March « 2011 « Too Much To Do; So Little Time…

Wordless Wednesday – I Want Food

By Stef, on March 30, 2011

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Banana Bread with Bourbon

By Stef, on March 29, 2011

Emily over at The Happy Home has a cute blog. She has a multitude of posts about a variety of topics… including Home renovations and my two favorite sections Cocktail Fridays and Recipes.

I’m not sure how I managed to get to a post from last September, but I stumbled onto her Banana Bread post. She had gotten the recipe from another blog, but I didn’t care. If you have been reading my blog for a while you know I have my Grandma B’s Banana Bread recipe and I LOVE IT but I decided that Emily’s post couldn’t go untried.

There are some key differences between Emily’s post and Grandma B’s is the following:

Grandma B’s	Emily’s post
shortening	melted butter
sugar	brown sugar
2 eggs	1 egg
	nutmeg
	ground cloves (I only had whole so omitted)
	bourbon (like Emily, none in house, but I got some from Ma and Pa)

When I started making the recipe it was late and I didn’t want to take a bunch of pictures. Emily joked that she never gets a picture of the preheat temperature, but I did take one – just for you, Emily!

Here is the loaf pan before it went into the oven…

…and afterwards…

I am still getting used to my convection oven… the recipe calls for “clean toothpick” test… so I had to put it back in and the top pieces got a little burned…

It was still piping hot and I couldn’t resist putting a little butter on it … remember… I’m low in dietary fat

Hubby said that it was good. Different from my normal banana bread… enough different that one could enjoy it and not really compare it. We could takes the alcohol flavor (oh yeah, I also used Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla which I haven’t ever used before), but not like a shot glass… the flavor was there but it was tasty!

All-in-all, I will make it again! Thanks for sharing, Emily! (even if I was over 6 months late in getting to it!)
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Yet More Fat Needed

By Stef, on March 29, 2011

It’s been a week since I started keeping a food diary again. The only significant change in my diet is that I’m keeping track of what I eat and as a result I have found that I am not getting enough fat! So, I added more fat and I have lost 6.5 pounds so far!

Here is what I ate for breakfast and lunch yesterday. Seems boring when I see it on “paper”…

I did get hungry and Dr. Oz says don’t let yourself stay hungry. I was also low in fat, so I had 16 almonds as a snack. I felt better and had a bowl on homemade chili for dinner. Then I made a new banana bread and had a slice. Yummm.

I need to come up with something else as my “fat” food… any suggestions?
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Is there a doctor in the House?

By Stef, on March 28, 2011

John T. Woods, photo used with permission

How many of you remember John T. Woods?

If not, take a look at my John T. Woods post. Love his smile!!

Remember, he’s my co-worker’s actor son who has co-starred in a few of TV shows (Dark Blue, 24, iCarly, and The Ex List). He had a several-line guest starring roles on NCIS and The Forgotten.

Well… he’s done it again! He wrote me today and said that last week he just finished filming an episode for FOX’s House, M.D.!

His episode is supposed to be on in April. I’m not sure what his role will be, but as soon I hear, I’ll update this post and I will let you know when to set your DVRs!!

What’s really interesting… I dreamt over the weekend he earned an Emmy! Well… ya never know!
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Keeping a Food Diary

By Stef, on March 26, 2011

I started reading a new blog (Muffin Top to Smokin Hot) recently and she’s inspired me. She’s been struggling and I feel her pain! I have put a lot of weight on over the past few of years and MUST loose it. I am a stress-eater. Food is my security blanket. It’s AMAZING how a single white chocolate baking square makes me feel better. Problem is I can’t live on white chocolate baking squares so I will eat veggies… grape tomatoes and baby carrots are often something I reach for. Downside is that they don’t really have a lot of calories so even though I’m eating them and filling up I haven’t been eating enough.

I started keeping a food diary again this week. When I had my previous successes I used DietPower but it is for Windows computers only and I have been using a Mac for 3 years. They don’t have any plans for a Mac version so I had to go somewhere else. It was VERY VERY VERY frustrating because I had used it for YEARS. I had been very successfully, but felt alone.

I looked at different Mac programs but wanted something with me when I left the house – this was a problem when I used DietPower, too.

Now, I have two iPhone apps, Lose It! (free) and Tap & Track ($3.99). I had started “logs” on both of them in the past and wanted to start fresh. I had planned on using Tap & Track, but couldn’t figure out how to easily start a new plan without wiping everything it had stored, so I took a look at Lose It! and it was pretty straight forward so I’m using it. I’d like to do a comparison of the two so if someone out there knows how to start a new plan or goal or diet without deleting everything in Tap & Track please let me know.

I also created online accounts at LoseIt.com and it’s tied to my iPhone app. I can add to my diary from the web or my app. I love the freedom! If you don’t have an iPhone, you can still use their website, but would have to enter your diary via the web.

My goal is 2 pounds a week and a total of 80 pounds. OMGosh! That’s so much, but I know I can do it. Lose It! says I should reach my goal by Decmber 28, 2011.

Interestingly enough I discovered that I although I was eating healthy foods, I wasn’t eating enough during the day. By 5pm I had only been eating between 700-900 calories. WAY WAY WAY too low! So I added more food.

Here is my lunch from yesterday… on the 10-inch plate … one red bell pepper, 6 ounces baby carrots, 8 ounces grape tomatoes, 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese with no-salt seasoning and chives, 2 slices whole wheat bread (no high fructose corn syrup).

Guess how many calories is in that huge plate of food…

…YEP … that huge plate of food is 574 calories…

I eat 5 small meals a day. Lose It! doesn’t let you do it that way, but I combine my two lunches into one.

My plan is the same as previous successes… 6 days of careful logging what I eat and Saturday is my free day. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t totally pig out, but give myself permission to not be so strict… like if I want extra dessert or snack it’s OK. It’s my reward for being “good” during the week and logging my food.

Since I started journaling on Tuesday this week (four days of journaling)… I have lost 4.5 pounds! I haven’t decreased my food intake or exercised my bum off… I’ve eaten more during the day. I did do a custom 45 minute Wii Fit Plus workout one day and walked at the mall while shopping for 20 minutes, but that’s the extent of the changes. Oh, yeah… also making sure I get 72-80 ounces of water a day, more if I’m working out.

Update:Even with going over my target calories two days, I lost 4.5 pounds and kept my nutrients each day near my goals. I also wait 3 hours after eating before going to bed.