Random Acts of Encouragement

I’ve now lost 33 pounds in about 8 months of being on Weight Watchers.  I’ve reached my goal weight, and I’m a losing a few extra pounds as my “buffer.”  In the last few weeks, I’ve bought a couple of pairs of jeans that particularly look nice on my now pleasantly slimmer figure.  I like what I see in the mirror for the first time in a long time.  My husband is thrilled for me, and he’s just a few pounds away from his primary goal weight.  We’re both loving the food that we eat and exploring new ways to have what we want and be healthy too.

While this is all well and good, it’s surprising sometimes that other people notice changes in you.  Yesterday, I got a glimpse of this–something I call “Random Acts of Encouragement.”  I had been expecting some packages to arrive, and I heard the UPS van pulling up to the house.  I saw our regular delivery guy coming up to the house with my packages, and I opened the door to greet and help him.  He handed me the packages, and as I was signing for them, he said to me, “Have you been working out?”  Startled, I said, “Yes, I’ve lost about 30 pounds.”  He replied, “It shows.  You look great!”

Wow.  The UPS man noticed that I lost weight.  While I know that I look different, this was the first time a random semi-acquaintance has remarked on my change in appearance.  This little Random Act of Encouragement gave me a little boost of ego and happiness, not because some man noticed that I look good, but because someone noticed that I had changed.

What I love about Weight Watchers is that for the first time in many years, I finally am in control.  No more excuses, complaints or rationalizations.  I know what I need to do to get (and stay) healthy.  If I choose to do it, then this is what I get.  If I choose not to, well, I won’t fit into those really hot Lucky Brand jeans.  Maybe it’s an oversimplification, but as I see it, I’m responsible whether I’m thin or fat, and I make choices every day to either accomplish what I want or sabotage my results.

So thanks Mr. UPS Man.  You made my day.  And you delivered my new Cuisinart Ice Cream maker so I can make low-fat, sugar-free frozen treats.  That’s what I call a bonus!

Recipe: Turkey Sausage and Spaghetti Squash Pasta

Mmmmm…pasta. I love pasta. But pasta has about 200 calories per 2 ounce serving, and 2 ounces are just not enough sometimes. I had been wanting to try spaghetti squash as a substitute and I also was having a jonesing for some sausage, so voila, a new recipe. It’s very yummy.

Spaghetti squash isn’t pasta, but it is quite nice. It has a little bit of a vegetable crunch to it, but it’s still nice in sauce. The lean turkey sausage was tasty and really curbed my cravings. This is a keeper.
Ingredients

• 2 pieces lean fresh Italian-style turkey sausage, sweet or hot
• 1 spray non-stick cooking spray
• 1/4 large onion, chopped
• 20 ounces tomato sauce
• 4 ounces water
• 1/2 ounce sun-dried tomatoes (dried, NOT in oil)
• 1/2 cup mushroom, canned
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons Splenda, or to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups spaghetti squash, cooked and shredded (about a 2-pound squash).

Preparation

Spray cooking spray in a deep-sided skillet or saucepan. Heat on medium-high heat and add whole sausages. Brown sausages on both sides. Add onions, and sautee until soft and translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the spaghetti squash. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, rinse off the whole spaghetti squash. Pierce it all over with a fork. Place on a plate and into the microwave. Microwave on high for 5 to 6 minutes per pound. The squash should be softened on the outside when done. Let stand 5 minutes, cut in half and scoop out the seeds with two spoons. Then use a fork and twirl the strands of squash (like twirling pasta on a fork) onto your serving plates. Add a piece of sausage and sauce on top and serve.

Serves 2.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 324 Calories; 12g Fat (29.9% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 70mg Cholesterol; 2691mg Sodium.

WW Points Estimate = 6.5 to 7.

(c)2008 by M Donnelly. All rights reserved.

Recipe: Most Excellent Vegetarian Four Bean Chili

When we visited the KnowFat Lifestyle Grill, we had a very flavorful three-bean chili. I wanted to create something as flavorful, low in fat and ultimately satisfying. I liked the KnowFat Grill’s approach–if you wanted some sort of meat protein, cook it separately and add it when serving…giving you the greatest amount of flexibility.

I made some guesses and read a bunch of recipes, and came up with my version of vegetarian chili.  This chili is just awesome. I tend to like things on the spicy and sweet side, but you can adjust the heat and sweetness by omitting the salsa (or using mild)  to tone it down or adding chiles to make it hotter, and adding or subtracting Splenda to adjust the sweetness to your taste.  The sweet corn also adds its own sweetness.

Why is this a four-bean chili versus a three bean? Because that’s what I had in my pantry. Note that I didn’t use kidney beans…hubby doesn’t like them much, so I don’t have them on hand.  Improvise your own chili by using what you have on hand…I’m sure yours will turn out great!

Please do NOT copy this recipe and post it elsewhere. I’d appreciate it if you’d just point people here. Thanks!

Ingredients

• 1 serving cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 3 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup salsa, hot
• 14 ounces fat-free vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans, canned, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups canned white beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups canned red beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup canned, fresh or frozen corn, drained if canned
• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1/4 cup Splenda
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Saute onions in a deep dutch oven using the non-stick cooking spray. Cook onions until translucent and browned. Add carrots and celery. Cook to soften. Add bell pepper. Add a bit of the cumin and sautée a few minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.

Add the tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, salsa and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Add the beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, Splenda and Worcestershire. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 2 hours (can also be cooked in a crock pot), stirring occasionally. Adjust for salt, pepper, sweetness and heat at the end of cooking.

Serve with a 1Tbsp dollop of fat-free sour cream (zero points). Yum!

Makes 15 servings, 1 cup each.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving (excluding unknown items and not including the fat free sour cream): 199 Calories; 2g Fat (7.7% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1139mg Sodium.

WW Points Estimate: 3

(c) 2008 by M. Donnelly. All rights reserved.

Costco Shopping List

Costco is the healthy eater’s best friend.  Why?  Fresh fruits and vegetables are hideously expensive in the supermarket.  Costco enables us to eat great fresh foods for a fraction of the cost at the supermarket.   This list is a subset/superset of my favorite foods and pantry staples, but it’s a great list to have on hand when going to Costco.  Here’s my regular shopping list:

• Fuji Apples.  Pack of 12 from Washington state.
• Oranges.  Navel, Clementines, Cara Cara…whatever they have on hand.
• Bananas.  I bought a hand of bananas at the supermarket for about $4.50 today.  At Costco (they were out during my last trip), that same hand (plus a couple of bananas) is less than $2.
• Kiwi.  Yummy and a great change from the mundane everyday fruit.
• Spinach.  Large bag for less than $4.
• Salad Greens.  Don’t buy the salad kits.  Waste of money–the dressing is full of fat.
• Peeled Baby Carrots.
• Broccoli Florets.  3lb. bag…doesn’t last long!
• Fresh Asparagus.  When in season.
• D’Anjou Pears.  Yum!!!
• Maui Gold pineapple, when they have it.  Oh so good…reminds me of Maui.
• Any other fruit in season.
• Baby Bella mushrooms.
• Grape Tomatoes.  Tasty, low in points.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes.  Soft, dehydrated (NOT in oil).  What a punch of flavor…very yummy.
• Fresh Salsa.  Mango Salsa if they have it.
• Laughing Cow Light cheese.  Oh, big yum!
• Boca Original Burgers.
• 99% Fat-Free Egg Substitute.  Wilcox Farms is the brand that is stocked by our Costco.
• Healthy Choice Premium Fudge Bars.  Yum!  1 Point each!
• Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches.  Yum!  2 Points each!
• Cooked/Grilled Chicken Strips.  A couple of minutes in the microwave and you have quick protein.
• Frozen fresh/cooked shrimp.  Great quick protein.
• Fiber One Snack Bars.  Yum!  I wish they had the Caramel flavor, but the Chocolate Chip is fine.
• Canned Diced Tomatoes.  Great for soups, sauces, etc.
• Canned Mushrooms.  Works in a pinch.
• Canned Green Beans.  Good for quick veggies in soups/stews.
• Canned Beans.  Kidney, garbanzo…whatever they have.
• Low Sodium Chicken Broth.  Swanson Natural Goodness is sufficient.  The organic stuff has more fat and sodium.
• Pam Non-Stick Spray.  Absolutely essential for a low-fat lifestyle.
• Spenda.  Both in packets and “spoonable.”
• Quaker Old Fashioned Oats.  Mix this with oat bran for a great morning cereal.
• Crystal Light.  Unfortunately, they often only carry the lemonade flavor.  They also have the “to go” packets.
• Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop 94% Fat-Free Popcorn.  A staple in my diet.  I wish they carried the Kettle Corn Smart Pop as well.
• Progresso/Healthy Choice soups.  I’m waiting for them to carry the Progresso Light soups…only 1.5 points per can, or 0 points per serving.  The Progresso 99% Fat-Free and the Healthy Choice soups are still light, and the Healthy Choice soups have less sodium than others.
• Butterball Roasted Turkey Breast Slices.  Must-have for low-point sandwiches, and work well in a pinch for salads as well.
• Foster Farms (fresh) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts and Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs.  Nicely packed in sealed pouches.
• Spices.  I like the no-salt seasoning, but the other mixes and rubs are nice.  Check for sodium content before buying.
• Vitamins.

I’ll revise this list if I think of other regular purchases that I missed in the initial draft.

UFood (aka KnowFat) Grill

We were in the Boston area this past week, and while home cooking was fine, I was hankering for someone else to cook a low-fat, nutritious meal. As we were driving around running errands, we came across the KnowFat Lifestyle Grill (also known as UFood Grill). We went inside and picked up a menu and nutrition guide and looked at all our options. Some were high in Weight Watchers Points (13 points for a burger), but there were many options under 10 points. We decided to go there for dinner and see if “fast food” could be nutritious, low in fat and tasty.

We weren’t disappointed. We actually went two times–once for dinner, and once at Boston Logan airport (Terminal B, American Airlines). For dinner, we both had the Three Bean Chili–I opted for the white chicken and hubby had the beef. Both used the same base chili with just the addition of the meats. They were both delicious. I had a side salad and some mashed sweet potatoes, while hubby had a Southwestern Steak Salad. We both left the restaurant satisfied and very very full, and within our points range for the day.

At Logan airport, they had a UFood Grill. I had the Biggish Chopstick Chicken UBowl, which had a very tasty spicy Thai sauce (very spicy, too). It was filling, delicious and gave me the chance to eat my favorite foods together (chicken and rice). For 8 WW points, it was well worth it and a welcome respite from the salads I always order when we’re on the run.

UFood Grill is opening in San Jose, and I can’t wait to have someplace other than Applebees to go to for a guilt-free dinner.