Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Superbowl Food!

Go Arizona!!!!

Raspberry Zinger Cake

1 pk Betty Crocker Super Moist -White Cake Mix,Dry
10 oz diet sprite
2 egg whites
1 pk JELL-O Brand Sugar Free Low -Calorie -Raspberry Flavored Gelatin
1 1/2 c hot water
8 oz Cool Whip Fat Free
1/4 c Coconut,Flakes

Combine cake mix, diet soda, and egg whites; mix well. Bake according to package directions in a 9x13 pan. Cool slightly. Pierce cake with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals. STIR boiling water into Jell-O until completely dissolved. Carefully pour gelatin evenly over cake. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. When cake has set , frost with Cool Whip and sprinkle coconut.

16 Servings

Per Serving: 178 Cal (7% from Fat, 2% from Protein, 91% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 1 g Mono Fat; 1 g Poly Fat; 98 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 3 g Sugar; 26 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 229 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol


Buffalo Chicken Dip- this is in my Little Dipper Crockpot

8 oz fat free cream cheese
½ c. wing sauce, Frank’s
½ c. ff ranch or bleu cheese dressing
4 oz roasted chicken,diced canned works well

Combine all ingredients in small crock pot and cook on high. Yield: 5 servings= 195 cals, 9g fat, 0g fiber, 14 g carb, 13g protein, 1175mg sodium


Pigs in a Blanket

1 package fat free hot dogs
1 tube reduced fat crescent rolls

Cut hot dogs into 3 pieces. Cut crescent rolls into 24 pieces. Wrap each hot dog piece in a section of crescent roll. Bake per crescent roll instructions.

I'm also making salsa and quacamole to go with baked Scoops.


For lunches next week I'm making this-

Savory Bulgur and Vegetables

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup(s) zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup(s) carrot(s), sliced
1/2 cup(s) summer squash, chopped
1/4 cup(s) scallion(s), chopped
1/2 cup(s) canned chicken broth
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, chopped
3 cup(s) cooked bulgur

Instructions
In a large skillet, heat oil. Add vegetables and cook until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes.
Add broth, mustard, lemon juice and garlic powder; bring to a boil. Add parsley and bulgur; heat through. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

mmmmm I love bulgur.

1/28 Check-In

Maintained at 114 without tracking all week. Not bad. Didn't really have anything pop up to derail me though.

I'm on week two of no exercise too. I finally feel better, cold is pretty much gone. But I've been lazy. It's been so darn cold when the alarm goes off that I just snuggle back under the covers and say it's too cold. LOL I need to get back into my exercise routine.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

No Football, but there's food.

Ack. The end of football season is almost here. *sniff*

Two new recipes today. First is baked oatmeal in the crockpot. OMH Does this stuff smell awesome. I can't wait till it's done.

Baked Oatmeal in Crockpot

3 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup fat free milk
2 eggs (or eggbeaters)
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup dried fruit (I used raisins)

Dump all dry ingredients in crockpot then add the wet, stir well making sure the baking powder is mixed everywhere.

Cover and cook on low 3-5 hours (mine took 5), checking every so often. Done when the edges are brown and inserted knife comes out clean.

Let sit in the cooling crockpot for atleast an hour before cutting. The longer it sets the more brownie like it should be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that's where I am, 5 hours are up and the crockpot is off. mmmmmm Can't wait to cut into it. Seriously smells and looks like a huge oatmeal cookie.

Update! OMH just a big oatmeal cookie. So yummy.

From the WW boards here's a little bit less pointy one. The main difference is the sugar.

BAKED OATMEAL
2 cups uncooked old fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt 1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or 2 eggs or 3 egg whites)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup Splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBS cinnamon or apple pie spice

Preheat oven to 350* Combine wet ingredients and add dry ingredients. Bake in sprayed 8" square pan for 35-45 minutes. Keeps well in refrig. or freezer. It's good cold or warm.

Variations are adding canned pumpkin, mashed bananas or frozen blueberries with 2 oz of fat free cream cheese.

For dinner tonight we're having Heavenly Hamburger Casserole from the WW boards.

Heavenly Hamburger Casserole

1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
25 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar
4 oz ff sour cream
8 oz ff cream cheese
6 green onions, sliced
8 oz egg noodles
1/2 cup ff shredded cheese

Brown burger with garlic, drain. Add tomato sauce, sugar and salt. Simmer 30 minutes. While that is simmering, cook noodles. Layer noodles in bottom of 13x9 pan (spray pan), mix sour cream, cream cheese and green onions and spread over noodles. Spread meat sauce over that and top with shredded cheese. Bake 350 for 40 minutes.

ETA- dinner is over. Phil liked this, I thought it was alright. He likes ghoulash, I do not. So there ya go. It's kind of a ghoulash dish but slightly better. LOL

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

1/21 Check-In

Interesting week, started out eating quite a lot of weekly points and ended it with a stomache virus. I was curious to see what the scale would say this morning. The scale says I maintained.

There's a horrible stomache virus going around everywhere. If you get it try to drink liquids (when you can) and snack on bland food when your tummy comes back around. But don't try snacking too early, my virus lasted 2 days. The normal seems to be 2-3 days.

Diet Squirt was my bestest friend in the world for 2 days. LOL

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Yay Arizona!

Congrats to the Arizona Cardinals on going to the SuperBowl.

Over indulged in rum last night so not much cooking going on today. Felt icky all day. All I made today was spicy BBQ chicken thighs in the crockpot.

Package of thighs
low cal BBQ sauce
Frank's red hot sauce

Layer thighs in crockpot and top with BBQ sauce and dash of hot sauce. They turned out very good. Not too spicy, but with a little kick.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

1/14 Check-In

Not feeling well again today. This cold weather has zapped me. -7 with the windchill today and I have to drive north to client's this morning.

I'm back up a pound to 114 this week. Adding the peanut butter and english muffin to my breakfast or a snack was a good idea.

I haven't worked out since Sunday when I tried to do a run and only did 20 minutes. I felt better the last two days, so I was going to get up today and workout. But when the alarm went off if felt like I had an elephant on my chest (and no it wasn't P *snort*) and my head was pounding.

I had planned on starting the exercise tv two weeks new you plan. You can download the schedule on exercisetv.tv and then the shows are on onDemand (if you have Comcast). I guess we'll see how I feel tomorrow morning.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Lunch Tote Giveaway

Need a new lunch tote? What's the best way to save money while eating healthier? Pack your own lunch!

Head over to http://www.5dollardinners.com/ to enter for a chance to win a new lunch tote.

Also check out her great $5 dinners.

Playoffs Food

First I have to say, Yay Augie!!!! Go Ravens! Go Ravens!

Feeling a little under the weather this weekend. I did get up and try to run, but only did 20 minutes. I'm too busy at work to get sick, so going to take it easy today.

I have dinner going in the crockpot already, it looks good enough to eat right now.

Fall/Winter Casserole

--1 pound sausage (I used extra lean kielbasa)
--1 large, or 2 small apples, chopped (no need to peel)
--1 yellow onion, chopped
--1/2 cup chopped carrots
--3 cups already cooked bulgur(or brown rice)
--1/2 cup raisins
--1 T dried parsley flakes
--1 T brown sugar
--1/2 tsp allspice
--1/2 tsp cinnamon
--1/4 tsp black pepper
--1/3 cup chicken broth or water (I used water)



The Directions.

The amount of ingredients fit nicely in a 4 quart crockpot. Dump all the ingredients into the crock, and stir well.Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4.


Since I'm taking it easy no other cooking going on, but I wanted to share some budget friendly healthy breakfasts. So often we buy the prepacked foods because they are easy. But it's actually just as easy to make your own and it's better for you.

Fat Free Yogurt with Berries

--big container fat free plain yogurt
--one box sugar free/fat free cheesecake pudding mix

Mix the two together and divy out into containers for breakfast for the week. I also top mine with frozen berries. They thaw and melt into the yogurt and add even more flavor. sooooooo good (Add 1tsp of oil if on WW also.)

Cinnamon Oatmeal with berries

--old fashioned rolled oats
--frozen berries
--cinnamon

Microwave 1/2 cup rolled oats with 1 cup water for 1 minute. Add in berries and cinnamon, microwave for 30 seconds, stir, microwave another 30 seconds.

I also like to top this with a cut up banana. Good filling warm breakfast and it's cheaper and better for you than buying those flavored oatmeal packets.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

1/7 Check-In

Quick update, busy day again at work.

Down one pound to 113! I eat! I eat all the time. Even snuck in Sees candy and nuts. *shrug*

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Play Offs Football Food

Even though my team isn't in the play offs, I'm still watching.

Saturday we had cheese sausage balls. They were ok. P says they need a kick of peppers next time.

Sausage-Cheese Balls
3 cup(s) Bisquick Reduced-Fat Baking Mix
1 pound(s) raw turkey sausage
4 cup(s) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/2 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup(s) 1% low-fat milk
1/2 tsp McCormick Rosemary leaves
1 1/2 tsp McCormick Parsley flakes

Instructions
Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease jelly roll pan. Mix all together, shape into 1 inch balls. Place in pan. Bake 20-25 minutes. Makes 100

So next time I make them, I'll add chopped jalepeno.

This morning we had breakfast waiting for us when we woke up.

Overnight Sausage and Potato Breakfast
1 yellow onion- chopped
bunch of red potatoes- chopped
1 package turkey breakfast sausage links

Before going to bed mix chopped onion and potatoes with 1 TB of oil in crockpot, top with sausage links and season with salt and pepper. Cook on low 8 hours.

What's not to like? Meat and potato breakfast. LOL

Today I'm making a Core meal to have for lunches this week.

Core Mix
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can corn drained
1 can stewed tomatoes drained and cut up
1 bag brown rice, cooked (not sure what a bag means, I'll be using the bulgur to try)
1/2 lb low fat burger (I'll be using venison burger)

Brown meat(or go meatless), then add the cans of veggies, stir in rice at the end. Can add salsa or cheese if you want (but watch the cheese, cheese isn't Core).

ETA: 1 cup rice or bulgur will do. mmmmmm bulgur, I like it. Also like this mix. Very yummy. I seasoned the venison with taco seasoning. *burp* Extremely filling!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!

Did you know that you're supposed to eat black eye peas today to have good luck all year long? I never knew that. Thanks to the crockpot lady I have a yummy way to eat them.

Black eyed pea soup
--1 pound dried black eyed peas
--1 pound spicy chicken sausage
--6 cups chicken broth
--1 yellow onion, diced
--1 cup diced carrots
--1 cup diced celery
--4 cloves garlic, diced
--1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--Tabasco sauce (to add at the end to taste) I totally forgot this part. I didn't need it.

The Directions.
Soak your beans overnight. (or if you waited until NYE to buy them, forget about it. The shelves are empty and use 2 cans drained) Drain and pick out the undesirables (broken, discolored beans) in the morning.
Use a 5 to 6 quart crockpot. This will serve about 8 people. Dice the veggies, and dump them into your crockpot with the pre-soaked beans. Add sliced sausage. Pour in broth, and stir in Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 6. Before serving, use a stick blender to smash up about 1 cup of beans. If you don't have a stick blender, scoop out 1 cup of beans, blend them in a traditional blender, and add back to the soup. Don't blend too much---just enough to get the broth thicker and creamy-looking.Ladle into bowls, and add Tabasco sauce to taste.

I really need to get one of those immersion blenders. I smooshed some of the peas, but my soup was more a broth not thick. It was very yummy though.