The Sweet Tooth Monster!

Anyone else having serious issues with their sweet tooth? I am having such a hard time not diving into that left over Halloween candy or picking up a little sweet treat in the grocery store. I am doing a lot better and give myself some credit for eliminating Christmas cookies, but with the holidays coming again I am wondering how to battle this sweet tooth monster. Any suggestions? I feel like my body has gotten so used to eating sugar all the time it's almost like a craving and I feel like I am going through withdrawal without it. Kind of sad to think all these years I have been basically addicted to sugar. Oye, what to do?

Emily's Week 2 Recipes

BLT Macaroni Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 7 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pt • Points Plus: 4 pts
Calories: 149.1 • Fat: 4.3 g • Carb: 26.7 g • Fiber: 4.2 g • Protein: 5.3 g • Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 146.6 mg (without salt)


Ingredients:

• 8 oz uncooked elbows, low carb or whole grain (brown rice pasta for gf)
• 4 slices 25% reduced fat center cut bacon
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, beefsteak or vine ripe, diced small
• 4 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise (I used Hellman's)
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 2 cups baby spinach  

Directions:

In a large skillet cook bacon on medium-low heat until crispy on both sides.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions.

Chop tomatoes and combine it along with any accumulated juice with mayonnaise and pepper in a medium bowl. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to cool. Combine pasta with tomatoes and spinach mixing well. Toss in bacon right before serving.

Beef Bulgogi in Lettuce wrap

(232 calories/serving) yields 4 servings

• 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Leafy Lettuce
• Cooked rice

 Place the beef in a shallow dish. Combine soy sauce, sugar, green onion, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and

ground black pepper in a small bowl. Pour over beef. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Quickly grill beef on hot grill until slightly charred

and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve in a lettuce wrap with a small serving of rice.

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1/2 cup rice • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 261.2 • Fat: 4.8 g • Carb: 37.5 g • Fiber: 4.7 g • Protein: 17.6 g • Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 606.3 g  (without salt)


Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 lb 95% lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 3/4 cups tomato sauce
• 2 cups reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground meat on high heat and season with salt. Drain fat if any, reduce heat to medium-low, then add peppers, onions and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes on low heat.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve about 1 1/3 cups of soup in each bowl and top with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.

Shrimp Creole over Rice

1 Green Pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 T. Olive Oil

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

1 1/2 c. water

2 c. shrimp, pre-cooked, de-tailed and deveined

1 t. thyme

salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan, add green peppers, celery and onion with oilve oil. Saute until tender. Add tomato paste and water and cook until a nice sauce thickens.  Add thyme, salt, pepper. Let simmer for 10-15 mins to bring out the flavor. Add shrimp and heat through. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Week 2 Recipes

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Avocado and Tomato

An open faced sandwich on Ciabatta bread with mashed avocado, sliced tomatoes and grilled chicken. A perfect way to use up leftover chicken.

Avocado is a wonderful healthy option in place of mayonnaise and it adds such great flavor. Yesterday I mentioned how good tasting bread is crucial for me in the sandwich making process, and Ciabatta is another fat free option I love to use. Although it's usually fat free, always double check the labels.

I made this an opened open-faced for the photo, then realized once I started eating it that it's easier to eat if it's closed and it's also more portable for lunch on the run. I'll leave that up to you!


Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Avocado and Tomato
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 1 • Size: 1 sandwich • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 252.9 • Fat: 5.3 g • Protein: 18.2 g • Carb: 32.3 g • Fiber: 2.6 g • Sugar: 0.1 g
Sodium: 374 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Ciabatta
• 2 tbsp mashed avocado
• 2 oz grilled chicken breast
• 3 slices ripe tomatoes
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice bread open and smear mashed avocado on the bread. Season with salt and pepper. Top with tomatoes, chicken and add additional fresh cracked pepper. Enjoy!!

Grilled Chicken Bruschetta

Juicy tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, red onion, garlic and balsamic can turn plain grilled chicken into a delicious weeknight meal in minutes! Make the Bruschetta the night before or early in the morning and let all the flavors marinate, then when you are ready to eat grill some chicken and you have yourself a quick weeknight meal.

Bruschetta is usually served over bread but there really are no limits, you can serve it over pizza, tossed with pasta or wherever your imagination leads you. To quote my husband, "You could serve this over cardboard and it would be good!" We made this a light and simple, low carb, gluten-free dinner and served as pictured, but if you want the carbs this would also be great over whole wheat pasta or even served with some crusty bread to soak up the juice.

A few things I want to mention, recipes that only require a few ingredients really benefit from the quality of the ingredients you use. Use a good extra olive oil, fresh basil and high-quality aged balsamic; it makes all the difference! I've been using imported Saporoso Balsamic vinegar these past few weeks which is absolutely delicious and I'm giving two away on Skinnybits, click here for a chance to win.

My one year old loves poking her little thumbs through my tomatoes so lately every time I grab a tomato I find a little hole in it in case you're wondering about the hole in the photo below...

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 4 oz chicken + tomatoes • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6

Calories: 236.8 • Fat: 8.5 g • Protein: 32.4 g • Carb: 6.8 g • Fiber: 1.3 g • Sugar: 0.5 g
Sodium: 182.9 mg (without the salt)

Ingredients:

• 3 medium vine ripe tomatoes
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 3 oz part skim mozzarella, diced
• 1.25 lbs (8 thin sliced) chicken cutlets

Directions:

Combine onion, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Set aside a few minutes.

Chop tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Combine with garlic, basil, onion-balsamic combo and additional salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and let it sit at least 10 minutes or as long as overnight. Toss in the cheese when ready to serve.

Season chicken with salt and fresh pepper. Grill the chicken cutlets on your indoor or outdoor grill, top with bruschetta and serve.

Pepper Steak

Strips of beef and peppers are stir fried in a wok to create a delicious main dish, ready in no time!

I love stir fried anything, this pepper steak is always a hit in my house. The key when stir frying is to have all your ingredients chopped and prepped before you start to cook. Once prepped, your meal will be ready in minutes. This is perfect served over white or brown rice.

Pepper Steak
Servings: 4 • Cook Time: 10 minutes • Old Points: 5.5 • Points+: 6
Calories: 235.3 • Fat: 8.9 g • Protein: 35.4 g • Carb: 11.8 g • Fiber: 1.2 g

Ingredients:

• 12 oz top round beef, trimmed to 1/8" fat, prime grade
• 4 tsp plus 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 3 tsp cornstarch
• 5 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, sliced into thin strips
• 1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
Slice meat into thin slices with the grain. Cut each strip across the grain about 1" long so you have small thin slices. Place in a bowl and add 4 tsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of rice wine, 1 tsp cornstarch and black pepper.

In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp water and 2 tsp cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat the wok on high heat. Swirl in 1 tbsp oil and add the beef spreading evenly in the wok. Cook undisturbed for 20 seconds letting the beef brown. Using a spatula, stir meat, cooking another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining 2 tsp of oil to wok, add peppers and onions and cook about 2 minutes. Return beef to the wok, add the sauce and red pepper flakes and stir fry about 30 seconds until slightly thickened.

Baked Potato Soup

Everything you love about a baked potato loaded with cheddar, bacon and chives, in the form of a soup!

Baked Potato Soup
Servings: 5 • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 207.6 • Fat: 7.8 g • Carb: 22.5 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 11.9 g

• 2 russet potatoes, washed and dried
• 1 small head of cauliflower, stem removed cut into florets
• 1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 10 tbsp reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 tbsp chopped chives, divided
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you prefer)

Pierce potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for 5 minutes turn over and microwave another 3 - 5 minutes, until tender. Or if you prefer to use your oven, bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes.

Meanwhile, steam cauliflower with water in a large covered pot until tender. Drain and return to pot. On medium heat, add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 tbsp cheese, remaining chives, and bacon.

Recipes

I totally forgot to post my recipes, so here they are for last week and I should post them for this upcoming week soon.


Chicken Salad Rice Cake Sandwiches (from stephaniedotfitness.com)
Servings: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
3 oz chicken, canned
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 TBS Mayonnaise, low-fat
1 tsp mustard
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 tomato slices
2 green lettuce leaves
2 rice cakes
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions
In a small bowl, mix your chicken, chopped celery, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic powder and salt & pepper. Place one lettuce leaf on each rice cake. Spread chicken mixture on top of lettuce and top chicken with your tomato slices. Sprinkle a dash of salt & pepper on top and ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts: {2 Rice cakes = 1 serving}
Calories: 259
Fat 8g
Carbs: 21.5g
Protein: 24g
Fiber: 1.5g
Sugar: 4g

CHINESE FRIED “RICE” (from fit2fat2fit.com)

10 ounces fresh cauliflower, 1/2 medium head

Cooking oil

3 green onions, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

Dash ginger, optional

3 tablespoons soy sauce

Few drops sesame oil, to taste

1-2 cups pork, chicken, beef, ham or shrimp, diced

3 eggs, beaten

Grate the cauliflower using either the largest holes on a hand grater or with the grating blade in food processor. The results should almost resemble the size of cooked white rice. Weigh out 10 ounces of the grated cauliflower (I had 4 good-size florets left for another use). Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a wok or very large skillet on medium-high. Quickly stir-fry the white of the onions and the garlic. Watch closely so as not to burn. Add the cauliflower; fry about 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly until it begins to color a bit. Don’t over cook or it might get mushy. Stir in the ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and the meat. Stir-fry until somewhat browned. Push the “rice” to one side of the wok. Pour the eggs into the other side; scramble and cook until still moist. Mix the eggs into the “rice”; mix well and break up any large chunks of egg. This stores and re-heats well.

Chicken Fajitas (from fit2fat2fit.com)

1 Bag precooked fajita meat (you can use beef)

Onion (sliced)

Peppers (your choice on colors but about 2 - 3)

Make the chicken, add the veggies...and your done! So EASY!!! Don't eat on tortillas if you want to cut down on calories. Serve with avocado, salsa, and Plain Greek yogurt (as sour cream) or low fat sour cream.

Serves about 3 - 4 and calorie count depends on what you add to it.