As I was watching Biggest Loser the other night eating cheese and crackers I realized how ironic it was. (and maybe a glass of wine š ). There I was sitting on my comfy couch cheering these people on, marveling over how fast they can run on the treadmill now just after 11 weeks, and I was doing exactly what got the contestants on that show in the first place! Mindless eating.
It comes and goes with me. I can be all the way on, or maybe 90/10, which is still pretty healthy. But I’d have to say that lately I am 50/50 with the healthy eating and then eating crap. One thing I’ve discovered is that I can’t keep food in my desk. Peanuts, crackers, chips, etc. I say that they are there for my boss, because she pays for them, but I eat my equal share. I find that if I have down time that’s the first thing I do is reach in and get a handful of peanuts or whatever.
No more. I put everything in a locked drawer in my bosses office, and only she has the key. š
That being said, I will enjoy my birthday cheese while I can. I have a big April challenge for myself that is in the works, so my plan is to be 90/10 the remainder of March – just so you know that 10% will be cheese!
One cheese Tony gave me was called Comte. It’s a french, non-pasturized cow’s milk cheese and it has a wonderful flavor. First touch of it I knew it would be a great melty cheese like gruyere. It looks like this:
It’s creamy, slightly sweet but definitely has a strong taste to it, but not enough to overpower my breakfast – just enough to kick it up a notch.
Biz’ s Breakfast Baked Potato
- 6 ounce baked potato, flesh removed (this was half of a giant potato I had) (4 points) *
- 1 ounce deli ham chopped (1 point)
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped (0 points)
- 1 egg (2)
- 1/2 ounce thinly sliced Comte cheese (2)
Cut the baked potato in half and scoop out the potato leaving the shell. In a non-stick skillet, combine the potato, spinach, and ham and cook just until the spinach barely starts to wilt. Add the cracked egg and scramble together. Since I was taking this to work, I put my half potato shell in a ziploc, and my filling in a container. Then once I was at work, I added the egg mixture to the potato – kinda had to stuff it in so it would fit. I heated that up in the microwave for 1 minute. Then added my two thinly sliced pieces of Comte cheese and finished it off under the toaster oven.
On the side I had one of the oranges my PIL gave me – this delicious and super filling breakfast comes in at 9 WW points. And because I couldn’t make up my mind which picture to post – you get three! Your welcome. š
Okay, I am all about this nice weather, but a tiny piece of me misses the actual spring like weather – you know 50’s and 60’s? This is what I saw before leaving for my run . . . at 11:30 a.m.!
I decided to try running, but it was just too hot, and I haven’t worked out since last Friday, so I need to build up my speed again – amazing what just five days of not exercising can do to your stamina. No worries – I walked for 50 minutes. I moved! š And I was sweaty.
It felt nice to get moving again. I was excited to heat up my lunch because it was more leftovers! I have to say, the $18 dollar piece of flank steak I got is getting good use. We had it my birthday dinner night. Then the night before last I chopped some up for our baby crispy tacos. And yesterday I had it with some of Tony’s famous fried rice.
My bowl: 3 ounces of flank steak tossed in a bit of sriracha (3); 1 cup of Tony’s fried rice (4); and 1 cup of steamed broccoli and some bean sprouts (0). I did saute the steak in a bit of olive oil before adding the fried rice, so I’ll add another point for that, so this bowl comes in at 8 points. Super filling! And I still have half a pound of flank steak left to use up! š I may have kicked my dish up with some sriracha. š I love that stuff.
Tony had a doctors appointment with his GP yesterday – his gout is back with a vengence, which is why I love him so much that he pushed through the pain to make my fried rice for my birthday. Guess what we have a three week prescription of?? PREDNISONE! I tell you its a wonder drug for Tony. It takes the gout swelling down, his joints don’t hurt as much – I just wish he could take it longer than three weeks, but at least he’ll have a reprieve for a few weeks!
On Sunday I had every intention of making homemade pita breads for making chicken gyros this week. I made the dough, and its been sitting on my counter ever since! I followed this recipe to a T. (except left the dough on the counter for 4 days!) It makes 15, 4 inch pitas – each one comes in at 101 calories, 1.2 fat, 19 carbs, .7 fiber and 2.7 protein. 3 WW points.
I also cooked my pitas on my grill. I cooked up just 4 pitas. I used my unglazed quarry tiles I got at Menard’s (.49 cents each) that I use when I grill pizza. Which I haven’t make in a long time, need to fix that! I heated up my grill to 400 degrees.
Then I added my dough one at a time – it literally only took about a minute, minute and a half per side to cook through.
Chicken Gyros (makes 4 servings: 131 calories, 6.6 fat, .8 carbs, .2 fiber and 17 protein, or 3 WW points)
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 2 cloves garlic
- juice of half a lemon
- zest of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients above and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
I let my chicken sit while I rolled out my pita dough and grilled the pita, so it really only sat for about 15 minutes, but it was still super flavorful. I decided to keep the chicken whole while grilling, and then slice it before serving. My plate: 1 homemade pita (3), 4 ounces of chicken (3), lettuce and tomato (0), 2 tablespoons tzatziki (1) and 1/2 an ounce of potato chips (2). Dinner comes in at 9 points.
I had a good day. I got some exercise in. I almost brought the can of peanuts to the living room last night while we were watching t.v., but I ate exactly 10 (2 points) and stopped at that. š
Don’t forget to submit your BSI – breakfast recipes! I am still getting emails that a lot of you can’t comment – still don’t know what’s wrong with that, but hopefully wordpress will fix it soon. So if you can’t leave a comment with your breakfast link, just email it to me at mybizzykitchen@gmail.com.
I am off to make my lunch: Mango Chicken Salad with Spicy Ginger Dressing. Yum!
I may be the last person to know about this site, but just in case there wasn’t enough food porn out there – check out Tablespoon.com. Not sure if its kinda like Tastespotting where you can submit recipes, but it is searchable. š
Make it a great day!
Leave out the ham for me and that potato looks Excellent!! I love sriracha sauce, too. I’d been hearing about it for a long time but only tried it for the first time when we were at an Asian restaurant in New Mexico. I came right home and bought it. I’ve made my way through one bottle and on to my second. I use it on almost everything!
comte is one of my favorite cheeses! i find that lots of people haven’t heard of it though. it’s always the one i bring to parties to introduce everyone to it!
OK Biz, I’m with you. I’ve been off track for…about three weeks. It’s time! Poor Tony-bless him for pushing through to make you the rice you love! My Dad suffers from gout so I know how much pain it causes. Not nice. And can I just say, Biz, you are a pita ROCK STAR.
Mindless/emotional eating got me into a LOT of trouble about 10 years ago when I went through a very stressful period of my life. Even though I was able to stop the emotional eating pretty quickly, some of it has always stayed with me. I have to be really mindful every day, every meal, especially when life gets busy and stressful or when I’m bored…
Great choice to make the 10% cheese! Would have been exactly my choice ! š
Hope Tony will feel a lot better with the prednisone!!!
Good for you for getting rid of the snacks! Out of sight, out of mind, right? All your eats look delicious as usual!
Tony should be feeling better with the predisone on board, good for him! Can’t wait to hear what your challenge is! š
Love that you made you pita bread, it looks so good!
I know what you mean about snacking at work. That’s tough for me. Although there isn’t much here, there is a store downstairs that sells all sorts of goodies. Lately, Ove made a few trips there. I got back this week though!
That baked potato looks amazing!! š
My husband LOVES sriracha – he puts it on everything!
It is warmer there than it is here in AZ, pretty crazy! I am glad Tony gets some relief, he needs it I am sure. My FIL suffers from gout and it makes him miserable sometimes.
I am definitely the same way about snacking, if it is there, I will eat it!
Your lunch looked super tasty, I am actually able to eat a LITTLE bit of sriracha now š
Woo hoo! Pretty soon you’ll be eating fresh jalapenos!
Comte cheese is so good. The gyros look delish! I have been known to snack at night while watching TV….it is my weakness.
Can’t wait to read about the challenge. I’d like to join in! I’ve been getting a little naughty over here too! You always remind me that I need to put more effort into my breakfasts. And how fabulous does your dinner bread look?!
Busted! I’ve sure done some of that totally guilty eating while watching BL. Your brother once wrote a post about how the mindset for working at your health/fitness goals is like a light switch, either on or off. I think that’s really true. For me, right now, my switch is ON–that means I’m sticking to my diet & exercise goals the majority of the time and when I mess up, I jump right back on. Amazing, though, how two months ago I couldn’t even stick with it for an entire day.
Yep, the proverbial switch – I just wish it would stay on more than off! š
Mmmm…. pitas.
I am eating 90/10 right now and doing pretty well with that. I tend to drift towards 70/30 when I am not in weight loss mode.
I am finding I have to log into Facebook to make comments on wordpress blogs now.
That is so crazy – and people who have commented for YEARS all of a sudden I have to approve their comments. Stinks. š
I hope your hubs starts feeling better soon and that he made your birthday fried rice does say what kind of man he is š Never made a breakfast potato, what a great idea! I absolutely love gyros and your chicken ones look awesome. I so want to make pita bread now and on the grill too š
I just typed a three paragraph message and it got deleted. So here’s my condensed version š
I loove love love pita bread that puffs up.. store bought just doesn’t cut it! And I need to remember to try those breakfast potatoes! i cook a bunch of potatoes and sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week so i have them in the fridge throughout the week. I’m in a permanent breakfast rut (egg sammys) but for dinner those would be delicious and quick!
My dads a doc, and he prescribes prednazone all the time.. must be the magic pill! Best wishes to Tony.. feel better!
Have a great day, Biz!
Grilled pita bread is genius! I HAVE to make that!
Glad Tony’s getting some relief!!!
Just posted an awesome breakfast this morning: http://cookingaweighthelbs.blogspot.com/2012/03/paleo-savory-breakfast-casserole.html
Perfect BSI entry – thanks Jenn!
Although I hate taking prednisone, it DOES make you feel so energetic, and I’m glad Tony will be getting not only relief from the gout, but a burst of energy, especially with this nice weather – perfect timing!
That Florida orange looks so delicious. Maybe if I could get oranges like that I would eat them!
Great idea on using the tiles on the grill – I need to give that a try.
Man, please come cook for me. Please.
Ugh. I struggle with mindless eating too! It’s frustrating at times!
Woman you are sick! I know what an amazing cook you are but you make your own pitas too? WOW! I bow to excellence [this being right after I book a flight your way. Expect to find me on your kitchen floor with the leftover potato – squee – and the pitas. OMG.]
When you want something like peanuts or chips don’t take the whole bag/can into the living room while you watch TV. Count out what you want to eat and put it in a pretty ramekin. It is the easiest way to avoid “mindless” eating. I am pretty sure you already know this little hint but I find it works wonders with chips [11 Doritos – my fave – 220 mg of salt] and when I am done with my dish I don’t get up to get more.
I have the most spectacular breakfast recipe but no pics of it and [let’s admit it] I am feeling lazy this week. I will try in get it in before the deadline. It is so good. I make it for Christmas brunch.
Have a great week. You’re doing great!
You don’t have to have a picture Skippy – no worries! š
Too hot to go running in March, go figure!
Love breakfast potatoes, I’ve been making them too. My choice of cheese lately is asiago, I love it but use it sparingly.
Your gyros look delicious! And I missed wishing you a happy birthday on the blog…happy belated birthday, Biz!!! š What a guy Tony is! Gout can be really painful, so I can only imagine.
As for the whole 90/10 vs. 50/50 bit…I hear you. My lack of control has to do with one little ingredient I just discovered: Biscoff Spread. Holy Moly. This stuff is addicting. I always have Nutella and peanut butter in the house and have NO issues. But this stuff? This is a first. I’ve lost all control and it is now in the GARAGE!!!