Getting Cold Out...

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

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

Potato Leek Soup:



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

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

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

Sometimes, You Just Gotta Have It!

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

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

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

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


Garlic Herb Potato Wedges:




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

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

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

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

Dessert for Breakfast?

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

Vanilla Almond Fruit Flan (Breakfast):



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


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

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

Dreams

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

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

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

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

Getting Back in the Game

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

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

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

Mindset Makeover

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'm Still Here...

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

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

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

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

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

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