Who else isn't a veggie lover?

Come on now, raise your hands! I can't be the only one. For me, salad is the thing I usually don't enjoy. Salad is diet food, right? Who wants to eat diet food? Every once in a while, a nice salad will hit the spot but it's definitely not something I want to eat every day. It can get frustrating when I read on the Nutrisystem boards and everyone just says, Oh, have a salad. Well, what if you don't WANT salad?

There are other ways to eat vegetables that taste surprisingly good- I promise! I'm going to try and devote some time over the next few weeks to sharing my favourite ways to prepare vegetables that are so yummy, you will actually want to eat them!


Flex Meals (Dinner):

Turkey Florentine Meatballs with Spaghetti:


I used to make these meatballs all the time, and the recipe only required a slight modification to make it an NS-friendly dinner swap.

4oz lean ground turkey
1 tbsp breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Egg Beaters
chopped green onion and spinach
mashed garlic
Italian seasonings

1 carb serving worth of pasta
1/2 cup tomato sauce

Mix all the meatball ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Prepare the pasta as directed, drain, and put on plate. Heat up pasta sauce and add sauce and meatballs. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.

This is a surprisingly large serving and I really enjoyed this meal. I also conquered my desire for seconds when I'm not actually hungry, which I'm sure added up to a lot of weight in the past! I only made one serving of pasta but a huge batch of meatballs and I did resist the urge to go back for more- I really didn't need them. It definitely hit the spot for a nice Italian pasta meal (and good as the NS sauce is- mine is better!)



Meatball Sub:


Oh, I used to love these before I started Nutrisystem, except I'd use the giant sub buns and serve it with French fries. I was a little nervous that I'd still be hungry after eating this since it's so much less than I was used to, but I was honestly stuffed afterwards, and very satisfied! It's so nice to be able to eat my old favourites.

1 small whole wheat hot dog bun
3 turkey meatballs (from recipe above- I made them all 1oz size for easy calculation- yes, I did weigh each one before cooking!)
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 oz shredded cheese
chopped onions and green peppers

Warm the meatballs and tomato sauce, and pour them onto the split hot dog roll. Top with veggies and cheese, and bake in the oven until crispy. Yum!


On the side, I made one of my go-to Italian side dishes- baked tomatoes and onions. I chopped up a tomato and a few slices of onion into little pieces and poured 1 tbsp Italian dressing over top (you really don't need any more!). I also stirred in a little garlic powder and Italian herbs and baked them along with the sandwich. So yummy! I've also made this recipe with 1 tsp olive oil instead of the dressing for variety when I have a fat serving to spare.


Vegetable Ideas:

Portabello Mushroom Pizzas


If you like pizza, you have to run out and buy yourself some portabello mushroom caps because it is amazing. I still can't believe it's legal, but it is!

Scoop out the centres of the mushrooms and place them on a baking tray. Top with low sodium pizza sauce (or plain crushed tomatoes), turkey pepperoni, your favourite veggies (I wouldn't add more mushroom though!) and shredded cheese. Bake them for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is all melty and gooey. Be careful when you scoop them up with a spatula because the mushrooms get very soft and the toppings will really slide around if you're not careful!

If you use 1/2 oz cheese and 1/2 serving of pepperoni, this counts as veggies and a Powerfuel serving. How can you beat pizza for a snack? If you do want it as a lunch entree though, remember to add a SmartCarb elsewhere to your day since this recipe does not have one.

Half a Year

I still have hopes of reaching my mini goal of 70lbs lost by October 2nd. This week certainly helped! I lost 3.4lbs to bring my total to 56.4! I just got my violet Nutribear in the mail and I'm more than halfway to my next one!

It's been 26 weeks since I started Nutrisystem- half a year. It really doesn't feel like it's been that long. I'm not sick of the food and I'm still enjoying coming up with new and creative ways to eat it. I thought that I'd get frustrated even ordering off the larger US menu, but I haven't (although I am still really hoping to find a way to try the Select frozen entrees and have emailed Nutrisystem about it).

I know I still have a lot of weight left to lose, but I finally feel like it's time to celebrate how far I've come. I've lost nearly 60lbs in half a year. If I had done nothing, I would be that much heavier (maybe more!). I think my son is heavy when I carry him around and he is only 21 lbs- how would I like to carry around three of him all the time???

I also had a Non Scale Victory on the weekend. My mom and I went to one of those little Japanese fast food places for lunch, and I was dying to have white rice with my meal. I love steamed sticky rice. I figured, eh, it's been 26 weeks, I can have white carbs just once. But then when I got there and ordered, I couldn't do it. I knew they had brown rice and I realized that I didn't want white rice enough to actually order it. I think the idea of it was better than actually having it. I ordered my meal with extra vegetables and a half serving of brown rice and I still left most of it. I felt really good after lunch!

Yesterday, I went to the store and bought myself new jeans that fit. You can't imagine how great it felt to put them on instead of wearing my old baggy ones!

Please lift your glass (of water- gotta get that in especially in the summer!) in a toast to how far we've all come- celebrate yourself, because you've earned it.

Experiences with cereal...

Well, I haven't been looking forward to trying Nutrisystem's cereal to say the least, but I am hoping to eventually review every item they sell and as many discontinued ones as I can find. It's not that I thought their cereal would be bad, it's just that I don't like any cereal at all so why would I like "diet" cereal?

Nutriflakes (Breakfast):


It's hard for me to give this an honest review. I'm sure they were just regular bran flakes. I didn't care for them much at all, as expected. I'm sure some people love them though.


Crispy Rice Cereal (Breakfast):


Now this was more fun! For quite some time, I've been brainstorming what to do with it. Of course, actually eating it was never an option I considered! First I thought I'd try making a rice krispie square. Unfortunately, I found out that the amount of marshmallows that I could use for a free food was simply not enough to cover all the cereal. I suppose you could make a small one and eat the rest of the cereal with milk or yogurt but that wasn't really what I wanted.

Then I thought of another versatile food- the Nutrichocolates! Would there be enough melted chocolate to do something with the Crispy Rice Cereal? I decided to give it a try and there was! I also mixed in dried cranberries and almonds to make something like a chocolate cereal bar. Of course, since you are using two Nutrisystem items, this becomes two servings but it is still very large- much bigger than their normal granola bars (the picture is ONE serving- the other half is still in the fridge)! I poured the cereal mixture into silicone loaf pans and let it set in the freezer for fifteen minutes and then it was ready to pop out and eat. This counts as a breakfast or dessert entree plus whatever add ins you use- here it would be a fat serving and a fruit serving. Oh, and don't forget you can have an additional half dairy serving at some point during the day to replace the milk you didn't have with the cereal!

I wonder if this would work with the lowfat granola cereal as well if I crushed it? Something I'll have to try another day- I need more Nutrichocolates!

Progress!

I lost 2.2lbs this week to bring my total loss in 25 weeks to 53lbs total. Things have been slowing down a bit and I'm getting closer to the average 2lbs a week, but that's OK. 2lbs a week really adds up over the long run! I still have hopes of meeting my mini goal of 70lbs by my son's birthday but I'm starting to think that may be a little ambitious. Oh well- if not by then, it won't be long afterwards!

Only 7lbs to go to my next Nutribear!

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.

Onwards and Upwards!

After tackling McDonalds yesterday, I took a shot at KFC today. My husband and I always make jokes about KFC because it has got to be the worst possible thing you can eat. When we were on our road trip in Indiana, we discovered that KFC actually has a buffet! We wondered if morgue service was included.

In the past, however, KFC's chicken bowl has always tempted me.



Mashed potatoes, fried chicken, corn, and cheese, swimming in gravy. Yum! Could there possibly be a way to make this NS friendly?

KFC Chicken Bowl:


1 pkg Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes
1/2 serving chicken
1/2 serving shredded cheese
1/4 cup corn
1/4 cup gravy
1 tbsp breadcrumbs

Prepare the Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes as normal and set aside. Cut your chicken into chunks and dip into Eggbeaters just to moisten, then dip into breadcrumbs. Fry with cooking spray or else use your favourite fat serving for a little extra flavour. Spoon the mashed potatoes into a bowl, top with chicken, corn, and cheese, and pour gravy on top. Enjoy!

This counts as your lunch entree, 1 dairy/protein serving, 1 veggie, and 2 free foods. I wouldn't eat it very often since you're combining your free foods plus using a starchy veggie, but if you are craving fast food it's a nice treat! As I mentioned in my last post- the NS dieticians have said that it is acceptable occasionally to substitute one serving of a starchy veggie for 2 veggie servings. Here I used half a corn serving so I counted it as one veggie. If you prefer, you can substitute out the corn for a different veggie like green beans and I am sure that would be delicious too!

One serving has 375 calories, 47g of carbs, 10g of fat, and a massive 27g of protein. It is very filling and delicious! Compare that to KFC's stats- 700 calories, 32g of fat, and 77g of carbs and enjoy this guilt free!

Two for two!

I tried two new ideas today and both of them were yummy!

Pancake Mix (Breakfast):


As you can probably tell from my blog, I love making healthy versions of fast food. I love things that taste like they're awful for me and it makes me happier to know they are not. So without further ado- the McDonalds McGriddle.

McGriddle Breakfast Sandwich:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
4 tbsp fat free milk
1 tbsp sugarfree maple syrup
1 egg
1 slice fat free cheese
2 slices chicken bacon (I prefer this to turkey bacon- it crisps better and has more flavour)

First, prepare the pancake mix as directed on the package. I actually added the syrup first and then added the milk 1 tbsp at a time because I wanted the pancakes to be a little thicker than usual so that they would be nice and puffy for the sandwich. Definitely don't overdo the milk! Set the pancakes aside and cook your egg and bacon (or sausage). Then assemble your sandwich and enjoy! It's incredibly filling and delicious, and the syrup taste in the pancakes makes it just like Mickey D's.


Flex Meals (Lunch):


This recipe is a modification of a yummy pasta salad my father always made for BBQs. I loved it and I'm so happy I can still have it while following Nutrisystem! This counts as a flex lunch + veggies.

Seafood Pasta Salad:

1 serving of small sized pasta (80 calories, 15g of carbs)
2 oz imitation lobster meat (or real if you can get it!)
1 oz baby shrimp
2 tbsp fat free Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
1/4 cup no sodium niblet corn
diced red pepper, green pepper, red onion, green onion, and tomatoes

Prepare your pasta, rinse and pour into a Tupperware. Add all the other ingredients, cover, and shake until the dressing is evenly spread. Pour into a bowl and enjoy!

Yes- corn normally does count as a carb. However, the Nutrisystem dieticians have said that occasionally you can count 1 serving of a starchy veggie as 2 veggies. For this salad, you really only need half a serving so it counts as one veggie, plus the other ones in the salad. The stats for one serving are: 223 calories, 39g of carbs, 2g of fat, and 15g of protein.