Chocolate Eclairs

My book club met last night, and we decided to do pot-luck 2011 book clubs, and I provided a healthy dish (see quinoa post below) and a not-so-healthy dish.  Chocolate Eclairs. 

My mom used to make chocolate eclairs and it was beyond a treat when she did.  She had a different recipe that I couldn't find, so I used a dessert cookbook that I got as a gift. 

Dough in pastry tube. Holy mess batman. And those are my legs.

In the oven!

Out of the oven. I think I made them too small.

I learned my lesson with the dough debacle. This is how I filled the pastry tube with the filling.

Stuffed with filling.

The final result...

I am so proud of myself for how they turned out, and they were actually not as sweet as my mom's which enabled my guests to consume them all.  Good thing I made such a mess making them and filling them that I was able to taste-test as I went along...though I didn't get to eat a full complete eclair!  That is totally awesome with me though--my favorite part of the evening was when I refilled the dish of eclairs when they got low and hearing from my friends "There's more!? Good!! I can have a second!"

The process was intense. And messy. But SO worth it.  I love cooking for others--especially when I do a good job and people love what I make.  And they LOVED these eclairs! YAY!

Toasted Quinoa Salad with Lemon and Herbs

I made this for book club last night (along with Chocolate Eclairs, but that is another post), and most liked it, but I think that quinoa is an acquired taste.  I love it. This dish was fresh, citrusy, and refresting.  I really like it!

Toasted Quinoa Salad with Lemon and Herbs

 2 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin, divided   

10 oz uncooked quinoa   (I used red quinoa)

1 1/4 cup(s) water   (I used 1 C chicken broth +1/4 C water)

1/4 cup(s) fresh lemon juice, about the juice of 2 lemons   

2 tsp lemon zest, about the zest of 1 lemon   

1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, chopped    (I used 1/8C + 1/8 C Cilantro)

1/4 cup(s) watercress, fresh, chopped    (I did not use this)

1 Tbsp thyme, fresh, fresh, chopped   (I used a little less and the dried version that I had in the house)

2 stalk(s) celery, diced (medium)   

1 medium cucumber(s), diced   (I peeled it first)

Instructions 
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toast quinoa in oil until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add water; cover, reduce heat to low and let steam for 15 minutes.

Place toasted, steamed quinoa in a large bowl and add remaining ingredients; mix well. Let mixture rest for 15 minutes to an hour to allow flavors to combine. Serve at room temperature. Yields about 1 cup per serving. 

5 pts+/serving

Think Postitive

L reminds me that things could be worse.
And he is right.
I mope and feel sorry that I have no job, but currently, in Oregon, 1 in 10 are unemployed.

I have awesome friends and family who cheer me up on a daily basis.
I am able to work out and eat healthier and invest time into me for the first time in a long time.
I'm getting married this year (hopefully, if we aren't too poor!).
I have football. (And I got my helmet and shoulder pads on Wednesday!)
I have book club.
I have my cats.
I have L.

I have it pretty darn good.

Baked Oatmeal

Thought I'd give this a try after seeing it on the WW boards, and then seeing it on Emily's blog.
I didn't want to make all of this since I will be the only one who eats it, so I halved the recipe--for the most part!
I also tweaked the fruits based on what I had in my house, and I love fruit, so I added even MORE!

Baked Blueberry & Peach Oatmeal
OR-
Baked Blueberry, Apple, and Pear Oatmeal

Source: Emily Bites Blog - adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned oats   (1 1/2 C)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar  (1/4 C)

Post-baking

2 teaspoons baking powder (1 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon salt  (1/4 tsp kosher)
2 egg whites (1 egg white)
1 egg (1 egg)
1 ¼ cups skim milk (1/2 C + 1/8 C (or 5 oz.) skim milk)
1/4 cup canola oil (1/4 olive oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract  (kept this the same)
1 can (15 oz) sliced peaches in water, drained and chopped  (1 pear + 1 apple chopped)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries  (I had fresh-frozen blueberries and I used almost a full cup)
1/3 cup chopped pecans (Uh...no. YUK)

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350
2.Combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites, egg, oil (or applesauce), milk and vanilla. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and stir until blended together. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes and then add the blueberries and peaches.
3.Spray an 11” x 7” baking dish with cooking spray and pour the oatmeal mixture into the dish, spreading it evenly. (I put it in a square 8X8)  Sprinkle pecans on top. Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-40 minutes.(20 minutes and checked it, then another 10, then another 10--might have added too much fruit! :D Total time for my recipe in oven = 50 min)

Yields 9 servings.
If you substitute ¼ c of applesauce for the canola oil it would lower the points+. Serving with additional milk would be extra.

I wish I would have had applesauce to reduce the point value!
Total points+ = 41


I cut 6 servings = 7pts+/serving

Close-up on my plate. YUM!

I will definitely make this again (maybe with less fruit!).  Even though it didn't turn out perfectly, I love how it isn't too sweet and it is satisfying.  Yum. It would probably have been more filling had I not been ravenous for breakfast.  So I am drinking a large amount of water with it!

YUM

11 = 5 pts!

Sweet and satisfying.  OMG YUMMMMMMMMM!!!
Got these at Bales, but here is the website: LINK

Meatloaf Muffins: Take 2

I tweaked this recipe which impacted the original's point value--this revised point value is AMAZING!!!

Post Oven--the plain are on the left.

Everything together

Diner Meat Loaf 'Muffins'

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion  (I used 1/2 onion)
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (+more)
1 teaspoon dried oregano  (+more)
2 garlic cloves, minced  (+more)
1 cup ketchup, divided (I didn't use this much--I used 1/2 C + a squirt on top of 5 muffins)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw)  (in the package there is 1.2 lbs. That is what I used)
1 cup finely crushed fat-free saltine crackers (about 20) (I didn't have this ingredient, so I used 1/4 C + 1/8 C of breadcrumbs--Italian seasoned)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard (+MORE--I used stone ground mustard)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (+a little more)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs (I used 1 egg and 2 egg whites)
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Cool.

Combine onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.  (While the mix above was cooling I mixed the turkey in with all the wet ingredients--not the bread crumbs--and pepper to let it soak in some of the flavors)
Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup (I only did this for 4, and I didn't measure--I also topped 5 with stone ground mustard, and then left 3 plain). Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.

LUNCH!!!

12 muffins 2 pts+/muffin!!!


I REALLY love the flavor of these.  YUM.  I like the bite of the mustard flavor, and the ketsup topped ones have a completely different flavor--AWESOME.  
I will say that these did not hold together as well as the stove-top meatloaf muffins that I made did--but I took some chances as I tweaked this recipe.  Next time I will try to do it with the saltines (and the right amount), and maybe one more egg white? I can't figure out which will help hold it together better.  Overall, the flavor of these ROCK, and I'd like to go eat the other 10 muffins, but I am full after two (I also had carrots and yogurt).  

WI Wednesday

+2.9

Yep.
I really need to be more focused on tracking what I am eating, eating the right things, and not taking such a "break" on the weekends.  It is just sabotaging my pursuits, and I just need to stop it.   The last four days have been disastrous (except for my run on Monday): and I feel the aftereffects--not just in the results on the scale.  Not getting enough water, not eating all my fruits and veggies or dairy--it all adds up and impacts how I feel.

Back to the drawing board.

P.S.

My team is going to the SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!

I LOVE MY GREEN BAY PACKERS!!!!!!

Changed...Again...

WI will be on Wednesdays.

Blargh.

My day of "rest..."

Blargh...
I am on beer # (you don't need to know....but it is more than 2 and less than 6)...just ate domino's pizza (cheese w/ mush & onions).
My football team is freaking me out.
I had a three hour practice yesterday (Go Shockwave!) and am still sore today (though not as much with the beer).
We did:
about 15 40-yard sprints
drills for D-line (me) and D-backs
ladder/hopping drill (did the jumping SUCK!!)
box drill (x2 second round my team lost, so we had to do 5 updowns which SUCK)

and other defensive stuffs.

Whew. My team just won.  I can relax now. They beat one of my most hated teams, and I can breathe now.

Ok.  I'll pay for all the drinking/eating later.  Like tomorrow for weigh-in.

Meal ideas

I have been trying to find ways to keep me full so I am not eating all day long--since I am unemployed and getting more and more frustrated with the situation, the desire to eat all day is growing stronger.  I like to experiment, and have been spending time on the WW message boards (especially the Recipe Review board) to get ideas to try. 

I don't have a problem with repeating meals because if I find something I love (like the crock-pot chicken salsa), I will keep eating it until I am REALLY sick of it.  But the quantity that the recipes make create a hefty amount of leftovers, and I'm generally the only one who eats them, so sometimes repeating meals is inevitable. 

I do try to include a fruit/veggie in every single meal, so I am not cramming my healthy checks in huge amounts during dinner.  A yogurt for lunch takes care of a dairy, and a pear for breakfast gets in one fruit/veggie.  Then I can snack on bananas, apples, carrots throughout the day.  I am much happier when I get in all my healthy checks--especially the healthy oil, so I really make an effort to make sure I am eating GOOD foods. 

Mind you, on Wednesday I was pretty down and I ate an entire box of Annie's white cheddar shells macaroni and cheese (17 points!) and felt disgustingly horrible about it!!

But I also do well--last night, for dessert, I really wanted to eat about five of my brownies.  Instead, I had 2 brownies (7 pts.), 3 hershey's kisses (caramel filled) (2 pts) microwaved for 30 seconds (warm and gooey and delicious) and added cold 1/8 C cool whip free (0 pt).  OMG delicious! I am irritated that I didn't take a picture of it. 

Here are some of my recent meals that have been successful in keeping me full and happy--and I remembered to take a picture.  

Boca Burger (2 pts) (1 tsp. light mayo (0 pt), 1 tsp. blue cheese crumbles (0 pt), ketchup) on a bagel thin (3 pts.), Perogie (2 pts), and Sweet Potato Quinoa Soup (5 pts) Total: 12 pts.

Improvised Oatmeal (I ran out of milk, and had coconut milk, but wanted to use the rest of the coconut milk I had. 

Improvised Oatmeal: 10 pts.

1/2 c oats
MANY shakes of cinnamon
1/4 c canned pumpkin
1/4 c light coconut milk
1/4 c skim milk
1/4 c golden raisins
1 TBSP brown sugar

Mix everything BUT the raisins and sugar, and microwave for 45 seconds.  Then add raisins and brown sugar and microwave for another 45 seconds.
Stir. 
This is super hearty, filling, creamy, flavorful, and awesome.  This is coming from someone who used to HATE everything about oatmeal.  Now, it is a favorite--especially with the dreary weather we have right now. 

Crock Pot Chicken Salsa, 1 Tortilla, salad with mandarin oranges, 1 apple, spinach, and poppy-seed dressing

Key Lime Fluff

I have made this pie before (YUMMINESS in the summer), but I was missing ingredients, so I modified it significantly.

1/4 C boiling water
1 box sugar free lime jello
1 container key lime yoplait light yogurt

Fluff of lime

1 container of cool whip free

Boil water.
Wisk water with jello until dissolved.  Wisk in yogurt. Fold in cool whip.
Let set in fridge.

~2 cups loosely mixed
1/2 C/serving = 3 pts./serving

Tangy, just sweet enough, fluffy, and yummy!

Here is the pie recipe (thanks WW!):
Easy Key Lime Pie
Servings | 8

Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1(1/3 ounce) package sugar-free lime gelatin
2 (6 ounce) containers fat-free key lime yogurt
1 (8 ounce) container fat-free cool whip
1 keebler reduced ft graham cracker crust

Instructions
In microwave-safe measuring cup, heat water on high (100% power) for 45 seconds to 1 1/2 miutes or until boiling.
Whisk water in gelatin until dissolved.
In large bowl, whisk together gelatin mixture and yogurt.
Fold into the whipped cream.
Carefully spread into the crust
Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set.
Garnish as desired.

Breakfast of Yum...

After Body Pump I made this awesomeness:

No, I did not make the yogurt...Duh..

1 slice beer bread: 4pts.
1 pear: 0 pts.
1 yoplait light (very cherry): 3 pts.
1 egg: 2 pts.
2 egg whites: 1 pt.
sauteed mushrooms, shallot, minced garlic, and 2 C spinach : 0 pts.
1 tsp. olive oil: 1 pt.
1/4 C shredded mozzarella/provolone cheese: 2 pts.
Total: 13 points
Worth every single point.  Super filling and check out all the healthy checks I got in:
1 1/2 dairy
1 healthy oil
2 fruits/veggies
Nice!!

Brownies: I was a skeptic--now converted...

I saw this suggestion posted time and time again on the WW message boards.  I was highly skeptical and really didn't want to take a chance.  Seriously? Beans? In BROWNIES???
I wish I would have done this sooner.
Check it out:

See? Looks like normal brownies.

1 box brownie mix (dry--nothing else)
1 can low-sodium black beans

Put entire can of black beans into food processor.  Food process the beans until pourable.
Mix bean mix with dry brownie mix and bake according to box's directions.

That's it!

Individual portion ready for the freezer!

Super easy, gets the chocolate fix satisfied, DOESN'T TASTE LIKE BEANS, and I can freeze individual brownie servings to satisfy my chocolate cravings when they come.  
These brownies are super chewy, moist, and delicious!
25 brownies/3 pts+ each

All cut up for portion control.  Yes, I am aware that the pieces are uneven. And yes, I know I shouldn't have cut them when they were still warm--I was EXCITED!!!

Sweet Potato Quinoa Soup

Of Deliciousness... YUM

Hearty, interesting, and yummy in my tummy.  Of course, the day I make this the sun is out and it stopped raining for the first time in a week.  This will be a recipe I make again.  Thanks to A Veggie Venture for the suggestion/motivation!

Look how pretty this is!! YUM!

SWEET POTATOES
Water to cover
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced small  (I cut mine in bigger chunks)

QUINOA
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons water (or more as needed)

1/2 cup (88g) quinoa (I used red quinoa)
3 cups vegetable broth (I used low-sodium chicken broth)

1 cup coconut milk, light or regular (I used light from Trader Joe's)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I did not add this)
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (I did not add this)
Salt & pepper to taste

For garnish and contrast, sour cream or plain yogurt or keffir or something similar (omit for a vegan soup) (Did not do this.)

SWEET POTATOES In a saucepan with a cover, combine the water and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer and let simmer until the sweet potatoes are fully cooked but not so cooked as to break apart.

QUINOA In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the onion in the water until soft. Add the quinoa and broth, cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a slow simmer, let simmer until the quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes.

COMBINE Stir the sweet potatoes into the quinoa. With an immersion blender, blend until a bit thicker, leaving some recognizable bits of sweet potato. (You could also use a blender, if so, leave out some of the sweet potato pieces, they really do help the appearance.--I did this, but the color of my soup was fine and didn't need to leave out the chunks-I wish I hadn't.) Stir in the coconut milk and spices and warm through again. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.

SERVE To serve, top with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.(I had mine plain. YUM!!)

Yummy 1 C individual serving!

5 cups/ 1 C/serving 5pts+ per serving.

WI Monday!

225.1

-1.3

Bit by bit...little by little. I can do this!!

Probably shouldn't have made those pancakes...

But they were SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I added blueberries that I had in the freezer from the farmer's market this summer.  So they were healthy?

Blargh.  Still.  And what is pathetic is the fact that I ate them all and they weren't totally done all the way through due to the frozen-ness of the blueberries.  But, as a good gorger does, I ate them ALL.

And now I have a gut-ache. 

ARGH.

WHEN WILL I LEARN!?!?!?!??!

Without temptation...

I do much better.

On my jog (it was going to be a long one too!), I got a text from a friend asking me to meet her at Olive Garden.  Her BF HATES the OG, and of course, never one to pass up hanging out with an awesome friend or hideous amounts of carbs, I texted (as I ran) that I'd for sure meet her.  So, I cut my run short, and met her with a plan: minimal soup, salad, and breadsticks...
Yeah, right.
That didn't happen.

And we split dessert.

Though, I will have to admit, I would have eaten an entire dessert on my own and even more breadsticks in my prior life...

Even so, I left with a gut-ache, and it is over 6 hours later and I am still disgustingly full.
And, I ate the creamy gnocchi soup too. 

Holy crap day of no restraint.

I won't even mention the beer bread I made and ate two slices of last night (9 points), or the homemade blueberry muffins I made and ate two of (8 points) last night.

DAMN YOU BREAD.

Wahoo!

Doctor's scale = 223.4!!!!!

I am pretty pumped about that. Even though I am an uninsured, pay-out-of-pocket for my yearly female-parts exam, I am totally excited by the positive changes I've made and the results I am experiencing. 

I am pretty close to eating an entire loaf of bread though. 

New favorite breakfast: Sweet Breakfast Quinoa

Thank you Food and Wine magazine--I really LOVE YOU! I was hesitant at first, but I am in love with the crunchy interestingness of this recipe.  TRY IT!!!

1 cup red quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup fresh ricotta (I didn't include this)

Directions

Quinoa deliciousness!

1. In a small saucepan, cover the quinoa with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Lightly fluff the quinoa with a fork and cover it again.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the apricots, maple syrup, orange zest and cinnamon and stir well until heated through.
3. Add the quinoa to the skillet and stir gently to incorporate the almonds and apricots. Top each portion of quinoa with a tablespoon of ricotta and serve.

Make Ahead

The recipe can be made through Step 1 and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat as needed or serve cold.

**NOTE** Be sure to NOT cook the almonds too long--even if they don't look brown, 2 minutes is ENOUGH!! (Almost too much) Be sure to have the other ingredients prepped to add to the skillet right away when the almonds are brown because if you do what I did and wait to prep as the almonds cook, the almonds get too dark and nearly burn.  Don't do it!
Without the ricotta the points come out to 7pts/serving (1 cup serving) 4 servings total.  So good. YUMMY!

And...dang, I am FULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crock-Pot Chicken Salsa

I made this for three weeks straight when I was back in Wisconsin. It is filling, comforting, and delicious.  I have tried different amounts of stuff, and the recipe below has been the most successful:

Boneless/skinless chicken breasts (they can even be frozen!) : as many as you need--in the picture there are 3 GIANT ones. (I usually use 3-5)

1 jar of salsa (as mild or spicy as you wish) I use the GIANT jar of Pace mild salsa, not the normal, standard size.

1 can of low-sodium black beans rinsed (I usually use the biggest can, or two cans)

1 bag frozen sweet corn (I LOVE white corn)

1/2 onion chopped

package of mushrooms

package (big one) 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1-2 packets of taco seasoning: OR MAKE YOUR OWN (thanks Krista!) which I did this time--soooooo much better!!

My version of taco seasoning for this dish:

2 tsp EACH:

garlic powder

cumin

kosher salt

oregano 

paprika

1 tsp black pepper

so much better without the added random scary crap!

Directions:

The night before, put chicken breasts in crock pot.  Add taco seasoning, salsa, beans, corn, onions, mushrooms.  Put crock pot in refrigerator overnight. In the morning plug crock pot in, turn on low, let cook all day (it makes the house smell so good!!)--at least 6 hours.  45 minutes before eating, I take two forks and pull apart the large chicken pieces so it is in shredded pieces (see picture), and then 30  minutes before serving I add the cream cheese.  Stir and serve.  It is hearty enough to eat as is, or you can put it over rice or in tortillas or tacos.  My friend made this and left out the mushrooms and added jalapenos and used spicy salsa, but I am a baby when it comes to heat.  I seriously love this dish and it would provide lunches for the week.  

This time around I got 10 servings/5pts. a serving.  But it varies depending on the amount of chicken/beans I add.  You could probably use regular cream cheese or fat free.

Now that I have written about this, I am going to go make some leftovers for a late breakfast, early lunch!

WI Monday!

226.4!

-2.9 from last week.

Not too shabby since I went OUT OF CONTROL yesterday.
I was super good until an order of breadsticks and half a cheese/mushroom original crust domino's pizza. 
Yeah. 6/7 days OP/tracking.  :(
Starting again today!

Friday and Saturday

Friday:  36 points consumed
Healthy Checks:
5 water
2 dairy
5 fruits/veggies
vitamin
1 healthy oil
exercise:  Willpower and Grace 50 minute class
Saturday:  54 points consumed
Healthy Checks:
6 water
2 dairy
5 fruits/veggies
vitamin
1 healthy oil
exercise: Football practice outside: 10-12:10ish (maybe a 45 minute workout--lots of learning and listening happened too)

Saturday night's meal consisted of sushi--which I can't eat--so I had a bento box combination (chicken teriyaki, sauteed vegetables, and assorted tempura 2 shrimp and 2 beans 1 onion and 1 zucchini wedge), miso soup and salad with orange vinaigrette dressing and 2 gyozas.
I think I will take tomorrow off from working out, so as of now I have earned 65 activity points.  BUT, even if I weren't going to use the activity points, I still would have 13 of the 49 weekly remaining points left for the week (which ends MONDAY!).  Overall, I am not doing too shabby.  I even tried to find point values for everything I ate tonight.  YAY me!

Grouchy and HUNGRY

It is 9:15 PM and I am still hungry.
I am 5 points over for the day.
Because I have no job, I have very little else to think about other than food, eating, and not eating but wishing I was eating.
Something has to change.

Breakfast:
2 eggs 4 pts. (I ran out of eggs so I couldn't make my usual 1 egg, 2 egg whites)
Slice mozzarella cheese 2 pts.
1 pear 0 pt.
beer bread 4 pts.
Coke zero 0 pt.
Total: 10 pts.

Lunch:
Same as yesterday.
Total: 7 pts.

Dinner:
1 hummus cup 3 pts.
spread on 1 sand thin 3 pt.
topped with 1 tomato 0 pt.
giant salad baby spinach & romaine 0 pt.
apple 0 pt.
7 homemade croutons 3 pts.
poppy seed vinagrette 3 pts.
Total: 13 pts.

Mid-day snack
1 orange 0 pt.
14 almonds 2 pts.
1 100 calorie pack sweet & Salty mix 3 pts.
1 100 calorie pack oreo cakesters 3 pts.
Total: 8 pts.

Evening snack (right after dinner because I was still hungry):
1 yoplait light cherry yogurt 3 pts.
2 squares from a moonstruck dark chocolate bar 1 pt.
Total: 4 pts.

Healthy Checks:
all 8+ water
2 dairy
7 fruits/veggies
vitamin
3 healthy oil
exercise
This afternoon I jogged for 29 minutes (jogging for about 23 of those 29 minutes for a total of 2.12 miles) and then went to the gym and took the PowerSculpt weightlifting class (50 minutes)
Right now I have 49 of my weekly allowance and 31 of my activity points that I have earned left.  I have earned 40 total activity points for the week, and with this new system, I set it to take points from my activity points first, and then my weekly allowance.
Honestly, I am eating SUPER healthy.  This is the healthiest I've eaten in a LONG time.  Today's chocolate and 2 100 calorie packs were the "worst" things I put in my body this week.  I have been eating a hefty amount of fruits and veggies, and though I really want to go buy like 12 loaves of bread and eat them all (don't even get me started on the pasta/cheese/garlic bread with MOUNDS OF BUTTER AND CHEESE) that L ate tonight), I haven't caved. Yet.  I am worried it will happen though. I am THAT hungry.  Argh.

Day three...

4 pts. over, so it pulled from my weekly allowance. I didn't eat anything unhealthy, so I guess I'll live.
Breakfast:
1 mango 0 pt.
1 pear 0 pt.
Total: 0 pts.

Lunch of amazing awesomeness!!!!

Lunch (BEST.LUNCH.EVER! Thanks Beth for the awesome idea!)
1 yam 5 pts.
1 tsp. olive oil 1 pt.
1/2 C black beans 2 pts.
mushroom and onions sauteed 0 pt.
Total:  8 pts.

Dinner:
2 egg whites 1 pt.
1 egg 2 pts.
1 slice beer bread 4 pts.
1 slice mozzerella cheese 2 pts.
28 almonds (1 serving) 5 pts.

Snack of filling and healthy. Maybe not the crackers though...

Total:  14 pts.

Mid-day Snack:
31 baked gorgonzola Trader Joe's crackers (1 serving) 4 pts.
baby carrots 0 pt.
1 hummus cup 3 pts.
yoplait light blueberry 3 pts.
1 slice mozzerella cheese 2 pts..
Total: 
12 pts.

Evening Snack (I got back late after my first "practice" and I was hungry)
1.5 oz pork cooked in black bean sauce & mushrooms 2 pts.
1 C Trader Joes Rice Krispies 3 pts.
1/2 C skim milk 1 pt.
1 banana 0 pt.
Total: 6 pts.

Total for the day: 40
Still have 45 weekly remaining, but L's aunt is coming to town and we are going out to dinner on Saturday so I am trying to save a good amount for then. 
Healthy checks:
not enough water :(  Only 5 servings
3 dairy
6 fruits/veggies
2 healthy oil
No exercise.  I am worried about burning out, so I took the day off.  I was sore from 24 lift on Tuesday, and still sore from the long run on Monday. 

I need to start sucking it up if I am going to get playing time for the Portland Shockwave like I plan!!! Classroom sessions started last night (and my brain hurts from all the Xs and Os!), and we are outside starting this Saturday.  The beginning of the season will be mainly conditioning (which I HATE), but I am no quitter.  I want to kick ass.  This is their 10th season, and last year they were 1st in the ENTIRE NATION in defense, but missed the playoffs because they didn't score enough points.  I am so excited to be a part of a team again, you have no idea!!!

I'd still rather have a job though!! :)

Day two in the books....OP!

I was up at 3 this morning, HUNGRY.  I fell back asleep and when the alarm went off I tried to convince myself to not go the gym.  I went to the gym anyway--I HATE AFTER THE NEW YEAR.  The gym was PACKED and I got to the class 10 minutes early, and there were no spots anywhere near the back so I had to be in the FRONT ROW.  :(
I am getting back into normal eating, and of course I am hungry.  I need to do more research to see why.  Even after my lunch today--which, by the way took me a LONG time to eat--I was hungry after I was done eating.  Something isn't right, so I will need to do some investigating to see how to help with the hunger...I really think it is my insides going back to normal-people sized versus gorge-yourself-eat uncontrollably sized.

Breakfast:
Before gym:
14 almonds 2 pts.
1/2 yoplait light yogurt
after gym

Lunch

rest of yogurt  3 pts.
 Total: 5 pts.

Lunch:
Baby Carrots 0 pt
less than 1/4 c ff sour cream (ranch powder) 1 pt.
Baby arugula
baby spinach
6 homemade croutons 3 pts.
1 humus cup 3 pts.
1 apple 0 pts
poppy seed dressing 4 tsp
Total: 12 pts.

Dinner:
1 egg 2 pts.
2 egg whites 1 pt.
1 bagel thin 3 pts.
1 TBSP cream cheese 1 pt.
1/2 C ff cottage cheese
1/2 C canned chunk pineapple (no sugar added) 2 pts.
Sip of L's red wine 1 pt
1 can dt. ginger ale 0 pt.
Total:  10 pts.

Snacks:
14 almonds 2 points
1 C Trader Joes rice krispies 3 pts.
1/2 C skim milk 1 pt.
1 banana 0 pt
1 C air popped popcorn 1 pt.
Coke zero 0 pt
white cheddar seasoning
3 sprays ICBINB

Day total:  35 pts.  
Healthy Checks
8+ serving water
3 servings dairy
6 servings fruits/veggies
vitamin
2 healthy oils
exercise (50 minutes 24LIFT)

Day one in the books....OP!

Don't expect this every day this week, because putting it into the dang WW tracker is a pain in my butt as it is!

Today I am 4 points under, which I will need to remedy tomorrow.

Breakfast:
1 yoplait light (strawberry shortcake) 3 pts.
Coke Zero
Total: 3 points

Lunch

Lunch
1/4 Avocado 3 pts.
baby carrots 0 pt
1 hummus cup 3pts.
1 skinny slice of beer bread (homemade) 4 pts.
Total: 10 points

Snack
1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese 1 pt.
14 salted almonds 2 pts.
1/2 cup pineapple chunks 2 pts.
Total: 5 points

Dinner
Salad of awesome
1 pear 0 pts.
1 apple  0 pts.
1 cup romaine 0 pts.
1 cup baby spinach  0 pts.
1/4 cup dried pomegrante/cranberries  2 pts.
4 teaspoons of my poppy seed vinagrette 3 pts.
1 egg 2 pts.
2 egg whites 1 pt.
1 bagel thin 3 pts.
Total:  14 points

I jogged for 50 minutes today and that was 13 points.

Healthy Checks:
8 servings water
2 servings dairy
2 healthy oil (I counted the 4 teaspoons of dressing as 2 oils, that should be ok right?)
Vitamin
Exercise

WI Monday!

I am going to track everything I put into my body, and my goal for being OP for one week begins today. 

WW Scale:

229.3
-1.1

Wii Fit:

225.8
-.8

I didn't get buck nekked in the middle of my living room because I am sure that my neighbors would not appreciate it.  There are far too many windows/blinds to close, and I am just too lazy.  I am going to use the Wii fit for one more week, but I am going to stay with my WW scale in my guest bathroom (with a door and no windows) for the future.

Delicious Salad of Awesome

Got this recipe from my Great-Aunt's daughter when she had me, my mom, and my great-aunt over for dinner shortly after gramma passed.
I made the vinaigrette yesterday, and now I wish I would have had this instead of all the fatty cheesey-ness last night.  This was just YUMMY and satisfying, and I don't have a gut-ache after eating a HUGE plate full!!

Heaven

My version (I will include details of the original immediately after!)

1/2 c sugar
1/3 C apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice + extra
1 TBSP shallot finely chopped  + extra
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2/3 C olive oil (I would probably do less next time)
2-3 tsp. poppy seeds (holy crap these are expensive! Yummy, but expensive!!)
**UPDATE**
There is about 1 cup of liquid=about 60 teaspoons=One serving is about 4 teaspoons.
=Each serving is 3 Pointsplus.
*****
1 bag romaine lettuce
1 bag baby spinich

1 med fuji apple
dump of dried cranberries/pomegranates (from Trader Joe's)

Mix sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, onion, and salt.  Add poppy seeds.  Put all salad stuff together, drizzle with vinaigrette, and eat!  YUM!

Notes:
I poured everything into a large canning jar to mix whenever I wanted to.  It is fun to see the separation and then shake it up to mix it!  There is MUCH vinaigrette left over, and I think this will last a LONG time.

Shaken!

Not shaken!

Original:
1/2 C sugar
1/3 C apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 TBSP fine chopped onion
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C vegetable oil
1-3 tsp poppy seeds

10 c romaine
cheese (Parmesan)

1 med apple
1 pear (I wanted to include pears, but mine weren't ripe enough yet)
1/4 c dried cranberries
cashews (YUK to these)

Mix sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, onion, and salt.  Add poppy seeds. In a salad bowl, put cranberries, pear, apple, and cheese and drizzle with dressing (8-10 servings).

Last Gorging/Hurrah of 2010

And by "hurrah" I mean, really unhealthy, gorge myself, eat non-stop event. 

The menu tonight:

Artichoke Dip

Baked Fontina

Dipping bread and crackers

Savory Brie (Brie and sauteed garlic, mushrooms, & onions)  in Puff Pastry

Insides of the savory Brie

Sweet Brie (Brie and Apricot Simply Fruit) in Puff Pastry (not sealed that well)

Probably too much, but I am in the mood to really send off 2010.  L's contribution?  "Good thing we're not lactose intollerant."

I will have to say, even though it was good, it wasn't satisfying in the way food used to be.  I am actually pretty shocked as to how unsatisfying it was, and how much I've changed in the past few months.  Granted, I still have A GREAT AMOUNT of work to do, but food may not be my great arch enemy as in the past.  Looking forward to Monday--cleansing the system and back to a more rigorous and healthy routine. 

(**not pictured:  Prosciutto and other meats for L, Rice Krispie Treats, and L's several Old Fashioned? -s? that he made himself, complete with orange and maraschino cherry garnish.)

Happy New Year everyone!!

Insides of the sweet Brie