Shrimp Alfredo "Pasta"

This is a recipe I've always been curious about but have been a little afraid to try.

Maybe it's more like I've just been plain skeptical.

This is an alfredo sauce that's made with cauliflower.

My first reaction was just "yuck!" but then I remembered that I try to keep an open mind.

So after looking at several versions of this I finally settled on this one from a website called pinchofyum.

Since I was giving this a test run I decided to just follow the instructions and not ad lib.

Here's a peek of a recipe in the making~

Boiling cauliflower

Pureed cauliflower, milk and seasonings.

I served this over spaghetti squash to further cut the points and threw in 1 lb of shrimp.  I put this in the recipe builder and it came to 6 pts for 1/4 of the whole recipe which is a lot.  This includes adding 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan to the sauce.  

In truth I don't crave pasta nearly as much as I used to so substituting spaghetti squash really isn't a hardship for me.  I don't feel like I'm missing out.

And here's what I would change~

I love garlic, I mean really love, love garlic but the garlic in this was too overpowering.  

Perhaps my cloves were bigger than the ones she used but either way next time I'm toning it down(never thought I'd hear myself say that).

I also love salt.  I would go as far to say I'm almost a salt-a-holic though I wish I weren't.  

This recipe seemed too salty for my tastes so next time I'm cutting the salt in half.  

Overall I thought this was surprisingly good.  It was definitely better than I expected.

When, like a good server, I asked my husband what he thought of it while he had a mouth full of food he just looked at me and gave me the thumbs up sign.  

I think I may also consider adding minced chipotle pepper for a smoky flavor at some point or using smoked paprika.  

It may also be quite tasty with 2 oz of white wine.

The blog site I got this from also suggested adding it to rice.  Really I think there are a lot of possibilities.  

The raw truth-  

Does this taste just like real Alfredo sauce?  No, but close.

Is it worth it?  For me, yes.  Your run of the mill restaurant style Alfredo sauces run 50-100 grams of fat per cup serving!  That is just INSANE.  My other issue is that I detest the store bought sauces.  

There are some foods I love, um sweets, where there are times I'm just not going to go low fat and skimp.  

If you love Alfredo you may just want the real thing but it's not a big priority for me so I think I would definitely use this recipe again.  

It's certainly fun to try something new.  It's even more fantastic when you know it's healthier and tastes nearly as good as the real thing.  

Happy Cooking!

Brunch

I used to hate breakfast and everything about it.

I hated eating in the morning.

I hated the types of food that were considered breakfast food.

Since I started WW I made the conscious shift to eating breakfast in an effort to speed up my metabolism by eating several times a day and to help keep me from getting too hungry and overeating at lunch or dinner.

And, it has really paid off.

Now that I've made the switch I don't mind it so much anymore.

In fact, I have found myself making breakfast food for lunch, dinner or even a late night snack.

The following egg white omelette is my any-time-of-day meal.

First I add 1/2 cup of liquid egg whites(1 pt) to a small 6 inch skillet.

To this I add a small dash of garlic salt, 1 tsp of dried chopped chives and 1 tsp of Hormel Real Bacon Bits(0 pt).

Of course what's an omellette without cheese?

So, I add 1 Tbsp of feta(1 pt).  This is one of my absolute favorite cheeses!

I cook this slowly on medium until it's set enough to flip.

And there you have it, a 2 pt meal.  

I will never forget the reaction I got when I told my WW coach that I often eat this late in the evening when I want to snack.

She said "Oh my gosh Carrie!  That's what you've been eating?!  No wonder you feel so good!  No wonder you're losing weight so quickly!  You're eating all that lean protein and it's just going to speed up your metabolism."

Needless to say that was very validating for me.  

If I'm being honest I will say it doesn't look like this every night.  

Some nights I'm a bit ornery but I do eat this often in the evening and I really love it.

I may even have a piece of my 1 pt garlic toast with it and boy does that make me happy!

At any rate you can't go wrong with a 2-3 pt meal.  

Guilt-free tastes so good.  ;)

Pepperoni Pasta with Garlic Toast

I've been on a kick lately.  

So intense has my craving been for garlic toast been lately that I've been eating it nearly every night.  

It's a really low point, guilt free treat for me.  

For the toast I use the Sara Lee 45 calorie wheat bread.  One slice is 1 pt.  

I spray the bread on both sides with olive oil spray and then add a sprinkle of garlic salt and 1 tsp of nutritional yeast to each side.  

I then toast this in a skillet.  

The nutritional yeast is 0 pts for the 2 tsp and it tastes like Parmesan cheese.  I also use this on my popcorn.  It adds a salty flavor too so you may want to decrease the amount of salt you would otherwise use.  

That's a 1 pt garlic toast.

For the pasta I cook up 2 oz(dry) Barilla plus elbows(6 pts) according to package directions.  

Then I added 2 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese(1 pt) and 5 slices turkey pepperoni(14 slices or less= 1 pt) cut into smaller triangles.  

That's 9 pts for the pasta + 1 pt for the garlic bread for a 10 pt meal.  

This is the way I eat it however for those of you who want sauce I would add a no sugar added marinara over the top and adjust the points accordingly.  

Compared to typical restaurant style meals this is a much lower point option.  

If I weren't feeling a little tired and lazy tonight I would cook up some zero point veggies to go with it.  

There are a lot of options.  

Experiment and have fun with it.  

Just remember you can have your pasta and eat it too!

On Posting Comments

Just a short note today on posting comments on my blog.

I've had a lot of people tell me that they are unable to post comments.

The one consistent thing I've noticed is that people who have a Google + account can post.

I wish I could give you loads of specifics but I'm still learning about all of this as I go.

To be honest when I get stuck I Google "how to..." to find my answers.

There's a lot of trial and error and I appreciate all of you hanging in with me as I figure things out.

I have to tell you I do love hearing from you!

If you have any questions, feedback, or challenges you'd like me to address I would be happy to consider it for a general post and help you in any way I can.


Once again, THANK YOU for sharing this adventure with me.


Carrie

Mentoring

Webster's on-line Dictionary defines a mentor as "someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person".

If I were writing the definition I think I'd toss out the ageist aspect of it but the meaning is still there.

Mentoring is advising or teaching someone, anyone of any age, with less experience.

In my own professional and personal life I have been blessed with the experience of being both an apprentice and a mentor.

This is also true in my experience with WW.

From my first day I felt as though my leader and the long time or lifetime members there took me under their proverbial wings.

They encouraged me and inspired me.

By showing up in a most authentic way it gave me the courage to be more of myself.

I think going to my WW meeting was one of the first experiences I have had where there is such an environment of support rather than competition.

Even though I'm now a lifetime member myself I still keep my heart and mind open to what novice and experienced members alike may have to teach me.

One of my favorite concepts is the beginner's mind.

You can think of it this way-

It's hard to learn anything if you think you already know everything.

What do you think you're an expert on?

How could you look at that in a new way?

Who can you learn from?

Remember that sometimes doing things in a new way or seeing things in a new way is where the breakthroughs happen.

Be open to all this life has to teach you.

The answers are just waiting for you!

How To Cut Winter Squash

One of the things I've always relied on my husband to do is cut the watermelon, pineapple or squash or other hard-to-cut items.

Admittedly when he's home I still ask him to cut them for me most of the time however, there are times he isn't home and I want to get dinner started.

So, I found this video on cutting a spaghetti squash and it worked like a charm for me.

I also found this video on cutting a butternut squash.  This one is a Martha Stewart and I know that makes some of us groan but I have to tell you she has, in part, taught me to cook.

One thing I did learn the hard way from cooking many of her recipes is to watch for recipes that have several ingredients that also say "see recipe".

That's never a good thing.

It means there's a ton of work ahead of you however, I don't think I've ever made one of her recipes that didn't taste fantastic.

I guess it just depends on how much work you want to do.

The next method I found was to microwave it for a few minutes before peeling or cutting.

I haven't tried this one but I also saw this on the WW site.

This chef suggests possibly boiling her acorn squash for a few minutes but I doubt I'd go to that much work.

Cutting a kabocha squash can be a real challenge due to its odd shape but this video looked promising.

Since we're moving into fall I can't wait to try this one as I love kabocha!

They're creamy and delicious roasted or used in stews but they're usually tough to cut.

Last week I roasted an acorn squash in the oven and ate it plain.  It was so insanely buttery and delicious I kept moaning while I ate it.

My husband is used to me by now though.  He just shakes his head and laughs.

He knows he married a foodie :)

Now that you have some ideas on how to cut winter squash give it a try.

Winter squash are zero point, beautiful comfort foods that just make you feel nourished from head to toe.

Tuna Creations

I recently saw this product on the Hungry Girl newsletter and was excited to try it.

These are pre-packaged packets of tuna with several different flavorings including hot buffalo style, honey BBQ, bacon ranch, lemon dill, mango chipotle.

I've tried most of these except the ranch as I'm not a fan of ranch flavor.

They're all 1-2 pts per package and they're pretty good.

You do have to understand that I don't like mayo so I usually eat my tuna plain or just mixed in with plain pasta and a little shredded Parmesan(I know some of you are grossed out now-sorry!).

This added some nice variety without added pts and calories you would get in the mayo(for those who like it).

I love the Honey BBQ!

Of course it's marketed as being for kids but, hey, I'm a kid at heart ;)

I usually just eat these for a snack by itself in the late afternoon when I'm starting to get hungry.

It's a low point, high protein pick-me-up that's definitely worth a try.

Happy Snacking!

Finding Motivation in Maintenance

Since I've become a lifetime member with WW I've noticed this part of myself sliding into bit of apathy.

Some of those sneaky, subversive behaviors have been rearing their ugly head.

Before I made lifetime I had only missed one day of tracking in one year.

Even on my "naughty" days I tracked, even if I went over because this was part of the lesson for me- learning to be honest and own my behaviors instead of hiding from them and blaming people and circumstances outside of myself.

Lately I have become lax in my tracking and portioning, weighing and so forth.

Like my friend and mentor Barb said "You don't want to track because you want to eat".

I knew I was doing it and I was frustrated with myself.

I mean isn't that the worst?

When you know there's no one to blame but yourself and you know what you need to be doing but you just can't seem to jump start yourself into action it's so insanely frustrating.  

I sat back and thought about all of this earlier this week and I did a few things.

First I sat back and analyzed my behaviors without judgement, all the good and all the unhelpful.

Then I prayed and meditated on this.

Next I decided to step out on faith and motivate myself by ordering a pair of slacks for work two sizes smaller than what I've been wearing.

Tuesday was my WW meeting and even then I was still feeling a bit out of sorts.

Those are the times when we feel like maybe we don't want to go to the meeting but friends, hear me on this, THAT IS EXACTLY WHEN YOU NEED TO GO TO YOUR MEETING!!!

WW has cultivated a culture of support.  No one is there to judge you, they're there to share in your joys, commiserate with your challenges and encourage you to move forward and make choices that support your Highest Good.

So before I went to my meeting I just got centered and prayed about it and I knew I was just going to bring all my baggage to the meeting and be as honest and real as I could.

I decided I was going to be open to all the support and feedback that I would receive there.

As per my usual I was so glad I went!!!!

To me it feels so freeing to just be honest and real and speak my Truth.

The support and helpful feedback I received was just awesome but wait, it gets better.

Today after I got off work I went to pick up the pants I had ordered.

I was buying these two-sizes-too-small pants to motivate myself into action but when I tried them on in the store...

THEY FIT!!!!

I cannot tell you how utterly shocked and delighted I was.

I started realizing that many of my clothes are actually getting a bit big on me again and now I'm at the point where it's more flattering to wear clothes that actually show my form instead of hiding it.

It's a hard habit to break after years of wearing loose, non-descript items but it's a good thing.

So I left the store and cranked up my music and sang at the top of my lungs and just felt like I was flying.

Don't you love those days?!

It's like an answered prayer and I am utterly overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude.  

It's validation to keep on keeping on and to keep believing even when you can't see it yet because it WILL happen if you keep the faith and keep taking action to build behaviors and habits that support the changes you want to see.

It's like that old saying, sometimes it's darkest before the dawn.

Friends remember this the next time you feel like giving up or giving in.

You may be just a breath away from victory!

I believe in you and I believe in me and I know we can do this!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

Since I didn't sleep well last night I was a little draggy today.

So I decided it was coffee o'clock.

I was craving chocolate peanut butter and decided to make a flavored protein shake.

This is what I did:

I got out my blender and added 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk(1 pt per cup).

To this I added Jay Robb Chocolate Whey Protein Powder(1 pt per scoop).

I like this particular product because it's flavored with stevia which is my favorite sugar substitute. 

I purchased this at our local health food store but you can also buy it on Amazon.  

Most often in the afternoon I go caffeine free and if that's the case I will use a coffee extract to get the flavor I'm looking for.  

Here is the one I use:

Today I was going for the extra caffeine so I added 3/4 cup instant coffee.

Next I added 1 Tbsp of chocolate PB2 powder(1 pt per Tbsp).

I also added 7 drops of Sweet Leaf chocolate flavored stevia drops(0 pts) for an added chocolate kick.

To this I added almost a cup of ice and then blended it all together. 

This comes out to 3 Smart Points for the whole thing.  

It frothed up so much I really ended up with two huge glasses of it.

Okay, so real world time, here's what I would change-  

Next time I'm going to cut the almond milk in half I think and add a second scoop of protein powder and see how it goes.  It would be the same point wise.  

This seemed just a little too dilute for me.  

It was really good but I think it could be better.  

These protein shakes are really low in points and fun to play with.  

If you used vanilla protein powder you could add any type of extract for extra flavoring you want like coconut, strawberry, almond, even rum flavor!  

I rarely drink alcohol but I do have rum flavoring in my cabinet for cooking with.  

Using extracts can really give you the taste you're looking for without the added points.  

So why not shake it up?! :)

Drama in the Dressing Room

Aren't dressing rooms the most dynamic of places?

I mean we can experience such a vast myriad of emotions ranging from ebullient joy to bottomless depression...

depending on the meaning we assign to the image we see in the mirror.

Only a year and a half ago a dressing room would've been something I dreaded.

And, because I dreaded it I often avoided it.

Because I avoided it my selection of wearable clothes was quite small, so small in fact that I would often joke that certain outfits were "my uniform".

I had such a small selection clothes to wear that actually fit although my actual closet was chock-full.

Why?  You may ask.

Because I had so many different sizes in my closet, most of which didn't fit.

It's like you can go shopping in your own closet because there's every size imaginable.

Do you know what I'm talking about?

There are the "oh gosh, I remember that outfit from that great time in my life, that special day" outfits.

There are the when-I-was-still-thin outfits because those are also the I'll-be-able-to-wear-it-again-someday outfits.

After a while you have a closet full of things you can't wear for the most part.

Fortunately since I've lost weight the dressing room experience doesn't come with the need for Kleenex.

At this stage it's more fun again and I often find myself in a place of curiosity.

I'm still trying to figure out what I really look like past the perceptions I have of myself shaped from the images I still see in the back of my mind from years gone by, both good and bad.

During my last visit to a dressing room I decided to try on what looked like Dress Barn's version of Spanx.

I've heard a lot about Spanx but I have never tried them on and, let me say, I don't knock anyone who does wear them.

If it makes you feel better about yourself and it doesn't cause harm I think it's a good thing in general.

So I picked up a sort of tank top thing.

When I tried to put it on I got an overwhelming feeling of panic.

I was tussling in the dressing room with an inanimate object and the fabric was winning.

I felt trapped and almost yelled for the sales associate to help me as panic started to sink it's ugly teeth into me.

I was finally able to pull it over my head and then I looked in the mirror.

My hair was an utter mess and somehow my breasts were mashed up and sideways.

As I tried yanking it into place it only seemed to make it worse.

In addition I was finding breathing to be somewhat difficult and the pressure on my abdomen uncomfortable.

And, really, the look for me was not flattering.

I rather looked like the Pillsbury dough boy.  You squeeze me in the middle and it just shoots up top and down bottom.

It seemed my belly fat was now part of my breasts and my hips looked even fuller.

Of course I had to just laugh at myself.

And, for me, it wasn't worth all the torture.

I'm kind of over being that uncomfortable.  I don't wear pointy toed or high healed shoes anymore and I dearly love pants that aren't covered in loads of snaps, buttons and zippers.

Of course I'm not the same girl I was in my 20's.  My priorities have changed because I have changed.

And even though I would still like to lose 10 lbs I love myself just the way I am.

I don't need to be a size 2 anymore to feel good enough.

I like having curves and not having to live my life like I'm under some dictatorship where every calorie is the enemy.

That's not real and it's not sustainable.

I think perspective in all things is a plus.

So when you're in the dressing room and you're feeling upset, step back and take a breath.

Remember your worth is not based on your size or how you look in that outfit.

Whether its a success or a flop you're still irreplaceable and valuable just the way you are.

The Balanced Plate

I work in the medical field and see a variety of different problems but very commonly I see diabetes, heart and vascular disease.

Before I go further let me just give a quick disclaimer:

I am in no way giving anyone who reads this medical advice.  

In medicine we treat people as individuals.

Each person has his or her own past medical/surgical/family history, kidney and liver function, med list, food allergies, dietary needs etc.

Medicine is not a one size fits all prospect.

You should always talk to your own doctor about what is best for you personally.  

Now that that's out of the way...

When I'm at work I often talk with patients about following a low salt Mediterranean type diet.

I usually mention that the typical dinner plate would be 50% non-starchy vegetable, 25% lean protein and 25% complex carbohydrate.

I'm not a fan of radical all or nothing diets and I usually tell patients to find balance.

Doing WW is generally an 80/20 type plan.  So 80% of the time I follow the above plan and 20% of the time I eat indulgent foods I crave.

For me that 20% helps me stick to the plan because I don't feel deprived.

I just have to plan.

The thing is that even now I really have to remind myself to balance my plate.

In the old days I might make a healthy casserole but that's all I'd eat....

And eat...

And eat...

I didn't eat a salad or anything else with it and so invariably I'd overeat that casserole like crazy.

As silly as it sounds casseroles can be kind of dangerous for me.

It's so easy for me to overeat on those.  I very intentionally avoid fixing them if I've been a little off track.

When I do fix them I immediately portion them out as soon as I pull it out of the oven.

It's funny that something so common sense as balancing your plate should be hard but sometimes it just is.

At least being aware of my triggers and bad habits helps me avoid potentially unhelpful scenarios.

So if you're having difficulty with not feeling full or not losing the weight you want to use you may take another look at your plate.

Creating balance might make all the difference in the world.

Savory Carrots

Sometimes I get strange cravings.

Truly sometimes the things I like I'm not absolutely sure other people would like but this recipe my husband commented on without my asking so I'm sharing it.

You see my husband isn't a foodie like me.  He eats to live.  Most of the time I have to ask him his opinion about food and I've grown somewhat used to the fact that he just isn't going to get excited about food the way I do.

It doesn't mean he doesn't like it.  It just means he's not the kind of guy to get excited about food.

I made this dish yesterday afternoon on a whim when he wasn't home.  After it was done I ate half of it and then put the leftovers in the fridge.

When he got home he asked what it was, I told him and he ate it.

Then he actually told me he really liked it which was just a shock for me.

That's why I'm sharing it.  I thought it was kind of bizarre but since Mark commented on it I'm sharing it with you.  :)


Years ago my mom taught me to make a crock-pot roast by sprinkling on dry Lipton Beefy Onion Soup mix over the top before cooking.

I love that flavor and eating the little bits of onion after it cooks.

So yesterday I was craving that taste but didn't want to make a roast and use more points because I was going to a birthday party later the same day.

Here's what I decided to do.

I preheated the oven to 425 F.

I cut up one pound of washed carrots(0 pts) and cut a yellow onion(0 pts) into around nine large pieces and placed them in a cast iron skillet.

Next I sprinkled the Lipton Beefy Onion Soup Mix(4 pts for the whole pouch) over the top.  

I added 1/2 cup water to the pan and cooked it for 30 minutes.  

At this stage the veggies are going to be sticking to the pan a bit and that's okay.  

At this half hour mark I added 1/4 cup of Marsala wine(I buy the cheap Marsala for cooking) to deglaze the pan along with another 1/2 cup water.  

I stirred it well and then let it cook for another 15 minutes.  

The carrots looked so lovely with a nice glaze to them and they tasted great!

This comes out to 3 pts for one half of the whole batch.  It satisfied my craving and I didn't have the added pts from the meat.  

You never know how something's going to come out when you experiment but it's always fun trying something new and if you get a keeper out of it, well, that's just a bonus.  

Happy Cooking!

Comparisons

Is it just me or is one of the most difficult things to get past in life comparisons?

I recently listened to a talk by Glennon Doyle Melton that really resonated with me.

Glennon just released a new book(which I have asked the library to purchase!) called Love Warrior in which she details part of her own painful journey through addiction, bulimia and loss back to joy.

One of the many things that really struck me listening to her was when she talked about what she believes is the underlying message from society to women.

In her words "I think the world wants little girls to be pretty and small and quiet".

Wow.

I won't speak for anyone else but myself but yea, this is absolutely the message I have felt my whole life.

I have to be pretty, small and quiet if I want to be loved and to be good enough on any level.

It makes me sad that this twisted view has caused so much pain for so many of us.

One of the things I liked about Glennon is that her message is about looking for the gift in the pain we experience or the lesson.

How many times in the middle of crisis do we find ourselves in a place that feels so dark and so lost that we can't see any way out?

So often when we move so deeply into fear we also move into a binary and dichotomous type of thinking where everything is black or white.

In those moments I remind myself of what I know to be true for me-
 the mind of fear is finite and the mind of God is infinite.

We can't conceive of all possibilities but God can and that is a truly comforting thought indeed.

So other than prayer and meditation what can we do to help turn this around and move away from comparisons?

Here is one of the tricks that I use.

It's something that I read in a book by Dr. John Gray called How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have.

To be honest I read this book several years ago and the only thing I really remember is one little line-

"That's for me!".

You see Dr. Gray says that when we catch ourselves in a place of feeling the discomfort of comparisons and jealousy we can stop and say "that's for me!" meaning I would also enjoy experiencing that.

I also think "Look!  What God has done in him/her God can do in me!" or as we sometimes say at my church "this or something better".

I have to tell you that the first time you start to work with this line it feels a little silly and a little awkward but....

it gets easier.

And you start to catch yourself more and more.

At some point it even becomes kind of fun.

Lately I have been able to move to a place of really feeling appreciation for that other person.

For example, I was at the gym on the treadmill running and I noticed a girl in front of me also running.

She was a little more toned than I was and was able to run faster.

Not only did I stop and think "Wow!  That's for me!" but I also just let myself sink in to feeling a deep love and appreciation for her and in my own heart I just blessed her.

Now that feels good!

Looking to people who are embodying what you're trying to achieve can actually be very constructive if you can learn from those people.

How did they get to where they are now?  What habits do they have?

Look with curiosity instead of resentment and you'll be surprised at what you can learn.

Really I also think it's sad that these rotten societal standards and training towards comparisons exist because it keeps us from truly enjoying sister and brotherhood with our fellow humans beings.

How much do we miss out on because we're too busy feeling less than which sometimes causes us to feel resentful and jealous which just makes everything worse?

What would this world like if we stood together and stood for each other to support and love one another because we know that we are all inherently worthy, we are all inherently good enough and we are all inherently loved?

That's for me!  That's the world I want to live in.  :)

So the next time you feel yourself shrinking and feeling less than just remember that little trick.

If you open your heart to it you just may find that those people you were jealous of are really nice and have a lot to offer you.

Great Green Beans

A few nights ago I had a night where I got home late and I didn't have anything ready to eat.

I didn't have a lot of points left and wanted to find something somewhat filling that wasn't too much work since it was so late.

Now, it's not uncommon for me to eat an entire can of green beans.

I love them, have since I was a child.

But I was craving a little something more.

So here's what I ended up doing.

I drained one can of green beans(0 pt) and mixed that with 1/2 cup(1 serving) of the 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup(2 pts) and 1/4 tsp beef bouillon granules(0 pt) and then microwaved it for 1-2 minutes.

Then I added 1 tbsp of Hormel real bacon bits(1 pt) on top.

That comes out to 3 pts per whole batch.


Here's the part I'm kind of embarrassed to share...

I loved it so much I ate not only the whole can worth but I made another batch and ate two whole cans worth of green beans!!!!!!

Yikes!  I don't usually do that but, hey, at least if I'm going to binge doing it on a vegetable isn't going to break my pt bank or my waistline.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not advocating eating this quantity all the time because even if it's a totally free, zero point food it's still calories and it adds up.

Once in a while I think it's okay, especially if you're on a binge.

I was most definitely full after that and while I was slightly embarrassed and ashamed about this I knew it wasn't the most heinous choice I've ever made, especially late at night when I was truly hungry.

FREE Food Part 2

If you've read my post entitled "Oh look, it's FREE" you'll know I mentioned that I seem to continually be getting gifts of food.

This past week I opened my e-mail to find a gift of one FREE bagel per day for an entire MONTH from Panera Bread.

A WHOLE MONTH of FREE BAGELS???!!!!!!!

At first I thought this was something they were giving everyone.

Part of me also wondered if it was some kind of trick, but no.  

It's real and it's not given to everyone apparently, only a few.  

I went in this week and got free bagels for my co-workers and my son among others.  

Of course one day I purchased a non-fat latte so, yes, I know they're just trying to give me incentive to come and spend money on other things but I have only made that one purchase thus far.

Of note, I haven't yet eaten a bagel myself.  I've given all the ones I've gotten away.

Fortunately bagels aren't a huge temptation for me but other things in Panera...

let's just say I avoid eye contact with the souffles the way you would an ex-boyfriend(I'm totally laughing at that one).  

It's really crazy, isn't it, that when you're not looking for something there it is in your face.

I'm allergic to cats to the point of having an asthma attack when I'm around them and it's like cats just know who's avoiding them and they tend to gravitate towards me.  

But, in all things I try to learn.  

Right before I joined WW I remember thinking "Oh gosh I can't join right now because 4th of July is coming up and our family does a big party.  Oh and then it's so and so's birthday, then the fall(I love fall food!), then Halloween, Thanksgiving and Chistmas...."

The truth is that there always has been and always will be an occasion and there will always be temptation.  

At home I try to control that by not keeping junk food in my house but in a family whose get-togethers revolve around food there is always temptation.  

Looking back over the past year I realize however, that I've navigated a lot of potentially scary situations.   

I've eaten some junk but my "bad days" are much less heinous than they used to be and I know my body loves me for it.

I know that because I physically feel different.

Dealing with heart burn, feeling heavy and fatigued are no longer part of my reality and I love that.

It's also just great to know I'm respecting and taking care of my body the way I should and that I'm modeling that kind of self-respect for my son.  

I also think eating that junk only 20% of the time, as I do with WW, has been a big part of what has kept me on track.  

I don't feel like a victim.  

I don't have to be one of the multitudes who wear their victim-hood like a badge of honor saying "I can't eat that".

I can eat it.  I just plan for it.

And when I do choose to have it I relish it.

I enjoy my food more now than I did.  

And that, is something to celebrate.  

My Favorite Websites

Whenever and wherever possible I try to set myself up for success.

This is similar to a quote I love "Do something today that your future self with thank you for"(I couldn't find the author on this or I would mention it).

This, in part, means surrounding myself with people, things, products and information that support my goals, priorities and values.

I try to make sure that those in my peer group don't enable my bad habits but rather that they help support me and the behaviors and habits I want to embody.

One of the many things I use to help set me up for success is using WW friendly websites.

Today I want to share with you the websites I use which are listed here in order of most to least used.
The last two are actually new to me but I'm filled with excitement thinking about exploring them more.

1.  Hungry Girl(I also subscribe to her daily e-mails which are wonderful!)

2.  Skinny Taste.

3.  Emily Bites.

4.  Laaloosh.

5.  Skinny Kitchen

6.  Slender Kitchen.

7.  Dash of Herbs.

8.  Drizzle Me Skinny.


Many of the authors of these sites have their own cookbooks too.  I get these from the library of course. ;)

If any of you have any other WW friendly sites you like please let me know!  I'm always looking for new inspiration and ideas.

After you've been on plan for a while you get to the point where you can look at the full Fatty McFatty recipes and come up with your own ways to slim them down.

And it just gets more and more fun as you get better and better at working the Plan and feeling good about your choices and yourself.

Hope this helps get your creative juices flowing!

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

Okay, truth time.

As I get more into doing this blog I get more and more excited about taking pictures of my food.

Funny huh?

It's like letting the cat out of the bag.

I think it's something I really love to do.

I also just plain love getting excited about food.

For so long I thought I just couldn't be excited about food because food was making me fat.

Not true!

It's such a great thing to come to a place where you realize you've developed this new relationship with food and it doesn't have to be like a bad relationship, all about hate.

I love food!

And food loves me!

It's okay if you're laughing.

I'm laughing too.  ;)

So, here's the thing, I have gotten tired of putting up pictures of my food on my old Correlle plates.

Certainly Correlle is the most affordable and practical dishware to have with children in the home but I have gotten tired of looking at and posting the same old plates.

The artist in me is trying to get out I think.

So I decided to buy some new things.

Here's the cool part- I realized that since I was doing this for my blog I didn't really need to invest in entire sets of new plates and so forth.

Instead I've started buying random plates and pieces that I find on sale and that I find really pretty or fun.

Let me just tell you...

I'M HAVING A BLAST!!!!!

It's crazy how much fun I'm having with this(I'm totally giggling here).

I went to Kirkland's today and in their clearance section found the cutest little nut and mint holder.

Just look!

And, I found this serving platter.

Isn't it cute?!!

Guess you can tell by now that I love whites, off-whites and neutrals.  I find them relaxing and love things that are light and bright.

I also found a $3 plate on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond and this one has color!

Woo hoo!!!


What a fun and free feeling!

The truth is that I don't do a lot of entertaining so I don't really need a ton of fancy and breakable dishes.

Mostly it's just family that I have over and they don't care what my plates look like.

In truth if anyone did care about how my dishware looked they probably wouldn't be my friends and I wouldn't be having them over to begin with.

Have you ever thought about just buying one piece instead of the whole enchilada?

Sometimes it's even kind of fun when things don't match.

So here's to a mismatched and artistic life and love of food!

When I'm Really Hungry I Eat...

When I first started on WW I remember that difficult feeling of being unsure of what to eat and not really knowing what was going to fill me up.

Years before I had tried the Fiber 35 Diet.  The premise was that if you ate 35 grams of fiber daily you would not be hungry.

Let me just say that I'm the diet's one failure.

I ate fiber until I was blue in the face, beyond the 35 grams she called for, and I was

STILL HUNGRY!!!

Honestly, I think no matter what diet you're doing or what change you're making it's just hard at first because you're making some serious changes.

Getting hungry is sometimes what makes or breaks whether someone stays the course.

So, I started figuring out what my go-to meals were for that feeling of being full- in mind and body.

Probably my top meal to get me through when I'm hungry is Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Turkey Marinara.  

One serving is 1/4 of this recipe.  This is 2 pts per serving for a lot of good and really healthy food!

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground turkey

2 (15 oz) cans of diced tomatoes

1 yellow onion diced

2-3 cloves of minced garlic(I much prefer the fresh garlic but if I'm tired or feeling lazy I use the pre-minced in the jar)

1 red bell pepper diced

2 small to medium zucchini cut into small, bite sized chuncks

8 oz of your favorite type of mushrooms(if you're really hungry go for the baby bella they have a meaty texture)

chicken or vegetable broth for cooking

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp salt

black pepper to taste

a pinch of cayenne




Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a foil lined baking sheet with olive oil spray.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half and seed it.  Lay each half face down on the baking sheet.
Cook for 70 minutes or until done.

I like mine well roasted like this.  If you don't take 15 minutes off the cook time.

Place a large skillet on medium high the onion and red pepper.  Use chicken or veg broth to cook and prevent sticking and scorching.  Cook for around 20 minutes or until well done.

Add the thawed ground turkey and cook until done.  Next add the garlic, tomato paste and all the seasonings and cook for two more minutes.

Add the tomatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms and stir.

Cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors blend.
When the squash is cool enough to handle use a fork to pull out the "spaghetti".  
Plate up the squash "noodles" and cover it with that thick sauce.

I added 1/2 oz of shredded Parmesan cheese for just 2 pts.  Doesn't that look like a lot of cheese?!!! That's a 4 pt meal and a lot of food!

I hope this helps fill you up!

Surviving Fall Festivals

Isn't there just always an occasion to eat?

Now that we're moving into fall it's time for all the beautiful small town festivals, which I love...

but can also be a challenge when it comes to staying on Plan.

This past weekend my family went to an Apple Festival and a Greek Festival in our home town.

The plus side is that this isn't the first time I've been to these and I know what to expect.

By now I also know that I need to plan ahead to be successful.

Before I went to the Apple Festival last Thursday I made sure to eat low pt foods.

I had a salmon burger for 2 pts(I get these from SAM's), a 2 pt simple salad using Opa Feta Dill salad dressing for 1 pt and 3 oz of grilled chicken for 1 pt(also from SAM's) and fruit on the side.

When I got there I wasn't hungry and that was a huge help.

I decided ahead of time that I was going to have some of the homemade kettle corn that I love.

We usually buy a couple bags to share among the five of us(Gran & Papa came too-hooray!).

I estimated I ate around one cup but tracked it as two cups since I realize I sometimes underestimate that type of mindless eating food.

Mom had a hamburger and went on and on about how good it was and..

I was really tempted to eat one

But I didn't!  Yay me!

I knew I still had to make it through the Greek Festival and I am much more tempted by that food and already planned on using weekly's for that.

So First Fall Festival was a win!  I didn't crash & burn.  I didn't go over my daily pts because I planned for it!  Hooray!

The day after I was hit with a strong craving for the full fat gooey, chocolaty brownie.

My husband said the thing I was already thinking- "You know you just need to eat it and get it out of your system or you'll eat the house down just wishing you had that brownie".

He's right and so I went to a local bake shoppe and got a salted caramel brownie which was heavenly!!!!!!

Admittedly I was also overwhelmed at the display seeing all the other goodies and ended up getting their sort of chocolate dump cake with chocolate frosting mixed in along with a small pumpkin cookie with a tiny drop of cream cheese in the middle.

I gave half of the cookie away and at least a quarter of the cake away.  I gave my son and husband one bite of the brownie.

At the Greek Festival I had one piece of spanikopita and keftedes(Greek meatballs) that came with a huge plate sized grilled pita.

I gave my son one of my meatballs and a quarter of the pita and my husband half of the pita.

For dinner I made a whole roasted chicken with potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic(I'll show you that on another post :).

I definitely used up all my weekly's and I felt a little bloated and uncomfortable last night but instead of dwelling on my mistakes what I know is this-

Before WW I would've eaten ALL of the food myself without sharing any of it.

This would've been followed by self destructive loathing and spiraling out of control.

Today I still love myself.

Today is a new day.

And, I'm still on plan.

AND guess what?  My mother-in-law was in from out of town and she usually takes us out to a huge brunch buffet on Sunday.

I don't really have it in me yet to go to a buffet like this and not overeat.

There was the pressure of knowing this is always what we do together and it's expected.

I also knew my weekly's were gone and I don't want to gain more weight.

So once again what saved me is my own courage.  It's like that old saying- if you want things to change you have to make a change.

I told my husband and my mother-in-law that I really didn't want to go out to eat because I didn't have the points for it but that it didn't hurt my feelings if they went out together.

I had choir practice come up at church that conflicted with this too so I knew it was a sign from God.

Be true to yourself!

My mother-in-law was maybe a little disappointed but very sweet and understanding.  She is, after all, the most practical woman I've ever met.

So it turned out to be a good thing.  I had an uncomfortable situation come up but, as my son says, I summoned up all of my courage and spoke up for myself.

Today I feel so good about myself for honoring my Spirit and my goals.

I also really tried to honor my sweet mother-in-law and family.  I think they knew where my heart was in this.

Here's the thing, I think there are many people who are overweight for similar reasons.

They're really sweet and wonderful people who maybe just don't know how to speak up for themselves.

Our minds tend to think of the worse case scenarios but, with practice, we can change that.

We can start to realize that we're often blowing things out of proportion, that it isn't always as bad as it seems.

Either way it's important to learn how to speak up for yourself in a way that is loving and kind to you and those around you.

That's an essential part of this journey for me.

So enjoy all your gatherings and fall festivals but remember to speak up for yourself and plan ahead!

The Pumpkin Spice Latte Showdown!!!!

This is right off the stove.  You can still see the steam!

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT TODAY'S POST!!!!  Prepare to be amazed and get really excited!


As Autumn nears this little foodie starts dreaming of all things pumpkin.

One of those pumpkin dreams is about the pumpkin spice latte that Starbucks puts out.

We all know their holiday lattes are major calorie bombs but let's take a closer look.

Check this out...

The Smart Points for a tall with non-fat milk and no whip is 9.

If you get 2% milk and whipped cream it's 15 pts!

With whole milk and whipped cream it's 20 Smart Points!!!!

That's almost a whole day's points for ONE drink and it's not even a venti!

Good grief!

No way I'd personally choose to drink my day's points.  

Fortunately I found some slimmed down versions that I decided to try.

This is a taste off!

May the best recipe win!

Of course in addition to taste I'll also be looking at total Smart Points, creativity and work/time required.  

The first recipe is from Hungry Girl.  This slimmed down version has just 3 Smart Points(by my calculations using the WW recipe builder).  

The second is from Skinny Kitchen.  This one is 3 Smart Points.  The difference here is the first uses light vanilla soy milk and this one uses skim milk.  

The third recipe is from Skinny Taste.  This is also 3 Smart Points.  This is based on using her homemade pumpkin butter which is 1 pt vs the kind at the store that's 5 pts.  So this recipe requires a lot more work but hey, maybe you'd want the pumpkin butter around to put on toast or some such.

The fourth is regular coffee with fat free half and half & part skim milk with Pumpkin Spice flavored stevia drops.   

The last recipe comes from Laaloosh.  This is the best point value coming in at just 2 Smart Points per serving!

I also have extra yummy coffee to add to each of these because my husband actually roasts his own coffee!

Yep, I'm married to an official coffee snob.  Funny thing is that he was drinking Folgers instant coffee when we got married.

My brother's gift to us at the wedding was our very first espresso machine along with personal training on how to make all the frou frou drinks.

My brother is the one who got me started on coffee.  Love you Chris! ;)

Okay, back to those lattes.

And the winner is...

#1   The Skinny Taste Pumpkin Spice Latte!

This was absolutely AMAZING!   I am freaking out about how good this is!  

I promise you I could NOT tell this was low fat or lower calorie.  It was that good!

I had my husband sample this too and he couldn't believe it was low in points!

The downside is that this one required the most work.  Sometimes that's just how it goes.

Really it's just that you have to make her recipe for pumpkin butter ahead of time.  I made it a couple days in advance.

The pumpkin butter is so good and I know I'll use it on toast and other things.

Here is how I made it as a serving for one:

3/4 cup skim milk= 2 pts
1 Tbsp(1/2 serving) of her homemade pumpkin butter= 1 pt
1 tsp Truvia= 0 pt
1 tsp vanilla extract= 0 pt
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice= 0 pt
1/4 cup espresso= 0 pt

That's 3 pts without the Light Redi Whip which is an additional 1 pt.


The second runner up is...

#2   The Skinny Kitchen Pumpkin Spiced Latte

This one was good but seemed a bit thin and lacked the depth of flavor that I tasted in the Skinny Taste recipe.

Still, this was awesome for the point value and much less work given that you don't have to make the pumpkin butter ahead of time.

#3  The Hungry Girl Pumpkin Spice Latte

This had a pretty good taste.  It wasn't great but it was good.  I personally felt like I could taste the artificial sweetener here.

I usually stick with stevia for my sugar substitute so I'm a little biased against the taste of other substitutes.

If you're not you may really like this.  The plus side is that this was didn't require any stovetop work.

# 4   Coffee with added Nature's Way Pumpkin Spice stevia drops

This was a very mild, subtle flavor.  It wasn't very sweet.  I typically use the chocolate flavored stevia drops in my coffee every morning and I had to use twice the amount of drops I would usually use with the pumpkin flavor.

Overall it was pretty good and certainly very easy to use.

#5   Laaloosh Pumpkin Spice Latte

This was my least favorite.  This just fell flat for me.

My husband even commented on this when he tasted it.

Obviously everyone's taste buds are different so you may rate these differently.

The take home message here is that there are some amazingly delicious lower calorie recipes for this fantastic fall favorite.  

Spending 3 pts instead of 20 for one drink that tastes just as good?  That's a win!