Anyone try the new Weight Watchers?

[minniecarousel]

I like the new program but....I very often like a protein shake for breakfast. For some reason, they want you to count fruit points when you blend the fruit! (It was explained physiologically, having to do with digestion - liquid digests quicker, raw is preferred). Milk is more points now too. So I try to have an egg scrambled with leftover veggies.

And the WW frozen treats don't have the new points on them. I thought I was buying 4 point treats, but it's 6!

I know it'll work for me if I count points.

 

[NC State]

Today was the end of my first official week although online I chose my weigh-in day as Fridays since sometimes weekends can be hard to stay on track. Anyway, I lost 3 1/2 lbs and I'm pretty pleased with that. It wasn't as hard as I anticipated and I wasn't particularly hungry as often as I have been on other diets. I'm trying hard to drink the water and I think that is the hardest thing for me.

I too lost on my first week back on program. I lost 2.6 lbs (weight in Wed); however, last night is the first night I ate into my weekly bonus points...11 at one time. I can't do this every night it's only Friday!

 

[ToniClifford]

I lost 3 stones (over around 6 months) on the Weight Watchers previous Pro Points plan. Since coming off WW my weight has crept back up and the jeans are getting seriously tight! I completed my first week on Smart Points on Monday and had lost 4 pounds when weighed so hopefully is just as good as the old plan.
They have definitely made it harder for those of us with a sweet tooth.... (me).
Hoping that I loose the weight again ready for my next Disney trip so I can put it all back on again in the parks

Overall I would recommend WW to anyone - I think it's great and I love the app with the barcode scanner.

Good luck!

 

[ToniClifford]

I too lost on my first week back on program. I lost 2.6 lbs (weight in Wed); however, last night is the first night I ate into my weekly bonus points...11 at one time. I can't do this every night it's only Friday!

Thank goodness for those extra points though hey?

 

[pjlla]

Besides veggies, the salad had chicken and rice noodles, and the dressing had fish sauce, brown sugar, and vegetable oil as part of the ingredients. I think the vegetable oil was the biggest culprit.

If it was an oil with sat fat that would be part of the issue, but the sugar in the salad dressing is probably an equally big issue. I'll bet if you looked at just the salad without the dressing the SP count would be much more reasonable.

I like the new program but....I very often like a protein shake for breakfast. For some reason, they want you to count fruit points when you blend the fruit! (It was explained physiologically, having to do with digestion - liquid digests quicker, raw is preferred). Milk is more points now too. So I try to have an egg scrambled with leftover veggies.

And the WW frozen treats don't have the new points on them. I thought I was buying 4 point treats, but it's 6!

I know it'll work for me if I count points.

Be sure to grab your SP calculator or use your barcode scanner on WW products that haven't been updated to the new SP packaging yet! DD and I were in the frozen treats area of the store for a long time yesterday scanning everything that looked good, just to get an idea. I ended up buying the Yasso frozen yogurt bars in coconut. I believe they were 4 SP each...... most of the other frozen novelties (WW and other brands) were at least 5 SP and many were as high as 7 SP! Yikes! BTW, the Yasso coconut were delicious!! I don't have a big sweet tooth and it takes a LOT for me to rave about something like this... but it was super delicious!

As far as your smoothie goes, how about trying a milk alternative? Lowfat milk went up to 5 SP per cup, but 30 calorie unsweetened vanilla almond milk stayed at 1 SP per cup...... much more reasonable! .......................P

 

[StephMK]

Congrats to all with weight losses this week! And thanks for the Tasso and milk suggestions! I tried So Deliciouscoconut milk creamer in French vanilla. It was pretty good.

Another motivation tip that I have liked is following a bunch of WW on Instagram. There are many who post each meal with point totals. Great for suggestions or ideas of foods. I have done WW several times but while I lost when I followed it, I always dropped out. This year I am planning to stick, reach goal, and become lifetime!

 

[loveshak22]

I haven't tried it yet. I will be in June. I'm actually trying 12 different diets this year since I've never been able to stick to one diet for more than a month! Right now I'm doing basic calorie counting using MyFitnessPal. I've lost 9 pounds the first 2 weeks so it seems to be working so far! Once I finish each diet I'm going to review them based on ease to follow, mood, ability to stick to the diet (the binge factor), cost, and overall weight loss.

And, to note, I'm not doing any fad diets. For the most part, all 12 are pretty accepted eating styles/popular diet plans. I also started a blog for the first time ever. I'm hoping that the blog and being so open about my journey will keep me accountable! If you'd like to check it out the link is in the signature.

 

[Christine]

Once I finish each diet I'm going to review them based on ease to follow, mood, ability to stick to the diet (the binge factor), cost, and overall weight loss.

Just wondering how you plan to rate overall weight loss? Will you do it by percentage of total weight?

I only ask because your first diet (MFP) could possibly yield you the greatest loss since it's your first diet and you have more to lose. As you progress, theoretically, the weight loss should be less. I've started MFP and I will be grateful if I lose 1 pound a week (I really only have 15 lbs to lose so the numbers lost are never gratifying).

 

[loveshak22]

Just wondering how you plan to rate overall weight loss? Will you do it by percentage of total weight?

I only ask because your first diet (MFP) could possibly yield you the greatest loss since it's your first diet and you have more to lose. As you progress, theoretically, the weight loss should be less. I've started MFP and I will be grateful if I lose 1 pound a week (I really only have 15 lbs to lose so the numbers lost are never gratifying).

I haven't 100% figured that out yet. My initial thought is that I'd set an average weight loss goal every month, based on how much I have left to lose, and track whether I'm able to hit that goal.

As I lose weight the average monthly goal will go down. For example, to lose 100 pounds in 12 months I need to lose 8.33 pounds a month. With MFP I've hit that. Let's say I lose 12 pounds the first month, then I have 88 pounds left over 11 months, bringing my monthly weight loss goal to 8 pounds a month. If I lose 11 pounds in February, then I'll be down to 77 pounds left over 10 months so the average monthly goal becomes 7.7 pounds. So can I hit that goal each month with whatever eating plan I'm kn?

But, when I compare all the plans and rank them I think I'll have to look at % lost each month to be fair, for the reasons you mention - I'll have less to lose each month as long as I continue to lose.

 

[loveshak22]

Just wondering how you plan to rate overall weight loss? Will you do it by percentage of total weight?

I only ask because your first diet (MFP) could possibly yield you the greatest loss since it's your first diet and you have more to lose. As you progress, theoretically, the weight loss should be less. I've started MFP and I will be grateful if I lose 1 pound a week (I really only have 15 lbs to lose so the numbers lost are never gratifying).

The other thing I'm not sure how to account for is increased exercise. That may just have to be explained in my summary narrative and not by the rating system I set up.

 

[weeniecat2442]

How did everyone do over the weekend? I did indulge with some pizza and wine over the weekend but I tracked everything and still kept within allotted points.
What's everyone's biggest weakness? What are you willing to use up points on?

 

[dotfurio]

I was bad. We were out of town so we were eating out. I tried to make healthier choices, but sometimes even the healthiest option on the menus I know were high in points. Plus lots of wine. To be honest I quit tracking for a couple days, and I know I should've kept at it even though I must have gone way over. I'm afraid to hop on the scale-hoping everything evens out by my official weigh-in Saturday.

 

[weeniecat2442]

I was bad. We were out of town so we were eating out. I tried to make healthier choices, but sometimes even the healthiest option on the menus I know were high in points. Plus lots of wine. To be honest I quit tracking for a couple days, and I know I should've kept at it even though I must have gone way over. I'm afraid to hop on the scale-hoping everything evens out by my official weigh-in Saturday.

oh the wine gets me too! i made some bad choices over the weekend that I did not want to track but I did, and seeing it all laid out did help. i used up all my extra points just friday through sunday!
good luck to you for the rest of your week! hang in there!!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Week number 2 eating my FitPoints led to a 1.4 lb loss. I get 36 daily points and 28 weekly points. Does anyone know what the lowest possible point levels are?

 

[HeatherC]

I think the lowest points are 30. That is how many I have. Some days are easier than others to stick to 30.

 

[ToniClifford]

Yes, the lowest is 30 I get 30 daily and 35 weekly. Some days I have been struggling and others completely fine and manage to have a cheeky treat at the end of the day with remaining points.
Got weighed yesterday and lost another 2 lbs so total of 6 in 2 weeks which I'm happy with - this is why I like WW - I really think it works! I'm aiming to get my money back on that 'loose 10lbs in 8 weeks' offer which is on in the UK.
Good luck every one - don't give up! If you go off track just start again the next day

 

[weeniecat2442]

does anyone have any recipes they have made that they really liked?
i did the WW lemon chicken and broccoli last night. It was really easy and really good. My BF added his to pasta- I managed to successfully skip the pasta

 

[HeatherC]

Tonight I am having spaghetti and meatballs. The spaghetti will be roasted spaghetti squash with home made sauce that is basically a couple large cans of crushed tomatoes with a ton of seasonings cooking all day in the crockpot. I am making meatballs with 93% lean ground beef. The rest of the family is having regular spaghetti.

Last night I had a big bowl of frozen berries that I microwaved for a few mintues with a little Splenda. It makes the. fruit almost like the inside of a pie. I put some fat free cool whip on top. Felt very decadent and was still on plan.

Another dish I want to try is something from Pinterest. It was like an unstuffed egg roll. Basically sautee a bag of chopped cabbage with some lean ground beef and add scallions, carrots, ginger, soy sauce. To eat, just put it in lettuce wraps.

Anybody else have any more food ideas to share? Good luck to all of us!

 

[dotfurio]

We made Cajun Chicken Pasta from Skinnytaste last night. Very yummy and a lot of food.
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/02/cajun-chicken-pasta-on-lighter-side.html

 

[pjlla]

@weeniecat2442 (and anyone else interested) Here you go..... these are some WW friendly recipes that I have posted over the past few years over on the Eating Healthy section of the WISH board!

Two disclaimers though: FIRST.... These recipes were posted anywhere from 1-6 years ago and as such NONE of them is calculated using SMARTPOINTS. Any of the "points" or "pointsplus" that are mentioned are no longer accurate with SP (I tried to remove all mention of Points within the quotes, but something might have gotten past me). These are recipes either I created or something I found and (usually) modified for my purposes. In order to correctly calculate them for SmartPoints you will need to put them into the online recipe builder (something I will EVENTUALLY get around to doing for these, but I haven't yet). And DO NOT ask for nutrition information for the recipes..... if I had it available, it is on there.... if not, I never had it.

Second disclaimer..... these are recipes made by/for the home cook.... so there are bound to be inaccuracies (especially if it is a recipe I created from scratch), so please read it carefully and be forgiving!

And if you are interested in more recipes like these, head over to the EATING HEALTHY section of the WISH boards! I only quoted any recipes that I originally posted there.... but there are plenty more recipes from other folks!

Here is the recipe I promised FOREVER ago!

Heidi's Curried Chicken

1 medium onion - chopped

1 medium carrot - finely chopped or grated

1 1/2 C apple, washed and diced

1 C finely chopped celery

1/3 C flour

1 TB. curry (more or less)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 C fat free chicken stock/broth

2 C cooked chicken breast, diced

Coat a large pot or dutch oven with non-stick spray and sautee the onion, carrot, apple, and celery over medium high heat until slightly softened. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring 1-2 minutes. Add the curry powder, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring until thickened. Add the chicken and stir. Allow to continue to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Here are the changes I make..........

I always add more of the onion, carrot, and celery... sometimes I also add more apple, but that adds more points (if you are doing WW). Any where from half again to double the amount of veggies still works. I usually stick with 1 TB. of curry powder because I am not big on spicy things. I use chicken or turkey breast if I have it available, but I will also use thighs or whatever is handy. Just remember that thigh meat has a bit more points/calories than breast.

This can be simmered on low anywhere from 10 minutes to 40 minutes without any troubles.

I have always served this over brown rice, but you could use white rice, potato, pasta, a biscuit, or toast. It is a VERY LOOSE soupy casserole, so it is nice to serve it with something a bit starchy. But I eat it solo many times and still really enjoy it!

Even if you are not a veggie person, you really can't differentiate the veggies in this.... especially if you cook it longer and they break down more. I actually like to simmer it on the shorter side so that some of the veggies still have a bit of a bite to them.

My modified version of Bisquik's Impossibly Easy Vegetable Pie

2 C broccoli, steamed (I have also used asparagus and broccoli... and I often add onion and green pepper)

1/2 C 2% shredded cheese (cheddar, Italian blend, Mexican blend, all work well)

1/2 C Heart Smart Bisquick

1 C skim milk

4 egg whites

Salt and pepper to taste

Place cooked veggies in the bottom of a Pam-sprayed 9 inch pie pan. Stir remaining ingredients together and pour over veggies. Bake at 400° 35 -45 minutes or until lightly browned and knife comes out clean.


........................................P

Okay..... this isn't so much a "recipe" as just an "idea". I made it last weekend and it was very good. NONE Of the measurements are exact, except for the quinoa.

No-Name Vegan Stew

1 C quinoa

2 quarts (about) of vegetable broth

1 1/2 quarts (about) of V-8 juice or other vegetable juice

1 can of whole kernel corn, drained (or frozen equivalent)

1 can of kidney beans drained and rinsed. (or dried/soaked equivalent)

chopped carrots (2-3 large)

chopped celery (3-4 large stalks)

1 can diced tomatoes with italian herbs (not drained)

1 chopped onion



Bring all of the above (except quinoa) to a boil. Add 1 C of quinoa. Turn down to medium and cover and cook about 10-15 minutes (stirring occasionally).

The quinoa thickens the "soup" so it is a bit more like a stew. It is a complete protein with the quinoa and the beans.

Any assortment of veggies could be used.... this just happened to be what I had on hand. It might be nice to add summer squash or kale near the end of the cooking.

Liquid amounts are approximate..... I was using a batch of homemade vegetable stock, so I'm not sure how much it was.... and I was using up the remainder of a bottle of V-8. I prefer the Bolthouse Farms fresh vegetable juice, but it is pricey, so I use V-8 sometimes.

I added a bit of salt at the end, but I tasted it first.... the canned corn, V-8, and beans can be salty. I didn't add pepper because I don't like it, but you certainly could. I also added a few dashes of "italian herb blend".

Good luck.....................P

Warm Asian Lettuce Wraps (serves approximately 3-4 folks)

One pound (more or less) of lean pork loin, visible fat removed and diced up for stir-frying (or chicken breast or white fish or firm tofu)

2-3 large red bell peppers, julienned (or any other colored bell pepper)

1-2 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

2 large heads of soft lettuce (I use Butter or Bibb)

Paul Newman's Lowfat Sesame Ginger salad dressing

EVOO or PAM-type spray for sauteeing.

Stir-fry meat in EVOO or spray until cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Sautee onions and peppers until caramelized and slightly browned.

Core, separate, rinse, and dry lettuce leaves, taking care to leave them uncracked and in their "cup" shape.

Serve meat, veggies, and dressing separately and allow people to "build" their own wraps in the lettuce leaf "cups" (like making a fajita or taco). This will allow people to customize with their own quantities of veggies, meat, and dressing.

Or toss meat, onions, and peppers together with a few tablespoons of the dressing and serve in one bowl if that would be faster or easier for your family!

This can be served cold, warm, or room temp.

We prefer warm meat and veggies with cold lettuce leaves. I find that we each tend to eat about 4 wraps (depending on how much we fill them and how large the lettuce leaves are). Iceberg does NOT work well for this, as it tends to crack and break as you try to wrap it around the meat and veggies.

You can prep everything and then just cook when ready for dinner. Or cook ahead and reheat the meat and veggies. I use pork because of DS's chicken allergy and DD's fish aversion. I haven't tried it with beef, but I think it might also be good.

I usually add more of the veggies, as I like that and tend to eat more of it than the meat. I've also used a bit of raw shredded carrot in it in the past for myself, but the kids didn't care for the carrot addition.

The Points/calories on this are VERY dependent upon what kind of meat you use, how much you eat and how much dressing you use.... but it should be easy to figure out on a case-by-case basis.........................P

Quinoa with Black Beans


Serving size: 1 cup | Calories: 201 | Previous Points: 4 | Points Plus: 5 | Total Fat: 4 g | Saturated Fats: 0 g | Trans Fats: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 204 mg | Carbohydrates: 33 g | Dietary fiber: 7 g | Sugars: 3 g | Protein: 7 g


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium sweet onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup quinoa (uncooked), rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper Kosher and sea salt to taste

1 (4.5 ounce) can diced green chilis

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro

1 3/4 cup vegetable broth, low sodium

Directions:

In a large skillet add olive oil, turn to medium-low heat and saute diced onions until tender, about 4 minutes, add garlic and saute one additional minute. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed above. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil and cook 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes covered before serving. Fluff quinoa with a large spoon and serve.

Link to website http://skinnyms.com/skinny-quinoa-with-black-beans/


** Here is what I did differently...

I used kidney beans instead of black beans, since that is what I had cooked most recently. NBD. I also added two large ribs of celery, diced, when I put in the onion. I was trying to stretch the recipe a bit more. It was an excellent choice and I will definitely make it that way again... and plan to perhaps add bell peppers next time too.

I've never bought a can of green chilies in my life and don't plan to start now, so of course, I didn't add that.... or the red pepper flakes. I don't do "spicy" as a rule.

I used a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with lime and cilantro, since I didn't have any fresh cilantro on hand. And I used homemade, sodium-free vegetable stock.

*************

I really liked it. The liquid wasn't totally absorbed after the 15 minute cooking time, so I just turned off the heat and let it "glide" to a finish. In about another 10 minutes it was perfect.

ENJOY!................P

CHANGE-IT-UP Breakfast Bowl

SERVES ONE

Ingredients:

Cooked potato, diced - 3 oz.

Fresh baby spinach - 1/2 C, coarsely chopped or torn

Half a diced onion

Any other leftover cooked vegetables

Bit of Mrs. Dash style seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste.

Protein: 3 egg whites or one whole egg or 3 oz of light firm tofu.

Optional: black/kidney beans, shredded cheese, diced cooked veggie burger

Instructions:

Into a hot nonstick (possibly sprayed with non-stick spray or lightly oiled... your choice) skillet dump the potatoes and onion. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until potatoes are starting to get browned.

Throw in other diced leftover cooked veggies (carrots, celery, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes, corn, beets... drained and patted dry if they are very wet) and heat through. Toss the spinach over the top during the last minute or two of cooking, just to wilt it. Push veggies to the edges of the pan and into the middle place your protein, stirring and cooking until done. Scramble the protein with the veggies and serve! You could also add any/all of the optional items at the end of the cooking.


******************

This is a wonderful way to use up leftovers and get your day off to a good start with plenty of veggies!

It is called a "change-it-up" breakfast bowl because it is so easy to customize. If you aren't eating carbs you could eliminate the potatoes (although it was so tasty!). If you don't eat animal protein you could go with tofu and/or the beans and/or the cheese and/or the veggie burger!

If you aren't concerned about eating egg yolks you could DEFINITELY use whole eggs instead of whites.

This makes just one serving, but it would be easy to add an additional 3 oz of potatoes and another serving of protein to serve 2 folks!

I was inspired to make this after seeing an advertisement for a Jimmy Dean frozen breakfast bowl. I would honestly NEVER buy something like that, but it looked appealing, so I decided to make my own! I'm sure the one that was advertised contained JD sausage, but I cannot condone eating sausage or bacon, so I won't even MENTION it.....

ENJOY! I'll post a photo go to with this recipe later today!..............P


Here it is with potatoes, onions, spinach, mushrooms, and tofu.

And here it is with white AND sweet potatoes, onions, red bell pepper, spinach, mushrooms, and tofu!

Don'tcha LOVE my colorful Fiestaware!

Here is the promised smoothie recipe. This is how I found it on Pinterest....


Banana Pumpkin Breakfast Shake
Prep Time: 10 minutes

CREDIT: http://dineanddish.net/2013/08/dessert-for-breakfast-recipe-banana-pumpkin-breakfast-shake/

Ingredients

1 banana
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
4 Tablespoons honey (or 2 Tablespoons brown sugar)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2-3 cups ice (depending on how thick you want your shake)
whipped cream granola for garnish

Instructions

Place all ingredients except whipped cream and granola in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into two tall milkshake glasses.
Top with whipped cream and granola.



Here is MY version of this.........

Pam's Pinterest Hacked Pumpkin Smoothie

1 C canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 banana (or a whole banana if desired)

2 Tb. plain nonfat greek yogurt

sweetener of choice (I used Splenda once and stevia once, but I think maple syrup would be delicious!)

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or a dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves)

1 C crushed ice

Instructions:

Place everything except ice in the blender and begin to pulse. (It was so thick that my blender had trouble at first.) Add ice slowly until you reach your desired consistency (for me that was about 1/2 C of ice). Serve immediately.

*I didn't use the yogurt the first time and I'm glad I did this time.... it really helped with the creaminess! I consider this ONE serving, but it could easily serve two as part of a larger meal or as a snack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is the frustrating part. As you BUILD this smoothie in the WW recipe builder, the only thing that actually has a PPV is the almond milk (1 PPV), but when all is said and done the entire recipe builds out at 5 PPV !!! (That is with just 1/2 banana and Splenda.) I KNOW it is because the only fruit you can count as ZERO is whole fruit.... but it still seems wonky. On the "old" Points system this would work out to be 2-3 Points (1 for the 1/2 banana, 1 for the almond milk and maybe 1 for the yogurt.... hard to figure out the Points in such a small serving). It is one of the situations where the "free fruit" doesn't really benefit you at all!

Anyhow, FWIW, this is pretty tasty and tastes like FALL! ....................P

**Here is the original recipe, as I found it****

ORIGINAL Chicken Ratatouille Stew

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1- inch pieces
1 (28- to 30-oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
1 medium eggplant, peeled, coarsely chopped
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1. In 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients; mix well.
2. Cover; cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours or until chicken is no longer pink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is my slightly modified version

Lightened-up Chicken Ratatouille Stew

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (28- to 30-oz.) can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
1 medium eggplant, peeled, coarsely chopped
2 tomatoes, pulp removed and coarsely chopped
2-3 small zucchini, sliced
1-2 green or red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Salt and/or pepper, as needed.


1. In 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients; mix well.
2. Cover; cook on low setting for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours or until chicken is no longer pink. SERVES 4-6

Serve with whole wheat pasta and grated parmesan if desired.

******

I made it yesterday with lean pork loin because of DS's chicken allergy, but it definitely would have been a bit tastier with meat that wasn't quite so dry (which is why I would use chicken THIGHS instead of breast meat). I also added an additional zucchini and a bit more tomato sauce. I knew that it would get more liquidy as it cooked and I was right. It was definitely almost a soup.

I chose to use crushed tomatoes rather than the spaghetti sauce for two reasons.... #1 it is cheaper and #2 most jarred/canned spaghetti sauce contains sugar (often in the form of HFCS). I knew that this recipe could be just as good with the crushed tomatoes and I think I was right!

You could probably use a can of diced tomatoes instead of the fresh (but of course, that would add more liquid). And it would be DELICIOUS over pasta, but since we didn't have any of the no-carb pasta in the house, we went without. I'd love to also have this with a piece of crusty Italian bread and glass of wine!

For those on WW, the only PPV you would need to count here would be the chicken (and the spaghetti sauce if you used that), assuming you skip the pasta. Everything else is zero PPV veggies! It was SUPER filling! For those on South Beach and Atkins, I think this is also a good choice, especially if you skip the sauce with the HFCS and skip the pasta. I also bulked up the recipe with more veggies.

Overall my family of 3 gave this 2 1/2 thumbs up.... it had too many veggies for DS's taste, but he did like the meat. I cooked it for 6 hours on high and the pork was a tad dry, but the veggies were perfect. The zucchini and eggplant had NOT cooked to a total mush, as I was afraid they might.

One last FYI.... this TOTALLY filled my largest crockpot.

This earned its spot in my "Tried and True" recipe binder!.................P

Slow Cooker Mulligatawny Soup Recipe

The Ingredients.
serves 6

2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (frozen is okay)

1 cup peeled and chopped apple (mine were fuji)

1 cup chopped carrots

1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried minced onion flake

1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons curry

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup long grain white rice (to add later)

The Directions.
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken thighs into the
bottom of your cooker, and add apple, carrots, the whole
can of tomatoes, onion f lakes, and raisins. Then add the
lemon juice, spices, and broth. Stir to mix the spices.
Cover and cook on low f or 8-10 hours. If you'd like, shred
the chicken with two big forks, and stir in the uncooked
rice. Flip to high f or 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. If
you live in a high altitude, the rice will take longer and you
might want to consider using instant or already cooked
rice---it's up to you.
Ladle into soup bowls.

******************

That is the recipe as I found it on crockpot365.blogspot.com (great website by the way!).

Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone! My changes were actually fairly minimal.

I swapped out the chicken for lean boneless pork tenderloin and the chicken broth for homemade vegetable broth, due to DS's poultry allergy. I used a few TB of chopped sweet onion since I didn't have any dried minced onion. I also did not have a fresh lemon, so I used bottled. I went light on the curry powder because the type I have now is VERY spicy. I also added a bit of salt, since my homemade vegetable stock is salt-free. And of course, I used brown rice instead of white (ick).

I did NOT add the rice to the crockpot, since DH doesn't eat it. But I did include it with my portion and DS added it to his. It was a nice touch.

That being said, it DID technically make 6 servings.... 6 small-ish servings (without the rice) and the three of us finished the entire pot. It was just enough (DS had a big slab of bread with his). If DD were here it wouldn't really have been enough. And even though I am NOT a big meat eater, I didn't feel that this had enough meat (considering it is the only protein source in the soup). I will definitely add at least 50% more meat next time.

The apples cooked down enough to be virtually undetectable when eating it, although you could definitely see them. Not sure what DS thought they were, since he isn't really a fan of apples (although he likes my homemade applesauce). And he thought that the raisins were beans.... so I give him credit for eating them without complaining, since he isn't a big bean fan.

This could be made low carb without the rice and perhaps even without the raisins, although I thought they added some extra nice sweetness.

I started it late so I cooked it for 6 hours on high instead of 8-10 on low and it was just fine. The carrots had just enough bite left so that the soup had some real texture.

It sounds odd and it a weird mix of ingredients, but you might surprise yourself and enjoy this unusual recipe... especially if you are a fan of curry.............P

SUPER SIMPLE butternut squash soup


1 lb cooked butternut squash soup - approximately 2 small-medium squash (I cut mine in half, scooped out the seeds and roasted it in the skin in the oven at 400 degrees 45 minutes and then scooped it from the skin. )

1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped

1 large sweet apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

4 C fat free vegetable stock (or chicken stock or a combo)

1 C fat free milk

1 tsp. salt (more or less)

pinch black pepper

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

pinch cinnamon

pinch ground ginger

pinch coriander

OPTIONAL - maple syrup


Spray a large stock pot with PAM and saute the onions and apple over medium heat until softened and translucent (try to not let them get browned), about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the 4 C of stock and the prepared squash to the pot, and let simmer for approximately 15 minutes with the lid on. After that add all of the spices (start with the 1 tsp. of salt and add more as needed at the end) and carefully transfer hot soup in batches to a blender or hit with a stick blender directly in the pot until soup is smooth.

Stir in the cup of milk and heat on low until it is serving temperature. Add additional salt to taste.

Add optional maple syrup to each serving as desired.

Makes 4 - 2 cup servings.


DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a cook or chef or even a recipe tester. I am just a simple home cook (and not a very good one) who likes to try to make tasty recipes that are healthy and light. And I have only made this recipe ONCE! I use homemade vegetable stock that is salt-free, so it is hard for me to guess how much salt your batch will need if it is made with store-bought stock, which is why I suggested starting with just 1 tsp. of salt.... mine definitely needed more like 3 tsp. And it is delicious as-is, but just a tiny splash of the maple syrup made this absolutely DEVINE! .......................P

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 stuffed breast • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 194.7 • Fat: 7 g • Protein: 24.2 g • Carb: 7.2 g • Fiber: 1.5 g

Ingredients:

8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
6 tablespoons egg whites or egg beaters
5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
6 oz part skim mozzarella (I used Polly-O)
olive oil non-stick spray (I use my Misto)
1 cup pomodoro sauce or your favorite marinara sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash and dry cutlets, season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp grated cheese in one bowl and 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another.
Shred or finely chop 1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese and combine with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, and ricotta cheese.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray with olive oil.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with sauce then cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.



Here's the link to the original recipe......
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/04/chicken-rollatini-with-spinach-alla.html

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And of COURSE, a few things I changed...

I didn't have any ricotta, so I used plain nonfat greek yogurt instead. I added a bit of garlic powder and italian seasoning to the filling as well. I also did not have frozen spinach, so I used chopped fresh baby spinach. The changes worked just fine.

I did NOT bread the portion I made for DH, to eliminate those extra carbs, but I did sprinkle it with a bit of grated parmesan.

I made these up to the breading stage on Sunday and then put them in the fridge. I pulled them out Monday evening, did the breading and baking that night. They were delicious and they held together well during the breading stage, possibly due to sitting overnight.

DH and I had leftovers for lunch the next day and we both agreed it tasted even better the next day!.....................P

Here is the original recipe, thanks to skinnytaste.com!

Cauliflower "Fried Rice"
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Size: heaping 1 1/3 cups • Old Points: 2 pt • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 108 • Fat: 3 g • Carbs: 14 • Fiber: 6 • Protein: 9 g • Sugar: 1
Sodium: 868 mg • Cholesterol: 47 mg

1 medium head (about 24 oz) cauliflower, rinsed
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 egg whites
1 large egg
pinch of salt
cooking spray
1/2 small onion, diced fine
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 scallions, diced, whites and greens separated
3 tbsp soy sauce, or more to taste (Tamari for Gluten Free)

Directions:

Remove the core and let the cauliflower dry completely. Coarsely chop into florets, then place half of the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is small and has the texture of rice or couscous – don't over process or it will get mushy. Set aside and repeat with the remaining cauliflower.
Combine egg and egg whites in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Season with salt.

Heat a large saute pan or wok over medium heat and spray with oil. Add the eggs and cook, turning a few times until set; set aside.

Add the sesame oil and saute onions, scallion whites, peas and carrots and garlic about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft.

Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the cauliflower "rice" to the saute pan along with soy sauce. Mix, cover and cook approximately 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. Add the egg then remove from heat and mix in scallion greens.

MY TWEAKS.........

I used two full heads of cauliflower and it was completely finished by three hungry adults! My food processor bowl isn't huge and I had to pulse it in very small batches so that it wouldn't end up blended into pulp. I used one whole egg and one white and a large sweet onion plus about 6 cloves of garlic. I did not have any scallions, so I skipped those, but I did add chopped bok choy. To me it isn't fried rice without the bok choy. I also used fresh carrots (about 4-5 large) that I had diced and then lightly steamed and about a cup of frozen peas that I had run under hot water. I was really trying to bulk up the veggies in this.

I was making such a large batch that I had to stir-fry all of the veggies and eggs, remove them from the pan, and then add the cauliflower/rice. I cooked my cauliflower/rice until it was crispy and brown in sections. I combined everything just at the end. I also added diced ham, since this was the only thing I was serving for dinner. I would personally prefer chicken, but can't use it for the family because of DS's poultry allergy.

I did use the sesame oil because it adds so much taste. And of course, soy sauce (full sodium, since that isn't an issue for us).

My men knew it wasn't really rice, but no one questioned it and it was nearly gone before I divulged just exactly what they were eating.

Honestly, I can't WAIT to make this again!! I love fried rice and have really missed having it more often! ..............................P