Happy Tuesday!

Well, I am back from Los Angeles.


I had a great time, We went to Anaheim and stayed at the Marriott . One of our personal friends is the Executive Chef there and he is ........................AMAZING!


He was freaking out a little at the dietary restrictions ... but totally helped us out making sure we didn't have things we werent supposed to. ( he said he would not be able to eat just ONE veggie at serving)


The first night he made me a chicken breast and some broccoli and it was DIVINE ... with lemon over the top ... SO good.


Don had fish and broccoli.

The next day we went to Dana Point and laid on the beach ... tried out my new bathing suit. (a size smaller than last year ::yay::)


We had lunch at MiMi's I had a salad with roasted chicken for lunch


he had ... fish again.. (I am over fish right now so I did not participate.

We then toured a pasta factory that we are looking at purchasing... yeah I know weird right? someone with food issues possibly owning a pasta factory...


We are looking at the numbers before we decide what we are going to do.

That evening we went back to the marriott and had dinner we split a filet mignon - (Hany our chef friend said he could eat 8 of them..) I say easy to say if you are tall and thin....

Even heavy I can't eat that much. We had asparagus as our veggie. I think I went into a nirvana state... Delicious!!!

I really want to be more creative cooking. I know that I have it in me to be a good cook... The things that I make taste good ... but my presentation sucks.

I have been trying to figure out how to make healthier versions of foods I love... that I miss that I am craving....


One of those is Pei Wei's Spicy Chicken salad .... I know I can't have the chicken part but the salad part is do-able I found this recipe for the dressing on line...


Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Dressing.


1 cup packed cilantro
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of minced garlic


Here is how I made it (reminder I made extra for my next meals )












1 cup of Lime juice
2 packets of Stevia
1 tsp of olive oil (on protocol you can have one a day)
I used a pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
Cilantro paste
garlic (pre peeled because I am lazy)
mixed in the food processor .....


I served over lettuce and had a few slices of cucumber


I served with steak but I am thinking I may want to use dressing as a marinade make chicken and have an awesome chicken salad.... I have to say my version wasn't as fattening as Pei Wei ... but it was good and flavorful .... I can't wait to have salad again!

I am truly enjoying Iced Water with lemon ... it is refreshing and yummy.

But... sometimes I still crave a soda now and again....

I found these ... Zevia sweetened with Stevia...
like the sweetner Truvia you can have a max of 2 a day.
I use them to curb a sweet tooth.

Now granted... I am only drinking the orange one ... so if anyone tries any of the other ones let me know how they taste.

I am enjoying cooking on the foreman grill it is easy to clean.

I finally took over baking the cookies for Officer Roger or Batman as is his call sign.
I made chocolate chip... peanut butter with reeses pieces and peanut butter with peanut butter chips...

I am finding super sweet smells make me want to rowlf. or vomit... sell a buick ... toss my cookies... or whatever you want to call it.

So ... hope all is well in your world....