Whole 30 - Two weeks down

(forgot to hit publish on this yesterday)
Today is technically Day 15 in my Whole 30 experience.  I started on Wednesday the 1st and today is Wednesday the 15th.

So far, I've lost 6 pounds.  I should be THRILLED with that amount (and overall, I guess I am), but I lost 5 pounds the very first week.  I guess I just thought I would have lost more this past week.  One of the Whole 30 "rules" is that you don't weigh yourself.  Well, you can take away my dairy and carbs but you can't take away my scale.  I weigh myself every morning and have continued to do that on Whole 30.

My clothes are fitting much differently.  My size 8 pants are too big and some 6s are pretty roomy and starting to hang in the tush.  Annoying, but in a good way!

I have made some new recipes that I want to remember so I will link them here:
Steak with mashed cauliflower and brussel sprouts
Chicken drumsticks with veggies
Crockpot Chili (I am using turkey instead of beef because that is what's in the freezer)
Time for Dinner steaks with grilled veggies and side salad (I took a pictures of Mike's...mine was without cheese)

What I love (and hate because of the time it takes) most about Whole 30 is trying new recipes and foods.  Before this month, I had never made sweet potato chips, kale chips, chicken drummies, cauliflower mash pots, spaghetti squash, brussel sprouts, and my VERY FAVORITE, frozen banana "ice cream" (frozen bananas, almond butter, and water blended up).

I can't believe I am over halfway done with this thing.  It is much easier...although I have had many many temptations.  I find it easiest to say that I am lactose intolerant when ordering things are restaurants to make sure they don't use any creams or cheeses in sauce/on salads/etc. 

Anyone out there doing Paleo/Whole 30?  I'd love some more links to good recipes.  Can you eat the Aldi's fruit strips?  (I love those things.)  What do you drink other than water?  Those of you that finished Whole 30, how did you ease back into "normal" clean eating again?

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Whole30

On May 1st, I decided to start the Whole 30 challenge.  1 month without alcohol (see how I put that one first) dairy, grains, sugars, and legumes.  (Shopping List)

Why would I want to do this?  Honestly, with only 1 month until my sister's wedding with about 5 pounds to get to my goal, I felt like this program would help me out.  I've never had much of a sweet tooth and Mike and I generally eat pretty clean.  My problem is that I am Ethan's garbage disposal.  I finish his mac n' cheese, take a little handful of his goldfish, and "taste" a bit of everything I give him.  Extra calories that were just adding up. 

I am now 6 days into the program and it really hasn't been horrible.  I mean, yea, I miss the convenience of more processed food.  I have a comfortable set of recipes and this program has definitely forced me to try new things.  I've only done this since last Wednesday and I've made so many new things.

Pretty obsessed with spaghetti squash, kale chips, sweet potato chips, and banana "ice cream" (frozen bananas with almond butter).

From left to right:
Egg muffins with mushrooms, onions, and bacon
Mixed greens with steak strips, tomatoes, guac, and salsa
Scrambled eggs with peppers and salsa, turkey bacon, avocado
Chef salad with turkey, bacon, hard boiled egg, avocado, and salsa
Spaghetti Squash (with zucchini and chicken)
Rotisserie chicken, asparagus, and peppers with guac
Kale chips
Sweet potato chips
Banana "ice cream"

There is a cute little timeline out there that says how you should be feeling for each given day.  Right now, I should be in the "I just want a nap" phase (which yesterday was the "Kill all things" phase), but I don't feel that way at all.  I really have felt totally normal since starting this diet (other than hungry the first couple of days).  I mean, I could always take a nap, but nothing anything out of the ordinary.

People have asked me if this is SOOOO hard.  So far, it hasn't been.  The hardest part has been preparing.  The shopping, cooking, chopping.  That's been the hardest part.  But the actual act of not eating dairy and cheese hasn't been bad.  I'd like a glass of wine, but I will get to have one in a few weeks.  It is just a month.  I won't die. (I keep reminding myself of that over and over again).  I love this quote from the website...

"It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Giving up heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You won’t get any coddling, and you won’t get any sympathy for your “struggles”. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE not to complete the program as written. It’s only thirty days, and it’s for the most important health cause on earth – the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime."

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More Yummy Recipes

I made some amazing food last week!  I've been trying to use all of the cans in my pantry before we move.  It's called for me to be a bit creative in the kitchen which is something new for me.  Here's a few of the yummy dishes I came up with (or found on Pinterest):

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings/Chicken Pot Pie-  I found a few recipes online and ended up mixing a few.  It's super simple and REALLY good.  I used this recipe as inspiration but didn't use the butter and added mushrooms and a can of mixed veggies (corn, carrots, peas).

Pumpkin Muffins-  I made them twice this week.  The first time was to use the can of pumpkin and cake mix in the pantry and I got many request to make them again for Friday Treats at work.  Everyone was asking for the recipe and couldn't believe that it is just a can of pumpkin, a box of dried cake mix, and 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips.  So easy and SO good!

Pepper Jelly Chicken-  I was inspired for this dish by something I got at Time for Dinner.  I mixed a jar of pepper jelly with low-fat cream cheese.  Mike pounded chicken breasts really flat and I spread the jelly/cheese mixture on each one, rolled them, and stuck toothpicks in so they would stay.  We baked them at 450 for 25 minutes.  Yum.  (I also made my favorite stuffed mushrooms!)

Fish Tacos- I'm always looking for ways to eat fish tacos.  I wasn't super crazy about what I did last time.  I baked the tilapia with taco seasoning on it.  I made guacamole and a yummy spicy sauce (greek yogurt, light mayo, and buffalo sauce).  We added the usual taco toppings (tomatoes, cheese, and lettuce) and it was pretty darn good. 

I'm always open to new, healthy-ish recipes.  If you have tried anything new lately, link it in the comments.  Thanks!

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Yummy Pinterest Finds

I'm always on the look out for new crockpot recipes.  They need to be easy and "healthy".  We have tried a few really good ones lately so I thought I'd share!

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas-  Super easy and really good!  We love fajitas and honestly, they aren't hard to begin with.  But it was awesome to be able to cut up the peppers and onions on Sunday and put it all in the crockpot on Monday morning.  I didn't think ahead enough to thaw the chicken and cut it into strips so I ended up putting it in frozen. 

Crockpot Chicken Marsala-  I had a bunch of portobello mushrooms that I needed to use and this recipe was perfect.  Again, I'm lazy and didn't thaw and cut the chicken ahead of time.  That means that I ended up with a lot of chunky and shredding chicken pieces.  Still yummy though!  I served the chicken over whole-wheat angel hair pasta.  Only thing I would change is to double the sauce.

Crockpot Turkey Meatballs- Easy and great!  These are from my favorite website, SkinnyTaste.  You can eat them alone with sauce and cheese or over pasta.

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas- Ok, this isn't a crockpot recipe but it was really simple.  I prepared it the night before and put it in the fridge overnight.  When I got home, I popped it in the oven and it was DELISH!  I added a can of corn and a can of black beans.  YUM!  I also made this for a friend that was sick and unable to cook so it is a great "casserole-type" dish to bring to friends that are new moms, too.

Those are my latest Pinterest finds.  Please link any recipes that you are digging right now, too!  Thanks!

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I'm a cooking fool!

Thanks to Pinterest and being home this summer, I've been able to try out some new, awesome recipes.  I found a few online and made up some on my own.

I'm on a roll lately and I'm sure if you follow me on Instagram, you are probably sick of seeing my food. 

1.  Knock-off egg McMuffins- (found these on Pinterest)  Super easy and better for you than fast food.  These are REALLY good...Mike says they are better than the real thing.  I definitely plan to make another batch when I'm back to work in August.

2.  Time for Dinner's Buffalo Turkey Burgers, Edamame Quinoa, and grilled corn on the cob-  We are huge Time for Dinner fans and these have been in our freezer for quite a while.  They were so delicious on a sandwich thin, lettuce, tomato, and ranch greek yogurt spread (just add some dry ranch to a container of yogurt...yum).  The quinoa was totally easy and really good!  I boiled the quinoa in chicken broth and added the shelled edamame after it simmered for 20 minutes.  Just follow the directions on the bag for quinoa.  Mike made a spicy butter for the corn and it was great...just cayenne pepper mixed into the butter.

3.  Tilapia fish tacos-  For the fish, I used frozen Tilapia that I had in the freezer from Sam's.  I rubbed taco seasoning on top of 6 filets (Mia ended up eating one...grr) and followed the cooking directions on the back of the bag.  I made guacamole slaw by blending 2 avocados with a small tub of greek yogurt.  When it was smooth, I stirred in cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and minced onions and 1/2 of a bag of organic broccoli slaw from Trader Joe's. 

                                                      

I chopped some tomatoes and a lime, shredded the fish, and rolled it up in a Trader Joe's corn tortilla.  (Make sure to follow the directions and heat the corn tortilla before eating.  They aren't good if you don't follow those directions.)  I was so proud of myself for just making this up myself :)

4.  Homemade Hawaiian Pizza-  For about a dollar or so, you can buy Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza crust.  I just followed the directions on the back of the bag and added my favorite toppings to make a Hawaiian pizza (sauce, pineapple, Canadian bacon, and cheese).  Honestly, it wasn't the BEST pizza I've ever had...it was pretty bland.  I think next time, I'll try to make the crust thinner and add some garlic and more seasoning to get more flavor.

                                                  

So that's what I've been up to lately!  Just cooking away as little Suzi Homemaker :)  Have a fantastic weekend and STAY COOL! (I heard it's supposed to be a high around 110 degrees tomorrow in St. Louis!  YIKES!)

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Spinach and Bacon Mushrooms

I can't. stop. making these. SOOO delicious and only around 35 calories per mushroom. I love the Skinny Taste website and everything I have made has been awesome. The first time, I measured everything from THE RECIPE out perfectly but now I just throw the ingredients together and go (I also substitute turkey bacon). Make these now. Yummmmmmm....

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Chicken Enchilada Dip Rollups and Yummy Orzo

When I blog about food, it is usually so I can remember things that I like so I can make them easily. I usually find recipes from other blogs and this is no different. I first saw the recipe on Lauren's blog which lead me to this yummy blog, and finally to the recipe that I used. It was really yummy and I will make it again. I was short on time so I used shredded, canned chicken for the first time and I probably won't do that again. I feel like it kind of tasted/smelled like canned tuna. Maybe I will just try a different brand next time.

Ingredients:
-2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
-1 1/3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
-1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
-1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
-1 teaspoon cumin
-cayenne pepper to taste
-salt to taste
-1 small, southwest flavored rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded (I used canned)
-1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
-4 green onions, chopped
-10-oz. can Rotel tomatoes
-1 package jalapeno cheddar tortillas

Directions:
-Mix cheeses together until well blended.
-Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
-Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
-Place one heaping spoonful onto tortilla.
-Spread to edges using a metal spatula.
-Roll and cut into slices.

Last night, I was super proud of myself when I made this yummy orzo dish. I am not sure what to call it yet so Yummy Orzo will have to do. I made a similar dish at Time for Dinner that used a ton of asiago cheese. I wanted to make a less fattening version using Laughing Cow. It is definitely more bland but after adding spices, it was pretty tasty. I'll make it again. (Mia thought it smelled good!)
Ingredients:
-1 chicken breast (cut into small chunks/cubes)
-1 bag of orzo pasta
-6 Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese wedges (only 1 pt. each)
-3 cups of frozen peas
-3/4 cup skim milk
-garlic powder, minced onions, season salt, shaved parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:
-boil 12 cups of water in a large pot
-add chicken, orzo, and peas and boil for about 6 minutes
-drain water and add ingredients plus cheese, milk, and spices to the pot
-stir and eat! YUM!

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White Chicken Chili

I was home today for a personal day, didn't feel like grocery shopping, but wanted something yummy for dinner. I looked into the pantry to see what cans of vegetables I had and figured that I could try to make white chicken chili. I had never made it before, just threw some ingredients into the crockpot, and it turned out great! (This isn't my picture, but this is pretty close to how it looked.)Here is what I used:
-1 can of northern beans (they are white)
-1 can of white, shoepeg corn
-1 can of chicken broth
-1 can of cream of celery soup (it was supposed to be cream of chicken but I didn't have it)
-1 can of rotel (it was supposed to be tomatoes and onions)
-3 frozen chicken breasts
-chili powder, garlic powder, minced onions, oregano, and cumin

It was SO good! And I think it probably isn't too unhealthy...just the cream of celery soup is bad. I will definitely be making this again!

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Weight loss....BLAH...

I haven't mentioned my anything about weight loss in a while. That's because nothing has really happened. Gain a pound, lose a pound, stay the same. I have been stuck for a month or so. I know that I haven't been counting my points as well as I had at the beginning and I know that I also need to get active more often. I am holding strong at -7.5 lbs but I would like to lost another 5-7 before Italy. This week, I am going back to make a "0 Point Veggie Soup" that was in my first Weight Watchers booklet. If if love vegetable soups, this is a great one. I will eat about 10 crackers with this (2 points) and sometimes a little something on the side. This is a great recipe if you want to keep your points down for the day! If this recipe isn't your style, you can find tons of other "0 point" soups out there like this one, or one with a Mexican, Asian, or Italian flair.Ingredients

• 4 cups spinach, washed
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 medium celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 28 ounces canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

Put all of the ingredients in the crockpot on high for 5 hours. Make sure to remove the bay leaves!

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Yummy Recipes!

Last week, I made two new, delicious recipes and both got thumbs-up from Mike. He had been out of town a lot this month and I was really excited for him to finally be home. I woke up early to make these yummy mini-omelets and they were awesome. (Both photos from Gina's Weight Watcher's Recipes)This recipe can be found HERE. I used 6 whole eggs and 2 egg whites and made 11 omelets instead of 9. Don't be worried that you have more broccoli than egg mixture. It all evens out in the end and tastes great!

On Thursday night, I decided to bust out the good ol' crockpot (my favorite invention) and made Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili. Ohhhhhh baby. Delish!!!My veggie amounts didn't quite match what the recipe called for HERE but again, it still turned out great. We ate some of the chili in corn tortillas and some with cheese and sour cream on top with a spoon. Someone at work told me that it is great over rice (like in the picture above) too.

I know that weight loss and recipes aren't really "fan favorite" topics on my blog and they don't get a lot of comments. BUT...this is where I am right now in my life so I'm going to keep blogging about it :)

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Weight Watchers- Weeks 1 and 2

We have been doing Weight Watchers at work and our group of 15 people has already lost over 80 pounds total!

Week 1 went really well and I thought I was going to see a big weight loss on the scale. I told Mike that I would be happy as long as I had lost something. I got on the scale and only lost 1 pound. I'm not going to lie...I was mad. But, I continued to track all of my points and go the gym. I am currently up to running 2.5 miles. I am going to give 3 miles a shot on Saturday.

Last night, I made a recipe our of the Weight Watcher's book they give us each week. This picture is from the WW website but mine looked just as beautiful! It was DELICIOUS! You should definitely give this recipe a shot. Mike loved it too!!!

Today was weigh-in #2. Although I wanted more than 1 pound, I knew that any loss was what I needed. This week's loss was 1.6 lbs! YAYYYYYYY! If I lose a pound each week, I will lose 13 pounds by the end of this. Let's hope the losing streak can continue.

I am finding the weekends are really hard for me and not only for the food but the beverages. This weekend, we are going up to Columbia for a lush and chow-fest and I can't wait. Not sure how I am going to count points yet. Oh well! We will see!

I'll start posting my stats here too:
Week 1
Weigh-in: -1 lb
Total Loss: -1 lb

Week 2
Weigh-in: -1.6 lbs
Total Loss: -2.6 lbs

Happy Friday!!!

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Shredded Chicken Tacos

Ok, that isn't a picture of our dinner last night but it was the yummiest picture that came up with my Google search.
I made such a delicious dinner last night and used my crockpot for the first time. So so easy!

Here is what you need:
- 4-6 frozen chicken breasts
- 1 can of Rotel
- 1 can of water
- 1 pack of taco seasoning
- tortillas or hard taco shells
- your favorite toppings (cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, guac, sour cream)

You just add the chicken, can of Rotel and water, and seasoning to your crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. When finished, shred the chicken (it will fall apart easily) with a fork and serve. SO SO YUMMY!

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"Low-Fat" Pasta con Broccoli

So, I am bored and posting constantly today. I made dinner and I am waiting for Mike to come home so I figured I would try my hand at posting a recipe.

I have tweaked this recipe over the years to make it more healthy and I really like where it is now. Very simple but quite tasty, if you ask me!

Ingredients
-Wheat Pasta (I choose shell or rotini)
-2 or 3 spears of broccoli
-1 can of Hunts tomato sauce
-1/2 stick of margarine melted
-1 cup of 1% milk
-spices-garlic powder, cayenne pepper, minced onions (and anything else you may want)
-parmesan cheese

So simple. Boil the pasta. Add the sauce, milk and butter.Stir it all together. The sauce will now by pinkish.Add spices and cheese to taste.Steam your broccoli and then add it to the pasta. Yum yum! That is it!!!Mike just called and he is going to have to work late at work...AGAIN. I might have to eat my pasta alone :( Oh well...

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Here's to a crazy weekend!

I can't believe tomorrow is already Friday! I love how the days are just flying by! We have a busy weekend and I had to make cookies tonight!

Tomorrow night we have Mike's holiday party for work and I know it will be a late night. On Saturday morning, I have a baby shower to attend. My first baby shower ever and I am so excited!!! Saturday night I am going to go to a cookie exchange and then we are off to our friends' holiday party! Woo! I will try to relax and catch up on sleep on Sunday but then I have my cheerleading holiday party that night. I am tired thinking about it but it is going to be a fun weekend!

SOOO...tonight I made my "Oreo Balls" for the exchange. I know they are called "Oreo Truffles" but I like "Balls" better. They are so easy! Just mix a box of crushed Oreos with a box of cream cheese. Roll them into balls, dip them into melted chocolate, and put them in the fridge to set. Wa La...People love these things!!! I actually bought mint Oreos this time. Can't wait to see if people like the new flavor!

OH...I forgot to post the update on the new, basement bathroom! No more purple "poop bathroom"...YAY! (Sorry Les!)

Remember what it looked like before? Before (Ew)...After...Before with pipes...Now they are hiding!More after pics...It looks so so so much better! We used the grey (blue) from our guest bedroom and I think it looks great. I like it so much more than that light purple. Bleck....

OK...I am going to get ready to get in bed (and read Breaking Dawn of course...it is finally getting really good). My hubby is still at work (it is 10 PM!) and I guess I will have to fall asleep alone tonight.

Have a great night! Good luck tomorrow, Ali! I love you!!!

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