I have been neglectful! I haven't updated and I apologize! It was a really busy weekend for me and my kids went back to school today so I haven't had a minute to sit down and gather my thoughts! But I have a moment right now so I better get this out there while I can.
How are you all doing? Are you seeing the results of your hard work yet? You may, or you may not and if you are not seeing the results yet that is ok. Some people's metabolism is just slower to get in gear, remember that it hasn't been properly used for sometime and it's a slow learner so don't get discouraged because even of you don't see it I bet you feel it and that's just as important.
Have any of you plateaued yet? I went through a couple of bad weeks where I had stayed the same it seemed and it really got me down. I didn't know what to do.
But now I am back on track seems I learn something new everyday! Seems like as your body gets used to your routine your metabolism slows because your body is used to doing your exercises and such, so to avoid that you need to start working out longer, I am up to an hour now and it is hard but I am back on the losing side again and so it's worth the extra push!
You would think that the above would be common sense right? But it wasn't for me I thought well my body hasn't been this active before so I guess I'm ok but that's just not true, you must consistently challenge your body with new things so that it doesn't get bored, so to speak. And i guess mine was bored even though it didn't feel that way I could tell that my exercised were getting easier so there you have it.
I am really enjoying this journey folks, it is hard but what is life isn't right? If we always did what was easy we really wouldn't do anything. So even though this is hard, it is also fun and energizing! I love putting on a pair of jeans that are too big! What a rush to be able to fit in clothes I haven't been able to wear for years! I also had some brand new things that never fit (I don't usually try stuff on) that now fit and in some cases are too big so it's like I get to go shopping in my own closet!
I am not at my goal yet but I am on the right track once again.
Anyone interested in a challenge? If you are comment ( anonymous if you don't have a google account ) and if there is enough interest I'll come up with a really great prize that will be awarded to the winner, I am thinking a 6 week challenge this time open to anyone what do you think??
Valinda
Recipes!
Posted in on by
It's been awhile since I have posted some yummy recipes so here you go!
Appetizers:
Crisp Garlic Potato Skins
Here's a low-fat, low-sodium version of a popular restaurant-style appetizer.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 large baking potatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil or cooking oil
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
One day or several hours ahead, prick potatoes with a fork. Bake in a 425 degree
oven for 40 to 50 minutes or till tender. Cool, Wrap and store in refrigerator.
At serving time, cut baking potatoes into quarters. Scoop out the insides
(reserve for another use), leaving 1/2 inch thick shells. Lightly brush both
sides of potato skins with olive oil. Place, cut side up, on a large baking sheet.
Bake at 425 degrees about 15 minutes or till crisp. Meanwhile, in a small bowl
combine the chopped tomatoes, basil, and garlic powder. Spoon some of the tomato
mixture into each potato quarter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 2 to 3
more minutes until heated through.
POINTS: 2.5
PER SERVING: 107 Calories, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat,
1 mg Cholesterol, 27 mg Sodium, 19 g Total Carbohydrate,
0 g Dietary Fiber, 2 g Protein
Mama Mia Meatballs
Makes 50 Appetizers
Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast or 96% lean ground beef
1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated nonfat Parmesan cheese
2 egg whites
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon crushed fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Sauce
1 1/2 cups fat-free bottled marinara sauce
Combine the meatball ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and mix thoroughly.
Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Shape the meatball mixture into
50 (1 inch) balls, and place the meatballs on the baking sheet. Bake the meatballs
at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Transfer the
meatballs to a chafing dish or Crock-Pot heated casserole to keep warm. Place
the marinara sauce in a small saucepan, and simmer over medium-low heat just until
hot. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, toss gently to mix, and serve.
SERVING SIZE: 1 appetizer
POINTS: .5
PER SERVING: 23 Calories, 3.2 g Protein, 0.1 Fiber, 0.2 g Fat g,
40 mg Sodium, 8 mg Cholesterol
Caramel Apple Crisps
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
6 (4-inch) fat-free caramel-flavored popcorn cakes
1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced (recommend Red Delicious or Golden Delicious)
1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free caramel-flavored sundae syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place popcorn cakes on a baking sheet. Top evenly with sliced apple; drizzle
caramel syrup evenly over apple. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon;
sprinkle evenly over each serving. Broil 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
SERVING SIZE: 1 popcorn cake
POINTS: 2
PER SERVING: 84 Calories, 0.1 g Total Fat, 0.8 g Fiber
Spicy Barbecue Meatballs
Makes 60 Appetizers
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey breast or 96% lean ground beef
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
2 egg whites
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce
1 can (8 oz) unsalted tomato sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons spicy mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce
Combine the meatball ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and mix thoroughly.
Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Shape the meatball mixture
into 60 (1") balls, and place meatballs on the baking sheet. Bake the meatballs
at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Transfer
the meatballs to a chafing dish or Crock-Pot heated casserole to keep warm.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, and simmer over medium-low
heat just until hot. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, toss gently to mix, and serve.
SERVING SIZE: 1 appetizer
POINTS: .5
PER SERVING: 24 Calories, 3.3 g Protein, 0.2 Fiber, 0.2 g Fat g,
35 mg Sodium, 7 mg Cholesterol
Main Meals:
Chicken Broth with Angel Hair Pasta
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 cups coarsely chopped escarole
2 cups sliced carrots
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 1/2 ounces angel-hair pasta (capellini)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fill medium saucepan with 1" water; set steamer rack in saucepan. Place escarole
and carrots on rack. Bring water to a boil; reduce heat to low. Steam vegetables
over simmering water, covered, 15 minutes, until tender. In separate medium
saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low; let simmer until ready to use.
In large pot of boiling water, cook angel hair 3 minutes, until tender. Drain;
return pasta to pot. Add 1 cup of the simmering broth; stir to keep pasta from
sticking together. Divide pasta mixture evenly among 4 soup bowls; add an equal
amount of escarole, carrots and remaining broth to each bowl. Sprinkle each
portion with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, then the pepper.
SERVING SIZE: 3 cups
POINTS: 3.5
SELECTIONS: 3 Vegetables, 1 1/2 Breads, 35 Optional Calories
PER SERVING: 196 Calories, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat,
0 mg Cholesterol, 130 mg Sodium, 33 g Total Carbohydrate,
4 g Dietary Fiber, 9 g Protein, 69 mg Calcium
Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Pizza
This most basic pizza, known as Pizza Margherita in Italy, proves the
old adage that less is more. Use the freshest basil and tomatoes you can find.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 small plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 recipe Pizza Dough (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup whole fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
1 1/2 ounces skim-milk mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
Prepare grill for a hot fire, using direct method (When the coals are ready, arrange
for direct cooking. In the direct method, coals are spread out in the middle of the
grill and the food is cooked directly above. This method cooks food quickly,
resulting in more browning on the outside of the food. Direct cooking is best
suited for smaller pieces of food such as kabobs, steaks, chops, burgers or vegetables.)
Sprinkle work surface with flour. With rolling pin, roll out dough to two 8" circles,
approximately 1/8" thick. Carefully lift dough directly into grill rack. Grill about
2 minutes, until dough bubbles and begins to char on bottom; turn. Sprinkle crusts
evenly with shallots; evenly distribute one-fourth of the cheese over each. Arrange
tomato slices and basil leaves evenly over cheese and top with remaining cheese.
Close grill cover or tent with foil. Grill 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and
crust is crisp. Cut into quarters and serve.
SERVING SIZE: 1/2 of 8" pie
POINTS: 5
SELECTIONS: 1/4 Fat, 1/4 Vegetable, 1/2 Protein, 2 Breads,
8 Optional Calories.
PER SERVING: 231 Calories, 4 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat,
6 mg Cholesterol, 328 mg Sodium, 40 g Total Carbohydrate,
2 g Dietary Fiber, 8 g Protein, 107 mg Calcium
Carolina Barbecued Chicken
In the Carolinas, folks mix the barbecue sauce with vinegar, plenty of
spices and a dash of sugar--but no tomato. We've re-created this sauce,
which gives a great taste to chicken.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
One 2-pound 4-ounce chicken, skinned and cut into 8 equal pieces
Preheat outdoor barbecue grill according to manufacturer's directions, or
preheat broiler and spray rack in broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In small saucepan, combine onions, bell pepper, vinegar, brown sugar, juice,
salt, dry mustard, pepper flakes and black pepper; stirring constantly,
bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally,
20 minutes, until flavors are blended. Grill chicken over hot coals or place
onto prepared rack in broiler pan and broil 4" from heat, turning as needed
and basting with some of the onion mixture, 20 minutes, until browned and
juices run clear when pierced with fork. Transfer chicken to serving platter;
top with remaining onion mixture.
SERVING SIZE: 3 Ounces Chicken, 1/4 Onion Mixture
POINTS: 5
SELECTIONS: 1 Vegetable, 3 Proteins, 35 Optional Calories.
PER SERVING: 233 Calories, 6 g Total Fat, 2 g Saturated Fat,
76 mg Cholesterol, 353 mg Sodium, 19 g Total Carbohydrate,
1 g Dietary Fiber, 25 g Protein, 39 mg Calcium
Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil or dried
1 tsp lemon zest, grated
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp parsley, minced
1/8 tsp salt
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
If using oil packed tomatoes, drain and finely chop. If using dried tomatoes,
cover tomatoes with boiling water in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain and
finely chop. Place 2 tbsp chopped tomatoes and half the lemon zest in a small
bowl. Add butter, parsley and salt. Mix thoroughly and set aside. Combine
remaining tomatoes and zest in another bowl and mix thoroughly. Using a
sharp knife, cut horizontally through the center of each chicken breast to
form a pocket. Do not cut all the way through. Divide tomato and lemon zest
mixture into equal portions and spread in pocket of each chicken breast.
Turn on broiler. Arrange chicken on a broiler pan and place 4 inches from
heat source. Broil 5 minutes. Turn and broil another 4 minutes. Spread tomato
and butter mixture over chicken breasts. Broil another 1-2 minutes or until
chicken is opaque throughout.
POINTS: 4.5
PER SERVING: 174 Calories, 6.9 g Total Fat, 2 g Saturated Fat,
82 mg Cholesterol, 131 mg Sodium, 0.3 g Total Carbohydrate,
0.1 g Dietary Fiber, 26.4 g Protein
Garlic Pork Balsamico
Ten cloves of garlic may sound like a lot, but after cooking garlic's
pungent flavor mellows to give the chops a mild, slightly sweet taste.
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients
1 small bulb garlic (about 10 cloves)
1 cup water
12 ounces boneless pork loin, cut into 8 slices
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey-mustard
Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
Separate garlic bulb into cloves. Do Not peel. In a small saucepan combine garlic
cloves and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Drain; cool slightly.
Peel cloves and set aside. Sprinkle both sides of pork slices with rosemary,
pressing into surface of the meat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Cook half
of pork and garlic cloves over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes or till no pink
remains and juices run clear, turning meat over after half the cooking time.
Remove from skillet; keep warm. Repeat with remaining pork and garlic. For sauce,
stir together vinegar, 2 tbsp water, and honey-mustard. Add to garlic in skillet,
stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Bring mixture just to boiling. Reduce
heat. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or till sauce becomes slightly thickened. To serve,
spoon sauce over pork. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired.
POINTS: 3.5
PER SERVING: 143 Calories, 13 g Protein, 7 g Fat, 2 g Saturated Fat,
6 g Carbohydrate, 128 mg Sodium, 38 mg Cholesterol, 0 g Dietary Fiber
Appetizers:
Crisp Garlic Potato Skins
Here's a low-fat, low-sodium version of a popular restaurant-style appetizer.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 large baking potatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil or cooking oil
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
One day or several hours ahead, prick potatoes with a fork. Bake in a 425 degree
oven for 40 to 50 minutes or till tender. Cool, Wrap and store in refrigerator.
At serving time, cut baking potatoes into quarters. Scoop out the insides
(reserve for another use), leaving 1/2 inch thick shells. Lightly brush both
sides of potato skins with olive oil. Place, cut side up, on a large baking sheet.
Bake at 425 degrees about 15 minutes or till crisp. Meanwhile, in a small bowl
combine the chopped tomatoes, basil, and garlic powder. Spoon some of the tomato
mixture into each potato quarter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 2 to 3
more minutes until heated through.
POINTS: 2.5
PER SERVING: 107 Calories, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat,
1 mg Cholesterol, 27 mg Sodium, 19 g Total Carbohydrate,
0 g Dietary Fiber, 2 g Protein
Mama Mia Meatballs
Makes 50 Appetizers
Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast or 96% lean ground beef
1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated nonfat Parmesan cheese
2 egg whites
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon crushed fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Sauce
1 1/2 cups fat-free bottled marinara sauce
Combine the meatball ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and mix thoroughly.
Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Shape the meatball mixture into
50 (1 inch) balls, and place the meatballs on the baking sheet. Bake the meatballs
at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Transfer the
meatballs to a chafing dish or Crock-Pot heated casserole to keep warm. Place
the marinara sauce in a small saucepan, and simmer over medium-low heat just until
hot. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, toss gently to mix, and serve.
SERVING SIZE: 1 appetizer
POINTS: .5
PER SERVING: 23 Calories, 3.2 g Protein, 0.1 Fiber, 0.2 g Fat g,
40 mg Sodium, 8 mg Cholesterol
Caramel Apple Crisps
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
6 (4-inch) fat-free caramel-flavored popcorn cakes
1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced (recommend Red Delicious or Golden Delicious)
1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free caramel-flavored sundae syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place popcorn cakes on a baking sheet. Top evenly with sliced apple; drizzle
caramel syrup evenly over apple. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon;
sprinkle evenly over each serving. Broil 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
SERVING SIZE: 1 popcorn cake
POINTS: 2
PER SERVING: 84 Calories, 0.1 g Total Fat, 0.8 g Fiber
Spicy Barbecue Meatballs
Makes 60 Appetizers
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey breast or 96% lean ground beef
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
2 egg whites
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce
1 can (8 oz) unsalted tomato sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons spicy mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce
Combine the meatball ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and mix thoroughly.
Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Shape the meatball mixture
into 60 (1") balls, and place meatballs on the baking sheet. Bake the meatballs
at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Transfer
the meatballs to a chafing dish or Crock-Pot heated casserole to keep warm.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, and simmer over medium-low
heat just until hot. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, toss gently to mix, and serve.
SERVING SIZE: 1 appetizer
POINTS: .5
PER SERVING: 24 Calories, 3.3 g Protein, 0.2 Fiber, 0.2 g Fat g,
35 mg Sodium, 7 mg Cholesterol
Main Meals:
Chicken Broth with Angel Hair Pasta
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 cups coarsely chopped escarole
2 cups sliced carrots
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 1/2 ounces angel-hair pasta (capellini)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fill medium saucepan with 1" water; set steamer rack in saucepan. Place escarole
and carrots on rack. Bring water to a boil; reduce heat to low. Steam vegetables
over simmering water, covered, 15 minutes, until tender. In separate medium
saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low; let simmer until ready to use.
In large pot of boiling water, cook angel hair 3 minutes, until tender. Drain;
return pasta to pot. Add 1 cup of the simmering broth; stir to keep pasta from
sticking together. Divide pasta mixture evenly among 4 soup bowls; add an equal
amount of escarole, carrots and remaining broth to each bowl. Sprinkle each
portion with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, then the pepper.
SERVING SIZE: 3 cups
POINTS: 3.5
SELECTIONS: 3 Vegetables, 1 1/2 Breads, 35 Optional Calories
PER SERVING: 196 Calories, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat,
0 mg Cholesterol, 130 mg Sodium, 33 g Total Carbohydrate,
4 g Dietary Fiber, 9 g Protein, 69 mg Calcium
Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Pizza
This most basic pizza, known as Pizza Margherita in Italy, proves the
old adage that less is more. Use the freshest basil and tomatoes you can find.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 small plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 recipe Pizza Dough (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup whole fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
1 1/2 ounces skim-milk mozzarella cheese, finely shredded
Prepare grill for a hot fire, using direct method (When the coals are ready, arrange
for direct cooking. In the direct method, coals are spread out in the middle of the
grill and the food is cooked directly above. This method cooks food quickly,
resulting in more browning on the outside of the food. Direct cooking is best
suited for smaller pieces of food such as kabobs, steaks, chops, burgers or vegetables.)
Sprinkle work surface with flour. With rolling pin, roll out dough to two 8" circles,
approximately 1/8" thick. Carefully lift dough directly into grill rack. Grill about
2 minutes, until dough bubbles and begins to char on bottom; turn. Sprinkle crusts
evenly with shallots; evenly distribute one-fourth of the cheese over each. Arrange
tomato slices and basil leaves evenly over cheese and top with remaining cheese.
Close grill cover or tent with foil. Grill 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and
crust is crisp. Cut into quarters and serve.
SERVING SIZE: 1/2 of 8" pie
POINTS: 5
SELECTIONS: 1/4 Fat, 1/4 Vegetable, 1/2 Protein, 2 Breads,
8 Optional Calories.
PER SERVING: 231 Calories, 4 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat,
6 mg Cholesterol, 328 mg Sodium, 40 g Total Carbohydrate,
2 g Dietary Fiber, 8 g Protein, 107 mg Calcium
Carolina Barbecued Chicken
In the Carolinas, folks mix the barbecue sauce with vinegar, plenty of
spices and a dash of sugar--but no tomato. We've re-created this sauce,
which gives a great taste to chicken.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
One 2-pound 4-ounce chicken, skinned and cut into 8 equal pieces
Preheat outdoor barbecue grill according to manufacturer's directions, or
preheat broiler and spray rack in broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In small saucepan, combine onions, bell pepper, vinegar, brown sugar, juice,
salt, dry mustard, pepper flakes and black pepper; stirring constantly,
bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally,
20 minutes, until flavors are blended. Grill chicken over hot coals or place
onto prepared rack in broiler pan and broil 4" from heat, turning as needed
and basting with some of the onion mixture, 20 minutes, until browned and
juices run clear when pierced with fork. Transfer chicken to serving platter;
top with remaining onion mixture.
SERVING SIZE: 3 Ounces Chicken, 1/4 Onion Mixture
POINTS: 5
SELECTIONS: 1 Vegetable, 3 Proteins, 35 Optional Calories.
PER SERVING: 233 Calories, 6 g Total Fat, 2 g Saturated Fat,
76 mg Cholesterol, 353 mg Sodium, 19 g Total Carbohydrate,
1 g Dietary Fiber, 25 g Protein, 39 mg Calcium
Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil or dried
1 tsp lemon zest, grated
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp parsley, minced
1/8 tsp salt
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
If using oil packed tomatoes, drain and finely chop. If using dried tomatoes,
cover tomatoes with boiling water in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain and
finely chop. Place 2 tbsp chopped tomatoes and half the lemon zest in a small
bowl. Add butter, parsley and salt. Mix thoroughly and set aside. Combine
remaining tomatoes and zest in another bowl and mix thoroughly. Using a
sharp knife, cut horizontally through the center of each chicken breast to
form a pocket. Do not cut all the way through. Divide tomato and lemon zest
mixture into equal portions and spread in pocket of each chicken breast.
Turn on broiler. Arrange chicken on a broiler pan and place 4 inches from
heat source. Broil 5 minutes. Turn and broil another 4 minutes. Spread tomato
and butter mixture over chicken breasts. Broil another 1-2 minutes or until
chicken is opaque throughout.
POINTS: 4.5
PER SERVING: 174 Calories, 6.9 g Total Fat, 2 g Saturated Fat,
82 mg Cholesterol, 131 mg Sodium, 0.3 g Total Carbohydrate,
0.1 g Dietary Fiber, 26.4 g Protein
Garlic Pork Balsamico
Ten cloves of garlic may sound like a lot, but after cooking garlic's
pungent flavor mellows to give the chops a mild, slightly sweet taste.
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients
1 small bulb garlic (about 10 cloves)
1 cup water
12 ounces boneless pork loin, cut into 8 slices
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey-mustard
Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
Separate garlic bulb into cloves. Do Not peel. In a small saucepan combine garlic
cloves and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Drain; cool slightly.
Peel cloves and set aside. Sprinkle both sides of pork slices with rosemary,
pressing into surface of the meat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Cook half
of pork and garlic cloves over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes or till no pink
remains and juices run clear, turning meat over after half the cooking time.
Remove from skillet; keep warm. Repeat with remaining pork and garlic. For sauce,
stir together vinegar, 2 tbsp water, and honey-mustard. Add to garlic in skillet,
stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Bring mixture just to boiling. Reduce
heat. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or till sauce becomes slightly thickened. To serve,
spoon sauce over pork. Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired.
POINTS: 3.5
PER SERVING: 143 Calories, 13 g Protein, 7 g Fat, 2 g Saturated Fat,
6 g Carbohydrate, 128 mg Sodium, 38 mg Cholesterol, 0 g Dietary Fiber
Mirror Image
Posted in on by
I went to the gym tonight and they have those evil floor to ceiling mirrors that we all love so much, well I was walking on the treadmill doing my thing and I look to my left and BAM! There it was, my reflection and it shocked the crap out of me because in that mirror was my old fatter self.
WTF!?!?!?!?!?!
Well the explination for my size in the mirror was that I was actually right in the middle of two mirrors coming together so I got that lovely illusion I moved a little forward and whew, there was my now normal stuff.
Now that was a huge eye opener because I recognized that fat girl in the mirror, I had almost forgotten what she looked like but there she was in all her glory and I realized one thing at that moment, if I waiver in my resolve to lose weight and be healthy then I will be her again, maybe bigger and that scares the crap right out of me.
I can not be her again, that jolly, fat girl in the mirror I have to stay on track, for myself, for my health for my husband and my kids I need to steele my resolve and not waiver in my misson. Because it would only take one wrong move for me to be right back to where I was last year at 238 lbs. It would be easier for me to back peddle now and put the weight back on even faster than I did it the first time and I am sure I would add more too it.
I took a picture of my fat self in the mirror at the gym today because I can never forget, I must always look forward, even if I fall back my gaze must remain forward.
And I will because I have come to far, worked too hard and I am way to proud of myself to fail now, I have 50 lbs to go and I will get there! I will prevail and so will you my friends!
We will fight the fat together hand in hand, till we beat it!
Till tomorrow
Valinda
WTF!?!?!?!?!?!
Well the explination for my size in the mirror was that I was actually right in the middle of two mirrors coming together so I got that lovely illusion I moved a little forward and whew, there was my now normal stuff.
Now that was a huge eye opener because I recognized that fat girl in the mirror, I had almost forgotten what she looked like but there she was in all her glory and I realized one thing at that moment, if I waiver in my resolve to lose weight and be healthy then I will be her again, maybe bigger and that scares the crap right out of me.
I can not be her again, that jolly, fat girl in the mirror I have to stay on track, for myself, for my health for my husband and my kids I need to steele my resolve and not waiver in my misson. Because it would only take one wrong move for me to be right back to where I was last year at 238 lbs. It would be easier for me to back peddle now and put the weight back on even faster than I did it the first time and I am sure I would add more too it.
I took a picture of my fat self in the mirror at the gym today because I can never forget, I must always look forward, even if I fall back my gaze must remain forward.
And I will because I have come to far, worked too hard and I am way to proud of myself to fail now, I have 50 lbs to go and I will get there! I will prevail and so will you my friends!
We will fight the fat together hand in hand, till we beat it!
Till tomorrow
Valinda
A Womans Role
Posted in on by
I am not going to speak all about diets and calories, I would like to speak instead of somethings that have been on my mind lately. There are many hats that I have to wear though out a typical day, mother, wife, manager, employee, janitor, taxi, dr., lawyer you name it I promise you that at some point in my day I have been it.
As a woman I am consistently torn between what is good for my family, what is good for my marriage, what is good for my career and what is good for my life. It is not easy for woman in society, we are expected to do more, be more. I have not all of a sudden turned into a woman's lib. activist but I do speak from experience when I say that woman in society are asked to do so much, in so little time.
I will share a personal story and hope that it portrays what I am trying to say:
I have made an appointment to get my tubes tied, I have 2 beautiful children I am 33 years old and I believe my family is complete. It took me 2 years to be able to make the appointment I was so emotional about permanently making it so that I couldn't have children. Not that I wanted more, but the idea of NOT being able to have them made me so sad.
I had to re-evaluate why I was making this decision, was it because I didn't want more children? or was it because I couldn't afford to have more children, or was it that I was afraid in this economy to try to take maternity leave? Was I making this decision because I thought I was too old to have more? These are all the thoughts that consistently bounced around in my head every time I thought I was ready to make this decision, so I would delay it.
Now why on earth would any of that matter???? If I want to have another child and my husband does why do I care what society thinks? It'd because that's how we were taught as woman, put everyone ahead of yourself, do for others first, we are not as important, run the household, raise the children, cook the meals, it sounds like we have gone back into the stone age but I believe that it is in our genetic make-up to be this way.
We handle stress better, make better decisions under pressure, we can juggle 5 things at once, remember birthday's, anniversary's when the bills are due.
We also have to be concerned with the way we look. Hair beautiful, make up on be thin, be happy we are always told what to do.
I didn't really have a point to this post but I wanted to get these thoughts out from my own sanity.
I'll tell you one thing this chick is DONE being told what to do!!
Hugs,
Valinda
As a woman I am consistently torn between what is good for my family, what is good for my marriage, what is good for my career and what is good for my life. It is not easy for woman in society, we are expected to do more, be more. I have not all of a sudden turned into a woman's lib. activist but I do speak from experience when I say that woman in society are asked to do so much, in so little time.
I will share a personal story and hope that it portrays what I am trying to say:
I have made an appointment to get my tubes tied, I have 2 beautiful children I am 33 years old and I believe my family is complete. It took me 2 years to be able to make the appointment I was so emotional about permanently making it so that I couldn't have children. Not that I wanted more, but the idea of NOT being able to have them made me so sad.
I had to re-evaluate why I was making this decision, was it because I didn't want more children? or was it because I couldn't afford to have more children, or was it that I was afraid in this economy to try to take maternity leave? Was I making this decision because I thought I was too old to have more? These are all the thoughts that consistently bounced around in my head every time I thought I was ready to make this decision, so I would delay it.
Now why on earth would any of that matter???? If I want to have another child and my husband does why do I care what society thinks? It'd because that's how we were taught as woman, put everyone ahead of yourself, do for others first, we are not as important, run the household, raise the children, cook the meals, it sounds like we have gone back into the stone age but I believe that it is in our genetic make-up to be this way.
We handle stress better, make better decisions under pressure, we can juggle 5 things at once, remember birthday's, anniversary's when the bills are due.
We also have to be concerned with the way we look. Hair beautiful, make up on be thin, be happy we are always told what to do.
I didn't really have a point to this post but I wanted to get these thoughts out from my own sanity.
I'll tell you one thing this chick is DONE being told what to do!!
Hugs,
Valinda
Bad, good weekend
Posted in on by
This weekend was great from a life stand point and terrible from a diet stand point. My baby turned 6 this this weekend and I threw my diet out the window. Not a good thing but I had so much fun that I can't say a single bad word about it.
I was surrounded by family and friends and we had fun and didn't hold back from being ourselves and it was good.
I ate cake and chips and dip and anything else you can think of and it was good.
I'll be honest though I was not feeling well at all today all of that bad food really made me feel like crap. I think that once you are eating well your body doesn't like to eat bad even if your taste buds disagree!!
In life things come up birthdays, holidays and such and you need to enjoy them, don't let your diet cause you to miss out on life because that totally defeats the purpose. I mean we are losing weight and getting healthy to enjoy our life more right?!?!?! So still enjoy your life even if that means eating something not so good for you.
Food is a lot of different things, it's nutrition, fun, stress, anger, happiness comfort and a million other things, it is different things to us at different times, what we have to do is be able to enjoy food without it becoming something that we are dependent on when our emotions are out of wack.
So tomorrow I will be back to eating on track and exercising everyday but for the next few remaining hours I think I will hug and kiss my babies, snuggle with my husband and worry about the calories tomorrow.
Hugs,
Valinda
I was surrounded by family and friends and we had fun and didn't hold back from being ourselves and it was good.
I ate cake and chips and dip and anything else you can think of and it was good.
I'll be honest though I was not feeling well at all today all of that bad food really made me feel like crap. I think that once you are eating well your body doesn't like to eat bad even if your taste buds disagree!!
In life things come up birthdays, holidays and such and you need to enjoy them, don't let your diet cause you to miss out on life because that totally defeats the purpose. I mean we are losing weight and getting healthy to enjoy our life more right?!?!?! So still enjoy your life even if that means eating something not so good for you.
Food is a lot of different things, it's nutrition, fun, stress, anger, happiness comfort and a million other things, it is different things to us at different times, what we have to do is be able to enjoy food without it becoming something that we are dependent on when our emotions are out of wack.
So tomorrow I will be back to eating on track and exercising everyday but for the next few remaining hours I think I will hug and kiss my babies, snuggle with my husband and worry about the calories tomorrow.
Hugs,
Valinda
Today is . . .
Posted in on by
Awesome! I love today almost as much as I loved yesterday! Why am I so happy you ask? Because I woke up this morning, I had food to eat and a Job to go to. I am happy because my kids are happy and healthy and I am able to provide for them.
I am grateful for my life, I have a wonderful husband who supports me even though I am a little crazy, an emotional train wreck sometimes he is patient kind loving and understanding.
I have wonderful kids who get great grades in school and who (for the most part) listen and behave, they are loving and kind and gentle.
I have a great family, who have supported me through the toughest times in my life and never waiver in their love for me. I hope they know how much I love them. I can not even put into words what my family means to me (ALL OF YOU) there are no words to express the kind of feelings that I have. I don't think if I lived to be 10,000 that I could ever even begin to repay them.
Tomorrow is my baby's 6th birthday, I can't believe it where has this last 6 years gone? I don't know but life keeps going faster and faster and soon I'll be wondering where the last 30 years went!
I am trying to take it all in, live life in the moment, it's hard but I am trying to be in the present so that I don't miss anything any more! I want to savor every moment I have with my babies while they are still young, too soon they will be living their own life's separate from me, making their own decisions.
Don't waste another minute! Life is forever too short.
Happy Birthday Connor, Mommy loves you with everything she has and everything she is.
Valinda
I am grateful for my life, I have a wonderful husband who supports me even though I am a little crazy, an emotional train wreck sometimes he is patient kind loving and understanding.
I have wonderful kids who get great grades in school and who (for the most part) listen and behave, they are loving and kind and gentle.
I have a great family, who have supported me through the toughest times in my life and never waiver in their love for me. I hope they know how much I love them. I can not even put into words what my family means to me (ALL OF YOU) there are no words to express the kind of feelings that I have. I don't think if I lived to be 10,000 that I could ever even begin to repay them.
Tomorrow is my baby's 6th birthday, I can't believe it where has this last 6 years gone? I don't know but life keeps going faster and faster and soon I'll be wondering where the last 30 years went!
I am trying to take it all in, live life in the moment, it's hard but I am trying to be in the present so that I don't miss anything any more! I want to savor every moment I have with my babies while they are still young, too soon they will be living their own life's separate from me, making their own decisions.
Don't waste another minute! Life is forever too short.
Happy Birthday Connor, Mommy loves you with everything she has and everything she is.
Valinda
OMG!
Posted in on by
It's all I can say!
PS you can leave an anonymous comment you don't need to sign in or have a blog! So comment away!!!!
Your always,
Valinda
I find inspiration in the weirdest places
Posted in on by
I really do find inspiration in the strangest places and I am not just talking about inspiration for loosing weight, I mean inspiration for everything.
Take for example today, I was on my bike ride and listening to my Ipod and I like musicals ( Don't laugh!) and I was listening to my favorite Les Miserables and as I am listening to 1 song, a song I have listened to at least 100 times, something hit me.
In this on song a confrontation between 2 of the main characters Val Jean and Javert ensues. Val Jean being a prisoner on parole that has been running from being re arrested by Javert the head of police basically.
In this song Val Jean is running from a battle with a wounded man trying to get him to the hospital when he is confronted by Javert who wants to arrest him and not let him get away.
Basically what this boils down to is that 1 man committed a small crime many years ago, went to jail and paid his debt what he is in trouble for now is for skipping his parole.
Javert is a good man who takes his job way to seriously and everything is black and white to him, there is no gray at all.
Val Jean is also a good man, his crime was breaking into a house to steal a loaf of bread for his sisters starving child.
Javert feels a crime is a crime and all are the same in his eyes so Val Jean must pay, period.
Val Jean found God after he was released from prison and vowed to live a good life, he skipped parole because with that mark on him he couldn't keep a job and was treated like the scum of society.
So what does this have to do with anything? Well I'm glad you asked because I am going to tell you!
In life we all have freedom of choice, we chose what we wear, what we do for a living, what we eat everything is a choice. Sometimes we make good choices and sometimes we don't.
But the choices that we make are ours alone to make, the consequences ours alone to endure.
There are a lot of people in this world that we live in that are very much like Javert, everything is black and white, they are right and you are wrong and there is nothing you can do or say that will change their mind.
So stop trying.
I have wasted so much of my life trying to do what other people wanted me to do, act like they wanted me to act and say what they wanted me to say. I let people make decisions for me for the sake of them liking me. I let them control my destiny, lead me somewhere I didn't want to go.
I have finally said no to all of the Javerts in my life! I have risen up to say NO!!! This is MY life, these are MY children this is MY husband and we are going to do things our way, you can like it or not but this is how it is going to be.
It is then their CHOICE whether to stay or to go. You must be strong enough to let them go if they choose, you do not control their destiny either.
I have also said NO to letting food control my life, I know that there were and still are days where food gets the best of me, in fact I had Dairy Queen Saturday! FOR SHAME! Some days all I want to do is eat cake and ice cream, I don't know why but food is harder to stand up to then all of the Javerts in my life put together!
I am still learning to say no to fat unhealthy eating and yes to healthy eating, I don't know if this is a lesson that you ever fully learn, I think that it is a on going education with an ever changing curriculum I will teach what I can, and I will learn what I can so that I can teach even more.
Don't let anyone or anything control your life, it is your life live it to the fullest!
Hugs,
Valinda
Take for example today, I was on my bike ride and listening to my Ipod and I like musicals ( Don't laugh!) and I was listening to my favorite Les Miserables and as I am listening to 1 song, a song I have listened to at least 100 times, something hit me.
In this on song a confrontation between 2 of the main characters Val Jean and Javert ensues. Val Jean being a prisoner on parole that has been running from being re arrested by Javert the head of police basically.
In this song Val Jean is running from a battle with a wounded man trying to get him to the hospital when he is confronted by Javert who wants to arrest him and not let him get away.
Basically what this boils down to is that 1 man committed a small crime many years ago, went to jail and paid his debt what he is in trouble for now is for skipping his parole.
Javert is a good man who takes his job way to seriously and everything is black and white to him, there is no gray at all.
Val Jean is also a good man, his crime was breaking into a house to steal a loaf of bread for his sisters starving child.
Javert feels a crime is a crime and all are the same in his eyes so Val Jean must pay, period.
Val Jean found God after he was released from prison and vowed to live a good life, he skipped parole because with that mark on him he couldn't keep a job and was treated like the scum of society.
So what does this have to do with anything? Well I'm glad you asked because I am going to tell you!
In life we all have freedom of choice, we chose what we wear, what we do for a living, what we eat everything is a choice. Sometimes we make good choices and sometimes we don't.
But the choices that we make are ours alone to make, the consequences ours alone to endure.
There are a lot of people in this world that we live in that are very much like Javert, everything is black and white, they are right and you are wrong and there is nothing you can do or say that will change their mind.
So stop trying.
I have wasted so much of my life trying to do what other people wanted me to do, act like they wanted me to act and say what they wanted me to say. I let people make decisions for me for the sake of them liking me. I let them control my destiny, lead me somewhere I didn't want to go.
I have finally said no to all of the Javerts in my life! I have risen up to say NO!!! This is MY life, these are MY children this is MY husband and we are going to do things our way, you can like it or not but this is how it is going to be.
It is then their CHOICE whether to stay or to go. You must be strong enough to let them go if they choose, you do not control their destiny either.
I have also said NO to letting food control my life, I know that there were and still are days where food gets the best of me, in fact I had Dairy Queen Saturday! FOR SHAME! Some days all I want to do is eat cake and ice cream, I don't know why but food is harder to stand up to then all of the Javerts in my life put together!
I am still learning to say no to fat unhealthy eating and yes to healthy eating, I don't know if this is a lesson that you ever fully learn, I think that it is a on going education with an ever changing curriculum I will teach what I can, and I will learn what I can so that I can teach even more.
Don't let anyone or anything control your life, it is your life live it to the fullest!
Hugs,
Valinda
Oh boy!
Posted in on by
What a week it has been! I have had such a busy week! It has been easy to stay on target this week so far because there has not been any time to eat! Or think about eating~!!! Also Aunt Flo is in town (wink wink) so I am bloated, have had a miserable headach, and been craving chocolate (which I don't like).
I feel all out of sorts but I have been exercising and doing what I need to do and to tell you the truth having that routine when life is out of wack is really nice. I know that no matter how hectic my life gets I have that small piece of normalcy to look forward to it's comforting.
I don't really have any pearls of wisdom to share today, I can't get my brain to focus enough to be wisdomful lol!!
So with that, have a good nite my friends!
Valinda
I feel all out of sorts but I have been exercising and doing what I need to do and to tell you the truth having that routine when life is out of wack is really nice. I know that no matter how hectic my life gets I have that small piece of normalcy to look forward to it's comforting.
I don't really have any pearls of wisdom to share today, I can't get my brain to focus enough to be wisdomful lol!!
So with that, have a good nite my friends!
Valinda
Yoga
Posted in on byYoga is a great way to relieve stress, it is also great for strengthing your core and is just all around good for you! Here are some poses for you to try!
Downward Dog: Beginner
•Start on all fours with hands directly under shoulders, knees under hips.
•Walk hands a few inches forward and spread fingers wide, pressing palms into mat.
•Curl toes under and slowly press hips toward ceiling, bringing your body into an inverted V, pressing shoulders away from ears. Feet should be hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
•Hold for 3 full breaths.
The Crow: Beginner
Get into downward dog position (palms pressed into mat, feet hip-width apart) and walk feet forward until knees touch your arms.
Bend your elbows, lift heels off floor, and rest knees against the outside of your upper arms. Keep toes on floor, abs engaged and legs pressed against arms. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths.
The Lunge: Beginner
•Start in downward dog position. Step your right leg forward to the inside of your right hand.
•Drop your left knee to the floor and lift your chest up. Keeping your right knee in line with your ankle and your back straight, place hands on your knee. Hold for 10 breaths.
•Return to downward dog; switch legs and repeat
I do yoga on my Wii Fit and I love it, I really enjoy the relief and peace it brings me :)
Valinda
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
