating the first three meals at the office.

I need to ponder and come up with a road map through this.  If I was still in my "excuses" phase, this would be a dandy reason to blow off my diet for the next week.  But I could do that every week of the year and still have excuses left over. 

There is always going to be something that makes dieting difficult.  Getting around those difficulties is the difference between being a yo yo dieter and a success story.



Sept. 6: Meal Prep for the Week

This week's food prep included:

Baked Brown Rice  (shown above)
Balsamic Chicken Breasts (baked at the same time as the rice
Mexican Style Ground Meat (combo of x-lean ground beef and x-lean ground chicken)
Guacamole
Steamer bag of broccoli and cauliflower
Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad

This sets us up for all sorts of quick easy meals.

Tonight we had Mexican pizza ( refried beans, Mex Meat, salsa and a sprinkle of cheese on a pita)
This week we will also have
Chicken, rice and steamed veggies
Taco salad
Broc/Caul salad with diced chicken
BBQ Chicken Pita Pizza

I love looking at my prepped food in the fridge - it really starts the week off on the right foot for me, plus it saves a ton of money!

We've also got a nice load of fresh fruits and veggies, yogurt, granola, and Ezekiel bread.

There is no better feeling than having enough healthy food to last for the week.  I am blessed.

July 7: Dollars, Diets, and Doldrums

Well, yesterday was definitely rougher, diet-wise, than today.  Not by much but I felt a little more energetic today, at least.

The stress of being broke is starting to really get to me.  You know how sometimes you can slide by without enough money for a long time, and then suddenly your precarious house of financial cards begins to shake, and one by one, they all come fluttering down? 

Every day this week, I have come home to one, if not two, items that must immediately be paid or terrible consequences will occur.  It's really starting to wear on me.  Today I came home, feeling fairly pumped to go to the gym and get a half an hour of weights in, and found two messages of impending financial doom.  Now, I just feel like sitting here like a big slug.  I'm hungry, I'm cranky and I make minimum wage.  Sigh.

Something is going to have to give.  I need to take a long hard look at the budget, but it's hard to make a budget when your income doesn't pay for your necessities.  Okay. Whinefest is over.  We will now resume our regularly scheduled blogging.

Stress has such an effect on dieting, especially super-strict dieting like I'm doing right now.  At least I no longer have the urge to drown my sorrows in cheeseburgers, because that would be even worse.  But all of the less than pleasant side effects of adjusting to this diet seem to be multiplied.  I feel shaky.  Is that from anxiety or from lack of carbs?  I have a headache.  Is that financially related or is it a side effect of being effing hungry?  I can't concentrate.  Is that because my brain is whirling around in my head, hoping to randomly land on an answer, or is it because I'd really like to have a donut and a bowl of mashed potatoes?

Okay, I guess the Whinefest had that one little encore presentation.

Eats have been a lot easier to figure out this time around because I'm just repeating previous meal plans.

meal one: egg white omelet, veggies, tiny amount of shredded cheddar
meal two: tuna, fat free mayo, and veggies; or leftovers
meal three: chicken concoction with veggies
meal four: protein float

I have to confess, that Diet Root Beer protein float is the highlight of my day right now!

To paraphrase Scarlett O'Hara, I'll think about the rest of it tomorrow.

May 3: Piles of Produce

I am really in the mood for piles of veggies and mountains of fruit.  YUM.  I really went on a crazy grocery spree and bought:

Broccoli

Grape Tomatoes

Baby Red Leaf Lettuce

Pineapple

Apples

Red Grapes

Cantaloupe

Mushrooms

Green Beans

Vidalia Onions

Baby Carrots

Frozen Chopped Spinach

HUGE bag of frozen blueberries

Potatoes

I was in the midst of a massive craving at the store so I went a wee bit crazy.  What's on the menu this week?

Monday: Chicken stir-fried with broccoli, onion, carrots and mushrooms

Tuesday:  Baked ziti in red sauce with beef, spinach and cottage cheese

Wednesday:  Grilled chicken, garlic green beans, mashed potatoes

Thursday: Taco Salad w/ tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and beef

Friday: Homemade pizza with chicken, mushroom, onion and broccoli

Fruit is always my #1 go-to snack - my mouth is watering just writing this!  As you can see from the above, I'm lowering the carb intake to every other day at supper.  We'll see what happens!

I'm also struggling to get my exercise in now that I am working part-time.  I wonder how the days fly by as quickly as they do?  I've decided to just try and break it up into two 30 minute increments.

May 1: Monthly weigh in

Today's weigh in did not provide excitement.  I only lost two pounds in April.  I keep reminding myself that I had nearly a two week diet break, but it isn't cheering me up a lot.  There were also a couple of inches lost - 1 in the waist and 1 in the boobs (NOT where I was hoping to lose!)

So today begins a new month with a new plan.  I just began dieting again on Thursday, so I'm hoping the diet break did what it is supposed to do - I really want to get my weight loss kicked up to two pounds a week again.

Meal planning for this week: (planned leftover items)

Crock pot Mexican chicken, baked brown rice, veggies in their steamer bags, and roasted chicken breasts

I can put together lots of meals with those items.  I also need to restock on Greek yogurt for my yummy protein ice cream - so very delicious!

I've been trying, somewhat unsuccessfully to back off on the carbs a bit.  Carbs seem to be my favorite thing in the world though.  So I'm going to leave my carbs alone, make sure I get enough protein and keep the calories low.  This month I'm shooting for 120 grams of protein per day.

This weekend, if the weather clears up, I plan to do some gardening - that will give me a bit of a workout.  I hope everyone enjoys their weekend ~

Feb. 12: 5 Day Meal Plan

I make a general meal plan for about 5 days ahead. That way I have the food I need on hand, and it's prepped when we are in a hurry. I've been in the pulpit before regarding meal planning and I maintain that it's a vital part of clean eating success.

The next couple of weeks are a challenge because my oven went "kaput" so I am relying on the Foreman grill, the stove top and the microwave. Sigh - can't wait to get a new stove! Come on TAX RETURN!!!

Breakfasts:
~Organic multi-grain English muffin with goat cheese and fruit
~Whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter and fruit

Lunches/ Snacks
~ Leftovers from dinners
~ Spinach salad with leftover protein or tuna

~ Homemade trail mix
~ Pita pizzas topped with clean sauce, protein, veggies,and low fat cheese

Dinners
~ Grilled salmon, bow tie pasta w/asparagus and Parmesan
~ Beef BBQ on a bun, steamed broccoli
~ Stir fry w/grilled chicken, rice noodles,and veggies
~ Grilled chicken tacos, refried beans
~ Beef and mushroom stroganoff over noodles

So, that gives you an idea on what's on the menu at our house. The food was all purchased yesterday and appropriately repackaged and frozen or stored.

Have a great weekend, everyone - keep it CLEAN!
~
~

Feb.1 - New Month, New Start

There is just something about turning that page on the calendar to a fresh new month. On the first of the month, I feel a little frisson of anticipation for the good things to come. I love the concept of a new beginning! It's like looking out into the back yard after a snow and seeing the pristine surface unmarred by footprints. Hooray for February!

This month I am going to cut back my servings of starchy carbs and replace with lean protein. I think that may have been part of my issue last month. I was dissappointed with only a 6 pound weight loss - I did better than that the month of Christmas, for crying out loud!

Today's wonderful meal plan:

m1: Toasted cranberry pumpkin seed whole grain bread (mmm), natural pb, grapes, skim milk latte
m2: Skim milk
m3: Extra lean ground beef, corn tortilla, salsa, baby carrots
m4: Healthed-up nuts and bolts (link to recipe below)
m5: Broiled salmon, maple roasted sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli
m6: grapes or strawberries

Here is the link to the nuts-n-bolts recipe - it's awesome!
http://www.eatcleandiet.com/the_kitchen_table/recipe/recipe.aspx?id=82

Check out the website the recipe is on - it's great - and I'm a frequent contributor, if you happen to like my blog! :)

Jan. 2, 2010: Meal Planning

The key to eating clean is preparation. I find that most of us fall off the wagon when we aren't prepared. Hunger is a powerful motivator to grab something at Taco Bell's drive thru! I find that if I make a bunch of basics all at once then there is always something to grab quicker than you can say "Happy Meal"!

The best food prep site I know of is this one http://www.billandchelle.com/fitness/food_plan.html
Chelle has successfully maintained a large weight loss for over a year. She was featured in Women's Health magazine and I have modified her food prep plan for our family's use. Check it out - I know you will be impressed!

Once a week I do a big food prep and usually there is a little more cooking once or twice a week. I like to have certain basics on hand so that I can put a meal on the table (or in the cooler) in a snap.

I always have the following items prepared because I can change up the flavors and have many different types of meals according to how the day is going:

soup stock (recipe http://afuturesuccessstory.blogspot.com/2009/12/dec-27-flu.html )

baked brown rice (recipe below)

chicken breasts

veggie steamer bags (instructions below)

ground meat (usually turkey or chicken, sometimes beef) (recipe below)

These are a few staples I also have on hand:

Canned beans (rinse before using them to remove some salt)

clean salsa

all natural whole wheat pita bread

frozen corn

cilantro

jalapeno relish (recipe below)

plain yogurt

whole wheat pasta

clean spaghetti sauce

tomato juice and tomato paste

baby spinach

eggs

raisins

nuts

natural peanut butter

clean crackers

oatmeal

If you keep this stuff around you can have a lot of variety. As you work your way through this you will figure out what works best for the tastes of you and your family.

Steamer Bags of Veggies:

This is an invaluable suggestion from Chelle's website. My kitchen would not be complete without steamer bags full of veggies. As soon as I get home from the grocery store, all veggies that are to be cooked over the week get washed and prepped for cooking (cut up, peeled, etc.) Then the veggies are placed in steamer bags with a sprinkling of Mrs. Dash or other seasonings. I always have several in the fridge to choose from. Right now in my fridge I have bags of : cabbage, broccoli, broccoli and cauliflower, cauliflower and carrots, asparagus, and green beans and carrots. They get nuked for 4-6 minutes and then are all set.

If I am in a hurry ( which is most of the time) I steam the veggies before adding them to the stir fry skillet - it really speeds things along!

Ground meat:

1 pound of ground meat ( lean beef, chicken breast or turkey breast)

1/4 cup diced onion

2 cloves of minced garlic

chili powder to taste

1/2 can of tomato paste

Saute veggies in a bit of olive oil. Add meat and cook until browned. Add chili powder and stir in tomato paste. Thin with water if necessary. Cook for a couple of minutes until blended. This mixture is good for a quick taco filling, spaghetti sauce, or chili. It is also good stirred into rice and topped with salsa for an all in one dish.

Baked Brown Rice

(This recipe is a modified version of Alton Brown's Baked Brown Rice - you can check out Alton's version at this link http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-brown-rice-recipe/index.html )

1 1/2 cups of brown/wild rice mixture

2 1/2 cups of homemade stock (you can use a clean canned chicken broth if you can find one)

1 cup of baby spinach

1/2 cup carrots

2 cloves garlic

sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. Bring stock to a boil on the stove. I use a pot that can go in the oven to make things easier. While boiling stock, put spinach, carrots and garlic into the food processor and pulse until it is coarsely ground. Add the veggie mixture and the rice to the pot and immediately put the lid on it to seal it tightly. Place this in the oven for exactly one hour and you will have a big pot of perfect fluffy rice.

I usually have my chicken breasts baking on the other rack in the oven at the same time.

With the rice you have a side that goes with any meal: Mexican, Chinese, Greek - it is very versatile. It's also delicious in a soup.

Jalapeno Relish

6 jalapeno peppers

1 tbs. white vinegar

pinch of organic cane sugar.

Yet another food processor recipe! Remove the stem from peppers. For a less spicy condiment remove seeds. I just take off the stem and cut each pepper into 3 pieces and place in the bowl of the food processor. Add other ingredients and pules until finely minced. This makes a delicious spicy condiment to add to your food. I love spicy food and the kids don't so this is one way I like to add some bite to my chili or tacos.

Here is a list of meals that can be quickly put together using the above foods:

Chicken and broccoli stir fry over rice

rice and chicken skillet with salsa

Pita sloppy joes with ground meat

spaghetti with meat sauce

mexican meat and rice

chicken soft tacos

ground meat soft tacos

chili

Chicken vegetable soup with rice or noodles

Chicken cacciatore with pasta

pita pizza with chicken and veggies

Chicken pita w/ tzatzki and veggies

I hope this gives you a few ideas for meal planning and food prep. This system is working really well for us. It's family friendly and best of all, there is constantly good food ready and available.

Have a squeaky clean day!

Daisy