a chocoholic's diet

I can't say I've been perfect not eating "bad" carbs or sugar for the past three weeks, but I've been pretty close. I'm pretty sure I've used more {chocolate} will power in the past two weeks that in my entire life. I think it's good for me to learn this month that I CAN do it. Most people who are like me (like eat sweets for breakfast and lunch) have been telling me "I could NEVER do that!" and I smile at them, but I know it's not true- they don't WANT to do it. Of course they could do it, if I can do it anyone could do it- it has been incredibly hard. It's not like I don't want to eat sweets and yummy baked goods everyday- but I wanted a jump start to getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight, and the family biggest loser has been good motivation. I figure if I can survive the extreme this month it won't be so hard in the future to make and eat all the sweets I'm used to, but to issue a little more self control in the amounts and how often I binge on my beloved chocolate.
I've come up with a few healthy versions of sweet treats that have really helped me get through this so I thought I'd share a few of them here.

After some trial and error this is my favorite {yummy!} cookie dough that has no butter, sugar, or flour. I haven't tried a baked version yet, but  I will soon! I doubled this for my Sunday treat this week and it completely satisfied my sweet tooth.
measurements are estimates-adjust to taste

PERFECT FAUX COOKIE DOUGH
1 spoonful peanut butter (can also use "better n' peanut butter"- low cal, low fat)
2 spoonfuls sugar-free fat-free instant vanilla pudding mix
2-3 spoonfuls skim milk
2-3 spoonfuls oats
1 small spoonful cocoa (optional, omit for a more traditional cookie dough)
a few chocolate chips (optional if you add cocoa- I bought some sugar free ones that I add)
Just add all the ingredients in a little cup, stir with a spoon and eat up!
{It holds up well in the fridge, and remember because of the pudding and especially if you use instant oats it thickens up a lot so don't skimp on the milk. You can also add a little splenda in place of some of the pudding if you want}

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE SHAKE
skim milk- fill blender 1/2 way
1/2 pkg sugar free fat free chocolate pudding
1 tsp vanilla
1 spoonful splenda
1 spoonful cocoa
Add ingredients to the blender and blend for a minute or so till it's nice and frothy. Taste and add more ingredients to taste if you'd like it more chocolatey/sweet etc. The key is to blend it good- it increases in volume, gives it a lovely texture and makes it taste yummy. I keep a blender of this in the fridge at all times so that when I need a treat I can just re-blend and pour a glass of yummy chocolate milk. This has been my breakfast most mornings and sometimes in the afternoon or evening a little swig of this helps me get through the day.





This chocolate mousse pudding is what I've always used when I make trifle, regardless of health and I've discovered it is very versatile- this week I made a non-chocolate version to top some healthy-ish cupcakes I made for a shower, I've also used it to fill mock eclairs etc.  This weekend I made this sort of chocolate mousse pie to take to a lunch with friends-

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PUDDING
1 large pkg sugar free fat free chocolate pudding mix
1 1/2 C milk
1 container sugar free cool whip, thawed
Whisk together pudding and milk, stir in cool whip. Store in the fridge.  It is yummy on it's own or it can make a great topping/filling etc- the options are endless and you can do it with any of the pudding flavors- white chocolate and vanilla both work great!

Noticing a trend yet? Lol, I guess my saving grace for this diet is sugar free fat free pudding mixes. There's so much you can do with them- they are so easy to use and add very little calories for the flavor and sweetness that they add. Although they contain corn starch, there are only a few Tbs of pudding mix in each box so when you make a little snack with a portion of it I think it's fairly insignificant compared to all the high-calorie alternatives that I'm replacing it with (think butter, flour, sugar, chocolate etc).

Keep calm & eat {sugar free} chocolate! :)

Pizza Night

mmmmm....pizza. Brad and I love pizza night, and I'm not gonna lie, I make a mean pizza. It's the perfect vehicle for my culinary creativity and it also helps accomplish my "perfect bite" theory. Everything is bite size and spread out meaning it's easier to get all the yummy flavors in your mouth at once. I started doing pizza night every week and was having so much fun creating different pizzas each time. So, even though the sugar thing has been much harder than the carb thing on the diet, I've missed the pizza night tradition.
Then I realized pinterest could probably solve all my problems. I searched for carb-free pizzas and the yummiest sounding one was with a cauliflower crust- there are several versions out there and I changed it up a bit to use less cheese, more cauliflower, and make a bigger pizza.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but honestly I didn't miss the bread- it was hard to believe it wasn't there and the texture and flavor were great!

CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA
1 head cauliflower
1 1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp crushed garlic
desired sauce and toppings (precooked)
Pull leaves off of cauliflower leaving the stem. Holding the stem, grate the cauliflower into a microwavable bowl (you'll probably end up with around 2 1/2 C of riced cauliflower). Microwave uncovered for 7 minutes. Let cool slightly then add remaining ingredients and pat out and shape onto a pizza stone. Lightly brush with olive oil if desired. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes then remove, add desired toppings then return to broil for a few minutes till toppings are nice and hot. Because of the cheese the crust will stick a little to the pan, use a metal spatula to scrape it off and everything will be okay. You could use parchment paper if you're really scared. Enjoy!
{in case you were wondering, this particular pizza has BBQ sauce, chicken, bacon, onions, peppers, parmesan, and a tiny bit of mozzarella}

fruity milk!

Brad asked me to "humor him" for 60 days and do p90x with him. Hmm... so far I'm not a big fan. I'm more of an aerobics class kinda girl- good music, constant movement (real cardio! thats right, Tony), fun routines, dripping sweat. I'm thinking I'll go to the gym 1/2 the time and do the man workout w/ him when I don't go. We are trying to be a bit healthier and get rid of some of our post-wedding pudge. Since we love food so much, more exercise is a better option for us.  We can still make a few attempts to eat a little healthier though...
I'm loving blending milk with a little fruit for breakfast or a post-workout treat. It's so simple and yummy, so if you've never done this you should give it a try. The cinnamon makes the banana great and the strawberry turns the loveliest shade of pink. (no pic, so you'll just have to see for yourself.) I don't know which is my favorite yet. :)

BANANA MILK
1 banana
≈1 C milk
2-3 ice cubes (sometimes I use cubes of pineapple juice that I froze)
≈1/4 tsp cinnamon (just sprinkle it in)
1/2 tsp vanilla
a spoonful of splenda or sugar

STRAWBERRY MILK
5 strawberries (more or less)
≈1 C milk
2-3 ice cubes (again, sometimes I do the frozen pineapple juice)
a spoonful of splenda/sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla, optional

Blend. Enjoy.

that awesome soup

Remember how I said I was on a health kick? Well, it was also my sister-in-law's birthday last weekend. I was in charge of baking the cake, and I hadn't used my angel food cake pan yet...one thing lead to another and I'll just say I don't feel healthy again. I did however discover that coconut cream and cream cheese whip into a beautiful concoction that you can stir strawberries into then stuff them into a cake that is like heaven. I love filling things, then covering them so that there's a surprise when you break into it.
Last week for the first few days we rigorously followed the cabbage soup diet. I've just felt too gross with the extra winter flub, I wanted quick results. I know there's never an easy solution, but the quick idea always draws me in even when all my health classes have always taught me that eating balanced meals and exercising regularly is the way to go. I always have to get up so early, and after clinicals/school I normally feel exhausted. I do stuff I don’t want to do all day and come home wanting to spend my free time doing something I enjoy- relaxing, being with my husband, messing around in the kitchen, seeing what’s up with people on FB, twitter, and blog world.
It’s easy enough to say I’m going to exercise at least every other day, but then it just doesn’t happen. There’s always an excuse. I’ve got to start doing it though, because I love food too much and if I deprive myself of it I’m not as happy and don’t seem to enjoy life quite as much. I know I’ll be happier with myself if I get in better shape though. I think I’m going to make my husband join the gym so that I have someone to go with.

I have been making some yummy healthy meals though- salmon tacos with cabbage and chipotle/lime cream on corn tortillas, chawarma chicken with greek salad… I forget to take pictures normally so next time I make those if I remember I’ll take a pic and share how I made them. This isn’t really springy, but for those freak spring storm days, this is an easy, delicious soup that can be altered to be very healthy. Fresh basil is a must and fresh tomatoes will be a bit better too.

CREAMY TOMATO BASIL SOUP
2 ½ lbs fresh tomatoes or 2 large cans whole, peeled tomatoes
6 cloves garlic
1/4 C olive oil (or less)
2 small yellow onions, sliced
2-3 C chicken stock (or less, or water and a couple boullion cubes)
2 bay leaves
(2 Tbs butter-optional)
½ C red wine
½ C chopped fresh basil leaves
¾ C heavy cream or 1/2 C fat free sour cream
red pepper flakes
Preheat oven to 450°. (For fresh tomatoes, blanch in boiling water 1 min and remove skin.) Cut in halves and arrange with onions and garlic on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 20-30 min, or until caramelized. Remove from oven. Blend. Add to a stock pot with 1/2 C chicken stock, red wine, (butter), and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 min. Add basil leaves and red pepper flakes. Add cream/sour cream and more stock/water if needed. Season with salt, pepper, and a little sugar.

Indian inspired yogurt breakfast smoothie

Since Brad and I are on a little health-kick, I'll probably blog about some of our healthy foods I've been making lately. (I decided not to eat chocolate this week, I gotta be excited about something...)
Strawerry banana Lassis were my favorite breakfast of my non-nesquick week.

I’m in love with mango lassis. In India they put cardamom in the mango lassis. I’ve made it with just a pinch, but I prefer straight up mango. I can’t wait till mangos are in season! In India they also put rosewater in some of their lassis, it’s not really my thing, but if you’ve never had the sensation of eating a rose I suggest you add 1/8-1/4 tsp of rosewater to a strawberry lassi. I’ve also had success with mixed berry lassis: strawberry/raspberry/blueberry. Since strawberries and bananas are in season and cheap, that’s the lassis I’ve made lately. Measurements are a bit guessy, but you can replace bananas/strawberries with all strawberries, 1 juicy mango, or any fruit. If you like it runnier, add more milk or juice. If you like it thick, omit the milk. (In the summer my favorite is a thick mango lassi, just mango/yogurt/ice cubes/sugar. That is heaven.)

2 bananas (frozen works good)
1 ½ C strawberries
¼ C milk
1 C plain, fat-free yogurt
3-4 ice cubes (I used 2 ice cubes of pineapple juice I happened to have in the freezer)
a spoonful or 2 of splenda/sugar