I am amazing myself

I am doing so well in only buying "real" food at the grocery store.  I don't throw anything out anymore.  We use everything.  I may be spending the same amount but I know that I am nurturing my body and psyche.  Here is a pic of a mid-week stop at the store:

2 bags of shrimp, 1 dozen eggs, 1 bag of washed greens, 2 bags of frozen okra, 1 bag of frozen

peppers and onions, 1 avocado, a chicken, beef, mozarella cheese, 5 cans of fire roasted tomatoes,

6 Larabars, 1 box organic cereal for snacks for the kids and 1 package of low carb tortilla wraps.

Technically the tortillas and cereal would not be consider a nekkid food.  But considering all the junk

I used to buy, this is a HUGE change.                                                                                             

Oh. My. Goodness

Several of my family members are studying the Paleo way of eating and it's pretty amazing.  My daughter Katy told me that a lot of paleo people are touting Larabars.  Larabars qualify, in my opiniion, as a Eat Nekkid food.  They all have 3-4 ingredients and they are real foods.  They all have some sort of fruit and a nut.  The nuts, being a fat and protein, help balance the glycemic load of the fruit.  Plus, they are SO yummy.

The best price I've found is Kroeger's on sale for $1 a bar.  I think they would be awesome in a kid's lunch or to take along as a quick snack if you are away from decent food.

Cookin' Cajun....

Ooooie!  I made a yummilicious 10 minute meal tonite that I will definitely be eating on a regular basis, especially once the weather cools off.

Saute some garlic, onion, celery and peppers in a tinch  of olive oil.  This didn't take long because I like my veggies crunchy.  I used a leftover orange pepper tonite.  Of course I added salt & pepper.

Add in some thawed okra & continue to stir.  Yum Yum.

Add in one can of fire roasted tomatoes.

Add in creole seasoning to taste.  I like things spicy & research has proven that spicy hot foods actually increase your metabolism because your body has to work to cool off.

Time for the shrimp to dive in.  I hate it when people overcook shrimp.  I turned off the burner once I added the shrimp and they quickly cooked in the hot broth.  Only cook them until they turn pink.  They should NOT have texture like a pencil eraser!!

Done and slap yo mamma good.  I actually had enough for leftovers tomorrow minus the shrimp.  I love the variety of veggies and their amazing colors.  This recipe is extremely low calorie and is very satisfying.  Let the good times roll, bebe!!!

My new toy

http://www.amazon.com/World-Cuisine-48297-99-Tri-Blade-Vegetable/dp/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312845302&sr=8-1

I bought this spiral vegetable cutter and tried it tonite.  I am in love.  I made pasta out of zucchini!!!  If we are big kids, we will admit that zucchini can be tasteless so why not add some flavor and BUCK UP and try it?

So tonite I sauteed in a tiny bit of olive oil, some onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes, the zucchini and some raw shrimp.  The veggies released quite a bit of moisture so next time I may try it without the oil.  The whole meal took me minutes.  I topped off the creation with some capers.  It was so nice to "slurp" some "pasta."

My new plates

I waited MONTHS for these to be shipped to me.  They are called Slimware plates.  Each flower bud represents a portion size.  There are flowers for veggies, protein, grains and a leaf for fat.  I don't agree with some of their portion sizes (as in the tiny leaf for fat) but how FUN is this?  Once I lose all my weight it will be a good reminder to watch my portion sizes.  In any event, they are adorable.

Breakfast for Carnivores

My husband NEEDS to eat first thing in the morning.  And I mean NOW.  My daughter Katy showed me how to make low carb breakfast burritos so now I make 10 at a time and never have to think about having anything on hand for breakfast. 

I tear off 10 sheets of waxed paper and place the burrito on the paper.  I split a half a slice of cheese on each shell.

I fry up some sausage and one egg per burrito.  I added some mushrooms to these.  If I were eating them myself I would add all sorts of veggies.  I run some water around the top of the shell to seal it once I roll it up.

Ta Da!!  Breakfast done for 10 days.  If I had kids at home this would be their breakfast too.  There would be no blood sugar spikes and it is a hearty way to start off the day.  The more I study the more I understand how blood sugar spikes affect mood and overall health.  The protein in this burrito prevents any of these issues.