another round of egg bites

Yes, I'm obsessed with these!  They're so easy, tasty, and convenient.  If I have these in the fridge or freezer, I know an easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner is only a few minutes away.

As I've mentioned before, the grocery store is now marking down some cheeses to half price when they're a few days away from the Sell By date.  This has been a great way for me to stock up on unique cheeses I don't normally buy.  So for yesterday's egg cups (the bigger egg bites) I used two flavors of goat cheese:  PsycheDillic and Purple Haze.  PsycheDillic is basically goat cheese with dill and Purple Haze is goat cheese with lavender and fennel.  I made sure to lick my fingers after (after!) putting the cheese chunks in the muffin tin.  Great flavor and addictive!

For the little egg bites I decided to use some of the same ingredients I used for the Crockpot Southwest Chicken I made yesterday.  I went to BJ's Wholesale on Saturday morning and had tons of corn, black beans, and salsa to use up.  I added green and yellow onions, Mexican cheese and Tabasco.

One thing I want to note about these recipes:  it says to saute the onions, garlic and sausage.  You don't have to do that.  Sure, it probably adds a little more flavor, but if you want to truly make this simple and not dirty another pan, just skip this step.  I actually just dumped all the ingredients in the beaten eggs and stirred.  The sausage is already fully cooked and the onions will get soft when you bake the eggs.  Up to you.

Mexican Egg Bites on the left, Sausage and Goat Cheese Egg Cups on the right.

Mexican Egg Bites

Makes 24 bites.

Each bite contains:  35 calories, 1g fat, 2g carbs, and 2g protein.

1/2 an onion, diced

3 scallions, sliced thin

Butter flavored cooking spray

5 eggs

1/2 cup salsa (I used Medium)

1/2 cup canned corn, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

Dash of salt and black pepper

1/2 cup shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese

Few dashes of Tabasco, optional and to your taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

Saute all onions in cooking spray over medium heat until slightly browned. 

Beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.  Add the onion mixture and stir.  Add the black beans, corn, salsa, and Tobasco and stir.  Add the cheese and stir.

Spoon the egg mixture into the muffin tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until eggs are set and tops start to brown slightly. Let cool before packing into a container and either chilling or freezing.

These taste best when warm from the oven, but they will chill or freeze and reheat just fine for at least 4 to 5 days.  If using the microwave to reheat, use 60% power so they don't turn out rubbery or hard around the edges.  100% power will kill them unless you keep it to a minute or so.

Sausage and Goat Cheese Egg Cups

Makes 12 egg cups
Each cup contains:  115 calories, 8.5g fat, 1g carbs, and 8.5g protein

1/2 an onion, diced

3 scallions, sliced thin

2 tsp minced garlic

6 Jones (or Banquet) turkey breakfast sausages, chopped
Butter flavored cooking spray
8 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash black pepper
4 oz Cypress Grove Chevre Purple Haze goat cheese
4 oz Cypress Grove Chevre PsycheDillic goat cheese
(Note:  You can use any goat cheese you want and use less if desired.  I happen to like a lot of cheese.  I made 6 egg cups with 4 oz of Purple Haze and 6 egg cups with 4 oz PsycheDillic.  I did not combine the cheeses and add to each cup.)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a regular muffin tin with cooking spray.

Saute all onions in cooking spray over medium heat until slightly browned.  Add the garlic and chopped sausage and saute for a minute or so more.

Beat the eggs with the salt and pepper. Add the onion and sausage mixture and stir.  

Spoon the egg mixture into the cups. Add crumbles of goat cheese to each cup.  

Bake until they are set in the center, about 25 minutes.   Let cool before packing into a container and either chilling or freezing.

These taste best when warm from the oven, but they will chill or freeze and reheat just fine for at least 4 to 5 days.  If using the microwave to reheat, use 60% power so they don't turn out rubbery or hard around the edges.  100% power might kill them.

crockpot southwest chicken

Today I decided to make one of the dinner recipes I found during The Cooking Cure:  Crockpot Southwest Chicken.

One of the assignments of The Cooking Cure was to find five dinner recipes to try.  I had a brick of cream cheese (neufchatel, actually) in the fridge and was looking for a way to use it.  Before surgery I would have made a big three-egg omelet and put a big slab of the cheese in it.  Three or four more breakfasts like that and it would have been gone.  But I can't eat that much anymore and it would take me a long time to use the cheese otherwise.  So I came across this recipe and it seemed super easy; just toss the stuff in a crockpot and forget about it.  I'm all for that.

This recipe made quite a bit, which is good if you have a few people in the house.  But since it's just me and Bob, and I can't eat much at one sitting, guess who's going to be eating this for lunch or dinner all week??

I liked it, but it seemed to be missing something.  At first I thought it's because my taste buds are changing, but Bob said the same thing. We both agreed that next time I should add some taco seasoning and maybe some green onions.

Here's the recipe I used:  Crockpot Southwest Chicken

It looks foggy because of the steam.

I put mine on a small 6" tortilla.  I was only able to eat about 3/4 of it.  Next time I will skip the tortilla, or maybe serve over baked tortilla chips.

what do i miss about my old life?

So many times I have started to write this post and then promptly forgot about it.  I'm kind of glad I forgot about it until now, because I have a different answer than I had a couple months ago.  

A couple months ago I would have said I missed going out to eat, eating junk food, drinking diet soda, stuffing myself at holidays, guzzling water when I'm really thirsty, tasting (or, really, snacking) as I cook or bake, and just the whole experience of eating in general.  

Someone on a weight loss forum I belong to posted this and I thought it was such a great description of how I felt after surgery:  "I think I am grieving food.  I am loving my results and so happy with my progress, but then I see a commercial or billboard with a deliciously juicy cheeseburger on it and I remember.  Almost like an ex boyfriend, lol.  Food was always my comfort, especially as an introvert who feels nobody understands me usually.  I would go to the drive through and get that greasy bag of love and comfort- they say food releases endorphins and some months those from food were the only I got.  I not only miss the cheeseburger, I miss the experience of eating it, bite after bite rapidly.  Taking gulps of soda in between and then squirting a smudge of ketchup on each bundle of fries I then shoved into my mouth.  I miss the large feeling of fullness in my stomach.  I hated myself each time not long after, but while I was eating I felt wonderful... Apply this to pizza, pasta, fried anything, cereal, Mexican food.... about anything triggers me."

So how do I feel now?  I still miss the experience of eating like I did before, but as my tastes change, I feel less and less like I am "grieving."  I'm enjoying trying new things and learning to judge my portions without measuring.  I can still pretty much eat what I want, just not as much.  I still get that "large feeling of fullness" mentioned above, but that happens when I accidentally overeat and it's definitely not enjoyable like it used to be; I try to avoid that.  I missed eating out at first, but I've started to go out to eat again (life isn't over!).  I don't miss junk food.  I don't miss diet soda, either.  I occasionally taste while I cook or bake, but not usually.  I need to save room in the tummy for my protein, so why bother?  I do miss being able to guzzle my water, though.  It kind of sucks that I can drink only about 2 ounces at a time, over the course of a few sips. That will change, though, as I get further out from surgery and my stomach pouch grows a little.

Overall, I feel good and it hasn't been the highly emotional experience I dreaded it would be.  Pretty much a non-event.  And that's a good thing.

lunch today

I bought some Al Fresco Tomato & Basil Chicken Meatballs awhile back and they've been lurking in the bottom drawer of the fridge (fully cooked, of course).  I decided to have them for lunch today since I didn't feel like making tuna salad or anything.

Since I didn't feel like waiting for the oven and didn't want to dirty a pan by cooking on the stove, I microwaved the meatballs.  I served them with some bruschetta sauce I had in the fridge.  I didn't want to open a huge jar of pasta sauce just to dunk a few meatballs.

I really liked these meatballs.  There were little chunks of tomato.  The basil wasn't overpowering.  If anything, I think they could have used some oregano or more basil.  Ground chicken is bland so it needs to be dressed up in order to get it to taste like something.  I think next time I will use marinara sauce for dipping.  Bruschetta just isn't quite the right thing to use.

I ate the full serving size, which is 4 meatballs or 81g (a little under 3 ounces).  On the side I had 4 tablespoons of bruschetta; I really only needed 2 and ended up throwing the rest out.

dinner last night

Last night I opened the other package of Perdue Short Cuts, which is slices of fully cooked and seasoned chicken breast.  This time it was the honey roasted flavor.

I didn't bother heating the chicken up.  I just served it cold along with some Ken's Honey Mustard Dressing (yum!).  The chicken was good, but I prefer the Southwestern flavor I had on my barbecue chicken pizza earlier in the week.  I like the amount of protein I get from it and it's so convenient.  The chicken is tender and moist, also.  Not dry at all.

A serving size is 1/2 cup or about 2.5 ounces.  I ate most of it, plus most of the dressing.  I didn't stop because it was too filling, but because I just wasn't that into the flavor.  Next time I will buy a different flavor.

the cooking cure: last day! (day 20)

Yesterday's assignment was to think about the last several weeks and figure out which assignments I liked the most and revisit those every few weeks.  I would say the ones I like best were the ones where I had to write down everything I ate the week before.  First of all, it was easy.  And second, it helped me see where I can improve for purposes of my weight loss surgery.  It helped me see which meals I put some thought into and which ones I just ate whatever was around.

I was also supposed to plan some meals for next week, which I did.  I plan to use a few of the recipes I haven't tried yet.

The purpose of my doing this challenge was mainly to do something and follow through on it.  I followed through until the end, but I admit I didn't always give 100%.  I found I fell down when it came to cooking a meal each night.  Some nights when I didn't cook it was just laziness.  Other times it was because I had commitments after work and didn't get home until 6:30 pm or later.  That might not sound late, but Bob gets home about an hour before I do and, because he gets up an hour and a half earlier than me, his meal times tend to be earlier than mine.  He eats lunch around 11:30 am, so he's pretty hungry when he gets home around 4:30 pm.  It's tough for him if he has to wait for me to get home and then wait for dinner to cook.  Maybe a goal should be to make more crock pot meals.  That way it's done when he gets home.

Now that I've completed the challenge and followed through, I have a freezer full of egg bites and egg cups, and some new recipes to try.

the cooking cure: days 18 and 19

The assignments for Wednesday and last night were nice and easy.  Two more days and I'm done!

On Wednesday I had to make a list of all the foods and recipes I love.  Things that are easy to make and they never disappoint.  That was easy.  I tend like casseroles and things I can put together quickly.  So, here's the list.  Although, as you can see, I had some difficulty working around Max.

Last night I had to make a plan for my leftovers.  That was easy, too.  The leftover turkey meatloaf went to Bob for lunch at work.  I froze many of the egg cups I made, plus I'm taking some to work.  I didn't have much in the way of leftovers other than that.  We tend to eat most of what I make now since I'm making smaller amounts.

dinner tonight: barbecue chicken pizza

Tonight's dinner was a homemade barbecue chicken pizza.  Even though it's not a pepperoni pizza from Vinny's or Pepe's, it satisfies my craving.  I had weight loss surgery and it's a lifelong commitment, but I'm not willing to live my life without being able to have some pizza occasionally.  If I designate some foods as being totally off limits, that just sets me up for a long, hard fall off the wagon.

I made it using a small 6" flour tortilla, 2 tablespoons of Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce (my favorite), 1/4 cup of Southwestern Style Perdue Short Cuts (fully cooked chicken; so convenient), and 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar.  I was able to eat 3/4 of it.  Bob got the last piece.

265 calories; 10.8g fat; 26.5g carbs; and 14.5g protein.

dinner tonight: mediterranean turkey meatloaf

Tonight I baked the meatloaf I prepped last night, per The Cooking Cure assignments.  It's Mediterranean Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-dried Tomatoes.

I was trying to replicate the meatloaf Bob and I had at Knapp's Landing for our anniversary.  It was delicious and so moist.  So, I launched a search for a recipe that would seem to come close.   I read online that turkey meatloaf usually gets it's moisture from chopped mushrooms.  Since Bob is a hard-core mushroom-hater, that was out of the question.  So, I settled on this recipe.

I didn't really deviate from the recipe other than I used Italian bread crumbs instead of plain; that's what I had on-hand.  I also used dried parsley instead of fresh.

I really liked it, although it didn't have as much moisture as the one I was trying to replicate.  Definitely not dry, though.  I think next time I will make my own bread crumbs rather than using the dry store-bought ones. And then I'll soak the bread crumbs in some milk.  I'm thinking it might benefit from some caramelized onions, also.  And maybe I'll make the effort to buy fresh parsley.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Here's the recipe I used: Mediterranean Turkey Meatloaf with Feta & Sun-dried Tomatoes

This is about 4.25 oz.  I couldn't eat it all.  I ate about 2.75 oz.

the cooking cure: days 15 through 17

The assignment for last Friday was to make dinner and then plan all three meals for this week.  For whatever reason, I didn't make dinner that night.  To be honest, I can't even remember what the heck I ate.  Normally I log all of my food, religiously, but didn't for some reason.  I think I may have had a chicken Caesar salad from Duchess.  Oh, yes!  I did.  And didn't eat much of it because they way overdid the dressing and the lettuce was soggy.  Quite disappointing.  I ate the croutons and the chicken, though.

I planned my dinners to some extent for this week:  egg cups using the blue cheese and herbed goat cheese I had bought for half price (!); Mediterranean turkey meatloaf; and homemade chicken fingers.  Breakfast I didn't plan, mainly because I can eat the egg cups I planned on making.  Also because I realized that I have a lot of Greek yogurt in the fridge that I need to use up.  A lot.  Lunches will be leftovers from the meatloaf and chicken tenders, as well as some tuna salad on Melba toast.

The assignment for yesterday was to treat myself for all the hard work I did planning and prepping the meals I will make this week.  What I actually did on the weekend, not last week like I was supposed to, was do the shopping the ingredients, do the prep (did some), and then baked a ton of egg cups, which I posted the other day.  I didn't actually treat myself to anything, but I guess I could consider watching a few episodes of The Amazing Race a treat; it's one of my favorite shows.

Today's assignment was to think about the meals for the rest of the week and lay out a plan to get them done.  So, I put the turkey meatloaf together, which I'll bake tomorrow night.  Tomorrow night I'll make up the tuna salad.  Breakfast and lunch are covered for tomorrow:  I'm having a couple egg cups for breakfast and for lunch it's turkey and pepper jack roll-ups, which I'll dip in some light mayo.