November 2009

I’ve recently discovered that Tabasco is not only delicious, but also low in sodium! Who knew?! I’m always terribly jealous of hubby when he puts Frank’s Red Hot sauce on his food, but it’s SO high in sodium (200mg for a TEASPOON ) that I only have it when I feel like descending into puffy hell. So on a whim I decided to check out the labels for Tabasco. I was shocked to find that it has only 35mg sodium per serving!! OMG! SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE! I already went through a small bottle, now I just picked up a bigger bottle at Target for only $2.33! The bigger bottle was $7 in Shop Rite, so Target was a bargain.

LOVE

Pure awesomeness =

I didn’t think that I’d ever find a pre-made hot sauce that was low in sodium. Who would have thought that one of the originals was the one I’ve been searching for? Right under my nose the whole time.

I splashed it on almost everything throughout the week, and what goes with it better than hot sauce than Mexican food? I’ve had these Food for Life sprouted grain tortillas in my freezer for awhile now, so I decided to finally give one a try in the form of a bean burrito.

I made a HUGE pot of black beans at the beginning of the week (so easy to make, no more buying cans if I can help it), then stuffed my tortilla (150 cal) with:

• ~1/2 cup black beans (no salt or anything added, ~110 cal)
• 1oz Cabot 50% reduced fat cheddar cheese (70 cal)
• A little diced tomato and Trader Joe’s no salt added tomato salsa (30 cal)
• Diced red onion (15 cal)
• Several generous splashes of Tabasco

1 burrito, 375 calories

All wrapped up and ready to eat with 1/2 cup Eden organic brown rice & beans (110 cal) and 1/4 cup Fage Total 0% plain yogurt (35 cal) with a wee bit more Tabasco splashed on it. Altogether, just 520 calories and far more superior than Taco Bell. Not to mention, significantly lower in sodium. A win, win din din! hehe

(By the way, that’s iced tea sweetened with 2 packets of Truvia zero calorie sweetener)

Tabasco also tastes great on eggs! I had a few splashes on my bell pepper + egg sandwich:

In a frying pan with 1 TBSP butter (100 cal), I added in:

4 large beaten eggs (300 cal)
85g Trader Joe’s tri-color bell pepper strips (25 cal)

425 calories, 2 servings, ~215 calories each

I split them evenly with hubby using 2 food scales lol. I placed most of my egg and pepper mixture into an Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain hot dog bun (170 cal) and had 1/2 cup plain black beans on the side (110 cal).

SO GOOD! Only took about 10 minutes to whip together and only 495 calories. Yum!

So many beans, so little time! Let’s say I definitely met my fiber requirements this week LOL.

I haven’t cooked real chicken in so long, I almost forgot how. I popped a few russet potatoes in the oven, then pan fried a package of chicken tenders in 1 TBSP EVOO (120 cal). The potato was awesome, but I wasn’t crazy about the chicken. I don’t like the texture after being spoiled by tender, juicy vegetarian chicken for so long lol.

My russet potato was 167g before cooking, fairly smallish, so I estimate it to be around 150 calories. Then I added on 1/4 cup black beans (55 cal), 1/2 oz Cabot 50% reduced fat cheddar cheese (35 cal), and 56g Fage Total 0% plain yogurt (35 cal). I steamed a whole bag of frozen veggies in the microwave, but I think they were freezer burnt — yuck! But I ate them anyway.

Delish! I’d estimate this meal to be between 420 and 450 calories.

I need to make another batch of sodium free bagels! This was the last one them:

2oz Trader Joe’s no salt added canned salmon (60 cal) mixed with 1 TBSP Hellmann’s olive oil mayo (50 cal) and a little lettuce on 1 homemade sodium free bagel (210 cal). ~325 calories

My freezer is ridiculously overfull. I found this package of Trader Joe’s 100% whole wheat pita bread from our last trip in there. I was in the mood for something BIG, tasty and a little unhealthy in the form of sandwich and crunchy munchy ‘tato chips. So, I stuffed one of the giant pitas (200 cal) with: 2.5oz store-cooked fresh roast beef, a big glob of Hellmann’s olive oil mayo, 2 slices Sargento reduced fat Swiss cheese (120 cal), and several handfuls of lettuce. On the side: 1oz crunchy Cape Cod potato chips (150 cal).

Not really that bad actually, I estimate it to be around 650 calories, including the chips. I can do much worse. Ohhhhhh so much worse.

The weather has been very pleasant lately, so maybe that’s why I’m gravitating toward summery foods?? I woke up wanting pasta salad the other day. *shrugs* Not that there’s an official right time of year for it, it’s delicious year-round!

Blue salmon pasta salad

• 2oz before cook radiotore pasta (210 cal)
• 2oz Trader Joe’s no salt added canned salmon (60 cal)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (defrosted in the microwave for 30 seconds, 70 cal)
• 1.5 TBSP Hellmann’s olive oil mayo (75 cal)
• 14g reduced fat blue cheese crumbles (40 cal) sprinkled on top

1 serving, 455 calories or 2 servings, ~228 calories each

YUMMMMMM! The flavors and textures worked perfectly together.

Digging a little deeper into the chest freezer, I found a box of De Wafelbakkers Flaxseed Whole Grain Apple Cinnamon Waffle.

I decided to enjoy them as my post-workout meal. So I popped 3 of them (210 cal) in the microwave for about a minute, then topped them with:

• 2 TBSP/32g MaraNatha creamy almond butter (190 cal)
• A very ripe diced Barlett pear (80 cal)
• 1 teaspoon/7g honey drizzled over the the top (20 cal)

With 1 cup of skim milk (90 cal), this was a SWEET, delicious waffle masterpiece for only 595 calories.

I couldn’t stay away from Tabasco very long. I just happened to find a box of Amy’s Light in Sodium black bean and veggie enchiladas (150 cal each, 300 for whole box) in the freezer, sooo, what better use for the leftover rice & beans than to pair it with enchiladas with splashes of Tabasco!!

A bed of 1/2 cup Eden organic brown rice & beans (110 cal), topped with 2 Amy’s Light in Sodium black bean & veggie enchiladas (300 cal), a little diced red onion (15 cal), a little Trader Joe’s no salt added tomato salsa (15 cal), 56g Fage Total 0% plain yogurt (35 cal) and a generous dousing of Tabasco.

Oooooooh sooo SPICY!! LOVED it. Once again, beats Taco Bell hands down, for just 475 burn-your-mouth calories.

T-minus 4.5 days until Turkey day!!! We just picked up all of our ingredients yesterday, now I have to find some try and true homemade dinner roll recipes; a graham cracker crust recipe and an apple pie recipe. I can’t wait. YUM YUM here I come. hehe

I’ve been doing bad with my sodium intake the past few days. I’m kind of ashamed. It’s so unfair because my calories are fine, but because my body reacts so badly to excessive sodium, I gain false weight. Whatever though. I’ll conquer this sodium and water retention battle. I see a lot of very bland, but other wise delicious, foods in my immediate future. There’s only a few short weeks until my birthday. I am NOT going to be a paperweight. I lose water weight rapidly, I just have to avoid it. So hard sometimes though, I’m addicted. Le sigh!

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Ok, it’s official: Bananas dominate anything you put them in. I did an intense 8.25 miles in 30 minutes on my recumbent bike, then decided to indulge in a decadent bowl of oats that I originally planned to have on Halloween, but didn’t get around to.

Milky Way + peanut butter pretzels banana oats in a Dark Chocolate Dreams painted bowl:

While I cooked (and stirred/mashed frequently) 1/2 cup (40g) Quaker 100% old fashioned oats (150 cal) with 1 medium banana (110 cal) in a small saucepan on the stove top, I spread 1 TBSP (16g) Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams (85 cal) around a bowl in an attempt to emulate the last scrapings in a jar of nut butter.

When the oats were done, I poured them in the bowl and topped it with 1 Fun Size Milky Way (75 cal) and 15g Trader Joe’s no salt on surface peanut butter stuffed pretzels (75 cal).

Delicious for just 495 earned-post-workout-calories, BUT even with all of that ooey gooey chocolaty and peanut buttery goodness, I tasted the banana the most. A little disappointing, but my tummy was happy. Oatmeal feels like a brick in my stomach, so this kept me full for hours afterward despite being somewhat low in protein and very high in carbs. Then again, carbs tend to keep me fuller longer than any other macronutrient. *shrugs*

When I was hungry again, I went for another taste bud-pleaser: A sweet and savory pear, roast beef and cottage cheese salad

I picked up this single-serving container of Rachel’s pear mangosteen cottage cheese in Shop Rite the other day. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about it, so I gave it a try. It was fantastic! A little high in sodium (380mg) as cottage cheese tends to be, but I balanced it out with lower sodium components in the rest of the salad and throughout the day.

In the bowl:

• A bed of mixed greens (15 cal) tossed in 1 teaspoon EVOO (40 cal) + red wine vinegar (5 cal)
• 2oz store-cooked fresh roast beef (~100 cal)
• 1oz Shop Rite no salt added Swiss cheese (100 cal)
• 1 container Rachel’s pear mangosteen cottage cheese (130 cal)
• 1 VERY ripe Bartlett pear (~90 cal)
• 14g reduced fat blue cheese crumbles (40 cal)
• 1 teaspoon (7g) honey (20 cal) drizzled over the top

1 serving, ~540 calories and loaded with protein and yumminess

OMGosh! One of 2009′s BEST salad combinations! LOOOOOOOOOOVED it! Sweet, salty, savory, bitter, crunchy and creamy all in one tasty, TASTY bowl of goodness. This kept me full for 4+ hours, then I had some granola with skim milk for a snack and a small roast beef sandwich before bed. Overall, a successful calorie and sodium-conscious day. I’ve actually been pretty consistent all week. *knocks on wood* We have a movie and lunch/dinner date on Sunday, so let’s just hope I can at least get to Sunday with minimal damage. Should be easy, as long as we stay home… and disconnect the phone. lol I’m at least trying to be good in between all of the big events coming up: My cousin is coming home from FL (Hi, Tricia!! ); my in-laws are visiting sometime soon; Thanksgiving; my birthday; Christmas Eve; Christmas and New Year’s — all while dodging fast food and restaurants while out shopping and holiday food and food gifts in between. Fun times! hehe It’s cool, though. I know how to strategically make the best of it all without depriving myself, or at least how to not feel guilty for very long after I totally blow it. LOL

Ok, 80000000000000000 things to do and counting. I better go tackle the ever-growing “to-do” list!

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