Meeting Leslie Sansone!

Picture taken on the set!

The driver who was waiting for me at LAX!

On my way to the studio!

Bryana, a walker who has been in several of Leslie's Walk At Home DVD's, and me!

I was contacted by one of Leslie Sansone's Production Assistants, asking if I would be interested in filming  my weight loss story and being included as Leslie's special guest in a new DVD that she would be taping in LA.  I only had to think about that for a minute...ha! I was flown to LA on March 28th, and spent the day in the studio, with Leslie, cast and crew. What a wonderful opportunity and experience!

Me and Leslie!

The Better Butter Chicken-Fragrant Indian butter chicken-Looneyspoons Cookbook

2 T butter (I used olive oil)
1 1/2 C chopped onions
2 tsp minced garlic
1 T grated gingerroot
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp each ground coriander and ground tumeric
1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and ground cumin
1 can (28 ounces) no salt added diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 C reduced sodium chicken broth
1 T brown sugar (I used stevia)
1/4 tsp each salt and freshly ground pepper
1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat cut up ( I used cooked chicken strips )
1/3 C light sour cream
1 T minced fresh cilantro
Hot cooked basmati rice (I used cooked brown rice)

Melt butter in a deep, 10-inch skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add gingerroot, chili powder, coriander, tumeric, cinnamon and cumin.  Cook 1 more minute.  Add tomatoes, chicken broth, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  
Add cut up chicken and sour cream.  Simmer, uncovered, for 5 more minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.  Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.  
I served this with a side of baked veggies and topped the chicken with avocado.

     

Pictures

A lot can happen in a few years with hard work!!

Kyle and I posing...most muscular!  HA!!

Sticky Chicky-Baked chicken in a sticky-sweet barbeque sauce-Looneyspoons Cookbook

16 boneless skinless chicken thighs-I used 6 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C barbeque sauce
1/4 C reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C pure maple syrup or honey
1 T chili powder
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T grated gingerroot
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 T cornstarch
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange chicken pieces in pan in single layer.
To make sauce, whisk together remaining ingredients, except cornstarch, in a medium bowl.  Pour evenly over chicken.  Turn pieces to coat both sides with sauce.  Bake, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.
Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.  Carefully pour sauce from pan into a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Combine cornstarch with an equal amount of water and mix until smooth.  Add to sauce.  Cook until sauce is bubbly and has thickened, about 1 minute.  Serve hot chicken with extra sauce on top.

I served the chicken over spinach flavored shirataki tofu noodles, and a side of baked veggies.       

I Got Stew, Babe-Chicken stew with balsamic roasted vegetables-Looneyspoons Cookbook

4 C unpeeled, cubed red potatoes
2 C whole baby carrots
1 C chopped red onions
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme, divided
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, divided
1 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 C sliced green beans
1/2 C dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 C reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 T all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
*I also used a large container of sliced mushrooms and a small package of cubed, butternut squash.  

Spray a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Add potatoes, carrots, onions, squash, mushrooms, vinegar,  oil, garlic, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary, tarragon, salt and pepper. Mix well. (I added all of these ingredients into a large mixing bowl, mixed well and then put them on a large cookie sheet, sprayed with non-stick spray.)  Roast, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, stir once halfway through cooking time.  Add green beans and roast for 10 more minutes.
Meanwhile, pour wine into a large pot.  Add remaining 1/2 tsp thyme and 1/2 tsp rosemary.  Bring to a boil.  Add chicken pieces and reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook, uncovered, until  chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Add roasted vegetables to chicken and wine.  Stir in 2 1/2 C broth.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour with remaining 1/2 C broth until lump free.  Add flour mixture to chicken and vegetables.  Cook until stew is bubbly and has thickened, about 3 minutes.  Serve hot.  This was so good and really easy!  I served it with multi-grain, saltine crackers. 

Much Ado About Mushrooms-Marinated, grilled portobello mushroom fajitas-Looneyspoons Cookbook

1/2 C light balsamic vinaigrette dressing
2 T steak spice rub (I used McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Marinade)
1/2 tsp each ground cumin, chili powder and dried oregano
4 large portobello mushrooms
1 T olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 T each freshly squeezed lime juice and minced fresh cilantro
8   7-inch whole-grain flour tortillas

Fajita fixin's: light sour cream, salsa, chopped lettuce, shredded light cheese, guacamole.

To make marinade, combine dressing, steak rub, cumin, chili powder and oregano in a small bowl.  Using pastry brush, coat both sides of mushrooms with marinade. I went ahead and sliced the mushrooms before adding marinade.  Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Grill mushrooms for about 3 minutes per side, until tender with nice grill marks.  I browned these in a skillet sprayed with non-stick spray and it worked well.  After mushrooms are done, set aside and wrap with foil to keep warm.

Heat olive oil in a large, non-stick wok or skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion slices and peppers.  Cook and stir until vegetables are tender crisp, about 5 minutes.  I also added cubed butternut squash to the veggies.  Add lime juice, cilantro and mushrooms.  Stir gently and cook just until mushrooms are hot.  While my veggies were cooking, I coated a skillet with olive oil and added some minced garlic.  I then added purple cabbage, mixed greens and kale.  Cooked until wilted.  I topped the fajitas with the mushroom mixture, garbanzo beans, greens, fat free sour cream, salsa and avocado.  Easy recipe and tasted really good.

    

Huffington Post!!

I recently sent our weight loss success story to the Huffington Post.  I received an email back within a couple of days and was told that they wanted to share our story on Valentine's Day since Eddie and I helped each other out along the way...=) 

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/i-lost-weight-lori-ed-olson_n_2585619.html?utm_hp_ref=health-and-fitness&ir=Health%20and%20Fitness#comments

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