Week 10 Day 1 or Who's Not a Turkey?

Another week passed and yet the Lord continues to bless me.  I was certain this past week was going to be a turkey.  Little money prevented buying my beloved quick fix Weight Watcher meals to take to work or eat when I got home.  I actually had to cook something. I know, I hear your gasps! 

A couple of nights it was great chicken sandwiches on toast with lettuce, tomato and mayo.  Then a couple of nights I had fried eggs, toast and hash browns.  All cooked on my Orgreenic pan with non stick spray.  I did pig out on ice cream I found in the freezer last night.  But low and behold, in my darkness and despair I lost 3 pounds.  I have lost a total of 17.8 pounds.  I was gob smacked!  I am closing in on 20 pounds.

I lugged in a 12 pound turkey from the freezer 3 days ago to thaw in the frig.  When I got home this morning I hoisted into the kitchen sink.  It was so freaking heavy and cumbersome as I was unwrapping it and getting it ready for the oven bag, then I was thunderstruck as I realized I have lost 5.8 MORE pounds then that turkey!  That is a LOT of weight! 

I know I have shared in my missives how I have thoughts that I will stop losing and be stuck in fatness. Our topic at our Weight Watchers meeting today was "Do you Believe?"  My belief in my ability waivers.  It isn't that I can't do it, I have the ability to do just about anything I choose to.  I get scared and my belief vanishes but then the Lord strengthens me again.  I don't want to lose weight for any other reason then I want to feel good, physically and mentally.  I am not looking for a man or attention, I don't want that.  I want to be able to hike thru a theme park or fit in an airplane seat or see my feet when I look down.  I want to shop in the regular sizes and wear cute panties and bras.  I want to be able to tie my shoes in the exact center and cross my legs in a lady like fashion.  I want to be able to sit on the floor and be able to get back up.  I want to be able to fold myself up in a dining room chair and not have my butt cheeks flow off the seat.  I can't wait to be able to wrap myself in a regular bath towel and have it go ALL the way around me.  I want to have someone say to me "you don't have to watch what you eat" even though I know that I will always have to watch what I eat.  I want to be something I have never been, thin.

I love the little weekly mini magazines we get at our meetings.  They are filled with inspiration and wisdom.  I have every one of them since I joined and I will never get rid of them. They are great to re-read.

Casey, our wonderful Weight Watcher meeting leader often talks about her experiences in the grocery store.  When she sees a Weight Watcher they usually high tail it the other direction because they don't want her to see what they have in their cart.  Well I wouldn't, I do a good job when I grocery shop.  Here is the proof!  The things you don't see are the eggs and milk and the Weight Watcher ice cream bars which are all in the frig or freezer when I took this pic.  The bananas and grapes don't last long because my Prince and I fight over them.  The turkey gravy probably isn't the smartest choice but I am cooking a turkey and I want mashed potatoes and gravy.  I can't make gravy to save my soul. 

This was a new product that I am excited about.  I saw it in our WW mini mag.  Progresso® soup partners with Weight Watchers and some of their soups are made to WW specifications.  These 2 have 2 points per serving and they are 2 serving cans.  So 4 points and you have a satisfying lunch for work.  Love it! 



I wanted to show off my 10 weeks of food trackers!  I keep them, you never know when the police will show up and say I am a suspect in an over eating crime.  I have the proof of what I ate so no court could convict me!  Oh yes, when I checked in at the meeting the gal said she had good news and bad news.  I lose a point, now my food point total is 36 per day but she said the good news is I lost 3 pounds...AND I DON'T WANT IT BACK SO IF YOU FIND IT, IT'S YOURS!

I really want to send my love out to everyone and I hope your weather is cooling just like ours.  I hope your heart's desire comes to pass and I will close for now.  Until we eat again!

Week 9 Day 1 or Until we eat again.

And here I am on the precipice of having lost 15 pounds.  When I weighed in this week I was not sure what to expect but I lost 2 pounds for a total of 14.8.  I was off work this week and money was really tight so I could not depend on my Weight Watcher meals.  I did not weigh and measure as I should and yesterday late morning my Prince and I took advantage of a gift card from The Fig Tree.  I had their biscuits and gravy and eggs and potatoes.  I ate half and took home half.  That was all I ate.

Then Wednesday I made a special meal to celebrate my Prince's 50th birthday.  I made spaghetti, salad and Italian bread and butter with a Pineapple-less Upside Down Cake, again no measuring.  I ate small portions and was lucky that I lost weight this week.

Each week I think I will quit losing and be stuck in fatness and each week the Lord has blessed me.  He is changing my appetite, my thoughts are fewer and fewer about food.  I feel my back aching less and less.  For the first time I looked in the mirror and saw a thinner face.  I put on a pair of jeans which I had been avoiding because they were so hard to zip and button.  Guess what, no problem with closing them and they didn't feel like they were cutting into my waist.  Progress is slow, but I am seeing it in small ways.

I don't want this to be about numbers on the scale but it seems to be the major factor in how successful I feel about my weight loss journey.

I made a great potato soup which was filling and only 2 points per cup.  For 4 points it really satisfies the tummy.

Crock pot Potato Soup

8-10 (1 cup per 2 points) serving

 

1-26-30oz bag frozen hash browns

2-14oz cans non-fat chicken broth
1-10¾ oz can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ teaspoonful black pepper
1-8oz pkg low-fat (1/3 less fat) cream cheese
1 cup fat free skim milk

Add the first 5 ingredients to the crock pot and cook on high for 1 hours.  Add cream cheese and cook another ½ hour or until the cheese can be stirred into the mixture.  Add milk and cook 10-15 minutes longer.

Optional: Garnish with chopped green onion and bacon bits (add 1 pot for bacon).

I ladled it out into serving size portions in my plastic containers.  This would be great to take to lunch for work.

Wednesday we went to our favorite thrift shop and I found a great cook book called "Fat Free Baking" by Sandra Woodruff.  It has muffins, breads, cakes, cobblers, brownies and cookies.  It is very easy to convert into points and some of these recipes could be reduced even further using egg substitutes.  I want to try the "Applesauce Maple Muffins".  They would be 2 points without the raisins and nuts or 4 points with them.  Most of the recipes call for whole wheat flour and I stopped at the grocery and got some of that.

I hate this, I have spent the last hour looking for a recipe I thought I have saved, alas no success!  It will turn up I suppose.

Anyway I am gonna close this thing with a hooray for me, the Pink Cricket!  God Bless and until we eat again!

Week 8 Day 4 or My kingdom for a snack!

I made the Pumpkin Spice Cake and as you can see only crumbs are left.  Delicious!  I cut it into 12 pieces and each piece is 3 points.  I am going to put each slice in a sandwich baggie and then in a big zip lock bag and put them in the freezer.  It would be good warm with a dollop of low calorie whip topping. 



You mix one spice cake mix only with 1 cup of pumpkin and 1 cup of water.  I sprayed my cake pan with no calorie no stick spray and popped it in a 350° oven for 30 minutes.  I will definitely make this again.

 

This is my latest venture in my sweet vinegar veggies.  I used red onion, green beans, carrots, radishes and cucumbers.  The radishes, cuces, onions are terrific.  The green beans and carrots not so much.  I need to cut the carrots thinner and the green beans shorter and maybe run a knife lightly down their seam to open it so that the vinegar can penetrate them easier.  This is a great evening no point snack.



Week 8 Day 3 or This little piggy is off to the Farmer's Market

I was wondering when peak season was for fruits and vegetables in our area.  We are blessed here where we sit on the state line between Kansas and Missouri and not too far away is Nebraska and Iowa, the four corners of the Midwest I guess you could say.  I searched and found this marvelous guide for the states at this link: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/seasonalingredientmap
A couple of things surprised me.  First Missouri has peak season for fruits and berries, Kansas has none.  A second surprise is how different the peak seasons are for Kansas and Missouri.  So here is the list for my area.


September

Apples
Carrots
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Grapes
Lima Beans
Melon
Okra
Pears
Peppers
Salsify
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Watermelon

October

Apples
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Endive
Grapes
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Pears
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Raspberries
Salsify
Sweet Potatoes
Winter Squash

November

Apples
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Horseradish
Pears
Pumpkins
Scallions
Spinach
Turnips

　

December

Broccoli
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Winter Squash

January

Growing Season is dormant

February

Growing Season is dormant

March

Asparagus
Spinach
Turnips

April

Asparagus
Lettuce
Peas
Radishes
Scallions
Spinach

May

Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Collard Greens
Cherries
Cauliflower
Endive
Gooseberries
Leeks
Lettuce
Peas
Radishes
Scallions
Spinach

June

Apricots
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Collard Greens
Endive
Gooseberries
Leeks
Peas
Potatoes
Radishes
Rhubarb
Scallions
Swiss Chard
Turnips

July

Beets
Blackberries
Blueberries
Broccoli
Cabbage
Corn
Melon
Nectarines
Okra
Peaches
Plums
Radishes
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Swiss Chard
Tomatoes
Turnips

August

Artichokes
Cantaloupe
Corn
Eggplant
Lima Beans
Melon
Nectarines
Okra
Onions
Peppers
Summer Squash
Tomatoes
Watermelon

Week 8 Day 1 or Winner Winner Chicken Liver Dinner

After my gain last week I was afraid that I would not loose anything this week and I did...2.2 pounds.  This is great because I lost the 2 pounds I gained and then 0.2 pounds more!  My fear is that I will be stuck forever in the fat that has eaten my body.  I get really scared sometimes.  My Prince is such a support always saying the right thing or just not saying anything when it is appropriate.  God really sent me the man I needed, not the man I wanted.  I learned at last to let go and let God work.

Last Sunday we did go to Cracker Barrel for an early dinner.  I was surprised I had an appetite after the harrowing ride.  Understand, my Prince learned to drive in a tiny village in Guyana, which is in South America.  He is really a babe in the woods driving in suburban chaos.  He drives too fast when he should slow down, he drives too slow when he should be going faster, he seems to enjoy driving in others lanes and he will NOT drive on the highways.  Well the latter is a good thing!

So getting back to Cracker Barrel, I did research their meals and points.  I ended up ordering the smaller plate with fried livers, mashed potatoes, green beans and a biscuit.  I ate everything and counted all my points and enjoyed my food and husband.  I was full but not stuffed.  I am proud of myself!  My Prince had a $25 gift card and it paid for our meals AND the tip and the only money we spent was the gas it took to get there. Winner, winner, chicken liver dinner!

I have been extremely snackie poo-ish and always stayed within my daily points but I am not eating enough balanced meals.  I am off this week and plan on cooking every night a new recipe.  I found a new recipe today from Spark People for Fresh No-Cook Tomato Sauce and you serve it over pasta.  The sauce is 4 points and then add the pasta points and you have a meal I can eat and the Prince can too!

 

I found this computer simulation of my body today and at goal.  I think it is really amazing and it would be a good inspiration tool.  Sometimes you wonder what you would look like at a goal weight and I think it is really pretty good interpretation.

I have several activities I would like to partake in while I am off. 

• Read Dimiter by William Peter Blatty (started)
• Find my old Weight Watcher cookbooks (found all but the little steno book that has handwritten recipes)
• Stitch on Snowflower Lace
• Bake the WW recipe Pumpkins Spice cake
• Plan my meals for all week
• Cook up a bunch of chicken to shred and pop back in the freezer
• Make up my eye glass cleaner
• Start a herb garden

I am praying for a great week for myself, my family, my friends and readers.  I look forward to journaling soon.  God Bless!

I never promised you a herb garden or herbs that compliment

Herbs go well with these meats:
Beef: thyme, celery, marjoram, coriander, sage, rosemary, oregano, garlic
Chicken: garlic, marjoram, tarragon, oregano, coriander
Fish, fried: mustard, oregano, tarragon, sage
Fish, grilled: thyme, coriander, fennel, rosemary
Pork: marjoram, mustard, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic
Roast Beef: basil, oregano, thyme, mustard, rosemary, garlic
Turkey: basil, rosemary, cumin, oregano, thyme, sage

The following herbs work well in these dishes:
Basil: tomatoes, tomato sauces, peas, squash, lamb, fish, eggs, tossed salad, cheese, potatoes, pasta
Bay leaf: vegetable and fish soups, tomato sauces, poached fish and meat stews
Dill: fish, cream and cottage cheese, potatoes, fish, vegetable salads, pickles, tomatoes
Marjoram: fish, vegetable soups, cheese dishes, stew, roast chicken, beef, pork, stuffing
Mint: jellies, fruit juices, candies, frosting, cakes, pies, pork, potatoes, peas and chocolate
Oregano: tomato sauces, pork, pizza, vegetable and fish salads, chili
Parsley: meats, vegetables, soups, eggs, cheese
Rosemary: poultry stuffing, potatoes, cauliflower, fish
Sage: stuffing, pork roast, sausage, poultry and hamburgers
Savory: eggs, meats, salads, chicken, soups and stuffing
Tarragon: fish sauces, egg and cheese dishes, green salads, pickles, chicken, tomatoes, sauces for meats and vegetables
Thyme: soups, stuffing, beef, pork dishes, eggs, cheese, bean and vegetable soups and fish

Week 7 Day 2 or My Prince says I have an amazing body!

And I am laying on the bed and my Prince comes in the room and jumps on the bed and says "You have an amazing body!"  I told him wait until I get down to goal 'cause he ain't seen nothing yet.  He replied "I meant humans not just you!"  Well I guess it was way too much to expect him to be romantic on a Saturday afternoon! What a let down! Although he did mention this little sun dress was fitting much nicer now.

I didn't make the quesadilla yesterday, I took a very long nap and didn't want mess with it when I woke up so I had a Weight Watcher lasagna dinner.  I did however put together the Vinegar Sugar Cucumbers.  I used 1½ cups of distilled vinegar and dissolved 3/4 cup of Equal (the one that measures like sugar) in 1½ cups of water and put that in my container.  I sliced up 2 cucumbers, a red pepper and 2 bunches of green onions and threw them in there.  I also used a little table salt and black pepper. I left it over night and

PERFECTION!  Oh my gosh these are wonderful and there are NO points involved!  I was thinking that cauliflower would be good too.  I don't really like raw peppers but they are superb in this and add nice color.  I could eat these and eat these!  I snacked on a few while we were watching "Olympus Has Fallen"!  Yummers!!!  Two plumb pink thumbs up!!!!

 

My Prince wants to go to Cracker Barrel today as he has a gift card that was given to him.  I found a few web sites that had restaurant menu items with Weight Watcher points.  I found quite a few Cracker Barrel menu items and printed it off to take with me. I added the link to my Crickets' favorite links on the right.

 

I did some stitching last night on Snowflower Lace....

I organized my coupons in a nice little coupon keeper I made.  I have quite a few that I have received at Weight Watchers, like $5 off 12 of their dinners and those I definitely buy.  As my stamina increases I am enjoying grocery shopping more and since that was the topic of our meeting yesterday, it has me thinking of planning more which is a real key to my success.

I am looking forward to a good week and I hope you are too!  God Bless!