The Numbers Game...

Today was soooooooo awesome sauce!!!!  I took my "official" winner's pics for the contest!  While I'm not much of a picture person, I must say I enjoyed it today, lol.  I did my makeup, as I always do when I anticipate attention lol, and I must say, it came out A-Mazing!!!

Giving FACE, lol...I attempted to contour my nose for the first time...not too shabby, it looks like I actually have a bridge, lol

I can't wait to share my official pictures with you guys!  I was looking at my stats and I must say I am completely blown away that I've gotten the wee bit of traffic that I have because no one knows about this for the most part.  Let's me know that I need to keep on...and with that being said...

So, during this weight loss journey one of the most important things has been keeping myself encouraged.  That mean's keeping things around me that promote motivation and subtle reminders of why I'm doing this and where I want to be.  One of my biggest encouragements are People magazines Half My Size issues.  It started out being a new year issue but now they do them a few times a year.  I have almost every one in my possession and periodically I will sit in bed, compile them all and read through them.  These people are SOOOOOO inspirational.  When they say they've lost weight, some of these people have lost the amount of weight equivalent to an adult.  In this month's issue a woman lost 395 pounds...with no surgery!  That is an obese adult!  She did it following the Atkins diet and slowly working in exercise until she had a consistent regimen.  I've said this before...we live in a world that seeks instant gratification.  Which leads me to my next soapbox, lol.

The Biggest Loser.  I have such a love/hate relationship with this show.  A few years ago I SERIOUSLY considered applying.  I actually printed the 8239 page application and as I began filling it out I snapped back into reality and realized it was not a good idea for me.  This show is AWESOME in encouraging people to get off their butts and actually doing something about being unhappy about their weight...and I love them for that.  However, not only is it numbers driven it's not giving the contestants the opportunity to lose weight in a realistic environment.  Let me explain.  On the ranch they do nothing but exercise all day.  They're pushing their bodies and living in the gym for a weigh in that determines if they'll stay to do it all again the next day.  That devastating day comes when they are eliminated and they must return home and the results they had on the ranch aren't congruent to the results they have at home.  At home you can't just exercise for 8 hours a day.  At home you don't have a readily available refrigerator well-stocked with healthy food.  At home you don't have a trainer road mapping your day.  I understand the point of being on the ranch is to give you the tools to take home and continue this journey on your own but is that really realistic?  There is so much pressure to lose these astronomical amounts of weight in a short amount of time and when you get home and start losing a HEALTHY amount of weight within a HEALTHY time frame that has to mess with your psyche somehow.  

Then there is Jillian Michaels. Before I state my opinion, let me first say I really respect her and the dedication she has to helping other's get in shape and get healthy.  With that being said, I understand her approach is tough and in your face negating excuses...but that doesn't mean its not severe.  I can remember when I first started working out, I DRAGGED around the gym because this was completely new to me and I had to break my body in.  If my trainer had been anything like her, I would have certainly cussed him out and still be 120 pds away from a transplant.  

If you feel that desperate times call for desperate measures then yes, I understand the need to do something as drastic as The Biggest Loser but I will always advocate that making small changes and sticking with them will lead to making BIG changes and thus changing your LIFE!  This isn't about losing 200 pounds in 6 months.  You want to devise a plan so you can remain free from that 200 pounds for the rest of your life.  I don't plan on EVER being this big again in my life...kidney or no kidney.  Progress not perfection is the only thing I hold myself accountable to everyday and it's worked...now I challenge you to try it!!!  Tomorrow, park your car a little further and see if that small battle makes you feel like a winner...say no to that soda and have water instead and see how empowered you feel.  Remember, Progress not Perfection!

Lovies!!!!!  Today has been...interesting, lol.  I'll summarize it up by saying when you learn how not to let the things affecting those you love effect you then you are officially winning at life, lol.  In the midst of the confusion I managed to bang out a great dinner and compiled some other thoughts worth sharing...but first the food, lol

This was dinner...baked BBQ chicken (half of a breast and a thigh), roasted green beans and mushrooms and the star of this meal and reason for this post...THE MASHED TATERS!

Ermahgosh!!!!  These potaters, yes potaters, were life changing.  I've been craving mashed potatoes for weeks and restaurant potatoes either have too much sodium or way to much fat.  So, while the chicken was in the oven baking I realized I had some baby yukons in the fridge but no milk so my gears began moving.  I always keep low sodium chicken broth and while that makes an okay mashed potato I was looking to elevate it.  Then I saw my secret weapon...the key ingredient that was going to take my potatoes and make them potaters.  I'm going to tell you how I made them and reveal the secret ingredient that will change how you look at russets.

I cubed up about 10 baby yukon gold potatoes and boiled them in salted water.  When they were fork tender I drained them and began the mashing process with a hand masher just to get things going.  I then added about half a cup of chicken broth and continued mashing until smooth.  This left a little broth hanging in the pot but I wasn't upset about this because as the potatoes cooled they would absorb the extra broth.  Then I changed potatoes as we know than and added my special ingredient that made them creamy, smooth, rich and LOW FAT.

That's right!!!  The Laughing Cow swiss cheese!  They're already creamy and cheesy and at 35 calories a wedge, you won't notice that they're actually not bad for you. 

I left the wheels out so that they could warm up to about room temperature so they would melt easily.  I added 3 of them to the potatoes mashed with the chicken broth and allowed it to make amazing things happen.  The heat from the potatoes and pot slowly melted the wheels instantly thickening them up and making them luscious and velvety.  I then added a small pinch of garlic powder, a few shakes of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper and the final ingredient that definitely made these potaters.  A tablespoon of fresh, not container variety, Parmesan cheese.  Since Parmesan is very unctuous and strong, the smallest amount is needed for it to provide a salty bite without overpowering all of the other flavors.  I was able to make great mashed potaters without a drop of milk, butter, or heavy cream...things that make mashed potatoes decadent but aren't very healthy.  I served them to my mother and she was in disbelief that I hadn't put any real fat in them and couldn't tell the difference.

You can't tell me those taters don't look thick and creamy and ready to be devoured...because they were, lol

Try these potaters SOON and you will be singing their glory also!  The Laughing Cow has many varieties of their cheese wedges so get creative and let me know what variations you come up with.  Happy eating!!!!

*The Laughing Cow wheel photograph used from www.thelaughingcow.com   

Recipe blog: Blackened catfish filet and beefy mushroom pasta

I'm on a roll...two posts in one night!!!  I'm focused maaaan, lol.  So, after receiving the WONDERFUL news that I'd won the FFC year of wellness competition, I decided that a celebratory dinner was definitely a necessity.  There was a time, not all that long ago, that would have meant dining out at my favorite restaurant.  As we now know, restaurants have become my enemy and honestly I crave the home cooked meals that I create in my kitchen.  When I say create, most of my meals I come up with in my head.  I sit and think about what flavors I want and from there I come up with a plan.  This day I wanted catfish fillets but I didn't want them fried...I wanted to elevate them.  People often frown upon the catfish because they say its "dirty" but if you season it and prepare it right it can be a gem.  That's when I decided to blacken it.  I also had a hankering for pasta but to cut back on the carbs decided to bulk it up with veggies.  Mushrooms and green beans were on sale and voila!  Dinner was decided!

This is my finished plate.  Blackened catfish fillet and beefy mushroom pasta and of course an ice cold seltzer water to top it off.

So now to tell you how I did it.  I would have preferred shallots in this pasta but since I already had a sweet onion, and was on a budget, that's what I used.  I chopped up the onion on the small side, as well as some cremini mushrooms and two portobello mushroom caps.  I sauteed this in a heavy bottomed skillet with a couple shakes of extra virgin olive oil.  As they begin to soften, I seasoned them with kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes.  After about 5-7 minutes I added some healthy glugs of Worcestershire sauce.  This sauce is amazing and can be used in so many ways.  Most people use it to season beef and steaks.  Mushrooms can mirror the beefiness of meat and this flavor is called umami.  I wanted to play on this thus using the Worcestershire to simply highlight the umami flavor.  I let this cook down until most of the Worcestershire cooked out and then added about 3/4 of a cup of beef broth.  This added a richness and depth to that beefy flavor.  Everything came up to a soft bubble and I let it reduce so that the liquid could thicken some.  

Meanwhile, I focused on my fish.  In a ziploc bag I combined:

• 2 tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of smoked sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder 

Now you certainly can add or subtract spices as you see fit.  Typically I would have added some cayenne for spice, but I was making some for my father who can't have it so I just chose to omit it.  Surprisingly you don't need salt.  The Old Bay provides enough salt and any additional salt will alter the taste of the seasoning.  I also added a little fresh cracked black pepper but not too much because it can be a bit overpowering.  I put a medium high heat under a cast iron skillet and allowed it to get hot...I mean really hot.  I made sure my fillets were dry and sprinkled my seasoning with a heavy hand.  Since this is blackened catfish you want to make sure that you cover the top of the flesh VERY well.  After ensuring the skillet was hot enough I added a couple shakes of extra virgin olive oil and placed the fish flesh side down so they could sear.  While they are developing their crust you don't want to move or bother them because you risk tearing your fish.  When they are ready to be flipped they will let you know because they will have released from the skillet and you won't have any problems picking them up and flipping them.  I then put them in a 400 oven for 20 mins so they could finish cooking through.

By this time the liquid in my mushrooms had reduced my half and I added my prepped green beans.  To get them ready I just chopped off the ends and halved them.  I wanted them to cook a bit to get rid of some of that raw taste, but I wanted them to still have bite which is why I waited until the end to add them.  I boiled some whole grain thin spaghetti  to al dente and added it straight from the pot to the sauce and tossed it well.  I than allowed it to sit for a few moments so the pasta could continue to cook and absorb some of that fragrant and luscious sauce.  I took my fish out of the oven once it was firm to touch, gave it a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten up the flavors and it was dinner!!!  

The fish was deliciously moist and flaky.  It was so flavorful without being overpowering.  The seasonings were balanced and worked really well together, but the catfish was still the star of the dish.  The mushrooms tasted really hearty and earthy and the crispy beans gave a nice change in texture.  I ate the leftover pasta and mushrooms for lunch the next day and it was still delicious so it stores in the fridge well.  Please give this a try and let me know how it turns out!!!  Happy cooking!!!  

Shopping with Purpose

I forgot I was blind with that last post and made the letters entirely too small, lol.  Back to the large letters we go.  This post is going to show you how CHEAP, easy, CHEAP, plentiful and did I mention CHEAP food shopping can be.  

A few weeks ago I went out to food shop.  Food shopping is definitely an important vehicle in losing weight.  I find that the food I have in the house is the food I will eat.  This seems like a basic concept to understand but it's really not easy.  When we shop we are often swayed by sales, convenience and familiarity.  This is why I do most of my shopping at produce markets.  Everything is fresh and at it's peak so it doesn't have to be manipulated much before you eat it.  You have a vast assortment of food to choose from. Most importantly, and the thing that excites me the most, it's CHEAP!!!!  Because everything is fresh and the turnover is frequent, the prices are low, low, low.  

This is all of the food I got from one trip to the produce market!  This will last me for two weeks and even longer if I stretch everything out and store it properly.

Can you believe I got those baby heirloom tomatoes $1.50!??!?  Asian pears are my absolute FAV fruit and I got 2 1/2 pds of them for less than 5 bucks!

This is a starfruit and pommelo.  The produce market is a GREAT place to try new fruits and veggies.  I think I paid about a buck and a half for the starfruit and I was happy with the investment, lol.  It was tangy and very juicy.  The pommelo was like a thick skinned grapefruit and it only set me back $1.69.

These are the beginning of the best tomatillo salsa I'd ever had.  The recipe is really simple and easy.  Included are some hot cherry peppers, tomatillos, cilantro, and purple onion.  This made PLENTY!  I had enough for some flank steak tacos I made that evening and plenty to snack on for days to come.  Also in the back are some diet Hansen sodas.  I typically stay away from pop, diet or regular, and choose to drink water, seltzer and green tea.  For those times I want something a little different I like Hansen sodas because they're natrual, no dyes or anything, and they have awesome flavors.  I believe that day I purchased ginger ale, tangerine lime, and kiwi strawberry.  At $0.89 they were a bargain.

Now, I didn't buy this AT the produce market but it did come from a store that has a famously well-stocked produce section.  I like buying bulk garlic because I can be lazy and peeling garlic isn't always in the forecast.  Plus, this container cost like $3.00.  If you compare how much is in that container to how many bulbs you can get for that amount, you come out better getting it already prepped.  I don't know how well you can see my spinach, but it's there in the back.  I LOVE buying it this way because that whole container was $3.44 and I can use what I need and because it's in that lovely plastic container it keeps FOREVER!  Seriously, I was using that same spinach almost three weeks after I bought it and it was still fresh.  Also pictured is one of my favorite snacks...spinach dip.  You see the ginormous container of  it on top but it's blocking the well portioned amount along with the cucumbers, grape tomatoes and carrots.  It cost $6.00 but I often eat it for lunch and treat it like a salad so when I think of it that way the price is comparable to many fast food salads.

Yellow squash and zucchini how I love thee, lol.  These are my go to veggies for many reasons.  You can prepare them a million different healthy ways and they're just delicious.  You can leave them raw and add incredible bulk to any salad.  They last forever in a vegetable crisper drawer in your refrigerator and most importantly they're so inexpensive.  I got over three pounds of squash for just under $5.00.  

It embarrasses me to say these blackberries never made it in the fridge, lol.  I LOVE them so much they never do! They're sweet, juicy and a dieter's dream.  I will say I prefer them fresh opposed to putting them in my morning protein smoothies.  The seeds become a bit bothersome for me.  These delicious nuggets are made for snacking though!

This really has nothing to do with the price of tea in China (pun intended) but as I was putting all of my food up I came across my infuser pitcher and decided to share it with you.  My drink of choice is typically green tea.  It's low in caffeine which means I don't have to worry about having the jitters all day.  It's natural which is always a plus. I find that if I'm hungry and have about 4-8 oz that it suppresses my appetite. I like to get the flavored varieties so that I don't get tired of drinking the same thing and I have a little medley to choose from.  Plus, it helps boost your metabolism and anyone trying to lose weight can appreciate that.  I bought this infuser pitcher at Target for about $11.00.  If you look inside you can see the wand that encases whatever you place in there to infuse into your water.  I place the bags in there, fill the pitcher up and let it set typically overnight because I like for the flavor to bloom as long as it can.  If I'm looking to switch it up I take a seedless cucumber, scrape the middles out and place them inside the wand and you have refreshing cucumber water.   

Some other things that I bought that I didn't take a picture of were kale and swiss chard.  I've just recently got into swiss chard and it's one of my favorite veggies right now.  Very filling and tasty and easy to whip up.  Same with kale.  Kale is SO versatile.  I like it raw mixed in to bulk up my salads.  I like it sauteed with shallots and other fixings. I also like it baked with chili powder to make kale chips and a bunch was only $0.89!!! All that nutrition and deliciousness for under a dollar!  Even fast food drive thrus don't offer that!

These are my receipts from my shopping trip.  I tried to blow them up as well as I could so you could see how much everything actually cost.  The total for my shopping trip was $58.80!!!!  Being honest, when was the last time you were able to get enough food to last for 2 weeks for under $100.00???  I know some of you are saying, "Well, you didn't purchase any protein!"  I tend to buy protein as I need it so that nothing goes to waste.  I usually buy it from the seafood counter at the well-stocked grocery store and find that the prices are beyond reasonable.  A half pound of FRESH, medium, pre-prepped shrimp are $6.00. You can can get two meals out of a half pound of shrimp if you bulk it up with less expensive veggies. A filet of ruby red trout costs $4 or $5.00.  If you spend wisely, you can eat for two weeks using $100.00 or less, protein included.

I know this entry was a bit lengthy but it was something I really wanted to share with you all.  People can have you believing that taking charge of what goes in your body and making healthful decisions can ruin your pocketbook and that just isn't true.  For me, I am on an EXTREMELY fixed income and find that eating healthy is cheaper than shopping mainstream grocery stores.  It's all about shopping wisely and utilizing your resources.  In my ideal world I would grow a garden so that I can just go outside and harvest what I wanted to eat day to day...but until that happens you'll see me frequently strolling through the produce markets looking for the best deals.  I will post future grocery trips with different tips and food items and of course my receipts.  Until then, Happy Shopping!!!  

  

And the Winner Is...

Happy New Year lovies!!!! It has been awhile but I wanted to wait until I had good news to share before I began posting on a regular basis, and guess what...I WON THE CONTEST!!!!  After a month of anxiety and biting my nails I stuck it out and WON!  Now that it's over I can give all the deets.

*Clears throat* so, about a week after Thanksgiving, it very well may have been before then, my trainer is totally excited and telling me that the gym is going to be offering this contest for a year of free membership and because he knows my financial situation I could absolutely use that.  He tells me that I have to write an essay and have people vote for it.  So as he's telling me this I'm thinking to myself, "this man must not know me as well as I thought he did because this so isn't me, but I'll oblige him to make him happy."  I didn't have very many expectations going into it because it's no secret I have DEEP rooted trust issues and having to depend on other people to get me to the top puts me in a place of great discomfort.  In other words, I just don't think people are thinking about me and for the most part I'm actually okay with that.

So, he's keeping me abreast on the details and finally I get an email with the prize package...let me just say this.  This prize package is so beyond awesome that I'm still in disbelief about everything it entails. 

• One year membership to all nine Fitness Formula Clubs locations.
• Fifty-two private personal training sessions (one per week).
• Twelve private Pilates sessions (one per month).
• Twelve 60-minute massages (one per month).
• One year of Protein Bar blended drinks (one per week).
• One year subscription to CS Magazine. 
• One year supply of KIND Healthy Snack Bars.
• One year of healthy hydration: 12 cases of smartwater® 20oz, two cases of vitaminwater®,vitaminwater zero®, a smartwater® beach towel & smartwater® yoga mat.

They had me at the KIND bars and smartwater!!!  So after reading that, I knew that I had to dig down and try my best to win this because opportunities like this don't come around all the time.  Besides, my trainer believed I had the contest sowed up from the very beginning and I didn't want to disappoint him so, yea.  The contest went live on December 1st, 2012.  I waited a couple of days to get my "story" together and have a couple of people whose opinion I value critique it to make sure I didn't sound pitiful but successfully conveyed my message.  

December 4, 2012

All my life I’ve been…large. Chubby, chunky, pleasingly plump, that’s me. I can say that I’ve tried every diet, pill and shake known to man in the attempt to lose 100 pounds in one month. Needless to say, none of them worked. I turned 27 years old and my kidneys failed. I tried to sign up for the transplant registry and I couldn’t because I weighed too much. Talk about a blow to the ego. Now, losing weight wasn’t a vanity thing. It was necessary to improve my quality of life. In March ‘11 I got a membership at FFC using money I’d gotten as a birthday gift. Only problem was I’d never worked out before let alone been inside of a gym. The staff at FFC, especially my trainer, made me feel so safe and comfortable that I knew this was the start of something wonderful in my life. There are many days where I think I don’t feel well enough to make it in, but I know that pushing past that mindset is half the battle. Even if I get to the gym and I know I’m not at 100% I can still get out there and give whatever I have because I’m having fun and actually enjoying losing weight. When I initially tried to sign up for a transplant I needed to lose 120 pounds. Today, I am 50 pounds from my goal. After I reach my goal I plan to keep going because this has become a way of life for me. I’ve come to the gym feeling defeated and left feeling like I can accomplish anything. For me, fitness is a metaphor for life. It’s not easy, but if you’re committed to making it work the benefits are endless.

This was my official entry.  After it went live on December 4th, 2012 I basically had to campaign using any outlets I could to have people vote for me...and this was the MAJOR glitch in the matrix and why this whole thing stressed me out the way it did.  To reference something I mentioned earlier, I truly believe I am an afterthought to most.  This thought is rooted in the fact that I'm not an open person and don't share myself and the things that go on in my life with many people.  I was so determined to win this contest that I, QAT, got on Facebook and put AWL my business out for all 500+ of my friends to see.  Understand, I had family members who didn't know that I had kidney failure let alone sharing that with people I hadn't seen since I graduated from high school.  I remember that night after I posted it, I spent that night and well into the next day overcome with emotion and basically sobbing, lol.  To see the outpour of support and that people really cared about my well being, even now, is mind blowing.  I received SOOOOOO many notes saying I inspired people...like me!  I'm just out here trying to get some normalcy back in my life and having it touch people the way it did...I can't find the words to describe how that feels.  I even had someone inbox me and offer me a kidney.  All of this because I chose to step out of my box and be transparent for a change.  All of this because instead of trying to do everything on my own I decided to share myself and ask others for help.  This contest was more of a life lesson than I could have imagined.

As the contest went on, I would pray diligently that if this were for me then I would let God orchestrate it that way.  I would check my votes and they would increase and I had NO idea where the votes were coming from.  I somehow managed to stay in the top three, primarily in first place, throughout the 31 days.  I would later find out that there were people watching my votes harder than I was and making sure I stayed in the running.  I come thisclose to quitting a few times, not because I didn't think I could do it.  I would peruse through and find that the people I thought would support me most simply weren't and it planted a seed of defeat in me.  I eventually learned that I couldn't focus on them but instead maintain an attitude of gratitude for those who were determined to get me to the top and I was very surprised by the people who rooted for me from the beginning.  

As the thirty-one days started to dwindle, I started to REALLY think about this contest and what would happen if I won it.  I'll never forget.  They ran a segment on one of the major news channels about it and I remember how excited the anchor got about the prize package and just the contest in general and all I could think to myself was, "and I'm in the lead!!!"  I felt so humbled that I could actually be that close.  As it got closer to the end, I had to get very creative and really step outside myself trying to obtain votes.  I remember waking up a week before the contest was supposed to be over and saying, "I didn't come this far to just give up and give this thing away to these other contestants.  I'm going to fight until the very end," and that's what I did.  Most people spent their New Years Eve partying, having fun, celebrating...I was policing my votes and making sure I stayed campaigning and keeping myself in one of the three top spots.  I rang in the New Year in first place not realizing the real waiting was about to begin.

Days and weeks were passing and I hadn't heard anything.  I kind of felt like an idiot for doing all of this talking and yet I had nothing to share with people, lol.  Finally, I just let it go.  I prayed and told God that it was his will and there was nothing more I could do but live my life and remain faithful. So that brings me to Wednesday evening.

I'd had dialysis and drifted off into a very rare nap.  My cellphone began to chime and it woke me up.  It was my trainer.  The day before he told me that he would email corporate to find out when they would be announcing the results.  His text asked me if I'd heard anything.  I replied no, had he heard anything.  Basically, his response was that they had made a decision and they would be contacting the finalist either that evening or the next day to give them the news so I needed to keep my phone nearby.  So at this point I'm glued to my phone waiting.  I get to the gym the next day, still no call.  He's insistent that he doesn't know anything and that he's going to make sure that someone let me know something before the day's end.  So, I'm leaving the gym after finishing my cardio and I run into him on my way out and he asks me to stop by his office.  At this point I know somethings up.  I take more than enough time in the locker room to change my things, lol.  As I'm walking to his office I see the staff cheering and calling me a Superstar.  I start to infer he's heard something, lol.  To try and make this EXTREMELY long story go away, a guy from corporate comes in the office, verifies my identity and then congratulates me on being Fitness Formula Clubs' Year of Wellness winner!  I felt all the words knocked out of me, I made a few simple jokes to lighten things up but even now I'm speechless.

This contest has been much more to me than just that.  It has shown me that a lot of the time in my life I haven't tried or sought things because I'd given up before I tried.  I put myself out there and not only did I learn how many people really care about me, but I WON meaning there is no limit to what I can do and achieve if I just believe in myself a wee bit more.  This win is beginning a journey that I am so excited to begin.  I almost feel like I'll be the FFC poster girl for the next 12 months and I'm so excited to see how many other people I can encourage to get healthy, improve their quality of life and ENJOY doing it!!!  I am so blessed...I am so thankful...I don't feel worthy but I thank God that he has chosen me to fulfill this assignment.  I won't let him, FFC, or any of you that are rooting for me down.  Most importantly, I won't let me down.  So follow me and my blog on our way to the TOP!!!!!

*Prize list and entry insert provided by www.ffc.com

Can't Stop Won't Stop...

Hello lovelies!!!  This week has been...interesting.  I entered a contest at my gym.  It's called the year of wellness and the prize is a year of free membership among other GREAT things including free monthly massages.  Can we say yes please, lol.  So, it was really my trainer who encouraged me to do this.  You know something, now is a good time to talk a bit about my trainer.

I am not a person who believes in things happening by chance; it's not by chance that people come into our lives and often they are put there for a reason.  When I signed up to go to FFC (my gym), I was actually interested in another place but they came up in my google so I just went with it.  After I signed up part of the promotion for that month was 6 personal training sessions.  Because of my medical "situation" it was decided that it would be best if I worked with the Fitness Director...let's call him "Miester".  So, in talking to Miester he told me that his wife was a doctor and that he would use her for a reference about my limitations, etc.  This was my first sign that this was meant to be and that this was God's plan.  So, he told me that I needed to get medical clearance before we could work together and for me it would be a bit more involved than the average person. While I was waiting for everything to come back he wanted me to come in and do 20 mins of cardio to start breaking myself in.  In all honesty I think Miester was trying to test me to see how serious I was about everything, so I did it.  I came in on the days I didn't have treatment and rode that little bike...this lasted for one month.  A heart monitor and many pieces of paperwork later it was time for our first session.  That was almost 2 years ago.  We've been busting moves every since.  To attest to how great of a trainer he is he was promoted to open one of the newest clubs as the Fitness Director.  About a month ago he was promoted again to General Manager running his own club.  And yet he still manages to find the time to train me.  I KNOW that I wouldn't be as far as I am in journey without him.  Not only is there the accountability factor but he really believes in me.  Dare I say he believes in me more that I may believe in myself.

And that's how I ended up in this dang contest.  Miester seems to think I have this thing sowed up.  I, on the other hand feel differently.  This contest is really forcing me out of my box. This contest tests every idiosyncrasy that I have.  I don't like depending on other people or really asking for help.  This contest forces me to depend on others.  Unfortunately for me, my last name is Taylor and that means we don't quit, lol.  So, as I resolve to see this contest through to the end and give it my all, I'm going to believe in myself as everyone around me believes in me.  See you guys at the winners' circle :) 

A Ramen Twist

I promised a dear friend that I would post a recipe for ramen that I made the other night...because I am a woman of my word here it is with an attempt to turn it into a blog post.

Last Friday was definitely our first taste of winter.  It was downright cold and the wind felt like it was slicing through you.  Someone, who shall remain nameless, refused to cut the heat on in my house therefore I wanted something warm to go with my side of blankets.  I thought about ramen noodles but one of the hardest things about dialysis is all of the dietary restrictions.  One of the biggest ones is making sure your sodium intake is low.  Excessive salt makes you retain water and for someone who also has to watch their fluid intake, yea, you get the picture.  So, my culinary wheels started turning and I thought, "Self, why can't I just make my own ramen?"  And a new dish was born!!!!  There are still some tweaks I want to make on it and I had limited resources but its a great base to start out with.  

Shrimp Ramen

A closer picture so you can see what's in it...nom nom nom

So, to start this lovely bowl I took a pot and put about 2 cups of low sodium chicken broth in.  I chopped up some onion, carrots, and grated in two cloves of garlic but this is where you can go wild!!!  Like I stated before, I had limited resources but grated ginger would be FANTASTIC...it would add a nice warmth and spiciness to the broth.  Essentially what you're doing is fortifying, or flavoring, your broth because it's really the base of the soup.  Then I added about two tablespoons of sriracha.  If you don't have this in your arsenal of pantry staples, I IMPLORE that you add it.  It's garlicky, spicy and a little goes a looong way.  After the sriracha, I added a teaspoon of red pepper flakes (I love things spicy...the hotter the better).  I try to stay away from soy sauce because it is nothing but sodium, but in the instances I need some for a recipe I keep a stash of packets from take out Chinese restaurants to use.  Small portions and they're FREE, lol.  I added one pack to the broth along with some kosher salt, course ground black pepper and onion and herb Mrs. Dash seasoning.  Next, I need some acid to balance out the heat.  Ideally, you will want to use fresh citrus juice such as lime or lemon juice.  Unfortunately I had neither so I used a combination of vinegars.  I know, I know but you'd be surprised, lol.  I used hot pepper infused vinegar, regular white vinegar and red wine vinegar.  Now, I haven't put measurements for the vinegar because I tend to be VEEEEEERY heavy handed with it...I can never have enough.  For the average person a few shakes of each will suffice...for me that's a tease, lol.  I allowed the broth to come to a simmer and popped some peeled, raw shrimp in.  It was about a fourth of a pound.  I allowed the shrimp to cook until pink, mere minutes, and pulled them out.  This also helps to fortify the broth with a little shrimpiness (yes that's a word, lol.)  After removing the shrimp I turned the pot up to a medium high heat and let it come to a rolling boil and let it reduce to about half.  I then took some whole grain thin spaghetti and placed it in the broth to cook.  I did this so that the starch from the pasta would give the broth a little viscosity...so the broth wouldn't be so thin.  One of the best parts of soup is slurping the broth at the end and it has to feel smooth going down, lol.  After the noodles were al dente, I allowed them to rest in the broth for a few additional minutes so that they could absorb some of that broth and just make everything taste really flavorful. Now, I will say after making the soup I did contemplate instead of sort of poaching the shrimp earlier in the process that maybe adding them at the end and letting the hot broth cook them slowly so they don't get overdone could be an option.  My only concern with that is the broth won't get that shrimpy punch I'm looking for.  If you decide to give that method a try, PLEASE let me know how that works for you.  I transferred my broth, noodles and shrimp to my bowl and added a handful of fresh spinach.  I allowed the heat from the broth to wilt it down in the soup to keep it from making it overdone and bitter.  The only thing I was really missing was a garnish of scallions...that would have taken that bowl straight to heaven! After that, I proceeded to take my bowl into my warm bed, with my ice cold seltzer, and slurp my noodles and watch tv.  Perfect Friday night.

Now for the tweaks, I will DEFINITELY make sure I have limes on hand the next time.  Fresh citrus brightens up all flavors and adds a nice, sharp cleanness to any dish.  I would even recommend a squeeze right before you dig in.  Another tweak is that I have to remember that the longer you cook something with spicy components, the hotter they get.  I was a tad overzealous with the sriracha and almost set my soul on fire.  I did try adding some honey to balance it, but the unfortunate thing about adding TOO much spice is that it is hard to reverse it.  Lastly, I want to make sure my ingredient game is a little tighter.  I feel like some ginger, five spice, bok choy, celery, fresno peppers and other fresh produce could have really taken it to another level.  Don't get me wrong, I devoured my bowl but I'm all about taking something small and improving it to make it sensational.  

Sorry this doesn't have precise measurements, times, etc., but this literally was something I got out of bed and put together in my head as I was going along...but take that as a nugget to embrace.  Cooking isn't always about being exact...know what it is you like and go from there, you're tastebuds will NEVER steer you wrong.

I hope this was helpful and that you enjoy it honey!!!  Let me know how it turns out.

Oh yea, don't feel like you must use shrimp either.  I like them because I can get a pound of medium, shelled uncooked ones for about $7 and that's enough for two meals.  Also, shrimp have practically NO calories but are very high in protein.  Chicken is always a great alternative, I would just suggest cutting it thin enough that it cooks quickly to preserve some of its juiciness.  

A martini would go will great with this too...a sake one...let me start researching that, lol