Zesty Southwestern Tomato Soup

I'm not a tomato soup fan.  I never eat it with my grilled cheese sandwiches.  Its not a cold weather thing for me, although I love soup.  My youngest adores tomato soup, but not me.  I had bought some Ideal Protein Tomato Bail soup packets wanting to give it a try and at least have another lunch option.  Not overly impressed.  It was OK, but like I said I'm not a tomato soup person.

I was going to get rid of the rest of the packets, when I stumbled on a tomato soup recipe in one of the IP emails we get every day.   The recipe added extra veg to it and pureed some of it to make a thick and creamy soup.  I decided to play around and spice it up and make it a little more zesty to see if I liked it any better that way.

This is a tomato soup I could eat!

Zesty Southwestern Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 Packet of Ideal Protein Tomato Basil Soup
• 1 Cup red and green bell peppers, diced
• 1 Cup Turnips, boiled and pureed
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash Southwestern Chipotle seasoning  I used 1/2 tsp and it was a bit much for me, but I'm a spice lightweight.  In the future I think I'll use a bit less.  It was still good, just a bit zippy.

Directions:

• In a frying pan over medium heat, add the peppers and a little olive oil.  Saute for 1-2 minutes
• Stir in the turnip puree.  Stir for 1-2 minutes then reduce heat to medium low.
• Add prepared IP tomato basil soup mix.  Heat for 3 minutes.  Don't let it boil as the IP soup will curdle
• Stir in spices and let simmer for 5 minutes

Enjoy!

Weekly Weigh In: Week 10

I delayed posting this one.  It was a tough week to write about.  I think I finally hit the wall and it got to be more of a struggle.  I wasn't hungry or anything.  I've been surprised at how "not hungry" I've been.  But I have been talking to several people about the program and ended up looking through all the phases.

I looked a lot at Phase 3/maintenance and saw I can have toast and yogurt and fruit and I really want toast and yogurt and fruit.

I think I really just want breakfast I don't have to cook all the time.  I know I could make stuff ahead and just heat it up in the micro or toaster, but its not as good.  I think I want to just be at the end of the journey and not have to walk through the rest of it.  I'm sure everyone feels that way at some point.

I want convenience.  I want to be able to go out and grab something for dinner and not feel like its a big production (even though most of what I make for dinner isn't a big production).

I want to know what the new normal looks like and just settle in there.

I'm half way to goal right now.  This is a big change and I'm betting that the last half will teach me more about perseverance in the face of adversity that the first half.  Because now is when I'm anxious to be done.  I've done this for 10 weeks.  That's enough (well obviously not but that's how I was thinking last week.)

I know I'll get through this mental challenge.  I talked with Dusty this week (Lindsay is on vacation) and she understood what I was going through.  It helps to have someone to bounce that off of.

So here's to halfway and cheering on in the second half of the race to the finish line.

Week 10 Progress: -2
Total: -31.7

Chicken Crust Pizza

I think I've mentioned my love of pizza a few times before.  I've found the cauli-crust makes me pretty happy but someone mentioned a chicken crust to me and then Innovative Aesthetics had it on their Facebook page and I decided I needed to try it.

Besides one of my goals this week is to try a new recipe.  Goal accomplished!!

What better than pizza!!!

Here is the crust getting ready to be baked.

And here it is fresh from the oven and ready for toppings.

I decide to make it a BBQ chicken pizza since the chicken part was built in to the crust.   I used WF Hickory Smoked BBQ sauce, and a bunch of pre-cut fajita veg (red and green peppers and red onions).  I got it all prepped at the grocery store so that made this even easier to make!

Here it is in all its faux flat bread awesomeness

And I truly mean that.  The taste of course was chicken-y but the look and texture reminded me of a flat bread pizza.  How ground chicken, eggs, and cheese turns into that I do not know.  But I will accept my lack of understanding in exchange for another slice!

Here's the recipe if you want to recreate awesome for yourselves...

Chicken Crust Pizza
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS

• 3 chicken breasts, roughly chopped (about 9-10 ounces)
• coarse salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup shredded veggie cheese (I love Go Veggie)
• pizza toppings of choice

I used 
Toppings 

• Walden Farms Hickory Smoked BBQ sauce
• Sliced/diced onions
• Sliced/diced red and green pepper
• Go Veggie mozzarella shreds
• Go Veggie Cheddar and Pepper Jack shreds

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a food processor or a blender, combine the chicken and spices. Blend until finely minced.
3. Add the cheese, and eggs. Process until well combined into a sticky-gluey batter.
4. Spread the chicken mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Use your fingers or a spatula to smooth the batter into an even layer across the sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
5. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly and the crust is cooked through.

Weekly Weigh In: week 9

Week 9 is done and so is the April Challenge.  The challenge winner will get a great prize package including a signed Chef Verati cook book (he's one of the chefs in our IP videos and comes up with a bunch of recipes for special occasions and everyday life), a free week of food, and several spa services from the clinic.  I think I heard the total at upwards of $500 value!!!

That was such a motivator!  There were times that knowing about the big prize package on the line kept me honest.  There were a few times (Easter, a work celebration, and 2 weddings!) where I just wanted a taste of something, but I stayed strong.  I don't know if I'll win (its based on percentage weight loss for the month plus extra credit)) but I'm really proud of how I was able to handle everything.  I did really good for the month so no matter what, I'm a winner.  But I'd love to be a winner with a signed copy of Chef Verati's cook book :)

I know there are going to be days in the future where I am more tempted.  I'm sure once I get to maintenance the temptation to just "eat what I want" for a day will be strong.  There are things I miss - bread, milk, real chocolate, deep dish pizza.  I mean I am happy with the substitutes I've found and they do keep me fairly content.  But once the restrictions are gone, maybe I won't be.

But I have a little ways to go before I need to be planning for maintenance.  I want to just keep focused on the here and now and live each day to the fullest


Week 9 Progress: -2.6
Total: -29.7

Breakfast Time: Breadless French Toast

So I am a big breakfast eater.  It sets the tone for my whole day so if I don't make good choices I'm hungry all day.  I've got a good rotation of IP waffles, IP Crispy cereal pancakes and my smoothie, but I heard about a bread less french toast recipe and wanted to give it a try.   

When I googled "bread less french toast" I found a lot of sites, most using the same recipe that called for light soy milk. When I looked at the recipes, I wasn't sure how it would cook up and also wasn't sure how it would fit in the Phase 1 program since it didn't use an IP food, so that didn't seem like a good fit.  

I found one recipe that you bake in the oven that used the IP omelette mix, but that didn't have the best review.   I found the following recipe out on the Wellness Choice clinic website.  

This one looked like it might be a good fit with Phase 1 so I decided to give it a try.

My only change was to use the whole packet of the vanilla drink mix instead of measuring it.  I need 1 IP food for breakfast anyway :) 

Breadless French Toast  

Ingredients:3/4 C. Egg Substitute 
1 pkt  Ideal Protein Vanilla Drink   
dash of salt 
2 dashes of cinnamon  
2 dashes nutmeg  1/2 tsp of vanilla extract 

Directions:
Mix all ingredients.  Cook up in a pan like a pancake.

While I'm not sure I would call this french toast it made a mighty fine fluffy couple of pancakes.  I was really impressed with the texture.  And the cinnamon and nutmeg made for a nice combination with the WF syrup. 

 This is definitely a keeper recipe!!!

IP Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

Found this recipe on the Innovative Aesthetics Facebook page ... there are just so many resources out there! I can satisfy my sweet tooth craving and still be legal and on plan !!!  It just takes a little planning and creativity.  

These cookies can be for lunch (6 cookies is 1 IP food and 1 c. of veg (unrestricted)) or a snack.  If you use it as a snack make sure to lower your veg count at either lunch or dinner.  Next time I am going to try the Torani syrup.  I'm guessing that will be even better!

Ideal Protein Chocolate Zucchini Cookies
Ideal Protein Crispy Cereal
Ideal Protein Chocolate Drink Mix
2 egg whites
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp coconut oil (I used grapeseed oil)
2 tsp Torani Sugar Free White Chocolate Syrup or 1 pack of Splenda or Stevia
Dash of cinammon
Dash of Sea Salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups shredded Zucchini

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Using a rolling pin, gently crush the Ideal Protein Crispy Cereal while still in the unopened package.
3. Mix all ingredients together except for zucchini until thoroughly mixed.
4. Then add shredded zucchini (blotted dry with a paper towel) and incorporate into chocolate mixture.
5. Spray your non-stick Whoopie pie pan or a muffin pan with a non-stick spray and then evenly add your chocolate mix to make 12 cookies.
6. Place in oven for 12-15 minutes and then let cool in pan.

Notes
1 serving is 6 cookies which is 1 Ideal Protein meal and 1 cup of vegetables.
Nutrition InformationServing size: 6 cookies/Makes 12 cookies

Weekly Weigh-in

I had a little bit of a problem last week.  I wasn't hungry.  I mean really wasn't hungry to the point of not wanting to eat.  With as little as we get in Phase 1 (somewhere from 900 to 1200 calories per day) not eating isn't a good thing.  It could throw your body into "starvation mode" where it starts hoarding fat again. I really don't want that to happen.  I've begun to enjoy my lower fat figure immensely :)

So I made myself eat.  I ate mostly protein when I didn't want to eat.  It seemed to be at dinner time.  I had a regular breakfast and lunch and although I wasn't super hungry  at those times, I did eat what I needed to.  Then all of a sudden it was 8 PM and I hadn't had dinner and I really didn't want any.  This lasted 2 or 3 days in a row.  I was starting to get worried, but I found my appetite again.

When I mentioned it to Lindsay today she thought there might have been a bug going around.  I don't know about that, but my appetite seems to have returned to normal so that's a good thing.  Maybe it was to just get me through a wedding and Easter all in the same weekend.  I certainly wasn't tempted to go off plan because I barely wanted the legal stuff.

It was a pretty typical weigh in this week.  Which is also good.  I didn't want the weirdness to cause a plateau either.  So far so good.  Still plugging on down..  I might have to make a graph though.  I like graphs and I think it would be pretty to see the line go down every week :)

Week 8 Progress: -2.5
Total: -27.1