The Art of Eating Well

WW Update

Darlene Nyce — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:35:14 +0000

I’m down 3.4 lbs this week! Yes!

That makes for a total of 7.2 lbs over 4 weeks. An average of 1.8 lbs per week.

Very excited by this progress.

Are you doomed to be fat?

Darlene Nyce — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:37:13 +0000

Livestrong.com always has interesting articles. I particularly like the ones by Adam Bornstein. This one hits home.

Genetics are a great thing—if they work in your favor. And if not, your journey to lose weight can be frustrating and at times appear helpless.

So where does that leave you?

With a simple choice: Make excuses or work harder.

White Chicken Chili – New Recipe

Darlene Nyce — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:30:31 +0000

I have definitely been on a chili kick lately. I tried a new recipe this weekend for White Chicken Chili. It’s consistency is not as thick of as I would have liked, but it was delicious.

White Chicken Chili Recipe
(Adapted from this recipe: http://feelhungry.com/white-chicken-chili-recipe)

Ingredients
• 2 pounds of chicken breast, boneless, skinless
• 1 can of white kidney beans
• 1 can of red kidney beans
• 1 can of pinto beans
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, chopped
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (large can, drained)
• 3 cloves minced garlic (I used Dorot’s Garlic Cubes.)
• oregano
• salt
• chili powder
• red pepper flakes
• 32 oz. chicken stock

Instructions
1. Boil chicken breasts in water.
2. When the chicken is tender, remove from pot and use two forks to shred the chicken.
3. In a crock pot, place the beans, onion, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, seasonings and the chicken.
4. Cook on high settings for about 5 to 6 hours.
5. Garnish with sour cream (I used the light variety) and cheddar cheese.

I calculated this to be about 4 points per cup. Full of protein, fiber and all kind of deliciousness!

WW Weigh In Update

Darlene Nyce — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:23:23 +0000

Last week was the Bronto’s Q1 Sales Kickoff – which meant lots of meetings all day long and lots of events involving beer and wine in the evening. I was not expecting a loss this week. I did not disappoint.

I gained .2 on Friday’s weigh in (January 20).

This brings my overall weight loss to -3.8. For 3 weeks. I am not a fan of this, however, it’s 1.2 lbs per week and I’ll take that moving forward.

Looking for a good number this week.

Portobellos Stuffed with Greens and Blue

Darlene Nyce — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:32:35 +0000

I’m definitely not a southern girl. I don’t eat collards. BUT, I saw this recipe and it looked delicious, so I decided to give it a try. Turns out… I don’t eat collards for a reason. I’m not a huge fan. But, the recipe was good and I think I would LOVE it if I subbed in spinach for the collards.

Portobellos Stuffed with Greens and Blue
Serves 4
Recipe from wholefoods.com.

Ingredients
4 large (4- to 5-inch) portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
8 cups chopped collard green leaves or other dark leafy greens (kale, mustard greens, turnip greens or a mixture), stems and tough ribs removed before chopping
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled Buttermilk Blue or other blue cheese

Method
Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle mushroom caps with 1/4 teaspoon salt and place rounded side up on an oiled baking sheet. Bake until just barely tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine greens, onion, garlic, pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water in a large skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover and cook, stirring frequently, until greens are very tender, 8 to 12 minutes. Add a few tablespoons water if the skillet starts to dry out.

Turn mushrooms over and fill caps with greens. Sprinkle with blue cheese, return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving: 120 calories (60 from fat), 6g total fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 15mg cholesterol, 590mg sodium, 10g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 8g protein

Quick Weigh In Update – Friday the 13th Edition

Darlene Nyce — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:10:30 +0000

So, with WW, you have weekly weigh ins. I choose to do mine on Friday, so I can start my points over for the weekend. It’s much easier for me to “be good” and stick to points over the weekdays. So, if I start over on Friday, it’s ok if I splurge a little, because I know what I have to do over the week. Plus, I tend to have major workouts on the weekends and I tend to retain a little water as I recover.

This week was rough. Not because of food and temptation. Mostly because I’ve been doing a lot of strength training and it’s making me sore and tired. But, I’ve kept on with the program… and the result was…

I lost 1.4 lbs this week.

Yay.

4.4 down. 10 to go. (I’d like to lose more than this, but my first milestone is at 14.4 lbs.)

Need to get some weight off these feet and ankles so I can run faster, better and longer, after all!

Friday Favorite: Cubed Frozen Garlic

Darlene Nyce — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:36 +0000

There is nothing like fresh garlic. It’s so delicious and fragrant. That’s part of the problem, though… chopping garlic makes your hands smell for days. Plus, it’s kind of a pain.

I found a great alternative at Trader Joe’s. They are crushed garlic cubes – they are frozen. So easy and they taste pretty damn good. They come in a container that looks like a little ice tray. You just pop out what you need and put it back in the freezer.

They are made by Dorot. I have seen basil and cilantro, also at Trader Joe’s, but it seems like they also have parsley, ginger, dill, and chili.

Garlic has always been touted for it’s health benefits. And it’s delicious. Go eat it. Then go and kiss your significant other. It’ll be funny.

Trader Joe’s

Darlene Nyce — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:00:44 +0000

It just has to be said. I heart Trader Joe’s.

Friday Favorite: Clif Mojo Bar

Darlene Nyce — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:00:33 +0000

My favorite bar, by far, is the Clif Mojo Bar. I especially love the “Mountain Mix”, but the “Peanut Butter Pretzel” flavor is good, as well. They are 70% organic and full of good stuff.

Pros: Delicious. Easy, on-the-go breakfast. Great for pre-workout.

Con: Expensive. Harris Teeter (my usual grocery store) carries them for 1.39 each. Yikes. You can get them for .98 at a few places, like Walmart and Trader Joe’s.

I have my friend, Jenn to thank for my addiction to these things. She got me started on them and now I’m hooked.

Buying Organic

Darlene Nyce — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:00:31 +0000

As a follow-up to my last post, I came across these lists… I’ve seen similar ones before that focused specifically on fruits/vegetables (known affectionately as the “Dirty Dozen“). Thought this was interesting.

11 Things It’s Best to Buy Organic:
Beef
Strawberries
Cookware (Don’t use non-stick)
Popcorn
Yard pesticides
All-purpose home cleaners
Water bottles
Food storage containers
Milk
Celery
Tomato sauce (Buy the glass jars)
Bed mattress

5 Surprising Things You Don’t Have to Buy Organic:
Avocado
Eggs
Frozen Food in Plastic Bags
Spices
Clothing