Thanks Michele!

Yeah...I know what you mean...it's like...you don't actually "EAT" it...so do you count it as half?!

Any tricks for the weekend everyone??? My first weekend coming up.
I was thinking of saving my starches for evening...

For BK:
Smoothie - 1 fruit, milk. I could also add silken tofu for protein...
1 F
1 D
1 P (possibly)

Lunch:
I could either have one Starch or skip the starch and eat a salad for lunch with a protein or keep my protein for dinner. Eat lots of veggies for lunch.
I also wanted to do a Sweet Potatoe Soup! Perfect for lunch.
3 or 4 V
1 P (possibly)

Snack:
1 Fruit

Dinner:

I could have 3 starches...so I could eat a pasta diner or chicken wraps or something along those lines...

Snack:
I'd have one fruit left for the evening plus my free allowance.

How does that sound for my Saturday? Planning is key right

How unfair is it that when you use the dressing FAT FREE it counts as a free allowance??? Like there's... what? 30-40 calories in those???

Chantal:

I think the key is just finding what works for you and what fits your plan.

I was told to try and get my starches in early in the day if possible... but I only have 2 to deal with, not 3. I usually have 2 vegs (sweet potato and peas or steamed cauliflower) and a protien for supper. With the Sweet Potato or yam I fell like I'm getting a starch but don't have to worry about loading up on starches in the last meal before bed.

Are you on QLPII? Or a different plan? I was told they'll switch mine in the next couple of weeks but not sure what changes will be made...

This last week for me has been random snacking throughout the day as I am on a week of holidays. Probably not the best, but it works for me. When they checked my book yesterday they didn't seem to have a problem with it!!

Yes, I'm on the Quick-Loss Plus II.
I have 2 starches - you're right... I was writing way too many starches in there...wouldn't it be nice? LOL

So my goal was to keep all my starches for night cause it's easier I find for me...and I know what my evening will look like tomorrow...
We'll see. It might change

When I followed another program...they said to switch it up.
See I do...
BK - Starch
Lunch - Starch
Dinner - VEG

And the next day is:
BK - Starch
Lunch - VEG
Dinner - Starch...

I do this cause I always make leftovers from my dinner for my lunch...I find it's SO easy this way for me...and at the same, it mixes things up.

SO I've already blown it today. I am way off course and a little moody. DARN HORMONES! This usually equals excess hunger and poor food choices. I am discouraged and tomorrow is weigh-in. I don't understand how I can do so well for days and days and then BAM! FOOD MOOD! AAAAAGH! I am not at all happy with myself!

Banana Date Nut Mini Muffins

Makes 48 Mini Muffins
2 mini muffins = 1 starch

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
¾ cup Splenda
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tbsp canola oil
1 egg
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup quick-cooking oats
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1/3 cup chopped dates
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tsp grated lemon peel

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat bananas, Splenda, applesauce, oil, and egg until well blended. Combine the flours, oats, baking powder and baking soda; gradually beat into banana mixture until blended. Stir in the dates, walnuts, and lemon peel.
Coat miniature muffin cups with cooking spray or use paper liners; fill half full with batter. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Cinnamon Raisin Bites

Makes 24 servings
1 serving = 1 starch

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup skim milk
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup honey
½ cup raisins

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a small bowl, combine the milk, oil, and honey; add to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Stir in raisins.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets coating with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks

Serves 1 = 1 dairy, 2 fats, 1 fruit

Blend Ingredients:

1 tbsp peanut butter (light or low-sodium)
8 oz Silk Vanilla light soymilk
1/2 banana

CREAMY CHICKEN ‘N’ RICE

¼ CUP CELERY, CHOPPED
½ CUP ONION, CHOPPED
¾ CUP GREEN PEPPER, CHOPPED
4 TSP MARG
2 CUPS MUSHROOMS
12 OZ PLAIN FAT-FREE YOGURT
1 CUP RICE (COOKED)
½ TSP GARLIC POWDER
¼ TSP BLACK PEPPER
14 OZ (COOKED) OR 20 OZ (RAW) CHICKEN

COOK CELERY, ONION, AND GREEN PEPPER WITH MARGARINE UNTIL VEGGIES ARE TENDER.
STIR IN MUSHROOMS, YOGURT, RICE AND SEASONINGS.
BRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE HEAT, AND SIMMER FOR 20 MINUTES/ OR UNITL RICE IS TENDER.
STIR IN CHICKEN AND COOK UNTIL HEATED THROUGH.
DIVIDE INTO FOUR EQUAL PORTIONS AND SERVE.

SERVES FOUR
ONE SERVING= 1 PROTEIN, 1 VEG, 1 STARCH, 1 FAT, ½ DAIRY
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Herbal Magic Lasagna

Serves 8
1 serving = 1 protein, 1 starch, 1½ veg, ½ free exchange, ½ dairy

20 oz beef (raw)
3 cups 1% cottage cheese
8 oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 cup onion
4 cups tomato, diced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
4 cups peppers, chopped
2 cups pasta sauce
4 oz cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Brown beef.
Add 2 cups mushrooms, 2 cups tomato and 2 cups peppers to beef.
Put pasta sauce into blender.
Add 2 cups tomato and 2 cups peppers to sauce and blend together.
Season beef mixture and add sauce from blender.
Mix together.
Place 4 oven-ready noodles in casserole dish.
Layer half of beef/sauce mixture on top of noodles.
Place remaining 4 noodles on top of beef/sauce layer.
Layer remaining beef/sauce mixture.
Top with cottage cheese and shredded cheese and bake for 30 minutes.
Divide into 8 equal portions and serve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked pasta
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 1/4 cups chopped red pepper
1 1/4 cups chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp artificial sweetener
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Combine pasta, tomato, peppers, and parsley in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk remaining ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Add to pasta and toss well.

Serves six.
One serving equals: 1/2 vegetable, 1 starch, 2 fats
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TZATZIKI SAUCE

1 CUP OF FAT-FREE MAYO
1 CUP OF PLAIN FAT-FREE YOGURT
½ CUCUMBER, GRATED
1-2 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1 GREEN ONION, CHOPPED
1 TBSP. LEMON JUICE
2 TBSP. FRESH DILL

MIX ALL INGREDIENTS.
REFRIGERATE SEVERAL HOURS OR OVERNIGHT.
SERVE WITH FRESH VEGETABLE DIPPERS OR PITA BREAD.

MAKES 1-2/3 CUPS
ONE SERVING (2 TBSP) = 1 FREE EXCHANGE

Chili
Serves four
One serving = 1 protein, ½ starch, 1 ½ vegetables, 1 free exchange

8.4 oz beef (cooked)
1 cup dried kidney beans
1 cup diced green pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup diced onion
2 cups diced tomato
1 cup fat free salsa
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning (no salt added)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups water

Mix beef, green pepper, mushrooms, and onions and sauté until tender. Add seasonings. Stir in salsa, tomato, and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Divide into 4 equal portions and serve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

easy taco seasoning

2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 1/2 tsp Cumin
3/4 tsp Garlic Powder

It tastes just like the packaged kind but with no salt!! YUM!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

pizza pockets

6" Tortilla
8 slices vegetarian pepperoni
3/4 cup red/green peppers/mushrooms
2 tbsp onions
1 oz cheese, shredded
2 tbsp pasta sauce (must be less than 100 calories and 400 mg of sodium per 1/2 cup serving)

place ingredients into wrap and press in panini grill.

serves one
one serving equals 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 dairy, 1/4 free exchange, 1/2 protein

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, thanks for all the recipes Lady! May have to try a few of those in the weeks to come...

Meme: sorry about the food mood today! Hopefully all is better tomorrow!

Just went for wi on Thurs but heading in again tomorrow as I need more groceries anyways. Kinda worried that my wieght won't change or worse, go up!

Took a couple of hours today and cleaned out my cupboards. Packed up all of my "banned" foods and taking them into my parent's house tomorrow. It's great now to go to the cupboard and be able to see only foods that I can eat (and actually see them... my cupboards are no longer crammed with food... just my fridge is now!)

Good luck to everyone weighing in tomorrow!

yay! i am DOWN over 3 lbs this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my awesome awesome counsellor and I talked about "familiar food/comfort food"....about how when we get stressed or upset etc..sometimes we reach for something we had with our familt etc even though we dont "want" it..we want comfort..

Great Job Lady!! I'm heading in now... watch the clock and cross your fingers for me about 2 hours from now haha. Would really like to be down another pound today, but so long as I don't go up I have met the 2lb mark (thurs.).

Back to work Monday already ... really should have made good use of Spring Break haha oh well.

Hey Ladies, My weigh in was MUCH better on friday than it has been in a while! i went from 282.0 to 280.8 so that was a 1.2 pound drop! Usually weekends are good to me on the scale, oddly enough, so I am hoping that monday will prove to be the day i get out of the 280's forever!!! If i can hit 278.6 I would be 50lbs down, but that will be a bit of a strech so its my goal for next friday!!

Good work UFF! I unfortunately did not have the pleasure of losing more weight, I gained a pound instead - boo! Oh well, most likely due to the late brekkie and 2 bottles of water before weigh in... knew I should have waited until next Saturday to go in!

Have any of you asked about or tried No Salt... saw it at Safeway today and was curious about it...