It's Sunday Already?

I can't believe how the weeks and especially the weekends are flying by! I didn't have time to post yesterday because of the fantastic Luau party we went to and let's just say, I'm not too sad about not taking food pics while I was there. It was a food fest like you've never seen and I "tried" to make some healthy choices, but there was definitely some baked brie and one too many brownies that landed on my plate or just right into my mouth. It was a good time and for once, I am feeling no guilt about what I ate. Maybe because I woke up and got right back on track without giving it a second thought. I think I finally realize that overeating on a regular basis isn't my "norm" anymore. I don't like it. I can't do it all the time. I enjoy my healthy eating plan and I begin to crave it when I stray a little. Wow, could I finally be getting this? If so, it's a good feeling and gives me hope that long term maintenance might not be so scary after all...





I felt a bit tired this morning, but really wanted to get in a run. I wasn't able to do it yesterday because I had some weird dizzy spell that put me back to bed for a couple of hours. I felt a lot better this morning, so I hit the treadmill. After 5 minutes, I wanted to quit. I just wasn't feeling it, but I kept talking myself out of quitting and before I knew it, I was 40 minutes into my run and felt like I could have kept running for an hour! Running really is a mind game!





After my run, I had a great breakfast of 1/2 c. Trader Joe's Nonfat Greek Yogurt, 1/2 c. mixed fresh berries (stolen from the party!) and a crumbled Quaker Blueberry Muffin Bar for 4 POINTS...




Breakfast held me over fairly well, but at the first sign of a grumble, I got to making lunch. I have been wanting to use this for a while...



The whole package is barely 3 POINTS (click pic to enlarge)...


I decided to make Salmon and Egg Salad...

• 1 packet of salmon
• 2 hard boiled egg whites, chopped
• 1/4 c. chopped celery
• 1/8 c. diced red onion
• 2 tbsp. Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil
• s + p
  
  

I served it in a Weight Watcher Whole Wheat Pita with some spring mix along with some Sea Salt and Pepper Rice Chips and Rainier cherries. A filling 7 POINT lunch...

Later in the afternoon, I felt like doing some baking. I wanted to use up some of the cooked quinoa that I had in the fridge and after doing some research on the internet, I put together a recipe for quinoa muffins...

Quinoa Cranberry Bran Muffins

• 2 c. quinoa, cooked
• 1/4 c. applesauce, unsweetened
• 3/4 c. skim milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. brown sugar, unpacked
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. oat bran, dry
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 c. dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl, mix first 6 ingredients (quinoa through vanilla) until well combined.
3. In another bowl, combine oat bran, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
4. Add dry ingredients to quinoa mixture stirring until fully incorporated.
5. Mix in dried cranberries.
6. Fill muffin cups to the top with batter (about a heaping 1/4 c. per muffin cup).
7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and store in a tight container or plastic zip bag.

Makes 12 muffins. Each muffin is 134 calories, 2 grams fat, 3 grams fiber, 5 grams protein. (* I calculated nutritional information using www.calorieking.com).

I thought this would be a unique way to use up some of the quinoa that I had cooked for breakfast the other day! These are some hearty muffins...

Of course I had to try one for a snack! Only 2 POINTS and also a nice dose of potassium (234 mg.) and calcium (78 mg.)...

Although, I tried to chase the husband and daughters around the yard to taste my healthy muffins, they weren't going for it. The husband did want to "save" them for his breakfast tomorrow, so I'll let you know if they passed the pain in the *ss picky eater test ;)

I decided to be nice and not torture them with a healthy dinner. They requested Flatbread Pizza again and I agreed. I made plain for them (can we expand our horizons a little, people that live here????) and I decided to mix mine up a bit. I made a whole wheat crust using the ever easy Quick Flatbread Dough recipe, rolled it out and topped it two ways...

• 1 tsp. garlic oil
• sliced tomato
• 1 oz. part skim mozzarella
• fresh basil, shredded

and...

• 1 tsp. garlic oil
• 1/4 c. sliced roasted pepper and onion
• 1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• 3 Kalamata olives, sliced
• fresh basil, shredded

The tomato/mozzarella half came to 7 POINTS and the pepper/goat cheese half came to 9 POINTS...

I had a slice of each and a side salad ...

and I couldn't resist another slice which made for a 12 POINT dinner...

I was full, but later wanted a cold one...

A fruit bar that is! These Trader Joe's Mango and Cream Fruit Bars are a great 1 POINT treat.

I'm doing the Sunday night wind down. Hope you all had a terrific weekend =)

Eat, Repeat

Today, I tried to recreate the eating day I had yesterday. Since all went well, I repeated some of those meals today. I started off with some gardening early this morning, then came in for another cereal bowl: 3/4 c. TJ's High Fiber O's, 1/2 c. unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze and 2 chopped apricots for 3 POINTS...



A little later, I made up a strawberry crackshake for 1 POINT...

I spent the rest of the morning prepping for our bbq tomorrow, then stopped to make another delish tofu sammie. I used the bbq baked tofu for this one on 2 slices of TJ's spelt bread with lettuce, tomato and a squirt of Kraft Light Three Cheese Ranch. So good! It almost tasted like a BLT but it was a BTLT (bbq tofu lettuce tomato) - heheh! Riding alongside again, some carrots and 3 apriums. Love this 5 POINT lunch...

More prepping for the party, then came snack time. I had to keep reminding myself the definition of "snack" - small portion of food! I went with a fruit and nut bite for 1 POINT...

but, still wanted something more, so I had a lite string cheese (1 POINT)...

I recognized that I wasn't hungry, but I still felt like eating more. I tried to talk myself out of it. It worked for a while, then I succumbed to some Cheez-its and about 10 M&M's. Not so bad, I'm guessing about 5 POINTS.

Before dinner, I decided to get in a run. My hip soreness is getting better with just doing the walking this past week, so I thought I could try a run again. I went to the trail and started to run, but it was so difficult today! Not sure if it was the weather (hot and humid) or that I took that break. I didn't push it, though. I did a mix of walk/run for 35 min. and that seemed good enough for today.

I picked up pizza on the way home for the husband, daughters and our nephews that were visiting. I stayed away from that and made myself some TJ's Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons with a side of sweet fresh pineapple for 4 POINTS...

I ended the night with a mango and cream bar for 1 POINT...

I'm ready to relax a little tonight and get a good night's rest for the bbq tomorrow. I'm looking forward to some yummy eats at the bbq. I'll be back to show you tomorrow night, if it doesn't get too late. If so, I'll be back Mon. morning for a recap! Hope you're having a fun weekend :]

Stock In Trader Joe's

This post is going to read like a big ad for Trader Joe's! I will apologize right off the bat to those of you who do not have one in your area. I know it's frustrating when you see things that people rave about but are unable to find them in your vicinity. But, keep in mind that Trader Joe's does a lot of private labeling, so you may find something in your supermarket that looks the same as what I find in Trader Joe's. With that said, I'll start off with the only meal that didn't come from Trader Joe's; breakfast! A simple bowl of Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran with 1/2 c. strawberries, 1 tbsp. dried cranberries and 1/2 c. unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze for 3 POINTS...




After breakfast, I did a 40 minute weighted workout on the elliptical followed by 20 wall pushups and 20 tricep dips. Then, I cleaned up and headed out to my home away from home...Trader Joe's! Boy, I did some serious damage in there today. I bought lots of my staple items and a few new goodies. Grand total - $132!!! I'm going to make sure I really dwindle down the freezer items before I stock up again. I ran into someone I knew in there and ended up chatting for a while too. Before I knew it, it was almost 2:00 p.m. I was starving and shaky. I don't like messing with my blood sugar like that. I knew if I didn't eat a little something before I got home, I would start grabbing a bunch of junk, so I broke out a Larabar from my grocery bag to tie me over...


I ate half (2 POINTS) and my body thanked me...

That was a good move. It gave me time to put the groceries away before fixing some lunch which involved this great find...

Here are the facts...

I decided to top 2 slices with a Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedge, 1 oz. smoked salmon (also from TJ's) and a little fresh dill. I went with some good ol' carrots and TJ's Sour Cream and Onion Rice Chips for a long awaited 6 POINT lunch...

Note to self: don't wait so long to eat. It seems when I do that, I feel munchie in the afternoon. I think I eat so fast, it doesn't have time to register. I ended up grabbing a bunch of honey wheat pretzel sticks and a cheese stick. Then, I had one of these...

Can't feel too badly, they are only 1 POINT...

But they sure are tiny little things...

Then, it was time for dinner. I got out my last serving of Rigatoni with Three Cheeses from the freezer and added a cup of Trader Joe's Potato Vegetable Medley to it for a tasty 7 POINT meal...

I was pretty stuffed after that, but I couldn't help digging into these...

Just a note about these; I bought them a while ago and noticed that the nutritional information was incorrect. It stated that the total fat was 4.5 gr., but under that the saturated fat was listed as 8 grams. Well, that doesn't compute, so I contacted them and they finally emailed me back stating that all the nutritional information was correct, except the total fat and sat. fat were inadvertently switched upon printing. So it should be listed as a serving of 9 pieces are 130 calories, 8 grams total fat, 4.5 gr. of that is sat. fat, and there are 5 gr. fiber. That makes 9 of these guys out to be 2 POINTS. I should not know this. I did MEASURE out 9...

Plus another handful :( Ick. Now, I feel gross. I have crossed off all my Weekly Allowance POINTS. That's it; I don't want to use any more this week. *talking to myself* C'mon, you dope! You're almost to goal. Now, KNOCK IT OFF!

Okay, I'm better now :) I'm not messing this up! Too close. Gotta remember...GOAL....GOAL....GOAL!!!!

I thought I'd throw out a Question (or two) of the Day for you all...

How much do you spend a week on groceries for your family? Do you think it costs more or less to eat healthy?