Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Comfort Food for the Snowed In Soul
This past weekend I got snowed in; a whole bunch of us on the East Coast did! A pesky blizzard named Nemo covered states from Pennsylvania up through Maine in a thick, white blanket. I was lucky, though. Not only did my power stay on throughout the storm, but my friend, Luke, made the trek down from Cambridge to get snowed in with me so that he could assist with the snow removal.
I have a weak lower back, and shoveling is a surefire way to end up bedridden and out of commission for at least a week. Luke took pity on me and did all of the heavy lifting when it came to digging my car out of a massive snow drift and clearing the driveway. I had to find some way to keep busy while he was out in the cold, so I took to the kitchen. I felt a little less guilty about how hard he was working as long as I was putting delicious food on the table!
Comfort food is extra comforting when enjoyed while snow is falling. The world outside slows to a stop, and your soul is able to relish a silence we rarely experience in our daily lives. On Friday evening, as the storm was picking up strength and inches were quickly accumulating, I fired up the oven and put together a vegetable laden baked macaroni and cheese. I wanted to enjoy something that tasted indulgent, without breaking all the rules. I found that the addition of vegetables made this dish more filling and satisfying than a typical serving of macaroni and cheese. This recipe came together in a very freestyle manner, but was quite tasty in the end. How could I go wrong, really? After all, pasta and cheese are two of the most comforting and delicious foods known to man- or, at least, to this woman.
Cooking spray, olive oil
12 oz Elbow macaroni (I used Smart Taste)
1 cup Uncooked broccoli florets (I used fresh, frozen would probably work too)
1 package Frozen cooked squash
1 cup Frozen spinach
1 cup Spaghetti squash, cooked
1 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 tbsp Mustard
2 tbsp Ketchup
2 tsp Sriracha
Onion powder, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Slap Ya Mama seasoning, to taste (optional)
1 cup Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, reduced fat; reserve 1/4 cup for topping
1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese, reduced fat; reserve 1/4 cup for topping
Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.
Add the macaroni and broccoli florets to a large pot of rapidly boiling water and cook according to the directions on the box of pasta. You'll want to ensure that the noodles are al dente so that they hold up to mixing and baking. While the pasta and broccoli cooks, defrost your squash in the microwave.
Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander, and add it back to the pot. Add the remaining vegetables, spices and condensed soup. Stir. Add 3/4 cup of each of the cheeses, mix well and pour the contents into your prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
*PointsPlus values calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers website
I have a weak lower back, and shoveling is a surefire way to end up bedridden and out of commission for at least a week. Luke took pity on me and did all of the heavy lifting when it came to digging my car out of a massive snow drift and clearing the driveway. I had to find some way to keep busy while he was out in the cold, so I took to the kitchen. I felt a little less guilty about how hard he was working as long as I was putting delicious food on the table!
Comfort food is extra comforting when enjoyed while snow is falling. The world outside slows to a stop, and your soul is able to relish a silence we rarely experience in our daily lives. On Friday evening, as the storm was picking up strength and inches were quickly accumulating, I fired up the oven and put together a vegetable laden baked macaroni and cheese. I wanted to enjoy something that tasted indulgent, without breaking all the rules. I found that the addition of vegetables made this dish more filling and satisfying than a typical serving of macaroni and cheese. This recipe came together in a very freestyle manner, but was quite tasty in the end. How could I go wrong, really? After all, pasta and cheese are two of the most comforting and delicious foods known to man- or, at least, to this woman.
Baked Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese
Servings: 8 Serving Size: about 1 heaping cup Points Plus*: 7 ptsIngredients
Cooking spray, olive oil
12 oz Elbow macaroni (I used Smart Taste)
1 cup Uncooked broccoli florets (I used fresh, frozen would probably work too)
1 package Frozen cooked squash
1 cup Frozen spinach
1 cup Spaghetti squash, cooked
1 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 tbsp Mustard
2 tbsp Ketchup
2 tsp Sriracha
Onion powder, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Slap Ya Mama seasoning, to taste (optional)
1 cup Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, reduced fat; reserve 1/4 cup for topping
1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese, reduced fat; reserve 1/4 cup for topping
Directions
Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.
Add the macaroni and broccoli florets to a large pot of rapidly boiling water and cook according to the directions on the box of pasta. You'll want to ensure that the noodles are al dente so that they hold up to mixing and baking. While the pasta and broccoli cooks, defrost your squash in the microwave.
Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander, and add it back to the pot. Add the remaining vegetables, spices and condensed soup. Stir. Add 3/4 cup of each of the cheeses, mix well and pour the contents into your prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
 |
| Tonight I enjoyed leftovers with a side of roasted cauliflower & chicken. |
*PointsPlus values calculated using the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers website
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Progress Report: Month 1
Yesterday marked my one month anniversary on the Weight Watchers' 360 plan. Did I celebrate this first milestone by waking up, making a nice, big cup of hot coffee, and arriving at my meeting early? Nope. I slept late, missed my weigh in and fell- nay, jumped- off the healthy eating wagon!
I spent Friday night at my friend's house. On Saturday morning we slept in, skipped breakfast because we found ourselves engrossed in TiVo'd episodes of "The Following", and then found ourselves famished and in the mood for a delicious treat by the time noon rolled around. At her husband's suggestion, we sent out for lunch. I fought with myself as I scoured the menu, truly torn between a craving for something naughty and wanting to stay within my points. Unfortunately, my willpower was lacking and I ordered a giant grilled chicken carbonara sub. I had no idea that the large sandwich would be so, well, large! Grilled chicken isn't normally a bad choice, the trouble lies in the fact that the loaf of Italian bread was topped with lots of crispy bacon, melty cheese, and ranch dressing. The greasy and delicious curly fries we ordered weren't a very points friendly decision either. As if I hadn't done enough damage to my points allowance over lunch, when we found ourselves hungry again that evening, we decided on decadent ice cream sundaes for dinner.
Would you blame me if I decided to pretend that this day didn't happen? As soon as I placed my order, I consciously pushed all thoughts of Weight Watchers out of my mind. I didn't want to taint my junk food high with the all too familiar aftertaste of guilt. I needed to forget all about how many of my weekly points I was blowing on empty calories. I decided not to think about eating my five servings of fruits and vegetables or trying to make sure I got in some low fat dairy. I would take a "Don't ask, don't tell" approach to the day.
I had a change of heart, however, as I was getting ready for bed. The day did happen, but it didn't mean I had to blow the whole week ahead of me. If I didn't at least estimate how many points I had consumed, I would have no idea how to budget my weekly points between now and my next weigh in. I would be setting myself up to fail again each and every day. I'm human, and even in the wake up a bad decision (or two) with the 360 plan I'm starting to learn that I can take back control at any time. One gigantic meal is not a sane reason to blow the whole week, it doesn't have to automatically mean that I'll see a gain at the scales next week. So, I did some menu research and estimated the points in each meal. It turns out I still have 26 of my weekly points left, and the fact that I was able to own up to everything I ate is a huge non-scale victory for me.
It was eye opening to take a look at just how many points my off-plan day used up. I hate that I used to eat like that regularly, daily even, without batting an eye. It's no wonder I gained so much weight. Sure, I knew that what I was doing wasn't great for my health, but it was easier not to care. It was easier to eat first, and deal with feeling a little guilty later. It's harder to wrestle with those feelings before eating, and to choose not to overindulge. I think that a part of me felt like I would be missing out if I didn't treat myself to a day of junk food. It turns out that I don't I actually miss it as much as I've conditioned myself to believe I do. That's because, in reality, I still eat what I want. Over the last month I have had a little bit of reduced fat ice cream almost every day, I've been out to eat and enjoyed delicious 3 course meals, I've even consumed my fair share of bacon. So, there's no need to feed into the belief that I need to succumb to a day of binge eating.
I weighed in today so that I could plug in a weight for Saturday's missed meeting. I'm up half a pound, and feel like I can attribute some of that to the damage I did yesterday.
I spent Friday night at my friend's house. On Saturday morning we slept in, skipped breakfast because we found ourselves engrossed in TiVo'd episodes of "The Following", and then found ourselves famished and in the mood for a delicious treat by the time noon rolled around. At her husband's suggestion, we sent out for lunch. I fought with myself as I scoured the menu, truly torn between a craving for something naughty and wanting to stay within my points. Unfortunately, my willpower was lacking and I ordered a giant grilled chicken carbonara sub. I had no idea that the large sandwich would be so, well, large! Grilled chicken isn't normally a bad choice, the trouble lies in the fact that the loaf of Italian bread was topped with lots of crispy bacon, melty cheese, and ranch dressing. The greasy and delicious curly fries we ordered weren't a very points friendly decision either. As if I hadn't done enough damage to my points allowance over lunch, when we found ourselves hungry again that evening, we decided on decadent ice cream sundaes for dinner.
Would you blame me if I decided to pretend that this day didn't happen? As soon as I placed my order, I consciously pushed all thoughts of Weight Watchers out of my mind. I didn't want to taint my junk food high with the all too familiar aftertaste of guilt. I needed to forget all about how many of my weekly points I was blowing on empty calories. I decided not to think about eating my five servings of fruits and vegetables or trying to make sure I got in some low fat dairy. I would take a "Don't ask, don't tell" approach to the day.
I had a change of heart, however, as I was getting ready for bed. The day did happen, but it didn't mean I had to blow the whole week ahead of me. If I didn't at least estimate how many points I had consumed, I would have no idea how to budget my weekly points between now and my next weigh in. I would be setting myself up to fail again each and every day. I'm human, and even in the wake up a bad decision (or two) with the 360 plan I'm starting to learn that I can take back control at any time. One gigantic meal is not a sane reason to blow the whole week, it doesn't have to automatically mean that I'll see a gain at the scales next week. So, I did some menu research and estimated the points in each meal. It turns out I still have 26 of my weekly points left, and the fact that I was able to own up to everything I ate is a huge non-scale victory for me.
 |
| Saturday's damage report |
It was eye opening to take a look at just how many points my off-plan day used up. I hate that I used to eat like that regularly, daily even, without batting an eye. It's no wonder I gained so much weight. Sure, I knew that what I was doing wasn't great for my health, but it was easier not to care. It was easier to eat first, and deal with feeling a little guilty later. It's harder to wrestle with those feelings before eating, and to choose not to overindulge. I think that a part of me felt like I would be missing out if I didn't treat myself to a day of junk food. It turns out that I don't I actually miss it as much as I've conditioned myself to believe I do. That's because, in reality, I still eat what I want. Over the last month I have had a little bit of reduced fat ice cream almost every day, I've been out to eat and enjoyed delicious 3 course meals, I've even consumed my fair share of bacon. So, there's no need to feed into the belief that I need to succumb to a day of binge eating.
I weighed in today so that I could plug in a weight for Saturday's missed meeting. I'm up half a pound, and feel like I can attribute some of that to the damage I did yesterday.
And now, the numbers...
This month I managed to lose 7.7 pounds, in addition to inches from my waist, hips, arms, bust and thighs. I can't complain! |
| My official E-Tools progress report |
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