Sisterhood of the Shrinking Pants: Waisting away!

Friday again already! You know what that means....weigh in day! It was bound to happen....my scale tells me I haven't lost an ounce this week. I was only discouraged for a minute though. Because I am counting calories, I know that, technically, I must have lost some fat somewhere and water weight will make the number on the scale fluctuate. I know that even on The Biggest Loser, the contestants have weeks when they don't lose ( or they gain) even though they haven't changed their routine or diet. My body has its own mind it seems. But, my body feels different so let's take out that tape measure and see.

Yep, my waist, my menopausal middle......is one inch less than last week.....so are my hips and thighs. So maybe all that muscle I'm building is the reason for the scale not budging! There is a part of me that always hopes for huge numbers lost every Friday, but logically I know that's not what I'll see. Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter because I know that if I am consistent with my plan, it will show up eventually.

The weekend is here! I have a party tonight and tomorrow I'm off to visit my sister for an overnight...so that means I have to be a little diligent about what I put in my mouth ( alcohol). So, I've committed to only have 2 drinks and I'll work them into my calorie count for each day. In social situations like this, with lots of tempting ,fattening food, it's actually an advantage that I can't eat gluten, because most of those goodies are stuff I can't eat anyway!

Recipe of the Day
Phyllo pizza with feta, basil and tomato
I have a ton of basil to harvest from the garden, so I'm looking for ways to use it. This recipe from Cooking Light looks great! ( of course I'll substitute a gluten free crust)

Salty cheese, tomatoes, and basil make this a savory treat. Pair with a tossed green salad for a light summer supper.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 2 slices)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 (18 x 14–inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
Cooking spray
2 cups thinly sliced plum tomato
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl.

3. Cut phyllo sheets in half crosswise. Working with 1 phyllo sheet half at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), place phyllo sheet on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat phyllo sheet with cooking spray. Repeat with 2 more layers of phyllo. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Repeat layers 5 times, ending with 2 phyllo sheets. Coat top phyllo sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Pat tomato slices with a paper towel. Arrange tomato slices on top of cheese, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with onions and the remaining 6 tablespoons cheese mixture. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with basil leaves.

Wine note: A good wine for this dish won't overwhelm the delicate phyllo but will stand up to the salty cheeses and fresh basil. A favorite that fills the bill: Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva from the Casablanca Valley of Chile. The 2008 is $11. —Karen MacNeil