tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56793281246773612602024-03-04T23:55:56.233-06:00My Life With(out) RanchHeather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.comBlogger615125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-36122933862499746562018-11-22T17:52:00.000-06:002018-11-22T17:54:54.081-06:00This isn't really the ending.My Life With(out) Ranch is now in its tenth year as a blog. When I started the blog in 2009, I ended it with the following statement: "Hold your breath…here I go…trying again and again." I read the entire post a few moments ago and while so much as changed, I'm still very much the same. The title of the first blog was "This isn't really the beginning." I named it that because I've been on a quest to have a different body since I was a child. I don't anticipate that changing, though I have really worked on being less hard on myself.<br />
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Now that the book is out, I feel like the part of the journey where I report to you what I ate for the month and whether I lost or gained weight is over. The thing is, it's become very apparent to me that there won't be a time in the foreseeable future where I won't be conscious of what I weigh, eat or where my mental and physical health are every day. While I wish I weren't so obsessive, I have come a long way in loving myself.<br />
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I have been completely overwhelmed by the support and love shown for the book now that it's out. I believe that now is the time for me to move the conversation forward to something different. I won't say that I will never write about my weight or body again because it's too much a part of who I am to pretend that I won't. I will say that I want to see what my next writing journey will be. I'm ready to take a leap.<br />
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I wanted my last My Life With(out) Ranch entry (for now) to be on Thanksgiving. I am more grateful to my friends and family and blog supporters than you could possibly know. Just when I think there is nobody still listening, a message from a friend or a stranger proves me wrong.<br />
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So, I wanted to let you know that My Life With(out) Ranch is on an indefinite hiatus. I'm going to focus on getting the book in as many hands as I can and also, I'll be working on new projects. I have some irons in the fire, but I haven't jumped off the diving board just yet.<br />
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For news on events, publication updates or just general information, please visit: heathermwyatt.com.<br />
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When I cook and enjoy yummy and/or healthy food, I will post as much as I can to instagram and Facebook so make sure to follow me both places: @mylifewithoutranch.<br />
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For book updates and general whining about food and life, find me on Twitter: @mylifewoutranch.<br />
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If you'd like to contact me about anything, send me an email at heather.m.wyatt@gmail.com.<br />
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Oh, and of course, buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Life-out-Ranch-Heather-Wyatt/dp/1947048198/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542930848&sr=8-1&keywords=my+life+with%28out%29+ranch<br />
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Always keep a look out for me!!! You never know what I'll get into next.<br />
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Love always!<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-92104729523247918932018-10-31T12:51:00.001-05:002018-10-31T12:51:19.028-05:00Happy Halloween/Book Release Eve Eve Y'all!Hi Everyone! Today is my absolute FAVORITE day of the year, so of course, I'm in a pretty good mood. My happiness is also fueled by the fact that my first book, <i>My Life With(out) Ranch</i> from <i>50/50 Press</i> will be available on Amazon on FRIDAY!!! I am so grateful for everyone's support and honestly, even though I've been talking about it nearly a year, I can't believe we've finally made it. I really hope you enjoy it and can get something out of it. It has been a therapeutic process for me and I'm nearly ready to close the door on this topic in my writing. I will never be "finished" when it comes to loving myself, but I feel now that the book is here, I can let out a big sigh and dream about what's next. My weight has been steady for awhile, give or take a few pounds. I've kind of settled into it and I've stopped worrying so much about losing a lot. I work out so hard and eat right most of the time. My metabolism is stubborn. This is something I cannot change. I will always set goals for myself…for example…I plan to get back on track and lose any Halloween/Wedding weight, plus one or two pounds before Thanksgiving…but I'm done beating myself up.<br />
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I made a couple Halloween snacks for the book club I'm in. Full disclosure, my mom molded the cheeseball into a face and I just covered it with ham. Also, that is supposed to be a snake, though it is not exactly snake-shaped. Not pictured: blood and guts dip made with cheddar cheese, cream cheese, a jar of salsa, onions, garlic and chopped pepperoni. It was festive.<br />
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Well, my baby brother got married on Saturday. I don't know how or why I didn't get a selfie with him, so I'll be excited to see all the professional photos. It has been a somewhat exhausting journey for everyone involved in the planning but it was a beautiful, emotional day and I wish them all the joy in the world! They are living it up on a cruise ship right now.<br />
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In terms of food, I'd am going to share a couple photos from my phone…though it's nothing too exciting, haha. The first thing I wanted to show you is low carb…and people like low carb…even though it's really ugly. Essentially, I just made a quick egg salad with cucumbers, bacon bits, scallions, mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder and a tablespoon of light mayo. Then, I make little turkey roll ups with it. There's lots of protein in this easy snack and since it's Halloween, I will tell you I made these to look like fingers…they kind of do. Egg salad is a go to recipe for me. If you don't like hard boiled eggs, then I don't know…I guess just shove turkey in your mouth and call it a day.<br />
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I also wanted to share something that may not be a discovery to you, but it was news to me. I found out that you can have chicken parmesan that A) isn't fried and B) doesn't come with pasta. Clearly, I believe that pasta and breaded chicken are superior, but when Fresh Market said their little big meal included a recipe that used grilled chicken parmesan over a bed of lettuce, I thought, "Why the heck have I never thought of that?" Since I ate it, I've had it a couple times and it's yummy. The simplest way to do it is either grill or cook a chicken breast in a skillet…then top it with spaghetti sauce and reduced fat mozzarella and pop it under the broiler for a few minutes. When it's done, pop it on top of the lettuce. You can gussy this up however you choose. I just served it with low cal toast that was spread with smoked gouda Laughing Cow cheese.<br />
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Finally, I've shared something like this before I think but another quick fix that I rely on a lot is what I like to call "a skillet full of stuff." In this particular skillet, we've got ground turkey, squash, and onions. I season this with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Oh, and since ground turkey has a tendency to dry out, I usually add some chicken broth instead of fat and that helps. This is another "low carb" or "free" item depending on what diet plan you're on. When I'm being "good," I'm looking for ways to eat the most amount of food possible.<br />
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I hope you all have a spooktacular Halloween!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Roll Tide!<br />
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Bye y'all!<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-20627455269356376072018-10-03T12:30:00.000-05:002018-10-03T12:30:10.135-05:00WARNING: Nearly Meatless Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey y'all! I'd like to start by wishing my mom and soon to be sister-in-law Lisa Happy Belated Birthdays. I hope you had fun celebrating them! I will be heading to Gatlinburg, TN with Lisa tomorrow for her bachelorette trip! It should be a fun time. I am not exactly in strict diet mode right now but I do plan to try not stuffing EVERYTHING in my face this weekend…just mostly everything. I'm about the same as always. I fluctuate the same five pounds back and forth pretty much every other week. When I get back from the trip, I'd like to get in the zone a few weeks to prepare for the wedding, Halloween AND the book release. That's right y'all, My Life With(out) Ranch will be here in a month! I'm so excited!<br />
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This week, I wanted to share a recipe with you that took be way back to a time when I actually tried not to eat meat. It's been awhile, but sometimes I like to relive those days and try a delicious veggie dish. This time, I went all the way out on a limb and cooked tofu. I know at this point, some of you have stopped reading. I get it. Tofu can be gummy and it's flavorless…BUT if you prepare it correctly, it can be good. First, and most importantly, you HAVE TO PREP IT. Seriously, if you don't, it will be gross. To prep it, put several paper towels on a paper plate. Place the block of tofu (I get extra firm) on top of the towels, then add several more. Then, add the cast iron skillet to the top and let it sit there for about an hour. Once all the water has soaked into the paper towels, I kind of treat it like chicken at that point. I cut it into cubes and it's ready to go. I popped some steamable broccoli from the freezer into the microwave while I let a pan heat with non-stick cooking spray, a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil and one squirt from my olive oil sprayer. Then, I pile in the tofu and the broccoli. To that I add onions, salt, pepper, garlic, a tablespoon of teriyaki sauce, a teaspoon of brown sugar, a tiny pinch of crushed red pepper and a LOT of low sodium soy sauce. You can play with the measurements but I have to go light on anything sugary if I'm counting Weight Watchers points. They don't like sugar y'all. At that point, you just have to make sure the tofu is cooked (I don't think I cooked it long enough still) and that everything is all married together. I just put it in a bowl and topped it with a bit more soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds and green onions. It had great flavor but at the end of the day, I think I'd just rather use chicken. It's free on Weight Watchers and I prefer the texture. It was a good way to knock out a Chinese food craving though.<br />
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The other quick thing I wanted to show you was a charred corn and cucumber salad. That seems summer-y but since it's still around 90 in Alabama every day, I can no longer tell what season it's SUPPOSED to be. This is super healthy and tasty and of course, easy. I had Ian grill me up some corn and then I scraped it off the cob and combined it in a bowl with chopped cucumber, light Italian dressing (Olive Garden's brand is pretty good), fat free feta cheese, and bacon bits. This could be totally veggie without those but they add a nice, salty flavor. I love salads but sometimes I just skip right over the lettuce and just have the veggies.<br />
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That's it y'all! I'm busy as all get out right now with this semester!<br />
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Until next month!<br />
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Bye!<br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-39829989748023163872018-09-05T10:46:00.003-05:002018-09-05T10:46:41.432-05:00School's In SessionHey y'all! I'm back in the swing of things…though I'm not sure I'm completely ready yet. I have a butt-ton (actual measurement) of students and life is well…hectic. That's OK though, I'll live. In terms of weight, I'm hovering around the same I have been. I am up and down depending on what's going on during the week. I've had a decent bounce back from my beach trip a few weeks ago and with school back in, my routine is leveling out a bit. I'm feeling OK about where I'm at on the scale. I've really come a long way in berating myself all the time. I'm a healthy person who works out several days a week and is conscious of what I'm eating at least 75% of the time. I can't do anything about the stubbornness of my metabolism, so, why make myself feel like crap all the time? Having said that, I still have a small weight loss goal for the Fall. I'm keeping it small because this is a difficult time of year to keep weight off, but I'm confident in my ability to keep myself in line.<br />
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It's an exciting time! Football is back! Roll Tide! My book is a little over 8 weeks away from being released (November 2nd) and my brother is getting married in October! Not to mention the fact that the most wonderful holiday of all is just around the corner (Halloween). My mom and I threw a bridal shower for my brother's fiancé, Lisa a couple weeks ago and it turned out really great. I included some pictures above. My mom and I worked really hard to make it cute. I think we did a pretty good job. We can officially say that the wedding is next month now so there are a lot of fun times ahead.<br />
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So, I guess I could share some food since it's a food blog. My phone started acting up awhile back and I had to get a replacement. Even though I backed up my phone on the cloud, some of my photos were lost. Because of that, I'm having to use a photo from Pinterest. That's fine because I got the recipe from there and because it's a better photo than mine was anyway. I made salsa verde chicken in the crock pot. It really doesn't get much easier (or healthier) than this dish. We threw chicken breasts into the bottom of the crock pot and then topped with fresh tomatoes, onions and a jar of store bought salsa verde. After it's been going on low for around five hours, you just take a couple forks and shred the chicken. This is a zero point recipe on Weight Watchers but don't let that scare you…it's DELICIOUS! Ian fattened it up a bit with sour cream and corn chips but I just ate it straight out of the bowl and I was satisfied. I definitely think we will make this again. Next time I may serve it over beans. It may end up being a Fall staple for us.<br />
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I grabbed some of those high fiber, low calorie flatbreads at the store and made a few different things with those. The first picture is from the Internet because my photo got lost, but essentially, I just toasted the flatbread in the oven, then topped with pizza sauce, chunks of chicken breasts, zucchini and cheese and put it back in the oven to get warm. Shout out to my friend Erin for the chicken/zucchini combo idea. I also made chips from the flatbread by simply broiling both sides. Then, I smeared smoked gouda Laughing Cow cheese on them to add some flavor. It was a tasty, easy, low calorie snack. Finally, for another flat bread, I sautéed some chicken sausage and then added that, pizza sauce and of course, a little cheese and made a tiny, but satisfying pizza. I think this one was my favorite because I LOVE sausage. That actually IS my photo. These are great for when you're craving pizza but you're like me and can't just have one piece of pizza.<br />
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Until next month, y'all!<br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-42611719843145169222018-08-08T15:47:00.000-05:002018-08-08T15:47:37.555-05:00Salads and Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey y'all! I wanted to give a belated birthday shout out to my friend Lauren and then a birthday eve shout out to my wife/bestie, Cassandra! Cassandra and I got a chance to go see Little Big Town and Miranda Lambert at the beach this past weekend and it was so much fun. I got roasted by the sun and I also got to say goodbye to summer because in just 12 short days, I teach my first class of the Fall semester. I THINK I'm ready…but I never really am. I've got a super busy semester coming up. In terms of weight, I was still trying to work off a few pounds from my trip out west before I left for the beach. I plan on weighing on Sunday to see where I'm at on the scale. The good news is in terms of over indulgence, is that I have no trips planned until October. (I also included a picture of Ian and I in Nashville as we made a quick trip through Tennessee to see our families) Plus, once I'm busy with the semester, I'm much better at keeping on track. My mom is planning a bridal shower for my brother's fiancé next Saturday and there is going to be a ton of delicious food so I plan on saving my "extra" points so I can indulge. Other than that, I'm hoping it's smooth sailing. I'm a bit fluffier than I like because of vacations, but honestly, I'm doing better at not beating myself up and I feel pretty good.<br />
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I don't have a ton for you today, but one thing I cling to when I'm trying to get back on track are delicious, humongous salads. The other day I made a giant salad that included grilled chicken and corn (thanks Ian for all the grill work), bacon bits, hard boiled eggs, edamame, cucumber, etc. I like putting light Italian dressing and make sure to pack lots of protein in the salad so it's filling. If you ever watched Seinfeld, this salad reminds me of the "big salad" episode.<br />
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Another addition to my salad in the past couple of months has been Lay's Poppables. I bought the individual bags because there are only 70 calories in each snack bag. These are great, because they don't taste like diet food, they are crunchy, salty and fill the craving I sometimes have for chips. Also, they worked as a perfect salad topping!<br />
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Sometimes, I like to take certain elements of salad and deconstruct it a little (when I put it like that it sounds fancy). One day, I made what I call "Shrimp and Cucumber Bites." I'm sure you can guess what it includes. I sautéed some shrimp using salt, pepper and non-stick cooking spray. I sliced the cucumbers so they could be my base and then I added lettuce, onion, kalamata olives, the shrimp (of course) and then grated parmesan cheese. These would be great as a party appetizer and it made a nice lunch too. As with anything that includes fresh produce, this was a bit time consuming because of prep, but they were tasty and fun. Y'all, I know some of you hate olives but I think they add the best punch of salty flavor. I eat too many of them sometimes…it's kind of my thing.<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-71546815262825372052018-07-04T11:19:00.000-05:002018-07-04T11:19:38.431-05:00If You Like It Put An Egg On It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey y'all! Happy 4th of July! I hope you're enjoying your day off if you get one. If you don't, I'm sorry! A special thanks to you! My hope is that one day everyone is able to experience the freedom, peace and safety that so many fought for to gain America's independence! Enjoy the privileges of living free and remember those who don't have that privilege and those that died for that privilege. 'Merica, y'all!<br />
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I would also like to wish my Dad a Happy Birthday! We celebrated his 56th yesterday and last Sunday. And, we're having ribs today…so celebrations everywhere!<br />
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This is a random aside, but I wanted to share anyway that I'll be having gum surgery in a couple weeks. This is probably TMI but I am prone to gum recession and cyst tumors that get swollen and ugly. I guess more than anything, I want sympathy as they "grind" everything down. This isn't the first time I've done this and I'm not "worried," I just feel the world (or my dozens of followers) should know that for a couple days, it will be perfectly acceptable for me to eat milkshakes and my mom's homemade potato soup.<br />
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As I mentioned last month, my parents and I headed out west a few weeks ago. We visited Vancouver, Seattle and Portland (including the coast of Oregon). We had an incredible time. The area out there is beautiful. Both the scenery and the food were my favorite part. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that in one week I gained 9.8 pounds! I was honestly impressed more than anything. I ate so many sweets and decadent foods and it was all worth it. The next week, I was able to lose around 6 of that and then the next week I lost nothing. I don't anticipate a loss this week either due to the celebrations but I will give myself a couple weeks to get the rest of the vacation weight off.<br />
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I think in the past I have shown you a corn, black bean salsa. To be honest, I don't remember. But, I wanted to show you how far I stretch the stuff. I take thawed out frozen corn (or just corn then I guess at that point), canned black beans that I've rinsed, , a drained can of Rotel tomatoes, a chopped onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss it all together. On Weight Watchers, this is a "free" salsa. That means I can eat it until the cows come home. So, I use it as a dip with baked tostitos, but I also mix it up by adding chicken or fat free feta or a fried egg or all of the above. It's a versatile, filling salsa with nutrients, flavor and protein. It tastes good for about a week in the fridge which is the perfect amount of time because you have just started getting sick of it. Having it about once a month is the right balance.<br />
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I'm a firm believer that a runny egg yolk is the most sultry, delicious way to add flare to a dish. There's not much that won't be improved by slapping a over easy egg on top in my honest opinion. So, I do that a lot. Recently, I took one chicken sausage link, cut the casing and emptied the contents into a skillet sprayed with non stick spray. I let it start to render a bit and added a boat load of shredded hash browns. I can't stress the importance of these shredded potatoes enough. They are low in calories and tasty! I added my standard spices of salt, pepper and garlic and let it get cooked all the way through. Obviously oil or butter would make this a crispier, richer dish, but when I'm still trying to recover from a vacation, no fat works well too. Once this skillet of sausage and potatoes is all cooked, guess what I put on top? An egg. That's right. I actually get sad when I overcook my eggs and can't get the satisfaction of taking my fork and watching the egg drizzle out over everything. OK, I'm done now. OH! And PS, I pretty much add taco sauce to everything too so that's what you see in some of the photos.<br />
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The last food I wanted to show you today did not get an egg added to the top…though I wouldn't be opposed. These are zucchini chips. They are super easy to make. Just use a mandolin to slice the zucchini into super thin chips. Then, toss them all with a tiny teaspoon of olive oil, non-stick spray, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Lay them all out on a cookie sheet that you've set up with foil and parchment paper and then cook them at 250 for 45 minutes, turn the sheet around and cook them another 45 minutes. I know it's a long time and to be honest, that will probably be why I don't make them regularly, but it does help them crisp up. If I make them again, I will add a bit less salt because mine had too much. They are not sturdy enough for a dip or anything but pretty tasty for a healthy snack.<br />
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Have a wonderful holiday y'all! Talk to you next month!<br />
Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-35696409804893838302018-06-06T14:42:00.000-05:002018-06-06T14:42:40.215-05:00Slow & SteadyHey y'all! It's not officially summer yet but it sure does feel like it in Alabama. My sweat has sweat and I'm not loving it. This horrible heat is why I'm super pumped to be going on vacation out west with my parents on Saturday. We are going to Seattle, Portland and Vancouver to check out what all they have to offer. The best part? The temperature forecast looks AMAZING for those three cities. It should be a fun time and of course I'll share about the trip next month. After all the birthday, beach, and other celebrations/festivities, I was up about four pounds when I weighed last week. To be honest, I was pretty happy with that because I just knew I managed to gain 50 in a month. My goal is to knock a pound or two off this week before I head on vacation and then really put my nose to the ground when I get back. I've had fun so the softer belly has been worth it. Having said that, I'll be ready to level out and get off the summer fun pounds.<br />
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I haven't had a chance to congratulate my brother on graduating last month via my blog…so…congrats David! Not only did he graduate from THE University of Alabama, he's also snagged him a job. He'll be moving to Birmingham soon, which makes me sad, but I'm so happy for him. Also, he got engaged almost exactly a year ago and will be getting married in October…so 2018 is a big year for him.<br />
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Major shout out to 9 Round. Y'all know that I love 9 Round because the trainers/workouts are great and it really helps my mental health to hit things. Well, evidently, I've been to 9 Round over 500 times. Because of that, they sent me an email. I had to send them a selfie of myself at 9 Round and then they sent me FREE GLOVES! I was in desperate need of gloves so I was so excited. I had no idea the "prize" they were going to send would be awesome. I just knew I was going to get a key chain or something.<br />
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In other exciting news, <i>My Life Without Ranch</i>, the book has had an exciting June so far. Thanks to 50/50 Press, my book was featured/presented on an independent books panel at Book Expo in NYC. The book isn't out until November but 50/50 printed some copies for the occasion. According to 50/50, the book was received well. I'm so excited for it to come out that it's hard to wait. There are still some tweaks that will need to be made, but I'll be letting you know when you can buy the book this fall. Also, I googled the ISBN number and it came up! It's not showing on Amazon or Goodreads yet but hey, it exists!<br />
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Happy Early Father's Day to my Dad! We will get to celebrate you a couple times in the next coming weeks. Thanks for all you do! Love you!<br />
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Finally, Jordan and I went to Atlanta on Monday to see Shania Twain. He absolutely loves her and I've been a fan since junior high. She always puts on a great show and I legit cry every time she sings "From this Moment On." It was a fun day with Jordan.<br />
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So, as I've mentioned, the new Weight Watchers has a ton of "free" foods. One of those free foods is turkey breast. I eat a lot of chicken, and though there's not a huge difference between chicken and turkey, I thought I'd try making turkey as a bit of a change up. I actually made it in the crockpot and it was super easy. I just bought two huge turkey breasts, seasoned them (use what you want…I used paprika and Ian didn't like that, so just use whatever you like), added a bit of broth to the crockpot and let it do its thing. Even though Ian didn't like the paprika, the turkey was SO juicy. Turkey has a tendency to dry out but that was not the case with this. I served mine with sautéed mushrooms and it tasted like Thanksgiving! And, it was all zero points on Weight Watchers.<br />
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Speaking of low point Weight Watchers meals, I also made a low point cheesecake using egg, fat free Greek yogurt, one packet of Splenda and sugar free cheesecake flavor Jello. All you do is combine them all and bake it. I have made this twice. One time I mixed the cheesecake batter with blueberries included and then the next time I just made it plain and served it with fresh raspberries. To be honest, this is just OK. It's good because you can have a heaping serving for one point. The downside is that it definitely has that "diet" taste. The fake sweetener is definitely present…so be warned. It helps with the sweet tooth though, that's for sure.<br />
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My last food share is NOT healthy. I made a giant nutter butter cookie cake for Mother's Day this year and it was fun/yummy. I just bought a store bought powdered mix for peanut butter cookies and made those. The filling is just peanut butter, butter (Two Sticks! #yikes) and powdered sugar. I served it with chocolate ice cream. I probably could have made it prettier, but whatever, it tasted good.<br />
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I hope y'all have a great week!<br />
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Holla at you next month!<br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-45109210402670380182018-05-09T07:00:00.000-05:002018-05-09T07:00:08.359-05:00Quick & Easy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey y'all! If you're reading this, I'm currently relaxing on the beach or by a pool or in a condo or participating in some other beach vacation activity. Ian and I decided to vacation with friends pretty much the minute I got out of school so I wrote this blog in advance. So, I've lost nearly three more pounds. Now, obviously, I'm pleased with this, but I also have an understanding that this does not include my brother's graduation celebration, nor does it count the beach cocktails and yummy vacation meals I will consume. I don't anticipate losing weight over the next couple weeks (because it will also be my birthday on the 13th), but I do plan to maintain…or at least not splurge to the point of completely blowing my progress. I actually feel that I can do this. I want to enjoy with moderation. Wish me luck.<br />
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I'd like to wish my brother yet another congratulations for graduating from the University of Alabama on Cinco de Mayo! I am so proud of who you are and what you've accomplished. Your future is so bright and all that.<br />
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Happy Early Birthday to me! I am turning 34 on the 13th and I think that means I'm officially in my mid-30s. Other than crippling financial anxiety, life is pretty solid. Also, I don't plan on changing my traveling ways any time soon.<br />
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Happy Early Mother's Day as well! I love you, Mom! You're the only person I'm willing to share my birthday with! I can't wait to celebrate with a yummy brunch and then dinner. You deserve it!<br />
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I'm the type of person who craves fast and easy recipes. If I click on a recipe and it's got 50 ingredients or more than a few steps, I usually skip it. I especially like meals that take less than 15 minutes. So, I've included some fast recipes that I've made before that you can always count on to be quick and easy. The first is a fast chicken sausage breakfast. They are making a ton of yummy flavors in chicken sausage these days. I bought some from Target that had cheese inside. It's less than 200 calories and only 3 points on the new Weight Watchers. I removed the casing and sautéed it in a pan for less than five minutes. Then, I used the fat from that to make eggs. I added toast and sprinkled fat free feta over the top. This was a borderline decadent breakfast that was super healthy and low in calories, especially compared to a restaurant breakfast.<br />
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Recently, I came back to one of my faves: tuna steak. I marinade the tuna steak in some type of Asian dressing or sauce. This time I used P.F. Chang's. It doesn't take much. I also season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder. I spray a skillet with non-stick spray and then add the tuna steak once the pan is super hot. While it sears, I steam some edamame. It only take a minute or two on each side. You definitely don't want to overcook tuna steak. When you can see the white creeping up, it's time to flip. Once it was done, I added it to a plate and topped with edamame, fat free feta (obviously a staple for me) and low sodium soy sauce. There's tons of protein and flavor in this dish and it takes almost no time to prepare. Also, it's pretty.<br />
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Lastly, I present to you an old "recipe" I've used 100 times, but it's always good for a quick, flavorful meal. It's a fajita bowl. When Ian and I do this, we prepare ours in separate pans because we like different veggies. In both, we cook chicken and onions with taco seasoning until it's cooked through. I spray the pan with non-stick spray first. In my pan, I add mushrooms. If the mixture is dry, you can add a bit of chicken broth. I take the mix and add it to steamed cauliflower. Obviously, you can add whatever toppings you want. Ian and I eat this all the time. You can also use ground beef, turkey or chicken as well.<br />
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I hope you all have a wonderful month!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-77136675532318125492018-04-11T13:40:00.000-05:002018-04-11T13:40:09.033-05:00The Veggie TaleHey y'all! It's officially spring and though the weather is still confused, the pollen is here and I'm feeling it. My allergies are wild as all get out right now, but I'm starting to just get used to it. Also, because it's mid-April, that means I have a little over 2 weeks left of school and then I'm done! The semester has been seriously dragging since spring break and because I picked up a class for someone on maternity leave, I've been driving nearly 3 hours Monday and Wednesday morning and I'm most definitely ready for that to be done.<br />
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Since I started with a series of complaints, I will go ahead and tell you that life, though stressful, is pretty dang awesome. First, as you can see above, the cover for <i>My Life Without Ranch</i> (THE BOOK) was revealed. There is still some editing left, but I am getting one step closer to holding the book in my hands and sharing it will all of you. Second, even though I'm poor as dirt, I have a lot of fun trips planned this summer. I'd like to thank my parents, American Express and those schools that employ me for allowing me to have two beach trips, two concerts (one in Atlanta), a trip to Portland/Seattle (EEK!) and at least one short trip to Nashville and Chattanooga at some point. I love getting out of town so I'm super excited to go places with my family and friends. Third, as of last week, I finally worked off the weight I gained over the holidays! That was my first goal of the year. It took me until April but dang it, I did it and it feels nice. I'm losing weight SUPER slowly right now but I have momentum and I feel good and I'm working not to obsess so I am happy with the progress. I've made another small goal of around 9 pounds. I don't really care how long it takes so it could be awhile. As long as I'm striving to stay healthy most of the time and not beat myself up, I'm happy.<br />
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Happy Belated Birthday to my dog June! This little pup walked into our lives last year and now she's 1. In that time, she's been wild and destructive but we love her and she's part of the family. Maybe now that she's a year old she will calm tf down. Seems doubtful.<br />
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Happy Early Anniversary to my parents! I get to head out west with them this summer! I'm pretty lucky that they met in high school and married in 1982 because without them, I wouldn't have been able to see the world or you know, have the best food every Sunday night for dinner.<br />
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Happy Early Birthday to my bestie Jordan! You are THE most wonderful friend/person. Can't wait to celebrate with you and then see Shania in June.<br />
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So, now down to business. As I think I've mentioned, my current food plan is the new Weight Watchers Freestyle. So far, it's been super manageable. There are a lot of "free" foods including eggs, fish and super lean turkey and chicken. Obviously, you can't eat only meat all the time…so you have to try to get your veggies in when you can. To show you I've been trying to eat more veggies, I included the pretty salad I made above with lettuce, cucumbers, fruit, fat free feta and sesame dressing (from P.F. Chang's and it's delicious) I also showed a video (that I hope you can see) that shows my new fancy spiralizer attachment for the Kitchen-Aid (courtesy of my parents) to make zoodles. Now, I'm cool with vegetables but I don't usually get excited about them unless they are wrapped in bacon or covered in cheese. I try to incorporate a veggie every day…like green beans or broccoli with dinner. In the spirit of eating more vegetables, I decided to try vegetables I either tried when I was younger and though I hated or vegetables I'd never had. I thought now that I was an adult, I may find that I like these veggies and then I would have more options.<br />
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The first veggie I tried was beets. Y'all, my grandmother serves beets ALL THE TIME at her famous Sunday lunches. I've always sneered my nose at them but to be honest, I don't think I'd ever really given them a fair shot. Rather than add vinegar and sugar to them like my grandmother does, I prepared them in a way that actually gave me any chance of enjoying them. I cut them up into a fry shape, tossed them with olive oil, seasoned them with salt and pepper and them roasted them. When they came out, I added parmesan cheese. A couple things…1) when you cut up beets, it looks like you've bene involved in a crime scene. 2) It's hard to tell when they are done because they don't really change color or get "crisp." Ultimately, the beet itself didn't have a ton of flavor. It absorbed the flavors of the oil, seasoning and cheese. My problem with the beets had everything to do with texture. It was just limp and broke apart all gross in my mouth. I guess if I had to compare it to anything, it would be a roasted carrot that was in between complete mush and raw. I didn't really like it…at all.<br />
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The second veggie I tried (which I later found out wasn't "free" on Weight Watchers) was parsnips. I had never tried them before. I used my mandolin to make parsnip "chips" and much like the beets, I tossed with olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder. These are simple. Once you season them, just throw them on a baking sheet and bake them til the edges curl up and they are crispy. These were alright. I'd always heard that a parsnip is a cross between a carrot and a potato. I can agree with that. I liked the salty/sweet combo but to be honest, if I'm going to make a chip from something, I'd pick a regular potato, sweet potato, or even a zucchini if I wanted something less starchy. Having said that, they were my favorite of the vegetable experiments…that doesn't say much though.<br />
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The third and final vegetable I tried was brussel sprouts. In my life I'd never eaten them. In fact, I don't have much experience with cabbage at all except for that I like my grandma's sour kraut and weenies and I like the kraut they use at football games. I bought the brussel sprouts, blanched them and them sautéed them in a skillet with olive oil, bacon, garlic, salt and pepper. I only cut them in half…which I think was a mistake. They might have been more acceptable if they had been chopped more finely. When I was done, I picked up a brussel sprout and put it in my mouth. I chewed as it broke apart. I could smell the pungent fart like scent that comes from them and at certain points I swear I could taste it too. The texture was gross. The taste was gross. The only reason I didn't vomit is because I added bacon. Once again, I find myself thanking God for bacon. Y'all. I cannot believe some of you just eat these STEAMED! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! I can now say, with complete confidence, that I do NOT like brussel sprouts. Also, I just googled it and apparently<br />
you're supposed to say "brussels sprout." Even that is dumb. Don't try to get me to eat them again y'all. I won't. My family didn't like them either.<br />
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I guess it's back to broccoli, green beans and salads for me. Are there any other vegetables I should try? Anyway, the vegetable experiment didn't go that well but that's OK. I lived through it…though it was touch and go for a minute after the brussel sprouts.<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-21856072814383940172018-03-14T13:36:00.000-05:002018-03-14T13:36:48.894-05:00Chickadee!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Spring Break, Y'all! If you're like me, you haven't gotten a genuine spring break in a long time. Luckily, I get more off time than most when I don't have regular classes in the summer but my spring break this year is interrupted by another class in Birmingham that I picked up. Having said that, I do get a slight break the next few days so I'm going to try and take advantage of that. I hope you all get a chance to relax as soon as possible.<br />
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Happy Belated Anniversary to Ian. We celebrated last week. We've been official on Facebook for four years now and we are still going strong. We complement each other well and I'm excited to see where the future leads us.<br />
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Happy Belated Birthday to my Aunt Brenda! I hope you had a wonderful day!<br />
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One of my favorite holidays is happening on Saturday. I can't wait to wear green and be silly with my friends!<br />
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Happy Early Easter! Can you believe we are only a little over two weeks away from a visit from the Easter Bunny?! The year is already flying by.<br />
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Speaking of time passing by super fast, I am steadily working on my book. It's going to be featured on a panel at Book Expo in NYC at the end of May and so I'm rigorously working on editing, etc. 50/50 Press is revealing the covers for their upcoming titles on March 22nd at 7PM. That's when you'll see what my book is going to look like! I'm over the moon to be involved in this process and I can't thank 50/50 enough for treating me so well. They are awesome! The book should be out in October so keep a look out for announcements.<br />
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Over the past several weeks, I've been trying the new Weight Watchers Freestyle program. I've tried pretty much every version of Weight Watchers so I thought I'd try that one out. So far, I've managed to dig up some of my old will power. That combined with the fact that I think this is the most manageable version of Weight Watchers they've ever come up with, has meant that I have had some weight loss success in the past few weeks. I've lost a little over four pounds. I'm happy with this but trying not to get trapped in the numbers and obsession like I have in the past. This particular program allows some wiggle room. It provides balance. If I know I'm going to have cocktails or a heavy meal, I can eat a super light lunch. I still have about 4 pounds left to finally get off the Christmas weight but I like the direction I'm headed. Because WW allows certain foods like chicken, black beans and corn for "free" for the first time, I'm eating a lot of chicken. I'm big on variety and chicken can get boring so I've made several variations of chicken recipes the past few weeks. I've gone back to some oldies making Chicken Tortilla Soup and then also my Chicken Cauliflower "Fried" Rice. These are healthy, filling and easy dishes to whip up. They also have a lot of flavor.<br />
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I also made Stuffed Chicken. The chicken was seasoned, butterflied, stuffed with spinach and mozzarella and then rolled up. Once it was rolled, it was coated in panko bread crumbs and baked. I didn't add any fat other than cheese. I sprayed the bottom of the dish with non-stick cooking spray. It was tasty and even just adding a cheese element made it a bit more interesting.<br />
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The French Onion Chicken concoction I grabbed from Pinterest was a fan favorite. We caramelized the onions with balsamic vinegar and chicken broth for a long time. Once it was done, we sautéed the chicken the same way and then combined it all together. We added ultra thin sliced provolone at the end and baked it in the skillet until it was bubbly. I served mine with an Everything Bagel Thin but it could go with anything. The million onions (and garlic and balsamic and salt and pepper) made it SUPER flavorful and the chicken ended up tender. It was a good time. If you have any unique chicken recipes, let me know! Otherwise, have a wonderful March and I will get back to you in April! Roll Tide!<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-24380286027061485122018-02-14T10:51:00.001-06:002018-02-14T10:51:26.742-06:00When the work you put in is realized...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Valentine's Day y'all! I hope whether you're single or not, that your day is filled with love! I was entertained to see my different moods about Valentine's Day each year in my time hop. I still think it's a holiday with issues but at this point, I enjoy a holiday that celebrates love. I have so much love for Ian, my friends and my family. Having a support system is something I don't take for granted. So, here's a hug for y'all. Let there be so much love in your life.<br />
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I'd like to hop back to Christmas Eve real quick before I move on. I was in Nashville with Ian as we were wrapping up our holiday visit with his family. We were set to drive to Chattanooga that morning after church. Of course, I woke up early and was going through my morning routine with my phone. I always start by checking my email. When you're a writer, rejection is just part of the gig. I have gotten countless rejections over the years. Over the summer, I submitted a draft of <i>My Life Without Ranch</i> (the book) to <i>50/50 press</i>. The response I got was so heartfelt, but it was, in fact a rejection. After the rejection, I found myself inspired. I dove in to re-write the manuscript for a third time (at least). Once I finished, I sent it to <i>50/50 press</i> again. I thought it was a long shot. I knew she appreciated my voice but truth be told, I was worried I would annoy her and I was so used to rejection I honestly didn't put much stock in it. Having said that, I knew this was the best draft I had turned out.<br />
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So, back to Christmas Eve. I'm going through my emails, mostly junk, and see her email address pop up. My immediate thought was, "Really?! Who sends a rejection on Christmas Eve?!" I didn't even open it right away. I went through and deleted all the Christmas Eve ad emails and then finally got back to the email from <i>50/50 press</i>. The first word I read was "Congratulations." I threw the phone down in shock. I picked it back up and started reading the good news: my number one dream in life was coming true and I started sobbing. This book is so unbelievably personal. It has taken so much out of me. I've learned more about myself writing it than I have just living my every day life. The thought of people reading it is truly terrifying but because other people understand the struggle of body image and self-love, I'm getting my ISBN number, something I was starting to think was never going to happen.<br />
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I'm not exaggerating when I say that not more than a week prior to this news, I had a breakdown over a necklace breaking and cried to Ian telling him that I wanted to stop writing for awhile. It was a spiral stemming from the struggle I've had with weight for so long and the insecurity I had about getting that struggle on the page in an entertaining way. I had come to terms with the fact that maybe a book wasn't going to happen and I wanted to focus on something else. Writing is exhausting and draining and the rejection can be overwhelming. Receiving this email was the single most empowering, emotional and tremendous moment of my life. I know that's dramatic, but I AM a writer. I immediately woke Ian up to make him read the email at 7:30AM. I needed someone to verify that I was reading it correctly and then I proceeded to call my family, then Jordan and Cassandra. In the car, on the way to Chattanooga, every song made me cry like an idiot. I know it's corny but I LOVE sappy Tim McGraw songs. His song "Humble and Kind" came on and I flipping lost it. Ultimately, the song is a message to people to not be jerks when their dreams come true but dang if it doesn't choke me up. That day, hearing: "When the dreams you're dreaming' come to you, when the work you put in is realized, let yourself feel the pride, but always stay humble and kind." Y'all I lost it. I've skated by in some areas of my life but when I say I've worked hard on this book, I mean it. It's a wonderful feeling I can't quite put my finger on. I also cry when Paperback Writer plays now too, haha. I'm nuts. Anyway, the point is, thank you to everyone who has been so kind and supportive over the years. I can't wait for you to read the book this fall/winter. I can't wait to hold it in my hands.<br />
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There's not a smooth way to transition from that so I won't try. Ian and I went to New Orleans for a spur of the moment trip a couple weeks ago when his band found out they had a gig down there. We were only there two nights (one of which he played) but in the time we did have, we ate wonderful food, ran into friends, had tasty drinks and just enjoyed the city in general. I always love going to New Orleans…especially when it's not too crowded. I imagine it was crazy down there last night.<br />
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I've been back in cooking mode this semester now that I have a bit more time. One of the first recipes Ian and I made was a Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe. We made two pans based on veggie preference. In each pan, we sautéed lean ground beef, garlic, salt, pepper, onions, about a tablespoon of ketchup and a little bit of beef broth. In Ian's pan, he had chopped bell peppers. In mine, I had chopped mushrooms. Once it was all cooked through, we had it on our bread of choice with a slice of ultra thin provolone cheese. It was DELICIOUS! The only fat came from the beef and since we used extra lean, it was not bad. It was nice to change up the typical lean burgers we usually have.<br />
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A couple weeks back, Fresh Market's Little Big Meal was taco night! We had chicken in the freezer so Ian had chicken tacos. I grabbed the shrimp and had shrimp tacos at home. Again, it was nice change and the seasoning Fresh Market provides had quite a kick! We eat Mexican food SO MUCH and love it just as much when we make it at home.<br />
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It's back to school time and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I get up early and work out and then I'm on campus from about 10:30-6:15. That means, I bring lunch. I've been eating carrots and hummus and string cheese and applesauce and sandwiches and all the staples but a couple weeks ago, I brought leftover grilled chicken for lunch and to jazz it up just a touch, I wrapped it in ham slices. The truth is I always feel like I'm starving on campus. I don't know why. Because of that, I bring a ton of low cal options that I can snack on all day. It's a mental thing I guess.<br />
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In terms of weight, I'm about the same as I was last month. That's one of the reasons I've been super grumpy about my body lately. I'm trying to listen to my own advice but it's hard. I'm definitely eating better and one week I lost 3 pounds. The next, out of nowhere, I put it all back on. My body makes zero sense sometimes. I'm down about half a pound which means I still have 8 I want to get off for my first goal of the year. I'm not exactly in a hurry but the stalemate annoys me. Anyway, I digress. When I'm back on my diet, I rely on those 100 calorie popcorn bags for late night snack cravings. They don't exactly have a ton of flavor, but one day Ian and I were in the popcorn section and discovered this popcorn butter spray. It claims it's zero calories. It's kind of like Pam but with a stronger butter taste. Y'all, I hope this spray doesn't cause cancer or really have like 1,000 calories because Ian and I are obsessed. We get so cracked up because we will be sitting there and one of us will hear this loud, long spraying noise as we coat our popcorn in this stuff. It definitely cranks up the boring, plain, healthy popcorn up a notch. I highly recommend it.<br />
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Finally, since it's Valentine's day, I have to give extra kudos to Ian. Even though I've started cooking a bit more, he's still the primary cook of the house right now. He DESPISES mushrooms. He has branched out a lot since we've been together in terms of food but he draws the line at mushrooms. I happen to love them. One night, I sent him a sautéed mushrooms recipe that used beef broth (and a couple spray from the olive oil sprayer I have talked about before) and garlic, salt and pepper and he made them for me as a side dish to pork chops. They were DELICIOUS! I was super impressed that the made some bomb mushrooms even though he hates them. Anyway, I'll stop bragging now.<br />
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Enjoy your Valentine's Day y'all!<br />
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Talk to you next month!<br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-2475777790022681962018-01-24T13:59:00.003-06:002018-01-24T13:59:56.929-06:00Special Addendum!<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">COMING, FALL/WINTER 2018:</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">MY LIFE WITH<strike>OUT</strike> RANCH: THE BOOK</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">from 50/50 Press!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">More details as they arrive! I'll fill you in on all I know when I update on Valentine's Day! Stay Tuned!</span></b></div>
Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-70235490165015650392018-01-17T16:03:00.000-06:002018-01-17T16:03:46.603-06:00Welcome to 2018 Y'all!Happy 2018 y'all! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that you aren't currently freezing your butt off in this frigid weather. I'm just not cut out for cold weather. I do not enjoy it. I'm jumping right into to 2018 with goals, exciting news (TBA) and a path to better mental and physical health. I finally weighed this morning to take inventory/review the damage from the holidays. Since Thanksgiving, I've been indulging to say the least. We celebrated Christmas several times, then there was NYE, Ian's birthday (which happened to be the same day Alabama won yet another National Championship...ROLL TIDE) and a smattering of other caloric events. As of this morning, I need to lose 7.8 pounds to get back down to my pre-Thanksgiving weight. I expected this. I am not giving myself a strict timeline for this. I just want to have more of a routine and get back to a better, healthier schedule. Once I reach that goal, I will think about the next one. It's important to focus on small, individual goals. I am feeling good about things ahead.<br />
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I don't know if y'all are into resolutions but I made a list of several that included personal, career, health and other goals that I'm hoping will help me be a stronger, more determined human. This year I've taken the standard "lose weight" goal off the list and I'm focusing on more specific ways to get healthier that will surely lead to weight loss anyway. This year I'm ditching the dependence on numbers. For example, as silly as it sounds, one of my goals is to do a hand stand. Strength is something I'm aiming for both in muscle tone as well as mental strength. I've also banned edible bowls from my life in 2018 seeing as how I ate an unprecedented number of taco salads this year, destroying each and every fried tortilla bowl in its entirety. Other goals include paying off one of my credit cards that I've charged up again, being nicer to Ian, a multitude of teaching and writing goals, chewing my food better and easing up on the binge drinking. I haven't cut anything completely and I'm hoping that at the end of the year I can say that I lived 2018 better than I did 2017 and that I continue that progression every year.<br />
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One of the habits I picked up over the holidays was an incessant need to bake. I made lots of holiday cookies and then in an effort to get rid of some of the chocolate in the house, I made cookies from scratch. They were SO good but a dangerous item to have in the house. Mostly, my biggest issues with cookie would be the fact that I am a bowl licker from way back. No speck of dough gets left behind.<br />
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Now that I'm back in school, I'm hoping for routine. As usual, I'm always looking for grab and go lunches. I found this meal kit at Target that included carrots, grapes, cheese, crackers, hummus and a trail mix that combined nuts, dried cranberries and chocolate. It was super tasty and filling and I wasn't convinced it was only 360 calories for the whole pack. On top of that, it was $5, which isn't terrible but I thought making my own at home was a better plan. So, I included ham, smoked gouda, a hard-boiled egg, protein crackers, and a combo of dry roasted peanuts and dark chocolate. I missed the hummus so if I make one in the future, I may add that, but otherwise, it was easy to make and packed with protein.<br />
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Now that Ian and I are back to our routine of cooking dinner every night, we went ahead and got a Hello Fresh box to mix things up. This particular one had meals that both of us could eat happily (though Ian wouldn't touch the cauliflower with a ten foot pole). The first meal was BBQ chicken, green beans and macaroni and cheese. We added teryiaki sauce to the green beans and cooked them into oblivion because that's the only way Ian will eat them, but other than that, it was tasty. I'm always on board when macaroni and cheese is involved and the sauce for the chicken was great. The next meal was a burger with a delicious bun and caramelized onions. The only catch was that it came with "fried" cauliflower which meant that it was tossed together with oil and panko and thrown in the oven. I enjoyed it fine, but the burger was hands down the bright spot in that meal. They are always so juicy and flavorful from Hello Fresh. The last meal we got was a chicken sausage and orzo dish that had spinach and tomatoes. It was also great. Ian isn't a huge fan of sausage (I know, right?) but even he had to admit the dish was delicious. I especially liked the bites that had chunks of mozzarella in them. Hello Fresh is a bit pricy but it's super convenient and always fantastic quality.<br />
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I wanted to tell you about a new product I got from QVC. It's called an EVO Oil Sprayer. You can put whatever oil you want in it but when you spray, it squirts out 1/4 of a teaspoon of oil. I love this because I know exactly how much I'm putting on whatever I'm making and it spreads the oil out well. This way I don't have to use too much oil. A little bit goes a long way with this and I highly recommend it as a product. That's all for now! Holla at y'all soon!Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-91772258626340654932017-12-20T15:46:00.001-06:002017-12-20T15:46:40.166-06:00Jingaling Y'all<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, y'all! I'm finally done with the most intense semester of my life. And other than doing some planning for next semester, I'm home free until January 11th. Next semester won't be nearly as insane but that will mean I have less money. It's what I believe they call a double edged sword. Also, I'm working out super hard, especially now that I have more time, but in terms of diet, I'm hanging on by a thread. I'm hovering around 5 pounds up from Thanksgiving still (Thanksgiving was great btw) and it's only going to get worse as I travel to Nashville and Chattanooga and then spend Christmas at home. I'm trying not to go crazy but there's always something holiday/calorie-related challenge thrown in my face. This is how it is every year but the problem is, the older I get, the harder it is to lose the holiday weight. But, I feel optimistic.<br />
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The last couple weeks of school were rigorous and I was tired of frozen meals so Ian whipped me up some ground beef/taco seasoning. I split it up and every day that week I brought it along with a spinach tortilla wrap and some leftover Moe's salsa to go with it. It was great and easy...especially since Ian made the meat.<br />
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Also, I had some frozen lemonade leftover from my vegan for a day experiment and used it to make a more calorie friendly margarita for myself and Cassandra. They were DELICIOUS! I put the frozen lemonade in the blender, added tequila and a little bit of skinny margarita mix. It was pretty much a stroke of genius on my part.<br />
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I've experimented with Blue Apron before but then a friend sent me a free week of Hello Fresh. It's essentially the same as Blue Apron but for Ian, I think the options are slightly better for a picky eater on Hello Fresh. First, we had a yummy chicken pesto pasta. They sent enough chicken and extras to have a chicken salad sandwich the next day. The next meal was a giant, delicious, juicy cheesy burger. The last dish was a simple but tasty chicken and rice dish. Ian really likes cooking these because they make him feel fancy. Plus, all the groceries are right there for us. For me, it's a bit pricy so we won't get them all the time, but it's nice occasionally.<br />
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For a quick breakfast, I tried the frozen Special K Quiche that had quinoa, cheese and mushroom. I put it on top of toast and to be honest, for a frozen meal, it wasn't too shabby. It was filling and mostly enjoyable.<br />
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My mom cooks dinner every Sunday and so I got an urge to cook for my family and give my mom a break last Sunday. I wanted to bake a crap ton of Christmas cookies and four hours later on a Saturday night there were one million cookies in my house. On Sunday night, I wanted to get fancy so I make a standing prime rib roast, havarti and spinach mac & cheese and yorkshire pudding. I am always getting pictures of the process but sometimes I get excited and forget to take a picture of the completed meal. The prime rib was SOO good. I was scared to make it because it's an expensive piece of meat...but I played it low and slow...and it turned out fantastic. The rest of the meal was great too. Lots of food and fun and family right now. I'm in the "bowl full of jelly" portion of the Santa story right now.<br />
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I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!<br />
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Roll Tide!<br />
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See you all in January!<br />
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Buhbye!<br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-44388611002955678752017-11-22T11:29:00.000-06:002017-11-22T11:29:54.477-06:00Vegan For A Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey y'all! It's been another busy month and tomorrow is Thanksgiving! I am immensely blessed and so thankful for everything that I have...even when I complain. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with the people you love!<br />
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Since I last posted, I've celebrated Halloween and been to a conference in New York. For Halloween, Ian and I made a last minute change. He went as Princess Leia and I went as Hans Solo...not exactly my cutest look but we had fun.<br />
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A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of heading to Long Island, New York for the inaugural Sag Harbor Creative Nonfiction Writers Conference. It was there that I met a group of people from all different walks of life, all expressing their past and present on the page in different ways. To be honest, the criticism and praise I received in workshop was both helpful, confusing, terrifying and wonderful. Long Island is a beautiful area and I hope to get back there one day. By far, the most rewarding experience was getting to know the other writers at the conference. Everyone was so warm and supportive. I am so glad that I went.<br />
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Ever since I watched the documentary <i>What the Health</i> about the meat industry, I wanted to see what a day in the life of a vegan would look like. To give myself a warmup, I had a vegetarian lunch this week. I used a can of fire roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, Greek Yogurt cream cheese, a little olive oil and jarred pesto. I threw it all in the blender and heated the mixture on the stove for a creamy tomato soup. I served that with a grilled cheese sandwich. The next day I had it for breakfast with eggs on top. I had no problems with not having meat in this meal because it was delicious. I also had cheese, which is my deepest addiction. This was a small preview for yesterday, when I went completely without meat and cheese.<br />
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For breakfast, I had biscuits and jelly. For the jelly, you have to find one that doesn't have gelatin. It needs to have fruit pectin instead. The biscuits are made just like normal biscuits but instead of butter, you use butter flavored Crisco and instead of milk, you use almond milk. I discovered that my taste for jelly is limited to the fake stuff you get in tiny packets, but the breakfast was delicious. The biscuits were fluffy and delicious. I didn't feel like I was lacking anything.<br />
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At lunch, I whipped up some mixed vegetables. I will say that being vegan for a day required much more preparation than I'm used to. Luckily, it's fall break so I had time to make homemade biscuits for breakfast and sautéed vegetables for lunch. If this were a long term diet, I'd have to figure out some grab and go lunches or do some food prep. I used a vegan approved wrap (Mission brand, spinach flavor) and topped it with hummus, lettuce, olives, cucumbers and the sautéed vegetables which included mushrooms, zucchini and onions. On the side, I had some Fritos. Yes! They are vegan. The lunch was filling for sure and pretty tasty. Looking back, I would probably add additional flavor. I seasoned the vegetables with salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder and smoked paprika but the entire time I kept thinking I wish the wrap had barbecue sauce or some kind of marinade. This was also the first moment I started to crave cheese. I mean, the veggie wrap was good but a good sprinkle of feta or parmesan would have been clutch.<br />
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For a snack, I had a few Oreos. I was happy, surprised and a little freaked out to discover that Oreos were vegan.<br />
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Dinner was an Asian pasta dish. Finding vegan pasta took several minutes. Since I'm not a pro, I looked at a lot of different brands to make sure it didn't have eggs/didn't come from a place with eggs. I finally found a good brand of thin spaghetti noodles, so I guess I'd eventually find a few "go to" brands. For this dish, I used tofu. I've had tofu several times in my life, but I think I've only cooked with it once and that was years ago. I had Ian prep the tofu for me because I was at the gym. That was probably a mistake because the process grossed him out. Essentially, you have to drain all the water off the tofu. I bought extra firm. Ian added several paper towels to a plate, placed the tofu on top, added more paper towels and then topped with a cast iron skillet. Then, he left it for about an hour and it worked like a charm! We sautéed the tofu with onions, seasoning, sesame oil and soy sauce. We also boiled the pasta (obviously) and mixed together a sauce to toss it all with. The sauce had peanut butter, soy sauce, red chili sauce and sesame oil. My first taste of the sauce about blew my head off with spice. So, we added more peanut butter and soy sauce to try and simmer it down. It helped a bit with the spice, but ended up making the pasta a bit gummy because of the added peanut butter. We tossed it all together and then topped with green onion and chopped peanuts. So, Ian HATED the tofu. He tried so hard to eat it. If I cook it again, I'll toast it instead because it was still a bit soft, but I actually didn't mind it. The pasta itself was really yummy but still a bit too spicy for my taste. I love Asian flavors that include spicy and peanut but I added a bit too much chili sauce. When Ian finally gave up on his vegan pasta, he went in the kitchen and heated a frozen cheeseburger and some macaroni and cheese. When he started eating it, my mouth flooded with water. I wanted to rip his face off for eating that in front of me. It was actually eye opening to realize how addicted I am to meat and cheese...specifically cheese.<br />
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My last snack was dessert and it was frozen lemonade. That I will eat again, especially since I bought a whole box of them, but it was yummy! I had the strawberry flavor. It was low in calories and pretty tasty.<br />
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I think that I want to be more conscious about eating meat. I don't know that I'm ready to make any kind of drastic change, but my dependence on meat and cheese is not good. Cheese would be more difficult to give up than meat I think. I'm so obsessed with it. It's a problem. I will say that I ate too much on vegan day. I was making sure that I didn't feel deprived so I ate a few junk items I normally wouldn't like Fritos and Oreos. My weight is about the same so I know I'll gain this week because of Thanksgiving and I plan to detox next week. I hope y'all have a great break!<br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-42820862720820419282017-10-25T13:47:00.001-05:002017-10-25T13:47:27.117-05:00Noodles, Zoodles and Oodles of Other Stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey y'all! Long time no speak! I have been running around like a mad woman since August. To be honest, when I started collecting pictures to include this post since the last time I posted, I couldn't quite believe what all I've eaten and where all I've been in the past month (football games and Kings of Leon concert pictured). I've been to concerts and football games and I've been having a great time. Time is flying by. I normally don't like to wish time away (at least not out loud), but this has been the busiest semester I've ever had and I'm most definitely counting down the days until winter break. Having said, that I'm excited about all the football, travel and food that will happen before I get to that point. Next week is Halloween and even though I will have class at 8AM the next day, I'm still looking forward to it. The highlight for next week, though, is my trip to Long Island, NY! I am headed to the Sag Harbor Creative Nonfiction Writer's Conference. I'm terrified but super stoked to be headed northeast to get some writing time in. With school being so busy, I've barely had time to think. I work on my book weekly but I haven't been giving it enough attention. As soon as I leave for the airport Thursday morning, I'm hanging up my teaching costume and donning my writerly attire. I have no issues with traveling alone, but I am a bit nervous about going from LaGuardia to Long Island. I've gotten some great advice but traveling in NY can be confusing. I'm sure I'll figure it all out.<br />
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Before there is Long Island next week, there was Maryland a couple weeks ago. The University of Alabama sent me to Baltimore to learn about using technology in the classroom. I learned a good deal and I'm glad I got to go. It was a bit weird exploring a city alone but I felt I got a good sense of who Baltimore is... I went to Fort McHenry, peeked at an awesome, massive library, played at a fun park and visited Edgar Allen Poe's grave. Also, I ate. I enjoyed lots of great food and drinks. I ate macarons and an avocado BLT that were both tasty. I think the two most notable meals I had were the pit beef sandwich and the crab cake. Maryland is known for both. Pit beef is sweet and hearty and it didn't disappoint. What I was most enthralled by was the crab cake. I have tried crab cakes several times and I've never once liked them. They always have too much bread and the ones I've had tasted like sage...and I'm NOT a fan of sage. Well, I was told that I couldn't swing one way or another on crab cakes until I had one from Maryland and y'all, I've changed my ways. It was huge, with fresh crab meat. There was little to no filler and it was simply delicious! If you are a crab cake skeptic, let Maryland change your mind.<br />
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In terms of food around town, I have had my ups and downs as usual. I still exercise every day and because of my schedule, I'm walking around campus a lot and standing up to teach every day so I'm burning the heck out of some calories. I think that's helped. Because I have a forever sweet tooth, I'm always craving sugar. I tried out this "Cake For One" situation pictured above. It heats up in the microwave. It's not low calorie but the portion is smaller than a piece of cake I'd typically have and it was a perfect way to curb my craving. I found it tasty and easy and didn't have to worry about leftover cake haunting me. Also, because it's Halloween, I always find my way to a caramel apple. This time, I got a giant one from Kentuck Festival in Northport. I cut it into slices and savored each piece. So. Good. If you're not into apples, but you're looking for brunch in Tuscaloosa, head to Avenue Pub. I got the pork chop and it came on top a bed of potatoes, had a fried egg on top and was covered in conecuh sausage gravy. It was divine! Finally, today was the first day I tried AJ McArron's sushi restaurant AJIAN. He's a former quarterback and it became apparent today that he knows Tuscaloosa folks tend to want their sushi to taste more like food from the Hibachi grill and less like raw fish. I will eat "real" sushi, but, if I'm being honest, I prefer what I had today from their "Build Your Own Roll" menu. Mine had steak, fried shrimp, soy paper, brown rice, green onion, cream cheese and avocado. It was topped with crunchy tempura, sesames seeds, spicy may and Sriracha. It was sooooo yummy. I highly recommend.<br />
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As far as cooking goes, I haven't done much of it. I simply have not had time. I'm still relying mostly on Ian's culinary skills to get me through. (FYI, the picture of flowers above came from him. I just wanted to brag.) One thing he did make last week was a Little Big Meal from Fresh Market. Y'all, for $20, we got a pound of pasta, sauce, cheese, salad and four GIGANTIC chicken breasts. It really is their best deal. I tell you about this because I discovered that at places like Target and Fresh Market, you can now pay an exorbitant amount for zoodles so you don't have to waste your precious energy making your own. It's a first world luxury but that night, I wasn't mad at it. I like to eat about half zoodles and then mix in some regular past with it to play a fun mental game with myself where I trick myself into believing that zucchini and pasta are the same. Anyway, y'all know I'm a proud supported of the Little Big Meal.<br />
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I wanted to share with y'all that my mom and I have been participating in a self defense class for women the past month. Now, I'm not one to judge folks for having guns but they aren't my bag. There are definitely pro-gun murmurings in the class because they discuss them the first day and have an optional range day to round out the class, so if you can't even talk about guns, much less shoot one, either prepare to take their discussion on guns as a grain of salt or choose not to do it all together. Having said that, I highly recommend taking the class in T-Town (let me know if you're interested, I'll pass along the info) or taking it anywhere you can. They teach you practical skills to escape a potential predator. The class has made both my Mom and me feel more confident in case something happens. I think overall it has been an empowering and enjoyable experience.<br />
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When it comes to exercise, as I mentioned, I'm still going strong. I go to 9 Round 4 or 5 times a week and last week, they did a fundraiser for breast cancer. Why they always want me to take pictures AFTER a workout, I'm not sure, but that's OK. Also, I was going to tell you about my bunion woes. I'm so embarrassed to talk about this and I'm not sure why. Bunion is just the ugliest word. I have had bunions on both feet for years. I assume it comes from a combo of my fluctuation in weight, flat feet and years of wearing really tall shoes. Now, I suffer for it on a daily basis. The bunion on my right foot doesn't just hurt sometimes, it hurts ALL the time now. Even when I'm asleep in bed, it will throb in pain. Ibuprofen helps a bit but the over the counter bunion wrap thing I tried didn't work. Apparently, unless you have a very painful surgery, there's not much that can be done about it. So, basically, I just wanted to complain.<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-14167959572398009392017-09-27T19:06:00.003-05:002017-09-27T19:06:48.945-05:00Lunch Boxes, Birthdays and Everything in Between<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'd like to give a few birthday shoutouts before I begin. The first one goes to my Oma! Her birthday was on the 19th of this month and unfortunately, she spent it in the hospital. My Oma is quite the trooper. She's been through a lot since March and while she's still spending her time in a hospital bed, I hope that she's on the road to recovery!<br />
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My second birthday shoutout is to Lisa, my brother's fiancé. She turned 25 on the 25th! We will have to go out sometime to celebrate.<br />
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The final "Happy Birthday" is to my mom! Her birthday is Sunday and we will cook her dinner. You do a lot Mom! Thank you for all of it!<br />
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Since I last posted a month ago, I weigh about the same amount (give or take a few ounces). I've been supremely busy so during the week, eating isn't really a priority, which is a new feeling. I, as always, blow it out on the weekends (and anytime I eat Mexican food) so nothing has changed there. I knew that eventually my schedule and lack of rest would catch up to me. On Monday, I felt like someone had set my throat on fire. The beast of a disease has now moved to my chest and I am miserable, y'all. Luckily, I started a round of heavy antibiotics today so I'm hoping to rest some and get better. Ain't nobody got time to feel sick. When I'm not in my sick bed, probably making typos, I'm at school pretty much all day every day. Because I'm a poor, I can't buy my lunch out every day so I've been bringing it to school with me. I've had a wide array of lunches including sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, hummus and homemade chicken salad (using light mayo, green onion flavored Greek Yogurt cream cheese, bacon bits and hard boiled eggs).<br />
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I also made a giant vat of taco soup that has been nice for both lunch and dinner. Taco Soup is nothing new to you but it is delicious, immensely simple and came at a good time since I hear you're supposed to have soup when you're sick. The only problem I had was that there are only two people in this house and enough taco soup to drown someone. We tried hard but still had to let a little bit of it go today. Next time I'll be sure to freeze a few servings so I don't have to waste and/or get tired of eating it.<br />
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When I begin teaching my students argument, I like to show them a documentary. I choose a different documentary every semester and this month, I went with <i>What the Health </i>on Netflix. I went in thinking it would be another version of <i>Supersize Me</i>, making obvious statements about the lack of healthy options at fast food restaurants. It was so much worse than that. This movie was a direct assault against the meat, dairy, pharmaceutical and associations that raise money for cancer and heart disease. I knew that money ran our country. I guess I just didn't know that money was more important than the health of American citizens. This will derail your feelings about foods you only THOUGHT were healthy like chicken, eggs, fish, etc. Essentially, unless you grow/slaughter it yourself, it is processed with carcinogens that are as addictive as drugs and cigarettes. I mean, I always knew there was a reason I reached into the fridge for my quick parmesan fix. Look, I haven't stopped eating the foods the documentary outlined as dangerous but that's because it was almost all food. I do plan on cutting back on process foods in slow increments. It's hard out there when everything is bad for you. I definitely recommend it as something to watch though. I believe willful <span style="text-align: center;">ignorance is a bad thing. Since I posted, Alabama has won all of their games, I've been to a ton of concerts and I've graded what feels like 1,000 papers already! I'm going to Maryland at the end of next week for a Teaching with Technology Conference so even though I'm overwhelmed, I have lots of awesome opportunities happening this semester! </span>Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-61477777981099231122017-08-30T11:24:00.001-05:002017-08-30T11:24:47.413-05:00Back to SchoolHowdy y'all! It's almost September and life is about as hectic as it gets right now...until the paper grading starts. Since I have more students than ever and I'm working on finishing a book (and maybe starting another?), I think I'm going to start posting once a month. My goal is to begin utilizing Twitter (@mylifewoutranch), Facebook (mylifewithoutranch) and Instagram (mylifewithoutranch) much more so please, if you haven't already, find me there and follow. When I make an official post to the blog, I will give more thorough updates and (hopefully) have more food-related ideas. I am not married to this idea yet but I'm trying to learn how to prioritize so when I'm not managing around 130 students, I need to be working on the book. I am excited to say that the third draft is done. Now it's time to read through it and begin the revision process. If anyone would like to be a "reader," please let me know! I can't pay but I can tell you how awesome you are! I'm also heading to New York in November for a non-fiction writing conference and I'm terrified and thrilled all at the same time. Things are happening...I just have to keep going.<br />
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My family and I went to the beach for a quick trip last weekend and before I went, I was somehow down 1.4 pounds. I'm not complaining. To be honest, I've been very zen about my body the past few weeks. I haven't recoiled at my sight or beaten myself up nearly as much. I see this as a positive thing. The whole premise of the book is to love who you are in the moment. If I'm healthy (mentally and physically), the rest kind of falls in to place! Having said that, I have found that during the day I'm super busy and eat to sustain...when I get home...I'm a ravenous monster. To fix that, Ian and I went on a huge shopping trip yesterday so I'm not searching for something quick and unhealthy to eat after a long day. The beach was fun. Work is hectic but I love it...and here we go.<br />
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I've made a lot of toast in the day. Bread is a vessel and it is laden with a world of possibilities. Prior to the grocery trip I took last night, Ian and I had a bare pantry. I was being super creative with the remaining options. I had bread, cheese, pizza sauce and frozen pulled chicken. So, I made chicken parmesan toast. It is pretty simple. I put the bread under the broiler and while one side toasted, I heated the chicken, combined it with pizza sauce and grated parmesan. Then, I pulled out the bread, flipped it over and added the chicken mixture. I popped it under the broiler for two minutes, pulled it out, then added low fat mozzarella slices. I let it go a few more minutes under the broiler and then it was done! It wasn't pretty but it was quick, easy, tasty and fairly low in calories. I can be quite crafty when I need to be.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">This semester I have an 8AM class. It pretty much sucks to have class that early. The students hate it and you and well, it's not my favorite time to have class. I'm always in a rush and I'm poor so I need to avoid fast food and have something I can heat up quickly. Last night, I made an assembly line of light English muffins, eggs, ham, and cheese and built quick breakfast sandwiches that I can freeze. Most people recommend baking the eggs in jumbo muffin tins. I only have regular sized muffin tins so the eggs turn out too clunky to go on the sandwiches. Instead, I had the idea to just bake them in a casserole dish. I scrambled all 12 eggs in a bowl, added a splash of water (you could use milk but I decided to skip the calories, and then sprinkled in some salt, pepper and garlic powder. I sprayed the bottom of a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. I baked the egg on the bottom rack of the oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Then, I moved them to the top for 15 minutes. Once they were done, I let them cool while I got out the plastic wrap and started cutting the muffins. The most difficult part of this was most definitely the plastic wrap. I fight with that stuff on a regular basis. Once I got going (with Ian's help), the sandwiches assembled in just a few moments and then I had 12 sandwiches ready to go in the freezer! This morning, I defrosted it in the microwave for one minute, flipped it and then heated it at full power for a minute. It was pretty good! I was full and though I would obviously prefer an egg that wasn't THAT cooked, my idea worked pretty well. I think maybe next time I may add some veggies to the egg too. Now I have about a month of breakfasts to grab before my 8AM class. I am saving money and calories so I will most definitely do that again.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I hope you all have a great month!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">ROLL TIDE!!! (It is football season </span>after all!)</div>
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-44511541570959999272017-08-23T12:56:00.001-05:002017-08-23T12:56:40.612-05:00I've got five minutes...Hey y'all! Today is the first day of school at the University of Alabama which means, I'm sweating, couldn't find a parking space and have 300 emails. Summer is officially over, so I'm going to make this quick. I didn't weigh last week because I haven't exactly been a picture of perfection on the weekends. I plan on weighing Friday before a quick trip to the beach with my family. Once that's over, I am hoping routine and general hectic-ness will keep me on a more healthy path. The good news is, I'm not beating myself up mentally. I feel fine. I have a lot going on and as Popeye says, I am who I am. Cheers to the new school year!<br />
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The first recipe today was snagged from Pinterest. They are called Parmesan Potatoes and they are tasty and easy to make. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grab a bowl and combine grated parmesan (about half a cup), and roughly half a teaspoon of salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder. Take a baking dish and add around 2 tablespoons of olive oil, swirling it around until it coats the bottom. Then, sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Line baby potatoes that you've cut in half to the bottom of the pan. This makes an awesome crust on the potato. The crust is most definitely the most exciting part so bake this dish around 40 minutes or until you can see the oil/cheese all bubbling and brown underneath the potatoes. I still added ketchup to these potatoes but they were a nice change up from the norm. I served them with grilled chicken and broccoli.<br />
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Since I'm a Food Network addict, I often see things I want to try when watching it. I was watching Guy's Grocery Games one day and one of the chefs said he was going to add a "5-Minute" egg to something. Essentially, it's a soft boiled egg. I'd never made one before so I decided to give it a shot and top a salad with it. The idea is to bring water to a boil, add your eggs, boil them for 5 minutes then remove them from the water and put them into a bowl of ice water. This KIND OF worked. The problem I had was removing the shell. Because the yolk was still runny, the egg kind of exploded on my hand when I tried to crack it. The result was still acceptable. I had most of my runny yolk left, added salt and pepper and it made a nice addition to my salad. I'll have to work on this one a little bit.<br />
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Have a great week!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Bye!<br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-61061756314965204992017-08-16T10:03:00.003-05:002017-08-16T10:03:54.646-05:00Zucchini SeasonHowdy y'all! I'm typing this from a Nashville hotel room. I'll be leaving soon to head home but it's been an exhausting and fun couple of days. Ian and I drove from Tuscaloosa to Atlanta on Monday morning, helped load a moving truck for his mother and then drove to Nashville (where she will now be living) in one day. We got there right at dinner time on Monday, ate then slept and then moved her in to her new apartment yesterday. When we were done with all that, we got a chance to play in Nashville and had a blast. I am SO TIRED though. Yikes. I was worried about not getting enough exercise but the soreness in my butt, calves and arms tell me that I am going to be just fine on that front. We are stopping in North Alabama to see more of Ian's family on the way home and then I get to do nothing all night. I'm pretty excited about that. I have decided I probably won't weigh this week. Or, if I do, it will be with the full understanding that it's going to be...let's say...unfavorable. I managed to luck out and drop a couple pounds before this trip so nothing is too dire. I am going to the beach next weekend and then I am going to have an INSANELY busy semester with more students than I've ever had so I'm hoping the routine will be good for me. <div>
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I feel lucky because I'm not someone that hates vegetables. But, to be honest, I find them pretty boring unless they have fat and carbs in or around them. Because of that, it makes it difficult for me to get excited about vegetables when I'm trying to eat healthy. I use them as something I put on the plate to take up space so I don't eat too much of something I'd rather be eating...if that makes sense. I eat a crap ton of broccoli and I'm SO OVER it. So, I thought I'd get a couple zucchinis and jazz them up a bit for a little excitement. The first recipe I made: Zucchini Boats. I've made something similar to this before. I don't like peppers but I like the idea of "stuffing" things so I enjoy stuffing both zucchinis and mushrooms. However, I don't love putting forth effort and because zucchini boats have more than two steps, I rarely make them. This day, I was feeling OK about having a lunch that took more than three minutes to make. I kicked on the oven to 350, cut the zucchinis in half, gutted them (to make a boat), seasoned them with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika and threw them in the oven with some cooking spray so they could start softening. In a skillet, I browned some ground chicken and then added onion. I split the chicken into two bowls. In one, I mixed Sriracha, ranch (a TINY bit) and some string cheese for a "buffalo chicken" effect and in the other bowl, I combined pizza sauce, shaved parmesan and string cheese for a "pizza" effect. I stuffed the zucchini with those mixtures and put them back in the oven for about ten minutes. They came out perfectly. I really liked the spicy one. The Sriracha gave it a nice kick! These are awesome because they had almost zero fat and they were super filling. </div>
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The other zucchini recipe I made was a combination of a recipe I saw on Pinterest and a couple ideas in my own head. I still had polenta left from another recipe so I heated it up in a skillet after I seasoned it with salt, pepper and garlic powder (which I do with everything including the ground chicken I mentioned above). In another skillet, I sautéed zucchini, onion, garlic, bacon (the pre-cooked kind that's 80 calories), and sun-dried tomatoes. Once everything was hot, softened and all brown, I placed the polenta on a plate and then added the zucchini mixture. To top it all off I added shaved parmesan and those little fake onion salad topper things you put on green bean casserole. I never think about getting those but I'm so glad I did. I've been putting them on everything for texture...including hot dogs (that idea came from the Kitchen). Anyway, the dish was so easy and DELICIOUS! I don't know why but there's something luxurious about a sun-dried tomato for me and I think they were my favorite part. Essentially, you can pile anything on polenta if you want. I recommend both of these dishes highly. If you don't like zucchini, you could choose pretty much any stuffable or sautée-able veggie. </div>
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That's all I have! Y'all have a good week!<br /><br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-65296476557923271932017-08-09T13:42:00.001-05:002017-08-09T13:42:22.421-05:00Birthday Wishes and French Fry Dreams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey y'all! I'd like to start the blog today by wishing my bestie/former common law wife Cassandra a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I know you're working right now but I still hope you have a great day! Things will be a little wonky in the next few days in terms of diet as I'll be traveling some and eating a couple rounds of Mexican food but I'll work to do as well as possible when possible and only indulge when it's really, really worth it. I've done well this week and when I weighed Saturday I was down almost half a pound. I'll take it! The Fall semester is looming, I have one more beach weekend at the end of August and then I'll have a rigorous teaching schedule that always helps keep me in line and less mopey about eating healthy. The students are baaaaackkkkk and I think I'm ready for them.<br />
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This week I wanted to show you a dinner that I made that substituted fried foods. Notice I didn't say they "replaced" fried foods...just a substitute. I made Trisha Yearwood's recipe for "Unfried Chicken" and a Pinterest find for curly fries with no oil. Both actually tasted great! I especially loved the chicken because even though it didn't taste better than fried, it was really crunchy so it had my approval. All you do is season chicken breasts, dip them in a mixture of non-fat buttermilk and sriracha sauce and then dredge them in a combination of Panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan and whatever spices you want. I am always using salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic so that's what I added. Add the chicken breasts to a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, parchment paper and non-stick cooking spray and bake at 400 for about 30 minutes. I left it in a bit longer to get it crunchier and more golden brown. To go with it, I made curly fries with no oil. I took my zoodle maker and stuck a potato in it. Now, if you've got the Kitchen-Aid attachment for zucchini noodles, I feel like this would be super simple. It was a huge pain in the rear end with the cheap plastic thing I have. I feel like Zeus himself couldn't have gotten more curly fries than I could have out of that potato. Once I had enough for two servings, I gave up. Other than the annoyance of getting the curly fry shape, it was a cinch. You just toss the potatoes in a bowl with salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika...you get the idea. I stuck those in with the chicken at 400 and let them go just as long. I could have let them go a bit longer but even though they don't have oil, they actually do crisp up pretty well because they are so thin. I really enjoyed this meal. It had flavor and crunch and it was satisfying...plus there was almost no fat in the entire thing. That's all I have today! Until next week!Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-79964823968788813092017-08-02T09:37:00.001-05:002017-08-02T09:37:18.582-05:00No Pain No GrainHappy August y'all! School starts back in a few weeks and I'm totally ready! Jk. I'm going to be scrambling around last minute like always. I'm proud of what I've accomplished this summer but, of course, wish I'd done more. In terms of my life sentence of weight/body image issues, I used my own scale to weigh last week and it was quite different than the scale at Weight Watchers. It worked in my favor because it showed I was down around four pounds in the past couple weeks and I would bet money that's not true. Having said that, I'm totally going with it and I'll probably use my scale from now on. It's a mental battle as you know. I used all of my "extra" points over the weekend enjoying my 15 year high school reunion (oh, boy!) and the required amount of comfort food on Sunday. It's been a decent week but I'm a bit deflated in terms of motivation (surprise, surprise). Having said that, I have branched out a bit this week with the food I make at home and changing things up always makes me happy.<br />
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Ian and I have this routine where he grills a meat and then we throw together our own sides. He pretty much eats instant mashed potatoes and frozen mac and cheese every night and I usually have a bland vegetable with frozen hash browns or French fries. As convenient and "fine" this food is, I was going a little crazy eating the same thing over and over. This week I decided to make something different that Ian and I could both agree on to have with our grilled pork chops. Ian likes two vegetables other than the iceberg lettuce and onions he drenches in ranch to have a "salad." Those two vegetables are tomatoes and spinach. I am not a huge fan of tomatoes unless they are cooked to a pulp so I tried to find a recipe using spinach. Of course, Pinterest didn't disappoint. I made a spinach and brown rice recipe that was delicious and different from our norm. Just sauté some onions and garlic in a tiny bit of olive oil and then add 1-1/4 cups of brown rice. I found some garlic flavored Uncle Ben's that said it would be ready in about 10 minutes. Just follow the instructions on the bag for how long it should take. I let the rice toast in the oil, onion and garlic for a few seconds. Then, I added 2-1/2 cups of low sodium chicken broth, salt and pepper to the rice. I stirred it all together and brought it to a boil. I gave it one last stir and covered it for about 6 or 7 minutes. I stirred it again and then let it go about 2 or 3 more minutes. Y'all, for the first time EVER, I didn't burn the rice. Not one grain stuck to the pan. I think it was in part due to the olive oil I used for the onions and the fact that I used the copper chef skillet. Either way, it was monumental. Once the rice was all fluffy, I added a whole bag of fresh spinach that I roughly chopped. It looks like a lot but cooks WAY down. Once it was all incorporated, I added "1/4 cup" of shaved parmesan. Can I just go ahead and admit that I have a problem with shaved parmesan? Like, if there's a support group out there, let me know because I can't seem to quit eating it. Once the cheese was added, it was done. I added more shaved parmesan (obviously) and it was creamy and delicious! I usually refrain from eating pasta and rice because it's hard for me to wrap my head around the portion sizes so I saved up quite a bit of points to have a bit extra. It was yummy and something Ian and I could both eat so it was a win!<br />
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In order to change up breakfast a bit, I made polenta with poached eggs. I have eggs every morning. Usually I eat two "fried" eggs on top of low cal toast. I'm OK with that but saw the polenta in the store and thought I'd try it. I'm so happy that I did! If I've made polenta, I don't remember. All I did was spray a skillet with non-stick butter flavored spray and add two half inch slices of polenta that I seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. I cooked them about 3-4 minutes per side on low-medium heat. That serving of polenta was only 70 calories! Once the polenta was done, I topped each slice with poached eggs. This wasn't my best poached egg effort. I lost most of my whites but the yolks were still in tact and I was able to get the runny yolk I love. I topped it all with a tablespoon and a half of real bacon bits. Y'all, this was so rich and decadent and the whole thing was under 250 calories. I highly recommend it. I may try the polenta some other ways while I have it. I'll let you know.<br />
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Enjoy your week!<br />
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Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-41723298695992461032017-07-26T10:10:00.000-05:002017-07-26T10:10:25.441-05:00Shrimp: Fancy & FastHey y'all! I hope the last week of July is going well for you and that you aren't melting in the heat. I walked my dogs for about ten minutes yesterday and I immediately started pouring sweat. It's so gross outside. I skipped my weigh in last week because I went to bed too late the night before and frankly, I wasn't too excited about getting on the scale. I will get on in a couple of days to see where I am. Right now, my motivation fluctuates by the minute. At the risk of being a broken record (I realize I've been one for years now), I'll just attempt to take it one day at a time.<br />
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This week I wanted to share two recipes that I threw together with shrimp only using groceries I had on hand. I had an idea last week to make a quick shrimp and grits. This dish is typically a rich, luscious bowl of goodness loaded down with fat. I won't pretend mine lived up to a restaurant style shrimp and grits but it WAS delicious. I sautéed zucchini, onion and shrimp in a skillet using a couple tablespoons of an olive oil based dressing. That way, it already had built in oil and flavor so I didn't have to use butter or additional oil. While that was in the pan, I took two packets of instant grits (one ham flavor, one cheddar flavor) and cooked them in a sauce pan after boiling about half a cup of water. Once it was done cooking, I added a bit of unsweetened almond milk to make the grits a bit creamier (not to brag but this was a great idea on my part...it really worked!). When it came time to assemble, I put the grits in the bowl, added the zucchini, onion, shrimp mixture and then topped the dish with a few real bacon bits and some fresh, shaved parmesan. This was a ton of yummy food with lots of flavor (FYI, I also seasoned the shrimp with salt, pepper, garlic and smoked paprika) and VERY little fat. Not only that, it took me about ten minutes to make. I will most definitely be making this again. I forgot how convenient, filling and guilt free a packet of instant grits could be.<br />
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The next day, I used the remaining shrimp by slinging them on a couple kabobs and throwing them on the grill. I seasoned those with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika and cooked them on the grill a couple minutes on each side. While they were grilling, I threw together a Greek-style salad with fat free feta, kalamata olives, the same olive-oil dressing, onions and cucumbers. I topped the salad with the shrimp, shaved parmesan and a few Goldfish crackers for croutons because I'm a giant 5 year old. It was big and bright and a perfect summer lunch. Shrimp is awesome because it takes almost no time to prepare and allows you to have a break from chicken and vegetables when you're trying to eat healthy.<br />
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Have a good week everyone!<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-23577123499937705392017-07-19T09:13:00.000-05:002017-07-19T09:13:26.161-05:00Junk Food JunkieHey y'all! We are right in the middle of the week and I hope it's going well for you. I was up over 2 pounds when I weighed on Saturday which was both surprising and typical. I think I was getting paid back for the week before as my behavior last week didn't warrant that much of a gain. I'm feeling frustrated with my body. My lack of metabolism combined with the summertime slump I face every year as a teacher is zapping my motivation. I've done well this week but feel bloated and down after two disappointing weeks in a row. I'm doing everything I can to keep it going because I know once school starts, things should get better. My teaching routine bleeds into my food routine and getting up to work at the same time every day gives me more energy. Don't look for much positivity from me this week. I'm not feeling it.<br />
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One of the reasons I have issues is I have an undying love for junk food. I love chips and dip and fast food. I don't really eat it anymore, or at least not regularly, but I still crave it. One of my favorite dips on the planet is Buffalo Chicken Dip. I never make it but if other people do, I'll eat it until I'm sick. Well, it came to my attention that grocery stores have started selling it with the other dips. I thought this would be perfect because I would know exactly how many calories I was having and I could break out the measuring spoons so I didn't eat too much. So, I was at Wal-Mart and despite the horribly obnoxious and dumb branding, I bought their Buffalo Chicken Dip. I feel dumb for buying any food branded only towards men but to be honest, I also drink Dr. Pepper 10. Even though I contributed to the random sexism found in a dip, I will admit I enjoyed eating it. It wasn't as good as the fresh, hot dip I've had at parties, but it had great flavor and went well with the precisely 53 pretzels I ate it with. I'll probably seek out a different brand next time but I'm happy to know it's a snack I can buy anytime.<br />
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Not only do I love junk food, I also enjoy fast food. What I find more frustrating than anything about my fluctuating weight is that I don't eat the "no no" foods anymore. I can't remember the last time I just popped through a drive thru for a burger and fries, or had a pack of Oreos in the house. I don't eat chicken fingers or pasta dishes or desserts at restaurants. I've completely changed the way I eat and yet, I gain weight. All it takes is an extra beer on the weekends, or too much food on a Sunday night or one fun day at a food truck festival for me to gain weight. Anyway, I digress. I was craving foods that a toddler would ask for so I decided to make chicken nuggets and fries. I used the single serve fries that I've been using which are so easy to pop in the microwave. The nuggets were actually made with ground chicken. I combined the ground chicken (which was seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and parmesan cheese) and then formed them into a nugget shape. After that, I dunked each nugget in a combination of Italian seasoned bread crumbs, more garlic and more parmesan cheese. Excuse my aggressive man hands in the photo but I wanted you to see the process. Once they are all lined up on a pan, pop them in the oven at 350 around 15-20 minutes, until they are golden brown. While they baked, I made my fries (and also threw an egg roll in the oven to complete my brown food trifecta) and made a dipping sauce. I used light mayo, sriracha, garlic and ketchup. There's no exact plan for this. If you like it more spicy, add more hot sauce or if you want creamier, add more mayo. You get the idea. The nuggets had good flavor but I do wish that I had baked them a bit longer. Also, I like ground chicken, but for nuggets, I think I'll use chicken breasts next time in the food processor. The ground chicken flavor made it taste like chicken nugget burgers and it was a little weird. I mean, I ate it, but it was weird.<br />
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Enjoy the rest of your week!<br />
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Until next time!<br />
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Bye!<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679328124677361260.post-23164015300245016972017-07-12T09:53:00.001-05:002017-07-12T09:53:18.361-05:00Easy PeasyHey y'all! We are half way through July and I am a little over a month away from the fall semester. I've been working on lesson plans and syllabi and to be honest, I'm ready to start back. I thrive from deadlines and structure and the summer is just a rogue, purge-like place where there are no rules. It makes it difficult to get anything done. In terms of weight, I gained 1.4 pounds after the awesome 3 pound week I had before. I fully expected this gain after the weekend of the fourth and my Dad's birthday. Actually, I'm glad it wasn't more. This week, I'm kind of meh about counting points. I am over it. That's never a good thing. Having said that, I've been reluctantly on top of my game. That means my weaknesses could shine through at any moment. I'm working on finding a renewed motivation to give me some umph until school starts.<br />
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The best way for me to stay within the parameters of my point allowance, is to find quick and easy grocery store items that I can rely on. I actually heard about Van's egg rolls in a Weight Watchers meeting and I'm so glad I found them. They are only 120 calories (3 points) and taste delicious after being baked in the oven. I eat them with anything but they were especially nice as a side to pork chops and then with my cauliflower "fried" rice. By the way, I impressed even myself with the cauliflower rice I made this week...putting the egg on top made me feel fancy. I give these egg rolls a thumbs up for sure.<br />
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So, I love barbecue sauce, but because of the sugar, Weight Watchers makes it difficult to eat it. What I have discovered is that I can have 3 tablespoons of Dreamland BBQ sauce for 1 point. It is a bit less than others because it's not as sweet. In fact, it has kind of a kick to it. I love Dreamland sauce so I've been using it a lot, even as a salad dressing. My most successful Dreamland fix was a quick lunch where I made a barbecue chicken sandwich. All I did was heat up a couple ounces of Tyson's frozen pulled chicken, added the sauce, lettuce and fat free feta. It was a fast and delicious sandwich. Dreamland sauce is adding flavor to my life for the time being. Do y'all have any fast, yummy ideas to stay on track during the week? Let me know! Until next week, y'all!<br />
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<br />Heather Wyatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12490083423446807039noreply@blogger.com0