Week Seven - Day Five: A Different Kind of Day!

Today was a different kind of day. I was not sure what to expect, but I decided to go with the flow and see where it took me.

The morning was my usual routine, but I left about 10 am and headed for Captain's house.

I had a Groupon for beer tasting at Mraz Brewing in El Dorado Hills. Captain was wanting to go to the St. Paddy's Day event at 36 Handles, also in El Dorado Hills. So we decided to kill two birds with one stone. We would do both!

Plan A: We left his house about 11:15 and headed east. First stop was going to be Mraz Brewing, because all we were going to do was sample the beer. We got there about 30 minutes later. Hum... The lights were off and the stools were still on top of the tables. WTH? We discovered that they didn't even open until 3 pm during the week! Really? It was Friday! Really?? It was the start of the St. Patty's Day weekend! Really???

Plan B: Annoyed, we turned around and went back to 36 Handles. We knew they were already open for lunch; the Brew Fest was scheduled to start at 1 pm, and they were going to have a pig roast on the patio!

Just look at their activities! Woohoo!

When we got there we settled on lunch at the Relish Burger Bar, the sister restaurant. He was in hog heaven because they had a bison burger! I didn't want a big burger; too many carbs. The salads were huge too, and I really wasn't in the mood for a salad. :( I settled on the sliders. They were small, not a lot of bread, and lots of low carb goodies piled on each one of them. I ate one and brought the other two home so Captain would have a snack later in the evening.

It was 1:30 by the time we got done with lunch so we headed down the parking lot to the brew fest. As luck would have it, Brew Fest was not even set up yet! AAARRRGGGHHH!!! Where was the luck of the Irish today?

Obviously it wasn't with us!

What now? 

Plan C: Captain decided we would go to The Firehouse and try their new drink created just for this holiday. It is called "A Wee Bit Irish," and it has Bailey's Irish Cream, Jameson's Whiskey, Butterscotch Schnapps, a bit of simple syrup, and on top they float a bit of dark beer, like Guinness. It was so good! We also had a beef carpaccio appetizer. 

They served it with crostini and goat cheese. Amazing!

At this point I have obviously had a few too many carbs, but not an outrageous amount. Unfortunately the day was not over...

Captain and I each went out respective ways and I decided to drop in on Cheryl and see if she had cut into that cake I made yesterday.

Cake and prezzies!

When I got there she was on her second piece of cake! I am so pleased, and she said it was the best carrot cake she ever had! Yes, I broke my resolve and had a piece of cake, too. I remember that it smelled so good when I took it out of the oven yesterday. It tasted just as good! Oh, she loved the prezzies, too. 

We all spent a few hours visiting, I kissed my grandbabies good-bye, and headed home. No, I didn't even eat anything else. I was done. In spite of the carbs I ate today I am not feeling too bad. But I really do need to stick to low carb as much as possible. 

My next hurdle? A baby shower tomorrow. Fortunately I know they will be serving lots of low carb food and I will discretely pass on the cake and ice cream. 

And that ends my day. Obviously the struggle never ends. But on the bright side my clothes are fitting better! Yeah! Clapping hands!

Bidding you all a very good night! 

…Lin…

Week Seven - Day Four: Having a much better day!

Yesterday felt like a very disjointed day. Perhaps the carbs I ate the day before threw me off. Or maybe it was just one of those days. I just don't know. But today I'm feeling back to my ol' self!

Breakfast this morning was my quiche, along with the proverbial cup of coffee. It's going to be a standby in my kitchen as it's so versatile. The quiche... Not the coffee... It can be eaten hot, cold, or room temperature. You can add whatever cheeses you want, along with any other ingredients. Next time I will follow the recipe as written, using pepper jack cheese. That ought to spice it up!

Doesn't this pepper jack cheese look yummy?

Speaking of spicy cheese... A few months ago Captain and I went to Dos Coyotes for an early dinner. They have a quesadilla there that has habanero pepper jack cheese. Those little tiny orange specks of pepper are incredibly hot! I remember picking out one of them and I could taste it and feel it on my fingers for hours afterward. It's great! But I'm glad that regular pepper jack isn't that hot!

I had to go to the grocery store for a few things today, and while I was there I noticed they had Nathan's hot dogs on sale. Yes, I broke down and bought a package of them. I even had one for lunch, along with olives and a pickle. I'm not as hung up on hot dogs as I was at first. Does this mean I'm growing up?

Gosh, I hope not!

I have baking to do today. I still owe my daughter-in-law Cheryl a birthday cake and need to take her presents to her. I've been trying to for two weeks, but between being sick and other things on both our parts, we have not been able to get together.

What am I making, you ask? It's called My Mom's Carrot Cake. The recipe calls for a 9x13, but I'm going to make mine a bundt. I think they are so much prettier! Carrots, pineapple, coconut, walnuts, and then you drench it in cream cheese frosting. MMMmmm... I am drooling... Sorry...

I hope mine looks this good when served.

(I think it will look better, actually!)

Once the cake came out of the oven I set it on the cooling rack and then took off for Bistro 885. Most of my girlfriends were there, and I made two new friend - Janelle and Lisa. This is a monthly fundraiser for Off the Leash Dog Park. It's $5 for 6 wine tastings. The restaurant also offers a small array of appetizers at a reduced price. I had their olive and blue cheese appetizer tonight. Their wine was... um... well... Let's just say that I gave up half way thru my 4th glass. Yeah, not really my favorites. But I don't go for the wine, I really go for the fun. I'm like that. Social Butterfly!

I left about 7 o'clock and stopped at Popeye's Chicken on the way home. Got 3 chicken tenders and the coleslaw. I had 1 ½, Maddie got the rest. I only ate a couple bites of coleslaw, too. Not much of an appetite. Why I got it in the first place is beyond me. I'm such a dork at times...

Time to frost that carrot cake. The frosting is cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar. Got it all whipped up and schmeered it all over the cake. There was extra so I filled the hole in the middle. MMMmmm... I packed it up in the car, grabbed the prezzies, grabbed Maddie, and headed over to their house. No one was home so I left it on their kitchen counter. I hope Cheryl likes it!

Now my day has come to an end. My kitchen is a disaster but it will have to wait until tomorrow because I'm tired. Daylight Savings Time just kills me!

Good night, and sleep tight!

…Lin…

Week Seven - Day Three: The Day After...

Yes, it is the day after. How am I doing?

Struggling with the urge to eat everything in site. That is sad... That is what eating a few too many carbs does to me... That is no bueno...

I am prowling around the kitchen wanting to eat everything. I have eaten half my quiche already! I could snack on my cookies, but that doesn't sound satisfying. I could eat my lasagna soup but it's just not doing it for me, either. I could snack on a huge salad! Meh... I don't think so. I am so frustrated.

On a bright note, my tight black jeans are now easier to get into! I love that!

Do these jeans make my butt look big?

Trying to distract myself, I set about cleaning the kitchen. I also got out the rest of the onions I cooked yesterday and caramelized them more. I am going to add them to my fried cabbage and kielbasa for dinner tonight. :)

The distraction worked. It kept my thoughts away from that drawer full of chocolate I have (thanks to Captain), or baking scones. Before I knew it, it was time for me to make dinner. So I made Southern Fried Cabbage. Not bad! A nice, light spice to it. Besides, I love fried cabbage!.

The bonus of all this frustration today is that I now have a clean kitchen!

Ta-da!!

And although the night is still young, I am tired. I will sign off and wish you all a good evening. Hopefully tomorrow I will be perkier. 

…Lin…

Week Seven - Day Two: Temptations!

Hello, Tuesday!

Yesterday I got another email from Closet Cooking, this one being Guinness Braised Onion and Aged Cheddar Cheese Quiche.

Isn't it beautiful and delicious looking?

Needless to say I had to remake it for low carb. Check out his recipe and feel free to make it. It's an amazing recipe. What I did, however, is blend his recipe with my Eggs Mexicana recipe. Following is their baby.

Beer Braised Onion, Cheese & Bacon Quiche

Ingredients

·         4 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

·         1 pound onions, sliced

·         1/2 cup beer

·         1 tsp Dijon mustard

·         1 tsp spicy brown mustard

·         2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

·         5 eggs, lightly beaten

·         2 tablespoons butter – melted

·         ¼ cup almond flour

·         ½ teaspoon baking powder        

·         8 ounces cream-style cottage cheese

·         2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese (or whatever you wish!)

·         1/8 tsp cayenne,

·         ½ salt

·         ¼ tsp pepper to taste

·         ¼ tsp garlic powder

·         ¼ tsp onion powder

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

2.  Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy; set aside on paper towels to drain, reserving the grease in the pan.

3. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

4. Add ¼ cup beer and simmer until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 15 minutes. Repeat this process with the other ¼ cup of beer.

5. Remove from heat and mix in the mustards and Worcestershire sauce and place in a large bowl.

6. To that bowl add the bacon and all remaining ingredients. Mix well.

7. Pour the mixture in a well-greased 9 inch pie plate or casserole.

8. Bake at 400F degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F degrees and bake about 20 minutes more, or until set. 

9.  Let it set about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Please enjoy!

How did I do? :)

I thought it was fabulous. Bacon and onion is a simple, tasty combination, but then add the subtle taste of beer and it is so good.  I will be making it again, for sure. 

Captain finally got here and we headed off to Happy Viking.  Tonight I decided to indulge a wee bit. He ordered their pizza bones appetizer, which is basically pizza crust baked in the shape of bones, doused in garlic butter and topped with mozzarella cheese. I ate one, he ate the other three. It was just as good as I remember it being. :) I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap with garlic fries. I ate half of the half and about 4 fries. He also gave me one of his onion rings. 

I was surprised at how full I was. Yes, I brought it home with me, but it will go home with Captain. He has food for another day.

Dessert before bed was 2 pieces of Sees Candy. That probably is my downfall. I can eat chocolate until I'm sick.

So I have indulged. It was good, but I can't say it was as satisfying as I thought it was going to be. Since I have revamped my lifestyle there are changes I have noticed: (1) I don't get the munchies like I used to, (2) I am full faster, (3) when I indulge I don't eat like it's my last day on earth, (4) I am satisfied with less.

What have I learned?

Yes, change is a process. It's slow, it can be painful, it can have a beauty to it, and it is an event that can change your life. 

I am embracing my change one step at a time. 

Love,
Lin… 

Week Seven - Day One: Looking Back on Six Weeks...

It's Monday and it's a new week.  I think it's time to look back and do a little reflection - see where I was then and now.

I certainly have posted a lot of recipes, haven't I? Some of them I have made, some I have been saving until a special time. Some were successful, some not so much.

One of the most successful was my spin on the Lighter Lasagna Soup. One of the lest favorites was the Layered Mexican Casserole. 

I also find I'm not snacking as much as I used to. Remember those crispy chickpeas? The crispy green beans? I'm kind of over snacks and trying to focus more on meals. That's not to say I don't snack, because I certainly do, but it is not the focus that it once was when I was trying to figure out what it was I could snack on.

Now I realize that snacks can be something simple like dill pickles and olives, my peanut butter cookies, those ham and cheese roll-ups, or a can of peanuts. Well, not the whole can, but certainly a handful. I don't have to have something elaborate.

Now, how was my day, you ask?  It's been quiet, for sure. We got a little rain overnight and now we have a whole lot of sunshine. 

Breakfast was a Spanish omelet made in my new skillet. Two eggs, cheese, and fire roasted salsa. Tasty!

Lunch was leftovers of my soup. I still have two more servings and then I will be done with it. It's just as good reheated as it was the first day.

I was starting to get the munchies as the day wore on, but I resisted. It's difficult to have to time your eating to your meds. Ugh! But then I got a message from Megan...

Chili Cheese Fries from Samuel Horne Tavern in Folsom.

 And then I got this from her husband, Ryan...

The Johnny Cash Burger; applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, grilled onions.

My children are evil...

In an effort to stay strong I had two of my peanut butter cookies and a tall glass of my herbal peach tea. What would I do without them?

Finally dinner rolled around. I needed to cook the hamburger I bought the other day, so I tossed it in the pan, crumbled it up, and made taco meat out of it. My tortilla was a big fried cheese crisp. I ate like a pig! It was so good, and just as I took the last bite I realized I didn't get a picture of it.

Frying cheese is easy if you have a non-stick skillet. I just put about 1/2 cup cheese in the bottom of the skillet, even it out, set the pan on medium, and listen to it sizzle. Once it starts to brown on one side, flip it over and lightly brown the other side.

Now that you have done that, you can just eat it as is, fold it in half and use it as a tortilla, or cut it in wedges and use it as a chip for dip. It's amazing! And although these aren't mine, this is sort of what they look like. 

So that is all the excitement for the day. It's been another successful one for me, I am happy to say. I am debating on what I will do at The Happy Viking tomorrow, since it's Pint Night. But I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

I bid you good night and wish you sweet dreams.

…Lin…

Week Six - Day Seven: Just Another Beautiful Day!

Today was just a beautiful day! In spite of the fact that it's now daylight savings time (Why Ben Franklin thought it was a good idea is beyond me!), I got up at 8:00 this morning and out the door at 8:45. I had a date with my grandson! His mommy, too... No time for breakfast before I left, but I did eat a couple of my cookies so I could take meds. Yes, you know the drill! 

A day with Megan and Jalen is never complete without Starbucks, so without further adieu we drove thru! She laughed at me when I placed my order. I will have a grande, breve, sugar-free vanilla latte, please. Very low carb and so satisfying.

First stop of the day was Kohl's. I had to buy a few things, one of which was that non-stick skillet I mentioned previously. I also got another pillow cover and Spring/Easter hand towels to decorate my bathroom. How cute is this?

While I was shopping in the kitchen department, Jalen was shopping in the toy department. Actually he wasn't shopping, but he sure was looking at all the trucks and planes, and especially the Planes! planes. Oh, he loves that movie! As one can never have too many planes, Nanny got him Rachelle, which he did not have. That is one happy boy, let me tell you!

Then it was across the street to the mall. She had to return a shirt for him at the Disney Store. Now it was time to ride the carousel. Not me, silly... Jalen! 

One of his favorite things to do!

Bath & Body Works was our next stop. I needed a few things. They almost always have their "buy 3, get 3 free" deal, but today they also had an extra 25% off! Lucky me. I spent $54, got 6 items and 2 3-wick candles. I saved $75. Score!

And now... {{drum roll please}}

Lunch time! Woohoo! Captain and I wanted to go to Giant Orange a couple of weeks ago with my groupon, but they were closed that Monday. I mean, really? Who closes on Monday? Sheesh! Then it expired, which meant it was only worth the $10 I spent for it, but not the $20 that I could have had available to me. Oh, well... And that is where we went. It was just around the corner from the mall.

I was thinking that I would order a chef's salad, but then I saw on their menu they had hot dogs! You know how I love hot dogs. We were both excited! Mine was the Bronx Dog which had grilled onions, sauerkraut, and spicy brown mustard. Megan had the Good Dog with relish, diced onions, and mustard. She had fries with hers; I was good and had salad with mine. 

Doesn't it look yummy?

My son-in-law Ryan was teasing me about my lunch. "No bun?" he asked. "Nope, no bun!"

I ate most of the hot dog and picked out all the fillings, taking the rest home with me. I am really trying to watch those carb. Best of all, the bill was $14.02, which means we paid $4.02. Well, Megan did since I had paid for the groupon originally. Thank you for lunch, Megan! <3

Time to head back so Jalen can take a nap. He went right to bed, watching Airplanes! as he fell asleep. We sat downstairs and visited, then we watched Frozen. What a cute movie! SPOILER ALERT! Who would have thought the prince would be the bad guy?

Megan was tired so I decided to head home. As I'm getting on the freeway Captain calls and asks me to stop by Cabana Wines. He is there with Greta and Kalle, listening to the band, Home By Five. I stopped for a glass of wine, which I shared with Captain, then when we left we went down the street to Tupelo Coffee House for an Aztec Mocha. It's a mocha with cayenne and 2 shots of espresso. I had mine half-decaf so I can fall asleep tonight. 

Time for me to head home for real. It's now dinnertime and I had the leftover meatballs and cucumber slices with ranch dressing. I am very happy to say that I don't have much appetite, which I love. So those 6 little meatballs (probably 3 ounces in total) filled me up.

Last night was a different story. I so wanted to eat some of those Ghirardelli Squares that are sitting in my dresser drawer. MMMmmm... Dark & Sea Salt Caramel!

Yes, this is exactly what my bag of candy looks like. 

I resisted.
It wasn't easy, I assure you!

So that is my day, and I'm glad I could share it with you. Thank you for hanging with me. I hope I bring a little bit of sunshine and smiles into your life.

Thank you for helping me get thru another successful day!

…Lin…