At two in the morning

What do my friends and I do at 2 a.m. (after watching an epically fun midnight showing of Labyrinth)? We go to WalMart (in our jammies) of course! And we...

sit on sofas

and play with light sabers

and ride the Hello Kitty bike!

Sometimes, life just needs a little fun!

Family, fall, and flowers

On Saturday, my mother, sister, sister-in-law, and I went to the Mum Festival. It was simply a perfect day of enjoying family, fall, and flowers. There were oodles of mums, lots of vendors selling arts/crafts and food, a library book sale, and fun entertainment like a water ski show. It's the first time the four of us went and did something together; we all agree we want to do this more often.

left to right: sister, me, mother, sister-in-law
(Yes, I am 6 inches taller than my mother. Amazonian freak.)

Some lovely mums

Mum design

My sister and I. We look nothing alike and our personalities couldn't be more different. 

Before & after

(I'm kinna photo obsessed this week. Sorry.)

Here's a before & after shocker.

One picture is from five years ago when I got together with my two best friends from high school. We're planning to get together again soon so I dug out this photo and was horrified. Egads, I look ridiculously bad!

The other pic is from the photo shoot I did with my sil on Monday.

I'm about the same weight in the Fat Photo as I was in January when I started losing; I was maybe a bit higher. There's a difference of roughly 60 pounds between the two pictures.

Photo shoot!

My sil and I did a photo shoot today complete with wardrobe changes and props. We had so much fun! I put some of the pix in a photobucket album. You can see it HERE. (Password: novus1)

Here are a few of my favorite shots:

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.

The difference blows my mind

A friend recently (finally!) posted some pics from our Girls Night Out back in May. I did a side-by-side collage with one of those photos and one from my brother's wedding two years ago. Absolutely freakin' crazy.

And since that photo was taken in May, I've lost 15 more pounds. The changes continue to astound. This is SO WORTH IT.

Photo comparisons

At the Color Run, my bff snapped a photo of my profile. I was really dreading seeing the picture because I always hated the evidence of my horribly puffy fat face that was so obvious in profile, like this pic:

I was utterly delighted when I saw the pic from the Color Run, though.

I still don't really have a jaw line, but it's definitely an improvement!

And then there's this pic, which always has made kind of sad. It's from my brother and sister-in-law's wedding, and it's really a nice photo, except that I look so terribly fat.

My sil and I did a face-by-face shot at the Color Run, and I definitely like this photo much better.

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

Food log May 23

Nothing but salads, for the 3FC Salad Challenge

BREAKFAST (5:45 am)

Greens, Eggs, and Ham Salad (recipe)
Cottage cheese with pineapple

LUNCH (11 am)

Sriracha Egg Salad (recipe), artisan lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini,
broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, edamame, scallions

Gluten Free Crunchmaster Cheezy Crisps
Sliced strawberries

POST-RUN SNACK (5:30 pm)
1/2 small banana and 1 T. homemade almond butter

DINNER (6:30 pm)

Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing (recipe)

DAILY TOTALS
Calories: 1,238
Carbs: 68
Fat: 70
Protein: 91

Food log May 22

Nothing but salads, for the 3FC Salad Challenge

BREAKFAST (5:45 am)

Peperoncini Chopped Salad (recipe) with a soft-cooked egg added
Cottage cheese and pineapple

LUNCH (11 am)

Pistachio Cinnamon Chicken Salad (recipe), artisan lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, peaches, dried cherries

DINNER (6:15 pm)

Broccoli Slaw with Shrimp and Creamy Cider Vinaigrette (recipe)
(I subbed broccoli slaw for the cabbage)


DAILY TOTALS
Calories: 1,224
Carbs: 57
Fat: 73
Protein: 93

Food log May 21

Nothing but salads, for the 3FC Salad Challenge

BREAKFAST (5:45 am)

Greens, Eggs, and Ham Salad (recipe)
Cottage cheese with pineapple

LUNCH (11 am)

Cobb Egg Salad (recipe),artisan lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, scallions, grape tomatoes

Raspberries and peaches

DINNER (6:15 pm)

Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing (recipe)

DAILY TOTALS

Calories: 1,220

Carbs: 59

Fat: 72

Protein: 92

Food log May 20

Nothing but salads, for the 3FC Salad Challenge

BREAKFAST (7:30 am)

Maple-Thyme Pork Chop (recipe), broccoli slaw, bell peppers, pears, pecans

This was SO YUMMY!

LUNCH (12:15 pm)

Spiced Honey-Lemon Chicken (recipe), artisan lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, grapes, pistachios, and Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe)

I made this chicken a few weeks ago and loved it. Putting it on a salad just made it even more amazing.

DINNER (6:15 pm)

Shrimp, Avocado and Roasted Corn Salad with Buttermilk Pesto Dressing (recipe)

Delicious and refreshing.

DAILY TOTALS
Calories: 1,219
Carbs: 64
Fat: 64
Protein: 101

Menu Plan Monday May 20

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.

ALL SALADS, ALL THE TIME
(Someone on the 3FC diet blog has challenged us
to eat noting but salads for week. Challenge accepted!)

BREAKFASTS

Breakfast Salad with Maple Vinaigrette (recipe)
eliminate the croutons to make it low carb and gluten free

Greens, Egg, and Ham Salad (recipe)

Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage Salad with Pears, Feta, and Curry Vinaigrette (recipe)

Maple-Thyme Pork Chops (recipe) 

on a salad with broccoli slaw, bell peppers, pears, and pecans

Peperoncini Chopped Salad (recipe) 

add a soft-cooked egg to make a breakfast salad

Chocolate Avocado Breakfast Salad (recipe)

LUNCHES

Spiced Honey-Lemon Chicken (recipe)
on a salad with artisan lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini,
broccoli, bell peppers, grapes, pistachios, and Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe)

Sriracha Egg Salad (recipe)
on a salad with artisan lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini,
broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, edamame, scallions

Pistachio Cinnamon Chicken Salad (recipe)
on a salad with artisan lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots,
shredded zucchini, peaches, dried cherries

Cobb Egg Salad (recipe)

on a salad with artisan lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots,
shredded zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, scallions, grape tomatoes

Sweet Corn and Bacon Chicken Salad (recipe)

on a salad with leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, shredded carrots,
shredded zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, scallions, grape tomatoes

DINNERS

Broccoli Slaw with Shrimp and Creamy Cider Vinaigrette (recipe)

sub broccoli slaw for the cabbage

Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing (recipe)

Shrimp, Avocado and Roasted Corn Salad with Buttermilk Pesto Dressing (recipe)

Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing (recipe)

Turkey Burger Salad with Pub Dressing (recipe)

Southwestern Avocado and Black Bean Salad (recipe)

add steak for an entree salad

California Cobb Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette (recipe)