Homemade Sweet and Spicy Salad Dressing

Jennie's Sweet & Spicy Salad Dressing 

  

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce (Trader Joe's Brand)
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Water
3/4 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
Garlic Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Directions: Mix all ingredients. As easy as that! TIP: You can use the same measuring spoon for all of these ingredients. If you add the oil first, the mustard will slide off the spoon easier.

Makes enough to put on a salad for 3-4 people.

Notes:

1. Important to use Dijon Mustard - does not taste good with regular mustard. 
2. The Trader Joe's Sweet Chili Sauce is a great sauce for all kinds of meals - the bottle costs $1.25 (GREAT DEAL) and you should just keep some on hand.

Serving Size - One serving 
Calories: 47
Fat: 4
Protein: 0
Fiber: 0

This salad was made with red leaf lettuce, mushrooms, sliced avocado, & Parmesan cheese with my sweet & spicy salad dressing... DELICIOUS! Even better - soup and salad... add my Black Bean Soup and you've got a complete meal and it's a SCRUMPTIOUS COMBO! Enjoy! :)

Binging - It's Not the End of the World!!!

Life. It's a little word that means so many things. Life can be hectic, life can be unpredictable and busy. At certain times, it becomes VERY hard to stay on track with your healthy lifestyle because of time constraints or access to good food choices. The last week has been insane for me (so much going on) and I am proud to say I was better than I've been in the past; at making good choices from restaurant menus and keeping active. Still, I ate some things I normally wouldn't and the drinks I consumed were not the best choices, but I had great fun. Now, coming back to reality, I feel a sense of - "I let myself down..." I gained a couple pounds back after losing close to 7 pounds. That bites, but there is nothing I can do about it now - so why shall I torture myself?
Key when changing your "I don't give a care" lifestyle to a health inspired lifestyle is to give yourself a break. When you have a setback, just get right back to working out and eating right the next day. You can't dwell and you can't give up. Once you give up, you enter the "Yo-Yo Dieting" world. Back to your old habits until you decide to diet again. This is supposed to be a LIFESTYLE... Just go back to your way of life prior to "the binge." It's not the end of the world. Just like when a painter or a writer loses their train of thought for a bit, they have to get back to that place of creativity - that's all this is. You have to get right back to molding YOU. Every day you're changing, creating, and managing your appearance, character, & self. After a partay filled weekend, all you have to do is get back to your routine. Just pretend you had a mini-break. No worries, no guilt, no pressure.
Life is meant for living and having fun. You lived in the moment, now live in this moment... Work hard, be true, & don't ever hate on you. You are not defined by what you didn't do - you're defined by what you did. So get DO-ing!!!!

Chicken Dijon, but Fancier!

Chicken Dijon

 

Ingredients:  

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup parsley 
• 2 slices of whole wheat bread 
• 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• A pinch of black pepper 
• 4 tsp Dijon mustard 
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 

Step One: In a chopper or food processor, mince garlic & parsley until well blended and finely chopped. Then add: bread, cheese, oil, salt and pepper. 

Chop until well combined and finely chopped.

 

Step Two: Preheat oven to 400' F. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Place chicken in pan and spread Dijon mustard on top side of chicken. 

Step Three: Pat mixture on top of the mustard; be sure chicken is well coated. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Pair with Broccoli or some fresh greens for a healthy dinner that is satisfying and delicious!

Calories: 300, Fat: 10 grams, Protein: 6 grams; Fiber: 2 grams

Happy Eating!!!

Comfort Food - Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

 

Ingredients:  

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic 
• 2 jalapenos, finely chopped, seeded for milder soup - not seeded for spicier soup
• 2 cans of black beans 
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes, drained 
• 2 tsp ground cumin 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
• Low fat sour cream 
• Lime wedges, if desired 
• Avocado slices, if desired 

Step One: In a large saucepan, add oil, onion, garlic, and jalapenos. 

Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes until tender.

 

Step Two: Drained black beans and add them to the pot along with tomatoes, broth and cumin.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Step Three: Chop 1/4 cup of parsley and put aside. 

 

Step Four: Move saucepan from burner; use masher to mash beans and tomatoes to desired consistency. Stir in cilantro. 

Serve with a dollop of low fat sour cream, slices of avocado, & lime wedge.  

Super delicious and comforting. Serve with tortilla, if desired.

 

Spice tip: Since not everyone has every spice available to them in their kitchen, 

it's hard to buy a whole container of Cumin and stay on a budget!

Here's a secret - in the Latin Aisle of the super market they 

usually have little baggies of spices which are about $1 - $1.50. 

Since you only need 2 tsp of Ground Cumin, 

it saves you money to just buy the smaller portion. 

Calories: 240, Fat: 4 grams, Protein: 12 grams; Fiber: 14 grams

ENJOY!!!

Delicious-ness! (Cream of Carrot & Potato Soup)

The key factor to eating well is enjoying it! I've been having a lot of fun finding recipes online and tweaking them to make meals that are tasty and also fill our tummies. I need to up the ante on exercising, but I'm happy to report that I'm down about 4 pounds. I have more energy and I absolutely LOVE cooking! It's been a blast! See below for a great, super LOW FAT soup recipe...

Cream of Carrot & Potato Soup

 

Ingredients:  

• 2 cups baby carrots 
• 2 cups peeled, chopped potatoes
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 can fat free, less sodium chicken broth 
• 4 cloves of garlic (more or less if desired) 
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 cups fat free milk 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 2 tsp butter 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind 
• Dash of ground nutmeg 
• 1 tsp pepper

Step One: In a large saucepan combine carrots, thyme, garlic and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer between 15-20 minutes. 

Carrots should be very tender. 

 

Step Two: Use a blender or food processor to blend carrot mixture; 

place in a bowl and set aside
 

Step Three: Place flour in bottom of large saucepan. Slowly add milk and whisk until blended. Add pureed carrot mixture and nutmeg; stir to combine. 

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 - 10 minutes.

 

Step Four: Peel and cut potatoes into small pieces; fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes to water and boil until very tender.

 

Step Five: Add potatoes, butter, salt, pepper, & lemon rind; stir and let simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with a dallop of non-fat or low-fat sour cream on top. 

You may add more thyme, salt or pepper as desired. 

If you like your soup spicy, add 1 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper.

Calories: 180, Fat: 5 grams, Protein: 7.5 grams; Fiber: 1.5 grams

Bon Appetit!

Preparation, Planning & Compromise

In every aspect of your life - you prepare, plan and do some sort of compromising from time to time. These tools help you stay focused and on track. So, when you're about to embark on a new way of life concerning your health and exercise, it's wise to use the same process.

Preparation:
To ensure that you stay on track and the temptation bug doesn't weasel it's way back into your life... You've got to do a major overhaul on your pantry, fridge and anywhere else you may have unnecessary food items lingering. Get rid of anything that is a carrier of empty calories.

Last night I got rid of the following... (Also, on Thursday I made a bunch of cupcakes that I had the mixes for and took them to Bill's Place. That way everyone appreciated them and I didn't have to eat them!)

Ritz crackers (Zips are basically a generic form of Ritz) are high in fat and are the kind of snack that you continue to eat long after you're full. Funfetti Cookie Mix... need I say more - sugar turns to fat and fat is what I'm up against! Oreos (Kid-O's are basically a generic form of Oreos) are also just a form of sugar and fat. Marshmellows = pure sugar. Animal crackers are seemingly good for you - low calories, low fat - but again you can eat a lot of these before your stomach tells your brain you're full and that's a lot of unneeded carbs. Ramen - GROSS! The amount of sodium alone should be enough to scare you off. Popcorn is okay in moderation, but when you add flavorings, toppings or butter to the mix - you're talking calories and preservatives. So - I'm officially in need of a good shopping trip to replace these snacks with fruit, hummus, veggies, etc....

Planning: It is so important to plan out your week so that you have a clear vision of what you'll be eating. If you're like me, you eat pretty much the same thing for breakfast and lunch everyday and mix it up here and there so as not to get bored with it. So basically, you just need to figure out dinner, which is the hardest meal of the day. It is so important to write down all your meals on a weekly planner like the one below. You can find a pad of weekly planners at Michaels in their $1 bin. Very affordable and it helps to keep the previous weekly plans for inspiration when you fall into a rut. This way you can go back and say, "Hey we haven't had Mint Chicken in a while, let's have that again."
So, for example, here is my week starting today - Saturday and ending Thursday. (Friday I have a concert and so I'll be dining out - wisely - of course!)

Same everyday... AM- 1 cup of cereal & 3/4 cup of milk, AM Snack: Banana, LUNCH: Salad, 2 pieces of turkey lunch meat, PM Snack: Apple

Dinners... (Recipes to soon follow...)
SATURDAY: Cream of Carrot Soup with slice of Ciabatta bread
SUNDAY: Lemon Mint Chicken with Watercress
MONDAY: Stuffed Potatoes with Green Beans
WEDNESDAY: Cream of Carrot Soup with slice of Ciabatta bread
THURSDAY: Chicken Skewers & Cous Cous

In my planning, I researched some great Low fat and hopefully delicious recipes to make my dining experience pleasurable. I love to eat and I don't want to feel deprived, I simply want to change the way I eat. The internet is an amazing tool in finding great recipes using ingredients you like... I use Google and just put in "low fat recipes using potatoes" and wa-la presto you've got millions at your fingertips!

I also recommend tracking your food intake with one of the trackers I've detailed below. It's important to stay focused and accountable for everything you eat and every activity you do. The more exercise, the more calories you burn! I treat it as a fun little game to see what my score was that day. (Score being calories consumed - I'm aiming for a 1200 calorie diet)

This diet tracker is one that you purchase, but it stays on your computer's hard drive. It's a program on your computer - so no matter where you go, you have access to it. It does use the Internet to pull up nutritional information for millions of items which is nice, but if you don't have the Internet, but you have the package information in front of you, you can still enter it all. I also really love the wide array of exercises it details. From swimming to hiking to even housework and singing. All these things burn calories and it's fun to track them. It's worth the money, but luckily it has a free trial so you can decide for yourself. It's PC and MAC compatible. Start your free trial today - click below:
http://www.perfect-diet-tracker.com/

THE FREE ROUTE... Spark People.com is a great tracking website that will do most of what the above tracker will do. Only limitation is that it is online and so if you're without connection, you'll have to write it all down and track it once you have connectivity. It's great because it'll give you meal plans if you want them as well as give you a place to chat with others just like you! Check it out by clicking the link below:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/

Also, make a fitness planner, even if you just tell yourself I'm going to walk 4 days this week for one hour. That's a great start. I think that once you start eating better, your energy will be back up and you'll be ready to get out there and get at it. So, if you just start out slowly on the exercise - that's okay. You want it all to work together.

My fitness goals are:
SATURDAY: Hike
SUNDAY: Walk 1 hour
MONDAY: Swim 1 hour in the AM, Walk 1 hour in the PM
TUESDAY: Swim 1 hour in the AM, Walk 1 hour in the PM
WEDNESDAY: Swim 1 hour in the AM, Walk 1 hour in the PM
THURSDAY: Swim 1 hour in the AM, Walk 1 hour in the PM
FRIDAY: Swim 1 hour in the AM

Sundays will normally be my day of rest... Saturday the 18th will be my day of rest instead this week!

Compromise:
I think the biggest reason diets fail is because it is just that - a diet - a quick fix to a big problem. You lose the weight, you're feeling better and you go back to your old habits. Round and round we go.
That is why, this time, it's going to be a lifestyle change. I want a better life for myself and to borrow a slogan from the Army - You deserve to "Be all that you can be!" Society has a lot of quick fixes out there that are seemingly helpful when in reality they want you to fail so you purchase the program or the weight loss drinks, vitamins, exercise machines, etc. AGAIN! That's how they make their money.

So, when it comes to really changing your life. You need to sit down and write down a list of 3 things that you would feel deprived of, if you didn't have them in your diet. Mine is: Chocolate, Bread, & Cheese. Well, that's what most French women eat all the time and they are rail thin. They also walk everywhere and eat in moderation and many times a day. So, what you can do is sneak in little bits of those three things in your diet so that you feel satisfied and content. I think the biggest problem is when you feel deprived or starved - you eventually snap under the pressure and there goes your diet and for someone like me, it's over. I feel too badly and get all emotional that I just give up all together.

To incorporate my favorites - Chocolate, Bread and Cheese...

Chocolate: I plan to get a bag of those Three Musketeers Minis and hand them over to Paul for safe hiding... Then when I want my taste of chocolate which usually happens at night after dinner - I will ask him to give me ONE. They are lower in fat then most chocolate and it'll be a nice treat!

Bread: There are many breads that when homemade are very healthy for you and very tasty. I plan to make my own Ciabatta bread to go with my soups and salads and eat them as is - No Butter - and eat one piece not the whole loaf.

Cheese: There are many fine cheeses that are not overly fattening. I will do some research to find out what the healthiest cheeses are. I don't want to go for low fat or non fat cheese because of all the other preservatives they add. Along with my soup, I may have a small piece of bread with cheese melted atop it. I will find a way to incorporate it in other ways too, just need to do some more research.

Along the lines of compromising... you also have to give yourself a break. If you have a piece of cake at a party - go work out harder the next day. Don't let any setback, set you all the way back. Not worth it... Also, if you want one meal off a week to eat something you've been craving - do it. (Example - Thursday night you just have to have a cheeseburger! That's your only splurge for the week) Then like I said - just work out harder or eat better the next day. You don't want to feel deprived. Ever.

Today is a great day. Today I am conscious of who I am, what I want, and how I feel. I am aware of what I'm eating and what I'm doing. Mind, Body & Soul all working together to make a better life for myself.

To anyone out there struggling or getting ready to embark on this journey with me - You can do it! Belief is half the battle!

Day One... Time to Shed Less Tears and More Pounds!!!

All my life I've struggled a bit with my weight. Even in High School, when I weighed 70 pounds less than what I do now... everyone else was skinnier than me. I've never been the girl who can show off her mid drift, but I've never really wanted to either. I was never very athletic and even though I'm way more active these days, I wouldn't call myself athletic. Athletes are able to maintain their physique because they play hard all week... I need to put some of that information to good use.

My diet has been just that... a diet, not a way of life. If I am not able to eat sweets or some of my favorite foods, I feel deprived, binge, feel guilty and give up. It's a vicious cycle that I just repeat and repeat and repeat. I need to make my eating part of my life style and figure out how to incorporate a few of my favorite foods in a healthy manner so that I can stick with something.

Since my twenty-third birthday (2003) I have slowly but surely started packing on the pounds. I'd go back and forth - losing some - gaining some... etc. Then, I fell in love with a man whose metabolism is so kind to him. We would go out to eat and not really exercise much at all. I didn't even pay attention. That's where all trouble lies - when you are oblivious or blind to what is happening to you. So, needless to say in the last three years I've gained about thirty of those extra seventy pounds just by being an unconscious eater.

I realized this about a year ago and started a new way of life where I didn't eat anything processed, but then somewhere along the way I ate something when I was out and about, felt guilty, binged, and fell off my non processed food path. I also felt I was depriving my Fiance, Paul, of what he wanted to eat. He assures me he enjoys the healthy food much better than all the sweets and chips that his tummy craves sometimes. Still, it's hard to believe. Only because I have a bad thinking process when it comes to food. Healthy food - yuck. It doesn't have to be that way and I've created many amazingly delicious recipes that are healthy and delicious. Why is this stigma in my head?

This Saturday, I embark on a 7 week program which (if I dedicate myself to the process) will help me lose between 20-30 pounds by my 30th birthday. Seems like a lot, but my body isn't used to having all this weight and if I begin working at it, the first 10 pounds should fall off pretty quickly. That's usually how my body works. So, I should be able to lose between 3-4 pounds a week.


THE PLAN:

FOOD...
I plan on eating three meals a day plus two snacks. Drinking 4 bottles of water a day and limiting my wine intake to one glass when we go out on Thursdays for Karaoke. My meals will consist of the following:

Breakfast: 1 cup of cereal (Special K or Honey Bunches of Oats - something grainy) with 3/4 cup of Fat Free Milk

AM Snack: Banana

Lunch: 1 cup salad (lettuce, cucumbers), fat free dressing, 3 slices of all natural turkey lunch meat

PM Snack: Apple

Dinner: 1 protein (Salmon, Chicken), Steamed Zucchini & Cabbage, 1/2 cup of Cous Cous (for some grains)

Dessert: 1 Oreo Cookie & 1/2 cup of Fat Free Milk

EXERCISE...
My biggest setback is skipping a workout. If I would just get out there and do it, I would thoroughly enjoy it, but the getting out the door for a run is the hardest part. I love to run and swim! I plan to do both every single day - Monday - Friday & on Saturday - Hike! Sunday will definitely be a day of rest unless we feel like going for a walk somewhere.

MONDAY - FRIDAY:Swim 1 hour in the AM. Run/Walk combo 1 hour in the PM.

SATURDAY:
Hike Bishop's Peak which take approx. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

SUNDAY:
Light walk, leisurely - cannot OVERDO IT... Need just one day of rest. So important for your muscles!

I will be researching other ways to make my meals more interesting and I'll post the recipes as I find them. The most important thing is not to get BORED or feel OVERWORKED. If you're body is aching and you're exhausted, scale back the swim and run/walk combo to about 30 minutes each. Do what feels good for you. If you don't have a pool you can swim at - try some form of exercise in the morning that burns at least 300 calories and then do the run/walk combo in the evening which will burn about 500 calories depending on how much you run.
I am starting this blog as a way to keep myself accountable. To have eyes watching my progress and keeping me in check. I cannot waiver this time. This is a new way of life, not a diet. Just repeat that a couple time.... Lifestyle not a diet.

Here is my BEFORE picture: (Argh... I used to fit comfortably in that shirt... I will again...)
In 8 weeks, I'll put this outfit on again and show you my progress.


I weigh: 238 Lbs

GOAL Weight:
After 7 weeks - Between 215 - 209 Lbs
Long Term Goal: 170 Lbs

My Measurements are: Chest - 42", Waist - 39", Hips - 45", Thigh - 28", Arm - 13"

(hopefully I keep my chest measurements, but I'm sure it'll be the first thing to go :) :) :) )

The thing I've learned is that hopping on the scale every single day is foolish. It can be frustrating and then TOO rewarding at times. You think - sweet I lost 12 pounds and you feel TOO good about your accomplishment and get a little lax. I plan on NOT looking at the scale or doing my measurements again until the end of the first week of October. It'll be my half way point and that's when I'll finally see the numeric progress I've made.

I'm not vain... I don't care if you know all this about me. I need to see it on the screen and feel accountable. Need some support here... It's been a BATTLE lately. I'm ready for the war to be over - here comes the work, but I'm ready for it!

I love who I am - just don't always love what I see... but I'm ready to find the healthy me!

SEE YOU AT THE POOL!!!