- Disclaimer: I do not own SkinnyTaste.com or any recipes from the site.

Time for another recipe review!  I am absolutely loving all the new recipes that we're trying here at home...I really enjoy baking/cooking and get a kick out of trying new things, so I'm having a great time (plus eating all sorts of great foods).

Today's recipe (ok...I really made it yesterday for lunch, but close enough) is SkinnyTaste's Baked Eggplant Sticks.  One of my favorite things about these is the fact that they're SUPER easy to make!  Seriously...cut eggplant into sticks, dip in egg, roll in breadcrumbs and bake.  Done!  Also, very few ingredients, which is always a plus.

When I made these, I didn't have italian seasoned breadcrumbs, so I just used regular.  I thought that, with the parmesan cheese, the salt and pepper, there would be enough seasoning.  There was...but I imagine that the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs would also be really tasty as well, so I'll probably give that a try next time.

I also liked how it didn't feel that you were biting down into a giant hunk of eggplant.  I like eggplant, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I need something a bit more.  The crunch from the breadcrumbs really made these awesome!  Also...Jamie and I weren't in love with the sticks that had the peel on them, so I might peel the eggplant next time (even though I'm pretty sure I'd lose half the nutritional value of the eggplant...oh well). 

Verdict:  LOVED THEM!  They were crunchy and were a great way to get in vegetables.  Personally, I love french fries, so I don't know if I could ever cut them out completely, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at these being in place of those at least half the time!  I also really love how easy they are to prepare, which is probably the best part about them.  I think they are definitely worth a try, especially if you have picky eaters that might not love vegetables...this is a great way to get them into your diet without feeling like you're just sitting down to a giant eggplant!

Since I finished my advent calendar back in November, I've been looking for a new project.   I knew I would need something to keep me occupied during the winter, because we just don't go outside as much when it's this cold.  I figured now was the perfect time to pick back up crocheting!

So...my newest project is an afghan.  It'll be a block afghan, made of different color blocks all sewn together.  I'm aiming for a 72" x 72" afghan, which will require 196 blocks.  If I get tired of it, I might cut it down to a 60" x 60" afghan, which would only require 144 blocks.  Either way, I can get 2-3 blocks finished a night...since they're small, they really don't require too much effort.  I've been working the past 3 nights, and I have 6 blocks finished already, so I feel like it can be done, with some discipline.  Plus, I remember now why I like crocheting...it's really relaxing!  It's so nice to be able to just sit and watch TV, while doing something that requires little to no thought...but still looks nice!

Here is what the final project will look like (only on a bigger scale)
 
(obviously, keep in mind that mine will have 144 - 196 squares, not the 48 that it looks like this one has)

Here is what I've finished up so far:

(I still haven't blocked them out yet - which involves just pinning them or ironing them to make sure they are the correct dimensions and are square - but I probably won't block them until I'm finished with the entire afghan)

Then, here are the four colors I'm using for this afghan.  I might end up picking a fifth color if I go with the 196 square afghan, just to give a bit more variety.  Here are the colors I'm using so far:

Parchment (the color of the blocks above):
 

Meadow:
 

Khaki:
 

Raspberry:
 

If I get with a fifth color, I think I'll get a lighter pink color to go with the Raspberry...maybe something like the below.

Hot Pink:
 

I'll have to see.  I haven't received any of the other colors (aside from Parchment) in the mail yet, so it will really depend on how the colors look together and what else I think I can incorporate.  I figure it'll take some time to put this afghan together, but it should keep me busy for awhile.  I also think, if this project goes well, that I'll make afghans for my Mom and MIL for Christmas this year...that should keep them happy!

This is my new Work-In-Progress post.  I'll try to update every so often with my progress on crafts that I'm doing, and if you have any questions, please ask!

XOXOXOXO,
K.

I'll probably be posting several entries today, in order to keep them separate, since there are all vastly different topics.  That way, you can just pick and choose the ones you want to read.  Really, I'm doing this for you...you should thank me.

So...weekly update on weight.  Last week was an utter cluster in my diet.  I had pizza for three different meals...but god, was it good pizza.  Therefore, it was well worth it in my book.  Tandoori chicken, black olives, onions, and extra cheese.  Divine!  On top of that...I also had cheese cake twice, and pesto/cheese bread three times.  Yes...I'm a glutton...I've accepted it and moved on.

Luckily, my utter gluttony and slothdom (still haven't started working out again...ugh), only resulted in a 0.2 lb. weight gain.  THANK GOD!  Obviously, this week it's back on the wagon.  I'm currently making eggplant fries from skinnytaste.com, so I'll be sure to review that recipe in a later entry today.

So....weight is holding steady at 157.4 lbs.  Another 7.4 pounds to get down to 150, then another 5 pounds after that to be at my goal weight.  Jamie and I have agreed to start TTC in June, so I would like to get down to that weight before we start trying (as well as actually get off my ass and work out before then too...that would be nice). 

Ok...that's it for this entry.  This is also a way for me to track my progress as I go along, so these entries are really for me in the long run...though I love to get encouragement!

Hope you all are doing well!

XOXOXO,
K.

Yesterday (Sunday) was another weigh-in for me.  I didn't really feel any different, but the scale gave me a happy number, so I won't complain!  I am now down to 157.2...officially 20 pounds lost from my starting weight!  I had an original goal of being 20 pounds down at the end of 2011, but hey...another month in the grand scheme of things isn't a big deal.  I'm just happy to be losing weight and feeling better!

Still haven't gotten back into working out.  It's amazing how our bodies change over time.  When I was in high school and working out regularly due to sports, I could eat anything I wanted to.  The working out was plenty enough to keep me at a healthy weight.  Now, as I'm nearly 30, it's the exact opposite.  Keeping an eye on my diet is really what keeps me losing weight, and the exercise is just an added bonus.  I was worried that I wouldn't lose weight without working out consistently, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  I still want to get back into a workout routine, but it's nice to know that just eating right is also doing some good.

So...currently, I've met my 1-month goal in the weight loss challenge between Jamie and I.  The goal was to be safely below 160 pounds (which I am).  However, I really need to get back into running if I'm going to meet my 3-month goal, which was to be down to 150 pounds and running again (I was shooting for 2 miles...my knees really can't take anything more than 3-4 miles at a time, 3-4 times a week).  If I don't get my butt into gear, I'll never get up to 2 miles!

In other news...it's SNOWING!!!!  Our first snow here this year!  I absolutely love snow, so I think I'm going to move my computer to the couch near the windows, make myself a nice cup of tea, and relax under a blanket while working.

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend!

XOXOXO,
K.

- Disclaimer: I do not own SkinnyTaste.com or any recipes from the site.

Today's recipe review is brought to you from SkinnyTaste (per usual).  It's the Applesauce Nut Bread that uses the Crockpot Applesauce I made the other day (though I will say I snuck in a few bites of the applesauce in the meantime, purely for research value, of course).

First, I will say that this bread is a quick bread, and therefore easy to put together and bake.  It requires no resting or kneeding, so it really is "quick" in that sense.  And, once you get used to measuring and chopping, the actual assembly takes hardly any time at all.

Every oven is different, but on my oven, it took longer than the 55 minutes to cook through.  It could be because I have a convection oven, but I honestly have no idea.  So...be warned...keep an eye on this bread when it gets near the end of the cooking time, as your oven might be warmer/cooler than mine.

Verdict:

For a decently healthy sweet bread, this stuff is pretty good!  I can't help but compare it to my Pumpkin Bread recipe passed down from my mom (which is phenomenal), but as this bread doesn't have a cup of butter in it, I can safely say that eating an entire loaf of this probably won't send you into cardiac arrest (whereas, eating an entire loaf of my mom's Pumpkin Bread might send you to a premature grave...but hey, you'll die happy, right?). 

The bread is definitely moist!  I keep mine in the fridge, because I'm weird and believe that keeping sweet breads refridgerated will keep them from drying out, plus I like cold bread.  Whatever...live and let live.  DON'T JUDGE ME! 

Next time I make this (and there will be a next time, because I never met a carb I didn't like), I will probably increase the amount of applesauce to a full 2 cups.  I also wasn't a huge fan of the apple chunks in the bread, but that was probably because they got cold in the fridge.  Yes, I realize that I am a walking contradiction...just imagine how my husband feels.  So, I will probably leave those out.  The walnuts, however...oh...those bad boys stay.  Definitely tasty.

Overall - pretty darn good.  Again, probably not as good as something that will be full-fat, full-calories, full trip to the ER, but an awesomely close second.  I would definitely recommend this recipe, and maybe even suggest that you serve it warmed up (don't even try to understand), and either slathered in butter or cream cheese.  Because, really...it takes fat to lose fat. 

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 - Disclaimer: I do not own SkinnyTaste.com or any recipes from the site.

Oh my goodness.  Gina at Skinny Taste, bless you for your Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas...bless you.  First, let me say, these enchiladas are AMAZING!  We don't have a single "Mexican" food joint in this town, so I am happy to find anything that even remotely resembles something that could be found at my favorite Mexican restaurant back home.  And, enchiladas are always a personal favorite.  And these...these my lovelies, are by far some of the best I've ever made (though probably not even a little bit authentic, but I don't care...they taste good, dammit!).

So...my first suggestion for you all.  Do not make these on a busy evening...they do require a bit of work, and have a fair amount of ingredients listed.  The cooking time is only 20 minutes or so (really, just enough time to melt the cheese and warm the filling), but the prep time can take quite a bit. 

Now...on to the review.  I need to do this while the taste of heaven is still fresh in my mouth...while my tongue is still gently tingling from the spicy bite of the chilies...and while my tummy bloat is still under control and before I realize just how much I over ate. 

I typically follow the recipe to the letter when I make a new recipe, and then tweak things if I feel like it later on.  I'll admit, I usually don't tweak a whole lot, mainly because I'm lazy.  And this recipe...man, there's not much to tweak!  The filling was full of flavor...I had boiled five chicken breasts in some broth yesterday for last night's dinner and for tonight, so that part was already taken care of for me.  I shredded the chicken and used that in the enchiladas.  I have no idea why, but I really prefer shredded chicken to chunks...no clue on that...but the shredded chicken made it much easier to fill the shells without random bits falling out.

We used tomato wraps instead of low carb tortillas...because nothing in this country is "low carb."  I also wasn't able to find low fat/fat free sour cream, so I used full fat...although next time I make these, I fully intend on using 0% Fage Greek Yoghurt instead of the sour cream.  It's a great substitute and still has that awesome tangy flavor, but without the fat.  Yum...go Greek Yoghurt!  Another substitution I made was I didn't put in any jalapenos in the sauce, but I did use the juice from the jar of jalapenos in the sause...it helped cut down on the spice a bit (if you're not into super spicey things).

Otherwise, I followed the recipe.  It was such a great dinner!  The flavor of the chicken and the beans went really well with the sauce...and the sauce was just cheesy, awesome, deliciousness.  Due to the substitutions I had to use compared to the recipe, I'm sure mine had more calories than what is listed, but the dinner was worth every single one of them.  Once I substitute in the Greek yoghurt for the sour cream though, it'll be much more weight loss friendly!

Verdict:  EAT THIS!  And then, make extras for lunch, and to freeze, and to send to me in the Netherlands so I don't have to make my own.

(Jamie even said that it was good...and for an introverted engineer with limited verbal skills, that's saying a lot!)

-Disclaimer:  I do not own skinnytaste.com or any recipes from there. 

So...for my first recipe review, I decided to do SkinnyTaste's Crockpot Applesauce.  Let me first say that I've made a few of her recipes before, and every single one of them has been amazing, so I had high hopes for this one as well.

I chose this recipe to review because it looked easy, it involved a crockpot (so I could make it while I was working) and I really wanted to use the applesauce to make her Applesauce Nut Bread recipe later this week (which I will also review once I've made it, and then ate the entire loaf, all by myself).

Since the applesauce is currently cooking away in my crockpot, I'll update this entry after it's finished with a final taste test.  But, I can at least review the process below, before talking about taste.

First...this recipe is EASY!  Like...breathing, involuntary reflex, easy.  There's only five ingredients, and the hardest part is peeling the apples (and let's be honest, peeling apples isn't exactly rocket science, though it does take a little time).  Basically...grab your crock pot, peel and core all the apples, and then just toss everything into the crockpot and turn it on low!  Can it be any better??

I love applesauce, and while this might not be my go-to recipe for applesauce (we'll see how it tastes after it's completed), I definitely can't complain about how easy this recipe is.  I love that I don't have to stand over the pot on the stove, keeping an eye on it so that it doesn't boil over.  I love that there is a very minimal amount of sugar added.  I love it even more that there are only five ingredients, and you probably have them all in your pantry.

All in all...this recipe (so far) is 100% a winner!  If you have a crockpot and want some delicious, homemade applesauce that has very little sugar (and honestly, you could probably leave it out if you wanted), then this recipe is for you!

--Midway Through--

I'll update with taste once it's finished...but right now, my house smells fantastic and the cooking process is about three hours in (out of six hours).  The apples have already started to break down and get mushy, and the smell is to die for.  Can't wait to try this!

--Verdict--

Oh holy wow!  This applesauce is amazing!  The lemon peel and lemon juice give it a slight "zing" of flavor, but it's barely noticeable...just enough to make you go "hhmm...tasty."  The cinnamon stick really gives it a nice, warm flavor.  I don't normally put cinnamon in my usual applesauce recipe, but I might be a believer after this batch!

I can now safely say that I 100% recommend this recipe.  It's easy, has few ingredients, and tastes amazing!  The recipe calls for six hours on low heat, but my crockpot cooked up the apples in about four hours, which was super nice, since I forgot that I needed the crockpot for ANOTHER meal I'm making tonight from skinnytaste (yes kids, you get two for one today).  Seriously...you should all go out, right now, and buy a crockpot and some apples, and make this.  Seriously.  RIGHT.  NOW.

Today was my first week back "on the wagon" in my weightloss journey.  I pretty much stopped working out regularly after our 6k, and had stopped counting calories back in October.  Luckily, a lot of the changes that I had started to make really stuck with me, so I was still able to lose a few more pounds and maintain the weight loss through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. 

Last Sunday, I stepped on the scale to mark my initial starting weight for the new year.  160 pounds, even.  Pretty decent, I thought...especially since I didn't exactly restrict myself whatsoever during the holidays.  This past week, I have started to count calories again (which seems to be the only way I can manage to actually lose weight, for some reason), and starting tomorrow I'm getting back into my workout routine (3-5 times a week).

Today, after a week of counting calores (though a pretty disasterous weekend full of Indian food, desserts, and cheese galore) I hopped back on the scale, not expecting to see anything, and even anticipating a gain.  Nope!  I'm pleased to say that this past week was a resounding success!  I was down to 158.8...a 1.2 pound loss!

So...week one, I'm down 1.2 pounds.  Tomorrow, it's back up early in the morning for a workout!  I'm going to try to do better of keeping track of my of my weight loss on here, but otherwise I probably won't be posting too much about this.  However, I have a week worth of skinnytaste recipes to try, so I might try to review those on here, if you all are interested in hearing about it!

Let me know if you want recipe reviews occassionally, I'm happy to write about food!

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend!

XOXOXO,
K. 

A month or so after we ran our 6k last year (in October), Jamie got this wild plan to go for a run and increase his mileage significantly without any sort of extra training.  Needless to say, afterwards, his leg hurt.  No big deal, he thought it was just a pulled muscle and gave it a month or so of rest to try to let it heal.  Nope...didn't work.

Flash forward to last week.  Leg still hurts, and Jamie has finally decided to take my advice to go to a doctor to get it looked at.  They had done an x-ray before Christmas, which didn't show anything, so he needed to go back in to get a referral to a specialist.  The specialist said he didn't see anything on the x-ray, but thought it might be stress fractures from that run, that was just being re-injured by Jamie doing all sorts of stuff (he had been trying to start working out again...doing "30 Day Shred" a few times, and we walked all over Brussels a few weekends ago as well).  So, yesterday, we went to get an ultrasound done on his leg.

Thankfully, no stress fractures!  However, the ultrasound showed that parts of his muscle were torn off his fibula, so that is where they think the pain is coming from.  They gave him a Cortisone shot and told him to take it easy for a few weeks, then they would look at it again and start physiotherapy to start to gradually build back up the flexibility in the muscle. 

So, if any of you could spare some good wishes, please send them my husband's way.  I need him to not be injured any longer, because he's a giant pain when he's sick/injured/in pain. 

Hope you all are doing well!

XOXOXO,
K.

I'm not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions.  Typically, I can't keep them worth shit, so what's the point in making one if I know I'm not going to follow through (cynical, but true).  Luckily, Jamie and I started our "getting healthy" lifestyle change mid-last year, so this isn't so much a New Year's Resolution, rather a continuation of what we were already doing.  I tell myself this so that I can convince myself I'm not doomed to failure.  Let me indulge.

So...2011 had us working hard to get back to a healthy lifestyle.  We were doing a "biggest loser" competition, as a motivational tool, which really was a lot of fun and worked for us.  At the end of 2011, my stats were:

Total Weight Lost - 17.2 lbs.

% Change
Waistline % change - down 11.4%
Fat % change - down 14.6%
Weight % change - down 9%

Inches Lost
waist - 4.5 inches
bicep - 1.5 inches
calf - .25 inches
chest - 3 inches
hips - 2 inches
neck - .75 inches
thigh - 2.25 inches
Grand Total Inches Lost - 14.25 (7.35% decrease)

Pictures.  I'm too chickenshit to post them on an open blog for the world to see, so I'll make a protected post with the photos, if you're interested!

Now, Jamie and I are doing another challenge for this year, to get the rest of the weight off and keep in shape.  My 1 month goal is the lose 3-4 lbs., which would put me safely under 160lbs with some wiggle room.  My 3 month goal is to get down to 150lbs, and start running again (it fell by the wayside after the 6K we did in October).  Obviously, on top of that, eating healthy and exercising 4-5 days a week is also on the list.  Since it's a competition, if I win the 1 month challenge, it's dinner out at a restaurant of my choice (probably sushi...omg, sushi).  If I win the 3 month challenge, it's a spa day for me!  Jamie's prizes are, for 1 month, all of his clothes ironed (either by me, or I take them in to be ironed at the dry cleaners).  His 3 month "prize" is a tank driving/battle experience (which sounds SUPER cool, if you ask me). 

So, those are the new goals.  I feel like 10 pounds in 3 months isn't too ridiculous.  I've gone back to counting calories (which is how I lost the first 12-15 pounds), and I really need to push myself to get back on the exercise wagon.  I've turned into a sloth!

Hope you all are doing well!

XOXOXO,
K.