90 Day Challenge Over!

So the 90 day challenge that I was in is over and the results are not in yet except for mine I am down 29 pounds in the 90 days. I know by some people that is not a lot but I am only shooting for 10 lb month loss so I am OK with 29. This will be short because my carpal tunnel is bugging me. But I wanted to show the picture updates.

Paleo Sweet and Sour Pork

I made sweet and sour pork last night it was great the recipe is following this post. I served mine over cauliflower rice and Bill had his over white rice. This Saturday ends the 90 day challenge I was doing on Facebook. I will post before and after pictures on here. I took some last week and its pretty noticeable. I have had a few off days this last week and I need to get back on track. I am doing pretty well this week. Tomorrow we are supposed to go to Mexican food with friends and lets see how well I do there. 

Paleo Sweet and Sour Pork
1 lb pork loin
Marinade:
1 TBS ground ginger
1 TBS minced garlic
1/2 TBS onion powder
1/2 C orange juice
1 TBS coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce
Vegetables:
3 celery stalks
3 large carrots
1 bell pepper
1/2 large onion
1 can of pineapple (drained)
1 TBS minced garlic
Sauce:
1/2 TBS coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce
1/3 rice wine
1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS ketchup
1 TBS honey
2/3 C of beef broth
Slice pork in thin slices and marinade for 4 hours to overnight. Dice vegetables and pineapple. Place in vegetables and pineapple in a bowl (except garlic) sprinkle the vegetables with a pinch salt and let sit for 15 minutes. In a sauce pan add a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the garlic until just starting to brown and add the vegetables. Add the ingredients of the sauce into the vegetables and cook on low-medium heat for half an hour. Uncover the vegetables in sauce but keep on heat. In a separate pan heat 2 TBS olive oil and add meat discarding the extra marinade. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Combine the meat and vegetable mixture. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.
*Note vinegar and honey amounts may be changed depending on taste*

To Brownie or Not?

So over the last six months I have been able to look at treats and say, "No, thanks." about 90% of the time once in a great while if it is a gluten free like ice cream or a chip I will eat it. But, the trick with this is we always bought store bought treats or he would eat them so I did not have to smell them baking. I can easily turn down store bought crap because it is never as good as the home made stuff even the stuff out of the box. Last time we went to the store Bill sneaked in a box of brownies to the cart. He has been bugging me for two days to make him his brownies. I am scurred that they will persuade me to eat them. Screaming my name and I will take part in their chocolatey goodness evilness. Yes, I know I have a paleo recipe for brownies and can easily make this instead of falling to the prey of  the evilness in which is called brownies. But, it still scares me. I have found that my relationship with food over the last six months has gotten much better. I rarely find myself going to food when I am upset or bored. I have learned to find other outlets rather than eating my emotions but who knows with fresh baked brownies in the house. At one point   I will have to make them for him, but why can't I make them on a day where I am leaving the house the rest of the day until the smell leaves the house? Skinny Fiber has been good I have a lot of energy and not eating as much as I was I am down 6.5 inches and 3 lbs since I started taking it.
Paleo Brownie:
1 egg
3 TBS almond flour
3 TBS unsweetened coco powder
2 TBS honey
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
2 TBS of coconut creamer
Mix in mug and microwave from 1:30- 2 minutes.
This is not my recipe but I am not sure where I got it from anymore it has been awhile.

Skinny Fiber day 3

Today has been a good day the detox headache from Skinny Fiber is gone. I have dropped 2 pounds in the last 2 days. Today I was having problems keeping my bathing suit (2 piece) on during water aerobics. I am excited because I hit my 50 lb mark my reward is a brand new hair cut and dye job. I will post pics after Thurs apt.  Today I made zucchini noodles as a sub for pasta noodles and I have to say I enjoyed them it will be a regular around here. I have energy compared to what I had pre- Skinny Fiber however I am still trying to figure out what to do with it so I am not accomplishing as much as I probably should.

Skinny Fiber

So 10 days after ordering my Skinny Fiber I received it! I took it before dinner and have been having bathroom issues starting about 2 hours after taking it. I talked to my distributor and she stated that people at first either become constipated or have the other issues which apparently is the lucky thing to have because it is not as uncomfortable. So I will stick with the bathroom runs. I have hit my 50 lb mark! I am excited I am still eating Paleo with very little veering off. The main reason I started with SF is so I would have some fiber in my diet which I am not getting doing Paleo and have not been able to find gluten free fiber.

Eating More often

I read Chris Powell's book about carb cycling. I like the idea of eating 5 times a day versus my 2 and probably do need to up my carbs more on some days in order to throw my body off. But he wants your body weight in the amount of carbs there is no way I am eating that many carbs a day it is impossible on this diet. So I am going to try and eat more often and eat more carbs on high carb days but not that many.

I am Alive!

I feel like a complete slacker when it comes to this blog. I used to love writing the blog I used to keep but now I sit in front of this computer screen wondering what to write if it is worth your time to read and every time I decide not to write. I am still doing good with the Paleo lifestyle I am down 48 pound and 18 inches. I ordered a new product called skinny fiber. It is supposed to help with detoxing and helping burn fat. So maybe I will use that as a starting point to write more on here. Here is to taking time to write things out on here and enjoying it more like I should!

Slacker

Well I have been a slacker I know it has been a long time. I have been so busy and just not in the mood to write. I am still on plan (80% of the time). I am down 25 pounds and 12 inches in the last four months. Bill has been fighting an open wound and ended up in the hospital last week with an infection. Without the hospital stay we have been doing 4 doctors visit a week, plus his wound care and lymphademia therapy which is taking me an hour a day . Plus I have homework from my Masters program. So I have been busy and sitting down and writing is the last thing I want to do. But I wanted to check in and let everyone know that I am still on plan other than not working out, and am doing good.

National Waffle Day

I am such a slacker when it comes to it. Sometimes I just feel like I don't have enough to write to consider writing a blog. Last week I went to the doctors because I have an infection in my tooth. He gave me antibiotics and I got the spiel about what not to eat and eat with the infection in order to make sure it heals correctly and then I got questioned about my diabetes (mind you its a free clinic so its not my regular doctor). He looked at me like I was lying when I said I do not eat sweets, I eat 90% non processed foods, I do not drink juice or soda. He was also surprised that my sugar numbers normally run 60-120 when I check them fasting and after meals. It really made me mad yes I am 390 pounds but I have also lost 18 pounds since the beginning of February. I really have been in a baking mode I made those strawberry cupcakes that were delicious, last night I made macaroons. Today is national waffle day which I was informed of when I woke up because Bill heard it on the local news. Well wasn't he in for a surprise because last night before
bed I looked up some pumpkin pecan waffles.
Macaroons:
3 egg whites
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of vanilla
2 cups of unsweetened  coconut
Mix egg whites and honey until it is white and starting to get stiff. Briefly mix in the salt and vanilla. Mix in the coconut and refrigerate for half an hour. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
I adapted a recipe from Joyful Adobe  for the waffles

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 5 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed (the more ripe they are, the sweeter the waffles will be) 2/3 cup of pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Coconut oil
• Chopped pecans
• I added 1 Tablespoon of honey and 2 Tablespoons of flax seed meal

Mix eggs, pumpkin, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the almond flour in small batches so it will not clump and then mix in the flax  seed meal. Let the batter sit 5 minutes while your waffle iron heats up. I still have non paleo friendly items in the house that I am trying to use up like Pam spray and syrup. So I used these because I do not want to waste the items.

Tonight I am making home made spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash. My sauce is basically my way of cleaning out my fridge, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, pork sausage, onion, and whatever spices I feel like using that day. I bake my squash after I cut it in half and clean it out for about an hour to hour and half at 350.

The Best Paleo Cupcakes EVER!!!

Sorry it has been a few days. After writing papers for my Masters program the last thing I want to do is sit down and write a blog. I have been on plan even with eating out a couple of times. We went to Olive Garden yesterday I got the salmon and steamed vegetables for 17 dollars. Yes you read that right 17 dollars for a piece of fish and half a cup of veggies it is ridiculous. First of all their gluten free menu does not have prices on it so stupidly I assumed it was going to be a decent price not 17 dollars.
Today I went on a walk. I walked around the neighborhood and it was nice to be out in the sun for about half an hour. I walked a little over a mile it was nice. My dinners which I haven't been able to get pictures for my phone is being stupid has been:
Steak with sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions
Stuffed bell peppers with onion, carrots, yellow squash, celery, pork, and ground beef
Tonight I made some strawberry shortcake cupcakes and OMG I  had to stop myself from eating the whole dozen I did not even want to share with Bill. I have to admit they are not my recipe but you can find it Here.

Planned Day Off

I know it has been a few days life has just been crazy. For the most part I have stayed on diet I allowed myself to have a cheat day on Saturday which basically consisted of Moo Goo Gai Pan with out rice, Rueben without bread and an Applebees Oriental chicken salad (grilled chicken and no noodles) and the appetizer was corn tortillas (wheat free I checked) and spicy queso dip. There was no gluten just some dairy. The last few days diet has been .

 

 Turkey breast, mashed sweet potatoes, and roasted carrots

Sweet potato hash with bell peppers, bacon, mushrooms and eggs.
Tonight we had corned beef and cabbage. Bill had potatoes with his but I did not. I feel so much better doing this diet I learned that last night and this morning. I felt like crap I was bloated and having major stomach issues from the dairy I ate yesterday.

Lifestyle not diet

Today was a pretty easy day I got on the scale and I dropped another three pounds did I say that I love this diet lifestyle. I still need to get in my head that it is a lifestyle rather then a diet. I enjoy eating this way but after so many yo yo dieting attempts I am still working on wrapping my head around the fact that this has to be forever and I know that just my subconscious needs to get it! I spent my day being lazy well not really I had a paper due today so I spent the day doing that.
I had gone to the butcher hoping to get better quality of meat that is given less hormones but not grass fed because with the current budget that is out of the question. But this steak I got was horrid with so much gristle in it that a quarter of it was inedible I was very disappointed. This blog is going to be short and pictureless because of my day but I wanted to keep this going. 
Menu:
3 eggs
1/2 bell pepper
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
3 slices of bacon
Dinner:
Steak fajita salad
.5 lb steak (cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic, pepper, salt, beef bullion powder 1/4 package)
1/2 of each red, yellow, and green bell pepper
1/4 c of Chicken stock
Romaine lettuce
Avacado
I cut the steak into bite size pieces and tossed with the seasoning. Sliced the vegetables and put in a hot pan with some ghee and then added the chicken stock and the rest of the powder. Cover and let vegetable soften. Add meat and cook until no longer pink. Pile on top of the romaine lettuce and add avocado. Top with as much salsa as you would like.
Bill had cheese on his. 

I don't eat that crap!

So as I said the other day the boyfriend does not eat Paleo. I was making shrimp curry last night for dinner with some wilted spinach and all I heard was complaints. So as a good girlfriend I made him some fried shrimp using almond flour and coconut flour and smashed red potatoes. They were not the best the breading was slightly dry but it was not curry. Part of me think it is stupid that I have to make sure I eat what he wants to eat or will eat so I will not have to make two different meals while the other part thinks that he is not on this diet and should not be forced to eat this way. I am not sure what I am going to do further down the road with this situation. I need to eat this way and he should ( he suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, lymphadema).
 We spent the day at the doctors for him his blood pressure is in the normal range for the first time in a long time, his A1C went down from 8.6 to 7.6 6 months ago it was 11. For me it was a good experience because I fit into a chair that hurt to sit in last time. It hurt so bad last time I sat on the exam table rather then the chairs. This time it was somewhat of a tight fit but it did not hurt.
Food yesterday was:
Breakfast
Sweet potato cakes (1 sweet potato, 1TB coconut flour, 1 egg) They were still soft so I need to play with that
2 eggs
1/2 c of berries
3 slices of bacon

Dinner
Shrimp curry
1/2 pound of wild caught shrimp
1 can of coconut milk
2 TB of curry powder
1 onion
1 bell pepper
I sauteed bell pepper and onion added shrimp and curry powder and then milk. ( It is very liquidy but I like it like that). I then added about 4 cups of spinach until wilted.

Today we went out for breakfast I had a ribeye with 2 eggs and a few pieces of pineapple (it was nasty pineapple). After the doctors we went to Red Lobster I can proudly say I did well I had none of those delicious biscuits. I had broccoli, lobster, shrimp in clarified garlic butter, and crab legs, 2 ice teas.

PALEO!!!

For the last few months I have been dabbling in Paleo I feel much better doing it. I enjoy finding new recipes and experimenting with different food items. The boyfriend is still eating normally but he is eating what I cook for the most part some mornings he adds bread and he eats crackers for snack and what not. But, the reasoning for the blog is because I have recipes saved all over the place in the book marks and this would be a place for me to keep recipes and new food ideas. I will even take pictures and make it purdy like (sorry I had too). Anywhos this morning I made an egg scramble with bell peppers, mushrooms, and bacon it was delicious.

Today I made some Ghee which was a lot easier then I thought it would be melt some good butter on low let it come to a boil and then the milk particles will turn brown and settle to the bottom. Strain it through 3 layers of cheese clothe and place in jars. From what I can tell reading online it is good for up to a year in the fridge.

I have to give credit where credit is due for my Orange Chicken recipe I adapted it from Calm Mind Kitchen

• 1 onion sliced thinly
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 1 pound of green beans
• 4 Tbsp of Ghee
• 1 Tbsp of garlic
• 1/2 c of chicken stock
• Zest of 1 orange
• Juice from 2 oranges
• 2 Tbsp of garlic chili sauce
• 1 tsp of ginger
• 3 Tbsp of wheat free soy sauce
• 1 pound of chicken cut into 1 inch pieces

Heat a pan melt 2 Tbsp Ghee and add  onion (I  used a mandolin) and bell pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft and then add the trimmed green beans let saute for a minute or 2 and then add 1/4 c of stock cover with lid.
Start on the sauce add zest, juice, chili sauce, ginger, soy sauce and about 1/4 c of stock in a medium sauce pan and turn on low.
In a frying pan add the rest of the Ghee and heat pan on medium cook the chicken until it is no longer pink. Dump the chicken into the sauce, mix  and serve over the bean mixture.
(If you find the sauce a bit too bitter add honey to taste)