Just a Tracker

Food Faves & Finds No.2

A peek into my fridge and pantry...

Gotta have grapes on hand! Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies. I have been known to eat the whole bunch in one sitting...but that's okay! Guilt free.

Just enough fruit. The lemon is for making dressing and cooking fish. I decided to try a tangelo this week--been hearing great things about them. The apple I usually eat with some peanut butter. Banana cut up in a bowl of Total Raisin Bran is my favorite breakfast.

These are the meats I got for this week. The salmon should make 2 or 3 meals for me. No one else in the house will eat it. They have NO idea what they're missing!

Pickled okra--this is an AMAZING snack. Whenever I feel like eating my arm off, I simply have half a jar of PO instead. A much better choice, I think.

Another delightful snack--laughing cow cheese wedges with crackers. If I close my eyes it's almost like I'm eating Easy Cheese (from the can). Almost.

These ingredients+chicken made my Asian lettuce Wraps.

These ingredients made a new family favorite: Tortilla Pizzas. The turkey pepperoni was great!

I've also tried a Barbecue Chicken Pizza with this method--tastes just like CPK!

My new item challenge for this week (to purchase something I've never eaten/prepared before) are these turnips and rutabagas. I will be roasting them with potatoes and onions one night. Hope it goes better than the artichoke from last week! ***Update: Turns out I do NOT like turnips or rutabagas. What are the odds?

Okay, your turn!If you have a great recipe, favorite "on-plan" food, new food discovery, please--share it with us! Enter the link to your Food Faves and Finds post below and be sure to grab a button!

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Asian Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cut into little pieces
dash of garlic powder
dash of ginger
dash of cumin
1 bag frozen stir-fry veggies
4 T peanut butter
1/3 c. Teriyaki sauce
1/2 c. chicken stock
1 squeeze of a lemon
1 head Bibb lettuce

Directions
1. Spray a large pan with Olive Oil Pam. Bring to med/high heat and put chicken in pan. Add spices. (If you like spicy, then add some red pepper, too) Cook until golden brown on all sides.

2. Turn heat down to med/low. Add Teriyaki sauce, chicken stock, and peanut butter. Stir until sauce is smooth.

3. Add veggies and turn temp back up just a bit. Add another layer of spices. Cover.

4. Let steam until veggies are warmed through. Uncover, squeeze in a bit of lemon juice and let simmer until sauce is beginning to thicken.

5. Remove from heat and serve on lettuce leaves.

Yields 10 wraps, apx. 100 calories each.
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I ate 4 of these for lunch today and it was very filling. Only 400 calories with nearly 5 grams of fiber and lots of protein.

I think I would like them just as much without the peanut butter, so I may leave that out next time. It does add a richness and helps thicken the sauce though. I have heard some people talk about powdered peanut butter? Perhaps that would be an option.

Anyway--if you try these let me hear about it.

Reader Questions Answered

I am so honored to have recently received awards from some special bloggers! You know how these work; you receive an award and then you spill the beans about yourself. So, here goes-- more than you EVER wanted to know about me...

Thanks to Katie and Kerri from In College, In Shape and also to Kelly from Journey to a New Me for passing on the Beautiful Blogger Award!

For this award I need to share 7 interesting facts about myself. I am going to kill two birds with one stone and answer some reader questions that I don't think I've ever answered.

1. How are you losing weight besides exercise? I am a member of First Place 4 Health. This is a healthy living program that focuses on a concept called the 4 sided person. The 4 sides are physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental. Each week I complete a Bible study that focuses on different aspects of healthy living and how to apply God's Word. I attend a weekly meeting where I weigh in, receive teaching (very similar to a Weight Watchers meeting), and review the Bible study. My eating plan is based on the government food pyramid, and my weight. Currently I am eating 1400-1600 calories per day. Here's a sample week's menu.

2. What type of exercise do you do? I am a member at a small gym where I do cardio and weight training 3-4 days a week. For cardio I mainly stay on the treadmill. I am currently running 1.5 miles and am upping that distance weekly. I alternate working lower muscle groups and upper. I do 2 reps of 15 on each machine with moderate weight. On days I can't go to the gym (when my hunk of a firefighter husband is on duty) I try to do something at home such as Biggest Loser Yoga or Cardio Max. They are both great.

3. How tall are you? I am 5'4"

4. What are some of your favorite go-to meals? The most common meal you will find around here is some type of protein simply cooked in a pan with seasonings and a few Tablespoons of olive oil. Chicken is the most popular, with pork and tilapia a close second. I cook all of them the same way. Tilapia takes about 7-8 min. (4 on each side, med. heat), pork a little bit longer (we buy the thin, boneless chops so I can have 2:) and chicken, if your butterfly a boneless, skinless breast takes just a little bit longer. I usually always have a mixed green salad with a simple homemade vinaigrette, either lemon/Dijon or balsamic. Favorite veggies include broiled asparagus, roasted potatoes, sauteed squash. I am working on a couple of new recipes that I will share (if they are good): Chicken Enchiladas and Asian Lettuce Wraps.

5. Any advice on how to lose the first 10 lbs.? I know this isn't going be very helpful, but for me the first 10 pounds is always the easiest. I guess because I am usually starting out at a large weight, I can almost lose that much in a week--without even trying too hard. But, obviously that isn't the norm. I'd say if you are having trouble with the first 10 pounds, change something. That isn't expert advice or anything, just what I would do. Not change anything major but something that you could easily knock out of your diet or easily add to your exercise regime. For instance, I love salt, but I know it is my enemy. I am waiting until I plateau and then plan to cut the salt significantly to give me a little boost.

6. Where do you live? I live in a small town about an hour north of Dallas, Texas. I grew up in this town, as did my husband. It doesn't have all the amenities of a city, but this is where my heart is. I will never leave.

7. Why are you so brave? (refers to taking pics in bathing suit, of muffin tops, sharing actual weights, etc.) I think the best answer I can give for this question is something an inspirational blogger left as a comment for me the other day:

"The thing is...I'm not ashamed of who I am or who I was because I'm becoming the person I want to be." ♥Kenz♥

Right on, ♥Kenz♥!

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Thanks also to Alexandra from Adventures of a Done Girl Named Alex for the Creative Blogger Award!

Rules for this award are:
1. Thank the person who gave this to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Tell up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth.
5. Nominate seven "Creative Writers" who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them

• My favorite show on television is Sports Center on ESPN.
• I hate to cook, craft, shop and travel.
• I never want to go on a 15 day Mediterranean cruise.
• I do not love rich, fudgy, chocolaty desserts with ice cream on top.
• I am a neat, orderly person who keeps a very structured and methodical home.
• I made it to the final round of American Idol several years ago, in my hey-day.
• Every time I play hide-and-go-seek or go shopping at Marshall's, I immediately need to pee.

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And thanks also to Annette from The Smith Family for this very cool award:

For this award I need to tell where I see myself in 10 years...

In 10 years I will be 40 years old. I will have a teenager and a pre-teen (YIKES!). My husband and I will have been married for nearly 20 years. I hope to be living in the house of my dreams...nothing too extravagant but exactly the way I want it. It is my dream to own a bakery so hopefully I will be living that out in 10 years. (Ironic, isn't it?) I will be serving a loving God and living each day to the fullest. I will be in the best shape of my life and in a size 6.

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Now I am supposed to pass these awards on to my favorite bloggers. I have learned from some other sneaky wise people that if you are ever going to break the rules, these blog awards are a good time to do it. So I am going to award anyone who has ever left me a comment on REAL FAT. And I SERIOUSLY do want to honor you! Your encouragement means WAY more than you probably know and I really don't think I would be doing this without your support. Really don't. So, display your awards proudly and tell me all about you! I really, really want to know. You can pick any or all of the awards.

On a different note: I am happy to report that I feel like all my bloggy friends are starting to get it back in gear, self included. This is a great achievement--getting past the first hump. Moving right along...

Friday Night Granola

It's Friday night. An evening to let your hair down, head out on the town and let the stresses of the week just melt away. Hmm. You know what I did tonight? I went to Dollar General.

We live in a small town, like 1,000 people. We have a Sonic, a gas station and a Dollar General. When the hum-drum of life starts to get me down, it's just a place I can go. A nice respite.

I'm kidding. I hate going to Dollar General but I wanted to make some granola and thought they might have some things I needed. It's no Whole Foods, but it works. And this may not be the most glamorous of Friday night escapades, but for me, again--it works.

Granola has a lot of healthy stuff in it, but it's usually high in sugar, fat(if nuts are involved) and calories. I tried to make a modified low(er) cal version. This still has 150 calories per 1/2 cup.

Friday Night Granola

Dry Ingredients
4 cups "quick" oats
1/2 cup coconut
10 packets Equal sweetener
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients
1 individual applesauce cup
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add-ins
1/2 cup dried mixed berries (cherries, golden raisins, cranberries)
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

Directions
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together.

2. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add all the wet ingredients into the well.

3.Toss it all like a big salad until it's well mixed, but not overly so.

4. Spread evenly on 2 cookie sheets and place in a preheated 350°F oven.

5. Most important step, make sure you stir or mix the granola every ten minutes so that you don't end up with any burned pieces. It's kind of a pain but you'll regret it if you don't!

6. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. Let cool, incorporate Add-ins.

8. Store in air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Now I have to be honest about the granola--it wasn't absolutely fantastic. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it was the lack of nuts, brown sugar and oil. :) But it was fun to make. Anyone have a more interesting Friday night to speak of?

Oh, I doubt it.

This Week's Menu

Since I preached the benefits of menu planning last week, I thought I would share my menu plan for this week. Keep in mind that I am striving for the following each day:

3 c. milk (which I rarely get)
2 c. fruit
2 c. vegetables
5 oz. protein
6 oz. grains
2 tsp. healthy oil

This is based on a 1400-1600 calorie diet. I haven't really calculated my calorie intake since I began (unless I was sharing it on this blog) but I have followed the guidelines closely and the weight is coming off. (I am a member of First Place 4 Health--a Christ-centered weight loss and healthy living program. This is their eating recommendation which is based on the USDA's "New Food Pyramid" guidelines)

Monday
Breakfast--1 c. Raisin Bran, 1 c. skim milk, 1 egg, 1 slice whole wheat bread
Lunch--2 c. mixed greens, balsamic vinegar w/ 2 tsp. EVOO, 4 oz. pork chop
Dinner--WW pepperoni pizza
Snack--Skinny Cow "Skinny Dipper" (80 cal.)

Tuesday
Breakfast--1 c. organic oats, 1/4 c. (canned)pumpkin, skim milk, Equal sweetener and cinnamon
Lunch--2 slices whole wheat bread, 3 oz. turkey, 1 slice 2% cheese, mixed greens, 1/4 avocado, 2 tsp. olive oil mayo, nectarine
Dinner--(Taco Salad) 3 oz. lean ground beef, mixed greens, 2 oz. cheese, 1/4 avocado, 1/2 c. black beans, 1/2 c. mexi-corn, 2 tsp. Greek yogurt (like sour cream), salsa

Wednesday
Breakfast-- 1 c. Raisin Bran, banana
Lunch--Taco Salad (Tue. dinner leftovers)
Dinner-- 2 oz. whole wheat pasta, 4 oz. chicken breast, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, 2 T basil pesto, mixed greens w/ balsamic vinaigrette
Snack--Kellog Antioxidant Plus bar: dark chocolate almond (these are heavenly with LOTS of fiber)

Thursday
Breakfast--Egg, turkey and cheese omelet, 2 pieces whole wheat toast
Lunch--Chicken Tortilla Soup (Looking forward to that, Stacey!), mixed greens, Southwest Dressing: 2 tsp. Greek yogurt mixed with salsa, 1/4 avocado, 2 oz. shredded cheese
Dinner-- Fish tacos: 4 oz. tilapia fillet cooked in 2 tsp. EVOO, 2 corn tortillas, mixed greens, tomato, onion, 1/4 avocado, salsa
Snack--fresh fruit salad (banana, nectarines, grapes)

Friday
Breakfast-- 1 c. organic oats, 1/4 c. (canned)pumpkin, skim milk, Equal sweetener and cinnamon
Lunch--4 oz. tilapia, mixed greens, lemon vinaigrette (2 tsp. EVOO), fresh fruit salad
Dinner--2 oz. whole wheat pasta, 1/2 c. cottage cheese, 2oz. extra lean ground beef with 1 serving Prego Garden Mushroom sauce, baked zucchini "fries"
Snack--Skinny Cow "skinny dip"

Saturday
Breakfast-- (see Wed.)
Lunch--Friday's spaghetti, mixed greens, balsamic vinaigrette
Dinner--4 oz. roast beef, carrots, English peas, roasted potatoes
Snack-- orange

Sunday
Breakfast--(see Fri.)
Lunch--2 oz. roast beef, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 2 tsp. olive oil mayo, leftover veggies, fresh fruit
Dinner--Chicken Tortilla soup (from Thursday) mixed greens, Southwest Dressing: 2 tsp. Greek yogurt mixed with salsa, 1/4 avocado, 2 oz. shredded cheese
Snack--Skinny Cow "skinny dip"

Why don't you do like Minnesota Mami (and now me) and post your plan for the week? I can't eat as much food now, so at least let me READ about it for crying out loud! Thanks.

Mississippi Mud, Be Mine!

I declare it from the rooftops:

"I am having Mississippi Mud Cake for Valentine's Day!"

So sue me.

I have given this decision much thought. Mississippi Mud Cake is my favorite dessert. It is a magnificent example of southern confectionery at its finest. I made one a few weeks ago for a friend and had ample opportunity to partake of it, but I gracefully declined. So I know that I am capable of not eating it when it's within my reach. Therefore I believe I'm ready to have my first on-diet dessert.

I feel very good about my decision to make it just so I can have one, solitary, ooey, gooey piece. That's all I want, one piece. Not a teeny weeny piece. Not a gargantuan piece. I will have a 2.5" x 2.5" piece. Like I said, well thought out.

In addition, you should know that I'm not going to save up calories or anything. I'm not going to work out extra either. I'm not even going to hate myself in the morning. No. I'm just going to eat my Mississippi Mud with a big honkin' smile on my face.

Ah, this really shouldn't make me so happy. But it does.

Today's Special

Breakfast

1 cup Raisin Bran (190)
1 banana (105)
1/2 c. skim milk (50)

Lunch (left-overs)

3 oz. pork tenderloin (130)
fresh asparagus (50)
1/2 c. whipped potatoes (made with chicken stock) (75)
2 T pan drippings (50)

Snack

1 c. grapes (100)

Dinner

4oz. tilapia (300)
2 T olive oil (120)
1 cup collard greens*(50)
squash casserole (200)

Total 1420 calories

*Making collard greens today took me back to the pilgrimage my mom and I made to Savannah a couple summers ago. I had collard greens for the first time at The Lady & Sons. Oh my. I linked to Paula's recipe in case you're interested. I substituted smoked turkey deli meat and left off the butter. They were pretty good. Oh, and look who we ran into on that trip! *Sigh*



I was 7 mos. pregnant by the way. You know Bobby was having to restrain himself from such a hot mamma...

In the Bag

Tonight, this:

became this:

Usually I love to cook--it's one of my favorite things about eating healthy, fresh foods. But tonight I didn't feel like it. I did want more than just a frozen dinner so this is what I whipped up using only ingredients that came from a bag, carton, or bottle.

Tuna Noodle "Casserole"

1/2 serving Smart Ones Fettuccine Alfredo mixed with 1 serving Starkist Tuna Creations in Lemon Pepper. I topped it with some Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

I topped 1 cup of fresh spinach with 4 sliced strawberries, a sprinkle of sliced almonds, and a drizzle of the BEST poppy seed dressing ever--too good to go low fat.

Calorie Breakdown

1/2 Smart Ones Fettuccine (120)

2 oz. tuna (60)

1 c. Spinach (20)

4 strawberries (25)

almonds (50)

2 T Poppy Seed Dressing (160)

Total calories: 415

Plus this meal has it all--fish, starch, veggies (spinach and broccoli), fruit, nuts, and fat!

Bon Appétit!

Sausage Ball Stand-Off

Last night the kids and I stayed over at my parents' house as we sometimes do when Justin is on shift. Around 7 pm my 4 year-old declared that he would like some sausage balls. My saintly mother promptly obliged. She sat down and for about 20 minutes used her hands to mix the most irresistible sausage balls this side of heaven. Seriously unbelievable.

Side note: I think they'll have sausage balls in heaven, don't you?

Now, I have been given a spirit of self-control, but COME. ON. I had to smell all 5 batches being baked. I refrained. I then had to wake up at 3 am with a coughing hacking baby and sit in the same room with them on an empty stomach. I refrained. I then had to watch everyone else eat them for breakfast while I ate my Raisin Bran and banana.

In the past, I would have already put away a whole bag of those puppies but it really wasn't that difficult to pass them up this go round. I know what they taste like. I've had plenty in my lifetime. I know how to make them. I know where to have them made for me. If I just HAVE to have a sausage ball at some point in my life--I can. But for now, I'm good.

Sausage Ball, you CAN'T defeat me!

Today's Special

I thought I would share one of my meal plans for this week.

Breakfast:
1 cup Raisin Bran (200 cal)
.5 cup skim milk (50 cal)
1 banana (100 cal)

Lunch:
2 slices Whole Wheat Bread (100 cal)
2 oz. deli turkey (50 cal)
1 slice pepper jack cheese (90 cal)
mixed greens
banana peppers
1 cup blackberries (50 cal)
2 tsp. strawberry low fat yogurt (50 cal)

Dinner
4 tsp. olive oil {for cooking} (100 cal)
3 oz chicken breast (350 cal)
2 oz. whole wheat pasta (200)
2 tsp. basil pesto (50 cal)
1 cup zucchini
1 cup mushrooms

Snack:
1 apple (90 cal)
1 T peanut butter (100 cal)

Apx. 1600 cal - 200 cal burned at gym = 1400 cal (net)

Yeah--this is how much food I ate and lost 3 pounds last week. Pretty cool.

(I am following the government food pyramid guidelines. I know that may seem kind of old-school, but it works and that is what First Place 4 Health uses.)