Day Five Week One - Diet Interruptus

Hi all - wanted to let you know that dinner plans have changed again today.  My sister, Connie called this morning and invited us for dinner.  We gratefully said yes.  I have been working on carpet and upholstery cleaning this week.  Definitely not something I want to do for a living.  It is hard physical work and I'm exhausted but it's done.

I had breakfast in the CLEAN sunroom and drank my coffee while gazing out the window at my garden. (Ignore that the grass/weeds need cut - I did).

I followed the plan for breakfast and lunch.

So check back and I'll take pictures at dinner and post tonight.  Looks like salmon tomorrow...

Hi - me again.  I forgot to take my camera but my sweet niece, Allyson took a picture of my plate with her I-phone...

Here's dinner - BBQ Buffalo chicken wings, coleslaw, pasta salad, green salad and baked beans. I didn't eat the bread and butter or the homemade strawberry-rhubarb pie.  Everyone was raving about the pie, made with fresh local fruit but luckily I hate rhubarb.  I did have a sip of Eric's beer and a few low-fat crackers.

Tomorrow's menu is poached egg on toast, butternut squash soup and jalapeno popper chicken with salad.  We'll see how this goes...

Julie

Day 4 and counting

Today was a struggle.  My body is starting to crave things, starchy, crunchy, savoury things.  Hello carbs.  So, there was a small slip this afternoon.  We went to Mark's Work Warehouse for the sale at 5 pm (and yes I was feeling deprived and starving) and didn't they put out a spread of donuts and cookies and cinnamon buns.  How strong do they think I am!!!  I think there were a few old dears there just for the coffee and snacks.  Anyhoo, succumbed to a chocolate chip cookie.  It was sooo good.

If you look at my pictures, you can see why the cookie got me.  I had Cheerios and a nectarine for breakfast and when I went out to lunch with the girls, I had sliced-white-meat-chicken-on-toasted-rye-with-no-butter-and-a-smidge-of-mayo-with-a-diet-Pepsi.  Oh did I feel deprived by that.  I am a social eater so I need to be more generous with Thursday lunch.  If I'm not, the cookie monster will get me again.

So as a result, the dinner menu changed, fish just wouldn't cut it tonight.  We drove to Lakefield to the butcher shop and got a couple of melt-in-your-mouth sirloin strips that I BBQ'd.  Instead of stuffed mushrooms, I cut the calories by pan frying some onion in a little olive oil.  The potatoes were BBQ'd in a little olive oil and sliced tomato replaced green beans.  The green beans looked sad at the grocery store this week.  There's no local ones yet.  Maybe I'll get to the market this Saturday and see if we have any local veg and fruit.

I also had another nectarine for dessert...

Tomorrow's menu is peanut butter toast and banana for breakfast, a hot dog for lunch and we'll try for the salmon again tomorrow.  Maybe it will be a fish day ;).

Julie

Busy Day...

Just a short note today.  It's been a very busy day of cleaning carpet and I am exhausted but still stuck to the menu (big pat on the back here).  Toast with homemade jam (crushed my bread in the car, oh well) and a large salad with a boiled egg, cheese and lots of vegetables and dinner was chicken souvlaki, grilled peppers and onions and Greek salad.  I also had a bowl of  cherries this afternoon.

Tomorrow I'm starting with Cheerios and having lunch with my friends so maybe a chicken sandwich and salmon for dinner.   Ta ta for now,

Julie

Raspberry Jam

I made up a batch of raspberry jam today.  I had a small package of raspberries that I had frozen a little while ago and was able to get a couple of packages of frozen berries really cheap with a generous coupon.  I'm not much of a jam eater but my mother really likes it.  The rest of the family does too and my nephew, Ian dropped by today to help me with some heavy lifting so I repaid him with jam.

It's so simple to make homemade jam that it'll take longer to blog about it.  The most critical thing is sterilizing your bottles and you can refer to my post on chili sauce for detailed directions.

I put my berries in a large pot (3 3/4 cups of raspberries) and crush them with a potato masher.  Add 6 1/2 cups of sugar and 1/4 cup of lemon juice.  Stir well and bring to a boil.  Boil for 1 minute, stirring so it doesn't stick.  Take off the heat, add the Certo  and continue stirring for 5 minutes.  You have to  stir or your fruit will float to the top of your bottles and you'll have jelly in the bottom.

Then fill your sterilized bottles to 1/4 inch below the rim, gently place tops on and screw rings on tightly.  Set aside to cool.  If you have a part bottle, refrigerate and use it first.

Normally when I have warm jam, I enjoy a nice tea biscuit.  I'm trying to eat a little healthier so I had a muffin, no butter and a little jam.  It was really good.  Give it a try, you'll be surprised how easy it is and Certo gives you great directions.

Bye for now,

Julie

Day Two Week One or Life's a Bowl of Cherries

Things are going well.  I had steel cut oatmeal with maple syrup for breakfast, tomato and cheese sandwich for lunch (as you can see I substituted from yesterday's plan but the tomato was ripe today), and General Tso chicken with brown rice for dinner.  My snacks were a bowl of cherries ;) and a banana muffin with raspberry jam.  That was a bit of a splurge but I made homemade raspberry jam today (will blog that later) and you have to do the taste test!

Tomorrow's breakfast is toast with jam (of course), lunch is a salad and dinner is chicken souvlaki.

Cheers,

Julie

Day One Week One

Well, I survived day one.  My lovely friend, Cindy made fruit and veggie trays for lunch and while I resisted the dip, I was unable to resist the yummy peach-raspberry-vodka slushie.  Mmmmmm.

I was pleasantly surprised when I weighed myself this morning to find I had lost another 5 lbs in the last 6 weeks.  So I am starting 15 lbs lighter than January 1.  In addition to the meals shown below, I have had 3 oz of cheddar cheese and will probably have a Granny Smith apple tonight.  It was too hot today to have the oven on so there was no cornbread for dinner.  Luckily the chili was already made and in the freezer.

Tomorrow I am planning Oatmeal for Breakfast, a Hot Dog for Lunch and General Tso Chicken for Dinner.

Cheers,

Julie

The Sunday Before

Just a quick note to let you know that Breakfast tomorrow is Cheerios, Lunch is veggies and fruit and Dinner is Chili and Cornbread.

Often on Mondays, I meet some friends for a few games of RummyCube.  It is like Rummoli but played with tiles that have numbers and colours on them.  You make runs or sets like in poker.  It is lots of fun and we usually have snacks, chips, dips, cheese, crackers, etc.

My extremely supportive and lovely friends have changed the menu for me - veggies and dip and a fruit plate.  I was so touched by their support.  Cindy is hosting and Sandy suggested we meet at the zoo first for a walk.  Healthy lunch and a little exercise.  What more could I ask for?  I will try to remember my camera for you.

As to the healthy eating plan, I'm planning on posting a picture from each meal in the evening.  If it's a new recipe, I will do a full post.  I will also tell you what meals I've planned to eat the next day.  Fingers crossed...

Julie

Healthy Eating Week One

Hi all - it is Saturday night and the start of my healthy eating plan.  Today I have made up a menu of  seven breakfasts, seven lunches and seven dinners which I have listed below.  I am making up a shopping list and heading to the grocery store tomorrow.  Instead of setting up menus Monday (don't all diets start on Monday!?) to Sunday, I decided it would be more flexible to decide on seven menus for each meal of the day.

I'm going to weigh myself on Monday mornings (and no, I'm not sharing) but I will give you lbs lost.

I'm allowing myself snacks of fruit, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, nuts or pickles (olives or dill - not sugary ones).  I will be drinking water, coffee, or tea this week and allowing myself one alcoholic drink. out

I'm attaching a shopping list as well as a list of what I consider staples.  You can print this post if you want a ready made list.  The shopping list when it indicates quantity is based on one serving so increase accordingly for your family.  I would advise you to make the chili, spaghetti sauce, butternut squash soup and cornbread on Sunday and freeze in serving sizes.  These are the only meals that you have to make a larger quantity than one serving but they all freeze well and it's always nice to have an easy meal in the freezer.  Everything else you will be able to prepare quickly to make life easier.

Seven Breakfasts

1.  Wholegrain Cheerios with 1% milk and a serving of fruit
2.  Wholegrain Cheerios with 1% milk and a serving of fruit
3.  Steel-cut Oatmeal with 1 Tbsp of Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar and a serving of fruit
4.  Steel-cut Oatmeal with 1 Tbsp of Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar and a serving of fruit
5.  Toast and Jam (no butter)
6.  Toast with Peanut Butter and a sliced Banana
7.  Poached Egg on dry toast

Seven Lunches

1.  Salad of Lettuce and mixed vegetables with 1 oz cheese and 1 boiled egg with calorie reduced dressing
2.  BBQ all-beef hot dog on a bun with relish, mustard, onions
3.  Butternut Squash soup *
4.  Sliced chicken sandwich with no butter, a little reduced mayo, some veggie (lettuce, tomato or cucumber)
5.  Veggie tray with homemade herb dip
6.  Toasted Tomato sandwich with cheese, a little mayo, no butter
7.  Pork Wonton soup with green onions and cabbage

Seven Dinners

1.  Grilled Salmon with lemon, New Orleans red rice * and stir-fried vegetables
2.  General Tso Chicken with brown rice *
3.  BBQ Steak with stuffed mushrooms *, garlic roasted potato and green beans
4.  Chicken Souvlaki * with brown rice, Greek salad * and grilled peppers and onions
5.  Chili with Cheddar Corn Bread * - use low fat sour cream and 1 Tbsp of grated cheese
6.  Pork Schnitzel, with homemade spaghetti sauce *, wholewheat pasta and mozzarella cheese
7.  Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken, with Salad *

Recipes already listed on the blog are marked with an asterisk.
Most other menu items do not require recipes except for Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken which I will blog the night I prepare it.

The homemade herb dip will be made with a little sour cream and mayo and chopped fresh herbs from the garden (I'm going to use dill, parsley, thyme and tarragon with a sprinkle of cumin).  The pork  wontons are going to be ready-made ones from the Chinese market but I will make homemade ones for you some day.

For stuffed mushrooms, use olive oil instead of butter, replace the cream with milk and omit wine (use a little water if required) in the stuffed mushroom recipe and omit the Parmesan cheese from the stuffing but put a little on top.  Use Pork souvlaki recipe and prepare a chicken breast per person instead.  I buy the pork schnitzel already prepared from my butcher shop but you could pound out a piece of pork tenderloin out and dredge in some egg and bread crumbs.  The salad for #7 will be the same one from the grilled salmon recipe on my blog.  You can use any fruit or nuts in the salad and for the salad dressing, if you don't have mango vinegar, you can substitute 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar and 1 Tbsp of honey.

I hope you'll join me.  I need all the help I can get.  If you have any questions, please add a comment and I will respond.  Good Luck,

Julie

Healthy Eating

You may have noticed that I haven't been blogging about food and recipes very much lately.  While it is true that I have been busy with house and garden, the real reason is that I need to lose weight.  I have very high cholesterol and cannot tolerate the side effects of statin drugs.  I started out well in January and did lose 10 lbs by March.  Since then, not an ounce.  I have always equated "diet" or healthy food with boring food.  My perspectives need to change.  I hate "dieting".  I hate feeling deprived or controlled by the rules of a diet so I am going to try a new experiment - healthy eating with interesting and very tasty recipes.  Now I'm not making you any promises but maybe by going public here, I'll be able to stick to it.

Here's the plan.  I'm going to use my blog as a food diary (I'm going to try to promise a week at a time - like an alcoholic's day at a time...).  On Saturdays, I'm going to plan my menu for the week and post it.   I'm going to try to post a grocery list (minus staples - hopefully my staples are the same as yours?!).  I will post recipes as required and I will update weight loss once a week.  The emphasis will be on healthy eating rather than weight loss but hopefully they go hand in hand.  If you are going to follow this, you may want to start a day or week later as the recipes will be posted after the meal is made and eaten...wish me luck.

Julie

Shrimp Tacos

I attended a retirement potluck for my friend and co-worker, Sheila today.  It was a lovely party and everyone got together for one of the last times with our office closing in the not too distant future.  My friend, Cindy helped prepare these (it's her lovely hand modelling the taco!).  Sorry for the quality of the pix but they were taken on the fly...

I got this idea from Red Lobster's shrimp fest (we went last week).  I bought small soft taco shells and they are layered with some coleslaw mix, then cooked, chopped shrimp (a bag, thawed, cleaned and stir fried in 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter - salt and pepper to taste).   This is topped with a sauce I made from 1 cup of mayo and 2 Tbsp of sriracha (easy to serve if you use a squeeze bottle) and sprinkled with chopped tomato and onion.

It was easy to take to the party by putting the ingredients in containers and carrying them in on a heavy baking sheet.

A good time was had by all - congratulations Sheila!!!

Julie

Frozen Lemon Mousse with Blueberry Sauce

I tried out a new recipe for dessert tonight.  It was easy and delicious so it will definitely be added to my regular repertoire.

Basically, you make lemon curd and whip cream.  They get folded together and frozen.  A blueberry sauce is spooned over it...Yum.

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks

1/2 cup of sugar

juice and zest of 2 lemons

2 cups of whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

Sauce

2 cups of blueberries

1/4 cup of sugar

juice of one lemon

1 tsp of Grand Marnier

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and lemon together and cook over medium-low heat.  Whisk constantly for about 10 minutes until it turns into a light pudding consistency.

Spoon the curd through a fine strainer into a glass bowl.  Cover the pudding directly right on top with plastic wrap so a skin doesn't form.  Refrigerate til cool.

Mix the sauce ingredients together and bring to a boil.  Let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken.

Then whip the cream with vanilla until soft peaks form.  Then fold the lemon curd gently into the whipped cream.

I used individual Pyrex dishes lined with large muffins cups and spooned in the mousse.  Cover and freeze at least 3 hours.

Put the sauce into a measuring cup to refrigerate.  It makes it easier to pour over the mousse and if you want to warm it up a bit, just pop in the microwave.  Take the cups out of the freezer 20 to 30 minutes before serving.  Overturn onto your plate and remove the paper muffin cup.  Pour some sauce over and enjoy. It was really good - in fact, I forgot to get pictures until after we had already dug in!

Julie

Steak Frites

Tonight we had a French bistro experience for dinner - Steak Frites.  I had a couple of lovely melt-in-your-mouth bacon wrapped sirloins from Flannigan's butcher shop.  I sliced up a fresh tomato and sauteed some mushrooms and onion as sides.

I started by peeling a very large potato and used a mandoline to cut them into a julienne cut.

These were left covered in cold water while the oil heated up.  

I then browned the steaks and crisped the bacon on all sides.  They were then put in a 350 degree oven to finish cooking while I sauteed the mushroom and onion.

I fried the chips in batches and kept them warm in the oven.  The mushroom and onion was added to the steak pan in the oven.

A couple of Tbsps of cognac and a couple of Tbsps of cream were added to the pan and poured over the steak when it was plated.  We like our steak medium rare and so they were in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

It was wonderful and with a crisp glass of wine, I could imagine sitting in a small bistro in Paris.

Julie

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Nothing fancy for dinner tonight.  It was a beautiful sunny day here and I spent most of the day in the garden, not in the kitchen.  Soooo we had grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner.

Very simple but good.  I grated marble cheddar cheese and sliced one green onion.

Then I butter one side of the bread and cook in a large frypan.

So buttered side down in pan, spread cheese and onion on bread and put on top slice, buttered side up.  Fry until bread is toasty and brown and flip to brown other side.  It is done when the cheese has melted.  I like the bite of the green onion and if you grate the cheese, I use about half the amount I use of sliced cheese.  Am I trying to argue that grilled cheese is healthy? Fuggedaboutit and Enjoy!

Julie

Manicotti

It was a beautiful sunny day but quite chilly and a strong wind started late afternoon.  As we had duck for dinner last night, I decided to make something plainer and heartier for dinner tonight.  Not your typical Easter fare but it was delicious.

Start by preheating oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients

manicotti

2 lbs of ground meat

can of spaghetti sauce

breadcrumbs

mozzarella cheese

onions

garlic

green pepper

mushrooms

Start by browning your ground meat.  I used a pound of beef and a pound of pork but you can use any ground meat you like.  Salt and pepper to taste.  I also added dried herbs - 1 Tbsp parsley, 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp of basil. You can definitely use fresh herbs if you have them on hand.

Once the meat is browned, strain and move to a large bowl.  Drain all but 1 tsp of fat from the pan.  Finely dice - 1/2 cup of onion, 1/2 cup of green pepper, 1 cup of mushrooms and 3 small cloves of grated garlic.  Add these to the pan and cook enough to soften.  Add to the bowl along with 1 cup of breadcrumbs that you have browned for 10 minutes in the oven.

Next stir in 1 1/2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese.

Boil water for the noodles.  You are going to cook them until they start to soften (5 to 7 minutes) but they need to still be quite firm to stuff.  If you overcook them or overstuff them, they will fall apart (see below).

Stuff the noodles with your meat mixture using a teaspoon or your very clean hands.  Use non-stick vegetable oil on the pan, spoon some spaghetti sauce over the bottom and lay the noodles in rows.  Spoon more sauce over the top.

Then cover with grated cheese and bake 30 to 45 minutes.

It's great served with a caesar salad and it freezes well. This pan would serve 6 so I have easy freezer meals for nights I don't feel like cooking. Enjoy!

Julie

Lemon Madeleines

I made lemon madeleines for dessert last night.  They were so good - this recipe is one of Laura Calder's.  When I  read the ingredients, I was a little skeptical but they were the best madeleines I ever had.  Nice and light and  fresh and moist.

Ingredients

1 cup and 2 Tbsp of flour

1/2 tsp of baking powder

pinch of salt

2/3 cup and 1 Tbsp of butter

1/2 cup and 2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp of honey

4 eggs

zest of one lemon

icing sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray your madeleine pan (see my recipe for coconut madeleines for full directions).  Mix flour and baking powder and salt together. Then melt butter and whisk in white and brown sugar, honey, eggs and lemon zest.  Add dry ingredients and mix to a smooth batter.  Pour into madeleine pans and bake 10 minutes.

I served them on a plate with some fresh strawberries dusted with icing sugar.  They were delicious.  My mother and I had orange duck for dinner and played a few games of Rummicube while enjoying our  dessert.  Happy Easter everyone.

Julie

BBQ Marinated Boneless Leg of Lamb

We had a gorgeous BBQ leg of lamb for dinner last night.  My sister did cooking and I marinated it.  The day before I put the leg of lamb in the marinade and turned it a couple of times.

Ingredients

1 carton (about 3 cups) of Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp of olive oil

1 Tbsp (2 or 3 cloves) of garlic

the juice of one lemon

1 Tbsp of Herbes de Provence

salt and pepper

Stir the marinade together and roll the lamb in it to completely cover.  Marinade up to 24 hours (at least 2 or 3 hours) in the fridge.  Tie the leg up with kitchen twine so it will cook evenly.

Heat up your BBQ or oven to about 400 degrees.  Cook 2 hours or until it is done to your liking.  I like medium rare - still quite pink.  When you are BBQing, heat one side of the BBQ and place roast on the other side (indirect heat) with the lid down.  Check and turn a couple of times.  Let it rest about 20 minutes before slicing.  The yogurt marinade is very flavourful and keeps the leg very moist.  Enjoy!

Julie