Weigh Healthier, Not Deprived

Last year I cut a few things out of my diet and began making more dishes from scratch. As a result I lost around 25lbs over 4 months and was at 145 lbs. Then I lost my job, winter set in, and I did less in exercise and my eating regime. I didn't really do much in the way of exercise, I simply changed the way I ate. If you really want to kick start weight loss start an exercise regimen and then introduce less caloric intake. It may take time to see results but persistence is key.

I weigh 175 lbs and my goal is 130 lbs. If I were to fit in the wedding dress I wore in a fashion show many years ago, I'd need to weigh 115 lbs. Any less and I'd look pretty awful and bony. Online 5 - 10% is the goal you should set for losing weight, but no more than 1.5 lbs a month. Calculated, losing 40 lbs would take me 8 months about Christmas. 

First things first, increase water intake. Sounds like a 'duh kind of thing but most commonly overlooked. 

Second, reduce the amount of sugar I eat. Most of your die-hard cravings will occur in the first month of lowering the amount of sugar you consume - include soda, dessert, even sugars in food you cook. Cut down/cut out the soda, eat more fresh fruits for dessert, and change how you "season" foods that normally call for sugar like candied yams, use brown sugar but not the marshmallows or vice versa. 

Tertiary, forget how the day is set of specific foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Eat the most in the morning and then graze the remainder of the day will help you regulate how "hungry" you are vs. "cravings." Eat foods that will fill you, give you nutrients and hydrate you. Go ahead and throw caution to the wind.

Can't get away from that, try this for one day:

Breakfast: oatmeal with some fruit and nuts, a bit of cinnamon, some cantaloupe, along with an egg. 

For lunch find some fiber with a good salad, add a tuna or chicken salad sandwich, some fruit or veggies dipped in a container of Greek or active culture yoghurt, 

Dinner a grilled salmon filet or baked skinless chicken. Spice it up with herbs and balsamic vinegar or mustard as a rub. Steam some veggies, and for dessert make sure to leave room for Jello! Often, incorporate soups like Minestrone or other lentil rich soup.

Finally, keep in mind that wanting something that isn't "healthy" is fine - just remember portion control. Portion control also is about how often you have that item too - everyday is a no-no but once a week may work okay for you, while once a month might be fine too.

Mustard-Herb Crusted Pork Chops

So...Husband gets bored if I make "variations" of the same thing. After turning out a dreadful version of that lovely pizza crust (too many distractions!) I pulled out some frozen pork chops.

I used a few tablespoons of a Dijon-style mustard with a spoon. Then grabbed some bread crumbs - not the small itty bitty type, the pea sized ones you'd use for stuffing - and sprinkled them on top. Mind you, these bread crumbs are from epic fails at bread making while don't taste awful the crusts are hard. I finished the recipe by sprinkling as many types of herbs as I could find, oregano, parsley, chilli pepper, sage, marjoram, onion powder, garlic, crushed black pepper and other colored pepper. I'm the kind of cook that sprinkles just about anything on top and hopes it comes out tasting good.

I'm not one to use salt in cooking (a long standing habit) but I did use about 1/8 c of soy sauce and up to 1 cup of water so that the water was just about to the tops of the pork chops and kind of gave it a poached look.

Put them in my oven at 375 degrees for 35 minutes... and the topping tasted very much like stuffing. Put a side of wild rice which went nicely.

I'm linking up at....

Healthy Alternative Homemade Pizza Crust

The other day I commented on the Homemade Pizza Dough posted by Staci at Life at Cobble Hill Farm at Simple Farmstead Cooking and she also shared the deep dish style pizza recipe too. 

Husband is kinda picky about pizza dough and all previous attempts have been failures with him. So with fingers crossed and while Husband and Big Boy were “fishing” I made the deep dish style. It was very easy to make, quick (in spite of the waiting for the dough to rise), and I did it by hand. I also did the Domino’s trick of putting olive oil with seasoning. It smelled amazing as it baked, so delicious!

Of course, pizza can be topped with whatever you like! Although I thought I had a package of cut up bell peppers but I was wrong, so we made do with sliced mushrooms, pineapple chunks, onions, and sliced antelope sausage. Next time I’d like to add olives, tomatoes, sausage, and of course, the bell peppers.

Here’s the recipe she sent me:

Homemade Pan Pizza

This recipe makes 2 deep-dish pizzas. I've also used it to make 1 large regular pizza by rolling out the dough into a rectangle, placing the oil on a cookie sheet and baking it on the cookie sheet. It's good either way. Use whatever toppings your family likes best.

Dough:

1/2 cup oil (olive or canola), divided

3/4 c. plus 2T skim milk, warmed to 110 degrees

2 t. sugar

2 1/3 c. all-purpose flour, plus extra for the counter

1 pkg instant yeast

1/2 t. salt

Topping:

Pepperoni, sautéed onions, mushrooms, or whatever your family enjoys

1 1/3 c. pizza sauce

3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Adjust oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200, turn it off. Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Coat two 9-inch cake pans with 3 T. oil each.

For the crust: Mix milk, sugar, and remaining 2 T. oil in a measuring cup. Mix flour, yeast and salt in stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium-low and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. **If you aren't using a mixer, mix the flour, yeast and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, then pour the milk mixture into the well. Using a wooden spoon, stir until dough begins to come together and is difficult to stir. Turn out onto a heavily floured work surface and knead, incorporating any scraps, until smooth about 10 minutes.**

Turn dough out onto floured counter and gently shape into a ball and place in greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm oven until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Transfer dough to floured counter and divide in 2 (if making 2 pan pizzas). Roll and shape the dough to fit into the pans. Press into the oiled pans, cover with plastic and set in warm spot until puffy and slightly risen, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees.

Making the pizza: If using pepperoni, while dough is rising line a plate with 2 paper towels. Put pepperoni slices on paper towels and cover with a third paper towel. Microwave 15 - 30 seconds to render some of the oil from the pepperoni. Do the same with any remaining pepperoni.

Remove plastic wrap from the dough and ladle sauce on each, leaving 1/2 inch border around edges. Add pepperoni and/or other toppings and top with mozzarella.

Bake until the cheese melts and edges are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer cooked pizzas to cutting board with a spatula and cut into wedges.

Science Zone Hatches Compelling Program

We'z in the paper. Lately, we've had a run of "luck" including being interviewed by tv reporters, the newspaper, winning fudge, movie tickets....it's strange for someone who has a hard time finding a penny on the street to pick up. Sending this to the grandparents!

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A Peep Ending: S'Mores

Oh yeah, I love Easter. I don't like the taste of Peeps. At some point I figured out a perfect way to use them (when they are in the clearance cart) and have a chuckle. It's not an original idea but I've done this before the invention of I don't know - Facebook?

Inspiring What Music Can Do!!

Old Man In Nursing Home Reacts To Hearing Music From His Era

RIP Patrick Carroll...you have come to the end of your journey...

9:07 a.m. (California time), Tuesday, April 10, 2012 you were called home.

Very Nerdy - Design Your Own Twitter Background!

I was trolling the internet to find a CSS background template to use and found  one for Twitter instead. I tried it, like it and set it up on my Twitter. Awesome.

Design Your Own Twitter Background!

Patrick's Long Road Ahead...is ending? We NEED more PRAYER!

I just did this post about Patrick Carroll getting a new heart in a transplant that he'd been on the list for 1 year. I've known him since I met his brother James in school and his mom Mary Ann as a schoolyard teacher in elementary school.

His wife Samantha posted sobering news today and she, their children, met with a social worker to make a decision as to their next steps...please continue to pray for them, no matter the outcome as Sam will still have to deal with her Lupus, their children Robbie & Jazzy would grow up without him, and countless others would be missing a piece of themselves named "Patrick Carroll."

His wife chose Blake Shelton's "God Gave Me You" as his most recent theme song.

How Many Ways to Use Carrots

In honor of the Easter Bunny, here are several ways to use carrots in your meals throughout the day! I'm sure you can figure out how to incorporate carrot puree soup, carrot coin medallions, or carrots in your salad...but what about the things you don't think of like carrot chips, carrot fritters, or carrot protein bites?

Let's start with breakfast over at The Baking Aisle with carrot cake waffles! The syrup is so simple to mix up too and adds to the aroma. If waffles aren't your thing, try out the Clean Eating Carrot Cake Oatmeal at The Gracious Pantry.

Carrots are a healthy snack, right? These Gingered Carrot Cake Cookies look delightful from Brown Eyed Baker. Okay, okay, then try these roasted carrots from Allan Sullivan.

For an afternoon snack, try some rum soaked raisins, spiced pecans, candied carrots, spiced cream cheese/sour cream carrot cake ice cream from The Cooking of Joy:

On the go - try The Carrot Cake Milkshake from Chocolate-Covered Katie!


For real, this is Dinner? Potage Crecy, or carrot puree soup,

Of course - dessert...carrot cake.