I absolutely love this dish as a quick and easy Lean and Green meal! I mean... it doesn't even require cooking so you don't have to get your kitchen hot from turning on the oven! Leave the heat outside!

Peanut flavored dressings or sauces have always been a favorite of mine, but I haven't found a great low carb one yet so what is there to do but create my own. Plus, you know never know what is really in those dressing you purchase pre-made. When you make it yourself, you can always vary the ingredients in the dressing to your own liking. For instance, if you don't like spicy, leave the crushed red pepper out! It is a great way to get your water in though!

The peanut dressing mixed with already packaged cole slaw mix is phenomenal! The cole slaw mix I used was from Wal-Mart and it is called Market Fresh Tri Color Cole Slaw mix. It has a mixture of cabbage, red cabbage and yes.... carrots. You can pick the carrots out, but there isn't much inside the bag. A cup and a half of this mix is only 5 grams of carbs! That's all your greens with only 5 grams of carbs! One serving of greens needs to be less than 5 grams of carbs. Yeah... so I left those orange tid-bits in! This will definitely be a regular menu item for me! 


Shrimp Salad with Peanut Dressing

 Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups tri-color coleslaw mix OR 1 1/2 cup shredded cabbage (3 Greens)
7 oz cooked shrimp - I had the frozen ones in the bag with... tails and shells removed defrosted (1 Leanest)

Dressing:
2 tbsp powdered peanut butter aka PB2 (1 Optional Snack)
1 1/2 tbsp water
2 tsp lite soy sauce (2/3 Condiment)
1/4 tsp ground ginger (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/2 packet stevia or to taste (1/2 Condiment)
2 tsp sesame oil (2 Healthy Fats)

Directions:
 Combine cole slaw mix and shrimp in a medium sized bowl.
Mix all the ingredients for the peanut dressing together in a small bowl.
Pour over shrimp and veggies.
Toss to coat. Enjoy!

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Leanest, 3 Greens, 2 Condiments, 2 Healthy Fats and 1 Optional Snack

 Don't care for shrimp? Use 6 oz of cooked chicken breasts and decrease the sesame oil to 1 tsp in the peanut dressing for 1 Healthy Fat.

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Good news everyone! I am doing totally awesome on all four of my DietBet challenges! Yes, you heard me... FOUR! Yeah, I think I am officially addicted to DietBet! Being addicted happens to be a good thing for me because it has really kept my booty motivated and I hate to say it... that is kind of hard to do! I need all the motivation I can get. Losing weight and gaining a little extra cash sounds like a great combo to me! I am losing steadily and I am feeling wonderful! As some of you guys know, I started my own DietBet challenge called Sandy's Kitchen July DietBet that is still going on right now, but I also started one for August! Actually it starts July 31st, but runs through August. If you want to join us, click the link below. It costs $25 to play which goes into one large pot. You must lose 4% of your starting weight in 4 weeks, if you do, then you get to split the pot with all the other winners. Simple as that! Come join the fun!

Sandy's Kitchen August DietBet

So far I am down 22 pounds since I started Medifast. I still have 35 to 40 pounds left to go until I hit my goal weight. I am not entirely sure what I want my official goal weight to be. I am thinking 130 pounds since I am only 5'2", but may aim for 125 pounds. We will see as I get closer and closer to 130 :)

 As you can tell, I still have a ways to go to get to goal, but I am getting there one packet at a time! Soon I will be saying Hello to the 150's and Good Bye to the 160's! Sorry I won't miss you 160's, but it is time to move on! Good riddance!

I know this is almost too easy to be classified as a recipe, but I thought I would share it because it tastes too good not to post a little something about it. The recipe is just a mixture of Guy's Smokey Garlic Sugar Free BBQ sauce and low sodium soy sauce poured on top of Trader Joes turkey meatballs. That's it! Yeah, I know... definitely not Betty Crocker, but we all need these quick and easy recipes for days that are crazy busy! 

I have to say... these meatballs sure did hit the spot! I am a BIG fan of BBQ sauce! I love to put it on all my meats and use it as dipping sauce. Yum, yum, yum! Quite honestly, it is really hard to find a great tasting low carb sauce but this one works for me. I am really glad someone turned me on to this one! Thanks fellow reader!

Don't know where to get Guy's BBQ Sauce? Don't panic! You can get at Netrition's website. This is the best website to find all your low carb items and the price is very reasonable too, not to mention flat rate shipping! Just in case it is STILL sold out on their website, here is Guy's BBQ Sauce's main website, Guy's Award Winning BBQ Sauce. It is more expensive on their own website because of their shipping costs are really high so you my want to wait until it comes back in stock on Netrition's website.


Easy BBQ Meatballs

Ingredients:
5 Trader Joes Turkey Meatballs OR
6 Jennie-O Homestyle Turkey Meatballs OR
10 Butterball Italian Style Turkey Meatballs (1 Lean)
1/4 cup Guy's Smokey Garlic BBQ Sauce (2 Condiments)
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:
Bake meatballs according to package. Trader Joes is 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Combine BBQ sauce and soy sauce in a small bowl and pour over meatballs.
Enjoy!

1 Serving with 1 Lean, 2.5 Condiments and No Healthy Fats Required

 Please Click Here to Print

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I had a wonderful 4th of July weekend with my husband and son! The best part about it? I stayed on plan! OP all the way baby! Holidays always seem the hardest for me, but luckily we decided not to go to one of the infamous buffets here in Vegas that happen to be everywhere! I think that would have been asking for trouble... BIG trouble. Instead, we grilled some shrimp for me and steak for the hubs. I can happily say I had No Regrets this 4th of July weekend! My loss for the week was 1.6 lbs! Great week week for me indeed!

As you can tell by my many posts of shrimp recipes, I love shrimp. I usually have it at least once a week because they cook pretty fast and they absorb a lot of flavor. Plus they belong to the leanest lean category. Not to mention they are just plain old delicious.


I needed to make something that would be quick and easy to put together, hence the name of the recipe, since I am still studying for my real estate license. Study, study , study is all I seem to do these days. I didn't have too much time to spend in the kitchen so this recipe did the trick. With a little preparation, the dish only took a few minutes to make. Well, a few minutes of cooking time. If you like the cauliflower mashed "potatoes" mixed with laughing cow cheese wedges, then you will love this dish. It is definitely keeper! 


I used frozen cauliflower, which didn't take long at all to cook. Add the frozen cauliflower to boiling water and let it cook for about 5 minutes.


Drain the cauliflower. Use a food scale to measure out 270 grams of cauliflower or 186 grams if using fresh cauliflower. You can also measure out 1 1/2 cups of cauliflower if you do not have a food scale.



Place the cooked cauliflower in a food processor and use the shredding disk too shred the cauliflower. You could also use a hand grater if you don't have a processor.
 

Set aside the grated cauliflower.


 Measure out 7 oz of cooked shrimp and set aside. Make sure the shrimp is peeled with tails removed.

 
Saute 1 tbsp of butter with 1 minced garlic clove.


 Add the rest of the ingredients cooking until heated thoroughly. Only a few minutes! Voila! Dinner is served!


 Quick and Easy Mock Shrimp "Risotto"

Ingredients:
1 tbsp Land O' Lakes light butter spread with canola oil (1 Healthy Fat)
1 tsp minced garlic (1 Condiment)
2 tbsp Philadelphia garden vegetable 1/3 less fat cream cheese or light cream cheese (1 Healthy Fat)
9 oz shrimp peeled, tails removed ~ 7 oz cooked shrimp (1 Leanest)
1 1/2 cups (270 g) cooked cauliflower, grated (3 Greens)
1 tbsp reduced fat grated Kraft Parmesan Cheese (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/8 tsp black pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes (1/6 Condiment)

Directions:
In a medium sized skillet, melt butter and add garlic. Saute garlic in butter until light brown over medium high heat. Lower the temperature to medium heat and add the cream cheese. Stir until slightly melted. It is okay to have some lumps. They will blend nicely with the rest of the ingredients. Add the shrimp to the cream cheese mixture and then add the grated cauliflower, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until combined. Heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Sprinkle parsley flakes on top. Enjoy!

Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1 Leanest, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments, and 2 Healthy Fats per Serving

 Click Here to Print

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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

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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

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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.


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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.


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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!
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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.


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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.


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