two updates in one day?? YES!
i just have to mention that one of my new obsessions is Vitamin Water Zero & Zero Calorie Water from Walgreens (a cheaper, but still oh so yummy version of Vitamin Water Zero available only at Walgreens).
as someone who fights the need to drink 8 glasses of H20 everyday, these waters are a welcome change to boring ole water. and now that there is a zero calorie version of flavored water, you don't have to worry about the added sugar (and POINTS) that comes with the fruity flavor!
just be careful when buying vitamin water and make sure it says Zero. i made this mistake last night but thankfully the hubs caught it before i had my second sip, once again saving me from messing up my POINTS for the day! (no worries, it didn't go to waste..hubs drank it right up!)
they are giving my Crystal Light a run for it's money!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
daily eats.
i've had a few people ask me what i eat during the day for breakfast & lunch. i completely agree that these two meals for people watching their weight or creating a healthy lifestyle are the hardest. sugary cereal, pastries, high fat soups & sandwhiches used to rule breakfast & lunch time but no more! here are some of my favorites.
breakfast: breakfast for me changes with my plans for the day. i try to have a more substantial breakfast before or after a big work out & a smaller breakfast for days when i'm not working out.
yogurt parfait -- i can make this anywhere from 1 point to 4+ points depending on the day, my hunger level & what i have available in the house. the 4 point version is my favorite for a post-morning workout. it get's my energy back up for the rest of the day
1 point: 1 cup fiber one cereal & 1 fiber one yogurt mixed
2 points: 1 cup fiber one yogurt, 1 fiber one yogurt and 1 cup strawberries
4 points: 1 cup fiber one yogurt, 1 fiber one yogurt & 1 plain fat free greek yogurt mixed & 1 cup strawberries **pictured below
5+ points: add in fruits like blueberries, blackberries, etc.
light english muffin--
1 point: muffin with cinnamon and spray butter
2 points: muffin with 1 weight watchers cream cheese
*add a fiber one yogurt for 0 points and cover a dairy serving
3 points: microwave one serving (1/4 cup) of egg beaters in a microwavable cup sprayed with non-stick spray, melt 1 slice fat free cheese over egg and place on muffin ala egg mcmuffin (add 1 point for turkey bacon)
lunch: what i eat for lunch also depends on my activity for the day.
egg white scramble -- i'm pretty bad at making omlets with egg whites, so i decided to pack in more veggies than your typical omlet and scramble everything instead
2 points: in a nonstick pan cook your favorite frozen or fresh veggies (i like peppers, onion, green onion, and occationally squash & zucchini) over medium/high heat. remove from pan. whish 4 egg whites with a splash of skim milk. lower heat and spray pan with nonstick spray. add egg whites. scramble until fully cooked. add in cooked veggies, 1/4 cup fat free feta or fat free cheddercheese, & hot sauce (if you like a kick to your eggs). **pictured below
veggie wrap -- easy & quick when you dont want to turn on the stove
1 point: 1 whole wheat/high fiber wrap, your favorite veggies cut into strips, mustard
2 points: 1 whole wheat/high fiber wrap, your favorite veggies cut into strips, 1/4 cup shredded fat free cheese, mustard
soup -- a favorite 0 point - 3 point soup that i can have as a full meal at 3 points or 0 points when i'm running low on points for the day!
0 points: 2 cups chicken broth. i add in chopped onions (found in the spice section to add texture & flavor for no extra points)
1 point: add in 1/3 cup barley, cous cous or whole wheat pasta
2 points add in 2/3 cup barley, cous cous or whole wheat pasta
3 points: add in 1 cup barley, cous cous or whole wheat pasta
veggie stir fry -- recipe posted below
mini pizzas -- these are super yummy and easy to make! you can also make this using a whole wheat/high fiber wrap as the base of the pizza.
3 points: 1 sandwhich thin toasted, 1/2 cup light spaghetti sauce, 1/4 cup shredded cheese. top each toasted sandwhich thin half with sauce & cheese. place in toaster oven or on a baking sheet in oven until cheese is melted. (i add in garlic & a dash of splenda to the sauce to make it more like pizza sauce)
grilled cheese & tomato soup -- i also make these for dinner on occation. i cook the grilled cheese half in the toaster & half in the microwave becuase 1. whole wheat bread and fat free cheese tend to cook funny on the stove & 2. it's quick and easy.
3 points: 1 sandwhich thin or 2 slices of high fiber/whole wheat bread, 1 slice fat free cheese. toast sandwhich thin, 1/2 cheese slice on each half of the thin or bread. microwave for 20 seconds. serve with 1 cup Progressive High Fiber Tomato Basil soup. (add one point for an extra slice of cheese)
salad -- my favorite lunch/pre-dinner salad. i convinced myself that egg whites can take the place of croutons so i no longer want croutons in my salad!
1 point: iceburg lettuce or spring mix, sliced red onion, sliced peppers, 1 egg white, 1/4 cup fat free feta or shredded chedder cheese & spray dressing (my current favorite is raspberry vinagerette)
2 points: add 1/2 cup sliced seedless grapes & 1.2 cup of sliced strawberries for a summery take on salad.
breakfast: breakfast for me changes with my plans for the day. i try to have a more substantial breakfast before or after a big work out & a smaller breakfast for days when i'm not working out.
yogurt parfait -- i can make this anywhere from 1 point to 4+ points depending on the day, my hunger level & what i have available in the house. the 4 point version is my favorite for a post-morning workout. it get's my energy back up for the rest of the day
1 point: 1 cup fiber one cereal & 1 fiber one yogurt mixed
2 points: 1 cup fiber one yogurt, 1 fiber one yogurt and 1 cup strawberries
4 points: 1 cup fiber one yogurt, 1 fiber one yogurt & 1 plain fat free greek yogurt mixed & 1 cup strawberries **pictured below
5+ points: add in fruits like blueberries, blackberries, etc.
light english muffin--
1 point: muffin with cinnamon and spray butter
2 points: muffin with 1 weight watchers cream cheese
*add a fiber one yogurt for 0 points and cover a dairy serving
3 points: microwave one serving (1/4 cup) of egg beaters in a microwavable cup sprayed with non-stick spray, melt 1 slice fat free cheese over egg and place on muffin ala egg mcmuffin (add 1 point for turkey bacon)
yogurt parfait: 4 point version
lunch: what i eat for lunch also depends on my activity for the day.
egg white scramble -- i'm pretty bad at making omlets with egg whites, so i decided to pack in more veggies than your typical omlet and scramble everything instead
2 points: in a nonstick pan cook your favorite frozen or fresh veggies (i like peppers, onion, green onion, and occationally squash & zucchini) over medium/high heat. remove from pan. whish 4 egg whites with a splash of skim milk. lower heat and spray pan with nonstick spray. add egg whites. scramble until fully cooked. add in cooked veggies, 1/4 cup fat free feta or fat free cheddercheese, & hot sauce (if you like a kick to your eggs). **pictured below
veggie wrap -- easy & quick when you dont want to turn on the stove
1 point: 1 whole wheat/high fiber wrap, your favorite veggies cut into strips, mustard
2 points: 1 whole wheat/high fiber wrap, your favorite veggies cut into strips, 1/4 cup shredded fat free cheese, mustard
soup -- a favorite 0 point - 3 point soup that i can have as a full meal at 3 points or 0 points when i'm running low on points for the day!
0 points: 2 cups chicken broth. i add in chopped onions (found in the spice section to add texture & flavor for no extra points)
1 point: add in 1/3 cup barley, cous cous or whole wheat pasta
2 points add in 2/3 cup barley, cous cous or whole wheat pasta
3 points: add in 1 cup barley, cous cous or whole wheat pasta
veggie stir fry -- recipe posted below
mini pizzas -- these are super yummy and easy to make! you can also make this using a whole wheat/high fiber wrap as the base of the pizza.
3 points: 1 sandwhich thin toasted, 1/2 cup light spaghetti sauce, 1/4 cup shredded cheese. top each toasted sandwhich thin half with sauce & cheese. place in toaster oven or on a baking sheet in oven until cheese is melted. (i add in garlic & a dash of splenda to the sauce to make it more like pizza sauce)
grilled cheese & tomato soup -- i also make these for dinner on occation. i cook the grilled cheese half in the toaster & half in the microwave becuase 1. whole wheat bread and fat free cheese tend to cook funny on the stove & 2. it's quick and easy.
3 points: 1 sandwhich thin or 2 slices of high fiber/whole wheat bread, 1 slice fat free cheese. toast sandwhich thin, 1/2 cheese slice on each half of the thin or bread. microwave for 20 seconds. serve with 1 cup Progressive High Fiber Tomato Basil soup. (add one point for an extra slice of cheese)
salad -- my favorite lunch/pre-dinner salad. i convinced myself that egg whites can take the place of croutons so i no longer want croutons in my salad!
1 point: iceburg lettuce or spring mix, sliced red onion, sliced peppers, 1 egg white, 1/4 cup fat free feta or shredded chedder cheese & spray dressing (my current favorite is raspberry vinagerette)
2 points: add 1/2 cup sliced seedless grapes & 1.2 cup of sliced strawberries for a summery take on salad.
egg white scramble: 2 point version
i always follow lunch with an afternoon snack of some type of fruit: apple, grapes, kiwi, clementimes.. it helps fend off hunger 'til dinner time.
also, remember that breakfast and lunch dont nessecarily mean that you must eat those types of food at that meal time. if you want mini pizzas for breakfast..go for it! if you want a yogurt parfait for lunch..eat it!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
turkey chili.
since the weather decided to get chilly (no pun intended) again this week, i decided to bring out the slow cooker & make some delish turkey chili! best part is that it makes the house smell amazing all day!
2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 small can tomato paste
1 can kidney beans
1 can canelli beans
1 can diced tomatoes
16 ounces chicken broth
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
You can also add red & yellow peppers, jalepeno peppers to your taste, more spices to your taste, hot sauce to taste. If you like a really meaty chili add 1 or 2 browned lean turkey sausages (casings removed) for an extra 1 point per serving.
Brown turkey chili in a non-stick pan. Put all ingredients into crock pot & set on low for 5-6 hours.
POINTS: 4 points for 1 heaping cup.
2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 small can tomato paste
1 can kidney beans
1 can canelli beans
1 can diced tomatoes
16 ounces chicken broth
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
You can also add red & yellow peppers, jalepeno peppers to your taste, more spices to your taste, hot sauce to taste. If you like a really meaty chili add 1 or 2 browned lean turkey sausages (casings removed) for an extra 1 point per serving.
Brown turkey chili in a non-stick pan. Put all ingredients into crock pot & set on low for 5-6 hours.
POINTS: 4 points for 1 heaping cup.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
greek tomato & feta chicken.
this dish was super yummy & light! i'm a huge fan of feta cheese so finding a fat free version made my day!
4 - 3 ounce thin sliced chicken cutlets
1 teason dried oregano
salt & pepper
olive oil spray
1 can diced tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup diced cucumbers
1/4 cup fat free feta cheese
fresh mint for garnish
Sprinkle chicken with oregano, salt & pepper. Spray a large skillet with olive oil spray. Brown chicken over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from pan. Keep warm on a serving dish.
Re-spray pan & add tomatoes, lemon adn garlic to pan. Cook over medium-high heat until tomatoes are soft, about 3 minutes.
Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cucumber, feta and mint.
POINTS value: 3 for 3 ounces of chicken, 1/4 cup sauce, 1 Tbsp feta & 2 Tbsp cucumber.
I served this over 1 cup of cous cous for 3 points.
4 - 3 ounce thin sliced chicken cutlets
1 teason dried oregano
salt & pepper
olive oil spray
1 can diced tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup diced cucumbers
1/4 cup fat free feta cheese
fresh mint for garnish
Sprinkle chicken with oregano, salt & pepper. Spray a large skillet with olive oil spray. Brown chicken over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from pan. Keep warm on a serving dish.
Re-spray pan & add tomatoes, lemon adn garlic to pan. Cook over medium-high heat until tomatoes are soft, about 3 minutes.
Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with cucumber, feta and mint.
POINTS value: 3 for 3 ounces of chicken, 1/4 cup sauce, 1 Tbsp feta & 2 Tbsp cucumber.
I served this over 1 cup of cous cous for 3 points.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
soda pop chicken.
i debated trying this recipe for a while becuase it sounds so disgusting, but it's so simple that i had to give it a shot! surprisingly, it was amazing. so good that the hubs ate seconds & asks for me to make it all the time now. we're even going to use it as a marinade this weekend instead of in the crockpot.
4- 4 ounce chicken breasts
1 can diet soda
1 cup of ketchup
Place all ingredients into crock pot. Set to low and cook for 5-7 hours.
POINTS: 4 per 4 ounces of chicken
4- 4 ounce chicken breasts
1 can diet soda
1 cup of ketchup
Place all ingredients into crock pot. Set to low and cook for 5-7 hours.
POINTS: 4 per 4 ounces of chicken
Thursday, April 1, 2010
hummus.
i whipped up this hummus with some things i had around the house. super quick & super easy!
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves of garlic)
2 Tbsp fresh dill or cilantro
1/4 cup water
pinch of chives
salt & pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until creamy (about 2 minutes).
POINTS value: 2 for 1/3 cup.
Serve with veggies, whole wheat tortillas or toasted sandwhich thins.
Sorry the photo isn't prettier! I had to put it away beofre I ate it all!
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves of garlic)
2 Tbsp fresh dill or cilantro
1/4 cup water
pinch of chives
salt & pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until creamy (about 2 minutes).
POINTS value: 2 for 1/3 cup.
Serve with veggies, whole wheat tortillas or toasted sandwhich thins.
Sorry the photo isn't prettier! I had to put it away beofre I ate it all!
1-2-3
so excited for Lisa Lilliens new Hungry Girl book "1-2-3"!
after skimming the recipes & finding point values for the ones that sound amazing, i am so ready to start cooking! i'm loving the section on healthy crock pot meals. everyone should have a crockpot & use it. so easy. those recipes look great.
also, it's great that she's starting to cook for more than one person. her other books focused a great deal on one serving recipes. altho they are easy to double, it will come in handy to families with more than one person watching what they eat.
i still have trouble finding a few things at times that you need for a lot of her recipes, but there are usually alternatives to these items. and there are things i'm still iffy on..tofu noodles? umm..
i do like how at the top of the page every recipe lists what equipment you will need. makes everyone life a lot easier! another thing that makes life easy..the microwave section! i'm a huge fan of nuking my food (must get that from my dad..the microwave master) & having some ideas using a coffee mug as the main equipment sounds great to me! the smaller the clean-up, the better!
look for some Hungry Girl recipe tests in the next few weeks!
after skimming the recipes & finding point values for the ones that sound amazing, i am so ready to start cooking! i'm loving the section on healthy crock pot meals. everyone should have a crockpot & use it. so easy. those recipes look great.
also, it's great that she's starting to cook for more than one person. her other books focused a great deal on one serving recipes. altho they are easy to double, it will come in handy to families with more than one person watching what they eat.
i still have trouble finding a few things at times that you need for a lot of her recipes, but there are usually alternatives to these items. and there are things i'm still iffy on..tofu noodles? umm..
i do like how at the top of the page every recipe lists what equipment you will need. makes everyone life a lot easier! another thing that makes life easy..the microwave section! i'm a huge fan of nuking my food (must get that from my dad..the microwave master) & having some ideas using a coffee mug as the main equipment sounds great to me! the smaller the clean-up, the better!
look for some Hungry Girl recipe tests in the next few weeks!
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