Today was a big day in history. Barack Obama became president. My principal gave us permission to watch the festivities. Even though my students are only 4-5 yrs old, they came in that morning and telling me about Obama. I was surprised but figured, hey, they know about him, let's watch! They were very excited when he came out, and even though they didn't really understand what was happening, they knew he was special and they clapped when he came out before the swearing in! They loved the parade and got super excited when the Obama's got out of the limo to walk for a few blocks!
I had tutoring tonight, and then went to the gym. I had an AWESOME workout. I'm starting to really enjoy the hills program and finding it easier and easier. So, Thursday (tomorrow is my off day) I'm going to up the level and see how I do.
I came home and David had made Baked Ziti. We haven't had this for quite some time, but it is yummy and relatively easy. David asked me to serve it up and he threw some salad on the plates (I mixed some up a few days ago so it's ready to go when we want it).
So, you all know how much I love my wine! That's one of my weaknesses. When Corum's did their design show a few months ago, they invited Prairie Crossing to sell/offer tastings. David bought 3 bottles (he's my hero!), and we had saved one... then, we got strong on Weight Watchers again, and wine isn't always worth the 2 points for only 4 ounces.
Well, I told David that I was craving wine, so I wanted to have it one night for dinner. He said it sounded good, so we figured we would open a bottle of Windswept White. Last night didn't work because we worked out right after dinner. We had planned on tomorrow night because David was supposed to have fire training and I went to work out after tutoring. David didn't make it to training because he forgot he had to work, so he made a late dinner! YAY! So, we enjoyed our glass of wine.
Now, I had more than my 4 oz, closer to 6-7.... so I'm taking my 3 points and enjoying it! I can tell I haven't had wine for a while because I'm feeling a little tipsy. But, you know what? I've worked damn hard for that glass of wine! And, damn, it was yummy!
Tomorrow is weigh in. I am so excited because I know I'm doing well. I wore my size 16 pants to work today and they are falling off. I know that means I'm getting closer and closer to my 12s that I'm dying to get into! I've never ever been in a 12. In high school, when I started buying my own clothes, and paying attention to sizes, it was always 16 or higher.
Sunday, David and I are having pictures taken. I have a friend who is just getting into photography and is willing to try to get the puppies into the pictures! We're so excited!!!! I can't wait to see how they turn out - I know she will do an awesome job!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Working out at home
So, I LOVE my gym, Prairie Life. But, it's about 30 min away from home. So, on Saturdays, when I work at the shop all day, I just don't feel like going. During the week, it's easier because I'm in Omaha already for work and if David is home, we either go together after dinner, or we meet there when I'm done tutoring.
On Saturdays... I'm just exhausted. I don't want to drive 30 minutes to go work out for 45 and then drive home again! That's not worth it! David let me get a video that looked good:
A walking video that I can do at home AND get strength training? I did it last week one night and really liked it. I did it again tonight because I took Thursday and Friday off - I think I was pushing myself too hard and my incision started hurting again - and wanted to do something.
Turns out, Leslie Sansone has a whole series of videos and stuff! She has a bunch of different videos and products. I got my video at Walmart, and I'm definitely going to get another one soon! The one I got happened to concentrate on hips and thighs, but she others that I'm sure are great!
Well, that's it for now.... I'm doing another Pilates class in the morning and then I have Monday off from school! YAY for a day off!!!
On Saturdays... I'm just exhausted. I don't want to drive 30 minutes to go work out for 45 and then drive home again! That's not worth it! David let me get a video that looked good:
A walking video that I can do at home AND get strength training? I did it last week one night and really liked it. I did it again tonight because I took Thursday and Friday off - I think I was pushing myself too hard and my incision started hurting again - and wanted to do something.
Turns out, Leslie Sansone has a whole series of videos and stuff! She has a bunch of different videos and products. I got my video at Walmart, and I'm definitely going to get another one soon! The one I got happened to concentrate on hips and thighs, but she others that I'm sure are great!
Well, that's it for now.... I'm doing another Pilates class in the morning and then I have Monday off from school! YAY for a day off!!!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Parmesan-Turkey Meatloaf
I think this is the meatloaf recipe David made last night. He cooked for a couple days since he was leaving, and this recipe was sitting open on the counter. If I'm wrong, this one still sounds yummy and I'll post the "real" one later.
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 50-60 min (then sits for 10 min)
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast
4 slices whole-wheat bread, made into fine crumbs
1/2 cup skim milk
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil OR 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350; spray an 8x5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. In a small non-stick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onion until tender, 4-5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the onion, turkey, bread crumbs, milk, egg white, ketchup, cheese, garlic, basil, thyme, and pepper; blend well. Shape into a loaf and transfer to the pan.
Bake until browned and cooked through, 50-60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, then cut into 8 slices.
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 50-60 min (then sits for 10 min)
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast
4 slices whole-wheat bread, made into fine crumbs
1/2 cup skim milk
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil OR 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350; spray an 8x5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. In a small non-stick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onion until tender, 4-5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the onion, turkey, bread crumbs, milk, egg white, ketchup, cheese, garlic, basil, thyme, and pepper; blend well. Shape into a loaf and transfer to the pan.
Bake until browned and cooked through, 50-60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, then cut into 8 slices.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tagged (and other stuff)
Okay, first... weekly weigh in: David lost 4 lbs (YAY!), and I lost 2.6. This puts me back to where I was Dec 11, before all the holidays... YAY! I've been doing really good about going to the gym. I did my walking video on Sunday and then I've been to the gym the last 3 nights. I had a hard time getting through my 30 minutes tonight, but I did it! So, I think I might take tomorrow night off.
Then, the fun, blog-topic-starter from Nikki:
4 favorite memories from 2008:
Getting our new house; When my tutoring kid wrote his name!; Graduating with my master's; passing my comps (had to happen before I could graduate though)
4 favorite movies in 2008:
Sex in the City, Marley & Me, Horton Hears a Who, NOT MamaMia!
4 favorite foods in 2008:
I've tried lots of new things this year! I think my favorite recipes are Sloppy Joes, Chimichangas, Chicken Fingers, and the Overnight Egg Bake. Foods... sweet potatoes, WW ice cream!, Pink Lady apples, and cucumbers
4 places I loved in 2008:
I'm a whino, so: James Arthur Vineyard, Too Far North Tasting Room, Miletta Vista Winery, Prairie Creek Winery
4 things I liked in 2008:
Celebrating 1 year of marriage, joining Weight Watchers, joining a gym, graduating!
4 things I am looking forward to in 2009:
Getting pregnant, family reunion in June, hopefully getting a new position in my district, minimizing our debt!
4 people I tag:
Anybody who needs something to do!
Then, the fun, blog-topic-starter from Nikki:
4 favorite memories from 2008:
Getting our new house; When my tutoring kid wrote his name!; Graduating with my master's; passing my comps (had to happen before I could graduate though)
4 favorite movies in 2008:
Sex in the City, Marley & Me, Horton Hears a Who, NOT MamaMia!
4 favorite foods in 2008:
I've tried lots of new things this year! I think my favorite recipes are Sloppy Joes, Chimichangas, Chicken Fingers, and the Overnight Egg Bake. Foods... sweet potatoes, WW ice cream!, Pink Lady apples, and cucumbers
4 places I loved in 2008:
I'm a whino, so: James Arthur Vineyard, Too Far North Tasting Room, Miletta Vista Winery, Prairie Creek Winery
4 things I liked in 2008:
Celebrating 1 year of marriage, joining Weight Watchers, joining a gym, graduating!
4 things I am looking forward to in 2009:
Getting pregnant, family reunion in June, hopefully getting a new position in my district, minimizing our debt!
4 people I tag:
Anybody who needs something to do!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Maryland Crab Cakes
I LOVE crab cakes - this has been the worst part of eating healthy - crab cakes are traditionally not healthy. But, this recipe is healthy and they taste yummy too!
POINTS® Value: 7
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 1 hr 10 min (or so)
Cooking Time: about 10 min
Ingredients
1 lb cooked crabmeat (we use canned crab because we can't find fresh anywhere)
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup 1% milk (we used skim)
3 tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp Chesapeake Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp ground WHITE pepper
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp butter
2 1/2 cups mixed green lettuce leaves
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, bread crumbs, shallots, milk, mayonnaise, parsley, Chesapeake Bay seasoning, and pepper. With moistened hands, form into 8 small round cakes; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour (we only refrigerated about 30 min and it was fine)
Place the flour on a sheet of wax paper; lightly coat each cake on both sides.
In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Cook the crab cakes until golden brown and crispy, 4-5 minutes on each side. Line a platter with the greens; top with the crab cakes. (We just made a salad and served next to the crab cakes)
*They definitely aren't as "crispy" as fried ones at a restaurant, but I'll take a little less crispy and healthy over NOT healthy!
POINTS® Value: 7
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 1 hr 10 min (or so)
Cooking Time: about 10 min
Ingredients
1 lb cooked crabmeat (we use canned crab because we can't find fresh anywhere)
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup 1% milk (we used skim)
3 tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp Chesapeake Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp ground WHITE pepper
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp butter
2 1/2 cups mixed green lettuce leaves
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, bread crumbs, shallots, milk, mayonnaise, parsley, Chesapeake Bay seasoning, and pepper. With moistened hands, form into 8 small round cakes; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour (we only refrigerated about 30 min and it was fine)
Place the flour on a sheet of wax paper; lightly coat each cake on both sides.
In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Cook the crab cakes until golden brown and crispy, 4-5 minutes on each side. Line a platter with the greens; top with the crab cakes. (We just made a salad and served next to the crab cakes)
*They definitely aren't as "crispy" as fried ones at a restaurant, but I'll take a little less crispy and healthy over NOT healthy!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Shrimp Marinara with Angel Hair Pasta
David and I both love pasta. Instead of Angel hair, we used the Smart Taste pasta by Ronzoni. It's actually healthier than the wheat pasta that we normally buy, and it tasted better too! David HATES the wheat pasta - it always seems dry and bland so until now, we've used the regular pasta that isn't healthy!
Anyways... here's the recipe:
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 12 min
Ingredients
1 9oz package refrigerated angel hair pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 (15.5 ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (Warning: don't use too much! It really goes a long way!)
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring often. Add marinara sauce, lime juice, and red pepper; cook until thoroughly heated.
Serve over pasta. Yields about 3/4 cup shrimp mixture and 3/4 cup pasta per serving.
Anyways... here's the recipe:
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 12 min
Ingredients
1 9oz package refrigerated angel hair pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 (15.5 ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (Warning: don't use too much! It really goes a long way!)
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring often. Add marinara sauce, lime juice, and red pepper; cook until thoroughly heated.
Serve over pasta. Yields about 3/4 cup shrimp mixture and 3/4 cup pasta per serving.
Chicken Fingers with Barbeque Sauce
Yet another favorite... David and I have been cooking 2-3 meals on Sundays and having left overs throughout the week. These reheat really well, so they are a new "staple" in our menu.
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 12 min
Ingredients
2 tbsp honey mustard
2 tbsp buttermilk
1/2 cup(s) dried bread crumbs
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 12 equal strips
6 tbsp barbecue sauce, hickory-flavored preferred
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Place a large baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
In a shallow dish, whisk together mustard and buttermilk. Place bread crumbs in a separate dish. Add chicken to mustard mixture; turn to coat. Transfer chicken to bread crumbs and turn to coat.
Remove the hot baking sheet from oven and coat with cooking spray. Place chicken on baking sheet and bake 6 minutes; flip and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes more.
Serve chicken fingers with barbecue sauce on the side. Yields about 3 chicken fingers and 1 1/2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce per serving.
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 12 min
Ingredients
2 tbsp honey mustard
2 tbsp buttermilk
1/2 cup(s) dried bread crumbs
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 12 equal strips
6 tbsp barbecue sauce, hickory-flavored preferred
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Place a large baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
In a shallow dish, whisk together mustard and buttermilk. Place bread crumbs in a separate dish. Add chicken to mustard mixture; turn to coat. Transfer chicken to bread crumbs and turn to coat.
Remove the hot baking sheet from oven and coat with cooking spray. Place chicken on baking sheet and bake 6 minutes; flip and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes more.
Serve chicken fingers with barbecue sauce on the side. Yields about 3 chicken fingers and 1 1/2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce per serving.
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