Second Verse...Same as the First!

The last time most of you saw the post below was November 2012.  My dad had just died and I was a mess and waaaaaay off track from following P10.  Today I was browsing back through the blog, saw this old post and I realized that I was right back in this place AGAIN.  And I started crying.  Because I cry a lot lately.  Because life happens and taking care of myself once again falls by the wayside.  And I read this and realized that I CAN pick myself back up again.  Sorry if you dropped by looking for recipes, today will be an advice column.  Maybe you can use it and maybe you can't.  And maybe you can save it for another time when you do need it. 

You know what I WISH?  I wish we could all get together and talk and hang out like they do at WW meetings.  How about you?  Since that would be a logistical nightmare, come on by the Perfect 10 Diet Recipes Facebook Page and say hi, chat a while, see how others are doing.  I promise not to weigh you in public! 

Take care!  J

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Just This Once...

So lately I’ve had a lot going on.  My wonderful bestest ever Dad died, family came to town, things at work got really busy and my wallet is really empty -  and I’ve used all that as an excuse to not worry too much about eating right or exercising and I started comfort eating many foods I haven’t had in a long time…just this once…

Well folks, that ‘just this once’ turns into again and again and again and a GAIN!

And the stuff I wanted to eat – just this once several times– sure didn’t taste as good as I’d remembered it…it was greasy and left a filmy layer on my teeth and not to mention all the other ‘benefits’ such as:

Hungover feeling

Unable to get to sleep and unable to sleep soundly (twitchy feet)

Feeling tired and cranky and emotional

Cravings and hunger returned

Aches and pains

Headaches and exhaustion

Aching tummy with disgusting ‘musical’ accompaniment

COMFORT EATING WAS NOT VERY COMFORTING!

So WHY WHY WHY would I let myself fall back into this when I know better?  Why is it so hard to get back on track when I already know the answer?

Other P10 followers have mentioned this as well, so I sat and thought about what or why we sometimes do this to ourselves – here’s some of my thoughts.

One time I read that many homeless people are actually people with mental health problems who stopped taking their meds because they ‘felt better’ and then were not able to take care of themselves.  And of course, one would say ‘well of course you felt better, it was the meds!  Why’d you stop?’

I think on P10 we start to feel so much better physically and emotionally that we forget just how BAD we felt before and so we think we can put our big toe across that line and eat like that ‘just this once’ and then we are surprised by how bad it feels.  If you get a hold of yourself you can go right back onto P10 and keep going.  Or if you’re like me, you can think ‘well I already blew it I might as well cross the line a little more while I’m at it’ and then one day you realize that you’re veeeeeeeeeery far from shore.

For those of you who have experienced childbirth, it’s the same principle.  Scientists tell us that we forget how painful it was and that’s why we are able to have other children, because we block out the pain and remember the joy.  I think that applies to P10 as well.  We’re so jazzed to feel great and lose weight we lose sight of just how miserable we were before and then we start putting a toe over the line – just this once – and then again and again, etc.

Well, let’s be frank – you’re not cheating on P10 at all.  You’re cheating yourself.  I love hearing from the new P10 peeps about how they’re losing weight and feeling great and how awesome is this?  We get in the habit of eating right and feeling good and tend to forget how far we’ve come and how hard we had to work to get this far…

I remember being able to turn my nose up at the bread plate or smiling and sweating every day after my 5am workout and I wonder where that person went.  Sure, we all have stress and issues and problems, there’s no getting around that.  What happened to that person that decided that I was worth the extra effort, the discipline, the praise and the sweat?  My ‘old self’ took advantage of me being down and out and crept her way back in. 

Time to throw her out.  Time to take back my health and P10 lifestyle.  Time to start feeling GREAT physically, mentally and emotionally.

That’s the beauty of P10.  No need to sign back up, recount your points or wait until Monday to start over.  JUST DO IT RIGHT NOW.  The next meal, and the next and the next.  And if your brain thinks it needs that grilled pastrami sandwich and onion rings or chocolate shake tell it to wait – it’s not like that stuff is going to disappear in the next five minutes.  It’ll still be there days, weeks, months and years from now. 

One meal, one day, one step at a time.  Take the time to get back on track and take care of yourself.  We use stress as an excuse to eat badly and get lazy but FOR PETE’S SAKE when you’re taking care of yourself the stress doesn’t eat you alive. 

I apologize if this rant doesn’t have to do with you.  I figure we’re all human and we all have our issues and maybe you can get a germ or two of wisdom/experience from all this.  Maybe you’re new and you’re like ‘oh that won’t happen to me, I’m doing awesome.’  And you are and I hope you continue to do so…

BECAUSE WE ALL DESERVE TO FEEL BETTER

Thanks for listening.  I’d like to hear your constructive comments about how you worked through your own situation where you turned around and realized you were headed into deep water.

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

photo courtesy of www.realmomkitchen.com

Thank you Karen K. for sharing this recipe – not only easy peasy but yummy!

And since it was already kinda sorta Cinco de Mayo and we kinda sorta missed it, you could still make this recipe and celebrate twice!

This recipe comes from www.realmomkitchen.com and it is VERY flexible.  Whenever I get a recipe from a website, I always take the time to read the comments and see how it worked for everyone and what other great ideas they might pop up with.

And you could put the fajitas on lettuce wraps (Stage 1) or tortillas (Stages 2/3) OR you could dump this on a bed of greens and call it Fajita Salad.

Remember – everyone’s tastes are different so feel free to spice up or down, use more veggies, etc.  This is just a jumping off point for you.  I have altered the recipe slightly for P10.

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

Makes 12 servings

1 pound thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies - DRAINED
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced (I use half a green and half a red)
12 lettuce leaf wraps (Stage 1) OR 12 flour tortillas (Stages 2 and 3)
Toppings such as cheese, sour cream, guacamole and fresh lime

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.   Use some extra oil to coat a 13×9 baking dish

Place chicken strips in the baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.

Combine the spice mixture with the chicken and toss to coat.

Next, add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.  

Serve on tortillas/lettuce wraps or greens with desired toppings.

Overnight Oatmeal

Just a heads up - this recipe is for STAGES 2 and 3 ONLY - sorry Stage 1 peeps...but, if this is something that would work well for your family feel free to go ahead and run with it.

I’m testing ‘grab and go’ or make-ahead items for those who want a good breakfast but don’t always have time to make them.   This recipe is a simple 'stop, drop and scoop' and then out the door. 

This was pretty good but Bubba (my hubby) and I thought the lemon zest was a little heavy, so I’ve scaled that back for you.  And feel free to use whatever fruit you would like, peaches, apples, bananas, berries, etc.  The original recipe says ‘serves 4’ – which in real life terms is 6 normal people or 2 teenage boys.  This fills you up fast!

I didn’t have rolled oats; I used steel cut oats and it was a little chewy and nutty tasting but we liked that better than soft mushy oatmeal.  I think you would too.

Overnight Oatmeal

serves 6

This affordable, healthy breakfast provides protein, whole grains and fruit to help you start your morning right.  The twist is that it virtually prepares itself while you’re sleeping — simply serve in the morning, straight from the fridge or warmed if you prefer.

2 cups uncooked rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings:

chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds

Your choice of fruit, peeled and chopped

agave nectar

Combine oats, milk, vanilla and zest in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, scoop oatmeal into bowls and top with nuts and fruit.  Add butter or a drizzle of agave nectar if you’d like.  You can eat this hot or cold.

1/2 cup of this oatmeal is 1 serving of grains and 1/2 serving of fat.  Remember to count whatever toppings you use as well.

Just this once…

So lately I’ve had a lot going on.  My wonderful bestest ever Dad died, family came to town, things at work got really busy and my wallet is really empty -  and I’ve used all that as an excuse to not worry too much about eating right or exercising and I started comfort eating many foods I haven’t had in a long time…just this once…

Well folks, that ‘just this once’ turns into again and again and again and a GAIN!

And the stuff I wanted to eat – just this once several times– sure didn’t taste as good as I’d remembered it…it was greasy and left a filmy layer on my teeth and not to mention all the other ‘benefits’ such as:

Hungover feeling

Unable to get to sleep and unable to sleep soundly (twitchy feet)

Feeling tired and cranky and emotional

Cravings and hunger returned

Aches and pains

Headaches and exhaustion

Aching tummy with disgusting ‘musical’ accompaniment

COMFORT EATING WAS NOT VERY COMFORTING!

So WHY WHY WHY would I let myself fall back into this when I know better?  Why is it so hard to get back on track when I already know the answer?

Other P10 followers have mentioned this as well, so I sat and thought about what or why we sometimes do this to ourselves – here’s some of my thoughts.

One time I read that many homeless people are actually people with mental health problems who stopped taking their meds because they ‘felt better’ and then were not able to take care of themselves.  And of course, one would say ‘well of course you felt better, it was the meds!  Why’d you stop?’

I think on P10 we start to feel so much better physically and emotionally that we forget just how BAD we felt before and so we think we can put our big toe across that line and eat like that ‘just this once’ and then we are surprised by how bad it feels.  If you get a hold of yourself you can go right back onto P10 and keep going.  Or if you’re like me, you can think ‘well I already blew it I might as well cross the line a little more while I’m at it’ and then one day you realize that you’re veeeeeeeeeery far from shore.

For those of you who have experienced childbirth, it’s the same principle.  Scientists tell us that we forget how painful it was and that’s why we are able to have other children, because we block out the pain and remember the joy.  I think that applies to P10 as well.  We’re so jazzed to feel great and lose weight we lose sight of just how miserable we were before and then we start putting a toe over the line – just this once – and then again and again, etc.

Well, let’s be frank – you’re not cheating on P10 at all.  You’re cheating yourself.  I love hearing from the new P10 peeps about how they’re losing weight and feeling great and how awesome is this?  We get in the habit of eating right and feeling good and tend to forget how far we’ve come and how hard we had to work to get this far…

I remember being able to turn my nose up at the bread plate or smiling and sweating every day after my 5am workout and I wonder where that person went.  Sure, we all have stress and issues and problems, there’s no getting around that.  What happened to that person that decided that I was worth the extra effort, the discipline, the praise and the sweat?  My ‘old self’ took advantage of me being down and out and crept her way back in. 

Time to throw her out.  Time to take back my health and P10 lifestyle.  Time to start feeling GREAT physically, mentally and emotionally.

That’s the beauty of P10.  No need to sign back up, recount your points or wait until Monday to start over.  JUST DO IT RIGHT NOW.  The next meal, and the next and the next.  And if your brain thinks it needs that grilled pastrami sandwich and onion rings or chocolate shake tell it to wait – it’s not like that stuff is going to disappear in the next five minutes.  It’ll still be there days, weeks, months and years from now. 

One meal, one day, one step at a time.  Take the time to get back on track and take care of yourself.  We use stress as an excuse to eat badly and get lazy but FOR PETE’S SAKE when you’re taking care of yourself the stress doesn’t eat you alive. 

I apologize if this rant doesn’t have to do with you.  I figure we’re all human and we all have our issues and maybe you can get a germ or two of wisdom/experience from all this.  Maybe you’re new and you’re like ‘oh that won’t happen to me, I’m doing awesome.’  And you are and I hope you continue to do so…

BECAUSE WE ALL DESERVE TO FEEL BETTER

Thanks for listening.  I’d like to hear your constructive comments about how you worked through your own situation where you turned around and realized you were headed into deep water.

Quinoa Cauliflower Mash

Quinoa is pronounced 'keen-wa'

Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming, authors of "The Everyday Superfood," describe quinoa as "one of the world's healthiest foods." Quinoa contains all of the essential amino acids, making it an ideal protein source for vegetarians who typically need to eat a wide variety of protein foods to get all of the amino acids found in animal protein. Quinoa is gluten-free and can be used as a protein-rich substitute for wheat, rye and barley.

The Glycemic Index is a ranking system that assigns a number to foods that contain carbohydrates, depending on how quickly they release glucose into the bloodstream. Foods with a high rank are usually not suitable for diabetes sufferers because they cause spikes in blood sugar. Low-GI ranking foods don't adversely affect blood glucose levels; they support weight loss and reduce the risk of heart disease, according to the Glycemic Index website. Quinoa is a low-ranking food on the Glycemic Index.

I am going to double check with Dr. Aziz, since he didn't address quinoa specifically in his book, but for right now, I am going to say sorry all you Stage 1 peeps, this recipe is Stages 2/3 only, but hey, you only have to wait a few weeks until you can try this.  AND YOU MUST TRY THIS!  This is freaking delicious, I could not stop eating it and the Kid was head over heels for it.  Be warned, this makes a big ole' pot full so you'll have a lot to eat.  Haven't tried freezing it and reheating it yet so I'll have to let you know about that.  If there's any left by the time I get home...

I served this with a big pat of butter.  It made a great side dish to Greekloaf.

Quinoa Cauliflower Mash

makes 8+ servings

1 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups dry quinoa, uncooked and rinsed

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups chopped fresh cauliflower (about 1/2 of a large head)

4 cups water (or broth if you prefer)

Seasonings:  salt, pepper or garlic salt

In large pot, on medium heat, stir in onion and oil and cook for about 1 minute.

To the oil mixture, add quinoa. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.

To the quinoa, add salt, cauliflower, and water or broth.

Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover pot.  Simmer until all the liquid has absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and mash mixture together with a potato masher.

Taste and add seasonings as you prefer.   A touch of garlic salt was just right on this.

Greekloaf and Quinoa Cauliflower Mash, all warm and cuddly on the plate...

I Deserve It!

The other day was a tough one at work, I was fried by lunchtime.  What I really needed to do was get out of the office and relax, spend some quiet time just breathing deeply and having a great lunch.  So, for a minute or two I sat there and thought about where I was going to go and what sounded good to eat…when lo and behold, who should stick their head into my cubicle but my former ‘beforeP10’ self…someone I hadn’t talked to in a while.

Old self:  “So, having a bad day?  You know what would be awesome!  How about a grilled pastrami and cheddar sandwich and onion rings with ranch and maybe a chocolate shake…that would be sooooo good and you deserve it!”

P10 self:  “That does sound really good!  But I don’t eat like that anymore.  Eating like that makes me feel like crap – sick, bloated, nauseous, and self-loathing.  No thanks!”

Old self:  “Oh but we could just go where no one would even know, and just for once, indulge and really let yourself enjoy it!  You deserve it!”

P10 self:  “Wait…what?  I deserve to be upset, nauseous and gassy?  Whose side are you on anyway?”

Old self:  “No, I just mean..the food, the pastrami, the cheese, the fried onion rings…it’s just so…goooood…and you’ve been working hard and stressing a bit so you really really deserve it!”

P10 self:  “You know, I USED to think that way…but now I realize that I DESERVE BETTER!!  Look at me!  Healthier, happier, more relaxed and looking and feeling great – THAT’S what I deserve!  That’s what feels good – and that’s what’s awesome!  I think you’d better leave now ‘cause I'ma slap you upside the head in a minute!”

Old self:  “Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me!  So sorry!  That used to be your cure-all for a crappy day and I thought you’d like to indulge yourself a little…I know when I’m not wanted!”

She left and I was glad to see her go…she didn’t get it.  Yes, I deserve to relax and unwind and get my second wind and feel better going back to work, but a greasy sandwich, onion rings and chocolate shake are not the answer.  I went out and had a lovely meal of butter sautéed fish and some creamed spinach and sent the bread basket back. 

That’s what I deserved.  I deserved to feel good, and look great and take good care of myself.  And so do you.  So if your former ‘before P10’ self rears its ugly head and tries to talk to into something that’s not part of your new P10 lifestyle, tell it to take a hike (well, you know they won’t, they’ll probably eat ice cream in front of the TV) – so you take that hike, and feel great about yourself and hang in there.

Take care of yourself! 

Why? 

Say it with me:

 YOU DESERVE IT!

Fasting

Now y’all know about and some of you have tried the whey protein fasts that The Perfect 10 Diet book talks about.  The book also mentions fasting as in real 'not-eating-anything' fasting.  I’d heard many people talking about how they tried it and how they went about it so I thought I’d give it a shot.

I found this great resource that it would behoove you to read before you get started:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fasting-weight-loss/#axzz1r23Idtvc

Breaking it up like this between the days makes it seem easier because you’re still eating each day-just not the whole day-make sense?  I never felt like I was starving or deprived.  Always make sure and drink plenty of water!

Day 1 –

Breakfast – eggs with spinach and cream cheese, 1/2 avocado and coffee w/half & half

Lunch – salad with grilled chicken and grapes

No dinner

Exercised – 2 mile walk @ 2.8 mph

Slept like a rock, felt great

Day 2 –

Breakfast –coffee w/half & half (just to take meds)

Exercised – 2 mile walk @ 3.0 mph

No lunch

Drank water and had a couple cups of hot green tea (‘cause I was cold)

I didn’t feel starved or crazed, I had energy

Dinner – spinach salad with shrimp

I lost 2.6 pounds during this 24 hour fast.

You know your body better than I do so if you’re going to do this, proceed with caution and LISTEN to your body.  We are all grown people making our own decisions so if the fasting is not a good fit for you don’t force it.  Remember, I’m not a doctor, I’m just a bossy big sister giving you advice whether you like it or not.  If you have medical issues, ask your doctor before you do this.

Anyway, that’s what worked for me and I wanted to remind you that you are not finished – you’re only just beginning. Take care everyone!

Little Things Mean a Lot

Well folks, I’ve been doing a LOT of thinking over the past couple of weeks.  I got an email from Stacy C. asking me ‘…how strict are you?  How often do you exercise and watch what you’re eating?’  Well let me tell you I whipped my head around and got all ready to write back a terrific response on how strict I was and how I was working the P10. 

But then, I hesitated…because…was I?  Was I really working The Perfect 10 Diet Plan or had I (gulp) fallen by the wayside – sidetracked by other information, circumstances, stress and vacation? 

So I started a list of all the ‘rules’ to follow on P10 as a guideline for Stacy and then realized, I wasn’t being strict AT ALL.  What happened?  Where did I go wrong?  How did I get SO far off course? 

Little things…at first

Using the pre-made salad dressing at the restaurant

Salads with a wholesale ton of yummy things on them

Not keeping track of portions and using portion control

Forgetting that red meat is not a daily food item

Snacking at night before bedtime

Staying up late and not getting good sleep

Eating undesirable foods ‘just this once’ – but actually several times

Not bothering to check labels

Exercising?  Somehow I had convinced myself that extra sleep was better for me than working out each morning…

The list goes on and on and on but ever so slowly and surely I was taking one step forward and three steps back (or would that be one pound lost and three pounds gained?).  But although my weight didn’t fluctuate too much, I could feel the effect that all these little things were making on my health, state of mind and my P10 attitude.

So Stacy, thank you VERY much for a much needed kick in the pants, and I do mean that with all sincerity.  Many times we say “I’m going back to Stage 1 and starting over” but sometimes that lasts all of a day or two.  If this is just me and you guys are all good and working the P10 like gangbusters then I’m proud and you’re doing awesome – but if something I’m saying is making you blush or cover your face and nod then keep reading and thanks for sticking around.

So no more Pity Party – let’s pull up our big girl panties (or boxers for you guys) and get back on track – WHO’S WITH ME?!?!

HOW STRICT ARE YOU? 

Okay, let’s break it down (Hammer Time?)  This is a basic primer, for all the details about why you should do this go back and look at The Perfect 10 Diet Plan book.

Portions - first of all, if you don’t have it – here is the Bonus Chapter from Dr. Aziz’ book and it gives you portion amounts to follow on P10:  Bonus Chapter link

40% carbs; 40% fat; 20% protein:

or about 6 servings vegetables; 3 servings fat and 3 servings of protein daily
(try to not have more than 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of dairy a day)
no booze

Full fats, lean proteins, non-starchy vegetables, nothing processed – read your labels!!

eat a large breakfast, a medium lunch and a light dinner
try to go to bed slightly hungry

Cut waaaaay back on the caffeine, srsly

Rest and Meditation - At least 7-8 hours of sleep – find out what helps you get to sleep and stay there (as long as it’s legal and non habit forming for Pete’s sake).  How many of you sleep with the fan on just to hear the noise?  Yeah, me too. 

Go find a way to relax that works for you and make sure to keep doing that.  If you’re seriously tweaked then go see a counselor and unload.

Exercise – what wets your sweats?  Keep doing that.  Try to do that at least 3-4 times a week.   If you’re bored try something else.  Google information on routines and ideas or join a gym and ask for help.  Swap exercise videos with your friends.  If you think you’re too heavy to exercise then just start walking.  Walk in place while you’re watching TV if that’s all you can do right now.  Ask a friend to exercise with you to keep you accountable and then hide from that friend for a week until she leaves you alone (wait, don’t do that but you know we’ve all been there).

Track it – write it down, keep a journal or do it electronically, it makes all the difference in seeing what works and what doesn’t. 

Set a Goal – we’re all gradually losing weight and making progress – but it might help to have a goal like “170 by month end” or “5 more pounds before my birthday” to help keep you focused.    Go try on some of your fat clothes and see how far you’ve gotten.  Go to the grocery store and pick up bags of potatoes that equal the weight you’ve lost and congratulate yourself!

Support – maybe some of you are lucky enough to have a friend working the P10 with you.  I know Cindy is trying to convert her entire school district one person at a time but some of us are doing this alone.  And people give you funny looks and ask questions and ‘wish they could too but they just couldn’t do that’ and all that jazz.  Well, come on over to the Facebook page and ask your questions or share your great news or ask for help with your problems. 

So now I’m going back to my journal and re-reading the beginning. 

I’m going to track my portions of appropriate food.

I’m going to bed on time tonight

AND I’m going to get up and exercise – and you can ask me about it too!

Thanks for listening to me.  Thanks for learning with me.  I hope that everyone is finding something they can use from this blog.

Give me a hand when I've lost the way

Give me your shoulder to cry on

Whether the day is bright or gray

Give me your heart to rely on

Send me the warmth of a secret smile

To show me you haven't forgot

For now and forever, that's always and ever

Honey, little things mean a lot

Polenta

Hey Kelley - remember when I made Parmesan Chicken Breasts and promised to show you how to make polenta?  Sorry it's taken me so long!

Many are intimated by polenta because you’ve heard rumors about how hard it is to make, that you have to stir and stir and don’t step away and you are forbidden to evacuate in case of fire or else you’ll have lumps (in the polenta, that is, I’m not commenting on your personal appearance).

Well, it does take little while to make polenta and you will need to stick around while it’s cooking but there is an easy peasy trick that really does work and your polenta will come out lovely!

The trick is starting out with a ‘slurry’, a mushy mixture of cornmeal and water that you whisk together before cooking. You then put the mixture over medium high heat, bring it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and gradually add more liquid as needed to keep the mixture smooth and loose.

And what would you top this lovely mixture with?  How about marinara sauce with sautéed vegetables and slices of grilled chicken?  This is a great side dish for any 'saucy' dinner you might whip up.

If you are currently on Stage 1, this is the point where you stop reading, get very sad and come back in a few weeks to try this out - sorry!  (maybe I should have put this part first?  Sorry again!)

Polenta

makes 4 servings

1 cup medium-to-coarse cornmeal

1 cup water (can use broth for more flavor) + 3 more cups

salt

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (goat cheese is also great in this)

2 tablespoons butter

freshly ground black pepper

Add cornmeal in a medium saucepan along with 1 cup water and whisk well to make a slushy mushy mix; continue whisking to remove any lumps. Then - put pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking frequently and adding water/broth as needed to keep mixture loose and free of lumps, about 3 more cups. If mixture becomes too thick, simply add a bit more water; consistency should be similar to sour cream.

Polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on grind. Add cheese and butter. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

Lo siento, tengo mucho tarde para el Cinco de Mayo - but, it's never too late to celebrate with this absolutely delicious Mexican casserole.  This is one of our knock down drag out favorite meals.  Now, because it contains flour tortillas, this is not suitable for P10 Stage 1 and those of you who are not eating grains - but I'm thinking you could substitute a flaxseed wrap in place of the tortillas - just not sure how that would taste?

Depending on what kind of meat your family likes, this can be very versatile or you can make it vegetarian by just adding an extra can of black beans. 

Print this recipe:  Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

makes 6-8 servings

 4 (9-inch) flour tortillas

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons taco seasoning

1 lb ground beef/turkey (OR use an extra can of black beans)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen corn

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 (15-ounce) can refried beans

4 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

cilantro, chopped 

8 ounces cheese, shredded

salsa and sour cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400.

Using the bottom of the pan as a guide, use a paring knife to trim the edges of the tortillas so that they fit in a 9-inch springform pan.  

Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.  Sauté the onion and meat until no longer pink.  Add the garlic and taco seasoning, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  

Add the black beans and broth to the skillet, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, 8-10 minutes.  Mix in the corn and scallions and remove from heat.

Spread a layer of refried beans on each tortilla.  Then lay one of the tortillas across the bottom of the springform pan (bean side up).  Layer with 1/4 of the meat/bean mixture, and sprinkle with cheese.  Repeat 3 times, finishing with beans and cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted and the mixture is heated through, about 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and unmold the pie.  Garnish with remaining scallions and cilantro, and serve with sour cream and salsa.