Healthier Version of Shepherd's Pie

For the month of February we have decided to do a no spend month -- where we try not to spend any extra money on non essential items -- I'm blogging about it here on my other blog -- I thought though I'd include this lower calorie healthier version of shepherd's pie because it's relevant for both my blogs and I just got to cut and paste and feel all accomplished that I updated both blogs in one day (insert smiley face)

Jason's been in the mood for some comfort food and he specifically asked for Shepherd's pie. But Shepherd's pie isn't really on the super healthy side of things and so I tried to come up with a healthier yet yummy version....and I did. And now I'm going to share it with you.

 Potato topping was a combo of cauliflower and potatoes, instead of whipping cream, butter, cheese, whatever, I used fat free greek yogurt

 Lots of sauteed vegetables

 Combination of lean beef and turkey

 and I used vegetable broth to deglaze the pan and tomato sauce and worcestershire sauce for flavoring (and some pepper and parsley)

 One for us, one to give a way and one for the freezer

  And dinner was a hit for everyone...even hubby, who didn't look very convinced when I was putting it all together.

The Recipe:

3 pounds 93%/ lean ground beef

1 pound 93% lean ground turkey

1 cup of chopped up carrots

1 cup of chopped up celery

2 cups chopped up mushrooms (Isaac didn't even know they were in there)

1-2 tablespoons of garlic

1 package of frozen peas

1/4 cup of worcestershire sauce

1 15 oz can of tomato sauce

2 cups of vegetable broth

3 pounds of potatoes

1 head of cauliflower

1 cup of fat free Fage greek yogurt

pepper and parsley to taste (I didn't add salt because of the worcestershire sauce and vegetable broth)

boil potatoes w/ skin and steam cauliflower, whip with yogurt and set aside.

while boiling and steaming, saute vegetables

set aside

brown mean

mix with vegetables

deglaze pan with vegetable broth and pour into meat mixture

add peas, tomato sauce, pepper & worcestershire sauce

Divide evenly between 3 8x8 pans and top with potato mixture

sprinkle pepper and parsley on top

freeze two and bake one at 350, covered for 45 minutes and uncovered for 5 minutes.

ENJOY

each 8x8 serves 10

calories 162, fat 4.5, carbohydrates 15, protein 15, sodium 247, fiber 2g

Vegan Latkes

So I explained before we are having family visit who are Vegan and I'm more of a psuedo-paleo kinda gal.  So for dinner a couple nights ago I made Latkes - Vegan style for my guests and I put a big dollop of plain greek yogurt to give me that protein punch.  They were pretty darn good. I shall share the recipe -- I'm not even going to try and figure out the calories -- suffice it to say, this would be one of those comfort food meals.

4 russet potatoes, 4 small red potatoes, shredded
1 yellow onion chopped finely
salt and pepper
1.5 cups of potato starch
5 big matzoh crackers crushed

for the binder (because Vegans don't do anything with or from a face so I didn't use eggs)
6 tbs vegetable oil
6 tbs baking powder
6 tbs of warm water

Mix everything together
Make patties, thin

deep fry in vegetable oil until golden brown

place on paper towels or brown paper grocery bags.
Makes about thirty small latkes.

And they were freakin' yummy.

Yesterday we spent the day in Denver; it was unseasonably warm so it was a great day to do it -- you can see how on my other blog Zimmerhouse

Have a great day

Quinoa Breakfast

So my friend turned me on to this breakfast -- way yummy and not bad in calories.

1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1 packet of pure via
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup of mixed berries

Mix all together and serve. 194 cals, 4.4 g protein, 25.8 g carbs, & 8.9 g fat. 5g of fiber. To up the protein content add half a scoop of plain protein powder

 These portions are for my family -- but super pretty with the colorful fruit! The hubsters and the older child liked it, the younger one, not so much but then his favorite meal is mac and cheese so his culinary opinion is not that respected around here.

I made a bunch of these to take to work...or for the kids (well at least the kid that likes it) and the husband...good grab and go breakfast and I'm thinking of doing this during school so the family has some quick healthy choices.

bariatric recipes - ground turkey tostadas

OH MY GOSH -- I SUCK at blogging...as an apology, here's a gift -- a recipe for tostadas. I even took the time to take a picture.

Serves 8
Pre-heat oven to 350
Spray a baking sheet with pam
Heat a can of vegetarian refried beans with some ro-tel tomatoes and then add
chopped zucchini (1), red pepper (1) and half a cup of diced onions to bean mixture and take off heat.
Layer on top of tostadas
Brown 1 lb ground turkey breast with taco seasoning
Layer on top of beans
Layer with 4 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
and top with 1 tbs of salsa

Bake for 15 minutes and serve
Calories for each tostada: 273
protein 20.9 g
Carbs 25.7 g
fat 9.4 g

I am a year out past my surgery -- more on that after my "official" one year appointment.

Hope ya'll are doing well!

Wednesday Weigh In and Stuffed Mexican Peppers Recipe

Starting Weight: 320
Last Recorded Weight 221
Today's Weight 219
Last week, lost 2 lbs
Total weight loss, 101lbs (yeah baby)

Now the fun stuff....I make these yummy stuffed peppers and get this, only 112 k-cals a serving. The kids absolutely love them (they eat two though). I used to make these with rice and tons of cheese, so I scaled it back a lot and added some 'hidden' veggies making them much healthier.

Stuffed Mexican Peppers

1 pound low fat ground turkey (93% fat free)
1 15-oz can of black beans - drained
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes - not drained
1 4-oz can of green chilis
1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1 zucchini, finely chopped
1 cup of finely chopped muschrooms
1 package of taco seasoning
1/4 c of water
1/2 2% cheddar or mexican blend
8 red peppers, cut in half length-wise and cored

Ooops, forgot to add the onion to my picture above.... 

 Brown onion and turkey together

 Once browned add tomatoes, chilis, 1/4 c of water & taco seasoning, bring to boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer give minutes. Then add, chopped mushrooms, zucchini and beans. Slice peppers in half length-wise, core them and placed on Pam-sprayed baking sheet.

 Ooops, forgot to put the cheese in my picture ingredients...stuff peppers with turkey mixture and top with cheese.

 Place in preheated 350 oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes....I kept trying but couldn't take the picture fast enough to see the oven read 30 minutes...so it's a second short of what it should be.

 There's enough meat to have two family meals, so we freeze half for another time

 Here's me -- the cook...you never see pictures of the cook and I love my apron.

I served the family two servings with some pineapple...I just had one, there were plenty of veggies so I didn't have a side. It was so filling! and did I mention only 112 calories.

Oh it makes 16 servings (or 8 for now, 8 for another time).

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (197.9 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 112 Calories from Fat 26

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2.9g 4%

Saturated Fat 1.0g 5%

Cholesterol 19mg 6%

Sodium 220mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 12.8g 4%

Dietary Fiber 4.5g 18%

Sugars 5.1g

Protein 9.2g

weigh-in, work, oatmeal recipe -- hodgepodge post

I think that post surgery weight loss honey moon is over....
I've really only lost three pounds this month.
I need to work harder to do it.
I know I will get there, I'm not really discouraged, just a little sad and frustrated, but realistic and still hopeful.

Here are my numbers
Starting Weight: 320
Last Recorded Weight 224
Today's Weight 221
Last four weeks, lost 3 lbs
Total weight loss, 99 lbs

So since my stomach virus a couple weeks back when I got to 101 pounds lost, I fluctuated between 220 and 224 (so frustrating). I am down to 221 and feel that's a more real number than my post-virus loss was. My 9 month appointment is coming up in two weeks and I so wanted to be under 200 by then. Short of losing 21 pounds in two weeks, I'm thinking this isn't going to happen. I'm hoping I'll be under 200 by my year appointment.

This new job is kicking my behind! There's so much to learn and so much to do...frankly, I feel a little over my head. But this is how I always feel with a new job.

So I made some really yummy-stick-to-your-ribs steel-cut oats the other day and thought I'd share the recipe. Excuse the pictures, it doesn't look as appetizing as it really tastes :D. It's not the best protein choice out there, but sometimes it's nice to have some cereal type breakfast and this one reduces my guilt a bit.

1 cup of steel cut oats
4 cups of water
1 cut up apple
1/2 cup of almonds (slivered or sliced)
2 tablespoons of almond butter
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
cinnamon to taste

Boil water, add almonds and oatmeal, reduce to low heat and cook 10 minutes. Add almond butter and apples and cook another 10 minutes. Before serving add sugar and cinnamon.  I remove my portion before adding the sugar and I add some 'purevia' - a natural sugar substitute. 

With the Sugar

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (124.0 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 337 Calories from Fat 130

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 14.4g 22%

Saturated Fat 1.0g 5%

Sodium 2mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 44.7g 15%

Dietary Fiber 12.2g 49%

Sugars 10.4g

Protein 10.1g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 5% Calcium 10% • Iron 13%

With out the Sugar and 1/4 c of almonds instead of 1/2 c

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 serving (120.6 g)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 261 Calories from Fat 89

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9.9g 15%

Saturated Fat 1.1g 6%

Sodium 18mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 39.5g 13%

Dietary Fiber 8.4g 34%

Sugars 6.6g

Protein 9.3g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 5% Calcium 8% • Iron 15%