Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers

I plan to be in Chicago with the Million Dollar Band for the Ronald McDonald Thanksgiving Day Parade next week and I knew I had one pair of jeans that fit.

Normally clothing shopping for me is NOT FUN. I have the opposite of bulimia or anorexia. Instead of looking in the mirror and feeling like I am fat when I'm not, I have the mentality that I am a lot skinnier than what I really am so when I actually catch a glimpse of myself in  mirror or storefront window I don't always recognize myself and then am shocked when I realize that fat girl looking back at me is ME.

So last week I started shopping. I had gotten rid of all of my jeans because they had begun to fit so poorly they were sliding down my hips at inopportune times. I was shocked and excited to find I was down 2 sizes in pants and one size in tops. Man was I STOKED! I don't think I look much different but the proof is in the dressing room at JC Penny's! WOOT!

Suddenly, shopping was a lot more fun. As I gazed longingly at the next sized clothes from where I am I felt super motivated to KEEP GOING and not get comfortable where I am.

I have been trying to have as much variety in my food choices as possible so I don't go slap off the rails at times and this one was a huge hit at a recent dinner party. Please keep in mind I do eat as low carb as possible, and keep LIMITED whole wheat products in my diet as well, per my doctor.  I modified this recipe a tad by using my sisters taco meat recipe, which I am also listing.


Original recipe:
Mexican Stuffed Peppers

My sister's taco meat recipe: [best I've ever had]
 Debby's Taco Meat Recipe


As far as whole wheat goes, I limit that to once or twice a week and most weeks not at all. That would be whole wheat bread/buns for sandwiches/hot dogs/hamburgers/etc or whole wheat pasta as Italian restaurants.

If you are interested in lower carb foods for quicker and more efficient weight loss without starving yourself, then check out Linda Sue's Low Carb Recipes and Menus. I have been using them since the 90's and her ratings have really helped me figure out what's good and what isn't.

That's it for now. Been a week since I hit the gym and going to head there later today if possible. Will post stats later, ;]

So that's how they elliptical in Syria? I LIKE it!

Met a new friend at the gym, today. I normally do not talk much to folks who are working out because most of us are doing all we can not to cuss, cry, pee, puke or fart as we work out. This takes a lot of concentration, and I try to do unto others and all. In other words, leave me alone lol. But I had seen her before. The elliptical and the stationary bike are side by side. I've  noticed this little petite lady sometimes who gets on that elliptical with headphones on and goes as hard as she can but instead of using the arm thingys, she dances with her upper body. And I mean like REALLY GETS DOWN! Much like this girl:

The video above is not her but the moves are pretty much the same. So today she jumps on a stationary bike next to me and introduces herself. Instantly I notice the accent and she tells me she is from Syria. I then told her how much I admired her freedom of expression on the elliptical and we both cracked up. Her name is Hadiya and we ended up talking everything from kids to mother in laws. I found out I could be working out and sweating like a Hebrew slave while carrying on a conversation that was more than grunts on my part, today. Thanks to Hadiya! She was super nice and I have seen her almost daily for the last couple of weeks so it was cool that she struck up a conversation with me.

On to my last couple of work outs.

When I first joined the gym I worked with a personal trainer for about 6 weeks and my highest leg press was 270lbs. I am pretty excited to be pressing 260lbs with no trainer this time. My goal is to get to 270 by next week sometime.


10/28/14

Leg extensions: 3 sets/50lbs/12 reps
Leg curl: 3sets/50lbs/12 reps

Adductor/inner thigh: 3 sets/60lbs/15 reps
Abductor/outer thigh: 3 sets/60lbs/15 reps
Leg press: 5 sets/180lbs/200lbs/220lbs/240lbs/260lbs/12reps
15 mins at level 4 on stationary bike
15 mins at level 4 on elliptical

10/29/14

 Chest press: 3 sets of 12 reps @ 50lbs
Vertical traction: 3 sets of 12 reps @ 70lbs
Pec deck: 3 sets of 12 reps @ 60lbs
Seated row: 3 sets of 12 reps @ level 8
Shoulder press: 3 sets of 12 reps @ level 6
Biceps curl:3 sets of 12 reps @ level  6
Triceps press:3 sets of 12 reps @ level  9
Ab crunch: 3 sets of 15 reps @ level 10
 15 mins at level 4 on stationary bike
15 mins at level 4 on elliptical 

Haven't been doing much cooking but when I do I will be posting recipes again. 

If you're reading this, be encouraged, if I can do this, you can too!

7lbs from my first goal!

Weight: am now at  23lbs lost of the 30lbs for my first goal  Down 2lbs since Tuesday, yay!

My daughter came downstairs today and said she thought I looked skinnier. I was so glad she had her glasses on when she said that!


Gym stats:

 Chest press 3 sets/12 reps/50lbs

Vertical traction: this machine stayed unavailable the entire time I was at the gym. Never has that happened in 2yrs of membership but a personal trainer was doing some sort of routine with someone and it was tied up before that by someone else so I will get it again next time.

Pec deck  3 sets/12 reps/ 60lbs

Seated row 3 sets/12 reps/ level 8

Shoulder press  3 sets/12 reps/ level 6
 
Biceps curl 3 sets/12 reps/ level 6
 
Triceps press 3 sets/12 reps/ level 9 

Ab crunch 3 sets/15 reps/ level 10

 Elliptical: 15 min. @ level 4

Stationary Bike: 15 min. @ level 4/ 2.57 miles [I was super sore and a bit tired today so not quite the same distance as the last time.


 Saw this on FB today and it made me laugh out loud:

 I did go to the gym today but still had to post this! On that note, good night!

Better Sore Than Sorry

Saw a meme on Facebook today that has preached at me ever since I left the gym.

I am SORE. I mean, legs shaking, not-sure-if-I-can-ride-my-scooter-home sore. I worked my legs HARD yesterday and getting back on the bike and elliptical was a challenge today. I was really leaning towards, "Sorry, not today!" but I just did it anyway and took it a little slower. Same level of hard, just not as fast. My upper body workout went pretty good and I pushed myself past the normal comfort zone there too. Not feeling it like the legs, though. I may be singing a different tune tomorrow but I want to encourage you in saying this: If you think you don't have time, make some time. If you think you don't have the energy then do it anyway and do it slower, or at lower weights or whatever. My gym has a marquee that sometimes says, "You will only regret the workout you didn't do, not the one you did do." Or something like that. I didn't FEEL like it, I was sore, tired, and a bit sleep deprived. I did it anyways and I feel like crap but I moved forward rather than standing still. If this 46yr old, obese, bad-footed woman can do it, you can too. Be encouraged!

I'm listing my gym stats below like yesterday, and also what I'm eating today that I know of for sure.

Breakfast: 3 eggs scrambled with 1 slice of cheese/ 4 strips of bacon
Lunch: not sure
Dinner: Hot wings with celery, jalapeno poppers

Vitamins, yes, exercise, yes.

Weight: still at 21lbs lost of the 30lbs for my first goal 


Today's food:

My Hot Wings Recipe


My recipe for jalapeno poppers


Gym stats:

 Chest press 3 sets/12 reps/50lbs

Vertical traction 3 sets/12 reps/ 60/70/70

Pec deck  3 sets/12 reps/ 40/60/60

Seated row 3 sets/12 reps/ level 8

Shoulder press  3 sets/12 reps/ level 6
 
Biceps curl 3 sets/12 reps/ level 6
 
Triceps press 3 sets/12 reps/ level 9 

Ab crunch 3 sets/15 reps/ level 10

 Elliptical: 15 min. @ level 4

Stationary Bike: 15 min. @ level 4/ 2.96 miles
 



It's a good day! Hope you have a good day, too!

Broke 200 on the leg press

I wish I knew how time would go by so fast when I'm not posting and so slow the rest of the time?

I.

Don't.

Know.

What I do know is I really pushed myself on my workout this AM. I think if I start listing what I am doing daily then I will be better about blogging.

I work out at the Panama City Health Club and Spa. I really like it. The equipment stays unbroken and usable, the hours are great, the classes offered are varied and I am treated well by the staff.

My current goal has been to re-lose the 30lbs I lost in the summer of 2013. I got down 27 of those lbs a couple of weeks ago and got a little slack with my eating and am sitting at 21/30lbs lost. Dangit.


As some of you know I have been having some foot issues and the podiatrist said stop treadmill and running. I was pretty excited that I had actually started running so this was a bit of a blow. He recommended the stationary bike and the elliptical. Also anything very low impact but still aerobic. So bike and elliptical it is. I had always been intimidated by the elliptical but once it became one of very few options I got over it and actually like it. I do highly recommend it if you need to avoid high impact activity and have foot issues. I plug in my headphones, watch something entertaining on the TV screen and 30mins goes by fast.

My leg workout today:

5 sets of 12 reps on the leg press
set 1 @ 160lbs
set 2 @ 180lbs
set 3 @ 200lbs
set 4 @ 220lbs
set 5 @ 240lbs

3 sets of 12 reps on leg press at 60lbs each

 3 sets of 12 reps on leg curl at 40lbs each

3 sets of 15 reps on inner thigh machine at 60lbs each

 3 sets of 15 reps on outer thigh machine at 70lbs each

 15 minutes on stationary bike at level 4

15 minutes on elliptical at level 4


That's about it for today. If you are still watching this blog for recipes I will be posting some more of those soon too.

How's your day going?

It's been a busy morning already.

Spent almost 2 hrs at the gym. Did 3 miles on the treadmill, burning 234 calories, upper body weights and 10 min on the wave machine, burning 100 calories. Yes, 100 calories in ten minutes.

However.......

THE WAVE IS A KILLER!

I can barely do ten good minutes on it but I am getting better!



Breakfast was an atkins bar on the way to the gym. I try not to sub out real food for stuff like that but I was in a hurry and had no time for breakfast.

This is lunch:

Pistachio crusted red grouper and on the side was broccoli sauteed in olive oil and fresh garlic, finished with fresh grated Parmesan Reggiano.   I am working on getting that Pistachio Butter recipe from my husband. He is playing hard to get, lol.

Scale is acting up and not agreeing with my current lifestyle so I am staying away from it for the time being.

Out with the old, in with the....wait! Man, I need to go shopping!

I went through my closet today. Let's call it sweep one. My Mom is having a yard sale so I am donating as fast as I can.

I was pretty excited to say adios to quite a few clothing items. Until I realized I have 3 pair of jeans to my name now and maybe 3 pair of dress pants.

I need to go shopping pronto! I decided this go around to simply get rid of clothes as they became too big so if I gain anything back they are so uncomfortable I will be miserable and get back on track. That should work, right? Because keeping them has only made it easier to go up and down the scale. I gotta behave like I'm serious and the rest will follow.

Stayed on track food wise all day. Only got the lower body workout in and no cardio. But I will get it done tomorrow!

No running though. Read the meme. No running YET!

Last week was a killer!

What was NOT  killer was my first football game of the year last Friday night.Usually I am huffing and puffing up and down the bleachers while I take pictures and not feeling all that great by the halftime show.

This time I sailed through the game like a breeze. I never got out of breath and was so energetic I was still be-bopping along at 2am.

I think I built up my stamina by working out the last three weeks, 6 days per week.

Overall I stayed on plan with the exception of Friday night and Saturday morning.

Went to the doctor today and she was pretty happy with my progress and will see me again in three months. Wouldn't it be nice to lose twenty lbs between now and then?

I ran across a great list of what you can eat on Atkins Induction and am posting a link to it here. The list is so extensive it is too much trouble to cut and paste it here or retype it.

Atkins Phase 1/Induction Foods

Make sure and check it out to see what a great variety of food there is available for the low carb sugar free lifestyle.

As usual, all comments and encouragement are welcome!

"Me First" week two!

Missed my "Me First" post? Check it out here:

Me First And That's OK!

It's week two of feeling the "Me First," vibe and I am still trying to find balance. I spent Labor Day Weekend fulfilling a promise that took me two years to make good on. I visited one of my band babies at her college. We had so much fun it makes me wonder why I didn't do that before now?

My "Me First," for today? Rather than get up and kick into gear with house cleaning and getting dinner figured out along with other things, I went to the gym. It was a slow start. I didn't make it much last week so I was feeling it today.

1/2 mile on treadmill and a solid lower body workout with weights. My current leg press is 180lbs. At the height of my personal trainer time last year I was consistently doing 245-270lbs  per workout. I need to get my weights built back up there.

My goal is to get some more walking in today with my favorite walk away the pounds DVD and I had an on point low carb breakfast with 2 eggs over medium, sliced avocado and some Hilltop Meats hand-smoked sausage, extra spicy.

I will update this post if I get the additional walking done. Any comments of encouragement are greatly appreciated as well as comments sharing what you're doing to get healthier!

Weigh day is Friday!

*Edited to add just finished walking 3 miles for an overall 3.6miles today.

*Edited to add food for the day.
2 eggs, 4pcs smoked pork sausage, 1 avocado, 2 bubba burgers with cheese, sauteed spinach with garlic and olive oil.

Low carb Veggies and fruit counts website

Found a good link for low carb fruits and veggies for those counting carbs!

If you are diabetic these are also good as they are going to be the fruits lowest in sugars and least impact to your blood sugar readings.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/low-carb-vegetables.html

Me First, and that's OK!

Has it been 6 days since my last post? Well I guess it has!

Here is my progress:

Exercise:

So far this week I have done a Zumba class, an Easy Does It class, 2 lower body weight workouts, 2 upper body weight workouts and I have walked 10 miles.

Food:

Not been as on point as I need to be but I am overall eating much better than I was in June and even July.

School has started back so the house has been a bit more empty with the boy driving himself plus working and band practices. The BabyGirl is working 2 jobs and pretty scarce too. This has given me a lot of time to re-prioritize myself and put me where I need to be on my list, which is at job one.

As moms and wives I think we get so busy taking care of everything and everyone else we lose sight of the more important fact: If we don't take care of ourselves then there is no one to take care of all the people and things we are so busy taking care of.

So this week was the first week of me first. My health, dietary needs and even down time, first. Everyone else has reached a place of self sufficiency enough that they can manage for the most part. My husband has been telling me this for a long time and it's time I listened.


So here's to good health, loving life, and Me First!

Worked out tonight. I think I'll die.

I lost 30lbs last summer and gradually about 12 of it slipped back up on me. I have been working at it and I only need to lose 7 more to get back to last summers low. So for now I am focusing on getting back to the gym. 

Which I did today.

1.5 miles on the treadmill and a lower body workout on the weight machines. I know I will be feeling it tomorrow but that's ok. It's just upper body workout tomorrow along with some kind of cardio if I can get to it. 

I read somewhere that sweating during a work out is your fat crying as it leaves. 

Well my fat was having a hysterical, balling, squalling,  nervous breakdown on the treadmill. I think that's either a good work out or the AC was not working properly at the gym. 

Or I had the longest hot flash in my menopausal history to date. 

Or all of the above.

 I'm not sure. 

Low carbed it today and it's hard to believe I lost 2 lbs since Friday after the get together at my house last night but those low carb pumpkin chocolate chip pistachio muffins and lemon blueberry bars really kept me from going face down in the chocolate peanut butter pie and the caramel cinnamon rolls.

Excited about the scale in the AM. Gym time again tomorrow and getting some more cooking done. [deviled eggs and spicy chicken soup with spinach/mushrooms and green onions]

RECIPE REVIEW: Blueberry Lemon Bars

Ok this recipe really went over big with low carbers and non low carbers alike. Most people kept asking if it had cream cheese in it, which it did not. It made a creamy layer under the fruit that made it seem like it did.


These are best served cold.

***TIP: Make zest from your lemon before you half it and juice it.  If you don't have a lemon zester, then use a cheese grater.

Blueberry Lemon Bars

8 generous servings at 6.1 effective carb count  (8.9 carbs - 2.8g fiber)

shortbread crust:

1 1/2 cups almond flour,
[ I used Bobs Red Mill ]

1/8 teaspoon Stevia powder (NuNaturals preferred, or Sweetleaf)
[I used half a cup of Erythitol [Health Food Store] and half a cup of Stevia in the Raw[el cheapo at Grocery Outlet]

1/4 teaspoon sea salt
 [I used kosher salt]

6 Tablespoons  butter, melted [or expeller-pressed coconut oil]
[I used regular butter, not margarine]

1/2 teaspoon almond extract
[oops, didn't have any. Used Vanilla extract]




Preheat oven to 350˚F. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl with a fork.  Press into a 9" pan and bake 10 - 15 minutes until the edges are slightly brown. [I used a 9inch round cake pan.]


 Cool while you make the filling.

lemon filling:

4 eggs, organic, pastured preferred
[I used regular large eggs]

1 teaspoon organic lemon zest, finely chopped if necessary
[I used a zester to scrape the yellow off the outside of the lemon BEFORE I cut and juiced it. Had to chop it too.]

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
[had to juice about 4-5 lemons]

1 teaspoon NuNaturals Stevia powder, or 1/2 teaspoon Sweetleaf (then more to taste)
[used one half cup erythitol and half cup stevia in the raw.]

1/2 cup almond flour,
[ I used Bobs Red Mill]

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup organic blueberries, washed and stems removed (raspberries would be a good sub in this recipe)
[I thawed 1 cup of frozen generic blueberries]


Beat eggs until fluffy.  Add all the rest of the ingredients except the blueberries. Mix well. Set aside. Arrange blueberries over the crust as evenly as possible.

Then give the lemon mix a good stir and pour over blueberries.  Bake (still at 350˚F) for 25- 30 minutes until set.
Give it a toothpick test by putting your toothpick in the center and making sure the toothpick comes out clean, with nothing sticking to it.
The edges will be slightly brown.
Cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then transfer to refrigerator for about an hour.

I was so busy I forgot to take pictures. What I made didn't look as lovely as the pics in the link below but it tasted REALLY GOOD!






http://www.untilthethinladysings.blogspot.com/2010/08/gluten-free-low-carb-blueberry-lemon.html

RECIPE REVIEW: Pistachio, Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins

Made these for a get together at my house last night. I am not a fan of pistachios so I think I will up the sugar free chocolate a little and use walnuts next time. Also think it would rock with some sugar free cream cheese icing.


Almond flour is a bit pricey but if you are only baking for special get-togethers or occasions then it is worth it to have something so tasty that non low carbers are eating them.


Here is the recipe with my tweaks, the link to the original site is at the bottom

• 1 1/2 Cups Honeyville Almond Flour
•  [I used Bobs Red Mill]
• 
  
• 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
•  (I used store brand. Remember, pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.)
• 
  
• 1/2 Cup Pistachios (Pre-salted)
•  [Got them at Walmart]
• 
  
• 1/2 Cup  Erythritol 
• [Got it at Olive Leaves Health Food Store]
• 
  
• 2 Large Eggs
• 
  
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
•  [Got it at Grocery Outlet on the cheap]
• 
  
• 3 ChocoPerfection Dark Bars (or 90%+ Cacao Squares) 
• [could not find these. Analyzed the picture and saw that they were 10grams each. I subbed 30grams of a Lily's Original stevia sweetened dark chocolate bar, 55% cocoa. They can be found at the cash register at Olive Leaves Health Food Store. They are 85grams each.and cost almost five bucks. Almost enough for 3 batches of muffinss]
• 
  
• 2 tsp. Quality Vanilla
• 
  
• 1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 
  
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 
  
• 1/2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 
  
• 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. Cloves
• 1/2 tsp. Ginger
• [I did not have the cloves. I subbed 1/2tsp of pumpkin pie spice. Not the same but hey, ya gotta do what you gotta do!]

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine Almond Flour, Erythritol, Baking Soda, and Spices. Mix well.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine Pumpkin Puree, Large Eggs, Coconut Oil, Vanilla, and Apple Cider Vinegar. Mix well.
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, starting off by pouring only 1/2 of the wet into the dry. Continue mixing until everything is combined.
5. Chop the ChocoPerfection Bars (or high % cacao squares). Add the chocolate and Pistachios to the batter and fold them in.
6. Divide out your batter between 8 Cupcake Liners.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. 
   

*I baked mine for 27min. per the recipe authors suggestion. They came out great! Wish I had taken pics but I was so busy I forgot. I will get pics of the next batch.

They were sugar free, flour free and I believe gluten free, not that I watch my gluten intake. If you try them let me know what you think.

*They REALLY needed cream cheese frosting.





http://www.ruled.me/pistachio-pumpkin-chocolate-muffins/

Sweetener Substitutes and Equivalents

Found a fantastic website that tells you how much stevia equals sugar, splenda, etc. If you are looking to bake goodies for a diabetic or low carber then you want to bookmark this site.


http://sneakykitchen.com/Glossary/sweetener-equivalents.htm

Pumpkin Sausage Soup--Great for Fall Weather!

This recipe is a low carb one but you would never know it. It is spicy and rich. Everyone I've ever made it for had no idea it was low carb til I told them. It's also very quick to make:

Pumpkin Sausage Soup

* 2 c mashed pumpkin (1 15 oz can)

* 4 c. chicken broth

* 1/2 c. minced onion

* 1 c. finely chopped mushrooms

* 1/2 c half and half mixed with 1/2 c water

* 1 clove garlic, minced

* 1 T Italian Seasoning

* 1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage

Brown sausage,  drain, and then add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and Italian seasonings. When the sausage is browned, mix in the pumpkin. When combined stir in the broth and mix well. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Stir in the milk and simmer on low another 10-15 min. Taste and add salt/pepper as needed.

Most people think ewww pumpkin and sausage? Well honestly i tastes more like a squash and sausage soup. There is nothing sweet about it. It is very unusual and if you tried it at least once you might be very surprised.

Marinated Beef Roast

Marinate this all day Saturday and put it in a "slow oven" (low temp oven) at 225 degrees for 9 hours over night. Get up Sunday morning before church, take it out, let it cool while you get ready for church and put it in the fridge. Heat and eat later. SO GOOD!

 It has awesome flavor, super tender, is very simple to do and a favorite around here.

Marinated Beef Roast

14 ounce can of beef broth

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp liquid smoke

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 lb beef roast

Combine the broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, liquid smoke and garlic. I used a 9x13 Pyrex dish.

Marinate roast overnight (I let it sit 8 hrs, flipping it once)

Bake roast with marinade, covered with foil at 325 degrees 2-3 hours. (I let it go the full 3)

Let it rest 10 minutes and slice, spoon pan juices over the meat.

*You can also cook it at a lower temp (about 225) overnight--8-10 hours.

The PrayFit Prayer

If you're reading this and you're a Christian you might be interested in this prayer that my dear friend Pam posted this morning. 

It is from a FB page for the PrayFit movement/book. The slogan is this:  Life is not about the body but our health is a means of praise.

Here is a link to their website and what they're about.


http://www.prayfit.com/aboutus/

I haven't bought the book yet but I have been following their twitter and FB page for a long time. I find their words to be both inspiring and encouraging. 

Here is the prayer:

"Lord, please bless my workout. As I train my arms, let it remind me that I’m held tightly in Yours. As I work my legs, let it be only to follow you more closely. When I work my chest, may it be safely under a breastplate of righteousness. And when I hit my back, I’ll recall that I’ll never be attacked by surprise. And finally Lord, allow my beating heart to grow stronger, knowing that’s exactly where You live. Yes Lord, please bless my workout. I’m a temple, here to worship.
In Jesus’ name, I train, Amen."

Here is a link to their FB page:



https://www.facebook.com/officialprayfit/timeline

And their Twitter:


https://twitter.com/prayfit

Let me know if you have read the book yet and if so what you thought! All comments are welcome!




"In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated." - Willie Mays

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms (My recipe--not a review of someone elses)

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mushrooms of choices-(fresh not canned) I used white. Could use med portabellas or whatever cream cheese
Italian sausages
green onions
Italian seasoning 
fresh minced garlic (I use it out of the jar) 
garlic powder 
butter 
pepper salt 
shredded cheese or sliced "white" cheese like provolone, mozzarella, muenster, butterkase...



Use each of these ingredients in the proportion that you like to your taste. 




Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

Wash mushrooms. Pull the stems out of the mushroom caps and set aside.Slice sausage skin lengthwise and scoop ground pork out and into a skillet. Cook on medium heat and break up into small pieces as you go.

While sausage is cooking chop mushroom stems and green onions. When sausage is done remove from skillet to drain and add onions, stems, and minced fresh garlic (to taste) Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper. Saute until stems are cooked thru.

start w/half a block of cream cheese and slice into small pieces. Add to skillet. As it melts stir in sausage a little at a time until you have the proportions you want. You may want to add more cream cheese and less sausage or vice versa. Make sure you have crumbled bigger pieces of sausage by hand before adding back in to cream cheese mixture.....


Let the mixture cool and then pack by hand into the caps. place the stuffed caps back into the pan and bake at 350 until they look a little crusty on top. Add shredded or sliced white cheese of your choice and bake until it melts. Serve hot.



[the fresh green stuff in one of the pics is oregano from my herb garden. I just decided to throw that in there.]

Zumba! Zumba! Zumba!

When you say Zumba three times fast it sounds like a war cry. In reality nothing could be farther from the truth for me.

This is the second time I've been back to Zumba in a very long time. It felt a lot like Deja Vu:

http://womantypingbadly.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-first-zumba-class-today.html

Man, I thought that clock hand  would NEVER MOVE!

But it did and I am down 2 lbs today. That is most likely the combination of changing my eating and the exercise but I'll take it! Down 2 of 120lbs. 118 to go! 2/120

In the meantime, I'm going to post a fabulous low carb stuffed mushroom recipe. Check it out and let me know if you try it!

p.s. Just so you know, I do not look like the picture below when I Zumba:

Real Talk, Sometimes You Just Got To Have It!

Last May [2013] I got real serious about getting healthy and lost 30lbs from May to August. I sort of lost my way after that, even though I knew what I needed to do. For reasons I am unable to pin down, I simply would not or could not get back on track.

Today a dear friend of mine asked me what I did that summer that contributed to my success at that time. 

Without hesitation I told her that I went to the gym every single day, I stopped napping, even on Sundays and because my energy levels went up, I was more active. As the weight began to come off I began to eat better because I wanted to take maximum advantage of the physical progress I was making.

Fast forward a year. I have gained back about 10 of it and should have been pretty close to goal by now. 

What am I doing to contribute to my lack of success?

I rarely go to the gym.

I don't eat healthy.

My lifestyle is very inactive.

My internal dialogue has given up on it.

That's Real Talk. It's hard to look at but a relief to get out there. It's also my 46th birthday, today; and if I don't get on track soon I will live out my latter years in the poorest of health and have no one to blame but myself.

So today I am looking at my words and believing that next year at this time I will be writing about how much changed this year and what better health I am in.

^See that? That would be change one: my internal dialogue.

It's a start.

Comments are always welcome. 

Here's to our health,

Robin

Delicata Squash

DELICATA SQUASH YUM!

What are Delicata Squash? They are a mild buttery tasting almost sweet squash that is only in season in Florida around Sept/Oct. and sometimes Nov. They are a great low carb substitute for potatoes, especially as hash browns. In Panama City, Publix carries them and sometimes Walmart but not often @ Walmart.

One way of cooking Delicatas is to cut in half, scoop out pulp/seeds, and place cut side down in a microwave safe dish filled with a little water. Nuke until soft, scoop out and mash with butter, cinnamon, and sugar or Splenda. Another way is Squash Browns, recipe below :)

This is what they look like:





Squash Browns 

Delicata Squashes (however many on all of the listed ingredients you decide lol)
Bacon
onions, diced
Mrs. Dash
Salt and pepper


Fry bacon til crisp, set aside. While the bacon is cooking, peel the squash then cut in half. scoops out seeds/junk. cube.

fry squash in bacon grease til almost done. toss in the onions, season with Das/salt/pepper. Finish cooking til done.

EAT.IT.UP.

Recipe Review: Chipotle Wings

Chipotle Wings

Chipotle Wing Sauce

2-3 cloves garlic
Juice from one lemon
2-3 (or 4 if ya want it super spicy!) chipotle chiles in adobo + 2tablespoons adobo sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all in food processor or blender and blend until combined then drizzle in 1/2 stick melted butter or 1/4 cup good evoo while blending. Toss with 2lbs grilled wings.

I usually use 3 chipotle's, cilantro and evoo.

The recipe above is just as I got it from the girl who posted it.



These are my own notes:

the adobo sauce was so thick I could not get 2 tbsp out of it. I really liked the flavor of the adobo sauce so I wish I could have gotten more out of it.

The flavor was intense with heat but not flaming hot..... I would toss the wings in the sauce while the wings are still hot. They seemed to coat differently if the wings cooled some before I got them in the sauce. (I had three different kids of sauce going so I got delayed getting the wings into the sauce right away sometimes) 

Still tasted good dipping these wings in ranch or bleu cheese like regular Frank's sauce.

The recipe does not make a whole lot of sauce but the girl who posted this said she can toss 2lbs of wings in what this recipe makes. 

Texas Chili

Texas Chili

This recipe started as a recipe by a woman online named Dottie. I have changed it considerably so I am reposting here the version of it I now use:

1 pound ground beef

1 pound diced steak or stew meat
2 large yellow onions – diced
2 cans (14.5 ounce) cut diced tomatoes
2 cans (8 ounce) tomato sauce
2 cans (14 ounce) beef broth
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour Cream

Brown ground beef, steak and onions, breaking it up as you go. Drain well.

Add spices and continue to cook until meat is well coated.

Add the remaining ingredients.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes or until reduced slightly. 

Add water or more broth if needed.

Serve hot with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.






* I have made this recipe all the way to the meat/onions and seasonings then froze it. I packed it in a cooler, took the canned items with me and finished the chili about the 2nd or 3rd day we were camping. It is a great and consistent recipe.