Celebrating day 42 with a great recipe

Hi my name is Pamela and I am addicted to processed, unhealthy foods.

Wow, hard to believe it has been 42 days since I realized food addiction was the primary cause of my weight issues and was leading me toward health problems and aches and pains as each day passed.

42 days in, I am happy to say, as of this morning, I have lost 29 pounds. This is amazing to me because I am not counting calories, I'm not on any specific plan, I'm not writing down every morsel I put in my mouth. I am simply saying no to any foods that are processed, packaged or made specifically for the fast food industry. I have consumed cheese, red meat and even a small slice of homemade apple pie. Yes, those things are limited in my daily routine and I would not eat them every day, but none of those foods are triggers for binges on large amounts of calorie laden, unhealthy foods. It was very freeing to discover that foods made from scratch without preservatives, even if they contain some sugar or a little bit of fat, are not triggers. Of course this convinces me even more of the dangers/problems with processed foods. I am still researching that and when I feel like I know what I am talking about a little more, I will post the results of my study. In the mean time, I'm celebrating the freedom of walking each day in food sobriety. I don't have a weight loss goal set because as I wrote previously, it isn't as much about losing weight as it is about being healthy. But, just so that none of the readers get concerned about the weight loss, I could easily lose another 70 to 80 pounds without being in danger of being under weight. ;) I don't know if my body will shed that much or not. Wherever the number lands I will still work out my food-sobriety each day, sometimes each hour. Just like a alcoholic or drug addict, this will not go away and no matter what my body weight or BMI I must be committed to food sobriety for the rest of my life.

This morning I made a wonderful wild rice dish. In celebration of 42 days of food-sobriety, here is the recipe.

Wild Spanish Rice

4 cups cooked wild rice
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup enchilada sauce
1 large can, chopped green chiles
1 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese

Stir all ingredients into rice over medium heat. Keep stirring as mixture heats. (to avoid scorching) If you want to add some lean protein to this dish, add 1 cup of diced, cooked chicken breast. Serve as a side dish or as a wonderful lunch. It's great served with a side of fruit or stuffed in a tomato or bell pepper. This will serve 6 to 8 adults as a side dish, or at least 4 as a main dish.

Enjoy!

Keep coming back, It works if you work it!

Deconstructed Apple Pie for Breakfast (AKA Apple Pie Hash)

Hi my name is Pamela and I am addicted to unhealthy foods.

Many food addicts struggle with the fist meal of the day. Perhaps breakfast is difficult because our body is enjoying the fast from the chemical preservatives and junk we typically fill it with during the day. As a result we don't feel hungry in the morning. I have noticed that when I am walking in the addiction, I cannot stand the thought of eating early in the day...but when I am eating healthy everything is different. I am actually ready for a huge glass of water and within a half hour of being up, I need to eat. But what to eat??? Yes, I keep a box of Cheerios on hand because it makes a great fast breakfast on days I don't have a lot of time. But I like to be creative so I'm not limited to cereal, veggie omelets and oatmeal. 

This is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast and it packs nutrients including protein, vitamin C, and more...and it's so good. Enjoy

Pamela's Healthy Garden - Apple Pie Hash

2 apples shredded (I like to use Granny Smith, Jonathan and/or Fuji)

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1 Pkt Truvia

1 egg

1 ounce fat free shredded cheddar cheese  (If you shred it yourself, that will look like about a quarter cup)

Combine apples, spices, Truvia and egg until all ingredients are well incorporated. Heat skillet over med/high until water droplets sizzle when sprinkled on skillet. Spray skillet with non-stick spray. Spoon a quarter of the mixture into the skillet. Repeat until all of mixture is used as long as you have room in your skillet to turn your apple pies. Cook until golden brown, and holding together. Flip carefully to cook the other side. (I use two spatulas to keep the delicate patties in tact) It takes about 2 minutes on each side. You want to cook these a little slower than other types of griddle cakes so the apple softens a bit. Flip again, sprinkle cheddar on top, dividing it between each one. Cover and turn off burner, remove skillet from heat if using an electric stove. Serve as soon as cheese is melted to your preference. You can serve this without melting the cheese if you prefer.

You could dump the whole mixture in the pan and toss it until the apples are tender, allowing it to brown on each side...but the presentation is so pretty with the patties...and you know, I'm all about presentation. LOL.

Serves 2, less than 200 calories per serving. 

Enjoy, and keep coming back. It works if you work it. 

Breakfast Isn't Boring in Pamela's Kitchen

Hi, My name is Pamela and I am addicted to unhealthy foods. 

Five days into recovery and I am feeling great. This morning I wanted a yummy weekend breakfast, so I went to the fridge and got creative. I know, that could be dangerous, but I have purged most of the high fats and empty sugars from the shelves, so I was able to make a great choice.  YUM...the result was this super flavorful omelet. 

I just took 1 egg and the white from another and beat them in a bowl with a nice whisk. (Did you know, the bigger your whisk, the fluffier your eggs will be?) then I sprayed a skillet with non stick spray, turned on the heat until the pan was nice and hot, then I turned it to low. Next I poured the egg in, covered it and let it cook for a couple of minutes. The lid will help it cook through so its not runny anywhere. I spooned on a bit of my pesto and grated about half an ounce of smoked mozzarella on top of that. Next I carfully folded it over, topped it with sliced tomato and just a bit more cheese for garnish. This is seriously good, and good for you. A great start for a Healthy Saturday. 

Pamela's Favorite Sundried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients

4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1/4 cup chopped pine nuts

3 tablespoons chopped onion

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/3 cup crushed fresh tomatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

salt to taste (I don’t use any.)

Directions

Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with warm water for 5 minutes, or until tender.

In a food processor combine sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and onion; process until well blended. Add vinegar, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and process. Stir in olive oil Season with salt to taste.