Family Dinner: Not Yo' Momma's Meatloaf

Kidding.  This could very well be your mom's meatloaf.  If it is, your mom is cool.  You should invite me to dinner at your house.

Meatloaf is one of those comfort food meals that is truly unique....it seems like no two recipes are alike. There are so many varieties out there, and it seems like everyone has a different way of making theirs, but everyone is partial to their mom's. When I started making my own, I made it just like my mom did, 80/20 beef, lots of eggs and milk, and topped with ketchup. (I refused to make it the way B's family used to make it....topped with cream of mushroom soup. Yuck!). Over time, I diverged from my mom's method and my recipe evolved to match my own preferences, and now this is my perfected "mom's meatloaf."

I keep this healthy by using 96/4 lean ground sirloin beef. I just can't bring myself to use ground turkey for this. I have tried, and is grosses me out for whatever reason.  And with nutritional info like this, there is no need.

Meatloaf
Makes 6 servings
170 cals / 4g fat / 14g carbs / 18g protein

1 lb 96/4 lean ground beef
1/2 small onion
2 celery stalks
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup plus 3 TB BBQ sauce, divided (I prefer the sweet and spicy kind)
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1. Heat over to 350. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Mince the onion and the celery. You should end up with about 1/3 cup minced onion and 1/4 cup minced celery.

2. Place beef, egg, breadcrumbs, minced onion and celery, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Mix all together until evenly mixed. Get your hands dirty...seriously. Use your hands. It is the easiest and fastest way. Place beef mixture into loaf pan and smooth/shape into a loaf shape. Top with remaining 3 TB BBQ sauce.

3. Bake until cooked through, 45-60 minutes. Remove from oven and pour off any of the liquified fat. Slice and serve.

Meal Plan Monday and an OOTD

This weeks meal plan is a little small. I have a weekend away planned, and so B will be home manning the fort. I will let him decide his own meals, which I imagine will include his specialties such as eggs and toast, grilled cheese, and "daddy" pasta.

This week I am making:
- Thai Chicken Curry, Rice
- Beef Milanese, Winter Slaw, Roasted Green Beans
- Parmesan Pea Risotto, Salad

As for my goals, I stuck pretty well to my WW plan. Just when I started to get healthy I came down which a new flu/cold thing, so once again, did not have much of an appetite. At one point I realized that I had eaten so few points I had to make myself a brandy caramel milkshake just to keep my calories up. Poor me.  I am starting to feel better again, finally.  The 'Sconnie part of me strongly believes that it is all thanks to the brandy.  I weighed in at 138.5. Slow and steady for me. I don't have a lot to lose, so I am sure it will get even slower as time goes on. Hopefully I can start exercising at some point as well (these kids and their germs are killing me!).

Here is an outfit from last week...during one of my few "feeling better" days. I met a friend for dinner and a movie. I felt like getting a little sassy since I have basically been in PJs since the New Year, so I broke out a gold-flecked sweater and over-the-knee boots. Are OTK boots even in style anymore, or is that trend over?

Family Dinner: Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

B and I have been married for almost 7 years. With the passage of time, two 3 year-olds running around, plus B's job, and just life in general, I would say the "movie" idea of romance has fallen by the wayside. Dates are few and far between, and we are both usually pretty tired by the end of the day. Most nights are spent on the couch with our respective Apple devices catching up on our latest favorite TV series (currently Boardwalk Empire and Revenge).

It is kind of funny how much my ideals of romance have changed over time...I have come to recognize and appreciate the little ways that B shows love...like taking my car to get gas when it is -4 degrees out so I won't freeze, making me coffee and setting out a mug every morning, or putting my clothes that I habitually pile on my dresser away because I am too lazy to he is tired of looking at them I can't seem to find the time. I will take not having to go out and pump gas in the freezing weather over a stereotypical attempt at romance any day. To me, that is true love.

Of course I have my own small ways of showing love...mostly through food (thanks southern grandmas!).  I hate mushrooms and seafood, and since I am the cook, we rarely have either. But since B and the kids both enjoy them, I will sacrifice and make a fish or mushroom dinner every now and then.   Ahhhhh.....gas and mushrooms. C'est l'amour.

This stroganoff is one example...I left the mushrooms big so I could easily pick them out, and the sauce flavor wasn't too shroom-ey.  I actually kind of liked this.  I served this over whole wheat egg noodles, but rice would be a decent as well.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff
Makes 8 Servings
180 cals / 6g fat / 10g carbs / 22g protein

1 1/2 lb lean beef (top round, top sirloin, etc...)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
3 TB parsley
1 lb sliced mushrooms
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup flour
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cup beef broth
8 oz fat-free sour cream

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and slice into 1/2 inch strips. Place beef in bottom of crock pot. Chop onion, parsley, and garlic and spread over beef. Add mushrooms over onions. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Whisk together broth, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Whisk in flour until smooth. Poor over mushrooms and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir in sour cream just before serving.

Family Dinner: Quick and Easy Broccoli Pasta

This is one of my favorite "throw-together-at-the-last-minute-because-I-am-so-not-in-the-mood-to-cook" meals. Partly because it is is quick, partly because it is easy, and partly because it tastes good. The whole thing uses 1 pot and is done in virtually the time it takes you to boil pasta. Easy-peasy!

Broccoli Pasta
Makes 8 Servings
225 cals / 4g fat / 39g carbs / 9g protein

1 box pasta (I used high fiber mini shells, you can use whatever)
4 bunches broccoli
5 cloves garlic
1 TB olive oil
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Be sure to note the time.

2. While water is heating, cut florets of broccoli off the stems, discarding stems and stalks. Finely chop the florets. Set aside. Mince the garlic cloves and set aside.

3. When there is 6 minutes (or 4 if you like your broccoli firmer) left for the pasta to cook, remove 3/4 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Add the chopped broccoli to the boiling water/pasta and continue to boil until pasta is done. Drain pasta and broccoli in a colander. Return the same empty pot to the stove over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved pasta water and bring to a boil. Return the cooked pasta and broccoli to the pot, and toss with the garlic mix. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.  Serve with a little extra cheese on top.  And, done.

 

Meal Plan Monday and an OOTD

I have a confession....I don't have a meal plan today. We ate out a ton (4 times!) last week, and so I still have several meals from last week's plan to make. It will tide us over until Thursday, which will be the next time I get a chance to go to the grocery store, so it works out well.

We don't usually eat out that much...but several things came up and so it just happened that way. Such is life. With that much restaurant food in my diet, I didn't do that phenomenal on my points. I did not go over though (thank God for all those weekly bonus points), so nothing to beat myself up about. I weighed in at 140.8, a slight loss, so that is great. Especially considering that I had pizza and sangria the night before.

Speaking of eating out, it can be really difficult to stick to a plan if your are eating out often. I first decide if I am going to have a good (low point) meal, if I am going to have a splurge meal (moderate points, definitely using up some bonus points), or if I am going to throw caution to the wind and chow down. If I am behaving, I will try and look up the menu ahead of time and make a plan for what I will order. I try and avoid things with the words fried, breaded, and/or creamy in the description. Those are just trouble. And I am not afraid to ask them to modify meals a little (all egg whites, no oil, butter or cheese, sauce on the side, etc.).

I also use this website a lot: http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html. It has nutritional info and points+ numbers for pretty much every chain restaurant under the sun, so I can get a good idea of what to eat. And even if I am not going to a chain, I can find a restaurant here with similar options to give me an idea of what I am eating.

And here is my outfit today. It is 4'F here, so I was going for warm and comfortable. Hence the snow boots instead of real shoes. Also, I haven't washed my hair since Thursday. And I was up a couple times last night with L (fever). So yes, I look like crap.

I picked this tunic up at target last year and I absolutely love it. It is comfortable and warm, and fits nice through the waist and hips. I wear this alllllll the time. They came out with a new version of it this year, but don't bother. I bought one in blue and realized that it totally sucks. It is bigger through the waist, so it fits saggy and makes me look fat in the middle, and they moved the pockets from the lower front to the sides, right on the widest part of my hips. Seriously??? Who the hell wants to have weird oompa-loompa accentuated hips. I donated it. (After I wore it a few times....yes, it took me that long...and L telling me that I looked awful, thanks 3 year old!...to figure out how ugly it was). Another Target fail. I am becoming disenchanted. My wallet thanks me.

OOTD: Friends With Benefits

No.....not those kind of benefits. I mean the kind where a friend would go out and buy herself a brand new pair of red matchstick cords from Ann Taylor and then the next day find out she is pregnant. The kind of friend who only has 8 weeks or so to wear said cords, and then, rather than banishing them to the back of the closet for the next 2(?) years, decides they are too cute for that and should get some use. And thus, becomes the kind of friend who gifts said cords to you.

Thoooose kind of benefits.

Thanks for getting knocked up, friend.

The sweater is also new. In sticking with my resolution to buy higher quality classics that I will wear more often, I purchased this cashmere sweater from Macy's during their post-holiday sale. I also got the same one in purple. And I already had the same one in charcoal grey. Because I am the kind of person who buys things in multiples...and because taking fashion risks gives me anxiety.  Sigh.

And, look! I moved my mirror out of my closet. Hooray.

Family Dinner: Curried Coconut Butternut Squash Soup and Oat Bread

You know, there aren't too many meals out there that are better on a cold day than a bowl of soup and some fresh bread, hot out of the oven.

First the soup....your basic squash soup kicked up a notch with the addition of some spices and coconut milk. I adapted this from a WW recipe.

The real star here though, is the bread.  This is the stuff.  It is surprising to me how little "hands-on" time it takes to make your own bread.  If you have some time to kill to let it rise, then you can do this.  (Working folks, this might have to be a Sunday activity for you).

The bread is perfectly dense, and could make some great sandwiches the next day....if you have better self-control than I and can somehow make it last that long. I based this on a recipe from King Arthur Flour, which makes the best flour out there, in my humble opinion.

Curried Coconut Butternut Squash Soup
Makes 8 servings
115 cals / 4g fat / 20g carbs / 2g protein

1 tsp olive oil
2 onions
1 large butternut squash
4 cloves garlic
2 TB grated fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
1 TB curry powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk
1 lime
cilantro sprigs for garnish

1. Peel and chop onions. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mince garlic and grate ginger. Add to pot and continue to cook, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove peel from squash and cut into 1 inch cubes, discarding pulp. Add to onions and continue to cook until squash begins to soften, about 5 minutes more. Stir in curry powder, garam masala, cayenne, and salt. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium low, simmering until squash is soft and mushy, about 20-30 minutes.

3. Using an immersion blender, purée squash until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can do this in batches in a regular blender or a food processor. Just be careful, cause it is hot! Return soup to pot over medium heat. Stir in the coconut milk and juice from 1 lime. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with some cilantro sprigs.


Oat Bread

2 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup milk (I used skim)
3 TB brown sugar
2 TB butter
2 tsp salt
2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (or you can use all bread flour)
1 cup oats

1. Heat milk to warm to the touch, but not hot (about 45 seconds in the microwave). Mix milk with brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or just in a large bowl if you are doing this by hand). Sprinkle yeast over the top and let sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter.

2. After yeast has become bubbly, add melted butter, salt, flours, and oats. Mix on low speed to kneads until dough forms a ball, then increase speed to medium low and allow dough to knead, about 5 minutes (or knead by hand 10-15 minutes). Dough will become smooth and elastic.

3. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray (or oil), and place dough in bowl, covered in a warm place. Let rise until roughly doubled, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Once risen, punch dough down and using your hands, shape into a log shape and place in a well greased loaf pan. Sprinkle with oats for garnish, and lightly cover. Allow dough to rise until about 1 inch above edge of pan, 30-60 minutes. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Family Dinner: Chicken Jambalaya

Another cajun-type meal for the upcoming Mardi Gras celebration...or any night you need something yummy, spicy, and low in calories and fat.

This is one that has been in our dinner rotation for many years now. I don't know where I originally got the recipe from, but I now find it in an email that I sent to my personal account from my work account the day I was laid off. That means that this recipe was an important one, because as I was cleaning out my files I decided I needed resume and cover letter versions, job accomplishments, performance reviews, my green belt and PMP info, and jambalaya.

This is great because it is a one-pot meal, and easy to throw together (once you get all the chopping out of the way).  I almost always cook this with just chicken, but you can add andouille sausage or shrimp, or both, if you want to be authentic.

 And yes, another meal I eat with Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Is it obvious how much I love this stuff? If not, all you need to do is look here, here, or here.  I feel like I put this of everything!

Chicken Jambalaya
Makes 6 Servings
225 cals / 2g fat / 31g carbs / 23g protein 

1 lb chicken breast
1 onion
4-5 stalks of celery
1 TB thyme leaves
2 green peppers
3 cups chicken broth
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
2 TB Franks Pepper Sauce (or to taste)
1 1/2 cup instant brown rice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1. Dice onions and celery. Heat large pot over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onions, celery, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes.

2. While onions are cooking, cut fat and stuff off chicken and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, dice green peppers, and combine all the spices in a small bowl. Once onions and celery are soft, add chicken, green peppers, and spices, and continue to cook until chicken is done and peppers begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato paste. Stir to mix well. Bring mixture to a boil and add rice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to cook until rice is done. Serve with Frank's on the side.

Meal Plan Monday

It's that time again....meals are all planned and the grocery list is made. This week we are having:

• Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches and Carrot and Apple Salad (didn't get around to making this last week, I was too sick to cook)
• Winter Beef Stew with Egg Noodles
• Mexican Quinoa Casserole
• Baked Potato Soup, Salad
• Yankee Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, English Muffins
• Baked Chicken with Artichokes and Potatoes

As far as sticking to my goals, I did awesome on WW.  I ate all my daily points, but only ended up using half my bonus weekly points.  I weighed in at 141.5, which I actually think is a fluke....I was especially sick over the weekend and wasn't really in the mood to eat thanks to the meds, so I definitely wasn't my normal eating self. I won't be too surprised if that number doesn't go down this week.  Unfortunately I was not able to begin working out, which really sucks. I cannot wait to be healthy again, this crap is killing me.

And while I am on the subject of weight and working out, I wanted to share this thought as well...if you are on a mission to become a healthier you, make sure you also track your measurements. I do use my weight as an indicator of where I am at, but my measurements are my ultimate check. I don't want to even pretend to be some sort of diet or fitness guru, because I am definitely not. I am lazy, I like donuts and things made of refined sugar, and I struggle with consistnecy and body image too. But I want to share this because I don't want others to become discouraged like I have been.

At some point last year I did the 30 Day Shred (ok, it took me like 35 days to get the 30 days in, but I did it). And while doing it I obsessively checked the scale....and the first two weeks or so I consistently gained weight. It was discouraging, and it made me not push myself (hence the 35 days). At the end I did end up losing like 2 lbs, and I was not happy about it. But, thank goodness, I also checked my measurements; I had lost 4 inches off my waist line (this is where I carry most of my weight). I was shocked that I had that kind of result when I hadn't really lost any weight.

I guess my point is...don't let the number on the scale get you down. It is just a number. I learned not to step on the scale every day (big mistake! I weigh myself once a week now).  And if I don't see big changes, I don't let it get me down. There are so many other things to pay attention to...your endurance level, strength level, flexibility, your measurements, the way your clothes fit, and most importantly the way you feel overall.

I Think My Daughter Might Be Turning Goth, and an OOTD

Yes. I fear that My girly-girl-pink-loving-princess-obsessed-refuses-to-wear-pants L is headed down the path of black. I started noticing it around Christmas....singing carols would randomly turn into her belting out some sort of Halloween song. "Weird," I thought to myself.

Then the obsession began...constantly begging to see the "This Is Halloween" song (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) or the "Dracula" song. I thought it was harmless...I didn't know it was a gateway song.

Now she asks for stories at night about Princess L gets married to Jack Skellington. And then there was this jewel of a conversation:

L: My grandma and grandpa and doggie are all dead. They died. (um, they're not)
Me: Oh my, I am sorry to hear that. That is too bad. How did that happen?
L: You did it.
Me: I did?
L: Yeah. You made them eat too much food and you hurt their bellies.
Me: (a mix between shocked and amused) I did??? Really?
L: Yeah. And you smashed their birthday cakes.

And I smashed their birthday cakes??!!? What an evil bi-yatch I must be.

I promptly purchased her a pair of pink ballet slippers to try and steer her in the opposite direction. I think a trip to Disney World to see Cinderella might be in order.

In other news, I have been sick for what seems like forrrrrrrevvver. Which means I have been living in PJs inside the house, and workout pants when I leave the house (because I think they make it look like I just worked out. Therefore I have a reason to look like ass). This is actually what wore for Christmas day dinner. I picked this dress up at Kohls for like 22$. And I totally lack imagination liked it so much I went and got the same one in black. It it super comfy and, I think, universally flattering. Plus, it has short sleeves, so I can wear it year round. And look! I mixed patterns! Because in my boring mind a leopard print belt and diamond patterned tights counts as mixing patterns. Baby steps.

Family Dinner: Crock Pot Creamy Green Chile Chicken Tacos

This meal happened by accident, sort of. I was using up stuff we had around the kitchen, trying to recreate the flavors of some enchiladas I had made a while ago, and I came up with this. It was shocking how good it was. Even my sometimes-wanna-be-vegetarian son asked for seconds.

Another plus? If you didn't plan dinner and only have frozen chicken (like I did), it is fine.

I served this taco-style in low carb tortillas with some avocado and black beans on the side. But I think it would be good over rice or on its own as well.

Crock Pot Creamy Green Chile Chicken Tacos
Makes 8 servings
160 cals / 5g fat / 4g carbs / 27g protein

2 lbs chicken breast
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cans diced green chiles
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese
2 TB cilantro
1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded Italian cheese (optional)

1. Trim the fat and other crap off the chicken. Place in the bottom of your slow cooker.

2. Cut the onion into quarters and thinly slice each quarter. Chop the garlic. Add to crock pot along with broth, cumin, salt, pepper, chiles, and cream cheese. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

3. Chop cilantro leaves, and stir chicken to mix all ingredients and shred up chicken. Add cilantro and let cook for 10 additional minutes. Serve each taco with 1/2 TB cheese on top.

Family Dinner: Cajun Chicken Pasta

With the next holiday approaching being Mardi Gras, I thought I would share this family favorite pasta dish. You know, just in case your life is like mine and your idea of a Mardi Gras celebration is making something spicy. Wooooooooo.

Of course, this is just as good any other night too. A word to the wise, we all (kids included) like things on the spicier side, so adjust the amount of cayenne to your own preference.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Cajun Chicken Pasta
Makes 6 servings
385 cals / 7g fat / 54g carbs / 29g protien

1 box whole grain pasta (I like penne best)
1 lb chicken breast
1 green pepper
2 red pepper
1 red onion
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less, up to you)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
2 TB flour
4 oz 1/3 fat cream cheese, softened
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta in a large pot according to package and drain.

2. While water is boiling and pasta is cooking, cut all the fat and junk off the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix thyme, garlic powder, black pepper, white pepper, paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper together. Toss chicken in spice mixture. Set aside.

3. Cut bell peppers and onions into thin strips. Heat large sautée pan over medium high heat. Coat with cooking spray and cook chicken until done, 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Coat the same pan with more cooking spray and sautée peppers and onion until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. While vegetables are cooking, blend the broth, milk, flour, and cream cheese until smooth.

5. Return chicken to pan with vegetables, cook 1-2 minutes, then stir in broth mixture. Bring to a simmer and stir until sauce is thickened slightly. Stir in cooked pasta. Serve with some Franks on top.

Meal Plan Monday and an OOTD

Here is the first installment in a new little segment I call "Meal Plan Monday." As I talked about earlier, I always plan out dinners for the week. That way I can avoid going out to the grocery as much as possible, it makes my life easier when it comes to dinner time, and it helps me plan my WW points. I love reading what other people are eating because it gives me ideas on what to add to our future menus, so I decided to share ours. I try and plan every Monday night because I go to the grocery on Tuesday after I drop the kids off at school. When I plan these, I don't plan meals to the day, because I like to live on the edge.  Or, that way I can choose what to make based on what is going on and what kind of mood I am in.

 Here is this week's:

- Chicken and Avocado Soup, Cheese Quesadillas
- Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Carrots
- Curried Coconut Butternut Squash Soup, Oatmeal Bread
- Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, Apple and Carrot Salad
- Broccoli Pasta
- Pizza Chicken, Spaghetti Squash

And here is an older OOTD. This skirt is the shortest one I own. I think I was so used to buying "work appropriate" clothing that it never really occurred to me that I could pull something like this off. To make it feel a little less risqué, I paired it with opaque tights and flats.

With an appearance by L, who like her mom, doesn't like to miss an opportunity to be in front of the camera.

On the Side: Oven Fries and Some Thoughts on Diets and Weight Watchers

There are about 100 different ways to make oven fries. All of them are roughly the same and get you the basically same end result. Here is how I make mine, they always turn out crispy and delicious.

Today is my official start day for Weight Watchers. I weighed in at a cool 145. Not my worst, but definitely nothing for me to be proud of. Have I mentioned how much I love WW? For me, it isn't really a diet, but more so a learning curve on what and how much you can eat. I think it works so well for me because there are really no limits. If I want that brownie or coke or steak, I have it. I just make sure I have the points to account for it. The easiest way I have found to make this work, is to plan as much as possible. If I know I have a nice dinner or event coming up, I save up points for it, and I eat what I plan on and I don't feel guilty.

I have gone through the gamut when it comes to past diets....Adkins (lost 10 lbs, gained back twice as much), Body For Life (lasted about 9 days and then gave that miserable existence up), phentermine (lost 20 lbs, gained it all back, and it was hell on my body), minimal calorie crash diets (worthless), zone (impossible to stick to), and the list goes on and on. Basically, I was always looking for a quick fix without ever really changing my habits. I would lose some, stop the diet, then gain it all back. Not to mention the hell I put my body through. Then one day, I was chatting with a coworker who I noticed had lost a lot of weight, and she clued me in to the WW. It was instant love. It fit perfectly with my lifestyle, I didn't have to work out, I could still eat everything I loved and craved, and it taught me how to eat healthier and control my portions. Not to mention the constant tracking was really eye opening to exactly what I was eating.

When I originally started my plan, I was as the heaviest I had been....178 lbs and a size 12 or 14. I was religious with it...the only time I ever went over my weekly bonus points was during a vacation to New York with B, and that was barely. At the end, about 8 months later I was 136 lbs, healthy, and a size 6. Two years have since passed, and all I have gained is ~10 lbs (and now a size 6 or 8). Yes, the loss was slow, but it lasted. Which is more important in the end.

I guess my point to this long ramble is, if you are struggling with your weight, find something you enjoy that fits with your lifestyle. Don't try and force yourself into something. For some people, it is exercise, running, or Jenny Craig. For me, it is the WW.

Now, enough talk about diets, onto the fries....

Oven Fries
Makes 6 servings
75 cals / 2g fat / 13g carbs / 2g protein

3 large Russet potatoes
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Take a large baking sheet (or 2) and place them in a cold oven. Heat oven (and pans) to 500 degrees. While pans are heating, peel the potatoes and then slice into 1/4-1/2 inch slices. Cut into fry-sized strips, about 1/4-1/2 inches wide. Place cut strips in a bowl of cold water to keep them from browning. Once all the potatoes are cut, drain the water and blot them as dry as possible.

2. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil and the salt and pepper. Remove the hot pans from the oven, spray them lightly with cooking spray, and spread the potato strips out in an even layer. Cook until browned, 20-25 minutes, flipping over half way through cooking.

(For a Cajun twist, blend the olive oil and salt with 3 tsp Franks red hot sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp thyme then toss with potatoes)

Family Dinner: Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

This is another Weight Watchers favorite. It comes together quickly, but I will admit that it it does kill me to have to use 4 pans. I suppose I could re-use one, and do this in steps. But that would require too much thought, and a mid-cooking washing. And maybe I am a little lazy.

Anyways, I digress.....this is a great weeknight dinner. I make this with chicken, pork, or lamb. Versatility! I serve this over whole wheat couscous that I cook with some garlic, onions, and dried cranberries. But plain couscous or even rice would work as well.

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds
Makes 4 Servings
235 cals / 6g fat / 18g carbs / 21g protein

1/2 cup dried apricots (about 10 halves)
1 cup chicken broth
1 onion
1 lb chicken breasts
1 TB flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 TB honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds

1. Cut the apricots into quarters and place in a small saucepan with the chicken broth. Bring these to a simmer over medium heat, then set aside.

2. While the apricots are cooking, cut any fat and gross chickeny things off the chicken, and cut into bite sized pieces, then toss with flour to coat. Coat a frying pan with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden, about 5-7 minutes.

3. While chicken is cooking, dice the onion. Once chicken is cooked through, lower heat to medium and add diced onion to chicken and continue to cook until onion is soft, about 10 minutes more. Once onions are done, stir in cinnamon, honey, and apricots in broth. Continue to cook until sauce thickens, 5-10 minutes.

4. While everything else is cooking, add the slivered almonds to a small pan and heat over medium heat until light toasted, stirring occasionally.

5. Serve chicken over couscous, topped with 1 TB toasted almonds.

Hello 2013

Happy New Year!

We kept New Years Eve pretty relaxed, just out to dinner at a local supper club with some friends and then back home and in our jammies to welcome 2013.  Below is what I wore (before I changed into my awesome snowman jammies).  As a side note.....I am so excited that I found long-length pajamas on kohls.com (pants are 33 inch inseam).  I finally have pajama pants that aren't above my ankles, hooray!

Dress is a gift from my mom, she got it at a boutique in Flint, MI. 

2012 was very good to me.  The kids started preschool.  We all remained relatively healthy.  We took some great vacations.  Looking back, there weren't really too many negatives.  I feel so happy and fulfilled with my life.

I don't usually make formal resolutions, but towards the end of the year (um, since October) I have been in a totally unhealthy kick, and I am definitely starting to see and feel the results of it.  So this year I have decided to break those habits and start some new better ones.  My goals for 2013 are:

1. Better posture.  I constantly notice myself slumping and hunching over, I definitely need to correct this.
2. Eat better.  Start tracking my points and once I get to my goal, maintain a healthy calorie level. Yup, back on the WW plan.
3. Work out a minimum of 3 times per week.  Not only will this help the way I look, but I will feel more confident and have more strength and energy.  I think 3x a week is a totally attainable goal.
4. Buy less "target" clothing.  You know, the throw a shirt or a dress in the cart just to get it.  I need to start wearing the clothing I own more often and saving up money to buy nicer items that I really want.
5. Keep track of my spending.  This ties in with #4.  I already do a pretty good job of living within our means and keeping my spending in check.  I want to continue to do this and make sure we stay under our goals.

What is everyone else's goals for the year?