Speed Blogging

Hey Everyone! Hope you're enjoying your Saturday! As usual, I'd love to blog your eyes off, but I'm gonna speed blog tonight as I am worn out from an all afternoon into evening baby shower! So, let's get to it...

 

I woke up starving today! I did no exercise (slug) and got right to breakfast. I made an egg sandwich with one egg white, a slice of 2% cheese on a Pepperidge Farm Deli Flat. It looked kinda plain to me, so I spruced it up with a handful of baby spinach...

I got ready and headed out to a lovely baby shower for my SIL's niece. I was really hungry by this time (2:30!), so I nibbled on some of the table snacks...

 

my snacking plate…

 

After chatting for a while, the buffet was ready for the taking....

I decided on fruit salad, pasta salad with sundried tomatoes and romaine salad with mandarin oranges, olives and feta. It was all delicious!

 

Cake and cookies were also served later, but since I felt satisfied with my meal, I decided not to eat any :)

Lots more chatting it up and present opening, then it was time to go. I finally made it home by 7:30 and was feeling really hungry. I went right to the fridge, but couldn't decided what I wanted. As I was thinking, I snacked on a small piece of banana bread and leftover calzone. Nothing really jumped out at me ( I think I was beyond hunger at this point and couldn't decide), so I opted for a small bowl of Post Trail Mix Crunch with blueberries and unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze...

That hit the spot!

Off to cuddle up with the hubs. Have a great night!!

btw, tried out Windows Live Writer tonight - have NO idea what I'm doing or how to size/load my pics! Guess it's a learning process! Anyone have a copy of WLW for Dummies - LOL!

Hanging In The Rain

Another rainy morning! This is a cruel joke that Mother Nature is playing on us! I took it as an opportunity to lounge around this morning. No early start or rushing around; it was kinda nice! I caught up on some blog reading, too. Lucky for me because I came across a great recipe on Melissa's blog, Living Life Happy and Healthy, for Blueberry Oat Bran Muffins. I had to make them right away! I followed her instructions; only change I made was to use half dried apricots and half blueberries. It was a terrific combo and they baked up beautifully and in no time at all...


So wonderful with a spritz of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray...


With a jolt of iced coffee for an easy 2 POINT breakfast...

More lounging, then I forced myself to hit the treadmill for 30 minutes. I was not that into it, but before I knew it, I was finished so I was glad that I didn't blow it off.

I wasn't all that hungry, but it was getting late and I figured I should make some lunch before the hunger hits all at once. I decided on a Chicken Pesto and Goat Cheese Panini. I used a Weight Watchers Whole Wheat Pita, 2 oz. grilled chicken breast, 1/2 oz. goat cheese, 1 tbsp. homemade pesto and 1 1/2 tsp. chopped sundried tomatoes (in oil). I cut the whole pita in half (but still a round), layered the ingredients on the one round, topped it with the other, then placed it on the George Forman Grill (aka panini maker!) and let it heat through. It was delicious and full of flavor. I paired it with some sweet watermelon for a nice 7 POINT lunch...

Later in the afternoon, I had to make a quick supermarket run in the downpour. While there, I grabbed a Mocha Lite Frappuccino for 2 POINTS...

I have a big Father's Day dinner planned for tomorrow, so tonight, I opted for an easy dinner. I made Philly Cheesesteaks with crinkle potato wedges and spinach with garlic and oil. A 10 POINT family favorite...

I ended with a little dessert of chocolate Vitaheart with 2 tsp. chocolate icing for 2 POINTS...

I'm full. My stomach has not been feeling so great and I'm guessing it's due to way to much crappy eating lately. I felt like I reigned it in today, so hopefully, I can get back on track 100% this week!

Have a great night!

Shopping Escapades

What a day! I have been running around since early this morning. I had to be at big daughter's school by 7:45 for a presentation that she was giving on "Women I Admire" and she chose me! Very sweet and I was very dorky and teary the whole time. I am retaining a copy of the essay and making extra copies, laminating them and wallpapering her room with them when she turns 16. Just as a reminder for when she is banished to her room for saying, I hate you and the classic, You're soooooo mean! Not that I am expecting any of that to happen with her - she is very sweet and will remain so I'm sure. But, you always gotta have backup ;)

Anywho, I brought a Banana Date Breakfast Cookie with me since I knew I wouldn't be coming home for a long time after the presentation. A good portable 2 POINT breakfast...

After the presentation, I headed straight to one of the million stores I had on my list for the day. I needed to shop for summer clothes/bathing suits for the daughters and myself. I don't think I mentioned this yet, but we are going on a family trip to Florida and we all need updated summer things. I am thankful and happy that not many of my clothes fit from last summer. Some shirts are fine, but no bottoms fit. But for some reason, shopping was not a joyous event. I don't know what has happened to me, but I seriously dislike shopping. I KNOW! It's crazy! The only logical explanation I have is that the husband has been hypnotizing me while I sleep, chanting...you hate shopping...don't spend money...shopping is baaaad. If you knew him, you would know this could happen =] In the midst of my shopping torture, I stopped for an apple snack that I had stored in my handbag...

Two pairs of capris, a skirt, a shirt and two bathing suits(not mine) later, I was able to head home for a late lunch. I toasted a Kim's Light Bagel and topped it with baby spinach, roasted peppers and 3 sliced mini mozzarella balls. A side of carrots and a wonderfully ripe plum made up this terrific belated 5 POINT lunch...

A little later, I was feeling hungry, so I decided to have a real deal Larabar...

After making my homemade Larabar, I was interested to see how close they were in taste. I ate 1/2 which is 2 POINTS for the real deal and the homemade. Here's what the real Larabar looks like...

It was terrific and basically identical to the homemade recipe. Now seeing the real Larabar, I realized that I processed the almonds too much when I made it- there should be more chunks than when I made it. Since many of you have asked, here is the link to the recipe I used: http://www.cleaneatingonline.comhttp//www.cleaneatingonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:larabar-recipe&catid=39:snack-recipes&Itemid=59
Awesome stuff!

Dinner was chicken mushroom stroganoff using leftover chicken from last night. I used 3 oz. chicken breast and mixed it with a mushroom thyme sauce that I made from ...
I put the mixture over 2 oz. whole wheat noodles. It was a huge portion...


add a delicious green salad ...

And it was one filling 9 POINT dinner! But, you know, I always save room for dessert even when I go shopping for bathing suits and have scarred my retinas...

I still have no bathing suit :( Can't commit. But, I DO have chocolate marshmallow frozen yogurt :)

Have a great night =)

Duct Tape

I need duct tape. Not for a household project -for my mouth. I need to tape it up with the strongest duct tape so that I will not allow anymore junk to find it's way into my mouth. I know it sounds extreme, but I think it will work! Okay, it's not realistic, but I am really having a hard time and I don't know of a way to get out of this overeating pattern. Every morning I wake up with the right intentions, but I head in the wrong direction from afternoon to evening. I need to snap out of this! I am kinda mad at myself for giving in to the whole "oh, it's a holiday - just enjoy yourself" hype because it clearly is something I cannot handle at this time. I don't just "get right back on the wagon". I chase after the wagon for weeks as it is doing the Indy 500 in front of me and I can't catch up with it!! So, maybe I am not ready to NOT be in weight loss mode. I need to stay as focused as I can so that I don't completely go off into "never never want to be there again "land. Well, let's get to the food - there sure was a lot of it...



Lunch today was a white bean, roasted pepper and spinach wrap. I used 2 tbsp. white bean dip, roasted peppers, a handful of baby spinach in a La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious Tortilla. I had the usual sides of grapes and Kettle Baked Potato Chips...







But this was not enough. I also had to eat all the crusts cut off from little daughter's PB&J and two handfuls of pretzel sticks.

Snack time was not a mountain of brownies that I wanted very badly. I decided on a brownie substitute...

I crumbled the Chocolate Brownie Clif Z Bar over 1/2 c. plain yogurt sweetened with a little Splenda...

This was a really tasty snack and pretty filling. I will definitely have this again.

I'm not completely sure, but I do think I grabbed a chocolate or two after this. Isn't that sad? I was in an eating trance!

My in-laws came for dinner tonight and I put out most of our leftovers to eat. They had lasagne and I made a baked penne with some leftover whole wheat penne, part skim ricotta and some reduced fat mozzarella. I also had a salad with oil and vinegar and a slice of some reeeally good rustic bread. I think I said I wasn't going to buy this bread again, but "whoot, there it is"...

I ended up having another piece and a half, PLUS some of little daughter's crusts. Wait, there's more. I picked on some more of the pasta and I had 2 of my Gram's deep fried veggies (she makes them every Christmas Eve). Sorry no pics. I think then I can pretend I never ate them!

But, WAIT, there's more...

and sad to say, more chocolate followed:(

I am ready for bed now, however I am probably so sugared up that I won't sleep right. I hope to snap out of this eating. I feel terrible mentally and physically, but it's almost like I can't stop myself. It's getting to the point where nothing is really looking that appetizing, but I am just compelled to eat it. I don't know. I need some "divine intervention" soon!!!! Or duct tape, whichever comes first...

Rush,Rush,Rush!!

I have been running(not in an exercise way) since early this morning! I woke up extra early so that I could fit in my workout - yay, me- before going with big daughter on an all day field trip to a cool museum. I was rush, rush, rushing because big daughter begged that I not be late - I'm trying to get better with that! So, breakfast was short and sweet. A Banana Date Breakfast Cookie and some Eggnoggin Tea - to go...

Before I left, I had to pack my lunch for the field trip. I thought a wrap would be a good thing. I finally found a suitable replacement for the other store brand tortillas that I was using and my store discontinued. These wraps are called La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious. They sure are! Each tortilla is 80 cal., 3 gr. fat, and 12 gr. fiber. Also, 1 Point. Yipee...

I made a wrap with 2 oz. turkey, a handful of baby spinach, slice of center cut bacon and a tsp. Kraft Light Three Cheese Ranch Dressing. I also brought an apple and bottle water. Perfect and not too sloppy!

We had to wolf this down in a nanosecond since the teachers had us on a tight schedule. I snapped this picture as quick as I could (people were looking at me strangely, too - the one side effect of food blogging!) and I gobbled it up.

It was nice to spend time with big daughter. She isn't completely embarassed of me yet, and did acknowledge my presence most of the time we were at the museum. We had a good time!

Then, there was more rushing to get home and also, rushing to make some cookies for a Christmas party I am attending tonight. I tried a lowfat cookie recipe from Aimee's Adventures called Caramel Kiss Cookies and regular Gingersnaps recipe that I make often at holiday time. I tried the Caramel Kiss Cookies and they were good! They are cute little guys and only 1 Point per cookie...

Betcha can't eat just one...... :)

Shopping and Baking

Food shopping was on my agenda today. I got through it pretty quickly, got everything I needed and found some exciting new food finds! I will be sharing these with you as I try them. Let's start with lunch today! I found this yummy Beans, Rice and Cheese Style Burrito at my local supermarket in the frozen food section...


It's by a company called Cedarlane. It has 260 cal., 1 gr. fat, 7 gr. fiber and 13 gr. protein. That comes to only 4 Points. I popped it in the micro according to package directions and dove in. It was terrrific! I would definitely buy this again. I had two plums along with it ; a great no-brainer lunch...

During my food shopping trip, I also bought a bunch of these beat-up bananas for only $1.14...

I was thinking smoothies and Whole Grain Banana Bread!!!! I knew I couldn't stay away from it for too long. I got to baking it right away - smelled so good.

I decided I should have a snack while the bread was baking. That way I won't be tempted to eat the whole thing when it comes out! I grabbed a Fiber One Strawberry Yogurt and an Eating Right Bar...

Dinner tonight was Barbeque Turkey Meatloaf. There was a round of applause from little daughter. Not really. She declared her hatred and begged for the Banana Bread. Although I tried to maintain my stance that I have two menu options : Take It or Leave It, I ended up caving. She ate banana bread for dinner with attitude because she said, "It's healthy, Mom, right???" Can't argue there...

Along with my delicious meatloaf, I made brown basmati rice with added sauteed mushrooms and onion, and some sauteed frozen spinach. It was a very good and filling meal. Oh and the husband said it was great! I wish I had recorded that...

After dinner I couldn't help myself - I had to make another banana recipe. You will be seeing lots of banana-ish things as I will be trying to use up my bounty! Consider yourself warned!!! I wanted to try and make a breakfast cookie. Something healthful and quick to eat in the morning since there will be lots of rushing out the door until Christmas. I played around with some ingredients and ran the recipe through the WW Recipe Builder until I came up with the Point value I would want. I really didn't want to spend more than 3 Points for a breakfast and these cookies came out to 2 Points!! Here's a little sneak peek...

I'll try them tomorrow for breakfast and let you know if they are a hit. Stay tuned.... :)

Grind It Out

I have so much crammed into today. I made a list, but I'm not sure I'll get it all done in one day. I'll try my best to grind out as much as I can.

I didn't want to skimp on breakfast this morning. I really wanted a "sit down" kind of breakfast. I decided to make an omelette and light english muffin. I'm sure you've seen these Thomas' Light English Muffins; they have been around for a long time. They taste terrific and are 100 cal. with 8 gr. fiber! They are only 1 Point in the Weight Watchers' world...



My omelette was made with 2 egg whites (I wanted 3, but this was all I had left), a handful of baby spinach and 1 oz. of Cabot 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese, grated. Delish...

Waving....as I run out the door.....