My 1st week if IP is complete! I stuck to the program 100%. Overall I can say it was good. I have learned I need to eat my restricted IP food as breakfast, since that is the time I am most hungry, and have discovered the versatility of cauliflower (I used it as mashed potato, rice, and made a deeeeee-licious curried cauliflower soup). I am doing this program "long distance" and call or text my coach when I need to. This week I only called once on day 3. I had a terrible headache and just wanted to chat. I have found this forum tremendously helpful. So, after week one I am down 7.5 lbs and feel, surprisingly, great!

Awesome job. Searching for recipes and still cooking delicious foods is the key for me too. You are on a journey that is well worth the effort!

Congrats and welcome. You are through the worst part..it just gets easier and easier from here on out!

Awesome! What is the recipe for the curried cauliflower soup, sounds wonderful!

Wow! I can only hope I have those good of numbers at my first weeks WI. Awesome job!

I make curried cauliflower soup by adding mashed cauliflower and curry powder to my ip chicken soup. It makes for a filling lunch.

Congrats you had a wonderful 1st week, it gives me inspiration. My 1 week weigh will be Thursday.

Congrats on your first week. I have WI tomorrow and hope to accomplish what you did in the first week as well.

I am finishing up my first week as well. I realized that my energy bottomed-out in the late afternoon (got that spaced out feeling) and needed to adjust my meal times to avoid that.

I hope I do as well as you, congratulations!

Curried Cauliflower Soup

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
2 pounds cauliflower (1 medium head), roughly chopped
2 quarts water, vegetable stock or chicken stock
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder and ground cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the cauliflower, potato or rice, water or stock, and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

2. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup (or you can use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing) until it is very smooth. Return to the pot, heat through, add freshly ground pepper and adjust salt. Serve, garnishing each bowl with chopped cilantro.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Note: To avoid caramelization of the onion I don't sauté it, I just add green onion while the soup is cooking. Also, check nutritional info of veg/chicken stock to ensure 0 carbs. I use 1/2 chicken stock 1/2 water.