Happy 4th of July everyone! I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday!

As promised, I have the results from the two DietBet challenges I did for the month of June! I am super excited to say that I am a winner of both challenges! Mark my words, I definitely did the Happy Dance! Not sure exactly what the Happy Dance entails, but I was doing some type of movement that involved burning calories, most likely without rhythm.

This is how I did on the challenges: 

Jalita's DietBet

Start Weight June 1st: 175.8 lbs
Goal Weight: 168.8 lbs
Final Weight June 29th: 167.8 lbs

Amount won: $32.84
Profit: $7.84

Blogilates DietBet

Start Weight June 3rd: 173.9 lbs
Goal Weight: 166.3 lbs
Final Weight July 2nd: 165.6 lbs

Amount Won: $44.69!
Profit: $19.69

Total loss from June 1st o July 2nd: 10.2 lbs!

  I started my own DietBet challenge for the month of July called Sandy's Kitchen Adventures. I can't believe the amount of people who decided to play this time around which was 767 awesome peeps! The challenge started July 1st and ended July 28th! If you missed joining this time around, I will be starting another one August 1st and the 1st day of every month thereafter so you won't be left in the dust! You can always join another game if you don't want to wait that long! Good luck to everyone who is playing right now! I hope this will help get your butts in gear and gain some motivation! Soooo many people emailed me or messaged me to tell me about their issues with getting motivated and staying on plan and I knew EXACTLY what they were going through. I have been overweight most of my adult life, but it is a lifestyle change and if I can do it... then you can Do It! Between the fabulous support, the weight loss community, and now DietBet... weight loss has certainly been obtainable for me. Does DietBet really help me? Sure does! I mean come on... you lose weight and have a chance to earn some moula. Losing weight has always been a struggle for me so I will take any help I can get! If you have any questions about the plan or just need someone to talk to, message me and I will be happy to help if I can!

 As for the recipe...

I thought fire cracker shrimp sounded appropriate for the 4th of July! Grilling recipes are my favorite kind of recipes because nothing beats that flavor you only get from the grill. The best part about grilling shrimp is that the cooking time is not much at all, just a few minutes on each side. You want to be careful not to over cook the shrimp or they will get tough and chewy.



I used Walden Farms Apricot Preserves but Orange Marmalade works great too!  Both flavors taste great with shrimp.



The shrimp had a slightly sweetened flavor that I loved and the soy sauce helped bring out a tiny bit of saltiness. As for the fire cracker (heat from sriracha), it was spicy but not too spicy. This will surely be a great summer recipe to enjoy!


Fire Cracker Shrimp

Ingredients:
9 to 10 ounces raw, peeled shrimp - should yield 7 oz cooked (1 Leanest)
2 tbsp Walden Farms Apricot Preserves (2 Condiments)
1 1/2 tsp lite soy sauce (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp sriracha sauce (1/2 Condiment)
1 tsp sesame oil (1 Healthy Fat)

Directions:
Place apricot preserves in a small bowl and microwave for 20 seconds until partially melted.
Add soy sauce, sriracha sauce, and oil to the melted apricot preserves; stirring until combined.
Thread shrimp on a metal or soaked wooden skewer.
Brush sauce on both sides of shrimp. (I let the shrimp marinate in the sauce for about an hour in the fridge before grilling).
Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

1 Serving with 
1 Leanest (7 oz of cooked shrimp), 3 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat (need 1 more Healthy Fat) per serving

Click Here to Print

Read more »
I always thought I was a slow loser because it is no secret... I am a daily weigher. As a daily weigher, for some reason I always expect a loss, at least I always hope to have one anyways. I used to get discouraged when I weighed myself, but not anymore. Now I look at the overall picture. I look at how much I have lost during my entire weight loss journey and to be honest, I am pretty darn happy with my overall loss. My total weight loss is 17.8 pounds. On June 1st, I joined two DietBet challenges and since then I have lost 8.6 pounds. As you can see, 8.6 pounds is a great number to focus on for 3 1/2 weeks rather than focusing on my scale not moving for three days! What is important is that I feel fabulous!

Now what about this awesome looking recipe I have below...

Chicken parmesan made into meatballs? Yes please! Meatballs, Italian diced tomatoes and ooeey gooey cheese always make a perfect combination. This is definitely comfort food! I am all about making food that reminds me of good old fashioned home cooking! For the sauce, I just blended diced tomatoes in a small chopper to get it to the consistency of tomato sauce or you can leave it slightly chunkier, depending on how you like your sauce. I like mine a little chunky. Use Italian diced tomatoes instead of the regular kind because it already has the spices inside of it. Also, make sure to check your carbs on the back of the can. Some brands are 5 grams of carbs, while others are 10 grams per 1/2 cup! You need to find a brand that has less than 5 grams of carbs per 1/2 cup. I love Great Value Italian Diced Tomatoes. Enjoy this recipe!


Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

 Ingredients:
1 lb 95 to 97% ground chicken (2 Leaner)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (4 Condiments)
1/4 tsp pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp onion powder (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, divided (1 Lean)
1 1/2 cups Great Value Italian diced tomatoes or 3/4 cup low carb marinara sauce, divided (3 Greens)

 Spaghetti Squash:
3 cups cooked spaghetti squash (6 Greens)
1 tbsp regular butter (2 Healthy Fats)

 Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray a 13 x 9 inch glass dish with cooking spray.
Blend diced tomatoes in a blender or small chopper to resemble tomato sauce or until desired consistency.

 Melt butter in a  non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add cooked spaghetti squash strands in skillet and saute for about a minute. Set aside.

Combine ground chicken, parmesan cheese, and spices. Add 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Measure out 3 tbsp of the blended diced tomatoes and add to the ground chicken mixture until completely combined. Form into meatballs. Since this recipe makes three servings, I made twenty-one meatballs. It is so much easier to divide the meatballs evenly when they are in increments of threes such as 15, 18, 21, and so on.

Place meatballs in prepared glass dish. Bake for 25 minutes.
Spread tomato sauce over meatballs and sprinkle with the 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Broil until cheese is melted.  Divide the meatballs into 3 servings. Place each serving of meatballs over 1 cup of spaghetti squash. Enjoy!

Makes 3 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments and 2/3 Healthy Fat for the 2/3 Leaner

Click Here to Print

Read more »
I have some wonderful news to share with you guys! No, I am not pregnant LOL! For some reason whenever I mention "good news", my family or friends think I am pregnant! Maybe because I still look prego from my last pregnancy, but sshhhh that was a year ago! The news does involve losing the baby weight I gained. I am determined to get back to my pre- baby weight! How am I going to do it? With Medifast! I have officially become one of Medifast's bloggers! I am so excited and truly thankful for this opportunity to share my Medifast weight loss experience with all of you, as well as share some yummy recipes, tips and ideas! You don't have to be on Medifast to enjoy these recipes because most of the dishes are family friendly and just pretty darn good!

Many of you already know that I am not new to Medifast. In fact, I made it to my goal weight and then nature happened... I got pregnant. It was one of the most special moments of my life because my little peanut was born! I did re-gain some of weight back, but I am ready to get this baby weight off.

So why do I like Medifast? Well, I have been on probably every diet out there. I am quite an experienced dieter. Let's see... there was the cookie diet. How could I resist that one? Eating cookies all day? Sounded like my kind of diet! Problem was, although I love cookies, I got tired of  JUST eating cookies and one additional meal day in and day out. It was BORING! Not to mention the cookies were just so-so, but that could be because I was all cookied out. I didn't think that could happen, but it did.

I tried the HCG diet and did the injections. Yes! I injected myself! That diet only lasted a few months. I was hungry all the time because the calories were too low for me, around 600 if I remember correctly. Then there was the South Beach Diet and Weight Watchers. I can't really say anything bad about them, except they required more planning when it came to preparing my meals. Being on so many different types of weight loss programs, you learn which ones work for you and which ones don't. Medifast works for me. It works because it doesn't require much planning except when it comes to your Lean and Green meal. If you don't know what Medifast is, you eat 5 of their meals which range from brownies, chocolate chip soft bakes, oatmeals, soups, shakes, bars, pancakes, mac and cheese and much, much more!  My favorite is the Cappuccino Calorie Burn which I have every morning. I still haven't gotten tired of that one yet. Then you have a Lean and Green meal for the day. This is where I like to get creative! I would've never guessed I could have pizza with a crust made from cauliflower or spaghetti and meatballs with the use of spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. I would enjoy these Lean and Green recipes even in maintenance and I think that is what is most important. Choosing a weight loss plan that will not only get you to your weight loss goal, but allow you to succeed in maintenance as well.

Here is an example of a yummy Lean option! This chicken came out so moist just as the title suggests. Make sure you don't over cook the chicken otherwise it will dry out. This is a yummy dish the entire family will enjoy!


Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

Ingredients:
 28 oz raw boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or tenderloins ~ should yield  20 oz cooked (3 1/3 Leaner)
1 cup plain 2% Fage Greek yogurt (2/3 Leaner)
1 tsp garlic powder (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated reduced fat parmesan cheese (4 Condiments) *
1/2 tbsp dried parsley (1/2 Condiment)
1 tsp dried basil (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with non-stick foil. 
This is optional but it makes clean up easier.
Place chicken in baking pan in a single layer.
Combine yogurt, parmesan cheese and seasonings in a medium size bowl.
Distribute yogurt mixture evenly over chicken.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until done. Be careful not to over cook.
  Divide into 4 servings.

Makes 4 Servings
Each serving provides 1 Leaner and 2.5 Condiments
(You still need 3 Greens and 1 Healthy Fat per serving)

* If you can not find reduced fat parmesan cheese, you can use regular parmesan cheese but decrease the amount to 1/4 cup which counts as 4 Condiments. 1/4 cup will still provide plenty of flavor.


Read more »
I have got a great recipe for you... well you know it is that time of year when we all bring out our grills and enjoy the beautiful sunshine outdoors! Considering Vegas gets well over 100 degrees quite often (hey what can you expect living in the desert), so we typically grill in the morning or in the evening because the afternoon heat can get unbearable. At least for us, considering we came from Colorado.

My husband and I love to grill... well actually, he likes to grill and I like to eat the grilled food! My famous words, "Call me when it is done honey!" Yeah, we make a great team! This recipe contains two of my favorite things! Shrimp and Frank's hot sauce! You just can't go wrong there! It's the perfect dish for Summer! The best thing about this recipe is that it is great dish to bring to a pot luck or enjoy at home with the family. A crowd pleaser for sure! I would limit this dish to have on occasion because Frank's hot sauce does have a lot of sodium so weigh in on Friday and eat this on Saturday!

Don't want shrimp? Use chicken! Chicken requires only 1 healthy fat so if using butter in the buffalo sauce, you will have to serve it with another side that doesn't use a healthy fat. If you really want to have the ranch slaw, just omit the butter in the buffalo sauce. Use about 8 to 9 oz raw to get 6 oz cooked. If using cheese in the ranch broccoli slaw, then you will only need 4.5 oz cooked chicken.


Grilled Buffalo Shrimp

Ingredients:
  • 9 to 10 ounce raw, peeled, deveined shrimp - should yield 7 ounces cooked (1 Leanest)
  • 1/4 cup Frank's Hot Sauce (2 Condiments)
  • 1 tbsp. light butter - I like to use Land O Lakes Light Butter with Canola Oil (1 Healthy Fat)
Directions:
  1. Melt butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. 
  2. Add butter and hot sauce in a small bowl, stirring until combined.
  3. Place shrimp on skewers. 
  4. Baste very lightly with the sauce, saving majority of the sauce for when they are done cooking.
  5. Grill until shrimp are cooked, about 2 minutes on each side. 
  6. Baste with remaining buffalo sauce.
Don't forget to weigh your shrimp after they are cooked. You should have 7 ounces of cooked shrimp. If you are serving the ranch broccoli slaw with this meal, you will only need 3/4 Leanest which will be 5.25 ounces cooked.

Make 1 Serving
Each serving provides:
1 Leanest, 2 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat 
(You still need 1 more Healthy Fat)


Here is a recipe for ranch broccoli slaw. As you can tell, both recipes are really, really easy to make. This one requires no cooking at all so no burning down the house! Just mix the ingredients together and you have a quick tasty side dish. The coolness of the ranch dressing pairs so well with the bit of heat from the shrimp and it adds a nice crunch! A match made in heaven!

I bought the broccoli slaw at Wal-Mart. It does have bits of carrots mixed in, but I picked them all out. Well, most of them anyways. It wasn't easy, but I did it! If you don't mind the carrots, leave them in! The added cheddar cheese and bacon bits really complete the dish so don't leave them out! Have a wonderful weekend you guys! Stay on plan and you won't regret it when Monday comes right around the corner!


Ranch Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients:
  • 1- 1/2 cups broccoli slaw or fresh broccoli florets (3 Greens)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Great Value light ranch dressing (3/4 Healthy Fat)
  • 1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded (1/4 Lean)
  • 1 tbsp Oscar Meyer turkey bacon pieces (1 Condiment)
Directions:
  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. 
  2. Stir until combined. 
  3. Serve chilled.

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides:
1/4 Lean, 3 Greens, 3/4 Healthy Fat, and 1 Condiment

If you omit the cheese, you can use 2 tbsp of ranch dressing.


Read more »
I am feeling AMAZING today! The scale has decided to be my friend... oh how I love you scale (at least for today). The digits finally moved another 1. 6 pounds. Hallelujah! It started to get very frustrating when I saw the same number flashing before me every morning when I weighed myself, almost mocking me. Ha! But today persistence finally off. I guess that is why they tell you not to weigh yourself everyday but do I ever listen... NO!!! I can't help but want to check my weight and see how far I have come along if even for a measly 0.1 pound loss :) My scale and I have had this constant love hate relationship.

I haven't had one of those late night binge sessions in about a week and I am mighty proud of myself. I really don't even know why these sessions happen except maybe out of boredom or a force of habit. Gosh, those bad habits are hard to break! I will say that since I started the Diet Bet challenge 2 weeks ago, it has really gotten me to be more focused on my weight loss. I just don't want to lose my money! Sorry, I am a sore loser. Especially losing when I know I can win because I control the outcome. 

Currently, things have started to look up for me. I feel more in control of my weight loss now more than ever. I am almost done with my Real Estate course so come on over to Nevada and I will sell you a house! Also I am extremely excited about going to Florida to see my family and friends this summer! Now we know what could happen when we go on vacation! Yes total slip ups and weight gain! I refuse to let that happen and I will show you how to prepare for vacation when the time gets closer!

Now I want to share a wonderful recipe that Leah (aka FitandFabBy40 on Face Book) shared with me. It is another version on how to make mock mashed "potatoes" out of cauliflower using the slow cooker. Now how awesome is that! I absolutely love my slow cooker because it is convenient, and it doesn't talk to back to me, but mostly because it is convenient :)

Here is a photo of my cauliflower all cut up in pieces in the slow cooker before it is cooked.


 I have to say that these mock "potatoes" came out delicious without a lot of effort. Just break the head of cauliflower into pieces. Throw them in the slow cooker and add a little bit of water. Sprinkle whatever seasonings you like. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Drain in the colander. Then mash away! Easy peasy! The cauliflower gets a great roasted caramelized flavor which is different from just boiling the cauliflower in some water over the stove. Another great way to use up your cauliflower!

This is the finished product! Look at that smooth texture, just like mashed potatoes. I swear you won't miss mashed potatoes once you tried mashed cauliflower. The taste is very similar.


If you want to check out Leah's You Tube video on watch her make this dish along side a pot roast, then check out this video!



 Here is the direct link to all her videos!  FitAndFabBy40's You Tube Channel! Check her out! She has a lot of motivational videos to help you get that weight off, as well as reviews of Medifast products, recipes, and even other topics not related to weight loss! You will easily get hooked watching her!

Roasted Mock Mashed "Potatoes"
From Leah (FitAndFabBy40's You Tube Video)

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
1/2 cup of water
Seasonings of your choice (I used garlic salt and pepper)

Directions:
Rinse cauliflower well with water. Remove stems and leaves from the bottom of the cauliflower.
Cut the cauliflower florets into small chunks.
Place chunks in slow cooker and add water.
Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or until cauliflower is soft.
Drain cauliflower in a colander and place in a medium sized bowl.
I like to measure out the cooked cauliflower into batches of 1 1/2 cups and then mash so I know how much GREEN I am getting.
Mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon. I used my magic bullet to get a creamy texture.

1-1/2 cups of cooked cauliflower is 3  GREENS. Don't forget to deduct the spices from your condiments!
Click Here to Print

Read more »
Today is Day 6 for me. Day 5 was a wonderful day! I was passed the stage of the infamous Medifast headache, gone was the drained feeling I had from re-starting again. AND Get this... I actually felt like exercising! That feeling isn't very common for me, but I took advantage of it and did 40 minutes walking on the treadmill. I burned 267 calories to be exact! 


 Now what could probably wrong with a little exercise? Well, on Medifast, you shouldn't start exercising (unless it is already a part of your lifestyle) for at least 3 weeks. This gives your body time to adjust to the lower calorie weight loss plan. Some have even told me exercising slows their losses down. I think I learned the hard way because my scale hasn't budged since Sunday and I just re-started Friday. I am at a stand still. I am not losing as much as I have hoped and I usually I have pretty good losses the first week.  I do know my thyroid meds need to be increased because my doctor mentioned it to me the other day. Now that I have my new prescription in hand, maybe that will help with my losses. Otherwise, I just need to be patient. I didn't gain all this weight in one day so I won't lose it one day either :) 

Here is a new recipe I wanted to share with you guys. I got this recipe from The Detoxinista and it is really good! If you are craving comforting food, then try this! It is creamy, cheesy and oh so good for you! She said it reminds her of a cheesy hash brown casserole and I have to agree. Definitely a family pleaser. I would have never thought of using yogurt to make this dish creamy but it works! I made a few minor changes to make it Medifast friendly as well as added some grilled chicken to complete my Lean. You could always serve the chicken on the side if you like. Just divide the chicken in half which would be 2.25 oz per serving. Also, I wanted to note that the recipe calls for Cheddar. I didn't have any so I used reduced fat mozzarella and it still tasted good! That is why my dish looks lighter and more yellow in color than The Detoxinista's . Enjoy this recipe!

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Slightly adapted from The Detoxinista

Ingredients: 

For Chicken:

6 to 7 oz raw chicken breasts - should yield 4.5 oz grilled (3/4 Lean)
1/4 tsp Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning or seasoning of your choice (1 Condiment)

For Squash:

3 cups spaghetti squash, cooked (6 Greens)
1 tablespoon light butter, melted (1 Healthy Fat)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste (2 Condiments)
1/8 tsp black pepper, to taste  (1/4 Condiment)
1 tbsp grated Kraft Parmesan cheese (1 Condiment)
3/4 cup 2% Fage Total Greek yogurt  (1/2 Lean)
3 oz. reduced fat cheddar, shredded and divided (3/4 Lean)
1/4 tsp dried basil (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:
Poke holes on all sides of the spaghetti squash with a metal skewer or a fork. 
Place a paper towel in microwave and place squash on top of paper towel. Microwave in increments of 3 minutes until flesh starts to get soft. I had a medium sized squash and microwaved for about 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop the seeds and the middle strands out with a spoon and discard. Next, scrape the inside of the squash with a fork all the way to the skin. You should get strands that resemble spaghetti. Set aside.

Season chicken with your favorite seasonings. Grill until done. Weigh out 4.5 oz of cooked chicken and then cut chop into pieces. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine melted butter, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese with the yogurt and 2 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir in spaghetti squash until combined. Pour spaghetti squash mixture into an 8 inch casserole dish. Top with cooked chicken. Sprinkle the remaining ounce of cheese and dried basil over the top. Put in oven and bake for 30 minutes. The casserole is ready when the top is a light golden brown, which makes for a crunchy crust! Serve immediately.

2 Servings with 1 Lean, 3 Greens, 2.8 Condiments and 1/2 Healthy Fat per serving

*If you would like to use cooked 93% ground beef, you will need 3.75 oz cooked. For shrimp, you will need 5.25 oz cooked. Remember, the meat will be divided into 2 servings so you will actually be eating 1.8 oz of  beef and 2.6 oz of shrimp per serving.


Click Here to Print 


Read more »
I wanted to share this wonderful recipe my husband and I simply can not get enough of! I love pad thai and it is my absolute favorite Thai dish. My mom would make it for us quite often, but now I live so far away from her that I had to learn to make it myself! I still do not make it quite like her no matter how many times I try because it seems momma always makes it better, but this recipe came out really good!

You might have realized that this pad thai recipe isn't made with the traditional rice stick noodles. Instead, it is made with spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash makes a wonderful substitute for pasta or noodles and keeps the dish low carb. It has a slight sweetened crunch to it, but it works well for this Asian meal. I love spaghetti squash and my hips love it too! This recipe is definitely a keeper! Enjoy!


An update on my Diet Bets! I am proud to say that I am still holding strong! I hope to have a decent weigh in on Saturday for the Diet Bet challenge that I am currently doing... so stay tuned! I admit, at this point I would be happy with any loss this week because I know I will eventually get to my goal weight. In the past, this would have never come out of mouth because I expected a loss every week. I mean come on... I want results and I want it NOW! It is time to be realistic and accept what my body CAN or will eventually do whether it takes a little more time than I originally hoped for. In other words, we need to cut our bodies some slack!

Hoping all our weigh-ins will be Happy Weigh -ins!


Beef Pad Thai (Spaghetti Squash)

 Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups spaghetti squash, cooked (7 Greens)
1 cup red or green cabbage, shredded (2 Greens)
 18 ounces John Soules Beef Steak Strips * (3 Leaner)
1/4 cup reduced sodium beef broth (1/4 Condiment)
1/4 cup Bell Plantation Powdered Peanut Butter (2 Optional Snacks)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (1/4 Condiment)
2 tbsp light soy sauce (2 Condiments)
1/8 tsp red cayenne pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/4 tsp ground ginger (1/2 Condiment) 
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)

 Garnishes:
1 oz dry roasted peanuts, chopped (3 Healthy Fats)
2 tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped

 Directions:
Poke holes on all sides of the spaghetti squash with a metal skewer or a fork. Place a paper towel in microwave and place squash on top of paper towel. Microwave in increments of 3 minutes until flesh starts to get soft. I had a medium sized squash and microwaved for about 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop the seeds and the middle strands out with a spoon and discard. Next, scrape the inside of the squash with a fork all the way to the skin. Set aside 3 1/2 cups of spaghetti squash and reserve the rest for another use.

 Place thawed beef steak strips into skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 4 to 6 min, turning several times. Set aside.

 To make the sauce, combine beef broth, powdered Peanut Butter, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, red cayenne pepper, ground ginger, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set aside.

 To a large skillet, add 3 1/2 cups spaghetti squash, cabbage, and sauce. Heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

 Divide among 3 plates/bowls and top each dish with 6 oz of beef, 1/3 oz chopped peanuts, and cilantro. Toss to combine.

 Makes 3 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Leaner, 3 Greens, 1 1/2 Condiments, 1 Healthy Fat, and 2/3 Optional Snack

* Although beef is typically a Lean option requiring 5 ounces with no additional healthy fats needed, Nutrition Support stated 6 ounces of John Soules beef strips counted as a Leaner option requiring 1 Healthy Fat based on the current nutrition information. Cooked chicken breast would also make a great substitute.


Read more »
Day 2 is complete with the infamous headache, but nothing that a little Tylenol couldn't fix. I actually felt pretty good today minus the headache of course. I wasn't suffering from any hunger pains that I sometimes endured during times of re-starting the Medifast plan. Thank goodness! I did experience a little tiredness but I am not sure if it is because of the restart or because I just found out my thyroid levels or a tad bit higher than what they should be. Hopefully the trip to the doctors next week for increased dose in meds will alleviate that problem. I am still feeling positive about this time around and I am so happy I have you guys to share this experience with. Thanks so much for all your support through comments on my blog, emails or through my Sandy's Kitchen Medifast page. They truly mean so much to me and they are greatly appreciated!

This weekend has been very hectic for me and I needed an easy recipe that I could throw together into the slow cooker. This one is perfect! I mean... come on... 3 ingredients! It doesn't get any easier than that! Two seasoning packets of brown gravy mix and Italian salad dressing mix combined with a bit of water makes a flavorful gravy for this roast. If you notice in the photo, I didn't add any gravy to the beef because I was making the roast into a salad. It is delicious that way too! What is best about this dish is that it is very family friendly. Serve it with some mashed cauliflower. I promise you won't even miss the potatoes! Enjoy!


Two Packet Beef Roast from the Slow Cooker

Ingredients:
3 lbs beef round eye (7 Leans)
1 packet Medifast gravy mix (12 Condiments)
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix (8 Condiments)
1 cup water

Directions:
Trill all fat from roast. Place roast in slow cooker. Combine two seasoning packets with water and stir until combined. Pour over roast in slow cooker. I usually flip the meat halfway through (about 4 hours), but this is optional. Cook on LOW for about 8 hours or until meat is cooked. Enjoy!

7 servings with 1 Lean, 2.8 Condiments and No Healthy Fats Required


Read more »
Some of you may already know that I am doing a Diet Bet right now. What is Diet Bet you ask? Well, let me tell you about it. Everyone who plays must pay a set bet amount and it all goes into one big pot. The game I am playing is $25. If you lose 4% of your total weight, you get to split what is in the pot with all the other winners. Grant it you won't become a millionaire, but I think you get a lot more out of playing the game than just money. I did this to help gain some motivation and accountability. I really don't have much of either. Can you lend me some of yours? I lost mine. Also, it just sounds like something down right FUN to do while losing weight! Who doesn't like having others cheer you on when you are trying to lose weight or have someone say don't give up if you have a bad weigh in. I thrive on that! Although it is probably too late to do the game I am doing right now, you could always join a different game or start your own. I am going to try it out this month and if all goes well... I'll be betting again next month :) I will keep you posted on how I do!

So here I am Day 1 of restarting the Medifast plan. How many times have we heard that one before? Too many times to count I am sure! I have constantly fell off plan and I have no one to blame but myself. I am a binge eater. I admit it and accept it. It isn't easy trying to lose weight when you eat even when you aren't hungry or you have a mouth that just doesn't know when to stop eating, especially the foods with high amounts of CARBS! By the way, that's a bad word in Medifast! Now the question is... what to do? Do I keep staying on this roller coaster ride of being on plan and then off plan? Could this time really be the last time I fall off plan? Honestly, probably not. But... I recognize the problem and I am aware of it. I have had this problem ever since I was a teenager. It goes way back to the stone ages :) I remember I would eat a box of little debbie snacks in almost one sitting but back then I didn't gain much weight when I had those binges. Oh the joys of getting older! Bad habits are hard to break, but I am working on it. I know it will get better. You know why? They HAVE to get better... for my overall health, my family, and my life (plus I want to look cute in those tight skinny jeans). 

Anyways, I am back... AGAIN :) I feel really good about being back and I can't wait to start cooking in my kitchen!

The Buffalo Chicken "Pizza" is the first Lean and Green meal I decided to cook during the Diet Bet challenge. Day 1 today :) Thanks to Jeremy Lopez! It's funny I never thought about making this sooner until Jeremy brought it up, considering the Buffalo Chicken Bake is one of the most popular recipes on my blog. This "pizza" is very similar to that recipe except all the yummy gooeyness is spread on a cauliflower crust. Oh my goodness! It is now my fave type of "pizza"! Seriously, you have to try it! I promise it will soon become a personal favorite too. I usually make pizza crusts in batches and freeze them, but this particular crust is slightly different from the others because it has less cheese in the crust. This is so that chicken can be added in the recipe. I usually get about 5 to 6 cauliflower crusts with one head of cauliflower so I made two of this type of pizza and four of the traditional type of pizzas. Don't forget to add one more Green to your meal. You could always add a 1/2 cup of celery, or maybe some assorted bell peppers. I just had 1 cup of romaine lettuce on the side with some Walden Farms dressing with mine. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I have! I am definitely going to make this one again!


You could also fold the pizza in half and have a nice pita style wrap! Stuff a 1/2 cup of lettuce (1/2 Green) and 1/4 cup tomatoes (1/2 Green) inside as your other Green.


Buffalo Chicken "Pizza"

Ingredients:

Crust:
1/4 cup egg beaters (1/8 Lean)
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese (1/4 Lean)
1 cup grated, raw cauliflower (2 Greens)

Toppings:
2.25 oz chicken breasts, cooked and chopped (3/8 Lean)
2 tbsp Frank's Hot Sauce (1 Condiment)
1 tbsp reduced fat ranch dressing (1/2 Healthy Fat)
1 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese (1 Condiment)
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar or Mexican cheese (1/4 Lean)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Combine grated cauliflower, 1/4 cup cheese and 1/4 egg beaters in a medium size bowl.
Spoon mixture on prepared pan.
Use the back of the spoon or your hands to thin out mixture and form a circle about the size of a dinner plate without the rim. 
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
Flip the crust over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine chicken, hot sauce, ranch dressing and cream cheese.
Spread on prepared crust. (You could also add your extra green at this point such as 1/2 cup diced celery or bell peppers).
Top with 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
Broil until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

1 Serving with 1 Lean, 2 Greens (you need 1 more Green such as 1/2 cup celery), 2 Condiments and a 1/2 Healthy Fat


Click Here to Print


Read more »
This is one of my favorite "On the Go" recipe. You can make these in advance and stick them in little plastic baggies to take along with you. The weekends are kind of hectic in our household, so these are perfect for me to make the night before. Another great thing about these little cakes is that you can switch out some of the Medifast or Optavia pancake fuelings and use them with a variety of soft bakes for added variety! These are especially good with the light laughing cow cheese! Oh my heavens! Delish! Enjoy this versatile recipe!


Chocolate Chip Cakes
Slightly adapted from New Beautiful Me

Ingredients:
1 packet Optavia Brownie 
OR 1 Chocolate Chip Soft Bake 
OR 1 Cinnamon Cream Cheese Swirl Cake (1 Fueling)

1 packet Chocolate Chip Pancakes 
OR Original Pancakes  (1 Fueling)
1/4 tsp baking powder (1/2 condiment)
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the soft bake mix with ONE of the pancake mixes. Add baking powder and water stirring until combined. Divide batter into two brownie trays or muffin tins and bake for 18 minutes or until done. 

 This makes a total of 2 servings, 1 cake per meal
 Each meal has 1/4 Condiment and 1 Fueling

Click Here to Print

Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Powered by Blogger.