VACATION!!

Good morning good people!  I cannot thank you enough for your continued support.  It still boggles my mind that so many people are reading, trying my recipes, and embarking on their own low carb journey.  I've received numerous emails from folks who are feeling great and on the path to better health.

I'm going to be on vacation starting today, Friday June 22.  I'll be returning Saturday, June 30 and will resume posting at that time.  I'm going to volunteer at a summer camp in North Carolina and internet access is extremely limited so you probably won't hear from me for the next 8 days.

I'll be taking pictures of all my meals and doing a super huge report on camp food (eek!) when I get back.  Take this week to try some old recipes, or check out my Pinterest page for some new recipes that I haven't even tried yet.  If you do, please let me know how they work out!

Until next time, and many thanks,

Kelly

Mommy, please take me with you.  

Ready for camp!

Food Diary Wednesday, June 20

Breakfast

This tea was very good.  I need to go to the international
grocery store and see if I can find it.  

hot flax cereal
coffee with 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Lunch
(out at some sushi bar in College Park)
cold green tea with 1 packet Sweet'N Low
seaweed salad
one tempura onion that I stole off of someone else's plate!
spicy tuna tartar
1 Tbsp chili sauce, 1 Tbsp soy sauce

Snack
1/2 C sunflower seeds

I love seaweed salad.  

1/2 C cottage cheese
2 ounces white cheddar cheese

Dinner
1 broiled zucchini
chicken wrapped in bacon
peach tea from powder

lots and lots of water today.  It was hot!

Supplements
raspberry ketones
fiber
fish oil

Zucchinis have 5-7 carbs each, which isn't terrible for a side
dish if you've had a good day so far.  

L-Glutamine
B complex

Groceries Wednesday, June 20

• cracker cuts: for use in stuffed wrapped chicken
• chicken breasts: for use in stuffed wrapped chicken
• 2 medium sized zucchinis: for use in garlic roasted zukes recipe
• unsweetened almond breeze in vanilla and original: I had no idea that this was low carb because I've always looked at the regular variety instead of the unsweetened kind.  Not sure yet what I'm going to do with it besides drink it, but I'll keep you all posted.  

Food Diary Tuesday, June 19

This snack has no nutritional value, which is usually
something that I steer away from.  However, they taste
just like cheetos and you get 20 of them for only a few carbs.
You can find them in your grocery store by the baby food.
You'll feel silly when you are at the check out
buying baby food, but you'll thank me later.  

Breakfast
hot flax cereal
coffee with 2 Tbsp heavy cream

Lunch
(leftovers from dinner Monday)
1 C egg drop soup
2 chicken satay skewers with
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 C light and fluffy chocolate mousse

Snack
1/2 C ranch flavored sunflower seeds
1/2 C cottage cheese
20 Garden Tomato Crunchies from Gerber Graduates

Dinner

rotisserie chicken

1/4 of 1 rotisserie chicken picked up from the grocery store
1/2 of 1 Dole Southwest salad kit
1/2 C cottage cheese
2 glasses Skinny Girl white peach margarita over ice

Snack
2 rounds mini Babybel cheese in Bonbel flavor

lots of water all day at work

Supplements
fish oil

Awesome boyfriend and I love to split this salad kit by
Dole.  Well, mostly I love to split it and he eats whatever
I cook for him!  

raspberry ketones
B complex
L-Glutamine
fiber

I love all of the Skinny
Girl drinks.  This is my
favorite flavor for summer.  

I love these little cheeses!

Groceries Tuesday, June 19

So many groceries I couldn't fit them into one shot!  

• rotisserie chicken: great low carb meal in a hurry
• frozen scallops: I usually use about half a bag of these at a time.  
• milled flax seeds: for use in hot flax cereal
• salad almonds: great way to add crunch to your salad without adding a ton of carbs
• salad onions: these little onions are crunchy.  You only get about 1 Tbsp per serving, but they are wonderful on top of chicken salad wraps
• Dole Southwest salad kit: I love this.
• tomato sauce: I keep this on hand, but tomato sauces can be tricky.  Make sure that you read labels because some can have as many as 14 carbs per half cup.  Yikes!  
• romaine lettuce: another ingredient to keep on hand
• olive oil: good in so many things- keep on hand
• Ragu alfredo sauce: I use this to make lots of pasta sauces, including my special sauce.
• lobster tails: These were on sale for $5.99 each (!) so I bought some.  Going into the freezer for now.     
• big bag of Splenda: I buy the grocery store brand because it's much less expensive.  
• heavy cream: keep on hand.  Little carton goes to work for my coffee and occasional chai.
• gerber graduates lil crunchies in tomato and cinnamon flavors: Awesome low carb snack when you need a little crunch.  Make sure that you count your serving size.  You can find these in the baby food aisle.  
• Little Puffs: You'll also find these in the baby food aisle.  You get 90 of them for a few carbs, so also a good sweet and crunchy snack.  
• Marzetti Balsamic Vinaigrette: great low carb salad dressing- keep on hand
• Daisy Cottage Cheese: great low carb snack.  Make sure you get the one that says 4%.  
• Babybel cheese rounds: another great snack with zero carbs.  
• Muenster cheese: muenster melts down really well.  I use it on burgers, in eggs, on salads, etc.    

Food Diary Monday, June 18

Breakfast
hot flax cereal
coffee with 2 Tbsp heavy cream and 1 packet Splenda

Lunch
(picked up at Applebee's)
Pick and Pair Lunch:
fried chicken salad with ranch dressing
chili topped with cheese, jalapenos, and 4 Tbsp sour cream

Snack
1/2 C ranch flavored sunflower seeds
20 pepperonis

Dinner
(picked up at East Moon Asian Bistro)
1 C egg drop soup with 2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 satay chicken skewer with 1 Tbsp peanut butter
4 servings spicy tuna sashimi

Snack
1 C light and fluffy chocolate mousse
green tea with 1 packet Sweet'N Low

lots of water all day- back to the regular routine

Supplements
B Complex
raspberry ketones
L-Glutamine
fiber
fish oil

Light and Fluffy Chocolate Mousse

This recipe is great for when you really want something sweet but there's nothing around.  There are times that I don't feel like baking low carb peanut butter cookies or butter pecan creme brulee.  Although those things are both delicious, I'm lazy and some nights I just don't feel like dragging out yet another dish.  My light and fluffy mousse is easy, delicious, and will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.  It's also a great take-along to work dessert.

so chocolatey

Ingredients
1 C heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder
4 packets Splenda

Directions

1. Add cream, cocoa powder, and Splenda to a large bowl.  
2. Beat with an electric hand mixer until small peaks begin to form.  
3. Stir mousse a few times with a rubber spatula to make sure that no dry ingredients are sticking to the bottom or sides of the bowl.  
4. Continue to beat with an electric hand mixer until mousse becomes firm.  
5. Serve right away, or refrigerate until ready to serve.  

I know this is mean to show you all but I'm doing it anyway.  This is raw
chocolate that I purchased from a cocoa farm while I was in the Dominican
Republic.  It is SO good in everything from cocoa to oatmeal.  If you can
get your hands on some- do it.  Hershey's cocoa is also tasty if you
don't feel like hunting down the organic variety.  

I'm cheap.  I buy the Giant brand sweetener.  It tastes just like Splenda.  

Tofu Pasta with Chicken Apple Sausage and Creamy Red Sauce

This recipe is super delicious.  The red sauce is on the salty side so the sweetness of the apples in the sausage is a good contrast to that.  Also, it reheats extremely well the next day which makes it a winner if you like leftovers as much as I do.  Plus, you get to eat pasta!  Feel free to substitute chicken, shrimp, veggies, or whatever you like in place of the sausage.  Also, you can make a big batch of special sauce ahead of time, freeze it, and pull it out for a recipe like this when you are in a pinch.  

Ingredients

2 packs of Tofu Shirataki noodles

3 chicken sausages with apples (like the kind from Johnsonville farms)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp oregano

2 Tbsp garlic powder

For Sauce: Follow Recipe for Special Sauce, makes 2-3 Cups

Directions

1. Add olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium high.  
2. While oil is heating, slice sausages into pieces about 1/2 inch thick.  
3. Once oil is hot, add sausages to pan.  
4. Add garlic powder and oregano to sausages and toss with a spatula.  
5. While sausages are heating, add special sauce to a medium size sauce pan and heat over low.  
6. Drain and rinse tofu noodles using a colander.  
7. Once noodles have drained, add to sauce pan with special sauce and stir with a wooden spoon until noodles and sauce are incorporated.  
8. Continue to cook sausages until they have browned on both sides.  
9. Add special sauce and noodles directly to skillet with sausage and reduce heat to low.  
10. Stir with spatula until sausage, noodles, and sauce are evenly incorporated.  
11. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese, hot sauce, or crushed red pepper if desired.  

Tofu noodles come packed in water and have a distinct fishy smell when
you first open them.  Make sure that you rinse them and allow them to
drain before you make any major moves.  

Mmmm, special sauce.  I usually keep the ingredients on hand so that I
can whip up a batch as needed.  I use this sauce on everything- more
recipes to come.  You can make ahead and freeze if you like.  

When your sausages look like this they are ready.  They don't have to
be super brown all over, but you definitely want some nice toasty parts.  

Food Diary Sunday, June 17

Breakfast
2 rounds Mini Babybel Light Original Cheese
iced tea sweetened with Splenda

Snack
1/2 C sunflower seeds

Lunch

This is a good high protein, high fiber snack that is
available at lots of gas stations.  Good for staying full
on the road.  

(on the road back to Maryland)
1 pack Jack Link's original Beef Jerky
1 red bull total zero
1 single serve pack Planter's mixed nuts

Dinner
(out at Catonsville Gourmet Market with awesome boyfriend)
side salad with asiago dressing
1 smoked BBQ shrimp skewer
1 crab meat cigar: rolled prosciutto stuffed with crab meat and cheese
12 oysters with horseradish and lemons
unsweet tea with Sweet'N Low

had a lot of water in the afternoon, but not much during the day because I was in the car.


Supplements
raspberry ketones
fish oil
B complex
L-Glutamine
fiber

Generally I stay away from BBQ sauce because it's loaded
with sugar.  This was a very small amount.  

The crispy crab cigars are a staple at Catonsville Gourmet
and were highly recommended by our waiter.  They were
delicious!  The prosciutto is baked so that it becomes
firm enough to pick these up and eat with your fingers.
I'm going to try to duplicate the recipe at home- will keep
you updated.  

I think we have been over this before but I am an
oyster-aholic.  I could eat them every meal.  They make
an awesome low carb snack or meal.  Always a good choice.

Food Diary Saturday, June 16

So, Saturday morning was not so good for me.  As I mentioned previously, I drank too much alcohol on Friday night.  I paid for this misstep in many ways (most of all with my pride when I tripped coming up one stair and did a face plant on the patio), one of those being an awful upset stomach all day Saturday.  I drank lots of bottles of water- I lost count after six- and ate lots of bread in a desperate attempt to get my heartburn  to calm down.  This is just another way that alcohol can wreak havoc on a diet.  Tummy finally settled down sometime after lunch and I got back on track for dinner.  Like I always say, you can't beat yourself up when these things happen.  Just keep it moving.  Here are the ugly stats from breakfast and lunch, and the not so ugly stats from dinner:

Breakfast

1 egg McMuffin from McDonalds

so much bottled water

3 bagels (!)

Lunch

boxed lunch from Jay's Deli:

roast beef sandwich on wheat with tomato slices and lettuce

small bag of Lay's original potato chips

oatmeal cookie

even more water

Dinner

(out with mom and some friends at Lucky 32 in Greensboro, NC)

chicken breast topped with dijon mustard sauce, ham, cheese, and mushrooms

1 C cooked collard greens

side of deviled eggs 

more water

I think this may be the most water I've ever consumed in a day.  

Supplements

raspberry ketones

L-Glutamine

fish oil

fiber

B complex

vitamin D

Food Diary Friday, June 15

Make sure that you toss the bread, but otherwise
a fast food burger is not a bad meal if you're on the road.
image via

Breakfast
hot flax cereal
coffee with 2 Tbsp heavy cream
1/2 C cottage cheese

Snack
1/2 C sunflower seeds

Lunch
McDonald's Angus Deluxe burger (throw away bread)
medium diet coke

Snack
1/2 C sunflower seeds

Snack
2 rounds Mini Babybel Light Original cheese
(I eat these every time I'm at my mom's house!)

Dinner
1 prime rib cooked on the grill by my wonderful father
1 C mixed field greens with
diced tomatoes, onions, broccoli, cheese, bacon bits
2 Tbsp blue cheese dressing
2 bites of key lime pie!
3 servings orange flavored vodka with soda water and lemon juice

Out with friends**
5 chicken wings ranch flavor
1 Tbsp ranch dressing
lots of tequila shots

water, but not as much as usual because I was in the car driving to North Carolina all day

Supplements
raspberry ketones
B complex
fiber
L-Glutamine
fish oil

**I drank too much on Friday night.  Like, way too much.  I wasn't planning on this but I was out with old friends playing darts and laughing, (someone else driving) and the night just got away from me.  This lead to me being super nauseous, not sleeping well, and tossing my cookies around 5 in the morning.  Not sure what overall calorie and carb intake was for the day taking these facts into account but I know that it wasn't good.  Kids, if tequila shots are only a good choice in serious moderation.  They may not have any carbs, but they'll make you feel gross and fall and bust your knee if you overindulge.

Also, I don't think it's any secret that I enjoy a cocktail from time to time, but I do not recommend drinking to excess.  Aside from being embarrassing and fostering bad decisions, it can wreck havoc on your diet.  And please, if you are drinking, don't get behind the wheel of a car.    

Food Diary Thursday, June 14

This is an awesome snack.  Make sure you get the 4%
variety, not the 2%, which has too many carbs.
image via

Breakfast
hot flax cereal
coffee with
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1/2 C cottage cheese

Lunch
1 C chopped romaine
2 Tbsp dry minced onions
2 Tbsp bacon bits
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C pepperonis
tossed with 2 Tbsp Italian dressing

Chicken apple sausage?  Good
Tofu pasta?  Good
Special sauce?  So good.  

Snack
1/2 C cottage cheese

Snack
1/2 C sunflower seeds
6 cherries

Dinner
tofu pasta with special sauce
and chicken and apple sausage

Snack
1 low carb peanut butter cookie
6 cherries
green tea with 1 packet Sweet'N Low

After dinner snack.  

lots of water all day

Supplements
raspberry ketones
fiber
B complex
L-Glutamine
fish oil

Tofu Pasta with Special Sauce

I've been putting off writing this for several days now because I can't believe I'm sharing this recipe.  It's top secret and delicious and going to be totally embarrassing for me when people realize what a lazy good for nothing I am serving them sauce from a jar and masquerading it as something I created, which is why I can't believe I'm sharing this recipe.  Tofu pasta is a gift from the gods to me personally.  Without it there would be no baked spaghetti, no mac and cheese, and no special sauce.  Special sauce is so easy it's almost ridiculous and was definitely born out of me not wanting to go to the grocery store one night.  Please don't judge me for my lazy ways.  I can't believe I'm sharing this recipe!

Mmmmmm, special sauce.  

Ingredients

1 package of tofu shirataki noodles

1 jar Ragu Homemade Style Pizza sauce

1 jar Ragu Cheesy Classic Alfredo

2 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp black pepper

1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese

crushed red pepper to taste

Directions

1. Tofu shirataki noodles are packed in water.  Cut open the bag and drain them in a colander.  Run water over the noodles to rinse.  
2. While noodles continue to drain heat a medium sized saucepan over medium on the stove.  
3. Add 1 C each of Pizza sauce and Classic Alfredo.  
4. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and stir until all ingredients are incorporated throughout.  
5. Once sauce is hot, add Parmesan cheese and stir until cheese has melted.  More cheese can be added if desired.  
6. Add noodles and stir until noodles are covered in sauce.
7. Serve hot and enjoy!  This recipe goes great with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions.  

They may or may not have these in your regular grocery
store.  If they don't you will definitely be able to find them
in an organic grocery like Whole Foods or Earth Fare.
image via

So simple.  I can't believe that I'm telling you all my secrets.  At least
I'm among friends.  

Food Diary Wednesday, June 13

image via

Breakfast
2 rounds Mini Babybel Light Original Cheese
unsweet tea
1/2 C sunflower seeds

Lunch
angus mushroom and swiss burger from McDonald's (throw away the bun)
Rockstar Iced Tea

Snack
1/2 C sunflower seeds

Snack
10 cherries
2 ounces Muenster cheese
peach tea from powder

Dinner
2 whole chicken wings marinated in buffalo sauce
(I picked these up at my grocery store deli and popped them in the smoker for about an hour.)
1/2 bag Dole Southwest Salad

Snack
1 low carb peanut butter cookie
1 cup hot tea with 1 packet Splenda

water, but not as much as usual because I was driving back from NC to Maryland all day

Supplements
raspberry ketones
L-Glutamine
fiber
fish oil
B complex

Food Diary Tuesday, June 12

These are delicious.  It's hard to stop at 2.  

Breakfast
hot flax cereal
peach tea from powder

Snack
1/2 C sunflower seeds
2 rounds Mini Baybel Light Original cheese

Lunch
salad:
1 C baby spinach
2 Tbsp dry minced onions
2 sticks string cheese chopped
1 C steak slices
2 Tbsp balsamic dressing

0 carbs = 1 great snack.  

Snack
2 rounds Mini Baybel Light Original cheese

Dinner
(out at Applebee's)
1/2 of 1 order spinach dip with celery sticks
9 ounce sirloin topped with
grilled shrimp, Parmesan and asiago cheese
1/2 C broccoli
1/2 C sauteed mushrooms
2 Miller Lite draft

water, but not as much as usual because I was in the car driving from Maryland to North Carolina all day

Supplements
raspberry ketones
L-Glutamine
fiber
fish oil
B complex

Sausage with Peppers and Onions

This recipe is one of my go to's for when I can't think of anything else to cook.  It's pretty easy and it only requires a few ingredients, which means a short grocery store trip.  Pair it with some tofu pasta and you're good to go.  This is also a good one to make if you are feeding a lot of people or trying to make enough for leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.  You can multiply (or half) the recipe as many times as you want to get the perfect amount.

Ingredients

1 pack of Johnsonville apple chicken sausage

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1/2 of 1 yellow onion

2 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp pepper

2 Tbsp oregano

1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper

4 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium high.  
2. Cut peppers and onions into thin strips.  Add to skillet and cook until vegetables begin to soften.  
3. While veggies are cooking cut sausage, on a diagonal, into slices.  
4. Add sausage and remaining olive oil to skillet and stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
5. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper to skillet mixture and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.  
6. Once vegetables are cooked though, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until sausage begins to brown, stirring occasionally with spatula.  
7. Once sausage has browned on both sides and vegetables are soft, recipe is ready to serve.  
8. Serve hot, with Parmesan cheese or hot sauce if desired.  This recipe makes 3-4 servings.  

Cutting sausage on a diagonal means more surface area.  This allows
the sausage to soak up more spicy goodness.  

These things are good.  You can get ones that don't have apples for less
carbs.  I love the apple ones so I'm willing to spend some of my daily
carbs here.  Other flavors include spicy, cheese, etc.  

Everything into the pot.  Give the veggies a 5 or 10 minute head start.
The sausage is precooked so you're really just warming and browning it.  

Food Diary Monday, June 11

Breakfast
hot flax cereal
coffee with
2 Tbsp heavy cream

Snack
1/4 C cottage cheese

Lunch
1 C meatballs from grocery store deli
1 C tomato, mozzarella, basil, and garlic salad from grocery store deli
6 cherries

Snack
1/2 C sunflower seeds
2 ounces Stinton cheese with cranberries
1 peanut butter cookie

Dinner
1 serving sausage with peppers and onions
1/2 package tofu noodles with special sauce
peach tea from powder

lots of water today

Supplements
forgot today- oops!

Groceries Monday, June 11

Little grocery trip today.  

• dog bones: we go through these things like crazy.  They are one of the only things that keep the puppies calm.  
• green bell pepper: for use in sausage with peppers and onions recipe
• red bell pepper: also for use in sausage recipe- would you believe they only had one red pepper left in the store?  It was meant to go into my belly I guess.  
• Johnsonville chicken apple sausage: this stuff is so good.  each sausage has 4 carbs so you can't go crazy and eat the whole pack in one sitting.  I like to use them in recipes.  

Food Diary Sunday, June 10

Now that's an omelet.  

Breakfast
(out at College Park Diner)
omelet with bacon, peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheese
3 tomato slices
coffee with 2 creamers

Snack
(at the National Museum of the American Indian in DC- split with Awesome Boyfriend)
2 C chorizo cooked in something spicy
1 C fish soup

Lunch
(split with awesome boyfriend)
bacon ranch chicken salad from McDonald's
diet coke

Snack
1/2 C ranch sunflower seeds

Dinner
1 sirloin steak marinated in spicy bourbon sauce

image via

1 serving Dole Southwest Salad
1 glass peach tea from powder

Snack
1 low carb peanut butter cookie

lots of water all day- it was 93 degrees and we were outside in the sun!

Supplements
raspberry ketones
fiber
B complex
fish oil
L-Glutamine