Black Bean Salad With Oranges, Red Onion and Cilantro

Sheryl over at *Ms. Bitchcakes* A Neurotic Glamour Girl's Weight Watchers Experience and Fitness Adventures made a fabulous looking black bean salad last month and I just had to try it.  She said it was a Weight Watchers recipe, so I'm giving credit everywhere credit is due!

The recipe calls for: 

•1/2 tsp Olive Oil
•1/2 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
•2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
•1/4 tsp ground cumin
•1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
•2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
•2 tsp red wine vinegar
•2 medium oranges or grapefruits, peeled, segmented
•salt & pepper to taste

Saute the onion in olive oil, adding the cumin and chopped garlic after the onion is translucent.  When the garlic begins to brown, add the black beans and cook just long enough for them to warm up.  Remove the mixture from the heat and add the remaining ingredients: the orange, cilantro, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.
 

I put half of the mixture on my favorite mix of spring greens with half an avocado. 

The verdict: yum!  I do wish I had read the recipe more carefully and used two oranges instead of the one.  It was still fab, but double the citrus would have doubled the fun!

starting AGAIN

I went way off the radar for several months. I have not lost a pound. Probably because I was only making half-hearted efforts with food choices and not exercising. I've made a deal with myself that when I go to the gym 4 times in a week, I can buy a new pair of shoes for the gym. Hopefully I will reach that goal and get that prize in the next 7 days! There is a discount store north of Kansas City that usually has a good selection of name brand athletic shoes for $25 or $35. Tangent: Last time I was there they had an adorable pair of brown Mia wedges in 9 1/2 and usually that's what I wear but they were too big, I was stepping out of them. I almost cried! They were really cute.

So I would like to lose 20 lbs by Thanksgiving. But it's only a couple weeks away so I will aim for 10 lbs and see what happens. It's possible... I have been sedentary and gluttonous and enjoyed it thoroughly but anyhoo, if I hit the weightloss efforts pretty hard I can count on 6 to 7 lbs of water weight coming off in the 1st week, and then if I keep it up maybe I can lose a few more lbs fairly quickly with the whole "just starting out" momentum. We shall see. Oh, and I want to join Weight Watchers again after payday. I know a woman who is a Lifetime Member and she has inspired me to achieve the same goal. Wish me luck!

The Plan of Fat-Attack

Part I: Nutrition

I’ve joined Weight Watchers before, following the flex plan where foods are allotted a certain number of points per a copyright-protected formula, and you have a certain number of points a day to use. It’s a great program and I did experience a moderate amount of success on it before I lost momentum. I’m not a current Weight Watchers member but I’m using information I received when I was a member, and am now following the old Core program. It’s since been replaced by the Simply Filling program, which to my knowledge is very similar.

What I like about Core is the emphasis on healthy eating. There is an enormous list of foods that you do not have to count and can eat to satisfaction, primarily fruits, vegetables, lean meats, some fat-free dairy products and whole grains. The freedom from weighing, measuring and counting is an attractive component of the program. On Core I’ve explored new-to-me grains such as quinoa and steel-cut oats. I was already a fan of bulgur and the grain-like couscous, which are now staples in my diet due to the ease of preparation and their inclusion on the list of Core foods. Core also provides a weekly point allowance to use for non-Core foods, for example tortillas, breads, and of course chocolate!

A key element of Core is the hunger rating. You are advised to rate your hunger before and after you eat, and whenever you are considering eating. The goal is to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied…. Not stuffed, just sated.

Some of my staples on Core are homemade smoothies with frozen bananas, fat-free yogurt and whatever fruit is handy; bean salads; baked chicken that I cut in strips/chunks to toss with salads, whole wheat pasta or a grain; the afore-mentioned whole wheat pasta; fruit fruit fruit and veggies veggies veggies. I drink 2 liters of water a day; I can go through one liter alone while at the gym. I’m thinking about increasing it to 3 liters a day to see if that makes a difference.

Some of the things I regularly spend my weekly allotment of points on are PB2, a fat-free powdered peanut butter that you HAVE to try if you haven’t already; agave nectar which has a lower glycemic index than sugar and a wonderful, smoky, maple-like taste; and Monster’s Moca Loca coffee-flavored energy drink which is fab but a whole 4 points and of course, energy drinks are not good for ya. But I have to say I have my best workouts when I drink a Moca Loca on my way to the gym!

I’m still struggling with staying on the program, or OP as the Weight Watcher crowd calls it. I make it to mid-afternoon or dinner-time with ease, but then I hit a wall. Part of the wall is bf’s desire for take-out, combined with my ongoing challenge of commitment. Two days ago I resisted a Wendy’s run, and to my surprise I survived… no passing out, no headache or crankiness, in fact I felt great. Probably because I felt so good about myself for dining on whole wheat penne and chicken with a side of baby carrots, followed by a small home-made strawberry banana smoothie for dessert. Knowing I’m making the right choices in health and nutrition is invigorating and empowering. I’m going to hold onto that feeling today, and concentrate on it when I hit that dinner-time wall. Wish me luck!

Now I’m off to make a smoothie, finish my coffee and type up some reports for work. Have a fab day!