Great Summer Supper!

I love making pulled pork, but only when I can find a decent price on the pork roast and when I actually feel like pulling the pork (what a pain!). I often end up having too much left over and find it hard to control myself around it .. The pork is so moist and the sauce is juicy and so delicious, how could I not go for seconds?!


So for those lazy days, I keep M&M Meatshops pulled pork in the freezer. It's so effortless and perfectly portioned that I don't have the option to over-indulge. It's on the fence for points-friendliness (6 WW+ points per serving) so make sure to have lots of veggies on hand to eat on the side! We make ours with tons of sautéed mushrooms and pile it into a 3-point whole wheat bun.


For this meal, we made Waldorf Pasta Salad (from our bible, The Looneyspoons Collection) which is made with whole wheat rotini pasta, apples, celery, onions and chopped walnuts in a sweet honey mustard / vanilla yogurt dressing. It is absolutely fabulous and five WW+ points per serving. It perfectly complimented our pulled pork sandwich! (and for anyone interested - The Looneyspoons Collection is INCREDIBLE!! I highly recommend it!)


Serve it up on a whole wheat bun and with a cool tray of fresh veggies buffet-style and away you go - a delicious (and very filling) summery meal for 14 WW+ points! 


ps. my apologies for the blurry picture!

Father's Day Picnic!

We're so fortunate to live in an area with lots of parks, bike paths and picnic areas .. So we thought, why not have a picnic dinner instead of the same ol' dining room dinner?


It was a beautiful change of pace, and so refreshing. The kids absolutely loved it, too! And we had lots of bug spray (though those darned Mosquitos sure gave it their all!) so we were pretty undisturbed. Nothing is nicer than family time.


I packed a protein-filled dinner for us, since I knew we'd be heading to the park and splash pad after our picnic. Protein keeps us full for longer periods of time so we knew we wouldn't be hungry coming home from running around in the hot weather at the park!


I made Caesar deviled eggs .. They were so yummy! Instead of using the usual mayo to mix in with the yolks, I used 2 tsp of Renee's light Caesar dressing (I was only making two full eggs, four halves in total, so it didn't take much dressing at all to get the creamy filling deviled eggs are known for!), filled each egg, and topped it with a sprinkle of light Parmesan cheese. It was such a nice twist to deviled eggs and they turned out so well! I'm glad I only made two eggs because I'm pretty sure we would have polished all of them off .. Even if I'd made eighteen!

Mmmm with Parmesan cheese ...

The plain yolk in the middle was for my daughter .. she can't have egg whites just yet!

Next I made cucumber / carrot toonies. I got this idea from Chef Michael Smith's show a while back on the food network .. Basically, you core a long piece of cucumber, then shove a peeled carrot through it, slice, and voila! Veggie toonies! (it sounds easier than it actually was .. Coring the cucumber was a total P.I.T.A!) It was a nice change from the normal cucumber slices and carrot sticks one would normally bring for a picnic.

I also cooked off two pieces (one for each of us) of M&M Meats honey mustard chicken breasts and used them to make a chicken spinach salad. I tossed 1/2 tbsp of honey and 3 tsp of mustard into one single-serving container of apple-flavored yogurt to make a simple yet delicious dressing (this recipe yielded WAY more dressing than we needed for our salad, so we have lots left over). The only things our salad needed were walnuts (we ran out!) and apples (I completely forgot to throw them in!) but they were still great without. (ps. we made these incredible chicken-walnut-spinach salads last week, read about it here!)

We had tons of food, stayed within our points, felt satisfied (not full!) and had the best time hanging out with each other. And we all got plenty of exercise once dinner was over!

Daddy running through the sprinklers with his babies!

The water was COLD! She loved it - me, not so much! 

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing daddies out there! Thank you for all your hard work and dedication! 

Emotional Eater? I am, too.

Tell me if this sounds like you.


Your kids refuse to listen to you all morning and you wind up frustrated and run down .. So you down a bowl of ice cream while they nap.


Your boss rides you all day to meet a deadline on time and you feel super stressed and anxious ... So you open a large bag of potato chips and before you know it, the bag is empty.


Your friends forget to invite you to a big barbecue on the weekend and you feel left out and broken hearted ... So you get a supersized take-out meal and eat every last scrap.


I could definitely say that I identify with all of those scenarios. Food is a huge comfort for me. It helps to distract me from my feelings and makes me feel better.


BUT .. When that food has been eaten ... What's left?! Guilt. And oh, hey, look at that! A couple of extra pounds. And that stress from work is back.


I'm feeling a lot worse now.


Was that Big Mac worth it?


The answer to that varies per individual. Some people are able to shrug it off, others feel guilty, some (like me!) would actually get depressed about it and end up binging again.


I'm so proud to say that for the first time in my life, I've got control over my emotional eating. I've learned my lesson (over and over again!!) about my emotional eating cycle. I feel bad, so I eat .. Then I feel bad for eating, and wind up eating more .. The next day I'm plagued with guilt and anger over those extra pounds and so I feel bad and eat again .. What a destructive cycle.


It's like Fat Bastard says in the Austin Powers movie, "I eat because I feel bad, and I feel bad because I eat."

I've learned that food isn't the answer. Not only does it not fix my problems, it just makes me feel worse.


Here are some tips that I use to keep myself in check during tough times:


1. I remind myself that I don't want to screw up the success I have had so far with my weight loss.


2. I keep myself distracted. When I'm busy doing something, I'm taking my mind off my problem and far away from that little inner voice that is trying to convince me to lose myself in some ice cream.


3. Find another way to deal with the problem. Talk it out with the person who upset me. Go for a nice walk with some music I love. Take a hot bath. Do something that makes me feel good!


4. I don't keep those tempting foods in the house! 


I'm writing this blog while feeling blue myself .. So I'm going to go out for a walk to cheer myself up .. Far, far away from the fridge!

Pizza bites a la zucchini!

I came across this gem of a recipe on Skinnytaste and thought it was too good to be true. I am obsessed with pizza and I LOVE zucchini with a passion so this recipe was a must try!


Here is a link to the original recipe: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/07/zucchini-pizza-bites.html


As always, I used the recipe as a base and adapted it from there to make it my own. I sprayed on the e.v.o.o. and then broiled the zucchini for two minutes on each side. I used my own homemade tomato sauce and added milled flax seed to it (I'll put flax into just about anything!), and also used one slice of turkey pepperoni on each zucchini. Then a sprinkle of my beloved Kraft light tex mex cheese mix and into the oven they went for another two minutes of broiling.


They came out of the oven with the same scents and golden cheesy glow that one would expect from a pizza - and they tasted incredible!! And at only half a point each, you can go for seconds (or thirds) without fear of them showing up on your hips and thighs the next day! :)


 http://www.skinnytaste.com/ for the win!


ps. I apologize for the crappy picture .. I was too excited to eat them to bother with a fancy photo! ;)

Daddy Lego's Crepe-tastic Egg Sammich

We get easily inspired by recipes we come across .. including those at other restaurants. Cora's has an amazing crepe omelette that is quite high on the points scale .. so Chef Daddy Lego created his own!


My husband found a great crepe recipe that he has worked on for weeks to perfect and make his own .. And it is phenomenal!!


Instead of using all white flour, he cuts it in half and uses whole wheat flour, and instead of using a whole egg, he only uses the white. These slight changes (and a touch of his secret ingredient!) make it a very light recipe! We also throw milled flax seed into the mix to make these crepes nutritional powerhouses!


Anyhow, he takes his crepe and wraps it around an amazing (one egg, one egg white) omelette made with everything but the kitchen sink (light ham, tomatoes, green onions, spinach, mushrooms, and a sprinkle of low-fat cheese). Cut it in half for easier eating, slice up some fresh fruits to eat on the side, and away you go ..


Only ten points for this amazing breakfast, but it is so delicious you'd swear it was worth forty!! :)

Oh, for the love of sandwiches!

I used to get stuck in sandwich-ruts when I was on the Weight Watchers program years ago. I'd only buy the lowest-point bread (dry and tasteless!) and would limit myself to what I knew and was comfortable with (light cheese, lean turkey, bit of mustard. That was it)


Little did I know that there was a whole world of sandwich-dom open to me .. If I'd have just been wise enough to explore it! And as long as I'm eating a pile of delicious fresh vegetables with it, and a glass of the ever-important water, then it's totally okay if my sandwich is more than three points; because I have plenty to keep me satisfied! (though to be honest, my favorite bread is verrrry filling!)


The sammich:


Two slices of Country Harvest multigrain crunch bread, two slices of PC lean tomato and basil chicken slices, a touch of mustard, sliced tomato and a generous handful of baby spinach.


Served with a side of broccoli and red peppers with 2tbsp of Renee's light Greek feta dressing (I'm a dressing hoarder! love it!!)


Totally yum.

Five Faves to Keep on Hand!

I have a whole bunch of points-friendly and happy-health foods I like to keep in stock at home at all times. I wanted to share a handful with you! If you have any you'd like to share with me, they're welcome! .. I'm always wanting new things to try!


1. Kraft light tex mex cheese mix.


It's pre-shredded so you save so much time by not having to grate it! It is so delicious, and it's very mildly flavored with tex mex spices (very mild! Im a spice wuss!). It cooks perfectly and is the gooey, ungreasy kind of cheese you would expect on a pizza .. Perfect for when we make homemade pizza! The best part: 1/3 cup is only two points!! and trust me, that goes a LONG way!


Ps. Kraft also has another light cheese blend (I believe it's made with provolone, emmental, Parmesan and white cheddar) ... It's delicious but doesn't melt the same wonderful way that the tex mex stuff does!


2. Baby spinach

I adore baby spinach. I use it in place of lettuce because it has a MUCH longer shelf life. I throw it in everything! Chop it up and add it to your scrambled eggs, smoothies, homemade meatballs, pasta sauces, salads .. It's one of those foods that can add so much to every meal.


Spinach is also aMaZiNg for you. Not only is it low in calories, it's chock full of calcium (good for building strength in your bones and teeth!) and it's loaded with energy-boosting iron too. It also has lots of other goodies like vitamin k, magnesium, potassium .. But my favorite part about it is the taste! Yum!


3. 95% fat-free Cool Whip


Okay, I know that it's made mostly out of ingredients I can't pronounce, which is a huge dietary no-no .. But we all need a treat every now and then, and this Cool Whip is one of my favorites. It is only one point for three tablespoons! Pair it up with your favorite fresh summer fruit and you have a delicious dessert. We also love using it on crepes and waffles in place of sugary syrup.


Our most favorite snack is to mix one serving of Cool Whip with half a fat-free chocolate pudding cup. It makes an absolutely fantastic chocolate mousse to dip strawberries in! Great for those chocolate or sweet cravings and guilt-free!


(for those who are concerned about only eating all-natural foods, you can use Greek yogurt instead of the Cool Whip. It may be a bit higher in points but it's natural and has many more health benefits!)


4. Country Harvest multigrain crunch OR flax seed bread


My husband and I love bread, and while making our home health-friendly, we decided that bread was going to stay. Most people cut bread out completely, but that choice wasn't one we were willing to make!


We only ever bought whole wheat bread before (white bread?! NEVER!) but we've upped our bread to the BEST kind! The Country Harvest breads are made with whole grain wheat, so we get all the goodness of the entire grain. They're loaded with fiber as well (fiber makes for happy colons!). And we absolutely love the specks of grains and flax in the bread, makes for a great texture in sandwiches.


Another benefit of these breads: they're SUPER moist!! Most "diet" breads are bone dry and taste like nothing, so this bread is a real joy to have. But be sure to moderate yourself when eating - they're two points per slice!


5. Fresh fruits and vegetables

You had to know that was coming :)


We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for you, and we know the many reasons why.


For someone watching their weight, veggies can be your best friend. Make sure your portion of vegetables is the biggest one on the plate - bigger than your protein and your starch combined. This way you will be filling up on the goodness of veggies instead of on the rice or potatoes, and saving your hips those nasty calories.


Try to have vegetables with every meal. Throw some mushrooms, green onions and peppers into your breakfast omelette. Load your roast beef sandwich with tomatoes, spinach and have some cucumber on the side. At supper, mix your mashed potatoes with some cauliflower purée and have some roasted broccoli, carrots and leeks as a side dish. There's SO much out there to choose from!


Fruits make great snacks. And they don't have any added sugar - just the natural sugars mother nature intended them to come with (the ones that are easy for your body to process and not harmful!). They're perfect to help curb a sweet craving and can be cool and refreshing on a hot summer day (watermelon, anyone?!)


And as always, the awesome things about fruits and vegetables? Zero points per serving.




Have a fabulous Monday!!