17 and some change...

I'm 17 weeks and 2 days! Work has been crazy busy so my blogging time has been reduced.. yes, I was blogging at work. My bad.
Michael has been gone 9 days so far... and we have 12 more days to go. Almost halfway there! It's gone fast, but I still miss him like CRAZY. I've been keeping busy at work, working out, cooking, and deep cleaning the house (which is what I usually do when he's gone). So far I've cleaned out the garage, gone through and sorted all my clothes and shoes, cleared out and organized the guest room/craft room that will become baby's room soon, and various other little cleaning things. I sat in the "baby room" today and visualized what it will look like as a nursery..... ah can't wait!

I've remained consistent with my workouts - 6 days a week/45 minutes, alternating between cardio days and circuit training days. My cardio days are purely running (usually 3+ miles) and my circuit training is a mix of cardio on the spin bike or elliptical along with a circuit of upper/lower body strength moves. I'm usually the first one to the gym in the mornings (5:30!) so I have my pick of equipment and have found the back room to be a nice place to set up my circuit with body bars, free weights, bosu balls, and medicine balls. Nice!

What have I been eating to refuel after those calories burned??! Well, my usually healthy meals plus the following new recipes I tried this week...

Oreo Bars- Delicious!!


Avocado Pasta - Pretty good, a little heavy on the garlic..


Crock Pot Lava Cake- Good, but I have a much better recipe for individual lava cakes.









Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cake- AMAZING! Perfect for a Saturday or Sunday morning.


Tomato Basil Cream Ravioli - Yummy, but very rich.


You can find all of these recipes by following me on Pinterest! Sorry, I'm being lazy and don't feel like linking all the recipes to their respective websites.

Anywho... this is what's goin on in Week 17!!

Try not to get freaked out by the numbers on your scale. At 17 weeks, baby’s working on getting stronger, and your body’s working on getting bigger. That means putting on some pounds and -- we hate to break it to you -- getting some stretch marks. Make sure you document your growing bump by taking lots of photos. Sure, you might not always feel so pretty, but one day you’re going to look back at pregnancy and reminisce (really -- we promise). You’ll also want to start figuring out some plans, like whether or not you’re going to find out baby’s gender (you should be able to soon!), and what kind of childbirth class you’d like to take. As you start making these decisions, the pregnancy will feel even more real, which is probably super exciting, but part of you is probably feeling a little nervous. After all, you’re at week 17; that’s almost halfway there and there’s still a lot left to do. Chill! You’ll get it done. Just remember not to try to do it all yourself -- ask for help!

Baby's now the size of an onion!
Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. His umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes now feature one-of-a-kind prints.

Baby at 17 Weeks:

• Her rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone.
• And she's growing some meat on those bones -- putting on some fat.
• She's growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord, too.

Pregnancy Symptoms: 

•  Sweat, mucus and more bodily fluids. They're in full force, because of your increased blood flow.
• Weird dreams. This might be hormonal, but it might also be the result of your nerves and anticipation.
• Itchy boobs and bump -- as they're growing, your skin is stretching thinner.
• Rapid weight gain. You've probably gained about five to 10 pounds by now. (Try 13!)

Welcome to Your 16th Week of Life, Sweet Baby!

So what's up with Baby Swyers at Week 16? It's news to me, too, so let's find out:

Stay on the lookout for some fluttering sensations in your abdomen. It might not be right at 16 weeks, but pretty soon you’ll start feeling baby moving around in there. At first those moves might feel like gas or a muscle twitch, but over time, as baby gets bigger and stronger, they’ll be unmistakable. Baby’s starting to be able to hear your voice -- and she’ll recognize it at birth -- so feel free to chat her up.

Avocado-Sized!

Now, she's about 4.6 inches long and weighs about 3.5 ounces, and she's big enough that your doctor may be able to hear her heartbeat.

Baby at 16 Weeks

• She's listening to your voice, thanks to tiny bones forming in her ears.
• She's growing hair, lashes and eyebrows.
• And she's forming taste buds.

Pregnancy Symptoms

• You might start feeling baby move!
• I'm not sure, but I thought so the other day when I was sitting quietly at my desk.... felt like a muscle twitch to me!
• Back aches, another effect of pregnancy hormones. Make sure you're exercising, that you're sitting and standing up straight and do some stretches.
• First nasty back ache yesteryday.. I move around enough at work and stretch everyday so hopefully I can minimize this.
• Shortness of breath, as your lungs continue to get more crowded.
• Even bigger boobs -- they should be ready for breastfeeding by the end of the second trimester.
• My balance has been off lately when I bend over to pick things up... 'nuff said :)
• Forgetfulness (a.k.a. pregnancy brain). No one knows for sure what causes this!
• I would describe it as my brain feeling like it's in slow-motion...
• Faster hair and nail growth (a great excuse for a new cut and manicure).
• Dry, itchy, sensitive eyes. Blame the hormones once again.
• Glowing skin (finally -- that pregnancy glow that people are always talking about!)

I think it's absolutely amazing that Baby can hear my voice already!! I've been saying funny things to him/her for a while now... like, "Please be like me, please be like me" (kidding, of course) whenever Michael does something ridiculous. The second trimester has been smooth-sailing so far... more energy and able to eat normally again! I can't wait to feel Baby move and know that it was really Baby moving in there. I'm not positive what I felt the other day was movement, but the thought was super exciting!

In other news... Michael is off to El Centro for 3 weeks again. He left this morning and all I could think was that when he comes back he'll probably want to know who this huge woman is in his house... I expect to be showing a bit more in 3 weeks! Here's my bump (or lackthereof) now:



One of the many things I do to keep busy when Michael is gone is to try out new recipes... Here's a few that I plan to whip up on a Saturday or Sunday morning while catching up with all my DVR'd shows that I "can't" watch when he's home (Grey's Anatomy, Dr. Phil, Millionaire Matchmaker, etc):

Cinnamon Roll Cake

 Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake


YUM!

Weekend Update - Almost 16 weeks

This weekend was soooooo nice...

Friday we went to Doc's on Padre Island for a dinner party for Michael's squadron... it's a looooooong drive from Kingsville, but Doc's is a fun, yummy place and it was nice to chat with some people we hadn't seen in a while. I ordered a cranberry & sprite so it at least looked and felt a little more festive :)

Saturday was for cleaning, cooking, and football! Huskers won in an awesome/not-so-awesome game against Ohio State. We enjoyed a low key evening with BBQ pulled chicken from the crockpot and pumpkin pudding, which I also made in the crockpot. BTW, I found both of those recipes on Pinterest and they were delicious!

Sunday we went to church then headed to Corpus for shopping/dinner date. Michael was sweet enough to accompany me during a much-needed (and dreaded) trip to shop for some maternity clothes. The lady was very helpful so all Michael had to do was read all the post-game Huskers articles and give me his approval whenever I stepped out of the dressing room :) The belly pillow you put on to see how clothes will fit you a few months was a fun thing to see! I ended up with a couple pairs of jeans, leggings (ehhhh... not so sure about those yet), and a couple tops. Then we headed to Water Street for a late lunch/early dinner... it was pouring outside and we really enjoyed a leisurely meal watching the storms blow through.

Now it's back to work... and what a suprise this morning! I think I felt the first movements - little flutters almost like muscle twitches! Can't wait for our ultrasound appointment next week!

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!

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

Serve with Tomato Lime Meatballs!

Ingredients
1 large eggplant, peeled (use a potato peeler)
4 egg whites
Fat-free Parmesan cheese
Garlic powder, to taste
1 cup of low-carb marinara sauce

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut eggplant into ¼ inch slices.

3. In a shallow dish, beat egg whites and 4 tablespoons of water until foamy. Dip eggplant slices into egg whites, then into fat-free Parmesan cheese, pressing cheese into eggplant.

4. Place eggplant on prepared baking sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable spray and sprinkle with garlic powder.

5. Spray vegetable cooking spray over eggplant slices.

6. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees, turning eggplant over after 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

7. Cover with 1 cup of low-carb marinara sauce and bake for 20 minutes, or until eggplant is piping hot and sauce is bubbly.

Tomato Lime Meatballs

Easy... delicious... healthy...

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey breast

2 small onions, chopped

1/4 cup old fashioned oatmeal (as a healthy substitute for bread crumbs)

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

6 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. paprika

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. ginger
1 tsp. turmeric (can substitute ground mustard if you don't have turmeric)
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 jar low carb/low sugar marinara or spaghetti sauce (I use Classico's Red Pepper sauce for a kick)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine ground beef, 1/2 of the onion, oatmeal, parsley, cilantro, egg, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes and, if desired, salt and pepper. Shape into 1-inch balls or use an ice cream scoop for easier, more uniform meatballs.
3. Arrange meatballs on baking sheet and bake 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile heat olive oil in 4-quart saucepot over medium heat and cook remaining onion, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in garlic, ginger and turmeric and cook 1 minute. Stir in lime juice and sauce.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
6. When meatballs are finished baking, stir them into the sauce and cook an additional 10 minutes or until meatballs are done.

I imagine this would be sinful served with pasta... but it's hearty enough to eat by itself or with a simple, healthy Eggplant Parmesan.

Crockpot Lasagna

Hello, comfort food! I would feel guilty if this wasn't such a healthy alternative to the traditional lasagna recipes. And an added bonus, after a long day at work dinner is already waiting for you!

Ingredients
1 lb. ground turkey breast
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
15 oz. tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese -OR- 2% cottage cheese (which is what I use because I always have it on hand)
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
6 pieces no-cook lasagna noodles
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook turkey, onion, and garlic in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings. Simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine ricotta/cottage cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

Spoon 1/3 of turkey mixture into bottom of a 5-qt. slow cooker. Break 3 lasagna sheets in half and arrange over mixture. Top with half of cheese mixture. Repeat with another layer and finish with 1/3 of turkey mixture.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove cover, turn off heat.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over top of lasagna. Cover and set aside until cheese melts and lasagna firms up, about 10 minutes.

Notes
A fresh salad sounded great with my lasagna, but if you want to up your veggie intake without serving a side dish simply add diced zucchini, mushrooms, and/or spinach to the sauce/turkey mixture.

Turkey Burgers

Since hubby was flying late last night, I just threw some ingredients together for a quick dinner.. these lil guys were delicious! I honestly didn't measure any of this, except for the turkey, but these are my best guesses as to how much of each ingredient...

1 lb. ground turkey breast
1/4 to 1/2 C. old fashioned oats
1/2 C. chopped spinach
1/4 C. BBQ sauce (probably less... I used a few squirts)

Combine all ingredients and pat out into 4-5 patties.

Heat grill to medium-high. Spray a double-layer of tin foil with cooking spray and set on grill grate to heat. Place patties on heated tin foil. Flip burgers after 5 minutes. Cook another 5 minutes, or until cooked through. You could baste these with more BBQ sauce if desired, but this way provided just the right amount of BBQ flavor.

I had my turkey burger (no bun) with steamed spinach and steamed green beans. Grilled corn on the cob or grilled veggie packets would be delcious if you had a little more prep time!

Taco Seasoning

A much better alternative to buying the packets of seasoning at the store. My husband said this was better anyway :)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

After browning and draining your choice of ground beef/turkey/turkey breast, add 3/4 C. water and 2-3 T. of seasoning per pound of meat. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve with homemade whole wheat tortillas!

Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Stone Ground)
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
3 teaspoons of olive oil
3/4 cups of warm milk

Directions:
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil.
Slowly add the warm milk.
Stir/Mix until a loose, sticky ball is formed. (I got in with my hands a little, too)

Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.
Place dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate and then cover balls with plastic wrap for 10 minutes.

After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and six to eight inches in diameter.  Keep rolled-out tortillas covered with plastic wrap until ready to cook.

In a dry iron skillet heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.

Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.
Makes eight tortillas.

I also made my own taco seasoning to put with ground turkey breast... and served with a side of 0% Greek Yogurt (a great substitue for sour cream) and Salsa!

Chocolate for Breakfast!

I usually have the same thing for breakfast every morning... 1/2 C. eggbeaters with any combination of spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, diced bell peppers, and/or onions. It's delicious and I enjoy it, but when this little recipe from SELF Magazine graced my inbox, I decided to switch it up. I'm glad I did... it was YUMMY and I wouldn't be opposed to having this for dessert on occasion :)


Directions:
Cook 1/4 cup old fashioned oats in 1/2 cup skim milk.
Mix oatmeal with 1/2 mashed banana (I used one -whole- of those cute little mini bananas), 2 tsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
Top with 1/4 cup skim milk and 1 1/2 tbsp ground flaxseeds (optional).

Nutrition Content
344 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 57 g carbs, 10 g fiber, 16 g protein

A lot of carbs, which I've been doing without, but whole grains like oatmeal are A-Okay!!

Eggplant (No-Noodle) Lasagna

To me, a pasta-less diet is an absolutely absurd idea. But for the past... oh, 30 some days I've gone almost entirely starchy-carbohydrate-free. (And almost entriely alcohol free...) There were a few weak moments and other times when Michael and I just wanted to enjoy a nice dinner out that I caved to cheese-filled tortellini and a few pieces of warm, yummy bread and a glass of wine. But other than that, 30 some days of no pasta, no rice, and no bread! And no, I DO NOT plan to continue the trend for all of eternity..

I've made this once or twice before, but made it slightly differently last night and it turn out AMAZING! Since my hubby is on a cross-country trip this week I now have a whole pan sitting in the fridge... think it will freeze well?

Ingredients
2 or 3 medium size eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into strips
1 lb. turkey breast
1 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Handful of spinach, chopped or torn
2 C. 1% cottage cheese
1 egg yolk
1/4 C. fat-free parmesan cheese
1 T. each of dried basil and Italian seasoning
1 jar of spaghetti/marinara sauce of your choice (I found a low sugar/low carb roasted red pepper sauce)
Fat-free mozzarella cheese, if desired

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chopped onion.
Add turkey breast and brown along with the garlic and chopped onion mixture.
Meanwhile, combine the cottage cheese, egg yolk, parmesan cheese, and seasonings in a bowl. Mix well.
Then spoon about 1cup of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Spread to cover.
When the meat and onion mixture is finished cooking, you will layer your lasagna like this:

1. Sauce on the bottom (I already said to do that)
2. Strips of eggplant (just like you would lasagna pieces)
3. Cottage cheese mixture
4. Chopped spinach (just sprinkle over)
5. Turkey mixture
6. Repeat, ending with enough sauce to cover and sprinkle with mozzarella, if desired.

Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until cheese is golden. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.