bad blogger

So, here it goes again! I don't have time to blog everyday-I'm a busy girl after all!
In any event, weight watchers is going well! I'm down another 14 or so lbs, depending on the day!
Aside from weight watchers, I have been doing some other diet research, and have found a few other tricks that I think are working well.
The first one came from the Skinny Bitch book. While I read about the first chapter and decided those ladies are NUTS, I did get an idea from them. They claim that fruit is the perfect food. While it's loaded with fiber to fill you up, you should be able to digest most fruit in less than an hour. They suggested you eat 4 cups of raw fruit a day. They also suggested that when you eat fruit, don't eat other things with it. Eat it alone, and allow it to go through your system without getting bound up with the other stuff that takes longer to digest. I never was a fruit person before, but it is amazing how sweet fruit tastes when you aren't eating all the other sugar!
The other thing I am trying is to eat 5 small meals a day. Somedays it works, other days it doesn't. I don't beat myself up when it doesn't, I just try and go with the flow-and not stress out about it too much. The biggest loser books say to rank your hunger between 1 and 5. 1 being starving, 5 being miserable stuffed full. Try and stay between 2 and 3. Slightly hungry or content, not too full. Right now, I am at a 5 because I made some awesome food tonight, but like I said before, I'm not beating myself up about it.
I also cut out a lot of the "white stuff". No enriched flour for me! Whole wheat or nothing is my new style. I switched to whole grain pasta over a year ago, and now I like it almost better than regular. I also only eat brown rice, and try to eat whole wheat breads. I also really like the whole wheat tortillas.
So, I will leave you with a few recipes that I have found and really like!

Meatloaf Muffins
2lbs 93%lean ground beef
1 box stove top stuffing
2 eggs
1 c water
1 pkg onion soup mix

Mix all ingredients together, spray muffin pan with non stick cooking spray. Press equal amounts into 12 muffin cups, bake for 30 minutes at 350.
I added some chopped green pepper for some veggies, and of course a couple squirts of ketchup-cause what's meatloaf without ketchup?
Each muffin cup is 4 points (before ketchup). These are SUPER yummy, almost better than my regular meatloaf. Pair with some steamed veggies, and you've got yourself a GREAT meal. I'm planning on taking leftovers tomorrow for a meatloaf sandwich!!!

Green Chili Chicken Lasagna
2 cans rotel
1 can 98% fat free cream of onion soup ( I used cream of celery-couldn't find onion)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 small can green chilies
6 green onions sliced
chili powder to taste
8 fat free tortillas
1/2 c fresh cilantro
8 oz fat free shredded cheese

Combine first six ingredients in saucepan, heat thoroughly. Tear tortillas into pieces and line a greased 9X11 pan with 1/3 of the tortillas. Top with 1/2 the rotel mixture, and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cilantro and cheese. Repeat layers twice ending with cheese. Bake 30-40 minutes until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. This recipe make 6 servings, each serving is 5.5 points.
So I of course substituted cream of celery for the cream of onion-next time I think I would do cream of chicken or mushroom. I added chopped green and Anaheim peppers, skipped the chili powder and cilantro. It was good, not as great as the meatloaf-but something kind of spicy to change things up a bit. I think next time I would use fat free Velveeta on top to give it a gooey top rather than a crispy top. I also think it needs more cheese.


Chicken and cheese enchiladas

8 med corn tortillas
8 oz cooked, shredded light meat chicken
6 oz Velveeta light, shredded
1/2 c chopped onion
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 c old el paso enchilada sauce
Saute onions and undrained green chilies until onions are soft and liquid has evaporated ( I added a can of rotel to stretch things a little). Combine shredded chicken, cheese, onions and chilies. Divide into 8 equal portions. Place each portion into tortilla. roll and secure with toothpick. Place in 11X8 casserole dish. Cover with enchilada sauce and bake for 30 minutes and 350. Now obviously I added the can of rotel, plus i didn't add the cheese until I was rolling the tortillas (I also used regular shredded cheese). I used whole wheat tortillas instead of corn and I also used a whole small can of enchilada sauce and sprinkled some remaining cheese on top. This was good! Even better as leftovers!!


Chicken and Rice Bake
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 c rice
1 can fat free cream of chicken soup
1 can fat free chicken broth
In a 9X13 glass dish (sprayed) combine rice (uncooked), soup, broth, and spices. Snuggle chicken breasts in the mixture. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Makes 4 servings at 6 points a piece. Super good, super easy, super supper!!

There you have it, what I have cooked for the last 4 weeks. Lame, I know-but it takes me FOREVER to eat a whole batch of anything......
My new motivation is this: My friend Jen and I have a little bet going on. Another friend of ours is getting married in April-we are both bridesmaids, and are slightly scared to be seen in our dresses. Her's is watermelon (hot pink) and mine is mermaid (teal!). So to motivate us, whomever loses the highest percentage of body weight has to pay for the motel room we are splitting. I think she is at a distinct disadvantage because I weigh more than her-but I'm keeping that one to myself!