Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups cooked chicken breast, shredded into bite-sized pieces
  
  


• 4 cups torn fresh spinach leaves, thawed and drained
  
  


• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  
  


• 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
  
  


• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  
  


• 1 (8oz.) carton of non-fat sour cream
  
  


• ¼ cup plain, non-fat yogurt
  
  


• ¼ tsp salt
  
  


• ½ cup 1% milk
  
  


• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  
  


• ¼ tsp ground cumin
  
  


• ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  
  

Preparation:

• Cook fresh spinach with a small amount of water in a medium saucepan, covered for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
  
  


• Combine cooked chicken, green onions and spinach in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside.
  
  


• Make the sauce: Combine sour cream, flour, yogurt, cumin and salt in a medium bowl. Add jalapeño pepper and milk and mix well.
  
  


• Pour half the sauce into the chicken and spinach mixture and mix well. Divide the filling among the tortillas. Fold opposite ends of a tortilla up about 1-inch over filling then fold the left and right sides over the folded end, overlapping.
  
  


• Place filled tortillas, seam sides down on an ungreased rectangular baking dish.
  
  


• Spoon remaining sauce over the tortillas and bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven until heated through (about 20 minutes.)
  
  


• Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and let stand for 5 minutes.
  
  


• Top with salsa and chopped green onions as desired.
  
  

Make 6 Servings:

Weight loss recipes AmountPer Serving(1 enchilada (196 g)): 248 Calories, 20 g Protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 2 g Dietary Fiber, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 41 mg cholesterol, 384 mg sodium

Vegetarian Chili

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 chopped onion
  
  


• 4 minced cloves garlic
  
  


• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or olive oil)
  
  


• 2 finely chopped carrots
  
  


• 2 chopped tomatoes
  
  


• 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained
  
  


• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, chili powder, or chili seasoning mix
  
  


• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
  
  


• Salt and black pepper, to taste (optional)
  
  

Preparation:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large-size saucepan, sauté onions and garlic. Add carrots, tomatoes, black beans, herbs and spices.
  
  


• Cook over medium heat until the carrots are tender (about 15-20 minutes). Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
  
  

Make 6 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving(1/6 of recipe (226 g)): 236 Calories, 13 g Protein, 40 g carbohydrates, 14 g Dietary Fiber, 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 348 mg sodium

Dr. Kevin Patterson on Western Diets and Health

A few readers have pointed me to an interesting NPR interview with the Canadian physician Kevin Patterson (link). He describes his medical work in Afghanistan and the Canadian arctic treating cultures with various degrees of industrialization. He discusses the "epidemiological transition", the idea that cultures experience predictable changes in their health as they go from hunter-gatherer, to agricultural, to industrial. I think he has an uncommonly good perspective on the effects of industrialization on human health, which tends to be true of people who have witnessed the effects of the industrial diet and lifestyle on diverse cultures.

A central concept behind my thinking is that it's possible to benefit simultaneously from both:

• The sanitation, medical technology, safety technology, law enforcement and lower warfare-related mortality that have increased our life expectancy dramatically relative to our distant ancestors.


• The very low incidence of obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease and other non-infectious chronic diseases afforded by a diet and lifestyle roughly consistent with our non-industrial heritage.

But it requires discipline, because going with the flow means becoming unhealthy.

New Writing Blog

In case you haven't noticed, there is a new tab at the top of this blog labeled, writing.  Yes, I started a new blog specific for my writing journey: http://karenmariehansen.blogspot.com/  :)

Sweet Potato Soup

(makes 8 servings)

Ingredients:

• ⅔ cups chunky peanut butter
  
  


• 1 tbsp canola oil (or olive oil)
  
  


• 2 cups chopped onion
  
  


• 6 cups peeled and chopped sweet potato
  
  


• 1 tbsp ground cumin
  
  


• Salt and pepper, to taste
  
  


• 2 (15.5 oz.) cans garbanzo beans, drained
  
  


• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if desired)
  
  


• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  
  

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a large-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until lightly browned.
  
  


• Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil then reduce heat, uncovered and simmer until sweet potato is tender (about 30 minutes).
  
  

Make 8 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving(⅛ of recipe (475 g)): 436 Calories, 16 g Protein, 64 g carbohydrates, 11 g Dietary Fiber, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 696 mg sodium

Day 88: Portion Control

Portion control is a must for weight control when eating the things you really enjoy.  Honestly, you can eat anything if you keep the portions small.  I know, I've done it.

Take for instance these mini meatloaves, they are sitting in oil from the cheese and ground meat, which is normally a diet no-no. (Luckily, they aren't as oily as the picture looks.)  I don't know how many calories there are in one--I don't have time to figure it out--but I only eat one which is 1/8 of a pound of ground meat and a few tablespoons of grated cheese.  With a few baked potato wedges and a hearty serving of veggies, the meal is filling without being heavy on calories.

It's such a freedom to be able to eat what you enjoy while maintaining/losing weight. In the past, whenever I did a program in the past, the restrictions and things I had to do to stay on program would mess with my head. I often found myself obsessed with the process and often I would sabotage my efforts, because I could.

I'm currently going through some stressful times--as I know many of you are too--and counting calories/measuring foods is not something I have time for or even care to do. Normally, I would just say forget it and binge until I no longer could remember what was bothering me, but that only makes matters worse. Going through tough times with tight or no clothes in a body you can't stand is depressing. It's a downward cycle that gets harder to turn around as time progresses.

For me, eating real food, I not only feel full, I don't feel deprived and I haven't spent a ton of time measuring and counting. I actually feel empowered, in control, and that feeling helps me to stay focused on my goals.

5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin 3/28

Read the full bulletin in our online archive


Liquid Restrictions - More Than Just RulesGreetings Neighbors!

One of the first places we go off track after weight loss surgery is forgetting to follow the liquid restrictions. Some centers call them water rules. In short, the liquid restrictions mean to cease drinking beverages 30 minutes before meals and refrain from drinking beverages with