Baked chicken dinner with baked potato and garlic green beans

6 oz chicken breast with skin and bone, roasted in oven - 9 pp
9 oz baked russet potato - 6 pp
1/4 c Fage 0% fat Greek yogurt - 1 pp
Green beans sauteed with fresh garlic, steamed with fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth - 0 pp

Total: 16 points plus

Greek burger with mixed baby green and fruit salad

1/4 lb 80 % lean Organic ground beef (weighed before cooking) - 6 pp
Healthy Life whole wheat bun - 2 pp
1 TB tzatziki sauce from Trader Joe's - 0 pp (2 TB is 1 pp)
1/2 oz Organic feta cheese - 1 pp

2 cups mixed baby greens - 0 pp
1 cutie orange - 0 pp
1/2 green apple, sliced - 0 pp
2 TB Trader Joe's Champagne vinaigrette - 2 pp

Total: 11 points plus

Granola parfait with banana

1/2 cup Fage 0% fat plain Greek yogurt - 2 pp
Top with 2/3 c Bare granola - 6 pp
1 banana, sliced - 0 pp
Sprinkled with nutmeg - 0 pp

Total: 8 pp

Salmon dinner

5 oz wild caught Atlantic salmon - 6 pp (weighed after cooking)
3 1/2 oz sweet potato - 2 pp
2 slices of healthy life bread with 1 TB Brummel and Brown yogurt margarine, garlic powder and italian seasoning, broiled - 3 pp
1 cup green beans with 5 sprays I can't believe it's not butter with olive oil - 0 pp
1/2 cup roasted cauliflower, with sea salt, cracked black pepper and cayenne - 0 pp

Directions for cooking salmon:
Take a piece of foil, place salmon on foil (one piece per piece of foil), season with seafood seasoning, or seasoning of your choice (I use Lawry's Salmon and Seafood seasoning). Top with 2 slices of fresh lemon.  Make a tight packet with foil so juices won't leak when cooking.  Cook on 350 for 10 minutes. Fish is done when flaky.

A filling late lunch or light dinner, pasta salad paired with a mixed green and fruit salad

Salad (Left side) :
2 cups mixed baby greens - 0 pp
1/2 green apple, sliced - 0 pp
1 clementine - 0 pp
2 TB Trader Joe's Champagne Vinaigrette - 2 pp
1/2 cup pineapple chunks, in it's own juice, drained - 2 pp
Cracked black pepper to season

Pasta salad (right side):
2 oz multi colored mini rotini - 5 pp (weighed before cooking)
1 oz blue cheese, crumbled - 3 pp
1/2 cup green peppers, chopped - 0 pp
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved - 0 pp

Directions for pasta salad:
Cook pasta until al dente, drain water (reserving about 1 TB of pasta water), return pasta to pan.  Add pasta water, blue cheese and veggies.  Stir over low heat until blue cheese melts most of the way.  Serve warm, room temp or cold.

Total: 12 points plus

Oatmeal with brown sugar, raisins and slivered almonds

I started with 1/2 cup of rolled oats cooked on the stove (raw measurement) - 4 pp
Topped with 2 TB Organic light brown sugar - 2 pp
1 oz Organic Thompson seedless raisins - 2 pp
1/2 oz sliced almonds - 2 pp

This was really filling, and yummy!  It kept me full for at least 5 hours, until lunch.

Total: 10 points plus

Lean pork chop sandwich with tzatziki sauce and baby green salad with clementines and green apple

Lunch:

Leftover grilled lean pork chop, 4 oz, weighed after cooking - 5 pp
Healthy Life whole wheat bun - 2 pp
Tzatziki sauce, 2 TB - 1 pp

Mixed greens, 2 cups - 0 pp
1 clementine - 0 pp
1/2 green apple, sliced - 0 pp
2 TB of Trader Joe's Champagne Vinaigrette - 2 pp
Slivered red onion - 0 pp

Total: 10 points plus

Egg scramble with veggies, canadian bacon and feta cheese

Breakfast Today:

2 eggs, scrambled - 4 pp
3 slices canadian bacon - 2 pp
1/2 green pepper, chopped - 0 pp
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced - 0 pp
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes - 0 pp
1/4 cup mushrooms - 0 pp
Topped with 1 oz feta cheese - 2 pp

Banana - 0 pp
2 cuties - 0 pp

Total: 8 points plus

Egg on a bagel thin with avocado, feta and red onion

Today's Breakfast:

Thomas' Bagel Thin - 3 pp
1 egg - 2 pp
2.5 oz avocado, sliced - 3 pp
1 oz feta cheese - 2 pp
Thinly sliced red onion - 0 pp

1 green apple, sliced - 0 pp
1 cup cherry tomatoes - 0 pp

Coffee with 3 TB hazelnut liquid creamer and 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk - 2 pp

Total: 12 points plus (includes coffee)

Chicken Salad with Flatbread Crackers, Cherry Tomatoes and Grapefruit

Today's Lunch:

Chicken Salad -
1 can of white meat chicken - 3 pp
2 TB reduced fat mayo - 2 pp
1 rib celery - 0 pp
1/8 red onion, diced - 0 pp

4 Wheat Thins Flatbread crackers - 3 pp

1 cup cherry tomatoes - 0 pp

1/2 large grapefruit - 0 pp

Total: 8 points plus

French toast topped with Chocolate PB2 and banana, 3 slices of bacon

Today's Breakfast:

French Toast -
2 slices Healthy Life Italian Bread - 2 pp
1/4 c unsweetened almond milk - 0 pp
1 egg - 2 pp

Topped with 2 TB (measured dry) of chocolate PB2 - 1 pp
1 banana, sliced - 0 pp

Served with 3 slices of crispy cooked reduced sodium, uncured bacon - 4 pp

Total : 9 points plus

Panko crusted tilapia, steamed broccoli, tri-color quinoa and toasted pitas

Panko crusted tilapia, 1 filet - 4 points plus
(3.5 oz tilapia filet, 1/3 c panko bread crumbs, Lawry's seafood seasoning, salt, pepper and 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil)
1 cup steamed broccoli - 0 points plus
1 cup tri color quinoa, cooked with 1/2 c chicken broth and 1 tsp olive oil, topped with 1 oz fat free feta cheese - 6 points plus
1 pita, cut into triangles, sprayed with cooking spray and sprinkled with granulated garlic and italian seasoning (toasted at 450 for 6 minutes) - 3 points plus

Total: 13 points plus

Banana bread muffins

I lightened this recipe by subbing unsweetened applesauce for the butter, maybe next time I will try less sugar for less points, they are plenty sweet with the banana and applesauce.  Yum! Great breakfast or treat for 5 points plus each!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 medium bananas, mashed
2 TB canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp organic whole chia seeds

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners (I used a non stick pan and didn't use liners).  In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, chia seeds and salt. 

Make a well in the center of flour mixture.  In well mix together applesauce, mashed bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla.  Stir to incorporate flour.  Do not overmix, batter will be lumpy. 

Dividing evenly fill each muffin cup 3/4 of the way full and place in preheated oven.  Bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Mine were done in 25 minutes.

Makes 12 servings, serving size is 1 muffin.

Tri-color rotini pasta with blue cheese, tomatoes and zucchini

Today's Lunch:

Pasta:
2 ounces tri-color rotini pasta (measured before cooking) - 5 points plus
1 ounce blue cheese crumbles - 3 points plus
1 zucchini, peeled and sliced - 0 points plus
1/2 large tomato, seeded and sliced - 0 points plus
Thinly sliced onions - 0 points plus
1/4 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth - 0 points plus

Directions:
Spray frying pan with non stick olive oil cooking spray, add sliced zucchini.  Season with cayenne, dill, chives, smoked sea salt (Trader Joe's) and cracked black pepper.  Saute about 5 minutes until it begins to be translucent.  Add tomato and 1/4 of chicken broth, saute another 5 minutes, until tomatoes break down.  Add pasta, blue cheese and onioin.  Stir frequently until blue cheese melts into sauce.  Topped with fresh parsley. Serve warm.

Served with 1/2 green apple sliced and 2 cuties oranges - 0 points plus

Total: 8 points plus

Pita pizza with feta, canadian bacon and capers served with mixed greens salad

Tonights dinner:

Pita pizza:
1 medium pita - 3 points plus
2 1/2 TB tomato paste - 1 point plus
1 ounce fat free feta cheese - 1 point plus
1 TB capers - 0 points plus
Thinly sliced vidalia onion - 0 points plus
2 slices of canadian bacon - 1 point plus
1 spray of olive oil from WW sprayer - 1 point plus

Total for pizza: 7 points plus

Salad:
2 cups mixed baby greens - 0 points plus
1 cutie orange - 0 points plus
1/2 green apple, sliced thinly - 0 points plus
1 TB sunflower seeds - 1 point plus
2 TB Trader Joe's champagne vinaigrette - 2 points plus

Total for salad: 3 points plus

Total: 10 points plus

Sloppy Joe with Spaghetti squash, hummus with pretzel thins & 2 cuties oranges

Lunch today:

Sloppy Joe
1.5 ounces lean ground turkey (weighed after cooking) - 1 point plus
1.5 ounces 90% lean ground beef (weighed after cooking) - 2 points plus
1/4 ounce manwich sloppy joe sauce - 0 points plus
1 TB apple cider vinegar - 0 points plus
Healthy Life whole wheat bun - 2 points plus

Cilantro & Jalapeno hummus from Trader Joes (3 TB) - 3 points plus
10 tuscan 3 cheese pretzel crisps (28 grams) - 3 points plus
1 cup spaghetti squash seasoned with pink himalayan sea salt, cayenne pepper and cracked black pepper - 0 points plus
2 cuties oranges - 0 points plus

Total: 11 points plus

Spaghetti Squash with Marinara

A whole bowl of food for 2 points?  Yep this is it!

1 clove of garlic, diced - 0 points plus
2 TB onion, diced - 0 points plus
1/2 cup Bertolli all natural marinara - 2 points plus

Sauteed onion and garlic in 3 sprays of olive oil cooking spray, added 1/2 cup of marinara.

Spaghetti squash, cut it in 1/2, place face down in a microwave safe baking dish.  Add 2 inches of water, cover with plastic wrap.  Cook 20 minutes on high.  Use fork to remove flesh of squash. Seasoned as desired.  I used salt, pepper and a little cayenne.

Total: 2 points plus!!!

13 points: Chicken quesidillas and cuties oranges

4 small corn tortillas - 5 points plus
4 ounces chicken - 4 points plus
1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, shredded - 3 points plus
2 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt with cumin and cayenne - 1 point plus
2 cuties oranges - 0 points plus

Total: 13 points plus

Leftover pizza, salad and fruit for lunch...11 points plus

3 square slices of pepperoni pizza from Papa John's (145 g) - 9 points plus

Salad:
1 cup arugula - 0 points plus
1 cup mixed spring greens - 0 points plus
1/4 cup chopped tomato, seeds removed - 0 points plus
1/4 cup peeled, chopped cucumber - 0 points plus
2 TB light champagne vinaigrette (Trader Joe's) - 2 points plus

Mixed fresh fruit - 0 points plus

Total: 11 points plus

Shredded Mexican chicken with jasmine rice served with broccoli and bell peppers

Super easy crockpot recipe:

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast
Cover with 32 ounces of fat free salsa (I used half salsa and half salsa verde)
Seasoned with chipotle peppers, 1/2 TB cumin and salt and pepper

Cooked on high for 4 hours, remove chicken, shred with a fork, return to crockpot on low for 2 more hours.

Makes 4 four ounce servings at 4 points plus per serving.


Served over jasmine rice.

4 ounces of chicken and salsa - 4 points plus
1 cup of jasmine rice, cooked without oil - 5 points plus
Topped with one ounce of shredded sharp cheddar cheese - 3 points plus
Red, green and orange bell peppers cooked with 1 tsp of olive oil and 2 cups of broccoli - 1 point plus

Total: 13 points plus

Sandwich thin with avocado, turkey and spinach served with roasted garlic hummus and pretzel thins, 1/2 large grapefruit

Today's Lunch:

Pepperidge Farm Sandwich Thin - 3 points plus
6 slices Mesquite fat free turkey breast - 1 point plus
1/2 small avocado (45 grams) - 2 points plus
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves - 0 points plus
Total for sandwich: 6 points plus


Served with:
Roasted Garlic Hummus, 4 TB - 4 points plus
10 Tuscan Cheese Pretzel Thins - 3 points plus
1/2 large Grapefruit - 0 points plus

Total: 13 points plus

It's amazing what leftover roasted chicken thigh can become in a sandwich press...

Today's lunch:

2 slices of Healthy Life Italian bread - 2 points plus

1 ounce of feta cheese with Mediterranean herbs - 2 points plus

Thinly sliced onion and red bell pepper - 0 points plus

1/2 small avocado (42 grams) - 2 points plus

Thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken thigh that was roasted (1.5 ounces) - 1 point plus

Assembled sandwich, sprayed press with olive oil cooking spray, cook until bread is crisp.

Served with 10 Tuscan Cheese Pretzel Crisps - 3 points plus

1/2 large grapefruit - 0 points plus

Total: 10 points plus

Egg and red bell pepper panini for breakfast

2 slices of Healthy Life light Italian bread - 2 points plus
1 wedge of Laughing Cow light mozzarella cheese with sundried tomato and basil - 1 point plus
2 eggs - 4 points plus
1/4 red bell pepper, sliced - 0 points plus
1 TB slivered onion - 0 points plus

Spray panini press with olive oil cooking spray, grill until bread is brown and crispy.

Sliced 1/2 green apple.

Total: 7 points plus

Dinner: Tried a mixed brown rice from Trader Joe's (YUM!) with Foil packet chicken, sweet potato, onion and carrot

Foil Packet Chicken and Vegetables:

2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (130 grams) - 4 points plus

Medium sweet potato (143 grams) - 3 points plus

1/4 cup of carrots - 0 points plus

1/2 small vidalia onion - 0 points plus

Place 1 chicken thigh, 1/2 sweet potato cut in medium chunks, 1/2 small vidalia onion and 4 or 5 carrots onto a piece of foil.  Sprinkle with pink Himalayan sea salt, cracked black pepper, rosemary, and thyme.  Make a tight package with the foil.  Bake on a sheet pan at 350 degrees F for 30 - 45 minutes, until potatoes are tender. 

1 cup of brown rice medley (Trader Joe's) cooked with 1 tsp olive oil (my portion) and fresh garlic - 6 points

Total: 13 points plus

Mediterranean "Pizza" and Arugula Salad

Today's Lunch was a pita pizza with pepper arugula salad

Pizza:
1 medium pita - 3 points plus
1 TB organic tomato paste - 0 points plus
1 ounce of crumbled feta with Mediterranean herbs (Trader Joe's) - 2 points plus
1/4 cup baby spinach, torn - 0 points plus
1 spray from Weight Watcher's oil sprayer, extra virgin olive oil - 1 point plus
Total for pizza: 6 points plus

Salad:
2 cups organic arugula - 0 points plus
1/2 green apple, diced - 0 points plus
1/4 large cucumber, peeled and diced - 0 points plus
2 TB Trader Joe's Champagne Vinaigrette - 2 points plus
Seasoned with cracked black pepper and pink Himalayan sea salt
Total for salad: 2 points plus

I sliced the other 1/2 of the green apple on the side.

Total Points Plus: 8

9 point plus breakfast - Egg scramble with low fat sharp cheddar cheese and broccoli

2 eggs, 1 cup of broccoli, 1 ounce of 2% milk sharp cheddar, 1 TB cooked onion - 6 points plus value
2 slices of Healthy Life Italian bread, toasted - 2 points plus
1 TB I can't believe it's not butter light with olive oil spread - 1 point plus
1/2 large grapefruit - 0 points plus

Total: 9 points plus

Cajun rub salmon with brown rice, carrots and pita triangles with tzatziki sauce

Tonight's late dinner:

1/2 wild caught Atlantic salmon filet (90 grams) - 4 points plus
1 cup cooked brown rice with smoked sea salt, cracked black pepper, garlic and 1 tsp of olive oil - 6 points plus
2/3 cup cooked carrots - 0 points plus
1 medium pita (Trader Joe's) - 3 points plus
2 TB tzatziki sauce (Low fat, Trader Joe's) - 1 point plus

Total: 14 points plus

0 point plus banana "ice cream"

This is amazing.  Slice a banana, freeze about 4 hours, blend in food processor.  I added a small amount of nutmeg and vanilla extract.

0 POINTS PLUS!

Light, fluffy, amazing!

Salad with sliced flank steak and feta cheese

An amazing 7 point salad full of deliciousness!

1 romaine heart, chopped - 0 points plus
1/4 tomato, sliced - 0 points plus
1/4 green pepper - 0 points plus
1/4 red pepper - 0 points plus
1/8 cup fresh dill, chopped - 0 points
3 TB vidalia onion - 0 points plus
1/2 small cucumber, sliced - 0 points plus
4 ounces lean flank steak, sliced thin - 3 points plus
1 ounce of feta - 2 points plus
3 TB Trader Joe's Light Champagne Vinaigrette - 2 points plus

Chicken Gyros, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries, French Green Beans

Let me start by saying this, I am a Trader Joe's fanatic.  They have interesting foods there, most are reasonably priced, you can find great stuff for all tastes and diets.  Today I bought some Tzatziki cucumber sauce to use on top of chicken "gyros" I made for dinner.  This sauce is amazing!  And it has 2 ppv for 4 tablespoons! I think I'm in love! :)

17 point plus dinner
2 medium white pitas from Trader Joe's - 6 points plus value
4 ounces of chicken breast, cut in strips and pan grilled with oregano, garlic, salt and pepper - 4 points plus value
1 ounce of full fat Feta cheese - 2 points plus value
4 tablespoons of Trader Joe's Tzatziki cucumber sauce - 2 points plus value
1 cup of french cut green beans, steamed and then sauteed with fresh onion, salt, pepper and garlic - 0 points plus value
1 cup of Alexia sweet potato waffle fries, baked - 3 points plus value

This was a great dinner. I am full and felt like I got more than enough yummy stuff to eat.

I still have 20 points plus left for today!  10 of that will be used for a big glass of red wine, the other 10.... probably something with peanut butter!

Bow tie pasta salad - 9 points!

Another variation on the bow tie pasta salad I normally make:

This time it was 9 points plus value

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of bow tie pasta (weighed before cooking) - 5 points plus
• 1/2 ounce blue cheese crumbles - 1 point plus
• 1/2 ounce feta cheese crumbles - 1 point plus
• 1/2 ounce toasted sunflower seeds - 2 points plus
• 1 cup of organic arugula, torn into pieces - 0 points plus
• 1/4 of a red bell pepper, chopped - 0 points plus
• 3 portobella mushrooms, pan grilled with non stick olive oil spray, salt, pepper and garlic, chopped into small pieces - 0 points plus

Instructions:

Boil pasta until al dente.  Meanwhile grill portobella mushrooms in a pan sprayed with olive oil cooking spray, sprinkle mushrooms with sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper and garlic powder.  Grill for about 4 minutes then flip, grill another 2 to 3 minutes until soft. 

Chop mushrooms and bell pepper into pieces (try and keep them bite size, and close in size).  Remove pasta once cooked, and drain well.  Put pasta and arugula in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap until arugula is wilted slightly.  Add peppers, mushrooms, cheese and sunflower seeds.  Stir well and serve.  Makes 1 serving.

This made a whole plate of food for 9 points! So filling and tasted great.  That picture is a dinner plate to give you an idea of the serving.

Still eating the mini quiches, still loving them!

Today's breakfast is 5 points plus

2 mini quiches (see recipe earlier this week) - 3 point plus value
2 small corn tortillas - 2 point plus value
1/4 cup fat free salsa - 0 point plus value
1 TB Oikos 0% fat Greek yogurt - 0 point plus value
1 medium pear - 0 point plus value

I almost ran out of the house without eating, I have errands to run.  But then I thought about it, being hungry is dangerous, more likely to stop somewhere I shouldn't.  Had a quick breakfast, now ready to go!