Questions!! love them!!

Q: I see that you've made exercise a regular part of your life, but what changes have you made to your eating habits?

A: Just being more aware of what I was snacking on and what fast foods I was eating. I noticed that towards the evening when I was getting dinner ready I would snack on whatever was handy like cookies and crackers. I also started looking into how many calories were in some of the fast food and even the calories at restaurants and was shocked at how many calories I was really eating.  I have found that I would rather cook at home because I can eat so much more for the amount of calories! I also started to make fruit part of my daily intake instead of just giving it to my kids I started to make sure I ate some of it also!

I LOVE when people ask questions so feel free to ask away!!

Chicken Cordon Blue!

I am in love with this recipe for chicken cordon blue. My Mom gave it to me a while ago but I never got around to making it until now!

Ingredients
1 pound of chicken breasts
4  wedges of Laughing cow Swiss cheese
4 slices of black forest ham (lunch meat)
4 tablespoons Italian Bread crumbs

Preparation
cut chicken into 4 oz pieces and then pound out the chicken breast until about 1/4 inch thick and lay out flat. Take 1 slice of ham and wrap it around one wedge of cheese. Then wrap the chicken around the ham and cheese and put a tooth pick in it to hold it together then roll it in one tablespoon of bread crumbs. This will make 4 of them. Then back at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes. Depending on how flat you got the chicken will depend on how long you need to cook it. Make sure the chicken is done well.  And Enjoy!!

Total calories for one chicken cordon blue is 195 calories!!

This is a spin off of one of the hungry girl recipes but it is less calories! Click here to try her spin on it!

Laughing Cow Cheese!

This is so good! I love the laughing cow cheese wedges! I have tried a few of the different flavors and have really like them. The best part is the whole wedge (for most flavors) is only 35 calories!!

Click here to visit there website and view all the products they have!

Special K bars

I keep hearing that this are soooo good! Its like eating a candy bar! And they are only 90 calories!!

Click Here to check out their website and to get coupons!

Burrito Casserole

Ingredient
1 pound Hamburger
2 cans re-fried beans
1 cup Salsa
6 tablespoons sour cream
2/3 cup cheese
7 Tortillas

Preparation
Cook hamburger add in re-fried beans, salsa, and sour cream. Then spoon in 1/2 cup of the refried bean mixer into 7 tortillas and use extra to spread on the top of the tortillas and top with the cheese. Cook in the over at 375 for 10 minutes or until the cheese in melted!

One full tortilla if made with:

Light Sour cream & Whole wheat tortillas  329 calories
Regular Sour cream & whole wheat tortillas  337 calories
Light Sour cream & flour tortillas  399 calories
Regular sour cream & flour tortillas  407 calories

Healthier choices

 Regular Sour cream 60 calories for 2 tablespoons

Light Sour Cream 40 calories for 2 tablespoons

I know it isn't a huge difference but ever calorie counts right?

Why not have the same amount of something and save the extra calories for something else!

I love the Smart Delicious Tortillas! They are Large Whole Wheat tortillas and they don't taste like diet or even wheat they are almost the exact same texture and taste as the regular flour ones!

Whole Wheat Tortillas  80 calories

Flour tortilla 150 calories

Bonus is the whole wheat are the BIG tortillas so you get a lot more and save yourself  70 calories !!

Q & A

Q: I just happened upon your blog and am amazed at these pictures! How far apart are they?
A: The "fat" picture was 2 summers ago, but only because I never let anyone take pictures of me and Then I was pregnant with my second child. The "thin" picture was taken around Thanksgiving 2010.  I only started doing this in February 2010 and by August 2010 I had lost about 70 pounds!
Q: Do you eat the same thing as your family?
A: Yes I eat the same thing as my kids and husband. I don't have time to make two different meals everyday and honestly I don't think I would stick to my calories if I was making two meals a night.
Q: Can you give me an example of one of your dinners?
A: Lets see......One of my favorite dinners is the Chicken Milano (4 0z) of chicken and 1/4 cup of the green beans and Tomatoes that you cook with it. 1 cup side salad with 1 tablespoon Low Fat Catalina dressing and 1/2 cup cheesy Cauliflower. Total for the whole meal is only 202 calories!!
Q: What are some of the things you eat when you need a sugar fix?
A: It really depends on what it is I want. Sometimes I really want Ice Cream and the Courtesy Cone at Arctic Circle is only 32 calories! Also the 100 calorie snacks are really yummy! Snack size candy bars range from 70-90 calories and are also a good way to get a sugar fix!

If you have anymore questions let me know!!

I won I won I won!!!

I am so excited I won Bootcamp 2!! Thanks to www.findyourbestself.blogspot.com!!! I am excited to try the DVD I will let you know how good it is!!!

Workout Dvd giveaway!! Check it out!

Workout DVD giveaway on www.findyourbestself.blogspot.com!

This is NOT a diet!

People keep asking me what diet I am on. I am NOT on a diet. This is a life change for me. For most people if they diet and then go off of the diet they gain the weight back. I don't miss out on any foods that I love because I can work them into my calorie intake for the day. Also one thing I LOVE to do is once every two weeks I take one day and eat whatever I want and however much I want. It helps me stay on track the rest of the time! Also all of the recipes that I make, I make for my whole family. I am to busy to make more then one dinner. I love that my family can enjoy the same food as me and it also helps them to eat better also!

Wild West Sizzlin' Chicken Tacos

Ingredient
1 pound cooked chicken strips
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
4 Old El Paso® Stand 'N Stuff™ taco shells (.7-oz box)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced 
1/2 cup barbecue baked beans (I use Bush's Grillin' Beans Southern Pit Barbecue)
1/4 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese (4 oz)
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

Preparation                                      
Heat oven to 400°F. In small bowl, toss chicken strips with cumin and paprika to coat. In 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish, stand taco shells side by side.
Fill each shell evenly with seasoned chicken (about 2 oz) Spread 1 Tablespoon red peppers evenly over chicken. Top each with 2 tablespoons baked beans and 1tablespoon cheese. Sprinkle half a strip of  bacon on top.
Bake 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.

Total Calories for one Taco is 269

Orginal recipe is from Betty Crocker click Here 

Side Dishes

One of my favorite side dishes is the steamer bags of vegetables! They are healthy and even the ones with cheese are really low in calories! My kids LOVE the cauliflower with cheese! They just eat it up!

The Green Giant is the brand I get so check the calories if you buy something else.
Roasted potatoes with Broccoli           1/2 Cup 110 calories
Cauliflower and three cheese sauce     1/2 Cup 45 calories

Click here to go to Green Giant website and get a coupon for  $.50 off

Also other great side dishes are
Green Beans                           1/2 cup  20 calories
Whole Kernel Sweet Corn      1/2 cup  60 calories

Chicken Parisian

Ingredient
1/4 Cup unsifted flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
8 oz mushrooms sliced
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup dry white wine vinegar
2 cubes chicken-flavored bouillon
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves

Preparation
In plastic bag, combine flour, paprika and pepper. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time; shake to coat. In skillet, brown chicken and remove from pan. In same skillet, add remaining ingredients; simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until tender.

4 oz chicken is approximately 223 Calories

Creamy Ranch Pork Chops

Ingredient  
4 pork chops
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup
1/3 Cup Milk
1/2 package of Dry Ranch Dressing
Paprika

Preparation
Cook Pork Chops until brown. Mix soup milk and 1/2 package salad dressing together in a bowl and pour over the pork chops. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until done. Sprinkle with Paprika.

4 oz Pork Chop approximately 228 calories
Creamy Ranch Mix is  71 calories

Total Calories is 299!

Serve with Rice and Green Beans!

Chicken Milano

My husband is an amazing cook and is always finding amazing recipes for us to try. Last night he did this one and it is already one of my favorites!!

Ingredient 
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon basil, crushed
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper (just a pinch, add more if needed after it is done)
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Italian Style Stewed Tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) Cut green Italian beans or Lake cut green beans, drained
(I just used regular cut green beans and it was yummy)

Preparation
Rub garlic over chicken. Sprinkle with basil and red pepper, if desired. In skillet, brown chicken. stir in tomatoes. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over medium heat, 8-10 minutes or until chicken is tender. Stir in green beans; heat through. Do NOT boil.

Calories for 4 oz chicken and 1/4 cup of tomatoes and green beans is  122 calories!

 (The original recipe came from 'The Pleasures of Cooking')