Back to Weight Watchers...again.

Well I took a little break (and gained 18 pounds) from Weight Watchers But now I am back and ready to go. I can't wait to really get skinny. I think this time (okay so I have joined weight watchers about 14 times) I am going to get to my goal. Now, I took some pictures of me and those of you who know me know that I am not one to be in front of the camera so this is very humbling for me. I want to do a photo diary of my progress. Sometimes its hard to see the weight coming off so I thought I would just photo my progress.

No I am not pregnant. I am just fat. The sad thing is...this is not my heaviest. EEEKKK!! Anyway, I am going to do it this time. If anyone would like to join me send me your picture and some of your helps and secrets. WE CAN DO THIS MOMMY'S (and Daddy's too)!!

Death by Chocolate Cupcake

	HG's Death by Chocolate Cupcakes
	To Die For!
	Ingredients: 2 cups moist-style chocolate cake mix (half of an 18.25-oz. box) Two 25-calorie packets diet hot cocoa mix 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 2 tbsp. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips 1 tsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/8 tsp. salt Directions: Place chocolate chips and the contents of both cocoa packets in a tall glass. Add 12 ounces of boiling water, and stir until chips and cocoa mix have dissolved. Place glass in the freezer to chill for 25 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Onc e cocoa has chilled, give it a stir, and mix with all other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whip batter with a whisk or fork for 2 minutes. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray, or line it with baking cups. Evenly spoon batter (which will be thin, but don't worry, your cupcakes will puff up!) into the pan. Place pan in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes. Cupcakes will look shiny when done. MAKES 12 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1 cupcake Calories: 108 Fat: 2.5g Sodium: 239mg Carbs: 19g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 12g Protein: 2g POINTS® value 2*

Water!!

Drinking water can curb your appetite. Try chuggin a full glass of it before a meal, and there's a good chance you'll eat less. If you have trouble getting cold water down, try drinking the stuff at room temperature.

The Foods of Love

Do foods like chocolate and oysters really have any aphrodisiac powers?

Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, might have feasted on a daily banquet of truffles, oysters, and champagne. But scientists tend to think the idea of foods with special “love powers” is about as reality-based as the goddess herself.

“If naturally occurring compounds in certain foods, such as phenylethylamine in chocolate or zinc in oysters, are considered so-called food aphrodisiacs, it’s based on folklore rather than science,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Though research in this area is murky, one thing is clear: eating can make a difference when it comes to your health. Here’s how:

Mediterranean Magic
Though eating one particular food may not hold the key to an amorous love life, a healthy diet overall may be beneficial. In fact, says Blatner, “Two recent studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet may help improve sexual health among both men and women with metabolic syndrome—a cluster of conditions that places people at increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”

A Mediterranean diet means eating plenty of these foods:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Legumes, nuts, and seeds
• Olive oil (instead of other oils)
• Low-fat dairy products
• Fish and poultry (in small amounts)

Balance and Belief
Overall balance may be your very best health strategy. “A balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management is a healthier path than eating any one particular food or ingredient,” says Blatner.

But hang on to that plate of chocolate-covered strawberries! Though science doesn’t support any aphrodisiac effect, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy these foods—and maybe more than that. At the very least, you may benefit from the nutritional attributes they provide:

• Chocolate contains antioxidants that may help keep the body’s cells healthy, but the science is still inconclusive. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a component thought to be similar to the chemical our brains release when we are in love,” says Blatner.
• Oysters are high in zinc.
• Asparagus contains many vitamins, including the B vitamin folic acid.
• Bananas are ripe with potassium.
• Figs are high in fiber.
• Strawberries are plump with vitamin C.
• Avocados are full of healthy monounsaturated fat.

Creamy Hot Apple B-Fast with Brown Sugar Crunch

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 189 calories, 3g fat, 385mg sodium, 40g carbs, 3g fiber, 19g sugars, 2g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled apple chunks (any sweet, not tart, variety)
1 Nature Valley Maple Brown Sugar Crunchy Granola Bar (half a 2-bar package)
2 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda)
1 1/2 tsp. Jell-O Sugar Free Fat Free Instant pudding mix, Vani lla
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
dash salt

Directions:
Place sweetener, pudding mix, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt in a microwave-safe medium-large bowl. Add 1/3 cup of cold water, and stir until blended. Place apple chunks in the bowl, and toss them in the liquid mixture. Cover the dish and microwave for 2 1/2 minutes. Allow it to thicken and cool for a few minutes before removing it from the microwave.

Meanwhile, place the granola bar in a sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or can, until you have small crumbly pieces. Once apple mixture is cool enough to handle, stir in the granola pieces, and then devour immediately!

MAKES 1 SERVING

I am going to try to make this over the weekend. Looks yummy. And only 3 points

Veggie Fettuccine Alfredo

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 151 calories, 4.5g fat, 407mg sodium, 20g carbs, 7g fiber, 7g sugars, 9g protein -- POINTS® value 3* Ingredients: 1 package House Foods Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Noodle Substitute 1/2 cup small broccoli florets 1/2 cup red pepper chunks 1/2 cup large zucchini chunks 1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream 2 tsp. reduced-fat grated parmesan-style topping salt and pepper, to taste Optional: garlic powder, chili powder Directions: Place all the veggies in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl with 2 tbsp. of water. Cover bowl and microwave for 2 - 3 minutes (until veggies are fully steamed and tender). Drain water and set aside. Drain and rinse noodles well. Dry noodles thoroughly (use paper towels to soak up as much moisture as possible), and then use a knife or kitchen shears to slice them up a bit. Next, place noodles in a microwave-safe bowl, and top them with the cheese wedge, sour cream, and parm topping. Then microwave for one minute. Stir well, and then microwave for one additional minute. Mix in the veggies, and season well with salt and pepper. If you like, add some garlic powder and/or chili powder. Enjoy!! MAKES 1 SERVING I borrowed this from the Hungry Girl Websight. I haven't tried it yet but it looks yummy!!

Sit-Down Fitness

Try these 6 simple exercises that can help tone muscles, even from a chair.

(Click Here)

We all need a little help with our exercising.
These look like some easy things we all can do.

GET SKINNY!
Good Luck tomorrow Utah Ladies
and
Jillie, I can't wait to hear how you did today.

Rice Pilaf ~from Jillie~

Rice Pilaf

1 Cup brown rice

2 1/4 cup water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

3 TBS minced dry onion

Add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover. Let simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Makes 4 servings 3 points per serving

Good with grilled chicken and vegtables.

THANKS JILLIE

Bubble Up Pizza ~From RA~

RA made this last night for our family and it was really yummy.

Bubble up Pizza

1 pound 96% Lean Ground Beef

2 tps Onion powder or 1 onion, chopped

Jar of Spaghetti Sauce
Veggie Toppings (mushrooms, peppers, olives, any of your favs - Be creative)
15 oz Refrigerated buttermilk biscuits or 2 of the 7.5 oz cans
1 1/4 cup Part skim milk mozzarella cheese, Shredded

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In skillet, brown meat over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in onion powder or onion, tomato sauce, basil, garlic and Italian seasoning.

2. Add veggies (mushrooms, peppers, black olives, etc…whatever you like) and pepperoni. Add quartered biscuits; stir gently until biscuits are covered with sauce. Spoon mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until biscuits are done. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

8 SERVINGS: 5.5 pts. 6 SERVINGS: 7.3 points

Chicken Pot Pie 4.5-6.5 Points

1 cup reduced fat Bisquick

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup egg substitute

2 cups frozen mixed veggies, thawed

2 cups cooked, chopped white chicken meat

2 cans Campbells fat free (Healthy Request)

Cream of Mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 400 º. Spray a casserole dish (at least 2 inches deep. I use an 8x8 pan) with Pam. Mix together veggies, chicken and soup. Pour into casserole dish. In another bowl, mix bisquick, milk, and egg. Pour over the top of chicken mixture in the casserole. Bake for about 30 min or until crust is golden.

Note: Try different types of mixed vegetables Italian style, California style, oriental, etc.

6 servings = 4.5 pt per serving

4 servings = 6.5 pt per serving

Chicken Spaghetti 8.5 Points

Chicken Spaghetti

8.5* Points Per Serving

1/2 cup Onion

1 can Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 4oz. jar Sliced Mushrooms

1 can Rotel Tomatoes

12 oz. package Spaghetti

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Saute onion and mushrooms. Add soups and tomatoes. Heat until well mixed. Mix with cooked spaghetti. Bake in 2qt. dish for 30 minutes at 350º.

*The entire recipe has 33.9 points. I usually divide my dish into fourths (a good portion size), so 1 serving would have 8.5 points. You can adjust this to whatever serving size you want. Just divide 33.9 by however many servings you make out of it.

Diet Coke Chicken

DIET COKE CHICKEN

1 can diet coke
(any brand cola will do)
1 cup ketchup
4 3-4 oz. Chicken breasts
1/2 packet of Onion Soup Mix

Place chicken in skillet. Sprinkle the Soup Mix then pour ketchup over chicken and then cola. Cook on medium high heat 45 minutes, reduce heat, cover and simmer until sauce begins to adhere to chicken approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Enjoy.

Nutritional Facts per serving: 174 calories 2.8 gr. Fat 0 fiber.

4 oz. Raw chicken breast 129 calories 2.8 gr. Fat
¼ cup ketchup 45 calories and 1 gr. Fat
¼ can diet cola 0 calories


Weight Watcher points 4

Awesome Food Find

In this weeks meeting, they had a great food find I thought I would share. It's the Western Alternative Bagel and its only ONE POINT. (click here) I went to Walmart and got a bag to try and they are really yummy and totally fills you up. Great when you get the munchies for Carbs. In my Wal-mart they are by the other breads near the freezer section. You can use the Skinny cow cheese spread on them or fat Free Cream cheese as well. I totally recommend them. YUMMY

Sugar and Spice Popcorn 1Point

6 cups Air-popped popcorn
2 Tbsp. Sugar
2 tsp Water
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger

Spray pan with PAM Put in popcorn
In a small bowl stir together, Sugar, Water, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger. Drizzle spice mixture over popcorn in bake pan. Toss Popcorn until Coated
Bake @ 350 for 15 mins stir twice. Transfer to foil and cool.

2 cups = 1Pt.