Healthy Recipes For You And Your Family

I anticipated coming back to this blog sooner than my main blog after my Summer blogging break, but for some reason that didn't happen.  But I have been working on getting all of my healthy recipes organized and finally finished!

Each recipe category has its own page with all of the recipe links for that category to make them easier for you to find.  The pictures for each category are on my sidebar and you can click to get the category you want.  Much easier!!  My healthy recipes are all Weight Watchers friendly, family approved and most can be easily adapted to a real food approach too (such as using whole fat dairy instead of fat free or using organic products, etc.).  Most of the recipes come from newer Weight Watchers books or magazines (the newer ones are better about using real butter, olive oil, real eggs, etc rather than fat free or artificial ingredients) and Cooking Light magazines with a few others thrown in.  At the end of most recipes you'll find the servings, number of calories, grams of fat, grams of fiber, and estimate of Weight Watchers points as calculated by me.

Here are the categories - take a look around!  You might find something new to try!

Breakfasts (including Chocolate Chip-Orange Scones)

Main Dishes (including Four-Cheese Pepperoni-Veggie Pizza)

Side Dishes (including Rosemary Roasted Potato Salad)

Desserts (including Frozen Peanut-Butter-And-Chocolate Pie)

Beverages (including Iced Cappuccino Smoothie)

I have also added the Print Friendly button to the bottom of my posts, so now you can print the recipes out more easily!

Do you have a favorite healthy recipe?  I'd love to hear about it!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Summer Blog Break

I mentioned on my main blog that I'll be taking a Summer blog break.  It does mean that I'll be taking a blog break here too.  On my other blog I plan to be gone until September.  I don't plan that long of a break on this blog as I use this one for a different purpose.  I think I'll be gone for about a month here.

As I come across great healthy recipes - I do like to share them.  And I am still really working on weight loss goals through exercising and eating right.  That means I need to post here to help keep me accountable!  (By the way, though I lost 2 lbs the previous week, I gained 1 lb back last week.)

I have a Summer trip coming up soon and really want to lose weight on my trip this year instead of the usual gain!  I will be taking along healthy recipes (we stay with my Dad which means that I can cook there) and my 30 day Shred DVD (now THAT should give my Dad a good laugh!).  I will also try to do as much walking as possible during this trip.

Thanks for being here with me as I try (and try and try again) to be more healthy!  Do you have some healthy goals for the Summer?

Have a healthy June/July!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Coffee cake is nice for breakfast or with a cup of coffee or tea later in the day.  I'm glad I found a lighter version and I always like an excuse to bake something in a Bundt pan!  This recipe came from my WW Best-Ever Desserts cookbook.

Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 egg whites
1 1/4 cups fat-free sour cream (I used Light)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray.

2.  Evenly sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the pecans in the bottom of the pan.  Combine the remaining pecans, the brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.

3.  With an electric mixer on med. speed, beat the butter and 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Gradually beat in the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar, then beat 1 more minute.  Beat in the eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in the sour cream and vanilla.  Reduce the speed to low.  Gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until blended.

4.  Spoon one-third of the batter into the pan; spread evenly.  Sprinkle evenly with half of the reserved brown sugar mixture.  Spoon half of the remaining batter on top; spread evenly.  Sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar mixture.  Spoon the remaining batter on top; spread evenly.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes.  Let cool in the pan on a rack 10 minutes.  Remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely on the rack.

Per serving (1/16 of cake):  233 cal, 6 g fat, 2 g fiber, 5 WW pts

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You can tell that this cake is a lighter cake, but it is still very yummy!  At 5 pts per slice though, I can't eat this every day.  Since only hubs and I were eating it, I cut the cake into quarters, wrapped each quarter and froze it.  On weekends I pulled out a quarter which was enough to give us each a slice on Saturday and Sunday.  It made our treat last so much longer.  If you try it, let me know what you think!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Steakhouse Chopped Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing

Who says you can't have a salad with a creamy blue cheese dressing when you're trying to watch your weight?  I love this salad that I found in my WW Comfort Classics cookbook!

Steakhouse Chopped Salad With Blue Cheese Dressing

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream (I used light)
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 medium head iceberg lettuce, chopped (about 4 cups)
(Can also add in 2 cups chopped Romaine for color and crunch)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped (I left it out as hubs doesn't like it)
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

Stir the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper together in a large bowl until well mixed.  Add the lettuce , celery, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, and tomato; toss well.

Per serving (1 3/4 cups): 95 cal, 4 g fat, 3 g fiber, 2 WW pts

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Now you have a new salad to try this Summer with some barbecued steaks!  Delicious!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa :)

Review: Skin MD Natural

A few months ago I received a bottle of Skin MD Natural lotion to sample and review.  I meant to review it for you before now!

This blog is where I talk about getting healthy, but mainly focus on weight, eating right, and exercise.  When I was sent the info about this lotion, it reminded me that getting healthy is about so much more than eating right and exercising.  We have to take good care of our bodies!  What about our teeth, hair, feet, and skin?  Getting healthy should mean that we improve in how we take care of ourselves inside and out.

What interested me about this lotion is (quote from Rep):

Skin MD Natural is a cruelty free and vegan product that is specially formulated using high quality natural ingredients. Our product it over 93% all natural with all ingredients being of food grade and on the FDA's most safe list. It is free of harmful fragrances, parabens, and colorants making it hypoallergenic.

 

Skin MD Natural is not like a regular lotion - it's a shielding lotion.  It bonds to the outer layer of skin, helping keep in natural oils and protecting the skin at the same time.

When I used the lotion, I could definitely feel it coating my hands.  It dried quickly and then I could feel that there was a soft protective layer on my hands.  Certainly helpful in dry weather, but also protects skin from a lot of hand-washing, dish-washing, etc.  Though I only used it on my hands, it's safe to use on your face and body also.  I did see improvement in dry skin when I used it.

To be honest, my husband tried it but didn't like the feel of it right when he put it on.  You do have to be careful not to use too much and to give it a minute to fully dry.  That didn't bother me at all.  This is a different kind of lotion, so it feels different.

You can get more information about Skin MD and order the lotion at their website:  www.skinmdnatural.com  They also have the lotion with SPF 15.  You can even send them a self-addressed stamped envelope to get 2 samples if you want to give it a try - click here for more info.

Disclosure:  I received a free full-size bottle of lotion from Skin MD Natural to sample and review.  My opinions are my own.

Have you tried this lotion?  What other ways are you trying to get healthy besides eating right and exercising?

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Oatmeal-Cranberry Classic Cookies

I love being able to whip up some healthy cookies and these are only 1 WW point per cookie!  The texture is a little different than a regular cookie, but they are yummy and smell wonderful!  My hubs loved them too and couldn't believe they were only 1 point each.  These were in my WW Best-Ever Desserts cookbook.

Oatmeal-Cranberry Classic Cookies

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking (not instant) oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or substitute other dried fruit)

1.  Place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray.

2.  Whisk together the pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.  With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, oil, egg white, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended, about 1 minute.  Beat in the applesauce.  Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended.  Stir in the oats and cranberries.

3.  Drop the dough by level tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart, making a total of 30 cookies.  With the back of a spoon, spread the mounds to make 2-inch cookies.  Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 12 minutes.  Let cool on the baking sheets on racks about 2 minutes.  With a spatula, transfer the cookies to racks and let cool completely.

Per cookie:  73 cal, 2 g fat, 1 g fiber, 1 WW pt

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I need to make another batch soon.  Not only do I love the flavor, but it's like aromatherapy every time I open the container of these cookies!  Enjoy!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

A Little Update

I'm still around, just busy with Summer!  I have been focusing on diet and exercise though.  I'm still doing Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred with the support of The Shred Sisters!  I haven't been keeping it up 5 times a week like I wanted to.  This week I did it 3 times and only twice the 2 weeks before that, but I'm losing weight so that's alright with me!

I started a very restrictive anti-fungal diet this week, but only plan to do it 1 more week.  I was doing it with a friend and seeing if I could actually survive without caffeine and sugar (apparently I can)!  I was hoping it would also jump start my weight loss though I didn't lose more weight than I lost the week before *with* the caffeine and sugar - LOL!

Last week at WW I was down about 2.4 lbs for the week - yay!!  I weighed today and lost exactly 2 lbs for the week!  Woo Hoo!!  So glad to have some loss!  Now if I can keep it up, I'll be heading into some new territory with my weight which will be a nice feeling!

This week will be more of the restrictive diet and more Shred - Level 2, but hopefully with the 5-lb weights this week.  We'll see how things end up next Saturday!

How are you doing? Is Summer an easier time for you to eat right and exercise or is it more difficult?

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Fruit and Yogurt Shake

I just tried this recipe this morning and the whole family liked it!  The recipe is from Cooking Light.  It's supposed to be a good shake to have before doing a workout or even immediately after one.  I thought it was great and refreshing!

The recipe for the Fruit and Yogurt Shake (includes frozen cherries, crushed pineapple, banana, and more) can be found at the Cooking Light my recipes site.  Just click here to get it.  The only changes I made were to add some flax seed and a few ice cubes.  I'm not a big fan of bananas and don't really like the taste of them in my smoothie drinks, but I didn't have any problem with it in this one.  All the other flavors mix in and the banana isn't overwhelming, so I like that it helps me sneak in the nutrition of the banana!

I forgot to mention that this drink is only 3 WW pts per cup (142 cal, 2.1 g fat, 2 g fiber)!

Try it out - it's a wonderful Summer breakfast drink or a good pick-me-up right after an intense workout!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Rosemary Roasted Potato Salad

Sorry I haven't posted in a while!  I do have some recipes to share, but haven't had time to type them up.  I found this one in my WW Comfort Classics (this is now one of my fave cookbooks).  It's delicious!  I love having a healthier and lighter potato salad recipe.  Perfect for picnics or a Memorial Day or 4th of July barbecue!

Rosemary Roasted Potato Salad

1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-in. pieces
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (can add in a green or yellow pepper too)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise (use what you have - I have Light)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2.  Place potatoes on baking sheet; add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and the rosemary and toss to coat.  Arrange potatoes in single layer and roast until bottoms are deep golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, toss bell pepper, onion, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil together in medium bowl.  Add to baking sheet and bake, turning occasionally, until the potatoes are crisp and the pepper and onion are tender, 15-20 minutes longer.  Let cool 20 minutes.

4.  Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.  Add the potato mixture and toss to coat.

Per serving (2/3 cup): 122 cal., 2 g fat, 4 g fiber, 2 WW pts

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If you get a chance to try this, let me know what you think!  I think I'll take it to a church potluck soon myself!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

I'm Shreddin' It Up

I haven't posted on my weight-loss efforts since my birthday!  That might be because I went off track after my birthday!

It's been tough to get going again, but my friend Kim from Homesteader's Heart came up with a great way to get me started.  She started a new blog called The Shred Sisters.  Several ladies (and girls) have joined together on the blog to do Jillian Michaels' 30 day Shred and post about our efforts and results.  We are all different shapes and sizes, different fitness levels, different ages, with different goals, but we are there to help each other!

If you have ever done or are doing The Shred, or even if you're just trying to exercise more, I encourage you to stop by The Shred Sisters.  You'll find ladies inspiring and encouraging each other, confessing their struggles, and laughing a LOT!  You can read my first post there introducing myself and my second post talking about my first couple days of doing the Shred.  I've completed 4 days of Level One now and I'm feeling good!

Unfortunately my weight is way up now for the week.  Every time I have done intense exercise in the past, my weight has gone up.  I don't know if it's some sort of reaction in the muscles trying to recover or if my body just goes into total shock - LOL!  I'm going to try not to be discouraged by that and trust that next week all those pounds will disappear.  I will try to go to WW this Saturday for an official weigh-in (ugh).

Have you ever done the 30 Day Shred?  Have you been exercising lately?  If not, why not get started - if I can do it, YOU can definitely do it!

Have a healthy day,
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Rosemary Chicken Thighs With Roast Potatoes

Here's an easy yummy healthy dinner recipe!  My family enjoyed this one - good any time of year!  I found it in my WW momentum Cookbook.

Rosemary Chicken Thighs With Roast Potatoes

4 (1/4 lb) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 small new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered (can also add in 2 chopped carrots if desired)

1.  Combine the chicken, 1 teaspoon of the oil, the garlic, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in large ziploc bag.  Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken.  Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

2.  Toss together the potatoes and the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl.  Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray and spread the potatoes on the baking sheet.  Place the potatoes in the oven and turn the oven on to 425 degrees F.  When the temperature reaches 425, remove the potatoes from the oven.  Toss the potatoes, then push them to one side of the pan.

3.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the baking sheet.  Discard the marinade.  Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender and browned, about 20 minutes.

Per serving (1 piece chicken and 1/2 cup potatoes): 273 cal, 11 g fat, 2 g fiber, 6 WW pts

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Isn't that simple?  Have you forgotten about chicken thighs because so many recipes call for chicken breasts?  Give this a try!  I'm linking this up to Tasty Tuesday with Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

WFMW ~ Cooking With Couscous

Cooking with couscous definitely works for me!  It's easy to fix and easy to make quick healthy recipes with it.  Never heard of couscous?  It looks like a small grain, but is actually pasta.  You can find it in your grocery store near the pasta or rice.  It cooks very quickly.  In general, if you just want some plain couscous with your meal (maybe w/ some butter) - you boil the water, then add in the couscous, remove from heat, cover, and it's ready in 5 minutes!  My family loves it!

Some couscous recipes I enjoy are:

Vegetable Couscous Salad

Tony's Breakfast Couscous

Caesar Couscous*

*This one is on my other blog.  You could make the recipe healthier by using a Light Caesar dressing and using less Parmesan cheese in it.

I have another easy healthy couscous side dish to share with you today!  It's from my old BHG New Dieter's Cook Book.  It's so easy to make for a side dish since I always keep the ingredients on hand!

Herbed Couscous

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup water

1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley (or 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley)

1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

Dash pepper

2/3 cup couscous

In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except couscous.  Bring to boiling; remove from heat.  Stir in couscous.  Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.  Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 108 cal., 3 g fat, no fiber info given, about 2 WW pts

The original recipe calls for sauteed fresh mushrooms to cook with the water and herbs at the beginning and adds in chopped tomato at the end.  Feel free to add those in - I just like to make this on the spur of the moment and not have to worry about having the veggies to add.  You could also add in whatever veggies you like!

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If you haven't had couscous, I hope you give it a try.  Do you already cook with it?  What are your favorite couscous recipes?

For more Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips, be sure to stop by We Are THAT Family!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

4 to 40 ~ Week 4 ~ Final Update

I had hoped to have a fabulous week for the end of this short challenge, but we came back from a trip, hubs was off work, son on Spring Break, etc. so it was hard to stay on track.  I am officially 40 today - woo hoo (if you're interested in a birthday giveaway, stop by my other blog but don't look at the chocolate surrounding you there - LOL)!

I did get to WW to weigh in.  Since I didn't weigh in there last time (just weighed myself), it was a gain though it was actually a loss for the week.  If I were to dwell on the negative, I would be upset about such a small loss over 4 weeks and be discouraged about getting anywhere close to my goal even by the end of the year!  But the good thing is that I DON'T like to dwell on the negative!  The positive side is that I did lose some weight over the 4 weeks, no matter how small the amount - I'm still going in the right direction!  And last year at this time, I gained 5 lbs after Spring Break and a trip to see my Dad - so this year is MUCH better!  In fact, I weigh less at age 40 than at age 39 so that is something!  :)

Here's how I did for the final week:

1.  Lose 5 lbs. - Lost 1.4 lbs this week; making a total of 1.2 lbs lost for the 4 weeks.
2.  Exercise 4x/week for 30+ min.  - Only 1x (hangs head in shame): 50 min. walking
3.  Drink 4 (12 oz) glasses water/day. - Did once.
4.  Go to bed @ 11:30pm on weekdays. - Made it 3 times!!
5.  Make 2 breakfast & 2 lunch recipes/week. - 1 breakfast recipe - WW Chocolate Chip-Orange Scones.

I'm not going to follow any sort of challenge this week - I'll just try to survive my birthday week without a big weight gain!  But I do want a new challenge to follow until Summer (after this week, it will be 6 weeks until the unofficial start of Summer - Memorial Day weekend and 9 weeks until it's officially Summer).  I'm willing to join up with somebody else's challenge or start my own.  What do you think?  Ideas?  Suggestions?

How was your week?  Are you back on track?  Did you make the goals you set for yourself during this 4 weeks?  We can do this!!  Take some time this week to think about what really motivates you.

Thanks for sticking with me!  You are helping hold me accountable and it does make a difference for me!  Hugs to all!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe Pic Updates

I do like to include pictures with my healthy recipes as much as possible, but I didn't do that when I started this blog.  It really does help you to see if it's a recipe you want to make!  I have recently updated some of the recipes with current pics, so I thought I'd share them.  Always good to be reminded of some yummy recipes you may have forgotten!

Summer Corn Salad

Fabulous Fruit Salad

Chocolate Chip-Orange Scones*

*I previously had a pic, but this latest batch turned out better so I took a new pic!  Just finished the last of those this morning - yum.

That's it for now.  I do make many of the recipes on this blog regularly, but forget to take pics!  As I remember, I'll show you the updates!  :)

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

4 to 40 ~ Week 3

Only 1 week left until I'm 40!  Wow!  Though I met some of my goals last week, the scale did not reflect it.  :(  It really wasn't pretty.  I didn't have time to go to WW and weigh in there as we went out-of-town on Friday morning, but I put on my usual outfit and weighed myself (my scale is fairly close to what WW scale says) that morning (normally I weigh on Saturday) and I GAINED!  In fact, I gained a whole 2.8 lbs as near as I could tell - which completely wiped out 2 weeks of losing.  That is the sort of thing that really frustrates me, but all I can do is not let it discourage me and keep moving forward!

Here's how my week went:

1.  Lose 5 lbs. - Gained 2.8 lbs this week; making a total of .2 lb gain so far.  Grrrr.
2.  Exercise 4x/week for 30+ min.  - 4x!: 30 min. workout DVD (twice), 30 min. Wii Fit, 45 min. Wii Fit
3.  Drink 4 (12 oz) glasses water/day. - Did 4/day about twice.
4.  Go to bed @ 11:30pm on weekdays. - Made it twice!!
5.  Make 2 breakfast & 2 lunch recipes/week. - 1 breakfast recipe - the Blueberry-Corn Muffins and 2 lunch recipes: Bow Ties, Tuna & Veggies in Balsamic Vinaigrette and Asian Chicken Slaw.

I wasn't feeling well at the beginning of this week, but am OK now and trying to get back on track!  How was your week?  How was Easter?  Did you resist all the Easter candy?  I have to say - I've stayed away from the stores because I have a hard time resisting clearance-priced candy!

Let's have a great week!  We can do it!!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Blueberry-Corn Muffins

Yet another yummy WW recipe I tried!  I found this recipe in my WW Best-Ever Desserts cookbook.  These are just yummy muffins though - nobody would guess that they're all that healthy!  I had frozen blueberries to use up so I dumped them all in, even though it was more berries than the recipe called for.  I would suggest following their blueberry measurement though - there were too many berries in mine, making some of the muffins too goopy at the bottom!  :)

Blueberry-Corn Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
6 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

2.  Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, 5 tablespoons of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Gently stir in the blueberries.  Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, egg, and lemon zest in a small bowl.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the flour mixture is moistened.

3.  Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Bake until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed, 15-20 minutes.  Let cool in the pan on a rack 5 minutes.  Remove the muffins from the pan and let cool on the rack about 15 minutes longer.  Serve warm.

Per serving (1 muffin): 158 cal, 4 g fat, 1 g fiber, 3 WW pts

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Try them for breakfast this week - yummy!! 

I'm linking this up to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam - go check out all the yummy recipes!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

4 to 40 ~ Week 2

So far, my 4 weeks to 40 is going fairly well, but Easter is fast approaching!  I did have a good week last week though.  I still didn't make all of my goals, but I did lose weight!  Yay!  Slow but steady...

Here's how my week was:

1.  Lose 5 lbs. - Lost 1.4 lbs this week; 2.6 lbs total so far!
2.  Exercise 4x/week for 30+ min.  - only 3x: 30 min. walking, 30 min. workout DVD, 30 min. Wii Fit
3.  Drink 4 (12 oz) glasses water/day. - Did 4/day about 3 times.
4.  Go to bed @ 11:30pm on weekdays. - Made it twice!!
5.  Make 2 breakfast & 2 lunch recipes/week. - Only managed the breakfast recipes - made Fabulous Fruit Salad and Jen's healthier baked oatmeal.

Not bad!  I feel like I'm on track for my 4 weeks!  How are you doing with your goals?  Are you on track?  Start over today if you need to - you can do it!

2 more weeks til I'm 40 and 2 more weeks for you to achieve a goal!  Then we'll start something new to keep us on track!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Parmesan Encrusted Green Beans

I ran across a great green bean recipe in a past version of Extra magazine from Raley's/BelAir grocery stores.  Tried it and loved it!  Very simple, but yummy and only 2 WW points per serving!  I think it's nice enough to serve to company too.

The recipe is on the Raley's website: Parmesan Encrusted Green Beans.  Enjoy!  I made things even simpler by using frozen haricot vert (skinny green beans) from Trader Joe's.

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

4 to 40 ~ Week 1

Well I completed the first week of my own 4 weeks to 40 challenge!  I didn't quite have my mind ready for it and was still transitioning from the goals of my previous 10 week challenge, so I didn't do very well as far as my goals.  But I did lose weight!

I weighed in at WW and lost 1.2 lbs for the week!!  Yay!!  That's a good start for my 4 weeks - I just need to keep it up!

Here's how my week went:

1.  Lose 5 lbs. - Lost 1.2 lbs so far!
2.  Exercise 4x/week for 30+ min.  - only 3: 40 min. walking, 50 min. walking, 30 min. Wii Fit
3.  Drink 4 (12 oz) glasses water/day. - Most days 3/day, did 4/day once.
4.  Go to bed @ 11:30pm on weekdays. - Still didn't do - ugh!
5.  Make 2 breakfast & 2 lunch recipes/week. - Didn't do yet; have some planned for this week.

So you can see I need to do better this week!  So far, this week is going OK - I need to keep my focus!

Did you come up with a challenge for the 4 weeks?  How did you do last week?  Remember, you can start fresh this week!  Share your struggles and successes in the comments!

Thanks for following along with me as I attempt to be a little healthier and lose weight along the way!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

4 Weeks to 40

Shame on me for putting up a pic of delicious cake, but I couldn't help it!  It is exactly 4 weeks until my 40th birthday (gasp - now you know how *old* I am!)!  I am happy to have started off the year by focusing on healthy goals from the 10 in 2010 challenge and I want to continue.

It is generally thought that it takes 21-30 days to develop a new habit (though I just read that that is actually a myth and research suggests that it could take an average of 60+ days).  I figure that 4 weeks is enough time to work on habits already established and improve upon them.  I'm making some new goals for the next 4 weeks and will post weekly on my progress.  You are welcome to join in with your own goals and post about it to help keep yourself accountable.  I recommend making realistic, attainable goals - success at smaller goals is a great motivator to go on to bigger goals!

4 to 40 Goals:

1.  Lose 5 lbs.
2.  Exercise 4 times a week for 30-60 minutes.
3.  Drink 4 (12 oz) glasses of water a day.
4.  Go to bed no later than 11:30 pm on weekdays.
5.  Make at least 2 breakfast and 2 lunch recipes each week.

So you can see that I'm building on what I accomplished during the last 10 weeks.  I'm increasing my workouts and water drinking and hoping that it will help me lose 5 lbs in 4 weeks (sounds like a small amount but it seems to be tough for me).  I've changed my bedtime goal from 11pm to 11:30 in hopes that I can have more success!  And I'm good about making great healthy dinner recipes, but I tend to just scrounge around for breakfast and lunch.  If I plan out recipes for those too and make things ahead of time, I (and my family) will be much more satisfied with my food.

I'll post again next week with my progress!  How about you?  Do you want to join me for the next 4 weeks?  C'mon - it's only 4 weeks - I know you can do it!  I'm putting up a MckLinky below.  If you want to post about your goals for 4 weeks on your blog, then you can come back any time the rest of the week and link up your post.  Or you can leave comments with what you're trying to achieve and comment each week with your progress.  This is very informal - it's just nice to join in and get some accountability and encouragement!

I look forward to hearing about your goals and appreciate you checking in on me!  4 to 40 - let's do it (hey it's OK if you're not turning 40, just make it 4 to anything you like)!!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

10 in 2010 ~ Final Update

I finished the final week of Recipe Girl's 10 in 2010 Challenge!  Though I didn't have as much success as I originally hoped for, I did accomplish a few things and that will help me keep the ball rolling!

I went to my Saturday weigh-in and it was certainly not how I wanted to finish out the 10 weeks.  I had a gain!  Ugh!  I only gained .2 lbs, but it was still disappointing.  I wasn't as much on track this week, but still didn't expect a gain.

Here's how I did for the week:

Weigh in at WW:  Weighed in; couldn't stay for meeting.

Track all food:  Tracked every week day.
3 45-min exercise sessions:  1 60-min. Wii Fit Plus workout.
Bed by 11pm on weeknights:  Once. 
Drink 3 glasses water per day:  Did it about half the days.
Plan meals each week: Not well planned, and did end up eating In & Out burger and fries one night because of it.

Not a great week, but not a complete failure either.   So how did I do on my goals?

1.  To lose at least 15 pounds. ~ I only lost 5.2 lbs for the 10 weeks, but that is the first time that I have lost more than 5 lbs at one time in the last 4-5 years - seriously!  It's a great start for me!

2.  To be more fit/healthy with more energy. ~ When I keep up with my workout sessions and drinking my water, I definitely have more energy.  Since I can feel a difference, it makes me more motivated to keep it up!

3.  To be motivated to continue program beyond 10 weeks. ~  Definitely motivated, even though the weight loss is so slow.  I plan to keep on going!!

Over all, I'm pleased with my progress during the 10 weeks.  I'm much more consistent about working out and drinking water which will make it easier to increase amounts for both!  And though I didn't have a big loss, my jeans are more comfortable and being able to feel a difference makes me want to continue.

I do have a plan for the next 4 weeks to keep myself focused and you're welcome to join in!  I'll put up a separate post about that later.

Did you follow along for the 10 weeks (or part of it)?  How did you do?  Don't beat yourself up if you didn't hit all of your goals.  Focus on the positive changes that you made and keep on going!

Thanks again to Recipe Girl for doing this to help us focus on starting out 2010 in a healthy way!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

I'm still loving my newer WW cookbooks!  I like that the recipes work for you even if you're not a WW person - my family loves these recipes and you can even make them work for a more "Real Food" approach.

This recipe (from the WW Comfort Classics cookbook) was SO yummy - I've got to make it again this week!  I served it with Crispy Sweet Onion Rings on the side.

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
4 (1/4-lb) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted

1.  Stir the ketchup, sugar, mustard, vinegar, chili powder, cumin, allspice, and ginger together in a medium skillet; add the chicken and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender, 20-25 minutes.

2.  Remove from the heat and shred the chicken with 2 forks.  Serve the chicken mixture between the bread slices.

~ The cookbook suggests topping the sandwiches with thinly sliced cabbage tossed with a little fat-free Ranch dressing.  I did this though I used light Ranch and thought it was a great topping and makes it a little more filling.

Per sandwich: 352 cal., 11 g fat, 3 g fiber, 7 WW points

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you try this one!  I say double or triple the recipe so there are leftovers!  And now I'm wondering if it would freeze well - then you could even freeze individual portions to pull out later, heat in the microwave, and make your sandwich.

I'm linking this up to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam - go check out all the yummy recipes!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

10 in 2010 ~ Week 10

 

OK - 9 weeks done and starting the last week of the 10 in 2010 challenge!!  This has been so helpful to keep me on track with goals and plans!  Somebody asked if I would be doing this again.  The program was set up by Recipe Girl and will be over at the end of the 10th week.  I wouldn't mind doing something myself when it's over to stay on track.  At the end of the 10 weeks, there will be 4 weeks until my birthday, so I think I'll come up with a 4 week challenge that you'll be welcome to join!

I did have my weigh-in on Saturday and it was a loss - .4 lbs.  Not much, but again in the right direction!  I sure am glad those WW scales do those decimals - LOL!  I know that I need to do more exercise and make some better choices with what I eat to lose more weight and will work on that eventually.  My main goal for this 10 weeks was to develop some good habits and become consistent.  Then I can add on!

Here's how I did this past week:

Weigh in at WW:  Weighed in; couldn't stay for meeting.

Track all food:  Tracked every week day.
3 45-min exercise sessions:  3 60-min. Wii Fit Plus workouts - Yay!!
Bed by 11pm on weeknights:  Not even sure I made it once.  :(
Drink 3 glasses water per day:  Did it almost every day!
Plan meals each week: I didn't plan as well for the week, but got through it OK.

3 things I'm proud of this week:
1.  I worked out longer than my goal each session!
2.  I've gone to every weigh-in during these 9 weeks, whether or not I thought I had a loss.
3.  Made good choices when eating out this week.

How was your week?  Do you have some good habits you're trying to develop?  Let's start fresh again and have an excellent week!!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Frozen Peanut Butter-And-Chocolate Pie

I enjoy finding new healthy desserts to have!  I must have some sort of dessert or I will fail miserably at any healthy eating attempts!

I found this recipe in my WW cookbook -  Comfort Classics.  I didn't have a reduced fat crust, so I made my own crust with some chocolate graham crackers and melted butter - not a reduced fat crust and I made it too thick!  So my version definitely had extra points, but it was a nice treat!

 

Frozen Peanut Butter-And-Chocolate Pie

1 1/2 cups fat-free milk ( I used whole milk)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon reduced-fat creamy peanut butter (I used all-natural PB)

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup frozen thawed fat-free whipped topping (I used light)

1 (6 oz) prepared reduced-fat graham-cracker crust (I crushed chocolate grahams and mixed w/ melted butter)

1 tablespoon chopped dry roasted peanuts (I skipped this)

1/2 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely grated

1.  Combine the milk and sugar in medium saucepan and set over med-high heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes; remove from the heat.  Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.  Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 1 hour.

2.  Gently stir the whipped topping into the chilled milk mixture, spoon into the crust.  Sprinkle with the peanuts and grated chocolate.  Loosely cover the pie with wax paper, then with heavy-duty foil.  Freeze until completely frozen, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.  Let the pie soften at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

12 servings

Per serving: 175 cal., 7 g fat, 1 g fiber, 4 WW pts (my version was probably 6 WW pts)

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Hope you get a chance to try this recipe - don't be afraid to make changes to recipes and make them your own or use up what you already have in your home!

I'm linking this up to my other blog (Stop and Smell the Chocolates) for Chocolate/Dessert Friday, but you should only stop by if you can keep your chocolate cravings under control.  :)

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

10 in 2010 ~ Week 9

 

Wow - hard to believe that Week 8 is over and Week 9 is starting!  Only 2 weeks left of this challenge!

I stayed pretty consistent this week and had a good weigh-in this morning!  I lost 1.2 lbs for the week - yay!  That puts me at a 5 lb loss so far for the challenge, but only 2 weeks left.  It's doubtful that I can lose at least 5 more lbs in 2 weeks (not impossible though) - but I will just focus on being consistent and losing what I can!

Here is how my week went:

Weigh in at WW:  Weighed in; no time for the meeting as my son was with me. (And I will have to go much earlier as there almost wasn't even any place left to stand - totally full today!)

Track all food:  Tracked every week day.
3 45-min exercise sessions:  3 45-min. Wii Fit Plus workouts - Woo Hoo!
Bed by 11pm on weeknights:  Sigh - maybe twice.
Drink 3 glasses water per day:  Did it almost every day!
Plan meals each week: Meals were great, but I don't have much planned for this week yet.

3 things I'm proud of this week:

1. Less snacking in the evenings this week.
2. Working out even when I didn't feel like it.
3. Drinking water is becoming easier!

I hope things will go just as well this week.  I'm looking forward to it!  How was your week?  What do you struggle with?  Anything else you want me to post about?  I hope you have a great week - start out fresh and we can do it!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Progresso Prize Pack Winner

The winner of this fabulous prize pack from Progresso is...

Melinda

Congrats Melinda!!

Don't forget, you can still enter the Progresso Souper You Debut contest at Progresso through March 15th.  And download your $1 off coupon while you're there!

Thanks Progresso!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

10 in 2010 ~ Week 8

Oops - never posted my 10 in 10 update for this past week!  We've finished Week 7 and started Week 8  - it's the last 3 weeks!

I did weigh in on Saturday, but the results were not what I was hoping.  I did lose, but only .4 lbs which was the exact amount that I gained the previous week.  While I'm happy that I lost my gain, I'm not happy that the whole 2 weeks net zero.  I want to see some downward movement this week!

Here was how last week went:

Weigh in at WW:  Weighed in and stayed for meeting.

Track all food:  Tracked every week day.
3 45-min exercise sessions:  3 45-min. Wii Fit Plus workouts - yay!
Bed by 11pm on weeknights:  3 times?
Drink 3 glasses water per day:  Succeeded most of the week!
Plan meals each week: Meals were planned out, healthy and yummy.

It was a good week for me even though the scale really didn't reflect it.  I think I need to be really careful about evening snacking and asked my hubby to try and refrain from getting snacks out.  This week I'm making healthy desserts/snacks so that we do have something to munch on a little in the evening.

3 things I'm proud of for the week:
1.  I got my 3 workouts in!
2.  I drank more water.
3.  I decided *not* to get a yummy cinnamon sugar pretzel from Auntie Anne's even though I had originally planned to get one since they were FREE!

So far this week is going well - we'll see what happens on Saturday!  How are you doing?  A lot of you have snow - does it make it even harder to stay on track?  We can do this - let's have a great finish to our week!!

Don't forget to enter my Progresso soup giveaway - today is the last day!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

A Souper Giveaway From Progresso

There is a giveaway, but you'll have to bear with me first - LOL!  As you know, I've been doing a 10 week challenge to start off the year with some healthy habits.  As part of that, I've been doing Weight Watchers and tracking what I eat. One of the foods that helps me stay on track is soup!  I love having healthy soups for dinner and even more for lunch.
 

I've shared several healthy soups right here on my blog - you can scroll through the dinners and side dish lables on my sidebar.  But I don't always have homemade soup on hand.  That's where Progresso comes in!  I've always enjoyed Progresso soups, so I was especially happy to hear about their new varieties of Progresso Light and 100-calorie soups!  Not only that, but they offered to let me try the new varieties of soup along with a cute soup mug and a jump rope to help me get in shape.  Does one say no to free healthy soup from a brand they already like?!  No, one does not!

I tried a few varieties and really did like the soups.  It's important to note that each can is 2 servings - people sometimes forget that.  You can eat the whole can and the points are still low or you can share it with somebody and add on a healthy sandwich or salad for a more balanced meal.  If you're concerned about sodium intake you may want to only have 1 serving at a time or make sure that your other meals for the day are low in sodium.  However, Progresso even has low-sodium varieties of soups to choose from.

Progresso is celebrating these new soups by having a Souper You Debut contest from Jan. 4 through Mar. 15!  Three grand prize winners will be awarded a trip for two to New York City from May 21st-23rd. The prize includes roundtrip airfare, a two-night stay in a NYC hotel, a full makeover, a $1,000 wardrobe shopping spree and personal consultation at a New York department store.  Got to www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to get all the details and enter!!  While you're there, download a coupon for $1 off any three varieties of Progresso Soup!    

But wait!!  Progresso gave me a special pack to give away to one wonderful reader!

 

One U.S. reader will win this pack with 2 varieties of Progresso soup, a soup mug, and an electronic jump rope that keeps track of your jumps and even calories burned!  By the way, that soup mug holds an entire can of soup! 

To enter:  Stop over at Progresso and then leave a comment here telling me one of the 40 varieties of 100 calorie or less soups that sounds yummy to you! (I like all the chicken flavors.)  That's it - easy!  This giveaway is open through Thursday 2/25.

Disclosure: Progresso provided me with information about their soups, several cans of soup, a soup mug, and an electronic jump rope for free.  They also generously provided one gift pack to give to my readers.

Have a souper day!

Lisa  :)

10 in 2010 ~ Week 7

 

Week 6 is over and Week 7 has begun!  I do hope this will be a good week!

After a much-needed "kick in the pants" from friends' comments on my blog and on twitter (thank you ladies!), I ended up following my plans better as I ended the week.  However, that was not reflected at the scale when I weighed in (though it could have been much worse!).  For the first time during the 10-week challenge, I gained weight.  :(  I gained .4 lb.  I refuse to be discouraged by that and plan to have a great week this week!  I choose to believe that all the days of keeping to my plans will show at the scale at my next weigh-in.

How I did this week:

Weigh in at WW:  Weighed in and stayed for meeting.

Track all food:  Tracked every week day.
3 45-min exercise sessions:  2 45-min. Wii Fit Plus workouts.
Bed by 11pm on weeknights:  Twice.
Drink 3 glasses water per day:  1st half of week - 1 glass/day.  2nd half of week - 3 glasses/day.
Plan meals each week: Too much dessert at church potluck and some Super Bowl snacks last weekend, but dinners during the week were all planned out and turned out great!  Already have this week's dinners planned.

I'm going to start adding in something additional that I thought of after hearing some ideas at the WW meeting.  I'm going to list 3 things I'm proud of related to this challenge each week.  It's especially important when you've had a tough week to take time to think about the things that you have done well!

I'm proud that I...
1.  Drank some water every day of the week!
2.  Prepared healthy dinners for my family all week!
3.  Weighed in even though I knew it was a gain!

On to the next week!  How was your week?  What are some accomplishments that you are proud of?  Let's have a great week this week!

Stop by Recipe Girl to see more 10 in 10 updates and get a great healthy soup recipe!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

P.S. Be sure to check back this week as I'll be having a giveaway!!

10 in 2010 ~ Week 6

 

I'm very behind in posting my update, but here it is!  Finished week 5 of the challenge and began Week 6.

I really didn't follow my plans much this past week, but had a loss in spite of myself!  I lost .4 lbs again for the week.  A small loss, but surprising considering how many Nutella Biscotti (it's on my other blog but I'm not giving you the link - don't want to tempt you - LOL) I ate, though I tried to make them healthier with wheat flour and coconut oil.  So yay for the loss and I hope to do better this week! 

Here's my week:

Weigh in at WW:  Weighed in, but couldn't stay for meeting.

Track all food:  Didn't even track some of the days.
3 45-min exercise sessions:  No workouts at all.  :(
Bed by 11pm on weeknights:  Maybe once or twice.
Drink 3 glasses water per day:  At most, only 1 glass of water on some days.
Plan meals each week:  Had good healthy dinners except for pizza Friday night, but I only ate 1 piece!

We are halfway through the challenge.  My original goal was to lose 15 lbs during this challenge.  At the halfway point, I'm only down 3.8 lbs.  At this rate, I would have about an 8 lb loss by the end of 10 weeks.  Not bad for me, but I would at least like to hit 10 lbs.  I know it can be done, but I need to keep my focus and not get discouraged!

I know I'll do better with my plans this week, but I ate too much this weekend with a church potluck and Super Bowl snacks.  I better go drink a glass of water and do a workout right now!

How did your week go?  Did you survive the Super Bowl snacking?  We can get right back on track this week though.  Start now so we can be strong for Valentine's Day!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Crispy Sweet Onion Rings

With the Super Bowl approaching, snacks are on everybody's mind!  It is possible to snack on that day without going too overboard!  This recipe is one way to do it - it came from my WW Comfort Classics cookbook (LOVE that book!).  These are delicious!!  The family loved them!  Make sure you buy sweet onions, not regular yellow onions - makes a big difference.

 

Crispy Sweet Onion Rings

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs (I only had seasoned, but thought it made it yummy)

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 (1/2 pound each) sweet onions, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and separated into 32 rings

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray two large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray.

2.  Place the flour, salt, paprika, pepper, and cayenne in a large zip-close plastic bag.  Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish.  Place the egg whites in another shallow dish.

3.  Place the onion rings, a few at a time, in the flour mixture and shake to coat.  Dip each ring into the egg whites, then coat lightly with the bread crumbs.  Arrange the rings in a single layer on the baking sheets (reserving for another use any broken or small inner rings) and lightly spray the tops with nonstick spray.  Discard the excess flour mixture, egg white, and bread crumbs. (I didn't have any extra; had to use more 'cause I didn't coat "lightly" enough!)

4.  Bake until the bottoms of the onion rings are browned, about 10 minutes.  Turn the rings and bake until browned, about 5 minutes.

1 serving = 8 onion rings

Per serving: 154 cal, 2 g fat, 3 g fiber, 3 WW pts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other healthy snack ideas would be fresh crunchy veggies, Crunchy Party Mix, and I found a couple yummy snack ideas on the WW site (only 2 pts per serving!): Beef Nachos and Beef, Blue Cheese and Spinach Quesadillas.

Do you have a plan for Super Bowl snacking?  Let me know if you try the onion rings!  I'm linking this up to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)

10 in 2010 ~ Week 5

 

Wow - 4 weeks done of the 10 in 10 Challenge and on to the 5th week!  Although I'd like to do better with my goals and plans, this challenge is helping me to stay more focused on being healthy than I would be otherwise.

I had a tough week because of a few unexpected goodies, but I managed to lose a tiny bit of weight anyway!  I lost .4 lbs this week.  I would really like to lose at least 1 lb this week.

Here's how the week went:

Weigh in at WW:  Missed the meeting, but weighed in.
Track all food:  I tracked almost every day.
3 45-min exercise sessions:  1 50-min Wii Fit Plus workout.
Bed by 11pm on weeknights:  Only once or twice.  :(
Drink 3 glasses water per day:  Drank water daily, but only got 3 glasses in a couple times.
Plan meals each week:  Didn't plan ahead well but still had some yummy WW dinners and food from the freezer.

As usual, I want to do better this week.  I look at each week as a fresh start and try to have the best week I can!  How did your week go?  Struggles?  Successes?  We CAN have a great week!!

Stop by Recipe Girl to see her update, get some great healthy recipes, and read about others who are working on 10 in 10!

Have a healthy day!
Lisa  :)

Healthy Recipe: Cheesy Chicken Carbonara With Fettuccine

We recently had another really yummy recipe from WW Comfort Classics cookbook.  My whole family loved it and I can't wait to have it again!  I used bow tie pasta instead just because that's what I had on hand.

Cheesy Chicken Carbonara With Fettuccine

6 oz fettuccine

3/4 cup fat-free milk

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast

1.  Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt if desired.  Drain and keep warm.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk the milk, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl until blended.

3.  Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon begins to brown, 3-4 minutes.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to brown, 2-3 minutes.  *Optional - add 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper with onion.

4.  Add the chicken and cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the fettuccine and the milk mixture.  Cook, tossing, until the sauce is thickened and creamy, 2-3 minutes.

1 serving = 1 cup

Per serving:  311 cal, 9 g fat, 2 g fiber, 7 WW pts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How does that sound?  I hope you get to try it soon!  I'm linking it up to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam!

Have a healthy day!

Lisa  :)