Chicken "Roast"



After a few hours of cooking

CHICKEN "ROAST"

I was craving pork roast, but it is high in natural sulfite. I gave up on trying to eat pork. It has always given me a headache, but now it triggers asthma. Here's the inspiration for this recipe on Facebook. However, I used chicken thighs that I put together with butcher's cooking twine to create a roast. I enjoyed the experience but next time, I probably will just leave the chicken thighs separate since they didn't bind together like I thought. Maybe I can try freezing first or think of a way to make the twine hold tighter. I found the twine at a butcher shop.

This was good but reminded me of chicken and dumplings more than roast!  The flour creates a thickness like dumplings. So I will test it again without the flour and add potatoes, carrots,  and onions next time. 

Recipe:

Chicken thighs (about 24)

Butcher twine

2 tablespoon butter

10 pepperocini peppers (from jar - prefer fresh)
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
Rice bran oil (or your favorite oil)
Salt
6 jalapeños slices (optional)

Use twine to build the chicken thighs into a roast. I did the rows in opposite directions. Then just did ties across in both directions with the twine (hard to do true butcher loops but YouTube for ideas). Next, add salt to the meat. Mix the two flours together and flour the roast on all sides until it is covered. Heat a skillet and add oil. Brown the roast on both sides. Place the roast in the crock pot. Add butter and pepperocini (and jalapeños) to crock pot. Add sauce below on top. Cook for 4 hours on low in crock pot (chicken cooks faster than pork and beef).

Sauce (rub on top):
2 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Dash of cayenne pepper
Dash of dried parsley

Mix together to create a sauce to rub on top of the meat that is placed in the crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours (chicken cooks faster than pork and beef).

Butcher Cooking Twine (found at local butcher shop)

De-boned chicken thighs, layered on top of each other

Twine added to the chicken thigh layers

Flouring the "roast" so it can be pan fried on each side

Mayonnaise, parsley, and cayenne pepper combined to make the sauce for the top

"Roast" in the crock pot with sauce and peppers

The finished creation - stirred to combine in all the flavors

Winning during the Weekend

I am so excited about last week's weight loss.  I actually drop about 4 or 5 pounds each week, but what is different about last week is that I kept it off during the weekend (July 16-17, 2016).  Normally it is just a yo-yo cycle. I drop the weight, then I put it right back.  I was sharing the experience with my oldest son, and he compared it to going to football practice and never winning a game.  I want to win!  So I decided that he is right.  Why take the time to do 2 days of eating healthy carbs, 3 days of eating no carbs, and then blow those 5 days because of 2 days of not really sticking to the healthy fat diet the way that I should.  I thought that I was sticking to it, but I had become more relaxed during that period. I did the bullet coffee that is really designed to work with fasting.  I stopped fasting so I probably was taking in too many calories.  I also, looked at the weekend as dessert splurged time.  However, the extra sugar plus the calories with healthy fat is probably too many calories.


So I had reviewed my possible errors, so how do I fix the problem?  I decided that I needed to look at Phase 2 like it was Phase 3, but with just a healthy fat. Amazing how changing my mindset, changed the results.  I am so proud of myself.  Winning has meant that I make it through Phase 2 without giving in to chocolate craving.  I have been infusing my water with cucumber to make it seem like I am actually enjoying something fruity.  I also have been treating Friday like Phase 2, with a few exceptions. Example, I do whole eggs for Friday's breakfast.



I actually made it through a second weekend (July 23-24, 2016), and I actually only gained 0.4 pounds.  That Saturday, I actually dropped a pound.  However, Sunday I traveled and did not follow the diet as well.  Not bad for a weekend, considering that I normally gain 2 to 3 pounds during that time period. 

Diet Inspiration

DIET INSPIRATION!

My arms :)

Well, it has been 2 years since I first started The Fast Metabolism Diet. You would think that I would be skinny by now! I did well on the diet for a while, but then started splurging too often. So I am back focused and determined to master it this time. My inspiration is a picture from my 30 year high school class reunion. I had no idea that my arms were that large! So, I am working my arms and dieting. Enjoy the before picture. Check back for the amazing after picture!

Banana Pudding

The best Banana Pudding ever!

BANANA PUDDING!!!!

Making banana pudding from scratch takes patience. I guest that I have developed that over the years! I actually made it. No whipped cream or instant pudding for this one - lol!  Since what I did worked well, I thought I better write it down. Also bananas must be safer cooked for me. I had no reaction - maybe some joint pain this morning but totally worth it.

Custard and Main Base Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
Dash salt
3 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 bananas sliced
Half fresh lime (optional to coat bananas)
45 vanilla wafers (an estimate)

Meringue Ingredients
3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
Dash of cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the custard, take the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, and salt), and place in a pot with a heavy bottom (prevents scorching). In a separate bowl separate the eggs to get 3 yolks (I just used the place raw egg in hand method over a bowl to let the egg white drain off). Place the 3 egg yolks into the dry ingredients mixture in the pot. Start stirring slowly until it is all wet yellow looking paste. Next, slowly start adding the milk until all mixed together and is a well mixed liquid. Now comes patience. Pull up a chair to the stove (optional!). On medium heat slowly stir the liquid with a large metal spoon until thick (should happen in 10 minutes or less). Take off the heat and add the vanilla extract. Slice the bananas and toss with the fresh lime juice. Now layer the remaining base ingredients into the baking dish. Start with custard, then a layer of vanilla wafers, and then the sliced bananas. Repeat until you run out of ingredients.

Now make the meringue to go on top. Combine egg whites and the cream of tartar first using a n electric mixer. Once a soft foam develops, slowly add the sugar. Beat until stiff. Spoon egg white mixture on top of the banana layered base. Bake in the oven until the meringue is brown - about 20 minutes (I did 10 minutes then rotated, and checked again about every 5 minutes).

Let dessert chill in the refrigerator before serving -if you can wait! 

Pecan Pie Muffins

How can just a few ingredients taste so amazing?  The recipe ingredients are flour, pecans, brown sugar, butter, and eggs. The texture is truly amazing and reminds you of a real pecan pie.

Recipe:

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans

2/3 cups butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Pecan halves for decoration (optional) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 15 minutes.

Grease muffin pan(s) well and set aside.  Grab two bowls. One for dry ingredients (sugar, flour, pecans), and one for wet ingredients (butter and eggs).  Stir ingredients in each bowl, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir just enough to combine all the ingredients.  Fill each muffin pan about 2/3 full and bake until edges brown. (Top with pecan halves before baking - optional). 

Inspired by this Facebook post. 

Batter poured into the greased pan and topped with a pecan halves

Finished muffins - after I ate two!

The recipe made 6 muffins above and 2 mini loaf size