Grilled Shrimp With Marinated Cucumbers, Kale, and Cauliflower

This is another Rocco Dispirito recipe from his book The Negative Calorie Diet.

I picked this up from the library and it's almost time to return it so I had to try just one more recipe.

This one is basically a cold salad.

It's very fresh, light and different.

And you know me, I LOVE trying new things!

I especially love trying things that I know are not just low point but also really good for you and this is all of those things.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp lemon juice

6 caper berries, lightly chopped

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups thinly sliced cucumbers

2 cups grated cauliflower (grated on large side of box grater)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale, tough ribs removed

Salt

Baharat spice blend (available at ethnic and many grocery stores.  I used a Moroccan spice blend instead)

Olive oil cooking spray

16 oz peeled, cleaned, and deveined shrimp

Instructions

Combine the lemon juice, caper berries, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl.  Add the vegetables and toss to coat well.  Season with salt and baharat spice blend.

Preheat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat.  Spray the shrimp with cooking spray, then season them with salt and the spice blend.  Place on the grill and cook on each side until lightly charred and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.

Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss quickly to combine.  Spoon the mixture onto four plates, diving it equally, and serve.

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This was refreshingly different and delicious.

It was easy to make too.  I used the box grater as he instructed but next time I'll just rice the cauliflower in my food processor.

The Morroccan blend I used was fine.  I haven't ever had the baharat spice but I would like to try it someday.  I was just too cheap and lazy to go out and get it today.

I had the very small sized shrimp on hand which would be difficult to grill so I sauteed them on the stove top.

Let's talk points~

This serves 4 and comes out to 1 pt per serving!

Woo hoo!

Doesn't it just feel good to know you're eating a 1 pt salad?!!!

Love it!

Happy Cooking!

WW's Skinny Pasta Bake

I recently purchased WW's  Skinny Pasta.

This is made from the Konjac plant.  As far as I can tell these are the same as Shirataki noodles which I have tried before.

I thought this article provided a lot of information and levity on the subject.  It was also written by a nutritionist.

This noodle is basically a fiber supplement with no real nutritional value by itself so make sure to use this as a supplement and not a meal replacement.

There have also been reports of choking in young children and elderly patients.

Therefore if you have difficulty swallowing I would avoid this altogether.  For everyone else it's probably okay as long as you cut these into smaller bites and chew each bite thoroughly.

For those of you who haven't tried these before let me begin by giving you a better idea of what to expect, or not.

Don't expect this to taste like pasta.

It doesn't.

These look like a noodle but the taste and texture is very different.  These have a somewhat rubbery consistency.  They also have a bit of an odor.  I chose to follow some of the on-line tips I found and not only boil them for a couple minutes but also to stir fry them in a pan for 4-5 minutes as well to decrease the odor and dry them out a little.

This is a recipe for a homemade Spaghetti Bake.  If you don't like to cook remember you are more than welcome to buy a bottled sauce to add meat to if you so choose.

Ingredients

1 lb 93% lean ground turkey

1 box of the WW's Skinny Noodles(using both pouches inside)

1 small to medium sized zucchini, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

8 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 (14.5) oz cans diced tomatoes

1 cup part skim mozzarella cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp dried fennel

Broth of your choice


Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with olive oil spray and set aside.

Boil the "noodles" for 2-3 minutes.  I chose to use my insta-hot water pot that I use for making tea.  I poured boiling water over the noodles and rinsed them using a strainer.

Next I put them in a non-stick pan and sauteed them for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Set the noodles aside.

Start the meat sauce by first seasoning the meat.  Place the turkey in a bowl and add all the dry seasonings.  Mix well by hand and set aside.  This makes the meat taste like Italian sausage.

Saute the onion and bell pepper, using the broth to prevent scorching.  Cook until well done, about ten minutes or so.

Add the meat and cook until browned and well done.  Next add in the mushrooms and tomatoes and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Finally add in the zucchini and cook five minutes.  Mix in the "noodles" and place in the casserole dish.
Top with all that yummy cheese and bake for 20 minutes uncovered.

This yields 6 servings at 4 Smart Points a piece.  

My husband gave this one a thumbs up.  I thought it was good as well.

Now, do I LOVE the "noodles"?  No but I do like them.

To me it's like using a flavorless filler.  Hopefully you read the article I listed above.  If you did you know the takeaway is that these "noodles" should be viewed as a fiber supplement and not a food in and of themselves as they have no real nutritional content.

These are a good adjunct to an already balanced meal full of protein and lots of veggies.

It's always a good thing to try something new.  I know many people who actually do LOVE these so try to keep an open mind.

Happy Cooking!

The BEST of my Blog: Sides, Snacks, & Appetizers

1. Lightened Up Green Bean Casserole by skinnytaste

2. Taco Spiced Cauliflower by yours truly

3. Vegan Oil-Free Zucchini & Carrot Fritters by Veganosity

4. Pizza Dip by Katie Farrell

5. Savory Carrots by yours truly

6. Zucchini Pizzas by Slender kitchen

The BEST of my Blog: Drinks

I realize I didn't feature many drinks on the blog.  

This is undoubtedly in part because I mostly drink water throughout the day.  

I drink my coffee in the morning and then tea in the later day and evening but the bulk of what I drink, and actually really enjoy, is just good ole plain water.  

Here are the drinks I've featured that I love:

1. Swiss Miss Light Cocoa 

2. Licorice Tea

3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

4. Cake Batter Protein Shake

5. Pumpkin Spice Latte

6. The Pink Drink

The BEST of my Blog: Desserts

Desserts have a special place in my heart, in my stomach too :)

It's definitely something I don't think I'll ever outgrow.

After looking through my posts I realized that there are much fewer dessert posts.  

So I decided to list my Top 5 Favorite desserts.  

These are my favorite desserts featured on my blog:

1.  Nancy's Apple Dumplings by my WW leader Nancy

2. Tiramisu Tarts by yours truly

3. Gooey Rocky Road Bars I'm unsure who the original author is as this is found on The Chow site and WW.

4. Pumpkin Parfaits by teeniecakes.com

5. Brownie for One by Katie Farrell

The BEST of my Blog: Main Courses

I've been thinking back on all the recipes I've tried since I started this blog last summer.

So I decided to do a Best of my Blog post with all of my own personal favorite recipes that I've tried since I started this project.

They're listed in no particular order.

Trying to limit myself to only ten top choices was incredibly HARD.

Looking back over these I kept thinking "Oh, gosh, that was so good.  I remember that one.  That's definitely going on the list".  Unfortunately that would've been more like the top 20 instead of the top 10.

You know why people separate these lists into main courses, sides, desserts, drinks etc?

It's because it's too hard to pick just ten recipes!

But I've stuck to my promise.  So here are my top ten personal favorite main dishes:


1.  Spiralized Mexican and Sweet Potato Casserole from skinnytaste

2.  Southwestern Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash from Wendy Polisi

3.  Carrie's Spicy Couscous Stuffed Long Peppers

4.  Giant Turkey Meatball Parmesan by skinnytaste

5. WW's Veggie Lovers Goat Cheese Pizza With Zucchini Crust

6.  Vegetable & Shrimp Couscous with Red Pepper Sauce by Cooking Light

7.  Naked Eggplant Parmesan by Hungry Girl

8.  Eggplant Roll Ups by Rocco Dispirito

9. Spaghetti Squash Lasagna inspired by Rachel Ray

10. Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde  by skinnytaste

Just One Step

So, recently my friend Mary told me that she was starting a challenge at work.

This wasn't for weight loss but geared more toward exercise.

We talked about how we all go in and out of phases of going full steam on exercise and then life happens and you fall out of the habit and then feel like you're working your way up hill to get back on track.

Today this post is dedicated to Mary and any and all of us who've ever struggled with getting back on track.

This, to the best of my recollection, is what I remember about part of my own journey through exercise.

This began the summer right after I graduated high school.


Just One Step

The annoying buzz of the alarm jolts me into consciousness.  "Oh, my gosh it's so dang early!" I whine in my head.

I don't want to get up.  This is so hard.  The bed is so warm...

As I sit up I flinch as my feet hit the cold floor.  I plod bleary-eyed to the bathroom and start getting ready.

What exactly was I thinking yesterday when I decided to do this?  I must be crazy.

Then I remember why.  I'm tired of feeling tired.  I'm tired of being out of shape and overweight.

I just want to feel better.  I want to take better care of my body.  I want to wear something other than my "uniform" of ambiguous, androgynous, tent like attire.  I want to feel strong and sexy.
I've never really felt that way about myself but I long to know what it's like.

I know it seems silly but I want to run, or at least at some point I want to run.  It's a secret I haven't told anyone.
I want to be runner girl.  It seems like a far off fantasy right now though.

By 6:00 am my feet are hitting the pavement.  I've heard so many people talking about all the marathons and half marathons that they're doing and how much they love running.  Pft!

I can barely walk at a brisk pace let alone run.  My asthma is kickin' right now but with the inhaler it's definitely manageable.  At least I'm here so I keep going.

And Day 1 is done.  I'm exhausted but I feel good about myself, feel good that I actually did something.

Day 14

I lay my workout clothes and sneakers out at night before I go to bed.  I'm completely on automatic pilot in the morning these days.  I get up and go through the motions of getting dressed and somehow I find myself at the lake ready to exercise.
It seems like I can walk a little farther than I used to.  Maybe it's not too bad.  I still can't run but at least I'm walking.

Can't believe I'm saying it but I've really come to enjoy this time to myself.  It's so peaceful outside and the water is just heaven to look upon.  When the sun touches it it's all gemstones and joy for me.

At the end of the trek I always stop to sit by the water and catch my breath.

It's just so beautiful...

Somehow no matter what happens today I think it'll be okay because I got to carve out this little niche of time.  This is how I stop and smell the roses.

Day 30

This walking thing?  I got it covered now.  I mean, I own it.  Even though I'm a little nervous I think I might try to run today.  I'm just going to see what I can do...

Oh, holy cow!  This is so freaking hard!  Sweat is pouring off my body and I seem to have moved into some type of Lamaze breathing pattern.  Anyone who sees me is likely contemplating whether or not they actually remember how to do CPR because I look like I need it.

One hundred feet, I think I just slowly jogged like 100 ft.  That's not much but it's something.
I'm going to keep working on this.  Nobody knows I'm doing this.  This is just for me.  I'm not sharing it with anyone.

The other day I was talking to a trainer.  I actually shared with her that I felt really embarrassed about going out and trying to run.  "Why?" she said.  "Because, what will people think when they see me out trying to run? Like won't they be thinking "what's the fat girl doing trying to run?"" I said.  "Carrie, why wouldn't they be thinking "Wow, good for her.  She's trying to lose weight and get in shape".

So here I am, puffing like mad, ready to drop.  First attempt at running was hard but I did it.  It's done.

Month 2

I've steadily moved into a pattern of alternating running and walking.  It's still really hard but it's getting slowly easier, okay, not easier but doable.

If I'm being honest I'm getting a little more than excited just thinking about doing this.
While I'm running I'm completely lost in my fantasy.  I'm picturing myself thin and fit, running effortlessly and looking like a dream while I do it.
When nobody is around it's easier, just to pretend...

Month 6

I run now.

That's just what I do and who I am.

I don't advertise it.  I don't want to dilute this experience by spreading it around too much.  It's mine and it's precious to me.

I'm up to jogging 3 miles a day.  They're 10 minute miles but I don't really care about running fast.  I'm not interested in racing with anybody.  This is all just for me.

When I start running it's cool outside.  I can see my breath hanging in the air.
I hear my feet hitting the pavement.  My breath sounds loud and somewhat labored at first but then I purposely move into an intentional breathing pattern.  I've found I can go longer and endure more if I do this.  It sounds awkward to listen to but it works for me.

Slowly, I start warming up.  As I move down the path I can no longer hear my feet hitting the pavement.  All the noise is starting to fade away.

I can hear my breath and my heart beat and it's like a slow, steady rhythm that soothes my soul.
Eventually there isn't any sound at all.  Somehow I'm aware that my feet are moving but I feel like the ghost in the machine.  Like my Spirit is moving my body but I can't feel any of it.

I'm completely lost in my head.  I feel euphoric as I look around at the water, the birds, the small fishing boats that are already out this morning.

And I finally realize something profound.

I AM my fantasy.

I AM that runner girl.

And it feels fan-freaking-tastic!

And, I know that the same girl that brought me here was the one who had never run, who was afraid and ashamed and unsure.  She was the only one who could do this.  And I feel so much appreciation for her right now.

Running is now my joy, my oxygen.  I can't breath without it.  Somehow I feel as though this is the moment of Grace I give myself each day.  I get really cranky when I don't get this opportunity.
Because, every time I run I feel fully alive, completely conscious in this moment in time.

And the best part?

It all began with

JUST

ONE

STEP

Rethink Your Drink

Just a short post today.

I saw the above sign at my son's dentist office.

The sign says "Rethink Your Drink" and beside each drink are the equivalent amounts of sugar in each drink.

Check out how much is in the Minute Made Apple Juice.  

It's appalling!!!  

I think all of us know how much sugar there is in soda so the Mountain Dew isn't too much of a surprise but check out the Gatorade.  It's is also obviously quite high in sugar.

I'm thankful for my mother raising my brother and I on water.

When I was a kid we'd go to restaurants and when the waiter would ask what we wanted to drink my brother and I would say "Coke" to which my mom would promptly reply "They're having water".

I can honestly say I haven't been a soda drinker in over twenty years and I am so thankful for that.

I'm already kind of point chintzy so there is no way I'd choose to spend my points on a drink.  

So next time you reach for a soda, rethink your drink.  

If you have the points and you've planned for it, by all means go ahead and indulge.

But, if it's an impulse I'd recommend the water.  

Crab Puffs

I appear to be on a seafood kick.

I've just been craving savory, creamy seafood dishes lately.

I also just found these little 2 pt puff pastry cups that I wanted to use.

They're so cute and as soon as I saw them I immediately thought of a creamy crab stuffed pastry cup.

Mmmmmm.......

So I am using the previous crab stuffed pepper recipe as a guide because it's just sooo much lower in points than pretty much all the other recipes I found.

And that filling tasted so, so good(yes, I'm totally drooling here).

So, here we go, into the kitchen!

Ingredients

Pepperidge Farms puffed pastry cups(2 pts a piece)

8 oz crab or imitation crab cut into small pieces or flaked(5 pts total)

3 Tbsp Veganaise or light mayonnaise(6 pts total)

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp creole seasoning

1 Tbsp grated Parmesan


Instructions

Per the pastry puff package directions preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

I placed the little puffs on a silpat lined baking sheet.  Then bake for 20 minutes.

Right after they get out take a little kitchen spoon with a rounded end and gently push in the rounded center.

In a separate bowl mix together all the other ingredients.  I would not add salt until you taste this.  I found the creole seasoning was very salty.

I heated this in the microwave for 1 minute.  Place 1 Tbsp of topping on each little puff.

Believe me, that's about all they will hold.  They are small.

So, I gave myself 3 pts total for one loaded puff.  

This would be a good appetizer when you have company over.  I would also say I enjoyed the simpler flavor of the other mix on my previous crab stuffed pepper post better.

It may be easier to just use the phyllo tart shells next time as I think they hold more and are actually lower in points.

But, I was craving the puff pastry today and I've learned to let myself have it so I don't eat the house down trying to satisfy that craving.

This is easy, fun and versatile.

Happy Cooking!

The Good Opinion of Other People

You know for most of my adult life I've been somewhat obsessed with Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

One of his quotes specifically has always haunted me.

The top of his hierarchy was the self-actualized individual who he described as being "independent of the good opinion of others".

I think I've always gotten stuck there because, while this is one of my strongest desires, it has also been the most elusive.

In fact I think this is what most of us are seeking within ourselves, to know our own worth independent of what others think of us.

I guess the question we have to honestly ask ourselves is if that is truly possible.

Intellectually I don't think I can really believe that there are individuals who are otherwise quite sane that truly do not care about what others think of them.

My therapist even said she doesn't think it's possible.

But it always seems I'm driving to find this inside myself somehow.

The scientist in me is always doing little experiments and observing my own interpretations and interactions in the world.

One really great experiment has been social media.

I still don't have a Facebook page but I do this blog and I've finally started using WW's Connect.

The up side of Connect is that it's all positive.

It's supposed to be a safe place to post and to go to for support and I see that.

I actually really love seeing all these brave, beautiful people being able to ask for support without the fear of rejection based on their weight or appearance.

What they don't realize is that this is sort of my own TV.  I think it's re-programming for all the completely fake input we get on "real" TV of airbrushed bodies and surgically enhanced faces.

Of course I get that at work too.  I see real people.  And you know what?

Real is way more beautiful to me.

But I digress.  So what I now understand is that even on Connect you can post and people view it and they can hit the little heart button to either "like it" or not.  They can also leave comments.

On my blog I am able to view how many people are viewing the blog and from what countries.

What I have found is that initially I felt sad and disappointed that the non-food posts were not as popular as the simple food posts.

I felt as though those posts were more of a real and genuine representation of who I really am so it felt as though I was not as well liked as a person.

I guess you could say this is the mirage of social media.  As I've shared this experience with friends what I've come to understand is that this is not an uncommon occurrence.

Apparently friends and families have seen a lot of discord through social media based on "likes" and "friending" or "un-friending" people.

One of my friends also mentioned that often people also feel so pressed for time that when they glance at a longer post they immediately move on because they don't feel they have the time to invest in reading it.

There are also times when my perception is that it seems that people only want the light and superficial, the quick fix, Disney story-book ending.  And I get that on some level and admittedly find myself there from time to time.

But overall that's not who I am.

I also acknowledge that if you only spend your life in examination you may miss the living of it but that's not what I'm talking about.

Certainly there are times when I keep things light but I think I resonate more with self-examination and self-improvement, even when it's hard to look at.

Because I want to be more than I was before and I don't want to miss the gift, the opportunity for growth in each new experience.

 A light and fun life is a great thing I just think that there's more to it than that and I want to experience all of it.  I don't want to miss anything.

While I'm alive I want to really live.  It's like one of my favorite Benjamin Franklin quotes "Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75".

So here's the thing~ I've made the observation, felt the feelings associated with it and I've made a conscious choice for my next step.

I've chosen to keep showing up, even if my perception is that no one wants to hear it.  Why?

Because it's real.

I choose to show up because it's authentic.  It's important to me to live what I believe, to know that I've done that before I die.  I think this is part of what Jesus meant when he said "Be in the world, not of the world".

And so, I may not be able to be totally independent of the opinions of other people because I do live in this world.  I'm not a Buddhist monk living in isolation.  I'm interacting with loads of people everyday in different ways.

But I don't have to be of this world.  I think that means we choose not to compromise who we are even when it's not popular.

I think that's not just important for me but for everyone.  And that's what I would leave you with today.

Whatever "it" is in your life, may it be being heard, seen, known, understood in any way that's real to you, I would say this to you

KEEP SHOWING UP

The world needs you.  Even if you feel like no one can hear you and that no one cares, the world still needs you.

We need diversity.  We need unpopular opinions sometimes because those are the voices that create balance and move us forward eventually.

You may not feel it or see it in your lifetime but there are ramifications, ripples that emanate from every real thing you put out there.

If you can't find it in yourself to do it for you right now then do it for me.

Because that is the calling, what I believe is the Highest calling, to be and express every real and true thing that God has made us to be.

And how exciting, how exhilarating, to behold that beauty in ourselves and others.

With Love,

~Carrie

Quick Mexican Pizza

This is a quick one for those of you who aren't big on cooking. :)

Ingredients

1 lb 90% lean ground turkey

Taco spice

1 cup tomato sauce

2 Mama Lupe's small(6 inch) low carb tortillas(1 tortilla= 1 pt)

0.75 oz reduced fat Mexican blend cheese

Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Line a small baking sheet with foil sprayed with olive oil spray.  

Brown the meat and then add in the taco spice to your desired taste and tomato sauce and cook on medium another 4 minutes or so.

Spray a small skillet with olive oil spay and then lightly toast each tortilla on each side.  

Place one of the toasted tortillas on the foil lined pan and then top with 1/4 of the meat mixture.

Then place a second tortilla on top of the meat and cover with the cheese.  

Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  

Cut and enjoy!

This is 8 pts for one whole "pizza".  

So you either give the rest to your family or get excited that you have leftovers and don't have to cook late.  :)

Happy Cooking!