Another update in our diet blog by proxy – Keen has reached 199.5 lbs! He is quite psyched (and I’m quite proud). He’s been waiting to break the 200 pound mark. He started his diet, according to the doctor’s scale, at 247!
So he’s agreed to share some of his recipes and techniques (which I’ve frantically typed as he dictated). One of the things he swears by is upping your fiber. This was a big lifestyle change for him because Keen wasn’t eating high fiber foods previously. I’ve always been a fan of oatmeal and cereal but he wasn’t. Now that he’s switched over he says that, as well as being good for you, the fact that fiber makes you feel fuller longer just helps with the diet. Keen’s been getting about 60% of his fiber in the mornings alone. He eats high fiber/multi-grain oatmeal with high fiber yogurt, and has a fiber supplement to boot, starting the day off with a majority of his daily percentage.
Keen also has added in a lot of vegetables. One way that we really enjoy them (where they’re so flavorful you don’t get sick of eating a lot of the same thing) is roasted. He made a scrumptious zucchini and tomato mix for dinner Monday night that came out so good. It is also super easy to make. Here’s the recipe.
Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini
1 pound of zucchini
1 pound of cherry tomatoes (leave whole)
olive oil spray
salt & pepper
garlic powder
Cut the ends off the zucchini, slice down the middle lengthwise, and cut into half inch pieces. Lay them out on a baking pan along with the tomatoes, and be sure to leave the tomatoes whole. Spray all the veggies with olive oil spray. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes
Another dish he made that will definitely make a repeat performance is this one.
Veal with Artichoke and Mushrooms with Couscous
1 pound of ground veal
a 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts
3/4 pounds of sliced mushrooms (crimini or white buttons)
olive oil spray
salt & pepper
Prep: Before beginning, slice the mushrooms. Open and drain the can of artichoke hearts and cut the hearts into quarters. Set aside.
Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil spray, add mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 3 – 4 minutes. Add ground veal and brown with mushrooms until almost cooked (3 – 4 more minutes). Add the quartered artichoke hearts and cook for another 3- 4 minutes until is cooked (or heated) through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare plain or parmigian couscous on the side. You can serve the veal and vegetables mixed in with the couscous (which is how I like it) or on the side.
Have I mentioned yet that he can come up with this shit on the fly?
And they look so easy once he explains them! This just goes to prove
my point… some people have got mad cooking skills, and some of us
HAVE NOT! (In fact, some of us should never be allowed to cook food. hint)
Hope you enjoy these. I’ll keep posting new ones as they come up.
– the weirdgirl
Wow! He’s doing a fantastic job! I love roasting vegetables. It makes the ton of baby carrots I’ve been eating the last month more palpable on days when I feel it’s all I’ve eaten. We also tried brussel sprouts for the first time this month and actually loved them. We roasted them with some olive oil spray and garlic salt, turning halfway during cooking, and then loaded up our plates. Next up is roasting some broccoli.
I started out at a bit less, but also just broke the below two hundred mark…congrats to Keen!! I’ve always loved fiber, so it’s been hard to increase it enough to actually lose weight, but I am so checking out his recipes one day this week!!
I swear when I saw Keen last night, I thought he’s the incredibly shrinking man. I’m so proud of you Keen!
I envy Keen, having the motivation and patience to cook. I’ve never enjoyed cooking at all. And I’d be alot healthier (and “wealthier”) if I did. Congratulations to him!
Good for him!
My poor husband loves salad and sports, but somehow can’t seem to drop below 250.