WW Wed.

It's been an amazing week on Weight Watchers! I was VERY skeptical about the change they have made lately with the program, but turns out I really love it! I love the fact that fruits and veggies are now free. I don't really have any tricks up my sleeve yet to share with you but here is what I have been eating: For breakfast I have been craving 3 boiled egg whites (1 point for all three) and of course oranges, bananas, and grapes. I get stuffed in the mornings and all for 1 point! That's awesome! For lunch, I just do my usual Smart One or Progresso Soup. I have had so many points left over every night- seems it is impossible to use them all. Especially with the 49 weekly points we get, which I call those "emergency points" because I act as though they do not exist unless I find myself in a position of not being able to count points. I noticed Gina is translating all of her yummy recipes to match the new point system. Here's what I'm cooking this weekend:

Oven Fried Chicken

from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 drumstick • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 170.7 • Fat: 6.6 g • Protein: 14.5 g • Carb: 14.7 g • Fiber: 3.1 g

6 medium bone-in skinless drumsticks
2 1/2 cups bran flakes
3 tsp kosher salt, less if you are using regular salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
5 tbsp Hellman's light mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Oil spray

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with foil and set a rack above. Spray rack with oil.
Crush cereal in a food processor or chopper. In a bowl mix crushed cereal with salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Place in a shallow dish or zip lock bag.
Combine mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Using a cooking brush, brush onto chicken then coat chicken with crushed cereal mixture. Place chicken on wire rack and spray with oil. Bake 35-40 minutes

And you better believe I plan on piling the free veggies on my plate to go with it! If you have any new ideas or recipes please e-mail me! Thank ya :)

Love, E

Deliciousness

Howdy. I don't know about you but the holidays just put me in a baking mood! Over the weekend I baked and baked.... and baked, until my feet hurt so bad from standing so long . I cleared out the kitchen, sent the boys on an adventure (so what if it was just Wal-mart) and got to baking! I usually eat one of everything I make, just to try it, but it's the baking that's fun for me. This is good because I DID NOT translate any recipe into Weight Watchers points. I just baked and gave it away. :) Here is what I made:

Original Toll House Chocolate Chip cookies:

Click ----------------------> here!

Chocolate covered Ritz crackers: best thing to ever be made for the holidays! Just take 2 Ritz crackers, spread peanut butter in between and then dip in melting chocolate. Set on wax paper and let harden. I dipped half in white chocolate and the rest in milk chocolate.

Chocolate drizzled pound cake: I had never made pound cake before so I googled until I found a fairly easy recipe and boy am I glad I did- this cake was so moist and good! Click here for the cake recipe. I used the left over melting chocolate and drizzled all over the cake.

Sprinkle pound cake: So... I saw this picture awhile back and saved it because I thought it was the prettiest little cake slices ever. I made up what I thought this cake was and voila! it turned out to be great! Just use the pound cake recipe from above and bake in a loaf pan. Make this glaze here and pour over cake right after it comes out of the oven and is still in the pan. Then cover the top of the cake with sprinkles and pour another layer of the glaze. Let sit until cooled. Carefully dump the cake out and slice into pretty little pieces. Isn't it festive!

 Oh yeah... and I added a few drops of lemon extract to the pound cake batter. :)

I put everything into cute little tins I found at Wal-mart for only $1 and $2 and gave them to the neighbors and our parents. I already have requests for more helpings :) What are you baking this holiday season?

Love, E

Weight Watchers Wed.

It's Wednesday and I am home today with the little one; he has the flu. Poor baby needed his mama to stay home and love him extra today. Plus the babysitter has the flu too. :(

How are you doing? Having trouble sticking to the plan? I have had some issues with drinking lots of coffee lately. Every morning and craving it at night too. I need to cut it out or it will take over. Remember me telling you about my Star Bucks addiction? That seriously CAN NOT happen again. Tomorrow I will be better. New start. I've lost 30 lbs. and need to lose 10 more by Christmas. That was my goal and I must achieve it. What's your goal?
It's cold here and I just keep craving something warm and deliciously homemade. No fast food. I can always count on Gina to give me what I am craving. This recipe is wonderful, filling, and low in points!

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup • Prep Time: 5 minutes
Calories: 171.9 • Fat: 1.6g • Fiber: 3.8g = 3 WW Points!
24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth

3 scallions, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra pts).

Give it a try! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :)

Love, E

WW Wed. (Tuesday)

Good morning! I am doing my Weight Watcher's Wed. post early this week because tomorrow all of us blogger friends will be having a day of silence for Summer B's daddy. I am sad to say he passed away this week due to cancer robbing his body. I hate cancer. Summer, I am praying for you baby girl. I am so sorry for your loss and hope that you can find peace and serenity in this time.
As far as WW goes... how is everyone doing? Are you worried about all the sweet treats on Halloween? You shouldn't! Just be smart about it and enjoy yourself. Some of our favorite candies are not as bad as you think and some are worse, but don't forget that you get 30 emergency points per week for things like this. Just don't go crazy kiddo! What's your poison??

 Candy Corn- 26 pieces= 3 points

Snickers- fun size bar= 2 points

Twizzlers- 6 pc. snack pack= 3 points

Butterfinger-fun size= 2 points

Milky Way- fun size= 1 point

Whoppers- 6 pc. pack= 1 point

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup- 1 cup= 2 points

KitKat Bar- fun size= 3 points

Willy Wonka Laffy Taffy- 5 mini bars= 3 points

Pixie Stix- 7 straws= 1 point

Nerds- 1 mini box= 1 point

According to Calorie King to burn 60 calories which would be those 7 pixie stick straws you just ate lol, you could do one of the following:

17 minutes walking

7 min. jogging

5 min swimming

9 min cycling

Not too bad!!!

I am not sure what the nutrition facts are on the treat I am making for our Halloween party, but I will let you know. Here is what I am making (recipe/idea came from Cheeky Kitchen)

I plan to replace the chocolate chips and heavy cream with sugar free chocolate pudding so that should help out a little with point consumption. They are just too cute and easy!

Peanut Boo!-ter Parfaits