Our Friend...Mr. 100 Calorie Snack!

I've often said that "portion control" is what's missing in most Americans' lives. I know it was virtually gone out of mine until I made the choice to change my eating habits and began Weight Watchers. All too often we've been duped into believing that we can eat huge portions of a product because it's "low calorie" or "low fat", but the reality is that EVERY box that lists nutritional information lists the portion size for that information and it's often ignored.




The funny part about 100 calorie snack bags is that many of the items, if not prepackaged in a smaller portion size, would be something we'd say "I can't eat that! It's bad for you" if we were to eat it straight out of the box or bag that wasn't portion controlled. A perfect example of this are the Hostess products, delicious cupcakes, Twinkies, and such, that if we were to eat them out of a box we'd probably never buy them when "dieting". The truth is, they're generally the same item, simply portioned out to be 100 calories, sometimes less! I would never buy a box of chocolate cream filled Hostess cupcakes, simply because it's not "healthy" eating BUT repackage those in smaller size, portion controlled packages.. mark them with 100 Calorie Snack on the front and I'm there in line with a couple boxes! It's a matter of convenience and portion control, plain and simple.






Why? First off the pre-proportioned servings make it quick and easy to make sure you're eating only the amount that is suggested. There's no second guessing how many crackers make 3 oz. servings when the bag is already prepared in that size! Secondly, there seems to generally be a consensus of "I can control myself better when I take a single package out and walk away, as opposed to sitting down with the box and trying to eat a 'portion' at my sitting". The ability to have a single portion handy and easy to take with you is a definite plus too and a very good reason to have these little snacks available. For Weight Watcher members, we find these 100 Calorie packages to be a quick snack that's very point friendly. In most cases they are generally the same points, no matter what the items are in the 100 Calorie package and sometimes even less than the average! As always, check the package nutrition information to ensure you are counting your points correctly. I did this with the Hostess cupcakes I so dearly love and was very pleasantly surprised that they're even LOWER than the norm for 100 calorie packs! I was thrilled to see I could actually have one of these snacks for half the points I was counting them for the first time I bought them! Another reason to be sure you check the NI!





So what kinds of 100 Calorie Packs are out there? There's a phenomenal amount available now, giving just about every snacker out there an option for sweet, sour, salty, zesty and more! Since my cravings tend to be more towards the 'sweet' side I tend to purchase more of those. I always keep a few of the salty and zesty types of snacks out there too, just in case!




Here's a few of my faves, feel free to comment and leave a few of your own favorite 100 Calorie Packs and where you purchase them from below!









Hostess 100 Calorie Pack Strawberry Cupcakes or Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcakes - purchased at most any grocery store including Giant Eagle, Wegmans, Quality, Tops, & even Walgrens.














Hershey's S'Mores Snacksters (Graham Cracker Cereal Squares, mini marshmallows & milk chocolate chips in a snack pack) - I found these at Big Lots but have seen them in the grocery stores also.





Nabisco Oreo Thin Crisps (baked chocolate wafer snacks, not an 'Oreo' as we know it, with no creamy filling but still a good crispy chocolate wafer) - Big Lots had a ton of these I picked up but every grocery store seems to have them too. Watch online for coupons or in your newspaper/magazines as Nabisco often has coupons for these!





Nabisco Oreo Cakesters (mini cake like versions of the Oreo cookie, these servings are very small but a nice change up when you're craving some chocolate or cake like snacks) - Giant Eagle, Wegmans, Tops, Quality, and most any store carry these.

Nabisco Mr. Salty Chocolate Covered Pretzels (these are decadent and a MUST try if you haven't) - again most every grocery store carries these including Wegman's, Giant Eagle & more.

Kraft (the originator of the 100 Calorie packs actually) Cheese Nips (a nice portion controlled size of a snack I cannot stop eating out of the box! Cheese flavored crackers.) - most grocery stores carry these. I have found combined Kraft 100 Calorie packs at GFS & Big Lots for a substantial cost savings. These combined packs carry the Cheese Nip packs, Lorna Doone Shortbread packs and another item I can't recall!





Kelloggs Keebler Fudge Shoppe Grasshopper Fudge Dipped Mint Cookies (simply a portion controlled version of the much loved Keebler Mint Cookies and definitely give the ol' "Thin Mint" cookie a run for it's money! I love to add these to my Weight Watcher chocolate smoothies mix for a blizzard style treat that makes Dairy Queen's former Girl Scout Blizzard with Thin Mints "minty green" with envy! I served these on St. Patty's Day to friends and family at my St. Patty's party and everyone thought they were "regular food" as they tend to call it, instead of a Weight Watcher style food! - These are generally found in most any grocery store and also in large packs with a mixture of 2 other Keebler style cookie packs.









Jolly Time 100 Calorie Microwave Popcorn - (huge amount of popcorn for a very filling snack - if you have the extra calories or points to use add a Tablespoon of grated parm cheese) - K-Mart, Wegman's, WalMart & most any store carry the Jolly Time 100 Calorie popcorn.









International Foods 100 Calorie Mocha Cappuccino - a wonderful thing for those who just cannot give up that daily cappuccino - I found mine at Giant Eagle and Wegman's









Please remember though, while the 100 Calorie packs are great treats, they should never take the place of a more nutritional, healthy treat such as fruits and veggies! This is the biggest problem with the 100 calorie pack treats, many are foregoing healthier snacks and turning to these yummy, quick and accountable alternatives.

Want to take the 100 Calorie treat even farther and create your own 100 Calorie or less "snacks"? This is a definite cost saver too! Here are some ideas:

• 1/4 Cup fat free Ranch dressing with veggies
• 1 small baked potato with 1/2 cup salsa and 2 tablespoons of fat-free sour cream
• 1/2 apple with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter on it
• 9 Tootsie roll midgees
• 40 classic thin pretzel sticks
• 15 strawberries with 1/4 cup lite Cool Whip
• 5 Nabisco Nilla Wafers
• 60 Pepperidge Farm baby gold fish crackers
• 1 Laughing Cow lite cheese wedge and 3 Nabisco Triscuit crackers
• 17 Special K crackers (these come in some great flavors)
• 1 Medium Banana
• 10 Spelt Pretzels with 1 Tablespoon of Sunspire brand grain-sweetened chocolate chips
• 2 oz. lean roast beef wrapped in a lettuce leaf - this is a great protein burst if you're craving beef
• 5 Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Drops
• 1/2 Cup Frosted Mini Wheats (this is a great sweet tooth and crunchy craving killer)
• 1/2 Cup sweetened Applesauce or 1 Cup un-sweetened
• 2 slices cooked bacon (wrapped in a lettuce leaf with a slice of tomato it's awesome!)
• 10 Jelly beans
• 1/3 Cup frozen sherbet

Taking any of the above mentioned items and pre-packaging it for a quick and easy snack is best. It saves you having to measure out when you're on the run or being tempted to grab more than the 100 calorie serving allows for!

Hints & Tips:

• I keep a bag hanging in my kitchen stuffed with 2 point snacks (weight watchers program). This allows for quick and easy access to a proper portioned snack that I know instantly how much it "costs".
  
• Clip Coupons for all those snack pre-portioned items. They can be very expensive in comparison to the non-portioned equal product but with coupons they can come out a lot cheaper!
  
• Check the website of the companies that offer the snack items you love. They often run coupons and even free samples!
  

Loaded Potato Skins & still losing weight?

Anyone who loves potatoes knows that the loaded potato skin is the best thing since, well since potatoes themselves! But are they off limits if you're trying to lose weight? HECK NO!



One of my favorite side dishes and sometimes even "main dish" is the all time favorite recipe, tweaked to be more figure friendly! No, you don't have to load them with only veggies, honest!



GFS (Gordon Food Service) is one of my favorite places to shop. They offer great prices on items in large quantities (much like Sam's Club) but without the cost of a membership. Many restaurants use this place (since that was where it's original roots were, was to service the food service industry). Shopping there makes it very affordable and easy to re-create restaurant favorite dishes at a fraction of the price AND a fraction of the fat & calories! One of my favorite purchases there are the potato skins. At about $10 a bag, with 50 servings, you can make tons of potato yumminess! Each skin has nutritional values of : 80 cal./0g Fat/3g Fiber, making them very point friendly for those doing Weight Watchers, like me!



So what can you put on your potato skins to make them yummy? Some of my favorite toppings include low fat cheddar, 1/2 slice or even fat free shredded cheddar melts well on these. I also like to use 1/4-1/2 tsp. olive oil on each to give them a little moistness AND get in my daily counts of essential oils. Fat free sour cream is a must! Chives, dried or fresh add a nice little zing. My daughter loves bacon bits on them, just a few. Broccoli and cheddar are another favorite at our house! A few "real" bacon bits always add some zip, again in small quantities they add a ton of flavor! Don't forget to use all those spices you have in your cupboard too! A sprinkle of garlic powder, rosemary, dill, or Italian seasonings really give your potatoes some flavor!



The best part is, everything you used to enjoy on those loaded potato skins at the restaurant can be found in better choice versions for your skins at home! And with a bag of 50, you can invite those friends to hang out at your place, play some guitar hero and eat up! Nobody will even guess that your version of these yummy appetizers are good for them!

A touch of YUMMY in this snack!

I recently saw some Fiber One bars on sale at the market the other day and like most people on Weight Watchers we tend to love anything Fiber One makes because all that fiber helps keep the points low on the item! I decided to grab a few boxes but wasn't sure what I was in the mood for until I spotted a caramel drizzled bar that looked pretty good. I figured at $2 a box it was a good deal and would give me a little sweet treat to add to my "2 Point Box" of goodies I keep on the counter for quick fixes!

If you are looking for something so wonderfully sweet and rich it curls your toes... this is your bar!!!! The Fiber One Oats & Caramel bar is simply divine! Nutritional Info of 140 Cal/3.5g fat/9g fiber for one bar, it's a very point friendly choice! Google the product and you can find coupons for $1 off also, at least right now! So don't hesitate..... run to the store and grab a couple boxes! You won't be sorry! The only problem I have with these at my house is keeping even the NON-Weight watcher piggies away! LOL

Sharing an Awesome Meatloaf Recipe

All too often when people "diet", they feel beef is totally off limits! You couldn't be more WRONG! First step, stop using the word "diet"... I use it in my blogs because that's what seems to be the thinking process of most who are trying to lose weight. Instead, use the word "lifestyle" or "healthy eating". It's a change in lifestyle, not something you do for a few months and then go back to your unhealthy eating habits.

Choosing the proper types of "beef" is the first step. The lower the fat, the better and never settle for anything less than 90% Fat Free or a ration of 90/10 on the food label. I personally have begun choosing irradiated beef from Wegmans. Before I looked into it I was clueless what this meant but after so many ground beef scares I decided to see what it truly meant and it's much more simple than you would think.

Originally I thought the words "irradiated beef" meant they put chemicals and such into it for some strange reason. After researching I found that this technique insures, chemical free, that no food borne diseases/germs/bacterias can live inside the ground meat. This means a safer meat for me and my family.

Choosing this style of beef not only allows me to use the ground beef without fear of E-Coli and other bacteria or germs but it provides instant "portion" control with a prepackaged 1 pound "chub", that easily freezes and thaws without all the mess of other packaged meats in those nasty Styrofoam packages! I know that cutting the package in half means 8 oz. of ground beef or using the entire package and getting 4 servings means 4 oz. per serving!

Here's a very informative article on beef irradiation: http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/irradiated-beef.asp
The article gives both sides of the story and explains what and how beef irradiation occurs. Take time to read it, it will open your eyes to the beef industry and WHY, perhaps for now, you may want to choose irradiated beef too. But I digress....

Now, one of my most favorite ground beef recipes that help with portion control and keeping that beef craving at hand.....my version of Diner Meatloaf Muffins. This is not a recipe I created but one that I "tweaked" to fit my new "Weight Watcher^R" lifestyle! It rocks! They make awesome "meatloaf sandwiches" wedged between Arnold's Sandwich Thins^R too! And, put 2 in a freezer bag for an instant and easy microwavable dinner for one! Now if that's not comfort food at it's best, nothing is!

Specialty Diner Meatloaf Muffins

1 cup chopped onion (about 1 small onion)
1 cup chopped carrot (about 6-8 fingerling carrots)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper (about 1/2 a pepper)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use the jar minced garlic)
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw) 90/10
34 finely crushed Special K Italian Tomato & Herb Crackers^R
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Place the onion, carrot, green pepepr,dried oregano, and minced garlic in blender or food processor. Pulse until mixture is fine but not mushy. Add onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl with raw meat. Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 "muffins")

Nutritional Information for ORIGINAL recipe:

CALORIES 276 (28% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 3g,mono 4g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 28.7g; CHOLESTEROL 131mg; CALCIUM 48mg; SODIUM 759mg; FIBER 1.8g; IRON 3.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.7g

* Information will be slightly more point^R friendly using the ingredients I used but fairly even in nutritional value. I kept the NI so you can figure "points^R" easier as it is illegal for me to post a point value.

Original recipe from Cooking Light^TM, MARCH 2006 and edited/changed by me to fit my tastes and program.

*Note: I'm not a huge veggie lover and putting carrots in my meatloaf is something I'd never really do... but honestly, by putting them in the blender/food processor you can't even tell they are in the meatloaf AND help add some veggies to your meal without anyone knowing... even YOU! It also helps hold some moisture in the meatloaf muffins. Believe me, nobody will ever know you snuck veggies in!

Keepin On Program

You often don't realize how hard it is to stay on program and eat right until you're hit with a holiday or a family gathering! With Easter right around the corner I'm bombarded daily with little foiled, delicate spring colored treats that would cost an arm and a leg in points on Weight Watchers! What can you do when you're a person that loves sweets so much, but don't want to gain the weight back? Time to get creative!

Some of my favorite treats I've found, low in points, that keep me feeling FAR from being abused while others munch away happily.....

Sugar Free Peeps (1) - 3 peeps are 1 serving and @ about 99 cents a package they're cheap to keep around. Stick a few in your desk, your cupboard, your car and grab a pack to nibble on when those sugary cravings are just killing you! I've found them at every grocery store locally and WalMart. Also, most drug stores carry them too.. .but stock up as they won't be around after Easter!

Yoplait Light Cinnamon Bun Yogurt (2) - This yogurt is absolutely to die for! It's a newer flavor & often harder to find but it's worth the trek to a few stores to look! They're just sweet and creamy enough to make you feel like you've been terribly bad, while not taking a ton of points to fulfill your craving! Our local Super WalMarts seem to be carrying them a lot. Giant Eagle stores have them sometimes locally also.

Hostess 100 Calorie Pack Minis (1) - I was completely amazed at the point value of these little treats! 3 small mini muffin/cupcakes per package for 100 calories. They're a super low point treat that just screams sugary deliciousness! They simply rock! I've found them cheapest at WalMart but most of the other grocery stores carry them too. My fave is the strawberry cupcakes, with the chocolate ones running a very close second!

So while others are loading up candy dishes on the desks or filling up Easter baskets with goodies that will be adding inches to their hips, YOU can stay on program and continue to lose weight while enjoying some sweet treats too!

It's not impossible to enjoy food that tastes good and seems "bad for you" but isn't! I've had a weight loss every week I've been on the Weight Watcher's program so far and I'm rarely unable to fulfill a craving I'm having. So just remember... where there's a will, there's a way!

Keep Getting Healthy!

Happy St. Patty's Day

Ahhh.... when I was but a wee Colleen I knew my roots well. I were an Irish Lass without question. No, really, I am! Not just today but every day I'm reminded of my "Irish" roots, with a last name that verifies without question if I were "truly" Irish!

This is the one day of the year we can all get a little rowdy and enjoy some "greeneries"!

Today, I'm having family over for some Reuben's (for those unaccustomed to some traditions a Reuben is a corned beef sandwich with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese on rye - toasted to a perfect crisp and drippin' with goodness!). Being on weight watcher's I'm, of course, doing it WW Friendly (not really that hard to do) with a good, lean cut of corned beef in the crockpot and using some low cal bread. I found a great fat free thousand island dressing for on top and will use the Laughing Cow baby bel cheese (Swiss), which is point friendly!

For an entire Reuben it should be quite friendly using the proper ingredients! I'll post pics later!

I have some running to do today, shopping for the bread, perhaps some more Swiss and of course some pickles to go with the sandwiches!

Mom's making a green pistachio pudding mixture that I can't wait to try! Of course, we're staying "on program" for the festivities! It's amazing how easy that can be really. I suppose it's the biggest reason why I love doing "Weight Watchers" as opposed to other "diet" plans. I really hate to even call it a diet because that immediately conjures up images of starvation and doing without. On the WW Plan there's nothing I can't have, honestly!

I'll take a run "downtown" for a few photo ops of the crazy St. Patty's Day crew here in Erie! We have a bunch of Irish Pubs that just scream for partying on this very special day! I used to love when I worked in the downtown area because my window looked out over the main street, State Street, and I'd spend hours laughing at the green haired goofs going from pub to pub. Many are completely "out of it" by as early as noon!

It's a holiday tradition to start the day at one of the local Irish eateries for some green eggs and ham. I always pass on this tradition. For some reason "green" food just doesn't appeal to me unless it's SUPPOSED to be green! But I will relish later in my tradition of Reuben sandwiches with family! The corned beef is slowly cooking as I type and it's a matter of time before we pop open just one Guinness to wash down that delectable sandwich.

Of one thing I'm sure, The Irish sure know how to enjoy life! I relish in my Irish heritage and roots and hope that those not lucky enough to be born of our breed can enjoy a day of pretending to be one of the luckiest blokes around!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

A GLORIOUS Day Indeed

I sit here feeling as though a Mac truck has hit me and came back to see what it hit, running me over again! But somehow I can say this is still one of the most glorious days of my life! Why?

Yesterday, yes Friday the 13th, I was scheduled for a heart cath. Monday of this week I had gone in for a stress test, "just to be sure", while getting radiation for a cancerous nodule on my first rib area. The doc wanted to "rule out" anything with the heart that may be causing my discomfort while breathing but we were pretty sure it was just the lump.

I show up at St. Vincent's Heart building at 6:30am on Monday. The lovely (sarcastic) greetings there made me oh so anxious to be poked and prodded by these people, but I sucked it up and went in anyways. Never in my life have I experienced such nasty, angry people in a work atmosphere. Out of EVERY contact there, I met ONE person that was pleasant and kind. Thankfully she was one of my nurses for the "chemical stress test" I was scheduled for,which was one of the tests that upset me a bit due to the "chemically induced heart stress" part. After about 3 1/2 hours I was done and told "don't worry if you hear nothing from your doctor because if there's nothing upsetting we generally just send him a letter and he forwards it to you. Only if there's a problem will we contact him, by this afternoon, and he will then contact you too".

So I was set. I "obviously" wouldn't hear from the doc as there was no real reason to think I had issues with the heart, especially since I was there "just to make sure". My father's side of the family has heart issues and all have died by age 65 or before but I've never had issues, not even high cholesterol. High blood pressure was being treated and not really an issue for me. Heck since my weight loss has begun I've even had times when I'm at the doc's and he says "your BP is awesome! or even too low! Don't take the meds today". So I left pretty confident I'd hear from the doc in a few days or so with a quick post card that says "everything's fine".

WRONG!

I got a call that afternoon from my doctor's office saying the stress test came back and it seems that I have a blockage. I was scheduled immediately to return to St. Vincent's for a heart cath. I quickly told the nurse that I did NOT want to return to SV's for the cath. They were rude, nasty and I simply was not going in for something this frightening to a place like that. She was amazed at this and apologized immediately. She told me to pick any place I wanted to go to and I said another local hospital here, Hamot, which is actually very highly rated nationally for their Heart Institute, would be fine. I had an appointment for Friday, the same week.

Getting through the week was horrible. I'm dealing with cancer for the 5th time and then was slapped with this. It just wasn't supposed to happen like this! I was finally taking charge of myself, eating properly and losing weight. I was feeling better. I was trying to move a bit more, not an easy feat with 8 herniated discs from neck to tailbone, and really starting to feel better about my own overall health. What a joke, eh?! My kids were frightened. I am all they have. Their father is pretty worthless. He physically abused my/our son, punching him in the face and reopening 52 stitches from a snowboarding accident he had, literally the day before the idiot punched him! He was pretty much not in their lives any more so it wasn't like they had any "parents" other than me. I've been the only one here through most of their life, even when I WAS married. So they felt as if the only person in the world that had been there for them or COULD be there for them, may be taken from them just as easily.

Of course, they were wrong in many aspects. My parents and sister love my kids like they were their own and would die for them. There's no question in my mind that my children would be well loved and well cared for should I ever leave this earth. But we all know, there's nobody like your own mother.

So Friday, the 13th, comes and we all trudge to the hospital. Another 6:30am appointment (do these people never sleep?), this time at Hamot Hospital. I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid but yet I had a bit of a calm about me also. My ENTIRE family came with me.... my 3 kids, my mom, dad & sister. I was not only well loved but had God on my side. I was sure. While I had questioned him on Monday for what he was doing to me.... I came to grips with myself and realized that I was not to question but to follow as he directed me. It not only gave me relief but comfort to make this decision. We prayed, as a family, before we entered the Heart Cath Lab area.

Friday's visit was the exact opposite of Monday's visit to SV. Hamot's personnel were above and beyond the call of duty. They were not only pleasant but helpful and very, very comforting. The head nurse, a male, treated my family like royalty. Joking with them, making them a fresh pot of coffee and giving them updates often as to what was going on. I was allowed 1 family member with me in the beginning and later, when things became just a "waiting game" so to speak 2 were allowed back. I'm not sure what time it was but I'm guessing about 9ish they came to take me back to the operating room.

You are fully awake for the heart cath, although somewhat groggy from the drugs they give you to keep you "calm". My cardiologist, Dr. Kang, was amongst the top 25% highly rated heart specialists in the nation. I felt good about this. He was so thorough that he not only checked my heart but decided to do an entire body scan with the dye.

End results were wonderful. There was absolutely NO blockage in the heart! The stress test readings had a "false positive" from perhaps an echo. His exact words were "Your heart is wonderful, marvelous and very strong. You have no blockages what so ever"! He also confirmed that the cancerous nodule on my first rib was no longer there. This happened in a matter of 4 days! I was cancer free! He also confirmed that nothing had entered the lungs. The only slightly "bad" news was that my kidney was sort of messed up (from birth though) and this was probably the reason for my high blood pressure. No big deal!

So for me, Friday the 13th, was nothing but GOOD LUCK! I was pronounced with zero issues in the heart. My cancer was gone! AND.. top it all off, I had to "weigh in" before it all started on Friday. I lost another 4.2 lbs!

So can I simply say..... It has been a GLORIOUS day for me... actually GLORIOUS GROUP OF DAYS!

I can thank the dear Lord for his blessings. While he may have allowed for some stressful moments, these moments served a purpose. From the moment I realized that my stress was over I knew that it had served some purposes. It made many pray, pray hard and long. Many who haven't prayed in a while, I'm sure. It also brought our family even closer, as anything stressful does in my family. It showed us what our true priorities are. It helped me see who my true friends are.... people who called me, prayed for me, even offered to come to the hospital for me. It also reminded me WHY I had made the decision to change my lifestyle, join weight watchers and take control of my eating habits.

Thank you to all my friends, family and internet acquaintances who took the time and effort to include me in their thoughts and prayers. It means a lot to know that there are people out there that care and love me! And Thanks most of all to God... for protecting me, reminding me of what life is truly about!