Tag: plan

A simple way to get back on plan

I promise I did post.  Well at least I thought I had.  It turns out I posted my husbands challenge as a Page, lesson learned.

Let me start with addressing how that challenge went, or rather didn’t for me (my story later).  My husband had moderate success, when he stuck to his plan, but otherwise his weight remained the same.  Here is a quote from Martin (my husband)

“I planned for a pound a day, hoped for ½ pound a day and at the end I lost about 10lb.  But, since this was over the holidays, I gained that back.  So, I’m where I was when I started.  Which I consider a success.  I’m doing it again, but with more moderate expectations.”

Holiday drive with husband
Going for a drive over the holidays with my husband.
Continue reading “A simple way to get back on plan” →

Karenlee

Eat with your eyes, not really, but in theory

I was reading a post on Humanthology by Ashley McCormack about eating with your eyes.  When talking to her father about why he spent so much time making the food look nice on the plate, he replied, “Because first, you taste with your eyes.”

I’m not sure about you, but I’ve heard this before and it so true.  Just last week, I made a Fish Pie and while it tasted great, it didn’t look very good.  My family only ate about half.  But wait, that’s not all the story.  So, I may get the plating of the food nailed down, but what about that next step?  Taking the food photo.  For the most part I’ve focused on the actual dishes, but lately I’ve wanted to just be able to take a better picture.  Then it happened. I got advice that I actually took.  Thanks to my friend Angie (one of my ESO guild-mates, who lives in NC) who recommended that I purchase a photo box.

Polaroid Photo Studio
Continue reading “Eat with your eyes, not really, but in theory” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

Doing something different with the Chicken

I wanted to try a new salad this week, something less complicated, which is hard since I feel like you need to have a lot of ingredients to really get all the health benefits.  But after some searching I found Autumn, over at It’s Autumns Life.  I did a basic search for: Chicken Keto and up came this delicious looking salad.  So, I had to try it.

Keto friendly – Chicken Pesto Salad
Continue reading “Doing something different with the Chicken” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

“I could make this” … famous words

I’m sure that I’m not the only one that says this.  Let me set the scene, you’re out at a restaurant, eating a great meal and you say to (yourself) or the people that you’re with “I could make this”.  My kids are so used to me saying this that they now offer up the suggestion.  Often starting a conversation with ” hey mom, you could make this into a salad jar right?”  Well, challenge accepted. I SUPER love East Side Mario’s (ESM) Garden Salad.  We don’t have an ESM near us (but hey, we have four, count’em – Mary Browns, Swiss Chalet, KFC and Popeye’s, chicken restaurants in town).  Here is a picture of my most favourite restaurant salad.

East Side Mario’s Garden Salad

Continue reading ““I could make this” … famous words” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

Better late, than never

Driving home from Sudbury, Ontario tonight, I thought to myself “is there anything at home that I can have for my lunch”.  Unfortunately, the answer was no.  I shop weekly so ensure that my salad ingredients are fresh and crisp.  That meant, when we arrived home at 8pm, after being away, that I dropped off my DH and off I went shopping.  But, two hours later, groceries purchased, puta away, cooked, chopped, diced and jarred.

All Done!  Super easy salads, Tossed Salad with Chicken & Hot Peppers and Asian Chicken

Continue reading “Better late, than never” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

Weekend Meal Planning, something to get excited about

Not everyone gets excited about sitting down and making a plan.  BUT I love this part of my journey.  It’s scary to think that I used to not know what I was having for a meal until it was dinner time or until I felt hungry.  Using a very simple meal plan template, like the one I found in Excel, pictured here:

Excels Weekly Meal Planner

Continue reading “Weekend Meal Planning, something to get excited about” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

When your sick, just be sick

I woke up yesterday morning expecting to get on the scale and either go up (a bit) or little to no change. This wasn’t because of some misguided, “I expect to see something disappointing, but hope that I don’t” kind of feeling.  This was based on a mid-week scale check (I know, it’s an addiction) and a silent run-down of my week.  Was I ever surprised.

Continue reading “When your sick, just be sick” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

Experimenting with flavour

I’m back!  Well, I wasn’t really gone, but I haven’t been “here”.  I’ve been busy making salads, trying out new things and generally enjoying the summer.  I made an entirely new salad yesterday and it was pretty good (see my suggestions to improve).  I tried it with my family last night at dinner (without meat) and I’ve got it in my lunch for today.  Do you like grilled vegetables?  I do and I figured I could turn that love into a salad and here’s how:

Grilled Veggie
Grilled Veggie with Balsamic

Continue reading “Experimenting with flavour” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

I’ve got beef in my Mason Jar Salad!

I was thinking, I love chicken and as you can see, I use it in most of my salads.  But I also love beef.  So I did some research to see how I could fit some Steak into my jars.  Normally you lay warm medium rare steak over crisp greens and drizzle with your favourite dressing.  I improvised!

Mason Jar Steak Salad with Zesty Avocado with Cilantro dressing
Mason Jar Steak Salad with Zesty Avocado Cilantro Buttermilk Dressing

Continue reading “I’ve got beef in my Mason Jar Salad!” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

What do you do without a good camera on your phone?

I’ve told most people this story, but perhaps not everyone.  As I mentioned last week, I was in Punta Cana (see my resort review here) and while on an excursion, my phone (Samsung S6 Edge) sustained water damage.  I had forgotten it was tucked in my life vest and I jumped into the ocean to snorkel.  It did turn on after being bagged in rice and soaked in Isorpopyl alcohol.  But the battery started to expand.  I’m currently waiting on a battery replacement, so fingers crossed.

Hand Drawn Salad
Hand Drawn Salad

Continue reading “What do you do without a good camera on your phone?” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

Sometimes it’s the little things and sometimes it’s …

Repost: April 7, 2016

Sometimes it’s the small things.  Just yesterday I said to my son “hey look, my rings just slide off”.  My 13 yr old was impressed.   He’s seen me twist and pull my rings off.  But yesterday my rings loosely turned on my finger.  Woop Woop.

And sometimes it’s the big things.

Continue reading “Sometimes it’s the little things and sometimes it’s …” →

KarenleeLeave a comment

Hey Damali, it worked

Repost: March 31, 2016

If you read my post a couple of days ago, you would have read Damali’s words of wisdom “Just because you get one flat tire doesn’t mean you slash the other three tires”.  Well, I was so close to throwing in the towel on Monday, but I recalled these wise words and did my best to stay on plan. So even after a Turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy.  Plus late night chips and dip, deserts and of course Easter chocolate, I lost weight this week.

Continue reading “Hey Damali, it worked” →

KarenleeLeave a comment