Happy Biggest Loser day all! Bacon ~ where do I start?! I think there were several ways you all have eaten bacon that I NEED to try! Thanks for the great comments on the BACON Baked Tortellini with Vegetables….I honestly think bacon makes just about everything taste better.
Did I mention I am SO PUMPED that the Biggest Loser contestants are going to New Zealand?! I LOVE watching shows where they travel to places so I can decide if I want to add their travels to my life list of places to visit. Tonight’s show should be good!
This week I am bringing back my egg and banana combo because well we bought 5 dozen eggs and it’s a quick pre workout breakfast. (2 points+)
I only had 25 minutes for my morning workout so I really pushed it on the Elliptical this morning. I started off with a 2 minute warm up then alternated doing 1 fast song with 1 hill and then 1 pedaling backwards as quickly as I could. My heart rate was up the entire time and I almost think that was harder than running on the treadmill.
Post workout snack ~ LEMON MERINGUE PIE!
* 1 LF Cinnamon Graham Cracker (2 points+)
* 1/2 cup TJ’s 0% Greek Yogurt (1 points+)
* 1 tsp TJ’s Lemon Curd (1 points+)
I really have to work at not licking the bowl whenever I eat this ~ it’s just such a good combination.
This week’s lunches are joint effort. I whipped up a modified version of this Cooking Light Chicken Tamale Casserole and she is bringing the greens!
My changes included
* using Low-Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese versus full fat Mexican Cheese. This saves you 6 points+ (about 1 point+ per serving!)
* Adding the enchilada sauce to my shredded chicken versus pouring it over the corn tamale casserole because I thought that would make it soggy.
* I didn’t use the FF Sour Cream as a topper – instead I used Salsa!
You could easily use leftover or rotisserie chicken for this recipe. Since I didn’t have either on hand, I made my own shredded chicken.
SIMPLE SHREDDED CHICKEN
* 2 chicken breasts (they can be frozen)
* 1 large sauce pan filled with water and 1 tsp salt
Add chicken to the salted water and bring to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes, remove and shred.
Using my food scale, I weighed out 8.5 ounces of Trader Joe’s Corn Muffin mix since it was what I had on hand. Stir just until combined the cheese through the chilies.
Pour mixture into a prepared 2 quart casserole pan. I used 11 x 7.
Bake at 400 until set (no soggy middle parts). For me it was about 20 minutes.
I honestly believe the SECRET to really great enchiladas lies in GOOD QUALITY SAUCE! Frontera makes my FAVORITE jarred sauce out there…..all the flavors are awesome.
Real ingredients!
Decent stats (an entire jar is only 80 calories)
This was one change I made because I wanted my chicken to have flavor and I didn’t want my casserole to be soggy. INSTEAD of pouring the sauce on the corn mix, I poured it on the chicken.
Then, I layered that chicken on the casserole.
Poured a little more sauce on for good measure.
Top with CHEESE!
Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and slice into 8 servings for 7 points+ each (if using LF cheese), 8 points+ for full fat cheese.
The result is AMAZING!!! It’s sweet, spicy, smoky and dense. I think it tastes like having chicken enchiladas on top of that sweet corn cake you get on the side at Mexican Food restaurants.
My co-worker made us nutty salads which I LOVED! So FUN ~ I LOVE that we both put our brains together to create one amazing Mexican-Asian Fusion Lunch!
* Organic Mixed Greens plus shredded carrots
* 1 Tbsp chopped dry roasted walnuts (1 points+)
* 1 Tbsp TJ’s LF Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette! (1 points+)
Although my lunch was delicious, I was STILL hungry after waiting 20 minutes. I went back for a Light String Cheese and that did the trick (1 points+)
I had a gift card from Pete’s so I stopped for an Iced Dirty Latte for my train ride home (medium nonfat, decaf latte, 1 pump mocha) (3 points+)
Dinner tonight was a combination of yesterday’s lunch salad (2 points+)
and more BACON Baked Tortellini with Vegetables ~ I think it’s even better the next day (11 points+).
Dessert involved a couple of The Husband’s Red Vines which I am usually good at pretending the HUGE Costco sized jar isn’t there (3 points+)
NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS
* Check out how Ann, LOST 60 LBS IN 33 WEEKS! Click HERE to be inspired!
Q’S
Who are you voting for on BIGGEST LOSER to WIN?
I am all about the original “Purple” girls. I just LOVE them, their attitude and their LOVE of Curtis Stone’s Hotness! And no I can’t pick just one.
Night all!
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Just bookmarked that lemon meringue pie! Too simple and yummy to give it try… I’m off to TJ’s tomorrow!
Love your posts! I’ve tried so many things from TJs lately that I’ve read about on your blog! I made the same Chicken Tamale Casserole awhile back and it’s always been a favorite. Thank you for the suggestions on how to cut down the points!
http://thefoodistachronicles.blogspot.com/2010/01/chicken-tamale-casserole.html
Where do you buy that Frontara sauce?
I agree with you on the Frontera, hands down best sauces!
Let me just say I think you are an angel. I get up in the morning with no idea how I’ll make it through another day trying to lose weight. Then I read your post and recipes and Voila, I am winning a day at a time. Not the Charlie Sheen kind of
winning but you know. Thanks a million!
First let me say that I love, love, LOVE your blog! Second, the tamale casserole looks AMAZING! I love the fact that you make realistic recipes that taste yummy and make me feel like I’m sinning!
I cannot wait to make this! I knew my corn muffin mix would come in handy! Man, I love Enchilada Sauce!
Danica -have I mentioned lately that I *love* you?
Hi Marcia,
I buy it at my local grocery store, Raley’s (Bel Air probably carries it too). I’ve seen it at Whole Foods too.
Danica
I like Las Palmas enchilada sauce – in a can in the regular grocery store.
and BTW – i love that casserole – have made it myself a few times. and I love your blog…
this is SOOOO clever! corn meal in an enchilada casserole!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow! I must say that looks like the most delicious thing you have ever made…I may be a little bias because I love anything that has a little mexican style flavor to it. Yum!
I made that recipe last night and it was so yummy!!! My husband went back for seconds. He said it was so good. Definitely a recipe I will keep. Thanks!
I made the recipe tonight and it was amazing! Thank you!!
Do you know how the P+ would change if I used 1% milk instead of skim? Thanks a billion!
Hi Catherine,
There is no change in points+ values for the milk. 1/3 cup of skim and 1% both equal 1 points+
Danica
Thanks for the recipe! My boyfriend made it for dinner and we both loved it.
Hi there! I bought all the ingredients to make the lemon merange and when I put in the info for the Lemon Curd it came to 3 points per serving (tablespoon). I got mine from Trader Joe’s.
Ok I just reread your recipe and you used a teaspoon. Ok my mistake! Phew!