I've fallen off the wagon, and I've done it in a bad way. Up until this point, I've "cheated" once or twice every week with no issues. In fact, the author of the original book says you can eat up to three "open meals" a week. This past week, I've had an epic fail and a major setback. Ugh.
We went out of town for the holiday weekend to visit family. Here's what that generally means: eat out the first night some place we normally can't go due to big brother's food allergies (we usually take big brother a few days before so he can spend time with his grandparents). Eat the leftovers the next day for lunch. Then, on our 5 hour trip, we grab a breakfast sandwich from the gas station or a drive-thru, eat lunch on the way at a fast-food place (we can't make the trip without stopping at least once - the kids don't care for the car much), and finally get to hubby's parents' house. There, we snack all day long (we are spoiled with goodies when we go), drink wine into the wee hours of the night, and snack some more. The way home is no different; fast food for lunch, then because it takes so long to drive, we usually end up eating MORE fast food for dinner because we don't feel like cooking (and because we try to use up all our perishables before we leave). It is a nightmare. As a side note, I know that some people eat like this all the time - I have no idea how they do it!!!
So, remember that lovely 138lbs that I was holding strong at? Gone. Vanished. POOF. When I weighed this morning after getting home last night, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. 145lbs. No joke. Disgusting. Here's the worst part. (warning: TMI alert!!!) My body is screaming at me. I not only feel awful - I'm tired, sluggish, bloated, swollen, grumpy, etc. - but I am now passing nothing but blood in my stool. Yep. Pooping blood. Lovely. I had a colonoscopy for this same issue before I got pregnant with baby boy...well, actually I was pregnant, but didn't know it yet. Oops. Anyway, they removed some polyps and lesions and told me to come back in a few years. They wanted to do more tests to find the cause of the bleeding, but because I was pregnant, they couldn't. The bleeding stopped for awhile, and when I look back it was when I was eating an allergy-free diet for the first 6 months of baby boy's life (due to big brother's food allergies, I didn't want to take a chance with the baby). Oh, and to be clear - I've had allergy testing with negative results. And the blood doesn't happen if I just eat grain/dairy once or twice a week.
Suffice it to say, I've had a wake up call. This cycle ends now. Remember as a kid when you played a game and messed something up or played the wrong way? What did you shout? DO OVER!!!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The pressure's on!
I've mentioned before that I am a kitchen gadget junkie, right? Well, I'll share one of my most favorite appliances ever: The Pressure Cooker. That's right, folks. I adore my pressure cooker. Why? Well, tonight I cooked a whole chicken - it was a big'un, straight from a girlfriend's farm - in that handy cooker in 30 minutes. 30 minutes! It would have taken me at least an hour and a half in the oven, and a good hour in my NuWave Oven. Along with my other many oddities, I tend to obsess about the doneness of my meat. I poke it, prod it, and cut it during cooking just to make sure it's getting done. If I cook a whole chicken breast, it ends up looking like tenderloins when I plate it. I know you're not supposed to cut into meat like that (you "lose all the good juices" and everything. Meh.), but I do it anyway.
Well, with the pressure cooker, I don't have to worry; mainly because I can't. I can't cut the meat "just to check." I just let it do its job and then put it on my plate. So tonight, my chicken was done, juicy, and on the table in 30 minutes. No joke. And believe me, I had to nearly stuff the sucker in the pot...it was big! There's also no question about doneness, either. The meat was nearly falling off the bones when it was done.
Speaking of bones, I have those lovelies in a crockpot as I type, along with veggies and herbs, and in the morning I will have a delicious stock that I didn't have to work for! I just threw in the stuff (whole), and turned it on. It doesn't get much simpler than that.
If you don't have a pressure cooker, go get one! I have this one . I got it as a gift a few years ago, and it's perfect for us. The hippie in my worries slightly about the aluminum, but hey - it was free. And, cooking in this one aluminum piece of cookware now and again is way less of a risk than taking an asprin or getting a vaccine. Just sayin'.
Well, with the pressure cooker, I don't have to worry; mainly because I can't. I can't cut the meat "just to check." I just let it do its job and then put it on my plate. So tonight, my chicken was done, juicy, and on the table in 30 minutes. No joke. And believe me, I had to nearly stuff the sucker in the pot...it was big! There's also no question about doneness, either. The meat was nearly falling off the bones when it was done.
Speaking of bones, I have those lovelies in a crockpot as I type, along with veggies and herbs, and in the morning I will have a delicious stock that I didn't have to work for! I just threw in the stuff (whole), and turned it on. It doesn't get much simpler than that.
If you don't have a pressure cooker, go get one! I have this one . I got it as a gift a few years ago, and it's perfect for us. The hippie in my worries slightly about the aluminum, but hey - it was free. And, cooking in this one aluminum piece of cookware now and again is way less of a risk than taking an asprin or getting a vaccine. Just sayin'.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Finally have time to post!
I'm several days behind on my posting. I've been mega busy completing a felt food order, and have spent every free minute sewing. I delivered the order today, so I have a little time to breathe! Phew!
I'm starting to get a little bored with my breakfast choices. Probably 5 days a week, I eat turkey bacon. Sometimes with eggs, sometimes without. Sometimes I throw a half an avocado in the mix. Sometimes I have an omelet with peppers, onions, and some sort of meat - usually just what's leftover from a previous meal (one day I threw some shredded roast in with my eggs; it was phenomenal!). I don't care much for fruit, so I just don't eat it. Now and then I'll have an apple, but I prefer it smothered with peanut butter. That's not usually practical for me.
Nine times out of 10, my lunch is whatever we ate the night before for dinner. I make a conscious effort to cook enough food so that Hubs and I can both eat lunch the next day; otherwise, I stand at the fridge for 20 minutes wondering what to eat, and he ends up eating in his work's cafeteria. I get very frustrated when I don't have an option of what to eat. Sometimes even when I have leftovers available, I opt for a deli meat sandwich on lettuce or something comparable. But it's nice to not have to eat that, if you know what I mean.
Because I've been so busy this week, I have neglected to take pictures of my meals. I did get a shot of a chicken salad I made with the leftover herbed chicken I had earlier in the week. My grandma brought me over some beautiful looking tomatoes (OK, as beautiful as they come when they're not quite in season!), so I thought chicken salad would be a nice light dinner since it's been so hot outside.
I'm starting to get a little bored with my breakfast choices. Probably 5 days a week, I eat turkey bacon. Sometimes with eggs, sometimes without. Sometimes I throw a half an avocado in the mix. Sometimes I have an omelet with peppers, onions, and some sort of meat - usually just what's leftover from a previous meal (one day I threw some shredded roast in with my eggs; it was phenomenal!). I don't care much for fruit, so I just don't eat it. Now and then I'll have an apple, but I prefer it smothered with peanut butter. That's not usually practical for me.
Nine times out of 10, my lunch is whatever we ate the night before for dinner. I make a conscious effort to cook enough food so that Hubs and I can both eat lunch the next day; otherwise, I stand at the fridge for 20 minutes wondering what to eat, and he ends up eating in his work's cafeteria. I get very frustrated when I don't have an option of what to eat. Sometimes even when I have leftovers available, I opt for a deli meat sandwich on lettuce or something comparable. But it's nice to not have to eat that, if you know what I mean.
Because I've been so busy this week, I have neglected to take pictures of my meals. I did get a shot of a chicken salad I made with the leftover herbed chicken I had earlier in the week. My grandma brought me over some beautiful looking tomatoes (OK, as beautiful as they come when they're not quite in season!), so I thought chicken salad would be a nice light dinner since it's been so hot outside.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
I love coconut milk!
Even when I was eating dairy, I have never liked milk. I think it smells. I only used it to wet my cereal or to dunk cookies in. I never drank it. Yuck! When I was nursing my oldest child, I used rice milk as an alternative (nut milks are off limits to my nut-allergic child). I found it tolerable, especially since I never drank it. But to cook with and to wet my cereal, it was acceptable.
Nearly 2 years ago, I found SO Delicious Coconut Milk. The difference is like night and day. I'd used coconut milk before in Asian dishes, but it always came from a can. I didn't know you could actually drink the stuff. Anyway, coconut milk is the closest thing in consistency to dairy milk that I've found. It's not sweet like rice milk. It doesn't leave a funky aftertaste in your mouth. I love this stuff!!!
Anyway, the point of my coconut milk love story is that I made green bean casserole tonight - you know, the stuff that calls for condensed cream of mushroom soup from a can, dairy milk, and french fried onions? Well, I made a version tonight that was not only delicious (tasted like the crap-from-a-can version), it was healthy, dairy-free, and Paleo friendly. Woot! I also roasted a chicken and smothered it with fresh herbs from my friend Rhonda. Parsley, sage, and thyme made a tasty bird! (Are You Going to Scarborough Fair? oh wait. I'm forgetting the rosemary...) ((I'm hoping that someone gets that!))
So here's the recipe, if you're interested. It's an approximation, because I stink at measuring. I used canned green beans from my parents' garden, but you can use whatever you have. 2 quarts green beans, 1 container fresh mushrooms, chopped (or 1 can mushroom pieces), coconut milk - maybe 2 cups? Oh, and don't forget the onions!
Sautee the mushrooms in half dairy-free margarine and half olive oil until slightly golden. Add coconut milk. Normally, I'd make a roux using flour; however, since flour is a no-no, I went with a slurry (of water and cornstarch) after I had already added the milk. It thickened up quite nicely, and was the exact consistency it should have been for my green beans. Next, thinly slice an onion and fry it until it's crispy. Dump all the ingredients together, put it in the oven, and bake. The great thing about making the mushroom "soup" from scratch, is that it's already hot when you put it in the oven. So instead of waiting an hour for the Campbells Soup Version, you just need to wait about 20 minutes or so. Voila!
Nearly 2 years ago, I found SO Delicious Coconut Milk. The difference is like night and day. I'd used coconut milk before in Asian dishes, but it always came from a can. I didn't know you could actually drink the stuff. Anyway, coconut milk is the closest thing in consistency to dairy milk that I've found. It's not sweet like rice milk. It doesn't leave a funky aftertaste in your mouth. I love this stuff!!!
Anyway, the point of my coconut milk love story is that I made green bean casserole tonight - you know, the stuff that calls for condensed cream of mushroom soup from a can, dairy milk, and french fried onions? Well, I made a version tonight that was not only delicious (tasted like the crap-from-a-can version), it was healthy, dairy-free, and Paleo friendly. Woot! I also roasted a chicken and smothered it with fresh herbs from my friend Rhonda. Parsley, sage, and thyme made a tasty bird! (Are You Going to Scarborough Fair? oh wait. I'm forgetting the rosemary...) ((I'm hoping that someone gets that!))
So here's the recipe, if you're interested. It's an approximation, because I stink at measuring. I used canned green beans from my parents' garden, but you can use whatever you have. 2 quarts green beans, 1 container fresh mushrooms, chopped (or 1 can mushroom pieces), coconut milk - maybe 2 cups? Oh, and don't forget the onions!
Sautee the mushrooms in half dairy-free margarine and half olive oil until slightly golden. Add coconut milk. Normally, I'd make a roux using flour; however, since flour is a no-no, I went with a slurry (of water and cornstarch) after I had already added the milk. It thickened up quite nicely, and was the exact consistency it should have been for my green beans. Next, thinly slice an onion and fry it until it's crispy. Dump all the ingredients together, put it in the oven, and bake. The great thing about making the mushroom "soup" from scratch, is that it's already hot when you put it in the oven. So instead of waiting an hour for the Campbells Soup Version, you just need to wait about 20 minutes or so. Voila!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
"You look skinny!"
Today I was told this by 3 different people! Wooooohooooo! I really feel great these days. My clothes are getting loose, and I'm actually kind of looking forward to summer clothes. I'm holding steady at 138 pounds, which I find amazing considering my nightly habits for the past 3 or 4 nights. Remember awhile back when I said I liked wine? And that I was going to give it up until I got to my goal weight? Well, I lied. ;) So, I've had a glass or two of wine for the past several nights; and, along with wine comes before-bed snacks. I generally chose trail mix, so I wasn't gorging on crap, but last night I indulged in some chips and salsa. And still my weight holds strong at 138. I'm totally OK with that, all things considered!
I've been doing really well with eating through the day, which I think is the reason my weight is the same even though I've had wine and snacks before bed. Yesterday, I had eggs and turkey bacon for breakfast, a turkey "sandwich" on lettuce, and a burger and smoked sausage for dinner. Today I had nothing for breakfast - I know, I know, not a good thing. It was a strange morning with naps and such, so it just didn't happen. For lunch, I had leftover smoked sausage from last night. For dinner I grilled steak, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and cooked canned green beans from my parents' garden. We also had a big salad to go with it.
I've been doing really well with eating through the day, which I think is the reason my weight is the same even though I've had wine and snacks before bed. Yesterday, I had eggs and turkey bacon for breakfast, a turkey "sandwich" on lettuce, and a burger and smoked sausage for dinner. Today I had nothing for breakfast - I know, I know, not a good thing. It was a strange morning with naps and such, so it just didn't happen. For lunch, I had leftover smoked sausage from last night. For dinner I grilled steak, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and cooked canned green beans from my parents' garden. We also had a big salad to go with it.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
An alternative to spaghetti squash...
So, we had spaghetti squash the other day for dinner (on one of the days I didn't have time to blog), and I wasn't as thrilled by it as I was the first time. It was still good, but not delicious. Tonight, we had spaghetti-sauced meat over green beans. It was really good. Here's the scoop. Brown 2 lbs ground beef, mix with sauce - the sauce was supposed to be homemade, but I ran out of tomato sauce; therefore, Prego came to the rescue! Toss a bag of frozen or fresh green beans with olive oil (I used a frozen mix of green beans and yellow wax beans...man, I can't wait for the garden this summer!!! Then added oregano and basil for a little more flavor), put it under the broiler for about 10 minutes or so, turning often, until the beans are slightly crispy. Plate the beans, top with meat, and eat! Even my non-green-bean-loving-hubs thought it was tasty.
On another note, I woke up this morning feeling a little different. Thinner, if you will. So...I weighed. Another pound lost! 138lbs this morning! Wow. Also, as promised by the diet, I noticed my skin is clearer. I have suffered with annoying adult acne for a very long time. The only time I've noticed clear skin is either when I'm pregnant or when I was on an allergy-free diet. Yet another confirmation that my body does not do well with dairy or wheat products. I'm loving these new discoveries!
On another note, I woke up this morning feeling a little different. Thinner, if you will. So...I weighed. Another pound lost! 138lbs this morning! Wow. Also, as promised by the diet, I noticed my skin is clearer. I have suffered with annoying adult acne for a very long time. The only time I've noticed clear skin is either when I'm pregnant or when I was on an allergy-free diet. Yet another confirmation that my body does not do well with dairy or wheat products. I'm loving these new discoveries!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Catching up
Whew! I've been busy! As a result, my blog has suffered. Time to catch up...
Since I'm several days behind, I'll just fill you in on my dinner choices. It's pretty safe to assume that I'll have eggs, turkey bacon or sausage, rolled up deli meat with or without a lettuce "bun," or dinner leftovers throughout the day for breakfast and lunch. Two nights ago for dinner, we "Made it a Manwich Night!" OK, not really. You remember that goo in a can from childhood? I have a killer recipe for it, but decided to try one from the Paleo book. It was super simple, and quite tasty, even sans bun. I put it over a baked potato - not really recommended on the Paleo Diet, but I couldn't fathom just eating mouthfuls of beef.
I used 2 lbs of ground beef (from our grass-fed stash), diced peppers and onions, 1 can of tomato puree, and 1 Tbsp chili powder. The recipe called for 1/4 tsp ground mustard and 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (which would have made it interesting!)- but I didn't have these on hand, so I omitted them.
Last night, I had a dinner fail. The recipe has potential with some modifications, but as it was, it was pretty gross. I didn't even finish all of my food, which very rarely ever happens!!! It was a salmon scramble, and called for a 1 lb bag of mixed veggies (I used Thai veggies and threw in some broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots), 6 oz of canned salmon, 1 Tbsp rosemary, 1 tsp cumin, and salt and pepper. Cook until veggies are tender and salmon is heated through, and top with over-easy eggs.
The salmon is what made it gross. I love canned salmon - BUT, I generally eat it as fried patties, and load it with gravy. The flavor was overpowering to the veggies, though I did like the combo of rosemary and cumin. Suffice it to say, this won't grace my dinner table ever again. Ick. Next time I think I'll use canned chicken. It's worth another shot, but without the salmon!
I'm feeling great. I'm not bloated, and I even feel comfortable enough to wear clothes that don't just hang off my body. I noticed a few days ago that I don't do myself justice with the clothes I use as my staple wardrobe. I dress like a frumpy fat mom, and therefore, I feel like a frumpy fat mom. Hubs agreed with me (with lots of disclaimers from him..."no, you're not frumpy, no you don't need a girdle, no you don't have love handles, etc. in responses to my rambling. Ha!) So I've been trying to branch out and go out of my comfort zone in my clothing choices. Last night I had a meeting, and I actually wore (gasp!) leggings. And you know what? I got a lot of "You look great!!! The Diet is really making a difference for you!" comments. Yay for a self-esteem boost!
Since I'm several days behind, I'll just fill you in on my dinner choices. It's pretty safe to assume that I'll have eggs, turkey bacon or sausage, rolled up deli meat with or without a lettuce "bun," or dinner leftovers throughout the day for breakfast and lunch. Two nights ago for dinner, we "Made it a Manwich Night!" OK, not really. You remember that goo in a can from childhood? I have a killer recipe for it, but decided to try one from the Paleo book. It was super simple, and quite tasty, even sans bun. I put it over a baked potato - not really recommended on the Paleo Diet, but I couldn't fathom just eating mouthfuls of beef.
I used 2 lbs of ground beef (from our grass-fed stash), diced peppers and onions, 1 can of tomato puree, and 1 Tbsp chili powder. The recipe called for 1/4 tsp ground mustard and 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (which would have made it interesting!)- but I didn't have these on hand, so I omitted them.
Last night, I had a dinner fail. The recipe has potential with some modifications, but as it was, it was pretty gross. I didn't even finish all of my food, which very rarely ever happens!!! It was a salmon scramble, and called for a 1 lb bag of mixed veggies (I used Thai veggies and threw in some broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots), 6 oz of canned salmon, 1 Tbsp rosemary, 1 tsp cumin, and salt and pepper. Cook until veggies are tender and salmon is heated through, and top with over-easy eggs.
The salmon is what made it gross. I love canned salmon - BUT, I generally eat it as fried patties, and load it with gravy. The flavor was overpowering to the veggies, though I did like the combo of rosemary and cumin. Suffice it to say, this won't grace my dinner table ever again. Ick. Next time I think I'll use canned chicken. It's worth another shot, but without the salmon!
I'm feeling great. I'm not bloated, and I even feel comfortable enough to wear clothes that don't just hang off my body. I noticed a few days ago that I don't do myself justice with the clothes I use as my staple wardrobe. I dress like a frumpy fat mom, and therefore, I feel like a frumpy fat mom. Hubs agreed with me (with lots of disclaimers from him..."no, you're not frumpy, no you don't need a girdle, no you don't have love handles, etc. in responses to my rambling. Ha!) So I've been trying to branch out and go out of my comfort zone in my clothing choices. Last night I had a meeting, and I actually wore (gasp!) leggings. And you know what? I got a lot of "You look great!!! The Diet is really making a difference for you!" comments. Yay for a self-esteem boost!
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