LOW CAL CHICKEN SALAD

One of my favorite things to make is chicken salad, especially since I just got a food processor for Christmas.  Before Christmas, I would either hand shred/chop everything or even use a blender.  I had a craving for chicken salad, so I made it today, only this time, I carefully measured everything like a freaking chemist and figured out the caloric content.  So here you go:

LOW CALORIE CHICKEN SALAD

3 large chicken breasts, cooked, shredded
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup low fat mayo
1/4-1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

*I like to use the Kraft Mayo with Cracked Pepper and Olive oil.  I'll use 1/2 cup of it, and 1/2 cup regular low fat mayo.  That stuff is very peppery, but very good.  I also buy already boiled and peeled eggs b/c I HATE HATE HATE to boil eggs.  I suck at it.  They always end up overcooked or with that green ring around the yolk.  You can buy a nice little package of 6 hardboiled/peeled eggs at Bi Lo for about $1.75.  They are located in the deli with the deli-made salads and such.  I also like to add seasoned salt to taste sometimes. 

This recipe makes TWELVE 1/2 cup servings.  Each serving has 119 calories.  I like to toss a 1/2 cup serving on bread and make a 225 calorie sandwich.  A good low calorie bread is a diet ESSENTIAL for me.  My absolute favorite is Sara Lee 45 Calorie and Delightful 100% Whole Wheat with Honey.  They also make it without honey if you don't like a hint of sweet in your bread.  It's kind of expensive but oh so worth it.  It's really soft and decent sized. 

As you can see, one serving is a lot.  Then I load it up with veggies of choice, accounting for the last handful of calories. 

I promise, this sandwich is way more filling than any 225 calorie Lean Cuisine out there, and that's coming from a big diet frozen meal fan!! 

YOU'RE WELCOME! ;)

The basic little side salad. A dieter's nightmare. Why? B/c low-fat dressings taste like poo, and take away the croutons, cheese, and bacon bits...and you just took all the fun out of my salad. Plus, it's just not filling at all. Well, genius (and humble) me has established THE PERFECT side salad for you. It's about 150 calories and it's even completely PORTABLE!?!


THE DRESSING
Everybody likes Ranch dressing. Have you ever had low-fat ranch dressing? It tastes like creamy toilet paper, and you know it. If you are totally into Ranch dressing, but want it at 45 calories a tbs, you MUST get NATURALLY FRESH LITE RANCH DRESSING. Please try this dressing. It honestly does not taste light at all.





SATISFYING AND PORTABLE
So it's not "technically" a salad. It's a wrap. This delcious wrap only has 90 calories, and it's even low carb. Another rare gem in a dieter's world full of nasty foods we try to convince ourselves taste good. This is also the part that makes the salad filling, and it has way less calories than cheese, croutons, etc.

YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT!
Just fill it with all your favorite veggies and roll it up!!

A Recipe and a Weird Kid

I love veggies, and this recipe is super yummy, super easy, and comes in at about 110 calories per cup. Your welcome!

Veggie Salad
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced pepper (any color, I used red to make it pretty)
1 can corn
1 can peas
2 cans french cut green beans
1 cup Splenda
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Mix it all together, except peas and beans. Add them at the very end b/c if you stir them too much, they get all smushy. Ewww. Refrigerate.

Anyway, I have to share a little bit about my 2-year-old son, Cooper, who really is a hilarious kid. He is often referred to as being very animated. Pictures do him no justice whatsoever. He is sitting in his bed as I type this, singing and laughing in the pitch black dark without a toy anywhere near him. This crazy, bubbly kid does, however, have a phobia that makes absolutely no sense. He is terrified of stuffed animals. It doesn't matter if the stuffed animal is huge or the size of a baby mouse. It doesn't matter if it's a creepy dragon or a cuddly kitten. He hates them.

He was so afraid of a bag of beanie babies at my Mom's house yesterday. I wish I had taken pictures of his horror. (LOL, is that mean?) Just so you could see what I mean. Pictures are important (tell that to the people who make the Publix grocery ads. UGH! ).

He does have one stuffed "animal" that he loves more than life itself. It is particularly hilarious because I personally think it is very creepy. It's Cooper's BFF. Check them out...

And just for fun, here is a picture of Spiderman Cooper in heels, walking the line at a sobriety check point.

Food With Benefits...

Getting skinny from counting calories and just can't keep your man off of you? Then let me recommend 2 great products that are guaranteed to give you some much needed space:

Fiber + Olestra = A Cleared Room!!

In all seriousness though, they are both super delicious, super low calorie, but not for the faint of colon. Or the faint of smell.

Now to make up for that gross-ish post, I will leave you with some super cute photos I snapped of my baby boy Hayden this evening. He will be 5 months old in 4 days!!

Welcome! And the Almost Diet.

First of all, Welcome to my blog!! You can expect lots of great stories about my kids and whatever else is going on in my life. You absolutely cannot expect a super cute page with Photoshopped pictures of my children looking like little angels because that just isn’t me. You will mainly find funny stories and stuff I personally find interesting.

Now, onto better things, like my diet, the Almost Diet! I named it myself! What is the Almost Diet? Well…. let’s start off discussing some CRAP about EVIL AND WRONG diets. Here are my top THREE reasons diets don’t work:

TOO COMPLICATED. I’m sitting here flipping through a Men’s Journal magazine, and it’s got an article titled The New Rules of Healthy Eating. They give recipes that include ingredients such as veal demi-glace and crème fraiche. So let me say it for you: W.T.F. I don’t know what any of those things are, but I can bet they cost more than a Lean Cuisine. Apparently you have to be a 5-star chef to go on a diet. Ummm NO THANKS!

TOO MUCH CHEMISTRY. My mom is on Weight Watchers, and it’s working great for her. I tried it for a while, and let me just say that I’ve never been so hungry or had such a big headache from all the counting. Foods consists of points, which involve counting the calories, protein, fiber, fat, and carbs in everything you eat….Need I say more? It ultimately results in very healthy eating but it is VERY DIFFICULT and people just aren’t down with difficult eating.

LONG TERM? I think something like Nutrisystem would work great. However, it would only work if there was no other food in my house BUT Nutrisystem food. That is obviously not going to work if you have a spouse, child, etc. Also, what’s the long-term plan there? Eat their food forever?


So, I invented my Almost Diet. Basically, it’s simply calories in, calories out. Wait, don’t run away!!!!!!!! B/c I’ve done this before, I know what works (for me). I don’t mind counting calories if I have an arsenal of food that is AFFORDABLE and EASY TO MAKE. The majority of food I eat is pretty healthy, but some is so-so. But I think that my Almost Diet is a great first step in becoming a healthy eater. I have lots more to say about my almost diet, if it doesn’t bore you all too much, but for now I leave you with a great example of a 375 calorie cheaper than holy hell dinner!

What is this delicious meal? Why it is a $1 pizza that I loaded with diced veggies of all sorts I had lying around and some Taco Bell Fire sauce b/c we all know we have packets of that liquid heaven hidden in a cabinet somewhere. Only 375 calories and doesn't taste like poo!! And as you can see, halfway healthy!!

I will be posting lots more of my favorite foods that are cheap and REALISTIC for anyone. I've lost 16 lbs in 18 days so far!!! :)