Happy Biggest Loser Day all! I feel sooooo much better knowing I am not the only one in the world who goes to bed “dreaming” about food 
I actually LOVE knowing exactly what I am going to eat as soon as I get up in the morning ~ it makes packing up my lunch bag so much easier.
Several of you have asked me where I got the Jennie-O Sausage I used and what it looks like ever since I made those delicious Taco Muffin Cups! I pick this up in the meat section at my local Grocery Store.
The LEAN version says 90/10 on the package.
The BEST part ~ 2 links for 2 points+!
This morning I got my usualy Dirty Latte Got a new look! I LOVE the new symbol on the Starbuck’s cups other than now I have to take a bunch of NEW pictures LOL (4 points+).
My breakfast yesterday was SO GOOD, I had to have it again.
* 4 Kodiak Cakes (5 points+)
* 1 Tbsp Whipped Butter (2 points+)
* 1 Tbsp PURE Maple Syrup (1 point+)
* 1/2 cup strawberries (0 points+)
3 slices of Trader Joe’s Peppered Turkey Bacon drizzled with a little of my maple syrup from above (1 point+) LOVE!!!!!!
I LOVE how “stuffed” I feel after that breakfast ~ it kept me full for 6 hours and I wasn’t starving by lunchtime.
I actually couldn’t decide what to bring for lunch today and actually packed 3 options. In the end, I decided yesterday’s lunch was what sounded the best.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with carrots in a sage butter sauce (6 points+)
Spicy Asian Peanut Slaw (2 points+)!
I was content and full after lunch and didn’t think I NEEDED my pear. My mouth wanted a little something sweet so I busted out this box of conversation hearts I’ve had in my desk forever (yes, I like to STORE versus eat my candy ~ I don’t want it once I have it LOL).
I had to READ this one twice ~ at first I thought it said “JUMP ME!” Then, I realized it says “Jump 4 Me” ~ still, who says that?! Funny!
On the way home, I stopped to buy White Chocolate Chips just so I could make Shannon’s cookies!
2 Point+ White Chocolate Almond Cookies to be exact!!!
I had 2 right off the pan ~ HOT! They are super tasty and chewy. If you LOVE almond extract, you will LOVE these cookies. If not, use vanilla and you will still LOVE these cookies! 
Dinner tonight involved SHRIMP, BACON AND ROASTED VEGETABLES ~ all good things in my book!
I wanted to experiment with the NEW Mediterranean Italian Dressing the Folks at Wish Bone sent me to try. I really like this flavor ~ it’s slightly sweet, yet, tart and you can taste the lemon in it!
1 Point+ per tablespoon!
MEDITERANEAN ROASTED SHRIMP & VEGETABLE SALAD WITH BACON
Adapted from Wish Bone Recipes
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup Wish-Bone Mediterranean Italian Vinaigrette Dressing, divided
- 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 cup thinly sliced fennel or celery
- 1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 2 large shallots or 1 small onion, sliced into thin wedges
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lb. uncooked, deveined and peeled large shrimp
- 8 cups mixed greens
- 4 Slices Trader Joe’s Peppered Turkey Bacon, cooked
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400. Marinate shrimp in 1/4 cup of the Wish Bone Dressing for 15 minutes. Pour onto a baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes, until pink and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, toss 1/4 cup Wish-Bone Dressing with tomatoes, fennel, zucchini, shallots and garlic and pour onto a cookie sheet. Turn heat to oven to 425 degrees and roast, stirring once, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
3. Combine vegetables and shrimp. Divide salad into four bowls and top with roasted shrimp/vegetable mix. Crumble 1 piece of turkey bacon over each salad and enjoy!
Makes 4 LARGE salads, 5 points+ each
This recipe is really easy to put together.
Prepare our shrimp (I buy the deveined and shelled already so I just unthaw them).
Marinate in a 1/4 cup of dressing, then, roast at 400 for 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prep your veggies and toss with 1/4 cup dressing.
Roast at 425 for about 25 minutes stirring once.
Add your vegetables and shrimp to a large bowl to toss.
Serve over mixed greens…….This salad is delicious just like this…..
But, doesn’t BACON make everything better?! I crumbled a 0 POINT+ piece of Turkey Bacon over the top of our salads to make “bacon” croutons!
Thanks to the folks at Wish Bone for the recipe idea, dressings and a chance coming up tomorrow for you all to win a SUPER SALAD SPINNER GIVEAWAY!!!
NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS
* 3 Point+ Low-Fat Banana, Carrot, Zucchini Muffins courtesy of Shannon’s Kitchen!
Q’s
I actually am heading over to TJ’s TEST KITCHEN on Friday to whip up some NEW RECIPES with her. I am being tasked with bringing the salad. So my question today is….
If you had to bring a salad to go with ITALIAN FOOD, what would you bring?
Night all!
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I need to make some roasted veggies! Been craving them lately!
I think a good salad to bring for Italian food would be Caesar! Oh and a while back I made a raw Zucchini Salad with Almonds and Shaved Parmesan. So good!
1. I want that breakfast!
2. Those cookies look so good!
That shrimp dish looks delicious, as does all the photos you post:)
Can’t wait to see what you make.
I’d have to have a Caesar salad with Italian, light dressing of course
Any salad is a good salad!
That means I’m not picky so you bring whatever you want! 
hehe
Anytime I cook Italian, I have to do the “Olive Garden” salad. A blend of greens, sliced Roma tomatoes, sliced red onions, sliced banana peppers, a few croutons for crunch and shaved Parm cheese. I use balsamic vinagrette instead of Italian dressing though.
I enjoy the Pasta House Company Salad. Probably because it’s pretty easy to prepare. Here in St. Louis you can buy the dressing (regular or low fat) which is what I do, but you can make it too. We usually also throw on some provel shredded cheese, because everything is better with provel on it.
Here’s the recipe.
Pasta House Company Salad
1 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1 small or medium red onion (thinly sliced–use smallest food processor blade
or a meat slicer to get them as paper-thin as possible)
1/2 oz. pimentos (diced and drained)
1 small can artichoke hearts (drained and crumbled into fourths)
1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese (buy fresh and grate yourself!)
Dressing
4 Tbsp. corn or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
In large bowl, combine the following: Break head of iceberg lettuce into quarters separating the layers. Break romaine lettuce into thirds. Add sliced onions, pimentos, artichoke hearts, and grated parmesan. Toss and chill. Pour dressing on a few minutes before serving–if you do it too far in advance the salad will wilt. Toss well before serving leaving the lettuce in large pieces is part of the secret to this salad recipe.
Hi Danica – I just want to let you know that I really appreciate your blog and all the great information you share with us. You have been a great inspiration to me as I am just starting this WW journey. I LOVE to cook and am actually really enjoying the challenge of discovering new ways to prepare fresh, healthy and yummy food. You may even inspire me to resurrect my blog!
Ha! I love how you sprinkle red pepper flakes on everything! I “store” my candy too! I am doing that right now with a little bag of those yummy Cadbury candy-shell eggs.
I have been craving shrimp like crazy and finally picked some up at Costco today!
GIRL!!! That salad looks sooo amazing!! Good job!! I am going to have to try that!!!
I’m glad I found your website, I have been a WWer member of and on for over 10 years, but have been a permanent Wwer member for about 5 years, made lifetime 4 years ago, losing forever 80+pounds.
Do you have to bring a green salad, or could it be any salad? I have my favorite recipe, I haven’t ran it through the new points+ recipe builder yet.
1 box of cous cous (any flavor) OR you can use Quinoa (1cup)
Cook above according to directions, I like to use chicken broth instead of water, but it’s up to you. Let cool.
While the it is cooling, dice up the following veggies: cucumber, tomato, onion, red bell pepper.
Toss with cooled cous cous or quinoa.
Add a small tub of feta cheese
1 can sliced olives (optional)
salt and pepper
garnish with either cilantro (my favorite) or basil
to moisten mix in your favorite FF Italian dressing, probably using 1/4 cup, maybe a little more. Refrigerate for a couple of house, and serve. YUM.
My recipe is above, but you can use as much of any ingredient as you want, it’s such an easy recipe and you can easily make it your own by adding different veggies.
I also make spanish rice with Quinoa, adding jalapenos, 1 can of rotel tomatoes, green bell pepper and onion, along with a little bit of taco seasoning.
@Emily, those Cadbury candy shell eggs are the.best.candy.ever!
Looked for those sweet pot gnocchi and TJ’s yesterday and they didn’t have them… BUT, they did have the baked onion rings. YUUUUM.
If I were going to bring a green salad to go with Italian food, I’d make my homemade balsamic dressing to top: romaine, cherry tom’s (cut in 1/2), cherry tom sized fresh mozz (cut in 1/2), red onion (thinly sliced) & minced Italian parsley.
If I were going to bring a pasta/ grain salad I’d bring orzo tossed in my blasamic with all the same ingrdients for the salad above…
Your dinner last night looks SO yummy. You’re making me want shrimp!! I love how some of the salad is cooked and some raw…. makes for interesting texture and also makes it a whole lot better than ‘just a salad’
Hi!
I just noticed your pans you use to roast in the oven…..would you mind sharing the brand and where to get them? I have been looking for some new ones. They always seem so hard to keep looking “new”. Thanks!
I recently made the decision to add fish back into my diet–definitely bookmarking this recipe!
Hi Kelsey,
I LOVE my baking pans ~ they are honestly the BEST pans I have ever bought. I found them at Costco (Sam’s Club carries them too). They are in the restaurant food section and you get 2 of them for $9.99. I do not remember the name, but, I highly recommend them. Nothing sticks to them and you do not need to use nonstick spray to make that happen. The best part is that they actually do not change color, rust or get build up. You will want to get ones that are stainless steel and say restaurant quality.
Hope that helps.
Danica
{ 1 trackback }