Cheesy Zucchini Boats

This is my second attempt at making Zucchini boats. 

The first time, when scooping out the innards, I butchered them.... completely.

I made a hamburger mix inside and the meat came out so dry!

So this time I stayed away from putting meats in it. 

Adapted from Fitsugar.com

What you need:

2 Zucchini Squashes

1/4 cup Pesto (I made my own, will post soon)

1/4 cup loosely packed parsley

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup (4 oz.) fat free ricotta cheese

1/4 cup shredded Fontina Cheese

1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp hot water

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

Wash each zucchini thoroughly. Cut off the ends and then cut each one in half. Then cut each half lengthwise. You have 8 pieces of zucchini total.

With a spoon (or a melon baller), scoop out the seeds and compost them, or use them to make soup broth. Place the zucchini boats on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.

Now you're ready to make the filling. Chop the basil and the parsley and place it in a bowl with the garlic, grated carrot, ricotta, fontina, Parmesan, water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix it thoroughly.

Now fill each boat with the creamy mixture, pressing it down with the back of a spoon.

(If making ahead you can now place them gently in a air tight container for a day or two. I wouldn't recommend freezing these, though)

 Bake for 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.

Mine came out a little gooey, but it was even better this was because the bottom soaked in the juices.

The zucchini came out a perfectly!

Serve warm and enjoy!

Day 3: Operation Eat Clean

Good start so far!


Breakfast:

Coffee, of course, strawberry Activia yogurt with Kashi granola and my daily vitamins!

Actually before I even ate, I measured myself. Well, I weighed myself first but that was disappointing. It said I was 173! I really need to just give away that scale. I just did a huge muscle- gaining day, of course I'll  weigh a bit more!
Anyway, yesterday when I was moving stuff around in my living room, I did the typical stance that most ladies do. Stand far away looking at everything with hands at their waist in a approving or disapproving glance. Well, as my hands were on my waist, I kinda squeezed my sides. I was shocked how thin I felt! (thin is a relative term here guys, I don't want a tiny person coming up to me arguing that I am so not thin)
So I had to measure myself today, even though I measured myself less than 2 weeks ago.

2 weeks ago vs today
Chest:
35 vs 34
 Bust:
34 vs 32.5
Waist:
34 vs 33
Stomach:
37.25 vs 36.5

What?!?!
yeah...
I took some new photo's and compared it to a few months ago, check it out:

Same jeans, just a little looser.

I feel like people on Facebook and Instagram are starting to get burnt out of seeing my losing weight or motivational pictures/words. It's starting to become a downer. I understand to you it should just be a one time thing: she lost weight. But to me, not only is this not the norm, but my body is doing things I'd never thought I could do! It's exciting! If the roles were reversed I was be super excited for you and have nothing but kind and motivating words for you. Because I know the struggle.

Anyway, onto brighter and lighter topics.

CRAVED pizza for lunch today!

I was ordering it, about to press order now and then... I didn't do it.

Mostly because they said I could get a large 5 topping pizza for $12 then it came out to $20 after tax, delivery fee and tip. Screw that. 

So I had a Hearty Tomato soup with Pasta and cheese and crackers instead. 

Not very clean, I know, but it's better than pizza!

I then worked out.

Didn't do much cardio.

I cleaned my house first off from the disastrous mess it was in from me building the desk last night plus I did some odd jobs around the home involving heavy lifting AND laundry.

Also, I walked on a treadmill with an incline of level 6 for half a mile (walked with a friend who's a beginner at working out)

Then proceeded to do my leg day.

Hip abductor 125 lbs 3 reps of 12

Squats 20 lbs 3 reps of 12

Shoulder length Squats 20 lbs 3 reps of 12

Sumo Squats 20 lbs 3 reps of 12

Calf raises 3 reps of 12

Ballet calf raises 3 reps of 12

Pigeon Toed calf raises 3 reps of 12

For dinner I am having a recovery protein smoothie

with 1/2 a Banana, juice from one Tangerine, 1/2 cup Pineapple, 1/4 cup Mango and Body Fortress Vanilla Whey Protein Powder.

That's all for today! Not a bad day, not the best, but not bad.
Please follow me on facebook and Instagram (username: blkenigma)

Day 2: Operation Eat Clean

Today was a recovery day. Why? Because I over did it on Arms Day. I literally couldn't lift anything.

I know it hasn't even been 24 hours, but I seriously already see some muscle definition from just yesterday! (took this when I just woke up. See how dark it is in my room? I never want to wake up!)

It's not much, but it's a lot to me. I've never had any definition in my arms, so to just see  even a little, it's huge. 

Breakfast was rough. 

I had coffee and that was it. I know I'm not supposed to but honestly, it was hard enough lifting my cup to my mouth to drink, I really didn't want to cook anything or reach to the top of the fridge for cereal.

About 2 hours later though, I had one of my salads for Brunch

I had my Make Ahead Asian Salad with Potstickers. 

I did not workout, but I did move my entire living room around. Do you know how hard it was?? it was hard... Didn't even have any help from the husband who was still sleeping. 

When he woke up we went and bought this cute little computer desk I've been eyeing for a while. So when we got back home, I made lunch, he got ready for work and left me with a project to do. Putting this blasted desk together. This desk isn't a cheap little Wal-mart desk either! IT WAS HEAVY!!! 

I digress.... and I back track!

Lunch:

Panko Crusted Tilapia with Homemade Tartar sauce, glazed carrots, and garlic steamed broccoli.

I'm not one for fish, but it was pretty darned good!

I'll post the recipe soon.

Then I built the rechid desk. Then about 4 hours later, hubby came home for lunch saying he was hungry. He took over bulding the drawers to the desk (Seriously? the easiest part he builds..) and I make something a bit more filling and I will admit, not the cleanest recipe but we were in a fit of hunger!

Tortellini, broccoli and turkey sausage skillet. 

I tried not eating a lot of the tortellini, but I'm a sucker for cheese and pasta so I was screwed. 

It was a rough day, but it wasn't bad.

Day 1: Operation Eat Clean

Breakfast

Turns out I didn't eat the strawberries. They tasted weird... BUT! I had a hard boiled egg with a little salt sprinkled on it, half of a banana and 6 grapes and some coffee.

My vitamins include fish oil, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D 3, Magnesium, Chromium Picolinate and Vitamin E

Lunch

Rotisserie Chicken Breast, Baby Carrots and Homemade Hummus (will be posted soon)

Dinner

I surprisingly wasn't too hungry by the end of the day. I mostly wanted something sweet.
So I made a Pineapple, Banana and Mango protein smoothie after a good workout.

Rough start today. I had to take a girlfriend to the airport at 5 am and pick my husband up from work at 6 am, so I didn't go to bed until about 7. I woke up at about 2 and felt terrible. I hate sleeping the day away. I feel like I've accomplished nothing.

 But I did because today was ARM DAY!

What I did today:

In and out Bicep curls 12.5 lbs 1 rep of 12, 10 lbs 2 reps of 12

Inside Bicep Curl 12.5 lbs 3 reps of 12

Reverse Curl 10 lbs 1 rep of 12 (These felt really awkward)

Curl Holds 10 lbs 3 reps of 12

Tricep dips 3 reps of 12

Tricep Extension 15 lbs 3 reps of 12

Kick Backs 10 lbs 3 reps of 12

Fly's 10 lbs 3 reps of 12

Reverse Fly's 10 lbs 3 reps of 12

Standing V raise 10 lbs 3 reps of 12

Shoulder shrugs 15 lbs 3 reps of 12

Overhead press 10 lbs 3 reps of 12

60 minutes of High Intensity Zumba and a short walk with my dog, Triskit.

Today was a great starting day. No temptations, ate clean, trained dirty.

Rebooting my System

Photo taken 8/12/2013

Weight as of 8/12/2013: 172

BMI as of 8/12/2013: 32.5

Inches as of 7/31/13

Upper Arm: 12

Upper Chest: 35

Lower Chest: 31.75

Waist: 35.25

Stomach: 37.25

Hips: 40.75

Upper Thigh: 24

Lower Thigh: 17

Calf: 14

Ankle: 8

I will redoing all of this for about 10 days, for now. We'll see if I lose anything. 

I've been doing bad lately. Like bad bad. Krispie Kreme, Spangles, delicious Mexican food (which isn't bad, but when you get unlimited chips (fried) and salsa and enchilada's smothered with cheese it is)

So I'm rebooting my system. 

I'm eating clean for 10 days (to start off with) and working out every single day. Weights every day, cardio every day, running 3 times a week.

This is going to be my routine:

Sunday: Leg day, yoga and run 3.1 miles

Monday: Arms Day, high intensity Zumba with Adrianna

Tuesday: Abs, oblique and back day, Zumba with Stephanie, run 3.5 miles

Wednesday: Leg Day, high intensity Zumba with Adrianna

Thursday: Arms day, Zumba with Stephanie

Friday: Abs, oblique and back day, Run 4 miles

Saturday: Rest (walk 2 miles)

I'm hoping to increase my mileage every week until I get to a 10 k. 

Asian Salad with Potstickers

What you need:

2 cups Romaine Lettuce

1/4 cup Red Cabbage

1/4 cup Shredded Carrots

3-5 Mandarin Slices

3 oz Chicken Breast

2 tbsp Wonton chips

 2 tbsp Kraft Lite Toasted Sesame Dressing

For the Chicken:

I use Tyson Grill and Ready chicken breast for salads. I sauteed them with 1 tsp rice vinegar with 1 tsp Saracha Sauce.

For the potstickers:

I use frozen ones. Use directions on box.

Just assemble!

To make ahead:

Add lettuce, cabbage, carrots, mandarin and chicken breast into a container. Add potstickers so they thaw and when ready heat potstickers, add dressing and wonton chips. 

Enjoy!

Santa Fe Salad

What you need:

2 cups Romaine Lettuce

1/4 cup Shredded Carrots

1/4 cup Avocado or Guacamole 

1/4 cup canned Corn

1/4 cup Black Beans, drained

3 oz Chicken breast

1/4 cup Shredded Cheese (I like cheddar)

2 tbsp tortilla strips

2 tbsp Hidden Valley Lite Ranch

For the chicken:
I use Tysons Grill an Ready chicken breasts for salads. For this salad I sprinkled a little bit of taco seasoning on it while it was heating with a little bit of water, as well.

Just assemble!

To make ahead:

Add lettuce, carrots, guac, corn, beans, cheese and chicken breast into a container until ready to eat. I like to sprinkle a little bit of lime on top as well. When ready, add dressing and tortilla strips. 

(Try mixing the avocado or guac into the dressing first, it's realllly good!)