Does trying to find/digging out your car under 2 feet of snow count as exercise?  I know you are not supposed to count everyday tasks as exercise but oh man. Phew!

Anyway, my point of posting is that Edy's Creamy Coconut fruit bars are deliciouuuuuus like a giant candy bar only 120 cals.

New hat design, a simple fairisle. (A christmas gift)
( Read more... )

So I want to buy this from ModCloth (I'm thinking it'll look shithot with a dyed red bob with bangs!), but I'm in the UK and I've no idea what these size charts are telling me; I'd love your help.  

It says they're laying the garment flat and measuring things that way, in inches, so I assume if you double those figures, that'll be your waist/bust/whatever?  I've measured my waist and it's 34 inches, so a Large by my reckoning would be 35.5 and a Medium would be 32.5.  I'm thinking of buying a Medium as a motivational item.

Am I on the right track here, and do you think this is realistic?  If you're in the UK and have bought anything from ModCloth, I'd love your input.  Say, what size you normally are over here, and how you have found their sizes to fit?  Specifically, are they skimpy on the arms?  >_<

Thanks, guys!

Just some beginners projects but I was inspired by the community. So...

( Bracelets, journal jar and christmas cards )

Butternut squash stuffed with rice. Recipe from Jamie Oliver's: Happy Days with the Naked Chef <3

With lots of substitutions, but that's okay :]

More here! YouMeTogether

Hi! I'm new here... and I'll start off by telling you a little bit about myself.

The picture I am using for my icon was 2 years ago...

I have always been bigger... however, I was a size 7/9... about 4 years ago.

Then I went to size 11. I didn't think it was a big deal. I'd like to be here by next summer.

And now, I am 22 and size 16.

I weigh 226 lbs. I am 5'3. I am told I should be about 125 lbs...however, I know that's simply crazy. I'd look like a pencil.

My husband struggles with his weight too. Before I met him he was 6 ft and 270 pounds. He's now 185. And looks amazing.

I want to lose 50 pounds by July (big family reunion at a beach)... I'd be in a size 11 or 13 by then, I think... and I want to lose 70 pounds by next September (my first wedding anniversary)...and would like to go to Hawaii for our Honeymoon that we never got to take.

I lost 3.5 pounds in the last few days simply by playing the Wii Fit and cutting 500 calories out of my intake. I now only take in about 2000 calories. I also only drink water or tea, and sometimes coffee...I got a Gourmet Brewer for Christmas, so I have to use it!

Pretty much, I'd like to be where I was when I met my husband... in a size 11 and about 155 pounds. I'll never be super thin, but I liked the way I looked then. I was happy with myself and  I was confident.

Any advice would be great... I need the motivation!

I'm spending New Year's Eve in a hotel that, thankfully, has a kitchenette (fridge, sink, microwave, coffeemaker).

I'd love to bring along a few made-in-advance appetizers. Any suggestions? We can warm stuff up in the microwave but I'd prefer not bringing along any extra utensils or small appliances.

So far my menu is as follows:

- homemade guacamole and corn chips
- tortellini, cherry tomato and bocconcini skewers with homemade pesto
- pumpernickel bread and spinach dip
- antipasto platter
- pizza delivery for the smelly teenagers

Of course, there will be a variety of chips, dips, chocolate, candy etc.

I was wondering does anyone have any recipes for a soup that will keep well? I mean, that'll last for around a week if I don't freeze it. I'm not particularly fussy about ingredients, although I'd prefer it not to be cream-based as I'm trying to lose the Christmas weight! Basically, I just want an alternative lunch to sandwiches, that I can make on Sundays and eat throughout the week, the more unusual the better! I've never made my own soup before, so I'm really excited to try!

Thanks!


Edited to add:

Thanks so much for all your replies, you've all been really helpful. I can't wait to try out the recipes!

Hubby's church runs a weekly free lunch. I'm the designated baker and I need ideas of what to make. We're serving 40+ people / week so it has to be fairly simple and economical (food bank contributions won't kick in for a while and even that will only be some help). I also prefer to pack in as much nutrition as I can (via fruit / nuts / etc.) while still keeping it tasty and dessert-like.

Things I've made:
apple and almond spice cake
banana chocolate chip cake
chocolate cake
pumpkin pie (a special request for Christmas week)

Next on my list is carrot cake

Then I've got nothing. Maybe a pineapple cake? Any other ideas? Recipes?

Thanks!

I served this on Christmas Eve ~ and yes, despite the grainy 1960s nature of that picture above, it was only taken last Thursday evening :P

Champagne & Cheese Fondue ~ adapted from The Fondue Cookbook

1 c. mushroom caps
2 c. champagne
4 c. grated Swiss cheese (I used 3c Jarlsberg & 1c Gruyere)
2 TBS-1/4thc. all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cream (I used half and half)
salt & pepper to taste

Place mushroom caps in a pot with just enough water to cover them and bring to a boil. Cook for five minutes. Drain – but reserve 1/4th of the water. Slice the caps very thinly, set aside.

Heat champagne slowly in the fondue pot over the stove. Stir in the cheese, melt and sprinkle the flour in slowly to use as a thickening agent. You may need more/less than called for. Stir constantly until completely melted & smooth.

Combine egg yolk, cream, reserved liquid and sliced mushrooms caps and stir into the fondue. Do not bring to a boil!

Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Transfer mixture to the table & burner.

Dippers: French bread, medium cooked shrimp, cooked asparagus tips, raw broccolini, cucumber, small cooked potatoes, baby carrots, salami, mushrooms.

For a bonus recipe & notes you can check out the full post in my blog