Skinny Bee Margarita

Anyone who's been on weight watchers knows that Applebee's is always an easy place to go & eat on-plan because they have several items on the menu that are endorsed by WW and have points values listed. Well, last week at my meeting, someone mentioned that Applebee's now has a 100-calorie margarita, and while it isn't endorsed by weight watchers, it's still low-points & would be able to be fit into anyone's plan while eating out, if they desired.

So when my husband and I were deciding on a place for date night this week, Applebee's it was! And we decided to try the margarita. I was expecting it to either be A)tiny or B)not good. And surprisingly, it was actually not super tiny (though not the size of a regular margarita), and it was really good! This is what it looks like:

My only complaint about this margarita is the price! It was $5.99 for this little thing! Maybe to some that's not bad, but considering you can get a regular margarita at most restaurants for a couple bucks less (though for many more calories!), I thought the $6 price tag was a bit high! So while I did enjoy this little treat, I probably wouldn't be getting it again, unless I was dying for a little taste of margarita. Another thing that some might not like (but didn't bother me), is that it's served on the rocks, not frozen. I actually prefer my margaritas that way, but if you are a frozen margarita kinda gal, then you might not like this.

Has anyone else tried this, what did you think?

Accomplishments & Goals

At the end of each week in my WW tracker, there is a space to list your accomplishments for the week & your goals for the upcoming week. I will be sharing these here with you each week!

This week I accomplished:
--Walked three times, 1 mile each (though I hurt my knee on my last walk & have been in pain for several days!)
--Tracked my food every day
--Tried three new dishes, from scratch, with no recipe!
--Stuck to my plan!
--Lost 2 pounds

This week I commit to:
--Take my vitamin every day (I wasn't consistent last week!)
--Keep up with my exercise
--Don't feel discouraged about hurdles
--Keep logging all food

On a similar sidenote, one of my goals has been to give up pop. Last week I had just a couple of sips of diet pop, and to be honest, I didn't really miss it. Today I got Subway for lunch & the only fountain option they had that wasn't pop was powerade, which I don't like. So, I opted for Diet Coke. I got it and took one sip and almost spit it out! It was so syrupy & sweet to me! Isn't that odd that after just one week of going without, the stuff that I used to drink daily I can no longer really stand! It didn't taste good to me at all & I only had maybe 2 ounces of the whole big cup full, just to wash down my food. It was a pretty neat little victory!

What did you accomplish this week? What are your goals for the coming week?

A loss and a hurdle.

The good news: I saw a loss this week at WW. For my first week on the program, I honestly expected more (because in the past when I've done WW I've dropped more my first week), but a loss is a loss, and I'm trying not to hope for more. So, my loss was 2 pounds even. Two less pounds my knees have to carry around!

The bad news: I was informed tonight at my WW meeting, week TWO, mind you, that they are closing down the meeting due to low attendance. This is the only meeting held in my town, and the nearest other meeting is about 35 minutes away from home. I was devastated. It took me so much courage to actually start and take the first step, and now it's being pulled out from under me. I realize this isn't the end of the world, and that as part of my plan I made a committement to locate another meeting if I was unable to go to my own. I just didn't realize it would be permanently, nor did I realize it would be so soon! I could really use some encouraging words about this, cuz I'm feeling really upset about it. Probably moreso than I should be... I mean, I actually shed a few tears over it! I'm just bummed that I found a small, intimate meeting, and now I feel like I'm being abandoned.

Teale's Taco Soup

I've made a couple different mexican-themed soups before, including one for Chicken Tortilla Soup that I posted on here. Tonight though, I decided to improvise (must be the theme this week!), and this one did not disappoint! I'm not gonna lie... I had two generous helpings, and enjoyed every bit! This made 8 (1.5 cup) servings & came to about 5 points a serving.

1 pound lean ground beef

4 cups chicken broth

2 cans Rotel (I did one mild & one original flavor)

2 cans black beans

1/2 large onion, diced

1 bag frozen corn

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp minced garlic

salt/pepper

1. In a crockpot, combine all ingredients except ground beef & cook on high for 4-5 hours

2. Right before serving, brown ground beef & drain. Season with additional chili powder/garlic powder/cumin/salt/pepper to taste. Add to soup. (You could have done this in the beginning, but I didn't have time when prepping the soup to also brown the meat!)

3. Serve alone or with a sprinkling of shredded cheese!

This was so good & so flavorful, we'll definately be having this again! That's three for three this week!

Chicken Salad Wraps

I picked up some Flat Out wraps this week at the grocery store (only 1 point!) & decided to concoct some kind of delicious wrap for one night's dinner this week. I totally improvised this, but was very happy with the end result!

12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & diced
1/2 c. onion, minced
1/2 c. green pepper, minced
1 c. carrots, finely chopped
1/4 c. black beans
1/4 c. frozen corn, thawed
1/2 c. miracle whip (or low fat/fat free mayo
Tony Chachere's cajun seasoning to taste
1 leaf of romaine
1 wrap

It doesn't get much easier than this... cook your chicken (I like to boil it & chop it up, easiest for me!), slice & dice your veggies, toss everything in a bowl, and mix! Next I found a good, leafy piece of romaine, layed it on my wrap, topped with chicken salad, and rolled it right up! It was delicious, moist, and SO flavorful! Definately would do this again! Oh, and they came to a total of 7 points!

Shrimp Primavera

I was in the mood for some kind of shrimp pasta, but all the recipes I was finding either didn't quite sound like what I wanted, or else they were far too complicated to cook quickly. So, I improvised and made up my own recipe!

1/2 box thin spaghetti (wheat pasta would be healthier, but I used what I had, which was just regular spaghetti!)

1 pound shrimp, deveined & peeled

1/2 c. onion

1 can petite diced onions w/garlic & olive oil

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

Salt/Pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta as directed.

2. Cook onions in olive oil in a skillet.

3. Once browned, add shrimp & cook through (I used pre-cooked, frozen shrimp, so I just had to heat them through!)

4. Add can of tomatoes & simmer for about 10 minutes

5. Add parmesan cheese to the mixture at the very end & stir well to make a creamy tomato sauce.

6. Toss with pasta & serve!

This makes 4 servings with a WW points value of about 7.5 (depends on the exact ingredients you use, that's what I came up with for mine!). It was super good & even the husband said he'd definately have it again!

Weekend Victories

During the week I've always had an easier time sticking to a healthy plan because there's a specific structure to my day. Every day has the same schedule, so it's easier to stick to my plan, given that schedule. The weekends are usually where I struggle. The nice thing with Weight Watchers is that you have 35 flex points in addition to your daily points, so that if somethign comes up & you want something special that "costs" more, you can do that. This weekend I faced my first date night on plan (a weekly tradition for my husband and I), my first cookout, and celebrating mother's day with 3 moms. Normally all of these would be a reason to eat as much of whatever was being served. But I'm happy to report these victories for the weekend:

1. Date night--We planned ahead when going to the steakhouse & I researched points for foods there. I made a plan ahead of time about what I was going to eat, and I stuck with it. I got salmon, broccoli, and a salad. We shared a small appetizer, but I budgeted for that & didn't go overboard.

2. Date night--We then went to the movies. The usual movie far would be an extra large pop and a huge bucket of popcorn, slathered in butter. This time I brought a package of sugar free hard candy, the husband got a diet pop, and I got a bottle of water. That was a huge victory, because I love my movie popcorn. But I resisted.

3. Cookout--A big chance to go overboard here, given there were hamburgers, hot dogs, italian sausage, pasta salad, potato salad, taco salad, chips, cookies, and pop. I sampled a lot of what was there, but I didn't go overboard. I also budgeted my points accordingly and used a few flex to round out the day. It wasn't the healthiest food in the world, but I didn't splurge and over-do it. And I didn't graze, which happens so often at cookouts! Once everyone was done eating, we put the food away and it solved that problem!

4. Mother's Day--Breakfast was the first hurdle. We were going to my mother-in-law's for a breakfast of french toast and bacon. Nothing too healthy about that option. I ate 2 slices of each, and tried to limit the syrup I used. I didn't have any other option in this case, so I just was careful with the rest of my day.

5. Mother's Day--Lunch was the second hurdle. My mom wanted fried chicken. Not the healthiest thing in the world, huh? I had a thigh & removed the skin. Also had a small amount of leftover sides from the cookout. Drank lots of water. Didn't feel deprived, just didn't overdo it. Good!

6. Mother's Day--Dinner was the last hurdle. I'd been dying for some chinese and we were headed to the buffet. Usually a disaster if you're trying to eat healthy. Once again, I made a plan before we went. I knew that I usually ate a lot of crab at this place. Crab by itself isn't so bad actually! But it's the butter that gets you. I looked at my points left for the day & my flex & decided that I would allow myself some crab with butter. I also would have a cup of soup (low in points), some shrimp, and one scoop of chicken & broccoli. I'd skip the rice since I was going with the points for the butter. I left feeling satisfied & I didn't deny myself a treat that I really wanted.

Overall, this weekend was filled with a lot of temptations. The weekend is harder for me to stay with my healthy eating schedule anyway, then throw a holiday in there, and without a plan, I might have been destined for disaster. But I wasn't. I made a plan and stuck with it. And I'm proud of myself.

What were your weekend victories? If you write about it, link to it in the comments!

Mindful or Mindless?

One thing that I'm really trying to pay attention to is to mindfully eat foods, rather than midLESSly eat them.

How many of us have sat down at our computers and munched snack foods? And then 20 minutes later, half the bag of chips is gone & you have no idea where it went. Mindless.

Or what about dinner... My family is guilty of eating in front of the television every single night. Next thing you know, your plate is cleaned & you have no idea where that mountain of food went. Mindless.

Anybody ever come home from school or work & immediately open the fridge scanning for a snack? It's not that we're really hungry, but it's just *what you do* (I blame this habit on the after school snacks my mom made every day for 12 years of schooling!). Mindless.

So how do we move from the mindless eating to actually being mindful about what we put in our mouths? The answer is simple, but so many of us probably don't do it. Pay attention & listen to your body! So many times have I had a snack just because the food was there. Was I really hungry? No, but I ate it anyway, *just because*.

One thing that Weight Watchers has added since I followed the plan last is a little scale at the bottom of your daily logs that allows you to monitor how hungry/satisfied/full you are, throughout the day. This is a great tool to have! Of course WW has always emphasized to pay attention to your "comfort zone" and try to stay in the middle--not starving, but not FULL... just no longer hungry--satisfied. And I heard about that comfort zone for months... but did I really pay attention to it in the past? Nope. I just ate my points & that was that. Having this simple little tool to fill out throughout the day is so helpful! Not only does it make me aware and make me LISTEN to my body, but it also teaches me what foods keep me satisfied for longer and what foods don't.

For example, this morning, I got up & felt slightly hungry. I noted this on my graph at 7am, decided to hop in the shower then eat. Had a couple scrambled eggs & some yogurt & felt satisfied. Not full, but not hungry. Satisfied. Noted this on my chart. I drank half coffee/half milk (the only way I can get my milk in, cuz I dislike milk!), then I packed some multigrain cheerios to have as a snack later. At about 10, my tummy started growling. I was getting hungry. I could have just dug into the cheerios right then, but I decided to have a fruity (WW hard candy) & a glass of water to see if that would trick my body. Sometimes this will work--those are the times I know I"m not "really" hungry, but I'm just wanting to mindLESSly eat. This time though, the hard candy & water didn't bump me up, so I knew my body really did need some fuel. Ate my cheerios & I'm feeling better. It'll tide me over to lunchtime. And at lunchtime, I'll reevaluate my hunger & only eat til satisfied. The key is listening to my body & recognizing when enough is enough!

How have you tackled mindless eating? Have you made any rules for yourself, like no eating in front of the TV, etc? If you haven't tackled it yet, what are you going to do TODAY that will lead you down the direction of mindful eating?

Tonight's the night

I go to my first Weight Watchers meeting tonight. I'm trying to think of this as the beginning. Not think about every other time I've done weight watchers & how I've heard some of this stuff before. It's all new. I'm going to hear it tonight for the first time, absorb as much as possible.

I'm very nervous, but it's a good nervous. I'm scared about seeing what the number really says, scared about seeing people I know, scared of being the new girl. But those fears are nothing compared to the fears if I DON'T do this--the fear of never conceiving children because of my weight, the fear of not living a long, full life because of my weight, the fear of developing illnesses related to my weight. Those fears are so much greater & are what's going to push me to the meeting tonight. My little fears about the meeting are nothing compared to the big picture.

So, in a couple hours, I'll face the scale, face the meeting, face the changes. I can do this.

The Plan

1. Attend weekly Weight Watchers meeting, no matter what. If I have a conflict with the Monticello meeting, I will attend a Champaign meeting on another day. (First meeting this Thursday)

2. Write down everything I eat, even if I slip up & eat something that's not on-plan. Journal it all.
3. Have one planned meal out each week (date night with the husband), where I eat whatever on the menu that sounds good (not saying go overboard, but eat an entree that appeals to me). If an unexpected meal out occurs, that meal will be as healthy as possible, given the menu of the restaurant.

4. Walk at least 10 minutes, 3 times per week. Revise this as weight comes off.

5. Take progress pictures from the front & side every 10-pound milestone.

6. Read other blogs and provide support to others in the same boat.

7. Write at least once weekly in Teale's Meals to update on progress, emotions surrounding lifestyle change, struggles, victories, etc.

8. Eliminate pop. Right now I drink maybe 1 diet pop per day, but I'd like to eliminate that altogether.

9. Take measurements once per month as another way to monitor progress.

10. Don't give up.

Sweet Surrender

My life has to change. I am a mess that is out of control with my weight. Changing gets put off again and again. The fear of failure is always at the forefront of my mind. But this is failure. This doing nothing. Trying to change is the farthest thing from failing. This apathy that I have sunken into though, that is failure.

I've gained so much weight that very few of my clothes fit. I'm uncomfortable all the time. I'm in pain in my knees, back, hips. My wedding rings are too tight. I don't like what I see in the mirror & I can't imagine why my husband would want to see what is under these too-tight clothes. My self-esteem is at rock bottom. I can't get life insurance. I'm miserable and I feel sad because of what I've done to myself.

The same question just keeps flashing in my head like a neon light. "What makes this time different?" I keep racking my brain, wondering what it is that always makes me quit focusing on living a healthy life when I'm seeing success. I've lost 40-50 pounds several times in my life... the same 40-50 pounds. So I am capable... but then there's something that throws me off. And I don't know what it is. Do I feel like I don't deserve to be healthy, deep down? Do I feel like I'm losing part of my identity when I lose weight. I don't know. I genuinely don't know what it is that makes me stop trying & leads me to where I'm at now.

It's time to make a plan. Time to quit talking about how I need to change & just get on with it already. I'm going to be forumlating a detailed plan for what I'm going to do & how I'm going to make this time be the difference. I need a contingency plan for when I start to get derailed. A go-to to get me back on track if need-be. I've got to do this. It's not a question of just wanting to, I need to. I'm pretty positive that I'm going to go back to Weight Watchers. I've had success with it in the past, much more success than when I try to do it on my own. Yes, eventually I started gaining weight back, but that wasn't the program's fault, it was my own. I've been away from the program for a couple years, and I think that it may be what I need to become refocused. I hate that I have so much more to lose than I've ever had to before. I hate that I've done this to myself. But only I can change this, nobody else can do it for me.

In her shoes

My fellow blog buddy, Chubby Chick is fighting the same battle I am... we both know we need to lose weight... we know HOW to lose weight... but we just can't seem to do it and stick with it. She wrote a post today that I literally could have written every word of. Please stop by and check it out & give her some words of encouragement!

Easy Enchiladas

I made these chicken enchiladas tonight, adapted a tiny bit from a recipe I found in the April/May Taste of Home cooking magazine. I would for sure have these again, they were easy & delicious! Below is the recipe, with my adaptations in italics.

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 8oz. package of cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat)

8 flour tortillas (8 inch) (I ended up using all 10 that were in a package)

1 cup (8 oz) plain yogurt or sour cream (I used light sour cream)

1 cup salsa

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can sliced black olives, drained (I omitted these cuz we don't like them!)

1 small can diced chiles, drained

1/4 cup onions, chopped

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken & cream cheese (I also added my chiles and onion here)

2. Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla & roll up tightly.

3. Place seam side down in a greased 13x9 baking dish.

4. In a small bowl, combine yogurt/sour cream and salsa. Spread over tortillas.

5. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with cheese (and olives if you use them) & bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.

7. Serve with chopped lettuce & tomatoes, if desired

(sorry for the poor quality pictures... I can't find my camera cord, so my only resource is the crappy cell phone camera on my phone!)

Meatball Sub Casserole

We tried this new recipe tonight, found in the April/May edition of the Taste of Home cooking magazine. When I saw this, I knew we had to try it--I love meatball subs, but they are SO messy and I always end up with a stain on my shirt! This one turned out pretty well, and I think it's safe to say that we'll be having this one again!

1/3 c. chopped green onions

1/4 c. seasoned bread crumbs

3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1 lb. ground beef

1 loaf (1 lb.) italian bread, cut into 1" slices

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened (I used low fat)

1/2 c. mayo (I used Miracle Whip)

1 tsp. italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 c. shredded mozzerella, divided

1 jar (28 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 c. water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1. In a bowl, combine the onions, crumbs, and parmesan. Add the beef & mix well. Shape into 1" balls & place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until no longer pink. (I cooked these the night before & refrigerated them so that it would be less prep when making dinner. You could also just buy pre-cooked meatballs if you'd rather!)

2. Meanwhile, arrange bread in a single layer in an ungreased 13x9 baking dish (all of the bread might not be used--mine wasn't)

3. Combine the cream cheese, mayo, italian seasoning, and pepper. Spread over the bread. Sprinkle with 1/2 c. mozzarella.

4. Combine the sauce, water, and garlic. Add the meatballs. Pour over cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Grilled to perfection!

I love nice weather because we can grill out! We used to just do the standard burgers or brats, but this year we've been experimenting with some other grilled foods. I tried the potato packets for the first time last week & we had them again last night, along with some delicious BBQ porkchops! That paired with some steamed broccoli, and it was a super satisfying supper:)

Stole this from Fat Bridesmaid, why not do your own & leave the link in my comments!

If I were a month I’d be September.

If I were a day I’d be Saturday.

If I were a time of day I’d be 4:30PM.

If I were a font I’d be Georgia. (me too, FB!)

If I were a sea animal I’d be a starfish.

If I were a direction I’d be South.

If I were a piece of furniture I’d be a big cushy chair with a footstool. Perfect for reading a book and/or napping.

If I were a liquid I’d be fruit punch crystal lite.

If I were a gemstone I’d be Sapphire.

If I were a tree I’d be a magnolia.

If I were a tool I’d be a hammer.

If I were a flower I’d be a daisy.

If I were an element of weather I’d be a raindrop.

If I were a musical instrument I’d be a piano.

If I were a color I’d be pink. (not TEAL!)

If I were an emotion I’d be giddiness.

If I were a fruit I’d be a banana.

If I were a sound I’d be laughter.

If I were an element I’d be Einsteinium.

If I were a car I’d be a Honda civic.

If I were a food I’d be a chunk of cheese.

If I were a place I’d be the beach.

If I were a material I’d be cotton.

If I were a taste I’d be sweet.

If I were a scent I’d be fruity.

If I were a body part I’d be the earlobe.

If I were a song I’d be sung by Norah Jones.

If I were a bird I’d be a hummingbird.

If I were a gift I’d be handmade.

If I were a city I’d be Chicago.

If I were a door I’d be covered in windows.

If I were a pair of shoes I’d be flip flops.

If I were a poem I’d be from The Prophet--On Friendship:

Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you withhold the "ay".
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unclaimed.
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.

And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know the flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed

Grilled Packet Potatoes

I love nice weather because it means cooking on the grill! And cooking on the grill means that my husband cooks--even better! I've been wanting to do grilled veggies in packets for awhile now, and I finally got around to it today! I googled different recipes for "packet grill veggies" or "packet potatoes" and went off of those to make my own. They were delicious & cooked perfectly. We're definately having this again!

4 or 5 small/medium potatoes, peeled & sliced 1/4" thick

1 medium green pepper, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp melted butter

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1. Chop all your veggies & add all ingredients to a big bowl. Stir until veggies are coated with seasonings

2. Pull out 4 good sized sheets of tin foil & double each over, length-wise.

3. Spray the centers with cooking spray to prevent veggies from sticking.

4. Spread veggies in the center, dividing between the 4 packets, making veggies as flat as possible & leaving about an inch on either end ("left & right" sides).

5. Bring the "top & bottom" of your foil together and fold over a couple times, making a seam above your veggies.

6. Then roll up the ends and create a tight seal so they will steam properly.

7. Cook on the grill over medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes, then remove.

You can either serve them in their packets, or you can open them all & put in a serving dish. Just be careful when you open them so the steam doesn't get you! They were delicious, and we'd definatly have them again! (a side note, they aren't greasy in this picture, they're just incredibly moist from being steamed!)

Special Present

One thing you should know about my husband--he's exceptionally thoughtful, but I wouldn't consider him crafty/creative by any means. He's a gift-giver, but he enjoys going out and selecting something that I'd like, while I am one to create something I think he'll love & give as a gift. So when he told me he was working on a "secret project" for me, I was stumped. Was he building me something? I couldn't figure out for the life of me what it could be. He worked for a couple hours out in the garage today & woke me from a nap to ask if I had any black construction paper. I thought what.the.heck??? I was wondering, is this going to be a gift that is going to be really thoughtful, but kind of elementary? I mean, come on, construction paper? What would have you thought? I didn't have construction paper, but I had a black sheet of foam for crafting. He said that would work. What the heck?

So imagine my surprise and delight when he came in and presented me with this:

It's a beautiful glass etching with my name & my favorite flower on it! It's for my desk at work! I may have him spray paint the wooden frame black or silver, but we'll see. I love it, and I can't believe that he created this! He got a new dremel & the instructions had several project pages, including a project for etched glass. This was his first try at it, and I think he did great. Especially considering his handwriting looks like a 2nd graders, I'm amazed at how well he did with the curves & stuff. His mom even likes it so much that SHE wants one!

What a thoughtful, sweet gift! Has your significant other ever created something for you that totally blew you away?

Spring Cleaning

The beautiful weather is here, well, here in central IL anyway! I'm hoping that will be motivation to spend some more time outdoors and become more active. This weekend I'm hoping to get in some walks with the dog, some possible gardening, and maybe a little letterboxing. I'd also like to tidy up our house and get things in order. It's hard to focus on eating healthy & weight loss when your household is kind of chaotic. For me, when one thing goes, everything goes!

I haven't posted any recipes in awhile. We've just been having some old stand-bys, not trying anything new lately, but as soon as we do, there will be posts! I'm thinking of trying a stuffed chicken using Laughing Cow cheese & spinach. If you've never tried Laughing Cow, you definately should! It's the consistency of cream cheese, and it comes in several flavors, and one little wedge is super low in calories! I want to say less than 100 cals in a wedge! It makes a good topping for crackers, to dip veggies in, to stuff chicken breasts with, and I've even heard of some people using it as like an alfredo on pasta! But I haven't tried that one yet.

A few blogs I've been reading lately have been talking about doing the C25K program (Couch to 5K). A couple years ago, I did a couple weeks of the program, but stopped due to a foot injury. I was walking a lot back then though and feel like my level of activity was better equipped to start such a project. I know I'd "like" to start the program, but I don't know that at this point I'd be physically able. Maybe a goal of walking 3x a week to start off with would be better. We'll see.

Is anyone else finding themselves spending more time outdoors since spring is finally here? What's your favorite thing to do outside?

Mexican Chicken Chowder

Got this one from the BH&G diabetic cookbook. Don't have nutrition info right now, but have the recipe! This one was pretty good. I don't know that I'd make it a TON, but it was tasty & flavorful, and I'd have it again. Also wasn't too difficult to make, so easy peasy!

8 oz chicken breast, cooked & diced

1 c. chicken broth

16 oz frozen corn, thawed

4 oz can chiles

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 c. diced tomatoes

2 c. skim milk

1 c. monterray jack shredded cheese

1. In a blender, puree half the corn & the chicken broth until mostly smooth, then add to a large sauce pan.

2. Add remaining corn, garlic, chiles, salt, and pepper & bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Slowly mix in milk while stirring, then add tomatoes & chicken & cook til heated through.

4. Right before serving, add cheese & stir until melted

Tasty, creamy soup for a cool spring day!

Easy Crockpot Pot Roast

**This recipe is not low in sodium. Keep that in mind if you make it & you're watching your salt intake!**

Growing up, I never liked pot roast, but as an adult, it's something that I really enjoy having once in awhile. On nights I have to work late, the last thing I want to do when I come home is cook, so I try to have a crockpot meal waiting. This week I went with a super easy pot roast.

2-3 pound beef roast (arm, chuck, etc. Whatever cut you like)
16 oz bag of baby carrots
1 large onion, cut in chunks
6 potatoes, peeled & chunked
2 packets (1 box) of Lipton's Onion Soup mix
1 family sized can Cream of Mushroom soup (98%FF kind)
About a cup of water

I start with my roast in the very bottom. Next is potatoes, then onions, then carrots on top. Sprinkle on the dry soup mix, then top with the cream of mushroom. Add your water, cover, and cook all day! I cooked for about 8 hours on low heat, but you could cook on high heat for a shorter period if you needed to.

The veggies were cooked perfectly, not too mushy like can sometimes happen! Throughout the day, I had my husband stir it every couple of hours to make sure the soup & water was mixing well & that nothing was sticking. And it turned out perfectly! Yum!

Trying a new recipe tonight, should be posted late tonight or early tomorrow... Mexican chicken chowder!

Another oldie--italian beef

No picture today... I was so hungry I didn't take the time to do that! This is a recipe I've posted before, but this time I added half a chopped onion & half a green bell pepper. Check it out, it was delicious! Served on a wheat bun with a slice of provolone... perfection!

Deliciousness

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup originally appeared on my blog over two years ago! It was one of the first recipes I posted, when I was doing WW & I gave it an A+. It was good then, and it was good now! This cooked all day while I was at work and was perfect by 5pm. See the original post here.

Tex Mex Sloppy Joes

I will just preface this by saying: This is hands down, one of the best things I've ever made! I loved it, and the husband said he wouldn't mind having it weekly! It was pretty easy, and oh so tasty! So without further ado... Tex Mex Sloppy Joes!

1 pound lean ground beef (or turkey, chicken, etc)
1/2 large onion
1/2 large green pepper
2 tbsp canned green chiles
2/3 c. frozen corn
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
3/4 c. ketchup
4 tsp worchestershire sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet & add onion, bell pepper, chiles, garlic, and corn. Cook 5-6 minutes, until veggies are tender.
2. Add ground beef, chili powder, and cumin & cook 5-10 more minutes, until meat is cooked through.
3. Add ketchup & worchestershire and heat through.
4. Serve on wheat rolls (I like "healthy life" buns). Makes 6 (large) sandwiches

Broccoli Chicken Penne

I took a recipe from the BH&G cookbook & modified it a bit to suit our tastes, so the recipe you'll see is the recipe with my twist. I would also make some changes next time, like maybe using a bag of stir fry veggies instead of broccoli, just to add some different flavors.

1 pound boneless skinless chicken, diced
3 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen)
8 oz cooked penne pasta
Southwest seasoning to taste (1-2 tbsp)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. light mayo or miracle whip
Grated parmesan, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

1. In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add chicken, southwest seasoning, and garlic. Cook several minutes until chicken is cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, cook penne.

3. Once chicken is cooked, add broccoli and chicken broth to the skillet & cover, cooking about 5 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.

4. Add chicken & broccoli mixture to pasta & stir in mayo or miracle whip & pepper until all contents are lightly coated, then top with parmesan.

A note about the miracle whip/mayo. I was skeptical... it sounded gross. But really it's so little compared to the big pot of food, you don't taste it, it just gives it a more moist texture. I also added a little onion powder & seasoned salt to my individual bowl, to suit my tastes. Made a huge pot--6 servings.