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.