A day of sadness

Early this morning, our bunny passed. She hasn't been well for weeks, and it was just a waiting game. Even though you have time to prepare for the inevitable, it never makes it easier. Yesterday morning, I knew it would be soon. And she waited for us to get home last night, give her a bath, and spend time with her before passing away in her sleep.

The ELB had work committments today, so at 3:30am, we left for my parents farm in VA, to give her a final resting place. I think she will be happy there, in a plot of clover with a view of the meadow.

Somewhere, a spoiled and much loved bunny runs free, and maybe my mom will take care if her for me...until I can see them both again.

Friday check-in

I weighed this morning @ 332.8. A 0.7lb loss from my Dr. Appt on September 10. I'll take it!

Long day today. Probably won't get home till midnight. Looking forward to a nice dinner with the ELB at our favorite DC eatery, Burger Tap Shake.

Now to take on the day! Happy weekend!

"Super" chicken soup

I threw together a pot of my superfood chicken soup to combat some hella bad sinus issues I'm battling right now.

Ingredients:

1 bone in chicken, quartered and skin removed
Bay leaf
Water
Chicken bouillon cubes
Vegetables: cubed sweet potatoes, onions, kale, carrots, celery
1can of diced tomatoes
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

I cooked the chicken in the crock pot with bay leaf, water, and bouillon.

When I got home, I removed the chicken to be deboned, then strained the broth through a coffee filter lined sieve to remove the ookies. Return to crock pot, and add your veggies and tomatos. Debone the chicken than as back to pot. Cook until the sweet potato's are tender. Season to taste.

Why is this "super" ? Because the veggies that you choose should have super food value.

Cooked tomatoes= lycopene, which can help prevent certain cancers

Kale=calcium, vitamins A, C, and K, and tons of other nutrients.

Carrots=cooked carrots are a great source of beta carotene and antioxidants.

Celery= anti-inflammatories, flavinoids, and fiber

Onions=potassium, folate, and vitamin C

Chicken= scientific studies have shown that chicken broth (made from real chicken) can be an anti- inflammatory, as well as supply electrolytes.

So there you go... All veggies and protien, no wasted calories on noodles, and tons of healthy benefits.

Enjoy!

Weekly goals

I set a goal to go to the gym 4x this week. Day one DONE. I made myself go even though it was the last place I wanted to go tonight.

By 7:22am, I was ready for my day to be OVER.. That's how bad it started. And it went like that ALL day. Just pure crazy. But I survived... And I survived the gym tonight.

I was on with food... Meaning that I didn't eat a lot of it. And I'm working on my water right now.

So even though my day started bad, I didn't let it ruin my goals. I DIDN'T go to Hardee's and drown my frustration with a bacon/egg/cheese biscuit and a coke. I didn't go to McDonald's and stuff a double cheeseburger down at lunch. And dinner was crockpot chicken.

I made good choices... And tomorrow is another day.

Bring it on, world... Bring it on. In ready for you.

crockpot love

I made the ELB a pork loin roast in
the crockpot yesterday. I cooked it for 8 hours on low, but it probably would have been done in 6. But success although just a little dry ...its a learning process. Now I know for next time. I bought a huge porkloin at Sams Club this morning...so there are two more in the freezer for future meals.

BTW this living on a budget is HARD, especially when your new employer doesn't offer flex spending. I paid out of pocket the past few weeks: $30 podiatrist to fix ingrown nail, $20 PCP, $30 for LapBand surgeon followup, $30 for podiatrist followup...plus $80 to refill my allergy meds. I am BROKE. Thank God I drive a Prius, because I should be able to make it to Tuesday to get gas. Yes, I am VERY blessed to have a wonderful medical plan...I just didnt plan for the out of pockets. Luckily, I only have two more appointments to plan (gyno and opthamologist) for the next six months. I'm going to lobby my employer to offer health FSA in the future.

I spent most of the afternoon yesterday hanging out with a friend at the hospital. Her son is having some medical issues, and the hospital is walking distance from my house. It was nice to see her...I just wish it had been under better circumstances.

Today was lazy Sunday. We ate leftovers, chilled on the couch (we are both sick with head colds), and prepared for the week ahead. I have 4 gym days planned, and a busy week at work.

My band has been acting weird. I have been able to eat ALOT lately....and im a little concerned.  no pain, and I still have restriction. Not sure if it's weather or hormones or what. I'll monitor the situation and see what happens.

Happy New Week!

Random things

First of all a shout out to Hollee as she goes under the knife for her LapBand to sleeve revision tomorrow.

Hollee, you have been an inspiration to so many people with your LapBand journey, and sharing your life with us. Don't forget that just because you aren't going to be a "bander" anymore, we will always be friends. You're going to be in my thoughts tomorrow. And your going to be awesome.

On to other things, my surgeon ordered a nutritional panel last week. I go Monday to have the blood draw done. I have always been borderline anemic, and I know I probably don't eat enough foods high in iron. But we will see.

The past few days I've been wanting salad. Don't know why... But I do. So why not eat it while I want it.

I bought a new crockpot (finally). The finally was for the benefit of the ELB who has been listening to me wax and wane about crockpots, slowcookers, size, features, etc.for about 3 years now...but failing to commit to any of them.

Two weeks ago, we went to look for a FireWire at a local store and I saw it.. THE Crock pot. 4qt, black, programmable, no stupid locking lid with rubber. But I couldn't find it on the shelf, so I went home without it--although I was ready to drop my $40on it then and there.

Then in the Sunday sale flyers, there it was. ON SALE for $19.94 at Walmart. So yesterday, the ELB went to two different Walmart stores to find my crockpot...and he came home successful. I am dying to cook something in it. You know when someone loves you enough to brave Walmart, they deserve to have the first meal coked in it made just for them. So I'm figuring out what to make for my sexy man.

Yes, love is a crock pot. And home cooked meals for years and years in the future.

Happy Tuesday!

Vegetarian and gluten free lasagna

Yesterday, I had time and a spaghetti squash, so I decided to make a batch of spaghetti squash lasagna. There is no pasta in this ( no gluten) but there is cheese and and egg (which keeps it from being vegan).

My recipe makes an 8x8 baking dish. Make sure that you bake it with a pan underneath in case you have drips!

Ingredients:

1/2 of a cooked and shredded spaghetti squash (approx 2 C. with excess water squeezed out)
2/3 C. low fat or fat free ricotta cheese
2/3 C. low fat cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/8 C. grated Italian cheese
1tsp garlic powder
Chopped Vegetables ( your choice but about 2 C. total)
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Nonstick spray
1/3 C. Shredded mozzarella

Saute your veggies in olive oil with a dash of salt and pepper until tender (I used baby bella mushrooms, red&yellow bell peppers, carrots, onion, and kale). Stir in spaghetti sauce and put on low simmer (my fave is Francesca Rinaldi tomato and basil)

In separate bowl, beat the egg then add ricotta/cottage/ Italian cheeses (not mozzarella) and garlic powder and stir until well blended.

Spray bottom and sides of baking dish with cooking spray. Layer in the following order:
Sauce- about 1/3 to 1/2 of total
Spaghetti squash (all)
Cheese mixture (all)
Sauce (until well covered. There may be extra.)

Bake at 350 for about 70 minutes. About 25 minutes before done, remove and add mozzarella to top and finish baking. When done, remove and allow to set up for about 30 minutes before eating.

Yes, this makes about 9 servings...but its yummy...and it freezes well if you cool completely and portion into individual servings. Plus, it will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days--leftovers!!!

Saturday indulgence

The ELB is off at the MD football game, so I'm home alone fir most of today. In between laundry, I mixed up a quick no bake lemon cheesecake.

1package of neufatchel (fat free cream cheese)
1.5 cups plain Greek yogurt
1/2 of a small container of cool whip (sugar free or lite--your choice)
Lemon extract (to taste)
Vanilla extract (to taste)
1/2 cup sugar
Graham cracker crust (optional)

Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. In mixing bowl combine cream cheese, Greek yogurt, extracts, and sugar. Use electric mixer to beat until well blended. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.

Fold in half of the cool whip, then put in dessert cups, pie crust, or whatever container you want. Refrigerate until set.

This is my moms no bake cheese cake with the healthier substitutions. Quick and easy.

Choices

There is a staff meeting at work today. This means Panera breakfast.
Of course, Donny is tight because of stress and the weather.

Since none know about Donny, I have to maintain appearances.

One is the breakfast I took for show. The other is the breakfast I actually had.

Do you know which is which?

It's a matter of taste

I'm about 1.5 years into my LapBand journey.

Lately, I've noticed that some things that I used to eat a lot and that I loved... No longer taste good.

1. Smart Balance--i have used smart balance for eating and cooking instead of butter for about 10 years, when my parents stated using it. I don't buy anything else... But now it tastes weird. Now I can detect a chemical undertone in every bite.

2. Turkey burger-- I've been on the turkey instead of beef burger train since college... So almost 20 years. Now, whenever I cook with it, it just tastes... Different. I've started using other things like ground chicken or ground pork instead.

3. Tapioca pudding--this has always been a favorite, but I picked up some of the pudding cups the other day, and again.. It just tasted off. Not bad, but not as good as I thought it would.

4. Coffee--I'm a late to life coffee drinker, and ive been good with it... Then one day, I woke up and just didn't want it any more.

These aren't all the things that taste off, or different, or weird.. But just ones that I've noticed lately.

Have any of you had this phenomenon? I'm wondering if it's just part of the LapBand experience.

I did it...

Despite all of the obstacles to the contrary on Friday... A splitting migraine, a period from hell (with nonstop cramps and 6lbs of bloating), and just general tiredness from a long (even though it was short) week in which the Very Last Thing I wanted to do on a Friday night was go to the gym.... I went to the gym.

The gym owner had been planning to try out a throwback floor/step class, so me and 4 of the girls that I take zumba with were asked to participate. I knew that if I backed out that it would look like I wasn't interested... So I made myself go.

And I'm so glad I did! For the time the class went on, I was able to forget about my cramps, my headache faded into the background, and I think I sweated out 3 lbs of bloat.

All in all a success. Even more so if the owner decided to offer this class on Friday nights on the future. It's a change and it was fun and I plan to go if they offer it again.

Today I'm miserable again. Aunt flow is kicking my ass. It was so bad that I actually went back to bed this morning for an hour and prayed for the pain to stop.

It didn't stop but at least I'm able to function.

The week that... Wasn't?

Last week, my ADD (spastic high-strung boss) started preparing to go to a work conference in Texas. All week, she worked on to-do lists for everyone to work on this week while she would be gone.

I came in this morning, expecting a huge stuffed full of tasks bin. The bin was empty. With dread, I opened my door, expecting a stack of color coded folders... And nothing. Finally, I logged into my email anticipating... Something.... Anything.

And nothing except for one email.

One email that was actually a request to send an email to someone else for a task for them to complete.

Today was hell. I was so flipping bored. And next week, when my boss gets back... It's going to be CRAZY. Sigh.

That's the way the cookie crumbles... Straight into my mouth because even with this LapBand I'm still a boredom snack attempter.

Oh and my toe still hurts.  And I'm hormonal and bitchy and tired. And yesterday it was so hot! And I'm just being a big baby.