Brownies

Okay, Lynn, here's a brownie recipe from BariatricEating.com. I haven't made them (they're not safe in my house!), but all of Susan Maria Leach's recipes are wonderful.

Brownies - Splenda version

This simple brownie recipe uses easy to find ingredients and tastes delicious. Give it a try. I often bake this recipe in a loaf pan for thicker brownies.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa is the best and available in many supermarkets)
2 large eggs
1 cup Splenda Granular
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans - optional

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Melt butter and cocoa in a small saucepan over low heat stirring until smooth - remove from heat to cool. Beat eggs in a medium bowl until thick and smooth, add Splenda, vanilla, and salt - stir in cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in flour and walnuts.

Pour into an 8 inch square pan that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until firm but still slightly soft near center. Brownies are best when slightly under-baked. Cool before cutting into 2 inch squares.

Trail Mix

I have low blood sugar and always carry almonds in my purse. But sometimes I feel like jazzing it up a little. This is a nice, simple whole grain trail mix that will perk you up when you're draggin'. It's whole grain, but still carbs, so this is better for those on maintenance. AND this is not something I keep around. This is great for a football game or party but it can call your name if it's hanging around too long, so be careful!

Trail Mix

2 ounces Cheerios
2 ounces Wheat Chex
2 ounces Corn Chex
2 ounces un-roasted, unsalted almonds
2 ounces chopped walnuts
1 ounce raisins
1 ounce dried cranberries
1 ounce oat bran sesame sticks (from Fresh Market)
1 ounce chili lime cheese crackers (from Fresh Market)
1 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Cover.

I like it plain, just the way it is, but Bob likes to shake some ranch flavor popcorn seasoning on it. The cheese flavor would be good too!

Amanda's Pizza Bites

Another Christmas party, another finger food/appetizer you have to make. And you certainly want to make something you can eat that won't destroy your eating program or upset your little pouch. Well, I found it...at my weight loss support group's Christmas party! This dish would also be good to use up leftover spaghetti sauce. Thank you, Amanda, for allowing me to post your recipe.

Amanda's Pizza Bites

8 ounces cream cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup spaghetti sauce (Amanda uses Classico Original-5g sugar/serving)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup peppers and onions, finely minced (or other pizza toppings)
24 slices turkey pepperoni

Place the pepperoni into the bottom of mini muffin cups.

Cream the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add eggs, garlic, and oregano and beat until smooth. Fold in the rest of the ingredients by hand.

Spoon mixture into each muffin cup and bake at 350F for about 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned and set in the center. Serve warm.

Note: Amanda says these are great cold too!

Charlie's Corn Salad

Need a side dish for a dinner of steamed fish or a grilled hamburger steak? I present to you...corn salad! It's also great as a salad topper! Yum!!! Charlie is a former co-worker of Bob's. He brought this dish to a Christmas dinner and Bob liked it so much he got the recipe.

Charlie's Corn Salad

1 can corn, drained
1/3 medium green pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced (or 2-3 green onions, chopped thin)
1 medium tomato, diced
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing (I use Roasted Red Pepper with Parmesan)

Mix all ingredients, cover, and refrigerate for several hours so flavors can blend.

Banana Pudding

Bob and I have yogurt for desert every night and I like to make different flavors so here's my yogurt version of banana pudding! It's so delicious!!!

Banana Pudding

32 ounce container Dannon Plain, Fat Free Yogurt
2 small packages sugar free, fat free Banana Cream pudding mix
Splenda, to taste
1 ripe banana
graham cracker crumbs, optional

Empty yogurt into a large bowl. Add pudding mix and Splenda. Whisk until smooth. Spoon some into a bowl, thinly slice a piece of banana to partially cover the pudding. Keep layering this way, ending with the pudding. Sprinkle some graham cracker crumbs on top and refrigerate. Serve with a dollop of Cool Whip Lite on top, if desired.

The Woman in the Mirror

Walking past the mirrored glass,
I take a timid peek,
I see a woman staring back,
I'm too choked up to speak.
The skin pink and glowing,
The many pounds that melted off,
Finally, now is showing.
Hard to believe until recently,
This same woman was dying,
Stuffing the food to ease the pain,
Heartbroken and crying.
Life revolved around each snack,
She lived for every meal,
Anything to numb the hurt,
She didn't want to feel.
When did she get to pretty?
When did God remove the grief?
How did this miracle happen?
Who provided this relief?
What a gift!
A second chance!
I thank God every day,
for His grace in showing me,
There is a better way.
I walk, I dance, I make love too,
My heart is filled with gladness,
I'm out of bondage, I'm out of pain,
There is no room for sadness.
This woman in the mirror,
Smiles softly back at me,
She has good cause to be so pleased,
She's finally been set free!!!!
                   ~author unknown~

Cuban Black Beans

I have been wanting some Cuban black beans. Love them! So I decided that I will make some for lunch one day this week. When I make this as a side dish, it's a regular bean dish. But when the cold weather starts I add extra broth so it's a little soupy! This makes a great lunch with a small salad.

Cuban Black Beans

15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
Dash garlic powder
1 slice green bell pepper, cored, seeded, chopped (or a little frozen mixed peppers)
1/8 cup yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped ham
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 bay leaf
1/3 cup chicken broth (when I want soup I put 1 cup broth)
1 pinch chili powder
1 splash red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Place the beans in a saucepan with the broth. Add the remaining ingredients except for the red wine vinegar and salt. Cover and simmer until beans are soft. Add the red wine vinegar and salt, simmer for a couple more minutes.

Stuffed Peppers

We love stuffed peppers and I had been getting the ones already made at Publix. But sometimes I had trouble with them...they're all ground beef, no filler or vegetables. Really heavy for Prissy Pouch. So the other day I saw some really pretty green peppers at the store and decided to make up my own stuffed pepper recipe. So tonight that's just what I did!

Stuffed Peppers

2 medium green peppers
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup beef broth
1/2 pound lean ground beef (you can also use ground chicken or turkey)
1/2 cup mixed vegetables (you can use any vegetables you like...I used frozen zucchini, yellow squash, and sliced mixed peppers)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Sargento reduced fat Mexican blend)
salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin
ketchup
8 oz tomato sauce, optional
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F.

Quinoa: Using the beef broth in place of water, cook quinoa according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and let sit for 15 minutes.

Beef Mixture: In a sauce pot, brown ground beef (covered) until about halfway cooked. Add vegetables and seasonings to taste. Re-cover and continue cooking until ground beef is fully cooked but still very moist and vegetables are soft. Using a wooden spatula or spoon, chop up the vegetables to make stuffing the peppers easier. Remove from the heat. Add cheese and quinoa and about 1-2 tablespoons ketchup. Mix, then taste seasonings. Add seasonings if needed.

Peppers: Rinse and dry peppers. Cut tops off and take out flesh and seeds. If the peppers don't stand up straight, cut a thin slice off the bottom until they're relatively upright. It doesn't matter if you cut through a little. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil in a glass pie plate or small, shallow baking dish and use a paper towel to wipe the olive oil around the pie plate. Use the oil now on the paper towel to wipe the outside of the peppers. Place the peppers in the pie plate and, using a teaspoon, put the meat mixture into the peppers. Press down lightly after every couple of spoonfuls to get rid of air bubbles. Stuff until you have a rounded top on the pepper. Drizzle a little ketchup on the top of the meat mixture. You can put more, less or none...it doesn't matter! Pour the can of tomato sauce around the peppers and sprinkle some seasoning over the sauce. You really don't need the tomato sauce...I use it because Bob likes it that way. Bake at 350F for about 45-50 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: If you use ground chicken or turkey, you can use chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth to cook the quinoa. You can also make this vegetarian if you want to. Use more vegetables to have the same volume. Steam them with the seasonings then chop and add the cheese and quinoa.

Cinnamon Gingerbread Shake

When the stores start carrying the holiday flavors of coffee creamers, I start collecting them! Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread, Eggnog...oh my! So many flavors to play with in a vanilla protein shake! I still have some gingerbread from last Christmas and made this shake this morning. Oh so yummy!

Cinnamon Gingerbread Shake

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
a few drops vanilla extract
1 scoop vanilla protein mix
1 rounded tablespoon cinnamon vanilla creme coffee creamer
1 rounded tablespoon gingerbread coffee creamer
sweetener to taste
1 teaspoon coffee creamer (optional)
1 tablespoon vanilla pudding mix
1-1 1/2 cups ice

Pour milk into blender; add extract and have blender stir. Add all the dry ingredients and continue stirring. Add ice and crush then puree. Pour into glass and enjoy or make into delicious ice cream!

English Tea Store Tea Pots

I love hot tea. Like most Americans I have always had a cup or mug of tea. The problem with having a cup of tea is that before you're able to drink it all, it's cold. Now I love iced tea, but I don't like hot tea when it gets cold. Just like I don't like iced tea when it gets warm. I found this store online a couple of years ago and have been really happy with everything I've purchased...especially my "Tea for One" tea set. The tea pot sits on top of the cup and saucer for storage so it doesn't take up a lot of space. The pot holds almost 2 cups so it's just the right amount. When you try to make a pot of tea for one person in a larger teapot, it doesn't hold it's heat because the pot is too big. This one's just right. I like to pour half a cup and keep topping it off with fresh, hot tea! I'm giving the link for the tea for one section, but FYI, the pot I bought is the English Tea Store brand for $6.95! I'm thinking about getting a fine china one though for those times when I feel like being fancy! LOL!

Here's the link to English Tea Store Tea for One section.

Collards

I'm as Southern as Southern can be. But I never cared for collards. Shhh...don't tell anybody! They might take my Southern membership card away! But weight loss surgery can be a funny thing; you don't like what you liked before and you like what you didn't like before. Sometimes I feel like John Travolta on Welcome Back Kotter..."I'm so confused!" LOL!!! One day I wanted some collards. But I had tasted some after my surgery and still didn't care for them. I decided to fix them like German Red Cabbage. Oh my goodness...they were so good! I cook them all the time now. So here's the recipe. Try them out even if you like Southern collards. You might like these too!

Collards

4-5 ounces cubed ham
1-16 ounce bag frozen, cut collards
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 apple, cored, diced large
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons red cooking wine
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons Splenda brown sugar
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a Dutch oven, saute the ham until it has a light sear. Add the onion, collards, and apple to the pot. Saute, uncovered, until the collards start to defrost a bit. Add the remaining ingredients and cover. Cook, over medium to medium-low heat, stirring now and then, until all is tender, about 1/2 an hour or so.

Notes:
1. The original recipe calls for bacon, sauteed until clear. We don't like bacon so I use ham.
2. If you use fresh collards, you'll need to cook for about an hour.

Not Too Chili

At my house, chili is like ice cream; we can eat it all year round. I don't care if it's burning hot summertime, we love chili! Before surgery I liked it hot hot hot! Make it hot then add hot sauce! Yum! Since surgery, Prissy the Particular Pouch decided she doesn't like hot and spicy. So we don't eat hot and spicy anymore. If Prissy's not happy, nobody's happy. Ugh! Well Bob and I love Longhorn's chili. It's got a bite to it, but it's also mostly mild and just a touch sweet. My chili is not a copycat of Longhorn's, but it's got a bite to it, mostly mild and just a touch sweet. Bob and I love it...hope you do too!

Not Too Chili

1 pound 90/10 ground beef
1 envelope chili seasoning
1 can mild Rotele
1/4 cup ketchup
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
2 8-oz cans water
salt, pepper, garlic powder
1/2 medium onion, diced, divided

In a Dutch oven, brown the ground beef with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. When halfway browned add 1/2 the diced onions. When the beef is cooked with no pink at all, add the envelope of chili seasoning. Mix and let it cook into the meat just a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the reserved onions. Cover, bring to a boil. After it boils, lower heat to simmer and let the chili cook and reduce until it is a thick as you want it. If you want it hotter, add a few slices of pickled jalapeno at this point (or some fresh jalapeno). When ready, serve hot in small bowls and top with some diced onion.

Broiled Swordfish by Chef Rick Moonen

As soon as I got Chef Moonen's cookbook, Fish Without a Doubt, I had to try something. Right away! As in that night! I found this recipe on page 127 and thought it sounded really good. Swordfish is a little expensive here, so I substituted some cod loins since they would be nice and thick like swordfish steaks. As soon as we all took our first bites there were three sets of eyes rolling back in our heads in pure ecstasy. Such a simple recipe but so incredibly delicious. Chef Moonen gives credit to his mother for the recipe; he grew up eating this. If this was my recipe, I'd be taking full credit! My thanks to Chef Moonen for giving me permission to share this recipe with you.

Broiled Swordfish (Cod)
Used with Permission

4 (6 to 7 ounce) pieces swordfish steak (cod loins)
Course salt
Paprika (hot, sweet, smoked - it's up to you)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Set a (oiled) cast-iron griddle (flat, no ridges) on the top oven rack and heat the broiler.

Meanwhile, season the swordfish on both sides with salt and sprinkle one side with an even coating of paprika. Dot the fish with the butter.

When the griddle is searingly hot (about 15 minutes), set the swordfish on it, paprika side up, and broil until just cooked through, about 5 1/2 minutes. Serve hot.

Cookbook Review - "Fish Without a Doubt" by Chef Rick Moonen

I love seafood. I could almost eat it three times a day, every day. I recently saw Chef Rick Moonen on a rerun of Top Chef: Masters. I was so impressed with the way he approached food, and especially seafood that I "googled" him. He has a cookbook! I checked the library...they had it! Checked it out and kept it the entire three weeks! When I was forced to return it, I ordered it from Amazon right away.

This is not just a cookbook...it's a seafood guide. Chef Moonen explains and shows you how to fillet different types of fish, how to buy fish, and what types of fish to use for different cooking methods. Each recipe lists substitutions you can use instead of the fish he uses. He uses many different cooking methods and makes you feel comfortable cooking that way too. There are also quite a few recipes for sauces, which, for those of us with tiny little pouches, is a great help. And, anyway, who doesn't want more flavor on whatever amount of food they can eat?

I highly recommend this cookbook. It is moderately priced and can be ordered through Amazon.com. If you love seafood, get Fish Without a Doubt!

Sweet Vinaigrette

Bob and I ate some chicken tacos at a local restaurant recently and there was this wonderful kind of oriental tasting vinaigrette on the coleslaw topper. Oh my goodness it was wonderful. I have tried to replicate it and have come kind of close. It's missing something I can't place and when I figure it out, I'll post an update. In the meantime, this vinaigrette is very good! We had fish tacos tonight and I didn't have any cabbage for coleslaw so I shredded a little baby spring mix lettuce and marinated it in the vinaigrette. Awesome on fish tacos! I can imagine marinating some tomatoes and cucumbers in this for a small green salad. Amounts of ingredients are not listed since you will make only the amount you need and to your own taste.

Sweet Vinaigrette

Rice Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Splenda Granular
Olive Oil
Fresh Lemon Juice (just a squeeze)

Pour the rice vinegar into a small bowl. Add the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Splenda. Whisk in the olive oil until well blended and pour over your salad.

Mio Review

So I found some Mio and got a couple of flavors to try...Sweet Tea and Fruit Punch. I like that it's in a squeeze bottle and I can add how much or how little I want. That would be nice; sometimes I just don't want full strength. I think this would be easier to keep in my purse so I can squirt some into a bottle of water at the zoo or just a glass of water at someone's house. I know I can do that with Crystal Light, but then you're wasting the rest of the package. I'm just too cheap to do that. After all, the more money I spend on food and drink, the less I can spend on yarn! LOL!

Okay, so there are reasons to get Mio. So now...how's it taste? The bottle says to put 1 squeeze into 8 ounces of water. That was a little strong for me. I kept adding water until I liked it so I figure that I like about half strength. FYI: I like full strength Crystal Light. I like the taste; it's a lighter taste, maybe a little sweeter taste than Crystal Light.

It costs more than Crystal Light, so you'll have to judge it on taste and convenience. Am I going to give up my Crystal Light? No. But I will carry a Mio in my purse when I'm out and about. Being able to stop and get a glass of water at a drive-thru sounds awfully convenient to me. Surprisingly, the commissary carries it (WHAT!?!) and it's quite a bit cheaper than a civilian store, so if you can shop at the commissary, get it there.

Steamed Broccoli

Okay, now don't just quickly scroll over this recipe! Caught you just in time, didn't I? I, too, have always thought broccoli was totally disgusting. Didn't even like the smell, especially if it was steamed. Then I had it roasted. Whoo boy! That stuff was good! Then I started thinking about how to steam broccoli so that I would like it. I mean, it's just so darned good for you, it's a shame so many of us don't like it. I bought a bag of fresh, cut up broccoli at the grocery store a week or so ago meaning to roast some. Just never got around to it...you know how that goes. I decided to try steamed broccoli with my chicken for lunch. D.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s! Here's what I did.

Steamed Broccoli

2 ounces fresh broccoli florets

salt, to taste

Tony Chachere's, to taste

Take out your handy dandy microwave steamer (or whatever kind you have) and put a little water in the bottom. Place broccoli in the steamer basket. Sprinkle a little salt and some Tony Chachere's, put the lid on and pop into the microwave for about 3 minutes. Less time if you like yours al dente. I'm from the South; we cook our veggies to death! "If it ain't hangin' limp from the fork, it ain't cooked 'nouf!" My broccoli was not hanging limp, but wasn't al dente either! Try different seasonings until you find one you love on steamed broccoli. Have fun! Play with your food!!!

Black Bean Quinoa Salad

So you just got invited to a barbeque and you've been asked to bring a pasta side dish. Hmmm...you're supposed to cook something you don't get to eat? Ha! I don't think so!!! I've been making this salad for a while and was really surprised when I noticed that I haven't posted it yet. It's good when you first make it, but if you can, make it the day before or even that morning for dinner. The flavors blend so deliciously if it's allowed to sit in the fridge for a while!

Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wa) is actually a seed, but a lot of people think it's a grain, so who am I to tell them different? You can find it in just about any grocery store now. One brand is Red Mill, another is Ancient Harvest. It seems that every store puts quinoa in a different place, so if you don't find it in the health food sections with the grains, try the "gourmet" area. Or pretend you're me and have a clerk find it for you. That'll teach 'em for not putting a product where I think it should go! LOL!

FYI - This is another recipe that lets you decide how much of certain ingredients you want to use. For instance, if you don't care for corn, don't put much, or any. Substitute...play with your food!

Black Bean Quinoa Salad

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa (red quinoa is great in this salad, but more difficult to find)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
cheddar cheese, shredded or cubed
frozen corn (you can defrost if you want to, but not necessary)
frozen sliced sweet peppers (can use fresh)
Roasted Red Pepper Italian Dressing (or any other Italian dressing)

Follow the package directions for cooking the quinoa. The ratio is 2:1 water to quinoa, so you can make as much or as little as you like. When it's all cooked, the package usually says to fluff and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. I don't want any of my cheese to melt, so my quinoa sits in the freezer to get nice and chilled. When the quinoa is chilled, add the rest of the ingredients except the dressing, and stir. At this point the quinoa is still able to absorb a little liquid and you don't want dry quinoa salad, so pour in a little more dressing than you think you really need. By the time you're ready to serve, it will be all absorbed and just right. Stir, fluff, and serve!

Well, it's tomorrow and I glanced at this and realized that I didn't include a photo! I'll just have to make it again really really soon so I can take a picture! Darn!!! LOL!

Chicken Stew

I had plans the other afternoon and knew I wasn't going to feel like cooking when I got home. So my first thought was...crockpot! What else?!? So look through my cookbooks. Here's a good one...nope, don't want that. There's a good one...don't have all the ingredients. {sigh} What to do? I know! I'll pretend I'm my Mom and dump stuff into the crockpot and see what comes out! Well, what came out was chicken stew! So delicious that I just have to share it!

Chicken Stew

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can be frozen)
frozen corn
frozen baby carrots (or fresh)
onions (frozen or fresh)
frozen sliced mixed peppers
2 cups chicken broth
1 envelope beef bouillon (I use Herb-Ox sodium free)
1 capful of Kitchen Bouquet
salt, black pepper, garlic powder to taste

Place chicken in the crockpot then put vegetables on top. If you want different veggies or more veggies, go for it! These are what I had in the freezer, so that's what went in the stew. Add the chicken broth (I just made mine from a couple of packages of chicken bouillon), the beef bouillon and the Kitchen Bouquet. Stir.

Set crockpot for high for 1-2 hours, then turn down to low for the rest of the day. When you're ready to eat, if you want to thicken the gravy, turn the crockpot up to high and add a little cornstarch (mixed in cold water). Stir while it thickens. We enjoy juicy gravies, so I didn't thicken mine.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Shake

Ok now...don't be shaking your head and asking if I've lost my mind! The two flavors go together really well as long as one doesn't overpower the other. And it's simple simple simple to make. You're still shaking your head! Have I ever steered you wrong? Well, besides the idea of dipping candy centers into ice cream fudge topping and hoping it would freeze. Any other time; especially on shakes? No! See? As the old tv commercial used to say, "Try it, you'll like it!"

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Shake

This is a variation of a vanilla shake, so start there. Add 2 tablespoons PB2 (I get it at the commissary. You can also order it from Bell Plantations) or 2 tablespoons peanut butter. Now add 4 teaspoons cinnamon vanilla creme coffee creamer. That's it! That's all you add to a vanilla shake to get this wonderful, delicious shake! It's my new favorite!!!

Quotes I Like

I don't know about anyone else, but I like quotes. I like quotes by famous people, I like quotes by not so famous people. I don't remember when this started for me, but I have copied down quotes for years. Now I'm old enough that I lose track of where I've put them then when I find them they're new again! LOL! Here's one I really like that can be applied to anything you're working on in your life, whether it's your weight, your lifestyle, whatever. I don't know if this really belongs in a cooking blog, but since it's my blog and I want to put it in, here it is!

"Nothing changes if nothing changes"  Tennie McCarty - Shades of Hope Treatment Center

Turtles Candy!

I love turtles candy, but the sugar free I can buy in the store has so many sugar alcohols they just tear me up. Can't even eat one! So this morning I was thinking about the ingredients in turtles and realized that I could probably make a pretty decent copy...not the same, but good enough to satisfy me. Note that there are no amounts listed in the ingredients. This is, so far, a "by gosh and by golly" recipe. I'm sure there are other turtle fans out there and wanted to get the recipe posted as soon as possible. So, for now, you'll just have to make it by remembering the texture and thickness and gooeyness of a real turtle.

Turtles

Smucker's sugar free caramel syrup
Almond flour
Instant oatmeal
Dry roasted (with sea salt) peanuts
Dry roasted (with sea salt) almonds
raisins
Smucker's sugar free chocolate fudge topping

Mix some almond flour with the caramel syrup until somewhat thickened. Add some oatmeal until it's pretty thick (almost as if you were going to roll it into balls). Add the peanuts, almonds and raisins (hey! some coconut would be good in there too!) and mix until well mixed and nice and thick. Add more flour or oatmeal to thicken more if you want to roll into balls.

Spray an ice cube tray with Pam and drizzle some fudge topping into the bottom of the compartments. Spoon some of the caramel mixture on top then smudge (technical word!) some more fudge topping. Put the ice cube tray in the freezer until solid enough to pick up and eat.

Mine are in the freezer now and you know I will eat my share as soon as they are ready. If they come out good, I think I'll get some mini cupcake paper cups and put them on a tray to freeze in the paper cups.

I actually cheated "just a little" and left a taste in the mixing bowl...Hey! that's the cook's prerogative, right! I gotta tell ya, even if they don't harden correctly, they taste awfully good! I'll update as soon as I taste the final result!

Update: Hmmm...I didn't know that ice cream fudge topping wouldn't freeze? Duh! Have another idea that won't add a bunch of sugar alcohols and will try that soon. Meanwhile if anyone else has an idea, let me know!!!

Workout Recommendation

A few weeks ago I mentioned to my swimming buddy that I was having a difficult time with exercise. I've developed arthritis in my left hip since my accident on my bicycle last year and now I've been looking for a low impact exercise that is high energy enough so that I'll work up a good sweat. Well, of course, Renee came through for me!

She told me about the Walk at Home workouts by Leslie Sansone. I went to Walmart and bought the Big 4 Mile Walk video immediately and have been working out to it almost every day. Love it! Nothing hurts when I'm finished but sweat is just dripping off of me! Love it!

She has a website too with a store and a walk club that you can join. If you join the walk club, you get a percentage (15% ?) off in the store. I'm haven't joined yet, but I will. She streams different workouts in her walk club so you can have a variety of walks without buying the videos. I'm sure she hopes you'll get hooked on the workout (not hard to do) and go out and buy the video so you'll have it after they take it off the website.  I saw in the store they also have a couple of faith-based workout videos.

I hope you give this workout a try. This is the video I have and I absolutely love it!

Steamed Fish

I've really loved fish ever since my gastric bypass surgery. I crave fish. I eat fish so often, frankly I'm surprised I haven't grown fins! Tonight at support group we were talking about fish and I talked about my little microwave steamer. I bought it at World Market and it was only $5.00! I've actually got two and the second one was on sale for $3.00. Bob even told me tonight that I should really go back and get a couple more just to make sure I always have one clean and ready since I use it so often! LOL! But I think he might be right...LOL! I love fish just about any way I can get it, but I especially love it steamed. No oil or anything else to interfere with the good fish taste.

Steamed Fish

1 filet (I use frozen tilapia or cod...if you use fresh you'll need to adjust your cooking times)

frozen vegetables (I like mixed green beans or garden mixes)

frozen sweet peppers, sliced

seasoning of choice (I like all different seasoning mixes...Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime, Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning, Italian Salad Dressing dry mix are a few of my favorites)

salt

With a little water in the bottom of the steamer, place the basket on top. Place the fish and veggies then sprinkle everything with seasoning to taste. Cooking time really depends on your microwave and thickness of your fish. My frozen tilapia normally takes about 6 minutes and frozen cod normally takes about 7 minutes. Let the food rest in the steamer for about a minute before serving. Serve with a small side salad and you've got a great meal!

Restaurant Review - Al Amir Bistro

My daughter and I were out walking at the Village at Sandhills and passed by this restaurant. We both love Mediterranean food so we stopped to look at their menu. We had been planning to stop for lunch at Moe's and get a taco salad, but quickly changed our minds! So when we were finished with our walk (a nice long one, by the way!) we stopped and had lunch at Al Amir Bistro. It's directly across from Moe's and next to The Blue Marlin.

We were seated quickly and our server was very friendly. After looking at the menu (and probably drooling) for a few minutes we ordered kabobs. Janet got the lamb and I got the chicken. We also ordered tabbouleh for our salad choice. Our food got there in good time and looked and smelled delicious! Then our sweet little waiter (I think he "might" be 16) brought us a small Damascus bread. We hadn't ordered it (it does not come with the meal) but he wanted us to have a sample. Good salesman! I had a few small bites and had to remind myself that it was bread and I don't normally eat that! So we moved the plate to Janet's side of the table! LOL!

Their tabbouleh is some of the best I've ever tasted. We've bought the mix and have made it at home and it was good, but Al Amir's is really good. It's a must have.

The kabobs come with grilled onions and peppers and yellow rice. The rice is no temptation for me so Janet was happy to eat my share! The chicken and vegetables were seasoned perfectly. I was a little concerned that the chicken would be too spicy because of the way it looked, but it wasn't. It was just so delicious and very moist and tender...easy on the pouch. I don't care for lamb, but I did taste a piece of Janet's and it's was very well seasoned without being spicy and was also moist and juicy.

A few nights later I took Bob to Al Amir's. He got the tabbouleh and loved it. I got a salad called Fetoush. Oh my goodness...it was so good! It looked like a regular green salad, but it had that Mediterranean taste. Incredible!

Bob got steak tips and I had chicken. Dang it...I can't remember the name! Arghh! Well, next time I go I'll write it down and edit this. Anyway, our food was wonderful! And Bob actually liked my chicken better than his beef! Wow! Both the chicken and the beef tips came with tzatziki sauce on the side (very good) and could be served over rice or pita bread. We chose pita bread. I know most people would eat it or use it to stuff the chicken in, but we just let it sit under our meat and soak up any cooking oil that may have been there.

As you can tell, we really enjoyed eating at this restaurant and will certainly eat there again. Highly recommend Al Amir. One note of warning though...the dinner menu is about double the price of the lunch menu.

Ground Beef "Hash"

This is a wls variation of a pre-wls comfort dish. I don't eat that anymore but sometimes a girl needs comforting! Ya know? Anyway, I made hamburger steaks in my George Foreman grill last night and had some ground beef left over. Bob and I have problems with leftover meat so I just put the raw, seasoned meat in the fridge. Today at lunch I knew just what I wanted to eat!

Ground Beef "Hash"

4 ounces seasoned ground beef (I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin and McCormick Hamburger seasoning)
1 1/2 teaspoons cooking oil
frozen onion
frozen mixed pepper slices
frozen corn

Start browning the ground beef in the oil on medium low heat in a small saucepan. Add the onions, peppers, and corn. You don't need to add any broth because the moisture from the defrosting veggies will add all the moisture you need. Cover and cook until the ground beef has lost it's pink color. Uncover, break up any large bits of meat and raise the heat to medium. Let the food pan fry for a few minutes until the ground beef is cooked through to your satisfaction. Put food in a bowl and enjoy! I like to add a little ketchup stirred in and Bob likes a dab of mayo on the side.

Cottage Cheese

Okay, I know. But just read on okay?  I grew up watching my mother eat cottage cheese with pineapple and just about gagged every time I saw her put that stuff into her mouth. But now I've had wls and my tastes have changed. It happens to all of us! Not long after my surgery I started craving cottage cheese. Believe me...I fought that craving! But I finally caved in and tried some with pineapple and sweetener. Oh my goodness...I was in heaven! Cottage cheese is really good for you and is a wonderful, refreshing summer breakfast or snack.

Cottage Cheese

2 ounces cottage cheese (I use Breakstone's 2% small curd)
1 ounce crushed pineapple in juice
sweetener, to taste

Mix it all up together in a small bowl and enjoy!

Banana Popsicle Shake

Have you ever had a cold banana popsicle on a hot summer day? They're so cold and refreshing...I just love 'em! This isn't a popsicle, but very cold and refreshing! Hmmm...I wonder how this would freeze in a popsicle mold? Or maybe make it into ice cream!

Banana Popsicle Shake

1-2 cups ice
1 tablespoon sugar free banana cream pudding mix
2 drops vanilla extract
sweetener, to taste (optional)
4-6 ounces milk (I use soy or almond milk)

Place ice in blender. Add the rest of the ingredients, ending with the milk. Set blender to crush ice, then blend on lowest speed and building up to highest speed until shake is thick and frothy.

Hummus

I really like hummus, but I don't like buying it at the store. One reason is that it is so expensive. Another reason is that it's got so many unnecessary ingredients. It's a lot better fresh. You can dip anything into hummus. Tonight I dipped boiled shrimp. Sometimes I dip sliced cucumbers, sometimes carrot sticks. Radishes would be good too. Hmmm...I just thought about pepperoni crisps...gotta try that soon!

Hummus

2 - 16 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dannon Plain Nonfat Yogurt
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 - 4.5 ounce can green chilies
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 - 4 ounce jar sliced pimientos, drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional (or parsley)

Add chickpeas, water, yogurt, olive oil, chilies, garlic, and cumin to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add pimientos and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Transfer hummus to a bowl and stir in the cilantro (or parsley). Season hummus with salt and pepper if desired. Cover and chill for a couple of hours for flavors to blend.

Pudding au Fromage

For some reason I really wanted to use a fancy French name for my Cheesecake Pudding! How do you like it? LOL! It's so fast and easy you won't believe it. Bob and I have a small bowl as dessert every night. And to make it even better...drum roll please...it's made of yogurt!

Cheesecake Pudding (or Pudding au Fromage, if you please!)

1 - 32 ounce Dannon Plain Nonfat Yogurt

2 small packages cheesecake pudding mix

Splenda Granular, to taste

Empty the yogurt into a bowl. Add the pudding mix and sweetener and whisk until well mixed and smooth. Spoon into a container and cover. Chill.

Salsa Meatballs

Looking for something to take to the Superbowl party? Want to make sure you have a protein to eat? I got your back! Salsa meatballs! They are so yummy and so filling! Are you ready for some football (and meatballs)?!!!

While we're on the subject of Superbowl parties, here's a couple of hints for you.

   1. Look at all the food available before you put even one thing on your plate. Then decide what you really want and take a small amount of just a few things.
   2. Remember to eat mindfully. Have a great time, but remember that you are consuming food and that the calories, fats, and carbs will still count even though you are watching THE GAME.
   3. Remember to have fun; don't let the fear of dealing with all that food throw you. It's a buffet...choose what you want to eat and enjoy yourself! Then leave the food alone!

Salsa Meatballs

1 package frozen meatballs (about 64)
1  12-16 ounce jar salsa
1 jar sugar free peach preserves (I use Smucker's)

Put preserves in a small saucepan and turn fire to medium low. When preserves start to melt, add the salsa. Cook for a couple of minutes until preserves are melted and mixed well with the salsa.

Add the meatballs to the crockpot and pour the sauce on top. Stir to mix. Cook on low 8-10 hours or on high about 5 hours.

Keep warm in the crockpot during the party and be sure to root for the winning team!!!

Cinnamon Vanilla Shake

Do you remember how I told you to get creative with your vanilla shakes? Well I did this afternoon and was pleasantly surprised. I like the Cinnamon Vanilla Creme coffee creamer in my coffee at night sometimes. So I decided to try it in a vanilla shake. Oh.my.gosh! Yummy! Here's what you do...make a vanilla shake and add about 2 teaspoons or so of the coffee creamer. That's it! It's not too cinnamony (that can't possibly be a real word!), just really good. Try it out!