A Week Of...???

[LAM378]

Nice how the lasagna had the $2 off 10 coupon on the box...just in case you want to do this again . I'm going to pick up the rice and beans this week. Somehow you made that look appetizing, undercooked beans aside!

I'm curious--other than the fiber issues, have you been feeling fine, no headaches or anything? These meals are well-balanced enough, but the calorie count is pretty low. I felt when I drastically reduced my calories a few months ago. Got used to it over time, but I was miserable for a few weeks there.

 

[englanddg]

Week 1 - Day 7 - Meal 3 - Chicken Enchiladas Suiza

Well, the final meal has come. I saved this one for last because it looked the tastiest to me. So, when I was planning the menu, I put it on the last day.



Chicken enchaladas suiza in a zesty sour cream and green chile sauce with spanish rice.

I had to google what "Suiza" is. Appearantly it means "Swiss", and refers to the sauce. A Suiza sauce is a mexican sauce that is generally made with hints of swiss cheese and spices. Interesting...



Something about the frozen look of this has me wondering if this is going to turn out well at all. But, time to stir, and it's looking pretty good!



All done. This cheese sauce looks intriguing, and I'm looking forward to this. It smells very good as well.



And the last supper is served!



How was it? Well, another one that is Mixed.

The good things? The cheese sauce had a very nice spice, and the enchalada tortillas were perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the meal.

However, the rest wasn't as good. The rice was clumped together and poorly seasoned. This surprised me, because I had such excellent rice yesterday. But, this rice tasted pretty much like any other bland microwave rice.



The enchaladas themselves could have used some more filling. In fact, I couldn't even find the filling! I looked for it! Every now and then I'd bite into a small piece of chicken, but overall it was really skimpy and sad.



But, overall, it wasn't bad...except. There are these little pointy things throughout the dish. I'm not sure what they are. They seem like small strips of wood? They aren't chewable, and I had to pick them out. Imagine taking a toothpick and chopping it up into small pieces and littering your meal with it.



Yep. Overall, a decently tasting dish, but this is a MAJOR issue. And, as a result, I give it an F.

The Nestea was excellent, and I enjoyed it. I've never had this flavor before, but I'd certainly get this again. For dessert I had the last strawberry greek bar.

Meal Metrics​

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza, 20 oz Pomegranate Nestea, 1 Strawberry Greek Fruit Bar

Total Cost - $3.43 ($9.46)

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values.
Daily totals in parenthesis
Calories - 450 (1210)
Fat - 31% (36%)
Sat Fat - 48% (52%)
Cholesterol - 8% (27%)
Sodium - 28% (77%)
Carb - 26% (71%)
Fiber - 12% (45%)
Protein - 24% (75%)
Vit A - 9% (120%)
Vit C - 14% (286%)
Calcium - 13% (127%)
Iron - 4% (62%)​

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - F
Daily Grade (purely subjective) - C​

So, I'm through this!

 

[JenniferS]

Week 1 - Day 7 - Meal 3 - Chicken Enchiladas Suiza

Well, the final meal has come. I saved this one for last because it looked the tastiest to me. So, when I was planning the menu, I put it on the last day.



Chicken enchaladas suiza in a zesty sour cream and green chile sauce with spanish rice.

I had to google what "Suiza" is. Appearantly it means "Swiss", and refers to the sauce. A Suiza sauce is a mexican sauce that is generally made with hints of swiss cheese and spices. Interesting...



Something about the frozen look of this has me wondering if this is going to turn out well at all. But, time to stir, and it's looking pretty good!



All done. This cheese sauce looks intriguing, and I'm looking forward to this. It smells very good as well.



And the last supper is served!



How was it? Well, another one that is Mixed.

The good things? The cheese sauce had a very nice spice, and the enchalada tortillas were perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed that part of the meal.

However, the rest wasn't as good. The rice was clumped together and poorly seasoned. This surprised me, because I had such excellent rice yesterday. But, this rice tasted pretty much like any other bland microwave rice.



The enchaladas themselves could have used some more filling. In fact, I couldn't even find the filling! I looked for it! Every now and then I'd bite into a small piece of chicken, but overall it was really skimpy and sad.



But, overall, it wasn't bad...except. There are these little pointy things throughout the dish. I'm not sure what they are. They seem like small strips of wood? They aren't chewable, and I had to pick them out. Imagine taking a toothpick and chopping it up into small pieces and littering your meal with it.



Yep. Overall, a decently tasting dish, but this is a MAJOR issue. And, as a result, I give it an F.

The Nestea was excellent, and I enjoyed it. I've never had this flavor before, but I'd certainly get this again. For dessert I had the last strawberry greek bar.

Meal Metrics​

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza, 20 oz Pomegranate Nestea, 1 Strawberry Greek Fruit Bar

Total Cost - $3.43 ($9.46)

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values.
Daily totals in parenthesis
Calories - 450 (1210)
Fat - 31% (36%)
Sat Fat - 48% (52%)
Cholesterol - 8% (27%)
Sodium - 28% (77%)
Carb - 26% (71%)
Fiber - 12% (45%)
Protein - 24% (75%)
Vit A - 9% (120%)
Vit C - 14% (286%)
Calcium - 13% (127%)
Iron - 4% (62%)​

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - F
Daily Grade (purely subjective) - C​

So, I'm through this!

Ok my friend, now go take some Metamucil, and tell us what's on deck for tomorrow.

 

[englanddg]

Summary of Week 1 - Wait Watchers?

It's been a long week. Some pretty good meals, some not so good. The winner of the experiment is certainly the Greek Yogurt dipped Fruit Bars.

Those things are ADDICTIVE!

I felt pretty good throughout the week, though I had a few sluggish mornings, and with the calorie counts being so low, I found that I was famished around meal times. In some ways, this is not a bad thing...but it caused me some issues at work because I'm not always able to eat on schedule, and that made me a little cranky.

Overall, I'd say this is a doable diet for someone who is trying to lose weight. It's not awful, and it's certainly affordable. I also enjoyed not having much in the way of dishes. Every meal involved a quick rinse of a few items and a trip through the dishwasher. No pots, no pans. So, that was nice.

If I were to do this again, I certainly would add a fiber supplement. But, it wasn't that bad. I wasn't bloated, or anything like that.

Best dish? The cheeseburger. Even though it was very small. Second to this would be the Sante Fe Rice, followed by the Salisbury Steak and the Steak Fajitas.

Worst dish? Well, even though only one dish (the Enchiladas) got an F due to whatever those sharp things were, I actually don't think this was the worst of the week. That honor goes to the Steak, Egg and Cheese Muffins.

So, there you have it! Here are the metrics for the week.

Starting weight was 210.5. Ending weight was 204.2. Not too shabby! So, they certainly meet their promise of enabling weight loss!

Here are the rest of the metrics for the week.

Total Cost - $2.70 ($56.84)

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values.
Totals in parenthesis
Calories - 1314 (9200)
Fat - 36%
Sat Fat - 52%
Cholesterol - 24%
Sodium - 80%
Carb - 78%
Fiber - 52%
Protein - 88%
Vit A - 108%
Vit C - 278%
Calcium - 127%
Iron - 68%
Vit D - 200%
​

New menu goes up later tonight! Thanks for following along!

 

[englanddg]

Week 2 - Do the Can Can!​

Canned goods. It's really quite amazing what you can find that comes shipped in a can! Most people think of chicken soup, but there is so much more. Meats, fruits, vegetables and entire meals. All, from a can.

Now, this would be a rather bland week, just watching me eat and critique soups, but that is not the challenge I present myself. Rather, I am going to spice up these dishes and see what happens! The only rule is that the major feature of the meal MUST come from a can or bottle.

Lets begin, shall we?



The Shopping List
1 head Iceberg Lettuce
1 bushel of parslay
1 bushel of cilantro
3 tomatoes
2 hass avocados
2 lemons
2 bananas
1 bag of fresh basil
1 bag of fresh chives
1 bag of fresh rosemary
1 bag of fresh mint
1 tub of alfalfa sprouts
1 5 grain sour dough loaf
1 pack of soft taco tortillas
1 tub of mixed baby spinach and arugula
1 pack of stonefire pita bread
1 dozen cans of Coke
1 tub of Quaker Oats
1 can of atlantic salmon
1 can of chunked portobello mushrooms
2 cans of regular Spam
1 can of turkey Spam
1 wickles relish
3 cans of salsa
2 cans of salsa verde
1 can of artichoke hearts
1 can of underwood chicken spread
1 can of underwood deviled ham spread
1 can of diced jalepanos
1 can of corn beef hash
1 can of Progresso Clam Chowder
1 can of chopped black olives
1 can of Progresso chicken tortilla soup
1 can of Progresso chicken primavera soup
1 can of Progresso potato soup
1 can of sliced peaches
1 can of Progresso chickarina soup
1 tube of Pringles Salt and Vinegar chips
1 can of pears, halved
1 can of Manwich
1 lb of ground beef
2 red onions
1 can of hellmans mayo
1 package of thick applewood bacon
2 cans of brisling sardines
1 can of Campbell's chili
1 can of LaChoy Chicken Chow Mein
1 can of nachos jalepenos
1 can of white clam sauce
1 can of crab meat
1 can of Chef Boyardee Ravioli
1 can of Baby Clams
1 can of beef and pork tamales
1 can of red beans and rice
1 can of asparagus tips
1 can of spinach
1 can of peas and carrots
1 can of sliced carrots
1 can of lima beans
1 can of refried black beans
1 can of mixed veg
2 cans of Roast Beef with Gravy
1 celery heart
2 cans of medium shrimp
1 can of Squash Mix
1 can of Succotash
1 tube of McVites digestive biscuits
1 package of white american cheese
1 can of fruit cocktail
1 dozen eggs
1 can of chipotle peppers
2 packages of spaghetti
1 bottle of roasted peppers
1 roll of breakfast sausage
1 can of pineapple tidbits
1 can of corn
1 can of diced tomatoes with basil
1 package of hummus
2 cans of oysters
1 package of vanilla ice cream
1 package of chocolate ice cream
1 can of tropical fruit salad
1 can of mandarin oranges
1 can of tuna
1 can of cherry fruit salad
1 can of Reddy Whip
1 package of onion hamburger rolls
1 gallon of milk
1 gallon of orange juice

Cost Breakdown

Whilst the individual items were cheap, the week is not. Much of this is due to the fact I don't have the whole menu fleshed out, so I over purchased a bit. But, for the entire week, this menu cost $229.50 in shopping expense from the list above, without coupons or tax. The tax was $4.53.

I am not sure what I will have left over at the end of this menu. But, I expect it will be several cans of soup, at the minimum. I'll also have 166 Centrum

The daily average, if I use all the items, will be $32.78. But, I strongly suspect I will not.

Also, many of the portions are off, as they are in the cans. And I'll be using several items in different meals, so this will also bring the final costs down.

So there we are! I start in the morning.

Cheers!

 

[MinnieM123]

I admire your resolve to stick with the Smart Ones frozen meals for a week, and it's no surprise that you dropped weight on that plan. One thing that really stood out in those meals was the small amount of veggies. I think if someone decided to go on that same frozen meal diet, they might do better by supplementing a small, fresh salad or maybe some steamed broccoli or green beans, or maybe some cooked squash. Even reading all the metrics, some of these meals just didn't seem balanced to me. I'm not a nutritionist, so this is just my own opinion. Regardless, your week made for fascinating reading, and now I'm looking forward to "can" week!!

 

[englanddg]

I admire your resolve to stick with the Smart Ones frozen meals for a week, and it's no surprise that you dropped weight on that plan. One thing that really stood out in those meals was the small amount of veggies. I think if someone decided to go on that same frozen meal diet, they might do better by supplementing a small, fresh salad or maybe some steamed broccoli or green beans, or maybe some cooked squash. Even reading all the metrics, some of these meals just didn't seem balanced to me. I'm not a nutritionist, so this is just my own opinion. Regardless, your week made for fascinating reading, and now I'm looking forward to "can" week!!

Glad you enjoyed following along!

Fiber was the primary issue with that menu, as @JenniferS noted pretty early on. Veg would help with that.

I suspect if I did it for a few weeks (with fiber supplements) I would drop off weight pretty fast. Not sure if I'd want to live off that forever though...so, it's not really sustainable.

Still, healthier than many options for around the same weekly cost.

The challenge for this next week...will be sodium. I've got 4 out of the 7 days recipes planned, at the moment, and my sodium levels are going to be outrageous on some days. Nothing dangerous, but certainly not sustainable.

 

[englanddg]

Week 2 - Day 1 - Meal 1 - Egg and Salmon

Ok, new week, new diet!

Lets start with the metrics, shall we?

My weight this morning was 203.6 lbs. My BMI (body fat) is 23.7%. My hydration is 54.3%.

Time to start again with breakfast, eh?



So, lets start by opening the can and seeing what I have to work with. I've never used canned salmon before, and really don't know how it is.



Not...good. It stinks, even. What am I going to do with THIS?



Lets start by adding some spice. Two thin slices of red onion.



Then chop.



Add a few eggs to a bowl, and season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.



And then whip it with a fork until it's a nice froth.



As you whip, in a pan on medium heat, render some bacon. Bacon makes everything better, right?



Bacon done...



Set the bacon aside and turn on the broiler in the oven. Brush the bread with the juice from the salmon can.



Broil the slice of bread well, watching closely, until browned but not black.

Add the egg to the warm bacon grease over medium low to medium heat.



Stir and cook for a few minutes, then add the salmon and onion mixture. Stir well for a few minutes more.



Top the broiled bread with the eggs and salmon, and garnish with parsley. Serve with the bacon.



My friends, I present...breakfast!



So, how was it? I was impressed! The salmon had pretty good taste, and I loved the eggs (I should, I cooked them, but it is easy to mess up eggs)...

The whole dish wasn't bad for a recipe I made up. I'd easily eat this again as a savory breakfast. It could have used a few splashes of tobasco in the egg mixture for some heat, and if I make this again, I'd do that.

Meal Metrics​

Egg and Salmon, 8 oz Non-fat Milk, 8 oz Enriched OJ, 1 Centrum Mens, 1 Coffee (black)

Total Cost - $3.88

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values
Calories - 340
Fat - 25%
Sat Fat - 33%
Cholesterol - 39%
Sodium - 38%
Carb - 21%
Fiber - 25%
Protien - 42%
Vit A - 90%
Vit C - 256%
Calcium - 86%
Iron - 59%
Vit D - 200%​

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - A​

See you at lunch!

 

[englanddg]

Week 2 - Day 2 - Meal 2 - Red Beans and Rice and Blackened Grilled Shrimp and Roasted Tomatoes

Lunch time!



First, to make some blackened seasoning. That's 1 tbls of parpika, garlic powder, onion powder and dried thyme, and 1 tsp of ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried basil and dried oregano.



Lets see what we have to work with here...



Hrm, they are smaller than I thought. Drain the juice.



Coat the shrimp liberally with the seasoning.



Done!



Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat.



Then add the shrip.



Sautee for a few minutes, stirring often and flipping once. You should see them get a nice char, but don't let them burn!



Remove the shrimp and add olive oil to the same pan. Toss in some sliced grape tomatoes.



At the same time, start cooking the red beans and rice.



After tasting it, I found the spice was pretty good out of the can, but I still gave it a few splashes of Tobasco for some heat.



After the rice has cooked for a few minutes, chop up 1 stalk of celery.



And stir it into the rice!



Allow it to cook for a few more minutes. Not long enough that the celery gets soggy, as the purpose of the celery is to bring some crunch to the party.

And, lunch is done!



Nom noms!



It turned out pretty good. I really liked the red beans and rice. For a quick meal, I'd do it again. The shrimp, well...it's expensive. Nearly $4 a can! While it wasn't bad, for that price the quality wasn't really worth it.



But, it wasn't bad!

Meal Metrics​

Red Beans and Rice and Blackened Grilled Shrimp and Roasted Tomatoes, 12 oz Coke Classic

Total Cost - $10.53 ($15.48)

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values.
Daily totals in parenthesis
Calories - 490 (990)
Fat - 24% (49%)
Sat Fat - 30% (63%)
Cholesterol - 15% (54%)
Sodium - 30% (68%)
Carb - 12% (33%)
Fiber - 24% (49%)
Protein - 32% (74%)
Vit A - 4% (94%)
Vit C - 0% (256%)
Calcium - 20% (106%)
Iron - 15% (74%)
Vit D - 0% (200%)​

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - A​

Dinner is next!

 

[JenniferS]

Week 2 - Day 2 - Meal 2 - Red Beans and Rice and Blackened Grilled Shrimp and Roasted Tomatoes

Lunch time!



First, to make some blackened seasoning. That's 1 tbls of parpika, garlic powder, onion powder and dried thyme, and 1 tsp of ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried basil and dried oregano.



Lets see what we have to work with here...



Hrm, they are smaller than I thought. Drain the juice.



Coat the shrimp liberally with the seasoning.



Done!



Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat.



Then add the shrip.



Sautee for a few minutes, stirring often and flipping once. You should see them get a nice char, but don't let them burn!



Remove the shrimp and add olive oil to the same pan. Toss in some sliced grape tomatoes.



At the same time, start cooking the red beans and rice.



After tasting it, I found the spice was pretty good out of the can, but I still gave it a few splashes of Tobasco for some heat.



After the rice has cooked for a few minutes, chop up 1 stalk of celery.



And stir it into the rice!



Allow it to cook for a few more minutes. Not long enough that the celery gets soggy, as the purpose of the celery is to bring some crunch to the party.

And, lunch is done!



Nom noms!



It turned out pretty good. I really liked the red beans and rice. For a quick meal, I'd do it again. The shrimp, well...it's expensive. Nearly $4 a can! While it wasn't bad, for that price the quality wasn't really worth it.



But, it wasn't bad!

Meal Metrics​

Red Beans and Rice and Blackened Grilled Shrimp and Roasted Tomatoes, 12 oz Coke Classic

Total Cost - $10.53 ($15.48)

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values.
Daily totals in parenthesis
Calories - 490 (990)
Fat - 24% (49%)
Sat Fat - 30% (63%)
Cholesterol - 15% (54%)
Sodium - 30% (68%)
Carb - 12% (33%)
Fiber - 24% (29%)
Protein - 32% (74%)
Vit A - 4% (94%)
Vit C - 0% (256%)
Calcium - 20% (106%)
Iron - 15% (74%)
Vit D - 0% (200%)​

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - A​

Dinner is next!

Okay, Fibre-Police here. Check your addition. Shouldn't you be at 49% (25 + 24)?
I don't want you to be all cranky and out of sorts.

 

[englanddg]

Week 2 - Day 1 - Meal 3 - Chicken and Shrimp Chow Mein

I came across this beauty in the asian foods section. A complete meal out of a can! I'm not sure what this is going to turn out like, but lets find out!



First, lets start the rice.



I also had a can of shrimp left over from lunch, so I decided to incorporate that.



Heat some sesame oil in a pan.



And, saute the shrimp, adding some grounded black pepper.



I added about 1/2 tablespoon of Oyster Sauce, and 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir and saute for a few minutes and then set aside.



The rest of the meal comes in two cans. One of the cans has chicken and sauce, the other the vegetables. Hrm...



Not too appetizing. But, I heated this in my wok, stirring regularly.



I added the shrimp and cooked for a few more minutes.



Time to add the vegetables.



Added and stirred. Smells pretty good!



Tasty!



The rice is done, so I fluffed it and added about 2 tablespoons of seasoned rice vinegar and fluffed it. I learned this trick a few years ago when I was playing around with learning how to make sushi (which, I did not do very well with, but it was fun to play around). I like the taste it adds to the rice. So, I do this for pretty much any asian dishes I make now, and I think it brings a unique flavour that is hard to place, but certainly appreciated.



Open the dried chow mein noodles. I love these crunchy little things, and I may or may not have opened up the can at the beginning and munched on them during cooking. Maybe...maybe not.



Chop up some green onions for garnish.



Time to plate!



And dinner is served!



Overall, not a bad meal. Especially considering it came out of a can! I really enjoyed this. The sauce went great with the rice, and I'm glad I decded to add the crunchy chow mein noodles, as they added some fantastic texture. I really liked this.

The negatives? Well, the shrimp were ok, but for the price, as I've noted before, not worth it. Frozen are better. But, they did have a presence in the dish. The chicken, however, whilst I saw it, wasn't very good at all. It could have been left out and I wouldn't have noticed, I don't think.

The canned vegetables consisted of celery, which was limp, bean sprouts, carrots, red bell peppers, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and baby corn. They were surprisingly good!

As far as portions, this could easily feed a family of 3 or 4. I have a LOT of leftovers!

Dessert in the next post!

​

 

[englanddg]

Day 1 - Meal 3 - Chocolate Chocolate Chip Ice Cream with Sauteed Black Cherries and a Peach and Pear Reduction

I should have mentioned earlier...while I have done some basic meal planning with this, I merely combined tastes I think would compliment each other. I don't use canned products much, and as a result, I have a very poor idea what is going to come out.

As a result, I couldn't really plan recipes. And, many of these recipes I'm making up as I go along. This dessert, is a classic example.

So, lets start with the ingredients.



I open the can of "cherry" mixed fruit. What a crock! It's mostly pears and peaches! There is literally ONE cherry in the entire mix!



Time to break this guy out again.

Well, time to change up the recipe. I'm glad I purchased the other cherries too. And those look promising! But, more on that later.

So, I decided to turn this into a sauce. My blender is broken, so I decided to use a coffee grinder.



A bit unorthodox, but it worked out pretty well.



I can work with this. So, into a pan over medium heat where I simmered and reduced it for a few minutes. It also needed something, so I grated about a 1/2 tsp of fresh cinnamon stick into it.



Add it to a bottle...



And made a "fancy" little squiggle on the serving plate. I'm so chef. SWEDISH CHEF!



On to the cherries!



These are so much better than maraschino cherries. Quite tasty!

I chopped up 5 of the cherries...



And added them, along with about half a bottle of the juice, to a hot skillet. After bringing this to a boil, I added 1/4 tsp of Corn Starch to help thicken the sauce up a bit as it reduces.



Very nice. Very, very nice! At this point, a flambe would work out well, but I don't have any brandy. Oh well...maybe next time.



I placed the digestive biscuit as a base for the ice cream.



Soaked the ice cream scoop in hot water, praying I'll get a good scoop. It's so important for the final presentation I plan.



Added some of the whole cherries, a small spread of the cherry sauce towards the bottom of the plate, scooped some of the chopped cherries on top of the ice cream, some shaved white chocolate for garnish and added a dollop of whipped cream.

DONE!



And it turned out REALLY...REALLY...good.

Meal Metrics​

Chicken Chow Mein, 12 oz Can of Coke, Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream

Total Cost - $6.34 ($21.82)

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values.
Daily totals in parenthesis
Calories - 1040 (2030)
Fat - 35% (84%)
Sat Fat - 60% (123%)
Cholesterol - 33% (87%)
Sodium - 67% (135%)
Carb - 24% (57%)
Fiber - 62% (105%)
Protein - 10% (84%)
Vit A - 46% (140%)
Vit C - 80% (336%)
Calcium - 12% (118%)
Iron - 14% (88%)​

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - A
Daily Grade (purely subjective) - A​

See you all in the morning!

 

[englanddg]

Okay, Fibre-Police here. Check your addition. Shouldn't you be at 49% (25 + 24)?
I don't want you to be all cranky and out of sorts.

You are right. It's fixed! Mathermatics is complimicated.

 

[MinnieM123]

Considering the various constraints (and unexpected surprises) you had with some of the ingredients, I think your dessert looked outstanding! Yum city!!!

 

[JenniferS]

I expect that we will not be losing as much (if any) weight this week.

On the plus side, some of this is shaping up to be food .

 

[englanddg]

Week 2 - Day 2 - Meal 1 - Spam Omelet

Sluggish morning. TWO cups of coffee before I got moving. But, I feel ok. On with the metrics!

My weight this morning was 206.4 lbs. My BMI (body fat) is 24.5%. My hydration is 55.0%.

So, breakfast. Any week on canned foods would be incomplete without...SPAM!

Spam spam spam spam spam spam spam spam!



So, lets do this!



These don't look too bad. I prefer the bottled ones, but these will work.



Chop em up!



And chop a slice of red onion.



Slice the baby spinach. I find what works best is to place all the leaves together, then roll it up and slice it that way. I use the same trick for basil.



Slice up some sausage patties.



And cook them.



As they cook, lets take a look at the Spam.



Yeah...it's Spam allright. Slice off two slices and dice them.



When the sausage is done, set aside on a plate and add the Spam to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned.



Crack the eggs into a bowl and add a pinch of salt, a few splashes of tabasco, and some fresh ground black pepper.



Slice off 1.5 tablespoons of butter. Cut it in half and then chop one of the halves into small cubes.



Add the cubed butter to the eggs and wisk. Set the other half aside to use in the pan later during cooking.



Beat well until it's a fairly consistent mixture with bubbles.



And add it to the pan.



When you see the edges starting to cook, like this...



It's time to start "mixing" the eggs. Do this by leaning the pan in the direction of the edge you want and pushing the egg using a soft spatula towards the center of the pan, allowing the runny egg to take it's place. Let it cook for a few seconds, and then repeat this on three sides of the pan.



<continued>

 

[englanddg]

Add the filling to one side of the omelet.



Then flip one end over the top. Let it cook for another few minutes so the rest of the egg can finish cooking, the filling gets hot and tasty, and the cheese melts!



Top with chopped fresh chive, and breakfast is served!



This turned out really well. I'm stuffed! The Spam tasted no different than a nice ham, and I would certainly make this again in the future.

Meal Metrics​

Spam Omelet, 8 oz Non-fat Milk, 8 oz Enriched OJ, 1 Centrum Mens, 1 Coffee (black)

Total Cost - $4.62

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values
Calories - 330
Fat - 33%
Sat Fat - 38%
Cholesterol - 70%
Sodium - 41%
Carb - 22%
Fiber - 5%
Protien - 44%
Vit A - 86%
Vit C - 258%
Calcium - 73%
Iron - 50%
Vit D - 200%​

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - A+​

See you at lunch!

 

[trr1]

Week 2 - Day 1 - Meal 1 - Egg and Salmon

Ok, new week, new diet!

Lets start with the metrics, shall we?

My weight this morning was 203.6 lbs. My BMI (body fat) is 23.7%. My hydration is 54.3%.

Time to start again with breakfast, eh?



So, lets start by opening the can and seeing what I have to work with. I've never used canned salmon before, and really don't know how it is.



Not...good. It stinks, even. What am I going to do with THIS?



Lets start by adding some spice. Two thin slices of red onion.



Then chop.



Add a few eggs to a bowl, and season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.



And then whip it with a fork until it's a nice froth.



As you whip, in a pan on medium heat, render some bacon. Bacon makes everything better, right?



Bacon done...



Set the bacon aside and turn on the broiler in the oven. Brush the bread with the juice from the salmon can.



Broil the slice of bread well, watching closely, until browned but not black.

Add the egg to the warm bacon grease over medium low to medium heat.



Stir and cook for a few minutes, then add the salmon and onion mixture. Stir well for a few minutes more.



Top the broiled bread with the eggs and salmon, and garnish with parsley. Serve with the bacon.



My friends, I present...breakfast!



So, how was it? I was impressed! The salmon had pretty good taste, and I loved the eggs (I should, I cooked them, but it is easy to mess up eggs)...

The whole dish wasn't bad for a recipe I made up. I'd easily eat this again as a savory breakfast. It could have used a few splashes of tobasco in the egg mixture for some heat, and if I make this again, I'd do that.

Meal Metrics​

Egg and Salmon, 8 oz Non-fat Milk, 8 oz Enriched OJ, 1 Centrum Mens, 1 Coffee (black)

Total Cost - $3.88

All percentages are based off the recommended 2000 calorie Daily Values
Calories - 340
Fat - 25%
Sat Fat - 33%
Cholesterol - 39%
Sodium - 38%
Carb - 21%
Fiber - 25%
Protien - 42%
Vit A - 90%
Vit C - 256%
Calcium - 86%
Iron - 59%
Vit D - 200%​

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - A​

See you at lunch!

the end product looks great

 

[englanddg]

Week 2 - Day 2 - Meal 2 - Sardine Half-Sandwich

Sardines. People either love em, or hate em. The key, really, is to get BRISLING sardines. Sardines is a general word that applies to a lot of oily fish.

Brisling is a type of sardine, but not all sardines are Brisling. Trust me on this...get the Brisling. If you can find Season brand Brisling (comes in a green wrapper, and are generally in the kosher section), these are the BEST I've ever had. But, I could only find King Oscar, so...off we go!



Oh, and if you can't tell by my familiarity...this is a dish I've made before. Many times. Though I've made modifications, this dish originated with Alton Brown. Go click on it. It's Alton Brown, it's Good Eats, and it's got a video!

Go ahead, click on it and watch the video. I'll wait!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/sherried-sardine-toast-0157252.html

See, told you it would be worth it! So, I've made it following his recipe, and I prefer mine. Though, his is REALLY good.

So, step one. In a small bowl, drain the olive oil from both cans.



Set this aside. In a medium bowl, empty the sardines and add the zest from 1 lemon.



Then cut the lemon in half, and add the juice. Pick out any seeds with a fork or your fingers.



Add about 1 tbls of chopped fresh parsley.



Add about 2 tsp of olive oil.



Add about 1 tsp of fresh cracked black pepper.



Add 1 tbls of cider vinegar.



Add 1 tbls of balsamic vinegar.



Add a few splashes of tobasco.



Mash this together with a fork.



Stir in about 2 tbls of chopped celery.



When it starts to look like this, stop. Let it sit for 20 - 30 minutes at room temp to marinate.



(continued)

​

 

[englanddg]

After marinating, turn on your broiler. High setting, if you have it. You can also do this on a grill.

Slice the avocado in half.



Remove the pit using your knife.



Mash it in the skin using a fork.



Place in a bowl and set aside.



Brush both sides of the bread (I like using a 5 grain sourdough or regular sourdough for this) with the olive oil from the cans you drained and set aside at the beginning.



Broil for a few minutes. Pay attention to this, it will go from perfect to burnt VERY quickly.



Use a fork to spread the mushed avocado on the bread.



Top with the sardine mixture and squeeze fresh lemon juice on the top using about 1/3 of the remaining lemon half.



Top with a liberal sprinkling of course sea salt, and we are done! Serve immediately.



I love this sandwich. I make it at least once a month. It doesn't taste "fishy" at all, as long as you get Brisling. The balsamic gives it a nice sweet taste, and the celery gives it some good crunch.

Trust me, even if you don't "like" sardines, you'll adore this. Give it a shot!



No metrics for this, sorry. The metrics take a while to put together, since these are actual combinations of ingredients. I think I will skip them for the rest of this weeks challenge. But, I'll still give it my grade!

Meal Grade (purely subjective) - A+​

Dinner is next!