Dining Out

One of the hardest parts of eating healthy is learning how to "Dine Out" with friends and family and still remain "on plan". Life as an American happens to focus around getting together with friends and eating. It is just second nature for us. Social functions all too often gather around food and most often food that others prepare, often leaving us wondering how it was prepared and what all of the ingredients are.

As a Weight Watcher® I do benefit from the fact that I can eat anything, as long as it's counted in my points. I don't have to eat prepackaged food. But dining out can often pose some issues, especially if you end up going to some place very UN-healthy (buffets kill me), it gets even worse.

So what's a healthy eater to do?

Re-learn "Dining Out" techniques. Re-learn how to find the lower point, fresher, healthier foods, even if they're hidden amongst the high fat, high calorie, low taste options!

This past week seemed to be one of those weeks that I was just running non-stop. End result, nearly every meal was done in a restaurant. Sometimes it was easy, other times it was very difficult.

One of my absolute most despised places to dine is an "All You Can Eat" buffet. I'm sorry, I'm not up for mediocre, at best, food in huge quantities. Points wasted, taste buds abused and in my opinion money wasted. Unfortunately, friends all too often want to do the buffet and you end up having to go for it.

The other day, we ate at Golden Coral. To me, this place is a joke in the food industry. I know many just love this place but I'm pretty certain it is because they prefer quantity over quality. That's definitely not how I eat any more, although I must confess I've rarely preferred quantity over quality when it comes to eating. GC offers beef that I'm pretty sure was found laying on the side of the road instead of in a field. Fat content so intense that while they grill the "all you can eat steak" flames are so bad they have water containers to keep them down. End result, a completely charred, over cooked, hunk of fat with an ounce of edible meat at best. Half the time it's even half raw on the inside while the outside is so charred you can't begin to eat it! Worth the points? Hardly! Add to that the buffet itself, which is loaded with fat laden, high carb, starchy, tasteless side dishes. If I'm going to waste points it's going to be on something so decadent I'm going to say "it was worth it". Starchy, tasteless glue like substances, created to look like dishes they claim to be. That's not going on my plate!

So what do you end up doing?

For me, I loaded up at salad bar first. My "appetizers" consisted of simply veggies, a few of them even looked like they were supposed to and not all brown or withered! A small, slightly plain, salad helped fill the empty spot keeping me from grabbing unhealthy items to fill the void.

Fill up with the obvious healthy choices. To some it may sound like torment, but to me.. when I saw the options on the buffet itself I knew it would provide the most flavor for the least points. Some of the items on the salad bar weren't too bad. While the choice of fat free dressings was limited to one, I suffered it out. A nice sized salad, good start at keeping on track.

Time for a "main dish". What are some of the best choices? It's an obvious fact that most of the choices are not going to be real "point friendly". I found some chicken that wasn't loaded with butter or breading and happens to be the only one thing I enjoy at this particular buffet.. Bourbon Chicken. I took about 1/4 cup for a serving (one large serving spoonful), & while I didn't know the exact points I was pretty sure I stuck to about 3pts total or less.

Generally you can find some type of boneless, skinless chicken to load onto your plate while avoiding the very low end beef options they have that are, at best, 30% fat. Avoid the beef dishes if you can. Meatloaf was offered on the buffet but I could see by it laying in it's own puddle of grease that it had to be very high in fat content, not a good ground beef that was low fat. The steak they offered was not trimmed at all. I trimmed the fat off the one piece I was given and end result was literally 2 bites of true steak without all the fat. Definitely not worth wasting my points on. The roast they had was just as fatty, not an option for me either. Ribs were being grilled too but to be honest they didn't even look good. I passed.

"Side dishes" were not as easy. The general consensus at a buffet seems to be if it looks like paste and resembles the color of what we are calling it, it can be a side dish. I found some "roasted" veggies that actually were in a pot roast dish. The pot roast was seriously about 60% fat with a little meat and gravy; however, the veggies were awesome and while I'm sure they had a few extra calories and fat, getting them roasted gave them a little flavor and the veggies themselves made it a lower in points than most other sides they offered. I was happy with that choice rather than trying to eat one of those paste like side dishes they had!

"Dessert" is my weakness. What I tried to do here at the buffet was remind myself that what THEY call dessert and what I would call dessert, flavor wise, would not even be REMOTELY close to the same. I scanned their dessert bar for options. They had tons of stuff, none of it was truly too awesome looking to me, so I decided to ask about their "ice cream". I was glad I did. The "ice cream" is actually an "ice milk", lower in fat. I had a nice size dish (about the equivalent of a McDonald's ice cream cone) with a teaspoon of chocolate coating (the one that gets hard and makes it's own shell). To be honest, this was the best option I saw all night and probably the most point friendly! Odd, but true!



End result:

• Definitely a "less than desirable" eating adventure
• Stayed well within points
• Was "full" enough to be "satisfied"
• Remembered why I hate buffets & their less than edible foods with more than desired calories & fat!

So it wasn't a total loss. I was reminded of why I am now eating the way I am. I was given a challenge that I conquered.

I'm hoping that my techniques and ability to make better choices will help someone else out there in the same spot. Hey, if I can do it, you can do it! AND we can do it TOGETHER!

Cinco de Mayo Casserole

Just around the corner is a great day for a little festive celebration, Mexican style! Why not celebrate with a great WW Friendly recipe?

Invite friends to share this great dish. Add a "virgin" margarita or splurge and have the real thing and make it a great fun night!

Of course you have to "shake your maracas" and get some extra activity points! Cinco de Mayo is the perfect day to do it!

Cinco de Mayo Picante Chicken Enchiladas (3)

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Picante Sauce
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
2 teaspoons chili powder
12 oz. cubed cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, fat free
6 medium wheat tortillas (8-inch), warmed
1 green onion, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)

Stir 3/4 cup picante sauce, sour cream and chili powder in a medium bowl.

Stir the picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.

Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side up in a lightly greased 11 x 8-inch shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining picante sauce over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.

Bake at 350°F. for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the onion.

*Original Recipe from Pace Picante®/Campbell's® Kitchen - reworked by Bev P. to become Weight Watcher® friendly!

It's Picnic Time! Can you handle it?

SURE YOU CAN!

Picnic's... ahhhh, the glorious days of gathering with friends and family to share outdoor fun and, of course, that great picnic food. But going to a picnic while trying to lose weight can be a horrible event. All that mayonnaise layden food, greasy grilled burgers, those fatty, cheesy casseroles. HOW could you ever manage?

Well here's a few recipes to help you stay the course, along with some ideas for food you can take for yourself!

We enjoyed some wonderful, "Weight Watcher®" friendly macaroni salad at this weekend's picnic. Of course, double batches are often needed if you're cooking for a crowd but that's the glory of this recipe...it can be doubled or tripled without any real problems! Here's the version I made with some tips/changes you could use to create your own personal flavor!

Macaroni Salad (2)

4 1/2 cup(s) cooked macaroni, kept warm

3/4 cup(s) fat-free mayonnaise

1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream

3 tbsp sweet pickle relish

1 medium sweet red pepper(s), diced

1 medium green pepper(s), diced

1/4 cup(s) sweet onion(s), minced
1/8 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

While macaroni is still warm, place in a large bowl. Add mayonnaise, sour cream and relish; toss to coat. Add peppers, and onion; toss to combine. Season to taste with onion powder, salt and pepper.

Chill for at least 1 hour.

1/2 cup per serving (2).

*Note:
The original recipe called for 1 medium carrot(s), diced also, which I myself omitted. If you like carrots in your macaroni salad, by all means use it!

You can basically stick with the 4 1/2 Cups cooked macaroni to 3/4 Cup Fat Free Mayo/Salad Dressing and 1/4 Cup Fat Free Sour Cream as the base for your salad. Add to that your "normal" ingredients to give your salad your own taste. As long as you use "free" items, such as veggies and/or spices. Adding a single hard boiled egg does not change the food (value) at all and can add a little extra something to the dish.

What to take for the grill:

If you find that they're going to be cooking up burgers and dogs why not take along your own "Light" hot dog (2) or 4 oz. burger made from 99% fat free ground turkey (1) or 95% fat free beef (4)? Nobody will have a clue and it will help keep you on program! Better yet, if you're not hankering for beef, you could always add a skinless, boneless chicken breast for an easy count (3). Marinate the chicken breast ahead of time in fat free Italian dressing for a no extra food values added!

Don't forget to bring your own light bun!

NO! Not CASSEROLES!

Yes, you can create "friendly" versions of casseroles to share with everyone and keep it so you know how to count your servings too!

Here's one of my favorites to take when you're asked to "bring a dish"!

Un-Stuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole(6)

Yield: 6 Servings

1.5 Pound Extra Lean Ground Beef

2 Medium Onions, chopped

6 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

16 oz. Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Uncooked Long Grain Rice(white)

1 (16 oz.) Bag Classic Coleslaw Mix

Preheat oven to 350F. Brown beef until no longer pink. Drain grease off, if necessary. Add the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, water, & uncooked rice. Bring to a simmer and cook until the rice is partially cooked (about 10-15 minutes). Spray a 9X13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Layer half of the coleslaw mix into the bottom, then spread half of the meat mixture on top of that. Repeat layers. Do not stir. Cover tightly with a piece of foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the cabbage is tender.

Dessert Table

Dessert's going to be a problem? Then bake up some awesome (3) brownies! Or take along a box of WW dessert's/bars that will help kill your sweet's needs!

Cutting up some fresh fruit or even stopping along the way to pick up a pre-cut container of fresh fruit from your local grocer can help you contain your desire to eat sweets that aren't good for you! Taking your own fruit will satisfy your "crunch" and "sweet" cravings.

Black Bean Brownies (3)

1 Pkg. (9x13 pan size) REGULAR Fudge Brownie Mix
1 Can (about 19 oz.) black beans with their juice

Blend black beans and their juice in a blender until complete smooth. Add to 1 box of brownie mix (not reduced fat, but regular) and stir until brownie mix is moistened completely. Bake in preheated oven according to brownie mix package directions.

Cut into 24 even pieces. (3 ea.)

*Note: Food Points will vary according to type of brownie mix you use.

*Note: While I know it sounds like a strange mixture, you have NO clue you've used black beans as your moistening agent for the brownies! I swear to you, they do not give off a taste at all in this recipe!

TIPS

• Spend time playing outdoor games instead of standing by the picnic tables nibbling
  
  
• Play horseshoes, volleyball, etc. to keep active and not think about eating
  
  
• Come to the picnic after you have already eaten one meal (lunch or breakfast) and not starving, it will help you control your hunger!
  
  
• Go for a walk with friends/family after your dinner/lunch!
  
  
• Take a seat farthest away from the main table that has food on it. This will keep you from leaning over or jumping up and reaching over to eat, mindlessly.
  
  
• Enjoy conversation with your family and friends. Keeping busy and talking will help you avoid filling your mouth!
  
  
• Offer to hold the newest "baby" at the picnic while "mom" eats. You'll have your hands too full to grab unhealthy foods!

As with most of "dieting" and changing lifestyles when it comes to eating, the key is planning ahead. Don't go hungry, don't ignore signs that you're getting hungry while there. Doing this will only make you grab the nearest, quickest and probably least healthy option!

Most of all, ENJOY your summer outings! Make the best of your time outdoors by keeping busy, enjoying conversation and friendship and most of all... THE SUNSHINE!

Staying In Control

It's often a heavy feat to "stay in control" around food, especially food that tend to be your "trigger" foods. I don't have a lot of days when I could eat a side of cow by myself but when those days come, WATCH OUT!


I feel so out of control and it's never "the same" each time. Some days I could eat anything sweet, other days anything "meaty", other days simply anything! It's not always the same reason I'm feeling out of control either. There are hormonal issues (aka "that time of the month"), there are stress issues (rarely the same each time), and there are "un-preparedness" issues (where I simply go without eating so long that I then finally let loose and grab it all).

There's no 100% effective way to deal with each of these issues and their end result of losing control of your eating habits. If there was, none of us would worry about them! But there are ways we can help ourselves gain control back. Here are a few tricks I've learned can help often, not always.

1. Try to always be prepared with your eating plans all mapped out

Always knowing ahead of time what you're going to eat saves you from grabbing the first thing in your face. Keeping snacks on hand, taking "2 pt" snacks in your purse or car in case of hunger can help alleviate a sudden rush to grab food and just stuff it in your mouth and can help tide you over until you can get to something nutritionally sound and a much better choice.

Knowing what the point values of foods are at a local restaurant before you go there saves you from eyeing all the other stuff available and making a faltering choice in the moment of passion too! Use your Weight Watcher's® Dining Out book or my favorite, http://www.dwlz.com (Dotties Weight Loss Zone) to look up points BEFORE going to the restaurant. I have truly found that planning ahead has saved me numerous times!

2. Try to make sure you eat at regular intervals

Allowing yourself to get overly hungry almost always ends in tragedy. Eat at regular intervals, never putting off eating until you can't stand it any more and cave in to a bad choice. Remember, on Weight Watchers® NOTHING is off limits, it's just not a "good" choice. This means YOU are in control! Again, keeping snacks always handy (in the car, in your purse, on the counter top) can help keep you from putting off eating until you're completely starving.

3. Find an alternative food product for what you're craving

Many times when we're craving a high fat item in particular, we can find a lower
fat version of the product to suffice our desire. This is often true of chocolate and sweet products. Some great alternatives to high fat, high calorie sweet treats are low calorie, low fat alternatives such as a Weight Watcher Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin, Special K Bliss Bars, VitaMuffin Tops, Unsweetened Applesauce flavored with a sugar alternative, Sugar Free popsicles or fudgsicles, The Laughing Cow Ice Cream snacks. Alternative to high fat, salty/crunchy snacks could be Lays Light Potato Chips, Baked Tortilla Chips (make them ahead and when you're feeling the need for a crunch you can add your own topping to attack that craving), Special K Crackers (these come in various flavors and kill the crunch crave immediately).

4. Drink Some Water or Flavored Drinks (calorie/sugar free)

I often can cure a "sweets" craving by simply drinking a huge glass of Crystal Light® or Diet Iced Tea. No points, zero calories, zero sugar and zero guilt in place of grabbing something that isn't really going to help me in the end is a wonderful alternative! The end result is not only killing that craving but filling me up so I don't even feel hungry any more. Of course this only works sometimes. If you truly are hungry then you need to grab a glass and drink it while preparing something tasty and low point to snack on! Some guilt free drinks: Crystal Light® (or other brand name sugar free drink mix), Diet Iced Tea, Diet Iced Coffee (use sugar free flavorings & sugar substitutes), Caffeine Free Diet Soda (not a favorite of mine as it tends to bloat but it can serve a purpose when done in moderation), Water (the good ol' fashioned alternative), Weight Watcher® Smoothie (1) (made with water/ice)

Crystal Light® now has a banana/strawberry flavor with fiber! So it not only helps kill that sweet need but fills you up! It's my absolute favorite flavor! I find mine at WalMart for $1.97 a box!

5. Find "other options" to eating

Finding other options to giving in to your eating can often help alleviate your impulse eating. Some great ideas to try "INSTEAD OF EATING" are:

Read - reading a book, magazine, newspaper can often take your mind off of the desire to eat when you have no points left or are really not hungry

Walk - take a walk, removing you from the place that you are can often create a new atmosphere that doesn't make you crave food

Call a Friend - it's pretty hard to talk on the phone, laugh and discuss issues with your mouth full! Talking with a friend can help ease the stress at hand that could be causing the desire to eat also

Exercise - Even if you don't belong to a gym you can generally find an inexpensive DVD that promotes exercise or Yoga. Many local cable and satellite dish companies offer these type of programs 24/7 on specific channels. Stop what you're doing and exercise! Not only will this add points IF you simply cannot continue to say "no" to putting something in your mouth but it can help alleviate the desire all together!

Go To Bed - It's a proven fact that people who get less sleep tend to be heavier. Perhaps when you're all out of points and it's close enough to bed time you could benefit 2-fold from climbing into bed and snoozing! This keeps you from putting the food in your mouth AND makes you catch up on some often needed sleep deprivation.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!! WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER!!!!

Comfort Food that Rocks!

These are by far my absolute favorite "comfort food" to make and have around!
I make them regularly and they freeze well. I put 2 in a bag for an instant serving sized, quick bite that easily microwaves!

My favorite way to use them? Sandwich a "Diner Meatloaf Muffin" inside the Arnold's Sandwich Thins for a wonderful, mouthwatering "Meatloaf Sandwich (4)". It's also a great way to hide some veggies if you have trouble getting the kids to eat them!

Diner Meat Loaf "Muffins"

1/2 cup chopped carrot *I put my carrot, onion, oregano, pepper, garlic in a blender
1 cup finely chopped onion *
1/2 chopped green or red sweet pepper*
1 teaspoon dried oregano *
2 garlic cloves, minced (or jar minced garlic 1/4 tsp) *
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (95% lean) (raw)
1 cup finely crushed fat-free saltine crackers (about 20) *I use Special K Roasted Herb crackers instead (more flavor, less salt & less calories)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Put onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic in blender, blend until finely chopped, even slightly "mushy" - hides well in meatloaves, adds great flavor and gives moisture.

Combine onion mixture with meat, and add all remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.

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°F. Let stand for 5 minutes.

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

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

Original recipe from: Cooking Light, MARCH 2006
*Updated by Bev P. aka "hockeygal4ever"

A Cinco de Mayo Favorite for Brunch or Dinner!

I've always been known as "The Casserole Queen". I tend to be able to create something from almost nothing in a matter of minutes and bake it in a one pot dish that will rock your socks off! This is quite easy when using less than healthy ingredients and not being worried about "points" or "calories" or "fat" and such.



Now that I'm following the Weight Watcher plan I tend to make a lot less of my yummy, gooey, cheesy, easy casseroles and I must confess, I myself tend to miss them once in a while. This inspired me to take a quite un-healthy recipe and tweak it to make it my own, healthy version! I had been making it for years with full fat cheeses, 3 different kinds, regular sour cream & double the tortillas. The changes, while huge in nutritional values, were barely noticeable and I cannot imagine going back to the full fat, high calorie version!



So I share with you.......

Chili Cheese Comfort Casserole (4)

(approximate nutritional values, without substitutions * 218 Calories/8g Fat/3g Fiber)

Serves 12

Ingredients


6 corn tortillas*
4 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (*optional, adjust for heat, can be left out if you prefer non-spicy version)
6 large egg whites
2 16-ounce containers low-fat cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups fat free shredded cheddar cheese 1 1/4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
(making this small sacrifice of combining a fat free and regular cheese is barely noticeable and gives the cheese enough fat to remain "creamy")
4 4-ounce cans chopped mild green chile's
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup low fat salsa




Preheat oven to 350°F


Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Toast up your tortillas by either placing them one at a time directly on a burner (gas or electric) set at medium heat or tossing on a counter top style grill (my favorite way) Toast, turning frequently with tongs, until golden, 30 to 60 seconds.


Cut tortillas into 1-inch-wide strips.


*Note: the lowest value/healthiest tortillas I can find are the La Tortilla brand and I use these to lower the entire value of the recipe, but again the values given are for standard corn tortillas, nothing special. The "corn" tortillas work best as they stay firm. Flour tortillas tend to get soggy and chewy, not as good, but can be used.


Whisk all of the eggs in a large bowl until smooth and slightly foamy in texture.


Slowly, add flour, baking powder, chili powder & salt; whisking until smooth.


Add cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, chile's and tortilla strips to egg mixture, stirring with spatula.


Pour into the prepared 9x13 baking dish.

Bake the casserole until set in the center and golden on top, 45 to 55 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes to set up, making it easier to cut into squares and serve.


Cut into 12 even squares.


Serve with salsa & dollop of fat free sour cream on top!



This is what's going to be rockin' our table this year as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo! A few maracas, a nice margarita for dessert and some authentic Mexican music playing from the I-Pod!

Now THAT's eating right!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Fiber One Pancake Mix is one of my favorite staples in the cupboard. This is one of many ways I prepare them. It makes a wonderful breakfast item but we often enjoy them for dinner or even "snacks". I love to make extra batches and keep them in the fridge or freezer for later use. A quick fix when microwaved!

Pumpkin Pancakes (2)

3 Pancakes per serving


2 Cups Fiber One Pancake Mix
1 1/2 Cups water
1/2 Can pumpkin pie filling
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together. Use a scant measuring cup of 1/4 cup (not too full) and drop onto hot pan.

These are a wonderful "snack" even, enjoy mine with a few cooked apples, cinnamon & splenda rolled up inside, nuked for about 30 seconds. Absolutely DIVINE!