Monday, March 25, 2013

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo

1 C cooked orzo pasta
1 Cooked and shredded chicken breast*
2 C Steamed broccoli
1 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 tbsp. Butter
1/4 C Milk
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp olive oil

*When we grocery shop I buy bone in chicken breasts and then boil them and shred the meat off.  I can usually get 4-5 meals plus a couple of small snack size bags full for lunches out of 2 full breasts.

In a large pot bring water to a boil and cook orzo until done.  (I don't know how else to word this lol)! 

Steam broccoli while the noodles are cooking.  You could probably use 1 bag of the steamers or I steamed ours in the rice steamer from pampered chef.

If you have not cooked your chicken, place it in a skillet with 2 tsp of olive oil. Cook until browned and cooked through.

When noodles are done, drain and add butter, milk, and cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted.  Pour noodles into skillet with chicken.  Add broccoli and heat through.  Add garlic and onion powder and continue mixing until all is heated through. 

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Ok, so I have started coming up with my own recipes and have also started making variations on some of our favorites...so I figured I'd start sharing them seeing as I get asked about them a lot!  Here is the first one:

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf with BBQ dressing


1 lb ground beef 
1/2 c cubed velveeta
4 slices of bacon (chopped and cooked)
3 green onions chopped
2 eggs
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 packet of dry ranch seasoning/mix (I used hidden valley)
S & P to taste

Preheat oven to 325.  In a small bowl, beat eggs and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix hamburger, ranch seasoning packet, S & P and then add in eggs and mix together with your hands.  Add in breadcrumbs.  Mix well.  Add in Bacon, mix.  Add in Cheese, mix.  You can add in the green onion or top the mixture with it at the end.  I added it in and it gave it great flavor.  Form mixture into a loaf shape and bake at 325 for about 55-60 minutes.


BBQ Dressing

Mix equal parts BBQ sauce and mayo.  Its excellent for dipping, and we use this sauce on burgers all the time!



Thursday, February 28, 2013

FINALLY

THE WEIGHT IS FINALLY STARTING TO COME OFF!!

I was frustrated in the beginning of my new "journey" at the beginning of the year, and I posted something on the facebook about it and everyone told me "wait until about week 8" over and over and over.  And so I've been waiting.  Not so patiently waiting.  And here we are at week 9...and slowly but surely I'm down 3 more pounds.  The scale hasn't moved for WEEKS.  And now out of nowhere it starts to drop!  

I've been measuring inches and since the beginning of January and I'm down 12 inches so far.  I'm down 31.5 inches since starting last June!  And over the summer I lost my first 25 lbs.  I'm down 30 lbs total now, with at least 75 to go!  

I feel so much better than I ever have, and I have almost become addicted to that sore "new muscle-post workout" feeling.  I love it!  I feel great!  I'm down 2 sizes too and all my summer clothes from 5 years ago (pre-babies) finally fit too! WOOO WOOOO!!


So excited!!!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Motivation


Some days I really have no idea where to begin.  I want the weight to just fall off, but it never seems to work that way... I have been working on my weight and myself for a solid 8 weeks at this point.  This is the longest I've ever stuck with it.  Usually it's a 2-3 week process and I'm over it because I haven't lost anything.  I'm pretty proud of the progress I've made, I just wish I could get some of the weight off.  I'm losing inches... like crazy too!  I just wish they would take the pounds with them when they left.
I've been struggling the past couple of weeks too... I think "oh i'm working out, I can just eat whatever."  Well I'm paying for it now.  I feel like POOOOOOOOP.  So today I "started over."  
If there is one thing I've learned in my life, it's to take it one day at a time.  One hour at a time or even one minute at a time too.  I have to do what is right for me, and not right for everyone else.
So here's to finding my motivation again... :) 

Dr. Watson