In Search of My Body....Not the One I ATE! Vol. 5: Goddesses are Always on Top!

[AKASnowWhite]

I wanted to chime in on the "how you make dinner" thing.

I am a fly by the seat of my pants kinda cook. Rarely have a plan, because I don't know what kind of mood I'll be in & our crazy life means something unexpected is always popping up! But I love to cook, which I know is not a universal love

I shop the sales - like Steph's dad! If it's on sale - I buy it and we work meals around that.

Soup for dinner? Only if it's an appetizer! Carnivores. That's what my family are!

Tonight - is baked ziti. A bit different from Lyz, in that I am first going to make my homemade Ricotta from the goats milk so, so yummy. And sauce. I have yet to find a sauce in a jar that I like. I always make my sauce - but it's a quick easy one, based on a Rachel Ray marinara recipe. So easy. I make a bunch and put any leftovers in a jar in the fridge for later use. And I'll use a combo of lean ground meats. Whatever I have in the freezer.

We had Shrimp Scampi on Tuesday night. OMG is that good. And SO incredibly easy. Whole meal is ready in 15-20 minutes. Gotta love that.



Lyz - try the Boca Burger. I love 'em. And no, I don't make them for my family either. Let's just say, they're not that into them


Hope everyone has a good day - it's cloudy and icky here. So very uninspiring <sigh>

 

[goofyfan-12]

Goof morning...

It is cloudy and dreary here this morning, so it was a rough morning getting up and out.

All this talk of cooking is making me hungry... I don't do that much cooking anymore because of JC, but I do love to cook when I get the chance. Now I want carmelized onions (thanks E!). Since we are talking low fat alternatives, what are the yummy options for Italian sausage? I am craving sausage at the moment, but don't want all of the fat that goes with the traditional stuff. What brands of chicken / turkey or even tofu should I look for?

Have a great day everyone...

 

[zigzagzerr]

I would LOVE it if we would all post what we are having for dinner each night. Not for points or tracking reasons. It doesn't have to be diet-friendly or anything. Just to get ideas, etc.

For us tonight: Broccoli cheese soup (I make a really low fat version) and a side salad.

We always cook a double recipe of whatever we're making on Saturday/Sunday/Monday, which then carries us through with leftovers through the rest of the week. Life is too crazy for us to cook on the weekdays! This way, there is a good homecooked meal ready from the microwave in 2 minutes, and you don't have to eat the same thing all week.

Last night we had lowfat chicken enchiladas - shredded boneless chicken breast mixed with lowfat cream cheese, can of green chilis and cumin. Baked with salsa/chili/cheese on top. Yum!

Tonight when I get home after class, there will be turkey sausage and orzo casserole waiting. Oh, and a big salad.

Lisa - thanks for telling me! What sort of things do you make them do? How do you get ideas? How often do you change it up? How long are sessions, or is it class by class?

It's a 1 hour class. Usually I have us do 2 waves of cardio, getting progressively harder, with a round of weights in the middle - then squats, pushups, abs and stretch at the end. Our sessions go for 8 weeks at a time, but they let people do "drop in", so that helps boost my numbers.

I always tell people that this is what I would do if I didn't have to earn a living. Making up the cardio routines is a lot of fun, and a good creative outlet for an accountant who spends the day chained to a computer. I also steal material from everybody I meet, and once a year I renew my instructor certification by attending an all weekend conference here in Baltimore where I get to try out every type of exercise class and piece of equipment known to man. It's great! The best part is picking out music I love, and sharing it with my group.

Anytime you're passing through my neck of woods, feel free to stop by.

LIZ--

• 3-5 cups fresh broccoli – chopped (depending on how much broccoli you want in the soup)
• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fat free half and half (you can use skim, but the ff half and half works much better)
• 2-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar, depending on how cheesy you want it. (I use 2 cups of fat free cheddar and 1 cup regular, full fat cheddar.)
• 1 pinch ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat, saute onion in oil for 5 minutes, or to desired tenderness.
2. Add the flour to the onions and stir well, forming a pasty substance.
3. Gradually add the milk/half and half and stir until thick. Add the broth and the broccoli mixture and stir well. Keep on med-low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Then add the cheese, stirring until melted. Finally, add the pepper.
(Note: Be careful not to let the soup boil, or the cheese will break down.)

This sounds really good -- printing it out to try.

My kids are good eaters, for the most part. But I just can't expect them to eat tofu quinoa casserole, you know? I often end up cooking two meals--one for me and J and one for the kids. And that can be a pain. But I will say that it is getting easier. They are getting MUCH better at trying new things. I think part of the problem is that a lot of vegetarian dishes/ingredients have just such weird sounding names that the kids don't want to try it based on the name alone.

Last night, instead of a heated up enchi, my daughter went for heated up spinach feta rice bake instead -- who woulda thunk she'd pick the vegetarian meal? Kids surprise you all the time. And often, if they don't know what the dish is called, they'll be more willing to try it.


Thanks for non-threadkilling love, guys. Hey, better to kill the thread than kill the in-laws, right Kelly?

Hope you have a great day!

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

Morning Everyone!
House work is almost complete! I just need to eat breakfast and tan and go for a walk before I leave at 230 for work. I also have to call the school.... We had some issues this week with zac's sugars and they are all due to carelessness of the school and once part was zac's fault to a point. On St. Patty's day what 8 year old if given a milkshake who JUST had a shot would pass it by. The teachers never even thought about it, they just gave him a green milkshake. OMG HELLO his blood sugar was 483 at dinner.
Then yesterday they cut the slice of pizza in half and gave it to him... he said that he had the smallest piece at his table and his sugar was 60 an hour later. These are the little things that IRK me about being in a little school, nothing is regulated. ITs all so care free. I have STRESSED before to them how food and insulin work and what happens if he doesn't get the food to cover what insulin he got. Or the opposite if he gets to much food! I really wish my SIL would move back from Syracuse and take over! I know EVERYTHING would be just as it should! The Nutritionist there .… Not putting her down or calling her old but she is in her mid 60's and I am sure things have changed over the years and really I don't think she is a nutrionist... I really don't. When I started talking carbs when Zac was first diagnosed she was well why do you need them, and we can't get them for you..... UMMMM HELLO YOU GET FEDRAL FUNDING ....OH YES YOU CAN ... AND YOU ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE THAT STUFF. They didn't even have a clue. I thank every day that my SIL filled me in on what is required by state and federal government. OK off my soapbox! Yes I know I could make this all easy for me and the school by packing him a lunch but he doesn't want it, he wants to be like all the other kids and get a school lunch.

Ok need to get Breakfast so I can walk to the post office and then to tanning and then back.... that will be 1 mile + maybe and 1/3 of another mile so total 1 1/3 of a mile.

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Lasagna

3/4 pound(s) dry lasagna noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large Spanish onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped
1/2 cup(s) water
1/4 cup(s) Coca-Cola Diet Coke, or other brand
1 spray(s) cooking spray
6 medium portobello mushroom(s), stems removed, caps cut in half and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 pound(s) cremini mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 tsp table salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
3 medium garlic clove(s), chopped
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, fresh, divided (Parmigiano Reggianno recommended)

Place a large pot of water over high heat; bring to a boil. Add noodles; boil for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Drain noodles and briefly rinse under cool water to prevent sticking; set aside.

Place a very large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and onions; cook, without stirring for 3 minutes, and then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 7 minutes. Add rosemary and water; scrape up any food from bottom of pan using a wooden spoon. Cook until water evaporates, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add soda and cook until onions are nicely browned and soft, about 3 to 4 minutes; remove to a large bowl and set aside.

Coat same skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, until they start to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes; sprinkle with salt and stir. Continue to cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are browned, about 3 to 4 minutes; add to onion bowl. (If mushrooms are too cramped in skillet, either use 2 skillets or cook them in 2 batches.)

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

To make sauce, place same skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and butter; allow butter to melt. Add flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until combined, about 1 minute. Add milk, a little at a time, stirring to prevent lumps; bring to a boil. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring continuously, until thick, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of cheese; stir to combine and set aside.

To assemble lasagna, spread 1/3 cup of sauce over bottom of a 9- X 11-inch lasagna pan or baking dish. Place 3 noodles over sauce in a single layer; spread with 1/3 cup of sauce and about 1 1/2 cups of onion-mushroom mixture. Top with 1/4 cup of sauce and then 3 more noodles; spread with 1/3 cup of sauce and about 1 1/2 cups of onion-mushroom mixture. Top with 1/4 cup of sauce and then 3 more noodles; spread with 1/3 cup of sauce and about 1 1/2 cups of onion-mushroom mixture. Top with 1/4 cup of sauce and then top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes; change oven temperature to broil. Broil until top of lasagna is crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 to15 minutes before slicing into eight pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

 

[DisneyGalUK]

Thanks for non-threadkilling love, guys. Hey, better to kill the thread than kill the in-laws, right Kelly?

Hope you have a great day!

Depends who you ask!
I of course am kidding.....

 

[AKASnowWhite]

Since we are talking low fat alternatives, what are the yummy options for Italian sausage? I am craving sausage at the moment, but don't want all of the fat that goes with the traditional stuff. What brands of chicken / turkey or even tofu should I look for?

There actually aren't a lot of brand varieties around me - turkey sausage tends to be by Shady Brook Farms - either "hot" or "mild". And chicken. Honestly, I've forgotten the brand. They have some at Costco that I sampled once and really liked. Didn't buy them though, they were just too pricey for me at that particular moment.

We always cook a double recipe of whatever we're making on Saturday/Sunday/Monday, which then carries us through with leftovers through the rest of the week.

This made me laugh. I've tried to do that. I really have. But, between my husband who works from home (so lunch is AT home), and 2 teenage boys who are constantly ravenous - leftovers don't stand a CHANCE around here.

I once brought home a lasagna from work. Put it in the fridge. It was to be for dinner. Went to take it out to heat it up only to discover my boys had eaten 1/2 of it already

ah well, I'd rather have them eating good stuff than crap.

Tonight when I get home after class, there will be turkey sausage and orzo casserole waiting. Oh, and a big salad.

(I'll take care of this one Lyz... ) Recipe? Please?


It's a 1 hour class. Usually I have us do 2 waves of cardio, getting progressively harder, with a round of weights in the middle - then squats, pushups, abs and stretch at the end.

Your class sounds like fun.

Ok need to get Breakfast so I can walk to the post office and then to tanning and then back.... that will be 1 mile + maybe and 1/3 of another mile so total 1 1/3 of a mile.

Great job with the walking Steph!

I so hear you on the school-diabetes issue. My kids all have friends who are diabetics and especially in the elementary age range it is SO hard if you don't have a teacher and nurse who are really "on it". You can't possibly be there to monitor things yourself and putting your trust and faith in them is difficult.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Paula--both Boca and Morning Star Farms have a veggie version of Italian Sausage. Jeff likes it.

Calories = 120
Fat = 6
Carbs = 7
Protein = 10

So you can see it is definitely a very low cal, low fat option when compared with real sausage.

Not to be confused with their breakfast sausage links. These are meant to be eaten in a roll, covered with onions and peppers or whatever.

Steph--you are still doing the fake and bake? Be careful. Great job getting in your walks! That is awesome.

EE--c2k5? Are you starting? When? Do you have good shoes?

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

All this food talk is making me ravenous!

Tonight for dinner, we are having. Goodness, you are not going to believe this. We are going to a HBA dinner tonight and I just looked up the menu:

"The buffet includes tossed salad, rolls, beef roast with gravy, caramelized onions, carrots and celery, mashed red skins, buttered corn, coffee and iced tea. "

Ha - I guess I'm having onions tonight.

Ok, I must work. Have a busy day.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Hba??

 

[HockeyKat]

E - no soup and bread isn't normally enough for dinner. We are fighting sickness and exhaustion headaches at my house so bunches wasn't necessary tonight.

I bought boca burgers but have yet to make them. Gotta do that.

I love carmalized onions too. We eat them with steak and mushrooms.

I love any kind of sauteed/grilled/etc onions and mushrooms. Yumm.

E, I love you dearly, but... the veggie crumbles and such are fine for you, but, well, they don't taste like meat. Sorry.

96/4 lean ground beef is 140 cals and like 2.5g fat in 4 oz. It can be a little dry but generally tastes good.

Boca burgers (esp the mushroom mozz one) are good, for sure, but they don't have the taste or texture of a real hamburger. I like them, just not as a substitute.

Paula, they make pre-cooked chicken/turkey sausages with spices and sometimes cheese in them that are 120-150 per (large) link. Look for them either in your deli section, or where the precooked brats and such are. They aren't incredibly cheap, like $1 a link or so, but they definitely fulfill the cravings and for a lot less calories and fat. 1 serving pasta, 1 of those, and some low-cal sauce and you can have a nice filling dinner for 400 cals or so.

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

Home Builders Association

 

[AKASnowWhite]

I guess I'm having onions tonight.

YUM! Even better- you don't have to cook them OR clean up!

E, I love you dearly, but... the veggie crumbles and such are fine for you, but, well, they don't taste like meat. Sorry.

Agreed!


Paula, they make pre-cooked chicken/turkey sausages with spices and sometimes cheese in them that are 120-150 per (large) link. Look for them either in your deli section, or where the precooked brats and such are.

I just had a Bare Naked Ladies moment here

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

Steph--you are still doing the fake and bake? Be careful. Great job getting in your walks! That is awesome.

YES, still fake n baking! I actually added to my walk today! Plus jumped on the trampoline for about 5 minutes and played fetch for about 10 minutes.

All this food talk is making me ravenous!
ME TOO!
Tonight for dinner, we are having. Goodness, you are not going to believe this. We are going to a HBA dinner tonight and I just looked up the menu:

"The buffet includes tossed salad, rolls, beef roast with gravy, caramelized onions, carrots and celery, mashed red skins, buttered corn, coffee and iced tea. "

Ha - I guess I'm having onions tonight.

Ok, I must work. Have a busy day.

MMM that sounds soo good! What's a HBA dinner? We had HBA but that was in a retail store and that was health and beauty Aids So I don't think that is what your dinner is

Great job with the walking Steph!

I so hear you on the school-diabetes issue. My kids all have friends who are diabetics and especially in the elementary age range it is SO hard if you don't have a teacher and nurse who are really "on it". You can't possibly be there to monitor things yourself and putting your trust and faith in them is difficult.

Thank - you!
YEs it's very hard! Plus the "normal school nurse" her mom is very ill and is out often plus she herself just got over scarlet fever.
So that is tough because any given day or time there is someone else there, sometimes there are two different people in one day!

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

MMM that sounds soo good! What's a HBA dinner? We had HBA but that was in a retail store and that was health and beauty Aids So I don't think that is what your dinner is

Home Builders Association. Good times.

 

[goofyfan-12]

YUM! Even better- you don't have to cook them OR clean up!



I just had a Bare Naked Ladies moment here

Do they have any prewrapped bacon? No, can you blame them... I love the Bare Naked Ladies!!!! They are awesome live, although they won't be touring anytime soon thanks to a certain singer's drug issues....

Thanks for the info. I will have to check it out the next time I am in the grocery store. I really am craving a sausage and pepper sandwich now....

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

So my walk was 1.81 miles not what I thought but it was a walk!

 

[SeptemberGirl]

I used to love BNL. Like, adored them, top five fav band, etc. But then sometimes around 2004, I got eh on them. Just didn't like the new stuff. I much prefer the pre-2000 albums. Hate it when a band stops producing good stuff.

We eat turkey and chicken sausage. All the time. I buy what's on sale and freeze it. The Costco ones turned out to be like 2pts per sausage! I just look at what's on sale and read the labels.

 

[amykab]

Hi!!

LOVING all the food talk. You have all given me some great ideas for when I get back from my trip. (And Erika, I was seriously about to come on here and ask about the boca crumbles. I saw them the other day when I was buying more boca burgers)

Last minute packing and stuff going on here. Had girls night out at the microbrewery last night. lots of fun, but it was open mic night which was scary.

No exercise yesterday, I was sore from my pilates the day before. I plan on doing something later. Water was on track yesterday and am on track today as well. AND I am down a pound!! I weighed today since we leave tomorrow.

Off to finish packing!!

Amy

 

[Dizneydawn]

Good Afternoon everybody -

I am caught up to page 110 - that is all. Taxes are being submitted this afternoon. Computer crashed -could not retrieve all the data we saved on top of needing to re-boot everything etc. I am not the computer guru of the home but long story short - all is well again - just time consuming and our refund is awesome. Should be enough to cover the remodeling of the kitchen and a few other household necessities as well so I am greatful to God.

Got the results back from Doc. PCOS is a positive and that means Metabolic Syndrome. Insulin resistance for lack of a better word. Vitamin D low and need fish oil (1000 ml a day) The D I am taking once a week for 12 weeks and now Metformin at night as well. Check back with her in about 2 months for re-eval. Am tracking by diabetic standards ( carbs/fat) and everything coming into the house is High Fructose Corn Syrup free. Need to do more research to make sure I have all the info accurate.

Basics though are the food I eat needs to be less than 1/3 calories from fat and have less than 45-55 g of fat a day. Need 45-60g of carbs per meal (x3) and 15-30g for a snack (2 x). 300mg of cholesterol a day or less.

So I have Dan getting a flow chart ready for me so all this can be tracked and iot is different than points/calories so I need to see if something on line will help with that.

I am doing well though and Dan is helping a ton. He is so patient at the grocery store. I am making a dietician appt at the hospital for the end of next week also for more thorough info.

Kids are having a great time in TX with Chad. The basement is now done minus a few things to be hung on the wall. Went to a new church on Sunday and really enjoyed it a lot.

Baylor is having some scar issues for his burn site - new compression socks ordered. Carsyn has surgery Tuesday so will be gone some of next week too.

As for posts - I have read all I can so far -
Paula - I am so proud of your 4 size loss and 50 pound ribbon. An empty closet means a new you to move in!

Erika - Glad Riley did well and nothing serious happened with the fall on him. Cammie's cake was amazing and showed such creative flair.

Amy - whoo hoo on size 10 jeans!

Steph - peanut butter on the face for shaving is too funny! - as far as the same cousin name -
My grandma always complained that my grandfather had a cousin with the same name - Elmer. Her issue was that it was such an ugly name why in the heck would you name someone it twice!

And Kelly - you said you had a Roy family name.

I went to school with a kid who moved in during 7th grade named Robert Knight. Teacher on first day of class asked if he prefered Rob/Bob etc.

He said - "No I am the III and my grandpa is Rob, my dad is Bob and so I am Robert."

Teacher said - "You can have a IV and name him Bobert." He was called Bobert till we graduated!

Love the dress Kelly!

Stacey - beautiful home!

All else - on all the weight loss success! And I will read more later!