Day One: Ready to Go!

Today is the official first day of my re-commitment to myself. I've already done my 30-minute walk, this time to my neighborhood park, and am planning the daily menu. Since Beren is sick with a cold and wants nothing but canned chicken soup (ewwww!) and grilled cheese sandwiches, I'm on my own for dinner. I'm sure I'll work off a couple of calories playing nursemaid though, right? *wink*


Anyway...I found half a butternut squash along with various other veggies in my crisper drawer, so I'm going to toss together a version of Weight Watcher's Zero-Point soup in the crockpot, along with Hungry Girl's Squash-tastic Shepherd's Pie. I'll be substituting veggie crumbles for the turkey but don't plan on changing the Points + values as I imagine it's about the same and I'm too lazy busy to run the ingredients through the Recipe Builder.

Squash-tastic Shepherd's Pie

---

PER SERVING (1/4th of pie): 283 calories, 9g fat, 650mg sodium, 25.5g carbs, 4g fiber, 5.5g sugars, 25g protein -- PointsPlus® value 7*

Prep:
15 minutes

Cook:
55 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 lb. raw lean ground turkey
• 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• Dash each garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper
• 3/4 cup fat-free gravy
• 1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place squash in a large microwave-safe dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook the squash in the microwave for 12 - 14 minutes, until the squash is soft. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until slightly browned, 2 - 3 minutes.

Raise heat to medium high. Add turkey, chopped garlic, 1/4 tsp. of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook and crumble until the turkey is fully cooked, about 12 minutes.

Drain any excess liquid from the skillet, and transfer the mixture to a casserole dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Evenly top with gravy, followed by frozen mixed veggies. Set aside.

Drain the excess water from squash and mash well. Add butter and remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt and mix thoroughly. Evenly layer the squash mixture over the mixed veggies.

Bake in the oven until the topping is slightly crispy, 20 - 25 minutes. Enjoy!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS
The rest of my day is up in the air, might tackle a home organizational project or catch up on some reading.

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Happy New Year!

Yes, you read that right. You see, Halloween (otherwise known as Samhain) is considered the Witch's New Year. So, in that light of that, I'm making my New Years affirmations today instead of the traditional January 1st date.

As I have fallen a bit off the wagon thanks to the cruise and other reasons excuses, I'm taking this opportunity to get back on track as far as my eating & exercise. I'm re-committing to myself on this 1st day of the new year.

My plan is to:

• exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 days per week, whether that be via the treadmill or a walk on the beach or park, depending upon which house we're living in
  
• follow Weight Watchers' "healthy checks" which include at least 8 glasses of water, 8 servings of fruits & veggies, etc.
  
• consume less processed junk, more clean eating
  

Anyone else want to start fresh with me today?

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

Bon Voyage!

Beren and I are headed off on an adventure, a 4-night Caribbean cruise! Have a wonderful week, "see" you later!

Marvelous Monday!

Yes, I can say that now: today is indeed a marvelous Monday because even after a fun weekend..




I still got good news from the scale this morning: 165. It's not much but the numbers are finally moving down once again. Yay! The key is, of course, moderation. I chose a veggie pizza, and I certainly didn't eat all of it in one sitting. I had wine, but only one glass, and I shared that pretzel with my sweetie. I also did tons of walking, logging my Activity Points+ via my pedometer.

I'm looking forward to what the rest of the week brings, how about you?

Have a Beauty-Full Day,

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,