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 =)

Perfect Picnic Days

Such beautiful days! The weather has been absolutely perfect this week - bright sunshine and low humidity. Perfect for an outdoor run which I am beginning to miss:( I thought I might venture out, but got caught up doing other things this morning, so I just hit the treadmill instead. It was a good 40 minute run; I felt strong and probably could have run longer, but I needed to get going with the daughters. Part of the reason I may have had a better run is because I decided to have breakfast first. I usually don't like to eat before running, but it just worked out that way today and I felt pretty good! Maybe, I'll try it more often and see if it really makes a difference in stamina for me.


So, I was in the mood for something different for breakfast. None of the "same olds" were doing it for me. I thought about doing oats, but saw a box of quinoa in the cabinet, begging to be used, so I decided on that. I cooked up some quinoa, then turned it in to Quinoa Cranberry Pecan Hot Cereal. I used ...

• 1/2 c. cooked quinoa, 1/4 c. unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze, 1 tbsp. dried cranberries, 1 tsp. chopped pecans, dash of cinnamon and 1 tsp. sugar free maple syrup; mixed it in a bowl and heated it in the micro for 1 minute.

A very nutritious 3 POINT bowl...

I liked it! Unfortunately, it didn't hang around very long - I was hungry very soon after eating it. That happens to me with oatmeal, too :( I ended up snacking on a cheese stick and some handfuls of crackers. I snapped out of it and headed to the treadmill before I ate the rest of the food in the kitchen :)


After my run, I packed a picnic lunch for the daughters and myself. I surprised them with a trip to the zoo! We got there just in time to set up our picnic lunch under a shady tree. I made a turkey and hummus wrap with spring mix and, to go along with it, Sea Salt and Pepper Rice Chips and a Fuji apple for 6 POINTS...

The daughters' PB&J's attracted an audience...


He almost came right up to us! We had fun watching him and his friends scurrying around us!

We came home tired and ready for dinner. I planned on Flatbread Pizzas using the Quick Flatbread Dough which couldn't be easier! I made a plain sauce and cheese pizza for the husband and daughters and made a Chicken Sausage, Red Pepper and Asiago Pizza for myself. I used half of a leftover chicken sausage with spinach and feta (these are 4 POINTS per sausage), some sauteed red peppers, onion and a slice of Asiago. I cooked the pizza for about 10-15 minutes ...

I started with half the pizza and a side salad dressed with Kraft Light Three Cheese Ranch...

and then ended up eating the other half, too! That was one big 11 POINT dinner :)

As if that wasn't enough, I had to dig into one of those Holey Donuts! I chose the Raspberry Fudge (5 POINTS) and a light shine down from the heavens....

The Holey Donuts peeps would strangle me if they saw this pic of my melty donut ( nuked too long), but no matter to me - it still tasted terrific! That is one good lowfat donut! The husband even got in on the action and tried the Boston Cream and the Cinnamon Strudel and gave it thumbs up. And he knew they were lowfat! Normally, that would immediately be a deal breaker, but he thought they were really good and would eat them again. Sold!

I'm off to enjoy the rest of the beautiful evening. I leave you runners and/or morning exercisers a Question of the Day...

Do you eat before you run or exercise in the morning?

Have a great night!

All In The Family

I woke up this morning with running on my mind. Before the feeling left me, I quickly put on my sneakers and headed to the treadmill. Since, I woke up with the desire, I thought it would be a great run, but it wasn't so hot. I felt a little weak and it took me a good 20 minutes to get in a groove where I felt strong and steady. Weird. But, I toughed it out for 40 minutes, then did a few reps of leg exercises. Then, I hit the kitchen for a red, fiber and blue! A pretty 3 POINT bowl...


The daughters and I hit the library for some books and movies, then came home to make lunch. Nothing was exciting me today. In an effort to use up some leftovers, I decided to make a tasting plate including leftover sweet potatoes, carrots and a "deconstructed sandwich" of turkey slices and a cut-up Arnold Sandwich Thin. I added a bit of Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard in the middle for dipping. Carrots and dijon are a surprisingly good combo! Altogether, a very filling 5 POINT lunch...

While playing some board games and doing crafts with the daughters, I had a handful of Goldfish crackers... then, about 3 more handfuls...Pfft!

I had an easy pizza dinner planned for tonight. The husband and daughters had regular pizza because they would never touch a pizza with a vegetable on it! I decided to make a flatbread pizza for myself. With a vegetable on it!

This is the easiest flatbread pizza dough to make...

Quick Flatbread Dough

(from The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great by Pam Anderson)

1 c. bread flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 tsp. teaspoon salt

1/3 c. warm water, plus extra if necessary

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Mix flour and salt in food processor. Mix water and oil and pour over flour mixture; process to form a soft dough ball. If dough is too stiff, process in another tablespoon of warm water, Continue to process until dough is well kneaded, about 15 seconds.

With floured hands, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, roll dough out to about a 12 x4 inch rectangle, dusting with flour and turning as necessary to keep it from sticking. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place flatbreads on the sheet, top and bake at 425 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.

Makes 4 flatbreads pizza crusts(110 calories per crust)

So easy! Literally took me 5 minutes to put together. I decided to cut the dough in half and make two flatbread crusts instead of 4 (so 220 calories per crust). I topped them with 1/4 c. chopped sundried tomatoes(in oil), shredded baby spinach and one got 1 oz. asiago cheese...

and the other got 1 oz. goat cheese...

To go with it, I made Barbeque Bean Salad ( click HERE for recipe). I cut each pizza into 4 pieces. I had 2 pieces with asiago and 1 piece with goat cheese. Both were equally delicious! These would make a great party appetizer. It was an awesome 10 POINT dinner...

The husband even tried a piece of the goat cheese one and didn't die! Yippee ;P

I felt pretty full, but dessert called my name later on. I ended up eating a Weight Watchers Chocolate Fudge Sundae Cone for 2 POINTS....

This was not my favorite. The ice cream was lacking flavor compared to the Breyers Fat Free Double Churn Ice Cream that I usually buy. The sugar cone was good, but I probably won't buy these again.

I'm off to pack. We're heading to the beach again for the weekend! So excited to ride my bike again!! And because my Gram thinks I'm obsessed with the computer, I decided not to bring it with me this weekend. So, I won't be blogging this weekend so that I can focus ALL my attention on my family and Gram! She might want me to bring my computer again after this weekend - LOL!!!! I'll see you Sun. night for a recap.

Hope you all have a great weekend! Happy 4th and Happy belated Canada Day to my Canadian peeps!

Which Way Is Down???

I was back to my normal early morning workout today. I did 40 min. on the elliptical before getting little daughter off to school. I really like that routine; I'm not sure why I got away from it the past few weeks. It's so good to be done by 7:45 a.m. and ready to start the day!

I dreamed of almond butter last night! Crazy, right?? Food is always on the brain and, unfortunately, on my thighs, too :) I incorporated the dreamy homemade almond butter into my breakfast by topping a Weight Watcher's Petite Bagel with it. I had some sliced banana on the side (probably would have been good on top, too) for 4 POINTS...

I had a craving for flatbread pizza after seeing the delicious recipes in the book, The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great. I decided to try out the quick flatbread dough recipe which was so easy. I used a mix of whole wheat and bread dough to make these and they were terrific! They resemble a crispy tortilla, but a tiny bit thicker. I'll be making these and using them a lot. Here's the recipe so you can, too:

• 1 cup bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. warm water, plus extra if necessary
• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Mix flour and salt in food processor. Mix water and oil and pour over the flour mixture; process to form a soft dough ball. If dough is too stiff, process in another tbsp. if warm water. Continue to process until dough is well kneaded, about 15 seconds. With floured hands, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into quarters (*I did three). Working with one quarter at a time, toll dough out to about a 12 by 4 inch rectangle, dusting with flour and turning as necessary to keep it from sticking. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Top with favorite toppings and bake.

I rolled these out and prebaked them, that way I can have them ready made for instant pizza! Each flatbread is 2 POINTS if you get 4 breads and 3 POINTS if you get 3 breads. A great bargain!

I topped mine with 3 tbsp. of homemade pizza sauce, chopped red and green peppers, garlic thyme mushrooms and 1/3 c. Weight Watcher's Shredded Mozzarella then baked it at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Delish!!!!! The possibilities are endless for these! There are many amazing sounding combos in the book, too. I'm excited to try them all!

I had a bowl of berries on the side for a wonderful, filling 7 POINT lunch...

Isn't that yummy??!!!

I got in a little trampoline jumping with the daughters, then got a St. Patty's Day dinner going. I made flat cut corned beef (MUCH lower in calories and fat), roasted red potatoes, roasted broccoli and a whole wheat raisin soda bread. The soda bread was only 2 POINTS per slice and was a big hit with the husband and daughters!

My plate was 4 oz. corned beef, 4 oz. potatoes, 1 c. broccoli and a slice of soda bread for a 9 POINT feast...

I did have dessert tonight, even though I felt pretty full and probably should have skipped it. But, the strawberry sauce was "going bad" in the fridge and the angelfood cake was "getting stale" (*wink, wink), so I didn't let it go to waste...

This was still not a good On Program day. In the afternoon (before trampolining), I had a big spoonful of almond butter, some Cheez-Its and a macaroon. Don't know what to do about that. I'll keep trying; that's all I can do. Hopefully, I can rein this in before the scale takes off in the wrong direction on a regular basis. OH NO!!! STOP THE INSANITY!!! I don't want to go up...that is the ...

Time for Biggest Loser:)