Shape up with the Daily HEET!

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  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    Ok, another break for me...I had a full-on party going then DH called and broke my groove. Plus I'm at my worst point of cleaning. It's the only thing I hate to clean. I have this table thing that has two shelves on it. It's full of antiques from my grandmother/great grandmother. Little things. Perfume bottles, ink well holder, silver and glass stuff, antique pictures...It's a real pain to dust...:angry: Once we get back on good financial footing I'm going to re-do the living room. We already did the bedroom with all new furniture and stuff and the bathrooms got remodelled and finished late last year. I'm totally changing my style in the living room and a lot of the "little" stuff is getting boxed up. I have a rustic sign that hangs above the entertainment center that says "Simplify". That's what I'm going to do...

    Cindy, glad to see you! You should join Debbie's group for some moral support! You're already doing so well with your walking! You could be a great motivator for others!:bigsmile:

    I'm still debating. Walking really isn't my thing. Part of it is the heat in the summer and the other part is the neighborhood. People just aren't friendly here, lots of big dogs that bark viciously and so many people don't take care of their places. It's just not a pretty neighborhood. It's a shame. It has so much potential. I may still do it to show some love for my Sistah though. I'm thinking on it...

    Well, guess I better get my hiney up and finish dusting. Once that's done the rest of the house is a breeze.

    Hey Bebe...where are you? Today is your day off...whatcha' doin???

    TTFN,
    Julie

    Debbie...you and I are just *too* wierd. Are you sure we weren't separated at birth or something? We're always posting at the same time...creepy...like we're on the same wave length all the time or something, LOL!
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    ROFL at Debbie!! I tell you what...you come down here with your bib overalls and take care of my garden and I'll put on my apron and grab my feather duster and clean your house! When we're done, we'll both cook one heck of a meal then take a dip in the pool and ENJOY life!!

    Thanks for the compliments. They really mean a lot!! You're a great friend!:heart:
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Okay Sistah Julie.....sounds like a PLAN.

    So I get what you mean about the walking not being your thing, (can't keep the fishy's out of the water too long) so we will let you off the HOOK. You can work at Swimming the 5K, what do you say?
    Wonder, *(you probably know), how many laps are equal to 5 miles? Have to look it up. LOL

    well going to pick up my DD kayleigh here shortly and DH is taking us out to dinner. Thinking of maybe a grilled chicken salad, or spaghetti, I'll let you know.....decisions decisions......going to go play Bingo Tonight for Fun, it's been awhile, perhaps I'll get LUCKY, .......NOT......but something to do.

    bbl tonight, Debbie
  • Cindysunshine
    Cindysunshine Posts: 1,188 Member
    You guys are too funny! I'm so glad you decided to join this site and I found you. I think I will join Debbie's walking club. The problem is I count miles not steps. Debbie thanks for the comlipment on my little girl. Thats last years pic. She's almost 2 now. I have two daughters. A 10 year old and the almost 2 year old. I homeschool the 10 year old. She has never been to a "real" school. This is our 5th year of homeschooling. I need to go start a load of laundry and do the dishes. TTFN-- Cindy
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    ~~~Who put the Bop in the bop she bop she bop...Who put the Ram in the ram a lam a ding dong~~~

    Still *Bopping* to the oldies. DH came home early. Got both dogs bathed and their bedding is in the wash. Now DH is in the shower...

    Debbie, I got my mileage all figured out, :tongue: ! If I swim 10 sets (in any combination) of 25 laps it equals 1.14 miles :laugh: :laugh: . It's easy enough for me to do once I get going. I have even done 2 miles on occassion but a mile a day is what I shoot for...

    Gonna surprise DH with dinner out - but in. I've got a little money stashed back. Gonna let him choose. Our Friday night delivery pizza (which we haven't done in AGES!) - healthier version of course - ham, pinapple and tomato slices or Outback carry out. During the holidays I came across a coupon from my grocery store, buy $50 worth of gift cards get $10 off. I bought 2, $25 Outback cards. Been hanging on to them for months. We get the Drover's Platter which is 1/2 rack of ribs and a grilled chicken breast and split it (when we're eating healthy - if not...oh my...anything goes! But tonight it's all about healthy! Those are my terms!)

    Debbie, enjoy your dinner out! I'm gonna make that Greek Spaghetti again later this week. It is the best spaghetti I've ever made and DH agrees. Insert a Slurpy Face Here!! LOL! And thanks for letting me off *the Hook*...

    Not sure if I'll be back later this evening or not...probably.

    ~~~R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Find out what it means to me.~~~ Oh, Lawdy, that lady can sing!!! Got to go, can't disrespect the Queen of Soul!

    Julie
  • Cindysunshine
    Cindysunshine Posts: 1,188 Member
    Julie or Debbie please share the Greek spaghetti recipe. It sounds interesting. Cindy
  • Cindysunshine
    Cindysunshine Posts: 1,188 Member
    Everyone have a great night! :O)
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    Oh Cindy...the Greek Spaghetti recipe is to die for. Let me see if I can go copy and paste it...Word of warning...the ingredient list is long but don't be discouraged. It comes together super fast. I look at the list, pull all the ingredients out of the pantry and start browning the meat. While it's browning I measure everything in to a bowl. Once the meat is done you just *dump* it...I'll be back...
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    Ingredients
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 large onion, minced
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
    2 (1 lb) cans plum tomatoes, pureed
    2 cups water
    2 tablespoons tomato paste
    2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 tablespoon maggi seasoning sauce (a liquid soy-yeast extract blend lacking this, use regular dark soy sauce)
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    2 small dried red chilies (my kids won't let me add this, but it's good) (optional)
    1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled (Mediterranean)
    1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
    1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
    2 bay leaves
    8 allspice berries
    1 1/2 cinnamon sticks (each stick measuring about 3 inches in length, 2 sticks broken in half, don't use one of the halves)
    1 1/2 lbs cooked spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)
    1/3 lb butter, cold
    1/2 cup grated mizithra cheese (or Parmesan, but myzithra is authentic)
    more grated cheese, for the table

    Directions

    1 In a medium to large sized pot, add the olive oil, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, over high heat until onion is translucent and whole house smells good, about 4 minutes. Add ground beef and smash down with the tip of your wooden spoon to break it up. Brown beef well.

    2 When you think it’s been browned long enough and it’s time to give it a stir to redistribute the meat for more browning – STOP – wait another minute and a half to two minutes, and then stir up the meat. Do this repeatedly until all the meat is good and brown. This is important for the end result. For a good meat sauce, you want your meat to have browned sufficiently, and most people don’t give it enough time. In all, this process should take 12-15 minutes.

    3 Add all the remaining ingredients, bring back to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes, then cover pot and simmer a further 30 minutes. This is as long as I cook it for my family, the sauce is as thick as we like it. If you like your sauce thicker, cook it uncovered slightly longer before covering the pot (another 5-10 minutes?). If you like your sauce thinner, cover the pot after 25-30 minutes of simmering before continuing with the additional half hour.

    4 Fish out bay leaves, chilis (if using), allspice berries and cinnamon sticks.

    5 This recipe makes quite a lot of sauce, which is a good thing as you can freeze what's left to enjoy on another day, when there's little to no time to cook a homemade meal.

    6 To make authentic greek-style pasta: Cook pasta (I usually use spaghettini, but not exclusively) in the regular way until al dente. Drain.

    7 In the dry pot you cooked the pasta in, add the butter (BUTTER, not oil, not margarine); melt and brown the butter. This takes about 3-4 minutes at high heat. Turn off heat source and add spaghetti back to the pot. Toss to coat with browned butter.

    8 Put spaghetti in large platter, pour half of sauce over, sprinkle with about ½ cup myzithra cheese.

    9 Put the remaining sauce in a deep bowl and serve at the table for people to top off their pasta along with extra grated cheese.

    ***Yay! It worked. But here's the deal. This recipe as written makes a ton of sauce (which I will follow from now on and freeze the remainder - but I halved the original recipe for DH and myself as it was new to both of us...) Ok, here's what I did...I don't care for garlic so I only used 2 smashed cloves (not minced) and used petite diced tomatoes. I didn't have the Maggi Seasoning so I substituted Tamari Sauce (a smoother version of Soy Sauce, not as salty) and I didn't have the Allspice Berries so I added a pinch of Ground Allspice. **Also, once I started *smelling* the cinnamon stick, and you'll know what I mean if you cook this, I pulled it out of the sauce (as well as the garlic cloves), if you don't have the sticks, just add a pinch or two of ground. I served the sauce over whole wheat pasta and fresh grated Parmegiano-Regiano cheese and with a nice Greek Salad on the side. O.M.G. was it GOOD!!
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    Anyway...I came back here to share something and ask something of you guys when I got (lovingly) distracted by the spaghetti recipe...Cindy...I'm an aspiring Chef. I'll never do it formally. I've tried twice to go to Culinary School. It's just too expensive, but if you flip my trigger with anything cooking I'm all over it! I did incorporate a Personal Chef business a couple years ago but found out I needed surgery and it blew my plans out of the water. **Maybe** once the economy turns around...

    Soooo... I was standing in the kitchen a few minutes ago and every once in a while this cracks me up...

    What's stuck to your refrigerator??? I kow that those of you with kids probably have all their school art but it's just DH and myself at this point. I have 2 refrigerator magnets that every once in a while just set me in to a fit of giggles and they really tell a lot about me and my sense of humor. The first one I bought about 7 years ago when I was single and was *really* starting to put on the weight. It says..."Fat People Are Harder To Kidnap." Now don't go busting my chops! I know it's not the most politically correct thing to say but I find it funny as a way to cope and deal with my situation. I think of some *Goombah* in a big city somewhere trying to pull me in his white pizza delivery van and not being able to yank my fat butt in. Me kicking and screaming the whole time.:laugh: :laugh:

    The other is "While you were staring at my butt I farted.":laugh: :laugh: I'm sorry, I just find it too funn!

    NOW...with that said, LOL, what can we put on our refrigerators as MOTIVATORS???

    I have some stars I made a couple years ago. I bought the stars at a party store and gave them each a number. Some have 1's for the single pounds I lose. Some are 5's for when I reach the 5 pouind mark. Some have 10's so I can remove the 5's and replace them with 10's. And so forth. Not sure if you're following what I'm saying so I'm gonna go to my photobucket account and see if I can upload them somewhere. Either here on this thread or in my profile somewhere.

    HEETers, those of us who are here are in it for the long haul. We have to have motivators outside this group to keep us focused!! Daily reminders!! Hourly Reminders!!

    What are your motivators or reminders??? When you head towards that fridge or pantry, what's gonna stop and make you think??? Sometimes all we need is a quick "Pause" to make a different choice.

    I'm off to play with some photos and see if I can show you what I'm talking about...

    Julie
  • Cindysunshine
    Cindysunshine Posts: 1,188 Member
    Julie, Thanks for the spaghetti recipe. It sounds super yummy! Your magnets made me laugh too. I have Easter clings and a felt bunny on my fridge now and of course my daughters artwork. I use the way I feel since starting this new way of life as my motivator. Also I try to only keep healthy food in the house. Well, I'm off to get the steaks on the grill. TTFN-Cindy
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    I got totally distracted from my photobucket thing...Dh (and I sometimes) use Facebook to keep in touch with his family in Utah. Anyway, he started something tonight that got me distracted. It's late and I just finished doing my Facebook posts. I'll check back tomorrow...

    Tonight he decided on pizza - ham, pineapple and tomato and a side of fried zucchini - eh hem....a healthier choice than fried cheese...I refuse to "Give Up" anything. I just make Alternative Choices...It's The Little Things!!!

    Anyway, I'll see you all in the morning...Nitey Nite HEETers!
    Julie :bigsmile:
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Hi everyone, well just setting in for the night. Went to dinner with DH and DD and decided on Philly Cheesesteak sandwich and Iced Tea. Then went to Bingo, ....lots of chances to win but no moolah for me. Then went to the store and got home about 1/2 hr. ago.

    Julie I am LOL at the refrigerator magnets. For now I guess I really can't say I have many motivators around the house, (not that I don't need them), I like your idea Julie about the stars. I guess right now I am so determined to get this weight off that I plan and don't eat anything that I don't log in my food journal., and I have been faithful. That's not to say I haven't thought about having pizza at our favorite pub that would really be off program but then I ask myself, where else could I go that would benefit me and I begin thinking of the better places and make that choice instead.

    I think since I have gotten into this routine of being in the group and having groups that I spend alot of time on the computer looking up stuff, reading and finding motivational or inspirational quotes, tips, looking at new recipes, that all that keeps me motivated. When we were all having the computer glitches on the other site, I told DH, I can't lose my computer and my buddies or I'm doomed. Now see YOU Guys are my motivation!!!!!!!

    I will think on it. If we all put our heads together I know we can come up with some really good ideas, so think think think..........

    well its getting late, see you all tomorrow.
    Debbie

    waving to bebe~~~~waving to cindy~~~~~~
  • hey there guys and what agreat morning it is.didnt get my walking in this am,going to wrk in a few.today is mom bday and we are taking her out to outback for dinner later,so if you dont hear from me ,you can visit me at the out back,all drinks on me.
    debbie what you have said is the truth because thats what i have been doing for the past few weeks nows and its working just fine.
    make it a great one everybody
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Good Morning Heeters:
    Here's a Quote for you all today, those needing to re-focus, those needing a boost and kind reminder of this journey and those low times that we all have from time to time and what to do...

    "When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
    When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
    When the funds are low and the debts are high
    And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
    When care is pressing you down a bit,
    Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
    Life is odd with its twists and turns,
    As every one of us sometimes learns,
    And many a failure turns about
    When he might have won had he stuck it out;
    Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
    You may succeed with another blow,
    Success is failure turned inside out--
    The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
    And you never can tell how close you are,
    It may be near when it seems so far;
    So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
    It's when things seem worst that you must not quit."
    ~ Unknown

    Truly.....don't lose sight of your goals, dreams, ambitions, sense of self....none of us are perfect....we will have those High Tides.....and ......Low Tides.....come to expect the unexpected and take action....learn to go with the flow....but Never Never Never Give Up!!!!

    ((hugs)))) Debbie :):heart:
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    ~~~Yawn~~~ ~~~~Stretch~~~~

    Good Morning HEETers!

    I'm having a slow start today. Back is bothering me again, guess I overdid it yesterday. Also it's a cloudy, dreary morning and a little on the chilly side. Kind of morning where you just don't feel like getting motivated or going outside.

    I have to share my new favorite breakfast. One Low Fat Multi-Grain waffle, toasted pretty crisp, 1/2 cup applesauce (no sugar added variety) and sprinkled with cinnamon, a MorningStar Farm breakfast patty and a side of fruit. Put the applesauce directly on top of the waffle. If you get the waffle crisp enough it's like apple pie for breakfast! :wink: I think this would also make a good dessert! I got in 2 fruits this morning and didn't have to waste calories on syrup!

    Bebe, what are you having at Outback? My absolute favorite is Alice Springs Chicken with a side of Marinated Mushrooms. Oh boy, just thinking about it...yum, yum! Enjoy the celebration with your family.

    Debbie, nice quote. Definitely something to keep in mind. Sorry you didn't make out at Bingo last night, bummer! You're sandwich sounds really good!! Did you stay within your range? Do you need to Step It Up today to make up for it??

    It's Bristol this weekend...DH and I are NASCAR fans. I got him into it a few years ago and now he's hooked. I'm kind of losing interest but there's a few tracks I won't miss and Bristol is one of them. It's a short track and it's nothing but slammin and jammin. It's so much fun to watch. So, they have one today and another tomorrow. DH wants Chicken Wings. I don't have any wings but I have some chicken pieces, thighs and such. I'm thinking I'm just gonna make do with those. I'll also make a bowl of potato salad and a cucumber salad.

    Well, I'm off...I'll check back later...Don't forget to get your water in today!!!

    Julie
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Hey There Julie; .....get out the ole' heating pad when watching the race and take her easy today!!!
    Thought with it hurt the other day, you might overdo it a bit in your cleaning yesterday, but sometimes all that activity can do just the opposite and help work the soreness out, so we can never be sure can we?

    Yes, I stayed within my range, but I didn't have lunch yesterday. Only thing was then late last night with eating breakfast, then dinner at 4 p.m. I was hungry by 11 p.m. so I did what I shouldn't. I ate a tuna salad sandwich, then a bowl of puffed rice cereal, then some popcorn. Anyway, didn't go over my daily totals, but got food in too late at night and too close to bedtime. I think DH and I stayed up til 1 a.m. watching a movie.

    So no skipping meals, it really gets me off track. Don't suppose any of you have those nights where you discover yourself hungry. I truly was hungry, it wasn't boredom, but it tells me this. When I eat on schedule which for me is breakfast at 8 a.m. lunch at 12:30 snack at 3:30 dinner at 6 and snack at 10 I do much better. Usually snack mid-day is fruit, or veggies, and snack at night when everyone is having their guilty pleasures I don't dare have, I eat my bowl of popcorn and I am just fine. But when I skip a meal, or get off track it really plays havic with the plan.

    Its good for us to make these discoveries you know. So we shouldn't look at the obstacles as a bad thing, but look for what we can learn from the experience. Just like, although I ate late, and I must admit the combination looking at it in print doesn't sound too good (LOL), I didn't make as bad a choices as I could have. I thought the tuna sandwich and pop corn would fill be up, when it didn't I went for a low calorie high volume cereal and that did the trick. Granted I would have liked to had the chips hubby was munching away on, or the doritos that are my real downfall that daughter was munching away on, but I am proud that I didn't grab the bags out of their hands and bury my face in them LOL. That would be a Kodak moment, :blushing: to say the least!

    Use the discoveries as a tool. Not these lessons in your journals. On Mondays I always read over the discoveries and lessons learned from the week before. When I make a startling discovery I have some of those little post-it note flags and I stick one on that page to remind me to go back to it when I need focus., and encouragement. I keep my journal on the hutch in the kitchen beside the kitchen table, and many times (like a good book) I get it out and read what I have written. It reinforces the positives and as the pages fill up I can see that I have come a long way.

    Do all of you journal? If not.....why? Perhaps it could be your motivation also. And all the fabulous recipes, I am going to this week, ya know I am always doing the "ME Thing on Wednesday, well I thought about making up a "Shape Up with the Daily Heet"....cookbook......and who the recipes are from.

    One thing that would be helpful is that when we share recipes we give the nutritional value such as calories per serving, sodium, cholesterol, carbs, fat....so we can fit the meal in with our programs.
    Whenever I make a home dish, I take the ingredients and on a paper list the values, add them all up and then divide the totals by the # of servings. It takes a little time but makes it easier when adding it to your food journal, and you have it then for future reference.

    Debbie
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Here's a recipe I am trying tomorrow:

    Chicken Parmesan Sub:wink:

    1/2 c. all-purpose flour
    1/2 tsp. kosher salt
    1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
    1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
    4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
    1 cup marina sauce ( your choice, low-sodium), can use cup of pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce)
    1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
    1/2 c. mozerella (part-skim) cheese
    4 soft whole wheat sandwich rolls toasted

    Position rack in oven on top position. Preheat broiler
    Combine flour, salt, and pepper in shallow dish. Place chicken breast between 2 pcs. of plastic wrap and pound smooth side of chicken with meat mallot or heavy saucepan til chicken is 1/4" thickness.
    Dip chicken pieces in flour mixture and turn in dish to coat.

    heat 2 tsp. oil in large non-stick skillet ovr med-high heat, add 1/2 chickn and cook til golden 1-2 minutes per side, transfer to baking sheet, do the same with remaining oil and chicken and then transfer to baking sheet.
    Top each piece of chicken with marina sauce, parmesan cheese and sprinkle with mozerella cheese. Broil til cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through about 3 minutes. Serve on toasted wheat bun.

    makes 4 servings

    Nutritional Information: Calories: 543
    Carbs 52 gm
    Fiber 5 gm
    Fat 17 gm
    Protein 41 gm
    Sugar 3 gm

    enjoy!!!
    Debbie :tongue:
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    Hey Debbie, yeah, skipping meals is something I'm famous for. I'm trying to get it under control though and have done really well over the past few weeks. I still miss one here or there, especially on Friday's when I'm running around doing errands and chores. Yesterday I didn't eat lunch but I had a good breakfast and ate dinner.

    Discoveries are SO important. Just like when I discovered I needed protein in the morning and if not then, most definitely by lunch. All those years of eating a *healthy* bowl of cereal and or fruit/yogurt. I couldn't understand why I was starving by lunch or dinner. I have really been struggling with my water intake the past two weeks and I know why. I've been nursing a Pepsi at my desk all day long. I gave it up weeks ago then decided that I hated not having it so I convinced myself that one a day was fine. Well, it is calorie wise for me but what's happening is I'm not drinking my water because of it. Soooo, I've got a choice to make. My one Pepsi treat or water??? So today I pulled out my Mr. Coffee Ice Tea maker and brewed a pitcher of tea. I'm getting a small dose of caffeine and I'm getting *flavored* water. I sweeten it with honey, and not to the point where it's actually sweet, just enough to take the bitter edge off. So, that's what I'm working on today, water, water, water. :drinker: :drinker:

    I pulled everything out of the freezer and deep freeze and re-organized everything. I've totally changed up this week's menu based on what we have on hand. Still need some fresh stuff but I don't think I'll need nearly as much as what I had thought. I haven't figured out what we're eating on what night yet but I'll do that later today. Here's what we're having:

    *Chicken Wings* using boneless/skinles breast, potato salad and cucumber salad

    Greek Spaghetti - only have 1/2 pound ground chuck but will add 1 pound ground pork to make up for it, garlic bread (frozen - want to get it out of the freezer) and salad

    Gonna use up some of the *processed* food from the pantry and make Boxed AuGratin potatoes with sausage and serve with a side of frozen veggies from the freezer

    Pork Enchiladas, yellow rice and a frozen veggie from the freezer

    Turkey Thighs - I have an awesome rub that I'll rub them with and roast them, frozen veggie and a starch of some kind, maybe herbed roasted potatoes if I have enough potatoes left over from potato salad

    And I found a recipe for a Cheese Tortellini with spinach some tima ago. I bought the Totellini but never got around to fixing it. I'm tired of moving the package around the freezer so I'm going to do that if I have the ingredients. I need to find the recipe and review it again. If I don't have the ingredients we'll have Boca Burgers or MorningStar Farms Chicken Patties and a veggie.

    I didn't get any fish/seafood in this week but I want to start using some of the *less healthy* stuff up and get it out of the way.

    I LOVE the idea of the HEET cookbook and yes, if I have the nutritional info available I can post it. I'm gonna have to share that poultry rub recipe. It's for a recipe called Sticky Chicken. It's all over the internet but there are different versions of it. I've been using my version for years and it's AWESOME!

    Well, gotta find that recipe for the Tortellini and get working on some things in the kitchen. I'm gonna make a black bean dip for us to munch on later with our Baked Tostitos.

    Later Gators!
    Julie
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    Oooh! Chicken Parm Sub sounds good! Load it up with grilled onions and peppers for a bigger veggie kick! OR - do the same thing with Turkey Sausage and add onions and peppers...Oh YUMM!!!!

    Put your thinking caps on...

    I've got 4 packages of frozen chopped spinach in the freezer. I bought them to make spinach/artichoke dip but the way I make it is like a heart attack in a dish and probably has enough calories to carry you through 3 days. So...what can I do with all that spinach? Any ideas?
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Hi Everyone, guess all this talk about food and cooking, and start of a cookbook has got me looking for healty, high fiber and filling foods. So here is another great recipe as we move into the season of grilling and simplicity.

    Grilled Pork Fajitas
    Serves 8 people

    1 Tbsp. chili powder
    1/2 tsp. oregano
    1/2 tsp. paprika
    1/4 Tsp. ground coriander
    1/4 Tsp. garlic powder
    1 pound of pork, cut in strips 1/2 inch wide, by 1/2 inch long
    1 small onion sliced in strips as well
    8 whole wheat flour tortillas, about 8" round (warm in microwave)
    1/2 cup. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
    4 medium tomatoes, diced
    4 cups shredded lettuce
    1 cup of salsa

    **optional, I like to add yellow, red and green bell pepper sliced in thin strips as well to fajitas**

    Preheat hot grill, gas grill or oven to 400 F

    In a small bowl, stir togehter chili powder, oregano, paprika, coriander and garlic powder mix well.

    Dip the pork pieces in seasonings coating completely

    Place pork stripes and onion (peppers again optional) in baking dish, or cast iron skillet or grill basket and cook turning several times, til browned on all sides about 5 minutes.

    To serve-spread equal amount of pork and onion (peppers) on each warm tortilla. Top each with 1 Tbs. cheese, about 2 tbs. of tomatoes, 1/2 c. shredded lettuce, and 2 tbs. salsa. Fold in ends of tortilla up over filling, then roll to close. Serve Immediately.

    Nutritional Information:
    1 fajita equals 234 Calories
    Protein 18 gm., Carbs. 23, Total Fat 8, Saturated Fat 3, Monounsaturated Fat 3, Cholesterol 45 mg.
    Sodium 309 mg., Fiber 5 gms. Potassium 508 mg. and Calcium 115 mg.


    Yum Yum :heart: Debbie
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Julie on the Chicken Sub recipe I just posted I omitted the spinach. Not a favorite of mine, but this is what it said, you can use 2 (6 oz. bags of baby spinach) and cook it in a little of the extra virgin olive oil when doing the chicken and add it too the sandwiches so there you go!!!!!

    Debbie
  • Cindysunshine
    Cindysunshine Posts: 1,188 Member
    Good mornig Heeters! I am a bit late this morning. I was up most of the night with my sick daughter. She went to a b-day party and all the sugar from the cake and candy and punch gave her a bad tummy ache. She feels better now. :O) Debbie your recipe sounds yummy. Julie I hope you feel better. Bebe Have a great day today! Birthdays are fun. That poem you posted was just what I needed today Debbie. Thanks for posting it. I had a nice thing happen last night. My neighbor said " Cindy , I notice you walking every night and I have to tell you you look great. You can realy see you've lost alot of weight." That made my night! I have been at this since January 16th. I lost 28 pounds before I came to this site. and 8 since I'ver been here. I have been doing great this week. 2 workouts a day. 45 minutes each workout. 1,500 calories a day. Healthy fruits and veggies, whole grains and lean meats and tons of water. I sneeked a look at the scale and it hasn't moved. My official weigh in is Monday. You will notice that there is a big debate on this site about eating your exercise calories back and going into starvartion mode. Ughhhh My heart rate moniter says I burn 999 calories doing my 2 workouts . With the eat your exercise calories back logic I would have to eat at least 2,199 calories a day. NO WAY. I hope that the scale hasn't moved because of water retention or something. I hope everone has a super great day. I'm going to do my 3 mile walk away the pounds workout and watch Changeling. Julie drink that water! How about spinich lasagna? Yummo! TTFN- Cindy
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Here's a spinach recipe for you Julie

    Spinach Lasagna

    This cheesy lasagna is full of spicy Italian turkey sausage, whole-wheat noodles, mushrooms and spinach. A serving of this version has about one-third the fat and saturated fat, and only half the calories of the original. Use soy-based sausage for a hearty vegetarian variation.

    Makes 10 servings

    ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

    TOTAL TIME: 2 hours

    EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

    8 ounces whole-wheat lasagna noodles
    1 pound lean spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (see Variation)
    4 cups sliced mushrooms (10 ounces)
    1/4 cup water
    1 pound frozen spinach, thawed
    1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably chunky
    1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    Freshly ground pepper to taste
    1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese (2 cups)
    8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
    2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until not quite tender, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain; return the noodles to the pot, cover with cool water and set aside.
    3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and water; cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage more, until it is cooked through, the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water, then stir into the pan; remove from heat.
    4. Mix tomatoes with basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
    5. To assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, trimming to fit if necessary. Evenly dollop half the ricotta over the noodles. Top with half the sausage mixture, one-third of the remaining tomatoes and one-third of the mozzarella. Continue with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining sausage, half the remaining tomatoes and half the remaining mozzarella. Top with a third layer of noodles and the remaining tomatoes.
    6. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake until bubbling and heated through, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove the foil; sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is just melted but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    Vegetarian Variation:
    Use a sausage-style soy product, such as Gimme Lean, or simply omit the sausage altogether.

    NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 333 calories; 14 g fat (5 g sat, 3 g mono); 41 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 7 g fiber; 655 mg sodium; 606 mg potassium.
    Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (128% daily value), Calcium (23% dv), Iron (21% dv), Folate (19% dv), Potassium (17% dv).
    1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
    Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 2 medium-fat meat

    TIP: Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat lasagna noodles are higher in fiber than white noodles. They can be found in health-food stores and some large supermarkets.
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Okay all going to the library to pick up a book I requested and I'll be back later to see what's cookin?
    with love and healthy eating my friends. Debbie
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    :bigsmile: Cindy :bigsmile: Yay for you!! You are doing awesome!! And what a terrific thing for your neighbor to say!! Don't you just LOVE IT!! Sorry to hear about your daughter though but I'm glad she's feeling better.:happy:

    Spinach Lasagne it is!! Thank you both! I don't have the whole wheat lasagne noodles but I do have other whole wheat pastas. I'll do a Spinach/Pasta Bake! When I make homemade lasagne I always use cottage cheese instead of ricotta. I like ricotta well enough but I prefer the milder cottage cheese and since I usually have L/F on hand anyway I won't have to buy the other. Instead of the sausage I'll use Boca Crumbles (soy product) because I have those in the deep freeze. I'm going to add that to my menu for week after next.

    Got my potatoes boiled, cucumbers sliced and sweating for salad and got my black bean dip made. It's so yummy. I need to go make a Green Onion/Lime/Sour Cream sauce and then I can put it all in a wrap for lunch next week. The Sour Cream sauce is from a Black Bean Cake recipe I made a couple years ago from Cooking Light. Basically it's the same recipe as the dip but for the cakes you don't add salsa to the food processor, you add some bread crumbs. Then you form in to patties and then bake. I found the baking to be a bit dry so I'm gonna try to give them a quick fry in olive oil next time. That's another thing I want to do week after next. I'm trying to incorporate a "meatless" night that doesn't include pasta.

    I also had all the ingredients for the Spinach-Tortellini dish so that's what we're having tonight and it's halfway put together already. Recipe calls for frozen spinach but I had a bag of fresh that I wanted to use instead. Spinach, tortellini, tomatoes, fresh grated Parm, sour cream and cream (I'm subbing half and half) and top with some crumbled feta. Probably not the *lightest* fare but again, trying to use up some stuff I have on hand...

    Hey Debbie, I wonder if they'll have 13 of the same books for you when you get there :laugh: :laugh:

    Heading off for another bit...Julie

    Hmmmm....I might have to rethink the lasagne. I have some fresh mushrooms in the fridge that won't make it until week after next. I can add some to the Greek Spaghetti but not the whole pint. Gonna do some menu switching...I'll cook the Greek Spaghetti sauce then freeze it and have Spinach Lasagne in it's place!! OH NO...even better!! I'll use some of the Greek Spaghetti sauce IN the Lasagne!! DUH!!! Thank you guys!!! :glasses: OH!! WAIT!! AND I can reduce/omit the mozzarella cheese and use some more of the feta I have! Spinach and Feta are perfect together! Oh, now I can't wait! That's what we're having Monday! WOO1HOO! (I had to edit this 3 times as the thoughts just kept coming!
  • Cindysunshine
    Cindysunshine Posts: 1,188 Member
    Julie, Your menu sounds so delish! I am not a chef by any means. Oh, I can cook ,I'm just not that creative. We tend to have the same things over and over. I hope to get more ideas and get a bit creative some day. :O) Thanks for the compliments. I would like to say WE ALL ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cindy
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    LOL, Cindy...I'm not a Chef in reality...I just play one IN MY MIND!!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: But seriously, you need to start getting some variety. If you're eating the same things over and over you run the risk of getting bored and falling off the wagon. Check out Recipezaar. You can get tons of free recipes and most of them have ratings. I pay the $24 bucks a year for the premium membership so I get access to more recipes and a few other tools but I don't really use them. It's my favorite recipe site by far.

    Debbie, I looked at your fajita recipe. It looks like a recipe I cooked a couple weeks ago. Remember the one where I smoked up the entire house and set off the smoke detectors, LOL? I used beef and a smokin' hot cast iron skillet. I was going for how they serve them in restaurants on those little skillets. I'll still use my skillet because I liked the way they cooked but it's outside on the grill from now on! :laugh:

    Got the potato salad made and in the fridge for tomorrow, Spinach-Tortellini in the oven and Greek Spaghetti sauce on the stove. House smells yummy!

    Race is over. My guy won!! Yay!! Maybe he'll win tomorrow as well. Keeping my fingers crossed...

    BBL,
    Julie
  • happygirl518
    happygirl518 Posts: 270 Member
    Julie you are too funny....no honey they only had one copy of the book....glad I could help you out on that mountain of spinach you have on hand, LOL I am definitely going to make that chicken subs and the grilled fajitas., this coming week.

    Good for you Cindy and it sure is great for the ego when somebody notices us for 'what we're doing right; eh?

    Hey I had an AHA moment today. I am reading this book from the library, and any of you wanting some new motivation and insight on your journey's I encourage you to read this book. Its called, "the slow down diet, by marc david. Now I know what your thinking, not another diet. I know, I think I have tried them all at one time or another, but that's not why I am reading it. Their are so important facts in the book I have read no place else. It is easily written and its a book that ask you questions and makes you think about the ways in which you EAT.

    For instance: Did you know, breathing deeply when you eat, rev's up your metabolism and eating slowly keeps your blood pressure from rising? The author definitely makes a good point of us looking at the way in which anxiety, and stress can effect the way we eat and slows down our metabolism. He also makes a valid point that it is important that we take time for our meals.
    Did you ever, (this is my question now people, LOL), have you ever caught yourself saying I worked at making this meal for the last few hours and we sit down and eat it up in 15 mins or less and how did it make you feel? The other night we had dinner and I noticed that their was little conversation we were all eating away and within 12 mins. of sitting down, everyone was getting up, plates clean and meal finished. ......next time you sit down to eat, time yourself......how long did your meal take. Case in point. We inhaled it.....we didn't eat it.....chances are we barely tasted it.

    We eat like we live, in the fast lane.........So just as we all are being forced in these troubled times to re-evaluate our priorities and slow down....make the necessary adjustments in order to function......perhaps we too need to slow down and take time to eat and fuel our bodies in a good way.

    I remember as a child when I went to my grandparents home they grew all their own vegetables and meat was from local farmers and everything was fresh. It tasted so much better, and was more colorful and appealing, and dinner time consisted of a cup of soup, a salad of some sort, relish tray on the table, bowl of fresh fruit, delicious looking meat on the table, beans and potato *sweet potato or white, fresh homemade bread, and a pudding cup or cake for dessert, or fresh homemade pie. We had a 3 coarse meal, of appetizer, meal and dessert. The dinner took 1-2 hrs. to prepare and eating time was right about 1 hr. Grandma always made the place setting inviting and candle, hurricane lamp on the table in the middle, or a vase of fresh cut flowers, and soft music in the background made for a comforting atmosphere. After dinner we went out of the front porch for a bit of fresh air and good conversation after clearing the table, and once our dinner settled we would go in and do the dishes and then settle down for a spell.

    The point I am trying to make here is that we need to slow down....when we're home and when we can and get back to enjoying good conversation around the table and take time to eat and digest our food properly and as learned in this book .......breathe........., our body needs good oxygen and it aids in our digestion and increasing our metabolism. With that said, I encourage you to read the book, or at best the first few chapters.

    Anyway, I like to read and found this to be an eye opener of sorts. I love learning new things and sharing them with others. Thanks for letting me share this with all of you.

    Well going for a walk with DD. Hubby is going on his handicap scooter and the puppy is gonna get in the game of this exercise regimen too!!!! don't ya'll just love me, sure you do....:blushing: :smooched:
    bbl Debbie
  • LilWaterBug
    LilWaterBug Posts: 213
    Excellent points Debbie. I am and always have been a very slow eater. My entire life I have always been the last one to leave the table, heck, in school I barely had time to eat during lunch break. Most days I had to wolf my food down, or at least it seemed. What I have gotten bad at is eating in front of the television or my computer when I'm at the office. If I don't have pre-measured portions I can slowly work my through an entire plate of "whatever" and not realize I've eaten it because I wasn't paying attention! Then I would pay the price of being overly full and uncomfortable. With it just being DH and myself, sitting at the table sometimes feels like a chore, although sometimes I make it a point to eat there depending on the meal. I need to make it a point to start eating at the table more often. It can't be helped when I'm at the office but most of my foods are portioned now-adays so I can eat and work at the same time (I don't take a scheduled lunch break because I'm only there for a few hours.)

    So, guess what??? My computer desk has a hutch over the top with "cubby holes" kind of like the old open mailbox thingys. At the ends are two taller cubbies. All these weeks that I've been sitting here chatting with you guys I've been staring at this green binder in one of the taller cubbies. I knew what I *used* to use it for but I thought I had cleaned it out. Just this minute I pulled it down and low and behold...guess what's in it??? All of my research papers from when I very first started the HEET on MCC in 2007!!!!! I have a TON of stuff in here! Diet, Nutrition, Exercise, Motivation, you name it! So my fellow HEETers, here is one of the most shocking things I *learned* way back when. I kept it in the front because it was so important...

    ***Carbohydrates and proteins are difficult to digest. As a matter of fact, the body uses about 25% of these calories just to metabolize them. Example: When you eat a 100-calorie piece of bread, your body uses 25 calories in the digestion process. That leaves you with 75 calories to burn or store. The digestion process is slow, so you have a while to burn those 75 calories. The same is true with protein calories.

    Fats are a different story. The body is 98% efficient in processing fat. When you eat a 100-calorie tablespoon of any fat, your body uses two (yes, 2) calories in the digestion process. That leaves you with 98 calories to burn or store. Fat, by nature, is "ready" to be burned or stored, and the digestion process is fast. Unless you are pedaling the exercise bike when you eat high-fat foods, you are going to store some immediately. All calories are NOT created equal.***

    Is that a mind blower or what? I never mentioned it before because I couldn't remember the exact breakdown but I knew there was a big difference between certain types of calories. Now that I've re-read it I'm dreading my potato salad tomorrow. Although, I did mix 1/2 mayo with 1/2 L/F sour cream because the sour cream has way less calories. Now I need to go check the *fat calories* between the two! :noway:

    I'm so excited to have found my book. I put a lot of work in to it and I seriously thought I had thrown it all away! I'm gonna go spend some time going through it and see what other little goodies are in there! :bigsmile:

    TTFN,
    Julie
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