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My Favorite Low-Carb Breakfast... Mmmm Eggs And Cheese!

Easy peasy.  Spray non-stick cooking spray in a microwave-safe bowl.  Crack three eggs into the bowl.  Don't be like me... remember to pierce the yolks so they don't explode on you later.  Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream over the eggs and lay 3 or 4 ounces worth of cheese on top. I like to slice pieces of a good slab of mild cheddar into my eggs.  Sprinkle salt, pepper and dried dill over the top.  Do not stir this at any point, it's not necessary.  Somehow the cream and eggs combine into a cross between a souffle (that didn't rise) and an omelet. 

Cover with waxed paper and microwave for two minutes.  If it's runny, microwave at 30 second increments until it's no longer runny.  Allow it to cool for a few minutes and then dig in.

Shrimp And Spinach Soup With Cilantro And Lime

This soup is fat-free, low-carb and my new favorite for Phase Two of the HCG Diet.  If you're on Phase Three or Atkin's, start out by sauteing the garlic in a pat of butter.  Then add the broth and go from there.

Ingredients (one serving):

1 cup broth (I used salt-free chicken broth because I didn't have any veggie broth on-hand)
1 garlic clove
1 lime
100 g frozen shrimp
3 cups spinach, chopped
2/3 cup cilantro, chopped
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Blend
salt and pepper

Crush and chop the garlic clove and saute it in the broth.  Add the shrimp and juice the lime into pan.  Let the shrimp warm up, then add the spinach and seasoning to taste.  Once the shrimp is heated through and the spinach wilts, remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.

I like my flavors bold and bright.  If you don't, you might want to halve the amount of lime juice and cilantro. 

This soup is a snap to make but no one has to know.  Serve it at a family dinner and tell them you spent hours in the kitchen.  For a non-dieting crowd, saute the garlic in butter as a first step, reduce the amount of broth, skip the spinach, and serve over brown rice.  And don't forget to give them some healthy veggies on the side.

Dear Dairy

Flickr - redeye^

I'm five days into Round Two, Phase Two of the HCG Diet and finally hit the 20 lb mark, yay!  I lost 18 lbs on Round One and had really wanted to get to 20.  It's a good milestone.

When you're in Phase Two you only have one tablespoon of milk per day and no other dairy products.  In Phase Three you add dairy back into your diet.  I noticed I felt great in Phase Two of Round One, and then when I added dairy back in Phase Three I felt a little sluggish and struggled with some nausea.  And phlegm, yuck.  Now that I'm back in Phase Two with no dairy, once again I feel great!  Dammit, I love cream in my coffee and cheese in my.... well, cheese in everything.  But I may have to think about going easy on the dairy products from now on.  Forever, sigh.  Or just know that if I want cream in my coffee, I'll pay the price by feeling a little crappy.  Boo.   

Starting Round Two of HCG Diet

I just started my second round of the HCG diet and I'm pumped!  I did phase 1 for three days instead of two since I was on the road all day Monday.  I felt like crap, eating all those carbs and processed foods after eating so cleanly for the last six weeks.  I was tired and nauseas.... I'm feeling better now as I start phase 2 and I can't wait to get on the scale every morning!