Ratatouille and Our Amazingness

 

Last night for dinner I made another recipe from Better Homes and Garden’s Slow Cooker Favorites Made Healthy. It was super easy, and pretty tasty.

I didn’t use the bread they suggested, instead I used just light wheat bread and it it into triangles. It’s 5 ww points per serving. For me, it was a perfect lunch portion today, but last night for dinner I was left a little hungry. I wish I would have beefed it up with a little pasta or rice.

So far this week, I feel great. I’ve been eating well. I’ve exercised. Work has been exhausting, but I am officially over the summer hump (as we call it) and have less than 50 days until Labor Day and my life turns back into something, somewhat, resembling normal.

I’ve had a few questions in comments lately about how my knees are holding up during training. They are doing pretty well. I just have to be sure to stretch them out and ice them at the beginning of any soreness. They are holding up better than I thought they would! Especially the one that was hurt awhile back.

There is so much stuff going on in the blog world these days:

Ryan of No More Bacon is celebrating his 1 year “healthiversary”!

Caitlin of Healthy Tipping Point and Operation Beautiful got some very exciting news!

Seth of Fit with a Purpose is hosting another challenge!

Lindsay at Healthy Stride completed her first cycling event!

I know I’ve said it before, but I am so happy to be a part of the blogging community. I get really excited for all of you when you achieve something amazing. It motivates me to get out there and do more!

We are all amazing.

For the first time in my life, I feel comfortable saying “We” instead of “You”. We are all amazing. We are proof that healthy living is achievable and fun. We didn’t go to a fancy ranch, we aren’t popping pills or crash dieting. We are just doing it.

Good for us! Let’s give us all a round of applause! Own your amazingness. I am finally owning mine and it feels pretty good.

Leave me a comment and tell me something AMAZING that you have done. It could be something as simple as cooking a healthy dinner to running a marathon. I know you have all done something…let’s hear about it. Let’s celebrate our amazingness together! :)

I’ll start: I ran a 10k when even at the starting line I was doubting my ability to finish. I ran it, had a great time running it and was very proud of myself at the end.

Curried Eggplant with Tomatoes and Basil

 

I have a summer cold. They are the worst. I am exhausted. I am constantly switching between insanely cold and insanely hot. I have had to work too. So I’m miserable. I did make an awesome dinner that I wanted to share. I got it out of an old Real Simple Magazine. It’s a recipe I’ve had forever, but hadn’t tried yet.

Curried Eggplant with Tomatoes and Basil (4 servings, 6pts per serving)

Ingredients

1 cup cooked brown rice

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

1 eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup fat free sour cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, eggplant, curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the eggplant is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and cook just until heated through, about 3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Serve over the rice with sour cream, if using.

Recipe mostly courtesy of Real Simple Magazine

Recipe was cooked almost exactly as published with just a few changes based upon what I had on hand. I made it based on a wing and a prayer. I couldn’t remember if I even liked curry! I knew I’ve had it before, but I couldn’t remember what it tasted like. I’m glad I tried it, because I DO like curry. :)

I hope to be back up to my old tricks soon! But for now, cooking dinner and writing this post took all I had left for the day. Time for my couch and a movie.

I miss you guys! I hope you all had great holiday weekends!

Polenta Triangles with Black Bean Salad

 

I have to tell you, I never imagined I would have so much fun cooking vegetarian food, but I’m not missing anything. You won’t either if you cook this recipe. I put this as 2 large servings, but this could easily be 3 regular size servings. I was just STARVING. :)

Polenta Triangles (2 servings, 2pts per serving)

Ingredients

2 cups water  
1/2 cup yellow corn meal stone ground

Instructions

1. Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil.

2. Gradually add corn meal to water, whisking constantly until it's the consistency of mashed potatoes. Add whatever seasonings you would like to add at this point. Parmesan cheese and butter is a personal favorite. Takes about 4-5 minutes.

3. Pour polenta into small casserole dish and allow to chill in fridge overnight, or until firm. (I completed up to point last night while my peppers were baking. I feel an overnight chill works best)

4. Place a cutting board on top of casserole dish and turn upside down allowing polenta to fall out of dish. You may need to run an knife around the edges of the dish before flipping so it will fall out. Cut into desired shapes. I chose triangles.

5. Sauté over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray until golden. 

Creole Seasoned Black Bean Salad (2 servings, 5pts per serving)

Ingredients

1 tsp Creole seasoning  
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped  
1 cup frozen corn kernels  
15 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained  
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar  
1/3 cup tomato, chopped  
3/4 cups green beans, fresh, cut into thirds and steamed in microwave  

Instructions

1. Sauté onions in a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray until tender.

2. Add beans, steamed green beans, corn and Creole seasoning and vinegar. Stir in tomatoes when corn thaws completely. Cook until warmed. Serve over polenta squares

I topped mine with a little fat free sour cream and dove right in. It is amazing! This is definitely one I will make again and again. I think, if I could, I would marry polenta. I love it. A lot.

So far, I’m having a good week. I feel so much better. My husband’s schedule changed again, so now we will have even less time together. This summer is going to be a tough one. On a good note, I think we are going to the driving range on Thursday and I am so excited! I haven’t been in a few weeks! That is, of course, if we can stand the heat. It’s been unbearable here! Highs in the upper 90s and Heat Indexes in the 110’ish area. HOT. Needless to say, my butt has been running in the gym on the treadmill.

How do you beat the heat? What’s your favorite summer activity?

Caribbean Jerk Chickpea Burgers with Mango Slaw. Amazing.

 

So, the weekend, yadda, yadda…bad food choices, laziness. However, on Friday I made this lovely dinner and it’s the star of today’s show.

Mango Slaw (4 servings, 0 points per serving)

Ingredients

1/2 a bag Broccoli Cloeslaw Mix  
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped  
1/2 medium mango, peeled and chopped  
2 Tbsp SPLENDA® SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener  
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar  

Instructions

In a bowl combine broccoli coleslaw mix, onion and mangos.

In a cup dissolve Splenda in vinegar, add to cabbage and toss. Serve cold.

Caribbean Jerk Chickpea Burgers (4 servings, 4 points per serving)

Ingredients

15 oz canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup parsley, fresh
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped  
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped  
2/3 cup Panko crispy bread crumbs - plain  
1 egg, lightly beaten     
1/4 cup Lawry's Caribbean Jerk Marinade  

Instructions

In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas and parsley until finely chopped.

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the bread crumbs, onion and cucumber. Stir the egg and Jerk marinade into the mixture and form into 4 patties.

Cook the patties in a large skillet or grill pan for 4 minutes per side until done. Serve with 1/3 of a cup Mango Slaw on top.

You know I love the Lawry’s Marinades. They are affordable and great in moderation. This is the one to look for.

The burgers fall apart a little, so try not to move them much when cooking. I used my Foreman grill.

I enjoyed eating vegetarian dinners so much, that I’m going to go for week 2…well, I will probably opt for pepperoni on Tuesday, but mostly vegetarian! ;)

Meatless Monday – Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Salsa

Tuesday – Pepperoni Polenta Pizza

Wednesday – Grilled Vegetable Panini 

Thursday – Greek Chickpea Burgers

Friday – Leftovers

I overslept this morning so I’m not kicking the week off with a work out and that bums me out. However, I am going to making the choice right now to make this a good week.

I hope you all had great weekends and are ready to have a great week!

Eggplant Parmesan and Usual Friday Hubbub

 

I love eggplant parmesan. It’s one of my favorite dishes. Some people like to layer it and bake it, some fry it, there are a million ways to make it, here’s how I make mine!

Eggplant Parmesan (6 points per serving, 2 servings)

Ingredients

1 medium raw eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces lengthwise  
2 egg whites  
1 Tbsp water  
1/2 cup Panko crispy bread crumbs - plain (seasoned with your favorite spices
8 oz canned tomato sauce
1 cup chopped frozen spinach  
1/2 cup Kraft Reduced fat Italian style shredded cheese blend  

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a cooking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk together egg whites and 1 tbsp of water. Dip eggplant slices into egg mixtures and then bread crumbs coating lightly and place on baking sheet. Cook for 22 minutes flipping once, until golden brown.

While eggplant cooks, heat tomato sauce with frozen spinach on the stove top over medium- high heat. Add any spices you desire (I like S&P, Italian Seasoning and Crushed Red Pepper flakes) and allow to heat on low until eggplant finishes.

When eggplant is removed from oven, top each slice with cheese and place under broiler until melted. Serve with sauce poured on top.

I like my eggplant to be crispy when I eat it, that’s why I don’t layer and bake, although it is good that way too!

If you’re not very familiar with cooking (or eating for that matter) eggplant, it may be beneficial to salt the eggplant first. Eggplant can sometimes taste a little bitter. So if you cut the eggplant into slices, lay it in a colander in your sink, sprinkle some salt on it and allow it to sit for 30 minutes, turning once. Then, rinse the excess salt off and pat the eggplant dry, then start making the recipe. This will remove some of the bitterness from the eggplant and also remove excess moisture.

Weigh In

Weight Last Week: 157

Weight This Week: 155.9

Difference of: –1.1

This makes my total loss since January 2009 right at 54lbs.

High/Lows

Highs

• I have LOVED eating vegetarian meals this week. I have had some great food and haven’t felt deprived of anything.
• I ran! For the first time in 4 weeks and it was awesome!
• I was more active this week.
• I was able to help some friends this week. I think it’s always a high point to help others!
• Losing a pound is an awesome loss, that is a high for sure!

Lows

• Work continues to be a point of constant stress and exhaustion. That’s led me to a lot of late night comfort eating. I know shouldn’t be doing it as I’m reaching for the 3rd or 4th snack of the night, but I continue to get it anyway.
• I didn’t track much this week. I have to get better about that.
• I’ve had a lot of “I don’t know how I’m going to keep this up over the summer” thoughts and thoughts about just going “off plan” for the summer. I have been having lots of “talks” with myself.
• Like last summer (due to work, etc.) I’m starting to become introverted and hermit like.

I think for the next week, I have a lot of work to do on myself in the mental department. I also need to stop being hard on myself. I know this is a crazy-busy time of year for me and I know it lasts at least 3 months. It happens every year. Things won’t always be smooth and obstacles will constantly be thrown in my way. I need to roll with the punches.

Tonight I am making Caribbean Jerk Chickpea Burgers with a Mango ‘Slaw and I will be sure to post the recipe! I am excited to fool around in the kitchen after work. It’s such a huge stress reliever for me.

Ok, this has been a LONG post! Sorry ‘bout that! :)

What was your High and Low this week? Got any fun weekend plans?

A meatless week? You don’t say.

 

I hope you guys had great weekends! I did. I had a lot of laid back time, I spent some time with friends. I made it to the gym. I did a lot of reading. I’m reading the Sookie Stackhouse Novels…yeah, I’ve been living in a vacuum for about 4 days. I had to force myself to put it down to cook dinner last night!

I have decided to challenge myself to have a week full of meatless dinners! I’m a little nervous, but excited. I’ll share the good recipes with you! Speaking of which…

Last night I made Polenta Muffins! I love polenta but I have never made it myself so I was a bit nervous. There weren’t any fancy ingredients, it seemed simple enough.

Polenta Muffins (6 servings, 4pts per serving)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups hot water
16 oz. (1 bag) broccoli florets, thawed, drained and chopped
1/4 of an onion minced
1 cup chopped asparagus
1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped
2 cups 1% milk
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder (to taste)
1 cup uncooked stone-ground yellow corn meal
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp butter

Instructions

Lightly coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray, set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large heavy bottomed pot, combine water, milk and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce health to medium-low and slowly add a little bit of cornmeal at a time whisking constantly. Continue to cook, stiring frequently until the polenta has the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Stir in vegetables, butter and 3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese. Spread polenta mixture evenly into the 12 prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle the reamining Tbsp of Parmesan cheese on the top and place in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Cool for 25 minutes, serve at room temperature.

Packed full of vegetables, 2 of these muffins=1 serving. I made 6 servings, I figured I could have them for lunches or have 1 as a side dish to a meal later on in the week. Adapted from the WW Deep-Dish Polenta Pie recipe.

Now, these sound time intensive, but they are SOOOO worth it. Absolutely tasty and very filling! I can think of a ton of different vegetables to try mixing in. Which is a good thing, since I now have a bag of corn meal to use. :)

Here are the meals for the rest of the week! So, stay tuned! ;)

Tuesday – Baked Tofu with Spaghetti Squash Mac & Cheese

Wednesday – Eggplant Parmesan (I have to document how I make it)

Thursday – Caribbean Jerk Chickpea Burgers (This I will be doing on the fly)

Friday – Leftovers, I’m sure there will be some!

I needed to mix things up a little bit! I think this will be fun.

I just got back from the gym, I did 45 minutes on the stationary bike, with a book in hand! I find that reading on the stationary bike makes the time fly by. A terrific start to Tuesday!

What’s your favorite meatless meal? I’m always looking for new ones to try! :)

Presto Pesto

 

Yesterday I mentioned that I made a batch of home made gnocchi and ohmygoodnessiminlove! Especially after I made this sauce to go on top of it. This was my Meatless Monday.

Presto Pesto (1 pt per serving, 2 servings)

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw spinach   
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese  
2 tsp minced garlic  
2 Tbsp vegetable broth
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Instructions

Combine the above and blend.

It’s that simple. This pesto would be good on anything. I left out the pine nuts due to the husband’s allergy, plus, I’m not a huge fan of them.  I had it on gnocchi with a side of zucchini and onions. It was an amazing dinner.

I was famished by dinner time because I…MADE IT TO THE POOL!!!!

 

Before	After

Swimming laps is HARD WORK! I had my Blackberry in a Ziploc bag beside the pool because I’m on call for work. I wouldn’t normally have taken pictures, but after my behavior the past week and a half, you guys should be demanding proof of my workouts. I did 20 minutes of serious laps, stopping for a 1 minute break every 5 minutes or so. I did a mixture of freestyle, back stroke and breast stroke. I also spent 5 minutes before and after really stretching out my knee in the water. It felt so good! I am so lucky to have an indoor pool at my amenity center. I can’t believe I haven’t been using it!

So, I give myself a Gold Star for Monday. I know one good day, does not get me back on the wagon, but at least I feel as if I can see the wagon now!

I want to thank you all for your encouragement and support yesterday. My heart is full.  I was really surprised by how many of you appreciated my honesty. I promise to lay it all out there, if it helps someone feel like they are not alone. This journey is hard. We have to support each other.

I just got back from the gym where I did 22 minutes on the Elliptical, some arm weights and crunches. I didn’t have nearly enough time as I had hoped I would, we seem to be having a smoke detector issue at our home this morning, I spent 15 minutes climbing up and down on a stool changing batteries. I think that totally should count as exercise.

I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday!

Tuesday – Real creative title, I know.

 

First and foremost, last night’s Meatless Monday, Sweet Potato with  Warm Black Bean Salad was phenomenal. I’m not going to repost the recipe, because I pretty much followed it, but I did add some onions, cooked the black bean mixture on the stove top and omitted the cilantro. I served it with some brussels sprouts on the side. Yummy! The sweetness from the sweet potato mixes with the smokiness of the beans and the coolness of the sour cream (I used plain greek yogurt) is just very wonderful. I’ll be making it again and again.

I have been resting my knee since Thursday. It still hurts. It’s getting better, it’s not swollen anymore. I would rather rest for a week than not be able to run again. I was going to gingerly try the elliptical today, but I woke up with quite a bit of pain again. However, instead of the pain being all over the top of my left knee, it’s localized to one spot. It’s becoming manageable, but I’m afraid to push it.

I am trying hard to keep my spirits up. Activity has been such a huge part of my journey for me this time that occasionally I begin to panic that because I’m not being very active, I’m going to gain all the weight back overnight! I know that isn’t the case. I know I still have to be mindful of what I eat. I know there are still exercises I can do, I just have to do them.

I went from the girl that never left to the couch to the girl that can’t just sit on the couch. I never imagined that would happen!

I don’t really have much to update about…since I’ve been kind of resting. I promise that as soon as I have something exciting to share, you’ll be one of the first to know! :)

Some things you might have missed:

I posted a Simple Sunday French Toast recipe on Sunday.

Don’t forget to enter my CSNStores.com $60 gift card giveaway!

Have you had an exercise or activity related injury? How did you keep from going stir crazy? Help a sister out. I’m freaking out here!

Meatless Monday – My new favorite soup

 

First off, for this recipe, you’ll need a blender. Check out mine, I think it’s older than ME! I inherited it from my Mom and I can’t bring myself to replace it. My Crockpot happens to be from the same era. Vintage rocks, get over it. :)

 My blender is more badass than your blender.  

Last night wasn’t cold by any means, but I was craving soup.  I wanted something hearty but light. I have been wanting soup a lot lately, so I took to the kitchen and this is what I made:

White Bean and Spinach Soup with an Italian Twist (4pts per serving, 2 large servings)

Ingredients

1 tsp vegetable oil  
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped   
2 garlic cloves, minced  
16 oz (1 can) Cannellini (White Kidney) Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup canned diced tomato - Italian Style 
7 oz Fat-free vegetable broth  
1/2 tsp black pepper  
1 tsp ground thyme  
1 tsp Italian Seasoning  
1/2 cup water   
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped 
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Cook onion in oil until tender. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring continuously. Stir in beans, broth, diced tomato, pepper, thyme, Italian seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, reduce and then simmer for 15 minutes.
With slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the bean mixture from soup and set aside.
In blender at low speed, blend the remaining soup in small batches until smooth.***
Bring blended soup to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach, reserved bean mixture and cook 2-3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat and serve.

On the side, I served some Baby Crostinis that I made using 1pt hot dog buns! Aren’t they adorable!? I just cut them into the appropriate shape, sprayed them with non-stick spray, used a little Parmesan Herb seasoning and toasted them in a 400 degree oven for about 4 minutes per side. Watch it closely though!

I also added a little bit of red pepper flakes to the soup, but I left that out of the recipe because I know everyone doesn’t like the heat like I do. I can’t tell you how much I love this soup because I would seriously just sound insane, but I LOVE this soup. I am going to make a giant batch of it and freeze it so I can have more than 2 servings. It’s THAT good.

*** I feel it’s important to say, when blending hot liquids in a blender, ALWAYS use a towel to hold the lid of the blender on. Never turn the blender on High right away, pulse slowly and then carefully remove the middle part of the top to let the steam out if the lid wants to come off on you. I in no way shape or form speak from experience here….

Go make this soup. Now. Go. It’s amazing. I promise!

Original inspiration and cooking instructions came from this recipe at AllRecipes.com.

Meatless Monday – Lemon Veggie Orzo

 

This is a very light, quick and easy dish. It will be a perfect dish to carry you through Spring and Summer and would be great for entertaining! I give you…

Lemon Veggie Orzo (4 pts per serving, 2 servings)

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked orzo  
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped  
1/2 cup asparagus, chopped   
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped  
1/2 cup tomato, chopped  
1 tsp olive oil  
2 Tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese  
2 Tbsp lemon juice, canned or bottled  
1 clove garlic minced  
7 oz vegetable broth

Instructions

Heat oil and some non-stick cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in orzo and allow to brown while stirring for 2 minutes.

Add all other ingredients (except cheese) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and allow to simmer until orzo absorbs all the liquid.

Serve topped with 1 tbsp of parmesan cheese.

I had 1 cup of Campbell’s Garden Broccoli Boxed Soup on the side. It’s not too bad for store bought soup and only 1 weight watcher point per serving.

Toasting the orzo before hand gives it a wonderful nutty flavor. The vegetables stay crisp too with tons of flavor from the lemon juice and garlic. I could easily eat 2 servings of this if I didn’t have the soup on the side!

I realized that I forgot to post my meal plan for the week! Sorry about that, obviously, this was Monday’s meal…

Tuesday: Spaghetti with Turkey Sausage

Wednesday: Mexican Kiwi Tostadas

Thursday: Herb Parmesan Tilapia

Friday: My friend Kelly’s Buckets & Buckets birthday party on the beach…buckets of chicken and buckets of daiquiris.

I am still trying to make a decision about the 2 Sunday 5ks this month. I would really like to do the one on Sunday, but I’m not sure it’s realistic with my current weekend plans and the one on Mother’s day doesn’t really interest me to participate in. So, we’ll see what happens there. It might be one of those “morning of” registrations. Surprise, I just ran a 5k! Booyah!

Yesterday I had a great workout. I did 22 minutes on the Elliptical, 25 minutes of total body weight training and 10 minutes on the stationary bike. It was nice to have a focused workout that didn’t involve running…but, this morning, I run. And, I’m off! :)

Meatless Monday – Black Bean Quesadillas

 

After a long hard day at work, my best form of relaxation is…well, I have 2, either a glass of wine or music playing a little too loud while I dance around my kitchen cooking dinner. (And since I try to never lie…sometimes both) I’m by myself at home a lot, thankfully, otherwise the husband would probably kill me for the music part since we have an open floor plan. However, that’s exactly what I did last night. I turned on the new John Mayer album (it’s really good, I promise!) and just started cooking. I had an idea of what I wanted to do, here is what I ended up with. I hope you try them, they are YUM. Of course, I would never share anything with you that I didn’t think was YUM. ;)

 Black Bean Quesadillas (5 points per serving)

Ingredients

4 Mission® White corn tortillas  
7 1/2 oz canned black beans  
1 1/2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped  
1/4 cup salsa  
1 Tbsp Taco seasoning  
1/3 cup Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Shredded Mexican-Style Cheese  
1/3 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed  
1 tsp vegetable oil, divided

Instructions

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir in onion and cook until soft. Stir in beans and corn, add salsa and taco seasoning. Cook until heated through.
Spray large skillet with vegetable oil and a little cooking spray, place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle with half of the cheese, top with half of the bean mixture. Place 2nd tortilla on top. Cook until golden brown and then flip.

I served mine with some fat free plain Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) and some steamed green beans with Mrs. Dash. I love my veggies simple sometimes. This is a very filling recipe! Would be an easy switch from a beef or chicken quesadilla for a picky eater. My recipe (like all of my recipes unless otherwise noted) makes 2 servings. Either to share or, as in my case, pack for lunch the next day.

Today is my first day of a 2 day work conference. Oh Mighty Healthy Food Fairy, where ever you are, please me on my side. I think the best way to start what is bound to be another stressful day, is with a little Yoga. I’m having a hard time getting into a work out routine this week now that I’m finished with my training schedule.

How do you de-stress after a long day at work?

Don't forget, if you live near the Wilmington, NC area, I have a proposition for you!

Tonyne’s Fancy Eggplant Cutlets

 

Just a recipe and a video for today folks, hope that’s ok!

Tonyne’s Fancy Eggplant Cutlets (5 points per 2 slices)

1 medium raw eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cutlets  
1/2 cup Progresso Panko crispy bread crumbs - plain, with Italian seasoning sprinkled in 
1/4 cup fat-free egg white substitute  
1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped  
1/4 cup red onion
1 marinated artichoke heart, chopped
6 large olives, finely chopped, green & kalamata mixture
4 Tbsp fat-free ricotta cheese  
1/4 cup Kraft Reduced fat Italian style shredded cheese blend 

 

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Instructions

Bread eggplant slices using egg substitute and panko, cook in a 400* degree oven for 11 minutes per side.
Remove from oven when golden brown. Top each cutlet with 1tbsp of ricotta cheese and 1/4 of tomato & olive mixture. Top with 1 tbsp of Italian cheese blend and place under broiler until cheese melts.

Easy as pie and looks like a fancy dish! If you are going to have leftovers, dress the eggplant right before eating after reheating the cutlets in a toaster oven. I paired it with a serving of Roni’s Chilled Orzo and Pea Salad. It would make an excellent Meatless Monday dinner as well!

I leave you with a funny video of Chaser the Wonder Schnauzer. I gave him a squeak toy for his 3rd Birthday (which was Monday, but I forgot until yesterday! Oops!), watch his tongue every time it squeaks. :)

 

Heading out the door for a quick 2 mile run, the last run before my 10k on Saturday! 2 more days!

Happy Thursday y’all! :)

Meatless Monday – Sloppy Fauxs

 

Scheduled for Meatless Monday this week was a very yummy sounding Vegetarian Burrito Casserole that I was looking forward to making. I found the original recipe, had it “healthified” and everything. Monday rolled around, I have been really bothered by the pollen this year and when I got home I just felt terrible and the last thing I felt like making was that burrito casserole. Sometimes with meal planning, this happens.

I looked in my cupboards to see what I had on hand. I found some Sloppy Joe seasoning mix and I thought about being a kid and having a big old messy sloppy joe dripping down to my elbows. I thought “What the heck!” So I decided to make a vegetarian sloppy joe, except I’ll call it, Sloppy Faux. Here it is:

Sloppy Faux (4 points per serving)

Ingredients

• 1 cup(s) meatless soy crumbles   
  1 cup(s) zucchini, chopped
• 1/4 cup(s) red onion(s), finely chopped    
  3/4 cup(s) canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup(s) tomato(es), chopped   
• 2 tsp French's Sloppy Joe Seasoning   
• 2 slice(s) Nature's Own Light Honeywheat Bread, toasted   
• 1/4 cup(s) Kraft Cracker Barrel Shredded 2% milk reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese   

Instructions

Sauté zucchini and onion in pan and sauté until soft. Add soy crumbles, tomato sauce, chopped tomato and sloppy joe seasoning. Cook until done.
Place 1/2 of the mixture of on each piece of toast. Sprinkle each with 1/2 of the cheese and place under broiler under cheese is melty.

I served mine with some Butternut Squash Fries. I no longer enjoy food getting all over me when I eat it, so I’ve long since ate my Sloppy Joes (and now Fauxs) open faced with a knife and fork. Comfort food at it’s best which I took right to the front of the TV and settled in for the night.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get my Yoga done. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body. I was sound asleep by 10:30pm.

I’m off to run! Only 4 more days until my 10k, Yikes! :)

Are you bothered by pollen? This is my first year with any allergy problems…any advice? It’s awful!

Meatless Monday – BBQ Quron Pita Pizza

 

Are you wondering what Quron is? I was too when I first saw it. The grocery store where I shop put their entire stock on sale really cheap. This only really worried me more, but at 1 WW Point per cup, I wanted to give it a try. In case I really liked it, I bought 3 bags. It has been sitting in my freezer ever since. I know it was a huge leap of faith! I didn’t know what to do with it and I still didn’t know what it was, so I went to their website for information. It was there that I found out the following information about Quron:

Quorn is comprised of Mycoprotein. A fungus. Great.

Mycoprotein is a fungus which contains high-quality protein, enabling us to offer an alternative, purely vegetarian source of protein to meat. It is high quality because it has all 9 essential amino acids.

Now, that sounds like a lot of pros for a fungus. So I decided to give it a try. I love BBQ Chicken Pizza and I figured that enough BBQ Sauce can drown the taste of anything. So here’s my recipe for Meatless Monday…I give you:

BBQ Quron Pita Pizza

POINTS® Value:    6
Servings:  1

Ingredients

1 loaf/loaves Whole Wheat Pita Bread

1 cup(s) Quorn Tenders

4 slice(s) onion(s), cut in half

4 Tbsp barbecue sauce   

1 Tbsp vinegar   

1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced   

2 Tbsp Sargento Reduced-fat shredded Italian Blend cheese   

Instructions

Toast Pita loaf in a 400 degree oven until just crispy.

While pita bakes, sauté Quorn Tenders and onion in a non-stick pan sprayed with cooking spray until cooked through.

Combine BBQ Sauce, vinegar and garlic, set aside.

When the Quron mixture is done, add half of the BBQ sauce mixture and stir to coat.

Remove pita loaf from oven, top with remaining BBQ Sauce, then Quron mixture. Top with cheese and bake at 400 degrees until cheese is melted.

I paired it with a side salad and this made for a…FANTASTIC meal. The Quorn, to me, is textured and tastes VERY similar to chicken. I much prefer this to Tofu. My stocking up at the grocery store will be well worth it! I can’t wait to play some more with this stuff.

Since I started Meatless Mondays, I eat more meatless meals during the whole week. I generally eat between 3-4 vegetarian dinners (which turn into lunch leftovers the next day) a week! Am I giving up meat completely? No. I have no intention to do so at this time, but I did want to cut some of it out and I’m not having any trouble. I really enjoy trying new recipes and foods. There are so many fantastic meatless options! I really urge all of you to do at least 1 meatless night a week, just try it for 1 month. I promise, you won’t miss the meat! :)

Ok, now that I shared a recipe, it’s time to go run! I can’t believe my 10k is in less than 2 weeks! 2 days up at 5am…I think I’m getting my mojo back!

Did anyone see the Butler/Duke game last night? I’m a UNC fan through and through, always have been, so I was sad to see Duke win, but WOW that was some game! Butler played so well! 

Meatless Monday - Spinach & Pea Manicotti

Last night after work, I was drained. I didn't feel like doing anything. I did manage to do a little stress relief yoga and cook dinner for me and my friend Kelly. I used EatBetterAmerica.com's Three Cheese Manicotti recipe as a guideline. Below is the recipe how I modified it.



Spinach & Pea Manicotti

8 dried manicotti shells
Nonstick cooking spray
1/4 cup diced onions
1 cup chopped frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
3/4 cup frozen sweet peas (thawed)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fat free ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
3/4 cup egg white substitute
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 8oz. can of tomato sauce combined with garlic & onion powder & Italian seasoning to taste.(and 1/4 cup diced tomatoes if you have them available)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. Add onions, spinach, peas and garlic to hot skillet. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in ricotta cheese, ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese, the egg substitute, and Italian seasoning. Spoon filling into cooked manicotti shells.

3. Spread about 1/3 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti shells in individual baking dishes or large baking dish, overlapping shells slightly if necessary. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.

4. Bake, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes for individual baking dishes or 35 to 40 minutes for large baking dish or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese & Parmesan Romano. Bake for 5 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

This is a very exhausted me holding up the finished product.



This was a really good dish. I love the flavor of spinach and peas together! It reminded me a lot of Gina's Spinach Lasagna Rolls I made awhile back. I paired it with a spinach salad and it was a very filling meal. Kelly enjoyed it as well...we paired it with a glass bottle of red while we discussed our excitement for Girls Weekend.

This morning I had a pretty good run for a Tuesday! I seem to usually struggle on Tuesdays, but I'm not sure why. Today was good though.



While I was running, I kept thinking "I can't believe how much I love running". I really can't. I'm in shock at how much it's changed my life. I'm not the best runner or the fastest, but I have a passion for it that is almost equal to my love of food. :)

I want to thank you all for your amazing comments on my SELF magazine appearance. If you would have told me 1 year ago that I would be in a magazine that didn't focus on cheeseburgers, chubby chicks or beer I would have laughed you right out of town. I've come a long way baby, and I'm damn proud of it.


I want you all to take a minute and think about something for me. What have you done lately that makes you say "Damn! I'm proud of me!"? Tell me. :)

Meatless Monday – Vegetable Fajitas

 

Yesterday was one of those days. It seemed like no one had anything positive to say and everyone was full of negativity. By the end of the day, it had completely rubbed off on me. I thought the evening was ruined.

I got home, checked my mail and found a package from Zazzle. A gift from my amazing friend Heather.

Front	Back

How funny is that? If you read my blog regularly, you’ll know that I recently went 2 whole weeks without going to the grocery store. I used pantry items and frozen stuff to make my meals for a week. I told Heather I felt like I was on the TV Show Survivor at times! However, with way less bugs.

After I got my shirt my mood lifted, I cranked up some Bob Marley and started making the most incredible vegetable fajitas and spanish rice!

Not the best picture, but trust me it tastes amazing!

POINTS® Value:    5
Servings:  2

Ingredients

4 item(s) Mission White corn tortillas, warmed   

1 cup(s) onion(s), finely sliced   

1 item(s) bell pepper(s), Red - cut into strips

1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into small wedges

1 cup fresh spinach

1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced   

1 Tbsp vegetable oil   

1/4 cup(s) salsa   

2 tsp McCormick Ground cumin  

Instructions

1. Coat skillet with oil and heat on med-high. Add onions, peppers and garlic. Stir to coat and cover for 5 minutes.
2. Add squash, spinach, salsa, cumin (salt and pepper to taste), stir and then cover for another 5 minutes.
3. Serve on tortillas.

So amazingly delicious! Adding the squash only during the last 5 minutes helps the squash keep a hearty meat like consistency. I know yellow squash isn’t in season yet, but it looked so good at the store, I couldn’t help myself! It’s one of my favorite vegetables! Make this dish, you won’t be disappointed!

The spanish rice was super easy too! 1/2 cup brown rice, 1 cup water, 3/4 cup diced tomatoes, dash of cumin, dash of red pepper flakes, cook rice like normal, add 1/4 cup of frozen corn during the last 15 minutes. All done!

When I was done eating, the sun was still up! That is going to take some getting used to!

In other news, this getting up at 5am is working great. It’s 5:47am right now! It’s easier for me to get out of bed by telling myself “You don’t have to hit the ground running, just get up, relax and have some coffee.”

That being said, it’s time to get ready to run!

How do you deal with negative people? Do you ignore them or give them attitude? I tend to always reply back with attitude (shocking, I know!) and it kills my good mood.

Meatless Monday - Meat & Potato-less Shepherd's Pie

Last night's dinner was AMAZING. I knew I wanted to make a shepherd's pie using Soy Crumbles, but I wasn't sure what I had in my pantry to pull it all together. What turned out was a Meat and Potato-less Meal that tasted so amazing I couldn't wait to share it with you. It may not be the prettiest meal, but it's one of my new favorites.

I know what you're thinking..."there is no way that can taste good". But you're wrong. Soooo wrong.



Meat & Potato-less Shepherd's Pie

POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 3

Ingredients

2 cup(s) steamed and mashed* butternut squash,
1 can cream of broccoli soup
2 cup(s) frozen mixed vegetables (I used a green bean, corn, pea and carrot mix)
1 cup(s) meatless soy crumbles
1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced
1/4 cup(s) cooked onions
1/4 cup(s) shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
Salt, Pepper, Onion & Garlic Powder to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute onions and garlic in non-stick pan sprayed with cooking spray until soft. Add frozen vegetables and Soy Crumbles cook until just done. Add spices to taste.

Add cream of broccoli soup and 1/4 can of water, bring to a simmer.

Remove from heat and then place vegetable mixture in a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Top with mashed butternut squash and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until bubbly, place under broiler for approximately 5 minutes until cheese is lightly browned.

*I placed 1/2 of a butternut squash cut into cubes in a glass bowl with about 1/4 cup of water and microwaved for approximately 8 minutes and then mashed with a fork.

Here are a few of my meal ideas for the rest of the week:

Tuesday - Beef, Broccoli and Pepper Stir Fry
Wednesday - Crock-pot BBQ Shredded Chicken
Thursday - Lentil & Turkey Sausage Soup with Pasta
Friday - Leftovers

I'm trying to make it through this week without a trip to the grocery store, so I based my meals on pantry items or things I had available. I may or my not conduct my own iron chef battles alone in my kitchen.

I was supposed to run this morning but when I woke up the temperature was 40 degrees. I knew that this afternoon would be 65'ish degrees so I packed up my running gear and brought it to work. My plan is to go right out the door of my office and take off after work. If yesterday's stress level is any indication of today's, I will NEED to run.

How do you deal with work stress?

I know most of us have it. I used to eat and drink it away. Now I tend to do some sort of physical activity to release the tension.

Hit the Road Jack...

"You work impossibly fast. And your power over me is strong. You make my eyes close, against my will. And sometimes you take me away to a different time. you never eat or drink any thing. you don’t go into the sunlight. I know what you are."

"Say it. Out loud."

"Sleep Monster"

"Are you afraid?"

"No."

This morning, I totally gave into the power of the sleep monster. The bad part? I got up out of bed, brushed my teeth, got into my running clothes, had 1 shoe on and then took the shoe off and went back to bed in my running clothes. While sitting in the chair putting my shoes on I was hit with a wave of exhaustion, not just regular sleepiness, but absolute exhaustion. I don't have much exercise guilt about it because I have a 3 hour drive tonight after work and I would rather skip my run than fall asleep during the drive. Sometimes your body just lets you know when you need an extra hour of sleep.

I'm driving to Greensboro tonight to spend the weekend with these characters...


Please pardon my "wine lips" in the above pictures.

My Family! My sister (by choice, not by blood) Jen, my brother Ritch and my Mom, Mom. :) I always have so much fun when I go to visit! I miss them all terribly. It's only a 3.5 hour drive but due to my work schedule I don't get to visit as often as I'd like, which is probably a good thing because my healthy eating habits tend to go by the way side when you put me in their house which is always filled with goodies.

Last night's dinner was yummy!! It's a weight watcher's recipe for Creamy Butternut Squash Orzo. I made 1/2 of the recipe and I made note of my changes in bold.



Creamy Butternut Squash Orzo

1 spray(s) cooking spray
2 cup(s) butternut squash, cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter (I used Brumel and Brown yogurt butter)
1 cup(s) uncooked orzo
1 1/2 cup(s) water
1 cup(s) canned chicken broth
1 tsp thyme, fresh, or 8 whole sprigs (sprigs preferred) (I used dry)
2 Tbsp fat-free half-and-half (I used 1 Tbsp Fat Free Ricotta Cheese)
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh spinach chopped

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, toss squash with oil and salt; spread in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, leaving space between squash cubes. Roast, stirring halfway through, until squash is tender and lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add orzo. Stir constantly until orzo begins to smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Add water, broth and thyme sprigs and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 15 minutes. Add chopped spinach for the last 5 minutes.

Remove thyme sprigs; stir in half-and-half (or ricotta cheese), cheese and roasted squash. Season well with salt and pepper; serve. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

This was amazing decadent, simple and delicious. I will definitely be making it again. This is a great dish for entertaining because it's impressive. Not very pretty to look at, but amazing to taste!

I also made some roasted brussels sprouts (yes it is brussels sprouts not brussel sprout, although both are totally acceptable I think) which I tossed in 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, couple dashes of worcestershire, salt and pepper. I just threw them in the oven along side the squash, in a separate pan of course.

This would make a great Meatless Monday meal too, of course you could have it any day of the week!

How do you guys prepare for road trips? Do you bring a snack or grab something at the store? I try and bring a piece of fruit and a drink (either Diet Snapple or Water) from home. I find it helps, but sometimes the lure of the fast food temptress is a powerful thing.

Meatless Monday, I think I love you...

"I think I love you, so what am I so afraid of, I'm afraid that I'm not sure of, a love there is no cure for..."

Did anyone else watch the Today show this morning? I'm pretty sure that song is going to end up on a running mix soon. I can't stop singing it. I could sing this song to last night's dinner, that's for sure! It was YUMMY. Yes, capitalization is required on that one!

I made Gina's Spinach Lasagna Rolls. If you haven't checked out her website SkinnyTaste.com yet, you really should. She has amazing recipes!



I followed her recipe closely, except I used whole wheat lasagna noodles, fat free mozzarella, and I added some dehydrated minced onion, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper to the ricotta cheese mixture. I also used a Parmesan/Reggiano blend grated cheese. I also used some canned tomato sauce that I jazzed up with red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powder. I probably only used 1/4 of the sauce the recipe calls for. I'm not huge into sauce and neither is Kelly (who joined me for dinner). We both thought this recipe was fantastic! I served it with a small Cesar salad on the side, light dressing of course.



You'll see this one again, you'll definitely be seeing variations of it again too! I love the rolls, it's simple and makes such a beautiful presentation. Ok, I'm stopping now. :) Thanks Gina for a great recipe!

This morning I had a run scheduled for 30-45 minutes. I ran for 40 slow minutes. I'm not feeling 100%, but I am proud that I did it. The Sleep Monster almost won.



I knew I needed to get up and run though, and I need to get a lot of exercise and healthy eating in this month because on the 27th, I have reservations to eat with 9 of my girlfriends at The Lady & Sons in Savannah! And later that day, a Haunted Pub Crawl! You can bet your heavily buttered buns I'm going off-plan that day! Will I feel bad? Not one bit. It's all about balance. There will be much walking involved too...from one bar, to the next. :) Half kidding...

So many of you are excited and amped up for March! Reading your comments yesterday gave me motivation! I can't wait to see where this month takes us! :)

Meatless Monday and a Letter

Let me start with Meatless Monday.

Bell Pepper & Tomato Soup

With my changes

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 medium onion, diced
6 baby carrots, chopped
1/2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/4 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
3/4 medium sweet red pepper, charred under the broiler and the skin peeled off*
3 3/4 oz fat free vegetable broth
5 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper


Instructions
In a large pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic, stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion and carrot. Cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

Add Italian seasoning and Red Pepper Flakes, cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add peppers. Cook until begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Note: You do not need to cook peppers if they are charred and peeled.

Add broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover; simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, half-and-half and sugar. Purée in small batches; briefly reheat, if needed. Yields 1 cup per serving. Makes 2 servings.

* Place peppers skin-side up on a foiled-lined baking sheet. Broil until blackened, about 15 minutes. Place in a zip-close plastic bag for 10 minutes. Remove charred peels with hands.

The grilled cheese, I just used Sandwich Thins and Reduced fat Provolone with a little Brumel and Brown.

It was...ok. I don't know if it's because I left the cream out (I only made it for 2 and it would have been like 1/4 of a Tbsp, why bother!) but it tasted almost more like a sauce. It would probably be really good on chicken or pasta! I am eating it today for lunch regardless though. It has great flavor just a weird consistency for me.

Next order of business. I would like to write a letter.

Dear TOM, Aunt Flo, and other aliases,

We have been together for a long time. I thought we had each other figured out. I know I'm getting up in my years, I'll be 30 next month after all, but is this really necessary? I know you're there, I don't need you to remind me with intense cramping and an insatiable need for junk food. I definitely didn't need you slowing me down on my run this morning, making my legs feel like lead and making me feel unrealistically exhausted even after I gave you 8 hours of peaceful sleep.

Regardless of your petty and immature ways to try and win my affection all the while reminding me that the biological clock is ticking (real smooth by the way), I still got up and ran this morning. That's right, 3 miles. They might not have been very fast miles, but I finished in 32 minutes and I will take that as a victory over you. After all, I couldn't let you win again after last night, the doughnuts, chex mix and M&Ms you convinced me to eat after dinner...now could I?

Now, let's get through the rest of the week without any more incidents and maybe I will let you have a cup of Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding...how's that sound?

Thanks for listening,

Tonyne's Uterus