The Beginning of the Journey

I realized that I have not written my goal down on the blog.  My goal is to lose 100 pounds in one year.  This is a healthy goal, as it is just under 2 pounds per week.  I am not doing any gimmicky diets, or fads.  I am simply going to exercise and eat right.  My background in Health has taught me that this is truly the best and healthiest way to lose weight.

Though I have a goal weight in mind, I am not tied to a number on a scale.  I working toward having a healthy body; a strong body. 

There are many reasons why I have put on weight.  I am finally working through the real, underlying causes of my weight gain.  I am on a journey to a healthier me.  Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Please join me on my journey! 

Cafe Rio Copycat Chicken Salad

I love me a good Cafe Rio salad.  However, with over 1,000 calories (yikes!) it has to be a special occasion.  I decided to see if I could make a copycat with fewer calories.  Here is the result.

Ingredients
1/2 Cup Cafe Rio shredded chicken (I used THIS recipe and it was delish!)
1 Package Wholly Guacamole 100 calorie serving
1/2 Small tomato, diced
2 Teaspoons fat-free sour cream
10 Tortilla chips
2 Tablespoons shredded cheese
1/2 Cup cooked black beans
3 Cups shredded lettuce (I used romaine)

I found that this recipe cut the calories about in half when I logged it on Lose It!  Not entirely the same as my Cafe Rio salad, but it was still pretty amazing without all of the calories.

Weigh In: Week 1

This was my first weigh in of the week. 

DOWN 3 POUNDS!

I am so excited about this! 

Burnout Cure Book Review

Have any of you read this book?  I loved it.  Have you ever felt burned out?  Like you do not have anything left to give to others?  Or just overwhelmed with all of your daily responsibilities?  If so, I recommend this book.  It is filled with stories, scriptural quotes, and real life examples.

She addresses some common challenges women face, especially women who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I really enjoyed how throughout the book she reminds us that we need to add ourselves into the mix of the people we take care of each day.  She gives many ideas and suggestions on how we can take good care of ourselves.  One of the things I enjoyed was how she talked about the ability to tell others, dare I say it, "No!"  She also talks about letting go of unrealistic expectations and learning to love ourselves. 

I found this to be an easy, but great, read.  I enjoyed the spaces provided to jot down notes and answer questions.  If you are feeling overwhelmed or burned out this is a great book. 

Fiesta Lime Chicken

I am all about easy these days.  I do not usually have time to spend hours cooking at a hot stove.  I use my George Foreman Grill A LOT!  Especially in the summer when it is hot.  The good ole George has been a lifesaver this summer!  This is one of my go to recipes on a hot summer night.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
4 Tablespoons lime juice
Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning
Onion salt
2 Tablespoons shredded cheese
2/3 Cup red, yellow and green bell peppers, diced
1/4 Green onions, diced

Directions
Place each piece of chicken in separate sheets of tinfoil and wrap.  (You can put them together in the same piece of foil, but I think it cooks better if you do them individually.)  Pour 2 tablespoons of lime juice on each piece of chicken.  Sprinkle Mrs. Dash and onion salt on each piece chicken to your taste.  Warning: Do not overdo it.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese on each piece of chicken.  Place half of the peppers and onions on each piece of chicken.  (I dice up my peppers and onions in bulk and freeze them.  That way I can just pull them out of the freezer to use for recipes like this one.)  Wrap and fold in each side of the tinfoil around the chicken to make a nice foil packet.  Poke a small hole in the top of each packet with a fork for the steam to escape.  Place in the George Foreman grill and close the lid.  Grill until chicken is cooked through.

That is it!  Super easy, super delicious summer dinner!

Zucchini Boats

Oh my goodness!  I have so much zucchini.  And I was worried about not getting anything to grow!  I have been scouring Pinterest for zucchini recipes.  I found one I LOVE.  You can find the recipe over at Our Best Bites HERE.  They are so good! (It seems I usually only have my cell phone around when I am making dinner!)

Fresca Salsa

My friend was so generous and gave me some fresh produce from her garden.  I made this salsa with some of it and loved it!  Much better than the stuff in the jar.  Another bad cell phone pic...sorry!  The measurements on this are approximate.  Feel free to add them to your own taste.

Ingredients
2 Anaheim peppers, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 dash of cumin
1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions
Combine all ingredients and mix.  Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. 

Southwestern Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I have always loved a good stuffed pepper!  I had some fresh green bell peppers and some quinoa I needed to use.  So, I threw these together.  They were delish!  Here is the recipe.  I know this is a bad cell phone picture, but you get the idea.

Ingredients
4 medium bell peppers
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 can corn
1 can black beans, drained
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 lb. 96% lean ground beef if desired
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Cut off tops of peppers and clean out the inside.  Boil peppers for 2-3 minutes.  Set aside.  Cook 1 cup quinoa according to directions using 1 1/2  cups water and 1 can of tomato sauce.  Brown ground beef.  In a bowl mix ground beef, corn, black beans, cheese, onion, cooked quinoa, and salt and pepper.  Fill peppers and top with shredded cheese if desired.  Cover with foil.  Cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove foil and cook for another 5 minutes to melt cheese.  Enjoy!