Recipe: Delicious Turkey Meatloaf

You can now see this yummy recipe at my NEW blog Crunchy, Crafty, and Crazy!

I LOVE this meatloaf! It's the closest I've ever come to a "real" meatloaf. The texture is great, and there's all
sorts of yummy goodness inside.

I use ground turkey because it has less trans fats than ground beef does.  It's best to get the highest quality, leanest ground turkey you can.  That will reduce the amount of fillers (yucky, yucky stuff added to many ground meats on the market today) and the amount of fat in the finished product.  Here's a tip: get meats from a local meat market.  They may not be found everywhere, but I'm willing to bet there's on pretty close by.  You'll often get the cheapest price, and higher quality meat than going to the super market.  You can also have the a turkey breast ground for you at the meat counter in your local super market.

This recipe does not require an egg, and no more bread crumbs.  Using oatmeal and whole wheat bread, it gets you in a little complex carbs also.  I like to serve it with steamed broccoli with cheese sauce.  Delish!

Like all of my recipes, these are just the general amounts I put in.  If you like more or less of something than add it.  Just try not to do anything that will mess with the fat content.  It the mixture seems too dry add a little milk, if it seems too wet add in more oats or bread.  Feel free to add any other seasonings you'd like, but watch for sodium content.  While the verdict might be out on how sodium may effect your heart, it will definitely make you bloat.

Recipe: Perfectly Pumpkin Oatmeal

This recipe was inspired by a yogurt recipe I found on Fitness Magazine's website.  The yummy pumpkin pie taste mixed with the oatmeal is delicious.  It almost makes you feel like the fall is almost here!

I like to add some protein powder on some mornings to really pack in some extra protein. Just be sure to add in the protein at the end.   You can add as much of the pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon as you'd like.

Pumpkin is so good for you! It's packed with a lot of very beneficial nutrients.  Oatmeal has also been shown to lower Cholesterol, and is a great complex carb.  Walnuts are also rich with antioxidants and are a great source of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

The almond milk can be substituted with regular skim milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.  I like vanilla flavored the best. Almond milk really packs in the calcium (50% more than regular milk) which is especially good for women.

I usually count the exchanges as 1.5 carb, 1 fruit, 1 milk, 1 protein, 1 fat. They are probably not exact exchanges, but it's healthy so what the heck lol.

Recipe: Fried Rice

I love this easy recipe.  I almost always serve it with the Hibachi Chicken recipe.  You can also cut chicken into thin strips, pound them even thinner, and cook before adding in the rice and eggs for a complete meal in one pan. All of the measurements are approximate you can add more or less of anything (except the oil) to your taste.  Try to use a low sodium soy sauce to help keep the sodium content down.   Since it is a carb be sure to measure it out carefully.

You may also want to "deconstruct" it for yourself. What I mean is to measure out your rice, and veggies to make sure it's 2 servings of rice and 1 cup of veggies.  On your own plate.  Otherwise, I wouldn't really count the veggies in this as a veggie serving since there's so much more rice than there are veggies.

Recipe: Hibachi Chicken

We LOVE eating this meal.  It's a staple on our menu rotation, especially since we've all started trying to eat healthier.  It's quick and easy and oh so healthy.  I haven't figured out how to get it "dry" like it is from a hibachi restaurant.  Maybe cooking the veggies separate from the chicken will help, but we don't mind the extra liquid.  You might also try cooking it on something like a smooth topped George Forman Grill--hey that's the closest thing I can think of to a hibachi grill lol.

Some nights I'll even whip up a little shrimp sauce to go with it, and I usually serve it with fried rice.  If you do the shrimp sauce, just be sure to measure your portion carefully.  Since the mayo is the fattier of the main ingredients I measure based on a serving of mayo.

Shrimp Sauce

1 cup Mayo. (as good as it is Dukes is too strong of a flavor)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 t onion powder
1 t garlic powder

Just mix all the ingredients together and let it sit while you're cooking everything else to let the flavors meld together.

Weekly Menu

I thought this week I'd show you my weekly menu. I've been having a hard time sticking to the plan, just cause no matter what it is I have a hard time sticking to it and keeping motivated. So this is what I came up with for this week. I've also changed the plan a little bit to have 3 meals and 3 snacks all spread to be within 2-3 hours of each other.  Be sure to drink a full glass or bottle of water with each meal and one 30 minutes before and one after your workout.  That will help get the 8 glasses of water in.

I hope you can get a few meal ideas from this! And Please, PLEASE share yours! I love cooking new things!

*the number of exchanges for each meal are listed beside each one*

Breakfast: 1 carb, 1 protein, 1 fruit, 1 fat, 1 milk

• Vanilla Protein Shake made with Milk, blended with banana. A slice of toast with Peanut Butter
• English muffin with butter, 1 egg, cheese, 1 apple
• Smoothie made with milk, vanilla protein powder, banana, peanut butter, and 1 tsp honey
• Egg sandwich on English muffin with 1 T mayo, and yogurt mixed with strawberries
• Yogurt with a peach and granola, handful of almonds
• Yogurt with pumpkin, walnuts and granola

Snack 1: 1 carb, 1 vegetable

• Baked tortilla chips, salsa
• Rice and broccoli
• bell pepper and corn
• mix of corn and Tomatoes
• Mix of black beans and bell peppers.

Lunch: 2 carbs, 2 meats, 1 veg, 1 fruit, 1 fat, 1 milk

• Salad with croutons, chicken, ranch, tomatoes and cheese
• salad with tuna, ranch, tomatoes, cheese, croutons
• tuna salad sandwich (1 can tuna with 1 T mayo) Lettuce, celery; banana smoothie (1 c milk with 1 banana--or 1 serving of any other fruit)
• French Onion Soup topped with a Toasted, cheesy English muffin. (spread english muffin with 1tsp butter and cheese place under broiler until cheese is slightly browned and bubbly, sprinkle with a little garlic salt); Banana
• Turkey Sandwich with Mayo, mustard, lettuce; yogurt with peach
• 2 tacos (with leftover fajita meat) with tomato, cheese, meat, lettuce and sour cream

Snack 2 (this is a hard one lol): 1 meat, 1 veg

• Almonds and Broccoli Flourettes
• Ham (lunch meat) and Cauliflower
• peanut butter and celery
• hummus and carrots (hummus also counts as a carb you'll have to pull from somewhere else--most likely dinner)
• Slice of Turkey Sandwich meat, tomato

Dinner: 3 carbs, 2 meats, 2 veg, 1 fruit, 2 fats

• White Chicken Chili (made from McCormick Seasoning mix, just follow recipe on package) with crackers (6), cheese, bell pepper and tomato
• Hamburger helper with green beans, carrots and watermelon
• Whole Wheat Spaghetti with ground turkey, sauce, mushrooms, onions (cook the mushrooms and onions with the meat as you're browning it, add the sauce while the noodles are boiling). Strawberry shortcake.
• Turkey Meatloaf with mac and cheese, green beans (I'll get the recipe posted soon. Veggies are cooked into it so I only added one). strawberry shortcake for dessert (slice of angel food cake, sugar free cool whip, strawberries)
• Baked Fish, Mac and Cheese, sweet potato fries, cauliflower. Cantaloupe
• Chicken Fajitas with onion, bell pepper, sour cream, beans and strawberries
• Hibachi chicken, fried rice, watermelon

Snack 3: 1 milk, 1 fruit, 1 carb

• Yogurt with granola and strawberries
• Smoothie: 1 cup milk, 1 tsp honey, 1 fruit of any kind (Ice can be added if your blender can handle it)
• Strawberries with slice of angel food cake and yogurt
• Whole grain cereal (look for one not loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup and with no partially hydrogenated oils!), with milk, add fruit of your choice
• Strawberry shortcake with REAL whipped cream, just measure carefully, go sugar free or sweeten with stevia. You'll have to take a fat from somewhere else that day

Alright, so that's it for the week! Who said you have to starve to eat healthy? Like I said before, please let me know what your meal ideas are! I'm so unoriginal when it comes to ideas lol. I'll get more recipes added to the recipes page for the ones not linked on here.

You can email me at lilly.bunns.boutique@gmail.com if you'd like a copy of my grocery list.

Recipe: Chicken and Rice

This Chicken and Rice is very filling and tastes like its unhealthy.  I swear it tastes just like chicken and dumplings without all the fat of the dumplings.  The recipe is approximate measurements.  Be sure to check often, if it's looking too thick then add a little water to the mix.  I didn't have any stock or broth on hand when I made it, so I decided to just make my own by boiling the chicken and vegetables for a bit before adding the rice.  If you're short on time then buy a low sodium Chicken Broth and substitute for the water.  You can also add one cube of chicken bullion to the water instead of the salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.  A Serving is about 1 cup.

Progress Report: Week 1

I'm so excited for this report! I was so nervous that I wouldn't make any progress this week, and would have to admit my failure.  I'm excited to say that I'm right on track for my goal!

Begining Stats	This Week
Weight: 195.4 Waist: 39" Bust: 43" Arms: 12" Hips: 44.5" Thighs: 26.5"	Weight: 193.0 Waist:  38" Bust:  41.5" Arms: 12"  Hips: 44" Thighs:  26"

I'm so excited! That's 2.4 pounds down and 1 inch from my waist! I did cheat a little bit, and am very bummed I did.  I wonder what my stats would be if I didn't cheat! Oh, well, I'm back on track now!

Beginning Photos

 I also missed one day of working out.  I was kinda down on myself for doing that, but I know that mindset will just cause me to fail again.  Yesterday I did two of the EA Sports Active 2 workouts back to back.  I can feel my body getting stronger.  I can now complete 10 push-ups, do a lot of sit-ups at once.  I'm amazed at how fast my core is getting stronger! The workouts are getting easier too! I think after next week, I'll begin to run in the mornings!

Week 1: A little different from week 1!

I really need to work on getting enough sleep.  I should be waking up at 7:30 working out and eating by 9 am in order to get my metabolism on the right track, but I'm all backwards.  I've been going to bed at 2 and waking up at 11 am, yes L will sleep that late.

Please let me know what your stats are this week! I'd love to have support from others on this journey.

I almost forgot, how do you like the new look for the blog? I've been working for about a week straight getting it to look good.  There are tabs on the side and across the top to make navigation easier for you.  The tabs are pretty self explanatory and each page will tell you what days they will be updated.  Thanks for being on this journey with me!

Weekly Challenge: Grocery Overhaul!

Alright, here's the very first challenge! Each week I'll post new challenges to keep us all on the right track! I'll be posting these on Friday because of the grocery challenges.  I know most people do Grocery shopping on the weekend, so it just made sense :)

Challenge 1: Clear out the Crap

This one is perhaps the most important, and possibly hardest, part of any weight loss journey.  Get rid of everything in your pantry that is unhealthy.  No candy, ice cream, snack cakes, chips, fatty dips.  Nothing that will cause you to stumble!  Instead fill your pantry with fruits and Vegetables, low fat dips (I like to dip my veggies in low fat Ranch dressing), plain yogurt (to go on the fruit, nuts, etc.  There are healthier versions of nearly everything out on the market.  Instead of full fat chips, get baked chips, or better yet, organic, whole wheat pretzels! Switch out the fattening pre-made bean dip, for delicious hummus! 

Challenge 2: Make a Menu

This one is as important as clearing out the crap.  It will help your budget too!  Choosing a meal plan that works for you may seem like a daunting task, but it's key to loosing weight.  No matter if you choose low carb, low fat, counting your bites, or standing on your head for 3 hours a day to lose weight, not planning properly will sabotage your diet.  It doesn't have to be too in depth, either.  My menu plan looks like this (click to enlarge):

Challenge 3: Don't Buy White

Make all of your grains whole grains.  Exchange white rice for brown.  Get whole wheat bread and buy whole wheat pasta.  You'd be amazed at how much they have switched now days! At first, I was scared things would taste HORRIBLE if they were whole grain.  I was amazed that the whole wheat pastas didn't taste very differently, at all. I even think they are better! I absolutely LOVE brown rice, but hate white.  Some flavors and textures do take a little getting used to, but it's well worth the effort!

Challenge 4: Read the label

Read the labels on just about anything you buy.  Educate yourself about healthy amounts of things to consume.  (you can start here).  There are several things you need to try to avoid altogether.  Trans Fats, I'm not an expert so can't tell you why, but stay away! (I'm sure a simple google search will get you the answer ;)) High fructose corn syrup, this stuff is in everything you wouldn't think it would be in! It's just added, often completely unnecessary sugar.  It's processed and tends to indicate a lower quality product. Partially-hydrogenated oils, your recommended daily intake of these is 0.  So just stay away, far, far away.  

Challenge 5: Lean Protein

Choosing lean proteins will help you tremendously.  Consider replacing ground beef for ground venison, turkey or buffalo (yes, you can still buy buffalo).  Eat lots of fish.  Take the skin off of your chicken breast.  Go out on a limb and try some tofu.  Heck, eat beans and rice one day for dinner or for lunch.  Swap Greek yogurt for regular, it has 16g of protein! Nuts are also a great source of protein and they have heart-healthy fat!  I'm quite in love with blue diamond sea salt almonds :)

I know this is a lot for one week.  You can break it down into smaller tasks, but it really is best if you just do it all at once.  NOW is the time to get healthy.  Breaking it down will just prolong it, and in my experience, will make it harder for you to stay on the right track.  It will be harder if you have others in the house. They won't like the change, but it's great for EVERYONE.  We are going for a lifestyle change, not a diet.  Nothing makes me feel prouder than when L asks for a plate of veggies for lunch, or fruit salad for a snack. 

Recipe: Baked, Sweet Potato Fries

This is one of our favorite recipes around here! Even my veggie-hating hubby loves them! Here's just a few tips to get you started.  Be sure not to cut the slices over a 1/4" thick.    They need to be uniform slices.  Also, make sure to leave a good bit of space around the potatoes on the pan.  They steam a lot and need the room so they don't just steam each other.  You also will need to watch them closely as they can burn easily.  OK, that's it for the tips! Happy cooking!

Welcome!

Yay! My first post on this blog! This blog is all about my journey to lose weight the healthy way.  I don't want to start a diet, lose the weight quickly then gain it all back.  I want to start on a healthy lifestyle change.  

Each week I'll be posting recipes, healthy tips I've come across, and my daily workout and eating progress.  On occasion, I'll also post product reviews or lead you to other weight loss blogs.  You can check out the tabs across the top of the page to see the things I've already written about.

I know, I'm not super, or morbidly obese.  I'm, sadly, the average sized woman.  I wear a size 14 pants and L/XL shirt.  I'm not, yet, at a point where if I don't lose the weight, then I'll die.  I'm at the point that if I don't make a change now, I'll have serious repercussions.  

Thanks so much for joining me on my journey!