Happy New Year to my Jewish Readers!

Happy Friday everyone and Happy Rosh Hashanah for all the Jewish readers out there.

The Jewish New Year began at sundown Wednesday evening, and as I stated before, apples and honey are symbolic of a sweet start to the New Year.  I have included the one that I prepared for my synagogue’s Apples & Honey Dessert Buffet. Don’t worry...it was from Cooking Light!!!  I think I published this one last week, but it was definitely relevant and I included it again!  Besides…a little something sweet never hurt anyone! J

The Jewish High Holy Days have always been a time of reflection for me.  I look back on the year prior and see what went well, what went not-so-well…and what I can change in the New Year.  This year I am going to focus on tying off the loose ends that have been dangling out there for a couple of years.  I want to finish the afghan that I started when Adam was an infant. I want to get these last few pounds off (which I am making good strides at, mind you!) and I want to focus on surrounding myself with genuine caring people.  Trying to rid my life of all toxicity where I can.  It’s not good for my stress levels, and it’s not good health wise either! The way I see it, you need to be healthy on the INSIDE as well as on the OUTSIDE.  You have to take good care of YOU before you can take good care of anyone else.  In this case? Perfectly fine to be selfish!

For those of you who have been reading my musings for any length of time, you are aware that I have been walking with a GREAT group of ladies since the very first Weight Watchers Walk-It Challenge back in 2009.  We started off with mile walks and worked our way up to doing 5Ks, and 5K races.  The first few races, we walked the whole thing.  Something changed in me during our Jogging for Johnson race that we did back in November 2009 and I actually ran part of that race…and I survived…and I didn’t hate it.  “There must be something to that”, I thought, so I started working with Coach Dwayne to see if he could turn me into a runner.  Well…a runner I am not…YET…but I do keep upping the bar on my walks, and I have worked some jogging into my exercise routine.  I do have a goal to be able to run an entire 5K race at some point.  I keep working toward that goal.

Each Friday, our walking group communicates via email to ensure that we will be at our usual Parker Square spot.  Last week, Brenda, our former walking coach from the Walk-It Challenge informed us that Saturday’s walk was going to be 10K…’just to see if we can do it’…and because she signed up for a 10K race that she wanted to do in November…(well…eventually…we ALL ended up enlisting for that event…).  I saw that blurb and about fell over.  I was not sure I could do it…and I had stress over this! How was I going to do this? Who was going to carry me back to my car when I fell down during the middle of my second time around the route??? All this stuff was going through my head.  Apparently, I have a BUNCH of people in my corner looking after me.  No one but me had any doubts about finishing this thing.  We finished the first half of the walk in 54 minutes and were still alert enough to go again.  The second time around we finished it in 57 minutes. So we ended up doing 6.2 miles in less than two hours.  I think we are ready to show the Chupacabras who’s boss!!! (the 10K race we are doing is the Las Chupacabras de DFW 10K Trail Run on 10/16…if anyone is feeling the urge to join us!!!)  This race is not only 10K, but is being held at 9pm. It’s a trail run lit by glow sticks.  This DEFINITELY should be interesting.  There are burgers and beer for the finishers.  We have to get to the halfway point in an hour (which we did on our Saturday walk...) and finish the entire thing in two hours (which we ALSO did on our Saturday walk…).  All in all, I think we have a good shot at finishing this thing.  More on that after the race!  If nothing else, that race ALONE will give me material for my newsletters for a  few weeks! LOL…

Anyhoo….

The topic of this week’s meeting is Lose for Good. This is Weight Watcher’s third year participating in this initiative.  Do you know that RIGHT NOW, more than 800 million people go hungry? Do you know that 1.6 billion people are overweight?  Kind of lopsided right?  Shedding pounds and getting healthy. What can be better?  How about doing it for a great cause?  This is where the annual campaign comes in.  As we LOSE, others GAIN!

3 Ways to Lose for Good:

1. Lose for Good…for your community:  Meeting locations across the country will be organizing food drives for local food banks.  Donate a can of food for every pound lost!
2. Lose for Good…for the world:  Based on the pounds members lose during the campaign, Weight Watchers will contribute to organizations to help feed hungry kids and families in the United States and around the world
3. Lose for Good…for you:  Taking up this good cause can be the perfect way to refocus and recharge your weight-loss efforts!

For me, I intend to focus my efforts on number three above.  Refocusing will be just what the doctor ordered!

A nice closing quote for you:

“A tree is known by its fruits;

A man by his deeds”

~ Saint Basil

RECIPES

Thin French Apple Tart

Each year the CKA Sisterhood puts on a dessert buffet featuring apples and honey.  These items are symbolic of a sweet start to the Jewish New Year.  Last year I did a Honeyed Apple Tort, but this year I stumbled onto this great EASY recipe.  The recipe was adapted from one that I found in Cooking Light.

 This dramatic 12-inch tart will elicit a wow from your guests.  They will never know (until they read this, of course...) that it uses only six ingredients and bakes in only a half an hour!

Yield: 8 servings at a POINTS® Value of 5 per serving.  If you can slice each wedge in half, you can halve the points too!  Still—not bad for a great dessert.

Ingredients:

1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (I used Braeburn and it came out GREAT)

2 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-inch circle. Place on a 12-inch pizza pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture over dough. Arrange apple slices spokelike on top of dough, working from outside edge of dough to the center. Sprinkle apple slices with remaining sugar mixture. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes.

Combine honey and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 40 seconds. Brush honey mixture over warm tart. Serve warm.

Nutrition Information:

CALORIES 220 (30% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 2.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.9g); IRON 0.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39g; SODIUM 100mg; PROTEIN 0.6g; FIBER 1.9g; Weight Watchers Points per serving: 5

Pineapple Noodle Kugel

This recipe was a modification of one that I borrowed from my Aunt.  The original recipe calls for canned apricots.  All I happened to have on hand on Wednesday was pineapple canned in its own juice.  Perfect! I just substituted this for the apricots, and voila!  A new variation on an old favorite.  This is not the lightest of recipes, but as a small side dish, it’s a great treat to enjoy on the New Year!

Yield: 12 servings at a POINTS® Value of 7 per serving.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time:  1 hour

Level of difficulty: EASY!

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz) bag whole wheat egg noodles

1 (15 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice (drained)

1 (15 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice (drained)

1/2 stick Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, melted

1 (8 oz) package Neufchatel cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

6 eggs OR 1 ½ cups egg beaters

½ cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook egg noodles as directed on package, but remove just slightly before they are done (need to be slightly al dente because they will continue to cook in the oven).  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine Neufchatel cheese, sugar, smart balance and eggs.  Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and well combined.  Fold in both cans of drained pineapple.   Add cooked egg noodles to mixture and stir to combine.  Pour into prepared baking dish. 

In a small bowl combine last three ingredients.  Sprinkle over the top of noodles.  Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and crunchy on top and eggs are set.

Enjoy!

Easy Creamed Spinach

Creamed spinach is usually made with a rich white sauce.   The recipe was simplified by stirring in low-fat cream cheese instead. The result is still creamy and tasty!  The kiddos even enjoyed this one.

POINTS® Value:    1

Servings:  4

Preparation Time:  5 min

Cooking Time:  5 min

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients:

 3/4 tsp canola oil  

3 Tbsp shallot(s), chopped (I actually substituted sweet onion because it’s what I had on hand!)

3/4 cup(s) scallion(s), sliced  

12 oz spinach, baby-variety (about 16 cups)

1/4 cup(s) light cream cheese, softened (about 2 oz)  

3/4 tsp table salt, or to taste  

1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste  

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add shallots and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add scallions and sauté 1 minute more.

Add spinach to skillet in batches, tossing mixture and adding more spinach as some of it cooks down. Cook, tossing, until wilted and tender, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese just until melted; stir in salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Notes:

Add some freshly grated nutmeg with the salt and pepper for a hint of spice

Egg Salad Sandwich

This egg salad cuts the fat content—not the flavor—by using spiced-up, fat-free mayonnaise and just two yolks of the four eggs.

Ingredients:

4 large egg white(s), hard-boiled and chopped  

2 large egg yolk(s), hard-boiled and chopped  

2 1/2 Tbsp fat-free mayonnaise  

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste  

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste  

1 1/2 Tbsp parsley, or dill, chopped  

1 tsp Dijon mustard  

1 1/2 Tbsp red onion(s)  

4 slice(s) pumpernickel bread  

4 piece(s) lettuce  

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine egg whites and yolks, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, parsley, mustard and onion.

Divide salad between 2 slices of bread, top each with two lettuce leaves and cover each with second slice of bread.

Move for Good...it's good for you. I promise!

Happy Friday everyone!  I hope your week was a good one.  Mine was very busy.  I was wondering where this week went, but then it occurred to me that it was month-end again, so there you go! 

Close aside, it was sort of a quiet week for me, but I did get some good news.  Back in 2006, I learned that I had some benign lesions on my liver that were being caused by hormones.  Each year, I have to go for a CT scan to monitor these little boogers to make sure that they aren’t growing in size.  What we found out is that these lesions were fed by hormones. In an effort to get them to shrink…my first thought was ‘take away the food source’…so immediately threw my birth control pills into the trash (read: Hello Adam!).  For the first couple of years, they didn’t get any bigger, but they weren’t really shrinking much either.  THEN…in August of 2008 I started my weight loss journey and when I went for another scan in 2009, we found that lesions started to shrink and they started to disappear!  I had 8 of them to start out with, and by last year, they were gone with the exception of 2, which were MUCH smaller than they were the year before.  This year was no different.  I had to drink that yucky barium smoothie crap once again and get injected with iodine…and then wait to hear from the GI guy.  This time, the results were absolutely fabulous.  The two lesions that were left are so small that they really were unable to compare them to the prior year AND any evidence of the fatty liver that I had back in 2006 is completely gone.  BEST POSSIBLE news this week.

This is EXACTLY why you simply CANNOT judge your weight loss success by scale figures alone.  Success can be measured in many ways.  Below are a few non-scale successes that you many have already experienced!

• Being active where you weren’t before
• Getting stronger and gaining endurance
• Wearing smaller clothes
• Before/after photographic comparisons
• Establishing better eating habits
• Being able to come off of some medications due to the weight loss (examples include insulin or blood pressure medications)
• Making your family healthier by setting an example for them
• Medical issues being resolved (for me this means lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower resting heart rate)
• Finally, the most important one for me has been to follow through with this journey and not give up. I was one of those people who used to attend meetings for about two weeks and quit after the first gain or weight loss stall! No more.  Done with that!!!!

We are now finishing up the second week of school, and it is hitting me again just how far I have come with my own extra-curricular activities.  This year, I stepped up and took on the role of treasurer of my daughter’s elementary school PTA.  After thinking that I was crazy for dong that, I found out that I actually have a knack for this stuff.  I guess that being an accountant has its perks.  LOL… I am finishing up my second term as Treasurer of our synagogue’s Sisterhood and I continue to volunteer my time in the synagogue’s gift shop.  As I get older, it makes me feel good to volunteer my time.  I have found that the busier I am, the less prone to mindless snacking I am.

Today’s torture session was probably the most intense that I have suffered er…um…endured…with Coach Dwayne.  Before any of the official beating began, I started with a quick-paced 20 minute elliptical workout.  Now for the torture:

I did two sets of the following:

Burpees – 10 reps

Bicep Curl, Shoulder Press, Overhead Extension with 5kg medicine ball – 10 reps

Single Leg Deadlift with 4kg medicine ball – 10 reps

T- Raises – 20 reps total

Bent Over Row Press Outs – 10 reps

Bridges – 20 reps

Tricep Press ups – 10 reps (you lay on your side and use your triceps to lift your body.  UGH…)

Lastly, I did three sets of these:

Abs

Body Bar Over the knee – 12 reps

Oblique Twist w/ Body Bar – 12 reps

Leg Push Downs – 10 reps (now with these, if my feet hit the floor, they didn’t count. This time? Feet did not hit the floor once!!!)

My goal tomorrow is to walk with my walking peeps….but if I fall down in the middle of the whole thing, I ask for leniency!!!

The topic for this week’s meeting is to Move for Good (which goes along with the annual ‘Lose for Good’ campaign).  Below are some statistics that I copied from the meeting room board this week:

EXERCISE STATISTICS:

• The Good Health Guidelines recommend 30 minutes of exercise per day.  60% of Americans don’t get the RDA; 25% do nothing at all

• 16% of us over 15 years of age exercise on any given day.  Five TIMES that number; however, will watch television on any given day.

• The Pacific US is 50% more likely to exercise than the rest of the country

• Walking is the most popular exercise overall.

• Most common duration of exercise is from 30 – 59 minutes.

• True or False: muscle weights more than fat.  The answer is FALSE.  A pound is a pound. Muscle tissue is more dense than fat tissue, so fatty tissue takes up more space on your body.

This is what Weight Watchers has to say on the topic:

Recharge your routine

If the initial challenge and reward of getting moving have gone and you’re dragging your feet when it’s time to lace up your sneakers, you might need to add life to your workout.  First, remind yourself of the benefits you’ve gained from regular exercise: You may be stronger, leaner, even happier!  Then try these ideas:

• Find a workout partner: A friend can add fun, encouragement, and good advice (not to mention accountability!)
• Listen to an MP3 player or watch television while exercising if you can.
• Keep your eyes on the prize: Focus on how good you feel and how you are helping yourself, body and mind.

My personal belief is to find something you LOVE to do, because it makes the working out part that much easier.  I may complain, but the cardio and strength training that I do each week with Coach Dwayne is amazing.  I do love it, and I love what it has done for my mental attitude and my body. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day weekend and come back refreshed afterward! 

I meant to use this quote last week, but I completely forgot.  This quote was provided to me by a coworker of mine who also works out in the fitness center downstairs.  Love this! Thanks Keith!!!

“To finish first doesn’t make you a winner;

to accomplish the task at hand, that makes you a winner”

~ Mr. Wonderful (Keith Heinemann)

 

PRODUCT DU JOUR – Kellogg’s All Bran Bran Buds

           

This is another product that I have come to love.  These are crunchy, ever-so-slightly sweet, and a great filler for an afternoon snack.  1/3 cup of these have only 1 Weight Watcher Point®; containing only 70 calories, 1 gram of fat and 13 grams of fiber.  This provides 51% of your daily fiber intake.   I have become a big fan of a light yogurt parfait for an afternoon snack. This means any zero or one point cup of yogurt, maybe a half cup of berries, and between ¼ and 1/3 cup of either Fiber One or Bran Buds.  They mix well into the yogurt and add less calories and fat than granola would.  I like these because of the crunch.  Never once did I ever think that I would be so fanatical about fiber-rich products, but they have worked their way in to my diet AND into my heart.  Try it! You may like it!

RECIPES

Thin French Apple Tart - Adapted from Cooking Light

Each year the CKA Sisterhood puts on a dessert buffet featuring apples and honey.  These items are symbolic of a sweet start to the Jewish New Year.  Last year I did a Honeyed Apple Tort, but this year I stumbled onto this great EASY recipe.  The recipe was adapted from one that I found in Cooking Light.

 This dramatic 12-inch tart will elicit a wow from your guests.  They will never know (until they read this, of course...) that it uses only six ingredients and bakes in only a half an hour!

Yield: 8 servings at a POINTS® Value of 5 per serving.  If you can slice each wedge in half, you can halve the points too!  Still—not bad for a great dessert.

Ingredients:

1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (I used Braeburn and it came out GREAT)

2 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-inch circle. Place on a 12-inch pizza pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture over dough. Arrange apple slices spokelike on top of dough, working from outside edge of dough to the center. Sprinkle apple slices with remaining sugar mixture. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes.

Combine honey and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high 40 seconds. Brush honey mixture over warm tart. Serve warm.

Nutrition Information:

CALORIES 220 (30% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 2.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.9g); IRON 0.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39g; SODIUM 100mg; PROTEIN 0.6g; FIBER 1.9g; Weight Watchers Points per serving: 5

...Back to School...and Back to the Task at Hand!!!

Happy hump day!

I read somewhere that the best way to that the best way to set a goal in motion is to write it down. Here goes. From this point forward, I am officially in the home stretch of losing my last 30 pounds. I need support, and encouragement (yes...even THIS grand motivator is human...). Can I count on you guys???  I hope so.  2010 has been the toughest part of my weight loss journey, to date.  I haven’t really lost much, and what I did lose is basically offsetting the end of the year jump I experienced at the end of 2009.  Am I discouraged? Maybe a little.  Am I giving up? No way.  This is a JOURNEY…so this is a slight detour on the way to the ultimate destination.  No worries.  I am in it for the long haul.

One good side effect of all of this has been the shrinkage of the size of my body J  I was able to rid my closet of my size 16 Lee jeans, and replace them with the size 14s!  I didn’t like the way the 14s fit me earlier this year, but I must be doing SOMETHING right, because they looked great when I tried them again this weekend!!!  If any of my readers who are local are in need of some very gently uses size 16 jeans, please reply to me, and they’re yours!!!!  I have three pair and I loved them.  They are just a bit big on me now.

This weekend was also sales tax vacation weekend here in Texas and maybe for some of you in other states too.  I take advantage of this every year because my children tend to outgrow most of their clothing over the summer.  I sort of compare this to growing a vegetable garden and my children are those mutant zucchinis!!! LOL….they start out small and in a couple of weeks they are overtaking everything.  Morgan grew two sizes since school ended, and Adam…well…Adam is Adam.  He is just a tall boy!!!!  I did the majority of their shopping at Target and Once Upon a Child.  I spent maybe a total of $250 on the both of them, and came away with over 35 pieces of clothing, and a pair of sneakers.  Not bad, in my book!!!  The ultimate coup was the fact that Morgan actually has two dresses that she actually likes!!! This is from the tomboy that would never go near dresses.  Maybe 5^th grade will be a turning point for her? Who knows…I just know better than to look a gift horse (or DRESS) in the mouth!!!  We are set; at least for another few months anyway….or until one of them hits another growth spurt.

Morgan is in the 5^th grade now, and they moved Adam up into the preschool classroom.  My babies are growing up.  I still think that I was born without the mom gene.  Yesterday, I saw all these moms post pictures of their kids on the first day of school out on Facebook.  Me? I was just so happy to get Morgan out of the house, that the thought of grabbing the camera never even entered my mind.  Is that wrong?  I did, however, bake a cake (from a mix) that said we were proud of her.  I did manage to snap a photo of her after she got home though.  See proof below:

 

Today’s torture session was quite the sweat inducer. I began with 30 minutes on the elliptical on a weight loss setting.  Dwayne then followed up with three sets of walking lunges w/ a 18 lb body-bar press after each one alternated with 30 seconds of ab pulses on the smaller stability ball.  The next set of three was using the 18 lb. body bar (for the first two sets and on the third using the 24 lb body bar) and doing a dead lift alternating with an upright row; then a deadlift followed by a body bar bicep curl.  This exercise was alternated with sort of a leg press done on the larger stability ball holding 7 ½ pound weights.  The last set of exercises consisted of lying fact down on the stability ball and doing front raises using the 5 lb dumbbells alternated with bicycle crunches on the Bosu ball.  I needed a major shower after that workout.  I think all my workout clothes could be wrung out after that session.  I earned 8 activity POINTS® for that set of exercises.

This week’s meeting topic focused on not depriving yourself.  You can fit in your favorite foods with a little bit of planning.  When you make a place for your favorite foods along your weight loss journey, you are more likely to see success over the long term;  a can’t-have-it mind-set is too rigid for most people to live with, and it tends to backfire.  How can you fit in your favorites?

1. Use your weekly POINTS® Allowance – you get 35 extra POINTS® each week to use as you see fit.  You can use them on a birthday dinner, a slice of cherry pie at a barbecue, or to have popcorn with a movie.  To use these POINTS® wisely, plan ahead.  Just remember, that at the end of the week, any of those unused POINTS® will expire.

2. Earn Activity POINTS® - If you are eying a couple of homemade chocolate chip cookies, you can still have them if you rack up some Activity POINTS®.  Up your activity to work in those treats.

3. Reduce portion size – More food means more POINTS® values, especially when you are talking about, say, the meaty, cheesy lasagna at your local favorite Italian restaurant.  If you want to indulge, go ahead!  Just opt for a smaller portion size.  To make sure you leave the table feeling satisfied when eating a smaller portion of main dishes with higher POINTS ® Values, bulk up your meal with Filling Foods.  Start off with a broth-based soup or ask for vegetables as a side dish (a crisp salad, steamed broccoli or grilled zucchini with lemon)

4. Make smart substitutions – If you love tacos or quiche or pudding, a few switches can make them more plan-friendly.  Use leaner cuts of meat like lean ground turkey or lean ground sirloin in place of ground chuck; egg whites or egg substitute for whole eggs; evaporated fat-free milk for light cream…skip the oil when sautéing and use cooking spray and water or broth instead.  You can often halve the butter or shortening in a recipe OR replace the fat with equal parts of unsweetened applesauce or fruit puree.

This week’s closing quote, I’m pretty sure, I have used before.  I felt that it was appropriate, so I am using it again!!!

“"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

PRODUCT DU JOUR – Not a new segment of the newsletter; I just found this amazing product that I had to tell you guys about!!!!!!

           

Okay…I have been a fan of Hungry Girl for quite sometime, and have a huge girl-crush on her!!! Her recipes are fabulous (and very easy for those of you who may not be as culinarily inclined as others of us!)  The find? TOFU SHIRATAKI NOODLES!!! They sound scary, but in fact they are a fabulous substitute for traditional pasta.  Made of tofu and yam flour, they are dairy-free, gluten-free, cholesterol and sugar free, and lastly? virtually CALORIE FREE!!! The entire 8-oz bag has a POINTS® Value of ZERO.  That’s right. Zero. Nil. Zilch. Nada.  The possibilities for using this product are virtually endless.  You can add an entire bag to your favorite soup to make it into a noodle bowl, you can make lowfat tomato sauce and have a pasta dinner for literally 1 POINT®

Their website is:  http://www.house-foods.com/Tofu/tofu_shirataki.aspx .  I have found these noodles in Central Market, and recently in my Kroger up in Denton.  For my readers in Florida, I am told that Publix carries them.  In Texas, you can find them at Sprouts, Kroger, Central Market, and supposedly Market Street.  Not sure if they are being sold in NC at this time, but there is a store locator on the website. It is definitely worth checking out.  I have a cache of this stuff in my refrigerator, and they DO come in handy!!!! 

You can use them in almost any dish calling for noodles.  Italian-style dishes come out fine, but they would lend themselves to Asian dishes as well.

Per the photos below, there are three different varieties, although the ones I have found recently are the middle ones.  These are the Fettuccine noodles.   This week’s newsletter will feature a couple of recipes using these noodles.

  

This wonderful find comes courtesy of Hungry Girl.  If you want to check out the website, here it is:  http://www.hungry-girl.com  She has a newsletter and some FANTASTIC tips.  She’s been at the weight loss game as long as we all have, and she makes dishes that we ALL can make (without needing a culinary degree!!!) 

RECIPES

Fettuccine Hungry Girlfredo

This recipe is using those Tofu Shirataki noodles that I talked about above.  I found this one on the Hungry Girl website and loved it!  It’s now on my rotation! 

Yield: 1 serving (entire recipe) = 1 POINT®

Ingredients:

1 Package Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Tofu Noodles

1/2 Wedge The Laughing Cow Light Cheese

1 teaspoon Fat Free Sour Cream

2 teaspoons Kraft Reduced Fat Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Pepper (if desired)

Instructions:

Rinse fettuccine noodles VERY well.  Microwave them for one minute, then drain them and pat dry. Add cheeses and sour cream.  Mix thoroughly.  Microwave to help melt cheese further, and mix some more.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy.  Serves 1.

This Fettucine Hungry Girlfredo has just 80 calories per serving, and is only 1 point on Weight Watchers (if you're counting).  This is the guilt-free recipe of the century! 

Nutrition Information:

(81 Calories, 3g Fat, 242mg Sodium, 9g Carbs, 4g Fiber, <1g Sugars, 4g Protein = 1 Point!!!)

Totally PUMPin’ Fettuccine

Here is another one that is worth trying!  It’s cheesy…it’s creamy…it’s Totally PUMPin’ Fettuccine!

Yield: 1 serving (entire recipe!)

Ingredients:

1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki, Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute

1/2 wedge The Laughing Cow Cheese, Light Original Swiss

1/4 cup light plain soymilk

1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin

1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1 tsp. reduced-fat parmesan-style topping

1/2 tsp. chopped garlic

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. salt

dash pepper

Optional: additional salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Rinse and drain Shirataki noodles well. Pat dry. Place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute. Drain excess liquid from noodles, and pat them until thoroughly dry. Cut noodles up a bit using a knife or kitchen shears, and then set aside.

In a separate dish, combine soymilk, pumpkin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Bring a small saucepan to high heat. Add chicken broth, onions, chopped garlic, and the cheese wedge half. Stirring occasionally to break up the cheese, cook until broth has mostly evaporated (2 - 4 minutes). Reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook for just a minute or so, until onions and garlic begin to brown.

Next, add the pumpkin mixture. Stir until sauce is thoroughly blended and hot. Then add the sauce to your noodles, and stir well. If you like, season to taste with more salt and pepper. Then top with the parm-style topping!

Nutrition Information: PER SERVING (entire recipe): 129 calories, 3g fat, 639mg sodium, 19g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 6g sugars, 7g protein -- POINTS® value 2

Notes:

There is an alternative if you don’t like the Shirataki Noodles:  You can make the Totally PUMPin' Fettuccine with 1 cup cooked whole wheat pasta instead! Here are the stats for that version:

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 265 calories, 3g fat, 614mg sodium, 51g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 7g sugars, 12g protein -- POINTS® value 5

Sugo Parma Rosa – The Light Way!

This recipe came about on a whim.  I have a stash of these Tofu Shirataki noodles in the house, and wanted to use up some leftover marinara sauce that I had from the weekend.  I improvised, and this recipe was the result.  It came out fantastic, and it won’t blow your POINTS® budget in the least!

Yield:  2 servings at a POINTS® Value of 3.5 per serving

Ingredients:

2 packages of Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Tofu Noodles

1 cup marinara sauce (I had some that I made previously, but I prefer Barilla when I don’t have any homemade sauce on hand!)

2 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Swiss (or any flavor that you enjoy!!!)

¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Rinse fettuccine noodles VERY well.  Microwave them for one minute, then drain them and pat dry; set aside.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sauce and cheese wedges.  Stir until cheese melts and sauce is heated through.  It will turn a slight pinkish color.  In a large serving bowl, combine noodles and sauce mixture.  Toss in parmesan cheese.  Combine well, and divide between two pasta bowls.  Enjoy!

Oven-Fried Paprika Chicken Cutlets

Here’s a tangy Spanish spin on classic breaded chicken!  Enjoy.

Yield: 4 servings at a POINTS® Value of 4 per serving

Prep time: 14 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Level of Difficulty: Easy!

Ingredients:

 2 spray(s) cooking spray  

1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt  

1 Tbsp paprika, sweet-variety, divided  

15 item(s) saltine crackers, crushed into crumbs  

1 tsp table salt  

1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground  

16 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz thin pieces  

1 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped

1/2 medium lemon(s), cut into 4 wedges   

Instructions:

Preheat broiler and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place yogurt and 1 teaspoon of paprika in a small shallow bowl; mix to combine. Combine cracker crumbs, salt, pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons of paprika on a large shallow pie plate; stir to combine. Place each chicken cutlet in yogurt mixture and turn to coat. Next, place chicken in crumb mixture, turning to coat both sides and pressing lightly to make crumbs stick.

Place coated chicken on prepared baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat source until golden brown and cooked through, flipping once, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. To serve, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges. Yields 1 piece of chicken per serving.