Craving something sweet? Stuffed red peppers to the rescue! I basically used my meatball recipe, but instead of rolling up the meatballs and cooking them all day in the crock pot, I stuffed them into peppers and dinner was ready in about an hour. Here's my yummy recipe.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
  • 4 large red bell peppers (or your favorite kind of bell pepper)
  • 1 small jar of tomato sauce (or homemade tomato sauce)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 lbs ground beef 
  • 6-8 cloves of fresh minced garlic (or garlic flakes or garlic powder)
  • Fresh chopped basil (add enough to suit your taste)
  • 1 cup minced onion
  • 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I use Progresso Italian Seasoned)
Directions
  1. Cut the bell peppers in half length-wise and remove seeds and ends.
  2. After cutting the peppers in half, find a baking dish all the peppers will fit into.
  3. Cover the bottom of the dish with tomato sauce; the sauce doesn't have to be deep. I did not use the whole jar of sauce, but sometimes I do.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
  5. Add the ground beef, garlic, basil, and onions in the bowl with the eggs.
  6. Add the breadcrumbs on top of all the other ingredients.
  7. Use your hands to mix all the ingredients together.
  8. Stuff all of the meat mixture into the peppers and then place the peppers in the baking dish. You may top with more sauce. 
  9. Cover or don't cover, they turn out delicious either way and the dish burns either way.
  10. Bake at 400 degrees until the beef is cooked all the way through. I didn't watch the clock, but it was about an hour. I slice into a pepper to see if it's cook enough before serving.
 07/17/14 Update

 I made this recipe again last night for a friend and I cut this recipe in half. I served it yellow squash that I turned into noodles with my spirooli.

Same recipe, different day. Photo by Theresa.

Noodles made with yellow squash. Photo by Theresa.


March 02, 2014
How much time do you spend thinking about your size? Before I started Key Hypnosis, I didn't walk around thinking how obese I was; I was oblivious to my size. However, since I started losing weight, I walk around wishing I was a smaller size all the time. I need to figure out how to stop this obsession.
July 2009                                       Feb. 2014
Last Saturday morning a friend sent me this photo (above) from the summer of 2009. I looked at that photo next to the selfie I had taken the night night before (above) and I thought to myself "Well, Theresa, there is no denying that you are many sizes smaller today than you were in 2009 - just look at these two photos!"

I remember the moment my friend took that photo in 2009. I did not want my photo taken and I froze; hence the goofy smile. I remember thinking "well, at least I'm wearing my favorite blouse."

Instead of being happy she captured a fun moment in time, what I was wearing was paramount. Until the camera came out, I was having a wonderful lunch with a friend I've known since I was 6 years old. Stopping to take this photo disrupted my fun, because the moments before having my photo taken gave me time to pause and time to remember: I am obese.

It's 2014 and I'm no longer obese. I don't mind having my photo taken. In fact I take a lot of selfies. Looking back at where I was re-energizes me, motivates me, and allows me to feel proud of my journey. It also affirms I am smaller. Lots smaller.

Two days ago, as I was walking towards Tailgate, my favorite deli in South Hadley where everyone knows my name (Cheers), I ran into a colleague and that interaction gave me new insight into my obsession.

What's your secret?" my colleague asked me as she stepped up on the sidewalk and shut her car door.

"What secret?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"How did you lose so much weight?" she asked.

It was a light bulb moment for me: I don't always walk around thinking about being a smaller size!

I started to tell her about the hypnosis, but she interrupted me.

"Oh no, I'm not going to do that. Just tell me what you eat." she said.

Sigh. Where do I begin? I told her I eat a lot of protein and...

"Oh no, I'm not going to do that either. Do you have anything written down?"

I gently suggested she pick up the South Beach or Atkins diet book. You have to be all in this program or it's not going to work.

I had locked into the idea that I was obsessed with constantly thinking about my size, only to discover, when my colleague asked me what my secret was and I clueless as to what she was talking about, that I wasn't as obsessed as I thought.

Author Rhonda Byrne writes about the stubbornness of thought and how once you think something, it's very difficult to eradicate that idea from your mind. The late, social psychologist Dan Wegner described this as "the great irony of mental control: in order to insure that you aren’t thinking about an unwanted idea, you have to continually turn your mind to that very idea. How do you know that you aren’t thinking of a white bear driving a red Ferrari unless you think about whether you’re thinking it?"

Source: "The Powerlessness of Positive Thinking," by Adam Alter, The New Yorker, 2/19/14.
February 28, 2014
For the past three February's, we’ve attended a large (300 plus) party, compete with a huge potluck dinner and band. In the past, I’ve left by 8:30, stuffed from food, feeling ill, and usually on the verge of a panic attack.

This year, I was hungry an hour before the party, so I ate dinner at home. When we arrived, I wasn’t hungry, so just glanced at the long line of homemade food. (No exaggeration - when 300 people all bring a dish, there is a HUGE amount of food. The tables lined one entire wall of the hall) There were a few meat dishes and veggie dishes I could have sampled, but eh, I wasn’t hungry anymore. My husband enjoyed two platefuls, while I had some seltzer, and was perfectly happy. There was a plateful of cupcakes, brownies, and other sweets in the center of the table - I glanced at them, then noticed them no more than I did the silverware and napkins.

A couple hours after the dinner was served, I was watching a nearby group, and thinking how different my life is now. They each had platefuls of munchies and desserts, and passed them between them, exclaiming how yummy everything was. I’m not judging them - in the past that was me. That was how I enjoyed parties. That was what a party meant to me… how many different yummy foods were there to gorge myself with. I thought I was having fun.

This year, I danced every fast dance the band played. I was barely out of breath. I wasn’t overheated to the point of wondering if I was going to faint. People I knew came up me and exclaimed about the difference in me. They didn’t mean the weight, even though in the last seven months I’ve dropped 5-6 sizes. They meant the spark. They said they had never seen me so happy and having so much fun. Even my husband, who sees me every day, said he had never seen that expression on my face before. He said my face was lit up like a teenage girl at a high school dance. And honestly, that’s what I felt like. I was me again. I wasn’t paralyzed with embarrassment anymore. I wasn’t locked in that prison of fat. I had energy…I could move… I was having FUN!

This morning, I’m not even sore (thank you Zumba for the conditioning!) and the glow is still there. Welcome back, life. I missed you more than I even knew.

7 months with Julie - sorry for the blurry picture - I was in a hurry to go out!


February 23, 2014
As I sit at the foot of my bed on my cedar chest petting my kitty, I realize I would not have sat here eight sizes ago. Eight sizes ago I was too afraid my weight would break the cedar chest. But not today. Today I sit here without hesitation and focus only on giving Ginger kitty my full attention, which she appreciates.
Ginger kitty
It is in these brief moments of time that I appreciate changes in my life that I hadn't noticed before. I refer to these moments as a non-scale victories. In this moment, I pause to appreciate the size I am today and I'm happy right where I am in this moment.

I've experienced a gamut of non-scale victories as I dropped weight. Being able to sit with my legs crossed was a small victory compared to running a 5k. Both are on my victory scale.

I didn't run around to all my friends and announce:
I can sit with my legs crossed!
I can sit with my legs crossed!
I can sit with my legs crossed!
I wanted to, but I didn't. Instead, I posted that experience to this blog, because I know many of you can appreciate this kind of non-scale victory.

Today I embrace my size.

Today I will stop focusing on wanting to be a different size and use that energy in other ways.

I am not giving up my desire to reach my goal size. I give time to that in my visualizations and then I focus on other things in life. I no longer live in-between where I am today and where I want to be--I live in the moment.

What about the you? Have you had any non-victory scale moments lately? I'd love to hear them.

This video sheds light on embracing your size. I hope it inspires you the way it inspires me.

February 19, 2014
Instead of bacon, try...baked ham

There's a way to get hot, crispy slices of pork without all the fat:
  1. Lay slices of deli ham on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; 
  2. Cover them with another piece of parchment; 
  3. Press another sheet pan on top, to keep the meat flat. 
  4. Bakes the ham at 275 degrees until crispy (about 25 minutes). 
It's perfect in an egg sandwich, or chopped and sprinkled over salad.


Recipe Source: Oprah
February 19, 2014
Looking for something to warm you up on these cold winter days? This spicy recipe may help!
Cauliflower Buffalo Bites
Ingredients
  • 1 head of cauliflower, washed and broken up into small florets
  • 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. of your favorite hot wing sauce
Directions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 425
  2. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and distribute evenly.
  3. Combine garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl. 
  4. Toss spice mixture over cauliflower and mix well, making sure all the cauliflower is coated in the spices.
  5. Spread cauliflower out on a rimmed baking sheet a roast for 20 minutes.
  6. Toss with wing sauce and serve with your favorite blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Recipe and photo from one of our key friends.
February 19, 2014
Thank you Jill for this delicious key-friendly recipe and your photo.
Meat Crust Quiche
Ingredients
  • 1 pound uncooked breakfast pork sausage (or Italian sausage) 
  • ½ yellow onion, diced 
  • 2 cups fresh spinach 
  • 4 eggs, whisked 
  • 1 garlic clove, minced 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground paprika 
  • salt and pepper, to taste <salt is always optional>
  • 2 tablespoons any kind of fat
* I added a bit of Parmesan in the egg mixture and put about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on top.

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Press meat evenly into a pie plate on bottom and sides.
  3. Place the pan on a baking sheet (in case of any spills) and bake for 18-20 minutes until meat presses back when you poke it. Do not overcook.
  4. While your crust is baking, place 2 tablespoons of fat into a saucepan over medium heat and add the minced garlic and chopped onion.
  5. Once the onions begin to become translucent, sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper, toss in spinach, and then cover. 
  6. When spinach is wilted, remove mixture from the pan and place in a bowl to cool. 
  7. When mixture has cooled, add in the eggs, garlic powder, ground paprika and a bit more salt (optional). Mix well. 
  8. After the crust is done baking, remove the excess fat that may be left behind, then pour your egg mixture on top of the meat crust.
  9. Place the pan back into the oven and bake for 23-25 minutes. Once the middle pushes back when you poke it, it’s all good to go. 
  10. Let cool, cut and serve.
February 19, 2014
Sharing a few recipes this morning and then a new post. This one is yummy.

Bacon wrapped Filet Mignon with Mushroom Sauté
Directions
  1. Pan sear the beef on high to your liking then deglaze the pan with some chicken stock, add mushrooms (or onions) to the pan, add a dab of butter and cook down making sure to scrape all the yummy bits off the pan. 
  2. Scoop onto the meat and enjoy. 
Photo and recipe from one of our key friends.
February 19, 2014
Do you ever have moments when a non-key-friendly food is in front of you and time suddenly seems to stop? It's just you and the food. Everything around you becomes a blur except for that food and it's calling your name. In moments like this, we get to choose: continue on our weight loss journey towards our goal or turn off the main road. In moments like this, the choice is ours alone. Circumstances and people are influences, but ultimately--the decision is ours. Choose wisely.
Photo source: Best Fan Photos from Comic-Con 2012
Earlier this week, I had such a moment. My day was going great, but the day was nearly over, I was out of out of time to finish my list of long errands, and I was hungry. I was in the mood for something hot and spicy, so I stopped at Taco Bell. I hadn't been to Taco Bell in a few years, but I was confident their menu offered a few good choices.

Standing in front of the cashier, my confidence wavered. I finally settled on a chicken bowl and a beef burrito, with no beans, no rice, no tortilla, etc., for either item. I must pause here to say that as I wrote this I went to Taco Bell online to see what is in the bowl and I will not order it again. Next time I will choose more wisely.

I squeezed hot sauce from several little packets onto the chicken bowl and then ate all of it before opening the burrito. Oh-oh! It's wrapped in a tortilla--they did not hold the wrap as I had asked. Sigh. Carbs have been calling out to me for weeks. This was going to be one of those hard moments.

"I can do this" I said to myself.

"I'll just scrape everything off the wrap and into a bowl." This only took a few seconds, but it was one of those moments when time slowed down. It was just me and that wrap, everything else was out of focus.

"Just one bite will be okay," a nagging voice whispered in my ear.

"It won't hurt anything," the nag insisted, getting louder as time slowed down even more.

"Nobody needs to know! Nobody will know!" the nag began to shout. Time came to a stop.

As I scraped the ingredients into my dish, I pushed away the craving to have just one bite of the wrap.

"Tap, tap, tap." I thought, "push away" that thought. (Julie uses her hands to visually reinforce this tapping technique. As one hand moves closer to face, the other hand pushes (taps) the hand away.)

"Again," I repeated. "Tap, tap, tap." I tossed the tortilla into the trash.

 The nag was silent. The balance of time was restored. The moment passed. Victory!

This wasn't my first moment like this and it won't be my last, but the choice is always mine.

Have carbs or sugar been calling you? Tap away (push) those cravings. Be okay with how hard it is in your moments when non-key foods call out to you. Feel victorious when you choose not to eat them. If you make a regretful choice, be gentle with yourself and move on. Tap, tap, tap. Instead of beating yourself up, focus on something you can change right now. Choose to jump back into the river right this moment. Choose to eat foods that support your weight loss goals. Choose to reach your goal size.

When irrational thoughts pop into your head - choose wisely what you do next.

One of my favorite examples of a bad outcome from irrational thoughts comes from the movie Ghost Busters:
"The traveler will come in the form of any structure you choose." Zeus told Ghost Busters Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis).
"I couldn’t help it - it just popped in there!" Ray said after a giant Mr. Stay Puft Marshmallow Man materialized.
"Ray has gone bye-bye Egon. What have you got left?" Dr. Venkman asked.
"Sorry Venkman, I’m terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought." Egon replied.
Choose wisely. Don't let food leave you terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.


February 15, 2014
A key component to this weight loss program is visualization. In class Julie guides us through a long visualization and she encourages us to visualize how we want to look at our goal size. The visualization process should not end when class is over. If what we think is what we get - then I want to be mindful about what I think. Is what I'm saying preventing me from getting what I want--am I wishing for the wrong things? To answer this, I wrote a list of sentences that I say about this program that start with I wish...
Photo source: Bubblews
I wish I was a smaller size. I wish I would lose weight as fast as everyone else. I wish I was at goal size. I wish I could eat some of the foods I used to eat. I wish I could eat like everyone else. I wish I could eat more cheese. I wish this wasn't so hard. I wish there was a book or list of foods allowed on this program. I wish I knew my weight.

I'm sure there are more things I want, but this is enough inventory to take stock of and decide what's really important. Reviewing this list, I realize I already have some of these things and some of them aren't that important.

I wish I was a smaller size.
Oh, wait - I am a smaller size - I'm 8 sizes smaller than I was 3 years ago. I was a size 30/32 at the end of January 2011 when I first saw Julie. It may be hard for some to believe, but it is easy for me to forget how much weight I've lost because my weight has come off gradually. Wait - what part of losing weight gradually is bad? My ego wants to be at goal size today, but losing weight slowly is healthy. I'm doing everything I can to reach my my goal size and as long as I continue on this path I will continue to drop sizes. I'm going to stop focusing on this wish.

I wish I would lose weight as fast as everyone else.
I'm not everyone else, so I can let go of this wish too. Yes, I know others who lost their weight quicker. I also know people who are not losing weight fast. Time isn't what I should be spending my wishes on, as I have no control over time. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. It's time to stop looking at time and focus on something I can do: staying the course.

I wish I was at goal size.
This is where visualization plays a big role in this journey. To help me visualize what is realistic for me, I look at other women who are my height and body type; this is a good thing. Wishing I was at goal size is not a good thing. Why? Wishing to be somewhere other than where I am has more of a negative connotation than a positive one. To turn this around, I'm switching my focus on visualizing me at my goal size instead of wishing I was there. I'm not giving up on reaching my goal size. The difference is positive thinking: visualizing my goal as obtained versus focusing on the negative: I'm not where I want to be.

I wish I could eat some of the foods I used to eat.
This wish can only lead to a dead end. Let me be perfectly honest here - ALL of the foods I used to eat that come to mind (when I think of foods I wish I could eat) are carbs. Carbs turn to sugar and sugar is what led me to a size 30/32. Eating the way I used to is not an option. Eating some of the foods I used to eat is not an option either, at least not while I'm in the weight loss phase of this program. Meanwhile, I remain optimistic when I have cravings. I remind myself that it's just for now that I choose not to eat those food - it isn't for the rest of my life. When I reach my goal and learn how to maintain my weight, I will introduce foods that I don't eat today. I may find some of those foods are triggers for me and then avoid them. Today, I don't want to eat ANY of the foods I used to eat, so I can drop this from my wish list.

I wish I could eat like everyone else. 
Once again - I'm not everyone else. If I look around and ask myself: do I really want to eat like everyone else? The answer is no. I don't need this on my wish list for another moment.

I wish I could eat more cheese. 
Cheese is a condiment, it's not a protein, it should not be eaten by itself, and it is not to be considered the main course. Eating too much cheese can make us plateau or even gain weight. Oh no, no, no - I do not wish I could eat more cheese.

I wish this wasn't so hard. 
The simple truth is change isn't easy for most of us, but the one constant thing in our lives is that things change. In order for me to go from a size 30/32 to a size 8, I must change. I must push through whatever feels hard and stay the course. If it was easy, I would have been a size 8 years ago.  Losing weight is hard. Learning to maintain weight loss is hard. Being a size 30/32 was hard too. Life as an obese woman was hard. Nobody promised this would be easy. This journey is hard. End of story. Move along. Focus on other things.

I wish there was a book or list of foods allowed on this program.
This program is not like other weight loss programs. The book or a list you want doesn't exist. We were taught to follow what we learn in our class and not to confer with others because, like everything else in life, this program changes. The program evolves. A yogurt we once enjoyed is no longer allowed because the company changed how they made it (they added sugar). Get over it. Something I've started doing is to ask myself "if Julie were here, would I eat this?" This helps me know what is on program. In doubt - leave it out.

I wish I could know my weight. 
We don't get on the scale because those numbers mess with our head. When I first started this journey I thought I would ask my doctor to tell me after I passed the 50 pound weight loss mark. I didn't need anyone to tell me I passed that milestone because I knew this by the size of clothes I wore. Yes, every time I visit my doctor I want to know what I weigh, but I agreed not to weigh myself when I began this program and I want to keep my commitment. Remember: knowing our weight tells our mind know how much weight we need to gain back. No, I don't really want to know my weight.

My One Wish

I believe what we think is what we get out of life, so I strive to be more mindful about what I wish for and what I think about. In the big picture of life, I only have one wish for me, all my friends and family, and for all of you: I wish for all of us to have good health.

I have good health today and I worked hard to get here. But not everyone has good health. Last week friends told me they lost a friend to cancer; five friends of my friends are gone.

Today I choose to focus on what's really important in life: I choose to let myself dream big, I choose to continue to change, to evolve, to learn, and to push through the hard things in life, and I chose to live my best life. I wish this for all of us.

Tap, tap, tap.

February 08, 2014
Carbs have been calling out to me all week, but I'm not answering. Right now, I'd love to bite into a fresh baked goodie, but I'm not going to. Instead, I'm tapping those thoughts away. Today was my first day of training for a 10k run and I want to run an incredible race far more than I want to eat a baked treat. 
The gym was packed and my treadmill was acting weird, but I kept  running.
At the end of a stressful day at work, one of my friends called to see if I could meet her at the gym and I did. When we arrived at the gym it was packed. There were only 2 treadmills open next to each other, so we quickly jumped on them. I was running for about a minute when I noticed something odd was happening. I felt like I was going to slide right off the treadmill. I wasn't sure if it was my sneakers, the treadmill, or if something was wrong with my equilibrium. I turned the machine off and on again twice, before I decided to keep going.

One of the things that keeps me motivated on the treadmill is talking with one of my friends while I'm running. We each go at our own pace and at the same time catch up on our lives. So when I realized there was something wrong with my treadmill, I really didn't want to move to another machine. We looked around the room for other options and my friend noticed an empty machine had an "out of order" sign on it. I looked up at the top of my treadmill and I saw a sliver of paper pushed to the backside of the machine. I flipped the paper over and read "Equipment out of order. Sorry for any inconvenience."

Ah - so it wasn't me - it was the machine! I decided to run slower and stay on the treadmill. The fact that I was running at all outweighed everything else. I held tight to the hand grips and cranked up the level so I could run faster without feeling like I was going to slip off the machine. I always run with my hands by my side and holding on felt odd. I silenced Jillian Michaels voice yelling at me to get my hands off NOW, like she does with her clients on the Biggest Loser.

Every few minutes I felt as though I was falling off the machine, but I decided to treat this like a bumpy trail and I kept going. I enjoyed catching up with my friend and before I knew it thirty minutes had passed.

I'm fortunate that my friends call me to go to the gym with them. The reality is that a week ago I set myself up for this call. I had told my friend I was going to the gym after work this week, lunchtime hasn't been an option lately, and she agreed to spontaneously call if she wanted to join me. Today's call to take me up on my offer is what got me to the gym. My gym clothes were in my office since Tuesday and I hadn't gone to the gym all week. See, when we put these kind of thoughts out into the universe we get what we asked for; I asked for a friend to workout with and the friend appeared.

I love being able to run to relieve the stress and after a minute on the treadmill, my body and soul agreed that was running was exactly what I needed to do today. I love feeling this good. I love my life the way it is and no carb can beat feeling this good. Three years ago none of this was true. I could barely walk for five minutes, never mind run 3-6 miles.

About those carb cravings. Tap, tap, tap - I push them out of my mind. I also use one of Julie's suggestions: I tell myself "I want to not want it." Both techniques help me get past the carb cravings, as they have for the past 3 years.

I am going to keep pushing forward. I'm staying in the river. I'm staying on my weight loss journey.

What's happening on your weight loss journey? Are you staying focused? What are you doing to stay the course?

February 06, 2014
Today was perfect for cooking in the crock pot while working on other things at home. Due to the heavy snowfall, I didn't have to go into the office, so I made this crock pot balsamic chicken recipe. I just ate it for lunch and the chicken was so tender and flavorful it is on my list of dishes to make again. As late in the day as it is, it was well worth the 4 hour wait!
Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken (dark items are basil)
Ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 3 garlic cloves minced)
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1/3 cup fresh chopped basil)
  • 2 teaspoons dried minced onion (or 1/3 cup fresh minced onion)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (about 24 ounces)
  • sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley
Directions

1. Combine these spices in a small bowl:
  • garlic
  • basil
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • onion
I used fresh garlic, onion, and basil.
2. Spread the above spices on both sides of the chicken and then set chicken aside. 
Spread spices on both sides of chicken.
3. Pour olive oil and fresh garlic on the bottom of the crock pot. 
Olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar with measuring spoons and knife.
4. Place chicken on top of olive oil and garlic. 

5. Pour balsamic vinegar over the chicken.  
Chicken coated with garlic and basil in crock pot, olive oil and garlic on bottom, and balsamic vinegar on top.
6. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.  

7. Before serving, sprinkle fresh parsley on top (optional). I didn't have parsley, so I added freeze-dried chives.

Photos by Theresa.

February 05, 2014
I'm been writing this blog for two and a half years now and I can't believe that I have yet to add my homemade chicken soup recipe. I have many variations of this soup, but when I made this last week it was hands-down the best chicken soup I've ever made.
My homemade chicken soup.
I'm going to tell you how to make this recipe in the way my grandma would have told me one of her recipes. Instead of listing how much of each ingredient and each step, I'll tell you about the different ways I prepare the chicken and broth, and then give you veggie options.

How to Prepare the Chicken

There are a 2 methods I use for having cooked chicken to add to chicken broth:
  1. Cook a package of boneless chicken breasts (2-4) in chicken broth and add veggies.
  2. Pull the meat off the bones of a whole cooked chicken (store bought or one you cooked) and add chicken to the soup a few minutes before serving.
For the soup I made last week, I bought a whole cooked chicken. I cut off the breasts, which I used to make Chicken Parmesan that night. While my chicken Parmesan was baking, I removed the rest of the chicken from the bones, put that chicken in the refrigerator to add to the soup later, intentionally leaving some meat on the bones, and then I placed the bones in a crock pot.

I added a box of chicken broth and thin slices of fresh ginger root to the crock pot. Ground ginger will work also, I prefer fresh.

I set the crock pot on low around 10pm and I left it on until about 6am.

Whatever method you choose for obtaining cooked chicken, set it aside or refrigerate it to add after all the veggies are cooked (or a few minutes before serving). It's your call as to how you want the chicken cut. I prefer to shred my chicken, but you may cut it into cubes or slices.

Best Broth to Use

The best broth for any soup is one you made yourself, but I usually add boxed organic chicken broth.
Use any broth you have on hand, canned, boxed, fresh, or pull broth your homemade broth from the freezer. I haven't used bouillon cubes, but this is also an option.

After cooking, pull the chicken from the bones and cook the meaty bones in broth overnight, I pulled everything from the crock pot in the morning and separated the chicken, bones and the broth. The chicken was added to the other chicken I refrigerated the night before.

I refrigerated the broth in a separate container, because I finished making the soup when I got home from work that night. The broth gelled in the refrigerator, which allowed me to easily remove the hardened fat from the top before adding it to my soup.

Vegetables

The best veggies to add to this soup are the ones you like best. I added fresh carrots, onion, and garlic, and frozen corn.

Use your judgement on the amount of vegetables. Keep in mind you need equal or more chicken than veggies.

Finishing the Soup
  1. Add a small amount of olive oil to a soup pan and caramelize 1 onion sliced or chopped (I like big pieces of onion). 
  2. Add the chicken broth to the caramelized onion.
  3. Add 2-4 carrots sliced.
  4. Add thin slivers of fresh ginger (or ground - either is optional).
  5. Cover the pan.
  6. After the veggies are cooked, add frozen corn and the chicken.
  7. Once the chicken and corn are piping hot the soup is ready serve.
  8. Top the bowl of soup with fresh parsley or your favorite herb.
What's for lunch? My leftover homemade chicken soup of course!
January 27, 2015 Update

For the past three days I've been cooking chicken soup and I swear it's the best chicken soup I've ever made. I wanted to make sure I have my chicken soup recipe on this blog and sure enough here it is (above). On February 2, 2014 I also said I'd just made my best homemade soup ever.

Grandma would agree that today's chicken soup (photo below) is my best because it's an organic chicken and because after roasting the chicken I put the carcass and bones in a crock pot overnight to make the broth. Adding slices of fresh ginger root was brilliant too. This was well worth waiting three days!
Organic chicken soup
Ingredients in the soup above: whole organic chicken, 1 onion, 1/3 cup grated carrot, 1/3 cup peas, slices of fresh ginger, 3 minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper.

Directions
  1. Roast whole organic chicken, cool and refrigerate chicken overnight.
  2. The next day, remove the bones and carcass from the chicken.
  3. Refrigerate chicken pieces.
  4. Place chicken bones and carcass in a crock pot with 2 cups of water, cover and set on low for 10-12 hours.
  5. Let broth cool, remove the bones and carcass, and refrigerate broth overnight.
  6. The next day, skim the chicken fat off the broth.
  7. Add sliced onion and garlic to the bottom of a big pan and saute until onions are soft. I added a small amount of the chicken fat from the stock to the onions so they wouldn't burn.
  8. When the onions are soft, pour the broth into the pan, add carrots, ginger, salt and pepper.
  9. Set burner to low for a few hours.
  10. Turn burner up to medium, add peas and chicken slices.
  11. Once the peas and chicken are hot, server and enjoy!

Photos by Theresa

February 05, 2014
It's that time of year when people start to fall off their diets. New food habits start to slip and exercise goes, well, where does it go? I've been following Julie's way of eating for 3 years now, as of a few days ago, and my food habits are not slipping at all. However, the single digit temperatures in January was just the excuse I was looking for to avoid exercising. Sigh. Any excuse not to exercise is a BAD EXCUSE. Exercise keeps us healthy and energized. So, what's a girl to do to get motivated to start moving? Sign up for the Tortoise and the Hare 10K of course!
Tortoise and the Hare 10K run on April 19.
Why would I do this? Because I can. I ran the Hot Chocolate 5k in Dec. 2013 and in 2011 I finished in the exact same time. I didn't train for the 2013 race and later I wondered how much better my timing would have been if I had trained.

To motivate myself to get back on the track, or the treadmill until it's a little warmer outside, I decided to kick things up by committing to run a 10k in April. I talked with my running buddy Aime and she too is up for the challenge. In fact, she found this race after we talked. I know I can walk the distance, so I'm not worried about finishing the race. Signing up to run a 10k encourages me to get my running shoes on and start training so I can do my best time for this race. It gives me motivation to get moving. Any excuse to get moving is a GOOD EXCUSE.

What about you? Do you have a plan for exercise this week? What can you do to get moving and keep moving? Make a plan and follow Nike's advise: just do it! I'd love to hear what you're doing to keep up with your exercise - what motivates you to keep moving?

BTW, if you haven't made the Caramelized Onion & Sausage Stuffing recipe yet - try it this week! I made it this morning and I just had it for lunch a few minutes ago - yummy! This is a nice warm and flavorful dish to make in the dead of winter. Having plenty of leftovers for lunch this week is great too. While the dish was cooling, I updated the recipe with more photos.
February 02, 2014
Are you on the wait list to see Julie and wondering what you should do while you're waiting for your first session? I received an email asking this very question. Below is my response, but first, I have this to say: it is worth the wait!
Jan. 2014 vs May 2009 - it's worth the wait!
The email:
I made an appointment with Julie at the Hypnosis Center. I know that it is a 3-4 month waiting list, but I felt I had to do it. I went to a wedding this past weekend and saw myself in some of the photos and OMG. I look like a big mountain with a little head. I am saving up for my visits but feel very encouraged as she seems to have a high success rate. Do you have any advise for me between now and April?
Recommendations:
  • Go into Julie's classes with an open mind.
  • Do not go on an eating binge between now and a few minutes before you start the program. 
  • Do not do any further research about this program. You know what you needed to know to make the call. You're better off knowing very little about the program before your first class. Don't go looking for blogs or social media either.
  • If you want to do something while you're waiting, do one or all of these suggestions:
  1. Eat less sugar now. 
  2. Think about why you want this (to lose weight) and what your goals are.
  3. Look for others your height and body type who are the size you'd like to be. Before you go to sleep and first thing in the morning, visualize yourself the size you want to be. 
  4. Repeat all of the above daily.
Those of you reading this blog who have not finished all 3 classes with Julie, don't read anymore of this blog or other social until you've attended all 3 classes. The less you know about the program when you begin, the better. Seriously.
January 22, 2014
This Chicken Parmesan recipe came from Alanna. This afternoon I decided tonight was the night to make my own version of this recipe. Since I had bought a whole cooked chicken at lunch, I just cut the breasts off the cooked chicken and added the mayonnaise dressing from this recipe. Thirty minutes later it was nice a brown and dinner was ready. It was easy and fast. I have one piece leftover for tomorrow. Two delicious meals done at one pop.
My version of Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
  • 6 chicken breasts
  • 1 cup light mayonnaise or Greek yogurt 
  • 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Spray the inside of a 9x13 glass pan.  
  3. Lay the chicken inside the pan.
  4. Mix mayonnaise with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over each piece of chicken.
  6. Be sure to cover all exposed raw meat or it will dry out.
  7. Sprinkle fresh Parmesan over all the chicken.
  8. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. 
Recipe adapted from: My Kitchen Escapades
January 21, 2014
After my first class with Julie, I stopped eating breakfast. For the first few months I didn't even drink coffee. Then one day I discovered hot foamy milk and from that point forward I added coffee back into my morning routine. Once in a while I have breakfast with one of my brother's on the weekend, but most days I'm just not hungry in the morning so I skip breakfast. For three years this has been my routine. That is until a few days ago. My appetite has changed.
Breakfast - it's new to me. Photo by Theresa.
My change of appetite started on Friday morning when I ate a few meatballs at 8am. I had cooked meatballs in the crock pot overnight and when I first got up I turned them off and put the crock on the stove to cool. I decided to have a few meatballs with my last cup of coffee and went on with my day. At noon, as I pulled my car out of my garage, I wondered what I would do about lunch. I wasn't hungry and I knew I wouldn't have another chance to eat until dinner. I decided not to worry about this. I was a little hungry about 2:30, so I had a cup of coffee and I tapped away the hunger.

I first noticed my appetite change on Saturday. I tried to write about this in my piece An Unplanned Day. While writing, I pondered what this change meant. Would it continue or was it just a day off kind of fluke? I thought if I wrote about the details of my day, I might see something that caused this change. I couldn't find the cause, so I kept writing and at the end of the day, I saved my post as a draft. The conclusion I was seeking was not surfacing.

On Sunday morning I made sausage and egg muffins and had 2 for breakfast. Once again I was not hungry until dinner time. Last night was the same - no lunch and I didn't eat dinner until 8pm. This morning I popped the last 2 egg muffins in the oven as I made my coffee. Breakfast once again.

Is this a change in my metabolism? Is this a new pattern for me that I'll be following from now on? I still don't see what triggered this change in my appetite, but I'm embracing this change.  This morning, I am not bringing lunch with me. If hunger hits, I can go get something to eat. I want to run with this new pattern of eating and see what comes of it.

Have any of you experienced this kind of change in your appetite?
January 21, 2014
Plans don't always unfold as smoothly as we hope. Things change and suddenly our schedules are turned upside down. We have the opportunity to go with the flow and let go of what our calendar says we were supposed to do. Regardless of the outcome, we always have the option to stay the course with our weight loss program.
 Standing on the porch of my Wickford dream home. 01/17/14.
I made plans weeks ago to meet Mary, whom I visited in Italy last spring, while she was in Rhode Island this week. A few days before she left Long Beach, a health issue came up with one of her relatives and I was on stand-by for details as to when we would get together. Mid-week I still hadn't heard from her and, tick-tock, tick-tock, time was running out. 

Thursday morning and still nothing from Mary, so I decided to take Friday off anyway. Thursday night we connected and agreed to meet at 2:30 at her friend Beth's house. I still didn't know how long our visit would be, what we were doing, or if others would be joining us.

On Friday I got up at 6:30am, made a pot of coffee, and enjoyed my morning coffee vegging out online and watching an Episode of Dexter. While waiting for my milk to froth, I pulled meatballs from my crockpot to cool. I don't usually have breakfast, but about 8 am I felt hungry, so I ate a couple meatballs with my last cup of coffee.

I'm not sure where the time went, but suddenly it was past noon and time for me to hit the road. A few miles from Beth's house I stopped at DnD for a coffee. I about eating something, but I didn't feel that hungry. I was hungrier than I thought, because as I walked toward the door, I was tempted to turn around and ask if I could have the bacon the guy who ordered after me said he didn't want on his sandwich.

Tap, tap, tap. Keep walking.

Mary and I walked through the historic town of Wickford, a familiar place to us, as we grew up in a nearby town. We often come to Wickford when she's in town. Sometimes we shop for antiques or jewelry, perhaps even have lunch. This time we walked to the pier and then explored the neighborhood of homes built in the late 1700's. I didn't pull out my iPhone to take photos until we saw this beautiful new home, which is so new that, according to the sign on the windows, the finish on the wooden floors were still wet.
My Wickford dream house. Hey, a girl's gotta have a dream!
Mary and I walked all around the outside of this house, peeked through the tall doors and windows, and imagined what life would be like living in such a magnificent house on a dead-end street, with water surrounding 2 sides of the property, a dream kitchen with ocean view windows, and a two-car garage with a studio above. "I'd live there" Mary said about the studio. She was not joking.

Our friend Beth called to let us know she had arrived, so we rushed into town to meet her and then we took her to see our house. Beth was confused. "Wait, who's going to buy it?" she asked. Beth didn't know about this game that Mary and I have played for decades when we do these kinds of walks.
Mary and Beth, friend from my childhood.
Three years ago this much walking would have been too much for me to endure. I would not have been able to walk around like this for 2 hours. I would have missed spending time outdoors exploring new and old homes with my friends. I also would have had dinner with Mary's family and eaten everything served, including desert.

Earlier in the day, I arranged to have dinner with my sister-in-law. I knew I'd be quite hungry by dinner time and I wanted to be in an environment where I would have healthy food options. At the restaurant, everything that looked key friendly was coated with flour or breadcrumbs. After hearing me ask so many questions, the waitress asked if I had food allergies. "No," I told her, "I don't eat carbs." I then ordered steak with bay scallops. Lucky for me the waitress, informed me the scallops were breaded and suggested I have them broiled. Wow, I hadn't thought to ask if they would be breaded. Note to self: never stop asking questions about how food is prepared.

For a day with no plans, this day turned out quite nice. I went with the flow. I focused on being in the moment. I let myself feel hunger and I tapped it away. I asked questions about my food options and I made healthy choices. I intentionally fit exercise into my day with friends.

In front of my computer that night, I was happy to see my Fitbit statistics: 12,640 steps! Since the cold weather and snow arrived, my daily average has been between 4,000 to 6,000, far below my daily goal of 10,000.
Fitbit statistics for Friday - yeah I met my 10,000 step goal and then some!

We choose from moment to moment what we want to do with our time and energy. We can plan all we want, but sometimes the best of plans turn out different. With each decision, we affirm our priorities and we move closer to or goals. These are the kinds of decisions each we get to make every day. It all boils down to this one question: how do you want to live your life?

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

What choices are you making today that are helping you reach your goal size?
An unplanned day lead me to this house. Where's your day taking you?
January 20, 2014
This recipe has been on my list to make all week and this morning I finally made them. The original recipe calls for a dozen eggs, but since I'm cooking for just me, I cut back on the eggs and adapted the recipe based on the ingredients I had available. I ate two for breakfast and they were delicious. I put the other four 'muffins' in the refrigerator and I'll enjoy them tomorrow. The other two are going in the freezer.
Sausage Egg Muffins
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound ground pork sausage (or other protein)
  • 6 eggs, beaten (remove the yolk from 2 eggs)
  • 1/2 cup onions and peppers (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 can (4 ounce) chopped green chilies peppers, drained (oops, I forgot to add these)
  • 1 large garlic clove minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste (optional) or or 1 teaspoon Borsari (original) seasoning salt
Directions
Prep counter.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Gather all your ingredients as oven warms up.
3. Lightly butter 6 large muffin cups.
Brown sausage
4. Cook sausage and crumble it as it cooks.
5. Add onions and peppers when sausage starts to brown.
6. When the sausage is evenly brown, drain, and cool.
7. In a large bowl, mix eggs, remaining ingredients and sausage.
Pour mixture into muffin cups.
8. Spoon sausage mixture evenly into each prepared muffin cup.


9. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
10. Insert a toothpick into each 'muffin.'
11. Eggs are done when toothpick comes out clean.

Options
  • Use a Misto olive oil sprayer to oil each tin instead of butter. Either way, you only need a small amount, so they will be easier to remove from the pan without breaking apart.
  • Add leftover veggies veggies such as mushroom, broccoli, etc.
  • Add a sprinkle of feta, Parmesan, mozzarella other other cheese to the top of each muffin as you serve them.
  • Instead of creating an egg mixture, layer all the ingredients and then pour the egg mixture into each tin.
  • Add a tablespoon of mix to the egg mixture. This makes the texture of the muffins softer.
  • Use mini muffin tins instead of full-size tins. I did this recently and brought them to a party and people loved them.
  • Other filling options: crab meat, mushrooms, black olives, green chilies, (I found a can of black olives with green chilies and these muffins were incredible), onions, the list could go on and on, just be creative! 
  • When you have a small amount of leftover meat or veggies, freeze them  so you have them ready the next time you want to make these egg muffins.
January 20, 2014
I made this tonight and it was great - unfortunately everyone thought so, so I don't have any leftovers! Next time I buy a bigger roast!
Balsamic Roast Beef
Prep time:
Cook time:
Serves: 6-8

This Balsamic Roast Beef Recipe is simple and delicious. You'll definitely want left overs of this roast beef recipe for all those scrumptious leftover meals!

Ingredients
  • 1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef (chuck or round roast)
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
Instructions
  1. Place roast beef into the insert of your slow cooker. 
  2. In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix together all remaining ingredients. 
  3. Pour over roast beef and set the timer for your slow cooker: 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
  4. Once roast beef is cooked, remove it from slow cooker with tongs to a serving dish. 
  5. Break apart lightly with two forks and then ladle about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of gravy over roast beef.
  6. Store remaining gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another use.
Notes
  • If you prefer a more pronounced flavor, once the roast beef has been removed, use a fat separator on the gravy and then pour the gravy into a saucepan over medium heat. 
  • Simmer until the gravy has reduced by half - I highly recommend this, as it definitely enhances the flavor (note from Alanna).


Recipe & Picture by Cooking | Add a Pinch | Robyn Stone
January 17, 2014