My 2nd 5K! Glow in the night!

19 May

So, a couple of months ago, I reported that my husband and I had walked our first 5k, which was exciting. We pushed the stroller the whole way, so I was literally just walking the whole time, and I finished in 1 hr 6 minutes. Last night, we did a “glow in the dark” color run (where they throw all the colored powder at you along the way…) and it was super fun. We had a good time hanging out with a few of our friends and walking/running the course. My husband improved his time to finish in 32 minutes!!!! And I finished in 43! I can’t wait until the day when I can run all 5k’s, but for now, I’m pretty darn excited about this!

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Unstuffed Peppers

17 May

Ingredients:
– 1 lb lean ground beef (90%)
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cloves of garlic, chopped (or 2 tbsp minced)
– 1 can diced tomatoes
– 1 1/2 cups brown instant rice
– 1 bag frozen mixed peppers
– 3 tsp worcestershire sauce
– 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
– 1 tsp italian seasoning
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 cup of cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Cook Beef, garlic, and onion together, and drain fat.

2. Mix all remaining ingredients except for cheese, and pour into a 9X13 pan.

3. Top with cheese, cover with foil and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

4. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. This is important. Don’t skip this step 🙂

6 Servings= 343 Calories per serving

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Roasted Garlic and Lemon Cauliflower

14 May

Wait! I know what you’re going to say… “cauliflower!? yuck!”. You’re wrong on this one. Trust me. THIS IS DELICIOUS and I have never met a cauliflower I liked. I also make this with a mix of fresh carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Ingredients:

– 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2-1/4 pounds), trimmed and cut into florets
– 3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced (or 3 tbsp. minced garlic)
– 2 tbsp. olive oil
– 2 tablespoons lemon juice
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
– 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Combine cauliflower and garlic in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

3. Transfer, in a single layer, to a large rimmed baking sheet.
4. Roast at 450 degrees F for about 25 minutes, stirring once.
5. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately

4 servings= 125 Calories per serving  

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Orange-Pineapple Right-side-up Cake

13 May

Ingredients
– 1 box of orange cake mix
– 1 can of 20 oz crushed pineapple (in juice, not syrup)
– 5 egg whites
– 1 tub cool whip free* (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix cake, eggs, and pineapple together.
2. Pour into a prepared (sprayed with non-stick spray) glass 13×9 pan.
3. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
4. If desired, cool cake completely, and top with cool whip.

Variations: The cool whip on this is totally optional. The cake is awesome without it. If you choose to do the cool whip, you could also top with fresh berries to make this extra pretty.

You can also sub: white cake mix, orange, yellow, lemon, or angel food cake.

12 Servings= 210 calories per slice (without cool whip)
12 Servings- 240 Calories (with cool whip)
15 servings= 167 Calories (no cool whip)
15 servings= 187 Calories (with cool whip)

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Aside

Welcome to “Mommy’s on a Diet”

12 May

Hi There!  So, welcome to my blog! (That was for both me and you…since this is my first time blogging).  If you’re here, following me… well, i hope i can provide something valuable for you now and then.  This blog has been designed for me to document my weightloss journey as a working mom, who spends a lot of time in restaurants, hotels and airports.  This started when my husband and I joined a weight loss competition in January, 2013, and lost about 25 lbs in 11 weeks.  This is my place to document the continuation of that journey.  I love to cook, and have been trying lots of great new recipes since “lightening up” our lifestyle.  We’ve also started working out at the local Y, which I enjoy more than I ever expected I would.  So I’ll be posting things like Recipes, Favorite restaurant foods, exercise plans, and general updates on my progress… the good, the bad, and… the tasty 🙂 

French’s Fried Onion baked Chicken

12 May

I can’t take credit for creating this recipe, but I will take credit for sharing it with you 🙂  It’s delicious. One of my family’s favorites.  My daughter dips hers in honey.

Ingredients:

– 2 1/2 cups French’s Fried Onions (regular or cheddar)

– 1 egg

– 2 tablespoons flour

– 4 (4 oz) boneless chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Clean and dry chicken breasts.

2 Put fried onions into food processer, and grind until they’re well chopped.

3.  Mix onions and flour.

4. beat egg in a shallow bowl.

5. Dip chicken into egg; then coat with onion crumbs, pressing firmly to adhere.

6. Place chicken on baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 20 min.

4 servings= 365 Calories per serving

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Mixed Berry Cobbler

10 May

So, there are two ways you can make this.  You can make it pretty healthy, and use a regular yellow cake mix, or, you can make it very low calorie by using a sugar free cake mix, which is my preference.  However, my husband thinks it tastes a little “diet-y”.  I disagree.  I think this cobbler is great, particularly for a “diet” dessert.  Try it out, and you be the judge!

Ingredients:

– 1 box of yellow cake mix (sugar free or regular)

– 1 can of diet soda (i used mello yello zero.  diet sprite, sierra mist, sprite zero would all work)

– 4-5 cups of frozen fruit of your choice (i used cherries and blueberries)

Directions:

1. Spread Fruit on bottomo of a 9X13 baking dish.

2. Pour cake mix evenly over top.

3. Pour soda over the top of cake mix.  DO NOT MIX.

4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Variations:  Spice cake and frozen apples or peaches.  White Cake instead of Yellow.

Serves: 12= 179 calories per serving*

*my calorie count was based on sugar free cake mix, and a mix of cherries and blueberries.

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Beef Burgundy with Egg Noodles

9 May

This makes just exactly 4 servings, and it was a little higher in calories than I like to do for dinner, but it was pretty darn yummy, and I’ll make it again.

Ingredients

– 2 slices turkey bacon, cut into squares

– 1.25 lbs Top Round Steak

– Salt and Pepper

– 1/4 cup flour

– 1/2 tsp seasoned salt

– 1/4 tsp dried marjoram

– 1/2 tsp dried thyme

– 1 clove minced garlic

– 1 beef bullion cube, crushed (I used my garlic press to crush it)

– 1 cup red wine (I just sued the cheap cooking wine from Kroger)

– 1 package fresh sliced mushrooms

– 2 tbsp corn starch

– 2 tbsp cold water

– 4 cups uncooked egg noodles

Directions:

1. cook turkey bacon in skillet.  Remove and place into crockpot.

2. coat Sirloin on both sides in flour.  Salt and pepper beef. Brown all sides in remaining bacon grease.

3. Combine all ingredients except: mushrooms, noodles, corn starch, and water in crockpot.

4. cook on low 6 hours, then add mushrooms.

5. continue to cook 1-2 hours.

6. In a separate container mix corn starch and water together until liquid is thin and smooth.

7. Boil Egg noodles while sauce thickens.  (it thickened very quickly, and I actually added some more water to thin it out)

8.  Divide noodles and Beef into 4 servings.  Serve Beef over noodles.

9. Add corn starch “slurry” to crockpot to thicken sauce.

4 servings= 655 Calories

 

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Lemonade Pie

8 May

Ingredients:

– 1 block of fat free cream cheese

– 1 small box of fat free, sugar free vanilla pudding

– 1 cup of 1% milk

– 2 tsp crystal light lemonade mix

– 1 tub of cool whip free (divided into 2 halves)

– 1 reduced fat graham cracker crust

 Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese until soft. Add pudding, milk and lemonade.  Mix well.

2. Fold in 1/2 of cool whip.  Fill pie shell with this mixture. Top with remaining 1/2 of cool whip.

3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hrs before serving.

Also good frozen.  YUMMMMM…. enjoy 🙂

8 servings=    225 Calories per serving

Panera Bread- Where you can get a real meal, for under 300 calories!

7 May

Panera Bread is a dieters paradise, as far as healthy options are concerned.  Their “you pick 2” menu allows you to have some variety, and indulge in 2 different items without feeling guilty.  Of course, you can also go VERY wrong with this approach, but…  by visiting their website ahead of time, and checking out your options, you can really make some great decisions and not feel like you’ve been cheated on flavor.  Below are some of the great combos that i most often eat at Panera.  Add an apple for your “side” for only about 90 calories more!

First, a word about my 2 “go to” items when i want to have something a little naughtier from the “pick 2” menu.  Chicken Noodle soup, and the Classic Salad.  These 2 items are so calorie-friendly, that they allow me to really endulge in my second item.  Keep them in mind if you want to splurge on a calorie-packed sandwich.

My Favorite Panera Bread “You Pick 2” combos

(add 90 calories if you add an apple for your side)

 

Chicken Noodle Soup + Classic Salad= 210 Calories                       

Chicken Noodle Soup + Greek Salad= 310 Calories  

Black Bean Soup + Greek Salad= 350 Calories

Tomato Basil Soup + Classic Salad= 410 Calories

French Onion Soup+ Asian Sesame chicken Salad= 430 Calories

Chicken Noodle Soup + roasted turkey, white cheddar, Apple panini= 510 Calories

Tomato Basil Soup + Greek Salad= 510 Calories

Chicken Frontega Sandwich + Classic Salad= 510 Calories

 

NOTE: All salads include dressing, and nutritional info was taken directly from the panera website.

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