Creamy Coleslaw - 1 WW pt

Was Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 8 Now Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 1 Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 0 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Richly-flavored sesame oil and piquant cilantro add a distinctly Asian flavor to America's favorite side dish — lightened up.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
• 1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 1 tsp dark sesame oil
• 1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Chef Tips

We Renovated Coleslaw by:

• Using fat-free mayonnaise instead of regular.
  
  
• Adding a touch of sesame oil and cilantro to boost flavor for virtually no POINTS.
  

Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies - 2 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 2 Servings: 16 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 20 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Chase the winter blues away with these delicious reduced-fat brownies.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 large egg white(s)
• 2 oz light cream cheese, softened (about 3 1/2 tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350º F. Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.
  
  
• Combine flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, cocoa and baking powder in a medium-size bowl; mix well. Add canola oil, water and egg whites; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon and spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
  
  
• Combine cream cheese, remaining sugar and vanilla in a small bowl; blend well. Drop small spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over brownie batter; swirl gently with a knife to create a decorative pattern.
  
  
• Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before cutting into 16 bars.

Corn Casserole - 3 WW pts

Was Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 5 Now Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 3 Servings: 8 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 65 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Magazine reader Kathie asked for a renovation for the corn casserole she makes at family BBQs. We upped the veggies and dropped the butter to help lighten it up.

Ingredients

• 2 sprays cooking spray, divided
• 1 slice bacon, uncooked, finely diced
• 2/3 cup onion(s), diced
• 2/3 cup sweet red pepper(s), diced
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 14 3/4 oz canned cream-style white corn
• 3 medium corn on the cob, kernels removed* (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 3/4 cup low-fat Swiss cheese, shredded
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 3/4 cup seasoned croutons, whole-grain, coarsely crushed

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 2-quart shallow baking dish with nonstick spray.
  
  
• Cook bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Pour off and discard drippings from skillet.
  
  
• Add onion to skillet. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
  
  
• Transfer vegetables to a large bowl and let cool 5 minutes. Stir in bacon, canned corn, fresh corn, egg substitute, cheese, salt and ground pepper. Spread corn mixture in baking dish. Top evenly with croutons and lightly spray croutons with cooking spray. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden and center is set, about 15 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Notes

• *To remove the corn kernels from the cobs, cut off the ends of each cob. Stand the cob on its end, holding it near the top. Hold a knife parallel to the cob and cut off the kernels using a sawing motion.

Chef Tips

• We renovated Corn Casserole by:
  • Increasing the amount of vegetables.
    
    
  • Omitting the butter and relying on cooking spray to cook the bacon and vegetables.
    
    
  • Decreasing the total amount of fattening bacon and finely dicing it to help sprinkle it throughout the casserole.

Choc-Peanut Frozen Cookies - 1 WW pt

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 1 Servings: 16 Preparation Time: 5 min Cooking Time: 10 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

If you love dark chocolate, you're bound to love these: a decadent way to cool off on a hot summer day.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa, powder
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats
• 2 tsp canola oil

Instructions

• Mix milk, cocoa powder and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat.
  
  
• Bring to boil, then remove from heat. Add peanut butter and stir into mix until melted.
  
  
• Stir in oatmeal and oil.
  
  
• Drop 16 spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for at least four hours; they are better the day after you make them. Yields one cookie per serving.

Choc Marshmallow Fudge - 2 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 2 Servings: 36 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 5 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Sure, you can buy a box of store-bought chocolates or you can make your own rich fudge at home without any fancy candy-making equipment.

Ingredients

• 1 sprays cooking spray
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk
• 2 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 14 large marshmallow(s)

Instructions

• Coat an 8- X 8-inch pan with cooking spray.
  
  
• In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, evaporated milk and margarine; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.
  
  
• Stir in chocolate and marshmallows; remove pan from heat and stir until smooth.
  
  
• Pour mixture into prepared pan and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Cut into thirty-six 1 1/3-inch squares and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Notes

• Store fudge in refrigerator. Or freeze for a firmer consistency.

Choc Choc Chip Cookies - 1 WW pt

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 1 Servings: 40 Preparation Time: 11 min Cooking Time: 40 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Indulge your sweet tooth by biting into crisp chocolate cookies packed with melted pockets of chocolate chips.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp table salt
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup sugar, granulated
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 large egg white(s)
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, miniature
• 1 sprays cooking spray

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
  
  
• Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
  
  
• Beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating well. Add cocoa and egg whites, beating well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate minichips.
  
  
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 11⁄2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool on pans 2 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Yield: 40 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie).

Chocolate Chip Cookies - 2 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 2 Servings: 24 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 12 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Whole-grain flour adds both a health and flavor-boost to these fantastic homemade favorites.

Ingredients

• 2 sprays cooking spray
• 2/3 cup light cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup unpacked brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg(s)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole-grain wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
• 6 oz mini chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper.
  
  
• Beat cream cheese and both sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until sugar is fully incorporated (should not have granules); add egg and vanilla and blend again.
  
  
• Combine both flours, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.
  
  
• Add half the flour mixture to the cream cheese mixture; beat until well incorporated. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until fully blended and then fold in chips.
  
  
• Drop heaping teaspoons of dough onto prepared cookie sheet and press dough down with dampened fingers to form 1-inch cookies. Make sure to leave at least an inch between each cookie. Bake cookies until slightly golden on top, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 1 to 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Yields 1 cookie per serving.

Notes

• Want to bake just a few cookies at a time? Roll the raw cookie dough into a log using wax paper and freeze it. To bake, just slice off a few cookies at a time and set them on a prepared cookie sheet. Increase the baking time by 1 to 2 minutes.

Chicken Salad Recipe - 3 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 3 Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 0 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

We lightened up this sandwich favorite with reduced-calorie mayonnaise and sour cream. For a Waldorf-like chicken salad, stir in 1/3 cup of diced apples and 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts.*

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
• 1/3 cup dill pickle(s), or sweet gherkins, finely diced
• 1/4 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in a large bowl; mix until blended. Yields about 2/3 cup per serving.

Notes

• *Could affect POINTS values.

Cauliflower Poppers - 0 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 0 Servings: 8 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 10 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Great as a side dish or as a snack. An unbeatable combo of flavor, texture and spice.

Ingredients

• 1 sprays cooking spray
• 1 small head cauliflower
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder, or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  
  
• Cut cauliflower florets into bite-sized pieces (there should be about 4 cups). Place cauliflower in a medium bowl and add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper; toss well to coat.
  
  
• Spread cauliflower on prepared baking sheet and bake until cauliflower is tender, but not mushy, stirring halfway through, about 10 minutes. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Individual Ham, Cheese and Veggie Frittatas - 2 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 8
Prep time : 15 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 sprays cooking spray
• 1 pound frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 4 large egg(s), beaten
• 1 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
• 1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 2 oz cooked lean ham, finely chopped
• 1/8 cup sweet red pepper(s), finely chopped (2 Tbsp)
• 1/8 cup green pepper(s), finely chopped (2 Tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp onion(s), finely chopped
• 1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 8 muffin tin holes with cooking spray. Spread potatoes around bottom and press potato up sides of each muffin hole; place in oven and cook for 10 minutes.
  
  
• Meanwhile, beat eggs and milk together in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add ham, peppers, onion and cheese to bowl; mix to combine.
  
  
• Remove potatoes from oven (after cooking for 10 minutes) and press potatoes down firmly with a spoon so that they are spread out like mini piecrusts (potatoes should cover bottom and sides of each hole). Pour about 1/4 cup of egg mixture into the center of each muffin hole.
  
  
• Return pan to oven and cook until potatoes are crisp and golden, and the egg mixture is set, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit about 5 minutes before serving. Yields 1 frittata per serving.

Zucchini Flan - 2 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 2 Servings: 12 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 30 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Here’s a simple brunch or side dish. Change the flavor by adding mint or basil to the parsley. Or spice it up with red pepper flakes or diced chilies.

Ingredients

• 7 small zucchini, trimmed and shredded*
• 2 sprays olive oil cooking spray
• 4 large egg(s), beaten
• 3/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, minced or 1/4 tsp dried
• 1/3 cup parsley, minced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Steam, parboil or microwave shredded zucchini until soft but not mushy, about 2 to 7 minutes, depending on cooking method; drain thoroughly and allow to cool.
  
  
• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a 9- X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  
  
• In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked zucchini, eggs, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, feta cheese, Parmesan cheese and oil; pour into prepared baking dish. Bake until center sets, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before cutting into 12 pieces. Serve hot, warm or chilled. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Notes

• *Use a food processor or a mandolin to quickly and easily shred the zucchini. Or you can use the large holes of a box grater.

Warm Pear Cobbler - 2 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 2 Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 18 min Cooking Time: 45 min Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Take the chill out of a cold winter night with this delicious, homey dish.

Ingredients

• 1 sprays cooking spray
• 3 medium pear(s), peeled and sliced
• 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole-grain wheat flour
• 1 1/2 Tbsp unpacked brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
  
  
• Combine pears, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of flour, lemon juice and cinnamon in a large bowl; toss to coat pears and pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
  
  
• In a medium-size bowl, combine the remaining flours, remaining brown sugar and baking powder; cut in margarine with a pastry blender, or quickly with your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and toss with a fork until flour mixture is moist.
  
  
• Drop four heaping tablespoons of dough onto pear mixture. Bake until crust is lightly browned and fruit is bubbly, about 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar and cut into 6 pieces.

Pumpkin Souffle - 2 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 2 Servings: 10 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 50 min Level of Difficulty: Difficult

The use of Neufchatel cheese makes this soufflé taste like a warm pumpkin cheesecake, but with much less fat and fewer calories.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 15 oz canned pumpkin, puree
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk
• 4 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3 large egg(s), separated
• 1 large egg white(s)
• 1/3 cup sugar

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 2 1/2-quart soufflé dish with cooking spray, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Over medium heat, cook pumpkin until no longer steaming, about 8 minutes. Mix together cornstarch and evaporated milk, whisk into pumpkin. Bring to boil; remove from heat and cool.
  
  
• Beat Neufchatel with pumpkin pie spice and ginger; beat in yolks to combine. Beat in cooled pumpkin mixture.
  
  
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar one tablespoon at a time until stiff. In three additions, fold whites into pumpkin mixture. Pour into prepared dish. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Cranberry-Pumpkin Bars - 3 WW pts

POINTS® Value: 3 Servings: 18 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 25 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

For these delicious bars, if you don`t have pumpkin pie spice in your pantry, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg, ginger and clove.

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, soft, at room teperature
• 1 cup canned pumpkin, puree
• 1 large egg(s)
• 1 large egg white(s)
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked old fashioned oats
• 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Lightly coat a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan with cooking spray, then dust lightly with flour.
  
  
• In a large bowl, cream sugar and margarine with an electric mixer; beat in egg, egg white, pumpkin purée and buttermilk.
  
  
• In medium bowl, combine flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir into pumpkin mixture just until moistened, then add cranberries and mix gently.
  
  
• Spread batter in pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until center springs back when gently pressed. Cool and cut into 18 bars.

Tuscan Pumpkin-White Bean Soup - 2 WW pts

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 2 Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 12 min Cooking Time: 18 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

This soup has a delicious and complex taste. It's the perfect thing to perk up sleepy winter taste buds!

Ingredients

• 1 sprays olive oil cooking spray, or enough to coat pot
• 1 medium onion(s), coarsely chopped
• 15 oz canned pumpkin
• 3 1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
• 15 1/2 oz canned white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 tsp ground oregano
• 1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Coat a large soup pot with cooking spray and set over medium-low heat. Add onion, cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
  
  
• Stir in pumpkin, broth, beans and oregano; simmer 8 minutes.
  
  
• In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. (Note: Make sure not to overfill blender in order to avoid splattering.) Return soup to pot and reheat; season with salt and pepper.
  
  
• To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of grated cheese. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese (1 WW pts)

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 1 Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 7 min Cooking Time: 15 min Level of Difficulty: Easy The rich, nutty flavor of freshly grated Parmesan cheese pairs beautifully with cauliflower. Try the same recipe with broccoli, baby carrots and asparagus, too. Ingredients 6 cup cauliflower, florets, fresh (about 1 head), or frozen and thawed 1 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano suggested Instructions Preheat oven to 450ºF. In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, oil, salt and pepper; toss to combine. Transfer cauliflower to a large baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Roast until cauliflower is golden brown, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, place in serving bowl and sprinkle with cheese; toss to mix. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving. Notes When you want variety, use shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese instead of Parmesan.

It's official...(And Mexican Lasanga Recipe - 6 WW pts

THREE pound gain. That's right, it IS official. The wonderful post about the 4 lbs lost was CRAP! I had said at the time that I didn't believe it and for good reason. GRRRRRRR! I figure the liquids didn't help either as they tend to screw me up.

OH WELL, just get back at it! That's all I can do. So, I went to the gym this morning and worked out 75 mins. Followed that up by a good day of eating and drinking water. All I can do is keep going. Cause all my clothes are fitting, so the weight has to come off and reflect it on the scale at some point. (Patience people patience! It is a virtue in weightloss. Nothing happens overnight.)

The sucky news is that I am at 150.5 lbs. So, I'm not even at my band goal weight - waaaaaaaa! Dang it, I'm obsessing.

• Start: 158.5 on 8/12/2008 - Why? Not eating right, not exercising, etc.
• Current: 150.5 - loss of 8 lbs in 8 weeks
• Change this week: Gain of THREE pounds!!!
  
• Goal: 143
  

So now what? Keep eating right and exercising. Stay away from TWO things - (1) the scale and (2) liquor. Reality - I *might* be able to stay away from the scale, but if I go out with friends, I have to be realistic that I will have 1 or 2.

Weight Watcher POINTS® Value: 6 Servings: 12 Preparation Time: 20 min Cooking Time: 45 min Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This Mexican lasagna will last up to five days in the refrigerator. It's a terrific make-ahead meal from our Cook Once, Eat All Week Series.

Ingredients

• 1 sprays olive oil cooking spray
• 2 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese, divided
• 8 oz chopped green chilies, two 4-oz cans
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 12 medium corn tortilla(s), cut into 2-inch strips
• 1 cup salsa, mild, medium or hot

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray.
  
  
• Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes; drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces.
  
  
• Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheese, chilies, cumin, and pepper; mix well and set aside.
  
  
• Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with half of chicken mixture, layer with remaining tortillas and then top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
  
  
• Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.
  

Uh oh...

I stood on the scale. Yes, I realize it isn't Monday and I was so dang close as well to NOT getting on the damn thing! But I was weak! Oh well, it isn't official, but the great weight loss as I feared bounced back up. (I'll say how much tomorrow on OFFICIAL weigh-in day.)

I still think it likely has something to do with me going on liquids for 5 days. The good news is since Thursday - no reflux (heart burn) whatsoever and my restriction is back. Hence my theory, which I am 99.9% positive about, I had stretched (dilated) my pouch a bit. Unlike 95% of the banded population, you put me on liquids - and everything stalls. Sometimes scale even goes UP. Have no idea why and try not to think about it, but it was necessary for me to do it.

For anyone that is keeping track - 'Nice Guy' is history. I'm not sad about it at all, just a little irritated about what happened and how it ended. I had been thinking for a couple weeks that I wasn't that into him, so this was probably for the best. Honestly, I miss the idea of him (having plans with a guy on the weekend, etc.) than I miss him. That definitely should be an indicator that this was not a 'love connection'.

There isn't much on my 'guy list' - but doing what you say you are going to do and being where you say you are going to be ON TIME is important. Being 50 mins late, wondering why I'm irritated, and saying that I am being ridiculous is not acceptable. OH, and then going off in a huff and not calling the next day only adds to it. (Maybe I'm still not completely over it, huh?!) I take great satisfaction that a friend of mine told me that he heard that 'Nice Guy' was at a bar after getting totally plowed. So plowed in fact that he could barely walk. Hmmm, would that because you felt GUILTY? (At least that is what I'm sticking with.) Good grief.

It has been a busy weekend. Hanging out with friends, doing some chores (which I am behind on and trying to catch up on now), shopping (ahhhhh, I love shoes), getting hair done, etc. Wow! That is a lot.

Here's my gym recap for the week. Notice two days off, but I went ahead and did a longer workout today. Will report in with the not good weight news officially tomorrow.

• Mon - 60 mins
• Tues - 60 mins
• Wed - 60 mins
• Thurs - REST
• Fri - 56 mins
• Sat - REST
• Sun - 101 mins

One Day Left!

Of the liquids. And, let me tell you, I am so ready. I have had some soft food - yogurt, jello, etc. - but looking forward to some real food. I felt full on the yogurt last night, so I take that as a good sign that my pouch is getting back in shape and recovering from the suspected dilation. Therefore, definitely ending the self-imposed liquids tomorrow, which will be the fifth day.

I can't tell you how paranoid I am that this will stall or screw up the weight loss so far. *Sigh* Although, I am proud of myself because I have NOT stepped on the scale. If I can only stay strong until Monday.

I am a big believer in the 'tan fat looks better than white fat' slogan. Unfortunately, I am the whitest of white. I cannot tan. The only thing that is a for sure - a good burn. Nope, doesn't turn into tan. I'm just white or red. So, let me tell you decent spray tan has always been a dream of mine. Well, I've found it! Mystic Tan - In Texas it is at Palm Beach Tan and I am soooooo addicted. I love being tan. It is more of an art than a science to get it to look good, but I am getting the hang of it and am on an unlimited plan so can go do it whenever I want. In fact, I need to consider going tonight. Not much else going on.

Oh btw - you get in this big booth thing and it is kinda like a car wash for spray tan. You get in and step on some numbers, turn as directions tell you from 'mystical' voice (ha), and spray happens. Uh, 'cause I am not getting the kind where someone puts it on you. No way jose.

[If there is anyone interested in the tricks for a good tan, let me know in the comments. Yep, it's also a trick to see if there is anyone out there reading...regardless, I find that this kinda supplements my food journal and keeps me honest, so I'll keep going.]

Gym today: 60 mins

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!