[Rosalie]

Good Evening Everyone

My eating wasn't so good on the weekend. I went out to dinner on Saturday with a friend and had rotisserie chicken with coleslaw but just couldn't resist the fries this time. Then when we got to the theatre I had a fancy for an ice cream so had a chocolate coated ice cream bar. Sunday we had a lawn-bowling tournament. I took my lunch which was salmon salad on ww bread with some greens. But then I had a couple of mini donuts and a piece of lemon cake and a small piece of iced carrot cake. To-day has been an op day so far. Hope I don't screw up before bedtime. I think I am going to be up late tonite as I had an hours nap this afternoon.

For breakfast to-day I had lentil pancakes. An Indian friend gave me a recipe for these. I used 1 cup split mung beans and 1 cup udad dal (that's a cream colored lentil). I soaked them overnight then put them in the blender with salt and some water. I think I used too much water as they were quite runny but they cooked up o.k and I had them with a little agave syrup and some mixed berries. I had quite a lot left and didn't quite know what to do with it. I didn't want to pour it down the sink in case it clogged the drain. So I decided to drain off some of the water. I then fried and onion and added some spices to the pan (cumin seed, coriander, ginger and fennel seeds.) I mixed this in with the lentils and fried them in a little oil. They tasted very yummy, similar to a falafel. I have some left over for lunch tomorrow. I must have eaten the equivalent of 1 1/2 cups of raw lentils to-day. I decided to check on Fitday to see how many carbs/calories I have had to-day and my total is about 1700 calories - 237 grms carbs (fibre 71 grms), 144 grms protein ( 70+ from the lentils), 31 grms fat. So the calories are still less than DietWatch suggests I should consume to lose 2 lbs per week. I'll be interested to see what the scale says the next couple of days! The rest of my menu for to-day:

D - Beef tenderloin on the barbecue with a garden salad.

Sn. - 1 oz cheddar cheese. About 1 1/2 cups of grapes. Coffee, tea and more coffee with cream. 1 glass of 1% milk with ovaltine.

My neck was sore again last night so took a couple of the pain-killers that I got from my dentist last week. Still a bit sore this morning but not bad enough to stop me going to badminton this morning and lawn-bowling again this evening.

Kengjw - I spend about $150-175 on groceries each week -That's for two of us. That's Canadian dollars but dollar for dollar our food costs about the same as yours.

Monet - Glad the travellers arrived home safely. Do they ever give you a day off from cooking?

GatorGal - Hope they can find out soon what is wrong with your bil. That must be very worrisome to be ill so long and still not have a diagnosis.

Jack-K - WTG on having an op weekend. Sorry to hear you are still not feeling so good. Hope you are fit enough for your treatment on Thursday. That sure wouldn't be good if it had to be delayed because of your cold. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Fillise - Congrats on getting another 2 lbs off. So sorry to hear about your friends newborn daughter. Hope the surgery goes well.

Hello to everyone I have missed.

I'm off to watch a bit of t.v.

Marie.

[Ellen]

Good Morning!

Small group is coming over tonight, so I have to clean some, then cook for about 12 to 15 people. I am going to make a simple beef curry. I use a sauce base for it that I buy. I like to get it at the Asian market because it is in large packages, and cheap, but they carry it at Publix in a smaller box, so I got it there. Whew it was pricey! Its really yummy though! Its kind of like a beef stew only with a curry sauce. I do put in potatoes, carrots and celery and lots of onions, so I will have to try to avoid the taters tonight. I usually serve it with rice or noodles. I think tonight, I will fix ww noodles with it, and a salad.

My wonderful husband brought me coffee this morning as he was leaving. He had to wake me up from a sound sleep too. I am not sleeping very well lately. I think its a hormone thing. Ever since I changed brands of black cohash I have been bothered with hot flashes. This week, I doubled my dose of it to hopefully get some relief. Boy, I feel old!

COUNTRY: I am so sorry your back is bothering you! That is one of the hardest pains to deal with in my opinion. Right up there with hip pain! You can't move without moving your back, so its hard to find relief. Please take care of yourself and don't over do it! I hurt my back in college, doing something really dumb. (I was on muscle relaxers for something, and was goofing off and picked up a friend-literally) That was about 30 years ago, and when my back gets to hurting, its always that same spot.

GATOR: Any news on your BIL? Where do you get the caterpillars? Do you buy the eggs, or find them? I never got my dill planted this year, so I probably won't see any swallowtails this year. I sure enjoyed them last year. I need to find a good pedometer. I checked ebay and Amazon, but I was not focused yet. I think it would help me to see how few steps I get in each day. I know I am a basically lazy person!

ROSALIE: I am sorry you are still having trouble with your neck. Don't beat yourself up over the cheats...just get right back on program. The lentil pancakes sound interesing. What else do you put in them? Will you post the recipe? My hubby and I love lentils. There is an Indian market not far from here that has all the udal, dals and myriad other interesting stuff I have no idea what to do with!

KENG: I spend about $200 a week on groceries. Sometimes more. That is for three of us, but I cook for extra people every week. My son comes for lunch a lot, my daughter and son in law pop in for dinner at least once or twice a week right now, (they are going to be moving to a house end of next month and are trying to save $$ as well as clean out their freezer, so they come cook meat and mooch off me! ) plus I cook for my small group from church once a week, which is anywhere from 6 to 15 people each week.

FILLISE: I will definitely be praying for your friends, and their newborn. How scarey for them! How typical of you to want to know how to be supportive of them. They are blessed to have you, I know. I hope Heartmom can give you some good ideas.

JACK: Are you taking lots of vitamin C? Seems like that would be good for you all around. It helps fight infection and rebuild tissue. I have heard that you should not take the time release stuff, as it is not as well absorbed. Just find some natural kind. Having a summer cold is so annoying but I can imagine its doubly so for you. Sending you a big hug...

PANCHO: A size 2? WOw! I don't care how big their clothes run, that is pretty tiny in my book. I was never that small. I went from girls 14 into adult 11's. I grew into a size 15/16, and stayed there most of my teens and part of my twenties. I was at times a bit plump, but most would probably say voluptuous. I was not fat, just well endowed and curvy. My real big problems started when I went on the pill as a newly wed, and its been all down hill since. Each pregnancy exacerbated the problems, and now here I am today. No metabolism, and stuck. I am so glad you have gotten your weight so well controlled at a younger age. Its so much easier than when you are my age! How I wish I had been more aggressive even 15 years ago. I obviously had a thyroid problem then, but went to the wrong doctor.

Well, folks, I hope I did not miss anyone. I can't back up anymore, and I forgot to take notes, so I am posting from memory. Scarey thing, right? I will be back later, I hope. I really need to get some stuff done today. I never made it to Curves yesterday because I got a phone call that took almost 2 hours. Today, I am determined. Later!

[Solly]

Good morning Sugar Busters

I thought about all you talented cookers out there last night. Dinner was one disaster after another. I didn't have hardly any veggies. Opened a can of spinach and peas for DH. DD found a few fries to put in the oven. Couldn't get the grill started. Finally got it going. Had a fire on the grill. Dropped a burger through the grate. Then the dog kept running off with the buns (which half of them were molded). Whew! should have eaten out.

I thought the VB game was going to be quick and we would be home early. Not. It was tournament and the winner kept on playing. The girls played at 7:30, won, didn't play again until 9:30. Won that set and had to play again at 10:00. That game went one and one so they had to play a third game, which they lost by 1 point. It was fun to watch though. So now next week they have to come out of the losers bracket to win it all. Which they did last year. Bt we didn't get in bed until almost 11:30 and I don't think my sleeping pill had time to wear off. Guess it will be an early one tonight. At least I have dinner already made, rigatoni. All I have to do is throw together a salad.


Monet, gotta love those kids. for you passing up that carrot cake. I just read an article about black cohash. That it has lots of hormones and if you are at risk for breast cancer you should not take it.

Toni, I have never cooked a meatloaf in the microwave. What kinds of pan did you use? Was it covered? Usually meats hardens on the ends.

Nat, what would I give to get in a size 2, big or not. Congrats.

Bob, 52 years is a long tradition. Glad the christening was fun.

Gator, I'll send some of our rain your way. We have plenty. It only got to 72 yesterday and was cloudy and spitting rain. Yucky! Fall weather. You sure got in a lot of steps for not getting your evening walk. You must have been productive.

Crystle, hope your back is feeling better. You had better lay off the fence for awhile. What is boudin?

Rosalie, I'm impressed with your cooking. I would not have imagined making lentil pancakes much less anything else. Sounds like you will be getting your exercise for the day.

Need to get started. I'm cleaning out files today. Fun!

Have a great OP day.

Jackie

[Rosalie]

Good Morning All

Monet - Here is how I was told to make the lentil pancakes: 1. Soak separately one cup urad dal and one cup split mung beans for several hours or overnight. (I did the soaking in the morning and the next step in the evening). 2. Drain off the soaking liquid and place lentils with a teaspoon of salt separately in a blender and barely cover with water. Blend until smooth. Combine the lentils and leave at room temperature overnight to ferment. This is what I did but I did not notice any fermentation! The mixture seemed a bit thinner than I expected it to be and didn't stay together too well in the pan so I would suggest that you start with about 1/2 cup of water for blending and add more if necessary. According to what I have read on the web the batter should be a fairly thick consistency. (If you wish to check it out look for DOSAS which is the Indian name for these pancakes.) Hints: 1. I did find the pancake mixture a little too salty so would suggest cutting down on the salt. 2. For the blending I used the food chopper which came with my new hand held blender and this worked fine. If you like spicy food you may like to try the ones with the onions and spices. I preferred these to the plain ones with the syrup and fruit. Have you ever checked out the Asian store for snacks? I picked up a bag of Moong Dal Masala which is a crunchy snack. My store has lots of other snack foods which are made with lentils or lentil flour which I think would be an op snack.

Jack-K - That was quite an eventful dinner you had last night.

Gotta run. I'm off to play ping pong this morning. Will be back later.

Have a good day everyone.

Marie.

[GatorGal]

Country--I hope your back gets better soon. I know that feeling and I occasionally get it. If you move the wrong way, it feelis like a thin knife is jabbing at just the wrong spot. Pain!! Do you back stretching exercises, don’t sit with your legs crossed, take care it it, use an ice pack, and get well soon.
I would love to post the butterfly pix. It would be so cool to show what a butterfly egg looks like, and then to post the picture of the teeny tiny caterpillar that has just hatched out. Smaller than a grain of salt. Right now I have caterpillars all the way from newly hatched babies to chrysalis stage. I haven’t had any buttterflies come out of chrysalis yet. The website no longer allows me to post pictures because the allowances of the site are so low and the pictures take more megabites than the site allows. If you want to PM me your e-mail addy, then I can e-mail you the pix. Or if anyone knows how I can post the pictures within the parameters of the SB website, let me know.

Monet--I get the caterpiller eggs from my butterfly garden. They are tiny white round things, about the size of a grain of salt, on the leaf of a larval plant. In this case, I found some eggs on a milkweed plant, and also on the parsley growing in the garden. I just bring in the sprig of parsley or cut the branch of milkweed and put it into a 35mm. film canister of water so it will stay alive. After a few days the egg hatches and the caterpiller comes out and eats the rest of the egg and then starts munching on the parsley or milkweed. Also, a kind woman at a plant nursery also gave me a couple of caterpillars and some eggs that she found on some fennel. She just cut of the bits of fennel with the eggs and I took them home and perched them on some parsley. The caterpillars can really go through their food quickly and I have to replenish their supply of food every day.

Monet--Here’s a couple of websites on pedometers. This is the kind I have, and you can see there are various models. I have model 701, but any would be good, depending on what all you want counted, the options you want, or the price you want to pay. I thought it was interesting on one of the pages on one of those sites that for weight LOSS, it takes about 15000 steps a day.

http://www.store.yahoo.com/n-e-wlifestyles/index.html
http://www.thepedometercompany.com/pedometers.html

Speaking of walking, I did get my walk in already, 5600 steps. It actually is a 2 mile loop, but the pedometer registers at 2.6 miles because my pace is a couple of inches shorter than the settings in the pedometer. It is supposed to be only in the 80’s here today, so I’ll try to get in a couple more walks. I will be more sedentary here at home today as I plan on working on my French.
Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, oatmeal with dried cherries, skimmed milk.

I plan on cooking a chicken in the crockpot today. I don’t know much about crockpot cookery, so will just be guessing how to make it taste good. Perhaps a little salt, some herbs and some veggies, all day long. Any suggestions, please post them today!

Fillise--Hope you have a great time at the convention.

[Pancho]

Good Morning eveyone:

We will be heading out soon to go meet some friends at Peter Piper Pizza for lunch. They have a buffet there, so I will eat a salad and a few slices of pizza, with an iced tea.

I got up at 5:30 to do my exercise tape before the kids got up. It was a great workout, nothing too cardio, just a lot of stretch and resistance. I hope to do it again on Thursday, since tomorrow is my early gym day.

I weighed 118.5# this morning. It's so funny...every year I panic about gaining weight on vacation, and I end up losing. Last year, I was 127# when we left for our vacation, and weighed 124# when we returned. I have pretty much been 118-120 since we got back this time, and was around 120-121 when we left. I guess I was in a stall and didn't even know it. It will go back up and stay around 120# I think, once I start exercising more.

So far today, I have had:

BF: bowl of oatmeal with agave, cinnamon, flax meal, blueberries & a dab of smart balance

NO snacks yet.

Water: Approx: 24 oz

BOB: Hi there. Wow...how awesome to have a 52 year old gown handed down from generations. I'm sure the ceremony was lovely.

Monet: You can cut the starches later...what is important is to stay OP, and you have!! Keep it up. Your dinner for your small group sounds delicious; I'm sure they love coming over for your cooking. So, you were the Marilyn Monroe type, eh? My mom said the exact thing to me the other day about good thing I started when young. I keep telling myself, I wish I would have smartened up to the whole "healthy" eating in my early to mid 20's. I guess mid-30's is better than later. I just hope to instill in my girls healthy eating habits from an early age. I take a supplement called Perfect Food, which is nothing other than the green veggies that I miss in my daily diet on occasion, and also a product called Ruby Reds, which is the fruit equivalent to the above. I hope to supplement the girls diets with the Ruby Reds when they get a little older; it has all the powerful antioxidants of the red fruits, and is so healthy. Unfortuantely, you can't get fresh fruit year round.

Gator: Sounds like you have been staying busy. Have a great day. I always like to put sage on my chicken. You will love the chicken; it is so tender and just falls off the bone.

Country: I know how painful a "bad" back can be. Take care of yours, and I hope you are feeling better soon.

Rosalie: I think I need to send you some of my Gymnema to help you curb those sugar cravings . It sounds as if your intentions were good...that sugar just got the best of you. Today is a new day!!

Jack-K: What a fiasco dinner turned out to be. Tonight will be much better.

Well, I'm going to go put on my size 2 shorts and go tackle the world .
For once, I wish they put the size on the outside Just keep in mind that when I brag that I have worked hard for those bragging rights (ha).

I hope to check in later.

Have a great OP day.

Take care,
Nat

[Fillise]

Morning all--this will be a quick post as I have been in meetings all morning and will be working all afteroon. I'm going to a meeting tonight and then out to dinner to (1) celebrate a friend's b-day) and (2) support my friends by making sure their restaurant stays busy while they are in Boston with the baby. She had a heart cath yeaterday and there were some complications. She is on a respirator this morning. I'm praying. . .

Susan

[Rosalie]

Hi Again

Here's my menu for to-day:

B - Bran flakes with 1% milk. Coffee.

L - Left over lentil patties with cole slaw and two eggs scrambled. 1/2 cup of grapes. Coffee.

Sn. Small glass of red wine.

D - Will be: Split pea soup with smoked sausage in the crockpot and a side salad. Hope I don't explode with all the fibre I'm having.

Pancho - Size 2 shorts? I'd be happy if I could get into a size 10 - big or small . Brag as much as you like. I'm sure you have worked hard to get where you are to-day. . WTG on all the exercise. You must have lots of energy.

BOB - Glad the christening went well. So there's quite a bit of history in that 52 year old gown.

CountryMom - Sorry to hear you are having back oain. Take care and don't over do it.

Monet Hope you are feeling better to-day.

To all the crockpot cooks: When you cook chicken in the crockpot do you cut it up or leave it whole? I'm thinking of trying it tomorrow. Maybe have it with Almond and Brown Rice Stuffing on the side.

That ping-pong this morning has made me tired. I feel like having a snooze. Age must be catching up with me. I've had an afternoon nap twice in the past few days. I have to get some energy back for badminton this evening.

Marie.

[Rosalie]

Fillise - You posted while I was online 'composing'. Sorry to hear about your friends baby. Will be saying a prayer for her and her family.

Marie.

[fruitloupe]

Hey y'all

Just didn't want y'all to think that I'd disappeared, I've just been really down and kind of hiding in my room. I've been crying since yesterday and can't seem to stop. I'm miserable. 1 good thing is - I'm not hungry at all.

bye for now
missy

[Ellen]

Ummm..the house smells like beef curry.

Thanks GATOR for the links.

PANCHO, that is good encouragement...I will plan to get stricter on the number of starches once I get a handle on the OP stuff. I tell others that, why can't I remember it myself?? Wish I could lose weight on vacation!

FILLISE: Keep us posted on the baby...

ROSALIE: It depends on what kind of dish you want to make with the chicken. You can stuff the cavity with lots of garlic and thyme, and roast it whole, or cut it up and put saucy stuff on it and cook it that way. I have a great crockpot cook book I like to use that has low carb recipes. Chicken Cacciatore is especially good. Here is the recipe I used:

Chicken Cacciatore

1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 7 oz jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon red wine
2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed ( I used boneless chicken breasts)
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 green peppers, thinly sliced
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (opt)

Add all ingredients except chicken, onions and peppers to crockpot. Stir to combine. Add chicken, onions and peppers, and toss gently with tomato mixture.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove bay leave before serving, and garnish with grated parmesan if desired. Serve with pasta. (corkscrew, or shells will soak up the sauce better than spaghetti, or noodles)
Serves 4

Gotta go do some more cookin and cleanin! I probably ought to shower too!

[CountryMom4Him]

I'm in a bit of funk so trying hard not to spread the gloomies. Thanks for all the well wishes with the back..it's getting there. Only every now and then do I notice a sharp pain now. The other day I couldn't bend..agh. It happens every now and then and usually heals pretty quickly.

Gator..my email is [email protected] I'd love to see them. I'll try and resize them for posting if you like.

Missy....(((((((((hugzzzzzz)))))))))))

Jack-K...sorry you had such a trying time at dinner last night.

Susan...praying for the little one.

Gotta run...I'm behind today.

Love and hugs,
Crystle

[sef]

HiedieHo Everyone!

Can't believe today is Tuesday! Where have I been? Went to church Sunday and then a group of us went to Tres Las Amigos, a Mexican place, for lunch. I got a Taco Salad which was good, but I don't think to be OP I should have eaten the shell bowl! The made me do it. When I got home there was the usual things to do. Yesterday I spent most of the day working on HFH business and trying to figure out how to get into Outlook Express, it's beyond me. GD has been working so haven't had her as my guru. Today has been the NH and PT. DIL is down with a sinus infection and doped up. GD slept very late and is not feeling well. So DS and I will eat leftovers.

Right now I am too tired to move. Think I will go and have a short snooze. Just wanted y'all to know I am alive.


May good things happen
Shirley

[THE BIG ORANGE BABE]

AFTERNOON EVERY BUDDY!!


Another HOT one here on the GULF COAST!!! No breezes at all....not even off the water.

Got this from my SIL today and wanted to share...I chuckled out loud when I read it

A couple from Michigan decided to thaw out in Florida, staying at the
same hotel where they had honeymooned 20 years earlier. Because of hectic
schedules, the husband flew to Miami on Thursday, while his wife was
scheduled to fly down the following day.
Checking into the hotel, the husband discovered a computer in his
room and decided to send his wife an e-mail. However, he accidentally
left out one of the letters in her e-mail address, and sent it on it's way!

Meanwhile...somewhere in Alabama, a widow had just returned
from her husband's funeral. He was a minister of many years who was called
home to glory following a sudden heart attack. The widow decided to check
her e-mail, expecting messages from friends and relatives.
After reading the first message, she fainted. The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:

To My Loving Wife: I've arrived! I know you're surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send e-mails
to your loved ones. I've just gotten all checked in and I see that
everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking
forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.


P.S. SURE IS HOT DOWN HERE!


BOB

[kengjw]

Arghhh, I typed a long post and almost had all my replies in and the post disappeared when dd accidently touched a button!! Well, I won't attempt to catch up now and just start afresh. I read all the posts and will pray for those of you who are in need.

Today, I went to church to help out. Did some tapping of the borders, ceilings, baseboard etc for the walls, then some paintings. I now have a sore back and arms I think I am brave to try painting in my own house now

Eating was not too good today since I screwed uo my breakfast. I was in such a rush to get out that I grabbed whatever that was in front of me. Dh was eating cornflakes so I grabbed that too. Ate 1/2 cup with some milk and no protein. I knew I was in trouble. When I get home during lunch time, I was so hungry. I had one piece of ww bread with pb and then a small ginger cookie (no-no). Here are the rest of my meals for today :

Lunch : Baked salmon with Jamaican jerk sauce (not authentic), saute fennel, bell peppers and onions and basmati rice pilaf.

Snack : Fruit salad.

Dinner : The same as lunch.

FRUIT : Cry it all out, it is okay. Please take care of yourself and don't forget to nourish your body. {{{hugs}}}

Will try to be back tonight.

Julia