Indeed - Curél® Itch Defense®

I have again been graciously given some amazing products to review. Influenster mailed me Curel's itch defense spray lotion and body wash. I can not express enough to you how genius this spray lotion is. Why has no one thought of this before. You can easily spray on your lotion, as needed, or after a shower. Also, there is no worry about greasy hands! Love it!!

Indeed - Nanoblur

I receive this product in an Influenster VoxBox. It is such an interesting product. Everywhere I look, this is tagged as a primer, but it's actually a finishing serum. Neat, right? I apply it after my foundation and it smoothes any caking or streaking. I really love it! Can't wait to buy some more of their products.

#Nanoblurred @IndeedLabs @Influenster

60 Pounds Later

Okay. I know. I have not posted in quite some time. Life got the better of me and I put my own motivations on the back burner. Well, that is over now. I'm gonna try my best to post once a week. If you know me IRL, please hold me to this.

Well, as of last week, I have hit 60lbs lost total. It's absolutely shocking to think about. It's been just over a year total. To think that this time last year I weighed more than 300 lbs.... it sometimes brings me to tears. I realized that in the car the other day. Just driving and this though entered my mind. It hit me hard. I can't believe how far I've come.

No makeup. But this dress is amazing!

Lots of people ask me questions about my journey. I am all too happy to share because if anything I do, have done or will do can inspire someone to change their life... well that's a bonus.

One of the questions I get most often is how much further I have to go. Well, I really don't know. I have not decided on a final goal, and I try to not think about it too much. However, I can say, I'm probably about half way to the point in which I'd be willing to set a final goal. If that makes sense!

I was asked today about how different I feel, and what is the most different. Probably the biggest difference for me is how I feel about having my picture taken. I don't freak out about how a picture came out, or what angle the person is taking the photo from. I actually rather enjoy getting my picture taken now, which is a HUGE leap from a year ago. Or even 6 months ago.

I am very public about my weight loss, making public posts on Facebook, writing a blog, ritually texting my parents, etc. It may seem like showboating or setting myself up for failure. However, these things are what keep me the most motivated. I want you all to keep me accountable. I want to share what works for me and what doesn't. And I want you to judge me when you see me eating a cookie (well, more than one!). Also, I want to know what works for you, what motivates you and what causes you to struggle. And I truly feel my public nature with this lifestyle opens the lines of communications and makes it okay for us to talk about it.

Next week I'll talk about how I shop, saving time, money and frustration!

Hitting My 10% Goal

It's really strange. After losing 30 lbs (my 10% goal), I expected to feel different. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm feeling healthier, my clothes are fitting more loosely. It's fantastic. But sometimes I look in the mirror and I don't see it. I guess I half expected my ass to fall off. Well, that didn't happen, in case you were wondering.

However, for the first time I took a photo with a friend and I did see a difference. I guess that's the most I can ask of myself since I see my face in the mirror every day.

Here's to our baby step accomplishments. Let them keep us motivated and looking forward every day!

P.S. We made a heart. Also, we didn't plan this. We're just that cool. 

Tell me about your accomplishments and how they made you feel, in the comments section below!

Recipe - Milanesa Torta with Tomatillo Dressing

So this is a recipe I made up to mimic an amazing sandwich I had at a local Mexican joint. This comes as close as possible while still being healthy. It's a little high on points, due to the bread (I used a wheat hamburger bun). But feel free to eat this without bread. It would still be yummy. With bread it's 14 pts. Without bread, it would be about 9 pts. This sandwhich is super filling. I couldn't even finish my jicama fries.

Milanesa Torta with Tomatillo Dressing

Ingredients:

(Dressing)

1 Tomatillo - quartered

1 Tbsp fresh cilantro

1 Jalapeno, chopped, seeded

1/4 cup mayo, light

Salt/pepper

(Milanesa)

2 Center cut pork chops, 3 oz, trimmed of all fat, pounded to 1/4 inch

Olive oil spray

3 egg whites

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup wheat breadcrumbs

Dash of Cumin

Salt/Pepper

1/4 Garlic Powder

1 Tomato, sliced thin

1 Jalapeno

1/2 avocado cut into thin wedges

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add veggies and cilantro into the food processor. 

Pulse until chunky. Add mayo, salt and pepper (to taste). Set aside.

Pound and tenderize the pork to 1/4 inch.

 Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with olive oil spray. Add egg whites to a bowl and fluff with fork. Add both breadcrumbs, cumin, salt/pepper, and garlic powder. Mix together well. Dip pork chops in egg whites and let excess drip off. Dip pork in breadcrumbs and pat to coat. Place on baking sheet and spray top with olive oil spray. Cook for 20 mins.

Roast jalapeno over open flame for a few minutes, turning frequently with heat resistant tongs, until all sides are equally blistered. Cut into thin slices. Leave or remove seeds according to taste. (Removing seeds will lessen the heat)

Assemble sandwich, Pork, dressing, tomato, jalapenos, avocado, bun. Grill the sandwich either in a pan, or a panini press (even a George Foreman would work). 

Recipe - Jicama Fries

So this is going to be an easy one. But don't let it fool you. This is a zero point snack/side dish that is sure to please!

Jicama Fries

Ingredients:

1 Jicama, peeled and cut into steak fry shapes

1 lime

1/2 tsp chili powder (more to taste)

Salt/pepper to taste

Put all the jicama fries into a bowl. Add juice of the whole lime. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dust with chili powder. Mix well. 

Recipe - Everything a Fish Taco Should Be.. and More

So, I was challenged to make a lite fish taco recipe. Challenge accepted. There are a few out there, don't get me wrong. But most of them don't capture the real crunch creamy nature of a real authentic street taco. So I set out to make a fish taco that you wouldn't even imagine to be lite. I think we have a winner. Coming in at 4 pts per taco (plus whatever your tortilla total is), this is an extremely healthy, delicious meal. This recipe makes about 8 fish tacos.

Fish Tacos with Apple Cabbage Slaw and Jicama Dressing

Ingredients:

(Fish Ingredients)

3 egg whites

1/2 cup regular breadcrumbs

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried mustard

salt/pepper to taste

4 Tilapia Fillets, cut into quarters and patted dry

Olive oil spray (canola will work if this is on hand)

(Slaw with Dressing Ingredients)

1/2 onion, cut into large pieces

1 passila pepper (or a pablo or a jalepeno), cut into pieces

1/4 jicama, cut into pieces

1/4 bunch of cilantro

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

1 tsp olive oil

1 lime

1/4 head of cabbage, shredded

1/2 apple, shredded

1 Tbsp light (or fat free) mayo

1 Tbsp mustard

Preheat oven to 450. Cover cookie sheet with tin foil (tip: crumple tin foil and then smooth out again. The ridges keep food from sticking). Spray tin foil with cooking spray. Add egg whites to a bowl and mix with a fork. Add bread crumbs, panko, cayenne, garlic powder, dried mustard, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix with your hands.

 Dip pieces of fish in the eggs, drip off excess and pat down into breadcrumb mixture, until coated. Place pieces on cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. 

While fish is cooking, prepare the slaw. Put onion and pepper into the food processor, pulse until very chunky. 

Add Jicama, process until broken down. 

Add cilantro, process until incorporated. Add garlic, pulse a few times. Add oil and juice of one lime, pulse a few more times until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Mix in a large bowl with cabbage, apple, mayo and mustard, with a spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove fish from the oven when done.

Warm tortillas either in an ungreased pan (about 15 seconds on each side) or into the microwave for a few seconds. Assemble taco by putting two pieces of fish and about a quarter cup of slaw in each tortilla shell. 

First Night in the Gym Since the Jurassic Period

Big step. Huge step. Scary step. If you know me, you know, I'm the laziest ever. It wasn't just bad diet that got me where I am today. So getting to the gym was the last thing I wanted to do. Ever. But I decided I needed to start somewhere. Luckily we have a free gym on campus at work. With the enthusiasm of some of my team members, I got there finally. I wasn't able to do much. Partly for being so out of shape. And partly necessary I need to quit smoking. My lungs were angry. But I did about 20 minutes worth of stuff (mostly bike and some weights).

I know this part is tough for many of us. And 20 minutes (or 5, or 10 even) can be so discouraging for those of us who want to get there yesterday. But stepping foot in that room was the accomplishment today. I well get better at this and that 20 minutes will multiply. Just get there. Walk in and out the first time if you have to. Just get there. That's the first step.

Recipe - Italian Turkey Burgers

I've seen a ton of different ways to make turkey burgers these days. All very delicious, but I noticed that there weren't may good Italian inspired turkey burgers. These burgers are delicious and only 4 points (minus bun).

Italian Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 zucchini, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp onion, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

4 leaves fresh basil, chopped

Salt/Pepper

1/4 tsp dried rosemary (crushed/chopped)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

3 cups Homemade Sauce

1 1/2 lb ground turkey

Grate zucchini with a cheese grater.

Add zucchini, chopped garlic, chopped onion, chopped parsley, chopped basil, pinch of salt and pepper, rosemary, breadcrumbs and turkey in a bowl.  Mix really well with hands. 

Form mixture into five even sized patties. 

Put patties into a hot pan, just until a sear is formed, then turn down the heat to low. Cook on one side until mostly browned, then flip to sear the other side.

Top with homemade sauce for extra flavor. 

I used whole wheat sandwich thins as a bun, which are only 3 points. But feel free to use whatever bread you prefer/have in the house or eat it with a fork and knife!

Recipe - Herbed Baked Fries and Roasted Garlic Mayo

I adapted this recipe from one I found online. I made it from the herbs I had in my cabinet. So feel free to play around with what you have lying around. The fries are 5 pts for about a potatoe's worth (so half). The mayo is 2 Tbsp for 3 pts.

Herbed Baked Fries and Roasted Garlic Mayo

Ingredients:

1 head of garlic, roasted

2 large potatoes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp rosemary, crushed or chopped

1/4 tsp red pepper flake

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup mayo

1 tsp olive oil for garlic

2 tsp olive oil for potatoes

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. If you have never roasted garlic before, it's really simple. Cut the top off a head of garlic, drizzle with a tsp olive oil.  

Wrap in a purse of aluminum foil, place in a baking dish and put in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Wash and dry potatoes. 

Cut potatoes long way, about 1/4 inch thick.  Then cut those slices to french fry thickness (about another 1/4 inch)

Pat fries dry with paper towel. Add potatoes, 2 tsp oil, herbs, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well. Arrange one layer of potatoes on a cookie sheet, layered with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes, turning twice during cooking. 

Squeeze roasted garlic into a bowl with the mayo. Mix really well with a fork, breaking the garlic up as well as possible. 

Recipe - Zucchini Lasagna

This idea came to me a while ago when a friend asked for a gluten free pasta recipe to make lasagna. We looked but they all seemed so complicated. So, I suggested that he try making this recipe, lasagne with zucchini instead of pasta. Also, this recipe is completely vegetarian. One quarter of the pan is 5 points. And it's a huge portion!

I sliced the zucchini on a mandolin. A mandolin is not completely necessary but makes the process of slicing the zucchini thin a million times easier.

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower, chopped

2 cups broccoli, chopped

1 1/2 lbs zucchini (about 3 medium zucchini) sliced thin

5 cups of Homemade Sauce

2 cups (about 8 oz) light mozzarella cheese

18 oz light ricotta

1 egg

4 cups spinach

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Slice zucchini thin, toss with salt in a colander and let it release it's moisture over a bowl or in the sink. Add broccoli and cauliflower in sauce in a pan on low for an hour while zucchini wilts.

Meanwhile, saute spinach in a pan with salt and pepper. Cut heat before leaves are completely wilted.

Mix ricotta and egg together really well. This will keep your lasagna together a bit better when you're ready to serve. Cut your cheese to manageable pieces.

When zucchini has the pliability of pasta and the the veggies in sauce are tender, you are ready to assemble!

Start by laying sauce in the bottom of a baking pan. 

Then lay slices of zucchini out across the pan. 

Then add ricotta mixture and cheese next.

 Finish the layer with sauce and spinach. Repeat for as many layers as you have ingredients/space.

 

Tip, you always want to end with a zucchini layer and have some cheese to add to the top.

Bake for 45 minutes with tin foil on top, and 15 minutes without the foil. For brown crispy cheese, put the broiler on for the last 5 minutes.

This is a one 8th piece (my roomates had already eaten and I can't eat cheese):

 It smelled amazing though!

Judging a Book by it's Cover

Yesterday my friend Kelsey and I were sitting and talking about our weight loss so far. It's the customary topic of conversation on weight in day. A co-worker of ours came up and asked if he could join in our conversation, and of course we invited him in. Kelsey and I were talking about eating habits growing up and what we've changed. We sort of mentioned to our co-worker that might not understand as he's a thin and tall young man.

Well we were very wrong. Turns out that this friend, who I've known for quite some time, had a weight problem in high school. He was lucky enough to have been able to go to Jenny Craig, get active and turn his weight around at a young age. We were stunned by his story. He admitted that he was always interested in weight loss stories and being apart of other people's journeys. I told him about this blog and later he came up to me as I was leaving and gave me a big hug. He told me he was so proud of me and where I'm heading. It made my day.

So I say to all of you out there, don't judge a book by it's cover. Also, be open to other people's stories. You never know when their experience will change your day/week/year/life.

Recipe - Lite Meatballs

Here is an awesome take on my homemade meatballs. This is made with very lean ground beef which takes a lot of the fat away. This recipe makes your meatballs 5 pts for 5 meatballs. Enjoy!

Italian Meatballs Lightened Up

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef (at least 90/10)

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (1/4 cup before the chopping)

4 basil leaves, chopped

1/2 tsp rosemary, ground

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less dependent on taste)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

5 cups of prepared sauce

Salt/pepper to taste

Sweat onion/garlic in a saute pan, till translucent.

Add parsley and basil till soft, less than a minute.

Add oregano, rosemary and red pepper for one minute more. Let mixture cool.

Combine meat, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, egg and onion mixture together in medium bowl. Mix together well. Shape meatballs by taking 1/4 cup of mixture and dividing in half (making meatballs 1/8 cup each).

Drop meatballs into sauce in a high sided pan, on medium low heat. Cook for 10 minutes on one side, covered. Then flip and cook for 10 more minutes on the other side.

Serve over pasta, or with toothpicks for a great appetizer. 

Recipe - Italian Sauce of Awesomeness

This is a recipe Kenny (my roommate) and I wrote. You can take this basic concept and try different types of canned tomatoes or even adding different herbs and spices. This recipe is meant to set the stage for a few light Italian recipes that are soon to come. Word of advice, start this recipe on a day off. Give it as much time as you can to cook and marry the flavors. The more time the better! This sauce is about a point a serving (about a cup).

Italian Sauce of Awesomeness

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced (more if you prefer)

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine

4 fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
3- 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp oregano, dried
1 tsp rosemary, crushed or whole/chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt/pepper to taste

In a large sauce pot, on medium high heat, add in the oil. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and sweat them till translucent. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper. Don't go overboard, you can add season later. Add the oregano and rosemary. (If you are using dried parsley and basil, add them now as well)

At this point you want to pour in your crushed tomatoes.

Drop your heat to simmer and add in your parsley and basil. (If you are using fresh)

Simmer your pot of sauce for two to three house, stirring every half hour or so. It's very important, when you are stirring, not to scrape the bottom of the pot. Something will burn at the bottom and you do not want to incorporate that taste into your sauce.

Airline Experience - The Final Chapter

So recently I had a really bad airline experience having to do with weight. I really wanted to share that with you here. I recently flew home to New York, and on my way back I was pulled as side during a lay over in Tampa. A Southwest rep was called on board to talk to me about my future flights and how I would need to buy two seats. She then reserved the seat next to me for free and left. I spent the rest of that board telling people that they could not sit next to me. When I got home my step mom told me I should write a letter and I decided that was a fabulous idea. The following is a copy of what I wrote:


My flight experience yesterday was bad from the beginning. I got to the airport, found my gate and immediately realized there was a problem. My gate and flight number were listed to be going to Tampa. So I checked with customer service that we had a stop in Tampa. That's weird, I thought, that was not listed anywhere on my itinerary or on any correspondence I received from South West at all. But okay, I was willing to go to Tampa if that's what needed to happen. But when we got to Tampa, things got worse. While waiting for head count and for new passengers to board, I was approached by a South West Rep. She informed me that even though I was not informed by anyone on my flight into New York (days before), or on my flight to Tampa, that going forward I was going to need to buy an addition seat. I have flown with South West a few times recently, and a flight a few day earlier, and no one had informed me of this. In addition, I have lost a bit of weight recently and was quite excited that these last few flights were my first in a long time where I did not need a seat belt extender. Back to my conversation. I was dumbstruck. I didn't know how to respond except nod. The rep gave me a "informational pamphlet" (which only told me how to get a refund if I did pay for an additional seat), and she then reserved the seat next to me for free (which was nice, I guess). She then explained to me that this was for the safety of other passengers if there was a need to escape the plane. I found that interesting, as I was in the last row, in a window seat (since I always check in early). When the rep departed, all I could do was cry. And I spent the remaining time of the new boarding, explaining to people through my tears that they could not sit there. It was obvious to me that there was plenty of room next to me and that people did not mind sharing space with me. I have never been so embarrassed in my whole life. I, and many people in my family and group of friends, use south west. Many are of size and no one has ever been treated so badly up until this point. I was spoken to, in public, where people could hear, after flying with South West often as of recently, and after I have lost a great deal of weight. I do want someone to contact me, and I will continue to escalate this till someone does something about this situation that is suitable.

Now I became concerned over this weekend because I had written this email on the night of the 17th. Now the 27th had come and past and still no answer. So I wrote another email to the tune of "I haven't heard back in the 5 days quoted, and I want an answer immediately". Well a couple days later I did hear back, but they did not email. They called. I was honestly impressed with that to begin with. I didn't answer the call as it was a 214 number I didn't recognize. The gentleman left him name, the corporate number and the direct extension. I was now even more so impressed. 

When I called back I got through to the rep right away. He explained how very sorry he was and relayed the information in my email, as if he had it memorized. He told me how sorry he was to hear this happened around people, how embarrassing this must have been and how he couldn't fathom how this came to happen. He even went as far as to say he was so excited how well my weight loss journey has been going. He stated he wanted to give me "a love comp" of $200 dollars for my experience. I explained that I never wrote to get money from them. I was more so concerned about my future travel, and what the exact line was for needing another seat. He explained that you need to be able to put the arm wrest down (which I was) and not need a seat belt extender (which I was). He could tell my unease with that answer and said that if anyone were to come to me again, baring my weight isn't an issue going further, to let them know that customer relations said I did not need an extra seat.  


I was truly wowed today. I can't express my gratitude to this Southwest rep. He seemed so genuine and caring. I will gladly continue my business with Southwest.

Ideas - Breakfast

So almost every morning I have same same breakfast. Eggs, scrambled with spinach, turkey sausage, and a bagel thin. I try adding different spices and what not to make it different, but that only goes so far. So this weekend I tried something a little different. Same egg premise, but with enchilada sauce cooked in. This came out AMAZING. And just thought I would share.

I
In this case I used whole eggs, as I still have enough points to afford such a luxury. But this can so easily be done with egg whites or egg beaters. Also, I happened to have enchilada sauce homemade in my house, thanks to the boys. I'm not sure how many points a canned enchilada sauce would be, never mind the amount of sodium. But play around in your pantry. You can easily make a dull breakfast fiesta time!

Recipe - Quick Tips - Fresca Cupcakes

So one of the most amazing things about being in weight watchers with friends is that you get to share some really awesome ideas. This first one is something Roni shared with us. It's such a quick easy idea and helps curb that sweet tooth.

Diet Soda Cupcakes - Fresca Edition

Ingredients:

1 Box of cake mix (in this case Classic White by Duncan Hines

20oz of diet soda (in this case Fresca, which is 0 everything)

This is the most simple recipe in existence. 

Grease or line your muffin pans.

Preheat your oven to 350.

First dump your cake mix in a mixing bow, or you bowl for your stand mixer.  Add in your 20 oz of soda.

Mix really well, making sure no dry ingredients get stuck to the bottom (I forget this part everytime). Once everything is incorporated well, grab a spoon and fill the cups about half way. This should fill about 24 cupcake tins. 

Now bake. This part is a little difficult. The box says 18-20 minutes. I find it, in my oven to be closer to 35 minutes. However my oven is standard apartment edition, and thus a piece of junk. But, start checking around 25. The best way to do this is by sticking a toothpick in the middle of your thickest cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cupcakes are done. 

Viola. You now have delicious cupcakes for the most minimal of points. Without any kind of topping you are looking at about 1 point a piece. With a light cool whip, more like 2 points. You can easily do this recipe as a full cake as well. With topping 1/10th of the cake is 2 points. I just personally prefer the cupcakes for portion control. Also there are so many possibilities of flavor combos out there. These are my favorite but I also did a chocolate mix with diet cherry Pepsi that was amazing as well. Play with your flavors, and I'll be sure to report what works on my end. 

Enjoy!