How about a little dessert

I have to find ways to fight those dessert cravings.  Oh wait, no I don't have to fight them, I need to embrace them and find a way to have my cake and eat it too (maybe not literally, or maybe it is literal) I am not really a sweets kind of person, but you know there are just some days where you need a little sweet, a little chocolate, a little something to satisfy your cravings.  Isn't it funny that when you are trying to lose weight it seems like all you want to do is eat the foods that are unhealthy.

I have the hardest time saying no to chips, crackers, carbs, carbs, and did I mention CARBS!!!  I have to find ways to eat my carbs, but keep on plan.  I will say that with Weight Watchers it is easier for me because I am also not a meat eater.  I can't stand the taste of meat, which in turn makes it very hard to find meals that will work with my tastebuds.  For now I will keep this post focused on a dessert that is good tasting, will satisfy the craving for sweets and chocolate without crazy calories.

MOCHA NICE CREAM 
Brought to you by Live Eat Learn

Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups (470 g) chopped bananas, frozen*
• 1 tsp (2.5 g) instant espresso or coffee powder
• 2 Tbsp (15 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup (50 g) chocolate chips (or vegan substitute)

Instructions

1. In a  blender or food processor, blend frozen bananas until smooth and creamy. If necessary, allow bananas to thaw for 5 minutes before blending.
2. Add coffee and cocoa powder and blend until evenly mixed.
3. Stir in chocolate chips. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Notes

*Remove peel and roughly chop bananas prior to freezing. Freeze in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container until you need them for this recipe.

Nutrition Information

 Serving size: ¼ recipe Calories: 196 Fat: 4g Carbohydrates: 42g Sodium: 10mg Fiber: 5.2g Protein: 3g

WW PTS = 3pts for 1/4 of the recipe 

I'm Baaaaacckkk!!!!

I know I know this has become a thing for me.....I post then I stop, then I post, then I stop and it just keeps going. Well this time I have to take this serious, I actually decided to start weight watchers again. I have had success in the past, while I am big on money saving, I realized that I just don't have the right motivation to succeed without some sort of accountability, which is what Weight Watchers has done for me. I decided to only do the online version though, for a few reasons. First, it is cheaper and I just don't want to spend a ton of money on some program, Second, it fits into my life better. I don't have to go to the meetings, which I don't have much time for anyways. Lastly, I get all the benefits of Weight Watchers and the convenience of doing it from my phone and my computer. So here I am to update you.

I started weight Watchers at 300lbs, my weigh ins are sundays, I am currently sitting at 287lbs. Yes, I am down 13lbs, and honestly it has not been very difficult. I have been doing a lot of thinking and realize that this is it for me.....I can do this, I will do this, I have to do this. I have two kids and a husband who want me to be around for a long time, This is my chance to start a new chapter.

So just a quick share on what I had for Breakfast today:
1 egg
 2 slices of Eureka Bread
1 slice of Velveeta Cheese
Just a little breakfast Sandwich = 8 points

For Dinner tonight:  
Taco Salad
1LB ground turkey
refried beans
Taco Seasoning
Lettuce
Mrs. Cubbinsons Tortilla Strips 
green onions
cheese
sour cream
hotsauce

Simple, easy, and really budget friendly!!
Have a great day!!!

Weigh in

So Sunday was my weigh in day, and I have been so busy that I didn't have time to share.  I am happy to report that I had a 3.4lb weight loss, but what made me even happier was the fact that my whole entire family lost weight.  My husband and I bit the bullet and joined Weight Watchers, now I know that is not exactly the most frugal thing, but I just was struggling with doing it on my own.  I needed accountability and nevermind the fact that I consider to keep seeing those dang commercials.  We decided to do the online version so it ends up being a little over $20 per person, so to me this is going to be worth it.  THIS time having my husband on board is what will help make a difference. 
So first week in and good reported weight loss.

Here is  a dessert I just made last night that I was kind of iffy on making since I was flying by the seat of my pants, but surprisingly it turned out amazing. 

Eggroll wrapped apples and cinnamon
Serves 4

4 egg roll wrappers
1 apple
11/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp sugar
cooking spray

all I did was cut the apple into 16 wedges, sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on them.  Mixed them together and microwaved them for till they were soft.  I put the apples in the egg roll wrapper, wrapped it up then sprayed a cookie sheet with cookie spray.  Put the wrapped apples on the pan.  sprayed the tops of the wrappers with a little bit of spray ( or you could use butter) sprinkled a little bit of sugar and cinnamon on top.  Cook for 20 minutes. 

My whole family loved them.  33

Getting all caught up

Our Gym is done!  I am so excited because this has been a long process for us, but finally our garage gym is ready to be used.  I am now going to save money on a gym membership since I don't need one.  Finally!!!  We have a treadmill, a punching bag, jump ropes, bench press, roman chair, sit up board, dumb bells and a bowflex full body workout.  To complete this we also have a speaker that our phones can connect to so we can have the music playing. 
 Until recently we have been using our walks with the dog to get in exercise, because lets get real nobody wants to spend time at the gym when your fat.  I know I don't want to it is uncomfortable because it seems like everyone is staring and wondering why you are there......duh to get fit, but for some reason heavy people, who are trying to lose weight, seem to always be questioned or stared at.  Just plain uncomfortable. 
By the way the reason i am so sporadic on this blog is because I have gotten so busy with school and work, I have neglected everything else.....including my health.  I am back on the bandwagon and hopefully this will be a lifelong change and commitment that I will be making to myself.  This journey has been nothing short of  failure so far, but I refuse to think that this is what my life is supposed to be.....I will not let this past journey define me, I will succeed because I HAVE TO.
So to start this off right I am going to make this amazing chicken chili I found a couple months ago.....It is amazing and healthy and my family loves it

 

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

 

Prep time 5 mins

Cook time 6 hours

Total time 6 hours 5 mins

 

Author: Haley D. Williams

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 16-oz can black beans
• 1 16-oz can kidney beans
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 10 oz package frozen corn kernels (about 2⅓ cups)
• Two 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes with chilies
• 1 oz. taco seasoning (recipe for homemade seasoning here)
• 1 teaspoon cumin*
• 1 teaspoon chili powder*
• 24 oz (1½ lbs) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• chili peppers, chopped (optional)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Combine beans, canned tomato, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover.
2. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.
3. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred with a fork. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Serve with fresh cilantro, cheese and/or sour cream.
4. The following nutritional values are approximate and does not include any added cheese or sour cream.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1¼ cups Calories: 204 Fat: 1.5 g Carbohydrates: 11 g Fiber: 10 g Protein: 17 g

Making chili for dinner tonight. Quick and easy since it is Football night. I also decided to use up some of my bananas that I have stored in the freezer. I have quite a few so using them to make some low fat banana muffins sounds great......

Yes this chili is in a crockpot, but that is the beauty of it. Easy peasy:)

Banana muffin mix is done and ready to be baked. 

And they are done. 

APPLESAUCE BANANA MUFFINS

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup of sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup applesauce

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt 

DIRECTIONS:

Mash bananas, add egg, applesauce, sugar. Mix together.  Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Put mix into muffin pan

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick and if it comes out clean they are done.                            

The healthier the food the more $$ is spent

I was so sad yesterday.  I went to the grocery store to buy stuff for salads.  You know the kind of salad that you would get at a restaurant, but you want to make it at home.  So I went and bought lettuce,  cherry tomatoes, 1 green pepper, 1 bundle of green onions, 1 bag of sprouts, and 1 cucumber.  I also bought some apples and bananas for snacks around the house.  Nothing but healthy good food, so you can imagine my shock when I find out that my total was.........$28.72.
I was shocked at how much healthier foods are, it's no wonder people in America are large, some people can't afford to buy the healthier foods other may not want to spend that much money for food.  For goodness sakes the apples I bought which was only 4 cost me roughly $6.  Its ridiculous, now I am sure there are other stores I could have gone to, but this store is right next to my house so it was either spend a little more on groceries or spend a little more for gas.  I guess the take away from this is be sure that when I do my grocery shopping at the other stores I might need to make sure and buy my fruits and veggies from there instead.
If there are any ideas of ways to cut back your grocery bill let me know and I will share it with everyone.
Oh and by the way the dinner we had was amazing.  We had salads and homemade parmesean garlic bread. (delicious)   Our salads had lettuce, tomato, green pepper, green onion, sprouts, cucumber, lunch meat, eggs, and crunchy chow mein noodles.

As for the bread, I found this recipe through pinterest.  If you don't have a bread machine I would highly recommend getting one.  Often times you can find them for very cheap at your local thrift store.  This is the kind of thing people will get as a gift or buy for themselves and then realize that they aren't going to use it very often so they get rid of it.  I got my bread machine for xmas last year and I have been using it ever since and I love it. 

Italian Parmesan Bread For Bread Machine

Here is the Recipe:
ITALIAN PARMESAN BREAD FOR A BREAD MACHINE
 
Ingredients 

Yield 1- 2 pound loaf

• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups water (or more, as needed)
• 4 cups flour
• ¹⁄₄ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning (or pizza seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons yeast

 Directions

1. Add ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer.
2. Mine is water first, then flour, then seasonings and cheese, lastly yeast.
3. Run on basic or delay cycle.

Crockpots are a life saver

I have come to the realization that my family is just super busy, but not only is  my family, most families today don't have much down time.  I have two kids involved in sports, a husband who works, I go to school and work.  There just isn't enough time to get things done let alone cook some good healthy meals. 
Today is a great example.  I am home from work, but am spending my time doing laundry and trying to catch up on some majorly missed study time.  Dinner is on my brain and I know that between football and school and a book fair the time just isn't there.
MY SOLUTION:  Crockpot Chili.  There is no recipe for this because it is just so  simple

Chili kit

 Carroll Shelby's Chili Kit is my go to chili mix.  A couple pounds of lean turkey, some beans and the kit VOILA!!!!  Dinner is cooking. 

I throw it all in the crockpot and let it cook on low if I am letting it sit all day or on high if I only have a little bit of time. 

The best part is that you can add whatever your family wants, onions, green peppers, bell peppers, carrots, different beans, no beans.  The possibilities are endless.  I am just happy to know that dinner is going to be ready as soon as the boy gets home from football. 

Halloween fun without the major calories

Since we are just about 17 days away from Halloween I thought it might be fun to take these next few weeks and explore fun ideas for Halloween treats, but without the major calories and of course without spending too much $$$$$.  I have always loved to do something special with my family when we are ready to decorate for any holiday.  Last year we have orange noodles with green alfredo sauce for dinner, and then orange chocolate chip cookies with purplish milk.  I say purplish because it was really more of a lavender color.  We used strawberry milk and blue food coloring, just to be a little different.  This Friday we are decorating for Halloween and I was trying to find something good to make.  I think I may have found the perfect idea "Orange Soda Cake Pops"

YummyHealthyEasy

 I found this idea on yummyhealthyeasy.com this is an easy, not as bad for you and pocket friendly way to decorate with the family and still get my sweets. 

Skinny Orange Soda Cake Pops

Author: Jen Nikolaus

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix
• 10 oz. diet orange soda
• 2 egg whites
• orange gel or liquid coloring, if desired for a bolder orange color
• ¼ of cooked & cooled 9x13 cake
• 2 Tbsp. white frosting
• lollipop or cake pop sticks
• white chocolate bar(s) (the ones for melting, can find next to chocolate chips in baking aisle) or candy melts, for dipping
• sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven according to box directions. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
2. Beat cake mix, diet soda and egg whites in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Add coloring if desired to make it more orange. Pour mixture into pan.
3. Decrease cooking time by 5 minutes from what the box says. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake will come out clean when it is finished.
4. Make cake pop batter by mixing the cake and frosting in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth. Measure out one tablespoon sized balls and
5. roll smooth. Place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet and put into the fridge to harden a bit.
6. Melt some of one of the candy bars or candy melts in the microwave. If using candy bars, use the melting directions on the inside of the wrapper and melt into a mug. If using candy melts, put into a microwaveable mug and heat for 45 seconds on high; stir and heat for 30 seconds at 70% power; stir and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the heat of the bowl to continue melting the candy. Stir until smooth.
7. Take the cake balls from the fridge and dip the stick into the melted white chocolate and then insert halfway into the cake pop ball. After all the cake balls have sticks, stick back in the fridge until hardened a bit more.
8. After the cake pops have hardened a bit, take out of the fridge. Melt more white chocolate in the same mug. Take the stick and dip the cake ball into the chocolate (I found that if you tilt the mug at a 45 degree angle, it seemed work best for me). Tap off the excess and decide if you want the stick up or down for display. Finish all the cake pops. Add fun sprinkles while the chocolate is wet.
9. This might sound weird, but I took a shoe box with a lid on it and cut some small holes into the top of the lid. Each time I was finished with a cake pop, I stuck the stick into one of the holes to set. When dry, serve or share and enjoy!

The nutrition facts for this recipe are give or take because it depends on how much white chocolate you use  :)

Nutrition Facts

8 Servings

Amount Per Serving

• Calories 282.9
• Total Fat 6.4 g
• Saturated Fat 2.9 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
• Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
• Cholesterol 0.0 mg
• Sodium 460.0 mg
• Potassium 0.0 mg
• Total Carbohydrate 55.6 g
• Dietary Fiber 1.4 g
• Sugars 34.4 g
• Protein 2.4 g

YUMMY

So I must say I have finally been able to make the pasta dish.  It was so amazing.  I highly recommend trying it.  My kids and husband loved it as well.  I did make some adjustments, so it was not as healthy as the recipes says, but not too much.  Instead of using the reduced fat cheese, I used regular mozzarella and instead of using the light pasta sauce, I used regular pasta sauce.  I did this purely for the economical purpose.  I try to cut the budget in every way possible.  By my calculations the recipe I cooked last night has 284 calories, 6 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein.  This meal also feeds a lot of people.  It is budget friendly, and a healthy choice for any family

                                                                                               photo cred: topinspired.com

TOO BUSY!!!

So last night I had a plan, and a great one at that.  I was going to make that amazing pasta dish.  I had is all planned out, but of course nothing ever goes as planned.  My mother in law decided to bring us tamales, so I was vetoed on my pasta dish and tamales it was.  Not that I am really complaining because they were by far some of the best tamales I have ever had.  I think the worst part of it all is there are no nutrition facts on them, but that may be a good thing.  I am not sure I really want to know how bad for me they are.  If you are ever in the Washington State area and traveling through Pasco, Wa. stop by the Country Mercantile to pick up the best tamales.  We had chicken and beef and they were both melt in your mouth amazing.  Needless to say my plan was to make the pasta dish tonight, everytime I look at the pictures I start to drool, but I am too busy to actually make this dish.  I am thinking this kind of meal would be great to make ahead and freeze in the future.  As soon as I make this I will post up some pictures and a review.  If anyone has tried this or other meals that are healthy, but cheap let me know.

Finding Time in This Busy World

It seems like finding time to cook good healthy meals is a really big challenge. Most healthy meals I find are more time consuming than I want them to be. Everyday of the week I have something going on which makes it hard to plan healthy meals, but I am so determined to make it work. I have a lot of life to live and if I am not careful I won't stick around to see it. I found a great recipe to jumpstart myself back into things. I found Skinny 3-Cheese Penne Pasta on Skinny Mom.

Here is the recipe:

Skinny 3-Cheese Penne

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Serving size: 1¼ cup

 Ingredients

 ¼ tsp salt, divided
13.25 oz dry Whole Grain Penne Pasta
1 tsp  Extra Light Olive Oil
½ small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
23.25 oz jar Prego® Light Smart Traditional Pasta Sauce
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup  Low Fat Cottage Cheese
½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1½ cups Reduced Fat Mozzarella Shredded Cheese, divided

Instructions

•  Preheat oven to 350° F. 
• Spray a square 8.5x8.5-inch (2-quart) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 
• In a large stockpot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add ⅛ tsp salt to boiling water. Add penne pasta and cook until pasta is al dente (softened but still slightly firm), about 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
•  In large skillet over medium high heat, add extra light olive oil, onions and minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until onions have softened and garlic is tender. 
• Turn heat to low and pour in pasta sauce. Add in basil, oregano, black pepper and remaining ⅛ tsp salt. Stir sauce well. Cover and heat for 5-7 minutes, stir occasionally. 
• Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl combine cottage cheese, ricotta and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. 
• Remove sauce from heat and stir in cooked pasta. 
• Transfer ½ of pasta to baking dish. Evenly spread ½ of the cheese mixture on top. Then add remaining pasta followed by remaining cheese mixture. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese on top. 
• Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until cheese has melted. 

Nutrition Information Per Serving: (1¼ cup) Calories: 276 Calories from fat: 63 Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 18mg Sodium: 498mg Carbohydrates: 43g Fiber: 7g Sugar 7g Protein: 17g Calcium: 21% Iron: 22%

 WWP+: 7

I have found a peacefulness when I go grocery shopping now. I actually take that time and relish in it. My kids most of the times are either too busy to go with me or have no desire to join me. My husband would love to go with me, but I purposely go without him because he tends to throw things in the cart that we don't need. Although today when I went shopping I was doing great, buying everything that was on just my list and them WHAM!?! There were some chocolate covered cranberries. AAAAHHHH I walked by them about a million times and then sadly I gave in and bought them. I was starving, which I know was my first mistake, I should have never gone shopping without putting food in my stomach. Needless to say I bought them and ate them and loved them, but now I am feeling so bad about the fact that I did it. I know this is part of weightloss, but I feel myself slipping sometimes. I need to just chalk it up to a weak moment and move on. I have some vacations coming up so I am really pushing to lose a good amount of weight by July, this is my first vacay!!! Anyone out there have any good ideas or recipes for the person on the go wanting to eat healthy....Please feel free to share. Tonights Dinner: Going to Round Table pizza for a cancer relay meeting, but I am not much of a pizza person so I will stick to the salad bar tonight:)

Its been so long....

I was sitting on my computer this morning realizing that I had started my journey with many people and then I fell off the face of the earth. I have to be honest and share that I gained all my hardwork weight back and am now starting at the beginning again!! This is an ongoing thing for me, but I know one of these times it will stick. I am now busier than ever, between going to school, work, and my family I know it will be a challenge for me, but I am committed to keep trying. I am definately going to want to share this journey with anyone willing to share. I am ready to jump back in feet first. So to start I am again on weight watchers, but I joined just the online version, since my life is so busy. I have been on it for a month and am happy to report that I have lost 10 lbs. I guess I could say I am off to a good start. One of the things I am doing very different this time is adding exercise. I have starting doing some workouts at the gym. My usual routine at the gym starts with a 30 minute jog on the treadmill finished with some sort of machine workout. I now have a big motivater, my daughter, she is now old enough to go to the gym with me and is very involved on a traveling softball team. So conditioning is great for her and keeps me on my toes. Just wanted to say hello to all and will continue to update daily about my struggles, plateaus, successes and life :)

Yummy Nummy Pasta Dish

My journey with Weight Watchers has been full of some ups and downs, but I notice this time around I don't beat myself up over the downs. I just get motivated to hop right back into place. I have been trying so many new recipes lately and there are some that are fabulous and some that are not so much. This is so far the families all time favorite.



Italian Sausage and pepper pasta
Serves 5 (serving sized 1 1/2 cup)

What you Need:
2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 lbs turkey italian sausage link
1/2 cup julienned sweet red, yellow and green pepper
1 Tablespoon dried basil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cans (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

Directions:
Cook Pasta. In large nonstick skillet, brown sausage over medium heat,drain. Cut sausage into 1/4in. slices. In the same skillet saute peppers, basil, garlic, oregano, thyme, caraway seeds and sliced sausage in oil until peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes. Cook and stir until heated through. Drain pasta;add to skillet and mix well.
~thanks to everyday light meals for this recipe

WW Points~~7pts per serving

Nutrition:
Calories 327
Fat 12g
Chol 49mg
Sod 845mg
Carb 33g
fiber 3g
protein 21g

Life just seems so unfair sometimes. I sit and look around and wonder why it is that some people can eat whatever they want and it never affects them, but someone like me just looks at a piece of chocolate cake and I gain 15 pounds. I know this isn't true but sometimes it feels like it. I have a very supportive group of people around me, which is extremely important to your weight loss journey. If you are someone who feels alone, just know that I am right here with you along with millions of other people. Feel free to comment me and I can help be your support. SUPPORT is a key factor in your success with weightloss. Here is a recipe for some of that comfort food, but a healthier version :)




***STUFFED JALAPENO POPPERS***
Serves 8

What you need:
12 large jalapeno chili peppers
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1/2 cup nonfat cream cheese -- at room temperature
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese -- grated
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs -- plain
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425º.
Line baking sheet with foil; spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.
In small nonstick skillet, toast reserved jalapeno seeds and cumin seeds over medium
-low heat, stirring constantly, 2-5 minutes, until fragrant and golden; transfer to
small bowl. Add cream and cheddar cheeses to toasted seeds; with fork, mash mixture
together until well blended.
Stuff each pepper half with an equal amount of cheese mixture; set aside.
On small plate, combine bread crumbs and oregano. dip filled side of each pepper
into bread crumb mixture; set on prepared baking sheet, crumb-side up. Bake 10
minutes, until lightly browned; serve immediately.
~~Thanks to Angelfire.com for this recipe

WW points~~ 2 pts per serving

Nutrition:
70 Calories
4g Total Fat
5g Protein;
3g Carbohydrate
12mg Cholesterol
157mg Sodium

IIIIMMMM BAAACK

Life took some seriously rough and hard turns for me, but now I am back and raring to go. I just wanted to update everyone on my progress. Last week at my weight watchers meeting I hit my 5% goal. Yiippeee. Now I am pushing hard for my 10% goal. Exercise has become a vital part of my life, but I just recently hurt my neck and back so now i am unable to do any exercise. I never thought I would say this but I am actually missing it, craving it. So heres to a new start.



***SUMMER BERRY PIE***
Serves 10

What You Need:
Filling
7 or more cups mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup instant or regular Tapioca
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Topping
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons oatmeal
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

1 unbaked refrigerated pie crust

Directions:
Wash the berries, draining excess water in a colander. In an eight-cup container, mix sugar, tapioca and lemon zest, then stir in lemon juice. Add fruit to complete the eight cups and stir gently. Set aside to macerate for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally from the bottom.
Blend the topping ingredients with a fork in a small bowl and set aside.
To assemble, prepare pie crust as directed in a deep-dish pie pan. Add filling. Spread topping evenly over the filling. Bake 55 minutes at 400F, covering loosely with foil if the crust or streusel begins to brown too much. Transfer to a rack and cool at least three hours to set. Refrigerate.
~~Thanks to Kitchenparade.com for this nummy recipe

WW Points~~5pts per serving

Nutrition:
258Cal
2g Protein
8g Tot Fat
3g Sat Fat
46g Carb
5g Fiber
93mg Sodium
7mg Cholesterol

Lunch

I don't know about you guys, but the hardest meal of the day for me is lunch. Most of the time I will have whatever is left over from the night before, but that gets pretty boring so I am on a search for really good yummy lunch ideas. I have found a couple to start with, but I am definately going to be on the lookout for more ideas.

***COTTAGE CHEESE AND MORE SALAD***
Makes 6 servings

What you need:
1 medium yellow or green sweet pepper
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese, drained
1 9-ounce can crushed pineapple (juice pack), drained
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup nonfat mayonnaise
6 lettuce leaves

Directions:
Chop half of the yellow or green pepper. Cut the remaining half into thin strips;
set aside. In a medium bowl combine cottage cheese, pineapple, carrot, and
chopped pepper. Add mayonnaise or salad dressing; stir to mix well. Cover and
chill till serving time. Serve immediately or cover and chill. Serve on lettuce
leaves. Garnish with the pepper strips.
~~Thanks to DWLZ.com for this recipe

WW PTS~~~2 pts per serving

Nutrition:
98 Calories
1 g Total Fat
0 g Saturated Fat
3 mg Cholesterol
438 mg Sodium
13 g Total Carbohydrate
1 g Dietary Fiber
10 g Protein

OF course do not forget about the Oroweat Sandwich thins and the Thomas Bagel thins. These are the perfect choice when you want that sandwich. I have a tendency to make a sandwich and salad sometimes too.

Desserts are great

Desserts are yummy, but there are times when I could eat dessert all day and nothing healthy. Sometimes finding the right choice is harder than i would have expected. So I decided to put a couple of yummy desserts up for you to enjoy and possible love.

***LOWFAT STRAWBERRY NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE***
Makes 8 servings

What you need:
8 oz Cool Whip Free
8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
12-14 strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise

Directions:
In a large bowl, whip cream cheese, vanilla extract and sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth. Spoon mixture into pie crust and chill for a few hours, until firm. Arrange strawberries on top and serve
~Thanks to skinnytaste.com for this recipe

WW PTS~~5 pts per serving

Nutrition:
Calories 233.5
Fat 9.6g
Protein 3.1g
Carb 29.9g
Fiber 1.5g


***LITE N LAYERED SUMMER SALAD***
Makes 18 servings

What you need:
40 low-fat graham crackers (3 cups crumbs)
1 cup nonfat yogurt
16 oz. fat free cream cheese
¹/3 cup sugar
1 ½ cups frozen strawberries
3 ½ cups fat free Cool Whip
6 cups sugar free strawberry Jello (1 large, 1 small package)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs and yogurt together, and spread over the bottom of the pan. Bake crust for 15-20 minutes until crisp. Prepare Jello according to directions, add strawberries and place in refrigerator until it starts to set. Mix cream cheese, sugar and ½ cup Cool Whip. Start to layer the salad. On top of the crust, spread the cream cheese mixture evenly. Once the Jello starts to set, place it over the cream cheese mixture. Return to the refrigerator and allow Jello to set completely. Top with remaining Cool Whip and garnish as desired -- fruit, sprinkles, etc.
~Thanks to healthdiscovery.net for this recipe

WW PTS~~2 pts per serving

Nutrition:
Calories 108
Fat .4g
Carbohydrate 18g
Sat. Fat. .1g
Sodium 255mg
Protein 5g
Dietary Fiber .5g

BBQ tonight

I have two bbqs to go to this week. One is tonight and the other is Sunday. I have a very big habit of losing myself at them. I love bbqing and I love sitting back, relaxing and chowing down. So I decided to bring a veggie tray tonight to the bbq. They are going to be serving chicken which is fine with me, but I know there will be the evertempting chips, which is why I am for sure bringing the veggie tray trying to curb the carb cravings. Here is a list of some alcoholic beverages you can bring to those summer bbqs that wont totally cost you.


***RUM AND COKE*** (1.5 pts for one)
Just mix 1oz. rum with some diet coke



***VODKA AND SODA*** (1.5 pts for one)
Mix 1oz. vodka with a type of soda




***MOJITO***
Makes 1 serving

What you need:
1.5 oz Bacardi Rum
12 fresh spearmint leaves
1/2 lime
7 oz sprite zero or club soda
2 tbsp. Splenda

Directions:
In a cool tall glass, muddle the mint, Splenda and lime juice. Add crushed ice. Add rum, soda and stir well. Garnish with a lime wedge and a few sprigs of mint.
~thanks to skinnytaste.com for this amazingly great recipe

WW points~~ 2 pts per serving




***SPARKLING SANGRIA***
Makes 8 servings (serving size 1 cup)

What you need:
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1 cup fresh bluberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup quartered small fresh strawberries
1/2 cup chopped fresh nectarine
1/3 cup brandy
1 cup apricot nectar, chilled
1 (750 milliliter) bottle cava, chilled
mint sprigs (optional)

Directions:
1. combine first 6 ingredients in a large pitcher, chill at least 2 hours. Stir in 1 cup nectar and wine. Serve immediately. Garnish with Mint sprigs if desired

WW points~~3 points per serving

Nutrition:
calories 153
fat .5g
protein 0g
carb 17g
fiber 2.7g
chol 0mg

Weigh in Yesterday

Well yesterday was my weigh in day and I have to say I am pretty impressed with how well I have taken to Weight Watchers and their program. I especially love the support you get when attending the meetings. So the weigh in yesterday was......drum roll...... down 2 more pounds. For a total loss of 10 lbs in 5 weeks, pretty good in my opinion and I keep truckin on.

Here is a 3 pt Frittata

***PEPPER AND BASIL FRITTATA***
Makes 6 servings

What you need:
1/2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cauliflowe florets
1/2 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into half moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1 cup roasted red pepper strips
3/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/2 cup chopped basil
2 cups egg substitute


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees
2. heat pan over medium heat. add half the olive oil then add cauliflower and zucchini. Saute the veggies for 5 minutes. Add garlica and season vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Continue to cook until veggies are tender about another 5 minutes. Add red pepper strips to the pan and stir to combine. Raise the heat to medium-high heat.
3. Whisk the 3/4 cup of cheese, basil, and egg substitute. Season the mix with salt and pepper. Stir egg mix into pan with veggies, continue to cook until eggs begin to solidify. When there are large curds but still wet flatten lightly with spatula and let cook for 1 more minute. Transfer pan into oven
4. Bake frittata for about 8 minutes. until the eggs are set.


***ROMAINE SIDE SALAD***
Makes 6 servings

What you need:
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons parmigiano-reggiano cheese
3 cups Romaine Lettuce roughly chopped
salt and pepper

Directions:
Mix romaine lettuce with olive oil and cheese, season with salt and pepper to taste

Total WW points for the frittata and salad~~~3 pts per serving
Nutrition:
Calories 135
Fat 5.8g
Protein 14g
Carb 7g
Chol 10mg
Fiber 2g
Sodium 443mg