oooh! Maybe I can make that Sesame Chicken for my man!! Send that my way as well

Pretttttttty please

Please for the love of God (and mango chutney and pumpkin muffins and sesame chicken) post whatever cookbooks you are using.

Here's a link to my pumpkin muffins (I made it up myself)!

http://caloriecount.about.com/pumpki...recipe-r488704

The recipe books I use that I think are best so far are:

Evelyn Tribole - More Healthy Homestyle Cooking
Food Network - The Food You Crave
The Essential "Eating Well" Cookbook (Good Carbs, Good Fats, Great Flavors)

Spicy Garlic Shrimp
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsps white wine or nonalcoholic white win
2 tbsp fat-free chicken broth
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
1 lb frozen peeled and deveined medium-large shrimp, thawed
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 tsp cornstarch

In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, wine, broth, oil, salt and red-pepper flakes. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for 5 minutes.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add the bell peper and cook for 1 minute to soften slightly. Add the shrimp and all but 1 tbsp of the marinade. Cook for 2 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink on the bottom. Turn the shrimp over and cook for 1 to 2 mins longer.

In a cup dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1 tbsp marinade. Push the shrimp to the side of the pan and stir in the cornstarch. Cook for 1 min or until sauce thickened. Mix with the shrimp and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings
178 cals, 23g protein, 4g carbs, 7g fat, 1g sat fat, 173 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 0g fiber.

Chicken with Mango
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion diced (about 1 cup)
1 med red bell pepper, seede and diced (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic coursely chopped
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp unsulfured molasses
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup no salt added tomate sauce
1 med ripe mango, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves - pounded
Cooking spray

Heat the oil in a med skillet over med heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring a few times until translucent, about 3 mins. Add the bell pepper, garlic, salt, black pepper and all spice and cook, stirring for 2 mins more. Stir in the vinegar, molasses, worcestershire, lime juice and tomato sauce and cook for 1 min more. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the mango and jalapenos. Blend until smooth. Put 2 cups of the sauce in a large sealable plastic bag with chicken and marinate for 1 hour in the frig. Reserve the rest of the sauce for serving.
Remove chicken from marinade and grill (I use my george forman), top with sauce and serve.
Makes 8 servings
220 cals, fat 3g, prot. 40g, carb 5g, fiber .5g, chol. 100 mg, sodium 237mg.

Sesame Chicken
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2"-4" strips
1/4 cup reduce sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar (I used splenda)
1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I used the great part of the scallions)

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and peper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off excess.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet in batches and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until white and no longer pink. TTransfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. Combine the soy sauce and sugar in the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the oil and sesame seeds. Add the chicken and chives. Toss and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings
265 cals., 30 g protein, 22 g carb, 6 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 73 mg cholesterol, 703 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Thanks! You're the best!

With the 1500 calorier per day and the exercize you will lose weight.
I eat 1500-1650 calories per day, but don't do much exercize, so I only lose 1 lb per week.

Your recipes sound delicious, but I gave up baking during my diet...until I reach my goal.
If I focus on baking my dieting goes on the back burner...and I overdo it on the calories.
Once I reach my goal I will check into the great recipes.


I am forgetting about my old diet for 2010 tonight.
Tomorrow I start a whole new diet for 2011.

I am starting out the New Year 27 pounds lighter, and I hope to lose 50 more pounds in the next year!
Best of luck to everyone in 2011!

Recipes!!

Jolina - Glad you've found something that works for you both in the old and the new year...CONGRATS on your weight loss!!!

Jen516 - JENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!! Did you see the pics I posted (pg 1 of this thread)? My "Bistro" black trays have come in quite handy...hope your saving yours too!

Ok..accountability time:

Breakfast - pumpkin raisin muffin, 2 jimmy dean turkey sausage links...yum! - 219 cals.
Snack - None...didn't get hungry.
Lunch - spicy garlic shrimp over brown rice, brocolli -303 cals.
Snack - Atkins Protein choco-peanut butter bar - 240 cals
Snack - 31g unsalted cashews - 180 cals
Dinner - Sesame chicken over rice sticks, green beans - 400 cals
Snack - activia yogart - 70 cals
Snack - pumpkin-raisin muffin - 139 cals.

Total Calories so far: 1,551 cals.

Exercise:

Running - 4.4 miles
Weights - 0
Pull ups - 2 sets of 3

Feeling GREAT after my run...didn't think I had 4.4 miles in me today...So far this week I've been on track with my weight training...so hopefully I'll do some lower body later today...
Didn't make my monthly goal of 1440 mins, but came in close around 1300 mins...which is not bad considering last month I was under 1,000!!!

I'm all out of pumpkin muffins, so I will make another batch today and take pictures. I've been trying to take pics of all the BEST foods I try and make. I missed the chicken/cashew stirfry and African Salmon (which were both great). Once I try enough foods, I'll just keep recycling them into my eating regimen...Oh yeah...and today I finally marinated the LAST BATCH of chicken breasts...in my famous Mock McDonald's grilled chicken breast marinade...will george forman, individually wrap and freeze them today!

One last note about my pumpkin-raisin muffins. They are LOADED with pumpkin, flaxseed and whole wheat, so...even though they are quite small in size...they keep me fuller than any breakfast I've ever had. Normally, I need a mid-morning snack, but after one muffin, less than 1 svg of sausage (2 links @ 80 cals), I honestly did not even THINK about food.

If you try them, be sure to drink plenty of water with it....it'll help expand all the fiber in your tummy!

I did miss the pictures! They look great!! Even better than the originals! I have been saving trays too. Do you freeze in the trays? What do you cover them with? I'm soooo pleased that you're finding such great recipes and snacks - WTG!

No...no freezing...I'm sorta doing my own FRESHOLOGY thing here...only it's not delivered, and I'm the one bustin' my bum in the kitchen every week! Haha!

I just make enough for maybe a week to 1 1/2 weeks and store in the frig. I cover the trays with saran wrap (or whatever store brand plastic). Works really great! You can FREEZE in the trays if you want too...I just prefer to eat fresh if possible. I only have to cook for 2, so it's no big deal for me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Breakfast - 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/4 cup raisins, 1 tsp brown sugar, 2 tsp splenda, cinnamon - 300 cals.
Snack - NONE
Lunch - Mango Chicken over spinach quinoa, grilled sweet potato -385 cals.
Snack - Atkins Protein choco-peanut butter bar - 240 cals
Dinner - Spicy Garlic Shrimp over brown rice, brocolli - 303 cals
Snack - 39g unsalted cashews - 210 cals.
Snack - Activia yogart - 70 cals

Total Calories so far: 1,508 cals.

Exercise:

Running - 3.3 miles (a really HARD run...I was done at 2.2 miles, but persisted)
Note to self: NEVER EVER EAT right before a run...EVERRRRRRRR!!!!

Breakfast - pumpkin raisin muffin, 2 Jimmy Dean Turkey sausage links = 219
Lunch - Mango Chicken over spinach quinoa, asparagus - 305 cals
Snack -Atkins Protein Bar - 240 cals
Dinner - Spicy Garlic Shrimp over brown rice, brocolli - 303 cals
Snack - Activia yogart - 70 cals
Snack - pumpkin raisin muffin - 139 cals
Late Night Snack - 1/2 cup pineapple - 100 cals

Total Calories: 1,376 cals.

Exercise:

NO EXERCISE - REST DAY

Had a GREAT day today. Really uplifting and encouraging...then went out with about 30 friends to dinner. Only thing is I didn't eat anything. I chose to stop off home first, pop my delishous shrimp dish in the microwave, eat it and then meet my friends at the restaurant. I just told them I don't really like eating restaurant food (didn't want to go into the whole "diet" thing or make them feel bad about the artery clogging french fries and other fried cuisine they were about to ingest). I told them I'm just there for the association...and everything worked out great. I ordered a diet coke and sipped it throughout the meal. Everyone seem to be ok with my explanation, and we had a GREAT time!

I could have ordered a salad or maybe the grilled tilapia over rice, or some other "somewhat restaurant healthy" choices, but honestly...I really like the food I cook...and just simply preferred it over the restaurant food. The way I see it, we have choices in life...I made my choice. Food is food...friends and good company is just that...the two are not one in the same. /rant

Weigh in - 174.8

Breakfast - whole grain bagel, 1 tbsp almond butter - 290 cals.
Snack - Atkins Protein Bar - 240 cals.
Lunch - Sauted Chicken breast in white wine herb sauce over spinach, 1/4 cup baked sweet potato - 350 cals.
Snack - Activia Light Yogart - 70 cals.
Snack - Pumpkin Raisin Muffin - 139 cals.
Dinner - Mango Chicken over brown rice, brocolli - 325 cals.
Snack - 1/2 cup pineapple and mango mix..YUM! - 105 cals.

Total Calories: 1,519 cals.

EXERCISE:

Running - 4.3 miles..wooT!

Ok...so I know yesterday was weigh in, BUT, in all fairness I had to re-weigh myself this morning because I hadn't "gone..ya know" in several days and felt I was holding on to "unreal" weight. Once that little "problem" was corrected, I felt I should weigh again. I WAS SOOOOO RIGHT! My weigh in today was 173.6!!!! YEAHHHHHH!!!

Breakfast - Pumpkin raisin muffin, 2 turkey sausage links - 219 cals.
Snack - NONE (that fiber in those muffins keep me full every time!)
Lunch - Chicken sauted in white wine herb sauce over bed of spinach, 1/4 cup baked sweet potato - 350 cals.
Snack - Atkins Protein Bar - 240 cals.
Snack - Pumpkin raisin muffin - 139 cals (oooh wee...I think these are too good!)
Dinner - Mango chicken over spinach quinoa, asparagus - 305 cals.
Snack - banana - 100 cals.
Snack - Clementine - 50 cals.
Snack - 1/8 cup raisins - 50 cals.
Snack - Activia Yogart - 70 cals.

Total Calories: 1,523 cals.

EXERCISE:

REST DAY

Job Interview today...nervous...could hardly sleep all night! I really can't believe how FAST I'm flying through the 170's...I would sure LOVE to be in the 160's within the next 2 weeks. I'd feel like I could exhale for a minute. Yesterday's run was OUTRAGEOUS! I had energy to spare and I was definitely "IN THE ZONE"...I could have made 5 miles..for CERTAIN, but I had friends over working out and didn't want to leave them hanging (my workout takes much longer than theirs), so I figure I'll go for it next time I'm in the "Zone" and "Alone"..lol!

Pull ups - I'm up to 3 pull ups each (underhand pullups and side pullups....I still have yet to conquer the forehand pullups which are extremely hard and ALL back work!) My friend were AMAZED watching me do the pullups yesterday, but hopefully that will get them motivated as I'm lifting 173 lbs!!!! That's alot of weight for a woman...it's not like I'm 5'3 and lifting 105 lbs? haha. I'm happy, but my goal is 10 (at least 2 sets of 10). Ok...nuff rambling for today.

I love it!! Isn't it great when you aren't stressing about your plan and losing weight??

Good luck on your job interview!! I pray everything works out well for you and that you can feel peaceful tonight and get good sleep! You know that I KNOW how it is when you can't!


Don't you love it when you are in "the zone"?? I miss running for long distances. I have been running here in there on the treadmill lately, but I do miss getting my outdoor run in. I had a running buddy but we worked out well because we were at the same level with our runs.. By the time we finished we were both tired.. and we were both trying to build up a running time. Its cold as heck outside now, so I'll have to wait a few months. But I know that I need to start getting it (practicing) on the treadmill so that when the weather breaks my breathing is right and I will be able to get in that zone easily. Running does really make a difference... Great job on that!


Congrats on the pull ups as well. I have been telling myself that as soon as I get in the 130's, I am going to start back doing some strength training and I definitely want to be able to do pullups! I think because I have always had these massive thighs, my poor little arms just couldn't pull my hamhocks...
But the lighter I get... the legs are leaning out.. and soon, I will be in the gym pumping out the pull ups as well!

You are doing great!