Plan-a-rana-ding-dong

 

It’s Monday. You know what that means, a plan to tackle the next 5 days. A plan to keep my ass in check. A plan that I am relaying to you so that you will give me a swift kick in the butt if I happen to tweet that I an lounging around in a hammock being fed chocolates by Greek God replicas. I’m helping you, help me. After all, that’s what’s important here. Me. :)   

Meal Plan!

Monday – Crock Pot Ratatouille with Parmesan Toast

Tuesday – Corn & Basil Cakes with a side dish of veg

Wednesday – Jerk Fish Tacos with Peach & Mango Rice (way easier than it sounds, I’ll show you the way)

Thursday – Crock Pot Chicken with Rice & Peas (a WW recipe I can’t link for some reason? Don’t worry, I will still share it, if it’s any good)

Friday – Surely there will be leftover food and I will eat it.

Work Out Plan!

Monday – 30 Minute Run (Boo-yah already done! My legs felt like lead, and the whole run was hard, but I did it.)

Tuesday – Weights or DVD

Wednesday – Rest

Thursday – 5 Mile Run (I am 1/2 Marathon training, let’s not forget!)

Friday – Yoga

Saturday – 30 Minute Run

Sunday – Rest

If I happen to get a little golf in there too…BONUS!

So there it is people. That is this week’s plan. I am going to do my best to stick to it. Because if you know you are doing your best, there is no need for excuses.

This post, like my run this morning, is brought to you by one my favorites:  Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.

Watch me cook up some time!

 

This time of year, my every free moment is savored. I live for each one. It’s hard for me to sit down in front of a computer when that is what I do all day every very long summer day. However, this blog is important to me. You guys are important to me. I care about your stories, your comments, your blogs…all very much. I need to make time for this. This is why my Unlikely Success Story is exactly that. Without this blog and without the wonderful blogging community I’m pretty sure the name of this blog would be “Watch Tonyne Booze and Eat herself into coma” or something equally as lame. So, that being said, while I may not have the amount of time to spend here as I do Fall-Spring, I will do my best to set aside blog time during the week where I can write and read until my little heart is content. That way I can hopefully stay an Unlikely Success Story and maybe I can give you a few hints, tips or tricks on how you can become one too.

I made another trip to the library for another cookbook, oh a whim I got  Slow Cooker Favorites made Healthy by Better Homes and Gardens. I happen to  think that the crock pot is the most underused kitchen appliance I own. It’s ridiculous. I mean, really. Do basic prep work like chopping, etc. before bed, go to sleep, wake up, dump said stuff with some more stuff in crock pot, turn it on, have dinner ready when you get home.  This is yet another way I can make time. For blogging, for running, for whatever! Be on the lookout for an increase of crock pot recipes. I’m going to search the internets for recipes like Jacques Cousteau searched for sea life because honestly, who couldn’t use more time? Think about having an hour saved because dinner cooked itself? Why do we under utilize this genius crockery so much? Also, by using the crock pot I’m not heating up my house with the oven making the A/C work twice as hard. Always a bonus.

I used the crock pot on Monday to make sesame chicken lettuce wrap.  Tonight, I made Lentil Taco Salad. A meatless wonder of a meal, chocked full of protein, vegetables and yumminess. Sorry to post a picture of the recipe, but my not retyping it…guess what I saved? TIME! :) If you click on it, it will get big and you can read it, I promise. I did take the time to punch the ingredients into WW Recipe builder to find out that if you serve this as 6 servings (that’s what I did, it says 8, but you know I like big portions) it’s 3 points per serving, without taco chips, sour cream, etc. Not bad at all! Tomorrow I plan to wrap it in a sandwich wrap like a burrito! Very tasty and all I had to do was chop and dump. Love it!

Don’t be scared to try lentils if you haven’t before. They are a wonderful meat substitute or they go great with meat! You can cook them in stews or soups, make burgers with them, anything. They are so versatile. They are also very inexpensive and go a long way, saving you a buck or two! In a meal like tacos, they work great because they have a meaty texture and consistency. They hold flavor well too, so the chili powder and garlic really stand out.

What is your favorite slow cooker/crock pot recipe?

So much for guns.

 

Friday, leaving work, this happened:

I backed into a huge metal trailer. The kicker? I have 1 car payment left. I made it through Friday night without a drink, probably because I was on-call for work.

Saturday, work was INSANE. I stayed late. I worked hard. I got mad as a hornet.  I came home and had two of these. I didn’t feel bad at all.

So, I didn’t make my goal of no booze until July 3rd. However, I am proud of myself for stopping at two and making it a whole week. The husband and I had a lazy movie night. It was our last Saturday night together until the fall. Sunday, I went grocery shopping for the week and then the husband left for work. I’m not used to him not being around on Sundays. It’s a bummer, I just keep reminding myself, it’s just until the fall. I used my Sunday time to make some homemade gnocchi and watch some chick flicks. That was my weekend.

Today, is Monday. Today, my half marathon training begins. I’m using Jeff Galloway’s training program. I want to build up slow and steady, especially to make sure my knee can handle it. I’m excited to get started!

Meal Plan for the week:

Monday - General Tso Quorn

Tuesday - Skinny Italian Meatballs (may flip flop with Wednesday if I go to the driving range after work)

Wednesday - Gnocchi with Vegetables

Thursday - Some sort of vegetable and polenta casserole type dish

Friday - Leftovers (I’m on-call again, leftovers are easier)

Goals for the week:

1. Track food Monday-Friday at least.
2. Continue the eating only food that I prepare until July 3rd rule.
3. Do the work outs as dictated by my training schedule, don’t skip any.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
30 min. run	Cross-Train	Rest	3 mile run	Yoga	30 min. run

So, I’m ready to get this party started. I’m going to have a good week, you are too. Let’s just do it together.

How did you do over the weekend?

Hey stranger!

 

Honey, I’m home! I have missed blogging and I have missed being a more active part of the blogging community. Due to my summer work schedule, I’m not sure that I’ll be as active as I was in Fall, Winter and Spring, but I am going to try be around more. I enjoyed the break, but it’s time to refocus.

The past two weeks I have been living in the danger zone. I’ve been indulging a bit too much, drinking a bit too heavily and not being active enough. I feel terrible. Not mentally, I think a break was what I needed, so I do not feel guilty, but I feel ill. I’ve been getting headaches, indigestion and I’ve been exhausted all the time. The past couple weeks ware a big wake up call for me. It helped me to remember that I continue to live this healthy lifestyle not only for weight loss but because I feel better when I do. I’m not in my twenties anymore and late night pizza causes me more pain that happiness.

I feel as if I need to do a bit of a detox, so I am making some plans for success.

1. No drinking until July 3rd. Not a drop of alcohol.

2. Track all food Monday-Friday (and make a solid effort Sat-Sun), staying within my WW Points.

3. Do something active at least 4 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. Even if I just walk the dog or do Yoga.

4. Eat only food that I prepare. No eating out or overly processed foods until July 3rd.

Now, why July 3rd? I’m realistic. I know I will have a few drinks and eat at a cookout for the 4th of July. I will work that weekend so I will enjoy food that I don’t have to prepare.

I went to the library for motivation.

The Best Light Recipe is definitely a book I will be buying. I love the original The Best Recipe cookbook, so I was elated to find a light version. It tells you the best recipe for all sorts of stuff. The best lower calorie/fat cheesecake recipe, the best veggie burger recipe, etc. They did all the work, you just have to cook!

Vegetarian Suppers From Deborah Madison's Kitchen has lots of great recipes in it and 2 of the meals from my meal plan this week will be adaptations of ones found there. I’m not going vegetarian, as I’ve said before. However, I do feel better when I eat a mostly vegetarian diet. I like to stick to vegetarian meals Monday-Friday and meats on the weekends. If I crave chicken, fish or beef during the week, I alter my meal plan.

I never thought much about getting cookbooks from the library before, but will be doing it again for sure! They are holding the book In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan for me to pick up this week. Not a cookbook, but I am excited to read it!

I’ll wrap this up with my meal plan for the week:

Monday – Quinoa, Corn and Feta stuffed Peppers

Tuesday – Polenta Squares with Black Bean Salad

Wednesday – Zucchini Parmesan

Thursday – Lentil Burgers

Friday – Leftovers (I’m on-call for work, it’s hard to cook with the risk of being pulled away at a moment’s notice)

I will share the really good recipes with you, I promise! It’s good to be back. :)

Caribbean Jerk Chickpea Burgers with Mango Slaw. Amazing.

 

So, the weekend, yadda, yadda…bad food choices, laziness. However, on Friday I made this lovely dinner and it’s the star of today’s show.

Mango Slaw (4 servings, 0 points per serving)

Ingredients

1/2 a bag Broccoli Cloeslaw Mix  
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped  
1/2 medium mango, peeled and chopped  
2 Tbsp SPLENDA® SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener  
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar  

Instructions

In a bowl combine broccoli coleslaw mix, onion and mangos.

In a cup dissolve Splenda in vinegar, add to cabbage and toss. Serve cold.

Caribbean Jerk Chickpea Burgers (4 servings, 4 points per serving)

Ingredients

15 oz canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup parsley, fresh
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped  
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped  
2/3 cup Panko crispy bread crumbs - plain  
1 egg, lightly beaten     
1/4 cup Lawry's Caribbean Jerk Marinade  

Instructions

In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas and parsley until finely chopped.

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the bread crumbs, onion and cucumber. Stir the egg and Jerk marinade into the mixture and form into 4 patties.

Cook the patties in a large skillet or grill pan for 4 minutes per side until done. Serve with 1/3 of a cup Mango Slaw on top.

You know I love the Lawry’s Marinades. They are affordable and great in moderation. This is the one to look for.

The burgers fall apart a little, so try not to move them much when cooking. I used my Foreman grill.

I enjoyed eating vegetarian dinners so much, that I’m going to go for week 2…well, I will probably opt for pepperoni on Tuesday, but mostly vegetarian! ;)

Meatless Monday – Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Salsa

Tuesday – Pepperoni Polenta Pizza

Wednesday – Grilled Vegetable Panini 

Thursday – Greek Chickpea Burgers

Friday – Leftovers

I overslept this morning so I’m not kicking the week off with a work out and that bums me out. However, I am going to making the choice right now to make this a good week.

I hope you all had great weekends and are ready to have a great week!

I just ran…

 

No meat since a little on a sandwich for lunch on Monday, still doing fine! I would love to make meat a specialty item in my diet. Something I only have once or twice a week instead of so regularly. I think I might be able to get there! However…

I was leery of last night’s vegetarian meal. I had selected two new recipes to try, Caitlin’s Perfect Baked Tofu and Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese from The Biggest Diabetic Loser’s site. Luckily, it turned out pretty well!

I was most concerned about the Tofu. I didn’t think it was going to have any flavor based on the short time in was in the marinade, but it turned out great! Even if a bit over done. The only change I made was to use vegetable broth instead of olive oil to cut back on the calories.

The SS Mac and Cheese was YUMMY! I did use reduced or no fat milk, cheese and butter, I didn’t use jalapenos (I used crushed red pepper flakes) and I added garlic and onion powder to the milk. I also added a little more squash, I probably used close to 10 oz of cooked squash.

The squash, I may make again with some adjustments, but the tofu will for sure be a keeper! I may make it again for lunch today actually. I think the fact I over-cooked it a little made it even better. It was crunchy! :)

The big news of the day is…I RAN! I did a short run for my first one, I don’t want to reinjure and right now I’m icing my knee, just to be on the safe side. I’m not diving back head first into running, but I was elated to be doing it again! I ran this on the treadmill.

Well, it’s Thursday…my very wonderful day off. I’m going to go enjoy it! The husband is off today too!

What do you like to do on your day off?

Change of plans…

 

So last night’s dinner was supposed to be baked Tofu and Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese…but there was a slight change of plans. At the last minute I was asked to dog-sit for the evening for my friend Kelly. Our dogs are just beginning a very tentative friendship, so I really wanted to keep an eye on them. Since they are the Hounds of Hell and all…

Lilly Beans and Chaser the Wonder Schnauzer

Ok, maybe not the Hounds of Hell. They are stinkin’ cute though, aren’t they? However, I did want to leave the two of them alone and up to mischief while I focused and worked in the kitchen for an hour. Trust me, they look cute, but they are plenty sneaky and crafty.

I had leftover Polenta Muffins and a Sweet Potato. It was delicious, and even the dogs thought so. They both had a little bite of sweet potato.

We had a nice relaxed evening and played outside for a bit. Both of them were very well behaved, but it made me think about how difficult healthy cooking and eating could be for people with kids! After last night, I couldn’t imagine. MAJOR KUDOS to you healthy-living parents! :)

That’s the nice thing about leaving my Friday nights free for leftovers or what have you; If I have to skip a night of my meal plan, I just shift things back a day! So, tomorrow will be Baked Tofu and Spaghetti Squash Mac & Cheese, Thursday will be Eggplant Parmesan and Friday will be Caribbean Jerk Chickpea Burgers!

I know this post wasn’t much of anything except, “look how cute the dogs in my life are!” but hey, they are pretty darn cute and who couldn’t use a little cuteness from time to time?

In other news…I think I might try going for a run tomorrow. Tomorrow makes 4 weeks. My knee is better. It hurts only occasionally. Just a short, slow run. We’ll see. Yoga after work tonight and then tomorrow is my favorite day of the week! Thursday! My day off! :)

Do you have any pets? If so, how many? I think we’re going to stay a 1 dog family for awhile. Although Lilly Beans is welcome over anytime!

A meatless week? You don’t say.

 

I hope you guys had great weekends! I did. I had a lot of laid back time, I spent some time with friends. I made it to the gym. I did a lot of reading. I’m reading the Sookie Stackhouse Novels…yeah, I’ve been living in a vacuum for about 4 days. I had to force myself to put it down to cook dinner last night!

I have decided to challenge myself to have a week full of meatless dinners! I’m a little nervous, but excited. I’ll share the good recipes with you! Speaking of which…

Last night I made Polenta Muffins! I love polenta but I have never made it myself so I was a bit nervous. There weren’t any fancy ingredients, it seemed simple enough.

Polenta Muffins (6 servings, 4pts per serving)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups hot water
16 oz. (1 bag) broccoli florets, thawed, drained and chopped
1/4 of an onion minced
1 cup chopped asparagus
1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped
2 cups 1% milk
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder (to taste)
1 cup uncooked stone-ground yellow corn meal
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp butter

Instructions

Lightly coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray, set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large heavy bottomed pot, combine water, milk and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce health to medium-low and slowly add a little bit of cornmeal at a time whisking constantly. Continue to cook, stiring frequently until the polenta has the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Stir in vegetables, butter and 3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese. Spread polenta mixture evenly into the 12 prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle the reamining Tbsp of Parmesan cheese on the top and place in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Cool for 25 minutes, serve at room temperature.

Packed full of vegetables, 2 of these muffins=1 serving. I made 6 servings, I figured I could have them for lunches or have 1 as a side dish to a meal later on in the week. Adapted from the WW Deep-Dish Polenta Pie recipe.

Now, these sound time intensive, but they are SOOOO worth it. Absolutely tasty and very filling! I can think of a ton of different vegetables to try mixing in. Which is a good thing, since I now have a bag of corn meal to use. :)

Here are the meals for the rest of the week! So, stay tuned! ;)

Tuesday – Baked Tofu with Spaghetti Squash Mac & Cheese

Wednesday – Eggplant Parmesan (I have to document how I make it)

Thursday – Caribbean Jerk Chickpea Burgers (This I will be doing on the fly)

Friday – Leftovers, I’m sure there will be some!

I needed to mix things up a little bit! I think this will be fun.

I just got back from the gym, I did 45 minutes on the stationary bike, with a book in hand! I find that reading on the stationary bike makes the time fly by. A terrific start to Tuesday!

What’s your favorite meatless meal? I’m always looking for new ones to try! :)

I won't lie anymore

I'm not going to lie about it anymore. I'm not going to sugar coat it. Since my knee injury, I have fallen off the wagon.



I have eaten entirely too much, mindlessly snacked even more, used my knee as an excuse not to exercise AT ALL and for the past 10 days I haven't tracked my food, I haven't cared. I pretty much just gave up.

This morning, I feel terrible. I feel like the old me. I feel snappy, moody, sluggish. My pants are feeling a little snug. I have no energy. I feel depressed. I couldn't get out of bed this morning for love or money. I stayed in bed until the last possible minute and then rushed to get to work. I don't like this.

I started my morning with a Green Monster with 1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal added for substance. Today is the day I have to climb back on the wagon.

I have to go to the gym after work. I know I can't run, but I can swim, I can do the elliptical and I can do weights. I have to.

If you haven't noticed yet, this blog post is more for me than for you. It's a pep-talk to myself.

Suck it up cupcake. Get through this work day, go to the gym after work and don't go snack crazy tonight. Period. It's not rocket science. Just do it. Oh and by the way TRACK YOUR FOOD DUMMY! If no one sees you eat it, your ass still knows you ate it.

My Meal Plan for the Week:

Meatless Monday - Homemade Gnocchi* with Spinach Pesto (sans-pine nuts)
Tuesday - Sweet Potato with Beans, similar to last week's Meatless Monday
Wednesday - Goulash (do you know how long it's been since I've had goulash? I just randomly started craving it and I know I can make a healthified version)
Thursday - Tuna Burger
Friday - Leftovers of some sort, maybe on a pizza.

*I made a batch of homemade gnocchi yesterday, my kitchen was a mess but it was totally worth it. It's amazing! I think this will become a regular edition to my meal planning schedule.

I got a question on my last post about how I find time to cook. Cooking is a huge form of stress release for me. I enjoy my time in the kitchen very much. Meal planning helps a lot with time because I know what meats, etc. to remove from the freezer and have thawed and ready for use each day and I don't have to spend time thinking about what to make. Most of my meals take less than an hour to prepare. I go into the kitchen at about 6:15 and I'm sitting down to eat by 7 at the latest. It's a time commitment that I enjoy, I wish I could find more time to be in the kitchen!

My exercise plan for the week:

Monday - Swim
Tuesday - Elliptical and Weights
Wednesday - Swim
Thursday - Elliptical or Bike and Weights
Friday - Swim or Elliptical

Since my May Motivation training schedule is out, I need to come up with a new plan. I must have a plan. I will fail without one.

Ok. This is it. No more excuses. I want you guys to hold me to it. If I don't post tomorrow about how I went to the gym after work today, I want you guys to call me on it. I'm serious.

Happy Monday, what is your plan for the week? Do you have one?

A Giveaway and way to save!

 

The Unlikely Success Story turns 1 year old on Thursday. I can’t believe it’s been a whole year! In honor of this milestone, CSNStores.com contacted me and asked if I would like to give away a $60 gift certificate to one of my readers! I was very excited, especially when I learned that CSN sells everything from Cookware and Fitness Equipment to Track Lighting! I took a look around there websites, they really do have it all people!

 

All you have to do to win the $60 Gift Certificate from CSNStores.com is do one or more of the following leaving a comment for EACH ONE:

1 - Become a follower of my blog or if you already are…LEAVE A COMMENT

2 - Visit CSNStores.com and tell me what  you're interested in. LEAVE A COMMENT

3 - Post about this giveaway on your blog or Twitter account. LEAVE A COMMENT

4 – Share your best money saving tip when it comes to shopping, doesn’t have to be grocery related, but shopping in general. LEAVE A COMMENT

Enter now through Wednesday May 12th! Winners will be selected by a random number generator and announced on Thursday.

4 ways for each of you go enter! I am going to be totally jealous of whoever wins! $60 can buy you some sweet stuff! :)

Ok, onto normal Monday hub-bub, here’s my meal plan for the week:

• Meatless Monday – Baked Sweet Potato with Warm Black Bean Salad
• Tuesday – Lemon Apricot Chicken
• Wednesday – Roasted Veggie Pizza
• Thursday – Baked Coconut Shrimp on a spinach salad
• Friday – Ranch Chicken & Sunday Sweet Potato Salad

This menu was planned using my local grocer’s sales circular. You can get these online from your local grocer usually on Tuesdays. When I meal plan, I took at what proteins and produce are on sale for the week and then base my menu around it.

I find this a super easy way to save money since healthy eating can get expensive. The only format of grocery store circulars are usually very similar. I happen to shop at Food Lion and this week I’m getting sweet potatoes, shrimp, strawberries, roma tomatoes and asparagus on sale.

I use several websites to find recipes, some of which have an ingredient search, so if you know that chicken breast and asparagus are on sale, you can search for recipes calling for those ingredients! Some that I use:

AllRecipes.com

EatBetterAmerica.com

WeightWatchers.com

Sometimes I just Yahoo! or Google search for recipes too, it takes a little looking around, but it’s well worth the time investment to preplan. I just thought I would let you guys into my process a little bit. Hope you found some of the information helpful!

Let’s make this week count!

No regrets.

 

I had an amazing weekend. I ended up taking Saturday off and spending the weekend celebrating my friend Kelly’s birthday as well as her father’s birthday. She had family and friends in town from all over the east coast. We ate, we drank and we were very merry. I didn’t make the best food choices, I went terribly overboard at times, and I didn’t make the time for my workouts, but I have no regrets.

This did not derail me. I indulged, relaxed and now I will let it go. A weekend with that much happiness, love and laughter can in no way shape or form be bad for me.

That being said, it’s Monday. Life is back to normal as I know it. So I will start this morning off at the gym for Alternate Cardio & Weights,* followed by work and a Meatless Monday dinner tonight. Here is my meal plan for the week:

Meatless Monday – White Bean & Spinach Soup (with some tweaks)

Tuesday – Greek Quorn Pita Sandwiches

Wednesday – Whole Wheat Couscous & Kidney Bean Salad

Thursday – Grilled Ranch Chicken

Friday – Leftovers

In case you missed it yesterday, I posted a recipe for a Sunday Sweet Potato Salad that I threw together last night. It’s what I have for lunch today and if you like sweet potato you will love this recipe.

Yesterday I also planted a Topsy Turvey Tomato Grower on my porch. I filled the 3 growing pods with Tomato, Zucchini and Bell Pepper. Cross your fingers, I’m not the best green thumb in the world! My little herb garden is growing well this year and I also prettied up the porch with some new begonias and impatience. It looks so nice out there! I also think that gardening (even if in containers) should be considered exercise. I had to carry a very heavy bag of potting soil on my shoulder up a flight of stairs! My arms are actually a little sore this morning!

View Full Album

Sorry the pictures aren’t very good…I took them at 5:40am this morning because I didn’t think to take any yesterday afternoon!

What did you do this weekend?

*Gym update: I made it to my amenity center this morning, noticed all of the flat screen TVs (5 total) were missing, cables dangling. I did 10 minutes on the elliptical and moved to the weight room to find some wall damage, the chair used to hoist the thieves up still in place, gloves on the chair and a generally creepy vibe. Since I had no phone or anything on me and there isn't one in the center, I left, mildly freaked out, came home and reported it. My little corner of the world has always been crime free. :(

*Gym update 2: The HOA called me back and the break in actually happened on Thursday night, the marks on the wall were from a messy finger printing job by the sheriffs department and since they are still investigating, they haven't cleaned up the place much. Supposedly there was a letter to this effect hanging somewhere in the complex, but it wasn't on the main door because I looked. Oh well, serves me right for skipping the gym for 2 days. ;)

Meatless Monday – Lemon Veggie Orzo

 

This is a very light, quick and easy dish. It will be a perfect dish to carry you through Spring and Summer and would be great for entertaining! I give you…

Lemon Veggie Orzo (4 pts per serving, 2 servings)

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked orzo  
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped  
1/2 cup asparagus, chopped   
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped  
1/2 cup tomato, chopped  
1 tsp olive oil  
2 Tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese  
2 Tbsp lemon juice, canned or bottled  
1 clove garlic minced  
7 oz vegetable broth

Instructions

Heat oil and some non-stick cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in orzo and allow to brown while stirring for 2 minutes.

Add all other ingredients (except cheese) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and allow to simmer until orzo absorbs all the liquid.

Serve topped with 1 tbsp of parmesan cheese.

I had 1 cup of Campbell’s Garden Broccoli Boxed Soup on the side. It’s not too bad for store bought soup and only 1 weight watcher point per serving.

Toasting the orzo before hand gives it a wonderful nutty flavor. The vegetables stay crisp too with tons of flavor from the lemon juice and garlic. I could easily eat 2 servings of this if I didn’t have the soup on the side!

I realized that I forgot to post my meal plan for the week! Sorry about that, obviously, this was Monday’s meal…

Tuesday: Spaghetti with Turkey Sausage

Wednesday: Mexican Kiwi Tostadas

Thursday: Herb Parmesan Tilapia

Friday: My friend Kelly’s Buckets & Buckets birthday party on the beach…buckets of chicken and buckets of daiquiris.

I am still trying to make a decision about the 2 Sunday 5ks this month. I would really like to do the one on Sunday, but I’m not sure it’s realistic with my current weekend plans and the one on Mother’s day doesn’t really interest me to participate in. So, we’ll see what happens there. It might be one of those “morning of” registrations. Surprise, I just ran a 5k! Booyah!

Yesterday I had a great workout. I did 22 minutes on the Elliptical, 25 minutes of total body weight training and 10 minutes on the stationary bike. It was nice to have a focused workout that didn’t involve running…but, this morning, I run. And, I’m off! :)

Food for Comfort

 

Meatloaf. You love it or you hate it. I happen to LOVE it. Tonight I tried my hand at a Turkey Meatloaf with a Honey mustard glaze. Here’s what I got!

Tonyne’s Terrific Turkey Meatloaf with Honey Mustard Glaze

(5 pts per serving, 2 servings)

Meatloaf

7 oz uncooked ground turkey breast  
2 slices light whole wheat bread, ground in processor
1/3 cup egg whites
1/4 cup cooked carrots, shredded and sautéed  
1/3 cup cooked onions, finely chopped and sautéed  
1 tsp garlic powder  
1 tsp onion powder  

Glaze

1 Tbsp mustard  
1 Tbsp honey  
1 tsp SPLENDA® Splenda Brown Sugar Blend   

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine all ingredients for meatloaf in a bowl. Add mixture to a 5" mini loaf pan. Place in oven and cook for 25 minutes.

While loaf cooks, combine mustard, honey and brown sugar blend, whisk well.

Remove loaf from oven, top with glaze and place back in oven for 5-10 minutes.

Very YUM indeed. I served mine with a side of parsnip fries, which I’m not ashamed to say I’ve made 3 times this week. After hearing Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point rave about them for months, I finally caved. I don’t know why I waited so long!

I hope you are all having terrific weekends thus far! I am stuck at work…tell me what you’re doing! Let me life vicariously…please! :)

What's up next?

If you missed my Lighthouse 10k Recap on Saturday, please go check it out. It was an awesome race and I had a good time! However, I am already ready for another race. Is that normal? :)

Due to my work schedule it's going to be very hard to participate in races until the fall. I have to work Saturdays. It's not an option from this point forward. However, I found two races within an hour's drive on Sundays in May. One is The Bellamy Mansion Race for History and the other is a Mother's Day 5k & Fun Run. Both are in Wilmington, NC and are on 5/2 and 5/9 respectively. I really want to do the Bellamy Mansion run. It sounds awesome. It's through historic Wilmington and you get to tour the grounds of the Mansion after the run. However, the 2nd is the day after a party my friend Kelly is having, so I'll have to weigh my options. I am going to do one of them though, that much I know.



Anyone local or nearby to Wilmington interested in coming out and doing one with me? You don't have to run, you can walk! Races are so much fun and these are only $20'ish and both are going to good causes. Let me know if you're interested!

In other race news, my good friend Heather (who I met through the wonderful blogging world) has finally gotten me to commit to running my first Half Marathon. I am excited and terrified. We chose the Myrtle Beach Mini Marathon and it's the inaugural year.
I like to train using Jeff Galloway's training programs, so this would mean my training will begin on June 27th. I just keep thinking to myself "You ran 7 miles once...just do that almost twice." Yeah. I'm having confidence issues, but I'll get past them and I have plenty of time to train!

When I start to think that maybe I can't do something...this is what I'm going to think of from here on out. At the end of the Lighthouse 10k, we were getting ready to leave and my Mom says "Oh no, someone fell!" We look over and about 100 yards from the finish line an elderly gentleman had taken a tumble where the road turned from pavement to gravel. He kept trying to get up and they kept making him lay down. You could tell he just wanted to finish the race. I heard through the crowd that he was having chest pains. The ambulance and medics finally showed up and the man tried to get up again. The medic, with a reluctant look on his face, helped him up. They walked over the finish line together, the man answering the medics questions for his paperwork before his ride to the hospital. I cheered and cheered for him as he finished. It brought tears to my eyes. You can always finish. Just don't take no for an answer.

My meal plan for the week!

Meatless Monday - Black Bean & Cheese Quesadillas
Tuesday - Chicken Salad Sandwich
Wednesday - Herb Parmesan Crusted Talapia
Thursday - Turkey Meatloaf with a Honey Mustard Glaze
Friday - Whatever's Left in the Fridge thrown together to make something yummy.

This will be a difficult week. My eating wasn't great over the weekend. I indulged in my cravings (in moderation, but I still indulged) with my Mom and I have to attend a conference for work on Tuesday and Wednesday. I an very type A and tend to panic a bit when my schedule isn't just so. Yes, I know this about myself and yes this is something I'm trying to work on.

I think I've yammered on enough for today. I hope you all had fantastic weekends! :)

Meatless Monday – Sloppy Fauxs

 

Scheduled for Meatless Monday this week was a very yummy sounding Vegetarian Burrito Casserole that I was looking forward to making. I found the original recipe, had it “healthified” and everything. Monday rolled around, I have been really bothered by the pollen this year and when I got home I just felt terrible and the last thing I felt like making was that burrito casserole. Sometimes with meal planning, this happens.

I looked in my cupboards to see what I had on hand. I found some Sloppy Joe seasoning mix and I thought about being a kid and having a big old messy sloppy joe dripping down to my elbows. I thought “What the heck!” So I decided to make a vegetarian sloppy joe, except I’ll call it, Sloppy Faux. Here it is:

Sloppy Faux (4 points per serving)

Ingredients

• 1 cup(s) meatless soy crumbles   
  1 cup(s) zucchini, chopped
• 1/4 cup(s) red onion(s), finely chopped    
  3/4 cup(s) canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup(s) tomato(es), chopped   
• 2 tsp French's Sloppy Joe Seasoning   
• 2 slice(s) Nature's Own Light Honeywheat Bread, toasted   
• 1/4 cup(s) Kraft Cracker Barrel Shredded 2% milk reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese   

Instructions

Sauté zucchini and onion in pan and sauté until soft. Add soy crumbles, tomato sauce, chopped tomato and sloppy joe seasoning. Cook until done.
Place 1/2 of the mixture of on each piece of toast. Sprinkle each with 1/2 of the cheese and place under broiler under cheese is melty.

I served mine with some Butternut Squash Fries. I no longer enjoy food getting all over me when I eat it, so I’ve long since ate my Sloppy Joes (and now Fauxs) open faced with a knife and fork. Comfort food at it’s best which I took right to the front of the TV and settled in for the night.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get my Yoga done. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body. I was sound asleep by 10:30pm.

I’m off to run! Only 4 more days until my 10k, Yikes! :)

Are you bothered by pollen? This is my first year with any allergy problems…any advice? It’s awful!

Weekend Update with Tonyne

 

Hi everyone! I had  a pretty good weekend. I hope you did too! I ate well, I got a new running headband, from BonidiBand.com…

…that I love and I think sums me up pretty well! I ordered it and 3 days later it arrived! They are super fast! I tested it on my Sunday run and it stayed on my head the whole time, it worked GREAT. They didn’t give me this headband or pay me to say that either. I’m just a girl that has been desperate for years to find a headband that stayed on my head. Thank you BondiBand!

On Saturday, I had to work. After work I went to the grocery store…totally boring! But on Sunday I met my friend Kelly for brunch and I wore another skirt! I think I’m liking this skirt thing.

 

I ate a bit heavy at brunch because I started my day off with a pretty decent 4 mile run, so I was starving by the time we got there. This will be my last long’ish run before the 10k on Saturday.

I did log the points for everything I ate and I started my meal with mixed fruit. After brunch we went to the beach. Sadly, I don’t have any pictures, but it was a beautiful day.

A few days ago, Jen from Slim-Shoppin.com, asked if I would be interested in being part of her weight loss success story blog series. Of course I said Yes! She asked me some really great questions and posted my story on her blog Sunday evening.

Her site if full of good information and inspiration! Be sure to stop by and say hello!

All in all, it was a great weekend. I wish I could have spent more time with the husband but his main goal this weekend was sleep and I think he may have overachieved his goal a bit! We work different schedules so now I won’t see him again until Wednesday.

Here is my meal plan for the week!

Meatless Monday – Vegetarian Burrito Casserole

Tuesday – Spinach & Feta Stuff Chicken breast with Quinoa

Wednesday – Eggplant Cutlets with Tomato Olive relish

Thursday – Cheeseburger Pita Pizza

Friday – Whatever my Mama wants for dinner! She is coming down for my 10k! :)

It’s Monday again. They seem to be coming around fast these days, huh? I plan on doing some Yoga after work. My body just told me to sleep that extra hour this morning…I didn’t feel much like arguing with it.

What book are you reading right now? I need some recommendations for beach/poolside reading!

And we're back!

Monday arrived as quickly as usual and here we are again. I hope you all had fantastic weekends. Mine was very laid back, but very great. Saturday we took our niece to the movies to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D. While waiting, we had some fun with our 3D glasses.

And before you even ask, yes I ate popcorn with butter and yes I shared a regular Coke with the husband. I enjoyed it, I planned appropriately points wise and I moved along. It's all about balance, remember?

After the movie we went grocery shopping and I loaded up on fresh produce! That whole, 2 weeks without a trip to the grocery store left me craving fresh fruit and veggies with a vengeance. I have eaten 3 monster size salads since Saturday night and I have one packed for lunch! When I post my meal plan in a few minutes, you'll see the veggie craving there as well.

On Sunday I had a 6 mile run scheduled. It was really windy here, so I chose to do the run on the treadmill. The dehumidifier in my amenity center is broken (there is an indoor pool in there) and it was like running in a sauna, but I opened the windows and had a nice breeze flowing through. It turned out to be a pretty good run!



So much to say today!! Can ya'll still hang with me for a bit?



I would like to send out a HUGE congratulations to Nicole over at ...Let Them Eat Lettuce... today for competing in her first 5k on Sunday! And she did it on near her birthday! So congratulations and Happy early Birthday!!



Meal Plan for the week!

Meatless Monday - Roasted Vegetable Fajitas with Mexican rice
Tuesday - Chicken Stroganoff type dish using greek yogurt that I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to make yet.
Wednesday - Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Butter
Thursday - Grilled Vegetable Pita Pizzas
Friday - Crunchy Talapia Filet with a salad

See, I told you you would see a lot of veggies. That's 3 meatless meals!

Wow, if you managed to stay with me through all of this, I am IMPRESSED!

Tell me this...is there anything you'd like to see more of here on Unlikely Success Story? I know I write this mostly for me, but I would like to keep you somewhat interested.

What can I do to keep you reading?

Meatless Monday - Meat & Potato-less Shepherd's Pie

Last night's dinner was AMAZING. I knew I wanted to make a shepherd's pie using Soy Crumbles, but I wasn't sure what I had in my pantry to pull it all together. What turned out was a Meat and Potato-less Meal that tasted so amazing I couldn't wait to share it with you. It may not be the prettiest meal, but it's one of my new favorites.

I know what you're thinking..."there is no way that can taste good". But you're wrong. Soooo wrong.



Meat & Potato-less Shepherd's Pie

POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 3

Ingredients

2 cup(s) steamed and mashed* butternut squash,
1 can cream of broccoli soup
2 cup(s) frozen mixed vegetables (I used a green bean, corn, pea and carrot mix)
1 cup(s) meatless soy crumbles
1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced
1/4 cup(s) cooked onions
1/4 cup(s) shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
Salt, Pepper, Onion & Garlic Powder to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute onions and garlic in non-stick pan sprayed with cooking spray until soft. Add frozen vegetables and Soy Crumbles cook until just done. Add spices to taste.

Add cream of broccoli soup and 1/4 can of water, bring to a simmer.

Remove from heat and then place vegetable mixture in a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Top with mashed butternut squash and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until bubbly, place under broiler for approximately 5 minutes until cheese is lightly browned.

*I placed 1/2 of a butternut squash cut into cubes in a glass bowl with about 1/4 cup of water and microwaved for approximately 8 minutes and then mashed with a fork.

Here are a few of my meal ideas for the rest of the week:

Tuesday - Beef, Broccoli and Pepper Stir Fry
Wednesday - Crock-pot BBQ Shredded Chicken
Thursday - Lentil & Turkey Sausage Soup with Pasta
Friday - Leftovers

I'm trying to make it through this week without a trip to the grocery store, so I based my meals on pantry items or things I had available. I may or my not conduct my own iron chef battles alone in my kitchen.

I was supposed to run this morning but when I woke up the temperature was 40 degrees. I knew that this afternoon would be 65'ish degrees so I packed up my running gear and brought it to work. My plan is to go right out the door of my office and take off after work. If yesterday's stress level is any indication of today's, I will NEED to run.

How do you deal with work stress?

I know most of us have it. I used to eat and drink it away. Now I tend to do some sort of physical activity to release the tension.

A Friday Funny!

I want to start with one of my favorite jokes, it goes like this:

A guy was riding the elevator into work one morning and a lady got on and said "T.G.I.F.!" He looked at her and "S.H.I.T.!". A bit more determined she repeated "T.G.I.F.!", he replied again and said "S.H.I.T.!". She's a little angry now and says "T.G.I.F., you know, Thank Goodness it's Friday?". He looks at her and smiles when he says "S.H.I.T., Sorry Hun, it's Thursday."

I love that joke. :)



Well, it's Friday, this I know! I'm am so looking forward to the weekend! I don't have any real plans. Saturday I may take Chaser to the new dog park. Then the husband and I are planning to go out Saturday night, nothing major, just a few drinks, just us and then meet up with some friends later to celebrate a birthday. Then on Sunday I have a 5 mile run. The weather won't be nearly as warm as it was last weekend, but it will be sunny!

I know there's something I'm supposed to tell you guys on Fridays...it's slipping my mind though....

I have my meal plan ready for next week, here it is!

Monday - (Meatless Monday Meal) Spinach Lasagna Rolls
Tuesday - Oven Fried Chicken & Hungry-Girl's Butternut Squash Bake (the recipe link I can't seem to find now)
Wednesday - Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry
Thursday - Butternut Squash Orzo and Brussels Sprouts
Friday - BBQ Chicken in the Crockpot

Yummy! I'm looking forward to eating next week!

Man, I know something is slipping my mind...

I finished reading My Sister's Keeper last night and it was such a great book. I totally did not expect the ending. I haven't seen the movie yet, not sure I want to. I don't want to give it away, but if it's a great book and I recommend it!

Maybe I forgot to tell you my mini-goal for the next week.

Have only 1 snack after dinner. I have a problem of snacking several times after dinner. I know I'm a night-time snacker and I allot points for that. I want to limit myself to 1 snack after dinner.

I remember what I'm supposed to tell you know...I'm supposed to tell you to Have a great weekend!!!

Right?

Ok, ok, I remember! I weighed-in this morning at 162.7, -.3 lbs for the week. You were all right, the scale surprised me. I will take the .3 loss and be VERY happy about it. :)

Do you set mini-goals for each week? If so, what is your mini-goal for next week?

French Un-Fried Potatoes!

First things first, weigh-in.

163lbs, -1 lb loss this week.

I will take it! At this point in my journey every pound feels like a huge victory. I've been stuck in the 163-168 yo-yo for months. I'm going to break out of it this time. I am 4lbs away from a true 50lb loss. I am going to make it there. Before my 30th birthday which is March 31st. You heard it here first folks. That's my goal.

Last night I didn't feel like Chinese Chicken. So I opted for a Boca Bruschetta Veggie Patty and some home made fries. Everyone has their own recipe for home fries, here is mine:

1 large baking potato cut into strips
Non-Stick Cooking Spray
1 Tbsp of Seasoning, whatever you like, I used Mrs.Dash Garlic and Herb tonight

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, lay fries in a single layer, spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with seasoning cook for 35-40 minutes until crisp, shaking tray every 10 minutes to make sure all sides brown. Easy, healthy, oven crisp fries.






Meals for next week!

Meatless Monday (on Monday!) - Roasted Bell Pepper Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
Tuesday - Slow Cooked Pinto Chicken with Corn & Quinoa
Wednesday - Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta
Thursday - Chicken Souvlaki Pitas
Friday - Greek Lemon Fish with Quinoa

As always, I may or may not follow the recipes exactly and I will share my favorite ones of the week!

I don't have any weekend plans to speak of. I'm looking forward to some relaxing. Tomorrow is my "Rest" day from training and I have another 4 mile training run on Sunday and I'm actually looking forward to it. I was nervous about my last 4 mile run, but now that I know I can do it, I hope to just run and enjoy this one.

As always, I probably won't be around much during the weekend unless I have something I just can't wait until Monday to share!

Are you guys doing anything fun this weekend? What are your plans? Happy Friday!

Be sure to sign up to win this awesome shirt that Syl is giving away! I did! :)