It took me a while to get on Pinterest, and now that I am, I can't stop. I do like it as a resource to find healthier foods. I'm not one to get special nut butters and use some seaweed derived sludge to replace eggs or sugar. I just skip those recipes no matter how good they look. I have found some really good looking recipes that use real ingredients that add up to a PointsPlus value of 1 or 2. I've tried a few of them.
Here's what I discovered...
When people use real ingredients, they just make the serving size really really tiny. I'm not all about tiny unless it relates to my waist size. I don't want to make 45 cookies from one batch and then just eat one. That's just impossible for me. I'd rather eat a huge cookie or 2 normal sized cookies and feel satisfied for a few more points then waste a point on something that just wet my tongue and makes me want more. Wanting more cookies is really bad when there are 44 left in your kitchen.
For Thanksgiving, I wanted to make myself a really good, fall-ish dessert that would make me happy and not feel bad for saying no to pie. Mission accomplished. I made the easiest Pumpkin Mousse ever and it was so rich and decadent!! Here's how: (I promise one day I'll put pictures up for all my recipes. And one day I'll put up more. This is a learning process for me as I try new things. I don't want to share stuff that isn't good!)
Okay, here's really how. You will need:
1 pkg Jello Pumpkin Spice Instant Pudding. (or any flavor you'd like. Pumpkin is seasonal. I'm trying peppermint next!)
1 cup Skim Milk
1 8 oz tub of Cool Whip Lite
1 cinnamon graham cracker (crushed to tiny crumbs)
Combine Jello and milk with a whisk. Follow the directions on the package but instead of using 2 cups of milk, just do one cup. Instant Jello tends to be really soft-set. Halving the milk makes it firmer which you'll need. After you've whisked the pudding, let it set (this is a good time to crush some crumbs) for about 5 minutes. Then take out your thawed Cool Whip and add about 1/3 of the container to the pudding. Carefully fold it in. Then add another third, and fold that in. Finally, you can add the final third. Sure, you could put the whole container in at once, but in my experience, adding it slower helps things mix/fold together better while keeping the volume. Air is zero points so you'll want lots of that :)
Next, take about 1 teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs and fill the bottoms of 8 ramekins. Fill the ramekins with the mousse then top with just a sprinkle of the crumbs to top it off. Put them in the fridge and let them set for at least an hour before serving.
The pudding is so flavorful that you don't need a ton to feel satisfied. But the Cool Whip adds volume so you feel like you're really eating a lot. But it's a lot of air. I love it!! You could make this and put it in a pie crust. I just don't know the PointsPlus value. Each ramekin of this pumpkin mousse is 4 PointsPlus. A slice of pumpkin pie (like 1/16th of the pie) is 14 points! If you've ever had Dairy Queen's Pumpkin Pie Blizzard, this mousse tastes a lot like that! It is seriously one of my favorite things I've made. EVER!
Like I said, I'm trying peppermint pudding next. I'll put it in an oreo crust and top it with a little hot fudge. So naughty! But not really! Happy Eating my friends!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Week Nine: I'd like to thank the Academy...
My leader said that when she received her 10% milestone key chain you may as well had given her an Emmy. It meant that much to her. I didn't cry when I got mine, but I kind of did a happy dance and started high-fiving everyone when I got on the scale and saw that not only had I reached my 10% milestone, but I beat it by another pound!!! I worked my tail off last week. I walked and walked and walked really fast and even ran a little bit. Instead of taking a nap on Thanksgiving, I went on a walk. I didn't have any control over what would be cooked on Thanksgiving but I had control over how much I ate and how much I moved. I was praying for 1 pound and got 2!
I've decided to post some pictures. It's really hard to find a good "before" picture because I hid from the camera for so long!!! And in the pictures I did find, I noticed I was hiding behind people. I'm feeling a little more confident in front of the camera now that I'm 20 POUNDS LIGHTER!!!
This was a great week. I reached my goal regardless of Thanksgiving. I still ate turkey and all that stuff but sensibly and with a purpose. I realize that Thanksgiving is going to come every year and I may as well enjoy it. Now I know I can get through the holidays because if this girl can lose 2 pounds during the week of Thanksgiving, anything is possible!!!
I also want to take a minute to thank all of you who read this and support me with your comments, texts, etc. It was so surprising to me to see how much everyone is rooting for me. I had no idea people would be waiting for me to post about my weigh-ins so eagerly. It warms my heart to hear that I have inspired people to take control of their lives and lose weight too. It makes it all worth it for me! Sure, I'm doing this for myself, but honestly, I feel better knowing that I am helping others. Thank you all so much for your continued support and encouragement!! You are such a big part of my success. There should be a little charm for you all to go on my new awesome key chain!
Progress:
Week One: 4.6 lost
Week Two: 2.2 lost
Week Three: 0.8 lost
Week Four: 2.2 lost
Week Five: 3.2 lost
Week Six: 1.6 lost
Week Seven: 2.2 lost
Week Eight: 1.2 lost
Week Nine: 2.0 lost
Total: 20 pounds lost!!!
I've decided to post some pictures. It's really hard to find a good "before" picture because I hid from the camera for so long!!! And in the pictures I did find, I noticed I was hiding behind people. I'm feeling a little more confident in front of the camera now that I'm 20 POUNDS LIGHTER!!!
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| Here's me last April. Those pants were TIGHT! Now they are starting to fall off me. :) |
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| This should be in Glamour's Don't section. That's a major DON'T! |
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| That's one handsome man! I thought this outfit was slimming on me. This was 10 pounds lighter than I was when I started Weight Watchers! |
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| This one is for Jena. This is my key chain! It's shiny and copper with a little hint of pink! |
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| This is what I see looking back at me. I bought these pants when I was engaged (7 years ago!) and they haven't fit in about 5 years. Why I kept them, I don't know.) Now they are a little too big! |
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| Here's my profile. Sort of. It's like, "Hey, where'd I go?" Just kidding, there's still plenty of junk in my trunk. |
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| I've really noticed a change in my face. This is good and not so good. Last time my face was this thin I was 20. Now I'm getting a little jowly and I feel a bit older. But it's worth it!! My nose looks bigger too now that I don't have a ton of cheeks to balance it out. That's okay. If it works for Barbara Streisand, it works for me! |
I also want to take a minute to thank all of you who read this and support me with your comments, texts, etc. It was so surprising to me to see how much everyone is rooting for me. I had no idea people would be waiting for me to post about my weigh-ins so eagerly. It warms my heart to hear that I have inspired people to take control of their lives and lose weight too. It makes it all worth it for me! Sure, I'm doing this for myself, but honestly, I feel better knowing that I am helping others. Thank you all so much for your continued support and encouragement!! You are such a big part of my success. There should be a little charm for you all to go on my new awesome key chain!
Progress:
Week One: 4.6 lost
Week Two: 2.2 lost
Week Three: 0.8 lost
Week Four: 2.2 lost
Week Five: 3.2 lost
Week Six: 1.6 lost
Week Seven: 2.2 lost
Week Eight: 1.2 lost
Week Nine: 2.0 lost
Total: 20 pounds lost!!!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Week Eight: Belts
This week I lost 1.2 pounds. I am 1 pound away from reaching my 10% goal. This is huge because you get a key chain when you reach your 10% goal. When you're on Weight Watchers, this key chain becomes a very coveted object. It symbolizes so much. I WANT IT!!! Thanksgiving stands between me and my getting a key chain next week. I will conquer Thanksgiving. I HAVE to conquer Thanksgiving (and the day before and after). People say, "Thanksgiving is just one day." But it's not. Thanksgiving lasts for as long as you have company and for as long as the leftovers are in the fridge. My company arrives in about an hour. We already have plans for lunch. But I have knowledge and tools on my side. What I'm doing is working and I will get through this weekend!! And darn it, I'm going to get myself a 10% key chain next Tuesday. Just watch and see!!!
Progress:
Week one: 4.6 lost
Week two: 2.2 lost
Week three: 0.8 lost
Week four: 2.2 lost
Week five: 3.2 lost
Week six: 1.6 lost
Week seven: 2.2 lost
Week eight: 1.2 lost
Total: 18 pounds lost!!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Week Seven: Seventies
My poor little neglected blog. I haven't forgotten about you. In fact, it has been just the opposite. I constantly think about you because there are so many little successes that I mean to record but then life gets in the way and I get sidetracked. A little boy who is almost two also gets in the way. Whenever I am on the computer, he climbs up on me saying, "Cookie!". He wants to watch Cookie Monster on YouTube. So if I put him in front of the computer watching Sesame Street clips does that make me a neglectful mother AND neglectful blogger? I can live with that...
So yes, I keep having little successes! My clothes are starting to fit much looser. I am starting to see a difference in the way I look. My face is a little slimmer. My hips are narrower. My knees are even a little less chubby. I lost another 2.2 pounds this week which is amazing considering I felt terrible all week and didn't want to eat anything but chocolate. Food had no appeal to me. We were all sick and achy. But it just goes to show that even when you don't feel good and your family doesn't feel good and you have to order pizza more times than not, you can still lose weight!
Big milestone this week was that I've moved out of the 180's to the 170's! I haven't been in the 170's since before Ellie. This is a great feeling but it's also kind of an emotional roadblock. The thinnest I've ever really been is about what I am now. My junior and senior years of college were pretty much my thinnest. Sure, I was lighter in high school, but I was rounder somehow. I was more fit in college (thank you RB hill) and was just slimmer. I didn't try, I didn't work hard at it. I just played a lot, ran a little, walked up lots of hills to and from classes, played wheelchair rugby and went to yoga 2 or 3 times a week. I lived off of ice cream and cereal and looked pretty good. The thing that kind of scares me is that I've never really been slimmer than this. I feel great, I really do. But I want to do better. I'm still not at a healthy BMI. I'm close, but that's not good enough for me. I've also had 2 kids since college and my body is shaped a little differently now because of it. I want to be slimmer. I want to be healthier. I know I can, but there's still just this little emotional wall. I know it's not a physical wall and that I will get over it. Before I showered this morning I was 174.4 on my scale. That's lighter than I was on Tuesday when I weighed in. Granted I was fully dressed at my meeting, but still, lighter. I know the program works. I know it's working for me. I just have to get over this wall. And I will. Just give me a couple of weeks.
Week 1: 4.6 lost
Week 2: 2.2 lost
Week 3: 0.8 lost
Week 4: 2.2 lost
Week 5: 3.2 lost
Week 6: 1.6 lost
Week 7: 2.2 lost
Total: 16.8 lost!!
So yes, I keep having little successes! My clothes are starting to fit much looser. I am starting to see a difference in the way I look. My face is a little slimmer. My hips are narrower. My knees are even a little less chubby. I lost another 2.2 pounds this week which is amazing considering I felt terrible all week and didn't want to eat anything but chocolate. Food had no appeal to me. We were all sick and achy. But it just goes to show that even when you don't feel good and your family doesn't feel good and you have to order pizza more times than not, you can still lose weight!
Big milestone this week was that I've moved out of the 180's to the 170's! I haven't been in the 170's since before Ellie. This is a great feeling but it's also kind of an emotional roadblock. The thinnest I've ever really been is about what I am now. My junior and senior years of college were pretty much my thinnest. Sure, I was lighter in high school, but I was rounder somehow. I was more fit in college (thank you RB hill) and was just slimmer. I didn't try, I didn't work hard at it. I just played a lot, ran a little, walked up lots of hills to and from classes, played wheelchair rugby and went to yoga 2 or 3 times a week. I lived off of ice cream and cereal and looked pretty good. The thing that kind of scares me is that I've never really been slimmer than this. I feel great, I really do. But I want to do better. I'm still not at a healthy BMI. I'm close, but that's not good enough for me. I've also had 2 kids since college and my body is shaped a little differently now because of it. I want to be slimmer. I want to be healthier. I know I can, but there's still just this little emotional wall. I know it's not a physical wall and that I will get over it. Before I showered this morning I was 174.4 on my scale. That's lighter than I was on Tuesday when I weighed in. Granted I was fully dressed at my meeting, but still, lighter. I know the program works. I know it's working for me. I just have to get over this wall. And I will. Just give me a couple of weeks.
Week 1: 4.6 lost
Week 2: 2.2 lost
Week 3: 0.8 lost
Week 4: 2.2 lost
Week 5: 3.2 lost
Week 6: 1.6 lost
Week 7: 2.2 lost
Total: 16.8 lost!!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Week Six: Got through Halloween!
I tried to be so good on Halloween. I bought candy I didn't really like and didn't open it until trick-or-treaters showed up. I left the bag out for them to partake from until it was empty. I thought I was pretty awesome. Then I looked in my kids' buckets. They got some really good chocolate. It became increasingly difficult to refrain from stealing my kids' loot. So I allowed myself to give in. But just a little bit. I didn't go overboard and that was a little victory. I would have eaten half of their chocolate Halloween night (and did!) a year ago. However, I realized that I wasn't on a good road when I would get to dinnertime with 6 points left for the day. So Saturday I tightened things up a bit and tried to really stick to what I know works. And to be truthful, the candy didn't taste as good as I remember it.
It was kind of like the time I ate a doughnut. It was really good. But about 6 bites was all I needed. I still love chocolate. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE chocolate. But I'm learning that I really only need a little bit and I'm good to go. Maybe I'm learning it, maybe my body is being conditioned to be that way. I don't have to know how or why, all I know is that I'm building good habits without feeling deprived in any way. I love it!
I weighed in knowing that I didn't have the greatest week and was happy to see that I lost over a pound and a half! I'm getting close to 15 pound total weight loss. It's exciting. I keep losing and feeling better every day. Even through Halloween!
Bring it on Thanksgiving.
Week One: 4.6 lost
Week Two: 2.2 lost
Week Three: 0.8 lost
Week Four: 2.2 lost
Week Five 3.2 lost
Week Six: 1.6 lost
Total: 14.6 pounds lost!
It was kind of like the time I ate a doughnut. It was really good. But about 6 bites was all I needed. I still love chocolate. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE chocolate. But I'm learning that I really only need a little bit and I'm good to go. Maybe I'm learning it, maybe my body is being conditioned to be that way. I don't have to know how or why, all I know is that I'm building good habits without feeling deprived in any way. I love it!
I weighed in knowing that I didn't have the greatest week and was happy to see that I lost over a pound and a half! I'm getting close to 15 pound total weight loss. It's exciting. I keep losing and feeling better every day. Even through Halloween!
Bring it on Thanksgiving.
Week One: 4.6 lost
Week Two: 2.2 lost
Week Three: 0.8 lost
Week Four: 2.2 lost
Week Five 3.2 lost
Week Six: 1.6 lost
Total: 14.6 pounds lost!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Week Five: GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!
All I needed was .2 pounds. Two tenths of a pound. That's like a sneeze. I knew I could do it. I had a really difficult week and wasn't expecting a high number. As I took off my shoes and stepped on the scale I was just hoping for .2. When Linda, the receptionist got a big smile on her face I asked how much. 3.2!!! Say wha???? I lost the .2 and 3 pounds more!?!?! So I not only reached my 5% milestone today, but I got another 5lb milestone and am 2 pounds away from the next 5 lb! I have lost a total of 13 pounds and I am starting to see it, feel it, and believe that I can continue to do it.
My pants are fitting a little looser. I can see that my face is a little slimmer. It's easier to make healthier choices. Frighteningly, sweets just don't taste as awesome as they once did. And one of the best things is that I'm off one of my blood pressure meds! All last week I was feeling tired and my vision was all shifty and I just felt weird. I went to my doctor and it turns out that my blood pressure was too low! That hasn't happened ever, but really since being pregnant with Ellie my blood pressure has never been normal without help. I stopped one of my meds and I feel awesome. I still can't believe I lost 3.2 pounds this week. I've had ice cream and Halloween candy but very much within reason. The program is working and it's realistic. I really am gaining confidence that I can do this. 16 pounds by Thanksgiving really is attainable. Those guys at Weight Watchers know what they're talking about. Yup, I can do this!
Week One: 4.6 lost
Week Two: 2.2 lost
Week Three: 0.8 lost
Week Four: 2.2 lost
Week Five: 3.2 lost
Total: 13 pounds lost!!!
My pants are fitting a little looser. I can see that my face is a little slimmer. It's easier to make healthier choices. Frighteningly, sweets just don't taste as awesome as they once did. And one of the best things is that I'm off one of my blood pressure meds! All last week I was feeling tired and my vision was all shifty and I just felt weird. I went to my doctor and it turns out that my blood pressure was too low! That hasn't happened ever, but really since being pregnant with Ellie my blood pressure has never been normal without help. I stopped one of my meds and I feel awesome. I still can't believe I lost 3.2 pounds this week. I've had ice cream and Halloween candy but very much within reason. The program is working and it's realistic. I really am gaining confidence that I can do this. 16 pounds by Thanksgiving really is attainable. Those guys at Weight Watchers know what they're talking about. Yup, I can do this!
Week One: 4.6 lost
Week Two: 2.2 lost
Week Three: 0.8 lost
Week Four: 2.2 lost
Week Five: 3.2 lost
Total: 13 pounds lost!!!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Recipe of the Week: Chicken Parmesan Sliders
My inspiration is from Everyday Food. They had a recipe for Spaghetti and Chicken Parmesan meatballs which I made Sunday night. I had leftovers so Monday we had sliders. Can I just say that the leftovers are almost better than the original? If I can, then I will say it. The leftovers ARE better! Italian food really does taste better the next day. Here's the recipe. Prepare to get your hands dirty :)
First make the meatballs: (2 points plus each or 3 for two! I love that math sometimes)
1 pound ground chicken breast
1/2 skim milk
1 3/4 cups breadcrumbs, divided
1 egg white
1/4 c fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
4 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed in 1/2 inch cubes
2 T olive oil
Prepare 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs and the parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl. Mix it well, tell it you love it and you'll be back later. Combine milk, 1/2 c breadcrumbs, egg white, spinach and a little salt & pepper if you want. Note on spinach: you don't have to have it. You could do a little parsley instead. But this is a great way to sneak in some vegetables so your kids/husband won't notice. You won't really taste the spinach. Having it bulks up the meatball a bit too so it feels like you're eating more. I say put it in. Mix it really well. It will be a pasty doughy thing. Now add the chicken. Once the chicken joins the party you don't want to handle it too much or you'll have tough meatballs. And tough meatballs are not tasty. Once it's mixed, take a tablespoon sized cookie scoop (if you're lucky enough to have one. Hint hint.) or just eyeball it and use your hands and form a little ball. Once it's ballish enough, stick a cube of cheese inside then kind of seal it off with the chicken mixture. This will be messy. You will get sticky and gross but it's worth it. You probably wouldn't get so sticky if you had a really good cookie scoop. Also, note that it's not going to be a firm meatball like a ground beef one would be. These are soft and delicate. Drop the meatball in breadcrumb/parm mixture and roll it around until it's covered. Then place it on a cookie sheet and continue with the rest of the 24 meatballs or so. Depending on how big you make them, this should yeild about 2 dozen meatballs.
Heat a non-stick or cast iron pan then add oil. When it's hot, brown the meatballs about 8 at a time depending on the size of your pan. When they're brown, place them on a paper towel-lined plate or cookie sheet (NOT the same one you put raw chicken on). Finish browning then put in a non-stick foil lined cookie sheet and bake in the oven on 350 for about 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Trust me on the non-stick foil. When they're done they are crusty on the outside and moist and gooey on the inside. Sometimes the cheese bursts out a little bit while baking and that is so stinking good! Making sure you have non-stick foil.
You can serve these meatballs with spaghetti and sauce that night or freeze them or just put them in the fridge til the next night. It's up to you.
To make the sliders:
Buy a bag of dinner rolls. I decided to get fancy and made some Rhode's Rolls (using the fast method. I'm not that fancy.) and bake til they're done. Most of the points (5) are in these rolls so if you wanted to cut some points out, change your bread. I have 2 bags of 36 rolls in my freezer so I used that. Do what you'd like! I literally microwaved the meatballs which is probably a crime and you should probably bake them again but the microwave worked just fine and I have no regrets! To build the sandwich I spread tomato sauce (can of Hunt's) on both sides of a sliced roll and topped it with a meatball and a piece of mozzarella cheese (1/2 ounce). I popped it back in the microwave for about 30 seconds just for the cheese to melt. You could omit the cheese since there's some in the meatball, but hey, live a little. You could probably add a little fresh basil leaf or something too if you're fancy, but I'm microwaving here and that's about as nice as things are going to get.
Serve with potato chips. Which will be next week's recipe.
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