26th Aug 2010
If you’ve been following my menu plan - I have not posted for two days so have let you down. No excuses - so I won’t give one. I’ll merely give you the rest of the menu so hopefully you can continue.
My menu’s are really a template for you to follow when you plan your own menu. The four previous posts to this one include menu’s for Sun - Tuesday and also the Grocery List and On-Hand list that goes with the recipes. All recipes are posted on this site so you can look them up and find out the Calories, Fat, Fiber and Carbs of each individual dish.
Wednesday
Breakfast - Cinnamon Toast
Lunch - BLT
Dinner - New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice
(Look at each recipe and add up your calories then calculate how much you can spend on Snacks and fill out your calories with your Snacks)
Thursday
Breakfast - Oatmeal with cinnamon and fruit
Lunch - Swiss Cheese and Bean Burrito
Dinner - Taco Chicken Salad
(Same thing here with your Calories and Snacks - see previous posts for amount of calories recommended - I’m NOT a nutritionist - these are only suggestions)
Friday
Breakfast - 1 Slice of my Whole Wheat Batter Bread with sugar free jam
Lunch - Swiss Cheese and Bean Burrito (remember to make 5 of these at a time so that your lunch is pre-made)
Dinner - Lasagna Ligera and small green salad
(look up recipes and calculate your calories and what you have left over for extra fruit and snacks!)
Saturday
Breakfast - French Toast a la Kittie’
Lunch - N.O. Style Red Beans and Rice
Dinner - Grilled Fish and Jo JO Potatoes (NOTE: I like to cook my fish the day I purchase it, so I’ll go to the grocery today for this fish - my fav is salmon but most any fish will do that you can grill)
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23rd Aug 2010
I got up this morning and put my kidney beans on to soak so I’m ready for dinner (New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice) that I posted yesterday.
Beginning this past Friday I have been posting a possible weekly meal plan. And so below will be Tuesday.
Breakfast - Frozen Fruit Smoothie - take your strawberries that you purchased and wash them, cut off the tops and cut them in half and then put them in a baggie and freeze them in your freezer. You cannot make this dish in the morning if the strawberries are not frozen.
Lunch - Swiss Cheese and Bean Burrito - and I make five of these at once so that I have made at the least three more of my lunches for this week.
Dinner - Chunky Chicken Pizza - remember the chicken breasts that you baked on Sunday - here’s another time you’ll use them.
And the calories total 765, so for a woman who is following a 1,200 calorie plan you’ll have 435 left for snacks and for a man who is following a 1,500 calorie plan you’ll have 735 left for snacks. Don’t forget your snacks!
All recipes are on this site so look at them today - before tomorrow gets here and plan your day!
Happy eating from the Happy Dieter - ME!
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22nd Aug 2010
I have given you what I will eat today (Sunday) and now I’ll list what I’ll eat tomorrow (Monday)
Breakfast - bran cereal and fruit with skim milk and coffee
Lunch - BLT
Dinner - New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice
All recipes are on this site. Today’s menu has 660 Calories which means you’ll have 540 left for snacks if you’re a woman and 840 left for snacks if you’re a man. Snacks are an important part of any meal plan. They can be a deal breaker, so never forget them.
And as you know I’m NOT a nutritionist. This is a suggested way to eat and it’s the very way I lost weight and am keeping it off.
Before you go to work or start your day, take your package of beans and wash them in a colander and then place them in a large pot (the one you intend to cook them in) and fill it with 8 cups of water. Cover and leave until you come home. The beans should be moist and plump and ready to make your recipe.
When making your lunch be sure and cook 4-6 pieces of turkey bacon so you don’t have to do this again this week either. I’ll eat another BLT later in the week and if the turkey bacon is already cooked then it’s done.
The red beans make 10 servings and you’ll be eating it again this week as well.
Do you see where I’m going with this? By the end of the week there will be very little - if any - cooking. My way of cooking and eating is like I’m making my very own “delivered to your door” meals. I always make more than I need to cut out future steps.
Be sure and see the previous posts for the Grocery List and the On-Hand list and also the menu for Sunday, if you are following this.
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20th Aug 2010
This is what I will eat on Sunday, which is when I’ll start. After I go to the grocery (see grocery list and on-hand list in the previous blog) I will come home and bake the boneless skinless chicken breasts to use for lunch on Sunday and then store the rest in a gallon baggie for the rest of the week.
ALL recipes - even for the toast - are on this web site - just go to recipes and click. And the recipes list all the calories, fat, fiber and carbs
Breakfast - Cinnamon Toast
Lunch - Taco Chicken Salad
Dinner - Lasagna Ligera - HINT: Once you make this dish, it makes 12 portions, so you’ll freeze them for later. I’ll eat this again on Friday night so once this is made dinner is made for Friday too!
My snacks will fill out my calories for the day.
In my reading and research it is generally understood that women should never eat less than 1200 calories a day and men 1500 calories a day.
As you know I am NOT a nutritionist - this is just a suggestion of what to eat and it is how I eat everyday now. On this day the total calories will come to 830 which means I’ll have 370 left for snacks. If you’re a man you’ll have 670 calories left for snacks, which means if you’re really hungry at dinner you could have seconds of the Lasagna!
I usually eat at least one 100 calorie pac of popcorn a day, I’ll have some fruit in there somewhere and I might have a glass (4 oz = 100 calories) of red wine with my Lasagna.
This is day one.
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19th Aug 2010
As I wrote earlier today, Seth and I (from our radio show Seth and Kitty Weighing In on WONA in Winona, MS) are trying something. I’m going to list a menu for a week along with the Grocery List and the list of ingredients that I have On-Hand for that menu. So take a look at the On-Hand List first and see what you do have and what you don’t have and then add that to the Grocery List which is also posted below.
And then I’ll post the First Week of meals tomorrow and how to prepare them. I have people ask me all the time what they should be eating and I send them to my site to get recipes all the time, but this will make it even one step easier. This is everything for the week - all meals.
So here are the lists. You can copy and paste them into a Word Doc and print them out and take them with you to the store. The meals, which I’ll post tomorrow, will have all the calories, fat, fiber and carbs listed so you don’t have to figure that out either!
Week #1
GROCERY LIST
CANNED GOODS
2 14-Ounce cans artichoke hearts packed in water
3 6-Ounce cans tomato paste
3 14.5-Ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 20-Ounce can pineapple chunks (packed in pineapple juice with no added sugar)
1 13-Ounce can fat free refried beans
1 Jar sugar free jam or jelly (your favorite flavor)
WHOLE GRAINS
1 Loaf whole wheat bread (50 calories or less per slice)
1 Package whole wheat lasagna noodles (you’ll need at least 12 noodles)
1 Box 100% bran cereal (with NO added sugar)
1 Container of oatmeal (Old Fashioned or Steel Cut ONLY)
1 16-Ounce package brown rice
1 Bag low fat whole-wheat tortillas (130 calories each or less)
MISCELLANEOUS
1 16-Ounce package dried red kidney beans
1 Bag reduced fat tortilla chips (there are many choices so read your labels)
1 Smuckers sugar free pancake syrup (optional – see French Toast)
FRESH PRODUCE
2 Apples
1 Head Romaine lettuce (or your favorite lettuce. I buy what’s on sale)
3 Onions (I get what’s on sale, but if you love Vidalia or purple, that’s your choice)
1 Bunch asparagus (if the price is sky high then get broccoli)
1 Pint strawberries
4 Large tomatoes
2 Red bell peppers
2 Green bell peppers
1 Pint fresh salsa (the kind that’s refrigerated)
1 Yam or sweet potato (Keep this in the fridge so it will last till the end of the week.)
DAIRY
1 Tub Smart Balance margarine (the only non-hydrogenated margarine I can find)
1 2-Cup package fat free shredded cheddar cheese (If you can’t find fat free, get 2%
and adjust your calories.)
1 2-Cup package reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1 Package reduced fat Swiss cheese (80 calories per slice)
1 2-Pound container reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 Pint egg substitute (or 1 pint pure egg whites)
½ Dozen eggs (a dozen if it’s cheaper)
1 Half gallon skim milk (or SILK, Almond or Whole Grain non-dairy drink if you’re lactose intolerant)
1 Sour cream, fat free (optional – see Taco Chicken Salad)
MEAT – POULTRY – FISH
1 Package boneless skinless chicken breasts (usually a package has 5-6 breasts)
1 20-Ounce package Jennie-O Italian Flavored ground turkey
1 Package Jennie-O turkey bacon
1 14-Ounce package low fat turkey sausage
6 Ounces your favorite fish to grill (mine is salmon) (See NOTE below)
(NOTE: I like to cook fresh fish the day I buy it. For Saturday I’ve scheduled Grilled Fish. If you don’t plan to shop again and buy your fish today, be sure to freeze it!)
Week #1
HAVE ON HAND LIST
(NOTE: If these items are not already in your fridge or pantry, don’t forget to add them to your grocery shopping list!)
CONDIMENTS, DRESSINGS & RELISHES
Balsamic vinegar (my “go to” for a quick side salad)
Dill pickles (or your favorite low calorie pickles)
Hidden Valley Original ranch dressing mix (I always buy the double envelope)
Horseradish (small jar)
Ketchup (sugar free or regular is okay here, unless you plan to drink the bottle!)
Mayonnaise, fat free
Mustard, brown
Mustard, yellow
Zesty Italian Dressing, fat free
KITCHEN AIDS & UTENSILS
1 10 x 14 x 2 Pyrex (or equivalent) casserole dish
Aluminum foil (whatever is on sale)
Baggies (sandwich, quart and gallon size)
Food storage containers (Invest in small, medium and large microwave safe food containers to freeze leftovers in. Containers with ounce markings on the side are helpful.)
Pot (large enough to boil lasagna noodles)
Sauce pan (4-quart size is a minimum)
MISCELLANEOUS
Garlic, fresh cloves or pre-chopped in a jar (I use whichever I have at the time.)
Vanilla extract
OIL & COOKING SPRAY
Butter flavor cooking spray
Olive oil cooking spray
Olive oil (small bottle of whatever is on sale or your favorite)
SEASONINGS
Basil, dried (Fresh is great, but have this, too.)
Black pepper, ground
Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere’s brand.)
Chicken bouillon, powered (I use Maggi brand.)
Cinnamon, ground
Garlic salt (The cheapest store brand is fine.)
Oregano, dried (Fresh is great but have this around, too.)
Parsley, dried (Again, fresh is great but have this, too.)
Thyme, ground (I rarely use fresh Thyme, but you can make that choice.)
Salt (Table, Kosher or Sea Salt all work for me.)
Salt Substitute (for people who have a salt issue)
Seasoned salt (I ONLY use Lawry’s brand)
STAPLES
Equal packets (or your favorite artificial sweetener for coffee and tea)
Splenda for baking
Whole Wheat flour, 5 pound bag
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20th Dec 2009
72 calories each! AND HERE’S THE RECIPE! You’ll need:
1 Cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 Cup Self-rising flour
1/2 Cup Whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1 T Splenda for baking
1 egg
1 1/2 Cup skim milk
1/2 Cup chopped onion
4 Chopped green onions
4 chopped Jalapenos
Butter flavored cooking spray
Large skillet and spatula
Mix all dry ingredients together well. Add egg and milk and mix thoroughly. Add onions and Jalapenos and mix (and this is optional if you don’t want them spicy, plain they’re very delicious too). Spray skillet with butter flavored cooking spray (you’ll do this in between each batch you cook) Turn your heat to medium and allow the skillet to heat up. Drop by spoonful a portion of the mix onto the cooking surface, like pancakes, and I used a large skillet so cooked four of these at a time. Once the cake bubbles through, again like a pancake, flip and cook until golden brown on each side. The diameter of each should be between 3-4 inches each. This recipe will give you at least 17 cakes each - so once prepared you can store in a baggie what you don’t eat for the next day. And these will freeze too.
I ate mine plain, but my son used the sugar free Smucker’s Apricot jelly and made sugar free syrup. (To make this all you have to do is place about 1/4 cup of any sugar free jelly in a microwave bowl and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds on high and it becomes instant syrup)
So enjoy!!! REALLY delicious and can you believe 72 calories each.
Here’s the total breakdown..
Calories 72, Fat 0g, Fiber 1g, carbs 14g
Now go enjoy!!!
Happy Holidays,
Kitty
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20th Nov 2009
In an effort to help you through the holidays in a low cal way - I have a gravy that I make that I totally forgot to share…and it’s so close to the real thing you simply won’t believe it!
1. Pour 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and turn your heat on high.
2. Add 1 cup chopped onion
3. Add 1 T powdered Chicken Bouillon (I use Maggi brand) 1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning and dust with ground black pepper and stir and bring to a boil.
4. When the onion is slightly clear add 1 1/2 T whole wheat flour.
(I’ve tried this with all purpose white and whole wheat and there is no difference in taste and the whole wheat is darker so more the look of real gravy.)
This will become a thick paste and let it cook a minute or two.
5. Slowly add water till it becomes the consistency you desire for gravy. I like mine thick but I know many who like it thin…so that’s a matter of your own taste. (if you like it salty add more chicken bouillon but be careful not to add too much. Taste as you go - it’s low in calories so no such things as too many taste tests)
At this point the entire recipe has roughly 55 calories if you ate all of it.
BUT - in order to make this as much like real gravy as possible I add 1 boiled chopped egg and 1/2 cup chopped chicken (or in this case for Thanksgiving some chopped turkey)
And good cooks have their own touches they’ll add to this and I’d LOVE to know some of them and if this works for you!! (I’ve know people to add celery, green onion - all kinds of things)
The ONLY drawback is there might be some tiny lumps. Both kinds of flour make some so the white does it too. My guess is that the grease helps break that down in real gravy. But once you add all the ingredients you won’t notice and I have a hard time telling the difference.
This recipe allows you to eat the entire bowl of gravy! NO GUILT!!!
And tomorrow I’ll post DIET CRANBERRY SAUCE!!! ENJOY!
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1st Nov 2009
Only 50 calories, 3g fat, 11g fiber and 3 carbs per 1/2 cup! And this is a photo!
And this is how you make it!
Add one tablespoon of powdered chicken bouillon to a large pot of water and turn it on high. Boil the heck out of one medium to large head of cauliflower (of course, wash it and cut off the stem and break it apart into 5-6 hunks).
At the same time boil 4 eggs, peal and chop.
Once the cauliflower is VERY tender (that’s how I like it anyway - but once you make this a few times you will make it your own) drain it and put it in a large bowl - add the eggs and then add 1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise, 2 tsp regular yellow mustard, 2 T sweet pickle relish, 2 green onions chopped finely and then season with Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic salt and pepper to taste. (I am going to add a few pieces of crispy turkey bacon the next time I make this and some celery too. The turkey bacon will add only a few calories when split into servings.)
As you stir this the cauliflower breaks apart and you’d swear you’re working with real potatoes - and you will not believe how much like REAL potato salad this is.
One note! I made this yesterday and I just ate what you see in the photo above (which is 1 cup) and it was much tastier the second day so make this in advance and that was the secret thing that made it an exact match to real potato salad. All the ingredients had a night to flavor each other and WOW! Simply delicious.
Imagine having a cup of potato salad for lunch - I just did - and it’s full of fiber, protein and only 100 calories. I may have more!
This recipe made seven 1/2 cup servings. That will depend on the size of the head of cauliflower - but should be close everytime.
Now go enjoy the once forbidden and now welcome - FAUX POTATO SALAD!!!
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26th Oct 2009
I just made DIET Fried Catfish and if you love fried catfish like I do - YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS AS SOON AS POBBILE!!!
Look at this! And it tastes as great as it looks!
in a gallon baggie put …
1 - cup cornmeal
1 - cup whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons Lawry’s seasoned salt
2 Tablespoons Garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground thyme
…and shake this a lot so that it is well mixed.
Take your catfish filets and if they are big or long cut them into medium sized pieces.
Dip the pieces in skim milk.
Then drop about four pieces at a time into the gallon baggie and shake until the dry batter mix covers them completely.
Lay the pieces on a paper plate and spray generously with butter flavored cooking spray.
Take those same pieces and lay them on a raised grill that you make on a baking pan, butter flavor sprayed side down. In the photo above you’ll see that I used skewers at the top of the photo and they lay across the pan perpendicular. Once the fish is on the raised grill (butter side down) spray the remaining side with butter flavored cooking spray so that the fish is sprayed on both sides equally.
I also used a grill that came with my toaster oven to raise the fish above the pan too. You can see it in the photo as well.
The secret to making this just like real fried catfish is raising it above the surface of the pan. If it lays on the flat surface - the fish juices up.
I baked mine 25 minutes on 350 and then my husband made a low cal (40 calories for the whole recipe) tartar sauce:
4 T fat free mayo
1 T dill pickle juice
dash of Kosher salt
dash of Worcestershire
1/2 tesp horseradish
and the totals on 1/4 of the whole batch of fish in the photo - and that’s a lot of fish-
217 calories
3g fat
1g fiber
18 carbs
I looked up Popeyes Fried Catfish and the same amount of their fried fish is 410 calories..
Neil, my husband, with eyes about to fall out of his head - said I can’t tell that this is not FRIED catfish. I couldn’t either…it was wonderful, so if you cook this is a real winner and VERY healthy!
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17th Oct 2009
You can make them yourself now for only 70 calories each! (and NO fat!)
You don’t have to look for the low cal whole wheat tortillas anymore. Neil and I made some this morning. I took a photo of mine and the kind from the grocery that has 120 calories side by side and there’s not much difference. can you tell which is which? See photos below
Here’s how you make them.
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup skim milk
Spray your skillet with butter flavored cooking spray and mix all items in a medium sized mixing bowl (I used a fork to whip it till smooth) Get your skillet hot but you don’t turn it to high - that’s too hot - and pour your batter on the skillet till you have about 4 inches (diameter circle) of batter - then and this is key - lift up your skillet and tilt it in a circular fashion until the batter spreads out and covers a greater space and it will expand to about 7 inches. Once it is firm flip it and cook till desired brownness. I turned off the stove in between each one and resprayed with cooking spray. This recipe makes 8. I also made a dessert crepe using this same recipe except instead of salt I added 3 Tablespoons of Splenda. I spread 2 T FF Cream cheese and 1 T sugar free Smuckers strawberry jam and rolled it up and wow was that good.
And here’s the comparison in a photo. Mine has 50 less calories and ZERO fat!
Love,
Kitty
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