Here is another Asian inspired dish that I really liked. There was a lot of coconut milk sauce in this dish so I mixed it in with the cauliflower rice. Sooo yummy! Cauliflower rice is just cooked cauliflower grated in the food processor. You could also hand grate the cauliflower if you do not have a food processor. Enjoy!



Thai Green Curry Shrimp

Ingredients:
1 tsp oil (1 Healthy Fat)
9 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined (1 Leanest Lean)
2 tsp Thai green curry paste - 3 g of Carbs per tbsp (2 Condiments)
1/8 tsp garlic powder (1/4 Condiment)
1/4 cup light coconut milk, canned (1 Healthy Fat)
2 tsp Thai fish sauce (2/3 Condiment)
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (1/8 Condiment) 

 Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat oil on medium-high flame. 
Add shrimp and cook for about 2-3 minutes. 
Add garlic powder and green curry paste; sauté one minute.
Add coconut milk and fish sauce. 
Mix well; simmer about 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through.
Remove from heat, mix in basil.  Serve over cauli rice and enjoy!

 1 Serving with 
1 Leanest Lean, 2 Healthy Fats, and 3 Condiments

 Slightly adapted from Skinnytaste

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Craving tuna Casserole? I used green beans for the "noodles" but spiralized zucchini or spaghetti squash are also excellent substitutes! I personally like green beans for this particular recipe. I used a combination of light ranch dressing and sour cream to give it a little zing and to make it creamier. Enjoy!


Ranch Tuna "Noodle" Casserole

Ingredients:
14 oz canned tuna, drained (2 Leanest Leans)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 cup regular or light sour cream (4 Condiments)
1/2 cup light Hidden Valley ranch dressing (4 Healthy Fats)
2 cans french style green beans, drained * (7 Greens)
1 cup mushrooms (2 Greens)
1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese (1 Lean)
3 tbsp parmesan cheese (3 Condiments)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bring water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes or until they are tender. Drain and set aside.
Combine tuna, salt, pepper, garlic powder, sour cream, and ranch dressing until combined.
Stir in green beans and mushrooms. Divide mixture into three medium sized ramekins.
Top each ramekin with 1/3 cup of  cheddar cheese and 1 tbsp parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted.

 * You can also use 3 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen green beans. Use this helpful Vegetable Conversion Chart if you would like to weigh your veggies! Don't like mushrooms? Try sweet bell peppers or celery instead!

Makes 3 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments and 2 Healthy Fats (for the leanest lean tuna) per serving

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I love a yummy pot roast recipe and this one did not disappoint. It is made with a delicious splice blend that comes out tender and flavorful every time. I love shredding the meat and mixing it into a salad. The recipe is slightly adapted from the Medifast Cookbook. Enjoy!


Spiced Crock Pot Beef Roast

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs (40 oz) raw, boneless beef chuck clod roast (should yield six 5 oz cooked servings)
6 cups (1 1/4 lbs) whole mushrooms, trimmed
3 cups (7 to 8 large stalks), celery, roughly diced
3 cups green beans, trimmed
2 cups (12 to 14) scallions, roughly chopped

Crockpot Spice Blend:
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dry mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
Trim all visible fat from roast. Rub black pepper and garlic onto roast; place in crockpot. Make several small slits in top of roast. In a small bowl, combine remaining spice blend ingredients; pour over meat. Cover; cook on low 6 to 8 hours or  on high 4 to 5 hours. Add vegetables during last 30 to 60 minutes of roasting.

6 Servings with 
1 Lean, 3 Greens and 3 Condiments


Click Here to Print


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This is a really quick and easy recipe to throw together that only requires a few ingredients. I love recipes like these, don't you? It kind of reminds me of chili so this would be perfect for those cold days coming up real soon. 

If you aren't in the mood for Mexican, change it up to Italian. Just change the rotel tomatoes to Italian diced tomatoes, skip the salsa, use 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Italian Medley Seasoning instead of the taco seasoning mix, and sprinkle 1 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!


Mexican Beef and Zucchini Skillet

 Ingredients:
5 oz ground beef (93%), cooked (1 Lean)
1/2 cup rotel tomatoes with some of the liquid (1 Green)
1 cup raw zucchini, chopped (2 Greens)
2 tbsp salsa (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp taco seasoning mix (1 Condiment)

 Directions:
Combine ground beef, rotel tomatoes, zucchini, salsa, and taco seasoning mix in a medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.

1 Serving with 
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per serving

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It has been a great week 1 for me. I lost 5.8 lbs and I am looking forward to what week 2 will bring. I have to admit that I did cheat one night and had Mexican food galore with hubby. Luckily, it didn't hurt my loss too bad so I am thankful for that. Now it is on to week 2!

 This recipe is my family's favorite recipe for chicken. It is super dooper easy to prepare and you can just throw the chicken in the slow cooker and forget about it. You don't have to cook it the slow cooker if you don't want to, but I find it to be the most easiest to do because you don't have to worry about burning the house down if you forget about it or if you have to run to do some errands. The directions for baking are below the recipe directions, but be forewarned that it can take up to 5 hours to bake! Yeah, that's a lot of time but the slow baking makes the chicken really moist. What I like most about this recipe is that it is so versatile. You do not have to use the spices I used below. You can use any combination spices you like. I have a bunch of Mrs. Dash and Mc Cormick Perfect Pinch spices that work really well with this dish so change it up by playing around with different spices! This recipe is great for making shredded chicken for other recipes too! I like to eat the shredded chicken with a little less than 1 tablespoon of sugar free BBQ sauce. Delicious! Also, don't worry about adding any liquid because the chicken makes it's own juice that will make the chicken really moist. Just take off the skin and remove the bones. Weigh the chicken in accordance to what type of meat you are eating and divide up your portions. You can have 5 oz of dark meat or 6 oz of white meat.You will have meals for a couple of days! Enjoy!

All done!

Season your chicken and then ball up 3 to 4 balls of foil.


Then place your chicken on top of the foil balls so the chicken won't stick to the pan.

Rotisserie Style Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Ingredients:
4 lb whole chicken (4 Leans)
1 tsp salt (4 Condiments)
1 tsp paprika (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp onion powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)

Directions:
Wad three to four pieces of aluminum foil into 3 to 4 inch balls, and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Mix the spices together and season the chicken. Rub the seasoning under the skin of the breasts and place in the slow cooker on top of the crumpled aluminum foil. Set the slow cooker on Low for about 8 to 10 hours, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.The original directions state to cook the chicken on High for one hour and then low fr 8 to 10 hours but I just cooked it on Low for 9 hours. Remove skin and bones before eating. You can have 5 oz of dark meat (legs, thighs or wings) or 6 oz of white meat (breasts).

*You can also bake this chicken in a preheated 250 degree oven uncovered. If you had two 4 lb chickens, you would bake it for 5 hours. With only one 4 lb chicken, you would bake it for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours or when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees.

4 Servings with 
1 Lean and 2.3 Condiments per serving

 Dark meat requires no Healthy Fats while White meat requires 1 Healthy Fat

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Hubby and I both enjoyed this dish because this Mexican style meatloaf was a change from our traditional meatloaf. I topped it with salsa and cheese. Yum, yum, yum!  I will definitely make this recipe again!


Mexican Style Meatloaf

 Ingredients:
2 lbs 93% lean ground beef (4 1/3 Lean)
2 eggs, beaten (2/3 Lean)
1 tbsp taco seasoning (6 Condiments)
1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)
2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, well drained (5 Greens)
1/2 cup bell pepper ~ any color, chopped (1 Green)
1/2 cup 2% Mexican style cheese, shredded (1/2 lean)

 Topping:
1/2 cup salsa (8 Condiments)
1/2 cup 2% Mexican style cheese, shredded (1/2 Lean)

 Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375° F. 
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, beaten eggs, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, drained Rotel tomatoes, bell peppers and 1/2 cup of cheese until combined. Shape into two loaves on a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes.

 Top each loaf with 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and meatloaves are done (165 degrees F). Divide each loaf into 3 servings (total of 6 servings between both loaves).

 6 Servings
Per Serving: 1 Lean, 1 Green, and 3 Condiments
(still need 2 Greens per serving such as 1 cup cauliflower rice)

 Freeze the other loaf for later, but don't add the topping of salsa and cheese. Let the loaf cool completely. Wrap well in foil and place in a sealed plastic freezer bag. Store up to 6 months. When ready to eat, thaw the night before in the fridge. Remove from wrappings and bake an additional 20 to 30 min than what the recipe states (110 to 120 min) until the loaf reaches 165 degrees F in the center. Top the loaf with 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup cheese and bake an additional 10 min or until cheese has melted. Don't forget to write the date and reheating directions on the package.

Click Here to Print
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Yesterday was my first official day of recommitting myself to losing weight.  I guess I can't complain since I lost 4.4 lbs for my first day! Yay! I know it is mainly water weight, but I am happy nonetheless. This is only the beginning of my weight loss journey. There will be some ups and downs but with the support and help from all of you guys, I know reaching my goal weight will be possible.

 Now for the yummy recipe I tried this evening! I love Tilapia and this recipe is going right up there with my other favorite recipes. It is bursting with lots of flavor and I will continue to make it again and again. Hubby even liked it so that is a bonus! I served it on a bed of romaine lettuce, but you could serve it with your favorite veggies. Enjoy!


Pan Seared Cajun Tilapia

Ingredients:
18 oz raw tilapia (2 Leanest Lean)
2 tbsp light butter (2 Healthy Fats) 
2 tsp olive oil (2 Healthy Fats)
1/2 tsp dried oregano (1/2 Condiment)
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (4 Condiments)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp parsley flakes (1/6 Condiment)
1/4 tsp lemon pepper (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:
Sprinkle seasonings over tilapia.
Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fish and adjust the heat to medium high. The fish will cook quickly. Brown each side, cooking approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

2 Servings with
1 Leanest Lean, 3 Condiments, and 2 Healthy Fats per serving
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Wow! It has been a long time since I have found time to write on my blog. Actually, it has been a long time since I found time to do much of anything since baby Harrison came home from the hospital over a month ago. I must say that he sure is a handful, but my little bundle of joy is so worth it. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I had some difficulties. I had pre-eclampsia which caused my blood pressure to spike. I was on bed rest for about a month in the hospital because it was too early to have baby Harrison. My body waited as long as it could, but no matter how much blood pressure medicine they gave me, my blood pressure continued to rise. It got so high that I went blind for around 4 to 5 hours. Talk about scary! When that happened, the doctors knew I had to deliver my baby soon. Well, if that wasn't bad enough... I had gotten an epidural because there was no way I could handle a natural birth. As soon as the anesthesiologist gave me the epidural, my blood pressure went from sky high to rock bottom in a matter of seconds and the baby wasn't getting any oxygen. At that point, I had to get an emergency c-section. My husband said as soon as he had his scrubs on, they had our baby out. Harrison was born 2 months premature and had to stay 3 months in the NICU. It was an emotional time for all of us but I have to say our baby is healthy and is doing well now. He was only 2 lbs and 14 ounces when he was born and now he is 9 lbs and 7 ounces. He does still have some feeding issues we are dealing with right now. Unfornunately, he can not eat from the bottle right now. He already had problems with taking the bottle in the NICU because he started to form an aversion due to his reflux, but then we found out he was aspirating when he did drink from the bottle. We found that the only option we had was to get a g tube (so that Harrison can eat without aspirating) and a nissen (because he has severe reflux). So.... now poor Harrison must see various doctors and go to a feeding clinic to get help with his feeding issues. I hope Harrison doesn't have to keep his feeding tube in for long but only time will tell. Now you guys are updated on what has been going on in our lives and why I have been absent for so long.

 
Here is Harrison when he was born back in April. He had jaundice which is why he was under the blue lights. He had tubes to help him breathe as well.
 
 
He has since come a long way. Now look at him!
 
 
 
We are truly blessed!
 
I am now ready to lose all the weight I gained from the pregnancy. I hate to say it, but I have gained all the weight I had lost from Medifast. I have been wanting to start Medifast again for awhile now, but preferred not to because I was nursing Harrison. I know that Medifast has a nursing program but I was only interested in doing the 5 and 1 plan. For some reason,  I am no longer producing enough milk for him and figured it was about time I start Medifast again. I am now 180 lbs and I hope to lose about 55 lbs.
 
 
I am so excited to start this weight loss journey again with you guys! It is time to recommit myself to getting healthier. Not only for myself but for my son as well!
 
 
Before photo: August 27, 2012 at 180 lbs
 
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Wow! It has been a really long time since I posted on my blog. A lot has happened since the last posting which was over 2 months ago. I had my little bundle of joy a lot earlier than anticipated. He just didn't want to stay in my belly anymore and wanted to jump out into the world. I have to say, no one expects  to have their little one a lot earlier than planned. Then again... nothing in life ever goes as planned. I had pre-eclampsia which caused me to have extremely high blood pressure during my third trimester. For some reason, no matter how much blood pressure meds I received, the more my blood pressure kept increasing. The cause of pre-eclampsia is not known nor is there a cure for it, except of course delivering the baby and not being pregnant anymore. As soon as I had my emergency c-section, 1 1/2 weeks later, my blood pressure went back to normal. It was so strange but apparently it seemed to be more common than I thought. As I talked to more people about pre-eclampsia, it seemed everyone knew someone that had it. My son, Harrison is still in the NICU and has been since April 16th so hubby and I have been spending lots of time at the hospital visiting our son. Hopefully, he will be home soon. Isn't easy not having him with us, but my we know that being in the hospital is what is best for him right now. He just needs to learn how to feed on own instead of with a feeding tube and continue to grow. It is funny how my son isn't even home with us right now and I am soooooo exhausted. Could be the breast pumping I have to do every 2 to 3 hours (even in the wee hours of the night!) but it is so worth it knowing my baby is getting the best form of food for his little tummy.


Soooo... that is a quick explanation of why I have been MIA. I know that most of the people who follow my blog are medifasters and I am not sure when or if I will be on Medifast anytime soon. This is because I plan on breastfeeding but I am still unsure how long I will do this. I know you can do a modified plan while breastfeeding, but if I can't be on the 5 and 1 plan, I would rather wait until I can do what worked for me. Also, I need to see where our family will be financially when I do decide to return to the program. I definitely need to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I have gained back most of the weight I had lost on Medifast so I definitely need to do something! In the meantime, I will still post recipes that I am currently cooking in my kitchen when I have time in between diaper changes, feedings,and caring for my baby. I wish all of you guys success in your weight loss! Always remember you can do it!

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Are you craving sushi? Amanda Davis aka Nemla from the Medifast forums at www.mymedifast.com came up with a yummy recipe to satisfy your craving for sushi while staying on plan. I bet you never thought you could have sushi while on the Medifast plan since it is typically made with rice. We all know rice is a big no no on plan. With a simple substitution of grated and cooked cauliflower, you just won't miss the rice. The cauliflower is gently tossed with rice vinegar to give it added extra flavor. Amanda's twelve year old son didn't have any idea he was eating cauliflower and not rice. Sounds like a keeper. Also, these are best served warm so eat them up right away. Thanks for the recipe Amanda!

Photo courtesy of Amanda Davis

Sushi Hand Rolls
Medifast Nutrition Support Approved
Recipe by Amanda Davis aka Nemla from the Medifast forums

Ingredients:
9 oz medium or large raw shrimp - peeled, deveined (1 Leanest Lean) or
7 oz raw salmon (1 Lean)
2 Sheets All Natural Sushi Seaweed of Nori, each sheet is 0 g of Carbs (2 Condiments)
1 1/4 cups cauliflower, cooked and grated  (2 1/2 vegetable servings)
1/4 cup strips of cucumber (1/2 vegetable serving)
1/2 tbsp lite soy sauce for marinade (1/2 Condiment)
*any additional soy sauce can be used for dipping but for every tbsp is 1 more additional condiment
1 tbsp rice vinegar (1/4 Condiment)

Directions:
Marinate meat in soy sauce for at least 2 hours. Discard marinade. Saute shrimp/ bake salmon.

 In a non-metal bowl, sprinkle in the rice vinegar while gently mixing the cauliflower "rice".

 Slightly modified directions from the Nori package:

 1) Cut sheet of Nori in half.
2) Place half sheet of Nori in the palm of your hand, shiny side down.
3) Spread "rice" on the left side of the Nori sheet.
4) Add fillings  - a little over 1/4 cup of "rice" per roll
- lay 5 to 8 strips of cucumber
- add lean meat - roughly 1 3/4 oz of shrimp per roll or 1 1/4 oz salmon per roll
5) Roll the Nori , starting with the bottom left corner towards the upper right corner to form a cone shape. Serve warm!!!

 * Don't overcook the cauliflower or you will have rice vinegar mashed "potatoes".

4 salmon or shrimp rolls = 1 Lean protein serving, 3 vegetable servings and 2.75 Condiments
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