Lasagna Soup

Two years ago I was introduced to a website called BariatricEating.com and I have fallen in love with several of their recipes.  Tonight I made an edited version of their Lasagna Soup and boy was it amazing!  The thing I love about it is that it has a total of 160 calories, 10 grams of protein and 7 grams of fat per serving (1/16th of the soup).  I made this once before when I was on the pureed section of my post-op diet and I just used an immersion blender to puree the chunks.  A regular blender would work too.  I also left out the pasta.

 

Here’s my version::

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1 pound of sweet turkey sausage (casings removed)  You could use hot if you wanted or I have made it with veggie burger crumbles also

2 cups of diced onion (I use frozen because I HATE chopping onion)

1-2 Tablespoons of minced garlic (I buy this in bulk at Sam’s)

2 cups of diced zucchini

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons basil

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons parsley

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano

15 ounce can tomato sauce

30 ounce carton low sodium organic chicken broth

1 package of frozen spinach thawed

1 cup died mushrooms

3/4 box of vegetable Farfalle pasta (optional)

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons fresh, chopped basil

In a stockpot heat oil over medium heat.  Add sausage  onion, and garlic.  Cook, breaking up with a spoon until sausage is brown and onions are clear.  Add Zucchini, spices (Except fresh basil) tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add spinach and pasta and let cook for 10 minutes until pasta is tender.  Meanwhile mix ricotta and basil.  Dish soup into bowls and top with ricotta cheese mixture.  

*Note about my spice measurements.  Those are guesstimates.  I don’t actually measure out my spices.  I tend to just eyeball it.

Fitness Challenge 2013

To start the new year off right, I have joined not one but two fitness challenges.  The thing I like about these challenges is that it isn’t all about who loses the most, but more about have a support group to help keep me motivated.  I have someone who is holding me accountable for my actions.  Granted, the weight loss is also an awesome motivator, but having to tell my team that I gained weight this week because I didn’t follow my plan is an even bigger motivator!  I am only 40 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight.  I would be happy if I only lose 25 pounds, heck I will be happy if I just lose some more inches.  

That being said, I am happy with how I am now.  It has taken many years to feel this way and I am still a work in progress.  I went shopping the other day for a couple pairs of jeans and I still shop in Lane Bryant and Torrid because I feel the most comfortable in there.  I was a little nervous trying on a 16 because it has been hit or miss as to if I wear a 16 or an 18, but all the pairs of 16’s I tried on fit!  I didn’t buy them because being 6’0 they were a little bit short, but I will still excited to know that I could fit into a 16! 

 

New Years Resolutions

Nothing brings in the new year like a list of resolutions!  My resolution this year is to be happy with myself.  I also want to get this blog back up and running!  I love writing and I love my readers!  So I want your input on what you want to see within this blog!  

Skinny recipes

Lately I have been in a cooking mood!  I love to cook, especially when I get stressed out.  I usually follow the recipes, at least the first attempt, but sometimes I like to alter my recipes from the get go.  I created an amazing recipe for some Peach Apple Bread by taking a couple of recipes and meshing them together.

In my search to get better organized and eat at home more often, I discovered a website call ziplist.com.  This website it my new savior!  Not only can I make a weekly menu, create a shopping list, and store all my recipes I’ve found online, on one single website, but they have an iPhone app as well!  I don’t have to write down my list! I can just use my phone and check things off in the store!!

I have also discovered a website called skinnytaste.com.  This lady is AMAZING!!!  She has a recipe for a peanut butter thai chicken slower cooker recipe that is to die for!  She also has a recipe that I am dying to try out, stuffed buffalo chicken!  I’ll let you know how it goes!!  

All quiet on the (South) Western Front

I realize I have been REALLY quiet lately!  I will bare my soul and tell everyone that I have been dealing with some depression issues this summer.  The worst part is that I am an emotional eater.  Unfortunately, sometime I don’t realize that I am emotionally eating  until it is too late and then I get even more depressed, anyway, vicious cycle!  I have put on about 10 pounds which made me feel unworthy to write this blog!  However, this is a journey and sometimes you have to trek up some huge mountains!!  Well, we have reached the summit and are making out climb back down the hill (Scale, get it…it’s funny)!

Thanks for sticking with us!!!

Taco Soup

I have been working on perfecting my Taco Soup recipe for months and I think I may have found the correct ratio of beany goodness!

In a slow cooker combine the following

1 can Northern Beans

1 can Black Beans

1 can Chili Beans

1 can diced tomatoes (Rotel works great)

1 can corn

1 can vegetable broth (beef works too)

1 package ranch dressing mix

1 package taco seasoning

½ jar of taco sauce

1 pound of cooked ground beef (I use Quorn crumbles to make mine vegetarian)

1 clove of garlic

1 chopped onion (I use the froze chopped onion and add half a bag)

Cook on low for 8 hours and serve with cheese and sour cream

I always double this recipe so we have leftovers!!

Tucson Mud Run 2012

I participated in the Tucson Mud Run again this year. I was really excited for this year because a different company (DCB Extreme Adventures) was putting on the race this year. I was disappointed again! There was a lot of water again, but no real mud. (I am especially spoiled after the amazing mud at Kiss Me Dirty and Warrior Dash.)  I even conned, I mean convinced, my husband to join me in what would be his first mud run.  He’s hooked!

He was as disappointed as I was about the obstacles.  Most of the obstacles were small pits that were dug, filled with water, and you climbed over the dirt mound and into the water.  That being said there were a couple amazing obstacles.

The start of the race consisted of being corralled (appropriate in that we were at Old Tucson Studios) into a Mobile Mini and as we ran out the other side we were introduced to a fire hose!  (Minus the hot fireman)

About half way through there was an obstacle where you climbed a large spool (think cable and not thread) onto a mobile storage unit and down onto another spool to get the the ground.

The last obstacle you went through their “mud pit,” which was made up of the dirt from the rodeo arena, (gag) climbed a cattle fence section that was on its side to get on top of another mobile storage unit, and then you jumped into a huge pit of water.

This last obstacle did have its drawbacks.  For instance the pool of water was constructed out of what looked like a huge dumpster and wasn’t as deep as it looked.  Both the hubby and I landed on our butts.  There was also a few medical calls to this obstacle.  Due to the space between the mobile unit and dumpster the only “safe” way was to jump in.  The mobile unit’s ceiling was also bowing in which made the wait to jump a little gut-wrenching.

All in all, it was a good time.  I enjoyed spending the time with my husband and introducing him to something I love to do!  Will I do it again next year?  That is the question!

Warrior Dash Update

About six weeks ago I completed Warrior Dash Arizona 2012! It was not at all what I expected! I was expecting a muddier, dirtier run. I received fire jumping, 50 feet of mud, three broken toes, an injured knee, a sunburn and heat stroke (OK so I didn’t get the heat stroke but, seriously, my partner in crime did!)!

Warrior is much more obstacle based and a lot less of a “fun run,” with a huge wall climb (wear gloves!), a fireman pole, a car jungle (tetanus shot please), several smaller wall climbs, a horizontal cargo net, fire to jump over, and a mud crawl to cool down with. I am not knocking it at all! It was amazing, but like I said not what I was expecting.

I learned a lot from my experience here.

1.)  If you live in Arizona and are going to be running in a record breaking 102 degree weather in the middle of the desert, it is going to be hot!  This seems like a given, but don’t sign up to run at 3:30 in the afternoon!  If you do, drink water, lots and lots of water.  It won’t help the heat, but it gives you something to vomit when you get heat exhaustion.  Note to Warrior Staff:  MORE WATER STATIONS

2.) Ask the guy directing you to parking if you can take your chances on finding a closer parking spot that the one that is a mile away from the entrance.  We got to the event with plenty of time to spare and were directed to park out in the south 40.  We walked up and got all our goodies (warrior hat awesomeness) and walked back to put everything back in the car, change shoes, etc.  There were a TON of parking spots right by the entrance at 3pm.  We moved our car closer and I am so glad that after all that running and climbing and jumping we only had to walk a few feet to the car.  It was exceptionally nice since we went back to have the medics look at my knee.

3.) If you are not willing to check a bag, which I never do, and you have an electronic key (electronics + water = bad) bring some Ziploc bags with you.  All my running shorts have a zippered pocket in them and we double bagged our key and stuck it in the pockets!  At the end of the day the keys were dry and we didn’t have to wait for someone to get our stuff or risk it getting stolen.

4.) If you have to drive a distance to a run, take a driver with you, if possible.  We both had husbands who were watching our kids or we would have dragged them along for the ride.  It isn’t impossible to run all that distance and drive home, but it is so nice to be able to have someone else to drive you home! *Bonus: They can carry your stuff!

5.) Don’t take it too seriously!  I realize that this race is a little less of a fun run, but life is too short to take a race serious.  It probably is awesome to be in first place.  I wouldn’t know and I think that would just be too much pressure.  I like to race against myself, that way I always win!

6.) Horizontal cargo nets…not as easy as they look!  I don’t know the best place to get across these, but it is not on the sides. Also, try to keep on your feet.  I thought crawling would be easier. It isn’t!

7.) If on the other end of a wall is a metal slide with no mud at the bottom go down on your stomach.  You might feel silly, but you will feel a lot better than the people who jammed their leg by landing wrong on the hard earth.  Oh and again 102 degrees of sunlight radiating off metal means that it will be HOT!

8.) Dive into the mud pit!  You are going to get dirty either way, might as well make a splash while doing it!!

I learned a lot while running this race!  I had a blast!  And I will totally be doing it again next year (in one of the first waves)!!

Back from Dead Miami Style

I apologize for the extended vacation from the blog.  Life has stuck her sticky hand up demanding attention!  Over the next couple of days I will have updates about Warrior Dash and the Tucson Mud Run (which was missing mud again this year).  I will also reward my loyal readers with the new and improved recipe for Taco Soup!  Thanks for sticking with me through the slow period!!

Bullies are Mean!

Bullying is a major topic in schools these days and it is very serious subject.  However, I have to wonder how many people realize that bullying doesn’t stop after you graduate from school.  Maybe people assume that as we get older we just learn how to deal with it.  I guess in a way that is true, however, it doesn’t make it hurt any less.

 

I have been bullied my entire life.  I remember getting into a fight in sixth grade with a boy in my class because he was picking on me.  I had enough and lashed out (and got a few good licks in too).  Freshman year in high school I was forced to endure an entire period of band where the other members (literally only two people were not involved) made fat jokes about me, drew pictures, and humiliated me.  That was 16 years ago and I remember that day every time I get an moment of self pity/low self esteem. The effects of bullying last a lifetime!

 

I am almost 30 and I am dealing with bullies in my life today.  It never goes away.  We just learn how to deal with it a little better.  I refuse to allow the mean people in my life to get me down.  Think about the next time you get ready to make a nasty comment about someone.  I am not innocent of making negative comments and gossip.  But I have to remind myself that those words cannot be taken back.  Even after I say I am sorry, the scars will remain.