On the Menu Today

Have you ever had Whole Foods' Spinach & Artichoke Dip?  Well,  I just whipped up my version and it looks like this:

It feels great knowing that I have something uber-healthy in my fridge and that always helps with my productivity around the house.  Does that make any sense?

Once I've tweaked the recipe I'll be sharing it here so be sure to check back!

Until then, I'll see you . . .
Left of Heft

Frappe Friday

Today I whipped up a yummy frappe worthy of sharing, which gave me an idea for a regular blog feature I'll call "Frappe Friday".  Here's how today's concoction came together:

I threw the following into my blender:

1 cup Vita Coco 100% pure coconut water
1 cup ice cubes
1 banana, broken into chunks
2 pumps Torani sugar free coconut syrup
1 scoop Unjury chocolate classic protein powder

I simply blended it all until the ice was completely crushed and the frappe had a smooth consistency.  The coconut water really adds a depth of subtle flavor you don't get any other way.

So, does this one sound like one you'll try?  I'd love to hear about your own variations.

Until then,
I'll see you Left of Heft

Realistic Tips for Trimming the Fat

Today I noticed this great article on the active.com website and just had to share it!  The author has highlighted 8 practical tips for losing fat and achieving a leaner body composition.  While I'm sure some of the suggestions won't be brand new to many of us who are striving to lose weight and improve body fat percentage, I encourage you to take a look and find something new that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.  The tip on the importance of iron intake was one I hadn't necessarily connected to keeping the muscle mass I already have.

So, on which suggestion will you be striving to place more emphasis?

Progress on Couch to 5K

Well, I've been working on training for my first 5K run with the Couch to 5K program and I can honestly say that I'm really becoming a runner! Okay, jogger, but one of my favorite sayings lately is: "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch". Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be possible to enjoy running but this program is so gentle and realistic that I've been able to consistently succeed. Isn't that one of the secrets of fitness . . . consistency?

Speaking of consistency, in the same way I've made my 5K training a priority I want to make a commitment to blogging regularly. I hope to improve on that in the coming weeks and share the ideas and insights that tend to come to me while I'm out there running.

What will you be committing to this month?

See you next time, somewhere left of heft . . .

Deborah

Wet your Whistle with a Watermelon

Okay, I stumbled on this recipe a loooooong time ago and forgot to give it a try.  Boy!  Am I kicking myself!

If you're trying to increase your fluid intake or simply looking for something different you'll love Susan Maria Leach's concoction at her Bariatric Eating website.

Let me know if you like it as much as I do!

Hanging on Tight!

Surprisingly, it's been more than 8 months since I've published a post.  I took a break while discerning and acting on a major decision that I felt the need to keep quiet -- until now.

I had weight loss surgery.

There.  It's out now.

Weight loss surgery isn't for everyone.  I'll tell you what, though . . . it's one of the best things I've ever done for myself.  Truly.  A month and a half before surgery my cardiologist had me double my blood pressure medication.  I no longer need that prescription at all. Joint pain?  Gone.  Energy level?  So much better.  Stress incontinence?  What stress incontinence?

You see, in addition to the weight loss there are all sorts of benefits I'm enjoying now that I'm on the "loser's bench".  My health and quality of life are improving as I get lighter.  So far, since my Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery on March 2, 2011, I've lost 58 pounds!

A lot of WLS veterans told me to hang on tight for the ride of my life and that's what I'm doing.  Now that I've had some time to adjust to my new way of life I'll be back here posting tips and recipes for the healthy lifestyle I'm thoroughly enjoying.  I hope you'll continue to join me on the journey.

See you soon, a little farther left of heft!

Squeamish about Squash?

It's that time of year again.  Fall brings us a bounty of all types of squash for a whole new flavor and texture to enjoy!  Today I created a lower calorie comfort classic and used spaghetti squash to bulk up the recipe with great results.  I'll be sharing it soon so be sure to check back or subscribe to future posts.  In the meantime, let's focus on what the heck we do with a spaghetti squash in the first place.

First of all I need to caution you to be careful when cutting into a winter squash.  Their outer skins are super hard and if you're not careful you can hurt yourself in the process of getting into them.  You'll have to use some force so just be sure to keep fingers out of the way in case there's a slip-up.

Slice your squash in half lengthwise and use a large spoon to scrape out the seeds.  It's a little like cleaning out a small pumpkin but I find spaghetti squash to be drier and less messy.  Once you've removed the seeds and their connective fibers you can spray the flesh with cooking spray or lightly coat it with olive oil.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the squash with the cut side down.  Slip it into a preheated 400 degree oven and find something else to do for 45 minutes to an hour.

Test the squash for tenderness with a knife.  You'll want to bake until the knife slides through the skin and into the flesh of the squash easily.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  You'll be rewarded with something like this:

At this point you can scoop the cooked squash out of the skin very easily.  In fact, with very little effort mine just lifted right out of the skin!

I was toying with the idea of using the squash skins as serving "boats" but the particular recipe I was working on really didn't need that type of presentation.  I might just have to revisit that idea in the future though . . .

Now, I will admit that these babies probably could have baked for a shorter period of time because the flesh was super soft.  For the recipe I was developing this was a plus but if you would like to take advantage of the threadlike characteristic of spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta you'll probably want to check for doneness beginning around the 30-minute mark.

My small fruit (yep, I said fruit!) yielded a little over a cup and a half of cooked squash.  At this point it can be used as is or pureed.

Incidentally, the way I prepared this spaghetti squash is exactly the same way I treat a pumpkin.  It's really easy to bake like this and puree for use in recipes for pie, soups, muffins, cookies, breads, etc.  I like to puree the squash and place 2-cup portions into freezer bags.  If you squeeze out the air in the bags and lie them flat in the freezer, your pureed squash will thaw later in no time.

Oh, and did I mention that spaghetti squash is a ZERO POINT food on the Weight Watchers program?!

If you've never bothered with winter squash I really encourage you to give it a try.  If you're baking something in the oven anyway it makes sense to multi-task and let your squash bake, too.  If you don't feel like scooping it out or pureeing right away, that's fine.  Let it cool, place it in the fridge overnight and come back to it the following day when you're able.

Leave a comment if you have a favorite squash recipe.  I want to hear what YOU'RE going to do with YOURS!

See you to the left of heft . . .