Bypass Reflections

I started out like a ball of fire.  I was dropping the lbs right and left.  My feet even got smaller!
Here I am 4 yrs later. Still having over 50 lbs to get rid of.
I've lost some of them only to find them again. So, weight loss surgery is no magic fix. I still have to struggle daily to not balloon back to 380 lbs.(my highest weight)

My body doesn't have the same food restrictions that many others seem to have.  I don't vomit when I eat sugar or carbs.  Sometimes I wish I did.  Sometimes I will get a little nausea but it passes to quickly.  I am back to trying to remember to track my calories, watch my fats etc etc.  All the same things I did before.

The extra skin and flab are very annoying too. Skin irritations and pain.  Yes, I could probably go thru the surgeries to have it all removed, but why? Why go thru all that pain at my old age?  If somebody doesn't like the way that I look, don't look!

That is how I feel some days.  Other days I want it all!!

Any opinions out there?

I am open to suggestions of any kind to help me get back on track.  I fought too hard to give up now.

Loved ones

Sometimes we don't get to see the ones we love quite as much as we want to.
It doesn't mean that they aren't always on our minds. It is just the way life is sometimes.
My granddaughter Jovie just turned 3 on New Years day.
I rarely get to see her so I steal her pictures off of her mommy and daddy's Facebook page.
Both of her parents are usually so busy that Granny just doesn't get to see them often.
It certainly does not mean that she isn't always on my mind and in my heart.
Happy Birthday Jovie Lynn.

Winter Weather

Ohio winters are so unpredictable.
One week it's like a spring day. The next we have snow and ice and freezing temps.
Today there was no school for the grand kids. Hectic day in my house for sure!
They wanted to go out to play in the snow but the temp was just too cold. Plus, they are fighting colds.
It is no wonder they are sick. It's hard to dress them from day to day not know what the weather is going to bring that day.
It's ever harder as the kids don't seem to feel the cold the same way I do.
The freezing temps just make my bones and joints scream in pain. While the kids will sneak off their coats or shoes when is solid ice outside and run around like it's a hot summer day.
We catch them in the act get them back into the heated house and they complain it's too hot in here.
Ah. I remember those days. How wonderful it would be to be that innocent and agile again. If I could just borrow a quarter of that energy. I too could enjoy the snow along with my babies.
But alas, here I sit wrapped in a blanket with a heating pad on my back. Cursing the cold Ohio weather for the way it makes me feel.
Come summer; I shall be cursing the hot Ohio heat. Guess I just can't be pleased in my old age. LOL

HAPPY NEW YEAR (a few weeks late)

It is a new year. I have a new home. Working on a new life.
Trying to get everything back on track. As far as my weight loss and still learning to live again.
It is getting a little easier as time goes by. Wayne has been gone almost 4 years now. I still miss him but I know life has many changes in store. Not sure where it's going but I know whatever happens is the way it's supposed to be
There are ups and there are downs. We just gotta roll with the punches and keep the faith that God knows what is best for us whether we do or not.
These are just a few of my new years thoughts that I thought I would share with you.
I have been offline for over a year. I have so much catching up to do. For now, here is a funny pic of me from New Years Eve

Cell phone

Just found out that I can blog from my phone. Yes, I am a bit slow.
Perhaps now I can get back to this thing.
I have so much to share. My goodness! I haven't blogged in like a year. I have a new grandchild. She is almost a yr old. Plus another one coming in a few months.
Hope to be back with you all soon!
I still need to figure out all the ins and outs from my phone.
In the meantime.
Here is Azlynn Elizabeth!

Parmesan Sage Pork Chops

Too hot for the grill so I came up with this recipe.  It was a hit!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2-1/4 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
3 egg, lightly beaten
6 bone-in pork loin chops
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350
In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper
the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, sage and lemon peel.
Place egg in shallow bowl. dip pork chops in egg,
then coat with bread crumb mixture. Let stand for about 5 minutes or so
In a skillet, place oil and let it heat up, then brown chops in oil until browned on both sides. Place a rack on top of a baking sheet, transfer pork chops onto the rack after frying.
Bake on rack for 30 minutes or until juices run clear. This keeps crust crunchier than it would if you laid them in oil in baking pan.

Recipe can be cut down or increased as needed per portion sizes.

Vietnam claimed another victim on 3/26/09

Just recently learned that although my hubby made it home from Vietnam alive, it turns out that he ended up be a casualty of that awful war after all.

It seems that the government is just now recognizing that the heart disease that took his life, was indeed caused by that nasty agent orange.

He had a purple heart from being shot and paralyzed for almost a year. He was told that he would never walk again. But his stubborn marine corpe pride did not allow them to be right. He did walk again and even did another tour in Vietnam after that for a total of 4 tours in that dreadful place. He spent a total of 27 1/2 yrs in the Marines. Silver Star, Bronze Star etc.

He also suffered from PTSD from all the horrible things that he went thru in Vietnam.

He certainly was a stubborn ol' goat and had his faults, but he was a marine at heart until the day agent orange took his life. He actually retired from the Army National Guard, for which he spent 10 1/2 yrs just to get his retirement time in.

I believe he should be eligible for the medal of honor for all that he went thru and the fact that he thought that he was home safe when in reality he was not.

RIP my love SSGT E6 Wayne Lawrence Smith.

Revival Soy Pasta Review

Dinner today was kind of an experiment with a new product that I decided to try.  I purchased it at bariatriceating.com.   I just added some turkey meatballs to a store bought low sugar pasta sauce.

The end result was great. No aftertaste like with some protein products at all. The texture and the taste were the same as eating a plate of good old fashioned spaghetti and meatballs. Yummo!  Plus the extra boost of protein.   It even passed the kid friendly test with my grandson!  

Wayne L Smith 3/11/44 - 3/26/2009

On March 26, 2009
The day the angels came
My life will never be the same.
A one hour nap turned into an eternal sleep.
Did he pray the Lord his soul to keep?
No more pain for him they say,
for he went the easy way.
Questions and tears
Anger and fears
If I had loved him more would he still be mine?

Depression and falling off the wagon.

Life has been kinda nuts. March has been a bad month for me. My Wayne's birthday would have been the 11th, my mom's would have been the 14th. On top of those memories, the 26th of this month Wayne will have been gone for 2 years.
I've been pretty depressed and falling off the wagon a lot. Eating all the wrong things and not caring much.
The surgery was just a tool. I need to get my head back in the game. I am still a stress eater and a depression eating. Seeking comfort from all the wrong things.
It's time to kick it up a notch or kick my own tush, whichever comes first.

                                                   Today at 205 lbs gone.

Yummy Chocolate Bars

A quick little recipe post for those of you who may be wanting a quick Valentines day treat to prepare.
I'll get a pic soon and add it later.   I haven't made them in ages. With my new lifestyle I shouldn't make them at all, but, remember that I don't just cook for me. Not all of my posts are going to be weight loss surgery friendly or good for everyone.
I am just me, and that's all I can be.


Ingredients:


Crust

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 dash salt

1 stick margarine

Filling

1 cup graham crackers crushed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting

1 stick real butter

1 dash salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar





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Directions:

Mix together crust and pat into a 9x13 pan.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees and let rest for 10 minutes.

Then mix filling and pour over crust.

Bake again for 20 minutes and cool completely. Frost.

My Honey Mustard Chicken Recipe

The nutrition facts that I calculated are for 1/2 breast servings. If you prefer a whole breast, then you must double the nutritional content. Recipe may also be doubled for bigger family.


Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breasts bone and skin removed

Natures Hollow Sugar Free Honey Substitute, 4 tbsp

Yellow Mustard, 1/4 cup

Basil,dried,1/4 tsp

Paprika, 1/4 tsp

Parsley, dried, 1/4 tsp



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste,

and place in a foil lined, lightly greased 8x8 inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, basil,

paprika, and parsley. Mix well.

Brush 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken to cover.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Covered with foil.

4. Turn chicken pieces over and brush with

the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture.

Bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes, or

until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

6- 1/2 breast Servings or 3 whole breast servings  (double the nutrition facts)

Amount Per Serving ( half breast)
Calories 149.8

Total Fat 1.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Cholesterol 68.4 mg
Sodium  193.5 mg
Potassium 321.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5.6 g
Dietary Fiber 0.4 g
Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 27.7 g

Triple Berry Dessert

TRIPLE BERRY DESSERT
I need to add that the berries are blackberry, raspberry and blueberry.


Something I threw together with what I had on hand



INGREDIENTS:



24 oz bag Schwans Triple Berry Blend

1 cup fiber one buttermilk pancake mix

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar blend or 1 cup reg. brown sugar

1 cup milk



Preheat oven to 375 degrees



I sprayed baking dish with butter flavored Pam or you can butter it

Mixed all ingredients together in a bowl and poured into baking dish

and baked for 45 minutes to an hour

Serve with whipped topping or ice cream

Monkey Bread Muffins

 Monkey Bread Muffins Still hot in the pan.

Here they are turned out of the pan with all the gooey goodness dripping over.

The recipe I used this time goes as follows:

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup white sugar

2 (7.5 ounce) can refrigerated biscuit dough, separated and cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon water

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 9 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.


Combine the spices and white sugar in a zip lock baggie; roll the biscuit pieces in the mixture to coat. Divide the coated pieces between the prepared muffin cups.

Combine the brown sugar, butter, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Allow the mixture to boil until the sugar is completely dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the mixture over the biscuit pieces.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden, and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 8 to 12 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes and then turn out onto a baking sheet.

No, not exactly weight loss surgery friendly, but, the next time I am going to substitute, Splenda for the white sugar and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend for the brown sugar.
Chase wanted a dessert today, so, I found a recipe for this and then played around with it as is usual for me.

Eggface

I haven't been able to blog in awhile.  So busy now that I am raising a 6 yr old grandson.  I need to kick myself in the butt and get back to it. Shelly is helping me. I need to give her a shout out for that and brag about her newest giveaway.
All you have to do is post a comment on her blog adding your name and email addy.

Taste of Torani Holiday Giveaway



The Prize: This totally AWESOME Prize Pack of Torani's Holiday Flavors

1 bottle of Sugar Free Peppermint

1 bottle of Sugar Free Gingerbread

1 bottle of Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie

and the pièce de résistance...

1 bottle of Torani's brand new Sugar Free Salted Caramel.


 Here is a link to her blog:   http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

Tornado on The Plains

We had a tornado touch down here in my little village on Thursday.  We are ok, we were very lucky. My underpinning was blown away and my water lines were busted, but some in my area were hit much harder. 
The mobile home next to me was blown clear off the foundation and the one behind me had a tree on it.
A few blocks up the road homes were upturned and trees blown clear through others.
The high school football fields were torn up.  Things are sure a mess here.
These are pics of some of the damage to my little mobile home.

Lamb Gyros

I experimented with a new recipe the other night and this is what we had for dinner.

Tzatziki sauce  or cucumber sauce ingredients

Small cucumber, shredded
Bunch fresh mint, leaves finely chopped
 Bunch fresh dill, leaves finely chopped
1 cup Greek-style yogurt, I used Fage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Lamb meat ingredients for marinating.  I marinated for several hours. I then cooked it in some EVOO in large iron skillet until browned on outside, med rare inside. Served on whole wheat pita bread with sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce and feta cheese crumbles.
Of course, I skipped the pita bread.  I just ate some of the lamb and veggies with a little feta and the sauce.

2 pounds boneless lamb leg or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 tablespoons olive oil
 2 tablespoons brandy  ( the brandy I used was some homemade cherry brandy that someone had gifted my husband)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together all ingredients pour over meat in a ziplock bag and let marinate for up to 24 hrs.  I only did for about 7 hrs, meat was full of flavor.

                             
He kinda overfilled his pita bread, looks messy but he liked it.

Chasey Bug even enjoyed his, well, minus the lettuce and tomatoes that is!

Looky What the UPS man brought me!

My new automatic frozen yogurt-ice cream & sorbet maker.
And it only cost me 31.98 total.
I see homemade protein ice cream in my future.  Now to browse Eggface's blog and borrow a couple of her recipes.  
Here is her link for those of you who

haven't checked her out:
 http://www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com

Until next time,
Liz

My version of Peach Cobbler.

There is a family get together at my brothers today. I can't attend because I've been sick, but I am sending down one of my peach cobblers anyway.

I had peaches that I had bought and put into the freezer a few months ago.

So this is what I threw together.

Buttered the baking pans with light margarine generously.

I took about 5 qt bags of my peaches, thawed of course.

1 cup of flour, couple tbsp of cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of Splenda and mixed it all together. Then spread it into two baking pans.

I then used about 2 cups of self rising flour, 1/2 cup of Splenda and 2 tbsp more cinnamon and blended it together with a cup and a half of lowfat buttermilk until it became like a pancake batter consistency and drizzled it over both pans of the peach mixture.

Baked in oven preheated to 425 for about 60 minutes.

It's not purty, but its good!

Shavona and Austin

My daughter Shavona and her youngest son Austin.

Chase's mommy sent us some new pictures the other day of her and his little brother Austin. This is hanging in Chase's room so that he can see them every day.

The problem is, he won't sleep in his own room,,LOL

It was such a great picture that I just had to share.