Tuesday Weigh In

Hello! Started my AM off with a waffle banana PB2 sandwich. Did not keep me full for very long. My stomach started talking to me while I was at my Weight Watcher's meeting! Gee thanks! lol I chugged my water and it shut up for a while. :) 

Oh yeah, weigh in... I am up .2 but I think I am a little puffy from starting those new vitamins & supplements. So .2 is nothing, and I will have a great week in order to see that scale dip lower. :)

Went over to Panera Bread for lunch. Yeah, I know eating at a bakery sounds a little like torture when you are trying to watch what you eat but Panera was voted healthiest place to eat out. Whoohoo! They have a great menu and I got the Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken salad. BUT, I do not like that dressing- so I swap it for the low sugar asian dressing. :) 

It was off to the pool to get my NEMO on! Left behind 408 calories in that water. Whoohoo! :) 

Home to de-chorine myself HAHA and get a snack- Fage 0% topped with some blackberries hit the spot!

Need to get an idea out of Sean as to where he would like to go to dinner. It's his birthday, so his decision. :) We like similar stuff- so I'm sure I will be excited too. Hey it's a night off from cooking! Happy Birthday Baby! :) 

Hope everyone had a great day! :) BYE! 

LOOT & LOONIES!

Hi guys! How nice are you all? I got the best comments on that silly picture I took of myself! Aww you guys made me cry with all the luv! THANK YOU!

I had a super busy weekend. Boy does time fly! I just wanted to sit down real fast to share LOOT pics & a little silliness. Sometimes in life you need to be silly. :) First LOOT- 

While I was picking out items at the store-I call out that I need help with points, so Sean is in charge of figuring that out for me. Teamwork people! I thought he was loading up the Weight Watcher app (which is MUCH faster on the new iPhone4! whoohoo!) but apparently he was playing photographer.

Is this considered stalking?

I fired him from the job and tried to confiscate the iPhone. See how mad I am in this picture of me approaching the subject. lol :)

:)

So we had leftover dolma from Sean's parents for dinner and we are kinda stressed over waiting for house info so a few silly shots were taken.

I know I tweeted that I got some books that I have been waiting for. I checked one out from the library but I wanted to take a highlighter to each page there was so much great info! So I checked online and got some used copies so I can make my notes in them. 

They are great books for dealing with chronic pain and I also started some vitamins & supplements that I am hoping help me out as well. 

I highly recommend these. Anyone read them already or take these supplements? I'd love to hear what you think! This coming Friday I am going to a pain seminar that I hope to get more info from as well. I try to stay on top of what I can do for myself. Every little bit of information helps! :) 

EATS TODAY- Got some waffles and was going to do a PB2 banana sandwich, but I forgot to get bananas! lol So this AM I made a reduced sugar jam, soy sausage, 2%cheese waffle sandwich. :)

Yesterday to be prepared for lunches this week I threw together a crustless quiche. Man are these easy! I only had 3 small yellow potatoes so I grated them, diced up some onion & cooked both the onion & potatoes in a little olive oil. Then I used a one pound bag of frozen broccoli. (cooked in those steam bags) 4 slices light swiss, 2 1/4 cups egg beaters, salt & pepper and baked it for 30 min at 400 degrees. I cut it up and just stuck it in the fridge and took out a piece for lunch today when I came home from the pool. DELICIOUS & so easy! :)

Had it with a lil salad-

Just going to have some scallops tonight with roasted brussles sprouts. Nothing fancy. :) Doing some laundry and going to tidy up around here. Weigh in tomorrow (yikes! Stress and weigh in do not mix!) and it is Sean's birthday. We would like to go out for a bite to eat, but 'm not sure where he wants to go yet. :) It's up to the birthday boy! 

Have a great evening everyone! :) bye!

Hope everyone had

Thoughts...

I took this picture of myself yesterday and I actually liked it. I liked who I saw. I think for the first time in a long time I am starting to enjoy the rewards that this journey has given to me. A body that I have never seen before has given me a newly found confidence in myself. I feel different, yet still the same. Does this make sense? lol I realize that that is a lot of rambling but I just wanted to say how I was feeling.... Happy :)

Enjoy your Saturday! :)

Leftover Disappearance

I think that title is exactly what happens to me when I eat leftovers for 3 days. lol I figure you all already saw what I've been eating so I would not want to bore you to death with the same old pictures of food! :) Right?

Well Then I started to feel bad, it is Friday and I like to say HAPPY FRIDAY and see what everyone is up to for the weekend... so pizza was eaten 2 more times to finish up ingredients-

Then from last week- Polenta w/ eggplant & mushroom sauce. Added in some fresh steamed green beans that I got at the farmers market. Those are like crack to me. I love eating them right out of the fridge. :) Hey it's Healthy Crack! hehe

Weird Salad...chopped fresh spinach, shredded carrots, green onions, raw sunflower seeds, &  orange segments w/ Trader Joe's Soy Sesame Dressing. YUM! 

Then last night it was a JUST ME meal. When I started working in my first dental office it was next to a bakery (oh great!) They made BIG sandwiches on fresh baked bread that were HEAVEN! It's been years since I ate one of those sandwiches but for some reason I have been craving one! I actually tried top figure out the points on one of those MONSTERS but I gave up with trying. lol  But, instead of running down to go get one...I made it at home. :)

I give you the 10 point sandwich! (I can not imagine how bad the REAL version is!)

2 slices sesame multigrain bread, 1 tablespoon light cream cheese, 1 tablespoon berry jam (they used cranberry sauce) 2 ounces roasted turkey breast, lettuce, tomato, 1/4 avocado, salt & pepper. YUM! The flavor combo I was looking for was SPOT ON! I wanted that cream cheese/jam (or cranberry) flavor. I think that is what I was missing the most. lol I also love the bread they would use but the slices were seriously thick. I'm actually proud that I made this at home rather than going out to get the real thing. :) I always say FAKE IT at home for less points and I know this one saved me big time in the points department! :) whoohooo! 

Tonight we are going to Sean's parents for dinner. They are leaving on Monday for Paris. They have an Aunt who lives there. I will miss them, but I look forward to seeing all of the pictures of where they went while they were there. :) 

It is also the weekend before Sean's birthday so we have some celebrations going on too. :)

Need to get ready to go to the pool soon! I took my day off yesterday to rest. My back needed it and I also was feeling the burn on my legs and arms from the workout on Wednesday. I guess I pushed myself a little bit harder than normal and did not realize it. I know it's good to give a push, but for me that means a lotta rest for my back. :( I do what I can! Right!!?? :) 

Who else has plans this weekend? Whatcha doing? :) Happy Friday everyone!! :) 

BYE! 

Tuesday Weigh-In

I weigh 160.6 today. I lost .4 this week. :) I am so happy with today's weigh-in I can't even tell you! I've been struggling lately to see this # on the scale for months. This is my all time lowest weight ever as an adult. :)

If I can offer any advice it is best to give you this quote- :)

Did you know you can lose weight and eat pizza. YES, Pizza! :) I eat it all the time, just make it at home! Less hassle than calling the delivery guy! :)  Last night was Lavash Pizza night- These are a great 2 point  "dough" alternative. 

Topped with 1 point worth of pizza sauce, 1 light baby bell cheese, and tons of FREE veggies, & a tablespoon of sliced black olives for a HUGE 5 point lavash pizza all for myself. YUM! 

Yes, I eat pizza & lose weight. :) 

Today was my WW meeting and I knew that it was going to be a HOT one out there. SO I packed my lunch up and got an ice tea at a local coffee shop to stay cool. Packed my pool stuff up with me and at 1pm headed over there to leave some sweat behind. I managed to squeeze out 409 calories and when I drove home had to snap a pic of the temp! YIKES!

NASTY!  SO glad I left the A/C on when I took off this morning! whewwww!

I have leftover polenta & sauce that I made last week so no cooking for me tonight- thank goodness! :) Who else hates to cook when it's hot? lol

About to grab a snack, and relax a bit! Hope everyone is having a GREAT day! :) 

BYE! 

MONDAY BITES!

*Waving Hello* Hi guys! I hope you all had a good weekend! I hit Trader Joe's early yesterday morning to avoid the crowds. Check out my LOOT-

OH I almost forgot I wanted you to see my DELUXE NACHOS from dinner on Saturday with my Mom! I used the Mission extra thin corn tortillas to make baked chips, a couple tablespoons fat free refried beans, lean turkey meat-seasoned w/ taco seasoning, lettuce, tomato, black olives, hot sauce, & light sour cream. ALL OF THIS FOR 8 WW POINTS! I ate it ALL and loved every bite! lol :) I love making food I love at home for WAY less points! 

(look how pretty! lol)

For dinner on Sunday I had scallops and I made a great side dish that I saw in the latest Prevention Magazine. 

This takes a few steps to prepare, but it is really good and would be a great dish to bring to a BBQ- so fresh!

Mediterranean Citrus Grain Salad

You can eat this colorful, flavorful, and filling grain salad 

chilled or at room temperature, so it's great for brown 

bagging.

To make 6 servings, combine the zest and juice of a lime, a 

le

mon, and an orange, plus a few drops of hot-pepper sauce

with 3/4 cup water. Microwave 1 minute and pour over 1 cup

bulgur. Then stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon 

minced ginger, and 1 to 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and let stand

an hour. Fluff the bulgur and toss with orange segments, 

dried cranberries, diced cucumber and tomato, pine nuts, and

chopped mint and parsley.

-Cliff Pleau, culinary director for Seasons 52 restaurants

*I left out the pine nuts, the olive oil, & did not add tomatoes.

SO GOOD! 

Made a batch of baked oatmeal last night to be prepared for my tummy RIGHT NOW lol About to eat breakfast and get ready to head to the pool! Whoohoo! Had a fun weekend, and I am ready for a great week! I heard on the news this morning that today is gonna get HOT and tomorrow is set to be the hottest day of the year so far. We have been really lucky this summer- it's been very mild. But boo to the HEAT! :(  Oh well I guess I can take a couple of days with the A/C on. :) 

Did you plan your EATS for the week yet? I got some roasted turkey breast for lunches & a few EASY dinners planned. I meal plan on Saturday/Sunday & shop on Sunday. When do you meal plan? Do you plan the week out in advance? Now go add the ingredients for that salad to your grocery list this week! YUM! Have a great day everyone! BYE! :)

Saturday Quiche

Looking for an EASY meal idea for breakfast, lunch OR dinner? I threw this crustless quiche together with fridge leftovers. Don't have any cooked broccoli? But ya got some cauliflower- throw that in! So easy to replace any of the veggies you want. :)

Crustless Quiche
serves 6 (3 points)


11 ounces cooked potatoes, diced
1 bell pepper diced (I had 1/2 red 1/2 green)
1 cup cooked broccoli, chopped
1 cup onion, diced
2 1/4 cup egg beaters
1 Tablespoon parmesan cheese
Any cheese- I only had sliced light provolone. Used 4 slices
salt, pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil

Cook bell peppers & onions in olive oil- set aside. Spray a 9 inch pie pan with PAM, add potatoes & broccoli. To the egg beaters I like to add in the salt & pepper to season to a little. Pour some of the egg beater mix over the potatoes & broccoli, sprinkle 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese over mix.

Top with cheese (reserve some for top)

Add the cooked bell peppers & onions-

Top with the remaining egg beaters and a little more cheese- (I just added one more slice to he top)

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until eggs are firm.

ENJOY! :)

If you are looking for more yummy meal ideas I am hanging over at Danica's Daily today for a guest post sharing my favorite FAKE food!  GO SEE! :) 

Have a GREAT Saturday everyone! :)  BYE!

TGIF!

When I look at blogs I always email myself recipes that look good. I have a whole section in my GMAIL account filled with recipes. lol I came across an apple tart recipe last week over at Biz's blog and made sure to print it out to make soon! Boy was it good! I loved it and so did everyone else! Easy too- take a look! *Recipe copied & pasted directly from Biz's blog :) 

(my crumb topping looked like ground beef- it cracked me up! lol )

Biz’s Sour Cream Apple Tart 

Makes 8 servings (308 calories, 12.3 fat, 46 carbs, 3.0 fiber and 4.8 protein)

Ingredients

4	tablespoons butter
1	cup graham cracker crumbs
1 1/4	teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 1/3	cup low fat sour cream
3/4	cup sugar, divided
1/2	cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/2	cup egg beaters
3	large apples, peeled and sliced thin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Melt 2 tablespoon butter. Add in graham crackers and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix well.
3. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Combine sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour in large bowl and whisk well. Beat in egg substitute.
5. Put sliced apples on top of graham cracker crust. Pour custard mixture over the top.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until center is set.
6. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons flour in a small bowl. Cut in the last 2 tablespoons of butter until mixture looks like crumbs.
7. Sprinkle that mixture over the top of the custard, broil for 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from oven. Let set 15 minutes before cutting.

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Last night I made that to take over to Sean's Parents house for dessert. Everyone really liked it. I lucked out for picking a yummy one to try! :) 

We had okra stew with turkey meatballs for dinner-

(my ONE big piece of tadik- YUM!) 

This morning I went over to the pool- had to take it easy and move slow, my back is bothering me today. But I still managed to burn 428 calories. :) Came home, showered, & ate some lentil bolani for lunch. I think a crustless quiche sounds like a good dinner plan for tonight. I have some egg beaters to use since that egg recall is going around. I had the numbers match but not the brand and it confused me so I don't want to use my real eggs. lol Every day there is more brand names added to the list- scary! I guess it's better to not eat them right now. :-/

Not really doing much this weekend. Plan on just laying low. Anyone doing anything FUN? :) I loved all of the comments on my last post. I guess I'm not alone in my flabby arm fear! :)

Hope you all have a great weekend! 

BYE! :)

Let's Talk....

...about arms. Not just arms, but bingo wings, hanging flabbies, or my new favorite- heybabies: 

(I love Natalie Dee Comics! lol)

My arms were always something I covered up. I never (ever) wore sleeveless tops/tank tops/ or cap sleeve. If the shirt was fitted I usually had to have the sleeve adjusted. My arms were big...went back to see if I had pictures found a few:

Many of the exercises people do to tone the arms include weights. However I can't do much of that without my back screaming at me later. For me doing things in the water is way easier- so I use the water as resistance and grab a noodle, the foam dumbbells or even just move my arms as if I had weights in my hands and I can feel my muscles working. 

Here are some new pics of my thinner arms with a little definition present. I know they look better than they used to, but not perfect. Although I doubt they ever will be with the heybabies still there. lol BUT, I am being braver lately by wearing tank tops and sleeveless tops. GO ME! 

** Oh and yes, that is me in my pajamas this AM. :)

For me to see the difference in pictures is my favorite part of my journey. My computer is filled with pictures of myself along the way and if you happen to be just starting out- take LOTS of pics! So helpful!

Another thing that is a MUST to do is take measurements! I try to remember to do it every 3 months. This is especially helpful if the scale has not been your friend. lol Great to see the inches lost when that scale has not budged. My recent stats show that my arms are 3 inches smaller today than they were when I started. So cool! :)

Are your arms a problem area for you? Do you keep them covered up or are you ok with wearing tanks/and or sleeveless tops? Are you working on getting GUNS? What are you doing to get them? Tell me all about it, I wanna hear from you! :) 

BYE! :)

 

Two Easy Dinners!

Hi ya! Thanks for all of the congrats on my weigh in yesterday. I appreciate it! :)

Last night I made a new recipe, it was delicious! I saw a similar recipe in a cook book that I recently checked out at the library and made some adjustments to it- TJ Style! lol

Eggplant- Mushroom Ragu over Polenta
Serves 4


Sauce
1 large can (28ounces?)Low fat marinara sauce- I buy this from Trader Joe's. But you can use any sauce you like.
1 medium sized eggplant-peeled, diced (I salted & let it drain for 30 min)
1 green bell pepper- chopped
8 ounces whole mushrooms, quartered
2-3 garlic cloves- crushed
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt/pepper to taste

Add olive oil to large pot- toss in garlic to brown. add in all remaining ingredients- bring to boil then simmer, stirring occasionally until vegetables are cooked. I cooked mine for 3 hours on low- but this can be prepared quickly.

Polenta
2 cups instant polenta
6 cups water
3 tablespoons butter (I used Brummel & Brown)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Once water is boiling- add in polenta & remove from heat. Whisk to smooth it out, removing any lumps. Return to lowered heat add in butter & Parmesan- continue to whisk until thickened.

Serve side by side with a sprinkle of parmesan. :)

(looks kinda blah, but it was yummy I promise! lol)

_______________________

Here is dinner tonight! :) I've made this before, but it's been a while!

Crispy Coconut Tofu Nuggets

1 block firm tofu
1/4 cup liquid egg substitute (or 2 egg whites)
1/2 cup (30gm) panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded coconut
zest from one lime

Wrap the tofu in paper towels and place it under a plate, weighted down with a couple cans or jars. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven 375F. Set a cooking rack on top of a baking sheet, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour the egg substitute or egg whites in a shallow dish. Mix together the panko, coconut, and lime zest and pour onto a plate.

Slice the tofu crosswise into 6 slabs, and then cut each rectangle diagonally into two triangles. Season the tofu wedges with salt and pepper. Dip each one into the egg, then dredge in the panko mixture and set on the cooling rack.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and crispy on both sides. Serve with dipping sauce- This is the sauce I used:

YUM!

Sean is getting my fake fried rice & edamame with this tonight, but I am going to have a couple of Trader Joe's chicken pot stickers & some edamame. Kinda making it a appetizer platter all for me! :) 

My Plate-

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Hope everyone had a good day today! I had a great workout at the pool this morning with my NEW water belt! I got a knock on the door at 8:30 this morning and I peeked out- it was the mail man who just dropped off my box for me. I was super excited and loved using it today. :) WHoohoo for pool toys! :) haha

Master Chef is on tonight....anyone else hooked on that show? Sean and I LOVE IT! Can't wait! 

Have a great evening! :) BYE!