Tasty Tuesday- Fast Metabolism Diet Fajitas and Coconut Macaroons

Here's a new dinner item to spice up your meals a bit.  Fajitas!

All you will need is:

• Lean Chicken or Beef
• 1/2 onion
• Bell peppers
• Garlic
• Phase 1, 3: Spelt or Sprouted Wheat Tortilla (I like Spelt)
• Phase 2: Large lettuce leaves
• Phase 3: Avocado 

Start with chopping your onion.  Saute in skillet with garlic for 1-2 minutes.  Add in chopped bell peppers and protein.  I like cut up chicken breast or fajita beef strips found in the butcher section of the grocery store.  You can really buy any lean beef you can find and cut it up to your desired size.  Saute all the veggies and protein together until meat is cooked through and veggies are tender.

For Phase 1: Wrap in a spelt or sprouted wheat tortilla with some salsa on top.  Don't forget a serving a fruit to make this dinner complete.

For Phase 2:  Wrap in a large lettuce leaf with some lemon juice or salsa.

For Phase 3: Wrap in a spelt or sprouted wheat tortilla with some avacado (healthy fat) and salsa.

I love making this meal during the diet.  Fajitas are something I usually make anyway for dinner, so it isn't really that big of a change for my family.  It's also quick to throw together and makes for great leftovers.


With Halloween around the corner, it can be hard to stay on track with all the candy and Halloween parties.  I am usually pretty good when it comes to not eating Halloween candy....that is until my eyes set sight on those blue wrappers called Almond Joys.  I could eat my weight in those chocolate covered coconut candy bars.  Mmmmm.  Unfortunately, Almond Joys are not on the diet.  Darn.  After searching online, I finally found a coconut macaroon recipe that works for Phase 3 on the diet and is very very yummy.  Okay, coming off of Phase 2, anything tastes yummy as long as it isn't green or moos, but these macaroons are seriously REALLY good.  And guess what?!  They kind of taste like Almond Joys!  Yay!

Coconut Macaroon Recipe
(Edited recipe from justonecookbook.com)

• 1 egg white
• 4 Tbsp. Xylitol
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)
• 1/8 tsp. salt (optional) 

1. Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C) degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white with a tea spoon until foamy. Add xylitol, vanilla, and salt and mix everything.  
3. Add coconut and stir until well mixed. You should be able to form balls with two tea spoons. They should be moist and sticky but egg white shouldn’t be too visible because egg whites are runny once they are heated in the oven. Each egg white size is different, so you may need to adjust the consistency with additional xylitol or coconut. 
4. Roughly divide into 8 parts. Form into balls with two teaspoons and place them on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture, placing macaroons about 1 inch apart. Bake them until slightly golden, about 15-20 minutes. 
5. Remove baking sheet from oven to a wire rack, and let macaroons cool on baking sheet. 

If you want to go the extra mile, you can add cacao nibs as a chocolate like garnish.  The ones I made pictured below were made with thick sliced unsweetened coconut.  I would recommend chopping the thicker coconut to make it a bit finer, because the thicker consistency of the coconut made it harder for the macaroons to stick together.

Confession....the ones pictured here are made with sugar free dark chocolate chips since I couldn't find cacao nibs anywhere.  In my defense, I made these after I had finished a full round of the diet, so I was in maintenance. It was my guilty little pleasure that was totally worth it.

So far I am 20lbs down and officially at my pre-baby weight.  Yay!  If you are doing the Fast Metabolism Diet, stay strong and stick with it.  It really works and the changes you make are life changes that make such a difference in your body.  I know it can be hard, especially around holidays, but if you mess up don't let it get you down.  Just jump right back up and keep going where you left off.  You can do it!

Tasty Tuesday- FMD Lemon Lime Slushy and Strawberry Sorbet

While on the Fast Metabolism Diet, treats and desserts are hard to come by.  It makes sense that a diet isn't going to have a ton of desserts on it since that is probably what made you go on a diet in the first place.  Sometimes though, you just need something sweet to hit the spot after a rough day.  So, for today's Tasty Tuesday I am going to share my yummy recipes for a Fast Metabolism Diet approved Lemon Lime Slushy (Phase 1, 2, 3) and Strawberry Sorbet (Phase 1).


LEMON LIME SLUSHY
This treat is good in all the phases, but I like to use it only for Phase 2 since that is such a rough phase for me to get through.  I honestly don't think I would survive without it.  To start, you want to make sure you have a really good blender.  I use my magic bullet blender or Ninja blender.  Just make sure it is strong enough to blend ice to powder, or you will have crunchy lemon peel ice instead of a fluffy lemon lime slush.

The directions are pretty simple.  All you need is:

• One lemon
• One lime
• xyiltol or stevia
• Ice
• water

I don't usually go by measurements, so I will try my best to estimate how much I put in to make my slushy.  I use different amounts of ice, water, and xylitol every time I make it since every lemon and lime are different sizes and tastes, but it always turns out super yummy. Also, you can use a lemon OR a lime if that is all you have available.

Start by peeling your lemon and lime.  If you're like me and are too lazy to peel them, then just slice the peels off (kind of like how you would cut off the outside of a pineapple).  With the lemon, be sure to cut it open and remove all the seeds.  When you are done peeling/slicing, plop those citrus fruits into your blender.  Yep, the whole thing.  If you don't have a powerful blender, you can just squeeze the juice out of the lemon and lime.  Then add about 1/2 cup ice, 1/4 cup water, and 2 TBS xylitol/stevia (or more as needed).  Blend that sucker up until it is nice and slushy.  I like to make my slush a little on the runny side so I can drink it with a straw, so adjust the amount of ice and water you add until it is the consistency you like.

When you are done, it should look something like this.  As you can see, I missed one or two seeds in my lemon and blended them up with the slush.  Oops.  It still tasted great.

You can enjoy your slush the way it is, or you can freeze it for an hour or two until it is a little more solid.  This will make it more like an icy sorbet if that is more your thing. 

If you happened to make a little too much slush, I like to put the extra into ice cube trays and keep them in the freezer.  This makes it really easy to pop out a few ice cubes and blend them up for a quick treat later on.


STRAWBERRY SORBET

The directions for this are pretty similar to the lemon/lime slushy.  Again, you want to make sure you have a decent blender.  Getting the ice blended as small as possible is the key to this yummy treat.

All you need is:

• About 1-2 cups frozen or fresh strawberries
• xylitol or stevia
• ice
• water
• lemon juice

Add the strawberries, about 2 TBS xylitol or stevia (more to taste if you like it really sweet), about 1/2 cup ice if you used fresh strawberries and 1/4 cup ice if you used frozen strawberries, a dash or two of lemon juice, and about 1/4 cup water to get it all moving in your blender.  Blend, blend, blend until it is smooth.  Just like the lemon lime slushy, you can make this like a slushy too.  I have found the strawberries are smoother and make a better sorbet when they are frozen a little bit, so I like to keep a bowl in the freezer to pull out when I am having a late night sweet craving on phase 1 and need a snack.  I think the trick to making the sorbet the perfect texture is to freeze it for a few hours, and then let it thaw on the counter about 15-30 minutes before you want to eat it.  This ensures it is not solid frozen, and it makes it the perfect texture to spoon out.

My husband LOVED this sorbet, and actually tried stealing it from me when I wasn't looking.  I would make this even if I wasn't on The Fast Metabolism Diet- it is that good.  As I said before with these treats, you kind of have to measure with your eyes and play around with adding ingredients until you get the consistency you like.  These recipes really make it easier to feel like you're getting a special treat and don't taste like diet anything at all.

If you have tried making any FMD treats, I would love to hear about them.  Feel free to comment below, and maybe I will review one of your recipes.

Mojo Monday- I'm Back!

I took a little time off from the blog due to a family emergency, but I am back and ready to roll.  During my break, I got a lot of questions about The Fast Metabolism Diet, so I will be answering those questions in the coming weeks.  Until then, Happy Monday!

From theoatmeal.com

Tasty Tuesday- My Fast Metabolism Diet Review

*Follow my FMD journey on INSTAGRAM @soupontherocks
I did it!  I survived the 28 day Fast Metabolism Diet program, and guess what?  It wasn't that bad.  In fact, even though I am technically done, I am still eating most of the same foods (just not in the specific phase order).  I feel good inside.  The biggest difference I have felt is ENERGY.  Ahhhh, sweet energy.  As a mom raising two young boys, that word is usually nonexistent in my vocabulary, but on The Fast Metabolism Diet program I have felt physically energized the whole time.  Mental energy...that's a whole other story.  My hair isn't falling out as much, I sleep a lot better, and my digestive system is stellar.  (Yeah, I said it.)  But the biggest difference from my journey on The Fast Metabolism Diet has been WEIGHT LOSS.  Oh, sweet weight loss.  I have missed you so much.  So, here are my totals by week from my first month on The Fast Metabolism Diet.

Week 1:   -4 lbs

Week 2:   -3 lbs

Week 3:   -5 lbs

Week 4:   -2 lbs

Total Weight Loss:  -14 lbs

I couldn't be happier!  That's 1/2 lb loss per day.  This week I am taking a one week break-ish.  I am pretty much following the diet still, but I am mixing up the phases and allowing myself a couple treats that are still within the FMD guidelines.  The last thing I want to do this week is blow all my hard work away, so I am being extra careful to pay attention to everything I eat.

I love this diet.  I actually don't like calling it a diet.  It is more of a lifestyle change.  I know, everyone says that, but it is so true.  I also love that the FMD food is pretty basic and I don't even feel like I am dieting.  Seriously though, what other diet allows pasta, fruit, and french toast?  Well, this one does.  The hardest adjustment for me was cheese.  I didn't expect cheese to be hard to give up, but there are so many things that cheese goes in to make a meal complete.  But, I survived and so will you if you're planning to start The Fast Metabolism Diet.

Getting started can be a little overwhelming to say the least.  I remember thinking, "Where do I begin?"  So, I am going to show you some of the things I did that really helped keep me on track.

First, I printed off the FMD rules, blank diet sheets, serving sizes, and phase specific foods, and put them on my fridge.  It is important to be as organized as possible.  

 

Next, I made a shopping list of all the soups I wanted to make and what ingredients I needed.  I also added any other things I would need for week 1 of the diet.  Then, I went out and loaded up on groceries.  We usually eat semi-healthy, but our kitchen was lacking on a lot of the supplies I needed to make the soups I wanted to.  I ended up buying a lot of fresh fruit, organic meat, veggies, sprouted grain bread, barley, and other grains we didn't usually use.  I went to Sprout's for my first shopping trip, but later I realized Smith's has pretty much everything that Sprout's does in their organic/gluten free section for a lot cheaper, so now I just go there.  The only things I still have to go to Good Earth or Sprouts for is xylitol, Ezekiel sprouted bread, and sprouted tortillas.

The first thing I did when I got home was portion out the perishable foods.  Since each phase is only 2-3 days, you are switching things up a lot and the last thing you want is for your food to go bad before you get to eat it the next week when the phase comes around again.  I decided to portion out the nitrate-free deli meat, bread, turkey bacon, and I even cooked some ground beef and portioned it out too for easy access.  This step was critical to my success on the diet.  It made things so simple, and the food I bought lasted a lot longer than if I were to just put it all in the fridge.  Every night, I would look at my meal plan for the next day and take out what I would need out of the freezer and put it in the fridge.  Then in the morning, it would be thawed and ready to go for my day. 

In these pics I bought sprouted bread on the shelf since I couldn't find the freezer kind.  Since then, I have been buying the Ezekiel sprouted bread found in the freezer.  Even though it is frozen, I still like to portion it out into bags.  It just makes it easier to take a bag out the night before and have it thawed the next morning to make french toast or whatever you are using it for.

Next, I started cooking.  I spent the next two days cooking away.  I ended up making the Phase 1 Chili, Phase 1 Chicken and Barley Soup, Phase 1 Turkey, Bean, and Kale Soup, and the Phase 1 Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.  (In week 2 I also made the Phase 2 Chicken and Veggie Soup, which I talked about last week.)  I scooped the correct portion sizes of each soup into a quart size ziplock bag, labeled them, and froze them flat in my freezer.  I highly recommend doing this if you have a busy lifestyle and are going to start this diet.  It was so easy for me to grab a soup and go when I was in a hurry.  These soups saved me.  Most of the recipes I cut in half and they still made a ton of soup.  I have a few of them in my freezer still, and I will just use them when I start the diet again next week.  My favorite is the Chicken and Barley.  It reminds me of chicken noodle soup, but with barley instead of noodles.  It was delish!

And there you have it folks.  That is how I prepared to begin The Fast Metabolism Diet.  Week 1 was still a little hard getting used to the food, when to eat, and what to eat, but it was a lot easier being prepared and having everything I needed ready to go.  By week 2, you know the drill and it just gets easier from there.  

My favorite phase is Phase 1.  I love fruit and carbs grains, so this phase makes my stomach happy.  My least favorite phase is no surprise- Phase 2.  I will admit that I struggle a lot in Phase 2.  I don't like seafood and I am a picky veggie eater, so that gives me limited options on what I can eat for Phase 2.  Yes, there were times I had to literally gag down chicken and broccoli for the fifth time in a row, but it is only 2 days.  You can do anything for 2 days.  The lifesaver for me in Phase 2 is making lemon sorbet.  I will be posting the recipe for that and a few of my other favorite sweets and treats from the diet next week, so stay tuned.

Overall, I love The Fast Metabolism Diet and it has genuinely changed my life.  My outlook on food is totally different, and I feel so good inside.  Who knew that a simple visit to a clinic to get my hormones checked would lead to me reading this book and finally losing the weight I have been carrying for far too long?  I am sure the hormones have a lot to do with it too, but the diet is still awesome regardless.  I have recommended this book to my friends and family, and it is so exciting seeing them become healthier too.  My mom has lost 12 lbs, my dad lost 15 lbs, and my friend (who did it for health reasons besides weight loss) still lost 8 lbs and it made her insomnia she has had for years go away. Amazing!

Even though 14 lbs is something to be proud of, I still have a lot more to go until I hit my goal.  For once, I have hope and feel like losing weight is possible.  My clothes are fitting better, but it is the inside changes that have made the bigger difference.  I smile more, and I am a better mom to my kids and wife to my husband.  If you are struggling with weight or just want to get a little healthier, I seriously recommend reading The Fast Metabolism Diet.  I am not getting paid to review this book or tell you how awesome it is.  I promise you it works.  If nothing else, you will learn so much about the science in your body.  I don't even like to read, but I really enjoyed the book.  I promise you will not regret it.  I didn't.  

Mojo Monday- What Does a Fox Say?

What sound does a fox make?  I know you have wondered it, so here is your answer.  This video is so funny to me, because my husband and I always ask our toddler what a fox (and other animals that really don't have a distinct sound) say.  His responses are always so funny.  Surprisingly, after watching this video I looked up what a fox really does say, and this video is pretty on target.  I guess foxes have about 20 different calls.  So, there is your fun fact for today.  Happy Monday!

Friday Favorites- FMD favorites

Since this weekend is my last week of The Fast Metabolism Diet, that is until I start up another 28 day cycle, I wanted to share some of my favorite products that I have discovered and fallen in love with.

Sweet Potato Chips

I have tried making my own sweet potato chips, and although they are really good, I can't ever seem to get the crispy crunch that I want.  I bought a few bags of these Terra Sweet Potato Chips at the store, and I am hooked.  They are super yummy and the perfect snack for Phase 3, especially with some cookie dough hummus (my review on that is coming soon).


Xylitol

On The Fast Metabolism Diet, Stevia and Xylitol are pretty much the only okay sweeteners you can have.  In the first week I was using Stevia in my oatmeal and smoothies, but I could not stomach the aftertaste of it and I started dreading my morning oatmeal because of it.  It's not unbearable, but it definitely has a flavor to it you can taste.  So, I went out on a search for xylitol.  Man, that stuff is hard to find!  I finally found some at Good Earth, and it is so good!  It tastes just like sugar, and it is way better for you.  Did you know that xylitol won't cause cavities?  How awesome is that!  I put it on everything now, and I plan to go back and buy a giant bag to cook with in the future for all my sweet needs.  I really like this Xyla brand.


Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread

This is my favorite bread for the FMD.  I have always been a wheat bread fan, so this wasn't a huge change for me to eat.  It tastes a lot like the normal wheat bread I eat.  You get this Ezekiel bread in the freezer section, and I love that it is frozen since I only take out a few pieces at a time.  It lasts forever that way and doesn't get all moldy half way though.  I love using this bread to make french toast with strawberries in the morning. Mmmmm...


Justin's Almond Butter

I was slightly hesitant to switch from peanut butter to almond butter.  I was pleasantly surprised with the taste, and I really like the Justin's brand.  Sure, it's not the creamy Jif I love, but it is edible and tastes good.  I really like this almond butter with celery or on toast.  Another reason I love the Justin's brand, is because they sell individual serving packets which are great to keep in a bag on the go for a healthy snack. 

Thrifty Thursday- Babies R Us and Toys R Us Friends and Family Sale

Babies R Us and Toys R Us are having their Friends and Family Sale right now.  This means you get 20% off your WHOLE PURCHASE!  This is an awesome deal, especially if you are having a baby soon and needing to buy some big ticket items, or you just want to start stocking up on Christmas early.  I just went there to buy a few things for my own kids, and I ended up saving over $17.  Make sure to take advantage of this deal either in store or online by Saturday.  If you forget to print the coupon out, you can always look it up on the Snip-Snap app (that's what I used).

Watch it Wednesday- Big Brother Finale Tonight

Tonight is the finale of Big Brother, and we get to see which of the three remaining houseguests wins the $500,000 prize.  Evidently, all of them are going to need the money since they have all been fired from their jobs due to racist remarks while they have been in the house.  You can read more about that here. 

Who do you think is going to bring home the money?  I don't really have a favorite this season.  I hope Howard wins the fan favorite prize, because he seemed to be the only real person with a heart on the show.  What do you think?

Tasty Tuesday- The Fast Metabolism Diet: Phase 2 Chicken and Veggie Soup

If you are doing the Fast Metabolism Diet program, it is no secret that Phase 2 is KILLER.  Eating nothing but protein and veggies can leave you gagging at the words chicken and broccoli at the end of 4 weeks.  I am kind of picky about the veggies I like, and I am not a fan of sea food.  This leaves me with very little options for what I can make for my Phase 2 meals.  Luckily, the book has a recipe for a chicken and veggie soup that is really good and gives a little diversity to your meals if you're in a chicken and broccoli rut like I was.

Chicken and Veggie Soup (from The Fast Metabolism Diet book)
Phase 2
Serves 6-8 people

• 1 whole chicken or chicken parts, skin removed (I just used 4 big boneless skinless chicken breasts)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 8 cups chopped fresh or frozen veggies (Anything can go into this soup. I used kale, spinach, celery, chives, mushrooms, squash, and zucchini.  Broccoli, cabbage, leeks, and asparagus would be good too.) 
• 1 Tbs parsley or cilantro
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Put the chicken in a large soup pot with broth and 8 cups of water.  Add the vegetables and herbs.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour.  Let cool, then remove the chicken and debone (I skipped this step since I just cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts and cubed it up before I started making the soup).  Add your chicken meat back to the soup if you deboned the chicken, reheat, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

I ended up making half of this recipe, and it was enough for me to make 2 bags of soup to freeze for future meals.  I used a serving and a half since I have more than 20 lbs I am wanting to lose.  It was a LOT of soup.  Make sure to label your soups with what phase it is for, so you don't get confused if you have multiple soups in your freezer.

This isn't my favorite every day soup, but in the midst of Phase 2, it was amazing.  It tasted like chicken noodle soup, but instead of noodles there were a lot of veggies.  I made sure to chop my veggies very small so it all kind of blended in with the broth. 

Next week I plan to do an overall review of The Fast Metabolism Diet since I will have completed all 28 days.  I will show what worked for me, and what I am going to change for the next time around (that's right, I am going to do another 28 days). 

*If you are doing the FMD and have any tips for Phase 2, I would love to hear them.  Don't be shy and comment below.  I love hearing from my readers.

Mojo Monday

I love this short ad.  It speaks volumes and hits right to the heart.  Happy Monday!

Thrifty Thursday- Utah Valley Women's Expo

UTAH READERS, this weekend is The Utah Valley Women's Expo.  It is one of my favorite expos ever, and I find something unique and fun to buy every time I go.  They also have great deals on everything you can think of and more.  Plus, you can win some cool prizes.  Last year I won a huge gift basket from Kneaders, and another time I got a ton of free prenatal vitamins when I was pregnant with my first son.  The expo is this Friday and Saturday, and here is a free ticket to get you in.  Make sure to print it out and bring it with you. Have fun!

Watch it Wednesday- Big Brother McCranda

Evidently since Amanda has been out of the house, she is pushing buttons among jury members to make sure they vote for McCrae to win Big Brother if he makes it to the end.  I am sure she has many reasons she wants McCrae to win other than her relationship with him.  For one, she would get publicity if she continued her relationship with McCrae after the show is over.  Look at Jeff and Jordan.  Big Brother has more successful relationships than The Bachelor!  Second, I am sure she wants her lover boy to win, because it would mean she would in a way be winning too.  I am sure she would manipulate McCrae to give her a large chunk of the cash if he won.  Third, rumors are spreading that Amanda has her eye on becoming a power couple on The Amazing Race when Big Brother is over.  I actually think Amanda would do well on that show with her pushy go get 'em personality, but I don't know if the McCranda relationship would do well since McCrae is a little a lot more level headed and laid back.  It would at least be very entertaining to watch.  I guess we will see what happens. 

So far, this season has been awesome to watch and I can't wait to get to the finale!  I only wish Big Brother would do an after show interview with the house guests to see their reactions to things on the show.  How awesome would that be?!  Come on CBS, make it happen.

Tasty Tuesday- FMD Phase 1 Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Craving a classic Italian dish on The Fast Metabolism Diet?  No problem!  I'm going to show you how to make this delicious Phase 1 Spaghetti and Meat Sauce dinner.  This would also work in Phase 3, but you would have to add a healthy fat somewhere.  I am not really a measurement kind of gal when I cook, so I don't have exact amounts, but this meal could easily feed up to 4 people.

Ingredients:

• Brown Rice Spaghetti or Fusilli
• Organic ground beef, turkey, or bison
• 1 can of organic tomato sauce
• 1/2 onion
• 1-2 tsp basil
• 1-2 tsp oregano
• 1-2 cloves garlic (I like a lot of garlic)
• Salt/Pepper to taste

          Optional

• Spaghetti Squash (This would be an excellent addition to add more veggies)
• 1/4 cup Olive oil (If on Phase 3)

Directions:
Start by chopping the onion.  Using a small sauce pan, saute the onion for about 5-10 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  If you are on Phase 3, add the olive oil in the sauce.  Mix everything together well and let simmer together to get all the flavors mixed.  Next, brown the beef and cook the pasta.  If you are adding spaghetti squash, you will want to cook it before hand.  Here is a post I did on cooking spaghetti squash if it is new to you.  When the beef is browned, pour it into the sauce and mix together.  Pour meat sauce over the pasta and top with a dash of basil.

I love love LOVED this dish!  It fit the requirements for dinner Phase 1 with a grain, vegetable, and protein.  It seriously didn't taste any different from when I used to make spaghetti with Prego and regular pasta.  In fact, I think it was better since everything was so fresh and I know what all the ingredients were.  I have made this with brown rice spaghetti and brown rice fusilli.  I liked them both, but the fusilli was a little easier to eat and held the sauce a little better.  Here is a picture of the fusilli and the meat was not mixed in with the sauce.  This would be a yummy casserole if you were going to cook for a bigger group.

Mojo Monday

Let's take it back old school with a little Nick Lachey.  Happy Monday!


*Side note: Sorry I was super bad with posting last week.  A lot has been going on, and sometimes you can't always be on top of everything.  Here's to a new week!