Current Obsession: Homemade Salad Dressing

Guess who's back, back again...
Long time no post! Today is the day that I change your life completely. Okay perhaps that is a bit dramatic, but I am about to change the way you eat salads forever. I have been experimenting with homemade salad dressings for a while now. Some have proven to be delicious, while others would make a great drain cleaner.

Since I started making my own dressings, I cannot stand to eat anything out of a bottle. Every dressing, even ranch, tastes terrible. It's almost like I can taste the preservatives in it. Yuck! Thus far, this recipe is the best one I have came up with. It's equal parts tasty and easy, as well as a healthier alternative to bottled dressings. As always, this recipe is low carb. C'mon, would you expect any less from me?

Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette 
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
Feta cheese
Salt-n-peppa to taste

I prefer this dressing on a salad made of baby spinach, but it tastes good on iceburg or romaine as well. I add the first three ingredients to a bowl and whisk them together, then I throw in a few crumbles of the feta cheese. The acid in the vinegar breaks down the cheese and adds a bit of creaminess to the salad. I usually will  add in red onions, green olives, and banana peppers with my spinach when I make this.. Of course, you could add more or less of the vinegar depending on your palate. Personally, I love dressings that have a bite to them, so if I'm feeling froggy in the kitchen, I may even do equal parts of oil and vinegar.

Let me know some of your favorite homemade salad dressing recipes. I would love to try out some new flavor combinations.

Xoxo,
B

Popcorn Shrimp Tacos Recipe

Hey guys,
I was getting freaky in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago and came up with this delicious recipe. Don't ask me how I whipped this up because I don't know. I guess after binge watching several seasons Kitchen Nightmares of Netflix, Gordon Ramsay taught me a thing or two.

Of course you can customize any recipe to tickle your fancy. I topped off my shrimp with some cole slaw and corn salsa. Y'all know that I'm a spicy mamacita, so I added ample sriracha and jalapenos. Also, if you want to make this dish low carb, ditch the tortilla and use some naked shrimp in place of the popcorn shrimp. I have also substituted fish for the shrimp and it is equally delicious. If you try this out, let me know how it turns out and if you discover some flavor combinations that I need to try out.

Popcorn Shrimp Tacos
-1 box of popcorn shrimp
-Tortillas
- Jalapenos
-Avocados or guacamole
-Cheese
-Salt/pepper, to taste

 Cole Slaw Ingredients
-1 bag of cole slaw
-1 tub of sour cream
-1 packet of ranch dressing mix
-1 packet of taco seasoning
-1 tsp lemon juice
-Sriracha, optional

 Corn Salsa Ingredients
-1 can mixed yellow and white corn
-1 bunch of green onions
-1 bell pepper, diced
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 tbsp red wine vinegar
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-1 tsp cumin
-1 tsp garlic paste (or you could use garlic powder if you wanted to)
-Crushed red pepper, optional
-Parsley, optional

*You could add cilantro and/or tomato if that's your thing. I think both of those things are repulsive, but you do you, boo.

I fried my popcorn shrimp in my air fryer for about 15 minutes at 360 degrees.

While that was cooking, I mixed you my cole slaw. I mixed up the sauce first, then I poured it over the cabbage mixed and refrigerated it until dinner time. I find that I like the sauce separate from the cabbage, so when I made these the second time, I just spooned the sauce over the cabbage in my taco rather than making an entire bowl of cole slaw.

For the corn salsa, I put all of the veggies in a bowl together, then I mixed up the sauce in the separate bowl. I put the garlic paste in the bowl first, then I whisked the wet ingredients into it so it would dissolve. I then poured that into the veggies and seasoned with the cumin/salt/pepper. This is what mine looked like:

Lookin' like a fiesta in a bowl. I let the corn salsa refrigerate for a little while too before we ate it. The longer this sits, the more flavorful it gets. If your house is anything like mine, it won't last for long.

Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Pinterest here, on Twitter here, on Instagram here, or email me by clicking here. See you soon!

Xoxo,
Bridget

Christmas Leftovers: Ham and Avocado Sandwich

Hey guys,
I hope you had a very merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa,  and all other holidays that come this time of year. In the last few weeks I have had quite a few new changes happen in my life. I bought a new car, my health is steadily improving, but most importantly, I bought my wedding dress! I had been waiting for a sample of the dress I wanted to wear to come in at a local bridal shop and luckily, it was as amazing in person as it was in photos. The only problem with the sample was that is was too small in the bust, so they had to order a size up and I'm now waiting for it to come in. I'm really nervous that my wedding dress won't fit when it comes in, so I've really been trying hard to stick to clean eating. It was hard to make it through the holidays and say no to mashed potatoes and all things smothered in gravy, but I weighed myself today and I didn't gain anything, so my deprivation was worth it in the end! With that being said, I discovered my new favorite sandwich using some leftover Christmas ham. Not only is it tasty, it's relatively healthy. Here is a recipe for how I have been making my Ham and Avocado sandwiches. Let me know if you try this out or if you put your own twist on it. I love getting feedback from my readers.

Ham and Avocado Sandwich
-2 slices of 35 calorie wheat bread, toasted
-Ham (or turkey if that is your thaaang)
-1/2 of an avocado, mashed
-1 slice of fat free pepper jack cheese (or colby jack if you prefer)
-Crushed red pepper (optional, but I'm obsessed with spicy food)
-Salt (optional)

Toast your bread, then spread the mashed avocado on one slice your warm bread. Sprinkle the avocado mash with the crushed red pepper and salt. Layer the meat of your choice over the avocado mash. On the other piece of bread, melt the cheese of your choice and assemble the sandwich. For a side, you could do a side salad with salsa for dressing to go with it. If you find yourself craving something crunchy to go with a sandwich, you could try a palm full of almonds as a side instead.

And there you have it, my new favorite snack. Also, I plan on starting a new series aptly named "Bride on a Budget" and show you all some photos of the dresses I tried on and information on them. Thanks for reading. Talk to you soon!

Xoxo,
--B

Side Dish Ideas for A Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner

The holidays. Lots of joy, cheer, happiness, and my personal favorite-- domestic disputes among the family members. With all the calories you will be consuming in the form of alcohol to make time with family a little more bearable, you're going to want to cut a few calories in other places. In this post, I am going to help you along with a couple tips for low carb dieting and a few of my favorite recipes for low carb side dishes that you could take to family gatherings throughout the holiday season. Grab those flasks full of eggnog and let's get started!

When you think of Thanksgiving, you usually think of a big juicy bird (that's what she said). The great thing about high protein diets is that you can eat virtually as much turkey as you want. When loading up your plate, try and fill your plate with protein first, then you'll only have a little room left for things like mashed potatoes and peanut butter pie. I'm not saying to restrict yourself from these things on Thanksgiving, I'm just saying to put them on your plate last. Chances are by the time you get to them, you won't have much room for them on your plate, then you won't have near as much room for them in your belly.

What are some other things you can eat on Thanksgiving and not feel too bad about? How about deviled eggs? Now I know most people load those disgusting little stink bombs up with condiments like mayo, but they do have protein in them and although they may have a higher fat content than a plain egg, they are still a better choice than some other classic Thanksgiving foods. You can also hit up all of the meat and cheese trays if you're needing a snack to hold you over until dinner time. Shrimp trays? Great, no carb! Scallops wrapped in bacon? Great, no carbs, but you're in the wrong place because this is a budgeting blog for the broke ass 20-something.

Now I am a slave to my love for finger foods, so do try and stay away from olives. Ahh olives how I love thee. These little babies pack a punch. Often featured on meat trays or snack tables at holiday parties, you can rack up your total daily allowance of fat in no time with just a handful or two of these. Think "Can oil be mad from these?" And if the answer is yes, you should run the other way.

Those are a few a tips I have to help you all out with your holiday eating. Remember, you don't want to restrict yourself from anything, you just want to control yourself and keep from going overboard. Enjoy your holiday and be thankful for all of your blessings! Now on to a few recipes---


Low Carb Broccoli and Cheese
Fresh broccoli florets (you could use frozen, but I think they got too soggy)
1 block of soften fat free cream cheese
Splash of skim milk
Packet of ranch salad dressing mix
About a cup of fat free shredded cheddar cheese (or as much as you want)

Steam the broccoli florets (you can do this in the microwave or on the stove), then combine the cream cheese, milk and ranch dressing mix in a bowl. Top the broccoli with the cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with cheese, then microwave until the cheese is melted. ---Boom! Your side dish is made. This recipe is super fast, super easy, and a great alternative to traditional broccoli casserole.

Lemon Pepper Zucchini
Zucchini cut into 1/2 inch rounds
Lemon pepper
Olive oil

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the olive oil on a cookie sheet and toss your zucchini in the oil. Sprinkle the zucchini rounds generously with lemon pepper on both sides. Bake until tender. ---You can also do this on your stove top if you are short on time, or on a grill if it is above twenty degrees outside where you live. Don't like lemon pepper? Try Greek seasoning or Mrs. Dash. Zucchini tastes great with whatever you put on it!

Low Carb Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potatoes (I used canned because I'm lazy)
1½ cups pecan chips
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/2 cup Splenda

Add about 1/4 cup worth sugar substitute, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of the butter, pecans and mix until blended. Put that mixture into a bowl and sit it to the side. Put the sweet potatoes into a food processor or blender and process with 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the rest of the seasonings, the egg and the remaining 1/4 cup of Splenda. If you think your sweet potatoes are sweet enough, leave out the last 1/4 cup of Splenda. Put sweet potatoes in a buttered baking dish and sprinkle pecan topping over the top. Bake at 375 degrees until the topping is browned.


And those are a few recipes for you guys to try out this holiday season, or at any time that you feel like have a yummy low carb side dish. I also want to address why I have not posted on here in almost a month and kind of let you all know what I have went through so you can avoid making my mistake.--

As most of you may know, my mom has been diagnosed with breast cancer and I have moved back home to help take care of her and help out with paying bills and all of that jazz. She's in chemo right now and she is doing absolutely phenomenal (Thank you, God) but it is still scary. She is expected to return to work after the new year.

Last Saturday I was hospitalized with severe abdominal pain and spent 2 days in CCU and 3 more in the general hospital for what turned out to be a bleeding ulcer. I ended up with this because I get headaches almost every single day (which I think are stress induced from my job and the aforementioned issue with my mom) and I have taken so much ibuprofen that it has literally eaten a hole in my stomach. I passed out three times from the blood loss and ended up having to have two blood transfusions, so if you get headaches everyday like I do, go to the freaking doctor and stop trying to doctor yourself, unless you want to end up in my old hospital bed.

Xoxo,
--B

Tips From a Former Fat Girl: Chicken Barley Soup Recipe

It is officially Autumn and as white girls everywhere are rejoicing at the return of riding boots and everything pumpkin spice flavored (myself included), we all know that the cooler weather is on its way. To keep you staying warm, I have an easy soup recipe to share. Oh, I forgot the best part-- it's low fat! This simple recipe  is perfect for those of us that like to make dinner in advance and will also keep you looking fit all winter long. I know I'm going to need something to balance out all of those pumpkin rolls I've been shoveling into my mouth. Once again, oh well! Can't stop, won't stop. 

Bridget's Chicken Barley Soup

1/2 Cup Quick Cook Barley

1 can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can White Corn (whole kernel, with the juice)

1 can Chicken Broth

1 can Tomato Juice

1/2 jar Salsa

1 pkg Ground Chicken (you can also use a couple of cans of canned chicken instead)

1 tbsp Garlic Powder

1 tbsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Cumin

Salt/Pepper

Cayenne Pepper/Crushed Red Pepper (Only if you're a spicy mamacita like me)

Sour Cream 

Shredded Cheese

Green Onions

1.) Bring the chicken broth, tomato juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin to a boil. Add in the barley and boil until it is done.

2.) If you are using ground chicken, go ahead and fry up the meat and season with the same spices you used in the broth, drain the meat, and add to the broth. If you're using canned chicken, just break up the chunks and add it to the broth.

3.) After rinsing your black beans, add them to the pot with the broth and chicken mixture, along with the corn, salsa, and salt/pepper to taste. Add as much spice to the soup as you like. In addition to cayenne and crushed red pepper, I add some Frank's Red Hot to mine. 

4.) Bring the pot back to a boil. Serve the soup garnished with the shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions. 

And there you go! A very quick soup recipe you can whip up in no time. I usually make this recipe in bulk and freeze some or eat it for lunch and dinner for a couple of days after. If you're not keen on trying barley in your soup, you could always leave it out and instead serve this soup with corn chips, tortilla chips, or even corn muffins. Let me know if you all try this recipe or if you add anything to it that I should try! Talk to you soon!

Xoxo,

Bridget

Eat Like a Man, Look Like a Lady: Sample Meals for the Newbie Dieter

One of the most asked questions I get is "Can you give me some examples of what to eat when I start dieting?" If you're a New Kid on the Block, and also new to dieting, then you may feel like you don't know exactly where to start with your weight loss journey. Do I buy diet food? Do I stop eating? Do I buy the compilation blu-ray of Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies on eBay? The answers to these questions are no, no, and only if you get free shipping, doll. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, clean all the junk food out of your house before you start your diet. You'll do so much better if you rid yourself of all the Ho Ho's and Ding Dongs. For suggestions on what to buy at the grocery store, click HERE.

As you may recall, I followed the Dukan Diet to drop nearly 50lbs. The Dukan Diet is separated into four different phases, with the first and most difficult being the attack phase. The second phase is the cruise phase, followed by the stabilization and consolidation phases. I'm going to give you some meal ideas for the attack phase, as well as some snacks you can have to keep your hunger at bay. 

Dukan Diet meal ideas:

Breakfast

From my experience, you're better off to eat a large breakfast than to be starving at lunch time and eat a small village. The key to starting your day off well is by packing a ton of protein into your breakfast. This will keep you feeling full for longer. Here are a couple of example breakfast meals:

Example 1:

2 boiled eggs, yolks discarded

Lunch meat, as much as you want

Example 2:

Fat Free Greek Yogurt

Chicken Breast

Fat free string cheese

Example 3 (Cruise Phase):

Egg white omelet

Ham

Salsa

Remember, as long as you don't cheat, you can have as much protein as you want. You can also do protein shakes, which I do drink quite often. My favorite are the EAS brand Carb Control shakes. They have 100 calories, 2 carbs, and 1.5g of fat. If you're going to do a protein shake, at least eat a couple of egg whites with it or you're not going to feel satisfied initially and that will make you more likely to cheat.

Lunch

Example 1:

2 chicken breasts

2 pieces of ham

2 pieces of cheese

All you need to do for this lunch is wrap your chicken in your ham, top it off with the cheese and warm it up. It doesn't even feel like you're cutting back when you make meals like this. If this just isn't your thing, try this out instead:

Example 2:

Steak tips

Grilled onions (yes, you can have these in the attack phase)

scrambled egg whites

Example 3 (Cruise phase):

Cocktail shrimp

Sauteed zucchini and squash

You can fix your meals the night before, or buy pre-cooked chicken if you don't have time to cook very often. Whatever works best for you is what you need to do! 

Dinner

Lastly, a couple of dinner ideas. Keep in mind that you can snack in between meals as long as you are eating Dukan approved foods. Some of my favorite things to snack on are boiled eggs and turkey pepperoni. After you get out of the attack phase, you will see that you are less hungry and get fuller quicker when you are eating. 

Example 1:

Cheese stuffed hamburger patties

To make these, all you need to do is get the leanest hamburger meat you can find and shape your patty around fat free cheese cubes and then grill them up. You can have any seasoning that you like, but beware of condiments. If you like this recipe, then click HERE to read my recipe for mini-turkey meat loafs. 

Example 2:

Tex Mex Chicken Skillet

The best thing about this dish is that it only takes one skillet. All you need to do is fry up a package of ground chicken, season with some taco seasoning, melt cheese on the top, then garnish it with hot sauce and some fat free sour cream. I eat this all the time, but I'm a spicy mamacita, so if this is too hot for you, you could so something like Ms. Dash to season it and still top it with the cheese.

Example 3:

Baked salmon 

Grilled asparagus 

When I bake a salmon fillet, I like to do Asian flavors with it, but do whatever you like. I usually make a little sauce out of soy sauce, fake brown sugar, and a little hot Chinese mustard. 

As you see, it's not that hard planning meals while you're dieting, but rather finding the time to actually plan them and cook them. Once you start seeing results, I can guarantee that you are going to find more time to cook healthy things. If something comes up and you have to go out to eat or you forget to pack your lunch, click HERE to read some of my favorite healthy meals from restaurants. Also, click on the recipes tab at the top of the page to see more healthy recipes that you can eat while trying to lose weight. If you have any questions, please let me know! 

Also, there is a giveaway currently going on to celebrate 10,000 views on my blog!! Click the Beauty tab at the top to be directed to the instructions for entering the contest, or scroll below this post. Who doesn't love free stuff?! Be sure to enter to win :). 

Breakfast on the Go: Nutella and Strawberry Sandwich Recipe

Not my photo-- Grabbed this one from Google. Judge me. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a chocolate lover. I have tried to get on the Nutella wagon for years and I just cannot see what all the hype is about. Back in the winter, my fiance and I went to this little crepe shop in Ashville, NC and I had a strawberry and Nutella crepe. It was freaking delicious. I forgot about it and how much I liked it until I went on vacation a couple of weeks ago and got a croissant with strawberries and Nutella. My love for strawberries and Nutella was rekindled, so I decided to make a healthier version of it and blog about it. (Sorry I don't have a picture. I ate my sammich about 5 seconds after I made it).

You can eat this sandwich for breakfast, or you can do a variation on it and use a low carb tortilla instead of the sandwich thins I used. You could also do this as a topping on ice cream if you are feeling particularly naughty.

Strawberry and Nutella Breakfast Sandwich
-Sandwich thin (90 calories)
-1 tbsp Nutella (100 calories)
-Strawberries (I used 3 large ones, but use how much you like)

Toast your sandwich thin, or if you are using a tortilla, make sure to get it good and hot. You can do this in a skillet, toaster, or even on a George Foreman grill. Whatever is easiest for you, but I don't think I would like this sandwich half as much if it was not warm.

 Once you've warmed up your bread product, smear 1/2 tbsp of Nutella on each piece (or across your tortilla). Layer your strawberries evenly across your sandwich and BAM! Breakfast is done, and for a lot less calories than a McMuffin you would get at McDonald's. This would be good for kids to have in the morning before school, too. I'll probably be eating mine in the car on the way to work in the morning since it transports so well. You could also try it with other fruits I don't like bananas but you could try those in place of, or even with the strawberries. Let me know what variations you all try and if you love this flavor combination half as much as I do!


Want more healthy recipes? Click the links below:
Sweet Summer Salad
Low Carb Mini Meat Loafs
Low Carb Faux Pizza
Lemon Yogurt Trifle
Southwest Salad with Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing

Healthy Recipe: Sweet Summer Salad

It's summertime. It's hotter than blazes outside and my motivation for slaving over a hot stove for dinner is at an all time low. I had some fruit leftover from our 4th of July festivities, so I threw together a salad today that turned out so awesome that I just had to share it with you guys!

What you will need:

-Something green. This salad would probably be best with spinach, but I only had a head of iceberg and it still turned out really delicious.

-Blueberries

-Strawberries

-Granny Smith apples

-Turkey bacon (or regular bacon if you're feeling naughty)

-Sliced almonds

-Green onions

-Chicken breast (rotisserie chicken if you're busy/lazy)

-Lite raspberry vinaigrette dressing

I was out of feta cheese, but I think that would also be a nice addition to this salad.

There is nothing special to assembling this salad. I left the blueberries whole, cut the strawberries into slices, diced the apples, cut up the bacon, and shredded the chicken breast. I topped it with a little raspberry dressing and boom, baby! Dinner is served. This salad was so good that my fiance and I ate the whole bowl of it. It is perfect if you're like me and have a hard time eating produce before it goes bad in your fridge. 

Let me know if you try this recipe out or if you add something different! I would love to hear from you. Follow me on twitter @butterybiscuit7 and on Instagram @bridgetb2011! 

XO,

--B 

 

Weigh In Wednesday: How to Substitute Carbs and a Tasty Recipe

Sup ladies,

Are you tired of having more Chins than a Chinese phone book? That's what I thought. Let's get to cutting out those carbs, then! Yesterday for Tip Tuesday, I posted a few alternatives to starches that will help you as you start your low carb lifestyles. I purposefully left one off so I could use it in this recipe for you all! Today I am going to teach you how to make mozzarella stuffed mini turkey meat loafs (meat loaves? That just looks weird).

Your traditional meatloaf/meatball recipes always call for breadcrumbs, which makes these types of food off limits if you are trying to lose weight. Don't get discouraged, mama. Go home and make your own! Instead of using breadcrumbs, I'm using some stale as shat 35 calorie wheat bread. Each slice has 8 carbs and I am using 2 slices. Each mini meatloaf has 4 carbs in it. That means you can each the whole pan for less than 30 carbs. Eat them all if you're hungry. I can assure you that no one cares how many muffin pans full of meat and cheese you ate while binge watching True Blood pantless. There is no shame over here. I don't even use a plate most of time. The joys of living alone. Let's get cooking!

Things you will need:
1 pkg ground turkey
Egg whites, just pour a little until it looks good to you
2 slices of 35 calorie wheat bread
Green onions, chopped, however much you want
Mrs. Dash or whatever seasoning you like
String cheese, use however much you want
Spaghetti sauce, preferably Ragu meat sauce because it has the lowest carb count

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (I literally made this recipe and I also made this temperature up, so use your discretion).  Take your bread and put it in a food processor to turn it into crumbs. Throw this in a bowl with turkey meat, green onions, your Mrs. Dash, and a little egg white to make it all stick together. It should look like this!

Now scoop your turkey into a muffin pan. You should be able to make about 6 mini meat loafs. For some reason, I was able to make 6 and a baby one. After you scoop your turkey into your pan, stick your thumb into the center of it to create a little cubby for your cheese.

I used string cheese because I am lazy, but you could put whatever kind you like. I just cut the string cheese into little chunks and stuffed it in there. After you do this, just pinch them together to cover the cheese up. If you have any leftover turkey meat, you can add a little to top off the cheese. Now put these in the over to bake. Don't ask me how long. I left them in there until they looked done. Maybe like 20 minutes? Long enough to NOT give anyone food born illness, although that would probably cause rapid weight loss as well.

After you are finished backing them, spoon a little spaghetti sauce on top of your mini meat loafs and pop them back in the over just long enough to warm the sauce up.

Instead of serving this with something like mashed potatoes or rolls, I have a low carb option for a side. If you are one of those people who doesn't eat anything that is green, you're in the wrong place, boo boo. 

You only need two things for this super easy side: fresh asparagus and your favorite seasoning. To prep the asparagus, all you need to do is cut off the tough ends. 

 

                         Like so.                                      This seasoning is awesome on veggies.

Next, put your asparagus in a saucepan with about a third cup of water. We are going to steam our asparagus. Go ahead and sprinkle your veggies with your seasoning, toss them around, and put a lid on the pan until your asparagus is tender.

    

And there is my most favorite before and after photo. Are you ready to see how my mini meat loafs turned out? Here you go! (Btw, the green beans are just literally out of a can)

Mmmmmm, cheesy.

And there you go! I hope you guys like this recipe using low carb ingredients. Look out for Tutorial Thursday! I will be doing a step by step post on how to create a dramatic smokey cat eye. Let me know how your meal turns out! Did you try a different flavor combination? I would love to hear from you. Follow me on Twitter @Butterybiscuit7 and on Instagram @Bridgetb2011. 

The girl who ate everything (including the muffin pan),

--B

Tip Tuesday: What I Ate To Lose Nearly 50 lbs

Hey guys,

A lot of you all have been messaging me and asking me exactly what I eat to lose weight because you don't know where to start with low carb dieting. I'm here to help! Everyone goes on their spill about "There is no such thing as dieting. You have to change your lifestyle and end your love affair with chocolate eclairs" blah blah BLAH. Hells bells, you've got to start somewhere, and that somewhere is not at the nearest all you can eat buffet. Think of your diet as the proverbial starting line. Remember that you can't run before you walk. Start making small changes that you are more likely to stick to. I can only muster the strength to tolerate one change at a time, but alas, I am a creature of habit.

Today I am going to show you a few low carb substitutes to help get you started as you embark on your weight loss journey. All aboard the low carb train, destination pain and misery! I'm just kidding, but really, it is hard to stick to at first. The following tips will make your transition to low carb eating a little easier. Like I said, if you change one little thing at a time, you are more likely to have overall success. Let's get started!

1.) Amp up your protein intake!
Protein, that's like steaks, right? Well, technically yes, but good luck trying to eat 3 steaks a day. That's pricey and is probably going to give you atherosclerosis. Let's try to avoid triple bypass surgery and instead add some protein powder into our diets instead. An easy and rather tasty way to do it is by having a little at breakfast time. Now, you all are probably thinking "Protein shakes, Bridge? Are you serious? I'm not a body builder." Don't get your knickers in a knot, you are forgetting that I am a creative biyotch.

I typically eat oatmeal in the morning. Listen to me carefully: Put down the Quaker Oats. Not only does that dude on the box look like a registered sex offender, but his product is loaded with carbs and sugar. To do this properly, you need to buy Oat Fit Oatmeal. I get mine at Kroge's and I like the brown sugar and maple flavored kind. Oat Fit is only 100 calories and only has 18 carbs. I like to eat between 40-60 carbs a day when I am doing my cruise phase dieting. This may not work for you, so play around and see what range works best for you.

My go to breakfast is 1 pkg of Oat Fit oatmeal with a scoop of protein powder and 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter. You can leave out the peanut butter if you want to, but I think it tastes awesome this way. I add my oatmeal to a bowl, put in my protein powder (I use vanilla flavored), then add the water and pop it in the  microwave. I then take my little scoop of peanut butter and throw in into my bowl of hot oatmeal and stir it up. If your peanut butter doesn't melt well, just microwave your oatmeal concoction for another 10 seconds or so. This breakfast is so filling that I sometimes have a hard time finishing it off. It is so yummy! Try whatever flavor of Oat Fit oatmeal that you like. I know they have a Cinnamon Bun one, but I think it's pretty awful.

2.) Throw out your potatoes! 
I love potatoes. Not as much as pizza, but they're on the list of things I would trade an organ for. Rather than heading to KFC and grabbing a family size side of mashed potatoes to bury your face in, you can satisfy your craving with a healthier option. Click HERE for a recipe on how to make mashed cauliflower. You can still do this recipe while on Dukan, just use fat free cream cheese and skip the butter. If you have been extra good and you just cannot forgo butter, get some of that I Can't Believe It's Not Butter that is in a spray bottle and treat yourself to a spritz or two. As you see, you can pretty much eat any food you want if you tweak the recipe a little bit. I think that recipe would be really good if you skip the cream cheese and instead add some sour cream, ranch mix, and stop with a little green onion. Nomz.

3.) Get rid of your bread!
This one is a bit obvious. You can't really eat bread while you're trying to low carb, but there are options out there besides getting rid of the bun on your chicken sandwich. One of my favorite bread replacements is to make lettuce wraps. Have you ever eaten at PF Chang's? Their lettuce wraps are where I got this idea (I also make a healthy version of these at home). Instead of having a chicken salad sandwich for lunch, why not replace the bread with a leave of iceberg? Do you love tacos? Me too. Lose the shell and instead make a lettuce wrap out of it. For my picky eaters out there that don't like lettuce, I have an option for you as well. Low carb tortillas have a substantially higher carb count than a lettuce leaf, but they are still better than 2 slices of sourdough. I usually only use the low carb tortillas if I am going to cook something that I can't put in a lettuce leaf. Click HERE for a recipe on how to make a pizza quesadilla using a low carb tortilla.

4.) No chips, you can leave the dip right here.
Sometimes a girl just needs something crunchy. You can make your own dip, click HERE for a homemade salsa ranch dip that is one of my favorites, and enjoy some healthier alternatives to potato chips. One way is by microwaving turkey pepperonis. I know this sounds strange, but you can thank me later. What you need to do is take a few pepperonis and put them flat on a paper towel and microwave them for about 30 seconds. The paper towel will pull all of the fat out of them, and what is left behind is a crunchy pepperoni "chip." I will even dip these babies in spinach dip if I have some on hand. You can also do this microwaving technique with turkey bacon, but obviously you will have to cook it longer in the microwave. If you're not a fan of dipping crunchy meat products into your french onion dip, you can use cucumber slices. They will also give you that crunch that I seem to crave. You could do tomatoes too, but I hate tomatoes so I'll pass on that. Do not use carrots, you'll run into carbs there and be up all night screaming "WHY DID I EAT THOSE?" when you realize it.

5.) Oh pasta, where art thou?
Cutting out pasta is the hardest thing for me to do. No, I'm not Italian. I'm just hungry and want to eat my weight in Chicken Parmesan. Seriously, how does Giada de Laurentiis stay so thin when she is constantly eating pasta on her show?

                                              Her calories must accumulate in her huge head.

For the rest of us, a good alternative to eating pasta is squash. You can substitute zucchini or spaghetti squash for pasta. I'm not a fan of spaghetti squash. I think it tastes like flowers, but I don't mind zucchini. You can even do slices of zucchini to replace the noodles in a lasagna. You won't notice much of a difference, I promise. Plus, I can eat a ton of zucchini lasagna and be guilt free. Don't act like you've never eaten an entire lasagna in one sitting, we are all guilty.

And there you go, a few low carb substitutes to get you started and to help you expand your menu. I plan on posting a few recipes using some of these substitutes in the future. What are some of your favorite low carb alternatives? Do you know an awesome substitute I didn't list? Let me know. Follow me on twitter @Butterybiscuit7 and on Instagram @Bridgetb2011. I'll be back tomorrow with more diet related stuff for Weigh In Wednesday! Talk to you soon.

Xoxo,
--B

Fit Friday: Help! I'm Losing Weight But I Feel Like Death/Faux Pizza Recipe/Thank You to My Readers

By this time, a lot of you should be finished with the attack phase of the Dukan Diet, or nearing the end of it. How are you feeling? Pretty crappy? Like you just want to listen to Purple Rain on repeat and cry into a Monte Cristo sandwich? I know the feeling. My dears, you are probably suffering from what is known as induction flu. No, this is not a new strain of flu that has sprouted out of a flamingos arse or anything. It's a result of you doing a kick ass job with your dieting!

Induction flu occurs after a few days low carb eating and in my experience, lasts about 2-3 days. I actually have it right now as I have started back on the attack phase to join my readers that are also dieting. I feel like a bag of smashed a-hole as I write this, but alas, the blog must go on! With a low carb diet, you have removed the food that your body has always used as a source of energy, so it doesn't know what the heck is going on. Your body is thinking "Is their a shortage of food? Are we on vacation in Ethiopia? I better prepare to burn this fat because I'm about to go into ketosis."  After you finally reach ketosis, your body will start burning your back fat for energy instead of waiting for you to tackle the bread stick peddler at Fazoli's (Oh happy day).

What are the signs of ketosis and the subsequent induction flu? It may vary for other people, but let me start with the most noticeable one-- terrible breath and a metallic taste in your mouth. I'm not sure what causes either one of these mouth dysfunctions, but when I start to get that taste in my mouth, and you will know it when you get it, I'm all like "Where is the scale? I can taste my fat burning! Anyone have a sugar free breath mint?" Although the bad breath is rather unpleasant, just carry a mini bottle of Listerine around with you. Your chronic halitosis should be the first sign that you are doing everything right. Welcome it with open arms! Heck, I'll even give you a high five for getting to that point. Just remember to hold your breath if you get into my personal bubble. If your partner has anything to say about your rank breath, just scream "YOU'LL FORGET ABOUT MY KITTY LITTER BREATH WHEN YOU SEE MY BANGING BODY!" And believe me, they will. Walk around in your bikini to distract away from your stench.

Apart from being a little grumpy, I also experienced a mild headache, achy joints, and stayed thirsty as a mofo. I also get a little emotional. 3 seconds of Sarah McLachlan and her abused animal commercial and the tears just start flowing.  Oh, I forgot the worst part... The fatigue. I get so tired during the first week of strict low carb dieting. I will come home from work, gnaw on some protein, and then nap, wake up, shower, gnaw on more protein, and back to bed. Don't worry though, as awful as induction flu sounds, you will gladly go through it if it means you will finally start to lose some weight. Like I said, it usually only lasts a few days and you are back to normal. Although it is hard to keep going when you're experiencing some of these symptoms, just think of it as your body detoxing from all of the junk you have been putting in it and every minute you feel like crap is that much closer to getting to your final goal. Don't doubt yourself. You are stronger than you think you are!

If you have started the cruise phase and have allowed yourself a cheat meal, you may notice that something funny has happened to you. After I completed the attack phase and was probably about two weeks into the cruise phase, I thought I would treat myself to a small order of curly fries from Arby's. After all, they are are my favorite and I earned those fries, darn it! I indulged and ate a few of them and threw the rest of them away, because even though I was allowing myself a treat, you just can't go buck wild or you'll be the size of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man again before you know it. I guess it was about an hour or so after my lunch break that I got deathly ill. Luckily I have a bathroom attached to my office, so I didn't have to crawl too far to hurl. And boy do I mean hurl.

After you have been eating your low fat lean meats, clean veggies, and cutting out those evil carbs, your body cannot handle greasy fast food restaurants. Do not make my mistake unless you have someone to hold your hair back while you ralph into your handbag. Rather than go for something myocardial infarction inducing like I did, treat yourself with a little something that you can actually hold down. If you do eat something that makes you sick, do not enter "projectile vomiting" into the exercise tab on My Fitness Pal to see how many calories your burned. That, my friends, is what they call an eating disorder. If you want me to help you reach your goals, you have to promise me no throwing up if you accidentally eat something you're not supposed to. You don't want your teeth to fall out. No matter how buff you are, people will still notice a toothless grin more. Leave that look to the convicted felons. It's very hard to pull off without any street cred.

Lastly, for those of you who just can't seem to get the scale to move, I want you to look at the photo below:

 

You are more than a number! Don't classify yourself by what your scale says. The four women in the middle are all around the same height, but all four of their bodies display a different weight distribution.  All women are unique and we are all shaped differently. If you want to hear something really crazy and that will probably make you feel better about your own body shape, then prepare yourself, I am about about to share my pants size vs. my dress size. I am about 5'6" tall and I wear a size 4 in pants, but I recently went wedding dress shopping and I am a dress size 14/16! Now that makes it very difficult to find something that will fit. I am shaped like an upside down triangle and there is nothing I can do about it except laugh and ask if they have any backless options I can cram my upper body into. There is no shame in what you weigh, and there is no shame in number is sewn inside of your clothes. Despite what popular culture tells us, those numbers have no representation on the person attached to them. I don't know about you all, but I am more than a number. I am effing fabulous, giant rib cage and all. *Hair flip.

And as promised, a healthy recipe to take into your weekend! This recipe should be saved for the cruise phase and only for a day that you have really worked hard because it is definitely a treat!


Bridget's Low Carb Pizza Quesadilla
I love pizza. I would marry pizza if the harlot would have me (Sorry to my fiance). There were many nights I would lay awake at night and think of how great I was going to do the next day so I could eat one slice pizza over the weekend. I probably need a pizza intervention. Oh well. Can't stop, won't stop.

My fiance hid my ring under a pepperoni.

-Turkey pepperoni
-Fat free shredded cheese, I use the Italian blend
-1 tbsp spaghetti sauce
-1 low carb tortilla, I use X-treme Health or something like that. They come in a maroon pkg

Spray a little Pam in your pan and turn it on medium/high heat. When the pan is warm, throw your tortilla in it. Take your cheese and sprinkle it over 1/2 of the tortilla. Use as much as you want, but remember we are going to fold this over, so don't go too crazy or you'll have a big cheesy mess. After you sprinkle your cheese, add a layer of pepperoni over the cheese, sprinkle with more cheese, add another layer of pepperoni, the take your tablespoon of spaghetti sauce and drizzle it over your pepperoni/cheese layers.Turn the heat down to medium/low heat. Add a couple more layers of pepperoni and cheese over the sauce and then take your empty side of the tortilla and fold it over your pepperoni and cheese. When the underside gets crispy, flip it to the other side and let it crisp up. After it gets crispy and all the cheese is melted on the inside, you're ready to eat. You feel like you are getting pizza without all of the carbs or calories. Take it easy on the spaghetti sauce though because like the foods from my post on Weigh In Wednesday, spaghetti sauce is loaded with HIDDEN SUGARS! You can leave the sauce off completely if you want to, but it just makes it more pizza-esque if you have it on there.

And there you have it, a few explanations for why you've not been feeling so hot these last few days and a recipe to make you feel like you're cheating on Dukan with pizza.

I also want to say thank you to everyone who has been sharing my blog with others. I cannot believe it when I say this, but I have had OVER 4,000 page views on this little blog in a little over a week! It is so overwhelming and exciting to think that so many people are reading these posts and are starting on their journey to not only better health, but also a journey to confidence. So many people I don't even know have been sending me the nicest messages and thanking me for helping them to finally find the motivation to take control of their weight. Everyone keeps telling me that I'm such an inspiration to them, but really, you guys are an inspiration to me. It means so much to be able to help people take control of their lives and help them feel comfortable in their own skin. I know this is going to sound cheesy, but talking to all of these new people has made this last week and a half one of the best I have ever had. I've been feeling very useless and like I don't really have a purpose here lately, which is the main reason I started this blog. I just wanted a hobby to keep from dwelling on my mundane life. I never knew that people would actually read this stuff! I am so humbled and so excited to hear more from you all! Keep me posted on how your diets are going.

Thank you guys for making me feel better about myself. Keep up the good work and remember, I'm always here for you when you have your weak moments. Sometimes a girl just needs to eat a whole container of gelato to feel better. We will get through this together and you will become the version of yourself that you aspire to be. Once again, thank you all for everything! You all make me so happy.

Your fellow recovering fat girl,

--Bridget

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too! A Simple Summer Recipe

Everyone has those times when they are craving a little something sweet. Instead of diving face first into an Olympic sized pool filled with Oreo ice cream and regrets, try to make smarter choices about what you are eating. 

Have you ever eaten a piece of cake and thought "Well that was only like two bites of cake, I better get another piece to hold me over?" I know I have. This recipe I am going to share with you makes your little slice of cake go much farther, and leaves you satisfied. You can also make it in jumbo size, which would be great to take to with you to events this summer! No one will ever know that it is a healthy treat. That's our little secret.

Bridget's Lemon Yogurt Trifle (single serving)
-1 slice of angel food cake
-1 low fat lemon yogurt
-2 strawberries
-palm full of raspberries

**You can use whatever fruit/yogurt combo that you like. I am a complete hussie for the raspberry/lemon combination though. I highly recommend it.

1.) Cut your slice of cake into small squares and toss half of them into the bottom of a small container. I like to use a clear container because this dessert turns out so pretty after you make your layers. I'm using Glad ware because I am classy.


2.) Toss a few raspberries on top of your cake.

3.)  Cut up a strawberry and throw it on top of the raspberries.

4.) Spoon half of the container of yogurt onto your fruit.

5.) Take the rest of your cake and put it on top of the yogurt layer.

6.) Spoon the remainder of the yogurt over your cake and garnish with a strawberry.

Boom, baby. You have an easy to make, single serving of a relatively healthy dessert. I use angel food cake because it is fat free and I like the firm texture of it with the pudding and fruit. I like to put mine in the fridge and let it chill before I eat it. If you all try any different combinations on this, let me know! I would love to hear from you!

Xoxo,
--B

Fit Friday: Dukan Dieting Tips and a Healthy Recipe

Hey guys,

     How was your work week? Terrible like everyone else's? Same here. By a show of hands, who wants to head home this evening, take off their pants, and eat an entire cheesecake off of their belly? You better believe that I do!
   
     But alas, methinks I shall save this activity for when I can take off my pants and eat an entire cheesecake off of my rock hard SIX PACK instead! Needless to say, it will probably be a while before I can fulfill this kinky fantasy. In the mean time, let's check out some Dukan Dieting approved foods and I will send you into your weekend with a kick ass recipe that you can enjoy during the cruise phase!
   
     As you may recall from my post on Weigh In Wednesday (click here to read my weight loss story), I mentioned that there are different phases to the Dukan Diet. The first phase is titled the "Attack Phase." Allegedly, this phase gets its name because it attacks the fat. I think a better description would be that you will want to attack the nearest girl scout within a 50mi radius and steal every box of cookies in her possession during the first two days.
   
     I'm sure you are thinking "But Bridget, how can I make it through the attack phase? You keep remarking on how difficult it is to follow. It just seems too strict and there is no way I can stick to it." Dude, don't get your panties in a wad! Sit back and I will tell you how I made it through, and hopefully encourage you to start/continue on your weight loss journey. First things first-- go step on your scale right now. No, not in a minute. Go do it RIGHT NOW.
   
     How did that make you feel? Did you step off of it and step back on it to see if maybe it was wrong and you are actually lighter than the scale is showing? Did you strip down butt ass naked to see if that tank top you were wearing possibly weighed 50lbs? Honey, I have been there. I have seen the numbers 178 pop up in front of me and think HOW?! How did I get like this? When did I get like this? Where did I put my last box of peanut butter patties? What do you mean 160 calories are in a serving of two?
   
      Take it from a girl that knows, today can be the first day of the rest of your life. Don't say "I will start dieting tomorrow." If you saw someone drowning, would you say "I'll save them tomorrow?" No. No, you wouldn't. Unless you are that guy in that Phil Collins song, in which case you have more problems than your weight, boo.
   
    Because I live alone, it was easy for me to follow the next step. Clean out your cabinets and your fridge. Is it junk food? Throw it out. Is it made by Little Debbie? THROW IT OUT!! Give it to relatives, donate it to charity, I don't care what you do with it as long as it is not in your house and it is not in your mouth. Remove temptation. Believe me, we all have our weak moments and those weak moments will turn into binge eating a 24 pack of Krispy Kreme donuts if you do not purge your household of them. Out of sight, out of mind. Now go to the grocery and get some Dukan approved foods. Click on this link to see a list of 100 Dukan approved foods.

Here is what I buy when I go to Kroger, or as I like to affectionately call it, Kroges, when I am on the attack phase:
-Ground chicken
-Eggs/egg whites
-Lean ground beef
-Steak
-Tyson Grilled and Ready Chicken Breast (in the frozen section)
-Sandwich meat (not honey ham, it has carbs)
-Fat free cottage cheese
-Fat free Greek yogurt
-Green onions
-Pickles

I forgot to mention that you can have UNLIMITED servings of protein on the attack phase. The best part about this diet is that if you are hungry, then you get to eat! No counting calories! Now if you google "Dukan Diet" you will probably see where eating something called an oat bran galette is required. Do not make these and eat them unless you like to dry heave. They are terrible! Ughhhhh just the thought of them makes me want to vom violently. It says online that the diet will not work without eating them, but my waist and I disagree. I think that part is a scam to get you to buy the Dukan brand oat bran since peeps like me are sharing how to do the diet fo' free. I just want to help a sister out! Keep your oat bran, Dukan! I'm about to spill all of your secrets.

     I had a very hard time posting this before and after pic, but then I thought of the girls who were just like me and needed proof that dieting does work. You can set goals that are attainable. The before photo is from 2011 when I was at my heaviest, which would be in the upper 170's. The photo on the right was taken in July 2013 while I was on vacation at the beach. I was weighing in at about 140lbs. As you can see, cutting carbs works, whether you do it the Dukan way, the Atkins way, or any other diet out there. In the photo on the right, my waist was 32 inches, which is about a size 14/16. My waist is currently 26 inches, which is about a size 4/6. Like I said, I had a really hard time deciding if I wanted to embarrass myself and post this photo, but then my best friends told me I looked banging now, and that, my friends, is what this blog is all about! Don't diet for anyone else, do it for you! Do it for the satisfaction that you will receive when you see the scale move.


Here is a little bit of a meal plan that I use for myself. You can personalize it to fit your palate. Keep in mind that you are allowed no condiments at all, and if you cheat, your booty will know and it will remain the same size. ***Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian, nor am I a doctor. I am a 24 yr old with a BS in Biology and a freezer full of protein. Proceed at your own risk. The risk of looking smoking hot in a month or so, that is.***

Breakfast
3 boiled eggs (throw out the yellow part or save them for some deviled eggs or something)
1 Tyson precooked chicken breast
.5 cup of FF cottage cheese or a container of FF greek yogurt
Lunch meat

     Now I know that sounds like a lot and probably sounds terrible, but it is very high in protein, low in fat, low in carbs, and will help hold you over until lunch time. You don't have to eat it all at once, either. You can graze on protein all morning if you wish. Boiled eggs are a really good snack. Also, remember that you can have unlimited amounts of protein, so eat as much as you want, as often as you want.

Lunch
2 Tyson chicken breasts
.5 cup of egg whites
3 green onions (Mo' onion, Mo' better in my book)
a few slices of ham

     If you are blessed enough to have a kitchen at your office like I do, cut up your chicken, ham, and onions, then throw it all in a pan and pour the egg whites over the meat for a bomb ass omelette! If I am feeling naughty, I will dollop a tablespoon of Tostidos Roasted Garlic Cantina Salsa on top of my omelette. I would recommend not doing this on the first few days of the attack phase. Even though salsa is only like 20 calories a serving, there are 5 carbs in 2 tablespoons of it. That is why I only do 1 tablespoon. I am willing to have 2.5 carbs enter my body if it means I won't be gagging while trying to keep my protein down.

Dinner
2 steaks (any cut except ribeye because it is too fatty)
5 pickles
Add some lunch meat if you're still hungry after.

     Also, just an FYI, you can have any kind of seasoning that you like! I usually put some steak seasoning on a New York Strip and throw it on the grill and then have some pickles on the side so that I don't feel like I have been eating the same thing all day. You can do the attack phase for as long as you want, but not over ten days, and drink a hella lot of water. Weigh yourself every single morning to track your progress. You will see the weight will fall off of you. The initial loss will give you a ton of motivation to continue. As I mentioned before, I lost 9lbs in the first week.

 If you're not losing weight on the attack phase, you cheated somewhere. You know it and I know it. Your body knows it. Dukan knows it. Ben and Jerry know it. We all know it. The goal of the attack phase is to throw your body into ketosis. If you cheat even once, you will not reach ketosis. If you don't know what I mean by ketosis, check out this link.

And as promised, a recipe to try when you are in the cruise phase!

Southwest Chopped Salad
1 bag of romaine lettuce (or whatever kind you like)
1 can of white corn (or yellow, or mixed, it's up to you)
1 can of black beans, well rinsed
Tommy toe tomatoes (I hate tomatoes but others that have tried this like them in it)
Green onions (as said before, I love a lot of green onions)

Optional: 
Grilled chicken breast

Take all of your ingredients and mix them up in a bowl. Make sure that you rinse your black beans well before adding them or your salad will be disgusting. Add as much or as little of whatever ingredient you like. This is your salad so do it however you want it! I like to chop up a chicken breast if I am having this salad for dinner or I am running a little low on protein for the day. I freaking hate fat free ranch dressing. I would rather cut my tongue out that ever have its disgusting presence upon my taste buds again.  Don't worry though, scroll on down for my own Dukan approved salsa ranch dressing recipe.

Homemade Fat Free Ranch Dressing 
8 oz fat free sour cream
1 pack ranch mix

Optional:
Approximately 2 tbsp of skim milk to thin it out, more if you like it runny, less if you like it thick.
2 tbsp Tostitos Roasted Garlic Salsa

You may have noticed that I use half of the amount of sour cream that the package of ranch mix calls for. This is because if you use all 16 oz of sour cream with it, you will get a very bland dressing. Trust me on this one. Only use 8oz of it and the entire pack of the ranch mix. If you like a thinner dressing, like what you get in a bottle from Kraft, just add a little skim milk to thin it out. Personally, I like the thicker consistency. If you want to turn this into salsa ranch, which I did in the photo below, omit the milk and add some salsa to it. This is super tasty and continues the southwestern theme of the dish.

Let me know what you guys think! Are you willing to try low carb dieting? Have you followed a low carb diet and received excellent results?  Follow me on twitter @butterybiscuit7 and instagram @bridgetb2011!

Thanks for reading guys and don't give up on dieting! You can do it!

Xoxo,
B