The lose weight train left the station about a week ago. At least I started in earnest about a week ago. I really started to try and lose a few pounds, like most of the rest of America, around the New Year. I’m going to try and give a quick update here once a week.
There is much debate about how long it takes to create a habit. Some reports say 8 days while others have said 21 or even 66 days. It’s more important to focus on keeping up some momentum so if I try to keep up with it here weekly maybe that will help keep up the good habits. Here is how the first real week has gone.
Weight
On Jan 22, I tipped the scale at 262. As of this morning I am weighing in at 258. That’s 8 pounds away from the first real goal. I am moving in the right direction and that’s really the only goal worth achieving here.
Food
My wife is an exceptional cook. This has been a blessing and a curse as the food is almost always amazing, but I have a hard time stopping eating. We’ve decided to cut back on the carbs. My mom grew up in an Italian neighborhood and my dad’s side of the family is full of cajuns so pastas, potatoes, and rice are a major staple of my diet.
Cutting out these has been extremely tough, but we’ve found ways to get around it. I have intentions of posting a recipe that we have tried occasionally on this page for yall to try out. Last Sunday, she made a low carb lasagna. Instead of the pasta noodles, you use strips of zucchini. The flavors of the zucchini mixed in well with the other ingredients and kept the lasagna from being too heavy on the stomach. Anyway – here is the recipe.
- 4 large zucchini, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey
- 1 – 14 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 – 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- handful of basil, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- handful of parsley, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- red pepper flakes, if desired
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 15 oz part skim ricotta
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 12 oz reduced fat or part skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place sliced zucchini on large baking sheet coated with non stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes to help dry out the zucchini a bit. This is a critical step.
- While the zucchini noodles are roasting, you can make the turkey meat sauce. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, onions, and peppers and cook a few minutes until onions become translucent and garlic is fragrant; stir occasionally so that you don’t burn it. Add in ground turkey and cook until no longer pink. Add in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, and a few dashes of red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until sauce REALLY thickens up! Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat to cool.
- In a medium bowl, combine egg white, ricotta, and Parmesan. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Add in 1/2 cup of the slightly cooled meat sauce and stir to combine.
- To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the turkey meat sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Place zucchini slices evenly over meat sauce, spread on 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, then sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella on. Repeat layers again starting with the meat sauce, zucchini slices and ricotta mixture and finishing with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake for 15 minute longer uncovered. Serve with a side salad. Makes 8 generous servings.
The Clumsy Optimist 