Still Alive

Yes, I'm still alive. My blog has obviously been suffering some serious neglect (as have my 14 readers, I'm sure), so I apologize to everyone that I have been MIA. I'm not going to make excuses, I'm just lazy. Oh, and I recently purchased a Harry Potter video game that has taken up most of my free time. Sorry.

Can't say that I've followed Phase 2 to a tee so far, but I haven't strayed abominably. (Oh, except for those 2 cannolis I had last night, but holy CANNOLI were they good.) After not getting on the scale in quite some time, I weighed in this morning at 150. I couldn't take a picture because Steve has my camera, but that is the truth. So considering that I've been naughty, I am pleased with that. Obviously, not even close to my goal. But since I've ALSO been slacking on the gym, it is better than I deserve.

I'm considering going back to Phase 1 and starting over, thus allowing all the people who have claimed they want to do it with me to actually jump on the bandwagon. The only problem is, I don't really have a good time. I'm supposed to cook a big Italian dinner with some friends on Thursday and I'm in charge of dessert (hence the cannolis). Then Saturday I'm going to help some other friends celebrate the non-fasting part of Yom Kippur. Next thing you know, I'm in Cook's Forest next week, where it's written into the contract that you have to eat bacon for breakfast. And then I'm off on vacation! I suppose I could make an effort to eat super healthy on vacation, of course allowing for lots of crab and lobster drenched in butter as I'll be in the Outer Banks. Though, if my memory serves me correctly, that particular delicacy wasn't on the approved list in the detox phase.

So I'm not sure how I'm going to plow ahead, but plow ahead I will. Many of you have asked me for the chili recipe, and since apparently my blog links are really hard to recognize, I decided to just post it. Here it is, what got me through phase 1!

FAT SMASH CHILI
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 whole peppers, diced (red, green, or yellow)
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium sized onion)
2 cloves minced garlic (1 tsp of the stuff in a jar)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 can (15 oz) chili beans in sauce, do not drain
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, do not drain (see if you can find zesty chili style)
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, drained (or get the big can of Rotel tomatoes & chilies)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (see if you can find the Italian seasoned)
1 pkg (12 oz.) of some kind of meatless meat, found in the vegan section (ground burger or crumbles)
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1 Tbsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp. ground cumin OR get one package of chili seasoning mix in your baking needs aisle based on the level of spiciness you prefer. You can always add more chili powder/cumin if you like it spicier/smokier and I like to add a dash of cinnamon to my chili to give it a masked sweetness.

Saute the peppers, onions, and garlic in the oil (in your actual chili pot) until the onions are transparent and start to smell pungent (at least 3 minutes). Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally (try not to let it stick to the bottom). When you can wait not longer... indulge.

We put some hot sauce on ours cause it was pretty mild, and I've melted the Veggie Shreds cheese on top (both cheddar and mootz flavors, and both were delicious) before I realized we're not technically supposed to have even soy based cheese in Phase 1. Well, oops. Might sound weird, but if you're looking for more toppings, trying getting fat free plain yogurt, it is a remarkable substitute for sour cream (I've used it in sauces), just make sure it's room temp! Cold just tastes a little more like yogurt.

So there you have it, folks. The no longer secret chili recipe of the century. I actually made some with extra lean ground turkey in phase 2 and I botched the proportions, so I'm going to have to try again. (Still delicious, though.) One last note, I threw in some of the fake bacon once too, and it doesn't add anything. It's a weird texture and I don't like it. So that's all for now! Maybe I will blog more later, we shall see. I have to admit, I'd feel a little weird contributing to a diet blog after I've made an Italian Wedding Cake. (Wish me luck on that, by the way, it looks super complicated!)