A Weighty Matter

I'm finished with my first trimester and I ended up "officially" gaining two pounds.  Unofficially it was actually one pound as I had consumed excess sodium the day before my last office visit and I'd dropped that extra pound later in the day.  Given my starting weight, it wasn't necessary for me to gain anything at all in the first trimester.  Regardless, I'm pleased with my weight gain thus far and soon I'll begin to work on gaining around one pound per week.

Weight is a tricky thing for some women and it certainly is with me.  It's hard for me to just relax and let go of my standard "diet" (meaning my normal way of eating) even if I'm pregnant.  Understand that I would never risk the health of my baby over my vanity about weight by dieting while pregnant, but I also would never treat pregnancy like it's forty-weeks of all-you-can-eat buffets and gorging on junk food. 

I'm never as disciplined with my diet as I am when I'm pregnant and I think that's why I have found that I don't pork up when knocked up.  Though Weight Watchers makes it clear that one shouldn't follow their plan while pregnant, I make sure to follow the WW Good Health Guidelines about water, fruit, veggie, dairy, and vitamin intake because it is a healthy way to eat and live.  That's not to say that I don't splurge sometimes because I absolutely do.  It's true that there's nothing I love more than a good hamburger, but it's not like I eat that way everyday and I see value in enjoying treats every now & then. 

My problem lately is dairy, both milk and cheese.  Even yogurt, to a lesser extent, is offensive to me at the moment.  I wouldn't ordinarily care about my dairy aversion, but pregnant women do need quite a bit of calcium and dairy products are the most efficient way to get that valuable mineral.

I have had so much trouble consuming dairy that I've had to get creative about where to get calcium because there is only so much broccoli and dark leafy greens one can take.  Where have I been getting calcium?  Milkshakes, frozen yogurt, and ice-cream.  Nothing like getting my dose of calcium with a hefty serving of fat and sugar, huh?  Yeah, it's really not the best way to go about getting calcium.

I may have been able to get through the first trimester with my weight gain essentially right on target, but I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to claim the same for my second trimester if I don't get exit the ice-cream train and get back on the non-fat milk bus.  How do you like to get your calcium?  Any ideas and suggestions would be most appreciated!

Did I Suffer from Estrogen Dominance? Do You?

I've documented my problems with progesterone and, unless you skip those blog posts or your eyes simply glaze over, you're aware that I've had some hormonal difficulties.  Progesterone is but one hormone that rises and falls throughout the month and I began thinking about that other hormone that rules the menstrual cycle:  estrogen.  Specifically, I began to question whether my estrogen levels were balanced.

What do you think I discovered?  I think that I not only have had low progesterone levels, but I think my estrogen levels were too high.  Estrogen dominance can occur no matter what your estrogen levels may be if you're low on progesterone.  I may have been suffering from estrogen dominance for a long time.

What are the symptoms of estrogen dominance?  Irregular menstrual cycles, heavy bleeding, infertility, irritability, mood swings, fatigue, headaches, and the list goes on.  Yep, sounds like me!

Adding to the hormonal havoc is that there are chemicals in certain foods that mimic estrogen in the body.  These compounds are called phytoestrogens.  Naturally, some of my favorite foods contain phytoestrogens!

Indeed, over 300 foods have been identified as having phytoestrogens.  Lignans and isoflavones are probably the most well known classes of phytoestrogens and, courtesy of my love of flax and soy, I have had a daily (or almost daily) dose of those two for MANY, MANY YEARS!  Why am I yelling about this?  Because studies have indicated that animals who consume diets high in phytoestrogens have documented reproductive problems!!!

I'm not saying that my diet was the reason that I found conception so difficult.  I'm also not saying that it wasn't a factor.  Combined with the low progesterone levels, I think it definitely could have had a negative impact on my pregnancy quest.  Note that I'm not saying that diet causes fertility difficulties because a correlation does not equal causation.  I'm just saying that it's a fascinating coincidence that I consumed a diet high in phytoestrogens and I have had a difficult time conceiving and carrying children even though I was well younger than my mid-30s.

Although I'm currently pregnant, I'm avoiding foods that are high in phytoestrogens.  Forgoing my daily doses of flaxseed oil isn't so difficult, but I know that I'm going to have some real difficulty when the heat is on and cold tofu with soy sauce, green onions, & ginger is all that sounds good to eat.  My AC kicked on about twenty minutes ago so I suppose the heat is on right now! 

Hm, looks like a lot of frozen yogurt might be in my future!  Bummer.  ;-)

Kid Food - Blast from the Past

I'm not trying to claim that I only ponder deep thoughts, but sometimes I find myself thinking of things that have absolutely zero impact on anything.  This morning was one of those times.  What lametastic thoughts went through my head?  I was remembering food that I liked as a kid.  If you're in my age bracket, perhaps you have fond memories of these foods too!

Rectangle shaped pizza from Little Ceasars - I can't be the only one who remembers when you'd get two rectangle-shaped pizzas in a ridiculously long cardboard box bottom with the entire thing covered by paper, can I?  My father does not eat cheese and, as a result, this was my first experience with pizza that wasn't in the lunchroom at school.  Speaking of such things. . .

French bread pizza - Who thought it would be a good idea to take a really thick piece of bread and pretend that it's an adequate pizza crust?  I don't know and I think it's awful as an adult, but I always begged my parents for lunch money on pizza day and this was always the pizza on the menu at the cafeteria.  I don't know if it's still a hit with kids, but I found a frozen one and tried it to see if I was missing something.  I wasn't.

English muffin pizzas - My mother usually bought brown bread (I think it was white bread with brown food coloring added) and that was it, but every now & then English muffins would end up in the house.  I loved topping them with everything from butter, peanut butter, honey, jelly, and most of all, pizza toppings.  My mom had a toaster oven on the counter and it was the perfect size to make a little English muffin pizza.  Kid cuisine at it's easiest!

Canned chocolate pudding - Yes, canned!  This was long before the plastic pudding snack cups showed up on the market and it was a perfect single serving of rich & delicious pudding.  I know it sounds horrible and I'll admit that it did have a slightly metallic taste, but this stuff was soooo good!  I don't recall exactly who made it, but I want to say it was Hunts or Del Monte.  I used to jam home after school, grab a tin of pudding, turn on the animated version of Dennis the Menace (followed by Heathcliff!) and chill out for an hour.

Canned macaroni & cheese - Yes, canned!  I want to say that Franco-American or Chef Boyardee provided this impossibly cheesy lunch favorite.  The cheese sauce was incredible (to my not-all-that-particular tastebuds), but the pasta is what made it so darn good.  It was mushy & weird like all canned pastas and it was perfect with the creamy-cheesy sauce.  It was in a blue-colored can and I've looked for it for years to see if it was really all that good or if nostalgia was swaying my memory.

Canned spaghetti - Are you seeing a theme here?  I swear that my mother did not raise me on canned foods (except vegetables, it was all about the canned vegetables - BLECH!), but she did buy them for weekend lunches so I've definitely had my fair share of preservatives.  This stuff from Franco-American looked like wormy brains, but it was really tasty with a sprinkle of garlic powder.  Yes, I added it to canned goods as a kid too.

Canned asparagus / canned spinach - Do they even still make this stuff?  Having enjoyed the deliciousness that are both of these vegetables freshly prepared, I can confidently say that I will never eat the limp and stinky (just what someone looks for in food, right?) canned versions ever again.

Ice-Cream Cones cereal - It was a cereal shaped like, well, ice-cream cones.  The jingle has stuck in my head for YEARS though I'm pretty sure it went off the market when I was still in elementary school.  "My name's Ice-Cream Jones.  I'm bringing the kids my ice-cream cones!"  My mother never, ever bought this cereal, so I can only dream how it might have tasted.  What cereal did I get?  Bags of puffed wheat, puffed rice, and other horrors.  I'm not being dramatic.  Seriously, did you even know that cereal comes just in bags?  No box, just a sack o' cereal.  Anyway, it was all horrible, but the puffed wheat turned into something that can only be described as Elmer's glue when it came in contact with milk. :::shudder:::

Tribbles - You know, I'm not positive on the spelling of these.  My Star Trek dorkiness might be why I think they were called Tribbles so they might actually be called Trebles?  It was a bag (like M & M size) of little cookies (again, about the size of an M & M).  I had these one glorious Summer and they disappeared off the shelf and out of my life. 

Astro-Pops - My all-time favorite lollipop!  These things seemed like they lasted all day long and they were kinda shaped like a rocket.  I'm embarrassed to admit that the Astros were my favorite baseball team for a long period of time because my under-6 aged brain thought they had something to do with my favorite lolly.  How much did I love these suckers?  I can vividly recall crying because I dropped one in the sand at the beach when I was around four.

Vienna sausages - I know these still exist, but I feel the need to admit the shameful truth:  I freaking loved these disgusting wieners.  The smell would probably make me gag now and sticking my fingers in the weird jelly that they are packed in definitely would, but OMG I LOVED these things.  How much did I love them?  I'd eat them straight from the can.  No need to class up these babies!

Have you ever eaten any of this stuff?  If so, did you like it?  What crazy food did you eat as a kid?

That Filthy Pig was Delicious

It seems that no one is ambivalent toward pork.  The world could easily be divided into groups who will eat Babe, Wilbur, & Arnold Ziffle and those who will not touch the filthy swine - hehe.  Longtime readers of this blog know in which camp I belong.

I ordinarily do not consume pork in general or ham and bacon in particular.  I find it totally disgusting and not worthy of satisfying my hunger.  Ham and bacon creep me out because they are salty and pink and I'm sure they taste like human flesh.

My meat preferences are well known, but my husband's family appears to be obsessed with eating pigs.  Seriously, I can count on pork being the main dish at most of his family's get togethers.  They appear to like pork so much that they even served ham at Thanksgiving once - HAM AT THANKSGIVING?!  GAH!!  I'm a big girl and I just make sure that I'm not starving when I know that pork will be served.

I accepted a token piece of ham on Easter and somehow choked it down without slathering it in mustard.  It was as predictably horrible as ham usually is to me.  How things changed within a few days!  I had some leftover sticky rice and I added some diced leftover ham.  Holy moly, that was tasty and it tickled my tastebuds so much that I want to make it again.

Family and close friends of mine probably know what this admission means, but I kinda regret not buying a ham prior to Easter because it would be soooo good paired with the rice and soy sauce.  Of course, my crock pots are packed away so I'd have no way to cook it, but anyway.

Recipe: Egg Pie

This can be assembled the night before and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook in the morning.  It's also very good with the addition of sliced mushrooms and I suppose that ham would be tasty as well.

Egg Pie
4 eggs, beaten
1 16-oz. container fat free cottage cheese
1 10-oz. package of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, well drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced (can also chop several ounces of jarred roasted red peppers)
3 Tb plain dry breadcrumbs
Seasonings:  salt, pepper, onion powder.
Non-stick cooking spray

Mix all ingredients until blended.  I usually reserve a little of the cheese to sprinkle on top. Pour into 9-inch pie plate sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until center is set. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 6.

This pan represents nearly triple this recipe.

Even kids seem to like this - veggies and all!

I'm Very Flexible

Chill out, perverts, this isn't a sexy post.

Someone (I'm not mentioning any names, but it was my fault!) forgot to pick up a brisket so I couldn't serve corned beef and cabbage tonight.  I usually serve this meal with potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions every St. Patrick's Day so I was sad to break with my tradition.  However, I'm flexible and I like to cook so I started thinking outside the box.

I pawed through my pantry and fridge and swear that I saw a tumbleweed blow through my kitchen.  We're looking to move within the next several weeks so I haven't been doing a lot of stocking up at the grocery store, Costco, or Sam's Club lately.  I've been specifically working through our non-perishables so that I won't have to pack up, move, and unpack a fully-stocked kitchen pantry.

I had a carton of instant potato granules in the pantry, a brown onion in my hanging veggie basket, and a bunch of curly leaf kale & some carrots in my vegetable crisper.  All the ingredients to make a delicious colcannon.  Awesome!  I also had a bag of frozen mixed veggies; great!  The entree gave me cause to pause because it appeared that all I had were some fish sticks, one chicken breast, and a couple of cans of tuna fish.  I grabbed the tuna, wondering if sandwiches would be too lame, and then noticed that I had two cans of salmon next to it.  All I needed was a couple of eggs and some breadcrumbs and we'd be grubbing on salmon patties for supper.  Jackpot! 

Mixed veggies, colcannon, and salmon patties. . .sounds like a perfectly acceptable and festive St. Patty's day meal to me and it certainly was tasty!

* * *

A couple of funny notes about my dinner preparation this evening:

~ My son noticed that I pulled out the instant potato granules and he pointed saying, "Mashed potatoes."  Yeah, yeah, so I love to cook and all that, but that doesn't mean that I want to waste my time if no one notices my efforts.  No one in my house gives a rip if I peel, chop, boil, and mash actual potatoes or if I whip up some instant taters so I choose to serve up the easiest option.

~ When I pulled the bunch of kale out of the refrigerator, my son pointed and exclaimed, "KALE!!"  Then he added, "I love kale."  I love kale too and I thought, "That's my boy!!"  I shared this vignette with my husband and he shook his head while saying, "You two are a couple of hippies."

Recipe: Slow Cooker Meatloaf

I make this fairly frequently and this is my go-to entree when we are entertaining couples with young children.  I know that most people will balk at making a meatloaf in the slow cooker, but this comes out very moist and delicious.  As a bonus, it doesn't heat up your house because you don't need to use your oven.  It also allows you to have fun with your friends instead of fooling around in the kitchen!

Slow Cooker Meatloaf
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped (I pulse them in the food processor; I hate chopping carrots)
2 whole dill pickles, finely chopped
3 lbs. ground beef
3 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
Around 3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
Seasonings to taste:  I use salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, & crushed red pepper flakes.

Sauce
1/4 cup ketchup/catsup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 Tb yellow mustard
1/2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce

Aluminum Foil
Non-stick cooking spray

1.  Spray inside of slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2.  Tear two long lengths of aluminum foil.
3.  Fold foil into two strips that are at least three foil sheets thick - you'll want this to be sturdy because you're going to use it as handles to lift out your completed meatloaf.
4.  Lay one of the foil strips in the bottom of your slow cooker, making sure that both edges are able to extend out of the slow cooker.
5.  Lay the second foil strip in the slow cooker, perpendicular to the first strip. You want it to look like a big + in the bottom of your crock pot.

6.  Combine all meatloaf ingredients in large bowl.
7.  Mix well and shape to fit your slow cooker (oval, round).  Add more bread crumbs if you need more to firm up the meatloaf and help it keep it's shape.
8.  Place meatloaf in prepared slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
9.  Combine sauce ingredients and pour over meatloaf.
10.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
11.  Carefully lift meatloaf out of slow cooker using the foil "handles."
12.  Slice & serve.


*If you prefer it a little on the spicy side, you can add crushed red pepper flakes and/or Sriracha (find in Asian foods aisle-I've found that the green tipped squeeze bottle with the rooster on it is tastiest for cooking) to both the meatloaf and the sauce.

Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli =

YUMMY Comfort Food!

Up Close and Personal with My Meatloaf

Recipe: French Onion Soup

I love French onion soup.  It is so warming and comforting on a cold day and it has a pretty presentation too so it's even suitable for company.

Cheap & Lazy French Onion Soup
Non-stick spray
2 big brown onions, roughly chopped
3 Tb. butter
2 beef boullion cubes
6 cups hot water, divided
Salt & Pepper
Rothbury Farms Cheese & Garlic Croutons
Shredded (or shaved) parmesan cheese

1.  Spray crock-pot with non-stick spray and set aside.
2.  Add butter and onions to a standard skillet - you do not want to use a non-stick pan.
3.  Cook on medium-high heat, stirring somewhat frequently. It's okay if the onions begin to brown and it's good if you can see that the pan is getting little browned bits stuck to the bottom.
4.  Cook until onions are golden-brown and very soft.
5.  Pour onions, boullion cubes, 5 cups of hot water in crock-pot.
6.  Pour the remaining cup of hot water in skillet and turn heat to high. Using a metal spatula, begin to scrape up all of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
7.  Empty the skillet into the crock-pot and add salt & pepper to taste.
8.  Cover crock-pot and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.

* * *

9.  About ten minutes before mealtime, set oven to broil.

10.  Ladle soup into oven-safe serving bowls, top with croutons & a hefty sprinkle of cheese.
11.  Set bowls on a baking sheet and broil for a couple of minutes until cheese is bubbly. Be sure to keep a close watch on the soup because things burn fast under the broiler!
12.  Remove carefully (bowls will be very hot) and serve with caution- the soup will be like lava for several minutes.

Note - I usually double this recipe because I don't have a small crock-pot and we usually eat the leftovers for lunch and/or dinner the following day. I specified the type of croutons because they add a particularly nice taste to the soup, much better than just plain toasted baguette. I know that french onion soup typically calls for gruyere (perhaps swiss), but I never have any on hand and parm seems to work well.

Sour Boobies

Recipe - Slow Cooker Beans with Ham

Though you have to soak the beans overnight, this is a very easy & simple dish and the end result is delicious!  I made a ham in the slow cooker the day before and I reserved all the remaining juice and the ham bone for this recipe.  Neither of those things are absolutely necessary, but omitting them will result in a much flatter flavor.

Slow Cooker Beans with Ham

1 lb. dried pinto beans

1 lb. dried great northern white beans

Leftover ham bone (preferably one that isn't picked clean)

Drippings from ham cooked in slow cooker

11 cups of water

*Seasonings:  salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, a little chili powder, and about 1 Tb of yellow mustard (I know mustard sounds weird, but just trust me on this)

1.  Sort and rinse beans according to package. 

2.  Cover beans with at least two inches of water and soak overnight.  

3.  Drain beans in the morning. 

4.  Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray and pour in the soaked beans.  Add the ham bone, the drippings, and water. 

5.  Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 8 hours.  

6.  Add seasonings, cover again and cook for one more hour.  

7.  Remove ham bone, pick off any ham bits that are still attached, discard bone, add ham to the pot.  

8.  If you find that it is a little too watery, mash some of the beans and add back to the pot to thicken the dish.  Stir and serve.

*Salt tends to toughen dried beans and garlic & red pepper tend to develop off-tastes when exposed to heat for long periods of time so I don't add seasonings until the beans are tender.

Christmas Menu

I hosted family at my house for Thanksgiving and I'm doing it again for Christmas.  This wouldn't be a problem most years, but it does feel slightly overwhelming this year.  My house is a complete and total disaster after spending this last week on semi-bedrest.  Not a single decoration decks my halls.  Gifts, while thankfully purchased, have yet to be wrapped.  All these things can be remedied in a long afternoon of cleaning, decorating, and wrapping.  My problem is the menu.

I love turkey; after salmon it's my favorite meat.  I generally serve the same meal for Christmas and Thanksgiving:  turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, corn, green salad, and a relish tray.  I like turkey so much that I always stock up for the year when they are on sale and I currently have four turkeys in my chest freezer. 

Sounds great, right?  Wrong.  The problem this year is that I'm pregnant.  I'm not just pregnant, I'm pregnant with weird food aversions and queasiness.  Turkey is the one food that has consistently made me sick each time I try to eat it.  At this point, just thinking about the smell of turkey is enough to turn my stomach.

So turkey is out for the centerpiece of my Christmas dinner, what else can I make?  Chicken isn't fancy enough, duck and goose are fatty and will most definitely make me vomit, fish doesn't seem "Christmas-y," and I don't care for pork.  What does that leave?  Beef, I guess.

Steaks on the grill don't seem all that festive and a pot roast is something I'd make any ol' night.  I thought about doing a prime rib roast, but I don't care for the cut.  Then it hit me:  beef Wellington.  Of course!  It's fancy enough for Christmas and I'm pretty sure that everyone will like it. 

Unfortunately, pink meat, usually so appealing to me, is yet another thing that makes me ill these days.  That makes it tough to serve up a medium rare supper and it would be just wrong to overcook the meal for everyone just because I can't handle the look of it.  After thinking about it a little longer, I think I'll make individual servings instead of one big filet roast.

The only problem I can see with this plan is that beef Wellington, while easy enough to make, does require a lot of work and I just don't think I'll be up for it after getting the house put together.  Frankly, it's exhausting just to think about all the work that's ahead of me.  I may just end up serving a pot roast.

What does your family serve for Christmas dinner?

Pop Tarts & Snow Suits

I've been on vacation in Utah for the last several days and I've learned a couple of things:

1.  I know nothing about cold climate clothing.
2.  My son thinks he has been deprived.

* * *

While roaming around a Wal-Mart, I noted that there were a lot of odd clothes on display.  I realize that different areas of the country like different fashions than other areas of the country, but these were really bizarre clothes.  They were weird puffy nylon jumpsuits and I couldn't imagine they were considered cool anywhere. 

I finally asked, "What's the deal with all these jumpsuits?"  Um, apparently they were snow suits.  I guess it's obvious that I grew up in a warm and sunny climate.

* * *

My son eats a pretty good diet and he doesn't eat a lot of sugary snacks, but he has just discovered the existence of Pop-Tarts.  He was hooked after the first bite and he has been begging my sister for Pop-Tarts every morning.  He's such a Pop-Tart fiend that he actually stole his cousin's Pop-Tart today.  Shortly afterward, I walked by him in the hallway and he cried for more "Pop-Tarts!" 

You know, it's a darn shame that they don't sell Pop-Tarts in California.  Sorry kid, yes, I'm that mom.

Beets & Broccoli

Not only is my son sick, but I woke up with a definite cold.  So here's a real quick post for the day.


I don't often give myself a parental pat on the back. . .oh, I do?  Well, okay then.  Here's another one. . .pat, pat!

My son begs, begs, for beets and broccoli.  I've never heard of such a thing.  What 2 1/2-year old on the planet does that? 

He's so in love with "wockly broccoli" that I have bribed him with it.  Yes, I just admitted that I occasionally resort to bribing a toddler.  Go ahead and judge me if you must.

A toddler begging for broccoli and beets. . .that's just crazy, right?

Sometimes "Breathing" Sucks

I have found myself "breathing" at dinner each night this week.  Of course, I breathe all the time, but this is a special breath.  It is the subtle, but deep, breath you take when your hunger is satisfied.  That's the point that you should stop eating because you are no longer hungry.

I was never made to clean my plate while I was growing up, but I can't stand leaving food on my plate now that I'm an adult.  Other than greedy gluttony, I don't know why I've developed this habit.  But I have it now and it is a hard one to break.

I've learned that I consistently put too much on my plate.  Not a lot, around 1/4 to 1/2 cup, but it's definitely enough to add up over time.  By stopping when I'm full, I have consumed about three fewer cups of food this week that I would have eaten otherwise.  I keep telling myself that the food will still be there if I want it later; sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

I have also rearranged how I eat, consuming my favorite parts of the meal before anything else.  I always used to eat salad first, but I'm saving it for the last thing to eat because I'm more likely to stop eating when I'm full when salad is all that remains.  I don't even dress it unless I'm about to eat it because seeing it with a Tablespoon or two of my tasty semi-homemade ranch dressing would tempt me to eat it even if my hunger is satisfied. 

I'm glad that I can hear what my body is saying and that I'm listening.  And I'm pretty amazed at just how little I actually need (want is another matter!) to eat before I feel satisfied.  Seriously, one night I only ate half of a stuffed red bell pepper and 1/4 cup of a delicious barley & mushroom side dish before I was full.  I still had half of my dinner left on my plate.  I'm very happy that I have an abundance of plastic containers for storing leftovers because I've been using them a lot this week!

All this isn't to say that I've been perfect because I haven't been.  I ignored that special breath at lunch once and kept shoveling food in my pie-hole.  I still didn't clean the plate though because I began to feel uncomfortably full after eating a few more spoonfuls of what can only be described as Sloppy Joe Salad.  I wonder now if this is how I always felt after eating and I just didn't notice it?  If so, that's really sick and I'm glad that I'm taking steps to stop this self-destructive behavior of over-eating.

I sure hope the scale reflects my efforts at my next weigh in. . .

Keep Moving Forward

I can't believe it.  I actually lost weight last week.  That's a good thing, but I'm totally shocked because I screwed around way too much and I didn't work out at all prior to my weigh in yesterday afternoon.  Yet I somehow still lost weight. 

I know that this surprising weight loss this week was a gift so I've been diligently staying on-track since my weigh-in.  I have performed two workouts (no cardio, but it's still valuable and worthwhile) and I have had two very healthy meals.  I find that reflection is important in all areas of life and thought I'd list out the things I did right, no matter how small, and the things I need to improve upon. 

I will keep the weight loss going this week!  Once again, with emphasis, I will keep the weight loss going this week!  One more time, in case you aren't sure what I'm saying, I will keep the weight loss going this week!

What I did right last week:
~ I stopped eating when I was full, even though there was still food on my plate, at three meals.  I didn't leave a lot on my plate, but I did leave it.  This might sound like no big deal, but it is really hard for me to walk away from a bite or two of food.  Unfortunately, "just" an extra bite at every meal over the course of a year really does add up to a lot.
~ After eating, I threw whatever was left on my son's plate right down the drain.  I didn't customarily eat the remnants off his plate, but I have done it a time or two if the meal was particularly tasty.  A spoonful of mac & cheese was calling my name on Sunday night as I was cleaning up the dining room table.  I ran the plate to the sink and poured water on it - temptation removed!
~ I made three big pots of soup to eat for lunches and the dinners without my husband.  Soup is a terrific weight loss food for me because I find it filling and nourishing.  I made a low point soup that utilized ground chicken and lots of veggies, a zero-point pureed cauliflower soup (kinda like potato soup but not), and a low-ish point sausage, kale, & bean soup.  I froze some of the leftovers into single serve containers so I will always have meal options even when I don't feel like cooking.
~ I made spinach-y scrambled eggs on Wednesday morning and, instead of adding milk to the eggs, I added some of that pureed cauliflower soup that I made last week.  By trying something different, I save a little on calories and boosted the nutrition in my breakfast.  I liked the result so much that I did it again this morning.
~ I found a rye-crisp that is only 1 point for two crackers.  Normally I'm not a fan, but these ones are pretty tasty and they offer more nutrition than regular ol' saltine crackers.  Even better, I found them at my local 99 cent store.
~ I set a goal to work out at least once.  I did it with only hours left in my weight-loss week, but I did do it!
~ I normally wouldn't exercise at night, but I did last night.  I've been sleep training my son and I have nothing else to do while I'm standing in the hallway to hustle him back to bed when he leaves his room.  By the time he stayed in bed, I had completed three sets of squats, lunges, standing leg lifts & donkey kicks, biceps curls, triceps dips, chest flys, and inverted flys (bent-over lateral raises).


Where I need to improve:
~ I didn't track at all.  Not even once.  I so didn't track that I didn't even grab a tracker.  I will grab a tracker right after I finish this post.
~ I didn't measure at all.  Not even once.  I hate measuring, I really do.  Unfortunately, I don't know how to make it any less annoying.  I guess I will just leave my measuring cups and spoons on the kitchen counter so that I remember to keep my portion sizes reasonable.
~ The busiest social season of the year is looming and I need to strategize about how to handle parties and get-togethers.  I had two this weekend and I colossally bombed at both of them.  Too much food and too much booze combined with not enough will power or activity is just a bad equation.  When possible, I will bring a WW-friendly addition to the event.  I will also alternate one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage that I consume.  I should also avoid drinks made with juice or mixers, but that just sounds so un-fun.  Perhaps I should refamiliarize myself with just how many points are found in only one Cosmo. . .actually, that's a very good idea.
~ I have to really watch my drinking at home.  One glass of wine turns into the entire bottle nearly every single time.  Okay, every time.  This is particularly true if I've already been drinking out with friends.  I hate when the partying stops, but I can't lose weight without radically changing my relationship with liquor.  I'll have one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage that I consume because it slows down the guzzling.  I'll have to get my husband on board with this one because I won't be able to do it without his support.
~ I didn't get in all my water this week.  A lot of this is because I'll drink coffee until around noon if I'm home.  I'm going to have to watch my coffee intake and start chugging the H2O after mid-morning.
~ I need to fit in exercise wherever I can.  I frequently fall victim to the all or nothing mentality and, more often than not, that means doing nothing.  An hour to spend on cardio isn't going to magically materialize, but even a busy SAHM can find ten minute chunks of time to work on a little toning.  I will take advantage of those times when I find them.
~ I didn't take my son for a walk even once.  I blamed the weather, but really I was being lazy.  I will walk him to the park at least once this week.


Those are the things that I can think of off the top of my head that I've been doing right and the things that I need to improve.  Seeing it in print drives home the point and I will continue to improve.  Coming up with a plan is key because, as they say, a failure to plan is a plan to fail.

Did you know that I will keep the weight loss going this week?

Pizza Bones

I made a variation of the soup & sandwich combo for lunch today.  It was soup with a slice of pizza.  The soup had a tomato-base and it was a nice complement to the pizza.

My son has become obsessed with pizza bones lately.  He likes the rest of the slice as well, but he loves the pizza bones.  He enjoys the bones so much that he begs for my bones whenever we eat pizza.  I have no problem giving it to him because the toppings are my favorite part of a pizza slice. 

I figured that he only liked it because he likes to dip it in the Ranch sauce that I always serve with pizza.  I ran out of my nonfat milk a couple of days ago and I haven't made a new batch of Ranch since getting a new gallon of milk.  So I served the pizza with the soup and wondered what he'd do with the bones. 

He dipped the pizza bones in his soup.  Clever kid.

No Five Guys for This Gal

I'm not exactly superstitious, but I do get crazy notions from time to time.  Here's a crazy notion for you:  My husband suggested that we might eat lunch at Five Guys the other day.  For those of you not in the know, I guess Five Guys is giving In N Out a run for their money as the best fast food burger.

At the mention of Five Guys, I whipped my head around, eyes wide, "No!"

Before the poor guy could make a comment, I continued, "My brother ate at Five Guys one day and he died the very next day."

My husband was nonplussed and finally asked mildly, "Do you think that Derek died because he ate at Five Guys?"

I replied that I didn't know, but I do know that I will never eat a Five Guys burger.

Irrational?  Yes, I suppose.  My brother died of aortic dissection, not a bad burger.  Is my refusal to eat at Five Guys somewhat justified?  In my opinion, yes.  Five Guys burgers may not have been the reason my brother passed away (okay, I know they aren't), but I would never be able to eat there because I'd remember that it's where he ate the last time he dined out.

Sorry, Five Guys, I'll be sticking with In N Out.

The Easiest Way to Cut a Whole Watermelon

Berries, tomatoes, corn, peppers, and melons.  It's that special time of year that nature's sweet and delicious bounty can be found in abundance.  Summertime.

I like fresh fruit, but sometimes I think it's a pain to cut it up for consumption.  Sure, you can purchase nearly any fruit already prepared for snacking - but that costs a lot more money than simply buying the whole fruit.  And, if there is one thing that drives me nuts, it's paying someone else to do something that I can easily do myself.  Cutting whole fruit is easy and tonight I came up with an even easier and neater way.

Choosing the Best Watermelon
1.  Buy it in season.  That is, Summer.  You might be able to find watermelon in Winter, but the fruit won't be nearly as sweet and delicious as fruit purchased in-season.  It's typically less expensive as well.
2.  Buy a melon that feels heavy for it's size. 
3.  Make sure there are no soft or mushy spots on the rind. 
4.  I'll pass along that some say you should choose a melon that sounds hollow when you rap your knuckles on it, but I haven't found that it's all that important.

Simple Way to Cut Watermelon
1.  Wash watermelon before placing on a cutting board.
2.  Slice the ends off the watermelon.
3.  Stand watermelon up on end on the cutting board.
4.  Begin cutting down the sides of the watermelon to remove the rind.  Repeat until all rind is removed.
5.  Cut watermelon in half lengthwise.
6.  Cut remaining watermelon however you like.  I usually cut it into mid-size chunks and the task is so much easier once the rind has been removed.


Does my watermelon trick sound familiar somehow?  It's because it's the same procedure you use to cut up a whole pineapple.

A Father's Day Feast

It's been a long day, so I'm going to write about the culinary delights that I whipped up for my family on this Father's Day.

I began the day by brewing a pot of coffee.  I've been enjoying mock-mocha lattes lately and today was no exception.  I take 2/3 cup of black coffee, add a teaspoon or two of sugar free hot cocoa mix (today I had suisse mocha instant coffee though), and top off my cup with nonfat milk.  It is so tasty and, though low in WW points, it tastes so decadent!

For breakfast, I served an Egg Pie.  Egg Pie is kind of like a quiche without a crust.  I made it with eggs, cottage cheese, broccoli florets, roasted red pepper, chopped mushrooms, shredded cheddar, shredded Parmesan, and breadcrumbs.  It's colorful and filling.  I particularly like that each serving includes one serving of veggies.  It's low in WW points so it has become my breakfast/brunch staple.  Big Daddy and the little Tater Tot gobbled it up so I'd say it was a hit!

I slacked off on lunch because, well, it's Sunday and I'm fond of dining out each Sunday after church.  Tomorrow I'll probably blog about the topic that hit me while we were listening to the sermon this morning - I took notes so I hope I don't forget!  Anyway, we dined at our favorite little Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurant.  It's cheap and delicious and the waitstaff loves us and our son.  As is typical, I shared my fish tacos with the little one and he enjoyed nearly a full order of guacamole.

We had my parents over for supper and it was a FEAST!!  We served up grilled top sirloin, sauteed mushrooms & onions (I season with salt, pepper, garlic, and a splash of soy sauce), baked potatoes (with butter, sour cream, chives, bacon, and cheese), green beans almondine, and a tossed green salad with my ranch dressing.  I love to cook, but I am not a baker, so I served fresh cut watermelon for dessert.  Everything tasted so awesome and I think that everyone was more than satisfied.  My Dad said that he has never experienced a bad meal in my home and today was no exception.  I guess you could say that the compliment puffed me up quite a bit!

I think that both my husband and my father were touched that my son picked out their Father's Day cards.  I also let the boy "sign" the cards.  My son also picked out my husband's gifts:  a plaque and a pen that says "#1 Dad."  My father is at the age where he doesn't really need any stuff, so I thought he might want to read the blog post that I made last night.  I felt a little lame to hand him the computer printout, but I realize now that it was the very best gift I could have given him.

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there. You guys work so hard to provide for your families and you deserve more than just one day each year.  To everyone who reads this blog:  I hope that the fathers in your life are as wonderful to you as my husband and father are to me.  If they are, do let them know how much they are loved.

Flavored Formula - Really America? Really?

Don't take this post personally if you feed your toddler chocolate (or vanilla!)flavored formula, whiskey, cigarettes, espresso, and a ton of junk food. I have no idea what you feed your child and this isn't about anyone that I know.


I was perusing headlines to come up with a blog post tonight and I am stunned at this item:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diabetes/mead-johnson-drops-chocolate-flavored-emfagrow-parent-uproar/story?id=10876301&page=1

For those who don't want to clicky the linky, it's about flavored formula. Mead Johnson, makers of Enfagrow Premium formula, was offering flavored formula. Loving parents could choose between loading their toddler up with sugary vanilla or sugary chocolate flavored formula. Geez man, let that sink in for a moment: Chocolate flavored formula was marketed as suitable for 12-month old children. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, as they say.

There is so much wrong with this that I just don't know where to start. For starters, why in the world could a toddler possibly require chocolate flavored formula? And what parent would purchase it to feed to their new toddler? To get them hooked on fatty sweets at a tender age?

It reminds me of this story from the other day:

http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1276127714233340.xml&coll=1

This item is cautioning parents against giving soda to their offspring as long as the children are under age 5. Say what? Who in the heck gives soda to such a young child? What do they do with it? Put it in the sippy cup? The baby bottle? And what can possibly be their rationale behind feeding their child something that has absolutely zero nutritional value?

Items like these two make me think that we're doomed as a society. Where does the stupidity (perhaps it's ignorance, perhaps it's outright negligence) end? What else will these parents do? Give their kid a belt of whiskey if the little one can't sleep? Set the kid up with a pack of Marlboros to break the little one's thumb-sucking habit? Make the kid take a shot of espresso if the little one is sluggish? Feed the kid french fries and try to claim it's a vegetable because, "It comes from a tater?"

We all know there are certain things that just aren't appropriate for growing bodies and brains. So why do some parents throw that wisdom out the window while shoveling empty calories in their child's maw? Is it just easier than doing your best to make sure that they have the best start in life?

Maybe I'm biased because I was raised a certain way. My parents were the rulers and there could never be an uprising because they stood together in all things. Lest you take that as a complaint, understand that they were firm, but loving.

My parents both worked, but we rarely dined out in restaurants and fast food was virtually never purchased. I'm guessing it was more about cost than nutrition and I think they realized that it was cheaper to make burgers at home and bake some fries (or have potato chips or potato salad) than to buy dinner out for the entire fam. They made one meal, Mom said that she wasn't a short order cook, and that was what you could eat. If you didn't want to eat dinner, well, you weren't going to starve if you missed a meal. I seem to recall being allowed to make a peanut butter sandwich a time or two when dinner was truly awful.

They bought snacks (fruit or raisins) and the occasional packet of Kool-Aid. They would have had our heads if we took their soda, Mom drank Pepsi Light as I recall, so we didn't have soda regularly. I guess they figured that the kids could drink milk or water. Sometimes they had ice cream in the freezer and that was so awesome! I can still remember how delicious those very rare treats tasted on my tongue.

I'm taking a lot of my cues on feeding my son from how I was fed. I include a far wider variety of cuisines and vegetables, but I put the meal in front of him and he typically eats it. If he doesn't like it, or if he isn't hungry, I figure that he won't starve from missing one meal. I certainly wouldn't try to appeal to his sweet tooth by offering crap in place of something nutritious.

A toddler only has so much hunger each day and their appetites can vary wildly from day to day. Make the calories count and don't start them off on eating garbage. Trust me, they will eat plenty of crap when they make their own money and can buy their own food, snacks, and beverages. Until then, be the parent and make healthy choices for them. Kids can't eat crap unless you buy it for them, give it to them, or give them the money to buy it themselves.

I'm sorry if this comes across like I'm a smug jerk who only feeds my child the most nutritious foods because that's definitely not the case. My son has had junk every now and then - granola bars are a particular favorite at the moment. He's had far more french fries than I'd prefer and he loves taquitos & burgers. But I try my best to make the best choices for him because he can't yet make those choices for himself. I hope that, by offering healthy foods and modeling healthy eating habits myself, he makes healthy choices for himself once he's on his own. I realize that I probably overthink the responsibilities of parenthood, but there you go.