What's on the menu today, RNYers? Happy Friday!

Hi OH Friends!

Another gorgeous weekend in sight here in Washington, DC.  I have a bunch of cooking planned for the weekend (links to recipes in post) so I am excited to try some new things.  I just discovered a way to go to MyFitnessPal on your computer, Click on Food, then click on Recipes and it imports the recipe from the URL!!!  Then you can add it to your diary.  OMG life-changing!

So, the recipes.  Tonight, I am having some friends over and I got a bunch of finger food (hummus and crackers, fruit plate, deviled eggs, cheese plate) but I wanted to have a hot item too so I am trying turkey and ricotta meatballs.  Anny, I think you gave me this idea?  They look fabulous.

I also looooove salmon patties but the ones I used to eat are quite heavy on breadcrumbs.  So I was googling low-carb salmon cakes and found this gem - made from shrimp.  I am going to make them on Sunday.  

Tuesday at work we have a dip contest (we have a pretty fun office).  I am making a Mediterranean tuna salad and using cucumber slices instead of crackers :) We will see - I won our last contest (guacamole) so I doubt I will win again, but I like that I am making something healthy!

B: last piece of crab, egg white, cheddar, artichoke fritatta

S: Click mocha in 20 oz of coffee

L: Benihana spicy mustard sauce with grilled chicken - maybe with cauliflower mash if I am that hungry

D: Goat cheese, turkey meatballs, a few grapes, a deviled egg

E: Will listen in on a conference call while doing one hour of cardio, then 50 minutes strength training

W: Will do it

V: First batch in

Totals: 938 calories, 87 g protein, 44 g carbs, 46 g fat

What's on your menu today, and any good recipes to share?  Have a great weekend, everyone! Em

We were posting at the same time so I will post here too Em! Beautiful day here in Illinois too! I love all the variety in your menu Emily. Living in a small town in the middle of a cornfield,food choices are not very diverse. I've never traveled much so your life seems so exciting to me. My kids will be out of college next year so maybe hubby and I can travel then! So on to today. 21 months post op weight at 121.4 today. B 1/2 c steel cut oats with seed and but mix and 1/2 banana with peanut butter L 31/2 oz deli chicken and 1/2 c coleslaw S whole grain crackers with peanut butter D 31/2 oz rib eye and 1/2 c sweet potatoes S 3/4 c Greek yogurt with nuts. On track with vitamins and fluids so far. Early morning 3 miles done with Lily who is doing better each day. Much more fun than the treadmill! Will do 20 minutes on the bike and 200 crunches too. Hop all have an amazing Friday!

Karen, if you get the opportunity to travel, definitely go for it! At least around the US, if not to other countries. I'm determined to see Europe before I die (Prague, Barcelona, Florence and Copenhagen are on my list of must-see cities) but hubby and I can't travel until he retires because reasons. So in the meantime I get to enjoy stories about other people's travels instead!

Good to hear Lily's doing well. I'm sure it's much more fun to go walkies with her than trudge along on a treadmill.

Have a great day, and a fab weekend!

Ha ha Karen!  Great minds think alike!  I love that we posted at the same time :)  I am glad you are also having a beautiful day in IL. 

Traveling has always been a huge passion for me, and in fact during college my friends and I started our own "club" that we call "50 and 50 by 50".  I aim to visit 50 states and 50 countries by the time I turn 50.  I will be going to Paris in a couple of weeks which will be country #44!  I feel so fortunate to have had the experiences I have had, and extra fortunate that as I get healthier and fitter, travel is becoming even more of a joy!  I am off to Toronto next weekend on a tiny plane and I know I will fit much better :)  Hopefully once the kids graduate you can pick a location, plan for it, and head out!  Maybe Ireland?  It's an easy trip - direct and short(ish) flights to Dublin, wonderful [English-speaking] people, amazing sights...would be hard to avoid Guiness, however!  

Your menu sounds good, as usual.  121 lbs.  Insane but amazing!!!

Hey DC Girl,  

If you find yourself at the Eaton's Centre there is an excellent place for WLS people to eat. Its called Richtree Market. They have a salad bar with well done simple items and you pay by the weight. I get chicken and avacado and it comes to like 3 bucks, but tastes like 10. Lol 

Thanks for the suggestion!  I am going for a friend's 40th birthday party weekend extravaganza and he is planning every single minute of everyday!  He knows I eat protein forward so hopefully he is taking that into consideration :)

WAIT WHAT!!! You are going to be in Toronto next weekend!! That's my home girl (well just outside of T.O.)!  And OMG I will be away on my trip!! Son of a *****!! We could have met up!! How funny is that, what timing!  Well I hope you have an awesome time at the bday party!  Toronto as you know is a fun place!!  Give me lots of notice next time you make a trip to Toronto so we can make plans to get together.  And I can't tell you how jealous I am you are going to Paris!! That is a dream place for me.  I love your 50 and 50 by 50!! So awesome.  Who out of your friends is the closest to getting all the 50's?  So much fun!  

I can't believe our trips aren't coinciding :( This is kind of a last minute trip to my gay bestie's 40th birthday party :) I found a ticket for $217 USD round trip!!! Isn't that insane?! It will be such a fun weekend but it does suck you won't be there. Remember our goal shopping trip in Chicago :) I think I need six months or so. You will have the best time in Mass however! I hope you didn't work 18 hours yesterday and are ready to hit the road!

I'm actually lagging in 50 and 50 by 50. One friend has already visited 50 countries and one has49 states. I'm working on it...but I am definitely not going to win. Then again, winning is just seeing all the places :)

Visit from mother + my two kids + my neighbor's two kids + perimenopause + only six hours of sleep = day that requires great food plan

yikes

B:  2 hard boiled eggs and super yummy salad with yogurt dill dressing

S:  tea with soy milk

S:  almonds and raisins

L:  pork chop with asparagus, spinach, and roasted parsnips

S:  soy milk and peach smoothie

D:  hamburger, more asparagus, edamame, cole slaw and maybe parsnip fries

I am trying to get in more soy because I hear it helps with perimenopause.  I need more estrogen in my life!!!!!

Exercise plan:  this will be critical to manage the stress of the day!  I think an hour or gardening and spreading mulch, some hula hooping, some scooting.  I won't leave my mom alone with the kids because she is too wacky so I need to do all exercise today with the four kids.  That takes some creativity but is doable.  So between the gardening.hooping and scooting I think I will be okay. 

I can do this!!!!!!!!

S: 

You can do it, Louise! How about organizing a hula-hoop-off with the kids? Everyone take turns trying to outdo the others. Or maybe get them involved with your gardening? I'm sure they'd enjoy the scooting!

Good luck and hang in there!