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.  :-)