oh hey...

oh hey. remember that time when i blogged about healthier food choices and weight loss? not sure why i stopped exactly, except that my weight loss had plateaued for so long that the blog had become rather boring and irrelevant. i've reach about 10 pounds lost now, which is super exciting, and i feel pretty great!  BUT i'm still stuck. haven't gained or lost in ages. (although, let's just be honest, it's nothing short of a miracle that i didn't gain weight over thanksgiving! so i'm not necessarily complaining...) my goal is to lose another 15 pounds, though, so it's time to get serious about this again. 

a few friends had mentioned to me that they missed my recipe reviews. and i was thinking, hey, i can still do that whether i'm actively losing weight or not. after all, it's not just about weight loss -- it's about making healthy choices and filling my body with good things. so maybe i'll post a few recipe reviews here and there. if there is one thing i can do well, it is certainly to eat and to talk about it. :-)

so here's a few tasty dishes that we've tried over the past few weeks. one recipe is even a beth lougee original! enjoy, friends.

• sweet and spicy sriracha baked salmon
• baked teriyaki chicken meatballs
• sausage and quinoa stuffed acorn squash
• roasted cauliflower and mushroom carbonara
• chicken tacos with roasted southwestern veggies

sweet and spicy sriracha baked salmon
this meal was a big hit. had the perfect blend of sweet and heat. steve gobbled it up, and isla only fussed a little. :-) (that's considered a win in our house!) of course, i made sure to give her a piece without any added sriracha -- that stuff has some serious kick!  i've made this recipe a few times now, and i continue to love it.

baked teriyaki chicken meatballs
this recipe was recommended to me by a few friends... and for good reason! it was great. i'm generally not a big teriyaki fan, but i just can't resist a good meatball recipe. loved the addition of crushed pineapples to the meat. would have been a little better with toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top, but i was (sadly) out of them.

sausage and quinoa stuffed acorn squash
this recipe called to me for so many reasons -- sausage, quinoa, apples, and cranberries all in a cute little acorn squash?! more than anything, i think it appealed my passion for autumnal beauty. truthfully, i don't love most squashes, but i love the idea of loving them since they represent fall. makes perfect sense, right? :-) anyway, this was a good, solid recipe, though it didn't blow my mind. needs a little tweaking. my mom made acorn squash when i was a kid, and it was always filled with delicious butter and brown sugar. so in my mind, acorn squash = sweet. but despite the added apples and cranberries, this was not a sweet recipe. i think if i make it again, i'll roast the squash with a bit of brown sugar (or maybe maple syrup?) to amp up the sweetness. it just needed... something. you know?

for the record, meat-and-potato loving husbands and picky children will likely not eat this recipe, so keep some chicken nuggets or something on hand when preparing it. ;-)

roasted cauliflower and mushroom carbonara

here's a recipe that i want to tell everyone -- EVERYONE -- about. it was so unique. i am obsessed with basically any type of roasted vegetable to begin with, but then to add it to fettuccine and bacon and parmesean? and to somehow keep it under 400 calories? yes. just yes. i only wish my photo could better represent how amazing this was!

steve loved it! i loved it! isla threw a gigantic fit over it and ended up in time-out at least three times, but eh. what can ya do? this recipe was a winner, and i can't wait to make it again!

chicken tacos with roasted southwestern veggies
and finally, my very own chicken tacos with roasted southwestern veggies. this recipe came together in my mind after trying a few variations of chicken tacos and adding in my love of roasted vegetables. and to make things even better, the chicken is prepared in the crockpot (easy!) and the roasted vegetables are straight from the freezer (no prep = awesome!).

2 large chicken breasts
1 packet taco seasoning mix
2 cups chicken broth
1 bag frozen southwestern veggies (corn, black beans, peppers)

garlic salt
pepper

corn tortillas (you could also use taco shells or flour tortillas, but i like the corn tortillas best)
mexican cheese blend
sour cream and salsa (if desired)

1. put chicken breasts in the crockpot (mine were frozen). mix taco seasoning with the chicken broth and pour over the chicken. cook on low for about 8 hours.

 

2. when chicken is finished, remove from crockpot and shred the breasts with two forks. then return the shredded chicken to the juices in the crockpot.

 

3. meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425. dump the frozen veggies on a rimmed baking sheet. either spray with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil. sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. roast in oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. i like my veggies really crispy, so i tend to leave them in for a while. sometimes i even put them directly under the broiler to get them nice and dark.

 

4. while the veggies are cooking, heat a little olive oil in a non-stick pan to medium heat. one by one, cook the corn tortillas until golden brown on each side. (it goes pretty quickly... maybe 30-60 seconds per side. you'll have to add a little more olive oil as you go.) the corn tortillas will get a little crunchy but will still be pliable.

 

5. serve tortillas with shredded chicken, roasted veggies, cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

 

 

meh....

well, i wasn't going to write today. it feels like a failed week. :-( most of my meals flopped, and i haven't lost any weight for the second week in a row -- despite stepping up my workout routine. i'm baffled and frustrated. there was a splurge day on saturday, but otherwise i was pretty on track with my calorie intake. how discouraging.

on the positive side, i feel pretty good about my workout sessions this week! i pushed myself to revisit Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. my days start at 5am with the 30 Day Shred workout, followed by 25 minutes of speed walking on the treadmill. i pretty much thought i was going to die on day 1. everything hurt. but now, 5 days in, i feel pretty great! definitely stronger and i've even noticed a bit of muscle tone. woohoo! but as good as this feels, i'm still wondering if i should somehow be doing more...

this week's menu:

• saturday: breakfast dinner splurge night, including some delicious (but definitely not healthy) baked pumpkin oatmeal
• sunday: my very own turkey chili
• monday: an it's-monday-and-i-don't-feel-like-cooking-meal of frozen fish, broccoli, and jasmine rice
• tuesday: chipotle chicken tortilla soup
• wednesday: skinny sloppy joes with roasted cauliflower
• thursday: sweet potato quinoa patties with spinach and kale salad

tuesday's chipotle chicken tortilla soup from Eat Yourself Skinny was very tasty. a bit on the spicy side, so if you're afraid of too much pow, this one is not for you. while it was delicious, it seemed to lack something. i have a super favorite slow cooker chicken tortilla soup recipe that has set the bar pretty high as far as tortilla soup is concerned. the slow cooker version is very hearty -- packed with corn, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and chicken. then you pile it high with fried tortilla strips and shredded cheese. oh man, it's so good. the lighter chipotle version i made last night was very flavorful, but not as hearty. i think in the future i will combine the best of both these recipes. one thing i really loved from the chipotle version was the idea to bake the tortilla strips with some cooking spray and a touch of chipotle chili powder. they turned out great!  added some fantastic crunch to this soup. also of note: chipotle chili powder is probably my new favorite spice.

wednesday's skinny sloppy joe from skinnytaste was good... but not great. likely won't rush to make it again. i loved that it was packed full of veggies -- carrots, mushrooms, onion, and i added a zucchini for good measure. they were fine, but, in our home, we are like sweet sloppy joes. and these just weren't. so my husband had a hard time really digging in. there might be a way of sweetening them up without adding too much bad stuff, but i'm just not sure how to accomplish it. so, i dunno. maybe if i called them something else besides a "sloppy joe" we would all be more open to them. or maybe some foods just shouldn't be "healified." :-)

wednesay's sweet potato quinoa patties were another just ok meal. i loved the idea of them, and i think they have potential, but my first attempt was just meh. they didn't crisp up as nicely as i'd hoped. the flavor was decent, but they could have used some type of sauce or dip. maybe greek yogurt? hmmm, i've got some experimenting to do. they are cute, though. :-)

i think i'm finished with new recipes for a little while. perhaps i have exhausted pinterest. :-) i think i'll revisit some of my favorites from the past few weeks. looking forward to it!

a few steps forward, a few steps back

i'll just come right out and say it: i didn't lose any weight this week. i'm a little bewildered by that, as i felt pretty good about my food choices. (all that kale.... and for what? sigh.) something seems amiss, and i'm beginning to suspect that it's time to amp up my workouts. but here's my problem. as a wife, mother, and full time employee, my window of opportunity for working out is limited to 5:00-6:00am. and i'm cool with that. i'm extremely faithful in dragging my butt out of bed at such an ungodly hour and hopping on the treadmill. BUT there's only so much gumption i can muster up at that time of day. so my workouts tend to be a little lackluster. maybe my body is in a rut? i've considered trying a jillian michael's dvd, but eesh... that early in the morning, her style of motivation just makes me want to punch her in the face.  so i dunno.  something's gotta give, but i'm not sure what.

aside from the scale disappointment, i've got some goooood recipes to share. at least it was a happy belly week! :-)

• friday: toasted quinoa and pear salad
• saturday: we were at a wedding for dinner, but i created an awesome kale, egg, and ricotta sandwich for lunch
• sunday: oktoberfest lager stew
• monday: sausage, kale, and spaghetti squash boats
• tuesday: kale and quinoa salad with lemon vinaigrette
• wednesday: buffalo chicken quesadillas with roasted peas and corn
• thursday: jessica alba's turkey meatballs with kale and quinoa salad

last friday's much anticipated toasted quinoa and pear salad was great. toasting the quinoa before boiling it definitely added a noticeable, nutty depth of flavor. the citrus dressing was fresh and pleasant. the addition of pear was perfect. the only thing i didn't like about this recipe was the arugula. in the interest of trying new things, i included it, despite the bitterly offensive smell. i tried to keep an open mind, but ew -- gross. had to pick it all out. otherwise, the salad was amazing. will definitely make it again, although i'll substitute kale or spinach for the arugula. :-)

i made a kale, egg, and ricotta sandwich for lunch on saturday. it was pretty great. definitely kept me full through the wedding ceremony we attended later that day. i sauteed a finely sliced onion and garlic in a little olive oil, then added the kale until it just wilted. toast some hearty multigrain bread, smear on a bit of ricotta, and then add a fried egg with the kale mix. so good!

sunday's oktoberfest lager stew was out of this world. i'm not even exaggerating when i say that i could eat this every.single.day. it's not super low calorie, but it's not outrageous either. oh, i did use turkey sausage in place of regular sausage to try to "healthify" it. saved me a few calories and was still full of flavor. please, just do yourself a favor and make it. 

monday's sausage, kale, and spaghetti squash was my second attempt at spaghetti squash. annnnnnd, it was wildly successful! it's a MUCH better idea to treat the squash as squash instead of trying to think of it as spaghetti. this meal was so flavorful. the roasted pine nuts were a nice touch too. steve was SO into this meal. couldn't stop talking about how amazing it was. isla was less enthusiastic, but she did eventually taste the squash and (though she wouldn't admit it) i think she enjoyed it. or at least tolerated it. :-) if you are on the fence about spaghetti squash, give this recipe a try!

tuesday's kale and quinoa salad with lemon vinaigrette was something i quickly whipped up as a result of steve going out to dinner with some of his guy friends. the salad (and ciabatta roll) were plenty to fill me up as a complete meal, but if steve had been joining us, i likely would have make something else to go along with it. i thought this salad was truly remarkable. this could possibly turn a non-kale lover into a fan. (i'm talking to you, KERI ALTLAND!) ;-) i didn't have an avocado on hand, so i used a yellow pepper instead. i'm sure this created a whole different flavor than was intended, but i loved it! dried cranberries or cherries would also be a nice touch. and that lemon vinaigrette?  it's perfect. literally perfect. i cannot wait to make this again!

wednesday's buffalo chicken quesadillas have quickly become a favorite in our home. with all the cheese, it's not something i will make all the time, but it's a tasty treat for sure. you can read my review of this recipe here.


on thursday, we tried jessica alba's turkey meatballs with kale and quinoa salad. (see, i told you i was excited to make that kale salad again!) :-) this recipe was a major win for ground turkey! these meatballs were super tasty and packed full of carrots and zucchini (which i pulverized in the food processor to try to hide from isla... but that eagle-eyed child still spotted the flecks of green and orange...) it was a nice touch to simmer the meatballs in chicken stock. this kept them from drying out and added some great flavor. added bonus: you'll feel like a movie star when you eat these. :-)

have a great weekend, folks! happy cooking. :-)

another one bites the dust

happy friday to you! this post will not be super exciting, recipe-wise anyway. it's been a fairly busy week, filled with quick meals and birthday celebrations and dining out. overall, i'm still feeling pretty great, and i'm super proud of myself for practicing restraint with my husband's birthday treats. i mean, we're talking about dirt pudding-filled cupcakes and an oreo brownie trifle, people. being self-controlled was by no means an easy feat. yes, i'm shamelessly patting my own back. :-)

 here was this week's menu:

• friday: mini turkey meat loaves with rice and roasted veggies
• saturday: end-of-summer burgers on the grill
• sunday: naked salmon burgers with sriracha mayo and roasted broccoli
• monday: open-faced egg and ricotta sandwich with strawberries
• tuesday: birthday turkey tacos
• wednesday: beer-batter cod (super fancy... straight from the grocer's freezer!) with parmesan roasted cauliflower
• thursday: dinner out with a friend (which included the BEST kale salad i've ever eaten! must try to recreate it. stay tuned...)
• friday: totally excited to try this toasted quinoa and pear salad

last friday, we enjoyed mini turkey meat loaves. i NEVER feel like cooking on fridays, but these little guys came together pretty easily. and they cook much faster than a traditional meat loaf, so it works well for a throw-it-together-after-i-get-home-from-work meal (which is a basic requirement for most of the meals i select). as far as ground turkey goes, this was delicious. steve raved and ate 4 of them. we'll definitely make these again!

they're not pretty. but they ARE delicious!

a weird thing happened this weekend. on saturday, we threw caution to the wind and had a delicious end-of-summer cookout. hamburgers on the grill, topped with sauteed onion, muenster cheese, and sweet baby ray's bbq sauce, all on a toasted kaiser roll. oh man. it was so good. we even indulged in macaroni 'n cheese, seasonal autumn lager, and shared a pint of frozen yogurt on the couch after isla went to bed. just perfect. i only felt mildly guilty about my indulgence, but was worried how i'd feel the next day. i didn't feel lethargic and gross as i was expecting. but i did feel something else -- a craving. for vegetables. it was one of the more bizarre experiences in my food-loving life. i was actually encouraged that maybe i'm making some progress. maybe, just maybe, my tastebuds are taking a healthy turn. maybe my food preference are finally following my actions. maybe healthy eating won't feel like such a chore anymore. maybe. we'll see. :-) in any case, i was super excited for sunday night's naked salmon burgers with sriracha mayo and roasted broccoli. you can read my thoughts on the salmon burger here. it was even more delicious than i remembered! and that broccoli. if you've never tried roasted broccoli, you don't know what you're missing! really just any roasted vegetable. that's my go-to method of preparation. yummmmm.

i had made monday's open-faced egg and ricotta sandwich a year or so ago for dinner with a vegetarian friend. it's easy and fresh and filling. i bought arugula as the recipe suggests, but it was so bitter and offensive! practically singed my nose hairs. ha! so i used romaine instead. spinach would be a good choice too. i used two eggs to make it feel more like an entree and left the eggs just a bit soft in the middle, which normally i don't like, but it works well with this sandwich.

would also be great for breakfast.. or lunch... or brunch... or whatever!

just for fun, i though you might want to know what the rest of my kitchen 
looks like when i'm trying to plate a meal for these photos. :-)

so that's all i have for recipe sharing this week. some weeks are just like that. certainly i'm not the only one who keeps some just-in-case fish sticks or chicken nuggets in the freezer. :-)

and now, the WEEKLY WEIGH-IN... another one bites the dust! i lost 1 pound this week. feeling pretty proud of my slow and steady weight loss. and even more proud of my small steps towards a healthier lifestyle. happy weekend, folks!

bright, sunshiny day

i don't even care what the scale says this week. i really don't. because for the first time since i started this little adventure, i feel AMAZING. like just awesome. i can't really put my finger on it, but i first noticed it when i was sitting in wednesday's staff meeting -- i wasn't tired! i was strangely energized. all day, i felt light on my feet. my "skinny jeans" were no longer cutting off my circulation and a few shirts were noticeably baggier than normal. eeeeeee! best feeling ever! no matter what the scale says, something is happening, and it's so very good!

this week's menu:

• saturday: turkey chili
• sunday: turkey sausage, potato, and kale skillet with roasted buffalo cauliflower
• monday: pesto chicken stuffed peppers
• tuesday: last minute pizza and salad dinner with friends
• wednesday: skinny bbq chicken flatbread with salad
• thursday: dinner with my parents and some missionary friends
• friday: looking forward to trying these mini turkey meatloaves, recommended by a friend (thanks, christy!)

saturday was turkey chili night. it just had to be. a chill in the air, football season in full swing, sweatshirts and slippers and snuggles under blankets. for me, this is the BEST time of year. nothing speaks to me in quite the same way as a setting sun a crisp autumn evening. ahhh.... but i seem to be getting side-tracked.  :-)  this turkey chili is actually a recipe of my own making. (it's affectionately nick-named "lucky chili" for reasons i won't get into now...)  :-)  i've been working on this recipe since steve and i got married over 7 years ago. it's sweet and hearty and contains no beans. which is the CORRECT way to make chili. if i've learned anything from sheldon cooper on the big bang theory, it's that real chili does not have beans in it. 

in an effort to include more veggies, though, this time i added some chopped carrots. i really liked it. great addition! steve said it was the best chili i've ever made. score! i used to eat my chili on a mountain of corn chips, topped with heaps of cheddar cheese, and a generous dollop of sour cream. this time, in order to keep my calories in check, i sprinkled just a few crushed corn chips over the top along with a tablespoon or two of sharp cheddar cheese. it was perfect! didn't miss the extra chips at all.

cozy!

mix it all up and dig in!

sunday's sausage, potato, and kale skillet with buffalo cauliflower was super random and really just an effort to use up some stuff in the fridge... the skillet portion was an adaptation of a family favorite. we've eaten sausage and potatoes on christmas morning for as long as i can remember. to make it feel more like an dinner entree, i included some sauteed onions and garlic with my turkey sausage and also added some kale for good measure (and because i just can't seem to make a dent in pile of kale in my fridge. doesn't a bunch of kale seem to go on forever and ever?) for a completely unrelated side dish, i've been dying to try roasted buffalo cauliflower bites because, duh, buffalo sauce. these were REALLY good. although, i cut up my cauliflower way too small. we had to eat it with a fork when really i think it's supposed to be finger food (like a sad but still delicious vegetarian substitute for buffalo wings). regardless, steve and i INHALED it. so good.

a strange pairing. but both were delicious!

monday's pesto chicken stuffed peppers were definitely a highlight for the week. you guys, i have never enjoyed peppers. to me, they've always seemed so intrusive and spread their flavor a little too liberally into everything they touch. it's honestly been a stretch for me to try new recipes that include peppers. i've been quite careful to dice them finely so that they won't offend my tastebuds. but my, oh my, they ARE pretty, aren't they? seeing a basket filled with green, red, and yellow peppers makes me smile. so if that's not reason enough to put yourself out there and give them another chance, then i don't know what is. ;-) ANYWAY, all that to say that these quinoa and chicken and pesto and mozzarella stuffed peppers were mind-blowing. aaaamazing. i feel the need to apologize to all pepper-kind for being so judgmental of them all these years. please make these immediately, folks. (truth be told, steve couldn't handle the peppers. he's not yet willing to admit that he too has been wrong about peppers for all these years... but he loved the filling! so that's a half-win.)

i only ate 2 for dinner, but i had to get a picture of these beauties together.

how can you not smile when you look at them?

wednesday's skinny bbq chicken flatbread was a delight!  truly.  it was easy to make and so extremely tasty.  for the super healthy among us, this recipe might be a no-go since it requires the use of bbq sauce, which generally contains high fructose corn syrup.  i know, i know...  anyone know of some healthier options out there? i really haven't done too much searching, because i'll be completely honest, when used in moderation, i'm ok with the HFCS, especially in the form of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. shhh, don't tell.

chicken, black beans, corn, cheddar cheese, and altogether yummy!

beth's win for the week: we had special dinners twice this week. the first was a pizza dinner at our house, during which i managed to eat ONLY ONE PIECE. i know this is mind-boggling, but please try to hold your applause, folks. the second special dinner was a delicious roast beef meal with my parents and some dear friends from argentina. i kept my portions in check and also PASSED ON DESSERT. and not just any dessert -- lemon bars. let me say that again -- LEMON BARS. lemon desserts are my heart's passion. so this was a major sacrifice and exercise of self-control. you can go ahead and clap for me. :-)

WEEKLY WEIGH-IN: i lost 1 pound this week! i know it's not much, but i don't even care. things are changing, and i feel great! woohoo!

avocados, squash, and beans, oh my!

oh hey, another week has come and gone! it's been a pretty solid week, overall. delicious and daring new recipes and oodles of self control! (i said no to LOTS of chocolate in the office this week. honestly, i deserve a medal.)

so here is this past week's menu:

• friday: skinny BBQ chicken BLT
• saturday: tilapia tacos
• sunday: grilled sausage and spinach salad
• monday: chinese chicken salad burger with quinoa
• tuesday: kale and potato soup
• wednesday: black bean burgers with roasted peas and corn
• thursday: spinach meatballs with roasted spaghetti squash
• tonight: leftovers!

last friday's skinny BBQ chicken BLT surprised me.  i expected a "so-so" version of my favorite late summer sandwich, but the flavors came together beautifully!  i did change up the recipe a little bit, however.  instead of the avocado (which i'm still not ready to commit to...), i used reduced fat mayo.  i also included a slice of cheese, which added some calories, but whatevs.  it was friday -- call it a weekend splurge.  :-)  a change that i will make next time (and there will definitely be a next time!) is that i will grill the chicken instead of cooking it on the stovetop.  (that BBQ sauce will make a mess of your frying pan!)  the 100-calorie sandwich thins were perfect for this dish, and i loved the use of spinach instead of the typical lettuce.  so wait, does that technically make this a BST sandwich??

that's my daughter's hand... she was fascinated by that "red thing" in my sandwich.

saturday was tilapia taco night.  i was skeptical about this meal.  just wasn't sure how all of those toppings would come together -- mango, avocado, cabbage, and tomatoes?  i dunno...  that's a bit of a stretch for our family.  but wow.  this dish was a winner!  amazing flavor!  and so much fun to prepare and eat!  isla was not at all interested in this meal (sad), but steve was a huge fan.  so we'll call this meal a success.  :-)

pretty colors!  so much fun!

hello gorgeous.  get in my tummy!

on monday, we ate chinese chicken salad burgers.  when my co-worker deanna asked, "so what's for dinner?" (one of our favorite daily conversations), and i told her about these chinese chicken salad burgers, she skeptically responded with, "beth.  that can't be a real thing.  you're just saying a bunch of words."  :-)  ok, admittedly, they sound weird.  and yes, it's a mouthful of words that don't seem to go together.  but these were awesome!  i'd actually rate them higher than the buffalo turkey burgers i tried a few weeks ago.  the chinese salad that gets piled on top of these burgers could be a meal in itself -- so good!  we ate some leftover quinoa on the side, and it was a perfect match!

lovely AND tasty AND filling AND healthy!

tuesday's kale and potato soup with turkey sausage was perfect and seasonally appropriate.  it's been cool in central pennsylvania this week; fall is so close i can practically taste it!  and i guess i kind of did by way of this cozy soup.  i was initially a little worried that this recipe would be a let-down.  i've made similar soups in the past, so i figured a lower fat version would certainly be disappointing and weak.  BUT i am happy to report that skinnytaste has exceeded my expectations yet again!  it was awesome!  steve raved about it.  isla ate it without gagging (first time ever that she willingly consumed a potato!).  and the leftovers were even better!

i did sprinkle a little shredded parmesan on the soup after i took this picture.
mmm, mmm, good, indeed!

on wednesday, i made a familiar favorite: black bean burgers.  i tried this recipe on a whim last year when steve was deployed to iraq.  it's not something i imagined i could ever talk my carnivorous husband into eating.  but he actually really likes them!  top them with reduced fat sour cream and fresh salsa, and this meal is super filling and sooooo good!

black bean burger patty. 
i should probably call these things patties so as to not upset the carnivores. :-)
but really.  they are so good!

thursday was "pasta" night: spinach meatballs with roasted spaghetti squash. isla has been requesting spaghetti and meatballs for some time now, but i didn't want to tempt myself with a plateful of carbs. so, after much hesitation and deliberation, i decided to try spaghetti squash. i've put this off for a long time, but since it seems to be all the rage these days, i figured i had to try it sooner or later. i had extremely low expectations. there's just no way you can convince an italian girl that squash is a suitable substitute for pasta. just.not.happening. but, i'll be honest, this stuff actually wasn't too bad! it is NOT pasta. does NOT taste like pasta. will NEVER replace pasta. BUT it is tasty in its own right. i paired it with italian spinach meatballs from skinnytaste, which i've enjoyed many times in the past (although, i bake them instead of frying them, as the recipe suggests), and topped the dish with my favorite vodka sauce. and folks, it was shockingly good and satisfying. steve and isla wouldn't touch it, though, so i made some whole wheat pasta for them. baby steps... at least they got some spinach in the meatballs.

this is not a lovely picture. sorry.
i kept the meatballs and sauce separate from the squash at first...
you know, just in case it was gross.
but eventually i mixed them together, and it was great!

so, it's time for my WEEKLY WEIGH-IN. before we get to that, i should mention that i weighed myself on monday and was horrified to see that i had gained back 2 pounds over the weekend. i had splurged a little, but really nothing outrageous (i had a small Arby's roast beef sandwich and curly fries for lunch on sunday on our way to the zoo). i was so disappointed in myself and a fairly annoyed that a little splurge could affect me in such a big way. is my metabolism REALLY that defunct? so anyway, i worked my butt off this week. i was super careful with my snacking (probably my biggest weakness) and was below my calorie intake goals every day. i am happy to report that i lost those 2 pounds, but still, my overall weight loss total hasn't changed for this week.

i'm a little discouraged that i'm losing weight so slowly. mentally/emotionally, i feel completely bummed out. but, physically, i'm feeling pretty good! sleeping well, increased energy, and a few people have commented that i look slimmer. so, i suppose that counts for something.

i feel like this blog is a little pointless if i'm not actually losing weight. BUT it's my journey and maybe it'll still be helpful to a few people out there. so i'll press on! if nothing else, at least i'm eating my vegetables. :-)

week 4 -- back on track

another week down, and i'm feeling pretty good!  much better than last week.  not quite as sluggish and much more intentional about my snacks and food choices.  AND i survived a weekend away at the cabin with my dear friends.  typically, we eat a lot over labor day weekend.  like, a lot.  so i was nervous about being self-controlled while also not being the annoying friend who's always talking about counting calories and eating salad.  i also had a goal of going on one significant hike during the weekend, and thankfully, my husband and daughter were happy to join me.

isla got sleepy a mile or so in :-)

this week's menu:

• saturday, sunday, and monday: labor day weekend feasting... in moderation :-)
• tuesday: sausage and zucchini frittata (which was a combination of this three cheese zucchini frittata and this paleo zucchini frittata)
• wednesday: chicken quinoa lettuce wraps with peanut sauce
• thursday: crispy buffalo quinoa sliders and broccoli
• friday: looking forward to trying this BBQ chicken BLT a with spinach side salad

let's talk about tuesday's sausage and zucchini frittata.  it's not what i had intended to make.  but, having been away all weekend, i didn't have time to go to the grocery store, so i was limited to whatever was in the house -- which happened to include nearly a dozen eggs, a zucchini, some carrots, a few links of turkey sausage, and some cheese.  so i combined two recipes (the paleo one because it had sausage and the three cheese one because, well, cheese) and came up with something awesome.  steve was admittedly skeptical, but ended up loving it!  (and you know he loves it when he hums through his meal.)  :-)  the reheated leftovers were spectacular too!

you start it on the stovetop, then finish it up in the oven (as long as you have an oven-safe pan!)

we ate our frittata with a dollop of low fat sour cream and a toasted ciabatta roll

wednesday's chicken quinoa lettuce wraps with peanut sauce was a repeat meal for us... and it was every bit as amazing as i had remembered!  even isla asked for "more chicken, mama!" which i'm pretty sure has never happened before, like, ever.  for my thoughts on this recipe, feel free to visit my first post about it.


thursday's crispy buffalo quinoa sliders takes the prize for the best meal of the week. possibly the best meal EVER.  well, at least the best quinoa and buffalo related meal.  :-)  if you are as passionate about buffalo sauce as i am, you need to make this meal immediately!

as usual, i ate my sliders sans bread to save a few calories.
plus, i didn't want anything to take away from that delicious buffalo zing!

these cuties are packed full of flavor!

beth's win for the week: i've already mentioned it, but being self-controlled over the weekend was HUGE for me!  my friend kelly always brings amazing treats, so i was pretty impressed at my ability to say no and to only eat when i was truly hungry.

WEEKLY WEIGH-IN: i lost 1.4 pounds!  woohoo, back on track and feeling great!  total of 4.6 pounds lost so far.  slow and steady, folks.  :-)

week 3 wrap-up

i've been dreading this week's report.  it's been kind of an "off" week.  the busyness of working full time, plus eye doctor and dentist appointments, plus planning and packing for a weekend away, plus all the normal everyday stuff... all of this added up to eating on the run and probably not eating mindfully and intentionally.  i was successful in exercising daily and keeping to my calorie goals, but somehow, this week did not give me the thrilling sense of victory that the previous two weeks had.  i just feel fatigued and sluggish.  my legs have felt like bricks each morning when i've hopped on the treadmill.  i've been sleeping well (much better than normal, actually!), but my body is screaming at me to sleep loooonger.  not sure what's going on.  perhaps i didn't choose my meals wisely.  not enough veggies?  too many carbs?  whatever the case may be, i hope i can figure it out soon!

without further ado, here's my menu for the week!

• sunday: buffalo turkey burgers with coleslaw and green beans
• monday: baked pasta with sausage and spinach
• tuesday: leftover pasta (quick meal because i had a dentist appointment... and that pasta bake is delicious and makes a TON) :-)
• wednesday: slow cooker pepperoni and chicken with roasted broccoli
• thursday: blueberry, avocado, and toasted pecan quinoa salad
• friday: probably leftovers or whatever we can scrounge up in the house before leaving for labor day weekend at the cabin!

i was pretty excited about sunday's buffalo turkey burgers with coleslaw.  i am wildly obsessed with anything containing buffalo sauce.  (this is a new development... not sure what rock i've been hiding under, but this is a brand new ingredient for me!  can't get enough!)  anyway, the meal was met with mixed reviews.  steve LOVED them.  he ate two and happily took the leftovers to work the next day.  i, on the other hand, thought they were a little bland.  could have used a LOT more hot sauce to account for the fact the ground turkey is so bleh.  so, if i make this recipe again, i'll do just that.  also, for what it's worth, i did not prepare the blue cheese slaw that was suggested in the recipe.  i'm not a fan of blue cheese, so i used an alternate slaw recipe with low fat mayo.

steve ate his burger on a roll, while i opted to save a few calories and skip the bun.

regarding monday's baked pasta with sausage and spinach, i know what you're thinking.  how can such a dish be even remotely healthy?  well, the genius mind over at SkinnyTaste (quickly becoming a favorite website) found a way!  using part-skim mozzarella, fat free ricotta, and chicken sausage, this meal comes in at just under 400 calories per serving.  also, it's DELICIOUS!  i never imagined that i would use the adjective delicious for something containing fat free ricotta, but wow.  this was really good.

ok, so it's not exactly beautiful.  most casserole type things aren't...

but yummm.  very filling.  especially with whole wheat pasta, which i just LOVE.

wednesday's slow cooker pepperoni and chicken was.... weird.  i picked this recipe from Skinny Mom because it appealed to my family's love for pepperoni pizza.  and i figured that if we're not going to eat much pizza these days, perhaps this turkey pepperoni would fill the void.  sadly, it did not.  but it was probably my fault.  the chicken was super dried out (likely my fault for leaving it in the crock pot for too long), much too salty (possibly my fault.  i was in a hurry while preparing it, so i wasn't paying attention to how thoroughly i had salted the chicken), and it just felt like it was missing something (again, my fault.  turns out i was supposed to sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the dish -- but i completely forgot about it!)  so the failure of this meal is totally on me.  eh, it happens.

the chicken would have been MUCH better if i'd remembered to sprinkle on the cheese.
(cheese make everything better)  :-)
my favorite part of the meal was the mountain of roasted broccoli.

thursday's blueberry, avocado, and toasted pecan quinoa salad was the hero of the week.  after a few lackluster meals, this one took my palate to a whole new place.  toasted pecans and blueberries?? -- yes please.  a maple, lime, and basil dressing?? -- to die for.  and you guys, after years of claiming that i don't like avocados, i bravely tried one for this salad, and it was amazing!  (while i'm not completely ready to commit to a love for avocados, i will at least keep my mind open to them in the future.)

i kept the avocados on the side at first... 

eventually, i threw caution to the wind and mixed them in.  best decision of the week!

and now, the WEEKLY WEIGH-IN.  i lost 0 pounds this week.  ugh, how disappointing!  i kind of expected this, given how i was feeling all week.  but all of that cake in the office lunch room that i passed up??  man, that's gotta count for something, right?  boo.

possible changes to make for next week:

• perhaps that pasta was a poor choice, delicious as it was.  also, i think it's really easy to overeat pasta. so maybe lay off the pasta for a while.  or at least, don't eat the leftovers for lunch and dinner two days in a row.  :-)
• breakfast.  i eat cereal almost every morning.  it does a great job at keeping me full until lunch! however, i recently took a closer look at the nutrition label on my box of Cheerios Protein Oats & Honey, and it's super-packed with sugar.  ugh, how sad!  so starting next week, i'm shifting to some bland Kashi stuff.  ;-)
• this week, i think i was a little too concerned about calorie count vs. content.  i don't think i ate enough vegetables and "whole" foods and lean proteins.  i'll work on getting back to that next week!

so that's a wrap!  have a great weekend, everyone!  and wish me luck on our weekend away -- i'm aiming to keep my eating in check while still having a good time with my friends.  i'm nervous, but up for the challenge!

week 2 -- nailed it!

you guys.  week 2 has come and gone, and i'm still smiling!  i can hardly even believe it.  i'm feeling super motivated, mostly because i hate to fail... and failing publicly is even worse.  so every time i was tempted to shove a yummy treat into my face, i was able to talk myself out of it by thinking about my end-of-week report on this blog.  thank you, great big blogosphere, for holding me accountable.

so i tried a number of new recipes this week, and i'm excited to share them with you!  here's the brief listing with pictures and descriptions to follow:

• sunday: three cheese zucchini stuffed lasagna rolls
• monday: lightened up chicken buffalo quesadillas with roasted broccoli
• tuesday: naked salmon burger with srirachi mayo and roasted peas and corn
• wednesday: grilled chicken with creamy pesto pasta and steamed broccoli
• thursday: crunchy cashew thai quinoa salad with ginger peanut dressing
• friday: i have no idea!  ha... (poor planning on my part!)

first up were these three cheese zucchini stuffed lasagna rolls that i found on the Skinny Taste blog.  at just 240 calories per roll, i had to give them a try.

three cheese zucchini stuffed lasagna rolls.  aren't they just the cutest?

these were pretty great... and super cute!  i think i'd like her spinach version even better, but with the plethora of zucchini available this time of year, this is a very tasty seasonal dish.  pair it with a side salad, and you've got yourself a super satisfying meal!  (just make sure to really really squeeze all of the moisture out of your zucchini.  otherwise, you'll get soggy lasagna.)

steve gave this meal a thumbs-up.  isla wondered what that "green stuff" was in her pasta 

and offered the most dramatic gag EVER when she tasted it.  sigh...

monday night's lightened up chicken buffalo quesadillas were a BIG hit.  definitely steve's favorite meal of the week.  to be honest, though, the recipe wasn't all that "light," so i took some liberties and lightened it up a bit more by using 100-calorie chi-chi's tortilla wraps, reduced fat cheese, and low fat sour cream.  also, instead of pan-frying them in butter, i cooked them on our electric griddle with a light dusting of cooking spray.

this picture does the meal no justice.  these were aaaaamazingly flavorful!
steve and i even had a "fight" about who could take the leftovers to work.  :-)

tuesday's naked salmon burger with srirachi mayo packed a punch with flavor.  if you like spicy, these are for you.  they were a little too intense for steve and isla, but i really, really liked them!  the leftovers heat up nicely too, but big warning if you microwave these at work -- you WILL make the entire office smell like a fishing dock.  so, proceed with caution.

naked salmon burger with srirachi mayo and roasted peas and corn

wednesday's grilled chicken with creamy pesto pasta was a repeat meal for us.  i've made this before, and it was well-received!  and by using skim milk, one serving is much lower in calories than you might think!  463 calories for a pasta dish?  sign me up!

grilled chicken with creamy pesto pasta and steamed broccoli

thursday's crunchy cashew thai quinoa salad was a big surprise for me.  i made this for dinner with a vegetarian friend, expecting to have to choke it down.  but boy was i wrong!  this was hands-down my favorite meal of the week!!  the flavors... the crunch... oh, that peanutty dressing!!  it's aaaamazing.  even if this isn't your style, give it a try with an open mind!  and it's only 260 calories per serving -- so go ahead and have seconds!

now i finally understand all the hype about quinoa.  this was SO GOOD!

look at those textures and colors and yumminess!
(this is where a real camera would come in handy, but whatevs...)

beth's win for the week:  there was apple pie, chocolate chip cookies, and salt 'n vinegar chips in the office this week.  and i resisted all of them!!  bwahahaha, you silly treats!  you don't have power over me when my tummy is filled with quinoa!

isla's progress:  my dear 2-year-old really struggles with vegetables.  (well, truth be told, she struggles with all eating in general....  if it were up to her, she'd choose to eat crackers and maybe a yogurt for every meal.)  but this week, she scarfed up some broccoli!  especially the roasted broccoli.  awesome!

and now, my WEEKLY WEIGH-IN.  i lost 1.4 pounds this week, bringing me to a total of 3.2 pounds lost in 2 weeks!  i'm so proud of myself!  thanks for your support, everyone!  let's press on!