Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

I wanted to quickly share this twist on a classic Stuffed Pepper with you all.  This one includes the super grain Quinoa, ground Turkey and some Mexican flavors.

Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
1 cup Quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
4-6 Large Bell Peppers (your choice of color)
1 can of Sweet Corn
1 small can of Diced Green Chiles
1 small can of Enchilada Sauce
1 lb of Ground Turkey
1 tbsp Cumin
1tsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Salt
Place the Quinoa and water in a small pot, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Meanwhile, brown the Ground Turkey with Cumin, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder and Salt until fully cooked.  Combine all the ingredients except the Peppers and just heat for a few minutes.  Prep the Peppers by cutting off the tops and cleaning out all the membrane and seeds.  Make sure they can stand up on their own.  Place them in a greased cake pan.  (I cooked 4 but there was enough for 6) Fill each Pepper with the Turkey and Quinoa mixture.  Place any extra in the bottom of the pan.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  You could add cheese to the top if you want.

When we ate these, we both realized we didn't like the taste of Bell Peppers so they didn't go over that well but I thought the filling was really good.  Try them for yourself and let me know what tweaks you would make.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Recently I was asked to make some cupcakes for my cousin Monica's Baby Shower.  I asked her what flavors she wanted and she told me to just choose.  Her only stipulation was that they had to have Teal and Purple frosting.  I racked my brain for a while, pinning multiple ideas.  Finally, the day before, I decided I didn't want to have to go to the store again so I looked in my cupboards and inspiration hit.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes
1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1 1/4 cups Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 Apples, chopped
1 cup water
1 jar of Caramel Ice Cream Topping
1 batch of the frosting of your choice (or can, like I did)
Mix the Cake Mix, Applesauce, chopped Apples and water together until combined.  Portion out into cupcake liners and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let them cool, remove them from the pan and continue to cool them overnight or just a few hours.  Next, drizzle or spoon about a tablespoon of Caramel Sauce on each cupcake.  These cupcakes don't rise very much so you can fill them a little fuller, however, you want to leave space at the top for the Caramel Sauce.  Finally, frost and decorate as you wish.

Everyone really liked these cupcakes.  I think they were best ate with a fork though.

My Diabetic Journal - Week 2

Saturday January 17th, 2015:
I was away from my house all day today so I knew it was a day where I would have to make smart choices on the go.  I started my morning at Starbucks where I used the rest of my gift card by buying the Spinach and Feta Wrap, a Bacon Breakfast Sandwich, a Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte and a Venti Black Iced Tea.  I can hear you saying "Girl, that is too much."  Calm down.  I was being smart.  I ate the wrap and drank the coffee on the drive north.  It was 8:30 in the morning and I wasn't sure when I would be having lunch so the second sandwich was an emergency food supply.

I went and dropped some things at my sister's house and spent some time with my nephew then headed farther North to hang out with a friend.  By 11:30 I was getting hungry and I could tell I needed to eat.  I ate about a quarter of the emergency sandwich while driving out to Yelm.  I was glad I did because we didn't have lunch until 1:15.  We stopped at a KFC/Taco Bell.  Not many healthy choices to make but I did find a Chicken Cantina Power Bowl.  I was actually quite disappointed in it.  There was more rice in it than lettuce.  It had 490 calories, 20 grams of fat and 49 carbs.  But, it was very filling and I wasn't hungry again until around 5 when I got home and ate the rest of the breakfast sandwich.

I was home for about 30 minutes in which time I did my nails, my makeup, my hair and got dressed for Roger's Company Party.  I had two drinks while at the party.  One Long Island Iced Tea and the second was an Apple AMF.  They had a nice buffet set up with a ton of food I can't eat.  They had pasta salad, mac and cheese, rolls and a ton of desserts.  I did find some good stuff.  I had salad, steamed vegetable medley, pork loin, roast beef and chicken breast.  I also had a very small scoop of mashed potatoes.  I needed some carbs ya know?  It was a nice party with 2 hilarious comedians.

It was a whirlwind day of being on the go but I thought I did really well.  I woke up in a good mood and it continued all day. I think today proved that I am on a good path.  I didn't have a hard time making a good choice.  In fact, nothing on that KFC/Taco Bell menu really looked good at all.

Sunday January 18th, 2015:
I was pleased that after a few drinks the night before, my blood sugar was 109.  It had to have been the amount I drank last time and the Red Bull.  Today is game day so we headed out to our regular Sunday breakfast.  Roger's parents joined us today but I made sure we were out of there by 10:30.  I really didn't want to miss the 12:00 kick off.  We did a quick grocery shopping trip which included a bunch of meat and vegetables.

Since the weather has been so rainy and I found some Pork for Posole on clearance, I decided to make a Pork Vegetable Stew.  I threw in a can of green beans, a can of corn, a can of black beans, carrots and some diced red potatoes.  I also made some barley to toss in and used some cumin and garlic powder to season.  It was delicious and the perfect accompaniment to some Sunday Football.  However, watching the Seahawks game was making me sick.  My stomach was in knots.  Until those last few minutes where my Hawks pulled that stuff off.  I never doubted them and knew a miracle was headed our way.

Monday January 19th, 2015:
I woke up in a terrific mood again today.  The Hawks are heading to the Super Bowl to play the Patriots and I am heading to a healthier year.  I finally ordered a scale online that weights up to 550 lbs.  It should be here next week.  I don't want to weigh myself every day but once a week or so should be fine.  I have never been one to obsess over a number on a scale.  I want to feel better, that's it.  And so far, so good.

Yesterday I was craving a Diet Coke so instead of getting a 2 liter (or 3) like I used to do.  I paid twice as much for a 20 oz.  It was gross. I hadn't had a soda since Christmas.  I've been drinking water, herbal tea and iced tea.  The soda coated my mouth with a film that I just hated.  Guess that proves that I have beat that bad habit because I don't want that anymore.

I roasted 2 chickens last night so I could have extra chicken for salads and later on in the week, I am using some in a recipe.  Either Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats or Creamy Chicken Quinoa Casserole.  To go with the chicken, I also made Roasted Broccoli.  It is my favorite way to eat broccoli and is so easy.  All you do is put your broccoli into bite sized pieces, put them in a bag, add a little olive oil, garlic powder and parmesan cheese, shake it up and bake it at 400 for like 20 minutes.

Tuesday January 20th, 2015:

My Suburban (aka The Party Bus) is in the shop so I am driving my husband's truck (Johnny Longbox).  Yes, we name our cars.  I've already shared my story of Juanita our Chrysler Imperial.  Anyway, this means I have to get up at 4:30 to take him to work.  Oh Joy!  This morning I decided I was going to take him to work, exercise, shower and then go to work.  I found a fitness show on TV and thought I would give it a try.  I lasted about 15 minutes.  Which is actually longer than I thought I would.  I then laid down and fell back asleep until 6:30.  I still had to shower and get my lunch together.  I was only 5 minutes late but ended up with a salad for breakfast.

I am being tested today.  The guys had Big Ass Sandwich today which is this amazing food truck in Portland.  They are so delicious.  They come with fries on them.  Anyway, the boss brought them in and they smelled so good but I had my lunch, I was fine.  Now I get a call about my Suburban and the guy says it is going to be $1900.  This is completely depressing because it will pretty much wipe out my savings.  This makes me want to drown my sorrows in a juicy cheeseburger and some fries or a pizza but I won't.  This is too important.

After we finally got home last night, I deboned the rest of the chicken from the night before but was too tired and depressed to make one of the recipes I was going to try.  I made Roger Chicken Quesadillas and I had Breakfast Hash.  It was quick and easy.  I went to bed early, dreaming of a miracle for my car.

Sunday January 25th, 2015:

I missed a few days of journaling.  I have been running around like crazy.  Let me quickly catch you up. Wednesday night I made Creamy Chicken Quinoa Casserole.  It was one of the best dinners I have made in a long time.  It had chunks of chicken, broccoli and quinoa without any of that canned cream of whatever soups.  Roger is being pretty good about at least trying everything and he has okay-ed quinoa to enter our staple items.  

I got my vehicle back on Thursday.  I got new calipers, u joints and brake pads.  In total, it was only $800 so I was pretty happy.  And I got it back just in time to head north on Friday to spend time with my sister and nephews.  We made cupcakes for a baby shower for our cousin and just had a great time.  I will share one of the cupcake recipes and the casserole recipe when I can.

One bad thing was how I ate on Friday.  I had breakfast at home at 7:30 but didn't eat again until almost 1 and I was on the road so I grabbed a burrito from Taco Bell.  It had 55 carbs in it.  Yikes!  Then, we went to Jack In The Box for dinner because Kari and I were heading to a party about 45 minutes away.  I had a large fry on the way there and then a Chicken Fajita Pita before bed.  My blood sugar in the morning was 137.  I was pretty disappointed in this because I had been doing so well.  I hadn't been above 120 in a week.

Tried my hand at Kale Chips today. They were actually really good.  I have been missing a crunch in my diet and this really satisfied that.  I took about 4 cups of cut and cleaned kale, drizzled a tablespoon of light olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.  I spread them on a baking sheet and cooked them at 300 for about 25 minutes.  Roger even tried one and said it was ok.  And he is opposed to anything green so that says a lot.

Heading to the kitchen to make Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.  I will fill you all in next week.

My Diabetic Journal - Week 1

I was really overwhelmed by all the love and support I received from my previous blog.  It's really heartwarming to see that people care.  Thank you all so much!

I think journaling is an important part of this. It helps me know how I feel after eating a certain way or what I may have done "right" or "wrong".  I type it that way because I don't think there is a right or wrong in what I am doing.  This is all about changing habits and my lifestyle to live with my diabetes.  Also, maybe I can help inspire someone else.  I am not an expert and if you have suggestions for me, please let me know.  My current goals are to stay under 2500 calories a day, stay between 30 and 45 carbs for meals and under 25 for snacks and exercise for 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week..

Sunday January 11th, 2015:
Last night we went to the Eagles with some friends and family for Steak Night and to watch the Seahawks game.  I had salad, steak and sauteed shrimp.  The food was so good but I also had at least 5 drinks plus a few shots.  On the way home I don't remember if it was me or Roger who suggested it but we ended up going to Jack In The Box.  Being not of sound mind, I ordered a Munchie Box.  A big fat greasy sandwich, fries and tacos.  I don't even remember if it tasted good.  What a waste.

I woke up really disappointed in myself.  I should have made a better choice.  This morning's blood sugar reading was 147, the highest it has ever been.  Damn you Vodka and Red Bull!!  I am going to have to cut back on drinking, or cut it off.  Saturday we have a Company Party for Roger's work so I will test out having 2 drinks.

We have a Sunday ritual which includes breakfast at 9 at the Silver Star, grocery shopping, chores and either Football or NASCAR.  I'm very predictable.  I always have the Rib Eye steak, eggs, hash browns and toast.  Now, I have to change that.  I've traded out the hash browns for tomato slices and my toast is dry whole wheat.  We went grocery shopping after and I got some chicken thighs on sale so I made Crispy Baked Chicken around 2.  I had 2 pieces of it and then took a nap.  For dinner around 7, I had a salad and another piece of the chicken.  We went to bed around 7:30.  We may be 33 and 37 but we kinda act like 70 year olds.

Monday January 12th, 2015:
Back to work and back on track.  My morning blood sugar was 140.  I think it may still be from the drinking or could be from the lack of food from Sunday.  Information online is sketchy.  It's easier for me to stay on track when I am at work because I am on a schedule.

My new favorite foods are Wasa Light Rye Crackers with sliced cheese and Turkey Pepperoni.  I can have 4 crackers, 2 slices of cheese and 17 slices of pepperoni for 350 calories and 28 carbs.  I can add a clementine or a 1/2 cup of berries for an extra 10 carbs and 40 calories.  For me, this makes a perfect breakfast when I get to work around 7.  I try to have a snack around 9:30 or 10.  Usually a piece of fruit.  A Honeycrisp apple has 110 calories and 29 carbs.

For dinner I made a Seafood Soup with a little rice.  It had scallops, shrimp and cod in it.  It was filling and delicious.  Next time I make it, I will share the recipe.  It made six servings so we will have leftovers for a few days.  We both love having leftovers for lunches.

Tuesday January 13th, 2015:
Woke up a bit late this morning but still took the time to make sure I brought good food to work.  My morning blood sugar was down to 126.  Alcohol really affects the blood sugar obviously.  I am also feeling a bit out of control.  I am feeling really hungry and craving "bad" foods.  It's been difficult to resist but so far I have been.

I recently signed up for a NatureBox subscription.  NatureBox is a company that sends a box of snacks to you once a month.  It's great for me because I have them sent to my work and always have a healthy snack on hand.  It's $20 for 5 different snacks a month.  If you'd like to sign up, I can email you a referral and you will get a discounted box.  I tried the French Vanilla Almond Granola and the Strawberry Greek Yogurt Covered Pretzels today.  They were both really good and low in carbs.

I didn't have a plan for dinner tonight so I gave Roger the options of fending for ourselves, me making something or ordering in.  He hemmed and hawed for like 20 minutes not making a decision so I finally just got up and made a beef stir fry with zucchini and mushrooms.  I know it's not his plan to put off the decision until I just make it, but it worked out.  I secretly wanted him to choose to order in so I could blame him.  I feel guilty about that now, but at the time, all I could think about was the food.

Wednesday January 14th, 2015:
When I first started this, I told Roger that I never wanted to feel guilty about eating something.  It was about making healthier choices but not depriving myself.  So far, I don't feel deprived.  In fact, my lunches seem like a lot of food.  Because it is mostly leafy green vegetables, I can pile on more and still stay under my calorie goals.  I have brought a 1/4 cup measuring cup and a Tablespoon to work in order to keep portions in check.  I emailed my doctor today to see if I could get an appointment with a nutritionist.  I think it would be helpful to show someone my food log and get their "professional" opinion.  My doctor gave me kudos for being so dedicated so that made me feel good.

I gave myself a treat tonight and ordered Chinese food.  Before I even started eating it, I portioned it out so I wouldn't eat too much.  I felt good about the decision, however, I immediately got a headache after eating it.  Besides the fries from Saturday night, this is the only deep fried stuff I have had in over a month.  I will have to remember this when I get this craving again.

Thursday January 15th, 2015:
I am regretting my decision to have that Chinese food now.  I don't want to waste it so I am eating it for breakfast and lunch today.  I am in a terrible mood and finding it hard to get motivated to do anything today.  I am tired and just feel sluggish.  What a lesson I have learned.  Back to eating good and keeping on this healthier path.

Along with changing my eating habits, I also have given up soda and coffee.  Soda wasn't really that big of a deal but coffee has been hard.  I think it's one of those things that I will have every once in a while.  I still have $30 on my Starbucks Gold Card to use.  They have healthy food choices too so on a day where I am running late, I have a back up plan.

I made Ahi Tuna steaks for dinner tonight.  I also threw together a cheesy rice side dish for carbs.  I had leftover rice from Tuesday so I added some peas, smoked sausage and cheese.  I am trying to rid the fridge of stuff left over from the holidays.  I had a package of Lil' Smokies that I had planned to make as an appetizer for a New Years Eve Party but I got sick and was unable to go.  I have been trying to use those when I can because they are full of salt.

Friday January 16th, 2015:
I have been doing this change for a little over a month now and for the most part I am really happy with it.  I feel good, I have more energy and I'm focused.  The only thing negative is that things are getting a little monotonous.  I have a salad every day for lunch at work.  I can change up the protein, the dressing or other toppings so that's fine.  It's at home, for dinner, where things are boring.

Roger isn't much for vegetables.  He has opened up a lot more over the past few years and added some vegetables to his list but mostly not.  I can't really have corn anymore and canned green beans are so full of sodium that I am trying to avoid them if possible.  So for now, roasted broccoli or stir fried zucchini and mushrooms is about the limit.  I spent a few hours yesterday going through low-carb side side dish recipes and I think I have came up with a good list.  Next week will be my trial week for them.

This morning I stopped at Starbucks on my way to work and got an iced tea. I also ordered the Spinach and Feta Wrap with Egg Whites and the Reduced Fat Turkey Bacon Sandwich.  I ate the wrap for breakfast at 7 with some blueberries.  It was really good but not very filling.  I ate the other sandwich at around 9:30.  Both were less than 300 calories and less than 30 carbs so for "eating out", they weren't bad.  I think I would get the wrap again and add something but not the sandwich.

You Have Diabetes

Back in early December I went to the doctor for a check up because I hadn't been in over 2 years.  It was a Tuesday morning.  We did the normal check up stuff and then I had to go get some blood drawn for some tests.  No big deal.  Then, Wednesday afternoon I got a call from the Nurse saying I needed to take another blood test because they say something on my blood work.  She said, "Now don't freak out, but they think you have diabetes".  WHAT?!?  I did freak out.  I immediately went online and started researching diabetes and it's effects.  I decided right then and there that I had to change.  I didn't want to lose my eyesight or any limbs.

History
I have been fat my entire life.  I was always the biggest kid in school.  I learned to deal with it.  There were some nasty kids but mostly I wasn't picked on too much.  I learned to use humor to gain friends and get through life.  After High School I gained even more weight.  I was working during the day and going to school at night which meant that most of my meals were fast food.  I was 19, I could fix it later, right?  WRONG!

I ballooned to 510 lbs.  My Mom suggested we check out this place called The Wish Center.  It was a bariatric surgery center.  We went to an informative meeting, went through all the insurance hoops and finally I was able to start the process.  There were multiple sessions with a dietitian, therapist and doctors.  I had to set some weight loss goals before they would schedule my surgery.  I lost 30 lbs before my Gastric Bypass in June of 2003.

The recovery was tough.  I had to be on a liquid diet for 6 weeks, then soft foods for another 4 weeks.  I could only each about 1/4 cup of food at a time.  I had fantastic support from my Mom, Dad, Sister and extended family.  I completely changed how I ate and the pounds dropped off.  By December 2003, I had lost a total of 140 pounds.  I was feeling great.  I finished college and began looking for a more permanent job and a partner.  I found my partner in January of 2004.

Roger was amazing.  He was everything I wanted in a boyfriend.  The only problem was, he lived 70 miles away.  I began staying at his house for multiple days and in May of 2004, I moved in.  I was lucky that most of my job could be done over the computer so it was fine to move away.  But, I needed something else.  I worked odd jobs until I got a pretty good part time job in September which turned permanent and full time in March of 2005.  We were married on February 12th, 2005.  That's when the weight started creeping back up.

As a new wife, I wanted to please my husband so I made sweets, big dinners and treats.  I began to figure out ways around only eating the small amount of food and without the watchful eye of my support system, I totally sabotaged myself.  The weight crept back up without me really noticing until I finally did.  For the last 5 years, I just ignored it.  Until that phone call in December.

Wake Up Call
I guess I always knew that I needed to lose weight.  I just never found the time.  Or, I would try for a few months, get a little off track and then just completely derail.  So the call that I had diabetes flipped a switch in my head.  It was the motivation I needed to change my habits and get myself healthy.  My readings were borderline.  My Doctor wants my A1C to be below 6 and mine was 6.9.  My morning glucose/blood sugar was 133 and she wants me to keep it between 80 and 120.  There was 2 weeks before the call and my second doctor's appointment.  In that time I had lost 8 lbs.  That also was a great motivation to keep going on the path I was on.

Diabetic Diet
I immediately cut out carbs. I was eating vegetables, lean proteins and small amounts of fruit.  I cut off soda and caffeine completely.  I haven't had fast food for a month.  My wallet and my waistline are thanking me.  I began journaling my morning blood sugar and my food.  I joined MyFitnessPal.com and downloaded an app called OnTrack that helps me track my blood sugar.  I was eating awesomely.  I was eating vegetables at every meal and salads for lunch.  But, my blood sugar was completely erratic.

Here is an example:
7am:  1 tomato, 1 avocado, 4oz mozzarella cheese
12pm:  4 cups lettuce, 4 oz chicken, 2 tbsp oil & vinegar
5 pm:  chicken breast, sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli and kale
The next morning, my blood sugar was 139.

8am:  6 oz sirloin steak, 2 eggs, 1/2 a tomato, 2 slices of whole wheat toast
1 pm:  6 oz chicken, 4 oz mozzarella cheese
6pm:  4 slices of thin crust chicken and spinach pizza
8pm:  3 bread sticks
The next morning, my blood sugar was 109.

I was getting super frustrated.  I didn't understand why on a day I ate so well that my sugar was high and on a day where I wasn't as good, it was lower.  After a week of this, I finally called the advice line of my medical facility for some help.  She explained to me that you need to have some carbs.  By me not eating any or very few carbs during the day, my body was making up for it by releasing extra glucose into my bloodstream to make up for the lack of carbs/glucose/sugar in my system.  I was harming my progress without even realizing it.

I am back on track and staying the course.  I will continue to update on my journey.  I will share what works for me and what foods I find helpful.  I am now in-taking between 25-45 carbs per big meal and no more than 30 for snacks.  I don't plan on weighing myself very often.  I am going on how I feel and how my clothes fit.  So far, I have much more energy and am able to actually do things after work without coming home and just laying around.  My next goal is to add some exercise into my routine.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to ask them here or you can message me.