Obligation Freaks?, Taco Salad Recipe, Mexican Cravings Intensified!

So during my hellacious commute yesterday (p.s. Thank you for your sympathy and empathy – I was really feeling sorry for myself… hehe) I listened to Lipstick Jungle CD 2 of 5. It’s kind of fun to listen to since I half-watched the show when it was on air. The book is SO much better because it really provides back story and fills in some blanks on how the girls got to where they are, and why they are the way they are if you know what I’m saying. Anywho – as I’m listening Victory is talking about her boyfriend and says, and I quote: “He was an obligation freak. He hated not doing what he said he was going to do.” This totally struck me to the point that I paused it, typed it on my phone and emailed it to myself.

Obligation freak. I’d never heard the term but IMMEDIATELY identified with it. Sometimes, for me, it’s not so much that I want to work out or that I’m thinking about the health benefits or vanity benefits, it’s just that I said I would do it. This goes for everything – my house stuff, reading, making recipes, etc. Don’t get me wrong – I’m SO happy when I do it, but am I happy because of the result (the good book; the new meal) or am I just happy that I finished it? Furthermore, does it really matter?

I don’t know. All I know is that I’ve been raving for a while now about how my blog and the bloggie world helps me be more accountable. Helps me have all of my shiz in one place. Helps me identify what I want to do each month. Then I say when I’ll do it. Then I do it. I’m like a mini machine – self-programming. And of course, don’t get me wrong, I don’t do everything I say I will, not by a long shot, but sometime I wonder if I’m more addicted to doing what I say I’m going to do (which is of course things I WANT to do), then it is that I’m addicted to eating low-calorie, cooking, reading, exercising, upgrading my home, etc.

Just food for thought. Do you think being an “obligation freak” is a bad thing? Are you one?

On to today, pretty lame day. I had bacon/egg/cheese for breakfast with a baby dove chocolate. YUM! Then a snack of Trader Joe’s popcorn, then a lunch of Real Mom Kitchen’s Chicken Tortilla Soup. Yum – it had been frozen for about 3 weeks and I defrosted it and it was the bomb. Afterward, around 3 p.m., I had a serving of my homemade guacamole with some chips, along with another dove bar! Yes, 1,000 calories by 3:30 p.m. – I felt happy and full. No, I didn’t get to take a lunch today. I had too much work to do and didn’t fight it too much as I’m seriously still sore. I know, who knew I was such a whiney wimp? Oh wells! After work I raced straight home – MAN that feels good – and got to cooking some more shiz. I’ve been CRAVING Mexican food lately – just can’t get enough of those flavas!! So I made my first Taco Salad for dinner – sweet! I followed directions from my friend Stacy who packed hers up and brought it to work – clever! I used the following ingredients for FOUR servings!

1 can fat-free refried beans (400 grams)
16 oz. 96/4 ground beef
2 tbsp onion, diced

1 serano pepper, deseeded and finely diced
1 packet taco seasoning, divided
8 tbsp fat-free sour cream
4 cups lettuce
16 wedges of sliced tomato
¼ cup fat-free cheddar cheese (for garnish)
4 mission low-carb tortillas


Preheat oven to 350. Ball up foil loosely and mold “shells” with the tortillas around the ball (picture bowl topside down). Place tortillas on a cookie sheet in oven for 6 - 10 minutes until desired crispiness. While tortillas bake, set pot over medium and spray with cooking spray. Add beans and 1-2 tsp of taco seasoning. Stir until warm. While beans are heating up, set a large pan on medium and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add onions and peppers and stir for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add meat, remaining taco seasoning, and a little bit of water (1-2 tbsp). Stir until meat is no longer red. While stirring, remove tortillas from the oven and set on a plate. Add lettuce layer, 100 grams of beans to each tortilla, 121 grams of meat mixture, lettuce layer, sour cream, tomato and cheese and serve. Nutritional Information: 415 calories, 45 carbs, 8 fat grams and 38 protein grams. Yummilicious!

What have you been craving lately?

What's your favorite taco salad topping (if you have one!)

After dinner I had the last of the crack cookies. (AKA Trader Joe's Crispy chocolate chip mini cookies). Now i'm off to hang out with Austin and Reuben - good times! I'm done eating - woo! I ended up at 1,688 calories, 194 carbs, 61 fat grams and 95 protein grams. Here's what I ate. Not bad, but I do wish I hadn't had those 4 hershey kisses - totally mindless eating and I wasn't hungry. Grrrr. Also, I wish I still wasn't so sore! I took an off day today so here's to a good workout tomorrow! Have a good night!!