Crockpot Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs shredded or diced frozen potatoes (thawed), or fresh peeled & diced. (Divide this into 2lbs and 1 lb.)
• 1 16 oz bag frozen cauliflower, thawed & chopped (optional)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1 large shredded carrot
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 lb diced extra-lean ham
• 1-2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock (enough to cover, +/- more/less to desired consistency)
• 1/2-1 cup flour (gluten free flour mixes work GREAT but you may have to simmer them longer to achieve a creamy texture)
• 1/4 oil or butter
• 2 cups half & half
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• seasonings to taste (salt, seasoning blends, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and/or herbs de provence are all good add in options)
  
  

Directions:

1. In crock pot combine 2 lbs potatoes, cauliflower, celery, onion, carrots, garlic, & ham.
2. Add broth to cover by 1" and cook on low 6-8 hours; It can remain on low afterwards until you are ready for step 3.
3. In a nonstick skillet on stove combine butter/oil and enough flour to make a thin paste. Cook on medium-low for approximately 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in half & half until completely combined then add parsley & black pepper. 
5. Add to crock and season to taste.
6. Stir in additional 1lb of potatoes.
7. Allow to cook on high for another 30-60 minutes to thicken.
8. When potatoes are cooked, stir in cheese and add broth until desired consistency.
9. Allow to warm through again and serve.

Notes:

• If cooking on stove top, process remains the same but time is lowered to 1-2 hours in step 2 and 15-30 minutes in step 7.
• If using gluten free flours an additional 1 hour simmer may be needed due to the texture of the grains.
• The add in of the 3rd lb of potatoes is to add texture and the first 2 will cook down to a creamy consistency. If you prefer more texture you can divide 1lb for step 1 and 2lbs for step 6.
• Never allow the mixture to boil after adding cheese and half & half. It won't spoil the soup but it will spoil the look as it will separate.
• The cauliflower is optional but is a great way to hide it from your kids.
• This can also be created with chopped broccoli used in place of all or half oft he potatoes.

What's the hold up?

Ok so I lost 4.2 lbs my first day on Atkins... which I am sure was built up water since I peed ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT LONG. Today I am holding steady at the same weight.. but I had to up my carbs last night.

There are three major side effects to Atkins and apparently I am going to get them all.
Predicted Day 1-3 headaches from your body missing the carbs
Predicted Day 2-4 exhaustion from your body missing the carbs
Predicted Week 1-2 severe leg crams from lack of potassium - apparently we get most of our potassium from a lot of high carb foods.

The headaches I'm used to - I get migraines arouns AF time, O time, and anytime I'm stressed  So the dull ache I had Mon & Tues was not terrible... bring on the Aleve.

I'm home alone right now and my main purpose in life is wash/dry/fold laundry... so I can nap in between - so the exhaustion is workable.

But the cramps. O. M. G.!!!! Last night I was laying in bed with Kaelyn watching Heathcliff on Netflix.. laying on my side, knees curled/fetal position. And I needed to get up & go pee. Thank heavens it wasn't an emergency because my knees & calves had cramped up so bad it took me about 5-10 minutes to slowly flex & unflex them till I got my legs straight!!

I talked to DH and he agrees with me that I need to wait to hit it hard core until I get to the store this weekend and get some potassium supplements.

Until then I am going to stay "lower than usual" carbs. Since MFP was documenting my pre-Atkins carbs at usually near but occasionally over 300... I think I need to wean while I'm waiting on my potassium.

I'll still have my lunch salad, but have a small potato or serving of rice with dinner and last night I had some peanut butter on a slice of bread. I'll be diligent but not so high or so low. I think I'm going to am to have 80-100 carbs comfortably by the weekend & re-start Monday. I also have a pantry full of gluten free foods that I can't eat on the diet.. like my GF pastas and flours that are $5/lb. I can feed it to my family.. and I do/will, but it's too expensive to "waste" since I can now buy them regular/gluten-loaded options for 96¢. (Side note: I made Gf pasta last night and didn't eat any because it was before the cramps... anyway 46 carbs per 3/4 cup serving!!!!)

I found this list, and what I have like this* I had at least 1-3x a week on my previous diet so it's no wonder that I'm missing my potassium!!!

Food (100g) Potassium (mg)
Apricots 1380
Bran Wheat 1160
Tomato Puree 1150*
Raisins 1020*
Figs 900
Wheat Germ 950
Dried Fruit Mix 880
Mixed Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin) 650
Mixed Nuts 600*
Baked Potato with Skin 600*
Roasted Potatoes 530*
Bran Flakes 530
Boiled Soy Beans 510
Veal 420
Whole Grain Pasta 400*
Banana 400*
Soy Flour 1650*

Once I pass induction (2 weeks) I can add seeds back, and some nuts, as well as soy products - all in moderation but that will get some potassium back in my diet.

When these 2 weeks are done add 5 carbs per week until I reach a steady goal of 2-3lbs per week loss. And I can re-cycle induction in when I feel I need a boost.

Lets' see if I can hang on to the 4 lbs I lost till Monday!!!




  Would you like a free tarot reading? Click here.

Weight Loss Round 3 - since 2 didn't work

Back in January I started looking at Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a natural way to help with some of my "ailments" from body aches & pains, migraines, and infertility. I came across a local practitioner in Cary, NC and started talking to her about things to help without ever having met her. She suggested starting an anti-inflammatory diet to determine food allergies based on the extensive questionnaire she had me fill out.

To my surprise, I determined I have a wheat allergy.  Some of my favorite foods where delegated to a "do not eat" list and over the next few months I lost about 15 lbs. Not a lot, but for someone who had been stuck at a weight over 230 lbs for YEARS, it was an accomplishment.

In July I reaccessed because I determined a new lifestyle change by finding wheat alternatives. I set a goal of 2lbs loss per week for 10 weeks. 22 lbs.  I figured out how to add pastas, bread, cakes and cookies back into my life as wheat-free options - and I failed that goal. Im currently at a gain.

In January-June, "wheat free" translated to mostly "carb free" because I didn't know about all the wheat-free options outt here. And because ofthat I focused on eating more of a whole foods, fruit/veggie diet.

I also noticed that when I added wheat free carb options I just wanted more... so I started eating wheat based carbs again as well.

I'm done. Starting Monday, September 19, until my birthday on December 3, my goal is to lose 2lbs per week which is about 21.5 lbs.  Because of the HUGE success of a friend with Atkins, and the fact that NOT EATING heavy carbs combined with my wheat-free diet helped me tremendously health & weight wise, I bought the new Atkins book Saturday and I'll be LOSING again soon.

Would you like a free tarot reading? Click here.