Happy Tuesday all!  Can you believe it?! A real “Daily” post.  Ok, well, I know I post each day and I have some catch up to play, but, today I am actually back to my daily eats.  The funny part is even though I have been posting recipes and fun times, I have still taken pictures of just about everything I eat……What can I say?!  Even when I know I am not blogging, I still think in blog

First ~ let’s play catch up on a few of the things that have been going on lately.

NEW PRODUCTS!!

The Husband’s Mom dropped off these Sandwich Thin Mini’s last week.  They are so cute ~ I LOVE anything that is “Mini” so ummmm, they are worth it even if they are not the real deal.

You get 1 for 1 PP and 2 for 3 PP….No, I haven’t tried them ~ they are in the freezer of course ! LOL….

#2 ~ Kim’s Magic Pops!  They are the size of corn tortillas and I totally plan on using them like a tostada.

REAL ingredients.

0 points+ for 1!! You can actually have 3 for 1 points+.  They are like and airy like popchips, but, fluffy like a fried pork rind….seems funny to use those two examples in one sentence but that is what comes to mind.

For those wondering, I bought these at Nuggest, a local grocery store.

Josie scoped out Biscoff for me and found out that the way they make their Biscoff Lattes is by melting a spoonful of the Biscoff Spread INTO the latte.

I am SOOOOO travelling with my jar to Starbucks ~ so if you see a strange woman standing there asking a barista to make her latte extra hot so it will melt the spread ~ that’s ME

I also baked all of my Great Fundraising Act Treats for my awesome bidder!!!

VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

The Husband was my taste tester and he didn’t even know they were V/GF until AFTER I told him.

My “secret ingredients” ~ brown rice flour, coconut flour & almond flour….Did I mention Weight Watcher Friendly too?!

Recipe coming up soon!

VEGAN/GLUTEN FREE Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups x’s 2!

Ok….last, but, not least…I FINALLY figured out today WHY my Cubanelle Pepper plant isn’t growing any peppers?! Note ~ this IS the tag that came with the container.

I kinda sorta put them in the ground so I know which plant it which….

Ummm, yeah, because it’s a HUGE Sunflower!!! I actually think I pulled the “other one” out because I thought it was a weed.  Now I am not sure if it was the pepper plant or another flower.  Ooops…..

It IS pretty even if it’s in competition with the zucchini for being ruler of the garden box jungle.

Insert mowing lawn’s x’s 4 into the mix…..SEEEEE ~ Life has been busy “behind” the scenes on top of all our weekend fun

But, I MISS sharing all my food with you all especially when I try new tasty recipes like we did tonight.

There is one “theme” that ran through my day today though…Somehow I must’ve been in a HURRY or hungry because not all things have a picture.

Breakfast was a big bowl of melon & pineapple plus a missing Morning Star Veggie Sausage (2 points+)

Thanks to Tracey for talking me into getting my workout in because I didn’t do it first thing this morning.  The later I wait in the day to do my workout, the more likely I am NOT to do it.

I snacked on a Missing in Action Banana before I hopped on the Treadmill for a 35 minute jog/walk.

I have decided that I am doing 25 pushups every day for August and to add in Weight Training plus Yoga because I feel like I need to tone up/build muscle along the way.

Lunch started with a Trader Joe’s Light String Cheese (missing too LOL) (1 points+)

Then, I moved onto Chicken Cilantro Pot Sticker Soup ~ 4 points+

Spicy Asian Slaw ~ topped with 1 Tbsp Trader Joe’s LF Peanut Vinaigrette (2 points+)

My FAVORITE snack at the moment ~ 1 oz Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips plus 1/2 a container Spicy Ranchero Egg White Salad 5 points+ ~ totally satisfying and filling.

The Husband couldn’t wait for tonight’s dinner.  I saw These Steak Baguettes with Pesto Mayo in this month’s Cooking Light and I knew he would LOVE them.

I wasn’t sure if I would LOVE the Pesto Mayo (not being a mayo person), but, when, you mix them together, it creates a super rich/creamy pesto ~ no mayo flavor at all.

I hollowed out the bottom half of the bread and spread my pesto mix all over the bottom.

Topped with bunches or organic arugula….

Big Organic Heirloom tomatoes from the Farmer’s Market (we skipped adding the onions).

Grilled Tri Tip Steaks topped with Emeril’s Original Essence then grilled on our new grill.

Put the “lid” on and let your Husband think you made him ONE HUGE Steak Sandwich just for him

Kidding! Slice into 4 sections and dig in!  Everything in this sandwich just works…..the salty, smoky steak with the sweet juicy tomatoes are complimented by the hints of the peppery arugula.  I have to say though ~ it’s that creamy pesto spread that makes this sandwich melt in your mouth good. (9 points+) for this HUGE sandwich.

20 minutes from grill to table.  You can find the recipe over at My Recipes.com

Served with sweet, crunch, farmer’s market corn (2 points+)

My FAVORITE Cookies in the World ~ Biscoff ~ Dessert (2 points+)

THE END!

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Lindy of Simply Bliss is up showing us how to be a kid again in Playing in the Rain!

GIVEAWAYS

* Robyn is hosting her VERY first giveaway for Organic StonyField Yogurt ~ head on over to enter and cheer her on.  You could win some tasty yogurt in the process.

* Win a Bertolli Pasta Making Kit!

* Last chance to enter to win Uncle Sam’s Cereals of your choice!

Q’s

What is ONE thing that you are doing that is FUN this summer?

I have done so many fun things and met some great people this summer, I am not sure I could list them all.  The ONE thing that comes to mind right now, I can tell you all about in less than 2 weeks ~ gahhhhh, I can’t wait…..

Night all!

Happy Friday Eve all!  I am hard at work putting together our donations list with pictures for The Great Fundraising Act.  So, tonight’s post is from the archives and is one of my FAVORITE meatloaf recipes of all time (aside from those Burgers Without A Bun   I am pretty sure it’s because they are slightly spicy and have CHIPS in them!  If you are looking to mix things up, literally, give these a whirl!  See you all tomorrow!

*************************************************************************************************************

This is not your average meatloaf recipe.  I spiced up a Classic Meatloaf recipe by adding a little jalapeño, salsa and tortilla chips.  The result is an amazing Tex-Mex Protein Packed mini meatloaf that is lean, healthy and loaded with sweet spicy flavor.  The tortillas give it a tamale pie flavor that I LOVE.  These Mini Mexican Meatloaves make the perfect main dish or snack and they freeze well too.  Serve them up with your favorite roasted garlic mashed potatoes and crispy string beans.

MEXICAN MINI MEATLOVES

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/2 bell pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeño, minced (optional)

Nonstick Cooking Spray

1 pound extra-lean 96% ground beef or turkey

1 small bag Food Should Taste Good tortilla chips, crushed into crumbs (1/2 cup)

6 tablespoons store-bought medium-hot salsa, plus more for serving

1 large egg

1 tsp good quality sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 Tbsp Ketchup

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400°.  Spray a small nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium heat.  Add the onion through jalepeno and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, add the ground meat, tortilla chip crumbs, salsa, egg, sea salt salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Mix in the vegetable mixture. Add two tablespoons of ketchup and stir all until combined ~ it’s easiest to get your hands dirty.  Divide into 4 balls.

3.  Form each meat ball into a rectangle mini meatloaf and place on parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture. Bake until firm to the touch and cooked through, about 25-30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, top each meatloaf with 1 Tbsp of ketchup and return to oven to bake for the last 5 minutes.

4.  Serve the mini meatloaves with extra salsa or ketchup on the side.  Enjoy!

Nutritional information per serving, 1 mini meatloaf ( 6 points+ each!):

Calories 233.8, Total Fat 9.3 g, Saturated Fat 2.8 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Cholesterol 101.9 mg, Sodium 573.8 mg, Potassium 129.0 mg, Total Carbohydrate 16.0 g, Dietary Fiber 2.1 g, Sugars 4.3 g, Protein 21.4 g

NOTE:  These can be frozen for up to 6 months.  Just unthaw, microwave and enjoy.

STEP-BY-STEP:

I LOVE the ingredients and taste of the Food Should Taste Good Multi-Grain Cracker Chips, however, any tortilla chip would work perfectly.

I ventured out and used this Not So Smokin’ Hot Salsa that I received from Kristina as part of my TJ’s/Colorado Goodie Swap.  It’s pretty cool that her friend makes it and it’s sold in Whole Foods all over.  It’s interesting ~ it reminds me of a spicy V-Salsa

1.  Sauté your veggies.

2.  Crush your tortilla chips into crumbs.  I just used the bag and smashed away.

3.  Check out that COOL looking Himalayan PINK Sea Salt!  I LOVE it!

4.  Combine your ground meat with your salsa, veggie mixture, crushed tortillas, egg, sea salt and pepper.

5.  Add a tab of ketchup to MIX IN your meatloaf.

6.  Divide equally into 4 meatballs then shape into 4 rectangle mini meatloaves.

7.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, topping with 1 Tbsp of Ketchup during the last 5 minutes.

Save this recipe to your collection by clicking the SpringIt Button!

Dig in and Enjoy your protein packed healthy Mexican Mini Meatloaves!

Happy Monday all!  This morning I knew EXACTLY what I wanted when I got up.  It’s been way too long since I’ve made a Gigantic Oatmeal Protein Pancake!

Topped with 1 Tbsp Whipped Butter & 1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup (11 points+)

With a “side” of Coconut Coffee!

I LOVE this pancake because it keeps me full for hours.  I ate lunch 5 hours later and probably could’ve gone longer.

I know I told you all that we are working on clearing out the fridge, but, I really just NEEDED to get my sushi fix.  I have listened to about 5 people talk about sushi for two weeks now and today, I get to talk about mine.

I went to Yo Sushi for the first time ~ I LOVE their Website Name ~ Get Yo Sushi!

This is a local place that is kind of a dive, but, they have amazing reviews on Yelp. 

After two sips of my Miso Soup I decided today was WAY TOO hot to have soup.

I got my order to go since the place was packed.  Simple, yet, delicious side salad.  I don’t know what it is, but, I just LOVE the salad dressing the Japanese restaurants use. (2 points+)

I actually had a hard time deciding on which roll to get (several are fried), but, I knew exactly what I wanted when I saw they served it with fresh Jalapenos!

THE FIRE ROLL ~ Shrimp, cucumber topped with Tai, Spicy Tuna, AVOCADO, Jalapeno & Spicy Unagi Sauce

It was totally HOT and made my lips hot too, but, completely delicious!  Next time I think I’ll see if they can do spicy tuna in the middle instead of the shrimp.  (13 points+ for 8 pcs)

Sometimes I think when you have really delicious food, you are just not as hungry all day ~ it’s like your pallet is satisfied and convinces your stomach it needs nothing else.

I didn’t get hungry again until I started making up dinner!  I put a HEALTHY SPIN on The Tasty Kitchen’s MM Sandwiches Adorned.

I honestly could not convince myself to make a recipe with 1 1/4 cups butter as delicious as it sounded.

Instead I rubbed a tri tip with Emeril’s Original Essence and grilled it for 35 minutes.  While the tri tip cooked, I caramelized onions and mushrooms in 2 Tbsp Butter until they were nice and golden. 

After letting the steak rest, I sliced it and tossed it with all the juices with the onions/mushrooms and a little Worcestershire sauce.

The BIG SANDWICH above includes:

* 1 Large Dutch Crusty Roll toasted on the grill (no butter)

* A layer of organic mixed greens

* 4 ounces of steak with 1/4 cup mushrooms/onions

* 2 thick slices fresh mozzarella

* Organic Basil (from our garden!)

* Organic Tomato Slices

Cut in half and shared with The Husband.  Ok ~ he had 1 1/2 sandwiches, but, I had half for 6 points+.

It really IS as delicious as it sounds and looks.  The bread is super crusty, yet, doughy.  The steak is seasoned throughout and the caramelized onions add a sweetness that goes well with the creamy cheese, basil, greens and tomatoes.

I rounded out my meal with a big salad topped with 1 Tbsp Cracked Pepper Almond Slices and 1 Tbsp Bolthouse Ranch (2 points+)

Plus some homemade Pickled Veggies!  I have to tell you all we shared these veggies with our nephews this weekend and they were so adorable….

“it tastes just like a pickle, but, it’s not a pickle”

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Meet our NEWEST Contributor ~ Beth ~ she is in for quite an EXTREME Challenge!

Q’s

Are you a sushi fan?  If so, do you eat it raw or cooked? What’s your FAVORITE roll?

I used to NEVER like sushi at all until my mid-20’s and one of my friends convinced me to try a teriyaki chicken roll.  Who knew I’d fall in love with it and venture our into the REAL DEAL.  I LOVE RAW fish, but, it has to be spicy, in a roll with avocado and anything else is just an added bonus!

Night all!

Happy Monday all!  Who knew that so many of you would be interested in the new way I learned on how to “peel” an orange.  This method is PERFECT if you are anything like me and hate having your hands smell like oranges all day.  Thanks again to Becky for showing me this method ~ I LOVE it.

Rinse your orange off and place it on a plate or cutting board.

Slice off the top and the bottom.

Slice your orange in half.

Slice those halves into this pieces.

Fan your halves out on a plate because it makes it FEEL and LOOK like more and well, it makes it fun to eat.

I eat just the middle but The Husband eats the peel too.

I PROMISE I froze the rest of my Turkey Meatloaf Muffins so I can stop pretending they are sausages too

Did I mention I LOVE them?! (3 points+)

1 Slice of TJ’s FF Multi-Grain Bread topped with ICBINB Olive Oil Spray (1 points+)

All served up with Coconut Coffee ~ an awesome 4 points+ start.

Lunch today involved a little Panda Express and a whole lot of fiber goodness (maybe a tad bit too much)!

Mixed Veggies instead of Chow Mein or Fried Rice.

Kung Pao Chicken because sometimes you just need a little spice.

Broccoli Beef!  I put my entire meal into their Build a Meal and it came up to 13 points+! AWESOME!! I think that’s A LOT of Chinese food for the points+ and I probably checked off my 5 a day Veggies LOL

As promised, I made my first attempt at making Mary’s Mini Pizza Meatball Sliders.  I’d venture to say they were downright fantastic, but, I’ll you all make them and be the judge.

There are 3 options to making Mini Saucy Meatball Sliders.

1.  Buy pre-made frozen meatballs, bottled pasta sauce, store bought buns, cheese and basil.

2.  Make these delicious homemade meatballs and use store bought for the sauce, buns, cheese and basil.

3. GO ALL OUT and impress everyone with your Saucy Balls ~ Making the sauce, meatballs, and buns from scratch served up with cheese and basil!

Tonight, I went ALL OUT with one shortcut (Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough ~ why make it when you can buy it delicious!)

MINI PIZZA MEATBALL SLIDERS

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs

• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb Lean Turkey Sausage
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, minced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• A few shakes of sea salt and black pepper

Marinara Sauce

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, chop tomatoes
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine, I used Merlot
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste

2 packages Store Bought Pizza Dough

1/2 cup part skin mozzarella, shredded

1/4 cup fresh basil, minced for garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick spray.  Finely chop your veggies by hand or using your food processor.  The veggies are similar for the meatballs and sauce so you can chop them all at one time.

2.  Combine ground beef through parmesan in a large mixing bowl.  Mix up meatball ingredients.  Add the Greek yogurt and continue mixing until well combined, yet not over-mixed.  

3.  Use a tablespoon to scoop out 1.5 inch round meatballs and space equally onto your prepared baking sheet. Place meatballs in oven and roast about 15 minutes.

Optional: You can “fry” your meatballs in a large NONSTICK sauce pan with 1 Tbsp Olive Oil until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per side.

4.  Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add oil and onion, celery, garlic.  Cook until softened, about 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and bring sauce to a bubble, reduce heat, and simmer for 35 minutes.

5.  Add meatballs and continue simmering for 15 minutes.  If using store bought pizza dough, divide into 30, 1.5 inch balls or rounds.  Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and parmesan.  Reduce oven heat to 400 and bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

6.  Slice rolls in half, add 1 meatball, 1 Tbsp sauce, 1 tsp mozzarella and a sprinkle of basil leaves. Serve at once.

Makes 30 Mini Pizza Meatball Sliders! Each slider contains 1 Mini Pizza Dough Roll, 1 Meatball, 2 Tbsp Sauce, 1 tsp Mozzarella 3 points+ (calculated using caloriecount.com)

Nutritional information per meatball based on 30 meatballs, 1 points+ EACH!

Nutritional information for the marinara sauce, based on 20, 1/2 cup servings, 1 points+ each. 2 Tbsps = 0 points+

STEP-BY-STEP

My “secret” ingredient. 

I divided my bag into 15 servings to make my pizza dough buns, 2 points+ each.

After letting your dough “rise” for 20 minutes. roll it out on a floured surface until it’s 1/2 an inch thick.  I used my small circle cookie cutter to cut circles, then, brushed each with a little olive oil, sea salt and parmesan before baking at 400 for 10 minutes.

You could make them into balls too, but, I thought rounds worked better for sliders.

I didn’t waste any time finely chopping anything and let my food processor do the work.  It’s a bazillion times faster.

Combine your meatloaf ingredients in a big mixing bowl.

After combining, I felt like they needed more moisture.  Some people use water, milk or oil, but, I used Greek Yogurt for added.  It really keeps your meatballs light and soft when you bite into them without making them watery.

There are TWO options for cooking.  I thought originally I’d “Brown” them in my pan, but, they stuck like crazy (probably because I refused to use mass amounts of oil).

Enter option 2, which actually is easier….baking them in the oven!

I think it’s REALLY important to cook your meatballs in your sauce (whether you made your own or are using store bought) because they help to flavor your marinara and make it more than just a red sauce.  Cook them for 15 minutes.

Assemble ~ split your buns, add your saucy balls, 1 Tbsp sauce for good measure, a sprinkle of cheese and basil.

Put a lid on it and dig in!  I had 2 for 6 points+

Along with another crunchy salad topped with Newman’s Lite Lime Vinaigrette (2 points+)

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Shannon is back with her MINI Series showing us how to make 1 points+ Granola Cups!

Just TWO MORE DAYS until BLOGHERFOOD 11!!!

Q’s

Have you ever made sliders or eaten them while dining out? If so, what was on them and what were your favorite versions?

My favorite BEFORE I tried Mini Pizza Meatball Sliders, included BBQ Sauce, Beer Caramelized Onions and Cheddar Cheese!

Night all!

Here is recipe #5 in my Cooking with Beer Series ~ Peach BEER-Berry Cobbler.  You can’t have a Beer-BBQ with New Belgium’s Beers without dessert.  I pondered doing a chocolate cake or even strawberry shortcakes, but, in the end decided making a Peach Blueberry Cobbler was perfect when I realized I could call it BEER-Berry

This dessert is simple to make and you can use fresh or frozen fruit.  I used beer in the cobbler topping (think beer bread flavor) and marinated the raw fruit in 1 bottle of BEER before straining it to make into a fruity cobbler mix.

You can decide if you want to discard the “fruity” beer or drink it….but, whatever you do, make this Cobbler ~ IT’S AWESOME!

PEACH BEER-BERRY COBBLER

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb fresh or frozen peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced   
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 12 ounces Fat Tire Amber Ale, reserving 1/2 cup
• 6 1/3 Tbsp sugar, divided   
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch   
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice   
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour   
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder   
• 1/2 tsp table salt   
• 3 Tbsp cold butter
• 1 tsp powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon for garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray an 8 inch square baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.  Pour peaches into a large bowl and cover with 12 ounces beer.  Let stand for 20 minutes.  Drain fruit, reserving 1/2 cup of beer and discarding the rest.

2.  In a large saucepan, combine peaches, 1/3 cup of sugar (5 1/3 tablespoons), cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon; toss to coat peaches. Set pan over medium heat and bring to a boil; cook until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking pan.

3.  To make topping, combine flour, remaining tablespoon of sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Using the large side of a grater, grate the butter into the flour mix.  Stir with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add reserved beer; stir until flour mixture is evenly moistened.

4.  Drop 8 tablespoons of topping mixture over peach mixture. Bake until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.

5.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon if using.  Cut into 8 pieces and serve.

Makes 8 servings, 4 points+ each

Nutritional information per serving using caloriecount.com

STEP-BY-STEP

If you are going to make a fruity dessert, I’d stick with a pale or amber ale as you want a lighter beer flavor.  If you are going to make a chocolate dessert, go dark with your beer.

Marinate your peaches in beer, then, drain and make up the fruity cobbler filling.

Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients.

Grate in the butter ~ it is EASIER than using a fork or pastry spoon.

Add in 1/2 cup of reserved “fruit” enhanced beer.

Layer it up starting with the drunken sweet fruit filling

Drop the cobbler topping in tablespoons.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon. 

Cool slightly, cut into 8 servings and dig in.  The is excellent alone, however, you can kick it up a notch by serving it with fresh whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream.

NEW BELGIUM RECIPES POSTED

* Slow Cooked Chipotle BEER Baked Beans, 4 points+

* Chipotle Cheddar BEER Corn Muffins. 4 points+

* Honey Chipotle BBQ BEER Sauce, 1 points+

* Chili Lime BEER Buttered Corn, 3 points+

* Peach BEER-Berry Cobbler, 4 points+

NEW BELGIUM RECIPE COMING UP NEXT

* Recipe Recap Plus all the “fixin’s” you need to go on the side for one awesome BEER-Becue!

See you all tonight for my Beer-BBQ Grand Finale and My Weekly Menu!

Happy Monday All! Wow, I guess you all do want to know how my brain works and why I changed my Weight Watcher Meeting Day as mentioned on yesterday’s post.  For what it’s worth, here was my logic:

* Weighing in on Sunday makes it “challenging” because I try to eat light and low sodium 1-2 days before weigh in.  We usually go out on Friday and/or Saturday nights which can sometimes mess with my weigh in results.

*  If I weigh in on Friday morning and we DO go out on Friday and/or Saturday, I have an entire week to be good and not have it show on the scale.  I usually do great at making my meals/staying on track during the week so I can enjoy our weekends without wondering if it will affect my weigh-in.

* Ironically, I think it might encourage me to do better on weekends because I don’t like using all my WPA up at the beginning of the week.

* I usually have to miss at least one WI meeting a month where I do a fly by weigh in so we can head to the antique show.

* If we travel for the weekend, I can weigh in BEFORE we go instead of just skipping the meeting.

* I LOVE my Sunday group and will miss them, but, sometimes it’s fun and gives you renewed motivation to visit different meetings.

* I LOVE My Sunday Leader, but, she also teaches the early morning Friday Meeting!

I am sure there are probably more reasons I could list because I had quite the conversation in my head for about a month while I pondered.  It’s all about trial and error and finding what works best for you.  I am hoping this is My SOLUTION!  I will definitely keep you all posted on how it goes.

The Husband was nice and brought me a Venti Iced Dirty Latte (Nonfat, Decaf, Latte with 1 pump Mocha) to start my day! (4 points+)

He also brought donuts home, but, I didn’t have any.  Instead, I whipped up a delicious Protein Pancake.

Click HERE for the Recipe ~ Topped with 1/2 a banana, 1 tsp of Whipped Butter, 1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup and a sprinkle of Organic Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (10 Points+)

Breakfast kept me full all morning long ~ no snacks required.  I think being super busy at work does that to you too.

I couldn’t wait to dig into lunch.  I whipped up this AWESOME Cooking Light recipe for Chicken and White Bean Soup that was recommended by one of my super cool readers.

CLICK HERE for the Recipe.

Any recipe that starts off with crisping up 2 slices of bacon is a WINNER in my book

Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and set aside.

I used chicken breast over chicken thighs because it is what I had on hand.  Add the chicken to the bacon grease and cook for about 6 minutes.

While the chicken cook, I prepped all the remaining ingredients.

Mushrooms, garlic and onion.

Diced tomatoes, dried oregano (it’s what I had vs fresh) and crushed red peppers (ummm, because I add them to everything).

Parsley.

I sort of didn’t read the recipe all the way through since I was supposed to remove the chicken before adding in the mushroom mix.  Eh, I went with it and cooked it as though I was following the recipe

As much as I love fresh tomatoes, I actually think that canned diced tomatoes might give this soup even more flavor.

Add back the bacon, plus 2 cups of broth and water.

Add 2/3 cup of Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta and cook for 8 minutes.

Add your beans (I used pinto because it’s what I had on hand) and cook for 2 additional minutes.

Remove from heat and add parsley plus a splash of vinegar.

Divide into 4 bowls, top with parmesan and crush red pepper flakes if desired.  The entire recipe made about 8 cups.  Each serving is 8 points+.

Crusty French bread for dipping.  I had a slice for 2 points+.

My belly was full but my mouth wanted something sweet so I snacked on one dried pear.  As odd as it sounds, it definitely hit the spot.

I snacked on some banana chips and watermelon chunks.

Dinner tonight was actually picked out by The Husband when he was glancing through my Weight Watcher magazine.  He is funny because he always says he never looks at my magazines, but, then will come and show me a picture or tell me a story LOL.

Weight Watchers Best-Ever Cheese Steak Sandwiches

They are actually really simple to make and only 8 points+ each.

TIP!!! I absolutely agree that having your pan SUPER HOT makes all the difference in the world when you are trying to “create” a nice crust on your steak. 

The only seasoning I used on my steak was Emeril’s Original Essence.  HIs Essence Spice Mix is versatile and can be used on so many things to bring out the “natural” flavor.

NOTE ~ The BIG steak is for this recipe and the other two were cooked up for The Husband as “snacks” as requested.

I seared each side in 2 tsp canola oil for 5 minutes and then place the steaks in the oven on low to finish cooking.  My coal was Medium to Medium Well as The Husband doesn’t like his steak any other way.

Don’t worry, even though it looks burned, it doesn’t taste burned.

Add 1 tsp canola oil along with  your mushrooms, onions and garlic to the same pan you seared your steaks in so they absorb all the bits of flavor.

Cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.

Add in the sliced steak.

Plus a little less than 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese.  I reserved about 2 tbsp to add to the top of the sandwich.

This was the HARDEST PART ~ take out the soft part of the bread and throw it away ~ who does that?!  I reluctantly did….

Add Cheese Steak Mix and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  The Husband actually came into the kitchen at this point and was like ~ that’s MY SANDWICH, right?! LOL.

Cut into 4 slices and serve.

MMMMMMM!! We both LOVED this and I am not even a huge cheese steak fan.  It honestly tastes just like a good well seasoned steak, mushroom and onion sandwich with hints of cheesey richness for only 8 points+.

For our sides, I made a Quick Tomato Basil Caprese Salad

In the food processor add and puree:

~ 1 cup basil leaves

~ 1 lemon, juiced

~ 1 garlic clove

~ 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

~ Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Pour over

~ 1 Pint organic cherry tomatoes, halved

~ 1 container fresh mozzarella balls

Makes 9 servings, 1/3 cup each, 2 points+ per serving

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Shannon shares a super easy recipe for 6 points+ Buffalo Chicken Pizza! Click HERE for the recipe!

GIVEAWAYS!!

* Win a Case of Chobani ~ Click Here

* Win an ENTIRE YEAR of ORGANIC VALLEY GROCERIES ~ Click HERE!

Q’S

Do you attend meetings? If so, what do you love most about your meeting?  Do you pick a certain day of the week to weigh-in? 

Night all!

Happy Sunday all!  This morning started off with a quick weigh in at my Weekly Weight Watchers meeting.  I usually do not get to stay for the meeting on the days we head to the antique fair because we go so early. I know I could skip it, but, there is just something with how that scale and being accountable works for me.

I guess I can’t be an inspiration to you all each week as much as I want to.  I am choosing to NOT focus on the scale this week because I do not think it showed my effort.  Instead I am focusing on what I did that was GOOD this week.

GOOD THINGS THIS WEEK:

* I worked out 5 times!

* I made HEALTHY choices and ate sensible portions every time I went out to eat this week (although I probably could’ve done it less).

* I drank my water and met almost every single healthy guideline each day!

* I tracked every single bite……

And, you know what….the scale showed me up .6 of a lb. I am OK with it because I think I already had a successful week based on all the GOOD things I did.

I have no doubt NEXT WEEK the scale is going to show my hard work because I plan to just Keep on Keeping On and working the program like I know how to.

Since I wasn’t hungry at all this morning, I never even brought breakfast with me.  I did somehow manage to brew some coffee and get a Grande Dirty Latte with a banana (4 points+)

We spent the morning strolling through the Sacramento Antique Fair.  I am pretty excited that I scored 9 magazines (all current issues ~ think Martha Stewart Living, Everyday Food, etc.) for $2.25 and an old Weight Watchers Cookbook for Pizza for $4!

DEAL!

I let The Husband pick lunch since I ALWAYS pick Jack’s Urban Eats.  He was craving a BLTA so we headed over to The Joy of Eating.

I started with a simple side salad with Italian Dressing on the side (2 points+).

BACON ~ LETTUCE ~ TOMATO ~ AVOCADO ~ on Homemade Sweet Bread (10 points+)

I still wasn’t hungry much all afternoon ~ I WISH I KNEW what made me have days like this because I would definitely repeat them No worries, I am sure by tomorrow I will be back to my HUNGRY SELF.

Dinner tonight was awesome because it was GRILLED, involved 4 dishes and 2 AWESOME ingredients.

Remember this Smoky Apricot BBQ Sauce from last week?!

Plus my FAVORITE Trader Joe’s Peppered Turkey Bacon.  I STILL LOVE TJ’s even if they changed their stats and their bacon.  The one by me is ONLY selling the thick cut peppered turkey bacon now so it’s 1 points+ a slice versus 2

Bring back the THIN slices since they are 0 points+ a slice

It’s still not 100% perfect since my packet has 10 slices, but, that’s ok, I consider it the bonus plan – more for less LOL.

Are you all ready???  We BUILT BBQ BACON CHEESEBURGERS!

Toasted sesame buns with a little BBQ sauce.

Grilled TJ’s 96% Beef Burgers topped with BBQ sauce and 1 oz LF Sharp Cheddar Cheese.

All the “fixin’s” ~ lettuce, onion, tomato.

BACON!

BBQ, BACON, CHEESEBURGER ~ 10 points+

Dessert!

HERE IS WHAT IS ON THE MENU THIS WEEK

I struggled with ideas this week so you may see some new things in here not posted.  I will post the recipes below as I make them.

* Baked Vegetable & Cheese Tortellini with BACON!

* Apple Maple Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Salad

* Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Shells

* BBQ Chicken, Harvest Grain Salad, Green Salads

* Veggie Pizza or Taco Salads

Other ideas: Mushroom Pasta and this weekend a cooking with BEER series!

* LUNCHES ~ Chicken Tamale Casserole with big Spicy Peanut Salads!

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* New Tip of the Week & 2 Points+ Yogurt Dill Dip Guest Recipe ~ check them out at the bottom of the page!

* This week’s Challenge ~ What are your mini goals?

Q’S

What is on your menu this week?  Are you trying any new recipes, foods or treats?

Night all!

Happy Taco Tuesday everyone!! Don’t worry, I am not starting a new taco tradition although I could totally eat tacos like EVERY TUESDAY.  It just so happens that today involved going out for tacos and making some delicious homemade tacos ~ Totally a Taco kind of day!

This morning was the first morning I was rushing around making The Husband’s snack pack, putting dinner in the crockpot, grabbing snacks all while chatting with my Roni about my Guest Post over at Roni’s Weigh.

My hardboiled egg and banana never even had a chance to be photographed as I inhaled it on my way out the door (2 points+)

I was NOT feeling my AM workout at all and pretty much wanted to quit on the Elliptical after 10 minutes.  But, I DIDN’T!! I pushed the cross ramp to 20, the resistance to 10 and pushed myself to go as fast as I could for another 10 minutes.  I finished off my workout with 10 minutes on the Bike while I caught up with my Words With Friends!

I couldn’t wait to dig into my post workout snack….I used the “fancy” work tools to smash 1 whole low-fat cinnamon graham cracker.  (reserving about a tablespoon of the crumbs).

Topped with 1/2 cup TJ’s 0% Greek Yogurt…..

Drizzled with 2 tsp TJ’s Lemon Curd and the reserved graham crackers.  LOVE!  The Graham Crackers totally made this even better….as in licking the bowl GOOD! (5 points+)

I ended up having my afternoon snack (sans the fruit) early because we didn’t end up heading out for lunch until almost 2 pm. (1 points+)

Lunch was totally worth waiting for!!! I finally ate at my first restaurant in Berkeley ~ Tacubaya!  I LOVE the layout of the restaurant….it’s totally casual and fun.

I resisted buying any of these but I totally see a trip in my future because I LOVE all things spicy!!

So many choices, so little room in my stomach!  I LOVE that they use organic and sustainable ingredients whenever possible…

2 things worth coming back for that I didn’t get to try

1.  BREAKFAST!!!

2.  Siesta Special ~ 2 tacos and a beer

My Co-worker ordered this delicious looking soup and a fish taco.

“Frijoles con Todo- whole pintos in a seasoned broth with tomatoes, onions, chile, avocado and queso Oaxaca, served with tortillas”

“Taco de Pescado- battered & fried snapper with arbol chile aioli, shredded cabbage and cilantro.”

SIDE NOTE ~ their pickled veggies are AMAZING!  I could eat a ton!

I was actually really proud of myself because I stuck to my healthy theme with only ONE taco and a BIG Organic Salad!

“Taco de Pollo- crispy taco filled with shredded organic chicken, cheese, cucumber-tomato salsa and cilantro.” 

Next time, I am totally trying out all their hot sauces ~ maybe one for each bite!

“Ensalada de Primavera- mixed greens, shredded cabbage, carrots, red onion and avocado tossed in a lemon vinaigrette, sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds.”

Deliciousness!  I estimated 5 points+ for my taco and 6 points+ for my salad.

I LOVE MY CROCKPOT because I can come home and have dinner pretty much ready with very little prep work.  I tried making up a new version of Shredded Beef Tacos using BEER with salsa this morning and the result was AWESOME!

I can say that because usually I am the one making sounds about how good the food is, but, this time, The Husband did too  

SLOW COOKER SOUTHWESTERN STEAK TACOS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Flank, Sirloin or Round Steak
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 lime, juice
• 1 orange, juiced
• 1 1/4 cup BEER ~ good quality ~ one you like drinking, I used Pacifica
• 2/3 cup salsa

TOPPINGS
• 10 Corn Tortillas
• 2/3 cup Finely Shredded Low-Fat Sharp Cheese
• 1 Avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• Lettuce, Cilantro, Salsa, Sour Cream, Lime Wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray.  Season steak with sea salt and black pepper.  Combine the lime juice, orange juice, 1 cup beer and 1/3 cup of salsa.  Pour over beef and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

2.  Remove beef and shredded.  Place in a large nonstick skillet over low heat.  Add remaining 1/3 cup salsa with 1/4 cup Beer or juice from the slow cooker.  Heat just until warmed.

3.  Serve over corn tortillas with all your favorite toppings.

Makes 10 servings, about 1/4 cup per taco, points+ each (meat only, count points+ for tortillas and toppings) 

Nutritional information per serving, based on 10 servings, using caloriecount.com

Did I mention that these were AMAZING?!  They only took me about 15 minutes to make start to finish…definitely dinner in a hurry! 

I had TWO TACOS FOR TACO TUESDAY

* 2 Chili Lime Corn Tortillas (4 points+) ~ these tortillas are worth it to me!

* 1/2 cup Spicy Shredded Beef (6 points+)

* 2 Tbsp salsa fresca (0 points+)

* 2 Tbsp Finely Shredded LF Sharp Cheddar Cheese (1 points+)

* Lettuce, tomato, cilantro and 1/8 AVOCADO (1 Points+)

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Kristen at The Slender Kitchen shares her recipe for 3 Points+ Macaroni & Cheese Cups!

Q’s

Just because it’s fun…..complete this sentence ~ I LOVE my Crock Pot Because……

I am off to dish up a big bowl of watermelon and relax with The Husband!

Night all!

Happy Biggest Loser day all!!  I LOVE reading all your comments on what motivates you to LOSE Weight on this week’s Now Eat This Cookbook Giveaway!  I find myself shaking my head and agreeing with each one, but, even more, you all are MOTIVATING ME too!  Thanks for sharing your ideas and let’s all keep motivating each other.

I am trying something new this week for my 5 AM wake up calls.  I had a long talk with my Weight Watcher leader on Sunday and we both agreed starting my day off with some protein like a hard boiled egg with a piece of fruit when I first get up might help me with not STARVING all day like I was last week.

I honestly was still sleepy but I ate my egg and banana pre-train ride (2 points+)

You all were the REASON I got my bootie on the elliptical for 30 minutes this morning.  I wasn’t feeling it, but, I remembered all the things you all listed and how so many fit with my own goals.

I am not a Pro at using the Elliptical but some of you have asked me how I do my workouts on it.  I treat the Elliptical just like SPIN CLASS!

* 2 Minute Warm Up, then, I crank it up so that I am hitting all muscle groups (usually around 19 or 20).  If I am going to be on that machine, I want it to burn my bootie, thighs, calves, EVERYTHING!

Then, I let my music guide my workout.

* Slow songs are hills ~ I crank up the resistance and push myself to go a little faster during the “chorus” of the song.

* Faster songs ~ I try to hold the beat, then, when the chorus kicks in, I got as fast as I can for the chorus, then, slow down to the beat

* I usually convince myself to spend at least one song pedaling backwards too.

* 2 minutes to cool down, then, stretching ~ my favorite part of EVERY workout.

Post work-out snack ~ Ginger, Pear & Turkey Sausage Patty  topped with Sweet Jalapeno sauce (2 points+)

Pineapple!

Last night while making dinner, The Husband made a 3rd Bacon, Walnut and Cheese salad just so I could have one for lunch today (4 points+)

Toasted Lental Bolani with Sweet Jalapeno (3 points+) ~ LOVE!

I had 2 Low-Fat Banana Bread Cookies for Dessert with decaf coffee ~ (4 points+)

I am also bringing back my afternoon snacks IF I am truly hungry on my long days. I really think my WW leader knows her stuff because honestly I was not STARVING all day today and my meals kept me satisfied for 3-4 hours.

Train ride snacks ~ Trader Joe’s Lite String Chees (1 points+) & a nectarine.

We made “Bacon” Cheeseburgers tonight for dinner that turned out FANTASTIC!  There were only 2 dishes to wash and start to finish it took less than 30 minutes!

The BEST part about this recipe is you can mix/match your toppings (sometimes I add red onion, pickles, pepperoncini’s, jalapenos, mushrooms or avocado).

While the burgers grilled, I pre-heated the oven and added the fries.

Then, I worked on prepping the toppings.

* Organic Mixed Greens

* 4 Organic Tomato Slices

*4 slices Trader Joe’s Peppered Turkey Bacon (1 slice = 0 points!)

* 8 slices of low-fat sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

THE SECRET IS IN THE SAUCE!

* 3 Tbsp Organic Ketchup

* 1 Tbsp Light Mayo

* 1/2 Tbsp Yellow Mustard

* 1 tsp Tapatio or your favorite hot sauce

For the Burgers…..I bought Trader Joe’s 96% lean hamburger patties.  I sprinkled them with garlic salt, black pepper and nonstick spray then grilled them about 10 minutes per side (including melting 2 slices of cheese per burger) in the last minute.

ASSEMBLE!

A little sauce on each side ~ about 1 Tbsp per burger

Mixed Greens

Tomato! I can’t wait for GOOD tomatoes in the summer

BURGER, CHEESE, BACON (1 slice per burger, broken in half)!

“Put the Lid’” on the top!  All for only 8 POINTS+!!!

I served our burgers with TWO sides. Alexia Chipotle Fries (5 Points+ for 4 oz)

CRUNCH!

SO GOOD!!! You can taste the BACON, the CHEESE, the spicy secret sauce, the cool crunchy veggies and toasted sesame bun.  Oh and having spicy sweet potato fries with sweet peppers to cool your mouth off didn’t hurt either

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Our AWESOME Personal Trainer, Susan of the Great Balancing Act is back  and answering your “Ask a Personal Trainer” questions. 

This Week’s question: Can you spot reduce your trouble areas? Click HERE to find out.

GIVEAWAYS!!

Click HERE to enter to WIN 1 OF 4 Signed Copies of Rocco DiSpirito’s Now Eat This Book

Q’s

Are you a “fry” person? If so ~ do you prefer REGULAR FRIES OR SWEET POTATO FRIES?

Ummm, I am pretty sure I’ve NEVER met a fry I didn’t inhale and honestly I LOVE all fries ~ regular, sweet potato, waffle, curly, spicy, salty…..all of the above

Night all!

Happy Friday Eve all!!!  Have you ever noticed that some days your pictures turn out awesome while others days you wonder what happened to your camera or you just simply forget to take pictures……all of the above seems to be my problem lately.

It was tough getting up this morning again at 5 am, but, I did it!  Now if I could only convince my brain to remember to take pictures, that would be good.

On the train I snacked on 3 slices of Trader Joe’s Peppered Turkey with some pineapple (1 points+)  I managed to snap a picture of the pineapple but the bacon is no where again lol.

The combination was weird but good at the same time ~ protein + carbs!

When I got to work, I spent 30 minutes on the Elliptical letting my music dictate the beat and increasing the intensity with each song.

Post workout ~ I snacked on the last 2 of my Kodiak Cakes with 1 Tbsp Whipped Butter and 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup….Deliciousness!  As I was eating them I was already thinking when I can make them again! (7 points+)

I really think getting up so early in the morning makes me a lot hungrier all day long.  I actually pack a morning and an afternoon snack each day but only eat them if I am truly hungry.

Mid morning, I was STARVING so I dug into some Pea Pesto with 5 Trader Joe’s Social Crackers.  I honestly LOVE this pesto….I bet it would be awesome with some pasta and sun dried tomatoes. (4 points+)

Having a late morning snack worked out perfectly because I didn’t get a chance to sit down to eat lunch until almost 2 pm.

Super Fast Asian Slaw!

1 cup Organic Broccoli Slaw

1/4 Organic Shredded Carrots

2 Tbsps Trader Joe’s Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette (2 points+)

Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper flakes

I created a little Mexican-Asian Fusion by having some Simple Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos with my slaw.  (8 points+)

This afternoon I had the chance to interview Maria Menounos and ask her all your questions about her new book and Yoplait  via a Skye Video Call as part of the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt product launch.  I will be sharing the video with you all when it’s done!

When I got home The Husband told me he could make dinner since we were having steak…..ummm, NOTE TO SELF ~ Make steak all the time if it means he will cook

We marinated a a London Broil in Spicy Teriyaki Sauce last night.  I had 3 ounces for 3 points+.  It actually didn’t turn out as spicy as I was hoping so next time I think I’d use Sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes too.

SPICY TERIYAKI BEEF

Adapted from the Weight Watchers Just 5 Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

• 1.25 lbs London Broil
• 1 Orange, juiced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and all, minced (used your food processor or mini chopper)
• 1/3 cup Teriyaki Sauce (I used Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Combine the orange juice through teriyaki sauce in a large ziploc bag.  Add steak and marinate 2 hours, but, preferably overnight.

2.  Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Remove steak and discard broth/bag.  Grill for 30-35 minutes or until steak reaches desired doneness.

3.  To cook in the oven, set the broiler and spray a broiler rack with nonstick spray.  Add steak and discard the marinade.  Broil 5 inches from the heat, about 5-6 minutes or until desired doneness is achieved.

4.  Remove, let rest 10 minutes and slice into 18 strips.

Makes six 3 ounces cooked servings, 3 points+ each

Served with a side of Annie’s Shells & White Cheddar (7 points+)

Plus a simple salad topped with 1 Tbsp Newman’s Lite Lime Vinaigrette (1 Points+)

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Total Comfort in a Bowl ~ 7 Points+ Potato & Corn Chowder

Q’s

Do you prefer to cook your food on the grill or in the oven?

As you all may have noticed, I am all about the GRILL for two reasons.  One, I think it just tastes better, but, TWO and this is a biggie for me ~ there are NO DISHES/PANS to clean with grilling

Just one more day!!!! Night all!