The Real Fresh Diet Returns

This past Wednesday's meals were less than the norm from the Fresh Diet and to say I was disappointed would be an understatement.  As you could see, if you read my post, it was definitely NOT a day to remember, but it was just one day.  My meals have returned with a renewed sense of what the Fresh Diet really is ......... wonderful, filling meals that help you to either maintain your healthy weight or help you get to that healthy weight.

Seeing my little buddy sitting outside my door was so nice Thursday morning, especially when I opened the bag and started to bring my meals out on the counter.  They were BACK!

My breakfast granola was so very nice - perhaps a little more granola than yogurt, but still a wonderful breakfast that was so very filling.

Blueberry Oat Muffin with Honeydew and Peach Ricotta Cheese was so very good - it was so moist and sweet.  Even the Honeydew was a nice complement to the muffin.  And really who wouldn't like a nice light Peach flavor to their Ricotta - I still love these muffins.

Sunday morning was a great Breakfast Burrito with scrambled eggs, bell peppers, and cheddar cheese on a Spinach Tortilla.  One of the very helpful people on The Fresh Diet Facebook Page, Carol B (check out her blog too)  noted that they always dry grill their wraps - so I decided to try it on my breakfast burrito.  Well I got a little carried away with the "grilling" so if you look close its a little "brown" on the outside - but was so very good this way.  I will definitely be doing this again on the rest of my breakfast wraps.

My pulled pork sandwich for lunch on Thursday was just as it has always been - and oh so very tasty!  Even though we had lunch brought in, I was good and just ate my Fresh Diet meals - and I did NOT feel at all deprived for having missed their sandwiches.

This was the Jamaican Style Chicken Wrap with Lettuce, Red Onion and Fruit Chutney.  This was larger than my original meals (I had moved to 1600 calories) - had more chicken in it - but I really wish it had more lettuce.  The fruit chutney was a very nice compliment to the wrap.  Everyone at the table in the lunch room thought I had the best lunch of the day, and I have to agree.

This was a "new" entree for me.  Smoked Mozzarella Salad with Whole Wheat Penne Pasta, Baby Spinach, Bell Pepper and Parmesan Dressing.  I had to cut the mozzarella into smaller pieces - they where huge chunks and the dressing was way too heavy for this salad.  I thankfully had not put the dressing on the salad, it really tasted like mayonnaise with grated Parmesan added in.  I threw out the "dressing" and just used some balsamic vinegar which I think was much better.  I have to say overall I was not too impressed with this one.  The pasta tasted over-cooked and "pasty" - but it was a new items for me.  To be honest, I don't know if I would try this one again or not.

Veggie Burger with Goat Cheese and Cranberry with brown rice pilaf and sauteed mushrooms.  I have had this veggie burger before, but the goat cheese and cranberries was a nice addition.  I'm not overly enthused with the burger however, it just seemed too dry.  This may be a "pass" from now on.

Turkey Sage and Pine Nut Meatballs with Nine Grain Pilaf and Sauteed Spinach.  I know I've had the turkey meatballs before, but these were rather "strange" to me.  They had a very different "mouth feel" and not very pleasant to me, but I'm not sure why.  They were definitely dry and it wasn't because of any "breading" like addition to hold it all together.  If anything it was almost like there was nothing but turkey that was somehow smushed together.  Because this was the day that my meals changed to the higher calories - I ended up getting 3 meatballs ....... really was a shame I didn't enjoy them, I ended up throwing them out.  The sides though were really pretty good.  I can't believe I am saying that spinach was pretty good.

 Grilled London Broil with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce with Celery Root Thyme Mash and Cashew and Orange Brown Rice Pilaf.  The London Broil was pretty good - but I'm beginning to think I'm no longer a big fan of red meat.  I do LOVE Celery Root though.  The Cashew and Orange Brown Rice was a new combination and pretty interesting.  I liked the pieces of orange in the rice, but I think the cashews were a bit too big and should have been diced or chopped or something.

Fresh Berries and Ricotta.  I know it doesn't look like much - but it was so perfect, light and sweet.

Endive Cups with Blue Cheese and Roasted Cumin Walnuts.  This was another new item for me - but it will be something that I get when it is offered again.  I so loved these.  There was just enough to calm any feelings of hunger without making you so full that you didn't want to eat dinner.  A real winner in my book.

Sugar Free Apple Cranberry Cake was so very good.  The cake was more dense than I expected based on other cakes I have had but it was not heavy.  The Apple and Cranberry were perfect complements and I think helped lighten the cake.  I will be looking for this one again.

I also had Pina Colada Cheese Cake, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Maraschino Cherries and Pecans ....... but I will be darned if I can find those pictures.  These were also pretty good - but then when isn't cheese cake good?.  One day I had Ginger Poached Apple with Mascapone Cheese which were interesting but not exactly what I expected.  I assumed it would be similar to the poached pears but these were diced pieces of apple .... I'm not sure if I will have this as an option or not again.... I guess it depends on what else is available on that day.

I now have to decide if I want to go back down to the 1200 - 1400 calorie days or stay with the 1600 - 1800 calorie days.  With the new menu "tweaking" the 1200 calories were just too small (or perhaps it was the NY kitchen getting things right) and the 1600 - 1800 calories are just too much.  I will have to think about what I want to do.....or perhaps I will not have both the snack and dessert each day and stay with the higher calories.

I guess I will just have to see what happens in the next few weeks with my weight loss.  What do you think I should do?  Anyone have any thoughts on this?  I'm open to suggestions.