What I ate – A Photo Essay

I originally named this post “Weight Loss Sabotage” but that didn’t seem fair – considering my whole food philosophy is to eat what you want – but in moderation.

It’s just that moderation and me – we don’t seem to be communicating lately.

I’m not sure how to get my healthy mindset back.  I know that I feel better when I exercise – that I feel better when I eat better.  i know that I won’t have to deprive myself entirely if I just…basically…MOVE.

SO.

Tomorrow I am facing the music.  I don’t want to see the number I know I’ll see on the scale at M’s tomorrow but I’m going to go anyway.  I’m crossing my fingers that the worst of the winter weather is behind us and that I can actually do more exercise outside than inside.   I’m putting away my Metrocard and walking more.  First up – a walk to chorus tonight.

I’m renewing my gym membership next week and trying Zumba in NJ. 

But first I’m going to go back to Ben. :)

And that’s that.  I have an ugly dress I need to fit into.  I don’t want to have to alter it – and I don’t have time or want to spend money on a new one.

With all that said….look what I made for the Super Bowl.   It was fun to make all this food for a “crowd”.  Dave and the kids seemed to really enjoy it – which makes me happy.

Sidenote – I feel like I’m doing everything half assed these days – as these photos will show.  I need to start taking better – and more complete – pictures.   I tried to fix them with Photoshop but…it’s not really working.

Probably because the shutter is broken on my point and shoot and I muss up the lens with smudges from my fingers anytime I try to take a picture.  Could be the biggest problem of all.  What’s the point of showing you half of what I’ve done???  It’s like me showing you an empty plate and telling you how good whatever I ate was.

Blue Corn Nachos.  This recipe is simple.  Brown 1 package ground turkey with an onion and a drizzle of olive oil.  Add 1 package of taco seasoning – I used a low sodium version.  Add 1 can of black beans – rinsed and drained. 

 

Top with shredded extra sharp cheddar and throw into the oven (at about 375) until cheese is melted.  Garnish with chopped scallions.  Serve with sour cream, salsa and….Jen’s guacamole. Everyone loves hot pretzels.  I served these with yellow or honey mustard.  I wimped out and did the frozen version. 

Mora helped to set the “table”. I made Giada’s Balsamic Wings…. And Baked Buffalo Wings.  These could have stayed in the oven for 5 more minutes I think. 

And chocolate chip cookies for dessert – Toll House recipe – with double the brown sugar as Dave was out of white. 

And then I fell asleep during the game and Dave had to tell me who won.

The end.

Moment of truth tomorrow people.  I hope I’m ready to finally make a change.  I hope a nice long walk today will help get me motivated.

There’s bread in the oven (will be making a sandwich to take with me for dinner).  It smells divine in here.  Lunch tomorrow will be tuna on homemade bread.

I’m really looking forward to it!

Lifechanging

I went to the cafeteria today and what to my wondering eyes should appear?

 A hot pretzel and mustard. Apparently this happens every Monday and I have been kept in the dark.  No longer!!!!

I’m not sure this is actually a good thing.

So – what’s gone on since I was last here?  Let’s see.  I went to PA to Dave’s parents’ with him and the kids.  His mom made a delicious lunch/dinner. Linner?  Lunner? Supper maybe?

What is supper anyway?

Anyway there were lots of yummy food.  I didn’t take any pictures but it was very delicious.  Polenta and sausage and fettuccine and meatballs and salad.  I brought cupcakes and I had a small dish of mint chip ice cream.

But I am happy to say I also did 4 sets of the stairs and can still walk.  I’m loving my new calorie/heart rate monitor.  15 minutes of the stairs burns over 200 calories.  Not shabby.  Not shabby at all.

I hit a 3 year high right after I got home from Florida but the scale today made me happy.  I’m about 5 lbs down from then and feeling good.  I’ve not been too hungry nor have I deprived myself too much.  I’ve been moving almost every day.  Getting back on track is a very good thing for me – both mentally and physically.

This week’ll be pretty quiet.  Rumor has it we’re due for more snow tomorrow into Wednesday.  I’m planning on tossing a lot of clutter from my apartment tomorrow and scrubbing this place down.  My only major plans for the moment are dinner w/the girls on Thursday and a weekend in the city with Dave ending with Zumba and brunch with my mom and Jen on Sunday.

Tomorrow I will show you the concoction I made for dinner tonight.  It was kind of like fried rice, kinda like chili and all kinds of delicious.

I still have 6 cupcakes leftover from my baking extravaganza.   They are evil and they must be destroyed.

I emailed M today to tell her I’ll be back the first week of February.  I should be down a good amount by then – or at least back to where I was when I left off with her before the holidays.  I’m headed to Cancun next week and I’d like to be down a couple more pounds before then.  I’m planning on bringing some breakfast (read: sandwich thins and a jar of PB) with me as well as my sneakers in order to make it to the gym at least once while I’m away.

I remember in the midst of my big weight loss push the girls and I went to Miami for KZ’s birthday.  I ran or walked every single day before jumping in the pool. It wasn’t a big deal and I didn’t gain a pound after that vacation.   I’d love for that to be the case this time around as well.

When at home I used to work out in the mornings so I’d be done with it for the day.  The weather is working against me these days but my gym is right across the street.

And I have the stairs right here in the building. :)

All in all things are very good right now.  I’m actually kind of looking forward to the challenge. 

Sleep well.  See you in the AM.

The egg. Chicken TBA.

Hello there.

It's a pretty standard Thursday around these parts. I am going with the girls to see Eat Pray Love tonight and then to eat after.

I think that's the plan anyway.

The eating, I mean. :)

Yesterday I was home and used my DSLR. I really need to take a class or something to learn the features but as it stands now me + natural light = pretty good pics.

Exhibit 1 - poached egg with 1 slice of bacon over whole wheat toast spread with goat cheese.




That egg was poached to perfection if I do say so myself.

I also roasted a bone in chicken breast yesterday and have been using it for sandwiches etc. I could have sworn I uploaded the pics yesterday but alas - no. I'm guessing they are still on my camera.

Before lunch I had a quick snack.



I made myself a chicken sandwich for lunch and went to OTTO with Dave for dinner. We had a lovely time. Pictures (not quite as pretty as the ones above) to come.

Sorry that's all the excitement I've got today. OH! Except for the fact that I need to tell you I have fallen in love with a frying pan.

More details to come. :)

Old Favorites

This post is a mess. Forgive me.

This weekend I stopped in a little store and picked up an old favorite of mine. Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam.

I also bought a new one that's similar. I think I should have a taste test soon and see which I like better.



Today the Stonewall version did not disappoint. I love it on turkey sandwiches, with slices of a baguette and baked brie, or on a sandwich thin with cheddar.



The vending machine didn't have any baked chips so I ended up with something else that I loved from way back when.



Yeah. It's the machine's fault.

Last night after my sort of interesting massage (I had the 60 min Relaxation Massage it was very stretchy as well as Swedish - like she sat on my back at one point and pulled at my limbs a little bit. It was good - but kind of non-traditional) at Acqua Beauty Bar it was pouring rain. Simply to get out of the rain I HAD to run to Filene's where I took a gander at their fragrance department.

I have not had much luck sticking to a scent. I used to wear Tea Rose and/or Jessica McClintock in High School. Then in college I wore a scent that I bought again yesterday (more on that in a minute), Then I wore Trueste by Tiffany (discontinued), then I wore Kate Spade (discontinued). I tried Lovely (but I think I was more interested in being Carrie Bradshaw than I was in the fragrance) then I wore Shalimar Light (also discontinued -Traditional Shalimar is what my mom wears and I love it but it's STRONG!!) and this spring/summer I wore Bobbi Brown Beach which I love but is super light and doesn't last long.

Did you follow all that?

So. The point is in a fit of 1989 nostalgia last night I bought a bottle of Design for $29.99. It's a tad too strong for me now so I wore it sparingly today but I think it's growing on me again.

I do feel like I should perm my hair and start listening to The Smiths and Depeche Mode on a continuous loop after work though. ;)

Last night for dinner I made some Parpardelle with Meat Sauce. I bought some fresh ricotta at Whole Foods as well.





It was good but I now think the meat sauce was in my freezer too long and I'll leave it at that.

Patti and I are going for a drink after work. I don't really want a drink quite frankly but nothing says I have to order wine right?

Oh who am I kidding.

See you later.

The Rest of the Weekend

Jen and I had two perfect pool days - one on July 4th with the lovely Diane and 1 on the 5th with just us and the parents.

There was a pool and good reads.





There were burgers and dogs.





And chips.



WARNING. DO NOT EVER PUT A CAPE COD BRAND SOUR CREAM AND ONION CHIP IN YOUR MOUTH. IT WILL BE OVER!!!!

They are not even pictured here btw. They are that dangerous.

And wine.



(and wine...and wine...)

For 4th of July dinner I made BBQ chicken and Jen made salad and potatoes and onion on the grill. The pics aren't that good. :(




It tasted delish though if I do say so myself.

Last night I made dinner with the help of Jen and my dad. Jen roasted some grape tomatoes, my dad grilled some chicken. I added the garlic and butter to the asparagus and tossed some shrimp and the rest of the ingredients with the pasta, a little white wine and garlic and olive oil. Plus fresh basil and parsley from Jen's garden.





I'm going to have some leftovers tomorrow for lunch I think.

And then there were brownie sundaes.



Please note the brownies were made by me and Jen at around 8 PM on Sunday night after a vat of Pinot Grigio and the decision to watch Hot Tub Time Machine On Demand.

Yes. You heard me right. I believe the phrase I uttered was "Yeah. I'm drunk enough to watch this."

Classy.


Breakfast was a PB sandwich on whole wheat shared with Allie.

And here's my lunch from today, turkey, cheddar, spinach, and honey mustard with a pickle.



Dave is coming by after work and we're going to try our trivia skills at a bar here in NYC.

Wish us luck!!

I've got a 3 day week. On Friday I head out to Shelter Island with the City Girls for a weekend in LI Wine Country.

There will be stories for sure.

Too many snacks

I haven't had dinner and I'm not sure I plan to as I've had too many snacks. And can I just say that hormonal eating really is the pits. I'm thisclose to going out to Baskin-Robbins for chocolate peanut butter ice cream.

It's also an explanation for eating nearly a whole pound bag of pretzel niblets in the last 3 days and the consumption of a can of Utz sour cream and onion dip (yeah I said can and yeah I didn't exactly show you that) so there is that.

Instead I'm thinking of heating up some turkey meatballs and watching The Pelican Brief on the Lifetime Movie Network.

I should have gone with the ice cream. Then I'd be the total cliche.

I started the day with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte. Sex and the City 2 has nothing on the show or even the first movie. The whole (slight spoiler alert) part near the end with Samantha when Carrie goes back to see the shoe guy (and the women who ask them to follow them) was totally unnecessary IMHO. And I'm sorry - I wanted more city (not to mention sex) but the clothes (and shoes) were fabulous.

Worth the $6 early matinee price though I'd say.

So this is what I had for breakfast.






The other half of this bag is still sitting above my fridge.

And this for lunch. Yes. I ate it cold. Why do you ask?







I've had that chocolate in my fridge since the NYC Food & Wine Festival. It was good. Like a dark chocolate Twix.

And in honor of Ms. Bradshaw-Preston I also did this...






I love shoes. And now they are all tucked away safely. It only took me three months to tackle it. I did the closets and the drawers and my armoire today. Tomorrow will be laundry and scrubbing my kitchen floor till it shines, cleaning the hardwood and making the bathroom sparkle.

I'll tell you what. In my next life I'm going to have a full time housekeeper. It'd be a little odd right now to have live in help. They'd have to sleep on my couch. :)

Wow. Seriously. I'm just lucky there isn't a tearjerkery movie on tonight. I'm totally in that kind of wallowy mood and that's no fun for anyone.

So on that note I'll say nighty night. Sleep tight.

I just ate...

about 8 pretzels with cheddar cheese
2 small handfuls of cashews
2 bites of pasta salad
about 8 more pretzels with Laughing Cow

And I haven't even eaten dinner yet which was going to be goat cheese ravioli.

It still might happen.

I obviously got a huge case of the munchies tonight. I also bailed on the walking thing. I climbed the stairs to my apartment and my legs were aching. I did walk to class (3 miles) last night and to and from work (4 miles) today.

I need to get back to this working out thing though. This ain't right.

It seems appropriate that I take this moment to post my first draft of my Food Writing assignment. It needs a whole lot of tweaking but I'm pretty happy with it overall.

I'd love to know your thoughts.

My task was to write about an ingredient I love - which is shrimp - and how I prepare it now compared to how I did 60 lbs ago. Here is the result.

***

Dieting is like trying to end a really long relationship. You tend to remember the good times while ignoring all the reasons you shouldn't be together anymore.

Some choices you make through the process are easy ones. You can avoid going to fast food places so you aren't tempted by the seductive scent of french fried potatoes. You can change your routine and start buying more things at the Farmer's Market because the chances of you running into frozen pizza while browsing the stalls is close to zero. In time you can strategically plan your day to make certain foods a distant, if somewhat fond, memory.

If you are lucky though, you can work through the issues enough that you can end up being friends with your past loves. If you both change enough sometimes your relationship can evolve into something not exactly hostile, even incredibly cordial.

Luckily in the two years I have spent losing weight I have been able to maintain a very good relationship with several of my exes. So many of the foods I once loved I am still able to eat. This is not to say that there aren't some who pop up and tempt me when I least expect them. Sometimes I turn my back and declare myself done with them. Sometimes we'll have a quick chat and I'll move on. But I'm happy to report that the bulk of those who were so very bad for me have been banished for good.

But then, there's shrimp.

Shrimp is one of those foods from my past that never really went away. Shrimp was one of the good guys. It's always seemed benign, non-threatening, and dependable. It's safe to say that the flavor of shrimp can err on the bland side but it has real potential. It all depends on who it hangs around with. The possibility is there for shrimp to start running in the wrong crowd, dipping itself in batter and taking a dip in boiling oil. I tend to like shrimp best when it lives on the edge, tossed in a spicy tomato sauce or swimming in curry and coconut milk. It adds just the right dose of excitement.

I also have a soft spot for shrimp as the boy next door, doused in a garlicky marinade, grilled on the barbecue, served with a side of potato salad.

I like to think of shrimp like that guy you dated in high school. Back then, you were too young to know that breaded and fried popcorn shrimp wasn't all that good for you. Years later, when you run into him at your reunion all grown up and chilled on a bed of ice with lemon you realize how much you still have in common.

When you meet again all might seem rosy on the surface but there's still the chance that the things that made you incompatible will rear their ugly heads. One night he'll be all light and healthy and tossed in lemony vinaigrette with baby spinach, the next stirred into a creamy risotto. If you're not careful soon you'll find yourself at a seaside shack chowing down on greasy fried morsels.

It's a slippery slope, this being friends with your ex thing.

These days shrimp and I hang out at home more often than not. I remember fondly the days of my youth, when I threw caution to the wind and picked the most figure foiling preparation imaginable. These days I go light on the butter, easy on the oil, and introduce shrimp to a new set of friends consisting of leafy greens and vibrant vegetables.

I even think it's safe to say we're back together.

Dear Vending Machine:

It is entirely your fault that I ened up with Lays Kettle Chips in Harvest Ranch as you had no baked variety to offer me to go with my tuna wrap.

Please don't let that happen again.

Love,
Krissy



Those stupid chips were really, really good.

To combat the party hors d'oeuvres I also packed a snack today. Some pretzels and Cedars. YUM.



More later!

Swings and Things

So sorry for the delay. I was so tired when I got home last night. Here we go with a Wednesday update.

I love the summer. If pressed I'd say fall or spring were my preferred seasons for weather but I really think it's the end of May/early June and the end of September that are my very favorite time of year. Summer's almost here or the fall is upon us. It's not too hot nor too cold. I guess it's my version Goldilocks. They're both just right. :)

And to clarify again I mean weather wise. I also really, really love Thanksgiving and Christmas.

But that's a post for another time.

First, the food.

Snack of pretzels and cheddar cheese.




Tuna wrap, BBQ PopChips, delicious garlicky pickle.




I think this pickle would make an excellent fried pickle. :)

Then after work it was drinks at the Southwest Porch in Bryant Park.









There was a time when I'd be on the east side of the park waiting to get into the meat (or is it meet?) market that is the Bryant Park Cafe. And not meeting anyone worthwhile while there either come to think of it.

Instead I sipped wine while sitting on a porch swing and eating some excellent guacamole. Plus the Porch is very reasonable. Beer, wine, cocktails and snacks for $8 and under. Can't wait to go there again.



Then I took some pictures of the sunset on 41st Street.




I made this one antique like in iPhoto. I like this shot a lot.



It was then more snacky type things at Croton Reservoir Tavern where Carrie reminded me I went once with her BEFORE a wine tasting.

Somehow I don't think that ended well.

Kristen and I shared the Mussels and Chorizo and Hummus. The hummus was tres yum.





Tonight I'm going to an industry event with Patti at Kiss and Fly.

This is how I go clubbing. At 6 PM. :) And for free. I'm not one for VIP table service.

I'm much more suited to porch swings in the park.