Weight Watcher Foodies - Groundhog Edition - February 2013 [old]

[roxlet]

Today I began my 4th week of WW, and I feel like I'm getting into the groove. Although I did little cooking last night, relying on leftovers, I have found that my new orientation is towards portion control.

What are you cooking to help yourself stay on plan? For us here in the NE, it better be something warm!

[roxlet]

Let's continue our discussion here:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/892372

[roxlet]

Down another 2 pounds today despite my husband's turkey pot pie with biscui, so I'm feeling super motivated. Although there is lots of the turkey pot pie left, I think I will make this sesame chicken recipe from slenderkitchen.com

http://www.slenderkitchen.com/sesame-...

[jujuthomas]

that looks fantastic, and I have all the ingredients! I think it will be on the menu for tomorrow night. :)

[roxlet]

I'm going to add broccoli and serve it with rice...

[jujuthomas]

winner, winner chicken dinner! ;)

[roxlet]

It was pretty tasty, though the sauce lacked body. I would make it again, however!

[mariacarmen]

so great!

[eLizard]

i just received the new CI Comfort Food Makeovers cookbook yesterday. It looks very promising. I also have ATK's Healthy cookbook. I like that they give very generous portions. Anyone else got either of them? wanna try with me or have any recommendations?

[jujuthomas]

I don't have either of those. I'll have to check them out. :)

I requested Indian Cooking without Fat (not sure exact title - recommended here on Chow) from the library - have to run over tonight and pick it up. Dh got me a set of Indian spices for my birthday, so I need to learn how to use them! :)

[juliejulez]

Has anybody made skinnytaste's Peruvian Roasted Chicken with Aji Verde? http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/04/pe...

I just picked up some chicken leg quarters for 79 cents a pound and I've had that recipe saved for ages, so if anybody here has made it. SO can't eat cilantro so it'd be good to make when he's out of town.

[denverdoni]

I am trying to choose a diet plan. Always hear that WW is the best for long term success and being a foodie who loves to cook this might be a good start for me to explore. I have never, ever dieted in my life. I have not always been thin but never had serious weight issues until life events this past year caused me to gain 20 lbs and no end in sight. I see some great looking recipes here and look forward to trying them. I have one question, is it possible to lose weight without working out? I have a health issue that prevents me from strenuous activity right now. Is cutting calories enough?

[roxlet]

Yes it is, although WW does encourage you to work out. I do think it is the best plan, and it does allow you to live your life without having to change what you eat. It's more how you eat-- and how much. If you're at all social, it is extremely helpful to not have to restrict certain food groups.

[jujuthomas]

following WW point recommendations was enough for me. I lost 97lbs on the plan over 3 years. I did find myself moving more, as my energy levels increased, but didn't join a gym or do more than walk on my treadmill sometimes.

[roxlet]

Wow! That is incredibly impressive. What a change that must have made in your life!

[jujuthomas]

thank you, yes it was and is HUGE... :-D

and the best part is, I think we eat more delicious food now than we did before. (plus the clothes are SO much better)

[roxlet]

Yes, the clothes are wonderful. I have an entire attic filled with great clothes that I used to wear. Lots of Jill Sander and Armani that were part of my work wardrobe, and fun dress up clothes too. I can't wait to get back into them. I can go shopping in my attic!

[juliejulez]

Roxlet, that's what I did! My smaller clothes were in storage, and when I moved last summer, it was so much fun to go through them to "shop". Also saved me some money, not having to go out and buy tons of clothes every time I dropped a size. Some of it I had been holding on to for like 10+ years. I have this beautiful wool herringbone pencil skirt with this cool leather detailing on it that I bought when I was 19, and LOVED it. Now it's too big...which is good, but still bums me out that I lost the weight before I could wear it some!

[roxlet]

Find a good tailor, and have it altered. My god, woman! Don't you watch What Not to Wear? Your tailor is your friend!

[jujuthomas]

bwahaha... (LOVE WNTW!) I had a few favorite things tailored when I got to goal. now i've bounced back up and can't wear them! Lesson learned - keeping favorites now in BOTH sizes. :)

[mariacarmen]

wait, is that show still on??? i miss it!!!

[jujuthomas]

yes it is. Thursdays 10pm. it seems this year to be focused on celebrity makeovers. they've had Tiffanee, a chick from baywatch, a (I thought) snotty chick from American Pie... and this week it's Tina Yothers. I like the "real person" makeovers better.

[eLizard]

they also had blossom and natalie from facts of life a while back. i'm clinton kelly's facebook friend (well, you know what i mean), and he caught a lot of S#!+ for the Shannon Elizabeth episode.

[mariacarmen]

i tend to like the "real person" ones too, but i did like the Blossom one. She is just such an interesting person, even though i never saw her show (i was older when it was airing.)

thanks juju for telling me about the show!

[jujuthomas]

:)
Blossom was interesting.

[juliejulez]

Hahah well I think the cost of the tailor would cost more than the skirt did! The leathery detailing is this criss cross stuff that goes right over the side seam... so it'd be A LOT of work to take it in and get all the leather pieces to line up right. I'm thinking of turning it into a pillow!

Most of my other nicer stuff that's too big, like suits or work-type pants, I'm going to donate to Dress for Success. They are always in need of things in bigger sizes.

[jujuthomas]

all my beautiful plus size tall length work clothes, as well as shoes and other accessories went to a welfare to work program. I filled my car. I hope the served someone very well! :-D

I have a couple things I kept that I would LOVE to get taken in - but it would cost too much. not sure why I keep them.

[juliejulez]

I still have one of my fancy formal gowns... from high school! I keep carting it around, no idea why. The rest got donated to a charity that gives prom dresses to lower income girls, but for some reason I'm attached to this one. Probably because it was my favorite and it was the best dance I went to with my favorite boyfriend when I was wearing it. I wonder if it fits.. hmmm I could wear it around the house when nobody is home. heh

[jujuthomas]

haha, like the girls on Friends sitting around in wedding dresses drinking beer?

I still have my prom dress too.

[juliejulez]

Yes!

[roxlet]

I have a couple of amazing ball gowns that I'll never wear again, even if I do fit into them eventually. Yes, the suburban hag I've become is basically Cinderella, who will never, ever go to the ball again-- with or without that pumpkin. I'd be more likely to cook it.

[mariacarmen]

and we will be requiring pics of that please!

[juliejulez]

That's amazing juju! Congrats :)

[denverdoni]

That is fantastic! I know that moving more will help burn more calories, just wondered if it is necessary to do strenuous workout to keep the metabolism from slowing down too much. I don't have a serious health issue, it is a hernia that I can't afford to fix at the present time. I am sure I could get up and be more active and that would help. Just have to push myself. My food problem is not that I love to eat as much as I love to cook and create and feed others. We were forced to move 1000 miles away from our 3 kids and 6 grandkids due to job loss. I guess I have just taken to consoling myself with food since there is no one else here to share with. Instead of being a busy grandmother looking after kids and running my own internet business on 5 acres in the mountains I am now a tax accountant in a tiny house in the midwest. I think WW might be best for me because it still would allow me to have fun cooking and trying new recipes. I think I can cut back on certain things but don't want to give up everything that I enjoy. I'll have to try some of the recipes here and learn more about it. Do most of you do meetings or the online plan?

[roxlet]

I have done both individually, and am now doing both together. I go to a weekly meeting, and do all my tracking online. I think that going to a meeting is currently very helpful to me because it's a day of reckoning each week. I have finally found a leader and group that I like, and I find it very entertaining.

[eLizard]

it's eat less move more, but i think all the data in the literature says it's the eating less that's the most important..... i'd give it a shot. what's the worst that could happen? you don't gain?

[juliejulez]

I've lost 50lbs in the past year without any regular exercise... for me it was all about the food. I didn't use WW, I just did calorie counting and started using sparkpeople.com about halfway through to track my food and for the helpful community there.

WW and calorie counting is about the same idea... WW assigns points, and the higher calorie foods are higher in points, and the lower calorie foods are lower in points. The only thing that bugs me there is that (I believe, someone correct me if I'm wrong) fruits and veggies are 0 points. As a calorie counter, this bothers me since they do have calories and they do matter...like my daily apple has about 100 calories, that's a lot to not count, especially if you're only eating like 1200 a day anyway. You can overeat on fruits and veggies. But I know it's just a way to get people to fill up on fruits and veggies, instead of the other point foods. Just something to keep in mind even if you do go the WW route.

[jujuthomas]

you are correct, on the points plus ww program fruit and veggies are all free. on the old program all fruits and some veggies had a points value - but not all. this is why I continue to follow the "old" points system - because when we stopped counting our fruit calories we gained weight.

[eLizard]

i was so hungry on points that my goal was way higher. when i got to pp it was like angels singing, so i lowered my goal and made it there..... it's different for everyone, i guess. pp was a godsend for me.

[jujuthomas]

it is so different for everyone. it's one of the things I really appreciate about ww - the flexibility. :)

[EM23]

This has been my experience as well. I track online and enter all fruits and vegetables as recipes, which does assign points.

[roxlet]

Well, fruit didn't make me gain all this weight, so I understand that not counting the points is an incentive. And PP are not based on calorie amounts. Something with a higher calorie amount might have a lower PP value if it has more fiber, for example. There seems to be little correlation between calories and PP values.

[juliejulez]

I think they do mostly correlate. Like, if you compare two proteins, beef and fish. Beef is higher in points, and fish is lower, right? That makes sense because 4oz of beef has more calories than 4oz of fish.

I have no problem really with the points system other than the fruit/veggies thing, and sure, it's fine if you're just eating them as part of a normal balanced meal, but I've read elsewhere of people filling up all day long on fruits and veggies because they're zero points, and going crazy with their dinners, eating their entire day's worth of points in that one meal. So, they end up over eating even though they think they're doing fine because they stayed within their points. Just seems to me that wouldn't work long term, and the whole point is to learn how to eat properly long term so you don't gain it all back after you stop with the program. That's why I was saying to just be mindful of that... don't think you can eat 6 apples a day and be OK, because they do still have calories and can cause you to overeat.

[roxlet]

Of course. And people who do that are just fooling themselves. My leader makes a point of saying not to overeat something just because it has low or no calories. For me, fruit was an important part of getting through the beginning of the program. But I mostly try to eat what I know to be lower calorie fruit, like berries, kiwi and little clementines. An apple will fill you up, which is good, and if an extra apple means the difference between staying on plan or not, I say go for it.

[mariacarmen]

i have to totally agree with this.

[mariacarmen]

filling up on fruits helped me immensely in my weight loss. i love the new PP plan. (tho i readily admit i have not been following it as strenuously as i should lately.

and after today's news (which is not really that new, just confirmed), we could all use a little more fruit and veg in our diets: http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/...

[mariacarmen]

you don't have to do anything strenuous, denverdoni, just movement is good. 1/2 hour walks every day would be a great start, and see how your health issues can take it. you can lose weight without it on WW, but it really, really speeds up the process to move. and of course, it's good for you too.

good luck! it really is a good plan.

[roxlet]

I have really, really crappy knees, and the one thing I can't do is go for walks. I can do other things, but walking isn't one of them, and this isn't directed to you, mc, but I hate it when people say, "Oh, everyone can go for a walk." Oh, yeah?

[eLizard]

i have a lot of low impact workouts. several of them are no impact workouts and use slide and glide disks. i don't know if you've heard of them or if they'd work for you, but i thought i would mention it.

[roxlet]

Thanks. I think I am about to take some Pilates lessons and see how that does. One of the things I seem to be able to do is erging, but it's hard to find an erg.

[juliejulez]

You might want to look into water exercises, or even just swimming. It's very easy on the joints.

[roxlet]

Yes, I know, but the thought of being in a swim suit in public is more than I can stomach. It actually helps to think about it because it makes me lose my appetite! :)

[mebby]

Roxlet, you're probably not looking to make a significant investment in home equipment, but FWIW, I have one of these indoor rowers and it's great quality (I rowed crew in HS, so have some idea of these things)
http://www.concept2.com/

The other thing I'll say to all WWers is that strength training is just as important as cardio...I've had to give up my workout group the last couple months and even though I haven't gained any weight and I've still done cardio (running/spinning), I've lost all my muscle tone. The beauty of strength training is that it creates a great underlying structure that you "uncover" with your weight loss and you look so much better so much faster!

[roxlet]

Yes, we're not spending $900 on an erg right now!! But thanks for the strength training pointers. I've been thinking about the little set of weights I have in the basement, but thinking is as far as I've gotten. I somehow managed to develop a little sciatica or some sort of pinched nerve, and right now I'm kind of hobbling...

[mebby]

Ha -- yeah, I don't remember what I paid for mine 7-8 years ago, but it definitely wasn't $900! Mine is currently collecting dust in the garage as I don't have room in my current house -- if you were closer I'd give you a good deal on it.

I would have told you I'd go my whole life without becoming a workout junkie -- or even working out -- but what changed it for me was joining this local workout group at age 42 (3 years ago). It's a group of local women who have hired a great personal trainer to do a group workout 2-3 times a week at a local park, making it very economical and it's been amazing. As one of the women says, "You pay for the workout, but the group therapy is free." It keeps me honest, has made an endorphin junkie out of me and gives me access to great professional advice when I hit those hobbling moments...just a thought.

[roxlet]

I used to be pretty fit, and I always considered myself to be a jock. When I was in my 20s, I used to run 5 miles a day. In my 30s, I had personal trainers, and then when I moved to the burbs and we joined a club, I used to be on the tennis team and play tennis year round as well as squash. However, I had deteriorating joints starting about 9 years ago, and I had to have a double hip replacement. Now the knees are going, which is why I am so desperate to get the weight off. Once this sciatica is gone, I am going to investigate a pilates place I found in the area, and try that. I remember doing it back before I was pregnant with my son....who's now 17! One way or another, I have to get moving again!

[mariacarmen]

you're right of course, and i know you didn't mean it to me, but i get what you're saying. sit-ups? (ugh!)

as much as i've been injured this year (and it's not that bad, really), i count myself lucky to still be able to move, even tho i don't do it often enough.

[Solstice444]

Yup, I lost 20 lbs in about 6 months by just changing the way I ate!

[eLizard]

i also made a skinnytaste recipe....me second one other than the rice ball casserole... it was the jalapeno popper stuffed chicken breast. total winner. 2 pieces for 9 points.

[juliejulez]

Good to know about that chicken, I've had it pinned for awhile.

[eLizard]

i just dipped mine in eggwhites and breadcrumbs rather than the lime juice and oil. and baked it for the low end on the time... very very good.

[eLizard]

how did i miss this new thread? and thanks for starting.

I recently purchased a pressure cooker (which is really all i can talk about on these boards, so sorry I'm bringing it up again), and it's great for ww.

my thai green curry chicken dish came together in no time and was very pp friendly. so was the BN squash soup, turkey chili, and all of the beans i've been making.

sushi for lunch today.

[roxlet]

I tried a Healthy Choice Asian inspired steamer for lunch today, and I have to say that it was really quite tasty -- miles better than WW or Lean Cuisine. It's a good option to change things up for a lunch.

[juliejulez]

I love all of those Cafe Steamers from Healthy Choice... I lived off of them when I first started out, both out of necessity since I was working full time and attending class at night, and because portion control was a huge issue for me, I needed something to really teach me how to eat less, which those do. I don't eat them much now since I find they aren't filling enough now that I eat more, but I still always keep a few stashed in the freezer for the days when I run out of leftovers. When I do eat them now I supplement with a salad or cheese and crackers or something else to get the protein level up.

This is their site w/ all the flavors: http://www.healthychoice.com/products... I found the ones w/ chicken were better than w/ beef.

I've had the Beef Merlot, General Tso's Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, the BBQ Seasoned Steak w/ Red Potatoes, Chicken Fresca with Chardonnay, Chicken Linguine with Red Pepper Alfredo (this was probably my favorite one), Chicken Margherita with Balsamic, Grilled Chicken with marinara, Grilled Chicken Pesto w/ Vegetables, Parmesan Pasta with Rosemary Chicken (second favorite), and Roasted Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms.

They also just came out with the Crustless Chicken Pot Pie one, that was "inspired" by Kristen's dish in Season 10 of Top Chef. I'm interested in trying it and will pick it up next time they're on sale. Also their Baked! Entrees are pretty good from what I've tried.

[roxlet]

Aside from liking the chicken ones more, do you have particular favorites?

[juliejulez]

I included in my list above which ones were my favorites... the roasted red pepper linguine was probably my most favorite, followed up by the parmesan pasta chicken one. None of them have been really bad though.

[jujuthomas]

oh, I forgot about the Top Chef challenge. Gonna have to keep my eye out for that pot pie.

I have a few entress from each brand that I like, and there are a few DH likes as well. We usually have a few in the freezer as well, in case of "lunch emergency". :)

[Solstice444]

I made SkinnyTaste's Tuscan White Beans with Spinach, Shrimp, and Feta tonight. It was pretty good, but I think it would be better paired with couscous, quinoa, or pasta. A few days ago I made Thai Fried Quinoa which was delicious. I'm looking forward to making that one again!

[ludmilasdaughter]

Really? I was actually surprised at how much it filled me up without any carbs. Although i must admit, it would be great with a crusty bread to soak up the wonderful juices.

[Solstice444]

My leftovers the next day filled me up more - go figure! A bread would be great, or cous cous as Elyssa mentioned below.

[Elyssa]

I made this last night and served it with some whole wheat Israeli cous cous. I thought it was good but could have used a little something extra---maybe some red pepper flakes or more balsamic vinegar.

[jujuthomas]

tonight's dinner was the jerk pork recipe from skinny taste. DH said he's tired of the texture (or lack thereof) that comes from cooking the meat in the crock, so I roasted the pork loin in the oven instead. I made her Jamaican rice and beans as a side, roasted some carrots - since I had the oven on -and steamed some broccoli.
delicious! Hopefully I'll be able to eat leftovers tomorrow night - I'm getting 3 small fillings. :(

[roxlet]

That sounds wonderful!

[jujuthomas]

ah, got the picture to upload hopefully!

[roxlet]

That's some plate of food!

[jujuthomas]

:) lotsa veggies. I wasn't going to eat the broccoli with dinner, but it smelled good.

[sunflwrsdh]

Looks wonderful, Jujuthomas!!

[mebby]

I picked up a tenderloin to try this recipe with, but now my oven is on the fritz. Any ideas on how to adapt for a stovetop braise? Or should I just chuck it into the freezer for a later date? I'm a pork roast newbie...

[jujuthomas]

hm. doesn't seem like there was enough liquid for a braise, and since a tenderloin is already really tender you don't need to cook it that long.

If you want to cook it right away, I might slice it into medallions and marinate them, then do a quick pan sear. otherwise I'd wait until your oven is back. Keep in mind, a tenderloin will take signficantly less time to cook than a pork loin roast. :)

[roxlet]

I was going to suggest the medallions as well. There are many recipes out there for pork medallions. You could do a simple pork marsala too.

[juliejulez]

I was going to suggest medallions too. In fact, the recipe I'm making tonight with pork chops was originally meant for medallions: http://traceysculinaryadventures.blog...

Also tenderloin grills very well, if you have that as an option.

[mebby]

Thank you, one and all. I grew up largely vegetarian (Berkeley, anyone?), so sometimes a bit hampered in the meat department. Grilling would be great -- I'm in L.A., so definitely an option (was actually 90 here a few days ago -- probably sounds good to some of you, but the swing from 40 in the morning to 90 in the afternoon is a bit much!). Too late for tonight, but perhaps tomorrow. Thanks again!

[sunflwrsdh]

Want to thank everyone for the great ideas and support....down another 2.4 pounds at this week's weight in! It really helps to come here and find such great inspiration:)

[juliejulez]

Awesome work!!

[jujuthomas]

great job!!!

[sunflwrsdh]

Thanks, ladies! This week didn't get off to such an auspicious start....had lunch with a couple of girls from work who wanted to go to 99, and I was teaching right up until the minute we left for lunch, so had no time to research the menu in advance....had the "Southwestern grilled chicken cobb salad " thinking, how bad could that be?....looked it up upon return from lunch...23 points!!! OMG!!!! It was good, but, can't imagine what in the world would make it so high...there was some bacon, but not a ton, I wouldn't guess more than 4 oz grilled chicken, some bleu cheese crumbles, again, not that much, and hard boiled eggs. Geez, I could (and have!) make a Cobb salad for 5 points...very disappointed in that choice!!! Issue # 2 with this week is that my kitchen is under construction ( which is actually a good thing...I've been waiting for 22 years for new cabinets and countertops!) and is unusable, so there will by neccessity be a lot of take out this week. I'll do the best I can, but may need to accept that this won't be one of my best weeks for losing!

[roxlet]

If you have a decent Chinese take out in your area, see if they have a "healthy" section of the menu. I get steamed shrimp and broccoli, which my place serves with a dipping sauce. I amp it up with some Siracha, and then you only need to use a little for good flavor.

[sunflwrsdh]

Thanks, Roxlet. We did have Chinese take out last night, and I did have (one) steamed dumpling, and shrimp and vegetables. Huge enough portions for 3 meals, and I had some for dinner last night, and shared the leftovers with my mom for lunch today. We did Boston Market (rotisserie chicken) which I had with some steamed vegetables, tonight for supper. So, overall, not too bad. Plus, I normally don't do anything with activity points, but my daughter looked up painting walls, which I have been doing all weekend, and it is worth 4 points per hour!!! So I should be ok.

[jujuthomas]

did you hounds see the skinnytaste recipe yesterday? slow cooked jerk pork with caribbean salsa... I am SO getting the ingredients for that for this weekend! YUM. I'll probably pick up the pineapple mango salsa at whole foods tho, instead of making her recipe, because DH doesn't eat avocado.

[mebby]

Yep -- I immediately craved it and apparently so did others. I got on amazon and ordered the walkerswood jerk seasoning a few minutes ago and on the "people who bought this also bought..." list was the exact model of slow cooker she recommended in that post. I don't have a slow cooker, but am going to improvise

[jujuthomas]

oh, that's pretty cool!
I have jerk seasoning we bought in St Lucia, so my plan is to get the ingredients Saturday, marinate overnight, then cook it on Sunday. :)

[roxlet]

I have a couple of questions for my fellow WW foodies. One is how you apportion your points. I am always trying to leave the largest number of points for the evening meal, and as such, I am always in search of low point and satisfying breakfast and lunch meals. Because of the milk I use in my coffee, it seems that the breakfast points are always higher than I would like. For breakfast today, I am going to make a ratatouille frittata, which is the lowest point breakfast meal I know. I make baked ratatouille, and I heat some of that in a frying pan, and then add one whole egg beaten with two egg whites. It's pretty satisfying and it definitely holds me until lunch time. I find the Progresso light soups are a pretty good lunch choice. An entire can is 4 points, and I usually sprinkly on about 1 point worth of grated Romano cheese. Of course, fruit and veggies go along with these meals. Any other ideas for low point breakfast and lunch meals?

[adrienne156]

I do the same. What would be your ideal point values for breakfast and lunch?

In the beginning I did the overnight oats, "skinny" mcmuffin knock-offs, or bagel egg sandwiches (gutted bagel, 1 egg/1white scrambled, sriracha) for breakfast at 7 PP each which I always thought was high but made up for it at lunch. Lately, for breakfast I've been making the oatmeal muffins I posted above, steamed or baked BBQ bao (bought in bulk, individually wrapped, & frozen), or avocado toast (sandwich thin, 1/3 c. mashed avocado, bit of mustard, pepper - old roommate taught me this, surprisingly good) at 5 PP. Lunches have been the lentil/kale/sweet potato dish I posted last thread at 6 PP, Asian-ish shirataki noodles (1 packet = 1 PP! This week I did ginger/garlic/soy/oyster sauce/basil/tofu/eggplant) at 4 PP, or brown rice w/ steamed broc tossed w/ 2 tbsp. teriyaki glaze and chili flakes at 7 PP. Here's the glaze - http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2012/.... I reduce the brown sugar by 1/2.

I think one strategy is to figure out what satisfies you and try to incorporate that into things that might not otherwise be appealing. For me, it's strong flavors and heat. I recently found grindable dried Ghost Chili at TJ's and although it is brain-searingly hot, I like the flavor and have been sprinkling it on lots of stuff.

[adrienne156]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that coffee was a thing for me, too. I'm a law student and drink a ridiculous amount of it. I'm a fan of the Coffeemate Italian Sweet Cream creamer but that was too high in points, so taught myself to drink iced Americanos. Completely different beast, but 0 points.

[juliejulez]

I would just like to vouch that that teriyaki glaze is very good, I've made that recipe. The meatballs were just meh but the glaze was awesome.

[adrienne156]

I got it from your Pinterest! haha

[juliejulez]

Ha! You actually reminded me by posting that, I have the leftover glaze in the freezer, I need to use it soon!

[roxlet]

But a half cup of sugar? That seems awfully sweet -- even for a teriyaki glaze. I'm not a huge fan of sweet proteins, so I'd probably really reduce it a lot!

[juliejulez]

I think you definitely could. Also, the recipe makes A LOT, like I had probably at least 1/3 of it left even though I made a full batch of the meatballs. So once you figure you don't use much, the amount of sugar in each serving is minimal.

[jujuthomas]

it took me a while to find the balance that worked for me. I MUST have breakfast, there's no getting around it... I do oatmeal, baked oatmeal squares, egg beaters with toast, and a cup of coffee with 2 T of creamer. it's usually about 7 points. lunches I try to bulk up with veggies, I do a lot of leftovers. this week it's been the thai chicken I posted above, with 1/2 cup of jasmine rice. a piece of fruit in the mid afternoon and a granola bar on the train home. Dinner gets what ever points are left.

[sunflwrsdh]

I've been eating Chobani (greek yogurt) bites,(raspberry with chocolate chips) which are, I think 3.25 oz containers, and are only two points. I add 1/4 cup of Archer Farms (Target brand) raspberry creme brulee granola (another 2 points) sprinkled on top. It is delicious, and very satisfying. The other thing I will often have is Special K, and I use almond breeze almond milk instead of skim milk. For lunch, I have been having the zero point tortilla soup I posted earlier, sometimes topped with 1/3 cup WW mexican shredded cheese (2 points) and 2 tbsp. tortilla strips (1 point). Sometimes egg salad, made with one whole egg and one egg white, about a teaspoon light mayo, and some dijon, and dill ( 2 points for the egg salad) on a 100 calorie sandwich thin (3 points). Usually fruit with all of the above too.
Your ratatouille omelette sounds great!

[Elyssa]

I'm not a huge breakfast person so I'm satisfied with a bowl of low-point cereal (lately I've been eating a cup of the multigrain Cheerios knock off from Whole Foods, only 3 points) and Almond milk (0 points for about 1/4 cup---all I need. Can also use for coffee) or a cup of Greek yogurt, maybe with a teaspoon of strawberry jelly. On the weekends I eat more for breakfast---usually eggs and toast.

I then divide my 26 daily points among lunch and dinner. It's not always even. Sometimes I like to have a big lunch and a lighter dinner or vice versa. I try to stick solidly to 26 points during the week. I save all the other points for the weekend if I want them---although I've been noticing I only really need to use 4 or 5 of them a day during the weekend. I would prefer to ignore the weekly points all together and just try to stay with 26 if I can.

I know some people divide the weekly points throughout the week so each day they have more points. I also know people that use them all during the weekend. I personally think they should just be there if you want to splurge a little---say you want to order steak instead of fish or if someone in my office has a birthday and I want a slice of cake. I use it for that stuff. I have found I'm not usually hungry. Although most days I need a snack of some sort around 4pm (and that is where I might need to use a few extra points for cheese and crackers or peanut butter).

[Elyssa]

Congrats! That's exciting. I really should go out and get one of those scales that show the decimile points. I would love to see a .4 weight loss versus the same number every week and thinking there is no progress.

[roxlet]

That's one good thing about getting weighed in at a meeting -- they do give you the fractions!

[Elyssa]

Yes but what was the dressing?? I bet that was like 10 points haha. Salads can be awfully deceiving. Even when I eat a salad for lunch the darn thing ends up being 8-10 points between dressing, cheese, maybe chickpeas or avocado (things that are healthy but high in points).

[Elyssa]

You reminded me that I want to try that shrimp dish. Might make it tonight. I love white beans!

[sunflwrsdh]

Today was another good cooking day, probably my last for awhile, as we are having some kitchen renovations done, which will start on Wednesday. While that's going on, my stove will be unhooked from the gas for possibly up to two weeks. Then the challenge will be finding points friendly pizza and Subway items, for the most part.
Last night I made Slenderkitchen's Crsipy pork tenderloin, baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli. The pork was very good, and one of the things I love about the Slenderkitchen meal plans is the preplanning to use up leftovers. Today I made a brown rice and Crispy pork salad, which seems like it will be pretty good...lots of veggies, peppers, pea pods, cucumber, shredded cabbage and carrots, an orange sliced, and I put in some cooked broccoli, brown rice, slivered pieces of the crispy pork, dressed in a light ginger sesame dressing. We are having that with baked fish for tonight's dinner. I also made more of the zero point tortilla soup, and boiled some eggs for egg salad for this week's lunches. Oh, and I made Eggs Benedict for my husband and I for breakfast. I found a mix for Hollandaise sauce at the grocery store that tastes pretty good, and is only 10 calories ( so zero points!) per tablespponful. So....a light english muffin, a slice of Canadian bacon, a tiny sprinkle of WW shredded cheese, topped with a poached egg, and a tablespoon of Hollandaise sauce= 3 point Eggs Benedict. And it was really good:)

[jujuthomas]

Dh came home with 2 bottles of thai sweet chili sauce from the asian market the other day, so today I tried a new recipe...
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe...
I used boneless breasts, and didn't have exactly the ingredients called for in the sauce. it came out really well with the substitutes I made! Next time I think we'll use a little less peanut butter... DH wanted to taste the sweet chili sauce more.

[sunflwrsdh]

Tonight was a success! Slenderkitchen's peanut noodles...7 points, easy and delicious! I have tried t mostly stick with Slenderkitchen's meal plan this week, and for the most part, it went very well ( was down 4 pounds at my weigh in on Thursday!!) But the number of people who will be home for dinner will vary pretty much every night for the next week, so have decided to do my own meal planning and shopping list for the upcoming week. I plan to use some of her recipes though, almost all of them that I've made have been excellent, and very generous in quantity. But I have found myself going back somewhat to some of the quicker, easier meals that I have learned before when I was on WW....particularly for breakfast and lunch. A smoothie made with 1/2 cup of ff greek yogurt and 1 cup almond milk, a banana and some frozen mixed berries is such a quick and easy 3 point breakfast. My other breakfast go-tos are yogurt and granola parfaits, and steel cut oats (which I make a good sized batch of, keep in the fridge and take to work and microwave. I will often chop an apple and sprinkle some cinnamon into it, or slice a banana into it. If I have a 1/2 cup serving, it's only 2 points. Another one I do sometimes is an eggbeater omelet with 1/3 cup of WW shredded Mexican cheese, which is 3 points all together. I top that with salsa. Lunches I like are the zero point tortilla soup ( topped with 1/3 cup shredded WW mexican cheese, 2 points, 2 tablespoons tortilla strips, 1 point, some salsa, cilantro, sliced scallions and a dab of ff greek yogurt or sour cream...) a yummy 3 point lunch, and I usually have fruit or sugar free jello with it. Another lunch I like is egg salad, made with one whole egg and 2 extra egg whites, a little dijon or coarse ground mustard and ff greek yogurt or low fat mayo, salt, pepper and dill. I have eaten it plain, but I also like to have it on one of the whole wheat sandwich thins. Alone, it is like 2 or 3 points, and with the sandwich thin, it is about 5. For back up lunches at work, I have cans of progresso light soup. The other lunch I will often make ( especially in warm weather) is a tossed salad, with 2 oz of grilled chicken, and a small amount of some low fat cheese (usually feta or blue) Sometimes I will add a tiny amount of some nut or other, or olives, and sometimes fruit...ie...chicken, goat cheese, raspberries, walnuts...just the higher point add-ins are very tiny amounts. I usually can find a light dressing that I like. Bolthouse is good, and there are also some good Kraft and Ken's asian dressings especially.

[roxlet]

Pretty much everything I had to eat today was disappointing. It was just one of those days. I started with the aforementioned Weetabix that was just mush. For lunch, I thought I'd try one of those new Lean Cuisine entrees that have points calculated. This was a chicken and pasta dish with a "sun dried tomato sauce." Ick. One bite, and it went into the trash. Fortunately, I had some thin sliced roast beef in the fridge, and I made a 5 point sandwich with that. when I bought the Lean Cuisine, I also picked up their 3 point containers of frozen yogurt, and I decided to treat myself to one of those. One bite, and right into the trash. It tasted really bad. For dinner, I planned to make something with this very thinly sliced pork loin that I found in the Asian market near us. It's apparently cut that way for shabushabu, but I wasn't going to be making that for just me. I decided to saute some beautiful mushrooms I had, and add in some sliced olives and capers with the pork, and to deglaze with some dry vermouth. Can you say bland and tasteless? It was. I was just way off my game today. At least I made some decent roasted ratatouille, which I had some of this afternoon.

[sunflwrsdh]

I have had days like that! Makes me want to stop trying new things:( But I've also had great experiences with trying new things, too, so you just have to keep trying, I guress. And I love ratatouilee! Roasted would only improve it, I imagine!

[roxlet]

I was all excited yesterday when I went to the market because I bought some Weetabix cereal for breakfast. I thought that it would be like Shredded Wheat, but with more texture, and it only has 3 points for a serving of two biscuits. I just had it for breakfast, and I guess that I am going to toss the whole box. These biscuits turn into absolute mush when you add milk. I was really hoping for a decent cereal option for breakfast. Does anyone have a low point cereal that they like? I don't much like hot cereals, so I'm not interested in oatmeal and such...

[sunflwrsdh]

Special K is only 2 points per cup serving, and has several good choices of flavors. I like the red berries, the blueberry K and the fruit and yogurt ones.

[Elyssa]

Today is not my weigh in day but I decided to step on the scale just to see where I was at since I am seeing my fiance today (we live in different states at the moment) and good news---I've reached the first goal I've set!! I wanted to get below a certain number and I've reached it. It's 7 pounds lost since I started weight watchers about 8 months ago (although I was off and on over that period of time). I haven't been at this weight level in probably 5 years so it's just nice to see the digit on the scale again!

Now I'm just hoping a) the fiance notices! haha and b) I can continue on this path. I'm really hoping to lose a dress size (likely another 5-8 pounds) by my wedding in October.

[jujuthomas]

congrats! great work. :)

[roxlet]

How wonderful for you, and have a wonderful visit with your financé! 5-8 lbs by October should be no sweat if you stay on plan.

[juliejulez]

Woohoo!

[sunflwrsdh]

Good for you! Congratulations!

[Elyssa]

Just in time for Valentine's Day: I just discovered this recipe for chocolate chunk muffins that are only 2 points....2 POINTS!!! I really can't wait to try these: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/0....

[sunflwrsdh]

Last night was Cajun chicken pasta (Slenderkitchen meal plan) and the isntructions were to double the chicken and vegetables for tonight's chicken quesadillas, both meals were very good. 8 and 9 points, resectively. Also, I had a bit of a lunch dilemma today at work, which was solved easily. I had brought some of my leftover 5 point Slenderkitchen Hearty beef stew, and a cup of watermelon cubes to work for lunch, and a couple of friends wanted to go out for lunch, so I researched Panera's pick two points, and they really weren't too high. I had the pick two portion of chicken noodle soup (3 points) and Asian sesame chicken chopped salad ( 4 points) a fruit cup ( no points) and a large water with lemon. Delicious and enjoyable and fairly points friendly!

[roxlet]

That sounds VERY points friendly!

[jujuthomas]

Panera has some really reasonable options.

[juliejulez]

I agree. They have a really delicious salad there with apples in it. I also LOVE that chicken noodle soup they have. I have no idea how they make it creamy while still keeping it low fat/calories.

[Solstice444]

Fuji Apple Chicken Salad? I love that one! I believe that is 12 or 13 points for the whole salad, as is their BBQ Chicken Salad. A couple of their sandwiches are also around that same point total. Very doable for being on WW.

[Solstice444]

Oh my goodness, that looks great and those are all staples that I already have! Except I rarely use peanut butter and I just bought an all-natural (but full fat) kind, so I will be using that.

[eLizard]

i lost most of my 40 lbs eating lunch at panera. 1/2 asiago rb sandwich with a cup of chicken noodle and an apple is 11 points.

[roxlet]

That's good to know!

[sunflwrsdh]

That is really good to know! There is a Panera right near my office!

[jujuthomas]

one of the great things about Panera is that you can build your meal on their website and it will tell you the calories, etc so you can calculate the points. :) then you don't get in the situation of coming home and regretting what you order... or at least you're forewarned, LOL.

[beebers]

I see a lot of talk about Slenderkitchen, and I have seen Skinnytaste mentioned too - what other sites do you guys like best for good WW recipes?

[juliejulez]

One I like, although it's not necessarily a "dieting" site, is budgetbytes.blogspot.com. I'd say probably 80% of the recipes are healthy ones, and she does a lot of interesting meatless meals. She doesn't give nutritional info but it's pretty easy to tell which ones work out for someone on a diet. Heck, even her jalapeno popper mac and cheese, with chicken added, still fit into my nutrition plan.

[sunflwrsdh]

Both of those are great sites. I also have done a couple of recipes from "emilybites" and she has WW points calculated for you as well.

[adrienne156]

Laaloosh is great. Beautiful pictures, every recipe has the points calculated, and she (?) reviews new WW-friendly products, as well. http://www.laaloosh.com/

ETA: I also use the other sites mentioned above, especially Skinnytaste.

[sunflwrsdh]

Tonight's supper (again from Slenderkitchen's meal plan) was turkey burgers with butternut squash fries. I had to work today, so my husband cooked. They were very good.

[Elyssa]

How do you make the butternut squash fries?

Btw my favorite turkey burger is from Martha Stewart. It's unbelievable---never figured out the points though.

[sunflwrsdh]

Just cut a butternut squash into fry like strips, spray with cooking spray, season howver you like ( we like a little Cajun seasoning, and some salt) and roast at 400 for 20 minutes, turn over and roast for about another 20. Excellent!

[EM23]

Elyssa - There are quite a few turkey burger recipes on the MS site - which one is it? Thanks.

[Elyssa]

It is from the Every Day Food Great Food Fast Cookbook. Here is the recipe I use: https://statedinner.wordpress.com/201...

They are super moist and full of flavor.

[EM23]

Sounds very tasty - thanks! 18 degrees now, but I'm planning for BBQ season.

[Elyssa]

Tell me about it! I make these on my grill pan all the time though since I don't have a BBQ. They also freeze well.

[juliejulez]

I've been struggling lately with having sweets cravings in a bad way. I went to the store on my lunch break and ended up with a 170 calorie cadbury cream egg :(

So, I am trying out a new breakfast idea (yogurt parfaits) starting tomorrow. It's nothing revolutionary, but will hopefully do the trick to ditch the cravings. I plan on a 1/2 cup 0% greek yogurt, 1/3 cup cinnamon raisin granola, a chopped up apple, and some more cinnamon. We'll see how I do with this. It's about 250 calories so I'm hoping this will be filling enough that I won't need my later morning snacks before lunch. I'm going to switch my granola bar to the afternoon to help w/ the sugar cravings, and still keep my carrots/hummus snack in the afternoons as well.

[sunflwrsdh]

Sounds great, juliejulez. I love greek yogurt parfaits for breakfast, You might want to try some of the baked oatmeal recipes too...there are a lot of them out there.

[juliejulez]

I like some baked oatmeal, but sometimes it's a bit "mushy" for me...like on the bottom. Not sure how to explain it. But, the kitchen at work is FINALLY getting installed (I had been using a microwave perched on a box since last May, no sink, no counters, no dishes) so I'm hoping after that's done I can do things like oatmeal etc, so I can make them fresh, in real dishes.

[sunflwrsdh]

Real dishes do make a difference to me too! I have a ceramic soup mug at work that I use all the time. We are fortunate to have a "real" kitchen, with a set of dishes for us to use, and it really is worth th effort to go to the kitchen, use a real plate or bowl, and sit down in the lunch room to eat. Having said that, I will often end up zapping whatever I have brought for lunch in it's plastic container, and eating at my desk. Trying to get better about this, including using a real glass, and ice and lemon for my water, instead of slurping it out of a sports bottle!

[juliejulez]

So far so good on the parfait. I munched on it between 930 and 10, and it was pretty filling. It's 1215 now and I'm starting to get a bit hungry, but that's ok as I usually eat lunch around 1:00. Plus I'm not craving sweets! I guess I'll see how my progress is at the end of the week.

[sunflwrsdh]

Good for you, Juliejulez! I love Greek yogurt and granola parfaits ( the granola is a little high in points, but I can just use a little bit of it, for crunch) Still eating my banana bread baked oatmeal ( it will last all week, I guess, since I'm the only one eating it!) Today, however, I didn't...had a smoothie instead, made with 1/2 cup plain ff greek yogurt, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries and 1/2 cup almond milk. Also very satisfying and yummy. I drank it between 8 ish and 9:30, and didn't eat lunch until 2, and wasn't ravenous, so it was good.

[Sal Vanilla]

Sometimes I sorta stew apples with cinnamon or pumpkin spice with a shot of lemon juice. Ditto that with mixed berries. I use that with yogurt (no granola because I cannot control myself when it is anywhere near me). It fixes my sweet tooth.

Sometimes in the evening I can squelch the sweet cravings with a tea and milk - maybe along with a crunchy vaguely sweet cracker. I have crunch needs. When it is bad I get caramel snack rice cakes that my husband sez I eat like a buzzsaw beaver. I thought that was an apt visual.

[juliejulez]

Once our kitchen at work gets set up I think I'm going to try out oatmeal in the microwave, with apples in it. I like your stewing idea, to add more flavor. It will be a lesson in self control with that box of granola at home, but for me it's better that it's there instead of at work, I have issues with being bored at work, so I'm more likely to munch here than I am at home.

My after dinner crunch/sweet snack is usually froot loops. So bad, seeing as the first ingredient on the list is "sugar" but the entire cup is only 110 calories and it DOES have 3g of fiber :) Often I'll just have half a cup and that works. I just eat dry with my fingers too, so it's sort of like eating candy.

[sunflwrsdh]

I have made steel cut oatmeal ahead for a few days, and just keep it in the fridge and bring a portion to work with me and microwave it, and it tastes fine.

[jujuthomas]

that's what I do - I make a batch of steel cut oats and portion it into 1 cup containers that I can plop in a bowl in the morning. this morning I added about a Tblsp of better n peanut butter, a Tblsp of penzey's hot cocoa mix and a banana to my oatmeal. delicious and filling!

[sunflwrsdh]

Lol on the buzz saw beaver! I just bought some of those caramel crunch rice snack cakes and they are pretty good. Another sweet thing I can sometimes tame those cravings with is sugar free jello with about a tablespoonful of Cool Whip free. I have dessert needs:)

[Elyssa]

The parfait sounds like a good idea. Would it help if you put a few chocolate chips in your oatmeal (it melts and even 5 or 6 seems to go a long way). I have found that sometimes if I just have a square of dark chocolate or a few chocolate chips the sweets craving goes away.

Sometimes I eat carrots or clementines as well---but really if I gets a sweets craving its likely for chocolate.

[juliejulez]

Hmm I've never tried putting chocolate chips in my oatmeal, I'll have to try that. So far the parfait is doing the trick... I love the combo of apples and cinnamon when it comes to sweets so it's working well for me that way.

But yes, sometimes I WANT chocolate :) I have these little calcium chews that I eat once a day that taste like tootsie rolls and so that helps there.

[roxlet]

I'm beginning to get somewhat tired of my various breakfast creations, so this morning I decided to try something I haven't made in a while--egg salad. I boiled two eggs, mixed them with about a teaspoon of reduced fat mayo, and put the egg salad on a ww wrap. 6 pts, and pretty satisfying with a few raspberries while waiting for the eggs to cook. The tracker calculated the 1 tsp of reduced fat mayo as 0 points!

[jujuthomas]

I love egg salad. I usually use 2 eggs and leave out one of the yolks, add some helmanns dijonaisse and a little lf mayo. delish!

[sunflwrsdh]

I love egg salad too! I have made it by mixing fat free greek yogurt with some mustard ( sort of like dijonaisse) and I like a little dill in mine too. I do it the same way you do, 2 eggs, leave out one yolk. It's great in one of the Pepperidge farm sandwich thins, too:)

[jujuthomas]

well, it was a busy day, but I got most of my weekend cooking done...
hard boiled eggs, for mid-morning snack
baked oatmeal for hubby's breakfast
steel cut oatmeal for my breakfast
roasted butternut for risotto
marinating pork loin for tomorrow's dinner
braised cabbage with onions and celery
turkey meatloaf, roasted potatoes, roasted carrots and salad for dinner.
phew!

this is the link for the mustard maple pork loin:
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/...

[sunflwrsdh]

That does sound like a busy cooking day! My day will be like that tomorrow:) Banana bread baked oatmeal (Slenderkitchen) and DIY frozen breakfast burritos, for weekday breakfasts, and beef stew for dinner tomorrow night. Great idea to boil eggs ahead; I will do that too. Egg salad is on the lunch menu sometime this week, and I find it easier to stick to my plan if I have stuff done ahead.

[Sal Vanilla]

I do too as long as it is not too appetizing like a bean or grain salad. Then I swing from the fridge and take bites until it is suddenly gone.

I cut up turkey, boil eggs and put veggies and fruit into a bag. If an orange is cut up, I eat it. If it is whole it sits there or I imagine some sort of cocktail to squeeze it into.

[sunflwrsdh]

LOL, Sal Vanilla. That is how things work for me too. Especially with the orange thing:)

[jujuthomas]

that's exactly why I do all that work on the weekend - to help me stay on track. I have a couple late evenings this week, when I might not get to cook. I always try to make things with leftovers, and have good WW friendly breakfast and snack options available. I will steam up a bunch of broccoli tomorrow when I make dinner, I like to take lots of veggies with me as part of my lunch.

[sunflwrsdh]

So today was a great cooking day, in preparation for my "Slenderkitchen" week. I really think I'm going to love these meal plans, because thinking up what to have is half the battle. For this morning's breakfast ( and two other mornings this week) I made her DIY frozen breakfast burritos, which are supposed to be 8 points each, but I found the filling to be enough to make 5 burritos instead of the 3 the recipe called for, so probably more like 5 or 6 points each. If anyone is interested, I will share the recipe. She also uses whole eggs mixed with egg whites, and I think the next time, I would just use eggbeaters. Her recipe also called for a zucchini, and they are way out of season here, ridiculously expensive and didn't look too great, so I used some broccoli instead. Anyway, they are very good, and the next time, I would make a larger batch, since the point is to freeze them and have them ready ahead. Today's lunch was a Cobb Salad (5 points) and also very good. I'm supposed to use the remaining half of it for a "Cobb Salad wrap" for lunch tomorrow, ( 8 points) but I am just going to eat the salad again, minus the wrap, because I enjoyed it today that way, and it was very filling, and also less points. I had purchased that WW salad container back in the summer, and am glad to be using it again:) Tonight's supper is Hearty Beef stew, which hopefully made enough for a couple of weekday lunches as well. (5 points per cup serving) I made it in my Dutch oven, then put it in the Slow cooker to finish and keep warm. Smells good:) Also made her recipe for Banana Bread baked oatmeal, for a couple of take to work breakfasts this week, and another batch of the zero point tortilla soup. I mostly have liked her recipes; they are easy, and not a lot of "exotic" ingredients, mostly stuff I have on hand or would buy anyway. Also stuff my family will mostly eat too.

[jujuthomas]

please do share the recipe or link to the burritos, Sunflwr! I'm always looking for quick breakfasts.

I've got the pork I posted yesterday in the oven, it smells amazing. we were in DE for a good part of the day, then out and about so it's a late dinner tonight. I made the skinnytaste butternut risotto, but started it too early. darn, that stuff does not "hold" well! it's a little gluey at this point, but the flavor is good!

as a non-food treat for myself, I went to the outlet mall and got myself 2 new purses at the Fossil store! (ya know... since I got the promotion and all... gotta look good! hehehe) :-D

[sunflwrsdh]

Congratulations on yor promotion, and your acquisition of two new Fossil purses! (Love them:)
I looked at that risotto, and will make it soon, after I'm well into my Slenderkitchen rotation:) Following the plan as closely as possible to start with, and will switch things up as I get more comfortable. Love butternut squash risotto, though! And it would definitely be great with a pork roast! We actually had to switch the planned zucchini fries on this week's plan for butternut squash "fries" because of the lamentable absence/ price/ poor quality of zucchini.
Can't find a way to link to the recipe, but it is from Slenderkitchen.com, and it's in her meal plans, week 3. I am going to post it, ( I think it will be ok since I paid for the meal plan:) So here it is:
DIY Frozen Breakfast Burritos
5 egg whites
3 large eggs
3 slices Canadian bacon or thick sliced ham, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced ( I subbed broccoli)
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup fat free salsa or chopped tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
3 large whole wheat, reduced carb burritos
1/3 cup shredded low fat cheese ( I used WW mexican blend)

1) Whisk the eggs, salt, pepper and oregano together.
2) Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and scramble the eggs until just set, but still glossy. Remove and set aside.
3) Wipe the pan clean and add more cooking spray. Add the onion, zucchini ( or broccoli) and Canadian bacon. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Stir in the salsa.
4) Microwave the tortillas to soften for about 20 seconds. Then lay each tortilla flat. Divide the egg mixture, veggie misxture and cheese evenly between the each tortilla.
5) Enjoy today's burrito by microwaving it for about 25 seconds to melt the cheese.
6) Then wrap each remaining burrito in plastic wrap and then place in a Zip Loc bag or other freezer safe container.
7) To reheat during the week, remove the plastic wrap and wrap in a paper towel. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until warmed through.
Each of these burritos is 8 points plus.
As I mentioned above, there was way too much filling for 3 tortilla shells; I ended up making 5 out of this recipe, so I'm guessing the points would be more like 6 each. Also, I would use egg beaters the next time, which would reduce the points a little more...maybe to 5 each?

[jujuthomas]

i'm gonna have to make some of these!

[sunflwrsdh]

They are really good! I think I liked them with the broccoli better than I would have with the zucchini. I might add some more peppers next time, and they would be great with spinach too.

[sunflwrsdh]

I also made Slenderkitchen's baked banana bread oatmeal today, for the same reason....I'm always looking for a good quick ( and packable for work) breakfast. Haven't tried it yet, but it smelled great. She lists a serving as 1/8 of a recipe ( a recipe fills an 8x8x2 pan, and that seemed big to me, so I cut it in 16ths. The points for an eighth are 6, so for a 16th....3. I am loving this meal plan so far! The beef stew we had for dinner was great!
Here is the Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal Recipe:
1.5 cups mashed bananas ( about 4)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups skim milk ( I used about half skim and half almond milk, only because I ran out of skim...seemed to come out fine...)
2.5 cups old fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1) Preheat the oven to 350.
2) Mash the bananas with a fork. Then mix in the brown sugar, egg, salt, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3) Stir in the milk. Add the oats and combine everything.
4) Spray on 8x8x2 glass pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. ( the spray worked fine)
5) Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 30 minutes. Take off the foil and cook another 15 minutes.
As I said, she lists a serving as 1/8th of the pan, and it is 6 points plus. I cut mine into 16ths, so if that is enough for you, could be 3 points.
3)

[jujuthomas]

i make baked oatmeal as well... a little more fruit than the slenderkitchen recipe. I got it somewhere here on chow - makes 9 servings, when we put it through the recipe builder it was 5points (not Points +)
3 cups old fashioned oats
2 tsp baking powder
1-2 tsp cinnamon
2 T sweetener - I use splenda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup egg beaters or 2 eggs
splash of vanilla extract
1 cup milk-type product - i use lite vanilla soy milk.
1-2 smashed bananas
about 2 cups of frozen fruit. DH's favorite is peaches and raspberries. I've made it w/ mixed berries also.
heat oven to 350, spray a 9x9 pan
mix the oats with the dry ingredients.
Add applesauce, milk, egg and vanilla and mix
add smashed bananas then frozen fruit
bake for about 35 minutes.

we like it warmed up and drizzled with a little lite syrup.

[sunflwrsdh]

That sounds great, too. Slenderkitchen has a bunch of different baked oatmeal recipes on her site, many of which sound good, I've also seen (someplace, maybe Skinnytaste?) a baked oatmeal creme brulee type thing that you do in ramekins, and sounded amazing! I'll let you know if I find it:)
One of the things I love about this meal plan (besides not having to think about what to eat, just cook it!) is that it includes lots of different breakfast and lunch ideas. I tend to get stuck in a rut for both of those meals when I am following WW, and it seems like this wil help out with that issue.

[jujuthomas]

I'm going to have to check that site out. :)

At Christmas I made that baked oatmeal recipe with some Better N Peanut Butter and chocolate chips as a treat. Higher in points of course, but so tasty!

[sunflwrsdh]

I had the 1/16th portion for breakfast this morning, and it was really good!

[Sal Vanilla]

Tonight - blackened rockfish with very little fat, modified dirty rice made with chicken sausage, Maque choux for non WW and broccoli for the WW.

Roasted apples for dessert. Fiddling with a recipe and flavors in anticipation for an ugly porkfest later in the week.

Was is Roxlet who made the porchetta? It has me strangly possessed.

[roxlet]

My husband did. Two weeks ago, and it's fine for WW...in moderation. :)

[Sal Vanilla]

Ah it is that last part that has always foiled my superior WW intentions.

[roxlet]

Yes, I know! The portions control thing. But really, it is just a roasted fresh ham, and pork IS the "other white meat!"

[Sal Vanilla]

Every time I read about trimming all the visible fat I sort of chuckle.

[sunflwrsdh]

I returned to WW on Thursday (doing WW at work, which has helped me to be very successful in the past), after a 4 month absence, with a 14 lb gain. Discouraging, because I have gained to where I weigh more then when I started WW almost three years ago! But...then again, I know it is a good program that has helped me to have excellent results in the past, and I know that I can do this. The at work program is especially good, because of the support from others at work. I am also trying, starting tomorrow, for the first time, Slenderkitchen.com's weekly meal plan. They include a weekly menu for three meals a day, with WW points plus already calculated ( and the meals add up to no more than 20-24 points a day, so there is some room for snacks.) as well as recipes, and shopping lists. The recipes sound good; I'll share the results when I start making them tomorrow. Yesterday, I made a zero point tortilla soup, and had that for lunch, topped with some WW shredded Mexican cheese, 2 tbsp tortilla strips, FF sour cream and cilantro. Yummy and like 5 points. Dinner was a green salad, and a reduced fat lasagna, like 7 points for the lasagna, a slice of my husband's homemade bread, and a glass of Pinot. Later in the evening, sugar free jello with Cool whip free. Under points for the day. Today will be tougher, because we are going out for dinner to celebrate my gd's birthday, but I will watch and track. My next big hurdle is the "moving more"....I've been pretty sedentary for the most part, and am struggling to get motivated to exercise! Glad ot see this thread active, I need all the help and support I can get!

[mariacarmen]

tortilla soup sounds good... i just bought an amazon local deal for 10 zumba classes, right around the corner of my house. let's see if that motivates me, and bum leg be damned!

[sunflwrsdh]

I took a Zumba Gold (a bit slower pace, geared toward "seniors" :) when I was in Florida, and I loved it. It was really fun! Enjoy yours:)

[roxlet]

My husband made popovers with our roast beef last night, and when I looked them up on my WW site, it said that they were only 2 points. Is that possible? I think it might be because they are hollow and are basically mixed with eggs, milk and flour, and nothing else. And low fat milk here to boot. What say you, WW foodies?

[LizGW]

I would point the recipe out on recipe builder to make sure.

[roxlet]

I did just that, and they come out at 3 points each. Still not too bad for something so delicious!

[mariacarmen]

absolutely, and good to know!

[mariacarmen]

i've been off the wagon again. or, rather, on again off again. i'll be points friendly most of a day, or some full days, but then splurge on a dinner. or a whole day of feasting in Napa. but i'm going to keep coming back here to get re-inspired by you all.

[sunflwrsdh]

Mariacarmen,
I have also fallen so far off the wagon, I can't even see the rear wheels:) Started a new WW at work Thursday, and have gained....yikes! 14 lbs since September when I last weighed in. Another, not so successful attempt at quitting smoking, as well as the holidays and a three week vacation didn't help at all! I plan to be diligent and am also coming back here to get re-inspired by all of these great folks!

[roxlet]

Good luck. I have tried and failed so many times! But I have great motivation this time -- not only general health issues, but my son graduates HS a year from this May, and I'd like to take photos to remember that day -- and look good in them! There are always new beginnings, and the trick is to put failure behind you.

[sunflwrsdh]

Thanks for the inspiring words! I'm sure you will make it this time! And you are absolutely right, the trick is to put failure behind you, and learn from it if possible, and move forward.

[mariacarmen]

yeah, u had a lot stacked against you. but we will do it!

[sunflwrsdh]

We sure will do it:)

[Sal Vanilla]

I am making cilantro and lime broiled rockfish tacos (for hubs) and I am going to eat the rockfish and a salad.

I too have portion control issues. I cook mostly healthy, but eat like a darn chowhound. It is apparently always my last meal up in my brain. Must. Eat. It. ALL. : )

I will be eating avocado. Yep.

[juliejulez]

OK so I know this isn't a mind blowing concept or anything, but these roasted green beans were killer, in a good way. http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/11/ro...

I usually just blanch fresh green beans, then saute them with some EVOO and shallots, and maybe top with bacon bits. But, I found out, SO doesn't like them that way, and told me he preferred canned, which of course will NOT do. So I tried them this way, and he loved them, and so did I. I already do broccoli and asparagus this way so I'm not sure why I didn't think to do green beans too.

[Elyssa]

I'm obsessed with those green beans! They are SO flipping good.

[Sal Vanilla]

I do brussels (either shredded or halved) like that. Both veggies are good in the oven that way too. Sometimes with a splash of balsamic.

[jujuthomas]

I took ground turkey out of the freezer last night, not sure what I'll do with it this evening.. Here on the east coast it's not going to be a good night for going out or ordering delivery, so I guess I "have" to cook!

[juliejulez]

These are two of my favorite ground turkey recipes :)

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/07/bacon-topped-petite-turkey-meatloaf.html I don't have the cute mini loaf pan so I just make it as one big loaf and increase the cooking time. SO LOVES this meatloaf and he usually dislikes ground turkey.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/el... These are the moistest turkey meatballs I've made. I've done them in various sizes over the years, even did mini ones with toothpicks for a baby shower where the mom to be was on a low fat low sugar diet.

[Solstice444]

Skinnytaste's regular turkey meatloaf is good too! Sometimes I do Asian stir fries with turkey instead of pork as well.

[jujuthomas]

we are big fans of turkey meatloaf, and really like the turkey meatball recipe on skinnytaste. I also make a ground turkey and brown rice casserole, it just depends on what we're craving when we get home... and how starving we are!

i think i'm going to make the curried acorn squash soup from skinny taste this weekend - i have a butternut that needs to be used. if I can get out on Saturday I'll go pick up some arborio rice - that way i can make the butternut risotto AND the soup. :)

[jmcarthur8]

A WW meetings - pal and I made a friendly wager recently to lose 10 pounds. Then DH and I went to NY and Philadelphia for some family visits and pigged out on Italian subs and rosette cookies from a little deli in Schenectady, and stromboli and eggplant parmesan subs and cupcakes at our granddaughter's first birthday party.
Overdrew my bonus points by 20..
Then yesterday I came down with the stomach flu that SIL and a niece had after the party. So I have retained all of 10PP yesterday and today combined. The only thing that's stayed down is applesauce and jello.
Meanwhile, my WW pal says all bets are off if I hit 10 pounds first from being sick!

[adrienne156]

Jmcarthur8, if you could please cough into a bag of those rosette cookies and mail them to ... I'd be much obliged. :)

Just stopping by to leave a comment about my latest Pinterest try in case anyone else was thinking about trying it out - Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins. http://fitandhealthywithdebbie.blogsp... I swapped the 2 eggs for 1/2 c. egg beaters, a 1/4 c. of yogurt for an extra medium banana that needed to be used, and omitted the flax seeds. I also added a 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips but reduced the honey to 1/4 c. Don't reduce the honey. My version made 12 muffins at 5PP per muffin. I've been trying to find a higher fiber, lower-point version of the Cooking Light Banana Bread which is absolutely delicious, but 7PP for 1/12 of the recipe. These are fine and filling, but not a replacement. Back to the drawing board.

[adrienne156]

I've changed my mind. These are actually quite good nuked for 30 seconds (I keep 'em in the fridge). Not CL banana bread good, but good enough to make again.

[roxlet]

Yesterday I made two giant lasagnas for a team dinner tonight. I had meatballs for lunch, and I thought I was a goner. But my weigh in today was amazing-- at the end of my first 4 weeks, I'm down just under 10 pounds! Tonight's dinner will be some of said lasagna, which my calculator says is about 10 points for a smallish portion, which is probably all that will be left after 12 teenaged student athletes have at it!

[juliejulez]

Woohoo, 10lbs in 4 weeks is great progress! And I applaud you for only being able to eat a small portion of that lovely lasagna :)

[mariacarmen]

YAY!!!! wow! see, you were just holding on for a bit! that's so great roxlet. you're making me want to try harder. congrats!

[LizGW]

Roxlet, do you live in westchester? Do we go to the same ww site?
J

[roxlet]

Where do you go?

[LizGW]

Greenburgh thursday evenings

[roxlet]

Highridge Thursdays during the day.

[juliejulez]

I made this dish last night. I made some additions/substitutions that made the calories (and subsequently points) go up to around 550, but as is, she says it's 7 points and 425 calories. http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodie...

It was pretty good, and I like the technique of using the greek yogurt and pasta water, along with the cheese, to make a very creamy sauce. I used non-fat Chobani plain for this, along with cheddar and mozzarella since that's what I had on hand. It would be even better with a more aggressive melt-friendly cheese.

[Sal Vanilla]

I am going to try subbing in yogurt. I resist it for some unknown reason. I love pasta with brocc and chix. Yog sauce is a viable option I think. Let us know if you stumble on a good cheese for the yog sauce.

[LizGW]

I looked at the recipe. I think it is closer to 11 points. To be sure, run it through the weight watcher recipe builder. A good rule of thumb is approximately 40 calories to a point.

[roxlet]

Tonight I made a lightened up version of the Chipotle's burrito bowl with cilantro lime rice, spicy black beans, corn, grilled marinated chicken and hit of guacamole. Everyone else added cheese and sour cream. It was delicious.

[weezieduzzit]

Can anyone explain to me why WW thinks cheese and sour cream are evil but beans and rice are fine? I've had the completely opposite experience in losing both weight and body fat.

[roxlet]

Cheese and sour cream aren't evil, but they are extra points that I didn't choose to use tonight. You can have anything you want-- in controlled amounts.

[weezieduzzit]

But WW thinks fat it evil and grains are fine. They've assigned points accordingly. I've found the opposite to be true (and smaller and smaller sizes of jeans to back it up.)

I'm just wondering what their basing that on because it completely defies the way your body actually loses fat. Is there literature where they explain their system? I've always found it puzzling.

[jujuthomas]

ww doesn't say anything is evil, ww says everything in moderation... my best friend and i have very different metabolisms - for her the old Core program worked, cutting down on carbs and eating everything else in moderation. for me, cutting carbs doesn't work. The current system focuses on micro-nutrients, combining the core and points programs. for me, it doesn't work. not sure why.

you have to go to a meeting or sign up online at Weightwatchers.com to get the materials.

[Elyssa]

If you use lower fat versions of dairy the points are not too much. I wouldn't say they are "evil"....it's just everything in moderation.

I think there is something on the website that explains how they come up with the points.

[mariacarmen]

actually weezie, a few years ago they changed the points system and made carb foods HIGHER points than they used to be.

i agree tho, even when i really try to follow WW, i still almost always eat more fat than carbs and i lost 24 lbs. last time. but mostly it has to be about overall portion control. that way, you don't get crazy about missing something too much.

[roxlet]

And I say congratulations on your loss of weight and body fat! So, whatever works for you is the right diet!

[weezieduzzit]

Thanks, it's amazing how much eliminating grains has improved my overall health and how fast.

[roxlet]

For me it's all about portion control, so WW works for me. Also, since I live in a house with a very skilled and wonderful cook/husband, WW allows me to taste and try everything. I've tried the no grains thing, and it was an epic fail for me.

[jujuthomas]

That is what works for me also Roxlet, portion control. I gotta have my carbs.

congrats Weezie, by the way!

[Sal Vanilla]

I've also tried to go without grains. I was miserable. I tried to tell myself that I felt better, but when you look longingly at pasta and try to fill the void with other things - well it somewhat defeats the purp. UNLESS you have problems with grains healthwise or something. Then I suppose you have to suck it up.

I just have to make sure not to make so much that there are leftovers because I WILL eat them. I love me some starch. I make hubs hide the bread if I make it. I eat the heel and then it has to leave. Yep. I am a freak.

[jujuthomas]

i haven't made bread since we started WW for this very reason. I can leave store-bought bread alone (Probably because the "lite" bread is not that good, but home made yeast bread??? forget it!

[Sal Vanilla]

Me too. I buy those sandwich thins and sort of just look at it as a vehicle to get turkey and such to my mouth. 100 calories. I can do that.

[Elyssa]

On the Today Show this morning Bobby Deen made a slimmed down version of pot-roasted turkey and butternut squash. The dish looks amazing and I plan on making it soon when my fiance is in town. Turns out to be only 6 WW points. It would be a great meal with sauted spinach or Brussels sprouts.

http://www.today.com/id/50698795/site...

[jujuthomas]

that looks great!

[jujuthomas]

I'm seriously excited... today's skinnytaste recipe is butternut squash risotto! what would you pair it with?

[Elyssa]

I would just make that as my main course and serve it with a salad. Or maybe saute a few shrimp or scallops and serve it on top.

Btw I'm totally making this recipe this weekend.

[jujuthomas]

hmm... some sauteed shrimp would be good - DH doesn't eat squash so I'd have to make him some plain rice or noodles... better add some stuff to my grocery list! :)

[Sal Vanilla]

I am a second vote on salad. A simple butter lettuce in vinaigrette. Just lettuce would be fine. Sounds boring, but it would be a nice counterpoint to the rich tasting risotto.

[Elyssa]

I'm making this tomorrow night. Turns out 3 scallops are only 1 point! For me 3 scallops are more than enough. I'm just going to sear them in a pan and serve them with the risotto and a salad.

[Sal Vanilla]

I think I will do the same on Monday. Tuesday I am doing a hackish porchetta so I will beed all the calorie friendly meals racked up before then - - and after. That sounds so yum.

[Elyssa]

I made the Skinnytaste Butternut Squash risotto last night. It was incredible!!! Really tasty and creamy and filling. Just perfect on a cold night. I served it with seared scallops (coated the scallops in paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and sauted with a teaspoon of olive oil), and roasted Brussels sprouts.

I'm going to eat it again tonight as a side (just 1/2 a cup) with some roasted salmon and vegetables.

I've made this type of risotto before but didn't use the puree---just cut up pieces of butternut squash. This was so much better!

[mariacarmen]

the puree does make it super creamy, doesn't it!

[juliejulez]

I made another pasta dish from Skinnytaste a couple weeks ago that used the butternut puree for a sauce, and it was so good! I'm waiting for SO to go out of town again so I can make the risotto, although I might try the COTM version that adds maple syrup.

[Elyssa]

Which pasta dish? I had extra butternut puree so I froze it in ice cube trays (a trick I learned from my sister-in-law...she does it with my niece's homemade baby food haha). I figured it's about a tablespoon each. I would love to use the puree for something else. I have 7 "ice cubs" of them.

[juliejulez]

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/11/pa... Here you go

I know my "ice" cubes are about 2 tbsp each, I do that for pesto.

[sunflwrsdh]

Your meal sounds excellent!

[mariacarmen]

ok, i made this tonight, posted about it on the Risotto thread. but i did add more butter - a whole tablespoon instead of a teaspoon. still, that's not bad for 4 servings. it was delicious. i didn't even use all the parm it called for but for me the parm hid the taste of the squash (and don't get me wrong, i love parm!) i paired ours with a very lean pork tenderloin, which i braised, and an asparagus salad. here's a pic.

[jujuthomas]

that looks wonderful! Thanks for posting a pic, and for the review. :)

[jujuthomas]

butternut squash is in the oven. I'm planning to make the risotto, and probably her curried butternut squash soup with the rest, if there's enough squash! I found a recipe on pinterest for a maple mustard glazed pork loin that I think would be fantastic with the risotto. DH even said he'd taste the risotto!
not sure when I'll get all this ambitious stuff done, DH just told me we need to go to DE tomorrow (45 min from here) to see his mom who is in the hospital again.

[mariacarmen]

oh no, sorry about your MIL... i have some leftover squash puree too, maybe a curried soup is in order...

[Elyssa]

I've decided to start pinning some Weight Watchers recipes (right now they are just stuff I want to try...I have an entire binder of recipes I have tried or want to try but unfortunatly that's not online). I am including the number of WW points in the post as well so you already know.

The WW recipes are under the "Recipes I-Healthy" board. There is another one "Recipes II-Everything Else" that is certainly far from WW friendly haha....hey a girl can dream!

http://pinterest.com/elyssadc/

[roxlet]

Living with my husband is very challenging. He has his own little BBQ business, and always makes really delicious, fattening food. So yesterday he bought a CASE of chicken wings, and is making them for neighbors and friends. My leader this week said one wing is 3 points, so that clearly can't be my dinner. A friend of mine suggested the follow: chicken breasts chunked up, dipped in some seasoned flour, sprayed with olive oil spray, and baked in the oven. At the end of baking, put under the broiler to brown, and toss in Frank's Wing Sauce, not to be confused with Frank's Hot sauce. As opposed to the wing sauce he makes, which is dripping in butter, this has only 5 calories per tablespoon. Celery sticks, and blue cheese dressing made with lo fat sour cream, mayo and buttermilk will round out the Buffalo Wing experience.

[juliejulez]

You might want to even try using greek yogurt instead of the sour cream/mayo. Extra protein boost. I made a honey mustard dipping sauce with 2% greek yogurt to go with my chicken wrapped in bacon apps, and it's super tasty.

Let us know how your "wings" turn out!

[roxlet]

Yes, I just made my blue cheese dressings-- the full bore ones for the "customers," and the lo-fat version for me. I think it's pretty good, although I think that the blue cheese lacked some zip. It's a bit too mild for me. My husband bought the "artisinal" Costco one, and I think we would have been better off with the pre-crumbled blue cheese for this purpose. Mine I made with the blue cheese, 0% Fage, a touch of reduced fat mayo, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Not too bad, but I think it would be better with a sharper cheese. I'll report later on the "wings."

[LizGW]

Have youvtried the Bolt House blue cheese dressing? It is amde with yogurt and 35 calories a serving. It is refrigerated with the produce.

[Solstice444]

I love the Bolthouse yogurt blue cheese and ranch dressings! I have been meaning to try the Thousand Island.

[Sal Vanilla]

On Superbowl night everyone but me had wings. I made chicken breast tenders, marinated in Franks and sriracha (I laugh thinking of another post about sriracha) and then rolled them in panko - fridge and then popped in the oven. They came out really well and I did not feel pissy about being deprived. I made lofat/cal ranch dressing to dip them into and piled on the crudite.

[Elyssa]

That sounds very tasty!

[rabaja]

That sounds really good!

[mariacarmen]

those sound excellent!

long live sriracha eaters!

[roxlet]

That sounds much better than the version I made for Superbowl Sunday. I should start keeping some panko in the house.

[roxlet]

A very good breakfast this morning! I managed to make myself a breakfast burrito. A WW wrap (2pt+), one scrambled egg, 1 slice of bacon, and 1 Laughing Cow light cheese grated onto the wrap.

[docfood]

Ho roxlet,

I am now enjoying a warming soup, as it is -5 right now in MN with a windchill of -20. So for the soup, I sauteed onions in spray, added sliced brussel sprouts, garlic powder, herbs de provance, sliced carrots, celery, canned diced tomatoes, and sliced cabbage. Put in a cup of canned chicken broth, paprika, pepperoncino, a glug of fish sauce, and 2 oz of vegtable pasta spirals.

Boiled it up, shared with my spouse, and had two huge bowls of soup, warming soup, for dinner. 3 points.
Whoopee. I can have chocolate for bedtime snack.

[dkennedy]

Thanks for starting the new thread Roxlet. I am lifetime but I just started attending meetings again because a good friend of mine just started and I know it is MUCH easier to do this with someone else. I have attended meetings and tracked online for the last 3 weeks and it has caused me to loose a bit, which is always nice. I also bought one of those active links, which is really surprising me into action. I already do pilates 4 xs a week, and some type of cardio on top of that, but the active link didn't really award me much for all this effort so now I am adding elliptical and other cardio to make sure I get 3 points everyday. Just seeing on paper that I wasn't burning anything made me pick up my game.

What I plan on cooking to help myself stay on plan are some recipes from the newest veggie WW book that is currently being peddled when you go to meetings. At my last meeting the leader encouraged us to look through the book, and I took photos of a few of the recipes to try out before deciding if I need this book. On the horizon:

Summer rolls with chili garlic sauce - 4 pts
Goat cheese, pear, and fig sandwiches - 8 pts
Thai coconut and vegetable noodle soup - 3 pts
Brussel sprouts, pear and frico salad - 4 pts
Quinoa and roasted veggie salad - 5 pts

I will add shredded chicken to the quinoa salad and shrimp to the soup. Will let you know how they come out.

[roxlet]

I would be most interested to hear about the summer rolls! I love those, and a 4pt version would be lovely!

[jujuthomas]

wandering by to mark my spot in the new thread.

had a heck of a week with 2 days of all-day meetings, a team dinner, and a celebratory dinner out... sushi after hearing that not only did I get a promotion but also a raise... this weekend we'll be celebrating a friend's daughter's 23rd birthday. dinner tonight, out to see a band (DANCING YAY) tomorrow night!

so - not a lot of cooking going on in the thomas household this week!

[juliejulez]

Congrats on your promotion and raise! That does warrant a bit of a celebration :) And, that dancing will certainly burn off some calories!

My week hasn't been great either w/ the potential in-laws visiting, and then this weekend we won't be at home much at all (hockey game sat, super bowl party sun), and then another hockey game on monday night. I'm going to throw something together tonight but no real healthy planned cooking until next Tuesday for me.

[Solstice444]

Congrats!!

[jujuthomas]

Thanks Solstice and Julie! I'm really pleased about it...

I'm getting back on track today - no Superbowl parties to attend, thank goodness. Today I'm making beef barley soup courtesy of skinny taste, oven roasting some veggies and making some steel cut oats for my week day breakfasts.

[Sal Vanilla]

Well what a nice surprise to read such good news! And sushi is a terrific way to celebrate in a WWish way.

Congratulations!