Healthy and Fit

Just thought I'd post a couple recipe ideas here as I've been slightly inspired by them. Once the official UKY Shrinkers Club forum kicks off, they can be moved to a more appropriate place.

Anyway, since a lot of you are low carbing, this is a huge favorite in our house and easy peasy.

Chicken, chorizo and beans for 2

2 chicken breasts (skinless or not, your choice)
1 can white beans (don't drain - chick peas are a good alternative too but do not use kidney beans)
200g chorizo sausage (we buy it as Tesco in one big hunk and the cube it at home - you can also buy the smaller link chorizos and do the same thing - do not use the pre-sliced stuff)
1 cube chicken stock (we use organic as it's less salty)

Bring stock to boil and add chicken breasts. Cook about 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Meanwhile, put cubed chorizo in a small saucepan and gently fry until oils are released. Add entire can of beans and liquid and stir well. Simmer as chicken finishes.

Serve breast with beans and sausage piled over it. Garnish with fresh parsley. We always serve it with loads and loads of spring greens, or if that's not available, savoy cabbage or broccoli. And no, you don't need salt. Pepper is nice, or a bit of onion, but it's really wonderful just plain and simple.

***

This recipe is not no carb, but pretty low I guess. I'm getting into wraps because they can be so versitile. This was inspired by the ones you can get at M&S:

Sweet potato wraps for 1

Boil or roast one cubed sweet potato then season to taste and allow to cool.
Get a can of mixed beans and also season a bit.
Chop tomato, onion, fresh spinach or green lettuce, shred carrot, etc.
Make a dressing from low fat creme fraiche by adding a tad of garlic salt and chives.
Shred some cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese.

Get some nice big tortillas and pile your chosen ingredients in. What I like about this is that you can add or delete whatever you want. If you want to go totally no carb, this would be good as a mixed salad, too.

Just thought I'd post a couple recipe ideas here as I've been slightly inspired by them. Once the official UKY Shrinkers Club forum kicks off, they can be moved to a more appropriate place.

Anyway, since a lot of you are low carbing, this is a huge favorite in our house and easy peasy.

Chicken, chorizo and beans for 2

2 chicken breasts (skinless or not, your choice)
1 can white beans (don't drain - chick peas are a good alternative too but do not use kidney beans)
200g chorizo sausage (we buy it as Tesco in one big hunk and the cube it at home - you can also buy the smaller link chorizos and do the same thing - do not use the pre-sliced stuff)
1 cube chicken stock (we use organic as it's less salty)

Bring stock to boil and add chicken breasts. Cook about 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Meanwhile, put cubed chorizo in a small saucepan and gently fry until oils are released. Add entire can of beans and liquid and stir well. Simmer as chicken finishes.

Serve breast with beans and sausage piled over it. Garnish with fresh parsley. We always serve it with loads and loads of spring greens, or if that's not available, savoy cabbage or broccoli. And no, you don't need salt. Pepper is nice, or a bit of onion, but it's really wonderful just plain and simple.

***

This recipe is not no carb, but pretty low I guess. I'm getting into wraps because they can be so versitile. This was inspired by the ones you can get at M&S:

Sweet potato wraps for 1

Boil or roast one cubed sweet potato then season to taste and allow to cool.
Get a can of mixed beans and also season a bit.
Chop tomato, onion, fresh spinach or green lettuce, shred carrot, etc.
Make a dressing from low fat creme fraiche by adding a tad of garlic salt and chives.
Shred some cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese.

Get some nice big tortillas and pile your chosen ingredients in. What I like about this is that you can add or delete whatever you want. If you want to go totally no carb, this would be good as a mixed salad, too.

That sounds FAB!!!!!!!

OK, did a four mile walk yesterday but balanced that out with a BBQ last night.

We need to get a challenge or something going ladies because I'm really not getting anywhere right now!

just stumbled upon this thread today...i would love to join in! I dont have a really huge amount of weight to lose, but I would like to drop the 20 lbs I put on since high school! With my eating habits, its not quality thats the problem, its quantity. Im not a big fan of junk food and sweets, but I do eat big meals  I believe that with a little more moderation and making time for some excercise I could drop the weight, but its hard to find the time and keep my motivation up!

Good for you with your walking, Balmerhon! I also did the BBQ last night (as summer made a little gasp!) but didn't bother with the walking first! 

I'd be well up for a challenge. Only prob. is we don't have a scale at home so I can't keep track easily (we registered for one, though.  ) I'm going to force myself to get out and walk starting tomorrow (Why not today??? Cause I'd rather have beer and fajitas! Oh, dear.)

Zivvy, my problem is also quantity rather than quality which is one reason Weight Watchers works pretty well for me (though I LOVE to cook and find it a bit restrictive from that point of view) when I can find the motivation to stick to it!! And I've "only" got about 20 (well, maybe 30) pounds to drop as well, but I've got the added pressure of wanting to drop about 15 by the first week of October for my wedding....

AnneG, I love cooking as well, and I tend to cook healthy stuff....just lots of it! Its just my lack of discipline. I will go for a week doing really well, then fall off it again...I need to come up with some better rules for myself, ones that are harder to break.  The wedding sounds like some good motivation. October isn't too far away, but it leaves enough time for you to lose the weight at a comfortable pace, without having to "punish" yourself with a super strict diet or very harsh excercise. Good luck!

Isn't it irritating how quantity is such a difficult one? I also cook pretty healthfully - lean meats, lots of veg, olive oil, etc. but I have SUCH a tough time sticking to small portions. And Jamie is a VERY big eater so I usually make a lot of everything and then have a hard time not eating big portions right along with him!

Drinking is also an issue for us as we love our wine so much! I measured out a Weight Watchers sized glass the other night out of curiosity and... well... let's just say it was a bit smaller than the glasses I usually pour myself (and I very often have more than one.) So many calories in alcohol but it's one of my great pleasures to have a glass watching EastEnders and another with dinner! 

OK, did a four mile walk yesterday but balanced that out with a BBQ last night.

We need to get a challenge or something going ladies because I'm really not getting anywhere right now!

Well to a certain extent we're challenging each other already! I had lunch with df today (unusual event during the week) and I was feeling sort of bad for having had a big ol' burger and I thought about your post, Balmerhon! So I went out for a walk for about an hour and my little pedometer (not sure if it's working properly as I haven't used it in ages) read 3.8 miles! I was really proud of myself and it made me feel so much better physically and mentally! Though the backs of my legs are already feeling a bit tight!!!

So thanks, Balmerhon!  Now if we can all just keep it up!!! 

it made me feel so much better physically and mentally!

Well I can relate to this! I joined a gym across the street from work last week and my first day actually working out was today!
I have a goal of loosing 30 pounds.
So, my plan is to hit the gym before work at least 4 days a week and eat healthier.
I too am a wino, and I won't give up my two glass a day indulgence.

yea, I find that I am becoming more conscious of what I eat since we started talking of this thread...  but lets see about a challenge... a goal for lets say the next 3 months? there are no winners or losers in here...  it is a challenge within yourself with others going through the same with their own challenges... 

I am gonna make a mini challenge here and now of 10lbs a month for the next 3 months... now I just need a scale...LOL and pull out my tape measure...

Ten pounds a month is very ambitious! I always disappoint myself when I set top-end of possibility goals, so I have targeted one-half a pound per week and made a little chart for weekly weigh-ins in my journal. This way if I happen to lose more that's fine, and if not I'm still successful. i don't care if it takes  a long time, I didn't get this fat overnight! I have lost 20 pounds since January 1 this way, and have given myself time to actually change my true eating habits. (Well, I am steadily working at it, and my attitudes to food are changing!) I admire people who take it off fast, but that never lasts for me. I just put it right back on.

once most of the members are in the shrinkers club...  I will be moving this topic there so everyone can look back at the entries...but will also lock it so that new topics can begin...

I would like to join this group but I don't want to be on a team.

I am a low carber.  I lost 30 pounds on Atkins two years ago.  I have gained 12 of them back and need to get rid of them.  I am having a hard time since moving here for two reasons.  1)My DF is thin as a stick and can eat anything and as much as he wants without gaining an ounce.  He has crisps and sweets all over the house--It isn't fair!!!!! :\\\'(  2) I seem to be unable to count carbs correctly here.

I started on my low carb diet two weeks ago yesterday and I have only lost 3 pounds.   :\\\'(   I guess I shouldn't complain because at least it is 3 pounds gone but I have not lost an ounce in the second week.

Exercise is a problem for me because I have rhumatism in my hips.  If I walk too much, I am in great pain the next day or two.  I am going to try a new program for walking that starts out very slow and see how I do on that.

I don't want to be on a team because I will be going back to the states for two weeks shortly. 

Just wanna bump this up to highlight the existence of the Shrinkers board.  I know several people have mentioned trying to lose weight lately either on the boards or in PMs to me, so thought y'all might want to peek in on our little weight-loss haven.  Just PM vnicepeeps or balmerhon for access.  We've had a few new members in the past several weeks and would love to see more new faces!   

yeeeaaaaah join us!