Frozen Yogurt Trail Mix Bars

Frozen yogurt trail mix bars. Are you drooling? You should be. Tasty and nutritious. Amazeness.

You can see the recipe HERE. Here's how I made mine.

Berry Granola Frozen Yogurt Bars (makes 10 bars)

2 C. plain 0% Greek yogurt (I used Aldi's brand)
one 5.3 oz. container raspberry Greek yogurt (I used Aldi's brand)
3/4 C. sliced strawberries
1/2 C. blueberries
1/4 C. blackberries (cut in half if they're large)
3/4 C. homemade quinoa granola*

Mix everything together. Pour into parchment-lined 11x7-inch biscuit-brownie pan and freeze until solid. (I left mine overnight, about 10 hours.) Remove from freezer and score (make shallow cuts in the surface) for cutting bars of equal size - 10 pieces, approximately 2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Let the bars thaw until soft enough to cut (original recipe said 5 minutes; mine took about 40 minutes) and cut along score markings. Wrap each bar in wax paper. Place all the wrapped bars in a Ziploc baggie and store in freezer until ready to eat.

Nutrition (for 1 bar)
Calories: 101
Fat: 3
Carbs: 11
Protein: 7

Simply perfect with breakfast or for a snack. And the flavor combinations are endless.

I'm thinking....
peaches and plums
cherries and apricots
pomegranate arils, tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, papaya), toasted coconut
oranges and cranberries


*Homemade Quinoa Granola (makes about 3 cups)
1 C. old-fashioned oats
1/2 C. steelcut oats
1/2 C. quinoa
1/2 C. chopped almonds
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C. maple syrup

Stir together and spread on baking sheet. Bake 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring after 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 325 and bake another 30 minutes. Cool completely. (I wanted a super crunchy not-too-sweet granola for these bars and this was perfect.)

Pondering bread

I'm 99% certain I am wheat intolerant but not gluten intolerant. I don't seem to have a problem with gluten-containing things like soy sauce or malt. (But then again, I've never drank a gallon of soy sauce.) So, I've been pondering this and wondering if I could eat bread that is wheat free even if it is not gluten free. Maybe using a grain like barley or rye?

I found this recipe that uses barley and garbanzo flours. It's wheat free...and even more exciting it's low cal and low carb. (At a quick calculation, I think it has around 100ish grams of carb per loaf. Not sure how big the loaves are, but guessing at 10 slices per loaf, that's only 10 grams of carb per slice. Woa.) I simply MUST try this.

Cauliflower Hot Pockets

I was never a fan of Hot Pockets. The dough is nasty and the fillings taste very low quality. But did I eat them occasionally? Yep, because they're pretty damn convenient and cheap (which is, basically, the definition of processed foods).

Because of the "convenient" aspect of Hot Pockets, I was excited to find this recipe for Cauliflower Hot Pockets. The recipe creator just took the very popular idea of cauliflower crust pizza and made it into a Hot Pocket. Genius!

Low carb, wheat free, healthy.....and still convenient and cheap. Plus you're getting a couple extra servings of veggies! For the win.

I made mine with a filling of chicken, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, onions, and cheddar. (And I omitted the oregano, though that would yummy for one with Italian fillings.) 

Here's the nutritional info for the one I made (calculated with 1 oz. chicken, .25 oz. cheddar, 1/4 broccoli, and a sprinkling of the other veggies):

Calories: 201
Carbs: 8
Fat: 10
Protein: 21

Compared to the nutrition info for a Chicken & Broccoli Hot Pocket:
Calories: 290
Carbs: 37
Fat: 10
Protein: 10

If you're going for protein and not carbs - and ingredients you can recognize and pronounce - the homemade cauliflower version is the obvious choice.

Edited to add

So delish I made it again! I made half the dough into a breakfast hot pocket filled with scrambled eggs, spinach, and cheddar (which reheated in the oven perfectly). The other half I cooked the full 22 minutes, without filling it. Then I folded it, like a pita or a taco shell, and baked it for another 5 minutes. Then I filled it with meatballs for a meatball sub. So much yum!

Drooling over brekkie

Looks like a mighty tasty crêpe, doesn't it? But, no. This wondrous thing is a low carb, wheat free, gluten free SWEET OMELET.

I made the omelet as directed in the recipe and then used the "it's just like a crêpe" to make a Cheese Blintz (with a yumtastic filling of sweetened cottage cheese + sour cream) and topped it with blueberry compote.

Plus, this....

I'm dying over here, folks.

Nutrition Info (for the omelet thingy)
Calories: 281
Carbs: 18
Fat: 17
Protein: 14

Calculated using these ingredients (1 serving)
"Crêpe" = 2 eggs, 2 tsp. (and a pinch) sugar, 1/2 T. unsalted butter
Filling = 1 T. cottage cheese, 1 tsp. sour cream, 1/2 tsp. sugar
Blueberry compote = 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 tsp. sugar

Dessert for dinner

Generally and for the most part I avoid protein/meal bars because the list of ingredients is ten kinds of horrifying. (There are some exceptions but this is mostly true.) The thing is, though, they're damn convenient and useful for emergencies.

I recently discovered a meal bar that made me swoon.

It tastes like you're eating a blob of cookie dough. But nutritionally it's like a smallish meal - calories 180, protein 10, carbs 24. And it's wheat free*! Cookie dough is def on my list of things I've missed since going wheat free so....o my g!


And another one I like.....

Calories 200, protein 15, carbs 21. It tastes like peanut butter fudge. Droolness. And again - wheat free*!


*Wheat free but not safe for those with Celiac or who have a severe gluten intolerance. 

I ate the whole thing

Confession time.

Yesterday I was at the gas station and a bag of nacho cheese Bugles caught my eye. "No," I told myself. I went out and pumped my gas.....and daydreamed about those salty cheesy crunchy corny Bugles....until I went back in and bought them. "Just a few," I told myself. And then devoured the entire bag. Three servings. *le sigh*

Salty crunchy snacks are so my weakness.

Happy body and random thoughts

I totally forgot how absolutely fabulous I feel when eating low carb and gluten free. When I drop all the grains from my diet it's like my body is rejoicing and shouting "Thank you!"

No more brain fog. No more achy joints. No more heaviness. No more bloating. No more tummy issues.

Why (and how) can I can forget this?

And the weight is flying off. I weighed in this morning at 178.4 - down almost 6 pounds in 12 days. I'm still not quite back to where I was in August which is sad but I'm definitely back on track again. Yayness!

It's also wonderful to have my appetite back in control. Carbs just make me ravenous. It's like my brain is constantly chanting, "Need food need food need food." To be able to eat just a bit of meat and veggies and feel totally fine? That's so much marvelous.

Oh, and another weird thing about carbs? They seem to dull my taste buds. All of a sudden food has flavor again. I ate some berries and I was swooning over the sweetness. When I was eating too many carbs everything was just.....flat.

I made the switch to almond milk in my coffee this week. At first, it was hard to adjust because it doesn't make the coffee as creamy as milk. But I'm ok with it now. And the nutritional difference is worth it. Calories (in 8 ounces) - 60 compared to 148. (!) Carbs - 8 compared to 12 - and fat - 3 compared to 8.

And I went clothes shopping at Goodwill. I got new outfits for my niece's bridal shower and for Easter. It's so nice to have pretty clothes after a winter of wearing lots and lots of layers and comfy clothes. And it's also fabulous to find myself caring about clothes again. For months my only priority was warmth.

Also, I got my hair cut. Like, super crazy short. I love it and have gotten a few positive comments. But also some not so nice comments. Why do people think the length of someone's hair has anything to do with their sexual preference? Having short hair does not mean I'm a dyke. Grrrr.  I actually feel more feminine and sexy with short hair. When my hair is longish I feel.....messy.

So that's April, so far, in review. May the rest of the month be as wonderful.

And....I'm back!

At the beginning of November, I cut my finger when I was doing dishes and a casserole dish shattered in my hand. I managed to get that cut in just the right spot, in just the right way to sever both tendons in the finger so I had to have surgery the week before Thanksgiving. I had a cast until the middle of January.

I was exhausted. I was in pain. And everything was complicated. I could barely shower, or dress myself, or cook, or clean the house, or type. (Also, do you have any idea what it's like to deal with snow boots, coat, hat, gloves, etc. when you're one-handed? OMG.)

I pretty much depended on people to bring me food. They got the gluten free part, but not really the low carb part so my eating was wildly off-plan. And my physical therapist discouraged me from exercising because of potential problems with re-injuring my finger, elevated blood pressure. etc.

So, for 4ish months I was a whiny pathetic carb-consuming blob. And I gained about 15 pounds. And it's taking me most of March to get my head back in the game.

But now I'm back and I'm gonna kick that scale's ass. And when it FINALLY stops snowing (grumblegrumble) I'll start running again.

Foodie Penpals October

Foodie Penpals is coordinated by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean. Participants send off a box of food stuffs to their assigned partner and in return they receive a box of goodies. How fabulous is that? (You can read more about it - and sign up! - HERE.)

My September partner was Ruthie from New York City who blogs at The Tasty Truth. She's a food reviewer/journalist and a health food advocate, and all of that was evident in the treats she sent me. According to the note she included in the package, all the things she chose were things she'd splurge on for herself. Um, Ruthie, do you need a roommate? *smile*

Just look at all the delightful healthful yumminess she mailed me:

Gluten free chocolate almond Bobo's Oat Bar. The taste and texture of this was very similar to the cookies my grandmother used to make. That made my heart so very happy.

Coconut Maple Vanilla Superfood. It's called an "oat-based cereal" and you just add water (hot or cold) to the cup for a breakfast-to-go. It's gluten free, organic, and has no refined sugar or additives or preservatives. I can't wait to try it!

Orange-Ginger Almonds. Non-GMO, no refined sugar, and so delish. Ginger is one of my favorite flavors! I'm totally thinking about tossing some in the food processor to make almond butter. How amazing does that sound?

*not the actual product

Macaroons!!! Piña colada macaoons, to be exact. OMG. I opened the container and was overwhelmed by the scent of coconut-rum amazingness. According to the label they're "all natural, no sugar added" and the company is New York based so I'm guessing it's a local treat (?). To prevent myself from eating the entire batch of these myself, I took them to a party - having dipped them in dark chocolate. Sooo tasty.

And, finally, an apple pie flavored Larabar! Such a simple list of ingredients: dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon. Larabars are so nice. And what a perfect fall flavor.



THANK YOU SO VERY VERY MUCH RUTHIE! SO MUCH YUMNESS.....YOU'RE SIMPLY THE BEST!

Pulled Pork: The Wonder Food

Why have I never made pulled pork before? It's easy, cheap, versatile, and yummy! (I bought a pork butt roast for $1.69 a pound. That's got to be about the cheapest meat on the market, and just look at all you can do with it!)

I used this recipe as inspiration for a spice rub, slathered the spices all over the roast, and let it sit in the fridge for about 12 hours. And then I followed this recipe (minus the spice rub) to cook it in the crockpot. So delish straight from the dish....and even better the next day. Plus, there are about a million things to do with it!

Sandwiches (obviously). For low carb, make some Cloud Bread. (This is pretty delicate "bread" so it works best to serve the meat on the side. Tear off a bite of the Cloud Bread, scoop up a forkful of pork....and it's sort of like a sandwich.)  For gluten free, I definitely recommend Udi's Buns. Or if you don't have dietary restrictions, just enjoy on some crusty kaiser buns.

Or how about Pulled Pork & Butternut Squash Chili? Wow, was this GOOD. I didn't follow the recipe 100 percent but I'm certain it's wonderful just as written.

Or enjoy it for breakfast in a burrito! (For gluten free, I again recommend Udi's.)

Or maybe you'd like it as a taquito (with chipolte-ranch dipping sauce). These are fab-u-lous!

And not at all diet friendly but oh so yummy - a big pile o' pork on a baked sweet potato. Drizzle it with a bit of Poblano Lime Crema and...omg.

Fat doesn't make you fat (Or: Why I'm angry at Burger King)

Burger King made big news recently with the announcement of its latest product: Satisfries.

The company claims that the new style french fries have "one-third the fat and 20 percent fewer calories."  I am so weary of the low-fat craze. The carb content is nearly the same as regular fries (small Satisfries has 41; small regular has 49) and....guess what? That's where the actual problem is! FAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU FAT. CARBS MAKE YOU FAT. *headdesk*

Don't believe that carbs are more evil than fat? Read this article or this one.

And this article on sparkpeople explores the idea of whether or not Satisfries are "healthy."

Foodie Penpals September

I recently learned about this nifty program called Foodie Penpals that is coordinated by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean. Participants send off a box of food stuffs to their assigned partner and in return they receive a box of goodies. How fabulous is that? (You can read more about it - and sign up! - HERE.)

My September partner was Julie from Brooklyn. (She doesn't have a blog so I can't link to her.) She sent me oodles of yumminess!

CRACKSEED

Weird name. Weird stuff. It's dried plums coated with licorice and salt.
The bizarre thing is the pits aren't removed, they're cracked into smallish pieces (hence, the name)
so it's like dried fruit with crunchy bits  I don't think I'll rush out to buy another bag of them
but I did like them and I enjoyed learning of this strange product.

SALSA FROM THE BROOKLYN SALSA COMPANY

Remember those Pace Picante Sauce commercials where the guys are all horrified by the salsa that was made in New York City? That was my first thought when I saw this jar in my goodie box...lol.
This is some seriously GOOD salsa...heirloom tomatoes, jalapeños, and mangoes. Yumyum.

KIND BARS

Two Kind bars with dark chocolate, nuts, and sea salt. I first had a Kind bar at the Color Run 5K
and fell in love. I was pretty much ridiculously excited when I found these in the box from Julie.

Also...

a very adorable tiny tin with the message, "Chocolate is good for you." It's filled with coffee beans coated with dark chocolate. Be still, my chocolate-coffee loving heart. 

assorted candies (including the best gummies I've ever had)  in a cellophane gift baggie

chile-garlic powder

a copy of Shape magazine, a very fun addition to the box which I really enjoyed

Thank you ever so much Julie. Everything is PERFECT and I loved my goodie box!

Food log Sept. 16

Breakfast (4:45 am)
Omelet with chicken, bacon, mushrooms, and swiss
Cottage cheese with applesauce

Lunch (11 am)
Lettuce wraps with tuna salad and tomatoes
Raw broccoli with ranch dressing
Celery with peanut butter
Plum

Dinner (6 pm)
BBQ Chicken Chili (I sort of followed this recipe)
Apple Slaw (broccoli slaw, diced apples, apple vinaigrette)

Daily Totals
Calories: 1239
Carbs: 61
Protein: 107
Fat: 76

Analysis
Hit all my target numbers. Felt great. Food was yummy. Twas a good day!

Food log Sept. 15

Breakfast (8 am)
Baked Sweet Potato with Apple and Sausage (recipe) I used polska kielbasa and eliminated the onions
2 scrambled eggs

Snack1 (1 pm)
Dannon Blueberry Light and Fit Greek Yogurt

Snack2 (3 pm)
1 oz. deli turkey
1 oz. Swiss cheese

Snack3 (5pm)
Candy corn + peanuts

Daily Totals
Calories: 904
Carbs: 66
Protein: 53
Fat: 50

Anaylsis
Ok. Well, that sucked.

I worked Job #2 from 9-4 which is why there were the weird "snacks" instead of "lunch." And it was a long brutal exhausting work shift and I just didn't give a crap about eating dinner. I had a handful of candy corn and peanuts and was in bed asleep by 6 pm. (which was going to be a nap but turned into a full night's sleep of 8ish hours). I have really got to find a different second job. I so totally hate the one I have, for a hundred different reasons. And I've really got to stop buying candy corn. :/

Shopping fabulousness!

Today was the City Wide Yard Sales event and it's a tradition for me to attend with various assorted family members. The shopping is always great and we have so much fun. I bought oodles of clothes!

At one of the sales, the man running the sale told everyone to pick out whatever they wanted and tell him how much they wanted to pay. (Love those sales!) I found a pair of new-with-tags jeans in a size 8. I figured I could toss them in the Maybe Pile because I might be able to wear a size 8 someday. I also found a pair of new-with-tags running tights and a black blazer with bows on the button placket. I offered the guy $1 for the three items and he accepted my offer. Score!

And those size 8 jeans? I CAN PUT THEM ON! I CAN ZIP THEM UP WITHOUT LAYING DOWN! But - um - I can't quite breathe while wearing them. Ha. So I'm going to wait a few weeks and see how they fit. DUDE! SIZE 8! Mind blown.

At another sale I found a winter coat (which I was on the lookout for). It's full length, belted, dark grey with an enormous fur collar and marbled buttons. I fell in love with it when I saw it on the hanger. It didn't have a size tag, though, and it looked TINY. But I decided to try it on anyway because I really have no concept of my size at the moment. I mean, my brain still wants to try on size 18s. The coat fits PERFECTLY and looks absolutely amazing, like it was tailor-made for me.

I also got a bunch of tops and blouses, one sweater, an American Eagle hoodie, and a crazy dress that has a poofy hem with layers of black and polka-dotted netting. (I have no clue where I'll wear it but I just had to have it.) And a denim jacket that is a bit small but that I had to get because I love how it's cut.

I also got two cute skirts but *&^@ I hate skirts. I'm just totally the wrong shape for skirts. Why do skirt designers assume women have tiny waists? Both skirts are size 14 but are about 4 inches too small in the waist for me. I can put on a pair of size 8 jeans but can't wear a size 14 skirt? WTH!

Grand total spent for a winter coat, a denim jacket, and three bags of clothes? $8! I'm a rock star.

My sil and I also stopped at the farmers market where I got a container of these odd little things:

Ground cherries. It's in the nightshade family (like a tomato) but it is very sweet and tastes sort of like a grape or a berry. It comes in a husk and is about the size of a small cherry tomato. So yummy! I'm definitely going back next week to see if the seller has more. I also got sugar plums, kale, brussels sprouts, an eggplant, some hot peppers, and a dozen eggs. And I gazed longingly at the felted goat's milk soap. I used one of these at a friend's house and wanted to spend the whole day in the shower. But $10 for a bar of soap? Maybe next week.

Sexy oatmeal

Autumn = oatmeal.

I love oatmeal, but for some reason, it's just wrong in summer. One of the very few things I look forward to as the weather turns colder is the return to oatmeal for breakfast. (Other autumn loves: corduroy slacks, woolen sweaters, boots, tights, changing leaves, the greyish-gold colour of twilight that only happens at this time of year, that very particular autumn scent that is impossible to describe but is oh-so-wonderful, pears & apples & pumpkins & squash, and a simmering pot of comforting soup.)

I was poking about the internet today searching for new oatmeal-fruit combos and as I did so I started thinking about how much I love the flavor combo of apples and sharp Cheddar. Could you do that with oatmeal, I wondered. Indeed you can.

Steel-Cut Oats with Maple-Roasted Apples and Cheddar

Bacon in oatmeal also sounds like a fantastic idea.

Maple Bacon Oatmeal

And as I explored this idea of savory oatmeal I discovered this craziness:

Sexed Up Savory Oatmeal

I have no idea why it's called Sexed Up Savory Oatmeal (lol).  But my mind is kinna blown by the idea of putting an egg on top of a bowl of oatmeal. Brilliant, I think. Quite so.

I've always done oatmeal-with-fruit and a side of eggs. But oatmeal-with-eggs and a side of fruit? Breakfast will never be the same.

Ah.....candy corn!

I'm not much into sweets. I usually have some dark chocolate around the house but for the most part candy is not my big temptation. Except for a few seasonal items. Like candy corn....and those little pumpkins that taste like candy corn.

And, yes, it's on sale already. In August. I bought a bag on Sunday and I was totally convinced I had power over candy corn and could portion it out to last for quite awhile. Um, no. It's half gone. Ooops.

In other news I bought two pairs of SIZE TEN jeans last night at Goodwill. They're a little muffin-toppy but other than that they fit really well. Huzzah. Now that's some motivation to ditch the candy corn!

Food this week

Just a quick look at what I've got planned for meals this week. Nothing interesting or exciting, but planning it and sharing it seems to help me stay on track.

BREAKFASTS (Yep. Same thing for 5 or 6 days. Boooring, but it works for me.)
Omelet with spinach, mushrooms, peppers, ham, and swiss
Oatmeal with almond butter and Maple-Ginger Pearsauce (recipe)

LUNCHES 
I bought a whole roaster chicken for super cheap this week, so I cooked it up in the crockpot and will use the chicken to make assorted chicken salads, like....

Sweet Corn and Bacon Chicken Salad (recipe)
Southwest Chicken Salad (recipe)
Walnut-Tarragon Chicken Salad (recipe) <--- my favorite!

Some raw veggies, some fruit (It's peach season! Yay!), maybe some gluten free crackers. And that's lunch.

DINNERS

Zucchini, Black Bean, and Rice Skillet (sorta like this recipe but I plan to use fresh tomatoes and cauliflower "rice" and add some shredded chicken)
Grilled Pork Chops with Maple-Ginger Pearsauce; roasted sweet potatoes and veggies
Asian Beef and Fried Cauliflower Rice Bowls (recipe)
Chicken Veggie Meatballs with Z'oodles [zucchini noodles] (recipe)

And I'll probably have leftovers so will repeat some meals.

Menu Plan Monday May 27

Click the logo to see more menu plans!

NOTE: All my meal plans are wheat free, gluten free, contain mostly "clean" ingredients,

are (usually) 1400 calories or less, and have less than 100g carbs.


I've really been craving burgers and as I hunted for new recipes
to try I learned that May is National Burger Month. How did I not know this?
So, here are burger recipes for every night this week.
(Serve them naked (bunless) to make them low carb or use gluten free buns.)

MONDAY

Miami Burger (recipe)
beef patty with smoked ham, Swiss cheese, 
garlicky mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and dill pickles

TUESDAY

Buffalo Chicken Burger with Blue Cheese Broccoli Slaw (recipe)

WEDNESDAY

Barbecue Cheddar Chickpea Burger (recipe)
patty made from chickpeas and veggies, 
topped with barbecue sauce and cheddar cheese

THURSDAY

Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger (recipe)
seasoned chicken patty topped 
with teriyaki sauce and grilled pineapple

FRIDAY

Pepperoni Pizza Burger (recipe)
patty made from ground beef and Italian sausage, 
topped with tomato sauce, provolone, and pepperoni

SATURDAY

Tilapia Burger with Watermelon Salsa and Avocado (recipe)

SUNDAY

Bistro Burger (recipe)
beef patty topped with bacon, egg, Dijon, and frisee

When to Eat

There have been a few discussions on 3FC about when people eat their largest meal, as well as topics about to eat or not to eat breakfast. Invariably, it seems that many people skip breakfast and eat most of their daily calories at dinner. I found this poll on fitsugar.com, and it seems that people answered the question the same as they do on 3FC.

This article that accompanies the poll on fitsugar states that

• eating breakfast is important because it jump starts your metabolism
• you should eat your largest meal at lunch so you have time to burn off the calories
• eating too late in the day can affect your body in ways that interfere with the fat burning benefits of a restful sleep.

Bob Harper's Skinny Rules (which you can read HERE) also encourage people to eat a large breakfast and go to bed hungry.

So, I wonder....why do so many people function well - and lose weight - by skipping breakfast and eating a large dinner? I know it doesn't work for me.

If I don't eat an adequate amount within a short time after waking, I drag. A lot. And the one time my weight loss slowed down was before I tinkered with my calorie allotment and started eating less in the evening. I have no trouble sleeping when I'm hungry, but I'm not able to function during the day if I need food.

I'm guessing it might have something to do with variables in people's life schedules. If you get up at 8 am, and go sit at a desk in an office for a few hours before eating lunch, you might be okay skipping breakfast. (I get up at 4:30 am and have put in a hard half day's work before I eat lunch). And if you eat a large dinner at 6 pm, then hit the gym, and don't go to bed until midnight, those dinner calories would be necessary. (I go to bed about two to three hours after dinner, and usually don't do anything strenuous during that time.)

What about you? Are you part of the majority who skips breakfast and eats a big dinner? Or are you more like me in your eating habits?