Happy Holidays!

Things have been a little crazy here with the holidays coming, and then my family will be out of town for a few weeks and I likely will not have much internet access during then. So you won't be hearing much from me until about mid January but it'll be nose to the grindstone once I return!

This whole situation just keeps bringing home the idea to me that if you want something in your life, you need to make time for it because otherwise something always gets in the way. I haven't had as much time to blog as I would have liked, so all the ideas I want to share have gone unwritten.

Perhaps my New Year's resolution should be to make time for the important things in life.

To all my readers: I hope you had a very happy holiday season and that Santa listens to your prayers this year (I heard this from Facebook). "Dear Santa, please bring me a fat bank account and a thin body this year- and please don't get them mixed up again like you did last year!"

Feelin' Groovy!

With Christmas coming, I just haven't had much time lately to blog I'm afraid! But the good news is, I've definitely had enough time to eat properly. I was down another 3lbs this week!

I really will try to get some recipes posted this week; I've got some delicious ones to share. I just need more hours in a day! Hope you are all enjoying your holiday season (but not too much!)

Slow & Steady

I was a little disappointed when I stepped on the scale this week and saw that I had only lost 0.8lb but on the other hand, my husband and I did go out for a romantic lunch at a creperie, and let's say the meal (while delicious), was decidedly not weight loss friendly. So I'm counting this one as a victory and just have to push harder this week.

It's tough during the holidays. Normally, I think I would relax a little bit and enjoy some treats, but we're leaving for a cruise the first week of January and I'm already feeling uncomfortable about my weight again, so the last thing I need is to collect a few extra pounds before we go. I know I can't lose a lot before then, but it would be nice to take off another 5lbs or so before we leave so I don't have to worry about indulging on board!

I do have some more great recipes coming, so check back soon!

Great Southwest Favourites!

I've always thought that Nutrisystem did a great job with their Southwest style entrees, which is why I was so disappointed when I heard that they were discontinuing their Southwest Style Wrap as well.

Fortunately, with the help of Garlic Gold's new Southwest Style nuggets, I can still recreate one of my favourite dinners.


Mexican Pizza (Take Two) (Dinner):



1 pkg Nutrisystem Grilled Chicken breast (or 4oz boneless skinless chicken)
1 whole wheat pita or tortilla
1 tbsp Roasted Red Pepper hummus
1 tbsp taco sauce
1 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp Garlic Gold oil
diced onions, green peppers, tomatoes
2 tsp Garlic Gold Southwest Style nuggets

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice up your chicken and fry it in the Garlic Gold oil until fully cooked. Add vegetables and taco sauce and cook until soft. Spread the hummus on your "crust" and add the chicken/veggie mix. Top with cheese and bake in the oven until crust is crispy and cheese is melted. Sprinkle Garlic Gold Southwest Style nuggets on top and enjoy while it's hot!

The nuggets give this a great zesty flavour and I really enjoyed my dinner. This counts as a dinner entree plus dairy/protein, fat, veggies (depends how much you use), and a free food.


I was chatting with a friend about the food served in a particular restaurant, and she told me how amazing their nachos are. That gave me such a craving so I decided to try and make my own.

Beefy Nachos (Dinner):



1 pkg Nutrisystem Beef Taco or Chili with Beans or Vegetarian Chili
1 pita or tortilla, cut into "chips"
Garlic Gold Sea Salt nuggets
PAM spray (or Garlic Gold oil in a mister)
sour cream, diced green onion (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the chips with PAM olive oil spray or else mist them with Garlic Gold oil. Sprinkle the Sea Salt nuggets on top. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until crispy and golden.

These are delicious and taste exactly like tortilla chips! They have that slight salty flavour, a great crisp, and a nice garlicky touch. Top the chips with your dinner entree of choice and use salsa or sour cream for dipping if desired.

The reason I like to use the (discontinued) Beef Taco for this is that I can simply throw away the taco shells and use this as my carb serving; for the other entrees you do need to add a carb to enjoy this. However, it's easy to eat a lunch like the tuna or chicken salad with a salad and skip the included carb to look forward to a decadent dinner like this one!

I really enjoy cooking with Garlic Gold. When I received an email asking me if I wanted to review their two newest seasoning nuggets (watch for a recipe soon using their new Herbs de Provence nuggets!) I said yes definitely, and asked if they could please send me some more oil as we've gone through the whole bottle already! My husband loves it- one of his favourite quick fixes is to add 1 tsp to his tomato soup and he says it tastes fantastic like that. I find their products add so much flavour.

Disclosure: I received this product mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. (And I really, really love Garlic Gold and plan to continue writing about their products!)

Confidence Boost

For some reason I had this irrational fear that even though I was doing everything right, that it wouldn't work- that I'd messed everything up and was destined to stay fat forever.

The scale this morning shattered those illusions and gave me a boost to see that I'd lost nearly four pounds this week! I still have quite a ways to go just to get back to where I was, but at least I've gotten some reassurance that I will get there!

Like I always used to say to myself; just keep putting one foot in front of the other and it's amazing how far you'll go. I am sure the old, fat me could never have visualized myself even now, just the way that I can't see myself at my goal. I can't wait to put up that photo on my About Me page, no matter how long it takes!

When you aren't ready to make a change, nothing can make you really want it. But when you are ready- nothing will stop you! I think in a lot of ways, weight loss really is more psychological and physical.

How did you do this week?

New Ideas for a New Start

While I think it's great that all my old familiar recipes are still here and available for me to use when I don't feel like innovating, I find that I am really looking forward to learning about the new meals that Nutrisystem is going to release. It just opens up even more possibilities for recipes for me to create!

I've started doing a little tinkering again and my breakfast today was so sinful that I couldn't believe it was good for me. Seriously. If you see this product in your store, definitely give it a try!

Buttered Cinnamon Apple Toast (Breakfast):



1 pkg Nutrisystem Apple Strudel Scone
2 tsp Derlea Foods Cinnamon Raisin Spread

Quick and easy- just slice the scone in two to make two slices of "toast" and then pop them in the toaster until they are crispy. Then spread 1 tsp of the Cinnamon Raisin Spread on each half and enjoy.

This tastes so buttery and decadent... it made a great breakfast and I still had my dairy/protein and fruit serving to have later as a midmorning snack! The Cinnamon Raisin Spread counts as a fat serving, with 50 calories and 5g of fat- and it's well worth using it at breakfast, believe me!



I've also tried their Garlic Spread, with similar stats. I really like it melted over steamed veggies like green beans or broccoli. This company did not ask me to write about them- I just really like their products and wanted to share this one with you.


For snack today, I made myself a very filling snack that satisfied the crunch and munch craving. I'm not sure if I've written about it before, but it's worth another look anyway even if I have.

Veggies & Dip (Dairy/Protein Ideas):



Just slice up your favourite veggies along with a dairy/protein serving of plain yogurt (something fat free and high protein like a creamy Greek yogurt), and blend some dry seasoning mix into the yogurt to make a great dip. Hidden Valley Ranch makes a powdered mix that has only 5 calories per tsp, so you can use quite a lot and it's still a free food. I have also found some great mixes at Farmer's Markets- I had a salsa flavoured one today that was so spicy I could hardly eat it. Great way to get flavour without fat! (Note to self: try mixing salsa in with the yogurt as a dip!)

Two veggie servings equal a fruit, so go ahead and try this for your afternoon snack when you want something bulky that will take a while to eat, but still have enough protein to keep you going until dinner. It's 4 hours later and I'm still not really that hungry yet!

Whenever You're Ready...

Just a few days ago, I found out that Nutrisystem is revamping their menu. They have discontinued over 30 items, including a few of my favourites like the Chocolate Rainbow Delights, Blueberry Lemon Bar, Cream of Broccoli Soup, and Southwest Style Chicken Wrap. New items should be released shortly but we don't have any information yet on what they are.

Here's the full list of items being discontinued:

Blueberry Pancake Mix
Crispy Rice Cereal
Cream of Broccoli Soup
Orange Chicken Breast with Vegetables and Rice
Pasta Primavera with Tofu
Stroganoff Sauce with Beef and Noodles
Buffalo Wing Pretzel Bits
Chocolate Crunch Bar
Chocolate Fudge Bar
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
Chocolate Rainbow Delights
Cluster Crunch Cereal
Cranberry Granola Bar
NutriCinnamon Squares Cereal
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
Hearty Minestrone Soup
Pasta Parmesan with Broccoli
Turkey Hot Dog
BBQ Sauce with Pork Wrap
Beef and Noodles in Teriyaki Sauce
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Oriental Steak with Green Peppers and Noodles
Strawberry Shortcake Bar
Southwest-Style Chicken Wrap
Swedish Meatballs with Pasta in Sauce
Sweet & Sour Chicken with Noodles
Almond Biscotti
BBQ Soy Chips
Blueberry Lemon Dessert Bar
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Nacho Crisps

At first, I was upset when I heard about it. After all, these items are familiar, and those of you who know me well know that I hate change, especially when it's something as personal as food. Then I started thinking about how I haven't really been on plan at all for most of the summer, despite having these familiar foods available. Maybe a little change is what I need to shake things up and get back on the wagon.

It really is all about your attitude. I may have regained some weight, but I've also regained my determination and focus to finish this part of my journey. Today is my fourth day back 100% on program and I am proud to say that I'm ready to do this again.

It's amazing that when you're truly ready, it's much easier to find reasons NOT to cheat than it is when you're on the fence. Today my sister in law visited us and she baked chocolate chip cookies with my son. There isn't much that smells better than freshly baked cookies right out of the oven! They had cookies; I had a chocolate Vitatop nuked in the microwave until it was gooey and delicious too. Then I saved one cookie for my son for tomorrow and sent the rest home with my sister in law so that I wouldn't eat them. I'm really proud of myself for that, too.

I've also got some great new recipes that I've been working on, both flex and using NS food, and I'll try to get them posted over the next few days. This blog isn't going anywhere!

So please raise your glass (of water) and toast with me to new beginnings!

(P.S. if anyone has any extras of the discontinued items that they don't want- please feel free to send them my way!)

Staying Focused

So, here I am again. I just seem to be having a really hard time staying focused lately and I don't know why, and I don't know what I can do about it. How to regain lost motivation?

I got an email from a friend that really struck home for me although I know she didn't intend it that way. She remarked that we'd been friends for a year and a half now. While I think it's great that I've met some wonderful people during my journey, my mind finished the sentence with "... and you're not at goal yet."

Well, I'm not. I look like a normal person now, but I'm not where I'd like to be and my BMI is still overweight. So why have I been wasting all this time? I don't know.

The Biggest Loser has started up again and it's been giving me a little kick to start exercising again. I always feel so much better when I do so I don't know why I don't make a bigger effort.

So now I need your help! What are your strategies for getting back on plan when you've been derailed? I started this and I'm going to finish it- just need to figure out how!

Getting Cold Out...

It seemed like now that the kids are back to school, Mother Nature really wanted to make it clear that summer is over! We had quite a cold snap recently and that made me start craving soups.

Quite a while ago I saw this recipe on the Nutrisystem boards but never got around to trying it myself. If you enjoy rich flavour, you will really enjoy this one! I found it to be a delicious lunch.

Potato Leek Soup:



1 pkg NS Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes
1 leek, diced into little pieces
1 clove garlic, minced (or Gourmet Garden garlic paste)
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 cup cauliflower florets, diced small
1 green onion, diced
1 tbsp bacon bits
2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
pepper to taste

Steam cauliflower until tender. In a medium sauce pan, saute leeks and garlic in PAM spray on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add a few Tbsp. of water when they to start to brown to keep the leeks from sticking and to steam them. Reduce heat to low and add chicken broth and milk, then add NS potatoes and stir to blend. Add pepper, cauliflower, and bacon bits. Simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring often to ensure the potatoes are entirely mixed in and hydrated. Serve in a large soup bowl and top with shredded cheddar and green onions.

Count this as one lunch entree, plus 2 veggies, 1 dairy/protein serving, and a free food. If you have an extra carb serving, I'd suggest boiling a medium red potato and dicing it into chunks to add a little more body to the soup- but if not it is fine as is!

Sometimes, You Just Gotta Have It!

My overriding philosophy behind my success in this lifestyle change has been to deprive myself nothing that I crave; rather, to instead find a substitute item that would satisfy my cravings.

Before I started Nutrisystem, I was a French fry-aholic. I loved their crispness and of course, I loved ketchup and gravy or whatever else you could top them with. Most of the time, I'm happy with one of my French fry substitutes like my Cajun Fries. This week, in my box of produce from the Neighborhood Share Association, I got a big bag of potatoes, so I decided to find a healthy way to make the real thing.

Potatoes really do get a bad rap. They are low calorie and fat, but they are simple carbs and as a rule generally not low glycemic index, so they cause blood sugar spikes. NS Dietary Services says that as an occasional treat, you may substitute a medium red potato as a carb serving, so when you make these, enjoy them as an occasional treat.

Pizza Pizza makes truly awesome potato wedges, but these have a fraction of the calories and fat and have lots of flavour!


Garlic Herb Potato Wedges:




4 medium red potatoes
4 tsp Garlic Gold Oil
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp thyme

Cut each potato (unpeeled!) in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into 4 wedges lengthwise. In a Tupperware container, add the oil and spices, and then the wedges. Shake well until the wedges are evenly coated with spices and oil. Bake them at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until they are crispy. Before serving, sprinkle them with Garlic Gold Sea Salt Nuggets and enjoy!

These are a great and healthy substitute for French fries, and one serving counts as a carb + a fat. My suggestion is to save a carb from earlier in the day (have your chicken or tuna salad without bread) and have this on the side with a hamburger for a fast-food fix!

Disclosure: I received this product mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. (And I really, really love Garlic Gold and plan to continue writing about their products!)

Dessert for Breakfast?

I've always had a major sweet tooth, which explains one of the reasons why I got to the weight I was. This delicious breakfast recipe will make you feel like you're breaking all the rules but it's still filling and right on plan!

Vanilla Almond Fruit Flan (Breakfast):



1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp Splenda
2 almonds, minced (optional free food)
1/4 cup blueberries
1/3 cup strawberries, sliced
1/3 cup raspberries


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a shallow, wide single serving dish with PAM spray. In a bowl, mix together the pancake mix, milk, egg, and 1 tbsp Splenda. In a separate bowl, soak the fruit in the extracts and remaining Splenda. Pour the batter into the baking dish and top with the fruit (and minced almonds, if using them) and bake for 35 minutes or until cake is golden brown.

The egg gives this a really nice consistency and the extracts make this taste so decadent! Count it as a complete breakfast, with a free food if you use the 2 almonds. You can also try different fruit combinations, just as long as they all add up to one fruit serving.

Dreams

I know I've been writing a lot lately and I'll try to get back to more recipes and less about me!

Last night I had a dream that really struck home for me. As you know if you've been reading me for a while, I love to watch the Biggest Loser. But, I also confess to being really proud that I could make the decision to do this myself while at home amongst all the temptations of real life. Yesterday I dreamed that I had to go to the Biggest Loser and tell all the contestants that I failed and couldn't do it without help.

Well, that was a kick in the rear! First thing today- back to tracking my meals and I did the 30 Day Shred. It's a step in the right direction at least! Now I just have to stick to it.

I know the program works- look at me, I've lost more than 90lbs following it. So all I have to do is keep doing it, and I'll get to my healthy body weight. Thanks for sticking with me through my dry spell of blogging and my being off the wagon. Hopefully you'll stick with me while I get back on track!

Getting Back in the Game

I don't know why I am having so much trouble just getting focused again. I keep getting up in the morning and telling myself the right things and then just not doing it. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself because it's not worth making myself miserable over, but I don't like what's happening and something is going to have to change.

I started doing a new weight loss challenge with a friend of mine that ends October 9 and if I don't start focusing I am definitely going to lose- she lost an amazing 5lbs this week while I only lost 0.8lbs. Maybe a little healthy competition is exactly what I need to kick things back into gear. We'll see how this week goes!

Readers, I'm sorry I haven't been writing as much. I do have some great recipes to share with you and I'll post one tomorrow- I promise. It's a fabulous breakfast entree that is so good, you'll definitely want to have it again for dessert!

Mindset Makeover

I've been thinking about posting for a few days now but haven't gotten around to it. Seeing a little note on the top of my blog that my ticker hadn't been updated for more than 80 days was a real shock and it gave me a kick that I need to start focusing again.

Two nights ago, I had a dream that it didn't matter what I ate anymore because I'd already eaten two days' worth of calories in cookies. I remember feeling so helpless and frustrated, like I had no control anymore.

But that isn't the case. Even if everything else in your life is out of control, you're still the only one who is physically putting food into your mouth. We all make choices; we're never forced to eat anything. I remember when I had been on my journey for a short while and was showing results, that I felt so empowered and strong. I have not been feeling that way lately. I've been making excuses and I'm back on a road of self sabotage (I've updated my ticker, as you can see). But that isn't who I want to be! And the only one who has the power to stop it is me.

When I first got started on Nutrisystem, they had a program called Mindset Makeover to help people get adjusted to the new lifestyle choices they should be making. I feel like I need a new Mindset Makeover for this point in my weight loss journey, to help get me back on track mentally. I think the problems started to stem from the fact that I've come so far and then got complacent with all the compliments and that the size of clothing I'm wearing felt so normal that I felt satisfied where I was and that got me derailed. If I had chosen to stay there, that would have been OK too, but I didn't. I started to get dissatisfied, but instead of making a positive change and getting back on my healthy eating plan, I started to get down on myself and make poor choices again.

So, it's time to do another round of Mindset Makeover. I pledge to you, my readers, to make one post each day and find something positive to help me readjust my attitude. And I'll throw some recipes in there since I owe you some!

This blog isn't going anywhere- it's time to get things moving again!

I'm Still Here...

I haven't disappeared into the void of the blogosphere- I promise! Sorry that I haven't been posting but lately it's just been one thing after the other and I haven't had the time to write. I do have some great recipes to share with you and I'll do my best to get them posted this week.

I've also done some thinking about how I've been doing the past three months and WHY I've been on a plateau. Have I generally been eating well? Yes. Have I had a few days where I blew the bank? Absolutely.

When I think about why I lost my motivation, it makes a lot of sense. For the first time in my life, I was starting to feel good about my body and the way I looked. I was getting a lot of positive feedback from both people I know and from strangers, and so I "relaxed" a little. After all, I had accomplished my original goal- perhaps I would give up and just maintain at this weight? Heck, I even posted pictures of myself on Facebook in a swimsuit this past week- and I didn't feel fat or embarrassed!

When I look at it that way, it's easy to see why I stopped losing weight. However, what delights me the most is that over the past three months, I haven't been gaining any back. I've been plus or minus four pounds of where I stopped the entire time, which makes me feel great. I know now that I've developed the habits that will help me maintain for a lifetime when I do decide to stop losing.

However- that time isn't now. While I'm still thrilled about the improvements I've made in my health and my appearance, I'm still considered overweight by BMI and I know that I can still lose some more weight healthfully and that I will look great when I'm finished. At this point I believe it's going to take more of an effort exercising as well as watching my eating habits, but that's for the best. Exercise is great for our bodies and I need to incorporate it into my routine.

So- I'm back. And I'm ready to get back on track and focus again.

Summer Salads

We joined an organic farm produce share association this year and so far I'm quite happy with it. It was more expensive than I thought it would be, but the produce tastes so much better than store bought. My husband commented that the tomatoes especially have a rich, almost buttery taste compared to the bland ones at the grocery store. The fresh herbs are great, too. I rarely buy fresh herbs at the store but I've been getting some in my produce bin each week and they make meals so flavourful and smell great to boot!

I've also been getting some more unusual items so it's helped me broaden my recipes so that I can include the new items. Today's recipe doesn't have too much new in it, but I'm sure you'll find it as light and refreshing as I did- and it's a great twist to take a break from lettuce based salads.


Vegetable Ideas:



Lemon-Dill Summer Salad:

2 large tomatoes, cut into small cubes
1-2 cucumbers, chopped into cubes (peeled or not, your choice)
1 shallot, sliced (or a small onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 radishes, sliced (black radishes if you have them)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 tbsp Garlic Gold Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Place all the vegetables in a Tupperware container and add the herbs and stir. Pour in the dressing and shake until evenly distributed. Serve and enjoy! Makes 6 servings.

The Garlic Gold Lemon Vinaigrette gives this a very nice zesty flavour and made a delicious side dish. If you don't have it, you can mix together 6 tsp lemon juice with 6 tsp olive oil to make a dressing.

Count this as 1 vegetable serving and 1 fat serving and enjoy!

Disclosure: I received this product mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. (And I really, really love Garlic Gold and plan to continue writing about their products!)

Great Summer Recipes!

Now that the summer heat wave is here, I'm sure we're all looking for ways to cool off. Here are a few ideas that I've tried recently!

I usually drink plain water now, but every once in a while I have a craving for something different. In the summer, I love lemonade with BBQ-type meals! I got this recipe off the back of a Realemon lemon juice bottle and changed the sugar to Splenda to make a great lemonade recipe that no one would believe has very few calories!

Summer Sweet Lemonade:

1.6L cold water
1 cup Splenda
1 cup pure lemon juice

Mix everything together and stir well, and enjoy! It doesn't technically count as water since it's been sweetened, but as long as you aren't drinking just lemonade I wouldn't worry about it too much.


Hungry Girl sent out an email with a dip recipe not too long ago and I tried it and thought it was great! Here is my version:

Dairy/Protein Ideas:




Veggielicious Dip:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup FF mayo
3 tbsp dried veggie soup mix
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes packed in water, drained and chopped

Mix everything together and stir until well blended- it's that simple! And because you're using Greek yogurt as a base instead of sour cream, you can actually use 1/2 cup of this as a dairy/protein serving at 84 calories and 7g of protein. It has tons of flavour and makes a great afternoon snack (substitute 2 veggie servings instead of your fruit).

Review: Brad's Raw Foods

When I first heard abour people eating a raw food diet, I was a little skeptical. How could raw, unprocessed food taste as good as cooked food with spices? My idea of a raw diet was vegetables fresh from the garden, which are delicious, but I couldn't see myself living off them!

Then I was given the opportunity to review Brad's Raw Foods and I was pleasantly surprised! They sent me 3 product samples, two kinds of kale chips and one bag of red bell pepper chips. I was still a little nervous when I saw the products; how could they possibly taste as good as potato chips, especially since these aren't baked or fried?

I took a bite of the "Vampire Killer" Kale Chips (spiced with garlic and vegan cheese) and they were different, but once I ate a few of them, I realized I really liked them. It took some getting used to since the flavour was so different from what I expect in a crunchy snack, but now that I've eaten them, I plan on ordering some more!

My son had no such inhibitions about them:



He thinks the Red Bell Pepper Chips are the best snack ever, and since they are healthy and made from vegetables, I don't mind him eating them!

I was totally shocked when my chip loving husband came up to me and said we had to order more of these. He loathes carrots and guess what the first ingredient on the Red Bell Pepper Chips is? He still loved the chips and thinks they make a great snack.

Brad's Raw Chips are a great product if you are looking for a healthy snack to munch on. They have all the crunch of potato chips but won't go to your hips! I definitely recommend checking out their blog so you can learn more about their product line. Their products are not only healthy but vegan too, so everyone can enjoy them. It's certainly a tasty way to eat your vegetables!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Barramundi

I told myself at the start of my Seafood Theme that I was going to try at least one brand new thing. A lot of the recipes that I share here are ones that I've made before so I know they are good. But sometimes it's fun to try something with completely new ingredients and see how it goes. I found this recipe in Women's Health magazine and thought I'd give it a try. I'd never even heard of barramundi before, but much to my surprise when I asked for it at my grocery store fresh fish counter, they did have some in the back! So I figured I had to make this recipe and see how I liked it.

Also, when I went on vacation in December, I had these awesome fish tacos at the hotel restaurant and wanted to see if I could recreate them. Here's what I made:

Flex Meals (Dinner):



Chili-Lime Barramundi Tacos:

4oz barramundi fillet
1 tsp olive oil
2 small corn tortillas, warmed
shredded cabbage
diced tomatoes
pepper, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, lime juice to taste
Creamy Tarragon Sauce

Sprinkle the pepper, chili powder, and cumin over the fish. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and add the fish. Cook for 5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 2 minutes. Chop into pieces and squirt with lime juice and a little fresh cilantro. Put the cabbage, tomatoes, and fish into the heated tortillas and enjoy with the Creamy Tarragon Sauce!




Creamy Tarragon Sauce (from Sobeys magazine):

1/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp horseradish
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp lemon zest

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy with the fish tacos. 2 tbsp is a free food.

This didn't have quite the same flavour as the ones I had in Florida, so I'm going to have to keep searching for a great recipe that will work. The tarragon sauce had quite a kick to it in my opinion- if you like horseradish you will love it, but if you aren't used to it (I'm not), you might want to cut the amount to 1 tsp instead. I think I will do that next time.

It was a nice light meal though. Count it as one dinner entree plus a vegetable serving (and a free food if you use the sauce). The oil is part of your flex dinner so you still need to add a fat and some veggies to make a complete dinner.

And that brings our Seafood Theme to a close... I have some other great new recipes to share though, so keep checking back!

Red Lobster

I'm sorry there's been such a long break in the middle of my theme posting. Things have just been a little crazy here and I haven't had a lot of time for blogging. I still do have some Seafood Week recipes for you to enjoy, though!

Flex Meals (Dinner):



Lobster Pizza:

1 Flatout wrap (or othe carb serving)
4 oz lobster meat
2 tsp Garlic Gold
1 oz shredded cheese
chopped tomatoes and onions
dried or chopped fresh basil
Garlic Gold Parmesan Nuggets

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the Garlic Gold onto the pizza crust and sprinkle with the basil. Add the lobster meat and vegetables and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and browning, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the Parmesan nuggets on top, and enjoy!

This recipe is so quick, easy, and delicious. I used to love Red Lobster's version and this one tastes just as good- plus you get more lobster to enjoy! If you don't have Garlic Gold, I really recommend trying it. You can substitute with olive oil and chopped garlic, but it won't have the same smooth flavour to it. I also haven't found a substitute anywhere for the Garlic Gold Nuggets- they are amazing! So full of flavour- they definitely make a nice touch to a meal.

Count this as a flex dinner + fat serving + dairy serving. Or, if you like, use the Nutrisystem Italian Herb Flatbread Pizza for your crust (discard the sauce) and just scale back the lobster to 2oz and the Garlic Gold to 1 tsp and then you have the same, dinner + fat + dairy/protein. You can choose to use NS cheese or you may substitute any cheese that has 72 calories and 5g of fat, which are the stats for the NS cheese. I rarely use it anymore because I prefer to substitute my own which melts better.

But whatever way you make it, this is a nice twist on pizza and it makes a yummy dinner!

Disclosure: I received this product mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. (And I really, really love Garlic Gold and plan to continue writing about their products!)

Numbers

I'm still stuck on my plateau here, and honestly, it's starting to drive me a little batty. I know it's perfectly normal to hit plateaus, especially when one has lost the amount of weight that I have, but to step on the scale this many times and see no movement at all is pretty frustrating.

So, I regretfully must suspend the Spring Into Summer Challenge. If you're participating, please feel free to keep sharing your numbers with us! But I'm going to take a break from the scale for a while and just concentrate on being healthy. I know that eventually the scale will start moving again as it does for everyone, and I just need to be patient. Hopefully this will remove some of the stress so that I can just get back to losing. I have to remember it's about more than the number on the scale and look at everything I've accomplished so far. I am NOT failing; I've gone from a size 1X to a M and I wear a smaller size than the average Canadian woman. I reached my first goal of 98lbs lost which is already so huge! I will reach my second goal as well, as long as I keep working at it.

I hope you're enjoying the Seafood Week recipes and I still have more to share so keep checking back!

Fish 'n Chips

I always used to love going to fish and chip shops and getting big pieces of halibut, battered and deep fried, smothered with tartar sauce. Don't forget the giant order of French fries to go with it! I shudder when I think now at how many calories and grams of fat I was eating.

But yes, it's still possible to enjoy breaded fish and "fries" and stay on your weight loss plan- I definitely suggest you give this recipe a try!


Flex Meals (Dinner):



Breaded Fish & Chips:

4oz halibut (or other white, flaky fish)
1 slice stale whole wheat bread, processed into breadcrumbs
Egg Beaters
black pepper, garlic, Italian spice blend to taste
1 tsp olive oil
serving of Cajun Fries (minus chili powder)

Turn a frying pan on medium heat and warm the oil. Dip the fish in the Egg Beaters and then into the breadcrumbs. Repeat until the breadcrumbs are stuck to the fish. Fry the fish in the oil in a covered pan for about 8 minutes, or until fish is white throughout. Enjoy! Counts as your complete dinner with the fries.

My next thought was to find a way to enjoy some tartar sauce with my fish. I love the stuff, but it's deadly! One tablespoon generally has about 75 calories and 8g of fat, and it's just not worth it. However, I found a great recipe to make my own from Taste of Home and it was a pretty good substitute- not quite as rich but the same flavour.

Tartar Sauce:

* 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
* 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, drained
* 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 2 drops hot pepper sauce

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
One tablespoon contains 9 calories, 43 mg sodium, trace cholesterol, 2 gm carbohydrate, trace protein, trace fat. So you can enjoy 2 tbsp with your fish and count it as a free food!

Sauce

I remember one of the first things I "learned" when I started trying to lose weight back in 2005 was that you couldn't eat sauce on your food, because it was nearly always the not-so-hidden source of extra calories, fat, salt, and sugar. Yes, you can make food taste good with spices and other preparation methods, but when your palate is used to sauce, suddenly going to things like plain chicken breast can be one heck of a shock!

I was delighted when I read about this marinade recipe in Men's Health- with only a few tweaks, it is Nutrisystem friendly and only counts as a free food. Definitely give it a try when you want a delicious dish reminiscent of Asian cooking.

Flex Meals (Dinner or Lunch):



Orange Maple Salmon:

1 raw salmon fillet (3oz for lunch, 4oz for dinner)
1/4 cup orange juice (I used Tropicana 50 to lower the sugar)
1 tbsp SF maple syrup
1 tsp soy sauce
garlic, to taste

Soak the salmon in the marinade for a minimum of half an hour, then bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Pour a little leftover marinade on top of the fish before baking it if desired (make sure you put down tinfoil in the pan in that case as this sauce will stick to the dish!).

This is great no matter what you pair it with. I liked it on a tortilla with cabbage and rice wine vinegar, but it would also be great with rice and veggies. When using this as a flex meal, count the salmon as your protein servings plus a free food and make sure you add everything else you're supposed to have.

I'm guessing this would also be great on the BBQ!

Soup: Not Just For Winter!

I adore creamy soups. Unfortunately, it's tough to get creamy soups that are delicious but not hard on the waistline! This recipe is wonderful, and if it wasn't such a pain to shell the crab, I would make it much more often!

I got the idea when I was at the grocery store buying some fish, and I saw in the fresh seafood area that they had live Dungeness crabs. I've read a lot about them but never actually tried one, so I decided to give it a shot. I must admit though, it was quite a fight! So, if you have kids or a spouse who are willing to shell it for you- bonus!

A friend of mine gave me the idea to make it into a bisque when I said I was having trouble figuring out what to do with it, and the result was delicious.

Flex Meals (Dinner):



Creamy Crab Bisque:

1 Dungeness crab, shell removed (about 4-5oz of meat)
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup FF half & half
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped green onion
2 tsp butter
pepper, Old Bay to taste

Fry your onion in the butter until it starts to caramelize, and add the flour to form a paste. Pour in the broth and half & half and stir, simmer for about 5 minutes. Add in the crabmeat and spices, and simmer to allow the flavours to blend. Serve with the green onions as a garnish, and a carb serving of your choice.

I counted this as dinner + dairy/protein + dinner fat serving and it was so good and a huge portion so I am stuffed. Before adding the carb, this came to 323 calories, 25g of carbs, 7g fat, and 38g protein. This puts it at the high end for a dinner but still within the range since it includes the dairy/protein and fat.

It might be makeable with canned crab meat (and a lot cheaper!) but it was SO good with the real thing.

Seafood Week

I got an email today that expressed sadness that I was quitting blogging. I'm sorry if I have given you that impression! I've been tired and haven't felt up to writing much lately but I am definitely still here and plan to keep blogging. Thanks for sticking with me during my dry spells!

I have quite a few delicious seafood flex recipes to share, so Seafood Week may run a little long. I'm also still taking requests if you have a recipe you'd like to see made NS-friendly. It would be great if you could link me to a "real" version so I know I'm not confusing it with another dish as well.

Today's recipe was inspired by (bad pun intended) Inspirations magazine from Sobey's. Very light, so it's perfect on a summer day.

Flex Meals (Lunch):



Grilled Scallops with Summer Compote:

4oz Bay scallops, raw
1 tsp basil pesto
1 tsp Garlic Gold
1/4 lemon, zested and juiced
grape tomatoes, cut in half
cucumber, peeled and cut into small chunks
green onion, finely chopped
fresh tarragon, finely chopped (with a piece for garnish)

In a Tupperware, combine the scallops, pesto, Garlic Gold, and half the lemon zest. Close and put it in the fridge for half an hour. In another bowl, put the tomato and cucumber chunks, and add the remaining lemon zest and half the juice, and toss with the green onion and tarragon; place onto your plate. Heat your BBQ (or grill, or in a pinch, a frying pan) to high. Grill scallops for approximately 2 minutes per side or until lightly charred. Spoon them over the tomato/cucumber compote and drizzle with remaining lemon juice, and enjoy!

This serves one and counts as a flex lunch plus a fat serving. You also get to add a carb, and I liked having a Weight Watcher's breadstick with it, which is also great for wiping out your bowl! As prepared, it was 196 calories, 10g carbs, 8g fat, and 20g protein.

The Garlic Gold complemented this meal perfectly with the lemon. I've found that a blend of Garlic Gold and lemon juice also makes a delicious dipping sauce for steamed seafood like lobster tails or grilled shrimp, and it's much more heart healthy and flavourful than using plain melted butter. Definitely give it a try!

Disclosure: I received this product mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. (And I really, really love Garlic Gold and plan to continue writing about their products!)

Spring Into Summer Weight Loss Challenge: Week 4

Sorry for the lack of updates this week- I've just been very tired and haven't spent that much time on the computer. However, I have been cooking so look for some Seafood Week recipes coming over the next few days!

I find the heat in the summer really takes my energy and I just don't feel motivated to exercise much. I really need to find something to give me that kick in the behind because I know I can get where I want to be, but I have to keep going!

This is my third week of no change... very frustrating! I know that exercising is the best way to get the scale moving again, so I need to start doing it!

1st weigh in May 29: - 2.6 lbs (1.56%)
2nd weigh in June 5: - 0 lbs (1.56%)
3rd weigh in June 12: - 0 lbs (1.56%)
4th weigh in June 19: - 0 lbs (1.56%)
5th weigh in June 26:
6th weigh in July 3:
7th weigh in July 10:
Final weigh in July 17:

How did you do this week? Hopefully better than I did!

Spring Into Summer Weight Loss Challenge: Week 3

Well, I seem to have finally hit the dreaded plateau. After more than a year though, I can't really complain! I know I just need to stay motivated and push through it and the pounds will start dropping off again.

I know I've been stuck in the same weight loss range for quite a while now, but it's hard to be disappointed. When I originally signed up for Nutrisystem, I set my goal to lose 98lbs and I've accomplished that. I never thought I'd actually be able to do it and it's something I am very proud of. So while it's frustrating that I've been "wasting time", not only have I not regained any weight but I've continued to lose (albeit very slowly). That really gives me confidence that I have changed my habits for life, and that I am going to be able to maintain this loss.

But, I want to keep going. I want to achieve my second goal weight, and I know I can do it. I just have to make some more changes in my lifestyle to make exercise a permanent part of my life. I need to understand that, just like the changes I've made about food, this isn't a quick fix and going back to my old habits will mean that I'll lose all the progress I've made. Exercise is part of being healthy and I definitely need to do more of it!

Not to mention that you can't really "waste time". When I was younger, I always used to feel like I was just waiting to actually begin my life; waiting for things to happen. It took getting older to realize that life was happening all along- I just had to enjoy the journey. And that's what I'm trying to do here. It's not a race to reach my goal weight as quickly as possible. For me, this is and has been a learning process to figure out the best way to incorporate healthy changes into my life so that I don't feel deprived and that I'm happy with my choices. In the long run, if it takes me a few weeks longer to reach my goal, that's OK- it doesn't matter. I just have to keep going!

I also wanted to share with you that today ends my commitment to the Nutrisystem Canada Blogger Program. I am so appreciative that I was able to be part of the program- the people I worked with were so friendly, helpful, and supportive (thank you, Meredith!). I will be continuing to follow the Nutrisystem program but it'll be back on my own dime again :)


1st weigh in May 29: - 2.6 lbs (1.56%)
2nd weigh in June 5: - 0 lbs (1.56%)
3rd weigh in June 12: - 0 lbs (1.56%)
4th weigh in June 19:
5th weigh in June 26:
6th weigh in July 3:
7th weigh in July 10:
Final weigh in July 17:

How did you do this week? I'm sure by now everyone's lost more than I have! But there is still lots of time left for me to catch up!

Seafood Week

One thing I do miss about cooking for myself is seafood. I love just about everything that comes from the ocean! Unfortunately, I can understand that it must be difficult to make seafood shelf stable. Even frozen isn't the same as perfectly fresh fish or shrimp.

I'm going to do a series next week on flexing meals that fit within the Nutrisystem guidelines but still allow you to enjoy your favourite seafood meals! If there is something in particular you're hoping to see a healthy version of, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Seafood is such a great food item to enjoy while pursuing a healthy lifestyle. It's all low calorie and high protein- most of the problem with seafood dishes is what we add to it. Lobster, one of my favourite meals, has only 30 calories per ounce and 6 grams of protein. Just don't look at how many calories and fat grams are in that little bowl of clarified butter that usually comes with it!

I also find that fish is a great entree choice for summer, since it's light but filling, and also that it goes great on the BBQ.

What's your favourite kind of seafood and what dish do you miss eating with it?

Panini Press = Awesome!

Who doesn't love a cheesy sandwich on crisp bread toasted in a panini press? It's been so hot out lately that I just wanted to have a light supper, so I thought of having a sandwich. Definitely give this one a try!

Italian Herb Flatbread Pizza (Dinner):



Grilled Ham & Cheese Panini:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Italian Herb Flatbread Pizza
1 really sharp knife
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 oz shredded cheddar cheese
3oz sliced deli ham

Preheat your panini press. Carefully split the Italian Herb Flatbread pizza into two halves lengthwise, so you have two very thin slices of "bread". This takes some practice and a sharp knife so that you don't make holes in the bread like I did the first time! Spread the Dijon mustard on one half of the bread, and layer the ham on top. Sprinkle with cheese, top with the other half of bread, and place in the panini press until cheese is melted. Enjoy with a nice salad!

Now, you aren't using the Nutrisystem pizza sauce or cheese for this entree (unless you want to use their cheese instead of cheddar). I checked with Dietary Services and the cheese is 72 calories and 5g of fat, so I substituted my own to fit those stats. If you want to, you can just use the included cheese. The pizza sauce is 30 calories, so I substituted the Dijon mustard. So that makes this recipe count as a dinner entree + protein serving (the ham). Make sure to add the rest of your dinner servings (perhaps brush the bread with olive oil for your fat serving prior to grilling it).

This might also be yummy as a chicken parmigiana sandwich, using their sauce and cheese- just put a protein serving of chicken inside the sandwich and sprinkle the cheese over top. This is a very flexible recipe so go ahead and get creative!



Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Spring Into Summer Weight Loss Challenge: Week 2

I was disappointed but not altogether surprised to see the result this week. I know I'm retaining water right now and that can definitely have an effect on the scale! But I'm continuing to eat right and exercise, so I know that as long as I keep it up, the pounds are going to start dropping off again.

1st weigh in May 29: - 2.6 lbs (1.56%)
2nd weigh in June 5: - 0 lbs (1.56%)
3rd weigh in June 12:
4th weigh in June 19:
5th weigh in June 26:
6th weigh in July 3:
7th weigh in July 10:
Final weigh in July 17:

If you just found us today, feel free to join the challenge! How did you do this week, on the scale or with your other goals?

Ole!

I am signed for a ton of daily recipe emails from a variety of different sites. Most of the time they are too high in calories and fat or they can't be easily made healthy, but sometimes I get a gem which only needs a few tweaks to make it delicious and Nutrisystem friendly. I had this for lunch today and really enjoyed this variation on traditional stuffed peppers. The inspiration came from Life Made Delicious.


Mexican Stuffed Peppers:



Black Beans & Rice (Lunch):

1 pkg Nutrisystem Black Beans & Rice
1 large bell pepper (any colour), cut in half and cleaned out
1/2 tomato, chopped
green onions, chopped
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
1 oz shredded cheese

Prepare entree as directed on the package. Be careful not to use too much water as this meal gets soupy in a hurry and then it's tough to get it out without turning everything to mush. Mix together the entree, vegetables, and garlic, and put the rice mixture inside the bell pepper halves. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove and add the cheese on top, and place back in the oven until cheese is melted. Enjoy with a little sour cream or salsa if desired!


Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Already?

It's very frustrating that I just began my exercise program but I'm already getting sick. I've decided that since I just got started I am going to delay it until I'm feeling better since exercising while you're sick is pretty miserable. I don't feel like I'm making an excuse because I was starting to find level 1 on the 30 Day Shred to be much less challenging than it used to be, and yesterday it was so tough I had a hard time getting through it. Being weak will really take it out of you. I'll definitely post when I am re-starting the program!

I finally got my hands on the new shelf stable item. We were told LAST summer that it was coming very soon. Well, I don't have high hopes that I'll get to see any other new Nutrisystem meals while I'm on the program if this is soon!


Southern Style Biscuits & Gravy (Breakfast):



I had high hopes for this breakfast. Biscuits & gravy isn't something we get a lot in Canada but I have fond memories of it when I travel to the South. The idea of baking a biscuit in the microwave (with explicit instructions not to put it in the oven!) seemed a little odd, but I decided to give it a try.

As you can see, there is FAR too much gravy for that one poor little biscuit! I suppose I should have cut the biscuit in half to try and soak up some more of it, because although the gravy is actually very tasty, it wasn't much fun eating it with a spoon. If you have an extra carb serving for your breakfast a piece of toast would be perfect here. The biscuit comes out of the microwave looking exactly the way it does when you put it in- white. But, it does still taste pretty good, if dense. I really enjoyed the gravy, which has little bits of sausage in it- very flavourful. I am glad I ordered a couple of these because they are a nice change from the sweet breakfasts and are pretty yummy at that!



Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Insomnia

I've been having so much trouble sleeping lately and I really don't know why. I get tired, go to bed, and just lie there wide awake. It really sucks, especially when my little guy likes to get up at the crack of dawn, whether Mommy is ready or not!

So, here I am on my computer at midnight. Hopefully I can fall asleep soon!

Maybe it'll all be worth it because I'm here to make another commitment. I think I've finally gotten my motivation back and I'm ready to continue changing my life. I'm so close to my goal; how can I stop now? I'm still so proud of myself that despite having trouble staying on plan for the past 8 weeks, I still managed to lose weight overall. To me, that's a great sign that I really am going to be able to maintain my weight in the future.

But I'm ready to step it up another notch. Time to shift my focus a little more to exercise. Starting tomorrow (well, today), I'm going to do the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Slimdown program. It gets great reviews, and because you're shifting to different workouts each day, your body doesn't get used to what you're doing. I bought the DVDs I needed a while ago but they've just been sitting here, so it's time to dust them off!

Here's the order of the workouts I'll be doing:

May 30 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 1
May 31 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 1
June 1 - NO MORE TROUBLE ZONES
June 2 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 1
June 3 - BANISH FAT, BOOST METABOLISM
June 4 - QUICK TROUBLE ZONES
June 5 - OFF!
June 6 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 1
June 7 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 2
June 8 - QUICK TROUBLE ZONES
June 9 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 2
June 10 - BANISH FAST, BOOST METABOLISM
June 11 - NO MORE TROUBLE ZONES
June 12 - OFF!
June 13 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 1 & QUICK TROUBLE ZONES
June 14 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 2
June 15 - NO MORE TROUBLE ZONES
June 16 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 1 & 2
June 17 - NO MORE TROUBLE ZONES
June 18 - BANISH FAT, BOOST METABOLISM
June 19 - OFF!
June 20 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 2 & 1
June 21 - QUICK TROUBLE ZONES
June 22 - BANISH FAT, BOOST METABOLISM
June 23 - QUICK TROUBLE ZONES & 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 2
June 24 - OFF!
June 25 - NO MORE TROUBLE ZONES & 30 DAY SHRED LEVEL 1
June 26 - BANISH FAT, BOOST METABOLISM & QUICK TROUBLE ZONES
June 27 - 30 DAY SHRED: LEVEL 2 AND THEN LEVEL 1
June 28 - NO MORE TROUBLE ZONES


I even wrote the correct DVD in my day planner so that I can't postpone or skip a day; I'm ready to go!

Now I just need to come up with a great reward to myself for when I complete this program. Any good ideas? I think I deserve something good if I manage to finish this! Although I think the satisfaction of completing it is going to feel pretty damn good :)

Spring Into Summer Weight Loss Challenge:Week 1

So how did your week go? I was delighted to see that I had a nice loss this week. It looks like my body was really ready to get back to losing weight! I just stayed on track and tried to get as much exercise as possible (although I'm looking forward to stepping it up next week when my husband's back in town so I'll have a little more time).

1st weigh in May 29: - 2.6 lbs (1.56%)
2nd weigh in June 5:
3rd weigh in June 12:
4th weigh in June 19:
5th weigh in June 26:
6th weigh in July 3:
7th weigh in July 10:
Final weigh in July 17:

If you just found us today, feel free to join in! How did you do this week, on the scale or with your other goals?

Sorry!

I haven't been around much this week. I went to visit my family in another city for a few days since my husband's out of town, and I don't get too much time to cook while I'm there! Then I've just been tired lately so I haven't felt much like writing.

I will tell you that I am looking forward to weighing in this week for our Spring Into Summer Challenge! You can still join us- the first weigh in is Sunday May 29!

I have a great snack idea to share with you- enjoy!


BBQ Chicken Snack Pizzas:



2 large portabello mushrooms, stems removed
1 tbsp reduced calorie BBQ sauce
1/2 oz shredded mozzerella
1 1/2 oz chopped cooked chicken
your favourite veggies (I like tomatoes and onions)

Top the mushrooms with the sauce, chicken, veggies, and cheese, and bake in the oven until they are melted and browning on top. Yum!

These are a great afternoon snack. They count as 1 Powerfuel, 1 vegetable, and 1 extra. Delicious and filling! You can also premake these and just reheat them in the microwave if you want a nice treat on a work day :)

Voda Swim Push Up Swimwear Winner!

And the winner is...

Victoria - Ozarks Crescent Mural said...

I subscribe to your blog via Feedblitz. That's how I'm able to keep up on it and why I had posted on your FB wall since I hadn't received any updates in awhile and found out you were in Vegas.

May 19, 2011 12:36 AM

Congratulations, Victoria! You have won a Voda Swim bathing suit of your choice! Please email me with your information so that you can claim your prize!

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Spring Into Summer Weight Loss Challenge

I weighed in today and found that I am basically where I was right before I got sick. So yes, that means I've wasted some time, but all I have to do now is get right back into things and the next thing I know, I'll be ready for new jeans again :)

What better way to kick things off then by starting a new weightloss challenge? My friend and I are starting today and going for 8 weeks. Come join us! You can post your starting weight (but you don't have to) or just announce your intention to participate and share your losses with us each week. Set a goal for yourself and a reward you will give yourself for achieving it!

Please feel free to share your other healthy goals with us, too. Mine is to increase my exercise to a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 5x a week.



1st weigh in May 29:
2nd weigh in June 5:
3rd weigh in June 12:
4th weigh in June 19:
5th weigh in June 26:
6th weigh in July 3:
7th weigh in July 10:
Final weigh in July 17:


No more excuses- let's do this together!

Crazy Fries!

We went to the mall yesterday to do some grocery shopping and stopped at the food court for a drink. I have to admit, the fries from New York Fries smelled SO good. But I did remember that they wouldn't taste as good as I remembered, so I decided to come home and recreate my craving.

The original (small) NYF Veggie Works has 600 calories, 29g of fat, and 79g of carbs- yuck! It's just not worth it for something that would make me feel lousy. But the idea of fries, cheese sauce, sour cream, tomatoes, and green onions sounded so good... so here's my version!


New York Fries Veggie Works:



1 serving Cajun Fries (minus the chili powder and paprika)
1 serving cheese sauce
1 tbsp FF sour cream
diced tomatoes and onions to garnish

This is SO good and definitely kicked my craving! It's gooey and cheesy, and serve it on the side with a hamburger for dinner and you'll swear you're going to gain 5lbs (but without that nasty bloated feeling after you eat!). Count this as 2 veggie servings (or 1 carb), 1 dairy serving, 1 fat serving, and 2 free foods.

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

Review and Giveaway: Voda Swim Push Up Swimwear

I was so excited when I opened up the mail and saw that my Voda Swim padded swimsuit had arrived! I hadn't worn a bathing suit for years because I was so self conscious about the way I looked in one.

I love how flattering Voda Swim's styles are. They do offer some racy styles like Brazilian bikinis, but they also offer some stylish one pieces as well as tankinis, like the one I chose in Midnight Envy.

The thing I really love about Voda Swim push up swimwear is the Envy push up design, which will give you a nice boost in the cleavage department of 1-2 cup sizes. And for those of us who have lost a lot of weight, sometimes we lose in in places we'd like to keep it! The Voda Swim top gives me great support and a nice silhouette. The best part is, unlike other padded swimwear, the Voda Swim top will keep its shape when wet so that you still look great when you're swimming.

OK, now please be kind and remember that I still have some weight to lose... but at least now I'm not afraid to go out in public wearing a swimsuit!



I would definitely recommend Voda Swim to anyone looking for a quality swimsuit that is going to make them look and feel great, regardless of what size they wear. I can't wait until I reach my goal weight so I can try one of their string bikinis!

Want to try a Voda Swim swimsuit of your own? Voda Swim is giving one away here on Stomach Rumblings! And if you don't win, you can still get a great deal on swimwear by using the code Rumblings to save 10% off your purchase.

Mandatory Entry: Comment here and tell us which Voda Swim swimsuit you would choose if you win the contest! (please leave a valid email so I can contact you if you win)

Additional Entries (please leave one comment per entry):

-Like Voda Swim on Facebook (2 entries)
-Follow Voda Swim on Twitter (2 entries)
-Follow my blog via Google Friends Connect (1 entry)
-Grab my button (2 entries, please leave a link)
-Subscribe to my blog (1 entry)
-Write about this giveaway on your blog or Facebook (2 entries, please leave a link)

Giveaway ends May 24 at 10pm EST- good luck! And a big THANK YOU to Voda Swim for letting me do this review and giveaway!

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Quick Twists

I've learned that not everything tastes good to me at first, but sometimes it only takes a simple addition to make one of those "iffy" Nutrisystem entrees taste a lot better. As I've said in the past, I generally don't care for Nutrisystem's Asian entree selections because I can make better entrees flexing, but this little tweak will bring the Orange Chicken back on my menu occasionally.


Orange Chicken Breast with Vegetables & Rice (Dinner):



Orange Ginger Chicken Stir Fry:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Orange Chicken Breast with Vegetables & Rice
3 servings of your favourite Asian stir fry veggies (I like broccoli, water chestnuts, mushrooms, snow peas, carrots, and onions)
1-2 tsp Gourmet Garden Ginger paste
1 tsp dark soy sauce

Spray a frying pan with PAM spray and cook vegetables until they are tender. Mix in the Orange Chicken, ginger paste, and soy sauce. Stir well and allow flavours to blend and the meal to heat through. Enjoy!

This recipe is so simple but it gives the Orange Chicken some great texture and crunch, and the orange/ginger combination is great together. I like using the Gourmet Garden ginger paste as it blends evenly into the meal without creating "pockets" of ginger flavour. You can find it in the refrigerated section at your grocery store. Otherwise, you can also use fresh ginger slices.

With all the veggies, this makes an enormous bowl of food and I really enjoy it when I want Asian but I'm feeling too lazy to cook my own.

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

I'm Home!

I had a great trip! I had some misgivings about going at first since I really want to get moving again on my weight loss and I know that travel always sets me back, but then I realized, hey- I've still got my life to live! And it's not what happens on any particular day that matters- it's my overall approach to my health. And while I was in Vegas, although I did enjoy a few treats and some alcohol, I didn't go crazy and I still stuck to portion control. It was also nice not to be stuffed all the time; we didn't go to any buffets.

It was really nice to get away and just be myself for a while. I missed my son but I know he enjoyed staying with Grandma and he was happy to see us when we picked him up today.

Now that I'm home, I'm back on program and looking forward to re-earning my 100lb bear! I'll post a weigh-in as usual on Sunday and I have some great recipes to share with you this week, so don't forget to check back or sign up to receive my posts via email. I also have a great giveaway that is coming this week as well and you won't want to miss it!

Away We Go...

And now for something completely different! My husband decided to surprise me with an impromptu vacation. He has business this week and I'm coming along! My mother is going to watch our son so we will have ten days to ourselves. I am very excited and looking forward to it.

I don't think internet access will be free there so I will likely be unable to post while I'm away. We return home on May 15 and I'll get right back to blogging!

In the meantime, here are the last few reviews of the items on the Select program. If you have the opportunity to order the frozen items I definitely recommend it! If you are not sure you will enjoy them, you can always choose to order a 10 day package a la carte rather than changing your program right away (I bet you will after you try these!).


Garden Vegetable Omelet (Frozen Breakfast):



I must confess that I am still baffled how a veggie omelet can have more calories than the ham & cheese one. I thought this was okay but nothing special. Since the omelets are so low calorie, you can actually use them as your dairy/protein serving at breakfast if you wish. I really liked having this with a side of the Homestyle Pancakes or the Golden French Toast.


Ham and Cheese Omelet (Frozen Breakfast):



I thought this was really yummy. I wish the ham pieces were a little bigger but they were very flavourful with some black pepper on top and I liked the cheese. This entree is only 90 calories so, like the veggie omelet, I used it as a dairy/protein serving. I still wonder why it has similar stats to the Maple Sausage Patty which tells you to add a carb, but the omelets don't. It really doesn't make sense to me since they are so low calorie and low carb. But if you're looking for a yummy and protein packed low calorie entree, look no further.


Toasted Ham & Cheese (Frozen Lunch):



This really looks like a (larger) Toaster Strudel. Two came in my meal package, and while there are no instructions for microwave preparation on this one, I decided to nuke the first one because I was hungry and in a hurry. The bread was understandably soft in that case, but the sandwich was still yummy and gooey. Again, the ham pieces are really, really small though. I'm not sure why we couldn't just get thin slices of ham so it felt more like a sandwich and less like a processed item. The second time, I cooked it in my toaster and it came out nice and crispy. I enjoyed this lunch.


Salisbury Steak with Macaroni and Cheese (Frozen Dinner):



Coincidentally, the first frozen meal I tasted is the last to be reviewed! I didn't even notice that. This entree is really yummy. The Salisbury steak is juicy and comes with lots of sauce to put over veggies (green beans go really well with it!) and the macaroni is rich and creamy. I added some hot sauce and pepper to mine since I like it to have a little more of a bite. I was really impressed with this entree and definitely recommend you give it a try!

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.