Worldless Wednesday: Definition of Calories

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Wordless Wednesday: Oops!

photo courtesy of worth1000

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Hot Dish: Coconut Curry Shrimp

I found this recipe in my weekly Weight Watchers newsletter, looked so delicious that I had to try it immediately. Well, I was not disappointed; this was amazing! Even Beren-the-Junk-Food-King enjoyed it, and that's saying something!

I have a cooking challenge I'd like to share with you all: since we're alone up here I'm usually cooking for just the two of us, no kids, and I'm finding it difficult. I'm not used to making such small portions and for the first couple of weeks I found myself with too many leftovers. Some of them could be frozen and I did so, but others, not so much. I hate wasting food (money) and the time it takes to prepare meals, so I'm finally learning to pare down the recipe so there's just enough for two. It sounds silly but as a mom of a large-ish family, this feels foreign to me! Well, I tried it for the first time last night on this recipe and must admit, it worked perfectly. No waste & no leftovers which means no temptation to grab seconds!

Does anyone else have this problem? Empty nesters or young couples struggling with this issue? I could use some tips & tricks!



Coconut Curry Shrimp
Weight Watchers Recipe

Course: main meals
PointsPlus® Value: 8
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 8 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

A classic combination that’s easy to spice up or cool down. If you like a looser sauce, add 1/2 cup of water to the coconut milk.

Ingredients
2 spray(s) cooking spray
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp curry powder, mild or hot, to taste
1/2 tsp table salt
3 medium scallion(s), thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
1/2 cup(s) light coconut milk
1 pound(s) shrimp, large, shelled and deveined
3 cup(s) cooked brown rice
Instructions

Coat a medium to large skillet with cooking spray; add oil and set over medium heat. When heated, add curry powder and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until curry is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add white parts of scallions; cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes more. Add coconut milk; stir to blend. Add shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green parts of scallions; serve. Yields about 5 to 6 shrimp, 3/4 cup rice and 1 to 2 tablespoons sauce per serving.

Notes:

Add cilantro, hot peppers or tomatoes for a completely different twist.
Serve this recipe with fresh pineapple, mango or papaya to cut the spice (will affect PointsPlus values).



Beren's car broke down (again) yesterday so he took mine to work. This means I will be housebound for most of the day. Not a problem, there's more than enough to keep me busy around here. I'm hoping the weather cooperates and I can take Loki for a little walk, then perhaps I'll do some research on Cooking for Two.

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Time for Change

Those of you who read my other blog know that Beren and I are out of town for an extended period of time. While Beren spends most of the weekdays, and some weekends, working, I putter around the house, shop, do crafts, read, basically whatever the heck I want to do. It's really lovely, having all of this time to myself. But having so many hours in the day to spend on just me, I have absolutely no excuse for not taking care of myself, for not exercising, for not cooking and eating properly, for not staying on my eating plan. I've decided to take this opportunity and use it for some serious self-improvement, some extreme self-care. I've been taking my vitamins, applying my moisturizers, deep conditioning my hair, expanding my mind while exploring the city...all wonderful, positive things. But I have not been exercising enough, or eating even 50% On Program. So it should be no surprise to me that my jeans are a little bit tighter, that I'm not as happy with what I see in the mirror, or in photos...



So today I got up and logged on to Weight Watchers, found a local center and attended a meeting. I bought the Monthly Pass, a program which is not available down south. Weigh-in wasn't pleasant but it wasn't a complete shock either: 166.4. I have gained back 10 of the 20 pounds I lost last year. Rather than beat myself up over it, though, I took a deep breath, smiled and re-committed to this weight loss journey.



Interestingly enough, today's meeting topic was about time management. And, coincidentally, most of the other attendees (older retired folks) are in the same boat as myself; they have plenty of time to take care of themselves. No children or jobs to use as reasons/excuses. Our leader Barbara talked to us about that, asking what, other than lack of time, prevents us from doing what we know we have to do to achieve success. For me it's a combination of laziness and a little bit of anxiety that leads to overeating. Being up here, while a luxury, is also taking me away from some of the things I love at home: my kids, my cats, my house, my friends. Even, though I can't say I really miss it, my job. I'm sorting through these emotions, coming to terms with the touch of homesickness, learning to detach from my grown daughters just a bit in order to create healthier (less dependent) relationships. Now I just need to add the next component: finding other ways to deal with the emotions other than stuffing them down with food. Smarter choices would be:

* Taking Loki for a neighborhood walk
* Taking myself for a long stroll on the beach
* Exploring, by foot, the museums and local attractions nearby
* Visiting the health food store and farmers market for fresh fruit & veggies
* Distracting myself and/or talking myself through the anxious, sad times
* Sharing my feelings with Beren and asking for his support, and not in the form of a fried mozzarella stick *grin*

Do you all have any other suggestions? Thoughts?

I'm going to read through my WW pamphlets as if I'm a new member, starting fresh for the first time, then plan a new recipe for dinner. I'm looking forward to hearing from you all..

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Wordless Wednesday: Morning Walk

Sorry I Haven't Written

Dear Readers,

I hope a few of you are still hanging in there with me despite my absence. I've been busy lately pursuing other interests and starting new adventures, but never fear, I haven't forgotten my friends here nor my pin-up pursuit!

If you're curious, please take a peek at my other blog for updates on my life in general, and I promise to be back very soon with a fresh new blog post!

In the meantime, have a beauty-full day!

Early Bird

Those of you who read my other blog know that I'm struggling with some "emtpy-ing nest" issues. Last night we came home to a dark, quiet house, a very strange and unusual occurrence for us. We made the best of it, enjoying a cocktail-by-candlelight on the patio, then turned in early. I slept well but found myself wide awake half an hour before the alarm went off. Hmm..5:15 am, empty house, sweetie snoozing..what to do? Since there was no one to worry about waking in the Kids' Wing, I headed to my Mom Cave, usted off the treadmill, turned on the DVR and logged 30 minutes, burning over 200 calories rather effortlessly. Yippee! It felt great to move my body again and set the tone for what is sure to be a successful, On Program day!

I already fueled my body with a yummy breakfast sandwich..



and I have the rest of today's food portioned and packaged in the refrigerator, already logged in my journal.



My Monday is off to a great start, how about yours?

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Wordless Wednesday: How Times Have Changed!

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Bosom Buddies

Everything is better in pairs, don't you think? Shoes..popsicles..men..oops, no, maybe not the last one..wink...

I'm thrilled to report that my dear friend Susan has decided to join WW online and become my in-real-life weight loss buddy! She and I have traveled this road before, both of us losing weight on Weight Watchers as well as other commercial diet plans, but we both agree that for these last stubborn pounds, WW, and the buddy system, is the way to go!



I look forward to sharing recipes, POINTS+ values, and exercise tips with my dear friend and celebrating our successes together!

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Wake-Up Call

I've been struggling a bit, dear readers, seemingly unable to put my fork down and pick myself up off the couch. Other than regular daily activity, I've done very little in the way of exercise. I've been eating everything in sight, consuming too many empty (white) calories and too few fruits & veggies. I could give a list of reasons (stress, worry, life changes) but really, there's no excuse. Starting today, I decided to finish off what JC I have on hand and go back to WW online. I know, I know, you've heard it all before and I don't blame you for the eye-rolling. But honestly, after a lot of soul-searching (and a good hard look at my financial budget) it's the smartest decision, the best path for me to take for the rest of my journey.

The scale this morning read 157.8, about a 4 pound gain from my lowest point a few months ago. I'm still (barely) under 160 and that's the magic number, my wake-up call. My jeans are a little snug and I'm not as comfortable in my skin, time to to wake up and smell the coffee.

Because I tend to overindulge on the weekends, I changed my official weigh-in day to Monday. I'm hoping that this a) keep me accountable and b) allow me to save those extra POINTS+ for the times when I really need them.

Today has been fairly easy so far but I do have to remind myself to bulk up on the (free) veggies & fruit and to avoid the higher POINTS+ snacky food. Beren took me out to lunch, a rare occurrence on a weekday, and watching him devour a Ruben sandwich & french fries was not easy, but I made myself stick with the turkey burger and steamed broccoli. It was still higher POINTS+ meal than I would've eaten at home but I did the best I could and am pleased with it. I'll make a lower POINTS+ dinner tonight to compensate.

Hope you're all doing well, thank you for hanging in there with me.

Hugs,

The Horrors!

Well, all good things must come to an end. Days of snacking on junk food to appease the PMS monster along with 4th of July feasting finally took their toll. I stepped on the scale this morning and shrieked in horror at the number displayed. I don't even want to reveal it here because I even though I "earned" it, I know that a couple pounds are due to *TOM* and water weight and won't be here for long. Irregardless, I'm definitely up a few pounds and need to take care of that, pronto.

So, yesterday I went back to Jenny Craig and purchased a week's worth of meals, made an appointment to meet with my counselor next Thursday. My budget couldn't really afford the full week of JC but it's the quickest way to get back on track; I'll figure it out somehow. Fortunately I have a full freezer and pantry so no one's going to starve if I don't do a big grocery trip this week.

It's interesting, after being away from Jenny for a little while, I actually appreciate "her" more. The food tastes fresh & tasty, and I'm enjoying the new meals they've introduced. I already had my "dessert" for today, Key Lime Pie. Heavenly, and guilt-free. Along with a cheese omelet for breakfast and mac & cheese for lunch, it was just what I needed today.

Tomorrow: back on the treadmill. Wish me luck!

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Pasta Ole!

In planning tonight's dinner, I knew I wanted to use up some of the 4th of July leftovers, in a healthy way. Plugging some ingredients into Allrecipes.com, I came up with this unique pasta recipe, Mexican Pasta. I tweaked the ingredients a bit, using the raw veggies and grilled corn that I had on hand and using Ro*tel tomatoes for flavor. I also eliminated the oil (and a bunch of calories) by using olive oil cooking spray. Knowing that my family isn't really fond of onions, I also cut the quantity down to just one.

Pasta Ole!

1/2 pound seashell pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes (Ro*tel preferred)
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
salt and pepper to taste




Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

While pasta is cooking, cook onions and pepper in non-stick pan sprayed with cooking oil until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Stir in corn and heat through. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, salsa, olives, taco seasoning and salt and pepper and cook until thoroughly heated, 5 minutes.

Toss sauce with cooked pasta and serve.

Note: I topped my serving with a scant teaspoon of this delicious Mexican cheese..



The result? Exquisito!

Post-Holiday Red, White & Blues

After a day of white carby, sugary indulgences..






Today I re-fueled with reds, blues, and lots of greens!




Dinner tonight is a Sparkpeople recipe using a Flat-Out wrap. I can't wait to dig in!

Sailing into the 4th!

Beren and I are super-busy preparing for the festivities happening at the Castle tomorrow, still have cleaning & decorating and cooking to do. Here's another yummy berry-filled recipe for you, a tasty addition to our 4th of July menu!




Hope you're all having a fabulous weekend so far!

Countdown to the 4th

Today's recipe is not quite as low-calorie as the previous I've posted but I can't imagine a cook-out without my mother's potato salad! Since I haven't been able to dig up her exact recipe, I did a Google search in hopes of finding something similar. This one from Betty Crocker looks just about right. You can substitute light mayo to cut the fat & calories a bit but I think I'll just have a small portion of the real thing. *smile*




Favorite Potato Salad

A must for picnics! This classic potato salad takes only 10 minutes of hands-on prep time.

Prep Time
10 Minutes

Total Time 4:50 Hrs:Mins

Makes 10 servings

6 medium boiling potatoes (2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
4 hard cooked eggs, chopped

Scrub potatoes. Leaves skins on if desired, or peel thinly and remove eyes.
Heat 1 inch water (salted if desired) to boiling; add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Cool slightly; cut into cubes (about 6 cups).
Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in 4-quart glass or plastic bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion; toss. Stir in eggs. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Makes 10 servings (about 3/4 cup each)

To keep this and other mayonnaise-based salads cold while at a picnic, place the serving container in a bowl filled with ice.

Time Saver:
You can buy hard-cooked eggs in the deli section or next to the meat case of most grocery stores.

Nutrition Information:

Calories 340
(Calories from Fat 260 ),
Total Fat 29 g
(Saturated Fat 5 g,
Cholesterol 105 mg;
Sodium 480 mg;
Total Carbohydrate 17 g
(Dietary Fiber 2 g,
Protein 4 g;

Have a Beauty-Full Day,