What do you guys think about turkey bacon? Core or not? I couldn't find it in the CFC. Of course I could have just missed it. But what do you all think?

I put a little recipe thing in the soup section. It's basically your white chicken chili but without beans, and adding tomato soup. I licked the spoon and it was great, but I'm not eating my first lunch for another 30 minutes or so. I'll let you know later.

Kathy, I found the recipe, it sounds really good. I love rotel. I also saw that you made a chicken casserole. Was it a core dish, and is it posted somewhere? I used to make a great chicken casserole that was so easy but it has stuffing in it. I would love to find a "replacement" chicken casserole.

Also, has anyone concocted a taco-type casserole? I miss tortillas!! I used to make a firecracker casserole with burger, rotel, cheese, tortillas...yummm....it was so good but not core-friendly. Actually, not diet-friendly in general.

good morning, girls. it's good to see everyone here bright and early.

cindy and lindanh, don't you just love this board? i am fairly new here, too, but i feel like i've known everyone a long, long time. great group of ladies.

angela, the sunglasses is a great idea. i hope dd gets better soon. give her a hug from her cyber friend in montana.

kathy, i'll bet you did shock everyone at work. your dd sounds like a sweetie, and that was a wonderful thing for you two to support each other. what a wonderful way to start a week!

vickie, i made the lush last night. i didn't have yogurt so i used ff sour cream and 1/4 cup splenda. i think it's going to be good. i have on my orthotics right now. they feel good. i get to wear them 2 hours today.

cindy, i don't journal my intake but i do post my menu on the daily menu thread.

melissa, i did the best i could eating this weekend, but it was hard eating out 7 times. i went way over 35 waps but i did compete about 3 hours per day. we have till friday to get these extras off. i'm glad we switched from monday, aren't you? i'll be waiting to hear about dh's job. i have a good feeling about it.

melissa, thank you. i'm glad you got to take the day off. it takes a recovery day after a trip, doesn't it? i'm going shopping and lunching with a friend today. that's going to be a challenge for me. after 7 times eating out, you'd think i'd stay home to eat, wouldn't you? it's just that she and i haven't done anything together in months.

thank you, terry. my feet felt like i had pins on their bottoms last night. oh, well, life goes on. be careful if you make those pb cups. they are 1 pt each but can be a red light food. kids love them. i made them for the western montana fair food competition last year. the teenagers working there devoured them. i like them best when they've been out of the freezer a few minutes. talk about melting in your mouth! just be careful.

terry, i am super impressed with your 12 miles. you are really something special.

i'll be back later. have a great day!

melissa, you could substitute polenta for the tortilla. they taste about the same to me. what i'd do is add about 3 dashes of cayenne to the polenta mixture. then put it in a sprayed casserole and bake it about 30 minutes before adding the other ingredients. (like the mexican polenta bake recipe that's here on the thread.) top with the other ingredients and bake about 45 minutes (or less just so you get the cheese bubbly). i think you'll like it. when you serve it, you could top it with lettuce/tomatoes, core guacamole and ff sc. hmmmmm? i think i'll make this. thanks for the idea.

Sandra, that sounds REALLY good! I was thinking of making mexican lasagna for dinner tonight but I might try that instead. It sounds really good. I love to cook but I am leary about creating new recipes. I don't know why I get nervous. When I have a recipe I never follow it exactly but I like having that base idea to go from I guess.
I am really glad that we switched to friday w/i. I think that it is going to help me from making disasters of my weekends. And this way if I am horrible on the weekend I can make up for it during the week. I know its all the same, but it helps my mindset. I guess its just tricking my mind, but hey, if it works...
BTW...what would make guacamole core? I have no idea how to make it, or what to look for when buying it.

P.S. Sandra I hope that you won't let your foot troubles keep you from joining our exercise challenge for the week. You could lift handheld weights or something like that. I thought of you when I posted that and hoped you wouldn't not participate because of your feet!

It was still GREAT! Yummmm! I might make this for the Mexican potluck this week in addition to the other stuff.

Back at work - another extremely HOT AND MUGGY DAY - it's like a sauna out there - supposed to rain yet again.....no walking at lunchtime for me!

Kathy - I would find it so painful to be up that early - and yes everyone at work would keel over if I showed up before even 8 am! Your outfit sounds lovely and I predict it will one day feel loose on you. As for you dd, I just laughed when I read your description cuz just finished telling a friend that living w/my dd is like being w/Jekyll and Hyde - you never know which one you're dealing with - and even if you do - it can change within minutes!

Angela - jealous of your garden - but familiar w/bugs! We are not in full blown mosquito season and I think a couple "moved" into the house last night and I now have 2 lovely bites on my back with are driving me crazy and a couple around my ankles!

Cindy - your menu looks good - I think you need one more milk at least? and I hope you are using your healthy oil for the salad dressing and you might want to add some more fruits/veggies? Check out the menu thread as there are lots of good ideas there!

Sandra - hope your tootsies are feeling better and enjoy the lunch w/your gf.

Melissa - welcome back - sounds like you had fun and did the best you could. I'm sure getting back on track will help minimize any damage done!

Terry - I am in awe of your exercise determination - you are amazing in your ability to move towards your marathon goal - continued good luck! We are all rooting for you!

Trying to stick to Core today as yes my scale was up a bit due to the japanese birthday extravaganza! Still having chicken marinating the fridge since sat night so at least there is a plan! My downfall has been lack of exercise this past week and I need to work this into my evenings esp if I can't walk at noon due to the heat! (Vickie - maybe I can join you for a swim? )

Later,

Frouf

Yes, pool party at Vickie's house! I'll bring the sunscreen.

*Warning - Long Story* We went to the zoo today, and had a lot of fun. However, on the way home, it kind of all fell apart. I decided to stop off at the grocery store to get the kids a box of popsicles for a treat. I don't know if you guys have those car cart things, but anyway, I put the girls in one of those - Annika and Ainsley up front, and Madeline sat in the basket behind. First, Madeline started throwing a fit because we weren't getting ice cream sandwiches. I finally got her settled down, and then Ainsley pinched her finger in the checkout lane because those stupid carts are SO wide. I pulled her out and was trying to console her wild crying, when Madeline noticed a friend from school in line ahead of us. So she's trying to climb over the top of the car, while Annika is climbing out the windshield area. Meanwhile, Ainsley's still screaming bloody murder because I told her we couldn't buy the pretty packages of gum she was grabbing for. I got Madeline sat back down, grumpy, Annika back in the car, started paying for the popsicles, and then the girls noticed the stupid free suckers they have in every lane. I hate those things, because when the big girls get one, Ainsley HAS to have one, and she doesn't eat it, she just gets it in her hair and everywhere. So Madeline is grabbing for suckers, I'm trying to explain that she shouldn't, and Ainsley is STILL screaming. Then the checker (who is the mom of a girl I went to elementary school with, and has previously mentioned several times, in a derogatory manner, how many children were in my family when I was growing up) points out the giant green booger sliding down Ainsley's face and hands me about 3 yards of paper towel to wipe it up with. Madeline's friend is still trying to get her attention, Annika is still climbing out of the car's windshield, everyone is staring at my snotty, screaming, injured toddler and my 4-year old who looks like someone large and very angry punched her, and my whiny 6 year old who is sitting in the part of the cart plainly marked "don't let children ride in here." I somehow managed to forget (gee, wonder why?) that I was going to pay for the popsicles with cash and not my debit card, so I had to cancel the transaction halfway through. Meanwhile, Ainsley has noticed the suckers and has REALLY wound it up to a new decibal level, and all I want to do is sink into the floor and die of embarassment right then and there. We did finally manage to purchase the popsicles and make our way out of the store, but I swear, I'm NEVER going to do that again!

In brighter news, I found a good marinade recipe for my steaks, and am looking forward to grilling them tonight. I hope everyone is having a nice day!

Angela

Oh Angela - I do feel for you - been there done that - MANY TIMES!

Some of my strategies which I have learned over the years:
1) a pre-store visit briefing - asking a) does everyone know how to behave in a store? and b) ask for some examples of good and bad behaviour!

2) a reminder before entering the store - and of course a post-shopping "reward" usually works well - the popsicles should have been an excellent "reward" as that it what you were going to get anyways (except of course for children who prefer ice cream sandwiches )

3) a reminder while shopping - esp rewarding "good" behaviour as previously discussed. (You are all behaving so nicely in the cart, etc.)

4) and here is the HARDEST PART - leaving the store immediately WITHOUT ANY TREATS should any "poor behavior" be exhibited. I have had to leave an entire cart of groceries in the store to take a screaming child to the car and then drove them home - to come back and complete my shopping - NOT FUN! Of course there is first the threat of do you want to go back and stay in the car (which is not a reality as we would never leave a child unattended in a car) - this usually works for a limited period of time in desperate situations.

But the next discussion must be - if you do not stop - we are leaving the store immediately - and you must be ready to follow thru.

I have left a restaurant w/2 crying children (we had ordered but food had not yet arrived) as they "forgot" how we behave in a restaurant.

I GUARANTEE you that you will only have to do this ONCE! Each and every other opportunity in a restaurant was much improved - but we always did a preliminary briefing of expected behavior - and a debrief on how "well" things went and how we are able to go to restaurants or enjoy treats cuz we are so well behaved and well mannered.

I am so sorry for your aggravation - esp since you were trying to do something nice for the kiddies! Don't worry so much about what everyone thinks - they have all been there too! (I remember many years ago before kids seeing a mom in Mcdonald's w/3 rambunctious kids - she went to the counter to order and asked them to sit quietly and wait - she could see them from where she was. They continued hopping about - she went over and reminded them again. She finally got the food but when she returned to the table they were running around and screaming so she took the WHOLE TRAY OF FOOD dumped it into the garbage and marched them out of there! I WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED - I thought what an evil woman! Now I think differently - I think what she did was amazing and you can bet on the fact that the NEXT TIME these kids went to McDonald's and mom told them to sit QUIETLY - they probably were very "cooperative" and did not abuse the privilege of eating out!)

Hope the popsicles were yummy?????

Frouf

Froufie, I've got to laugh about the McDonald's incident. What a strong woman!!

My kids are generally very well-behaved in public, which is why I was so upset at the whole deal. We also do the "pre-visit" briefing. Madeline loves to know the rules, so we often say, as we're getting out of the car..."So, what are the rules of grocery shopping, visiting our friends, etc?" It works pretty well, I agree.

I think they were just over-tired, and if they're coming down with the same cold I am, I'm not surprised they're acting out. It's a doozy!

This afternoon, we're taking it easy. I'm doing laundry and sewing, and they're playing card games. I think we'll play with braiding our hair too - those little braids that you wrap colored thread around? I've never done it before, but we can figure it out.

Thanks for the great advice Froufie, and the popsicles were good.

Angela

Oh my stars! I took a break from the lab to come and eat my lunch and check the boards! What do I see as I'm taking a big bite but "...giant green booger..."

Now mind you it wasn't the grossness of it, because I can eat a sandwich while changing a dirty diaper, but I was laughing so hard I nearly choked and spewed my food! Good grief, do I have a mental picture of you with these three girls, the checker, the friend, the gum and popsicles and smashed finger and black eye and booger! I am sooooo sorry it was a rough trip but it's over now. You can breathe again. Oh and if while you're telling your DH about it later, he starts laughing hysterically, go take a bubble bath BEFORE you strangle him!

Frouf is right and very understanding about bringing up kids. I could totally relate to what Angela had to say about the kids and how things went in the store. I used to hire a babysitter sometimes to go grocery shopping, it was such a nightmare. We stayed home from "decent" places to eat for the longest time and even our favorite "nice" place would do take out for me once in awhile if I wanted a treat. It was impossible to drag the kids to certain places.
I commend that mom in the MacDonalds as well.
By the way, all the pressures of having young kids, especially when the weather is hot and everyone gets cranky can contribute to stress that causes overeating. Have a plan. It can't hurt to buy popsickles ahead and keep them in the freezer for the special rewards of make ahead cool snacks to bring on outings that are special, but also safe for you! Invest in a good cooler to bring a special treat that will be given if the behaviour you desire happens. If the behavior doesn't happen, save for another day.
By the way, I must share something I used to do as far a discipline that worked. I was never a spanking mom and never a "time out" mom, which seemed totally useless to me with my own kids. When they misbehaved, I used to start counting backwards at 5 in a loud tone, if I counted from 5 to 1 and the behavior had not stopped, they knew that whatever favorite toy of the moment would end up on top of the refrigerator for the rest of the day. It was VERY hard to take it away (sometimes a toy or stuffed animal, or even a new video tape could be useful) the favorite item, but it didn't take more than losing the favored toy once or twice and then, each time, all I had to do was say 5, 4 and by 3, the behavior stopped. Honestly, I have to laugh now thinking about it buy my son when he was about three or four when I started to count backwards would sit or stand up straight and tall and look like a "deer in the headlights" and whatever I had asked to have stopped would be immediately stopped, period. Of course, before starting this with the kids, I explained this practice at a time when they were in good moods and all was calm and then always followed through. Follow through is very important, if you say there will be a consequence, there MUST be a consequence.
My kids are not perfect, but I think they are better than some kids and they learned how to be polite and they have always been respectful. They are teens now and not in trouble. I think this one practice had a great deal to do with it. There were always consdequences.
Like with us, if we overeat and behave the way we know we shouldn't behave, we suffer BIG consequences!
Linda in NH

OK, here's one of those "is it core or not" questions. Let's see what you guys think.
I bought some Near East Herbed Chicken couscous today at the grocery store. It is not marked as Core in the CFC. However it only has 2g of sugar (the plain had 1g) and nothing added to it that I can tell other than spices. So why isn't it core? Or would you just eat it as core and not worry about it?
Stats per 1 cup serving: 190 cals, 0.5g fat, 3g fiber, 2g sugar.

Oh my goodness, Angela, what an ordeal! Bless your heart. You must be exhausted now. I am also impressed by the story of the woman in McDonald's. I hope that I have enough backbone as a mother to be able to do that! And Linda I like your idea, too! I am learning! You guys just make me want to go out and have kids today.

Kathy, got some of that Coke Zero at the grocery store today. They had 20 ounce bottles for .50 so I bought a few. I like it, but not as well as the Diet Coke with Splenda. What will they think of next?

Terry, saw your guacamole recipe on the recipe board. Thanks for posting that, I was just asking how to make it!