Salisbury Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

I knew blogging seven days in a row would be tuff but I made a promise and since I am sticking to the other promises I made this month I might as well stick with this one as well.

This recipe I pulled straight out of one of my WW cookbooks. I knew it was going to be healthy but I didn't know it was going to be so delicious.

Steak Prep:

1 pound lean ground beef

2 slices whole wheat bread, cubed

1 medium sized onion, chopped

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/8 Teaspoon pepper

Gravy Prep:

2 Teaspoons of EVOO

1/4 pound of Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced

1 Tablespoon of AP flour

1 cup of low sodium beef broth

First combine the beef, cubed bread, onion, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. I always use my hands because it was way easier to disperse the ingredients. Divide into four sections and flatten into oval shaped "steaks". Place on your broiler pan and stick them under your broiler on high for 6-8 minutes each side.

While the steaks cook heat your oil in a large non-stick skillet to medium high. Add mushrooms and allow them to soften. Takes about 8 minutes. Coat the mushrooms with the flour and stir mushrooms again. Add the broth and heat to a boil. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens and bubbles.

Once the steaks are done add them to your skillet and let flavors mix for 2-3 minutes uncovered. Plate and eat!

I used the leftover rice from last night as a bed for my steaks. The rice soaked up the sauce and added an extra element to the dinner. We also had a nice green salad with carrots, almond slices, cherry tomatoes, pram and my favorite low fat cilantro dressing from Trader Joe's.

The best part of this dinner is that I made four steaks so we both get leftovers for lunch tomorrow:)

Pre-Prego Jeans

As some of you have been reading I have been on a healthy kick for the last four weeks. I have almost reached the end of my first 30 days and I have to say I am feeling pretty good. I don't know how much weight I have lost because my scale isn't that great and I haven't really counted pounds but rather watched the little dial move lower and lower on the number scale. This is exciting to me and it encourages me to keep at it and stay the course. But what happened this weekend was the big morale boost I needed. I was able to put on, button AND zip up my pre-prego jeans. Previously when I had tried these on I couldn't even get them over my enlarged behind but not this weekend. I ran out into the living room and modeled them for Steve and Maggie who both gave me a resounding cheer! Now, I didn't keep them on due to the, um how to put this, muffin topping:( But it was enough to be able to get them on and feel proud of that moment. I know that sometime in the next three weeks I will be able to not only put those beauties on but wear them out proudly!

Now you all know that healthy living begins with healthy eating and at the beginning of my 30 days I promised a recipe or two. I haven't been so great about that but that is about to change. For the next seven days I am going to include my dinner menu.

Here is what is on tonights menu.

Leg of lamb steaks with fresh yogurt sauce

Steamed asparagus

Couscous salad

First the lamb:

I understand those who have a hard time eating lamb. I didn't touch the stuff until I met Steve and I realized that it is quite good. It has a unique indescribable flavor that can only be taste tested. It also a great source of protein and nutrients. I picked mine up at New Season's (a store comparable to Whole Foods if you are outside of Portland). Make sure it is local meat that is void of hormones. Many ranchers give their lambs hormones to boost their meat value but you really don't need it. American lambs are, ummmm well, sent to slaughter at older ages so the meat has more flavor and usually the steaks are larger.

Cooking is simple.

Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and throw under the broiler (on high) or onto the grill for no more than five minutes each side. They are meant to be pink in the middle. If it isn't pink they are already waaaay over done. If you can't stand the sight of raw meat then cook it for 7 minutes each side. You will still get the flavor but it will be a little less pink when you cut into it.

The yogurt sauce is easy too.

1 cup non-fat/low-fat PLAIN yogurt

1 Tablespoon fresh Mint

1 Tablespoon fresh Basil

1 Tablespoon fresh Parsley. (I used dried because when am I ever gonna use that much parsley. Just use a little less than a full tablespoon).

1 Teaspoon of honey

Mix it all together and let it stand while you cook the lamb. You can either use it as a side and dip your meat or do what we did and just spread it all over. The mint is a great compliment to the lamby flavor.

Asparagus is so simple and delicious I wish I would eat it more often. To steam it I put it in a 10 inch pan with a metal strainer underneath. Fill it with about a half inch of water and steam for 10 minutes. I hate mushy asparagus so I will start my timer as soon as I turn the oven on.

Couscous is super simple too. If you can find whole wheat you are better off but I have to order mine on the internet. I order the plain stuff and use vegetable or chicken broth rather than water. Cook until boiling and then let stand with no heat for five minutes. I then add a little feta, kalamata olives, some more shredded basil and sliced grape tomatoes. The heat from the couscous softens up the other ingredients and makes the whole thing come together.

You may be looking at this thinking that it took a lot of prep and time but I think all told it took maybe 20 minutes to prep and cook the meal. I get about 20 minutes out of Maggie in the exer-saucer and cheesy poofs so it works out pretty well. The plus side is that Steve gets home and we get to all sit down to an awesome meal together before Maggie heads to bed.

Tomorrow night: Salsbury Steak, Broccoli and Farmhouse Brown and Wild Rice

Stir Crazy

I am so sick of these grey, rainy days. I want to run across green meadows singing "The hills are alive with the sound of music!" like Julie Andrews. I want sun. I want warmth. I wan to take off the heavy down comforter and heated blanket and replace it with my summer quilt. But, because we choose to live her in the beautiful Northwest I will have to wait a little longer. Thankfully it didn't stop me from packing up the family today and heading to the Columbia Gorge. I had been feeling a bit like a chicken in her coop for the last couple of weeks so I knew rain or shine we had to do something. And yes we encountered grey skies, rain and even some hail but we also got some blue mixed in along with a rainbow! I couldn't resist snapping this shot as we walked thru the parking lot of Multnomah Falls. But this day is better told in pictures.

Me and Maggie looking cute. I will be so sad when the bear suit doesn't fit anymore.

Steve took this with my Iphone. Pretty good.

Daddy and Maggie looking sweet

Bridal Veil falls. This was our favorite.

Peek-a-boo

8 Months

On the eve of her eight month birthday Maggie learned to do something new.

Happy St. Patricks Day

Hey everyone check out my total cute t-shirt that my Auntie Kinsley brought me from Ireland!

Dublin Rocks! Hey ma get me some green milk.

Ohhhhhhhh Nooooo. Too much green milk.

That Maggie, she is such a milk-o-holic.

My First Recipe

I am three days in and feeling pretty good. Aside from exhaustion which is in part to the time change and also because my sweet baby girl is refusing to sleep thru the night. I love her to pieces but I seriously need some zzzz's. Anyway, this is supposed to be about food. After a complete waste of a meal last night I knew that I needed to satisfy my palate this evening but I also knew I wouldn't have much time. I knew I had to work until 5 today and then get Maggie from my mom and then get home and feed her, change her and cuddle her. This meant that I wouldn't have much time to prepare dinner. So I went to my old stand-by, frozen chicken breast. If you shop at Costco then you know that they have these packages of Foster Farms chicken breast in 2 piece packages. It is the best invention ever. Last night I pulled a package out of the freezer so it would be ready to cook up tonight.

Finally at 6:30 tonight I was ready to go. Steve actually came home early so he was on baby duty while I rummaged the cabinets for something to go along with the chicken. I am trying to boost my protein and veggies so I was super excited when I looked in the fridge and saw some baby spinach, feta cheese and a red onion. But I didn't want just a salad. So I kept looking. Then I saw it. ORZO. I love orzo. It cooks up fast and is low in fat and calories.

I pulled out my trusty George Forman, thanks Missy, and put the chicken on too cook at the same time as the pasta. I threw the spinach, about 3-4 handfuls, into a large bowl and then thiiiiinly sliced a red onion. After the orzo finished cooking I threw about a cup on top of the spinach to allow it to kind of wilt a little and tossed on about an 8th of a cup of feta. Once the chicken finished cooking I cut it up into bite sized pieces and threw it on top of the other ingredients so it would all kinda warm up together. I then placed the red onion in the bowl and added a couple of tablespoons of "Newmans Own" Light Balsamic and Vinegar dressing. Mix it all together and VOILA! Easy as pie dinner that was both filling and absolutely delicious. I think the whole thing took me about 15 minutes to prepare and cook. Take that Rachel Ray.

I need to add that this was a great meal for one person. I would have needed to make more had Steve wanted some but he wasn't very interested. Not because it didn't sound awesome, but he wasn't feeling so hot and didn't want to eat anything.

When I said last night was a waste of a meal I meant it. Don't ever buy Tofu noodles. I realize that some people can try to convince you that they taste good and you can dress them up but to me they tasted like paste. They kinda look like paste too. I don't care how much protein and how little fat there was in my dinner last night, I will never eat it again.

The Next 30 Days

32 has come to stay for the next 365 days so it is time to do a little bit of reflection on what it means to me. Here is the blaring realization that I have had over the last 4 days since my actual Birthday. I don't feel 32, I feel 52. My bones ache, I am tired, my clothes don't fit right, I have little energy and my body is flabby. Yes flabby. If you don't want to hear about it then I suggest you tune out now because I am about to lay out my plan of action.

For the last eight years I have been a member of Weight Watchers. Back in 2003 I lost 65 pounds of college weight. I looked and felt amazing. When I got pregnant with Maggie I was already creeping back up the scale but I didn't care I was pregnant. Over the next 7 months I did exactly what I said I wasn't going to do. I ate like I was carrying triplets. I ate and ate and ate some more. One day, as I sat eating something unhealthy, my friend Cindy looked and me and said, "Your going to regret this." I couldn't believe she had just said that to me. She's my good friend. I didn't want to hear that from her. But hindsight is always 20/20. I should have listened to her because now I do regret it. I gained 50 pounds with Maggie and have only lost 20 of it. There are days when I am embarrassed to walk out the door because of how I feel and look. Please don't pity me. In fact the last thing I want is anyone's pity. I did it to myself and now I have to un-do it.

So here is my plan. For the next 30 days I am going to live a healthier life. I am going to commit to eat healthier, move more, and drink less (or none at all). I am not going to focus on the scale but more on how my body feels. I will use this blog as a way to stay accountable to those who choose to follow my journey. I will also promise to post healthy new recipes and tales of both accomplishments and epic fails.

Don't fret if you follow just to see new pics of Maggie, I will continue to post those as well. She is so darn cute how could I not. But it is for Maggie and Steve that I am making this commitment. I want to be 52 and feel 32. I want to watch my baby girl get married and have babies of her own. I can't do that if I continue to live and eat like I do today.

So, with that being said, I raise my glass of water to the next 3o days.