Sunday, January 3, 2010

A New Year....Same Weight Struggles......and a recipe

Officially Sundays will be the day I will check in with my weeks progress, and try to do my weight loss post on this day, including some recipes for the coming week.....I was going to do that about 2 months ago, but we know that did not happen...I am so sorry.....I know many have followed along the struggle I have had and feel like I have left them hanging, well, I am finally getting my act together... and now for a quick recap...and get us up to speed for what is to be from here on out.....

As of Thanksgiving, I had stuck to the diet, and supplements and lost a total of 24 pounds....several pounds of body fat and had added some muscle mass without any exercise.....I will be more detailed on the weigh in part from here on out, each time I visit my nutritionist, I will report.

Just to give you an idea, the office has a fancy schmancy scale....you take your shoes and socks off, step up on the scale, hold two stainless steel handles in each hand, and a computer prints out your weight, BMI, body fat per limb, body trunk, etc. it will totally blow your mind or at the very least open it up to reality.......trust me.......there is absolutely no hiding any pounds from the scale...it picks it all up....

I had done pretty good until after Thanksgiving, but the Christmas/New Year holiday was a bit stressful, and well....I lost focus....I gained about 6 pounds, which I guess really is not bad, but when you work so hard to take it off...well, it seems like a lot.....so it is time to get back on track.....

I want to share a recipe with you that is really yummy, good for you and not a lot of fat....I will be enjoying this soup next week at work and at home.....I am a foodie by heart, I love to cook, and well, you all know I had to have the Pioneer Woman's cookbook, I love to visit all the foodie blogs and get new recipes...The ONLY Problem with that is, well honestly, I should not be even reading the recipes on most of these posts...do you ever feel like browsing all of these wonderful, delightful new recipes only contributes to lack of success on a diet?...... Hello?.......anyone there?........have I lost you??? I hope some of the recipes I share you will find helpful...believe me, if I have tried something and it was not TASTY to me, it will never be posted here......I don't want to be a "diet foodie" but I do want to be a "healthy foodie" I want to help others who may be having a hard time starting a new journey.......and I don't want to lose the taste food in the process.

Next week, I'll post the diet I am following.....it may take me all week to work that into print.....but for some of you, it might really help if you are starting a weight loss plan, and if you stick with it, the weight will come off.....it has not been too difficult as long as I stay focused......hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe.....

Amazing Chicken Tortilla Soup

Calories per serving: 164
10 Servings

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium Jalapeno pepper, chopped and seeded
1/2 medium bell pepper
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast or 1 package tenders
2 cups frozen corn (can eliminate if you want)
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 cup dry white wine or water ( I use water)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
Topping.....recipe to follow below.....


First, saute onion, garlic jalapeno and bell pepper with olive oil in a large pot until soft. Add all of remaining ingredients to large stock pot and bring to a boil. After about 15-20 minutes, remove the chicken breast and shred. ( I usually use two forks to shred chicken in a plate) Return shredded chicken to the pot and simmer an additional 45 minutes over medium heat. Serve, topped with tortilla chips.....recipe below.....

Seasoned Tortilla Strips


Calories per serving: 161
makes 7 one cup servings

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground red pepper ( I use Cayenne)
12-14 6-inch corn tortillas
salt
Tabasco sauce, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, stir oil and all of the spices together with a wire whisk.

Using a basting brush, brush one side of all the tortillas with the oil/spice mixture

Make 3-4 stacks of 4 tortillas.

Cut the tortillas into 1/4-1/2 inch strips

Put strips in a single layer on a couple of cookie sheets sprayed with Pam.
Bake until golden and crisp, about 10-15 minutes. If pans are on different oven racks, switch their positions about halfway through baking. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt. Cool completely in pans and store in a zip lock bag. Garnish soup with strips

....ummmm so good!!

This is very good and satisfying and pretty low in calories...I have used the strips as a snack when I wanted something crunchy....usually about a 1/2 cup.

I know many have pledged to shed the pounds this year, if you are just starting, or trying to re-focus like myself....stay positive, provide yourself with snacks and foods you will eat, don't skip breakfast....and drink plenty of water. Skip the sodas, even diet.....they do nothing for you and the sweetener in the diet drinks are terrible for our bodies....remember we can do this....encourage one another!

16 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for taking the time to share these recipes. They look delicious. You know, I've been analyzing this whole "weight loss/gain" issue in reference to myself. I have dieted my entire life -- all of it and I've done nothing but gain weight. I am going to start monitoring skinny people, those who are naturally thin. I want to know what they do and how they do it, how do they know they're hungry? I know only a couple of people who are naturally thin. What do they do differently?

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  2. Love your recipes. I make potato soup your way about every 3 weeks. Can't wait to try this one. It's cold here. Maybe I'll give it a try later today. Lane

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  3. We love Tortilla Soup in our house and the seasoned tortilla strips look yummy. Thanks for posting the recipe! ♥

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  4. Looks like a yummy recipe. You go girl! you are on the right track, keep on going!

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  5. Sounds good Suzanne - I must give it a try.

    Two things you said in closing - don't skip breakfast and cut out the DIET soda - are things I need to do. A good starting point for me - thanks!

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  6. Oh my this recipe is a must try!!

    I do not have a problem with weight but overindulge with sugar- it doesn't show on the outside but my, I feel terrible when I don't control my sugar intake which, to control it, is no intake at all. I do so know the struggle.

    One thing I would maybe encourage you to do is to check out the book, Nourishing Traditions, from your local library. It has great insight concerning the fats we do need etc. I believe , and this book talks about the standard thinking and how it is wrong with our ways of eating. If our bodies are getting what we need from good wholesome foods it will not crave things that are not good for us. Just changing one habit could be the beginning of a whole new lifestyle. (I need to reread it again and maybe pick one area to focus on.)

    Anyways sorry to meander again- it is just a thought!

    blessings
    mary

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  7. That soup looks delicious. Keep up the hard work and don't let the holiday pounds get you down. I gained three and am hoping that once I go back to eating normally (the cookies are all gone!), it will go away!

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  8. This recipe sounds Delicious...
    don't punish yourself for dropping of the wagon for a little while, we all do. I struggle for 5 months to lose 51 lb and did extra good during Thanksgiving, losing 3 lbs that week, but like you during the Christmas Holidays I gained 4 lbs...no stress, I just love Christmas holiday food. I don't feel bad, I give myself permission to stray a little at this special time. I just started back full time on my plan and will stay on it. I stay on it cause I know on special occasions I can give myself permission to enjoy those special days.
    You can do it, keep on keeping on.
    Molly

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  9. Yum!
    Hang in there! Each day is another chance to do what your heart desires. Stick with it!

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  10. Wow what delicious looking recipes. Hang in there, and you will achieve your goal.

    Jocelyn
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

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  11. Suzanne - that recipe looks amazing! You know, I think about you a lot ~ I haven't done VTT for awhile and yet, I keep a couple things right by the computer for when I do. I'll do better in '10...probably! ha ha Take care ~ ♥

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  12. That looks fabulous! Congrats on such a worthy goal and great post to start the year off right! Looking forward to more inspiration from you!
    hugs-
    Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge

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  13. Thanks for the recipe and inspiration. Will give the recipe a try in the future. Did you ever get my email I sent you?

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  14. Tried the soup yesterday. It was yummy! Lane

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  15. You're doing a good job! I love the photos you took while cooking. Really bright and make my mouth water. The sweet potatoes especially - yum!

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Sometimes someone says something really small, and it's like it fits into this empty space in your heart!

Thank you for stopping by and leaving your thoughts here, they really mean a lot to me!

Suzanne

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