So far so good! It is Day 3 of the 30 Day Challenge to stay OP and I have had no cheats whatsoever! That is amazing for me. Usually I have a hard time staying OP at night because of the night time munchies and I did not have a single bite of anything last night! No cake, no cookies, no leftover pizza from the hubby, no nothing! I am coming to believe the old saying if you put your mind to something you really can accomplish it! As promised, I did not weigh myself today either. The scale is hidden away... well... not completely hidden since I am the one who hid it LOL, but it is away from plain view. I will not be taking it out until next Monday. Considering I am a daily weigher and I am a part of Daily Weighers Anonymous (DWA), that is another big step for me. Since starting this challenge and the Halloween challenge, I have also been drinking more water (if that were possible!) than usual. Of course as you can relate, the bathroom and I are on a first name basis. I think I am in there more times than not! So... overall... I am feeling really good about now!
Here is a great recipe to use up your summer squash!
I made a few changes to the recipe because I did not have any tomatoes, although sliced tomatoes would have worked really well in this dish. You could even try using Italian diced tomatoes from the can. I just used all zucchini and yellow squash that I had gotten over the weekend at the local farmer's market because I had a ton! You can use any type of cheese you want, but I decided to use 2% reduced fat Italian cheese blend because of the addition of basil and garlic. I also sauteed the squash in a butter and olive oil combination instead of using cooking spray as the original recipe suggested so I could get my healthy fats in. You can also grill or broil the squash, but just remember to toss the squash in the butter and oil combination and then cook whichever method you prefer. I also only used 1/4 tsp of salt instead of 1/2 a tsp and it was plenty for me. If you don't have any garlic cloves, use 1/4 tsp of garlic powder which is equivalent to 2 garlic cloves but only 1 condiment! That is one of the reasons why I tend to use garlic powder more often than garlic cloves because you get more flavor with less condiments. The medifast crackers aren't necessary but help provide a little crunch and is used in place of panko crumbs the original recipe requires. This was a very yummy dish and I am sooooooo happy I have two servings of it! Now I have part of my lean and green for tomorrow. With this dish, I plan on having 1 cup of egg beaters but you can also have 3 oz of chicken instead. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Summer Squash Gratin
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sliced yellow squash, 1/4" slices - should yield 1 cup cooked (2 Greens)
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini, 1/4 " slices - should yield 1 cup cooked (2 Greens)
1 1/2 cups sliced tomatoes, 1/4" slices - should yield 1 cup cooked (2 Greens)
2 Cloves garlic, minced (2 Condiments)
1 cup shredded reduced fat shredded cheese (1 Lean)
1 package crushed Medifast crackers - optional but helps make it slightly crunchy (1 Optional Snack)
1 tsp olive oil (1 Healthy Fat)
1 tbsp light butter (1 Healthy Fat)
1/4 teaspoon of salt (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1 teaspoon dried basil (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp pepper (1/4 Condiment)
2 tbsp grated reduced fat parmesan cheese (1 Condiment)
Directions:
Slice zucchini and squash into 1/4" slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt butter and add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute squash and garlic for 6 to 7 minutes until tender crisp. Set aside.
Slice zucchini and squash into 1/4" slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt butter and add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute squash and garlic for 6 to 7 minutes until tender crisp. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread squash into an 8 x 8 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Then layer the tomatoes on top. Combine cheese and basil with the medifast crackers and sprinkle over the entire dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until top is golden brown. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
2 Servings with
1/2 Lean, 3 Greens, 2.12 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat per Serving
You still need 1/2 a Lean more
1/2 Lean, 3 Greens, 2.12 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat per Serving
You still need 1/2 a Lean more
