A side or two with that meat

First of all I need to report that yesterday was a DISASTER.  Despite my efforts to curb my cravings, I failed.  I went for a bike ride to put some distance between myself and those blasted black and white cookies.  Alas, after returning from my grueling ride (it's been two years since I was on a bike) I popped another two cookies, some chips, my daughter's uneaten Goldfish Crackers, a bite or two of ice cream.  Like I said, it was NOT a good day.  The kind of day you don't even bother to point out but just say you'll get back on the diet tomorrow.  Since this is the first time I've had this sort of day since the diet began (this was much more regular behavior a few months back....minus the biking of course!) I'm going to cut myself some slack and know that a bad day will come now and again.  Hopefully that was it for a while!

Next I realized I have been remiss in providing new recipes.  As I have previously indicated my husband is a meat and side dish kind of guy.  When we cook a joint meal I try to make at least one side that I can eat to cut down on the number of dishes  we are using!  So, here are two that go with just about anything...chicken, ribs, pork, steak, or burgers.  I hope you enjoy these and they provide some new things for your dinner tables.

Broccoli Mash: 0-1 point
*From the kitchen of LER (my grandfather used to make this in full fat version)

Ingredients:
-1 bag of frozen broccoli (you can use florets, spears, or cuts) or a few crowns of fresh broccoli: 0 points
-2 TBSN to 1/4 cup Fat Free Half & Half: 1/4 cup is 1 point
-2 to 3 TBSN "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" Spray: 0 points
-Salt and Pepper to taste: 0 points

1.  Steam broccoli until soft.
2.  Transfer to a food processor (if you do not have a processor you'll have to mash in a pot by hand but the processor gives it a nice consistency).  Puree until chopped (I like mine finely done but with some bits for texture).
3.  Add in desired amount of Half & Half and Butter Spray...amounts vary depending on your taste.  I use about 3 TBSN H&H and 2 TBSN Butter Spray
4.  Stir in Salt and Pepper to taste

It's nothing fancy but a nice alternative to ordinary steamed broccoli.  Plus you can eat a ton and you are virtually eating 0 points.

Israeli Cous Cous with Cranberries and Pepitas: 8 points (meant to serve 2)/serving
*From the kitchen of LER

Ingredients:
-1/2 cup Israeli Cous Cous (once cooked it yield a little more than a cup): 1/4 cup dry is 4 points
-1/4 cup dried cranberries: 2 points
-1 oz Pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds): 4 points
-1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese: 2 points
-Salt & Pepper to taste: 0 points

1.  Bring 1 cup of water to a boil (if you are making more cous cous the ratio is double water to amount cous cous).  Lightly salt water.  When boiling add cous cous and cook on low for about 5 minutes, letting some of the water boil off.  Then cover and keep on low until water absorbed and cous cous tender.  You may need to add a bit of water if the cous cous is sticking to pot.
2.  While cous cous is cooking coarsely chop the cranberries.
3.  When cous cous done add cranberries, pepitas, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix together.

This is a slightly higher point side dish.  You can lower the amount of the pepitas if you want to shave some points.  If you don't really care about points, a bit of olive oil gives a nice added flavor and smooth texture (1 tsp = 1 point).  If you are having less points with chicken and some steamed veggies, this is a nice hearty and filling side.

Last night I paired this with 3 oz of grilled pork tenderloin (3 points) and some steamed broccoli (0 points).  It was a perfect meat and two sides dinner!

Hope these liven up your dinner tables.  I know I'm always happy to find a new simple recipe to try.  Until tomorrow, happy and healthy eating!

New Weight and Pesky Monday Cravings

Starting the week down another pound...current weight is 157.  So I've hit the big 15 for total weight loss.  I never gained the freshman 15 when I was in college but I guess I did later in life.  I have to say it was way more fun putting it on than taking it off.  I was hoping for a slightly bigger number but a loss is a loss and that is good especially after a pig-out mother's day.  I have to say that after my blog last night I felt obligated to eat a small portion of the Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup Ice cream.  So all things considered, it could have been much worse!

Furthermore, I am super PMS so I am going to tell myself there is some extra water weight hanging around.  Therefore, if I have a good week I'm projecting HUGE numbers next week - ha ha ha.  The challenge will be how to make it through the next few critical snack craving days without eating myself through house and home.  Whenever I go to my dad's house he sends me home with lots of cookies.  So after this weekend visit I now have three containers of bakery fresh cookies: Black and White Cookies (my ultimate favorite...when I lived in NYC years ago I'd get one with my lunch just about everyday....ah, those were the days), a package of regular Madeline's, and a package of chocolate flavored Madeline's.  And you all know there is that PB Cup Ice Cream gently calling me to the freezer.  I have already folded and had a B&W post lunch.  That is annoying as I'll have to back into my dinner plan based on what is too many points on a snack!!

Additionally I am sitting in my living room as I write which is just a hop skip and a jump to the kitchen.  Not good.  Since my husband starting working from home (recent development) he has stolen my office chair and I have not replaced it.  It's amazing how much logistics play in dieting.  Simply having a safe distance between myself and the kitchen makes snack control so much easier.  I think I have some BBQ Kettle Cooked chips in my pantry too.  Yeah, this is going to be a long few days.  I think my continued drifting to thoughts of food even as I type is my cue to get myself either outside to garden, off to the gym to swim, or out for a short bike ride.  Anything to occupy my "nap" time with something constructive verses finding reason I need to visit the kitchen.  Otherwise next week I'll be writing with a number going the wrong way!!

Until tomorrow, happy healthy eating and hope you are all having better luck with your cravings than I am at present!!!

Sunday Night Ramblings Mother's Day Edition

First of all, I'm so sorry to my small but dedicated readership for abandoning you for a few days.  Between entertaining and Mother's Day events I have not found a lot of time to write.  I have had much material given my glutenous surroundings of the past few days.  We'll see what I can work into this Sunday night!

1.  Prior to my Mother's Day feast which I will get into in a minute, I put on a pair of "new" old jeans.  Last fall my beloved jeans that I wore everyday, fit perfectly, tore while I was watching the kitchen floor.  It was the classic bend over and rip scenario.  The only option I had was to suck it up and go jeans shopping - a dreaded activity for most of us.  I have learned in my later years to spend a little more on a good quality pair of jeans that will fit better and last longer.  A trip to Nordstrum with the help of their personal shoppers I walked away a little poorer but two pairs of jeans richer!  One I wear everyday.  The other I was convinced to buy (and they did look good and feel OK in the store - I was actually anticipating losing some weight when I bought them) but never fit comfortably upon bringing home.  So I more or less gave up on them.  Until tonight.  I have been feeling a bit lighter in step and thought, why not give those lovely designer blues a chance to see life outside the closet.  Much to my delight, they fit very nicely and even after some time in them were a bit lose in places.  Woo hoo for dieting!!!

2.  Up next, the big fat cheat...I think.  I have done so much cooking the past few days, most of which I have not been able to eat, that I wanted nothing to do with a pot or a pan this Mother's Day evening.  We came up with the idea to hit a Japanese Steak House for the good food, and the entertainment factor for a three year old.  She was mildly amused and snacked on a dinner of rice while I inhaled more calories then I think I was alloted for the day.  Fried rice, veggies cooked in oil and lard (it's so nice to see what is actually going into your food as it is cooked in front of your eyes..so that is what makes it taste so good!), shrimp, filet.  Yum yum yum.  Since it was an occasion to celebrate Mother's Day the chef guy kept giving me all the excess.  It was too hard to explain my diet so I just went with it.  I guess the only saving grace is that I only consume a cookie today in preparation for what I knew would be a full blown eat fest.  It was good, it was the perfect fix.  I hope this has not affected my numbers too much.  We shall see in a few short hours.

3.  I came home after a night at my mom's to a clean house, folded laundry, mowed lawn, and vacuumed floors.  In all our years of marriage this has never occurred.  It was a wonderful surprise...the best Mother's Day present...kudos to my husband.  Your work was noticed and appreciated.  Now, onto the other portion of my gift.  A joke if you will.  I got lots of silly little gift cards to Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, and Papa John's.  There was also a pint of ice cream in the freezer.  He had originally planned to make me a carrot cake (a favorite of both of us) but luckily for me he ran out of time.  Perhaps he likes the extra meat on my bones?  The BK card is all him...he knew I'd pass that one over!  Luckily I can frequent my two coffee establishments without actually inhaling calories, although I'd like to (I have to say I have tried the new Starbucks Cherry Mocha Latte - skinny style of course - and it is fab-u-lous!).  But I do have the confidence with the new sweets, that I knew were bought with love, in the house based on my restraint among the Easter candy.

4.  I did not make my goal to get to the gym for two (or was it three??) swims this week.  Only one for me.  But I have to think I made up for it with back breaking gardening - hence the aversion to further exercise.  I did start to get the bikes tuned so perhaps in addition to my normal goal of 2 swims this week I'll set a goal of 1 bike ride (I think this is pretty aggressive given my week but here's hoping!).

5.  I have a wonderful new recipe, courtesy of my sister, that I am eager to share with you all this week.  It may replace the veggie roll up on my go to meal as that may finally have run its course for a while.  As well I have a few yummy side dishes I've made that I need to share as well.  Why is it that I'm always 10 steps behind in just about every area of my life?

6.  I am sure there is more to babble on about but I have some steak in my teeth and I must go floss it out before it drives me crazy.  See, there is a reason not to eat red meat (yeah right!).

Until tomorrow, oh happy weigh in day, happy healthy eating to all!

The Perfect Sandwich

I must say, it's not only difficult to keep to a regular food and exercise routine while family is visiting, but it's hard to find time to write.  The past three days have been a blur.  Preparatory cleaning, yard work, gardening, thousands of pounds of laundry, cooking food I can't eat while watching others inhale it, as well as entertaining.  It's been great fun seeing brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws to be, mother in-laws.  I've been so busy I've barely had time to think about snacking, and I've been on my feet non stop.  So that must be a good thing for weight loss, no?

The added bonus to this visit is that my sis in law to be is on the pre-wedding diet so she and I teamed up together and ate healthy while our men did not!  We were able to commiserate about why it's so hard to lose weight when the men in our lives just want big piles of meat for dinner every night.  So thank you L2 for being my substitute sister this week...I don't know what I'm going to do without you tomorrow night when it's BBQ rib night...I'm sure that is a post in itself.

I did what to let everyone out there know that I am in fact human and have fallen victim to cheating.  I finally disregarded the diet yesterday.  My sister-in-law and I took my daughter out into Boston yesterday to wander around, hit a park, and to do as much shopping as a toddler will allow!  Of course we had to do a ladies lunch.  There is an amazing sandwich place called Parish Cafe (http://02a7d0b.netsolhost.com/index2.html) that has enlisted the help of a plethora of local chefs to create a unique sandwich for the menu.  The result is an interesting, diverse, and eclectic combination of ingredients.  For any local Bostonians who have not tried this long standing establishment you must and for any visiting out of towners, it's a great treat!  There are a few items on the menu that are more diet friendly but let's just say it isn't the kind of place you go to for a pile of greens.  So I finally allowed myself to loosen up for a special treat and I ordered a perfect combination of sweet and salty.

The Schlesinger
Created by: Chris Schlesinger,Chef / Owner- East Coast Grille, CambridgeMonterey jack cheese on warm banana nut bread topped with smoked ham and mango chutney. Served with pickled ginger red cabbage.

I substituted potato salad for the cabbage - why not go all out?  It was bliss.  Caloric bliss.  I thought every possible way to assign this a point value and I couldn't so I just said I'm going to enjoy it and swim a little harder, snack a little less, and keep myself in line the remainder of the day.  I actually surprised myself and could not finish the whole thing.  Normally finishing my entire plate, and whatever my husband fails to eat, is as easy at 1-2-3 for me.  But I think the past few weeks have conditioned my stomach to be used to smaller portions and less filling food.  My daughter ate my second half of banana bread.  I only ate half the ham.  I did polish off the potato salad, it would be abusive to leave any behind.  I was stuffed.  Yet I have NOT stopped thinking about that sandwich all day and am trying to find an excuse to work that into my meal plan every week!!!  I wish I had taken a picture so I could pull it up on my iPhone whenever I feel like I need a fix.  Actually, that's the angle I can take...I simply need to go back eat it again and take a picture for posterity.

Anyway - I hope everyone out there in diet land has had a good week of healthy eating and is ready to go into Mother's Day weekend with some points/calories saved up in the reserve tank.  I may blow mine tomorrow on rib night....we shall see.  Until the next time, happy healthy eating.

Hamburgers....His and Hers

Last weekend I was craving a hamburger.  It's been quite some time since I've had red meat.  I love steak and burgers and I have missed them so.  A tiny little portion of steak just won't cut it for me so it's easier to avoid the temptation altogether while in active weight loss mode!  I'll celebrate with a proper steak house steak (Capital Grill is one of my favorites) upon reaching my goal.  But for whatever reason, I really needed some hard core red meat last Friday.  Perhaps it was the unseasonably summer-like weather we've been blessed with in the Northeast. Perhaps due to the numerous BBQ smells wafting through the air as everyone fires up their grills.  Perhaps because after a long day on Friday both my husband and I needed a simple (as you know from former posts, simple for my husband is a relative term) meal.

I have noted several times that it is very hard to diet in conjunction with a man in the house.  Making hamburgers seemed a good way for both of us to enjoy a meal and work within our food needs.  I quickly looked up in my Weight Watcher's book the point value for ground beef.  According to my book 2 oz of 95% lean ground sirloin is 2 points and 2 oz of 90% ground sirloin is 3 points.  I have never seen 95% but always buy 93% lean.  So we are in a grey area of estimation.  At the end of the day I used the 3 points for 90% just to be safe.  The book also says that 2 oz is roughly 1/2 cup.  I am so glad I used my food scale to see what 2 oz was because there is NO way 2 oz is 1/2 cup.  To give you a visual see below:

That's right everyone, 2 oz of ground meat is slightly larger than a golf ball.  Upon seeing this, I realized that 2 oz was a ridiculous serving size and there was no way a meatball was going to cut it for dinner!  I therefore readjusted the sides I was initially thinking so I could double the portion size to 4 oz at a value of 6 points.  It's funny to realize how warped our perspective on portion size is in this country given the all you can eat buffets and Cheesecake Factories of the world.  But when made a 4 oz burger patty looks like this:

While it's not a monstrous burger by any means, it is a decent size.  I added lettuce, tomato, avocado (2 points), and a slice of 2% American Cheese (1 point).  I used an Arnold Deli Flat for a bun (1 point).  So the total value for my burger was 10 points.  I had some broccoli on the side and it was a satisfying meal that scratched an itch!

Now, that was the "hers" version of an American classic.  I never venture to make my husband's hamburgers because there are way too many components to it.  I simply like the ground beef salted and peppered (on my non diet days a blob of cream cheese in the center makes a lovely treat!).  This would be far too simple for my man.  I don't know if it's a Southern thing or a "him" thing, but this is what his burger mix looks like:

Seriously???  I'm suppose to diet around this guy?  If memory serves me correctly you are looking at 1 lb of ground sirloin (minus my 4 puny ounces!), an egg, bread pieces, worchestire sauce, and the shinny stuff on the meat is a good squeeze of honey.  Is this a burger or a meatloaf for goodness sake?  Once mixed, these turn into the following:

That's right - you are looking at two ginormous man patties.  That is in fact a dinner plate in case there was any confusion about that.  Each patty is roughly 1/2 pound plus all those special additives.  This would not be my first choice of ingredient combinations if calories were not an object, but I have tasted this concoction and it isn't that bad.  

But now you all see what I'm up against.  This meal was "garnished" with a baked potato, baked beans, and a small serving of broccoli.  I think there may have been something else but I just can't recall.  I'm still overwhelmed by the frisbee sized burgers.  I will let you all know that my husband only ate one of these for dinner and saved the other for lunch.  

The moral of the story for those of you reading is that you can in fact eat the same, yet different meal with your unsupportive non diet conscious spouse!  The trick is to avoid temptation and stick to your own food plan within the menu.  And seriously, who wants all that extra stuff anyway, yuk (just keep telling yourself that over and over!).  Until tomorrow, happy and healthy eating for all!

Did she do it folks??

That is the 10 million dollar question.  Did the neurotic crazy dieting fiend crack the illusive 150's?  Why yes, I can finally put a 5 after the 1.  I weighed in at 158 this morning, down another 2 lbs from last week, 14 in total.  I am actually in the vicinity of my pre-child days...not too far from my wedding day weight.  Mind you even if I got to that weight, I do not think my current body would resemble the one from my formative years unless I go for the tummy tuck.  But I have to say I am pretty happy to feel like I've sunk below 160.  Three years of haphazard trying and I guess all it really took was some motivation and actual follow through - not generally my strong suit!

This whole weight loss thing is fairly contagious.  For the first time ever I am addicted to losing weight (don't any of you worry, I think a transition to anorexia is far from eminent....I like food too much and prefer to exert my control freakish ways in other areas).  Now if I could only translate some of that enthusiasm to the sit up and weight lifting department.  I think with even a moderate amount of effort focused on my abs, arms, and legs, I could get some definition back.  I would be nice to weight my goal weight and not be lumpy.  Unfortunately I think that is where I'm heading.  I think I can reach that goal but am going to have my stomach pooch and my tree trunk legs remain unless I get serious about a little weight training.  Sigh...it's always something isn't it?

Wow...I don't know where the day went.  I started this at 2pm and it's now 7:45.  We have family visiting so the latter part of the day involved passenger pick up, a bit of entertaining and cooking.  It takes 10 times as long to cook ANYTHING when you have to boil your damn water for contamination purposes.  I have to say my hands are raw and sticky from soap residue and antibacterial gel.  I am seriously hoping we have water usage back tomorrow but I'm thinking it most likely won't be until Wednesday.  What can you do?  I guess the plus side to this crazy busy day is that I have literally been on my feet all day long cleaning and cooking.  I had not a second to snack and I have a nice 18 points left for dinner and dessert!!  Well deserved in my opinion.

Anyway, I have a few funny stories to tell but I will have to wait until tomorrow to begin those.  This entry is already reading like a Sunday Night Ramble!  It's becoming evident that Mondays are likely going to be rushed entries.

Until tomorrow, happy and healthy eating...and just for fun drink lots of poison water (hey, if we all get a tape worm that should really aid in the weight loss process).

Sunday Night Ramblings

Wow, there is a lot of material to cover from this past weekend.  Not even sure where to begin.

1.  Obviously the big story for many of us living in the greater Boston area is the water main break which burst on Saturday morning in Weston, MA.  For anyone reading from afar the recap is that there was a "catastrophic" pipe break (to give you a sense the pipe is 10 feet in diameter) that supplies water to 30-something towns/cities including Boston.

Some 2 million people, 700,000 households, have been affected and are being asked to boil all water used for drinking, brushing teeth, washing hands, doing dishes, etc.  8,000,000 gallons of water spilled per hour for quite some time.  That is one big ass pipe and that is a lot of people who have no clean water.  I have to admit, I've heard news stories in past where there has been a water contamination and household have to boil water for safe consumption.  I felt bad, but like many others probably didn't give it a second thought.  Now my home, along with so many others, is realizing just how dependent on clean water we are.  Mind you, I could give up drinking water and substitute soda for a few days without a problem.  What is the BIGGEST inconvenience to me is the whole issue of food preparation and cleaning.  You all know what a crazy germaphobe I am...well this is a total psychological nightmare for me.  I'm terrified not only I but my small child is going to end up with ecoli or a parasite if one drop of contaminated water touches our lips, food, hands, etc.  Ordinarily this would have been a perfect diet assistance...you can't properly prepare your food, so go into starvation mode.  For me it just meant lots more bites of junk processed food including some of that dreaded Easter basket candy.  I have all but taken a tomato to be prepared and dipped it into boiling water on the stove to avoid illness.  I took my first shower in three days a short while ago (at my gym with my daughter as they are not under a boiled water order).  They say it's OK to use water to shower, but really, if it's not safe for hand washing and I'm suppose to be vigilant about keeping my mouth shut in the shower, there is NO way I'm stepping food in that water!  I have to say after a few days you don't really notice the dirt and grime.  Nor do you require an elastic to keep your hair out of your face...the grease more or less takes care of that on its own!  I am pretty sure that the majority of my readers are in the same boat and all I can say is that I hope in the next day or two we can start to use our water in normal ways again.  Otherwise, I may end up in the loony bin.

2.  It was a big weekend of chores, much of which utilized the fabulously warm weather to work on the outside.  Lots of garden bed preparation, seeding, mowing, clean-up.  Both my husband and I are tired sore puppies after a lot of manual labor.  It makes me realize that I'm not only getting older, but I'm painfully out of shape.  I say this every year and every year I feel a little worse about my physical condition.  Oh well, it sort of serves as motivation for us both to keep up with our activity level.  On a plus side, I have to think that some of all this labor can be counted as "working out."

3.  We did not get to use the kayaks this weekend.  In large part because my husband (after a 2 week absence) was in slave driver mode.  He was desperate to "get stuff done" which meant no time for fun.  Sigh.  Furthermore, with the damn water situation we really couldn't justify cleaning/disinfecting the kayaks that had been left to the outdoor elements for 2 years.  Hey, I guess it was probably a good thing, I think I have my hands full of germs with just the house water alone much less dirty kayaks!

4.  My husband and I have set ourselves on a pretty strict financial diet if you will.  We are trying life on a budget for a change.  I love to garden and generally don't think too hard about what I spend on our summer decor.  However, this is a new time for us and calls for desperate measures.  We decided to steal rocks from the woods to edge our garden.  I should have brought my camera but he was such a nut about it insisting that what we were doing was probably illegal I'm sure there would have been no time for photographic memories. I didn't see what the big deal was...I mean, who likes all those pesky rocks you trip over on hiking trails anyway?  I'm sure the woods won't miss a few.  Now if I've done something really bad, I hope you'll all pretend I never wrote this at all!  The point being, this contributed to my weekend exercise program as well.  We hauled out with the help of our 3 year old (perhaps we've inadvertently started her on a life of crime at an early age) one large bucket and four reusable grocery shopping bags full of rocks.  Unfortunately we are going to have to play "rock bandit" again next weekend as we still need more for the garden edges.

5.  I actually managed to exceed my exercise goal of two swims this past week and did three.  I do have pool stories but those have to stand on their own.  I was happy to have swam a total of 6 miles and hope it helps with the weight loss this week.  For some reason I'm predicting a very low loss or no loss.  I just feel like I am overdue for a plateau and I'll bet it will be the week I'm ready to crack into the 50's.  We'll see tomorrow.  Given the water situation and the clean showers available there, that could be a motivator for me to swim everyday this week!!

6.  My husband made a "real" dinner on Saturday night.  After all day laboring in the yard and in the house I was too tired to finagle his menu too much.  Luckily he'd run a few ideas by me and I picked what had low to no point ingredients.  I wish I had taken a picture because the food was very good and it was easy to eat a "regular" meal.  Added bonus, I didn't have to cook.  It was a pork tenderloin with a rhubarb chutney.  A stuffed tomato with a lime cilantro corn/roasted red pepper mix (I'm going to try to use this as a base and do some new recipe for future to make more of a main course) and an artichoke.  The only struggle was that I "ruined" the artichoke by using I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray.  I'm surprised the artichoke police didn't come and take me to food jail.  Really, an artichoke is the perfect vehicle for butter, garlic infused butter even better!  And right now at Whole Foods they have those JUMBO artichokes which are so damn good.  I have to go stock up and train myself to think spray butter tastes the same as real butter.  Anyway, the point is that I loosened up a little (although I think my husband would beg to differ as I still measured and weighted things) and found I could eat "real" food.

As you can tell, I had lots to say despite the fact I'm so tired I don't even know how I can find the energy to walk up to my bed.  It was a good weekend, a productive weekend.  Let's hope that will translate to a productive Monday weigh-in tomorrow!  Until then, hope everyone has an enjoyable remainder of this fine Sunday night!