Recipe Review #3 Robust BBQ Chicken Pizza

The comfort food of all time - Pizza. Just thinking of the gooey cheese makes me want to make another. Last night I made p.107 Robust BBQ Chicken Pizza.   This is an interesting recipe for those of you that like the "alternative" types of pizzas we are seeing on menus everywhere.   This pizza had an unusual choice of cheese, Gouda along with a little Mozzarella.   I really liked the addition of the Cilantro on top and the pitas really make a great crust without going overboard on the S/C value.   I find these little pita pizzas quite easy to whip together on an eat and run night. I can make other flavors for my kids, i.e. cheese and pepperoni and they are happy not eating mom and dad's "weird" food.

Overall impression:  I like the pita pizzas, this one was a little strange, but I think it was mostly the BBQ sauce flavor mixed with the Gouda.   I will try again with another flavor of BBQ.

Some notes on the ingredients:  I did not have the Scott's Barbecue Sauce as in the recipe so instead I used the Nature's Hollow Sugar Free BBQ Sauce which has a very smoky flavor.   I really want to try the Scott's brand as it is highly recommended by Jorge but it is nowhere to be found in my area.   Upon inquiring with Scott's, they promptly responded and kindly offered to ship me whatever I wanted to buy, so I will be placing an order.   I really don't like having to order food but I am finding that there are a few things that just aren't sold in the Midwest that seem to fit the BFC bill.   So far:  Jams, Syrup,and BBQ sauce!

Recipe Review #2 First-Class French Toast

Oh, French Toast, how do I love thee!   LOL   Yes, I have to say that I'm a Carbohydrate breakfast lover.   When I realized that I would have to stop eating so many Carbs, I knew that French Toast was certainly going to have to go.   But then I found Jorge, and he showed me the way to indulgence!   French Toast as we traditionally know it, is usually made with Carbohydrate/Sugar rich bread and milk, eggs, and to my surprise, SUGAR in the ingredients.  Add to that, Sugar loaded Syrup and you have an insulin boosting special.   From what I can tell this recipe in the book, p.51 First-Class French Toast only differs in that it uses half-and-half and NO sugar.   Add some sugar-free syrup and you have Heaven.   I used Trader Joes Sprouted Wheat Bread and Nature's Hollow Sugar Free Syrup made with Xylitol.

Yes, I loved this recipe and my husband said that it was the best breakfast he'd had in months.  Of course, I actually made bacon and an egg to go along with that which I would normally never do, usually it would just be the French Toast.   The kids each ate 3 pieces so I don't think the lack of sugar really mattered to them!  I did not sprinkle with Stevia as the recipe called because I didn't think it needed it. You can't go wrong with this recipe!

You might ask, what in the world is that funny thing on the lower right side, why that's my egg!   After frying the bacon, I decided to plop the egg into the pan and make a true fried over-easy egg, thus the brown edges.

Recipe Review #1 Chicken Sesame Stir-Fry

Jorge made the Chicken Sesame Stir Fry (p.215 in BFC) in his week 12 online meeting and I thought it looked so good, I'd try it. I have to say I was not disappointed. Typically I'm not a big stir-fry maker. For some reason when I make stir-fry all the flavors of my ingredients blend together and my veggies never taste crispy. But I realized something that I was maybe missing before:  Don't put the sauce on until serving it!   This is what the recipe recommended and it was correct. I didn't have black sesame seeds nor could I find them at my local grocery store so I used regular white ones, I really don't think it mattered.

I made the Stir Fry for both my husband and me (he loves stir fry).   My impression:  Very tasty but too salty (there was a lot of soy sauce here) I just needed a lot of water during the meal.  My veggies were crisp and I had plenty of rice with the serving size in the recipe.   I love red peppers so I might add more next time.   The bamboo shoots were a nice addition that I probably wouldn't have added on my own. The portion was very satisfying but not too large.   My husband:   Again, too salty, wanted more broccoli and I should have cut them into smaller pieces so that he didn't need a knife!  lol.   This was a make again for sure.  

Overall:  I will make again, but with less soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce and more veggies.

BTW, my hubby says I should have turned the broccoli pieces so that they looked nicer in the photo and moved that one front red pepper piece to the left in the hole by the broccoli!  He's a hoot!

Blogging the Belly Fat Cure Book

I was thinking it would be fun and get me on track to blog about the book.   But then I came up with this hair brained idea, that I would blog about the actual recipes in the book.  My goal is to try ALL of the recipes in the Belly Fat Cure book, over 100 of them and review them here.   My husband loves trying new recipes, because quite honestly, he is difficult (lol) and likes variety in his diet.  Go figure!  I, on the other hand could eat the same thing for days as long as it's something I like.  Because of that, I try new recipes often ( I love him).  Since Jorge gave us a lot of these recipes along the way, I have tried a bunch of them, but I'll probably go back and make them again and then post my review, otherwise I'd have some serious catchup work to do!

So stay tuned!

A New Year!

It's hard to believe that I've been following the program for 10 weeks and now I am into 2010.  How time flies.

So far on the program, I have lost 12 pounds.   Could it be more, certainly, but I am quite happy with my progress.  For example, I have cut out the Diet Coke.   For that one simple reason, I am pleased with my success.  It had been over 15 years of drinking that stuff and in large quantities, like 5-6 a day. 

My eating habits have changed as well.  Now I won't say I'm perfect, but I've certainly been more conscious of the sugar in my diet.   The last few weeks have been really hard for me and I did go back to my old habits a bunch but I didn't gain anything which made me happy.

Today, is the start of a new year and a new promise to myself to simply track everything, good or bad and be good to myself.  Here's to a great new year!