Recipe Monday is BACK!

Woohoo! I made this for dinner yesterday and it was SO good and definitely hCG-approved.


GARLIC ROAST BEEF

Ingredients:

BEEF

8 lg. cloves garlic, unpeeled (I didn't do this step this time... not a big fan of chunks of garlic)
1 top sirloin roast (4lbs)

GARLIC-SALT RUB

3 lg. cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2tsp. table salt

GARLIC PASTE

12 lg. cloves garlic, peeled, cloves cut in half lengthwise
2 sprigs fresh thyme (I used dried thyme)
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 C olive oil
ground black pepper

JUS

1 can beef broth
1 C chicken broth

Instructions:

1. For the beef: Toast unpeeled cloves in small skillet over med-hi heat, tossing frequently, until spotty brown, about 8 min. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, peel cloves and cut into 1/4in slivers.
2. Using paring knife, make 1-in deep slits all over roast. Insert toasted garlic into slits.
3. For the garlic-salt rub: Mix minced garlic, thyme, and salt together (I added pepper here also) in small bowl. Rub all over meat. Place roast on large plate and refrigerate, at least 4hrs or overnight.
4. For the garlic paste: Heat halved garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaves, salt and oil in small saucepan over med-hi heat until bubbles start to rise to surface. Reduce heat to low and cook until garlic is soft, about 30 min. Cool completely. Strain, reserving oil. Discard herbs and transfer garlic to small bowl. Mash garlic with 1TBS garlic oil until paste forms. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Cover and reserve garlic oil.
5. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place nonstick roasting pan or broiler pan bottom on rack, and heat over to 450. Using paper towels, wipe garlic-salt rub off beef. Rub beef with 2TBS garlic oil and season with pepper. Transfer meat, fat side down(my roast didn't have any fat), to preheated pan and roast, turning as needed until browned on all sides, 10-15min.
6. Reduce oven temp. to 300. Remove pan from oven. Turn roast fat side up and coat top with garlic paste. Return meat to oven and roast until internal temp reaches 125(for rare; I left mine in until 155 and it was a PERFECT Med-well), about 50-70 min. Transfer roast to cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 20min.
7. For the Jus: Drain excess fat from roasting pan and place over high heat. Add broths and bring to boil, using wooden spoon to scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Simmer, stirring, until reduced to 2C. Add accumulated juices from roast and cook 1min. Slice roast crosswise against grain into 1/4in slices.

**I added two large sliced (1/4in slices) onions sprinkled with salt, pepper and tarragon to the pan when the temp came down to 300. Could also use Fennel with salt and pepper.
For the non-hCG dieter: great with side of mashed potatoes and/or carrots/fennel/celery.

ENJOY!!

Grissini Bread

I still have 6 boxes of Grissini left. I need to sell these! $2.50 per box; $10 to ship all 6 anywhere.

Email me for more info: stacilee84@gmail.com

Thanks.

Last post of the week, I Promise!

Here's what I ate yesterday:

2 pieces of bread (was more like 1/2 a piece with the crusts because my bebe is a little porker!)
an extremely large tortilla (thank you BB!) with less than 3oz Roasted Chicken, 2 Pickle spears and 1 string cheese... sooo yummy! Definitely my new fav!
about 1/2C of Devil Cheesecake. It. Must. DIE! (going in the trash as we speak)
3oz steak (different seasonings this time: ginger, salt, pepper, cajun... not my fav mix)
1 tomato (cut in half, then each half cut in 3rds, then in 4ths; salt and pepper (generously) and a little chives and red wine vinegar... mmmm
1 bag of popcorn
5 Dove Chocolates


And guess what?! I LOST 3.1lbs! That's right. I'm awesome! :)

I've come to a conclusion. I think they make this diet so strict so you can lose your maximum weight loss. But because each body is different, everyone reacts to it differently. I have a friend, who is older than me, she has weekly cocktails. Her daily loss is usually less than a pound. But she is very strict in other aspects of it. So why is our loss so different? Could be age, could be our body types... I'm not sure.
I've always had an easy time losing weight (THANK GOODNESS). And I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to lose it this easily at this point in my life. I also gain weight easily.
Growing up I never had a belly. I took pride in my gorgeous flat stomach. I used to show it off by wearing belly shirts and spaghetti straps. Then the Prednisone hit and all my hard work was gone.
I think you don't have to be as super strict as they tell you to be, you just need to be smart. I gave up my fruits yesterday because of that devil cheesecake. And I didn't eat the whole thing, just a few bites. Everything in moderation. If you must go overboard, do it with veggies, not junk. Veggies contain very little calories, enjoy them! And honestly, I feel so much better after having eaten 3 large tomatoes with salt than I do a whole bag of potato chips.
I'm really scared to end this diet for fear that all my hard work will be gone with one regular meal. And that's why the 3 weeks after the drops are over are so critical. You have to allow your body to settle and reset. Then the loss should be permanent.

It's ok to make a few mistakes. Just don't dwell on them and continue making them. Make one little mistake and be better the rest of the day. Usually by Fridays I'm starving and would have taken Wed or Thurs to cheat... and then I'd be regretting it all weekend and have to start all over on Sunday. I think I've finally figured it out! I eat tomatoes when I'm hungry.

Try it. And in the meantime, have a great weekend!!

No Change

title pretty much sums up my weight check this morning. No change. I have been losing quite a bit... so one day without any loss isn't too bad.

Check back tomorrow, I've been much better today. I need to throw out that dang cheesecake in my fridge. It's not helping the situation.

Bye-bye Cheesecake devil!

Two posts in a week? I must be crazy! :)

Yesterday I felt like such a porker! I was petrified to get on the scale this morning after what I had eaten:

2- 3oz steaks (lunch and dinner)
4 small tomatoes
1 lg. tomato
5 little Special Dark Dove Chocolates (at least they're good for your heart, right?!)
A whole bag of popcorn with a little melted butter (my husband makes the BEST popcorn... which we share every night. Lately, I've been asking for my own bag as my 17mo old likes to share with me!)
A Piece of bread
A bowl of strawberries
teacup of chocolate milk


But to my amazement, I had LOST another 2.6lbs!!
I really need to become more strict. But the nightly popcorn really settles my cravings for anything else, and the chocolate keeps the headaches away (usually I try to stick to 3 pieces).

And remember that Pulled Roasted Chicken? Well, I tried it for lunch today. Here's what I did:

Placed about 1.5oz on a small flour tortilla and micro-zapped it for 1min. Then I added about 1tsp of Mayo w/ olive oil and a Dill pickle spear. I made two.

IT WAS SO GOOD!! I know the Mayo and tortilla are big NO NO's, but it just sounded so good. And at least I didn't use bread, right?! And if you figure out the calorie intake, for 2 little "tacos" I only exhausted about 150 calories (100 for 3oz of chicken, 30 for 2tsp mayo, and I'm assuming 20 for two little tortillas).

I know, I'm bad. I will try to be better... we'll see what the scale says about my cheats tomorrow!!

Until then...

What happened to Recipe Mondays?

Here's my dilemma:

I usually only eat a steak and cut up tomatoes. That is so satisfying to me that I have no desire to try anything else. Maybe this week I will, though. But all the recipes I know that I would LOVE to share, are NOT hCG-friendly... and I wouldn't want to be the cause of someone's cheating! :)


As an update... I spent last week eating normal, not-so-healthy food, as I was out of town most of the week. As a result, I gained 6.4lbs (I knew it was bad when my "fat jeans" were getting tight!). I know it sounds like a lot... but in comparison with everything I ate, I was actually impressed.
It was so nice to be back to 500Cal yesterday. I didn't feel frumpy and yucky like I had during last week. So when I stepped on the scale today, I was extremely excited. As I should be... I DROPPED 2lbs exactly! Woohoo! Go me!
I did have two pieces of buttered bread with my dinner (a LITTLE Creole seasoning goes a LONG, long way!), but luckily I didn't have lunch. So it kind of evened itself out.
(Side note, do NOT follow my example!)

I purchased some Roasted Pulled Chicken from Schwan's today and I'm super excited to try it out tomorrow with some Zucchini. I will let you know how it tastes!

Remember how I said I wasn't doing anything or going anywhere for 6 weeks? Well... I lied. You see, Easter is smack in the middle of those 6 weeks and we invited our dear sister to join us. Luckily she likes healthy food, so we're planning on BBQ'in some steaks and asparagus. Shouldn't be too bad!
I did go overboard on the candy I bought for my son and husband, though. I may have to hide it until May. Wish me luck with that!! :)

Until next time... keep up the good work!

Update...

I really need to just take 6 weeks and not plan anything. Then I might actually be able to stick to this without cheating or worse... gaining what it took a week to lose.

I totally messed up those 3 very crucial days. You know, the 3 days when you stop taking the drops but are to STAY ON THE 500 Cal Diet. Then once those 3 days are over, you're then onto 1000 calories. Yeah, messed up... AGAIN.

So here's my new plan. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to do my "load days." Only, I'm going to be careful in what I eat and not totally engorge myself. Then on Monday, it's back to 500 Calories for 3 weeks. By the time May 1st hits, I will have completed a full 6 week program again, hopefully losing an additional 20lbs and then I can celebrate with a FREE Disney Day! :)

I'm determined to fully complete my final cycle with no cheating. So, I'm sorry to my dear friends, but I will not be making any plans during the entire month of April (and the final week of March). I will see you when I get back from Disney, and 20lbs lighter! Woohoo! :)

Love you all!

Check this out...

Vicky @ The City Cradle is doing an awesome challenge; 30 different parties before she turns 30. She is also having a Giveaway with this journey... head on over THERE to check it out and enter for yourself!

Whoa...

It's been a full week since I've posted last.

I. Am. Sorry.

I haven't stopped the hCG diet, I just haven't had anything to write about. I actually still don't. I haven't been as strict as I should be, although I'm not eating junk, either.
Instead of eating my two small meals a day, I've been eating just one meal, mainly my Chicken/Swiss Chard/Poblano tacos. I made them just to try out a new recipe and fell in L.O.V.E. I didn't check my weight this morning as I had to wake up and shower early to go pick up my Bountiful Basket, but the rest of the week really hasn't been that bad.
I'm pretty much staying around the same #'s, but I feel good. I've still lost about 20lbs, although I'm having a hard time losing more. I'm going to put in one more super-strict week, then I'm on to 1,000 calories! We'll see how it goes! The taco mix is gone, so I don't have to worry about those tempting me anymore!

Well, I just wanted to check in and let you know I haven't given up, so please don't give up on me!