Jessiebear

Happy :Bunny :Bunny Birthday! :Bunny :Bunny

Wow! I'm impressed! Congratulations! :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny

1. Organs donated if they are still any good. 2. Cremated 3. Good old fashioned potluck/keg party in the country in my honor (everyone better party!) 4. Ashes dumped in the ocean!

LOL! That was good! Thanks!

I'm impressed! Those are some really great NSVs!

"BUT, the hungrier you let yourself get, the more likely you are going to eat too fast, take too big a bite, or do something to get stuck or even PB, and is not healthy for your band." _ The Best Me (Kathy) I totally agree with this statement! The first few times that I had that stuck feeling, was in the beginning when I was trying to follow the 3 meals a day thing. If you let yourself get too hungry, you eat too fast when you finally do eat! At least I do! And that is just not good! Lately I have been keeping chicken salad made & if I get to feeling hungry i eat a couple of bites. It satisfies me till the next meal. Doing this I have lost 10 lbs in a week (of course that was after gaining 7) It still counts! LOL!

1. Bread - for me, only in the evenings (my band is looser in the evenings) & only if it is taken in small bites & chewed very very well! 2. Pasta - with lots of sauce, but it fills me up quickly too! 3. Pop - I wasn't told not to like a lot of the others, but taking everyone's advice, I mostly steer clear of it 4. Tortillas - I actually do these better than bread, but they fill me up fast 5. salad - no problem 6. Steak - has to be tender with some kind of sauce & chewed very slowly & carefully (tiny little swallows when through chewing)! 7. Roast - actually haven't tried it, sorry! 8. Cereal - not in the mornings (band is too tight), but it is doable in the evenings. 9. Hamburger - not a problem 10. pizza - sometimes I can & sometimes I can't (Iwouldn't suggest it though, bad habit to get started) 11. Apples - no problem if peeled 12. chips - no problem (which is not good! The deep fried crunchy stuff is easy to eat) 13. cheese - no problem 14. Shrimp - no problem 15. Pop corn - can't 16. pretzels - can't Also if you go out somewhere and need something quick and only fast food is available what would you order? Could you order a Mc Donalds hamburger and just eat the meat? I try to stick with some sort of Protein or salad. I can't eat potatoes, mashed or baked, so I really just try not to eat out for lunch. If I eat a couple of bites of something in the mornings, then by lunch time I can pretty much eat just about anything. It helps to loosen my band. I figured this out last week. I was able to eat a huge piece of pizza & half a ham & cheese calzone (warning: I gained 7 lbs last week! But since then I have lost 10 more.) If I had to eat out for lunch, I would go for chicken strips or nuggets with a sauce. That's for something from a drive-thru. Soup or chili is always good too.

I got the notice that mine have shipped too!

:Bunny :Bunny Congrats!! :Bunny :Bunny

Wow! Looking good! Congrats on the NSV & the honeymoon!

Found one! RED PEPPER JELLY 6 sm. red peppers (1 1/4 lbs.) 1 c. vinegar 1/2 tsp. salt 5 c. granulated sugar 1 bottle liquid Certo Chop peppers fine. Measure 2 cups pepper and juice in large pot. Add vinegar and salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 10 minutes until tender. Stir in sugar, return to rolling boil and boil, uncovered and stir one minute. Remove from heat and immediately stir in Certo. Stir for 5 minutes to blend. Pour jelly into sterilized jars and seal. Serve over Philadelphia cream cheese with crackers. check out cooks.com for tons of jam recipes also.:Bunny

Green Pepper Jelly Ingredients7 sweet green peppers 1 jalapeño pepper 1 1/2 cups vinegar, 5% acidity, divided 1 1/2 cups apple juice 1 package Ball 100% Natural® Fruit Jell® Pectin 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 cups sugar Green food coloring (optional) Instructions Wash peppers; drain. Remove stems and seeds. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Purée half of peppers and 3/4 cup vinegar in blender or food processor. Purée remaining peppers and vinegar. Combine purées in a large bowl; stir in apple juice. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Prepare Ball® or Kerr® jars and closures according to instructions found in Canning Basics. Strain puréed mixture through a damp jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth. Measure 4 cups juice. Add apple juice to make 4 cups, if needed. Combine juice, pectin and salt in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Add a few drops of green food coloring if desired. Carefully ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rim and threads of jars with a clean damp cloth. Place lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly and firmly just until a point of resistance is met - fingertip tight. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-Water canner. Yield: about 6 half-pints. Note: When cutting or seeding hot peppers, wear rubber gloves to prevent hands from being burned. For altitude adjustment increase processing as indicated below: 1,001-- 3,000 ft.....5 minutes 3,001-- 6,000 ft...10 minutes 6,001-- 8,000 ft...15 minutes 8,001- 10,000 ft...20 minutes All I could find was green pepper jelly. Warning.... I made some muscadine jelly a couple of weeks ago & I gained 7 lbs! I couldn't quit eating it! But since I quit, I have lost 9 lbs. I guess it evened out after all. LOL! I found this recipe at homecanning.com . They had a bunch of jam recipes too. I went to Wal-Mart & bought a book put out by Ball that has nothing but canning recipes & it also tells you how to can step by step. It was only $3.00. Good luck to you!

Can you tell I was hungry?

Welcome! It's nice to meet you! You definately came to the right place for info. Lots of friendly & experienced bandsters here! See you around!

Tomato Soup 4 cups chopped seeded peeled tomatoes (about 4 large) 4 cups low-sodium tomato juice 1 cup 1% low-fat milk 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened Bring tomatoes and juice to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. stir in milk, salt, and pepper. Add cream cheese, stirring well with a whisk, and cook over medium heat until thick (about 5 minutes). Place tomato mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. If needed, return pureed mixture to pan & rewarm; Ladle soup into individual bowls. NOTE: Refrigerate remaining soup in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 bread slice) (I omitted the bread from the ingredients list. But the values below include 1 serving of bread. Sorry!) CALORIES 133(30% from fat); FAT 4.4g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.4g); Protein 5.4g; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 77mg; SODIUM 310mg; FIBER 1.9g; Iron 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.7g

Creamy pumpkin Soup 2 teaspoons stick margarine 1 cup chopped onion 3/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 (10 1/2-ounce) cans low-salt chicken broth 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 cups cubed peeled fresh pumpkin (1 pound) 1 cup chopped peeled McIntosh or other sweet cooking apple 1/2 cup evaporated skim milk Sage sprigs (optional) Melt margarine in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add sage, curry powder, and nutmeg; cook 30 seconds. Stir in flour; cook 30 seconds. Add broth, tomato paste, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in pumpkin and apple; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until pumpkin is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Place mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Return mixture to Dutch oven; add milk. Cook until thoroughly heated. Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup) CALORIES 122(23% from fat); FAT 3.1g (sat 0.8g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.7g); Protein 5.5g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; Calcium 102mg; SODIUM 228mg; Fiber 2.3g; Iron 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.9g

Split Pea Soup 1 1/2 cups green split peas 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided 2 cups chopped onion 1 cup diced carrot 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon minced garlic cloves, divided (about 3 cloves) 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, divided 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 4 cups Water 2 cups Vegetable Stock or 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream Sort and wash peas; cover with water to 2 inches above peas, and set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and bay leaf; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon rosemary, paprika, and pepper; cook 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and soy sauce; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Drain peas. Add peas, 4 cups water, Vegetable Stock, and salt to onion mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour, stirring often. Discard bay leaf. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, 2 teaspoons rosemary, and parsley. Stir parsley mixture into soup. Place of soup in blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureéd soup into a bowl. Spoon soup into bowls; top each with sour cream. Note: If you use canned broth instead of Vegetable Stock, omit the added salt. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 2 teaspoons sour cream) CALORIES 233(14% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 1.1g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.5g); Protein 13.7g; CHOLESTEROL 4mg; CALCIUM 65mg; SODIUM 559mg; FIBER 4.8g; Iron 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.7g

Red Pepper Soup 2 red bell peppers 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup sliced carrot 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet, and flatten peppers with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until skin looks blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, shallots, and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add celery and carrot; cook 2 minutes. Add bell peppers, tomato paste, and next 6 ingredients (through beef broth), and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Place half of bell pepper mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining bell pepper mixture. Ladle soup into individual bowls; top with sour cream and chives. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup soup, 1 teaspoon sour cream, and 1 teaspoon chives) CALORIES 70(31% from fat); FAT 2.4g (sat 0.7g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.3g); Protein 2.7g; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 37mg; SODIUM 569mg; FIBER 1.5g; Iron 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.4g

You're welcome! I felt bad posting all those other recipes knowing that new bandsters couldn't use them yet. Hope these will work! I realize some of them may be a little spicy or something, but I'm trying to find recipes that sound good to me. If in doubt, don't try it just because I posted it, ask your doc or some of the other bandsters first! Enjoy!

Black Bean Soup 1 pound dried black Beans 2 bacon slices, chopped 1 cup chopped onion 3/4 cup chopped carrot 3/4 cup chopped celery 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional) 4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with Water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse beans. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Add onion, carrot, and celery to drippings in pan; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and jalapeño; sauté 2 minutes. Add beans, bacon, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Place in a blender or food processor; let stand 5 minutes. Process until smooth; return pureed soup to pan. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with sour cream. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 tablespoon sour cream) CALORIES 215(20% from fat); FAT 4.8g (sat 2.1g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.7g); Protein 12g; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 95mg; SODIUM 570mg; FIBER 7.7g; Iron 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.5g

Creamy Vegetable Soup 1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, corn, and red peppers 3 cups frozen potatoes O'Brien with onions and peppers 1 (14 1/4-ounce) can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth 1 cup fat-free half-and-half or fat-free evaporated milk 1/2 (8-ounce) loaf reduced-fat process cheese spread, cubed 1/4 teaspoon pepper Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in half-and-half and cheese; continue stirring until cheese melts and soup is thoroughly heated. Process in blender or food processor til smooth. Stir in pepper, and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2-cup) CALORIES 250(13% from fat); FAT 3.6g (sat 2.1g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); Protein 12g; CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 0.0mg; SODIUM 643mg; FIBER 6.3g; Iron 0.0mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.2g

Cream of Carrot Soup 2 cups baby carrots 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, divided 1 garlic clove 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 cups 1% low-fat milk Dash of ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons butter 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind Combine carrots, broth, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Place carrot mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Place flour in pan. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add pureed carrots and ground nutmeg; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon thyme, butter, salt, and lemon rind. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup) CALORIES 112(28% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 2g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.2g); Protein 7.3g; CHOLESTEROL 13mg; CALCIUM 152mg; SODIUM 759mg; FIBER 1.1g; Iron 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13.4g

Ultimate Roasted Turkey 3/4 cup apple cider 5 tablespoons dark corn syrup, divided 1 (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 4 garlic cloves, sliced and divided 2 onions, quartered and divided 2 Golden Delicious apples, cored, quartered, and divided Cooking spray 1 teaspoon butter 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon cornstarch Preheat oven to 375°. Combine the cider and 4 tablespoons corn syrup in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; set aside. Remove and reserve giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Lift the wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Combine poultry seasoning, sage, salt, and pepper. Rub seasoning mixture into skin and body cavity. Place half of the garlic, onion quarters, and apple quarters into the body cavity. Place turkey, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange remaining garlic, onion, and apple around turkey in pan. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Baste turkey with cider syrup, and cover with foil. Bake at 375° an additional 2 hours and 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180°, basting with cider syrup 4 times at regular intervals. Let stand for 10 minutes. Discard skin. Remove turkey from pan, reserving drippings for sauce. Place turkey on a platter; keep warm. Strain drippings through a colander into a bowl; discard solids. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag;let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain the drippings into a bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. While turkey bakes, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the reserved giblets and neck; saute for 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Strain mixture through a colander into a bowl, discarding solids. Reserve 1/4 cup broth mixture. Combine the drippings and the remaining broth mixture in roasting pan on stovetop over medium heat, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Combine 1/4 cup reserved broth mixture and cornstarch; add to the roasting pan. Add 1 tablespoon corn syrup, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minutes. Serve gravy with turkey (gravy will be dark and thin). Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 6 ounces turkey and about 3 tablespoons gravy) CALORIES 331(24% from fat); FAT 8.8g (sat 3g,mono 1.9g,poly 2.5g); Protein 50.4g; CHOLESTEROL 130mg; CALCIUM 52mg; SODIUM 396mg; FIBER 0.1g; Iron 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.4g

Southern Corn Bread Dressing 1 (12-ounce) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits 2 tablespoons rubbed sage 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon margarine Cooking spray 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped onion 4 (10 1/2-ounce) cans low-salt chicken broth 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten speckled corn bread (recipe follows at bottom of page) Crumble Speckled Corn Bread; set aside. Bake biscuits according to package directions; let cool. Tear 8 of the biscuits into small pieces; reserve remaining 2 for another use. Combine crumbled corn bread, torn biscuits, sage, poultry seasoning, and pepper in a large bowl; set aside. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt margarine over medium-high heat in a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Sauté celery and onion 8 minutes or until tender. Let cool slightly. Add vegetable mixture to dressing mixture, and gently stir in broth and egg whites. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes. Yield: 10 servings CALORIES 262(25% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 1.6g,mono 3.2g,poly 1.3g); Protein 8.8g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 150mg; SODIUM 782mg; FIBER 1.3g; Iron 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.3g Speckled Corn Bread 1 teaspoon margarine Cooking spray 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 1/3 cups self-rising yellow cornmeal mix 2/3 cup self-rising flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 1/4 cups skim milk 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten Preheat oven to 400°. Melt margarine over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Saute corn and bell pepper 8 minutes or until corn is lightly browned and pepper is tender; stir frequently. Let cool. Combine vegetable mixture, cornmeal mix, flour, sugar, and ground red pepper in a large bowl; add milk and egg whites, stirring until moist. Pour batter into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; let cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge) CALORIES 100(9% from fat); FAT 1g (sat 0.2g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 3.8g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 105mg; SODIUM 381mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.8g

Corn Bread Dressing corn bread 2 hard-cooked large eggs 1 (12-ounce) can refrigerated fluffy buttermilk biscuits 1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage 1/2 teaspoon pepper 5 cups low-salt chicken broth 2/3 cup chopped celery 2/3 cup chopped onion 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten Cooking spray Slice hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise; carefully remove yolks. Chop egg whites; set aside. Reserve yolks for another use. Crumble Corn Bread; set aside. Bake biscuits according to package directions; let cool. Tear 8 biscuits into small pieces; reserve remaining 2 biscuits for another use. Combine chopped egg whites, crumbled corn bread, torn biscuits, sage, and pepper in a large bowl, and set aside. Bring broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add celery and onion. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add broth mixture to corn bread mixture; stir well. Add beaten egg whites; stir well. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 45 minutes. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup) CALORIES 180(19% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 0.9g,mono 1g,poly 0.9g); Protein 7.1g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; Calcium 85mg; SODIUM 391mg; Fiber 1.2g; Iron 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.3g Corn bread 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups skim milk 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten Cooking spray Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Combine milk and egg whites, and add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Pour batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; let cool completely on a wire rack. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 (3 x 2 1/4-inch) piece) CALORIES 90(4% from fat); FAT 0.4g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 3.4g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 78mg; SODIUM 121mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17.7g