Feeling more positive

Lately I've been feeling a little better about my weight loss. I think the 50lb marker was big for me even though it doesn't have any real significance. It sure sounds like a lot of weight, doesn't it?

I have some new entrees to review but I just haven't gotten around to eating them yet. I'm a little nervous to try things that I'm not sure I'll like, so they just sit in my cupboard. Just watch- they'll end up being some of my favourite meals I bet and I'll regret having waited this long, just like the Trail Mix Bar!


Chicken with Almonds, Rice, and Vegetables (Dinner):


This is a discontinued dinner I managed to snag on eBay. They're frequently in big lots and the last thing I want to do is buy a lot of very likely expired meals (since they have discontinued ones, they're probably all old). There are a few more I'd like to review but I just can't seem to get my hands on them. If my readers happen to have any discontinued meals that you haven't seen me review, I'd be happy to buy one of each from you just so I can write it up here.

I actually really liked this meal. It looks quite unappetizing (very gray) so I poured it over a bowl of colourful stir fry veggies. The almond slivers gave it a satisfying crunch and the sauce was yummy. If this was still on the menu, I'd have it on my reorder list.


Red Beans & Rice with Sausage (lunch):


I decided to make something similar but slightly different than the gumbo I made last time- it was yummy but a little too soupy for me. I wanted to make it more casserole like this time, and give it a little more kick.

1 pkg NS Red Beans & Rice with Sausage
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup Aylmer Accents Spicy Red Pepper Tomatoes
1/2 small green pepper, diced
2 green onions, diced

That's it- so simple and so delicious. I love the Aylmer Accents- they are so flavourful! These really had a zesty kick to them so if you don't like spice, then choose another flavour. I didn't need any other seasonings in the meal- it was delicious just the way it was. I just mixed everything together in a pot and let it simmer for ten minutes before eating. Yum!


Flex Meals (Breakfast):


This is an old classic meal I'm sure you ate all the time before starting program, and didn't consider that you could still have it on Nutrisystem!


Cherry French Toast:

2 slices low calorie whole wheat bread
1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or 1 egg + some fat free milk- one isn't quite enough)
sugarfree syrup or your favourite fruit topping

Dip the bread in the egg mixture and pan fry until crispy and brown. Top with sugarfree syrup and maybe a little squirt of whipped cream. This counts as an entree, so you still add fruit and dairy!


Caramel Popcorn (Dessert):


OK, I'll say it. Nutrisystem, you were absolutely insane to discontinue this item. I figured it must be good when 3 years after discontinuation it was still selling for $5-$7 PER PACKAGE on eBay, but I didn't imagine that it would be delicious even long after it should be stale. Was it a little soggy? Yeah, but I still liked it! And it's only 100 calories, people!

I actually wound up dividing it in half and opening a pack of Chocolate Rainbow Delights and using half of that to make my trail mix. The Caramel Popcorn was a really nice addition. Too bad I only have 2 packs left and I'm not going to try hunting it down at the rates it goes for. Apparently Nutrisystem is introducing a new popcorn item this fall which I am looking forward to trying.


Harvest Nut Bar (Breakfast):


I was really expecting not to like this. It's just as small as the Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar (which is pretty darn small) but has that gooey look of the ultra-sweet Apple Strudel bar. I took a bite, though, and it was very reminiscent of the trail mix bar. I loved the big chunks of nuts. I am not sure how frequently I'll order this because I really am a pastry kind of gal, but it's not something I'm going to avoid if I find another one in my cupboard.

Isn't it boring?

I was talking to an acquaintance yesterday who insisted that programs like Nutrisystem must be boring because you just eat the same old thing out of the box every day.

I've got some new recipes to share- anyone bored yet? :)


Rotini with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce (Dinner):


I would normally add cottage cheese to this entree to make it more like a lazy lasagna, but I decided to do a version of the recipe I used with the Chicken Pasta Parmesan. I sauteed chopped spinach, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and tomatoes in a pan with garlic, and then dumped the entree over the top. I added 2 tbsp of fat free cream cheese (I wanted a little more since I added so many veggies) and let it simmer until blended. It was delicious!

Count this as your dinner entrée + veggies + 1 extra for the cream cheese (up to 35 calories' worth).

Nutrichocolates (Dessert):


I was a little nervous about these when I opened the package- they looked terrible. The chocolate looked old and dried out and I was regretting my decision to order a few for messing around with. Then I stuck them in the microwave for 30 seconds and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw!



They melted perfectly and tasted great. I cut the ends off some strawberries and rolled them around in the dish of melted chocolate and put them on a plate to harden.



They were absolutely delicious, although I confess that I wanted very much to have a glass of champagne with them. I managed to avoid that temptation. My only suggestion is that when you put them down to dry, put them on wax paper or something so that you aren't looking at a plate with melted chocolate globs stuck to it and trying to figure out how to get them off to eat them!

Count this as your Nutrisystem Snack plus one extra for the strawberries (you don't need a full SC serving, 35 calories of strawberries is a lot!).

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage (Lunch):


I love zesty Cajun food, and this entree seemed perfect for tweaking.

Spicy Cajun Gumbo (Lunch/Dinner):

1 pkg NS Red Beans & Rice with Sausage
1 cup sodium free chicken broth
3/4 cup sodium free diced tomatoes
chopped green pepper, green onion, Spanish onion
1.5 oz diced shrimp
1.5 oz chopped chicken
chili spice, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Old Bay Seafood Seasoning to taste

I just threw everything in a pot and let it simmer together. It made an enormous serving that I had a hard time finishing. This counts as lunch + protein + veggies. If you get an extra carb at lunch time, I'd add 1/3 cup of wild rice as well. You could also lower the shrimp and chicken to 1oz each and add an oz of turkey sausage, too!

This meal was definitely full of flavour and I really enjoyed it!

Count this as your Nutrisystem Lunch entrée plus 1 Powerfuel (or a dinner entrée) plus veggies.

Looking forward to the weekend!

I'm excited for the weekend, not only because I get away, but because I can prove to myself that I can still lose weight even in the "real world". I was inspired by last night's episode of the Biggest Loser, where the contestants went home for a week and some still posted record weight losses (I can't believe Sam lost 14lbs!), even with all the temptations of their favourite foods and friends. If they can do it, I can do it, too!

Here are some new meals that I have tried:

Italian Herb Flatbread Pizza (Dinner):


I think of the three pizzas, this is my favourite. It feels bigger than the Thick Crust Pizza, and I love the herbs and spices on the flatbread. I topped it with turkey pepperoni and my favourite veggies.


Chicken & Pasta in Cacciatore Sauce (Lunch):


I don't think I've ever had this before even prior to trying NS, so I am not really sure what it's supposed to taste like. I took a bite and it tasted like pasta in diced tomatoes with a little kick. I prefer my pasta dishes to be a little more sauce-y and less tomato-y so I wasn't really a fan of it but I think this may be personal preference because NS's pasta dishes tend to be quite good.


Red Beans and Rice with Sausage (Lunch):


Oh my goodness where has this dish been hiding and why haven't I tried it before??? It was absolutely amazing! There was actually a decent size serving of rice and several chunks of sausage. This was a nice, spicy dish that was loaded with flavour. As soon as I tried it, I immediately rearranged my auto delivery to get lots of these with my next order!


Chicken Tortilla Soup (Dinner):


This came as a freebie with my last box. If it hadn't, I would never have ordered it. With all the delicious things I can choose from for dinner, I can't imagine what would possess me to choose soup of all things. I decided to give it a try, since I like the lunch Black Bean Tortilla soup. I was disappointed with the bland flavour- it just didn't taste right to me. If it was a little zestier, I might have considered it again, but as it is, I really didn't care for it.


Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing with Diced Chicken (Lunch):


I figured this meal would be easy for days where I am having lunch at a restaurant so I could just order a plain garden salad and add my chicken and salad dressing to it and still be eating a NS lunch. I opened the chicken pouch and about six sad little pieces of chicken were inside. The dressing was definitely not creamy- it was more of a vinaigrette based Caesar. Again, I have nothing against that type of dressing, but why on earth would they label it creamy? I wish some of the descriptions were more accurate. Would I eat it again? Yes, because I do like the convenience and it's easier to eat out with it instead of a lunch bar. The dressing had a bit of zip to it and I like that. I did use my lunch protein to add some more chicken though and found myself surprisingly full afterwards. This won't be one of my favourites but I'm sure it will make an appearance from time to time.


Fettuccine Alfredo (Lunch):


I like this meal as is, but I decided to jazz it up a little. I added diced tomatoes, red onion, green pepper, and mushrooms and fried them in a pan with a little Pam spray while the fettuccine was being made. I chopped up a serving of chicken and added that as well. The result was a delicious, filling pasta dish that I really enjoyed.


I'll be doing my weekly weigh in post on Monday next week since I am not bringing my computer to Niagara Falls (the hotel charges a whopping $14.95 a day for internet access, ouch!), and hopefully I'll have more good news!