Since I began this weight loss journey four years ago, I've lost a lot of things: about hundred pounds and a lot of aches and pains and swollen body parts. Inspired by my physical changes, I lost my glasses, I had Lasik eye surgery, and I lost about 12 inches of my hair. But I've found far more than I've lost on this journey: I've found a life abundant with energy and motivation.

Changes along the way: Dec. 2011  |  June 2013  |  April 2015
Things I've lost
  • Nine sizes and about 100 pounds
  • Back and hip pain 
  • Swollen legs, ankles, and hands
  • Shortness of breath
  • Prescription glasses
  • About 12 inches of hair
  • My chance of becoming diabetic
Things I Found
  • Motivation
  • Energy
  • Health
  • Endurance 
  • Attitude
  • My ability to be physically active
  • Awareness that change is an option every day
  • Creativity
Every one of these losses and gains were well worth the effort. This journey isn't just about losing weight, it's about making changes to live life to the fullest, something my obese body didn't allow me to do. As I evolve my weight loss program, by listening to my body and what it needs, I'm excited knowing my goal size is ahead and with this I will find even more in my life.

What about you? What have you lost and found on your weight loss journey? What more do you hope to find?

Stay on your weight loss journey and see what more life has in store for you. If you've taken a side trip—get back on the main road—right now. No matter how long it takes, stay the course and change your life.

If not now-then when? And why not now? Skip the psychological battle with yourself—just do it! Your life is waiting for you.

April 2015 vs September 2010

April 28, 2015
I haven't posted lately on here. Life has been so busy!

I have a few weeks off from my job at the bakery as we rest up and gear up to a busy summer season with farmers markets (yup, still working at a bakery and staying on program). So I decided to clean out my closet. YUK!  Hate that job!

Anyway, while digging through my closet, way back, in the dark recesses of the closet, I found some clothes.  I had put these clothes away when I first started on Julie's program. These clothes were hidden to remind me of where I was.

Well, first horror, absolute HORROR! Then giggles started in my room!!!!

First is a picture of me with a bathing suit that I thought helped me look THINNER!!!!
Linda standing inside one side of swimsuit
I am actually standing inside one side of that bathing suit! What in the world was I thinking when I wore it!!!!

Next is me with my favorite size 28 jumper!!!
This jumper was tight on me when I used to wear it
Was that really me? PLUS that jumper and that bathing suit were tight on me when I wore them!!!!

My husband and I just got back from a trip! This next picture was a thrill for me!!! I USED TO NEED A SEAT BELT EXTENDER!!!

No more seat belt extensions when I fly
I had fun that day I cleaned out my closet! Then, I carefully put away those old clothes away for another day when I will pull them out again and remember where I came from.

One thing I noticed, my whole total thought process has changed. On all the other plans I have been on, I always, and I mean always, no matter how I stuck to those plans, deep in my mind, I always doubted loosing all my weight and keeping it off.

This time as I played with those sad old clothes, I noticed, there is no doubt in my mind, whatsoever, that I will never gain the weight back again. This program is so ingrained in me, I live it and breathe it. It has become me!

I am 1 or 2 sizes away from my goal. I am looking forward to beginning the maintenance process when I reach that goal.

This has been a journey of intense patience, learning, laughter, tears, victories, soul searching. I have made so many new friends on this journey and shared so much with people!

How are all of you doing?

Everyone's journey is different and unique to themselves! We really do have the tools!!! I have discovered that so many times over and over again!!!

DO NOT DOUBT YOURSELVES, YOU REALLY DO KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!

I will close with another picture:
Half her size, Linda is happier in her skin than ever before
The woman who wore that suit is long gone! I feel like a butterfly who has hatched!

I will never have the perfect body (that is a whole other blog post), but I am so much happier in my skin than I have ever been before!!!!
April 09, 2015
Milk: is it the final frontier? Are you mindful of the amount of fats you take in a day? How often do you eat chicken wings, bacon, or cold cuts? Are you eating more cheese and yogurt than we're allowed? How much milk do you drink in a day? Seriously--stop and think about this--do you eat more fat than you should in a day or a week? How much is too much? You know how much is too much, but okay, let's go there...if Julie spent the entire day with you, would you change your food choices?

Up until recently, I drank 3 cups of coffee every morning, but in early March I increased my coffee consumption to 7-8 cups a day. Coffee wasn't my concern, because my mug is only half filled with coffee. My concern was the amount of hot foamy milk I added to each cup of coffee.

I put a half cup of milk in my frother and after it foams up I add it to my coffee. This equals 1½ cups of milk, which isn't a problem. That is unless I'm drinking 7-8 cups of coffee, which adds up to 3½-4 cups of milk per day. That's a whole lot of fat and that's a problem, especially considering I was also eating too much cheese and yogurt, and I wasn't exercising. Now we're talking about a big fat problem.

In addition to the amount of fat in milk–milk turns to sugar*, which is probably why I started drinking so much milk. I was using hot and foamy milk as a way to deal with stress. No amount of milk, cheese, or yogurt will resolve stress. I know this, but for nearly a month, I battled with myself and continued on with my milk, cheese, and yogurt party.

As my clothes began to feel tight I had an epiphany: Milk is the thing between me and my size 8's. I can't let a little thing like milk get in my way. It's all about the math:
No exercise + extra fat = no weight loss or weight gain.
Wait, wait, back up. Did I just say out loud that my clothes were feeling tight? Yes, I did. It was a frightful feeling that I walked around with for about a week. I freaked out. I pondered. I freaked out.

I didn't talk about it because I didn't dare. I've been doing this program for over four years and I have never had this happen: my clothes have always become loser–never tighter! I was following the program, so why were my clothes getting tighter? I had to work out the answer by myself, which is precisely what I did.

I realized I could no longer drink that much milk, and that I had to stop eating cheese and yogurt. I realized I had not been following the program.

On March 28th I decided the party was over. The next morning I cut back to 5 cups of coffee a day and five days later I cut back to two cups a day. I also broke up with yogurt and cheese. I have Parmesan in the house for meatballs and meatloaf only. When I eat out I ask them to hold the cheese. If an item comes with cheese, I will eat it, but I don't ask for it.

I looked to see where else I was eating too much fat in my diet. I don't eat chicken wings often, perhaps once a month or less. If you're eating wings several times a week, you may want to reconsider, as there isn't much chicken on them and there's a whole lot of fat. I haven't bought bacon in a long time, but I decided to no longer order bacon on my burgers. I was eating a lot of fatty meats and mystery meats. I'm stepping away from the deli counter, as I was eating bologna and salami far too often. I'm also pulling back on deli coleslaw and focusing on green veggies. I sauté kale with onions and garlic a couple times a week. It's really yummy and my new favorite vegetable.

I made one more change: I started walking again. I joined a 7am Saturday morning walking group last Saturday. I walked by myself on Sunday and Monday. On Wednesday I discovered I had lost my FitBit and by Friday I realized I had also lost my motivation to walk. Yesterday morning when I joined my walking group, I used an iPhone app to track my distance. I used the app again later that morning when I walked another 45 minutes with my friend and her dog and again when I mall walked. By the end of the day I walked a total of 11,373 steps (4.90 miles).

I'm determined nothing is going to get in my way of reaching my goal size eight this year, so on my way home last night, I picked up a FitBit Charge. My FitBit keeps me motivated plus one of the features of the Charge is it cheers you when you reach your daily goal. Who doesn't love getting cheered? It vibrates, so nobody but you knows. LOL!

This morning I walked 12,900 steps (5.56 miles) as I talked with a friend who walked in Long Beach, CA. It feels great to be walking again. Size eight–here I come!

How about you? What's in your way that's keeping you from reaching your goal? If you've been stuck in the same size, it may be time to take stock of what you're eating and how much activity you're doing.

It's time to spring into action and remove any obstacles between you and your goal size.

*Confused about milking turning to sugar in our bodies? Here's a few articles that explain this:
April 05, 2015
This recipe and photo comes to us from key-friends Andrea and Emily. Use this homemade mayo the same way you use jarred mayo. Andrea kicked things up a bit by adding garlic and grey poupon and dill to add a little more flavor to her egg salad.
Important Tip: about 1.5 hours before you're going to make this mayo, set out your eggs, lemon, and mustard, so they are reach room temperature when you begin to make this recipe.

Ingredients
  • 2 whole pastured eggs
  • 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. prepared mustard
  • 2 cups light olive oil (not a vegetable blend)
Directions
  1. Blend eggs, vinegar, salt, and mustard in a food processor or an immersion blender
  2. While machine is running, VERY SLOWLY add oil.
  3. Continue until all of the oil has been added and the eggs and oil have formed an emulsion or Mayonnaise. 
  4. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
  5. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Original recipe source: Homemade Mayonnaise
March 23, 2015
The question for today is: To Refresh or Not Refresh? Many of you want to know "is it required to go to a refresher?" and "why should I go to one?" The later is a question that only you can answer for yourself. There are various opinions on this--but no, it is not required. I've written a handful of blog posts about my experiences, so today we'll hear what our key-friend Elise has to say about refreshers.

I definitely think refreshers can be useful for folks. For many, I think just hearing Julie's powerful voice is helpful. For others, hearing a repeat of the rules and making a re-commitment to the process is necessary. I even think that, sometimes, making the appointment and committing the funds is enough to keep folks on track.

Here's an elaboration on why I haven't been to one:
  1. I'm lazy. Booking it, waiting for it, and then going all take energy.
  2. It is kind of expensive, although that's OK with me.
  3. Julie said she gave us everything in the first sessions.
When I have had questions or doubts, I sit down and think it through. I decided that if I am ever going to resolve my yo-yo weight, I need to get to a place of peace with myself. I have to learn to read my body and I have to learn to make my own decisions.

 So, I have very consciously and deliberately worked through struggles and quandaries with the goal of using the tools Julie gave me to get to the end.

 Here's an example: my first year on Key, I was at a plateau. I was frustrated and upset. In the past, I would have handled this by saying 'screw it' and bingeing. But, this time, I thought about how my body needed to heal and reabsorb blood vessels and extra cells that had been necessary when I had more weight on me.

 I looked at my eating and thought through the rules and whether or not I was following them. I found some areas that I was being excessive in (um, like drinking a 1/2 gallon of whole milk every day)!

 I changed my routine, stopped obsessing...and started losing weight again!

 Getting through that was empowering. It made me feel like, yeah, I really can do this! That, in turn, fed my confidence and good behavior.

 Ultimately, each cycle and each time I worked through my issues I was creating new habits. In other words, each time I work through something I am practicing Julie's principle of example. If I had gone to refreshers, I would have been relying on Julie for that power instead of believing in myself.

  For little things, it was helpful to also work through it in my head...
Was I really hungry or was I just eating because it tasted good?
Was I really using cheese like a condiment or was I pushing the envelope? 
I didn't want someone telling me the answer. I wanted to retrain my body and my mind to work together, honestly and in synchronicity, to reach the same answers to all the questions I had (and I will continue to have).

 But, I also think I've had it easy compared to others. I barely have cravings and I've been lucky enough to escape super long plateaus.

 To refresh or not refresh...it's a personal question custom to each person's experience.
Hmmm, I don't know about you, but I can relate to Elsie's comment about finding "areas that I was being excessive" far more than I care to admit. This in of itself is a reason you may be on a plateau. Proceed with cation if this is the case. Elsie's suggestion to "stop obsessing" is also wise wisdom!

Related Stories

March 18, 2015
Key-friend Gail Ann, who made up this recipe, says "With this diet we have to become creative. Play around with the recipe. I may use turnip next time." It's this kind of willingness that helps us succeed on this program. Thanks for sharing your recipe and your photos Gail Ann!

Ingredients
  • 2-1/4 lbs of uncooked cod chopped in blender
  • 1 head of cauliflower steamed and mashed with a pat of butter
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • A bunch of fresh dill chopped
  • 1 egg plus 1 egg white whisked
  • Salt, pepper, celery salt, paprika
Instructions
  1. Mix all together and make little patties. 
  2. Bake 375 on greased cookie sheet for about 20 minutes per side until nicely browned.
March 14, 2015
This is a recipe I've been making for over a year now and I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe before now. I take a shortcut by using frozen shrimp that comes with pats of herb butter. I know I could make this completely from scratch, but this shrimp goes on sale a lot, so I use my shortcut. I've perfected this recipe and highly recommend it.
You may want to double this recipe, as I eat this all by myself. Also, be mindful of your protein to veggie ratio and adjust the recipe accordingly or have additional meat on the side.
 
Ingredients
  • 1 package of Bumble Bee Lemon Shrimp with Garlic & Herb - see image below
  • 1 medium sized zucchini (or yellow squash)
  • 2 cubes of frozen basil (or 2 teaspoon of fresh basil) - see image below
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Black pepper
 Directions
  1. Use a spirooli to turn your zucchini into "noodles" (see image below) and keep them nearby to add later to the shrimp. 
  2. Place shrimp in skillet or wok - do not pre-heat pan - and set burner to medium-high. Do not add the butter to the pan yet.
  3. Cook shrimp for 4 minutes, turning frequently.
  4. Leaving the liquid from in the pan, pull the shrimp out of the pan and place in a bowl and put to the side for now.
  5. Add the 4 pats of butter to the liquid in the pan, as this will turn into a delicious broth.
  6. Add red pepper flakes and black pepper on top of the butter.
  7. Stir frequently as the butter melts.
  8. As the butter is melts, peel the skin off the shrimp.
  9. When the butter is almost all melted, add the zucchini noodles to the pan.
  10. Continue to stir for about a minute and then add the shrimp.
  11. The shrimp only need to cook about a minute longer, until they are no longer pink, and the noodles should be done about the same time as the shrimp.
  12. Pour shrimp, noodles, and broth into a bowl with the broth.
  13. Optional: sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top.

March 11, 2015
I'm not referring to icy walking conditions when I say watch your step. I'm taking about not stepping on the scale, because that one step can lead to a major slide on your weight loss journey. The urge to get on the scale can be as strong as the urge to eat sugar (or any non-key food). Avoid getting on the scale using the same technique you use to avoid eating sugar: push away urges to get on the scale.

I kept my scale all these years because it was because the most beautiful and the most expensive scale I'd ever owned. Sad, but true. Once in a while I was aware of my scale resting between the bathroom cabinet and the wall, but I never stepped on it once I started this weight loss journey.

That beautiful scale, by the way, is no longer in my bathroom and guess what? I have no memory of who I gave it to or when. None. Zippo. Once in a while I look at that empty space between the bathroom cabinet and the wall and I wonder: why on earth did I keep that scale for so long?

There were many times that I was dying to know my weight and I was fortunate my home scale never tempted me. I coached my nurse practitioner and her staff really well, so they never accidentally told me anything weight related. I really wanted to ask two questions, but I didn't dare ask: Am I under 200 pounds yet? and Have I dropped a hundred pounds?

A recent 'incident' answered both questions for me. Trust me, you are better off not knowing such answers. If you stumble or fall and suddenly the number is in front of you: don't share it with others and forget it as quickly as you can. This sounds easier said than done, but if you don't repeat the number you don't see the number over and over. This is especially true if you post the number in social media- don't share the number with anyone.

By the way, you will not lose all the knowledge you learned from Julie because you saw your weight, whether you sought the number out or it was revealed to you accidentally. It's what you do after knowing the number that determines what happens next in your weight loss journey, so don't repeat the number - just move on. Use the situation as a reminder as to why you should stay off the scale.

Why shouldn't you get on the scale? Because seeing how much you weigh messes with you head and can lead to a big setback on your weight loss journey. There are more reasons than this, but do you really need more reasons than this? No you don't, but let me simplify this for you...

Step on the scale and you risk telling yourself one of two things:
I'm doing so well; I deserve a treat! OR 
I may as well give up, no matter what I eat this weight isn't coming off.
Regardless of what the scale reads, the truth is this:
if you stay on the course you are on - you will continue to lose weight.
Watch your step - don't get on the scale. If you have a scale in your house and it's calling your name, do something with that scale right now.

Push back on those urges to get on the scale and they will go away--or as I like to say: tap, tap, tap. Share your non-scale victories - these are the stories to share with others - stories of you success. See earlier blog posts of non-scale victories in the related stories list below.

Allow yourself to reach your goal size and to live the rest of your life focusing on living instead of worrying about a number on a scale. You can do this!

Related Stories 
March 11, 2015
Veggie crust pizzas are the rage these days, so I'm posting yet another pizza recipe. This one uses spaghetti squash for the crust. I've only made meat crust pizza, but one fine day I will try making these other pizzas, so I'm posting this recipe for easy reference.  You'll need a knife and fork to eat this pizza.
Key-contributor Megan made this recently and here's what she had to say:
Definitely tasty. I added lots of meat to offset the spaghetti squash and small amount of sauce that I used. It was crisp around the edges but the middle was mushy. I'd definitely make it again and hopefully get it more crisp. I flipped the crust, but I think I made it too thick in the middle.
Megan and her husband Lou teamed up and make this pizza again and here's an update from Megan...
Lou's pesto was the key! I sautéed onion and red peppers in olive oil. Added cooked grilled chicken and pesto and warmed it through. Brushed the crust with pesto, added the topping and some cheese. OMG, this is the most delicious meal I've had in a long time! I have to make myself stop eating!
Cook Time
1 hour 15 minutes

Crust Ingredients 
Modify herbs to suit your taste

  • 1 medium/large spaghetti squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten (or you may use 2 egg white)
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp oregano, dried
  • 1 tsp parsley, dried
Topping Ingredients
Modify ingredients to suit your taste
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1/4 diced onion
  • 1/4 cup pizza sauce
  • 1 cup fresh torn spinach
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Bacon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
  2. Cut spaghetti squash in half with a large, sharp knife. 
  3. Remove seeds and stringy guts, and brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. 
  4. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. 
  5. Place spaghetti squash, cut side down, on an aluminum-lined baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45-60 minutes. 
  6. Test if your squash is done: scrap the flesh with a fork and if the strands come off easily, it's done. 
  7. Let the cooked spaghetti squash cool for about 5 minutes, then scrape all the flesh into a beautiful pile of spaghetti strands. 
  8. Taste and season with some more Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed. 
  9. Measure out approximately 3 and ½ cups of spaghetti squash. Reserve the rest for another use. 
  10. Wrap measured-out squash in a cheesecloth, clean kitchen towel, or several layers of paper towels. 
  11. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Let sit for a few minutes. The drier the squash, the more crispy the crust can get.
  12. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the squash, egg, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and season with salt, black pepper, minced garlic, oregano, and parsley.
  13. Press squash in a thin, even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and form into an approximate 10-inch circle.
  14. Bake for about 10-15 minutes. 
  15. Remove from oven, carefully flip, and cook for another 10 minutes. Note, some recipes don't flip the crust, they just cook it longer.
  16. Spread the pizza sauce over the crust and add toppings.
  17. Bake another 10 - 15 minutes - until cheese is bubbly and edges of crust are browned. You can place under the broiler for a minute or two if you really want to brown things up. 
  18. Let sit for about 5 minutes before cutting. 
  19. You can use the parchment paper to slide it off the pan to make it easier to cut. Run a butter knife around the edge to loosen from the sides of the pan.



Original recipe source: Yummly.

March 10, 2015
I made roasted cauliflower a few days ago and it's now one of my favorite key-friendly foods. The original recipe is called "cauliflower popcorn," but I agree with my key-friends who make this all the time — cauliflower popcorn sounds too misleading — it's not at all popcorn-like. Call it what you like, but make this soon and make it often! It was so delicious I didn't event take a photo.
Ingredients
  • 1 head of cauliflower (or equal amount of commercially pre-cut cauliflower)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil 
  • salt to taste (1⁄2-1 teaspoon, optional)
Directions
  1. Turn oven on to 425 degrees.
  2. Trim the head of cauliflower, discarding the core and thick stems; cut florets into pieces about the size of ping-pong balls.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil and salt, whisk, then add the cauliflower pieces and toss thoroughly.
  4. Spread the cauliflower pieces onto a baking sheet and roast for about 1 hour, turning 3 or 4 times, until most of each piece has turned golden brown. 
  5. The browner the cauliflower pieces turn, the more caramelization occurs and the sweeter they'll taste.
Other Suggestions
  • For easy cleanup line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Sprinkle granulated garlic or roast fresh garlic along with the cauliflower.
  • When it comes out of the oven sprinkle lightly with Parmesan.
  • Make a cream of cauliflower soup using cauliflower, chicken stock, and shallots, and just before serving add caramelized cauliflower.
When I cooked the roasted cauliflower I put these these bacon-wrapped sirloin medallions (from Target - see package below) in the oven too. The meat was delicious, but the medallions were so thick that by the time they were cooked well enough for me they weren't visually appetizing because the meat was so black. I'll make this from scratch next time and when I do I'll cut the meat thinner and use better bacon.
Photo and recipe source for cauliflower popcorn: Food
March 10, 2015
This recipe looks delicious. Adding sausage or your favorite meat is an even better idea. Otherwise, serve this as a side dish with meat.
Ingredients
  • About 3 cups cooked spaghetti squash
  • 2 large garden tomatoes sliced
  • Kosher Salt
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Basil (dried or fresh)
  • Parsley (dried or fresh)
  • 5oz of fancy shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray a 11 x 9 casserole dish with non-stick spray.
  3. Spread about 1 cup of spaghetti squash on the bottom.
  4. Top with a layer of sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with kosher salt and spices.
  5. Top with 1.5 oz of cheese.
  6. Add another layer of squash, then tomatoes, spices, and cheese. 
  7. Top with a final layer of squash.
  8. Add the last 2 oz of cheese on top of the squash and sprinkle with more spices.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered.
  10. Top with fresh cut basil.

Photo and original recipe source: Simplex Food
March 02, 2015
This recipe comes from key-friend Barb, whose family thoroughly enjoyed this dish right along with her. Blog contributor Jennifer jumped right on this recipe and made it her own by adding soy sauce (see her photos and recipe alterations below). I had every intention of making this for dinner last night, but it turned out to be one of those nights where I skipped dinner. Skipping dinner never happened before I started this program!
Prep Time: 16 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6

Ingredients
  • 3 pounds (21-26 count) Unpeeled Shrimp (more or less works too)
  • ½ cup Olive Oil
  • Salt And Pepper
  • 3 whole Lemons (juice Of)
  • ¼ to ½ cup Worcestershire Sauce
  • Tabasco
  • 1 stick Butter
Preparation Instructions
  1. Thoroughly rinse raw shrimp w/shells still on. I use 21-26 count (that means 21-26 shrimp per pound) but I’ve certainly used bigger. Any smaller than this, and it’s difficult to peel, so stick with 21-26 or bigger. 
  2. Place the shrimp in a large baking pan in a single layer. 
  3. Drizzle about ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil over top of shrimp.
  4. Generously sprinkle black pepper over top of the shrimp and then sprinkle salt (I use kosher). Be very generous with the salt and the pepper.
  5. Squeeze the juice from about 3-4 lemons over top of all of the shrimp.
  6. Drizzle ¼ to ½ cup Worcestershire sauce all over the shrimp. 
  7. Drizzle Tabasco sauce over the top to your desired heat/temperature.
  8. Cut the stick of butter into pats and then evenly distribute the pats on top of the shrimp.
  9. Place the pan of shrimp under the broiler for just about 10 minutes until the shrimp are no longer translucent. 
Blog contributor Jennifer Churchill made this recipe and here's what she had to say about her spicy shrimp with soy sauce:
"The only addition I made was about 3 tbs of soy sauce added after the pats of butter. Just amazing.."


Original recipe and photo source: The Pioneer Woman
March 02, 2015
This Pepperoni Pizza Cauliflower Casserole recipe looks delicious, but right now I'm seriously restricting the amount of cheese, so I won't be making this any time soon. It calls for heavy cream, which you may want to substitute with whole milk and also cut back on the amount of cheese. When I make this, I will update this recipe to reflect my adjustments and I'll add my own photo.
Ingredients

For the Puree
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower
  • 2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 8 slices pepperoni
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • salt and pepper
For the Casserole
  • 12 slices pepperoni
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions

For the Puree
  1. Clean and trim the cauliflower, breaking it into medium sized pieces.
  2. Place in a microwave safe bowl with cream and butter.
  3. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10 minutes.
  4. Stir to coat cauliflower with cream/butter mixture.
  5. Microwave for another six minutes on high (or until tender.)
  6. Remove from the microwave and put into a high speed blender or food processor along with the 8 slices of pepperoni and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
  7. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Adjust the cream and butter to your preference for consistency. 
For the Casserole
  1. Spread the cauliflower puree into an 8 x 8 oven proof casserole dish.
  2. Cover with 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, and layer with pepperoni.
  3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes (or  microwave for 5 minutes).
  4. Serve hot. 


Photograph and original recipe source: iBreathe I'm Hungry
March 02, 2015
Here's a recipe for the cauliflower and ham hash, which is similar to the description Jennifer gave me after I had this at Earlee Mug last week.
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (5 cups) 
  • 1 medium onion, chopped 
  • 1/2 pound baked or deli ham, chopped (2 cups) 
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper 
  • 4 large eggs 
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 
Instructions
  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
  2. Add the cauliflower and onion and cook until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. 
  3. Add the ham, season with the paprika, salt, and pepper, and cook, tossing, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes; transfer to a plate. 
  4. Reduce heat to medium and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet. 
  5. Fry the eggs to the desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes for slightly runny yolks. 
  6. Serve on the hash and sprinkle with the parsley. 
Recipes for the other foods I had last week at the Earlee Mug:

Cauliflower and Ham Hash recipe modified from: Real Simple
March 02, 2015
Last week I made a visit to the Earlee Mug (Granby, MA) and I had three delicious foods that are specifically key-friendly: Chicken buffalo burger (recipe below), cauliflower ham hash, and a cauliflower bun. All were delicious and Jen has graciously offered recipes. I live so close to this place I just go there instead of making these foods.
Ingredients for Buffalo Burgers
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp celery seed
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 egg (optional)
Ingredients for Cucumber Slaw
  • 2 medium cucumbers, seeds removed and grated
  • 2 Tbsp shredded carrot
  • 2 Tbsp homemade mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1/2 tsp celery seed
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
Note: if cucumbers aren't available, top your buffalo burger with blue cheese dressing.
Instructions
  1. Combine all the cucumber slaw ingredients in a bowl and put the bowl to the side.
  2. Mix all of the ingredients, except the chicken, in another bowl.  
  3. Add the chicken and stir (or use your hands) until the buffalo sauce mixture is incorporated.
  4. Form the meat into 3-4 equal patties.
  5. Grill the patties for 5-7 minutes on one side. Oil as necessary to prevent sticking. 
  6. Flip the burger over and brush with additional buffalo sauce. 
  7. Cook for another 5 minutes or until cooked through.
  8. Serve the burger on a lettuce leaf and top with Cucumber Slaw (or blue cheese dressing).
Key-friend Lou stopped by the Earlee Mug and took home some of their ham hash. He heated the ham has on his cast iron skillet and served it with two eggs over easy.

Original recipe source: Holistically Engineered
March 01, 2015
Today's recipe is from Lou, one of our key friends who is a fabulous cook. The beauty of this pesto is that it does not contain pine nuts. It's also fresher and cheaper than store bought pesto.  Pesto is one of those ingredients you can add to just about everything you make. Fresh basil is available year-round and you can make this in large batches and then freeze it in smaller portions. This recipe is inspiring me to try growing basil summer.
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups baby spinach
  • .75 cups basil
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • .5 cups grated Parmesan
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
Directions
  • Place everything in a blender or food processor and blend while adding olive oil until smooth.
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February 25, 2015
My eating routine has evolved since I started eating the key-way. I used to think the time of day determined when or if I was hungry. Every morning I would get out of bed and it was immediately time for breakfast. At the strike of noon, I was hungry. A clock, I've learned, has nothing to do with hunger.

My eating routine completely evolved on the morning after my first session when I got out of bed and I did something I hadn’t done since I was 19 years old - I skipped breakfast. I just wasn’t hungry. The fact that I had woken up that morning fully embracing the concept to eat only when I'm hungry shocked me, but it felt good and it felt right, so I went with it.

It’s four years later and I still don’t eat breakfast - most days. I say most days, because my appetite changes from time to time. With no ties to the clock, I usually eat between 11-2 and then again between 5-8. There are mornings when I am hungry and I have breakfast, days when I’m not hungry and skip lunch or dinner completely, and days when I don’t eat at all. Yes, there are times when I don't eat for a day or two. Talk about shocker! Once again, it feels good and it feels right, so I go with it.

As I was writing this piece, I realized I was hungry. I noticed the time, 10:50am, as I got up from my computer. I wasn’t looking at the clock to determine if I was hungry, those days are long gone, I needed to keep an eye on the time so I wouldn't miss an appointment.

I heated up the last of yesterday's homemade chicken soup and as I stirred the soup I thought about a conversation I had with blog contributors at our potluck this past weekend. A few of us discussed the possibility that we may be using the concept to eat when you hungry to allow ourselves to eat too much.

Is it possible that we're on a plateau because we're eating too much? 

As I write this, my immediate response is:
If you think you’re eating too much, then you probably are.
Can it really be this simple? Yes, I believe it is this simple.

Looking at my bowl of chicken soup, I wondered if one bowl of soup would be enough.

Of course it’s enough – it’s a whole bowl of chicken, vegetables, and broth! 

The day before I made chicken soup from a whole chicken. At lunch I ate some of the chicken when it was still warm. At dinner, I ate three bowls of soup. Or was it four?

But that’s okay - right? Everything I ate was on program. The chicken-vegetable ratio was spot on. Sure, everything I ate was on program, but did I really need to eat that many bowls? Was I really that hungry?

I knew the answer: probably not.

I'm at a turning point in my weight loss journey and the answer to this question is essential:
Am I ready to evolve once again on my weight loss journey?
Yes,  I'm ready to evolve my weight loss program. Reaching my goal size depends on this evolution. This feels good and it feels right, so I'm going for it. 

What about you? Is it time for an evolution in your weight loss evolution?
February 23, 2015
This recipe comes from contributor Jennifer. She brought this to the potluck yesterday and as soon as I took a bite I realized I needed to take a photo. This recipe is easy to make and ingredients can be adapted to suit your taste and what's in your kitchen.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
  • 12 large eggs
  • 16 oz cottage cheese
  • 8 oz Swiss cheese, shredded
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 large white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped
I cut up at least 2 ham steaks (bite size pieces) or you could use cooked sausage, bacon, turkey, chicken, etc. I also omit the spinach, and add corn and more mushrooms; you can add peppers, etc.
Make it your own!

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Spray 9 x 13" pan with olive oil.
  1. Cook onion in olive oil until caramelized. Put aside.
  2. Add eggs to a large mixing bowl. Scramble eggs.
  3. Add cottage cheese, Swiss, cheddar, mushrooms, spinach and cooked onions.  Stir all ingredients together until well mixed.
  4. Pour egg mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes.
  5. Serve warm.
Note: can be refrigerated and reheated.
February 22, 2015
I was at a small key-potluck yesterday and one of the fabulous dishes served was this chicken coleslaw Inna made. It's one of Julie's recipes and I only have one word: yummy!
 
Ingredients
  • 1 bag shredded coleslaw
  • 4 cups cooked chicken (chicken tenders or chicken breasts)
  • Mayonnaise
  • Fresh sweet basil (or dried basil)
  • 1 Fresh lemon or lime
  • Salt and pepper
Directions
  1. Slice chicken into small pieces
  2. Add bag of coleslaw into a large serving bowl
  3. Add the chicken into the coleslaw
  4. Add in enough mayonnaise to cover chicken and slaw
  5. Add basil, salt and pepper (to suit your taste)
  6. Squeeze fresh lemon or lime and let it sit
  7. Chill in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes
"Chicken and coleslaw fast and easy"
- Julie Ann Kibe
Here's the recipe Jennifer followed to cook the chicken for her basil chicken coleslaw:

Ingredients
  • Butter or olive oil
  • 1 or more boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt and pepper
  • Other spices or seasonings
Equipment
  • Baking dish
  • Parchment paper
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position. 
  2. Rub the pan and one side of the parchment paper with butter or olive oil; this prevents the chicken from sticking.
  3. Pat the chicken dry and rub with a little butter or olive oil, if desired. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other favorite seasonings. I sprinkled mine with dried basil.
  4. Transfer to the baking dish and place the chicken breasts in the baking dish, spaced slightly apart. You can also tuck herbs or lemon wedges around the chicken for extra flavor.
  5. Lay the parchment, butter-side down, over the chicken. Tuck the edges into the pan and press the parchment down so that it's snug around the chicken. The chicken breasts should be completely covered with the parchment.
  6. Transfer the chicken to the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is completely opaque all the way through and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Serve the chicken immediately, or let it cool and refrigerate for up to a week.

Original recipe source for Basil Chicken Coleslaw Key Hypnosis
February 22, 2015
It's easy to believe that because we didn't succeed once or twice, we will always fail. Albert Einstein once said “I think and think for months and years. Ninety-nine times, the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right.” It is this kind of optimism we need embrace to be successful on our weight loss journey. Don't think about how many times you failed before. You didn't fail all those other times--you just didn't finish! Finish what you started today-don't wait for tomorrow to begin your weight loss journey.

I created this comic strip of myself using Pixton Comics
Click on image for larger view
In mid-January I joined a handful of key-friends in a 30-day squat challenge. My kitty Ginger loves it when I do squats, because I rub her belly each time I squat. I was disappointed, as I'm sure Ginger was, that my two earlier attempts at squat challenges were unsuccessful.

This time, I was determined to finish my 30-day challenge. After finishing day one, I proudly placed a black check mark on my chart and then wrote about my progress, something I did every day of my challenge. All four days.
This morning I saw my unfinished squat post and I realized I was feeling like a failure every time I saw that blog piece, as it reminded me of something I started and didn't finish. I realized my little mean girl was acting out and suddenly I had a perfect topic for today: finish what you start.

I am not a failure because I didn't finish those squats! I simply didn't finish what I started. The key is to start something you really want to finish. I asked myself: how important it for me to do those squats? Right now, it's just not that important. I hushed my little mean and I broke free from the cycle of failure!

It's important to finish what we start, because we feel great when we do and we feel lousy when we don't. When we don't finish what we started, we feel like a failure. We feel embarrassed. Why do we feel embarrassed? Because we often ANNOUNCE to everyone that we're going on a diet or exercise program. Later we feel embarrassed and shameful because we didn't finish what we started.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? How many times have you announced to friends and family you're going to start a diet or exercise program and in a short amount of time went off your program? You no longer talked about it. You silently hoped none one would ask "how's your program coming along?" You felt full of shame. You felt like a failure. You may even have completely shut down and stopped feel anything. Months or years may have passed before you dared announced you were starting another diet or exercise plan. How many times have you repeated this cycle of feeling like a failure? Isn't it time you break out of the cycle and finish what you started?

I have attended a number of personal growth workshops and I didn't announce them everyone, because those workshops were way out there. After four years on this program, I'm still at a loss of words to describe how or why this works. This program may be out there, but it works.

The day I began my weight loss journey, I felt a shift inside me that I couldn't put to words. Three years ago, I began this blog because when I'm at a loss for words, I write to process what I'm going through. I didn't talk to friends and family about this program, but every day I let about 300 people listen in and join in my conversation about my weight loss journey.

But I digress. My point today is this: finish what you start. Start again and again and don't give up on your plan. Ask yourself if you really want it and every time you feel like going off your program, remember how much you want this. Free yourself from the cycle of failure.

Have you fallen off your diet or exercise plan? You did not fail - you haven't finished what you started.

Tell you inner critic, that voice I refer to as your little mean girl, to hush and get right back on your plan this moment. You've been in the cycle of failure enough times to know tomorrow never comes.
February 19, 2015