Happy Weekend all! Thanks for all the nice comments on my BYOD! Post. You all totally got me all sappy. I truly believe that is the BEST THING about Weight Watchers. Sometimes you choose to have the It’s It Ice cream and Dogs and sometimes you don’t….but either way, both, can totally be ON THE PROGRAM.
This is the cake my Sis made for my Nieces graduation ~ pretty awesome, huh?!
I am such a good MAINTAINER, I wish I could find my groove at losing consistently again. I was up .4 lbs this week which I know isn’t much and it’s the one week in the month the scale usually doesn’t move (notice all that chocolate this week LOL).
My meeting yesterday was really great. My leader made several points that I think really made sense and made me think about ways I could improve how I work the program. Here are two of my favorite ones:
If you are eating all of your 49 WPA, you “could” actually be eating 60 WPA if you do not measure everything. She gave a few examples and I totally think they are true. If you
“roughly” pour half a glass of wine, you may be getting 4 oz versus 6. If when you do measure your rice or pasta, your 1 cup measurer is HEAPING (not level/flat) or you really SMOOSH it in, you could be eating more than a cup.
To truly make the program livable, you SHOULD eat what you want. You can always adjust your points+ later that day, use your WPA or eat light another day. She gave a funny example of how the oatmeal at McDonalds you think is healthier, but, in fact its 13 points+. An egg mcmuffin is onlhy 8 points+ and you probably wanted that anyway so you should get what you want.
So, for breakfast, I took her advice. I have been wanting to have Starbuck’s LF Triple Berry Cake forever so yesterday I did. It’s 9 points+ but I chose to get my Iced Decaf Coconut Americano to save points+ as a compromise (2 points+)
It was delicious and it totally hit the spot!
Lunch yesterday was PHENOMENAL!!! I have been dreaming about those Sweet Potato, Potato Skins ever since Tracey and I made them awhile back. We both have also been addicted to BLTA’s lately….so we combined the two!
SWEET POTATO BLTA NACHOS!
INGREDIENTS
- 6 oz sweet potato slices, about 1/8th inch thick, sliced and cooked
- 1/2 cup chopped romaine lettuce
- 4 slices Trader Joe’s Turkey Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 Tbsp reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 Tbsp cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 Tbsp green onions, chopped
- 1 Tbsp pickled jalapenos, chopped
- 1 Tbsp Olives, sliced
- 1/4 avocado, chopped
- Dashes Hot sauces, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice sweet potatoes into thin slices, spray with nonstick spray and season with salt,. Bake for 10-12 minutes flipping half way through, until slightly browned and cooked through.
2. Measure out 6 oz of cooked sweet potato slices onto a place and layer up all your toppings.
3. Dig in and enjoy!
Makes 1 HUGE plate for 11 points+
NOTE: You could save 5 points+ by reducing the bacon to 2 and omitting the avocado & olives, but, why would you want to?! 
Nutritional information per serving
Have I ever mentioned how awesome Tracey of TJ’s Test Kitchen is? She actually have everything prepped when I showed up for lunch. All I had to do was assemble!
Two types of potato slices were made but we agreed the thicker versus the chip type were better.
All the toppings you could imagine but really pick and choose whatever you like.
I started with taters, lettuce, BACON and CHEESE!
Then, jalapenos, tomatoes, green onions and olives.
A sprinkle of avocado.
Deliciousness! Sweet, salty, crunchy, spicy and creamy all in one.
Or you can be organized like Tracey and line up your taters.
And individually top each one so they look “pretty”
She folded hers in half to make them into little sweet potato BLTA tacos as she ate them.
Dessert!
After downing out lunch, we got to work on our Friday Project. There has been a lot off pickling talk this past week after I tried those Italian Veggies and was talking about the pickled green beans I tried at the 2nd Annual Food Buzz Fest.
We knew we had to do some pickling when we saw the new Weight Watchers mag with an article on how to do it!
Why do just pickles when you can do everything!
My planner, Tracey, had everything prepped and ready to go once again!
We divided up the veggies between the two jars (she took most the okra but made me take a few for The Husband). Okra is ICK to me
I spiced mine up a bit (you probably already knew that was happening!) It was really hard for me to stick to the “recipe” but she made me lol.
We added the vinegar mix (I put 3 Tbsp extra sugar in mine because I was going to sweet & spicy dill) and let it cool. I sampled one last night and they are sooooo good! I can’t wait to dig in.
I had actually planned on making The Husband steak sandwiches last night. However, after work we ended up helping out some of our friends and didn’t get done until 900.
I pondered my usual Chipotle Bowl, but, realized I wasn’t THAT hungry. I opted for two Crunchy Chicken Tacos instead.
~ 2 crunchy corn tortillas, chicken, pick, lettuce and just a pinch a of cheese (6 points+).
Q’s
What is the BEST Sweet Potato (or regular potato) toppper you have ever used?
I think that sweet potatoes and bacon were meant to be……I LOVED all the other toppings too but that bacon totally makes it for me.
We are off to celebrate Dad’s day today so I will see you all late tonight or tomorrow.
Happy Saturday!!!
Hi Danica! I love checking out your blog and all the yummy foods you make! I am on WW as well, and after I read your blog today I had to re-check my points value for the McDonalds Fruit and Maple Oatmeal (which I occasionally get in a pinch). I pointed it out at 7P+ with the brown sugar and without it is 6 P+. Unless I am missing something ?! Anywho, I love reading your blog!
Hi Abigail,
Thanks for the comment. My leader said that the amount that they serve up is actually 1 1/2 servings and I believe she included all the toppings in her calculation. I didn’t check her math or the points+ values, but, that would be the only thing I’d caution on. I have never gotten the Oatmeal at McD but would be glad to check out the calculation if you want me to look it up.
Danica
This is why I try so hard to weigh and measure everything as I know how things can get out of hand when we start guessing or fudging the numbers! mmm fudge! hehe
I have to say I agree about bacon on potatoes! I am yet to try it on sweet potatoes though! But I will now! I love a nice big loaded baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon and chives. But now with WW I make a small one and use LF ingredients.
Great re-cap post of yesterday! Now my tummy is growling!! lol I will miss our cooking next Friday, but look forward to it again soon!
Wonderful!!
I hadn’t read my most recent WW mag yet and have been wanting to try pickling. I just ordered a bunch of books from the library yesterday and bought some jars at Ross 2 days ago… I am so happy to find out that there is a recipe in the mag and I can start today! Thanks.
NOM!!! Those sweet potato nachos look amazing! I’ve been wanting to pickle some stuff myself – guess I’ll bust out that mag & check out the recipe. 🙂
So how was the Starbucks pastry? I always eye them but then realize I never really want them.
Thanks for the pickling recipe! I love all things pickled so I may just have to try this myself.
As for Sweet potatoes, I surprisingly love them with dijionaise. The tang of the mustard just goes so well with the sweet of the potato.
I love a sweet potato galette! Take the raw sweet potato rounds and place in an oiled cast iron skillet. Use EVOO. Make a round layer of sweet potato rounds, then brush on a little EVOO and little pepper. Put a layer of good swiss cheese to cover the rounds. Top with another row of sweet potato rounds. Brush again with a little more oil. Let it start sizzling on top of the stove for a few minutes and then put in the oven to cook. When done, turn it over on a round platter!! Delicious!!!
Mmmm… Lynda – that sounds amazing!
If anyone on WW doesn’t own a FOOD scale, now’s the time to get one. The difference in what a person visually “thinks” is 8 oz. or 4 grams vs. what is ACTUALLY 8 oz. or 4 grams is a cruel awakening and visually shocking.
It’s made a difference in my losing 47 pounds, making LIFETIME and STICKING to it. Best of luck to you!
I make twice-baked sweet potatoes where I remove the flesh from the baked sweet potatoes, blend it with a little butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and light cream cheese, then put back in and re-warm. Very good!
Hi Robyn,
You know it’s one of the few pastries there that I really like. I used to like it more when it was only like 6 pp, but, it was still a nice “treat” to have at 9 pp when I really wanted something. Homemade is always better of course and you could have lower points+ by making your own.
Danica
Oh my gosh! You really can pickle anything, can’t you? That all looks great. The cake is way rad.
I’ve been dying to make some pickles ever since I first read this post. Do you know if you have to use special pickling jars, or will any jars do? I have a bunch of jars with lids lying around the kitchen and would love to re-use them if possible. Thanks!
Hi Jessi,
I think any glass jar will do. They last in the fridge about a month that way. I think they last longer if you get the special Mason jars you seal.
Danica
thank you!!! by the way i LOVE your blog. totally keeps me inspired to stay on weightwatchers and helps with the food rut 🙂 i just made a pot of the split pea soup last night – can’t wait to try it for dinner tonight!