Hump Day To Do List

1. Work late since you left early yesterday.


2. Change into workout gear and drive straight to gym from work.


3. Run on treadmill for >10 minutes without stopping, if possible


4. Zumba!!!


5. Shower


6. Nosh on yummy veggie burrito leftovers from La Pinata (they actually saute mushies, zucchini, and corn in that bad boy instead of just boring ol' beans & rice!)


7. Make miso soup for lunches for the rest of the week

That should pretty much keep me busy tonight!

Weekend Adventures

What a whirlwind of weekend adventuring! It was overall a complete success and a lot of fun. Saturday, I went to my hometown and spent a lovely day with my close lady friends. We watched a few episodes of Buffy and got sushi take-out as per Simone's request. It was her b-day on Friday, so what she wanted was what she got! Not that I'm complaining - I love both of those things! Before I got together with them, I spent the early afternoon with my parents at my mom's house. She recently returned from a nearly 2 week trip to Ireland and had lots of souvenirs for me to ogle over. We hooked her camera up to her tv and ran through her 700+ pictures as a slideshow while she narrated. It worked out quite nicely, actually. She hadn't deleted the bad pictures yet, but it was ok overall.



I made Simone Rainbow Tie-dye Cupcakes from my new fave food blog I posted last week (see her post with pictures here). I thought they were perfectly perfect for Simone and they turned out really well!

I think I probably got the most compliments on the frosting, which was some kind of butter-cream. Maybe because it was so dark in the bar? I have to say, however, that the frosting was DELISH! Now I am no baker, so I was extremely proud of the final product, even though Ryan did the sprinkle job:

I just had to share, since I am so proud of how they turned out! So here are the recipes, from canyoustayfordinner.com:

Perfect White Cupcakes
(adapted from Cooks Illustrated)

makes 12

…..

1 cup cake flour

½ cup whole milk, at room temperature

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard size cupcake tin with paper liners. Spritz each with nonstick cooking spray.

Lightly whisk milk, egg whites, and vanilla extract in large glass measuring cup.

Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand electric mixer and add butter; beating at low speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no large clumps of flour.

Add 3/4 of the milk mixture to the crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 20 seconds longer at low speed.

Evenly distribute the batter in the cupcake tin. (for rainbow cupcakes: divide the batter into 4 or 5 bowls and carefully mix 2-4 drops of food coloring into each one. I used red, blue, green, yellow, and a 5th bowl for red+blue=purple. Layer each color into the tin until about 3/4 full and slightly swirl with a toothpick - not too much or else it can turn brown.)

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cupcakes from the pan carefully and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

The Best Whipped Frosting
makes enough to frost a 9″ layer cake or one dozen cupcakes generously (she says, "generously", and TOTALLY means it - I had waaaay too much frosting leftover for cupcakes!)

Recipe adapted from Missy Dew on TastyKitchen

1 cup milk

5 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)

In a medium saucepan, whisk one cup of milk with 5 tablespoons of flour. Heat over medium until the mixture begins to sputter, whisking constantly. Continue to stir as the mixture thickens. You will know it’s done when it reaches the consistency of thick cake batter, after about 7 minutes of heating and whisking. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and set aside to cool COMPLETELY.

Now, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or using a hand held mixer, beat 2 sticks of softened butter (1 cup) with 1 cup of granulated sugar until light, fluffy, and white in color, about 3 solid minutes of beating on medium-high speed. You want the sugar to be totally incorporated into the butter.

Be sure that the milk/flour mixture has completely cooled, and add it to the butter/sugar mixture. Beat all ingredients for about 1 minute on high speed, scraping down the bowl halfway, until they are smooth and well blended. The frosting should be as light and fluffy as whipped cream.

Saag Tofu

Current Weight: 148.6 lbs
Goal Weight (by 1/11/12): 135 lbs
Delta to lose: 13.6 lbs

I didn't lose any weight this week. Poop on a stick! I didn't gain any weight this week, so that's something. But a little frustrated, I am. *Sigh* Just keep swimming... It will just be that much more motivation for me to be a good girl this weekend. Between Simone's b-day festivities and company picnics.... it's not going to be easy. But I can do it. I have to do it, if I want things to change.

I just joined Goodreads.com and had way too much fun adding books that I love to my library! After going to the library the other day and picking up Shade's Children by Garth Nix, I am on a renewed mission to read more (again). When I was BART-ing to school in San Francisco every day, I was reading non-stop to keep my brain from getting physics-fried! But I got stuck reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and have somehow lost interest. So I am starting another book. Hopefully someday I can finish that one, but it's stalling me for now. I keep meaning to read A Discovery of Witches, which my mom lent me awhile ago, but the library beckoned (I wanted some Learn to Speak Spanish cds for my commute) and I can't leave that place without a minimum of 1 book (usually 2 or 3).

I am feeling pretty lethargic today. Gotta gear up for the gym and then making cup-cakies for Simone! Weeee! I haven't been sleeping well all week, so let's just hope I don't fall asleep while those cupcakes are in the oven. Not likely to happen, but still.

Brekkie (10+0+65+24+25+0 = 124 cal):
Coffee with 1 Tbsp fat free hot chocolate and 1 packet Truvia
4 oz yogurt with 2.65 oz strawberries, 1.5 oz blueberries, 1 packet Splenda (forgot the Truvia today

Snack (30 cal):
7 Brook Cherries (yum!)

Lunch (116+62+35+34.5+25+24+29+28+11+20+8+34.5 = 427 cal):
1/2 whole wheat pita with 2.3 oz deli peppered turkey, 1 wedge laughing cow cheese, 1/8 avocado
1/2 leftover chicken & black bean enchilada from dinner last night with 0.55 oz non-fat greek yogurt (just like sour cream, but with more protein = healthier!) and the other 1/8 avocado

Snack (94 cal):
1 Tbsp Chunky Peanut Butter (what?!? it's better than the free candy we have laying around, sorta)

Dinner-to-be (225+226 = 451 cal):
Saag Tofu with 1/3 cup brown basmasti rice (1/3 cup before cooking)

Here's the Saag Tofu recipe, as adapted for 2 servings

Saag Tofu, 2 servings (from EatingWell.com)

Ingredients
1/2 14-ounce package water-packed firm tofu, drained
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 pound baby spinach
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
3/4 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Preparation
1.Cut tofu in half and then into thirds lengthwise and quarters crosswise. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook, flipping every 2 to 3 minutes, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2.Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan and reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, ginger and mustard seeds and cook until the onion is translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add spinach in batches small enough to fit in the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until all the spinach has been added and has wilted, 4 to 6 minutes more.
3.Meanwhile, combine yogurt, curry powder, cumin and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Temper the yogurt with some of the hot spinach mixture so as not to curdle and then add to the pan along with the tofu and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Bouncing from the Top of this Cloud

It's beautiful outside. Finally! For a while I was beginning to think we were somehow no longer in Cali, stuck in winter forever. My walk today was lovely. Grabbed some vitamin D and warmed my bones. Ahhhhhh.

Tonight is my spin class and fitness boot-camp style class. I actually look forward to these all week. I feel like Thursdays I get the the most bang for my buck. So, bring it! My arms are just about recovered from Monday's work out, ready for a new beating! This week we'll probably focus on something else, since last week I suggested arms. We'll see.

Tomorrow is my weigh-in for the week. Yuck. I keep waiting for the magic number when I can try on those jeans I've been saving to squeeze back into. Realistically, not this week. But soon, I hope. By the end of the month, if I'm so lucky. I will have worked out the planned 6/7 days this week by the end of tomorrow, so I'm expecting some sort of scale movement in the downward direction. One can only hope. Next week will be another 6 days of working out. I have weekend plans, but nothing in the way of my workout schedule, so that's good. No excuses. I just really need to watch my Saturday habits, since I'll be spending the day and night with Simone for her 30th. I just need to remind myself to take is easy on the caloric drinking. I think we'll have sushi for our before-bar treat, so I should be able to keep that in check with more sashimi/less rice. I'll try to keep to a 2 drink maximum at the bar. But 30th b-days are few and far between (and not many of us are left for that mile-marker! yikes!). It helps that I'll be driving myself. I'll just make sure Simone has aaaaalllllll my extra drinks for me. Teehee.

Breakfast: Coffee, 4 oz Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt with 2 oz Strawberries, 1.5 oz Blueberries, and 1 packet Truvia = 10+65+18+24+0=117 cal

Lunch: 1/2 Wheat Pita with 2.55 oz Deli Peppered Turkey, 1 wedge Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow Cheese and 1/4 Avocado; 1 cup leftover Rice-a-Roni with 1.5 oz leftover steamed Green Beans = 116+69+35+69+310+13=612 cal

Dinner: Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas = 525 cal

Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas, 2 servings

Ingredients
4 low-carb whole wheat tortillas
2 cups canned enchilada sauce (with added cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper to taste)
8 oz chicken breast, poached and shredded
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup black beans
1 onion
Cilantro

Preparation
1. Warm up the enchilada sauce on the stove in a pan big enough to dip the tortillas in the sauce before filling and rolling them.
2. Spread 1-2 Tbsp along the bottom of a glass baking dish big enough to hold 4 enchiladas.
3. Combine the shredded chicken, beans, onions, and cheese in a bowl with a little bit of the enchilada sauce.
4. Split the filling among the tortillas, roll them up, and place them seam-side down in the baking dish.
5. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly and warmed through (temp and time TBD)
6. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Keeping Motivated

My arms are sore. Not as bad as yesterday, but still pretty sore. I blame it on my attempt at assisted pull ups after doing those Tabatas on Monday. It's the only thing I did that was new (and fricken' difficult!). I honestly only did 1 good one and 2 half-arsed ones, but apparently my limit is 2, for now. It definitely hit all those arm muscles I am trying to tone, so give up - I will not. I am glad I had yesterday off from exercise, though!

Today is Zumba with Nicole. She's my fave instructor of the 3 Zumba gals, so it's easy to convince myself to go to class on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I am trying to sneak in some running before class on Wednesdays, though, and that is far more tricky to do than it may seem. I just don't like running. But in an effort to switch things up and jump start my plateau-ed weight loss, I am adding running to my weekly routine. Not a lot, of course. Zumba is a great cardio calorie-blaster, so I just wanted to add 30 minutes of running before-hand. Mind you, I cannot physically run for 30 minutes straight (or at all, probably); I'm still working up to that. Last week, I think I managed 12 minutes of running total (split in half with a 2 minute break in between). I get crazy side cramps most of the time. Not sure what that is about, but I'm thinking it's my body's reaction to me suddenly wanting to add running to my exercise regime. Hopefully in time, they will get better or go away. In the interim, I'm trying to not drink too much water on my drive from work to the gym and I'm making sure to spend a full 5 minutes of just walking to warm up before even thinking about running (slowly increasing the speed). Anyone out there runners? Tips?

As I mentioned yesterday, we stocked up on fruits and veggies from the Farmer's Market. That meant today's breakfast yogurt was much more numnumnumnumnum. Plain non-fat Greek yogurt with 1.65 oz cut strawberries and 1.35 oz blueberries. I tried to leave it unsweetened this time, but that was a no-go. I added 1 packet of Truvia (0 cal sweetener) this morning before actually eating it. I'll keep trying to go without, but I dunno if it's possible. Including the hot chocolate I use to sweeten my coffee, total calories for brekkie were 60+15+22+10=107 Cal. Mid-morning snack was a low-fat string cheese: 65 Cal. Lunch was 1/2 of a whole wheat pita (toasted) with a wedge of Garlic & Herb Laughing Cow Cheese, 1/4 avocado, and 2.5 oz peppered deli turkey breast: 116+35+69+67=287 Cal. I just had my 1 Tbsp chuncky peanut butter and still have 3 small slices of watermelon (11.9 oz with the rind) left to munch on before leaving work for the gym: 94+54=148 Cal. That's a total so far of 607 calories, leaving me with 593 for dinner & dessert. That's quite a lot, actually. I think tomorrow I'll pack something extra to have with my sandwich. I'm trying to steer closer to 1300 cal/day when I do more cardio. Anyhow, dinner planned is Chicken Forestiere with 4 oz blanched green beans: 321+35=356 cal. With a dessert of 10 sweet cherries (43 cal), my total for the day is only 1000 calories. I might need to add something to dinner, I guess. Maybe I'll throw some almonds on the beans and eat more cherries for dessert.

Here's the dinner recipe, as adapted from Eating Well (see their version here) I have criminis and shiitakes from the Market last night - we'll use a combo. We'll be using onion in place of the shallot, sherry in place of the white wine (this is 1st time we're making this sub, hope it works!), and I have parsley growing on my back porch for the added zing at the end. I've started making my own vegetable stock by keeping the remains of my veggies in the fridge and then brewing up a big ol' pot of stock at the end of the week. I keep anything and everything that would be compostable, should we compost: skins off of garlic and onions, peels and green tops from carrots, stems from herbs, woody bottoms of asparagus and broccoli - you name it!

Chicken Forestiere, 2 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons wheat flour, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (~10 ounces)
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced shallot, or onion
4 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
3/4 cup veggie stock (or reduced-sodium chicken broth)
1/2 cup dry white wine (or sherry)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or chives


Preparation
1.Combine 2 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture.
2.Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
3.Increase the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add shallot (or onion) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Pour in broth and wine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
4.Reduce heat to low and stir in parsley (or chives). Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with the sauce, and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Farmer's Market Tuesday

Never before have I had a fondness for Tuesdays until just last month! Well, I might have to take that back if Lost ever aired on a Tuesday during it's time in the sun. I digress... today is Tuesday! And for me, that means I get to stock up on fruits and veggies for the week at the Farmer's Market downtown after work. We've been buying cherries as our fruit for the week, so when we had to grab some extra for our Memorial Day camping trip (in the snow??? whaaaaa???) from Safeway, we were extremely surprised at how AWFUL the grocery store cherries were in comparison! I don't think I can ever buy cherries from anywhere other than the Farmer's Market again. They were so... blah! Tasted of... nothing at all! So today is cherry day, hooray! We also stock up on: organic strawberries, spinach, crimini mushrooms, onions, and oranges. This week, I'll be grabbing garlic, shallots, green beans, and broccoli too. They don't have asparagus at our Market, unfortunately, or I'd be buying bunches of the stuff! Or corn. Sad face. We also got wheat pita bread last week, which was delish - think I'll buy another package of that too. We try and make Tuesday night our eat-out night for the week and support one of the local downtown restaurants. We've almost made it through all the ones along the strip where the Market takes place. Maybe it'll be crepes tonight?

I remembered to bring my lunch today, phew! I had Strawberry non-fat greek yogurt and coffee for breakfast (120+10=130 cal), 2 carrots and 3 Tbsp of Avocado&Cilantro Hummus from the Farmer's Market last week for a pre-lunch snack (40+80=120 cal), an adaptation of Rachael Ray's Baked Potato Soup for lunch (see recipe below, 376 cal with all the fixin's), and a Tbsp of chunky peanut butter for my post-walk-around-the-block snack (90 cal). That leaves me with about 500 calories for dinner. Should be plenty, if I'm careful about what I choose to eat (and make sure to not eat all of it - since portion sizes at restaurants are generally super-sized, I shoot for only eating half).

No gym today, Tuesday is my (only) day off. Took that 20 minute walk around the block, but no intense cardio or strength-training today. My muscles need the day off! As promised yesterday, I did wind up going to Pilates class (55 min), followed by some arm strength training with 8 lb dumbells on the Bosu (15 min), and finally did those 20 second Tabata Intervals I was telling you about (16 min total - 2 min Bosu exercises, 2 min jumping jacks (x2), 1 min break, repeat.

Here's my recipe, adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray (see her original version here)

Baked Potato Soup, serves 4

Ingredients:
3 medium red potatoes—peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
3 cups 2% milk (we use lactose-free milk)
Salt and pepper
1/2 head cauliflower, cored and chopped
10 crimini mushrooms, sliced
4 scallions, white and green portions thinly sliced separately
4 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup shredded low-fat (2%) cheddar cheese
1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

Directions:
1.In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, 2 cups milk and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the cauliflower and scallion whites, cover and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup milk, then puree the soup. Season with salt and pepper.

2.Fry the bacon, adding the mushrooms when some of the fat has rendered.

3.Divide the soup among 4 bowls and top each with 2 Tbsp shredded cheese, 1 Tbsp plain yogurt (or nonfat sour cream), crumbled bacon, mushrooms, and scallion greens.

Things I'm Reading In My Spare Time At Work

http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/

• I actually "Stumble"d upon this blog and haven't had enough. I like her writing style and story about losing 135 lbs. Her recipes are certainly on my try-soon list.

http://www.happierthanabillionaire.com/

• My mom found this when I started planning my Costa Rica trip and sent me a link. This woman has some hilarious stories and an interesting perspective on quitting her job and retiring to Costa Rica (where health care is freee)

Pilates, Tabatas, and Shrimp - Oh, my!

I forgot my food for today. I spent 15 minutes carefully measuring out my breakfast, lunch, and snacks to the appropriate level of calories, put it in my reusable food bag, threw it in the fridge, and forgot it before walking out the door. Look how cute the bag is (from reuseit.com, see pic at right)! All nicely forgotten and waiting to be used tomorrow, I suppose. Guess that means I can sleep in those 15 minutes tomorrow?

Anyhow, had to make instant oatmeal for brekkie (160 cal) and grab a small turkey & guacamole on wheat from quiznos for lunch (330 cal: no cheese, no sauce, with lettuce/tomatoes/onion/olives/pickles/mustard). I always want more sandwich, but with a nice large cup of mint tea (0 cal), it hits the spot ok. I don't have a snack, which is becoming incresingly painful... I usually have carrots and hummus or a lite string cheese before I hit the gym (right.about.now, actually). Maybe we have some in the fridge here? They go pretty quickly... Dinner will be Salt & Pepper Shrimp, one of my faves (458 cal). We omit the bell peppers and add 10 crimini mushies, 1 large green onion, 1 med tomato, and 1/2 avocado. The avocado is nice to cambat the heat from the jalapeno. I'll put my recipe at the bottom with the link to Eating Well's version too.

Today is Monday, which is Pilates day. It's nice to have a few days off from cardio, but last Monday was Memorial Day, so it has now been a few weeks since I've had Pilates and my abs are a little bit nervous! I'm looking forward to it, though. After, I'm supposed to be meeting up with a fellow gym member to do some tabata intervals. We've been doing them on Thursdays with our F.I.T. class trainer on the Bosu (short for "BOth Sides Up") and could really reap the benefits of having them at least another day a week. Tabata intervals are 20-seconds of all out intensity exercise followed by 10-seconds of rest. Here was what we did:

Interval A: Drop Squats on floor or squats on the Bosu (round side)
Interval B: Push ups on the Bosu (flat side)
Interval C: Bosu shuffle (round side up)
Interval D: Mountain climbers on the Bosu (flat side)
Do these twice, 20 sec each, 10 sec rest in between (2 min)
Rest 1 min
Cardio: Jump Rope
20 second intervals with 10 seconds rest for 2 minutes
Rest 1 minute
Interval E: Bosu Get-ups (round side up)
Interval F: Bosu jumping jacks or burpees (flat side up)
Interval G: ??? I clearly blocked this one out of my memory

Interval H: Reverse lunge on the Bosu (flat side up)

Do these twice, 20 sec each, 10 sec rest in between (2 min total)
Rest 1 min
Cardio: Jump Rope
20 second intervals with 10 seconds rest for 2 minutes
DONE!

We'll probably just do the first 4 minues and stop. Apparently that's all you need, to start out with, to reap the benefits. Go look up Tabata Intervals for more info, they're all the rage right now.

Anyhow, here's the recipe, as promised.

Salt & Pepper Shrimp
Adapted from EatingWell2 servings

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (or lemon juice works too)
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 3 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
• 10 crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large green onion, sliced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon five-spice powder, (see Note)
• 10 ounces raw shrimp, (21-25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 jalapeno pepper, half of seeds removed and minced
• ½ ripe avocado, sliced

Preparation
1. Whisk lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar in a large bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, mushrooms, onion, and tomato; toss to combine.
2. Combine cornstarch, salt, pepper and five-spice powder in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring often, until they are pink and curled, 3 to 4 minutes. Add jalapeno and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute more.
4. Serve the slaw topped with the avocado and shrimp.

Calorie Counting at Work BBQ

My new job is great when it comes to freebies! We have fresh bagels and cream cheese every morning, a selection of bags of chips or cookies, cans of soda (thank goodness there are Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet 7-Up, and Diet Iced Tea options), fun-size candy bars to snack on, string cheese, Activia, Instant oatmeal, coffee, tea, Keurig, Red Vines, and a BBQ the first Wednesday of every month. My first week here was not good and I gained a bunch of weight back that I had lost a few months ago. It really didn't help that Ryan didn't move until after that first week, but no excuses. I ate a bagel every day and unhealthy every night. My second week, I cut it down to a half a bagel.... I'm finally down to no bagels. Well, every now and again I throw in a half bagel with my soup lunch. Once a month.

Today was BBQ day. Hamburgers or hotdogs, salad, potato salad, and chips. I (begrudgingly) had a cheese-less, bun-less burger with yellow mustard and red onion, a green salad with 1 Tbsp lite italian dressing, and 3 sunchips. I was trying to avoid the chips, but grabbed those three as I was leaving the lunch-room. It's so hard to eat a burger without cheese and a bun! But it was still pretty good anyhow.

Brekkie (20+140=160 Cal):
1 Keurig French Roast coffee + 1 Keurig Vanilla coffee + 1 Tbsp fat-free hot chocolate + 1 packet of Truvia (what, I don't like my coffee to taste like coffee!)
Peach flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt

Morning Snack (80 Cal):
1 String Cheese

Lunch (300+100+30=430 Cal):
1 hamburger patty with mustard and a red onion slice
1 mixed green salad with 2 slices salami and 1 Tbsp lite dressing
3 Sunchips

Afternoon Snack (65 Cal; yes, I weigh them when I pack my lunch):
2 oz red grapes
3 oz organic strawberries

Forecasted Dinner (347+23=370 Cal):
Salt & Pepper Shrimp (no bell peppers - equivalent # calories in mushroom form instead)
5 slices cucumber, 1 green onion, and 1/2 vine tomato added to salad in shrimp dish above

Leftover: 1200-1105=95 Cal

Hmmm... dessert perhaps? Unless I decide to snack on something while I make dinner. Sicne Ryan will be home late, I may just do that. It's hard coming home after the gym and not eating anything right away. Especially since I have my afternoon snack around 3. Then dinner will be around 8ish. That's an awfully long time to go without eating (esp when working out is involved!). 95 Cal isn't very much. It's 4 strawberries + 2 tsp Nutella (yummm) or 1/2 slice Cracked Wheat Sourdough + 1/5 Avocado (my favorite go-to snack after working out).

Today is Zumba day. I generally go to my gym classes directly from work. I change into my gym clothes right as I'm getting ready to leave. That way, I don't have any excuses! I feel pretty silly driving home when I am already in my gym clothes with my hair pulled back. That said, I usually time my work schedule so that I get to the gym around 5:20 or 5:30. Class starts at 6, so that gives me 25-30 minutes of some cardio before-hand. Usually elliptical. I don't like the treadmill much. Today I may just try and jog for that time. I can hardly ever go over 10 minutes of running, so that's pretty hopeful. I think I'll slow it down and see if I can't make it for 20 + 5 min warm-up/cool-down.

Cheers!

Happy to Report

... that even after a 2 week diet/exercise hiatus whilst I was sick, I didn't gain any weight back! Yippee! So's I can start where I left off. Phew! Since I've been in Novato, here's my diet & exercise schedule (I've included ~35 Cal/day on my gym days for strength training of about 10 minutes/day):

Calories in/day = +1200 ~ +1400
Baseline Calories burned: -2019 Cal

Mon (2818 Cal burned): Pilates 5-6 (-229 Cal) & Zumba 6-7 (-536 Cal)
Tue (2539 Cal burned): Elliptical (-257 Cal) & Pilates 6-7 (-229 Cal)
Wed (2791 Cal burned): Treadmill (-202 Cal) & Zumba 6-7 (-536 Cal)
Thu (2665 Cal burned): Spin 5:10-6 (-363) & Calisthenics 6-7 (-229)
Fri (2019 Cal burned): Free Day
Sat (2589 Cal burned): Zumba 9-10 am
Sun (2019 Cal burned): Free Day

On my free days, I try and at least take in a little walk or hike or bike ride, so those days will vary. I try and keep it light while staying active. For example, yesterday I went on a bike ride in some marshlands near my house for maybe an hour and a half. It was all flat, though, so not vigorous in the least bit. I try and do a 30 min hike of the hill behind my house on Fridays, although last week I skipped Monday Zumba and did an hour hike instead. I like that teacher's class less than the gal who teaches on Wed/Sat. I also try and get in a 15-30 min walk on my lunch break at work. That's more to get some sunshine than exercise, so I don't really count it in my calories.

When I put it all down, I feel like the weight should be pouring off of me, yet it isn't. It's a process, I know. But I'm expending a minimum of 700 Calories more than I take in, and a pound of fat is 3500 Calories, so I should be losing more like a pound a week! We'll see what happens this week. I'm probably a little too lenient on my caloric intake over the weekend. I only want 10 more lbs off, so I better huncker down and just do it, already!

3 Years Strong

Yesterday was our 3 year "anniversary". I use quotes because we aren't married, so I feel weird calling it a true anniversary. Here's what I got as my anniversary gift:

I got us tickets to see A Perfect Circle in July at the Greek Theater in Berkeley as my gift to him. We're going to Tahoe this weekend, hopefully. I plan to grab us some Heavenly lift tickets while we're there (or early, if they can get mailed to us in time). It's just nigh of season's end, so I figure we go big! Heavenly's my fave and I haven't been in a few years anyhow. It'll be nice for a change of scenery, since we almost always go to Kirkwood.

I stayed home from work again yesterday, sick. Yeah, still that silly cough. I thought maybe staying at home would help me to get better. Not so much. It just made me feel a little useless, in my pj's watching instant movies on Netflix. So here I am today, at work, hacking every now and again and wishing I stayed home today. I feel fine, but I hate coughing so much! I feel like everyone around me is wondering why I am here, spreading my germs around the office. Popping cough drops like they're candy. At least this batch I bought sugar-free. Anyhow, we were supposed to try a new place in Novato for our anniversary dinner, but I forgot to check their hours and of course they are cosed on Mondays. Sheesh. So we went to our local steakhouse. Love that place! I had a seared ahi tuna crusted with coriander. Yum! Ryan had tenderloin with a dijon, brandy, and green peppercorn sauce that I should learn how to make ASAP. The problem with cooking and trying out things we've had at restaurants is that it makes going out to restaurants less special. Don't get me wrong, learning to make it at home has is merits (saving $$$), but I then try and healthify the meal, so it doesn't even taste as good. So it's like losing on 2 fronts, really. I should just leave the deliciousness to the pros, I guess. Since I've been sick, I haven't been counting calories. It just seems like too much. Of course, since I've started counting calories, I can sort of keep a tally in the back of my head so I don't completely overdo it.... but I'm sure I overdo it just the same. Sometimes I just need a break from the worry and want to make some good ol' fashioned comfort food. Tonight I'll make stroganoff. In an effort to healify this go-to meal, I've reduced the pasta to 2-3 oz of whole wheat pasta per serving (depending on my calories for the day), doubled the fresh mushrooms (crimini or other wild mushroom, never the boring white ones anymore)and onion, only use fat free sour cream, and cut the meat by half (now only ground turkey, no red meat). I think tonight I'll add a bag of baby spinich to boost the nutrition (without boosting the calories). Here's my recipe and nutrition info (maybe pics to follow, if I remember):

Sarah’s Stroganoff
•3 Jennie-O Hot Turkey Sausages, casings removed
•12 oz. Whole Wheat Pasta (rotini or bow-ties work well)
•1 can Cream of Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Soup
•1 cup fat-free sour cream
•4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
•1 medium onion, diced
•1 lb. mushrooms, sliced or quartered
•1 tsp. Salt-free Italian Seasoning
•1 tsp. poppy seeds, if desired
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1.Heat sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Break up into crumbles.
2.Just as sausage starts to brown, add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and herbs. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked through and all the liquid has evaporated.
3.Add the can of soup to the sausage and mushroom mixture and simmer over low heat.
4.While the sauce thickens, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles until al dente per package directions. Drain noodles and toss with poppy seeds. Set aside.
5.Temper the sour cream by adding a spoonful of the hot sauce and stirring well. Add the tempered sour cream to the sauce and stir well to combine.
6.Add the reserved pasta to the sauce and stir until warmed. Split among 4 plates.

541 Calories per serving
12.8 g Fat/3.4 g Sat/1.7 g Poly/1.2 g Mono
76.8 g Carbs/11.6 g Fiber
31.8 g Protein
272.5 mg Cholesterol
1430.6 mg Sodium
1331.4 mg Potassium
8% Vitamin A/19% Calcium/7% Vitamin C/26% Iron

Giant Effing Q

DayQuil makes everything better... unless you need to remember words or add numbers. Clearly, I cannot do either under my current circumstances. But at least I'm only coughing once every 10 minutes instead of once every minute like earlier this morning. Did I mention how much I actually despise coughing? Because I do. Not that other people love to cough, that's silly talk! But ever since that whooping cough debaucle a year and a half ago, I thought it would be rather lovely to never cough. Again. Ever. I mistakenly thought that once I quit smoking cigarettes, this stupid cough/cold I seem to catch once a year would stop attacking my poor bronchial tubes. Alas, here it is. Neon phlegm in all its glory. And me, high as a kite on DayQuil.
Weeeeeeeeeee!

New Job, New Life

So, I'm 30 now. I don't really feel 30. It's kinda weird. I never really wanted to have kids, but I sort of understand that ticking clock thing now. I feel like if I do change my mind, it better be soon. I didn't really want to have as huge of a gap between me and my children as I have with my parents. That said, it did take me this long to start my real life... career and whatnot. So it really wasn't an ideal time, until recently. Still haven't decided if I want kids... but the thought has been crossing my mind more often as of late.

Living in Novato with Ryan is finally settling in. We moved almost 3 months ago. It's not too far from home, ~40 miles, but it's far enough. Not like when I moved to Chico, because I knew that wasn't for forever, you know? This has the potential of being for forever. I'm still adjusting to the new job and surroundings, finding my bearings. I like it and I don't. This is not what I went to school for, so I feel like I'm settling. I could go back for my ph.D, but another 6 years? Really? I'm kinda over it at this point. Ready to move forward, not in reverse!

Sigh. Enough for now. Maybe more to come, since I remembered this things still exists.

Almost a Master

Two more weeks!
Which means I have no time for a real post.
Weighed in this morning at 145 lbs. Wish I had more time for exercise... but I am trying to walk/hike a few times a week to go along with my reduced cal diet! 5 more lbs and I'm happy, 10 and I'm ecstatic! After these 2 weeks are over, it's back to the gym with no excuses in my way. Except for maybe the fact that I'll be seriously job-hunting. That shouldn't really matter, tho...

This Week's Results

...lost 0.8 more lbs! Woohoo! Now I just need to find more time for the gym and keep it coming off. 10 more lbs. *Sigh* More pictures and recipes to follow, time permitting.

Enchiladas on a Diet

I wish I could eat these every day. I didn't want to eat the last one last night, but I needed to clear the fridge for some new leftovers!


Spicy Shrimp and Black Bean Enchiladas from Prevention.com
Ingredients

* 1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
* 12 ounces peeled and deveined large shrimp, coarsely chopped
* 1 teaspoon lime juice
* 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened
* 1 canned chipotle pepper, seeds removed, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon adobo sauce
* 4 flour tortillas (8" diameter)
* 1 cup canned no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
* 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
* 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Directions
1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9" x 9" baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 tablespoons of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
2. STIR together the shrimp, lime juice, and 1/3 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce in a medium bowl.
3. STIR together the cream cheese, chipotle, and adobo sauce in a small bowl. Spread over the tortillas. Top with the shrimp, black beans, and cheese. Roll the tortillas up tightly into a cigar shape and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
4. STIR together the remaining enchilada sauce, sour cream, cumin, paprika, and coriander in a medium bowl. Spread over the tortillas to cover completely.
5. COVER and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Nutritional Facts per serving
CALORIES 440.2 CAL

FAT 14.6 G

SATURATED FAT 6.4 G

CHOLESTEROL 195.9 MG

SODIUM 1237.3 MG

CARBOHYDRATES 40.3 G

TOTAL SUGARS 2.3 G

DIETARY FIBER 4.6 G

PROTEIN 36.9 G

A Keeper of a Chicken Recipe

Need I say more? Yum-o! Even the Multigrain Pilaf from Trader Joe's was acceptable to Ryan! I bought more already ;)

Chicken Forestiere

Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (8 ounces)
* 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
* 2 tablespoons minced shallot, or onion
* 2 cups sliced mushrooms
* 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, (see Tips for Two)
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or chives

Preparation

1. Combine 2 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add shallot (or onion) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Pour in broth and wine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low and stir in parsley (or chives). Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with the sauce, and cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Tips & Notes

* Tips for Two: Store leftover canned broth for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in your freezer. Leftover broth in aseptic packages keeps for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Add to soups, sauces and stews; use for cooking rice and grains; add a little when reheating leftovers to prevent them drying out.

Nutrition

Per serving: 276 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 65 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 28 g protein; 1 g fiber; 261 mg sodium; 500 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (40% daily value).

Soup Night (Last Friday)

This was really last week, but hey... I started school this week so I've been a wee busy. Especially since I've gone to Kaiser every day this week except Monday! Just trying to make sure there's nothing else I can do about my back... plus I'm trying to get my acne issues back under control. Sick of it, I tell you, sick of it! Got my cholesterol checked... before this round of dieting began, it was a little high. The last 2 months have gotten it back down enough. Below the cut-off, anyhow. So.... soup! Last Friday I made this concoction that was supposed to be soup but barely resembled a stew (wtf?!?):



Ryan made a yummy organic heirloom tomato and cucumber salad with some avocado slices and I found this Asiago loaf at Safeway that was SO GOOD. Anyway, I don't know I'll make this one again. I've made this soup the non-healthy way (think: Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana) and it blows this one out of the water. I used Trader Joe's Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage which incidentally was better sliced up into some leftover pesto pasta I had over the weekend. The non-healthy way uses real sausage, has cream added, and also has bacon bits swimming around in it. Here's the recipe I used for the healthy version:

Spicy Potato & Kale Soup

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup halved and sliced chorizo sausage, (see Note)
* 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1/3 cup water
* 1 small russet potato, peeled and sliced
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
* 4 cups kale, ribs removed, thinly sliced (see Tips for Two)
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Preparation

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook, stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a paper towel-lined plate; wipe out the pot.
2. Heat oil in the pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add broth, water, potato and garlic; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potato is tender, 6 to 9 minutes. Lightly mash the potato with a wooden spoon. Add kale, a handful at a time, waiting until it has wilted before adding more. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved chorizo and season with pepper.

Tips & Notes

* Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

* Note: Chorizo, a spicy pork sausage seasoned with paprika and chili, is originally from Spain and is often used in Mexican cooking. Chorizo can be made with raw or smoked, ground or chopped pork. Chorizo is available at well-stocked supermarkets, specialty food stores or online at tienda.com. Chorizo can be found in the deli section of most large supermarkets.
* Tips for Two: Refrigerate leftover kale, preferably in a perforated plastic bag, for 5 to 10 days. Substitute kale in Sautéed Swiss Chard with Chile & Garlic; add during the last 4 minutes while cooking pasta; sauté with minced garlic and extra-virgin olive oil for an omelet filling or to stir into scrambled eggs.

Nutrition

Per serving: 206 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 16 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein; 4 g fiber; 306 mg sodium; 676 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (380% daily value), Vitamin C (120% dv), Potassium (19% dv).

Results for Week #1

I lost a whole pound! Yippee! I'm shooting for roughly 1200-1400 cal/day. Since I can't really exercise fully yet, it's been minimal-Mon and Wed I went to the gym and did 30 min on the elliptical with a small amount of strength training on the parts of my leg that don't make me yelp out in pain. Ok, actually it's only 0.8 lbs, but I say that's a 1!

Wednesday night I was a-lonely, so I just made a grilled (low fat) cheese & avocado sammy on Trader Joe's Fat Free Multigrain bread with a can of Progresso Clam Chowder (380 calories in a can of soup - yowzers!)

Last night I went out to sushi, but mostly ate sashimi (at around 40 calories per ounce)

Tonight is soup night! Hopefully I don't get my normal Friday night snack-attack! I better hit the gym after work today again.

Dinners on a Diet #3

Tuesday was another delicious Eating Well Dinner Serves Two of the red meat variety. Mostly for Ryan's sake, so he doesn't get too burnt out on my low-cal meals. Of course, red meat isn't nearly as lean (but doubly delish). I tried something different this time, and took a "before" pic of all my hard work prepping the yumminess and then the after-plate. Which was really Ryan's plate since it looked way more magical and yummy since he gets the bigger cut of meat. Plus, I piled the mushrooms on top of my steak so you couldn't see it as well anyhow.




And so here's the recipe! I used some left-over fresh herbs from my Thanksgiving-in-January with my friends: thyme, rosemary, sage, and marjoram. We also went the BBQ route instead of the silly broiler. I don't even have a broiler pan! That's what BBQ's are for! I'm just glad we still had charcoal. Nothing better than a BBQ in the rain! That said, we didn't need to rub the meat with oil. Just peppered it up and sent it on it's merry ol' way. The bean recipe was from Food Network, I halved the Neelys' recipe (except the garlic, I doubled that part haha) for Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic and added some mushrooms (which I do to almost every dish I make) and some fresh dill. Recipe below. A little spicy, actually. I maybe let the green beans sit in the red-pepper-oil for too long. I'll use less next time.

Herb-Coated Filet Mignon

Ingredients

* 8 oz filet mignon, about 2 in thick, trimmed of fat and cut into 2 portions
* 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 2 Tbsp chopped mixed fresh herbs
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Rub steaks with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a rack on a broiler pan.
3. Broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the steak registers 140°F for medium-rare, 15 to 20 minutes total, turning once halfway through cooking. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Place herbs on a plate. Coat the edges of the steaks evenly with mustard; then roll the edges in the herbs, pressing gently to adhere.

Nutrition

Per serving: 222 calories; 12 g fat (4 g sat, 6 g mono); 75 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 25 g protein; 0 g fiber; 184 mg sodium; 328 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (39% daily value), Zinc (33% dv).

Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic

Ingredients

* 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 2 large garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1 tablespoon lemon zest
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Blanch green beans in a large stock pot of well salted boiling water until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop from cooking.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the butter. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and continue to saute until coated in the butter and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.