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.