Weight loss report!

I've lost 13 1/2 pounds so far!
Mike's lost 19!
Linda's down 6!
Jack's down 18!

Yes, it does work!
Please let me know how you are doing by commenting below!

Great Healthy Bread

For a 1 1/2 pound bread machine:

1/4 C oat bran

3/8 cup milk

1/2 c water (add 2 T more for Welbilt/Dak machine)

1 egg

3 c whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 T olive oil

1/4 cup honey or agave

1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds

2 tsp yeast (or 4 tsp if Panasonic/National machines)



Place all ingredients in machine, select light crust, and press start. : )
Adapted from Bread Machine Magic

Healthy Chicken Mexican Casserole

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• handful chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups reduced fat cheese (I like the fiesta blend from Trader Joes)
• 1 bottle of Herdez Verde Salsa (sold at WalMart in the Mexican food aisle)
• 8 corn tortillas (remember to check the ingredients for only corn, water, and lime)
• 1 1/2 C lite or ff sour cream
• 1 can of drained chopped green chilies

Spray pan with olive oil and saute onion and garlic until they are translucent.  Add garlic, paprika, black pepper, salt, and chicken and heat thoroughly.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Preheat oven to 350F.
Using a square casserole dish, spray with olive oil and add 1/3 jar Verde salsa to cover bottom of the dish.  Put 4 tortillas on top.  Spread 1/2 sour cream over tortillas. Next spead another 1/3 of verde salsa, 1 cup of chicken, 1/2 of cheese, and 1/2 of green chilies.  Top this with 4 tortillas, then the remainder of sour cream, salsa, chicken, and  green chilies.  Top with the remainder of cheese.  Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Healthy Falafel Balls

3/4 c water (or broth)
1/2 bulgur
1 onion, minced
2 galic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 tsp cumin
1 1/4 tsp coriander
15 oz can of garbanzo beans (drained)
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1/4 C bread crumbs (I make my own using Ezekiel Bread)
handful fresh, minced cilantro
handful fresh, minced parsley
salt to taste

Cook bulgur in water by bringing water to a boil and mixing in bulgur.  Remove from heat & cover. Let this sit for 20 min or until bulgur has absorbed all the water.

In a pan, spray olive oil and saute onion with garlic until translucent.  Add red pepper flakes, cumin & coriander.  Cook for additional 1 minute.

Preheat oven to 400F.
Put garbanzos and bulgur into food processor and mix until well combined.  Add lemon juice, bread crumbs, cilantro, parsley, & salt.  Process this until mixed.  Wait about 10 minutes to give the mixture time to rest and then form it into balls. 

Spray a cookie sheet lightly with olive oil and place the balls.  Spray the balls with a light spray of olive oil.  Bake for about 10 minutes, then turn the balls and bake for 15 more minutes.

I liked these in an Ezekeil pita pocket (frozen health food section at Kroger), with a yogurt sauce I make (I'll add it into the sauces category), and lettuce & tomatoes.