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3/28/13 1:51 P

love that web site. thanks for sharing I cook all but maybe one meal a week at home. I go out with friends on Monday night, but still try and keep to my healthy eating..

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3/28/13 1:49 P

sounds yummy.. I am going to try this also. Thanks for the idea.

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10/5/12 8:06 A

I was up at 5 am this morning and full of energy!
Decided to make another fritatta from leftover cabbage and yellow squash.
The result was fantastic! Another SIX breakfasts for less than 125 calories.

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10/4/12 9:05 P

Wow! Good for you! Do you freeze? If so, I envy the size of your freezer. Mine it tiny!

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10/3/12 9:59 P

Thursday will be meal preparation day at my house.
The plan is to make the following:

spinach mushroom quiche
fried cabbage and noodles without the real noodles
broccoli Asian style
Roasted stuffed yellow squash
Garlic lemon roasted pork tenderloin

These dishes may take a little time but then I will have quick meals for 10 days or more.

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10/3/12 9:35 P

Go you! I'm not doing anything fancy, but I am eating 95% of my meals at home....

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10/3/12 9:53 A

Monday night I made Roasted Cauliflower soup. I posted a blog about it. A keeper around our house. Yesterday I made chili in the crockpot and served it over small baked potatoes with some shredded cheddar cheese.

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10/1/12 10:56 A

Last night made Garlicky Spinach and Tortellini soup. Pretty easy recipe and new to us. There are 4-2 cup servings but you could easily make them 1 cup servings to cut the calories down. Here is the link:

www.cooking.com/Recipes-and-More/recipes/t
ortellini-and-spinach-in-garlic-broth-
recipe-1982.aspx#axzz23YFiL9wB

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9/30/12 9:38 P

Love to be creative in the kitchen! Also love to eat the end results!
Right now I am in front of the computer eating tuna salad for dinner. It is 9:30 pm.
Guess I didn't stop eating before the bewitching hour of 8:00 pm.

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9/30/12 8:15 P

I'm not doing super good with new recipes, but I am cooking a bit more. I have started allowing for a couple of frozen meals though (not a lot) because sometimes the schedule is just nuts. I do add veggies though to make it a bit more.

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9/30/12 7:54 P

Fallen into the habit of eating out too much for dinner again, even with a good meal plan last week. Haven't planned out our meals yet for this week but am shooting for cooking at home at least 5 times for dinner.

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9/22/12 7:56 P

Thanks! I'll have to try this. I have a small crockpot, but it looks like it could easily be pared down...

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9/17/12 12:45 A

Crock-pot refried beans: 3 cups dried pinto or black beans (I do half and half) 1 onion quartered and separated, 3 jalapeno peppers coarsely cut up, 2-3 cloves garlic, salt, 1-2 tbsp cumin (to your taste) and black pepper. Add 9 cups of water, cook on low 8 hours (I do it overnight). Drain the liquid off the top until most of the excess liquid is gone, you do need some or they get too dry but if you just drain it to a bowl you can add some back in if necessary. Then mash with a potato masher to desired consistency. All the onion and pepper just get mashed too and you never even see them or know they are there, they just kind of melt into the beans and give them great flavor, not real heat or spicy.
It makes a lot but I just put it in containers in the fridge and use in burritos or as a side to a taco and sometimes by adding salsa it makes a great low fat dip. I think you could probably freeze it too but I haven't tried that.

Edited by: JANIED10 at: 9/17/2012 (00:47)

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9/16/12 7:36 P

Wonderful idea! How do you make refried beans in the crockpot?

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9/16/12 12:58 P

One great easy go to meal for us are bean burritos. I make my own "refried" beans in the crock-pot and we always have them in the fridge. Just grab a corn (or flour if you prefer) tortilla, put in some beans, roll (I roll mine like an enchilada because I'm lazy) and put in microwave for 1-2 min. Add a little cheese nuke again for 30 sec. and garnish with salsa. Makes a great simple meal full of protein, much better than a freezer meal.

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9/9/12 10:13 P

Do you freeze any of it? I'm not good at all about freezing and many years ago, I could eat the same thing all week, but not now. I've discovered anything more than about 4 servings is too much.

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9/9/12 9:37 P

Cooked the other day and made enough roasted vegetable, tofu stew to feed a small army.
Will be eating it all week.

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9/9/12 6:35 P

I'm actually starting to get much better about looking at a recipe and then cutting it in half or even fourth. I find that sometimes even four servings is more than I want.

The other thing is to do individual items, i.e. chicken breast, that can be cooked in one or two and then do small side dishes, such as potatoes, salads, etc.

It's weird, but since I cut out frozen foods for the second time, it forces me to cook and really focus on those things for one person. Course, I've never really batched cooked for a large group, so it might be a bit easier for me....

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9/9/12 12:12 P

Not used to cooking for one.
Still in big batch cooking mode.
Any suggestions?
Get tired of eating so many leftovers!

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9/5/12 7:22 P

With my move a few months ago, it took a lot of work to start cooking again.

Remember, this doesn't mean a fancy recipe. Tonight, I'm doing ravioli from the refrigerator isle, with a sauce, and frozen veggie. I could do a frozen dinner and this might be just a step above, but for reason it tastes better and I think it's better than a frozen dinner. But, maybe that thinking is just to make me feel better.

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9/5/12 12:26 P

I've been so bad lately I haven't cooked many meals. I could guess 2-3x per wk I will work on this!

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5/25/12 2:05 P

OK, I'm on board!!! I so far today I've had all homecooked or Juiced meals. Juiced by fruit only. I'm not juicing any meats. LOL
When I get home I will work out my Menu for the week! Any advice for when I want to cheat b/c too tired?

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5/24/12 7:25 P

made a great dinner last night, chicken tenders in salsa with capers, red/yellow/orange peppers and red onion

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4/30/12 9:24 P

only had a gas stove for 5 years out of the 26 that we have been married. so i am used to cooking on an electric stove. in the summer we do alot of grilling and we use the microwave alot.

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4/29/12 8:34 P

I have really got to get back in the mindset of cooking at home. Something I'm ready to do. I don't care for the electric stove in my new apartment, so I may get back in my cooking groove with crockpot cooking.

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4/17/12 12:00 A

sometimes it is hard to menu plan. i get stuff and then it goes bad.

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4/16/12 11:37 A

I feel like I need a quick refresher on menu planning... so I could have several menu ideas in place for say 5 days and then when I do my shopping I could buy correct veggies etc etc and then use them several different ways. Then I would be a better cook!!

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4/7/12 10:14 P

Good going on the cooking at home challenge! I'm missing it! I just got back from a conference and am just about tired of food. I'm moving in a week, so it will be a while before I can truly cook.... looking forward to that day...

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4/7/12 4:40 P

Hello, thank you and we will enjoy the motorhome.We until recently had a small 16'Casita travel trailer and did all our camping in that plus I had a very nice older van that pulled the little trailer nicely ,I slept in the van and he slept in the little trailer,for a long time that system really worked for us BUT he decided the little Casita was to small and he felt he wanted more room so sold the trailer and just yesterday put the van on consignment.I really miss that little trailer but he doesn't want to pull a trailer anymore as we are older now and a real motorhome is what he wanted.I have to admit the one he bought is beautiful and fully loaded but bigger than I would have bought.We will enjoy it anyway. CLin Oregon

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4/7/12 4:18 P

enjoy your RV. my parents had a small on that they towed behind the car for years. we had a good time when we visited them.

Posts: 260
4/7/12 11:52 A

We have a chinese restaurant not far from where we live(20miles)one way but we go there about once a month and sometimes order what they call "happy family" It is a shredded potato shell cooked with all kinds of vege's and meat in it then put on a small bed of lettuce with some light sauce over that ,it is wonderful and we share one between us because hubby doesn't eat that much anymore and I am trying to cut back.Plenty of food and hubby sometimes orders an extra helping of meat(shrimp,chicken and beef).This being Easter weekend I will cook a lobster tail for him and steak for both of us.He loves lobster but won't eat any other fish except some shrimp.GO FIGURE!!!I don't eat fish as often as I should but do like most kinds. I do most of the cooking at home(obviously).We used to go camping and actually lived in our large motorhome many years ago and now he wants to go camping again and have cook outs so bought a large motorhome so we will go camping again this summer!!Amazing how we have a tendancy to want to repeat what made us happy when we were young.We are older now but still doing OK.Well gotta get my day going,best to all of you, HR in Oregon

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4/7/12 11:23 A

Adlins: Good Luck on your move!

Clay: I hope the market comes back for you so that you can do well with selling.

This week was not that great on cooking at home. Had three meals out but 2 were with family. Last night I ate leftovers even though I was on my own so that was good.

I saw a dietician the other day and she wants me to work on planning more of my meals so we shall see how that goes.

Have a healthy weekend!

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3/28/12 10:29 A

Corndogs,I love them!!!BUT haven't had one in a couple of years at least.Just to much fat although with the fat free hot dogs I could have one.I used to go to state and county fairs and always had a corn dog or two with a large cup of lemonade,it was so awesome but that was then and now I have to be a lot more careful of what I eat.
Freezer space can be a problem.Hubby believes in a lot of storage especially in the kitchen so I am well equipped with freezer space.All our kitchen appliances are in the main house including washer and dryer,it is the way our mobile is set up.Very convenient but doesn't look great.I can cover up the washer and dryer when company comes over but usually don't.
Anyway hope you all have a great day,CLin Oregon

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3/27/12 7:52 P

I have a tiny freezer, so I can't do that a lot. I just saw a recipe for a kind of cheaters corn dog (which I love). Basically you make cornbread and stick a quarter piece of hotdog in there and bake them. Those would freeze well too. And, for me, I can get the nitrate free hotdogs (nitrates and I don't get along well). So, it's on the list to do after the move. One of those and maybe a salad might make a good lunch or dinner.

Love the idea for the shrimp and pasta. That's also going on my list do after the move. Gosh, I'm ready to move so I can really dig and get back to cooking.

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3/27/12 12:20 P

I love rice so from time to time I cook up a large batch and freeze it.Today I will cook up a batch of white and brown instant rice mix them and freeze it also.My hubby is not a big rice or pasta eater so don't cook that for him but last night cooked up a batch of angel hair pasta and large shrimp,delicious,put some margarine in the pasta and some dill and I loved it,he doesn't want it again,good that leaves more for me!!!I buy the extra large shrimp(jumbo) and eat fewer of them,they are so good,just steam them and add them to the pasta and enjoy.He is a meat and potatoes kind of man so cooking for him is easy,he does eat lots of baked beans also.I made a batch of hot dogs wrapped in dough and froze them,he loves those and has them whenever he is hungry.We live way out in the country so have a large freezer full of everything.I make small portions of freezer food,that way we both eat less. CLin Oregon

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3/26/12 11:30 P

wellllll if you got to eat out try chinese. i love the shrimp with broccoli and i dont eat the rice/

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3/26/12 6:20 P

oh darn! I once dumped out part of cake I was making because the space I was working on was so crowded.

Doing good so far, though I haven't been able to think of lunch. So, that might be more out than homemade this week. Sigh.

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3/22/12 10:51 P

dinner on the floor. OOOPS ! warmed up left over veal stew with extra mushrooms. i burned myself and dropped the plate and food on the floor.

so i had a sandwich.

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3/22/12 9:15 P

That's the hard thing about moving - I have too much stuff. And, it's the wrong stuff! So, I'm cleaning stuff out as best as I can. And, yes, will be making good use of donating and Freecycle.

Took off from work today and tomorrow to get going on it. Cooked lunch and breakfast at home, but had dinner out with a friend. Thinking this weekend is looking good for eating at home.

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3/22/12 4:34 P

Moving can be such a bummer.We have been at our present location for sixteen years BUT are now planning on selling this property and moving into the closest small city which is Grants Pass,Oregon.Both hubby and I are starting to suffer from old age symtoms so think we need to be closer to medical facilitys.We have loved living way out in the boondocks but times change so we must also.Not really looking forward to the big move because we are really loaded with possessions out here so lots of decisions to make and tons of stuff to sell!!
CLin Oregon

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3/21/12 10:26 P

Thanks! This will be my 4th move since 2004. I've been here 3 1/2 years, which is tied for the 2nd longest time I've lived anywhere. I'm headed to my new city with the mindset that that's it. I'm ready to settle down again.

Did a quick dinner tonight. Would really like to cook, but know that's not practical when I'm trying to use what I have... might just be easy, basic stuff.

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3/21/12 9:25 P

hubby and i used to move alot. we moved at least 8x in 26 years.
this current house is the longest with 10 years.

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3/20/12 9:15 P

just saw the last note and I understand how difficult moving can be and trying to maintain a weight loss program at the same time is very challenging.Sounds like you have a plan so hang in there and good luck to you, CLin Oregon

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3/20/12 8:07 P

So far, I'm doing good this week. It's going to be challenging. I'm moving in a couple of weeks to another state, so my challenge is too eat at home by cleaning out the freezer and the pantry. Off to a good start. Re-focusing on eating at home, though I'm finding at ton of recipes I want to try, just not sure if now (in the midst of trying to get organized for a major move ) is the time to try them. We'll see.

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3/19/12 7:21 P

hubby and i lived in alot of apartments. the only gas stoves we had we at a house and at an apartment above a landlord.

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3/19/12 12:38 P

Good Morning All,Good day today as I think my back is getting a little stronger!!Although I don't exercise regularly I get a lot of exercise just working around our home and out in my art studio in the eve.Hubby is going to a VA clinic appt.today and will be back later today.We live way out in the country and love it but with our health getting worse we well probably sell this property and move into our closest city this year.Hopefully the real estate market is better this year for selling.We have so much to sell and move I feel it is hopeless at the moment but will adjust my attitude when we start to sell our stuff.I am a potter and want to take my kilns with me when we move so need to find a rental that has a 60 amp.service that or sell the elec.kiln and go gas.We shall see what happens.Hope everyone has a fun day today.CLin Oregon

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3/19/12 11:34 A

Clay, your St Patty's dinner sounds yummy.

This weekend wasn't horrible but it wasn't the success it could have been. Friday night we ended up out late. Saturday we ate breakfast at home, never really ate lunch, and then had a family dinner in the evening. Sunday we ate breakfast and lunch at home but due to a family situation that cropped up ended up out to eat late for dinner. Today should be on track though.

I thought this week was going to get back to normal but then when I made up my dinner plan but hopefully we will be able to make it work.

Have a healthy day!

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3/18/12 11:45 A

Well here it is Sunday morning and my hubby wants waffles for breakfast.I use an instant mix so not to difficult.Only the two of us so just make enough for us,about half the recipe.The pot roast came out wonderful,so tender and tasty.Hubby just loved it!Cooked some colcannon along with some asparagus,quite an effort but well worth it!Think all that work helped my poor old back because today I feel pretty good,yesterday was in a lot of pain.I do love to cook even though now it hurts me to stand.Oh well such is life,hope everyone has a great day.CLin Oregon.

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3/17/12 8:37 P

Neelixnkes - I've had an off week all the way around for food. Did good at getting back on track today. All meals at home. Plus, I tracked my food - Bonus!

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3/17/12 11:50 A

Well here it is Sat.morning and all is quiet!!We were expecting a huge storm complete with some snow BUT looks like it missed us!!Northern Calif.if getting brunt of it.We actually have some sunshine ,we still may get some rain.
I can hardly get out of bed in the mornings because my back hurts to much to move.I still managed to get my coffee and start the roast for tonight.Back usually loosens up by mid day so suspect it is arthritis that is causing me so much trouble especially in the morning.I will try to do some lower back exercises today and hope that helps.Looking forward to that pot roast tonight.Best to all of you, HR in Oregon

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3/16/12 8:47 P

well i had cabbage and beans for dinner. hubby considers St. Pattys day as his official day of spring.

going out tomorrow for fish after church.

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3/16/12 11:48 A

well this being St.Patty's Day weekend suspect we will eat alot of meat.I found an older beef chuck roast in our big freezer and will slow cook it Sat.and will fix Irish dinner for our friends next Sat.or Sunday.We love corned beef and I will cook enough to feed six adults and have some left over for the freezer or at least sandwiches.Lots of vege's also. I will weigh in Sun.morning and hope I did better this week.We have been hit pretty hard with rainstorms and some snow here in S.Oregon more than usual because we had a very slow and dry winter but mother nature will have her way with us regardless of what we want.Hope everyone has a fun and safe day. CLin Oregon