Good things come to those who wait...

Okay, here comes another blog, yet again, on a Saturday.  I think this is going to remain my distribution date for awhile, or at least until I am able to handle my workload during the week.  I don’t see that happening any time soon though.  Okay, so besides the 60+ hour work week that I put in, I did manage to get the major reporting done.  I also put in for a position within my group that would be a promotion for me.  Wish me luck.  I hope that things go well there. 

On the Weight Watchers front, I still have not missed a meeting. I did go to this week’s meeting on Friday of this week.  I had planned to attend the Friday meeting due to my crazy work schedule.  The meeting was at noon, and my boss called a meeting at 11am that was looking like it was going to go long.  We wrapped up and I headed off to the meeting.  It was all that I could do to get up out of my chair and leave.  I do have a reminder on my calendar, and I keep this weekly appointment. No exceptions. I am so glad that I did. I will get to that in a minute!

We had our Boopa’s Bagel Deli 10K walk today…or at least that was the plan.  Adi came to my house and I drove to Brenda’s.  She drove down to Ft. Worth for the race. We got to the location, checked in, picked up our packet and timing chip…then the temperature dropped and the wind picked up.  A bit of sleet was falling as well.  On our way back to the trunk to drop off the swag bags, we decided to play hookey from the race and have breakfast instead.  Don’t worry, true believers. There is still a March race for me to do.  It’s the March Madness 5K in Fort Worth.  So, resolution still intact.  Glad that we decided to not do this one though. Not nice out. At all.  I couldn’t even get warm once I got home.  Brrrr….Dang cold fronts!  The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but this time, the decision was justified.  To make me feel bad, though, my dad HAD to tell me that back in the day, when he ran (B.K.R.—before knee replacement), he ran a 10K in downtown Orlando, in sleet. Thanks Dad.  I stand by my choice though.  I think Brenda and Adi would back me up there. 

Now, I am glad that I went to my meeting this week for a couple of reasons; the first of which was the fact that I don’t want to ruin my streak of perfect attendance!  That aside, I lost 2 ½ pounds this week.  Not sure if this is a fluke or just from the fact that I was totally swamped at work and didn’t really eat that much.  I also think that the meeting mentally helped me this week.  I desperately needed a distraction from work, even if only for 45 minutes.

I actually think that this week’s loss was a good loss, despite the fact that I really didn’t track much this week.  I  WAS aware of what I was eating.  My meals went basically like this:

Breakfast: Bagel-Thins with 2 oz Boar’s Head Lower Sodium ham, one slice of 2% cheddar singles and a glass of ½ % milk

Lunch: Lean protein, veggies and brown rice

Dinner: The other half of what I didn’t eat for lunch

Even though I didn’t track, I knew my breakfast was 7 PointsPlus™, lunch was 8 PointsPlus and dinner was around the same.  By remaining consistent, I didn’t sabotage anything, and was still able to lose weight this week. At least that’s what I’d like to think.  It’s pretty funny how the meeting topic this week was in complete contradiction to what I had done this week.  This week’s topic dealt with keeping the plan fresh. I know it seems like this is some sort of a rut, but for me it was that familiarity that kept my meal planning sane in a time of chaos.  Sometimes the routine isn’t the enemy…it can be your safety net.

I am, however, all for keeping things new and fresh. I think it’s great to change things up on occasion.  I do try to have a variety of foods around and do different things with them.  This week, while my parents were in town, I tried to work in veggies where I could. I made the most wonderful spinach salad. I had a bag of sweet peppers from Costco in the crisper, along with a bag of baby spinach leaves, crimini mushrooms, Campari tomatoes, and shallots (my red onion sort of bit the dust and turned into a science project, so the shallots performed the role of understudy).  I made up a big bowl of these wonderful greens and veggies.  No croutons necessary here.  I tossed this salad together and put out an assortment of dressings so each could have their favorite. I had mine with a Wishbone Bountifuls Tuscan Romano Basil (at a PointsPlus™ Value of 1 per 2 tbsp).  I also put out some blue cheese crumbles (which go a long way when you only use a tablespoon).

The grocery store actually makes it easy for you to vary your meals.  If you follow the sales circulars, you will see what items are seasonal.  I like to keep fruit in season in the house…I have been on a pineapple kick, of late. I also have become quite the apple snob.  I love Jazz, Honeycrisp, Fujis & Pink Lady.  I was also told about two other varieties that I have to try: Junami and Kiku (thanks to Charla for these suggestions). I will get back to you guys on how those last two are.  Right now we are working through a clam-pack of Costco’s Pink Lady apples. I really think there may be something to the old adage “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  What do you think?

“Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.”

~William Cowper, English Poet

RECIPES

Nacho-rific Stuffed Chicken

This recipe is courtesy of Hungry-Girl.  I caught her show on the Cooking Channel this afternoon, and wanted to forward a few of these made-over favorites to you guys.  The ones she made today looked wonderful, and I will be making them this week!

PointsPlus™ Value:  6

Preparation Time:  25 min

Cooking Time:  35 min

Yields: 4 servings – 1 stuffed chicken cutlet

Nutrition Information: 270 calories, 4.25g fat, 780mg sodium, 13g carbs, 2g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 40g protein

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fat-free refried beans

4 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese

1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

16 low-fat baked tortilla chips (like the kind by Guiltless Gourmet)

1 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix

Four 5-oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 1/3-inch thickness

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup taco sauce, divided

Optional toppings: fat-free sour cream, salsa

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.

To make the filling, combine beans, cheese wedges, and shredded cheese in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Put chips in a sealable plastic bag and crush with your hands or a rolling pin. Add taco seasoning and give it a good shake to mix. Set aside.

Place cutlets flat on a clean, dry surface, and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon filling onto the centers of the cutlets, evenly dividing it among them (about 2 tbsp. each). Carefully roll each cutlet up over the filling (which may ooze a little, but don't worry!) and secure with toothpicks, if needed. Transfer to the baking sheet.

Cover each stuffed cutlet with 1 tbsp. taco sauce, using the back of the spoon or your fingers to coat. Coat cutlets with crumb mixture. Cover the baking sheet with foil, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil. Bake until chicken is cooked through and outsides are crispy, about 15 additional minutes.

Let cool slightly and remove toothpicks (if using). If you like, top with sour cream and salsa. Enjoy!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS.

Guac ‘n Roll

This is another recipe courtesy of Hungry-Girl.  Another one that shows that a couple of simple substitutions can make a great low cal/guilt free version of a favorite!

PointsPlus™ Value: 2

Preparation Time:  5 min

Cooking Time:  none

Yields: 6 servings at 1/3 cup each (1/6 of recipe)

Nutrition Information: 78 calories, 3g fat, 320mg sodium, 10.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 4g sugars, 3.5g protein

Ingredients:

One 15-oz. can early/young peas, drained

1/2 cup mashed avocado (about 1 medium-small avocado's worth)

1/3 cup chopped cherry or grape tomatoes

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (like Fage Total 0%)

4 tsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. chopped garlic

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. cumin

1/8 tsp. chili powder

Optional: chopped cilantro, chopped jarred jalapenos, additional salt and pepper

Instructions:

Place drained peas in a medium bowl and mash thoroughly with a potato masher or fork. Add all other ingredients except for the tomatoes, onions and optional items. Continue to mash until blended. Stir in the tomatoes, onions and, if you like, some chopped cilantro and/or jalapenos. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Enjoy!

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Hungry Girl’s Magical Low-Calorie Margarita

No Mexican feast is complete without the Margarita.  There are zillions of recipes for margaritas.  And though they all vary as far as taste and ingredients are concerned, most have one thing in common -- they're incredibly caloric!   In fact, most contain between 250 - 500 calories.   But margaritas are fun, and they taste great.  They're also fantastic "virgin" style (without alcohol), in case you're not old enough to drink or just prefer not to.  In any case, you'll LOVE HG's Magical Low-Calorie Margarita.  It's yummy, refreshing and it'll fool everyone you know into thinking they're sipping a real, high-calorie version of the popular cocktail.

PointsPlus™ Value: 4

Preparation Time:  5 min

Cooking Time:  none

Yields: 1 serving

Nutrition Information for entire recipe (1 Margarita): 115 calories, 0g fat, 55mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0g fiber, <0.5g sugars, 0g protein

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Sierra Mist Free (or Diet Sprite Zero, or your other fave no-cal lemon-lime soda)

*1.5 oz. tequila

1 packet (two 5-calorie servings) sugar-free powdered drink mix, lemonade (like the one by Crystal Light) 2 tbsp. lime juice

Optional: lime slice for garnish and salt or no-calorie sweetener for rim of glass

Instructions:

If desired, run some lime juice along the rim of the glass and dip into a dish of salt or sweetener. Mix all ingredients together. Pour over 1 cup of crushed ice. Optional: Garnish with lime slice. Enjoy. Serves 1!

*You can also make your Margaritas alcohol-free.  Each recipe, without tequila, contains around 20 calories.

Can I get a bravo, please?

Well, here I go issuing in a tardy fashion, yet again.  This week has been another busy one at work, and I fear that this is quickly becoming the norm.  I did manage to get down to the gym this week and work out with Jenna and I got a bit of running in.  Some days are easier than others, and some days I feel like the running is whipping my ever-shrinking butt!  I think that, with time, it will get easier.  I keep thinking back to last year at this time, and how far I’ve come.  I am so looking forward to the Central Market Thrill of the Grill race.  This is the one that I did my best time on back in 2010, and since this is the one I committed to run (the whole thing) this year, it would be the perfect ending to beat that time and do my personal best. 

In other news, on February 22 at 1:02 p.m., I became the mommy of a 4-year-old.  I am still trying to figure out how that happened.  Below are a few photos from Adam’s birthday celebration (no party, just family!!!)

The first is an action shot (yes, I actually took an unblurry photo!) of Mr. Boy blowing out the candles on his cake.  He had a great birthday, and he got a bike, to boot (picture number 2!)  I miss being that young, sometimes. The innocence is fantastic, and the simple things made you so happy!  Okay, so don’t let this get out, but being a mom isn’t all THAT bad.  I just think that we should have an adult time-out from time to time…especially when the work weeks are hectic.  The final shot is a super special birthday crown made by Miss Roshonda, Adam’s teacher, at Primrose School of Hickory Creek.  I am now on a mission for a Lucite case to keep this gem in pristine condition.  Rumor has it that Miss Roshonda makes the BEST birthday crowns!!!! I love the fact that she put Thomas the Train on there.  Adam LOVES Thomas!!

Can I get a bravo please?  I actually made it to my meeting this week.  I swear it was all I could do to get out of the house!!! I gave myself the pleasure of the day off today, which I will probably end up regretting later on, or at least on Monday!  I still maintained my streak of not missing a meeting.  Today, as tempting as it was to just weigh and leave, I stayed for the meeting. I just LOVE Charla’s meetings in Denton.  What a wonderful speaker and motivator!!!  This is why I am such a proponent of weighing AND staying.  There is always some bit of information to be gleaned.  If nothing else, it provides a great support system for you along your journey.

Next week is the start of another month end process.  I am HOPING that I have an easier time of it.  I think that with a little more database work after the close is over, I should be in a somewhat better position. The goal this week? Try and remain on an even keel.  Not even sure that’s doable, but I will try.

This week’s meeting focused on a favorite topic of mine. Portion control.  For me, the biggest contributor to all the weight that I have lost since 2008 has been the attention to portion control.  I have many, many sets of measuring cups, spoons, and scoops.  I also invested in an electronic food scale.  I weigh everything from lunchmeats to bagels and fruits to chips.  It’s amazing that our sense of size can become so distorted.  Everything today is so supersized, that our sense of ‘normal-size’ can become distorted as well.

As a rule, I tend to take ½ of my entrées home when I dine out.  In my opinion, leftovers make a great meal when you don’t have time or don’t feel like cooking.  There is also nothing wrong with sharing entrées either.  Last night we had a Sisterhood event with some of the women from my synagogue.  I ordered one of my favorite Italian dishes, eggplant rollatini, and immediately cut the entrée in half and took the rest home with me.  Actually, I ended up only eating about a third of the plate.  We split an order of Tiramisu four ways, and that little sliver was just enough to satisfy a sweet-tooth after that wonderful meal. 

This week’s Weight Watchers Weekly focused on this topic as well.  I am going to list a few hints about portion sizes that were mentioned in the publication.

ARE YOU OVERDOING IT?

Pasta with Marinara Sauce and Meatballs: Typical super-size serving is 2 cups of pasta with 1 cup of sauce and 3 large meatballs (27 PointsPlus™ Values).  The plan-wise serving size is 1 cup of pasta with ½ cup of sauce and 2 small meatballs (16 PointsPlus™ Values).

Apple Juice: Typical super-size serving is 12 oz (5 PointsPlus™ Values). The plan-wise serving size is 4 oz (2 PointsPlus™ Values)

Movie-Theater Popcorn [without “butter”]: Typical super-size serving is 11 cups (14 PointsPlus™ Values). The plan-wise serving size is 3 cups (4 PointsPlus™ Values).

Blueberry Muffin: Typical super-size serving is a 4-oz muffin (12 PointsPlus™ Values). The plan-wise serving size is two 2-oz mini muffins (7 PointsPlus™ Values)

ARE YOU EATING OR DRINKING ENOUGH?

Tomato Slices, on a sandwich or burger, typical serving is 2 slices (1/4 cup).  The good health guideline for fruits and vegetables is ½ cup

Fat Free Milk, in coffee, typical serving is ¼ cup.  The good health guideline for nonfat or low-fat dairy is 1 cup

Grapes, typical serving is ¼ cup (small bunch). The good health guideline for fruits and vegetables is ½ cup.

Flavored Low-Fat Yogurt, typical serving is a 6-ounce container. The good health guideline for nonfat and low-fat dairy is 1 cup

Hard-Boiled Egg, typical serving is 1 egg. The good health guideline for lean protein is 2 or 3 eggs

I would like to close with this nice little quip:

"Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out,

but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake. 

~Author Unknown” 

RECIPES

Sautéed Tilapia with Almonds and Cherries

This recipe was published in this week’s Weight Watchers Weekly.  This recipe is elegant enough for company.  Filling lean protein helps make portion control easy.

PointsPlus™ Value:    4

Preparation Time:  15 min

Cooking Time:  12 min

Yields: 4 servings – 1 fillet plus ¼ of sauce per serving

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp almonds, sliced  

1 pound(s) raw tilapia, four 4 oz fillets  

1/4 tsp table salt  

1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground  

3 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin, divided  

1 small onion(s), chopped  

1 fl oz wine, dry white or dry vermouth (see note)  

1/2 cup(s) cherries, sweet, pitted, halved  

1/3 cup(s) vegetable broth, reduced-sodium, fat-free  

1/2 tsp dried thyme   

Instructions:

Toast the almonds in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-low heat until aromatic and golden, shaking the pan often, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the skillet, then add the fish. Cook until firm and lightly browned, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook about 2 more minutes. Remove fish to four serving plates.

Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in the skillet, then add the onion. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the vermouth or wine; loosen any browned bits of food on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for 20 seconds, then add the cherries, broth and thyme. Heat until simmering; cook for 30 seconds to reduce slightly. Divide the sauce and toasted almonds among the fish. Serve at once. Yields 1 fillet plus 1/4 of sauce per serving.

Notes: Dry vermouth (with a white label) is a gourmet's secret ingredient in countless recipes. It's a fortified wine and can stay open on the shelf for two or three months — unlike white wine which begins to turn within hours of its being opened.

Substitution Ideas: Can't find tilapia? Try four-ounce sole or flounder fillets.

Do you know the way to San.....Angelo???

Okay…it’s Sunday, and I promise that I am NOT slacking.  In fact, I am getting this week’s (late) issuance out as I sit in my hotel room in San Angelo.  To say that I have been a bit swamped at work is an understatement, but again, I suspect things well get better as I get used to things and smarten up the processes (or at least, that’s the plan!).  As far as the journey? I had a maintain week this week, which is still good, considering the craziness.  Yes, I got to travel to San Angelo for work, and my reward for all of this? I got to miss my husband’s 44^th birthday, and Valentine’s Day.  I come home Tuesday night, after all of the festivities end.  I told Steve that I owed him a 5-star homecooked dinner when I got home.  I am planning a nice lobster dinner and maybe a few other surprises.  I will definitely post the recipes or otherwise forward them on to all of you!

The sleet, snow and ice have all gone by the wayside (thank G-d!!!)…and things in Denton appear to be getting back to a state of normalcy.  Speaking of normal? As I said, our gym is now staffed by the Verizon folks, instead of being outsourced as in the past.  I marched right down and signed up for my normal 3 sessions per week, and started with that last Tuesday, before this last round of bad weather.  Jenna is my new coach over there.  She was our wonderful intern in the Richardson office. So glad to be on her books.  She worked me so hard on Tuesday, that I felt like I was going to be sick.  Invigorating, but INTENSE!!!  We started off with intervals on the treadmill.  We alternated 2 minutes of walking at a pretty brisk 3.7 mph  with 2 minutes of jogging at 4.7 mph on an incline of about 2.5%.  We did that for 8 intervals (total of 4 walk and 4 run) and it totally got my heart rate up! 

We started in with the circuit training after that.  We did Sumo squats with dumbbells, step-ups onto the weight bench, lunges, push ups, wall squats with the stability ball, curl-presses with the body bar, and some bosu work after that.  I am fairly sure I messed up the order here, but you get the idea.  The end result? Legs, abs, butt were so sore that it hurt to stand up or sit down.  All good things though.  I am not sure about you all, but it always tends to make me feel like I had a fantastic workout when I can barely move the next day.  It was quite awhile (or so it seemed), since I had felt that way, and I am THRILLED to have the training back again.  I can’t stress enough what a BENEFIT it is for us to pay $15 for a gym membership and to have the training INCLUDED! I am so surprised that more folks at Hidden Ridge aren’t taking advantage of this!  The way I see it? More time for me J

My son and husband are now strep-free, and somehow, my 10-year-old managed to get it.  We were fine all last week, and then she started complaining of a sore throat.  We almost wrote it off as sleeping with the mouth open, but when she didn’t have any relief by the next day, we figured that a trip to the pediatrician was in order.  The rapid-strep test came back swiftly with a positive diagnosis, and so antibiotics were prescribed.  She is feeling much better today, thankfully.

So, my next two races are a done deal.  Doing the Demery 500 5K race in Fort Worth on the 20^th of this month, and on March 5^th we have the Boopa’s Bagel Deli 10K.  Any of you D/FW locals that want to do these with us are more than welcome to!  With the Boopa’s race, early bird ends on 2/17, so you’d need to hurry up and register if you are interested.  This Saturday, Brenda, Karen and I walked, and had a blast, as usual.  As the weeks go on, I look forward more and more to our Saturday 3.1.  Love this hour or so that I get to bond with my Walk-It Challenge ladies.  Hoping to pick up a couple of additional walkers, if I can convince them to join us!  I also picked up another reader for the newsletter this past week.

Public Service Announcement:  Distribution check!  If you no longer want to receive this little newsletter, PLEASE drop me a line.  No feelings to be hurt…I just don’t want to spam anyone!!!

I wanted to put in this graphic from Hungry Girl.  This is her “Top Ate” Staples list.  In case this is too small, the list is comprised of:

1. House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodles.  These are my new best friends.  So much to do with these, with little PointsPlus™ impact!
2. The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss wedges.  These are the perfect size to spread in place of mayo or fatty spreads, or use in place of butter or margarine.
3. Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze – the perfect treat. At 40 calories per cup, it’s the perfect milk swap!
4. Canned pure pumpkin – I have been using this to make the most delicious yogurt parfaits!
5. Vitalicious VitaTops – ‘Nuff said.  These are wonderful to cure any cake or chocolate craving!
6. Fat-Free Greek Yogurt – I like to combine this with #4 above to make my parfaits.  I have to agree with Hungry Girl on the Fage brand.  It’s the best, in my humble opinion!
7. Fiber One Original Bran Cereal – I add this to the yogurt parfaits for a bit of crunch or use it to bread faux-fried foods.
8. Butternut squash – this is a great potato swap.  It will last for MONTHS when stored in a cool, dry place.

I actually have ALL OF THESE in my house all the time.  There are countless things you can do with these simple ingredients!!!  

This week’s meeting focused on a really relevant topic, in my humble opinion—Are you REALLY Hungry???

How many of us actually eat JUST when we are hungry? If it was that simple, none of us would need Weight Watchers…

When is it truly hunger? Ask yourself these three questions.

• I know I’m truly physically hungry when___________________.
• When I’m truly hungry, the foods that satisfy me are______________________.
• What I’ve noticed most about my hunger since following PointsPlus ™ is_______________.

Often people eat when they’re not physically hungry.  There are lots of reasons, some of which aren’t fully understood.  Some may eat because of boredom, sadness, happiness, stress, habit and peer pressure.

How can you avoid eating for these non-hunger reasons?  If you have the urge, ask yourself, “What am I feeling? Am I really physically hungry? Am I thirsty? What do I really need right now?” When you check in, you may discover that you don’t need food afterall.

What about when you are actually hungry?  Rely on the Power Foods; pack a lunch filled with them and carry fruit with you. That way, when you do feel physically hungry, you will have laid the groundwork for success by being prepared with the smarter choices.

This week, think about the friends who would be the most encouraging during times when your emotions are about to send you to the fridge.  Add them to your phone’s favorites!

This closing quote is by far not new, but it is still appropriate!

"If hunger is not the problem,

then food is not the solution!” 

~author unknown

RECIPES

Rick Bayless’ Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

This delicious salsa accompanied Adi and Andy to our Superbowl Party on the 6^th.  They were gracious enough to leave the leftovers with me, and they repurposed themselves into a lovely marinade and topping for boneless skinless chicken breast.  If you have never seen a tomatillo, I pasted a graphic below!

What I did with the leftover salsa…I took a gallon-sized zip-top bag and inside I placed 2 (5 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts and added the leftover salsa.  I sealed the bag, and smooshed a few times.  Marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for about 25-35 minutes, or until juices run clear.  This is the perfect light dinner, and although most of the ingredients are Power Foods, the avocado (although not on the list)  still provides a nice healthy punch of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats!  I served this with a nice brown rice side dish that included more green! (spinach, mushrooms, garlic, green onions and about 1/3 cup of grated Asiago cheese).  Just what I wanted for dinner that night. 

PointsPlus™ Value:    2

Preparation Time:  5 min

Cooking Time:  None J

Yields: 2 ½ cups of salsa; serving size of approximately ¼ cup

Ingredients:

8 oz chopped tomatillos, about 2 medium, husked and rinsed  

1/2 cup(s) cilantro, loosely packed, coarsely chopped  

2 small jalapeٌo pepper(s), stemmed and roughly chopped  

1 medium avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin  

1 small onion(s), cut into 1/2 inch pieces  

2 tsp kosher salt   

Instructions:

Roughly chop half of the tomatillos and scoop them into a food processor with the cilantro and green chiles. Measure in 1/4 cup water and process to a slushy, coarse puree. Roughly chop half the avocado, add it to the processor and pulse until it is incorporated into the salsa. Scrape into a serving dish. Scoop the onion into a small strainer and rinse under cold water. Add to the salsa. Finely chop the remaining tomatillos and add them, too. Finally, chop the remaining avocado into 1/4-inch pieces and stir them into the salsa. Taste and season with salt, usually about 3/4 teaspoon.

Alternative Method: Put all the tomatillos (quartered), cilantro and chiles through a meat grinder to chop them (no water necessary), then stir in finely chopped avocado and rinsed onion.

Oh, what a week we had...but all's well that ends well!

Hello everyone!

In addition to this issuance being a bit late, you will also see that it's not coming from the Verizon Business email address.  Monday started off great, and it all went to hell shortly after that.  I did survive month end close this month, after putting in 50+ hours by Thursday.  Note to self: No more working till 10:30 on a weeknight. Not good for the sleep cycles, or the morale, for that matter...OK...I digress.  Long story short, I didn't want to do anything on the work PC this weekend, if I could help it!

So, how about that sleet, ice and snow and snow???? The thunder-sleet and thunder-snow came as expected on Tuesday morning.  The temperatures dipped to the low-teens, and any precipitation that hit the ground froze and froze.  It was quite the ice rink out there.  Friday the snow gods came out again, just to add a little insult to injury.  Yes, it did snow twice up here in Denton.  By the time all was said and done, we ended up with about 6 additional inches, and quite the mess.  Our temperatures stayed at around 16 - 18 degrees from Tuesday - Friday. This morning the sun came out and did its work melting the ice rink and drying out the roads.  Most roads are now very passable, and only the shady spots may still have some ice.  We will thaw just in time for snow again on Sunday and perhaps Wednesday too.  Does it end? I am thinking NOT.

The schools and daycare centers were also closed from Tuesday to Friday.  So...that meant that I was working from home, Steve was working from home, and we had both kids home.  By this morning, I had to get out of the house, before I did something stupid, like say...listing the kids on Craig's List (which I know is not right, but it would get them out of my hair! LOL...).  I usually attend my meetings on Wednesdays now, but with the weather, I have been literally iced in all week, and the centers were actually closed for a couple of days.  I finally got Steve to get us out of the house this morning so that I could go and weigh in.  I was the only one at the Denton Town Center location, so I had the staff's entire focus! I made it worth their while, because I LOST 3.6 THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told you that something good had to come from all this!

The meeting topic for the week, appropriately, was 'From Feedback to Success'.  This means that you should take cues from what goes well in your week, and learn from what may not have gone so well.  This week, ironically, I happened to have an incredible week.  I jotted down a quick punch list of those things that helped contribute to this loss.

So, what did I do different this week? Let me list some things for you:

• I did really well at tracking!!! Even though I was incredibly busy, I still made time for this.  It IS important for me to track.  I lose when I track--not so much when I dont.
  
• Month end close kept me busy so that I didn't snack unnecessarily
• I made a large pot of chicken taco soup and we ate soup for dinner a few nights
• I had bananas and oranges on hand for healthy zero-Points-Plus snacks
• I made sure that I had a nice afternoon snack. This week's concoction was my Greek yogurt/pumpkin parfait, for a total PointsPlus value of 1!!! (quickie recipe: 6 oz fat free Greek yogurt (I have The Greek Gods nonfat in the house); 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree; dash pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1-2 packets of Truvia (or any non-calorie sweetener you like) for sweetness. Filling, and YUMM-O! Like pumpkin pie in a bowl.  I really think that this simple snack helped in a big way--especially during my hungries that strike around 3pm or so.
• I actually ate a 4 oz bagel (from Boopa's) with 2 oz Boar's Head 42% lower sodium ham and a 2% single each morning, and that kept me full most of the morning.  The bagel was 7 PointsPlus and the ham and cheese came in at 2, so breakfast was 9 plus what I had to drink (either water or 1/2% milk).
• I climbed the stairs several times.  Not as easy as it looks! But it was good safe activity.  Apparently, so was fussing at the kids...
• The biggest thing was that I didn't blow through much of my Weekly Points Allowance. Maybe there is something to that? We'll see.
  

One other thing I wanted to throw out there to you all is this website: Franklin Publishing - Nutrition in the Fast Lane  This site has the publication Nutrition in the Fast Lane.  I have been buying a copy of this probably once every year or other year.  This is a publication that has nutrition information on about 59 popular restaurants and about 3,000 food items.  I keep a copy of this with me, either in my glove box or my tote.  This gives you a smart way to make good choices when faced with limited dining options.  You can use this guide in conjunction with a Points calculator to figure out how these counts will fit in with your plan.  They run $6.95 per copy, which is well worth it.  Again, just my 2 cents, but I like to give you guys help where I can! 

As a closing quote for this week, I go back to an earlier one that I love!

"Whether you think you can

or think you can't….

You’re right!."

-Henry Ford

RECIPES - This week I was on an Asian kick...so enjoy!!!

Soba Noodles & Shrimp

This recipe found its way to me when trolling the recipe sites for any recipe ideas that used shrimp and soba noodles.  I happen to keep various varieties of Asian noodles in the pantry, along with a bag of frozen 21/25 count shrimp in the freezer.  I was in the mood for stir-fry and wasn't sure what to do with this. The recipe was designed to be eaten cold, but we ate it hot, and I had the leftovers today, chilled. Either hot or cold? This one is a winner.  What I loved was the subtle kick that the chili-garlic paste gave to this dish.  I prefer Huy-Fong Foods Chili-Garlic Sauce to other brands. It's got the most clean taste. I also took a some artistic license in this one...I added some leftover steamed broccoli from a Chinese dinner.

I hope you enjoy!

Cooking the soba takes about 6 minutes, and you can chop and assemble the remaining ingredients while the noodles cook. Purchase peeled and deveined cooked shrimp, or buy raw shrimp and add them to the boiling water a couple of minutes after adding the noodles. This recipe is easily doubled if you need more than one serving.

 

PointsPlus Value:9

Servings: 1 very generous serving (approx 2 cups)

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2  ounces  uncooked soba (buckwheat) noodles
• 4  cups  water
• 1/2  cup  shredded carrot
• 1  tablespoon  rice vinegar
• 1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
• 1  teaspoon  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4  teaspoon  chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
• 1/8  teaspoon  sugar
• 1/2  cup  chopped cooked shrimp (about 3 ounces)
• 1/4  cup  thinly sliced green onions
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh cilantro
• This was where I took my liberties: I added in about 1 1/2 cups of steamed broccoli to this.

Instructions:

Break noodles in half. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add noodles; cook 4 minutes. Add carrot to noodles in pan; cook 2 minutes or until noodles are done. Drain.

Combine vinegar, oil, soy sauce, garlic sauce, and sugar in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add noodle mixture, shrimp, onions, and cilantro; toss to coat. Cover and chill.  This dish is good right out of the wok or chilled.  I had it both ways, and they were both incredible!

Shrimp and Egg Stir Fry with Napa Cabbage, adapted from a recipe by Tyler Florence

Okay...this dish found its way to me sort of in a backward manner.  I was scrounging around the produce section of Kroger looking for inspiration and found these beautiful heads of Chinese Napa Cabbage.  I bought one, without a single thought of HOW I would be using this beautiful produce.  I did some searching on my favorite sites, but didn't find anything there that grabbed me.  I did, suprisingly, find this one on the Food Network site.  I usually am cautious here, because not all of the recipes are waistline-friendly, but with a few slight modifications, this one was perfect!

The ginger adds a nice fresh note to the dish, and the stir-fried cabbage is so mild.  This one was definitely a make-again, according to the hubbie. Without futher ado, here we go!

Yield: 6 GENEROUS servings at a PointsPlus Value of 7 per serving

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 small head napa cabbage, core removed and finely sliced
• Salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten (or 3/4 cup Egg Beaters)
• 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice (I only had 2 1/2 cups leftover from a Chinese food dinner, and this was PLENTY!)
  
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed in warm water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 bunch scallions, sliced, for garnish (approximately 4 scallions)
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish (I accidentally left these out, and honestly, the dish didn't miss these at all! Add them or save the POINTS and omit!)

Instructions:

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the peanut oil in a wok or a large nonstick skillet over medium-high flame. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the shallots, the ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the cabbage and stir-fry until the cabbage is wilted and soft, about 8 minutes; season with a nice pinch of salt. Remove the vegetables to a side platter and wipe out the wok with dry paper towel.

Put the pan back on the heat and coat with the remaining oil. Add the garlic and to the wok and saute gently until fragrant. Add shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until pink. Set aside on platter with vegetables. Crack the eggs into the center of the pan. Scramble the egg lightly, then let it set without stirring so it stays in big pieces. Fold in the rice and toss with the egg until well combined, breaking up the rice clumps with the back of a spatula. Return the sauteed vegetables and shrimp to the pan along with the peas and season with salt and soy sauce. Toss everything together to heat through. Spoon the fried rice out onto a serving platter, and garnish with scallions and peanuts (if desired).

Be back with you next week!

...And what it all comes down to, my friends...is that everything is just fine, fine fine...

TGIF. It’s about freakin’ time too. What a long week.  I thought that the topic of this week’s newsletter was summed up best by Alanis Morissette, in her song “Hand in my Pocket”.  …And what it all comes down to, my friends…is that everything is just fine, fine fine…and honestly, it really is.  This issuance is actually going to hit your mailboxes on Saturday. I was actually in a blogging funk on Friday, and had to contemplate what I would ramble about for a bit!

It was actually a great (but very busy) week for me.  As I mentioned in the last issuance, I did my Saturday walk with Brenda and did some running as well.  Sunday, we did our first official 10K (I refuse to count the Chupacabra 10K as a race…as that was more like hiking at night. LOL…).  This race was 6.2 miles, and we did it in 1:47:35, which equates to a 17:21 minute mile.  I was totally happy with that time, and I was going to be thrilled with anything under 2 hours.  What a way to finish! We even sprinted across the finish line.  Best part? Race bling…or hardware, as some refer to it. Steve was nice enough to take the photograph. Mine came out with a bunch of glare.

I am so excited about my races this year.  I will be doing some great courses, and it would be fabulous if I could eventually RUN 6.2 miles.  I think I can handle 3.1, but still have a way to go.  I found an interval timer for my iPhone and just need to find an armband so that I can actually have a way to use the app during my walks/runs.  I also enjoy using iMapMyWalk so that I know exactly how far I go.  This uses the GPS feature of your device to track how far you walk.  Pretty cool huh? I am NOT a tech nerd by any stretch, but I do like those nice apps that will help support me along my journey.

Speaking of the journey, I just added another reader this week—the sister-in-law of one of my peeps! Welcome Linda!  I would like to take this time to ask if you are all still happy receiving my ramblings on a weekly basis.  If you no longer want to receive this, or have another email address that is more suitable, PLEASE let me know.  If you want to be removed, I’d like to know that too. No judgment! LOL…Also, lastly, if you know anyone who may be interested in this publication, by all means, pass along their name(s) to me.  This ends the public service announcements!

This week at work was absolutely crazy, and culminated in me taking on two more corporate entities for my month end cash flow reporting. Happy Happy Joy Joy! I may even get to spend a day or two in San Angelo, TX.  Have no knowledge of this city, other than the fact that it lives smack in the middle of the state.

Strep throat has invaded the Ducar household.  Adam wasn’t quite himself this morning…stuffy nose, poor appetite [for him, this is a HUGE thing], and the capper? He said his throat hurt [insert sinister music here].  After a run over to the pediatric urgent car, it was confirmed. STREP.  As I type this, Steve is over at the urgent care (he came home to deposit the sick boy and had just enough time to run back out again), and is getting tested as well.  Boys are sick, and the girls are fine, at least for the time being.  Hoping I don’t succumb to this at all, but if I do have to, I am hoping for AFTER month-end close.

Prior to the whole strep fiasco, I did manage to enjoy a nice stress-free few hours with Adi, walking and shopping at the Shops of Highland Village.  This is a great open-air mall, and has a great selection of shops and eateries.  We stopped at Patrizio for a bite to eat afterward.  After perusing the menu, we found a delicious salad that came in at approximately 7 Points Plus™.  The salad was comprised of grilled chicken breast, baby spinach, Portobello mushrooms, a teaspoon or two of pine nuts, and the most delicious caramelized onions.  The dressing was a balsamic vinaigrette.  I used the old fork trick (dip your fork into the dressing and then get a bite of salad). It’s surprising how little dressing you actually need for your salad.  This is one that I intend to recreate at home.  So good, and SO filling! This is also a great ‘Power Food’ entrée. 

I also have a couple of websites to share with you this week.  If you are looking for some good resources for ladies’ sports foundations and/or workout gear, try these sites:

http://www.titlenine.com – this site has a variety of sports bras, yoga clothing, women’s sportswear, and athletic apparel. 

http://www.athleta.com – this is now a subsidiary of The Gap, and carries many of the same items that Title Nine carries.

Both of these are great resources.  I like Title Nine because they organize their foundations by levels of support (they use dumbbells to indicate the support level of the bras).  I also ended up finding a great sports bra in Macy’s. The brand is Wacoal, and it is fantastic. Totally adjustable. It’s underwire, but has the underwire on the outside of the bra so that there is less chafing during your activity.  Just my humble two-cents worth. Sonya—thanks for the site information!!!!

This week’s meeting focused on activity.  Start moving! Keep Moving! Find an activity that you like. You will be more likely to stick with it. 

ACTIVITY:

Benefits:

• Boosts weight loss results
• Improves health, energy, sleep and mental focus
• Critical to weight maintenance
• Allows you to eat more and still lose weight

Challenge:

• Find an activity you like and sticking with it.

Here are some other ideas on moving more. These were provided by Jessica Wozinsky of Weight Watchers Magazine

• Have a winter-style “Easter egg” hunt.  Hide colored ice cubes (tint water with food coloring before freezing) around your yard or neighborhood. Focus on getting in some extra walking as you help the kids search for the “eggs.”
• Build a snow fort.  Pile snow into about a 5-foot-high mini-mountain and hollow out the middle. Pour water over the roof so it freezes (and won’t cave in).  The result? Fun for the kids and a strength-training workout for you, too!
• Play sidewalk games in the snow.  Fill a spray bottle with water and add two to three drops of food coloring. Then “spray paint” a classic sidewalk game, like hopscotch, in the snow.  Don’t just referee – join in the fun for some impromptu aerobics.

This closing quote was on the meeting room board, and I loved it.  Please enjoy the rest of your weekend, and I will be back with you again next week!!!

"There are only two options: make progress or make excuses.” 

~author unknown

 

RECIPES

Dijon Roasted New Potatoes

Coating the potatoes with mustard and a small amount of oil helps make them crispy outside and tender inside. These are perfect with burgers, roasted chicken, or steak.

PointsPlus™ Value:    4

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking Time:  35 min

Yields: 4 servings of approximately 1 ¼ cups each

Ingredients:

1 spray(s) cooking spray  

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard  

1 tsp olive oil  

3/4 tsp paprika  

1/2 tsp table salt  

1/4 tsp dried thyme  

1/4 tsp black pepper  

1 1/2 pound(s) uncooked new potatoes, red or white, quartered or halved  

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9- X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, oil, paprika, salt, thyme and pepper; add potatoes and stir to coat.  Transfer potatoes to prepared baking dish and roast 15 minutes; stir and roast until tender on inside, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.

Notes: If your potatoes do not get crispy enough, coat them with cooking spray and then bake them for a few more minutes.

Have your cake and eat it too? It is possible!!!

Happy Saturday all…

Yes, I am a bit late in getting this out, but even though year end for work is over, I still am playing catch up with my dad’s books and my sister-in-law’s books.  The curse of being an accountant!  UGH!  Anyhoooo…..

Hope your respective weeks have gone well! Mine was busy, and am still trying to figure out exactly where it went!  Let’s see, last week I got in some good walks, and even tried yoga for the first time.  Even though it was deemed a yoga glass, it was a restorative yoga class, which I am SURE is much easier than the garden variety yoga.  Very relaxing, and you know…now that I think about it, I slept VERY well that night!

I did my usual Saturday walk with Brenda.  Today, it was just the two of us.  The other ladies had plans or otherwise were not able to make it.  We did some intervals, alternating jogging and walking.  We spent almost an hour and a half, and did 4 2/3 miles…and put in over 10,000 steps.  We did all of this before 10 AM today. Tomorrow morning is the Einstein 10K race in Fort Worth.  Brenda and I intend to use this race as another training session.  I felt good during the jogs today, and I hope that tomorrow brings more of the same for me.  I really felt good after this morning, and am now beginning to think seriously that there IS something to this whole running adventure that I am embarking on.

This week was a maintain week for me, which is more than fine!

In other non-scale related victories, I wanted to share a picture of me that definitely shows that all is not only lost in the body…it’s also lost in the FACE.  See below for the proof.  Left was taken in November 2007 while in Florida visiting family.  The one on the right? Taken this month, right after the new color and cut!  I cannot stress enough how important those photos and benchmarks are.  They are crucial for motivation!

This week’s meeting focused on ways to stay on plan while dining out.  There are some strategies that you can use to help when you are going out on the town.

• Crunch away temptation.  Some members bring along a bag of cut veggies to munch on so that you can avoid the bread basket.
• Steer clear of fried items, and opt for grilled choices. Instead of white rice, ask for brown.  If pasta is your thing, avoid cream sauces and ask for whole wheat pasta options!
• Keep your hunger at bay.  Never skip a meal to ‘save up’ for a dinner out.  The trick is not to be hungry beforehand.  Be prepared!
• Bring tools if necessary. Weight Watchers serving spoons or measuring spoons can help. If this isn’t feasible, use your visuals (deck of cards for protein, tennis ball for a cup-size serving of rice, etc…)
• Have your pie and eat it too! If you want to splurge, it’s okay to use your Weekly Points Allowance. The key is to not feel deprived.

The weekly challenge for this week is to find 10 menu items, at restaurants you frequent, that you feel would be easy to incorporate into your plan, but which still sound delicious.  Eat out—at least once this week—on plan!

For the closing quote du jour, I found this one online today. I loved it and wanted to share it with you!

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. 

I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.” 

~Jim Davis

RECIPES

Coconut Shrimp

No need to deprive yourself of this crunchy, coconut dish any more.  Instead of ordering it at a restaurant, prepare this lightened-up version at home!

PointsPlus™ Value:    6

Preparation Time:  15 min

Cooking Time:  12 min

Ingredients:

2 sprays cooking spray

2 large egg whites

¾ cup all-purpose flour

6 oz beer, about 2/3 cup

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp table salt

2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave tails on)

Instructions:

·        Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray

·        In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, ½ cup of flour, beer, baking powder, and salt.  Place remaining ¼ cup of flour and coconut into two separate shallow bowls.

·        Holding shrimp by their tails, dredge each shrimp in flour and shake off any excess.  Dip flour-coated shrimp into egg batter and allow excess to drip off.   Roll shrimp in coconut and turn to coat both sides (press coconut onto shrimp to make it stick).

·        Transfer shrimp to prepared baking sheet and spray surface of shrimp with cooking spray.

·        Bake until coconut is golden brown and shrimp are bright pink and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes

 
Notes: To put crunch in this dish, reduce to coconut flakes to 1 cup and add 1 cup panko (light Japanese bread crumbs), available in some supermarket fish departments or down the aisle with the flour and sugar