Smoked Turkey Salad

Before summer gets away, enjoy this yummy salad!

1lb turkey or chicken cut into 1/4" strips (4 c.)
1 c provolone or Swiss, cut into cubes
2 c celery, sliced
1 c honey-roasted cashews
4 c strawberries, cut in half
1 c sour cream
1/4 c honey
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
2 t ground mustard
3 t lemon juice

Mix first 5 ingredients in md bowl.
In separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Pour
over turkey salad and stir. Cover and refrigerate until ready to
serve. Makes 4 servings

686 calories. 49 g protein. 37 g fat

Central Market Tomato Salad

IMHO there is never a need to let a tomato go to waste....so whether you have an abundance growing in your garden or you just feel the need to buy a bunch at the local farmer's market, this recipe is an absolutely delicious dish to eat on its own or serve as a side dish to a summer lunch or supper.

Central Market Tomato Salad

2 ripe homegrown tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into a small dice

2 scallions, white parts, about 1" of the green, thinly sliced

2 T chopped fresh parsley (I'm gonna experiment and use cilantro)

1 t sherry vinegar

1 T extra virgin olive oil

Juliet Harbutt Redesdale (cheese, is kinda firm but crumbly)--(I'm using feta or a dill goat cheese)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and allow the flavors to blend.

A couple variations Kari plans on trying: Balsamic, Basil, and Mozzarella. Red Wine, Thyme, and Goat. Using the flavored Olive Oil. Maybe different herbs, Rosemary, Mint...

It's been a difficult summer...so I'm trying a new recipe

1. big battle with depression
2. having to go to doctor 3 times for suspicious mammogram, which the surgeon has decided is nothing to get excited about
3. totally unmotivated to exercise because I really hate to sweat

so....trying to get back in a good mental space with school starting, finding a good food routine, and finding things to be thankful to God for

Tomato, White Bean, and Bacon Soup

1/4 lb. bacon, diced
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 c. peeled, chopped tomatoes (or, if your tomatoes didn't do a darn thing this summer use canned tomatoes w/juice)
2 c. chicken broth
1 T. dark brown sugar
1 can white beans, drained
optional: some type of small cooked pasta such as bow ties (a/k/a farfalle, shells, ditalini, or orzo.
salt & papper to taste

Note: to peel fresh tomatoes, cut a shallow X shape one one end, blanch in boiling water for about 30 sec., remove from water and skin should easily peel off.

Cook bacon in medium heat in large saucepan unti lightly browned. Remove from pan and placed on paper towels to drain.

Add onion to pan, cook on medium heat until soft. Add garlic and cook about 1 more minute.

Add tomatoes & broth. Cook about 20 minutes.

Stir in brown sugar. Add beans, bacon, and pasta (if you are using it). Add salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread or cornbread.

Blisterin' hottt!!!

Things I love about summer:
1. bacon & tomato sandwiches (for breakfast, lunch, or supper)
2. the sound of cicadas
3. sleeping late
4. running around with Kari

Things I should get done this summer:
1. Clean out my drawers (didn't I just do this last year?)
2. Weed my bookshelves (more than half are in boxes in the garage and it's blisterin' hot, so....)
3. Organize unfinished projects (well, actually, I think I did that summer before last) and get a timeline of finishing them...before I die (now I understand why people inherit quilt tops)

Things I'm not going to get done:
1. Plant the backyard corner flower bed....because a bunch of some kind of ground cover came up...didn't feel as if I should deprive it of growing
2. Save on the electricity bill....cause when it's triple digits for days on end...I intend to stay cool (hopefully, I'll sweat off some weight)
3. Lose 40 lbs....cause I'm just not feeling motivated enough to do it

Things I am getting done:
1. Create some items for a "magical worlds" theme in the school library: I'm finished with one, have 2 others almost finished, another one about halfway, and a 5th one that I haven't started, but can throw together with a glue gun and a couple of bags of glue sticks
2. Getting ppts and other items prepared for school next year (I know this doesn't fall under vacation!!) Ok...so too much of my vacation is falling under "school work"!!
3. Reading and catching up on movie watching

Things I've discovered this summer:
1. Gelato (lemon and mango)...yummy...and a 1/4 c. is plenty to eat to satisfy
2. Popcorn tortilla chips (don't remember the brand...it was a green bag from Central Market)
3. great cotton hipster panties (you needed to know that didn't you?)

and I'll leave you with a simple, cool drink recipe

Melon Agua Frescas

4 c. watermelon, cateloupe, or honeydew
1/4 c. sugar
2 c. cold water

Process melon and sugar in blender until smooth. Scrape down sides as needed.
Pour through a strainer into pitcher. Stir in water. Cover and chill till ready to serve. Serve over ice. Makes about 5 cups.

Italian Meatloaf

I continue to look for flavorful, low-calorie recipes which are quick and easy to prepare. This meatloaf recipe is from the same cookbook (I'll have to ask Kari what the name of it was) as the roasted pork tortilla soup.

Italian Meatloaf

3/4 lb. ground beef chuck
3/4 lb. ground pork
1/2 c. pesto
1 c. fine bread crumbs
2/3 c. chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes
1 egg
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have an 11 x 7 baking dish ready.

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Mix gently, but thoroughly. Form mixture into 9 x 5 inch loaf in baking dish then smooth top.

Bake meatloaf until firm and top is richly browned (internal thermometer should read 160). Let loaf stand in pan 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Makes for good leftovers for sandwiches.

Tortilla Soup With Roasted Pork----Delicious!

This recipe is very low-calorie and delicious!

Tortilla Soup with Roasted Pork

1 1/2 c. roast pork, shredded
2 T. oil
1 sm. red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes with chipotle chiles in juice
6 c. chicken broth
4 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
1 sm. can corn (optional)

In large pot warm oil. Add onion and garlic, saute 4-5 minutes. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cilantro, and pork. (Add beans and corn also, if you like.) Raise heat to med-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to med-low, cover partially and simmer for 10 min.

Serve over broken tortilla chips. Top with a squeeze of lime (this really makes a dramatic difference in the taste!), some diced fresh avocado, and some crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheese.

Cold enough for soup again!

Because it was literally almost freezing when I got up this morning, I decided it is still soup weather...and it would be so nice to come home to a bowl of hot soup!

I found in my cabinet a mix that I'd picked up somewhere (wish I could remember where!)--Antonio's Tuscan White Bean Entree. I chopped up a ham steak and added to the beans along with Antonio's secret seasoning blend (cornstarch, dehydrated potato flakes, garlic and onion powder, dried parsley) and 4 c. of water. Set on low and cook for 8-10 hrs. When I got home this afternoon, I added about 1/2 c. shredded carrots, 1 rib of celery (finely choppped), and a handful of chopped, fresh spinach...let it cook another 30 min.....grab a bowl and some hot cornbread and I'm ready for supper!

The good news? It's only 110 calories....well, without the cornbread it is! You could also add chicken or Italian sausage to this mix or even some frozen veggies.

I've got another slow cooker mix in the same brand--Signature Family Recipes--that is called Big John's Texas BBQ Beans. Since I have no idea where I bought these, I did find a place to buy them online...and you can too!
http://trinidadbenham.com/catalog/category.asp?category_id=109

Another day of 100 calorie recipes!

Kari started our St. Patrick's Day with Smoked Salmon Scramble--another 100 calorie recipe. She lightly broiled tomato halves and scrambled eggs with a bit of crumbled smoked salmon, chopped green onions, the few leftover roasted potatoes from last night, and a tiny pinch of cilantro. Delicious!

For supper Kari fixed a mild bbq grilled chicken from the recipe book. Her sauce was:

1 shallot or green onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 c. tomato sauce or 1 T. tomato paste blended with 2/3 c. water

2 T. red wine vinegar (I don't know if she added this or not)

1 T. prepared mustard

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

I fixed Esther's oven roasted veggies---always yummy! You can use any variety of veggies you like and eat just about as much as you want. For today I used sweet potatoes (peeled and cut like french fries), asparagus, grape tomatoes, purple onion, red bell pepper, garlic cloves, zucchini, and shredded carrots. [I like to add mushrooms, but Warren doesn't like them.] Toss with some salt, pepper, dill weed, and olive oil to coat. Roast in oven at 375 degrees till desired doneness--stir occasionally to prevent sticking/burning.

Tomorrow night we are having Salsa Tilapia (you can also use sole) which is rolled up with a filling of chopped onion, tomato, feta cheese, and jalapeno, and grated orange rind. Cover with foil and cook about 15-20 min. at 350 degrees. Uncover and sprinkle with paprika and pepper and cook for another 5-7 minutes. I'm going to make fresh guacamole to go with it.

100 calorie recipes! Yummy!!

I told Kari before I came down that I needed to eat a lot of fruits, veggies, and protein this week to help me get back on track. I've been gradually getting more out of control since Christmas. We did a lot of walking today---in Walmart, in the mall, at DSW, and at Kohl's. :)

I brought Kari a little cookbook called Just 100 Calories: Delicious and Simple 100 Calorie Recipes by Parragon Books (c) 2007.

We had taco salad last night for supper. This morning Kari made Wake-up Kabobs which were apples, canteloupe, strawberries, and bananas drizzled with cinnamon and honey and broiled for about 5 minutes. Then she put the fruit in a bowl and topped with a little granola and bit of yogurt. We loved the bananas like that! The apples and canteloupe were pretty good, too. We didn't care for the strawberries as much.

This evening Kari made filo wrapped asparagus spears and I helped her make fish & mango kabobs. Kari made kabobs with shrimp, mango, and tuna steak and marinated it with a pomegranite & mango chipotle sauce (got it at Walmart)---it was delicious! She roasted some cubed potatoes seasoned with dill and garlic. We had very filling, yet very low-calorie YUMMY meals today.

More soup this week...

I'm trying out another new soup recipe this week--in honor of Natalie coming over to have supper with me on Monday.

Ground Turkey Soup

Makes 12 servings (I'll cut this recipe in half--my slow cooker isn't big enough for the full recipe)
120 calories per serving

1 lb. fat-free ground turkey (If you are feeling really creative, you can make little meatballs by using some bread crumbs and one egg mixed with the turkey)
1 c. onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can navy beans or kidney beans, drained
1 c. carrots, sliced
1 c. celery, sliced
1/4 c. rice, uncooked
1 qt. low-sodium diced Italian tomatoes
2 c. green beans (I'll probably substitute zucchini)
1 t. parsley flakes
half a green bell pepper (not sure if the color really makes a difference--I've got a yellow one on hand, so will use it--and probably roast it)
1 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
3 c. water

Brown turkey in large skillet. Combine remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low 8-9 hours. Remove the bay leaf after cooking. Can also add some shredded fresh spinach to the soup--serve after the spinach has wilted.

Extreme weather...calls for more soup!

Ok..so our extreme weather isn't in the same category as Alaska where it is -50 something in Fairbanks (and it can get over 90+ there in the summer), but with the weekly 30-40+ temperature differences we've been having a person has to have access to summer and winter wardrobes. I find it rather annoying. Yesterday it was 72. Right now it is 36....and I just want to stay cozy in bed and read and surf the internet and eat soup.

I'm going to fix something I've never had before...ratatouille. What is it? It is an eggplant-based vegetable soup which roughly translates from the French as a stirable chunky stew.

Slow-cooker Ratatouille

makes 6 servings

120 calories per serving

1 T. olive oil

1 lg. onion, chopped

6 lg. garlic cloves, minced

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 medium-sized eggplant, cubed

2 c. mushrooms, thickly sliced

4 tomatoes, cubed

1 c. low-sodium tomato puree

1/4 c. dry red wine, or wine vinegar

1 T. lemon juice

2 t. dried thyme

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 - 1 t. salt

1/4 - 1/2 t. black pepper

4. T. minced fresh basil (or 1 rounded T. dried basil)

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

Turn slow cooker on high for 2 minutes.

Pour oil into slow cooker and add remaining ingredients except parsley and fresh basil. [Note: If using dried basil, add it now.]

Cover. Cook on high for 2 hours, and then on low 4-5 hours.

Stir in fresh basil (unless you used the dry). Sprinkle with parsley.

Delicious served over wheat pasta or brown rice. Can also use it as a pizza topping.

[Notes: I think I'll roast the peppers first--I like a smoky flavor. If I don't have the wine vinegar, I'll just substitute chicken or vegetable stock. I have some leftover grilled chicken breasts--I'll bet this would be delicious served together!]

Sounds delicious, yes?

Fix it and forget it----lightly....

Mother gave me a new cookbook for Christmas titled "Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker" by Phyllis Pellman Good. You've seen them in Target and Wal-mart. While this is advertised as a slow cooker cookbook, you can certainly make any of these without a slow cooker. I usually prepare my stuff the night before by putting most of it in the crock and then in the fridge so that I can quickly get it going the next morning before I leave.

I manage a healthier consumption of food so much better if I have previously prepared food, so I requested this cookbook hoping that it will help me through the rest of the school year. While I certainly don't come home as exhausted (mainly from DRIVING so far!!) as I have the past 2 years, I often come home hungrier because I've eaten very little throughout the day. In fact, it got to the point about 2 months ago that I had to lock the library doors and turn out the lights just so I could eat lunch!

I've marked several recipes to try during the next few weeks and bought ingredients today. I'm looking for recipes that are under 200-210 calories per serving.

Hamburger Soup

makes 6 servings

160 calories per serving

1 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1/4 t. black pepper

1/4 t. dried oregano

1/4 t. seasoned salt (I didn't have any--so just used sea salt)

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

3 c. hot water

8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 T. low-sodium soy sauce

1 c. carrots, sliced

1 c. celery, sliced

[I also added 1/2 of a zucchini, sliced and quartered)

1 c. macaroni, cooked (I don't have any, so am going to use some pesto-filled mezzaluna)
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese (I decided to leave this out and throw in a slice of American cheese)

Combine all ingredients except macaroni and cheese in slow cooker.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Turn to high. Add macaroni and cheese.

Cook for another 15-20 minutes.

Postscript: This soup turned out delicious! Great flavor and very filling without feeling heavy. I think this is a soup that would appeal to kids because of the flavor---and a good way to sneak in more veggies.

'Tis the season...for Mulled Cider

Mother gave me a small candle that she'd bought at Wal-mart for $1.00...it's called Mulled Cider. She got her money's worth and more! The scent from this candle is so strong and "life-like" that I've caught myself several times thinking I needed to go in the kitchen and pour myself a cup!!

Mulled Apple Cider

4 cups of apple cider (or about a qt.)
6 whole cloves
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken into pieces (or sprinkle a spoonful of ground cinnamon to taste)
1/2 orange, sliced
1-inch peeled, fresh ginger, cut into 6 slices (you can substitute a bit of ground ginger to taste)

Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer over a low flame for 20 minutes. Strain and serve. [About 130 cal. per serving--and this makes about 4-5 servings]

Note: You can also add about 1/4 c. orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice and/or sliced lemons...whatever you might have on hand or have a taste for.

Ummm...the yummiest!!!

I've had to give up bread for the most part....it's something I very, very seldom have...which means I've had to give up my favorite summer sandwich in the world....bacon and tomato!!! I haven't missed a lot of things from my former out-of-control eating, but I have missed those sandwiches this summer!

Here is a yummmy alternative:

3 thick slices of fresh tomato (if it's from the garden, even better!)

3 thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese

1 T. Bella Sol's Blackberry Ginger Basalmic

2 slices of thin precooked bacon, heat in microwave for 20-25 secs

some fresh basil, cut in strips (optional)

Put cheese slices on tomatoes. Drizzle basalmic over cheese. Break up bacon and place some on each slice. Top with fresh basil.

Eat....DELICIOUS!

While in Galveston, Kari and I visited the Saturday market where a lady told us to try this basalmic....man, was she ever right...the flavor is incredible and fresh tasting! The mozarella just soaks it up...ummmmm...try some!

Lately, I'm wild about roasted veggies...

Kim’s Grilled Chicken Basil-Garlic Linguine With Roasted Veggies

4 chicken breasts, grilled to your liking (you can do this while the veggies cook)
Basil-garlic linguine, cooked (time the cooking so it is done at the same time as the veggies)

1 fennel bulb, chopped in bite-size pieces
1 bunch asparagus (woody ends cut off)
1-2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (adjust to how tomatoey you want it)
1 bulb garlic, cloves separated and peeled
About 8-12 kalamata pitted olives, drained and quartered
Sliced fresh mushrooms (you decide what kind and how much)
Fresh oregano and basil, chopped, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Put all veggies in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, add seasonings to taste. Cook for 35 min. at 450 degrees.

Serve veggies over hot pasta and top with grilled chicken.

Other options:
You can serve over rice instead of pasta or you can use some other type pasta.

Other things you might like to add: pineapple tidbits, yellow squash, zucchini.

Use dried herbs instead of fresh. The original recipe called only for oregano, but since Kari and Warren had fresh basil in their little herb garden, we added it too.

Use grilled flatiron steak, shrimp, or scallops instead of chicken.

Picking fresh blueberries...

Who knew there are fresh blueberries for the picking in this area?? Have I been living under a rock?? Thanks to Natalie M. mentioning to Kari that she'd picked berries near Canton, we started searching for PYO (pick your own) farms to see what is available.

About 10 miles north of Bonham and 2.5 miles west on FM 274 you can find Walker's Blueberries with 20 yr. old blueberry bushes a tad over 6 feet high. They bear fruit from mid-June to mid-July. Miz Walker is 83 and is open from 8-12 am...although you can go pick before she opens, she said you have to stay till 8:00 'cause that's when she comes on down to the blueberry patch to collect your money. She has 1 gallon and 1/2 gallon buckets for you to use when you pick, but if you are smart you'll bring your ziploc bags and fill 'em up right then and there... and they are ready to pop in the freezer. It's a good idea to call in advance (903-583-4739...you'll get her recorded msg. about the status of picking and whether she will definately be open or not) 'cause things come up and sometimes she won't be open (she's got a funeral to go to tomorrow).

If you want to find out where Pick Your Own farms are, visit http://www.pickyourown.org/. Scroll down to select your state and from there you will choose the area of the state you live in (be aware that some areas overlap...such as Dallas-Ft. Worth area and North Texas area). Pick Your Own farms are listed by county within the areas.

Because Kari & I have been driving around southern Oklahoma the past week like our skirts are on fire, we have really had to get creative about scheduling some things that we really want to do....such as pick blueberries. We had appts. today at 9:00, 10:30, and 2:30...so Jake came over to spend the night with us and we got up at 6:00 AM and left at 6:30 AM and were picking blueberries before 7:00 AM...we were up so early we had shoo the guineas out of the middle of the road where they were roosting!

There are a few "rules" you need to know about picking blueberries....

• don't pick anything with a red tinge to it cause it's not ripe and blueberries do not ripen off the vine


• if a blueberry is ready to pick, it will just roll off into your hand when you grab it....or as Miz Walker's daughter, Jane, said, "you tickle the blueberry and if it is ripe it will release into your hand."


• don't wash your blueberries until you are ready to eat them


• blueberries should go straight to the freezer after they are picked if you aren't going to eat them soon


• fresh picked blueberries will keep in the fridge for about 10-14 days


• you don't have to bend over to pick blueberries


• you might need a step ladder if you want to go for the big juicy berries at the top of the bush


• your hands will get stained! (can you see some on my fingers?!)

We picked just shy of 2 gallons in an hour....Jake was picking for Gram. I divided what I'd picked up between Kari and Jake, so that Kari has a gallon to take home with her and Gram has just about a gallon to put in the freezer for herself. I'll be going back out next week to pick for myself...hopefully, Jake and/or one of the girls and/or Mother can go with me to pick. We called it quits at 8 so we could get to our other appts. About a half dozen people showed up to pick just as we were leaving!



Why the craze over blueberries? Well, it is probably the healthiest fruit you can eat.

• full of natural antioxidants to help protect against chronic diseases associated with aging
• anti-inflammatory properties
• promotes urinary tract health and reduces risk of infection
• low-calorie (1 c. = 148 calories)

I try to eat blueberries every day with low-fat yogurt, some walnuts, and low-fat oat granola. I also tried out a smoothie this week using some blueberries.

Kim's Blueberry Breakfast Yogurt

1/2 c. Kellog's Low-Fat Granola Without Raisins
1/2 c. low-fat vanilla yogurt
handful of fresh blueberries
1/8 c. broken walnut pieces

Kim's Breakfast Smoothie

1/2 banana
1-2 strawberries
small handful of blueberries
1/4 c. plain or vanilla yogurt
splash of orange juice or lemonade
spoonful of sugar or Splenda

Whip up in the blender and serve! Yummy!! Of course, you can mix up what fruits you might have on hand, such as pineapple, peaches, papaya, or mango. Experiment and enjoy it!

Chipotle Shrimp Salad

I sent Mother to Kari & Warren's over their first anniversary weekend. She babysat Grace and Pete for them and enjoyed flying down and having a long weekend of taking Grace for walks and watering Kari's little garden. Kari fixed a roast for Gram and some shrimp salad. Mother brought back the recipe and has talked about how good it is....so here it is:

Kari's Chipotle Shrimp Salad

4 c. cooked shrimp, tails removed, and chopped
1 c. diced tomato
1 c. diced mango
1 T. cilantro, chopped
1 T. onion, chopped
1/3 c. sour cream
1 T. fresh lime juice
salt & pepper to taste
1 med. avocado
1/2 c. spicy dressing (French's chipotle mayo, Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch, Newman's Own Southwest or make your own spicy dressing with low/no fat ingredients)

Combine shrimp, tomato, mango, cilantro, and onion. Toss with lime juice, sour cream, salt and pepper. When ready to serve, add diced avocado, and dressing. Mix well to coat. Serve with corn chips, crackers, pita chips, or some other favorite crunchy!

A new twist on three bean salad...

We've already had at least one day of 80+ weather and it's making me sweat just thinking about summer arriving! So I'm on the lookout for new recipes that I'll enjoy when the weather is warm...ok, HOT....ran across this which was featured on an MSN spotlight.

Three Bean Salad with Blue Cheese

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup sherry vinegar (I'll use basalmic vinegar)
1/4 cup top-quality extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package frozen green beans, blanched and cut into thirds
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (I'll probably use a can of wax beans...I don't really care for garbanzo, unless it is hummus!)
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8-ounce) can hearts of palm, sliced (if you like artichokes, you'll like these!)
1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced (I'll probably use some green onion or a sweet onion--and not a whole one---just enough to give some flavor)
4 fresh mint leaves, cut into strips (I can pick my own from my little herb garden! But if I don't have any growing, it is something I can leave out)
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (this might be optional--in other words, if you don't have it on hand)
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (feta might be a good cheese to use also)
3 to 4 bacon slices, cooked until crunchy and sliced (you can substitute cubed ham or shredded chicken)

DIRECTIONS: In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar and oil. Whisk to dissolve the sugar; season with salt and pepper. Add the green beans, chickpeas and kidney beans to the bowl with the vinegar. Add the hearts of palm, red onion and mint. Season again with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer the salad to a serving platter.Sprinkle the top of the salad with lemon zest, cheese and bacon. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is a dish that travels well and holds up, so could take to church, school, or reunions as a side dish. If you want to add a bit of color to it, you could throw in some thinly sliced baby yellow squash and tiny tomatoes.

Standing still...

After having the 2nd fill, I've been especially attentive to what I eat all in the effort to get the next 6 lbs. off. After one week.....no change.....what is the deal?!! I've even noticed additional subtle changes--the puffy fat look is leaving my hands, my whole abdominal area is shrinking, my legs are shrinking---why isn't the weight coming off??

On the bright side, I ordered a beginning yoga DVD (which I have not yet looked at!!) and I think I'm ready to try Curves again although I may have to wear an ankle brace. I think I need to intense exercise on a regular basis to jump-start the weight-loss again. I've lost 1/3 of the excess weight--the size of a small child...and I need to lose about 2 more of them!!

I'm trying to add salad on a more frequent basis. This is one of my favs:

Kim's Basic Spinach Salad

organic baby spinch leaves
1/2 small can of pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 packet of tuna
spoonful of sunflower seeds
1/2 c. sliced, fresh mushrooms
grated carrot (to your liking)
grape tomatoes (optional)
any other veggies, nuts, or fruits that you might like to add or substitute--

Toss and serve with your favorite dressing. A few that I've found that work well with this are: bleu cheese, sesame ginger, or basalmic vinegarette. Note: all measurements are approximate.

Still losing...

Despite a month of hobbling around with no pretense of any form of exercise, I'm still losing! Dr.Green said he was pleased with my results so far (and I did NOT have to talk to the nutritionist). I do have to go have labs done before the end of the year just to make sure I'm staying nutritionally healthy.

I really wanted to lose a total of 50 lbs. by Christmas, but I'll be happy to lose a total of 50 by early to mid-January. Just losing 3 more pounds means that I'll have less than 100 to lose!! (Doesn't that just seem like an enormous amount of weight to lose??) It will be amazing that I'll end up having lost weight that is equal to the weight of a healthy person.

I'm beginning to really tell a difference. I think my largest lapband scar has slid down about 2 inches! (I won't mention other things that seem to be headed south in a hurry!)

Last week I made a quick low-fat chili recipe that is yummmy!

Kim's Quick and Lean Chili

1 md. sweet onion
1-2 t. minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. of 93/7 lean hamburger meat
1 can Ro-tel Chili Fixin's
1 can Ranch pinto beans with jalapenos
fresh cilantro, optional
1 can of water

Caramelize the onions and garlic in the olive oil. Remove and set aside when done. Cook hamburger meat until well browned. Add rest of ingredients and stir well. Let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Serve over low-fat tortilla chips and top with low-fat shredded cheese.