Skinny Chicken Fried steak - for my hubby

My hubby is a pretty classic, homestyle guy when it comes to food.  He has been a great sport of my imposed dietary changes for the family and has eaten everything I have made for him, usually with more enthusiasm than I have!  But whenever I ask him what he would like to request for dinner, he always requests the classics - chilli, meatloaf, etc.  So I know he misses those comfort meals!  I try to make them healthier (using ground turkey and other lighter ingredients, going easier on the portions, etc) so we still get to eat them, just less frequently and healthier.  So when I saw this recipe on Pinterest (thanks http://www.laaloosh.com - this is a good website with weight watchers recipes!!), I knew I had to give it a try for him!!!


I will say, I thought it wasn't bad.  Not something I personally would crave, but a good change of pace and something different.  I will say that it was quite filling, which was nice!!!  I found the original recipe hard to follow, so I adjusted the flow of the instructions a bit in hopes of making it easier to make next time.  Let me know what you think!!!

Country Fried Steak and Gravy Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 lb lean cube steak, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 4 portions
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 Fiber One cereal, processed very fine, to breadcrumb consistency
- - 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder

 1 ¼ cups fat free beef broth
- 1/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup cornstarch, plus 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare 3 shallow bowls:

1.      ¼ cup all-purpose flour on a large plate.

2.    2 egg whites (lightly beaten)

3.    “Crumbs” – mix together

a.    ¼ cup Fiber one cereal crushed to breadcrumbs

b.    ¼ cup whole wheat flour

c.    ¼ cup cornstarch

d.    1 tsp garlic powder

e.    1 tsp paprika

·         Season both sides of steak with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

·         Dredge the steak in the flour, shaking off excess;

·         dip in the egg white

·         then dredge in the Fiber One/flour mixture – DO NOT TOSS the rest of this mixture!

·         Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonfat cooking spray, and

·         heat over medium-high heat.

·         Reduce heat to medium and add steak

·         cook until browned on both sides, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes total.

·         Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 

·         Transfer the steak to the prepared baking sheet

·         Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

·         Meanwhile, add broth to the pan and boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 cup, approx 3 to 5 minutes.

·         Whisk water and the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth.

·         Add to broth, stirring to keep from clumping.

·         Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the left over Fiber One/flour mixture.

·         Return to the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

·         Stir in buttermilk;

·         Season with the remaining salt and pepper.

·         Serve the steak topped with the gravy.

Entire recipe makes 4 servings
Serving size is 1 steak with 1/4 of the gravy
Each serving = 6 Points +

PER SERVING: 288 calories; 8 g fat; 14 g carbohydrates; 33 g protein; 3 g fiber

Overnight oatmeal....what a flop!

Well, I suppose statistically it was inevitable.  I have found so many recipes on Pinterest and the majority of them I absolutely LOVED!  A few were so-so.  But I had yet to find any that I just hated and would vow to never make again....until this week.  So while at first I was disappointed with not having a complete winning record, I quickly realized that 100% success rate was unrealistic.  So I prided myself that it took this long to find a "flop" and celebrated the number of successes I have to date.

Since I am not a morning person, I thought that a quick and easy breakfast meal that was something different than I have been eating would be a great change of pace.  So when I came across the "overnight oatmeal" recipes with some many variations and positive comments, I thought it sounded like just what I was looking for.   But oh was I sadly mistaken.

I got them ready at night before I went to bed.  I tried 2 different variations - a berry and a vanilla/cinnamon.  It's basically oatmeal, yogurt, and some kind of liquid.  You refrigerate overnight and the oats are supposed to soak up the moisture in the liquid and soften without cooking and is a cold cereal.  But to my horror, it was like eating flavored glue.  It was horrible.  I even added some no-cal sweetener....not any better.

So I have put that recipe in the "I will never make THAT again" section in my recipe book.  I would love to hear if any of you have tried similar recipes and had any success.  I hate having a fail on my record....my competitive streak coming out again :-)

Parm Roasted Potatoes

I have made these potatoes for several meals lately.  They are simple and versatile and a HUGE hit with my hubby!!  He really likes them and requests them.  I (again) forgot to take a pic of the finished product.  I am sure we will be having them again soon so I will update with pics then.

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Recipe Type: Side Dish

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp pepper
• 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place the cubed potatoes into a baking dish. (The cubes of potatoes should be about 3/4 of an inch on all sides) You can spray the baking dish with a baking spray too to eliminate anything possibly sticking
3. Pile on the olive oil, garlic salt, salt, paprika, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Using your fingers, or a spoon if you feel inclined, get in to the potatoes and carefully mix everything around until the seasonings coat each potato.
4. Transfer the baking dish into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss the potatoes with a pair of tongs. Put the baking dish back into the oven and bake for about 15 – 25 minutes more until they are golden and crispy.
5. Season with an little dusting of sea salt if desired and serve.

Maple Dijon Chicken

I wanted to share last night's new dinner recipe with you.  It was a keeper.  It was a little something different from a flavor perspective, which was a welcome change.  I am not usually a mustard person, but I am trying to embrace it because it's lower in fat and calories than mayonnaise and other creams.  I don't think this is one of my top 3 fave dishes at the moment, but possibly top 5 and for sure top 10.  I hope you enjoy too! 

Maple Dijon Chicken

Preheat your oven to 450ºF.Then, mix together 1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. 

Put a 1.5 pound package of chicken thighs into an oven-proof baking dish. I used boneless, skinless thighs. Six came in my package, which made enough to serve 3 people. Then, salt and pepper the thighs. Pour your maple mustard mixture over them, turning the thighs in the mixture so they are fully coated. 

Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 155ºF. Baste the tops of the chicken with more sauce half way through.I find that a meat thermometer is essential in cooking because it allows me to check for doneness without cutting into the meat and losing its precious juices. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Plate the chicken, making sure to spoon some extra sauce over the top. Sprinkle over some fresh rosemary. If there is ever a time to use fresh herbs, THIS IS IT! The flavors are just so good together. Enjoy the savory goodness of this meal!

I ran!???!!

Well I did my first "Couch to 5k" training session today.  I ran for the first time in almost 3 years (and that was only a couple of times for a brief couple of minutes and before that it had been YEARS).  And I am pleased as punch to say that I didn't die!  For those of you that aren't familiar with this program, it is about a 30 minute walk/jog that you do 3 times a week.  It is designed to gradually train you to run a 5k.  I have heard great things about it from several friends that have done it.

I have been "mentally working out" for a while now....thinking about getting started that is.  I worked from home today so had the perfect opportunity to get started over my lunch hour - no one to see me after I became a hot and sweaty mess, no toddler to try to entertain and prevent from interrupting the session 500 times, and the actual motivation to do it so I decided to give it a shot.

The week one session is a 5 min warm up followed by 20 minutes of alternating 60 seconds of running followed by 90 seconds of "recovery" brisk walking and finishing with a 5 min cool down walk.  I made it through 4 "running" sessions (out of 9 - yes I actually created a spreadsheet to figure out how many there were.  Yes, I am a geek!).  While I was hoping to be a trooper and make it through the whole first session as planned, sadly that wasn't the case.  I did keep going but I changed the last 5 runs to an increased walking pace.  Surprisingly it wasn't my breathing or heart rate that was causing me trouble to run, it was my calves - they were on fire!!!

I feel like for a first attempt this could be chalked up as a success.

• I did it and got started (for me, that is a miracle in and of itself!)
• I didn't get discouraged and quit
• I actually don't completely detest the thought of doing this again (just partially...j/k actually not bad)

So for those of you that are looking for something different, I suggest you try this.  Info can be found at this website - http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml.  Also if you google "couch to 5k podcasts" you will get results of sites where you can download playlists that will tell you when it's time to run/walk.  I used one recommended to me by a friend and I can't imagine trying to time it myself!!!  There are also phone apps that will time it for you and tell you when to switch and you can use your own playlist for music.  It just depends on what your style preference is.

I think my favorite part about this was it was only 30 minutes.  To me that seems much more do-able, tolerable and repeatable than a 1 hour walk/jog.  So here's to hoping I can actually get my butt up off the couch and do this again on Sunday.  Hold me accountable folks....I need it!!!

Until then, I am looking forward to completing my first (of I hope many) 5k (this one will for sure be a WALK) with my mom tomorrow morning.  It should be a nice day.  I will be sure to post a pic.

Whew it's been a while!! Time for an update!

Sorry that it's been so long since I've posted on here!!!  Lot's has been happening with my family the last week or so.  I think things have calmed down a bit (knocking on wood!!!) so time to catch back up.  So here are a few updates:

• # pounds lost to date - ????  I am sad to say that we had a flood in our bathroom last weekend.  Not only was it a total exhausting pain to deal with, I found out that my electronic bathroom scale couldn't swim and became a casualty.  :-(  So I haven't been able to weigh myself since Sat....boooo!  That's been really hard for me since I have been doing it daily since the beginning of January.  So tomorrow night after work I will be headed off to the store to get a new one.  I hate replacing it because all of my readings were with that scale....I was used to it's numbers and readings.  I knew what to expect.  I admit that I am scared to get a new one.  Silly, I know. But I think it feels like mentally I will be starting all over again.  I hope that this is a short-lived panic attack and me and the newbie will be BFF's in no time.

• I went to KC to visit my brother this week.  I will admit that I did eat McD on the way up there, but more out of necessity than desire.  I really wanted a Wendy's grilled chicken sandwich but couldn't find a Wendy's.  And since it's pretty hard to eat a salad while driving, I opted for convenience.  I could have had a grilled chicken at McD too, but I didn't, I got a burger instead.  I also could have eaten a salad before getting back on the road, but since we were running late I didn't.  I know, excuses, excuses.  But I didn't beat myself up over it, I didn't get back into old habits, I just enjoyed the tiny break while I had it.  While in KC I enjoyed cooking two of my favorite meals for my brother and my pregnant SIL while there (brown sugar glazed baked salmon and cilantro lime chicken).  They were both a big hit with them.  I finished getting my book of Pinterest recipes organized - I will try to post some pics tomorrow.  But overall ate well while on the trip....a big success for me for sure, especially with 3 kids in tow!!!

• While I don't have a scale at the moment, I continue to be amazed at how my clothes are fitting these days.  If you ever find yourself feeling frustrated with your (lack of)  progress (especially on the scale) go try on some of your old clothes.  You may just be AMAZED at how differently things fit.  I have 2 zip up hoodie sweatshirts that not long ago were snug on me and they actually have ROOM to spare now!  WOWZA!  I just love it!!!

• I am walking in my first 5k race this Saturday.  While I will be walking, not running, I haven't trained at all, and will be pushing my almost 3 year old in the stroller, I am really looking forward to doing this  with my mom.  I am not looking to break any records (except maybe slowest time??) but I can say that I am proud of myself for at least signing up.  Again, something I would never have even considered a year ago.  I am looking forward to this being my first of many and hopefully being able to run one someday.  I am still trying to get myself psyched up to start couch to 5k, but can't quite get myself over the mental block and just get started.  Soon, I hope.  Until then, baby steps.

• I did try one new recipe while on the trip - the triple chocolate muffins.  I will try to get a blog posted on that tomorrow so stay tuned!!!  I am hoping to avoid any homeowner crisis this weekend so I can get some more recipes tried....wish me luck!!!!

Well, think that's it for tonight.  I am off to read a couple chapters in my book and then bed....this mamma is TIRED!!! 

Black bean and corn salsa

Looking for snack ideas?  Wanting a healthy choice but something a little different?  I absolutely LOVE this dip!  It works well as an appetizer to take to parties or potlucks, but I will also occasionally make a batch to snack on during the week.

1 can black beans, drained
1 can shopeg corn (a whiter corn and smaller can then golden sweet corn)
1 can Mexican Rotel - cilantro and lime
fresh cilantro chopped - to taste
white onion, chopped - to taste
1/2 tsp lime juice

Mix it all up and serve with tortilla chips.  I used the baked Tostitos Scoops and it was great!

I usually do about a 1/2 cup of salsa and eat with 5-10 chips (I fill the scoops as full of salsa as I can so eating more dip and less chips).  A nice low-cal snack!

I will try to post WW points soon but need to figure out how many servings it makes.  :-)

Ranch dressing - the true test

I recently saw a recipe posted on Pinterest claiming to make Ranch dressing that tasted just like the full cal version with only 55 calories for a 1/4 cup serving.....really??  Anyone that knows me knows what a Ranch connoisseur I am.  That is one of the few things that I will sacrifice my weight watchers points for the full calorie version.  But a sacrifice it is.  Did you know that the full buttermilk version has 110 cal and 17% of daily intake of fat for a 2T serving size (it didn't list the grams for the prepared)?  And the low fat version still has 70 calories and 5g of fat, again for only 2T.  I don't know about you, but 2T of ranch just isn't enough for me!!!

But the low fat/low cal versions just don't taste the same.  I have tried and tried but just can't bring myself to lose the flavor to save the points.  Fortunately I have discovered Raspberry vinaigrette so I am not eating ranch as much as I once was, but I still like a good ranch salad.  And especially with summer coming up, I am sure I will be eating even more salads.

So I decided to give it a try.  I mean really, what did I have to lose? Worst case I wasted the ingredients and pour then entire thing down the drain.

So I got the ingredients at the store and tried it out last night.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised!  It was good, especially for so few calories/points.  I actually thought it was too rich.  So I will list the recipe I used and the modifications that I plan to try the next time.

Protein Ranch dressing
1 cup cottage cheese - (I used 1/2 cup low fat and 1/2 cup fat free)
3-4 tsp Buttermilk Ranch seasoning - for me, the whole packet appeared to be 3 tsp.
1/4 cup water (can use milk, but will add calories) - I just used water.  Add more liquid if the consistency is too thick for your taste.

Add ingredients to blender and blend until smooth (about 3 minutes).

This was only 4 WWpp for THE ENTIRE RECIPE!  You can get 4-6 servings from it.  That is less than 1 point per serving!!!!!!!!

I thought it was a little too rich.  I think next time I will try adding more cottage cheese - since the recipe on the packet calls for 1 cup mayo and 1 cup buttermilk, I will try to increase the cottage cheese by 1/2 and depending on how that turns out, I may even increase another 1/2 cup to 2 cups total to see if it evens out the ranch flavor.

So if you are a ranch lover like me, give this recipe a try!  Save your points for dessert!  :-D

Endomondo...I think I love you!

It sounds like the name of an exotic latin workout trainer. I suppose in a way it is, but not in the fun way I would really enjoy or fantasize about (no offense to my hubby intended).  This is an app I found on my phone.  I think it was one of the Sprint featured  apps a few months ago.  I downloaded it and never really looked at it. Then a couple of weeks ago I was cleaning out my apps because I was running low on storage space and found it again.  I decided to keep it.  I tried it out on my walk around the neighborhood last night and LOVE IT!!!

It is a free app (you can upgrade to paid app if you want to) that will track your activity - route and distance walked, duration, average speed, calories burned.  It's really great for when you are not using your treadmill.  Now that spring is coming and I can walk around the neighborhood or on my lunch break (until the blast-furnace of summer arrives) and this is the perfect way to keep track of my activity!

And just a disclaimer, this is a screen photo from the website....I don't "run".

Brown Sugar glazed salmon - my fave recipe these days

As I was eating the leftovers from last night's dinner.....my favorite meal these days, I realized that I had not shared it on the blog yet....shame on me!!!!!  I was never a salmon eater (my dad loves it.  In fact he goes to a steak house and orders salmon....now that's just crazy!!)  In fact, I hadn't tried it until I tried this recipe about a month ago.  Now I am hooked!!!  I hope you enjoy!!!

Recipe found on Pinterest (my addiction) and compliments of Taste of Home.  I serve it with Uncle Bens Wild Rice and either a side salad or green beans.

• Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min.
• Yield: 8 Servings

152035

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 salmon fillet (2-1/2 pounds)

Directions

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the brown sugar, butter and honey until melted. Remove from the heat; whisk in the oil, mustard, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cool for 5 minutes.
• Place salmon in a large foil-lined baking pan; spoon brown sugar mixture over salmon. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Facts4 ounces cooked salmon equals 295 calories, 18 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 84 mg cholesterol, 403 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 28 g protein.

30+ pounds - where has it gone??

So I have now lost over 30 pounds since last August.  I thought I would share where I feel like I have noticed it the most.

• Waist - probably the number one place I have noticed the change.  
• My "fat" jeans (the larger size I own) are now so loose on me that I can pull them off and on without unbuttoning or zipping them.  They hang off my butt.  I NEED to get a belt if I am going to keep wearing them.  
• My "skinny" jeans are now loose too, instead of having to do the shimmy dance to even get into them (and with a HUGE muffin top spilling over the top of all the fat that wouldn't fit in) I can easily button and zip them, with some room to spare.
• My exercise/lounge pants that I wear around the house - I have started having to cinch i and tie the drawstring on them to keep them from falling off and mooning the entire family.

• Face - I am a very visual person and I love pictures (let me clarify - I love pictures of things other than myself, I barely tolerate pictures of myself).  I think photos tell stories in ways that words cannot.  I LOVE looking at before and after photos of other people.  I find it inspiring.  I have been taking weekly photos of myself at the challenge of a friend of mine that has lost 50+ pounds in 32 weeks doing Weight Watchers.  She faithfully takes a weekly photo and posts it to track her progress and she has done a few side by side comparisons along the way.  I was happy with one of my recent weekly photos so I posted it as my facebook profile picture.  I got comments from several friends telling me I looked great and asked if I had I lost weight.  So i decided to share my story with them (until then I had only shared that I was dieting with a few select friends, not put myself out there publicly).  Then I looked at the date on my last profile pic and realized it had been a year to the month from when it was taken.  So I did  a side by side comparison of my facebook profile pictures - Feb 2011 to Feb 2012.  A difference of about 20-25 pounds probably (I wasn't at my heaviest in Feb 2011 - that was in Aug).  It is not the most dramatic comparison photo I have ever seen, but it certainly shows there has been progress.  That is what I need to keep going - progress.  As long as I keep getting even a little, the optimist in me keeps going.

• Bra - I have noticed that I now have my bra straps cinched as small as they will go and have the hooks at the smallest size.  I have extra room in the cups and the "girls" are not spilling out over the top.  I don't think it will be too long before I will have to order new bras.  This time not because I wore them out and broke the underwire but because they are TOO BIG!  Great problem to have!  I sure hope that Lane Bryant has their buy one get one half off sale again soon!  :-)

• Back fat - at my heaviest when I looked in the mirror I saw how "lumpy" I was.  I had bulges that poked out from my bra, above the waistband of my pants and prob other places too.  What I am noticing is how much those are lessening.

So I just wanted to share with you where I think the weight has gone.  I would love to hear stories of where you notice your weight loss from!!!

Slow and steady vs fad diets

Having been stuck at a plateau for almost 2 months and not making much progress, I was starting to get really discouraged.  What was I doing wrong?  I was eating the same things I had been eating.  I was eating much better than I had been, why wasn't the scale moving?  I don't have the answer to that question.  Personally, I blame hormones.  I am getting older and it is getting even harder to get any weight to come off.

They say that slow and steady is the healthiest way for you to lose weight and the best way to keep it off.  But I will admit that I was tempted to start looking at other options.  I have a friend that is using a meal replacement shake diet. She is actually a distributor and I keep seeing posts on her facebook of "Suzie lost 7 ponds in 7 days" and "Joe lost 17 pounds in one month" ....you get the picture.  I want results like that!  I want my scale to jump that quickly.  But then I came to a realization.  Those people are only getting "food" for one meal a day....dinner.  They are drinking a shake for breakfast and for lunch.  Honestly, I like food too much I am not sure I could do that.  My gut tells me I would be feeling deprived and frustrated and would not be successful.

I have had friends that have done the HTC diet with good results.  I looked at the meal plan for that.  Talk about restrictive and YUCK! Only tiny meals, bland food, little variety.  My worst nightmare.

And then I had a conversation with my hairdresser yesterday.  Her aunt is doing some sort of fad program....and has lost some incredible amount of weight in a short amount of time. But here's the kicker - she only gets 800 calories a day and it costs like $200.  Again, I think I there is no earthly way I could be successful at that!  I just really like food too much.  To feel like I could never go out to dinner, or eat a dessert, or anything.....ugh!  Not for me.

I do wish progress and success to everyone out there, whatever you plan of choice is.  Find something that will motivate you and work for you.  I firmly believe there is no right plan for everyone out there.  Different plans work for different people and body types.  But I personally will continue to plug away, slow and steady yet enjoying my food and new recipes I am trying.  I will make progress and I will be my own success story and I will be making changes to my life to allow myself and my family to be healthy.

Good luck to you, whichever path you take on your journey.

I made is past this plateau....finally!

Finally, after WEEKS of being stuck in the 250's I have made it into the 240's!!!!  Today's weigh in was 248.6 - Whoooooooooo hoooooooo!  For me, getting to a new number is a big success.  And I think that this success was even sweeter because I had been in the 250's literally since January.  I have been up and down by a pound or two but the numbers just didn't keep moving down like I wanted them too.

I do have to say that I am REALLY proud of myself for sticking with it though.  This is the time where in the past it has been easy for me to get discouraged by lack of progress and say "Screw it!  Why am I sacrificing what I am eating and not getting any results from it???" and start slipping back into my bad habits.  But this time, I just kept going.  I think because I have been eating foods that I like and not feeling deprived in the food area it made it so much easier to keep going.

I know everyone says it and it is totally cliche, but it really is about making a lifestyle change.  There will be plateaus, there will be frustration, there will be challenges, but having the perseverance to keep going even through the difficult times is what will make you a success story.

Seriously, if I can do this, anyone can!

My Turbo Jam "adventure"

I have to be the most uncoordinated person on the face of the planet!!!!  I found out about a "Turbo Jam" class being taught at work by a friend of mine so decided to give it a try.....ugh!  Thank goodness there were no mirrors and no other people to judge me.  The rest of the class wasn't able to make it tonight so I got 1:1 time with the teacher.  I think she is a saint....she was so patient with me and I didn't even hear her snicker, not even once.

Do any of you mom's out there know the big tall red guy on "Yo Gabba Gabba" Muno?  Yeah, I think that's kinda what I looked like.  I think I could have easily been mistaken for a wounded animal and if there was anyone with a rifle wandering by I might have been put down.  Is it wrong to drink before working out?  I mean really, isn't it like going out dancing at a club?  I always think I can move better when inebriated.  I realize that I can't but I think that I can.

My body was not meant to move like that. I have a complete inability to coordinate my brain, eyes, arms and legs.  I cannot watch the evil woman on the screen, think about what I need to attempt to make my body do, and actually get a movement to happen all at the same time.  Much less get the "movement" to resemble, even by the loosest of definitions, what the evil lady demonstrated.  Have I mentioned that I am a BIG white girl with NO rhythm?    There has to be a wire that connects my brain and hands that was left unattached when I was put together in the factory....yet another defective part.  Seriously I could not even play piano or video games as a kid.  My poor parents....what a ridiculous waste of money those years of piano lessons were.

And of course just when I might maybe almost be figuring out what the evil lady is telling me to do with myself she has to go and change it to something different....ugh!

But I did it.  For me that is a huge accomplishment.  As if one hour wasn't enough punishment, the teacher sent me home with the DVD for the weekend.....oh yay!!  That just has fun written all over it!  So it looks like I have homework to get ready for Monday's class.  Hopefully I can make at least a little progress and not look like such a epileptic spaz.  Shall we take bets as to whether or not I find some way to talk myself out of going back??  What can I bribe myself with??  lol

Need a chocolate fix???

I have to say I have been dealing with some hormonal issues last week.  And when I do, chocolate is my friend.    So I was THRILLED to have found a points friendly choice!

First of all, I already love Fiber One products!!!  So of course I HAD to try their new 90 calorie brownies.  YUMMO!  They are small, but they are delic!  Only 2 WWpp...Well worth it when you need a chocolate fix.

How do you like them apples???

Apples are one of my favorite snacks.  Sweet, crunchy, and best of all, no weight watchers points!  :-)

The great debate is what kind of apple.  I hear that honeycrisp apples are all the rage.  Personally I have never tried one.  I am cheap when it comes to my produce and I can't bring myself to pay $1.99 a pound for apples.

My favorite apple is the Gala.  Even now when apples are less than in season, they are crisp and sweet.  And my favorite part....they are NOT $1.99 a pound!  They were less than $1.50 a pound when I bought them last week.  Bonus!!!  :o)

So what is your favorite apple???

Tonight's dinner - Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

Tonight's dinner was another recipe I found on Pinterest.  It looked delicious!!!!  The only problem was I am sure it had a zillion calories in it.  Te recipe called for cream, cream cheese, butter, mayonaise, cheese....can you say heart attack??

So I decided to "skinnify" it and see how it turned out.  It was yummy.  The entire family liked it.  I liked that it was different than the other meals I currently have in my rotation.

Here's the recipe I used:

4 oz reduced fat cream cheese

2 tblsp butter

microwave about 30 seconds to soften.

Mix with:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cooked and chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese - I used fat free

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2-4 tblsp reduced fat mayo

Sauce:

1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup 1% milk

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine in saucepan and heat on med-low heat until cheese melts - do not boil.

Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish.

Unroll the crescent rolls.  Place approx1 heaping tblsp of chicken mixture on top of each crescent triangle then roll up, starting at the thicker end.  Place filled roll seam down in baking dish.  Top with remaining soup mixture (you don't have to use it all).  Top with small amount of shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Makes 16.  They are kinda small, so I did have 2.

1 stuffed roll = 257 calories, 10.5 grams fat, 7 WWpp

A couple of additional modifications I plan to try next time...

• I don't think the chicken mixture needed any mayo or butter - I would leave that out.
• I wouldn't add any cheese to the sauce mixture
• I would try it with fat free cream cheese - I think there is enough other flavor that you wouldn't miss it.

According to my calculations, that would bring it down to 234 calories, 7.7 grams of fat, and 6 WWpp

Still a little high, especially the fat, but not bad for a splurge meal.  Let me know what you think!

Tonight's dinner - Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken, Baked Crab Rangoon, Banana Creme Pie

I made the Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken about a month ago and my daughter INHALED it and asked when we could have it again.  I finally got it back into the rotation tonight and it was once again a hit.  So thought I should share with all of you.  I made the Banana Creme Pie for my hubby as a reward for eating a Chinese Food dinner.....that is NOT his favorite.  What a good sport!!!

Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar (I used Splenda to reduce the calories)

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

       Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.   

Baked Crab Rangoon - 

Ingredients:

1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce
14 won ton wrappers
1 small green onion
4 oz surimi imitation crab
3 oz cream cheese

Directions:


In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, garlic salt and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.

Stir in crab and onion.
Place 2 teaspoonfuls in the center of each wonton wrapper.

Moisten edges with water; bring corners to center over filling and press edges together to seal.

Place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray.
Lightly spray wontons with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake at 425 °F (210 °C) for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Makes 14 Crab Rangoon (2 Per Serving)

Nutritional Info Per Serving: Calories 94; Total Fat 2.29g; Cholesterol 12mg;
Sodium 147mg; Potassium 40mg; Carbs 12.03g; Fiber 0g; Protein 5.76g

Banana Creme Pie  (thanks to skinnytaste.com - love that blog!!!)

(Almost a mix between a creme pie and cheesecake)

Servings: 8 • Size: 1 piece • Time: 10 minutes • Points: 5 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 217.8 • Fat: 7.4 g • Carbs: 31.5 g • Fiber: 1.0 g • Protein: 2.2

• 9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust
• 4 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz Cool Whip Free
• 2 medium bananas sliced
• chocolate shavings (optional, extra points)

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and sugar for a few minutes until mixed well. Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth. Put banana slices on the crust,top with filling and chill for a few hours, until firm. Top with shaved chocolate before serving.