Sad Panda kind of day. Baking time.

When I am bummed I tend to bake or cook in general. Making something tasty for someone else seems to help cheer me even if it's just a little bit. I took a prego test today and it was negative. We were hoping. Even with my mixed emotions (aka fear of being super big again) I am a lot sadder/upset than I thought I would be. It was our one chance for a while. Oh well. It must not be time yet and I know God will bless us with a little one when it's time. Even if that means we need a little help from the Drs. and a little more time.

So. Back to my quest for some cheer today I decided to make strawberry bars while listening to some Pandora. I made ours with sellou but you can certainly make them with a graham cracker crust which would be just as yummy. I had the sellou already prepared from when my mother in law was here so I will place a link to a sellou recipe if you want to be frisky and make some. It is delish on its own or in yogurt. I mostly eat it in yogurt like you would granola. (video is from Cooking with Alia on YouTube)

Strawberry Sellou Bars

Sellou Soft Crust Recipe

1 cup sellou
6 TBS light margarine or butter
3 TBS splenda brown sugar
2 TBS or so sweet rice flour (almond, coconut, or white would work too)

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Make sure the sellou has the lumps mashed out. Mix the brown sugar into the sellou and pour the melted butter over. Stir. Add the rice flour little by little until it has thickened to a brownie batter texture. Pour into a 8x8 dish and bake at 375F about 30 min. When its finished it will be soft but your butter knife should come out clean and look something like this. Let cool completely.



Strawberry Filling

2 pints fresh strawberries hulled and sliced.
1 1/5 cups cold water
2 TBS cornstarch
3 TBS splenda
1 package sugar free strawberry jello (small box)
Light cool whip would be a nice topping when you served but optional.

Place water and cornstarch in med saucepan. Stir until there are no lumps. Heat to boiling and stir constantly about 2 min until liquid thickens. Remove from heat and stir in splenda and jello packet until all combined. Fold in fresh strawberries. Pour over cooled sellou soft crust. Cover for 2 hours to set in the fridge and then enjoy! (It's going in the fridge!)



And after it has set....

To accompany dessert tonight will be an Asian grilled fish salad with the fixins and a homemade rice wine vinegar toasted sesame dressing. And most importantly some much needed snuggle time with the hubs watching Attila we just got in from Netflix.

Calorie Control Council - Weight Maintenance Calculator - Women

Calorie Control Council - Weight Maintenance Calculator - Women



Good info! Give it a try!

Grilled Eggplant

So I have been trying to explore new veggies recently and I was at the local farmers market when I saw these tiny little purple eggplants. I picked up a few and thought grilled eggplant! I love to grill veggies. I had just put the barbeque away so for this recipe I just used our old old George Forman grill.

Grilled Eggplant

4 small eggplants (mine were the size of a small orange)
olive oil
Salt and Pepper
No salt seasoning

slice the stem off your eggplant and cut them into 1/4 in thick slices. Season both sides with just a little little bit of olive oil or a oil spray, salt and pepper and liberally sprinkle the no salt seasoning. place on your grill and cook till completely cooked through. On a large barbeque it would take less time then my little George Forman. On the George Forman it was 3-4 min. Don't forget to flip half way through.

To go with our eggplant I blistered some cherry tomatoes and grilled a couple burgers. The eggplant was amazing.
Before the Grill

After the Grill

We had some left over eggplant and my hubby used it on a sandwich later. He said it was the perfect touch. Now I wish I had some for a sandwich too!

As I mentioned earlier I was looking for ways to help add some extra income to our household. I signed up for Swaggbucks last night and have played around on the site just a bit. Not sure what I really think yet. I will let you know how that turns out and if it is worth all the time you have to put in to earn rewards.

Roadtrip with Fido and Working From Home

So I missed blogging yesterday. I had some food sickness. Hate it when that happens. I can go days now where I am ok after I eat. Then BAM everything that enters my mouth makes me terribly sick. Luckily my hubby was there so I could take a nap on him. Yeah I am spoiled....what?! I am sure he will get me back since tonight we are meeting at his gym on post and he is going to help me create a weight lifting routine. I wanna be buff! Fit is the new skinny you know.

I am happy to report that I woke up feeling super this am. I even slept in till just before 7 am! I am busy getting my lists ready for the day before water aerobics this morning. So much to do. All while trying to figure out our welcome to the neighborhood treat to take to the new neighbors that started moving in on Saturday. It doesn't look like they have finished so lets hope they do before we leave. I had some neighbors once that took weeks before they were moved in. One of our other neighbors says they seem nice. I like nice neighbors :)

During all my busy mad dash planning, packing, and list making I am thinking of looking into some work from home opportunities that don't require me to do a call center job. I am looking for something where I can just sit and do it in my free time or a certain amount of time each day but flexible to when I would be free. I have found a few extra cash opportunities like that but I am going to do some research first to make sure they are not scams. Thinking of trying a few while the hubby is gone for AIT just to give me something to do and earn a little extra cash on the side to help out. I did find a helpful article at http://christianpf.com/legitimate-work-from-home-jobs/ (if you have tried any of these please let me know if they are legit or worth it!)

I am proud to announce that I have finished my pre checks for Butter and Nana's Road Trip Checklist. We will be taking a road trip with the pups coming up and it's always better to be prepared. http://www.gopetfriendly.com/ and http://www.dogfriendly.com/ have some great info and lists for tripping with your pet. I compiled my own list after readying quite a few and picked what I thought was most important gathering from our several cross country road trips. The 2 websites were helpful as well locating a pet friendly hotel for the night.

Preparation for a Road Trip

A Month Before

• If you don't already have one, get a pet identification tag for your dog. It should have your dog's name, your name and phone number. Consider using a cell phone number.   
• Get a first aid kit for your dog. They are easy enough to make or you can buy one  from a vet, pet store, or the internet.   
• If you do not already have a dog harness for riding the car, consider purchasing one for your dog's safety. They are usually sold at pet stores or on the Internet. (We bought a dog hammock for the back seat so they can ride freely. Buster tried to strangle himself with one of the harnesses that clips in the seat buckle. Scariest moment ever. I think they work better for large dogs imo and Butter and Nana love having the whole back seat to themselves.) 
• Make a trip to the vet if necessary for the following:
  • A current  rabies tag for your dog's collar. Also get paperwork with proof of the rabies vaccine. You might need this if you day board your dog.
  • Make sure your pet is up to date on all vaccines and will not need any extra recommended ones for where you are going. 
  • Consider using some type of flea preventative for your dog. This is out of courtesy for the dog-friendly hotels plus for the comfort of your pooch and you.
  • Make sure your dog is in good health and able to make the trip comfortably. If you are driving to Canada or Mexico, you will probably also need a recent health certificate.

 

Week or so before

• If your pup isn't used to traveling start taking them on a few short trips so that they get used to the car and are more able to relax for the ride. You don't want them to be stressed the whole time thinking they are going to the vet or find out they are carsick and have messes to clean up! if your pet does get car sick stop by the vet for a mild sedative.  

 

Several Days Before

• Make sure you have enough dog food for the duration of the trip.
• If your dog is on any medication, remember to bring it along.
• Some dog owners will also purchase bottled water for the trip, because some dogs can get sick from drinking water they are not used to. Talk to your vet for more information.

 

Road Trip Day

• Remember to pack all of your dog's necessities: food, water, dog dishes, leash, snacks and goodies, several favorite toys, brush, towels for dirty paws, plastic bags for cleaning up after your dog, doggie first aid kit, possibly dog booties if you are venturing to an especially cold or hot region, and bring any medicine your dog might be taking.
• If using a doggy seatbelt put it's harness on.

On The Road

• Keep it cool and well ventilated in the car for your dog.
• Stop at least every 2-3 hours so your dog can relieve him or herself. Also offer him or her water during the stops. 
• Before you get out of the car make sure fido's leash is on and you have a hold of your pup. We don't want any accidents! 
• Never leave your pet alone in a parked car. If you are alone traveling and stop at a rest stop I just take them in the bathroom stall with me. According to the Los Angeles SPCA, on a hot day, a car can heat up to 160 degrees in minutes, potentially causing your pet (or child) heat stroke, brain damage, and even death.
• As much as some pups might enjoy hanging their head out the window that is not a good idea. It can be potentially harmful to your pet.

 

Baked Mini Tilapia Balls and Moroccan Mint Tea with Jasmine

I love sipping tea while blogging. Ahh. We just finished lunch and I was going to wait to blog this till tomorrow but my hubby and I liked this recipe so much that I just couldn't wait to share! And I may as well give you my new favorite tea recipe too while I am at it.

Moroccan Mint Tea with Jasmine

Fresh mint 4-5, 3-4 inch sprigs or so (you can use dried as well)
Dried or fresh Jasmine blossoms (2)
1/2-1 tablespoon gunpowder green tea (don't be cheap with your tea it really pays to get a better quality loose tea)
1 tablespoon of Splenda

Boil your water about 12-14 oz or so. So a large mug worth. Fill your tea ball with the rinsed fresh mint, jasmine, and green tea. plop it in the cup with your splenda. Steep the tea for a bit and tah dah! You really only need 2 maybe 3 tops of the jasmine blossoms to taste it (we have a plant but you can buy them online). Often time we add sage. I like the fresh mint better than the dried. But if I have to have dried I prefer the dried mint I make at home from our 4 mint plants rather than the store bought. Mint is so easy to keep it really is worth it to have around and they never die. We have had ours 3 years. My favorite mint is chocolate mint which is also good all buy itself as a tea. Sage is another easy one to keep alive for the tea.

Baked Mini Tilapia Balls
Makes 36.

4 tilapia filet
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
No salt seasoning or Mrs. Dash
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Pepper
4 eggs
Enough stuffing cubes ran through a blender into a sandy flour to make 1 cup worth

Bake the tilapia filets with a sprinkle of no salt seasoning at 425 for about 10-12 min. Until they are done. Let sit 5 min and then flake with a fork in a bowl. Add the cheddar, then the eggs. Take your sandy flour mix you made and add some salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and no salt seasoning to taste. Mix into the wet ingredients. Taste to make sure seasoning is where you like it.
Either line your mini muffin pan with liners or spray the pan and fill. Bake for 20 min at 425.

These are delicious plain or would be good with some tartar sauce if you like it. They have a texture cross of a hushpuppy and fish stick. 4 balls is about 21g protein as well. If you don't have the stuffing cubes you could use almond flour, regular flour, or bread crumbs.

 

Mix after all blended together

Right before the oven

Right out of the oven

New WLS projection tool. And roasted chickpeas (nom nom nom)

I love busy Saturdays. Feeling productive. Getting a little extra cleaning done out of the way so we can have a clean house ready to go for the weekend. Oh yeah. Feels so good. And of course baking a tasty treat for the hubs always makes me feel good. My hubby is a snacker. Loves to munch on stuff. We always have carrot sticks and some other vegetable like broccoli or cauliflower in the fridge for easy snacking but sometimes you want that salty crunchy treat and what better than oven roasted chickpeas. My hubs mom has made these for him since he was little so even before the fad was around. I have to say they are so yummy. You can find tons of recipes out there for them now a days. Mostly I make them just like his mom used to with a bit of salt and cumin. Sometimes I do a bit of garlic salt and onion powder. I like to keep it simple.  Well we ended up with a full bottle of the Red Robin Seasoning (don't ask) and I had a light bulb go off in my tummy saying DO IT! So I did. I mean who can argue with tummy logic. Oh and this was my morning friend on my back slider door.

Roasted Chickpeas

16oz bag of dried chickpeas or 3 cans
oil (sometimes I use veg sometimes olive.) 1-2 tbs
Red Robin Seasoning 1/2 Tbs or so. Just sprinkle that stuff till it looks delicious! And then sprinkle a bit more!


If you are using the dried chickpeas then soak and cook them first. (I do it this way because it's so much cheaper! And frugal is my middle name.) I like to cool mine after but you do not have to. I usually make the chickpeas the day before. If you are using the canned beans rinse them before you use them and pat them dry.

Pre heat oven to 400. In a bowl combine your oil and spices. whisk together. Add your beans and toss to coat.  On a lined cookie sheet (or 2) spread your beans out in a single layer. Sprinkle a bit more seasoning on top (optional) and roast for 40-60 min. Don't forget to stir them once or twice during cooking. Depending on the humidity sometimes at the very end to get the crispyness I am looking for I up the heat to 450 for 10 min kind of like broiling them.

After the oven

While looking at Melting Mamma's blog this morning she posted about a cool tool for people who are considering WLS and projected weight loss for each of the 3 most common types. And I am a sucker for quizzes. You should see my FB page! They suck me in every time. So I thought Hey what the heck lets check this out! http://www.realize.com/surgery-comparison
I had the Gastric Bypass and I have to say my 12 month projection was pretty darn close! Like almost exact. Crazy! I also clicked to see what my 18 months projection would be just for fun. I have a couple pictures below to show the two. The top is 12 months and the bottom is the 18 months projections.

Missing my good friend sleep.

So I have not been sleeping the last week or so. I miss my sleep! Being up even before my hubby gets up to go to PT in the morning is rubbish I tell you. My hubby and friend V like to tease that I might be pregnant. Every time I have something a bit different than normal they are both like you know that is a sign your pregnant. They even had me on the curious train that I took an online quiz! Cracks me up. In case you are curious the quiz said if I missed my monthly to take a pregnancy test since it couldn't say I was or wasn't.

Don't get me wrong. If it comes out positive I will be super excited and terrified all at the same time. I (we) want a family terribly bad (even though we were needing to wait till November to try for the 18 mos.) but then I have this panic wash over me about gaining back weight. It literally terrifies me with physical symptoms of a panic attack almost. That bad. I read (see no sleep lots of time) that this is a normal response for women who have undergone a WLS surgery. I know if I take a pregnancy test and it does come back positive next week that I will certainly talk to my Dr. about continuing to hopefully loose while I am pregnant but of course being healthy and safe for the baby. The baby is what would be important. But I will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Today I am going to go and visit a friend who's hubby deployed recently. I was thinking of bringing a treat with me. She mentioned a bakery she had been wanting to try a treat from so I may swing by and see what they have. Not sure what I will pick up since most places don't have SF (sugar free) options and I can't even think what a full sugar cupcake with yummy frosting would do to me! Hmmm maybe I will see if they have a menu online or on Facebook. I also thought about hitting the farmers market and picking up a cantaloupe. (I ate an entire cantaloupe basically yesterday) When we get together we drink tea, eat sweet, and chat our little heads off. She has the cutest 3 year old ever. He just loves to giggle and giggle.

Well google said terrible things about the bakery. Maybe I will try elsewhere...sigh. Oh and I will be trying the tilapia tots again this evening with some grilled cauliflower. Keeping my fingers crossed I don't break a glass over this set!