Happy New Year!

A quick update on "Project Slim Down for Baby:"

*Starting weight: 228 lbs

-Friday December 31: 225 lbs.

Yes, I'm going to post my weights, because I think I'm like a lot of people who thought that 200 pounds looks a lot bigger than it is. Reality check, I'm well over 200 pounds, and I don't think I look very much like those contestants on "Biggest Loser" who are only 20 pounds heavier than me.

I did 4 days of work outs this week and had a lot of fun doing them! I was introduced to a new fitness studio that only does classes and am considering getting a couple punch cards to add some spice to my journey! This isn't going to be easy, but it has to be done. It's not a resolution, it's a lifestyle change.

That being said, I hope you all have a wonderful evening celebrating (or happily saying goodbye to) the end of 2010! It has been a very difficult year for us, but we've also had many wonderful memories. I pray that 2011 brings Bobby a job, me success on my journey, and us a pregnancy. Happy New Year to you all!!

Happy New Year!

Orange Almond Chicken = Success!

This was super easy and really tasty!!

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 c. chopped shallots

3 oz mushrooms, sliced

1/3 c orange marmalade

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Orange slices (optional)

*Place almonds in a large nonstick skillet. Toast over medium heat, shaking the pan often, 5 minutes or until fragrant. Remove to a place and set aside.

*Warm oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes or until no longer pink, turning occasionally. Remove to a plate. (I found this took closer to 10 minutes)

*Add shallots to the pan and cook 5 minutes or until soft. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms render their juices (I just cooked them 5 minutes). Stir in marmalade, soy sauce, and pepper. Return chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 160*F and juices run clear. *Top with almonds and orange slices, if using.

*I couldn't find shallots and forgot to save the half onion from another recipe, but it tasted fine without it. Also, if you're not an almond fan, the recipe still works great without them!

*We found it to be a little salty, so maybe 1 Tbsp less soy sauce and add a tablespoon or so of marmalade (it'll also help decrease the sodium).

*We served it with brown rice and poured the extra sauce over the rice and chicken.

Per serving:

265 calories, 20 g protein, 26 g carbs, 10 g fat, 46 mg cholesterol, 818 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Bobby and I are fans of Chinese, and this was a pretty good substitute for take out! It took me about 20 minutes total to cook this, SO easy!

Project Slim Down for Baby

First let me say that I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! The new year is just around the corner and I hope you all had a chance to refresh a little with your families and friends.

Bobby and I are going to celebrate our 3 year wedding anniversary tomorrow and we've started the "baby discussion." It's come time for us to start thinking about starting a family. However, I've really let myself go in terms of weight and health over the last 2 years and don't feel like I'm in a good place physically to carry a child.

I know I'm not the only person out there who struggles with losing weight and eating better. My mom began her own journey in June 2009 and has lost over 50 pounds! She did this by using a personal trainer and following recipes from a great cook book. This Christmas, she gave me my own copy. The book is called "Eat Up, Slim Down" and has tons of great recipes for every meal of the day and lots of great facts and tips for keeping up a healthy food lifestyle.

I have decided that I want to share my own weight loss journey with my family and friends who read this blog. I feel it's a way to keep myself accountable. As I go through the cookbook, I will share recipes that we really liked (and that is saying a lot because Bobby is a pretty picky eater).

Tonight we made the El Dorado Casserole, which we LOVED! Here is the recipe:

1 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey breast

1 onion, chopped (I used half an onion and it tasted fine)

1 cup (8 oz) fat-free ricotta cheese (I used "part skim")

1 package (8 oz) reduced fat cream cheese

2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chile peppers

1 can (4 oz) black olives, chopped and drained

4 cups coarsely broken baked tortilla chips

3/4 cup shredded reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese

3/4 cup shredded reduced fat Cheddar Cheese

Salsa (optional)

*Preheat oven to 375*F. Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with nonstick spray

*In a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef/turkey and onion, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Drain off any fat.

*In a large bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, peppers (with liquid) and olives.

*Spoon half of meat into the prepared baking dish. Top with half of ricotta mixture. Top with 2 cups tortilla chips. Sprinkle with half of Monterey Jack and half of Cheddar. Repeat layers with remaining meat mixture, ricotta mixture, chips and shredded cheeses.

*Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with salsa, if using.

*Makes 8 servings

*I suggest skipping the layer of chips and sprinkling them on top towards the end of baking. The chips got soggy during baking, which didn't affect the taste, but there was no crunch.

Per serving: 339 calories, 24 g protein, 16 g carbs, 19 g fat, 71 mg cholesterol, 659 mg sodium, 2 g fiber

Enjoy!