Scratch Cooking or even Home Cooking

Yesterday I was a little busy whipping things up to eat from homemade aka scratch....or from home as I like to say... I am trying very hard as of the last of December to cook more from home... Plus this helps w/ a few things budget/income or only one income household and health....
It started off at 6-730 AM shopping-putting food away and washing dishes

0730 AM Starting the outside Little Blue Electric Grill..You're going electric grill vs gas or charcoal Yeah that is all I have and it was free from my mom so even better :O)...it works magic trust me...the day before this I bought $20 worth of chicken breast from Sprouts I love there chicken breast vs getting chicken from other stores plus they will even cut meat (to your liking) aka do all the work for ya shhhh secret....I had the 9 chicken breast cut lengthwise/butterflied into 2 pieces so 18 chicken breast vs just 9...score plus we don't usually eat a whole breast per person any way...(with all the sides of veggies)...

0800 AM I grilled them while I turned on the oven to warm up so I could whip up a batch of Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip/Pecan cookie say can we say YUMMY? I had to sub some of the basic ingredients due to allergy restrictions but they turned out I think perfect DD thinks they are good but not great..( due to lack of butter being used or oil LOL since she can't have butter they will work just fine) Substitutions where as follows--Whole Wheat Flour 2 cups and 1 cup of ground raw oatmeal ground into oatmeal flour----> 1 cup of mini chocolate chips and 1 cup of pecans...Here is the the original recipe

0915 AM I also started a batch of Black-eyed peas in the crockpot for my DD who likes them.Just water and beans dropped in to crockpot and turned on high until done around Noon...

So here I was running in and out the house door up & down 4 steps to grill the chicken  & watch cookies bake in the oven...(major stair work out lol trying to carry hot/cold chicken in and out of the house with out dropping it...)

I decided around 930 AM to whip up a batch of Homemade Waffles for DD thinking in the future if this batch works I could make a 2 batches and freeze them...Using her new waffle marker but first I had to find a recipe since I was not sure where my last recipe was (mind you the last time I made waffles was like 3-4 years ago...) so I Google recipe and found this one... I did make a few changes due to ingredients we have on hand as well as allergy restrictions DD has...
Very Simple ingredients was also a must for Waffles Plan....So I got lots of waffles I am assuming around 10-12 since mine are square but the recipe worked perfect and DD says tastes good :O) even better...

2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour--Subbed Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cups milk---Subbed Lactose Milk
1/2 cup melted butter---Subbed (yogurt butter only 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup of applesauce)
1 tablespoon white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

So by 11 am I had 
Shopping/Cleaning/Laundry too
18 pieces of grilled chicken to freeze 
2 dozen Chocolate chip cookies
10-12 waffles done 
Black eyed Peas in the crock pot almost done 

Ran a few errands then started on my Pickled Jalapenos love this recipe I am across and it's quickness that I am very addicted to now!!!!!

Started these at NOON & was done before 1PM the longest part was slicing up 3 pound of peppers that I got for are you sitting $1.00 and all the other ingredients I had on hand so the cost to me today was $1.00 and some time to yield me almost 3 quarts of YUMMY spicy peppers...

 

 

2 month and 6 days

Update what has been going on since I was sick for 2 weeks I still keep walking and walking but was unable to go to the gym I didn't want others sick...I have lost a total of 11 pounds since starting March 9 I have changed most of the bad foods/allowed a day to eat anything (junk/fried foods) keeps me from eating junk every day..I have been menu planning more which helps stop grabbing foods and also allow to get the right stuff. Whole Grains/Fruits

Day 9-24 March

• Barely walk .20 in 30 mins-7 days a week
• Used inhaler cause my asthma to kick in 
• Daily stretch routine-7 days a week

Day 22-31 March

• NO inhaler needed!!!!!
• Walk .50 in 30 mins on treadmill 5 days a week
• Exercise machines 5 days a week
• Daily stretch routine 
• Walk 2 days a week at WORK

Day 1-15 April

• Walk .75 in 30 mins on treadmill 5 days a week
• Exercise machines 5 days a week
• Daily stretch routine 
• Walk 2 days a week at WORK

Day 15-30 April

• Walk 1.0 MILE/30 mins on treadmill 5 days a week
• Exercise machines 5 days a week
• Daily stretch routine 
• Walk 2 days a week at WORK

Day 1-15 May

• Walk .80 MILE/20 mins on treadmill 5 days
• Added stationary biking 10 mins/2 miles
• Exercise machines-free weight 5 days a week
• Daily stretch routine 
• Walk 2 days a week at WORK

Getting Healthier Part 3

The big E word..Exercise! Who me no way...Well part of the plan to lose weight is to get moving..I agreed to walk 3 days a week for 30 mins however I walk 7 days to keep me on track and I avoid allowing myself to say I will tomorrow... The dietitian said I could break the 30 mins into 15 mins time frames when I first start..I have daily stretches as well.

The first week was very hard for me. I was not so aware of being that out of shape & just walking for 15 mins was hard to breath & had to use my inhaler to get my breath but I keep trekking and completed the whole 30 mins..The first few days were hard since I had not stretched never but I keep pushing myself that I need to lose this weight not only for me but so I can be here for my daughter & not have to have her take care of me due to my weight (I never want her to have to wash me or help me dress)...I never want to be that person in a electric wheel chair due to not trying to loose weight..this is my motivation to keep eating better and exercising every day... 

I have been walking since March 9th and I feel better more energy every day I use to be so sleepy all the time. I no longer need my inhaler before or during walking.Plus my knee that was hurting on and off has stopped :O)

I started going to the Gym last week w/ DD she is joining me on this eating healthier & get moving more... 30 mins in the tread mill and 15-30 mins doing the circuit of machines..

Getting Healthier Part 2

Let's talk about the first few weeks...I started this on March 1st well that was tons of fun, Not trying to figure everything out and get ready as I work weekend so I put off getting ready until the next weekend when I had time to plan everything out and get ready (measuring/menus/walking routine planned out and try to create a few menus). But while I was getting ready to start I search the net for new recipes/what is a serving information.. The tools from Choose my Plate.gov really helped me figure out thing for servings. 
I am that type of person who can't really see the size of the palm of your hand? Say what??? My brain just don't workie that way.. same as 1 cup is a serving of broccoli have you ever tried to stuff broccoli into a 1 cup measure cup?? not pretty just kidding my that don't work for my brain either when I am trying to prep food I am more of a 12 mini carrots is a serving...So I was able to print cheat sheets for everything I needed to know...Veggie/Fruits//Dairy (Grains/Meats not working w/ these right now but later this month I will be so I printed those as well) and they are all in a quick grab binder near my kitchen..

I have allowed 1 junk food in my snack options not daily but I can have it a few times a week trail mix (choc chips/caramel chips/cranberries/almond & cashews) I limit this as well to 1/4 a cup and I have it ready in container (Tupperware style) .Started limiting my going out to eat we (DD & I ) can only go out one day a week to eat something like (fried chicken & Loaded french fries & soda ) not on my diet plan I must allow this so I will not get off track wanting to eat out 2-3 time a week that includes snacks or crap at the Quicktrip-- that is a gas station in our area (that I end up at sometime 2-4 time a day w/ my job so the temptation is there) I stay in the vehicle while everyone else goes inside to get junk. 

Menu Planning is a MUST for ME even if it's only one day at a time plan. I have changed a few things after week one due not being able to get all my required food items in....I work 4 days a week but I work very weird hours (3 AM-3PM or 3AM to 11 AM) and I work outside of an office building in a vehicle most of the days 2 of my days are 12 hours shift Sat & Sun and 2 are 8  hours shifts Mon & Tue. I have some challenges in when I can eat vs when I am hungry so I have been tweaking this more and I think I got a better plan for this week.. Here is an example of a what I was eating before I started this diet.  

215 AM- Whole Wheat Bagel w/ Almond butter and large cup of milk (1.5 cups with lots of ice) 

or  20 oz smoothie w/ 1.5 cup of yogurt/ fruit/half and half lots of ice

6 AM- 1/2 cup of steel cut oatmeal, 1/2 cup half & half ,brown sugar & cinnamon,and 1/2 cup of dried apples 

or I would go get Mexican Food 1 cup of Mexican rice & 1 cup of refried beans and a lunch bag size of tortilla chips w/ salsa...

11 AM-12 PM if I had Mexican I would still be full but if not the lunch, would be leftover something from the night before example would be a salad (croutons,ranch dressing, peppers, lettuce,cheese) and whole wheat spaghetti w/cheese and lots of veggies

2 PM Snack- Cookies (6 or more)
4-5 PM Dinner- Honey Mustard Chicken breast, loaded baked potato-sour cream-butter-green onions, broccolli

7 PM Snack- Huge bowl of ice cream w/ caramel sauce & cashews..  
To drink every day Lots of Tea w/ ice

Now I eat like this....
2 AM-Half a whole wheat bagel & 32 grapes
7 AM- Chicken Breast/cheese stick/6 carrots/4 whole wheat crackers
12 PM- 3 oz pudding cup-8 strawberries
4-5 PM 1/2 cup of whole wheat pasta/spaghetti sauce w/ extra 1/2 cup veggie / 4oz chicken breast w/1/4 cup of cheese and then 1 cup of salad w/ veggie

To drink every day Lots of Tea w/ ice

I changed the breakfast to get my fruit serving in everyday right off the bat and to skip the extra breakfast so that I can have lunch as I was usually to full at lunch time...& then I was to full at dinner some days as well due to all the snacking or junk I ate...

Getting Healthier Part 1

I am posting this here for ME to remind me why I must do this and to keep me on track.. This is part of who I am and what I need to do to help me set small goals and reach them blogging will help me and maybe someone else as well..
I starting off the first of the year w/ getting health insurance and getting into seeing the Doctor. Having everything checked from head to toe it is taking longer due to see various Doctors to make sure I am healthier...

So the after checking out various things I was ready to see the 
Dietitian to help me get going and monitor things for me...So I have..:O) Guess what I am overweight LOL really I didn't know!! Just kidding I have been overweight for as long as I can remember even at before age 12...why do I know this do I worn boys jeans (called husky size)

First step in this get healthier diet plan for me was to set a small goal I didn't want to set goals I can't reach so I starting w/ 27 so I can get under a certain number I must reach... then I will start on the next 20 pounds or whatever but the first is important to me...

2nd step was increase my eating healthier foods as well as getting right amounts for what I should be eating as I was not eating correctly.. so 3 simple changes to start this month was 

Increase dairy to 2-3 servings a day
Increase fruit to 2 everyday
Increase veggies to 2 cups per day

3rd step was get moving- the big E word.....Exercise..   Every day I must follow a simple stretch routine that the Dietitian gave me..I needed per the Dietitian was to walk 30 mins... This will be new for me the goal that I said to the Dietitian that I would walk 3 days a week to start...Well I decided that would not work for me so I started walking every DAY for 30 mins...so I wouldn't say oh I will tomorrow no excuses!!!!