hot stove

so it occurred to me that it's been awhile since i've talked about my kitchen forays. here's what i've been nomming the last couple months :)

triple grilled cheese with tomato soup
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i had to check this one twice. i made it so long ago, i forgot i didn't make any changes. go me!

my notes: the sammiches were good; the soup was amazing! i actually made it again sans grilled cheese because it was so easy and delicious. keep in mind though, this is not a points friendly dish. altogether, it's 15 (10 for grilled cheese, five for soup)

chicken parmesan rollatini
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i used two teaspoons dried basil because i don't use basil enough to justify buying fresh. i didn't have toothpics so i didnt' really roll them

my notes: i've never been a fan of chicken parm, but this was pretty good. i bought toothpicks so i'm going to try the rolling next time :) i have a problem getting sauces to thicken though. it was good, just a bit runny (eight points)

penne with vodka sauce
[original recipe]

my adjustments: to drop the points, i only used six ounces of pasta, two ounces of vodka, fat free evaporated milk instead of heavy cream and 1/3c of parm. i also used a can of crushed tomatoes instead of plum tomatoes

my notes: dunno if i did something wrong, if the vodka was crap or if this recipe is no good, but i did not like this. i've never had a vodka sauce so i have nothing to compare it to. i'm kind of hoping someone else tries it and gets better results, which is the only reason i'm sharing it. this wasn't worth the nine points as i made it

slow cooker chicken cacciatore
[original recipe]

my adjustments: no mushrooms, no oregano

my notes: this was SO good. even though deboning the thighs was a horrible experience (i'll be using breast in the future), the whole thing turned out deliciously. my sauce was a bit thicker since it cooked a wee bit longer, but every bite was good, alone and over pasta

tex mex calzones (from heather)
8oz ground turkey
1/2c onion, chopped
1/2c bell pepper, chopped
1/2c tomato, chopped
3/4t ground cumin
1/2t chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2c salsa verde
3/4c shredded, mexican blend cheese
11 oz pizza dough

preheat oven to 425°F. heat a large skillet over med-high heat. add turkey and brown for about 3 minutes. add next six ingredients. continue to cook until vegetables are tender. remove from heat and stir in the salsa. unroll dough and divide into four pieces. roll out each piece into 6x4 rectangle. spoon about 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture and three tablespoons of cheese onto each piece. fold over and press to seal bake for about 12 minutes or until the dough is done. serve with sour cream and more salsa. you can also add fresh cilantro and jalapenos to the mixture if desired

makes four servings

my adjustments: i used 8oz extra lean ground beef, low fat cheese and eight ounces of dough. i also added some leftover tomato paste when i stirred in the salsa verde. because i used less dough, i ended up making little pizza balls instead of true calzones. but i knocked the points down a peg from nine to eight

my notes: yum yum yum. very filling and very tasty; worth every point :)

baked macs
[ramona's] [weight watchers baked] [weight watchers easy]

my adjustments: i made four versions of ramona's, playing with bread crumbs and chili powder. in the "baked", i dropped the sour cream. in the "easy", i didn't use onion powder or hot sauce. i substituted 2% for skim milk, and i added chili powder. also i baked it after all that

my notes: official, vote? do. not. want. ramona's was the best after i fiddled with it; the other two i'm nixing after almost a week of deliberation. the hunt for non-box mac continues with a couple recipes from doniree :)

things i just made up
quesadillas that became taco bowls: whole wheat tortillas, 1lb extra lean ground beef, 1 diced avocado, 2c chopped onion, 2c sliced zucchini, 3c sliced bell peppers, 1/2c shredded low fat cheese | cook meat. saute veggies, except avocado. heat tortilla on skillet about a minute, flipping once. place tortilla in bowl, top with meat, veggies and cheese | makes four servings at 13 points each. totally worth the points because there's 2.5 veggie servings in each bowl

home fries: 9lb red potatoes, salt, pepper, 1/4c(?) safflower oil | dice and cook the potatoes (boil in salted water). mix the salt and pepper with the safflower oil. toss potatoes in oil. place on baking sheet, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. OR cook on stove over medium heat in small batches until crisp (5ish minutes) | i have no clue how many servings it makes lol. i'm still eating it, and i don't eat the same amount each time. though, i can tell you it's six points for one yummy cup

buffalo pizza pockets: 1lb ground buffalo (bison), 1c shallots, 2 cloves garlic, 15oz pizza sauce, 2/3c shredded low fat cheese, 1c grated parmesan, 16oz pizza dough | cook meat and slice veggies. divide dough into eight pieces and roll out. drain meat. then stir in shallots, garlic and sauce. combine shredded cheese and grated parm in a small bowl. top each piece of dough with meat mixture and cheese. fold up edges to create balls (secure with toothpicks if necessary). bake according to dough directions | makes eight servings at 10 points each. i love everything in this so i'm quite please. plus i used up a bunch of stuff before it went bad. double win :)

so who wants to come over for dinner? i promise you a scrumptious treat ;)

in my fridge

down 0.8 last week, and was still on a plateau (ave up to 0.3 though). meeting went ok, but there wasn't an opportunity to discuss issues. i took my five pound sticker and went on my merry way. this week, i'm down another 1.4 (was NOT expecting a loss since i'm preperiod) and may have kicked some plateau ass. i am now 66.4 pounds down, ladies and gents *pause for applause* every thurs at 8pm EST there's a twitter chat full of weight watchers peeps (#wwchat). i'm slowly falling in love with it. the support, the ideas, the ridiculousness. it's all fabulous. during the brag, i mentioned my loss last week (which put me at 65 even). that's when it hit me how awesome 65 is. 66.4 is even more awesome. i have NO clue where i kept the extra pounds, but i am so fucking happy they are gone. i know i'm being all bipolar about my progress, but at least i'm always honest ;)

on to the important stuff. what have i been cooking up lately? lots of deliciousness

soft polenta with mascarpone
[original recipe]

my adjustments: switched out the butter for smart balance light butter instead. chicken broth, not stock. no parsley garnish

my notes: i definitely had enough for eight good sized portions, which helped bring the points down. i had my polenta with baked salmon and cooked broccoli. yum all around :) although, i need to remember sockeye has bones. part of me wants to make a huge batch of polenta to serve with various meals, especially because i had to think of a way to use all the mascarpone before it went bad. i ended up using it in my pasta sauce, but i got tired of the combo after awhile. i should also note that making polenta is a workout :p you have to constantly stir it to keep it from sticking or whatever. my arms were not happy for awhile

slow cooker vegetable soup
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i dropped the bay leaf, added extra spinach (12 oz container meh) and used a cayenne pepper blend i have instead of red pepper flakes

my notes: i actually liked this more than i was anticipating. i'm still not a huge fan of spinach, but this had a great blend of flavors/textures that appealed to me. i sliced up some french baguettes to top it all off, which increased the likeability :) plus i like how easy this was to make. chop veggies, throw in cooker with broth and do something else for a few hours. excellent for a quick weekend meal

tortellini soup
[original recipe]

my adjustments: nada :D

my notes: another super easy recipe. i may have overcooked my tortellini, but that doesn't bother me. overall, this was quite yummy. however, it wasn't terribly filling. i wonder if it'd be worth double portions (seven points)...

artichoke provencal
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i used chicken broth instead of white wine. i also dropped the olives and basil. don't like olives; didn't have any basil. oh and i split it into five servings

my notes: i cannot express to you how in love with artichokes i am right now. this was SO yummy and went well with pasta (with the mascarpone sauce). there was also plenty in each serving. once i get through my current stack of recipes, i think i'm gonna start pulling other stuff for artichoke. spinach and artichoke dip is top of that list :D

old world manicotti
12 large manicotti shells
4c shredded mozzarella, divided
2c ricotta
6T fresh basil, chopped (or 2T dried basil)
1 (26oz) jar spaghetti sauce, divided
1/2c grated parmesan

preheat oven to 350°F. spray 13x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. cook pasta according to package. drain; rinse with cool water. let pasta dry on paper towels. for filling, in medium bowl, stir together 3c mozzarella, ricotta and basil. using a teaspoon, carefully stuff pasta shells with prepared mixture. spoon 2c sauce into baking dish. arrange stuffed pasta over sauce; pour remaining sauce over pasta. sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. bake for 15 minutes. sprinkle with parmesan and bake for another 10 minutes. serve

makes six servings

my adjustments: 2c part skim mozzarella, fat free ricotta and reduced fat sauce brought this recipe down to nine points per serving

my notes: i added broccoli and sauteed peppers on the side. super yum! i think i'll stuff some peppers inside next time :) overall, this was a favorite. even though i pretty much destroyed my manicotti lol. what is with me and overcooked pasta? it cooked so long that most of the shells split before/while i was stuffing them. i also forgot about the rinsing and drying part. oops. still delicious hahah

mcdonald's shamrock shake
[original recipe]

my adjustments: skim milk, naturally. i also divided it into six servings (four points), but i think it normally serves four (six points)

my notes: YUMMO! so i've never actually had one of the mcdonald's shakes. i know; blasphemy :p i was extremely happy with my little green milkshake. except i let it sit out too long because i was making other stuff at the same time, as usual. meh still good :p if i'd known about peppermint extract sooner, i'd have been making my own mint ice cream for years. i despise mint chocolate chip because of those horrible little chips. do not want. now i never have to eat them again *happy shimmy*

bekah's quick apple crisp
3 large apples
1/4c water
1 packet maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal
1/4t vanilla extract
sea salt, cinnamon & nutmeg to taste
butter spray
2T fat free whipped topping

preheat oven to 350°F. peel and core apples. cut each into 12 slices and place in pyrex. add water and cover. microwave on high for seven minutes. let sit covered for two minutes. uncover and add vanilla, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. use a fork to evenly distribute ingredients and mash half of apples. add oatmeal as top layer. spray butter on oatmeal until wet. bake uncovered for 7-10 minutes. let cool for five minutes. add whipped topping

makes two servings

my adjustments: i doubled the recipe and divided into six three point servings. i didn't bother mashing the apples up. i also used pam instead of butter spray; i may just leave it off completely next time. lastly, i nixed the whipped topping cause i didn't want it

my notes: it's quite good for only a few points. i prefer it cold though, which contrasts nicely with the below frittatas :)

individual ham, cheese and veggie frittatas
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i ended up only using about 3/4 lb of the hashbrowns, which dropped the points down to two. i also left out the ham

my notes: i really like these quick little things. i pop them in the microwave for about 45 seconds in the morning. i may adjust how i put the ingredients together next time though. instead of combining the veg and cheese with the egg, i may layer them in the cups before pouring in the egg. it seemed like each cup got a disproportionate amount of something. also? super spray your tins. the cups do not just pop out

sooo yea. that's what i cooked up in february. ready for a yummy march? i know i am :)

week8 #WWW

this week's questions:

1. What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
2. Pretty much everywhere this past week experienced some mild weather – did this change have any effect on you?
3. Walk us through your ideal workout.
4. What happened in the last week that you have to brag about?
5. Fun Question of the Week: Spring Fever has hit the stores… what’s your favourite thing to shop for in the Spring?

question 1: tried a few new recipes this weekend. one i'm really looking forward to eating tonight. did not enjoy the mac and cheese soup as much as i thought i would; i may have added too much carrot giving it a weird texture... got my veggies in every day, even though i struggled a little fri and sat. not sure how i'll do at this week's weigh in since i ate a ton those two days. went to a funeral fri, and took jesse to medieval times sat. i'm hoping my workouts help curb any gains. granted, i may have overworked myself on sat. decided to do rev abs, and def strained my back muscles. my right side was so tense afterwards, and now my entire left side is super sore

question 2: it's been weird here. beautiful warm days with super intense wind. didn't notice much change in my mood or motivation for my health goals. it did make my commutes less grouchy though :)

question 3: ideal? cardio and strength training combo that pushes me. i like a challenge, and i don't mind getting sweaty. if you look cute after finishing a workout, you aren't trying hard enough (or you're made of plastic, barbie girl)

question 4: sometimes i use time with my boy as an excuse not to stay on top of things. we only get 48 hours together so i'd prefer spending as much of that time snuggling and such. i worked out, cooked and did some homework this weekend. jesse was playing games (or sleeping) most of the time so at least we were in the same room. we also cooked dinner together again - britt's cheesy garlic mash and steak :) super yum with ciabatta rolls

question 5: i'm so super excited about sundresses. i never used to be much of a dress person, but i've totally fallen in love. they go so well with flipflops :D

via we heart it

{this week was gorgeous, and this pic makes me think of the upcoming warmer months :)}

my progress plus all the weekly questions on skinny (goals 1-4) and desultory (goals 5-10)

1.0 down

between my basic counseling class and weight watchers meeting this week, i've been doing a lot of thinking. and, of course, i've forgotten the specifics of those thoughts. i may start taking notes on everything just so i don't forget in the future :) something in the weight watchers meeting reminded me of what we talked about in class. and i wanted to make note of it in my class journal. maybe it'll come back to me later... lol so yay. i lost a pound. i'm 0.6 away from where i was three weeks ago when i had that huge loss. if i drop another pound this week, i'll hit 65 total with 3.2 remaining. i may be in for another big drop next wed, but it's hard to gauge. this is usually my up week so i'm assuming i had a drop last week with a gain this week (thank you water retention). but, having not weighed in, i'm not 100% sure it's safe to make any assumptions about this week's performance in relation to other weeks. i'm trying not to fret about it, but i hate not knowing. i'm going to try to remember to weigh in on the wii this week to see how things go day to day. now on to more fun things :) here's what i've made in the last couple weeks

spiced carrot soup
[original recipe]

my adjustments: nixed the sour cream, which did not affect the total points per serving. i also made a double batch since i was trying to use up my buttermilk

my notes: i really like this soup, and i think it would be so delicious in a breadbowl. a couple times i tore up half a bagel instead of crackers to add in. excellent for a cold day :) beware of the carrots though. apparently, they stain everything; clean up was less fun than usual

cream of potato soup
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i didn't add the chive garnish since it was just me... only change made :D

my notes: this was an ok soup. potato soup isn't really my fave, but i decided to give it a try. i was over it after a few days. maybe next time i'll make it when we have company to keep leftovers to a minimum

lemon chicken with broccoli
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i sliced the chicken after cooking it instead of before. i also added extra flour because my sauce didn't seem to be thickening. i have yet to get the hang of sauces

my notes: surprisingly good. we all know i'm not big on chicken, but this combo worked really well together. definitely will be adding this to the recipe box for the future

not too shabby on the cooking front. i may be becoming a bit of a foodie... or just a less reluctant chef :p

kitchen win!

can i tell you a secret? i'm writing this post two weeks before you're gonna see it. to keep up with my warrior goals, i'm writing when the mood strikes and scheduling posts. so when my inspiration dries up (or grad school starts kicking my ass), i'll already have something ready to go. look at me heading off guilt at the pass... so what was my big success? this freaking recipe for quinoa!

slow cooker curry chicken with quinoa[original recipe]

my adjustments: i scaled it down to four servings instead of six and used reduced sodium chicken broth. wow! i almost did this one by the book ;)

my notes: OMG! this was AMAZING. i seriously housed it. i'm thinking about picking up some more chicken to make another batch. god knows we have plenty of quinoa in the pantry. this was super yummy for just five points per serving. plus i didn't overcook anything :D go try it!

penne with spinach and sun dried tomatoes[original recipe]

my adjustments: i dropped the garbanzo beans; i don't like beans of any kind. i couldn't find sun dried tomatoes in the brand i wanted (hey, i had a coup) so i used regular diced tomatoes. i used red wine vinegar instead of balsamic cause that's what was in the pantry. and, of course, low sodium chicken broth

my notes: dropping the beans knocked this down to six points per serving, making it an excellent lunch choice for me. i should've drained the diced tomatoes though; i'm not a huge fan of thin sauces. i did enjoy this overall, but it's not something SPECTACULAR

the quinoa definitely wins out of all the recipes i made during week1. i'll get back to you on week2 recipes :)

in the kitchen

i rather enjoy sharing these recipes, but realize they can get a bit long. so i'm just linking to the ingredients and instructions (when possible) and noting my changes and such
creamy sweet potato soup[original recipe]

my adjustments: i am not a fan of pecans so they were nixed. i used light butter instead of the margarine, and i traded out the regular chicken broth for a low sodium one. i also used whole wheat flour instead of the all purpose because that's what i keep in the pantry. i've been told they're different, but no one has noticed when eating my foods :p

my notes: with my few changes, the points are five per serving instead of the original six. i generally like to keep my lunches around five to seven points so i'm quite happy. i also added two teaspoons of olive oil to get in my daily recommendation. gotta love those good health guidelines. the taste wasn't affected by the added olive oil, but i still didn't like this soup. i'm not a huge fan of sweet potatoes, but i'm trying to branch out. this was not the way to go. i think it could've used a few more minutes in the food processor and more salt. i would say "next time i'll use regular chicken broth", but that'd be a lie. i had to keep reheating it plus add salt and parm just to get it all down. i think it's more of a texture thing than a taste issue though

slow roasted salmon with potatoes[original recipe]

my adjustments: i killed the leeks so they were out, but i still placed the salmon in the roasting pan, assuming leek juices escaped into the oil or something. i used russet potatoes, sliced up, instead of fingerling, a quarter of an onion instead of a shallot, salted light butter instead of salt and unsalted butter and juice from a whole lemon. i also reduced the amount of salmon to one pound

my notes: i argue with food network on the ease of this recipe. granted, i was also keeping my eyes on two other recipes at the same time. because of my adjustments, the biggest being the amount of salmon, i brought this recipe down to 10 points per serving. not too shabby for a dish that has its own sides incorporated. if i were making this for guests, i would probably double up on the salmon. this was much more appetizing than the soup. i do love salmon though, which helps. also the butter sauce was really good after it settled overnight. i might just buy more salmon and smother it in sauce. gotta use up the chives, parsley and tarragon somehow ;)

i did make the chicken, too, but haven't tasted it yet. i'm really hoping nothing is overcooked. i'm no martha stewart, but i'm not gonna give anyone food poisoning :p

anniversary dinner

so last night we celebrated our one year anniversary. instead of going out, we had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. we also had red velvet cupcakes for dessert. "we did everything but roll the pasta ourselves." - J :)

spaghetti: ronzoni whole wheat
meatballs: 85% lean beef (it's the best BJ's had :p), onions, oregano, italian seasoning, egg, potato bread and seasoned crackers
sauce: organic tomato sauce, onion, tomatoes

i made the sauce; J made the meats. all swirled together, it was fabulous. plus we had a ton of beef leftover. lol J baked up the leftover meatball mix meatloaf style. then he used about a pound of the unmixed to make burgers today. and there's still 1.25 pounds left in the fridge. i suspect someone's gonna be eating burgers and mash this week ;)

as much as i liked the spaghetti and meatballs, i ADORED the cupcakes. i copied the recipe my cousin makes for christmas, which is amazing. church ladies know their cakes, people. i made a few substitutions to cut the points, and converted the three layer cake into cupcakes. they turned out SO well


ms. edith's red velvet cupcakes  3/4c all purpose flour
3/4c self rising flour
1/2t baking soda
1/2t salt
1/2t cocoa
7/8c granulated sugar
1/2c buttermilk
1 egg
3T egg whites
3/8c vegetable oil
1/2c unsweetened applesauce
1/2t vanilla extract
1 oz red food coloring
1/2t vinegar

preheat oven to 350°F. sift flours, baking soda, salt and cocoa in small bowl. cream sugar, buttermilk, egg, egg whites, oil and applesauce in medium bowl. blend flour mixture into sugar mixture. add vanilla extract, food coloring and vinegar. fill cupcake tin 2/3 to 3/4 full. bake 15-17 minutes

yields 20-21 cupcakes for six points each

my notes: first and foremost, this is a true red velvet, not that northern fake velvet that's really devil's food cake. second, i've never been big on applesauce, but i am starting to love baking with it. hello, moist deliciousness. i think i might add a little flour to the cupcake wrappers next time to minimize sticking. normally, you would use a greased pan to bake in. to convert back into a cake, double the recipe and split between three layer pans. bake 30 to 34 minutes. i decorated a few for our anniversary and plain iced the rest. there is a cheesecake icing recipe to accompany the original cake, which pits the complete recipe at 18 points per slice (if you can actually get 16 equal sized slices out of your family ;)). i modified that recipe, too (now four points), but didn't use it this time. if you're interested: cream together 8oz fat free cream cheese, 1lb powdered sugar and 1/2c light butter until smooth. add 1t vanilla extract. if desired, fold in 3/4c nuts; adding nuts can increase the points by 1-2 per serving

given all the yum, i managed to only use 9 weekly points yesterday and today. new year's eve? 16 extra points *shrug* oh well... cooking together was definitely the highlight of my weekend. the cupcakes were a close second :)

[update: so i miscalculated the servings; turns out the cupcakes are three points, not six :)]

soup or bread

so i was on a soup kick a couple weeks ago, but didn't want to buy campbell's or that bland ass progresso. instead, i made my own soup. the chicken was good, but i also decided i was going to make butternut squash soup. i don't particularly like squash (i will fight you if you tell me zucchini or pumpkin is actually part of the squash family), but i'm trying new veggies. so, after studying a ton of recipes on the internets, i started my soup. 20 oz precut butternut squash, 32 oz vegetable broth, 1.5 cups diced onion, 3 cloves diced garlic, 0.5 tbsp brown sugar. put squash in slow cooker with enough broth to cover it. set to cook on high for an hour or so (i really don't remember how long mine was in). throw onion and garlic in food processor to dice; throw onion and garlic into slow cooker with brown sugar during the hour. toss in a random amount of salt and black pepper. transfer slow cooker contents to food processor and puree. scoop everything back into the slow cooker, poor in remaining broth and set to low. wash the food processor parts, and put it away. taste the soup, and realize you aren't liking it. throw in 15 oz pumpkin puree because you have an extra can. remember to stir. double check slow cooker is set for the lowest setting, and head to bed. attempt to write a guest blog post, but zonk out for an hour. wake up at 1130pm, tweak an old blog post, send, close laptop and go to bed for real. realize you forgot to turn off your alarm when it goes off at 630am freaking you out. shut it off, and, just as you are thinking you'll go back to sleep, realize that the delicious smell of pumpkin now wreaks of burning. leap out of bed, rush to the kitchen and find that you've cooked out all of the broth. pull the plug on the slow cooker and your top soup chef dreams. place the inner bowl on the counter to cool, while you go back to bed. you'll deal with the horrible mess you have created after a couple more hours of shuteye. wake up at a reasonable hour for a sunday morning, but lounge around in bed for a few more hours. around 1230, go look at what you have done, decide that it can be salvaged and spoon your "soup" into fridge friendly containers, minding the dark burny bits. start looking up butternut squash bread recipes...

isn't food creation fun?

so i looked up bread recipes, and combined four into one. what i ended up with

pumpkin butternut squash bread
1 cup botched soup
2 eggs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1.5 cup granulated sugar
1.5 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
cinnamon, nutmeg allspice [i didn't measure]

preheat oven to 350°F. whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl. beat together wet ingredients in small bowl. combine ingredients and beat until well mixed. spray a 9x5 bread pan with pam (or line with foil). pour batter into pan, and bake for 50-60min. it's done when a tester inserted in the center comes out clean

yields 10-12servings, depending on how you slice it, for five points per slice (or four if you can get it into 12 evenly sized slices). yum yum yum

how's the eating the last few days? eh, not my best

saturday (27.5 points): big bowl of cereal with skim milk, cheerios with skim milk, mini pretzels with nacho cheese (harry potter movie food) and whole wheat pasta with meatballs and sauce

sunday (20.5 points): cheerios with skim milk, meatballs with sauce, two triscuits, homemade eggnog

monday (25 points): two 90 calorie granola bars, two mini twix bars, mini 3 musketeers, whole wheat pasta with sauce and olive oil, homemade eggnog, slice of pumpkin butternut squash bread

today (19 points - woot): cheerios with skim milk, 90 calorie granola bar, panera asian sesame chicken salad with apple, whole wheat pasta with garlic salt

i haven't weighed in on the wii out of sheer laziness (and a little bit of fear). tomorrow is my official weigh in, and i'm popping in to my regular meeting. i'm already disappointed though because that annoying lady will be leading. S is officially done for the season, and rumor has it that K will not be returning. double boo for me. i would just not worry about it, except it's the only time i'm going to have for a meeting this week. i'm not in the mood to hunt down a meeting while in PA this weekend visiting J. i'm still debating, however, if i'm going to put in a full day at the office. or if i should spend half the day at home working. that way i can do some treadmill walking, while checking my scant email... seeing as i'm sneaking out an hour early (i haven't done shit in the last five), it bodes very well for my taking a WFH half day *shrug* holidays. i checked out last friday, but forgot to check back in monday ;)

let's go with no change

i missed my weigh in yesterday because i was having a fight with IT. we're now on the corporate platform, but my computer is all fucked up. i didn't realize how long i'd been fiddling with things until it was well after the noon meeting ended. so no official weigh in for me. i'll probably weigh in on the wii later... if i remember

in other news, i made apple cinnamon wontons the other night... sorta :) i was going to use this weight watchers recipe, but i couldn't find wonton wrappers anywhere. instead of ordering some from amazon, i substituted. what will you need? three medium apples (i used fresh braeburns), one tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and two packages of reduced fat pillsbury crescents. what should you do? preheat oven to 350°F (i use nonstick pans). peel and mince your apples. combine apples, sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl (big enough that you can stir without sending apple bits over the edge). place spoonful of apple mixture on to each crescent and roll as usual. fold up edges to hold apple bits inside. sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. bake 11-13 minutes, until golden brown. yields 16 servings (2.5 points per crescent)

my notes: i slightly underbaked mine, but i like that they're still a little doughy. i'm a weirdo i know. it also allows them to reheat nicely without overcooking. then again, they're also delicious cold with a glass of milk. we picked a ton of apples so i think i'm going to use the apple filling mixture for some apple pancakes... or apple biscuits... oh! and N is making apple pie. normally, i don't like pie, but i'm having a menage love for apples and cinnamon at the moment :)

i realize this is a ridiculously easy recipe, but i still thought i'd share :p enjoy!

2.2 up

well i saw that coming. oh well; setbacks happen. on to other stuff

i could really go for a pizza right now... actually, to be perfectly honest, i could go for anything smothered in cheese. i'm on a tomato and mozzarella kick this week. i need to stop by whole foods to pick up some fresh supplies instead of getting another panini from panera. anyone know how to effectively roast a tomato?

since i've got a craving, i'm finally going to share the pizza nonsense i threw together ages ago. it's pretty basic. the main point is the dough. i used real new york (yea that's the company name) 100% whole wheat pizza dough, which was 16 points total (could be one point per serving if you slice it right). i found it at whole foods, but trader joe's and mom's probably carry it, too. toppings: pizza sauce with chopped peppers, pesto with ground chicken and shredded part skim mozzarella cheese. instructions: prep dough according to box. top pizza as desired. bake pizza according to box. yields approximately eight servings (or 16 if you want smaller slices). the chicken pesto was about 5.5 points per serving; the pepper was about 3.5 points per serving (i use a lot of cheese)

my notes: be careful when stretching/rolling out the dough; i inadvertently poked holes in mine. N doesn't like peppers so i made 3/4 of the pizza chicken pesto. the pesto was SO good on the dough. unfortunately, i used an entire pound of ground chicken, and the layers didn't stay together very well. next time, i'll probably use sliced grilled chicken (or 1/2 pound of ground)... or go full veggie...

what are your favorite pizza toppings?

2.0 down

whew headed in the right direction. still not pretending i know what my body is up to; i'm just going to go with it. 15.4 pounds until goal (i'm giving in to the weight watchers hive mind). i won't be ranting today; don't be scared of the change :p not much to say. this week has been fairly easy. training walks and careful planning/tracking have kept me on ball i guess. although, it is a pre-period week, which means bloating, water retention and constant hunger. i don't know why, but i'm ALWAYS hungry during the week before my period. right now, i'm already thinking about scarfing down a few peanut butter sandwiches two hours before lunch even though i ate my usual breakfast. how will i combat this ravenousness? by posting recipes of course :)


stuffed peppers*
5 bell peppers, red and/or yellow
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup zucchini, diced
14 oz canned tomato sauce
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp black pepper
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pound extra lean ground beef (at least 93% fat free)
preferred seasoning

preheat oven to 400°F. cut off tops from 4 peppers. remove seeds and set hollow peppers and tops aside. dice remaining bell pepper. combine remaining ingredients, including diced pepper, in a medium bowl. cook beef mixture until almost finished. fill peppers with beef mixture and cover with pepper tops. place in a shallow baking dish and bake until peppers are tender, about 30 minutes.

yields four servings (one pepper for five points). if you have leftover beef, it makes a delicious taco filling

my notes: original recipe called for italian seasoning, which didn't have the right taste to me. i made the beef again using a cayenne pepper mixture i've had for ages. the spice balances nicely with some guacamole and mozzarella cheese. by itself, the beef is one to two points (depending on how big you want your servings), and i use two point (low carb) tortillas


chopped greek salad*

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp water
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 black pepper
3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
3 tbsp scallions, sliced
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 cups cucumbers, diced
6 cups lettuce, shredded
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

whisk together oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in medium bowl. stir in dill and scallions. add tomatoes, cucumber and olives; toss to mix and coat. place 1 1/2 cups of lettuce on each plate. top each with about 3/4 cup of tomato mixture and one tablespoon of feta. spoon any dressing left in bottom of bowl over salads

yields four servings (one salad for three points)

my notes: while it looks yummy, i did not enjoy this salad. the tastes and textures were super unappetizing after the first few bites. i may have used a bit too much dill (it's hard to chop and measure), throwing the balance off. i also prefer creamy vinaigrettes to straight vinaigrette dressing. i have a plan for the remaining dill though :)

*slightly modified weight watchers recipes. i couldn't tell you the calorie, fat, etc breakdown

let me know what you think if you try these. i love getting feedback :)