Clothing goal attained

I quote me on July 8:

I have this absolutely gorgeous black and dark-green satin chongsam, embroidered all over, that dates back from the 80s... I can't even remember how my ex and I acquired it, but I think I only wore it a few times before I got too big to.  I just tried it on now.  Three months ago I couldn't even have got my shoulders into it; now I can, but it's still too small around the middle.

But I will wear it. I am certain of that.

Ta da!

Oct. 16, 2012 - down 83 lbs.

I am standing in my kitchen where I do all my cooking.  For instance:

IP Masala Tomato Basil Soup

I’ve been on a serious Clubhouse Indian Masala kick lately.  That’s another one of these packaged seasonings made by Clubhouse that I’ve been experimenting with.  They are high-quality in my opinion, even if you can get them at your average supermarket.  The first one I tried was the Greek mix much used by Melissa and Marv—a good sign of things to come.

Anyway, this soup came about when I wondered how the  Indian Masala spice mix would go with IP Tomato Basil soup.  It involves three pans, a lot of garlic, daikon for texture and the trick of adding uncooked onion at the last minute.

1 package IP Tomato Basil Soup, mixed as usual

1 bulb garlic

1 tsp olive oil

Zucchini        \

Daikon             --- chopped, 2 cups

Red pepper

Sweet onion   /

Black pepper to taste

½ tsp curry powder

2 tsp Clubhouse Indian Masala

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp low-carb chicken stock

Steam/boil cauliflower to tenderness.  Divide the bulb of garlic into cloves without removing skins from cloves, scorch in dry frying pan at medium high until they have black patches on all sides.  Saute the other veggies except the onion in the  oil at medium low, adding black pepper, curry powder and masala. When they’re tenderish, add chicken stock and minced garlic.  Take garlic cloves off heat.  Drain cauliflower, add to other veggies.  Turn down to low, add soup.  Peel garlic cloves while soup is heating, add to mix.  Serve into soup bowl, add onions, mix and serve.

If the whole bulb of garlic is too much for you, omit and replace with more daikon, mushrooms, etc.  You can also cut back on the sweet onion so it’s just a soupçon.  This was a total bowl-licker for me and you’re talking to a woman who has always hated tomato soup.

Non IP version: use canned tomato soup and add some basil.  I think.  Can’t try it yet.

How cool is this?  Not only am I going to come away from this diet 100 lbs. lighter, but with a bunch of new recipes.