Great Healthy Recipes

I am kind of weird in that I love cabbage. Seriously I absolutely love cabbage it is one of my favorite veggies besides cucumbers and spinach. Well today I am really craving it although I know I need to cook up some chicken and broccoli because the chicken will go bad if I don't.
But since I can't make it I can still share this great low fat recipe. :)

Cabbage and Kielbasa soup.
1/2 lb kielbasa diced
1 head of cabbage diced
1 whole yellow onion diced
2 12oz cans of low sodium chicken broth (if you can get organic or have the patience to make and can homemade do it because seriously the canned stuff has a lot of sodium.)
1 clove of garlic minced

Combine all ingredients then cover the rest with water and let simmer until the cabbage and onions are soft. (crock pots are great for this!)

This makes about 12 servings of really low calorie ( I don't have exact numbers because I try to go for more healthy overall choices rather than counting.)

Seriously this with some whole grain toast is one of my favorite meals ever. I know it's a little odd because cabbage isn't really a staple of the American diet anymore (which is kind of weird because it is a staple of the majority of our European ancestors) but cabbage is really good for you with iron and fiber and vitamins and kielbasa while a little on the fatty side is definitely outnumbered by the other ingredients.

Also since I'm on the recipe subject let's talk about some low fat high fiber chille I love Tex-Mex with an unholy passion but a lot of it is really gotten away from it's roots and is now fried with lard and smothered with cheese. Beans are really a wonderful source of protein and fiber but when you eat the refried variety you are replacing most of that with lard. So here's a fun way to make good old fashioned chille that can help you with your weight loss goals.

Turkey Chille stew
1/2 lb dried kidney beans
1/2 lb dried black beans
1/2 lb ground turkey (really not as bad as it sounds)
1 whole onion (I prefer red for chille but yellow works too) diced
1 bunch green onions sliced
1 whole bell pepper diced
1 whole clove of garlic
1 12 oz can of corn in water (organic or no sodium added if you can)
1 16 oz can of stewed diced tomatoes
Spices (optional and to taste although a pinch per person who will be eating is a good rule of thumb)
Chille Powder
Cilantro
Chives
Cumin (if you can, go to the Hispanic food aisle of your grocery store and get the little packet of whole cumin it's only about $1 and there's more than you will need so it lasts a long while)

Ok the day before you need to take out the beans and soak them in water at least overnight a little longer if possible (Yeah good food takes time) and then throw out the ones that float. Take some of your spices or just a can of salsa and put in a ziploc baggie with your turkey overnight (woot marinade!) The next morning rinse the beans and put them in your crock pot (stove works it just takes a long time and crock pots are safer to leave on all day) Then just combine the rest of your ingedients and let simmer all day until the beans are soft. This can take a while so be prepared for a late dinner or start it really early in the day (like before 8 AM at the latest.) this is a time and labor intensive dish but sincerely worth it. It runs less than 300 calories a serving and you can freeze the leftovers for months.

Ok I think that's enough food talk for now I really should probably get around to actually cooking.

A hello and some cold hard facts

So I have gained 20 pounds in the last six months because I have been depressed due to my financial situation and living with my parents. I have destroyed all the progress I have made since I first moved out and it is making me even more depressed and I a little overwhelmed and trying to hide behind old habits that I know are bad for me.

Beyond the cosmetic and general health concerns of my weight I have recently learned that I have two genetic disorders that can cause blood clots. If I don't keep active and get my weight to a healthy range I could throw a blood clot to my heart or lungs that can kill me. So now it's not just a case of vanity or self image it's me needing to keep at least mildly active every day to keep myself alive.

So the plan... this is the hard part I know so many different ways to get in shape but I've never stuck to any of them. So I am hoping that combining different styles and keeping things changed up will help me to not treat it like a chore. I also really want to try to take belly dancing lessons so I can have another tool to work out with and to help boost my confidence level. ( I learned a little bit of belly dance when I was younger and belly dance can make ANYONE feel sexy while you're doing it.) So whatever mix I do it needs to total 20 minutes a day to begin with. I will make entries of my routine and progress here so I can have a good record of how much I have really been working. I will not be posting my total food record or calorie counts because the point is not to obsess over numbers but to make a habit of healthier choices like cutting out blended coffees, eating out and drinking juice and tea instead of water.

So the rules of this blog.
1. I will not lie, if a number embarrasses me that badly I just won't post it.
2. I will keep a pen and paper backup when I'm not near web access.
3. I will not freak out and mope over every single backslide I am human and allowed to make mistakes.

So the short term goal I am working toward.
I currently have a 37" waist according the corset fitting I attended last weekend at the Rogue Renaissance Festival. I loved the corset I tried on (it's the one in my photo) and almost cried when I had to take it off because I don't have the money to buy it right now. (My mom made me try it on because if I can't afford it by the end of event season I plan to get it online) My goal is to have a marked improvement in my overall health and one inch off my waist by the second weekend in September. I am also going to try to save up for the corset as my goal reward. I may not be able to afford it by Shrewsbery or the pirate festival but it's still something to hope for.

So today's essential stats.
(I am breaking it up a little by writing now since I am trying to start slow.

Completed:
10 minute brisk walk with a slight incline. [X]
5 Burpees (an exercise combination of jumping jacks and mountain climbers)

Left to do:
5 more Burpees
1 set of double leg lifts
1 set of single straight leg extensions
1 set of roll ups
1 set of hip circles

I think that's enough writing to start off with.