Going Bananas

Today's recipe is another breakfast treat.  Do you know how important breakfast is, Grainiacs?  If you are not eating breakfast by now, why not?  Even a stick of low-fat cheese will get your engines running!  Studies have found that skipping a meal to go exercise is counter-productive.  The body needs fuel.  Eat your wheaties!!!!  Or your oatmeal!

Your HG recipe is "choco-monkey oatmeal" from her cookbook 200 under 200.  I must admit, I could only eat half of it.  It is ch-o-c-l-a-tee!!!  Now I'm a huge fan of chocolate, but did not really dig bananas and chocolate....until now!!!  Let me just say, if you LOVE and I mean really love chocolate, this is the recipe for you.  It is so yummy and chocolatey and may I say....too chocolatey for this strawberry?  While I was making it, visions of those no-bake chocolate cookies were swimming in my head.

look at all that chocolate and oatmeal.  Mmmmm....no bake chocolate cookies

Before I get to the recipe, total WW PPT: 5  (so rich you can only eat 1/2 of it: 2.5 PPT)

Finished product:

recipe calls for 1/2 banana. A whole banana is 0 ppts so I cut up the other 1/2

Even with the added banana, this baby was still super duper chocolatey!  I think it would make a great dessert: chocolate oatmeal mixture on the bottom of a parfait glass, a layer of bananas, topped with fat-free Whip Cream.  Oh, I know what I'm having for dessert tonight!  The second half of my breakfast.

Simple ingredients AND aren't you proud?  I had the hot cocoa mix on hand!!!

Oh So Sweet and Chocolatey Oatmeal

Serves 1 (or in Strawberry's case: 2)

1/3 cup regular oats (not instant)
One 25-calorie packet diet hot cocoa mix (I think I'll use only 1/2 a packet next time!)
1/2 banana, mashed.  (Save the other 1/2 to make the dessert!)
1/8 tsp cinnamon (I didn't measure; just shake some into that bowl)
1 no-calorie sweetener packet
dash of salt

Pour cocoa mix into a glass with a shake of cinnamon (or you can measure it--- your choice), sweetener, and salt.  Add 1/4 cup hot water and stir thoroughly.  Once cocoa mix has dissolved, add 1/4 cup cold water and stir.

In a large microwaveable bowl, combine cocoa mix with mashed banana and oats and mix well.  Nuke it for 2 minutes.  Give it a stir and smell that delicious chocolatey creation.  Oh, allow it to cool and thicken.  I added the second half of the banana, but I'm also thinking about adding whipped cream.  It is that good!!!

Make it and tell me what you think.

P. S. For those Grainiacs attending a WW meeting, would you please write me and tell me any helpful hints or what you learned at your meeting?  Let's share what we learn so we can all achieve our goals.

P.S.S.  I did add whipped topping to it and it cuts some of the chocolate AND makes a wonderful snack.  Go bananas, Grainiacs!

Meetings

Let's face it; how many of us LIKE to attend or even "participate" in meetings?  The very word sends shivers down my spine.  The actual meeting has evolved-- no longer do we sit in suits and ties and wear horned rimmed glasses (although some of you might-- I'm not judging!).  Today's meetings are more informal...well except for HS student council.  Do they still use gavels to call the meeting to order?  I guess what I'm saying is although meetings have loosened up a bit, I still find them to be a four-letter word.  Who say "yipee, I'm going to a meeting today?"  I believe we mostly roll our eyes and slump our shoulders and seek pity from our audience.  I know I do!  LOL

Moana!!!! Get off my blog.  I did not give you permission to post on my site!!  I attended a wonderful WW meeting last night so meetings are YOUR 4-letter word!  The WW meetings are encouraging and uplifting and last night's meeting was long.  Note to self: do not attend Tuesday night's meeting if you have some place to be!  I find the meetings extremely helpful and it is encouraging to meet with others who are smaller (they give me hope) and larger (maybe I give them hope?).  I especially like it when the life-time members are in attendance.  They truly motivate me!  I've never achieved lifetime status with WW.  That is my goal this time.  I fall off the wagon and feel guilty about going.  The more time that passes and the more meetings I miss, the easier it is to just stay away.  I secretly think, I'll lose some weight before I go back.  I don't want them seeing how much I've gained.  What a crock!!!  They are just happy to see me back.  And who am I hurting?  Them?  No!  I'm hurting me.  My pride (Moana) is getting in the way of my healthy life.  Again I say "What a crock!"  Everyone in that meeting has or is struggling with food and exercise.  Last night a young woman was in attendance who lost 60 pounds.  She must be a whole 20 years old and now she is weight lifting and training for competition.  She would have never thought about that 60 pounds ago.  We are all proud of her and she encourages us older ladies to get moving!  But here's the funny thing....she had gotten away from the meetings.  She said that years ago (she must have been 15!!) she lost 45 pounds but didn't reach lifetime.  She got down in weight and size but the weight didn't stay off.  Before long she gained back and then some.  Now she is adding weight lifting.  She is our muscle building guru.  She has lots of helpful hints....I'll pass one on.  She says always do cardio exercise and then weight lifting....never lift weights then do cardio.  There's some science behind it which she explained but my eyes rolled behind my sockets and I passed out for a while.  Google it if you want the scientific explanation.  Science is not my bag!

Now I know meetings aren't for everyone.  Lord knows Moana hates them!  But I find modern technology to be a wonderful invention.  Grainiacs, we have a meeting right here on this very site.  We can encourage each other and provide helpful tips.  Why just yesterday I heard from a grainiac who likes sweet potatoes and is planning to mash up 2 Tbsp of sweet potato in place of the canned pumpkin.  My chops are licking just thinking about that yummy tasting oatmeal.

Banana says she washes and cooks as many sweet potatoes as one shelf in her oven will allow.  Now that's a lot a sweet potatoes!!  First they cook for 75 minutes at 475*.  Then for 75 minutes at 300*.  She leaves them in the oven for a couple of hours after the oven is turned off.  She says they turn out "so sweet and gooey."   They caramelize; she also doesn't have to use pumpkin pie spice or anything  on them "as they are too delicious the way they are.   I sometime do put them in salads though."  I am drooling just thinking about them!

Her email reminded me of my WW creamy orzo risotto with butternut squash.  This is taken from a WW (ahem) meeting circular.  I am straying from my HG cookbook just this once....oh who am I kidding...it will most likely happen again.  But you know me....and she's off and running....wait she's going in the wrong direction!!!  LOL  Yep, that would be me!

borrowed this picture from my other post...did I mention it was a hit at the potluck meeting I attended?

     Preheat oven to 425*F. Coat a small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, toss 2 cups uncooked butternut squash, cut into small cubes with 1/2 tsp oil and 1/8 tsp salt; spread on sheet. Roast, stirring halfway through, until squash is tender and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter in medium saucepan over medium heat; add 1 cup uncooked orzo.  Stir until orzo begins to smell toasty, about 3 minutes.  Add 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup canned chicken broth, and 8 sprigs or 1 tsp fresh- thyme; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Remove thyme; stir in 2 Tsbp fat-free half-and-half, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and cooked squash.  Season with salt and pepper; serve.  Yields 3/4 cup per serving. Serves 4.  PPT: 6  

As usual, I didn't have an ingredient, actually I couldn't find it in my store-- this is the store that shelves its oatmeal with flour instead of cereals!!!-- so I had to use a flavored risotto box mix.  My recipe yielded less points! 

I'm off to the store, grainiacs, to purchase oatmeal in the flour aisle and butternut squash and sweet potatoes.  Time to mix up my oatmeal.  

Let's Get Cookin'

I have an addiction.  I love books....mysteries....Bibles....romances....you name it, I've probably got a book in that genre.   So is it any wonder my cookbook cabinet looks like this?  I can count on one hand the "go to" cookbooks I've used.  I blame it on my grandmother!  She got me started in the collection business.  Oh yes, it was innocent: a stamp collection here; a frog collection there.  I got so good at collection that I began collecting friends, crafting stuff,  pets, children, and now anything English tea!!!!  Where does it end???? 

Back to the theme of the post: cookbooks and cookin'!   I have decided to get cookin' with my Hungry Girl collection.  See!  Even my cookbooks have a collection.  I'm sick, Grainiacs; sick, I tell ya!

I am proud of myself for even finding these 4 HG things in that mess!

This collection started with that little box of recipes with the big words "TEMPTATION"

Today I'll be starting with the cookbook "200 under 200."  200 recipes with under 200 calories.  That's right.  Hungry Girl is amazing.  I've been following her since she began her website.  I've watched her website morph into what it is today and also watched as she has grown in her fame.   Good for her.  She is truly wonderful.  This commercial is over and now back to the regular program.

Do you like pumpkin pie?  I do!  I haven't always been a fan of it.  At our Thanksgiving dinners, pumpkin pie was not my pie of choice.  I guess it sounded too much like a vegetable or maybe my own family did not like it nor serve it.  Too far back for this strawberry to remember.  No matter; now I love it.  If you do too, then you'll L-O-V-E this recipe.  I call it Thanksgiving pie in a bowl.  Oh yum!!

I tweaked my HG recipe as I didn't have all her ingredients on hand.  See below: all my ingredients!

In a microwavable bowl, add one packet of instant sugar-free oatmeal.  I had sugar-free apples and cinnamon on hand.  I figured the more fruit the better, right?  Add 1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original).  The only Fiber One cereal I own is the one shaped like little sticks...possibly gerbil food?!?  Next add 1/4 cup light vanilla soymilk.  I added vanilla unsweetened Almondmilk.  Next 2 Tbsp canned pure pumpkin (surprise! surprise! I had that on hand because I add a little bit to the dog food each morning. So I raided their stash). 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (yep, had that on hand), dash of salt and 5 sprays of I can't believe it's not butter! spray (don't have that so I used Pam spray).  Add 1/4 cup of water.  Now the recipe calls for 1 no-calorie sweetener packet which I DID NOT use as my apples and cinnamon packet contains some sort of no-calorie sweetener and the recipe calls for 1 Tbsp of sugar-free pancake syrup (I did not use that either).  I might like pumpkin pie but I don't like it sickeningly sweet!

Stir those ingredients together in your bowl.  Zap it in the nuker for 45 seconds; stir it up again and nuke it for 30 - 40 seconds more.  Leave it in the microwave (it should be off by now) and let it thicken up.  Go make that second cup of coffee or feed the dogs.  Come back to your oatmeal (take it out of the microwave!) and add 2 Tbsp of fat free creamy whip topping and voila!  Pumpkin Pie without all the added calories PLUS you have enough fiber in that baby to keep you regular!  It's a win/ win.

I'm drooling just looking at my photo again.  Guess what I'm having for breakfast?  And the smell....divine.  Even if you don't like pumpkin pie to eat but love it to smell... make this and then call me over.  I'll eat it.

Strawberry's Oatmeal Supreme (tweaked HG's "complete and utter oatmeal insanity" recipe; "200 under 200")

1 packet any sugar-free flavored instant oatmeal (3 ppt variety)
1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (or those little stick kind of F1)
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla Almondmilk
2 Tbsp canned pure pumpkin
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
5 sprays of spray oil (or I Can't believe it's not butter!)
dash of salt
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp fat free dairy topping

WW PPT: 4

Now go eat your breakfast, Grainiacs, and go take on the day!

Guess Who's Coming to Tea?

Did I mention my tea party?  Yesterday I entertained 10 beautiful grandmums, mums, and daughters.  I think Hubby was just as excited as I was.  

But first!  On Saturday, we went to the mall to kill some time before our movie.  We happened to walk through Macy's.  Hubby walked over to the china department and started looking at tea pots!  Can you believe it?  He bought a tea set for me.  What a sweetie!  P. S. Macy's was having a great one day sale (although I bet the tea set is still on sale today!).  It looked like he bought a hat for me, doesn't it? 
It comes in this fancy box

Aren't they purty?!?

Everyone came at 3 p.m. and we even had a butler and footman to serve us.

My, My.  I have to admit, they do clean up nicely!

 The little girls were so cute in their dresses and we even had the Dowager Countess in attendance!

one of the mums looking stately...Lady Mary perhaps?

The Countess holding court.  Even some of the grandmums dressed up.

I washed my great grandmother's or great aunt's china....Noritake Ridgewood.  It is a hodge podge set: 6 cups (2 of those 6 have some sort of chip or glue on it), 5 saucers, 8 dessert dishes, etc. etc. But it was wonderful.  When they found out it was my great grandmother's set, it made it all the more special....or my great aunt's set (have to find out from MY mum!).  The little girls drank from a wedding set: bone white china from England.  At one point  one of the grandma's had to tell her dear grandchild "put your cup and saucer on the table while you talk."  You see the little girl was telling us a story and the story was about her favorite part of the Cirque Solei (the little one talks with her hands too!). The more she reminisced the more animated she became and the more nervous the Countess became!  I was thinking the same thing but I thought I'm not going to say anything; if the cup and saucer falls, it falls.  The little girl was having a great time and finally opening up and talking and that was the important thing!  Plus I'd be in good company with my great grandmom (or aunt!) and have "used" china...the type with chips and glue.

Enjoy some more photos and have a wonderful Monday.

Before the pouring of the tea!

Before the tea!!!!

Tea Time!

The girls made a remembrance headband. They turned out quite cute!

The girls wanted to meet Trevor the Rat

Before Trevor came out to play.  Hmmm, I wonder when this shindig will end!

 And then Trevor....

Trevor playing hide and seek down Boy's shirt.  See her coming out of his shirt?

Up on his shoulder and down the shirt. This kept the girls entertained more than the tea AND the headband making!

 Want to have a successful tea party?  Invite a rat!

Trevor going down the shirt.  You can see her tail at the shirt's opening!

Even the Grandmum's enjoyed petting and talking to Trevor

Yep, want to have a successful party; invite a trained rat to entertain.

It's the Weekend!

I ordered Season 1 of Downton Abbey.  I LOVE that show. (Sidebar: if you have never seen this wonderful PBS show, I suggest you come over to your daughter's house and watch it with her!)  Dame Maggie Smith's character has t-h-e  b-e-s-t  lines ever.  Some of the time I can't understand what all is being said.  Now that I own the DVD I can set up the subtitles and hear/see those wonderful zingers!  Yesterday I was reacquainted with one of them.  Matthew was just finding out he was heir to Downton.  He and his mum were invited to the castle to meet everyone and especially the first-born daughter, Mary.  Matthew was talking about himself and what he does (lawyer) and how he looks forward to the weekends.  Dowager Countess (Smith) in her proper stiff English accent looks around and asks "What is a weekend?"  Priceless!

Okay I watch loads of TV, but last night on the season's finale of Suits (another great show on USA) the protagonist is talking to an English lawyer and calls him "Downton."  Later the Englishman tells the protagonist I bought Downton Abbey and plan to watch it on the plane all the way back to England.

Everyone seems to be talking, writing, tweeting, posting about Downton Abbey.  It's the rage (thankfully we have something to fill in the void of Harry Potter that isn't associated with vampires....I mean really!?!).  On Sunday I'm having a tea party for the little girls at the church.  Their mums and grandmums are invited.  I'm making heart-shaped cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches (sans crusts- How vulgar), purchasing Milano chocolatey cookies, and even Hubby and Boy are getting into the act serving as Butler Carson and Footman Alfred!  Hubby is really getting into his character-- plans to pull out the tux!  But Boy is not happy and has already started chapter 1 of his "Mommy Dearest" memoirs.

I have promised Boy it will be our last party for a while here.  He is getting tired of his home being invaded and quite frankly I'm tired of cleaning up!  I think I've mentioned housekeeping is not my forte.

Have a great weekend, Grainiacs (I'm assuming you know what a weekend is unlike the dowager Countess!) and keep up the good work taking off those 5 pounds.  We can do it!

Secret blogger

Grainiacs,  I have a confession (maybe I've confessed this before), I do not like confrontations.  Maybe I liked to argue in my youth, but as an over 50 adult:  I do not like it!  You might have noticed that I don't add "labels" or ticker thingys or whatever they are called to the bottom of my posts.  That way people can't google "weight loss" or "grains" or any other term and find my blog.  I just don't want to hear negatives remarks.  I like to keep things positive.  Negativity abounds in our world.  It seems no one can talk about anything without starting up some sort of disagreement.  You know what the Bible says....where two or three are gathered?  Wait!  That's not how it goes, but it is true....where two or three are gathered, mixed views, feelings, emotions (good grief, don't believe me bring up politics!), ideas, dreams are bound to surface.  Take last night, I found a photo on Fb and posted it on my wall.  I thought it "put things into perspective."

  I felt that the statement on the photo is true.  We complain when we can't get our TV to function properly or the internet has gone out yet again because of the blankety blank wind or my store doesn't carry enough variety of WW products.  Now thankfully Hubby and I were not on the cruise.  He has a weak stomach when it comes to poopy smells.  I don't think the author of the photo was trying to diminish what the poor folk on the cruise ship were going through.  It was real.  It was terrifying for them.  I think after the 1st day of no rescue I'd be wondering if we are all that advanced in technology and rescue!  I'm still trying to figure out why in this day and age it took 5 days to rescue them.  Again, I'm not belittling their suffering.  It was real.  It was frightening.  It was 5 days of hell.  The reason I posted it was because I tend to forget about the 2,500,000,000 people around the world who endure hardship (like none I've ever seen), go without running water, drink from a stagnant poop infested water system, are sold (yes slavery still exists) for money and prostitution, hired to work for peanuts by big corporate America.  I could go on and on.  It is easier for me to stuff those types of thoughts down deep inside so I don't have to think about all the suffering in the world.  So I don't feel guilty when I get upset with trivial self-serving "hardships" of my own.  Stuffing those feelings and hurts for the world is just plain easier than taking a stand and arguing with someone.

Yet someone did challenge my shared photo.  I thought the photo would give some perspective to others like me who go about our daily lives and think....well, just about ourselves...what's on the docket for ME today.  I thought it might spark a deep well in others who might like to help think of ways to help those in need.  I got me thinking about why are we here.  As a child when I questioned why God made us, I was told by SS teachers and leaders that God was lonely.  That might cut it when we are children but that ain't cutting it now.  We are called by God to care for our neighbors and our neighbors stretch way across the Atlantic and the Pacific too.  My challenger posted that just because one's suffering isn't as harsh or long-standing as another's, doesn't make it any less real (btw, she had several friends aboard that cruise).  So yes, that was up close and personal for her.  But, those people are now back home taking daily showers, drinking clean water, and sleeping in their nice comfy beds, and probably spraying Fabreeze all around them.  I would be!

So posting others' photos of crippled cruise ships has inspired me to take a stand.  If every privileged (what does that mean?  Do you have enough money to buy a cup of coffee?  A 2nd pair of shoes?) person in the world would act on behalf of someone else, I know we could conquer world hunger, safe drinking, child diseases.

Are you apart of a women's organization?  Any organization that looks beyond themselves to make this world a better place?  Give a little bit more.  Go that extra mile.

P.S. Because I had this on my mind, I forgot to weigh in today for my 5 pound challenge.  I guess I was weighing in on something else.

Black Hole

Today's news highlights the discovery of a possible new black hole.  Why didn't they call me?  I could have told them about a recent sighting of a black hole?  Down, down it goes into the Strawberry black hole.  But I'm back on track while the W49B supernova is blasting away in all directions.  From what I read.  Of course she is 1,000 years old, a mere babe in galaxy terms!  Cut her some slack.

I have always wanted to go to the MacDonald Observatory.  When the children were younger I took them to NASA (probably ad nauseum) but we always found something new.  Secretly I hoped one of them would be a leading NASA researcher.  I love the stars and the galaxies and .....

Space....the final frontier!

So I've added MacDonald Observatory to my bucket list.  I am going.  And I'm standing in front of that massive telescope and I'm looking up!  Years and years and years ago, I bought Hubby a telescope.  He used to watch the stars (or so I thought!).  Needless to say, he was not impressed with my present.  I thought I had found a great gift but he didn't see it that way.  Who knows; maybe we were going through a rough patch in our marriage (I did mention it was ions ago!).  I guess you could say we were going through a black hole in our marriage-- discovering who each other were and who we were as a couple.  It's hard.  You think you know a person but deep down you don't (early in the marriage, I mean).  Today we are two peas in a pod and happy as little larks.  He is happiest when I don't spend money, so I don't buy him gifts!!!  See how easy that is?!?  LOL

Back to the purpose of the blog:  I got off track last night after dinner.  I didn't blow it out in all directions like W49B but I could have caused a few fireworks in my body.  So today I'm back in control.  Houston! We do not have a problem today.  Have you seen the Jenny Craig commercials?  The people say "I'm in control?"  Strawberry is in the control tower, NASA!  I'm using my mind tricks on myself again and I say I have already won.  Tomorrow is weigh in-- one week into the two week challenge.  How about your control level?  Are you sitting in the NASA control tower or are you the next W49B and shooting yourself all over the place?  How about joining me in the booth?  Plenty of chairs are available!

Can you fool me now?

Have you ever picked up your drink thinking it was Sprite and it was really water?  Or picked out a song on Spotify thinking it was Jackie De Shannon's beautiful rendition of Burt Bacharach's What the World Needs Now only to hear some rapper funk music called What the World Needs Now?  What a let down!  My taste buds were already tasting the Sprite and my ears were already hearing Jackie.  My mind through my senses had prepared me for what I was expecting.  The mind is a funny and complex thing, isn't it?  It can be used for good OR evil!   BaWaWahahaha

This past weekend a similar effect occurred.  I was at a restaurant looking at all the delicious offerings but I was trying to be a good Strawberry.  What is low carb?  What isn't breaded?  Is anything good not breaded????  Get off the dessert page, Moana!

Ah Ha!!!  An egg dish.  Oh look at all the cheeses (4!) yummy.  Wonderful. Sun-dried tomatoes!!  Yay!  Bacon!!!  Great.  I'm ordering this.  And although I didn't call that dish out by name in my head- I was imagining I was ordering the carb-friendly omelet! Yes, I even ordered using the correct name with the waitress, but in my head I was ordering an omelet.  You can probably guess what I actually ordered...

 Yep, that's a flaky, delicious pie shell filled with omelet type stuff.  Problem is it took 2 bites to realize I was eating it.  My mind was filled with laughter and talk and obviously other things so my quiche was subtle.  My taste buds were taking in all that wonderful low-carb goodness-- eggs, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, did I mention 4 cheeses??!!  Oh my goodness and something is giving it an absolutely heavenly......oh damn.....it's pie crust!!!  My friend said, "yes, I thought you knew what you were ordering there."  Oh gosh, no.  Okay, I'm not upchucking what I already consumed and thankfully it was only 2 bites, but my how my mind was playing tricks on me.  I had it in my head that I was eating an omelet and not a quiche!  Even though the quiche was sitting there right in front of me; even though it took 2 bites to slap me into reality, I was living in an omelet world there.  I had almost convinced myself that I was eating an omelet.

If this is the case, what other mind tricks can we play?  Think about it.  We want to lose weight.  Some of us have mental blocks when it comes to this.  Weight watchers calls it mental something or other.  Do we give ourselves pep talks or do we beat ourselves up because we haven't lost the weight.  Or we've put it back on.  Or we tease ourselves into thinking "it's just one blizzard."

Boy and I have said we will not go to another Happy Hour hosted by our favorite drive-in joint.  I get too tempted to order an ice cream with M&M's.  I have to stop going there.  My mind plays tricks on me when I'm there.  Actually Moana starts screaming for it and I say "Fine, just to shut you up!!!"  She's satisfied and I'm 5 pounds heavier.  It's a lose/lose situation.  Can I give up those drinks for the bigger cause for the good?  You betcha!

What about you, Grainiacs?  How's the 5 pound challenge coming along?  Do you have any mind games you play that you want to share?  Pity the Fool!

Pretty Little Liars

Maybe you've heard this before!

  "Oh you haven't changed a bit!"  

"You look exactly the same as the last time I saw you!"

Squeal.....

Hug.....

Gush....

Our family was invited to a family get-together.  When we arrived we realized it was a Who's Who from our former city.  The house was packed with people.  We were all holding our glasses above our heads and walking the crab walk (you know....sideways?).  Drinks were poured.  Cackling commenced and all those exclamations gushed from lips.  I blame the booze and poor eye sight.  After all, I'm over a decade older and I put on weight, but yeah, I do believe I haven't changed a bit!!!  (Strawberry making "cheese" smile as she types this!)

They mean well.  I know they do.  Don't write me telling me how negative I am!  Moana and I will not listen!!!  But that got me thinking....   to them, I haven't changed.  I believe, truthfully, they were referring to my bubbly personality!!!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I'm here to tell ya:  another pretty little liar lurks around.  Kaa (that slithering, seductive scale).  Don't be taken in with all those lies.  You are doing great.  You are exactly where you need to be at this moment in time.  But it will take patience and diligence-- two words I tend to shy (yes, me!) away from.  So scoop out all that quiche pastry!  Put down that ice cream spoon!  No, Moana, that chocolate topping is NOT calling your name!  I can do this.  Five pounds in two weeks.  I've accepted the challenge and am on my way to losing that extra skin I call my chin!  How about you?  Are you with me?  Are you losing 5 pounds of "something" for good?  Five pounds in two weeks is achievable.  It's doable.  I'm doing it!!!  And now channeling Moana's best friend, Edith Ann....and that's the whole truth...pffffffff...(how does one spell out the "raspberry" sound?).

photo taken from "Bing images"

Let the Challenge Begin

Watch out, Moana; she's on a roll.  Okay, so it is only one day; that first day is the most important day of the dieting week, right?  Oh please, ooh please, throw me a bone!

Here are my musings and pep talks to myself yesterday (Valentine's Day Challenge- take 5 pounds off the chin!--Why not start top to bottom, eh?).



Day 1- measure chin..am I seeing double?

1, 2..let's stop before glacier #3 pops out!

Actually, I have always had a double chin, even when I was a teen.  Now it is more pronounced!  Maybe I can get rid of it with a loss in weight or maybe I'll just have to live with it!  I am still aiming to lose 5 pounds of chin weight starting Valentine's Day (14th) and ending on Lose the Chin Day (28th).  Hey, why should Hallmark make up all the holidays?  From now on, Feb. 28th will always be celebrated by me as Lose the Chin!  Mark it on your calendars.  I expect a Lose the Chin card next year!  Just saying.


Morning:
2 (or maybe 3) cups of coffee
2 eggs
1 Tbsp salsa
1 Tbsp sour cream
(all items very Atkins!)

Um, Yum!

Off to a good start.  Really need to plan and organize and be on my guard for 4:30 or 5:00. My bewitching hour.  Strawberry, start thinking of an Atkins snack RIGHT NOW!!!!!! Do it, no whining!

Lunch:
Ground beef with onions and celery
lots of lettuce
lots of tomatoes (oops, high in carbs so took out the lots of tomatoes!)
guacamole
sour cream

Breakfast kept me full till almost 12:30. Started heating up ground beef and assembling the salad and began eating my salad.  Yikes!  The time got away from me and I had a commitment at 2:00 p.m.  Put salad in fridge. Shower and head out to meeting.  Now what did the hostess provide?  Why Valentine's Day cookies and ice cream and....thank you, Lord, nuts.  I enjoyed a few almonds and cashews (on the Atkins plan) but no dessert!  Ya-yeah.  I got through that temptation.

Time to snack on my left-over lunch salad.  The bewitching hour has arrived!!!

Took picture before I took out all the carb-loaded grape tomatoes!!!!

Finished off Day 1 Lose the Chin Day with a scrumptious Valentine's meal that Grilling Hubby made.  He's a keeper!

Day 1- done!  Now onto Day 2

The Bold and the Pitiful

I admit it; I'm at times pitiful.  I can say this.  I blame Moana!  It's All Her Fault!!!!!  I start out so well on this dieting gig and then by 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. Moana takes over and eats whatever she wants sabotaging every good morsel of strength I had during the day.  Let's starve Moana, but how????

Happy Valentine's Day, Grainiacs!  I am not going to the store today.  I know Russell will be there.  Brachs will be tempting me with his sultry chocolatey eyes.  Nope, I'm staying out of the store today.  For Valentine's Day, I'm giving my Hubby less.  Yes, you heard me.  I'm going to lose 5 pounds of chocolate for him.  Sorry, Honey; I know that's not much of a gift.... or....maybe it's the perfect gift.  Less eating; less food; less shopping (I have clothes in my closet I'm waiting to get into again).

I would like to give you a Valentine's Day gift too....in the form of a challenge.  I know a few of you would like to take off about 5 pounds of Valentine chocolate so who's up for a Valentine Day Challenge?

Years ago while working at Curves, the ladies would ask for a weight loss challenge.  Everyone would put a starting amount in the kitty and then each week you lost, you didn't add any money to the kitty, but each week you gained, you put in a dollar (and also a dollar for each additional pound you gained).  As I worked there for a couple of years, I could tell which ones kept gaining back their weight and each challenge kept losing the same 5 - 10 pounds.  I don't want to be that Strawberry.  I want to take it off and keep it off.

So who's in?  Who wants to take off 5 pounds.  Most Dr. suggest losing 1 - 2 pounds a week.  For some of us, we will be taking off water weight; for others of us, we might be losing those last 5 pounds that have been hounding us.  Obviously it will be hard for me to say "let's all lose 5 pounds in 2 weeks" if that person needing to take off the last 5 pounds might need 3 weeks instead.  Make sense?  Write me if you want to take this challenge with me and we will be each others' cheerleaders cheering off those pitiful 5 pounds.

My plan is to kick start my journey with Atkins.  No carbs....no (gulp) starches..... no (sniff sniff) desserts...NO WHINING about it, Moana.  It's for 2 weeks and even YOU can do this for 2 weeks.  Two weeks/ 5 pounds.  Be bold.

Hi Y'all

It's Paula Strawberry here with a dee-li-cious summer salad y'all are just gonna love.  Ya know that southern fried chicken?  Yum, y'all.  Well I am channeling my paula deen and whipping out a southern summer salad Strawberry Deen style. Truth be told, I'd rather scarf down a tasty, decadent dessert than gnaw on something good for me.  All this southern cuisine can be bad for your health if not eaten in moderation, ya know?  Why Lordy I just read where Miss Paula has lost that "side of the barn."  Now you know she had to have tweaked those dee-li-cious recipes she showcases on her show!  You just know it, y'all.

So I've mentioned I love salads when they come topped with crispy fried chicken strips.  I much prefer that to the grilled chicken.  But do I really NEED (shut up, Moana!) the crispy?  Hubby looked up the nutritional value one day and realized you can eat a hamburger with small fries for less calories than a "nutritious" salad with the crispy stuff.  I made myself a farewell chicken salad yesterday and loaded it with yummy toppings.  I exercised too so in my head it balanced out.  The balancing scales (that ole Kaa, the snake) registered something different!  LOL

I'm showing the pictures.  It was a yummy salad and filling!

This is how that salad showed have looked.  Isn't it bright and beautiful?
 

 Next came the lightly battered chicken strips.  Better than the fast food variety and I could limit how much chicken I added.

 Top with low calorie Ranch dressing.

Years ago I went to lunch with a friend.  She was on a certain diet and she said if she had to eat a big salad for lunch everyday she was adding lots of Ranch dressing and Catalina dressing.  I tried it and guess what?  Those two flavors are really good together.  So now I add a little Catalina punch to my Ranch dressing salads.  Try it.  You just might like it, y'all!

P.S.  I ate breakfast: Greek yogurt and oatmeal; lunch- salad (see above!); dinner- Chicken Alfredo (from a bag), a few gluten-free crackers (bought them for a party and didn't use them.  They are addicting. Not buying them again!), and um, some trifle.  I couldn't help it.  Boy got into it and it looked so yummy and well, I just had some and then had some more.  I hate diets!

 

Blizzard!

Have you heard of this dieting plan before?

Breakfast
1/2 grapefruit
1 piece whole wheat toast
8 oz. skim milk

Lunch
4 oz. lean broiled chicken
1 cup steamed zucchini
1 Oreo cookie
Herb Tea

Mid-Afternoon Snack
Rest of package of Oreo cookies

And so it goes.... In my case, the diet day worked backwards.  I started out with the metaphorical "rest of package of Oreo cookies" and worked toward the "being good" part.  Isn't that the way it is with me?  I say "diet" and I'm going to the movies with a large bucket of popcorn!  My thought of "no more sugar" has me sampling every sugary morsel in the fridge.  I did give away a platter of auction goodies and then sampled several others in the fridge.  By the evening I was oreo- bagged out!  I even passed by a DQ and thought "BLIZZARD!"  But then I immediately thought about you, dear readers.  I realized I would have to write it down and confess it on my blog.  I just couldn't do it!  I owe it to you to be honest.  You hold me accountable whether you realize it or not.  For that, I am so grateful.  I'm working at it, Grainiacs.  I'm putting one foot in front of the other and taking baby steps.  I've seemed to have fallen more than I care to admit, though.  But if I'm not honest with myself and you, who am I helping in the end?  Life is too short to keep fooling myself.  Either I need to love and accept myself in this body or I had better start working at it and I do mean work hard!  I'm not getting younger and the older I get, the less resolve I have.  So I've made up my mind to lay off the sweets, to stop making excuses, and to get busy and exercise.  You've heard this all before and you have every right to roll your eyes.  I'm rolling mine.  I'm coming up on two years of starting this blog.  I've successfully lost fifteen pounds and have kept them off for over a year.  August 2013 marks my two year anniversary with you.  My goal is to knock off another fifteen pounds on or before August 2013.  I feel a change in the weather, Grainiacs.  We are talking A Strawberry Blizzard!

Yesterday's menu (do not follow if you want to lose weight!!!!)

Morning

Coffee with sweetener

skipped breakfast

Mid-morning
large popcorn at the movies (yep, Boy and I took some time off for some "us" time)

Lunch

no lunch...see, I told you it was bad!

dessert sampler from the fridge

dinner
salad greens with chicken nuggets and Ranch dressing (not terrific, but getting better)

Evening snack

cup of coffee (decaf) + one more dessert sampler (oops...I heard it calling Moana's name!)

Tomorrow, my goal is to get rid of all desserts in fridge.  No more sampling!!!!

Not a great day, but I'm keeping it real and being totally honest.  Tomorrow is a new day and I'm gonna be ready for it.  God, PLEASE!!!!

Warning, Will Robinson

A dangerous thing is happening in my neck of the woods, Grainiacs.  I'm going off the grid.  I'm mindlessly eating and now I'm mindlessly purchasing!

It all began when Hubby and I suggested a certain type of fundraiser to the area pastors and leaders.  The monies raised would help defray the cost of attending an amazing once in a lifetime youth event in the summer.  It all seemed so innocent.  I mean "who doesn't want to help the youth?"  What better way than to auction off delicacies that the youth (or their mothers) made?

Problem was not many churches or their people attended.  Bidding started at $3.00 and was going up by 25 cents so whole pies were going for $4.50.  At that rate we would be lucky to raise $50.00!  So Strawberry (ever the philanthropist) seemed to have to start the bidding every time because people were just sitting there!!! Pretty soon I was getting a bidding war going.  Unfortunately I wound up being the top bidder.  It happens.  I had set a certain limit for myself.  I mean, my son is going to this amazing event, right?!?!  One youth is a wonderful baker so I couldn't let her goodies sit on the bidding table with no one even starting the bid.  What message does that send to our youth?

So, I'd like to invite you to a dessert party at my house.  I have desserts galore and that was even sharing some with the folk last night!

 Have I said "This is it" before?  I mean it.  One grainiac is sending her eating menus to me.  I am going to reciprocate and do the same thing but it will be here on the blog.  Yes! You will be viewing my eating habits.  I'm hoping that the sheer embarrassment of posting what I ate the day before will snap me out of this danger zone I'm in.  Warning, Strawberry Robinson....danger up ahead.  So there's the scoop-- 

speaking of scoops, do you see that wonderful trifle in the background?

  Stop that, Moana!  You are not eating a bite of that trifle.  It is on its way out of the house.

       

Have an orange gerber daisy day today, Grainiacs and stay tuned for "Let's see what Strawberry consumed in a day!"  It is sure to be enlightening (at least for me!).

Late, but here!

It's almost midnight on Friday night.  We hosted the church staff tonight and guess what?  I'm not ready to crater AND I'm able to walk upright and not feel every muscle in my body twinge.  our last party nearly killed me.  I was ready this time.  The house was fairly organized and didn't need much scrubbing and chiseling.  The lasagna was assembled in a timely manner.  I even got to watch a few reruns of "Sex And the City."  Hey, don't judge me!!!  I am feeling really good right now.  

You'll remember I preached for Hubby last Sunday.  Tonight one of the staff told him that I did a good job last Sunday and he could take some time off and put up his feet and I could take over.  We both knew she was trying to give me a compliment but Ouch! that just hurt him.  I laughed it off and told her "No way; I'm the one who loves to sit back and kick up MY feet!"  Maybe there was a better come-back, but that's all I could think of at the moment! 

Here's some photos of the party and I've included my clean house.  Whoo hoo.

Texas book and Lone Star basket

Cleaning up and watching Frazier!

I love my family room

Que bonita or bonito or whatever!

Still have my Longhorn lights hanging up.  Tee hee

So here's the table and guess what?  I forgot to take a photo of the buffet!

Salt and Pepper on the dining room table.  let's party!

Looking at this photo, I see my book shelves need a little more organizing!

another Jr High dance!  Women in one room/ Men in the other!

lasagna/ bread/ tomatoes/ candle....bring on the Italian!

Pretty Women

We all fit around the table!!!  Score!