pjilla - thank you thank you!!!
The math analogy really helped give me a different perspective - thanks!! I'm still op today and am going for a walk w/dd after school - the sun is out and she will make me do it!
You're welcome! Glad I could help. You seem to be feeling better about things!
Aren't these great?! So much more satisfying for me than bread! DD loves them too so I make her lunch w/them - I know she's getting a good dose of fiber in.
We like pizzas with them too!
Not sure if you mind your daughter having aspartame or not, but just wanted you to be aware that both the Arnold Sandwich thins and the Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats have aspartame. Sad, but true. I still eat them myself, even though I try to avoid the artificial sweetener when I can.
Good Evening all! I got in a second workout today, so I am feeling energized about that. Plus I made a nice healthy soup for dinner this afternoon, so when I came home from the Y dinner was ready and waiting. I love it when I do that sort of thing for myself! It was yummy, healthy, lowfat, and good for (almost) the whole family! (It was chicken soup and DS is allergic to chicken, so he had fish sticks.)
DD's swim practice ended about an hour early tonight, so we also got home nice and early, so I have a few extra minutes to come over here and say hello!
I made a quick yummy dinner last night for the family. I didn't intend to have any because I made it with white pasta, which I rarely eat, but it smelled so good and I had enough points left, so I had it. It was really good so I thought I would share the "recipe" (such as it is). It is sort of a baked ziti.
This recipe made a double batch for my size family (four of us).
1 1/4 lb of pasta (penne, ziti, elbow, whatever you have.), cooked
1 can tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce (I used a smaller can because that was all I had, but the kids would have liked this "saucier", so more sauce would be okay)
1 large can of diced tomatoes (chopped stewed tomatoes would work too)
spices if you used plain tomato sauce (I used basil, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder, plus a bit of salt and pepper. If you use spaghetti sauce, you can probably skip this.)
Shredded cheese (I used 2% milk italian blend and mozzarella). I didn't measure this because I didn't intend to eat any, so I wasn't concerned about how much I used. Probably 2 cups.)
One bag of frozen stir-fry onions and peppers
1/2 bag of fresh baby spinach
1/2 c grated parmesean
Meat of some sort, if desired. (I used turkey meatballs cut in half because that's what was front-most in the freezer. You could probably also use precooked diced chicken, ground beef, leftover roast of some sort.)
Cook the pasta and drain. Combine tomato sauce/spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, and spices and parmesean. Sautee the frozen onions and peppers. In the last minute before done, throw in the baby spinach and finish cooking just until spinach is wilted.
Top the drained pasta with the vegetable blend and the sauce blend. Put in meat if desired. Stir/fold to blend.
Put a layer of the pasta into 2 Pam-sprayed 9 x 13 casseroles. (Remember this was a double batch.) Sprinkle with shredded cheese (amount is up to you). Top with remaining pasta and then top the casserole with a final sprinkling of shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I covered it with foil so it wouldn't dry out, but I tented the foil so that the cheese wouldn't stick to it.
This could be made much healthier using whole wheat pasta, lots of veggies, and light cheese. I was making it for my family and not myself, so I didn't worry so much about the calorie count/points, so I can't help you with that. When I make it again I will use many more vegetables, skip the meatballs (I rarely buy them and I don't mind meatless meals), and more sauce or diced tomatoes, plus I will use whole wheat pasta.
I like this recipe because it is one of those that you can mix and match ingredients depending on what you have in the pantry/fridge/freezer. Lots of cheese, little cheese, no cheese..... chicken, beef, no meat..... penne, ziti, elbow, bowtie..... cheddar, parmesean, mozzarella...... you get the idea!
Well.... time for the evening snack (a bit late, but that's okay).........P
I make pizzas with them. Toast them for breakfast with peanut butter and fluff, use low fat/low calorie ham and laughing cow cheese for a 3 pt sandwich. I also love fruit, but have to be careful as those cost me more points more quickly.
I've tried fat free sour cream before and just didn't like but adding the onion mix will make a big difference. 
I have been working out...lifting weights, walking/running, Wii EA Active, pilates...and for the past 4 days when I get on the scale it has the same number. I know all the things that have been posted here about not always watching the scale but there are days where you just need to see a change and when you don't, it is a bit disappointing. I had that whole conversation with myself about if this is really worth it and if I could just be happy with the way I am. Again...I know the answers to those questions and that was the reason I was up at 5:30 AM this morning working out before I go to work again. 
