New Recipe Ideas and a High 5 for Me!

So, if you've never heard of the 17 Day Diet, check it out here. I read the entire book back in April/May and decided to give it a shot. My faithful companion (my hubby) decided to give it a shot with me. It went well, we followed the diet, lost weight, went on a cruise..... and..... RIP diet. It was tough getting back on the horse entirely, but we're at it again.

The first 17 days is the toughest... no starchy carbs, period! A sample daily menu is as follows:
Breakfast: 1/2 Cup Eggbeaters with spinach, mushrooms, onions and 1 Tb. Frank's Red Hot (no cals, no sugar, no carbs)
Snack: Fruit (for example.. red grapes, small orange,  or mixed berries)
Lunch: Salad - LOTS of colorful greens and veggies (peppers, tomatoes, celery), a hardboiled egg or turkey/chicken breast strips or can of tuna, topped with 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 Tb. Balsamic Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
Snack:  1/2 Cup low-fat  cottage cheese mixed with 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
Dinner: Grilled or baked fish or chicken (salmon, tilapia, catfish) and veggies (steamed anything, mashed cauliflower) or a small salad

If I'm craving something sweet I'll have a 60 calorie, sugar-free pudding cup... sugar-free is the important thing (over fat-free).

Anyway! While I've discovered some creative, yummy ways to eat carb-free I still crave not only eating, but cooking other yummy things.

This is my list of things I want to make.... eventually....:

• Moroccan Chicken with Couscous
• Cilantro-Jalapeno Hummus
• Buttermilk and Blueberry Pancakes
• Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Cheddar Spirals
• Beer Margaritas

The Moroccan Chicken, Cilantro-Jalapeno Hummus, and Buttermilk & Blueberry Pancakes are not all that sinful, they just look delcious and I CRAVE pancakes. The Cordon Bleu and Cheddar Sprials, however, are just plain naughty...

In workout news.... I participated in an event on base this morning at 0645 called the Splash and Dash! It was a 400 yard swim followed by a 3 mile run. Most everyone else participating were doing it in pairs (1 person runs, the other swims), but oh no.... I decide to do it myself. I'm glad I did! When I came around the corner to cross the finish line of my run I couldn't believe the time - - 33:01. I started my personal watch when I started the run... when I finished it was at 23:58. 3 miles in 23:58??! New personal record... yippee!