Re-Birthday

This entry is all over the place--sorry! I'm in the middle of about 10 different projects right now.

My wedding anniversary came and went on Tuesday. But today is another day to anniversary to celebrate--I know a lot of people call this their "rebirthday". Today is the day, in 2009, that I weighed in at 253 pounds and decided to change my life. I began cutting back on my food intake by counting WW points. Exactly a year later, I weighed in at a "normal BMI" weight of 144.  I actually took some "before" pictures on Aug 19, 2009, but I truly didn't think I was going to lose the weight--and the pictures are extremely embarrassing, so I don't want to post them. The look on my face is awful! As a cop-out, I'll just post my most recent comparison picture ;)

I looked back at my very first food journal, and laughed. Want to see it?

I hate yogurt and salad, but apparently I thought I needed to eat them to lose the weight? That only lasted one day. My advice? Eat things you enjoy, otherwise you won't stick with it very long! It's kind of fun to look back and see the food phases I went through--for a couple of months, I ate oatmeal for breakfast and lunch every day, because I loved it so much. I also had a long phase of eating a brownie sundae every day--a No Pudge! brownie with PB2, topped with frozen yogurt and a little Hershey's syrup. That lasted about 3 months.

But anyways, to kick off my rebirthday, I had to go get (fasting) blood work done this morning. I went to my primary care doctor yesterday for a physical, and my insurance requires that I get a blood lipid profile and blood sugar testing. It'll be interesting to see the numbers. Last time I had them done was in July 2010, and I was about the same weight I am now.

Oh, and speaking of "specimens" for the lab... At the doctor's office yesterday, I used the restroom while I was waiting to see the doctor. When I was washing my hands, I noticed that there was a little door in the wall next to the sink, and there was a sign on it that said "Please place specimens in here." I have no idea why, but I was so tempted to look and see if there were any specimens in there! Hahaha, but I didn't. It was just odd--I've never seen that before.

So everything went well with the doctor yesterday. I had her document the problems I'm having with my loose belly skin, and she definitely thinks I would benefit (medically) from getting a tummy tuck. My plastic surgery consult is a week from today!! I'm so nervous. Jerry is off work, so he's going to go with me (I hate driving in Detroit by myself!) while my mom watches my kids.

I spent a long time yesterday making a Garmin tutorial page to send out with my Garmin. I am going to try and ship it today. I just need to buy some packing tape first. I got it all boxed yesterday and then realized I have no tape.  I'm also trying to work on typing recipes. I probably have about 40 more to go right now. I'm excited to get them all on the blog and into one place--it'll be easy on me when I need to find something.

I also went to Sam's Club yesterday while I was out. They have Castlewood Havarti cheese again (they only have it sometimes, and I get so happy when they do!) so I bought two packages of it. I also bought some rye bread to make the best grilled cheese EVER. I also bought a bag of almonds--let's hope that they last as long as they should! Almonds tend to be a binge food for me, but usually it's when I have chocolate chips in the house too (I eat them together). I don't have any chocolate chips right now, and I won't buy them.

Today was my first once-a-month weigh-in. I wasn't too thrilled. Normally, when I really focus on counting calories, the weight drops pretty quickly, at least for a few weeks. But this time, it's not really going anywhere. I was 148 today. My only theory is that I started my advanced 10k training this week, so I've been running every day. And when I exercise, my body likes to hold on to weight. THAT is the reason I didn't exercise for the first 60 pounds I lost--every time I would start, my weight loss would stall, so I'd quit again. I know that your muscles tend to hold on to water when you do more exercise than you're used to, so hopefully that should level off soon. I might weigh in another week or two just to see :) 

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If you saw the "specimens" door in the bathroom, would you have peeked? ;)

Also, do you go through phases with food? I tend to get really obsessed with something, buy a ton of it and eat it daily, and then one day I just STOP. And move on to something else.

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RECIPE: Chili

This is an ordinary, plain ol', simple chili recipe. Sometimes you just need to go back to the basics, right? I always use ground turkey, because my family likes it better than beef, but you could use either one.

Here is a printer-friendly version!

Chili

2 tsp. olive oil

1 lb. lean ground turkey (or beef)

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce (or just use more crushed or diced tomatoes)

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 can red beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more, depending on how spicy you like it)

1 jalapeño pepper, minced (remove membranes and/or seeds to reduce the spice)

1 green bell pepper, diced

In a medium pot, heat oil and brown ground turkey with onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, and cumin. Simmer for about 1 hour, adding beans after 30 minutes. I like to serve this with corn muffins.

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RECIPE: Meatball Stroganoff

This is super fast and easy to make if you use frozen meatballs!

Here is a printer-friendly version!

Meatball Stroganoff

4 servings of turkey meatballs (24 small meatballs total)
1 onion, chopped
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup sour cream
4 servings (8 oz.) egg noodles

Cook pasta according to package directions. Put the meatballs in the microwave for a couple of minutes to thaw. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and broth and bring to a boil. Add the meatballs, and simmer for a few minutes. Combine the cornstarch with a splash of cold water, and add it to the pot. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the sour cream and warm through. Serve over pasta. Makes 4 servings.

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RECIPE: Chicken Stew

I like this when I'm looking for some comfort food. It's hot and comforting and filling.

Here is a printer-friendly version!

Chicken Stew

2 tsp. canola oil
1 onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped or sliced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups chicken broth
16 oz. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen green beans
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and carrots. Add the chicken and cook until chicken is browned.

Add the potatoes and broth, and simmer until the potatoes are soft (I cover the pan for this part). Add the peas, corn, and green beans, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Combine the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of water, and add it to the pot. Stir until thickened.

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RECIPE: Noah's Spaghetti Pie

I call this "Noah's" Spaghetti Pie because when my eldest son, Noah, started kindergarten, we let him choose what to have for dinner on his first day of school--and he chose Spaghetti Pie. Now, whenever I make this, I think of him!

Noah's Spaghetti Pie

6 oz. Smart Taste pasta
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fennel
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup mozzarella
8 oz. lean ground turkey (or ground beef)
1 cup part-skim ricotta
15 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions (I like to break it in half first).  Combine the egg and parmesan in a small bowl and stir well. Add the egg mixture to the cooked spaghetti and stir well to coat the pasta. Spray a pie plate with cooking spray, and form a "pie crust" with the spaghetti mixture. Cook the ground turkey, onion, garlic, and green pepper until the turkey is browned. Add the tomato sauce, oregano, and fennel. Spread the ricotta on spaghetti "crust", and top with the meat sauce. Top the whole thing with mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

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RECIPE: Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

My aunt gave me this recipe, and it called for Italian sausage. I made it more figure friendly by making my own Italian sausage with lean ground turkey. Of course, you can find the turkey Italian sausage at the grocery store and use it instead, but it's super easy to make this one.

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

For the sausage (alternatively, you could buy a package of raw sausage and use that instead, but this is very easy to make):

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbsp. fennel seed, ground
3/4 Tbsp. sweet paprika
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

For the soup:

1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can white beans
1 can tomatoes
4 cups beef broth
1 tsp. dried basil
2 cups tortellini
parmesan cheese (optional, for topping)

Combine all ingredients for Italian sausage. Brown sausage with onion and garlic in a soup pot. Add the tomatoes, broth, and basil and bring to a boil. Add the beans and tortellini, and cook until tortellini is cooked through.

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Tempo Run

Good grief! I just got back from doing a tempo run, which I have not done since, oh, 2010 sometime? What a workout! I started with 1 mile of easy running as a warm-up, and then I ran two miles at tempo pace, and then I ran easy to complete 35 minutes. Here are my splits:

I did my second mile in 8:47 and my third in 8:36. Not too bad--a little slower than my 5k pace, but a little faster than I was aiming for. I was aiming for 8:59/mi. I was exhausted after mile 3, but I wanted to do the full 35 minutes that was on the schedule, so I did an easy pace around the block. I truly felt like I earned those calories burned today!

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So Jerry and I started off our ninth year of marriage on the wrong foot yesterday--it was pretty funny, so I thought I'd share. I planned on making black bean enchiladas for dinner, and when I went grocery shopping last week, I deliberately bought a packet of enchilada seasoning mix. I specifically remembered buying it, because it's not something I normally buy.

Last night, when I was getting dinner ready, I went to get the packet, and couldn't find it anywhere. I got pissed at Jerry, because he usually tries to "help" putting away groceries, and I hate that--I can never find anything when he puts it away. So I was very snarky when I said, "So, Jerry, if you were putting away enchilada seasoning mix, where in the hell would you put it?" He started helping me look. The beans were already on the stove, waiting for the mix. We tore apart the pantry looking for the stupid packet. I was really mad at him for losing it, because I know where I would have put it and it wasn't there.

Finally, I decided to just use some of my homemade fajita seasoning mix instead. I threw it into the beans and started cooking it. Just as I did that, Jerry said, "What's this?" and sure enough, it was the packet of seasoning mix... right next to the rest of the ingredients I had taken out. I had no recollection of getting the packet out (from where I had put it away!), but apparently I took it out and set it with the other ingredients on the counter. Yeah, Jerry wasn't too happy ;)

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So about the Garmin... it sounds like some of you are interested in trying it out, so let's do it! If you'd like to get in on it, send me an E-MAIL at SlimKatie(at)runsforcookies(dot)com... obviously replace the 'at' and 'dot'. I write it that way so that I don't get tons of spam. Just put "Garmin" as the subject, and then in the e-mail, I'll need your name and home address. I obviously won't be posting your info on my blog or anything! I will have to give it to one person (via e-mail) so that they can send you the Garmin when they are done with it. Like I said, this will be on the honor system, so please don't take advantage of that! ;)

Julie suggested that each person give us a report when they are done--maybe a guest post?--with your thoughts on the Garmin. Ease of use, maybe how it helped you, if you think you may buy one, etc. So here is how it will work:  I'll package and send the Garmin to someone on the list. Once you get it, try it out for about two weeks. Then you package it back up and I will e-mail you the name and address of the next person on the list. You ship it to that person. And so on, and eventually it will make it's way back to me. I will send the instruction manual and other parts that come with it, so just make sure you put everything back in the box for the next person when you're done. The only thing I ask is that you take a picture of my beloved Garmin somewhere outside (on your wrist or not--it's up to you)--because I think it would be awesome to see my Garmin traveling the country! ;)

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And finally... I have a new project that I'm working on (I need to stay busy to avoid bingeing, especially when Jerry is working nights). I started a blog of JUST recipes, in case you are interested. I know some of you enjoy recipes, and some of you may not, so this way it'll be your choice whether to check them out. (I don't follow many blogs that post recipes or pictures of food--because it's a binge trigger for me. So I'd hate to trigger any binges on this blog!)

I won't put the recipes here on this blog anymore. I had no idea how to make a subdomain for runsforcookies.com, so I just made a free blogspot blog. You can find it here:  www.runsforcookiesrecipes.blogspot.com. I'm still working on getting it organized and all that, but I posted a trillion thousands 55 recipes last night. Whew! My hope is to eventually get ALL of my recipes there, with photos, AND nutrition facts--but it's going to take a while.

And FYI: You may not want to "follow" the recipes blog just yet... unless you want to be bombarded with recipes for the next few days! I'm typing like a madwoman to get the recipes in there, and then later I'll go back and add the nutrition info and photos. After a few days, I won't post so often over there.

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What's the silliest fight you've ever had with your partner? I remember ours like it was yesterday, but it happened when I was pregnant with Noah. I wasn't feeling very well, and Jerry decided to make dinner for us so that I wouldn't have to. He prepared a chicken and noodle casserole thing, with a whole bag of shredded cheese. I asked him what kind of cheese it was, and he said "Monterey Jack". I flipped out on him because the Jack cheese was supposed to be for the french onion soup I had made, and now there wasn't any left for my soup. I yelled, and cried, and threw a tantrum, basically, and all he was trying to do was make my life easier by making dinner.  Yeah, those pregnancy hormones can be a bitch ;)

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RECIPE: Two Ingredient Guacamole Recipe

This recipe is my go-to when I want to make something very quickly when visiting with a friend or when I'm just looking for something to much on (usually with margaritas, haha!). This is SO simple and SO easy--and it tastes SO good! Before I started losing weight, I actually used to make this and eat the entire batch along with an entire bag of chips. I know that's terrible, but it shows just how good it tastes. Now that I've learned portion control, I am able to eat just a small amount.

Serve with tortilla chips, of course! I like the Garden Fresh brand.

Guacamole

1 ripe avocado
1 cup Garden Fresh salsa (found in refrigerator section)

Mash the avocado until smooth, and fold in the salsa. It doesn't look very pretty, but it tastes fantastic. Serve with tortilla chips right away, because the avocado will start to brown.

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RECIPE: Protein Shakes and Smoothies Recipes (Part 3)

See Part 1 here.
See Part 2 here.

Just some more protein shake recipes :) These are my favorites as of lately. During the summer, I will even have these for lunch when I want something quick and cold.

The in-a-nutshell rundown:

Protein Powder: I've discovered that I have a sensitivity to whey protein powder, which is what I was using before. Lately, I've been using egg white protein powder, which is just as good. I use the Healthy 'n Fit 100% Egg Protein in vanilla ice cream flavor (when making chocolate shakes, I just add 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder). Use whatever kind you like. The only kind I've found to taste badly in these shakes is brown rice protein powder.

Gums: You'll also notice that I use xanthan gum and guar gum in my shakes. These are completely optional. I use them because it thickens the shake and makes it creamier; but not at all necessary. Just don't overdo the gums, because it'll be waaay too thick.

Milk: I've been using 1% milk lately, but I used to use unsweetened vanilla almond milk. You can use whatever kind of milk you like.

Yummy "extras": Finally, these shakes aren't super "healthy"--I use pudding mixes and syrups in them, which have sugar. But the pudding mixes make the shake taste so much better, and when you're having shakes every day, it's a great way to keep from getting bored. The extras seriously make a protein shake taste like a dessert.

Nutrition Facts: I'm not going to break down every one of these recipes (you can do that at Sparkpeople.com if you want) but I'll list a general idea of the calories in each ingredient for you to figure out yourself:

protein powder- 110 calories
sugar free syrup/extracts- 0 calories
regular flavored syrup (1 Tbsp)- 40 calories
1 cup almond milk- 40 calories
1 cup 1% milk- 100
1 Tbsp. pudding mix- 50 calories
1 Tbsp. nuts- 70 calories
1 Tbsp. chocolate chips- 70 calories
guar gum/xanthan gum-0

Here are the recipes for a few favorites... Just throw all the ingredients in the blender and let it rip. Each of these makes about 20-24 oz. (a large shake!)

German Chocolate Cake Protein Shake

1 cup milk
1 serving chocolate protein powder (or vanilla powder + 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder)
1 Tbsp. instant chocolate pudding mix
1 Tbsp. Torani coconut syrup
1/2 Tbsp. Torani caramel syrup
1 Tbsp. sweetened shredded coconut
1 Tbsp. pecans
1/4 tsp. guar gum (optional, for texture)
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (optional, for texture)
10 ice cubes

Almond Joy Protein Shake

1 cup milk
1 serving chocolate protein powder (or vanilla powder + 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder)
1 Tbsp. chocolate pudding mix
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 Tbsp. sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 tsp. guar gum (optional)
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (optional)
10 ice cubes

Turtle Cheesecake Protein Shake

1 cup milk
1 serving chocolate protein powder (or vanilla powder + 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder)
1 Tbsp. Oreo pudding mix
1 Tbsp. Torani caramel syrup
1/2 Tbsp. chocolate pudding mix
1/2 Tbsp. cheesecake pudding mix
1 Tbsp. pecans
1/4 tsp. guar gum (optional)
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (optional)
10 ice cubes

Piña Colada Protein Shake

1 cup milk
1 serving vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 Tbsp. Torani coconut syrup
1 Tbsp. coconut
1/4 tsp. guar gum (optional)
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (optional)
10 ice cubes

Mudslide Protein Shake

1 cup milk
1 serving vanilla protein powder
1 tsp. instant coffee powder
1 Tbsp. chocolate pudding mix
1 Tbsp. Torani Kahlua syrup
1/4 tsp. guar gum (optional)
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (optional)
10 ice cubes

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RECIPE: Protein Shakes and Smoothies Recipes (Part 2)

(Continued from Part 1)

Before having surgery, my doctor wants me to get a LOT of protein while I'm healing. So I'm going to be having lots of protein shakes again!

Some notes on the ingredients I use:

Protein Powder: I've discovered that I have a sensitivity to whey protein powder, which is what I was using before, and I think it is the most preferable when judging by taste. Lately, I've been using egg white protein powder, which is just as good. Use whatever kind you like. The only kind I've found to taste badly in these shakes is brown rice protein powder.

Gums: You'll also notice that I use xanthan gum and guar gum in my shakes. These are completely optional. I use them because it thickens the shake and makes it creamier; but not at all necessary. Just don't overdo the gums, because it'll be waaay too thick.

Milk: I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but you could use whatever kind of milk you like.

Yummy "extras": Finally, these shakes aren't super "healthy"--I use a lot of pudding mixes in them, which have sugar. But the pudding mixes make the shake taste so much better, and when you're having shakes every day, it's a great way to keep from getting bored.

Nutrition Facts: I'm not going to break down every one of these (you can do that at Sparkpeople.com if you want) but I'll list a general idea of the calories in each ingredient for you to figure out yourself:

protein powder- 110 calories
sugar free syrup/extracts- 0 calories
regular flavored syrups (1 Tbsp)- 40 calories
1 cup almond milk- 40 calories
1 Tbsp. pudding mix- 50 calories
1 Tbsp. nuts- 70 calories
1 Tbsp. chocolate chips- 70 calories
guar gum/xanthan gum-0

Here are the recipes for a few favorites... Just throw all the ingredients in the blender and let it rip. Each of these makes about 20-24 oz.

Cinnamon Roll Protein Shake

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 serving vanilla protein powder
1 Tbsp. Oreo pudding mix
1 Tbsp. butterscotch pudding mix
1 Tbsp. Torani sugar-free caramel syrup
1 Tbsp. pecans
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. each guar gum and xanthan gum (optional)
1 cup ice cubes (I use 10 cubes)

Cinnamon Roll Protein Shake

Triple Chocolate Protein Shake

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 serving chocolate protein powder
1 Tbsp. Oreo pudding mix
1 Tbsp. chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 Tbsp. chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. each guar gum and xanthan gum (optional)
1 cup ice cubes (I use 10 cubes)

Triple Chocolate Protein Shake

Cake Batter Protein Shake (this really does taste like cake batter!)

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 serving vanilla protein powder
1 Tbsp. Torani sugar-free french vanilla syrup
1 Tbsp. cheesecake pudding mix
1 Tbsp. white chocolate pudding mix
1/4 tsp. each guar gum and xanthan gum (optional)
1 cup ice cubes (I use 10 cubes)


Butterfinger Protein Shake

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 serving chocolate protein powder
1 Tbsp. Oreo pudding mix
1 heaping Tbsp. PB2
1 Tbsp. butterscotch pudding mix
2 tsp. chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. each guar gum and xanthan gum (optional)
1 cup ice cubes (I use 10 cubes)

Butterfinger Protein Shake

Butter Pecan Protein Shake

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 serving vanilla protein powder
1 Tbsp. cheesecake pudding mix
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. butter flavored extract
2 Tbsp. pecans
1/4 tsp. each guar gum and xanthan gum (optional)
1 cup ice cubes (I use 10 cubes)

(To be continued in part three...)

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