No Pudge Brownie Bites

This recipe is so simple, but so yummy.  I was first introduced to NP Brownies from my friend K and fell in love with them. The box directions make 12 servings and are 120 cal per serving.  But I wanted to spice these up a little and make them easier to eat.  So I came up the the mini muffin brownies and added the orange extract to add an extra flavor in there.  You can use any kind of extract to your taste, but orange and chocolate just go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly....:)  I hope you enjoy!

No Pudge Brownie Mix (so far I have only found this at Winn Dixie in the cake mix aisle)
2/3 cup of Nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 tsp orange extract
36 mini muffin cups
mini muffin tin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together the Mix, yogurt, and extract.  Spoon mixture into mini muffin cups.  (you might want to spray the muffin cups).  Put in preheated oven for 15 mins.  Take out and repeat until all 36 muffins are made.  Once cooled, store in a ziplock and enjoy.   40 calories per bite. :)

Spicy Southwestern Breakfast Burrito

I came up with the recipe one day while having a craving for Sonics Spicy Southwestern Breakfast Burrito.  With trying to eat healthier and lose weight, I decided I would try and mock the recipe.  So I got in the kitchen and came up with an idea.  It turned out really good and helped that craving.  To me, it's just like Sonics but way less in Calories, fat, etc. 

This is Sonics Nutritional Value for the burrito:
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 699
Total Fat 52. 8g
Saturated Fat 14.5g
Trans Fat 0.7g
Cholesterol 340mg
Sodium 1676mg
Total Carbohydrate 44g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 2g

And this is mine:
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 301.0
Total Fat 9.1 g
Saturated Fat 2.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.1 g
Cholesterol 10.0 mg
Sodium 924.4 mg
Potassium 257.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate 34.1 g
Dietary Fiber 2.7 g
Sugars 1.8 g





1 7 to 8 inch tortilla
1/4 cup turkey sausage crumbles
1/4 cup Egg beaters southwestern
1 wedge of Weight Watchers jalapeno cheese (comes in round container like laughing cow)
1 tbsp real bacon bits or turkey bacon cut up
5 sliced jalapenos
1 tbsp whole wheat flour
PAM or other cooking spray

On med heat, spray pan with PAM.  Coat jalapenos on both side with the flour.  Place in pan and spray the top of the jalapenos with the PAM.  Cook on both sides until brown.  Once brown, place the jalapenos aside.  Then add the sausage. Cook until brown (or if using the precooked crumbles, heat until heated through.)  Add the bacon and egg beaters.  Cook until the eggs are cooked through.  Once cooked, add the cheese and cooked until melted.   Heat the tortilla in the microwave for 15 seconds, then add the sausage, bacon, egg, and cheese mixture to tortilla and add the jalapenos.  Fold into burrito.  Eat and enjoy. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe.  Let me know what y'all think.  : )

Everyday struggles.....

I took this from my facebook.  I wrote this the other day.  I know it's different then my normal blogs, but I wanted to share this with a lot of you.  I don't mean to sound depressed lately.  Just going through a lot in my life right now and finding when I blog about it, it helps a little.  Like I'm letting out some frustrations and letting my voice be somewhat heard.



I've had a struggle that I've been having pretty much my whole life and lately it seems to be bothering me more and more! My shyness! I feel it gets in the way of meeting new people! I feel people look at me and think it's because I'm "stuck up", "snobby", etc. But if you really get to know me, you know I'm not really any of those! I have a huge heart, least I like to think I do! Then I start looking at my shyness as a gift from God. Because I don't talk much, I can listen better! Maybe that could be it! I like to listen to people if they have a problem. I might not always have a solution, but I can pray. And yes, I can keep a secret because I don't go about talking to other and telling all. I also like to write and writing really lets me express myself when I can't say it. I can write inspirational words all day, but trying to get them out of my mouth, they just don't come out the same or the way I want them too! I just wish more people understood who I really was and not let this shyness keep them away or try to change it because it's who I am!

I have also lost many friends because sometimes this shy girl needs to let things out herself, and I trust too much and then everything I trusted that that person could keep to themselves, tells all! It's devastating to know you can't trust many people anymore. I guess I think more people are like me and can keep secrets to themselves. It hurts even more when these people go back and use your secrets for their advantage and/or makes up lies to make themselves feel/look better. These are things I'm struggling with and learning everyday. There's only one thing I can do at this point for all these issues I'm currently having....PRAY!!!

Been a while....

So it's been a while since I last wrote a blog.  I haven't really had anything to blog about and it seems my life as been busy!

Lately, I keep coming in and out of these depressions and while being in one, I seem to gain weight.  So, I'll lose 7 lbs and then gain that back, then lose 5lbs and then gain that back!  I'm so tired of this pattern.  It's starting to get old, but it's so hard when you are around food everyday and have no support system.  A lot of you know, some don't, but we are having quite a bit of a financial problem, so all this is really hard and stresses me out so bad, and is the cause for these depressed moods.  I just pray that are problems will be taken care of soon.  I don't know how much more of this I can take.  I really want to lose weight.  I wish I had someone to make me get my butt up and make me exercise, eat right, etc.  Sometimes I just feel like facing the fact that I'm FAT and I will ALWAYS be fat!  :(  I look at myself now and look at pictures of me from the past and I can't believe the weight I've put on.  What has happened to me?!?!  I've never told anyone this, until now, and of course my husband, but I once had a dream.  I was the old skinny me and I looked at the me I am today and asked myself, "Denise, what have you done and what are you doing to yourself?"  I woke up from that dream in tears because it was so real and touching and I changed and lost weight because of that dream.  But now I have went back to the old me!  Not quite there yet.  About 30 more pounds, then I'll be there.  But I don't won't to go there! I wish I could just lose the weight!  I wish I had the motivation.  I can't let myself go again!  I just can't!  

A huge confession

Well, I have disappointed myself.  I stopped doing my WW for one week and pigged out, and gained my 6 lbs back.  I'm so disappointed in myself.  How could I have done this?!?!  Maybe it was from the lack of support, the emotional roller coaster I've been growing through, the stress of the world, or the fact that I'm getting older and my so is my baby (she just started Kindergarten).  Just seems everything comes at the same time and at a bad time.  So, what do I turn to...food. I feel like I have no one to turn to, so the only thing that doesn't let me down is food, but in a way it does let me down.  Food  makes me feel good while going down, but the after effects are harsh.  And then you hop on the scale and yet again...HARSH.  So, why do I keep relying on food to help with my problems?!?!  I just need to quit, right?   I can't!  I'm addicted and food is something we NEED.  Not like alcohol and can just quit buying it, and we don't need alcohol. Food is all around us and something we have to have to survive.  It's so hard.  I did walk today and I feel great now.  The whole time I just kept thinking of how I have gained so much weight and I feel ugly and not myself, so it pushed me to keep walking!  Once I get ready, I'm going to go in my car and measure how far I walked.  Felt like forever.....but prob like 0.5 miles..lol, but it's a start.  I have plans of jogging soon, but have to work my way up.  I have bad knees and ankles from arthritis and so building them up by walking first, will help with that transition.  I was diagnosed with arthritis at a young age of 17.  I won't let it stop me.  I don't want to be an overweight old woman having to use an electric scooter to get from one place to another.  I just won't let that happen.  I can't!  

Today, I'm going to the store to get some apples and water.  Both are suppose to be natural appetite depressants, so apples will be my best friend for a while.  We will see.  WW started back today.  I really need a partner. My husband is not good help. Anyone want to start a group to start walking everyday?  Would be a great motivation because we could tell each other to get our lazy butts up and get to walking..hehe.  Oh and another goal....I'm wanting to start getting back in shape to play softball next year.  So I would need A LOT of practice.  :) 

****Results on walk-I walked 1.6 miles.  :) Didn't seem that long.  Yayy

Unmotivated..:(

I started writing this blog to share my struggles, recipes, etc etc.  I wanted to motivate others through this blog by letting them know they aren't alone.  It's so hard to lose weight, especially when you are addicted to food.  That's right?!  I'm addicted to food.  So right now, I'm having a hard time and my motivation is down.  Even after reaching my first goal of losing 6 lbs, I'm unmotivated.   It's like a drug addict not having their drug.  Well, I haven't gotten my fix of food.  I really want to lose this weight, but this addiction is starting to overcome me.  "Just eat it Denise.  You will always be overweight, so just eat." That's what my mind keeps repeating over and over.  Because of all this, I have been somewhat emotional,depressed, angry, sad.........I'm starting to feel alone.   I shouldn't be feeling this way, right?  After all I started this blog to bring motivation to all who reads this, but yet I'm feeling like giving up.  This urge is hard. 

The first week was a breeze.  This second week, not so much.  I'm not going to give up.  It's mind over matter here.  I can't give up.  I want this BAD!   I just wish this addiction would just go away. I keep picturing myself smaller and I keep thinking of my role model, Ruby.  It helps!  But how much longer will it help.  (Maybe that little bit of yelling will help..lol)

These are my confessions!!!!  And I'm one hungry MOM!!!! 

Inspiration

I wanted to share with everyone who reads my blog, someone who is a true inspiration to me.  Ruby Gettinger!!!  This woman has come through a lot and lost her weight on her own.  I don't get to watch her show has much as I would like to, but she's still an inspiration. Her heaviest weight was 716 pounds!!!!  She now weighs less than 350 lbs.  How amazing is that.  All that weight gone and doing it on her own.  No surgery, no shakes, no Jenny Craig, just eating healthy!!!!!  How can she not be an inspiration.  Every time I think of her, it makes me keep going. 

We have a lot in common too.  Both Southern Belles, love spending time with our friends, loves music, both of us struggled with our weight since childhood, and lastly both of us hoping to bring inspiration to others. (She has truly done so.)  She of course is well-known and has lost a lot more weight then myself, but every little inspiration can be a huge one to someone Else's life!

She looks amazing!  BEAUTIFUL!!!!!