work to be done

[Chris55]

Cashews are dangerous. DS was telling me yesterday that I should buy some since they're the only nuts he likes besides peanuts. But I have to put them in little bags and then tie my hands behind my back to not eat 3 or 4 of them!

[ladybugmom]

Have you tried roasted chickpeas? You can season them however you like and will have that crunch you are after.

[Beaching It]

Yum, that sounds good! Cashews ARE evil!!!

[grace2]

Appreciate it Chris, Christin, and Lisa! Thanks for reminding me of the chickpeas, Christin. I saw directions not long ago. Is it 350 in the oven?

I want to take Amalfi_girl's idea and think about when I choose to eat the cashews. It has been just before dinner. So, switch that up! Could have a crunchy stick of celery w/ pb or the chickpeas to tide me over.

I haven't hit supper time yet, so haven't had the challenge today. I can - and will - try to not eat them today!!! I also cooked and have oats and chili ready - that should help.

Exercise: BodySculpting class, 20 min of elliptical

B: oats, cottage cheese, 1/2 apple, cinnamon, lf soy milk
L: chili w/ cheese, celery, carrots

[ladybugmom]

Yep, 350. We like trying to make a different flavor every time. Did one batch, put parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, I think that was it, all into the food processor to pulverize it. Made a play on croutons, was actually really tasty and worked well in salads to provide extra flavor and crunch. Hubby keeps some at work in his desk. They are so filling that when he gets the urge to munch, that fixes it and fills him up without going overboard. So happy that your dissertation is getting so close. That takes a great deal of time and dedication. Are you doing anything to celebrate finishing?

[amalfi_girl]

Let me know how it goes! I, too, love cashews and I actually haven't even been having them! I need to get some at the store. I always have to pre-portion them out, 15 per zip-lock (I use those little snack-sized zips so they look bigger. Hey, anything that works!), and I like to have them with something else, like an apple, to make the experience last longer.

Roasted chickpeas are so amazing! I love to mix up the seasoning, but my favorite is moroccan. I toss the chick peas with tumeric, curry, ginger, and cumin before baking. Sometimes I even stir all those spices into some fat free sour cream, and coat the chickpeas with that. Then I roast them at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. MMMMMMMMM!

[grace2]

Thanks for the yummy ideas on the chickpeas!!!

Haven't decided on the celebrating I hope to defend in a few weeks and then my paper goes to the Dean's office. Apparently everyone has been having APA formatting issues, so I imagine I will have corrections to make.

Amalfi: do I remember that you wrote of law school?

yesterday finished well, foodwise. Here's the whole day:

B: oats, 1/2 apple, cottage cheese,cinnamon, lf soy milk w/ a teeny bit of coffee and sfff cocoa
L: chili w/ cheese, carrots, celery
S: 4 triscuits
D: cod, ground turkey, broccoli, green beans, 2T ranch
S: yogurt, ricotta cheese, larger dab than needed of sfff pudding, berries. I actually like the kind of sour taste more, but made the whole thing a bit bland.

went to bed at a decent hour. That really helps my food decisions, too! woke up way early famished. started my day...

S: celery (I have had trouble w/ natural PB - tummy bothers me after each time and didn't want to use my daily nut alowance on that feeling)
B: egg, turkey sausage, chickpeas, green beans, lf soy milk w/ a bit too much coffee, so I had to drink some, add more milk, some sfff cocoa
S: 15 (counted out, put the container away) cashews
L: chili w/ cheese, carrots, celery

looked over SB veggie and all food lists. Out of what, 50-100 veggies? I am eating about 8. Time to find out what all that food tastes like and see if I can even recognize it at the store!!!! I need to spend some serious time in the produce dept

[Beaching It]

you guys are totally inspiring me to make those roasted chickpeas! Do you mix the seasoning with olive oil, or just roll the chickpeas in the seasoning then bake? I like the idea of the sourcream mixed with the seasoning. YUM!!! I'm going to make these tomorrow!!

[Chris55]

I am not a fan of the roasted chickpeas. Not thrilled with hummus or chickpea soup either. But I do like cooked chickpeas tossed in things. Go figure!

Definitely explore some new veggies! There's a thread somewhere, maybe on the Food and Recipe Board, called "Recommend a Vegetable". I've been exploring new ones through my CSA membership. I've found some new ones that I've liked, some that are just OK. If I end up with one I'm not crazy about it either goes in soup or gets shredded and put in a slaw or on top of a salad. You might want to try checking a veggie cookbook out of your library. I've bought a few new ones since starting SB just for inspiration.

[grace2]

great idea on the recommend a veggie, Chris - appreciate it!

Ex: BodySculpting class; 24 min of cardio (elliptical); I see my biceps on occasion

S: string cheese, green beans before ex class
B: 1 egg, 1 turkey sausage, chickpeas, green beans
S: lf soymilk w/ bit of coffee and sfff cocoa
L: chili w/ cheese, carrots, celery
S: lf cottage cheese, 1/2 apple, cinnamon, 5 almonds [DH left me 15 cashews but I didn't eat them ]
D: bison - yay!!!, broccoli, mushrooms, 2T ranch
S: yogurt w/ sprinkle of sfff lemon jello, blueberries, ff milk

working late on my project and hungry... peppermint tea
S: 1 celery stick, 1/2 apple, 1t pb
S: pumpernickel bread w/ smart balance

[grace2]

reflecting on yesterday...

did not have a problem w/ the natural pb (first time my tummy hasn't hurt after eating it) - yay! had it with celery and an apple. Also was very hungry in a little bit after that snack - huh! I do better with apple and cottage cheese perhaps - even though the apple makes that kind of pb taste good.

the pumpernickel bread I had late night really was good and felt yum in my tummy. I didn't have any grains till then... having oats earlier is better; can still have one piece of the pumpernickel after supper. Seems to help with feeling "done eating" in the pm.

Decisions to make on trying different kinds of fruits, grains, and veggies. Still feeling very cautious. Used to eat lots of bananas; have not tried one since SB. Mostly only berries so far (and apples). Take it slow, but don't be afraid to try a food - there are so many delicious tastes out there! The only grains I have had are steel cut oats (good response), pumpernickel bread (good response), triscuits (like the crunch and salt; eat only 4; the aftertaste may be so-so)

thinking about the kind of tastes I like. Did I actually want that lemony taste last night? Sometimes I really like the taste of peppermint or that cinnamon rush kind of gum. Keep track of what taste I want instead of just eating something to try to satisfy the wrong desire. Like maybe I more want a taste of peppermint or cinnamon, when I think I want something salty or chocolate. learning!!!

B: 1 egg, 1 turkey sausage, chickpeas, green bean, weird concoction w/ tad of coffee, cocoa powder, peppermint extract, agave syrup mixed w/ my lf soy milk. The peppermint extract bottle should have a stopper! Had too little, then too much. Trying to make sb pepp/mocha - hahaha! Oh well... next time use the sfff cocoa powder and add a teeny bit of peppermint...

[Chris55]

If you make a paste with the cocoa powder, peppermint extract, and a little of your liquid first, it will all dissolve much easier. I do a hot chocolate with a few dark mini chips, cocoa powder, vanilla, and lactaid milk. It works really nicely and isn't very sweet - just enough sugar from the mini chips that I don't need to add any kind of sweetener.

Glad you found your biceps!!

[grace2]

another great tip, Chris - thank you!!

[grace2]

Happy Easter everyone!

yesterday's pretty complete info:
exercise: zip

B: 1 egg, 1 turkey sausage, chickpeas, green beans, coffee fiasco (see earlier post)
L: chili w/ cheese, salad, 2T dsg
S: cottage cheese, 1/2 apple, cinnamon, 1/2T natural PB, piece of 70% dark chocolate, ff milk
D: chicken breast, broccoli, peas

I think that was it- didn't eat after supper and it went ok. No grains though... My last 2X w/ natural PB have been ok - yay! no tummy issues.

today:
exercise: walk in a couple minutes

B: ground turkey, mushrooms, green beans, 1T ranch, 1 slice pumpernickel bread w/ smart balance, lf soy milk w/ touch of coffee flavoring
L: chili w/ cheese, carrots
S: yogurt w/ sfff pudding dab, strawberries, 8 dark choc chips
planning:
D: ground turkey, chicken breast, peas, salad, 2T dsg
S: 1 slice pumpernickel bread w/ smart balance, ff milk

[ladybugmom]

Happy Easter! Hope your day went well. Just catching up on your journal, took a break to be with family that is visiting. So happy for you with learning maybe it isn't something chocolaty or salty you are after, but peppermint or cinnamon. I think that that can be a difficult thing to master. Talk to you later!