Ok I am back!

Tuesday October 5, 2010
The fall weather really makes me want to cook. Being cooler out I am especially in the mood for soups and stews.
Yesterday I made this French Onion Soup recipe:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/oh-so-good-french-onion-soup-recipe/index.html
Instead of crusty bread I used Bagel chips and instead of Swiss I used Asiago cheese. I just floated a bagel crisp onto of the bowls of soup and sprinkled generously with cheese. YUM! My daughter Anna (age 3) told me it was her favorite soup ever.
Tonight I made another Rachel Ray recipe : Winter Vegetable Stew (from her 30 min meal 2 cook book) Here is the recipe, http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=559but I didn't make the potato pancakes with it this time. Also replaced crimini mushrooms with (1) portabella cap chopped, swapped out the garbanzo beans for canellini beans and used fresh tomatoes instead of canned. This stew was very good!
My youngest two children loved it . My oldest like his father doesn't care much for soup. SO I had to make another full meal tonight as well.
Chicken tenders with Ranch Breading:
1 lb boneless skinless chick tenders
1 packet hidden valley ranch mix
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

mix breadcrumbs and ranch in a zip lock, add chicken and shake. bake on cookie sheet sprayed with Pam, 375 degrees for about 15 min.

These are so tasty and very easy!
We also had Oven Roasted Asparagus and Whole Wheat couscous. This healthy dinner tonight made everyone happy! I love cooking and love it even more when I am making healthy, fresh meals that my family enjoys.

Trying again

Ok so I haven't been great at this blogging my meals things and I haven't been losing any weight lately!
So I'm going to give it another shot, try to loose a few pounds before swimsuit season!

Tonight we are having a crockpot meal for dinner:

1 lb beef (stew meat)
package crockpot beef seasoning
1 cup water
1/2 cup frozen corn (just eyeballed it)
1/2 cup frozen peas (just eyeballed it)
5 potatoes diced
2 carrots sliced
cook low 8 hrs

Not very light but I am at work today i it's easy and still pretty healthy with all the veggies.

Well , had the stomach flu last week and since then haven't been eating very healthy. I have been good at not snacking before bed though. I am goign to try to get back on my plan tomorrow so hopefully I will post something new.

Day 10

Well lasted almost 10 days but fell off the wagon today. I made some cupcakes for a friend and some for my kids so I couldn't give them away without tasting one.... OK, I had two. It didn't even taste that good to me so I shouldn't have eaten them. On the plus side, I got to workout for 18 minutes today. Did Hip Hop Abs fat burning cardio dvd. It was 30 minutes long but I only got a chance do to 18 minutes.

Breakfast:
1 slice of whole wheat bread, topped with natural peanut butter and bare naked granola.
Lunch:
1/2 large baked potato with spray butter, salt and pepper
Snack:
2 cupcakes and a couple cheese nips.
I know, bad.
Dinner:
Sesame Chicken with brown rice and broccoli
http://www.recipezaar.com/Family-Favorite-Sesame-Chicken-239398

Just wanted to add a note about the whole wheat bread. I saw something on my local news about what to look for on labels. I realized that so many whole wheat breads in the grocery store are not really whole wheat. Look for "whole wheat flour" as first ingredient. Many bread have enriched flours as well, don't get those ones. The only kind I found so far that is 100% whole wheat is Brownberry bread, and it's good!

Day 9

Well I think I might have eaten too much today for lunch but It was very good!!!
All in all I am amazed at how much better i feel when not eating junk.

Breakfast:
Changed it up a bit today. 1 slice of whole wheat toast topped it with natural peanut butter and some vanilla Bare Naked Granola (YUM!) and sliced bananas
Black Tea
Snack:
Black coffee at church
Lunch:
we went to Applebee's
BBQ Grilled chicken salad (got the large portion and only ate half)
cup french onion soup
Dinner:
Roasted Chicken Breast
Roasted potatoes and green beans (with evoo and emeril's seasoning)

I didn't have any snacks before bed. Guess I am getting used to going to bed hungry.
Would like to try to start exercising this week but we will see how it goes. I got to walk on the treadmill for about 10 minutes on Saturday.

Day 8

Breakfast:
1 slice whole wheat toast topped with natural peanut butter, smashed up raspberries and sliced bananas
Lunch:
Grilled cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread
Small salad - mixed greens with lite Caesar dressing
Snack:
we took the kids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks, so movie theater popcorn, no butter and 3 of Anna's Mike and Ikes
Dinner:
Leftovers from last night (see day 7)
1 meatball and 1 cup whole wheat pasta

Went to our small group meeting at my friend Jen's and I passed up the delicious looking chocolate cake but had a handful of candied walnuts. I am still hungry, so I will eat something else tonight.

day 7

Can't believe I made it to day 7 with no junk food!
Breakfast:
1 slice whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter, raspberries and sliced bananas
Lunch:
2 black bean patties on 1 whole wheat tortilla with dab of taco sauce. very good and filling.
Dinner:
tried a new recipe for healthy chicken meatballs, the recipe was originally for turkey meatballs but I like ground chicken better.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/turkey-meatballs-with-quick-and-spicy-tomato-sauce-and-whole-wheat-spaghetti-recipe/index.html
2 large meatballs
1 cup whole wheat thin spaghetti

Didn't really have any snacks today, I had one or two small pretzels that the kids were eating. May have to have some popcorn tonight.

*** Edited to add - yes i had about 2 cups of airpopped popcorn with spray butter and salt while I watched The Proposal, great romantic comedy!

Day 6

Spent most of the day trying to clean out two closets and put laundry away. Last night I got two linen closets cleaned out so figured I would keep going today.
Breakfast:
1 slice whole wheat toast, Natural peanut butter, spread on some mashed up raspberries and sliced bananas - YUM
Black Tea
Snack:
only had time for 2 small pieces of celery with hummus
Lunch:
Bowl of chicken Orzo soup (from last night)
Some buttered noodles, this was a no no but my son Max wanted me to make him some and I couldn't resist. Should have had a salad instead, probably overdid the carbs today. But it was good!
Dinner:
Crispy Oven baked chicken - boneless skinless chicken tenders marinated in red hot sauce, and Worcestershire. then remove chicken from marinade but mix some breadcrumbs with the marinade and then coat the chicken with that mixture and bake. It was really good!
Oven roasted potatoes and green beans

Day 5

My Dad stopped over today with some potato chips and cheese curls, it was very hard for me to send those back home with him, but I did. I can do this, I can do this! Weighed in at 131 today so I am losing some weight and I had lots of energy today. I think when I eat junk food it makes me feel sluggish.
Snowy day at home, figured it was time to try a new soup recipe for dinner.


Breakfast:
1 slice 100% Whole Wheat Toast with Natural Peanut Butter and slice bananas
Small glass 100% Orange juice
a few strawberries
Snack:
handful of wasabi soy almonds
Lunch:
2 cups leftover whole wheat pasta with zucchini
No afternoon snack today
Dinner:
2 small bowls Chicken and Orzo Soup - thanks Rachel Ray! Was Very good
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipes/rachael-ray-30-minute-meals/Chicken-and-Orzo-Soup-with-Arugula-and-Basil
Small Spinach salad with dried cranberries Newman's light Balsamic dressing

Other Beverages: Water and Black Tea

Day 4

Well today I was really hungry for some reason and am also really tired so this will be short and sweet.
Breakfast:
1 slice 100% whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter and sliced bananas (when I find something I like I stick to it)
small glass of 100% orange juice
Anything is better than my old breakfast of tea and cookies or chocolate.
Snack:
1 Grapefruit
Lunch:
1 cup of chicken stir fry (honey ginger one from the other night)
Snack:
1 cup air popped popcorn with garlic salt
Dinner:
100% Whole Wheat Pasta topped with zucchini sauteed in olive oil and garlic. sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. I didn't measure how much I ate because I was really hungry. I had about one soup bowl full then about one more scoop.

Probably no snack tonight - going to bed early, kids have been waking a lot lately.

I had lots of water to drink and a few cups of black tea throughout the day.

Day 3

Couldn't post this last night because i had a computer virus, so my husband and I were busy trying to get rid of it. On Day 3 I was tempted at work, with a bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies. I went to reach my hand in to grab one and then remembered that I am trying to eat healthy. So instead I had some almonds :-)

Breakfast:
1 slice 100% whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter and sliced bananas
black tea
Snack:
handful of salted almonds
Lunch:
Left over stir fry from the night before (about 1 cup)
**should have a had a salad also because I just wasn't full enough
Snack:
couple small chunks of fresh pineapple
about 10 wasabi soy almonds
Dinner:
Chicken with Red Wine and Tarragon (Rachel Ray Recipe) I had 3 pieces
1 Small baked potato (topped it with the sauce from the chicken instead of butter)
1 cup of roasted asparagus (roasted for about 10 min with EVOO)

Herbal Tea before bed (no sweetener)

If anyone would like any recipes from these meals please let me know and I will post them :-)

Day 2

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Today at church the subject of the sermon was how important it is to have a plan and then God will lead you and show you the steps to take. (Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.) Pastor told us that "failing to plan is planning to fail." I thought to myself this is soooo true is all areas of our lives. This also applies to my new healthy eating plan!! So today I went to get groceries, yes in the 15 degree weather. I made some black bean burgers that I will use for lunches throughout the week. I figured if I plan ahead what I am going to eat for lunch, then I won't be tempted to grab some junk food to fill my stomach.

Breakfast :
Yes, we had no bananas today! So 1 slice of 100% Whole Wheat toast with Regular Peanut butter
1 Orange
Cup of black tea
Snack:
Cup of coffee (Black) in church
Lunch:
1 cup of 100% Whole Wheat Pasta
1 1/2 Cups Broccoli
Cooked with EVOO and some garlic, sprinkle of parm cheese
Snack:
5 celery stick with hummus
Dinner:
Honey Ginger chicken stir fry - consisted of white meat chicken chunks, red, yellow and orange bell pepper mixed with some brown rice. Was a Martha Stewart Every Food recipe. Very Good!!
Had about 2 cups of everything mixed together.
Still full from that meal so no snack tonight just some green tea.
Ok had to edit this - got hungry and had a hanful of salted almonds last night!

Day 1

If you are what you eat, I am a chocolate covered sour cream and onion potato chip dipped in salsa..... YUCK!
Starting weight 133lbs
Not doing this merely too loose weight just want to feel better. would be happy though to be back to 125, my prebaby weight. ;-)

January 2, 2010
Well today I am so tired of eating junk food that it will be an easy time for me to start my plan. I am using Michi's Ladder, which is a nutrition guide that I got with my hip hop abs video. (beachbody.com) Basically the "ladder" consists of 5 tiers. Tiers 1 and 2 being the best foods you can eat. I am planning on sticking to tiers 1, 2 and 3. the only thing I won't stick to is eating low fat cheese. Just not a fan of it. I will just use cheese moderately but the full fat variety.

Breakfast:
1 slice of 100% Whole Wheat Bread (very important that it's 100% Whole Wheat)
topped with Natural Peanut Butter and Sliced bananas
Snack:
20 Almonds (habenero BBQ flavor)
Lunch:
OK this is where I splurged for the day
1 small piece of homemade lasagna (yes the cheese was plentiful)
Caesar salad
Dinner:
1 piece of tilapia (baked with soy sauce, ginger, garlic and a sprinkle of panko breadcrumbs)
Roasted potatoes and Green Beans ( roast on baking sheet with sprinkle of EVOO, dried minced onions, and onion salt)
Evening Snack: this is my weakness love to have chips while watching tv
1/4 cup shelled edamame with sprinkle of soy sauce

throughout the day I had two cups of tea (one green one herbal, and lots of water)