Good News!

First, I made the salmon for our family the other night. It was delicious! I DO NOT like fish, much less salmon. But I found a recipe that made it taste good.....even my littlest loved it. He ate it all in about 45 seconds along with his salad and veggies. I couldn't believe it. I am going to post the recipe at the bottom for those of you who also are fish haters but are trying to get into a healthier lifestyle.

Next I lost 2.5 pounds last week. Which brings my running total up to 6 pounds. I have a goal of losing 10 pounds before Feb. 10 so I can get the facial I scheduled after my first week of work outs. If I don't make it, I'm not going. This is a reward. Too often in the past I would just reward myself whether I met the goal or not, but this is the new ME and I am going to make it. Today is 2/2 which means I have 8 days to lose 4 pounds. A completely reachable goal. I am proud of myself!

I am also proud of myself for mustering up the courage the join the skinny minnies in pilates today. I made it through the whole class, doing what I was able to and resting when needed, and I can tell you I will go again. But I did look at the clock 30 minutes in and think......."OMG, OMG, OMG I'm not going to make it!" "Can the other people in this class smell me......because I sure can" then toward the end with 3 minutes left I thought "I'm going to make it" "I can't believe it" "I DID IT!!!!".  So you can see a range of emotions running through there. We'll see what I think tomorrow when my CORE is screaming......"WHAT did you DO?"

Here's the recipe:

Barbecue Roasted Salmon

Yield: Serves 4
Comments: Flavored with pineapple juice, brown sugar, chili powder, and cumin, this easy entree can transform any weeknight meal into something special. Try serving it with steamed basmati rice and a spinach salad tossed with mandarin oranges, sliced red onion, and fat-free poppy seed dressing.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cooking spray
Lemon wedges (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Remove fish from bag; discard marinade.
4. Combine sugar and next 5 ingredients (sugar through cinnamon) in a bowl. Rub over fish; place in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with lemon, if desired.