Happy Sunday all! I am pretty jazzed about this month’s Weight Watchers theme of “Live, Life, Active”. It’s all about the different ways that you can fit moving more into your lifestyle that you may not even realize you are already doing. It’s also about finding an activity you love, then, making a 4 week commitment to it.
Two things I signed up for:
1. Our Live, Life, Active Board at our meeting where we put in writing what we are going to do each day for the next 4 weeks. My goal: walking x’s 3, 25 pushups each day and working my “daily workout card”.
2. My leader is awesome ~ she handed out WW Workout Cards to each of us and we commit to doing that activity every day. Then, the following week, we trade with someone else for a new card and exercise to do ~ so fun!
After the meeting, we headed over to Subway for breakfast sandwiches. I ordered a 3 inch eggwich with spinach, lettuce, tomato, onion, olive and sriracha. (SF + 3 WPA) – 4 points+
Then, a quick stop at Starbuck’s for Grande Iced Nonfat Latte’s before heading up to the Sacramento Antique Faire with The Husband and his mom. (SF) – 3 points+
We treated The Husband’s mom to Pluto’s on our way home where I made a gigantic veggie salad.
In the mix:
- Farmer’s Greens
- Shredded Carrots
- Grapes
- 1 egg
- Roasted Acorn Squash
- Roasted Sweet Potato
- Then, two “treats” ~ 1 Tbsp. Green Olives and a 1 Tbsp. sprinkle of candied walnuts
- My “dressing” was balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the side
I have yet to finish any salad at Pluto’s but I managed to down about 3/4’s of this checking off my 5 a day, then, some. (SF + 3 WPA for the olives & nuts) 8 points+
I also samples a few bites of The Husband’s Mozzarella Moon Caprese sandwich.
I got a little experimental in the kitchen this afternoon and I am still trying to decide if I love what I made. First up, this Vegetarian Spicy African Peanut Soup I made for lunches this week.
If I end up loving it, I’ll post the recipe recap later this week.
I have been saving these Delallo Organic Whole Wheat shells I found at my local market for a recipe where they would act as little buckets to hold all this saucy flavor.
My daily Cooking Light Calendar featured this Baked Pasta with Spinach, Cheese and Lemon this past week and I was pretty much sold on it.
Cook the pasta just until al dente, about 8 or 9 minutes.
Add an entire 6 oz. bag of organic spinach during the last two minutes.
Cook just until the spinach wilts.
Drain, pour into a large bowl and toss with 1 1/2 oz. sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil).
Meanwhile, caramelize just two cups of chopped onions (not the 4 in the recipe – that’s too many) in 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat until browned, about 15 minutes.
Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and sprinkle with a 1/4 cup flour, stirring constantly.
Slowly pour in 2 1/2 cups fat free milk.
Plus 1/2 cup dry white wine. I’d totally make it like 1 cup next go round
My wine of choice – This Geyser Peak River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc.
Whisk constantly for the next 8 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken and slightly boils.
Stir in 3/4 cup parmesan with 1 tsp. sea salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta mix.
Toss then pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish that is coated with nonstick spray.
I think next go round I’d skip adding in the Panko bread crumbs and just melt cheese on top.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup panko then 1/4 cup parmesan then 1/4 cup panko.
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling. I stopped cooking at 40 minutes which seemed a little too long (the recipe called for 50 minutes).
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into 8 squares and diving in. I love how you can taste the wine and the sun dried tomatoes add a nice tangy, sweetness. I do think the sauce could have more to it though…maybe garlic, maybe cheese or maybe wine. LOL.
With the modifications I made above, 1/8th of the dish is SF + 2 WPA or 7 points+
Here are my stats for today:
- Simple Filling (SF): 8 WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) used, 41 WPA remaining
- 24 Daily Points+ 0 WPA used, 49 WPA remaining
- I thought having “just a salad” would make me miss the meat, but, today’s salad was so good I never noticed it
- 150 pushups down, 750 to go (with a makeup 75)
- My FitBit Dashboard
HERE IS WHAT’S ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:
- Leftover Baked Cheesy Spinach and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta, salad
- Snobby Joes, kale chips
- Lettuce Wraps
- Veggie Chili with Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Bread
- Spicy Chickpea Nachos
What is on your menu this week? Any new recipes you are trying?
Night all!
Dotty says
Danica,
This looks yummy and I can’t wait to make it. If I leave off the panko crumbs is it still SF +2 ww pts.?
DanicasDaily says
Hi a Dotty,
You would save 1 points+ a serving without the pinko.
Danica
Gail H. says
What is the Cooking Light calendar? Between the time change from Vegas to South FL, and the switch to daylight savings time…I am zonked…so my menu has gone out the window this week…however, I did lose 3.1 lbs.!! Finally!!!! Your menu looks super this week!
DanicasDaily says
Gail,
It’s so awesome. This is the second year Jay has given me this daily calendar with new recipes on each card.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Light-Box-Calendar-2013/dp/B009ZNQ3L8
Danica
Gail H. says
OK, thanks for the link… I got one on amazon for 2014 🙂 Looks great!