Friday, November 25, 2011

Day 192- Recipe Friday: Turkey Shepard's pie

Here is a great idea on how to use your leftovers for other than turkey sandwiches

Turkey Shepard's Pie
  • 3 large potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons trans-fats free margarine
  • 1/4 cup fat-free milk
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 chopped yellow onion
  • 1 pound ground turkey breast or chopped up left over turkey
  • 1 large carrot shredded
  • 1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms
  • 1 clove of minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock
  • Ground black pepper 

  1. Boil the potatoes in a large pot until they pierce easily with a fork. Remove and drain. Once they have cooled down, peel them.
  2. Mash the potatoes with butter and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Saute onion in olive oil until golden brown and aromatic
  4. Stir in ground turkey, carrot, mushrooms, garlic and chicken bouillon. Add pepper to taste.Keep stirring until meat is fully cooked. Let cool.
  5. Drain the liquid and set it aside. Transfer meat mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish.
  6. Spread the potatoes over the meat mixture, and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. 

Kelly

Day 191- Dead Bird Day

Our family is a bit non traditional. sure we have certain things that we do for the holiday every year.... mostly food related, but as for when we do these is always up in the air because the kids mom likes to make their schedules for them, so we remain flexible as to not cause any fiction.

our Thanksgiving with the boys will be on Friday (not totally unusual for us). that way they can have T-day with their mom and her family, and not be too stuffed when they come to our house.

same thing with Christmas this year..... the boys will be coming over before Christmas- on Christmas eve- to our home and have Christmas with their mom and her family.

instead on turkey day i will be  cleaning and making lots of purses and bracelets while watching holiday movies.

will definitely be watching Elf!!! Love that movie!!!

Kelly

Day 190- Thanksgiving Eve

It is Turkey day eve!!! The day when wednesday is a friday :)

still sticking to my plans for eating for our festivities, in addition to drinking a ton of water do that i flush out my system and fill my tummy so that i do not eat as much.

Planning on going to see the muppet movie with my huny and some friends and them maybe go out dancing :)
















Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Day 188- Monday

My weight has been up and down the same 3-6  lbs for the last couple months. it does bug me, but i know that it is part of the process. the lbs may go up and down but the inches keep going down and the muscle mass is going up..... and muscle weighs more than fat! i notice that places on my body that were once really saggy because of the weight loss are now tightening up.


Kelly

Day 189 and Week 28 Results

Day 1                                                                        Day 189





6/15                                                                         11/22

Kelly

Day 187- Lazy Sunday

my version of a lazy Sunday is not having anything planned, but having things to do.

woke up late (7am) did my usual morning thang..... let the dog out, drink my morning wake up drink- Dfine, check my facebook and post the celebrity birthday list, then plan (loosely) what to do the rest of the day.

we ended up going to the K-Marche' (K-Mart) and getting vacuum bags. while there i was amazed that they have some cute stuff.last time i went there (over 10 yrs ago) it was old lady shopping land. now they have Selena Gomez clothing line and Sophia Vegara Shoe line as well as GLO clothing & shoes. i may have to go back when i have some funds to spend!!!

my huny also wanted to take me out to lunch. He really wanted to take me to this Authentic Mecian resturaunt  from San Diego that has cheap food and big portions..... he loves their burritos. but he was very nice to think of what i would be able to eat there and decided to go to a asian buffet so i could chow down on sushi. i was a happy girl

we went and got a movie from red box and went home and watched it- Horrible Bosses, a funny yet messed up movie. i loved that Jennifer Aniston was a total perve in this movie.

Kelly

Day 186- Variety Show

Being a member of the Pasties & Paddles Burlesque Troupe, i had the opportunity to be in a Variety show full of Fabulous Drag Queens, sexy burlesque ladies and a one bad ass local rap artist.

It was great fun, and despite the horrible weather outside (snow and a sheet of ice on the roads) we had a great turn out!!!

i am hoping we will be invited back next month for another variety show. i have lots of awesome Christmas themed  ideas in my head for acts!!!!

i will post some PG pics when they are available.



Kelly

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Day 185- Recipe Friday: Stuffing and Pumpkin Custard

Since Thanksgiving is next week, i decided to post 2 recipes.... both will be very useful in me (and you) keep on track and not giving in to temptation too much. HOLIDAYS ARE DO-ABLE!!! it is all about knowing what to eat, what to substitute and lots of moderation. it is VERY possible to get thru the holiday with losses in pounds and inches!

hopefully if you bring these to your Thanksgiving, your guests might think differently about how they eat as well and that eating healthy isn't so bad after all.

Stuffing

Things you need:
4 cups stuffing bread
1/3 c chicken low sodium broth
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 c chopped celery (can use stalks and leaves)
Mrs Dash seasoning to taste (herb & garlic, chicken, tomato basil)
Italian seasoning to taste

  • Prepare bread crusts by cutting them into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch cubes.place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 till toasty (5-10 mins or more). Place cubes in large bowl.
  • In a saucepan heat chicken broth. Add in onion and celery and simmer until vegetables are transparent, stirring occasionally.
  • ( i make my own broth by boiling my frozen chicken breasts in water with balsamic vinegar and Mrs Dash seasonings)
  • Add seasonings and stir continuously to prevent scorching, cooking for an additional minute.
  • Pour broth mixture over stuffing bread. Toss gently to make sure all bread is coated.
  • Stuff chicken or turkey with stuffing, or bake stuffing alone by placing it in an 9x9 inch greased baking pan and baking 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
  • Makes 4 one cup servings.
Pumpkin Custard:
  • 16 egg whites, slightly beaten
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree, no sugar added
  • 3 Tbsp brown sugar substitute (Sugar Twin)
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, or mix cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and beat with a fork until smooth. Place in 8 custard cups that have been sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Place cups in a pan and fill with enough hot water to reach 1" up the sides of the cups. Bake in a preheated, 325 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the custard sets. A knife inserted in the center and comes out clean indicates that the custard is done. Remove from pan and refrigerate.


Kelly

Day 184- Winter Has Arrived....

It is officially winter in Spokane!!! i love the winter. being that i am a pasty white girl, burn very easily and allergic to sunscreen.... i love winter because i don't have to worry about the sun and because i love the snow.

i love the way it looks on the trees, grass and ground (before it gets all dirty from driving on it). i love watching it when it falls and i especially love listening to it. Yes.... listening to the snow fall. it has this very quiet almost silent sound. it is the sound of peace and quiet, a calm in the world.

even though the weather outside (can be) frightful.... i still am making it to the gym. got to get my cardio in.

Kelly

Day 183- Purses Galore

Business is starting to pick up!!! i have 3 custom orders for my cassette tape purses. right now i am making a 6 sided purse for a friend who lives about 3 hrs from me. she requested an old school hip hop purse.... so i raided the tape collection i still have from when i lived in the seattle area in the 90s. silk, blackstreet, sir mix alot are just some of the tapes i included. all tapes the and i listened to back then. ah... the memories

the food thing this week is still getting to me. i feel like i am cheating when i am adding things like wheat bread with peanut butter 2x a day. it does help at night though when i still crave something a lil more after dinner.

Kelly

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Day 182- Dead Phone

no new pics this week because my phone that i have ad for a year has decided to glitch. the screen goes black randomly and the camera doesn't work, so they are sending me a new one :)

I have been requested to add food to my plan which is really throwing me off. i am second guessing myself on what i can and can't eat. i like having a plan and sticking to it with some flexibility..... i am gonna have to go over this with my trainer angela because i am feeling very lost and it is making me feel guilty, like i am cheating on my plan.

another thing that has come up other than i cannot have eggs (they make me sick.... literally) now i am having issues with veges. i am thinking it is mainly onions. i have the same issue with green peppers..... they make me feel very bloaty and gassy (pay back to my husband... bwahahaha) i am not fond of the sour tummy that goes with it either :(

Kelly

Monday, November 14, 2011

Day 181- Overdressed.... But I Don't Care!

This past friday i was invited to a Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction for the Spokane Valley Bangles Pop Warner Mitey Mite Football Team. They are and undefeated football team of 7-9 year olds who have been invited to the the Pop Warner Superbowl to be played in Orlando, Florida on December 3rd. thay are 1 of 2 teams from the north west region to be invited and i was happy to help them raise money to go by donating one of my fab cassette tape purses for the cause. (i am a sucker for charity and a good cause!)

I met a lot of great people, bade some great business contacts and gave out a lot of business cards! there was even a bidding war over the purse!!!

The 80s side

The 90s side

and here i am with the Amazing organizer or the event.... Kim :)


and here is the amazing outfit i wore that night- overdressed and didn't care :)


Kelly

Day 180- Sunday, Sunday.....

didn't do much today.... as planned. sometimes a girl needs a lil time off from everything!

Cade was over this weekend so we chatted about the next time he would come over (Thanksgiving) and what foods we would like to have on that special day. His b-day is coming up, so we also discussed what he would like for his birthday and christmas.

i thing next time we will brainstorm what gifts to make for family and friends.

BTW- Cade is a Cat lover just like his dad and I. his best-est kitty friend... Chuck Norris (the orange Tabby, as seen here)

Kelly

Day 179- Girls Day Out!!!

Today was a major shopping day in Spokane, WA..... Girls Day Out! It is a way to support our local small businesses and boutiques. Great deals, swag bags, and prizes in each district. I mostly shopped the Perry district where i have been wanting to go look around for a while. got some cute earnings, hair pins and an awesome ring and got some great ideas for Christmas gifts that i will have to go back and get when i have more spending money.

later that afternoon i did another fun filled window freeze modeling session at my fave lil shop in the Garland District- Glamarita. i forgot to have someone take pics this time :( but while i was doin my thang it decided to snow heavy and hard :( it was craziness trying to get home.

i had planned on going out that nite, but i gave myself a migrane by grinding my teeth because i was cold. i have noticed i get cold easily since i have lost weight.... since i do not have the extra insulation anymore.

all in all it was a good day :)

my awesome swag bag from ~Skin Care by Yisel~ with all my goodies from ~Veda Luxe~ at girls day out in it!!!

Here are the Facebook pages of the businesses i went to..... LIKE THEM!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1420293035#!/skincarebyyisel
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1420293035#!/pages/Veda-Lux-Boutique/142865239078772
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1420293035#!/glamarita

Kelly

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Day 178- Recipe Friday: Hummus & Tahini

 Things you will need:
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup bottled lemon juice
  • 2 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
  • 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic from a jar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • Sprig of parsley or cilantro for garnish
  • Food processor or blender
  1. Rinse the chickpeas; drain them in a colander. Let them sit while you measure out the other ingredients into the food processor or blender.
  2. Dump water, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and minced garlic in the food processor. Pulse the hummus ingredients five or six times to mix well.
  3. Add the drained garbanzo beans into the work bowl. Process for one minute. Stop, and scrape down the work bowl with a spatula. Process again for one minute.
  4. Scoop the hummus into a bowl. Dress the top of the dip by pouring a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on it. Add a sprig of green parsley or cilantro as a garnish.
    Video on how to make Tahini-
    http://video.about.com/mideastfood/Tahini-Sauce.htm



    Kelly

    Day 177- Ummmm

    not much to say today. still keeping my food focus.... even though it is that time of year and it is sooo easy to have a bite of this and that. but the problem with this and that is that they will make me crave again and it lets my mind and body think that it is ok to do more, which is what got me to 250 lbs in the first place.

    time to start planning my strategy for turkey day.

    Kelly

    Thursday, November 10, 2011

    Day 176- My Answer

    A good friend commented on one of my blogs that i posted the other night. she said- 
    I really want to do this too and it is so hard to start! I'll start for a week, then inevitably get sick or something will come up, and I fall off the wagon. How did you get started and stay focused?

    Here is my answer:
     i was fed up and wouldn't let anyone or anything stop me. it was a change of frame of mind. i have great support from my trainer and my huny and blogging it helps too. it keeps me accountable. at first i didn't think anyone was reading them..., but then i looked at the tracking and it shows what countries are reading your blogs and how many views.... that helped alot! i didn't want to fail! now i am almost 6 months into it, i am within normal range for BMI (I was in the upper 30s now 25) and i am a size 14/12 (lost 4 dress sizes)

    a lot of it is figuring out how to work around life/food/work/etc with food and working out for you. i have people offer me food all the time and i just think to myself- if i have that.... how far will it set me back in how far i have come and is it worth it. the answer is always NO. even at restaurants- i order salad with everything on the side. at buffets- stick to the salad bar and fresh looking food (aka not canned) after time your frame of mind changes to think- hey! this isn't so bad or too hard!

    as for work out.... i have said it before and i will say it again- i work out a lot compared to the normal joe or jane. it is different for everyone depending on ability, time and finances but luckily i have an awesome trainer who works with me :) i am lucky that she takes payments too!!!
    So here is what i have been doing lately- working with a trainer 2x a week (1/2 hr sessions), cardio 2x a day (before & after work) 3-5x a week, eating clean and sticking to it.
    this blog has also helped me a lot in keeping on track. i feel that i have an audience to keep me honest and in that a reputation to live up to. as for the pictures.... it is always good to have something to compare to and see the journey you have taken.





    Kelly

    Tuesday, November 8, 2011

    Day 175 & Week 26 Results

    Did weigh & Measure today......

    down a couple lbs
    down .25-.50 everywhere
    and the fat is really separating from the muscle now!

    i posted the 1st pics along with last pics taken before i forgot for a couple weeks..... and todays
    as you may not notice but i do- todays pic compared to others....
    pants are much looser. the hang on my hips!that is why my belly button is hangin out!!!
    booty gettin smaller
    more definition in my shouders
    tummy getting flatter

    Day 1                                                    Day 154                                                      Day 175




    6/15                                                      10/18                                                          11/8

    Monday, November 7, 2011

    Day 174- Am I Crazy???

    i don't know what it is this year but right now i am in the christmas mood. music, decorations, shopping.... etc. i was even listening to christmas music on my iheartradio app.

    Tonight angela asked me if i have any events that i need to plan for, and i told her that i already have game plans in the works. plan on eating clean, but i also plan on having bites of regular holiday foods so that i do not feel deprived or left out like i have felt in the past on other food plans. i will not feel guilty.

    it has been said- hope for the best and plan for the worst. I am planning for the best and staying away from the worst. no free for all days like i have done in the past. i have made good choices thus far, why mess it up now! this is for life. no going back to what i once was.... no way!!! i am too smart for that :)



    Kelly

    Day 173- Food Focus

    i feel that food wise my focus has changed a bit. before it was a - do it till i get where i wanna be. now it is more of a mentality of- i will be doing some form of this for the rest of my life and it is very do-able.

    being that i am very prone to gaining when i eat salt, i am learning new ways to eat while keeping the flavor and not the salt. i have been dong so for a while, but have kept my food palate at a minimum for the last couple years. recently i have been broadening my horizons or thinking outside the box when it comes to my eating.

    for example-
    spagetti sauce: blended tomatoes, oregano, garlic, cooked veges like onion, carrot, zucchini, and mushroom. i like my sauce chunky. and i don't eat it on noodles.... rice noodles get slimy, although i could try whole wheat. but i either eat it on rice or a slice of toast..... which makes it more like pizza without the cheese.

    i have also made chips out of baked whole wheat pita pockets and tortillas, and made my own salsa and hummus.

    this thanksgiving i plan on making a "cleaner" holiday dinner for my family
    stuffing made with toasted bread cubes, home made chicken stock (boil chicken in a pot with wate,  seasonings and vinigar.... the water left over is your stock)
    baked sweet potatoes
    turkey with a puree fruit glaze and Baked apples for dessert.
    of course there will be add ons for those who prefer not to have it so "clean", but it is easier to add on then take out.



    Kelly

    Day 172- My Busy Saturday

    Today was a day of catch up for me. there have been some things that i have been putting off and needed to get done..... like Ironing Ties for a friend who makes clothing out of them and deliver them. the ones i ironed will be skirts. i also had been putting off cleaning the house. not just a pick up things here and there, but a thurough, move the furniture type cleaning.

    I also went thru my too big clothes and posted via Facebook that they were free to my friends who stopped by on sunday. i had a huge box and a big garbage bag full of size 18 clothes.

    I also wentto Lane Bryant to visit some friends and ended up getting a new outfit for this Fridays Auction/benefit

    I called the local Plato's Closet (a teen & 20s consignment store) and was SHOCKED to find out that thwy only take up to size 15..... a size that i had only seen at Walmart. Apperently there is no Plus Size consignment/gently used clothing stores in Spokane. this would be an Awesome business venture for someone business minded...... i am not great at that stuff nor do i have the capital to start something like that.

    I had planned on making some Cassette tape purses, but my huny had other plans. He had been at his Dad's all day chopping & loading wood to heat our home for the winter when he got a call from Cade saying that his mom was letting him off grounding (he got an F in language arts) for one night because she was having a party that night. (the weekend before we were told he could not come over for the weekend because he was grounded because of grades. not fair to us, but i guess it was the only thing she could hold from him that he threw a fit about. that tells ya something)

    So the guys wanted to go out to dinner and chose the Blackjack Buffett, a asian buffet with lots of yummy sushi for me!!! i had clean sushi, cold shrimp & cold dungeness crab legs..... yummmmm. I also ate some fresh tomatoes, canetlope and pineapple.



    Kelly

    Friday, November 4, 2011

    Day 171- Recipe Friday: Baked Pita Cips

    I have some left over Pita pockets that i need to do something with before they go bad and thought this was a genius idea!!! i figure i can dip it in the black bean and salsa dip i made. (cooked black beans mushed up with some Mrs Dash seasoning and the salsa recipe from last week mixed together.... yumm)

    ****The recipe originally said garlic salt, i changed it to garlic Mrs Dash because me and salt do not mix!!!)

    Ingredients:





  • 12 Pita Pockets









  • 1/2 cup Olive oil









  • 1/2 tsp. Black pepper









  • 1 tsp. Garlic Mrs Dash









  • 1/2 tsp. Dried basil









  • Kitchen scissors









  • Kitchen brush









  • Baking pan









  • Non-stick spray







  • Directions:
    • 1  Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.
    • 2  Cut the pitas into 8 pieces. You may stack 2 pitas together and use kitchen scissors to quicken the process.
    • 3  Combine olive oil, garlic Mrs Dash, pepper, and basil in a bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
    • 4  Using a kitchen brush, lightly brush each small triangle of pita with the olive oil mix.
    • 5  Spray baking sheet with a non-stick spay.
    • 6  Arrange your chips on the sheet. Do not arrange more than 1 double layer.
    • 7  Place the sheet in the oven. Your chips should bake for about 7 minutes. Start keeping an eye on them after 5 minutes, as they can easily burn.
     Kelly

      Day 170- It's That Time of Year

      It is that time of year when i get my hair cut. i usually get it around my birthday (10/14) as a gift to myself, but because of the show i wanted to wait.

      i have many friends that do hair and i like to change things up. last time i went to my lovely friend and sometimes work out buddy Robin @ Divas Salon. this time i went to my new friend and dancing/burlesque buddy Raven at Headz and Tailz Salon. she did a fab job! i just needed some evening and layering into a cute lil bob since my hair has grown out enough since the begining of the year.

      What do ya think :)




      Kelly