Whole-Wheat Chili-Mac

Happy Tuesday everyone! I was so happy to have yesterday off. I needed the sleep. FI and I actually bought a sectional yesterday for our new condo! So squishy and comfy. I want the couch now! I've started to pick up more fruits and veggies and I'm trying to lay off the bread. Lets just see how we do with it! The real kicker was that yesterday I went to go bra shopping, now only did I have to get a bigger size, I was just so disgusted with myself in the mirror. So no more drinking during the week and I'm going to minimize my drinking on the weekend too.

Tiff_Lou gave us a recipe yesterday, another tasty sounding one. Let me know if anyone tries it!

Whole-Wheat Chili-Mac
Ingredients
12 oz uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
1 medium onion(s), chopped
14 1/2 oz canned stewed tomatoes, Mexican-style, undrained
1 1/4 cup canned tomato sauce
2 Tbsp canned green chili peppers, diced, drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup dry whole-wheat elbow macaroni
15 oz canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup SoyaKaas Grated Parmesan Style Soy Cheese, or similar product

Instructions:
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off fat. Stir in undrained stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili peppers, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Stir in uncooked macaroni and kidney beans. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. To serve, spoon into bowls and sprinkle with grated topping.

Yields about 1 1/4 cups of chili and 1 1/3 tablespoons of topping per serving.

It is a core dish, but for my flex people it's 6pts per serving.

Bon Appetite!

Shepards Pie

Shepards Pie
from weightwatchers.com

Ingredients:
8 medium red potatoes peeled and quartered
5 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup fat free exaporated milk
3/4 cup fat free mozarella cheese
1/8 tsp salt or more to taste
1/2 cup onions chopped
1/8 tsp pepper or more to taste
12oz uncooked ground turkey breast
2 cups zucchini or yellow summer squash sliced
14 1/2 oz canned tomatoes, chunky pasta style, undrained
6oz can tomato paste
cooking spray

Directions
Place potaotes in pot and cover with water( just enough to cover potatoes.) boil about 20 min until soft. Drain and place potatoes back in pot. Add 2 tsp oil and, milk, 1/4 cup of cheese and salt and pepper. Mash until fluffy and set aside. Heat a large skillet with remainig oil. Add onion and turkey and cook until no longer pink. Drain any fat. Stir in zucchini or squash, tomato paste, chunky tomatoes and some pepper to taste. Let this come to a boil. Coat an 8 1/2 x 11 inch dish with cooking spray and fill with turkey mixture and then top with mashed potatoes and finally the remaining cheese. Let cook for 30 minutes and enjoy!!

Yield: 8 Servings
4pts/serving

Honey and Soy Glazed Salmon

Happy Tuesday everyone! I've definately gotten very frustrated with my weight lately. I've followed the plan to the T and the pounds keep coming on. I've gained 10 pounds since I've bought my dress, and when I bought it, it fit like a glove. Now, it probably doesn't even fit anymore. Sigh....I'm trying to work out more, watch what I eat, track all my points and then BAM....an extra 2 pounds added on.

Well enough about me complaining...here is another new recipe. This one came from Kara (KDangel518).

Honey and Soy Glazed Salmon
from foodnetwork.com- Sara's Secrets

Ingredients:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp water
1 1/3 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (i.e. canola)
4 6 oz skinless salmon filets

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, 1 Tbsp of the dijon mustard, lime juice and water.
In a small non-stick skillet heat oil over med high heat until hot, but not smoking.
Cook salmon filets 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through.
Transfer salmon to 4 plates.
Add honey mixture to skillet and simmer, stirring ocassionally, until it reaches a glaze-like consistency.
Pour the glaze over the salmon, enjoy!

Yields- 4 servings
8 pts/serving

Frittata with Herbed Ricotta Cheese and Canadian Bacon

Good morning again fellow Weight Watchers (and those non WWs). Today I'm posting a few recipes so I can keep in the groove of updating this when needed.

Frittata with Herbed Ricotta Cheese and Canadian Bacon
From WW.com

Ingredients:
2/3cup ff ricotta cheese
4 large eggs, beaten (or 1 1/4 cups of egg substitute)
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
3 oz Canadian Bacon, finely julienned
1/3 cup fresh chives, coarsley chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, coarsley chopped
1/3 tsp ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400
Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over med heat
In a small bowl, combine eggs, herbs, bacon and pepper. Pour into hot skillet. Drop ricotta onto egg mixture by spoonfulls. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are are set and only the surface is runny- about 3 minutes. Place skillet in the oven and bake until cooked through and slightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Slide frittata out of the pan and serve!

Yields- 4 servings
Points- 4/serving OR Core

How is everyone doing with their new found Weight Watchers diet? I figured that I'd share some tips for you to help you along your path:

1. Make sure you drink your water! It's very important as it will flush out the sodium in your body as well as help keep you full.
2. Make sure you eat all your points alloted. This will help you get the nutrients that you need while also loosing weight. This is the healthy way to loose weight, even if you only go down .2lbs per week....that's .2lbs less than what you were before. Don't get discourage if you're not loosing 5lbs per week.
3. Whether you're on core or flex and you are eating carbs, make sure that they are healthy carbs. "Healthy Carbs" will break down slower and keep you fuller longer. This includes Stone Ground Whole Wheat Breat (Wonder makes a really good one) and potatoes are considered a good carb (baked potatoes, not French Fries!). Also try to limit yourself to eating these type of carbs once a day.
4. WEIGH AND MEASURE EVERYTHING! What you might think is one serving of pasta, might be 2+ servings. You might think that a 6-7oz peice of meat could be 4-5oz. This will make a big difference in your points as well as your weight loss progress.

Good Luck Everyone! Feel free to post a comment if you have any questions!

Turkey Sloppy Joes!!!

Happy Monday Everyone! I hope everyone stayed on track this weekend (or at least made a valiant effort!). We just made plans for my future in-laws to come and visit Ed and I in March and help us move in, etc. That means his mother, father, sister and niece and nephew get to fly out from Colorado or California and spend a few days with us. I'd love to see them....but how crazy is it going to be while they're here? Even though it will be pretty crazy, I'm very grateful for the help! I'd love to hear your suggestions on Easter dinner meals as we'll probably be having Easter in my new house while they're out here. I need to make something to impress them :).

Below is a recipe from Fiantas (aka Heather) for Turkey Sloppy Joes. I cannot wait to try them out! I know Ed will love them as well!

Turkey Sloppy Joes
Points: 7
makes about 5-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion(s)
1 small green pepper(s)
1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Spicy BBQ sauce
1 tsp chili powder
4 tomato slices
4 pieces lettuce
4 Whole Grain Wheat Hamburger Bun(s)
5 serving 99% Fat Free Turkey (typically one package)

Directions:
Heat oil in skillet, add chopped onions and peppers. cook until soft. Add ground turkey, crumble until no longer pink. Add BBQ sauce & chili powder, turn heat to medium low and cover cooking for 10 mins. Serve on rolls and top with lettuce & tomato.

Enjoy everyone! Let me know how they are!

Back to Blogging!

So after such a crazy crazy few months, falling into a "slight" depressive state, I'm kicking myself in the ass, working out and determined to lose weight! The weight that I'm at right now is the most I've ever weight and frankly it kind of disgusts me! I have so many things going on in 2008 so I want to be healthy and more in shape so I don't get tired, worn out or sick! That would not be good at all!

So to start 2008 off with a bang, here is a Chicken Marsala recipe from KDangel518 (Kara) that she got from weightwatchers.com:

Chicken Marsala
from weightwatchers.com

Ingredients:
2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast (I like to take 2 large chicken breasts and slice them thinly, or buy thin sliced chicken breast- they cook better in this recipe)
1 1/4 cups of reduced sodium beef broth
1/3 cup Marsala Wine
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (I like to use crimini mushrooms, but you can use white buttons as well)
1 1/2 tbsp of corn starch
dried thyme
salt and pepper

Directions: In a large pan sautee mushrooms in olive oil over med heat for approx. 5 minutes. While mushrooms are sauteeing, season chicken breasts on both sides with thyme (be pretty liberal), salt, and pepper. Place chicken breasts in the pan, moving mushrooms to the sides of the pan. Sautee the chicken breasts until they become golden, approx. 2-3 minutes per side. Pour marsala wine into the pan, simmer for 1 minute. Pour 3/4 cup of the beef broth into the pan, simmer for approx 8 minutes- until chicken is cooked through (I like to turn the breasts about 1/2 way through to ensure even cooking). In a small bowl (or measuring cup), combine the remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth and cornstarch- whisk until cornstarch is dissolved. Pour beef broth mixture into the pan, and stir in- mixing mushrooms and chicken all together. Simmer for a few more minutes- until sauce thickens. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 servings
Points/Serving: 4

This is great over whole wheat linguine!!

Happy New Year everyone!