73 & 80 POUNDS LIGHTER

The top picture is of me and my lovely hubby at  our heaviest.  We didn't see ourselves as fat, we were too in love and we both weighed the same weight.  325 pounds.  We love food and we love each others company.  I so far have lost 73 pounds and my hubby has lost 80 pounds.  Yeah he winning LOL.

Here is a little bit of our story and how we did it without even being aware of it.  If you ask about a diet, there was no diet. I have always home cooked then and home cook now and we eat what we want.  If my hubby craves chocolate chip cookies I make them.



                                                               My hubby and I have a unspoken understanding                                                                                      when we shop for food.  It's bizarre but it works.

                                                               We buy the same thing over and over and we do

not deviate from what we buy. This was the old shopping list. Milk, eggs, fruits, veggies, turkey, chicken, turkey sausage, can tuna, can beans, can olives, can pinapple, pasta, rice, butter, bread, fruit juices, tortillas, grains such as wheat berry, quinoa, flour, wheat flour, chocolate chips, olive oil, lots of spices,  Corn meal, sugar's. Frozen blue berries and peas. Yogurt. Cheese, Coffee.   Note: I use to drink fappucinos every day.
This is about all their is to our shopping list. No frozen or packaged food.

    We didn't intend to lose weight it just kind of happened.  We both will stop buying things with out talking to each other and one of those things was Fruit juice.  We just stopped and found our selves bring up the subject of weight and exercise while standing over the scale.   I didn't expect it to read anything else other than 325, but got on it any way and was shocked that it read 315.  I was in such disbelief and utter amazement I got off and on the scale about 10 more time totally convinced that something was wrong with it.  My hubby also noticed the same 10 pound difference when he got on.   We both look at each like HUH!?   Then it dawned on us it was because we had stopped drinking the OJ, Cranberry juice, apple juice, and other brands of juice.  10 pounds gone just from stopping juice. WOW!
This was the catalyst that got us motivated to keep it off.  I eventually stopped drinking my beloved frappucinos and started drinking tea and more water. Note Coffee is life, we both still do drink it as a treat rather than a staple.
Our new shopping list does not include, bread, fruit juice, tortillas, olive oil.  

I got this down to a science, by keeping track of what we have when we have it.
Ice cream will really be a treat, about every 6 to 7 months.
Bacon haven't had it in year's.
Potato chips year's since we eaten them.
Donuts year's
                                                                Soda Pop. Haven't had soda pop in over 4 years.
                                                                Beer / Wine Never drink.  If you want to pack on the                                                                     pounds alcohol is a sure fire way to do it.

We both started out with baby steps walking around the block, then walking four miles.   I have a saying " Slow and steady wins the race, fast a furious fall on your face."
We have been steadily building up our resistance to what we can do for over 2 years.   Yeah slow, but very healthy.
It was extremely hard at first, but after a while our bodies were like why aren't you exercising?  And you get to the point that if you don't exercise you don't feel right. For us it's a combination of great love and respect for each other, determination, and discipline.   We do it for each other and we support each other.

Now we both can cycle for 2 hours, walk for 2 hour and do minimal jogging.  But we don't do this every day.  We keep things interesting my doing different things.   We both are currently training for a 100 mile ride for next year 2016.  This is for us and our health.

Our meal plan is very plain.  Most of the recipes I post that are two week or three week special meals we do not eat these foods meals every day.   What we do eat is a lot of soups, dirty rice, home made tortilla wraps, fruit, very light pasta salads and then keep the other recipes for a treat, not all the time.

So I'm always trying to think of healthier versions, to shave off calories.  















                                                              

CINNAMON COOKIES 2

CINNAMON COOKIES 2
This is another spin on the cinnamon cookies just in case you want to cut the eggs out.
This recipe has no eggs in it at all.   These cookies are great for ice cream sandwiches.
Note: These cookies will be flat and wafer like.

INGREDIENTS.
2 Cups flour  ( About) 19 to 20 heaping Tablespoons.
1 Table spoon of cinnamon and 1 additional teaspoon.
1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cups sugar
4 to 5 Table spoons of half and half.  (The milk replaces the egg)
1 (4 oz) stick of butter
1 Teaspoon of baking soda
1 Teaspoon of baking powder.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:
You will need a big bowl, a electric egg beater or pastry knife.  A cookie tray to cook the cookies.


FIRST: BEAT LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW.
Note:  I like to pulse the butter in the microwave for about 8 seconds, twice to soften the butter.
But keep in mind all microwaves run at different temperature, so pulse less just to be safe.

Cream the butter in a bowl with your weapon of choice, when it is thoroughly creamed add white sugar and incorporate into the butter. And if all the butter get stuck in the egg beaters that's okay :)  Add two table spoons of milk and keep beating.  Add the brown sugar. Beat some more. Next add the baking soda and powder and beat in. Add the rest of the milk a table spoon at a time until the mixtuer is moist, but not sopping. Yes there is a lot of beating going on.  If your using the Pastry knife to cream the butter, just cut it up and keep cutting as you add the sugars and milk.  Cut, cut, cut, then use a wooden spoon.

SECOND: A WHOLE LOT OF MIXING.
 Now add about three to four tablespoons of flour and mix it in.  Keep on doing this with the flour so you don't overwhelm the batter. The batter should be very moist and slightly sticky.  If you add too much flour it will overwhelm the butter and the cookie will not spread out, instead you will have a hard piece of cookie. Not yummy.  This is why you add a little at a time to the batter. One way to tell if the batter is good is mix it with a wooden spoon and if you can get a big chuck of it to stick to the spoon by lifting it up.  Sticky enough to stick to the spoon and not fall off. Work the flour super good into the dough.

THIRD: SHAPING.
1. Shaping by hand. Have a small bowl with flour in it to pat down the palms of your hands, this keep the batter from sticking to your hands.  You want to pick up about a walnut size or a little bigger and gently roll it in your hands making a ball and then place on cookie baking tray about two inches apart.

2. Using a spoon.  Use two spoon's smaller than a soup spoon. Pick up a little bit of the dough about the size of a walnut and then use the other spoon to push off the batter onto the cookie baking tray again leave about two inches between the cookies.

FOURTH: BAKING
Bake at 325 to 350 for 12 minutes or cookies have a nice lite golden look.  But keep in mind the smaller you make the cookies the faster they cook, the bigger the longer they will cook. So always be mindful.
After they are done take them out of the oven and have a cookie rack near by to cool them on. With a metal spatula carefully lift time off the tray and place them on the rack to cool for five minutes or more.
Note: Cookies coming right out of the oven are very soft and breakable. As they cool they harden up and become yummy.



Fill up a tall glass with milk and enjoy.

YAM SPICED COOKIES

YAM SPICED COOKIES   

This is what happenens when I get bored and I have a half of yam left.   My hubby gave me the raised eye brow when I told him yam.   They're kind of a cross between a cookie and a muffin and probably a tad more on the healthy side.  Well they're all gone so they past the yumminess test.

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 Cup Flour.
1 stick of room temp butter.
1/2 Cup Sugar.
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar.
1 cup yam.
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
1 teaspoon cumin.
1 teaspoon paprika. 
1 teaspoon baking soda.
1 teaspoon baking powder. 
2 eggs. 
1/2 cup Chocolate chips or raisins, peanuts, dried cranberries or mixed.  

METHOD OF PREPARATION:  

FIRST: 
Peel and chop your yam into small cubes that are roughly all the same size, put in a pot and fill with water and bring to a boil.  When the yam is done you should be able to take a piece out and easily smash it with a fork.  When all are cooked.  Turn off burner and drain.  Set aside and let cool.

SECOND:
Cream the butter with a egg beater add the white sugar and beat in, then add the brown sugar and beat in.  Next add both the baking powder, baking soda, and spices beat in really good.  Next add both eggs and beat in good.  
Next take the cooled yam pieces and pour off any excess water, smash and add one cup of smashed yam mixture to the batter beat in then add your chocolate chips, or other tastie idea. The batter will turn a bit watery that ok.

THIRD:  
Stir in the flour.  Add one cup and stir in completely, add the next cup and again stir until competely incorperated.  Remeber we do not what to over whelm the dough.   So with the rest add a little at a time.  Until the dough sticks to the spoon and clumps.  It's ok for it to be a little sticky.

FOURTH: 
Spray a cookie tray with nonstick spray. Dip your hands in flour and rool walnut size balls of dough. Space them about a inch apart on the cookie tray.  Next take a fork and dip it in flour and gently press down on each cookie ball. You can even make a cross hatch.  

Cook on 325 until light golden brown.   Cool on rack.

Enjoy the spice of life.

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFT OVER RICE?

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFT OVER RICE?

Rice, rice and more rice.  Rice is good.  But what do you do when you have made too much or your family has not eaten all of it?  Do not throw it away.   Instead save it and put it in a freezer container.
These recipes are excellent with burritos, fajitas or stir fry.
Their is a gazillion things you can do with it.  I'll share with you a few of my favorites.

INGREDIENTS: 

RECIPE ONE:

 2 to 3 cups LEFT OVER RICE of any kind.
3 to 4 cloves of garlic chopped.
Lose bunch of cilantro.
1 poblano pepper.
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
1 Teaspoon of toasted sesame seed oil or any other oil will be fine.
3 to 4 soup cubes if you have them. If not be sure to check any of my soup recipes.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

If you are using frozen rice, let it thaw out in the refrigerator until you can break it apart easily.  And when you add it to the pan it's ok that it's still cold.  
If you have a couple of soup ice cubes in your freezer this is a good time to toss in about three or four add great flavor.

FIRST: 
Have the rice in a bowl ready to go.
Mince very well the garlic, poblano, cilantro and garlic.  Add oil to a your pan and turn up to medium.  Saute until you start to smell a nice fragrance. Now add a little bit of rice and stir in and add a your soup cubes if you have them. If not mix every thing together and stir.  Add a little more and mix,  Then mix in the rest with the spices. Keep stirring until until the ice cubes melt all the way.  But the time the cubes have melted the rice is done.


RECIPE TWO:
2 to 3 cups LEFT OVER RICE of any kind.
1/2 cup of frozen peas.
1/2 cup of diced carrots cooked or frozen.
1/2 red bell pepper.
1 minced jalapeno (optional)
Lose bunch of cilantro
1/2 onion  Red or White is great for this, or a little bit of both.
3 cloves garlic
1/2 inch fresh grated ginger.
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

FIRST:  
Have a bowl of cold ice water ready.  Bring a small pot of water to a boil add frozen peas and carrots. We are not cooking them, so as soon as they are thawed scoop them out with a straining sieve and dunk them in ice water to stop them from cooking, then as soon as their cooled remove them from water and set aside.
Mince very well the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, bell pepper and ginger. Then dice your onion Add oil to a your pan and turn up to medium.  Saute the mixture with the onion until you start to smell a nice fragrance. Now add a little bit of rice and stir in and add a your soup cubes if you have them. If not mix every thing together and stir.  Add a little more and mix,  Then mix in the rest with the spices. Keep stirring until until the ice cubes melt all the way.  But the time the cubes have melted the rice is done.

And the neat thing with these recipes is their is tons of things you can add to make it your own.

Happy Left Overs.  

CINNAMON COOKIES

CINNAMON COOKIES

I've been on a cinnamon kick.  My hubby and I had the best cinnamon bagels ever, they reminded me of when I was a little girl at the fair ground. Buttery, Cinnamon and just plain yummy.   So  cinnamon cookies...YES PLEASE.  
NOTE: This is basically chocolate chip cookies with out the chocolate chips.

INGREDIENTS.
2 Cups flour  ( About) 19 to 20 heaping Tablespoons.
1 Table spoon of cinnamon and 1 additional teaspoon.
3/4 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 4 oz stick of butter
1 Teaspoon of baking soda
1 Teaspoon of baking powder.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:
You will need a big bowl, a electric egg beater or pastry knife.  A cookie tray to cook the cookies.


FIRST: BEAT LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW.
Note:  I like to pulse the butter in the microwave for about 8 seconds, twice to soften the butter.
But keep in mind all microwaves run at different temperature, so pulse less just to be safe.

Cream the butter in a bowl with your weapon of choice, when it is thoroughly creamed add white sugar and incorporate into the butter. And if all the butter get stuck in the egg beaters that's okay :)   Break one egg and add it to butter. Beat to incorporate, then add brow sugar. Beat some more. Next add the baking soda and powder and beat in.  Last but not least add the other egg and beat in. Yes there is a lot of beating going on.  If your using the Pastry knife to cream the butter, just cut it up and keep cutting as you add the sugars and eggs.  Cut, cut, cut, then use a wooden spoon.

SECOND: A WHOLE LOT OF MIXING.
 Now add about three to four tablespoons of flour and mix it in.  Keep on doing this with the flour so you don't overwhelm the batter. The batter should be very moist and slightly sticky.  If you add too much flour it will overwhelm the butter and the cookie will not spread out, instead you will have a hard piece of cookie. Not yummy.  This is why you add a little at a time to the batter. One way to tell if the batter is good is mix it with a wooden spoon and if you can get a big chuck of it to stick to the spoon by lifting it up.  Sticky enough to stick to the spoon and not fall off.

THIRD: SHAPING.
1. Shaping by hand. Have a small bowl with flour in it to pat down the palms of your hands, this keep the batter from sticking to your hands.  You want to pick up about a walnut size or a little bigger and gently roll it in your hands making a ball and then place on cookie baking tray about two inches apart.

2. Using a spoon.  Use two spoon's smaller than a soup spoon. Pick up a little bit of the dough about the size of a walnut and then use the other spoon to push off the batter onto the cookie baking tray again leave about two inches between the cookies.

FOURTH: BAKING
Bake at 325 to 350 for 12 minutes or cookies have a nice lite golden look.  But keep in mind the smaller you make the cookies the faster they cook, the bigger the longer they will cook. So always be mindful.
After they are done take them out of the oven and have a cookie rack near by to cool them on. With a metal spatula carefully lift time off the tray and place them on the rack to cool for five minutes or more.
Note: Cookies coming right out of the oven are very soft and breakable. As they cool they harden up and become yummy.

 TROUBLE SHOOTING IDEAS 
OK you got the batter done and you not sure if there's not enough flour added. Let's say you added all 20 Tablespoon and your still not sure. Here is a way to find out. Yeah it takes a little while, but you'll save the batter. And this is a good way to get better and better at the skill of making cookies.
1. Not sure if their enough flour added.  Turn the oven on to 325 or 350. Spray a cookie sheet and make some cookie dough balls, one or two is fine. Cook them for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Let them cool on a cookie rack for 5 minutes then test.  If the cookies is yummy don't change one thing and cook the rest.  If it didn't set up right after the five minutes add about 3 to four more Table spoons of flour.


Fill up a tall glass with milk and enjoy.

EASY CAULIFLOWER & POTATO SALAD.

EASY CAULIFLOWER & POTATO SALAD.

When summer comes around I want to make meals that are easy and fast especially on the hot hot days when it can reach 110.  This is one of our favorites.

Note: This is a very flexible recipe.  Don't want a lot add less potatoes and cauliflower, want more add more. The key is to keep the potatoes and cauliflower of equal proportions.

INGREDIENTS: ( Have a steamer pot ready)

About 4 medium potatoes of your choice. (About a 1/2 of a pound)  I like yukons, yellows and reds.  But any potato will do.

A whole cauliflower.  (About a 1/2 of a pound)

One to two table spoons Mayonnaise

1 teaspoon of hot Chinese Mustered ( Optional)

3 celery stalks 

2 Table spoons of capers. any size will do.

1 half of a white onion or whole depending on how much you like onion.  I tend to use it all, except for a small batch.

1 Red bell pepper chopped small.

Note: Now don't hesitate to add any extras if you want.  Make it your own.  You can add diced jicama, apples, cucumber or black olives.   

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

DICES, STEAM & MIX  That's all their is too it.

First cut the Potatoes in half, right down the middle, next place the two half face down on the cutting board.  Cut lengthwise into three equal half or two depending the size of the potato. Turn side ways and cut into 3 or 4 times. You should end up with equal size or bite size potato chunks.  Cut all the potatoes and set aside.  Now cut the steam out of the cauliflower, by pointing the knife down into the steam and carefully cutting and breaking it out.  Break off the cauliflower florets.  Now take your knife and act like your cutting off the little trees, until you have what you need.  Mix the cauliflower piece with the potato piece, Then add it to the steamer basket. Turn the stove to high.  Check frequently. Pull a piece out cool it and carefully taste it.   Is is tender or crisp.  Crisps is not done. Tender is done.  Soft and mushy over done.   Although it can be past tender a little bit.
NOTE: WHEN LIFTING THE STEAMING BASKET LID. ALWAYS OPEN IT UP AWAY FROM YOU. ANGLE THE LID SO THE STEAM IS DIRECTED AWAY FROM YOUR FACE, THEN PROCEED WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

Next; Dice all the veggies you want to add, onion, red bell pepper, celery set aside in a bowl and add capers.

When the potatoes and cauliflower are done. Turn off stove and cool right away.  Put in large bowl and add cold water to it until you can stick your fingers in the water and swish it around. Add ice cubes to speed up the process, when the ice cubes are melted the food should be cool enough. Drain well.  Use the same bowl and add the veggies.  Now add one or two tablespoons of mayonnaise and mustard, mix into salad well.  If you want you can let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour or a half to cool. Or you can eat right away.


DIG IN AND ENJOY. 

GRAVY TO KEEP YOUR COMPANY GUESSING

OMG!  I just realized I never publish this.   And I did this back in 3/9/2015  :O   Dang!   Well here it is.  Hope you like it. 

GRAVY TO KEEP YOUR COMPANY GUESSING.  "How she/he do it.?"  Well if they don't read this post their not finding out and it will be our secret. ;)

ONE CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH SOUP BROTH!  My quote of the day.

Note: Good things take time, so this is not a recipe you can whip up in one day.  But if you do try it, you'll never make gravy the old way again. And you will find all the recipes you will need on this blog.  Now if you have a time honored recipe that has been passed down from your great great great auntie you can incorporate this method into your recipe.

First let us consider that you don't have to make a full batch of stock or broth you can make any amount you want.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FIRST BATCH. 

1. SMALL BATCH:  Do not strain fat off you can do that after it's done.  Stain the fat off when the broth is cool and put it in a freezer safe plastic container.  Then after it is frozen cut off the fat and keep the cup or more of broth.  If you skim off the fat in the beginning that how much broth you are throwing out. 
One large pot,
5 pieces of chicken parts or enough to fit snugly, but not overwhelm the pot when you add the fixings  OR The whole flat of chicken or a whole fryer.
2 carrots peeled and chopped
2 celery chopped.
1 sweet onion peeled and chopped.
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
1 teaspoon cumin.
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon pepper.
1 teaspoon paprika.  Note: You can add more spices, or less, it all up to you.  I like a lot.
One of each of these hot peppers (Optional)  Jalapeno, Anaheim, Plablano.
Half of a garlic any size.
A chopped apple (Optional)
 NOTE: Just make sure the water covers the chicken by a inch.
Fill pot with water till the chicken is almost covered.  As it cooks every thing will soften and sink.
Now with every thing in the pot bring to a boil with the lid on.  As soon as it starts to boil turn down to low .
You can cook it for 1 hour on low or cook it for 2 hours on low.  If you chose to do the 2 hour version you will get pulled chicken. so yummy.  After the 2 hour is up remove the chicken, cool and strain the broth and cool for 1 hour.

Now we have our broth to play with.
Freeze all in a muffin tin or ice cube tray, then put in freezer safe bags.

The next time you cook chicken in a pan add enough cubes to the pan, about two cups or less depending the size of your pan. Place the raw chicken in the broth and cook on low or med- low for an hour.  The chicken will be really nice.  Bring to a boil, turn to low.
Note: If your Chicken turns out rubbery it's old chicken, it has nothing to do with your cooking. 

Remove the chicken and fixings then, hold the broth back cool for a hour and a half or more and return to the freezer, until you want to use it to cook meat again.  
Repeat this method as many time as you want.   It is totally ok to add one cup of water to the broth before you cook your meat.   Repeat again and again.
What you are doing is making the flavor of the broth more and more intense.
Then when you decide that you have the ultimate broth for making gravy,  go for it.
Don't for get you can do this with stock too and you can mix stock with broth.
HERE IS THE GRAVY RECIPE 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 to 3 cup broth or stock.
3 Table spoons butter or 4 Table spoons olive oil.    (Update I've been using olive oil lately and it really make it awesome in flavor.  If you decide to use the olive oil it take a little bit more stirring.
Flour  add with a Table spoon.  

FIRST: 
Have 2 to 3 cups soup in a pot simmering. Ready to use.  If you decide later on you want to use more that is perfectly fine.

SECOND:
Cut butter in to small chunks and melt on low or heat oil on low.  Watch it so the butter does not burn. Towards the end  I turn off the burner, lift the pan off the burner and swish it around. 

THIRD:
 Keep your eye on the consitency of the mixture. 
Keep burner on low. Add one tablespoon of flour whisk away, does it look like small dough balls or wet.  If it looks wet add another table spoon of flour and whisk away. Keep doing this until flour is soaked up and you get a bunch of small looking dough balls.

NOTE: OKAY This is the part where you got to trust your self, when you add the hot liquid to the small buttery dough balls it is going to go thought a transformation that going to look like you ruined it.  All you have to do is keep whisking until it look like mash potatoes.  :)

CAUTION: THIS WILL SPIT AND SPAT, AND TAKE CARE WHEN YOUR WHISKING.  

FOURTH: Turn up the heat to Medium.
Now add two ladle fulls to the butter mixture, it will sear in the hot pan. Whisk away and keep whisking until it looks smooth and creamy mash potatoes.  When it looks like creamy mash potatoes, add two more ladle fulls.  Whisk, whisk ,whisk and be careful.  Keep whisking until it has the consistency of creamy mash potatoes.  Then add your soup again.
When you are finished adding the amount of soup you want keep the burner on med low or low and stir about 4 to 3 minutes more.  

FIFTH: 
Now like I said above you are in control of your cream soup/gravy.   If you like super thick gravy stop.  If you like your gravy a little bit runnier add more soup, but in batches like I stated above.   

SIXTH: TIPS:  Oh the possibilities!
Whether it's thick or really thin, this  really is a comfort food.  Have veggies left over with rice or noodles you have an instant meal. And keep in mind no (NO SOUP of GRAVY left behind) no matter how small, even if it one table spoon full it can be frozen.  Here is what I do. Instead of adding all the fixing to the pot. I add the fixing to the soup bowls and then pour the creamy goodness over the yumminess. :)   Have a ice cube tray handy and if there is any left over gravy or soup, use a spatula and scrape out as much of the gravy as possible, even if it make just fills one cube.  Freeze and then plop then into a freezer bag.  After a while you will have a bag full of gravy and soup ice cubes that can either be used as more gravy or soup.

Gravy and broth cubes can be mix together to make new amazing soup or gravy  and they're great when you get home and don't want to cook.  Throw the cubes in the pot melt, add veggies and instant fast food.

SEVEN:  HOW TO THAW YOUR SOUP & GRAVY CUBES.  
If you put your gravy cubes into a pan and turn in on medium, it will burn. So if you have broth cubes melt about a half of a cup full then add the gravy cube.  If you do not have any broth cubes add a 1/2 cup of water.

Note: When mixing soup cubes and gravy cubes, it will look a bit weird as the two things mix together, but when their all mix up and heated up it will be so yummy you won't even notice.

CHEERS & HAVE A GRAVY OF A DAY. :)