Thursday, February 28, 2013

A Very Special Recipe

My blogs have recently been about food and the healthy recipes we have been using. 

Well, today I have a very special recipe to share...

Ingredients

1 part Oklahoma


1 part Kansas





 Tons of hard work

Bunches of determination

Loads of Love


Yields One Amazing Dad




 Today my Dad celebrates his birthday! YAY! 

I truly believe he is the best out there, brother and I are blessed! 

I wish I could be there in person to celebrate, but I can't pull off that surprise two years in a row.

Lots of love to the guy that inspires me to work hard and stay strong each and every day.

Happy Birthday to my long distance running buddy! Miss you!



 


 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Bag Ladies Like Pizza

This week I went to the gym twice to run. The highs were around 34°F and the wind was not helping. I would run outside, but by the time I get home it's dark and just not safe...and cold, really cold. I did run outside tonight. It was a warm 41°F and only kind of rainy, but I was really happy to get back to running on the streets.

On days I go to the gym I have to carry 4 bags out of the house...

Purse
Laptop Bag
Lunch Bag
Gym Bag

I seriously look like I'm moving. I wonder what the neighbors think...hmmm...

I did a wonderful treadmill workout, I think I'm in love with it. Like most things in my life, I found this online and altered it a little bit to fit my goals. Here it is, it's not easy and you will sweat quite a bit. You'll burn a ton of calories AND run more than 3 miles in 30 minutes! Oh...do all of this at 1% incline too.

0-2 minutes at 4.0
2-5 minutes at 6.5
5-7 minutes at 6.7
7-8 minutes at 6.9
8-11 minutes at 6.0
11-13 minutes at 6.2
13-14 minutes at 6.4
14-16 minutes at 5.5
16-19 minutes at 6.5
19-21 minutes at 6.7
21-22 minutes at 6.9
22-25 minutes at 6.0
25-27 minutes at 6.2
27-28 minutes at 6.4
28-30 minutes at 6.0

On to bigger and better things...
I made pizza crust out of a vegetable! SAY WHAT?!

I found a recipe on Pinterest that led me to search online for the BEST recipe out there. Well, 3rd time is a charm and we have a winner! Due to the searching I honestly can't remember where I got this one, or if it's a combo of a few of them...


Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients
2 C Cauliflower, riced
2 C Mozzarella Cheese, Part Skim, shredded
2 Eggs, beaten
2 tsp Oregano, dried
1 tsp Garlic, crushed
1 tsp Garlic Salt
Olive Oil, optional

Toppings - Your choice!

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F and line a cookie sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.

In case you didn't know how to spray ...

 To 'Rice' the Cauliflower - Use 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove the stem and leaves and chop the florets into chunks. Add to a food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. OR you can use your cheese grater's small side...one large head will give you two cups or more.



like so - I should be a hand model, right?


Place the riced cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cook in the microwave for about 8 minutes on high.

This is how 'riced' Cauliflower should look.

 Meanwhile, Beat the Eggs. Then add in the Oregano, Garlic, and Garlic Salt and mix well. 

I am in love with my tiny baby whisk!


Add the Cheese and Egg Mixture to the Cauliflower, mix well. I used my hands!


Transfer to the cookie sheets and/or baking dishes. Use your hands to spread it out and pat it thin, very thin! 

YAY!

I only have one cookie sheet :(

At least they all fit in the oven!
 

Bake at 450°F for 12 to 15 minutes. 
  
Finished crust!


Remove form oven. Top with sauce, toppings, and cheese. Place under broiler at high heat until cheese is melted, about 4 to 5 minutes.
 
 Here are the facts for the recipe! We ate this for dinner and lunch the next day, so the servings are plenty big!
Remember to add up your toppings for the full facts, we were around 7 points per serving.

6 Servings


Calories: 146  Fat: 10  Saturated Fat: 5  Carbs: 3  Fiber: 1  Sugar: 1  Protein: 11

WW Points Plus:4


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Weights, Measures, and Chicken Piccata

I had a rather disappointing weigh in this week, but the number was lower so I’m claiming victory!

February 17, 2013 – 158.2 – 0.4 week – 10.8 total

I believe the low weight loss was due to the lack of working out and having a number of celebrations last week. We had a pancake dinner on Tuesday, Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, and dinner with family and friends on Saturday. The weather was rather cold a dreary, so we didn’t run much. No worries...this week has already started off on a different  note.

Since the weather is still in the “freeze your face off” mode I made an appearance at the gym. I swiped my card and lived through the look of the 5’10” model that works the front desk...yeah...I haven’t been here in like 10 months, Judgy McJudgeshorts. At least I am here now! And it's freezing outside, why are you wearing shorts?!

I managed to exceed my goal of 2 miles on the treadmill! I did a bit of a different running workout. I have a decent amount of stamina from running longer distances, but my speed leaves a little to be desired. So, in hopes of working on increasing my get up and go I followed this plan...

5 minutes at 4.2 – Warm Up
1 minute at 5.0
1 minute at 5.5
1 minute at 6.0
1 minute at 6.5
1 minute at 7.0
1 minute at 7.5
1 minute at 8.0
1 minute at 8.5
2 minutes at 4.0
Repeat 2 more times
5 minutes at 4.0 – Cool Down

This might look somewhat easy, but about 20 seconds into the 8.0 minute you'll be feeling it. Unless you run a lot and you have super long legs...and I hate you. *hug*
  

Last night I made a delish dinner and I can’t wait to share the recipe! I always have great intentions to take photos. I like posts with pictures, but I always realize toward the end that I haven’t snapped one single photo! Maybe I will improve on this soon. Until then you’ll just have to close your eyes an use your imagination!
Thanks Google!  Close enough! :)


Chicken Piccata
Original Recipe from Weight Watchers

Ingredients
1 Lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/3 C All-Purpose Flour  
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Table Salt
2 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 C Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
1/4 C White Wine
1/2 C Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Light Butter
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley
1 Tbsp Capers, drained

Instructions
Trim fat and slice chicken in half if they are thick. Pound flat.

Mix flour, salt and pepper and put on plate or in plastic bag.

Place 1/4 C of lemon juice in a bowl; dip chicken into lemon juice and then dredge in seasoned flour.

Heat oil in pan and cook chicken on both sides until golden and cooked thoroughly, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside; keep warm.

Deglaze pan with white wine, stirring to remove browned pieces. Add broth and remaining lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat until reduced and slightly thickened. Swirl in butter and drained capers.

Place chicken back in skillet to coat with the sauce.

Serve sauce over chicken, and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

We added 1 C of Whole Wheat Pasta to this, divided by four it only adds one additional WW Point!


4 Servings (sans Pasta)
Calories: 209  Fat: 5.6  Saturated Fat: 1.2  Carbs: 12.3  Fiber: 0.5  Sugar: 1  Protein: 27.8

WW Points Plus: 5


4 Servings (with Pasta)
Calories
: 252.5  Fat: 5.8  Saturated Fat: 1.4  Carbs: 21.5  Fiber: 2.1  Sugar: 1.1  Protein: 30

WW Points Plus: 6


Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Just Keep Swimming

We survived Nemo and he wasn't as adorable as that little fish in the movie.

The snow kept us inside for the majority of Saturday. So, I dusted and cleaned the baseboards...the amount of dust that accumulates on those things is cray. 

We did venture out to shovel Raymond (our RAV 4 ... yes I name everything) out so we could take Sophie to her grooming appointment on Sunday morning and attend church. Yay God! 

My little fingers aren't made for the cold, but once I figured out that I could wear more than two pairs of gloves I was quite alright! 

Sunday we managed to get Gordy (the Grand Prix) shoveled out and prepared for Monday morning's commute. I also made the weekly trip to the grocery store, yums! 

That brings me to Sunday's weigh in...I wish I had that suspenseful music from the Biggest Loser, it would really make it seem more intense...

February 10, 2013 - 158.6 -1.2 week - 10.4 total

Last week wasn't too difficult, this week will not be the same. We have Shrove Tuesday, aka Fat Tuesday, and dinner on Saturday night at a super yummy local Italian place. It's gonna be a tough one. So, we are making sure that we keep our recipes at home simple, quick, and low on points. Here is one of my favorites from the Weight Watchers Recipe Book...of course I made a couple of changes to make it just a little better.

I have really started to crack down on my measuring. I'm finally putting the kitchen scale we got as a wedding gift to good use! And my portions were WAY off! 

Chicken Quesadillas with Creamy Salsa
Originally from Weight Watchers

Ingredients 
4 Large Flour Tortillas, Fat Free, Low Carb, or Whole Wheat
1 C Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded, Fat Free
1 C Chicken Breast, Cooked, Shredded
1 C Corn, canned, drained
1 C Red Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 C Cilantro, raw, chopped
1/4 C Sour Cream, Fat Free
1/4 C Salsa

Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with foil, coat the foil with a nonstick spray.

Cook the Bell Peppers in skillet until tender, the recipe called for Roasted Red Peppers, but the ones in our store aren't really that great. (I miss southern grocery stores!) 

Place tortilla on baking sheet. 
Top one site with 2 Tablespoons Cheese.
1/4 Cup Chicken (I used left over Rotisserie)
1/4 Cup Corn 
1/4 Cup Peppers
1 Tablespoon Cilantro
Finally, 2 more Tablespoons of Cheese and fold over the tortilla to form a semicircle, lightly pressing the edges to seal. 
Repeat with the other three tortillas, making a total of 4

Place the quesadillas on the baking sheet; lightly spray the quesadillas with the cooking spray and bake until lightly browned...about 6 minutes. 

Combine the Sour Cream and Salsa to make a yummy dipping sauce! 

4 Servings

Calories: 246  Fat: 4  Saturated Fat: 2  Carbs: 29  Fiber: 3  Sugar: 3.5  Protein: 11.5

WW Points Plus: 5

Friday, February 8, 2013

Let It Snow...Okay...Let It Stop

After my last post I received a number of positive comments, mostly on facebook and through private messages. I loved every single one.

I did want to clear up the reason that I want to lose weight. It's not totally about the number on the scale or the way I look, it's about my long term health and the way I feel. I'm very uncomfortable at this weight and I just don't feel healthy. Fitting into my clothes better is just a positive by product.

As the winter weather blankets ground this morning in Jersey, I am glad I have leftovers from last nights dinner packed in my lunch bag. Mr. E loves this one too and can't really even tell that it's ground turkey instead of beef!

I'm in love with anything taco, burrito, or nacho related. This really tastes like all three at the same time! YUM! I altered the recipe a little bit and I think that I might alter it even more next time. If I do and it turns out well I'll let ya know.

Taco Casserole
Original Recipe from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

1 Pound Ground Turkey
½ C Onion, chopped or diced
½ C Red or Green Pepper, chopped or diced
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 packet Taco Seasoning, low sodium
1 Can Tomato Sauce, low sodium
1 Can Rotel (I used hot), drained
1 C Sour Cream, Light
1 C Cottage Cheese, Fat Free
1 C Cheddar Cheese, Shredded, Low Fat

3/4 C Tortilla Chips, broken

Preheat oven to 400°F. Use cooking spray to coat the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.

In a skillet, cook the turkey, onion, peppers, and garlic until lightly browned.

In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and cottage cheese.

Place approx. half of the broken chips on the bottom of the dish.


 Add the meat mixture to cover the chips.



Then add the sour cream/cottage cheese mixture on top of the meat.


Sprinkle the cheese on top.

And throw the rest of those broken chips on top of that!


Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes.

Meet Conrad the Cow - isn't he adorable?

Finished Product!




The Weight Watchers version uses ground chicken, I'm not a big fan, and tops it off with salsa once it's done baking. I didn't think the salsa was necessary, so I didn't use it!

Here are the facts...

8 Servings
Calories: 217 Fat: 10  Saturated Fat: 4.1  Carbs: 11.6  Fiber: 1.25  Sugar: 4.75  Protein: 19.4
WW Points Plus: 6

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Let me tell you a story...

It's about a girl that has struggled with her weight her entire life. Yeah, it's me. #shocked
 
If you want to see the definition of Yo-Yo just view my weight for the last 20-ish years. I'm sure many people completely understand this problem. If you don't, count your blessings while you eat your cheeseburger.
 
I vividly remember feeling fat in the 3rd grade, even as I played soccer I would dream of shorts in a smaller size and thighs that didn't rub together. I would gain weight, lose it, and gain it back. When I was 15 I got a job at a local restaurant and because I was too scared to ask what I could eat I simply didn't eat. That was the first time I remember feeling the inside of a size 6 pair of jeans. The overwhelming schedule of being in band, jazz band, playing soccer for a club team and the high school, on top of working a part time job kinda started to get to me. I opted to quit playing on the club soccer team and didn't see much field time on the high school team, my weight increased.
 
At the end of the school year, I realized I was not going to be able to go to college on my sweet soccer skills and short legs. Focusing on music was my best bet for a college scholarship and my part time job kept my car, the Gutless Cutless and later my low rider (yes, it's true), insured and fueled. We had weekly 'Pig Outs' before football games, it was cool to go out to eat for lunch, and I finally mustered up the courage to ask what food I could eat at work. So, my weight increased and I graduated high school rocking a size 12.
 
Many of you know that I attended The University of Tulsa. The location of the school was wonderful, small, and close to home. In addition, there were at least 6 great fast food joints within walking distance, but ain't no one got time to walk so we drove! Over the course of my 5 1/2 years at TU...I did get TWO Degrees! ... I would gain weight, drop it, gain it again. I walked across the graduation stage a semester early in May 2005 since I only had 3 credits to complete. I was a size 12/14.
 
Over the summer of 2005 I managed to lose around 50 pounds. I was only eating around 500 calories a day. I had migraines, stomach aches, and was tired all the time. I think some of my hair fell out too, but my legs felt the inside of a size 6 again! I was happy about how I looked, but my health suffered. I managed to keep most of it off through the next semester and moving into my condo. I settled at a comfortable size 8.
 
I think I have rambled quite enough and you can read about my wedding weight here. I know that I won't be on the Biggest Loser and that my struggle isn't nearly as bad as others. More than anything I want to be healthy and happy. I don't feel that I am either of those things right now. A very long story very short...as of January 13th my 5 foot 1 inch frame could barley fit into my size 12 clothes and I weighed in at a dismal 169 pounds. Some of that can be attributed to my recent health struggles, but I have to take the majority of the blame.
 
I say all of that to say this - 2013 will be my year to get healthy and stay that way. Call me Jennifer or Jessica if you want...this girl is on Weight Watchers!
 
Posting all of this isn't easy and I don't promise to do it forever, but for the time being I will post my weight and maybe a few recipes that I like and am using in this journey. Also, I am still planning on continuing my running dreams...plans for a half marathon this April and a full marathon in November! Both will be easier if I can shed some pounds.
 
Let me bring you up to speed on my weight loss...
January 13 - 169.0 - starting weight
January 20 - 162.6 - 6.4 pounds lost!
January 27 - 161.4 - 1.2 week - 7.6 total
February 3 - 159.8 - 1.6 week  - 9.2 total
 
 
My favorite thing for Breakfast right now is a recipe that I got from Pinterest. I altered it a bit to get the WW Points down, don't want to use all your points in the morning! It's yummy, easy to make, and lasts us 3 days!
 
 
Baked Oatmeal Casserole 
Original recipe from Urban Nester
 
Ingredients
 
2 C Rolled Oats (can use Gluten Free)
8 tsp Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt 
1 C Berries
(blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries)
2 C Fat Free Milk
1 Large Egg
3 Tbsp Margarine  
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Banana, ripe, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch slices (optional)
 
Preheat oven to 375°F and spray the inside of a rectangle baking dish. I have used a few different sizes...the longer and wider the thinner the end product will be...I like using a 9 x 12
 
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and 1/2 C berries.
 
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, margarine and vanilla.
 
Pour the oat mixture into the baking dish. You might need to rearrange the berries a little bit so they aren't all clustered together. Add the other half of the berries to the top to fill in the empty spots. If you're going to use the banana now is the time to add the slices to the top.
 
Pour the Milk mixture over everything and give the pan a gentle shake to settle the mixture.
 
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
 
I personally don't care for cooked banana *yuck*! So, here are the facts sans nanner.
 
6 Servings
Calories: 206  Fat: 8  Saturated Fat: 2  Carbs: 27  Fiber: 4  Sugar: 10  Protein: 7
WW Points Plus: 5