Saturday, May 1, 2010

o/k....this is not so much a recipe...as a new found belief.....
first of all.....it is late, and I have spent most of the night talking with my husband about this....what I am about to post may offend many of my friends....please don't think any less of me....please respect me as someone who is always looking for higher beliefs, higher guidance, and always a way to be a good person.......
First of all, everyone who knows me I was raised at the 'hand of God'....in the Baptist law, went to Baylor, baptized in the church.......I DO believe in God, I do believe that if you do not live a good life there is consequence......however......
When Clinton passed away....there were many things that happened....to me, Todd, his sister, and his friends.....which made us believe that he was with us....Now, if we stick to conventional belief that when we die we go to Heaven or Hell, that would not be possible, but, there are a few of us, who have, without a doubt, felt Clinton's presense...
I have started to feel as though every thing I have known in my life is challenged.....I have started to believe. as do many religions - I might add - that there is a greater force of good and evil - and EnERGY -
After many months of prayer and thought, I truly believe that we all contain energy - that is why PRAYER WORKS!!!!! There is a GREATER BEING!!!!! and he helps focus the energy - so when we all pray for a friends family member, all that energy is focused in that direction - even scientist can't disagree....energy is REAL - and when a group of people focus their energy in one direction, things are CERTAIN to happen!!!!!!!!
So, in this first writing, please know that I am not saying I do or don't believe in anything, except for this.....we all have the power, whether we are here or not, to determine how and where we send our energy.....make sure yours goes to something good.....

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

o/k....so I promised a 'healthy' version of tarter sauce...No, I'm not even going to tell you it's going to be exactly the same, but, it will give you a fix with some great 'fake fried' (that recipe later!) fish....

1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1/4 cup sour pickles (hamburger chips are great for this!) finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Mix all of hte ingredients together, add more garlic salt and pepper to taste - I promise, this will cure a craving! Especially with some malt vinegar!

Monday, March 29, 2010

OOOOHHHHH...did you think I forgot about the fish tacos...no way!
O/k, you will need lettuce 'cups', you can get these in the produce section...if you can't find them, just buy butter lettuce, it'll do!
O/k....take you pagnasius (basa) fish and SOAK it in Sriracha (that's the red plastic container of HOT sauce on the table in the chinese restaurants...you can find it in any grocery store)....cut the fish into 1inch by 1 inch 'chunks'....
Heat up a non stick skillet with two tablespoons of EVOO (note: Did you know thanks to Rachel Ray EVOO is now in the dictionary?????).....
When the oil is hot (not smoking) , place the fish 'nuggets' in the hot oil...cook for about 2 mintes per side, and place on a paper towel to drain.....
take some fresh made cole slaw, 'diet' tarter, and te letuce wraps, and start building those tacos! YUMMY!!!!!
I'll post the recipe for a great cole slaw and 'diet' tarter soon!
AMAZING recipe - You have got to try this...If you think you don't like cauliflower, or think your kids won't eat it....you will love this....

It takes about 1 head of cauliflower for every three people....trim the heads away from the cauliflower, and boil them until soft...drain, and put back in hot pan....salt and pepper to taste....add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese, and mash with a potato masher....YUM!!!! This is a great substitute to mashed potatoes, WAY less carbs!
Play with this....add cheese and butter or margarine....add parm cheese and bread crumbs and bake for 15 minutes at 350....
I promise you, I HATED cauliflower until I discovered this about three months ago, as did my husband, and now he BEGS for cauliflower!
Hope you enjoy - let me know your thoughts!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Well, it's been a while since I have posted.....things have been a little crazy, but I must say my personal goal to 'be good to myself' is paying off....31 pounds later to date, and I feel much better!
It's heading into a very difficult time of year for me, as the first anniversary of my precious sons death is around the corner.....I can do this, I have a wonderful husband and friends who are right there beside me....
Going to be posting some great recipes this week....will be trying some new things out! Just a note, go to the store and ask your fish monger for Basa (pagnasius) fish....I will be posting a recipe for AMAZING lettuce wrap tacos that I can promise you 1) you will not know it is fish and 2) you will never miss the tortilla!
Much loves for now!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

o/k....now that I've been emotional....here's a great recipe for the program!

O/k....here is a recipe for the diet.....in case you need dinner!
"sassy saucy" Chicken

1 boneless skinless chicken breast per person
Take chicken breast and pound out....don't worry if you don't have a fancy meat clever....a couple of sheets of wax paper and a rolling pin work fine....e-mail me if you need instructions, I'll send you a video!

Chicken breast
your favorite salsa
shredded cheese (colby jack is my fave!)
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 350.....
salt and pepper chicken breast on both sides, place in a shalloe baking dish, bake for 15 minutes....
Turn chicken over, pour your favorite salsa over the chicken breast. top with about 1/2 cup shredded cheese per chicken breast
Put back in oven for 15 minutes
This a a great way to satisfy your mexican craving, and eat healthy - low carbs, LOTS of protein, and CALCIUM!!!!

This is great with a salad topped with salsa as a dressing - salsa is a great alternative to salad dressing! And it makes yummy 'mexican food' dinner without combining calories and fat and carbs! The trinity of 'No-No!'

Not about the program.....about life...

Well, today....I went to a wedding at a bar.....the gentleman performing the ceremony -it was his first time...he lost his spot in the ceremony, and had the bride and groom repeat their vows twice....there was b-b-q and baked beans....but, it was the most beautiful wedding I've ever been to....here's why....

The bride is a friend of mine....I've known her for only 1 1/2 years, but, in that time.....
the day my son died, and all my local (and I thought better friends) stayed away because they just didn't 'know what to say', she didn't....she came to my door, and when told by our housekeeper and my husband that I was in my room and didn't want to be disturbed, pushed past them and came to me....picked me up and held me, fed me and let me cry.....brought food to feed me and my family for days....
Just a month ago she founf out she had inherited a heart disease that could kill her at any minute, of any day.....I went to see her in the hospital, where she smiled, amd laughed, and made me feel alive....her fiance, insisted they get married in the hospital, but she assured him she would be o/k to have a wedding.....
So today they did, at the place they met, where all her family and friends gathered to watch her in one of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen....
If anyone deserves happiness, it is her....and to watch her happy was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.....

Saturday, February 6, 2010

o/k....back a little before tomorrow....we might as well get started with some actual tips on my program....Remember, this is not a program just to LOSE weight, but also to increase your muscle mass and decrease your body fat percent....
Start by boiling 6 eggs...you will need these for snacks and breakfast on some days....Now, with boiled eggs, you can only eat the whites...if you have dogs, they will love you if you give them the yolks! ALso, boil 3 chicken breasts and keep them in the fridge....boneless/skinless, of course
The typical day for the first week should go as follows:
Breakfast - this is NOT negotiable....I have NEVER been a breakfast eater, however, eating in the mornning gets your metabolism going, and starts burning fat....if there is nothing in your stomach, your body will start eating muscle, which you maybe not overweight, but you will become 'flabby skinny'.....
so, 'nuf with the lecture....each morning, either eat 1 package of the Oatmeal I recomended in an earlier post, or the whites of two boiled eggs. Also, take a chromium supplement.....eating either one of these takes about 5 minutes, including prep or peel time....if you don't do this step, the rest really doesn'y matter....
Lunch - there are a few options...don't let "I'm too busy" be your excuse....with a well prepped fridge, lunch will take about 10 minutes, even with prep....
take a can of tuna, 8 saltines, and tabasco (if you like it!) eat the dry tuna on crackers, with a dash of tabasco...or....keep luch meats in your fridge, grab a couple of slices and a string cheese or 1 inch square of cheese....the most fat important thing....you HAVE to eat to keep the FAT burning and the MUSCLE increasing!
o/k, tune in tomorrow for more lunch, a needed snack, and dinner tips!

I wanted to share this really great picture! My husband and I were fortunate enough to get close enough to this mamma and her babies..this is a great place that we go to almost every day....there is a cactus there that looks like Mickey Mouse....I am going to take a picture tomorrow!

More info...

well, here I am again....I have been really trying to learn to deal more and more lately with CLinton not being here....and I think focusing on myself has helped that.....
the first thing you will need to begin doing to get to a healthier, more shapely, and happier you is change what you are doing....if you take walks every day but still aren't seeing results, that's your clue....your body is not responding, it's grown 'use' to the routine....
Start by taking 15 minutes each day.....do simple things, like while standing at the sink doing dishes, so side leg lifts, start with 20 on each leg....grab 2 cans of vegetables out of the pantry while you are waiting on dinner to finish and do curls for two minutes....make an effort to do this for the first 5 days....you will be amazed at how it becomes habit.....
More on the eating habits tomorrow....

Friday, February 5, 2010

first steps to my weight loss program

By popular demand, here is the first steps....
I want to say first of all, please monitor your health and check with your doctor before starting any modified diet or excercise plan....whew, that gets me out of any trouble!
O/k, first of all, this is a low-carb diet, but it isn't a traditional low-carb diet....the truth I learned from a trainer I worked with at a health club a few years ago in Odessa explained it best....basically, if you eat the carbs the food pyramid whave you eat, you would have to engage in approx. 2 hours of cardio a day....the truth is, most of us don't....

The first thing you need to do is prepare yourself that you will not be eating potatoes, rice or flour....or bread! I did this for years, but fell 'off the wagon' a few years ago.... Once you hit a weight and muscle mass you are happy with, you can of course have these things once in a while, you will just have to compensate in another way.... As a rule, eating a hamburger with the bun and an order of fries combines all the bad...fat, carb overload (bad carbs at that), and too many calories....you have to give in on at least one of these on every meal....

You will need a couple of things to make this work....I am a very firm believer that most of us in our busy lives will not be able to make time to go to the gym every day, or even take that walk around the neighborhood....however, with just a few tools you can take 15 - 30 minutes at home almost anytime.....and one of the keys to this is every day....it's a lifestyle change....
Get a 'yoga' ball (Target has one that includes DVD's and an excercise band that you will need for around $20)....also get a weight ball, 6 pounds is a good weight..... If you have a treadmill, that will make this go much faster....I found mine on Craigslist for $75 from someone who was moving.....
O/k.....going to go over a grocery list and then more tomorrow....
dozen eggs
Quaker Oatmeal (the fruit and cream single packs are the best - DO NOT get the maple and brown sugar single packs)
Chicken breast
brocolli
lettuce
cheese (not american slices, but cheddar, colby)
boneless center cut pork chops
green beans
get yourself some Breyers carb smart ice cream!

This is the week one grocery list....happy shopping....more tomorrow!

Monday, February 1, 2010

I've had lots of request for my secrets to my recent weight loss, but more than that, my gain in muscle mass and loss in body fat....Stay tuned! The secret and recipes that will leave you full and VERY satisfied to follow!