I'm not so typical, typically.

So in my very first post, I told y'all about how i was totally new to this blogging & all, right?  Well, i need to buy a blogging for dummies book i guess... 

Somehow, i managed to delete all of y'alls awesome comments on my recipes I've posted so far.  *face-palm*  I'm sorry!! I will try not to do that in the future!

Also, since just starting this blog, boy i have had some amazing people tell me they appreciate it, but i have also had some haters..  Why do people get so bent when all you are trying to do is lose a little weight?  *smh*  Some people's kids...

It's not been some secret that I use processed foods. I love comfort foods and use basic portion control.  I DO NOT BUY FAT FREE, ORGANIC, ETC.  Would I?  Heck yeah, but damn, I cant afford that!  Not many people can!  That's why I wanted to show folks how you could actually lose weight, without breaking the bank and without having to make meals your family would refuse to eat!! Is that so bad? Apparently!

Ive never come across a blog for "dieters" made for "typical" people though i'm not typically, typical.  That is my goal here. This is what *I* am doing. This is working FOR ME and if you think it can work for you, try it!  No one is forcing you to be here, so if you DON'T like it... click that neat-o little red X at the top, right corner of your page. =)

Toodle-loo! 

~Evilone

Pizza Divine? (517 Calories)

So yesterday, we had Chicken Divine and oh it was divine!!!  Creamy goodness comfort food, low cal!  I made a double batch, so I had leftovers I was going to freeze.. that is until the kids decided they wanted chicken pizza!  Not wanting to thaw and saute MORE chicken, I had an idea!  Pizza Divine?

Calories  517. Carbs 46.  Fat 23. Protein 23.

Starting with my standard cheese pizza...

Ingredients for Cheese Pizza

One Mama Mary's Pizza Crust (Whole wheat)

1/2 of a jar of Mama Mary's Pizza Sauce

1 1/2 cups of Mozzarella cheese.

Lay your Pizza crust on a pizza baking pan and spread half a jar of pizza sauce on it.  Top with 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese.  Simple, huh?

Then, you make your pizza DIVINE!

Chop the cold, leftover chicken and broccoli and add 1/4 - 1/2 of a serving of Chicken Divine. (we use about 1/4 of a serving on the entire pizza, if you have the extra 100 calories, use 1/2 a serving.)  Spread all over the top of the pizza and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of Mozzarella cheese. Bake according to directions on the pizza crust package.

This was better than ANY white pizza or chicken pizza I have ever had!  And i'm not just saying that!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!



Chicken OH SO Divine! (376 Calories)

CHICKEN DIVINE!

This is an oldie, but goody that i have messed with over the years.  This was one of my Grandmother's (Gaga) recipes she would fix back in the 50's when company would come over!  She called it "Company Chicken."

Calories 376. Carbs 6.  Fat 20. Protein 33.  (per serving)

Ingredients

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast; cooked and sliced thin.

(I typically saute the chicken; if you use oil, add calories in for that.  I use Pam Spray)

1 large bunch raw broccoli, trimmed and cut into spears

1/2 stick unsalted butter, diced

5 T. all purpose flour

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup well-chilled heavy cream

3 T. dry sherry

Fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook broccoli for 6 minutes or until just tender.  Drain and set aside.

2. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring for 3 minutes.  Add broth and bring mixture to a boil. Cook on low for 10 minutes or until thick.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, then add to flour mixture, along with sherry and lemon juice to taste. (i use about half the juice of one lemon)  Season with salt & pepper.

4. Arrange broccoli on a flame proof platter (i use a 9 X 13 baking dish, unless I'm serving for company) Top with HALF the sauce.  Stir HALF of the Parmesan cheese into the other half of the sauce.  Arrange chicken on top of broccoli and pour remaining sauce over.  Sprinkle mixture with the rest of the Parmesan cheese.

5. Broil about 6 inches from heat for 1 minute or until sauce is golden brown and bubbly.

This recipe really isn't as difficult as it seems!  Just follow the steps in order and you will be fine!  Your family will rant and rave over this beautiful dish!  Fit for a king, and your family too! 

Enjoy!



My Favorite Fettuccine Alfredo (490 Calories)

MY FAVORITE ALFREDO!!!

I swiped this recipe off Food Network site and tried it, and I LOVED IT!  Only 490 calories per serving and honestly, this is better than the regular Alfredo I fix!

 

I absolutly LOVE this recipe so much, i wanted to share it.  I dont think I could ever make it any better.  Its AMAZING and about as low cal as you can get, and still have the most amazing taste alfredo should!!

It's also the ONLY time I will ever buy low fat anything.. its just so worth it when you MUST have alfredo while dieting.  SO WORTH IT!!

 

Find the recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/low-cal-fettuccine-alfredo-recipe/index.html

Calories: 490. Fat 15. Carbs 66. Protein 20.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup low-fat (2%) milk

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons Neufchtel or low-fat cream cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

12 ounces fresh fettuccine

Freshly ground pepper

Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft, about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1 minute. Whisk in the milk and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, whisking constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchatel and Parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot.

Add the sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with Parmesan and pepper.


Enjoy! =)

Black Bean Soup (323 Calories)

Black bean soup is one of my favorite meals.  Most of the time, everything you need to make it you already have, its super cheap, simple and boy is it good!!

Calories 323 per serving (2 cups). Carbs 34. Fat 13. Protein 24.



Ingredients

2 cans black beans

1 can sweet corn

1 can navy beans

1 can kidney beans

1.5 cups salsa

1 onion, diced

1/5 green pepper, diced

1 tsp. cumin

2 pounds sliced thin turkey polish kielbasa

Throw everything in a crock pot and stir - turn on low & let cook for 6 hours. Done.

See, wasn't that simple?  The aroma that will fill your house will bring many pot peepers!  This stuff is SO hearty!  Serves 8.

Who says you can't eat? (611 calories for 2)

I love food.  I mean, if I didn't, i probably wouldn't be overweight, right?

I'm here to tell you that while "eating green" might be better for you.. I wouldn't be able to lose weight if I couldn't have an occasional burger, fries and taco salad.

MMM Taco salad!!

So, this is a BIG plate of food, right?  (I actually was able to eat about half of this in one sitting!)  AND do my eyes dare deceive me?  Are those.. *gasp* DORITOS?  CHIPS??  While on a DIET??  What?!

Yep, Doritos, followed by a very small amount of cheese, ( i add a little to the chips so the meat melts it on the chips & it all sticks together, gooey.  its a comfort thing.) the meat with taco seasoning, lettuce, tomato and a little more cheese, topped with sour cream.  (NO LOW FAT CRAP! ew.)  A large drizzle of Salsa tops the salad to complete this meal with only 611 calories!! 

Calories 611. Carbs 36.  Fat 38. Protein 36.

ha-ha! I love that alpaca!

Now, whats the point of making this big taco salad if you cant eat it all, right?  Easy peasy... you already have logged 611 calories for it, right?  Why waste it!!  make two smaller salads and save one for that late night snacking that always gets ya!  When i have a big meal like this, i ALWAYS split it into two!  try it! =) 



Chicken Salsa Verde (340 Calories)

Chicken Salsa Verde Recipe 

340 Calories per serving and can be served on a wrap or with crackers! (for additional calories)

Here is an AMAZING recipe for Chicken Salsa Verde! I made this recently and WOW it really made a bunch!  We froze half of it for a later date, but the next day it was out of the freezer!  My kids LOVED it and the big man ate a triple portion!

Calories 340.  Carbs 19.  Fat  3. Protein 5. 



5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

1 jar of Salsa Verde (16 oz)

2 cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 can Sweet Corn, drained and rinsed

1 can Rotel, Mild

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1 small package of 1/3 less fat Cream Cheese (6oz)

Place everything in the crock pot EXCEPT the cream cheese.  (You can use FROZEN chicken breasts!)  Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.  Remove and discard half of the liquid. Remove the chicken and shred it, then replace. Turn crock pot to the LOW or WARM setting.  Add cream cheese and stir very well. Cover and allow to "warm" for another 30 minutes.  Stir very well before serving.  We chose to eat them on wraps with lettuce and tomato! One serving is about 6 ounces.  Serve warm, or chill and serve as a spread on crackers! Serves 10.

I hope you enjoy it! If you make this, please leave a comment below and let us know how you liked it! Simple, easy, low cal and oh so good!! 



My story. Welcome to Cookin with Me!!

 

 

Hey everyone!!

It was suggested that I try this thing they call "blogging"  for my cooking and recipes!  So I thought I would give it a shot!! (Thanks, Ashley for pointing me in the right direction!!)  I'm just learning this, so don't expect miracles! 

What I would like to do is post my meals I make and their recipes, along with calories and eventually the cost of each meal!  If there is something specific you would like to see me try, shoot me an email and I will be happy to figure something out! 

Where to begin?  Well, I guess I should tell you my story so you understand my love of cooking and my journey to lose around 75-ish pounds.

I was skinny.  Itty bitty skinny.  Always was!  I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and I enjoyed the shit out of it!  The greasier the better.. and Italian food.  OH my weakness. I LOVED to cook, and all I knew was Southern cookin'.  Fried. Deep fried.. not in oil. In LARD.  Yum.  oh and pasta would most certainly be the death of me... boy did I find that to be true!

At the age of 24, because I ate what I want, when i wanted, I had a blocked artery and suffered my first of two strokes and and blood clots - to the brain.  After over a year of rehabilitation, I started gaining weight.  I wasn't able to be as active as I once was.  I had been a mechanic & business owner; a drag racer and held down two other part time jobs, as well as raising my 2 children, then toddlers.  I was now stuck in physical therapy, traction for a broken neck and very very slow movements.  The fastest I could move after 2 years was on a cane, about the speed of a 70 year old. 

With the weight gain came depression.  I was 26 years old, had little kids, a new man (that was younger than me!) and I couldn't keep up with a single one of them.  I had been 137 pounds just 2 years ago.. (at age 24) and now, I was 246 pounds.  *sigh*

Anyhoo, about 10 years later here i am, overweight and wanting to change my life around.  I started using Body By Vi shakes because my best friend Amber Brewer started promoting them. Did I believe in it?  Hell no, i never heard of the stuff before!  I just wanted to support her in her new business.  Boy was I in for a shock!  I started drinking them and noticed how much better I felt!  No longer a need for mid-day naps, I was a lot more active because I felt better and I lost three pounds in a week.  WOAH. Could it be that easy?  I used the shakes for the first two "Challenges"  which were 90 days each. (The first 6 months into my journey).  Now, im trying to see if I can do this on my own with just some vitamins and extra veggies and fruits.  If I cant.. back to the shakes I go!  lol

After I started feeling better, I decided to kick up my weight loss and healthy ways.  I now exercise 5 days a week (I use Mr. Elliptical - he needs to be named.) for 30 minutes a day (I started out at just 5 minutes a day!) and I use a site called http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ to help me with logging calories.  I am just 4 weeks in and I have lost 18.5 pounds, and 16.5 inches overall. 

So, that's my story!  Keep a watch for low cal recipes and (shorter) blog entries as I progress on this amazing journey that I have started!  =)

~Heather

** If you are interested in the Body By Vi Shakes, please check out http://gethealthywithamber.bodybyvi.com/ and let Amber know I sent ya. ;)

UPDATE:  JANUARY 2013: Im now 7 months into my weight loss journey! I have lost 43 pounds and over 47 inches!!  I am still using Mr. Elliptical and also walking.. 30 minutes a day, but I can run now for 5 miles, although I hate to run.. lol.  Its just not my thing!  I have done some of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, and although I love it, my knees do not!  I am currently doing Shaun T's Hip Hop Abs and LOVE it!!  I will keep up with my journey and my love of cooking and my calorie counting and I hope to keep losing weight!  I would love to be at my goal (what ever weight that is!!)  by the end of the summer, 2013!!