Day 10-A Bit of a Trial

As I type, a cold front is moving in.  In the last hour, the temp has dropped over 10 degrees, from a high of 63 to 52.  I think this is the day we really go from Summer to Fall.  I've been waiting for this!

In honor of the coolness, I tried out a new breakfast this morning.  I broke out my muffin pan and made Carbohydrate Addicts Complementary Light & Airy Muffins.  This is a recipe in the CAD book.  The ingredients sound a little odd but I needed something a little different for breakfast.  They definitely were a little bit different.

They lived up to their name as 'Light & Airy'.  I made the Spice Muffin version. I guess I'm good at folding ingredients into egg whites.  They didn't break down much. The recipe said it made eight muffins. I ended up with ten.  Not a bad thing.

My house was filled with the warm scent of spices as they baked.  Nice thing on a cool, dark morning.  Between that and the scent of the brewing coffee, I was in hog heaven. 

Fresh out of the oven.

A serving is two muffins but since mine were lighter, I treated myself to three smeared with salt-free sweet butter.  Pretty tasty.  The texture was a bit like a souffle.  They were very airy and had a nice spice flavor with a hint of sweetness.  They definitely make a good light breakfast.  Not super filling so if you're really hungry, I'd suggest something else.

Would I make them again?  Yes, probably.  I think next time, I will try making them savory instead of sweet.  Maybe add a bit of shredded cheese, chives, and garlic powder.  I think that would be pretty good.

I noticed today, I've been getting hungry and having cravings.  This hasn't been a problem over the past days and I think I know the culprit.  Artificial sweetener.  Both the muffins and the syrup have Splenda in them.  I also did a big no-no and tasted the sauce for the BBQ.  It has sugar and molasses in it.  I should have known better.  It wasn't much, just a taste but I guess I'm sensitive enough to carbs that it affected me.  Darn! I also have been a little less diligent on my Reward Meals the past two days.  Not really paying attention to my low-carb veggies and going over the 1/3 proportions.  I think between these two things, I set myself up for a problem.  Fortunately, dinner isn't too far away and I know I can wait until then to satisify my hunger. 

 

I have learned my lesson!  Tonight's Reward Meal will be truly well-balanced.  Yes, I will have some macaroni and yes, I will also have some lemon cupcake, but just 1/3 carbs as recommenced in the updated CAD.  I like not being hungry, I like not having crazy cravings and I like feeling in control.  It is totally worth being a bit more strict in following the 'rules'. 

Following 'The Rules'

Breakfast:  3 Light & Airy Muffins with butter and coffee with Torani sugar-free chocolate syrup. 

Lunch:  Creamed sauteed cabbage with Steak Umz and mushrooms. 

Dinner:  Spinach salad, Smokey BBQ Pork, Very Creamy Mac & Cheese, green beans, and for dessert, a lemon cupcake (shared, of course, with sweet Hubs).

 

Carbohydrate Addicts Complementary Light & Airy Muffins
Makes 8 to 10 Muffins
1/4 tablespoon vegetable oil (Used Pam instead)
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (I didn't use this)
1/4 cup regular or low-fat cottage cheese (I always use full-fat dairy)
2 tablespoons soy flour
1 package artificial sweetener (I used a scant tablespoon full)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Coat muffin cups with vegetable oil (or Pam spray)*.
Separate eggs being very careful not to get any yolk in the whites.
Beat egg whites until frothy with mixer.  Add cream of tartar (if using) and beat just until stiff peaks form.
Combine egg yolks, cottage cheese, soy flour, and sweetener.  Gently fold this into the egg whites.
Fill muffin cup 2/3 full. 
Bake for about 30 minutes, until muffins are golden brown and spring back when touched.

VARIATION:  Spice Muffins.  Stir 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves into the soy flour mixture. (I used 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, & 1/4 teaspoon cardamon). 
*Nex time, I will use paper liners.  They tend to stick a tiny bit. 

Day Nice...I mean Nine

It's 7:32 am.  I've been awake for about an hour and guess what?  I am not the slightest bit hungry yet!  Impressive.  In the past, I was starving about 10 to 15 minutes after I woke up.  This low carb works!

Went for a trip to the store in search of soy flour.  There are a few recipes in the CAD book for 'bread' and 'muffins'.  I'll admit, I miss french toast or a muffin with my coffee.  I didn't eat them a lot but it would be nice for an occasional break from the typical egg breakfast. 

I went to the local little health shop and unfortunately, they did not carry soy flour.  I found it odd because they had pretty much every other kind, even coconut!  I did get some Dr. Bronner's Magic soap in lavender.  Smells heavenly and they are 100% organic and certified Fair Trade. 

Speaking of heavenly smells, I had to visit Ingrid's Pantry which is a small version of Ingrid's Kitchen, one of my favorite eateries in Oklahoma City.  Their food is delicious but I'll be honest, I go there for the baked goods. OK, and their Wiener Schnitzel plate. 

Today I came home with their famous Thumbprint cookies (rick butter cookie with a glob of dark chocolate frosting, absolutely addictive!), a spice bar, a lemon cupcake and a chocolate cupcake. Hubs will be thrilled with the cookies. 

Look simple, taste sinful!
 

Now tell me, what other diet on Earth allows you to have any of those?  Oh sure, you can eat them on Weight Watchers but you couldn't eat much else in the day.  CAD, you can eat and not starve.

I finally made it to another store and found my soy flour! WOOHOO!  I'm going to 'bake' tomorrow morning.  I'll let you know if it's worth the time and effort.

Breakfast today: 2 egg white omelet with green peppers, onions, mushrooms, bacon bits, and Monterrey jack cheese and a splash of hot sauce. 

Lunch:  Mixed greens, cauliflower, and shrimp with Caesar dressing. 

Dinner:  Homemade Italian sausage pizza with black olives, salad with Ranch dressing, Mexican Sprite, and 2 thumbprint cookies! 

Day Eight

Ohhhh, I do love me some coffee!  Truly nectar of the Gods. 

Today's breakfast:  Mexican Omelet.  2 egg whites, green and red peppers, sharp cheddar cheese, a bit of hot salsa, garlic powder and cumin.  Pretty tasty!

Since today is my 'free' day, meaning I can have whatever I want as Hubs has dinner out with Stepson, I was feeling Arby's.  I decided to try lunch as my Reward Meal today instead of dinner.  I got my food and brought it home.  I had a Super Arby's (sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and 'red ranch dressing' which is really just Catalina dressing), potato cakes, jalapeno poppers with Brocho Berry sauce, and a chocolate and a cherry turnover.  Yes, two turnovers because I just couldn't decide which one I wanted.  Oh, and unsweet iced tea to drink.  I enjoyed every single bite of my appetizer, sandwich, and potato cakes.  When I got to my turnovers, I will admit, I was getting pretty full, but I did eat some of both.  I left the table completely satisfied but yeah, I know I ate a bit too much.

Did I stick to the rules of CAD perfectly for this meal?  Well, yes and no.  I guess it depends on which version of the book you have.  The one I have says eat whatever you want.  The updated versions has a few more rules.  1/3 protein, 1/3 allowed veggies and 1/3 carbs, including drinks and desserts.  I know that this meal was pushing the limits a little but that is the exact reason I love this plan!  If I have a crazy meal occasionally, it's okay.  It doesn't blow my 'diet'.   I normally eat healthy, balanced meals so it's nice to know I can do this occasionally with no guilt, & no regrets.  THIS is how normal people eat! 

I also like the fact that I am no longer absolutely obsessed with food!  It's not the background conversation running through my brain all day.  I eat my meal, I'm full and satisfied and I move on.  It's a wonderful sense of freedom!

When dinner time rolled around, I really wasn't very hungry.  I ended up eating about 1/2 cup cottage cheese and celery sticks. Yup, that's it.  I did spice up my cottage cheese with Canadian spice blend and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.  It was cool and refreshing and honestly, food was the last thing on my mind.  I probably could have easily skipped dinner altogether but I know that is not a good habit to get into.  All in all, CAD proved again to be the right way to eat for me.

Day 7-Beginning Week 2

Weighed in this am and yes, it was still a pound less than last Monday! WOOHOO!  I thought the salt from last night's Chinese food might do me in but no.

Breakfast this am was sauteed spinach, red pepper, bit of tomato, garlic powder, salt, pepper, 1 whole egg and 1 egg white covered with 1 slice Munster cheese and a splash of Louisiana hot sauce plus 3 small bacon slices.  Oh, cannot forget the coffee!

It was a dark, dreary morning so I was craving a 'treat' at breakfast.  Normally, this would have been something like sweet oatmeal or perhaps a muffin.  Something warm, spicy and fragrant.  So instead of giving in to a very temporary desire, I compromised and made flavored coffee.  It's pretty easy. 

Just sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over coffee grounds and then add a splash of vanilla before it brews.  It smells heavenly and has a nice, rich flavor.  I don't even add any sweetener.  It doesn't need it.  Besides, if I don't know how to pronounce something, I sure don't want to eat it!  YUCK!

Lunch:  Braised cabbage with Steak Umz (easy and fast to cook) & side salad with CAD dressing.  Filling and tasty.

I was ready for a few carbs tonight but wasn't exactly sure what to make for dinner.  Hubs said he was tired of Mexican, we just had Asian, and we're having Italian on Wednesday.  I had a pound of hamburger waiting.  I know, homemade Hamburger Helper!

Both Hubs & I just can't tolerate regular Hamburger Helper any longer.  It's too salty and just tastes like a bunch of chemicals.  Since I like to have easy meals, I started messing around with things to come up with my own versions of our favorites.  Tonight, we're having 'Beef Pasta'. 

Dinner was delicious.  We had Beefy Pasta, green beans, salad, french bread, butter and for desert, chocolate cookie with a latte.  All in all,  a good start to week 2.

Beefy Pasta
1 pound ground beef
1/2 box mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 cups whole wheat noodles
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 package brown gravy mix
2-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon beef bullion paste
salt
pepper
Sour cream (optional)

Brown ground beef. Add mushrooms and saute until tender.  Add garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley.  Stir.  Then add brown gravy mix, water, bullion paste, salt and pepper. Stir again.  Bring to boil and then turn down heat to simmer.  Cover and cook until noodles are soft.  If sauce seems too thin, bring temp back up and boil with lid off until the consistency is as you like it, stiring often.  Stir in sour cream if using.  I usually just put the sour cream on the table to add to taste.  I love it, Hubs hates it. 

One Full Week!

And a full belly too!  Today marks Day 7 and it's been pretty darn easy.  The most difficult thing has been cooking 3 meals a day.  But ya know what?  If that's the worst, I'll take washing a few extra dishes!

The official weight loss is...drum roll please...one pound!

TADA!  OK, I know one pound isn't a lot but I look at it this way.  I get to eat what I want every single day.  I never have to deny myself anything, be it french fries, chocolate, cake, brownies, pasta, whatever.  So if I can do this and lose one pound a week until I reach my goal weight, I'm a happy camper!

Today's meals were my typical morning breakfast of an omelet with mushrooms, cheddar cheese, onions and Canadian bacon.  Lunch was Steak Ums sauteed with a few 'shrooms, green peppers and red peppers served over smashed cauliflower. 

Reward Dinner tonight was a treat.  We went for Chinese buffet.  I got to graze a bit and I did good.  I got my veggies in there too.  I LOVE the green beans. I also had a little dessert buffet with a couple small cookies and some fruit.  I left feeling satisfied and content.  Can't say that's been the case in the past with other well known diets.  I always left feeling deprived and irritated at not being able to really eat what I wanted. 

Week One:  SUCCESS! :)

Day Six

Today went well.  Got Hubs and Stepson off this am for a t-ball game.  While they were gone, I made my breakfast.  Today I had sauteed green peppers, mushrooms, and spinach scrambled with one whole egg and a side of bacon.  I forgot how wonderful real bacon is. 

Hubs got home and I talked with him while he ate his brunch of tacos.  It was interesting to me that I sat there the whole time and not once did I have the urge to eat one.  Didn't even enter my mind.  I'm LOVIN' this eating plan!

I left to do a bit of shopping when he finished.  I treated myself a bit today with some new hair products.  I have very curly hair and it's pretty fussy.  Too much product and it goes flat.  Too little and the curl get frizzy.  I got some Carol's Daughter products.  I saw something about it a few years ago and filed it away.  When I saw it today, I knew I had to give it a try.  Not the cheapest product around but I like that it's all natural and it supports a woman run business.  I also got some makeup but shhh...we're not going to tell Hubs about that just yet. ;)

After my trip to lady-land extravaganza, I went to the store to pick up a few items.  Finally got back home and made a wonderful lunch.  I know there are recipes for cauliflower 'mashed potato' recipes out there but I just steamed some in the microwave and smashed it up.  I poured what I guess I will call Chicken Stroganoff over the top and enjoyed the deliciousness!

Dinner was Chicken Parmesan sandwiches, chips, a nice big salad with Cesar dressing and for desert, a toasty Pumpkin Pie Pop Tart!  Seasonal Pop Tarts are pretty darn good. 

All in all, it was another day of true amazement at how I'm not obsessing over food anymore.  At this point, I really beginning to believe it's not all just in my head but truly a change in my body.  All I know is that I'm going to keep doing this! 

Chicken Stroganoff
3 ounces chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
2 tablespoons Chicken broth
1 teaspoon parsley
2 tablespoons Sour cream

Heat oil and saute onions & chicken together till chicken is cooked.  Add mushrooms, soy sauce, chicken broth, salt, pepper, parsley and garlic powder.  Cook until mushrooms are tender and broth has reduced a bit.  Take off heat and stir in sour cream.  Pour over smashed cauliflower. 

Day Five

Last night, Hubs got snack happy and broke out peanut butter, crackers and Ghiradelli dark chocolate truffle squares.  Normally, watching someone else chow down, especially on chocolate, would drive me insane.  Funny thing happened.  I absolutely did not want any!  Really!  I didn't want any at all.  This was almost a magical turn of events for me because in the past, even if I wasn't hungry at all, I would have grabbed the chocolate and ate it anyway.  Amazing!

Today started out beautifully. I did my daily weigh in and as of today, I've lost three pounds! I'm not going to get too excited because I have to average the week, but it was nice to see. Not too bad for being able to eat what I want every day. 

Breakfast today consisted of a nice egg white omelet with green peppers, onions, tomatoes and Munster cheese, and Morningstar spicy sausage patties.  I was very glad to see the sausages were within the carb limits because I really do like them.  They are low-fat as well so it fits nicely.

I was out and about today when the lunch hunger hit me.  A little research on my phone and I was set.  I went to McDonald's and had 2 cheeseburgers, no ketchup, and a small side salad with the balsamic dressing.  I only ate the meat and cheese of the burgers and only a little of the dressing.  I cannot imaging using all of it. The salad would have been swimming! YUCK!  I also splurged and got a diet Coke.  Not something I drink often but I like a Coke with my burgers.  Was simple, fairly tasty and did fill me up. The thing I really liked was not having to interrupt my excursion to go home and cook. 

One of my stops was to the local liquor store.  Yes, I drink.  Occasionally, I enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail.  Today, I found something I just had to try.  Chocolate wine!  It's chilling and I can hardly wait to try this tonight! 

Also tonight, the step-son will be here.  We typically have Mexican food.  Son really loves him some bean burritos.  Hubs has put in a request for tacos.  I am going to make a kick-ass taco salad, 89er style, for myself.   It's nice to know I don't have to cook anything different or special to enjoy a meal with my family. Different items using all the same ingredients! Everybody wins.

The 89er was a restaurant in Springfield, Missouri.  I went to lunch there many times because I worked in the same strip mall.  They made the best taco salad ever.  I don't think it can really be called a taco salad.  I don't remember there being any chips involved.  It was a flour tortilla, layered with refried beans, lettuce, onions, cheddar cheese, salad dressing, salsa, sour cream and topped with chili.  Absolutely delicious. Tacos...fffttt! I'm having this for dinner tonight

Dinner was wonderful.  Again, I surprised myself by eating about half of my taco salad.  OK, it was a bit big but still, there was a time when I could have wolfed down the whole thing easily.  Then it was time for dessert.  OMG!  The ChocoVine was delicious.  My Hubs called it an Electric Yoo Hoo!  It was about the consistency of rich chocolate milk and tastes a bit like chocolate flavored Bailey's.  I had a small glass with a German dark chocolate butter cookie.  I couldn't finish it all.  Hubs gladly finished it for me.  Yeah, CAD is definitely something I can do!

The cookie matches.  ~giggle~