Quick Recap

Like most of you, I've been busy eating ham and marshmallows for the last week which has caused me to not post.

But this week I promise a slew of recipes. From key lime pie to spicy cream cheese hummus.

Hope your holiday weekend was as goofy and lazy as mine.

Day #37 - Perfect Fall Meal

I love this meal. The perfect combination of a light yet rich salad and a hearty chili.

I could actually go on about chili for quite sometime. This is a simple recipe, but still really good. And, if you want to make it a bit creamier I suggest adding just 1oz of 2% velveeta cheese. Serious goodness.

I've been a bit MIA, but I've been busy joining the herds of women watching "New Moon". Yes, that's my excuse. And a good one, I might add.

BJ's Brewery: Wedge Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 iceberg lettuce head, cut in half

4 tbsp light blue cheese dressing

1 oz blue cheese

4 slices of bacon (i use oscar mayer ready cooked bacon)

1/2 tomato, diced

pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Top each quarter of lettuce head with 2 tbsp of dressing, 1/2 oz blue cheese, 2 slices of bacon, 2 tbsp tomato, and salt and pepper.

Servings: 2

Nutritional Info: 190 cals, 14g fat, 9g carbs, 9g protein

Lone Star Steakhouse: Lone Star Chili

(adapted from "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:

1lb 93% lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 15oz can kidney beans

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Garnish-

1 cup fat free cheddar cheese, shredded

4 tsp fat free sour cream

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef in large saucepan. Once browned, add onions and jalapenos. Cook for 2 minutes.

2. Add remaining ingredients to chili. Let boil then simmer for 1 hour. When ready to serve, top with 1/4 cup cheese and 1 tsp sour cream. May serve with chips.

Servings: 4

Nutritional Info: 344 cals, 9g fat, 28g carbs, 38g protein

Day #36 - Dreaming about D

You know when you have to do A, B and C to get to D? But if you do A & B at the same time, you can't do C. And you want to do C first, but need to do A before C. And in the end, you just really, really want to get to D.

Well that's my day today. Dreaming about D. Dreading A. And wishing I could do A, B and C all at once.

Joe's Crab Shack: Crazy Good Crab Dip
(adapted from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")
Ingredients:
8oz pkg of fat free cream cheese
6oz can of crab meat
1/4 cup green onion, diced
1/2 cup anaheim pepper, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
2 tbsp light parmesan cheese, shredded
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients, except for parmesan cheese, in small bowl.

2. Preheat oven to broil. Then place dip in a small baking pan. Cook on broil for 3 - 5 minutes, until it starts to boil.
3. Top with parmesan cheese and a pinch of paprika. Serve with french bread, crackers or chips.

Servings: 4
Nutritional Info: 100 cals, 1g fat, 7g carbs, 15g protein

Day #36

I still cannot believe how quickly the holidays have come. This year has been filled with so much change, it really just flew by me.

I've traveled abroad for Thanksgiving for the last 17 years of my life, but due to some recent changes in my family, I will be staying here in the states. This Thanksgiving will be my first Thanksgiving in Los Angeles, the first at our new apartment, and the first without family.

I'm quite excited to start my own tradition. Being that my boyfriend and I split Christmas up between both our families, Thanksgiving can be our holiday. Our tradition.

So today I am getting together the menu. I know it's a little soon, but I'm a planner. That's just what I do. The menu is going to be somewhat traditional, and somewhat modern. Bacon jalapeno mac n' cheese anyone?

If anyone has some great Thanksgiving recipes, please send them along!

Island's: Yaki Soft Tacos
(adapted from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:
10 oz chicken breast, chopped
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
6 low carb 7 inch flour tortillas (I use the brands La Tortilla or Azteca)
1 cup light monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup tomato, diced
1/4 cup green onions, diced
2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded

Ingredients:
1. In medium bowl, mix teriyaki sauce, pineapple juice and cornstarch. Mix well. Add chicken and let marinate for a few hours.
2. When ready to cook, put chicken and the sauce in skillet. Add crushed pineapple. Cook for 5 -7 minutes or until chicken is cooked and sauce has thickened.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place tortillas on baking pan. Arrange approx 2 tbsp of cheese in middle of each tortilla. Place in oven for 3 - 4 minutes or until cheese melts and the tortillas get a little crisp.

4. Spoon chicken and pineapple mix (with sauce) on top of cheese. Then top with lettuce, tomato and green onion.

Servings: 2 (3 tacos each)
Nutritional Info: 650 cals, 18g fat, 69g carbs, 56g protein
Island's Nutritional Info: 1130 cals, 51g fat, 129g carbs

Day #35 - Sucessful Weekend

Finally a weekend has passed that I didn't think on Monday, "I feel like crap. I shouldn't have eaten (or drank) that much." Where you spent 2 days undoing all the hard work you did the last 5 days.

Weekends are my weakness. Always. The weekdays are pretty easy for me, I keep my caloric intake down and can usually fit in 4-5 days of exercise.

But come Friday night, it's like all my knowledge, will power and determination is completely thrown out the window. Friday at 6pm = party time.

This weekend I was determined to get back to my healthy habits and keep my weekend active and binge-free. I was able to get a 4 mile run on Saturday and a 50 minute Jillian Michaels video on Sunday. The eating was pretty clean and the drinks could be counted on 1 hand.

Success. I think so.

IHOP: Country Omelette
(adapted from "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:
1 cup egg substitute
1 oz light ham
1 slice bacon
3 tbsp frozen shredded hash browns, cooked
2 tbsp white onion, diced
1/4 cup fat free cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tbsp fat free sour cream
1 tbsp salsa
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In small bowl, add together egg, ham, bacon, onion and salt and pepper. Mix well.
2. Heat small skillet on medium/high heat. Cover with non-stick spray.

3. Add egg mix. Cook for approx 4 minutes. Then flip and cook other side.
4. Add hash browns and 2 tbsp if cheese on one side of the omelette. Close the other half of the omelette over.
5. Serve with salsa, remaining cheese, and sour cream.

Servings: 1
Nutritional Info: 265 cals, 2g fat, 13g carbs, 43g protein
IHOP Nutritional Info Approx: 800 cals, 68g fat, 5g carbs, 40g protein

Day #34 - Without The Hookers

When we moved into our new apartment a few months ago, we installed black curtains in our bedrooms to keep out the sunlight. We figured this would help us sleep a little better in the morning.

I did not realize that this would turn our bedroom into a Vegas hotel room, without the hookers and booze. (Ok, I lie. Sometimes there's booze). Where I am fooled into believing that it's still dark outside and I have endless amount of hours to sleep off my drunkenness.

Today I slept in until 12:30. When normally (when light exists) I wake up at 9. When I finally woke up, I felt cheated. Tricked. Like my little black curtains had plotted against me. Making me lose 3 hours of my precious Saturday.

Bed, Bath & Beyond, here I come.

Island's: Tortilla Soup
(adapted from "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:
1 roasted chicken (I bought mine from Ralphs)
16 cups of water
1 spanish onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 anaheim peppers, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 corn tortillas, diced
juice of 3 limes
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp cilantro, diced

Tortilla Strips-
4 corn tortillas, sliced into smaller strips
0 cal Butter Spray
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Garnish -
1/2 cup fat free monterey jack cheese
1 avocado, diced

Directions:
1. Take meat and skin off the roasted chicken (throw skin away. Place the bones in a large pot with the water. Boil for 30 minutes. Remove bones.
2. Pull the chicken meat apart into smaller pieces. Place into the large pot of water. Add all other ingredients of the soup. Bring to a boil then simmer for 1 hour.
3. While soup cooks, combine your tortilla strips, seasoning and about 10 sprays of 0 cal butter spray in bowl. Mix well.
4. Place tortilla strips on cookie sheets and cook for 10 minute in 350 degrees, or until crispy. Watch it closely to make sure it doesn't burn.

5. When soup is done, serve with about 2 tbsp of cheese, a few avocado pieces, and tortilla strips.

Servings: 8
Nutritional Info: 257 cals, 8g fat, 24g carbs, 23g protein
Island's Nutritional Info: 610 cals, 38g fat, 40g carbs

Day #33 - Breakfast For Dinner And Why I Hate Doctor's Offices

Am I the only one that freaks out when your schedule doesn't adhere to it's strict timeline? It's seriously the one thing that I can guarantee is going to piss me off.

I was supposed to have a doctor's appointment at 6:20 tonight. Which allowed me to go on my 4 mile run on my lunch break. This situated my night perfectly: home by 7:30. Puppy dinner at 7:35. Human dinner by 7:45. Real Housewives at 7:46. Vampire Diaries at 8:41. You get the picture.

At noon the doctor's office called and wanted to change the appointment to 5:00 instead. I obliged...though I'm pretty damn sure the only reason they changed the appointment is because the doctor wants to get off work earlier. Fucker.This forced me to not be able to take my lunch break, which meant I could not run. This means I have somehow dig up my long lost willpower and work out after work; which is something I always dread. Who the hell wants to do something they don't normally want to do, but be forced to do it after a 9 hour work day? Not me.

There's my rant for the day. What's yours?


IHOP: Harvest Grain 'N Nut Pancakes
(adapted from "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Fiber One Pancake Mix
1/4 cup Quaker Oats
1 tsp slivered almonds
1 tsp chopped walnuts
1/2 cup water

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Make sure you whisk out all the lumps.

2. Place 1/3 of mix into hot skillet (covered with pam). You will know when to flip the pancakes when bubbles have arisen on the top of the pancake.

3. Serve with sugar free syrup.

Servings: 1 (3 pancakes)
Nutritional Info: 285 cals, 8g fat, 50g carbs, 10g protein
IHOP Nutritional Info Approx: 450 cals

IHOP: Cinn-a-Stacks (toppings for any pancake or french toast for a cinnamon bun taste!)
(adapted from "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:

Cinnamon Sauce-
1 tbsp Can't Believe Its Not Butter - Light
2 tbsp sugar free maple syrup
2 tbsp splenda
1 tbsp fat free half and half
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Cream Cheese Icing-
2 tbsp fat free cream cheese
3 tbsp splenda
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. In small sauce pan, melt butter, syrup and splenda over low heat. Once melted, at half and half, cinnamon and salt. After 2 minutes, take off of the heat. Whisk in flour. Set aside.

2. For cream cheese filling, whisk all ingredients for 30 seconds with electric whisk.
3. For use in pancakes, place cinnamon sauce in between each pancake. Place cream cheese filling in squirt bottle (or a small plastic baggie with a small hole in the corner) and squeeze icing on top of pancake stack.


Optional: Top with cool whip and cinnamon.

Servings: Enough for a 3 pancake stack
Nutritional Info: 140 cals, 6g fat, 25g carbs, 7g protein

Day #32 - Porkin' It

Work is insane right now. We are in the middle of sweeps. Sweeps = hell for people that work in TV. The time in which every television show pulls out their cocks to compare sizes. Not quite that literal, but pretty much.

On top of that, my co-worker decided to put in his 3 week (3? yes 3) notice almost 3 weeks ago.

1 week ago he asked for his job back because he didn't realize it would be so hard trying to find another job during this shitty economic times. (smart one, buddy). This is the perfect example of the stupidity I have had to share an office with for over a year now.

Skip over the long, dramatic story of this asshole trying to get his job back after years of slacking off and only 2 weeks after putting in his notice, he now only has 2 days left. And I am ecstatic.

In 2 days I will have complete control over the TV remote (yes, a tv is in our office). I will be able to set the temperature of the office to 90 degrees if I want. And I'm going to be eating buckets of boiled eggs. Buckets.


Hard Rock Cafe: Coleslaw
(adapted by "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:
8 cups of cole slaw mix (chopped cabbage and carrots)
1 cup fat free mayonnaise
4 tbsp splenda
pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Mix and chill in refrigerator over night.

Servings: 8
Nutritional Info: 41 cals, 1g fat, 8g carbs, 1g protein
Original Nutritional Info Approx :180 cals, 10g fat, 22g carbs, 1g protein

Hard Rock Cafe: BBQ Baked Beans
(adapted by "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:
2 cups pinto beans
2 tbsp water
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup low sugar ketchup
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsp white onion, diced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup shredded pork (from the recipe below)

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients, but beans, in small bowl. Add beans and mix well.
2. Place in casserole dish (with lid on) and bake for 90 minutes in 350 degrees.

Servings: 8
Nutritional Info: 97 cals, 2g fat, 14g carbs, 7g protein
Original Nutritional Info Approx: 200 cals, 1.5g fat, 29g carbs, 8g protein

Hard Rock Cafe: Pig Sandwich
(adapted from "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2")

Ingredients:
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 cup BBQ Sauce (Cattlemens and Famous Dave's are my favorite)
2 cup diced tomatoes (with its sauce)
2 cups water
1 boneless pork loin roast (about 2 pounds)
8 Sandwich thins
4 servings of coleslaw (found above)

Directions:
1. Rub pork with spices. Then place all ingredients into crock pot. Make sure to put enough liquid to cover all the meat.
2. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or until meat falls apart. (or cook on low for 8-9 hours)

3. To make each sandwich, place a serving of meat on bread, top with extra sauce from crock pot, then top with 1/2 serving of coleslaw.

Servings: 8
Nutritional Info: 383 cals, 9g fat, 35g carbs, 42g protein
Original Nutritional Info Approx: 570 cals, 25g fat, 61g carbs, 30g protein