Men at the Gym

Have you ever noticed what men wear to the gym? Today, I was on the treadmill which is at the back of the cardio area at my gym and I had a good view of all the people that were there. It seemed like there were more men there than usual and for some reason I was struck by what some had on.

Baseball Hats - what is the deal? Doesn't your head sweat? Seems gross and hot to me to wear a hat. I will wear one outside when working out, but the purpose then is for some protection from the sun. I'm not sure what the deal is for men at the gym? Are they worried that they have bed hair and people notice?

Golf(?) Shorts - I swear a couple had on shorts that were intended for the golf course. You know the kind - tailored with pockets and all. Seriously, what's up with that?

Full sweatsuit - Um, hello? What is the purpose of sweats and a sweatshirt? It is not usually that cool in the gym and you are working out. Do you think that extra sweating is getting you somewhere and that is why you have on a full sweatsuit when it is still 90 degrees in Texas? (Oh ok, sue me - it was about 60 this morning.)

Ripped up t-shirts - This one I swear is totally owned by the men out there. T-shirts with holes, ripped off sleeves, necks, etc. I still haven't figured out the purpose of this yet either. Because believe me, the guys that are sporting this look are not the Incredible Hulk (ya know when he 'hulks up' and his clothes rip?)

It may sound like I'm judging and seriously I'm not at all. I couldn't give a rat's ass what people wear. For some reason these were some observations I made this morning and it really is a 'wondering thing'. There were just as many guys just wearing what I would call 'regular' gym clothes....

But then again - guys make me wonder about a lot of things.

Here's an example on that: if a woman shares with you that she is feeling a certain way, don't respond with 'that's ridiculous'. Invalidating feelings is not so nice and honestly just pisses the woman off. (Yes, that was a 'Nice Guy' rant. Notice the quotes around Nice Guy. Jury is out and not sure how things are going to turn out at this point. Stay tuned. Verdict will be in this week.)

I am on self-imposed liquids and soft food for five days. There is absolutely no reason for me to go in after that bout of reflux to be told that I have stretched my pouch (aka dilation). I know it and am doing what they would have me do. Well, it would probably be for seven, but close enough. Since I have nearly no fluid in my band there is no reason to go in.

Do I recommend this for others? Hell no, but I am 3 years out (nearly) and am well versed in my challenges, etc. That being said, when I do start eating bandster wise again (two days - thank goodness), I will be sure to stay on the low end of portion sizes and ensure there are no problems. If there are, then I will be going in to get things checked out.

I am concerned that the liquids will stall my weight loss. As long as the weight I lost this past week remains, then I am happy. My goal is to stay the same. I am trying very hard NOT to get on the scale more than once a week. Monday is my day. (Typing that for re-inforcement - self - you only weigh-in on Mondays.)

Gym today: 60 mins

What the Hell?

Oh, I am going on the record that EVERY seven weeks I am going to have a binge day and eat way too much shit food. Why? Cause the scale was down FOUR pounds. That's right, FOUR!!! Could it be that the extra calories actually kicked my body into releasing some weight? Heck if I know, but I'm going to take it and keep my fingers crossed that next Monday I am the same weight or less.

I am now at 147.5 lbs! 4.5 lbs and I am back to where I was. All I can say is: SWEET!

So, cause I am always interested on other people's blogs, I will put a recap:

• Start: 158.5 on 8/12/2008 - Why? Not eating right, not exercising, etc.
• Current: 147.5 - loss of 11 lbs in 7 weeks
• Goal: 143 (maybe I'll entertain going lower once I get there, but let's not get ahead of ourselves

What have I been doing? Up until this past Saturday, eating right and exercising. How much exercise? Pretty much 60 mins 6 days a week.

Today: 6o mins.

Questions? If anyone has any (oh and assuming there is anyone reading!), please let me know. I will have my lap band for 3 years in 48 days! No such thing as a stupid question, so please fire away. Plus, I'll actually know that there might be someone out there.

Crockpot Meatloaf - Weight Watchers - 5.5pts

Crock Pot Meat Loaf

2 pounds xtra lean beef

1 egg

2/3 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup ketchup - save 2 tbsp for the top

1 pkg onion soup mix

Mix and shape into loaf and put in crock pot. Put remaining on top.

Low for 7 hours

8 Servings - 5 1/2 points per slice

Snickerdoodle...

I had a breakdown on the food front yesterday. First I went to the movie with my best friend and we saw Nights at Rodanthe. (Definitely a chick flick, but we enjoyed it.) At the movies, the smell of the popcorn was just too much. Good news - at least I didn't have butter on it. So, no big deal....until after dinner.

My friends at Blue Bell - who make FABULOUS ice cream, came up with a new flavor. Snickerdoodle - it has snickerdoodle cookies in it, a praline ribbon throughout, AND it is CINNAMON ice cream. If you haven't had cinnamon ice cream, if you get a chance, at least taste it. It is so good. So, if I would have had a nice little serving - probably still wouldn't have been so bad. But I probably had more like four. Yep, really four. A serving is a 1/2 cup. Do you know how little ice cream a 1/2 cup is? Well, at least for me it is. It is a serving for ants. :-)

Damn band and ice cream - no effect on it. BUT ultimately it was a choice - a choice I made it both cases. And, dang it, it was good! The super bad news is that I definitely ate too much yesterday. I had the worst heartburn (reflux) last night. Because of that and likely overstuffing (stretching) my band, I might go ahead and do protein shakes for a couple meals - or at a minimum monitor my intake to exact portions (see right side of the blog). I do live by the rule though of measuring everything - except ice cream(!) - and think it is a good practice for any bandster to live by.

I do think that stress was a big factor in the choices I made. Not looking for excuses - more diagnosing why after 7 weeks this happened so easily. Job has been far from fabulous and Nice Guy while he is a really nice guy is most likely not for me. I am still trying to work that one out. Stayed tuned.

Tomorrow is weigh in day. Thinking it isn't going to be so good. Will post tomorrow.

Here's my exercise for the week. With the minimal alcohol intake, good eating (except for ice cream and popcorn), will it be enough for a loss?

Mon - 80 mins
Tues - 50 mins
Wed - 60 mins
Thurs - 65 mins
Fri - 60 mins
Sat - 60 mins
Sun - REST. It has been a while since I took a day off. I can feel it in my legs. I plan to take today off and just do chores around the house.

Grumpy

Yep, I am one of the seven drawfs. If there was bitchy, I'd be that one as well. Just off my game which I know is hormonal. I was talking to a good friend of mine and we were talking about how easy guys have it. Pee wherever, no periods, no hormones to contend with, get off with a rub against a wall (at least we think so), etc.

We ultimately ended up that we'd rather be women, but I admitted that I'd like to have a penis for a day. (I'd pee all over the place and spend some time with some lotion to see how it felt. Come on! I know there are others that have wondered.)

I was all excited about this recipe I had. Let's just say - DISGUSTING! This really is the first weight watchers recipe that I hated that I thought would be good. Oh well, I'm sure there will be others. HA!

Tomorrow I will be going to see Nights in Rodanthe. My best friend has been waiting and waiting for this movie. Multiple reasons - she loves Richard Gere, the Notebook, that author, etc. I'm on the fence, but I will go equipped with plenty of tissues (refer to beginning - hormones).

I did drag my butt to the gym after sleeping in a bit. Luckily it was my work from home day, so I was still able to get in a full workout - 60 mins today. I was thinking how much I need to start lifting weights again. I need to move from thinking to doing, but *brightside* I'm now thinking about it at least...

Oh yeah - the other thing I have been thinking - I need what is commonly referred to as a 'mommy makeover' - I'm not a mommy, but really want the works done. Damn economy. You think they would give me part of the 700 BILLLION so I can get that done?

Yipppeeee!

Surivor Gabon starts today! I'm excited. (Remember in the last post I explained that I needed to get a life. HA!) I think the tightness was a mix of irritation and hormones. I'm feeling looser and have been eating hard protein (well chewed of course) with no issues. So, glad I still have my little .2 in my band. Nope, that isn't a typo. My band is nearly empty. I wanted to keep that little smidge in there more for comfort than anything else. It's weird, but if you have been banded for a while you know what I am talking about.

Um, Lance Armstrong. Thought you retired? Personally, I'm over you. Put your bike helmet up for good. It really irritates me when professional athletes go through all this - I'm retiring - last race - last game - watch me - last time - and then they come back! Seriously. It bothers me. I think they miss the adulation more than anything...or else they wasted/lost all their money and have to do it for that!

And another random comment, Jessica Simpson. Before you turned 'country', had a reality show, etc. you didn't have that 'twang'. Yep, you're from Texas, but I am calling major bullshit on you and your twang. And, I wish you would shut up about saying shit about the Cowboys. You're the girlfriend - not a player. Shut the hell up.

Wow, I am totally on a rant. So, I'll end with this. Went to the gym - 65 mins. :-)

Much, Much Better

I have recovered from the other day, but I am keeping my distance from really hard protein (steak, chicken, turkey (HA)) until next week. Then I'll see if it was hormones. If I'm still tight, then going back in to get the little bit of juice in my band taken out.

Workouts - Tues: 50 mins; Wed: 60 mins.

Really nothing else to report. Boring post. Days have been - sleep, gym, work, hang and repeat. Hmmm, need to get a life!

Wow! Tight

I tried to eat some turkey at about 11:30 or so today. YIKES! I swear I chewed it well, had small bites, etc., but something ended up getting stuck. It has been a horrible day. I thought I might be a little tight from eating oatmeal this morning. Um, yep. I am even tighter now. I am guessing it is swelling. Still able to drink, etc. so no worries. I am contemplating though again if I need to get the remaining .2 out of my band. The only thing that makes me hesitate is that it is the week before my period. I am always tighter at this time. I'll have to see how it goes.

I definitely have not had enough to eat today. This will lead to me feeling tired and worn out at the gym tomorrow. Going to see what soft foods I have that I can get some calories in. I worked out 80 mins today.

Weigh In Day / Maintaining

First I must talk about maintaining. I maintained my weight loss from the time I hit it in July through the beginning of 2008. How did I do it? By generally eating OK and working out three times a week. It is very important for me to remember that maintenance unlike in the past is very feasible and do-able. And, most importantly, I did it! Also, while my goal weight was 149, I was actually at 143 for the majority of that time.

Then what happened? The usual. Stress, conflict, yada, yada. I didn't deal particularly badly with it, but not stellar either at first. Then stress built and the coping lessened. So, in 2008, I gained weight - 15 lbs to 158. Why? I was eating poorly (around the band!!!) and I was not working out AT ALL. Bad, bad, bad.

As I have said before and I will again - the band is not magic. It is a tool. The tool must be used appropriately to get where you want and stay where you want. It does not do it on its own and it requires effort - both in exercise and also in food choices. I knew this going in and knew it all throughout the weight gain. I just chose to ignore it.

Do I expect that now I will be perfect going forward? Hell no. But what I will try to do is learn from this and most importantly workout a minimum of 3 days a week once I am back where I want to be. For me the working out does two things. 1 - It somehow makes me eat better. Guilt? Not sure the label, but it works. 2 - It helps me cope with stress. I set it at 3-days per week because that is easy. I can easily find 3-days a week and in looking back at my journal most weeks did 4 and others 5-times per week.

One other thing that I just thought of, there are foods that I CANNOT have in the house. It's a fact and those foods must stay out of the house. I make bad choices when ice cream or candy is around (notice how the intake of those two things is totally not impacted by the band???). I don't need either of those things and there is no reason to have them. Not having them in the house has allowed me to make the progress I have in the past six weeks.

So, where am I now? (Yes, today is weigh-in day.) I lost 1.5 lbs. This is a huge loss for me, but for many weeks I was staying the same or gaining or losing the same 1/2 lb. That means 8.5 lbs to 143 which makes me very happy (currently 151.5). In six weeks, I have lost 7 lbs. No magic wand, no magic potion, just some hard work at the gym and sticking to eating what I should (for the most part) as a good bandster. In 6-7 weeks I plan to be back at 143. I use 'plan' vs. will be because I am not going to put extreme pressure on myself (aka stress). If it takes a few more weeks, so be it. But bottom line, I will do it. :-)

The Round Up

Here's the stats for the week on exercise:

• Mon - 50 mins
• Tues - 50 mins
• Wed - OFF
• Thurs - 50 mins
• Fri - 75 mins
• Sat - 75 mins
• Sun - 52 mins

Not bad actually. Tomorrow is weigh in day. Will have to see how that goes. Food probably could have (OK - alcohol consumption and food) been better. (Man, do I sound like a lush on this thing or what? Here's the deal. Alcohol is a total frickin' waste of calories. And, I know it. So, I obsess about them. It's not really that I drink much. On the weekends a couple glasses of wine when out with the Nice Guy or friends. It's just that I know this would be an easy way to cut calories.)

Spent most of the day outside. I am wiped out from the heat. It was only 89/90, but for some reason was pretty humid. Looking forward to it cooling off a bit. The nights and mornings are awesome right now. Guess I'll get ready to watch the Cowboys kick the Packers asses... ;-P

Made of Honor

Went out and met a friend for a drink. Had a good time. Got home early and stopped by the store first to get the last ingredient for the spicy, black-bean soup. Threw that together and then decided to put in Made of Honor. So far, it's cute. I don't have high expectations though so that probably helps.

I am considering stopping drinking entirely. I swear if I have ONE drink, I start getting hungry. But hello? That is not drunk hungry, so what the hell. Now, this is likely very big talk on my part. What is more likely is my current 2 drink max, 2 times, per week. For anyone that is paying attention, I do recognize that this week I totally blew that with the drunken binge, but it happens.

I went to the gym today. 75 mins in and on a more difficult level than normal. Yeah me! Might go tomorrow, but it is my official rest day. I'll see how it goes.

Last night I went out with the Nice Guy. He took me to this really nice wine bar and then for sushi. I love sushi. He is so sweet. I had a great time.

Friiiiiidaaayyyyy!

The best day of the week! Yippeee! Didn't go to the gym in the morning, but this afternoon. Got in a longer workout - 75 mins. Glad about that cause there is a lot going on this weekend and having a feeling that eating right (maybe drinking more so) will be extra tough. I'll see how it goes, but I'm not going to stress out about it either way. I'll try to go to the gym tomorrow, but even though I took Wednesday off, I plan to still take off Sunday as a rest day.

I didn't order the shoes - 'cause I was shopping online - but I did buy 4 bras that I love. They were on sale for $14.99. Can't beat that. This weekend I need to take care of getting more sports bras. For some reason sturdier ones that don't cost a bajillion dollars are kinda hard to find. I will keep you posted on that exciting news...

HG's Portabella Skins - 2 WW Points

Portabella Skins

(1 portabella: 90 calories, 5g fat, 330mg sodium, 6g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 6g protein = 2 Weight Watcher Points)

Recipe courtesy of the Mushroom Council and mushroominfo.com (via Hungry-girl.com)

Ingredients:

4 portabella mushrooms

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2/3 cup fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

2 slices turkey bacon; crisply cooked (with nonstick spray) and crumbled

1 small tomato; seeded and chopped

1 tbsp. minced fresh chives

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray; set aside. Wipe mushrooms clean with a moist paper towel; let dry. Brush mushroom caps and edges with oil. Sprinkle stem-side with salt and pepper and place, rounded side down, on baking sheet. Divide cheese among mushroom caps and bake 10 minutes, or until cheese begins to melt and edges begin to brown. Remove baking sheet from oven and sprinkle bacon, tomato and chives over mushrooms. Return baking sheet to oven and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and mushrooms are hot. If desired, cut into wedges and serve with toothpicks. Serves 4!

HG Tip! Watching your fat count closely? Use nonstick spray in place of the oil in this recipe, and each serving will have just 60 calories, 1.5g fat, and 1 Point! Woohoo!

Survivor

Nope, not talking about the hangover, but the tv show. I thought it was starting tonight and was all excited! Um, dummy, that would be next week. waaaaaaaaa. Oh well, something to look forward to. I'll just watch stuff that I have on dvr tonight. And drool over shoes. I like the pair here! I like this menswear look. I might have to get them. Why? 'Cause shoes always fit of course! Clothes are the reward that I am back to 143.

Gym today for 50 mins. I think I was still a bit dehydrated, but guzzled fluids all day. I've come up with an easy dinner that could be eaten for breakfast or whenever. (Well, I think so.) Here's the 'recipe'.

Slice of the 40/45 cal high fiber bread - toasted
1 slice fat-free processed cheese
1 serving of that microwave bacon
2 servings of Southwest style Egg Beaters
Optional - salsa

Microwave the bacon and toast the bread. Put the toast on a plate, the bacon next, and then the cheese. Cook the eggs in the microwave and put that on top. Salsa if you want. MMMMMmmm, mmmm, good!

AND - there are only 5 Weight Watcher points in this yumminess! It tastes sinful to me, but it isn't!

Welllll....

I'm not going to sugarcoat this. I was hungover today. Last night I over-imbibed and felt it big time today. Alarm went off and I reset it to right before work. I was up and at it on time, but have felt better. No gym today. I was just glad to survive! It wasn't good for the diet either. Definitely extra calories I didn't need in the alcohol. Hoping I'll be able to work it off the rest of the week and will make sure that I eat perfectly. Today, eating correctly was easy - cause eating was not high on my list to do (ha). Oh well, as the saying goes, don't dwell on it and move on. Tomorrow is a new day. (Did work out Tuesday morning - 50 mins)

Wow - my 3-year bandiversary is right around the corner.

Tuesdays ARE Evil!

Yep, I'm convinced. Tuesday weigh-in days for me are evil. My progress had been far from stellar on the scale, but I had been eating right and exercising. Here's how it went...

• Week 1 - 8/19 - down 3 lbs (My body was in shock. Let's be real. First week, I always see something)
• Week 2 - 8/26 - UP .5
• Week 3 - 9/2 - DOWN .5 (notice same .5)
• Week 4 - 9/9 - SAME (drastic measures called for. switch weigh in day.)
  
• Week 5 (Switch to Mondays) - 9/15 - DOWN 2.5

So, for 5 weeks a total of 5.5 lbs lost. Now when you look at it in total and not by weeks, it isn't so shabby and not as hard to take. But let's be real people, when you look at it by weeks, it sucks! All that eating right and exercising???? Grrrrrr. Then I switch to Monday weigh in and voila! Yes, probably long overdue for a drop, body was adjusting, and all that logical stuff, but I'm sticking with Tuesdays are evil weigh in days. :-P

Gym today - 50 mins

Hungry Girl Bean Enchilada

	Whole 'Lada Love
	Wanna stuff your face with a saucy smothered bean 'n cheese enchilada without a gazillion irritating calories and fat grams? Just whip up a batch of these Lean Bean Cheesy Enchiladas PRONTO! Ingredients: 2 large corn tortillas (like Mission Super Size) 1 slice fat-free cheddar cheese, cut in half 2/3 cup enchilada sauce 1/3 cup fat-free refried beans 1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese 1/4 cup chopped onions 1 tbsp. taco sauce 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning mix, dry Optional toppings: fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 2 minutes). In a small dish, combine the onions with the refried beans, taco sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well. Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray. Heat tortillas in the microwave until slightly warm. Lay the tortillas on a clean, dry surface, and then spread about 2 tbsp. of the enchilada sauce onto each one. Place one half of the cheese slice on each tortilla. Then, evenly distribute the bean mixture into the center of each tortilla. Wrap the tortillas up tightly, and place them in the baking dish seam side down. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes (until the enchiladas are hot). Remove dish from the oven, sprinkle shredded cheese over the enchiladas, and then return it to the oven for about 5 minutes (until the cheese is nice and melty). Plate those babies and, if you like, top with some of the optional ingredients. Enjoy! MAKES 2 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1 enchilada (half of recipe) Calories: 187 Fat: 2g Sodium: 976mg Carbs: 29g Fiber: 4g Sugars: 5g Protein: 12g POINTS® value 3*

Hungry Girl Hot Wings

	Ready for a crispy, hot boneless buffalo wing swap? You BETTER be. These spicy nuggets will blow your mind! And for an all-out b-wing experience, serve 'em with celery sticks and some low-cal bleu cheese or ranch dressing (mmmm!)... Ingredients: 8 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into 10 nugget-shaped pieces 1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original), ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor 1 oz. (about 14 crisps) Pringles Light Fat Free Potato Crisps, Barbecue (or another fat-free BBQ-flavored potato chip) 3 tbsp. Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce dash onion powder dash garlic powder dash cayenne pepper dash black pepper dash salt Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Crush potato crisps completely and, in a small dish, mix with cereal crumbs. Add a dash of each of the seasonings and mix well. Place chicken pieces in a separate dish, and cover and toss with Frank's RedHot. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray. Give each chicken piece a shake (so it's not dripping with RedHot), and then coat it evenly with the crumb mixture. Lay the battered nuggets on the baking pan. Place in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Then flip the wings over, and return them to the oven for 10 more minutes, or until outsides are crispy and chicken is cooked throughout. MAKES 2 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 5 wings (half of recipe) Calories: 175 Fat: 1.5g Sodium: 1,153mg** Carbs: 14g Fiber: 4g Sugars: <1g Protein: 27g POINTS® value 3*

Hungry Girl 'Fried' Zuchini

	Hungry-girl.com
	Your days of hiding from fried zucchini are over. Embrace your love of this formerly off-limits fried stuff NOW with this new HG creation... Ingredients: 2 large zucchini; ends removed 3/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original); ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) 1 tbsp. powdered ranch dressing/dip mix 1/4 tsp. plus 1 dash garlic powder 1/4 tsp. plus 1 dash onion powder 1/4 tsp. plus 1 dash oregano 2 dashes pepper 2 dashes salt Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut zucchini into half-inch-wide circles. Blot away any excess moisture with a paper towel. Place egg substitute in a medium-sized dish, and season with a dash each of garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. In a separate medium-sized container, combine cereal breadcrumbs with 1/4 tsp. each of garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano -- add the ranch mix and a dash each of salt and pepper, and then mix well. Set out a baking pan, and spray with nonstick spray. Toss zucchini circles in the egg substitute until they are all evenly covered. One by one, coat zucchini with breadcrumbs (giving them a shake first to remove excess egg substitute), and lay them flat on the baking pan. Place in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Flip zucchini circles over, and return to the oven for about 10 more minutes, or until outsides are crispy and zucchini is cooked through. MAKES 3 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1/3rd of recipe (1 generous serving) Calories: 78 Fat: <1g Sodium: 578mg Carbs: 20g Fiber: 9g Sugars: 4g Protein: 5g POINTS® value 1*

Hungry Girl Pumpkin Pie

I love pumpkin pie and believe it or not - hate - pie crust. This looks like a good recipe from Hungry-girl.com.

	No one loves pumpkin as much as Hungry Girl does -- the fat orange fruit (yes, it's technically a fruit 'cuz it has seeds!) and HG have been BFFs forever. So it was inevitable that a fantastic pumpkin pie swap would come from the HG kitchen. Well, here it is. Grab a can of pumpkin and your trusty box of Fiber One, and get busy! We present to you HG's Too-Good-To-Deny Pumpkin Pie... Ingredients: For Crust 2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original) 1/4 cup light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown); melted & mixed with 1 oz. water 3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 1 tsp. cinnamon For Filling One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling) One 12-oz. can evaporated fat-free milk 3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters) 1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. salt Optional Topping: Fat Free Reddi-wip Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Combine crumbs with all other crust ingredients. Stir until mixed well. In an oven-safe 9-inch pie dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray, evenly distribute mixture, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust. Press it into the edges and up along the sides of the dish. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling. Mix well. Pour mixture into pie crust. (Filling may be taller than the crust -- trust us, this is okay!) Bake pie in the oven for 45 minutes, and then remove it and allow to cool. Chill in the fridge for several hours (for best results, chill overnight). Cut into 8 slices, and if you like, top with Reddi-wip before serving! MAKES 8 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1 slice Calories: 133 Fat: 3g Sodium: 236mg Carbs: 28g Fiber: 9g Sugars: 8g Protein: 6g POINTS® value 2*

Hungry Girl Eggplant Parm

(hungry-girl.com)

	When we brought a beauteous eggplant (purple is pretty!) back to the HG HQ to make a better-for-you version of eggplant parmesan, we weren't the only ones excited -- our Fiber One practically jumped into the blender and blended itself into breadcrumbs (okay, slight exaggeration there). This super-cheesy, sauced-up dish is SO good, we devoured it in seconds. In fact, we're lucky we snapped this pic in time. That yummy portion you see pictured was inhaled seconds later. BTW, this one is so guilt-free and good for you, feel free to indulge a little and eat a couple of servings at a time (that's what we've been doing!). Ingredients: 1 large eggplant 1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 large egg whites) 1 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original); ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in the blender 1 cup canned tomato sauce w/ Italian flavoring (such as Hunt's Tomatoes Sauce with Basil, Garlic & Oregano) 1 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup reduced-fat grated parmesan-style topping 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper Optional: dried Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, etc.) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice ends off of eggplant, and cut it lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. Use a paper towel to blot eggplant slices on both sides (to remove excess moisture). Spray a large baking pan with nonstick spray. Season crumbs with garlic powder, salt, pepper and, if you like, additional seasonings. Coat eggplant slices on both sides -- first with egg whites, and then with Fiber One crumbs. Place slices flat on the baking pan, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, flip slices over and bake until browned on both sides (about 10 minutes longer). Remove pan from oven, but leave oven on. Spread 1/4 cup of sauce over the bottom of an 8" X 8" baking dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Arrange half of the baked eggplant slices evenly over the sauce. Continue to layer ingredients evenly in this order: sauce (1/4 cup), mozzarella and parm topping (half of each), sauce (1/4 cup), eggplant (remaining slices), sauce (1/4 cup), and cheeses (remaining amounts). Cover dish with foil and return to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated throughout. Allow to cool slightly, and then cut into quarters. Enjoy! MAKES 4 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1 generous portion (1/4th of recipe) Calories: 170 Fat: 2.5g Sodium: 872mg Carbs: 29g Fiber: 13g Sugars: 5g Protein: 15g POINTS® value 3*

Hungry Girl Southwest Rolls

Oh football, I am going to make quite the spread...(hungry-girl.com)

	Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls are super-popular, super-delicious and, um, super-fatty! But why would you even THINK about ordering that crazy-greasy appy while you're out when you can churn out a guilt-free version in your kitchen? Ours has ALL the same delicious ingredients, but we left out most of the annoying fat and calories. These Mexican-inspired eggrolls have become a staple at the HG HQ. BTW, we've also whipped up a veggie-friendly version sans-chicken, and those ROCK as well. TRY THESE ASAP (and that's an order!)... Ingredients: Eggrolls 3 La Tortilla Factory Whole Wheat Low-Carb/Low-Fat Tortillas, Original (not Large)** 1 oz. cooked skinless chicken breast; shredded 2 tbsp. canned black beans 2 tbsp. canned corn; drained 1 oz. Lifetime Fat Free Jalapeno Jack cheese; shredded 1 tbsp. diced red chili pepper 3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach; thawed & thoroughly drained ' Sauce 1 tbsp. avocado 2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream 1/2 tsp. Hidden Valley Dips Mix, The Original Ranch 1 tbsp. diced tomato dash pepper (or more, to taste) Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Combine chicken, beans, corn, cheese, chili pepper and spinach in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Warm tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds. On a clean, flat surface, lay out tortillas side by side. Put 1/3 of the chicken-spinach mixture in the center of each of tortilla. To assemble each of the rolls, fold the left and right sides in (so none of the filling escapes during the cooking process), and then roll up from the bottom of the tortilla until you reach the top (so they resemble eggrolls). Place all 3 rolls (seams down) on a baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes, flipping rolls over about halfway through cooking. While the eggrolls are in the oven, combine the sour cream, avocado, and Hidden Valley Dips Mix in a small bowl -- stir until smooth and blended. Season to taste with pepper. Top your dipping sauce with the tomatoes just before you serve! Once the eggrolls are done baking, allow them to cool for a few minutes. Then cut each in half diagonally, arrange them beautifully on a plate, and serve with the dipping sauce. Mmmmmmm! MAKES 2 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe (3 eggroll halves and half of the dipping sauce) Calories: 181 Fat: 4.5g Sodium: 666mg Carbs: 27g Fiber: 14g Sugars: 2g Protein: 19g POINTS® value 3*

Hungry Girl Mozzarella Sticks

And another football recipe! I was looking for some. And, who doesn't love hot cheese?
(hungry-girl.com)

	Mozzarella Fix
	Before creating these cheesy faux fried hunks of heaven, we had totally given up on the whole mozzarella sticks thing. Total bar food... completely greasy and horrible for you. Not anymore, thanks to (you guessed it!) a box of Fiber One and our trusty blender. Check out this super swap and prepare to be wowed (and filled with cheese!)... Ingredients: 2 light mozzarella sticks (50-60 calories and 2.5g fat per stick) 1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original) 2 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute salt, pepper & Italian seasonings; to taste Optional: low-fat marinara sauce (for dipping) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor or blender, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Place crumbs in a small plastic container with a lid. Season crumbs with as much salt, pepper and Italian seasonings as you like. Set aside. Cut cheese sticks in half, so that you have 4 sticks. Place sticks in a small bowl, and pour egg substitute over the top of the sticks. Swirl egg substitute around so that it thoroughly coats the sticks. One by one, transfer sticks to the container with the crumbs. Cover container, and give it a shake to coat the sticks in the crumbs. Carefully return sticks to the dish with the egg substitute, and coat them again. Next put sticks back in the crumbs container, cover, and shake once more to coat (try doing this two at a time the second time around). Place sticks on a baking dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Spritz the tops of the sticks with a quick mist of the spray. Place dish in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes (or until the first sign of cheese oozing out). If desired, serve with warm marinara sauce. Best when eaten immediately, while cheese is hot and gooey!
	Serving Size: 4 pieces Calories: 155 Fat: 5.5g Sodium: 500mg Carbs: 13.5g Fiber: 7g Sugars: 0g Protein: 19g *3 Points!

Hungry Girl Chicken Parm

	Juicy-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside chicken breast complete with melt-y cheese and warm tomato sauce?!? Now that's the kind of meal we'd gladly sink our teeth into on a daily basis if it weren't so notoriously high in fat and calories! Fortunately for everyone, HG's tackled the task of whipping up a crazy-good guilt-free version of this classic chicken dish. And there's been a line of hungry neighbors outside the HG kitchen ever since… Ingredients: 5 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast (raw) 1/3 cup Fiber One cereal 1/4 cup Egg Beaters, Original** 3/4 tsp. reduced fat grated parmesan cheese 1 oz. (approx. 1/4 cup) shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese 1/3 cup canned tomato sauce Optional: garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add parmesan to crumbs (if desired, season crumbs with optional spices, as well). Place crumbs in one small dish and Egg Beaters in another. Next, pound your chicken so it's a bit flattened. Coat raw chicken on both sides with Egg Beaters, and then coat with crumb mixture. Place chicken on a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Spray a light mist of nonstick spray on top of chicken and place in oven. Cook for 10 minutes, and then turn chicken over. Add another light mist of nonstick spray and cook for an additional 10 - 12 minutes (or until chicken is fully cooked and coating looks crispy). Meanwhile, if desired, mix tomato sauce with your seasonings of choice. Remove chicken from oven, top with sauce and then cheese, and return chicken to oven until cheese is melted. Enjoy! Serves 1.
	Serving Size: 1 chicken breast (entire recipe) Calories: 295 Fat: 3.5g Sodium: 890mg Carbs: 27g Fiber: 11g Sugars: 3.5g Protein: 46.5g *5 Points

Hungry Girl Bacon / Cheese Sandwich

I wish that turkey bacon came in that pre-cooked kind. If anyone out there has seen it, please let me know!

(Hungry-Girl.com)

	Hey, Steak 'n Shake -- keep your fatty, greasy, ridiculously high-calorie bacon and cheese melts to yourself! HG's got one that uses slimmed-down ingredients and tastes almost as good as the real thing. Yeah, it really does. Try it. Ingredients: 2 slices Wonder Light White Bread (or another light bread**) 2 strips Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon 2 slices Kraft Free Singles, American (or another fat-free American cheese**) 20 sprays I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Spray Directions: In a skillet sprayed with no-cal cooking spray, cook bacon strips on medium heat until crispy and fully cooked (about 5 minutes). Evenly spritz butter spray on 1 side of each slice of bread, using 10 sprays per slice. Top the unsprayed side of 1 slice of bread with a slice of cheese. Place cooked bacon strips on top of cheese, and cover with second slice of cheese. Next, top with the other bread slice (with the buttered side facing up). Place sandwich in a skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and cook over low to medium heat until bread is brown and toasty and cheese is nice and melty (about 1 – 2 minutes per side). Use a spatula to press down on sandwich while it cooks. Slice sandwich down the middle, diagonally, or just bite right into it!
	Serving Size: 1 sandwich Calories: 195 Fat: 3g Sodium: 850mg Carbs: 23g Fiber: 5g Sugars: 3g Protein: 18g *3 Points

Hungry Girl Jalapeno Poppers

Yes, I am checking all the back articles on Hungry-Girl.com. I have to make this one for football season!

	HG loves a challenge, and coming up with a rockin' swap for this cheesy fried finger food was slightly tricky. Luckily, our favorite fiber-packed cereal saved the day (as usual). BTW, if you've never tried fake-frying by baking items covered in low-calorie cereal crumbs, DO IT NOW!!! (Sorry, got carried away there.) HG Tip: Bake up a batch (or two - they'll go fast!) this Super Bowl Sunday, and you and your poppers will be the life of the party. Touchdown, HG! Ingredients: 5 whole, fresh jalapenos 1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese 1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese 1/2 cup Fiber One cereal 1/4 cup Egg Beaters, Original Optional: salt, pepper and/or garlic powder Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve the jalapenos lengthwise, and remove the seeds, stems, and membranes (HG Heads Up: Be VERY careful when handling jalapenos; wash hands frequently and well, and avoid touching your face and eyes). Wash halves and dry them very well; set aside. Next, stir to combine cream cheese and cheese shreds. If desired, season cheese mixture with salt, pepper, and/or garlic powder. Using a blender, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. If you like, season crumbs with salt, pepper, and/or garlic powder. Place crumbs in one small dish and Egg Beaters in another. Stuff each pepper half with cheese mixture. Next, carefully coat both sides of each pepper half with Egg Beaters, and then with Fiber One crumbs. Place peppers on a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray, and place in oven. Cook for 25 minutes (for very spicy poppers) to 30 minutes (medium-hot poppers). Makes 10 poppers.
	Serving Size: 5 poppers Calories: 124 Fat: 1g Sodium: 500mg Carbs: 23g Fiber: 8g Sugars: 5g Protein: 13g *2 Points!

Hungry Girl Brownie Recipe

And check this one out! Love the Hungry Girls!

	Fudge...UNPUDGED!
	Hungry Girl has done it again. Armed with nothing but pumpkin, some brownie mix and a VERY lowfat PB, she’s whipped up a version of chocolate peanut butter fudge that's so low in calories and fat, it'll make you cry tears of joy. Here's the secret recipe... Ingredients: 2 cups canned pure pumpkin 1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies Mix (the 18.3-oz. Family Size box) 2 tbsp. Better ‘n Peanut Butter, room temperature Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pumpkin with the brownie mix in a large bowl; stir until smooth (do not add anything else). Spray a small baking pan (8" X 8" work best - no larger!) with nonstick cooking spray and pour in the mixture. Spoon 2 tbsp. of Better ‘n Peanut Butter (room temperature) on top and use a knife to swirl peanut butter around. Cook for approximately 35 minutes. The batter will remain very thick and fudgy, and it should look undercooked. Remove from oven. Cover with aluminum foil and let cool in fridge for a couple of hours. Cut into 36 squares and serve.
	Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 1.3 oz.) Calories: 63 Fat: 1g Sodium: 56mg Carbs: 13.5g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 9g Protein: 1g * 1 Point!

Hungry Girl Scone Recipe

I have to try this one. Got it from Hungry-girl.com. Check the site out...

	Let's Get Sconed
	There are few things more satisfying than a doughy, warm pastry exploding with sweet blueberries. So it's too bad a typical scone recipe reads like a Who’s Who’s of Fattytown -- heavy cream, butter, eggs, sugar, buttermilk…Eeeks! But don’t worry, these scary ingredients are not carved in, er, scone. With a few sassy swaps like a low-fat baking mix and light vanilla soymilk, we've created a magical scone-y masterpiece that you can actually feel good about eating for breakfast...or anytime. Weeeee! Ingredients: 2/3 cup uncooked oatmeal (not instant) 1/3 cup Bisquick Heart Smart Baking Mix 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tbsp. brown sugar 2 tsp. Smart Balance 37% Light Buttery Spread 1/3 cup light vanilla soymilk 3/4 cup blueberries Directions: Set oven to 400 degrees. Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Fold in berries. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and form 4 mounds of batter on sheet (leave room in between 'em -- they expand!). Bake for 10 minutes. Makes 4 large scones.
	Serving Size: 1 scone Calories: 130 Fat: 3g Sodium: 195mg Carbs: 24g Fiber: 2.25g Sugars: 7g Protein: 3.5g * 2 Points

Weekly Exercise Summary - Sept 8

Just in case I want to look back...

• Mon - 50 mins
• Tues - 50 mins
• Wed - 60 mins
• Thurs - 45 mins
• Fri - 50 mins
• Sat - 45 mins
• Sun - REST

I posted that I switched weigh in days from Tuesday to Monday (Tuesdays being evil and all). I plan to weigh in tomorrow, but if I am the same weight - or YIKES, more - I will stick with evil Tuesday. Is that cheating? Maybe, but that's what I'm doing. Deal with it. ;-P

Groveling and Other Things

So, I have groveled repeatedly as I should. I think things are OK, but the reality is I can be a bitch. And, it probably happens more frequently than people would like. I have said that I will try to control the bitchiness, but that it will not be 100%. We must be realistic people!

As I said in the previous post, I had cooked. I made this Weight Watchers Chicken Cacciatore recipe. (Not sure if I have put it out here yet.) As usual, I altered the recipe, but I have to tell you it is pretty dang good! The peppery-ness had somehow kinda calmed down since yesterday, but still has some zing to it. I don't count Weight Watcher points as much as I just like the quick easy recipes. The amount of food a bandster can eat addresses the points all on its own.

I have started eating the Quaker Oats Weight Control instant oatmeal for breakfast. Why? Check out these stats:

• 6 grams of Fiber
• 7 grams of Protein
• 2 servings of Whole Grains
• No Added Sugar

I highly recommend it. It's not as yummy-licious as the regular maple brown sugar. Probably cause it is better for you! (HA) But I ind it to be filling and satisfying while getting in fiber and whole grains which is sometimes kinda challenging.

I have done a whole lotta nothing today. The only accomplishments of the day: posting, groveling, and going to the grocery store. Yes, I know kinda pathetic that I included the posting and groveling. Well, it is Sunday after all people!

I Suck...

Yesterday I was very productive. I cleaned the house (and I mean clean), laundry, and made some food for the week. I accidentally forgot about cooking 101. When you are measuring out seasonings, don't do it over the dish itself. Well, I did it and with pepper! Um, tad bit more in there than I wanted. I tried it yesterday and not sure how it will be as big surprise - it was peppery. Tried it again today and it was a bit better. I'll see when I actually try to eat some. I also made it to the gym for a 45 min workout. Today I may or may not go to the gym. It is officially rest day, so will see how it goes.

While there was a lot of productivity, I sucked last night. No way to sugar coat it than to say I was a bitch. I was out with the guy I'm seeing (referred to now as 'Nice Guy') and also some friends. Drinking, watching football, and generally having a good time. Then the Nice Guy said something that rubbed me the wrong way and I handled it poorly. I reacted and it was not nice and made the Nice Guy mad. He had every right to be and needless to say the evening went downhill. Don't you just love the silent treatment? Sigh - anyway, bottom line. I suck. I was wrong. I am starting to wonder if I am sabotaging? Why? Cause he is a 'Nice Guy'. I'll have to think on that more, but in the meantime will have to continue groveling.

I <3 My iPod Shuffle

I realized how much when it ran out of battery at the gym this morning. *Sigh* It really is amazing how long it lasts before it dies. Almost too much, cause I forget to recharge it. I am a recently (within the past year) convert to Apple. I also have a MacBook which I love as well. The only thing I don't like so much is iTunes. Don't get me wrong, it is a great service and all of that, but I don't like all the digital rights management. I want to be able to burn a CD of music more than 5 times - not for other people - but here's what happens. I make them. Put them in the car. Then bring them in. (You get the idea.) And I am constantly misplacing them. Hey Apple - do the right thing! Let me make as many copies as I want. It's good for the economy as I have to buy a zillion CDs.

Ike is coming through tomorrow. Kinda sounds like I have a friend stopping by??? Should only be heavy rain and wind for me, but I swear the rain picks up and the stupid electricity goes out. We can use the rain (especially my lawn!), so I'll rent some movies in case the electricity stays on and have a good book on hand as well. Does a hurricane warrant a day off from the gym? Sounds good, but I'm inland - so not a good excuse. That doesn't mean I won't be using it though! I did gym it this morning - 50 mins. (Yeah me!)

Faux-Fried Green Beans and DIP! - 2 WW pts

The Hungry Girls have OUTDONE themselves on this remake...

	Been craving those CRAZY fried green beans from T.G.I. Friday's? WAIT. Before you order, check out our HG-ized version... Ingredients: For Dip 3 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise 2 tbsp. peeled and chopped cucumber 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream 1 1/2 tsp. dry ranch dressing/dip mix 1/4 tsp. wasabi paste dash cayenne pepper For Green Beans 2 cups (8 oz.) fresh green beans, trimmed 3/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original), ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 1/2 tsp. onion powder 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. black pepper Optional: additional seasonings, to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dip ingredients in a food processor or small blender (our Magic Bullet works wonders!). Blend until smooth. Place dip in a dish, and then cover and chill in the fridge. Place the green beans in a large pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 9 minutes. Carefully drain the beans, and then place them in cold water for a few minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and dry them well. Put the egg substitute in a small bowl, and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the Fiber One "breadcrumbs" with the spices (add extra seasonings, if you like). Cover a large baking pan with aluminum foil and/or nonstick spray. Set aside. Place about 1/3rd of the crumb mixture into a large sealable plastic bag. One by one, dip green beans into the egg substitute, and place them in the bag with the breadcrumbs -- continue this with 1/3rd of the beans. Seal the bag and shake it up. Remove the "breaded" green beans, and place them on the pan. Repeat this process two more times, so all of the beans are coated. Pop the pan in the oven and cook for 16 minutes, flipping green beans halfway through cooking. Beans are done once they're crispy. Allow green beans to cool slightly, and then serve with the dip. Yum! MAKES 2 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe (dip included) Calories: 129 Fat: 1.5g Sodium: 881mg Carbs: 32.5g Fiber: 14g Sugars: 5g Protein: 7g POINTS® value 2*

Mini Nacho Dippers - 3 WW pts

(Entire recipe: 200 calories, 2.5g fat, 990mg sodium, 37g carbs, 7g fiber, 5.5g sugars, 6g protein = 3 Weight Watcher Points)

Crunch it up...Olé!

Ingredients:

9 Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks, Nacho Cheese
1/4 cup Old El Paso Fat Free Refried Beans
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup Newman's Own All-Natural Bandito Salsa (Mild, Medium or Hot)

*Optional: slices of jalapenos and/or black olives

Directions:
Heat beans in the microwave until hot (approximately 45 seconds). Stir and place a dollop on each mini rice cake. If you like, top with jalapenos and/or olives. Serve with sour cream and salsa for dipping!

Poolside Cherry Pom-arita - 2 WW pts

(entire recipe: 105 calories, 0g fat, 45mg sodium, 2.5g carbs, 0g fiber, 0.5g sugars, 0g protein = 2 Weight Watcher Points)

You don't NEED to be sitting by a pool to sip this fruity cocktail, but it's certainly more fun that way!

Ingredients:
1.5 oz. tequila
4 oz. Diet 7UP (or another diet lemon-lime soda)
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 packet Crystal Light On The Go Immunity Cherry Pomegranate drink mix
ice cubes (for serving)

Directions:
Place tequila, soda and lime juice in a glass. Empty half of the flavor packet into glass, and stir well to combine. Pour over ice and enjoy! Serves 1.

Sweet Cinnamon Fritter Fries - 2 WW pts

PER SERVING (1/3rd of recipe including syrup): 144 calories, 1g fat, 295mg sodium, 41g carbs, 12g fiber, 3g sugars, 5g protein -- Weight Watcher points 2*

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized butternut squash (about 2 lbs. -- large enough to yield 14 oz. uncooked flesh)
1 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original); ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor
1/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt

For Dipping:
1/2 cup sugar-free maple syrup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Use a sharp knife to remove the ends of the squash. Cut it in half widthwise (making it easier to manage), and then peel squash halves using a vegetable peeler or a knife. Cut squash in half lengthwise, and then scoop out all the seeds. (Note: for exact nutritionals, measure out and use 14 oz. of squash.)

Next, cut squash into french fry shapes. Using a paper towel, pat squash pieces firmly to absorb any excess moisture.

Place cereal breadcrumbs in a large container. Add Splenda, cinnamon and salt, and mix well. In a separate medium-sized dish, combine egg substitute and vanilla extract. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray.

Toss squash pieces in the egg substitute until they are all evenly covered. One by one, coat squash pieces with the breadcrumb mixture (give them a shake first so they are not dripping with egg substitute), and lay them flat on the baking pan.

Place in the oven, and bake for about 10 minutes. Flip fries over, and return to the oven for about 10 more minutes, or until outsides are crispy and squash is tender. (Cooking time will vary depending on how thick your fries are.)

Serve with syrup for dipping. MMMMMMM!!!!!!!

MAKES 3 SERVINGS

Butternut Hash Browns - 1 WW pts

PER SERVING (about 1 cup, entire recipe): 85 calories, 1g fat, 162mg sodium, 20g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g sugars, 2g protein -- Weight Watchers points value 1*

These are too good topped with ketchup... Mmmmmm!

Tip! You don't need any fancy equipment to quickly shred your squash. A basic potato or veggie shredder will do the trick. Just peel a small squash, deseed it, and run it thru the shredder. Weeeee!

Ingredients:
1 heaping cup shredded butternut squash
2 tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
dash ground cumin
dash salt
dash pepper
additional salt and pepper, to taste
Optional toppings: ketchup, salsa, hot sauce

Directions:
Spread the shredded squash out between 2 layers of paper towels. Press down to absorb as much of the moisture from the squash as possible. Repeat if necessary, until no more water can be removed.

Toss squash shreds with onion, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring a small to medium pan sprayed generously with nonstick spray (a 1 to 2 second spray) to high heat. Add mixture to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Flip shreds with a spatula and cook for another 2 minutes or so (until mixture is thoroughly cooked and browned). Season to taste with more salt and pepper. If you like, top off with one or more of the optional toppings (everything tastes good topped with these things!). Enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Recipes, Recipes, and More Recipes!

I was thinking and said to myself, "self, your blog would be a great place to keep your recipes". So, that's what I'm doing. Plus I'm feeling restless and a bit bored. A good way to keep my mind off it is to stay busy. I am craving chocolate! But I will not give in...mainly cause there isn't any in the house! bwaaaa...

Warm White Bean Salad - 2 WW pts

4 tsp olive oil
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, minced
1/4 cup each of diced green and red bell pepper
2 tbs fresh (or 1 tsp) minced sage
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 (16oz) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained

Heat the oil i medium nonstick skillet. Add the tomotoes, onion, bell pepper, sage, garlic, salt and pepper; cook, stirring ocasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the beans.

Um - not sure how many servings. Based on point value, I would say it is 4 servings. Not sure what the serving size is.

Very Vanilla Chillnuggets - 2 WW pts

(1 recipe - 105 calories, 2g fat, 130mg sodium, 21g carbs, <1g fiber, 8g sugars, 1g protein = 2 Weight Watcher Points)

Creamy, dreamy, crunchy goodness...

Ingredients:

1 package Kellogg's Special K Snack Bites (Vanilla)
2 tbsp. Cool Whip Free

Directions:
Place approximately 1/3 tbsp. of Cool Whip between each 2 snack bites, forming itty-bitty sandwiches. One package makes roughly 6 sandwiches. Pop these cuties in the freezer for about an hour & enjoy!

Krispymallow Treats - 1/2 WW pts

(1 square: 47 calories, <1g fat, 32mg sodium, 11g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 3g sugars, <1g protein = 1/2 Weight Watcher Point)

A fiber-y new spin on an old childhood fave!

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. Smart Balance 37% Light Buttery Spread
3 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups Fiber One cereal
5 cups Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs or puffed wheat cereal

Directions:

Melt butter spread in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add both cereals. Stir until well coated. Using a spatula, press mixture evenly into a baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Allow to cool. Cut into 25 squares. (Let's be real - cut them bigger and make them one point. You're going to eat 1 pts worth anyway.)

Chicken Spaghetti - 4 WW pts

8 ounces cooked chicken
3 cups cooked spaghetti -- 4 1/2 oz dry
3 ounces Velveeta Light
4 1/2 ounces chopped green chiles
1 can 98% fat free Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup bell pepper -- cooked w/spaghetti

Mix Velveeta with soup and chiles and heat. The cheese will melt without sticking. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into sprayed 13x9" dish, cover with foil, and cook until heated thoroughly approximately 10 minutes at 450º. Serve immediately.

Serving Size : 6

Weight Watcher Points: 4

Per serving: 221 Cal, 4.3g Fat, 1.8g Fiber,

Spice it up: You can spice it up, if you like it hot, by adding diced Rotel.

Chicken Salad Recipe - 3 WW pts

Servings: 3 servings • Time: 25 minutes • Points: 3 Weight Watcher points

* 2 pieces boneless chicken breasts
* 1 chicken bullion
* 1/4 onion, chopped
* 2 tbsp parsley chopped
* 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
* 3 tbsp Hellmann's Lite Mayonnaise

In a medium sauce pan, place chicken, half the celery, half the onion, parsley and cover with water. Add bullion and cook on medium flame, covered for about 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, remove chicken and let cool. Reserve chicken broth.

Cut chicken into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add onions, celery and mayonnaise. Add about 1/8 cup reserved chicken broth and mix well. If looks dry add a little more. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

The remaining broth can be saved to make a soup at a later time.

Zucchini Pancakes - 2.25 WW pts

Zucchini season is here, if you are looking for a great recipe to use up your summer zucchini, give these pancakes a try. These delicious pancakes are similar to potato pancakes, with less carbs. They make a great side dish.

Servings: 4 servings • Time: 20 minutes • Points: 2.25 Weight Watcher points

* 2 medium zucchini, grated
* 2 shallots, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup fresh chives
* 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 6-8 tbsp whole wheat flour
* kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
* olive oil spray

Grate zucchini using the large holes of a cheese grater and place in a large bowl. Add flour, shallots, garlic, parsley, chives, eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray oil to cover pan. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the skillet. Cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Set aside and keep warm. Spray more oil in the skillet as needed, and continue with remaining batter. Makes about 20 small pancakes.

Split Pea Soup with Ham - 2 WW pts

This soup is a satisfying delicious meal very high in fiber. With all that ham, you would never believe it is only 2 weight watchers points!
Great Low Point Recipe courtesy Katia
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings 6 servings • Time 2 hours • Points: 2 ww points

* 1 bag of dried split peas
* 1 chopped onion
* 1 garlic clove or more if you like more garlic, use 2-3 cloves of garlic
* 3 quarts fat-free chicken stock
* 2 tbsp of olive oil
* 2 carrots - chopped
* Salt and Pepper, to taste
* 1 Ham Hock

Wash peas and drain them. In a pot, saute onions and garlic in about 2 tbsp of oil.

Add peas, ham hock and your chicken stock, then cover the pot and let it come to a boil. Add your salt and pepper.

Once it boils you can reduce heat and cook for about two hours (beans should be very soft by then). Make sure to check the water and consistency. You may need to add hot water if it becomes too thick.

Serve with 1/2 slice of ww toasted bread.

Zucchini Casserole - 2.5 WW pts

A great recipe for zucchini lovers! Makes a great side dish. I am always looking for great recipes for zucchini since I have so many in my garden. I used one large zucchini to make this recipe. It is best to use a 9 x 12 casserole dish.
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 10-12 servings • Cooking Time: 45 minutes • Points: 2.5 ww points

* 4 cups grated zucchini
* 1 cup bisquick
* 1 small onion, grated
* 3 egg whites, 1 whole egg
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp parsley

Mix everything together in a bowl. Spray a pie dish or a casserole with Pam and pour mixture. Bake approximately 45 minutes, until golden brown. Put a toothpick in the center to test if it is done. If it comes out clean, it is ready.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pie Recipe - 7 WW pts

Ingredients:
1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
4 oz light cream cheese
4 oz fat-free cream cheese
12 oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup lite whipped topping, thawed if frozen
5 Tbsp mini chocolate chips, divided
6 oz pie crust

Directions:
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter and both types of cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in milk and lemon juice; fold in whipped topping and 4 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips.
Spoon peanut butter mixture into prepared pie crust; sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips over top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Slice into 10 pieces and serve. Dig in!

Weight Watchers Points = 7 (WW Points)

Crab Rangoons - 4 WW pts

Weight Watcher points: 4
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 18 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

These crunchy wontons are stuffed with a savory combination of crabmeat, cream cheese and vegetables.

Ingredients

* 2 sprays cooking spray
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
* 2 medium scallion(s), minced
* 2 Tbsp snow peas, chopped
* 6 oz canned crabmeat, drained
* 4 oz light cream cheese
* 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
* 24 items wonton wrapper(s), half of a 12 oz package

Instructions

* Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

* Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, scallions and snow peas and sauté until just tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in crabmeat, cream cheese and soy sauce with a wooden spoon; mix gently to combine.

* Place wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Drop crab mixture by teaspoonfuls onto the center of each wrapper. Dip a finger into water and use it to moisten edges of wrapper; fold over one corner of wrapper to make a triangle and press sides together to seal. Create decorative lines along the edges of the wontons by pressing the tines of a fork along the bottom edge of each wonton.

* Transfer filled wontons to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake until wontons are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Yields 4 pieces of crab rangoon per serving.

Notes

* Serve with reduced-sodium soy sauce mixed with chopped scallions or prepared sweet-and-sour or duck sauce, if desired. Just make sure to account for any increase in POINTS values.

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff - 6 WW pts

Makes 6 servings, 4 points each.
Ingredients

* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken
* 1 container (16 oz) fat free sour cream
* 1 packet powdered onion soup mix
* 1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
* 1 small can mushrooms

Instructions

Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Broccoli Casserole - 1.5 WW pts

1 1/2 cups shredded nonfat or reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1 3/4 cups dry curd or nonfat cottage cheese
1/3 cup fat-free egg substitute
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
2 Tbsp unbleached flour
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
3 Tbsp finely ground fat-free whole-wheat cracker crumbs

Set aside 1/2 cup of the grated Cheddar cheese. Combine the rest of the cheese and all of the remaining ingredients except for the cracker crumbs in a large bowl, and stir to mix well.

Coat a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place the broccoli mixture in the dish, sprinkle with the cracker crumbs, and spread the reserved cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

12 servings , 1.5 Weight Watcher POINTS each, Serving size: 2/3 cup

Tater Tot Casserole - 6 WW pts

1 onion, chopped
2 Tbl minced garlic
1 box (12 oz.) Boca ground "beef"
1 can reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream-style corn
72 onion flavored Tater Tots (frozen)

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a 9x13 dish with nonfat cooking spray.

Coat a medium skillet with nonfat cooking spray and heat on high. Add the onions and the garlic and sauté, stirring quickly, just until onions are soft. Reduce heat to medium and add the ground "beef;" cook for 5 or 6 minutes until burger is thawed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Stir the soup and the cream corn into the burger mixture in the skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour into the prepared casserole dish. Arrange the Tater Tots on top and sprinkle lightly with seasoned salt. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the goo is bubbly and the potatoes are well-browned.

Makes 6 generous servings.
Weight Watcher Points: 6

Calories: 334; Fat: 11.4g; Fiber: 8.2g

Tuna Casserole - 3 WW Points

Makes 4 servings; 3 Weight Watchers Points

1 can tuna in water, canned
1 cup macaroni -- uncooked
1 onion -- chopped
1 can peas, canned -- baby peas if possible
1 can reduced fat reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 cup skim milk
6 tablespoons reduced fat cheddar cheese -- grated

In a casserole dish, put in your macaroni, can of tuna, chopped up onion, can of peas, can of mushroom soup, cup of milk and mix all together. Sprinkle your shredded cheese all over top. Cover and bake at 350º for 1 hour.

Cheez It Chicken - 5 WW pts

1 pound Tyson Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
6 tbsp fat-free sour cream
3 oz Reduced-Fat Cheez It Crackers, chrushed
2 serving I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!
Spray

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray pan with PAM. Smear sour cream on chicken then roll in Cheez Its. Spray with ICBINNB spray. Bake 30 - 40 minutes.

You can also use BBQ chips, Sour cream & onion chips or whatever type of chip that you like.

Yield: 4 servings / 5 Weight Watcher points per serving. -

Chickpea and Spinach Curry - 4 WW Points

In less than 10 minutes, this fiber-rich dish is ready for dinner. Serve with warm pitas or over basmati rice. You can top with a dollop of low-fat plain yogurt to contrast the earthy spices.

3 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups chickpea mixture) - 4 Weight Watcher Points

Ingredients

* 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
* 1 1/2 tablespoons bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons red curry powder (such as McCormick)
* 1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
* 4 cups fresh spinach
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Combine onion and ginger in a food processor; pulse until minced.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion mixture, sugar, and curry to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add chickpeas and tomatoes; simmer 2 minutes. Stir in spinach, water, and salt; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.

Why Stop Now?

That's in reference to dessert recipes really. But I did go to the gym this morning and worked out for 45 mins. I've been eating and drinking as I should, but we'll see next week. I swear that is what I have been doing for a month and total weight loss is THREE pounds.

Maybe I'm too loose? Nope. Can't be tighter. In fact, I've been considering going in and getting the whole whopping .2 taken out that is in there. I don't like the rock feeling I get when I eat protein and that is surfacing a bit. It's not from lack of chewing either. It's tightness. The only reason I'm hesitant is mental and frankly I'm lazy. Mental - there is just something about having some fluid in there. Most people can't relate as they require way more to get any restriction. Not me. I never even made it to 2.0 and when I got close - bad, bad, bad!

Lazy - I think that is self-explanatory. I'd have to make an appt, ensure it works with schedule at work, go there, etc. See, lazy! That's OK. I have accepted it and moved on.

Oh so weigh-in day. I have decided that Tuesday is cursed and not sure that I have mentioned that. I am now switching my weigh-in day to Monday. And, if that one is cursed, there are still 5 others to choose from. HA! Seriously, I think that Monday will be better as Sunday is my rest day from the gym. Maybe that is just wishful thinking and I'm on a big boat, but I'm going to try it! And now for that recipe...

From my friends at Hungry Girl again...

Marshmallow Madness Popcorn Balls

(1 Ball - 113 calories, 1.6g fat, 25 carbs, 2g fiber, 1g protein - 2 WW points)

These sweet 'n crunchy popcorn balls are as much fun to make as they are to eat (well, almost).

1/2 a bag of Jolly Time Healthy Pop, Butter Flavor
1/2 of a 10 oz. bag of mini marshmallows
2 Tbsp. Land 'O Lakes Light, or other light butter

Directions:
In large microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter on HIGH until melted. Add marshmallows and microwave until they look puffy (1 to 1-1/2 minutes). Stir to completely melt marshmallows, then pour the melted mixture over the popcorn and mix carefully until it's coated. Makes 6 popcorn balls.

Did it!

Went to the gym. 60 min workout. Please note that was 60 more mins than I wanted to do. That is all.

Today's Dessert Recipe

And the trend continues! I really like the Hungry Girl site. This recipe is from them. I like to look at it and maybe one day I'll make it. My friends have that are on Weight Watchers and they say it is fabulous! Oh, the gym, um - haven't been yet. I'm going there next...hopefully. (I'm still bummed at the no loss situation.)

HG's Topsy Turvy Banana Cream Pie! - 3 Weight Watcher Points!

(1 "Pie" - 143 calories, 0.5g fat, 22carbs, 1.25g fiber, 1g protein - 3 WW points)

A guilt-free cream pie treat!

1/2 cup sugar free, fat free vanilla pudding (prepared with skim milk)
1/4 banana, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. Cool Whip Free
Small handful of crushed 100 Calorie Honey Graham Thin Crisps (1/4 pack)

Directions:
Place pudding in small dish, then spread bananas over it. Smooth cool whip over bananas, then top with crushed Cinnamon Graham snacks. Enjoy!

Haystacks - All I can say - YUM!

Yes, I am on a kick of desserts. Funny thing is that I have been locating the recipes and not making them. I've had these before and they are great.

Hershey Bar Haystacks

(1 Stack - 71 calories, 4g fat, 12 carbs, 5g fiber, 2g protein - 1 WW point)

1 Cup Fiber One Cereal
1 (1.5 oz.) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar
1 Tbsp. reduced fat peanut butter, smooth or chunky

Directions:
Melt bar and peanut butter in microwave until smooth, at 30-second intervals. Be careful not to burn or overcook. Stir chocolate and peanut butter mixture. Add cereal and gently toss till coated. Drop onto wax paper, making 6 stacks. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens (about 30 minutes). Serves 6.

I did make it to the gym after a VERY disappointing weigh in. I am EXACTLY the same. Talk about motivation. Um, not so much. I went and just did it - 50 mins. I'm just going to keep at it. There is no way that eating correctly and working out will not eventually get the scale moving in the right direction. (I will just keep repeating that to myself until I believe it. Cause right now I am frustrated!)

Um, that hurts and WW?

Three days off in a row from the gym, so what do I decide to do? Let's go ahead and mix it up a little and change machines! This might have been OK, if I would have remembered a little better how to set it up. But as we all know - I have not been going to the neighborhood gym as much as I had been (or should have). So, 50 mins later - I knew I was going to be sore and yep, my legs are stiff. Will just have to work through it tomorrow.

OK, so you might be wondering what is up with the Weight Watchers. Well, turns out many of my friends are doing it and the recipes are healthy and easy. I figure I might as well add the points for anyone that stumbles across my blog and might be doing WW themselves. Here's a great dessert:

WW Microwave Brownie Thing (I can't remember the name) - 1 POINT!

• 2 tbsp. low-fat brownie mix
• 1 tbsp. plain fat-free yogurt
• fat-free / lite cool whip

In a custard cup or a 1 cup sized cup that is microwave safe, mix the brownie mix and the plain fat-free yogurt. Put it in the microwave for 45 seconds. Top with Cool Whip.

(Seriously, this is awesome.)

Tomorrow - weigh in and must go to the gym (putting it here means it has to happen! ha!)