Making Dinner With My Mom :)

My Mom and I made a new dinner together tonight. She had it as a kid, and I had seen a different version in a magazine, but I knew that I wanted my Mom's home made marinara sauce to be the base of this meal. Sounds easy, kinda was easy...my Mom made the sauce (yesterday) so all we had to do today was crack a couple of eggs and bake it!

Saucy Baked Eggs (Mom's idea)
For ONE serving:
1 cup Marinara sauce (jar or home made!)
2 eggs
parmesan cheese-to sprinkle on after it bakes

Place sauce in corning ware- add two eggs, cover and bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees or until eggs are cooked to your liking. We enjoyed ours with some crusty Italian bread and a small side salad. I had a container of bean salad from Sean's Mom so I added that to our salad tonight- it was tasty! :) The pictures of the eggs do not do this meal justice! The steam also made it hard to get a clear picture! lol Easy, and low point meal...and bargain friendly! I can't wait to have it again.

Thanks for cooking with me today Mom, and thank you for always making our Saturday meals Weight Watcher Friendly for me! :) Love ya!

**HOLY MOLEY!! I am blown away by how many comments are on my giveaway post!! WOW, you guys are amazing! So many NEW followers too! I look forward to reading all about your journeys! THANKS for entering...and if you missed it- go check it out! **GIVEAWAY POST HERE**

Hope you all are having a great weekend! :) BYE!

Tj's Giveaway!

Where have I been? Out shopping for goodies for YOU! (one lucky winner!) You all know how much this blog has helped me along my weight loss journey so I thought I would do something nice. I am a big believer in packing your own lunch- and I love all of the cool lunch bags they have out there - so I picked out a lunch sack, and a set of little containers. But then I thought why not load it up with stuff that I like! So here is a little bit of snacks that I enjoy along with a lunch bag that I am now very jealous of. lol I'd use it, but packing my lunch to sit at my own kitchen table seems a little silly. lol

* I do not advise eating all of the snacks at ONE time. hehe :) *

Here are 3 ways to enter:
1. Comment- that is simple! :)
2. Post a link about the giveaway on your blog!
3. Follow me on Twitter-and post a link there!
(Please leave separate comments on my blog for each entry.)

Winner will be drawn at random on Friday February 5th! STAY TUNED! :)

So there ya have it! Three chances to win the loot!! Like I said this blog has been a huge help to me! I have made so many great blogger friends out there and have received so much support from you all. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! :) Hope you all are as excited about the giveaway as I am! :) Looking forward to finding the winner!

BYE! :)

Holy Tofu Deliciousness!

Dinner was SO yummy I had to post to show you all and share the recipe-

Baked Tofu

1 pack (double pack) Extra Firm tofu (not Silken brand-I hear that does not work well)
1 inch piece of ginger-grated
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
a few splashes HOT chili oil

This recipe requires a few steps- but if I can be patient enough to do it, anyone can! lol Cut Tofu cubes into 1/4 inch pieces. Lay them down on top of a plate with a few layers of paper towels. COver with more paper towels and another plate-with a heavy item on top to press out any excess water. Set timer for 30 min.

In the meantime while the tofu is being pressed- Grate ginger and add it to a pyrex dish, along with the soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil. Place pressed tofu into pyrex dish with marinade 20 minutes on each side.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place marinated tofu down- bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes on each side. :) Yeah its a little time consuming , but so worth it! :)

I served it with my Fake Fried Rice-

TJ's Fake "Fried" Rice

2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup egg beaters
green onion-diced
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies-defrosted
splash (or two) of soy sauce
1 clove of garlic-pressed
2 teaspoons olive oil
splash (or two) rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

In a large skillet or wok add oil, garlic-toss in rice and stir to mix & coat rice with oil/garlic. Add veggies and cook until heated through. Make a hole in middle of pan; add egg beaters and scramble until cooked. Stir entire pan, mixing egg into rice. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and green onion-mix well-eat-enjoy! :)

I cut my 4 ounces of tofu up into strips and sprinkled a little crushed cashew on top of my rice. It was delicious! Side of steamed green beans to go along with it! YUM!

Dessert for tonight was delivered today! Lots of chocolate goodness! YUM! If you happen to try this tofu recipe let me know! I'd love to hear how you like it! This is by far the BEST way I have ever cooked tofu at home. We really enjoy it! Hope you do too! :)

Have a great evening! BYE! :)

HI! Dinner updates!

Last night after Sean ate dinner he asked me what we are having tomorrow (tonight). I asked WHY? He said because it keeps getting better! Meal after meal we have enjoyed. Awww I take that as a compliment! I love when we can BOTH enjoy dinner AND eat HEALTHY!!! Yes! Here are our dinners- Monday was Cutlets (that I had in the freezer) with home made hummus, whole wheat pita, steamed broccoli, and a side salad. The dressing was simple- Non fat plain yogurt- lemon juice- salt & pepper.

Last night was a meal that I grew up eating that I changed a little. Don't get mad Mom! lol I use NO OIL!

Italian Pepper and Egg sandwiches

1 medium onion- sliced
2 small bell peppers (I used 1 red, 1 green)
2 cups Egg Beaters
Salt & Pepper- to taste
PAM spray

Spray PAM in skillet-add onions and peppers. Cook until soft over medium heat-about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in Egg Beaters stir until cooked through. Serve on rolls, toast, or just eat the mix cold out of the fridge for breakfast just like I did just now. lol :)


I got a few questions about what I was going to do with the tofu that I bought when I went shopping and took pictures of my loot. I recently started to make baked tofu. I saw a few different recipes online and once we tried it that way I realized that it is by far my favorite way to make it at home. So if you do a search for BAKED TOFU in the lil search box in the upper left corner of my blog you can find my recipe there. I MIGHT be making that tonight OR Friday- not sure yet. :)

Ok- off to get some stuff done today! Hope everyone has a great day! :) BYE!

Weigh In Results...

I stayed the same this week. Scale read 162 again. I'm happy with that! :) Just wanted to update real fast- just got home, had lunch with some fellow WW members and now I need to get some chores done and cook! :) Hope everyone is having a great day! Bye for now! :)

P.S. I binged today.... ON COOKBOOKS! lol Bought these: In my defense, it had been MONTHS since my last cook book purchase. lol :)

BYE! :)

Yummy SOUP! :)

Ok, I cooked it! This soup is DELICIOUS! I love it! I baked some tortillas strips(using the Mission brand 2 for 1 WW point THIN corn tortillas-cut and sprayed with PAM) to top my soup and skipped the cheese and hot sauce. I find the green enchilada sauce spicy enough. :)

The Whole Enchilada Chicken Soup From HUNGRY GIRL Email.

PER SERVING (1 cup): 105 calories, 1.75g fat, 641mg sodium, 12.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 4g sugars, 11g protein -- POINTS® value 2*

Extra-special thanks to Pam, who inspired us with her swap for Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup. YOU ROCK, Pam, and so does this soup!
Ingredients:
3 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery
1/2 cup diced sweet yellow onion
3 cups green enchilada sauce
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
10 oz. cooked boneless skinless lean chicken breast, chopped or shredded
1 cup frozen white (or yellow) corn
Optional: dash hot sauce, or more to taste
Optional toppings: shredded fat-free cheddar cheese, crushed baked tortilla chips

Directions:
In a large pot, bring broth to a low boil on the stove. Add celery and onion, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until slightly tender.

Stir in enchilada sauce and pumpkin. Once soup returns to a low boil, add chicken and corn, and mix well. Cook for an additional 3 - 5 minutes, until soup is heated throughout.

Add a dash or more hot sauce. (Or not. It's your soup.) Serve and, if you like, top with shredded cheese and/or crushed chips.

Enjoy!!!

MAKES 9 SERVINGS

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I just finished lunch and a few loads of laundry. I am going to bust out the Wii Fit in a second and play a couple of games and do some of my physical therapy home exercises. I am NOT enjoying all of the rain we have been having for OH, the past FEW weeks! I feel like the next time I see the sunshine I am going to RUN outside and never come home! lol Seriously, it's been awhile here! I was so excited about lunch that I really did not think about what I am making for dinner! lol Probably something easy! If you saw my shopping loot I really only picked up FRESH stuff- I tried to shop at home first and see what my pantry had for me to work with. Maybe a pasta dish tonight...we shall see!

Oh! Vitalicious is having a sale for Valentines day. So I treated myself to it! lol I love the muffin tops and I just finished my chocolate ones (I had some brownies) from my last order. DEALS HERE!

Have a great day everyone! BYE! :)

Long Time No Post!

Wow! Time flies! I guess I took a weekend break from blogging! Ok so let me catch you all up- Here was dinner on Friday night: Hash (potatoes w/bell peppers & onions) with eggs-over medium.

Then lets see...Saturday I grabbed lunch out with my Mom at Red Robin. Could be a disaster of a place for me since I love the BONZAI BURGER to death! lol Oh and the ENDLESS fries! wow... So they have the nutritional info on the table-separate from the menu adn a while ago I picked the lowest meal and I fell in love with it. This is the Ensenada Chicken Platter with one piece of chicken. Delicious! My Mom made dinner for us on Saturday and I forgot a picture- oven baked chicken with potatoes.

Sunday was a trip to a few stores:

Lunch-Take out Kani Roll w/soy paper (CA roll but with snow crab)
Dinner was an old recipe that I have not made in a long time. I looked back on the blog and I think it was one of the first recipes I posted.

Mediterranean Salad With Chickpea Patties

1 15 1/2 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
2 tablespoons all propose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup fat free greek yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8 cups mixed greens
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
pita chips (optional)

In a food processor pulse the chickpeas, parsley, garlic, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper just until coarsely chopped and the mixture comes together when gently squeezed. Form into 8 (1/2 inch thick) patties and coat with the flour, tapping off excess.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium- high heat. Cook the patties, turning carefully, untill golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side.

In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Divide the greens, tomatoes, onion, and chickpea patties among plates. Drizzle with the dressing and serve with the pita chips, if using.

I skipped the flour, because they are crumbly and do not need any dryness added to them! I made this into 4 larger patties for just the two of us to eat. As you can see one of mine got a little mushy. lol

I think that gets us up to date with where and what I have been up to! :) I just ate breakfast- and I am still in my jammies getting ready to start my day. What I love is that with getting all of the groceries yesterday I do not have to go out in the rain today to lug the shopping bags myself! whoo hooo! Thanks Sean for being my helper yesterday! :) I am making a NEW recipe for lunches for myself this week. Anyone see the Hungry Girl THE WHOLE ENCHILADA CHICKEN SOUP Recipe yet? Looks SO good and I guess it is a swap for the version that Chili's makes- which I LOVE! YUM! SO stay tuned, I will post again later with pics and the original recipe for you all! :) Hope it comes out good! Oh speaking of kitchen mess ups. :( Sean and I TRIED to make some Chia Banana Zucchini muffins...yeah it didn't go so well. :( I was super excited because he was helping me mix and measure adn maybe for ONCE I was going to bake something that did not end up in the trash. Nope, no such luck. :( I am a BAKER FAILURE! Thank God I can cook! lol Oh well. We had fun trying!

Off to get ready for the day and get all of the soup ingredients together. Come back later to see lunch ok?! :) BYE for now!

Wii For Weigh-Ins. Trust It?

Me again...it's cold and rainy so I am housebound! lol I busted out the Wii and played my way to fit. Seems less like exercise when you are laughing and having fun. Yes, I am home alone and laughing at myself playing these games. Haha Crazy, but remember we are on like day 58 of rain or something like that... so anyway...I played and then I wanted to see what the BMI and the scale thingie said. How many of you do weigh-ins just on this thing? I dunno about you, but I am thinking mine is a little OFF.

147 the Wii scale says! Humm, oh and dear Wii makers: can you get some curly hair available for us gals with curls. :)

Now do I trust the BMI that read NORMAL?? When I first brought my Wii balance board home (after standing in line in front of Target with about 10 other nerdy adults at 7am) It called me obese. I cursed at it and shed a tear, although I knew it was not lying to me. So today:

Then I see this screen: 132!! Wow... I know that I am not 147lbs. Weight Watchers' state regulated scales say other wise...but a girl can dream a little now cant she? :)

How many of you only use the Wii balance board to weigh-in? Do you feel it is accurate?

Wanna see my lunch? When I posted my grocery loot pictures Foodie Girl I SPIED some goat cheese that I had picked up. I had never before tried goat cheese and saw a recipe in some magazine I had seen for a quesadilla with roasted corn, and turkey so I had to give this a try. One ounce is 2 WW points so I was sure to measure out my cheese like it was gold! I spread 1/2 ounce on 2 corn tortillas then added leftover turkey taco meat, and corn- folded them over to heat up in a fry pan. Simple, yet oh so tasty lunch. YUM!

You may have seen my Etsy shop link (on the right side) as you have read my blog posts. I recently started to make a Tracker Bracelet. For those of you who follow Weight Watchers and you count points this is a way to stay on top of knowing how many points you have used up or have left a day. For example- you eat a 3 point snack, you simply remove the charm (that is on a lobster claw clasp) and count the beads- then re-attach the charm. I only have 2 listed as of right now, but the possibilities are endless with colors and charms. If you are interested, please feel free to email me with a custom order or stop by my Etsy shop to take a peek. Thanks! :)

Ok! Enough from me today...lol Bye everyone! :)

Taco Night & My Problem

Hi! Last night was taco night! YUM! If you are new to follow my blog I use Mission brand THIN corn tortillas. They are 2 for 1 WW point if you are interested. OR 4 for 3 points if you like to eat a lot like I do! lol I use these for tacos, and I bake home made chips out of these. I was craving chips and salsa last night so I made my tacos in lettuce leaves and served it with chips/salsa and a side dish of Riced Cauliflower. The recipe below is delicious I urge you to try it, even if you do not care for cauliflower! I swear you wont taste it! The link for Kate's blog is there too- go check her out I URGE YOU! lol :) Pssst thanks for the great recipe Kate!

Riced Cauliflower Recipe from Kate @ Kate Is Losing It

1 head cauliflower grated-as in on a cheese grater
1/8 cup olive oil
1 cup salsa
2 green onions- sliced
Salt/pepper

Put oil in a large saute pan, add cauliflower cook about 10 min. Add in salsa and green onions.
Its a little messy to grate as you can see- But comes out quite tasty!

My lettuce leaf tacos (3.5 ounces lean ground turkey-topped with salsa and light sour cream squiggles) with baked chips-

Now, on to my problem. Ok, so I get a lot of suggestions in comments on snacks. I read a TON of blogs that people try new chips, baked pita puffs, 100 calorie snack packs of anything, and I think, "OH, I will go check those out next time I go to the store". Well not only do I check them out-and stare at them in the chip/snack aisle at the store for about 20 minutes- but I think about them all day!!! If I were to buy them, open the bag and eat a portioned out amount of CERTAIN snack items- I know that would trigger me to go off on a binge. Sad huh? BUT, I feel smart on my part for realizing what I can or can not allow in my home. No clue as to why certain things make me dig in with a greedy mind-set. Handful after handful of portions that I do not bother to count out, or TRACK! So breaking it down into items: pretzels, most crackers (I swear the word crack is in there for a reason!) chips, bread (yes I can OD on BREAD!) any of those 100 calorie packs (because they are just smaller portions of all of the foods that made me obese) I could list WAY more...but you get the point.

So what do I do? Hide away in my house surrounded by my healthy snacks that do not set me off on a binge? lol Naw, that is NO fun! I do get out, eat out, go to my Parents, where a large glass jar of pretzels sits on the counter, and I tell myself NO. I have to have self control or else if I start there is no stopping. I mentioned recently that I skipped the bread/pizza/pasta section of a salad bar buffet and that was a BRAVO moment for me. I love being able to control my issues with food! I guess what I am saying is if I can do it, so can YOU! I had a serious problem with food that I overcame. I'm not saying I don't still have cravings or want to pig out but I make better choices and try to deal with my cravings by making low calorie versions at home. Did you see those 4 tacos I ate? I use to order 5 taco supremes at Taco Bell. That is a HUGE change right there. :)

So my advice to you if you struggle with with snack foods like I do- Hang in there! I know it is not easy, but it DOES get easier I promise!! Fill your fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables. Snack on whole foods whenever possible. My snacks this week are apples with a string cheese (or low fat cheddar cheese stick) and I also have been enjoying Fage 0% greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey. Both are filling and I feel a whole lot less guilty for eating them! :) Leave me a comment on what your favorite snacks are- tell me what helps you fight cravings of bad snacks-Id love to hear what you think!

Another rainy day...not much going on. Hope all of you have a great Thursday! :) BYE!

Let's talk about FAST FOOD!

When will the rain stop??? Well they show the sun shining for Saturday and Sunday but all of this dreary, wet, cold weather is making me have cabin fever! lol Sean found out he is vitamin D deficient and his watch (which is solar-battery operated) died last night. Him and his watch need SUNSHINE! lol That is what I said to him at about 2am when he complained to me that his watch stopped. lol Ok enough about the weather. A BIG thank you to everyone on yesterday's WI post. I am thrilled to be at my lowest weight and feel happy to have made it this far. My journey has not been easy and I battle with my inner FAT girl all the time. Knowing I can read blogs and share how I am feeling every step of the way with all of you is very helpful to me. I appreciate all of my readers and love so many of your blogs! THANKS! :)

Today I made a sandwich that kinda-sorta tastes like one of my old time favorites. The chicken sandwiches from Burger King use to be one of many fast food options I would order. I loved it with all of the mayo dripping out the sides, soggy lettuce and all! It's been quite some time since I had one, but that does not make me miss it any less. Here is MY version-

1 Sandwich Thin Bun
1 Morning Star Chik Patty
1 tablespoon light Mayo
fresh cracked pepper
lettuce

If you have not tried these they are really tasty! I heat it up in the microwave for just 30 seconds then place it in my toaster oven to crisp it up. I had my 5 point sandwich with carrots and cucumbers for a great filling lunch. :)


Ok so I just looked up the calories on the BK Original Chicken Sandwich and I am SHOCKED at the FAT in that ONE sandwich!! 39 grams...39!!!! Plus who goes there and JUST eats that sandwich??!! Fries, and or another burger (God knows that was what I did- the more the merrier, just hide the wrappers in the trash later!) Oh my! I mentioned on a comment I left this week that I wished that all fast food restaurants would disappear. It would make my life easier for the fact that I would not think about them, crave them like a drug addict. In all seriousness, I am disgusted at the amount of fast food I use to consume. We are not talking about the occasional burger- I was addicted, I was obese, and I was sick to my stomach every time I ate food from those places! But I kept doing it! I can not tell you how much better I feel without those foods in my body. I can eat more of the foods I make at home, for way less calories with the added benefit of not feeling like I was going to throw up after I ate.

Wow... So as you can tell I am ANTI-FAST FOOD! lol Tell me what you think. How have you changed your OLD habits- or do you include fast food in your journey to get healthy? Do you fake it at home like I do by making copied versions that are healthier? Comment away, tell me how your doing! :) Discussion time! :) As I laugh out loud at the Taco Bell Diet commercial that just aired! Humm the 4 items that I ordered when I went to Taco Bell were definitely not going to get me into a bikini! lol

Hope everyone is having a great day! :) BYE!

Weigh-In Wow's!

Braved the rain and bad roads to drive to my Weight Watchers meeting today. The scale read: 162lbs. I lost 3.2 this week bringing my grand total to 70 pounds GONE FOREVER! :)

I am super happy with being my lowest weight ever!!! :) I can see the light at the end of the tunnel FINALLY! :) Yippeee

Dinner last night- 4 point pita pizza's with 1 ounce reduced fat cheese, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers. YUM! Big salad to go with it too.


Not sure about dinner for tonight. I still have a container of shrimp and CRACK rice from the other night. Might give that to Sean and make a pita pizza for myself. We shall see! :) Off to make some jewelry and warm up- this damp weather is making my arthritis ache bad lately! Love getting old! lol Have a great day everyone! :) BYE!

Sunday Dinner Recipe

Went shopping yesterday. Three stores in 1 1/2 hours -yes it was timed. We HAD to get home so Sean could watch the last 1/2 of a football game. Yeah so I was less than pleased- but I had a list and I had help at the stores with lifting the bags and pushing the cart (something that really aggravates my back, not sure why) So we did it, and did it FAST!

Shopping Loot-

Lunch was fast and while I was putting groceries away and I forgot to snap a pic- 1 Fat Free Ball Park Hot dog on 1/2 of a Sandwich Thin. Plus 20 (1 serving) of baked chips. They chips were SO GOOD! It had been a long time since we had those- and I looked over and Sean was practically licking the empty bowl in a matter of minutes. lol Glad that they are GONE! :)

I had a stack of magazines that I needed to go through and pick out recipes. I took them to my Parents house yesterday and I think these cards were in a Martha Stewart Living- All on the same page-along with a dessert (that I threw out) but the meal looked good.

Shrimp Tikka Masala
Serves 4

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely grated garlic
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup water
20 large shrimp (1 lb) peeled-deveined-tails intact (you can also use 1lb skinless, boneless chicken breast)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
salt & pepper

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Cook onion until golden. Add ginger, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, and chili powder-cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add water and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are opaque and cooked through about 4 minutes. Remove from heat- stir in yogurt, season with salt and pepper.


Toasted Coconut Rice

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Cook coconut, stirring until golden brown-about 6 minutes. Set aside 2 Tablespoons coconut. Stir in rice, add water adn salt. Bring to a boil-reduce heat and simmer covered until water is absorbed and rice is tender about 20 minutes. Garnish with reserved coconut and scallions.

Honey Roasted Eggplant With Chiles

4 or 5 baby eggplants-halved
5 fresh Thai green chiles-halved lengthwise
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Toss eggplant with chiles, honey, and oil to coat. Roast eggplants skin sides up on a rimmed baking sheet until eggplant is golden about 20 minutes. Flip and roast eggplant until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

* I did not make the eggplant spicy or did I add oil. I just cut them in half and brushed a tiny bit of honey over the flesh inside them and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. They came out really tasty and the shrimp were spicy enough! :)

Picture of the final meal all plated up and ready to eat- Sean said the rice was like CRACK! lol We really enjoyed this meal! I cooked it and ate it without even adding it to the Weight Watcher Recipe Builder yet. I need to do it so I can track what I ate- but honestly I think its a great recipe. We don't eat white rice very often and I think that was the worst part of the whole meal.

About to make breakfast- of course we are having breakfast sandwiches! YUMMY! It is pouring here and I feel like I have cabin fever since we only went out yesterday to get groceries. AAAHHHH Not sure of the plans today. Hope everyone has a good Monday (especially if your off!) Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day!

BYE! :)

Saturday Eats

HI! Weekend is flying by! Yesterday I left the house at about 10am. I ate my breakfast sandwich at home then went to meet up with my friend Irene. It had been 12 years since we last saw each other and it was great to see her and catch up! Time went FAST and before I knew it it was nearing 1pm. I left the Starbucks where we loitered for over 2 hours (haha) and picked up my Mom to go grab lunch. Here is where I got CRAZY! I have never ben an Applebees's fan. I went through all of the Weight Watcher friendly meals there with not a single dish that I would ever order again. So when I saw a commercial for the new menu items under 550 calories I saw the Grilled Shrimp & Island Rice dish and drooled a little. SO off we went to out local Applebee's to try it out. Here is the picture along with the description from the online menu-

Seasoned, grilled shrimp skewers on citrus island rice served with seasonal vegetables.

I was impressed with the amount of food on the plate. If you have ever ordered the WW meals they are a little skimpy! Shrimp is a low cal choice and I was impressed with the 3 skewers of grilled shrimp. They had a sauce on them that was tasty- but VERY SPICY! The rice was good- had bits of citrus-that I think was just bits of mandarin oranges and maybe even pineapple?? Not quite sure. The vegetables did come with a butter like sauce on them which I was not a fan of. I prefer my veggies plain and will request that next time- If I do get that meal again.

For me I prefer to make a meal like that at home- however it was very good for being a chain restaurant dish. Here is where it gets tricky- I can not find the exact nutritional info on this meal. All I see is that it is UNDER 550 calories. Well so is the steak they have but I would think shrimp would be a better choice??!! So I guessed on points and gave that meal a WW points value of 8. Anyone try it before? Anyone know the NI on that meal? I did not get my Applebee's meal for free or get paid to write a review of the dish I ate there- just a hungry WW girl who needed to grab a meal out. :)

Errands and chatting with my Mom after lunch and then a bowl of her home made turkey chili. If I am correct with my 8 for lunch I had a OP day and stuck to my daily 22. :)

I need to plan meals for the week today along with a shopping list. We are suppose to get several bad storms this week. The 10 day forecast shows nothing but rain :( I know we need it but come on, where is the California sunshine?? Tomorrow Sean is off for MLK day. Im gonna put him to work and make him my shopping buddy (shhh he doesn't know it yet, and he is not going to like it! lol)

Have a great weekend everyone!! :) BYE!

* OH! I wanted to say thanks- lots of comments on my new header pics. I took those at places that we have gone to eat that have flowers on the tables. I love the way some of them looked with the salt and pepper shakers too and I thought I would add them to a collage and display them all. :)

Wii Advance Step Class Video!

Thought you would like to see part of my workout today. I love this Wii advance step class and thought I would tape myself "playing". I guess you can't see the tv screen real well- they show you what foot you are to step up with and they score you as you play. From what you can see- I guess you get the idea. :) I played 5 times today- this is #2 for ya! :) Oh and yes, I tell you all to not look at my butt, so don't! lol :)

FAST FOOD!

I grew up eating burgers, tacos, pizza- you name it, from any and all fast food places. I love it- I really truly do. I am not going to lie! One BIG reason that I stopped eating it was that I feel SO much better without it. I had my gallbladder removed at 17 and those foods are very hard for me to digest. I feel super sick after I eat them- yet I continued to stuff my face with it. I also know that along my weight loss journey that changes needed to be made in order for me to succeed. One of those changes was cutting out the fast food. I know that Weight Watchers allows us to pick whatever we want to eat and that does includes fast food, but I have issues with fast food. I use to over-do it by ordering more than the average person can eat and coming home to binge- eat it all, and then hide the wrappers. :( I know that is not healthy for me and for me to avoid that- I choose to NOT eat that food. It is better for me to ignore the fact that those restaurants exist.

So, to get my FIX I like to make things at home that help me get that taste that I crave, but for a much better for you meal. I FAKE IT! I ran some errands today and on my way back I was hungry and decided that instead of going to a drive through- Id drive home, and make my own burger! :) Check it out!

1 Morning Star Grillers Vegan patty- these taste SO much like a real burger to me! Reminds me of a Whopper Jr. patty! REALLY!
1 slice of 2% cheese
1 Sandwich thin
1 Tablespoon light mayo with ketchup mixed in to make "mac sauce"
lettuce
2 pickle slices

Served my burger with some carrot sticks- all of this was 5 WW points and very tasty! :)

Just wanted to share my fast food swap with you all! I am not cooking tonight- Sean and I are headed to his parents house for dinner. :) Hope your day is going well! :) BYE!

Easy Dinner! Semi-Homemade!

Looking for an easy dinner that is healthy and delicious? I bet you are! :) I love meals that are easy to make and taste like you ordered it out at a restaurant or slaved over it all day. I have made this meal before but Sean swears differently- He loved it and so did I.

Ravioli's With Roasted Garlic & Vegetables

1 package Butoni ravioli's (or any brand LIGHT cheese ravioli's) These are in the refrigerator section at the store.
2 small zucchini-cut into bite size pieces
1 onion- sliced
2 carrots-peeled and cut into bite side pieces
10 asparagus spears
hand full of cauliflower and broccoli cut into pieces
1 whole head of garlic cut in 1/2
olive oil
salt/pepper
parmesan cheese

Ok so I already had the asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower cooked. I just cut them all up into pieces and added them to a bowl and put aside. On a cookie sheet I place all of the other veggies, along with the whole head of garlic cut in 1/2. Drizzled them with some olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper- Roasted them for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. The garlic needed about 10 more minutes- then my smoke detector went off. Iol I think all of the bits of veggies stuck on the pan were smoking. oopps! :) When all of the veggies are cooked add them to a large bowl then pick out roasted garlic (chop up a little of needed) toss is bowl and stir to mix veggies and garlic well. Cook ravioli's as directed. These are fast- only needed about 8 min to boil. Drain adn toss in with veggies- stir to coat with veggies and olive oil- top with parmesan cheese. The package of ravioli's serves 2 & 1/2 but I took my portion for 5 W points and Sean at the rest.

This was a good example of being able to eat something yummy like ravioli's and bulking it up with lots of veggies to make it a more filling meal. My portion of raviolis were small but my plate looked like a HUGE amount of food- which is something that I am VERY fond of! lol

After dinner Sean turned on Man V's Food- ever see this show? Makes me HUNGRY! lol Seriously I was DYING last night! They were showing all of these yummy pies and I jumped up and said, "THAT IS IT! I am making dessert!" Here is what I made-

Tj's Banana Pudding Pie
Serves ONE
1 full sheet low fat graham cracker-crushed
1/2 banana sliced
1 sugar free vanilla pudding cup

Sean's eyes got big when I handed him his dessert and I must say it hit the spot without going crazy with calories. (or points) Some of those food shows really get to me and that one made me want something sweet SO bad! I guess my choice was a good one- better than going to the store for a real pie! :)

Hope everyone had a great day today! I'm going to get my Wii fit set up for step class! :) Whoo hoo! I gotta get movin more! :)

BYE! :)

One Year Blog Anniversary!

I just noticed that yesterday was my one year blog anniversary. :) Very cool! This blog had been an amazing tool for me along my weight loss journey. I love sharing my journey with everyone and enjoy reading the many blogs that I follow. At the time I started this blog I was at 194 pounds and I am proud of the fact that I weigh less today because of all of the dedication and hard work that I have put into my weight loss journey. 2010 is the year I get to my goal weight- so keep on reading so you can cheer me on! :) Thank you everyone for all of your support! Wish I could throw a party and cook all of you some yummy dishes! :)

As promised- last nights dinner- I get these chicken sausages from Trader Joe's- they are WAY less calories than any other brand I have seen and they are tasty too! Fully cooked, all I did was cut one in 1/2 and stick it on my George Forman to heat it up. I used the Arnold's/Orowheat Sandwich Thins as "buns" and topped them with sautéed bell peppers and onions. Made Some home fries to go with the sandwiches- Cut one potato into 6 spears- add them to a large gallon size baggie. To that baggie add in a tablespoon of canola oil (works best to add crispiness) shake baggie to coat potatoes. Sprinkle in garlic powder (I also use dried garlic pieces) a shake of Lawry's season salt, and a couple of teaspoons of parmesan cheese, and some pepper. Seal and shake baggie well coating all of the potatoes- place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper- bake for 35-40 min or until crispy at 400 degrees. :)


This morning I opened the fridge to make my favorite breakfast sandwich but the veggies in my fridge were calling out to me to be used. I bought WAy too many this past week and so I threw together an omelet. Started off as an omelet anyway. lol Turned into a scrambled breakfast bowl. 3/4 cup egg beaters. Sometimes I prefer to use egg beaters because I can have LOTS more of it then with regular eggs. 1 cup of steamed broccoli, adn a few spears of asparagus chopped up. One slice of dry toast too. :) It was really yummy and adding the leftover vegetables was a great way to bulk up my breakfast. Kept me full all morning!

Not 100% as to what is for dinner tonight. I am kinda hoping that a celebrity chef comes by to cook me something. lol Wishful thinking huh? Curtis Stone, Tyler FLorence, or even Rocco DiSpirito would do. :) A girl can dream can't she? Who would you like to cook for YOU? Tell me...and what dish do you want him/ or her to make for you? :)

Hope you all have a good day! :) BYE!