Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles

September 27, 2016 By Linda 3 Comments

Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles – One Point Weight Watchers Dessert.

I started working out again.

And I’m going to let that statement sit out there for a moment. A moment of silence, if you will. Because those who know me may be shocked into silence … 🙂

At face value, it sounds like a reasonable thing. Working out. Again. As if I’ve had some ongoing workout routine that I abandoned for a reasonable period of a time. A few weeks. Months. Even a year or two. And now I’ve re-engaged.

But in truth that again is loaded. It carries a lot of weight. Pun intended. And, more catastrophically, a lot of time …

The last time I participated in any organized exercise program (a class at the local park district) was when my daughter was in pre-school.

Let me do the math. She’s 16 now. So that would be 13 years ago, give a year or two.

Sigh.

And the last time I was a card-carrying gym member was after my son was born and I was trying to lose the baby weight.

The baby is now 19.

Sigh. Sigh.

So me wearing laced up sneakers carrying a gym bag and suited up in yoga pants to actually work out is pretty much the equivalent of pigs flying. And you-know-where freezing over.

And speaking of freezing over …

Smooth transition, right? 😉

How about these one-point Weight Watcher’s Blueberry Yogurt popsicles? They make a perfect after-workout snack packed with protein and healthy carbs to re-energize my body …

To download a free copy of the Blueberry Yogurt Popsicle recipe card, click here …

Also, here’s a link (click here)* to the Popsicle mold I used.

… and add back electrolytes. Or something like that.

I think …

Hey, it’s only been two weeks. I’m still working on my working out jargon.

🙂

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You Might Also Like:

Weight Watchers Garlic Shrimp

Zero Point Weight Watchers Soup

Weight Watchers Stuffed Shells

Weight Watchers Butternut Squash Soup

*some affiliate links included.

Sharing: | Savvy Southern Style | Refresh Restyle | Between Naps on The Porch |

Rosemary Beef Skewers from HelloFresh

August 12, 2016 By Linda

Rosemary Beef Skewers from HelloFresh Meal Delivery Kit.

What’s for dinner?

Ugh.

Those three words (or is four?) have become the most dreaded of words in the English language. Well, for me that is. And not the individual words. What’s a reasonable start to a question. For is a common preposition. Dinner is something to look forward to. But when those three (or four?) words are threaded together in that particular order and voiced from someone who is dependent on you to make them dinner …

it conjures nothing short of dread.

It wasn’t always so. Long ago it was, Where should we go for dinner? Back in the carefree, freewheeling days before kids. And even longer ago, What’s for dinner? was the question I posed to my dinner-making mom.

But all that changed 19 years ago. When schedules and routines and dinner time became of utmost importance …

and my carefree, freewheeling days were replaced with the never-ending What’s for dinner? query.

I’ll admit, over the years we (okay, I) have fallen into a repetitious rut. Where quick and easy mostly (okay, always) takes precedence over everything else. Pasta Mondays. Chicken Nugget Tuesdays. Fast Food Wednesdays …

and on and on and on it goes.

We did shake things up last year when our nest became a little emptier when our oldest headed off to college. Dinner for two kids morphed into dinner for my daughter and I. And yet, once again, it only took a few weeks for us to morph into a new, repetitious rut.

When my son returned from college for summer break and the new, slightly fuller nest What’s for dinner? question was posed, he actually suggested we try a meal delivery kit service. You know, to mix up our same old same old routine.

Turns out the dinner Gods were listening, because shortly thereafter HelloFresh reached out to me asking if I wanted to try out their meal delivery kit. Naturally I jumped at the opportunity to freshen up our ho hum mid-life-crisis dinner routine.

The whole family’s palates perked up when the HelloFresh box was delivered to our front door. And as I unpacked three boxes containing perfectly proportion fresh ingredients to create three delicious meals — and detailed instructions on how to combine those perfectly proportion fresh ingredients to easily make three delicious meals — I think I heard a cheer in the background. Or maybe it was a sigh of relief. 😉

I love how HelloFresh takes the guess work out of meal planning. Each recipe is packed with fresh ingredients that have been reviewed by an in-house dietitian to make sure we’re eating a healthy and balanced meal …

in fact, my son commented on how many different things were on his plate (a not so subtle reminder that I’ve been falling short on providing healthy, balanced meals).

And remember how “easy” has been a priority for me when it comes to making dinner? What could be easier than letting HelloFresh do all the planning and grocery shopping! The hardest part of the whole process was deciding what to make first — The Smoky Chicken Tacos or the Brioche Shrimp Rolls or the Rosemary Beef Skewers.

I went with the Rosemary Beef Skewers.

Then all I had to do was a little bit of prep. Like washing the vegetables and mincing garlic and chopping up herbs …

… and marinating the meat with rosemary and garlic before threading them on pre-soaked skewers.

The HelloFresh step-by-step instructions even tell you what to do when. And in what order. Seriously, this is a foolproof plan that can be tackled by even the most culinary challenged.

It was seriously lick-your-fingers tasty too! We gobbled it up …

I can’t wait to try out the other two recipes …

And I have great news for you too: HelloFresh would love to give you the opportunity to try their meal kit box too with a $35 off offer. Click here to sign up and use the promo code LINDA35 to receive $35 off!

Trust me, you won’t be disappointed! In fact, you’ll even start looking forward to the What’s for dinner? question. 🙂

I am participating in a sponsored campaign hosted by HelloFresh. I received compensation for this post. All opinions stated are my own.

Easy Honey Mustard Dressing

June 30, 2016 By Linda 10 Comments

Easy Honey Mustard Dressing – Weight Watchers 2 Points.

My daughter wants to go vegetarian. Which, in and of itself, is fine. However …

She’s a challenge to cook for even when meat is involved. She has a limited palette. Very limited.

I mean, she’s only just discovered the joy that is pizza. Pizza, people! She shunned it all through her childhood and now regrets all those pizza parties where she turned her back on those slices of deliciousness!

Then add in her desire to shed a few pounds.

Oh, and she only likes a handful of vegetables.

Plus she has adamantly said no to tofu.

Suddenly this whole eating (and for me cooking) vegetarian has become that much more challenging.

Sigh.

So now is the point where I ask for any and all recommendations for the most boring and bland and low-fat, low-carb vegetarian meal ideas. Fish and eggs are fair game.

Easy to prepare is a plus for mom. 😉

In the meanwhile, I see a lot of salads in my future. So I decided to whip up a super easy honey mustard dressing to, well, dress up all those future salads …

Easy Honey Mustard Dressing

2 Weight Watchers Points

Makes 16 servings | Serving size: 1 tablespoon

Ingredients

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in mason jar. Cover and shake. Store at room temperature. That’s it!

So yummy! No I just need some vegetarian recipes to pour this on …

I’m counting on you, my friends! 🙂

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You Might Also Like:

Weight Watchers Vegetable Soup (click here)

Weight Watchers Garlic Shrimp (click here)

Weight Watchers Stuffed Shells (click here)

Weight Watchers Fish Tacos (click here)

Weight Watchers Recipe Ideas (click here)

Weight Watchers Garlic Shrimp Recipe

May 25, 2016 By Linda 26 Comments

Weight Watchers Garlic Shrimp Recipe – 2 Points

Ladies, I have a public service announcement for you.

Yoga pants are evil. They lull you into a false sense of security with their super stretchy fabric pulling in tummies and slimming legs. They embolden you to eat more.

I implore you to trust me on this one. I’ve done the groundwork. And I can personally attest to the dangers. In fact, just last week I floated another test run. For whatever reason – comfort, laziness – I decided to wear yoga pants.

All. Week. Long.

It started out a-okay on Monday. Weight Watcher’s business as usual. Breakfast went off without a hitch. Lunch was the usual healthy fare. Dinner kept me within my allotted daily Weight Watchers points. And then something clicked in the early evening. The yoga pants waste wasn’t pressing into my stomach with a gentle reminder to stop eating.

Nooooooo …..

Those evil yoga pants led me into the kitchen. They compelled me to open cabinets. They egged me on as I pulled out out one after another of my 100 calorie almond packs. They suggested some yogurt might complement those 100 calorie almond packs. Two 80 calorie yogurts wouldn’t be all that bad …

This was Monday.

By Wednesday I was cracking open the wine. Over the weekend I championed my daughter’s idea for Chinese take-out and eagerly placed the order. Or, more accurately, over order. I had enough food to feed half the neighborhood.

Sigh.

Monday morning was a rude – but very much needed – awakening. My jeans were just a bit snugger. Just a bit more uncomfortable.

I don’t even want to step on the scale.

Those evil yoga pants have been tucked back into the drawer. Only – and I emphasize that only with underlines and exclamation points and capital letters – to be removed and worn when physical activity is involved. And no, walking to the refrigerator does not qualify as physical activity. Neither does walking the dog. They can only be worn if there will be crunching of abs or lifting of limbs. And sweating. Lots and lots of sweating.

Ahem.

So I’m back on the Weight Watchers bandwagon. And created a super yummy Weight Watcher’s garlic shrimp recipe that feels like I’m still yoga-pant-cheating …

Weight Watchers Garlic Shrimp Recipe

4 Servings | 2 Weight Watchers Points

Print Recipe

Weight Watchers Garlic Shrimp

2 Weight Watchers points/serving

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 tsp olive oil
20 large uncooked shrimp (I used frozen, pre-peeled, uncooked)
6 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Heat skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 2 tsp olive oil.
2. Add shrimp to pan in single layer (break into two batches if all won't fit in single layer and use 1 tsp oil per batch).
3. Cook shrimp until golden and orange (10 seconds to 1 minute per side). Immediately transfer to plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium-high and add remaining 2 tsp of olive oil.
5. Add garlic and cook until light golden (about 2 minutes).
6. Return shrimp to pan. Stir in paprika.
7. Reduce heat to medium and cook shrimp until done, about 1 minute.
8. Fold in parsley, cilantro and lemon juice. Salt to taste.

The only down side: These Weight Watchers garlic shrimp are so delicious, I’m tempted to put on my yoga pants and eat them all in one sitting! 🙂

Pin It!

You Might Also Like:

Weight Watchers Vegetable Soup (click here)

Weight Watchers Stuffed Shells (click here)

Weight Watchers Fish Tacos (click here)

Weight Watchers Recipe Ideas (click here)

*some affiliate links included.

Weight Watchers Butternut Squash Soup

February 18, 2016 By Linda 17 Comments

One point Weight Watchers butternut squash soup recipe: easy, delicious & satisfying

I recently purchased a photography ebook from another blogger. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t cheap. But I’m truly committed to improving my photography and I’m hoping it proves to be a smart investment.

You see, I don’t just suffer from body dysmorphia. The condition has expanded to include just about every aspect of my life. My hair. My clothes. My home. My blog …

and my photography.

Sigh.

It’s my burden to bear. And I’m learning to cope. Avoiding mirrors helps. But I can’t use avoidance tactics with the blog and my photography. Each and every day they are front and center. Staring me in the face. Larger than life on my computer screen.

I bring this up because the photos of my One Point Weight Watchers Butternut Squash Soup recipe were taken before the somewhat pricey ebook’s purchase. And as I edited them for this post, I realized just how much they do not reflect the tips and pointers I’ve since culled from the ebook. They do, however, reflect quite a few of the ‘what not to do’s‘ and ‘what I should’ve done’s‘ that my new photography ebook has opened my eyes to.

Take that first photograph. The one above.

So many infractions.

The biggest ‘no no’ is my focal point. I focused on the garnish. Turns out, you should not focus on the garnish. You should focus on the food.

Okay, that seems like a no-brainer and yet my brain thought it was okay to get that mint leaf fully focused.

ebook lesson learned.

Then there’s this photo.

Take a look at the spoon. See that glare? And those shadows? The ones under the bowl? Yeah, turns out it’s another ‘no no.’

Oh, and if you look back at the first photo you’ll see even more shadow ‘no no’s’ there too …

Turns out I need to use a reflector. Which can be as simple as holding up a white poster board or foam core board.

And this photo?

The soup is getting cold. And old. And the garnish has seen better days. I should have cleaned it up. Scooped out that sad, soggy mint. Reheated that soup. Sprinkled on a bit more nutmeg. And tried again. Away from shadows. And focusing on the food, not the garnish.

Sigh.

So much to learn!

Oh, and on all three set ups I should have used a Q-tip to clean up the soup and spices from on the sides of the ramekin.

Yet another ebook tip.

But can you guess my biggest infraction of all? Turns out when you write about food you should get right to the point. Right to the recipe. And leave out all the mumbo jumbo blah blah blah about your life and your day and the weather and your thoughts. And in my case, about your food photography dysmorphia …

One Point Weight Watchers Butternut Squash Soup

Source: Weight Watchers

Serves: 8 | Serving Size: 3/4 cup | Weight Watcher’s Points: 1

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable broth (fat free)

12 oz uncooked butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes

¹⁄₂large uncooked onion, cut into 2-inch cubes

¹⁄₂small apple, peeled and cut into to 2-inch cubes

¹⁄₄tsp table salt, or to taste

¹⁄₈tsp black pepper, or to taste

¹⁄₈tsp ground nutmeg, or to taste

Directions

Step 1:

In a large stock pot, combine broth, squash, onion and apple; cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover pot and reduce heat to low; gently simmer until squash is very tender, about 10 minutes.

Step 2:

Puree soup in pot using an immersion blender (or puree in a regular blender in batches, careful not to splatter hot liquid). Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg; serve. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

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One Point Weight Watchers Butternut Squash Soup

You Might Also Like These Weight Watchers Recipes …

Zero Point Weight Watchers Vegetable Soup (click here)

Zero Point Weight Watchers Spicy Cabbage Soup (click here)

Weight Watchers Stuffed Shells (click here)

Weight Watchers Fish Tacos (click here)

Weight Watchers Recipe Ideas (click here)

*some affiliate links included.

Zero Point Weight Watchers Soup

January 27, 2016 By Linda 14 Comments

Zero Point Weight Watchers Soup: Spicy Tomato Cabbage Soup

Dear Oprah,

Let me start by saying welcome back to my living room! While you may not be hanging around for an hour each day, seeing your smiling face and hearing your comforting words one 60-second Weight Watchers commercial at a time has truly lifted my spirits …

And those words you speak really resonate with me. Okay, maybe not the words about red carpet events, but the ones about embracing our best bodies.

To which I’ll add a caveat.

Because there is no way in h-e-double-hockey-sticks that my body today could ever compete with my body in my 20’s. But I still buy into the idea of striving for my best body for this particular decade in my life.

Now Oprah, I’m thrilled to be joining you on this journey. I’m not even a little hurt that you started without me (congratulations on that 26 pound weight loss!). Or that you have a vested interest in Weight Watchers …

But with your encouragement and words of inspiration, I’m hoping my 2016 diet will finally achieve the success I so desperately desire. Because my attempts in 2015 were a complete and utter failure that went something like this: 1-2 weeks really great; 2-4 weeks not so great.

;(

I hit rock bottom (with a very large bottom) around Thanksgiving …

and then there you were. In my living room. With that comforting soundtrack and your ‘we’re in this together mantra.’

Which sent me back to the recipe archives. To the Weight Watchers plan and recipes I successfully followed to drop the baby weight all those many years ago.

This zero point Weight Watchers spicy tomato cabbage vegetable soup was my go-to back then. And has been my go-to since the start of January …

Zero Point Weight Watchers Soup Recipe: Spicy Tomato Cabbage

0 Weight Watchers Points | Makes 12 one-cup servings

Ingredients

29 oz. tomato sauce, canned

32 oz. fat free vegetable or chicken broth

4 cups cabbage

2 cups carrots

2 cups broccoli (frozen or fresh)

1 cup green beans (frozen or fresh)

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

Spray bottom of sauce pot with Pam. Brown garlic and onions briefly. Add all ingredients. Bring to boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 30-45 minutes (until vegetables are soft).

Oh, and I’m going on 3 1/2+ weeks of being really, really great. I’m feeling so optimistic that I’m off to join Planet Fitness today.

I wonder if Oprah wants to join with me …

🙂

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Zero Point Weight Watchers Soup

You Might Also Like …

Weight Watchers Vegetable Soup (click here)

Weight Watchers Gumbo Recipe (click here)

Weight Watchers Stuffed Shells (click here)

Weight Watchers Fish Tacos (click here)

Weight Watchers Recipe Ideas (click here)

Sharing: | Inspiration Monday | DIY Showoff | Between Naps on the Porch |

Bloody Mary Recipe

December 29, 2015 By Linda 15 Comments

A Bloody Mary for New Year’s Day …

or, as I like to think of it, New Year’s Day brunch.

Because, when it comes down to it, this Bloody Mary recipe is one part mixed drink and two parts meal. Or is that three? Let’s count:

(one) asparagus speer; (two) bacon slice; and (three) and (four) blue cheese stuffed olives.

That sounds like a delicious New Year’s Day brunch to me. Washed down by a spicy Bloody Mary with Guinness Ale and horseradish and celery salt.

Yum.

You could also call this a New Year’s Day hair of the dog.

But I still like to call it New Year’s brunch.

Bloody Mary Recipe

12 ounces of Spicy V8 Tomato Juice

1.5 ounces vodka

1 ounce Guiness Ale

Old Bay Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

1-2 teaspoons prepared horse radish

1 teaspoon Worcester Sauce

Tabasco Sauce (optional)

Lemon

Cut lemon into slices and rub along edge of glass. Dip rim of glass into Old Bay seasoning. Pour V8 into glass. Mix in Vodka, horseradish, celery salt, Worcester, and Tabasco (a few drops). Stir well. Pour Guinness Ale over top. Garnish with your favorite Bloody Mary brunch ingredients (asparagus or celery stick, cheese, meats, bacon, olives, etc.) and enjoy!

For even more New Year’s Eve — and Day — celebratory ideas, check out some of these great food, craft, and drink ideas from my blogging friends (be sure to keep checking back all week long):

Sunday, 12/27:

Duke Manor Farm

Cupcakes and Crinoline

Monday, 12/28:

Tuesday, 12/29:

Housepitality Designs

Town & Country Living

It All Started with Paint

Wednesday, 12/30:

Sondra Lyn at Home

Finding Silver Pennies
Maison Decor

Thursday, 12/31:

Celebrating Everyday Life

Sew A Fine Seam

Sharing: | Savvy Southern Style | Work It Wednesday |

Weight Watchers Breakfast Recipe

November 23, 2015 By Linda 1 Comment

I’ll be perfectly honest with you. When I spotted this Weight Watchers breakfast recipe on the Weight Watcher’s site, I wasn’t 100% sold on the idea.

I mean, I liked the 2-point value.

I liked the idea of eggs.

I liked the idea of tomato sauce. Served up spicy.

I liked the idea of fresh basil.

I just wasn’t sure if I would like all those ingredients mixed together.

And then I thought, what the hay? You only live once. Why not just give it a try …

I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? Not liking it?

Egg in Spicy Tomato Sauce Recipe

2-Points | Servings: 1

Source: Weight Watchers

Ingredients

1/2 cup(s) canned tomato sauce (chunky style of your choice)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 large egg

fresh basil

Instructions

Heat tomato sauce and pepper flakes in small skillet over medium heat. Make a small indentation in middle of sauce and crack egg into. Cover skillet and cook until egg is cooked through (I gave it about 4 minutes). Serve with fresh basil.

And you know what? Now I’m 100% sold.

It was so tasty. And satisfying.

And I can’t wait until tomorrow morning to have it again.

🙂

You Might Also Like:

6-Point Blueberry Danish

0-Point Vegetable Soup

Weight Watchers Recipe Ideas

What’s That Gnarly Thing? Ginger Root Tea

November 5, 2015 By Linda 22 Comments

My metabolism died on February 14, 2012.

I know the exact date because it’s the day I gave up my pack-a-day smoking habit.

Though, I’m not sure about the exact time. I’ll venture a guess that it was around 6:00 AM; the time I would have lit up my first of the day.

For 25 years, my pack-a-day smoking habit kept my weight in line. The one-two punch of the nicotine fueling my metabolism and dulling my taste buds meant I was only ever chasing after five or ten pounds at a time.

But now? Now I’m chasing metabolism boosters as I tackle double that number. And when I say that number I mean the ten pounds. Not the five.

Oh how I wish for the days of chasing five to ten!

But not enough to take up the habit again.

And then one day my daughter and I were at the supermarket. And in front of us we saw this gnarly looking root thing rolling down the check out line.

We were curious about this alien food-like substance. A conversation was struck. And we came to learn it was ginger root. And how it’s used in cooking. And tea. But not just any tea.

Metabolism boosting tea.

Yes, please!

So, naturally, I Googled it when I got home. And checked out some ideas on how to best work with that gnarly ginger root. And am now sharing with you my metabolism-boosting recipe idea …

Ginger Root Tea Recipe

Ingredients

Medium Ginger Root

2 Cups Water

Optional: Lemon, Cinnamon Stick, Honey

Directions

Peel ginger root and cut into 12-15 slices. Add to 2 cups of water (lemon slice and cinnamon stick optional) and bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 15-minutes. Serve with honey or sweetener (again, optional).

Now I’ll be chasing that 20 extra pounds with one cup of ginger root tea at a time! 🙂

You Might Also Like …

Zero Point Weight Watchers Vegetable Soup (click here)

Weight Watchers Stuffed Shells (click here)

Weight Watchers Fish Tacos (click here)

Weight Watchers Recipe Ideas (click here)

Sharing: | Link Party Palooza | Between Naps on the Porch |

Fish Tacos

September 18, 2015 By Linda 3 Comments

Birthdays around here are celebrated with a dinner out. Birthday celebrant’s choice. And being creatures of habit, we always tend to end up at the same place. The only time we change venue is when we’re forced to …

like when our favorite-within-walking-distance restaurant closed.

For my birthday, I decided to change things up. I wanted to be outside. Near the lake. So I chose The Dock at Montrose Beach.

I know, crazy.

It opened a few years ago. An outdoor venue on the sand. Casual. With music at night. And a menu that featured fish tacos.

I was hooked like a fish on a line. 😉

So we headed over on a Sunday evening, figuring the beach and marina and surrounding park would be cleared out. I mean, it was a work night after all. The beachgoers would surely be at home preparing for the next day, right?

We couldn’t have been more wrong.

The line of traffic snaking it’s way toward the beach should have been our first sign to turn around. But we prevailed. And before we knew it, we were trapped like a rat in a maze. There was no way out. We were forced to very slowly follow the car in front of us as we tried to exit the beachfront. Less than two miles and an hour-plus later we finally broke free.

Yes, you read that right. It took an hour-plus to travel less than two miles!

Apparently, Sunday night at Montrose Beach was the place to be.

Can you guess where we made a beeline to once we broke free? That’s right. Our regular place.

Sigh.

And while the trip to The Dock at Montrose Beach left a bad taste in my mouth, it also left me craving a fish taco. Or two. So I had no choice but to make my very own.

How To Make Fish Tacos

Ingredients

Tilapai (or fish of choice)

Creole Seasoning (I used a premixed brand by Tony Chachere’s)

Red Cabbage

Scallions

Tomatoes

Mangos

Cilantro

Limes

Hard taco shells

Season fish to your liking and cook (you can either grill or pan cook) until crisp on outside and flaky inside. Chop vegetables and fruits. While fish cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Warm taco shells in oven for 1-2 minutes before serving. Then just pile it up with your favorite toppings.

I still want to try the tacos at The Dock at Montrose Beach, though. Perhaps a weekday night might be less crowded?

Though, I’m just not sure I can convince Mike and the kids to try again …

🙂

Pins of my recipe are always greatly appreciated!

You Might Also Like …

Weight Watchers Vegetable Soup (click here)

Weight Watchers Gumbo Recipe (click here)

Weight Watchers Stuffed Shells (click here)

Weight Watchers Recipe Ideas (click here)

Weight Watchers Ice Cream

May 27, 2015 By Linda 8 Comments

This post brought to you by Weight Watchers® Ice Cream. The content and opinions expressed below are that of It All Started With Paint.

You know how I’ve declared this The Year of the Blog. Well,I’ve also declared it The Year I Get Healthy.

Hence all the Weight Watchers recipe ideas I’ve been eating — and sharing — here.

But I have to say, it’s been challenging. For both Years. And there are plenty of parallels.

Like getting down on myself … and getting down on the blog.

Like not feeling like I look good enough … and not thinking my my house and/or pictures and/or projects look good enough.

Like how I should just quit. Give up. Resolve myself to an unhealthy lifestyle … and like how I should just shut down the blog. Thinking no one would notice. Or miss me. But then.

Then.

Then I remembered all the little wins along the way. And how they made me feel big.

In the good way. 🙂

Like when I shopped for a new pair of jeans and went down a size … and like how my blog’s pageviews were super-sized when a post went viral.

Like when I participated in a 5K and felt amazing when I crossed the finish line … and like how amazing I felt when a major magazine photographed my dining room makeover and it was a cover contender.

Like when I got dressed up for a date with my husband and felt really, really good … and like how really, really good I felt when a publisher found my blog and asked me to write a book.

The little wins have an enormous impact. Because life isn’t a race. It’s a journey. And those little wins along the path keep us going. Motivated. Moving forward.

And speaking of little wins, when I discovered Weight Watchers Ice Cream in my local Jewel, I knew I found a winner. Or, more accurately, the perfect freezer case partner to help me be a winner in my The Year I Get Healthy journey.

Because one of my biggest get healthy challenges … and downfalls … is my sweet tooth. But Weight Watchers Ice Cream comes in so many different styles.

Bars, cones and sandwiches.

And flavors.

Giant Chocolate Fudge Bars, English Toffee Crunch Bars and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Bars.

It was near impossible to pick a favorite.

A winner, if you will. 😉 Needless to say, I took my sampling marching orders seriously.

Very seriously.

Starting with the Giant Chocolate Cookies & Cream Bars. With a 4 PointsPlus® value, they were a satisfying dessert option on day one.

Two thumbs up.

Day 2 had me sampling the 3-point Cookies & Cream Bars with the dark chocolate cookie crunch coating.

It had me at dark chocolate cookie crunch coating. And then …

then there was the Dark Chocolate Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Bars.

I hate to show favoritism, but in my journey to a healthy lifestyle this might be the biggest littlest winner of all …

🙂

Weight Watchers® ice cream can be found in Top Retailers including Walmart, Target, Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Stop & Shop, Shoprite, Supervalue.

WEIGHT WATCHERS on foods and beverages is the registered trademark of WW Foods, LLC. WEIGHT WATCHERS for services and PointsPlus are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. Trademarks are used under license by Wells Enterprises, Inc. ©2015 Weight Watchers International, Inc. All rights reserved.

Stuffed Peppers Recipe

May 11, 2015 By Linda Leave a Comment

Stuffed Peppers Recipe – Weight Watchers Recipe Ideas.

I can count on one hand the number of times bell peppers have crossed the threshold of our home over the past 20 years.

It was not my decision. Okay, perhaps a decision was made by me. But it was out of love.

You see, Mike is not a fan. And by not a fan I mean he despises bell peppers with every inch of his being. The look. The feel. The smell …

and especially the taste.

His hatred of bell peppers ranks right up there with clowns. And bridges.

It was an adjustment for me. Bell peppers were an big part of my diet growing up. Especially my mom’s stuffed peppers recipe. With ground beef. And tomato sauce. Served with a side of rice.

I’ve been dreaming about those stuffed peppers. And tried to recreate them using my Weight Watchers Recipe Builder. But no matter matter what I tried, the ground beef kept upping the points value. And in the end, I went a different direction with the stuffing …