Weight Watcher's meeting surprise!

I apologise, but I missed a day somehow -so this post will be long, but I promise there is some good stuff in it...and a surprise recipe (not diet related, but one of my most often asked for).  So bear with me!

Friday is our weigh-in day...and as is our custom, Chuck and I were at our WW meeting on Friday for weigh-in and we both lost weight.  Chuck lost 2.0 lbs and has now lost over 40 lbs total - way to go!  I lost 1.2 lbs for a total of 24.4!  Even on weeks we worry that we've not followed the plan "exactly" - we have losses that amaze us.  I LOVE the new PointsPlus program and the Power Foods!!

We had a nice surprise at our meeting this week.  Our leader on Fridays is a gal named Laura.  When we were at the reception desk getting weighed in, we were handed our WW Weekly with a photo of Butternut Squash Fries on the cover and told to 'check out the centerfold'.  When we turned to pages 6/7 - there was a photo of our Laura, with a short bio of her experience on WW!  Laura is full of energy and really encouraging to our group.  Our Friday group lost over 60 lbs this past week alone!  Most weeks our total is over 50 lbs.  A lot has to do with her positive attitude and influence on all of us.  Thank You Laura, for being such an inspiration to all of us.

On to food.  I've missed a couple of days of posting because I've had a lot on my plate (schedule-wise, not food-wise...couldn't resist the pun). I am excited to share some really great food with you, though.  I have been trying some new recipes, and my family is loving it.  So here goes...

Friday we "skipped breakfast" - but only until after our weigh in - not because we were trying to weigh less for weigh in, but because we got a little bit of a late start getting ready for our meeting and ran out the door to make it in time.  So when we got done and headed back to the office, we didn't even stop for something.  Fortunately, I had some munchies at the office that would keep us on track.

So we had our first "snack" with protein, fruit and carbs to give us that full feeling and keep our blood sugar level.  Lunch was a simple turkey wrap - again made from things I keep at the office...

Dinner was my favorite...as some of you know, I have a favorite place to buy Rotisserie Chicken that are really big, juicy and cheap on Fridays - 2 for $10.  I bought pre-made Perfectly Potatoes (5pp for 1 cup), and we heated up some frozen mixed veggies (the variety we bought were 0pp).  So it was the "Cooks Night Off"...except, as is my custom, I pulled all the rest of the meat off the bones and then boiled the bones to make some nice broth for another day...and packed the rest of the chicken away for another meal, too.  Gotta love Stop and Shop on Fridays!!  We finished off the evening with a snack of mango sorbet (1/2 cup - 3pp) and a couple of Dove Dark Chocolates (1pp each).

Saturday was an insane day, too.  We try to get some work done around the house because it is still in a state of "construction".  I stopped calling "destruction" because sheet rock went up and that means we've turned a corner away from dusting between the studs in the "walls".  Hooray for sheet rock.  Yesterday Chuck began 'sanding' and priming the walls and ceilings.  It's beginning to look like something - after a few years of yuk! Everyone was on their own for breakfast, and this was mine...

Toast two frozen Nutri-Grain waffles (4pp), 1 Tbsp peanut butter (3pp) and a "0"pp banana!

Very yummy, very filling!

I ran out to pick up food for company on Sunday and ingredients for Strawberry Punch that I was asked to bring to a bridal shower.  When I came home, the painting was almost done...prime coat, anyways.  I quickly put food away and started on prep work for the punch.  Although I didn't take photos while I did it, or of the punch at the shower...for those of you who asked for the recipe, here it is:

Strawberry Punch

1 lb frozen Strawberries, whole without sugar
1 Large can of frozen Lemonade
3/4 cup sugar
2 qts ice water
1 qt ginger ale

Blend the lemonade, strawberries, sugar and some of the water in a blender until smooth.  I usually 'pre-make' this part and put it in jugs, adding the rest of the water and stirring.  That leaves just the ginger ale to add at the party.  Its best to keep each batch to its own jug, so you know how much ginger ale to add to each pitcher full.  At the party, start with some ice in the punch bowl...I like lots of ice or sometimes I put additional frozen strawberries whole into the bowl to help keep it chilled.  Add one quart of ginger ale and stir well.

So the shower had lots of temptation, but my strategy was to use the education we get at our WeightWatchers meetings to my advantage.  There were two types of Spanish rice...so I took some of both, aiming for a pile the size of my fist (7pp).  The pernil (seasoned pork) looked fabulous -and I took a piece the size of the palm of my hand...(4pp).  I had a 'bite sized' piece of eggplant parm - just a taste...but counted it as 2pp.  I also chose fresh fruit and veggies to snack on.  Of course, I used some of my weekly allowance points for a small piece of cake - store bought with icing...9pp.  BUT the best part was when I got home.

I had marinated some skinless chicken thighs to make Jamaican Spiced Chicken Thighs...not realizing we'd be fed a meal at the shower, so when I went home, I was pleasantly surprised to find Chuck outside cooking the chicken thighs on the grill..oh, they smelled sooo goood! When he came inside with them, we all grabbed some munched away...totally forgetting about all of you!  Thank goodness we had some left...so I took this photo before storing the rest in the fridge for Monday.

Now mind you, these don't look so great...but the taste was incredible.  They were sooo good (I think I said that already), but here's the best part...Chuck told friends they were a really close second to some awesome chicken we enjoyed in Belize a few years back...and that was the best compliment.  So it gave me a great idea...I think I'm going to see if I can coax my family into rating new recipes on a 5 star basis. For now...this one is a very strong 5!!  Oh, and since the marinade is made of totally "0" pp ingredients, each piece of chicken counts only as a piece of chicken!!  No guesswork!  The recipe is on the Recipes page (see tab above) and on Week Three's menu.

Sunday -we had company coming for lunch today, so we started the morning with coffee and dust rags (remember, Chuck sanded sheet rock yesterday).  We all grabbed a quick breakfast on our own again...this time my sandwich was on a Whole Wheat English Muffin...but again with the peanut butter and banana (6pp total).  Lunch was easy to prep -

Alaskan Wild Salmon marinating...

Wonderfully fresh tasting Mango-Kiwi Salsa- time for flavors to mesh.

This green bowl is the cilantro, lime and oil just waiting to be stirred into the hot cooked rice.

This was great..table was set, food marinating...and just an hour later...

Oh - and my new favorite way to get my dairy requirements - Decaf coffee, skim milk and chocolate coffee creamer with loads of ice (4pp).

And dessert -

Lots of fresh fruit and we had some "oreos" for Justin and Gingersnaps for the grownups.  Coffee and Tea.  Finished!

So, for dinner...it was simply a salad with leftover rotisserie chicken...lite dressing.  That's all Folks!

I am traveling tomorrow, so likely the next post will be on Tuesday.  Be well and eat healthy!