We had probably the best Halloween weather we’ve had in a long time. Trick or treating started at 4:00. I took my bowl outside and decided to sit on the top stairs of my deck.


No one was coming by, so of course I had to take pictures of leaves and trees! 😀


After only two groups of kids came by within an hour, I just left the candy on the deck and came in to start dinner. All of a sudden I hear Tony yelling – a car full of 16 and 17’s year olds saw the unmanned candy bowl and took it all – Tony stopped them in time and they put it all back – they were driving a Mercedes too! I actually thought a parent was driving the car, but the last kid who put the candy back was the driver!
When Hannah woke up this morning I told her “I am making buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy.” She was like “you better not be joking with me!” They were the best biscuits I’ve ever made – thanks to Cook’s Illustrated. And really so simple – from beginning to the end of cooking time was only about 30 minutes!




[sp_recipe]
On my way home from running errands, I texted Tony “Taco Bell?” They have a new sauce that I really liked
my lunch pictures turned out like crap – somehow I was in between two settings, but I had a crunchy beef taco and a bean burrito. I asked the lady what comes on the burrito and she said “red sauce, cheese and beans.” Um, she forgot to mention ONIONS! I didn’t taste them until the very end, but that white onion taste lingered in my mouth a bit too long. 🙁
I was bizzy in my kitchen – I made split pea soup with smoked ham, and a tofu/egg/green chile casserole for my breakfast – you’ll just have to come back tomorrow for those recipes!
For dinner I made Classic Roast Beef – this time from Cook’s Country. It’s probably the fifth or sixth time I’ve made it. This 3.5 pound roast cost $9.80 cents. I plan to use the leftovers to make roast beef horseradish wraps for my lunch, and possibly a South Beach version of a Yankee Pot roast soup.
After the roast had been cooking almost an hour and a half, I probed it with my meat thermometer and it said it was only 45 degrees – I was like WTF??!! A couple minutes later I realized the thermometer was on Celsius, not Fahrenheit! Luckily I did not over cook it though – perfect medium rare:
I am not much of an ice cream gal, but I had to rid the freezer of this one last thing before starting South Beach:

So the basic rules of Phase I of South Beach:
- no baked goods; cereal; full fat dairy; no flour; no fruit or fruit juices; no pasta; no rice; . . . no alcohol!
Tony will do just fine – he has a way of setting his mind to something and he’s all set. I have a feeling I’ll be missing my chili stuffed baked potatoes and jalapeno bagels, but I am just going to take it a day at a time. And thanks to Gina for giving me the green light on the South Beach diet – she’s a registered dietitian and she’s okay with it – however, since I will be consuming a lower amount of carbs, I just need to be mindful of low blood sugars.
Oh yeah, today is Weigh In Monday!
I am in the 160’s! I lost another pound this week! 😀 This is the fourth of fifth week I’ve had a loss – hopefully I can keep it going! 😀
So I forgot to update my Hot 100 Update last Friday – goals for this week is to stay on plan for the Phase I, no wine, and shake up my exercise this week.
Make it a great day! 😀
I make those biscuits all the time, they’re amazing.
I wish you well doing the south beach. i’ve never actually done that. I have been trying to cut WAY back on carbs. God knows I need to get focused on SOMETHING! It’s like I’m stale mate and not doing anything, very annoying! I look forward to some awesome phase 1 recipes from you!
I’m making your buffalo chili tomorrow night! (with onions) Can’t wait!
why oh why didn’t i buy baby ruth?! i am seriously craving one now!
Good luck with South Beach! I think you’ll do great, you love your lean meat, eggs, veggies, etc. 🙂 The alcohol would be the hardest part for me, I love my wine and beer a few nights a week. I’m glad Tony caught those teens in the MERCEDES STEALING CANDY. Halloween annoys me for reasons just as that!
Congrats on the 160s! I can’t wait to get there. The first few days of South Beach are the hardest but after that it gets easier and easier. I wasn’t very strict about the no fruit rule. I regularly had my fruit in the morning so I would burn it off early in the day and still lost a substantial amount of weight (without exercising). Good luck!
Good luck Biz!!! Feel free to e-mail me with questions if you have them.
The no alcohol thing was actually difficult for me on the elimination diet (even for just one week). I really love having just half a beer (split with Nick) with dinner or while watching football! But, you’ll do great. Just focus on all of the wonderful foods you CAN eat, and how great you will feel (eventually…. after a few days!).
There’s nothing better than homemade biscuits – yum!! And congrats on your contest win – Paula Deen is a great idea!
Trick or treating starts so early out there! We start around 7-7:30pm. The kids were so tired in class today.
Kids are jerks! Stealing candy? How rude. I’m glad Tony caught them. Ugh I warned my middle schoolers against that kind of behavior.
I love those Skinny Cow ice creams. Caramel cone is my favorite flavor.
I’m going to e-mail you about South Beach tomorrow. I’m curious!
We had some teenagers yesterday and they were lacking manners. I took it as a cue to yell “Your welcome”, at them as they were leaving. I think I embarassed them. Assholes.
Congrats on the weight loss! Good luck on SB. I have ZERO willpower so when I’m told “No”, I want it more.
Those biscuits w/gravy just about caused me to fall off of my chair. OH DEAR GOD! I love love love food like that…however my tummy dislikes it so we stay away. 🙁 Boo
I did South Beach years ago- hated all of the restrictions. No fruit to me is the hardest. Good luck!! 🙂