Improv Chef. Sweet & Sour Canadian Bacon Eggplant Sautee

So today I decided to just GO FOR IT and experiment with my lunch.
I grabbed a bunch of veggies and 2 slices of Canadian bacon and came up with this deliciousness.
I don't even know what to call it because it's such a mish mash of ingredients, but Sweet & Sour Canadian Bacon & Eggplant Sautee' seems to suit it.

So this is how I prepared it (as you can see by the pictures)

Ingredients : 2 slices of Canadian Bacon sliced in strips, 1 small eggplant chopped in small cubes, 1 chopped Celery stem, a bunch of spinach, chopped white onions (1/2 of med size), sliced white mushrooms, white cooking wine, scallions, Orange pepper, snow peas, 1 thinly sliced garlic clove, a pinch of dried oregano, kosher salt, ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of light butter (no Trans fat) and 1 tablespoon of EVOO.

In a heated sauce pan , add EVOO, and when oil is warm you will add chopped eggplant, along with garlic, salt, black pepper, oregano, squeeze a little lime, and add white wine. ,Add 1/4 cup of water then cover with a lid for about 5 min at low flame until the eggplant softens.

Add the celery, onions, mushrooms, snow peas, orange peppers, Soy Sauce, scallions, canadian bacon, soy sauce.
add a little more white wine, stir and cover with lid for about 5 minutes until the texture of the veggies soften.

Lastly, add the teaspoon of butter and spinach, stir for about 2 minutes and Presto. If you'd like, add a little drizzle of honey, once served for the sweet & sour flavor. This turned out truly delicious.

Try it & Enjoy !

Shrimp Stir Fry dinner

South Beach Diet Shrimp Stir Fry that my husband and I made for dinner.Mine had a dash of Goat Cheese ...I couldn't resist. Dinner doesn't even taste like diet meals ! Lovin'it. Ingredients
Shrimp
Red peppers
Yellow peppers
Mushrooms
Snow peas
Scallions
Garlic
EVOO (just a little)
White wine
Low sodium soy sauce (just a little)

Phase 1 South Beach Diet

Today I listed all of the meals that I\'d like to prep for the next 2wks. Browsing through recipes from my 3 South Beach Diet books with the hubby was fun. He is excited to play pretend chef and cook many of the dinners . The Meals are 6 per day which translates to a lot of cooking and prep work . This morning I made us an egg white omelet with red peppers, ham and red onions, a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. He ate it ALL. Looks like a good sign for me , I hope he on tines tonlikevall other meals otherwise it will make maintaining our loyalty to the diet very difficult .thecreason I feel this way is because the extensive grocery list is catered to healthier choices and I would hate for him to purchase junk and keep in the fridge . Not only would it be temptation, but also more expense for us.

It's not easy but worth it.

Today was TOUGH! why is it that whenever I say to family, friends and co-workers that i'm starting a diet, It seems like it's the time to bring out all the junk food and rub it in my face? I started the day right by making making an egg white omelet, I had celery sticks with herb spread to snack on, followed by my crab meat avocado lime mini salad for lunch, and a few hrs later, a part-skim mozarella stick. Mid day there is a surprise DOUBLE birthday at work where they have not one cake, but two! Oooooh the torture. It was red velvet cake and the other was Strawberry shortcake. I see the enemy ( the cake) and immediately I focus my sight on something else. I talk to co workers, drink 2 cups of water...anything to distract myself from this cake and sneak out of the area. Staying focused, I get home and make a broiled salmon fillet with a diced grape tomatoes, onions, garlic, capers and spinach sautee' top it .Delish ! Day one done, on the the next....long way to go.

Jotting it down.

So i'm giving it another shot (yes it must be the millionth, but it's better than none). I had an honest moment with myself this weekend, and I came to the conclusion that having a journal filled with everything that motivates me will be an ideal support to my weight loss goal. I fill it with old photos from a time I when I was happy with my weight, i throw in some healthy recipes that I enjoy, inspirational quotes and more.It's a place to track my weight and body measurements, and most importantly, I intend to carry this little book with me wherever I go. No one knows you better than yourself, and I feel like anyone in the weight loss struggle knows what will and what won't work for themselves. The key( at least for me) is having the support system to keep you motivated and focused. It is so easy to lose track in a stressful environment. What keeps YOU motivated?

The Test ...Artichoke Juice.

Currently making my Artichoke juice for tomorrow morning . Remember, it must be taken 40 minutes prior to breakfast.....fingers crossed. I hope my taste buds agree with it. LOL

I plan on taking this daily for a few weeks...(unless it makes me RUN to the bathroom in the middle of work) then it's a no - can - doo doo for me. =0P

I'll definitely let you all know how it goes when I revisit this subject I about a week.

Weight loss Trending Veggie + Juice Recipe

Happy Monday.
Im surprised to find myself typing up a blog post at this time of night, or shall I say morning. It's 12:30 A.M on a Monday morning!!!
I heard something today that got me real excited to try and off course I just had to document it and share the news.
My aunt recommended something that seemed healthy, and after some intense research it all makes sense. A la Iron Chef, the secret ingredient is ( drum rolls please ) .... ARTICHOKE !!

Source: http://aldentegourmet.blogspot.co.nz/ (Great source for food pics)

The 411 on Artichokes :
Artichokes' high fiber content is a bonus for your digestive tract. It's also very low in fat. This high fiber veggie is nature's laxative. Artichokes are also a super source of folic acid, which is very important for women during their childbearing years.

How to Prep this Kick-Ass veggie:
Wash artichokes under running water. Pull off outer, lower petals and trim the sharp tips off of the outer leaves.
I hear that you be infused. You boil 2 liters of water . Once it gets to a boiling point turn off the stove, and then you add a about 15 artichoke petals. Lid the pot and leave the petals inside until the water turns a green-ish hue.

Drink on glass of this liquid 30-40 minutes prior to breakfast, then have another glass with lunch, and repeat for dinner.

I will be pairing this recipe with my SAF Slim and my workouts + healthier eating habits. Lets see how soon i'll begin to see results.