Something in it After All!

I must confess, I was a little doubtful that going low sodium for a day would have much of an impact, but I did want to try it since I saw how awful I felt after ingesting all that sodium (among other things!).

As is usual for me, I got on the scale the next morning and saw I'd gained five pounds. That really hurt since I've been working so hard lately. So I decided to see how a really low sodium day would affect me. With help from Nutrisystem Counselling and by watching my add ins, I managed to restrict my sodium for the entire day to 1423mg- well below the daily recommended maximum of 2300mg. I got on the scale this morning to see if it had any effect, and I was delighted to see that I'd already lost 3.5lbs! I may try to go low sodium today as well with that kind of success.

Just to clarify- going low sodium is not going to make you drop massive amounts of weight overnight. But in a situation like mine where I knew that most of that 5lb gain was water weight (a few slices of pizza is not 17,500 calories!), going low sodium apparently helped my body release a lot of that water weight. Hopefully I can take the rest off before this weekend's weigh in- I'd like to at least have zero loss instead of a gain.

I've got some more Select frozen item reviews for you! This food is really yummy.


Chicken Quesadilla (Frozen Lunch):



This was SO good. I love Mexican food in general (as you can probably tell!) and I love gooey, cheesy quesadillas. This one was really nicely seasoned and I enjoyed it very much (and wished there were more!). I used a little plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream since I didn't have any, and it was perfect. This was one of my favourite frozen lunches.


Breakfast Burrito (Frozen Breakfast):



Sometimes when I am flexing breakfast I make myself burrito style things, so I was looking forward to trying Nutrisystem's take on it. Again, I really enjoyed the zesty flavour and this entree is incredibly filling. I forgot to have my morning snack (I often save my dairy and fruit for later in the morning) and realized it was lunchtime!


Chicken Alfredo (Frozen Dinner):



I was a little nervous about this entree because I used to love alfredo style pastas but the shelf stable Penne Pasta & Chicken in Alfredo Sauce had a nasty reaction on my system- it felt like it triggered me to eat more. I was really happy that I gave this entree a try though! The sauce was thick and creamy, the serving was large and flavourful. There was enough sauce to add more vegetables to it, but not enough to drown the meal if you chose not to do that. One thing I am finding with these frozen meals is that they are so colourful and attractive. The vegetables all look like they were just sliced fresh and added to the meal and taste great- not mushy or watery like some frozen veggies do. I would have loved to have more of these in my Select frozen meal pack!

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 Always Hate This

Well, it's hard. It's always so much easier to be positive and upbeat and share my successes with you. It's not as easy to share my failings. But I did make a promise that I would never lie to my readers- I want to share everything about my journey here honestly.

It also didn't really help that I got a comment from a friend of mine who is doing Jenny Craig that really bothered me. She went on holiday a month ago and has been way off plan ever since- she's regained more than 8 pounds. I offered to help her meal plan and get her back on track, and she gave me the impression that she thinks I never go through stuff like this- that I'm the "perfect" weight loss client.

If I've ever given you that impression, I'm sorry. You'll find several confessions like this throughout my journey, because I'm not perfect. I make mistakes, both intentional and unintentional, just like the everyone else.

Yesterday, I had one of the most stressful days I've had in a really long time. Everything and everyone is OK- it was just rough to go through and by the end of the day I was just ready for a break that I didn't get. I missed dinner and was so hungry by the time that I could finally eat that I just ordered a pizza (my usual failing, if you know me).

I can really tell what effect it's had on my body, though. For the rest of the night I was chugging water because the salt was making me so thirsty. I really wonder how I ate like that before without even noticing! In fact, I used to drink pop with the pizza so no water intake at all! So to all the people who wonder if the Nutrisystem food is high in sodium- it's evidently conditioned my body to a much lower sodium diet without me even realizing it.

The real difference between me and someone who will not succeed is that I don't give up after I make a misstep. In the old days, I would have taken an offplan day as an excuse to have an offplan week. Or more. Before I knew it, my one offplan snack or meal had spiraled into a 5+lb weight gain.

It just makes me sad that I gave in to my old demons. I've worked so hard and was finally at the lowest weight I can ever remember myself being, and then I go and do something like this. But as I've said before- you can't change the past, but we can learn from it.

My plan for today is to choose all the lowest sodium entrees and add ins to help detox my body. I'm not normally sodium sensitive so I must have gone WAY over my usual intake! Did you know that you can call Nutrisystem Counselling and request a list of the lowest sodium meals (and get it instantly by email!)? The support they offer their clients is great. Losing weight isn't easy, and it's smart to take advantage of every tool you can. I also plan to increase my exercise to burn off the extra calories I consumed.

Always remember- tomorrow is a new day, and we can make a fresh start. One mistake is just that- ONE mistake; it doesn't have to be more unless you allow it to be.

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.

More on Exercise

I've been finding that the more weight I lose, the more motivated I am to exercise. My new goal is to exercise 5 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. Part of it is that I know I'm getting closer to my goal weight but I still have a high body fat percentage, so I want to get that into a normal range as well. Part of it I think is just that it's easier to move around without all those extra pounds dragging on me! My son is only 24lbs, but when I carry him for long, my arms get tired. How did I manage with nearly four of him on my body carried around all day long?

It also helps to give myself a real incentive to exercise, so that I don't say I'm tired and make excuses. I love to read, so I bought myself a few brand new books. Normally, I'd just zip right through them. Instead, I made a rule that I can only read them while I'm exercising on the elliptical (and at the correct speed!). It gets frustrating because I really want to know what happens, so it keeps me going for ten more minutes or getting on every single day. If you don't like to read, maybe you can watch parts of a movie while you work out, or listen to your favourite music. Some kind of reward that you get while you're actually exercising. It definitely makes me enjoy exercise more and keeps me coming back!

I've still got lots of Select meal reviews to share with you but I just made an awesome lunch recipe that I wanted to write about. If you like broccoli, I highly recommend you give this one a try!


Cream of Broccoli Soup (Lunch):



Cheesy Broccoli & Bacon Soup:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Cream of Broccoli Soup
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 cups raw broccoli, steamed
1/2 cup milk
1 slice turkey bacon
1 tbsp shredded cheese

Combine the broth and milk in a pot over medium heat. Stir in the Cream of Broccoli soup and stir well to get rid of the powder chunks. In a separate pan cook the slice of turkey bacon and cut it into little pieces. Add the broccoli and bacon to the pot and stir; allow to simmer until flavours blend or about ten minutes. Just before serving, stir in the cheese.

This was SO good! I like the NS Cream of Broccoli Soup as is, but this was delicious and it makes an enormous bowl of soup. It's also easy to modify- if you want a vegetarian soup you can either use veggie bacon or sub out the bacon for more cheese. The total for the milk, bacon, and cheese must fit the dairy/protein stats of up to 100 calories, 3g fat or less, and 7g protein or more. 1/2 cup of fat free milk is 45 calories, my turkey bacon is 30 calories per slice, so that leaves me 25 calories' worth of shredded cheese. Always check the nutritional information on your own add ins to make sure the stats still fit.

This counts as a complete lunch plus a free food (the chicken broth). If you want more veggies though, since broccoli is unlimited, go for it! This might be nice with a salad on the side.

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.

Getting Closer...

I was delighted to step on the scale this morning and see something that was definitely worth the wait! Over the past 3 weeks I have lost 4.6lbs and that included a week of vacation! At this stage in my weight loss, I am thrilled to be losing more than 1.5lbs per week. I am really hoping to earn my next Nutribear soon!

I'm also really excited to see that I now have less than 30lbs to go to get to my goal weight. It feels so close... I really know that I will be able to accomplish it.

Now my only problem is finding something to wear... I wanted to post a picture of myself wearing my new jeans but all my shirts are too baggy now so you can't really see the weight I've lost! I'll have to do something in the meantime- I don't want to spend too much money since I'll need a whole new wardrobe when I reach goal, but having proper fitting clothes is really important for self esteem. I learned that when I first started losing weight. I'll figure something out! After all- this is a great problem to have!

Lazy Weekend Breakfast

Some foods just seem to go together so well... one of my favourite combinations is bananas and chocolate. I was looking at a bunch of bananas in my kitchen and trying to decide what to have for breakfast and thought that I wanted pancakes. Then inspiration struck and this yummy creation resulted.

Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix (Breakfast):



1 pkg Nutrisystem Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix
1/3 cup milk
1/2 banana, sliced into thin coins

Spray your griddle or frying pan with PAM butter spray and let it preheat while you make the batter. Mix together the milk and pancake mix, and add the banana coins when the batter is smooth. Spoon it into the pan and cook until the bottom side is browning, then flip and cook until pancakes are done. Enjoy with sugarfree maple syrup if desired.

I know this is a discontinued item, but if you aren't fortunate enough to have some stashed away, just add 20 calories' worth of mini chocolate chips to plain Pancake Mix and you're all set. Also keep in mind that when this item was reformulated, the new Pancake Mixes only call for 1/4 cup milk while the old ones call for 1/3 cup. Always follow the directions on the package you are using.

I really enjoyed this recipe- very quick and easy but delicious. I made 7 small pancakes out of the batter and it looked like so much food! Very filling.

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.

A Trip to the Doctor

Today I went to my doctor for a physical. I hadn't been in since my son was 6 weeks old for a follow up visit. I remember at the time when they did our family's new patient intake form how much it bothered me when I saw the nurse discreetly mark the Obese check box in the health risks section of my profile. When they brought me in and said they were going to check my height, weight, and blood pressure, I was never happier to get on that scale!

The nurses were all really impressed with how much weight I've lost. Counting up to my last "official" weigh in here on Stomach Rumblings, I have lost 116 lbs since the doctor's office weighed me last. They also ordered some bloodwork for me- I am really looking forward to seeing how the weight loss has affected things like my cholesterol level, which was always quite high.

But really- who would ever have thought that I'd look forward to a physical?


Even though it's still snowy outside, I'm already missing the ice cream from the Nutrisystem Select program. I used to eat ice cream all the time, so even though I didn't really notice it during my year without any, now that I've had it again I do miss it! I'm sure that on a warm summer evening these would be the perfect treat.


Caramel Swirl Sundae (Frozen Dessert):



This doesn't really look anything like the photo on the Nutrisystem site, but it's good! It looks exactly like those little sundae cups you used to be able to buy at convenience stores with the little wooden spoons. And it tastes just as yummy! I love caramel and really enjoyed this. I was thinking that if I had the opportunity to have it again, I would save a fruit serving and put this over banana slices.


Fudge Swirl Sundae (Frozen Dessert):



Again, the fudge sundae on the website looks better than the one you get, but it still tastes awesome. The fudge is thick and rich but it doesn't overpower the ice cream. I really liked it.

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: Shenzhen Knives

This week I had the opportunity to try out a new cooking gadget- a ceramic knife. I've read about them before but never had the chance to try one. I received a 6" ceramic chef knife from Shenzhen Knives and decided to put it through the toughest challenge I know- butternut squash.

Those of you who have made my Cajun Fries know that while butternut squash is exceptionally tasty, it's a pain in the behind to peel and cut into French fries. My husband asked me if I thought this was really a fair test for the knife and he's probably right that it was not, but we decided to do it anyway and see how it stacked up against the usual serrated metal knife we use.

My husband wanted to try it out himself, so he volunteered to cut the squash fries. We were both really impressed with how easily this ceramic knife sliced through the squash. It made the job much quicker and easier than it usually was.



We liked that there are no serrations in this ceramic knife for food to get stuck in (which can be a pain to clean) yet it still produces a sharp, straight cut. Care is simple; just wash it in soapy water and store it in a knife block or in its case.

I tried it out on some softer vegetables and still had great results, even when using a tomato. I'm sure you know from experience how tomatoes can get crushed and soggy when you chop them with a knife, but Shenzhen's ceramic knife cut a neat slice with no mess.



If you're looking for a new set of knives, I highly recommend checking out Shenzhen Knives' website.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.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.

Loving Those Lunches

I've always felt that lunch was the weakest meal on the Nutrisystem program. There are several entrees that I love, like most of the lunch bars, the Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes, and now the Italian Style Wedding Soup. But overall, I find that lunch is the easiest meal for me to get bored. I loved having the Select frozen options available because they not only gave me more variety with lunch, but they were really good to boot! I'm sad that I won't be able to get them again until I either visit the US again or if they find a way to sell them to Canadian customers.


Roasted Vegetable Pizza (Frozen Lunch):



I loved the flavour of the veggies on this pizza! Normally I add stuff to my pizzas, but I decided to try all the Select items pretty much as is. This one, in my opinion, needs absolutely nothing done to it- it's great with no doctoring required. I was a little nervous about cooking it in the microwave, since I don't even nuke grilled cheese sandwiches at home because the bread gets soggy, but it comes with a little microwave cooking tray so I decided to give it a try. I was really excited to see that the crust did indeed come out crisp! It was nice and thick, and it had the texture of a Pizza Hut crust without all the grease. I really enjoyed this and would definitely eat it again if I could!


Steak and Cheese Melt (Frozen Lunch):



I'm not a big steak fan myself, so I was expecting not to like this just because it's not to my taste. That disappointed me since there were two in my frozen pack, but I wanted to give it a fair try. It looks like a McDonalds apple pie (except bigger) when I put it on the plate. It actually tasted pretty good! I loved the gravy and the steak taste was mild so I found it inoffensive. I would have appreciated some more veggies inside, maybe green peppers and onions, so perhaps if I ate this again I'd use my dinner fat to fry some in olive oil and pour them on top. It's just fine if you want to eat it as is, though!

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 really nice vacation- and I'm proud to say that it's the first trip I have actually lost weight on, probably ever! That is one heck of a NSV. It was really great to have the Nutrisystem frozen meals waiting for me- and they were tempting enough that I didn't even want to go off plan!

I'm not going to post a weigh in since we're already too far into the week but I am really looking forward to seeing my ticker move this Sunday! I can feel my clothes fitting differently than they did even a few weeks ago. I wasn't able to exercise while I was out of town so I am really happy to be getting back to that as well.

While I was away, Nutrisystem also released two new shelf stable meals that I am really looking forward to trying soon: Butterscotch Pudding and Maple Flavored Breakfast Patty. They're on the way so I'll be writing about them soon!

In the meantime, I have reviews to share with you from the Nutrisystem Select frozen plan (US only). I really enjoyed the meals and would highly recommend you give the frozen plan a try if it's available to you!


Ravioli Formaggio (Frozen Dinner):



I remembered not being too crazy about the shelf stable ravioli dinners, if only because I found it psychologically frustrating to have only two raviolis for dinner. I wasn't sure how I'd like this but since there were two in my frozen meal pack, I was hoping I would!

I was pleasantly surprised by the sauce. It tasted thick and chunky and was lightly spiced with Italian herbs, as opposed to the thinner sauce used in the shelf stable Italian dishes. It actually reminded me of fresh crushed tomatoes with seasoning and tasted like it was a restaurant pasta meal. I really enjoyed it!


Ice Cream Sandwich (Frozen Dessert):



As soon as I saw the package I was very excited to see this! Most Nutrisystem meals are smaller than the items they "replace" for us, but this dessert was just as big as one you'd buy at the grocery store! It was very sweet but I found it was a very "light" sweetness so it wasn't overpowering. I really enjoyed the taste and it satisfied my ice cream cravings. I was very happy that three of them came in my frozen pack so I could have it more than once for dessert.

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.

Wow

OK, I am seriously impressed!

I'm here in Kentucky and really enjoying my trip. It's so nice to be able to travel and not to have to worry about what I'm eating- I can just go to the freezer and pull out whatever I'm in the mood for.

Unfortunately I can't upload any photos until I get home (I forgot to bring the thing that lets me put them on the computer) so I'll save the specific reviews for when I return, but in the meantime I wanted to let you know that I am really enjoying the Nutrisystem Select frozen meals! Everything I have had so far has been colourful and had lots of flavour. Portion sizes have been satisfying and kept me full even when I thought they wouldn't. So if you're thinking of trying the frozen meals, at this point I'd definitely recommend it (haven't tried everything yet but I'm looking forward to it!).

Definitely check back next week for photos and reviews of each item!

On the Road Again...

I'm pretty excited- I leave tomorrow for Kentucky to visit a friend of mine. I'm really looking forward to it! Another awesome thing about going is that I will be able to review the Nutrisystem Select frozen foods. Since they are unfortunately not available to Canadians at this time (I can imagine the issues of trying to get ice cream through Customs before it melted!) I haven't been able to try them until now.

I am not sure how much time I'll be able to get online to post while I'm there, but if you don't see the reviews over the next week, I'll share them when I get back.

Now I'm sure you're waiting to hear my weigh in results, right? Unfortunately, you're going to have to keep waiting! The batteries in my scale died and I don't have time to buy new ones before I get packed to leave for the airport.

So, I have a recipe for you instead, which came from an idea I saw on the NS boards. Enjoy!


Apple Strudel Scone (Breakfast):



Pumpkin Apple Pie:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Apple Strudel Scone
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup Egg Beaters
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp ricotta cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tbsp Splenda

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Grind up the scone into crumbs in a food processor. Spray the bottom of a baking dish (or two!) with Pam Butter Spray and pour the crumbs into the dish(es). In your food processor, mix the remaining ingredients together well. Pour the batter into the dish(es) and bake for ten minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees and bake until filling is set (about 15 minutes in my oven). Enjoy warm!

I found that the crumbs were so light that they took up more than half of my usual single serving casserole dish, so the whole thing didn't fit into one dish. It was actually nice to have breakfast in two parts since this is a tasty and very filling entree. Count it as a complete breakfast.

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 Still Here...

Sorry I haven't written much this week. My husband's out of town again and computer time has become a bit of a luxury with a toddler on the go! I've been really tired lately, too, so I haven't even been able to muster the energy to exercise, even though I know it makes me feel better. I really need to get back to it but it seems like there is always so much to do! I have no idea how single parents manage- especially if they have to work, too.

So I don't have a new recipe for you today, but I did want to share some thoughts. There was a discussion on the Nutrisystem boards where someone asked if other people told that they were on Nutrisystem, and I found it a really interesting question.

Personally, I shout it from the rooftops! I think that placing my first order with Nutrisystem was the best decision I've made for my health in a very long time. One year ago, I was extremely fat and unhappy, and now look at me (I need to post another photo!). I would never imagine that I could have changed so much in such a short time, and I can't wait to see what changes this year will bring.

Nutrisystem gave me the tools I needed to learn about healthy, sustainable weight loss. Not to mention that you guys know I really do enjoy the food! I find it a fun challenge to recreate as many of my favourite foods as possible, and playing around with the Nutrisystem entrees helps me make some interesting and tasty meals.

At this point in my journey, I'm telling everyone about my success with the program because I want to help people make changes in their lives, too. Sometimes a little support is all it takes to get your friends or family started. I think of myself as a role model for health and weight loss, and it means a lot to me to know that I am helping to inspire others to become healthier. You can be one, too. As the pounds and inches start dropping off, I am sure that people will start asking you how you do it!

I don't see any reason not to tell people why I'm following a weight loss program. I'm not ashamed or self conscious; I am proud that I took the steps to make myself a healthier person. At first I got a twinge of embarrassment when I told people how much weight I'd lost and plan to lose, but now I see it as a badge of success. Yes, I have lost 116 lbs since I had my son. Yes, that means I was incredibly overweight. But- I'm NOT ANYMORE. So why shouldn't I be proud of myself?

I'm planning on getting one of these Nutrisystem Sports Bottles. They're only $1.50 (and you can add them to your auto delivery to get free shipping!) and not only is it a great way to make sure you're getting your water in, but it's a great way to share your success with others.



Be proud of yourself for what you're doing, whether you've just placed your order or have been on the program for a while. Take pride in your accomplishments, and celebrate the little moments along the way.

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.

Soon...

I went to the mall today and decided just for the heck of it to try on some clothes. There was a huge clearance sale going on and some really nice clothes were being massively discounted. I picked up a few pairs of jeans and went to try them on. The first pair I tried on, to my shock, was too big! I haven't worn that size in years because it was too small, so the last thing I was expecting was to have it hang off me!

I tried the next size down, and it was tight, but I could put them on and zip them up! I was so excited. Honestly, I can't remember ever wearing this size. I am sure I must have at some point when I was growing up but it's not something I recall and I don't own any clothes in this size. I'm not quite ready to wear them out yet, but I'm sure as long as I keep exercising that by the time I earn my next Nutribear that I'll be rocking my new jeans! I can't wait.

It's finally starting to click that I'm coming to the end of the rope. I have a relatively small amount of weight still to lose. I am going to get there! Maybe, despite it all, I wasn't really convinced of it until I did up the button on these jeans.

My weight loss is starting to slow down but I am okay with that. I am going to get there, so I'm not going to worry if it takes a few weeks long than I planned. I'll just keep taking it one week at a time.

I lost one pound this week and that's still a normal healthy weight loss. It's one pound that is gone forever. One pound at a time, I will reach my goal.

Eat the Rainbow!

OK, so that sounds a little silly... but the sentiment behind it is good. Fruits and vegetables come in a wide variety of colours and they all have different vitamins, minerals and nutrients to benefit our bodies. It's great for our health to eat lots of different coloured foods. Just think back to before you started making healthier choices- what colour was the food on your plate most days? I'd guess that a lot of it was beige or brown or white- monochromatic. So try everything you can- you might be surprised at how full of flavour vegetables can be, or how satisfying a juicy piece of fruit can be!

Here's a tasty recipe to help you get some colour in your day.


Chicken Salad (Lunch):




Chicken Pasta Salad:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Chicken Salad
1 carb serving of rotini pasta
1 dairy/protein serving of chopped chicken
1 whole green onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tbsp relish
1 tbsp light mayonnaise (optional)
black pepper, garlic to taste

Prepare your pasta as directed on the package. Allow it to cool, and mix all the ingredients together. If you add lots of vegetables, you may wish to use the extra light mayonnaise for a little extra sauce but I didn't think it was necessary. If desired, chill your salad in the fridge for half an hour and enjoy!

The Chicken Salad entree is designed to be served with a small whole grain roll, so I've substituted whole wheat pasta as my carb addition instead.

I am still surprised at how much I enjoy the Chicken Salad. It's an entree that I've been eating since I first started my Nutrisystem journey back in January 2010. Yes, it looks really gross when it comes out of the package and the texture is unappealing, but I really like the flavour! Not to mention that it is pretty much a blank palette- you can use it as a base to make it whatever way you like your chicken salad. I find that green onions really perk it up, but I know some people like to use part of their fruit and fat servings to add apple chunks and walnuts for example. So definitely give this entree a try if you haven't yet (or a second shot if you have but didn't add anything to it)- it's one of the easiest meals to fix up and definitely makes a satisfying meal. You can see my other Chicken Salad recipes by clicking the tag in my Nutrisystem Entrees section on the sidebar.

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.

Weekend Decadence

We stopped by McDonalds during Free Coffee Week and looking at all the breakfast items on the menu, it made me remember one of my favourites- the McDonalds breakfast burritos. One burrito is 300 calories, 16g of fat (7g saturated), and 24g of carbs, and most people eat two plus a potato item like hashbrowns!

Since I've been playing around with crepes lately, I got the idea of using the Pancake Mix to make a wrapper for the burrito. The result was an incredibly decadent breakfast that will have you convinced that this breakfast couldn't possibly be Nutrisystem-friendly; but it is!

Pancake Mix:



McDonalds Breakfast Burrito:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1/2 slice fat free cheese
1 turkey breakfast sausage
chopped onions, green peppers (optional)
black pepper and hot sauce to taste
salsa or ketchup to taste

In a bowl, whisk the pancake mix, milk, and water until no lumps remain. Pour half the batter into a frying pan sprayed with PAM butter spray; set the other half of the batter aside. Flip the crepe when ready and cook the second side. In a separate pan, cook the Egg Beaters, sausage, and vegetables. When both the eggs and crepe are ready, spoon the filling into one side of the crepe and top with the FF cheese. Microwave for 20 seconds to melt the cheese, and enjoy with a spoonful of spicy salsa if desired!

My husband took one bite of this and asked me to make him some for lunch! He likes them with a little Frank's hot sauce cooked into the eggs and asked me to add a little to the crepe batter next time as well.

Some tips on making your crepes since I had trouble at first: they take much, much longer to cook than pancakes, which I wasn't expecting since they are so thin. Also, if you try to flip them early, they'll rip and be ruined (or at least not look so pretty). I wait until the edges start to lift and then carefully slide my spatula underneath. The second side only takes a minute or so to crisp up since it's already mostly cooked. If you are making crepes and want the first one to stay moist for easy folding while the second cooks, put it on a plate and place a damp paper towel over the top.

Now, I'm sure some of you are wondering how to count this and what we're going to do with the rest of the batter. Here's where breakfast starts to feel like a real extravagance!

Quick Dessert for Breakfast Crepe:



leftover crepe batter
1 fruit serving of your favourite berries (I like strawberries), in thin slices
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp Splenda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp ricotta cheese

Prepare the second crepe as directed above. While it's cooking, pour the water, vanilla, and Splenda into a small pan and heat it on medium heat. Add the strawberries, and let them cook until most of the liquid is gone and the pan is thick and syrupy. Put the ricotta cheese in the crepe and top with the fruit syrup. If desired, drizzle with Walden Farms Maple Syrup or Chocolate Syrup and a tiny puff of whipped cream. Enjoy your breakfast dessert!

After a year, I have to say that this breakfast still has me feeling slightly amazed that I can do it all with a breakfast entree, dairy/protein, and fruit serving (plus a free food: the tbsp of ricotta), but you can! Just make sure that you don't go over 100 calories for your egg filling- it depends on the stats for your sausage. You could also use 1oz of fat free ham if you want more egg or cheese. It was a totally filling and decadent breakfast- definitely satisfied my cravings!

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.

Would You Like Fries with That? (Part 2)

As you've seen, I like to work on recreating as many of my old favourite meals as possible. That way, when I have a craving for something really unhealthy, I have a way to satisfy it without going off program. It's really hard to feel deprived when you have to sit and try to think of things you want but can't have!

Today I walked past a New York Fries and remembered a dish I used to enjoy but haven't eaten since before I got pregnant because it's a heart attack in a paper cup. With 710 calories, 38g of fat (10 saturated), and 75g of carbs, poutine is one scary menu item! Not to mention that since it's fries, it frequently gets treated as a side dish so you're having something else with it! If you feel like you're missing out, try this satisfying meal, which you can enjoy as a side dish along with the Nutrisystem Flame Broiled Beef Patty if you like!


Vegetable Ideas:



Poutine:

3/4 cup butternut squash, cut into french fry shapes
1/4 cup beef gravy
1 oz shredded mozzerella cheese
sea salt, pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the squash on a french fry baking tray (like the one I use in my Cajun fries recipe) and spray with PAM Olive Oil spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until fries are browning. Top with gravy and shredded cheese and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds or until gravy is hot and cheese is melted.

Poutine purists please note that I didn't use cheese curds since I wasn't able to find any low fat/fat free ones. Of course if you can get those that would make the dish much more authentic! I highly recommend against substituting sweet potatoes or any vegetable with a lot of flavour into this recipe because it just wouldn't taste quite right as a savory dish this way. I may try it with something even milder like turnip or jicama, but it was definitely satisfying even with the butternut squash.

Counts as 2 vegetable servings, 1 dairy/protein, and 1 free food.

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.