Fat Frog Diary

Yesterday was One of Those Days. You know the kind I mean, where it seemed the whole world conspired to ensure you couldn't get anything done? Many of you know I'm an ardent fan of FlyLady.net. (Go on, go look. It's okay. I'll wait.) Thank goodness for those lessons on management. I'd already done my 5 Minute Room Rescue, done my Mission, and had shined my sinks. I'd even managed a little control of a large Hot Spot. (Yes, I'm deliberately using the jargon to make you look it up.) You see, this isn't all about cooking and recipes. Occasionally, it's about stopping to take stock and overcome a challenge. My weight loss challenge lately has been about learning new coping mechanisms. Before, when I was morbidly obese, I coped by consoling myself with food. I lied to myself and said I was providing comfort and love via food to my family like a good GRITS (Girls Raised In The South) do. Liar, Liar! Now that I'm much thinner and healthier, I still

Yield 6-8 servings (if you're a child. Double this) 1-2 lbs beef top round steak, cut in strips 2 T canola oil --- 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 cup chopped onion 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tsp Splenda or equivalent 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp ginger 1 can (16 z) diced tomatoes with liquid 1 lg green pepper, cut into strips or about 1 cup of the bag of frozen pepper strips (use the whole bag if you double) --- 1/2 cup cold water 1 T corn starch --- Rice, noodles, or steamed cauliflower "riced" 1. Cut the beef into small, bite-sized strips or whirl up in the food processor into small chunks. Brown in the oil in a skillet. Pour the browned beef into a large lined crock pot. 2. Mix the rest of the ingredients in the skillet with no heat on. Stir up to catch those tasty brown bits. When thoroughly mixed, pour this into the crock pot on top of the beef. Lid it up, turn on low, and walk away for about 6 hours. 3. Use a small jar to mix the water and cornstarch into a slurry. Give

Crock Southwest Chicken Yield 6 servings. 1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained 1 jar (16 oz) mild salsa 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 oz each) *** Optional garnishes (highly recommended) Sweet red and yellow pepper strips Sour cream shredded cheddar cheese sliced green onions *** Cooked Rice 1. In a 4-qt slow cooker, layer chicken in the bottom, then the corn, beans, and salsa. 2. Cover and cook on Low 4-6 hours or until chicken is tender. 3. Shred the chicken with a fork, or stir with a spoon until chicken comes apart. If you removed the chicken, return it to the crock to rewarm while you prepare the garnishes and make the rice, if necessary. 4. Set the garnishes out in their own bowls. 5. To serve, place rice in a bowl. Ladle the Southwest Chicken over the rice, and garnish as desired. Capsicum ratio is very low. You may wish to add hot sauce, jalapenos, or use a spicier salsa. Note from Lena-- I used chicken thighs, s

Yes, this is my own recipe. Slow Cooker Lasagna for Bariatric and Bandsters. 1 zucchini 1 yellow crookneck squash 2 lbs ground beef 1 small chopped onion (about 1/4 cup, maybe more) 1 26-oz jar spaghetti sauce (your choice) 1 8 oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1 3.5 oz package sliced pepperoni 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese Get your crock out and line it with a crock pot liner. Trust me, you don't want to scrape cheese and marinara sauce off the sides. Do this now, before your hands get wet. Use a mandolin or food processor to slice the zucchini and squash into thin disks. (If you've got a really tight band, you may process on chop instead.) Put it all in a bowl. Stir it all up. Set next to the crock on the right. (Everything after this will be lined up in order, so clear the counter for this if it's not clear already. Reverse and go to the left if you're a south paw, okay?) Cook the ground beef and on

OMG!! This was so easy and smells so good! It's in my crock pot right now. The guys can have it over rice. Me, I'll just enjoy the meat and sauce. The only change I made was I used Splenda brown.

This is great! I made it in the electric skillet.

Use a Y-shaped vegetable peeler to get the peel.

YUMMMM!! Dn't knock this until you try it.

Marinated Cucumbers 1/4 c. vinegar or lemon juice 2 T. sugar 1 lg cucumber, sliced very thinly 1 small onion, cut into rings 1/2 t. celery seed (optional) salt and pepper to taste Mix all ingredients in a large sealed container. Stir. Let sit in the refrigerator for several hours to chill. Enjoy!   Lena Austin