Protein, Fiber, and Hands are NOT for Hitting!

Hey guys have a quick update.  So this last Tuesday I met with my other dietician.  To be polite...I really did not like her. She talked to me like I was a child, criticized me, and even had the balls to say I was CHOSEN to be like....I don't know one of the privileged!!  Are You SERIOUS!!  I had to remind myself that hands are not for hitting because she really got under my skin.  Also it concerns my that these 3 people I am seeing that are supposed to be knowledgeable and help me get this all under control have no idea the differences between a vegetarian, vegan, and pescetarian. (As I typed that my spell check didn't know what a pescetarian was either...) The newest dietician was amazed that I was brave enough to start eating eggs and cheese....YAH! She thought that I was vegan.  I had to reexplain it to her just as I have everyone else in that drs office.  I am an Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarian!

Anyways, away from the negative...*DEEP BREATH*..
She did tell me a few helpful things like that if the fiber in a food is high enough it virtually cancels out the carbs, especially in veggies.  This is because fiber is actually carbs but as we all know we don't digest fiber so it doesn't count. For more on this click here.  She also recommended eating more protein. It will help me feel full longer and help to keep my blood sugars down.  So yesterday when I went to the store I picked up Whey protein powder 160 cals, 3 grams sugar,  8 carbs, and 25 grams protein!! I also got cottage cheese 1/2 cup is 90 cals, 5 carbs, and 13 grams protein!  As well as these deliciously chewy pure protein chocolate bars that are 180 cals, 3 grams sugar, net carbs of 13, and 21 grams protein. 

I also grabbed more veg like spinach, greens. eggplant, zucchini and summer squashes, carrots, and cauliflower.  I got more peanut butter for protein yumminess as well as PB2 which is a powdered peanut butter.  I think I may try making some baked goods so I picked up flax and almond meal instead of flour.  I also stocked up on frozen fruit to make smoothies or add to my breakfasts.  Lastly I grabbed almonds. They have been my go to snack for a little while now.  I have cocoa, strawberry, and cinnamon roasted almonds..so yummm!!

Thats pretty much it. Sorry for the last of pictures in this post.  I promise more in my future posts as I start cooking with this stuff.  See you in my next post! :)

Bruschettaish...

This blog has inspired someone....well me...mainly me...but still!  I was looking through my old posts the other day and found this one about a dish I beautifully named Bruchetta Marinara.  Unfortunately I have not been able to find the BOCA bruchetta burgers anymore.  People say they are still being sold but alas..no burgers have been located here.  If you know where to find them please..let me know!!

 Anyways so tonight I thought I would try to recreate the idea of this meal with regular old Morningstar Grillers.  I cooked up my grillers in skillet with a lil EVOO and added 1/4 cup of tomato sauce with some dried basil.  When the sauce got all bubbly I added a slice of provolone cheese and let it melt on top.   In the microwave I made up some instant potatoes to go along slide my bruchetta like creation.  In the end it looked like this:

It was super filling and delicious. This was also the first time Ive had potatoes since I was diagnosed.  I missed them.  The best part was the whole meal was only 33 carbs so I had plenty of room for one of these!

Wii Weigh In

Hello Peeples!  So I have been diagnosed with diabetes for about a month now.  For the first 3 weeks or so it was mostly a shock.  I had no idea what to eat! Sweets of corse not!  Bread...Hello..carb town!  Cottage cheese...protein backed..surely a good idea..add in tons of veg..YES..So thats what I ate...but i was still eating lots of things I shouldn't have...or more like in amounts I shouldn't have.

Fast forward to last week when I met with one of my dieticians.  She gave me an overview of what to look for, a cheat sheet for common foods, and my glucometer. Now I take meds twice a day and take a blood sugar reading twice a day as well.  My numbers have been getting lots better and it hasn't even been that long! 

Even though I have seen so much progress I have so badly wanted to go back to my old routines.  For a long time I saw it as any other diet, something I would do for a little while until I got bored or gave up and when back to eating what I wanted.  I sadly thought that I would eat like this until I got better and then I was good to go back.  This is not the case, its going to be a life long battle so Id better just get used to it!

The last perk I have seen that has really given me a reason to not give up, aside from my health, is weight loss.  When I went in for that first Drs appointment a month ago I weighed 195lbs and stayed consistent up to my last appointment a week ago when I started my new low carb diet.  I have since lost 10.5lbs!!! I now weigh 184.5 I realize it has only been a week but my diet has changed DRAMATICALLY and I'm getting plenty of food. I need to ask my doctor if my blood sugar levels where causing me to hold on to weight or something or if its just the portion controlled, low carb diet.

OMG....Math Soup!!

Hello! Today I had a mini freakout but before that I made some delicious soup.  I was getting ready to make lunch today and thinking..uhh...what to eat?!?  So whats a girl to do...Pinterest of course.  I found a pin for Creamy Southwest Soup that looked interesting and it inspired me.  I pulled out my handy dandy Morning Star crumbles and then began to WING IT!  What came of my experiment was not only edible but delicious.   The seasonings were just thrown in so I'm not sure how much I put in but it was HOTTTTTTT!!!
After I ate came the fun (freakout moment) part of calculating how many carbs per serving.  This was MATH and I don't really do math.  So Meatlover helped me calculate it all up.  Thanks Babe! 

Vegetarian Taco Soup
3 cups vegetable stock - 9 carbs
1 small can tomato sauce - 14 carbs
1/4 c. carrots - 2.33 carbs
1/4 c. corn -  5.3 carbs
1 c. crumbles - 6.5 carbs
1/4 c. dry couscous - 30.75 carbs
2 tbsp sour cream- 2  carbs
2/3 c. shredded cheese-- <1 carb



Seasonings:
Cumin
Cayenne Powder 
Onion Powder
Chipoltle Chili Powder
Paprika
Red Pepper Flakes

1 Cup Serving is 19 carbs
Makes 4 servings

Update and New Focus!

Hey guys! So its been over a year since my last post but I have decided that I should get back to this project.  It was a great way to document my now HUSBAND and I's food journey.  We ate better when I was documenting and we want to return to that.

  I also have a second reason.  At 24 I have recently been diagnosed with diabetes.  My numbers were insane! Here is the story:  I went in to my new drs office for a routine physical for work.  I had fasted the night before..uggg...and they drew my blood and looked at me..whole 9yrds.  Then they called me back in to tell me my numbers were high and did I forget to fast?  I hadn't so they ran an A1C test which shows your blood sugar levels for the last 90 days.  I was high again.  I had diabetes and showed some of the classic symptoms, increased thirst, frequent urination, & muscle cramps.  FUN FUN FUN...not!

 So now not only do I want to eat better just because, I want to slim down and get my numbers where they should be.  I have had one meeting with a nutritionist already who told me the basics.  I can have 30-45 carbs per meal, 15 for snacks.  I should be eating a variety of foods and watching portion sizes.  

For the last week plus I have been monitoring my food intake and trying lots of new foods.  In the past I relied on carbs like pasta, bread, rice, and other grains to fill me up in place of meats.  Now I have to be a little more creative.  So join me on this new journey to please not only my meat eating husband but also a diabetic vegetarian...*Mario voice "HERE WE GO!!"*