Chocolate Peppermint 321 Cake

So, do you remember when I mentioned these yummy limited time only snacks on this post?

Well I have just figured out a great off season substitute!!!  I'm so excited!  They are, of course, WAY more points than the Fiber One Brownies and WAY less fiber but they are great for the craving.

It's a simple 321 cake adjustment.
3 tbsp of chocolate cake mix in a mug
2 tbsp of water
1 tbsp of peppermint baking chips.

Ok, so peppermint baking chips are tough to find in the off season too but you could use chopped up Andes mints as well or some peppermint extract. (I just happened to find some on the clearance table at the grocery store) Mix the cake mix (only) with the water and then add the tbsp of baking chips and microwave for 1 minute.  Voila! It's really good.  Unfortunately it's 6 PointsPlus but that's ok, it's better then a 12 point mint chocolate cupcake.  LOL

I chose German Chocolate Cake because it's less sweet and rich as any other chocolate cakes. I'm not a huge fan of rich and sweet.  But I love a touch of it.

Bumble Bee Tilapia Fillets with Mango Chutney Sauce

So I found something new at the grocery store tonight.  Had to give it a try.

Only 4 PointsPlus per serving with 2 servings per package.  I served one servings worth over a half a cup of brown rice (3 PP) for this dinner Yummies.  It was actually quite good.  Lots of flavor.  I recommend giving it a try.

I packed the other half with another 1/2 cup of brown rice for lunch tomorrow.  I'll be buying more of this.  They also had a teriyaki and a curry one.

Bento Lunch 2-26-14

Lunch: 6 PointsPlus

2 oz deli sliced chicken - 1 PP
1 wedge light laughing cow cheese - 1 PP
8 Special K Multi Grain Crackers - 1 PP
1/2 cup Left Over Pasta - 3 PP
1 tbsp Fat Free Italian Dressing 0 PP
2 clementines - 0 PP
Carrots - 0 PP

Bento Lunch 2-24-14

Breakfast: 3 PointsPlus
Yoplait Original Yogurt
Clementine - 0 PP

Lunch: 6 PointsPlus
2 slices of Low Calorie Bread - 2 PP
2 Oz Chicken Breast - 1 PP
1/2 oz Cranberry Sauce - 1 PP
1 Hardboiled Egg - 2 PP
Carrots - 0 PP
Applesauce - 0 PP

Recipe - Smoked Mozzarella & Tomato Chicken Pasta

I cooked up some Chicken and added it to half a cup of cooked high fiber rotini pasta.  Then added 1 tsp of Pesto Flavored Wildtree Grapeseed Oil and 1/2 tbsp of Wildtree Smoked Mozzarella & Tomato Blend and tossed it all together.  Made some roasted cauliflower to add to it for a filling dinner.

Smoked Mozzarella & Tomato Chicken Pasta
6 PointsPlus

1 oz High Fiber Pasta (1/2 cup cooked) 3 PP
2 oz Chicken Breast - 2 PP
1 tsp Grapeseed Oil - 1 PP
1/2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese - 0 PP
1/2 Tbsp Mozzarella Tomato Blend - 0 PP

Recipe - Egg Tortilla Roll-Up

I saw these on Pinterest not long ago.  I love making these.  They are quick and filling.

I usually add a strip of bacon to each one but I don't have any bacon in the house today and I don't feel like going to the store for just that so I will make due without.

Egg Tortilla Roll-Up
8 PointsPlus

2 corn tortillas - 2 PP
2 eggs - 4 PP
1 slice of reduced fat cheddar cheese (split in half) - 1 PP
1 tbsp light sour cream - 1 PP
1 tbsp salsa - 0 PP



I fry up the eggs over hard and set aside on a dish.  then on warm pan place tortilla and half the slice of cheese.  Top with egg till cheese is melted and tortilla crisps up.  repeat with other tortilla and egg.  fold in half or roll up.
Serve with light sour cream and salsa or dash of hot sauce.

Recipe - Potato Pancake Disaster Turns To New Mush Recipe

So I was wanting to try to make some potato pancakes today. I have never made them before but wanted to try a simple WW friendly version.  well.....  That didn't work out as well as I thought it would.
My recipe started out as this:

I added the garlic, cheese and bacon bits into a bowl while heating up the instant mashed potatoes. 

I then added the potatoes and mixed it all up. 

I scooped a couple tablespoons of potato mix and sprinkled both sides with flour and put in pan sprayed with cooking spray.  

this is where things turned very very wrong.  They browned up quite nicely but were very flimsy and even though they didn't burn the smoke detector started going off.  I don't even think there was that much smoke.  But fan on and windows now open.  I continued cooking these up but  I wasn't even able to flip them.  They were slightly crispy on the outsides but not enough to handle.  So...

I did what I do best.  I improvise and make the best out of a kitchen failure.  I turned it in to my newest "Mush" meal.  :)

I added half the pancake mix to a bowl and cooked up a Schwan's Philly Style Chicken Patty.  Mixed it all up with 2 tablespoons of slight sour cream and 2 tablespoons of salsa.  "Mushed" it all up and enjoyed my lunch.  

Wasn't too bad.  Might try this again...  With out the pancake part.  LOL 

Chicken Salsa Potato Mush

8 PointsPlus

1/2 container instant mashed potatoes

2 tbsp reduced fat shredded cheese

1/2 tbsp real bacon bits

1/2 tbsp minced garlic

1 Schwan's Philly Style Chicken

2 tbsp light sour cream

2 tbsp salsa

Bento Lunch 2-21-14

Breakfast: 3 PointsPlus
Yoplait Original Yogurt - 3 PP

Lunch: 6 PointsPlus
1 oz Turkey slices - 1 PP
1 Hardboiled Egg - 2 PP
10 Reduced Fat Wheat Thins - 2 PP
1 Light Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge - 1 PP
2 Clementines - 0 PP
Unsweetened Applesauce - 0 PP

Snacks

I love finding new snacks but I am sad when they are limited time only ones.  I stock up regularly on the Fiber One 90 calorie Brownies.  My favorite is the Cinnamon Coffee Cake one.  But right after Christmas I found these lovelies in the center isle to be cleared out.  Peppermint Fudge Brownies. Sooooo good.  I bought 3 boxes and wish I had bought more.  For now I think I will have to buy the regular fudge brownies and brush them with a touch of peppermint extract to get the same idea till Christmas comes around again. These are only 2 PointsPlus.  Such a great low point treat when you have a sweet tooth.

Dinner Yummies - Chicken & Potato Mush

Ok so I do love my "mush" dinners.  They aren't at all appetizing to look at but they sure are yummy. Tonight I decided to throw together something quick.

Dinner: 6 PointsPlus

1 Schwan's Philly Style Chicken - 2 PP
1/2 Baked Potato - 3 PP
2 TBSP Light Sour cream - 1 PP
1 TBSP Minced Garlic - 0 PP
1 TBSP Steak Sauce - 0 PP

I cooked up the Schwan's Philly Style Chicken with the minced garlic and heated up half of a left over baked potato.  I cut up the potato and added it to the chicken in a bowl with the sour cream and steak sauce and "mushed" it all together.  So yummy!

Bento Lunch 2-20-14

Breakfast: 3 PointsPlus
Yoplait Original Peppermint Bark Yogurt - 3 PP
Clementine - 0 PP

Lunch: 5 PointsPlus
Salad - 0 PP
1 Hardboiled Egg - 2 PP
2 Tbsp Reduced Fat Cheese - 1 PP
1 Tbsp Sliced Almonds - 1 PP
2 Tbsp Fat Free Ranch Dressing - 1 PP
Clementine - 0 PP

Dinner Yummies - Pumpkin Pasta Dinner

Did I mention how much I love Pumpkin????  Hahaha.  Everything tastes better when it's pumpkin.

Dinner: 9 PointsPlus

1 cup of Pumpkin Pasta Purses - 7 PP
1 tsp Garlic Grapeseed Oil - 1 PP
1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese - 1 PP
1 Cup Steamed Asparagus - 0 PP

Bento Lunch 2-19-14

So for lunch and breakfast today I packed some yummy goodies.  

Breakfast : 3 PointsPlus

Yoplait Peppermint Bark Original Yogurt - 3 PP

Clementine - 0 PP

Lunch: 7 Points Plus

Salad - 0 PP

2 oz Deli Sliced Turkey - 1 PP

2 Tbsp Shredded Reduced Fat Cheese - 1 PP

1 Tbsp Real Bacon Bits - 1 PP

2 Tbsp Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Blue Cheese Dressing - 1 PP

10 Reduced Fat Wheat Thins - 2 PP

1 Wedge Laughing Cow Light Cheese - 1 PP

Clementine - 0 PP

Unsweetened Applesauce - 0 PP

Snack : 2 PointsPlus

Hard Boiled Egg - 2 PP

Dinner that feels like a splurge

So I starting digging around in my freezer trying to see what I wanted for dinner.  It's early but I'm starving so I figured I should start planning it quick.  I found one last Schwan's Mini Pot Roast left in there and thought, "Hey!!  That sounds fantastic!"  Not to mention I still had one potato on my counter that I bought at the store the other day.  Perfect!  

So I cooked up the Mini Pot Roast and cooked up the potato and cut it in half so split between dinner tonight and tomorrow night.  I also steamed some carrot chips that I have in the fridge for my bento lunches.  It made a pretty fantastic dinner and I am now STUFFED!!!!  

1 Schwan's Mini Pot Roast - 5 PP
1/2 Baked Potato (larger half)- 4 PP
1 cup of steamed carrots - 0 PP
1 glass Diet Dr. Pepper - 0 PP

Dinner : 9 PointsPlus

President's Day Breakfast

Happy President's Day!

My President's day breakfast this quiet morning.

3 Krusteaz Pumpkin Spice Pancakes - 6 PP
1/2 Tbsp Pumpkin Syrup - 1PP
2 clementines - 0 PP
Black Pumpkin roasted coffee. 

7 PointsPlus 

Yes, I am obsessed with pumpkin all year long.  It's my favorite! 

Smart Ones Chicken Strips and Fries

It's just a quick and simple dinner tonight with the new Smart Ones Chicken Strips and Fries.  I actually love these things.  I stocked up on these and the Smart Ones Fish and Chips.  They are both only 8 PointsPlus.  They are great when you want something quick and want to feel like you are cheating without actually cheating.  I recommend them if you haven't already tried them.  I am having mine with some ketchup and some Apricot Mustard.  Yum! 

Loaded Baked Potato Mush

So I LOVE savory everything.  I will choose savory over sweet any day.  Today I wanted something salty and cheesy,so I had a half a baked potato left over and decided to make myself a messy looking mush for lunch.

I chopped up the half baked potato and heated it up in the microwave with a table spoon of minced garlic and a few sprays of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

Then I added 2 tbsp of reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp light sour cream, 1 tbsp real bacon bits and some salt and pepper.  I mixed and "mushed" it all up into a nice mess and devoured it.  Pretty freaking yummy.

1/2 Baked Potato 3 PP
2 tbsp RF Cheese 1 PP
2 tbsp light sour cream 1 PP
1 tbsp real bacon bits 1 PP
1 tbsp minced garlic 0 PP

6 PointsPlus

Lean Cuisine Pretzel Bites

So I went shopping this morning and saw these yummy looking snacks.

Seriously!!!   It's melted cheese, Jalapeno and Pretzel.  How could you go wrong with those?  So I buy them and get home and quickly make some to snack on.

I will be honest.... I was not impressed.  They really weren't as great as I was hoping or expecting.  I don't think they were worth the 5 PointsPlus. :(  Well at least I will know for next time.  I'm not saying to NOT give them a try.  My taste isn't everyone's taste, but to me they were kind of... Blah.

Bento Lunch 2-13-14

I'm still trying to mix things up a bit but I had just 1 oz leftover of beans so I figured I should use it up before it went bad.  so I just added to it this time. 

Lunch today: 5 PointsPlus
10 Reduced Fat Wheat Thins 2 PP
1 oz refried beans 1 PP
1 tbsp reduced fat cheese 1 PP
1 tbsp light sour cream 1 PP
1 oz salsa 0 PP
carrot chips 0 PP
unsweetened applesauce 0 PP

For Breakfast: 3 PointsPlus

Luna Fiber bar 3 PP

Pineapple chunks 0PP

Pesto Sauce

I have found this great recipe for Weight Watchers Pesto Sauce on this blog and I am really pretty excited to try it.  I love pesto but since it's basically all olive oil,  I don't have it very much due to the points in it.  But this one looks like a good version. 

Source

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

2 Cups of fresh basil
3 Tablespoons pine nuts
1 Tablespoon olive oil 
2 Garlic cloves crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons of water
1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

WHAT TO DO:

In a food processor combine the basil, pine nuts, oil, garlic, salt, and water. 

Puree, and then add cheese and puree additional 30 seconds. 


Serving size 3 large tablespoons... 88 cal, 7g fat, 2g sat fat, 6mg chol, 253mg sodium, 2g carbs, 1g fiber WEIGHT WATCHER POINTS POINTS 2

Bento Lunch 2-12-14

Breakfast today is again:
Yoplait Original Yogurt 3 PointsPlus
Fiber One Brownie 2 PointsPlus

Lunch:
1 oz sliced turkey 1 Point Plus
Hard Boiled Egg 2 PointsPlus
String cheese 1 PointsPlus
Unsweetended Applesauce 0 PointsPlus
Carrots 0 PointsPlus

Bento Lunch 2-11-14

My Bento box today has breakfast and Lunch in it.
For Breakfast:
Yoplait Yogurt 3 PointsPlus
Fiber One Brownie 2 PointsPlus

For Lunch:
Carrot Chips 0 Points Plus
Hummus 2 PointsPlus
String cheese 1 PointsPlus
Hard Boiled egg 2 Points Plus
Unsweetened Cinnamon Applesauce 0 PointsPlus

Roasted Cauliflower

So my friend told me about this recipe the other day and made it for me last night.  This is fantastic!  So I decided to make it for myself tonight.

Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:
8 oz of frozen cut up cauliflower
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Put cauliflower in a bowl and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Toss with garlic salt, lime juice and salt and pepper.  Put in baking dish in single layer and bake for 20 minutes at 450, then tossing and baking for another 10-20 minutes until browned.

When done sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

This is a fantastic snack.  PointsPlus comes from only the amount of parmesan cheese you choose to use.

Mini Fritattas

2 Mini Frittatas is 3 PointsPlus

12 Tbsp cooked asparagus, cut up

12 Tbsp diced canned new potatoes

6 Tbsp shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

6 Tsp graded parmesan cheese

3/4 cup egg beaters original

3/4 cup of egg beaters egg whites

Preheat oven to 350. 

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl except for mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  Fill 12-muffin pan with approx 1/4 cup each.  Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp of Mozzarella cheese on top of each one and 1/2 Tsp of Park cheese.  Not using cooking spray in muffin pan caused frittatas to climb the pan and be much fluffier. 

Bake in oven for 25 minutes. 

Other filling ideas I have tried are sauteed mushroom with onions and garlic with reduced fat cheddar cheese. 

Sunday Yummies

So It's Sunday morning... Where the heck did my Saturday go??  Why does it always pass by and disappear so quickly?  Oh well. I'll try to capture it better next weekend.

I've mentioned before how much I love Krusteaz mixes, right?  Well I will say it again.  I also love the Pumpkin Spice Pancake Mix.   This morning I made Pumpkin Pancakes with Fantabulous Pumpkin Syrup from Boa Vista Orchards, Apple Hill, CA.  I LOVE Apple Hill and stock up like a crazy person of everything Pumpkin when I go there.  This syrup was one of the thing I got.  Along with 5 jars of unsweetened pumpkin butter and some pumpkin mandarin marmalade  (Which is fantastic on pork chops by the way).

I made 3 pancakes this morning and set one aside to take to work tomorrow for breakfast.  So for Breakfast today:
2 Pumpkin Spice Pancakes - 4 PointsPlus
1/2 tbsp Pumpkin Syrup. - 1 PointsPlus

Not a bad Breakfast and so so yummy.

Breakfast before my walk

So I'm going for a 5 mile walk along the river this morning with a friend of mine so I thought I would have a quick meal before going. I sliced a hard boiled egg and served it with a slice of reduced fat cheddar cheese on a light wheat English muffin with some mustard. It was actually pretty good and very filling.

Chicken Piccata

One of my favorite dishes of all time is Chicken Piccata.  I loved the meal box sets that Macaroni Grill used to sell at the grocery stores.

They don't seem to have them anymore and that is a bummer.  So I found a copycat recipe online.  I built the recipe on the Weight Watchers app and it turns out to only be 6 PointsPlus.  (Add points for pasta) 

Source

CHICKEN PICCATA

Macaroni Grill Copycat Recipe

Serves 4


4 chicken breasts (4 oz. each), pounded

salt and pepper, to taste

flour, as needed

olive oil, as needed

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

juice from 2 lemons

2 tablespoons unsalted butter




Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour on both sides. Coat a saute pan with olive oil and heat over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken to the pan and saute several minutes until well browned on one side. Turn and continue cooking until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a warm serving platter.




Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any browned bits that stuck to pan. Add the chicken broth along with the capers, parsley, lemon juice and butter.




Return the chicken to the pan and cook briefly in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Mexican Pizza

Tonight for dinner I decided to try something I remember seeing on Pinterest not long ago. Mexican Pizza. Turned out pretty good. Lower in points plus than I realized though. Normally that's a good thing but I have some catching up to do today.

Ingredients:

1 carb balance tortilla

1/4 cup of fat free refried beans

1/3 cup of weight eatchers shredded cheese

2 tbsp enchilada sauce

2 tbsp light sour cream

2 tbsp salsa

7 points plus

I spread beans on tortilla.

Then drizzled enchilada sauce over the beans

I then spread the cheese over the top of everything

Heated the whole thing till cheese melted. (Oven or nuwave oven) 

Cut into wedges and added a dollop of light sour cream and salsa on each quarter. 

Pretty good!! 

Next time I think I'll try bean and cheese tostadas with oven baked corn tortillas.