Hello, Cabbage!

Ever heard of the Cabbage Soup Diet?  I certainly hadn't - not until last Wednesday when my friend Amy told me she was in the middle of it. 

I did some research here and downloaded this gal's free ebook, and decided I should try it.  Normally, I am not a "diet" kind of person, but this one is different.  It's a 7-day course, and you can actually eat during it!

Now, a little background.  I don't totally and completely blame the situation . . . but David was working at McDonald's to generate a little extra income during the summer, and BAM!  I gained 10 pounds.  Yes, me.  Not him.  Who could resist those free burgers and shakes because her husband was "employee of the week" every week for 2 months straight??  (Never mind he was one of the only people who actually worked for 2 months straight!)

And then came Halloween.  Should 2 toddlers really eat so much candy?  I think not.  And Thanksgiving.  Which launches itself directly into Christmas and New Year's.  I think you get the picture.  Our New Year's resolution was for our family to eat healthier, with less sugar and more natural foods. I've been having trouble getting rid of my cravings, though, and needed a boost. A little "detox".

This is why I've started the Cabbage Soup Diet.  I'm on day 2 and things are going pretty well!  Yesterday I made my soup in 2 pots and made one spicy while leaving the other plain for experimenting with different spices such as cumin and curry powder.


Regular Pot of Soup



Spicy Pot of Soup





I have to admit, I was not thrilled about Day One because it's soup and fruit only.  I am not a fruit kind of girl, unless it's, y'know, inside a pie or a cobbler!  But an apple, some grapes, and some frozen strawberries plus 4 bowls of soup, and I made it just fine.  Today is going much better.  It's veggie day!  Who wouldn't enjoy this for lunch??

Yeah, that's a big stir-fry using cooking spray, and then I made a sauce with water and a whole bunch of spices.  Y-U-M!!  Add a little ice water with a splash of cranberry juice and lime, and you've got a meal! 

So, 2 days (almost) down, and 5 more to go . . . I tend not to follow through with things, but I've made a commitment and I'm going to do this!  I can't believe how much more energy I have today than usual, I think largely because I haven't had sugar now for about 48 hours.  We'll see how the rest of the week pans out, but my hope is to end it feeling much less of a need for those things that should be "sometimes" foods. 

Then I'll be free to get back to watching Rachael Ray and reading my beloved Taste of Home, and hopefully I'll have some awesome, budget-friendly meals to share with you all!