2+2=26...wait, what?

I'm notoriously bad at math, but not this bad...geez! So what is this nonsense? Well, I'm 2 weeks and 2 days into this round of RFL (in addition to the weeks I did earlier this year) and I'm down a total of 26 lbs. If you didn't read some of the first posts you wouldn't know that I had lost 9 lbs towards the end of 2011. So really, if you want to count all of it since I "tried" to commit back then (to Weight Watchers), I've actually lost 35 lbs in roughly the past year. WOW! I have never lost so much weight in my life. And while it doesn't feel like it's been that long of a time, it really has. RFL is what really helped me lose the current 26 lbs of this, and that was over maybe a combined 8-9 week period altogether this year. 

THIS IS 26 POUNDS OF FAT! NO WAY!

Image from http://erinsquietspot.blogspot.com/2011/05/26-pounds-of-fat.html

I do have special Christmas plans coming though, and that is to take a week off so I can just go ahead and eat what I want and enjoy all the yummy parts of Christmas. I have a LOT of baking planned!  Depending on how I feel, I may blog a little about what I bake since I don't really discriminate against any food here, just try to stick to my RFL items to lose the fat.  In the meantime, if things go like they should, there is a slim (but realistic) chance that I could lose at least 15, if not maybe 20, lbs by my "end date" of the December 21--that would be 9 lbs over the next nine days to get to 20. The 19th was my goal day to lose 10, and I've done that already, so that gives me 9 days to knock this fat out. This is a crash diet, and I've said that before, but it works it works it works.

This week I'm doing a little food logging for a friend of mine. She's tried RFL before and had success, but got bored very quickly with the seemingly limited food and it kind of fizzled out. I can easily see how that could happen, and many people on the RFL forum have the same problem. Luckily, I don't. I love to cook and have no problems experimenting. I do get sick of my breakfast, which are the egg cups I blogged about last spring. I'm posting here a quick peek at what my meals have looked like this week (I've added hyperlinks to the site or Pins where I got some of these recipes, and my pins have hot links.) B=breakfast, L=lunch, S=snack, D=dinner...

Monday:
B, 2 egg cups (I eat these with Sriracha lately)
L, chicken sauteed then baked using the most amazing chicken spice blend that I found on Pinterest. Make a HUGE pack of chicken and it lasts several days eating only 2-3 oz at a time
S, beef jerky
D, beef roast (cooked in the crockpot with nothing but chicken seasoning) and green beans sauteed with garlic, soy sauce, and a little parmesan
S, sugar free jello

Tuesday: 
B, 2 egg cups
L, beef jerky
S, amazing spiced chicken
D, beef roast served over mashed cauliflower (lightened up with just a dab of cream cheese and butter) with gravy (simply beef bullion, water, and 2 tsp cornstarch; I also added dried onion flakes for flavor)
S, beef jerky and another sugar free jello with fat free whipped cream

Wednesday
B, 2 egg cups
L, spinach, tomato, mushroom, and onion salad topped with grilled chicken and lemon juice
D, chicken cacciatore (sauté an onion and a green pepper, add in some of your cooked chicken tenderloins, cover in tomato sauce*, top with FF mozzarella and bake for 15 mins)
S, sugar free jello with a dab of fat free canned whipped cream and beef jerky

Thursday
B, 2 egg cups
L, stir fry veggies (from earlier in the week)
S, SF jello cup with FF whipped cream
D, chicken and roasted asparagus with creamy curry sauce (modify this sauce to use greek yogurt, a tbsp of mayo and ketchup, and add some salt)
S, probably more jello...

I hope this helps a few of you. When we have leftovers I eat them for lunches the next day, but most often hubby takes them to work.  I've also made some other delicious recipes lately including meatloaf, the famous big mac salad, and even my buffalo chicken dip that I served as lettuce wraps!

*I make my own tomato sauce now because NOTHING beats the flavor. I sautee 1 tsp minced garlic in 1 tbsp butter, then add one 28 oz can tomato sauce, salt/pepper to taste, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1-2 tsp italian seasoning. Simmer it for at least an hour and oh my gosh, it's awesome! Don't leave out the butter, it's key!

Okay, back to life. :)

(Edit: I know I posted this on Wednesday, but I'm updating it so my week-in-food is all in one place.)

RFL Round 2

Man, it's been a lot of months since I've checked in here. Part of that is because it was summer, and my lovely, darling chirren' occupy 110% of my time. The other part is because I wasn't doing the diet. I mean, I tried a time or two to get back on, but it just didn't work. All that aside, I'm back now and I'm on week 1 day 5 with a loss so far this week of about 3 lbs. (If you remember reading my first intial post (here), my eating goals have changed a bit because of my weight now, and currently I only get 99 grams of protein per day. My goal is to hopefully give myself a loss of 10 lbs by my birthday, which is December 19 for anyone who needs to start gift shopping now.  For those of you new here, I am doing Lyle McDonald's crash diet called Rapid Fat Loss. I highly suggest it (only because it has worked so quickly and so well for me), but be healthy and be dedicated before you start. 

I'm going to be updating more regularly now that I have a "real" reason to. My time has gone from lots of it, to consumed with summer, to consumed with GRAD SCHOOL! Yep, I am back in school. I said I'd NEVER go back to school since undergrad was atrocious. I'm getting a Master of Arts in Teaching (secondary education) with a competency in English. I love it and so far, it's smooth sailing and...STRAIGHT A'S! Okay, all kinds of chatter will come regarding all of the aforementioned items. In the meantime, peruse my summer in crappy cell phone pics. This is what we have been up to!

Summertime=sunburn=tan for me. This was my first go at it. I. love. sun.

Campfires. This gorgeous monstrosity courtesy of your's truly.

THE most redneck community pool ever. Mean kids, 80's bathing suits, and crumbling everything. I will say though that the water was clean, and it's all our family needed--we are NOT high maintenance people.  Instead, I said "screw 'em!" and I attempted "glam" with my floppy hat and frequent turquoise eyeshadow. And boobies...but I really don't have a choice with this one. 

The James River Batteau Festival. It's the James River. It's boats. It's *almost* everything I love.

Fishing at my dad's new lake property dock. It's 2 miles deep into the woods. Ruby has the best luck. Always. 

Family river time! This was a few days after the batteau launched and they were right in front of us in this pic. It's so cool to watch the teams. Being on a batteau team is a bucket list item for me. It will happen.

The best little secret ice cream parlor ever--The Scoop. This was our spot after our redneck community pool visits. Cheapest, most delicious Hershey's ice cream anywhere!

Now THIS was amazing. We found this website (swimmingholes.info) and accompanying phone app that let's you locate "off the beaten path" hiking trails and swimming adventures. This one was Paul's creek at the base of Afton Mountain, VA. This was the very top of the rock slide that had little intermittent bathing pools here and there. It was amazing!

At the bottom of the rock slide was a "bathtub" that was rendered from a kabillion years of water coming down the mountain. It was a little larger, and the same shape as a clawfoot bathtub. You can see GJ splashing right into it! And for what it's worth, I had the most humiliating experience of my summer right here...on the left of this pic. Let's just say I was a fat girl trying to climb up slippery rocks, in Teva's and a bathing suit. In front of a lot of people. Right then and there I should have gone back on the diet. Instead I just laughed and let them enjoy the humiliation as humor at my expense. Life is sometimes easier that way. 

311! WOOT! With one of my best friends, Crista. We always have such a blast and this summer was no different. We got awesome henna before we went. 

This is as good as I can do. Enjoy Nick. We did!

Monacle Baby. The Hale version. (The actual version here. This was kind of our summer mascot.)

Household destruction. I love summertime! YAY!

A new kitteh! Her name is Heidi (because she hides a lot, and she is the softest cat ever.)

Shenanigans...

Just kidding...we're pretty cute actually.

Swashbucklers! Hubby (second from the left) was in a military wedding and they had to practice using the swords the use in battle. Yeah, the Navy still uses swords in battle, that's why they have them. Google it, I swear! /sarcasm

I think I looked pretty good too. Red lips are NOT my thing, but occasionally I try to pull it off.

Just a little luck.

And grad school. This is my spot to study in town. It is quiet, has internet, and looks over the railroad tracks. Perfect. 

Summer was successful, and the kids had a blast, and I was tan when it was all over with. In my mind that equal success. Forget my mental health though. Summertime wrecks that every year.  And now back to RFL. :)

Um, hi. Remember me? Cookies. I have cookies!

Hellooooooo! Daaaaaanaaaaaa! You still there?


Yep, I'm still here. In the break between this and my last post, life has gotten in the way. Summer break with the kids, a big derecho storm that knocked out power to our area so we hosted some people in our home (we didn't lose power), and some weird neck injury/pulled muscle have been keeping me busy. Oh, and my Etsy shop, yeah--super busy there too--which is AWESOME! 


Anyway, I'm managing to avoid the question that is probably on your mind. Am I still doing Rapid Fat Loss? Am I still on the diet? The short answer is no. I won't bore you with a list of excuses, other than to say that I did a much better job when I had time to focus on what I was eating, and food preparation, than I am doing now. School starts back in a few weeks, and I fully plan on being back on it with full gusto. In the meantime I've been eating a lot of crap here and there mixed in with some good things.  As hard as I try (which isn't really any), I'm attempting to make better LOW carb choices, rather than the more strict NO carb choices the diet lends.  I've put back on a few pounds of water weight, but I'm hanging steady. So, what is this post all about then?

Cookies!


Yep, cookies. I'm laughing at myself for you. Irony is not lost on me. However, they are low carb-ish cookies. I really wanted to make a big pan of chocolate chip cookies tonight, but in my restraint, I settled on a lower carb version of the oatmeal cookie.  And it's really good in a pinch!  I took straight to Pinterest to find the perfect recipe, and I landed it the first time. These cookies are super easy to make, taste completely authentic, and only require a few ingredients, most of which you will already have. I have taken this recipe from the blog Eating Well, Living Thin. Originally posted as a make-one-at-a-time recipe, the blog author, Linda, adapted a version that makes roughly 16 cookies.

Don't you love my henna? Friend and artist deluxe, Ashley (same one that made my blog banner), did this last night. She's awesome! Find her Facebook page HERE.

"Just One" Oatmeal Cookie: The whole batch

1/3 cup melted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg 

2/3 Splenda brown sugar, or a mix of splenda and brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/3 cup oatmeal, Old-fashioned or Quick (Quick holds together better)

Raisins, chocolate chips, chopped nuts – optional (I used about 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips)

Mix all ingredients.  Using a cookie baller scoop, form cookies and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.  


Nutrition info per cookie: 69 Calories; 3 g Protein; 5 g Tot Fat; 3 g NET Carb; (2 g Fiber); 1 g Sugar; 41 mg Sodium

Like with all recipes, I usually figure out that I didn't actually follow the instructions once I start blogging about it. This time is no different. I left out half of the sugar! Even better, right!? These cookies are pretty crumbly, but soft and moist.  I'd say eat them warm, then crumble the leftovers to use as granola.  Undoubtedly, we are going to eat these up tonight, and I won't feel half as bad as I have when I've dogged down those few pieces of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake I've eaten lately. (I'm actually sick of cheesecake, and I had no idea that could happen!)  I hope you enjoy these. I hope to be back soon, but if I'm not, I'll see you towards the end of August!

Why You Should Rethink Biblical Gay Bashing. Religion and Politics Pt. 3

I've had a lot of blowback on Facebook lately, and while it is tiring, it is evidence that a lot of work needs to be done, and I'm on the right side of this fight. At least that is what has been confirmed to my spirit.  So this is going to be my last and final post on this topic for a while, and while I would LOVE to take credit for what I'm getting ready to post, I can't. While reading through several Mormon/LDS Affirmation and Marriage Equality blog posts and articles, I ran across this article about Affirmation marching in the San Francisco Pride Parade, and this gem was in the comment section.  Anyway, please read on to see some of the great Biblical points that many use to explain why (as I heard lately) "God doesn't agree with gays" and why those arguments contain fallacy and/or inconsistencies. 

Monya Baker

June 26, 2012 at 12:21 PM

Posted on behalf of Josh Behn:
One could also argue that God may indeed never change, but eons have been spent by imperfect men and women who have tried to interpret God’s will to match the lens through which they see the world.

What does scripture teach us? The Book of Mormon is silent on the topic, as is the D&C. Christ never spoke in any of the new testament writings about homosexuality nor same sex Individuals in loving relationship (though he did speak harshly on condemning your brother, and sat down to dinner with sinners).

The apostle Paul’s writings are about the closest we get, and biblical scholars tell us that it really wasn’t about homosexuality, but temple prostitution and gender roles within that society (Paul also spoke heavily against women having a voice in religion, as well as being subservient to their husbands).

The old testament of course has its own law of Moses prohibitions, but then again, Christ did fulfill that law and we can confidently throw out men lying with men along with eating shellfish, banishing women from the presence of men during menstruation, and putting to death disobedient children.

Finally we get to the section known as the Torah, to the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorah, which really seems to fuel the fire. Hate to rain on the parade, but ask any seminary teacher and they will tell you the sin of sodom was in-hospitality to strangers (the ultimate offense in any tribal civilization). If a secondary sin could be identified it would be aggressive rape.

So, nowhere in scripture (spanning 4,000 years) do we actually have any prohibitions against men and women in same sex relationships. What we do have in scripture is plenty of stories of war, slavery, inhumanity and civilizations with very little in common with our own.

What is better than scriptural defense is personal revelation. And for thousands upon thousands, the personal answer received was that God loved them the way they are and they were to embrace and live the gifts they had been given. If we are to discount this, than we must also throw out the idea of personal revelation as a church. We must remove the Joseph Smith story and be done with it. Who would you feel comfortable in the day of judgement having disobeyed? Imperfect men or God in Heaven?

“To reach the heavens is sublime, but also on dear Earth is life wonderful and amazing; So let us remain mere mortals.”
Bro. W.A. Mozart

This is beautiful, eloquent, and far better than I could do. One last thing I want to leave with is a special song (from the Hunger Games soundtrack) by The Secret Sisters. Every time this shuffles through my playlist, all I can think of is this topic, and the beautiful future on the horizon. It's worth the 3 minute listen, I promise.

Over and out. :)

The march with Affirmation. Religion and Politics Pt. 2

Fat, food, weight loss. Blah blah blah. That is not what this post is about. Sorry!! Instead this is about my Mormon faith (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, aka LDS) and my activism in the marriage equality movement.

Affirmation group

This post is about my experience marching with Affirmation (a group organized of LGBT Mormons and their straight allies) at the New York City 2012 pride parade. I'll go ahead and let you know that there was all of the typical, and stereotypical, things associated with gay pride parades. Drag queens, club dancers, men in leather and chains, and rainbows to name a few. It's nothing I haven't seen before, as when I got out of college I worked with the gay community in Roanoke, Virginia as the Education Coordinator for an HIV/AIDS/STD Division at the Council of Community Services in that city. I coordinated community outreach and education promoting safe sex, and worked as a Ryan White caseworker for a client with AIDS (I love and miss you, Alvin).  I was even in a drag show once, although the queens dolled me up to be Little Kim for a group performance of Lady Marmalade. Interesting experience nonetheless. 


First and foremost was the loving and reception we (my friends Lyndsey and Mallory went with me) got from the Affirmation crowd as we gathered for the parade and at the meet-and-greet bbq the night before.  (A HUGE thank you to Tina for her gracious hospitality and the bomb-a** feast at her home!)  Loving appreciation abounded.  As for the parade, what I also saw was a lot of smiling, happy, excited people on the sidewalks. The same level of excitement for the entire parade, I also saw when our group marched through the streets. I saw a TON of wide eyes, nudging neighbors, and resulting nods and mouthed "thank you's"from the crowds. (Oh, I even got an "Oh my heck! Dangit!" from one guy who apparently knew Mormon-speak.) On top of that were high fives, hugs, knowing looks, and even a few who shouted "Hey! I'm a Mormon!" with excited, thankful eyes that their Mormon counterparts were advocating for them. We got a few thumbs down and a "get out of here" once, but I'm suspecting a healthy amount of residual resentment for the discrimination and perceived harm that they felt the LDS church has done to homosexuals and those in the marriage equality movement.  Probably the best one-on-one I got was a huge, sweaty hug from a "bear" of a man on the sidelines who said scratchily into my ear, "This means so much! Thank you!" I also got a chance to talk to a couple at the very end of the parade who were astonished and grateful that of all people, MORMONS, were taking a stand and expressing love for their LGBTQ brothers and sisters. And I got to talk politics with those guys, which was cool by me. :)

The sidewalk crowd

What the day consisted of was waiting for many hours for the parade to start for our section. There were active Mormons, inactive Mormons, and even adamant ex-Mormons in our group.  But we all united under the same banner for the same reason--love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We were behind the Occupy Wallstreet-ers, and that wasn't even that bad of an experience except for their very outward expressions of civil disobedience--but that's to be expected from that group.  We dressed in church clothes, looking very polished I might add, and fellowshipped, shared food and stories, and created friendships that I anticipate (and hope) will carry on into the next life. Contrary to what I'm sure is popular belief (in the church), LGBT Mormons have the same standards. They attend weekly sacrament meetings, keep the word of wisdom, have served missions, and come from families sealed in the temple, just to name a few traditional cultural activities of people in the church.  These are people that I would be honored to sit next to in church, hear a lesson from, or go on a service assignment with.  People who respect their neighbors, serve callings, and strive to share the gospel with others. They are good Mormons, dangit! 

LGBTQ Mormons

So anyway, for anyone who wondered what it could possibly be like to be around GAY Mormons, there you have it. They are regular people who do regular LDS things. SURPRISE! Preconceived notions squashed. You're welcome. 


I always feel a great sense of loss when it's time for me to leave people who I've developed a special connection with. I get wistful and sad. But to each of them, as I left, I said, "Goodbye, until we see each other in this life, or the next." And one way or the other, I know I will. And for all of you new friends who I was blessed and honored to meet, I leave you with this hymn that I love. And I love you.

My next post will be a little more controversial perhaps. I have some things to say on the "condoning behavior" argument. I also have a little to say about "loving the sinner and hating the sin." You'll just have to come back. I'll also get back to posting stuff about food and losing weight, this just happens to be what's powerfully on my mind at the moment. 

Diet Break and Gay Talk. Huh? Religion and Politics Pt. 1

For the past two weeks I've been on a scheduled break from my RFL diet. I've been trying to make good food choices, and also been allowing myself to have some of things I really want. Like cupcakes, Japanese food, and soda. It's been a nice break, but I'm actually glad to be back on. Starting today!  It has been easy to get back on the wagon today, and believe it or not, I've only gained +/- 1.8 lbs. I'm impressed that it is only that little. I'm also excited to (hopefully) shed another 20 lbs. in the next 6 weeks. I've decided 6 weeks is about the extent of how long I can do RFL until needing a break, and I'm happy with the progress in that amount of time, so I'm going with it.

In the meantime, some meaningful things have happened that are completely unrelated to fat loss. Not everyone that will visit my blog will know that I'm LDS, or Mormon as per common vernacular. I've been LDS for 10 years and have a full testimony that Christ is my savior, and that the original church that Christ established on the earth is now fully restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.  It's really not up for discussion as to whether I'm correct, going to hell, or a cult member. I am what I am, and I hope you will leave it at that. I will not try to preach to you through this blog either, so no worries. :)


The one thing that many people DO know about my church is that we work very hard to prevent legislation from passing that allows for marriage equality for all people. AKA, gay marriage.  In 1995 the church released the Family Proclamation. In it the church leadership proclaims "that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children."  And that is the official stance of the church, and I support the church in deciding what kinds of marriages they will recognize. I have no interest in the messy business of telling God what to do in his holy house, the temple.  Marriage in our church takes place in our temples where we believe we are sealed together for time and all eternity. My husband and I were sealed in the Washington, DC temple in 2005.


However, the proclamation also calls upon "responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures."  What that tells me is that our church wants to mix religion and politics, and as a Libertarian, I can't convince myself that it's my place to enforce my specific religious values and rules/laws on anyone who doesn't subscribe to my brand of religion. Interesting enough, in our church scripture volume, known as the Doctrine and Covenants, there is a tiny treasure that reads, 

"We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied...We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world; but we do not believe it right to interfere with bond-servants, neither preach the gospel to, nor baptize them contrary to the will and wish of their masters, nor to meddle with or influence them in the least to cause them to be dissatisfied with their situations in this life, thereby jeopardizing the lives of men; such interference we believe to be unlawful and unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude." Doctrine and Covenants 139: 4, 12

It's inconsistent, and leaves room for many questions. Again, I DO NOT believe it correct in my own conscience, or is advocated in the scriptures of my church, to inflict my will on others based on my religious convictions through the use of legislation and government.  The entire book of Matthew is a guide book for me as to how I should treat others. And that's the end of that for me.


Want to know what I really think? I think that government should be out of ALL marriage business. I'd give up my marriage certificate in a second because it neither puts value on or defines my marriage. My temple marriage is the one I'm concerned about, and that is between me and God. Let me also be clear that I'm not trying to change church policy. I'm trying to advocate that my church stay out of politics, and place more value on those of the homosexual persuasion that seek to come and be spiritually fed without fear of being cast out, or what we Mormons call excommunication. And while it's claimed that excommunication is rare, it's not. I can name a few people off the top of my head who have had it happen to them. 


Well, that brings me to this past weekend. Stemming from the past marriage equality legislation in California (in which the LDS church was heavily involved in preventing it's passing), a few "ally" groups have formed from LDS church members. An ally is someone who is straight that supports the gay church members (or gay anybody's) by showing love and respect for their lifestyle and how they choose to live it. I went to the NYC Pride Parade this past weekend to march with one of these groups, Affirmation (first pic up top). Our group was comprised of gay and straight LDS church members, ex-members, and friends. It was an incredibly uplifting, loving, testimony building experience. I met some spiritual giants, new friends, and amazing men and women--who are LDS and GAY.  *gasp*  It happens. And I love them anyway.  Here is the video and a picture. I'm the one carrying the sign reading "I'm proof that hearts can change." 

You can also view the entire article here.  Most people in my family (I'm the only Mormon in my family), church, and ward would not be supportive or happy about this at all. I'm erring on the side of love for my fellow brothers and sisters, and am willing to stand accountable to God for my actions. There is always a group of people who are the underdogs, who not many will stand arm and arm with. I could be in one of those groups one day, and I would only hope that someone would come to my side as well. Anyway, I hope you've learned something about me, about my church, and about what I hope the future looks like for those who have been often hurtfully discriminated against. Hearts can and will change, and I am proof of that.


Sending out vibes of charity, love, and the light of Christ. Back to getting skinny tomorrow. :)

Big Mac Salad? Yes, Salad!

Heaven in my bowl...

Here we go again with my modern day mentality when it comes to eating. Besides the internet, I think one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century is the McDonald's Big Mac. It's impossible for me to explain the zen-like experience I have when I eat one.  It's ridiculous, and a bit embarrassing to be that in love with such a terrible excuse for a food, but I bear it all here, so there you go.  And for the record, I may eat ONE a year. I just know how bad they are, so I stay away.  

Anyway, my same HCG diet going friend Krista, who introduced me to the buffalo chicken dip, also introduced me to the BIG MAC SALAD. Yep, I'm screaming that at you via caps lock. It tastes like a Big Mac, only without the bread, and who needs that anyway?!  It's meaty, creamy, cheesy, and has all the flavors of a classic Big Mac. I'm going to show you all of exactly what I did.  This recipe isn't necessarily low fat (for me), but for the average eater, it's a HUGE improvement in reducing the bad fats in the traditional Big Mac sandwich.

I'll go ahead and give you a second to thank me. No. It's okay. Take your time. I don't mind. :)  Crappy pic...again. Night time cooking. Fluorescent light pics. You know the drill at this point.

Big Mac Salad

1 pound 5% fat ground beef, cooked, crumbled, drained, rinsed

3 cups salad greens (I used shredded iceberg for authenticity)

2 pickles sliced

1 tbsp minced onions, rehydrated

1/4 cup shredded cheddar or 2 slices fat free American cheese

1/4 cup low carb 1000 Island dressing (recipe below)

pepper

Halve all of your ingredients, because this makes 2 salads worth of food.  In your bowl, place 1.5 cups of your salad greens. Top with half of the browned beef, cheese, dressing, pickles, minced onions, and pepper. Some people like to mix the onions and pepper in with the browned beef, but I just prefer to do it on my salad.  Sit down and prepare for some heaven in your mouth.  Serves 2. (Use less beef for lower protein intake if you need to stretch your daily allowance out.)

Low Carb 1000 Island Dressing

2 tbsp fat free mayo

2 tbsp light mayo

1 tbsp ketchup (you can use sugar free ketchup, I just use regular Heinz)

1.5 tbsp dill pickle relish

Mix all together and refrigerate for 15 mins, then serve. Keeps for up to 2 weeks.  Serves 2.

Nutrition

Calories 375

Carbs 7g

Fat 15g

Protein 50g

Just for comparison, this is the nutrition info for an actual Big Mac from McDonald's...

Calories 550

Carbs 46 g

Fat 29g

Protein 25 g

Who am I kidding? There is no comparison on this one!  I'm not sure what to say about this salad except to thank Krista. The first one I made I ate in less than 3 minutes. It was a combo of deliciousness and not having had eaten in 7 hours. This is a really fun way to transform modern foods into something special for a diet, or even to surprise your friends with at a funky dinner party.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Love, peace, and hamburger grease!