I finally have a direction for my blog and I am hoping that this will keep me faithful. I'm going to be focusing on recipes for a single lifestyle and journaling my weight loss.
Sometimes cooking can be discouraging because the leftovers last forever and I don't get home til later. It is so much easier to just stop and grab something. I am working on breaking my eating out habit.
Why does food have to taste so good!!? Specifically, why do the foods I really shouldn't eat taste even better than what I should eat?!? I know, I know...rhetorical questions.
Just like so many things in life eating has to be done consciously. I am learning to eat consciously which is a lot harder than I thought it would be.
I've decided to work on my weight loss eating the South Beach Way. Have you heard about the South Beach plan? What I like about it is that it is more of a life style change than a "diet". Diets tend to only work for so long before you put the weight back on. South Beach helps change the way you think about food which is something I really need to do.
I made a great spicy chicken soup the other night from the South Beach cookbook. It was very filling and lasted me for about 5 meals. The recipe says it will 4.
Spicy Mexican Chicken Soup:
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups mild refrigerated fresh salsa (I used habenero salsa and omitted the jalapeno)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
cilantro (optional)
1 can black beans (my choice to add...not part of the recipe)
Directions:
1. Cut your chicken breasts into small strips about 2 inches long.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and cumin; cook 30 seconds more.
4. Add broth, increase heat to high, and bring to a rapid simmer. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir the pan making sure to get all the bits of onion, jalapeño and cumin are well mixed into the soup and not stuck to the bottom of the pan.
5. Stir in salsa (don't drain), bring back to simmer, season with salt and pepper to taste and top with cilantro if desired.
The first phase of South Beach calls for No sugar, carbs, and starches and is supposed to last for 2 weeks. The no sugar thing is the most difficult for me to follow and I am weaning myself off this week. I'm going to extend my phase 1 to 4 weeks since I am struggling with the no sugar aspect. I've been freezing blueberries and eating those for my snack. They really work to crave the sugar cravings!
If you're also on your on weight loss challenge let me know!
~JL
I made a great spicy chicken soup the other night from the South Beach cookbook. It was very filling and lasted me for about 5 meals. The recipe says it will 4.
Spicy Mexican Chicken Soup:
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups mild refrigerated fresh salsa (I used habenero salsa and omitted the jalapeno)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
cilantro (optional)
1 can black beans (my choice to add...not part of the recipe)
Directions:
1. Cut your chicken breasts into small strips about 2 inches long.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and cumin; cook 30 seconds more.
4. Add broth, increase heat to high, and bring to a rapid simmer. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir the pan making sure to get all the bits of onion, jalapeño and cumin are well mixed into the soup and not stuck to the bottom of the pan.
5. Stir in salsa (don't drain), bring back to simmer, season with salt and pepper to taste and top with cilantro if desired.
The first phase of South Beach calls for No sugar, carbs, and starches and is supposed to last for 2 weeks. The no sugar thing is the most difficult for me to follow and I am weaning myself off this week. I'm going to extend my phase 1 to 4 weeks since I am struggling with the no sugar aspect. I've been freezing blueberries and eating those for my snack. They really work to crave the sugar cravings!
If you're also on your on weight loss challenge let me know!
~JL
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