ms.sss

Ok, of you like Oxtail (we love it) here is my oft requested Instant Pot Korean-inspired Braised Oxtail recipe. Now that I think of it, I haven't made it in a while (and my mouth is watering as I type, lol) so I guess Oxtail is going on the grocery list for this weekend: INGREDIENTS - [ ] 3 to 4 pounds oxtail (ask butcher to cut it for you if not already cut up) - [ ] 1 sweet onion cut into large chunks - [ ] 3-4 medium carrots cut into large chunks - [ ] 2 cups dried shiitake mushrooms briefly soaked and quartered (omit if unavailable) - [ ] kosher salt (or Magic Mushroom Powder if available) Braising liquid - [ ] 1/2 cup soy sauce (OR Bragg's Liquid Soy Aminios) - [ ] 1/4 cup rice wine or Mirin or dry white wine - [ ] 1/4 cup water - [ ] 1/2 medium Korean/Asian pear or 1 bosc pear or apple, grated - [ ] 2 tablespoons minced garlic - [ ] 1/2 inch ginger grated (about 1/2 teaspoon) - [ ] 3 tablespoons honey or sugar (OR Liquid sweetener) - [ ] 3 tablespoons maesil cheong or 1 more tablespoon honey or sugar (OR Liquid sweetener) - [ ] pepper to taste Other additions and garnishes - [ ] 1 tablespoon sesame oil - [ ] 2 scallions roughly chopped (and some finely sliced for optional garnish) - [ ] sesame seeds - optional INSTRUCTIONS - [ ] Trim off excess fat. Rinse the oxtail pieces and let them sit in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes to draw out excess blood. Drain well, and pat dry with paper towels. - [ ] Place oxtails in a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon Magic Mushroom Powder or kosher salt, toss to coat - [ ] Broil in oven 5 minutes on each side until nicely browned - [ ] Transfer oxtails & brown bits to Instant Pot & cover with braising liquid - [ ] Add carrots, onion & optional mushrooms - [ ] Press "Meat" Function, set to 60 minutes - [ ] When done leave alone for at least 15 minutes then open lid carefully. - [ ] Stir in scallion & sesame oil. - [ ] Remove meat & veggies & place in a bowl. - [ ] Strain cooking liquid and separate the fat (using a fat separator OR by chilling the liquid & removing the congealed fat layer) - [ ] Pour sauce back over meat & veggies (reheat if necessary). - [ ] Garnish with additional optional scallions & sesame seeds

@mousecat88: yeah, am wondering the same thing as @FluffyChix above! Did you find recovery from WLS the same level of non-issue for pain? soreness/stiffness?

Day 21: What small item do you use daily that you are most grateful for? My Apple Watch: I've had one version or another for a while now, but just in the past year have I really started to use all the features regularly and I am now a legitimate fan-girl. I at first got it specifically for the email/message notifications, so I didn't have to have my phone out all the time, as I get ALOT of messages both time-sensitive and not-so-much. Now I use it for all the fitness/health tracking, the MFP integration, timers/reminders, voice activated message responses IN ALL messaging apps, remote camera use, music playing & remote, the list goes on and on and on.... ...and no, I am in no way affiliated with Apple Inc. nor its subsidiaries. P.S. and did I mention its waterproof? It can track my laps when I swim!

I KNEW IT! I knew you HAD to have had actually made money on your money-maker (your ridiculously awesome photogenic smile). --------------------- More importantly...so excited for you with your upcoming surgery and the fact that you feel completely comfortable with your surgical team (very important ) Can't wait to see the results...AND your subsequent modelling shots!

K, I know I wasn't asked, but am going to but in here and share my veggie (mushroom) mao pao recipe with you anyway. Mr & the Kid (and I) love it. Including a pic I posted of it on my Instagram from last time I made it. This bowl (with the rice) was for the fam, I had mine with....SALAD. Ingredients - [ ] 1/2 cup vegetable broth - [ ] 1 tablespoon maple syrup (OR Liquid Sweetener) - [ ] 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (OR Braggs Liquid Soy Aminos) - [ ] 1 teaspoon cornstarch (OR Xanthan Gum) - [ ] 1 tablespoon peanut oil - [ ] 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced - [ ] 3 tablespoons fermented black beans, roughly chopped - [ ] 2 green onions, white parts only, chopped - [ ] 6 cloves garlic, minced - [ ] 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced - [ ] 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns - [ ] 2 tablespoons chili bean paste (aka Doubanjiang) - [ ] 1 (14 ounce) container silken tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes - [ ] 1 tablespoon chili oil - [ ] 1 tablespoon sesame oil - [ ] 3 tablespoons peanuts, chopped - [ ] 1 tablespoon sesame seeds Directions 1. Mix vegetable broth, maple syrup, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a bowl. 2. Heat peanut oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, black beans, green onions, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. Sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add chilli bean paste and the soy sauce mixture. Cook and stir until thick, 3 to 5 minutes. 3. Add tofu; cook until heated through, about 1 minute more. 4. Transfer cooked tofu to a serving dish; drizzle chilli oil and sesame oil on top. Top with chopped peanuts & sesame seeds

Oh my. I would leave a smushed face and hands imprints on that glass. BTW, Happy Belated Birthday!!! ❤️

I now have fantasies of going to Costco and over-filling my cart with bags and bags of those Jumbo-size Cheetos (while eating out of an open one, natch).

I would totally wear this entire outfit 😍 (including the nail colour, lol)

@AngieBear I know its been said on this thread over and over, but seriously, its been fascinating to watch you shrink on this thread! I think because you are one of the few that started posting regularly closest to your surgery date? Anyhoo...you should totally put a slide show together of all your pics that shows you shrinking to the beat of some song.....LOL. I'd watch something like that on loop. ❤️

Both! Though we use the Instant Pot more often than the sous vide....

Yesterday, Wed, Nov. 20 Maintenance : 5'2" / 1yr PO Sleeve / 115.6 lbs ... so I bought a bag of candied ginger a couple days ago because the Kid made a request for me to make a batch of ginger cookies. Well, turns out me and Mr. love candied ginger and have been snaking out of this bag enough that now I have to go buy some more. I'm going to have to bake these cookies as soon as I replenish our stash because we can't stop eating them!! ...went to bed early last night which was a good thing as 1) I was super tired and 2) I avoided the late night snacking hour. 8:00am - earl grey tea w/ stevia + coffee w/ stevia 2:00pm - salad greens w/ vinaigrette + 1 oz apple + 1/4 jalapeño pepper + 3 oz grilled steak 4:00 pm - 1 Love Good Keto Chocolatey Almond Bar + 1 oz candied ginger 7:00pm - salad greens w/ vinaigrette + 1 oz almonds + 1 fl oz pumpkin seeds + 5 oz grilled chicken Totals: 981 cals - 85g Protein - 50g NET carbs - 42g fat

I've got 2 of these already: Mr. and the Kid 😎 LOLz...though, I do want one of those claw things anyway to reach stuff higher than the second shelf in my kitchen on a regular day. And baby wipes! Thanks for the tip!

You'll find these in my cart at any given time. And a bunch of other stuff I'm sure would be cause for "concern". Like Green Tea, I didn't really occur to me that there are people in line cataloging my purchases. After reading this thread (and Silly's comments) I wonder if my cart contents are still as interesting for others to study and assess as a smaller person as it was when I was a bigger one.

I may be alone on this one, but I actually think it needs to be bigger, or maybe just longer? Also i don't HATE the colour, but I'm always partial to darks and neutrals so for me, I think it would look great in a brown...like this, maybe..?

I was definitely more a salty person than a sweet person pre-wls. Now, I am BOTH. 🙄

Today's first meal of the Day: Mr. grilled a nice steak for us to share. I got him to excise a bit of the middle of it for me as I like mine on the rare-er end of medium rare. He's eating his with french bread obscenely slathered in butter and a baked potato, and my bit is paired with....wait for it...SALAD. Am currently taking a short break from eating it but I totally plan on finishing it. Am actually surprised I am eating at all given the snack feast I had last night/this morning. 138 Calories - 19g Protein - 6g NET Carbs - 4g Fat

Hmmm...I am still a sous vide-er in training...I've attempted reverse sear steaks (sous vide then grill) and I would either end up over cooking the inside, or end up with a soggy steak with a very sad crust. I've had more success with fish. I just need more practice with meats and then I can be a jerk pork master... And yes, Canadians grill all year long, LOL. Mr. is grilling me a steak as we speak (though its sunny and 5 degrees outside so it's like spring or something out there). I'll post it on the Food Before and After thread later... *5 degrees CELSIUS, lol.

Day 20: What are you most grateful for in your daily life? EVERYTHING. Life is Good.

Burning Questions: 1) are you not taking any pain meds? 2) did you get a traditional or extended tummy tuck? 3) I know you got a recliner, are you sleeping in it? do you think you would be able to pull off sleeping in your bed? 4) How high can you lift your arms comfortably? Can you brush your teeth? your hair? 5) What about going to the washroom? Can you manage the "after clean-up" for both pees and poops? INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.

My inconsequential vote: Down With Waves! Pretty please post a picture on the big night so we can ooh and ahh over you!

I was in the middle of posting it when I clicked away by accident and lost it all, LOL. I just updated my post with the 11-7 food-a-palooza...yikes.

Yesterday, Tues, Nov. 19 Maintenance : 5'2" / 1yr PO Sleeve / 115.9 lbs ...ok, so I haven't slept yet. Minor crisis last night and the girlfriends rallied to support one of our own at my place. We stayed up all night with her and of course I had a food spread laid out (because it is ingrained in me to provide endless food and drink to everyone who walks through my door...why is that?!?). And I picked at said food all night. And I feel so unbelievably icky right now, like I need a cleanse or something. Or maybe I just need to sleep. Warning: yesterday's food log is not for faint of heart. I was considering not posting it out of concern of setting a bad example, but I decided I'm going to stick to full transparency. Look away if you have a tendency to judge or are prone to suggestive snacking... 8:00am - earl grey tea w/ stevia + coffee w/ stevia 11:30am - salad greens w/ vinaigrette + 2.5 oz apple + 1/4 jalapeño pepper + 1 tbsp fried onion topping + 4 oz grilled chicken 4:00pm - salad greens w/ vinaigrette + 2 oz apple + 1 oz almonds + 1 fl oz pumpkin seeds 7:30 pm - salad greens w/ vinaigrette + 1.5 oz apple + 1/4 jalapeño pepper + 1 oz almonds + 2 oz ginger beef + 2 oz green beans w/ butter 11:00pm to 7am this morning - 2 Chocolate Coconut Keto Fat Bombs 1 Love Good Fats Keto Chocolately Almond Bar 1 Love Good Fats Keto Coconut Macadamia Bar 1 tbsp almond butter 1 oz almonds 1 fl oz pumpkin seeds 4 oz candied ginger 6 Toffifee candies 2 x 1/4 cup Haagen-Dazs Coffee Ice Cream 4 oz Brie cheese 1 oz Parmesan cheese 3.5 oz smoked turkey breast Totals: 2880 cals - 143g Protein - 179g NET carbs - 165g fat

@KaysMommy your gala dress looks great on you...I don't see anything remotely close to resembling fat on you at all (if anything I think you could go tighter on that dress to highlight your teeny waist and the va-voom of curve it creates with your hips!) A killer pair of heels and you will have people doing that slow-follow-stare as you walk by. ❤️ How are you going to wear your hair? Down with luscious waves perhaps???

YES! The necklace makes a huge difference (for the better ) And good call with the belt change now that the accessories were added...

Ummmm...I love your belt!...but I digress... The t-shirt is doable, but it if you have one with a lower neckline, it may look a teensy bit better. OR...go even higher with like a turtleneck? Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong with that outfit