Since we're good friends now...

So I have a little secret that I've been keeping from you.  I've been on a diet.  I didn't want to tell you because I am the queen of making resolutions and NOT keeping them.  Seriously.  Don't even look back at this post-- a loooonnnnggg list of "new year's" resolutions that I have gotten no where with.  No seriously- don't look, it's kinda embarrassing.

Well, for whatever reason, mentally I was ready to start that diet that I've been meaning to start for the last couple years.   Yep -- YEARS.  I've got a lot to lose - or at least it feels like a lot to me - so I decided that the Fat Smash Diet was the way to go.  I've started it before and did really well with it, but I'm feeling really determined to see it through this time.  The really simple explanation of the diet is that for the first part (Phase I) you eat as many fruits and vegetables as you want and not much else.  Phase I lasts 9 days.  At the end of the 9 days you can get on the scale for the first time.  This morning I got on the scale and I am down 10 pounds!  Just the kick start I need!

(Note:  there are other things to eat, but as a picky eater, not many of them are on my "will eat" list - for a "non-picky eater", I think this diet would be much easier).  

The point of this post is that I decided to try a "recipe" from Our Best Bites to make myself a little sweet treat.  I don't have a sweet tooth per say, but by the eighth day I needed SOMETHING different.  So guess what I had for dinner-- ICE CREAM.  Well sorta...

All natural banana ice cream.


Ingredients:  (for a single serving)

2 ripe Bananas

yeah-- I know there are 3 bananas in this picture.   I took it the day before I made the "ice cream"

That's it!  Seriously!!

And the beauty of this "recipe" is that it works best with on-the-way-to-being-no-good bananas, so no reason to ever throw out another overly-ripe banana so no money wasted-- use the bananas to make banana ice cream.

First slice the bananas and put them on a small baking sheet in the freezer.  I used the baking sheet from our toaster oven so it wouldn't take up as much space.

Once fully frozen, remove from the freezer and put into a food processor.  (note:  we have a very small one and it worked well with the 2 banana portion).

When the banana looks "crumbly" you know it's done.

Take it out of the food processor and mush it together with a spatula until it reaches a creamy texture.

And.... that's it.

The verdict.  It's good!  Tastes a lot like cold, mushed up banana, but it's good!  And it's healthy.  Actually it kinda has a cinnamon-y flavor.

I bet it's really good with chocolate chips.  That sounds SOOO good right now, but then again, what doesn't taste better with a few chocolate chips!


ps-- for the record:  this 10 lbs. just gets me back to my "starting weight" -  the weight at which I looked at myself and said-- "Gross! time to start a diet"-- 5 years ago.  :)

Better late than never right?

Mmm, Mmm, Good.

I'm not a "fancy" eater.  Never have been.  I'm usually O.K. with plain and ordinary (I'm not proud of this- it's just part of who I am.)  Once in a while I like to kick things up a bit though.

It's totally a homemade soup kind of day around here (since we're all a bit under the weather), so I decided to make some ranch oyster crackers to go with our pasta fagioli.  They are the EASIEST (and yummiest) things ever.

Hidden Valley Ranch Oyster Crackers:
12 - 16 oz. bag plain oyster crackers
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk Recipe Original Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp. dill weed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 - 1 c. salad oil
Combine Hidden Valley Ranch mix and oil. Add dill weed, garlic powder and lemon pepper.  Pour over crackers- stir to coat.

Place on baking sheet in warm oven for 15 -  20 minutes.

Enjoy!

   

warning-- these are seriously addicting!!