Salads and two mini NSV's

I am obsessing over salads lately.  Something has me craving them non stop, which is a good thing of course!  I have been buying a lot of different salad toppings so that I can always be adding variety into my life.  Last night I made a Crunchy Garlic Sausage Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing.


Key players:


Garlic Sausage Links (Trader Joe's)
Romaine Lettuce
Baby Tomatoes
Broccoli Slaw
Green Onion
1 Tbs Boathouse Yogurt Honey Mustard Dressing

Some delish sauteed mushrooms

Trader Joe's Garlic Chicken Sausage Goodness

Yummy dressing!  (The best part is that is healthier for you and the flavor is intense in a good way so you only need a little bit of it!)

My beautiful creation!  It was so good I am having it again for lunch!

So, onto my NSV!  I have two of them to share and I am really excited about both of them.  The first one is that I walked to the bus yesterday past this restaurant that serves up hamburgers, french fries and other fried foods and for the first time this year (because it has been so cold)  I was able to smell the food cooking inside.  I can say for the first time in my life I was grossed out by the smell of greasy fried food being cooked.  I started to speed up my walking just to get away from the odor.  It is sort of a silly NSV, but it is meaningful for me because when I would smell food in the past it would trigger a craving and the next thing you know is that I am in the drive through or at a restaurant induldging my craving.  So, this was definitely a win for me since I went home and ate a salad.

The next little NSV is relating to riding the bus.  I am probably the only person in the world who has anxiety riding the bus because of her size/weight, but it's true... I don't like to ride the bus.  I always feel like people are looking at me strange or judging me (who knows, it might just be in my head).  Usually when I ride the bus I find this small chair that is by itself and doesn't require you to have someone sit next to you.  I was always so paranoid about encrouching on someone else's space or being squished next to someone.  Well, twice this week I decided to sit in a chair that has two very close seats next to each other.  I chose the window seat both times and waited to see if someone would come sit next to me.  It is not that I smell or that I am strange or scary that would make people chose another seat, but rather that I was bigger and there were other seats open that would allow them more space.  I had someone choose to sit next to me immediately both days and there was plenty of room for both of us.  It may be a small silly NSV, but it is something that has made me confident that I am not only doing that right thing, but that it is working.  I am losing weight and looking and feeling better already!

Must-Have Monday-Sandwiches

Monday, Monday. I am kind of excited to see you because you are kind of like Thursday to me this week.  It is time for another edition of MHM and this week I have decided to tell you all a little bit about my sandwich obsession.  I just love sandwiches.  All kinds from cold to toasty warm and everything in between.  My favorite sandwich in the world comes from a deli in my hometown called Bo-Diddley's and it is a turkey sandwich on a delicious 12 grain sub-type bread and I honestly am lucky that it is no where near me know or I would be starting this weight loss journey at least 100 pounds heavier than I am today.  So, today's MHM is focused on the delicious and often underrated sandwich.  My favorite "healthy" sandwich items.  I am also adding some pictures because I feel like I don't do it enough and it is something I am going to work on.





Pepperidge Farm Deli-Flats I love this bread.  I really do.  I usually like bread when it is thicker and has more substance to it (which means more carbs) but this bread makes me not even miss the higher calorie kind.  They have several kinds all around 100 calories and containing fiber and all of the good stuff you want in a bread.  If I am having a traditional sandwich this is my go-to bread.  It never disappoints me.  I also use it to make peanut butter toast on the weekend.

Kraft Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Garden Veggie Cream Cheese I use 1 tablespoon of this on my sandwich and it makes a world of a difference.  It is a way to jazz up a sandwich without adding a ton of guilty toppings like mayo or full fat cream cheese.  It adds a nice flavor without being over the top.

Columbus Reduced Sodium Turkey Breast I buy this turkey at Trader Joe's and I really like it.  It is really good for being lower in sodium and it is not slimy or a weird color.  I am VERY picky about my lunch meat and I really enjoy this product.  I need to sample some of their other food items, but this is the only reduced sodium option that TJ's sells.

Minnesota's Bushel Boy Tomato  Buying local items when I cam is really important to me.  I know that many of you don't live in or near Minnesota, so this item is probably no use to you, but I think everyone can appreciate buying local ingredients.  I lived in Italy for 6 months and ate some of the best tomatoes that the world has to offer, so I must say I am kind of a tomato snob.  These tomatoes are just as good as any of the ones that I ate there.  Support local farmers and eat local produce when you can.  It is likely more fresh and less expensive than other available produce. 

Red onion- I add onions to pretty much anything and everything.  Much like garlic, I think it adds a lot. 

Cucumbers- So good, so fresh, so crunchy.  I can eat them plain or on something.  I love cucumbers. 

Banana Peppers- Last, but CERTAINLY not least.  My new favorite sandwich topping is banana 

peppers. I can't get enough!!  I rinse them at home before I eat them to get some of the sodium off that is i

in the juice in the jar.

Now you know how to make my favorite sandwich made at home.

What I order at Subway

6 inch 9 grain Turkey sub.  Lots of lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, green pepper, banana peppers and a shake of parmesan cheese.  No sauces, just the good stuff listed above. 

Must-Have Monday-Newbie's

Today, I met a friend for happy hour at the restaurant Crave in the new trendy area of the twin cities known as the West End.  I had not seen this friend in a year and a half, which is always a good bad feeling for me. On one hand I am ecstatic to catch up with my friend that I haven't seen in a long time and on the other hand I am always nervous about what they think I look like (in comparison to the last time they saw me, as in I hope I am not bigger than I was before).

I am also nervous to tell people that I am eating healthy and not drinking.  This is not because I am afraid that I won't have willpower, but it is because I don't want to make other people feel bad for their drink and food choices because I am choosing to live a certain way.  So far it has NOT been an issue.  I am actually not sure what I am afraid of.  Is there a chance that someone would actually say, "You're eating HEALTHY!?! What a crock of sh**!"  No, people wouldn't say that even if they think that.  I have also found an interesting behavior pattern emerging.  My friends who are thin, healthy and active are totally understandable and supportive of my decisions, while it seems that some people who are heavy or who enjoy a poor diet are always saying things like, "you can't eat like a rabbit forever, you will fall of the wagon some day!"  I know, i know this is NOT rocket science.  Of course people who are overweight want people to eat like them because they want to continue to tell themselves that it is okay for them to eat that way.  As I was thinking about this in the car today all I could think was..... WOW!  This used to be me not that long ago.  I used to love when someone would say let's just veg out and eat snacks and lay around all day and order take out.  I used to be the person who I have now just figured out.  I have just foiled my past behaviors.  This was a mini break through of sorts for me.  I know that this journey is more than just changing my willpower and outlook on life.  It is more that just determination and hard work.  It is a large part about changing my behavior and how I look at food.  Losing weight is not just about what you put into your body, but also what you take out of it.  The bad thoughts, the negative images, the poor behaviors.  I am not where I want to be in a year, but I am better off than I was a year ago or yesterday for that matter.

Alright.... after that moment of personal growth I would like to start my first ever Must-Have Monday post.  I am going to post three things that I can't live without every week.  This is a time to give thanks and to spread the love. This week's focus is on new items that I have discovered.

1. Boca Crumbles- Honestly, I just discovered how amazing this product is and I am already trying to dream up things that I can cook with it.  I made a healthier take on Mexican pizza using this as the meat and it was FABULOUS!  I will post the recipe tomorrow.  It is NOT healthy as in as good for you as a salad, but it is a much healthier way to get a Mexican fix.

2. Trader Joe's Chicken Sausage.  They have many different flavors and they are all really good.  One sausage is about 100 calories and between 4.5 and  grams of fat.  This is obviously not as healthy as regular chicken breasts or other lean meats, but it is a nice change of scenery and good to have every once in awhile. They sell similar chicken sausages at many other grocery stores if you don't have a TJ's by you.

3. Pears- It doesn't mater which variety.  Pears are rocking my world as of late.  I am loving them and eating one a day it seems like.  They must be in season because they are relatively cheap right now and super delicious.