March 2010 Archives

Lisa Samuelson would like to share one of her favorite, easy desserts!

Pineapple Cake
12 servings
3 pts/serving

1 can unsweetened crushed pineapple with juice
1 one-step angel food cake mix

Mix and bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with cool whip if desired (add extra points).

*photo taken from - idareyoutoeatit.com

Since we've accumulated a few posts, I thought it was time to start categorizing them!  Look on the right-hand side of the screen and you will notice six new categories (food products, health living websites, misc, recipes, restaurant point values, and workout ideas & routines).  As this blog grows, it will be easier to find the recipes and resources again and again!

Article taken from the Hungry-Girl.com weekly email newsletter...

Subway Goes Guilt-Free for Breakfast!

GOOD FOOD NEWS! Our pals at Subway are giving us all NEW low-cal BREAKFAST options: Egg White Muffin Melts! These new b-fast sandwiches are launching all over the U.S. on (or before) April 5th. Here's the scoop: Keep it classic with the Western, or dress up your egg whites and cheese with Black Forest Ham, Double Bacon, or Steak. Plus, like all Subway's stuff, you can customize it with your favorite veggies and sauces. (Jalapeños and honey mustard, anyone?) It comes sandwiched into a (!!!) light whole-wheat English muffin. It's basically the stuff our HG dreams are made of. Each Egg White Muffin Melt has 160 - 190 calories, 4 - 7g fat, 570 - 620mg sodium, 18 - 19g carbs, 5g fiber, 0 - 1g sugars, and 15 - 16g protein (POINTS® value 3 - 4*). And if egg whites alone don't do it for you, get the with-yolk version for an extra 20 - 30 calories and 2.5 - 3g fat. (Must be a small yolk.) Not bad!

I know I'm excited to try these and the Crookston Subway should have (or will have) these sandwiches soon - as they are advertised in the store and coupons are being given out with any current sub purchase!  Leave a comment here and let us know what you think (it hopefully will be a great alternative to all the other fast-food breakfast sandwiches).

Donna Larson would like to share one of her easy and favorite low points desserts!

Chocolate Angel Food Cake/Cupcakes
Cupcakes: 24 Servings - 1 pt/serving
Cake: 12 Servings - 2 pts/serving

1 pkg angel food cake mix
1/2 cup baking cocoa
Powdered Sugar
Strawberries (optional, but add points)

Combine cake mix and cocoa in large mixer bowl. Prepare and bake according to the package directions.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar; strawberries (optional).

Photo taken from: Back of the Box Recipes

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
• 1  tablespoon  minced red onion
• 2  tablespoons  commercial pesto
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  pound  ground turkey breast
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• Cooking spray
• 2  cups  arugula
• 2  (6-inch) whole-wheat pitas, toasted and halved

Preparation

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl; mix until combined. Divide panko mixture into 4 portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick oval patty.

2. Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 patty and 1/2 cup arugula in each pita half.

Tzatziki sauce: Combine 1/2 cup plain low-fat, Greek-style yogurt; 1/4 cup finely chopped seeded cucumber; 1/4 teaspoon salt; and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper. Serve with sliced bell pepper and celery sticks.

Nutritional Information

Calories:303

Fat: 8.8g (sat 2.9g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.8g)

Protein:33g

Carbohydrate:24.3g

Fiber:3g

Cholesterol:56mg

I made these a few weeks ago and they are really good and Hugo's carries Greek yogurt now too - but they would be fine without the sauce as well.
You can find Panko breadcrumbs at Hugo's as well - they are in a blue box right next to the other bread crumbs. 

The Alexia Foods product line that was discussed at today's meeting, particularly the organic Oven Crinkle fries (1 pt / 13 fries) and the Whole Grain Bread Roll (1 pt per roll that you can dip in olive oil and spices, but you'll need to add the extra points if you use the oil).  You might be interested in finding out more about the different types of foods they have and nutritional values, along with some recipes.

I'm not sure if any stores in Crookston carry this line, but Mary Lou said that Target has them.

Try this filling soup recipe that Jason Tangquist suggests!  He's not sure of the point values, so if anyone wants to figure it out, leave a comment!

Filling Soup
High in fiber, low in fat

2 cans black beans
2 cans corn
2 cans diced Italian style tomatoes

Mix them all together, do not drain and heat.

*photo taken from recipetips.com

Here's the recipe Mary Lou was talking about at our meeting today.

Angel Food Pumpkin Cake
1 pt / serving

1 box 1-Step Angel Food Cake Mix
1 can Libby's 100% Pumpkin
1/2 can of water

Stir in a 9 x 13 cake pan and sprinkle pumpkin spice on the top.  Bake for 30 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean) at 350 degrees F.  Cut cake into 24 pieces (1 pt per piece).  Top with cool-whip (add extra points if necessary).
 
*photo taken from tasteofhome.com

I guess I can say I'm somewhat organized when it comes to meal and workout planning. :)  For the past year I've really relied on using my planners. Since most of us work full time plus, it's hard to make sure we eat right and exercise, and for me, when I write it all out, I seem to stick to it better!  I also feel it's such a relief when I get home at night that I already know what I'm (or my husband is) going to cook and all the ingredients are there. 

I'm going to share with you what I use to plan my weekly meals and monthly workouts (feel free to modify them for your needs) - they are in both Microsoft Word and PDF format and are blank so you can fill it in with your favorites.  Enjoy and happy planning!

Weekly Meal Schedule
Weekly Meal Schedule.doc
Weekly Meal Schedule.pdf

*Note: I plan out my meals every Sunday and base what's on sale at the grocery store and what already in my house, I then go shopping on Sunday/Monday to get everything I need for the week.  I then write down how many points supper will be then I know how many points I can spend throughout the day on other meals and snacks.  For those of you with picky kids (or other family members), I also make healthy modifications of what I/we eat (since I'm not a short order cook), in case there are too many spices or things "mixed together."

Monthly Work Out Schedule
workoutschedule.docx
workoutschedule.pdf

I have found some of the best at home workout DVD's at www.beachbody.com!  One thing I really like about them, is they are easy to follow, motivating and they have a running time at the bottom of your TV screen (no more wondering "how much longer is this workout going to last?"). I incorporate these DVD's on a regular basis into my daily workout routine.

My Personal Favorites Are:

10-Minute Trainer
Only got 10 minutes?  You will get the best 10 minute workout ever - there 10 minutes of cardio, abs, lower body, total body and yoga!  I sometimes use these DVD's in conjunction with the rest of my workout routine or I put 2 or 3 of the workouts together to get at 20 or 30 minute routine!  Totally worth the money and versatile!

TurboJam
Want a fun cardio workout - a little bit of dance and a little bit of kick boxing, maybe some weights here and there?  These are great! Typical workouts range from 20 - 50 minutes.

ChaLEAN Extreme
Have some free weights or resistance bands laying around at home?  Give this workout routine a try!  I love lifting weights with this series...she's so easy to follow and motivating!  There is no cardio with this one - just weights and some ab workouts. Guys would like this workout too!  Typical workouts last about 35 minutes.

P90X
This series is challenging - but wonderful!  It's for men and women and has a little of everything - weights, cardio, yoga, kenpo, plyometrics, abs...you name it!  Typical workouts last about 45 - 60 minutes.

There are a ton of others by Beach Body...so if you have tried or end up buying any of the others, leave a comment here and let us all know what you like (and possibly what you don't like).

*She found this resource through the HealthPartner's 10,000 steps walking program. 


For those of you on the UPlan...
That reminds me, don't forget to take your 2010 UPlan Wellness Survey (by April 30th) and earn $65, and also sign up for a Healthy Living Program to earn another $65!  Last year, I signed up for the "Get in Shape" Healthy Living Program and that was wonderful to do along side Weight Watchers.

I've had a few people ask about the Weight Watchers Fruit Smoothies, but can't say I've ever tried them personally...but I hear they are good also.  However, I do make my own smoothies at home.  It's great because if I drink the whole smoothie, I get a full serving of milk and a 2 servings of fruit for 4 pts...but sometimes I only drink half (kids or husband get the other half) for 2 pts.


Easy Fruit Smoothies
4 pts (whole) / 2 pts (half)

1 cup skim milk
1 cup frozen fruit (use a blend or choose your favorite fruit)
2 packets of sweet n' low

Use a blender (or I use my Magic Bullet Blender - which I love for other things too, like Chicken Salad Sandwiches) to blend all ingredients and serve!

Modifications: Sometimes I even throw in half a banana (but you'll need to add the extra point) to make it creamier and add more flavor.

I subscribe to the www.hungry-girl.com daily email newsletter.  She sends out great recipe, "eat this not that" ideas, etc.  Check it out!  She also has cookbooks available for purchase.

This is a chicken salad recipe my husband made up that we make all the time and tastes great!  This recipe makes 4 sandwiches that are 6 pts* each.

12.5 oz can of chunk chicken breast, broken up
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/3 c. onion, chopped
4 oz mini dill pickles, chopped (pour a little juice from the jar into mixture)
2 oz bell pepper(s), chopped
1/3 c low-fat/fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp Light Kraft Miracle Whip
8 slices of toasted wheat bread
- top with lettuce and tomato if desired

* You can make this recipe lighter if you use fat-free cheddar cheese and if you use a low calorie whole grain bread - such as Village Hearth Light 40 calorie bread that you can get two slices for 1 pt!

When I feel like I'm getting in a workout slump...I go in search of new routines or ideas!  Try out fitnessmagazine.com's site for ideas - like biking, running, walking, weights, swimming...you name it (plus they have healthy recipes!)!  I even subscribe to their email newsletters, which are very good :)

www.fitnessmagazine.com

or for you guys out there that think fitness magazine is just for chicks, check out...

www.menshealth.com

I quite frequently use Kraftfoods.com to plan my meals and find new recipes.  They have a ton of what I call "real" recipes - using everyday ingredients!  I also have signed up for their email newsletter (and have a paid subscription to their beautiful printed "Food and Family" cookbook).  They even have an iPhone/iPod Touch and Blackberry app (99 cents) - for those that need ideas on the go (or for others with phones & data plans - view the mobile site)!

Main site:
http://www.kraftrecipes.com

Healthy Recipe Section:
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/healthy-living-ideas

Sign-up for the Email Newsletter:
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/Registration/emailSignUp.aspx

iFood Assistant (for iPhone/iPod Touch and Blackberry):
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/media/ifood.aspx

Mobile site for phones with data plans:
http://m.kraftfoods.com

I also take their regular recipes and make them lighter - use light, fat-free or whole grains when possible.  With Weight Watchers e-tools, you can enter your own recipes into the "creating your own recipes" section, but many of the kraftfoods recipes already have nutrition facts on them too (note: if you start substituting ingredients you'll want to double check the points values).

There's lots of fun ideas, weekly meal planners, etc on this site! Explore it when you have some extra time.

2 cups cooked, skinless chicken, sliced, shredded or chopped
1 medium apple
1 cup seedless grapes, sliced in half
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
4 Tbsp of Fat Free Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 bag romaine lettuce (or 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce)

View the original recipe from Weight Watchers:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeId=96241

Bill Tyrrell found this really interesting article from the Today Show about the "19 worst drive-thru foods in America".  Something worth checking if you like to eat out...

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30038585/ns/today-today_health/?pg=1#TDY_MH_DriveThru

One of my favorite finds for Weight Watcher recipes is Gina's Weight Watcher Blog - Cooking up skinny recipes!  I've used (and subscribe via email to) this site to make many of my new favorite recipes, and her photos make them that much more enticing!

Check it out!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Like to eat pizza and especially a local favorite...Happy Joe's?!  Originally, their nutritional information was not available on their website, so we went on a quest and got it through email a few months ago. Below are the calculated Weight Watcher's points for Happy Joe's Pizza:

Large (15") Original Crust
Serving Size: 1 slice = 1/14 pizza

• Cheese - 5pts/slice
  (fiber: 2, calories: 223, fat: 9)
• Pepperoni - 6pts/slice
  (fiber: 2, calories: 248, fat: 12)
• Sausage - 5pts/slice
  (fiber: 2, calories: 198, fat: 12)
• Taco - 4pts/slice
  (fiber: 3, calories: 197, fat: 9)

Their "serving size" is what surprised me the most!  Who just eats one skinny slice of Happy Joes?!

If you order pan pizza, or want to know the rest of the Happy Joe's nutritional information, please see their website for more information!