Spring = Asparagus

There are many things I love about Spring but one of them is asparagus. At close to $4/lb the rest of the year, Spring brings prices that are affordable. I recently picked up asparagus for just 99 cents a lb! Of course, I bought an insane amount of it and then have been looking for different ways to use it. Here's a recipe I found recently that is delicious! (Note: medifastcenters.com is a great resource for healthy delicious recipes)

Chicken and Asparagus Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb raw, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½” slices (should yield two 6-oz cooked servings)
• 4 cups field or Italian salad greens
• ½ cup (6 medium or 12 small/thin 5-¼” to 7” spears) asparagus
• ½ cup (4 medium) cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Ken’s® Red Wine Vinegar & Olive Oil
• 4 tsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp Mrs. Dash® Original Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together salad dressing, lemon juice, Mrs. Dash®, salt, and black pepper. Trim asparagus ends, but leave the rest whole. Bring pot of water to boil; add asparagus and cook 7-10 minutes or until al dente (tender-crisp). Slice chicken and chop tomatoes; set aside until asparagus is cooked. Drain asparagus, then add, chicken, tomatoes, asparagus, and dressing mixture to pot and cook over medium heat until mixture is warmed through and chicken is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. To serve, line plates with 2 cups salad greens; add chicken and asparagus mixture over greens.

Nutritional info: 2 servings, 380 calories, 12 g total fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 145 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium, 11 g total carbs, 4 g fiber, 56 g protein

Delicious! Enjoy! 

Emotional Eating Tips

It's been a rough couple of weeks emotionally for me. I won't go into all the particulars but just know that I've had the strongest desire to drown my sorrows in chocolate, cheese, calorie-laden coffees, and whiskey/coke.

It's been a great lesson for me however. With 87 lbs lost and a whole lot of willpower, I really thought I had my emotional eating habit under control....I've totally got this.

Confession: It's taken every tool and trick I can think of to stay on plan. It's not been easy.

Here's my tips:

Remind yourself why you started: Surround yourself with reminders of what you really want. I pulled out my structural tension chart, made a few copies, and keep them around me.

Journal: I write down everything I eat or drink plus post photos of sayings, outfits, or lifestyle events I want to accomplish.

Challenge: I ask myself, "Will I regret not eating this?" when I'm faced with temptation like chocolate, a piece of cake, or a donut.

Substitute: Make healthy comfort foods instead of fat and calorie laden ones. For example, I love potatoes and cheese and dips. Here's a few:

Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower

•             2 medium heads cauliflower, broken into florets

•             1/3 cup 2% milk

•             1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

•             1/2 teaspoon salt

•             1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a Dutch oven, bring 1 in. of water to a boil. Add cauliflower; cover and cook for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Drain; return to pan. Mash cauliflower with the milk, rosemary and salt. Stir in cheese until melted.

Parsnip Fries

Be Shallow: It feels noble and "right" to use optimal health and a long life as motivators but sometimes, those just aren't what motivate me. Sometimes I just need to be "shallow" - sometimes it's a cute skirt, the thought of wearing a bikini, the desire to be sexy, or the ability to prove someone wrong that motivates me.

Forgive yourself: Sometimes, I just make the "wrong" decision and it's ok. If I eat a piece of chocolate, I just get over it and get back on plan right then instead of waiting for tomorrow or Monday.

And there you have it...the ways I've stayed on plan. What tips work for you?