Recipe-Shrimp Fried Rice

This one is not an experiment, but rather a staple in my kitchen.  It is my version of shrimp fried rice made at home.  Since I'm so much into coconut oil these days I've replaced the olive oil with coconut oil.  It doesn't alter the taste at all, but is a healthier option. 

I normally cook up an entire bag of uncooked shrimp that you can buy at any supermarket.  I either buy medium or large shrimp.  I remove the shell and clean the shrimp all the way to the tail.  There is still some bowel line in the tail and you really want to not eat that.

I place the cleaned shrimp on a cooking sheet and sprinkle the top only with old bay seafood seasoning and black pepper.  Place the seasoned side down in a heated oiled pan and season the other side.  Season the shrimp on one side only because the under part is wet and will wipe out the seasoning.  The beauty of these is a slight crust that is formed from the seasoning and oil.  Makes the finished product super yummy!   

After the shrimp is cooked and removed from the pan add the veggies.  I normally use a mixture of diced peppers and onion.  If frozen rice is used add it after the veggies are cooked to desired doneness.  Add a few splashes of soy sauce.  Add the shrimp back to heat through.

If using precooked rice add it at the very end.  Cook the shrimp..then veggies....add the soy sauce and shrimp to pan and stir.  Add in the cooked rice.  In this recipe I used Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley.  I love the seeds in this rice!  However, prior to this I used the frozen vegetable fried rice by Trader Joe.

End result!  Super yummy!

Recipe Experiment-Pumpkin Hummus

It's been a while since I've posted.  I upgraded my blender from a ninja pod version (on the left) to the ninja 1100 (on the right).  Today is my first day using it and I thought I'd experiment.  

A coworker brought in a container of pumpkin hummus.  I never heard of pumpkin hummus, but it was very yummy.  In reading the ingredients it contained mostly wholesome ingredients and some ingredients I didn't think were needed like guar gum and lemon juice.  I sure I could duplicate it at home.

I used a standard can of chickpeas, an equal size can of pure pumpkin, a little soybean oil, lots of vanilla extract, lots of pumpkin, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg and a little bit of dark agave.  The spices and extract I pretty much added based on smell and taste and viola!  I ended up with a nice size bowl to pic off of for the week.  Pic below shown with a small apple sliced on a saucer.

Follow up--Reebok Deck Bench

I received my bench from ebay.  I'm so glad it was in reasonable shape and so very glad I got it for a good price. 

What I think of the bench?
It is freakin heavy!  I guess I should expect it to be for all that it does, but it makes it less portable for me.  Meaning, I dread moving it for my workout.  The bed is not as wide as the club step which is a bummer.  The bench is made well, even though it's plastic...it's a rigid heavy plastic.  I don't regret buying it, but I need to find a home for it.  I would really love to get rid of my Firm Transfirmer because I don't use that at all.

Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle

So I've joined a team challenge on Burn the Fat Inner Circle.  Just applying for the challenge took me out of my comfort zone.  To be eligible you had to post full body pictures for all to see.  It was an eye opening experience for me to see as well and I guess that's the point of it.  I mean, one showers and gets dressed everyday and touch our bodies in some form, but it hits home when you visually see the rolls on your back and all the work to be done.  Please ignore that run on sentence....lol

So we are in week 3 of the challenge.  Tom Venuto wrote a newsletter that a high percentage of participants abandon the challenge during this time.  I think I feel a little of that because after my bicep strain I haven't worked out.  My eating has been ok, but ice cream has been my evening meal for two nights now.

I keep reading all of the awesome results that people are getting with Jillian's program that I abandoned.  I know that its an awesome program, but I was just really uncomfortable with workout 3.  I think I modified it to the point that I lost the point of many of the moves.  I want to just suck it up and power through because I know the format works for great weight loss.

Decisions....decisions

New Venture-Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

For a while I've thought about doing a program with straight lifting.  I liked Jillian Michaels format, but felt a little lacking in hitting certain body parts.  I also like body pump, but it is a mish-mash of movements that eventually will work a variety of muscles.  It's like you do the workout and from soreness you conclude that a particular body part was worked in that particular workout.

I bought the ebook Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle a few years ago and thought about that format recently.  Sadly I could not find my ebook and ended up purchasing it again thinking it should have been updated since I bought it in the early 2000's.  With this purchase you were given access to Tom Venuto's website for two months called Burn the Fat Inner Circle.  It just so happens that at this time the summer 2012 challenge was about to start.  It's very timely because my motivation was starting to sway.

I joined a team challenge which consists of teams of 5 members.  You must post status updates on weekly which include current weight and body fat percentage.  What I found interesting for this challenge is that if a team member doesn't post or drops out of the challenge the team loses.  This gives you a less likely chance to flake out forcing the other members to lose.

We started on Sunday, June 3.  As part of the submission process you had to take pictures which include a front, side, and back full body shots.  O.M.G.!!  This was truly a wake up call.  I mean you shower everyday, but until I saw my pics I really had no idea how predominant the rolls on my back were.  Also, my pics do not fit my age and in fact I have the body of a much older person.

Since joining the Inner Circle, I started cleaning up my diet which was about a week before the actual challenge.  During that week I was 204 starting and by the end of the week with cleaning up my diet I'm at 200.6.  I'm super stoked about that progress! The next team weigh in is this Sunday, June the 10th.

The challenge is not all about the scale weight.  It's about placing goals and sticking with it.  The team are there to offer support and encouragement.  The challenge is for the entire summer and ends September....total 98 days.  It's written that a high percentage of members drop out.  I've never been on this type of a challenge so I am curious of what changes my body will go through and look like after 98 days.

I'll keep ya posted!

Thoughts......Stayin the course!

I named my blog 'Retrain Your Diet'.  In my mind it would be a journey of all things that lead to a healthy lifestyle.  Those of us with deep rooted issues with food can't just turn off the (in my case) sugar switch without ill effects.  I work to find foods that I enjoy, but that won't take me to never care what I'm eating land.  I'm impressed with myself that I didn't go off the deep end this holiday weekend with making something super fattening and out of plan.

I do have to come to the realization that I just can't have certain things in the home.  For example, my mom likes to have potato chips so I bought a bunch while they were on sale and thought that I had her snack covered.  Umm....I ended up eating much of it.  I even had a bag of bbq flavored which I don't care for, but ate that in a stupid girl moment.  She mainly comes on the weekends and is here now.  She didn't mention not having potato chips....imagine that!

I must admit that I don't get the eating less mindset.  Eating less of what?  Do you know how much is being eaten in the first place?  You can eat a fried chicken wing, but that little wing has a lot of calories.  Baked macaroni and cheese is very caloric where even a half of a measly cup could be considered less than what you would normally eat.  However, its still not a healthy choice.

In gaining a healthier perspective, I give greater thought to the types, quality and quantity.  For me, that is moving forward in my journey.

Recipe Experiment-Shrimp Salsa

On the menu this weekend was shrimp salsa from skinnytaste.com .  The recipe called for chopped tomato and I swore I had some in the fridge.  However, they were past their prime so I had to improvise.  I used canned, but canned has an off taste to me.  I used more shrimp than tomato and added seasoning.  This dip is yet another keeper from skinnytaste.com.  I love that site!

Doesn't this look yummy!  Shrimp salsa on the left, cucumber slices, whole petite carrots and buffalo chicken dip on the right along with a small bowl of watermelon.  I felt pampered eating this...like I was at a fine restaurant...lol