Baked Garbanzo Beans

Are you looking for a healthy veggie to snack on?
Try baking  can of Garbanzo beans. AKA chick peas.

For some reason every time I hear the word Garbanzo I think of the Muppet character Gonzo. I just do.

Garbanzo beans are loaded with fiber and satisfies hunger. You can find more about one of the most healthiest foods here.

If you don't like the taste of these peas, then don't give up on them just yet. Once you bake some and turn them into crispy snacks, you may just change your mind. The pea taste disappears and has more of a nutty flavor.

You will need:

• 2 cans of Garbanzo beans.
• olive oil
• seasoning.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Rinse the peas with cool water really good to get rid of the starchy stuff.
2. Drain really well and pat dry. Make sure you get them as dry as you can. I poured mine on to paper towels and patted them dry over and over.
3. You will see skins come off the peas. This is ok. Pick out what you can but don't worry about the rest. There is no way to get them all and they will not hurt a thing. They are just not pretty.
4. Pour onto a foil lined cookie sheet.
5. Place in oven for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and spray or drizzle with olive oil.
7. Add seasoning. I did two flavors. I did half in cinnamon sugar and the other was salt and pepper.
8. Place back in oven in oven for additional 15 minutes.
9. Turn off oven and leave the oven door open to help them get crispy as they cool. But its not necessary. 

Go ahead and eat them all because they don't keep well and will turn soft within a day or two.

ENJOY.

 

 

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Nutrisystem - More Veggies

Well, I just finished up week twelve on my Nutrisystem diet.

Week eleven was slow. I didn't loose any pounds. I heard there would be weeks like this. My body was hitting a Plateau, I think. So the next week I stepped it up a bit. More food that is.

I have been reading on the Nutrisystem website and found out that I'm not actually doing everything I should be doing. I figured the meals they sent me would be enough and maybe a veggie with it and some snacks between. Well, according to them, I'm not getting enough food. I suppose to have a couple power snacks and a couple smartcarb snacks between my meals. I'm also suppose to be getting at least 4 servings of veggies a day. WOW that's a lot of food if you ask me. Its becoming overwhelming. They have a list of all the foods they recommend me eat between my meals. I may not get all that in each day but I am working on getting at least 4 veggies mixed in somehow.


 Nutrisystem- Tortilla soup over lettuce =taco salad

I bought this really cute crock pot food warmer. I love it.

I can put my Nutrisystem microwavable lunches in there, plug it in when I get to work in the mornings and by lunch time, I have a warm prepared meal ready to eat. I can stuff veggies in with it if I'd like and they will soften up just in time. This little warmer does not cook so I can't add raw meats to it but it works fine for everything else.
 

Nutrisystem- Black Beans and Rice

 It works better than the microwave and I don't have to worry about it boiling over anymore. Plus, anything slow cooked is just better.

Nutrisystem- Three Cheese Chicken with 1/2 cup raw baby spinach

On week twelve, I ate more veggies. I bought some V8 vegetable juice to help me out. I do not like it that well but its a quick solution. I also did my best to get in at least 64 ounces of water a day. Guess what...
I'm loosing again. I lost 2lbs this past week and another inch off my waist. I still have 15 more pounds to go to reach my goal. Wish me luck....

Nutrisystem- Lost More Inches Than Weight

I just completed my 10th week on Nutrisystem. I was afraid I would not have that much to share with you this time because I was getting discouraged.

1. Because of financial reasons I was afraid I would have to back off.
2. My weight loss has slowed down and It was depressing me. I had even gained a pound. Bummer.

Then I realized, It's not that bad. 

1. I found out that my insurance company (BlueCross/Blueshield) has an offer in the wellness program that allows me a small discount on Nutrisystem foods. That made me giddy. Every little bit helps and Lord knows I pay out the whazoo for health insurance.
2. I'm averaging 1 or 2 lbs a week and that's normal. The day that I was a little down on myself, I decided to go measure. Guess what? I had lost another 2 inches in my waist. That's a total of 4 1/2 inches. That got me excited. Yes, I actually lost more inches than weight these past two weeks.

I'm still loving all the meals with the exception of two. I just made sure I didn't add them on my next order. Yes I said it "Next Order" I plan to go through May at least. I still have 20 lbs to loose to reach my goal. I do not plan to cut it out all together, I plan to just postpone my order for a month or two to see how well I do on my own. It will save me some money during the summer for my vacations. Well see. Maybe I can find some more discounts somewhere.

Here are a couple more items I love from Nutrisystem.

Nutrisystem Chocolate Frosted Doughnut

The doughnuts are great. I put them in the microwave for 10 seconds and wahlaha, breakfast.

Nutrisystem- Multigrain Pilaf

The Pilaf was so good. Whatever Pilaf is. I added a side of  homemade Pico De Gallo. You can find my recipe HERE.

I'm still hula hooping and with the warmer weather approaching, I will be doing more walking. I cant wait for summer.


10lbs Nutribear

I found a Nutribear hiding in my last shipment of food. I will get one of these for every 10lbs lost. Looks like I will be getting the 20lbs Nutribear soon. 



Starting Weight- 168 lbs
Weight after 10 weeks- 149lbs.


 

Low Carb Ham & Egg Muffins

I have been on a diet since January. Its not a strict diet like most. I can actually eat carbs. I just need to stay with natural carbs and not over do it. Everything I eat seems to have carbs in it. The diet that I'm doing is Nutrisystem (as if I haven't talked about it enough already). I do the diet during the week and on the weekends I like to do my own thing. I do this because once I stop the diet, I do not want to just all of a sudden jump back into the pantry. I want to teach myself and get used to making my own smaller portions with the right carbs.

My daughter was home this past weekend and I always have her breakfast ready when shes here. I feel like its the most important meal of the day and I love breakfast.
While she is also trying to eat lighter, I decided to experiment on making these "breadless" ham and egg muffins

Ok do not let the picture take away from how good they really are.

They were so easy to make and tasted great. I limited myself to just one and one was enough.

Low Carb Ham & Egg Muffins.

1.  Spay a muffin tin with non-stick spray.
2.  Line each with a slice of ham ( any brand will work)

3. Crack an egg into each ham bowl. (Don't worry if a yellow breaks it will be fine. I broke some while removing the white goo thing in each egg) .
4. Sprinkle with shredded cheese of your choice (sharp cheddar is best)
5. salt/pepper (optional)
6. Bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

That's it!!

Mine turned out ugly.
One,because my ham was too thin and it burnt on the edges and
two, I didn't have cheese on hand except slice American cheese which didn't melt in as well.
 
They are really good. Next time I make these I plan to add some veggies such as spinach, peppers, onions, or avocado.

Original (and better looking) recipe found HERE at kirstenoliphant.com

Ive shared this at:
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be-inspired-features-and-link-party at elizabethandcovintage  
worthwhile-wednesdays at craftyallieblog

Nutrisystem- One size down

I have just completed my 8th week on Nutrisytem. Im excited to tell you my latest news.
Before starting Nutrisytem I was in a size twelve jeans. Well, I went shopping last weekend. I tried on some pants and guess what? I actually fit into a size eight! Not all the pants I tried on were so giving but I was definitely a comfortable ten. I was so excited that I took my first ever mirror selfie. Ha!

I didn't buy any new pants that day, thought I'd wait a few more weeks, but I did buy some yoga type pants and guess again, I didn't buy a large this time because I fit into a Medium!

I still have a ways to go. I'm almost half way to my goal of loosing 38 lbs. by May.
I will be going through some challenges along the way with birthday dinners coming up Easter, a beach trip and a wedding for my nephew. I will have to stay strong and keep away from the sweet stuff.

Nutrisytem Pancakes

Speaking of sweet stuff, I have enjoyed my delivered meals from Nutrisytem. Especially the doughnuts and pancakes. They're no Krispy Kreme or Aunt Jemima but they were satisfying. The pancakes came in a powder so I could mix up and make myself. I loved it because it gave me an excuse to cook something. I added sugar free syrup on top and enjoyed. Next time I may add some fruit.

I even had a "vacuum sealed" hamburger one night for dinner. That was weird.

Nutrisystem Hamburger

I added some pico de gallo and lettuce. I did not have a bun so I used whole wheat bread, lightly toasted. It actually was not that bad.

I'm still hanging in there and plan to keep on doing it the Nutrisystem way until I reach my goal.

My starting weight was 168lbs
I am now 152 lbs and have lost 2 inches off my waist.

Nutrisystem- Emotions

I just made it though a total of 6 weeks on Nutrisystem.

The past two weeks have been sort of an emotional struggle for me. I have struggles at work as I get no respect and no positive comments. Only let downs,teasing and tempting.  Little do they know, this makes me stronger.

While doing my exercises the other day I started feeling alone. I noticed I have to avoid my friends right now. I have to say no to dinner and lunch dates. This could lead to binge eating and they may not understand.

Some friends and family members that I come across will say things like, "You are fine as you are". "You do not need to loose weight" or You can eat this or that because its not THAT fattening". Or simple comments like "Your silly" or "Your crazy".  Ive learned that the ones that say these things neither have a need or desire to diet so they could not possible know what I'm going through. I have never told someone they are being ridiculous on their food choices nor have I ever tried to tempt someone with food while they are trying to diet.
My husband, daughter and one of my best friends are the only people that I know personally that are showing me support and helping me through this journey. My husband is always commenting the way I look and how my body is changing. He is dieting with me as well but on his own food choices. He does not complain that I do not cook meals anymore or want to go out to eat two or three times a week. He pushes me to exercise and eat healthy between meals.

With all of that being said-  I am proudly announcing that I have just officially joined Nutrisystem and will be having my meals delivered to my door. I signed up for the 28 day program. I will have to start with the fast five again even though Ive already lost over 12 lbs in a month with Nutrisystem. I felt I needed more to achieve my weight goal and since the food was so good, I wanted different varieties and I got to pick over 100 different foods of my choice. This is going to be exciting. I love my results so far and this is the longest I stuck with any diet. Even though I have not stopped the diet, when my package of foods arrive, It will be like starting over and their website will start monitoring my weight goals from week one of the meal arrival.

My Starting weight on January 1st was- 168 lbs.
My weight today is- 155 lbs.
I'm averaging about a pound or two a week. My scale can be different every time I step on it by a pound or two so I'm going to invest in a digital scale as I start my new road of this journey.

Check back every two weeks to see my progress and updates of my Nutrisystem journey.

Nutrisystem Week 4- Cravings are Less

Wow! Its been a a whole month now that I've been on the Nutrisystem Diet plan. I'm loving that this is something Ive stuck with.

Nutrisystem Pizza with added onions and olives

The truth is, Its not even diet food, Its just proportioned meals to keep me on track.  Hard to believe that four weeks ago I sat down for my last fatty meal of a Big Mac and Large fry! I ate it all! Loved it too.

The best thing is I can talk about foods and it does not faze me anymore. I can ride past the doughnut shop or Chinese restaurant without the urge to order something to take home. 

The cravings are not completely gone but the strength to walk away from them is a piece of cake easy. 

Nutrisystem Beef tips and Mashed Potatoes

With Nutrisystem, I get to eat pizza, chocolate, potatoes, muffins and more! The portions are small but the way I'm feeling now is worth it all. I'm excited each week to see how many inches or lbs Ive lost.  Even if it is just a pound, it's a pound less than last week.

I'm going to keep going. 

Here are my results at the end of week four.

Ive lost 2 lbs this week puting me from 168 to 157lbs.
Total for the month....11 lbs. That's exciting to me.

I plan to stay off the scale and wait to weigh in at the end of February. I also plan to post about my journey every two weeks now so I don't bore everyone. So check back Sunday the 15th.
 

Now on to week five!

Nutrisystem Week 3- Noticing Changes

Just finished my third week on Nutrisystem. I'm starting to feel the changes my body is taking on this diet.

I know, I know, it seems like all im going to blog about now is Nutrisystem. Nope. I plan to get back to blogging on other things soon but this diet just has me excited and its helping me out by blogging my results. Just keep following me, Ill have some new things popping up soon. 

I usually suffer acid reflux and heart burn on a regular basis. This started about 4 years ago. Anxiety will trigger it but most of the time it was my eating habits. I would either eat too fast, too much or eat the wrong things. I never could really pin point what caused the episodes because it would be different foods at different times.

Well, I'm here to tell you that since I have been on this Nutrisystem diet, I have not been suffering from the heart burn, and acid reflux. I think the foods im taking in are more healthy and balanced. I'm still enjoying all the meals they provide.

Nutrisystem- Chicken Alfredo

 

Nutrisystem - Chicken Noodle Soup

Im going for another week!  This is the longest I've ever stayed with a diet. I never would have thought I'd be doing it this way but its working for me and im getting used to the portions. Still just buying the 5 day boxes at Walmart. Im just afraid to take that step of ordering a month supply delivered at my door. Im comfortable taking it a week at a time even if it means I have to eat the same meals over again.

Im excited to say I've lost an inch and a half! My pants do not know that yet but the measuring tape told me so. My belly bulge is shrinking slowly. I hope by spring time, I can wear a fitted t shirt and not worry about the spare tire or muffin top around my waist band.

But....

Im disappointed to see I only lost one pound this week. I have to keep going. Maybe up my exerscise a bit. Its just so hard when I work in an office all day and its dark by the time I get home to do any walking. Im hanging in there.

Follow my journey here

Nutrisystem Diet Week 2 - Its Getting Easier

Week two was easier than week one. I'm seeing results already! Last week I lost 6 lbs in just my first week! I'm sure every week will not be as successful, but who knows? I hope so. Id love to be able to lose 30 lbs and get into a new Easter outfit this year.

Again, I bought a five day kit from my local Walmart. It has the same foods as the last kit with the exception of about four different meals. Ive had no complaints so far. All the food has been really good. OK, let me stop right her for a moment and just say, Nutrisystems popcorn is the best ever!!! I would love to just buy the bags alone!! 

I still get a little hungry between meals but there are snack options. I would eat things like almonds, baked kale chips or fat free yogurt. I also bought some of the shakes that are to be used between meals.
 

I like them. They taste pretty good. I'm not going to say they are absolutely delicious, but they taste better than the Carnation Instant breakfast, Slim fast or the Ensures. Yes Ive tried them all.

I would do things like add a cup of lettuce with my Italian dinners such as lasagna, pizza or rigatoni.

Nutrisystem  Meat Lasagna

I would add a tablespoon of fat free or lite dressing on the side and dip the lettuce into it as a I ate it.  I didn't over do it that way. I'm one of those that like a little salad on my dressing. 

So, incase your wondering what I ate on Saturday and Sunday. You know, those two days between my five day diet? Well, for breakfasts I would eat a pack (about 1 cup) of the Quaker oatmeal granola cereals with warm Almond milk. For lunches I would have one piece of toasted wheat bread with peanut butter and a drop of honey or some Tuna with Jalapenos on top. For Dinner one night I had a sushi roll and for dinner the next night I had fajitas from my favorite Mexican restaurant. This was such a treat! I controlled myself. I only ate half of the plate served and ignored the tortillas, rice and beans. That was sooo hard because I love the rice!

Each week I make sure to add some exercise and drink lots of water.

Here are my results after week 2!

When I first started this diet plan I weighted in at 168lbs
At the end of week one I was down to 162lbs.
At the end of week two I am down to 160lbs.

The weight loss was not as much after the 2nd week but everyone tells me that happens. They say thats why you need to stay off the scales while you diet.
Wish me luck as I start my 3rd week and dont forget to check back on Sunday afternoons for my diet updates. follow my journey here.

Nutrisystem Diet Week 1 - The Struggles

Yaaayyy! I survived one week of the Nutrisystem's diet meal plan. In my previous post about trying this diet, I said I'd give you all an update. Ill even tell ya how much weight I've lost!

First I just want to say that I am not doing this for the benefit of Nutrisystem, I'm doing this to my own benefit. My reactions and achievements may not be like anyone else. This is just my personal experience on a well known diet plan. You should try it too sometime.

Here goes:

Each day I drank 64 ounces of water and hula hooped for 15-20 minutes each morning. Also, with the help of my fitbit, I tried to get at least 9000 step in each day.


Day one: Its terrible. Don't get me wrong, the food is great but the portions are small. I'm starving! I'm so hungry. I didn't know I could add veggies and fruit to my meals to help me out so I ate strictly just the meals that were given. However, I did add a glass of Fusion energy juice, which I love. My calorie intake for the whole day was 1020 calories. I'm craving bread!

Day two: I woke up with a head ache. loved the chocolate breakfast muffin and my hunger is not as bad this day. I snacked on lettuce, fresh avocado and mixed nuts between my meals. I cant wait til breakfast!

Day three: No head ache today, just sore from hula hooping. Its getting easier. My breakfast this morning was a bagel. I added just a smear of regular cream cheese to it. yum!. It was like eating a steak. I added some oranges and grapes for snacks between meals. I feel like I have just a little bit more energy and the bloated feeling seems to be going away. Maybe Ive lost a pound but I'm not stepping on the scales just yet. Not until the end.

Day four:  Woke up feeling great. I'm starting to like it now. I'm not even hungry, just cold. Its 10 degrees this morning so I enjoyed the granola cereal for breakfast. Instead of milk, I used almond milk and microwaved it for 15 seconds and wah lah, I had a warm, sweet, and tasty granola cereal. I never got hungry before lunch. Today I added some fresh tomatoes and fruit as snacks. I accidentally skipped morning snack. Unbelievable! I also didnt eat my dessert after dinner. It was popcorn today and I was waiting until I had a craving to eat it but the craving never came.

Day five: This is the last day of meals in my box. I feel great but sorta hungry again this morning (I should have eaten that dessert last night). I do feel balanced and satisfied today. I'm skipping the usual Friday night outing to a restaurant. However, I will be going out Saturday and probably cook something on Sunday. Sorta like a treat for sticking to this during the week days. Ill take it easy though and I'm a little afraid and freaking out since I don't have my meals at hand. I will be attending a birthday party Sunday so I have to avoid the cupcakes and pizza but I can do this.

I'm excited at my results so keep reading and find out what they were.

Here are some questions I have been asked.....

What was the best part of this plan?- Not having to figure out what to eat. Its portion controlled too so I didn't have to measure and weigh everything out. Foods are easy to prepare and simple to take to work with me. They do not need to be put in freezer or fridge and take less then 2 minutes in the microwave.

Worst thing about this plan? - Giving up bacon!!!! I love bacon! Also, I hate not sharing a meal with my husband. He is left to defend for himself. Hes not complaining though.

Will I continue further with this plan?- I've decided to do it another week. Im going to take it week by week. I do not think one week is enough to really show accurate results. Sure there are low cal recipes out there but why stress over what to buy and cook when the Nutrisystem meals are right here and ready?

How did the food tastes?- I liked everything. To me, the meals tasted better than any lean cuisine Ive ever eaten and I like those. The meat in the meals were tender and not fatty, none were tough or had any gristle, the chicken seamed to be all white chunks which I like too. I couldn't wait til my next meal. Something different every day. It was sorta fun.

How much weight did I loose?- I weighed in the first morning at 168 lbs. (I don't mind telling my weight. It is what it is.) Wowzaaa!
The morning after my five days, I weighed in at  162 lbs!!!

THAT'S 6 LBS LOST!!!!
YA ME!!

Everyone is different and weight loss and satisfaction varies with each person. My weight fluctuates two or three pounds from day to day so I'm sure its not completely accurate weight loss but I liked what I saw and it gave me motivation to carry on.

As long as Im doing this diet, I will post my results each Sunday afternoon. So follow me. Any comments are welcome too.

Nutrisystem Challenge

Like everyone else, this time of year I want to make changes to myself, set goals and loose weight. I try all year but its January when I feel the urge to start fresh.

I love to eat and I nibble on everything in the house. If its in the cabinet or on the counter, it will be gone whether I like it or not. I just love to eat. Thats why I can not stick to a diet. But I need to do something or I will hate myself even more when it comes to beach time.

After several diet fails, Ive decided to take a chance with the Nutrisystem diet. I did not want to pay alot of money and sign up for the program from the infomercials on TV. It seems way to expensive when I may not even like it or be able to handle the small portions it includes.

Lucky for me, Walmart carries a five day box. With a price of about $45.00, It includes a five day supply of all the meals I need to accomplish a healthy diet while keeping it proportioned. Hey, I sorta liked walking in, grabbing a box of meals and zooming out.

I hope nobody was paying me any attention because I sure didn't feel like no Marie Osmond as I darted out wearing fat clothes and craving a cheeseburger.

Here is what the inside contents looked like. yum right?

I will be eating like an astronaut for a week.

This is what my first whole day looks like.

 and....

This is what one of my first meal of the day consist of.

A muffin. A little dinky muffin. However, it does suggest eating fruits, nuts or raw veggies with each meal. 

This leaves my husband defending for himself in the kitchen, but he also likes the idea of not having to come up with dinner plans each night. He is a healthy eater already. He eats lots of salads and nuts and walks at least five miles a day. He has lost a lot of weight already on that alone. I hate walking unless its down the beach and I hate eating healthy. This is gonna starve me.

Along with my diet, I plan to exercise with my hula hoop in the mornings before work. I already do about 15 to 20 minutes each morning so I will just continue. Maybe add more wiggle or something. Its dark when I leave work in the afternoons so its hard to go for a walk. (I know, I'm already making excuses ).
Anyway, I'm weighed in so wish me luck and check back Monday morning at a new post with my update on how the week went.



What is your weight loss plan for the new year? I know ya got one.

Meanwhile, will someone please turn the light off at the doughnut shop?