Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Waffles...

I made these for the family this morning.

First, you start out making the oatmeal.
For just me it was 1/2 cup of oatmeal and one cup of water.

Then I mixed in four egg whites.

Then I mixed in two scoops of chocolate protein powder.

Stirred it up.

Remember to heat up the waffle iron and spray some Pam on it before spreading it on.

This was my first attempt.

After opening it too early a few times, I figured out that I just needed to let it cook for a good five minutes. At that point, it had a nice crispy outer edge.

Like this!

Then, it pulls off like a regular waffle.

I topped it with blueberries and sugar free syrup.

Doesn't that look good?

I thought it was great!! Our kids loved it with the exception of 14-year-old Darling Rose, who wasn't sure.

Unfortunately my husband doesn't like chocolate.

So, I made him a vanilla waffle.

I used two scoops of vanilla protein powder.

with a 1/2 cup of oatmeal, (and then cooked up) and four egg whites.

His came out looking perfect.

He topped his with butter and real maple syrup served with eggs and summer sausage.

His analysis: "It didn't taste great."

Hmm.... maybe I'll have to try the "other waffle recipe" that I've found for next weekend.

I ended up cooking a bunch of the waffles and freezing them. Two of our kids wanted more waffles for lunch.

For the recipe that I gave you I was able to cook up three waffles, when I duplicated it for my husband I cooked up four... probably because the egg whites were bigger. But for three waffles, each one was 150 calories with 20 grams of protein per waffle. There is no sugar, and no white flour in these waffles and so this will absolutely fit into my plan to put our family on a whole foods diet.

What's really nice about freezing these waffles, is that they are a great post work-out meal because of the high protein content and whole grain carbohydrates. They're easy to have ready, just pull one out of the freezer and toast it.

I have another recipe and special treat that I will be cooking up tomorrow.

Hope your having a great weekend!

I'm Staying On Track...

Happy Friday folks!!

Thanks for stopping by and for all of your encouraging comments about my post yesterday with the transition from my old scale to my new scale.

I really do like this scale. Since I've been using it...I've lost 1.2 pounds. I really like that even when I step on it twice in a row...I get the same weight.

I have been staying on my diet perfectly since Wednesday. That means three days of clean, controlled eating. It feels great to be back into the groove again, and back in the driver's seat.

I really feel like my mind has been opened as far as how I view the affect that processed foods and sugar have on my body and destroy my ability to stop eating the crap once I start. Now, when I look at my son eating his graham cracker, and it looks good, I just think to myself of how even a bite will start my cravings.

I mentioned before in my previous post, that I will be investigating ways to incorporate whole foods into my snacks that I would like to eat on the weekend.

Tomorrow I will be attempting to make a new whole foods recipe...an oatmeal waffle. This will be something that I can eat on my current diet, so I am excited to see how it turns out and how it tastes.

I'm still interested in also making an additional whole foods snack that won't send my body into bad cravings for processed foods. My idea is to make a little fruit dish topped with some heavy whipping cream. Heavy whipping cream is actually a "good" fat and something your body needs and can use. And obviously fruit is good for you.

Lately my head has been spinning with different ideas for switching the whole family onto a whole foods diet. I already feed our children oatmeal every morning, and use a whole wheat bread that has no preservatives and additives which gives it a short shelf life. So ,until you are ready to use it, you actually have to freeze it.

But, I would like to begin making meals that do not contain processed white flour and sugar. I would like to grind my own my own wheat and bake my own bread. My mom and dad have an actual grinder that they use to grind their own wheat by hand. I suppose I could use an electric grinder, but a hand grinder seems so much more fun...kind of like my old scale. Ha, Ha, just kidding.

Well, I hope you all have a great weekend!

I Gained Five Pounds!!!

Hi, everyone! Please forgive my shameless attempt at sensationalism...but I was trying to get your attention.

Umm....well, did it work?

Because according to the new scale that I just bought, I have gained five pounds...at least.

I'm pretty sure the new scale isn't off. It was the old scale that was off. Some of you new bloggers won't know much about my old scale. But I have a little picture here to show you how cheap of a scale it is. And dirty and gross looking...that too.

The picture that you see here of the old scale is a "close-up". And even if you look really, really close...it's hard to tell what actual number the little needle is on, unless of course it's on a say...20, 30, or 40. And the problem with the old scale, is that once I stand on the scale, I am further away from the numbers...which makes them look even tinier.

Now if my two- year old here could read, this little scale would be perfect for him, because he's closer to the numbers. And, also, let's face it, his feet look way cuter on this scale than my feet do. He's such a good model.

The other problem with the old scale, is that I had to "zero" it out by physically adjusting a little lever underneath it every time I stepped on it...in fact, I usually just ended up taking the average of several readings to get a true weight.

And it still wasn't a true weight.

But, who was I kidding? I knew the scale was weighing me on the lighter side. Yes, folks, that's right. For the past 32 weeks, I have been living in delusion. Unwilling to face my true weight.

And, oddly enough, despite all that, I've lost 35 pounds...I think. Ha, ha. Ok, admit it, that was funny.

But, how does someone as dedicated to losing weight, eating right and staying fit...live in delusion for so long? Why couldn't I just break the bank a little and go get a new scale? I mean this new one I bought at Wal Mart only cost $18.

Well, I think a part of me wanted to believe the lower weight. It made me feel like I wasn't as far gone as I really was. It gave me the hope that I was closer to the goal than I really was.

Have you ever heard of the story of the boy who was given a sword? His friends, as part of playing a practical joke on him told him it was magic, and he could never lose a battle with it. Of course it wasn't true, but he believed it and he went on to win every battle he entered. When his friends finally told him the truth, he never picked up that sword again.

Was this old scale my magic sword? I think so. I felt like it gave me the edge. I felt like I had some wiggle room with the "zero-ing" in lever.

But I have finally faced the truth. I actually faced it a few days ago. It was a little tough at first. I didn't want to step on the scale. But after I did, it explained a lot.

It explained why several pounds ago, my jeans didn't fit the way they should have at that weight.

But, unlike that kid with the sword...I did step on my new scale again. And again. And again.

In fact, I now feel empowered knowing my true weight. I don't need magic any more. I know I can lose this weight without a magic scale. After 32 weeks I feel like I've figured some things out and I can face the truth. I've realized that all this time, it was really "me" losing the weight and not the scale after all.

So, even though I'm technically three pounds off my goal weight. I feel as though I've made it there.

Because now when I step on the scale, I'm not afraid of the number I see.

And isn't that what we're all striving for?

Well, it's Friday folks! Hope you're all having a good one!!

A Slope Too Slippery...

When I ate that chocolate covered cream filled bismark, I honestly did not realize the potential ramifications of my decision.

I thought that I could eat it, and then resume my previously perfect diet plan.

I was wrong.

I guess I was wrong partly because I underestimated how sugar laden processed foods affect our bodies. I've come to the conclusion that my craving for "more of the same" has a lot less to do with my emotions and more to do with a physical response from my body.

Believe me... I believed I was done after that bismark. Why then did I want more? The urge for wanting more was so strong that I felt like it was ripping down my carefully constructed rationale with a ten foot sledgehammer.

One of my newest blogger friends said this is the new lunar year of the tiger. I felt like eating that bismark had let out the tiger. Have you ever tried putting a tiger back in its cage after it's been let out?

So, when I wrote a few days ago, about how I had eaten another half of a doughnut...the damage did not stop there.

The next day...I continued to crave more processed foods. I ate a ginger cookie that my daughter had made a few days ago. It tasted so good. Then throughout the day I had my son's graham crackers. I even started topping them with peanut butter.

Everything tasted so good. It felt like I couldn't get enough. The harder I tried to stop myself...the more excruciating the attempt to stop felt like to me.

Things came to an emotional head this morning.

I realized that I could no longer have a weekly sugary snack because of what it was doing to me.
The whole situation with saying "no" to this food felt heart wrenching to me.

You guessed it. Sunshine Mama had another few crying spells this morning trying to get through this.

I just don't get it. Saying no to a certain food just shouldn't be this emotional.

It's not right.

I mean... do I get this emotional saying no to an orange? Think about it people...do you? How come these processed, sugary foods have the ability to reduce me to tears when I try to break away from them?

I don't know about you, but I think it's a conspiracy. God never intended food to have this kind of a hold on us. I'm beginning to think that the modern methods of cooking and creating foods have perverted their natural flavor and have created something that is very addictive.

Would I cry over not being able to eat an apple...a baked potato? or how about wanting to snack on carrot sticks or celery throughout the day?

Why is it just the processed crap that reels me in and makes me feel like I can't even control what goes into my mouth?

How does a perfectly normal person, who is in full possession of their wits...suddenly lose it with the introduction of a doughnut?

So, guess what? I will be searching for a whole foods snack to indulge in on the weekends. I will be searching out foods that won't render me incapable of controlling myself. I will search for a better kind of snack that will nourish me and leave me feeling in control of myself.

I don't ever again...want to cry like a baby... because some stupid, processed food decided to throw me into a choke hold and make me its slave!

I will find a way to eat the foods...that create freedom in my life, not misery.

Well...other than that, I hope you're all doing great.

Happy Birthday SunshineMeg!!!!

Hey....

Psssttt....everybody!

SunshineMeg's birthday is on Wednesday, February 17th!!

She'll be 25 years old. She doesn't check my blog until 5:00 a.m., so if you read this tonight, go and surprise her with some happy birthday wishes.

Devoting this entire post to SunshineMeg-dom will probably be my easiest and funn-est post to write all year.

Let me tell you a little about SunshineMeg.

I first found her when I went and visited someone else's blog. I noticed the name Sunshine and immediately went to her sight. After her name drew me in, it was her funny, quirky, off-the-wall topics that she blogged about that kept me coming back.

SunshineMeg is like her name. She's a burst of sunshine that brightens up your day. She always posts these funny blooper videos that totally get me laughing. When I'm watching one of her videos and the kids are around, they will all crowd around the computer to laugh with me. She always comes up with the craziest, funny pictures too.

Before I started this diet blog, Sunshine Meg followed our family blog. When I mentioned that I wanted to start a diet blog, she supported the idea and began following this diet blog too. So, even though she's busy with a new husband, and a new, challenging job, and over 300 followers, she still finds time to check up on both my blogs.

Sunshinemeg loves to encourage and lift you up. Her comments are always positive, not to mention funny.

Once when I ran a half-marathon last year, she drew up a little "Good Luck" sign to wish me well in my race.

So, for her birthday, I rounded up the kids and had them make her some birthday cards. Our oldest son, 7-year-old, Dandy Lion, took the bull by the horns and immediately set to work making his special card for SunshineMeg. When the other kids saw what their older brother was doing, they followed suit and were soon busy coloring and writing away to make cards for SunshineMeg too.

So, here's a little virtual Happy Birthday, SunshineMeg, to kick off your 25th year. I hope this post brightens your day...the same way you brighten all of ours!!

If you would like to see more of our children's drawings for SunshineMeg, stop in to visit our family blog at http://www.ourdarlingkids.com/.

SunshineMeg is located at http://www.sunshinemeg.blogspot.com/.

Thanks for stopping by everyone, hope you're all having a good week!

A Sunshine Slip-up

Who was it that mentioned in one of my comments...something about

a slippery slope that eating sweets can be if you haven't done it in awhile.

Hmm...yes, Lindsey, it was you. You see, Lindsey is trying to keep away from M&Ms...so she has experience with this.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that after I ate that chocolate covered cream filled bismark yesterday...something happened.

Mentally.

Like... my iron-clad, death grip guard that I've had up for the past four weeks...experienced a little shake-up...if you will. A little chink in the armour.

Apparently resisting all those bites... all those four weeks, was a wise choice in slamming the door shut at the possibility of not being able to stop once I re-introduced my mouth to sweets.

Ok...I'll tell it.

I ate the equivalent of a half of a chocolate covered, pink and white sprinkled Valentine doughnut, that was left over from the big trip to the bakery yesterday. I even ate about 1/2 a sheet of my son's graham crackers.

It could be my imagination...but my stomach feels pooch-i-er. Really it does!

I noticed that even though the doughnut was a little dry...because it was day old. In fact, it was a little crunchy...it still tasted wonderful. My ultra-sensitive taste buds were picking up on the flaky, fried crust thing going on meshed with the softer doughnut inside. The chocolate frosting and sprinkles were sooo flavorful.

Then, unfortunately, I noticed that my salad was not as tasty and enjoyable. I noticed that I felt very strong cravings for that half of a doughnut. At first, I cut off a sliver... then, I just brushed up the sprinkles...then I put the doughnut box up high. My usual fail-safe tactic.

Nope. Didn't work...An hour later I pulled it down, and began to savor each an every bite.

Yes, Lord help me!

This is a picture of what is on the menu for next Sunday's treat. But after today...I mean, I haven't really eaten clean all week to deserve it.

One of the reason's this diet of mine is working so well, is that I am eating no sugar and no white flour. Those two ingredients combined...inhibit fat loss. So...even though, this technically is not a lot of calories...it's what it's doing to my body that is the bad thing.

Our bodies are soo sensitive that when I stopped eating white flour and sugar, I dropped four pounds in three days.

Hmmm...yes, I know what you're thinking..."what should I do?"

Well, while I'm figuring that one out, the above candy comes from a local store that makes their own chocolates and ice cream. This is a picture of a chocolate covered, pecan turtle, and an oreo cookie dipped in chocolate. This stuff IS delicious. I've never had the chocolate dipped oreo, but I have had the pecan turtle.

--------------------------------

Well, other than that, Sunshine Mama had a good day! I think once the last of the doughnuts are eaten, my resistance will increase.

I'm still working on figuring out how to get this two minute video clip of me eating the chocolate covered cream filled bismark uploaded for your viewing pleasure.

Well, I hope everyone's Monday is going well.

Welcome To My Favorite Bakery...

This is where the best doughnuts in town can be found.

Allow me to lead you to the doughnut case.

Can you spy where my chocolate covered cream filled bismark is waiting for me?

Hmmm....I think this one may be the biggest.

Ahhh...I can not wait!

Let's also get some Valentine sprinkled long johns for our younger crew of kids.

And some glazed ones for my husband, Daddy Rainmaker, and our 14-year-old daughter, Darling Rose.

Mission accomplished!

Doesn't that chocolate one look pretty sitting inbetween pink?

I let our kids eat their doughnuts in the morning.

This is just a little break from the broccoli and cucumbers they get every day.

I waited until my 3:00 mid-morning snack time to eat my doughnut.

Our two-year-old decided to brush his teeth...

Take a bite...

Then, brush his teeth again.

But, back to my bismark.

It weighed in at 6 1/2 ounces.

Does that mean that's how much weight I'll gain if I eat the whole thing?

The secret of the inside...revealed to you finally.

So, when I finally did eat this doughnut, It tasted wonderful. I did eat the whole thing. I noticed that I felt a little jittery from all the sugar which isn't surprising when you consider that I have not had any sugar in my diet in the last four weeks.

I also wanted to add that I did end up losing that 15th pound this morning. So, in my mind, I have met my goal weight for eating this doughnut. I would have eaten the doughnut even if I had not dropped that last pound, but it definitely felt good to have it happen today.

Oh, thought you'd also enjoy a little theatrical presentation of Sunshine Mama sick to her stomach after eating all that sugar, white flour and grease.

I take my acting tips from our 14-year-old daughter.

"Lord help me!"

Did you laugh? Good.

So, that's about it for now...

Oh. You want to see the video of me eating it?!?

Now for the VERY UNFORTUNATE PART

The reason this hasn't posted until now is because I have been waiting....and waiting...and retrying and retrying and waiting...all night and morning to up load this two minute video clip of me eating this wonderful bismark.

But it won't upload.

I can't even begin to express my perturb-dom.

So, I did take video. I was happy with it, but I can't get it to upload right now. Maybe someone who uploads long-ish (over a few minutes long) video does something that they can share with me. SunshineMeg, your videos are long-ish. How long do you have to wait for them to upload?

I swear...I have to normally wait an hour per one minute of video. So, I apologize profusely. If I can ever get this thing uploaded...believe me, you all will be the first to see it.

Maybe I just need to re-eat my bismark next Sunday!

I'm not sure.

I already have another treat in mind for what I want to eat next Sunday.

Every week I would like to give myself a treat to eat. I'll eat perfect all week long and then reward myself on Sunday.

Well, I hope you all had a good weekend. Eating this doughnut was just as good as I remember it. Now it's back to the daily grind of getting up early and sticking to my whole foods, high protein diet.

Again, I apologize there is no video right now.

But thanks for taking the time to stop by.

Have a good Monday!