A Sensible Dinner - Pearlieq's Journal

[Cruise04]

You made South Beach Peanut Butter Cups - can I ask what they are and how you make them - they sound good, I love peanut butter.

You are doing great - I like the dip dinner idea too, sounds like fun actually!!!!

Have a great weekend and hope TiVo night was good!

Keep on
Chris

 

[pearlieq]

You made South Beach Peanut Butter Cups - can I ask what they are and how you make them - they sound good, I love peanut butter.

DH really liked them! They're very simple. I found the recipe at www.allrecipes.com but I know a lot of folks around here enjoy them as well.

--1 no sugar added Fudgesicle
--1-2 tablespoons peanut butter (adjust to taste)
--2 tablespoons cool whip light

In a small bowl, remove the Fudgesicle from the stick (a few seconds in the microwave helps this along a lot). Stir in the peanut butter and cool whip until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You can either enjoy it just like that or pop it back in the freezer until it's firmed up again.

I made a batch of six and poured them into muffin tins. I put them back in the freezer for about an hour and then popped them out and put them into baggies to store for later.

 

[honeymo78]

It sounds like you had a good day today. Your kitties sound so entertaining. I have to admit that mine are pretty funny too - especially our kitten eeyore - he tries to attack the tv too. That fruit dip sounds pretty good. I love anything made with cool whip lol. I'm glad you saw only a small gain this week. I'm sure you'll see it moving back down again next week.

 

[pearlieq]

If you want to hear any outside suggestions you have my brain going! hehe I just thought what a fun thread that would be... people post what they have in the house for food and then others post cooking ideas!! Hmmmm... maybe I will have to start that one up!

I forgot to say I LOVE that idea!!! Kind of a WISH Iron Chef thing.

And you are always welcome to offer cooking suggestions. Or, you know, you could just cook for me. That would work too...

 

[Cruise04]

OMG, they sound awesome. And I got some no sugar added fudgesicles today and have a TON of Light Cool Whip in my freezer (it was on sale at Jewel and we were having a sundae bar at work a month ago so I went nuts and I swear it has multiplied because I keep finding more in the freezer each time I go in there ROFL).

Thanks - I might have to make some tomorrow!

 

[eeyore25]

Hi Pearliq!

Those peanut butter cups do sound very good. I don't like chocolate, but I love peanut butter. I may have to make some and if I don't like them because of the chocolate, I will take them to work! Thanks for posting that.

You are doing a great job.

Keep up the good work and have a great weekend!

 

[septbride2002]

Ya want some cruise pictures...........

 

[septbride2002]

 

[septbride2002]

 

[pearlieq]

7/30/05 - Weigh In

320.0 - Exactly even from last week.

Whew! Yes, a loss would have been better, but I'm just glad I didn't inflict too much damage earlier this week.

It was a rough couple of day--no more baked goods in the house! It took about 2 days for all the sugar and junk to cycle through me and it wasn't until Thursday that I started feeling decent again. One of these days I'm going to make the mental connection between what I eat and how I feel. Eat junk, feel depressed, surly, and hopeless. Eat well, feel cheerful, optimistic, and hopeful. Seems like an easy choice, and yet...

Anyway, food was hit or miss last week, and I only got one day of exercise in. I just really didn't want to do it. Otherwise, I did OK about starting a water in the morning--I did that most mornings. I did realize I'm incurably lazy. I usually figure than when possible it's easier to work with the laziness than against it, so I went out and bought bottles of water I could keep in the fridge. Yes, I know it's a waste of money, but if the $4 I spend on a case of water each week will actually get me to drink the water, I think it's a good investment.

Goals for next week.

1.) Keep up the fast food strike. I made it another week without fast food and I'm really happy about that. I've lost the overwhelming, distracting cravings I used to have for it. I'm going to keep it up another week. I do need to figure out how I'm going to handle it while we're in DC, though, as I was hoping to rely of fast food to keep some foods costs down. I need to give this some thought.

2.) Keep up the water habit. All I'm looking for this week is to grab a water in the morning and to have water with either lunch or dinner. I've gotten pretty good at ordering water at restaurants, because they usually only have Diet Coke and I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine. I'd like to keep that up and do it at home as well.

3.) Exercise at least 4 times, including 2x at Curves. Usually this is OK and I actually kind of look forward to the workouts, but with feeling so bad this week I wasn't too motivated. I would like to get at least 2 Curves workouts in because I need the strength training and the other 2 can be walks if I prefer.

 

[pearlieq]

7/30/05

8:00am

--1 light string cheese

I woke up pretty easily this morning and thought I'd take advantage of it by getting in a nice walk. It's a beautiful morning and I had a wonderful time just cruising through my neighborhood with my music. I almost didn't want to go home--I was out there about 40 minutes.

9:30am

--1/3 large cantaloupe

I love melon, even if it is a huge pain to cube. I've got to get the other one ready to eat, because the first one was pretty ripe and I doubt I have much time on the second one.

Today should be fun. I'm meeting a friend at Panera for lunch, then we're going to go to Target where I will try not to blow all of my allowance. Then tonight we're going to this great little Italian place with our neighbors. I'm going to make sure to only have 2 pieces of their wonderful, crusty bread rounds, then I'm going to get a salad with ranch on the side and the lasagna with sauce on top instead of cheese. There's probably a good chance we'll hit Cold Stone afterwards, so I'll get a little sorbet there. I can't wait!

And, happily, I'm ready to do another TTNW! I realize folks here probably aren't as excited about DC as they are about WDW, but I can't wait for this trip!

TTNW: After having gotten up at an ungodly hour, we'll be taking a car to O'Hare (I still have call and book someone!) for our 7am flight to National. I love flying into National--it's so convenient! We should touch down around 9:40am. We could be adventurous and take the Metro to our hotel, but DH's work will pick up the cost of a cab, which is only about $12 from the airport to our hotel. Much easier when dealing with the luggage!

We're staying at the JW Mariott on Pennsylania Ave. Were it not for DH's convention, we would never be staying there. I'm sure it's a lovely hotel and the location is great, but their rack rate is about $340/night! The convention rate is much lower and DH's work is picking up all but one night, but if I were going to be spending that money I'd prefer to be at the Willard or Hay-Adams!

Once we've checked in and dropped of our bags we'll make our way over to Metro Center to get our transit passes--they offer a 7 day short trip pass for $22 which is perfect for us. I can't say enough good things about the DC Metro. It's so convenient, clean, safe, and reliable. It's a really asset to the city.

This morning we'll make our way over to Georgetown. I enjoy walking around there, and checking out the shops, plus we have lunch reservations and I want to catch a boat. Weather.com is showing a good chance of rain, so I'll have to pack the travel umbrellas!

12:00pm

--1/2 serving Fit & Active Baked Nacho Chips

I was so hungry I was ready to chew off my hand! These chips are incredible! They're from Aldi, and except for the fact they're a little crispier, they taste just like Doritos!!! They don't have that funky taste the baked Tostitos have. I'm in heaven!

12:30pm

--1 strawberry poppyseed chicken salad
--1 2 1/2" section sourdough baguette

I was very happy to get food and had a nice time chatting with my friend.

TTNW: After wandering around Georgetown for a bit, we'll be heading to an Italian place called Filomena for lunch. They have a lunch buffet on the weekend (I promise I'll behave!) and I got a restaurant.com certificate for it. I really hope they don't hassle me about it--some places can make it really unpleasant to use those. Why offer them at all?

Anyway, it should be a wonderful lunch!

4:15pm

--3 prunes
--1 bite DH's LC pizza
--1 serving cha cha cheeseball
--1 pkt South Beach Crackers

We spent over an hour wandering through Target. I got some things I really like--a new desk calendar, a set of springform pans, and a kit that has a DVD to teach you to knit along with all of the supplies for a project. It was on the clearance shelf for $3.74, so I figured I'd give it a try!

On to TTNW! After a yummy lunch we'll check out a little more of Georgetown and then head over to the docks to catch one of the Capitol River Cruises. For $10 for an hour long cruise, it sounds like a pretty good deal, and a nice way to get an overview of some things we might want to see over the week. After the cruise I figure we'll head back to the hotel, check in to our room, and then do a little bit more exploring before dinner. We're near Lafayette Park, The White House Visitors Center, and a couple of neat historic hotels.

6:30pm

--2 slices light bread
--3 slices turkey
--1 slice 2% cheese
--1 oz baked nacho chips
--16 cherries

Bad news. Dinner is going to be postponed a couple of hours. I'm simply starving, I just have to eat!

TTNW: We'll actually have a similar-type problem next week. We're going to see a comedy show done by former congressional staffers called Capitol Steps. The show starts at 7:30. I think we're going to have to get an early dinner beforehand as I don't think we can wait until after the show. I still need to research some reasonably healthy, reasonably inexpensive dining options near the theater. After the show I'm sure we'll head back to the hotel and turn in!

7:45pm

--1 serving cheese dip
--1 pkt SB crackers
--1/3 cup chocolate chips

Probably not the best snack, but I was starving! Our dinner fell through. --The husband of the other couple is still stuck at work. We just ordered some pizza, so hopefully we'll get a meal soon! Today's going to wind up being in the "splurge" range, but not out of control.

8:30pm

--1/2 medium handtossed cheese pizza

9:00pm

--the other 1/2 medium handtossed cheese pizza

Yowza! With apologies to the old commercial, I can't believe I ate the whole thing! I was so starving when I started that I just plowed in and kept right on going! The funny thing is, I'm not even all that full--I feel satisfied, but nowhere near stuffed. My calories were not well distributed today. I wanted to save enough to cover the dinner we had originally planned, but I obviously didn't eat enough as I was getting hunger headaches and needing to snack constantly. This puts me at 3250 for the day, which is more than I need, but at least about 700 calories under my breakeven point for the day.

 

[Mykelogan]

Hi Pearlieq!

No gain is a good gain!! I am sure you'll get that scale moving again soon! And though I said it in there, thanks so much for being a part of the 300 Club!
I love calling my thread idea the WISH Iron Chef... If you don't mind I will use it and get that started this weekend! hehe.

Washington sounds like a fun trip! I can't wait to hear all about it!
Oh, and I have copied that South Beach Peanut Butter Cup recipe into my files, sounds soo yummy!

I hope that have a happy & healthy weekend!!
Mike

p.s. To septbride2002!! I love those cruise pics!! Just another thing to make me definite that will be my next trip! Thank you for sharing them!

 

[lillygator]

Yeah for staying the same!! That is much better than a gain! Mornings are a great time to go walking and around here....you better go in the early morning before it gets too darn hot!

 

[Lesli54]

Good evening, Pearlieq!

Sounds like you have a wonderful plan for tackling the day and the food challenges. Isn't it amazing that 2 wks from the fast food can really put a halt to most of those cravings? I will bet that now you are feeling better, you will be back on the losing side again.

Your TTNW for DC sounds fine to me, as I have never been there, just drove around the edge. When I found out that I am staying at the Wyndam in Atlanta for the GS convention in Oct, I thought the same about the price. It looks so nice, but I know I wouldn't be staying there if I had to pay for it. Soooooooo............I guess you just enjoy what you normally don't get and really appreciate it as much as possible.

Keep up the great work.

 

[Storygirl]

Hi Pearlieq! Hope you have a great time tonight...You have me thinking about Buca di Beppo when you mention your Italian restaurant...yum!

The SB pb bars sound wonderful! I can easily adapt those for low carb with lc fudgsicles, not just sf...thanks!

Hope your kitties are doing well today - I have one climbing on my laptop right now and making it hard to type...he's my cuddler boy.

Have a great weekend!

 

[Cruise04]

Good job on the scale pearlieq!!!!!! No gain is good!!!!

My dh went to DC a few years ago for a conference and brought back a few CD's by the Capital Steps - they are hilarious. They've performed here in IL a couple of times the past year but we've not been able to get to see them. I think both times they've been up in Elgin at Hemmens but once they might have been at the Paramount in Aurora. I told dh that the next time they come we are going!!!!!

Lesli - I was hoping to go to the GS convention too but not going to be able to make it. I have heard of some of the changes that they are making this year to the convention and I figured since I wasn't a delegate it wasn't going to be worth the expense for me to go, unfortunately. I'm going in 3 years though no matter what!!!!! Hope you have a great time!

Keep up the good work pearlieq (sorry to hijack your thread for just a bit).

Keep on
Chris

 

[pearlieq]

7/31/05 - Goodbye July!

8:00am

--1 serving cheeseball dip
--1 1/2 oz baked nacho chips
--1 strawberry applesauce

Not exactly a perfect breakfast, but it sure was enjoyable. My mom is coming over a noon for lunch and a Monk marathon. I'm making chicken and black bean enchiladas and a sweet corn casserole. She's bringing a fruit salad and some hummus with veggie chips. I love the hummus, but I hope she doesn't mind if I put out some baby carrots to eat with it instead of the veggie chips. I don't really have a dessert planned, but the fruit should do just fine.

TTNW: We'll get to sleep in a little, then then catch a quick breakfast (hopefully in our room) before heading to the National Air and Space museum for the morning. The is DH's top pick for the week--it's not really my bag but I hear it's a cool museum. There's a auxiliary campus in VA, I think, but I'm not sure we'll make the trek out there. I'm mostly looking forward to catching an IMAX film or the planetarium show.

12:30pm

--1 1/2 servings veggie chips
--5 T hummus
--1/4 cup salsa
--1 cup light orange juice
--3 enchiladas
--1/4 cup light sour cream
--1 cup fruit salad

The corn casserole refused to cooperate! I used a round, deep casserole instead of an oblong, shallower one and it took forever to cook! It would up being done about half an hour into the meal. Grr!!!

TTNW: From what I've heard, there are very slim pickings for lunch at the Air & Space museum--if we're stuck there we may opt for Boston Market in the food court, or we may try to wait and catch lunch later!

2:30pm

--2/3 cup corn casserole
--1/3 enchilada
--1 T light sour cream

At least the corn casserole was decent when it was finally done. We loved the Monk marathon--we're all caught up on the current season. The show is just so well done--intelligent, well-written, heartbreaking, and hugely funny!

TTNW: After we wrap up at the Air & Space museum we'll trek over to the American History museum and see as much as we can before we get tired and/or the place closes. We'll stop for lunch first if we need to--there's a really neat little cafe that has several flavors of fresh gelato After that we'll at least see the highlights--I love the First Ladies' gowns, Archie Bunker's chair, and Julia Child's kitchen! They also have a really fun gift shop!

4:30pm

--1 sf chocolate pudding
--2 or 3 veggie chips
--2 or 3 baked nacho chips

I packed the enchiladas and corn casserole up and sent it home with Mom. In turn she left the rest of the fruit, the veggie chips (going to get pitched), the hummus, and the salsa. I'm kind of bored now--I need to go find something to do.

TTNW: After finishing and/or getting kicked out of the American History museum we'll catch the Metro back to the hotel and unwind a bit. I want to try a restaurant at Union Station for dinner.

6:50pm

--2 soy burgers
--2 whole wheat light buns
--2 crowns broccoli
--1/2 cup fruit salad

DH and I are sniping at each other. I couldn't even tell you how this one began--something about macaroni and cheese. I had suggested earlier that we have soy burgers and macaroni & cheese for dinner, but we were both getting really hungry and the pan we use for the macaroni is in the dishwasher. I suggested that we have everything else now and save making the macaroni for later, but for whatever reason this wasn't OK with him. Yes, folks, this is the kind of inanity over which you will argue with your spouse.

I'm starving, so after much sniping and dramatic sighing, I fixed my own dinner and left him to fend for himself. I honestly think he's trying to get out of eating the soy burgers and is really lobbying to eat out, even though we already agreed not too. I would love to live in his little world where you just get whatever you want whenever you want it and there are no consequences. I feel like I always have to fight against him to get positive things accomplished. If he were in charge we would have no money and would be 100 pounds heavier and developing scurvy from eating pizza every night! He's great about agreeing to make changes (watching the budget, eating in, eating better, exercising) IN THEORY, but he's never really much for implementing them. We agree to things and somehow he always ends up getting his way regardless. And I'm the one who has to clean up the mess, adjust the budget, etc. I find it so frustrating! And the worst thing is, he doesn't seem to get it and he does it over and over! And, while I tell him how much it upsets me, short of divorcing him there's nothing I can do about it but suck it up and slowly go mad!!!

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. I love my DH, I just don't really like him much right now!

TTNW: I really want to try the America restaurant at Union Station. It's another location of the America restaurant at the New York, New York hotel is Las Vegas. We ate there a couple of times when we were in Vegas and really liked it so I'm looking forward to seeing it in DC. It features specialties from all over the whole country so the menu is big and varied. The one in Vegas has this gigantic sculpture of the US--I'm curious to see how the DC restaurant is decorated.

8:30pm

--1 1/4 cup macaroni & cheese
--2 T chocolate chips

DH and I kissed and made up. We still aren't sure exactly how it started, but we talked it out. We always do.

TTNW: After dinner at America, we'll catch the Metro and take an evening tour of the monuments. We'll see how much we can cover--I really want to see the Vietnam Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the WWII memorial. Anything else would be neat, but those are the ones I'm really looking forward to. After the monuments, back to the hotel and to bed!

 

[Lesli54]

Good morning, Pearlieq!

It sure does make things hard when the dinner plans fall through, but considering that you were starving, you did pretty good at not losing total control. Good job.

I like to knit, but haven't done it in a long long time. Finally last year, I gave all my yarn to my mom who crochet's (hven't done that in a long time either). I have been thinking about picking up some of my old craft projects and finishing them while we watch a little TV at night. It really helps cut down on the eating during that time.

Have a good day with your mom.

 

[kardiebelle]

Hi I always find that doing somthing with my hands always help them night cravings. I have many projects that I am doing right now. But I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Have a great time with your mother. Smiles Kardiebelle

 

[Mykelogan]

Hi pearlieq!!

Happy Sunday!! Hope that you have a fun Monk Marathon with your mom. That lunch sounds very yummy!!!

Have a happy & a healthy day!
Mike