Finding My Collar Bones

[smay]

Weekend was probably P3. I stuck to 1 starch a day if possible, had some fruit, since it was healthier than a lot of my options, and enjoyed dessert! Best wedding cake I have ever had, including the ones I have made for friends (and I'm a pretty darn good baker)! Bride's friend gifted her the wedding cake. Friend's brother (who is a pastry chef on Martha's Vineyard) made the cake. It was a lemon cake with a lemon curd (that I could have drown in) studded with fresh blueberries.

"Officially" starting P2 today, but since I do know what starches I can handle, I'm going to go in a little faster than a beginner. One starch and one fruit is my plan. All wild and crazy!! I did a scale check, and I am up 2 lb. from the last time I stood on it. I know I didn't gain that over the weekend, because I actually was really good in my food choices. I'm sure it has to do with sodium and water retention more than anything. Going to push that water today.

Husband took the day off of work to recover. We have lots to do. Laundry being first, and then probably 6 more quarts of spaghetti sauce. We had a ton of heirlooms ripen, and CSA had some lovely romas last night.

[JeffInJax]

-Wags finger at- Tsk Tsk Tsk

Okay now that the harsh disciplinary action is over, it sounds like you had a very enjoyable weekend. I guess im a bit biased against lemon cakes as the first time i tried one it tasted sour and bitter like i was biting into an actual lemon, so i havent really ever touched stuff of that nature yet. I like lemon dont get me wrong, but sour cake noooo sir.

-Nudge Nudge- How about being nice and sharing that lasagna recipe? Is it allowed on any phase of south beach? I make an eggplant lasagna that i really like sometimes, but it makes a lot so unless i have people over i generally hold off on it.

Glad you had a great time, scales are pesky little buggers but im sure you'll make friends with it by next week again

[smay]

The boy has his first day of preschool today. He's going 4 afternoons this year, which I think I will like better than the morning preschool he had last year. He's slow to get going in the morning, so it has been a nice and lazy morning so far. Just have to make sure we get in lunch on time so I can get him there at noon.

Going to grocery shop while he's in school. Husband picked up a new pressure canner yesterday so we are going to do a black bean and corn salsa in it. I need paste and sauce! Didn't get our spaghetti sauce done yesterday. I actually went to bed at 8. I was hoping for a nap, but that didn't happen.

Food was good yesterday. More taco salads... Going to get sick of them soon. Breakfast today was eggs and a v8 with my coffee, lunch will be a taco salad, and I'm not sure about dinner right now. Scale is down 1 of the 2 lb. today. Water was not nearly high enough yesterday, so I'm hoping for a better day.

Here's the lasagna. This actually is my recipe. I created it when we started eating beachy by taking my favorite (and lazy) aspects from a few different recipes.

No-boil Whole Wheat Lasagna With Fresh Basil
6 whole wheat lasagna noodles, uncooked - I use Hodgsen Mill
1 qt. (4 c.) spaghetti sauce (I use the stuff we make from our garden - it is very chunky and has lots of garlic, onion, and green peppers in it)
1/2 (15 oz.) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
fresh basil - a large handful
1 lb. italian ground turkey sausage
8 oz. ball fresh mozzarella, sliced thin into at least 12 slices
peccorino romano for grating over the top (you could easily use parmesan as well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brown and drain the turkey. Mix the ricotta with the egg, and tear up most of the basil, reserving a few for garnish on top, and stir into the ricotta. In an 8x11" glass pan, pour 1 c. of the sauce on the bottom. Layer 3 of the noodles over the sauce. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then layer 1/2 of the ground turkey, 1/2 of the remaining sauce (1 1/2 c.), and half of the fresh mozzarella. Layer the remaining 3 noodles next, and then repeat the layers of ricotta, ground turkey, sauce, and mozzarella. Top the mozzarella slices with a piece of fresh basil, and then lightly grate some peccorino romano over the top. Bake, uncovered for 1 hour. Take out of oven and let rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve!

[JeffInJax]

While i still have taco soup aplenty, i think i may try making that lasagna tonight or tomorrow. It sounds yum.

[smay]

Hope you like the lasagna when you get around to trying it!

Yesterday was another on-track day. Still need to get a little more water in though. Breakfast was eggs and a v8 with coffee. Lunch was one last taco salad, and dinner was a baked chicken breast and a salad. Had a pb&b wrap for my morning snack and a cheese stick and a few cashews in the afternoon.

Pressure canned black bean and corn salsa last night too. I know the corn isn't beachy, but it doesn't matter, since I wound up putting too many jalapenos in it, and it's too spicy for me!

Vat of salsa!

DSC09989.JPG (162.28 KiB) Viewed 564 times

[Kyan]

OMG that salsa looks INCREDIBLE!!!!!!

[smay]

When it's at a heat level I can tolerate, it is incredible. My husband was smiling from ear to ear when he tasted it last night.

[Kyan]

Does he like hot?? I can't handle hot stuff like I used to.

Does corn actually help keep the heat down a bit? Or are you just going to have to drink lots of water? lol

[smay]

He likes it between a medium and a hot. Not too hot that you can't taste the yummy goodness.

My solution to eat it would be to mix with sour cream!!!!

[chefk]

I LOVE spicy food. I just listed a bunch of ideas on what to do with all those peppers on my page, but you can also just dry them. They will last forever in your spice cabinet and you'll never buy chile powder or red pepper flake again!

[smay]

And I'm giving myself a pat on the back for yesterday. Baked and decorated a cake and 24 cupcakes, and didn't even have a smidge of icing or batter!

Beachy day with eggs and toast with a v8 for breakfast, lunch was tuna, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and mayo with cantaloupe. Dinner was baked chicken breasts and sauteed green beans with garlic and romano cheese. I was really hungry in the afternoon, but kept the snacks beachy. Quantity may have been more than I would prefer, but it was all good!

Ready for the weekend. Need to finish b-day present shopping for the husband, and the boy has been invited to his first friend b-day party ever. Hoping to go to Farmer's Market tomorrow. Also need to make a wedding gift before next weekend. Will be a busy one!

[Kyan]

Hey! Congrats on NOT sampling the cupcakes! (Or cake!) That's true will-power!! Homemade cupcakes (esp. chocolate) is definitely a weakness for me! Luckily I don't encounter homemade cupcakes all that often.

Which reminds me.... there was a big old bake sale a couple of weekends ago in a church parking lot. (Along with a car wash, but those don't tempt me!) I stopped to take a peak because I couldn't help myself and I was also drooling all over the steering wheel. Well guess what - they had about five different varieties of cupcakes... ALL STORE BOUGHT! OMG how disgusting is THAT??? I even asked - "Do you have any cupcakes that are HOMEMADE?" Um... nope! Now call me old-fashioned, but at a bake sale shouldn't the stuff be homemade? We can all trot into a grocery store anytime and buy those awful fat-laden lard filled things with horrible icing any day of the week! I was really disappointed.

I wish you lived closer, Smay. On second thought - perhaps it's just as well. I wouldn't lose weight if you or Cheffie were nearby. You two are always baking something good for something or other!

[Kyan]

Hey Smay!!

How's it going? Did you have a good weekend? Do anything fun? Eat anything tasty?

[smay]

The weekend was meh/blah/crappy. I ate okay, stayed beachy, just probably not enough food. I wasn't hungry, and I couldn't force myself to eat. No other way to describe it I guess.

Going to be another busy week, and I am burnt out. Have to make one more batch of salsa, and then possibly pick all of our green tomatoes due to a potential hard freeze coming Wednesday night and figure out what to do with them. We are looking at a non-trad salsa verde, and maybe some green chili sauce? Wednesday we have 25 lb. of sauerkraut ready that we have to can. Thursday is husband's b-day and the boy has his Kindergarden screening, and Friday we leave for the weekend for another weeding. This one is about 5ish hours away, and is at a small fishing resort. We are sharing a cabin with BIL, wife, and baby, as well as in-laws. And we have to kennel the dog, and I swear he has an anxiety disorder from the last time we kenneled him. I'm not done with the wedding gift either, since I didn't get enough time to work on it this weekend.

Today I need to get to the vet for dog food, and get to the clinic for immunization records for screening, and get the boy to and from pre-school, and I had talked about going to the library with the girl, but that just isn't going to happen.

And I haven't made it to the gym in forever, and this week isn't looking too good.

I think I need a ginormous cup of coffee, and maybe some Calgon to take me away!

[Kyan]

OMG Smay, you sound exactly like I feel! We need to get out of this rut. I'm as enthused for MY week as you are for yours... but... at least I don't have to go to any weddings! They really aren't that much fun. ha ha (And poor dog!)

You are going to be busy busy BUSY!!!!