It Smells Like My Imaginary Polish Babusia Is in the Kitchen

Ahh, the smell.  I can imagine a cute round Babusia slaving over the stove to make an old world favorite.  Don't tell her I cheated and made her traditional dish as a stoup (stew + soup) AND with a lot less effort.

 

Stuffed Cabbage Stoup

recipe adapted from Rachel Ray's Stuffed Cabbage Stoup recipe

 

 

 

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 c. Brown Rice

1 qt. plus 2 c. Organic Chicken Stock

1 lb. Grass Fed Ground Beef

1/2 tsp. Allspice

1 1/2 tsp. Coriander

2 tsp. Paprika

1/4 tsp. Cayenne

1/4 tsp. Garlic Salt

Salt

Pepper

1 Bay Leaf

1 Tbs. Coconut Sugar*

1 Onion, chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 Carrot, thinly sliced and finely chopped

1 Head Green Cabbage, thinly sliced

28 oz. Diced Tomatoes (I put mine through the food processor because my family doesn't like chunky cooked tomatoes)



1 c. Tomato Sauce
1 c. Organic Imagine Creamy Garden Tomato Soup

Heat a sauce pan over medium high heat with 2 Tbs. olive oil.  Add the rice and toss to coat in oil. Add 2 cups chicken stock, bring to simmer, cover and cook for 16 - 18 minutes until the rice is tender.

Heat a deep pot over medium heat.  Add ground beef and brown about 2 minutes.  Add seasonings to meat and cook for another minute.  Then add the onions, garlic, and carrots.  Cook 2 - 3 minutes or until they begin to soften.  Now, add the cabbage and cook until it wilts down a bit.  Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato soup, and remaining chicken stock.  Stir to mix and cover the pot.  Raise the heat to high and bring the stoup to a simmer.  Simmer for about 10 minutes (or you can lower the heat  to low and cook for as long as needed).  Once the rice is cooked, add it to the stoup and continue to simmer 2 - 3 minutes.  Serve.

This would be a great crock-pot meal, also. 

*Coconut sugar is healthy substitute for brown sugar.  If you are on the Virgin Diet and don't have coconut sugar, you could substitute with Stevia or Xylitol to get the desired sweetness.  If you are not on the Virgin Diet, you can substitute brown sugar and you will get the same flavor.  I would advise starting with 1/2 Tbs. brown sugar, though.  It is sweeter than coconut sugar and you can always add more, but you can't take it out once it's in there.

Not Your Granny's Meatloaf

I grew up eating meatloaf and it was always a favorite.  My family recipe called for lots of breadcrumbs and canned tomato soup; therefore, when I started The Virgin Diet I knew this was a dish that was off limits.  Then, as I perused the grocery store I found some items that I could substitute for the "bad" ingredients in the tried and true family recipe and decided to try a new Virgin friendly version.  When my 14 year old daughter told me the new meatloaf was better than the version she grew up eating, I knew I had a keeper.



Virgin Friendly Meatloaf

 

1 lb. Grass Fed Ground Beef

1 Egg

1 Onion, chopped

1 Carrot, peeled and chopped

1/3 c. Imagine Gluten Free Creamy Garden Tomato Soup

2 c. Rice Chex, crushed

1 tsp. Garlic Salt

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

Sugar Free Ketchup

 

Directions:

In a food processor, chop the onion and carrot.  In a bowl mix all ingredients.  Place mixture on the top of a broiler pan (this allows the oil from the meat to drain away from the meatloaf).  Drizzle the top of the meatloaf with ketchup.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr.

 

 

 

Here are some recipe saving ingredients I have found that I really like.  Give them a try!

A healthy alternative to sugar/high fructose corn syrup laden Ketchup

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have used this soup for this meatloaf recipe and I used it in a cabbage roll stoup recipe, also.



 

 

 



Friday Night = Pizza Night

I believe I mentioned before how bad I was craving pizza.  Once I completed Phase 1 and Phase 2, I was on a mission to find a good GF pizza.  I have tried a few restaurants around town and now have a favorite for dining out but I still needed to find a good pizza to keep in the freezer for nights like tonight. You know those nights; you are too tired to cook and too tired to go out.  In the past those were the kind of nights I would send Hubby out to pick up take-out from some fast food toxic waste dump. 

Tonight, I tried my first GF frozen pizza and I must say, it was quite scrumptious. 

I think I am acquiring a taste for my new GF lifestyle.  This makes me happy happy happy!

Office Party Survival Tips

Last night I went to a party for the first time since I started The Virgin Diet.  Now, I know I had my husband's birthday party last week but that was different.  His party was at my house AND I was in complete control of the menu AND I did all of the cooking.  The party last night was at a co-worker's house and it was a variety of appetizers that were brought by many different people.

As stupid as this may sound, I was really nervous.  I wasn't sure how I survive in a social setting.  Would I throw caution to the wind and eat the grape jelly meatballs?  Would I break down and shove my face full of brownies?  Would my nerves get the best of me and need to be calmed with a giant bucket of strawberry margaritas? 

In the past when going to a party, I would never even try to stick to whatever diet I was trying out at the time.  I would always take a day off so I could enjoy myself and eat all the yummy indulgences.  If I were in the midst of just another "diet", I'm sure I would have had the same reaction last night; however, things are different now.  I have learned that eating certain types of foods will make me sick.  It's amazing how much resolve that gives me.

When planning for my evening, I thought through my choices and made a game plan.  It really seemed to help me come through unscathed and I wanted to share some tips with you.

1. Eat a light meal before you go.
2. Drink water before you go.  I even took a cup of water with me.
3. BRING YOUR OWN SNACKS!!!!!!! (Things you know you can eat)
4. Limit the alcohol.  You can have a drink but don't go overboard.
5. Don't mix drinks with sweet juices or sodas. (use LaCroix, club soda, tonic water, and/or unsweetened organic fruit juice)
6. Don't stand around the food table.

I use to have that little voice in my head and it convinced me that eating the yumminess was part of the fun.  Imagine my surprise when I found I could have a really good time without the 7 layer dip, cookies, brownies, and Jell-O shots.  Who'd a thunk it?   

In case you are curious, here is what I took:

Beanitos Black Bean Chips and Salsa
Nut Chips and Roasted Veggie Alouette Cheese
Pear Vodka mixed with Peach Pear LaCroix and Unsweetened Organic Pineapple Juice

**I also ate some fresh fruit, some of another homemade cheese ball, AND.........5 M&M's (yes I counted them)

New Discovery

I found this salad dressing at my local health food store, Chamberlin's.  It is the bomb diggity.  I have tried the Lemon Herb dressing, as well.  It is delish, also.  Give them a try but don't just limit yourself to eating them on salads.  They make great sauces for grilling, too!

Friday Shrimp Dinner

Friday was a good dinner night.  The meal got 3 thumbs up in the Smith house.  We had oven baked shrimp, sautéed zucchini and onions, sweet potato oven fries, and tossed salad.  The entire meal is approved for all phases of The Virgin Diet.

Here is how I did it:



 

Oven Baked Shrimp

 



 

2 lbs Shrimp

2 Tbs Earth Balance Soy Free "Butter" Spread

1 Tbs Sesame or Olive Oil

1 Tbs Old Bay Seasoning

1 Tbs Garlic Powder

 

Directions:

Melt butter in microwave and combine with oil, Old Bay, and garlic powder.  Pour over shrimp and toss to coat.  Transfer shrimp to a baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 - 10 minutes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sautéed Zucchini and Onions

 





4 Zucchini, diced
1 large Onion, diced
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in skillet.  Add zucchini, onion, salt, and pepper.  Cook over medium high heat until zucchini and onion are browned and tender.

 

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

 

 

3 large sweet potatoes

2 Tbs Olive Oil

Sea Salt, to taste

 

Directions:

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into strips.  Mine were approximately 1/2" x 1/2" x 3".  Tossed in oil and put onto at cookie sheet, sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then turn the fries over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  **The key to getting crispy oven fries is to spread them out on the cookie sheet.  The fries should not be touching each other.  If so they will steam instead of crisping.  In the photo above I pushed them together to get the photo.

 





Moooove Over Fake Cheese, The Real Deal is Back!

When I read the Virgin Diet for the first time, I knew one of the 7 HI foods was going to be very hard for me to do without.  No, it wasn't Gluten that I feared living without. No, it wasn't eggs or sugar either.  The one thing that had scared me the most was Dairy.  Now, I couldn't care less about drinking milk and even though I ate yogurt everyday, I could easily do without it, as well.  I really only ate it because I thought it was a healthy choice.  Giving up butter was a little intimidating but I have sense found a delicious substitute from Earth Balance. 

The one dairy item that I didn't think I could give up was cheese.  I know if it made me sick, I would have/need to give it up but man-o-man that would be a toughie.  You see, cheese and I go way back!  When I was little my parents jokingly referred to me as a little mouse because of the amounts of cheese I ate.  I remember the highlight of our vacations in Tennessee were taking a trip to Uncle Roy and Aunt Jean Ownby's Cheese Shop in Gatlingburg.  You would think it was a candy shop by my excitement.  Aunt Jean would always let my sister and me pick out what ever flavors we wanted and she would cut off  chunks and hand them to us to eat.  Oh, and of course, she would wrap up more for us to take home with us.  The worst part of the visit was trying to decide which cheeses to pick.

Lucky for me, I am having success as I am reintroducing dairy (cheese) this week.  I started on Tuesday with a GF cheese pizza and Wednesday I had a grilled turkey and brie sandwich.  So far I have not had any stomach aches, headaches, sinus problems, or joint pains.  I am so relieved that cheese isn't affecting me, YAY! 

As I wrap up the end of the Reintroduction Phase of The Virgin Diet, I feel a lot more in control of my body and the various forms of discomfort I felt before.  I have learned which things to avoid at all costs (SOY); which things I need to try to avoid as much as possible (Gluten, Sugar, Corn, Peanuts); and which things I need to keep testing (Eggs, and other forms of Dairy).  I also need to concentrate on following the Virgin Plate rules, focus on eating well balanced meals, and incorporating exercise into my life.  Just because I am at the end of Phase II, this doesn't mean I am done.  It's actually quite the contrary; I am just beginning.

I still need/want to lose about 40 pounds and my weight loss has slowed down a lot while I have been reintroducing foods.  I was told to expect this, so I am not getting discouraged.  I am ready to start living the program and using the tools and knowledge I have gained through this 7 week process.

Stay tuned........