A plateau as two or more consecutive weeks of zero weight loss when you are following your program exactly (if you're cheating, it's not a plateau!). Make sure you know exactly what you're supposed to be eating and that you aren't eyeballing portions or adding a few too many extras, or the little bad habits that we can all slide into over time.
It can be so frustrating to feel like you're doing everything right, and not see the results reflected on the scale. Before you feel like giving up, try some of these ideas first and see if they help you.
First thing- have you been taking measurements? Especially if you're exercising, you might find that you are dropping inches and not pounds. If so, just keep doing what you're doing; the scale will catch up! Whatever you are doing is obviously working for you.
If you aren't losing inches either, then your body sometimes needs a bit of a shock to jolt it back into losing weight. Try these techniques for two weeks and see what happens!
1) Switch all your carbohydrate servings for fresh or frozen fruit, or starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes or butternut squash, instead of bread or grain products. You're still getting in your healthy carbs, but these are much better in terms of the glycemic index.
2) While low fat dairy is generally a great choice for protein, switch it up for just a few weeks to only have lean protein (preferably low sodium). Eat things like grilled chicken, or shrimp, or fish, or eggs.
3) Switch up your menu! Do you like to eat the same thing over and over? If so, make a change. Do something different to shock your system.
4) Switch your lunch and your dinner meals in your program, so if you normally have a small lunch and a large dinner, alternate that.
5) Start alternating high and low calorie days. If your caloric range is 1200-1600, eat one day around 1200 and the next around 1600! Make sure they're all high quality calories though, don't fill in with junk food.
6) If you're doing exercise, change it up. Are you mostly doing cardio? Try some strength training. Your body gets used to what you're doing and it becomes less effective over time.
7) And make sure you're getting in all your water and fresh vegetables!!!
If after four weeks you still haven't seen any results, it might be time to consult your doctor and make sure there aren't any medical reason why you aren't losing weight. While it gets harder to lose weight over time as you have less to use, these are tried and true techniques that should break through a plateau and get you seeing results again.
Friday, March 29, 2019
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Flavour Around the World
I've really been enjoying my Goodfood subscription. While I'm on Nutrisystem for convenience and because I don't have time to cook, sometimes I just want to eat something that isn't out of a package. And nothing really beats the flavour of home cooking.
I also really enjoy having the opportunity to try flavour profiles from around the world. I love North American cooking- nothing beats a sandwich, if you ask me. But sampling other cuisines for variety can be a nice break.
So while I don't get a box very often, when I do, I really enjoy it. The ingredients are already portioned and in most cases prechopped for me, so all I have to do is follow the recipe card. This flex meal is so quick and easy, just exploding with flavour and nutrients, and is definitely worth trying! And it fits right into your Nutrisystem program.
Brazilian Shrimp Moqueca (Flex Lunch):
8oz shrimp, peeled and tails removed
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 green zucchini, cut into half moons
2 Roma tomatoes
16 oz butternut squash, peeled
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat)
2 tsp olive oil
garlic, red pepper, paprika, salt, & pepper, to taste
fresh cilantro, to taste (optional)
Medium dice the tomatoes. If you have a food processor, run your butternut squash through it to make "rice". If not, cut into small chunks.
In a medium pot, heat 1 tsp olive oil, and add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the zucchini and tomatoes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until zucchini is beginning to soften. Add the coconut milk, raw shrimp, and spices, and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer until sauce has thickened well.
In a frying pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add the butternut squash and cook over low heat until beginning to brown. If you made your squash into rice, this will stick very easily with this small amount of oil, so don't leave it unattended and stir frequently. I cooked mine over low for ten minutes until it started to brown, and then added pepper.
Divide the "rice" and moqueca between two plates and serve. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Take a bite and marvel at the amount of flavour in this meal for the amount of calories!
This yummy flex lunch counts as 1 Powerfuel (shrimp, but you could substitute any protein you like. Tofu makes it vegan!), 1 SmartCarb (butternut squash, but feel free to use brown rice if you prefer), and 3 extras for the coconut milk and olive oil plus lots of unlimited veggies. You do have to use full fat coconut milk or the sauce won't reduce properly. Given how low the calorie count of the meal as prepared (320 calories), I think it's well worth using your extras for. Likewise, I cut olive oil when I can, but this is the minimum amount you can really use to make the recipe work. When you take a bite of this, I think you'll agree that it's worth spending your extras on!
I also really enjoy having the opportunity to try flavour profiles from around the world. I love North American cooking- nothing beats a sandwich, if you ask me. But sampling other cuisines for variety can be a nice break.
So while I don't get a box very often, when I do, I really enjoy it. The ingredients are already portioned and in most cases prechopped for me, so all I have to do is follow the recipe card. This flex meal is so quick and easy, just exploding with flavour and nutrients, and is definitely worth trying! And it fits right into your Nutrisystem program.
Brazilian Shrimp Moqueca (Flex Lunch):
8oz shrimp, peeled and tails removed
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 green zucchini, cut into half moons
2 Roma tomatoes
16 oz butternut squash, peeled
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat)
2 tsp olive oil
garlic, red pepper, paprika, salt, & pepper, to taste
fresh cilantro, to taste (optional)
Medium dice the tomatoes. If you have a food processor, run your butternut squash through it to make "rice". If not, cut into small chunks.
In a medium pot, heat 1 tsp olive oil, and add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the zucchini and tomatoes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until zucchini is beginning to soften. Add the coconut milk, raw shrimp, and spices, and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer until sauce has thickened well.
In a frying pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add the butternut squash and cook over low heat until beginning to brown. If you made your squash into rice, this will stick very easily with this small amount of oil, so don't leave it unattended and stir frequently. I cooked mine over low for ten minutes until it started to brown, and then added pepper.
Divide the "rice" and moqueca between two plates and serve. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Take a bite and marvel at the amount of flavour in this meal for the amount of calories!
This yummy flex lunch counts as 1 Powerfuel (shrimp, but you could substitute any protein you like. Tofu makes it vegan!), 1 SmartCarb (butternut squash, but feel free to use brown rice if you prefer), and 3 extras for the coconut milk and olive oil plus lots of unlimited veggies. You do have to use full fat coconut milk or the sauce won't reduce properly. Given how low the calorie count of the meal as prepared (320 calories), I think it's well worth using your extras for. Likewise, I cut olive oil when I can, but this is the minimum amount you can really use to make the recipe work. When you take a bite of this, I think you'll agree that it's worth spending your extras on!
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Pizzalicious!
So, the scale I had started out using was the same one I had used on my first weight loss journey nearly a decade ago. I had noticed that I could get on the scale three times within 5 minutes and get three different results within a couple of pounds. While the downward trend over time was still comforting, I wanted to see some accurate results so I went out and bought a new scale.
The reviews for the new scale said that it matched someone's doctor's office, so that sounded pretty good. I like that I can keep getting on it and it always shows the same result.
And this week it showed me that I am down 2lbs! That's the kind of trend I want to keep seeing.
I have some new food reviews as well- I've really been enjoying my frozen meals!
Italian Sausage & Turkey Pepperoni Pizza (Frozen Dinner):
I've read a lot of complaints that people haven't been getting many toppings on their pizza, but I am hoping those were just due to manufacturing error or failed quality control, because mine looked just fine.
I still have the same opinion of the crust that I did way back when I tried the first Nutrisystem frozen pizzas in 2011- it reminds me of Pizza Hut but without the grease. It's got the same dense, bready taste as opposed to a thin crispy crust. I think the shelf stable pizzas pull that off much better. But I like thick crust, so the frozen pizzas are great for me!
I also loved the zestiness of the Italian sausage. It was very flavourful and left a slight spicy taste in my mouth without being too much. I wish I had ordered more of these!
Chicken & Bacon Ranch Pizza (Frozen Dinner):
My only wonder here was that there doesn't seem to be much sauce on the pizza, but it didn't affect the taste much. Again, I felt there was a reasonable amount of toppings, and I enjoyed the taste. For purposes of these reviews, I didn't add or change anything to the pizzas, and I prepared them in the microwave on the little crisping tray that was provided. I felt the crust did definitely crisp up and wasn't nasty the way microwave pizza crust often gets. I did however find that the cheese didn't melt all the way for me in the cooking time suggested, so I nuked mine for a little longer.
Definitely on my reorder list!
Red Velvet Cupcake (Frozen Dessert):
My father loves red velvet, so I thought I'd order a few of these for him. Unfortunately at times, familiarity means expectations. This cupcake just didn't live up to what he figured a red velvet cupcake should taste like. He said it was okay, but there are other snacks he enjoys much more.
I haven't really had much red velvet, so I had no preconceptions. I thought it was light, sweet but not overly so, and pretty good especially with the drizzle of icing. If you don't know what you're missing, it's not a bad choice!
Margherita Pizza (Frozen Dinner):
In the previous incarnation, this was a lunch. I must admit that it was nice having a pizza for lunch and it's a shame it doesn't work out like that now. But like the previous two pizza reviews, I found toppings to be plentiful and the flavour to be pretty good. I enjoy the frozen pizzas I've tried so far.
Cinnamon Coffee Cake (Frozen Dessert):
Oh.My.God. Stop the presses, rush out and order as many of these as fit in your freezer. I think this may be the best Nutrisystem dessert item I've ever had. It tastes exactly like those Entemann's coffee cakes I used to love. It's rich and flavourful and perfect with a mug of tea as a bedtime snack. The only problem is that it's so small that I want to eat it with a crab fork to make it last longer! But it feels so much like a cheat that it's hard to believe you can lose weight eating it. I need more!
The reviews for the new scale said that it matched someone's doctor's office, so that sounded pretty good. I like that I can keep getting on it and it always shows the same result.
And this week it showed me that I am down 2lbs! That's the kind of trend I want to keep seeing.
I have some new food reviews as well- I've really been enjoying my frozen meals!
Italian Sausage & Turkey Pepperoni Pizza (Frozen Dinner):
I've read a lot of complaints that people haven't been getting many toppings on their pizza, but I am hoping those were just due to manufacturing error or failed quality control, because mine looked just fine.
I still have the same opinion of the crust that I did way back when I tried the first Nutrisystem frozen pizzas in 2011- it reminds me of Pizza Hut but without the grease. It's got the same dense, bready taste as opposed to a thin crispy crust. I think the shelf stable pizzas pull that off much better. But I like thick crust, so the frozen pizzas are great for me!
I also loved the zestiness of the Italian sausage. It was very flavourful and left a slight spicy taste in my mouth without being too much. I wish I had ordered more of these!
Chicken & Bacon Ranch Pizza (Frozen Dinner):
My only wonder here was that there doesn't seem to be much sauce on the pizza, but it didn't affect the taste much. Again, I felt there was a reasonable amount of toppings, and I enjoyed the taste. For purposes of these reviews, I didn't add or change anything to the pizzas, and I prepared them in the microwave on the little crisping tray that was provided. I felt the crust did definitely crisp up and wasn't nasty the way microwave pizza crust often gets. I did however find that the cheese didn't melt all the way for me in the cooking time suggested, so I nuked mine for a little longer.
Definitely on my reorder list!
Red Velvet Cupcake (Frozen Dessert):
My father loves red velvet, so I thought I'd order a few of these for him. Unfortunately at times, familiarity means expectations. This cupcake just didn't live up to what he figured a red velvet cupcake should taste like. He said it was okay, but there are other snacks he enjoys much more.
I haven't really had much red velvet, so I had no preconceptions. I thought it was light, sweet but not overly so, and pretty good especially with the drizzle of icing. If you don't know what you're missing, it's not a bad choice!
Margherita Pizza (Frozen Dinner):
In the previous incarnation, this was a lunch. I must admit that it was nice having a pizza for lunch and it's a shame it doesn't work out like that now. But like the previous two pizza reviews, I found toppings to be plentiful and the flavour to be pretty good. I enjoy the frozen pizzas I've tried so far.
Cinnamon Coffee Cake (Frozen Dessert):
Oh.My.God. Stop the presses, rush out and order as many of these as fit in your freezer. I think this may be the best Nutrisystem dessert item I've ever had. It tastes exactly like those Entemann's coffee cakes I used to love. It's rich and flavourful and perfect with a mug of tea as a bedtime snack. The only problem is that it's so small that I want to eat it with a crab fork to make it last longer! But it feels so much like a cheat that it's hard to believe you can lose weight eating it. I need more!
Monday, March 25, 2019
Musings
I went back and read my entire Stomach Rumblings blog, from the beginning. I noticed a few things.
I am really, really proud of myself for staying positive all that time and working so hard. While I did eventually relapse, I lost all that weight and I kept it off for nearly five years. It was a combination of health issues and severe stress that caused me to lose my motivation and stop caring about my body.
I'm proud of my creativity. I worked hard to find different recipes and keep changing things up so that the food wouldn't get bland and boring. I'm proud of my willpower- I see how many times I was challenged by dealing with non NS friendly foods, and I managed to persevere.
One thing that also struck me from the past though, is how much Nutrisystem has changed their plan since the first time I started. They removed the dinner fat serving, which surprises me a little. Fat helps your body process fiber, so I think it was probably helpful. Plus it makes it easier to cook those veggies! Since I am less of a salad eater, it means I have to use my daily extras on oil if that's what I want to do. I assume that is now because they don't have a restriction on how much fat can be in your Powerfuel servings? But it still doesn't quite make sense to me because if someone is choosing lower fat entrees and add ins, they might be eating very little healthy fat.
I mean, look at the difference between the old Flex lunch requirements and the current ones. A Flex lunch now is 1 SmartCarb + 1 Powerfuel, with between 160-240 calories. In 2010, a Flex lunch was 1 Fat serving, 2 Lean Protein serving, 1 Low Glycemic Carbohydrate serving, and 1 Vegetable Serving. A Fat serving was ~50 calories and 5g of fat. A Carb serving was 80-100 calories and ~15g of carbs, and must be low glycemic, and lean protein servings were different from the generic dairy/protein servings. A lean protein serving was approximately 1oz of a lean protein like chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, or fish. So you can see that the meal had about the same calorie content as it does now, but it was more defined as to what it must have in it.
They've also lowered the requirements for a Powerfuel. Back then, dairy/protein servings used to require a minimum of 7g of protein, with the exception of eggs which are so nutritious they let them pass.
Also, dairy/protein servings and carb servings used to have other macros required; it wasn't solely about calories, the amount of protein and the amount of fiber. Dairy/protein servings had a maximum of 5g of fat as well, and carb servings were about 15g of low glycemic carbs.
Yesterday on the Nutrisystem Facebook group, I saw someone post a picture of the nutritional label on a container of potato salad. It had 240 calories per 1/2 cup and 27g of fat, but it had more than 1g of fiber and exactly 5g of protein. Technically, it fits the current requirements for an afternoon snack of one SmartCarb and one Powerfuel. But is it a good choice? I hope you don't even have to ask that! Very little actual nutritional value and loaded with fat with a bare minimum of protein.
I guess Nutrisystem took out the fat servings while they slackened the requirements elsewhere, knowing that people would probably choose fattier foods when they had no restrictions on their macros. Likely the same idea in building in generic SmartCarb servings for people instead of requiring fruit- it makes the plan easier to follow but likely less effective.
The overall calories haven't changed from the program, but certainly the makeup has a little bit. I wonder if they have any results from how quick weight loss used to be ten years ago versus how it is now. When people ask if the frozen foods slow down weight loss, I wonder if it's more because of the changes around the program add ins rather than frozen versus shelf stable.
I also miss the Daily Dose. I noticed that I have linked to it a few times in the past and I wish I'd saved the entire article. I remember thinking that those articles came at just the right time for me. Either I needed to celebrate my success or else refocus or even just see that other people have struggled the way that I was right at that moment.
We all lose weight at different paces, but ultimately we all go through the same struggles, and it really helps to know you're not alone. We've all gone off plan, or stalled, and needed that little push to refocus and get back on track. Hopefully this blog will help you with that the way it helps me!
I am really, really proud of myself for staying positive all that time and working so hard. While I did eventually relapse, I lost all that weight and I kept it off for nearly five years. It was a combination of health issues and severe stress that caused me to lose my motivation and stop caring about my body.
I'm proud of my creativity. I worked hard to find different recipes and keep changing things up so that the food wouldn't get bland and boring. I'm proud of my willpower- I see how many times I was challenged by dealing with non NS friendly foods, and I managed to persevere.
One thing that also struck me from the past though, is how much Nutrisystem has changed their plan since the first time I started. They removed the dinner fat serving, which surprises me a little. Fat helps your body process fiber, so I think it was probably helpful. Plus it makes it easier to cook those veggies! Since I am less of a salad eater, it means I have to use my daily extras on oil if that's what I want to do. I assume that is now because they don't have a restriction on how much fat can be in your Powerfuel servings? But it still doesn't quite make sense to me because if someone is choosing lower fat entrees and add ins, they might be eating very little healthy fat.
I mean, look at the difference between the old Flex lunch requirements and the current ones. A Flex lunch now is 1 SmartCarb + 1 Powerfuel, with between 160-240 calories. In 2010, a Flex lunch was 1 Fat serving, 2 Lean Protein serving, 1 Low Glycemic Carbohydrate serving, and 1 Vegetable Serving. A Fat serving was ~50 calories and 5g of fat. A Carb serving was 80-100 calories and ~15g of carbs, and must be low glycemic, and lean protein servings were different from the generic dairy/protein servings. A lean protein serving was approximately 1oz of a lean protein like chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, or fish. So you can see that the meal had about the same calorie content as it does now, but it was more defined as to what it must have in it.
They've also lowered the requirements for a Powerfuel. Back then, dairy/protein servings used to require a minimum of 7g of protein, with the exception of eggs which are so nutritious they let them pass.
Also, dairy/protein servings and carb servings used to have other macros required; it wasn't solely about calories, the amount of protein and the amount of fiber. Dairy/protein servings had a maximum of 5g of fat as well, and carb servings were about 15g of low glycemic carbs.
Yesterday on the Nutrisystem Facebook group, I saw someone post a picture of the nutritional label on a container of potato salad. It had 240 calories per 1/2 cup and 27g of fat, but it had more than 1g of fiber and exactly 5g of protein. Technically, it fits the current requirements for an afternoon snack of one SmartCarb and one Powerfuel. But is it a good choice? I hope you don't even have to ask that! Very little actual nutritional value and loaded with fat with a bare minimum of protein.
I guess Nutrisystem took out the fat servings while they slackened the requirements elsewhere, knowing that people would probably choose fattier foods when they had no restrictions on their macros. Likely the same idea in building in generic SmartCarb servings for people instead of requiring fruit- it makes the plan easier to follow but likely less effective.
The overall calories haven't changed from the program, but certainly the makeup has a little bit. I wonder if they have any results from how quick weight loss used to be ten years ago versus how it is now. When people ask if the frozen foods slow down weight loss, I wonder if it's more because of the changes around the program add ins rather than frozen versus shelf stable.
I also miss the Daily Dose. I noticed that I have linked to it a few times in the past and I wish I'd saved the entire article. I remember thinking that those articles came at just the right time for me. Either I needed to celebrate my success or else refocus or even just see that other people have struggled the way that I was right at that moment.
We all lose weight at different paces, but ultimately we all go through the same struggles, and it really helps to know you're not alone. We've all gone off plan, or stalled, and needed that little push to refocus and get back on track. Hopefully this blog will help you with that the way it helps me!
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Seafood
One of my favourite proteins is seafood. It's lean, low calorie and fat, and just packed with protein. Plus, it's delicious and versatile and can be prepared so many ways. I've seen other people wonder why Nutrisystem doesn't have more seafood meals (other than the tuna salad, and tuna is the one seafood that I won't eat!). I'm assuming it's probably because of cost and logistics. You couldn't really do much in the shelf stable items and even for the frozen meals, seafood is pretty expensive and would probably be more difficult to make margin on.
However, seafood is so easy to flex and make a delicious meal. As I've mentioned before, when I'm having one of the shelf stable lunches like the Broccoli & Cheddar Rice that feels more like a side dish, I like to put a piece of grilled salmon or the like on the side as a Powerfuel so it feels more like a "regular" meal.
While sometimes it's nice to make a meal that's quick and easy... sometimes it's nice to make a meal that's quick and easy, but also feels "fancy" and decadent. I think this flex dinner from Goodfood qualifies on both points. It's also low carb and dairy free!
Basque Style Bouillabaisse (Flex Dinner):
8 oz cod (or any other flaky white fish)
8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cups baby spinach leaves
2 8oz cans of low sodium crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
spice blend, to taste (pepper, garlic, salt substitute, red pepper, powdered vinegar, paprika, turmeric, and Cayenne)
In a medium pot, pour a little of the tomato juice (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, and heat on medium high. Add the vegetables. Season with the spice blend to taste. Cook, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the vegetables are fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and 2 cups of water to the vegetable mix. Place the raw fish fillets and shrimp into the bouillabaisse. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until fish is opaque and cooked through. Add the spinach and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes.
Divide the fish and bouillabaisse between two bowls. Enjoy with your favourite SmartCarb serving (or since this is so filling, use it elsewhere in your day if you prefer!).
This soup counts as 2 Powerfuel servings plus vegetables (all are unlimited veggies). So if you add in your Smartcarb, call this a flex dinner and vegetables. Or reduce the amount of shrimp and fish, and you could have this as a lunch! Lots of flexibility.
It was quick, easy, and delicious!
However, seafood is so easy to flex and make a delicious meal. As I've mentioned before, when I'm having one of the shelf stable lunches like the Broccoli & Cheddar Rice that feels more like a side dish, I like to put a piece of grilled salmon or the like on the side as a Powerfuel so it feels more like a "regular" meal.
While sometimes it's nice to make a meal that's quick and easy... sometimes it's nice to make a meal that's quick and easy, but also feels "fancy" and decadent. I think this flex dinner from Goodfood qualifies on both points. It's also low carb and dairy free!
Basque Style Bouillabaisse (Flex Dinner):
8 oz cod (or any other flaky white fish)
8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cups baby spinach leaves
2 8oz cans of low sodium crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
spice blend, to taste (pepper, garlic, salt substitute, red pepper, powdered vinegar, paprika, turmeric, and Cayenne)
In a medium pot, pour a little of the tomato juice (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, and heat on medium high. Add the vegetables. Season with the spice blend to taste. Cook, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the vegetables are fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and 2 cups of water to the vegetable mix. Place the raw fish fillets and shrimp into the bouillabaisse. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until fish is opaque and cooked through. Add the spinach and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes.
Divide the fish and bouillabaisse between two bowls. Enjoy with your favourite SmartCarb serving (or since this is so filling, use it elsewhere in your day if you prefer!).
This soup counts as 2 Powerfuel servings plus vegetables (all are unlimited veggies). So if you add in your Smartcarb, call this a flex dinner and vegetables. Or reduce the amount of shrimp and fish, and you could have this as a lunch! Lots of flexibility.
It was quick, easy, and delicious!
Friday, March 22, 2019
Presentation!
Ever notice how fast food restaurants just kinda glop food together and don't really care about how it looks (except in ads where it's perfect!) and fancy restaurants serve you less but make it look really beautiful? Well, it's because we value and appreciate presentation and will pay more and be more satisfied by it. The fast food restaurants are catering to a different desire and don't need to worry about that.
Not all the Nutrisystem food is visually appealing, but if you want to put a little work in, you can make beautiful food for yourself that will definitely make you feel like you are having a treat! I found these recipes on Tasty today, and with a few small modifications they can easily fit into Nutrisystem guidelines!
Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce (Flex Snack or Powerfuel):
6 Thai rice paper wraps (~20 calories each)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
Fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the water and submerge completely. Remove and lay flat on a clean surface like a plate or cutting board. Add your desired combination of sliced veggies to the wrap, but don't overfill or it will be difficult to roll. Then fold over the bottom edge of the wrap to secure the veggies. Roll until the vegetables are all wrapped up and the top layer of the wrapper is adhering to the rest of the roll (see video if that helps!). Set the spring roll aside under a damp paper towel to keep it fresh while you finish rolling the rest of your spring rolls. Then chill them in the fridge while you make the sauce.
To make the sauce:
1/4 cup PB2
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp minced ginger
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp sugar free maple syrup
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Whisk until combined, and serve the chilled spring rolls with the sauce.
Honestly, the amount of oil that is called for in the Tasty recipe is way too much and just isn't necessary with all the other rich flavours in the ingredients. The sauce is delicious as listed here. The PB2 counts as your Powerfuel, the sesame oil is an extra, and the other ingredients in the sauce are free foods. The rice paper wraps are your SmartCarb. So count the entire recipe as veggies plus a PF, SC, and one extra. Talk about a super filling afternoon snack!
If you aren't a fan of the rice paper wraps, leave them out and just enjoy this delicious sauce as your PF along with the veggies, and save a SmartCarb for later. The sauce can be made in advance as the longer you let it sit, the more the flavours will blend.
Tasty also made a recipe for fruit spring rolls, but since fruit already is a SmartCarb, we have to be a little more creative with this one. So either you leave the spring roll wrappers out and just enjoy the dip with your fruit, or else use 3 wrappers and count it as 2 extras.
Strawberry Lemonade Fruit Dip (Flex Snack or Powerfuel):
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 sliced strawberry
1 sprig fresh mint leaves
1 tsp honey
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, divided
Blend the dip ingredients together, reserving 1/2 tsp lemon zest for garnish. Blend until smooth and chill. Sprinkle the remaining lemon zest on top.
If you're choosing to use spring roll wrappers, fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the water and submerge completely. Remove and lay flat on a clean surface like a plate or cutting board. Add your desired combination of sliced fruit to the wrap, but don't overfill or it will be difficult to roll. Then fold over the bottom edge of the wrap to secure the fruit. Roll until the fruit is all wrapped up and the top layer of the wrapper is adhering to the rest of the roll (see video if that helps!). Set the spring roll aside under a damp paper towel to keep it fresh while you finish rolling the rest of your spring rolls.
Use any combination of fruits that you like to make up a SmartCarb serving. It might help to use two servings' worth so you have have different fruits, and save the rest for the next day. The video recommends strawberries, mango, raspberries, and green apple.
Count the dip as your Powerfuel plus one extra for the honey. If you use three wrappers, that's two more extras which is a bit high so I wouldn't do that often- it maxes you out for the day. If you happen to have two SmartCarb servings, then why not- use 6 wrappers like in the veggie recipe above and count it as two SmartCarbs plus a Powerfuel plus one extra for the honey.
If you just want to dip your fruit, then make yourself one SmartCarb serving of various fruits and enjoy this as your Powerfuel and Smartcarb plus one extra, so it's a great and delicious afternoon snack even without the wrappers.
Lots of different choices to make this interesting addition fit into your plan! I love seeing creative food and definitely wanted to share these recipes.
Not all the Nutrisystem food is visually appealing, but if you want to put a little work in, you can make beautiful food for yourself that will definitely make you feel like you are having a treat! I found these recipes on Tasty today, and with a few small modifications they can easily fit into Nutrisystem guidelines!
Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce (Flex Snack or Powerfuel):
6 Thai rice paper wraps (~20 calories each)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
Fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the water and submerge completely. Remove and lay flat on a clean surface like a plate or cutting board. Add your desired combination of sliced veggies to the wrap, but don't overfill or it will be difficult to roll. Then fold over the bottom edge of the wrap to secure the veggies. Roll until the vegetables are all wrapped up and the top layer of the wrapper is adhering to the rest of the roll (see video if that helps!). Set the spring roll aside under a damp paper towel to keep it fresh while you finish rolling the rest of your spring rolls. Then chill them in the fridge while you make the sauce.
To make the sauce:
1/4 cup PB2
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp minced ginger
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp sugar free maple syrup
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Whisk until combined, and serve the chilled spring rolls with the sauce.
Honestly, the amount of oil that is called for in the Tasty recipe is way too much and just isn't necessary with all the other rich flavours in the ingredients. The sauce is delicious as listed here. The PB2 counts as your Powerfuel, the sesame oil is an extra, and the other ingredients in the sauce are free foods. The rice paper wraps are your SmartCarb. So count the entire recipe as veggies plus a PF, SC, and one extra. Talk about a super filling afternoon snack!
If you aren't a fan of the rice paper wraps, leave them out and just enjoy this delicious sauce as your PF along with the veggies, and save a SmartCarb for later. The sauce can be made in advance as the longer you let it sit, the more the flavours will blend.
Tasty also made a recipe for fruit spring rolls, but since fruit already is a SmartCarb, we have to be a little more creative with this one. So either you leave the spring roll wrappers out and just enjoy the dip with your fruit, or else use 3 wrappers and count it as 2 extras.
Strawberry Lemonade Fruit Dip (Flex Snack or Powerfuel):
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 sliced strawberry
1 sprig fresh mint leaves
1 tsp honey
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, divided
Blend the dip ingredients together, reserving 1/2 tsp lemon zest for garnish. Blend until smooth and chill. Sprinkle the remaining lemon zest on top.
If you're choosing to use spring roll wrappers, fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the water and submerge completely. Remove and lay flat on a clean surface like a plate or cutting board. Add your desired combination of sliced fruit to the wrap, but don't overfill or it will be difficult to roll. Then fold over the bottom edge of the wrap to secure the fruit. Roll until the fruit is all wrapped up and the top layer of the wrapper is adhering to the rest of the roll (see video if that helps!). Set the spring roll aside under a damp paper towel to keep it fresh while you finish rolling the rest of your spring rolls.
Use any combination of fruits that you like to make up a SmartCarb serving. It might help to use two servings' worth so you have have different fruits, and save the rest for the next day. The video recommends strawberries, mango, raspberries, and green apple.
Count the dip as your Powerfuel plus one extra for the honey. If you use three wrappers, that's two more extras which is a bit high so I wouldn't do that often- it maxes you out for the day. If you happen to have two SmartCarb servings, then why not- use 6 wrappers like in the veggie recipe above and count it as two SmartCarbs plus a Powerfuel plus one extra for the honey.
If you just want to dip your fruit, then make yourself one SmartCarb serving of various fruits and enjoy this as your Powerfuel and Smartcarb plus one extra, so it's a great and delicious afternoon snack even without the wrappers.
Lots of different choices to make this interesting addition fit into your plan! I love seeing creative food and definitely wanted to share these recipes.
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Reality Check
I was reading a book on a different subject, and one of the motivational tools it said to consider when you want to make a change in your life is to Find Your Why. I can't help but seeing how useful this is to all of us who are struggling with losing weight, or making any other lifestyle change like quitting smoking or starting to exercise.
Why do you want to do this? What is important enough about it to make you want to change? Changing your habits isn't easy, and we're all going to have those days where it seems easier to fall back into our old patterns. Are you stressed and exhausted? I bet that drive thru sounds really tempting. And these are the moments that don't even really bring us satisfaction when we have a treat- they're more likely to make you feel worse afterwards for giving in.
I don't think there is anything wrong with mindfully deciding to go off plan at times. We all have to live our lives and if you want this change to stick, you can't feel like you're being deprived of all your favourite things. So if it's your birthday and you want to have a slice of cake? If it's important to you, then make that decision and be okay with it. And enjoy every bite! Then go right back to what works for you.
But to overcome those little everyday cravings? You need to Find Your Why. Why do you want to lose weight? What is important enough to you to want to change the way you have been? Everyone will have their own personal reasons, and they have to be important enough to you to get you through those moments where it's really difficult. If you need to, write your Why down and post it somewhere prominent to remind yourself to stick to your decision. If you have trouble avoiding the drive thru? Stick a post it note in your car somewhere. If you're a late night snacker? Tape a sign to your fridge or cupboards. Whatever works for you to keep you focused!
There are lots of tips and tricks you can use to stay focused, like finding reasonable substitutes for your favourite foods, or keeping a food log either on NuMi or elsewhere (I like Lose It), but ultimately, the only one who can make the decision to keep with it is you. And it's not just making it once, it's a decision you will have to keep making each and every day. Old patterns never really go away, but we can replace them with new patterns, and it will get easier over time.
I restarted Nutrisystem because at my third bridesmaid dress fitting, my seamstress told me I'd gained too much weight to fit into my dress, and I knew I needed to lose a lot of weight quickly. But that's not why I'm back here. If it was, I would have stopped again after my best friend's wedding. Ultimately, I want to lose weight because I don't want to die. I am 36 years old and I have a 9 year old son. When I was 9 years old, my biological father died at 36. He was more than 100lbs overweight, like I was, and his body just couldn't cope with it. I don't want to leave my son without a mother. And when I think about it, I don't know too many old fat people- most of them die younger because it just puts so much extra work on our bodies. I have enough health strikes against me in terms of family history that I can't control- but I can choose to control my weight. So here I am.
I still plan on living my life, making mindful choices, and occasionally indulging in the things I love. I enjoy alcohol sometimes, and I have a serious weakness for cheese and charcuterie. I don't plan to cut these things out of my life, but rather to keep going forward with my weight loss plan and when there's a special occasion, to enjoy it fully. And then to keep going again.
So, what's your Why?
Why do you want to do this? What is important enough about it to make you want to change? Changing your habits isn't easy, and we're all going to have those days where it seems easier to fall back into our old patterns. Are you stressed and exhausted? I bet that drive thru sounds really tempting. And these are the moments that don't even really bring us satisfaction when we have a treat- they're more likely to make you feel worse afterwards for giving in.
I don't think there is anything wrong with mindfully deciding to go off plan at times. We all have to live our lives and if you want this change to stick, you can't feel like you're being deprived of all your favourite things. So if it's your birthday and you want to have a slice of cake? If it's important to you, then make that decision and be okay with it. And enjoy every bite! Then go right back to what works for you.
But to overcome those little everyday cravings? You need to Find Your Why. Why do you want to lose weight? What is important enough to you to want to change the way you have been? Everyone will have their own personal reasons, and they have to be important enough to you to get you through those moments where it's really difficult. If you need to, write your Why down and post it somewhere prominent to remind yourself to stick to your decision. If you have trouble avoiding the drive thru? Stick a post it note in your car somewhere. If you're a late night snacker? Tape a sign to your fridge or cupboards. Whatever works for you to keep you focused!
There are lots of tips and tricks you can use to stay focused, like finding reasonable substitutes for your favourite foods, or keeping a food log either on NuMi or elsewhere (I like Lose It), but ultimately, the only one who can make the decision to keep with it is you. And it's not just making it once, it's a decision you will have to keep making each and every day. Old patterns never really go away, but we can replace them with new patterns, and it will get easier over time.
I restarted Nutrisystem because at my third bridesmaid dress fitting, my seamstress told me I'd gained too much weight to fit into my dress, and I knew I needed to lose a lot of weight quickly. But that's not why I'm back here. If it was, I would have stopped again after my best friend's wedding. Ultimately, I want to lose weight because I don't want to die. I am 36 years old and I have a 9 year old son. When I was 9 years old, my biological father died at 36. He was more than 100lbs overweight, like I was, and his body just couldn't cope with it. I don't want to leave my son without a mother. And when I think about it, I don't know too many old fat people- most of them die younger because it just puts so much extra work on our bodies. I have enough health strikes against me in terms of family history that I can't control- but I can choose to control my weight. So here I am.
I still plan on living my life, making mindful choices, and occasionally indulging in the things I love. I enjoy alcohol sometimes, and I have a serious weakness for cheese and charcuterie. I don't plan to cut these things out of my life, but rather to keep going forward with my weight loss plan and when there's a special occasion, to enjoy it fully. And then to keep going again.
So, what's your Why?
Monday, March 18, 2019
Substitutions
… and no, not the kind that Nutrisystem occasionally does! Speaking of which, if you do receive your order and find that there are substitutions on it, you can always call or chat with Nutrisystem and they will make it right. On a previous shipment I received five substitutions and they were for items I did not like. Nutrisystem immediately asked me what I would like instead and rushed those items to me.
Remember, you're paying for this food and you should be happy with what you get! Nutrisystem will often even help you out if you ordered several of an item and you absolutely couldn't eat it- sometimes they will send you replacement items free of charge. It never hurts to ask, right?
But what I meant with the title is that we all have foods that we really love that are REALLY bad for us, right? And it's just not reasonable to expect to have to give them up forever. While being healthy is important, we still have to live our lives. I am one of the people who believes that food is one of life's little pleasures and I still want to be able to enjoy myself. I don't rigidly stick to the program if there is a special event or the like. I am okay losing a bit more slowly if it makes it easier to follow and gives me a better quality of life by not feeling deprived.
Sandwiches are my Achilles heel. I love submarines; big fluffy buns, gooey cheese, and creamy sauces. I could eat a sandwich every day and die happy I think! And of course, when one thinks of a sandwich, it's hard to miss the ubiquitous Clubhouse. Piled high with an extra slice of bread just so you can fit more toppings inside... there's no way to make this diet friendly, is there?
There almost always is!
OK, well we can't work miracles, right? ;)
But we got this one!
Clubhouse Sandwich (Flex Meals):
3 slices of your favourite bread that is 40 calories or fewer per slice, toasted
1 slice of your favourite FF cheese
2 slices fat free deli ham
2 slices fat free deli turkey
1 slice turkey bacon
lettuce, tomato, onion, sliced
honey mustard
1/2 tbsp. FF 1000 Island salad dressing
On the bottom slice of bread, squirt a little honey mustard (or substitute your favourite kind of free sandwich spread). Top with the ham and turkey slices. Put the middle slice of bread on and add the 1000 Island dressing. Place the lettuce, tomato, and onion on top and add the bacon slice broken in half to cover more sandwich. Place the slice of cheese on top and close the sandwich.
This was so satisfying! I've been wanting to make one of these ever since I saw there was 40 calorie bread out there. 647 Bread is an awesome choice for this sandwich.
And the best part is that the stats fit easily into your Nutrisystem program. As I said in a previous post, I'd go easy on adding bread as SmartCarbs on a regular basis, but you could occasionally even have this as your afternoon snack!
Count it as: one SmartCarb (bread), one Powerfuel (ham + turkey + FF cheese as long as the total is under 120 calories), and one extra (turkey bacon) + one veggie serving for them all. I count the honey mustard and dressing as a free food since it was fewer than 10 calories.
So this can be used as a flex breakfast, flex lunch, or as your afternoon snack! Lots of choice available if you need more Clubhouse sandwiches in your life!
Remember, you're paying for this food and you should be happy with what you get! Nutrisystem will often even help you out if you ordered several of an item and you absolutely couldn't eat it- sometimes they will send you replacement items free of charge. It never hurts to ask, right?
But what I meant with the title is that we all have foods that we really love that are REALLY bad for us, right? And it's just not reasonable to expect to have to give them up forever. While being healthy is important, we still have to live our lives. I am one of the people who believes that food is one of life's little pleasures and I still want to be able to enjoy myself. I don't rigidly stick to the program if there is a special event or the like. I am okay losing a bit more slowly if it makes it easier to follow and gives me a better quality of life by not feeling deprived.
Sandwiches are my Achilles heel. I love submarines; big fluffy buns, gooey cheese, and creamy sauces. I could eat a sandwich every day and die happy I think! And of course, when one thinks of a sandwich, it's hard to miss the ubiquitous Clubhouse. Piled high with an extra slice of bread just so you can fit more toppings inside... there's no way to make this diet friendly, is there?
There almost always is!
OK, well we can't work miracles, right? ;)
But we got this one!
Clubhouse Sandwich (Flex Meals):
3 slices of your favourite bread that is 40 calories or fewer per slice, toasted
1 slice of your favourite FF cheese
2 slices fat free deli ham
2 slices fat free deli turkey
1 slice turkey bacon
lettuce, tomato, onion, sliced
honey mustard
1/2 tbsp. FF 1000 Island salad dressing
On the bottom slice of bread, squirt a little honey mustard (or substitute your favourite kind of free sandwich spread). Top with the ham and turkey slices. Put the middle slice of bread on and add the 1000 Island dressing. Place the lettuce, tomato, and onion on top and add the bacon slice broken in half to cover more sandwich. Place the slice of cheese on top and close the sandwich.
This was so satisfying! I've been wanting to make one of these ever since I saw there was 40 calorie bread out there. 647 Bread is an awesome choice for this sandwich.
And the best part is that the stats fit easily into your Nutrisystem program. As I said in a previous post, I'd go easy on adding bread as SmartCarbs on a regular basis, but you could occasionally even have this as your afternoon snack!
Count it as: one SmartCarb (bread), one Powerfuel (ham + turkey + FF cheese as long as the total is under 120 calories), and one extra (turkey bacon) + one veggie serving for them all. I count the honey mustard and dressing as a free food since it was fewer than 10 calories.
So this can be used as a flex breakfast, flex lunch, or as your afternoon snack! Lots of choice available if you need more Clubhouse sandwiches in your life!
Sunday, March 17, 2019
New Food Reviews!
I've been finding myself eating mostly frozen food lately since I was so excited to get it and try it all! My freezer space is a bit tight since I wasn't expecting some of the boxes to be so large, so I'm trying to eat these first. I have some new shelf stable items I want to try soon too!
I've also been trying to walk more. I got a Fitbit in January since my old sleep tracker broke, and I wanted something compatible with the food tracking app I prefer to use, Lose It. While I use NuMi to participate in the challenges, I don't find it to be all that user friendly for finding the add ins and prefer the interface on Lose It. Because I'm disabled, I can't exercise the way I used to. I miss the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred! It was killer but did it ever work. Although I am slow, I have been trying to walk for 30 minutes each day. So far this week it's been four days. My husband has been coming with me, so we get that extra little bit of quality time together, too. All told, things have been going pretty well lately.
Here are my latest food reviews!
Cranberry Orange Muffin (Frozen Breakfast):
I've really missed the old shelf stable cranberry orange pastry. It was delicious! I think this muffin is maybe half the size, too, but it has that old familiar taste I remember. While I think I liked the cinnamon roll and the cherry cheese roll better in terms of not tasting like diet food (one can hardly look at a muffin that size and not think diet!), the flavour was good and I enjoyed it once it was heated in the microwave. I would order it again, but I don't think it will be my favourite breakfast.
Four Cheese Melt (Frozen Lunch):
I'm finding it difficult to take good photos of the melts. I have tried twice now to cut them in half so I can photograph the contents, but they get pretty messy and definitely not photogenic. I think I used to heat them in the microwave when I had the frozen food ten years ago, but now that I'm putting them in the air fryer they come out nice and crispy, so the crust doesn't cut well. They do taste great, though! I enjoyed this lunch- it was cheesy and delicious.
I know lots of people enjoy salad, but I tend to get bored of it pretty easily. You may have seen if you scroll back through my Vegetable Ideas tag that I've had several Salad Free weeks, where each day I post a different way to get in those veggies other than eating a salad. Today's idea, that I had along with my melt, was a medium cucumber cut into slices and then topped with three triangles of Laughing Cow Herb & Garlic cheese. Count it as a serving of veggies plus a Powerfuel. Delicious and decadent tasting- and definitely not boring!
Lemon Zest Cake (Frozen Dessert):
This dessert had a lot of rave reviews to live up to! The package said to thaw out of the wrapper to keep the icing intact. I opened my package right out of the freezer and didn't see much icing except that curl at the bottom anyway, so I was a little disappointed. But the portion wasn't ridiculously small and it smelled good, so I warmed it up in the microwave (I prefer my desserts warm).
It was amazing! Very light and sweet and lemony. I admit that I am partial to citrusy flavours so I was expecting to like this, but it would definitely be very high on my reorder list.
I've also been trying to walk more. I got a Fitbit in January since my old sleep tracker broke, and I wanted something compatible with the food tracking app I prefer to use, Lose It. While I use NuMi to participate in the challenges, I don't find it to be all that user friendly for finding the add ins and prefer the interface on Lose It. Because I'm disabled, I can't exercise the way I used to. I miss the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred! It was killer but did it ever work. Although I am slow, I have been trying to walk for 30 minutes each day. So far this week it's been four days. My husband has been coming with me, so we get that extra little bit of quality time together, too. All told, things have been going pretty well lately.
Here are my latest food reviews!
Cranberry Orange Muffin (Frozen Breakfast):
I've really missed the old shelf stable cranberry orange pastry. It was delicious! I think this muffin is maybe half the size, too, but it has that old familiar taste I remember. While I think I liked the cinnamon roll and the cherry cheese roll better in terms of not tasting like diet food (one can hardly look at a muffin that size and not think diet!), the flavour was good and I enjoyed it once it was heated in the microwave. I would order it again, but I don't think it will be my favourite breakfast.
Four Cheese Melt (Frozen Lunch):
I'm finding it difficult to take good photos of the melts. I have tried twice now to cut them in half so I can photograph the contents, but they get pretty messy and definitely not photogenic. I think I used to heat them in the microwave when I had the frozen food ten years ago, but now that I'm putting them in the air fryer they come out nice and crispy, so the crust doesn't cut well. They do taste great, though! I enjoyed this lunch- it was cheesy and delicious.
I know lots of people enjoy salad, but I tend to get bored of it pretty easily. You may have seen if you scroll back through my Vegetable Ideas tag that I've had several Salad Free weeks, where each day I post a different way to get in those veggies other than eating a salad. Today's idea, that I had along with my melt, was a medium cucumber cut into slices and then topped with three triangles of Laughing Cow Herb & Garlic cheese. Count it as a serving of veggies plus a Powerfuel. Delicious and decadent tasting- and definitely not boring!
Lemon Zest Cake (Frozen Dessert):
This dessert had a lot of rave reviews to live up to! The package said to thaw out of the wrapper to keep the icing intact. I opened my package right out of the freezer and didn't see much icing except that curl at the bottom anyway, so I was a little disappointed. But the portion wasn't ridiculously small and it smelled good, so I warmed it up in the microwave (I prefer my desserts warm).
It was amazing! Very light and sweet and lemony. I admit that I am partial to citrusy flavours so I was expecting to like this, but it would definitely be very high on my reorder list.
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Thoughts on SmartCarbs
I will write more about this later, but one of the major changes that I think Nutrisystem made is about how they are treating carbs on the program. I am definitely not a keto person- I don't think that carbs are the enemy, and while I see that a low carb diet works for some people's bodies, I don't believe that they are the next miracle diet. I think that our bodies all process food differently and respond differently, and because of that the "right" diet is going to vary from person to person. One of the reasons I like the Nutrisystem program in general is because it's balanced- everything in moderation.
However, in 2010 the program put a lot more stress on the glycemic index. Women with fewer than 100lbs to lose didn't even get extra carb servings in their day unless they had an entrée like the BBQ chicken or tuna salad where you're supposed to add one. While you got carbs in, the program told you it was specifically a fruit serving- not any carb of your choice. There are some carbs that are appallingly non nutritious that will still fit the SmartCarb rules all because they happen to fit the new requirements of 80-120 calories and at least 1g of fiber. I don't think foods like this are all that helpful with weight loss, even if they do technically fit the guidelines.
If you find your weight loss stalling, I'd have a look at what items you're using for SmartCarbs. Are they actually smart? I wouldn't cut them out completely, just reevaluate your choices. Nothing wrong with having a piece of fruit instead of a handful of crackers!
And on that note, here is a lovely SmartCarb recipe for you that will taste far more decadent than it is.
Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins (SmartCarb):
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup FF milk
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/3 cup honey
1/2 pint chopped fresh strawberries
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl mix together egg, milk, olive oil, and sugar. Add in strawberries to the wet bowl. Stir strawberry mixture into dry mixture until evenly moistened. Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
Makes 12 servings.
Count this recipe as one SmartCarb serving and one extra. They are delicious!
However, in 2010 the program put a lot more stress on the glycemic index. Women with fewer than 100lbs to lose didn't even get extra carb servings in their day unless they had an entrée like the BBQ chicken or tuna salad where you're supposed to add one. While you got carbs in, the program told you it was specifically a fruit serving- not any carb of your choice. There are some carbs that are appallingly non nutritious that will still fit the SmartCarb rules all because they happen to fit the new requirements of 80-120 calories and at least 1g of fiber. I don't think foods like this are all that helpful with weight loss, even if they do technically fit the guidelines.
If you find your weight loss stalling, I'd have a look at what items you're using for SmartCarbs. Are they actually smart? I wouldn't cut them out completely, just reevaluate your choices. Nothing wrong with having a piece of fruit instead of a handful of crackers!
And on that note, here is a lovely SmartCarb recipe for you that will taste far more decadent than it is.
Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins (SmartCarb):
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup FF milk
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/3 cup honey
1/2 pint chopped fresh strawberries
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl mix together egg, milk, olive oil, and sugar. Add in strawberries to the wet bowl. Stir strawberry mixture into dry mixture until evenly moistened. Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
Makes 12 servings.
Count this recipe as one SmartCarb serving and one extra. They are delicious!
Friday, March 15, 2019
Variety is the Spice of Life
I've really been enjoying the frozen entrees! It's been a long time since I had them and it's been nice to switch it up a bit. I also find that the shelf stable items definitely require more "doctoring", whereas I can pretty much just heat and eat the frozen food with maybe just a little bit of spices and some vegetables.
I wouldn't give up the shelf stable food, though. I love that I can be so creative with them and make a boring dish into something awesome. It's fun. Kinda like cooking but you know that you're already dealing with a healthy calorie count and macros, plus it saves time!
Here's what I've been eating lately:
Cherry Cheese Roll (Frozen Breakfast):
OMG... well, this one definitely lives up to the hype! It does NOT taste like diet food. While I wish there were maybe some actual cherries in there instead of just the cherry taste (I'm considering adding a little sugarfree cherry pie filling to the plate next time, which would count as an extra), it was absolutely amazing. I could see myself ordering these even after I finish with the Nutrisystem program. When the a la carte sale is 50% off, these entrees are quite reasonably priced, especially if you get free shipping and also get the deal by purchasing Costco gift cards for Nutrisystem. Right now they are on sale, $55 gets you a $100 gift card. So that's another 45% savings on top of it!
Macaroni & Cheese (Frozen Dinner):
I used to love the dinner shelf stable orange macaroni and cheese. It tasted just like the Kraft dinner cups. It's a shame it's been discontinued but I guess I see the point that now there is a lunch macaroni, even if it's white cheese, and the frozen dinner ones, that there's saturation in the macaroni market!
I do like that there's lots of sauce, so when I poured it over my broccoli there was enough to go around. I did find the sauce a bit bland, and I think next time I'll add black pepper and garlic and maybe a little hot sauce to give it a bit of a kick.
One of my favourite meals used to be ham with a side of cheese scalloped potatoes, and this was definitely a reasonable substitute for that. I saved a PF from my afternoon snack to add a slice of ham to my dinner. Fortunately, hams are nice lean proteins that are low in fat, so you can have a reasonably sized serving for your 80-120 calories! I had 4oz with my dinner and it was delicious with a little honey mustard squirted on top (extra).
I wouldn't give up the shelf stable food, though. I love that I can be so creative with them and make a boring dish into something awesome. It's fun. Kinda like cooking but you know that you're already dealing with a healthy calorie count and macros, plus it saves time!
Here's what I've been eating lately:
Cherry Cheese Roll (Frozen Breakfast):
OMG... well, this one definitely lives up to the hype! It does NOT taste like diet food. While I wish there were maybe some actual cherries in there instead of just the cherry taste (I'm considering adding a little sugarfree cherry pie filling to the plate next time, which would count as an extra), it was absolutely amazing. I could see myself ordering these even after I finish with the Nutrisystem program. When the a la carte sale is 50% off, these entrees are quite reasonably priced, especially if you get free shipping and also get the deal by purchasing Costco gift cards for Nutrisystem. Right now they are on sale, $55 gets you a $100 gift card. So that's another 45% savings on top of it!
Macaroni & Cheese (Frozen Dinner):
I used to love the dinner shelf stable orange macaroni and cheese. It tasted just like the Kraft dinner cups. It's a shame it's been discontinued but I guess I see the point that now there is a lunch macaroni, even if it's white cheese, and the frozen dinner ones, that there's saturation in the macaroni market!
I do like that there's lots of sauce, so when I poured it over my broccoli there was enough to go around. I did find the sauce a bit bland, and I think next time I'll add black pepper and garlic and maybe a little hot sauce to give it a bit of a kick.
One of my favourite meals used to be ham with a side of cheese scalloped potatoes, and this was definitely a reasonable substitute for that. I saved a PF from my afternoon snack to add a slice of ham to my dinner. Fortunately, hams are nice lean proteins that are low in fat, so you can have a reasonably sized serving for your 80-120 calories! I had 4oz with my dinner and it was delicious with a little honey mustard squirted on top (extra).
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Whoosh!
Well, that was a nice boost! I've been losing smaller lately which surprised me a bit but since I wear a Fitbit I know that I am much more sedentary than I'm supposed to be. Unfortunately that comes along with being disabled and having the chronic health issues that I have. I'm doing the best that I can, but I'm losing even without exercise.
I lost 3lbs this week! And this put me over the hump of 30lbs lost. I still don't really see much difference in myself, but I suspect that's mostly due to familiarity. When I look at other people's pictures who are similarly sized to me and lost a similar amount of weight, I definitely see a difference. I've also noticed that some of my shirts "have gotten longer". So I guess that means the belly has gone down a little! I don't take measurements because I'm not really focused on the numbers, but I'm sure they have decreased too.
I finally managed to get my hands on some frozen food! Us Canucks cannot order the Uniquely Yours plan because they don't ship frozen food to Canada, but I was able to get some at a relative's house. OMG it's so good! I am sure I will still enjoy my shelf stable stuff, because I think that works better for most of my tweaks anyway while the frozen seems to be mostly heat and eat, but having the variety will be lovely I think.
Here's what I've tried so far!
Chocolate Cashew Bar (Dessert):
This bar has a whopping 15g of protein, which is considerably more than the other snacks. I'm planning on ordering extra of them because I think they will be handy to have around as emergency protein bars. They're very dense, and not as sweet as one would expect from a chocolate bar- they're nothing like the fudge graham bar for example. But they are extremely filling and I like cashews, so definitely worth a try, especially on a hungry day. I'm surprised they don't put those in the Fresh Start week to give customers a little extra protein to keep them satisfied, honestly.
Cinnamon Roll (Frozen Breakfast):
Well! I liked the shelf stable cinnamon bun, although it was rather on the chewy side. It made a great Cobblestone Cake though- that recipe is posted in my Recipe section if you're curious. No one would ever confuse it with a Cinnabon, though!
But this one doesn't even taste like diet food! It's not quite as overwhelmingly rich, but the icing is gooey and the portion size is considerably larger than the shelf stable roll. I microwaved mine for twice as long because I like my cinnamon buns hot like they're right out of the oven, and it was perfect and melty like that. It made a delicious breakfast with a mug of green tea. I saved my breakfast PF for later.
I am definitely going to enjoy the variety! Some of the frozen items are the same as what I tried when I was on the program years ago, unless they have gone through reformulations. I had the meatball parmesan melt for lunch and it was pretty tasty, although a little bread-y. I didn't take an updated photo though, it's about the same as it was before.
I'm looking forward to dessert- it's Pi Day, so I'll be having that stuffed apple pie for dessert later!
I lost 3lbs this week! And this put me over the hump of 30lbs lost. I still don't really see much difference in myself, but I suspect that's mostly due to familiarity. When I look at other people's pictures who are similarly sized to me and lost a similar amount of weight, I definitely see a difference. I've also noticed that some of my shirts "have gotten longer". So I guess that means the belly has gone down a little! I don't take measurements because I'm not really focused on the numbers, but I'm sure they have decreased too.
I finally managed to get my hands on some frozen food! Us Canucks cannot order the Uniquely Yours plan because they don't ship frozen food to Canada, but I was able to get some at a relative's house. OMG it's so good! I am sure I will still enjoy my shelf stable stuff, because I think that works better for most of my tweaks anyway while the frozen seems to be mostly heat and eat, but having the variety will be lovely I think.
Here's what I've tried so far!
Chocolate Cashew Bar (Dessert):
This bar has a whopping 15g of protein, which is considerably more than the other snacks. I'm planning on ordering extra of them because I think they will be handy to have around as emergency protein bars. They're very dense, and not as sweet as one would expect from a chocolate bar- they're nothing like the fudge graham bar for example. But they are extremely filling and I like cashews, so definitely worth a try, especially on a hungry day. I'm surprised they don't put those in the Fresh Start week to give customers a little extra protein to keep them satisfied, honestly.
Cinnamon Roll (Frozen Breakfast):
Well! I liked the shelf stable cinnamon bun, although it was rather on the chewy side. It made a great Cobblestone Cake though- that recipe is posted in my Recipe section if you're curious. No one would ever confuse it with a Cinnabon, though!
But this one doesn't even taste like diet food! It's not quite as overwhelmingly rich, but the icing is gooey and the portion size is considerably larger than the shelf stable roll. I microwaved mine for twice as long because I like my cinnamon buns hot like they're right out of the oven, and it was perfect and melty like that. It made a delicious breakfast with a mug of green tea. I saved my breakfast PF for later.
I am definitely going to enjoy the variety! Some of the frozen items are the same as what I tried when I was on the program years ago, unless they have gone through reformulations. I had the meatball parmesan melt for lunch and it was pretty tasty, although a little bread-y. I didn't take an updated photo though, it's about the same as it was before.
I'm looking forward to dessert- it's Pi Day, so I'll be having that stuffed apple pie for dessert later!
Monday, March 11, 2019
Eggplant Rollatini Redux
This recipe was hugely popular back in the old Nutrisystem days, where our recipes were stored in an online forum. I'm not sure if they were saved anywhere or if this was the precursor to the Leaf.
Everyone needs a recipe to make on those hungry days where it seems like no matter what you eat, it's not enough. You feel like you have a hole in your stomach. And some days, it's nice to feel really full!
Unfortunately, the NS entrée that was used in making this recipe is discontinued. The Nutrisystem Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes wasn't great on its own, but it made a perfect filler for this meal. Fortunately, while it's a bit more labour intensive, we can replicate the entrée and still make this delicious meal!
Eggplant Rollatini (Flex Meals):
1 medium potato
3 oz extra lean ground beef
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 medium eggplant
4 tbsp. FF ricotta cheese
1 oz light shredded mozzarella
1 Laughing Cow Herb & Garlic wedge
1 cup Aylmer Accents garlic & olive oil canned tomatoes
Italian seasoning, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic to taste
Peel and slice your eggplant into thin (but not too thin!) slices. I get between 7-10 slices from a medium eggplant. Spray with Pam spray and place on a baking sheet. Top with Italian seasoning to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for about ten minutes or until the eggplant edges are lightly browned. Don't burn!
Boil your potato, and mash it with the Laughing Cow wedge and set aside. Fry the ground beef and onion in a pan until browned. In a bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, beef, onion, ricotta cheese, and spices.
Pour the juice from the can of tomatoes into the bottom of a baking dish. Lay one slice out flat and spoon in some of the filling. Roll up the eggplant roll tightly and place it seam side down. Continue until you have used all your filling and eggplant.
Top the eggplant rolls with the remaining tomatoes, and add shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serves two portions.
This recipe makes SO MUCH FOOD! If you were having a hungry day, you won't be after this one- and it won't break the calorie budget either. Each portion is 292 calories, 10.5g fat, 29.5g carbs, and 20g protein.
Everyone needs a recipe to make on those hungry days where it seems like no matter what you eat, it's not enough. You feel like you have a hole in your stomach. And some days, it's nice to feel really full!
Unfortunately, the NS entrée that was used in making this recipe is discontinued. The Nutrisystem Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes wasn't great on its own, but it made a perfect filler for this meal. Fortunately, while it's a bit more labour intensive, we can replicate the entrée and still make this delicious meal!
Eggplant Rollatini (Flex Meals):
1 medium potato
3 oz extra lean ground beef
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 medium eggplant
4 tbsp. FF ricotta cheese
1 oz light shredded mozzarella
1 Laughing Cow Herb & Garlic wedge
1 cup Aylmer Accents garlic & olive oil canned tomatoes
Italian seasoning, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic to taste
Peel and slice your eggplant into thin (but not too thin!) slices. I get between 7-10 slices from a medium eggplant. Spray with Pam spray and place on a baking sheet. Top with Italian seasoning to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for about ten minutes or until the eggplant edges are lightly browned. Don't burn!
Boil your potato, and mash it with the Laughing Cow wedge and set aside. Fry the ground beef and onion in a pan until browned. In a bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, beef, onion, ricotta cheese, and spices.
Pour the juice from the can of tomatoes into the bottom of a baking dish. Lay one slice out flat and spoon in some of the filling. Roll up the eggplant roll tightly and place it seam side down. Continue until you have used all your filling and eggplant.
Top the eggplant rolls with the remaining tomatoes, and add shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serves two portions.
This recipe makes SO MUCH FOOD! If you were having a hungry day, you won't be after this one- and it won't break the calorie budget either. Each portion is 292 calories, 10.5g fat, 29.5g carbs, and 20g protein.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Date Night Flex Meals Continued
With the new Nutrisystem program only giving 20 of each meal per month now, they expect customers to start flexing much earlier than they did when I first started the program. Back in 2010-2011, you received 28 of each item which meant you didn't have to flex at all until you wanted to, since auto-delivery comes every four weeks (not once a month).
You can still choose not to flex, it just means ordering extra food a la carte or moving up your auto-delivery date so that you don't run out of food. Honestly, I wouldn't have wanted to flex at the beginning of the program, before I really got a handle on how it was working and seeing the results. Plus, the whole idea to me of ordering Nutrisystem was to make weight loss convenient with as little thought as possible.
Although the program daily meal plans have changed since I started nearly a decade ago, the basic premise is still the same. I love the foods for convenience but I especially do a lot of dinner flexing because I like to eat with my family. Fortunately my son generally likes to eat healthy, so we can find delicious, low calorie meals the whole family can enjoy. It's nice to know that I'm giving him some good habits so that hopefully he will not be in the same place I am when he's an adult!
While this meal might not satisfy your kids, I suspect your spouse will love it whether or not they also are following the Nutrisystem program!
Pan-Roasted Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms (Flex Meal):
2 x 4oz chicken breasts
3 tbsp. low calorie Kraft Asian Sesame salad dressing
2 cups Shiitake mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
Heat 1 tbsp. dressing on medium heat in a frying pan. Add chicken and turn to coat both sides evenly with dressing. Cook 3-4 min on each side or until it's evenly browned (chicken will NOT be done). Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.
Add 1 tbsp. dressing to the pan along with the mushrooms, and cook until they are golden brown. Add the garlic for the last minute and cook until fragrant. Add remaining dressing, broth, and soy sauce and heat on medium to allow the sauce to reduce. When it's thickened, return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated all the way through. Makes two servings.
Serve on top of your favourite SmartCarb! I had mine with 1/2 cup cooked Jasmine rice.
This counts as two Powerfuel servings, 2 veggie servings, and an extra for the sauce. Adding in your Smartcarb serving makes this a delicious flex dinner (or lunch + powerfuel).
Also consider that since there is no carb right in the entrée, you can use 1/2 chicken breast as a very filling Powerfuel serving (+ 1 veg + 1 extra) in your regular day. This dish is low calorie, delicious, and super versatile!
You can still choose not to flex, it just means ordering extra food a la carte or moving up your auto-delivery date so that you don't run out of food. Honestly, I wouldn't have wanted to flex at the beginning of the program, before I really got a handle on how it was working and seeing the results. Plus, the whole idea to me of ordering Nutrisystem was to make weight loss convenient with as little thought as possible.
Although the program daily meal plans have changed since I started nearly a decade ago, the basic premise is still the same. I love the foods for convenience but I especially do a lot of dinner flexing because I like to eat with my family. Fortunately my son generally likes to eat healthy, so we can find delicious, low calorie meals the whole family can enjoy. It's nice to know that I'm giving him some good habits so that hopefully he will not be in the same place I am when he's an adult!
While this meal might not satisfy your kids, I suspect your spouse will love it whether or not they also are following the Nutrisystem program!
Pan-Roasted Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms (Flex Meal):
2 x 4oz chicken breasts
3 tbsp. low calorie Kraft Asian Sesame salad dressing
2 cups Shiitake mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
Heat 1 tbsp. dressing on medium heat in a frying pan. Add chicken and turn to coat both sides evenly with dressing. Cook 3-4 min on each side or until it's evenly browned (chicken will NOT be done). Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.
Add 1 tbsp. dressing to the pan along with the mushrooms, and cook until they are golden brown. Add the garlic for the last minute and cook until fragrant. Add remaining dressing, broth, and soy sauce and heat on medium to allow the sauce to reduce. When it's thickened, return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated all the way through. Makes two servings.
Serve on top of your favourite SmartCarb! I had mine with 1/2 cup cooked Jasmine rice.
This counts as two Powerfuel servings, 2 veggie servings, and an extra for the sauce. Adding in your Smartcarb serving makes this a delicious flex dinner (or lunch + powerfuel).
Also consider that since there is no carb right in the entrée, you can use 1/2 chicken breast as a very filling Powerfuel serving (+ 1 veg + 1 extra) in your regular day. This dish is low calorie, delicious, and super versatile!
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Date Night Flex Meals
Continuing on yesterday's theme, I've got a few date night flex meal recipes to share, for when you want something that feels fancy but is also easy to prepare and delicious. Nothing beats Nutrisystem in terms of convenience, but we aren't going to be eating packaged food forever and it's nice to build a repertoire of healthy meals that taste decadent and delicious. Last night's dinner was amazing- every bite is exploding with flavour and it tastes like a cheat meal.
You save calories by simmering your chicken in a little broth instead of using oil- it adds flavour and removes the greasy taste!
It's also quick and easy- twenty minutes from prep to plate!
Seared Mediterranean Chicken with Quinoa, Goat Cheese, & Vegetables (Flex Meals- Dinner):
2 x 3 oz chicken breasts
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1 cup green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup diced onions
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 oz goat cheese
splash of chicken broth
8g spice blend (garlic, salt, red pepper, powdered vinegar, paprika, turmeric, Cayenne pepper)
Prepare your quinoa as directed and set aside. In a pan, add enough chicken broth just to cover the bottom of the pan. Pat your chicken breasts dry, and coat them in the whole grain mustard and the spice blend. I don't like too much spice, so I only used a tiny bit of the Cayenne! Mix your spices to taste.
Cook your chicken in the hot pan, adding the balsamic vinegar when the broth starts to reduce. When it's fully cooked, remove it from the pan and cover with tinfoil to keep it warm. In the same pan, add the garlic and onion, and simmer until fragrant and translucent. Refresh with chicken broth if you need more liquid. Then add the diced tomatoes and green beans, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the beans are crisp and tender.
Divide the quinoa into two servings. Top with the vegetable mixture and basil leaves. Add your chicken and garnish each serving with 1/2 oz goat cheese.
Count this as your dinner entrée plus 2 servings of vegetables and 1 extra for the mustard and vinegar- the tiny amount of broth is free. The chicken + goat cheese is two Powerfuels and the quinoa is your Smartcarb.
You save calories by simmering your chicken in a little broth instead of using oil- it adds flavour and removes the greasy taste!
It's also quick and easy- twenty minutes from prep to plate!
Seared Mediterranean Chicken with Quinoa, Goat Cheese, & Vegetables (Flex Meals- Dinner):
2 x 3 oz chicken breasts
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1 cup green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup diced onions
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 oz goat cheese
splash of chicken broth
8g spice blend (garlic, salt, red pepper, powdered vinegar, paprika, turmeric, Cayenne pepper)
Prepare your quinoa as directed and set aside. In a pan, add enough chicken broth just to cover the bottom of the pan. Pat your chicken breasts dry, and coat them in the whole grain mustard and the spice blend. I don't like too much spice, so I only used a tiny bit of the Cayenne! Mix your spices to taste.
Cook your chicken in the hot pan, adding the balsamic vinegar when the broth starts to reduce. When it's fully cooked, remove it from the pan and cover with tinfoil to keep it warm. In the same pan, add the garlic and onion, and simmer until fragrant and translucent. Refresh with chicken broth if you need more liquid. Then add the diced tomatoes and green beans, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the beans are crisp and tender.
Divide the quinoa into two servings. Top with the vegetable mixture and basil leaves. Add your chicken and garnish each serving with 1/2 oz goat cheese.
Count this as your dinner entrée plus 2 servings of vegetables and 1 extra for the mustard and vinegar- the tiny amount of broth is free. The chicken + goat cheese is two Powerfuels and the quinoa is your Smartcarb.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Fancy Flex Meals
One of the things I have long struggled with is the idea that healthy food needs to be simple or plain in order to BE healthy. I love food in rich cream sauces or reductions or smothered in cheese and butter. All of those things might taste good but they're also so heavy and more of a treat than an everyday meal.
But cooking healthy doesn't have to mean that you can't eat something fancy or flavourful. It might take a few more steps but you can have a delicious meal that you wouldn't be surprised to see on a restaurant menu with just 20 minutes of cooking time!
Sheet Pan Cod with Red Chermoula over Whole Wheat Couscous (Flex Meals- Dinner):
8 oz cod, raw, in two portions
4 tbsp. diced onions
2 minced cloves of garlic
cilantro, roughly chopped, to taste
2 cups multicoloured cherry tomatoes
1 cup beets, diced
1 cup whole wheat couscous (cooked as prepared)
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
2 tsp olive oil
smoked paprika, sweet paprika, turmeric, kosher salt, mixed together, to taste (approximately 1 tbsp total)
Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. On a lined sheet pan, toss the tomatoes and beets with 1 tsp olive oil, season with 1 tsp of seasoning mix. Arrange the tomatoes and beets in a single even layer on the pan. Pat the cod fillets dry with a paper towel and 1 tsp seasoning mix. Nestle the fish between the vegetables. Place the pan in the oven and roast 15-18 minutes until the cod and beets have cooked through and the cherry tomatoes have burst. Remove from the oven.
While the cod and vegetables cook, in a large heatproof bowl combine the boiling water with couscous, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp honey. Cover the bowl with a plate and let sit for ten minutes. Fluff the cooked couscous with a fork and set aside in a warm spot.
In a medium pan, heat 1 tsp olive oil on medium-high. Add onions and remaining garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until fragrant (30-60 seconds). Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until dark red (1-2 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl and combine with vinegar, 1 tsp honey, and 1 tsp water along with the remaining spice mix.
Switch the oven to low broil. Spread half the chermoula over the fish. Return to the oven and broil 2-3 minutes until the chermoula has browned. To the remaining chermoula, add 1 tbsp. of water, combine with the couscous and season with pepper to taste. Divide the finished couscous between two plates. Top with the roasted vegetables and cod. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
Bon appetit!
This recipe makes two servings and counts as 2 Powerfuels, 1 SmartCarb, 2 vegetable servings, and 2 extras- and well worth it! It makes a great date night flex dinner.
Monday, March 4, 2019
Reformulations
I was a little disappointed to see that Nutrisystem has reformulated the macaroni and cheese with turkey sausage. This entrée has been one of my favourites on the days I just want to heat and eat and not dicker around with making one of my recipes. Some days I am just too tired and having a Nutrisystem entrée I am happy just grabbing makes a huge difference in whether I can stay on the plan or not.
Unfortunately, the reformulated version is going to make that a lot more difficult. While yes, it's slightly lower in calories, it's also missing an entire ounce of food. I suspect it works out to more than that. I just checked to see that I didn't post a photo of the old version- I'll have to do that as I still have a couple left. Then you'll really be able to see the difference!
The new version has different noodles, which is fine, and the sauce has a zesty flavour which is fine with me. However, it's much more saucy and much less food. That will be fine if I want to cook up some veggies and throw this on top- there will be plenty of sauce for that. But if I just want to eat it, I feel pretty shortchanged. I don't just want to eat spoonfuls of sauce. There are many fewer chunks of sausage, too.
Unfortunately, the reformulated version is going to make that a lot more difficult. While yes, it's slightly lower in calories, it's also missing an entire ounce of food. I suspect it works out to more than that. I just checked to see that I didn't post a photo of the old version- I'll have to do that as I still have a couple left. Then you'll really be able to see the difference!
The new version has different noodles, which is fine, and the sauce has a zesty flavour which is fine with me. However, it's much more saucy and much less food. That will be fine if I want to cook up some veggies and throw this on top- there will be plenty of sauce for that. But if I just want to eat it, I feel pretty shortchanged. I don't just want to eat spoonfuls of sauce. There are many fewer chunks of sausage, too.
It tastes better than it looks, but it's definitely become to me, an entrée that needs to have some tweaking done to make it a good meal. While I'm happy to have some of those, it has been really nice (especially since we can't order frozen meals without issue) to have some meals I could just eat.
Oh well. If anyone has any of the old version that they don't like, I'd be happy to take it off your hands!
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