Chinese Chicken Salad and Dessert

A co-worker and myself had decided to make lunch for each other. One day a week she would make lunch for me and one day I would make lunch. Hungry Girl gave me a chance to make a recipe for my first meal. I wanted to make something that did not need to be warm when served and I wanted to make something easy. I decided to make a salad. I am a huge fan of Asian flavor. I love ginger, sesame, soy, and wasabi. So, what could I make that would fit this craving. I decided upon "the scoopable Chinese chicken salad".

The salad was a hit. I used Paul Newman's Reduced Fat Ginger Sesame Salad dressing, broccoli slaw mix, scallions, mandarin oranges, and diced chicken. I bought a container of Boston lettuce and I made lettuce wraps. This recipe is delicious and healthy.

I wanted to make a quick and easy dessert.

These wonderful treats are the "cheesecake bites". Yummilcious!!! This recipe consists of cool whip free, sugar free pudding, strawberry preserves, and reduced fat vanilla wafers. Another hit for the ladies at the office.



2 recipes down...198 to go!!!

Hungry Girl 200 under 200

 I am excited about my new cookbook, "Hungry Girl's 200 under 200".  I love it!!!  I am focused on healthy eating and exercising and this book it a must have  in the cookbook library.  A friend of mine, Casey, sent me

an e-mail that mentioned this cookbook.  The recipes are simple, delicious, and healthy.  Casey is the reason why I purchase this book.  My plan is to incorporate the meals, snacks, and desserts into to healthy eating plan.  I would like to make every recipe in this book and track my progress.  "Julie and Julia" is one of my favorite movies and I would like to pay tribute to Hungry Girl.  I am a full time mother, student, employee, and dieter.  Hungry Girl has given me a fun, easy, and exciting cookbook that I can use in my everyday life.  Thanks Hungry Girl!!

Alcohol, T.G.I. Fridays, and Wedge Salads

This past weekend was the first weekend back on the wagon.  I have been eating healthier and I have been monitoring my intake, but now I am back on the wagon.  I have cut down on calories, fats, and carbs.  The motivation that I have are pictures of me from 2007.  I was lighter and happier.  I am doing this for me.  I would like to lose 50 pounds in 3 months.  My birthday is on May 22 and I would like to fit in clothes that I bought a couple of years ago.

This weekend  began as any other.  Since it is Lent, I made tuna steak, egg drop soup, and broccilli for dinner.  The meal was good, but I will cook the tuna differently.  I cooked it too much.  The egg drop soup was fantastic. 

BTW....I am not happy with the quality of pictures taken on my Blackberry :(

Along with the tuna, I made a low fat spicy mayo dip.

Saturday was an interesting day.  I began my day with eating the left over egg drop soup.  For lunch I ate tuna salad and veggies.

For dinner, I went out to T.G.I. Fridays.  My brother, sister-in-law, boyfriend, and I went out to dinner and wanted to hit up the casino.  Going to Friday's I figured that the menu would not have very many choices for me.  I decided on the Shrimp Key West, which was great.  The appetizer that I ate, which is now my favorite appetizer, a classic wedge salad.  The salad was a wedge of iceberg, bacon bits, tomato, and blue cheese dressing and crumbles.  This salad was WONDERFUL.

For dinner last night, I decided to make soup with vegetable broth.  I threw in some sirloin and mushrooms and green onions.  I made a wedge salad to go along side of it.  The wedge has Walden Farms Blue Cheese dressing, turkey bacon, cucumber, tomato, and a few crumbles of blue cheese.

The only issue that I had to contend with this weekend, alcohol.  Alcohol will be on obstacle that I will have to overcome.

mmmmmm.....salmon!!!!!

I ate this for lunch today along with sliced cukes, celery, and lettuce.  Salmon Creations from StarKist is fantatic.  I highly recommend this product.  Full of flavor and it is not bland like plain tuna.

30 minutes of exercise

I love Dr. Oz. I love his show so much that I DVR it daily. I have read his books and I follow his recommendations. Last night, I exercised for 30 minutes. In one of Dr. Oz's books, he mentioned that walking 30 minutes a day is a great way to incorporate exercise. I walked on both of my 15 minutes breaks. Being able to exercise for 30 minutes in the middle of my workday is relaxing, rejuvenating, and refreshing. Everyday I have an opportunity to exercise, no excuses. This weekend, I plan on creating an exercise planner. I am excited and ready to shed the pounds.


Last night, I made a wonderful dinner. I made buffalo chicken strips with Walden Farm's Blue Cheese dressing. I had a craving for cauliflower, so I made smashed cauliflower with green onions and jalapenos. My dinner was wonderful.

For breakfat this morning, I went to Pancake House and ordered an omelette.  The omelette is made with egg beaters, spinach, and light mozzerella cheese.

Yummy....what a good way to start the day.

Took a walk today.

Exercise is the hardest activity for me to begin. Once I get on the horse, there is no stopping. All it takes for me to begin an exercise regiment, I need to stand up and move. The weather is cold and snowy outside and the weather makes it easy to make excuses. "It is snowing." "It is too cold." One excuse after another has left my mouth. But today is different. On my 15-minute break I decided to take a walk. The walk may have only been 10 minutes but at least that it is a start. This afternoon, I intend to do the same thing.

Last night, I had a rough night. I was emotionally and mentally tired and drained. My son tested me every chance he got. I was ready to pull my hair out. Boyfriend was in his own world and doing his own thing. I made dinner and settled down in front of the television. Last night I made tacos with corn tortillas. The tacos were vegan and low fat. I made Fantastic Foods Taco Filling mix. The tacos were good. As I sat down watching The Young and the Restless, I felt guilty. Guilty for eating in front of the television, guilty for letting myself go throughout the last 3 years, and guilty for not moving from in front of the television. I believe that all of this guilt began when I was at church in the morning. I decided to go to church on Ash Wednesday because I want to be a better person. Sitting in church causes me to reflect on my life and on the decisions that I have made. Overall, my decisions have not been the best. Food is my friend and I love my friends. Exercise is like a diet. No one wants to do it, but it should be done. I have been eating healthier and making the right choices, but I believe that I need more. I need a diet. A strict diet with exercise incorporated.

I am going to continue to eat healthy, but I am going to track my calories, fat, and fiber. I am going to eat low calorie, low fat, and high fiber. I bought myself my notebook to keep a journal. The journal will involve motivation, my daily menu, and my feelings. Last night, I decided to print off pictures of me from when I lost a lot of weight. My face was thin, my legs were thin, and I looked better. My clothes were cute and I was happy to jump in every picture. I have constructed my journal with these pictures in it as a daily reminder of what I looked like and that I can do it again...all I need is a little motivation and support.

For breakfast this morning I ate two hard-boiled eggs and 3 oz of ham. I wrapped both of these ingredients in Boston lettuce leaves. For lunch, I made some mixed vegetable and chicken broth. I also made chicken wraps, made with chicken and lettuce leaves. Good lunch...forgot to take pictures!!!!


Here are a couple of pictures.  One is when I was lighter than I am now.

Tonight

As I sit and work deciding what I am going to cook for dinner, I realized that I have bought some items that I have never used before. I bought 2 leeks, plantains, and polenta. I think that I am going to make the plantains tonight. My vision for dinner involves plantains, black beans, corn, and cilantro. I think I may make a black bean and corn mixture with baked plantains. Sounds interesting. I think that is the way that I am going to go, unless I decide to make polenta with white beans. Decisions, decisions, decisions....




Here is a look into my cabinet at work. Here are my snacks....