SOME LIKE IT H-O-T CHALLENGE FOR AUGUST

[TuscanGirl]

Morning!
Going to the Farmer's Market, taking part in a cash mob, and buying a couple of things for my baby's birthday tomorrow!! He'll be 20 ~ how did that happen???

Originally Posted by JMCM1

<---- jealous

Don't be - it's too cold!
I'm not ready for Fall yet!!!

[JMCM1]

Jess I keep thinking about waffles and with MK being all cold, I thought about them more.

I saw this on Jamie's "Your Lighter Side" blog. Have you tried anything like this?

Coconut Meal Waffles

1 cup unsweetened, flaked, dessicated coconut, processed to ½ cup
2 scoops vanilla egg white protein powder (about 6 Tbsp)
3 eggs
½ cup butter
¾ cup sugar equivalent substitute
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat waffle maker. Combine all ingredients to make a thick batter. Spray waffle maker with preferred cooking oil. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls (more or less for your size of griddle) on the iron and let cook, about 4 minutes. Let cool.

Makes 6 ample (4″ x 6″) waffles.

Nutritional information per waffle: Calories: 234, Carbohydrates: 4.6g, Fiber: 1.3g, Net Carbohydrates: 3.3g, Protein: 4.7g, Fat: 22.5g.

- - -
Thinky thoughts and recipe ruminations:
■I used dessicated coconut that I processed into meal here rather than standard, store bought coconut flour for two reasons: One, because it tends to be less thirsty than coconut flour, which tends to absorb all moisture into a big, indecipherable blob; Two, I also love the mouthfeel of dessicated coconut made into meal.
■I use a mix of Jay Robb and Whey protein powders as my protein powder. It’s cheaper, and this way I get the combination of stevia with the cheapness of whey for protein goodness that goes farther for a buck. (If you try this, make sure to mix same flavors.)
■Be sure to allow the waffle iron to do its thing. In other words, stop checking the thing every 30 seconds while it’s cooking. If you mess with its perfection while it’s trying to do it’s job, you’re going to have a mess. Set the timer and walk away. Go on. Away. I see you hovering over there…
■These waffles cook slightly faster than standard waffles. I clock a normal waffle at 5 minutes per waffle and these at about 4. Check after 4 and see how yours look.
■This batter will overflow onto the counters when you overfill the griddle. Depending on the size of your waffle maker, you’re looking at roughly a quarter cup amount of batter per 4″ x 6″ waffle. The batter won’t look like it’s going to fill the standard-sized waffle griddle, but it will. If you make 2 waffles at a time, you could use 1/4 cup per side, but test with the first waffle to make sure you have about the right amount.
■Always make sure to allow your iron to fully heat before you add batter. Cold waffle irons take time to heat, so if you add the batter while it’s still heating, you’ll end up with either an overcooked hockey puck, or the blob from outer space.

[CarolynF]

Hi ladies..

Judy, you must be cooled down, too in Tulsa..We are in the 70's..Rodeo tonight.
They have good barbecue there.. Brett is going with us.

Hey, I was back down to 150..I'm not asking any questions, though..Exercised for a little bit, got coffee and came home..

Those waffles sound good..It is interesting that she is using ground up coconut..Easier to work with..

Loved The Help...LOL..and Gary liked it, too.

[JMCM1]

We have worked in lots of smallish towns and my husband and I go to any rodeo we can. So much fun. Speaking of BBQ - my dh is letting our Hasty Bake smoke through the rain drops. He's starting off with some baby back ribs.

Next weekend, he is to grill/smoke a beef tenderloin for a friend of ours' big birthday. We're nervous about it so we've got some guinea pig friends coming over to help eat it and lie to us about how good it is. Perfect practice makes perfect!

I like a whole lot of Jamie's recipes so I'll likely try that waffle recipe, but I always feel the need to add pumpkin to waffles. It's just so....perfect... I just now saw the amount of protein in one waffle. Gosh it's hard to keep that number lower.

[sjl330]

Hi Gang,
I've been taking advantage of the cooler weather and doing a little yard work and helping DH on a hot tub repair. I love our hot tub but I do have to say, if I had it to do over, I don't think I'd get one. That's just my opinion.

I'm staying right smack dab in the middle of my window at 142.6. I did write a goal on the fridge of 138 thinking it might help me be more cautious but I don't think it's really working yet. I need it to take with me to our Mexican restaurant!!

[TuscanGirl]

We're nervous about it so we've got some guinea pig friends coming over to help eat it and lie to us about how good it is.

I'm sure it will be good!

[Buffy45]

Morning!
Got some more rain yesterday, our yard, trees and shrubs are loving it.

I rented The Hunger Games on PPV last night, missed it when it came out at the movies, it was good. Followed the book pretty well. The Help was a favorite, I did catch it when it first came out.

Waffles sound good, let us know if anyone tries that recipe.

No babysitting this weekend but still kitty sitting. Going to Austin on Thursday to see my youngest grandson and check out his height, DS says it is off the charts.

Happy Birthday to your son MK

[CarolynF]

Hi ladies..

Saw Brett yesterday and I guess his ex-gf texted him several times last week..He never responded..

I want a hot tub and smoked beef tenderloin, too..LOL..

Oh, Buffy, you are a "professional" sitter for sure... Kitty sitting is extra fun, though..

Sandy: I want to be in the 40's.....

[sjl330]

I'm happy being in "the 40s" but I like a goal to keep my eye on to try to keep me more on track. Even though it doesn't look like it works very well, it could be much, much worse!

Good for Brett!! I'd say it must be over for him and if he knows that, why drag it out.

[CarolynF]

I was proud of him...The first text listed some things he had to do to be back in her good graces..Then, last Sunday's text was "let's talk/text about us"..What??? Someday she will get it, I think.

[JMCM1]

AUGH! I am WAY too interested in the Brett/ex texting... Human behavior is fascinating.
VERY good for Brett. Hope he stays strong.

House is ready for company, now I must make myself ready for company. Table is set. Candles are ready to light. A few flowers sprinkled around. I made some low carb, gluten-free brownies from the "Sensible Eats" website and will make her cheesy cheese biscuits, too. They are easy, not-fussy recipes.

I made ice cream this morning - left out the eggs - and it's in the freezer. Consistency is good already, so - WIN! We'll have the tenderloin, asparagus, also grilled, my Caesar and the desserts. And wine. We'll have wine.

And then of course, GAS UP the car to take the leftover tenderloin to Carolyn!

[CarolynF]

Judy...Yes, come on up.. We should meet in Bartlesville sometime..

I love ice cream and need to make some soon...

Yes, Rachel is a very sweet gal, but doesn't understand that guys don't like to be nagged on..She still thinks they enjoy the information and will change immediately..for them.

[sjl330]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

Judy...Yes, come on up.. We should meet in Bartlesville sometime..

I love ice cream and need to make some soon...

Yes, Rachel is a very sweet gal, but doesn't understand that guys don't like to be nagged on..She still thinks they enjoy the information and will change immediately..for them.

Poor thing. How well I remember those days and how frustrating I find it today when I see people doing the same thing over and over and over and over again. But hey, just about everybody I've ever known has done that in some way, shape or form, so maybe it's all part of "The Plan". Part of the maturing process. I wish them both the very best and if they're supposed to be together, I hope they work it out. If not, I hope they just let it go and don't try to force it. Brett has some good peeps giving him advice and that's very good! I'm glad he listens and shares as well as he does.

[sjl330]

Oh, I was a very bad girl this weekend and gained more weight in 2 days than I did in 7 of vacation!!!! Back to the grindstone today. I know it's all mostly water but still shocking to see on the scale!!!

[JMCM1]

Sandy I look forward to being at goal (in 15 more pounds) and eating off plan for a couple of days then getting back on track. I'm still not discouraged or tired of this way of eating, but I don't want to eat off plan yet.

Yet....

[Buffy45]

Morning!
Judy, some advice, don't give in to eating off plan, it leads to doing it more and more and more. You have done soooooo well.

Brett is strong, good for him. Oooops, she has a lot to learn if her first text was all the things he could do to change, bad start. And, as I tell young people, people really don't change, they may try and change a little, but basically, by the time we are adults, we are pretty much who we are.

DS is up for a good promotion this week, keep your fingers crossed for him. Interview tomorrow. In house so I think he has a good shot at it but you never know. It is in the sales dept. and he is very much a people person so it would be a good fit for him. His immediate boss asked him why he was interested in it, it will pay much better, and he told him "to better provide for my family". Bless him! He loves his wife and Ollie sooo much.

Pretty day here, not sure how hot it is supposed to be but after the 2 nice rains we have, it is nice to see the sunshine.

Sandy, drink lots of water today!

Judy, your dinner and home sounds perfect and ready for your guests!

[JMCM1]

Buffy thanks - that is advice I can keep.

Dinner was great - mostly seeing friends was the best part. The worst part was getting the house ready! The tenderloin was only OK. A few months ago I would have said my favorite cut of meat was a filet, but this was really only OK. Cooked perfectly, but definitely needed more flavor. Grilled asparagus was so good.

[JMCM1]

I think when I find out the calorie count of these biscuits, I will re-think making them very often. THESE WERE SO SO SO SO GOOD. Everyone at the table loved them.
From the "Satisfying Eats" website:

Cheesy-Cheese Biscuits (Satisfying Eats)
Makes 9 small biscuits

2 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 serving of Stevia (yes, just a pinch or just omit it)
2 tbsp butter, melted (I used salted)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated (packed)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients
3. Then add remaining ingredients and mix with a fork until homogeneous.
4. Use small scoop to scoop out dough onto un-greased cookie sheet. Makes 9 small biscuits
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes. They won't turn brown on top but the bottoms will be a nice golden brown.
6. Once out of oven, smear a bit of salted butter on top and serve warm.
Nutrition:

1 Cheesy-Cheese Biscuit: Less than 2 grams of carbs
Red Lobster Garlic Cheese Biscuit: 16 grams of carbs

[CarolynF]

Hi..

Thanks for your Brett encouragements...If they are meant to be together, it will happen..probably later on down the road..We all learned you can only change yourself..LOL..

I was up 2 pounds today..Maybe it was that 4 cheeseburger from Braums I had at 8 p.m...No bun..too late for me to eat..LOL.

Yeah, Judy..you are doing sooo welll....I'm not sure if I have made those biscuits before, but they sure sound good.

MK: No one is in college this year? or is your youngest still at Loyola? Can't remember...

Buffy: Good for your ds..Will definitely pray for that promotion for him.

Hi to Cindy and our other dear friends.

[TuscanGirl]

Originally Posted by JMCM1

And then of course, GAS UP the car to take the leftover tenderloin to Carolyn!

And bring desserts to me!

Originally Posted by CarolynF

Yes, Rachel is a very sweet gal, but doesn't understand that guys don't like to be nagged on..She still thinks they enjoy the information and will change immediately..for them.

Remember the old saying: men marry women hoping they'll never change, women marry men hoping they will ~ and they're both disappointed!

Yep - DS20 is back to Loyola next week! I miss him already!!

Judy - yum!!!!

Buffy - so glad you're back!! We have sunshine too ~ AND cooler temps!

[JMCM1]

I have so many car trips! I'm sure it would be worth it to meet you all!

Hey - I ran the nutritionals on Mastercook for those Cheesy-Cheese Biscuits: 130 calories each, 12g fat, just under 2 carbs, 5g protein (sad).

[DebbyL]

Good morning

Yesterday was such a great day for me. I worked, but I got so much done, and actually had "energy" most of the day! I was thinking... wow, this is what I've been missing... however, I did drink a nice cup of "real" coffee in the afternoon instead of a nap, because I was in town, so am not sure how much of it was caffeine.

Weight-wise I'm "camping" at 3 lbs from goal. Suddenly I'm getting lots of comments about my wt. Funny how you have to lose almost 40 lbs. to have anyone say anything! I've been "wondering why" since I'm always a real encourager to those losing wt. I was thinking, hmmm... maybe I'm looking "bad" , so people don't say anything at all.

I've been wanting to buy some new clothes from JC Pennies, but they don't have size charts! When shopping across the border, its a bad idea to have to return things. I love Pennies.
Hope y'all have a great day!

[JMCM1]

WOW Debby - your avi is beautiful.
Nope - you do not look bad, you look GREAT!

[DebbyL]

Originally Posted by JMCM1

WOW Debby - your avi is beautiful.
Nope - you do not look bad, you look GREAT!

Thanks Judy,
This does happen to be a "good" picture of me... doesn't show my saggy neck!

[Buffy45]

Morning!
Debby, youu are beautiful and slim and I love your smile!

MK, that saying is so true, and we seldom change much except in looks, but at least we grow older together.

Some more rain here today, it surprised me to wake up to it but I hadn't looked at the forecast. Everything looks so much better now that we have had rain and the temps have dropped to a reasonable summer temp, hope the triple digits are gone for this year but doubtful in TX.

Dropped 3 lbs since Sunday. It was fluid, I couldn't even get my rings on Sunday for some reason so have been drinking loads of water and ice tea since then.

Those cheese biscuits sound very very good.

Can't wait to hear from DS after his interview, although I know he still won't know if he gets the promotion, but want to hear how he feels it went. Thanks for the prayers and good thoughts.

[CarolynF]

Hi ladies..

Wow..Debby, you look great..and I think it is great you are so close to goal....I think those last few (10) pounds make a huge difference in your "looks"..

Buffy: 3 pounds is good...great...Hurray for you..

MK: I love that old saying..Ain't it the truth...LOL..I will share that with dh...

Hi to Sandy, etc..

I was at the health food store today..and bought some green coffee bean extract to "play" with. The lady said that they were flying off the shelves..Of course, Dr. Oz recommended it...LOL

[Buffy45]

Morning!
Up early for me, just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep so thought I might as well get an early start to the day.

Carolyn, what doesn't Dr. Oz recommend? That list gets longer and longer and longer. Let us know if they are magic!

DS's interview went very well, 1/2 hour interview went 1 1/2 hours which is a good sign. He should know by next Wed. at the latest.

Talked to oldest DD last night, she is an elementary school principal, oh, the stories of the first couple weeks of school each year are so interesting and so entertaining. She loves her kids and really puts her heart into her work. Her building went through a very intensive renovation this summer and they started school amidst the final stages, it was pretty rough and things still aren't working exactly as they should but it is getting there.

[sjl330]

I hope your son does get the job Buffy. He sounds like a natural fit for it and yes, I think a long interview is a very good sign too.
What a noble profession your daughter has chosen and how wonderful that she actually does love the children too. I saw so many disillusioned teachers/principals when I worked in the schools and it was so disheartening for me to see. I had dreams of being a teacher when I was a young girl and was naive enough to put teachers on a pedestal for years. Sadly, I saw them quite differently when I worked among them. Then I saw that like everything else in life, there's good and bad. I was a bookkeeper at a middle school and I was shocked at how little some of those teachers cared. Of course, some were truly dedicated and were wonderful teachers and loved their jobs.

Those few pounds I gained over the weekend are like Super Glued on! That should teach me a lesson!!! But I'm still working at getting them off. Maybe I need to work a tad harder. Lol.

[JMCM1]

Agree, Sandy. My sister and brother-in-law have been teaching for more than 30 years. Any child who would have them as a teacher was the luckiest child on the planet. Those two are so motivated and so interested in each particular child and their particular way of learning. My brother-in-law became a principal and was a wonderful manager of people as well.

But I think, as you say, there are some good and some bad. I have NO idea why someone who does not care about the outcome becomes a teacher. It must be a horrible existence for them, and certainly a waste for the child who is ready to learn, or who has difficulty learning. *sigh* That's life, though.

Buffy I think your son's interview showed their interest in him.

And I had to laugh about your Dr. Oz comment! SO true - what DOESN'T he recommend?? Funny.

Sandy I think I will take a page out of your book after I get to goal. I will keep weighing (part of my problem in gaining in the first place) and take care of the couple of pounds rather than the 10 pounds or 15 or 30 pounds.

[TuscanGirl]

Day 3 of helping DS20 gather stuff together . . . .