I was craving taco salad something fierce! Taco Bell wasn't an option, so I decided to make one at home. Being that I like to eat clean, I wanted an alternative to picking up a taco seasoning packet that may be full of added ingredients I can't pronounce. So here is the taco seasoning I tweaked from a recipe I found:
~1 Tbsp. chili powder
~3/4 Tbsp. cumin
~1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
~1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
~1 tsp. oregano
~Dash of paprika
~ 1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
This is enough seasoning for 1 lb. of your ground meat of choice. I think my favorite is organic, grass-fed beef. Using ground (white) turkey is tasty, too! Let the meat brown, mix in the seasoning, add a small amount of water to help mix things together (a couple of Tbsp.), and let it all get happy for a few minutes.
I enjoy shredded lettuce, organic black beans, a good serving of meat, diced cherry tomatoes, guacamole, and caramelized onions in my salad. Aside from the beans it fits my paleo/primal plan. No cheese or sour cream needed, I promise it's that good! If you want to be adventurous, eat the meat and guacamole on fresh jicama slices instead of tortilla chips. Yummy!
Helpful tips we have discovered on our journey to become a size 10 again. *Update* Bonnie & Rochelle have both gotten down to size 10, so this is now the Size 8 Project!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Coconut Nested Eggs
What?! Eggs with coconut?! Sounds crazy, right? Well, it is delicious! I found this recipe in my "Make It Paleo" cookbook. I was having an issue eating my eggs in the morning. After a little while, the flavor makes me feel ill. I don't really like eating veggies in the morning in an omelet, and I can't use cheese to spice things up. I needed a way to get my protein without having to eat a quarter pound of beef at 6 am (which I have done a lot). This recipe saved me!
~2 eggs, separated
~1/4 c. shredded, un-sweetened coconut (I buy in the bulk commodities section of HEB)
~Salt (if desired)
Preheat oven to 350. Whip whites until peaks form. Stir in the shredded coconut. Drop in mounds onto parchment paper. Create a divot in the top of the mounds and place yolks in the little hole. Bake for 10-12 minutes (until starting to get golden on top). Sprinkle with salt if desired.
Super easy, doesn't take long. I eat mine without the yolks or the salt. That's my preference. It's like eating a puffy little coconut cloud and the egg flavor won't punch you in the face! I just peel them off of the parchment and eat with my hands... no fork required!
~2 eggs, separated
~1/4 c. shredded, un-sweetened coconut (I buy in the bulk commodities section of HEB)
~Salt (if desired)
Preheat oven to 350. Whip whites until peaks form. Stir in the shredded coconut. Drop in mounds onto parchment paper. Create a divot in the top of the mounds and place yolks in the little hole. Bake for 10-12 minutes (until starting to get golden on top). Sprinkle with salt if desired.
Super easy, doesn't take long. I eat mine without the yolks or the salt. That's my preference. It's like eating a puffy little coconut cloud and the egg flavor won't punch you in the face! I just peel them off of the parchment and eat with my hands... no fork required!
Stacked Breakfast Sliders
I love breakfast sandwiches. Easy for busy mornings, grab and go and I can eat them on the way to take kids to school or while folding laundry or whatever other multi-tasking I have to do that day! Breakfast is definintely the most important meal of the day and kick starting mine with a good balance of protein, carbs & fat keeps me full and going until lunch. I have two awesome products that help me to get my breakfast in everyday.
Large sandwiches can contain a monstrosity of calories (even a McDonald's Egg McMuffin is 300 calories!) and they're messy and hard to carry. So the first weapon in my morning arsenal are these Flat Out Fold-It Sliders. Each slider fold out is only 47 calories and fits in the palm of your hand
The second item in my morning arsenal is this egg-cellent pan. HAHA. It's called an "Omelet Ease" and my husband bought it several years ago because I LOVE kitchen gadgets. Little did he know how much it would actually get used. This makes perfect sized little round, fluffy egg omelets that fit great on a bagel or english muffin if you DO want a larger sandwich, but for today's recipe I cut it in 4ths. A great little investment to make breakfast easier and fun.
Stacked Breakfast Sliders = 220 calories for 2 sliders, 25.5 protein, 6.2 fat, 18.2 carbs
Recipe:
2 pieces Flat Out Fold-it Sliders2 egg whites
2 slices canadian bacon
1 slice low fat swiss cheese
2 slices tomato
Salt & pepper to taste
Turn oven to broil and toast sliders under just slightly golden.
Whip egg whites together in bowl with salt & pepper then pour into omelet pan.
Top egg with 1 slice canadian bacon (it will sink to the bottom) Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes then flip pan.
Open pan and add 2nd piece of bacon to top of half cooked egg. Close pan and continue cooking about another minute.
Open pan and top Omelet with cheese. Close pan again and allow cheese to melt for 30-45 seconds.
Slide omelet out of pan and slice into 4 pieces
Top each slider bottom with two slices of omelet and a slice of tomato
Add slider top & enjoy!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Stepping with Sarah Palin..er, I mean... Cathe Friedrich
BTW, I'm down 6 pounds from two weeks ago. Yay for me!!!
My turn! (Kind of long)
My name is Lauren. I'm a 27 year old, non-mom. I feel as though my weight struggles began long ago. To start, I'm only around 4'9". Some doctors would say I'm "height deficient". Having the stature of a child but being a full grown woman poses its challenges when it comes to your weight.
When I started college I lost 15 lbs. in my first semester, but I gained it back shortly after. Years later I became sick of my 140 lb. image and wanted to change it. I put myself on a very restricted low-carb diet and spent every day on an elliptical trainer. In no time at all I dropped to 115 lbs! It felt amazing! But then, slowly but surely, I started eating like most of us do and put all the weight back on. As the years passed my weight continued to rise. At that point it didn't matter how well I ate or how much I exercised, the weight wouldn't come off. I was eventually diagnosed with a thyroid condition (which I take medication for daily), but the medication didn't do much for the weight. Then I had my breakthrough.
My weight made it up to 164 lbs! 164! That is a lot for someone as small as me! My mother practically begged me to see a doctor. She was upset seeing me at that size; she said it didn't look like me. She was convinced there was a medical reason for my weight. So, I went to see Dr. Ginsberg. After speaking with me she decided that with my life experiences and medical history, I was under too much stress and estrogen dominant. These are things that help contribute to my weight issues. We did some bloodwork. A micronutrient test. They broke down the cells of my blood and were able to determine which vitamins/minerals/nutrients in which my body was deficient. With the results in hand, she gave me a list of supplements to take daily and set me up with a nutritionist. I wrote down everything that passed my lips for an entire month. It was decided that I ate too many crappy carbs (low-cal pretzels, special k bars, etc) and I wasn't eating enough fat. She started me on a modified paleo/primal diet. This meant gluten-free, grain-free, grass-fed meats, healthy fats, organic veggies, seeds and nuts, and small amounts of dairy (organic butter and whole milk- no yogurt or cheese!) My weight began to drop, my energy increased, and my joint pain was greatly decreased. I kept this up for several months, but a change in my financial situation lead to me eating crappy food again. I put on 10 lbs.
I've recently gotten back on the wagon. I have been following my plan again now for three weeks and doing a good deal of work on a treadmill. 7 of my 10 lbs are gone! I love eating whole foods. It feels so much cleaner. I realize that this approach to eating is a definite lifestyle change, not something that can be turned off and on. I also know it isn't for everyone. It can be boring and repetitive, but I always feel satisfied. Knowing how good I felt for those months makes me want to make the change for the rest of my life! I think about how much healthier I will be and how it can affect the lives of the children I will have someday.
That's my story! Sorry it is so long!
When I started college I lost 15 lbs. in my first semester, but I gained it back shortly after. Years later I became sick of my 140 lb. image and wanted to change it. I put myself on a very restricted low-carb diet and spent every day on an elliptical trainer. In no time at all I dropped to 115 lbs! It felt amazing! But then, slowly but surely, I started eating like most of us do and put all the weight back on. As the years passed my weight continued to rise. At that point it didn't matter how well I ate or how much I exercised, the weight wouldn't come off. I was eventually diagnosed with a thyroid condition (which I take medication for daily), but the medication didn't do much for the weight. Then I had my breakthrough.
My weight made it up to 164 lbs! 164! That is a lot for someone as small as me! My mother practically begged me to see a doctor. She was upset seeing me at that size; she said it didn't look like me. She was convinced there was a medical reason for my weight. So, I went to see Dr. Ginsberg. After speaking with me she decided that with my life experiences and medical history, I was under too much stress and estrogen dominant. These are things that help contribute to my weight issues. We did some bloodwork. A micronutrient test. They broke down the cells of my blood and were able to determine which vitamins/minerals/nutrients in which my body was deficient. With the results in hand, she gave me a list of supplements to take daily and set me up with a nutritionist. I wrote down everything that passed my lips for an entire month. It was decided that I ate too many crappy carbs (low-cal pretzels, special k bars, etc) and I wasn't eating enough fat. She started me on a modified paleo/primal diet. This meant gluten-free, grain-free, grass-fed meats, healthy fats, organic veggies, seeds and nuts, and small amounts of dairy (organic butter and whole milk- no yogurt or cheese!) My weight began to drop, my energy increased, and my joint pain was greatly decreased. I kept this up for several months, but a change in my financial situation lead to me eating crappy food again. I put on 10 lbs.
I've recently gotten back on the wagon. I have been following my plan again now for three weeks and doing a good deal of work on a treadmill. 7 of my 10 lbs are gone! I love eating whole foods. It feels so much cleaner. I realize that this approach to eating is a definite lifestyle change, not something that can be turned off and on. I also know it isn't for everyone. It can be boring and repetitive, but I always feel satisfied. Knowing how good I felt for those months makes me want to make the change for the rest of my life! I think about how much healthier I will be and how it can affect the lives of the children I will have someday.
That's my story! Sorry it is so long!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Apple Chops with Steamed Squash
4 pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick)
1 tbsp flour
2 tsp butter
1/2 onion
1 cup apple juice
1) Season flour with a little salt and pepper; lightly flour pork chops and brown on one side in butter in non-stick skillet over medium heat
2) Turn chops; stir in onion and apple juice; bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes until fully cooked.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Be Prepared
I have found that being prepared is essential in controlling what I eat. If I prepare snacks and meals ahead of time, then it is easy for me to eat healthy. If nothing is prepared, I'm off to a restaurant or vending machine when I get hungry. Here are a few current snapshots of my cabinet and fridge.
*22 raw almonds in snack bags - 164 calories
*22 raw almonds in snack bags - 164 calories
*13 Quaker mini rice cakes with caramel in snack bags - 110 calories
* 2 Pepperidge Farms Mint Milano cookies in snack bags - 140 calories
* 1 Kettle Corn - 100 calories
* Special K Strawberry Cereal Bar - 90 calories
*Apple - 72 calories
*Cucumber slices - 24 calories
*Baby Carrots - 50 calories
*I have included a picture of leftovers that I warmed up for lunch. When I made the fish the other night, I had 3 days worth of lunches ready to go. It is so easy to just grab it in the morning. 1 1/2 minute in the microwave and I've got a healthy lunch.
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