I love to cook, so I do and I do often. I love to peruse Pinterest, Cooking Magazines, books and blogs for inspiration. When I find a recipe that I love and want to share, I am going to bring it straight to ya here! In addition to that, if I find a cooking tool or specific product I will link you to where you can find it for purchase if you are interested. You'll find that I love me some bargains. ;) Bon Apetit!
I've never tried the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks so after receiving the PSL Fan Pass I decided to try it today. I had no idea how many calories it had and totally regret not ordering a tall with non-fat milk. That would have made it less destructive to my day. Nevertheless I did order one and I like it very much. It is pretty creamy and very sweet. I think this is the kind of drink I might order twice for the entire season. I woke up late and not feeling well (I think I had allergies) so I couldn't make breakfast myself since I was too short on time so I ordered the Egg White Delight from McDonald's. That was my breakfast. Tasty, but not healthy...or smart. TOO MUCH SUGAR! This might have been what started some crazy cravings today!
Lunch - 280 Calories
For lunch I had a turkey avocado sandwich, with spinach, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, salt, pepper and vinegar on wheat bread at Subway. I also ordered an unsweetened iced tea. Trying very hard to make up for the morning.
For a snack I had the Nabisco Toasted Chips Sour Cream & Onion Flavor.
Dinner - 262 Calories
For dinner I was so hungry I couldn't wait to prepare anything so I had a can of soup with half an avocado. It was a Healthy Choice Soup, Thai Style Chicken with Brown Rice. I added salt so my sodium and sugar count was over board today. :(
I had cravings all day!! I was looking at everyone's food like:
This morning I decided to attempt a copycat recipe of my own. I searched online to see if there was an existing copycat recipe for the Egg White Parmesan and Turkey Sausage Breakfast bowl that I have been getting at McDonald's and there isn't. So it is my duty to get one out there! Therefore, here it is:
BREAKFAST - 309 Calories
Egg White Parmesan and Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl COPYCAT Ingredients (Serves 1) 2 Turkey Sausage Patties ( I used Jones Dairy Farm, they were really good.) 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 Cups Fresh Spinach 2 Slices of of a ripe tomato, diced into cubes (About 1/4 cup) 1 Tablespoon Shaved Parmesan Cheese 1 Cup Liquid Egg Whites Garlic Powder Salt Pepper Heat the sausage patties according to package directions. (I set them in a pan on the stove at medium high heat and cooked each side about 3-4 minutes) When done, cut the patties into 1/6th pieces (Like a pizza) and place them at the bottom of the bowl you will be serving your dish in. Using the same pan, add 1tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (You can also replace this with water to save more calories but I do not suggest it with this meal). Once hot, toss in the diced tomatoes and the spinach. (I threw it in one handful at a time, but you can put it in all at once.) Saute the tomatoes and spinach. Sprinkle garlic, salt and pepper in to taste. Once wilted and cooked toss this mixture into the bowl with the turkey sausage. Using the same pan, pour in your egg whites. Stir these often or they will burn! Add a little pepper and salt. Once cooked through, sprinkle a pinch of shaved parmesan over the eggs and let them melt very slightly. Add the eggs to the serving bowl. Sprinkle with a little more shaved parmesan and serve hot!
LUNCH - 289 Calories
For lunch I made a pita pocket (ONLY 243 CALORIES!) with the chicken from last night. (Grilled with salt and pepper). I used a wheat pita and cut it in half. I opened it and stuffed it with Arugula, Spinach, sprouts, tomato, grilled chicken and I used the Tahini Avocado salad dressing from the Arugula Goat Cheese salad that I picked up from Vons. It was so good! This is a very filling and very low calorie meal so I WILL be making it again. I ate about 1 cup of watermelon (46 Calories) as well. And later in the day I had a snack of Ritz Sour Cream and Onion crackers, one serving.
DINNER - Calories Not much...
For dinner I had a cup of leftover Chicken Coconut Lemongrass soup. It did not have very many calories but I am not sure how many if I had to guess... Maybe 280? I also ate about two cups of watermelon for desert so... That is that. I am not really that hungry tonight. I am tired though!! So I am going to go snuggle with my comforter and pillows now. Goodnight!
So...I am late. lol. Instead of trying to fill you in on the time gap from my last entry, I am just going to write as though I never stopped. This blog has been the reason I had such great progress in the first place! Ever since I stopped telling people about what I was putting in my face, I gained like 5 lbs back. :( So here it is, another new beginning. (Because new beginnings are ALWAYS available.)
BREAKFAST - 340 Calories
Today I resorted back to my breakfast special. The McStar. Because it is fast, easy, and takes no calorie counting.
I have a NEW trip to look forward to btw, and one that I definitely want to shed a few pounds for. LONDON!!!! Yes, I am going to London in December and I want to try all their yummy foods! So this is even MORE inspiration for me to stay on the wagon.
LUNCH - 374 Calories
I went grocery shopping on my lunch break and snagged my favorite low calorie pre-packed Vons Salad, the Arugula & Goat Cheese Salad. Plus I added half an avocado. I always end up pretty hungry after I eat this salad though. So about 3 hours after eating it I had 17 Rold Gold pretzels (110 calories).
DINNER - 304 Calories
While perusing Pinterest for low calorie meal ideas I came across a recipe for One Pan Parmesan Tuscan Chicken that looked really easy. So, I made it! I didn't do a great job teaching how to make it. I even gave out the wrong measurements for Almond Milk... it is 1 1/2 cups not 1/4... Anyways, use this link if you want the original recipe!
I ruined my otherwise good day with 180 calories of Froyo Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream... That's too much sugar. But I will do better tomorrow!
This was a boring entry...so here is a little reward for reading:
I really loved the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew from Starbucks so I decided to get that again only in the tall size to save a few calories (plus I never finish the grande). I was running really short on time today so I had to get breakfast here instead of McDonald's. So I went for the Low-Fat Turkey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich. It is pretty tasty! This is their description, "Sizzling reduced-fat turkey bacon and wholesome cage-free egg whites are paired with the rich creaminess of melted, reduced-fat white cheddar cheese on an organic wheat English muffin. So good and surprisingly only 230 calories." It really was good, even though I prefer the McD's breakfast bowl because it does not have wheat... for some reason, wheat has been hurting my stomach so I am trying to stay away from it.
LUNCH - 373 Calories
I had some Tom Kah Gai for lunch. It was delicious.
DINNER - 289 Calories
For dinner I wanted OODLES OF ZOODLES! (I hope you read that in a Julia Child voice). So I used my spiralizer and did a very simple Zucchini Noodle (2 Large Zucchinis) with Baby Bella Mushrooms (1 oz) in a Tomato & Basil Sauce (1 Cup). It needed more veggies but it was still good as it was. Although I had to add some of my Chevre and Onion Salt to it to give it a little more flavor.
I miss high calorie foods. I feel that my cooking range is very limited these days, especially since my good friend Henry launched his blog Wolf & Blossom . Now all my meals look like college cafeteria food. lol... Dammit, Henry! In all seriousness I am so proud of him!! He is doing these really cool dinners that you can RSVP for online. Check out his blog and see! It would be a super special date idea if you have good intentions but suck big donkey ***** in the kitchen.
I have not always been a big basketball fan, but if I get invested in watching a team climb their way to the top I can get REALLY into it. Man oh man is Lebron James talented! I had a great time eating bad stuff while I watched him play.
BREAKFAST - 416 Calories
I stayed home and cooked myself breakfast this morning. I do not know why I keep forgetting to take pictures of the things I make... This morning I made a breakfast scramble with egg whites, crimini mushrooms, onions, red peppers, and 2 slices of bacon. It was the bacon that made this breakfast higher than my usual breakfast. I need to get turkey bacon...but then again I do love regular bacon so maybe the extra calories are worth it. Yes... yes they are.
LUNCH - 140 Calories
I may be off on this calorie projection as it was a bowl of fruit that I bought from Von's so the nutritional value was not included. But it was mango, strawberries and blueberries. I ate the whole bowl. And then I ordered Thai food.
DINNER - 727 Calories
I honestly just said 'F it. I'm ordering Thai food.' because I wanted to watch the game and I didn't want to cook. So I ordered Ka Prao Kai Dao from Ka Prao Thai Cuisine and OMG YUM. No one makes it like they do!! They use sauteed minced chicken with basil and garlic chili sauce. Topped with a fried egg and served with jasmine rice. Just delicious!
Tonight I spent a LOT of time playing Twilight Princess & when I finally wanted to go to sleep there was ANOTHER spider looming above my bed on the ceiling. Where is Link when I need him???
Today I decided to try the Cold Brew with Vanilla Sweet Cream! It was a grande and only had 110 calories! It's REALLY good if you like potent coffee. I was craving something different today and was very pleasantly surprised with this one. It is going to be a repeat item but maybe a tall next time.
LUNCH - 185 Calories
I really need to make a better effort to stop going to fast food places. I mean it is good to know that there are healthier options when you do go but I feel like I keep posting pictures of fast food items instead of things I made. And I forget to take pictures of the things I make when I DO make them!! Ugh! Well this lunch was tasty and very low in calories. I went to El Pollo Loco and had 2 chicken drumsticks with a side of steamed broccoli. Very satisfactory.
DINNER - 114 Calories
Deconstructed Vegetarian Portobello Mushroom Pizza. I really wish I had taken a picture of this one. Basically I preheated the oven at 400 degrees. While it was heating up I cleaned 2 portobello mushrooms by pulling off the stem and removing the black gills under warm water with a spoon. Then I pat them dry and placed them on a baking sheet that I sprayed cooking oil on to keep sticking to a minimum. Once the oven was ready, I popped the mushrooms in for 5 minutes with the top of the cap facing down. In those 5 minutes I quickly chopped red bell peppers and sweet onions and grabbed the cheese and tomato basil sauce. At the 5 minute mark I pulled out the mushrooms and spread a tablespoon of tomato basil sauce (I use my favorite, Bertolli!) each into the caps, then I added the onions and bell pepper and topped it with 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese each (it's all I had!) and put them back in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Once done, I cut them up and put them in a bowl and sprinkled some more Parmesan on them. They were really delicious and super low in calories. Then I played Twilight Princess for HOURS. It was another good night.
Riding off into fun times chopping at anything that moves.
It started off great...and then gradually went downhill.
BREAKFAST - 340 Calories
My usual McStar.
LUNCH - 470 Calories
My sweetheart brought me lunch so that we could go home and play MarioKart8 on my lunch break. This is why he is a keeper. 470 calories is a little higher than I usually shoot for, but he picked up a really tasty BLT salad with chicken from Von's that was bug free and delicious. It came with an avocado ranch dressing which I only used 1/3 of since I know that is where most of the calories are. He also picked up a tall iced coffee sweetened w/extra soy so I was pretty damn hyper this afternoon.
DINNER - 905 Calories (fail)
A fail, but a delicious one at that. For dinner, we went to In N Out and I ordered a protein style cheeseburger with fries and root beer. I know... shame on me. But dang it, it was good. Next time I need to exercise willpower and say no to the fries and root beer. The burger alone is within my calorie budget but it is still something I don't feel I should eat often because of the high cholesterol (60mg!)
THEN I went to the movies because I just couldn't wait to see Finding Dory! It was SUCH a cute movie! But of course it meant that I just HAD to get popcorn, WITH butter. So that came to 300 calories which put me over my 1,360 calorie budget by 655 calories. Boooooo.... Worth it.
I had a good night. I slept like a baby. A food coma baby.
I know, I know... and the best thing about doing this blog is that I had a dear friend *shakes fist* check in on me because as you can see, I was behind on my blog posts. She said, I am just checking in because you haven't blogged and YOU said that if you weren't it was because you are eating bad stuff! LOL.. Right you were. *hangs head in shame*. So yes, I have had some trouble getting back on the health wagon and today was no exception. But I fervently blame the Cleveland Cavaliers!! I had to go see them play, so naturally I made my way over to BJ's, ordered a pizza and beer and..a salad. You know..cause health and stuff. Oh crud.. I skipped everything I did RIGHT! Ok so here is how the meals went for me today.
BREAKFAST - 340 Calories
The good start McStar!
LUNCH - 440 Calories
I met Damion for lunch today and we went to Subway. I ordered a turkey sub on wheat, no cheese, with spinach, bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, salt & pepper and vinegar. And a bag of flaming hot cheetos... :( it get's worse.
DINNER - 1,381 Calories
OH..MY..FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER. The regret doesn't fully hit you until you write out the 4 digit calorie count. Was it worth it? Hell yes. Should I have run a few miles after? Probably. But guys... The Cav's killed it last night!! Lebron was doing some Magic Johnson type shiz. It was impressive! We were getting in yelling matches with Golden State fans and making new friends with nearby Cav fans... it was so much fun. Plus, you know...Peanut Butter Milk Stout Beer. YES. We ordered the BJ's Classic and even got a medium instead of a large. Though I suppose we would have been satisfied with a small... It just looked so good!! So yes, today was a diet fail, but I will gladly trade it for a CLE CLE win. :)
Safe to say, my birthday weekend sabatoged my Results Day.
I did not even weigh myself because I was scared to look... But After I did, I saw that I did not lose or gain anything! So that's ok. I lost a LOT that first week so I still feel good about my progress.
BREAKFAST - 340 Calories
I had the McStar again. Why change a good thing that works?
LUNCH - 374 Calories
I CAREFULLY checked the Arugula and Goat Cheese salad this time. I literally took leaf by leaf and checked for 'extra protein'. There was none to be found this time. PHEW... So I added avocado and gave my coworker the other salad. She knew about the protein incident so she also carefully checked her salad before eating it. I'm glad that incident didn't scar me cause I like this salad.
DINNER - 449 Calories
I couldn't help it. I was craving pho and I gave in. It was way over my sodium budget but come on... what is life without a small bowl of pho every once in a while??
Should I come up with some kind of nickname for this meal? Maybe... the McStar? That's hot.
LUNCH - 374 Calories (or less...)
I went to Von's to pick up veggies and fruit for my fridge and decided to pick up the Arugula and Goat Cheese salad that I loved so much earlier this month. I love it so much I picked up all 3 that were there. I went home and quickly put everything away, cut up half an avocado and put everything together in a bowl. When I was on the last few bites, I saw something...staring back at me...
Blegh!! I spit out the mouthful I had just bitten and kept repeating to myself.. 'It's just protein Caresse...just some extra protein. Lots of people eat it around the world..you would eat it for survival..do NOT throw up..NO..do NOT do it. CALM DOWN." Annnnnd that was the end of my lunch...It saved me a few calories, so... that is the bright side.
DINNER - 332 Calories
Thanks to my dear friend, Brenda, I received a Spiral Slicer from Amazon that helps you shave zucchini into noodles! So for dinner I decided to try making Thai Ka Prao on a bed of Zucchini Noodles and it came out REALLY tasty! I just followed the recipe from TasteNirvana.com (with Turkey instead of chicken) and then put in the sauteed zucchini noodles in the end. If you want a step by step recipe, let me know in the comments.
I had a few calories left in my budget and I had a sweet tooth so I went to Starbucks and ordered a Mini Smore's Frappuccino. It is 230 calories so I didn't feel badly about it. Until I remembered the Harry & David Truffles that I ate at work earlier in the day because the bug in my salad left me a little hungry... fail. So I went over 117 calories today but.. I will be better tomorrow...maybe.
For my birthday, I gave myself 3 free days of fun.
Meaning I ate whatever I wanted.
Of course this came with tummy aches and feeling like I used to...but it was well worth it. I also gained back a few pounds which honestly is just impressive. So I will share more progress at the end of day 14.
Today went by so fast! I was woken up at 1:03 am because the earth decided to boogie...or quake or whatever. I fell asleep pretty fast though, so fast that I only had 30 minutes to get ready so I went for my every day breakfast.
BREAKFAST - 340 Calories
You know what this is.
LUNCH - 534 Calories
I didn't bring lunch today so my coworker and I decided to order from Tender Greens. I was surprised to see how many calories their dishes have. I thought this would be THE place to go for a low calorie meal. I thought wrong. Most everything was above 600 calories. But I was able to settle on the Herb Brushed Albacore Hot Plate with seasonal veggies instead of potatoes, a small butter lettuce side salad and half an avocado. I drank my Jasmine Blueberry tea with this. I took a picture but I forgot to send it to myself! Doi! So I will update this on Tuesday when I have access to it.
DINNER - 600 Calories
This evening I went to the mall to look for a few tops and a dress for some stuff coming up. I tried to get in as much walking as possible! When done we wanted to see the Cavaliers game so we went to Ruby's and sat at the 'bar'. They have a 'lite' section on their menu but they are all still very close to 600 calories so, that was the best thing I could find. I got the De'lite'ful Turkey Burger, protein style with a side salad (I took out the croutons). I asked for the pomegranate viniargrette thinking it would be lighter on calories but DAYUM it had like 325 calories!!! So I politely asked for the ginger sesame instead which was only 90 calories. This burger was SO GOOD. I don't believe them when they say it is only 600 calories, that is BS. There is way too much cheese to be that low in calories... but whatever, it was DELICIOUS! I will drool over the thought of eating another one.
I'm excited for tomorrow. We are going to LIPS!!! It is this really well known spot for only the most fabulous in San Diego. FAB-U-LOUS. JUST LOOK AT THIS AD:
YAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
See you tomorrow! <3
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Day 9 - Love is bad for your diet.
When I am alone at home, I find it is easier to be very strict with myself. But when there is someone else here, I really struggle with the whole diet thing. When you're happy with someone you want to enjoy things with them. Good things. Like burgers...and pizza and beer. So yea...love is bad for my diet. But I am going to try my best to keep it going. And lucky for me this guy wants me to succeed.
BREAKFAST - 340 Calories
I did my usual McDonald's Egg white and Turkey Sausage breakfast bowl this morning along with my tall iced coffee sweetened and with extra soy. If it works why question it, am I right?
LUNCH - 246 Calories
For lunch I did another sandwich protein style, nothing new here today.
DINNER - 298 Calories
For dinner I made Pad Ka Pao Gai (although I use ground turkey not chicken...but I don't know the word for turkey...lol) This meal is my absolute favorite so far. I want to lick the bowl clean every time I eat this. YUM
SNACKS - 150 Calories
I had cantaloupe today and a smoothie for dessert that just had strawberries and a few blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.
I don't have much to share today, but I wanted to make sure that I entered in what I had! I need to keep the momentum going. With this weekend coming up and it being my bday and all, I am hoping I will find the willpower to stay strong and to not sabotage all the progress I have made! Or else I will end up like this:
Since this journey started on June 1st which happened to be a Wednesday, I will be sharing a weekly progress report and at the end of the month a total progress report for the month!
So this week I lost....drumroll please:
7 POUNDS!
Woohoo!!
This is probably going to be the most I lose in a week since I just started and you know, weight loss slows down and ultimately you hit a 'set point' that's REALLY tough to pass and stay past, but I'm going to enjoy this because I ate so many darn plants for it!! My goal is to lose 2 pounds a week not 7 anyways so that's still the goal. Thank you to those of you that are reading this little blog of mine. It really encourages me to keep this going. I love you so very much for your support, you know who you are!!!
BREAKFAST - 315 Calories
Today I awoke with the WORST cramps I have ever had in my life. I don't know if the diet had any kind of affect on the intensity of my cramps but almighty spaghetti monster were they bad. I woke up way late for work and had to call them to let them know that I was currently curled up into a ball and wouldn't make it in til the afternoon. So since I was hungry AND in pain, I decided to eat some Raisin Bran Crunch with Vanilla Almond Milk (Unsweetened). Then around noon I was nice and drugged up so I made a quick lunch to take with me.
LUNCH - 201 Calories
For lunch I made another protein style sandwich exactly like the one I made a few days ago. It was perfect for today, though I did eat the rest of the pretzels in order to get rid of them & cure my hunger.
DINNER - 274 Calories
For dinner I made Pan Seared Tilapia with Steamed Baby Bella Mushrooms, Asparagus, Brocollette and Avocado. It was really tasty. I seasoned it with Fresh Cracked Black Pepper and the Onions & Chive flavored Salt that I picked up from the Farmer's Market.
When you are done eating this meal, it takes about 15 minutes to feel full. However, during this 'time' I am hungrier than normal so I moved on to dessert...
YEP. I DID THAT. But in my defense, I had enough calories left over in my budget for it (although I DID go over my sugar goal for the day). I think my body is burning calories much faster right now anyways. One of the worst tortures ever right now are all the birthday club freebie emails I am getting!! Free offers for things like Ice Cream, Shakes, Appetizers, Entrees and so on. I WANT TO USE THEM ALL BUT I CAN'T!! I CAN'T!! *sobs*
Speaking of birthdays, today is my brother's birthday!!!!! So I will end this with wishing my brother David Vera a VERY happy birthday today. I am sure his lovely wife made it very special and I am looking forward to sharing my birthday on Sunday with him!! His awesome wife is throwing a Mario Kart themed shin dig and I know it is going to be so much fun!! I can't wait! :) Especially for the cheat meals I will inevitably have due to my lack of will power. Anyway, let's say one more Happy Birthday to my awesome little brother!
I just want to start todays entry by assuring you that all of these crazy shenanigans that I tell you happen to me are true and are not made up. I think it is important to know that.
So today I wanted to replace the staples in our Ricoh Copier/Printer/Fax. I opened where I thought the staples were...and saw that there was a bit of toner on the plastic piece so I blew a big gust of air at it to clean it and POOF! Magenta, Cyan and Yellow all over me. It looked like a unicorn farted on me. My poor coworker was on her way out for the day and had to stop and drop everything to literally vacuum me. Skirt. Blouse. Skin. Everything therein. See for yourself:
SIGH....
Also, I voted today!!!! And it was my first time!! I was so excited to finally have a say in where my money goes and who gets to take it! I was also happy to have a say in local candidates for judges and mayors... It was just awesome to have a voice. Even if it isn't heard. I tried. I did my part. :)
So let's get to it.
BREAKFAST - 340 Calories
You are probably tired of reading this. I had the same ol' same ol' McD's Egg White & Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl with a tall iced coffee sweetened and with extra soy. They got my order right today, and thank goodness because as my app warned me, PMS season is here and I want to eat everything. So I NEEDED some more calories up in this diet beyotch.
LUNCH - 374 Calories
Lunch could not have come soon enough. It even came early since my coworker left for the day at 1pm. I was able to go at 12pm. I went straight to Von's to pick up more veggies. I am afraid to run out and end up eating whatever is in my cupboards. Chances are, cupboard food is no good. So I picked up that salad I had last week, the Arugala one with Goat cheese. There was only one left! And I added avocado again because...it tastes good.
I was still hungry (surprise surprise) so I ate 14 pretzel thins. Then I realized I was not supposed to eat wheat... but I have been eating it this whole time with these darn pretzels!!?? See, this is part of the journey, getting out of the intentional carelessness when it comes to food. There is nothing wrong with eating these pretzels, but how did I forget that they were a bread?? lol... Sigh... So I moved on to dried apples instead. These snacks accounted for 155 calories of my 1,360 budget.
DINNER - 167 Calories
I know, I just saw this and also said, WHAT THE HELL? 167 Calories?? Was it lettuce??
NOPE. It was a ton of veggies:
I chopped the tips and about 3" of the stems from 12 asparagus, I chopped the top of about 8 broccolette and I diced 2 yellow squash, threw in some chive blossoms (which I read contain vitamin C, iron and sulfur, and have traditionally been used to help support healthy blood pressure levels...cool!) I used 1tbsp of Black Bean Sauce that I purchased from 99 Ranch. While it provided flavor, I honestly think my fancy salts and pepper would have been better. I tossed out the remainder of the sauce package. I did buy a huge package of ground turkey so I will be getting more creative with that for the next couple of days. And I definitely want to make Ka Prao again cause that was damn good.
Today I am having REALLY bad cravings for chocolate. I know people joke about women wanting chocolate around that time, but guys... you don't understand what I would do for a Hershey's bar right now. I would do jail time next week for ONE BAR if it had no calorie side effects. I've already committed this much time to this so I might as well suffer more. Right?...right?....Guys?
