Ranch Crusted Chicken

Oh, man! This one is delicious. My whole household loves chicken and sometimes it gets repetitive to eat chicken too often. This is a great way to help get rid of the boring grilled chicken blues. It's a simple recipe and only calls for a few ingredients. The chicken ends up so flavorful, and it's the juiciest chicken I have ever eaten.

What you'll need: 

1 cup mayo (Kraft in our home)
3 tbsp ranch dressing seasoning (Hidden Valley Ranch in our home)
3 chicken breasts, tenderized and cut in 1/2
bread crumbs (crushed up pork rinds in our home)
parchment paper

What you'll do:

In a bowl, mix the mayo and the ranch dressing seasoning together. In a separate container (preferrably with a flat bottom), add your pork rind crumbs. Take your chicken and dip it in the mayo/seasoning mix. Then, once it's coated, dredge it in the pork rinds. Place each piece on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, making sure to cook each piece all the way through. Remove from the oven, let it cool, and enjoy!

The Wonderful World of Eggs

I love to eat eggs. I love them scrambled for breakfast, or boiled for a snack. I thought I would take this opportunity to remind you of how healthy an egg is. Take a few minutes to read over this site and its 10 health benefits of eggs. Eggs are delicious and great for you. There are multiple ways to use an egg in the kitchen, and I never run out of ideas for eggs. Over the next few days, I will be posting recipes that eggs are the focus of. Come back and learn a few new ways to eat an egg.

My Method for Boiling Eggs

Boiled eggs are great to keep on hand when you are avoiding carbs. Here is a little tip for boiling eggs. I usually boil my eggs at night. I put them in the pot of cold water and place them on the burner, which is turned on high. As soon as the water begins to boil, I take the pot off of the burner and put a lid on it. I leave them sitting for about 10 minutes, and then pour the water off and replace it with cold water for about 15 minutes. I put the eggs into a baggy and leave them in the refrigerator overnight. I either eat them plain over the next few days, or turn them into deviled eggs the next day.

Watch Out!

When you are just beginning on the low-carb lifestyle, it is important to realize that there are hidden carbs in various foods. A good example that I can give you is the wonderful chicken salad at a local restaurant that I love. This is by far the most phenomenal chicken salad that I have ever tasted. If I could afford it, I would eat this chicken salad all day, every day. However, there are hidden carbs in this chicken salad. You see, one of the ingredients that makes this chicken salad so delicious is Craisins. Craisins, like regular raisins, contain carbs, and not just a few. They are very sweet, and, even in moderation, can add a lot of unknown sugars and carbs to your daily intake. Knowing this, I try not to eat this chicken salad often, and when I do, I try to eat only a little at a time. Watch for other foods with hidden carbs in them. Read labels and do searches online. I know I hate the thought of sabotaging my weight loss because of the unknown!

Where Have I Been?

It's been 2 years and 18 days since my last post, and you may be wondering where I have been. Well, a lot has happened in my life since then. Let me bring you up to date with some information.

We'll start in August of 2007. I know, it was a long time ago, but it's really where this story begins. In August of 2007, my husband and I decided that it was time to expand our family. Being a normal American woman who has watched friend after friend get pregnant the month that she stopped birth control (and some others accidently while they were still on birth control), I assumed we would conceive with no trouble at all. Wrong-O! By October, I was distraught. I couldn't believe we weren't expecting, yet. That was when I learned to search the internet day and night to figure out what was wrong with me, or my husband, as the case may be. Every month, I would find "the problem" and do whatever the online posters said you needed to do to fix "the problem." I needed to take Dimatapp for a few months. That didn't work. I needed to just relax, and let it happen. That didn't work. There were many other things that I needed to do that didn't work that are too explicit to talk about on a blog. Suffice it to say that if you google "trying to conceive" or TTC, as I learned to refer to it in online communities, you'll come across many random things that I did to try to get pregnant. After about a year of trying to get pregnant, I started to question an OBGYN. He told me it didn't seem like anything was out of the ordinary, but ordered an HSG test, and also tests for my husband. I won't go into detail about the HSG test, but let's just say it was unpleasant, to say the least. The HSG test, as well as my husband's test, came back normal, and it was time for me to start Clomid, which is the first fertility drug that doctors try. Three months, fifteen or twenty nervous breakdowns (including me on the kitchen floor, crying hysterically for no reason at all), and about 20 pounds later, I decided that Clomid wasn't for me, especially since it didn't seem to do any good. We looked into our options, and decided that we would try an IUI, being that it was fairly reasonable in price, but that would be all we did. IVF and other procedures aren't really covered under Florida insurance, and cost a small fortune. Since there was really no indication of what was causing us not to be able to conceive, it was kind of hard to get any kind of statistics as to the success rate for us doing IVF anyway. We had an IUI once in August of 2009. I just knew it worked. When the next month came, and it hadn't worked, I lost it. It was such a low point for me. So, that month, I gained another 10 pounds. My husband and I decided that for my mental health's sake, it would be best if we put TTC on hold, and looked into adoption.

If we were going to get serious about our adoption, though, we had a lot of work ahead of us. We had fingerprints to get done, DCF clearances to pass, home visits to schedule, and lots of money to come up with. We worked to gather all necessary documents, including physicians statements about whether or not we were healthy enough to raise a child, birth certificates, reference letters, and so on. After a few months, we were given the okay, and our home study was complete. We then signed with 3 different agencies, and got put on the WAITING LIST. That is the most excruciating time, ever. You just wait for a call that someone wants you to raise their child. As long as that period seemed, it did come to an end when we were chosen to parent a baby girl that was due in August. After many ups and downs, and a fall through, we finally brought our baby girl home at the end of August in 2010. Although I would love to show pictures, my husband is very uncomfortable with her pictures or name being used on the internet, which I can't blame him for. I will now refer to my precious little angel as Baby M.

Since her arrival, I have gone into mommy-mode. I have become a full-time mom (without 9 months to plan) and am still a full-time teacher. I have spent lots of time and effort taking care of this precious little girl, while slowly gaining another 10 pounds. All in all, I am beginning my quest to drop 75 pounds. Yesterday, I joined the Atkins community and signed up to receive a free weight loss kit, and 3 free Atkins bars. This isn't anything new to me, since I have lived low-carb before. I know I feel better this way, and am actually excited to get back some energy that an extra 75 pounds takes away. I weighed myself this morning, and have started crunching numbers. I will be updating every Friday with the amount of weight that I have lost over the week. I am being realistic about this, since I will be losing weight strictly from diet and exercise. I will not be taking any medication to aid my weight loss. I will be watching my carb intake, and walking a few times a week with Baby M. Yesterday was day 1 of the two week induction period. Because I have lived low-carb in the past, I am not expecting outrageous weight loss in the first two weeks, as can happen the first time you cut carbs from your diet. Nonetheless, though, I am excited about my journey.

This blog will continue to be information about a low-carb lifestyle. It's not going to be a daily journal entry of my quest to lose the 75 pounds. I will only mention my journey on Friday, when I am updating my weight loss statistics. If you have been to this blog in the past, nothing about it will change, except I will be posting more often (pending Baby M allows me to), and I will be updating my own weight loss on Fridays. If you have just stumbled upon this blog, welcome, and I hope you enjoy what you find here. I post any information about living low-carb that I come across, as well as tips that I find helpful, and recipes I enjoy. Please visit often and learn to enjoy living and loving the low-carb lifestyle with me!

Crock-Pot Chicken Parmigiana

If you miss Italian food due to the whole low-carb/no pasta thing, have I got great news for you. It's an Italian meal, involving a few easy steps, and the ever-so-lovely crock-pot. This one is a little work, so you want to make it on a day that you know you will have a little extra time in the morning. This isn't one you can rush. By the way, notice ingredient that is number eight on the list...drum roll please...it's eggplant.(my new favorite)

You will need the following ingredients:
6 whole chicken breast (or 6 halves)
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup pork rind crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 small eggplant, peeled, cut into
3/4-inch slices
1 can (10 1/2oz) low carb pizza sauce
12 slices Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Cut whole chicken breasts into halves. In bowl, beat egg, salt, and pepper. Mix pork rind crumbs and Parmesan Cheese into separate bowl for dredging the meat in. Dip chicken into egg then coat with crumbs.

In large skillet, sauté chicken in butter or margarine. Arrange chicken and eggplant in crock pot with eggplant on bottom. Pour pizza sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Add Mozzarella cheese 15 minutes before serving. Top with Parmesan cheese.

If you want my opinion, which I hope you do since you are bothering to read my blog, it's the crumbled pork rinds that make the meal. Very crunchy, flavorful.

Crock-Pot Italian Beef

Getting back to the crock-pot meals, this is one that is great. It involves a few more steps than some of the others, but it's still a pretty simple meal. The last ingredient is something that I always have on hand at my house because of the great dip you can make with it, which I'll post later.

You will need the following ingredients:
3 to 4 pound rump roast
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce (no sugar added variety)
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash soy sauce
1 package Italian salad dressing mix (Good Seasons)

Put roast in crock pot. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and pour over roast in crock pot. Cook all night on low or 6 to 8 hours on high. About 1 and 1/2 hours before serving, flake meat apart and continue cooking.

Delicious!

Not a Crock-Pot Recipe

I must say, I am enjoying all of the wonderful low-carb meals that can be made in the crock-pot, but yesterday, I was watching The Victory Garden, (yes, I'm a PBS nut, and my husband makes fun of me all the time) and it was a look back at past episodes. One of the scenes was cooking with vegetables from the garden. He began to make something with eggplant, which, I have to admit, I don't recall ever tasting it. However, after watching him make his meal with eggplant, I immediately went to the store, bought an eggplant, and made dinner. This recipe is a new low-carb take on an old favorite. It's a wonderful low-carb lasagna with eggplant in place of the noodles. It's pretty simple to make, and it was delicious.

You start by cutting an eggplant into slices that are a little less than 1/2 an inch wide. From an average sized eggplant, you get 7-10 slices. He did not peel the eggplant, but next time I make it, I will peel after I cut it. It makes it easier to eat. Next, you grill the eggplant for about 3 minute on each side, seasoned with a little salt and pepper, and some extra virgin olive oil that has been brushed on . Then, layer the eggplant, spaghetti sauce (with or without meat), and mozzarella cheese. Mine was like this: eggplant, sauce, cheese, eggplant, sauce, cheese, eggplant, sauce, cheese. Depending on the size of the eggplant, and the baking dish, you may not get that many layers. Once you have finished layering the lasagna, place it into an oven that has been preheated to 450 degrees, and bake it for 15 minutes. This is the quickest lasagna I have ever had, and now that I know it's good, next time, I will be adding ricotta cheese, and other ingredients to make it my own.

Crock-Pot Pork Ribs

This is the recipe for the simple, yet delicious, crock-pot pork ribs. This is one of the easiest recipes that I have found, so far. You throw all of the ingredients into the crock-pot, set it, and "forget about it."(imagine that in my thick, yet unimpressive, Italian accent)

You will need the following ingredients:
3 lb. Pork country-style ribs cut into serving pieces
1/3 c Flour
2 tb Oil
1 1/2 c Apple vinegar
1 c Water
1 tb Salt
1/2 ts Pepper
2 lb. Small zucchinis, cubed
16 oz Carrots; cut into 2" pieces
1 lg Onion; coarsely chopped
1 sm Cabbage; shredded
1 ts Caraway seeds

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on LOW for 5 hours. Pretty simple, huh? Enjoy.

Shrimp In Tomato And Feta Sauce

Everybody loves seafood, or at least I do. I could live the rest of my life on seafood alone, and be ecstatic. Unfortunately, in order for seafood to be low-carb, you usually have to prepare it in the most boring way: baked with a little lemon juice. In my quest for more crock-pot recipes, I came across a great one that has shrimp and feta cheese. It has a few steps, and you do need an extra 15 minutes, but I think it's worth the work.

You will need the following ingredients:
2 T Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Clove garlic, minced
28 Oz Canned Tomatoes1 Can Tomato puree
6 Oz Tomato paste
1/4 C Dry wine or vermouth
2 T Parsley, chopped
1 t Dried oregano
1/4 t Fresh ground pepper
2 Lbs Jumbo shrimp -- peel, devein
3 Ozs Feta cheese, 1/4" cubes

Heat oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.Add the tomatoes, the puree, the tomato paste, wine, parsley, oregano and pepper.Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on LOW. Increase the heat to HIGH and add the shrimp. Cook just until the shrimp are firm and have turned pink, about 15 minutes.Stir in the feta cheese and serve immediately.

Sounds fantastic, doesn't it? Enjoy!

Crock-Pot Cajun Chicken

This is the first crock-pot recipe I tried. It's simple enough, and had great flavor. It was flavored well, but not too spicy. Enjoy!

You will need the following ingredients:
1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" pieces
1/8 tsp garlic powder
5 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 to 2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried whole basil
1 tsp dried whole marjoram
1 tsp dried whole oregano
1 head of cauliflower

Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder. Combine tomatoes and remaining ingredients except cauliflower in a crock-pot, chicken on top and sauces and herbs poured over chicken and vegetables. Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Serve over steamed cauliflower.

What A Crock!

The wonderful women that I work with are always talking about the great meals that they make in their crock-pots. It seems pretty convenient when I hear them talking about these meals. They also sound like fantastic meals. It seems like every meal they make in the crock-pot has meat that falls off the bone. They talk about the great flavor, and how easy it is to just fill the crock-pot, and then come home to the meal. I decided to look into recipes for the crock-pot, and then decide if it was a purchase I wanted to make. Let's face it, with teaching for eight hours, and then heading to my personal business for another five hours, I need something that is ready to eat when I get home, or I am eating at 10:00 at night. That is just not healthy, and I realize it. Unfortunately, almost all of the recipes that I came across were loaded with carbs, mainly because they all contained potatoes. So, what's a girl to do? I want the convenience, but certainly not the carbs. Then, it happened. I found some recipes that are designed for the slow-cooker (that's the machine, not the person), and are lower in carbs. I am going to be posting these recipes for the next few days, maybe weeks, if I can find enough. Hopefully, they will all taste as great as the few that I have made so far. Thanks to my great friends at work for pointing me in the direction of the crock-pot.

Do It For Real

An important thing to remember when being on the low-carb eating plan is that each time you eat something high in carbs, it's like sabotaging your weight loss. When you are on a low fat diet, and you eat a greasy cheeseburger, all it does is make your fat grams for that day higher than they should be. On the other hand, when you are on the low-carb way of eating, and you eat a hot fudge Sunday, it not only makes your carb count for that day high, but it also starts your eating plan over at day 1. If you recall, days 1-3 on the low-carb lifestyle are induction days, which means very low-carb, and very high protein. It takes up to 3 days for remaining carbs to completely leave your system, and because of that, you start over anytime that you eat something you shouldn't. You have to do the low-carb plan for real. Don't do it half-a**ed.

It may sound like it's not worth doing the low-carb thing, because you can't have something sweet, even if you really need it. This is not the case. It's completely worth working to stay low-carb. The pros of this way of life far outweigh the cons. You feel better, you look better, and it's healthier.

What you need to do is always have a low-carb treat on hand. That way, when you feel like you just have to have something that is not generally on the low-carb lifestyle, like Breyer's Carb Smart ice cream, or Atkins pasta, there is something in the cabinet or freezer for you.

The low-carb lifestyle does take some getting used to. You do have to adjust your life a little, but it is totally worth it. Cheating on the low-carb lifestyle is something that is not worth it, however. Stick to the guidelines of this way of eating, and you will see the changes that you are hoping for.

Had a Bad Day Again...

Bad days are contagious, but hopefully, everyone around me has had the vaccine. It seems as though I have had more than my fair share of bad days in the last week. I do realize, though, and take responsibility for the fact, that I have let them turn into bad days because of my own negative attitude. There have been some unfortunate events that contributed to these days, but, ultimately, it was me who chose to let them alter my outlook.

I am not bringing this up so that people can pity or feel sorry for me. I am simply segwaying into the suggestion that, even though it might be tough, you should not let the "bad day" ruin your healthy eating. It is so easy to just go home after a tough day, and get out the 1/2 gallon of Breyer's Chocolate ice cream. However, there are other ways that you should deal with your problems.

The two main ways I like to relieve my stress are both therapeutic, as well as healthy and contribute to getting in shape. First, I like to journal. This is therapeutic, because I can get a lot of feelings out on paper. It's contributes to getting in shape, also. The way that it does this, is I journal what I have eaten each day. If I notice that I am higher in carbs than I should be, I do tuna for dinner. If I notice that I haven't had enough water, I try to remedy the situation. Journaling is a fantastic way to relieve stress. I also like to take a walk, long or short. If I have the time, long is great. I don't always have the time for a long walk, but even a short one will relieve stress, and burn calories along the way. I also, when I have the time, like to get in a little yoga. The slow, intense stretching, and deep breathing are very relaxing. It's a great way to get, or stay, fit. Journaling and exercising are helpful in keeping my stress level in tact.

Everyone has a bad day, but the important thing to remember is not to let it ruin what you are working towards. I have been struggling lately, and maybe you have, too. We can make it through this, though, and be better people because of it. (I probably sounded a little like a motivational speaker just then, but I sure could use some inspiration, and it seems to be coming out in my writing.)

I Heart Fuze

There is a fantastic product on the market. It isn't new, but there are still some people who don't know about it. It's called Fuze. It's a great fruit drink with only 10 calories per serving. Sounds great, huh? But, here's the kicker. They make a Fuze Slenderize, which is even better. It's got only 10 calories, and it's low-carb. There are only 2 carbs per serving. The best part is, they have 6 Slenderize flavors, each with 4 vitamins and minerals that help you slim down.

Fuze Slenderize contains Chromium, which is a micro nutrient known to improve the amount of energy you get from food.

Fuze Slenderize contains Vitamin C, which is an antioxidant essential for vision, growth and healthy skin.

Fuze Slenderize contains SuperCitrimax, which helps users maintain a normal appetite and increase energy in healthy individuals, which in turn helps support a healthy metabolism.

Fuze Slenderize contains L-Carnitine, an amino-acid which boosts energy.

Fuze Slenderize is a fantastic product that you can buy at Sam's. The cost is less than $1.00 per bottle, making it less than $.50 per serving. I absolutely love it, and so do the kids that I teach. They bring it in to school with them, and love the fact that we have the taste for Fuze in common. If you want to know more about Fuze Slenderize, go to their website. You can even sign up for the newsletter and coupons.

Great Greek Chicken Recipe

I, for one, love Greek cuisine. Greek cuisine is just the best food around. I could eat it all day, every day. The main problem with this is that Greek cuisine is not very low-carb friendly. For example, the first encounter I had with Greek cuisine was at my sister-in-law's brother's engagement party.(a little confusing) We were in the midst of a huge celebration, and the waiters started bringing out the food. Can I just say, it was fantastic! The part that I remember the most, however, was the first thing they brought out. It was a side salad with this awesome greek vinagrette. The best part, though, was when you got to the bottom of the salad. It took me a few minutes to realize what I was tasting. It was a wonderful layer of potato salad beneath the salad. At that point, I was sold. Since then, I have enjoyed Greek cuisine every chance I get. If there is a Greek festival within 200 miles of my home, I convince someone to go with me. I absolutely love Greek food. The problem is that they are usually full of carbs.

There are, however, some lower-carb foods that can be found at a Greek table. They often use a lot of feta cheese, which I also happen to love. I recently found this recipe for Greek Chicken at a diabetic recipe website, and it was very easy to make. It was also delicous.

You will need the following ingredients:

2 Lemon, fresh

1 cooking spray

6 Chicken, broiler/fryer, leg, with no skin or bones

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp ground oregano

The recipe is simple.

1 Cut 1 lemon in half. Slice the other lemon thinly and set aside.

2 Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat a shallow baking pan with olive oil-flavored cooking spray.

3 Place chicken in pan and brush with extra-virgin olive oil and juice from halved lemon. Drizzle with oregano and lemon slices.

4 Bake chicken for 50 to 60 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center when cut with a small knife.

5 Remove from the oven and serve hot.

I like to serve mine with a sliced tomato and feta cheese salad. I loved this recipe when I made it. Hopefully, you will, too.

Why it's Important to Menu Plan

I am someone who never thought about meal planning. After all, it's just my husband and myself every night for dinner. What did we need to plan in advance for? I would just sort of fly by the seat of my pants, as they say. Each day, on the way home from work, I would think of what would be the easiest thing for the night. There were so many problems with this way of thinking, and I didn't realize it until a few weeks ago. There are three main reasons for me to stay on a menu plan.

Reason # 1:
When you menu plan, you pay more attention to the nutrition facts of your meal. It's so much easier to see what you are putting in your body when you know a few days in advance what you are having. It's also easy to adjust for lower carb content.

Reason # 2:
When you menu plan, you save time. You make one shopping trip for the week, and buy what you need to make the meals that are on your menu plan. This means that there will be no stopping on the way home from work at the grocery store to pick up cucumbers for the salad that you just decided to make for dinner.

Reason # 3:
Probably the most important reason during a time of financial crisis: When you menu plan, you save money. When you make your menu for the week, it's usually before you do your grocery shopping. By doing it in this order, you can plan the different places that you should go to do your shopping. For example, if you know that breakfast sausage is on sale at Publix this week, and it is part of your menu plan, you make sure that is one of the places you stop. If you haven't menu planned, and you decide on your way home that the meal you want to make needs breakfast sausage, you stop at the most convenient place that you pass, and end up spending maybe twice as much. Also, like I said yesterday, you can buy things in bulk and save money, if you know you will need them this week.

Menu planning really has helped my household to save time, money, and be healthier. I think it can help your household, too. Give it a try for a few weeks, and you'll be hooked. Hope this helps lower your stress level.

A Little Honesty

I'm going to be honest, and put it all on the line. I have dropped the ball, so to speak, when it came to my low-carb lifestyle. I have been in what I call "Survival Mode," basically just doing what I needed to do to keep sane in this crazy world. Life has been going on around me, but from my perspective, it has stood still. Things that are beyond my control have been occurring, and I hate that more than anything. I have had a little me time this weekend, though, and during this time, I came to a realization. I realized that I am in a "funk." I'm not me. I don't know who I am, but I don't like it, and I want to be me again.

Step number one...Back on my journey to being healthy again. There are so many things in my life that I cannot control. My eating habits are one of the few things that I can control. That being said, it's on. I am taking back control of my eating habits and my body. Hopefully, I can inspire others to do the same thing. Join me, if you will, and let's get healthy together.

To make a long story short, I'M BACK.

Feeling Hungry?

Recent studies have proven something that should make all low-carbers very happy. Food that is high in protein helps you to feel full for longer. This means that when you consume a meal that is low in carbs and high in protein, you will not get hungry as fast as if you had a meal high in carbs. This translates into higher energy, as well. We all know that when we are hungry, it seems as though our energy is down. You focus on your stomach growling, instead of whatever it is you should be doing.

Interesting that it has taken us this long to figure this out, though. What is it that people say about Chinese food? You eat it until you are full, but thirty minutes later you are hungry again. Now think about the average meal at a Chinese restaurant. Your side dish is either fried rice, or lo mein, which is noodles. (carbs, carbs, and more carbs) Your entree usually has some kind of meat, but it is often battered and fried. You can add wontons to your meal, which is basically pastry dough with cream cheese. Finally, you end your meal with a fortune cookie. At the end of the meal, you are stuffed beyond belief. You think to yourself, "I'm never going to be able to eat again." What happens within an hour? You are starving, go to the refrigerator, eat your leftovers, and start the cycle all over again. Don't think that I am bashing Chinese food. I enjoy it every now and then. I am simply stating that Chinese food is proof that a high protein count makes you feel full longer than a high carb count.

When you get hungry early in the afternoon, and you know dinner is far away, try this. Eat a few chunks of cheddar cheese, or make a few deviled eggs. Or, if you feel like it, have a little bit of both. After all, it's low-carb, high protein, and you'll feel full until supper time.

Friday's Taco Salad

Friday's meal is for Mexican Night...Ole'! For Friday, a nice taco salad will do wonderfully. You can pretty much freestyle this one. Whatever ingredients you like in your taco salad can be used, as long as they don't break the low-carb theme we have going. For my taco salad, I use the following ingredients.

This should serve 4
2 pounds ground beef, which cooks down to about 1.5 pounds
1 large onion, chopped
1 packet Old El Paso taco seasoning (mild)

Ingredients for one salad:
1/2 cup tomato, chopped
1 cup of lettuce
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp sour cream

Brown the beef, along with the onions, and add the seasoning mix as directed. Spoon some of the beef into a bowl, and add the rest of your ingredients. If there are other ingredients you wish to add, that's fine. You can also make some guacamole, or tortilla chips to accompany this salad. Feel free to do what you want with this meal. It's Friday night!!