Hamburger Stew
We all loved this. Super easy and so good! I served it with beer bread.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Recipe: Crockpot Lasagna Soup
Crockpot Lasagna Soup
**I made a couple changes. I used the oven ready lasagna noodles (not wheat) and I used a few extra! I also omitted the mozzarella cheese and basil. I just added some parmesan in at the end before serving. DELICIOUS!!
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| Crockpot Lasagna Soup: Recipe from Simple Nourished Living |
Lots of Weigh-Ins!! Weeks 50-54
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| Slow and steady wins the race! |
Gonna do a bunch of weeks all at once because I am WAY behind! I am hoping that over the next few days I can get things caught up!!
Week 50
Change this week: -3.0
Total loss to date: -103.2
Week 51
Change this week: -3.4
Total loss to date: -106.6
Week 52
Change this week: +1.0
Total loss to date: -105.6
Week 53
Change this week: -2.0
Total loss to date: -107.6
Week 54
Change this week: +0.4
Total loss to date: -107.2
So, as you can see.....the roller coaster continues!! I am assuming that I am at another plateau as I haven't been doing anything different. I know that as my weight decreases my weekly loss is also going to go down. I'm not disappointed....the scale is still headed in the right direction overall. I am hoping that I can figure out something to jump start things a bit but slow and steady wins the race...
Friday, December 30, 2016
RECIPE: Crockpot Italian Chicken
This could not be easier!!
Crockpot Italian Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Mine were huge so more like 6 equivalent)
1 cup light Italian salad dressing (I used Olive Garden Light Italian)
8 oz fat free cream cheese
Put chicken in crockpot and pour Italian dressing over it. Cook on low for 6-8 hours depending on your crockpot. Or do it on high for like 4 hours. When you are about 30 minutes from when you want to eat turn the crockpot up to high and cube the cream cheese and add it. After it softens you can mix it in with a spoon or wisk to make a creamy sauce.
Serve over egg noodles or rice. As you will see in the picture below I had mine over riced cauliflower.
Enjoy!
Crockpot Italian Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Mine were huge so more like 6 equivalent)
1 cup light Italian salad dressing (I used Olive Garden Light Italian)
8 oz fat free cream cheese
Put chicken in crockpot and pour Italian dressing over it. Cook on low for 6-8 hours depending on your crockpot. Or do it on high for like 4 hours. When you are about 30 minutes from when you want to eat turn the crockpot up to high and cube the cream cheese and add it. After it softens you can mix it in with a spoon or wisk to make a creamy sauce.
Serve over egg noodles or rice. As you will see in the picture below I had mine over riced cauliflower.
Enjoy!
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| Italian Crockpot Chicken |
Weigh-In: Weeks 47, 48 & 49
The last three weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster...
Week 47:
This week: +1.8
Total to date: -99.6 (I am NOT happy that I have slipped below the 100 pound mark!)
Week 48:
This week: -3.0
Total to date: -102.6
Week 49:
This week: +2.4
Total to date: -100.2
Week 49 was Christmas week so I wasn't surprised by the gain. I wasn't upset by it either. I enjoyed the holiday and didn't stress about counting points too much. I feel comfortable that I have got this and that I can go off plan very briefly and come back to it. And I did. I have no doubt that if I hadn't gotten back on plan it would have been more like a 5 pound gain that week!!
What did I eat to gain 2.4 pounds?
Week 47:
This week: +1.8
Total to date: -99.6 (I am NOT happy that I have slipped below the 100 pound mark!)
Week 48:
This week: -3.0
Total to date: -102.6
Week 49:
This week: +2.4
Total to date: -100.2
Week 49 was Christmas week so I wasn't surprised by the gain. I wasn't upset by it either. I enjoyed the holiday and didn't stress about counting points too much. I feel comfortable that I have got this and that I can go off plan very briefly and come back to it. And I did. I have no doubt that if I hadn't gotten back on plan it would have been more like a 5 pound gain that week!!
What did I eat to gain 2.4 pounds?
- pizza
- chicken wings
- deep fried mushrooms
- cream cheese stuffed peppers
- onion rings
- Christmas cookies
- chocolate
- breakfast casserole (our Christmas morning tradition)
- chicken fingers
- beef on weck
- cheese--LOTS of cheese!
- WINE--even more wine than cheese!
- Moscow Mules (my new favorite alcoholic drink!)
And it was all delicious! Was it worth it? Some of it was and some of it wasn't. I definitely wish I had skipped the chicken wings, deep fried mushrooms and onion rings. They were good but I felt gross after eating them. And on Christmas day I munched on snacks so much that when it was time for dinner I wasn't even hungry. Of course I ate anyway and after dinner I was STUFFED! I haven't had that feeling in a long time and I can't say that I enjoyed it.
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and it'll be another rough one! I am saving all of my points till evening and I definitely will be WAY over! But I don't care. This is a journey, not a sprint, and I believe that to be able to do this forever I need to be able to have these special "days off"....but only one day off...New Year's Day it's back to business!!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoy your NYE tomorrow!!!
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Weigh-In: Week 46 & 100 POUNDS!!
This week: -2.0
Total to date: -101.4
Yep, that just happened!!! I have lost ONE HUNDRED FREAKIN' POUNDS!!! I said I was going to do it but holy crap....I actually did!!
The whole thing feels kinda weird. Not like I expected to feel when I reached 100 pounds. I thought I would be celebrating and so happy. Don't get me wrong....I'm happy about it....but it's just another day in the journey.
When I look in the mirror I still see the old me. I don't feel like I look like I lost 100 pounds. I guess I thought it would be more significant....but maybe it's just because it's happened gradually? When I see people that I haven't seen in a while they definitely notice a difference. When I look at pictures from a year ago I can see a difference. But when I look in the mirror it just looks like me. Hmmm....
I'm loving my new bling...If you had told me I would have that 100 pound charm someday I probably wouldn't have really believed you...
I AM doing this!!
The journey continues...
Total to date: -101.4
Yep, that just happened!!! I have lost ONE HUNDRED FREAKIN' POUNDS!!! I said I was going to do it but holy crap....I actually did!!
The whole thing feels kinda weird. Not like I expected to feel when I reached 100 pounds. I thought I would be celebrating and so happy. Don't get me wrong....I'm happy about it....but it's just another day in the journey.
When I look in the mirror I still see the old me. I don't feel like I look like I lost 100 pounds. I guess I thought it would be more significant....but maybe it's just because it's happened gradually? When I see people that I haven't seen in a while they definitely notice a difference. When I look at pictures from a year ago I can see a difference. But when I look in the mirror it just looks like me. Hmmm....
I'm loving my new bling...If you had told me I would have that 100 pound charm someday I probably wouldn't have really believed you...
I AM doing this!!
The journey continues...
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| My 100 pound charm!! |
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Weigh-In: Week 45
This week: -5.2
Total to date: -99.4
Who loses 5+ pounds over Thanksgiving week?? Yep... ME!! I was totally excited about that number!!
Thanksgiving was delicious! LOL I didn't go crazy but I definitely didn't stay within my points. I stayed away from the butter and the rolls and stuff....but definitely enjoyed turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and my favorite--stuffing!! Man, I love that stuff! We tried to prepare the foods more healthy--like not adding butter to the squash and the mashed potatoes. We substituted green beans for the usual corn as beans have 0 points and corn has points! And did you know there are less points in white meat vs. dark meat? And the next day I did it again and indulged in the leftovers! Good thing I went Black Friday shopping and did a lot of walking to offset all of the calories!
Total to date: -99.4
Who loses 5+ pounds over Thanksgiving week?? Yep... ME!! I was totally excited about that number!!
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| No, not my actual dinner. Mine might not have been presented as well but I bet it was every bit as delicious! |
Thanksgiving was delicious! LOL I didn't go crazy but I definitely didn't stay within my points. I stayed away from the butter and the rolls and stuff....but definitely enjoyed turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and my favorite--stuffing!! Man, I love that stuff! We tried to prepare the foods more healthy--like not adding butter to the squash and the mashed potatoes. We substituted green beans for the usual corn as beans have 0 points and corn has points! And did you know there are less points in white meat vs. dark meat? And the next day I did it again and indulged in the leftovers! Good thing I went Black Friday shopping and did a lot of walking to offset all of the calories!
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Weigh-In: Week 44
This week: -1.4
Total to date: -94.2
Lost 1.4 this week which I was okay with because it wasn't a full week. Because of Thanksgiving there was no weigh-in at my regular location so I had to go to a different meeting about 40 minutes away on Tuesday instead of my normal Thursday. I was proud of myself for actually going and not just skipping since it fell on Thanksgiving. :)
Thanksgiving....sigh! A mine field for those of us trying to eat healthy. But I am going to enjoy myself and just get back on track the next day. That's the plan anyway....
Total to date: -94.2
Lost 1.4 this week which I was okay with because it wasn't a full week. Because of Thanksgiving there was no weigh-in at my regular location so I had to go to a different meeting about 40 minutes away on Tuesday instead of my normal Thursday. I was proud of myself for actually going and not just skipping since it fell on Thanksgiving. :)
Thanksgiving....sigh! A mine field for those of us trying to eat healthy. But I am going to enjoy myself and just get back on track the next day. That's the plan anyway....
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Recipe: Lightened Up Version of Alice Springs Chicken from Outback Steakhouse
This was dinner tonight! Everyone liked it but I left the mushrooms off of the boys chicken. Silly boys, mushrooms are delicious....and point free!
As I prepared the recipe (see my modifications) it was 6 points per serving. But I made changes and divided the sauce among 5 pieces of chicken.
Alice Springs Chicken (Lightened Up)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2" thick (I used 5 that totaled 1 pound)
seasoning salt or regular salt
4 slices bacon (I used chicken bacon)
1/4 cup yellow or spicy brown mustard (I used spicy brown, they say not to use the dijon though)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's)
2 tablespoons non-fat plain yogurt (I used Fage brand Greek)
1/2 tablespoon dried onion flakes or 1 tablespoons chopped scallions (I used scallions but more than the recipe called for)
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil (I omitted this completely and saved a point or more per serving)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded (I used fat free--doesn't melt as well but less points)
Instructions:
As I prepared the recipe (see my modifications) it was 6 points per serving. But I made changes and divided the sauce among 5 pieces of chicken.
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| Lightened Up Alice Springs Chicken |
Alice Springs Chicken (Lightened Up)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2" thick (I used 5 that totaled 1 pound)
seasoning salt or regular salt
4 slices bacon (I used chicken bacon)
1/4 cup yellow or spicy brown mustard (I used spicy brown, they say not to use the dijon though)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's)
2 tablespoons non-fat plain yogurt (I used Fage brand Greek)
1/2 tablespoon dried onion flakes or 1 tablespoons chopped scallions (I used scallions but more than the recipe called for)
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil (I omitted this completely and saved a point or more per serving)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded (I used fat free--doesn't melt as well but less points)
Instructions:
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Line a microwave safe plate with several paper towels. Place bacon on top and cover with more paper towels. Cook for about 4 minutes until bacon is crisp. Blot well, cool slightly and crumble. Set aside.
- Add mushrooms to a small bowl and cook in the microwave for 1 minute to soften. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together mustard, honey, mayonnaise, yogurt, and dried onions or scallions. Set aside.
- Coat a large non-stick pan with cooking spray. Add oil and heat. (Works fine without the oil though) Place chicken in pan and sauté over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side until browned. Move chicken to a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray.
- Spread most of the honey mustard sauce over each chicken breast, then layer each piece with mushrooms, top with the remaining sauce, sprinkle each with crumbled bacon. Finally, top each with 1 tablespoon shredded cheese.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and chicken is done. I topped with a few more of the green scallions when it was done.
Weigh-In: Week 43
This week: +2.0 lbs.
Total weight loss: -92.8 lbs.
Ugh! I am getting so frustrated with the way things are going lately. I am still doing what I need to do but the pounds are just NOT coming off. :( I hate weeks with a gain. Fortunately there haven't been too many in the last 43 weeks but when they happen it really sucks!
I knew I was up before I weighed in. I ate breakfast at Denny's that morning with a friend and even though my breakfast was fine on points--I had the Fit Fare Veggie Skillet for 10 points--it was actually heavy in actual weight. I usually eat something that is very light on Thursdays. And I ate a little for lunch which I don't usually do. Oh well! But I think the biggest problem was that I couldn't poop again! GRRR!! Why does that only happen on weigh in days??? Can someone solve this mystery for me?
This next week I have to weigh in on Tuesday because of Thanksgiving. I don't want to skip it though so I am going to go to a different location on Tuesday night. I am really hoping to have lost that 2 pounds I gained and a little bit more to make it to 95 before Thanksgiving. Send me some weight loss vibes.... It will only be 5 days since the last weigh-in so it'll be tough...
Total weight loss: -92.8 lbs.
Ugh! I am getting so frustrated with the way things are going lately. I am still doing what I need to do but the pounds are just NOT coming off. :( I hate weeks with a gain. Fortunately there haven't been too many in the last 43 weeks but when they happen it really sucks!
I knew I was up before I weighed in. I ate breakfast at Denny's that morning with a friend and even though my breakfast was fine on points--I had the Fit Fare Veggie Skillet for 10 points--it was actually heavy in actual weight. I usually eat something that is very light on Thursdays. And I ate a little for lunch which I don't usually do. Oh well! But I think the biggest problem was that I couldn't poop again! GRRR!! Why does that only happen on weigh in days??? Can someone solve this mystery for me?
This next week I have to weigh in on Tuesday because of Thanksgiving. I don't want to skip it though so I am going to go to a different location on Tuesday night. I am really hoping to have lost that 2 pounds I gained and a little bit more to make it to 95 before Thanksgiving. Send me some weight loss vibes.... It will only be 5 days since the last weigh-in so it'll be tough...
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