product reviews

two new things i want to share that are becoming a staple in my diet.

get yourself to a store now and buy wax orchards fudge fantasty dark chocolate sauce!! and if you cant find it in the store, book yourself a flight to seattle where they make it and be sure to bring an empty suitcase. this is the best fudge sauce i have ever had. notice i did NOT say best fat free fudge sauce. incidentally, it is fat free. last night i had some girlfriends over for margaritas and dessert nachos. i served fresh sliced figs, peaches and raspberries with food should taste good cinnamon and chocolate tortilla chips and this fudge sauce. today i had the sauce on a spoon - why bother with filler or to take a seat for that matter. it tastes great right in front of the fridge. as i type this i am dipping pretzels into the sauce. the food police my 7 year old just walked by and asked for a taste. his reply was, "wow, are you sure your allowed to eat this mom?!" this stuff is luxuriously rich and delicious. did i mention it is fat free?! 5 out of 5 stars!!

my other favorite go to item these days is true lime. true lime comes packaged like little sugar or splenda packets. the packets are filled with crystallized lime; each packet is equivalent to one large wedge of fresh squeezed fruit. they are all natural and taste soo fresh. 0 calories, 0 sugar. they make drinking water soo much easier. next week my goal is to try cooking with them, as there seem to be a lot of recipes that look worth trying on their website. you can also send away for free samples on their website. i have also tried the true lemon and true orange, both of which i really like. i give these a 5 out of 5 as well.

have you tried these things? let me know what you think if you decide to try them based on my reviews.

plateau

i havent been posting much because i am super frustrated. i have hit a plateau, mentally as much as physically. the last three weigh-ins i have been exactly the same weight. super frustrating. i am .9 away from having lost 50lbs. between the weigh ins i go anywhere from 6 lbs away from having lost the 50 to .3 away. if i could just get over this hump and get myself back on track i would be thrilled. i know this is a lifestyle change i am making, so i need to find away for it to work with my life year round.

i dont know why i am so stuck. part of it is that i havent been religious about following the ww plan. part of it is summer. part of it is just plain laziness. but i am fed up and need to get back on track. i need to find a way to get back to meetings, which has been a huge challenge this summer with three kids in tow. and even now that school has started i still have two kids in tow all morning long, which is when my favorite leader does all of her meetings.

i need to stop making excuses and jump head first off of this plateau. stay tuned...

monday morning weigh in

so i have not been able to attend meetings for awhile because of the summer schedule with the kids. and the lack of wanting to pay for a sitter in addition to the monthly ww fee. but i really miss the meetings. i am torn about what i will do when school starts because i dont think i will have my mornings free like in the past and i dont like weighing in later in the day, for obvious reasons. i really like the monday morning meeting because it keeps me more honest over the weekend. so i dont know what i am going to do.

but yesterday morning i did make it in to weigh in, even though i couldnt stay for the meeting. i was up .2 which i expected. truth be told, i expected to be up much more than that, so i was happy with .2. so i am down 48 lbs total. closing in on that 50 lb mark and i would really like to be able to attend my monday morning meeting when i reach that milestone and celebrate with my fellow losers.

product review: new laughing cow light wedges

if you are a member of the weight loss community, you have undoubtedly heard about the new laughing cow wedge flavors that were to debut this summer. i love cheese and laughing cow wedges have played a prominent role in my weight loss - i probably eat 2 a day at a minimum. i was eagerly anticipating these new flavors. the great news is that, for me, these new flavors did not dissapoint!!

i was in my local grocery store this weekend and noticed a huge basket display of the new wheels, even better - each one had a $1.00 off coupon on them. they each rang up at $3.49 after the coupon. i bought the light blue cheese; light mozzarella, sun-dried tomato and basil; and the light queso fresco & chipotle.

the blue cheese has a nice rich flavor with a bit of the bite you expect from a blue. the queso fresco was yummy, but maybe a bit milder than i anticipated. its still good though. a nice smooth flavor. the mozzarella was great also, it has a strong sun-dried tomato flavor - which i think is true no matter what you add sun-dried tomato to. all in all i give them 4 out of 4 stars. i am glad to have some more options in the cheese world around here! now if only my wholesale warehouse club will start to sell them too!!

remember me?

it has been unusually busy here with a sleep study and surgery for my 3 year old. thankfully we are on the other side of both of those things now and he is recovering well. the really good news is that those stressful situation normally would have lead to a weight gain - this time they did not! that, people, is progress. additionally, we went on a week long vacation and i only gained .4 while on vacation. again, progress! so yesterday i weighed in, for the first time in two weeks because of vacation and surgery, etc. and i was down 3.6 lbs. so my total loss at this point is 48.2!! i am less than 2 lbs away from having lost 50 lbs. so proud of myself!

busy, busy, busy

just realized i never posted last week with my weigh in results. happy to report i was down again another 2.4 bringing my total to 42.8. i have really been feeling good about my progress. i even bought myself a pair of white jean capris. trying on a bottom that is white was progress enough, but being happy enough to fork over the money for it was big progress. i am planning to wear them on vacation when hubby and i get a night out to ourselves! cant wait! pics to come.

friday morning weigh in

yay for me!! i have reached 40.4 lbs lost!! this week i lost 4.8! it feels really great. i am especially happy because i have had a very stressful week, so i really feel like i accomplished something by having a big number on the scale.

i have really been enjoying our fresh produce delivery this week. the plums and peaches are summer sweet and make a perfect snack. i have also been bulking up my boca burgers with the addition of a grilled portabella mushroom on my sandwich thin - delish! so there you have it, a weigh in and a tip all in one post. also, have you heard that laughing cow is coming out with 3 new flavors? blue cheese, chipolte and a tomato basil!!! i am looking forward to trying them.

how are you doing with your weigh loss goals this week? do you have plans to deal with father's day?

monday morning weigh-in

this summer is going to be a bit off schedule with the weigh-ins. this week i am planning to weigh-in friday morning as hubby has the day off. i figure it will be easier to do so on friday, rather than to drag two newly minted potty trainers with me today. so stay tuned and bear with me as the summer gets wonky.

catching up

so the last two weeks were not exactly banner weeks for me. the first of those weeks i was down .8 hurray. its hard to get excited about less than a pound. i followed it up with a week where i was up 1.8. ugh! i am in a bit of a rut. trying to pull myself out of it. but frustrated that i am stalled somewhere right around 35 lbs down, now trying to lose lbs i already lost. nothing is worse than that. i am also trying to figure out how the new schedule of summer with 3 kids to manage with no scheduled activities is going to allow for exercise time. oh, and if that werent enough, i am potty training two 3 year olds. at the same time.

have a rough week

i am having probably the worst week i have had since i joined ww in january. i dont know what is wrong with me, but my drive and commitment have left the building. truth be told, it started last weekend with the holiday weekend when i allowed myself to start making bad choices. although i was down .8 on the scale on monday i know i am up now and have been trying to motivate myself to do something, anything about it.

do you have weeks like this? how do you get back on track? i know i am going to be crestfallen when i step on the scale monday morning if i dont start doing something about it now.

monday morning weigh in

another good week for me!! i am down 2.8, total 36.6! yay me! last night i did my regular loop in the neighborhood and shaved 2 whole minutes off of my pace. that felt great! i am thinking of doing another 5K in early june, hopefully i can keep up with the new pace.

thursday is tip day

my tip is simple today. if you live in the area, go to washington's green grocer and sign yourself up. you will not be disappointed. if you dont live in the area, find a similar service or a CSA (community supported agriculture) and get a subscription. having a kitchen stocked with fresh seasonal fruits and veggies makes it super easy to make healthy choices. because i had it on hand today i filled my lunch with fresh corn, tomato and basil. yummy!!

monday morning weigh in

good week for me. i was down 4 lbs, bringing the total to 33.8! it just goes to show that when i actually do exercise, it shows on the scale. i am proud of myself this morning.

recipe reviews

eating wells mozzarella-stuffed turkey burgers
yummydeliciouscomfortfoodgoodness! thats a word, right?! seriously though, these were super easy to put together and tasted great. i even grilled them indoors on my grill pan. hubby is not a fan of sundried tomato, but when pureed he was none the wiser. (the tomato is pureed that is, not hubby.) i happen to love sundried tomato, so i am excited to have a way to incorporate them into more dishes. they add a lovely full bodied flavor that makes you feel like you are eating a dish with far more calories. this one gets a 5 out of 5!!

eating wells buttermilk dressing
super easy to put together and a great substitute for full fat varieties of ranch dressing. i did have to go to two stores to find dill seed and started to wonder if maybe it was a typo and they meant dill weed. but alas, i did find dill seed in the spice section at the local safeway. hubby did ask me if the dressing had greek yogurt in it, so i guess he could taste the tang of it. but i dont mind that at all, in fact i think it adds a zest to the dressing. i would give this a 4 out of 5.

cooking lights herb-crusted chicken with feta sauce (recipe below)
this was a crowd pleaser. i did not use whole wheat panko because what i had on hand was regular panko. also, i soaked the chicken in buttermilk before dredging it in the panko. why? because i bought it to make the buttermilk dressing and now i have this big container of it. it did keep the chicken nice and moist and help the panko stick. again, this was a quick meal to put together. i loved the sauce. although the word sauce is a bit of a stretch. its more of a topping i would say - not at all liquidy. which, dont get me wrong, is not a bad thing. feta is good stuff and i loved the combo of mint, feta and lemon. it was very fresh tasting, with a bit of a bite from the feta. next time i might add some diced fresh tomato to the "sauce" as well. this was a 4 out of 5.

ina gartens sauteed broccolini
i was a broccolini virgin until tonight. i do think that this dish will become a part of our regular rotation though. blanching veggies is a little bit of a pain, especially since our ice maker is out of commission right now - but running cold water worked in a pinch. the lemon and garlic were a nice combo and married well with the cl herb-crusted chicken with feta sauce which we had the same night. i used half of the amount of butter called for by ina, and also used light butter. i dont think it had an impact on the taste of the dish at all. 4 out of 5.

cooking lights herb-crusted chicken with feta sauce
reprinted from fresh food fast weeknight meals cookbook
2/3 cup whole wheat panko
2 tblsp italian seasoning
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 tsp olive oil
6 tbsp feta sauce

1. combine panko and seasoning in shallow bowl. sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in panko mixture.
2 heat oil in large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until browned. turn chicken over; reduce heat to med., and cook 5 mins or until done. serve 1 breast half with 1 and 1/2 tbsp feta sauce spooned over chicken.

feta sauce
1 lemon
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
dash black pepper
1 (3.5oz) package of reduced fat feta

grate rind and squeeze juice from lemon to measure 1/2 tsp and 2 tbsp, respectively. combine rind, juice, mint, oil, and pepper in small bowl, stirring with a whisk. add cheese, stir with whisk. yield 7 servings.

thursday is tip day

do we have any negative self talkers out there? i have been the president of that club myself from time to time. and really, what does all that negative self talk get me? usually a gain on the scale. it certainly never makes me feel better about myself.

this week the ww meeting was all about weight-loss saboteurs and how to handle them. could my husband be more supportive? yes! but in fairness, while he himself admits he could stand to lose a few pounds, he is not in the same position i am in. so for him sitting down to a bowl of full fat ice cream or getting up from just having finished a healthy meal at the dinner table and opening a pack of poptarts doesnt have the same impact it would for me. but all in all, he is supportive of my weight loss efforts. so as i thought about the question posed by my leader about if i had saboteurs in my life, the reality struck that i had to look no further than myself.

later, when i opened up the ww weekly (a pamphlet handed out at each ww meeting) and read this quote from another ww leader it was like a light came on in my head. this leader, donna, said "Avoid self-sabotage: don't even think anything about yourself that you wouldn't say to your best friend." so there you have it, thats my tip for the week, blatantly borrowed from donna, the ww leader.

really?

is this what america needs? KFC has launched a new "legendary" sandwich and i think their advertising is at the very least obnoxious, if not downright offensive. the premise of this double down sandwich is that there is soo much chicken there is not even room for a bun. is this supposed to make the carb conscious think this is a good choice?? well, with 540 calories and 32 grams of fat those carb counters will need to think again. even the grilled option weighs in at 460 calories and 23 grams of fat. even that is not a good choice, unless of course you dont plan on eating much else for the day. for those of you following the ww plan, the legendary fried version tallies up to equal 13 points, while the grilled version saves you 2 whole points with a total points value of 11.

i should note that KFC claims to be giving the unneeded buns to the homeless, which is a good thing. maybe they should be donating the money to the american heart association instead, to help fund research for heart attack risk groups. just a thought.

monday morning weigh in

so the thing is, when i dont exercise i dont lose weight. i know this, so i take credit for the .4 increase on the scale this week. my total loss is 29.8. this week i am getting back to basics, tracking my points, moving, moving, moving and planning ahead. lets see what happens next week.

thursday is tip day

think back to when you were in school and you were seated at your desk, pen and notebook at the ready and in walks the substitute teacher. i dont know about you, but i remember feeling a little giddy. i remember thinking yes, this class is going to be cake today! what if we thought about substitute food that way as well?

who doesnt want to load up on cheesesteaks and fries, triple cheese pizza with extra cheese, spicy ooey gooey enchiladas or whatever your favorite indulgence foods are? the fact is, for me, that too much of those indulgences put me in an unhealthy position. after all, food is supposed to be fuel. did you hear that? food is fuel. so when you get a craving for those indulgence foods, why not find a healthier way to recreate them?

ww has some great e-tools to get you substituting healthier options for old fan favorites. try logging into the e-tools and clicking on "find and explore". you can search for recipes by name or cuisine and find a lighter option for what you enjoy. or you can use the recipe builder to lighten up a favorite recipe. just click on the "lighten up" tab in the recipe builder and play around with your recipe that way. both options are good resources.

alternatively you can check out hungrygirl.com. she has some great substitution recipes. basically her philosophy is all about lightening up the old favorites, including the yummy junk food choices. sign up for her email subscription service and get fun tips and free recipes all week long. hungry girl has a partnership with weight watchers, so its super easy to get the point value on all of their recipes. give them a try.

yesterday was cinco de mayo and i was craving something mexican. enchiladas are an old standby in my house, but my recipe was not very waistband friendly. so i set out to lighten it up. when i sat down to eat, i got that same old feeling as when the substitute teacher walked into the classroom. here is what i came up with...

spicy veggie and chicken enchiladas

8 reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas (i used trader joes), warm in micro to make it easier to work with them
1 store bought precooked rotisserie chicken, pulled off bone and shredded (again, i used tj's)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
4 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 10-12oz bottle or can of enchilada sauce (tj's is my fav - i know shocker)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 wedges of laughing cow, reduced fat garlic & herb cheese spread
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar or mexican cheese

optional topping: 1 small container fat free greek yogurt, mixed with your favorite fat free salsa

preheat oven to 375 degrees. spray medium non-stick skillet with cooking spray and saute onions, pepper and mushrooms until softened. add spinach and stir until wilted. add enchilada sauce and bring to boil. let simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring until all veggies are well coated with sauce. prepare casserole dish with cooking spray and add enough sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. spread 1/2 of cheese wedge on tortilla, sprinkle handful of beans and chicken on top of cheese. roll tortilla and place in dish, seam side down. repeat until all tortillas are completed. top tortillas with remaining beans, chicken and sauce. sprinkle with cheese and bake in oven until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 17-20 minutes. let sit for 8-10 minutes before serving. top with yogurt mixture and enjoy. a serving size is 2 tortillas.

monday morning weigh in

this week was a fantastic week for me. its funny though because its been fraught with negative self talk ever since my gain on the scale last week. i do think this week's success was exactly what i needed to get myself back into a positive frame of mind. so here it is, all in one week, i walked my first 5K, got my SAS 16 week charm at ww, and lost 4.2! lbs bringing my total to 30.2 overall. i still have a long way to go, but i feel like i am in a much better place today than this time last week. my ww leader told me this morning that statistically speaking, people who make it to the 16 week mark are 80% more likely to make it to their goal weight. yay me!!

i ran in a 5K

i am soo proud of myself. today i ran in a 5K!! ok, ok, so i only ran about 50 or so yards over the finish line - bit still! my plan was to walk the whole thing and i am feeling like a rock star for having run even part of it. the 5k was a charity event held to raise donations for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. i have to say, this organization is the real rock star. professional photographers donate their time to come to the hospital and create remembrance photographs for families who suffer a loss of their baby. these photographers come into the lives of the families at what is probably one of the worst times they will ever experience and try to offer them some solace, hope and an heirloom photo of what is lost. this service is entirely free. like i said, rock star status!!

so today i was honored to walk with my good friend heather who walked for own little angel baby, aodin, whom she lost 2 years ago to premature birth. heather is doing the couch to 5k training, and for some reason wanted to cross the finish line running. i confirmed that no one was actually chasing us with loaded weapons, but agreed to run nonetheless. i have to say, finishing as the first walkers, running across the finish line, with the crowd cheering for us felt great.

today was a good day. i ran in a 5K!

thursday is tip day

ok today i am turning tip day around on all of you, my readers. (do i have readers?!) i have been pretty down on myself this week, finding loads of excuses to blow off exercise. i have been on plan as far as food goes, so thats good. but while i am blowing off exercise, i find myself beating myself up for not exercising. its a vicious cycle. i am still walking the 5K on sunday, but i have been using that as an excuse to take it easy on the exercise this week as well. i need to get out of this rut NOW. so sign in, dear readers, and share some tips on how you get back on track after you have a slip like i did last week.

recipe review: shrimp fra diavolo

tonight we had shrimp fra diavolo from cooking light. i always get sucked into the facebook posts from cooking light and today was no different. this afternoon, there was a post about budget meals that linked to about 25 or so recipes that were all budget conscious. according to the cl website, this meal cashes in at $2.47 per serving. now i have to admit, i wouldnt normally think of shrimp as a budget meal, but cooking light got away with it by calling for the inexpensive medium sized shrimp. i had extra large (31-40 count) frozen shrimp on hand, so that is what i used. i also subbed a can of stewed tomato and a can of fire roasted diced tomato for the two types called for in the recipe. i find the canned varieties of stewed tomato and fire roasted tomato add a lot of full-bodied, cooked-all-day flavor, especially to quick cooking recipes. i also subbed lime juice for the lemon, because it was what i had in the fridge.

i have to say, this recipe was super easy to put together. it is one of those quick cooking meals where you absolutely want to already have all of your ingredients out, cans opened, onions diced, etc. before you get started. all of this can easily be accomplished while you wait for the pasta water to come to a boil. oh how i yearn for one of those induction stoves that kelly ripa is always dancing around that boils water in 90 seconds. but i digress. tonight was one of those nights, sadly increasing in numbers, where hubby was late leaving work. i decided i wasnt waiting any longer, and threw this whole dish together in less than 30 minutes. i dont know how it will taste for hubby as shrimp really should be eaten right away, but his loss. i found the meal to be delicious. it satisfied that spicy craving i was having without a ton of effort or forethought. it was a total pantry meal. i have to say though, that i am not sure how 1/2 box of pasta is supposed to serve 4 people. i did eat a bit more than the portion size, and hubby is certainly sitting down as i type to a bowl full that is much larger than portion size. i give this one a 4 out of 5.

witching hour

as a SAHM of young children, the hours between 4-6pm are generally some of the most emotionally fraught ones in my house. two hungry three year olds is a sight to be seen. they are a force. some days i just plain separate them during this time for everyone's sanity. their older brother is generally in the midst of homework, and alternately taunting his younger brothers. all three boys are screaming demands for food. all four of us are anxiously awaiting the call from hubby letting us know that he is leaving DC to travel home from work. it can be a tense, noisy, chaotic time in this house. the problem is that this is when planning and cooking of dinner occurs. it makes it hard for me, a self-professed emotional eater, to keep it together and get something healthy on the table for dinner. its an easy time to dole out snacks, and partake in snacks, and just plain end up off of the ww plan. does anyone else dread this time of day? how do you handle it?

monday morning weigh in

well, i knew it was coming. after last week and a girls weekend i was pretty sure it would show on the scale. and boy did it. i was up 2.4 this week. better to be up and know why, then to be up and have no idea. back on track today and heading in the right direction. i will not beat myself up for this.

thank you

thank you for the comments and emails about my last post. i realized this morning, in the cold light of day, that last night was actually about progress for me. in the past i wouldn't have thought twice about what i ate or drank. i wouldnt have put thought into the meal i ordered, which i did, and actually made a reasonably healthy choice given it was mexican food. even though i ate more chips than i planned on, and a lot more guacamole than i planned on, it is ok. i chose the guacamole, instead of the con queso, which i would have had in the past. so it was a better choice, and that is progress. it is progress. (we wont discuss the drinks, because that was not progress.)

i think part of why i was soo angry at myself is because i am going away this weekend for a girls getaway. last night i sort of blew my flex ww points, which i had planned on banking for the weekend. so be it. i will just have to add more exercise in over the next few days. monday, if the scale doesnt land in my favor, that will be ok. at least i will know why.

this journey is about changing my overall behaviors. i am making progress. i am moving in the right direction. it does; however, rock to know that i have support out there. now i just need to work on not blogging under the influence. one step at a time...

food coma

i am angry with myself tonight. i went out with the girls, and ate to excess. if we are really going to be honest, i drank to excess too. i feel disgusting right now. at what point did i start having a problem with self control? its sad and pathetic really; the relationship that i have with food. its not meant to fill voids, yet i use it that way. i dont know why i just ate and ate and ate tonight. well past the point of comfort. to the point where i stood over the toilet and shoved my fingers down my throat praying i could undo what i had just done. that is something i have never done in all my life and will never do again. it didnt work. i didnt vomit and i just ended up feeling more disgusting. its sad and pathetic and i feel disgusting.

monday morning weigh in

another great week on the scale for me. this week i lost 3.2 lbs, bringing my total to 28.4! i have to say, i am feeling really great. i have more energy, i am starting to look at food in a healthier way and i am enjoying the results i see in my body. i was able to shop for some new clothes last week in a regular store - which felt great! i know i have a long way to go on my journey, but i am at least enjoying it along the way.

thursday is tip day

my ww leader is a fantastic leader. she is very lively, down to earth and totally acknowledges her love of a food. for me its helpful to have a person like that, who has successfully lost weight, to give me tips each week. so today i am going to share one of her philosophies that has helped me recently.

its ok to indulge, as long as you do it in a thoughtful way. so for heather, she says when you want to have some treat that you know is not point friendly, to go ahead and have it. have the first bite and have the last bite and skip all the bites in the middle, because they dont matter anyway. now, i will admit - this takes a bit of self control. but i sometimes hear heather in my head when i am indulging, and it helps. the first bite and the last bite were really all i needed anyway! thanks heather!

5K

a 5K is something i never thought i would find myself signing up for, but i did it! my plan is to walk and i have recruited some friends to come along. i am really looking forward to it. maybe it will become a new thing for me, who knows.

check it out if you want to join us...

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=313293517561&ref=mf

monday morning weigh in

i hit a big milestone at my ww meeting this morning. i am down 25 lbs, since i started on jan 14th. it feels great!! when i came home and entered my weight on ww e tools i honestly sat there and watched the little star milestone image jump up and down in celebration. probably for a bit too long. but you know what? i earned it! i got a little 25 lb medalion in our meeting and everyone clapped for me. i really do love the monday morning meetings. later this week i think i will share some of the tips i have learned from those monday morning meetings. its a different breed in there. yay me!!

eggs for breakfast

sometimes i think we say things because they sound like the right things to say. ww is all about "everything in moderation." and while i have myself been saying that very thing, i am not sure i really got it until this morning. before i started ww, i didnt put much thought into what i ate. well, that is not necessarily true, because i thought about food. alot. but there was no real planning going on, in a healthy way. i would plan to meet friends for dinner, or coffee or plan dinner. but it was more just about eating. not soo much the food. is this making any sense? the big distinction is the healthy thoughts about food.

we went out of breakfast this morning and i let the waiter talk me into the eggs benedict. it had totally been my plan to have an egg white something, but the benedict sounded fabulous. and you know what, it was fabulous. i enjoyed it while i ate it. i savored each bite. i left some on my plate because i was satisfied. all things that i am not sure i really did successfully, until recently.

later as i was walking off the breakfast and adding on another loop to my normal walk i was thinking about how good that breakast tasted. it got me thinking, would i have appreciated it as much 6 months ago? i really dont think so. i think part of why it tasted soo good is because it was a special treat. everything in moderation. get it?

thursday is tip day

pizza. when i was little i used to request it for my birthday dinner, that is, if i wasnt requesting lasagna. but i digress. pizza. the thing about WW is you can eat pizza. you can eat whatever you want, its not about denying yourself, rather eating in moderation. but if you make a lighter version of pizza, you can eat more pizza! whats not to like about that??

here is a recipe i created for a lighter lunch that fits right in with my WW plan. it features pizza. did i mention pizza? thin crust pizza is where it's at when you are working with a plan where you count points. and honestly for me, pizza has always been all about the toppings and the melty, gooey cheese, not soo much the crust. so let the pizza joints worry about the deep dish crust and instead lighten up for lunch. get yourself some la tortilla soft wraps or flat out flat bread, both available in the deli secton at my local grocery store, to make this yummy version. depending on your ingredients this works out to about 5 points.

pepperoni pizza, serving size the whole thing!

1 flat out flat bread
2 plum or roma tomato
tsp of minced garlic
1/2 tsp of olive oil
1/4 cup of reduced fat shredded cheese, i like sargento 4 cheese italian blend
6 slices of turkey pepperoni, i like hormel
dash italian seasoning
dash of pizza seasoning
Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Tbsp chicken broth

preheat oven to 375. lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray and cook flat bread for 5 minutes. (skip this step if you like a softer/foldable crust) heat oil in small skillet, add garlic stir for 1 min. add tomato and seasonings. stir until tomato starts to break down. add vinegar and broth, stir until most of liquid is absorbed. spread tomato sauce on flat bread, top with cheese and pepperoni. bake at 375 for 7 minutes. enjoy pizza

renewed interest.

once upon a time, i was an avid reader of cooking light magazine. long before the days of facebook and twitter and blogs, i hung out on the message boards of the cl website. i made online friends, adopted some good eating habits and even joined two supper clubs. one of the clubs i helped found was even featured in the washington post, way back when. and then came kids, and somehow a shift of priorities. this new weight loss journey is partially about setting those priorities straight. while i would do anything for my children that somehow spurred the shift those priorities, i am learning now that i need to make myself a priority again. i want to be a healthy mom, not one who cringes when i hear my son say the word "fat." i want to keep up with these three active boys and run with them until we are all run ragged. i want us all to sit down and enjoy food as nourishment in a healthy way.

admittedly i have allowed my children to become horrible, picky eaters. i know the blame rests solely on my shoulders. part of this new lifestyle i am undertaking will be to get my children to become healthy eaters too. ultimately i will begin to make one meal for dinner, not three or sometimes four to appeal to the pathetically limited tastes of the shorter people in my life. i figured easter dinner was as good a time as any to give it a shot. admittedly, i did whip up the blue box for the boys, but they were served some of what we ate as well. baby steps, people.

when planning the menu i was not overly excited about the recipes i found on the ww site for easter. so i turned back to an old friend, cooking light. nearly all of the recipes came from cooking light for our meal and i thought it all turned out great. here are some of my favorites.

prosciutto and melon salad with cantaloupe vinaigrette
this salad was outstanding. easily a 5 out of 5. i had never served a salad with all arugula before, and while i enjoyed it, i might try more of a spring mix next time to please more of the crowd (read hubby). this salad was soo refreshing and it will be a repeat in this house. it is very impressive for entertaining and i can not wait until the local melons are in season to see how much more i am going to love this recipe.

shrimp and bacon deviled eggs
i would give these a 3.5 out of 5. however, i should mention that everyone who tasted them went back for more. its hard to turn down shrimp and bacon. i think my hang up with these was the potato filler. if i hadnt known it was there i might have rated this one higher. but somehow i tasted the potato a bit more than i would have liked, which might have totally been in my head. it was easy to make, and seemed to be a crowd pleaser.

lemon-chive roasted vegetables
a solid 4 out of 5 for these. they were super easy to make and great for entertaining because they look a lot more impressive than the amount of effort that went into them. i couldnt find fingerlings in my local grocery, so i subbed baby golden yukon potato. the lemon made this dish feel light, even though it was made with starchier veggies. it was perfect for a spring dish.

lemon blueberry bundt cake
i would also give this recipe a 4 out of 5. my only complaint is that each piece weighs in a 6 WW points. a lot more than i normally expend on dessert. so while i wont be making this one all the time, its a nice treat for a holiday where i am not left with too many tempting leftovers. my icing was pretty much all absorbed into the cake, or left inside the center ring of the cake. but it still tasted great.

monday morning weigh in

as i pulled into the parking lot this morning to attend my ww meeting i had a feeling i was not going to like what the scale had to say. i had a great weekend with friends, booze and food - pretty much in that order. then yesterday i prepared a delicious easter meal and indulged again with family, food and wine. (later this week i will review some of the recipes - stay tuned.) all weekend i kept saying i dont think the scale is going to be my friend on monday. but the thing was, i was making sensible choices all weekend. i had saved my 35 bonus points up for the weekend. i made HG margaritas instead of the full fat version, i made healthy lunches, ate breakfast at home. i was on plan and it really paid off. i stepped on the scale fully expecting to hear that i had gained a pound. instead the receptionist said great job, you are down 4 lbs(bringing my total loss to 23.6)!! when i said thank you to her she replied "dont thank me, you did it all by yourself!" and you know what, she was right - i did!! yay monday!!

two fabulous discoveries

today i discovered two things that are making for a very happy friday. the first being that the new pants that i bought myself in a size smaller are already getting too big - score!! the second is that with the promise of a playground at some point along the way my children will very happily ride in the stroller and not bug each other at all!! this is big because with this week being spring break from school for all 3 kids i have been having a hard time fitting in exercise. once they get back to school i will get back to my EA Active workouts on the Wii, but with 3 little ones underfoot that is too much of a hassle. i am glad though that i can incorporate them into my walks. pushing two 25 lb kids, plus a jogging stroller up some of the hills on the golf course i walk on is a pretty good workout. horray for friday and the discoveries it brought along with it. have a great weekend everyone!

thursday is tip day

i have been asked to share some of my tips. (hi leanne!) in light of that, i thought it would be fun to share a tip or two every week. so here goes:

i have two tips this week. the first one is one my mother has been harping on for years; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. it really does help to get you going and as a bonus helps to keep you full until lunch. read: no mid-morning snacking. i try to keep my breakfasts to 5 WW points or less. some of the things i love for breakfast are egg white sandwiches, omelets and vitalicious brand muffins and muffin tops and greek yogurt.

1/4 cup of egg whites is only 1 point, i know that doesnt sound like a lot, but do yourself a favor and measure it out, put it in the pan and see what you think. i find its enough to make a sandwich out of without feeling like i ordered off the kids menu. however, 1/4 cup is not enough to make a good omelet, in my opinion. i am more apt to make an omelet on the weekend and by then i can dip into my extra points for the week if need be, so i dont worry about using 2 or even 3 points on just the egg whites. sometimes i throw a soy based "sausage" patty, like morningstar in there too. i like the morningstar and boca meatless products, as long as you are planning to jazz them up. in otherwords, you are not likely to catch me eating a soy "sausage" patty on its own, but on a sandwich or in an omelet with lots of other stuff it satisfies the craving for sausage. the wholesale stores now sell the egg whites in packages of 6 cartons and with eating eggs 4 or 5 times a week for breakfast i can get through them all before they expire. i also love the vitalicious brand muffins. i save those for a day when i want something sweeter, but pair it with a chiobani champions greek yogurt to ensure that i feel satisfied.

tip number 2, is buy yourself some arnold's sandwich thins. pepperidge farm makes a version as well, not sure what they are called. i use these thins as substitutes for rolls and bread - they are sort of a hybrid. the thins have played a starring role in my weightloss efforts this time around. they are only 1 point! i was already eating whole grain bread, as a lifestyle change made years ago, but depending on the brand, one piece alone can be 1 point. that means before you put anything on your sandwich you are already looking at at least 2 points. no thank you! i have discovered that if you turn the sandwich thins inside out, they made a delicious grilled cheese. the inside, or cut side, is easier to coat with cooking spray or whatever you use for your grilled cheese. plus the whole surface touches the pan, making for an even grill. here is a recipe i developed to satisfy a craving for a swiss patty melt, featuring, you guessed it - arnold's sandwich thins.

swiss patty melt, 3 WW points

ingredients

1 arnold sandwich thin
cooking spray
i cant believe its not butter
1 laughing cow light swiss cheese wedge
1 boca burger (1 point variety)
1/4 onion, sliced thin

directions

warm small non-stick pan over medium heat, spritz with cooking spray. add onions and cook until soft and a golden brown color begins to develop, about 5-6 minutes. once cooked, set onion aside and wipe pan clean. open sandwich thin and spritz the cut side or inside with i cant believe its not butter. spread cheese on outside of thin. press closed, making an inside out sandwich and grill on both sides like a grilled cheese. meanwhile, heat boca burger according to package directions. once the grilled cheese is done, open the sandwich and place burger and onions on one side and replace the top. cut in half and enjoy!

recipe review: HG frittata italiano

frittata italiano

ingredients
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
4 medium plum tomatoes (Roma), chopped
1 and 1/2 cups fat-free liquid egg substitute
2 TBSP grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp italian seasoning, or more to taste
dash salt

directions

preheat broiler

spray a large oven safe pan with non-stick spray. bring to medium heat on stove. add spinach and tomatoes. cook and stir until spinach is wilted, about 1 1/2 minutes. sprinkle with salt.

in a small bowl, whip egg substitute with italian seasoning. pour into the pan and cook until the edges of the frittata are almost set, tilting the pan as necessary, about 3 minutes.

sprinkle with parmesan cheese and place pan under broiler. broil until fully cooked, 3 to 4 minutes. slice into four pieces and serve.

review

this recipe can be found on page 41 of the Hungry Girl Cookbook: 200 under 200. the recipe was codeveloped with Weight Watchers, although i couldnt find it online on the WW site. i made it twice in a week, once for a brunch for company and then again tonight for hubby and i for dinner. it comes together super easy, and i almost always have the ingredients on hand. it will probably become a standby for that reason alone.

sidebar: tonight i had no idea what to make for dinner. when hubby called to let me know he was on the way, i said why dont you just pick up mcd's. immediately when i hung the phone up with him i began to feel guilty. so when he called as he was pulling into the drive thru about 7 minutes from home i said why didnt he just come home instead and i would put together something for dinner. that, people, is progress!!

so with about 10 minutes to have dinner on the table, i threw this together in a hurry. and it was a huge hit. the first time i made it for company i had trouble getting it out of the pan in one piece so it became a scramble, but it was still delicious. the second time i used the newest non-stick pan i had and didnt have trouble at all getting it out of the pan. i did drain a bit of the cooking liquid from the spinach and tomato before adding the eggs because it seemed too liquidy. like my technical cooking terms?! i also love how the top gets all browned under the broiler.

i tend to gravitate towards recipes like this because its more of a method than a recipe - you can use whatever veggies you have on hand and come up with a different combo everytime. score!! and i love that you use real parmesan cheese, not the reduced fat and less flavorful kind. this dish is also really low in points, a great idea for dinner on a day when your point count got away from you. tonight i served it with a fresh spinach salad with strawberries, almonds, mushrooms, gorgonzola and a homemade viniagrette. it got the hubby seal of approval and mine too!

monday morning weigh in

a few weeks ago i was stumbling with my weightloss journey and happened on a monday morning meeting. i had been going on thursday mornings. i have to drive a little further for this meeting, but the leader is fabulous and i enjoy the company of the other members. the real bonus, though, is that weighing in on monday mornings keeps me pretty honest over the weekends. so this post is launching a regular series of sharing my success or lack there of at the scale. this morning was a good weigh in, i was down 2.4 lbs, which brings my total to 19.6!! oh happy monday!

sunday supper

this weekend was very busy and before i knew it, it was 4:30 on sunday afternoon and hubby was starting to ask what was for dinner. i really had no idea what to make, but was craving something spicy. i was thinking about some sort of a mexican pizza, but somehow it seemed too ambitious. in the end i decided on chili and threw together some veggie chili. i thought it was great. hubby is not a big fan of dinners that do not feature some sort of meat, but he seemed to enjoy this one.

veggie chili, 3 servings, 7 WW points per serving according to recipe builder

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 and 1/3 cups morningstar meal starter griller recipe crumbles
1 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
15 oz can yellow corn, drained
15.5 oz can black beans, drained
15.5 oz can fire roasted tomato with diced green chili
8oz can tomato sauce
2/3 cup fat free chicken broth (could use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version of this recipe)

heat oil over medium to medium high heat in large soup pot and saute onion and garlic until soft, about 3-4 minutes. add morningstar crumbles and stir until cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. add chili powder through paprika and stir until mixed, about 1 minute. add all canned ingredients and chicken broth, making sure to scrape all the dried bits off of the pan. bring chili to a boil and lower heat to simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. serve warm.

i served the chili with a dollop of fat free greek yogurt on top. i also had a single pak serving of wholly guacamole with some food should taste good lime tortilla chips.i LOVE this guacamole and the single serving paks are perfect for helping in the portion control efforts! i also had a half cup of fresh fruit salad. it was a wonderfully satisfying dinner for a dreary sunday evening, just the right mix of heat from the chili with the refreshing taste of the guacamole and fruit. sometimes the best recipes are those that just sort of invent themselves based on what is in the pantry, and this dinner certainly fit that bill.

getting started

pretty much for as long as i can remember, i have struggled with my weight. up, down, up, up, up, down, UP. you get the point. i am a stay at home mom of 3 children and i am currently on a journey to lose the baby weight and then some. my fortieth birthday is creeping up in a few years and i really want to be in a much better place by then.

i joined WW this past january and have been making pretty steady progress with a few slips along the way. i went from not really exercising at all, to exercising 3-4 times a week. i went from heating convenience foods or driving thru to pick up meals to cooking 3 fresh and healthy meals a day. so far i have lost 17 lbs, i have a long way to go. but i have started to have people ask that lovely question: "have you lost weight?" and that feels great. its a wonderful confidence booster.

i am hoping the difference this time; which is that i am looking at this more like a lifestyle change than a diet, will be the key. follow along on my journey.